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Sometimes a flyer for the IC provides a better features and benefits discussion. Alternatively, the press release for the IC or an article about the IC in a technical magazine may put the features in proper perspective. Ultimately, if you are meeting a design requirement specified by a customer, that may allow you to zero in on required vs nice to have features.
Good point. For those that did not catch yesterday's session, TI Webbench provides signal conditioning for sepcifc sensors in their database and they have alternatives for the ICs in the design so you can zero in on the ocst-perfoemance tradeoff you need.
Just a comment for the WEB moderators - The audio on my computer keeps cutting out. The player button keeps acting like the "Pause" button was pushed. I can sometimes get it going just by hitting the "play" button on the audio control bar, but today was unusually bad. I only got through about half of the slides.
I did try refreshing the screen several times but nothing seems to work.
At the Design News webinar on June 27, learn all about aluminum extrusion: designing the right shape so it costs the least, is simplest to manufacture, and best fits the application's structural requirements.
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution. | <urn:uuid:5e1c9cf1-0054-45cf-80b5-242439afe15d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.designnews.com/messages.asp?piddl_msgthreadid=262048&piddl_msgid=915714 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939472 | 395 | 1.546875 | 2 |
By Lisa Barr
The media can hurt -- especially our girls and young women. The message Out There is hammered in over and over: You are not pretty enough. Not skinny enough. Not Enough of Enough.
Turn the page, but NOT THE MESSAGE ... and there she is Lady Gaga ... 25 pounds heavier. She made good on a promise that gaining weight would NOT bring her down. I know she and Madonna have been fighting over songs and originality -- and the funny thing is, like everyone else, you end up fighting with the person in your family who is most like you. But I love them both -- and for the same reason. They are who they are -- they do things their way --- screw everyone else, and their preconceived notions of what is "normal."
Gaga in a recent tweet, thanked "my fans who love me no matter what, and know the meaning of real beauty & compassion." She also shared the Marilyn Monroe quote:
"To all the girls who think you're ugly because you're not a size 0, you're the beautiful one. It's society who's ugly."
She goes on to say that she has had to be on a strict diet constantly, and she is now trying to find a new balance.
Yeah, Lady Gaga has Freak Flag -- the outfits, the hair, the shoes -- but oh, the message ...
Which brings me to you, and the messages You, Me, and the Girl Next Door give to our kids, particularly our daughters -- who, no surprise, are hugely affected by media/magazines/celebrities/trends -- and judge themselves by what is "supposed" to be beautiful, and fall short in measuring up.
I, mean really, who among us can compete with Air-Brushing?
When my 13 year old was in kindergarten, the kids made posters about their families and told a few things about their parents. I will never forget this one poster (to this day I wonder how the teacher could put it up there for all to see -- and on Parent Night yet ...).
It read -- and this is from the mouth of a five year old: 'My Mom is Pretty. My Mom exercises a lot. My Mom only eats salad. My Mom yells too much.'
Yes, a HUGE OY. And I knew this Mom -- who actually seemed to be a really nice person. She read the poster and was mortified ... but more so, she had been "outed" by her kid, and the truth hurt. Even at a young age, kids see everything, and call it like it is.
I have a friend -- a very attractive woman -- whose teenage daughter told her: "Mom, if I have to see you in yoga pants one more day -- I'm going to scream. Yes, we know you exercise, but can you just wear real clothes for once?"
Women -- especially in the 'burbs -- really, really take care of themselves. But is there a point, that it is just too much?
We talk so much about eating disorders, and so much less about Exercise Bulimia (EB) -- which is so prevalent, but not as obvious. It is defined as compulsive exercise (control) to "purge or compensate for eating binges or just regular eating." Unlike other eating disorders, EB is hard to diagnose because of the universal admiration for exercise. Some of the symptoms include: 1. Becoming seriously depressed if you can't get a workout in 2. Working out with an injury or while sick 3. Working out for hours at a time each day 4. Missing important appointments/events in order to workout.
And there are those of us who may be on the borderline ... I'm not a therapist but I do know so many Moms, as I'm sure you do, who are up at 5 -- at the club -- and literally slide into home base just before the kids leave for school (and that's just the FIRST part of their daily exercise routine). Other Moms, who speed-walk excessively. Others, who are always "in training." Others who are in every yoga class offered around town.
Working out is great -- but working out-of-control isn't. It seems stressful, and not joyful.
I think what Gaga is saying, is what I am striving for (work-in-progress) on a daily basis, is Balance. Ask yourself: Do you balance? Do your kids see YOU balancing? Are you always in some type of workout garb -- and do your children read this as:
My Mom ALWAYS exercises. That's what she does. Subliminally: Maybe she thinks SHE is NOT good enough/thin enough -- what does that make ME?
What about my body? I'm well, going through puberty, and nothing looks right, feels right ...
I, too, like to look good. I, too, enjoy exercising and its results (mind and body), but much differently than I did in my youth (note the word ENJOY). I no longer exercise crazy, no longer on an every-day basis, and I only do what I like to do (read: no more five million stairs up that StairMaster to Nowhere.) If it's gorgeous out -- you will never catch me in a health club.
I'm especially aware of my daughters -- and the way they may look at me, and compare themselves to me. ALL Moms and daughters have this intricate connection -- it's what WE do with it. We have a BIG JOB showing our kids that we like ourselves, and do not want to PUNISH ourselves if say, we happen to over-do it the night before on desserts.
What you say and do; how you respond to food and exercise -- especially if you have daughters -- is crucial. Read: They ARE taking notes.
If you are an avid exerciser -- or an OVER-avid exerciser -- be aware that THEY are watching and comparing. If your life is always trying to find a way to get away from your kids, and to get to the health club or to a particular class -- if your happiness is riding on this -- be aware that too much, may well be, too much.
And perhaps the message you may be sending your daughters is no different than all the crap the beauty and teen magazines are trying to shove down their throats. Only YOU are in real-time.
Do what works for you. Every case is individual. My advice, no matter the situation: Talk to your girls. Tell them how important balance is -- and that you don't expect them to be exercising as much as you do. That although they may always see you in yoga pants or in a tennis skirt or gym shorts -- you LOVE dressing up, a worn-in pair of jeans, a stroll near the lake, a good book, you love a great meal, and that they should always do what makes THEM feel good -- mind, body and soul.
Emphasize that exercising makes you feel good, but so does hanging out with girlfriends, spending time with their Dad, being outside with nature, and most of all -- being with them. Your kids should never feel that the health club is where you'd rather be (as in NOT with them). Your kids should see you enjoying REAL food other than salad. And especially parttake in the joys of chocolate -- and other delicacies -- and don't say, 'Now, I'm going to have to DOUBLE my workout tomorrow" after downing a delicious piece of lava cake. This takes the joy right out of the sweetness -- and throws the veil of guilt over a yummy moment. They WILL "take notes" and do the same.
MODERATION, in my book, is THE Message to send to your children. Eat, exercise, and enjoy. But don't teach them to 'exercise ' -- SO you can eat and enjoy.
Lady Gaga knows that her celebrity is power. I love how she is using it. She stands up against Bullying. Stands up for Homosexual Rights. Stands up for Girls-cum-Women and all the Body Image Bashing that they (and US too) have had to endure from the time that we could read ...
We should all be born THAT way.
Lisa Barr is the editor of GIRLilla Warfare: A Mom's Guide to Surviving the Suburban Jungle (www.girlillawarfare.com) and author of Fugitive Colors (Amazon). | <urn:uuid:b28df155-929b-42f7-9c8c-3724afafeb75> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://desplaines.patch.com/blog_posts/lady-gaga-for-president-4f9ece1b | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970817 | 1,753 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Apple introduced the iPad mini, confident that a smaller version of its beloved tablet computer will trump lower-priced offerings by rivals Amazon, Google and Samsung.
"This is iPad mini," Apple's senior vice president for marketing Phil Schiller said as he displayed the new gadget at a company event in San Jose.
"This isn't just a shrunken down iPad," Schiller said. "It is an entirely new design."
Chief executive Tim Cook coolly presided over the launch of what was considered his first Apple product not bearing the thumbprint of late co-founder Steve Jobs, who derided small tablets as "DOA."
Jobs publicly declared seven-inch tablets being fielded against iPad would be dead-on-arrival; that was unless they included sandpaper, "so that the user can sand down their fingers to around one quarter of the present size."
Industry analysts noted that given his oft clever tactics, the derision could have been a ruse by Jobs to discourage competitors while Apple had a smaller version of the iPad on the drawing board.
The iPad mini's touchscreen measures 7.9 inches (20 centimeters) diagonally compared to 9.7 inches on the original iPad.
A 16-gigabyte version of the iPad mini with Wi-Fi connectivity costs $329, while a 16GB model with both Wi-Fi and cellular capability costs $459.
The top-of-the-line 64GB iPad mini with Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity will sell for $659. Like later versions of the original iPad, the new Apple tablet also features rear- and front-facing cameras.
"That is very cool," Cook said of the iPad mini.
People can begin pre-ordering the iPad mini on October 26 and Wi-Fi versions were set to begin shipping on November 2 to about three dozen countries in Asia and Europe in addition to the United States.
Schiller said the iPad mini weighs 0.68 pounds, less than half the original, and is 7.2mm thick -- thinner than a pencil.
Apple also unveiled a fourth generation of the original iPad for the same starting price of $499 for a 16GB model with Wi-Fi connectivity.
Cook said Apple sold over 100 million iPads in two and a half years.
He added that more than 275,000 applications were now available for the iPad in Apple's App Store and that customers have downloaded a total of more than 35 billion apps.
Apple set the tablet computer market ablaze with the first iPad in early 2010 and stuck with its 9.7-inch screen while rivals introduced lower-price tablets with screens closer to seven inches.
Amazon's seven-inch Kindle Fire proved popular last year, and a new version was launched last month. Meanwhile, a Google Nexus 7 powered by Android software has since joined the Samsung Galaxy in the seven-inch tablet market.
While the cheapest iPad mini costs $329, less than the original iPad, the device is still considerably more expensive than the seven-inch tablets from Amazon, Google and Samsung -- which start at $199.
Independent technology analyst Jeff Kagan said the new, smaller iPad was a gamble for Apple in that it risked cutting into sales of the original iPad.
"Yes this will cannibalize some of the iPad, but pull the camera back and you can see how it will increase the size of the Apple customer base," Kagan said.
"This will open up new segments of the market to Apple -- segments that would like an Apple, but which prefer a smaller screen or a lower price tag."
Apple shares ended the formal trading day down 3.26 percent to $615.25 but regained ground in after-market trades.
Some analysts believe the iPad mini was priced too high to fend off competition from Nexus 7 and Kindle tablets.
"Yes, $129 extra to be in the Apple ecosystem does seem pricey compared to the $200 alternatives," said Forrester analyst Frank Gillett.
"However, you are inside the Apple experience and have access to the 275,000 iPad apps," he continued. "If those things are important to you, it is a no-brainer. If you are really focused on Amazon's content, then the Amazon product is going to be more appealing."
Cook also introduced slick upgrades to Apple's line of Macintosh computers, sales of which have outpaced the overall personal computer market for six years running.
Apple slimmed down its top-selling model, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, and gave it a "retina display" that boasts richer images than those on high-definition television sets. Starting price for the new MacBook Pro model was $1,699.
A new model iMac with the computing hardware built into its slim monitor promised to complement smartphones or tablets in modern lifestyles.
The new iMacs started at $1,299 with the first models available in November.
"What we see with this iMac is the early beginnings of redefining what we think about the personal computer in the world of mobile," Gillett said.
"We will have a computer at home or work that picks up where we left off on our tablet, then puts it all back in when we walk away." | <urn:uuid:3499c989-e28c-40bc-90e7-17a3b51d9a4b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://my.news.yahoo.com/apple-unveils-smaller-ipad-ipad-mini-180204090.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00022-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956196 | 1,068 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Going "paperless" is a great way to be a little greener and Abilene's City Council has done just that with the purchase of iPads.
With this purchase comes quite a few benefits including better use of space and organization, saving the city money and using less paper.
"Every week we get very large 3-ring binders with the information for the upcoming meeting and then we have budget binders and there are binders everywhere...at some point you start running out of places to put them," said Kellie Miller with the Abilene City Council.
There were, of course, many things to consider when deciding whether or not to purchase the iPads but in the end the benefits very much outweighed the initial cost.
"It's a win, win for everybody concerned...for the city, the council and environmentally as well," said Miller. | <urn:uuid:ccd16116-1c09-4b8a-bc18-ad33f4ccaa7c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://bigcountryhomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=361127&nxd_237113_start=20 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96468 | 177 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Why Is Hell Forever?
— Monday, March 21st, 2011 —
For the past several weeks, evangelical Christians have spent a lot of time talking about Rob Bell’s new book, Love Wins, in which he seeks to redefine the Christian doctrine of hell. As others have noted, Bell’s argument is not new at all. But Bell’s central point is always relevant. One of his questions weighs particularly heavily. Why, if there is a hell, is it forever?
The idea of eternal hell weighs heavily on the heart, as we think of those we know and love apart from Christ. Sometimes a devilish desire to condemn (”You will not surely die”) is behind a denial of future judgment, but sometimes the human motive is just the unbearable gravity of it all. Why, Bell and others before him ask, would God sentence an everlasting punishment for crimes committed in what God himself describes as a life so quick that it’s like a vapor of mist?
First of all, the Scripture is quite clear that hell is indeed everlasting. Jesus leaves the psychic burden intact. Yes, Scripture speaks of hell as “death” and “destruction” but defines these in terms of a place where “they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:10). Why must this go on forever? There are at least two reasons.
First, the revolt against God is more serious than we think it is. An insurrection against an infinitely worthy Creator is an infinitely heinous offense. We know something of this intuitively. This is why, in our human sentences of justice, we sentence a man to one punishment for threatening to kill his co-worker and another man to a much more severe punishment for threatening to kill the nation’s president.
Second, and more important, is the nature of the punishment itself. The sinner in hell does not become morally neutral upon his sentence to hell. We must not imagine the damned displaying gospel repentance and longing for the presence of Christ. They do indeed, as in the story of the rich man and Lazarus, seek for an escape from punishment, but they are not new creations. They do not in hell love the Lord their God with heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Instead, in hell, one is now handed over to the full display of his nature apart from grace. And this nature is seen to be satanic (Jn. 8:44). The condemnation continues forever and ever, because the sin does too. Hell is the final “handing over” (Rom. 1) of the rebel to who he wants to be, and it’s awful.
Attempts to navigate around the truth of hell as everlasting punishment show us something of our complicity in the Edenic sin: the substitution of human wisdom and human justice and, yes, human notions of love for the authority of God.
Yes, hell is horrifying. God deems it so. Our response to such horror should not be denial, but the fervent evangelism of the nations. Knowing the terror of it all, we should plead with people, as though Christ himself were pleading through us, “Be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20).
As C.S. Lewis writes, “In the long run the answer to all those who object to the doctrine of hell is itself a question: ‘What are you asking God to do?’ To wipe out their past sins and, at all costs, to give them a fresh start, smoothing every difficulty and offering every miraculous help? But he has done so, on Calvary. To forgive them? They will not be forgiven. To leave them alone? Alas, I am afraid that is what he does.”
Hell ought to drive us not to find misplaced hopes for the lost, but to the only hope for us, and for the whole world, the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Christian gospel maintains that “the day of salvation” is now (2 Cor. 6:2), during this lifetime’s temporary suspension of doom. After this, the grace of God is not extended, only his justice, and that with severity.
Jesus does indeed triumph over all things (Love wins!), making peace through the blood of his cross (Col. 1:20). But this peace doesn’t mean the redemption of each individual. Instead, Jesus triumphs over his enemies, as they are defeated beneath the feet of his kingship. Yes, every tongue confessed Jesus as lord, even Satan himself (Phil. 2:9-11). This does not mean, as Jesus himself teaches, that every tongue cries out to him for salvation. Instead there is a universal recognition that Jesus has triumphed over every rival to his throne. The redeemed will love this truth; the impenitent will lament it.
Until then, we preach, we plead, we beg, we warn. Hell is awful, and unending, and completely avoidable. | <urn:uuid:fa28999b-e178-44a1-b673-321fb71baa5b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.russellmoore.com/2011/03/21/why-is-hell-forever/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960365 | 1,043 | 1.726563 | 2 |
The Combined Federal Campaign, a program that encourages Federal civilian, postal and military donors to give part of their pay checks to charity, is the nation's largest workplace giving campaign.
Just how big is it? In 2007, Federal employees gave over $270 million. And since its launch in 1961, the CFC has generated nearly $6 billion in contributions.
Unfortunately, our analysis shows that some of the charities on the receiving end of all this generosity are not the most efficient. | <urn:uuid:914e1ac3-cdf3-4d1f-b908-e0a1dbf01978> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.charitynavigator.org/2008/10/concerns-about-cfc-charities.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957895 | 97 | 1.546875 | 2 |
An Italian priest has provoked outrage after putting up an article that said women were partly to blame for encouraging domestic violence by failing to clean their houses and cook properly and for wearing tight and provocative clothing.
Italian media reported that parish priest Piero Corsi fixed a text to the bulletin board of his church in the northern village of San Terenzo di Lerici, which said women should engage in "healthy self criticism" over the issue of femicide, or men murdering women.
Domestic violence against women is a serious problem in Italy although a report by a United Nations mission in June said it was "largely invisible and underreported".
The text, posted on a website by a conservative Catholic named Bruno Volpe, attacked pornography and erotic television advertising but said women shared the blame for "provoking the worst instincts, which then turn into violence and sexual abuse".
"Let's ask ourselves. Is it possible that men have all gone mad at one stroke? We don't think so," said the text, which was reproduced in several newspapers.
"The core of the problem is in the fact that women are more and more provocative, they yield to arrogance, they believe they can do everything themselves and they end up exacerbating tensions," it said.
"How often do we see girls and even mature women walking on the streets in provocative and tight clothing?"
"Babies left to themselves, dirty houses, cold meals and fast food at home, soiled clothes. So if a family ends up in a mess and turns into crime (a form of violence which should be condemned and punished firmly) often the responsibility is shared," it said.
The mayor of Lerici, Marco Caluri, said on Thursday the article was "astonishing and deeply offensive" and the bishop of La Spezia ordered it to be taken down, saying it contained "unacceptable opinions which are against the common position of the church".
A third of women in Italy had reported being victim of serious domestic violence, a UN report citing data from Italian statistics agency ISTAT said.
It said that as many as 127 women had been murdered by men in 2010, often as a result of "honour, men's unemployment and jealousy by the perpetrator".
Maria Gabriella Carnieri Moscatelli, the head of Telefono Rosa, an association that helps the victims of violence, said an apology subsequently offered by Corsi was not sufficient.
"I thank the bishop who had the paper taken down but I'm still not satisfied because I think someone needs to talk to this person and understand why he has these attitudes," she told SkyTG24 television.
"I think he needs to make a deeper examination of his conscience that goes beyond apologies," she said.
Corsi denied reports that he intended to resign as priest and in an interview published on the web site of the weekly Oggi, he said he would be carrying on with his work.
"After everything that's happened, which has certainly been well beyond what I intended or expected, I think there's need for calm, rest and silence to respond with the serenity and harmony required to carry on," he said. | <urn:uuid:3b5b51bf-22b0-415e-8528-d0d5c0561471> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/italian-priest-blames-women-encouraging-domestic-violence-5305633 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985702 | 647 | 1.742188 | 2 |
August 26, 2004
Windsurfer Wins Israel’s First Gold Medal
Television and radio stations in Israel cut away from their mid-day programming. News Web sites were updated faster than even the nimblest of fingers could press "refresh."
It wasn't another terrorist attack in Israel, but some good news for a change: On Wednesday, the Jewish state entered the fraternity of Olympic gold-medal winners.
"I felt as though the whole country was pushing me from behind," Gal Fridman told reporters after he took the top score following the last windsurfing race at the 2004 Athens Games.
It was the first gold medal taken by an Israeli since the country began participating in the Games in 1952.
The medal was Israel's sixth overall, and the second of Fridman's career: He won a bronze at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
"Our No. 1!" announced the Web site of Israel's biggest newspaper, Yediot Achronot, in its caption to a picture of Fridman, 28, on his board at the end of the mistral race.
President Moshe Katsav congratulated Fridman on his achievement -- and judo competitor Arik Ze'evi, who earlier won a bronze medal in Athens, expressed a pride felt throughout Israel.
"Like all Israelis, I was delighted to hear 'Hatikvah' and see the flag raised. I did not manage to get the gold, but I am glad he did," Ze'evi told Channel 10 television.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called Fridman to congratulate him in a phone call carried live by Israeli media.
"It was a joy to see you win and raise the Israeli flag," Sharon said. "The confidence and composure you evinced throughout the competition were extraordinary and earned you an honorary place in the chronicles of Israeli and international sport. You really are a grand sportsman, and the whole country rejoices with you today, and is proud of you -- very, very proud of you."
But the nation's excitement took a while to crest, perhaps because windsurfing's almost leisurely pace and lack of an adversarial dynamic makes it less of a spectator sport.
By contrast, when Ze'evi took the bronze medal for Israel last week, cries of joy could be heard from salons and cafes across the country.
As the news of Fridman's triumph spread in Israel, so did a sense of satisfaction.
"It's about time," said Dedi Cohen, a Tel Aviv lawyer whose office spent much of the day watching live television coverage of the race. "Any sport that has Israeli involvement is of interest, but to get the gold is a matter of pride for Israel and Jews worldwide."
Fridman sailed consistently at Athens, never finishing lower than eighth in the 11-race event. After the final race, he jumped into the water and then draped himself in the flag.
Fridman's family watched the race from its home in Karkur, surrounded by press. His parents, Dganit and Uri, clutched a Book of Psalms.
"I don't have my glasses to read Psalms, but it's enough to keep it close to our hearts," Uri Fridman said. Uri Fridman said he trained his son from age 6.
"I took him out first in boats, then on a surfboard, then on a windsurfer. I would throw him into the water, and pull him out again," he said.
Fridman's biggest fan, ironically, said she was one of the few who did not see him win.
"I was too nervous to watch," said the windsurfer's mother, Dganit. She had spent much of the week holding two thumbs-up in what she described to Israeli media as a good-luck gesture for Gal, which is Hebrew for "wave."
On a somber note, Fridman said he would dedicate his medal to the 11 Israeli athletes killed by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Olympic Games. "I'm sure they're watching us," he said. "And I'm sure their families in Israel will be very happy." | <urn:uuid:52af177a-439f-46c3-8bab-60ec1db4c6ce> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.jewishjournal.com/world/article/windsurfer_wins_israels_first_gold_medal_20040827 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985437 | 868 | 1.546875 | 2 |
How Restaurants Whet Your Appetite with Whimsy and Wit
By Don and Alleen Nilsen, Co-Founders of the International Society for Humor Studies
Now that we have retired from our teaching positions at Arizona State University, we have more time to eat out and what we have discovered is that restaurants are using humor and wit to spice up their patrons’ eating and drinking experiences. We were recently invited to speak about humor and aging at a big retirement community built in the desert east of Mesa, Arizona. When we got close, we stopped to eat at a restaurant and were amused to see that the bar area was totally covered with humorous license plates apparently donated by the retirees (“the Snowbirds”), who come from colder climates to spend warm winters in Arizona.
The license plates were amusing to first-timers, like us, and comforting to repeat customers who were proud to see us taking pictures of a license plate that they identified with, either because they had donated it or because it came from their home state.
Since then, we’ve started noticing humor as an attention-getter at other restaurants. For example, at our local pancake house, the waitresses wear T-shirts with such semi-suggestive messages as “CRACK IT, WHIP IT, FLIP IT!” while at our favorite pizzeria the messages on the waitress’s shirts include, “LEGALIZE MARINARA,” and “TASTES LIKE GARLIC.” One woman’s shirt looked as if it read “WATCH OUT FOR HABOOBS!” “Haboob” is an Arabic word for a huge dust storm. It was first used by Arizona broadcasters and newspapers in the summer of 2011, when we had a dust storm that was just slightly bigger than usual. Our own waitress saw us trying to read the “Haboob” message which was partially hidden by the waitress’s long hair, and she cheerfully explained that they used to all have “Haboob” shirts, but a customer complained and so they were now trying to be more conservative. However, a new catalogue was going to arrive next week so next time we come for pizza, we will be able to enjoy a whole new set of T-shirt messages.
We’ve also discovered that the Jimmy John’s sandwich shop is using humor—both on clothes and on their walls—to attract and amuse customers. Signs visible from the street read “FREE SMELLS,” and “YOUR LUCKY NUMBER” followed by the shop’s telephone number. The delivery boy wears a shirt with the message, “YOU BUY, I FLY!” On display inside the restaurant are such signs as “MOTHER APPROVED,” “CRAVE IT! SAVOR IT! And “LOVE AT FIRST BITE.” Bigger signs that customers can read to amuse themselves while their sandwiches are being made include “Your mouth isn’t watering; It’s crying for Jimmy Johns!”, “Turns out pigs can fly. You just have to make them into sandwiches first!” and “16 Things That Took Me over 50 Years to Learn.” Thankfully our sandwiches were ready by the time we finished reading the first one: “Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill the same night.” We’re undecided about whether we want to come back to read the others, but we probably will–either out of hunger or curiosity.
Don and Alleen Nilsen became emeritus professors at Arizona State University on May 15th, 2011. Their opus magnum is the Encyclopedia of 20th-Century American Humor which in 2000 was selected as an “Outstanding Academic Book” by Choice, and which in 2001 won an “Outstanding Reference Source” award from the American Library Association’s. Don has also written three books about humor in British literature, one about humor in American literature, and one about humor in Irish literature. In 2004, Don and Alleen published two books about teaching metaphor in public schools, and in 2007, they published their Names and Naming in Young Adult Literature. Don and Alleen’s most recent book is their revisedPronunciation Contrasts in English, about half of which is about English spelling as a rule-governed system. Don and Alleen are presently working on the 9th edition ofLiterature for Today’s Young Adults, which will appear in 2012. | <urn:uuid:a50f07da-2b1b-482d-8d2d-8b4722293ff4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://humorinamerica.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/how-restaurants-whet-your-appetite-with-whimsy-and-wit/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972546 | 970 | 1.65625 | 2 |
EU Fails on Budget Deal in Echo of Debt-Crisis Stalemate (Brussels)
(c) 2012, Bloomberg News.
BRUSSELS — European Union leaders on Friday failed to agree on the 27 nation bloc's next seven-year budget, replaying the clash between rich and poor countries that has stymied the response to the euro debt crisis.
National chiefs plan another summit early next year, when northern countries including Britain and Germany may have the upper hand in seeking to cut subsidies to lesser-developed southern and eastern economies clamoring for EU investment.
"Anything short of admitting that our talks have been extraordinarily complex and difficult would not reflect reality," Jose Barroso, head of the European Commission, which manages the subsidy programs, told reporters after a two-day meeting in Brussels.
Britain's defense of its cash-back guarantee and France's clinging to farm aid gave the summit the flavor of EU negotiations in the 1970s or 1980s, diluting efforts to equip Europe with a budget to make it more competitive. Eastern and southern countries said reduced financing for public-works projects would condemn them to lag behind the wealthier north.
The euro rose to $1.2977 at 7 p.m. in Brussels from $1.2880 late Thursday. The Euro Stoxx 50 index rose 0.9 percent to 2,557.03.
In the EU's last budget round, it took two summits, in June and December 2005, to strike a bargain. No date was set for the next negotiations. In the absence of an accord by late 2013, the EU would roll over its annual budget.
At stake is a spending plan for the years 2014-2020 that would total about 1 percent of EU-wide gross domestic product. While that sum is paltry compared to the average 50 percent of GDP that each country spends inside its borders, the political resonance is far larger.
Wealthier countries such as Germany, Britain, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands banded together to cut what they pay to the collective pool, pounding away at the original proposal of 1.033 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) that came out in mid-2011.
Germany has led a bloc demanding austerity in Greece and three other bailed-out euro countries in exchange for rescue aid. | <urn:uuid:792a8f90-fbb5-418e-b8fd-0917561e899f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.northjersey.com/news/international/180618581_EU_Fails_on_Budget_Deal_in_Echo_of_Debt-Crisis_Stalemate__Brussels_.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954919 | 473 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Each shanty had an electric box connected to the track circuit. There would be 2 lights . . . one marked Eastbound and one marked Westbound.
When a train entered the circuit, the light would go on emitting a noise to attract the attention of the crossing watchman.
He'd then go out and hold up his stop sign, or red lantern or lower the gates if his crossing was so equipped. He had to be notified well in advance, because he'd have to have time to go across the tracks and lower the far side gates, by hand cranking them and then return and lower the near side gates by hand cranking them.
Assuming this was an express train traveling at 70 mph and not intending to stop, he had to move his ass.
Then there were the REALLY busy guards who worked double track territory, especially electric territory. Trains ran along the Babylon-Jamaica portion of the Montauk branch every 30 minutes in each direction. That was a lot of light indicators flashing, and crossing watchmen running back and forth to lower both sets of gates . . . especially when an eastbound AND a westbound passed each other at or near his crossing!
You may have fallen asleep on the job had you been guarding the crossing at South Country Road east of Patchogue, (past MP 54) but you'd be quite awake if you were guarding the crossing at Little East Neck Road west of Babylon or even Deer Park Avenue for that matter with trains going in and out of the yard east of the station! Research: Dave Keller | <urn:uuid:f2e5742e-6908-446a-bf88-088231afac23> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?141362-LIRR-Crossing-Shanties&p=853146 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977323 | 317 | 1.5 | 2 |
This orange comes to us from the North African area near the Mediterranean Sea. The Mango orange is a sub-acid orange that allows those that cannot otherwise eat citrus fruit to do so. It is still high in Vitamin C and has a very delicate ant sweet flavor that will remind you of mangos, hence the name that we have given it. It has a soft pink ring around the outside of the flesh that makes it very appealing to the eye. It is sometimes used as a garnish in some upscale restaurants. Deer Creek Heights Ranch is one of the few commercial growers of this variety. | <urn:uuid:5e2a92c2-4aa4-493c-b095-51439b54089c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.deercreekheightsranch.com/oranges-nl/mango-nl.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368709037764/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125717-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969842 | 119 | 1.601563 | 2 |
While the debate has raged for years about the best type of mother — stay-at-home moms or working moms — a new study has found that both groups of mothers have a lot more in common than many thought.
According to a new study released by Citizen Relations, both working moms and those who stay at home made their respective decisions in order to benefit their families.
The Citizen Mom study found that while 70% of working moms said their decision was based on what made the most financial sense for their family, 66% of stay-at-home moms put the well-being of their children as the number one reason for their choice. For both groups, one third felt that it was important for their children to see them in their chosen role.
Another finding found even more common ground among moms, with both groups saying they see the alternative as a viable and valuable alternative.
That said, most moms indicated that they wanted to work, with half of all stay-at-home moms saying they'd be willing to make a change and join the workforce if given the option, while 20% of working moms said they'd leave their careers behind all together should the opportunity arise.
[See also: Mom defends 'Time Magazine' breastfeeding cover]
While work is important to mothers, 1 in 6 said they don't need work in order to be happy and the majority self-identify as mothers first before their profession.
The study also found that one third of all moms agree that the most precious commodity in their lives is time alone. Given a couple hours to herself, most moms say they'd like to catch up on some reading, sleep or exercise.
For the two-thirds of moms who would opt for $200 instead, a little pampering or something special for herself is how she'd choose to spend the extra cash. Perhaps not surprisingly, a great many moms would share even this indulgence with their family.
Tell us: How do these findings compare with how you see yourself as a mother?
More from Shine on Yahoo! Canada
Breastfeeding questions you're afraid to ask
Birth rate declines in Canada
Dad's rejection has big impact on kids | <urn:uuid:152fa5e2-c2f7-41fd-bd11-dd10e1900650> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/blogs/shine-on/working-mothers-vs-stay-home-moms-study-many-140530066.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981904 | 443 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Just before the final dress rehearsal for the the Oberlin Music Theater Association's February production of The Wizard of Oz, members of the munchkin chorus - 20 local children - ran through warm ups with their director, music-education and theater major Laura Shepherd.
Being able to dance ballet and sing a Munchkinland lullaby was "lots of fun" say chorus members Karen Reynolds, seven, and her sister Gena, five.
The collaboration between College students and local youngsters was Shepherd's brainchild. "I was involved in a reading program with a third-grade class at Prospect Elementary and I really enjoyed it," says the double-degree junior. "I wanted to offer these children a chance to perform."
She says she picked The Wizard of Oz because it offers children a big role in the production. She posted audition notices throughout the town - in meeting halls, churches, and in the schools. More than 25 local youth inquired about auditioning. The 20 successful candidates ranged in age from 3 to 16.
- Back to the ATS March 1999 Table of Contents | <urn:uuid:364e69d9-fd14-41e8-a719-3b72751c7bb2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.oberlin.edu/wwwcomm/ats/atscurrent/ats0399/atsmar99_munchkin.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969577 | 220 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Faculty Profile: Dr. Jeff Turk
Dr. Jeff Turk’s parents sealed his fate when they bought him a chemistry set at age nine. The last three weeks of his high school AP Chemistry class sparked his interest in organic chemistry.
The assistant professor of chemistry joined Alma faculty in 2006 after earning his undergraduate degree at Cleveland State University and his master's and doctorate degrees at the University of Cincinnati.
“I chose Alma College because of its focus on the importance of quality teaching coupled with the overall research potential within the chemistry department,” he says.
His research has always been in medicinal or drug-related chemistry, and his work at a large flavor and fragrance company added fragrance chemistry to the list.
“One of my favorite hobbies is learning new things and then talking about them,” he says. “I had a short tenure in the chemical industry, and it became clear that although I enjoyed certain parts of my job, I was missing the teaching aspect that I really loved.”
Turk’s current research involves creating new molecules that inhibit Avian Influenza (Bird-Flu), which is partially funded by a grant from Alma. One of his research students just received a prestigious grant to work with him over the summer.
“The majority of the students at Alma seem generally interested in learning — this is rare, and is not seen at many larger institutions,” he says. “Alma College is selective, and brings very good students in.”
In his spare time, Turk enjoys cooking, bicycling and the outdoors, as well as raising freshwater fish and plants, and being a husband and father. | <urn:uuid:f47db5c3-0143-4d2d-8463-679b6daedbb7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.alma.edu/academics/departments/natural_sciences/chemistry/profiles/turk | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987727 | 344 | 1.625 | 2 |
[MR2] reading a/c pressure gauges
tbamc at gbta.net
Tue Jul 8 00:58:03 EDT 2008
I bought a used set of gauges for dealing with my a/c system, and
thought using them was fairly straightforward. I then noticed that in
addition to a PSI scale, there is an R12 and an R22 scale. I 'thought'
the large PSI scale was the one to use, but then seeing the vastly
different R12 scale I started to question that assumption. Anyone know
the difference, or have a link to a site explaining it? Google wasn't
kind to me.
More information about the MR2 | <urn:uuid:25fd1fa6-e6e8-4d93-972f-f45d11fbc474> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://mr2.com/pipermail/mr2_mr2.com/2008-July/002318.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952132 | 149 | 1.6875 | 2 |
This is a very interesting project, the goal of which is to make prototyping physical devices a fairly straightforward process. The technology, in this case, takes advantage of both hardware and software components. Watch the video on the page -- it takes just a few minutes, but explains the project well. And if you are like me, you'll be really impressed with what they are doing.
I bring this up, because software prototyping is still something I think we can do better at. I've seen realatively good results by using photoshop, plain HTML, or even recently MS Frontpage (thanks to Tim). While these approaches kinda work well for representing a simple GUI mockup, it would be nice to be able to wire a bunch of GUI mockups together easily to form a prototype of some kind.
So what do you use to prototype and mock stuff up? | <urn:uuid:23f349f5-c0d0-45b0-bbb7-24bc98628fc6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.blogbyben.com/2005/12/prototypingtools.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961492 | 176 | 1.65625 | 2 |
iREPORTERS SIGNED UP
Created February 16, 2010 by
Ever wanted to take a walk around the world, but don’t have the time or energy? Us too. On Saturday, March 20, we asked iReporters to help CNN create a walk around the world by filming a one-minute video of their favorite place to take a stroll.
We gave TWO INSTRUCTIONS to follow for this assignment:
1. Once you hit record, don't stop walking for a full minute. You can talk about where you are and what this place means to you. Or stay quiet. It’s up to you.
2. Please START and END the video by briefly filming your feet as you walk. Check out the example if this doesn’t make sense.
Update: This assigment is now closed. Thanks to everyone who participated. CNN strung 85 of the videos together to make a walk around the world.
But it doesn't end there. Now we're inviting you to create your own mashup. | <urn:uuid:8d1f2301-b106-4a93-b17f-6dd9d65784b4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://ireport.cnn.com/topics/409928 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953169 | 216 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Browse by date within this newspaper
The Oxford Observer began weekly publication in 1889. The paper was established by Richard Holman Parish, a prominent local businessman. Parish arrived in Oxford in 1870 and set himself up as a draper. He installed a printing press in his shop for general jobbing work. He was active in many areas of life in the community and was a strong advocate for the Oxford area.
The National Library would like to thank Oxford Museum for their assistance in the digitisation of this title.
See our copyright guide for information on how you may use this title.
About this newspaper
Also published as: Oxford and Cust Observer and Canterbury Liberal; Oxford Observer and Canterbury Democrat
Available online: 17 August 1889 - 31 August 1901 (472 issues) | <urn:uuid:4fdc47c6-b434-4487-a5ac-57d5969fb825> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=CL1.OO&e=-------10--1-byDA---2%22poor+law%22-- | 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 | 0.944187 | 155 | 1.625 | 2 |
GOMA - The Democratic Republic of Congo’s government has ruled out negotiations with rebel groups. It has also accused Rwanda of failing to stop Congolese rebels recruiting and resupplying in Rwandan territory.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Prime Minister Matata Ponyo Mapon has just completed a fact finding tour of the country’s most troubled province, North Kivu.
Speaking to the media in Goma Sunday he said the government would use force to dislodge the rebels of the M23 movement from what he described as their last holdout - a range of hills on the borders of North Kivu, Rwanda and Uganda.
The prime minister says the Congolese armed forces were all set to defeat the whole enemy force when they were astonished to see that the enemy force was increasing. A neighboring country’s territory, he says, had been used for training and infiltration.
The prime minister says he met with rebel deserters at the UN military base in Goma who told him they were recruited and trained in Rwanda before being sent to join the M23 rebels.
DRC Information Minister Lambert Mende says several hundred M23 combatants have been recruited recently in Rwanda.
Mende says the DRC government condemns the inactivity - or worse - of the Rwandan authorities in the face of these serious infringements of the DRC’s peace and security.
He also says the M23 had formed alliances with other armed groups, including the Rwandan FDLR rebels who are operating on Congolese territory.
DRC officials say they are going through diplomatic channels to address concerns with Rwanda.
While the government is vowing to end the rebellion by military means - there have been at least three ceasefires since fighting with the M23 began in April. Mende hinted that the current truce called last week is strategic to allow the army to resupply with ammunition.
But Ernest Kyaviro, a spokesman for the governor of North Kivu province, says the ceasefire is not popular with the local Congolese.
“They don’t like it at all, because it has given the enemy the time to reinforce and fight again," said Kyaviro. "It has been made two times and the consequence was to complicate things. They don’t like it - they have told it to the minister openly, in Rutshuru. It can be sad for them to see another truce coming.”
A spokesman for a civil society group in North Kivu Omar Kavota says they also oppose the ceasefire because there is a risk that the M23 would escape from their holdout and restart the war elsewhere.
But whether or not civilians support a ceasefire and a military solution depends on who you talk to. Eric Muhindo is a teacher from the village of Mushaki - the scene of recent fighting.
He says his community wants a ceasefire because they are threatened and they are tired of the war. Muhindo adds that if the government thought of the people, it would talk to the rebels to find a solution which addresses the origins of the problem.
Most of the people in Mushaki are Kinyarwanda speakers, from the community that has provided the M23 with most of its recruits.
But Minister Mende emphasised that Kinyarwanda speakers are by no means the only people who have joined ethnic militias in Kivu.
He says that in each of Kivu’s communities there are youths who get together and say they are going to form a militia to protect their people, and even if their real aims are pillage and rape, they always claim they are protecting their community.
This, Mende says, is why the prime minister had called a meeting of community leaders in Goma, to urge them to discourage tribal militias.
The M23 are former Congolese soldiers - once aligned with a Rwandan-backed rebel group known as the CNDP. The mutineers were integrated into the army in a 2009 peace deal. But indications the Congolese government was going to arrest their commander, Bosco Ntaganda, on an International Criminal Court warrant prompted the rebellion in April. | <urn:uuid:2a6de58d-427a-4377-8ab4-fb5b766c78cc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.voanews.com/content/drc_government_rules_out_talks_with_rebels/1205957.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977476 | 868 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Autopackage is Yet Another Packaging System.
As if there weren't already enough of those. The unique feature it has is that it is distribution neutral. You can make one autopackage and install it on Red Hat, SuSE, and Ubuntu.
The LSB tries to accomplish the same thing both by standardizing a directory structure and by standardizing a package format + a set of standard packages.
