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Without question, the last chapter of Bold They Rise was the hardest to work on.
Not because it required more effort or research or anything like that, but because every word hurt.
Our publisher defined the scope of the book from the outset — the beginning of the program through the Challenger accident. Before we wrote the first words, we knew how the story had to end.
Writing the rest of the book, there was a lot of jumping around. Large portions of later chapters were written before earlier chapters. We just sort of put down the pieces where they fit.
Except the last chapter. Except the Challenger chapter. The end, we saved until last.
Which was pure procrastination. We knew we would have to write it, we just weren't in any hurry to do so.
Challenger had always been a personal thing for me. I was in middle school when it happened, and I can only imagine that it was for me what the Kennedy assassination was for a previous generation. I was a school kid, far from involved in it, but it hurt. It was a loss.
I've written about it every year since. For school writing assignments, newspapers columns, blog posts, I've paused today to put thoughts into words, to remember, to ponder the event, its meaning, the years since. I've gone from being a middle school student to being part of the team creating NASA's next launch vehicle. Challenger has gone from a national tragedy to a mandate. I'm not an engineer; I'm not designing the vehicle. But I try, every day, to hold myself to the standard I would want from those who do — "Do good work."
The crew of Challenger's 51-L mission were names in the news to me, far removed from my life. Eleven years ago, working for NASA, I'd not met any of Columbia's final crew. But over the years, I begin to meet the men and women who were risking their lives. After Columbia, there were few flights for which I'd not seen in person members of the crews. It was no longer names in the news. It was people.
During those years, I've also had gotten to know people who were in the astronaut corps at the time we lost Challenger. I'd never talked to them about the accident; I'd never had any desire to do so. There were better things to talk about.
Working on this book, however, I did.
Joe Kerwin, one of my co-authors on Homesteading Space, was the medical examiner after the tragedy. For Joe, these were not names in the news. They were his colleagues. They were his friends. And he and his team had to identify what was left of them, and to try to determine what exactly had happened to them in their final moments of life.
We recorded the story. I cannot imagine the experience.
We first submitted the manuscript for the book three years ago today, picking this date as a small tribute.
Today, we're reading through the manuscript one last time, with a looming deadline to send it back in for publication.
Heather has that chapter in her pile today. I'll read it again soon. But not today. Not today.
Filed under: Editorial, space, Writing | Tagged: 51-L, Bold They Rise, Challenger, Columbia, david hitt, Homesteading Space, joe kerwin, STS-107, STS-51L | 3 Comments »


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It seems fish that no one has posted on Barber since August 15th.
Quote from: Uncle Rob on September 26, 2017, 07:32:52 pmIt seems fish that no one has posted on Barber since August 15th.There has been chatter in the background. We do need to get a headcount for Thursday, Friday, and Saturdays dinners. Sooo...Randy Gardner T,F,SKurt Brown T,F,S
Randy Gardner T,F,SKurt Brown T,F,SCliff T,F,SJerry Holland T,F,SJean Sullivan T,F,SJerry Duke T,F,SDebra Duke T,F,SRocky Brown T,F,SRob Thomson T,F,SMike1 TFSMike2 TFSMike3 TFSMike4 TFSPhil Illingworth TFSBob Miller Sat only (friends of mine)Anna Miller Sat Only " "Fais T,F,SEwa T,F,S
Mike, try to set up were we were last year, it was nice and flat. About the 10 - 11 row towards the back.
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by Veronica
Dr. Evil Costume Photo 9 of 10
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This homemade costume for men entered our 2013 Halloween Costume Contest.
A word from Jeremy, the 'Dr. Evil' costume creator:
This is me as Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers Trilogy... I always wanted to Be Dr. Evil for Halloween because hes so frickin funny and I can embrace the character pretty well. I wore... Read more »
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Special Needs of Gifted Child
Are you homeschool a special needs child? Are you personally physically challenged? Here is the place to share your questions, tips, and experiences.
Moderators: Theodore, elliemaejune
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Special Needs of Gifted Child
I am homeschooling my gifted child. It is not a breeze as people may expect. He has difficulty socializing with other kids who don't share his intellectual interests and abilities. It is also hard to keep him motivated. Anyone out there homeschooling a gifted child?
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Actually, I don't have even one, but as far as I experienced handling some special kids, they are loveable children and they enjoy friends. I think you need to make his friends to others. Give him simple get together with some friends he has and bring new friends for him to familiarize. Try anything he deserves to enjoy life. Are they love to solve like MyMathdone subject or Science path?
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The Most Convenient City Budget Hotel
Located at most strategic location
Switz Paradise Hotel conveniently located in the heart of the City. We are one the closest budget accommodation to both the Central Business District and strictly situated inside Star City Shopping Mall, Opposite to Centre Point Sabah Shopping Mall within 2 minutes walk only. With its 68 spacious designed guests rooms, Switz Paradise Hotel - is the first choice for many leisure and business travellers visiting Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Dining • Shopping • Entertainment • Business District
A very centrally located Switz Paradise Hotel. Should you choose to go shopping, go out for a meal, or take part in Kota Kinabalu's thriving cafe culture, it's all on your doorstep, and only a short walk away. Competitive, attractive rates account for our popularity, and be it vacation or business, a warm and friendly welcome is extended to all by our helpful staff.
Little Bit About Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Sabah is a Malaysian state located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo (see map). It is the second largest state in Malaysia after Sarawak, which it borders on its south-west. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south. In spite of its status as a Malaysian state, Sabah remains a disputed territory; the Philippines has a dormant claim over much of the eastern part of the territory. The capital of Sabah is Kota Kinabalu, formerly known as Jesselton. Sabah is known as "Sabah, negeri di bawah bayu", which means "Sabah, the land below the winds", because of its location just south of the typhoon-prone region around the Philippines. - Courtesy from Wikipedia


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I am watching a rerun of one of the episodes of the American Bible Challenge. This is a quiz sho based on knowledge of the Christian Bible.
One of the questions asked what percentage of 100 interviewed thought dinosaurs were on the ark.
The answer was 27%. Should I or we be appalled that such a percentage would believe this. It almost boggles the imagination.
Views: 637
12% don't know the Earth revolves around the sun
That is astonishing. That is 36 million Americans.... How is that possible?
I am so grateful I am not in any of those percentages. My children aren't either, I know what follows is a bit wordy, but, well, I'm wordy at times.
I just got home from a longish car ride with my 9 year old son, who, when I asked him if he could name 10 body parts that have only 3 letters in the name, said he was going to say gills but realized there were more than 3 letters.
I said that humans don't have gills... but, when a human baby is developing from an egg, it goes through a stage when it has gill slits because humans share a common ancestor with fish. He said, "Tell me about the fish and humans and the common ancestor."
Oh boy. I told him about it, but I am sad to say I had to add, "Many people will think you are not making sense if you tell them we are distant cousins of fish because they don't know enough about science or evolution, and/or have been taught religious beliefs."