Unfortunately, it is not enough. Applications need to integrate well with Gnome and KDE these days. They also need more binary portability than LSB can easily provide. | <urn:uuid:5ab1eead-1cae-43ec-b757-2475a7c8744f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.advogato.org/person/firefly/diary/2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940848 | 120 | 1.539063 | 2 |
1. Free stuffWhen retailers offer products and services for "free" there's usually an ulterior motive. For online shops, "free" provides the initial incentive for buyers to use their web site, and may be effective in retaining customer loyalty. One of the most common uses of "free" is free delivery.
UK-based The Book Depository is without doubt using the power of free. The title of their home page is "Free delivery worldwide on all books from The Book Depository". This title shows up in google when searching for "book depository", along with the site's description, which is "The Book Depository offers over 8 million books with free delivery worldwide". The site's byline is "The Book Depository. Free delivery worldwide on all our books". Also in a prominent position on the home page is: "Free worldwide delivery" which links to a page listing all of the countries where they offer free delivery.
2. Per customer limits and the perception of product scarcityPer customer limits leads buyers to think that a product is scarce, and increases their incentive to buy now. It also entices people to buy more than they originally intended. The legitimate reason for doing this - to avoid products getting sold on the gray market - is hardly ever a real concern. Retailers will also impose a time limit during which the product is available, along with a ceiling on the number of products that can be sold, after which the deal will end.
Living Social Deal - Laser Nail Therapy Clinic - 70% Off Laser Nail Fungus Removal for Feet ($450)
This group buying deal shows a "Limit 4 per customer" in the fine print. Most group buying sites have per customer limits for all their deals. In additon to the per customer limit, there is an absolute limit on how many deals can be sold, as well as the deal only being available for a limited amount of time, in this case, 7 days.
3. The 9 factor - prices ending in 9, 99 or 95Using prices that end in 9, 99, or 95 is called 'Charm Pricing' or 'Psychological Pricing'. We've been culturally conditioned to associate these prices with discounts. And because we read numbers from left to right, we mentally encode a price like $7.99 as $7, especially when we quickly glance at the price. That's called the "left-digit effect" - it's encoded in our minds before we have finished reading all of the digits.
Pricing of the Amazon Kindle family of products - $499, $199, $119.
As opposed to $500, $200, $120.
4. Easy mathMost sites, when putting a product on sale, will show you what price it was marked down from. It might be "was $20, now $15". You will rarely see something like, "was $20, now $14.22." The reason is that if the difference is easy to calculate, we tend to think it's a better deal. It's called "computation fluency". Another method employed by many sites is to display the amount of the total saving along with the percentage saved.
The Body Shop USA - 50% off Sitewide - After Christmas Sale. Everything is 50% off, making the amount you are saving obvious; you don't need to check any prices or fineprint. Anything you buy on their site will include a significant saving.
5. Sale price font size and colorA common practice in online sales is to display the sale price in a different font size and/or color to the original list price. Typically, the original list price will be shown in strike-though.
Amazon uses red text to denote a sale price, shown below the original list price, which is struck out and shown in light gray. However, products which are not on sale and are being sold at the original list price continue to use this red (sale price) font. One theory says that customers will become accustomed to seeing red text as a saving, and will be more inclined to buy, even when the product is actually not on sale.
6. Dynamic Pricing (also known as Time-Based Pricing)The airline industry is often cited as a dynamic pricing success story. It employs the technique so well that most of the passengers on any given airplane have paid different ticket prices for the same flight. By responding to market fluctuations or large amounts of data gathered from customers - ranging from where they live to what they buy to how much they have spent on past purchases - dynamic pricing allows companies to adjust the prices of identical goods to correspond to a customer’s willingness to pay.
During Thanksgiving week, The New York Times tracked the price of Dance Central 3, a popular Xbox game, as it dropped on Amazon from $49.96 to $24.99 to $15.Example 2
Coca-Cola tested dynamic pricing in automated vending machines where prices would fluctuate based on the surrounding temperature. Their theory was a soft drink would be worth more when it is hotter outside, and correspondingly, demand for soft drinks would decrease if it were cold outside. It was an unpopular idea and luckily, Coca-Cola abandoned it.Sidenote
Oren Etzioni, a computer science professor at the University of Washington, became incensed when he found out that the traveller sitting next to him on a flight got a much better price for his ticket than he did. Etzioni started collecting online price data from all US airlines, then he created his own formula that could predict when the airlines would raise or lower their prices. His company was bought by Microsoft. And today, when you search for flights on Microsoft's Bing Travel site, you'll see colour coded arrows (called the "price predictor") letting you know you if the price of that ticket is likely to head up or down.
7. Pay what you wantPay what you want is a pricing system where buyers pay any desired amount for a given product or service, sometimes including paying nothing (i.e. free). Sometimes a minimum (floor) price may be set, or a suggested price may be indicated to the buyer. The buyer can also pay an amount higher than the standard price.
It has the benefit of reducing buyer's remorse, which is what happens when you decide afterwards that you've paid too much for a product. It also can result in a viral increase in popularity or visibility for a product when used in highly competitive markets.
It is often used for products which use digital delivery, such as software and music. There is usually no additional cost per download to the seller anyway, since the site's bandwidth would usually be paid for on a capped, monthly basis.
Freeware software is often distributed under this model. For example, on the home page of Paint.net is the message "Show your appreciation for Paint.NET and support future development by donating!". Typically, a PayPal donate button is used.
In October 2007, Radiohead released their seventh album, In Rainbows, through the band's website as a digital download and requested fans just pay whatever amount they thought it was worth.Example 3
Introduced during May 2010, the Humble Bundle was a set of six downloadable indie games which were distributed using a pay what you want system (with inclusion of a buyer-controllable charitable contribution).
8. FreemiumFreemium is a business model that works by offering a base product or service free of charge (typically digital offerings such as software, games or online software - software as a service). A premium is then charged for advanced features, functionality, or for related products and services.
LinkedIn - Basic features of the social network are available for free. For the ability to see the profile of members outside your network, and to access advanced features, you'll need to pay.
The New York Times paywall. A limited number of news articles can be read for free per month. To get full access to the site, you'll need to pay.Example 3
Zynga publishes games for Facebook and the major smartphone/tablet app stores. Typically there are in-game actions (e.g. farming) which result in being rewarded with an in-game currency (e.g. loot/coins/points). The in-game currency can then be used to buy additional game features, or to progress further in the game. The in-game currency can be topped up, via a payment to Zynga in real dollars via an in-app-purchase.
9. No dollar signsA 2009 Cornell University study found that diners in upscale restaurants spent significantly less when menus contained the word "dollars" or the symbol "$". Restaurants use the technique of omitting dollar signs to get you to focus on the product being sold (the food) rather than the price. They may also mention or profile the chef who is cooking the food. Apart from the websites of restaurants, its difficult to see this being used much in general online retailing.
Gramercy Tavern, New York City
According to Urbanspoon this is the most popular fine dining restaurant in New York City.There's no dollar signs at all on their website, and their a la carte lunch menu (pdf) doesn't feature any dollar signs either, only numbers.
10. "X for $X"Buyers will often buy more of a product than they originally intended, if it means they will secure a bargain.
Bath and Body Works - 5 for $5 sale
In this case you need to buy 5 products to realise a saving of 33% off the original list price.
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Written by B. Michelle
(1/18/2004 11:02 a.m.)
in consequence of the missive, The Reader's Prejudice, penned by Karen Marija
They had not long separated when Miss Bingley came towards her, and with an expression of civil disdain thus accosted her: -- "So, Miss Eliza, I hear you are quite delighted with George Wickham!
This introduction and the sneer she walks away with show that her hope was to take Elizabeth down a peg. (Also, I find her way of calling Elizabeth "Eliza" to be a degradation).
I agree that it's funny how JA used Miss Bingley, whom we all dispise, as a reliable source.
Groupread is maintained by Myretta with WebBBS 3.21. | <urn:uuid:07948268-ef46-4978-98f4-ec0c16a77132> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.pemberley.com/bin/library/ppgr2004.cgi?read=774 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702810651/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516111330-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932138 | 178 | 1.59375 | 2 |
People keep asking me what I am eating for Ironman training. People keep asking my wife how she got so skinny after having a baby 8 months ago. The answer is the same: we are eating a high fat, low sugar, low refined carbs diet and I can’t state this enough: eating fat will not make you fat. To experiment with this concept, try getting fat on a diet of steak and olive oil. There is no way it can be done. You will find that many more individuals are overweight from high-carb diets. In fact my wife is below her pre-baby weight and has a flat stomach from only breast feeding, walking, a core program, and eating a high fat diet.
I work with athletes in my gym to alter their diets based on their objectives, goals, sports, and the time of year. Athletes that do low-intensity endurance sports consume more fat, which fuels their bodies. Because of my Ironman training, I have been in the process of adding fats to my diet and tricking my body into favoring it as my fuel source. Throughout that process my body as become more efficient at using carbs when given in short supply.
I am not saying that you should replace carb intake with fats. You need some carbs for your brain and to achieve certain goals. I am only saying that as an endurance athlete, you should teach your body how to be efficient with carbs and rely on fats when the carbs are gone. High fat and low refined carb diets with protein are ideal for low-intensity, long-endurance sports.
So what can you add to your diet to get skinny by eating fat? Healthy fats. Here is a list of foods to shop for next time you are at the store. Additionally I should mention my wife and I eat as organic and natural as we possibly can. The fewer ingredients on the label, the better. If we can’t pronounce something, we don’t buy it – and that’s saying a lot because she was a Biology major.
4% or 5% milk fat cottage cheese | <urn:uuid:150169ce-167e-4098-bb4e-fa0c4e610d37> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.patsgym.com/high-fat-diets/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967512 | 426 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Barcelona is a prosperous and bilingual city that vies with Madrid as an intellectual art and design centre. It is full of friendly people with a zest for life as well as some of Europe’s most unique buildings thanks to its celebrated architect, Antoni Gaudi.
Located on Spain's east coasts, Barcelona is one of the country's most popular cities. Here you will encounter many, many attractions. To find out about what are the ones you shouldn't miss, Hostelworld.com's Colm Hanratty speaks to Maria Lluisa Albacar of Barcelona Turisme. In the podcast he discovers where is good for nightlife, what museums you shouldn't miss and more.Download Podcast » All Barcelona podcasts »
Find out how to save money when buying tickets for the metro and more..
The north-eastern Spanish city is among one of Europe's favourite destinations for short breaks and a popular spot with inter-railers going to Spain. It is also home to some of the world's most fascinating architecture thanks to the works of Antoni Gaudi.Read More » | <urn:uuid:99782be7-4ad3-4cfb-a420-92dea9ede5ba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.hostelworld.com/guides/city-guides/barcelona/spain/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947402 | 225 | 1.570313 | 2 |
I had the pleasure of receiving a copy of “The Cutest Face” by Toronto illustrator & Author, Rebecca Zak. I grew up in the Toronto area, and the best complement I can give this book is that it truly captures the “diversity & equity” of the classroom experience I experienced then, and students still enjoy now.
Rebecca’s illustrations are beautifully done, her command of realism with oil paints is really great… and she captures that “class photo” feel with little touches like the curtain in the background, the children’s poses, and variety of expressions.
The story itself is sweet, feels like a book of complements to each of the children in Rebecca’s class, appreciating them for who they are as individuals. The icing on the cake is how she pulls it together at the end, with “how cute everyone looks altogether” in their class photo.
The book itself has a lovely feel to it, is hardcover and the paper has a lovely feel to it. It is printed on paper “From Well Managed Forests” approved by the FSC. The book was designed by Dave Zak.
I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to share in the enjoyment of diversity with their children.
“The book is colorfully illustrated and the story is simple but delightful. Riley, a small girl of about 5 years loses her first tooth. When she shares that news with her grandma, the pups in the house get worried and start searching for the lost tooth. A tooth fairy appears and assures them that it is a natural process and Riley will in fact get a regular, permanent tooth in its place.
….The book is well written and the illustrations are beautiful. The book will definitely appeal to all children (including children at heart like this reviewer) and their parents / grandparents / elder siblings and other care givers. Strongly recommended as an educational gift.”
Riley’s Lost Tooth is due to be launched in just a couple weeks!
I just read an interesting article by Angie Wagner over at AOL Australia Lifestyle on Talking to Kids About Death. Wagner has interviewed Diane Cantrell, author of our book “Good-bye, Baby Max,” which is about a kindergarten classroom who deals with the loss of their classroom pet. Diane provides a lovely honest perspective on talking about death with little kids, offering the advice to not be afraid of discussing it with your children.
My favourite children’s book review podcast, Just One More Book, is coming up to it’s 400th episode this July… and to celebrate the love of reading they’ve invited children’s book illustrators to come up with a logo for their website. Mark & Andrea are a lovely couple whose love of reading with their children is truly apparant through their podcasts… they’ve received some great submissions already, including this awesome one by one of my favourite illustrators/writers, Oliver Jeffers… as well as artwork by some very tallented kiddies! Deadline for entries is June 15th, 2008… Happy drawing!
“The loss of a family pet can be a traumatic time for everyone, but the grief can be especially difficult for children. Death is a tough topic for many parents to discuss with their kids, but it’s an important conversation to have. Often, the death of a family pet is a child’s first real experience with loss, and it lends parents an opportunity to emerge as role models for their children to prepare them for life’s unexpected turns.
Child development specialist and licensed counselor Diane Cantrell says no matter how young they are, children need to know that the grieving process is normal. Many times, kids don’t have the language or ability to conceptualize the feelings that they are going through, and they look to their parents for guidance.
Cantrell recently authored a children’s picture book, “Goodbye, Baby Max” (Bridgeway Books, February 2008) as a tool for parents to discuss loss and death with young kids. Along with original illustrations, “Goodbye, Baby Max” tells the story of a kindergarten class that loses their classroom pet, a baby chick named Max who never hatched from his shell. With the help of their teacher, Mrs. B, the students learn to express their feelings and plan a special goodbye.
Also a former pre-k/kindergarten teacher, Cantrell says there are three important things that parents and teachers can do to help children deal with painful loss:
1. Listen, validate and reassure. Be patient in answering repeated questions and assure children that it is normal for them to feel mad, sad, or afraid and tearful. If your child expresses worry or sadness, you can provide validation by telling them that you feel sad as well. While acknowledging feelings, be sure to let the child know that, even though the feelings may be overwhelming, they can handle them.
2. Observe. Play close attention to your child’s play, artwork and behavior, for these are the blueprints to their feelings and concerns. Remember, children ages 4 to 6 don’t have the language to express complex emotions but do so through their play and behavior. Notice any themes that may emerge in your child’s play and artwork. Also be aware of behavior changes such as increased aggressiveness, anger or withdrawal. These are signs that your child is having a difficult time with the loss.
3. Engage. Provide opportunities to engage your child in conversation about the loss. Reading fictional picture books that address grief and loss can serve as valuable springboards for discussion. Having your child tell about their artwork can also lead to meaningful interactions. Assist the child in planning a special good-bye for their pet. It may be a traditional funeral or a memorial in which the children draw pictures for the pet, make gifts, and or take a special walk in the pet’s honor. Children have many good ideas about how they wish to say good-bye to their special family friend. Be sure to ask, listen, and assist in the implementation of these ideas. “
Author Lisa Chalifoux just took part in an interview over at Blog Talk Radio, and shares a little about her experience working with me on our book “Spotty & Eddie Learn to Compromise.” Lisa also chats a bit about her experience with self-publishing her first book.
You can listen to the interview here!
“Good-bye Baby Max is a wonderful children’s book for those who are coping with the end of life. A former kindergarten teacher who currently works as a professional counselor and life coach in Texas wrote the hardcover book. The author, Diane Cantrell, states that the book was written to stimulate discussion on a topic that is often difficult to broach.
The illustrations are filled with gold, red, green and blue in the art are filled with activity, creations on the walls by the class and teacher’s lessons displayed here and there. The nature scenes are lovely and occasionally spotted with cute ladybugs - which might be fun to inspire your children find them….
Children will enjoy the opening and closing pages that are filled with tiny yellow chicks…. Rating 4 out of 5 stars.”
Review by Lillian Brummet
Rating 4 out of 5 stars
Good-bye Baby Max is a wonderful children’s book for those who are coping with the end of life. A former kindergarten teacher who currently works as a professional counselor and life coach in Texas wrote the hardcover book. The author, Diane Cantrell, states that the book was written to stimulate discussion on a topic that is often difficult to broach.
The illustrations are filled with gold, red, green and blue in the art are filled with activity, creations on the walls by the class and teacher’s lessons displayed here and there. The nature scenes are lovely and occasionally spotted with cute ladybugs – which might be fun to inspire your children find them. Heather Castles has been enjoying a career in children’s book illustrations for some time and has a passion for nature.
A class of about 14 children is learning about spring and growing seeds; their teacher brings them three wriggling chicken eggs that are just about ready to hatch baby chicks. The teacher wants them to learn about caring for the delicate birds and to experience the cycle of life as a biology lesson. Unfortunately, one of the eggs was not allowing the little chick to come out of the shell. The children return to class the next morning and learn that the little chick, Max, has died. Tears flow and the teacher helps the children deal with the grieving process. Love for their unborn friend inspired a comforting funeral underneath a large oak tree. Each child is given projects to aide with the healing process and soon they begin to find joy in the two chirping, squirming delicate yellow chicks.
Children will enjoy the opening and closing pages that are filled with tiny yellow chicks. The hardcover is illustrated and protected with a slipcover with identical illustration as the cover.
Published by Bridgeway books (US), however environmentalists might be concerned that it was printed and bound in China, due to the shipping involved. Unfortunately I could find no information in the book or on the publisher’s site regarding environmentally sound printing options that were chosen, such as using chlorine or acid free paper. Because the environment is a strong passion of mine, I feel I have to dock the book by a star. Otherwise, I truly enjoyed this book.
Lillian Brummet: co-author of the books Trash Talk and Purple Snowflake Marketing, author of Towards Understanding; host of the Conscious Discussions radio show (http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)
“Mrs. B’s kindergarten class anxiously awaited the arrival of three baby chicks, which they have already named. But Max, the last one to hatch, doesn’t make it into the world. The next morning, Mrs. B has to break the sad news to the class. The rest of the story, told in rhyming text, shows how the children and the teacher handle their grief. “Silence falls over the room. Liz and Rob begin to cry. ‘Don’t worry,’ says Mrs. B. ‘We’ll find a way to say good-bye.’”
This simple and tender story takes a look at an occurrence that most every child, unfortunately experiences at least once during their childhood - the death of a class pet or a pet of their own. The colorful illustrations by Heather Castles are soft and muted, adding to the seriousness of the subject. The expressions on the faces of the multi-cultural children are precious and touching.
This a a great book for any young child experiencing a loss, especially appropriate for ages 4 through 8. This is a difficult subject to approach with a young child and this book would ease that conversation.” | <urn:uuid:0efc0be3-7c10-4bb9-b346-9c76bb3a751c> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blog.illustrationcastle.com/category/reviews/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967988 | 2,288 | 1.640625 | 2 |
As the Ars team convenes for two days of meetings in Chicago, we're reaching back into the past to bring you some of our favorite articles from years gone by. This story originally ran in January 2010.
The latter half of the 1990s was a dark time for the company then known as Apple Computer, Inc. Windows 95 had dashed any remaining hopes of mass-market desktop dominance for Apple. The big profits of the earlier part of the decade had given way to some huge annual losses. The future of the entire company was in doubt.
Like injured animals, corporations are adept at hiding the true magnitude of their injuries. As grim as things appeared from the outside, few Apple enthusiasts knew at the time just how close the company came to fiscal ruin. But the software picture was always crystal-clear—clear, and terrifying.
The Mac operating system lacked two important features essential to remaining competitive past the end of the decade: memory protection and preemptive multitasking. Over the course of many years, Apple made several abortive attempts to create a modern successor to the classic Mac operating system, all of which crashed and burned before the horrified eyes of Mac fans everywhere. Regardless of its financial issues, it was clear to the geeks that Apple was on the road to technological ruin.
Apple made its final play for salvation in 1997 when it purchased NeXT and, after one more false start, announced at WWDC 1998 what would be, blessedly, its last next-generation operating system strategy: Mac OS X.
By all rights, the Mac faithful should have been, if not ecstatic, then at the very least relieved at this turn of events. Finally, a modern operating system for the Mac. But there was another, equally common reaction: fear. As a body of code, Mac OS X was not an evolution or enhancement of the Mac operating system that we knew and loved. It was an entirely different—albeit not exactly new—operating system to which the Mac name and, presumably, user experience were to be retroactively applied.
Fear of just how badly this undertaking could turn out is a big part of what motivated me to not only learn as much as I could about the future of Mac OS, but also to write about it. As a freshly-minted Unix nerd, I couldn't help but be somewhat excited at the marriage of my two favorite operating systems. But laid over that optimism was a blanket of mild hysteria regarding every part of the project above the core OS.
Now here we are, a decade later, and Mac OS X has matured into a fine product. This ten-year marker presents an opportunity to do something technology writers usually avoid. I'm going to look back at some of my hopes and fears from the early days of Mac OS X's development and compare them to the reality of today. Was I right on the money, shrewdly warning of future disasters that did, in fact, come to pass? Or do my predictions now read more like the ravings of a gray-bearded lunatic? It's judgment day.
1999: Mac OS X DP2
The path to the Mac OS X project was littered with broken technological promises and missed ship dates. As it turns out, Apple was about to turn the corner and start actually hitting its dates and keeping its promises. But in 1999, I still had my doubts.
The current party line has Mac OS X on store shelves some time in 2000. I fearlessly predict that it will not appear until 2001 at the earliest.
("Nailed it"…though predicting that a software product will be late isn't exactly a tough call.)
It wasn't really fair to make any sort of judgement about Mac OS X based on the second "developer preview" release, which Apple acknowledged upfront existed only to help developers begin their work and did not represent the final user interface. That's a good thing, because my evaluation of DP2 was not kind.
Actually using DP2 is akin to logging into a demented Xterm running a poorly designed window manager theme meant to look something like Mac OS. Launch a Cocoa application and you feel like you've been warped into NEXTSTEP, again running that funny window manager. Run a classic applications and it's like being in a slightly odd version of Mac OS 9, with that alternate NeXT universe still visible in the background. Pull up the command line and you start to think that all of this is one big facade running on top of good old Unix.
Given how far the final Mac OS X user interface diverged from the one in DP2, this harsh criticism hardly seems relevant. But none of us knew what 10.0 would look like back then. Something called Mac OS X Server 1.0 did exist as a shipping product in 1999, and it and looked a hell of a lot like Mac OS X DP2. It was not beyond the bounds of reason to imagine that the final Mac OS X user interface might be a cleaned up, refined version of this very same interface—and that would have been a bad thing.
Ever looking for the silver lining, I went on to opine that "I'd much rather be stuck using Mac OS X DP2 on a daily basis than Mac OS X Server. They both completely fail the 'Mac-like' litmus test, but DP2 is closer to that goal." Reading that now, it's clear to me just how desperate I was to find something good to say about the UI of this new OS.
The image below is a good distillation of my already slightly desperate attitude towards the Mac OS X user experience. Practically speaking, it compares the mouse movement allowed by Mac OS (green) when selecting an item from a sub-menu to the movement required by Mac OS X DP2 (orange). (Following the green path in DP2 caused the sub-menu to immediately disappear.)
The subtext was this: "Hey, NeXT guys. This is just one example of the kinds of things we Mac users appreciate—nay, expect—in an operating system that bears the Mac name. Slapping a Platinum coat of pixels on your existing NeXT code base is obviously not going to cut it. User interface design is not just what it looks like; design is how it works."
The OpenStep APIs are cross platform. Mach is cross-platform. WebObjects is cross-platform. x86 builds of Rhapsody, Mac OS X Server, and Mac OS X inside Apple have been all but confirmed. Rumor has it that Apple routinely synchronizes all changes to Mac OS X across both PowerPC and x86 builds of the OS. Clearly, Apple's choice of where to deploy its new operating system is not limited by the technology. If they decided to try releasing a version Mac OS X for x86 processors, it would be technologically within their means.
Before you congratulate me for my amazing prescience, consider the next two sentences I wrote: "But will they do it? I seriously doubt it." If you'd asked me to place money on the question, I'd have bet heavily against Apple moving to x86. But I now realize I would have been betting with my heart, not my mind. My brain did get in the final word, however:
The cross-platform card is something to watch for. For the first time, the only thing keeping Apple off of the "PC" platform will be its business plan. And hey, with Steve Jobs calling the shots, anything is possible.
It's interesting to note that only two short years after his return to Apple, Jobs had already (re)cemented his reputation as a fearless and often unpredictable leader. Age had not slowed him down one bit.
File system metadata (which I was then calling "meta-information," for some reason) was also tickling my brain, though mostly in a positive way, believe it or not. I was intrigued by the concept of bundles, especially their use of this shiny new "XML" data format. But while storing metadata in separate flat files within bundles could work for applications, the future of plain file metadata was still in doubt.
How will Mac OS X identify the file type and creator of "regular" files? By file name extension, that concept so alien to traditional Mac OS? Or will HFS/HFS+-dependent type/creator meta-information soldier on into the future? Time will tell.
Note the blithe dismissal, the seemingly complete lack of concern. "Oh well, time will tell." Indeed it would. | <urn:uuid:c2143e55-3828-4ac7-8841-a61713e0d5b9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://arstechnica.com/apple/2011/05/mac-os-x-revisited/?comments=1&post=75309 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00038-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967872 | 1,746 | 1.75 | 2 |
A Magnum Journal
"Wherever we had been in Russia, in Moscow, in the Ukraine, in Stalingrad, the magical name of Georgia came up constantly. People who had never been there, and who possibly never could go there, spoke of Georgia with a kind of longing and a great admiration. They spoke of Georgians as supermen, as great drinkers, great dancers, great musicians, great workers and lovers. And they spoke of the country in the Caucasus and around the Black Sea as a kind of second heaven. Indeed, we began to believe that most Russians hope that if they live good and virtuous lives, they will not go to heaven, but to Georgia, when they die."
— John Steinbeck, A Russian Journal, with pictures by Robert Capa, 1948
First of all, this book is beautiful just in itself. Big, square, and heavy, with an embossed cover, it's made to look from the outside like a prayer book or an old-fashioned leather journal. Inside, it's chock-full of photos and maps, with excellent design throughout.
The concept of the book is that of a travel journal. Ten Magnum photographers visited Georgia during spring 2009, and the book treats us to their multi-perspective view of contemporary life in this former Soviet country. Each 20-page chapter is devoted to a single photographer's point of view, including "personal" journal reports of their impressions of Georgia.
The book also offers us some fantastic vintage photos drawn from the Magnum archives — most notably a sample of Robert Capa’s work in Georgia from his 1947 travels with John Steinbeck. A brief timeline sketches Georgia's history from 4000 BC to the present day. And the book begins and ends with a series of modern postcards showing brightly lit, richly saturated color scenes from tourist sites in the "new" Georgia.
Archival pictures and postcards aside, what’s great, really, is to get so many different takes on what Georgia is like today. Most (though not all) the journal entries are gushing with praise or delight, echoing John Steinbeck's findings from 60 years ago.
Since the Georgian Ministry of Culture paid for this whole project, (with the active participation of the President of Georgia), sometimes these reports ring of promotion, publicity, and tourist bait, rather than genuine photojournalism. Perhaps the inclusion of the postcard images is a brief nod to this intention. But the truth is, whether you take them as back-door promotion or honest documentation, there are plenty of serious new photographs in this book.
Paolo Pellegrin takes a sincere look into religion, faith and tolerance. Alex Majoli explores the still widespread desolation and destruction following the recent war in South Ossetia. Mark Power reports on the evident national desire to quickly build up a shining new foundation for industry, economy and tourism. And Martin Parr does a good job reporting from the flashy casinos, busy restaurants, flea markets, baths, raves and discos.
Alec Soth’s contribution is without doubt the least inspiring conceptually and textually — he went searching for “the most beautiful woman in Georgia” — and then ended up stalking (literally) a young woman who refused to be photographed.
Photographer Thomas Dworzak, who lives in the capital, Tblisi, had the challenging assignment of photographing Georgia's young, charismatic president, Mikheil Saakashvili (a runner-up for Time magazine's "Person of the Year 2008") as he globe-trotted from one photo opportunity to the next. Unfortunately, we get the least convincing pictures from this talented photographer, even though he lives his life in the country! Every shot feels staged and highly promotional.
All in all, after spending a few hours with this book, I feel like I would know what to expect if I were to visit Georgia — a naturally beautiful place, loaded with history and conflict and tradition — yet struggling with its cultural identity as it is moving fast-forward into a fully globalized, consumer-driven Western-style democracy. This book is a richly diverse snapshot of a country and its people at this particular point in time.
— Jim Casper
A Magnum Journal"
Published by Chris Boot Ltd.
Hardcover, 11.4 X 9.8 in, 264 pages
Buy on Amazon | <urn:uuid:5e351abc-6ffa-4ad8-b384-c7e93b2d1aca> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://lensculture.com/georgian_spring.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949879 | 902 | 1.640625 | 2 |
No checkpoints for him: Santa Claus comes to town in Palestine
With 45,000 lights and 6,500 baubles adorning its central tree, it comes as no surprise that Christmas in Bethlehem will be as loud and proud as ever this year.
This very traditional place faces a slew of obstacles to put on its celebrations each year but overcoming checkpoints, poverty and even religion, is part and parcel of life in the West Bank city.
The all-important ceremonies will of course take place in the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square but a big dose of Christmas cheer can also be found in the predominantly Muslim Palestinian refugee camps.
Many may suspect that festive fun in the iconic site of Jesus' birth is a Christian-only affair but Muslims have been getting in on the action too. In the "spirit of sharing," General Director of Bethlehem's Al Rowwad Cultural and Theatre Center for Children, Abdelfattah Abusrour, says Muslims will be leading a number of the festivities.
The theatre center, which works with children in Aida camp, north of Bethlehem, will be entertaining the masses with a four minute Christmas sketch. While families in the western world tune into 'A Christmas Carol' or 'It's a Wonderful Life', the people of Bethlehem will be watching teenagers from Aida and other local refugee camps perform live for the cameras.
However, this is the Middle East not the Mid-West and politics are never far away. While Aida's refugee teens will be celebrating the day with a special appearance by Santa Claus, they will also be portraying the recent Gaza/Israel conflict on stage.
Palestinian children face serious travel restrictions even inside the Palestinian-Authority-controlled West Bank but Christmas is no time to think about checkpoints and the Rowwad Cultural Center is attempting to put a different light on the festive season, with a 'play bus' spreading hand made games across the camps and along the street of Bethlehem.
Not happy letting the locals have all the fun, people across the globe are flocking to Bethlehem to get a slice of the merriment. According to local tour company, Laila Tours, even Israelis are swinging by to see what all the fuss is about.
Will you be heading to Palestine for Christmas? Are you happy to see Muslims at this Christian celebration? Tell us what you think below. | <urn:uuid:58929868-9687-47f3-9fe3-8a2e2d2a0032> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.albawaba.com/editorchoice/bethlehem-christmas-457968 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937864 | 479 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Assistant Director-General of UNESCO visits associated school in Cuba
n February 17, Mr Qian Tang, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO for Education, visited the UNESCO Associated School "Mariano Martí", located in Old Havana, a World Heritage site.
Herman van Hooff, director of the UNESCO Office in Havana, Natasha Diaz Arguelles, specialist of the National Cuban Commission for UNESCO, Miguel Llivina, National Professional Officer for Education at the UNESCO Havana Office, and Delia Vera, coordinator of the Associated School Network in Cuba, accompanied Mr Tang during the visit.
The director of the school, teachers and students warmly welcomed the UNESCO representative and explained to him several projects developed in the institution, placing particular emphasis on those relating to the protection of world heritage and risk management of natural disasters. To conclude the visit, the schoolchildren provided a beautiful cultural performance.
This elementary school is located on Paula St., a few metres from the birthplace of the Cuban National Hero Jose Marti (son of Don Mariano Martí). This educational institution teaches from first to sixth grade. | <urn:uuid:a365249c-46ba-4a91-a44c-68782fb80ce0> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/networks/global-networks/aspnet/dynamic-single-view/news/assistant_director_general_of_unesco_visits_associated_school_in_cuba-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933689 | 222 | 1.710938 | 2 |
about the program
The Keyboard Studies faculty at San José State University is composed of internationally renowned performing artists. As instructors, they nurture and inspire future performing artists, music educators, and scholars on the highest professional level. At SJSU, a substantial amount of individual instruction time as well as ample performing opportunities allow students to experience unlimited growth as musicians.
All piano majors at San José State University receive applied lessons, taught one-on-one by our faculty. Chamber music, accompanying, orchestral, and jazz classes are also offered to prepare our pianists for versatile performing careers. In addition, piano majors take courses in pedagogy, piano literature, and piano technique. Special courses are offered each year such as “Beethoven Sonatas and their Performance Practice” in which the instruction focuses on the original intentions of the composer and “The complete piano works of Maurice Ravel” studied from a historical and cultural perspective.
Piano students at SJSU regularly come in contact with world-class artists who are invited by the School of Music and Dance to teach master-classes and perform for the students. In recent years, the roster has included legendary pianists Anton Kuerti, Charles Rosen, Menahem Pressler, John Perry, Ruth Slencynzska, Mack McCray, and Hans Boepple.
SJSU's Beethoven Center is home to a Historical Keyboard Collection that spans 300 years of keyboard history. Including clavichords, harpsichords, and fortepianos, the collection can be seen being performed in special concerts.
- Bachelor of Arts in Music
- Bachelor of Music in Performance
- Bachelor of Music in Music Education
- Masters of Arts in Music
- Minor in Music
- Dr. Gwendolyn Mok, coordinator
- See a recent SF Examiner Article/Interview with Dr. Mok
- Sharon Brook
- Dr. Victoria Lington
- David Simi (organ)
- Joan Stubbe
- Dr. Namiq Sultanov
Visit the Auditions page for details on the audition process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the audition requirements for piano majors in the four degree areas?
Audition requirements are listed in the Undergraduate and Graduate handbooks.
Can I apply as a post-baccalaureate?
Yes, many students who have a Bachelor’s degree in another discipline apply for admission to our School of Music to earn a second Bachelor’s degree.
Are there any age limits?
No, we have many mature students in the School of Music and Dance.
What types of practice facilities are available?
Several practice rooms are equipped with grand pianos, which are locked and reserved for piano majors only.
Are all piano majors expected to play from memory in a public performance?
Yes, we encourage all pianists to learn how to memorize and play in public without music, which is an essential element of professional training.
Is there a choice of teacher?
After acceptance to the School of Music and Dance you will automatically be assigned to a member of the piano faculty. You may request a specific instructor, but assignments are based on availability.
Are there harpsichords available?
Yes. The School owns two Wilson harpsichords that were built to the specifications of Fernando Valenti. These instruments are available to all keyboard majors.
How is your program different from a music conservatory?
The School of Music and Dance provides the same quality education as found in a conservatory but also includes General Education courses in addition to the music curriculum. The focus is to provide a liberal arts degree with a concentration in performance. | <urn:uuid:b333c6bc-2109-4e4e-bb8a-ab291d728f29> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sjsu.edu/music/discovering_music/academic_programs/instrumental_performance/keyboard_studies/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943461 | 756 | 1.632813 | 2 |
by Robert Wilkinson
Soon we'll have the first Lunar Eclipse of 2008 at 2 degrees of Virgo-Pisces. The midpoint of this total eclipse will occur on Feb 20 at 10:26 pm EST, Feb 21 for Greenland and points east. This is very close to the last Lunar Eclipse of August 2007 at 5 Virgo-Pisces, so expect echoes. Since Full Moons always fulfill the energies of the previous New Moon, this Eclipse will sprout the seeds of the Feb 2008 Solar Eclipse. Both eclipses are shutting some old ways of life down forever (as all eclipses do), leaving us space to embrace the new already waiting for us exactly mirroring what we've prepared for up to now. These will shine a light on closures, courage, and transmutation of energies into personality strengths in our process of going through our "liberating ordeals" that are protective mechanisms ultimately restructuring our lives, and what work we consider important.
As the eclipse is total, it's considered a very important influence wherever its shadow falls. This eclipse will be able to be clearly seen in most of North America, South America, Western Europe, Africa, and West Asia. The total eclipse lasts 50 minutes, implying this Eclipse will be a very strong influence for the next month for those under the total shadow. The eclipse lasts 3 1/2 hours in all, which equals 3 1/2 months of coming influence for everyone.
We will all be able to find a better way of seeing what is essential and discard irrelevancies while weaving what's left into a higher or broader vision. This eclipse will move us into preparations for things to come, and help many to find protection against those who are too aggressive. The yearning for something greater, or distant horizons, will bring forth adaptability, intuition, and flashes of brilliance.
Before we go into more details about this eclipse, I must remind you that we're still heavily influenced by the eclipses of 2007 as well as others before them, discussed in Eclipses Past and Present – A Look At What They’ve Brought All of Us in 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, and 2001. The Lunar Eclipse of March 2007 fell very close to the Lunar Eclipse of September 2006 at 15 Pisces-Virgo and continued some long lasting patterns of change. Examining the Virgo-Pisces eclipses of the past couple of years can yield interesting insights as to how the polarizations of this axis manifest. The last Solar Eclipse of September 2007 was very powerful, and is still an influence in our lives. Go to the link to find out more about that eclipse, as well as two articles on the Lunar Eclipse of September 2007. For now, here are a few paragraphs about the eclipses in 2006-2007 that may help you understand why so many things changed as they did:
... expect some unexpected events to revolutionize your life. For those pitting their little will against the Higher Law or the greater evolutionary trend, there will of course be crashes through abrupt and unexpected explosions... Those who have trained and prepared to escape from "a narrow destiny" can do this through being willing to rise to some task or duty, and be joyous in "enlisting in a task which broadens the life horizon"... That 2006 Autumn Full Moon Eclipse yielded major transformations. The line of greatest development was in honoring our unique way of responding to the Divine Will and finding inspiration in new routines and rituals. For some, it was a liberating ordeal. For others, the unveiling of cloaked totalitarian attitudes. At 15 Virgo-Pisces, we fulfilled a form of culture, and rehearsed and prepared to take the training into the world.
The September 2006 Solar Eclipse fell at 30 Virgo, Mars' degree at the Lunar Eclipse (setting) Mars into motion and a) shut down some things forever after the Solar Eclipse, or b) activated things after the Solar Eclipse that yielded major results. Of interest is that those eclipses fell at 15 and 30 degree of Virgo, both said to be the fulfillment of that sector of the sign... the September 2006 Solar Eclipse will be an influence through 2013...
The March 2007 Lunar Eclipse was a See Saw, with Moon in Virgo opposing a cluster of planets in Pisces. Saturn was also in long term opposition to planets in Aquarius, showing oppositions and polarizations... (forcing) adjustments, lessons in discrimination and forgiveness. There was also a Grand Fire Trine of Venus at 14 Aries, Jupiter at 19 Sagittarius, and Saturn at 20 Leo. (yielding) lightness, brightness, and inspiration that burned up old forms no longer appropriate to our new direction. Disappointments (taught) us how to navigate polarities leading to Chiron's healing wisdom. We formed unique relationships while dealing with the weirdness of the revolutionary conditions that freed us for greater activity and expanded feeling capacity.
The August 28 2007 Lunar Eclipse had a powerful Grand Mutable Cross between Mercury at 17 Virgo, Mars at 14 Gemini, Uranus at 18 Pisces, and Jupiter at 11 Sag... (functioning) more as a strong T-square throwing the void into 14, 17, and 18 Sag, which Jupiter triggered as it moves through that span late Sept-early October 2007.... expect major developments when the Moon, Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Mars cross over these degree spans in Virgo, Sag, and next Pisces. The void shows us... our need to contact the Ageless Wisdom, our "spiritual ancestry," renew ourselves in relationships that help us "come out of darkness and despair," and value what protects us from too great a light or feelings.
... expect splits from the past wherever the Mutable signs fall in your chart. Mercury is on a degree of "volcanic eruption," so besides many explosions to come, we will be offered the chance to "break up old complexes" and find our "will to wholeness." Things will erupt in a big way as a result of this, so be as creative and regenerative as you can while things, people, and whatever else whirls through the air around you... Venus in this eclipse is the same degree as Saturn in the March 2007 eclipse. This should help us find people, resources, and values that make personal the larger lessons of maturity promised by the Grand Fire Trine. If we've "done Saturn correctly" the past six months, we should be able to capture pleasing and enjoyable forms perfect for our personal situations.
So what can we expect from this March 2008 Total Lunar Eclipse? This Eclipse features a dramatic See Saw pattern, with 8 planets in Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces in opposition to Moon conjunct Saturn in early Virgo and Mars hanging out on the periphery at 27 Gemini. Mercury and Jupiter are rulers of this eclipse, and are in an obscure aspect called the quindecile, said to be 24 degrees and specializing in a minor way. Mercury, ruling the Moon and Saturn, is in its sign of exaltation at its stationary direct degree indicating it's time to launch a vision, whatever that means in our lives.
The Moon and Saturn opposition the Sun is cut into a favorable sextile-trine configuration by Pluto at 1 Capricorn, a degree of power. This eclipse will take away power players from the past, while opening the door to some fairly extreme energies for good or ill. Many will make critical decisions over the next few months, find a broader perspective by giving up old limited approaches and searching for a wider view, and actively give up the lesser so that elements of a new life can begin to come forth. "Feather your nest," and prepare for new activities, new relationships, new needs, new things and people to care about, and new ways of securing your day to day security.
Perhaps the outstanding quality of this Eclipse is that despite the See Saw polarizing views and lives, there are no squares. This can provide many realizations without the gear grinds that squares usually symbolize. The See Saw cautions us not to get marginalized or out on the periphery of things, and find a whole view to any opposition that can include both views and more.
Neptune leads the Sun, showing a metaphysical bent to this eclipse, where much concerning the collective consciousness and unconscious will be illuminated, articulated, healed, and called to its higher function. Neptune is in a training degree, again reinforcing our need to get in shape to "pick up and deliver" some form of higher power in the near future.
Mars is a harmonizing force in this eclipse, so follow your yearning for larger things. It is still quintile Saturn, trine Neptune, and biquintile Venus, all productive of unique and harmonized understandings and relationships. Other notable aspects are the out-of-sign trine to the Sun and opposition to Pluto, and a sesquisquare to Mercury.
Astrologers should take special note of Mars' 65+ degree aspect to the Moon, one of the aspect series I've termed "Elftile," as they are based on the division of the circle by 11. This division yields nonrational aspects that are much different than the irrational aspects of the Septile series. I have researched these for years, and find these aspects (32+, 65+, 98+, 130+, and 163+) offer us a chance to transcend and master duality by making leaps of faith. In this eclipse it will primarily work out in the areas the Moon and Mars affect in our lives.
Adding another layer to this subtle but powerful aspect is the Moon-Jupiter aspect in this same "higher irrational," duality-transcending aspect series. Many will have to make leaps of faith to transcend some old duality, and in doing so will achieve a measure of mastery in that realm of life. This will work out wherever late Gemini, early Virgo, and mid-Capricorn fall in our charts, and obviously affect Aries, Cancer, Leo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Pisces houses and planets.
That would imply we have many dualities to transcend by making multiple leaps of faith, these leading us to expertise or at the very least a greater faith in our abilities and how the Divine Plan is working out in our lives. Uranus also configures in the same aspect series with Moon and Mars, but the orb to Jupiter is a bit wide. Still, for you researchers, take note.
Speaking of irrationality, we also have Moon triseptile Venus and Mercury triseptile Saturn adding more of the usual choices, changes, and forks in the road wherever they influence. Add the Venus quincunx Saturn from a degree of "communing with the Spirits of our ancestors," and no doubt the pressure will be upped to a great degree offering us chances to demonstrate expertise in some skillful way. Expect major karmic adjustments, as well as the ability to transcend old ways of experiencing our inner nature.
Much will be triggered as Mars moves into early Cancer during the first half of March 2008 and creates a Mystic Rectangle with the Sun, Moon, and Pluto positions of this Eclipse. Very definitely we will see major "sea changes" in our world, as well as our individual lives, though it may take a while to recognize it.
Here are some technicals for astrologers: This activation will be given substance each time the Moon moves through the Rectangle zone, just as the Light or Illumination of what this eclipse is about will be understood much better in mid-March when Mercury and Venus traverse the Solar eclipse position. The Earth trines from Moon-Saturn to Pluto will be stabilized and understood with greater clarity the 3rd week of April and beginning of May with transits through early Taurus.
Expect major development of whatever voids Mars is activating in March to come around the Summer Solstice and early July, when we have lots of activity in early Cancer and Mars is activating the Virgo points. Of course, the profoundest insights will come in August when Mercury, Venus, and Sun all cross the Virgo points of the Eclipse, capturing whatever Mars has promised.
So that you may prepare, in North America the Lunar Eclipse will have 25 Virgo rising in LA, and 29 Libra in Washington DC. The Aquarius stellium will occupy the 5-6 houses in PST, and the 4-5 houses in EST. London will have 21 Sag rising, Amsterdam has 24 Sag rising, and Tallinn has 30 Sag rising. These places will have the opposition between the first and second houses and the 7th and 8th.
Istanbul has 1 Aquarius rising, Johannesburg has 25 Aquarius rising, and Baghdad has 26 Aquarius rising. In these places the opposition primarily occupies the horizon, which I would think would be significant. Moving east, New Delhi has 14 Aries rising, while Trivandrum has 11 Aries rising, thus accenting the 5 and 11 house axis. Hong Kong has 27 Taurus rising, offering the 8-9-10 houses opposed by planets in the 2nd and 4th. Tokyo has 30 Gemini rising, showing the 3-9 house axis accented.
In Western Australia, we find mid-Taurus rising with the opposition between the 2-4 and 8-10 houses, while in Melbourne we find 3 Gemini rising and in Brisbane 14 Gemini rising, putting the emphasis on the 3-9 house axis.
In Part 2 we'll explore more about the qualities of this total Lunar Eclipse, as well as the critically important Lunar Eclipse degree, which I noted earlier is exactly the same as Saturn's stationary direct point. Stay tuned!
© Copyright 2008 Robert Wilkinson | <urn:uuid:9dbfffc5-d0f2-422d-9602-9429e7926ce7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aquariuspapers.com/astrology/2008/02/long-range-astr.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944325 | 2,814 | 1.820313 | 2 |
Jul 06, 2011
Global Green Solutions Inc. (GGRN:OTCQB) has resumed demonstration of its revolutionary Greensteam renewable energy technology. The Greensteam demonstration plant began steam generation utilizing 100% agricultural biomass fuel on 29 Jun and operated continuously through 30 Jun. Operations were conducted around the clock and successfully included simultaneous preparation and waste heat drying of the fuel being consumed, a key element of the Greensteam process.
"We are very pleased with what we are seeing." said Craig Harting, COO of Global Green Solutions Inc. "Process adjustments made over the last few months have significantly improved Greensteam performance and we can now confidently move forward with preparations for the 30 day continuous performance test"
Noted biomass energy expert Paul Ervin of Biostream observed, "I was very impressed with the plant during my visit and I'm excited to be able to witness the operation of one of the first new biomass fuel technologies in California in twenty years."
Greensteam is a revolutionary advanced biomass combustion process projected to be 20% more efficient than any current biomass combustion technology while producing 80% less air emissions without employing costly pollution control equipment. The demonstration plant is located in Aera Energy LLC's Belridge oilfield, near Bakersfield, California, and Aera has provided significant financial support for its construction and operation. Aera Energy LLC is one of California's largest oil and gas producers.
Global Green Solutions Inc. www.globalgreensolutionsinc.com develops and implements ecotechnology solutions for biomass-derived renewable energy generation. Global Green Solutions Inc. is a U.S. public traded company (GGRN: OTCQB, CUSIP 37947A), with offices in San Diego, Vancouver, Edinburgh, and Bakersfield, CA.
Global Green Solutions Investor Relations
Halsey Johnston, Global Green Solutions, Inc.
+1 866.408.0153 (toll free)
LEGAL NOTICE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements in this release include, the expectation and/or claim, as applicable, that: Greensteam will be 20% more efficient than any current biomass combustion technology while producing 80% less air emissions without employing costly pollution control equipment and that sufficient funds will be raised to enable the company to complete demonstration plant performance testing. Although Global Green Solutions Inc. (the "Company") believes that the expectations reflected by the forward-looking statements presented in this release are reasonable, the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements due to a number of factors and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: our process technology may not perform as expected; and we may be unable to retain key employees whose knowledge is essential to the development of our process technology. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers should also refer to the Company's periodic reports and other filings filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at www.sec.gov for additional discussion of risks and uncertainties relating to the Company and its business. | <urn:uuid:fd81961e-099a-4587-a3cc-9368f719339d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.globalgreensolutionsinc.com/s/NewsReleases.asp?ReportID=465580 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00040-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939819 | 689 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Monday, May 21, 2012
BRISTOL — Indian Rock Summer Day Camp takes place at the 280 acre Indian Rock nature preserve, located on Wolcott Road (Route 69 in Bristol. The camp is part of the Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut. Some of the exciting features the camp has to offer include, 9 acre Indian lake with two swimming areas, a farm, canoes and kayaks, miles of forest trails, and plenty of indoor classroom programs. Registration is now open, so act quickly, because if you pay in full by may 1 a 10 percent discount will be given.
The camp is for girls and boys entering kindergarten through 9th grade. Each camp week features two different topics per age group on nature, science, animals or outdoor recreation, so children may attend for the entire summer or for selected weeks of interest.
The groups are divided based on the grade they will be entering. The groups are Earth Magic, (K-10; Discoverers, (2-4); Explorers, (5-6); Adventurers, (7-9). Boys and girls entering 10th grade may become counselors in training. The camp day hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Optional early morning care is available from either 6:30 or 7:30 a.m. to the start of camp. An extended day program is also available from the end of camp at 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.
The director and dull-time staff are all environmental educators, who along with the summer staff, encourage and facilitate discover and exploration through hands-on experiences. Please see ELCCT.org for additional summer camp information or call us at 583-1234. | <urn:uuid:84a3a7b9-827a-4b03-b4d2-1ffc0a1f7bbf> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.registercitizen.com/articles/2012/05/20/news/doc4fb9c20da7c30244027970.prt | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93997 | 353 | 1.695313 | 2 |
U study finds Dinkytown LRT route could jeopardize fundingby Laura Yuen, Minnesota Public Radio
St. Paul, Minn. — A study commissioned by the University of Minnesota found the U's preferred route for the Central Corridor light rail line would fail a key test for qualifying for federal funding.
The report obtained by the St. Paul Pioneer Press says the university's preferred route would cost less to build, but would attract several thousand fewer riders. The report will be discussed today, as the Metropolitan Council decides how to route the train through campus.
The U and Met Council still appear to be locked in a debate over the campus alignment. The Met Council favors a track along the busy Washington Avenue. But the U has been increasingly resistant to that plan in recent months and is studying an alternate route further north, through Dinkytown.
Some project supporters say the discord could delay the project by at least a year or even jeopardize about $450 million in federal funding.
In the first of two back-to-back meetings today, a key advisory committee will make a recommendation to the Met Council on the campus route. Then the Met Council will likely take an up-or-down vote on the Dinkytown route. | <urn:uuid:33bd184f-ccdb-47d0-89e2-7d5025058373> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/05/21/dinkytown?refid=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706153698/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120913-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948792 | 251 | 1.703125 | 2 |
What Sally McManus lacks in numbers, she makes up for with chutzpah, endless reserves of energy and a willingness to piss off her own side of politics. She was the driving force behind one of the biggest union triumphs in decades — the landmark equal pay campaign that achieved massive pay rises for over 150,000 low-paid community workers earlier this year.
“I’m not a Labor hack,” the feisty left-winger tells The Power Index. “I only participate in the ALP to advance the interests of my union.”
Feminist academic Eva Cox describes McManus, who has run the white-collar Australian Services Union’s NSW branch since 2005, as the “archetypal ‘goodie’ union leader”.
“From everything I’ve observed about the equal pay case, she’s been terrific,” she says. “She knew exactly what she was talking about and she was very tough.”
In February, following a six-year campaign by the ASU, Fair Work Australia granted pay rises of 19-40% for workers at social and community organisations such as UnitingCare, Mission Australia and Oxfam. The reason: their work had been systematically undervalued because of gender.
The case’s significance could be felt across other sectors too, with Heather Ridout and other senior business figures deriding the decision as “dangerous” because of the potential for similar claims in female-dominated areas like aged care and child care.
The tale of how the victory was achieved is a gripping one, yet has gone largely untold.
“At some points, I thought the chances of us succeeding were less than 5%,” McManus says. “There were so many times the campaign could have fallen over.”
The first key moment came in 2009. Julia Gillard, then workplace relations minister, was manoeuvring to transfer state and territory-based workers to her new national IR regime. McManus, who led negotiations for the union, grasped the enormous opportunity for leverage this presented.
The ASU extracted a promise that, in return for shifting community sector workers to the national system, the government would support a federal push for equal pay (the ASU’s Queensland branch had just won a test case in that state).
The next step was pressuring the government to keep its promise via an all-out national campaign involving protest rallies, online lobbying and delegations to Canberra.
The campaign was co-ordinated by Linda White, the ASU’s respected and experienced assistant national secretary. But the grunt came from the NSW branch. Half of McManus’ 12,000 members are community sector workers – giving her more members in that sector than all the union’s other branches combined.
“In our campaign — and I’m not being arrogant, but it’s true — all the major strategy and negotiations with government were done by us,” McManus says.
In November 2010, disaster struck. The government’s submission to Fair Work Australia cautioned that any pay rise needed to be balanced with the impact on the budget, and would lead to other job and service cuts. Convinced Labor was backing away from its promise, McManus publicly attacked the government for betraying Labor values and threatened to organise the “biggest mobilisation you’ve ever seen”.
Behind the scenes she was lobbying senior Labor ministers to support the case. One influential figure who took up the cudgels for the ASU was McManus’ long-time friend Bill Shorten, then parliamentary secretary for disability services. The pair began their union careers together in 1994 as ACTU trainee organisers and have maintained a strong relationship ever since.
The intervention of MPs such as Shorten — and a heated public backlash — saw the government override its earlier submission and fall in behind the ASU. Julia Gillard went on to commit $2 billion to help fund the pay rises. | <urn:uuid:a44534b6-a51a-4361-b5e9-49a79fdabce4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/05/09/the-power-index-union-heavies-sally-mcmanus-at-9/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970788 | 848 | 1.671875 | 2 |
A few weeks ago at the farmers' market I asked for a bunch of beets. The farmer grabbed a beautiful bunch: five crimson colored globes topped with remarkably long, red stalks and large, crisp leafy greens. I could practically taste them.
Then right in front of my eyes, before I could utter a word, he beheaded my beautiful beets and flung the greens into a dirty cardboard box with other sad, misfit vegetables.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"What? You didn't want them did you?" he asked, incredulous.
Didn't want them?! The beet greens are the best part.
It made me miss Carlos, the farmer from whom I bought beets all last year when we lived in LA. One Sunday when Carlos saw me coming, he ran from the table into the back of his van. He motioned me to follow him. When I reached the back of the van, he uncovered a big box full of fresh bunches of beet greens and flashed me a smile. "For me?" I asked. "For you, Miss."
I actually got a little welled up. In the midst of a bustling market, he thought to save me the beet greens and was less concerned with making extra money off of them than of making me happy.
Though no one could ever replace kind-hearted Carlos, I've met a new, super nice farmer, Sam. The first time I bought beets from Sam, I commented on how beautiful the beets greens were; he asked, "Would you like some more?"
"Really, are you sure you don't want them?" I asked.
"Yeah, you can have them," he said.
Imagine. Giving beet greens away. What is the world coming to?
If you've never cooked with beet greens, then you're in for a treat. They taste similar to Swiss chard (slightly earthy and nutty) and are a delicious alternative to spinach. Though they can be eaten raw in salads, I prefer them cooked, which softens their texture and draws out their flavor.
Beet greens are true health food: One cup of cooked beets greens is only 39 calories and provides 220% (that's not a typo) of your daily vitamin A (for healthy eyes, cells, skin, and hair) and 60% of your daily vitamin C (a health-promoting antioxidant). It's also full of other nutritious vitamins and minerals. See below for tips on selecting, storing, and cooking with beet greens.
Though you can use any type of pasta you prefer for this creamy goat cheese and beet green pasta, I bought freshly made fettucine from Assenti's Pasta here in Little Italy. With so few ingredients in this dish, the light and chewy fresh pasta really stands out. It bears little resemblance to the dried boxed variety. Plus the creamy goat cheese sauce clings deliciously to it as you twirl it on your fork.
Creamy Goat Cheese and Beet Green Pasta
Print recipe only here.
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
6 cups washed and sliced beet greens
1/2 pound fettucine (or other noodle)
1/2 cup heavy cream or half n' half
4 ounces goat cheese
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons pistachios
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
To prepare the beet greens, cut off the thick stalks. Submerge greens in a large bowl of cool water to remove dirt. Drain, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry. Remove any tough inner stalks of the beet green leaves, then slice cross-wise into thin strips. Set aside.
In a deep, heavy pot, cook pasta in salted water according to directions, preferably al dente. If using fresh, it should cook within 3-5 minutes.
In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced beet greens, until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the cream and goat cheese until well blended. Add to the skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken slightly. Add fresh thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until well coated. Divide among two plates; top with pistachios and extra grated cheese. Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestion-- This pasta pairs well with spicy and fruity salads, such as:
- Wild arugula and blood orange salad with crispy proscuitto
- Sicilan salad of fennel, oranges, and olives
- Arugula, strawberry, and sugar snap pea salad
- Look for unwilted, green leaves with bright red spines. If they're shriveled or full of holes, then skip 'em.
- To prepare beet greens, cut off the thick stalks. Submerge greens in a large bowl of cool water to remove dirt. Drain, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry. Remove any tough inner stalks of the beet green leaves. Wrap loosely in paper towel and place in a Ziploc bag or an air-tight plastic container. They should last 2-3 days in the refrigerator this way. You can also remove the beet greens and store them unwashed in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days, assuming they weren't too old when you purchased them.
- If you aren't going to use your beet greens right away, then clean them as usual and par-boil them by dropping them in boiling water for about 1 minute; remove and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Shocking the greens will keep them bright and beautiful. Drain, and store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Other delicious ways to enjoy beets greens:
- Thinly sliced and added raw to salads
- Sauteed in olive oil and garlic, and placed on crostini with goat or blue cheese
- Added to vegetable soups and stews
- Added to frittatas with cheese such as ricotta, Parmesan, or goat
- Simply sauteed in olive oil and garlic, then topped with raisins and toasted pine nuts
- Creamed with milk or heavy cream, butter, flour, and nutmeg
You might also like these pasta dishes:
- Pasta with creamy saffron sauce, shrimp, and peas
- Wild rocket pasta
- Tagliatelle with pan seared shrimp and fennel
- Pasta with lemony broccoli, walnuts, and toasted breadcrumbs
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Maria Otero has a tough job.
She represents an international powerbroker in a world increasingly skeptical of its role. And as undersecretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, she has a historic workload. Her mandate includes, essentially, the problems too big for the U.S. to solve on its own. On her agenda: nothing less than refugees, human rights, science and technology, and climate change. A few months ago, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton—her boss—added the issue of global water security to the pile. And on Human Rights Day this week, Otero led the charge for freedom—while trying to reconcile U.S. talk with its actions at home and abroad.
No big deal.
In the hectic world of 21st-century diplomacy, Otero is unusually calm, and very frank about the pros and cons of representing America. “Obviously we know that the U.S. is a superpower and that the U.S. position holds a lot of influence,” she says, sitting in her well-appointed office in Foggy Bottom. “But what [other countries] appreciate most is our ability to work through the multilateral agencies and mechanisms that we set up... We see other countries welcoming that approach, rather than a more unilateral approach that the U.S. followed during the Bush years."
The Bolivian-born Otero made history in 2009 when she became the highest-ranking Latina in Clinton’s State Department.
A petite brunette with a shock of gray in her hair, Otero speaks four languages and wields a sarcastic wit as well as serious street cred from her time running Accion International, the largest microfinance institution in the world. One of nine children, she’s now one of a team of high-powered women at the State Department (Director of Policy Planning Anne-Marie Slaughter, Undersecretary for Public Affairs Judith McHale, and Ambassador-at-Large for women’s issues Melanne Verveer) whom Clinton has hired to change the face of American foreign policy.
Otero—whose first job after moving to the U.S. at age 12 was working at a Giant supermarket in upper Northwest Washington, D.C.—turns out to be the perfect proxy for the woman who hired her. “She’s strong, capable, focused and she’s an industry builder,” says Jacqueline Novogratz, the CEO of the Acumen Fund, who has known Otero for years. “What you see is what you get—that’s how she is all the time.”
While the secretary of State spends much of her time working on nuclear treaties, Mideast peace and the other trappings of hard-headed realpolitik, State Department officials acknowledge that Otero’s portfolio—focusing on women, the poor, and other vulnerable populations—are those that are closest to her heart.
Human rights in particular keep her up at night. "I've met young women who were trafficked and abused, who were somehow removed from their parents side, some of these girls at age 12," says Otero. Her crusade against modern slavery "has been put on the map front and center," she says. "It is seen as a human security issue and it's seen as a horrific crime." At Bill Clinton’s Global Initiative in New York this year, Otero buttonholed Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, whose foundation has focused on the issue of human trafficking. “We have to find a way to work together,” Moore gushed. In the time it takes to travel down a floor, Otero agreed heartily.
Otero’s management background helps her cajole nonprofits, development experts, business stakeholders—and yes, actors—into coordinated action on the pressing issues of the day. “My position right now seems to be a logical extension of the work that I have done in the past,” she says. “At Accion we knew that you could be a business that does good but also does well.” The new thinking among economists, investors and diplomats respects that the private sector has a role to play in global development, says Otero. “There is a recognition on the part of business that they can meet their own bottom line if they pay attention to these issues.” She cites a recent deal with Procter and Gamble to provide low-cost, clean water solutions to those affected by summer flooding in Pakistan.
In the hectic world of 21st century diplomacy, Otero is unusually calm, and very frank about the pros and cons of representing America.
While Otero acknowledges that governments and business are both essential to global progress, she says, "One of the most important things that [Clinton] has emphasized and pushed is the really important role of civil society in addressing the question of human rights." This means empowering activists like Liu Xiaobo, the Chinese dissident who was barred from accepting the Nobel Peace Prize this week. "We recognize that there are many brave human rights and religious leaders and others that are working hard in their own countries," she says of Liu Xiaobo. "Our effort is to recognize the importance of human rights defenders, and to help protect them when necessary."
For Otero, this also means turning an eye inward—to the United States' increasingly checkered record on human rights.
Clinton has added the U.S. to a list of countries being monitored for violations of human rights. But the recent release of some 250,000 classified State Department diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks has provoked criticism of the U.S. government for trying to suppress free expression on the Internet—a subject Clinton has made a hobbyhorse since a landmark speech on "the freedom to connect" delivered last January.
Otero would not comment on WikiLeaks, but counts Internet freedom as a fundamental right protected by the International Declaration of Human Rights. “Many governments don’t see technology as a symbol of progress… But this concept of free expression is at the core of what Secretary Clinton is moving forward," she says. "Today it’s tweeting, tomorrow it will be something we won’t even remember later.”
The continued detention and operation of the American military prison at Guantanamo Bay is another sore subject for many in the human rights community. "The problems with torture, with indefinite detention, military commissions—the whole system that’s been set up—thas damaged the United States' credibility when it talks about human rights abroad," says Maria MacDonald of Human Rights Watch. "It gives some people who don't want to respect human rights the argument that, well, the U.S. needs to get its house in order."
Otero acknowledges the slow progress on closing the prison, but says her colleagues at State and the White House coordinate regularly on how best to do so. The president’s “intention and his continued objective of closing down Guantanamo is at the core of what we do," she says. "To the degree that we practice these human rights, we will be able to carry out our own work in addressing human rights globally."
Dayo Olopade is a political reporter for The Daily Beast and a Bernard Schwartz Fellow at the New America Foundation. | <urn:uuid:7e425e0b-b1c6-4be9-b460-54b78a695254> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/12/10/maria-otero-clintons-human-rights-warrior.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963116 | 1,529 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Conglomerates are large multi-national businesses operating across multiple business segments, or in many cases in different industries. The businesses are based upon a structure where a parent company oversees a number of subsidiaries, often engaged in entirely different businesses. Over the past few days, the market has sold off significantly, and currently a number of conglomerate stocks can be purchased at prices that will allow dividend-growth investors to obtain significant income and capital appreciation.
General Electric (GE)
General Electric is perhaps the most well known of conglomerate stocks. The company has diverse business operations, arranged among industries like energy, healthcare, finance and transportation, all of which fall under the umbrella of General Electric. GE reported earnings before the bell on October 19, that narrowly missed analyst revenue estimates. Since the report, shares have fallen 6.4%, and currently shares can be purchased for $21.34.
At the current price, shares of GE have a TTM P/E of 15.7. Over the past year, GE has grown earnings per share by 10.6%, and anticipates growing them by 12% over the coming years. The company has shown strong growth in the industrial units, which have seen double-digit growth in emerging markets. The GE Capital unit has continued to get stronger, and year to date has returned $5.4 billion to the parent company. The company currently pays a $0.68 annualized dividend, giving the stock a 3.2% yield at today's price. Paying out 50% of earnings, and with earnings expected to grow by greater than 10% a year, GE's dividend appears to be safe and have room to grow.
The company, which was crippled by its GE Capital unit during the financial crisis, has gone back to its industrial roots. By re-focusing its business, GE has been able to reduce the company's dependence on the finance arm by reducing GE Capital as a percentage of the company, expand margins by focusing on higher margin industrials, and deliver sizable returns to shareholders.
After slashing the dividend in 2009 GE has provided investors with four dividend increases, and it appears that another may be forthcoming prior to the next dividend payment. The company has increased the dividend payment for the January payment each of the last two years, and with the balance sheet strengthening and GE Capital providing an influx of cash to the parent company, I would expect this trend to continue. After this most recent sell-off, GE has become one of the most attractive stocks on the market. The company has a solid dividend yield, sound growth prospects, and global business operations. As the economy sputters along, GE will continue to refine operations to become a leaner and more efficient company poised to capitalize on an eventual economic recovery. Investors who purchase the stock at these prices get a great company at a great valuation to see significant gains over the years ahead.
3M operates market segments as well, with operations in electronics, healthcare, home and office, security, and manufacturing among others. 3M shares also sunk in light of the GE revenue miss, and fell on their own revenue miss and issuance of soft guidance(Tuesday Oct 22). The company stated that it was lowering full-year 2012 guidance "Reflecting current economic realities." In the time since the GE earnings report, and its own weak earnings and guidance MMM shares have dropped 6.1%.
Shares, which currently trade for $88.88, have a TTM P/E ratio of 14.2, slightly below the five-year average of 14.8. 3M has grown earnings by 8.5% year on year, and anticipates growing EPS by nearly a 10% CAGR over the next five years. With an annualized dividend of $2.36, shares yield 2.66% at today's price. The company has very low debt and pays out just 36.6% of earnings as dividends at this point so the dividend appears to be well covered at this time.
3M is a well known stock among dividend-growth investors. The company began its current streak of annual dividend increases in 1959, and has been rewarding shareholders ever since. MMM is a stock that will not run up significantly over the course of days or weeks, but investors who buy in at this level will be rewarded with a steady performing, rock solid company, providing consistent returns and a growing income stream.
Dupont competes in many industries including automotive, agriculture, healthcare, energy and chemicals. The company reported third-quarter earnings before the market opened on Tuesday, and missed on both earnings and revenue. The company missed by $0.17 on earnings, and fell $750 million short on revenue for the quarter. Dupont announced plans for restructuring and plans to cut 1,500 jobs over the next 18 months, and reduced full-year 2012 guidance from $3.25-3.30. This falls well below analysts consensus estimates of $3.93 and 2011 EPS of $3.55.
Following this poor earnings announcement shares have fallen nearly 10% over the two trading days. Shares currently trade at $44.86, giving them a P/E ratio for 2012 of 13.8 based upon the low end estimate for 2012 earnings. This is significantly below the company's 5-year average P/E ratio of 28. DD projects just modest earnings growth of 4.6% in the years ahead. DD currently pays $1.72 in annual dividends, which equates to a 3.8% yield at today's prices. Dupont appears to have the ability to cover dividend payments in the years ahead, even amid the tepid earnings growth.
At the current share price DD appears to be undervalued. While the company has significantly underperformed this year, management has stated that the company is "taking the necessary steps" to move into higher growth and higher margin businesses like biotech and nutrition. DD will be challenged to move into the businesses, but the company is well established and has the experience to navigate the challenges ahead. Dupont has consistently paid dividends since 1904, but is not typically followed by dividend growth investors, given that the company held the dividend consistent from 2008 through 2011. While significant dividend increases are not likely forthcoming in the near term, long-term investors can purchase a high-quality established company, at a favorable valuation, yielding near 4% for significant capital appreciation. Over the long term I would anticipate DD growing the dividend as earnings per share recover and grow.
Conglomerate stocks offer investors opportunities, particularly during trying market times. The companies generally have diversified business models, which can insulate them from challenges facing individual markets, but their broad market exposure positions them well to benefit from an economy that is performing well. While significant headwinds continue to weigh on the global economy, investors can buy quality conglomerates at favorable valuations to profit from the eventual economic recovery. The stocks mentioned in this article have all been subject to significant pullbacks over the past week, and now trade at what could be attractive entry points for long-term investors.
Disclosure: I am long GE. | <urn:uuid:ce4a57c6-81d0-44fa-a19b-7acee3cb205e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://seekingalpha.com/article/946371-dividend-conglomerates-priced-for-long-term-gains | 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 | 0.968908 | 1,448 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Russia’s veto of the UN Security Council resolution and Foreign Minister Lavrov’s subsequent Damascus visit this week have positioned, if not isolated, Russia alongside Iran against Arab, Western, and indeed international consensus opposing Bashar al-Assad’s barbarism. Buried within the headlines on last Saturday’s vote was the fact that both India and South Africa voted for the resolution condemning Syria. Yes China voted alongside Russia. But Beijing did not subsequently dispatch its foreign minister to Damascus in an effort to find a way to keep Mr. Assad in power. Russia is clearly in a diplomatic place it would rather not be.
Lest anyone think that the Russians have emerged unscathed, the normally taciturn United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-Moon yesterday linked Assad’s ferocious assault against Syrian rebel areas that entered its sixth day on Thursday to the Russian veto, saying that the veto “has encouraged the Syrian government to step up its war on its own people.” Put less diplomatically: Syrian blood is flowing due to Moscow’s obdurate behavior. British foreign secretary William Hague was withering in condemning the Russians and Chinese for watering down a resolution that they then proceeded to vote against, rightly accusing them of “betraying the Syrian people.”
The failure of the UN and Arab League monitoring mission to bring an end to Assad’s killing machine has forced the international community to face the Syrian challenge head-on. Western governments can no longer sit back and wait for Arab monitors to watch the killing continue without also incurring some of the blame. The Obama administration has taken the right steps by withdrawing the U.S. diplomatic mission to Syria and by supporting the establishment of an international coalition of “friends of Syria”–two measures I’ve been advocating for some time. But as Syria enters an even more brutal phase in the conflict between its ruler and ruled, stronger measures are needed.
Some now argue for arming the opposition, while others go further and call for an immediate military intervention by Turkey, a coalition of Arab states, and perhaps NATO forces. Such steps may be necessary. But they also risk making the situation worse rather than better. To be sure, they should not be taken off the table, if only to bolster the efficacy of other non-lethal efforts, including intensifying sanctions, isolating Assad and his top supporters, and trying to split the military off from Assad. The problem with all of these options is that they will take time during which more Syrians will surely die. Such options should be explored, and the use of force should not be completely ruled out–which is how the Obama administration is proceeding.
But other more immediate steps must be explored that could end the bloodshed in Syria. One approach would be to try and engage, rather than further vilify, the Russians. Foreign Minister Lavrov, during his Damascus visit, put forward a plan that would entail talks between Assad and the opposition. This approach, however morally repugnant, is simply not workable. With some seven thousand Syrians dead so far, Mr. Assad has dealt himself out of the game as an interlocutor that can be considered credible either by the international community or by Syrian oppositionists. Only Moscow seems to view Assad as credible. Clearly, for the bloodletting to end, Assad must step down, as the Arab League has suggested. This could then pave the way for dialogue and an end to the bloodshed.
But it is surely worth trying to come to a grand bargain with Russia over Syria. Under such an approach, Moscow would be enlisted to use its clout and influence to get the Syrians to stop the killing, withdraw its army from population centers, and to bring about Mr. Assad’s immediate departure from Syria. As an enticement, the West should be willing to consider sanctions relief in return for such an end to the bloodshed and Assad’s departure. Such an approach would allow Russia to repair its fractured relationship that has isolated it from an Arab world that now identifies Moscow as an enemy of the Arab uprisings and as a supporter of the forces of repression. It would also provide an opportunity for the United States and Russia to work cooperatively on a common problem.
Such an approach is a long shot, and would require pugnacious negotiations with Moscow. There can be no give in the basic requirements—Assad’s departure and an end to the killing. Secretary of State Jim Baker was sure to engage with Moscow before the United States led a coalition to liberate Kuwait in 1991. Such an approach had the benefit of demonstrating that war was the last, not the first option. And in doing so, it helped build greater legitimacy for the painful steps that were subsequently adopted then, and may have to be adopted now should diplomacy fail. Giving Russia an opportunity to be part of the solution, rather than continuing to be part of the problem, is in everyone’s interests, especially those outgunned Syrians battling Bashar al-Assad. Syria is likely to heading for further bloodshed. There is no downside in trying to prevent it. | <urn:uuid:d3ea87ae-432c-42b3-9e97-0bb0544651bd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://blogs.cfr.org/danin/2012/02/09/diplomatic-long-shot-over-syria-engage-moscow/?cid=oth_partner_site-atlantic | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966181 | 1,036 | 1.71875 | 2 |
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The Old Scott’s Valley Cemetery (also known as Nessly Cemetery) index lists individuals interred at this cemetery located in Tum Tum, Stevens County, Washington. See photos. Death dates on the markers range from 1890-1912. Index information about an individual may include name, birth date, birth place, death date, and names of family members. Index data was compiled by Maggie Rail, a member of the Washington State Cemetery Association who has transcribed over 400 cemeteries since 1993.
The Old Scott’s Valley Cemetery is located at West Riverview Lane, Tum Tum, WA, Lat: 47° 53' 50"N, Lon: 117° 40' 54"W T28N R41E Section 30
There are 8 individuals listed in this index.
This index is in English.
This index is open for research.
Notes from transcriber Maggie Rail, 1999, last edited Jan 23, 2007:
“This cemetery is located about a mile southwest of Scott's Valley Cemetery on Scott's Valley Rd.”
“This cemetery is the older Scott's Valley cemetery. I have found very little history on it. The current Sexton said it was started by the first settlers to the Scott's Valley area. At a later date a different cemetery was started, using land donated by Nathan Newell. Several from this cemetery were removed to the newer cemetery leaving the following list of names.”
“The original size of the cemetery was perhaps larger. A chain link fence is built around what has been preserved. It can be reached by taking Hwy 291 west from Tum Tum for about one mile, then turn right, or north, onto Scott's Valley Road. Continue on for about 2 mi, then turn right onto West Riverview Lane for 1/4 mile. The cemetery lies off to the right in a farmer's field.”
“Below is the inscription which was on the back of the shared headstone of the Scotts:
. "The area lying north of this monument is known as Scott's Valley. It was originally homesteaded by Bryon F. Scott in the year of 1888.”
“Remaining in this cemetery are primarily Scott family members, all of which were original settlers of Scott's Valley. I surveyed this cemetery on May 20, 1999.”
Preferred citation: [Identification of item], Old Scott’s Valley Cemetery, Stevens County, Index, Office of Secretary of State, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov, [date accessed].
Source: Index and transcription notes were donated to the Washington State Archives by Maggie Rail, Historical Records Project, August 2011.
Old Scott’s Valley Cemetery Photos 48.7 KB | <urn:uuid:12870819-d83b-4cde-a36f-34c950b1fa71> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/Collections/TitleInfo/1622 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959584 | 587 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Traffic on MLK prompts commuter concerns
Published: Wednesday, December 26, 2012 at 10:50 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, December 26, 2012 at 10:50 a.m.
As new businesses pop up along Houma's fast-growing retail corridor, so do complaints from Terrebonne motorists.
Many cite a need for more traffic lights along Martin Luther King Boulevard to help shoppers navigate the many shopping centers and restaurants that line the five-lane highway.
We need “more lights. It's horrible trying to cross those lanes from one side to the other,” Michelle Rochel, 29, of Gibson, said via a post on The Courier's Facebook page.
“They definitely need more lights on MLK,” said Kristin Champagne, 22, of Houma, another Facebook poster. “It would reduce all the wrecks and traffic, not just during the holiday season but every day.”
Houma resident Paulla Laurenzi, 35, agrees that more lights are needed, but he also suggested lowering the speed limit, which ranges from 45 to 50 mph.
Currently there are four lights along the thoroughfare — at Hollywood Road, Enterprise Drive, Savanne Road and Main Street.
Gray resident Mike Campbell, 54, said parking lots should connect so motorists can access multiple retailers without having to get on Martin Luther King Boulevard.
Martin Luther King Boulevard is a state highway, so any changes or additions would have to come via the state Highway Department.
Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet said the local government has asked for additional traffic signals, but those requests were turned down.
“The state indicated they are not warranted,” Claudet said. But, “when we extend Westside (Boulevard) to Equity (Boulevard), that will certainly require a traffic light.”
State transportation workers have begun installing components of a computerized system designed to synchronize traffic lights.
Lyle LeBlanc, operations engineer for the local Transportation Department, said he anticipates the new Intelligent Traffic System, which will run from U.S. 90, down La. 24, to Prospect Boulevard, will help alleviate traffic on Martin Luther King.
That project should be complete within in a year or two, he said.
In the meantime, others would just like to see an improvement in driving behavior overall.
“People in Houma need to learn how to stop for red lights,” said Houma resident Jean Hill, 61. “I see people every day running right through red lights. Also, they need to learn how to drive in school zones — I have even seen cops speeding through school zones.”
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged. | <urn:uuid:fc8628d2-17b5-401b-bc9b-3ed572d9fee6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20121226/ARTICLES/121229775/www.dailycomet.com | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945309 | 599 | 1.632813 | 2 |
On Sept. 20, 1944, the First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt, visited Oswego. Among those lucky enough to greet her on the steps of Old Main (now Sheldon Hall) was Betty Reid Gallik ’45, who was president of the Women’s Athletic Association.
“I remember they had a few of us who were president of our groups shake hands and talk with her,” she says. Also greeting Roosevelt were the late Betty Burden ’45 and the late M. Carol McLaughlin ’45.
Filed Under: 150 Things | <urn:uuid:796dfa6c-4c03-4ded-b3cc-1c0b73178c21> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://oswego.edu/magazine/2011/08/23/no-25-eleanor-roosevelt-visit/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97889 | 122 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Queen’s University to offer fast-track to medical school
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For the first time, some Canadian medical students can shave two years off their required education.
Queen’s University has launched an initiative that reduces the undergraduate requirements for entrants to its medical school by as much as two years. The pilot program will be offered to 10 “exceptional” high schools across Canada next year, said Dr. Richard Reznick, dean of the Kingston-based university’s health sciences faculty and director of its medical school.
“If we can shave off two years, that’s a significant time-saver for the student and a significant saving for the taxpayer,” Reznick said. “Basically we’ve been living with the same training systems for the last 40 or 50 years. Times are changing rapidly. So we want to work on new models for training.”
Reznick said while he is unaware of similar initiatives in the United States, there shortened undergraduate programs in Europe and Asia that let students to get into medical school more quickly.
The Queen’s program is an effort to reduce the amount of time it takes to graduate qualified doctors in a system that can require up to 15 years of medical training, depending on the field of specialization.
Students must complete four-year undergraduate programs as well as four years of medical school. This can be followed by a residency that can take four to five years and, if they want to become a member of an academic research centre, an additional year or two of fellowship work.
“If you add all that up, we’re graduating graduates in their early to mid-30s after 15 years of post-secondary experience,” Reznick said.
That amount of training is “predicated on the concept that you need time to mature to decide what you want to do and there is some rationale to that, although we do notice many of our students have decided to become a doctor very early on and some have decided what specialty they want to do very early on. But we don’t have mechanisms right now that can accommodate an accelerated pathway,” he said.
“In every year, there are probably 20 to 50 kids across this country, who really stand out by virtue of their fantastic academics and their exceptional non-academic achievements,” Reznick said.
“We think that by stepping up and offering this new initiative, we may be in a position to get some of the very best and brightest students from across Canada to come knocking at our door,” he added.
While details are still being finalized, candidates will be nominated by their high school principals for the university’s Chancellor’s Scholarship program. They would then be pulled from that pool and brought to Queen’s for panel interviews for the final selection.
Successful candidates would also undertake “enrichment” training during their two years of undergraduate study, including seminars and observer programs in health care settings, Reznick said.
The time it takes to train doctors is already a “national issue, so this won’t come as any surprise to any of our national (medical) bodies,” Reznick said. “My suspicion is that all of our national organizations will look at this program with interest.”
At present, the university’s medical school has about 3,300 applicants annually for 100 spaces.
A spokesperson for the Ontario Medical Association was unavailable for comment.
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- Updated Could the Rob Ford crack scandal contaminate the right? | <urn:uuid:91339c89-c3a9-4383-8315-1db75d79cf65> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.thestar.com/life/2012/09/25/queens_university_to_offer_fasttrack_to_medical_school.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96902 | 851 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Smokey Road MS students get first-hand look at government - virtually
By REBECCA LEFTWICH
Forty eighth grade students at Smokey Road Middle School followed up on a study of the United States Constitution with a first-hand view of government during a live Skype session with U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss recently.
Chambliss congratulated Principal Laurie Barron, who is the current MetLife/NASSP National Middle-Level Principal of the Year, and spent time thanking Georgia History teachers Darby Jones, Jim Mills and Pat Patterson. He called the teachers "the true heroes of our schools" before launching into a description of the role in the United States Senate and inviting students to ask questions.
Smokey Road's eighth-graders asked questions on topics ranging from the fiscal cliff and gas prices to the Bill of Rights and what it takes to work in politics, even touching on the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Students chose their own questions, ranging from serious to light-hearted.
Barron said students also enjoyed seeing, via Skype, a view of the nation’s capitol from Chambliss’s Washington, D.C. office.
"They had a first-hand discussion with him," Barron said. "It was a neat experience for me, but to sit and watch those kids engage with him and get the idea that he represents them because people voted for him.