He said, "But the stories aren't logical." Basically, as it turns out, I tried to explain how he needs to deal with people in the percentages above in a way that a) doesn't incur their wrath, and b) is respectful,*
* I did tell him that some belief systems, such as the "Church" of Scientology, command no respect as far as I'm concerned. I told him I think he should learn about different religions and it is ok if he ends up believing. He said, "You wouldn't stop me?" I replied, "There are some things that people believe that, yes, I would do everything I could to keep them from convincing you what they are saying is true. If you eventually end up having faith in something that is helpful for you, that is ok."
He asked a lot more questions and I answered them the best I could. It would be so much easier to say," You make Baby Jesus cry when you ask questions."
It wouldn't be easier to say that, because you'd probably want to throw up, and it's really hard to talk while vomiting.
The Pew Memorial Trust has for years tracked what "relgionists" (including the infamous None) with its numeroud surveys. The data is available fresh and crispy, the entire reports, and the questions too. 'Pew surveys' ought to do as a search term --
Well, the Christian Bible never says dinosaurs weren't on the ark...
Don't know if you are being serious or not, but that is an argument I have heard many times. ----that something is not in the bible, so it must be true??
i find it funny that we are talking about the percentage of people who got a question wrong about an event that never happened haha lol :P
heres something you might find interesting about a survey conducted in america about religious knowledge
yeah, if they want to do that, they should start teaching alchemy instead of chemistry, astrology instead of astronomy and astrophysics, teach them that 2 + 2 = 5, they kids are young and stupid enough to believe all that bullshit haha
But 2+2 IS 5 for sufficiently large values of 2.


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The Senuke X Lifetime License Explained
SeNuke X Lifetime License Update as of 8/2/2011
SeNuke Version 2.0 will be launching on Tuesday, 8/9/2011, and the SeNuke X lifetime license will be temporarily re-opened for a 48 hour period starting at launch. This comes straight from Areeb. To put it another way, the lifetime license will be available starting: from 8/9/2011 4PM (EST), until 8/11/2011 4PM. No details on pricing yet, but I would expect it to be similar to the last time (see below).
Make sure to watch your email for updates from Areeb.
I've added a very short video about the lifetime license at the bottom of this post. Check it out.
It's official – there is going to be a SeNuke X lifetime license option available for SeNuker's who want it.
The SeNuke X lifetime license is going to be $1997. It will be offered during the launch, but it may be discontinued after the launch. The lifetime license, if it isn't discontinued, will increase in price to $2497 after the launch.
There will be a yearly option as well – $997. Both of these are a substantial savings over the monthly price of either $127 or $147 per month. If you can afford it, the yearly price is a no brainer, and the lifetime price isn't bad either. At the end of the year I am already paying $1524, the life time option is only $473 more. And if you price out the yearly option, it works out to only $83 per month. Not bad.
They also mentioned that both of these prices (yearly option and lifetime option) will stay in effect only during the launch, and the SeNuke X lifetime license may actually be discontinued after launch, they (Areeb and Joe) have not decided yet what they are going to do.
To summarize:
SeNuke X Lifetime License
$1997 – but only during the launch Period. May not be offered after launch.
SeNuke X Yearly License
$997 – but only during launch. After launch it will go up to $1,277 per year.
SeNuke X Monthly License
$127 during launch. After launch goes up to $147 per month.
>>Latest Update on the Lifetime License and Yearly Pricing<<
This email spells out the most recent update's on the pricing, as of 4/9/2011. Good until April 12th, Monday, at noon EST.
Special Pricing and MultiPay on SeNuke X
The special pricing is still in effect till
April 12th at 12:00 pm EST.
$1997 for a Lifetime license
$997 for a Yearly license ($83 a month)
Tomorrow we will be rolling out an installment
plan or multipay option for our Lifetime license.
You will be able to get the SEnuke X Lifetime
option for just three payment of $697
This is for the "No Trial" option only but you
will have a full 30 days to request a refund if
not completely satisfied.
Also, because of issues with our payment processor
we will not be able to transfer a current lifetime
purchase to a multipay.


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Paul McCartney capped the Grammys this month by leading an all-star jam on "The End," the grand finale on "Abbey Road," the last album recorded by the Beatles. The 43-year-old song may have finished the awards show, but it spoke to the seemingly endless new beginnings afforded by music.
Bruce Springsteen joined the jam after opening the Feb. 12 telecast with the E Street Band's first major performance since the death of Clarence Clemons last year. During the Beatles number, The Boss traded solos with Joe Walsh and Dave Grohl, a musical force nearly 20 years after the end of Nirvana. And McCartney, nearing 70, is unstoppable – even if some Twitter users never hear of him.
The Grammys finale came to mind this week with the intriguing news that Adam Lambert is set to front Queen at the U.K.'s Sonisphere 2012 music festival in July, some 20 years after the death of Freddie Mercury. The tapping of Lambert spurs ambivalent feelings. But it adds to a growing message from aging music greats. Critics and purists be damned: Rock royalty is set to rock on.
This is mostly a good thing, at least when done right. McCartney, Springsteen and Grohl remain relevant artists, at different ages and stages of their long careers. The upcoming Lambert gig is more complicated.
The music of Queen didn't die with Mercury and deserves new live airings, even with only some of its creators. Lambert, a fine performer clearly influenced by Mercury and David Bowie, seems a reasonable choice. But unlike the rock gods of old who paid a very different kind of dues as they made groundbreaking music, Lambert came to prominence on "American Idol," a show, like "The Voice," where the young singing-star hopefuls often audition with songs that were hits before they were born.
This speaks to the enduring power of the popular music of the last six decades, but also to a changing landscape where it can be harder for new music to break through and grab hold. Still, there's something heartening about generations finding occasional common ground in popular music, which has been more associated in the mass media age with rending generation gaps.
The uneasy balance was on display at the Grammys, which was shadowed by the sad death of Whitney Houston, an icon of the 1980s and 1990s, to whom current star Jennifer Hudson paid a brilliant musical tribute. The big winner of the night, 23-year-old Adele, triumphed with new music heavily influenced by artists from the latter half of the previous century.
We're in the midst of an unusual generational push-and-pull in music. Springsteen's new album, "Wrecking Ball," which is being streamed one cut at a time, aims to be the soundtrack for the youth-driven Occupy Wall Street movement – a characteristically bold move by the 62-year-old rocker. Grammy night brought some backlash on Twitter where, as BuzzFeed noted, a bunch of folks tweeted "Who is Paul McCartney?" – some genuinely unsure, others perhaps in protest of his two performances on a night on which Houston was on many minds.
McCartney is the older guy on the cover of the latest Rolling Stone. He's a musician who, in the last few years, has produced some of his best solo music and mounted some of his strongest concerts, mixing the old and new. He revealed in his interview with Rolling Stone that a manager urged him to retire at 50, because "it's going to get embarrassing."
"You get the argument, 'Make way for the young kids.' And you think, 'F--- that, let them make way for themselves," McCartney told the magazine "If they're better than me, they'll beat me.' Foo Fighters don't have a problem, they're good. They'll do their thing."