"He told him how much they mattered," she added. "He showed them the power of one person's voice and how important it is to be involved."
Barron said she and the group of teachers told their students to be respectful and thoughtful.
"We talked to them but we never said they needed to dress up, just to present themselves well," she said. "They all came in nicely dressed, and we were just so proud of how they took it seriously."
And if the participants had touch of nerves, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing, according to Barron.
"I thought it was neat they understood the opportunity and occasion, and they respected it enough to be nervous," Barron said. "They represented the school so well in their demeanor, their engagement and the thoughtful questions they asked. It was not just an opportunity to learn more, but to learn how to speak to adults."
Also on campus at Smokey Road during the Skype chat were Senator Chambliss’s regional representative, Seth Coker, and state director Camila Knowles.
"America is the greatest country in the world," Chambliss told the students, encouraging them to “get engaged, become active in your community, and read, read, read.”
All told, Chambliss spent about an hour interacting with students via Skype.
"That's technology at its best," Barron said. "It was a vitual experience at no cost – no transportation – and he made himself accessible so they could see he's up there representing them." | <urn:uuid:8d9c9d7f-4ddb-432c-a42c-275eaed82e19> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.times-herald.com/local/20130217-ChamblissSkypeSRMS-MOS | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700264179/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516103104-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980074 | 615 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Riverview pilot for homeless will shut down
A pilot project at Riverview Hospital that filled a critical gap in serving the needs of the homeless will be shutting down in two months.
Since January 2010, the transitional recovery program has been providing supportive housing for people battling mental illness, severe addiction, unresolved trauma and chronic disease such as HIV, Hepatitis C and diabetes.
Run by Coast Mental Health, the program received formerly homeless clients from the Burnaby Centre of Mental Health and Addictions. Women were placed in a 22-bed facility in the Brookside building and, starting in May 2010, men were placed in the Leeside building.
Program director Beata Zaleska said the 100-bed Burnaby Centre, which was built in 2008 at Riverviews, filled up quickly with clients battling concurrent disorders. "There was no quick fix,” Zaleska said.
The Provincial Health Services Authority issued a call for proposals in the fall of 2009 and awarded the contract for the transitional recovery program to Coast Mental Health with a $2.5-million annual budget. The contract was extended from November 2011 to the end of March 2012 after organizers were unable to place clients in appropriate housing or facilities.
“We were trying to negotiate to run a smaller program”, because there are a number of advantages in continuing it, Zaleska said. “There is quite a significant gap in the system. There aren’t enough programs that would be willing and would be equipped to work with people who have mental health challenges, who are addicted or in early recovery, and are also able to respond to the physical health challenges that many of our clients have.”
Zaleska said the Burnaby Centre and, by extension, the Riverview program, are unique in that they take an intensive approach to helping people with concurrent disorders that often can’t be resolved with traditional 28-day or even six-month programs.
“The ultimate goal is to help these people develop mental stability and develop a period of abstinence that would allow them to focus on life skills that would, in turn, allow them to move on to the community and to continue clean, satisfying living, with the provision of ongoing support,” Zaleska said. “Realistically speaking, 99% of our clients would require indefinite support.”
Gavin Wilson, director of public affairs for Vancouver Coastal Health, said the Riverview program was always meant to be a temporary solution while the health authority waited for its funding to establish specialized mental health beds.
Those beds are expected to open in the spring, along with other mental health services in Vancouver Coastal to help the Riverview clients. Wilson said 19 clients are moving to VCH while seven are moving to other health authorities.
“We’re looking at a number of options, such as group homes, supported housing or whatever is appropriate for those clients,” he added. “I’m confident by the end of March we’ll have somewhere for them to go.” | <urn:uuid:99d1c4ce-39fc-4baf-aa67-c92ce7494314> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.positivelivingbc.org/news/120125/riverview-pilot-homeless-will-shut-down?page=5 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00010-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972105 | 626 | 1.742188 | 2 |
The best thing about Windows Phone is the seamless way in which it aggregates content that's important from you, from all over the web, on your PC, and on the device itself, into a single, cohesive view. The problem with this approach, however, is that you need to do a bit of work up front.
Windows Phone's aggregation capabilities are based on those of Windows Live. Most people already have a Windows Live ID, which is required for a Hotmail account, Xbox LIVE Gamertag, and Zune Pass, and other useful and popular Microsoft-based online services. Your Windows Live ID is the key to interacting with not just these services, but also a slew of other, non-Microsoft online services, including Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, You Tube, LinkedIn, Pandora, SmugMug, and many, many more.
It's worth noting that you could use a Windows Phone without configuring a Windows Live ID account. But there's precious little reason to do, even if your main email, contacts, and calendar experiences happen through Gmail, Exchange, or some other account type. By properly creating and configuring a Windows Live ID, you will have the ultimate Windows Phone experience. And for this reason, I'm going to assume that you'll use a Windows Live ID and want it to be properly configured, ahead of time, for Windows Phone.
Indeed, my advice is to do this now, before Windows Phone arrives. You only have to do it once, it's not that hard or time consuming, and the rewards are very real. So let's see what you need to do.
Get a Windows Live ID
If you don't have one already, you'll want to create a Windows Live ID. This single sign-on service began life as Microsoft Passport, and some people still think of it as Passport or perhaps don't realize that they're the same thing. Chances are you already have one, as noted above. But if not, you can create a new Windows Live ID by visiting live.com (or passport.com, which curiously still exists).
Click the Sign Up button to proceed. Microsoft lets you choose between live.com and hotmail.com email addresses these days, but you can also use an existing email account from another service, like Gmail or whatever. Note that when you do so, however, you won't be able to use Hotmail for email, contacts, or calendar management. But you'll still get the other benefits around photos and feeds integration, described below.
Configure your Windows Live ID
If you already have a Windows Live ID, you can logon to live.com and examine your account profile. Chances are it's in need of updating anyway. From the main live.com page, click your account picture in the top left and choose Profile from the drop-down menu. Or, simply navigate to profile.live.com.
On this page, you can configure various settings for your Windows Live ID, but the most important, I think, is the privacy settings, which determine how (or if) your Windows Live information is shared with the outside world. So click the Privacy Settings link in the top menu to view the Privacy options page. There are three basic settings, Public, Limited, and Private, and while they may seem self-explanatory, it's worth actually examining what levels of protection each option provides. (Long-time Windows Live ID holders may have a fourth option, My Current Settings, which has more fine-grained customizations applied.) You can also click an Advanced link, at the bottom of this page, for an incredibly detailed set of privacy controls.
Back on the main Profile page, do also take the time to configure such things as your personal information (personal photo, contact information, work information, and so on), your status (which you can also change through Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Phone, and other places), and any other details you think are important.
If you intend to use your Windows Live account as your main location for email, contacts, and calendar (which I don't necessarily recommend, by the way; in fact, I do not do this myself), you may want to import your existing contacts from your current account. Windows Live can import contacts from Outlook, Gmail, AOL, Facebook, MySpace, and other places. To examine this possibility, navigate to profile.live.com/connect.
Make the connection: Link your Windows Live ID to the services you care about
Now, you can begin thinking about linking your Windows Live ID to other online services. Not just Microsoft services, mind you, but also an ever-growing list of popular third party services. This occurs through the Windows Live Services page, which can be found at profile.live.com/services.
From here, you can look at the various services that are available and link relevant ones to your Windows Live account. For example, I use the Flickr photo sharing service, which happens to be owned by Yahoo!, and I have numerous friends on that service who post photos regularly. Thanks to this integration, I can view these photos, as they're posted, through Windows Phone, in the Pictures hub, which has a What's New list that's specifically designed tothis kind of information. By linking Flickr to my Windows Live ID, I can enable that kind of functionality.
Other account types will surface on the phone in different ways, but for now the two primary integration points are the People hub, which provides access to your contacts, and the Pictures hub, which is obviously for photos. (And both offer a similar What's New list.) So if you connect your Windows Live ID to Facebook, for example, postings from your friends will go into your People hub's What's New list, and uploaded photos will go into the What's New list in Pictures.
This information isn't read-only, either. From within the phone, as you'll see later in this review, you can comment on others' posts and pictures, and maintain ongoing dialogs, all without ever leaving the single view on the Phone. So you could simultaneously access photos from Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, and SmugMug (for example), comment on each, react to other comments, and more, all from one UI. Try that on an iPhone.
The Windows Phone People hub features a What's New feed, in the center, that is autopopulated with content from your friends.
This connected services interface is, I think, Windows Live's biggest advantage and, by extension, also a key feature of Windows Phone as well. If you don't have a phone yet, you can preview how this information will appear by viewing the awkwardly named Messenger Social feed, either on the web (www.live.com) or in Windows Live Messenger 2011. As with the phone, both of these interfaces provide you with a way to both view and interact with content your friends have posted online ... no matter which services they use. Brilliant.
(Brilliant, but not perfect. What is? One huge limitation in this scheme is that Windows Live only allows you to connect to a single arbitrary RSS feed. So even though you may have multiple sites for which you'd like to receive updates, Windows Live only lets you connect with one feed. One workaround I've explored is using an RSS aggregator service like Friendfeed (friendfeed.com); with such a service you can connect to all the web site RSS feeds you want, and then connect Windows Live to your Friendfeed RSS feed. Yes, it's convoluted. But it's better than the alternative.)
Zune and Xbox Live
With a Windows Live ID, you can connect to Hotmail-based email, contacts, and calendar data on the phone, using nice Exchange ActiveSync-based, over-the-air, instant updating capabilities. You can connect implicitly to other online services, including Facebook, Picasa, Flickr, Pandora, and many others, thanks to Windows Live's services aggregation functionality. But there's still more. Two of the best reasons to use and maintain a Windows Live ID come directly from Microsoft. I'm referring of course to Zune and Xbox Live.
Zune is a suddenly very vibrant digital media platform that includes the Zune PC software, the Zune Pass monthly subscription, the Zune Social online community, various Zune portable devices (including the Zune HD and, now, Windows Phone), the Zune Marketplace online store for music, videos, podcasts, and apps, the Xbox 360 (which includes Zune Music and Video experiences), and even Bing, which offers Zune-based music playback in web search results. It's a lot of stuff when you lay it all out like that, and since Zune is an integrated part of the Windows Phone experience--indeed, the Zune PC software is literally the only way to interact with your device from the PC desktop--you're going to want to spend a bit more time looking at this, especially if you've been busy ignoring Zune for the past several years. (Don't worry, lots of people have.)
I'll examine various aspects of the Zune platform, as it applies to Windows Phone, throughout this review and elsewhere, but for now, the only important thing to do is to set up your Zune account, using that same main Windows Live ID account you've been nurturing. To do so, navigate to zune.net and click the Sign In link. Sign in with your Windows Live ID. There's not a lot in the way of configuration per se, but there are two important bits. First, you will need to decide whether you want to partake in Microsoft's Zune Social online community, which provides you with a way to share your musical likes and dislikes with others online. If you're an active music lover, you may already be doing so, but if not, just choose "Don't share" and move on.
Second, you'll be asked to create a Zune Tag. This is a name that will identify you to others in the Zune Social and, if you join Xbox LIVE as described below, it's the same name you'll use for gaming as well. (On Xbox Live, this name is called a Gamertag.) I recommend not getting cute here. While many people create nonsensical Zune Tags (nee Gamertags), remember that this is the name you'll use when you communicate with others. So rather than be known as Flatulent Fred or whatever, try to pick something that you won't be embarrassed by. I use my name for transparency reasons, and because I'm not a child.
If you are a gamer, you've certainly heard of Xbox, Microsoft's video game platform. It currently consists of the Xbox 360 video game console, the Xbox LIVE online gaming service, the Xbox Live Marketplace online store, the Games for Windows LIVE service, and, now with Microsoft's new smart phone, Windows Phone as well. If you were waiting for a handheld Xbox, your wait is over: Windows Phone is it.
As with Zune, you can associate your Windows Live account to an Xbox LIVE Gamertag. To do so, visit xbox.com and sign in with your Windows Live ID. Your Gamertag is part of a wider Xbox LIVE profile that also includes your gamer picture, gamer zone, and other data, and while the complete list of possibilities here could fill, say, a good portion of a book chapter (cough), let's just get it set up for now and move on.
Windows Phone and accounts
OK, hopefully by this point you have cultivated a dynamic, connected Windows Live ID. If so, you're ready to roll, for the most part. But I think it's also worth examining, briefly, the types of accounts you can configure on Windows Phone. Many are nervous that Windows Phone won't work with the accounts they use, or aren't interested in going all-in with a Windows Live ID. With only a few exceptions, however, you won't be disappointed. Windows Phone is, above all else, highly connected. And that's as true with account types as it is with everything else.
As I alluded to earlier, Windows Phone supports a single, "main" Windows Live account that will be connected to Hotmail-based email, calendar, and contacts data. How the phone interacts with each of these data sources is, sadly, confusingly different. For the main Windows Live account only, you cannot disable email or contacts. However, because of the way Windows Phone creates a different instance of the email application for each configured account, you can of course just not use the main Windows Live ID's email by removing that tile from your Start screen. And in the calendar app, you can also remove the display of calendar data from this main Windows Live ID. What you cannot do is stop Windows Phone from using the contacts in this main Windows Live ID. So if this isn't what you want, you could simply ensure there are no contacts associated with that account. Problem solved.
The main Windows Live ID also provides unique access to feeds and photos (via the What's New lists in People and Pictures) and connects to your Zune and Xbox Live accounts. So while you can in fact configure multiple Windows Live accounts on Windows Phone, only the main account will display photos data and will connect to Zune or Xbox LIVE. This means that you cannot configure one Windows Live ID for Zune, one for Xbox LIVE, and one for feeds and photos. They all have to be on the same ID.
If you do choose to configure secondary Windows Live accounts on Windows Phone, these accounts can only be used for email, contacts, and/or calendar. The ability to display or not display each of these data sources is, however, not subject to the same arbitrary limitations discussed for the main Windows Live ID: In fact, you can selectively choose to display email, contacts, or calendar data (i.e. it works the way it should always work). Interestingly, and this is a change from the beta, secondary Windows Live accounts will also display feeds data, in the People hub. (But not photos data, in Pictures.)
In addition to the Windows Live stuff, Microsoft also explicitly supports:
Outlook. Via a horribly named Outlook account type, you can configure any account based on Microsoft's Exchange Server (including Outlook Web App). This also includes account types that use Exchange ActiveSync (EAS), like Gmail and Hotmail. This account type supports email, contacts, and calendar.
Google. Windows Phone natively supports Gmail-based email, Google Calendar, and Gmail-based contacts. Note that while this does utilize EAS on the backend, you can actually configure Google accounts via this account type or Outlook. They appear to work identically.
Yahoo! Mail. Windows Phone supports only Yahoo! email, but not calendar or contacts.
Facebook. While it's possible to implicitly access Facebook data by aggregating your Facebook account through Windows Live, Microsoft also provides explicit access to Facebook via a Facebook account type. There's not a lot of configuration here: When you sign-in, you get access to your Facebook contacts, calendar, and feeds, and that's it. And you can't really configure it per se, other than to restrict which Facebook contacts appear in the People hub.
If you need to use another account type, Windows Phone provides an "Other Account" wizard for POP3 and IMAP-based email accounts, or you can utilize an Advanced Setup wizard that will attempt to detect the account type and configure it accordingly.
So Windows Phone handles multiple accounts with aplomb, including multiple accounts of the same type (except for Facebook). The weird thing about this system, as you'll see later in the review in more detail, is that Windows Phone handles each of the standard account services--email, calendar, and contacts--differently. Very differently, in fact.
For email, as noted above, Windows Phone will actually create a different instance of the email application for each configured account. So on my own phone, I have a Gmail (email) app, a Hotmail app, and a Windows Live app, each of which provides me with access to email from only that one account. That is, Windows Phone does not support a unified inbox, as you see on the iPhone or Android. Personally, I'm OK with this. But I could see this becoming a sticking point for some users and Microsoft says it will reevaluate that decision based on feedback.
For both contacts and calendars, integration is the theme. Microsoft dumps all contacts from every account into the People hub, and there's no way to filter the list by account type or whatever. It's pretty dumb, in fact, and I expect this to change in the coming year since Microsoft will surely receive a lot of complaints about this.
Calendar is a bit more sophisticated in that you can selectively enable and disable individual calendar sources from within the application, which is good. But Windows Phone only syncs the primary, or default, calendar from each supported account. So if you've gone to the trouble of making multiple calendars inside of Hotmail, Google Calendar, or Exchange, you're out of luck: Only one calendar will display on the phone. This, too, which be the subject of complaints and will, too, no likely be fixed in the coming year. But for now it's a problem, and something you need to be aware of upfront.
Obviously, choosing a phone is something that needs to happen ahead of time as well, but I'm not able to discuss my hands-on experience with several Windows Phone models quite yet. Stay tuned, though: Next week, I'll continue this review with a guide to choosing the right phone, the unboxing experience, a look at the Metro user interface, Windows Phone features for work and play, phone features, PC connectivity, online services, and much, much more. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but I wanted to at least provide a common sense guide for what you should do before you get a phone so that the rest of the review can proceed accordingly. Hopefully, this will get you started down the right path and, as been the case for me certainly, get you excited about what is clearly the most important platform to come out of Redmond in a long, long time. Windows Phone is a game changer, people. And we're just getting started. | <urn:uuid:8b7776c6-5db1-4879-b4b7-94ee2c7cb369> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://winsupersite.com/article/windows-phone-7/windows-phone-7-review-part-2-getting-ready-for-windows-phone | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708142388/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516124222-00023-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933974 | 3,789 | 1.601563 | 2 |
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One of the big plus points with dental health insurance is it will in a lot of policies cover you for much more than simple health cash plans. All routine treatments and check-ups will be covered and in addition to those things you can have the choice of which dentist you go to and more complex expensive procedures may be covered. Stand alone dental insurance can be a good choice if you are finding it difficult to track down an NHS dentist. It gives you peace of mind that you can visit a private dentist if you are in pain or need emergency treatment and know you’ll be able to claim back some, if not all of your costs.
The benefits of having dental insurance are clear especially in areas where NHS dentistry is in short supply. Looking after our teeth is very important and to do that we need to see a dentist at regular intervals and be able to afford any treatments we need.
Having to have emergency dental treatment and then worrying about how you are going to pay for it at the end of the day is not what you need, so having your insurance in place is the perfect antidote to those painful dental bills. The first step would be to compare private dental insurance plans to see what the leading health providers have to offer.
If a private dentist is your only choice then you really do need private dental insurance to help you meet the costs involved. A crown fitted by an NHS dentist would cost you £204 whilst a private dentist could charge somewhere in the region of £500. A lot of NHS dentists jumped ship to private work after the government brought in a new charging strategy in 2006, which basically left a hole where the NHS dentist had been! Four in 10 people have skipped attending dentists simply because they couldn’t afford the bills associated with a visit according to The Guardian.
Dental insurance comes in many different packages with some just offering to pay for any NHS treatments up to a certain value and others offering cover for much more including overnight stays in hospital if it’s needed for your treatment. An NHS only plan will only be of use if you can actually register with an NHS dentist and some advice is available on finding NHS dentists. For a few extra pounds per month you could take out dental insurance that will allow you to go to an NHS or private dentist which really gives you the best of both worlds as you’re covered for either. At the end of the day it will come down to what you require and what your personal circumstances are.
Of course you could just take a chance, you can track down an NHS dentist and get your treatments when you need them. That is fine as often we don’t really need to see a dentist as regularly as we are led to believe with some dentists actually seeing patients too often according to the Department of Health, which led them to issue a letter to dentists regarding recall time frames.
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|Private Health Insurance| | <urn:uuid:0b63f369-d341-4716-8ecc-33f8375b25e6> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://healthinsuranceforindividual.co.uk/dental_insurance_plans.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967027 | 641 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Mobile apps fuel small businesses
Last Modified: February 18. 2013 3:42AM
The mobile app revolution makes it easy and inexpensive ‚?? or even free ‚?? for entrepreneurs to manage their entire operation with or without an office. All they need is a smartphone or tablet.
Entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to the more than 1 million mobile apps available to meet their business needs. Forrester Research estimates that revenue from customers downloading mobile apps will reach $38 billion by 2015.
An app can help you start a company, share spreadsheets and process credit card payments. There‚??s even an app that acts as a virtual customer assistant to help small businesses seem bigger than they are.
Apps can save time and money, boost sales and productivity, and help small business owners improve efficiency. They can also give consumers new ways to interact and communicate with companies.
More than one-third of U.S. small business owners surveyed by Intuit said annual business growth was the biggest worry keeping them up at night. Nearly half said it‚??s important to be able to run their business on a mobile device.
Here are some examples of how entrepreneurs are using mobile apps.
This popular e-pinboard discourages self-promotion, but some savvy small business owners use it to showcase their products or services.
McKinney, Texas, event and party planner Shelley O‚??Donnell has used Pinterest to help promote and grow her business in the last six months.
O‚??Donnell pins images of themed parties she planned so people can see her work. She also creates ‚??vision boards‚?Ě of ideas on Pinterest and shows them to clients on her iPad.
If people like what they see, they‚??ll re-pin it.
Pinterest is also driving traffic to her website, divinepartyconcepts.com, as people see images sourced to her company.
Pinterest is best for businesses with a visual side. For example, an interior designer could use it to pin photos of redecorated rooms or a landscaper can share pruning advice.
It‚??s an invitation-only site, but people can follow each other as they do on Twitter. Business owners can make it easy for Pinterest users to pin their images by adding a ‚??Pin It‚?Ě button to product pages.
Dallas entrepreneur George Mavromaras works out of a virtual office, so being able to access his documents from his iPhone is important.
The 24-year-old founder of Mavro Inc, a Dallas developer of Spanish-language mobile-based translation services, has used the free Dropbox app for more than a year to do that.
Dropbox lets Mavromaras take documents, photos and videos anywhere and share them with 12 groups of people.
‚??It prevents having to email documents back and forth,‚?Ě he said. ‚??That‚??s huge. My inbox gets flooded. Dropbox lets me send someone a short link to a document.‚?Ě
Remote document access apps are the third most popular (used by 41 percent) among small businesses, according to the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council survey.
Mobile payment apps are designed for anyone who sells products and services on the go. They can also cut payment costs. Food vendors, photographers, hairstylists and even the Dave Matthews Band use these apps.
A variety of apps are available with small card swipers (mostly free) that fit into the audio jack of a mobile device. Authorization of a credit or debit card is done as the payment is processed. Customers sign with a finger. | <urn:uuid:be9fb7a1-9f5a-4237-b0de-3207d2897cba> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.timesleader.com/stories/Mobile-apps-fuel-small-businesses,48644?category_id=103&town_id=1&sub_type=stories | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00027-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956199 | 763 | 1.570313 | 2 |
This is How the Government's Drug Statute Would Fit in with FARC Proposals
Less than fifteen days after the FARC revealed its proposal on drugs, La Silla has seen the most recent draft of the National Drug Statute that the government is planning on presenting to Congress in March. The two documents fit together perfectly.
The Vice-Minister for Criminal Policy and Restorative Justice, Farid Benavides, acknowledged to La Silla that it is possible that in various areas the proposals coincide but that this is a coincidence, the result of what studies have said on the issue and not that they are synthesizing together at the negotiating table, at which the Minister is not participating. “If it has benefits, that is another story,” he said.
La Silla verified that those at the negotiating table were not consulted for this statute and, in any case, this is the third version that the government has drafted to replace the current Narcotics Statute. The first draft was put forward by Germán Vargas Lleras – in Santos’s first year in government – when he was Minister of the Interior and it had a completely repressive approach. The new version is in line with new international focuses on the fight against drugs.
In any case, even if it was not intentional, this new version spearheaded by Minister Ruth Stella Correa fits in with an eventual agreement with FARC in five areas:
1. Sending the message that the government is reconsidering its drug policies
This new statute will abandon the exclusively repressive logic of the Narcotics Statute and has a more progressive focus, in the philosophical line of the Commission composed of former Latin American presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Ernesto Zedillo and César Gaviria. “Part of the acknowledgement is that Colombia is not only a producing country but also a consuming one,” explains Vice-Minister Benavides. “Therefore it incorporates a public health approach.”
The new version of the statute explicitly says that the consumption of psychoactive substances will not be penalized, that drug policies must respond to accurate information (and not to ideologies), emphasizes prevention of consumption and concentrates repression on drug trafficking and not on the weaker links – the growers and the consumers.
In this way, among others, the government is sending the signal to the FARC that it is willing to rethink the philosophy that inspired Plan Colombia, which has guided the fight against drugs and counterinsurgency for the past decade.
2. Creating the possibility to legalize illicit cultivation
The statute would allow the National Drug Policy Council – composed of the majority of ministers – to authorize – in areas established jointly with the Anti-Drugs Police – cultivation of “plants which can produce psychoactive substances if they are meant for legal uses.”
This follows the line of the FARC’s proposal in Havana in the sense of exploring ways to transfer illegal crops to “alternative or substitution production or towards its legalization for medical, therapeutic or cultural ends.”
3. Restricting aerial spraying
The statute creates various controls for aerial fumigation, including that this type of eradication must have an environmental management plan approved by the Environmental Licensing Authority; it must follow a prior Operating Plan which measures its results; and it must have a damage mitigation plan. Furthermore, it prohibits this type of spraying in protected zones such as national parks. This, in practice, would reduce aerial spraying significantly.
Aerial spraying not only destroys illicit crops but also food crops among which the farmers plant coca. Since the FARC’s social base is mostly made up of coca farmers, who feel the impact of this type of eradication most strongly, this measure will be welcomed by the guerrillas at the negotiating table.
4. Promoting voluntary manual eradication
The statute states that the government will encourage communities involved in illicit cultivation to help in their manual eradication.
Since the time of Caguán, the FARC has proposed a substitution of crops to directly involve coca farmers. This – within the context of comprehensive agrarian development, which is one of the agreements in the Havana process – would allow employment options for farmers in their zones of influence. Obviously, the FARC could politically capitalize on this program.
5. Creating mechanisms so that FARC collaborators do not end up in jail
The statute creates opportunities for small-scale coca growers if they voluntarily enroll in the eradication programs as well as for traffickers when their “contribution to crime has not been significant” and if they collaborate to dismantle drug trafficking gangs and are not the heads of criminal or terrorist organizations.
This would allow the prosecutors to not open trials against farmers living in FARC areas and who – either because of their own decisions or because of fear – ended up helping the guerillas. Trying their collaboration is difficult but it would be easy to incriminate them for their coca cultivations which are not easy to hide.
This norm would avoid small coca farmers and guerillas ending up in jail. It would also allow the middle men to betray coca buyers from big cartels. | <urn:uuid:81bef3f3-959a-459a-a704-0c7e95512bc7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.drugpolicy.org/resource/how-governments-drug-statute-would-fit-farc-proposals | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00014-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952877 | 1,059 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Jul 17 2012
|more articles from|
WSJ UPDATE: US Navy Ship Fires on Small Boat in UAE, Killing One
Tuesday, Jul 17, 2012
(Adds attempt to contact India's Ministry of External Affairs in fourth paragraph, university professor's comment in 11th-12th paragraphs.)
By Julian E. Barnes and Margaret Coker
ABU DHABI-- A U.S. Navy ship fired on a small boat in the Persian Gulf, killing at least one crew member, in a reflection of rising tensions in the region.
The USNS Rappahannock, a refueling ship with a mostly civilian crew, fired a .50-caliber machine gun on the small boat in the waters off the United Arab Emirates on Monday.
A spokesman at India's Ministry of External Affairs couldn't be reached for immediate comment.
U.S. officials defended the actions of the Rappahannock, saying the small vessel ignored a series of nonlethal warnings. "The safety of our vessels and our personnel is our utmost priority. Our ships have an inherent right of self-defense against potential threats," said Lt. Greg Raelson, a spokesman for the Navy's Fifth Fleet. "In this situation you had a small motor vessel that was deliberately approaching and did not respond to any warnings."
Small boats laden with explosives pose significant risks to U.S. Navy ships, and could potentially disable a ship and wound or kill crew members. Iranian fast boats frequently buzz warships patrolling the Persian Gulf, prompting Naval officers to fire warning shots.
A series of near-miss incidents in the Persian Gulf, including boats from Iran's Revolutionary Guard threatening Western warships, has prompted the U.S. military to propose a hotline with Tehran to prevent accidental escalations.
U.S. officials said the small boat wasn't Iranian. There were six people aboard, officials said.
Small fishing boats that dot the waters of the Persian Gulf are frequently owned by Emiratis or Iranians but are generally operated by crew members of other nationalities.
The Rappahannock's response seemed appropriate, said Michael Corgan, professor at Boston University, citing the 2000 attack on the USS Cole by a small boat laden with explosives.
"No U.S. Navy skipper wants to be another USS Cole," he said. "Any speedboat closing a man-of-war or military ship in those waters at high speed is asking for it."
U.S. officials wouldn't describe the warning protocols, which typically include warning shots and verbal commands in multiple languages to change direction.
"The crew repeatedly attempted to warn the vessel, and everything was done in accordance with Navy force-protection procedures," said Lt. Raelson. "The vessel disregarded the warnings and that is when lethal force was resorted to."
The incident occurred about 2:30 p.m. local time in the territorial waters of the U.A.E., about 10 miles from Jebel Ali, the Emirates' main container port and a point where U.S. naval vessels frequently stop to refuel. The Rappahannock was traveling to the U.A.E. to make a port call.
Write to Julian E. Barnes at [email protected] and Margaret Coker at [email protected]
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
© Copyright Zawya. All Rights Reserved.
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- There's More | <urn:uuid:95fe7457-0ead-4ab4-94c4-e50c31c954ea> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.zawya.com/story/US_navy_ship_fires_on_small_boat_in_UAE_killing_one-ZW20120716000090/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00024-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945765 | 799 | 1.664063 | 2 |
I’m trying to determine whether the state of the House energy bill means that Speaker Pelosi won some hard compromises, or whether she was handed her head, politically speaking. It may be some of both, although I’m presently leaning toward the latter.
The House of Representatives will vote this week on a new energy bill for the country. It contains provisions that boost wind power, further subsidize renewable biofuels, and increase appliance efficiency. It also raises taxes on oil companies by $16 billion over the next 10 years and uses that money to promote alternative fuels and energy conservation. The bill also leaves in place the authority of the federal government to overrule states’ objections to construction of pipelines and power line corridors. With the exception of the biofuels initiatives, these are all good things.
What the bill doesn’t do, however, is mandate the use of renewable fuels, nor does it increase the fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. It also doesn’t include any funds for nuclear power. And these are all required to make a serious dent in the United States’ carbon emissions and improve our national authority.
In other words, the serious carbon dioxide and pollution-emitting technologies were given a pass. And all in the name of a bipartisanship that includes liberal Democrats and… Blue Dog Democrats. In so doing, Speaker Pelosi was forced to give up far too much and allowed the conservative Blue Dogs to hand her her political head. She might have had better luck in getting a real and effective energy policy passed if she had actually reached across the aisle and enticed Republicans into the fold with nuclear power instead of simply tuning them out of the bill entirely.
There’s always the joint conference committee. | <urn:uuid:c5cd0cf7-946a-435d-a5cf-136aecd50a5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://scholarsandrogues.com/2007/07/31/the-house-energy-bill-two-steps-forward-two-steps-backward/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00019-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95995 | 357 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Now that my ballet career is behind me I find I want to dance without shoes, without direction and sometimes even without walls. I like the feel of a smooth wood floor under my bare feet, dancing to music that elicits a response… music that demands you get up off your butt and move. More importantly, I prefer to dance the way that I want to dance, when I want to dance and where I want to dance, to move purely for the joy of moving.
This coming Friday, March 22nd offers a really cool opportunity to do just that: dance anywhere®, a public celebration of dance… everywhere, around the world… simultaneously. Artist Beth Fein first created dance anywhere® in 2005, and for the past 9 years, people across the globe have made dances in parks, museums, street corners, schools, work places, community centers, offices, and just about anywhere you can imagine. Anyone can participate. Anywhere.
The idea is to not only blur the line between art practice and art, but to dissolve the line that often separates art and dance from our daily lives.
Over the years, the gallery of images from past events has grown. Should you feel inspired you can add your own. You can also click on the map to find events in your area.
One Billion Rising, a global dance revolution slated for Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 2013, invites the world to take it to the streets and dance in support of ending violence against women. Imagine one billion people all over the world, using the power of numbers to spread this message…. And you could be one of them. Call it the world’s largest flash mob –and who doesn’t love a good flash mob – especially one with a purpose that aims to serve the greater good.
As a sticker on the OBR website states, hard times require furious dancing.
The catalyst of this dance phenomenon is V-Day, a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls started by playwright Eve Ensleur (creator of The Vagina Monologues ) and a group of women in New York City. Each year Eve allows groups around the world to produce a performance of the play, as well as other works created by V-Day, and use the proceeds for local individual projects and programs that work to end violence against women and girls.
V-Day also stages large-scale benefits and produces innovative gatherings, films and campaigns to educate and change social attitudes towards violence against women.
The legendary dancer Debbie Allen has choreographed a simple dance sequence to the One Billion Rising anthem “Break the Chain” written by acclaimed songwriter Tena Clark. “Break the Chain” was recorded by young women and the flash mob features teens from around the New York City area.
Feeling inspired? It’s easy to get involved. Search the website to find a local rising in your areaor start one yourself. You can also download the toolkit and help promote the event or start your own rising. There’s still plenty of time to learn the choreography; it’s simple and straightforward.
Here’s a video to get you started. Learn the moves directly from Debbie Allen:
All over the world, the word is spreading and people are rehearsing. It’s easy to see why when you consider:
• IN THREE WOMEN ON THE PLANET WILL BE RAPED OR BEATEN IN HER LIFETIME.
• ONE BILLION WOMEN VIOLATED IS AN ATROCITY
• ONE BILLION WOMEN DANCING IS A REVOLUTION
I’m in the middle of writing a YA novel about a young ballerina’s struggles in the dance world. Needless to say it’s given me the opportunity to think about what helped me to achieve success as a dancer. I’ve concluded that the ingredients for success are the same for anything: dedication, discipline, persistence and confidence. The last one, confidence, has always been a bit of an achilles heel for me and it’s only in recent years that I’ve learned some techniques to help with that.
So how do you “get” confidence? I mean, it’s an intangible thing, right? It’s not like you can hop in the car and pick up a little extra whenever you’re running low. So many of us spend time looking for approval or validation from others, thinking that this will give us the confidence we need, but in reality this is a losing proposition. Other people don’t give us confidence; we give it to ourselves. How? By changing our minds.
Oh sure, you say, if it were that easy I would have already done it. But what if it was that easy? Think about it: we all wander around with an internal dialogue playing in our minds about our lives; it’s a never-ending commentary. Every waking minute of every day we are telling ourselves a story. Have you ever stopped long enough to tune in and see what kind of story you are telling yourself? Does it match with the story of what you want for your life? For most of us, the answer is probably no… and the inner story sounds something like, “I’m not good enough” or “I could never do that” or “it will never happen because my life never works out”. But it would follow that if you are telling yourself a story all the time anyway, it may as well be a good one, right? Even better, make it the best possible story you can think of.
Words of wisdom from Louise Hay about confidence:
It’s time to write a new story. A good story. An empowering story. And once we get that story straight, guess what will follow? Yep, you guessed it. Confidence.
So, take a moment to get a clear vision about what you want before you begin to write your new story (also called an affirmation). There are only two rules to follow: your story must be written in the present tense (as if it is already happening) and must be simple, short and easy to remember (because you will end up writing and repeating it many times). Let’s say you want to be a dancer. Your new story might go something like this: “every day I am taking steps to be the best dancer I can possibly be” or “my love of dance and my love for myself moves me ahead in my career.”
Dancers on confidence:
Once you’ve re-written your story it’s time to glue it in your brain. Repetition is key. Write your story on a piece of paper ten times every day. Repeat it to yourself throughout the day while you wait in line or ride the subway (although I don’t recommend repeating out loud or people will think you are a crazy person). Sing it in the shower. Wash, rinse, repeat. Over time it will become your new story.
Confidence is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. Not only is it empowering it’s also incredibly attractive. It may even be contagious.
Here’s Brazilian psychologist Chris Lenarres’ method: | <urn:uuid:d56fd108-3c17-443b-b970-b17c8ebf1eef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.griercooper.com/tag/dance/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943427 | 1,518 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Belle Tout lighthouse opens for business
BELLE Tout Lighthouse has been opened to the public as a bed and breakfast after a £1 million restoration and refurbishment project
David Shaw, 71, purchased the Grade II listed building in April 2008 for £500,000.
He set up the Belle Tout Lighthouse Company Limited and has spent more than a year restoring the landmark to its former glory.
The building was previously owned by Mark and Louise Roberts who used it as a family home, but Mr Shaw said it had been neglected and was in need of major work when he purchased it.
He said, "It was a purchase made with the heart not with the head.
"It was not a commercial decision but I loved the building."
Work was recently completed and guests are now arriving to stay at the landmark.
It now has six beautiful en-suite rooms, a lounge, dining room, impressive lantern room, massage/treatment room and a flat for the two bed and breakfast managers.
Some of the rooms are small but David and his wife Barbara have used the space wisely whilst keeping the lighthouse's original and interesting features. Even the smallest rooms in the building, which would have been used as sleeping quarters for the lighthouse keeper, have been turned into comfortable accommodation using the original bunk-bed structures.
There are world-famous stunning views of the Beachy Head Lighthouse, the chalk cliffs and the South Downs from every room.
Mr Shaw has also built a new access road to the property. The existing road was under threat from coastal erosion and Mr Shaw was in lengthy talks with Eastbourne Borough Council to try and strike a deal. In February this year, members of the council's cabinet committee gave the new road the green light bringing Mr Shaw to the final stages of the long project.
"I am very relieved it is now finished," said Mr Shaw. "It is everything I imagined it would be. It is a one off job so I didn't want to cut any corners and I am very pleased with the results."
But Mr Shaw's hard work may not yet be over. Belle Tout's idyllic location means it is threatened by the crumbling cliff edge. The world's media watched as Mark and Louise Roberts raised £250,000 in 1999 and hauled the 850-tonne granite construction nearly 40ft away from the edge. Mr Shaw has considered giving the building a longer shelf life by moving it inland again but has put the plan on ice.
He said, "There are various estimates of how long it will be until it needs to be moved back again but there is no immediate danger at the moment.
"It is something I know will need to happen in the future but I have decided to get things up and running for a few years and review the idea when the issue is more pressing."
Before Mr Shaw bought Belle Tout, Rob Wassell, an IT manager from Surrey, set up the Belle Tout Preservation Trust in a bid to raise money to buy the landmark and open it to the public.
In 2008, he told the Herald he was disappointed when Mr Shaw's offer was accepted but Mr Wassell and Mr Shaw have now become friends.
Mr Shaw said, "He has been very supportive and I know restoring the building and opening it to the public means a lot to him.
"He has had a lifetime love affair with the building. We have a common interest."
Mr Wassell has now changed the name from the preservation trust to the Belle Tout Lighthouse Information Resource and has a website providing pictures, history and general information about the iconic building. The website can be found at www.belletoute.org.uk.
The lighthouse is currently open to bed and breakfast guests from £155 per night for two adults sharing a room. Mr Shaw had contemplated opening a teashop to make the lighthouse accessible to the wider public but has now decided this will not work well with the bed and breakfast, due to the limited space.
However, after much interest from local residents, Mr and Mrs Shaw held a cocktail party at the lighthouse for East Dean and Friston Village Hall Trust. Residents from the local area enjoyed the party and had a tour around the building.
For more information about the bed and breakfast including rates visit www.belletout.co.uk
08 June, 2010
Send To Friend | <urn:uuid:879a75a7-b835-4107-96d8-10b2904baa00> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.eastbourne.org/newsdesk/news.php?action=fullnews&id=224 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00033-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980263 | 897 | 1.59375 | 2 |
4th & Inches
|4th & Inches|
|System(s)||Amiga, Apple II, Apple IIGS, Commodore 64, DOS|
4th & Inches is an American football computer game developed by Accolade. It was released for the Commodore 64 (1987), Apple II (1988), DOS (1988), Amiga (1988), Apple IIGS (1988). It was designed by Accolade co-founder, Bob Whitehead, who also programmed the original Commodore 64 version (additional versions were ported by Sculptured Software with Craig Conder (Amiga) and John Motter (DOS) doing the programming.
Like other sports games by Bob Whitehead, 4th & Inches was hailed upon release, combining the action of previous titles with the new feature of strategic play calling. For the first time in a computer football game, players could choose from a number of plays. The player initially designated a formation, and then selected one of five plays based on the formation. These plays included a great number of offensive strategies, including draws, curls, sweeps and long bombs, among others. Defensive tactics equally were varied, with the player being able to choose a defensive formation based on what they thought the opponent would attempt.
The game required the player to select a position to control before the play began while on offense, but were not able to switch control during the action. Because there was a limited area of the field in view at any one time, it occasionally prevented the player from seeing important parts of the play develop. Rather than scrolling smoothly when the player being controlled would reach the edge of the screen, as modern football simulations do, it re-drew the visible section of the field entirely, placing the controlled player in a new position on the screen. While on defense, the player being controlled could not be changed either, but would be automatically selected as the player closest to the offensive ball carrier on each screen redraw.
4th & Inches followed another very successful title for Accolade (also designed and programmed by Whitehead): Hardball!, a baseball game. Many of the graphics and several sound effects from that game were re-used in 4th & Inches. | <urn:uuid:60dc7b82-6b69-47c3-acd4-b3a439a5c5ae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://strategywiki.org/wiki/4th_%26_Inches | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704392896/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113952-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972725 | 454 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Nothing seems to piss off institutions more than efficiency, especially efficiency that routes around the "damage" endemic to the system. Institutions of higher learning are no exception, as UCF student Tim Arnold found out when he tried to make registration more convenient for other students. Instead of being praised for his efforts, Arnold found himself staring down the barrel of academic probation
, courtesy of the displaced gatekeepers at UCF.
Arnold set up a website (called U Could Finish
) which alerted students when seats opened up in classes they wished to attend. (The site name is a play on "U Can't Finish," a less-than-affectionate acronym bestowed on the University of Central Florida for its years of over-enrollment
.) Signing up for the service allowed students to place themselves in queues for open seats. Once a seat opened, any students desiring this spot were alerted with a text message and could log in to UCF's student portal to claim it.
However, a week after Arnold offered this service to students, UCF shut down his access to its site. Arnold was notified (after the shutdown) that he had violated UCF policies on technology use. The violations included using university tools to make money (Arnold had charged for access based on search frequency and had managed to take in nearly $8
by the time his access was shut off) and "disrupting normal technology use."
UCF claims Arnold's program accessed the public side of its site "over 200,000 times" from December to June, with a spike in May and June (development restart and fall registration). This additional access was termed by the university as being equivalent of a denial-of-service attack, which could "affect the entire search system for all users."
Arnold denied his site stressed UCF's system to the extent it claims:
But Mr. Arnold said that his own data do not support the numbers Mr. Hartman provided. His logs show that U Could Finish interacted with the university’s server much less frequently.
"Even if I were to access the server that frequently, that shouldn’t be a problem over that long of a frequency of time," he said. "The UCF servers handle 15,000 requests a day, I don’t believe I could cause it to slow down."
There's also the matter of how the shutdown was handled. Arnold feels that his treatment has been more severe and punitive than similar situations in the past. Previously, a student had tried to create a similar tool and was sent a cease-and-desist e-mail. There were no hearings or sanctions.
"In my case, I didn’t hear any information about there being any issue for seven days, and when I did, it was from Student Conduct itself," he said. "So, these two cases were handled extremely differently, even though they were very similar in the way the apps functioned."
Mr. Arnold attended a hearing on July 24, and was sanctioned on July 27. He plans to appeal his sanctions, which also require him to write two papers and prevent him from holding student office.
"I just feel that the actions they did were very extreme considering my intent was to help students and not to intentionally subvert the rules," he said.
The terms of his punishment
are heavy-handed and nothing short of ridiculous. Arnold has been placed on disciplinary probation through the spring semester of 2013. In addition, he is required to type up two research papers: one on how he
would update the MyUCF software for the university and one on what he learned from a one-on-one coaching session with the Office of Integrity and Ethical Development. The first paper has the asinine requirement that he not use it to "justify his actions, nor evaluate the actions of others." The second paper he gets to pay for -- a $15 fee is required for "coaching sessions."
Beyond the vindictive stupidity of the penalties is the pure stupidity of the situation. UCF's software already
has the functionality U Could Finish added. For whatever reason, it's not enabled. There's no denying that Arnold broke school policy when he charged students usage fees, but any other argument doesn't wash. The function is present in the software. UCF doesn't use it. Despite its obvious usefulness to students, especially
in a school known for over-enrollment, UCF has apparently decided that it's unnecessary.
Not that UCF seems to know (or care) what might be of use to its students. In Arnold's presentation to the Student Conduct board
, he points out an earlier app he created, free-of-charge, for the student body. This app delivered constantly updated numbers on garage capacity to help students find open parking. Here's how the administration responded:
"Students wouldn't find it useful."
Without even seeing the poll results, anyone who's attended a major university knows this simply isn't true. It's the sort of brush-off statement delivered by someone who has an assigned parking space. Now, here's what students actually thought:
The obtuseness and hypocrisy of the university is astounding. The administration all but comes out and says, "Screw the students. They can use our clunky, nearly-useless software and like it. After all, they're paying for it." And as for Arnold's monetization of a useful service? How many goods or services does the university charge for? Fees for labs. Fees for the library. Transcript fees. And, of course, this is over and above thousands of dollars per semester and hundreds of dollars worth of books, all paid for by the students.
UCF seems to be going out of its way to make an example out of the guy who made its system actually usable. God knows what the administration's motivation is. All it's actually going to do is project an image of ivory-tower insulation that won't be easy to shed. | <urn:uuid:08bac5a9-6643-4102-947a-7a7823ccbde2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.techdirt.com/blog/Domain%20Names%20as%20Property%20Subject%20to%20Creditor%20Claims--Bosh%20v.%20Zavala/blog.php?d=7&m=8&y=2012 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701459211/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105059-00028-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983336 | 1,234 | 1.695313 | 2 |
A quote attributed to Adolf Hitler by a student that appeared in a Virginia high school yearbook has angered parents and students and shocked school officials.
The quote in question, "'The more, the merrier,' -- Adolf Hitler," slipped through, according to a Chesapeake schools representative.
Spokesman Tom Cupitt told The Virginian-Pilot that steps will be taken to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
The newspaper reported that the quote appeared next to a senior's picture in the Oscar Smith High School yearbook. The student wasn't identified.
Chesapeake seniors are given space in the yearbook to write a quote. Cupitt said the student may have thought the quote was a joke and that it wouldn't actually be published.
He said school officials are shocked that it appeared in the yearbook, which has monitors looking for offensive comments.
The quote angered Mercedes Malion, whose daughter's grandparents are Holocaust survivors.
"My daughter is Jewish. This is so offensive to us, I can't tell you how upset we are," Malion told the Virginian-Pilot. | <urn:uuid:81c15b38-5773-4e8a-a0c5-fe78dad4f7a2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/weird/Yearbook-Controversy-123016718.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978063 | 227 | 1.8125 | 2 |
There’s a small coastal village on Lake Erie in Vermillion, Ohio that is the best explanation I can find to answer the question: Why does social media matter? This takes a pretty big leap, so please indulge me for a few paragraphs.
This beautiful little village was built at the last turn of the century as a summer gathering place for a church community. The houses are cottages, all white clapboard and shake, with ornate front porches. They are built very close to one another with a strip of flowerbed for a front yard bordered by narrow sidewalks and streets that might let two Model T’s pass without scraping fenders. In a word it’s cozy.
Life in the village is quiet and slow — a throwback in time. People sit on their front porches along tree lined streets. Children and parents casually walk to the beach, playground, general store, or church. People greet passers by from their porch. Some stop by for a chat, others simply wave and comment on the beautiful weather.
My grandparents lived in nearby Cleveland. They had small clapboard and shake houses with nice front porches too. Their houses were newer and weren’t as close to one another. They had front yards, albeit modest ones, and detached garages. The streets were wide enough for normal traffic and on-street parking. When I was little I remember sitting on the porches and talking to neighbors as they passed by, but not when I got older.
My house is bigger than both of my grandparents houses combined. It is skinned in cedar shake but that was done as a retro touch. It has a two-car attached garage that serves as our front door — we enter and leave the house in a car. We don’t have sidewalks. Yards average an acre or more in our neighborhood. We wave to the neighbors and they wave back. It’s a sterile existence. So, my wife and I did something a little crazy. We built a porch — a great big wrap around front porch with seating, lighting, tables, and flowers. Now we see our neighbors. They stop by the porch. We talk. We laugh. Sometimes we just wave and comment on the weather.
That’s when I figured out why social media is so hot Social media gives everyone the capability to interact in the way we used to do on the front porch. Social media is a virtual front porch.
Think about it. Why did we stop hanging out on Grandma’s front porch? Because of central air conditioning. It sealed up the house and made it more comfortable than the porch. We sat inside and watched TV. Pretty soon houses weren’t built with porches and garages became attached to the house. Yards got bigger and houses got farther apart. Suburban sprawl, AC, TV, and McMansions killed spontaneous social interaction. As neighborhoods changed so did our sense of community.
So what is the result? New urbanism and social media. We are building physical and virtual communities that are a throwback to the village on the shore of Lake Erie. Why? Because it is innate human nature to want to interact with other people on a social level. We crave it. There is a market for it because demand drives markets.
New urbanism is easy to understand as an answer to the desire for a sense of community. But social media and virtual communities seem to be a real stretch, don’t they? Not really. Look at Twitter — the machine gun prattle of 140 character conversations between virtual strangers. On the surface it seems nuts, or annoying at best. To understand it, record a conversation in the office the next time a group gathers to look at a silly YouTube video. Then transcribe the conversation and attribute comments to the people who spoke them. It looks just like a Twitter conversation — there’s a link to a video followed by snickers, OMG, LOL, and individual sentences of friends bantering about the video, then it stops and everyone goes back to work. This is the same kind of social interaction that used to take place among friends on front porches. That’s why social media works. It gives us a place to connect to people and banter about the things that interest us. So, stop by my porch and say hi: http://www.twitter.com/spurdave | <urn:uuid:bf58dd70-f014-44a8-a73b-3432c240e69e> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://spurspectives.com/the-twitter-from-my-front-porch/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00018-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966621 | 906 | 1.773438 | 2 |
Rocky Mountain Soccer’s Guide to Recreational Boulder Youth Soccer Programs
Soccer is the most popular youth sport in Colorado. It can also be the most confusing. At Rocky Mountain Soccer (RMS), we are asked every day about participation in youth soccer. Before we offer some advice we want to share why we think youth soccer is great!
Kids who play youth soccer perform better academically on average than kids that do not play sports. Soccer helps develop important healthy lifestyle habits; reduce chances of behavioral issues; develop social skills; create a sense of community; inspire increased confidence; and enhance character development. Ultimately, youth soccer is a great way to make friends, enjoy the camaraderie of teams, and have a ton of fun!
Many kids develop specific skills via youth soccer that help them succeed in high school athletics. A few aspiring and dedicated young athletes even go on to play in college and beyond. Many of the top professional athletes in basketball (Kobe Bryant) and football (Ochocinco) played youth soccer.
Just one of the reasons we love soccer is that it’s a global game connecting the world to you and you to the world. A great way to travel is to toss a pair of soccer shoes in your bag, find a park in a foreign land and meet new people playing the beautiful game. Soccer truly is a global handshake that crosses borders and cultural divides.
Soccer is also one of the few team sports that you can play well into adulthood. Organized leagues exist for all levels and pick-up games happen nearly every day in Colorado.
So obviously at Rocky Mountain Soccer we are passionate about soccer and youth soccer. Following is some advice to the most frequently asked question at Rocky Mountain Soccer.
Question: Where should I sign up my child for soccer? What soccer program should my child play in?
Ages 2-10 Recreational / Developmental Soccer
For information of Competitive Youth Soccer see our related guide.
For the youngest ages (2-10 years old) of soccer we recommend that kids play with a youth sports organization that fits the family’s schedule, location and budget. Every organization has a different culture or personality based on its leadership, values, mission and vision. Myriad programs exist, so here are some tips to choosing the right one for you and your family:
RMS’s 10 Most Important Questions to ask a Recreational/Developmental Soccer Program:
(1) Is the environment for your child safe? Does the organization conduct background checks on the coaches and staff that interact with your child? This should include parent volunteer coaches and administrators. Are the playing surfaces and areas at practices and games appropriate and safe for soccer? Are the goals secured and safe (especially on windy days)? Are all the coaches and staff aware of the best practices for risk management? Are coaches expected to be CPR/First-Aid certified?
(2) Is the program organized well? Is the registration process simple and organized? Does the club have clear communication? The state of the program’s website will often give you an idea of how well the club is organized. Is the information clear, current and concise? Are phone calls answered and messages returned in an appropriate time?
(3) Are the fees appropriate for the service provided? Youth soccer should be affordable and comparable to other team sport activities at this age in the area.
(4) Do volunteer coaches receive support from the organization? Are coaches given guidance for running age-appropriate soccer practices that are fun, safe and develop fundamental skills? Do the coaches receive the tools and support to transfer the clubs’ philosophies or are the coaches left on their own to create their own culture within the organization?
(5) Does the club have appropriate playing time policies for the age group and how does it communicate and put the policy into practice? After all, the kids want to play.
(6) Does the club have appropriate limits on the sizes of team rosters to assure that each player does have the opportunity to play at least half the game? A team’s roster size should be less than double the number of players on the field. Again, the kids want to play. Having more kids on the sideline than on the field makes no sense for creating a fun and inspiring environment to enjoy soccer.
(7) Is the field size and number of players in the game age appropriate to assure that each player has maximized opportunities to touch the ball and enjoy the game? Does the organization follow the United State Soccer Federation guidelines for U5-U10 soccer structures?
(8) Does the organization have opportunities for your child to continue and progress in the game for several years to come? Your child should not need to change organizations every few years.
(9) Do kids in the program have the opportunity to receive regular fundamental skills development as they progress through the program? Is that included in the fees or is it extra? When kids learn the skills to be successful at soccer they often enjoy playing the game more.
(10) Is FUN a priority for the program and do the adults involved project a fun culture for youth soccer? If the kids have fun then they will want to return to the game. A fun environment is inspiring.
We hope you find this information helpful. This article is part of our ongoing series and support of youth soccer.
Below are links to recreational soccer clubs serving Boulder County / North Metro Area.
Boulder Rapids Reserve Soccer Club
Colorado Storm North
St Vrain FC | <urn:uuid:87ba9330-ff6d-482f-b1ba-23eb1eb5335d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://rockymountainsoccer.com/community/recreational-youth-soccer-guide/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938729 | 1,129 | 1.796875 | 2 |
After the massacre, press secretary Jay Carney reiterated Obama's support for reinstating the federal "assault weapon" ban that expired in 2004, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., promised to introduce a bill aimed at doing so next month. But we know for sure that an "assault weapon" ban would not have stopped Lanza or made his attack less deadly, because it didn't.
The rifle that Lanza used, a .223-caliber Bushmaster M4 carbine, is legal under Connecticut's "assault weapon" ban, and the federal law used the same criteria. Except for specifically listed models, both laws cover semi-automatic rifles with detachable magazines that have at least two of these five features: 1) a folding or telescoping stock, 2) a pistol grip, 3) a bayonet mount, 4) a grenade launcher and 5) a flash suppressor or threaded barrel.
The fact that such features have little or no functional significance in the context of violent crime reveals the folly of trying to distinguish between "good" and "bad" guns. Any gun that can be used for self-defense or other legitimate purposes also can be used to murder people.
Guns like Lanza's, modeled after the Colt AR-15, are among the most popular rifles in America, with an estimated 3.5 million sold since 1986. Only a tiny fraction of them are ever used in crimes.
Prior to the federal "assault weapon" ban, firearms covered by the law were used in something like 2 percent of gun crimes, and these were mostly pistols, according to a 2004 study sponsored by the National Institute of Justice. FBI numbers indicate that rifles of any kind (not just "assault weapons") are used in less than 3 percent of murders. Even killers with multiple victims are much more likely to use ordinary handguns than "assault weapons."
I use those scare quotes because the very term "assault weapon" was invented by the anti-gun lobby as a way of blurring the distinction between semi-automatic firearms, which fire once per trigger pull, and machine guns such as the selective-fire assault rifles carried by soldiers. The president himself either does not understand the difference or deliberately obscures it, calling upon Congress to ban "AK-47s" and "automatic weapons."
Given the fraudulent rationale for the "assault weapon" ban, it's not surprising that the NIJ study found little evidence the law had reduced gun violence. "Should it be renewed," University of Pennsylvania criminologist Christopher Koper and his co-authors concluded, "the ban's effects on gun violence are likely to be small at best and perhaps too small for reliable measurement."
That was so even when taking into account another aspect of the law that Obama wants to restore: its ban on magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. While it is debatable whether the few seconds it takes to switch magazines or guns makes an important difference in attacks on moviegoers in a darkened theater or on first-graders in an elementary school, Lanza did use 30-round magazines, and this restriction at least looks like a relevant response to mass shootings.
So many large-capacity magazines are already in circulation, however, that it's hard to see how reinstating this ban would stop a determined killer from obtaining them. Even when the ban was in force, Koper found, there was "an immense stock" of about 30 million such magazines, and the number surely has risen since then.
Likewise, with around 300 million guns in circulation, there is not much that new laws can do to prevent a man bent on slaughtering innocents from obtaining one. The understandable grief and anger provoked by the Sandy Hook massacre does not change that unavoidable reality.
Jacob Sullum is a senior editor at Reason magazine. Follow him on Twitter: @jacobsullum. To find out more about Jacob Sullum and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM | <urn:uuid:c4f66f54-8af9-4e90-b95a-eaaf9728f8f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://townhall.com/columnists/jacobsullum/2012/12/19/flash-suppressors-do-not-kill-people-n1469838/page/full/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963008 | 833 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Lutgart Van den Berghe, chair of ecoDa’s policy committee, said: 'People should not forget that governance is not an end in itself but a means to an end. Companies should develop a governance model that helps them to reach the corporate goal and allows them to make effective decisions in the long term interest of the company, shareholders and stakeholders. The board is a crucial factor to this end. But also shareholders have to play their role to foster growth, strategy, entrepreneurship and sustainability.'
Paul Moxey, head of corporate governance and risk management at ACCA stressed that 'Corporate governance should really be about creating value. There are many definitions of governance, but in many the importance of company growth and competitiveness is missing. This is unfortunate, in that it has allowed corporate governance to become too often a rather pointless tick-box exercise.'
Speakers stressed the overall quality of corporate reporting has gone up, and the focus now should be on yet more improvement in the general quality of disclosure around corporate governance and a clear articulation by each company of how its governance arrangements support its business model. The assumption that shareholders are the monitors of companies’ governance presupposes their engagement. This is certainly one of the most important challenges of the Action Plan.
The political agenda in the field of corporate governance is becoming higher and higher, while financial regulation is becoming ever more detailed, without taking account of the underlying changes to financial markets. Speakers questioned whether the EU’s current focus is the right one to provide dynamic stock markets for companies. One speaker from the OECD presented statistics showing the decline in European IPOs over the past 10 years, while another speaker stated 'The IPO market in Finland is dead.'
Susannah Haan, secretary general of EuropeanIssuers, concluded that: 'Securities' law and financial market regulation are being developed separately from company law and corporate governance, leaving companies struggling to make a coherent whole of the regulatory picture. We hope that the publication of the forthcoming Green Paper on long-term investment may open a wider debate on these issues.'
- The European Commission published its Action Plan on company law and corporate governance on 12 December 2012, with three main sets of measures:
- The first one aims at increasing transparency, and includes proposals on strengthening disclosure on board policies on diversity and non-financial risk management, on the quality of explanations for non-compliance in corporate governance reports, on shareholders’ identification, and relating to the transparency of voting policies.
- The second set relates to shareholders’ engagement and covers better oversight of remuneration policy, better oversight of related party transactions, regulating proxy advisors, the clarification of the concept of 'acting in concert', and employee share ownership.
- The third pillar entails the company law components of the Action Plan. These are mainly linked to, on the one hand, improving the framework for cross border operations of companies - including the commitment to further explore the feasibility of the cross-border transfer of seat, improving the mechanism for cross-border mergers, enabling cross-border divisions, smart legal forms for European SMEs, ensuring a proper follow-up of the European Private Company, and the concept of ‘group interest’ - and, on the other, merging and codifying the provisions of various company law directives to make a more coherent and consistent set of rules.
For further details, please see the 'Related Links' section, left of this article.
- Following publication of the Action Plan, ecoDa (The European Confederation of Directors' Associations) and EuropeanIssuers, in collaboration with ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), organised a conference in Brussels called 'The Action Plan on Corporate Governance and Company Law: What's in it and Why?', during which distinguished experts presented the new Action Plan, and discussed the potential impact of its various proposals and its expected effectiveness in contributing to better governance, more successful enterprise and to a healthier economic recovery in Europe. | <urn:uuid:2f614360-8eb0-4b45-a9fb-639cd01b4714> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.accaglobal.com/en/discover/news/2013/02/eu-plan0.html?from=1350255600000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699881956/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516102441-00009-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947007 | 808 | 1.789063 | 2 |
General Budget Framework Document
NOVEMBER 30, 2001
Office of the Chancellor
NATURE AND AMOUNT OF REDUCTION
A significant shortfall in revenue occurring after the promulgation of the 2002-2003 biennial budget requires a reduction in that budget in both of the fiscal years of the biennium. A special session of the Nebraska Legislature has reduced the University approved budget by $8,312,678 in FY02 and $11,202,919 in FY03. This amounts to 2% in FY02 and 2.5% in FY03.
Because the University has already allocated the FY02 budget and will be 5 months into the fiscal year before reductions can be determined, it is expected that most of the FY02 reductions will come in the form of vacancy savings, unallocated funds, and temporary reductions. However, this means that the base budget of the University will need to be reduced by the full $11,202,929 in FY03.
For FY02 it has been determined that Central Administration will fund on a temporary basis $4,775,000 of the $8,312,678 reduction. This will require that the University of Nebraska-Lincoln reduce its expenditures by $1,813,453.
For FY2003 permanent, base budget reductions will be required. It is estimated that the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's share of this reduction will be approximately $5,540,964. This amounts to UNL's share of the 2.5% reduction in the University's base budget.
PRINCIPLES FOR THE BUDGET REDUCTION PROCESS
The principles governing the development of proposals for budget reductions are set forth in a separate document entitled "Principles Governing Budget Reductions"[hereinafter "Principles Document"]. That document is attached hereto. It previously had been reviewed by the Academic Planning Committee and the Academic Senate Executive Committee and presented to the Academic Senate for comments.
The Principles Document requires that budget reductions be the product of considered judgments and relate to the priorities of the University and the goal of positioning the University to continue its upward momentum. Such judgments must be informed by relevant data but cannot be exclusively data-driven. Ultimately, these decisions, like those relating to budget enhancements, require judgments, formed after broad consultation and discussion with the University community.
ALLOCATION OF REDUCTION TO DIVISIONS AND UNITS OF THE UNIVERSITY
The budget reduction required here must be accomplished with the goal of leaving the University in as strong a position as circumstances permit. Across-the-board reductions do not reflect thoughtful application of University priorities but rather have the effect of weakening all units of the University. The intention is to effectuate targeted reductions in order to preserve the University's core strength. However, in order to make careful comparisons between alternatives it is essential that each unit surface, in a confidential manner, a percentage of its budget for review.
Although the current targeted amount of reduction is 2.5%, the context requires that we develop a scenario for a deeper reduction. First, there are portions of the University budget that are simply not subject to planned reduction because they are "required expenditures." In this category are items like utilities, insurance, including both casualty and health, operating and maintenance of buildings, and certain assessments for deferred maintenance and administrative support. Moreover, some of these expenditures are projected to increase in the current fiscal year and may increase further in FY 03. For example, we predict that our property and casualty insurance premiums will rise substantially following the events of September 11th.
Second, there are units that, at least in the short run, will not be able to reduce their budgets by the full 2.5% consistent with the stated priorities. Units with little existing flexibility or a high student demand may not be able to achieve this reduction without jeopardizing students' progress toward degrees, a high priority of the University.
Third, the campus administration requires the flexibility to not only achieve the required reduction but to do so with the University priorities in mind.
Accordingly each University unit will be asked to develop scenarios that describe a reduction of up to 5% of its FY 2002 base budget.
IMPLEMENTATION OF REDUCTIONS
Phase in period for reductions: The "Principles Document" refers to those University policies that apply to budget reductions that adversely affect University employees. These policies often provide notice and other procedural requirements that may require a period of time for implementation. Similarly, if academic programs are reduced or eliminated, student reliance may suggest a phase in of any such reduction. In developing reduction scenarios, units may propose a planned phase in of a reduction not to exceed 3 years in length. In such a case, the unit shall also propose a method of bridging the phase in period with other funds. This provides an opportunity, if necessary, to utilize a three-year planning horizon for full implementation of the proposed reductions.
Revenue enhancements: Units may propose revenue enhancements in the form of user fees to offset in whole or in part any proposed reductions. However, significant increases in student fees will by closely examined. If such fees are proposed, an alternative must also be included.
Operating funds and Non-academic personnel: A strong University cannot exist without productive faculty but faculty, regardless of their talent, cannot be productive without adequate support in terms of operating funds and the support of non-academic personnel. Reduction proposals that appear to run counter to this observation will be closely scrutinized.
TIME FRAME FOR MAKING BUDGET REDUCTION DECISIONS
The "Procedures Document" establishes a process for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for arriving at decisions relating to final budget reductions. It provides that the Chancellor shall establish a time frame within which the procedures are to be implemented. The time frame for these reductions is attached as Appendix A.
APPENDIX A: BUDGET REDUCTION PROCESS TIME FRAME
APPENDIX B: PRINCIPLES GOVERNING BUDGET REDUCTIONS
| CHANCELLOR | UNL HOME | | <urn:uuid:99e1ec81-3dce-4f00-8ced-c2f964d038ae> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.unl.edu/ucomm/chancllr/20011130budgetframework.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00008-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932379 | 1,239 | 1.5 | 2 |
I'm a NICU nurse and it's my first job as a RN right out of school- here's my 2 cents worth:
- Buy a little book that you can fit in your scrub pocket. Fill it with info you learn on the job- your hospital's normal lab values, procedure guidelines, glucose check protocols (NPO, fluids/PO, PO only, etc), how much blood volume you need for specific lab tests (0.3 ml, 0.1 ml etc). Always have it with you when you're on the floor. I did this when I first started orientation and I still refer to it every shift. The inside of the back cover I wrote phone numbers we always use- Lab, Blood Bank, Pharmacy, etc.
- Volunteer to do/see everything when you're in orientation. You'll get a lot of extremely valuable experience, and you'll still have someone more experienced there with you to help guide you, give you pointers, etc. When you're on your own you may not have as many people willing to help.
- If your NICU doesn't provide you with a Neofax drug book, get one. Write your name allll over that puppy too!
This thing has saved our tails many times. It tells you about meds in specific regards to neonates. It's very detailed and tells you all about (in)compatibility, what types of lines they can go in, etc. It is truly a life saver.
- Find a nurse who's skills, personality, and bedside manner you admire and become friends with him/her. Ask to assist her with some of her tasks, talk to her about what has helped her in the NICU, go to her for advice. Make sure you also let her know how much you appreciate her. There'll be times when you need to rely heavily on your fellow coworkers.
- If you see another nurse struggling with her assignment, help her- they'll be more willing to do the same for you when you need it down the line. NICU is a family environment- both patient and staff wise. Our babies require a lot of care, more so than a lot of people realize. It can be very hectic and chaotic at times, especially when someone gets a critical admission or a baby crashes. It's these times when the support of your fellow nurses can really help make it organized chaos instead of a warzone.
-Take the time to thank people for helping you after something unexpected happens- a baby passes, an unplanned and intense admission, resuscing a baby, self extubation, etc. It can mean the world to staff, and really helps boost spirits.
- Parents/families can often be one of the biggest challenges (aside from the actual nursing care of the baby). They go through a huge array of emotions- which may become directed at you. It's an extremely stressful and trying time for them, sometimes I think we forget that. A simple hand on theirs, getting them a box of tissues, or a chair by their baby's isolette can make a huge difference in how they respond to you. It's the simple things we tend to crave most when we're going through hardships.
Sorry for such a long post, but I hope some of it helps. I truly love the NICU and all it's taught me. It is/can be a very stressful place to work, but also the most rewarding-imho. It's hilarious and heartwarming how excited we get when a former 23 weeker kicks us when we try change their diaper, or when a parent brings back a baby years later. If you have any other questions, want more advice, or just want to talk about the NICU/nursing, etc feel free to PM me.
best of luck! | <urn:uuid:0b716c61-7862-400c-846b-6da17ba1dbf9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://allnurses.com/nicu-nursing-neonatal/starting-nicu-1-a-781003.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697974692/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095254-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969431 | 785 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Your say on Kings Highway safety
Speeding, dangerous overtaking, and poor road design and conditions are among issues being submitted online by the public in a major review of safety on the Kings Highway. The submissions are being made using an online mapping tool developed by the Centre for Road Safety and NSW Roads and Maritime Services covering the Kings Highway between Batemans Bay and the ACT border. The mapping tool that allows you to pinpoint locations and identify issues that you think need action. The map also provides data layers for previous serious road accidents involving injuries and fatalities since 2007.
The project is also asking for comments on proposed speed zone reviews, profile line marking, and safety barrier fencing for the Braidwood section of the highway.
The number of crashes identified on the map is very scary, with some sections displaying dense clusters of road accidents.
Many of the comments to date refer to speeding and dangerous overtaking.
Some comments point the finger at dangerous driver behaviour:
- Request for point to point speed cameras for all vehicles
- The road safety issue is more about driver behaviour than the condition of the road. We dread long weekends and holidays.
Others explain dangerous driving as a response to the lack of overtaking opportunities, for example:
- Between Bungendore and ACT, high level of driver frustration and overtaking across double lines and unsafe places
- Top of Clyde to Braidwood: lack of overtaking lanes and opportunities creates frustration and therefore risky overtaking.
Others identify problems in road design and condition:
- Between Dinner and Cabbage Tree Creeks road excessively twisty, hardly any shoulders. Dangerous.
- Bad crest that makes it difficult to turn into Braidwood Rd westbound.
- The whole section from Bungendore to Nelligen is too narrow, windy and the road surface is breaking up in many places.
Some comments criticise ACT drivers with at least one comment pointing to the issue that ACT drivers do not receive demerit points for speeding offences in NSW:
- Concern about whether speeding offences in NSW will be counted towards demerit points on ACT licence holders
- Have observed that ACT drivers seem more impatient and take more risks. Maybe because its is a country highway?
A public meeting was held in Bungendore last night and another meeting is scheduled for Batemans Bay this Friday (May 4) in Batemans Bay from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Bay Waters Holiday Resort.
You can also send submissions by post or email, with submissions and online suggestions closing on Wednesday 16 May.
For further details see Kings Highway Safety review.
Or go straight to the Collaborative Map.
Search ABC Local
Latest stories from ABC South East NSW. Including audio, photo, video, recipes and reviews across the region. | <urn:uuid:8c45d683-f3c4-4a41-9388-d04145ae6367> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/05/03/3494559.htm?site=southeastnsw | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94285 | 571 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Count Rick Pitino among basketball coaches supporting gun control.
The Louisville coach was asked Friday during a news conference at the team's practice facility about his reaction to Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim's comments Monday assailing the nation's gun culture following the school shooting in Newtown, Conn. Pitino agreed with Boeheim, and said he couldn't understand why people wouldn't support gun control.
On consecutive days, Boeheim and Winthrop coach Pat Kelsey used postgame news conferences to express sympathy for victims' families and stress the need for reforms to avoid another tragedy.
Pitino followed by adding that society doesn't need guns.
He says, "The fact that every single person does not want it would be a mystery. This is not the beginning of American civilization where we need guns like it's the wild, wild West."
Pitino said he was unaware of Boeheim's comments following the Syracuse coach's milestone 900th career victory Monday night. Told what his colleague said, Pitino said Boeheim was right and similarly expressed empathy for victims' families.
The Louisville coach seemed saddened over the grieving process the town is going through, believing it might never end. He said he still grieves for brother-in-law Billy Minardi, who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.
Pitino created an annual game in Minardi's honor - beating his son, Richard, and Florida International on Wednesday night - but said he thinks about his good friend every day. And he figures the families, friends and neighbors in Newtown will be hurting for a long time as well.
"I don't know how anybody can ever close their eyes in those families," Pitino said. "There can be no good that comes out of that except immediate gun control."
Pitino went more political, believing that members of Congress on both sides have been around too long to effect change. If they were doing what's right for the country, he said, the nation "would demand" gun control.
He had little to say about the National Rifle Association, which held a news conference Friday in Washington saying that schools should have armed officers for protection.
"I don't care about those people. They have their own agenda," he said. "I don't respect people who have their own agendas." | <urn:uuid:81591267-eee7-46e4-b9f8-295cb410a264> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/dec/21/louisville-coach-pitino-supports-gun-control/ | 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 | 0.984563 | 482 | 1.546875 | 2 |
What's So Bad About Deflation? Nothing, If You Own the Debt
by CHARLES HUGH SMITH
July 26, 2012
Perhaps all the assumptions about inflation being good and deflation being bad miss the key question: cui bono (to whose benefit?)
One of the most widely accepted truisms of our time is that deflation is bad: bad for debtors, bad for the indebted government, and therefore bad for the economy.
What all this overlooks is how wonderful mild deflation is for those who owe no debt but who own the debt and the income streams that flow from debt. What the "deflation is bad" argument ignores is who controls the financial and political systems, and what set of conditions benefits them.
The entire Survival+ critique is based on one simple but revealing question: cui bono--to whose benefit?
The "deflation is bad" view naively assumes the Federal government wants inflation to lower its own debt burden. But since the machinery of governance is directed not at what's good for the government, but at what's good for the financial Elites that influence policy, then the only meaningful question is: what's best for the financial Elites?
Mild inflation won't bother the Elites much as long as their leveraged returns exceed inflation by a substantial measure, but deflation is much more lucrative: why mess around with potentially volatile inflation when deflation works better?
As knowledgeable correspondent James B. recently explained, the financial Elites' are skimming their take regardless of inflation or deflation. (for more on this, see James B.'s commentary in Do the Parasitic Elite Pay Any Taxes? June 13, 2012.)
Deflation makes cash and income streams more valuable as time marches on. At a 1% rate of deflation, our cash buys more goods and services every month. As a result, a 3% yield plus the 1% deflation = 4% real return.
The reason why deflation is considered bad is that wages tend to deflate along with everything else, and so the income debtors need to pay their debts declines, making it more difficult to service the debt.
Governments are presumed to want inflation because it erodes government debt over time and boosts the income of taxpayers and thus of the government. At 5% annual inflation, the adjusted value of $100 debt decreases to $77 in five short years. In 10 years, 5% annual inflation drops the purchasing-power value of $100 debt to $60.
As wages increase with inflation, the number of hours of work needed to service the monthly debt declines. Inflation makes debts easier on the debtor and strips value away owners of the debt.
Nice if you're the debtor, extremely annoying if you own the debt. Once again we must separate the Federal government from the financial Elites who control its policies. If government spending must eventually be curtailed to pay the rising interest on exploding Federal debt, that won't bother those who own the Federal debt (bonds).
Another widely accepted truism is that the Federal government (Central State) can "print its way out of debt" by printing enough money to devalue the dollar. Devaluing the dollar and inflation are two descriptions of the same process: expanding the money supply far faster than the real economy is expanding.
But once again this is naive, as the Federal government doesn't "print money" electronically-- that privilege is held by the Federal Reserve. Does anyone seriously believe the Federal Reserve acts on behalf of the Federal government? For propaganda purposes, the stated "cover" of the Fed is to "preserve price stability" and foster full employment.
The Fed's real function, of course, is to manage monetary policy to benefit the nation's financial sector and its wealthy Elites. What happens to Federal spending and interest payments are of little interest to those setting the Fed agenda. For propaganda purposes, the Fed makes noises about "reining in deficit spending" but this is for show. The most important goal is to maintain real returns for those who own the debt of the Federal government, i.e. the mega-wealthy financial Elites and other Status Quo players.
The critical error made by the "inflation is good" camp is their assumption that wages will rise along with everything else in inflation. Alas, wages for the bottom 90% have stagnated for decades in real terms (i.e. purchasing power), and so "mild" inflation has dramatically decreased their earnings.
In a post-industrial, post-bubble economy, labor is in massive surplus, so wages are flat to down for the vast majority of workers. Inflation is actually terrible for the bottom 90%, as their wages are flat while everything else rises in cost. For those workers with modest debt loads or very low interest loans, deflation actually boosts the purchasing power of their stagnant earnings.
Deflation is a wonderful boost for those who own debt and who receive income streams from interest and principal payments. Every dollar of interest and principal buys more than it did when the loan was originated. Every dollar of cash not only buys more goods and services, it also buys more hard assets as assets tumble in deleveraging.
Some steady writedown of debt is acceptable to those who own the debt. Let's say that 1% of all the debt is written off every year due to defaults, short sales of homes, foreclosures, etc. If the yield is 3% plus 1% deflation for a real return of 4%, then a 1% reduction in principal will still leave a real yield of 3%, which can be leveraged into 10% or even 15% (at 5-to-1 leverage).
The "frog in the pot" syndrome applies. If deflation is modest, on the order of 1%-2% annually, that won't spark insurrection. If the water in the pot is heated slowly, the frog doesn't notice much except a gradual reduction in earnings and government benefits as more government revenue is funneled to debt service.
Indeed, by many measures, Japan has been in deflation for over 20 years. The slow erosion of wages has been partially offset by a decline in the cost of goods and services. Meanwhile, those who own the debt have a low-risk increase in their wealth and income, year after year. What's not to like?
Before we assume the Federal government needs inflation, we should ask who sets the policy objectives of the government. Since the super-wealthy have captured the regulatory and legislative processes, why would we think the government's actions don't align with their interests?
Since the Federal government can't "print money," it can only borrow it, then it is incapable of creating inflation, even if it wanted to. The interests of the Federal Reserve are served by propaganda about "inflation targeting," but behind the curtain mild deflation is perfectly fine with the financial Elites.
Consider this. In mild deflation, Treasury bonds increase in value as the income streams of interest gain purchasing power every year. When other assets tank--for example, stocks and real estate--the bonds can be sold and the other assets snapped up for cheap from those who have only debt to deleverage and no cash.
Deflation is only bad for those with crushing debts and no ability to borrow more. Since the Federal government (like the government of Japan) can always borrow more, those buying the debt are assured of a low-risk income stream that can then be used to buy other deflating assets.
Everyone assuming the Federal government has the power to create inflation and that inflation is "good" should examine the interests of those who control the government's policies, i.e. those who own the debt.
Put another way: here's what will be scarce: reliable income streams and liquidity. | <urn:uuid:9a9d0b2c-f58e-4f6b-b6f4-f41db8ff7b03> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/whats-so-bad-about-deflation-nothing-if-you-own-the-debt?f=politics | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960992 | 1,592 | 1.726563 | 2 |
The Gym Fix
Avoid these common weight-lifting mistakes so you can get stronger--and faster.
For Jacqueline Hussey, the San Diego 1998 Rock 'N' Roll Marathon lived up to its name. By the end of it, she felt like somebody had pounded her with a rock and rolled over her with a tractor. "I really took a beating," says Hussey, now 35. "My shoulders ached and my lower back was sore."
Even though Hussey weight trained, she knew she needed to get stronger. So she set up an appointment at her gym with a personal trainer, who put her through a series of tests. "She didn't have the muscular strength to withstand the pounding that comes with a marathon," says the trainer, Larry Indiviglia.
Turns out Hussey was making a few mistakes--the same ones many runners make. Busy building mileage and squeezing in speedwork, runners congratulate themselves if they get to the gym at all. In the process, they frequently cheat their strength-training programs, doing the same few arm curls and calf raises with minimal weight all year round. Here's how to avoid those common pitfalls and make the most of your strength-training program. The results are worth the effort--you'll be stronger and faster.
Make a Plan
Most college and pro athletes break their training year into various segments or "periods" based around their sport's competitive season in order to be at their peak when it really counts. Chances are, you already do this with your running schedule--you add more mileage and quality workouts as you build up to a race, and back off afterward. But runners need to periodize their resistance training as well.
"The idea is to bring you to a peak in strength that coincides with your race," says Jeb Stewart, a strength coach who works with endurance athletes in Bedford, Virginia. For most runners, that means peaking for both the spring and fall racing seasons. To accomplish this, runners need to vary their strength-training programs every four to eight weeks and keep specific performance goals in mind throughout the year. Some weeks, for example, your resistance exercises need to focus on flexibility or core stability, while other weeks you'll concentrate on building strength or power.
Even when runners do commit to a regular strength-training regimen, they tend to shy away from heavy weights. "I used to train with the lightest weights I could find because I was afraid of getting bulked up," says Hussey. A 2004 study found that beginners in particular often use weights that are too light to do any good.
"Weight training increases muscular strength and can reduce the risk of running injuries," says the study's lead author, Stephen Glass, Ph.D., of Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. "But in order to strengthen muscles, runners need to use weights they can lift no more than 15 times. Any weight lighter than that will have minimal benefit." During the strength-building phase of your training year, which for many runners will fall in the months of February and July, use weights that you can lift no more than eight to 10 times.
Don't Forget Your Legs
Just because running primarily works the legs doesn't mean you can cut them a break in the gym. It's precisely because you use your legs so much that you need to strengthen them. "A lot of runners have overuse injuries such as plantar fasciitis and shin splints," says Bob Phillips, a personal trainer for Eastern Athletic Clubs in New York. "A well-designed resistance program can strengthen those muscles, but not if you just do arm exercises." When working with Hussey, Indiviglia focused on the glutes, which are a prime mover in running, and the hip rotators, because runners tend to have very tight hips.
Resistance exercises for the abs, lower back, and trunk muscles should also be at the heart of any good strength-training program for runners. "A strong core transfers energy more efficiently to the working muscles," says Stewart.
A strength-training overhaul certainly worked for Hussey. Now seven pounds lighter than when she started her new program, Hussey ran a 3:55 at the 2005 Chicago Marathon. "I felt strong in my abs and lower back, which gave me more energy to run," she says. As for the true payoff, she knocked 39 minutes off her time at Rock 'N' Roll.
The periodized strength plan sampled below was developed by Jeb Stewart and Reece Haettich, strength coaches who train endurance athletes. Its structure allows runners to peak in strength for both the spring and fall competitive seasons.