Sounds like a reasonable challenge from a performer determined to rock on. Think about that as you check out a humorous a music history lesson, courtesy of Funny or Die:
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


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Regia Sans is a typeface that was designed in 2008 in Concepción, Chile, and was first released for sale by Latinotype.
It is a very thin and condensed font with a modular design, well-suited for short texts, logos, magazines, posters, etc.
This new version includes more than 1,300 characters in Opentype format, many ligatures (including diacritical marks and numbers), two groups of alternate characters, and some swash characters. Languages include: Basic Latin, Western European, Euro, Catalan, Baltic, Turkish, Central European, Romanian and Pan Africa Latin.


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- 4 Beds
- 3 Full, 1 Half Baths
Property TypeResidential – Townhome
SubdivisionCastle View Townhomes
Listing Date01/10/20
Year Built2004
AreaEagle Ranch
Lot Size0.10 Acres (4,443 SqFt)
Parking1 Car Garage
Property Description
This beautiful townhome overlooks Brush Creek from a large deck, with unobstructed views of the Castle Peak. Large windows offer plenty of organic natural light, this home is move-in ready with modern finishes and an open floor plan perfect for entertaining and families. Association fees include year-round maintained exterior, garbage, water, and sewer. This home is located within close walking distance to the coffee shop, restaurants, movies, and schools.
Presented By
- Bus Route
- Creek or River
- In Town
- Mountains
- Fitness Center
- Golf-Public
- Hiking/Pedestrian Trail
- On Bus Line
- Tennis Courts
- Air Conditioning
- Deck
- Fireplace - Gas
- Patio
- Cable TV
- City Sewer
- Electricity Avail.
- Natural Gas Avail.
- Phone Available
- Satellite
- Snow Removal
- Trash Pickup
- Forced Air
- Natural Gas
- Ceiling Fan
- Zoned AC
- Dryer
- Washer
Financial Information
2 Beds 2 Baths
We get asked this question a lot. Below is a tool that gives you the ability to see what the market is like in your community. Find out what homes like your own are selling for right in your back yard. Simply enter in your address, choose the proximity of the search and find out market data for other homes that are selling near you.
While we'll provide you with plenty of information, this is a snapshot of your market data and there are real people behind the high-tech and automated tools. If you would like more detailed information or help in understanding the results we are here to help.
Until then, enjoy the tools!
The data relating to the real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of the Vail Multi-List Service, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Vail Multi List, Inc. (VMLS). The information displayed herein was derived from sources believed to be accurate, but has not been verified by VMLS. Buyers are cautioned to verify all information to their own satisfaction. This information is exclusively for viewers' personal, non- commercial use. Any republication or reproduction of the information herein without the express permission of the VMLS is strictly prohibited.
Listing courtesy of Vail Land Company LLC


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Abu Ghraib redux at Quantico
And we thought that the humiliation inflicted on military prisoners ended with Abu Ghraib and the Bush Administration.
Write the White House to demand that our the President (who as Commander-in-Chief is responsible) end the inhumane treatment of Pfc. Manning.
Here is the Manning story as it appeared in today's New York Times.
Labels: Abu Ghraib, Barack Obama, Commander-in-Chief, humiliation, Marines, Pfc Bradley Manning, WikiLeaks


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Assessment |
Biopsychology |
Comparative |
Cognitive |
Developmental |
Language |
Individual differences |
Personality |
Philosophy |
Social |
Methods | Statistics | Clinical | Educational | Industrial | Professional items | World psychology |
Developmental Psychology: Cognitive development · Development of the self · Emotional development · Language development · Moral development · Perceptual development · Personality development · Psychosocial development · Social development · Developmental measures
Permissive parenting is a parenting style characterized by tendency for the parents to permit behaviors of their children.
This parenting style is a warm,but lax pattern of parenting in which adults make relatively few demands and permit their children to freely express their feelings and impulses. Few rules;few demands They do not closely monitor their children's activity and rarely exert firm control over their behavior. Usually non-punitive. These children tend to be more selfish, impulsive, insecure and low achievers. They tend to lack in social responsibility.[citation needed]
This form of parenting is least effective on the reward and punishment aspects of the child's brain [citation needed]. Positive and negative reinforcement from outside the parental relationship to the child is considered with greater importance to brain development, than it would have omitting permissive parenting proportionally.


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Believe: An Interview With Seattle Mariners' Reliever Brian Sweeney
Believe. It's a motto Seattle Mariners' reliever Brian Sweeney goes by. Believe in yourself, believe in God, just believe and you will be fine.
On July 1, Sweeney, a native of Yonkers, N.Y., pitched at Yankee Stadium; a scoreless, 1-2-3 inning in which he got Ramiro Pena, Brett Gardner, and Derek Jeter out. He later went on to face the Yanks on July 11 in Seattle and got the likes of Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and Nick Swisher out. At press time, Sweeney is 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA.
But his story begins long before facing the Bronx Bombers. Sweeney recently talked to Yankee Yapping about his journey through baseball, where he learned his knee-buckling changeup, and how he was punk'd the night before he was called up to the big leagues.
Yankee Yapping: You started at Archbishop Stepinac High School, and then moved on to Mercy College. Could you describe what it was like to pitch for the Flyers (now known as the Mavericks) and what did you major in while you were there?
Brian Sweeney: Pitching for Mercy was an incredible learning experience. I learned about hard work, dedication and how important it was to not give in, no matter what the circumstance.
Our records each season were not very good but it was not for lack of effort. I learned how to lose which is an important aspect in my professional life.
Learning how to lose helped me want to win more!
We lost off the field as well, because our assistant coach passed away in a car accident my freshman year. I also learned my changeup from my head coach at Mercy that I still use today.
My major was biology.
YY: Growing up, was there any specific team or player you looked up to?
BS: I was a Yankee fan growing up and my idol was Don Mattingly.
YY: You made your MLB debut for the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 16, 2003. What was your initial reaction when you got the call to the show?
BS: There was an unbelievable feeling of satisfaction. I knew from when I was four years old that I wanted to be a professional baseball player. Granted I wanted to play shortstop for the Yankees, but after seven years of work in the minor leagues, I have finally accomplished my goal of getting to the big leagues.
People spend seven years in school to become doctors and lawyers, but I would certainly say my schooling helped me become a big league baseball player.
YY: After you spent a year with the Mariners, you went to San Diego to pitch for the Padres. What was the move like, going from the American League to the National League?
BS: The move wasn't a big deal, except I wanted to stay with the Mariners my whole career. They brought me up and I wanted to pay dividends for them. I guess I can do that now that I'm back in Seattle. Both San Diego and Seattle are classy organizations. I only wish they were closer to home for me and my family, though!
YY: On May 7, 2006, you earned your first career save in a 6-3 Padres' victory over the Chicago Cubs. As a relief pitcher, how did that feel and would you rather have a win or a save?
BS: It was a pretty cool experience considering our closer was Trevor Hoffman. He had pitched, like, five days in a row and he had the day off so they put me in the closer role that day. Everybody in the stands expected Hoffy to run out of the bullpen, but they got me that day.
All things winning are good, so I prefer both.