Period 1: Increase Flexibility and Stability
Eight weeks in December and January/Four weeks in June
Schedule: Three weekly sessions of 30 to 45 minutes with a focus on core exercises for the abs, lower back, and trunk. Do three sets per exercise--15, 12, and 10 repetitions in each set respectively--with 45 to 60 seconds rest.
Sample exercises: Lunge with Rotation. Holding a medicine ball in front of you, lunge forward and rotate your torso to the side of your lead leg. Bring the ball back to center as you step back to the starting position, then repeat to the opposite side.
Scorpion Kick. Lie on your stomach with arms perpendicular to your body, palms facing down. Lift your right leg up, bring it across your left leg, and try to touch your right toe to the left of your left foot. Return to the starting position. Repeat with your left leg.
Period 2: Increase Strength and Power
Strength phase: Four weeks in February and July
Schedule: Three weekly sessions of 30 to 45 minutes with a focus on exercises for the legs, shoulders, chest, and back, such as step-ups and shoulder presses.
Do three sets per exercise--10, eight, and six repetitions in each set respectively--with one to two minutes of rest between each set.
Power phase: Four weeks in March and August
Schedule: Two weekly sessions of 30 to 45 minutes stressing total-body exercises, such as power skips and vertical jumps. Do two sets per exercise--10 to 12 repetitions per set--with two to three minutes of rest between each set. Repetitions should be done as quickly as possible without compromising form.
Period 3: Maintain Gains
Four to eight weeks in April/May and September/October
Schedule: This period is during a heavy running season, so volume in the gym is reduced with the goal of simply maintaining the gains made earlier in the program. Aim for one or two 30-minute workouts per week with two sets per exercise--eight to 12 repetitions per set--and 60 to 90 seconds rest between each set. Concentrate on the core exercises done during other periods. Stop strength work about four weeks before your goal race. | <urn:uuid:b4121f45-3751-43ea-8bda-69209bb30272> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.runnersworld.com/workouts/gym-fix?page=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967649 | 1,423 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Three Hundred Zeroes
When siblings promise to do something together when they 'grow up," do they follow through? When war and a Purple Heart Medal alter those promises, should the surviving brother continue? My promise to my brother haunted me for over forty years. Finally, when there were no more excuses, I set out on the Appalachian Trail to fulfill that youthful promise.
Three Hundred Zeroes describes the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) as it meanders for almost 2,200 miles (3,500 km) through some of the most awe inspiring, remote, vibrant woodlands and mountains in the eastern United States. Maddeningly indirect at times, the trail wanders aimlessly from Springer Mountain in Georgia, to Mount Katahdin, in Maine. Along it's length the A.T. is home to every conceivable form of plant life, vegetation, tree and animal from the minuscule pygmy shrew to the titans of the north woods, the American black bear and moose.
Three Hundred Zeroes describes a Norman Rockwell America that at times seems long lost and forgotten. Walking through small boroughs, villages and out-of-the-way places, I encountered people that don't judge others by their worldly possessions, the car they drive, or how big their house is. Conversations evolved around severe weather; trail conditions, distance traveled, and destinations. The predominate question that always arose was, "Can I help?" or "Are you hungry?" Appalachian Trail life is more often than not factored down to its lowest common denominator: honest to goodness caring and personal connections.
A menagerie of personalities leads to numerous comical situations. A cast of characters with monikers such as "Cookie Monster," "Bone Lady," "Half-Elvis," "Motor Butt," "Bilge Rat," "Privy Monster," and "Serial Killer," guaranteed that there was never a dull moment.
Serious obstacles abound. The difficulties I encountered walking over 2,200 miles were easily underestimated and trouble began long before setting that first step on the trail. Three Hundred Zeroes demonstrates that bears, rattlesnakes, extreme weather and challenging terrain may be far less formidable than some of life's more subtle dangers.
Explore this national treasure, the Appalachian Trail through my adventures in Three Hundred Zeroes.
Three Hundred Zeroes Blog
This blog is where you can find out more about the book, Three Hundred Zeroes, or leave comments if you've already read it. Questions about hiking the Appalachian Trail or hiking in general are welcome. I love the outdoors and just about anything related to outdoor life is fair game.
Appalachian Trail Club of Florida
The ATC Florida is devoted to supporting the activities of the Appalachian Trail through volunteer works and going out and hiking the trail.
Sarasota Authors Connection
I'm involved in membership with this premier writers organization, right here in Sarasota, Fl. We meet ten times a year and feature nationally known writers, publishers and writing authorities each month as speakers. | <urn:uuid:9bc69c3a-e1cc-4e73-b720-23a05e0226d5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=130152 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949502 | 623 | 1.734375 | 2 |
It’s Time For…
Song By My Friend “Tha Truth”
Post created by Jennifer Kiley
Video Created by j. kiley
Created May 19th 2013
Posted May 22nd 2013
Tha Truth is a political hip hop artist and “rap-tivist” known around the Philadelphia area for battling imperialism, inequality, corruption, and discrimination. He has performed in countless venues at concerts, colleges, demonstrations, conferences, and benefits. He is acclaimed for infusing lyrical content of critical importance for those concerned about social justice, while still being able to hold his own talent wise against any artist in the hip hop industry.
Tha Truth put out his debut CD “Tha Civil Rights Movement” in 2006. His second CD “Tha Civil Rights Movement Part II” was released in 2007. In late 2008 Tha Truth unveiled his third CD “Tha People’s Music,” which was heavily inspired by Howard Zinn’s classic book “A People’s History of the United States (from 1492 to Present)”. On this CD Tha Truth sums up the suppressed, real history of the United States from 1492 to 2008 (starting with the pillaging of Columbus) in just two songs (“The Real History of the US” and “The Real History II”).
Throughout the project Tha Truth alerts listeners to the most critical issues occurring throughout the US and the world. Through his complex and at times astounding rhyme patterns, he describes how these issues go back through time, and specific ways to take action to fix them. Tha Truth takes on bigotry, poverty, air pollution, war and occupation, worker’s rights, U.S healthcare, corporate privatization of resources, the prison industrial complex, corporate media, New Orleans recovery efforts, military recruitment, the poverty draft, the death penalty, immigrant rights, police brutality, NAFTA, US foreign policy/empire, and so much more.
When Tha Truth began making music in 1998, he was engaging in the typical mainstream rap content he grew up around. Throughout his life however, he always despised bigotry and questioned inequality. As he grew and became more educated, he began to think about the message he was promoting. The catalyst to his drastic turnaround was a conscious emcee from NJ he befriended who questioned Tha Truth’s material. Years later, as his lyrical skills and life experience grew, Tha Truth was convinced by those around him to pursue a place in the music business.
In a time where most musicians drone on apathetically about trivial, negative, and unoriginal subject matter, Tha Truth represents a breath of fresh air; he is an artist in every sense of the word. Utilizing originality, creativity, and a desire to use his talent to move the world in a better direction, Tha Truth is a rapper one ignores at their own risk.
When it was conceived, hip hop’s rhythmic poetry gave a voice to the voiceless on the streets of New York City. Tha Truth’s music continues the tradition in providing a voice representing another side… the side often ignored in the media’s agenda and the government’s spin. Put simply, Tha Truth makes the case that to be politically neutral or uninterested is to condone what is taking place in the world. Tha Truth’s music presents the aesthetic artistry, flair, and sonic mastery of the best rappers, while leaving listeners with content capable of provoking life altering critical thinking, empowerment, and awareness. One can only imagine what kind of world we would be living in if most kids listened to Tha Truth, instead of the latest egotistical, stereotype driven, corporate creation churned out by the hip hop industry to amass huge profit for their multinational conglomerate and its stock holders. Overall, hip hop may have been taken from the streets to the corporate offices, but underground artists like Tha Truth keep the roots of the tradition strong.
This biography was provided by the artist Tha Truth.
I was fortunate to discover the following song, It’s Time For… on MySpace before Rupert Murdoch corrupted it and took away the lefts’ and free thinkers’ corner to represent and communicated with each other. It was one of the best hang outs to discover the latest in what was seriously wrong in the world, including the US and one found the truth. Well, I found the other truth, I found this song and I found the owner and creator of It’s Time For… I posted it on my page on MySpace. I loved listening to it everyday. It soothed me inside. One day I got a message from the singer/songwriter thanking me for sharing his music on my page and for my comment about loving his song. It held such deep meaning for me. I have not stopped listening to it since. And Tha Truth, known by another name, we developed a really good friendship. We both have gone and are going through our struggles with our lives and wrote to each other about them.
Last time I wrote, which was a short while back, I asked if I could use his song someday on my blog. I wanted to add some lines to his song. Would that be okay with him. He told me anything that I wanted to write would be fine with him. I finally got to a place where I feel I am ready to add those lines, more in the form of a poem or poetic prose. I hope he likes what I do. When I have finished the project I will send him a message to let him know, so he can check out what I have done. I hope I do justice to his already brilliant lyrics. This song is amazing. His music of Rap/Hip-Hop is not the kind you will find that has sold out to money but he tries to help change the world with his activism. He calls himself a rap-tivist. Making people aware of the injustices and inequality. He wants to see the world change into a better place. Now that sounded familiar. Channeling Michael Jackson. My friend has several albums out.
I made the video of his song. At the very beginning, it shows his professional name and group and two of his album covers. One that he told me I had inspired. He mentioned my other name inside the second CD. That was so sweet of him and made me blush. He is a gentle and kind and amazing man. I have been blessed to have met him and to know him. Both of us are so busy that we try to keep in touch in some way. I think that this will be a pleasant surprise to him. So I think once I finish this project I will send him that message.
We bonded over his song and both of us had a thing about watching Bill Maher on Real Time. I am a progressive liberal leftist and I would say he is even more radical than I am. He has the guts of his convictions and so do I but I am not ready yet to vote for a third party candidate, with the exception of Bernie Sanders, Independent from Vermont and an outspoken Senator, until I am more certain that they have the ability to win. The Goddess only knows I do not want a repub getting elected. Not that it seems to matter, because they just won’t allow anyone other than their party to do anything to this country. And I meant to this country. The repubs want to totally destroy it and they won’t let the democrats improve it.
Now I need to work on my part of coming up with the best lines I can think of that start with the title of this song:
It’s time for…the republicans to be put down.
It’s time for…the tea party to get out of town.
It’s time for…Harry Reid to get some balls.
It’s time for…Obama Care to be accepted. No more bull shit challenges by the opposing parties.
It’s time for…free medical care for anyone who needs it.
It’s time for…cannabis to be accepted. Legalized. Grown free. No more gun needed to protect it. No more lumber people with a vested interest prohibiting it as they did with Prohibition. Free what grows naturally now.
It’s time for…education to be for everyone. Going to college should be a right.
It’s time for…guns to be well protected. Taken away from anyone who wants one.
It’s time for…the police to surrender their guns too. Apprehend the criminals by subduing them gently.
It’s time for…peaceful drug offenders to be released from prison walls.
It’s time for…growing our own pot if we need it or want it or want to sell it so we have a job. It’s call farming.
It’s time for…immigration department to get over itself. Let free people in. Stop judging them on how they look or who they sleep with or what country they are coming from.
It’s time for…poor people to stop being poor. Give poor people a living.
It’s time for…homelessness to end. No more will people have to live on the street. Technically they don’t. Maybe on the sidewalk or parks. We need to supply housing for everyone. Decent and clean. Meals come with the deal and some clothing and a few luxuries too.
It’s time for…the 1% to diminish and the 99% to grow from what the 1% will share with all the rest of us. We all know you don’t need it all.
It’s time for…corporations to open up their doors and the corporate heads to be sent away. The corporation must die. This seems like a really good day.
It’s time for…equality with the worlds money be spread to every woman, man and child. No one should ever go hungry again.
It’s time for…the capitalist system to crumble and a new world should take its place. Where jobs are more and people are less so no one who can work will go unemployed and there will be more jobs then there are workers.
It’s time for…putting money into education. Into the infrastructure of every nation. To build houses up and tear down the corporations, where the rich greed festers. Give life back to the people and time to live it too.
It’s time for…a revolution. Non-violent as can be. We just want the rights to live free lives. So do the animals who live in zoos.
It’s time for…taking back the forests that have been destroyed now we will rebuild. It may take time but the Earth has almost forever and lots of jobs would be created and animals would have their homes returned. Now that’s a satisfying reward.
It’s time for…freeing the imprisoned who are not a danger to society and putting those away forever who are. Murderers. Rapists. Pedophiles. Domestic Abusers. Predators. You get the basic idea.
It’s time for…Lesbians. Gays. Transsexuals. Bisexuals. To be free from Hate crimes. Bullying. Offenses of any kind that comes from being different and not Heterosexual or Asexual or Non-Sexual.
It’s time for…Bullying of kids stop. Bullying of Teens must stop. Tormenting must stop. Teen suicide or any suicide caused by Bullying or mistreatment of any kind must stop.
It’s time for…Sexual Abuse to be stopped and the offenders thrown in prison for the rest of their lives. And I am speaking of true offenders. Not teenagers who are having sexual relationships with other teenagers with consent. The Law needs to get a grip.
It’s time for…the Law to get a grip. Laws need to change. Moral Laws. Religious laws that prohibit people behaving naturally without intent of harm.
It’s time for…Education to be respected. To teach creativity. Individuality. Music. Art. No more standardized testing. Education means growing the imagination. Letting children grow inside. Letting them have their healthy daydreams.
It’s time for…Sexuality to have it’s inhibitions overhauled. No more of this morality about Sex. Touch is good if it is coming from someone who is respecting boundaries and is not molesting a child or forcing themselves on someone else.
It’s time for…no more Sexual Harassment. Really-Respect the boundaries.
It’s time for…conglomerates to lose their control. Give people choices. No one has to accept TV stations they do not want from cable companies out to make a fortune on something that use to be free.
It’s time for…the Film Industry to make better films. Not just the occasional hit or miss possibly Oscar/BAFTA film qualifier.
It’s time for…for the Film Industry to stop paying exorbitant amounts of money to “Stars” who make crappy movies. Support good to great acting and allow the talented to shine in the Film Industry. Respect the Screenwriter. Who the Hell do you think comes up with the brilliant scripts that get rejected by those who haven’t the talent to judge anyone.
It’s time for…Creativity to be respected and encouraged. We need to support Artists of all kinds who have the gifts that will help to make the world a better place in which to live. They who see the future and make it grow and change.
It’s time for…everyone to stop supporting mediocrity and the high paying jobs where the person does nothing to earn the millions they are paid.
It’s time for…People to stop being slaves to jobs. No one should have to work more than one job with reasonable hours in order to survive. One’s life is important and making McDonald Burgers, then going to another job and another job just to be able to afford only slightly what it cost to live and have a home and food and clothing. No more living on the edge of homeless and poor.
It’s time for…People to be able to live the dream. Their dream. To go to school. To go to college and not be bankrupt and jobless after graduation. There is no reason that there are no jobs available everywhere.
It’s time for…those that have to give to those who have not. Stop what you are thinking if it involves being greedy. You really need all that and all those houses and mansions and cars and pairs of shoes. When there are people starving all over the world. This has got to stop.
It’s time for…it all to stop being an imbalanced world where people are so fucked up in the head and don’t care about the world and universe around them.
It’s time for…violence to stop. Those that feel a need for violence and perpetrate must be put somewhere they cannot harm anyone else. No Lord of the Flies for adults in this world anymore.
It’s time for…people being prejudice because of difference. Someone is white or black or both or gay or not. Likes cats not dogs. Doesn’t like animals at all so they don’t treat animals with respect. Most animals and species and life forms and plant forms and rock forms and any other forms deserve respect.
It’s time for…Respect. If we all respect then maybe everything else would fall into place. But there are haters out there who don’t give a shit about anyone but themselves. Those people need a better education.
It’s time for…a major change everywhere.
It’s time for…lists like this one to help us get some idea of what needs to change. See how well anyone is aware. I know I am not perfect. No one is but we need to get our shit together and take care of each other and the world and the universe. We need to save the planet and stop trying to destroy it in the many ways that so many are trying to do every second of every minute of every hour of every day and night and week and month and year and decade and century. We need to fix things now. It really has gone beyond the line of too late but maybe if we all do out part we can hopefully reverse the trend and prove the Angel wrong. Humans are not going to destroy this plan. Instead they are going to save it. If we don’t do it then the world will have to save itself. You do know what that means? Who is ruining this planet? Leave garbage everywhere including in space. We can’t even keep our shit on our planet we have to litter in space. What do suppose the fine should be for that kind of littering?
It’s time for…me to stop for now but I will continue if anything else comes to mind and I am sure there will be more. There always is.
QUOTATIONS on CIVIL RIGHTS:
“I agree with Dante, that the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in a period of moral crisis, maintain their neutrality” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
“If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door.” ― Harvey Milk
“The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear” ― Aung San Suu Kyi
“The amount of money and of legal energy being given to prosecute hundreds of thousands of Americans who are caught with a few ounces of marijuana in their jeans simply makes no sense – the kindest way to put it. A sterner way to put it is that it is an outrage, an imposition on basic civil liberties and on the reasonable expenditure of social energy.” ― William F. Buckley Jr.
“In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies…but the silence of our friends. – Martin Luther King, Jr.” ― Mark Long, The Silence of Our Friends
“The question is not if we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. The nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
“People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.” ― Søren Kierkegaard
“Religious institutions that use government power in support of themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths, or of no faith, undermine all our civil rights. Moreover, state support of an established religion tends to make the clergy unresponsive to their own people, and leads to corruption within religion itself. Erecting the ‘wall of separation between church and state,’ therefore, is absolutely essential in a free society.” ― Thomas Jefferson | <urn:uuid:39814f1f-e4d8-4be0-959d-a27a1db5fc3b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://thesecretkeeper.net/tag/musician/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960412 | 4,005 | 1.640625 | 2 |
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21 March 2008
A delegation of six Indian companies have seen how expertise at Cardiff’s Manufacturing Engineering Centre is leading the way in developing new technologies for industry worldwide.
As part of a Wales-wide visit supported by International Business Wales Objective 1 funded programme Export Assist, the representatives from automotive engineering companies in Jamshedpur, India, visited the world-leading centre to witness first-hand the engineering excellence available in Wales.
The delegates were shown the Centre’s Electro-Discharge Machining, which uses electrical sparks to create very small structures. It has been involved in creating a tiny die for the world’s most advanced fly-fishing line, now breaking into markets in Japan, Scandinavia and North America.
MicroBridge Services Ltd at MEC was also showcased, providing the opportunity to witness recent nanotechnology work, including the world first moth eye lens which exhibits features of 100 nanometers (billionths of a meter). The mould was made using the Centre’s Focussed Ion Beam machine and then lenses were manufactured using the Nano-Imprint Lithography machine.
As well as hearing about the University’s links with academia in India via the Development and Alumni team, the delegates were also briefed on MEC’s work since its inception in 1996, with industry, providing advanced research and development support for business throughout Wales and beyond.
Cardiff University already has strong links in India. The School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies has a high reputation in the subcontinent, with its MA in International Journalism proving very popular with Indian journalism students. Large numbers of Indian students are enrolled on business, law and engineering courses and there is an active Indian Student Society. The School also has a close relationship with the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, one of India's leading media schools. The University has collaborative programmes with many other leading Indian universities including IIM Calcutta and the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore.
Export Assist helps Welsh businesses trade overseas, and also raises general awareness of Wales in overseas markets.
The EU: What’s in it for Wales?
New treatment for eczema trialled
New drugs in development for treatment of osteoarthritis
This is an externally hosted beta service offered by Google. | <urn:uuid:20fb85c9-f61f-47e7-ab91-cd41bb54edc2> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://cf.ac.uk/news/articles/relations-strengthened-between-india-and-cardiff-2358.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00031-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945775 | 473 | 1.632813 | 2 |
The Being that has created the universe and everything else is Allah God Almighty, hope this site proved this to you?
how does Allah God almight communicate to us
how does a king commicate to his poeple he will send his servant to the people and command them what the king wants anyone breaking the kings law will be imprisoned and punished.
Allah God Almighty sent many messngers and prophet through out the history, He (Almighty) sent Jesus, Moses to give a message to their people choose the best human being amongst us to give mankind the message again his name was Mohammed sws.
Mohammed sws was a simple man living in the desert. He was inspired by God and receive the revealation from Him which is the Holy Quran
How do we know that the Quran is true reveleation from God we can use same logic as the story of how the king sends his servent with the message
how would the people know the servent is from the king?
the servant has to show proof? ie a badge, sime kind of uniform but the incase of Mohammed sws how would He proof he is the prophet of God
He has to do more to proof that he was a prophet, He showed miracles eg He made the moon split in to 2 the problem with this miracle is that we were not there so how can we know the truth? we have to examin the Quran. the Quran is full of miracles it has historical
miracles, scientifical miracles for example expansion of the universe, big bang. the Quran was revelead 1400 years ago how can
this text recited by a man (Mohammed sws) who could not read or write contain such miracles that scientist have recently discovered this can only mean that the text is not from Mohammed sws but its from true God of the universe Allah.
What is our purpose in life?
once we believe in this creator of the heaven and earth Allah God Almighty, we have to accept that He is the only God and there is no other gods besides Him and Mohammed sws is messenger and prophet
then we have do good to please our creator God Allah and obey all his commandments for example if we do good action knowing that Allah is watching us this is like worship Him, so in other words He created
us to worship Him, He tells us to pray, fast, and give charity these are the main pillers if Islam (submission to will of God) we will be worshiping Him. thats our purpose in life
When he grew up he had to take up the family business. At that time merchants in Mecca were well off. In Mecca there was a lot of money to be made out of the pilgrims who came from all over the east to visit the Kaabah. Built of three layers of stone, theKabbah isbelieved to have been built by Ibrahim and his son Ismail.
Muhammad sws was already known to be very sincere, honest and kind hearted. These traits also left a mark over his business life. he Muhammad was disturbed by the way people around him led their life - specially the spiritual life.
His tribesmen, though Semitic, like the Hebrews, had been riddled by superstitious beliefs, and multiplicity of faiths. They had an assortment of gods, whose images they carved and worshipped with strange kinds of practices. There was no uniformity in the faith. Nor was any discipline in the spiritual life. And Muhammad wanted to change all these.
It is believed that Muhammad was one day visited by the archangel Gabriel who brought message from God, or in his language, Allah. Inspired by Allah, Muhammad decided to give up the business and took to a life of spiritual empowerment. It then devoted himself to prayer, meditation, preaching and helping the poor. He was then around forty.
Muhammad condemned the Arabs for worshipping a host of gods, and told his audiences that Allah was the one and only true God.
Muhammad was born in about 570 AD in the small town of Mecca.
Quran holds all the revelations that Muhammad received from Allah over a period of 23 years. According to Islamic history, after Prophet Muhammad's death, they were compiled under the direction of the first Sunni Caliph Abu Bakr about 1,400 years ago. And this is what we see in the present day's Quran.
Muhammad instructed his followers to destroy all his personal belongings when he died. For, he believed that none but Allah should be venerated. This is why Islam forbids any form of idolism and deity worship.
In course of time Islam acquired believers all over the world. From North Africa to the farthest point of South East Asia. Today, Islam is one of the world's major religions, with followers estimated to be over 600 million. Or, about one fifth of world's total population. | <urn:uuid:9e4ee6b6-3df0-4db1-9dd6-9880dc3cc0dc> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.wallidjan.co.uk/drawmohammedday | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705195219/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115315-00015-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980301 | 995 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Summertime and the living is easy…just as soon as you remove the pool cover and turn on the water. But before we blow up the kiddies Shamu pool toy and yell last one in is a rotten egg, there are some tips to keep you and your family safe.
Make sure you install those drain covers. With flat old fashioned drains, get special anti entanglement drain covers, that will prevent hair from getting caught and an accidental drowning.
Make sure there is an automatic suction cut-off device for your pump. This way when there is an increase in pressure due to a seal over the drain (read a young swimmer in the pool getting sucked by the drain at 400 or 500 pounds of pressure) the pump will automatically be shut off and the pressure released.
For new pool construction, install two drains. This way the pressure from each drain will be cut in half.
No dozing poolside when your kids are inside the fence of the swimming pool. If your child is small, be within an arms length. | <urn:uuid:04cc3832-530b-437d-bd64-51a0ddd1d1db> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.abbysguide.com/swimming-pool/content/summerpoolchecklist_106.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935826 | 214 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Prevented plant policiesBISMARCK, N.D. — Today’s column takes a lead from Jonathan Knutson’s April 18 Agweek column.
By: Derrick Braaten, Special to Agweek
BISMARCK, N.D. — Today’s column takes a lead from Jonathan Knutson’s April 18 Agweek column. Among the most frequently asked questions to Jonathan was: “What’s the biggest issue in area agriculture right now?” His answer was, “Getting in the crop. Most of the Northern Plains is wet, which will delay planting. The delays could be so severe and widespread that a lot of acres might not get planted.”
If you are prevented from planting this spring, there are a few things that lawyers in my firm have learned through the years by representing farmers with prevented plant claims.
To collect under your policy, you need to show that you were unable to plant because of an insured cause of loss that also prevented others in the area from planting acres with similar characteristics.
To prove this, we recommend you keep a detailed farm journal showing your fall preparations field by field and the weather (temperature, snowfall, rain) at your farm. And it is helpful if you take photos or videos that show the field conditions during the planting period for the crop you intended to plant.
If you can afford it (and it may pay for itself), buy a digital camera that will record the GPS coordinates where the photo was taken as well as the date of the photo. A dated photo with GPS coordinates for the particular field is much more persuasive than a standard photo of a generic wet field.
Because the success of a prevented plant claim also depends on when other farmers in your area were able to plant, talk to your neighbors and, if they are agreeable, use your fancy camera to show that surrounding fields similar to yours also could not be planted before the final planting date.
You also must prove that you had the inputs available to plant and produce the crop. Keep good records on your readiness to plant, such as contracts to buy seed and fertilizer, having adequate machinery and so on.
Call an agent
Be sure to promptly report your difficulty in planting to your agent. Don’t forget also to report the same information to the Farm Service Agency office in case there is a later crop disaster program. Work with your agent if you have questions.
Finally, don’t be in a panic to accept an insurance company offer that you think is based on inaccurate conclusions. The policy provides one year within which you can demand arbitration if you dispute the company’s factual findings. I strongly recommend that you use a lawyer as soon as possible if you need to go for arbitration.
On that note, I’d like to make a personal announcement. I started to practice law in 1970. It has been a wonderful career, especially working with family farmers and ranchers, but now I would like to have more time for family, fun (I am signed up for the National Senior Olympics triathlon this June.) and travel.
I will keep practicing “good guy” law in Bismarck, N.D., (I only represent the good guys) but less intensely. My partners, Beth Baumstark and Derrick Braaten, (with whom I still will be associated) will shortly be making a major announcement, so stay tuned. As part of the transition, Derrick Braaten, — my brilliant, hard-working, and energetic law partner who is as devoted to working for family farmers as I am — is taking over this Ag-vocate column. So, this is my farewell column — unless Derrick gives me an occasional guest spot. Stay in touch, please. | <urn:uuid:a4d4d5e8-cafa-4f28-834a-1c3b079a63c5> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.agweek.com/event/article/id/18344/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368711005985/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516133005-00007-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965376 | 777 | 1.710938 | 2 |
The Office of International Education & Services does not provide tax advice. However, we have included information below that will help you understand your tax obligations.
The Office of International Education has also recently purchased common license for the usage of Glacier Tax Prep (federal tax preparation software) for the convenience of our students.
International Students With No U.S. Income
You will need to file form 8843 if you had no US income in 2012. Form 8843 is not an income tax return form. It is an informational document required by the US government for international students with no US income.
The taxation arm of our federal government is the Internal Revenue Service, commonly called the "IRS." You can visit them at www.irs.gov for additional information including information about any possible exemptions.
International Students With U.S. Income
Federal Tax Filing Requirements
All international students, who are non resident aliens for tax purposes, are required to file taxes given that you were present in the United States anytime during the tax year 2012 (1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012).
F1 or J1 Visa Holders with US Income
You must file form 1040NR or 1040-EZ. For your convenience, the Office of International Education & Services has purchased Glacier Tax Prep License. Glacier Tax Prep is tax preparation software that will help international students complete their federal tax forms. Please note that this service is available only to currently enrolled international students. Information about this software will be sent to all international students via email.
State Tax Filing Requirements
If you are a nonresident alien who is required to file a federal Form 1040NR or Form 1040NR-EZ (with Missouri source income of $600 or more), you must file Form MO-1040A (Short Form) or MO-1040 (Long Form).
The two Missouri state forms mentioned above, can be found on the Missouri Department of Revenue website: http://dor.mo.gov/tax/personal/individual/nonresalien.htm
We hope you find this information useful! | <urn:uuid:3b4551f8-4a34-491a-8c30-8bf2de5be71b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.semo.edu/ies/income_tax.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368710006682/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516131326-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934314 | 423 | 1.648438 | 2 |
General Notes on Travel
Being a set of observations for U.S. travellers going to the U.K., Ireland,
and other "civilized" countries.
Sorry, Douglas Adams, but a towel is not the most massively useful thing
a traveller can have. In fact, I've been travelling for 5 weeks, and I've
yet to use the one I brought along. (Although, if you stay in hostels a
lot, you may find it quite useful.)
Except for underwear and jeans, don't bring a lot of clothes along, since
you'll want to go clothes shopping anyway, and this gives you a good excuse
to pick up a lot of interesting garments that are a little different in
style than what you are used to. That is, if you can afford that sort of
Similarly, had I to do this all over again, I would have left my electric
razor at home, and simply purchased an equivalent model over here. It's
nearly impossible to make razors work using a transformer, because all
of the electrical outlets for shavers are generally in physically awkward
locations. The main trouble is that the transformer is large and heavy,
and keeps slipping out of the socket unless it is physically supported,
which is difficult when the outlet is 5 feet from the ground.
Don't bother with traverlers checks, or with getting local currency before
you leave. ATM machines are everywhere, and your card will work in virtually
all of them.
Similarly, you can purchase the same shampoo, soap, deoderant, conditioner,
toothpaste, and other consumables that you have already (unless you are
into "natural" brands).
If you are going to Scotland or Ireland, don't go before mid-April, because
half of the interesting places will be closed. Most of the interesting
festivals don't start until May. The only advantage in going in winter
or early spring is that those places which aren't "closable" (like the
Standing Stones on Lewis) you will have all to yourself.
Books: In addition to copious travel advice from my friends, the two books
I have are the Let's Go! guide and the Eyewitness Guide.
Both are indispensable. Let's Go! is targeted at younger travellers
such as college students, and as such tends to focus on what's "cool".
It also has lots of information on food and accomodations, something lacking
in the other book. It's one fault, for me, is that it's idea of a "good
time" is one that a typical teenager would enjoy; There's lots of info
about nightclubs and places where folks a generation younger than I am
would hang out. When I've attempted to try out some of these places, they
tend to be crowded, loud, and very smoky. The Eyewitness guide specializes
in pictures - it has at least one color photo of just about everything
you'd want to see. This is useful, because there are many places that I
have visited that I wouldn't have been interested in unless I had seen
them in a picture first. | <urn:uuid:11f520ad-c158-4b30-a9a8-88a78929ecfd> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sylvantech.com/~talin/trip99/notes.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705559639/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516115919-00002-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966459 | 665 | 1.5 | 2 |
Juana spends most of her time at home. She cooks, does the laundry, cleans the house, chain smokes and says she is happy to end her days in peace. Now the family has a television, so she can watch the Spanish-language soap operas instead of listening to them on the radio. Unlike many elderly Cubans who dream of dying in their homeland, Juana seldom talks about going back.
In June, Gilda`s dream of living on the water finally comes true. Along with her son, mother and girlfriend, she moves into a two-bedroom apartment facing a canal on Miami Beach. Gilda and Adelita share one bedroom, Dayan and his grandmother the other. The rent is $475 a month.
THE FAMILY SPENDS ITS FIRST FOURTH of July in America watching fireworks on the beach. For dinner they have hamburgers from Burger King.
Almost a year has passed since their 3 a.m. arrival at the Miami airport, and Gilda says she has no regrets about leaving her native land.
Nevertheless, she is worried about the end of her government aid in October. The prospect of having to support herself is frightening. She has begun to pay back the $300 airfare loan to World Relief at $5 per month. Soon she must begin repaying her bank loan.
``It`s time to become independent,`` she concludes.
In August, Gilda graduates from beauty school. She has her picture taken with her classmates, all wearing doctors` smocks. Gilda smiles into the camera, sporting a new blond hairdo, which she says makes her look more American. Soon, she will study for a cosmetology license.
For the first time since she came to Florida, Gilda is feeling optimistic about the future for herself and her son. Dayan is a senior in high school and getting good grades in physics, calculus, government, two English classes and typing. He is thinking about college.
Gilda is never happier than when she talks about how well Dayan has embraced his new life in America.
``That`s why I came here and have gone through this,`` she says. ``It was all for him.`` | <urn:uuid:d6e70959-dcb1-4e12-a83f-31f06549fa88> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1989-10-29/features/8902060925_1_cuban-welfare-mother/4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00030-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.979944 | 457 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Transforming the Seattle Waterfront
In a public meeting last Thursday night (July 12), the Central Waterfront Committee and landscape architect James Corner presented the latest concepts for a transformed Seattle Waterfront reconnected to the City once the Seawall is replaced and the Viaduct is removed. At this meeting, civic leaders emphasized that this vision is now getting “real” because it includes a timeline for project development over the next eight years and a funding plan that targets a mix of public and private funding; they emphasized that 60% of the funding is already secured or pending. The Central Waterfront Concept Design and Framework Plan has been transmitted to the City Council for review, and will be considered at a July 16 City Council special meeting.
The Aquarium is identified and affirmed as a key element in this new Waterfront Plan. It is targeted for $40-$50m of City investment, with expansion space south of Pier 59 and under the Overlook Walk (which is a new and striking connection to the Pike Place Market) providing for doubling the square footage of the Aquarium over several phases of investment and construction. The construction of the Overlook Walk will vastly increase pedestrian traffic past the door of the Aquarium.
Back By Popular Demand: Plankton Lab returns to the Aquarium
Last summer’s successful pilot program, the Plankton Lab, is making a return to the Seattle Aquarium. From July 18 through September 14, visitors will have a chance to take a close-up look at the tiny life forms teeming in our local waters.
“It’s a great glimpse into the diversity of life in Puget Sound,” says Plankton Lab Coordinator Nissa Ferm. “A lot of people don’t realize how abundant the plankton community is.” Plankton are the base of the food chain in the Sound and an important food source for many animals in our local waters. Salmon, for instance, eat plankton as they make their way out of estuaries and begin their journey to the sea.
The lab is purposely scheduled in the summer months, the most active period of time for plankton. The experience begins with a plankton tow: participants head outside to take a scoop from the waters of Elliott Bay. “Even pouring the sample into a cup allows people to see all the little critters floating around,” says Nissa.
Then the group goes upstairs to look at their samples under microscopes — and the real fun begins. Using a key and with help from Aquarium staff, participants can identify various forms of phytoplankton (plant plankton) and zooplankton (animal plankton). “Zooplankton are especially fascinating for people,” notes Nissa. “Creatures we know from our daily lives, like sea stars, crabs and oysters, look amazingly different in the early stages of their lives.”
The experience also provides an ideal opportunity to talk about marine conservation and the issues facing Puget Sound. A particularly timely topic is ocean acidification and its impact on oyster larvae. Corrosive water has reduced our local oysters’ ability to reproduce naturally — to the point that one prominent shellfish company has opened a hatchery in Hawaii and is shipping larvae back to the Northwest to mature. Microplastics, such as those found in face scrubs and hand sanitizers, are also affecting our local shellfish populations. “The tiny beads wash down our drains and find their way to the Sound,” says Nissa, “Then filter feeders mistake them for plankton and eat them.”
The Plankton Lab is yet another way that we engage visitors in our important mission and develop their understanding of the tremendous influence our everyday choices have on even the smallest creatures. It’s offered Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, with sessions at 10am, 11am, 12pm and 1pm. To ensure an intimate experience, groups are limited to 20 people per session. Sign up to take part in a Plankton Lab with Guest Services at the Aquarium’s entrance and come see your donation in action this summer!
Time is Money
Some of our biggest donors don’t necessarily have deep pockets, and yet every year they give the Seattle Aquarium more than two million dollars—in time.
Volunteers have been at the heart of everything we do since the day we opened our doors in 1977. It wasn’t until 1993, however, that we started documenting volunteer commitments. Since then, more than 4,000 volunteers have given their time, and we’ll hit our one millionth hour sometime this summer!
When the program first began, volunteers were mostly involved in behind-the-scenes animal husbandry positions. Then, in the early 90’s, the Aquarium hosted its first “interpretation” programs with adult docents at the former “Discovery Lab” touch tanks, and our summer teen naturalists stationed all around the exhibit galleries to answer guest questions and lead tours. Later, as we prepared to open a new touch-tank exhibit, “Life on the Edge,” we established a more formal and robust volunteer program that included a new group of specially-trained adult volunteers: Exhibit Interpreters.
Traditionally, volunteers began as interpreters following training in general biology, interpretation and customer service. They were expected to then commit to being on the floor for four hours per week for a minimum of six months. A smaller subset of volunteers participated in the program as divers, committing to four hours every other week in the exhibits performing routine tasks such as interpreting from underwater, feeding the animals and cleaning the displays. Volunteers who had an interest in continuing their informal education could attend “Aquaversity,” a series of classroom lecture-style presentations that offer more advanced information. And after completing 100 hours working as an interpreter or diver, senior volunteers were eligible to move “behind the scenes” to work with our biologists in Life Sciences.
Recently, however, the program has expanded the list of possible volunteer opportunities here at the Aquarium including assisting educators in the classroom; helping with special events; or doing data entry.
Next to the physical Aquarium itself, our volunteers may well be our most valuable asset. The two million dollars in time they donate every year is the equivalent of about 45 fulltime staff salaries; by giving their time, our volunteers allow us to allocate hard cash to education programs, research projects, and the care and maintenance of our facility. But their impact doesn’t stop there. Volunteers are our frontline ambassadors inside the Aquarium walls, interacting with and educating thousands of visitors every year—and even when their shifts end, they take our message of marine conservation out into the communities where they live and work. They are, in short, an investment with a very high rate of return.
Volunteer orientation happens three times a year, in January, April and September—the next one is coming up soon, on September 22nd. To learn more about volunteering at the Seattle Aquarium, please visit our volunteer page. And next time you are at the Aquarium join us in saying thank you to a volunteer.
Why I: Kathy Krogslund
This month we’d like to introduce you to Kathy Krogslund, our longest-serving volunteer. Kathy shares with us why she initially volunteered at the Aquarium 35 years ago—and what keeps her here.
“Thirty-five years ago, I saw a notice in the University of Washington School of Oceanography's newsletter stating that the Seattle Aquarium was looking for volunteers. One month later, June 1st, 1977, I started as a volunteer in the Aquarium's water chemistry lab. In 1983, I was invited to join the Seattle Aquarium Board of Directors, and I’ve been here ever since.
So....after 35 years, why am I still here? Because I learn something new every Saturday during my volunteer shift, and because I enjoy working with dedicated professionals and volunteers.
Because I am an oceanographer, and so it’s a natural fit for me to support an institution that demonstrates the importance of marine conservation to the public, and is itself a role model for that mission.
Because as a member of the Board of Directors I have the pleasure of working with colleagues who are business professionals—and now I even understand the financial reports!
And because I still have fun at the Aquarium where I know my time and monetary contributions are appreciated and well spent.”
A Message from our Board Chair
In a recent issue of the Sunday Seattle Times' Northwest section, two stories appeared above the fold: the first concerned the new Seattle Great Wheel opening on the waterfront; the second was about the increasingly negative impact of Ocean acidification on oyster growers. Both articles made me think of the Seattle Aquarium. Why? Because both capture the essence of what we are about here at the Aquarium.
The Wheel affords visitors and locals alike a soaring bird's-eye view of the land and water that makes this corner of the world so special. Right next door, the Aquarium then takes us below the surface to meet the stunning variety of animals with whom we share Puget Sound and the one ocean beyond. Like the Great Wheel, the Seattle Aquarium offers fun and entertainment—but we do so much more than that. We are dedicated to Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment through education and outreach. We are scientists working to understand the challenges that face our oceans in the coming decades. We are partners with researchers from the University of Washington and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration measuring the impact of acidification from instruments installed on our own pier.
According to that Seattle Times article, the shellfish industry in Willapa Bay is struggling to survive. Perhaps one day soon, the research we're doing right here at the Seattle Aquarium will help provide solutions to the oyster growers of Willapa Bay and beyond. | <urn:uuid:8e021932-1b04-46de-b96e-1a564c9e44fb> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.seattleaquarium.org/donor-newsletter/july-2012 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943623 | 2,073 | 1.75 | 2 |
Iraq: Mass grave uncovered
Iraqi security forces uncovered some 100 badly decomposed bodies in a mass grave north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said on Saturday, one of the largest such finds in the country for months. U.S. and Iraqi security forces said it was not clear who was responsible for the grave near Khalis, 80 km north of Baghdad, or when the victims had been killed.
"Initial reports indicate it may contain the remains of approximately 100 people," U.S. military spokesman Major Winfield Danielson said, according to Reuters. Iraqi police said they suspected those in the grave were likely to have been killed some time after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.