YY: At the end of '06 you made your way to Japan and pitched for the Nippon-Ham Fighters. The story in the Journal News said, "You could go on all day about the differences between pitching in Japan and the United States." Is there anything that you miss about Japan, now that you're back in the States?
BS: I miss some of the drills that were conducted over there. For instance, they would put the pitchers at shortstop and it really was a great workout. I also miss some of my teammates. I played with Yu Darvish, who is an excellent player and a classy individual. Overall, it was a lot of fun to play in Japan.
I would also say I miss the food there. It was tremendous!
YY: This past April you came back, signed a deal with the Mariners, and then you were sent to the minors. Exactly two months later you were back in the majors. How did it feel to be back, considering you went right back to where you started (in Seattle) Was it a kind of homecoming for you? How happy were your teammates for you?
BS: It felt like I was in a time machine. All I could say was, "Where am I?"
Coming back and getting called up was satisfying, especially since I was able to go back to the Mariners–the team that bred me for seven years. It was like a homecoming, but I also had to get to know a lot of my teammates.
The only one I really knew from my first stint with the Mariners was Ichiro. It was fun to catch up with him and we talked a lot about Japan. It was a learning process to get to know the rest of the players. It took some time, but I got to know them all.
YY: Recently on July 1, you pitched at Yankee Stadium–a scoreless, 1-2-3 7th inning in which you got Ramiro Pena, Brett Gardner, and the legendary Derek Jeter out.
Your family was there, holding signs that read "believe" on them. Could you maybe give me the story behind that, and what did it feel like to be pitching at Yankee Stadium against its most beloved player? Did you change your pitching approach when Jeter stepped into the box?
BS: Believe is a word my children use (they are 11 and 6). It's a strong word that means a lot and it pays dividends over time; believe in yourself, believe in God. My family jumped on that. They made signs that read "Believe" on them and it was meaningful to me that they did that.
I later found out that the Mariners' team expression is "Believe Big." It's just a positive word.
As for Jeter…
I did the same thing with him that I did with the other hitters; same approach. Obviously he is one of the most celebrated ballplayers on the Yankees and he was a nice challenge.
The only thing that was different about him was that he took a long time to get into the batter's box. I wish he had gotten into the box a little faster! Maybe he was trying to slow me down? It could just be his routine.
YY: At the moment your career record is 4-1. Of those four wins, which one would you say (if you can) was the most memorable, or rewarding?
BS: My first win was certainly the most rewarding. On June 29, 2004, San Diego needed a starter to face the Arizona Diamondbacks–and not just the D'Backs, but Randy Johnson.
Johnson had 3,992 career strikeouts and was going for 4,000. In that game, he got to 4,000 and I was two of them; I had to hit against him because it's the N.L. We did however win the game 3-2 and it was a great feeling.
The next day I actually met Randy and talked to him, which also made it memorable.
YY: What's the best story you have from being an MLB pitcher? When I interviewed John Flaherty (a former MLB catcher) he said he was hung over the day he was called up to the majors. Do you have a story like that?
BS: Oh brother! I know John very well and it's pretty funny that he was hung over when he was called up! I have a story like that…
The night before I was called up I was out with a longtime roommate of mine. We had a few beers and then Jim Slaton, one of the coaches said, "I'm fired because the team isn't pitching well." I didn't take it very well and had some choice words.
Finally he stopped me and said, "Just kidding. You're going to the big leagues tomorrow." I practically passed out; all the work I put in had finally paid off.
I was so happy, but I couldn't get in touch with my dad right away because of the massive blackout that hit the east coast in the summer of 2003. I wanted my dad to be the first to know, because he was and still is a huge part of my success.


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Guardian Protection Products is a leading distributor of furniture protection products for fabric, leather and wood applications. Marketed to retail furniture stores through a network of distributors, its products include a range of furniture cleaners, polishers, dust removers and surface-prepping solutions.
Headquarters: Hickory, North Carolina Phone: (800) 527-8485 Website: www.guardianproducts.com
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The world depends on mariners. Mariners depend on SCI. And we depend on you.
Select photos of mariners, SCI chaplains and staff from a trip to Convent, LA; Reserve, LA; and New Orleans, LA.
Photos by the Rev. David Rider, President & Executive Director, and Gregory Thorp.
SCI maintains a staff of professional chaplains with interfaith and cross-cultural backgrounds. Chaplains and volunteers assist thousands each year, extending a hand of friendship and hospitality.


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Mercedes-Benz A Class Hatchback | A180 AMG Line Executive 5dr Auto
Mercedes-Benz A Class Hatchback Overview
I would like all maintenance and service costs included
Initial Rental (Personal)
£2,347.16 inc VAT
Initial Rental (Business)
£1,955.97 ex VAT
Contract Length
48 Months
Processing fee
£199.99 ex VAT
Standard Options
- 4 Electric Front and Rear windows
- Heated glass rear windscreen timer control
- Privacy glass
- Rain sensing windscreen wipers with two sensitivity settings
- Rear wiper
- ABS with Brake Assist
- Active brake assist includes forward collision warning system with autonomous braking
- Adaptive brake assist with hold function and hill start assist
- Electronic parking brake
- ESP curve dynamic assist
- ESP with ASR
- Front brake callipers with Mercedes Benz lettering
- Floor mats with stitched edging and AMG lettering
- Lowered comfort suspension
- Dual bluetooth interfaces
- Hard-disk navigation
- Hey Mercedes Voice activation
- Preinstallation for Mercedes Benz link
- 180 degree rear view camera with parking guidelines
- Active lane keep assist
- Active park assist with parktronic system including front and rear parking sensors
- Attention assist
- Cruise control speed limiter
- Direct steering
- DYNAMIC SELECT with a choice of driving modes (ECO, Comfort, Sport and Individual)
- Speed sensitive power steering
- ECO start/stop function
- 10.25" media display
- 7" colour screen in instrument panel
- Brake pad wear indicator warning light
- Fluid level warning indicator for fuel, oil, coolant and washer fluid
- Lamp failure indicator
- Mercedes me connect including emergency call system, accident recovery, breakdown management and maintenance
- Outside temperature gauge
- Owners manual in English
- Pre-installation for car sharing
- Pre-installation for Vehicle Monitoring
- Pre-installation for Vehicle Setup
- Service indicator (ASSYST)
- Smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android auto
- Trip computer
- Wireless charging
- Body coloured door mirrors
- Electric adjustable and heated door mirrors with integrated LED side indicators
- Dinamica microfibre trim in black
- 2 USB ports (type C) in rear stowage compartment and one in front of center console
- 6 speakers
- DAB Digital radio
- MBUX multimedia system
- Mercedes-Benz sound system - 100W
- AMG bodystyling - Front apron with splitter in chrome, rear apron with chrome trim and chrome visible trim elements in tailpipe
- Black weather strip
- Body colour bumpers
- Body colour door handles
- Body colour side skirt
- Chrome beltline
- Diamond radiator grille with chrome pins and silver louvre chrome insert
- Exhaust system - Twin visible tailpipes in polished stainless steel
- Radio aerial
- Solid paint
- Window line trim strip in chrome
- Adaptive brake lights
- Headlamp assist automatic headlamp activation