"The skeletal remains appear to have been in the grave for a long time, and we have not yet determined who might be responsible for their death and burial," Danielson conveyed.
On his part, Police Col. Sabah al-Ambaqi said the grave was found in an orchard near al-Bu Tumaa, a Sunni village outside Khalis. According to the AP, he said authorities including both Iraqi and U.S. forces were conducting a search when they uncovered the site.
Meanwhile, police in Diyala reported two separate bombings Saturday in which six people died. | <urn:uuid:d103c7ae-3314-40a8-9e7c-cda5ac3555d7> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.albawaba.com/news/iraq-mass-grave-uncovered | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697380733/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094300-00025-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984415 | 269 | 1.625 | 2 |
Sun Microsystems has announced that its new Java Desktop System will support the AMD Athlon 64 processor. The Java Desktop is a full-featured, cost effective, and interoperable alternative to the Microsoft Windows operating system with a price tag of just US$100 per desktop user. The OS is designed to run on existing 32-bit x86-compatible hardware, but now is being released with 64-bit support for the AMD64 architecture as well. This provides the enterprise with a viable upgrade path as 64-bit applications are developed. Taking into account the strengths of the AMD64 architecture, it is likely that graphics and multimedia applications will be some of the first software to take advantage of the 64-bit environment. This provides a strong market for the AMD/Sun combination to get a foothold in, and with good results could provide opportunities in many other business markets as well. In business you must have a standard, and right now that is Intel and Windows. It is not because that's a perfect solution–I could write books on everything wrong with it–but it is the best solution we have right now. Though Linux on the desktop sounds great it is just not a realistic option, but it seems that the Sun and AMD combination may just be a compatible, viable alternative to Wintel. I would love to see it challenge our current standards; as I have said in the past, competition will only give the consumer better products. There aren't many people who don't think Microsoft or Intel could stand some competition, and Java Desktop along with AMD64 could provide just that.
USER COMMENTS 18 comment(s)
|facts? (12:14pm EST Thu Sep 25 2003)
“Though Linux on the desktop sounds great it is just not a realistic option…”
This is simply smoke. The sun java desktop runs Gnome, evolution, mozilla, etc. There is NOTHING that is not readily available on Linux there. It may be somewhat more polished, but I think even that is a hard case to make.
So before you go saying that linux is not a realistic option, please give us a few GOOD reasons.
All that said, I think the fact that sun is supporting AMD is a great thing, and hopefully will speed adoption of widespread 64bit computing. - by DarkSarin
|wow (12:56pm EST Thu Sep 25 2003)
“U.S. list price for the Java Desktop System is priced annually at $100 per desktop user or $50 per employee for existing Java Enterprise System customers.”
I hope “annually” is a typo. - by 0000 0001
|linux desktop (1:34pm EST Thu Sep 25 2003)
Well it depends, there are some corporate situations where Linux may work, yes if the desktop is locked down to the small number of apps that are required by the user. If the user is allowed to click Start and get something that is not one of those apps though, forget it… for now.
As for a Java desktop, I don't know how many companies have their proprietary apps written in Java. - by wtv
|How about this (2:18pm EST Thu Sep 25 2003)
Joe average office employee starts his computer running linux, and a video driver error causes linux to boot to the command prompt. They see a black screen with a blinking cursor.
What does Joe average user do next? If you don't know any Unix commands, your SOL.
Linux as a GUI OS is just as easy to use as Windows, Mac, or any other GUI desktop, its the fact that Linux still heavily relies on a command prompt to configure the system, or defaults to the command prompt if there are problems that prevents it from becoming a mainstream desktop workstation.
The average user does not know Unix commands, and does not want to know them, or should have to know them, period. - by Topher
|an expensive processor to go with a cheap os? (2:19pm EST Thu Sep 25 2003)
Why not just use a cheap processor on a cheap os? The gamers need windows, and aren't they the only real target audience for Athlon64.
They probably realized that an x86-64 port was easy with their 64bit code-base (sparc). - by chipace
|After all these years, has Java (2:19pm EST Thu Sep 25 2003)
become faster now, or is it the same molasses technology? With $100 anually per desktop, where does TCO fit in the picture? - by tco_dufus
|Re: an expensive processor to go with a cheap os? (3:52pm EST Thu Sep 25 2003)
The trust of the market sellablity on a 64 bit chip is ovious and the athlon 64 will not be just a gaming cpu forever.
this is indeed an intresting move for sun there focous has been moved away from risc processors for a while they need somting to do. - by Hojit
|re: Hojit (4:59pm EST Thu Sep 25 2003)
What did you mean by “market sellability on a 64 bit chip”? I'm not disagreeing at all, but do you think that the average consumer is going to be woo-ed to AMD64 because it is 64bits and P4 and Prescott aren't? Are 64 bit processors just trendy, and that's the extent of their sellability? Apple people are forced to use the G5 for performance reasons, but people could choose a P4 or Prescott and still be fine performance wise (~5%).
AMD possibly could have integrated a memory controller onto an athlon xp+ and possibly got the same performance gain on a 32bit chip.
If the performance of P4==AMD64==PRESCOTT, would the AMD64 chips see a boost in sales just due to the image of 64bits? - by chipace
|re: Topher (6:59pm EST Thu Sep 25 2003)
So, you think a blue screen of death is easier to deal with ? and, when you windows register gets corrupted (not if, just when) then you think Windows doesn't boot to a command prompt and suggest the “recover console” and when (again not if) your boot sector gets corrupted you bios doesn't go to a command prompt and ask for a “bootable disk” ?
You comment about linux not being a viable desktop option because it might resort to a command line prompt under failure is totally without merit.
I personally don't run linux on my home machines (they are windows) but please, be realist. The only thing that keeps me from going linux at home is (are) games. Pure and simple.
|the game solution to games on Linux… (12:00am EST Fri Sep 26 2003)
We are currently talking to SUN about their Java Desktop aka MadHatter. We ARE going to be rolling out test cells come December.
Our group is DEAD TIRED of M$ crap. - by geekTheBarbarian
|did you see this? (12:04am EST Fri Sep 26 2003)
I think the only people quoted that support M$ are the dirty lawyers who have a vested financial interest in making sure M$ stays number one in the desktop world.
MS has LOST the WAR in the Server Room. They are starting to lose the war on the desktop. The computing landscape out there is changing.
You can either LEAD, FOLLOW or GET OUT OF THE WAY.
Diversify your IT knowledge before you get swept away. - by LMA0!
|LOA0 (9:04am EST Fri Sep 26 2003)
Your a bit bitter mate, I use both linux (under protest) and MS servers for various tasks its a case of horses for courses
Linux is good for simple server tasks such as web and mail when once setup nothing needs to be done with it, mainly because is so reliable.
But linux as a replacement for MS tech is laughable, I cringe when i have to reboot a linux server of any type especially one running Mysql (records just dissapear) its a 50 50 wether it will come back up.
Linux has come a long way and has finnaly got areas when it is of use, but not many and it's no closer to the desktop that it ever has been a millon miles away. - by Dddd
|sun on the run (10:03am EST Fri Sep 26 2003)
as a fan of sun, i don't know whether to see this as good news or bad news. on one hand, it forces me to wonder if this is a last-ditch effort to fix the company's floundering financial situation. on the other hand, it's wonderful to see alternative operating systems available for amd64. if only apple would get off the proprietary hardware train and do something similar with their os, we'd be on the road to a multi-os user paradise.
what concerns me a bit is the term 'per desktop user' in the price statement, as the main benefit i see of unix-based operating systems is their multi-user nature. - by frisky
|re: LOAO (10:18am EST Fri Sep 26 2003)
i have to say that i find your remarks both inane and insulting.
truly, have you actually run a well set up linux machine? I have, and haven't encountered anything like what you describe. To be honest, I find that I can run much more intensive apps under linux on my home machine than I can under windows ON THE SAME BOX!
The idea of “records just disappear” is laughable too–that is the whole idea behind reiserfs, and several other JOURNALING filesystems. Much like NTFS (yes there are differences), it keeps track of what should be there and what should not.
Furthermore, if what you said were true, then why, oh why, do so many people use linux on servers? Especially web servers?
Please post again once you have worked with a properly set up linux box. It will change your perspective, if you bother to be objective.
As for games on linux…my friends, you are behind. While not all games work with linux, many do, and the list grows each day. - by darksarin
|re by darksarin (10:55am EST Fri Sep 26 2003)
I use linux with an open mind, I guess I've spent about two years working with linux servers one way or another. Two years would by my standards be more thn enough to get a really good understanding of an OS and be able to set it up and configure it, maybe I am not configuing correctly I don't seem to have these problems with any other OS.
Re MYSQL I assure it indeed does loose records and worst still without any notifacation of a problem. Using it on linux for anything of any importance is insane and a leap af faith too far for even the biased linux fanboy such as yourself, sorry you insulted my so i thought I'd chuck one back at ya.
I'd love more competition in the OS market but I don't see linux being the competition we need it seems more like a step back in favor of hurting MS, I agree open up OSX to the PC Market now that what an XP competitor standard should be. - by Dddd
|re: by chipace (11:27am EST Fri Sep 26 2003)
To answer your question about market sellablity: The truth is people dont buy computers in the corprate world “barring soho” big companys have geeks on staff “IT” and alot of them like OOooo shine. I beleave the “OOooo shine” effect is the number one drive of our market today why else would chip makers charge 700 dolars for top of the line 3.2 and 400 for a 3.1 or a 3.04 it is only the “OOooo shine” effect. - by Hojit
|Linux vs MS (3:31pm EST Fri Sep 26 2003)
Come on guy's we all know Linux is definitely gaining steady ground as a desktop and is far and away more reliable on the server side.
I use both Linux and Windows at home with file sharing etc. both are great in thier own right. The guy who said diversify or get swept away, I think everyone better take his advice!
All that being said the desktop would not be where it is today if not for Microsoft so maybe everyone should consider how we came so far so fast.
I am a true Linux fan but we owe a lot to MS. - by Jarlaxle
|Linux Vs Windows (9:33pm EST Sat Nov 27 2004)
I use Linux, Solaris, HP UX, MPE and Win 2k/98/NT4 at work (all of them in the same day work). And all I can say is: every OS in the market has pros and cons and I wish there would be HalfLife (1&2) for any *nix … Games are the key for MS … that's why they don't worry 'bout it now.
But if the game developers start to use another OS … oh boy! sorry for MS ..
Cheers - by mexican | <urn:uuid:63738e63-dd60-47fa-a16d-f46315397ec3> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.geek.com/chips/sun-java-desktop-to-support-athlon-64-554165/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00026-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953367 | 2,808 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Uploaded tonight is a tape I was given by Genesis P Orridge way back in 1986 when I used to go to Beck Road on semi regular occasions. The tape is of the infamous Sordide Sentimental concert that Psychic TV performed in Rouen around the time that the record label Sordide Sentimental released in limited quantities the ‘Roman P’ 7″ single. The poster above for the Rouen performance is an original from my collection, the same graphic was reduced in size and added to the package for the ‘Roman P’ release. All other Psychic TV images taken from ‘Thee Grey Book’ and ‘Thee Sigil Book’ also from my collection, text below by John A Walker from his book ‘Cross-Overs: Art into Pop, Pop into Art’.
For the realisation of this project Psychic TV were: Genesis P-Orridge / Paula P-Orridge / Alex Fergusson / John Gosling / Paul Reeson
Psychic TV’s ’Roman P’ 7″ single on Sordide Sentimental can be listened to HERE
Performing before a live audience is common to both Pop music and Performance art. It is not surprising, therefore, that some Performance artists have crossed from one realm to the other. Genesis P-Orridge is a case in point. He was a leading figure first in the Performance group COUM Transmissions (1969-76), then in the music groups Throbbing Gristle (1976-81) and Psychic TV (1981- 1990).
Genesis P-Orridge (originally Neil Andrew Megson) was born in Manchester in 1950. He came from a middle-class background, went to a grammar school in Stockport and then, in 1968, to Hull University to study social administration. In his youth P-Orridge was impressed by the works of the Dadaists, Aleister Crowley, Jack Kerouac, Joyce, Sartre, Camus and Andy Warhol. William Burroughs was also influential, especially his “cut-up” method of composition (P-Orridge was later to meet Burroughs). P-Orridge’s musical tastes encompassed the Rolling Stones, Frank Zappa, the Velvet Underground and John Coltrane. Since Happenings were in fashion in the 1960s, P-Orridge organised some with the help of school and college friends. From the beginning he evinced a desire to mix media, to improvise and to perform live: in 1968 he participated in the Early Worm rock band and the Transmedia Exploration Group. At Hull University he met Cosey Fanny Tutti and they formed COUM Transmissions. An early event—”The ministry of anti-social insecurity”—took place in Hull’s Ferens Art Gallery.
In the early 1970s Genesis and Cosey moved to London where, having established a reputation in the art world, they received grants from the Arts Council for activities in Britain and from the British Council for events in various European cities. Their relations with the official art world were uneasy—eventually they declared it pretentious and elitist—and the public monies they received were later to provoke the wrath of the popular press.
An issue of central concern to COUM Transmissions was the boundary which separates art from everyday life. The effect of this boundary was to create an antiseptic realm in which works of art were contemplated in a distanced, detached manner. As a result art had lost its magical power to disturb, it had ceased to function in the important way it did in “primitive” tribal societies. Although rituals and performances of various kinds are to be found in all spheres of modern life, only a few specially designated ones count as art. COUM Transmissions undermined the art/life distinction by transposing activities from one sphere to the other, and by the adoption of shock tactics. Ultimately, their aim was to destroy the barrier altogether.
Some of COUM Transmission’s early performances were innocuous enough. I recall a low key piece about one of Marcel Duchamp’s readymades which took place in a South London arts centre in front of a tiny audience. Another work, a solo performance by Cosey at the Hayward Gallery, consisted of a gentle, balletic display of bodily movement. Candlelight was used to create a magical atmosphere and a large audience, including many children, found the performance hypnotic and pleasurable. As time passed, however, the desire to outrage and transgress took over. Like Yoko Ono, Cosey began to slice her clothes, while Genesis began to simulate masturbation. In brutal performances similar to those of the Viennese “actions” or “direct art” of Günter Brus, Otto Müehl and Hermann Nitsch, COUM Transmissions degraded, humiliated and hurt themselves in public. Some in the audiences felt sick, others found the experience cathartic.
During the early 1970s P-Orridge participated in the international “Mail art” movement. One postcard—a reproduction of Magritte’s 1939 painting “Time Transfixed” to which he had added a copulating couple—was judged indecent and gave rise to a court case which ended with Genesis being fined. This case had its amusing side: GPO was prosecuted by the GPO (General Post Office).
A much more serious scandal erupted in October 1976 as a result of a COUM Transmissions exhibition entitled Prostitution at the ICA Gallery in London. Cosey had been earning money as a stripper and as a model for soft-core pornography. In her eyes this was a form of art or popular culture even though it was not recognized as such by the art world—one could say she had prostituted herself for the sake of art. Her frankness in admitting this—by including photographic examples in the COUM Transmissions show—caused a moral panic in the popular press. Besides the photos, the exhibition contained whips, chains, used sanitary towels, bloodstained clothes and a sculpture. Performances by COUM Transmissions were due to be given during the course of the exhibition, but because of the public uproar these were canceled and the exhibition’s contents censored. A provocative press release ensured a crowded opening at which the groups Throbbing Gristle and LSD played. A professional stripper was hired for the evening (a clear-cut example of cross-over) and was disconcerted by the art world context in which she found herself. The popular press affected to be shocked by the “waste” of public money on a “sex” show. In statements to the press, P-Orridge claimed that COUM Transmissions’s aims were to parody all that was wrong with the art world and to infiltrate the mass media in order to show how they distort information.
Throbbing Gristle. Discipline. Having burnt their boats in the art world in spectacular fashion, P-Orridge and his friends turned their attention to the music business. “Throbbing Gristle” was the deliberately distasteful name which Genesis, Cosey, Peter “Sleazy” Christopherson and Chris Carter devised for their “rock” group. Throbbing Gristle lasted for several years and during its existence numerous LPs and sound and video cassettes were issued. A typical tape— Beyond Jazz Funk: TG Psychic rally in Heaven (1980)—features tracks with such inviting titles as Rite of death, Discipline and Termination.
As one might expect, Throbbing Gristle’s “music” was highly unconventional. It blended improvised noises, howls and chants, and primitive rhythms. Pieces tended to be lengthy and to build hypnotically to powerful climaxes or to break off abruptly. Throbbing Gristle’s aim was to transcend all existing categories of music, consequently labels such as “avant garde” or “Pop” are of little value. Their performances constituted a violent assault on the senses and preconceptions of the audience, who had to contend with dazzling lights and mirrors directed towards them.
The imagery employed by Throbbing Gristle was morbid and in bad taste: Nazi concentration camp ovens featured on posters, the lightning flash insignia (a high voltage symbol) of Mosley’s blackshirt movement appeared, and a film of castration was projected during live performance. Those who turn to music for entertainment, solace and escape would be well advised to avoid Throbbing Gristle’s records.
In 1976 Throbbing Gristle founded Industrial Records to explore through various media the connotations of the word “industrial”. Walter Benjamin, in his famous essay The work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction, argued that mechanical reproduction had destroyed the “aura” of traditional art, had destroyed art’s links with ritual. Throbbing Gristle’s idea was unusual because it sought to combine ritual with industrial and technological means of artistic production. “Industrial culture” was also ironic because at that moment an economic recession was rapidly eroding Britain’s manufacturing base. As the factories of the first industrial age fell into decay, they acquired for Throbbing Gristle and others a grim aesthetic appeal— a variation on the romantic taste for ruins. For a time Throbbing Gristle re-created the non-musical sounds of the urban environment; their graphics featured deserted factories and they wore dingy industrial-type overalls. Later, in accordance with their cultural guerrillas stance, they appeared in camouflage battle dress designed by Lawrence Dupre of Paris.
Following the dissolution of Throbbing Gristle in 1981, Genesis and Christopherson formed a new partnership called “Psychic TV”. The underlying themes of Throbbing Gristle -”sex, resistance, subversion and discipline”—were retained, but there was a desire to reach a broader audience. Psychic TV did not conceive of themselves as just another band but as a total cultural event; their aim was to transcend the short-lived fashions and triviality of most Pop music. During live performances holophonic sound (3D) was employed and linked to images appearing on multiple video monitors. One critic described these screens as “flickering portholes to hell”.
Genesis P-Orridge has explained the rationale of Psychic TV’s mixed-media show as follows: “Perhaps we are the first group which are doing truly Surrealist television in that we are using television to investigate the subconscious and the unconscious. Where Salvador Dali would do a fantastic painting, we try to get the same jarring of sensibility, the same confusion leading to revelation by juxtaposition of television images, film images and sound. Because, as most people realise, film and sound are integrated in order to manipulate the emotions and the perceptions of the viewer. And they are being bewitched, and they are in that sense very vulnerable. What we try to do is, in a sense, to be the obligatory bull in the china shop and churn a round images, concepts of initiation, the banal with the strange, the obvious with the obscure, to find out what happens and to short-circuit the training the brain has already had to be accepting without thought.”
Psychic TV have established for their followers an organisation called “Temple ov Psychick Youth”. This would normally be regarded as a “fan club”, but in the case of Psychic TV the Temple appears to be more of a mysterious pagan cult. Even so, like any record company marketing operation, the Temple offers for sale badges, T-shirts, booklets, records, sound and video tapes. Further information cannot be given because their present policy requires members to sign a declaration of secrecy. This policy arouses curiosity and at the same time reduces the possibility of prosecution by official authority.
Although Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV have little or no popular appeal—their work was/is too difficult and weird for mass consumption—they have certainly been an influential force and have gradually built up a loyal following amongst youngsters with a taste for the macabre. They have also demonstrated that by preserving organisational independence, by operating on low budgets, and by taking charge of your own production and publicity, artistic activities in the margins of society can be sustained for many years.
As regards the horrific subject matter they tend to dwell on, it has been argued that this is a one-sided world view because love, joy and kind deeds are also part of the human condition. And yet anti-social or evil human impulses and behavior continually occur and are continually being repressed. Genesis P-Orridge and co. arouse fear and hatred in so many quarters because they transgress the unspoken rule not to meddle with such matters. Yet, it could be argued in their defence that they conjure up demons not in order to further evil but to exorcise it. This is the true meaning of their performances: they are primitive rites serving for an advanced technological society the same function as the ceremonies of shamans and witchdoctors.
John A Walker | <urn:uuid:56176c47-f982-4159-a45b-43ee4bbe99b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://killyourpetpuppy.co.uk/news/2011/03/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965771 | 2,781 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Writing an article on the fate of the eurozone in recent times has been something of a fool's errand. No sooner has the ink dried on the page, or the printer whirred into life, than a news bulletin will sound out, announcing another fall in the markets, another eurozone member to be downgraded, another political statement aimed at restoring confidence. It is hard sometimes to keep up.
The irony, though, is that any number of people predicted this exact scenario over two decades ago, when the euro was little more than a dream for the most ardent of Europhiles. Even while the rules for the euro were being created, they were simultaneously being broken. The Treaty of Maastricht set out five requirements for member states wishing to join the euro – of the 11 countries to join; only Luxembourg passed all five. Then came the stability and growth pact, soon jettisoned when it got in the way. And the no bail-out clause? Well, it almost seems comical in light of recent events. It is exactly this kind of fiscal indiscipline that has led us to our present parlous state. A political project, powered by political will, to achieve political ends. If the economics get in the way, dump the economics.
What the eurozone doomsayers knew when they were making their predictions back in the nineties was that a "one-size-fits-all" monetary policy was totally impractical for a group of such diverging economies. Take Ireland, for example, whose economy was already booming when it adopted the euro. With accession to the eurozone came low interest rates and a flood of cheap money, a housing and construction boom, and the eventual catastrophic bust. High interest rates would have made money more expensive and would have cooled the overheating property market, averting disaster – but the Irish exchequer had given up all control of its monetary policy in order to dance to the tune of the Germany-focused European Central Bank.
Read the rest of the article on the Public Service Europe website. | <urn:uuid:60cddd89-32e4-46c1-a507-e30c8520e983> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.iea.org.uk/blog/time-to-break-the-eurozone | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368703298047/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516112138-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969166 | 416 | 1.84375 | 2 |
|The WikiLeaks logo 'works as a sort of graphic manifesto', argues the author [AFP]
Melbourne, Australia - There is something eerie about the WikiLeaks logo (see above). It works as a sort of graphic manifesto, an image of dense political content stating a notion of ample consequences. A cosmic sandglass encloses a duplicated globe seen from an angle that puts Iraqi territory at the centre.
Inside this device the upper and darker planet is exchanged, drip by drip, for a new one. The power of the image lies in the sense of inexorability it conveys, alluding to earthly absolutes like the flow of time and the force of gravity: a bullish threat that grants the upper world no room for hope. The logo narrates a gradual apocalypse, and by articulating this process of transformation through the image of the leak, WikiLeaks defines itself as the critical agent in the destruction of the old and the becoming of the new world.
What has become manifest since late November 2010, with the release of what is now known as "The US Embassy Cables", is that the narrative implicit in the WikiLeaks logo, that of a world disjunct, describes a greater struggle against the global power held diffusely by transnational corporations and enforced by governments around the world. This power is under attack by a relatively new actor that can be called, for now, the autonomous network.
The conditions that allow the network to challenge the power of governments and corporations can be traced to the origin of the Internet and the Cold War zeitgeist that made the network we know possible. It was only because Cold War strategists had to narrate to themselves the unfolding of convoluted thermonuclear apocalypse scenarios, a dark art that peaked with Herman Kahn's surreal book On Thermonuclear War, that a computer network with the characteristics of the internet was implemented.
"I loved this concept of the purest things in the universe being unowned. The early Internet was so accidental, it also was free and open in this sense. "
- Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak
The idea of imminent apocalypse was so extraordinary that it allowed for the radical thinking that over a decade evolved into the TCP/IP computer protocol suite, a resilient network protocol that makes the end user of the network its primary agent. The design philosophy of the internet protocols represents a clean break from the epistemes and continuums that had historically informed the evolution of Western power, as traced by Foucault and Deleuze from sovereign societies to disciplinary societies to societies of control.
Steve Wozniak has written, "I was also taught that space, and the moon, were free and open. Nobody owned them. No country owned them. I loved this concept of the purest things in the universe being unowned. The early internet was so accidental, it also was free and open in this sense".
To produce a commons is indeed an accident for Empire. Dismissed as a never-meant-for-the-masses autonomous zone, by and for the military and academia, it was allowed to evolve out of control. But this accident that happened because of daydreaming an extreme future never stopped happening.
At some point it gained an accessible graphic interface, and spilled all over the globe. By then it was too late to disarm what is now the increasingly contentious coexistence of two worlds, as the WikiLeaks logo registers. One world is a pre-apocalyptic capitalistic society of individualism, profit and control; the other a post-apocalyptic community of self-regulating collaborative survivors. The conflict arises from an essential paradox: Because the web exists, both worlds need it in order to prevail over the other.
The "cyber war" announced so spectacularly (in the Debordian sense) in the days following WikiLeaks' US Embassy Cables release is not really about the DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service), "denial of service" attacks that barely obstructed access to the MasterCard website for a few hours. If anything, the ephemerality of the disturbance leaves the sensation that Anonymous, the group that launched it, is far from being a structural threat. What journalists around the world have failed to narrate is the tale of a network that increasingly challenges, bypasses and outcompetes the global corporate-government complex. This is a struggle about the obsolescence of the very idea of the nation-state, and an almost unanimous coalition of governments, led by the US, fighting furiously to regain control by exerting legal, financial, symbolic and, perhaps most concerning, technical violence on their adversary.
Approaching the history of the internet through the Cold War zeitgeist helps us see a sort of Schumpeterian quality in the network. It is essentially a destructive entity that, like the Terminator, comes from the future (the imagined end of civilisation) and is set loose in an arcane environment (the present) that fights back. Perhaps the fact that Anonymous defines itself using a tone and vocabulary that closely resemble the description of the Terminator in James Cameron's 1983 film is not a coincidence but a sign of the epistemic brotherhood of two post-apocalyptic entities.
Listen. Understand. That Terminator is out there. It can't be reasoned with, it can't be bargained with… it doesn't feel pity of remorse or fear… and it absolutely will not stop. Ever. Until you are dead. (James Cameron, director, The Terminator)
Your feelings mean nothing to us. … We have no culture, we have no laws, written or otherwise. … We do not sleep, we do not eat and we do not feel remorse. We will tear you apart from outside and in, we have all the time in the world. (extract from entry on Anonymous in the Encyclopedia Dramatica)
Network-native structures and their resulting communities are fuelled by hybrid motivations often alien to the material struggles seen by Marxism to lie behind the motion of history. In his book Hacking Capitalism, Johan Söderberg proposes the notion of "play struggle" as opposed to "class struggle" as the force that drives hackers as well as diverse realms of the network society.
Similar to labour in that it is a productive engagement with the world, play differs in that it is freely chosen and marked by a high degree of self-determination among the players. At its heart, the politics of play struggle consist in the distance it places between doing and the wage relation. Play is a showcase of how labour self-organises its constituent power outside the confines of market exchanges.
Söderberg proposes that play is labour within an exchange system external to the autocratic determinations of materialism. With the notion of "play struggle", we can understand Anonymous and its instant response in the wake of the WikiLeaks attack.
Anonymous emerged spontaneously from 4Chan.org, which has a curious set of features: (a) anonymity, (b) "lack of memory" (as opposed to "cloud computing", no record is kept in its servers but rather in the collective memory sedimented in the minds and hard drives of its users), (c) emphasis on visual conversation (through the intervention of images), and (d) a non-censorship policy that is only afraid of the police (as opposed to the market). Therefore, Play: These characteristics are all instrumental to placing in 4Chan an insurmountable distance "between doing and the wage relation". Its unique policy, its origin, ownership and ethos, and its substantial and highly engaged playful community make 4Chan the internet's most prolific semiotic laboratory.
It is telling that the software used to perform the denial of service attacks on MasterCard, PayPal and Amazon is a relatively simple programme called LOIC, for Low Orbit Ion Cannon, a fictional weapon in the Command & Conquer series of video games. Play drives Anonymous. It is the glue that ultimately holds it together, and the threat of state/corporate control triggers its reaction. Serious play is at the core of the rogue episteme. When play follows only its own logic it necessarily escapes commodification.
To play seriously is often counterplay, to set the system itself as the locus of play (even 4Chan has been a victim, because it is funny, of its own DDoS attacks). Instead of commodification by the mainstream, it is 4Chan that exploits the mainstream deconstructing its text, inverting and problematising its original intentions in a way that exceeds fan culture. 4Chan.org is a primary node in the fundamental clash of the centre and the indigestible fringe of contemporary digital culture.
For an average individual, visiting 4Chan, and particularly its main forum called simply '/b/', can be either repulsive or disappointing. Its content is distasteful to sensibilities constructed by the twentieth century's mammoths of consumption-driven mass media, and their resulting version of reality. Its autonomous project requires a stage of disorientation because its method is continuously to produce and evolve a language of its own. After all, how can autonomy be claimed while using the language of the oppressors? How can a new epistemological commons come to be if not by the crafting of an alternative language? Perhaps 4Chan is not exactly what Sean Cubitt had in mind when interrogating digital aesthetics, but it is certainly a model that seems to hold its ground against the "insidious blandness" of the corporate site:
Digital aesthetics needs both to come up with something far more interesting than corporate sites, and to act critically to point up their insidious blandness and global ambitions. Subversion of the dominant is inadequate. In its place, it is essential to imagine a work without coherence, without completion and without autonomy. Such a work, however, must also be able to take on the scale of the cyborg culture, a scale beyond the individual, and outside the realm of the hyper-individuated subject. By the same token, aesthetics must move beyond the organic unity of the art object and embrace the social process of making.
Anonymous and 4Chan currently play a strategic and necessary role in the struggle: the construction of an alternative episteme based on the commons of play rather than on consumption and commodities. Yet their political impact, in the case of the WikiLeaks embargo, was blown out of proportion. Mainstream journalism focused on the ultimately symbolic skirmishes starred by Anonymous, hyping the spectacular narrative of a cyberwar fought by an otherised and widely misunderstood cultural movement that cannot be called "hacktivist". As Richard Stallman has explained, a DDoS attack is not really hacking, but the digital version of mass protest.
If code is law, then protocol is the constitution.
Coup de net
"There is no remote corner of the internet not dependent on protocols." The point Laura DeNardis wants to get across in her book Protocol Politics: The Globalization of Internet Governance is that network protocols are a matter of huge political value, value that only grows as the net spreads. Lessig inaugurated this line of thinking when he famously stated "code is law".
But protocol runs deeper than software: If code is law, then protocol is the constitution. This is why, as long as attention is diverted towards the spectacular (like tactical and superficial DDoS attacks), governments can start the demolition of the protocols that grant the possibility of autonomy to the network. In reaction to the release of the US Embassy Cables, the UN called for the creation of a group that would end the current multi-stakeholder nature of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to give the last word on internet control to the governments of the world. The almost illegible resolution calls for the UN:
"to convene open and inclusive consultations involving all Member States and all other stakeholders with a view to assisting the process towards enhanced cooperation in order to enable Governments on an equal footing to carry out their roles and responsibilities in respect of international public policy issues pertaining to the Internet but not of the day-to-day technical and operational matters that do not impact upon those issues."
I have emphasised the fragments where the meaning hides: to "enable Governments to carry out their roles and responsibilities in respect of international public policy issues pertaining to the internet" is of course a nice way to talk about enabling the surveillance, censorship and control that the current protocols still make porous. The closing "concession" gives away the true intentions, "but not of the day-to-day technical and operational matters that do not impact upon those issues" means that once control is reinstated, people shall go on thinking they are free.
After Hillary Clinton stated that the leaks are "an attack on the international community", the move to gain control of the IGF is unsurprising. It fits the conflict outlined by the WikiLeaks logo. Even if the motion is defeated, which is currently possible, a card has been shown. More moves of this nature, on all possible fronts, will follow until the coup de net is complete. The IGF episode matches Douglas Rushkoff's analysis of the ongoing "net neutrality" debate:
"The moment the 'net neutrality' debate began was the moment the net neutrality debate was lost. … [the internet] will never truly level the playing fields of commerce, politics, and culture. And if it looks like that does stand a chance of happening, the internet will be adjusted to prevent it."
Protocols are the defining battlefield in the struggle between governments and corporations and the autonomous network. The UN’s attempt to take over the IGF is a true act of cyber war with the strategic warfare plan of hacking the internet to finally eradicate its aspirations for autonomy.
In an ambivalent world that is simultaneously exploring new territories of freedom and being subjected to heightened measures of control, the gradual reclamation of the commons is the crucial operation. The internet fosters processes of decommodification that effectively challenge capitalism. Rather than being the result of a violent class struggle, the end of capitalist hegemony might be the result of a slow internet-enabled process of migration, a dripping (to abuse once more the WikiLeaks logo) towards societies that organise around commons.
What is interesting is that WikiLeaks, after all, is still up and running. Someone still hosts it (poetically, a hosting company located in a Cold War-era anti-nuclear bunker), and their fund-raising channels have diversify to bypass the embargo (with partial success). WikiLeaks is an example of how a rogue can still thrive against the will of Empire, supported by an emerging ecology of more autonomous actors. MasterCard, PayPal and Amazon don't need to be shut, just bypassed or outcompeted. As the autonomous ecology matures, it allows for more complexity. This is where the war stands to be won: in the building of autonomous structures of all sorts (structures that bypass and outcompete existing ones) on top of other new structures until the entire old world is unnecessary.
Nicolás Mendoza is a scholar, artist and researcher in global media from The University of Melbourne and a member of the P2P Foundation. His recent work can be found here.
Follow him on Twitter: @nicolasmendo
A version of this article was previously published in the Journal of Radical Philosophy.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy. | <urn:uuid:6b487a0b-df1b-4f4e-bfa4-64e877ab3b26> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/12/201112884026597856.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368705953421/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516120553-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947719 | 3,152 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Rea, learn, play during Games Day at Fairview Library
Fairview Public Library will join hundreds of libraries throughout the country on November 3 for the fifth annual celebration of gaming in libraries – International Games Day @ your library.
Like so many other libraries across the country and around the world, Fairview will offer special gaming programs and events suitable for the whole family.
“Libraries are becoming family destinations, and are continuously offering new formats and innovative programs and services that educate, entertain and expand interaction with their users,” said Susan Carver, director, Fairview Public Library. “Gaming is yet another example of how libraries are becoming more than just educational resources for the communities that they serve. They are also places where users of all ages are welcome to have fun together.”
Fairview will be celebrating International Games Day with board games, DVD games, and pizza from noon until 2:30 pm on Saturday November 3. Participants are invited to bring a game to share.
International Games Day @ your library is a national initiative supported by the American Library Association. For more information on National Gaming Day please visit: ilovelibraries.org/gaming.
The Fairview Public Library is located on Walnut St in Margaretville and is open: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 11a.m.-5 p.m.; Wednesday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.and Saturday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | <urn:uuid:49249d49-c7ec-4b21-89dd-f4983a457004> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.catskillmountainnews.com/content/rea-learn-play-during-games-day-fairview-library | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698924319/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516100844-00034-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948236 | 300 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Eighteen-year-old Pointe Claire student Julia Salbo-Crowhurst left the country Saturday for a five-month adventure. The John Abbott College student left for Kenya where she is now volunteering in an orphanage and work in a HIV/AIDS outreach program. Taking a semester off school for this humanitarian effort is something the young woman has dreamed off for a long time.
“I'm finally making my dream a reality. Taking a semester off school and doing this trip will allow me to think about what my future will bring. I'm applying to universities before I leave in the section of social and international development,” she said.
The trip’s preparation has actually lasted longer than the stay will. For seven months, Salbo-Crowhurst has been raising funds to subsidize the trip, amassing a total amount of $1,800. The money will be used by International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) to provide help with the tasks the student will be working on.
IVHQ is known to provide safe, affordable volunteering programs abroad in developing countries all over the world. Each year they place over 4000 people into programs abroad and have a wide range of volunteer opportunities such as teaching, medical work, HIV/Aids awareness, women empowerment, sports education, construction work, conservation work, panda conservation, surf and swim school, agricultural work and orphanage assistance.
While she didn’t know for sure what tasks she would be required to perform or what village she will be sent to before leaving, Salbo-Crowhurst was excited and confident about making an impact thanks to the renowned effectiveness of IVHQ.
“They base themselves on small organizations in each country and place their volunteers in places that help is truly needed. No one is useless over there and everyone is there to make a difference. i am hoping to make an impact while I'm there with projects and helping with basic necessities,” she said.
I can't wait to see all the beautiful Kenyan children since children are one thing that bring me great joy. I am a day camp counselor during my summers here in Montreal and can't find any other people I'd rather be around than children that can love and teach more you can even teach them. Many volunteers I have spoken to have told me even though these children have been through more things that we can even imagine they smile and laugh more than children who have the world.” | <urn:uuid:cb56055c-ac0b-40c0-8808-b4f5f8fea2f9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.westislandchronicle.com/News/Local/2013-01-14/article-3155979/Pointe-Claire-crusader-takes-trip-of-lifetime/1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368701852492/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516105732-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9672 | 498 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Getting No Satisfaction
Mr. Answer Man, I see in the newspapers that Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones complained that "George Bush doesn't listen to us." What does he mean by that?
I think he means that despite their tremendous body of work, singing all those songs of youthful rebellion for more than four decades (a gas, gas, gas, in my opinion), the Stones are still not consulted on political and military policy. Nobody in Washington even wants to know their opinion of CAFTA. It must be galling.
I bet it is. I'm sure that if President Bush had just come out of his ranch house in Crawford, Texas, and said a few words of comfort to the Stones, this new "Sweet Neo Con" song of theirs wouldn't have ballooned into the giant controversy it is. What's a sweet neocon, by the way?
Nobody really knows. Everybody thinks the Stones are trashing Bush, but the president isn't really a neocon, and the word sweet is a real stumper. One theory is that Jagger has a crush on Paul Wolfowitz, Dick Cheney, or Condi Rice. Probably Cheney, since the name Halliburton pops up in the lyrics. A demeaning song probably isn't the best way to declare one's affection, but then, romance among musicians of the '60s often takes a strange path.
So far, the complete lyric hasn't been legally released. The new record A Bigger Bang, containing the song, goes on sale September 6. But Jagger said on the TV show Extra that "it's not really aimed at anyone in particular. It's not aimed personally at President Bush. It wouldn't be called 'Sweet Neo Con' if it was." But if it isn't aimed at anyone in particular, why should this unidentified generic neocon be considered sweet? Do you think the Stones just needed a one-syllable adjective to put in front of neocon? Maybe they just couldn't bring themselves to say "bold" or "bad."
That's probably it. All the great negative adjectives have several syllables. Maybe the Stones pulled an all-nighter,debated "sweet" versus "sour" and finally settled on sweet.
What about the word the song uses to rhyme with hypocrite?
Wasn't that clever? The lyric goes this way: "You call yourself a Christian / I call you a hypocrite / You call yourself a patriot, well I think you're full of s - - -." I imagine Mick considered rhyming hypocrite with inarticulate or maybe little twit, and then a burst of inspiration hit him and he said, "Keith, what's that short word for human waste that rhymes with hypocrite?" Richards was able to remember, and voila! --an innovative rhyme. As far as we know, no other lyricist has managed to make a charge of moral duplicity rhyme with a bodily elimination product. Before long, hundreds of songwriters will be doing it, but remember, somebody had to make the breakthrough.
Speaking of breakthroughs, this seems to be the first clearly partisan song by the Stones. Don't you think it was a long time coming? Bob Dylan got his antiadministration songs out early. But here are the Stones, in their fifth decade on tour, deep into W's second administration, in the third year of the Iraq war, finally discovering they are political and don't like what they see. Aren't they a bit slow? | <urn:uuid:1174557e-508a-487f-b9ff-a51a3bf6dd42> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/articles/050905/5john.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696382584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092622-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971518 | 727 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Back at school, Victor gets a letter from Dad. It seems that someone has murdered his little brother, William. He leaves for Geneva immediately.
Victor arrives too late – the gates of the city have been closed for the night.
Victor lurks around the woods near where his brother was killed.
He sees the monster he created for a moment and it occurs to him that, since the monster isn’t attractive, he probably committed the murder. No one else has seen this monster or knows anything about it.
At home the next day (the gates have been opened by now), Victor finds out that Justine has been accused of the murder because she has a picture of Caroline in her pocket – the same picture William had with him right before he died.
Victor and Elizabeth are the only ones who think Justine is innocent. Well, Justine, too.
But coward that he is, Victor won’t tell anyone why. He’s afraid to be labeled a crazy person. | <urn:uuid:794dec1a-5ed8-4ebb-a5ac-36e0b2248c5b> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.shmoop.com/frankenstein/chapter-7-summary.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00042-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.987168 | 209 | 1.570313 | 2 |
By Kate McCullough
CJFE interviewed fellow Mary Triny Mena to learn more about her experiences as the Scotiabank/CJFE Journalism Fellow, and how the fellowship at Massey College is enriching her career as a journalist.
As the 2012-2013 Journalism Fellow, Mary lives at the college and studies alongside four other journalism fellows from both Canada and other parts of the world.
Canada's cold, snowy weather and a different language are just a few of the things Venezuelan journalist Mary Triny Mena has been getting used to since she arrived in Toronto in November.