- LED high performance headlamps with integrated LED daytime running lights
- LED tail lamp
- LED third brake light
- Rear fog lights
- Black air vents with surround in silver chrome
- Two zone thermotronic luxury automatic climate control
- 3 Spoke flat bottom leather multi function steering wheel with perforated leather in grip area
- Artico man-made leather/Microfibre Dinamica upholstery with red contrast stitching
- Black roof lining
- Brushed stainless steel sports pedals with rubber studs
- Controller on centre console with chrome surround
- Front centre armrest with storage compartment
- Front door sills with Mercedes benz lettering
- Front seat backs luggage nets
- Galvanished gear shift paddles on steering wheel
- Height/reach adjustable steering column
- Spectacles compartment for driver
- Stowage compartment in centre console with retractable cover
- Touchpad on center console
- Twin front cupholders
- Light and sight pack - A Class
- Mirror package - A Class
- Seat comfort pack - A Class
- 3 rear 3 point seatbelts
- Active bonnet
- Black seatbelts
- Childproof locks manually operated for rear doors and electrically operated for rear power windows
- Crash responsive emergency lighting
- Driver and passenger head and side airbags
- Drivers knee airbag
- Dual stage Driver/Passenger Airbags
- Front and rear seatbelt reminder
- Tyre pressure monitoring system
- Warning triangle and first aid kit
- Window airbags
- 40:20:40 split folding rear seats
- Auto Mercedes-Benz child seat recognition sensor
- Front seat cushion length adjustment
- Heated front seats
- ISOFIX and top tether child seat fixing points in two outer rear seats
- Manual height adjustable front seats
- Rear head restraints
- Seat occupancy sensor for front passenger seat
- Sports seats with integrated headrests
- Alarm system/interior protection/immobiliser
- Keyless Go
- Remote central locking and crash sensor with emergency opening function
- Rear axle multi-link
- Sunvisors with illuminated vanity mirrors
- Summer tyres
- 18" AMG 5 twin spoke light alloy wheels in titanium grey with highsheen finish
- Tirefit sealant kit
Technical Options
- HC+NOx: N
- Noise Level dB(A): 69
- Particles: N
- Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6
- Bore: 72.2
- Catalytic Convertor: True
- Compression Ratio: 10.6:1
- Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE
- Cylinders: 4
- Engine Layout: FRONT TRANSVERSE
- Fuel Type: TURBO DIRECT INJECTION
- Gears: 7 SPEED
- Number of Valves: 16
- Stroke: 81.4
- Valve gear: DOHC
- EC: True
- EC Combined: 53.3
- EC Extra Urban: 64.2
- EC Urban: 41.5
- WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium - Max: 8.6
- WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium - Min: 6
- WLTP - MPG - Comb: 5.2
- WLTP - MPG - Comb - Max: 6
- WLTP - MPG - Comb - Min: 6.1
- WLTP - MPG - Low - Min: 5.9
- WLTP - MPG - Medium: 6.7
- Any aspect of the vehicles safety cause concern?: Data Not Available
- Based On ID: N
- Coin Description: N
- Coin Series: AMG Line Executive
- Man Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 30
- Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years: 3
- NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: 75
- NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: 5
- NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: 136
- NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: 1.3
- NCAP Safety Assist %: M1
- Service Interval Frequency - Months: 96
- Special Edition: Data Not Available
- Special Order: Data Not Available
- Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 999999
- Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 3
- This vehicle is classed as a car for VED purposes: 12
- Timing Belt Interval Frequency - Months: 92
- Timing Belt Interval Mileage: 91
- 0 to 60: Data Not Available
- 0 to 62: 8.8
- Engine Power KW: 100
- Engine Power RPM: 5000
- Engine Torque LBS.FT: 148
- Engine Torque MKG: 20.4
- Engine Torque NM: 200
- Engine Torque RPM: 1460
- PS: True
- Top Speed: 134
- Alloys?: True
- Space Saver?: Data Not Available
- Tyre Size Front: 225/45 R18
- Tyre Size Rear: 225/45 R18
- Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT
- Wheel Style: AMG 5 TWIN SPOKE
- Wheel Type: 18" ALLOY
- Height: 1440
- Height (including roof rails): N
- Length: 4419
- Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 11
- Wheelbase: 2729
- Width (excluding mirrors): 1796
- Width (including mirrors): 1992
- Boot Capacity Saloons: 370
- Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 43
- Gross Vehicle Weight: 1880
- Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 1210
- Max. Roof Load: 75
- Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 1400
- Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 680
- Minimum Kerbweight: 1365
- No. of Seats: 5
- Payload: 515
Mercedes-Benz A Class Hatchback MERCEDES BRINGS ITS 'A' GAME (73/100)
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class now offers a stronger proposition to buyers in the premium compact segment. Jonathan Crouch checks out the fourth generation version.
Ten Second Review
Mercedes-Benz is a company often portrayed as being deeply conservative, though in fact, no other manufacturer has such a record of innovation. Today, the brand is bolder, more forward-thinking and younger in feel, attributes very much in evidence in this fourth generation version of its smallest A-Class model. This car's now pitched even more directly against sporty premium compact family hatches like Audi's A3 and BMW's 1 Series thanks to key new driving features, plus sharper looks, extra media connectivity and greater efficiency. There's now the option of a saloon body style too.
Want a case study in how to change brand perception? You're looking at it right here with this fourth generation Mercedes A-Class. This car aims to make this famous marque one that more younger buyers could consider. As before, we're told to regard this A-Class as what the market calls a 'compact premium family hatchback' - in other words, a Focus or Astra-sized car with superior quality and a bit of extra badge equity. It's the kind of very profitable product that all the mainstream makers wish they could sell but which is primarily defined by this car and its two closest competitors, the Audi A3 and BMW's 1 Series. The frumpy first and second generation A-Class contenders didn't really threaten these two rivals in any meaningful way, but this car's MK3 model predecessor really did. With its successor, Mercedes has sharpened up the looks, improved interior space and dialled in a great deal more safety and media connectivity.
Driving Experience
On to engines. The entry-level A200 variant is likely to be most popular featuring a new 1.4-litre 163hp unit available with either 6-speed manual or 7G-DCT dual-clutch auto transmission. Rest to 62mph in the manual model takes 8.2s. Next up is the A220 with a 190hp 2.0-litre engine and is the only derivative to offer a 4MATIC 4WD option. That variant sits just below the A250, which uses that 2.0-litre petrol powerplant in a 224hp state of tune. Rest to 62mph here takes 6.2s. Both the A220 and the A250 are only offered with a 7G-DCT auto 'box. At the top of the range is the 2.0-litre hot hatch Mercedes-AMG A35 4MATIC which offers a potent 306hp. There are three diesel alternatives, all offered only as automatics. The first is the A180d, which puts out 116hp and uses the 7G-DCT auto gearbox. Next up is the A200d which has a 2.0-litre 150hp engine. Beyond that lies the top A220d, which tunes the same unit up to 190hp. The A200d and A220 use an 8G-DCT auto. What else do you need to know? Well the suspension is the usual torsion beam rear set-up on most models, but if you go for a variant with 4MATIC AWD, you'll get a more sophisticated multi-link rear set-up. The 'DYNAMIC SELECT' driving modes system is standard, as usual enabling you to tweak steering feel and throttle response. At extra cost, adjustable damping can be added into it. Some of the autonomous driving capability from larger Mercedes models has been built into this one, meaning that, in certain situations, you're a-Class, if appropriately equipped, will effectively be able to drive itself on dual carriageways at cruising speeds.