In Caracas, Venezuela, Mary Triny is an investigative reporter at Globovision, the only 24-hour TV station in the country and, more importantly, one of the few media outlets that remains independent from the government.
Mary Triny's said the eight months she is spending in Canada studying at the University of Toronto gives the chance to "recharge your batteries." She has focused her studies around media law, a subject she says is especially important for journalists in Venezuela. She said a break from the stress of Venezuela's political climate and high crime rate is what she needed to give new perspective and meaning to her work as a journalist.
With files from Globovision TV
Kate McCullough is an intern at CJFE through a partnership with Humber College, where she is the Executive Editor at Convergence Magazine. | <urn:uuid:30093583-cd44-42cb-9d86-094e37c55d3f> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.cjfe.org/resources/features/video-interview-journalism-fellow-mary-triny-mena | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704713110/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516114513-00036-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967404 | 288 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Volunteers from Under One Roof, a charity group with members from the and Upper Westchester Muslim Society of Thornwood, held a food drive last week.
The group gathered more than 250 pounds of food, worth approximately $600, at its first joint effort last weekend on behalf of local women's shelter Hope's Door and the Katonah Community Center. Approximately 10 volunteers delivered the food on Friday.
Founded in 2010, "Under One Roof is a group of Muslims and Jews who are guided by principles of tolerance, compassion and connection as we provide secular assistance and relief to the local and global community," according to its mission statement.
"Our mission is clear; come together for a better today," it reads.
Coming up, Under one Roof will host a fundraiser and dinner on October 15 to bring together the Jews and Muslims of the community.
If you are interested in participating in the work of Under One Roof, would like to make a donation or find out more about its work, contact Michael Gold at [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:1f3cf1b7-e2db-4ab2-9bbf-75ebf8831811> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://pleasantville.patch.com/groups/volunteering/p/volunteers-bring-food-to-needy-under-one-roof | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368700958435/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516104238-00020-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960089 | 216 | 1.59375 | 2 |
Luhansk, Ukraine – Backgammon is one of the funniest and oldest games in a convenient format. You can play matches anywhere with your friends and you don’t have to carry heavy game board with you. Now the full version is available for your device. You can use this app to play against another person on the same device. Beautiful graphics and animation please the eye. The well designed guide helps you learn the game.
Backgammon is one of the oldest board games for two players. The playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dice, and players win by removing all of their pieces from the board. There are many variants of backgammon, most of which share common traits. Backgammon is a member of the tables family, one of the oldest classes of board games in the world.
Although luck is involved and factors into the outcome, strategy plays a more important role in the long run.With each roll of the dice, players must choose from numerous options for moving their checkers and anticipate possible counter-moves by the opponent. Players may raise the stakes during the game. There is an established repertoire of common tactics and occurrences.
Backgammon playing pieces are known variously as checkers, draughts, stones, men, counters, pawns, or chips.
The objective is to remove (bear off) all of one’s own checkers from the board before one’s opponent can do the same. The checkers are scattered at first and may be blocked or hit by the opponent. As the playing time for each individual game is short, it is often played in matches, where victory is awarded to the first player to reach a certain number of points.
Operating from Luhansk, Ukraine, Dmytro Denys is an independent developer whose focus is on applications for the iOS and iPad platforms.. Copyright (C) 2012 Dmytro Denys. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
You must be logged in to post a comment. | <urn:uuid:638a87e7-eea2-42e7-96c7-273a041749fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.slapapp.com/dmytro-denys-introduces-backgammon-short-narde-1-0-for-ipad/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368707435344/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516123035-00011-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96456 | 440 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Some years we have no other choice but to do tillage even when it’s wet. Having mud build up on the tractor tires is more than just frustrating—it can damage the rubber. When the mud between the tires and cab dries, it digs grooves in the tire sidewalls. I fabricated scrapers from 3⁄16" iron and secured them with self-tapping screws on the tractor in such a place that as the tire rotates, the scrapers knock off the mud.
Street Sweeper Scratch Bar
Every spring, when cattle start to shed their winter coats, they ruin the barbed-wire fence from scratching themselves. To build a dedicated scratch post, I picked up a discarded street sweeper brush at auction. I mounted it at an angle so when the cows and calves walk underneath, it not only makes contact with their backs but also their sides and heads. The wooden post that runs through the sweeper brush was a discarded support from an old pole building. To keep the scratching post stationary, I weigh down the frame with two large concrete blocks so not even the strongest bull can budge it.
Replacing and repairing the tires on our center pivots requires a lot of time and is hard on my back. Lifting each tire up in the back of the pickup is now easier with a pipe extension. I slipped a 2" pipe cut 2' long into the receiver hitch to help me easily roll the tire up onto the hitch extender and then into the truck bed. When I’m done, I just pull out the pipe and throw it in the truck bed until it’s needed again.
- Mid-February 2011 | <urn:uuid:d79f6c90-0cb8-4218-9cc3-07a33db618ff> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.agweb.com/farmjournal/article/100_ideas_tire_protectors/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00037-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936571 | 343 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Schering anesthesia drug appears safe, says FDA panel
SILVER SPRING, Maryland (Reuters) - A Schering-Plough Corp drug aimed at reversing the effects of anesthesia can be safely used in the targeted patient population, U.S. regulatory advisers said on Tuesday.
The Food and Drug Administration expert panel is considering the risks and benefits of the drug, to be called Bridion, and known generically as sugammadex. The FDA typically takes the advice of its advisory panels.
The drug aims to reverse the muscular blocking effects of certain muscle relaxants and help patients recover more quickly from anesthesia after medical procedures.
(Reporting by Kim Dixon; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) | <urn:uuid:5e94c5ca-34f7-4d2b-b706-71439aa69a8d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/32723/print | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368702448584/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516110728-00017-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944144 | 145 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Sun, May 19 2013
MEETING IN PRISTINA: Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former United Nations special envoy Martti Ahtisaari, left, with Kosovo president Fatmir Sejdiu after meeting in the Kosovo capital Pristina, June 15 2009. Kosovo declared independence in 2008 based on an Ahtisaari document without the UN's blessing and so far is recognised by 60 countries.
Many things depend on the geopolitical situation outside Kosovo, especially among UN Security Council members and Russia’s approach, deputy prime minister Hajredin Kuqi said.
Jordan is to become the 61st country to recognise Kosovo as an independent state, according to media reports quoting the foreign ministry in Pristina.
Representatives of Belgrade and Pristina tussle over UNMIK; UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon reports situation in Kosovo is ‘relatively peaceful’.
On eve of visit to join in celebrations of anniversary of Kosovo constitution, former UN envoys highlights Kosovo’s accession to IMF and World Bank as achievements.
Gradual cutdown to a ‘deterrent presence’, Nato ministers agree. Possible timeframe is by January 1 2010, with further cuts if circumstances allow.
Nobel Peace Prize winner and former envoy on Kosovo invited for visit on June 15 for celebrations of first anniversary of constitution.
Serbian president Tadic says that Belgrade will not accept recognition of Kosovo as a precondition for EU accession; Sarkozy tells Tadic to work with Kosovo but that no one expects Serbia to recognise it to gain EU membership.
Governments in Prague and Bucharest could soon join Sofia in instituting temporary moratoriums on shale gas exploration.
Coalition around ruling Democratic Party has largest share of vote in Serbia's parliamentary election, according to exit polls.
Centre-right New Democracy is said by exit polls to have largest share of votes, but diminished even from its 2009 defeat, while socialists Pasok – the 2009 victors – gets somewhere around 14 to 17 per cent.
An agreement reached with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will allow voters with dual citizenship in Kosovo to vote in the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections in Serbia.
Twenty radical Muslims suspected of being members of a terrorist group that has been linked to the murder of five fishermen in early April. | <urn:uuid:3c81efd6-935e-4c08-80da-e328076abb98> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sofiaecho.com/2009/06/17/737213_kosovo-to-hold-municipal-elections-on-november-15 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696383156/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092623-00035-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9372 | 486 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Like Me? Follow Me.
In today’s ever expanding world of online information, personal name results are being scrutinised and picked through daily to back up offline knowledge. With real time search launched on Google recently, social media postings are being added into the monitored information equation. This raises the question, at what point does our personal responsibility for our own online reputation end?
It’s no surprise then that one of the most popular web 2.0 businesses in 2010 will be companies paid to make it their responsibility to defend personal reputations. Over the pond in the US these online services are already thriving while drenching their websites in a mixture of cheesy sales patter and over-enthusiastic stats.
Promoting Your Online Personal Brand
The lowered guards brought on by the anonymity of the web have been raised as people realise their education prospects, work future and even dating chances are affected by web information. Hiring a personal branding site to become your own online PR agent is the newest solution. PlaceYourName.com is one of these businesses, with a website overflowing with enthusiasm which claims it "creates a positive online image and gives you a solid Internet presence when someone searches your name." These businesses tend to use a mixture of SEO techniques, web development and public relations to achieve this.
Eliminating Your Online Personal Dirt
What’s the point in promoting positive online presence if you have negative postings and results that are going to drag it down? Enter services like DefendMyName.com who have a "team of engineers that is not only ready but also excited about the opportunity" to remove your negative information because of "the cool yet frightening revelation that people trust opinions they find on the internet more than those from newspapers, TV, radio and magazines."
Children’s Online Reputation
With kids now contently exposing every facet of their personal life on sites like Bebo and MySpace it’s no surprise that these services are now being targeted at parents.
A mixture of paranoia, popularity and future education/career prospects are pushing parents to hire companies such as ReputationDefender for their 'MyChild' service. This service produces a monthly report detailing references to your child's name, images, screen name and social network profiles that is meant to encourage the parent to request changes, deletions and promotion of positive results. ReputationDefender.com claims:
"Teens have always cared about their reputations - the Internet defines the reputation of a person." Besides, do teens really want their parents seeing everything they do or say online? Surely this infringes on a teenager's right to be a kid in favour of building a parent-controlled online persona for future success? Surely even online, teenagers need to build their own online persona and learn from their mistakes. Then again with 'enthusiastic' customer quotes like the one below how can anyone dispute such a service?
There are clearly a lot of legal issues with removing online information when you don’t own the rights to that post or article. An FAQ on ReputationDefender.com site highlights these issues when asked "Can you remove absolutely anything?"
The site responded stating "No. Newspaper articles and court records are difficult to impossible to remove" but goes on to state "we typically focus on content that is slanderous, private, defamatory, invasive and/or outdated." Surely two of the most slanderous and private sources of information online are newspaper articles and court records. This is one of many fairly substantial limitations for online reputation services.
At the end of the day if you're that worried about your online reputation and you want to keep it respectable then behave as though your mum or nan is looking over your online shoulder.
For more information on this topic visit Personal Branding Blog. | <urn:uuid:e47b9fcb-341b-4c11-ae33-7cb2e8f63aef> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.seomanchester.com/blog/an-insight-into-online-personal-reputation-services-288/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706499548/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516121459-00001-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.935746 | 778 | 1.8125 | 2 |
This week on my local news, I saw coverage of a local ad campaign sponsored by the Northwest Arkansas Coalition of Reason (NWACoR). They have placed a billboard that is causing QUITE a stir. The billboard reads: Are you good without God? Millions are. Understandably, the issue is intensely polarizing and has inspired everything from news stories to Facebook groups to countless heated discussions.
To be clear, I am not here to debate the existence of God. Nor am I here to either support or snub the Northwest Arkansas Coalition of Reason or their intentions. I am here to support the NWACoR?s right to sponsor such a billboard.
Congress shall make no law? abridging the freedom of speech?
Authors of the United States Constitution placed so much importance on the Right to Free Speech that they put it in the FIRST Amendment. Free Speech is right there among what are arguably the most significant and distinguishing freedoms Americans enjoy. Freedom of speech, of the press, freedom of religion, and of assembly, and the right to petition. People ? without these things, we aren?t Americans.
Free Speech means ? at some point ? you will hear things you don?t agree with and encounter things that bother you. It means people are not required by law to see eye to eye. It means you might be uncomfortable when other citizens exercise THEIR right to free speech, but your discomfort does not eradicate the fact that they operate under the same freedoms as you do. Whether it?s the Northwest Arkansas Coalition of Reason or something as unpopular as flag burning — if you appreciate your right to free speech, it means you expressly support the rights of those whose views you may downright despise.
As a Mom (or parent), your first instinct is protection for your kids, right? You want to shield them from the stuff that?s uncomfortable or hard to talk about or maybe even hurtful. But isn?t it more important to teach them acceptance and understanding ? and mutual respect? That not everyone in this country agrees on everything, and why that?s ok. And so, so important.
Unfortunately, there are no (secular) laws requiring kindness and respect among people. It?s not illegal to be impolite. That?s up to each of us. It?s up to us, as parents, to practice consideration and compassion, and to ensure our kids become kind, respectful, confident little people. The United States merely grants us permission to do that as we see fit. I am beyond grateful that I get to raise my kiddo in a country that gives him the right to his opinions and beliefs, and I am prepared to explain to him that while we don?t agree with everything swirling around out there ? we are PROUD to be a family that supports the freedoms that make it all possible.
The Bill of Rights is something of which most people in this country are very proud. But sometimes it?s really, really hard to swallow the fact that people are free to do things that we don?t necessarily like or support. But, at the end of the day, I thank God I live where it is legal to speak my mind, and support what I believe in, and agree to disagree.
Freedom of speech is a two-way street, and it cannot be restricted to what (some may believe) is respectful or appropriate. Or comfortable. Or popular. The NWACoR has a right to their billboard. And I have a right to my opinion of it. God bless America.
I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. ?Voltaire
This post has been adapted for Musings of Mother Hood. It was originally posted on Deep South Moms Blog on April 12, 2010. | <urn:uuid:eb88d7de-2bc8-402b-983d-b60afbd973d9> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.sarahmcow.com/my_weblog/2011/03/free-speech-like-it-or-not.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00016-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9588 | 778 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Faith No More Biography
In 1981, Bay Area California musicians Mike "Puffy" Bordin, Billy Gould, Mike Morris, and Wade Worthington formed a band called Faith No Man. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike "The Man" Morris was ousted, the group began calling themselves Faith No More. After going through a series of singers which included Courtney Love, the band was joined by Chuck Mosely in 1983.
The same year, Jim Martin was recruited to replace guitarist Mark Bowen. A four-song demo tape recorded in 1984 led to the band's first real album, "We Care A Lot," released on Mordam Records in 1985.
Within a year the band signed up with Slash Records, and in 1987 their second album, "Introduce Yourself," was released. The subsequent tour brought Faith No More a good deal of press in Europe, but when the tour was over the rest of the band chose to fire Mosely due to his constant drinking, limited vocal capabilities, and squabbles with bandmates.
Mike Patton, frontman of Eureka, California band Mr. Bungle, was a replacement suggested by Jim Martin, who had heard a demo tape that exhibited the long-gone death metal side of Mr. Bungle. Patton was hired in January of 1989. In two weeks he had written lyrics for the songs Faith No More was working on for their next album, and "The Real Thing" was released six months later.
The album was a critical success, and the band toured with Metallica shortly, playing in front of huge audiences. Even so, it wasn't until the song "Epic" was released as a single in January of 1990 that Faith No More's popularity took off in the U.S., thanks in large part to heavy rotation of the video (which even received some negative attention for a brief scene of a fish flopping around out of water) on MTV.
Another successful video for "Falling To Pieces" followed. Members of mega-rockers Metallica and Guns N Roses named Faith No More among their favorite rock groups. The band received a Grammy nomination for Best Heavy Metal/Hard Rock performance. By the end of the year, "The Real Thing" had gone platinum in the U.S.
In 1991, following the impressive success of "The Real Thing," Faith No More released in Britain a recording of a live show they played there, along with two previously unreleased tracks, entitled "Live At Brixton." A video of the same performance called "You Fat B**tards" was released elsewhere. The San Francisco band was now playing large venues worldwide as the main act, their unique sound & Patton's manic stage antics a draw for fans of all kinds of music.
With Faith No More's fourth studio album, "Angel Dust," Patton had more time to compose as a full-fledged member of the band, and Gould, Bottum, & Bordin, thanks to the success of "The Real Thing," had more confidence in their ability to create the album they wanted to. At the same time, Martin began to become dissatisfied with the direction that their music was going, and often did not show up at scheduled rehearsals.
Gould was sometimes forced to fill-in guitar parts, and ultimately Martin did not have much input on "Angel Dust," with the exception of the guitar-heavy "Jizzlobber." In the summer of 1992, after the release of the album, its first single, "Midlife Crisis," played regularly on MTV and radio. It was followed by videos for the b-side "Easy," which was very popular in Europe, and "A Small Victory."
The latter, though an excellent video, was almost entirely overlooked by MTV, perhaps because neither song supported the hard rock image of the band prevalent since "The Real Thing," and MTV U.S.A. favors music that is easily categorized. Meanwhile, Faith No More was part of the biggest tour of the year, opening for rock giants Metallica and Guns N Roses. After that tour, on which they received lukewarm responses from fans of the main acts, they embarked on tours of the U.S. and Europe as headliners to smaller crowds.
In the end, there was no single on "Angel Dust that measured up to the success of "Epic," and the album did not sell as well as "The Real Thing" had in the U.S., but it did sell enough copies to go gold. It was even more popular in Europe and Australia, outselling "The Real Thing" in Britain.
By the time the touring for "Angel Dust" was complete, the rest of the band agreed that Jim Martin was holding them back with his lack of enthusiasm for the direction their music was taking. In November of 1993 he was fired.
For 1995's "King For A Day, Fool For A Lifetime," Mr. Bungle guitarist Trey Spruance was recruited. However, once the album was recorded, however, he left the band before touring began. The reasons given for his departure varied depending upon whom you asked; Faith No More maintained that Spruance was unwilling to commit to a long, worldwide tour.
Trey claimed that he was ready to tour, but the others decided he wasn't right for the band, and never really made him a permanent member in the first place. Dean Menta, a former Faith No More roadie & guitarist for the band Duh, was Spruance's replacement.
Though "King For A Day, Fool For A Lifetime" reached number one on the charts in Australia, and spawned such overseas hits as "Evidence," the album was hardly noticed in the U.S. Videos were made for "Digging The Grave," "Evidence," and "Ricochet," all songs with commercial potential, but which were virtually ignored by American MTV.
A less than enthusiastic response to shows in the UK prompted the band to cancel the second portion of the European "King For A Day" tour, although band members insisted that this would provide an excellent opportunity for them to get back in the studio & start working on their next album while they were happy with their current line-up.
Over the next two years, rumors of a breakup were rampant as several members of Faith No More spent time with various other projects. Drummer Mike Bordin toured with Ozzy Osbourne, Mike Patton toured with Mr. Bungle in support of their new album & released two solo works, and Roddy Bottum found success with his Imperial Teen.
Once again they had to find a new guitarist. "Dean had been our guitar player and worked great for the tour, but when it came to writing, we found that we worked differently," said Bill Gould. They settled upon Jon Hudson, a friend of Gould's and former member of Systems Collapse. The band's sixth studio album, "Album of the Year" was released (June 1997), along with singles and videos for "Ashes To Ashes," "Last Cup of Sorrow," and the electronica-tinged "Stripsearch." Successful tours of America, Europe, and Australia ensued.
In the early months of 1998, break-up rumors spread even more intensely than usual. There was speculation that the band members' many side-projects were taking their toll, and interest in Faith No More was waning. On April 19, 1998 Bill Gould began spreading the following by e-mail and fax:
"After 15 long and fruitful years, Faith No More have decided to put an end to speculation regarding their imminent break up... by breaking up. The decision among the members is mutual, and there will be no pointing of fingers, no naming of names, other than stating, for the record, that "Puffy started it". Furthermore, the split will now enable each member to pursue his individual project(s) unhindered. Lastly, and most importantly, the band would like to thank all of those fans and associates that have stuck with and supported the band throughout it's history. "
Faith No More played their last show in Lisbon, Portugal on April 7.
Please click here to submit the latest Faith No More biography
Fait no more were creators! | Reviewer: Duncan Bell | 9/7/2007
Faith no more is the single most influential sound in metal over the last 15 years, all the new metal bands have that sound laced through and through their music and they dobn't even know it....nobody gives them the appreciation they deserve as innovators and just a band that will never be immitated or duplicated like alice in chains or soundgarden....pur underappreciated musical genius!!
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Recommend the artist to your friends. | <urn:uuid:1dd93193-36bf-454c-996a-4bd589a81bc4> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Faith-No-More-Biography/EA92C69018387586482568BD002F13C4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368699273641/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516101433-00041-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986292 | 1,820 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Play is a vital human activity. But in today’s fast-paced, bottom-line world, adults are pushed to age out of play. We place a premium on productivity, sparing less and less time for pursuits that don’t have specific goals attached. The paradox is that to compete successfully, we need to embrace purposeless activity—which stimulates imagination and creativity, key ingredients for innovation. So increasingly, adults will seek to balance out their busy lives with more unstructured time and recreational pursuits.
In our July trend report, “Play As a Competitive Advantage,” we look at the importance of play and the impediments to it in today’s productivity-obsessed, always-on culture. We highlight how companies are injecting the idea of play into their business models, how marketers are promoting adult play in their messaging, and how people feel about the role of play in their lives. The report is the result of research conducted by JWTIntelligence throughout the year. Specifically for this report, we surveyed 503 Americans and 503 Britons aged 18-plus using SONAR™, JWT’s proprietary online tool, and interviewed several experts and influencers about the importance of play (full-length Q&As will be posted here in coming weeks).
Half of respondents to our survey said they don’t have time for play just for fun’s sake, while 9 in 10 agreed that “play should not only be a part of children’s lives but adults’ lives, too.” As the benefits of purposeless activity become better known, look for more people to start making the time for play, and more brands to start helping them do so.
To download report CLICK HERE. | <urn:uuid:1b9e7b6f-f909-4fb2-bc78-3e12f5e9a280> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://hispaniccmo.com/2012/07/14/play-as-a-competitive-advantage-report/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00006-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948041 | 358 | 1.710938 | 2 |
The Joe Greenhill Story
By Jim Cullen, TSCHS staff writer
Born in Houston on July 14, 1914, Joseph Robert Greenhill III was the only son of Texas Company accountant Joe Greenhill, Jr., and Violet Stanuell Greenhill. A lingering illness claimed the young father at age 29, just days before his son turned four, leaving Violet Greenhill sole responsibility for raising young Joe. She accomplished the task with a blend of discipline and dignity, attributes eventually revealed in her own professional career.
The Montrose-area house at 2520 Mason Street where Joe Greenhill grew up, left in his father’s will, served as the mother’s and son’s primary income for several years. Violet Greenhill divided the house in two, lived with Joe in half and rented the other half out for $60 a month. Neighbors included the Baldwin family, of whom childhood friend Jean would one day be the wife of Texas Attorney General – then Governor – Price Daniel.
Joe Greenhill learned responsibility from an early age, working at neighborhood jobs that included a daily newspaper route and deliveries for grocery and drug stores. His formative activities included regular church attendance (his mother was an active Episcopalian) and Boy Scouts (he ultimately became an Eagle Scout). As a 14-year-old, he joined a 1929 Houston contingent of 35 scouts attending the third World Scout Jamboree in Birkenhead, England. The trip was actually his second to England, his mother having taken him two years earlier to familiarize him with her family’s distinguished English origins. Most prominent among those origins was Joe’s great-grandfather, Henry Ormsby, who served Queen Victoria as Attorney General of Ireland in the 1870s.
When Joe reached the age to leave Fannin Elementary and enter Lanier Junior High, his mother determined it was time to seek employment. She sought and received the counsel of a valued acquaintance, Episcopal Bishop Clinton S. Quin, who suggested she follow her church experience into social work. The advice proved pivotal in her life as well as her son’s. She secured a position at Houston’s DePelchin Faith Home working with adoptions and began formal training at Rice Institute. Joe, meanwhile, played junior high football and excelled at Scouting. Moving into San Jacinto High School, he determined he was “too small” for football and moved into different directions, serving two years as head yell leader and editor of the school yearbook. On completing high school, he was accepted at Rice, but a twist of fate turned his star more westerly.
Her Houston social work having drawn attention, his mother was interviewed for and appointed to a job in Austin establishing the new Children’s Division under the State Board of Control. Though he was, at first, disappointed to be accompanying his mother to Austin, his enrollment at the University of Texas made the disappointment short-lived. It was the start of a devoted relationship that lasted the rest of his life.
The University of Texas quickly became collegiate Joe Greenhill’s new proving ground. He majored in business and economics, became an active Phi Delta Theta fraternity brother, and filled the time he didn’t consume studying with an array of campus activities, including being senior manager of intramural athletics, foreman of the Cowboys spirit organization, and a Phi Beta Kappa selection when just a junior. He earned his B.A, and B.B.A., each with highest honors, was the university’s 1937 Rhodes Scholar candidate, and served as Abbott of the Friar Society.
Prior to entering the UT Law School, he briefly considered three employment offers, one to be a Sears-Roebuck floorwalker, another to travel and sell Firestone tires, and a third “with a new company named IBM.” He later said, “I think if I’d known what IBM would get to be, that would have been a good offer. But I didn’t know it. Anyway, with nothing better than that I just went to law school.”
If “nothing better” was the initial motivation to enter law school, he never showed it, continuing his amazing pace. He served as editor for the 1937 Cactus, the university’s yearbook, and the Texas Law Review, and passed the state bar a year before finishing law school. He ultimately graduated in 1939 with highest honors there, as well.
Greenhill met his eventual bride, Martha Shuford, when she came to UT from her Tyler hometown. After a chance meeting in 1937 he was sufficiently smitten with the East Texas beauty pageant participant that he featured her in the Cactus yearbook he edited. He later confided he “just chose her” himself for the showcase, though a glance at that yearbook today suggests that the choice would have been unanimously approved.
The two became a couple and their relationship eventually stood the test of the young law student’s graduation and move to Houston in 1939 to accept his first professional job, a position with the Bryan, Suhr, Bering and Bell law firm. In a 1986 interview he said that he “went to work for nothing, literally, for two months,” adding that the firm made him a partner “not because I was all that smart but because they didn’t make much money and they didn’t have to pay me. I was a 12 ½% partner.” Martha, meanwhile, completed her teaching certification and went to work at Austin’s Becker School.
When the law firm position provided sufficient income, the two wed in a June 15, 1940, Tyler ceremony, providing a packed house of family, friends, and well-wishers a glimpse of what was to be a classic matching of intelligence, looks, and youthful assurance about the future. Father of the bride H. D. Shuford, who had “taken to Joe” immediately, according to Martha, drew obvious pride in his daughter’s choice, despite the fact that this young man was a recognized participant in the university environment Shuford termed “a place of iniquity.”
Joe and Martha made their home in Houston, but in short time drew restless with what Joe perceived as a firm without a future. At Martha’s urging, he followed up on a lead that ultimately brought the couple back to Austin in 1941 as Joe accepted an appointment as a briefing clerk at the Supreme Court of Texas, and thereby working in the final three-man Court. He was there for only a few months before Pearl Harbor threw the country into dramatic circumstances for the next four years. He worked briefly for Naval intelligence in San Antonio, an assignment that allowed him to be home with Martha for the birth of their first son, Joe Jr., on July 4, 1942. Joe’s ultimate wartime service was commanding a minesweeper in the Pacific theater.
Discharged following the war, Greenhill returned to the Supreme Court to finish out his original term as a briefing clerk, and on August 11, 1946, son Bill was born, completing the family. In 1947 Greenhill left the Court to accept a position as an Assistant Attorney General in Texas Attorney General Price Daniel’s office. It was there that he became involved in perhaps the most well-known case of his career, Sweatt v. Painter, a ground-breaking challenge to the official admissions policy of the University of Texas Law School. Denied admission to the school because of his race, Heaman Sweatt secured the services of NAACP lead counsel Thurgood Marshall. Greenhill, as the state’s counsel, represented the UT Law School in opposing Sweatt’s admission.
Questioned on his place in the case and in the history it made (Sweatt’s admission was ultimately ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court), Greenhill maintained through his life that he was “no segregationist,” and that it was “the law and it was my job” to defend the state’s position. On opposite sides of the case, Greenhill and Marshall eventually became good friends, a fact testified to in Greenhill’s oft-told story of being at the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954 as the verdict was handed down in Brown v. Board of Education. Seated next to Marshall, who had argued the case for the NAACP, he shared the moment with his former opponent and was the first to congratulate him. In celebration, Marshall grabbed up Greenhill’s son Joe and ran up and down the Court’s halls in celebration.
Having left the Attorney General’s Office in 1950 to help establish the Austin law firm of Graves, Dougherty and Greenhill, Joe Greenhill settled in for seven years of private practice that would, among other things, provide him extensive background in—and recognition for—mineral and water rights cases. During his time with the firm, he also worked as campaign manager for former boss Price Daniel in his gubernatorial races of 1952 and 1956, further gaining him Daniel’s trust and leading to Governor Daniel’s 1957 late night call asking if he would accept appointment to the Supreme Court of Texas as an Associate Justice replacing the retiring Justice Few Brewster.
The years with his partners Ireland Graves and Chrys Dougherty had been good ones for Greenhill on many levels, not the least of which was the fact he and Martha had risen to a higher standard of living. His wife, who initially answered the call from Governor Daniel, reminded Joe that lower compensation would be part of the package, but not surprisingly she also conveyed her agreement that the job was “part of God’s plan” for his future. Years later he recalled that the public service side of the law profession had attracted him from the beginning. “I suppose the itch I’d gotten as a law clerk turned me on.”
His hand upon his favorite Bible, one his great-grandfather had given to his great-grandmother in 1827, at his favorite verse, Micah 6:8, Joe Greenhill was sworn in as an Associate Justice for the Supreme Court of Texas on October 1, 1957. At 43, he became the youngest justice and the first former briefing attorney to serve on the state’s highest court. At that ceremony, he predicted that the “mantle of great jurists will be distinguished and heavy; and will take broad straight shoulders to wear,” but that he would “try to grow in judicial stature and to wear it as it should be worn.” Promising that he would try diligently to be a worthy member of the Court and to truly and impartially administer justice, he expressed the hope that he would be given “the wisdom to discern the truth, know the right and the courage to do the right.”
His place on the Court secured only temporarily, Justice Greenhill faced popular election in 1958 and for the only time in his career, was opposed for the Democratic nomination. Sarah T. Hughes, who five years later would find unexpected public recognition for swearing in Lyndon B. Johnson after the John F. Kennedy assassination, attempted to play her experience into the nomination. She fell short in a tight race, 580,000 votes to 566,000, one of the closest Supreme Court contests in state history.
Greenhill was subsequently re-elected to six-year terms in 1960 and 1966, running unopposed. In 1972, Chief Justice Robert W. Calvert unexpectedly retired from the bench and Gov. Preston Smith called Greenhill the next day, checking on the political correctness of an idea.
“Joe, can I appoint you as chief justice?” Smith asked, and Greenhill replied, “Sure, Governor.” Smith explained his concern, continuing, “Well, your court has got all sorts of crazy rules about seniority—who can go to the bathroom first, and all that stuff—and I thought I’d check with you.” Satisfied that his prospective nominee saw no problem, he asked, “Well, will you take it?” and, receiving a positive response, replied, “Oke, then, I’ll do it. Give my love to Martha.” Greenhill thanked the governor and years later recalled that that was the end of the conversation. He served as Chief Justice for the next ten years, until his retirement in 1982.
His record-setting tenure on the Court aside, Greenhill’s judicial record is recognized for its lasting impact. His State of the Judiciary address to the State of Texas in 1979 was the first such message from the Court, and among his major points was a call for reform of the criminal justice administration system. His influence was critical in passage of the 1980 constitutional amendment bringing criminal jurisdiction to the Court of Civil Appeals. And, as Greenhill himself mentioned in announcing his retirement, his term coincided with the modernization of the Court’s facilities, an increased staff, and—largely through his determined efforts—a Court being up with its docket. But a cause he championed through most of his career, judicial selection reform, remained frustratingly elusive. He advocated for the Missouri System of judicial accountability and, conveying his view of the Texas method of choosing judges by popular election, once said that election of judges “just doesn’t work.”
“If you raise money, you get criticized for taking it. If you don’t raise it, you’re dead. If you raise money it’s generally from lawyers and that gets to the problem of conflict of interest. People interested in the judges are probably people that have lawsuits. Why else are they interested?” he said in a 1986 interview.
Greenhill joined the new Austin offices of the Baker Botts law firm, serving Of Counsel following his retirement from the Court. His unique frame of reference and experience from almost a half century of the Supreme Court’s history made him a valuable consultant for the firm’s attorneys with cases before the Supreme Court of Texas. It was a job he continued to do with his normal zeal and ability until his retirement in 2009.
The accolades for a significant and meaningful career were a regular facet of Judge Greenhill’s life. In 1971, the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge conferred its Gold Medal Award for his address “Disaster Lobby v. The Good of America,” an assessment of those he argued sought to tear at the nation’s fabric. In 1976 he received the Texas Women’s Political Caucus Rex Brown Award for providing opportunities for women in public service. In addition to his University of Texas law degree, he was awarded an honorary degree from the Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1977. He was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Texas Law School in 1977, as well, having been named Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Texas and its College of Business Administration in 1974.
During his quarter of a century with Baker Botts, Judge Greenhill continued to receive recognition and awards from a broad spectrum of American society. He was selected as an Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer of Texas in 1989 and received the Distinguished Lawyer Award from the Travis County Bar Association in 1995. He received the Herbert Hartley Award of the American Judicature Society, and in 1999 U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist presented Greenhill as a member of the Warren Burger Society of the National Center of State Courts. He had a long and rewarding association with the Texas Bar Foundation, including status as a Life Fellow, and served as Executive Director Emeritus.
Judge Greenhill’s remarkable life, shared with his remarkable wife Martha, was that of one of the ablest of Texas native sons. That he lived up to the meaning of the Biblical scripture on which he swore his Supreme Court oath of office is undisputed by those who knew him and his work.
“. . . and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.” | <urn:uuid:686304e1-ed18-45be-a160-97a7d893de38> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.texascourthistory.org/Memorialstories.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368698207393/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516095647-00005-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.984055 | 3,354 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Codes of Corporate Governance Practice
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC), which oversees issues of corporate governance, has been busy recently. In June it published an updated UK Corporate Governance Code. Now, this month it has published the companion UK Stewardship Code for institutional investors. So we now have both sides of the governance coin, ready for implementation, the considered regulation by City insiders to prevent a repetition of the banking excesses which landed us in such a pickle two years ago. What do they amount to?
The Corporate Governance code introduces itself with fine words claiming its purpose “is to facilitate effective, entrepreneurial and prudent management that can deliver the long term success of the company.” Leaving aside the mixed message of entrepreneurial and prudent, how does it aim to fulfill that purpose? By laying down principles about company leadership, effectiveness, accountability, remuneration and relations with shareholders. But they are all rather mealy mouthed and offered on a ‘comply or explain’ basis. For example, under accountability, rather than requiring auditors to be demonstrably independent (eg by excluding them from other in-company roles such as management consultancy), it merely requires that, if auditors do provide other services which obviously compromise their independence, the company should explain to shareholders, how the auditor’s objectivity and independence is safeguarded.
The requirement to explain to shareholders is the key. Governance practice is not at all concerned with real business issues such as technologies, products, markets, competitors, customers or employees, just “the issues and concerns of major shareholders”. What are these issues and concerns? They are explained in the Stewardship Code as “the long term returns to shareholders” and “to minimize any loss of shareholder value.” Thus the FRC is simply lubricating the Friedmanite philosophy of making as much money as possible for stockholders. Inserting the warm and friendly phrase “long term” actually adds nothing. In any particular situation – think hostile takeover bid – the long term is bound to be dominated by the short term, if not immediate, returns to shareholders. Fine words can’t disguise the real purpose of these codes, to protect the idea of shareholder primacy above all other considerations.
These two codes of practice will clearly not change the way things are done. And that was presumably the intention. As the FRC boss, wife of the moat cleaning ex MP, explained: “Disclosures made by institutions under the code should assist companies to understand the approach and expectations of their major shareholders.” So, that’s alright then. | <urn:uuid:a9beada3-72cc-4182-812d-7cdbda67801d> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://www.gordonpearson.co.uk/12/codes-of-corporate-governance-practice/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368706890813/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516122130-00032-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948136 | 542 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Local Food The Focus In Hastings County
McGuinty Government Supports Local Branding and Marketing Campaign
Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Ontario is boosting grassroots marketing efforts for Ontario foods and strengthening the economy in Hastings County by encouraging more residents and businesses to buy locally grown food.
Harvest Hastings is a three-year project to increase the availability of local food in the county. It involves identifying Hastings as a diverse and rich food producing region, and branding these foods through labelling, agri-tourism and education efforts.
The project has received $100,000 as part of the four-year, $12-million Ontario Market Investment Fund program, which helps develop economic opportunities through trade events, marketing campaigns and industry research initiatives that promote Ontario foods. It is part of Ontario's enhanced investment in 'buy local' initiatives.
Hastings, like many areas of the province, has an abundant food supply produced by local farmers, prepared in local restaurants and sold by local retailers. When we buy Ontario, everyone wins. It is good for our families, good for farmers, good for the rural economy and good for the environment."
On behalf of the board of the Hastings Federation of Agriculture, representing approximately 650 farm families in Hastings County, I would like to enthusiastically support the Harvest Hastings project. As a result of this endeavour, a new environment of optimism is developing among farmers who not long ago were contemplating leaving the industry in this county. The principle of making the program open to any interested producers, regardless of volume of product or financial situation, is just one aspect of the Harvest Hastings concept that seems to stand out among other local food programs." | <urn:uuid:e6101274-70d7-4726-9f60-49e4117b3e77> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://news.ontario.ca/omafra/en/2009/03/local-food-the-focus-in-hastings-county.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368708766848/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516125246-00013-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952807 | 336 | 1.84375 | 2 |
Two Electricity Giants to Combine, With Focus on Coal and Nuclear
By SIMON ROMERO; Vikas Bajaj contributed reporting for this article.
Published: December 20, 2005
The FPL Group announced its $11 billion acquisition of Constellation Energy on Monday, one of the largest such transactions in the history of the American electricity industry, with a focus on using two decidedly retro energy sources, coal and nuclear power, to make the deal work.
Lewis Hay III, the chairman of FPL, who will become the chief executive of the new concern, spoke in a telephone interview about the need for greater fuel diversity. The combined company, which is to take the name Constellation, will become the nation's third-largest provider of nuclear-fueled electricity, after Exelon and Entergy, and one of the largest suppliers of coal-fired power.
That translates into less reliance on natural gas, a fuel that was cheap and abundant in the 1990's but that has soared in price over the last year as a result of a shortage of domestic supply. Natural gas prices on Monday climbed 41 cents, to $14.02 a million British thermal units, remaining near record levels that have led to two other large deals in the energy industry in the last week: ConocoPhillips's acquisition of Burlington Resources and Southern Union's purchase of Sid Richardson Energy.
Mr. Hay pointed out that this year's hurricanes had significantly curtailed the supply of natural gas from the Gulf of Mexico. FPL had in recent years been contemplating projects to supply Florida, its home market, with imported natural gas delivered to a nearby terminal in the Bahamas. But those projects did not materialize because of environmental opposition and political quarrels in the Bahamas, leaving FPL to look elsewhere for fuel to meet electricity demands from Florida's fast-growing population.
Hence the allure of Constellation, which combines expertise in the area of energy trading with a portfolio of nuclear and coal assets that provide fuel for about three-quarters of its electricity. (By comparison, FPL, the parent company of Florida Power and Light, relies on natural gas for more than half its fuel needs.) Among the nuclear assets that Constellation controls are the Nine Mile Point 1 and most of the Nine Mile Point 2 plants in upstate New York.
''It's going to create a very significant player in the merchant power industry with geographical diversity and fuel mix diversity,'' said Michael Worms, an analyst at Harris Nesbitt, the investment banking unit of the BMO Financial Group.
Mayo A. Shattuck III, the chief executive of Constellation, who will be chairman of the new company, said that consolidation in the industry was just beginning, with the United States having about 100 companies that are considered utilities, compared with just 7 in Japan. FPL and Constellation started talking about a potential deal earlier this year after another big deal, Duke Energy's purchase of Cinergy.
''We would expect more of this to happen,'' said Mr. Shattuck, echoing analysts who are forecasting a merger boom in the year ahead. ''Our idea was, let's get to the endgame sooner.''
The new Constellation will have extensive reach in deregulated energy markets, allowing it to test its mettle, for instance, in areas where relatively cheap electricity produced from nuclear power and coal can nimbly compete with more expensive electricity from natural gas. The new company will also have a large renewable energy business, thanks to FPL's investments in wind farms; about a quarter of FPL's fuel needs are supplied by wind.
The combined company will have revenue of about $27 billion and the nation's largest portfolio of electricity generation assets, with more than 45,000 megawatts of capacity. Shareholders of FPL will control 60 percent of the new company, with Constellation shareholders owning the remainder. Constellation shareholders will get a 15 percent premium over the average closing price of the stock in recent weeks.
Merrill Lynch advised FPL; Morgan Stanley advised Constellation.
FPL shares fell 19 cents yesterday, to close at $42.76. Constellation closed at $59.10, down $2.52. | <urn:uuid:9f83795e-a8fc-4fa1-bc1f-2101753c9e50> | CC-MAIN-2013-20 | http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30F15FB3C540C738EDDAB0994DD404482&fta=y&incamp=archive:article_related | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368704132298/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516113532-00029-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950928 | 857 | 1.75 | 2 |
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