Design and Build
There's a choice of five-door hatch or saloon body shapes. Either way, from the outside, this fourth generation A-Class delivers a more progressive design with a low bonnet and flat, more angular LED headlamps. The car is visually extended by its now longer wheelbase and a smart character line along the side. The bonnet slopes down more heavily than in the preceding model series, emphasising the more dynamic, upright front. Larger wheel arches housing bigger rims (ranging from 16 to 19 inches) help too, making this A-Class sit more squarely on the road. This MK4 design has a wider look at the rear end thanks to a more heavily waisted greenhouse and at the rear, there are slim, two-section tail lights. It's the interior that sees the really big changes though. The usual instrument binnacle cowl has been completely dispensed with, so the wing-shaped main body of the dashboard can extend from one front door to the other with no visual discontinuity. A virtual instrument screen (of either 7-inches or 10.25-inches in size) replaces the usual dials and can be joined with a centre-dash infotainment display (again either 7-inches or 10.25-inches in size) to create one continuous monitor, much as you get in larger Mercedes models. That extra wheelbase means more interior space - and with the hatch, the 370-litre boot is 29-litres larger than before too.
Market and Model
Prices for mainstream models start at around £26,000, which gets you either the A180d diesel variant or the petrol A200. There are three trim levels - 'SE', 'Sport' and 'AMG Line'. There's a choice of five-door hatch or four-door saloon models. The saloon requires a premium of around £2,000 over the hatch and has a slimmed-down engine range - A180d, A200, A220 4MATIC and A250. Every A-Class model comes well equipped. The entry-level 'SE' trim features twin seven-inch displays including a central touchscreen with MBUX multimedia system featuring 'Hey Mercedes' voice activation. Plus there's comfort suspension, 16-inch alloy wheels, a DAB radio, Artico man-made leather and Bertrix fabric upholstery, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Speed Limit Assist, a Keyless-Go starting function and air conditioning. The 'Sport' trim line adds LED high performance headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, Artico and 'Fleron' fabric upholstery and automatic climate control. 'AMG Line' customers will benefit from 18-inch AMG alloy wheels, an AMG bodystyling kit, Artico and Dinamica microfibre upholstery and a three-spoke sports steering wheel. This fourth generation A-Class is much better connected than before. Navigation functions, for example, can now be based on traffic feedback from so-called 'Car-to-X communication' where information gets fed in from other similarly-equipped road users. As usual, there's a dowloadable 'Mercedes Me' app that connects you into your car and can tell you things like local fuel prices or the availability of parking spaces at your destination.
Cost of Ownership
The economy champion of course, is the A180d variant, which exhales just 108g/km of CO2, while only drinking a gallon of fuel on the combined cycle every 68.9 miles. With respectable performance figures, it's a tempting package - albeit one that in its standard form, forgoes the big wheels and aggressive bodykits of more dynamic-looking versions. If you plan on adding the extra features, then economy will obviously take a hit. The A200d manages 67.3mpg and 110g/km. And the A220d returns 65.7mpg and 114g/km. As for the petrol engines, well the A200 in manual form manages 51.4mpg on the combined cycle and 133g/km of CO2, figures that improve to 55.3mpg and 120g/km if you go for auto transmission. The auto-only A250 2.0-litre petrol variant manages 45.6mpg and 141g/km. The warranty may be an industry standard 3 years but is for unlimited miles, handy to know if you spend a lot of time on the road. Just remember that a mid-range diesel is the sensible option for high resale figures. With that in mind, something like a mid-spec A180d model might well represent the sweet spot of the range. On the other hand, an 4MATIC petrol variant with every option thrown at it will lose a lot more of its value over the years.
Mercedes turned things around with its third generation A-Class, recreating it into the kind of car a younger, sportier buyer could consider. This sleeker, more sophisticated, bigger and better connected fourth generation model version continues that theme and lays down quite a challenge to its Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series rivals. And in summary? Well those who can afford the asking prices and like the driving experience will find this contender sporty, self-assured and possessed of a feel-good factor that really does make you feel special if you've specced your chosen variant correctly. Which is exactly what owning a car of this kind should be all about.
Why use All Car Leasing?
Browse alternate Mercedes-Benz A Class Hatchback models
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C — LIBERTY NELSON, Sr., Frederick: Hit .435 with 14 extra-base hits and a team-leading 34 RBIs for the Warriors.
IF — MIKALAH ARTZER, Jr., Niwot: Hit .403 and provided hot-corner defense that neutralized the bunt game for the Cougars' opponents.
IF — MACY CHILD, Sr., Silver Creek: Set school records for stolen bases in a game (5) and season (24) while posting a .924 fielding percentage.
IF — SHELBY KEIL, Sr., Silver Creek: Top shortstop in the Northern League hit .393 with six home runs and eight doubles.
IF — CLAIRE NIBBE, Sr., Erie: The Tigers' captain and team MVP recorded 18 extra-base hits while hitting a robust .377.
OF — DEVIN AUBRY, Jr., Silver Creek: Anchored a stellar defensive outfield for the Raptors and also hit .377 with 20 runs scored.
OF — BROOKLYN DeLOZIER, Fr., Niwot: The only solo shot among DeLozier's four homers occurred during the Class 4A state final. Compiled 25 runs and 22 RBIs for the 4A runner-up Cougars.
OF — BEKKA PROKASKI, Sr., Legacy: Leader of the Class 5A semifinalists hit .570 (49 for 86) with 19 doubles and 36 RBIs.
P — NICKIE BLUE, Sr., Niwot: All Blue did while leading the Cougars to the 4A title game was go 21-2, and in 149 innings she allowed only 10 earned runs while compiling 287 strikeouts.
P — SHELBY GRANDT, Jr., Broomfield: A gritty presence in the pitcher's circle, Grandt recorded 87 strikeouts in 1221/3 innings.
P — HALEY SMITH, So., Legacy: Went 14-1 on the mound while posting a 2.02 ERA.
DH — ALEX DUFOUR, Sr., Frederick: Hit a whopping .548 (40 for 73) while going 25 for 27 in stolen bases.
U — JO BOLYARD, Sr., Peak to Peak: Did a little bit of everything for the Pumas as a pitcher, hitter (.667 average, 38 RBIs) and base runner (18 for 19 on stolen base attempts).
COACH — BOBBY MATTHEWS, Niwot: Yes, Matthews had the luxury of sending Blue to the pitcher's circle every game. Yet he also had a roster full of freshmen, and the Cougars still nearly captured the Class 4A state title.
Elizabeth Acosta, Sr., Centaurus; Angelique Archuleta, Sr., Legacy; Lyndsey Babcock, Sr., Broomfield; Sammy Bashor, Jr., Lyons; Courtney David, Jr., Skyline;
Bailey Flanagan, Jr., Fairview; Nicole Gardon, Sr., Holy Family; Kaitlyn Glaze, Fr., Erie; Cheyenne Hamilton, So., Frederick; Kait Hoffmann, Sr., Frederick;
Katrina Hunt, Jr., Niwot; McKenna Kostelecky, Sr., Silver Creek; Kenzie Kudrna, So., Erie; Tiffany Maul, So., Erie; Alyssa Meadows, Fr., Niwot;
Shyanne Messer, Sr., Longmont; Mae Mitchell, Fr., Frederick; Amanda Ochoa, Sr., Erie; Grace Petersen, Jr., Holy Family; Natalie Platt, Jr., Boulder;
Paulina Quintana, Jr., Mead; Paige Reichmuth, Sr., Legacy; Christina Rodie, Sr., Monarch; Hannah Sheridan, So., Fairview; Katelyn Strub, So., Silver Creek;
Moriah Turney, Sr., Holy Family; Meghan Waidler, Fr., Niwot; Haille Weber, So., Silver Creek; Celyn Whitt, So., Legacy.
Follow us on Twitter: @bocopreps


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Sausages & Charcuterie
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KAREN HOCHMAN is Editorial Director of THE NIBBLE. She has burned out the motors of two appliances making pâté, and cedes the honors to Marcel et Henri.
November 2006
Updated August 2009
This is Page 3 of a three-page article. Click on the black links below to visit other pages, and check out food glossaries of your other favorite foods.
Androuillettes, boudins, saucisse: the entire classic canon (or enough to meet anyone's immediate needs) is available from Marcel et Henri. Many are fully-cooked, ready to heat-and-eat.
Saucisson à l'Ail is garlic salami.
Saucisse aux Fruits de Mer is a fully-cooked sausage stuffed with scallops, shrimp and pacific red snapper, flavored with vermouth.
Too many choices? Remember that each retailer may only carry a dozen or fewer items, but each will carry a different selection. Whenever you see a pâté or sausage by Marcel et Henri, you can bet that it's worth trying! Don't wait for a special occasion: bring some home and create one.
Authentic French Pâtés and Sausages
Available at fine retailers. For a store near you, telephone Marcel et Henri.
In California: 1.800.542.4230
Outside California: 1.700.227.5426
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
For more information visit MarceletHenri.com.
Go To The Article Index Above
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Greece (08/05)
For the most current version of this Note, see Background Notes A-Z.
Hellenic Republic
Area: 131,957 sq. km. (51,146 sq. mi.; roughly the size of Alabama).
Major cities: Capital--Athens. Greater Athens (pop. 3,566,060), municipality of Athens (772,072), Greater Thessaloniki (pop. 1,057,825), Thessaloniki (824,633), Piraeus (182,671), Greater Piraeus (880,529), Patras (170,452), Larissa (113,090), Iraklion (132,117).
Terrain: Mountainous interior with coastal plains; 1,400-plus islands.
Climate: Mediterranean; mild, wet winter and hot, dry summer.
Population (March 2001 est.): 10,964,020 million.
Growth rate: 0.21%.
Languages: Greek 99% (official); English.
Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Education: Years compulsory--9. Literacy--95%. All levels are free.
Health: Infant mortality rate-- 6/1,000. Life expectancy--male 76 years, female 81 years.
Work force: 4.36 million.
Type: Parliamentary republic.
Independence: 1830.
Constitution: June 11, 1975, amended March 1986, April 2001.
Branches: Executive--president (head of state), prime minister (head of government). Legislative--300-seat unicameral Vouli (parliament). Judicial--Supreme Court. Council of State.
Political parties: New Democracy (ND), Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), Communist Party of Greece (KKE), Coalition of the Left (SYNASPISMOS), and Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS).
Suffrage is universal and mandatory at 18.
Administrative subdivisions: 13 peripheries (regional districts), 51 nomi (prefectures).
Economy (2004 est.)
GDP: $204 billion.
Per capita GDP: $18,552
Growth rate: 3.7%.
Inflation rate: 2.9%.
Unemployment rate: 10%.
Natural resources: Bauxite, lignite, magnesite, oil, marble.
Agriculture (8% of GDP): Products--sugar, beets, wheat, maize, tomatoes, olives, olive oil, grapes, raisins, wine, oranges, peaches, tobacco, cotton, livestock, dairy products.
Manufacturing (22% of GDP): Types--Processed foods, shoes, textiles, metals, chemicals, electrical equipment, cement, glass, transport equipment, petroleum products, construction, electrical power.
Services (70% of GDP): Transportation, tourism, communications, trade, banking, public administration, defense.
Trade: Exports--$14.4 billion: manufactured goods, food and beverages, petroleum products, cement, chemicals. Major markets--Germany, Italy, France, U.S., U.K. Imports--$50 billion: basic manufactures, food and animals, crude oil, chemicals, machinery, transport equipment. Major suppliers--Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Netherlands, U.S.
Greece was inhabited as early as the Paleolithic period and by 3000 BC had become home, in the Cycladic Islands, to a culture whose art remains among the most evocative in world history. In the second millennium BC, the island of Crete nurtured the maritime empire of the Minoans, whose trade reached from Egypt to Sicily. The Minoans were supplanted by the Mycenaeans of the Greek mainland, who spoke a dialect of ancient Greek. During the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires (1st-19th centuries), Greece's ethnic composition became more diverse. Since independence in 1830 and an exchange of populations with Turkey in 1923, Greece has forged a national state that claims roots reaching back 3,000 years. The Greek language dates back at least 3,500 years, and modern Greek preserves many elements of its classical predecessor.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity is the dominant religion in Greece and receives state funding. During the centuries of Ottoman domination, the Greek Orthodox Church preserved the Greek language and cultural identity and was an important rallying point in the struggle for independence. There is a long-established Muslim religious minority concentrated in Thrace and an estimated 300,000 Muslim illegal immigrants living elsewhere in the country. Smaller religious communities in Greece include Old Calendar Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormons.
Greek education is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 15. Overall responsibility for education rests with the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs. Private colleges and universities (mostly foreign) do have campuses in Greece in spite of the fact that their degrees are not recognized by the Greek state. Entrance to public universities is determined by state-administered exams.
The Greek War of Independence began in 1821 and concluded in 1830 when England, France, and Russia forced the Ottoman Empire to grant Greece its independence under a European monarch, Prince Otto of Bavaria.
At independence, Greece had an area of 47,515 square kilometers (18,346 square mi.), and its northern boundary extended from the Gulf of Volos to the Gulf of Arta. Under the influence of the "Megali Idea," the expansion of the Greek state to include all areas of Greek population, Greece acquired the Ionian islands in 1864; Thessaly and part of Epirus in 1881; Macedonia, Crete, Epirus, and the Aegean islands in 1913; Western Thrace in 1918; and the Dodecanese islands in 1947.
Greece entered World War I in 1917 on the side of the Allies. After the war, Greece took part in the Allied occupation of Turkey, where many Greeks still lived. In 1921, the Greek army marched toward Ankara, but was defeated by Turkish forces led by Ataturk and forced to withdraw. In a forced exchange of populations, more than 1.3 million refugees from Turkey poured into Greece, creating enormous challenges for the Greek economy and society.
Greek politics, particularly between the two world wars, involved a struggle for power between monarchists and republicans. Greece was proclaimed a republic in 1924, but George II returned to the throne in 1935. A plebiscite in 1946 upheld the monarchy, which was finally abolished by referendum on December 8, 1974.
Greece's entry into World War II was precipitated by the Italian invasion on October 28, 1940. Despite Italian superiority in numbers and equipment, determined Greek defenders drove the invaders back into Albania. Hitler was forced to divert German troops to protect his southern flank and overran Greece in 1941. Following a very severe German occupation in which many Greeks died (including over 90% of Greece's Jewish community) German forces withdrew in October 1944, and the government-in-exile returned to Athens.
After the German withdrawal, the principal Greek resistance movement, which was controlled by the communists, refused to disarm. A banned demonstration by resistance forces in Athens in December 1944 ended in battles with Greek Government and British forces. Continuing tensions led to the outbreak of full-fledged civil war in 1946. First the United Kingdom and later the U.S. gave extensive military and economic aid to the Greek government. In 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marshall implemented the Marshall Plan under President Truman, which focused on the economic recovery and the rebuilding of Europe. The U.S. contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuilding Greece in terms of buildings, agriculture, and industry.
In August 1949, the Greek national army forced the remaining insurgents to surrender or flee to Greece's communist neighbors. The insurgency resulted in 100,000 killed, 700,000 displaced persons inside the country, and catastrophic economic disruption. This civil war left Greek society deeply divided between leftists and rightists.
Greece became a member of NATO in 1952. From 1952 to late 1963, Greece was governed by conservative parties--the Greek Rally of Marshal Alexandros Papagos and its successor, the National Radical Union (ERE) of the late Constantine Karamanlis. In 1963, the Center Union Party of George Papandreou was elected and governed until July 1965. It was followed by a succession of unstable coalition governments.
On April 21, 1967, just before scheduled elections, a group of colonels led by Col. George Papadopoulos seized power in a coup d'etat. The junta suppressed civil liberties, established special military courts, and dissolved political parties. Several thousand political opponents were imprisoned or exiled to remote Greek islands. In November 1973, following an uprising of students at the Athens Polytechnic University, Gen. Dimitrios Ioannides replaced Papadopoulos and tried to continue the dictatorship.
Gen. Ioannides' attempt in July 1974 to overthrow Archbishop Makarios, the President of Cyprus, brought Greece to the brink of war with Turkey, which invaded Cyprus and occupied part of the island. Senior Greek military officers then withdrew their support from the junta, which toppled. Leading citizens persuaded Karamanlis to return from exile in France to establish a government of national unity until elections could be held. Karamanlis' newly organized party, New Democracy (ND), won elections held in November 1974, and he became Prime Minister.
Following the 1974 referendum, the Parliament approved a new constitution and elected Constantine Tsatsos as president of the republic. In the parliamentary elections of 1977, New Democracy again won a majority of seats. In May 1980, the late Prime Minister Karamanlis was elected to succeed Tsatsos as president. George Rallis was then chosen party leader and succeeded Karamanlis as Prime Minister.
On January 1, 1981, Greece became the 10th member of the European Community (now the European Union). In parliamentary elections held on October 18, 1981, Greece elected its first socialist government, the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), led by Andreas Papandreou. In 1985, Supreme Court Justice Christos Sartzetakis was elected president by the Greek parliament. PASOK under Papandreou was re-elected in 1985.
Greece had two rounds of parliamentary elections in 1989; both produced weak coalition governments with limited mandates. In the April 1990 election, ND won 150 seats and subsequently gained 2 others. After Prime Minister Mitsotakis fired Foreign Minister Andonis Samaras in 1992, the rift led to the collapse of the ND government and a victory in the September 1993 elections for Andreas Papandreou's PASOK.
On January 17, 1996, following a protracted illness, Prime Minister Papandreou resigned and was replaced by former Minister of Industry Constantine Simitis. In elections held in September 1996, Constantine Simitis was elected prime minister. In April 2000, Simitis and PASOK won again by a narrow margin, gaining 158 seats to ND's 125. Most recently, parliamentary elections were held March 8, 2004; Konstantinos Karamanlis, the nephew of the former prime minister, became prime minister. Karalos Papoulias was elected as President in February, 2005.
Greece's exemplary success in hosting a safe and secure 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens has enhanced its international prestige. The 2004 Olympics and Paralympics left an impressive and expensive legacy of new roads, spectacular stadiums, and modern public transportation systems begun under the PASOK government in 1997 and completed by the New Democracy government of Karamanlis in 2004.
Greece is a parliamentary republic whose constitution was last amended in April 2001. There are three branches of government. The executive includes the president, who is head of state, and the prime minister, who is head of government. There is a 300-seat unicameral "Vouli" (legislature). The judicial branch includes a Supreme Court. Administrative subdivisions include 13 peripheries (regional districts) and 51 nomi (prefectures). Suffrage is universal at 18.
Principal Government Officials
President-- Karolos Papoulias
Prime Minister--Constandinos Karamanlis
Foreign Minister--Petros Molyviatis
Ambassador to the United States--Georgios Savvaidis
Ambassador to the United Nations--Adamantios Vassilakis
Greece's embassy in the United States is located at 2221 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008; tel: (202) 939-1300; fax: (202) 939-1324.
Greece also maintains consulates in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, Houston and Tampa.
The government succeeded in 2000 in reducing budget deficits and inflation, allowing Greece to join the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on January 1, 2001. Greece, along with 11 out of its 14 European Union (EU) partners, adopted the euro as its new common currency in January 2002. The euro was expected to boost trade, help dismantle the last remaining market barriers within the EU, and stimulate production. However, a more relaxed fiscal policy since 2002 and higher expenditures associated with the preparation of the Athens 2004 Olympics resulted in higher deficits and debt in 2003 and 2004. The government deficit in 2004 is estimated to have reached 5.3 percent of GDP and the debt 112 percent of GDP. The new administration has pledged to reduce the government debt to 2.8 percent of GDP in 2005 and to tighten fiscal finances.
The Greek economy was expected to grow by 3.7 percent in 2004 and continue relatively higher growth rates in 2005 and beyond. High growth rates resulted in a drop in unemployment although it is still high among younger persons. Foreign investment also has dropped, while efforts to revive it have been only partially successful. Greek investment in Southeast Europe has increased.
Services make up the largest and fastest-growing sector of the Greek economy. About 12 million tourists visited Greece in 2003 with net revenues of about 7.4 billion euros. Remittances from transport (mainly shipping) are growing at fast rates and in 2004 have been exceeding tourism receipts. Industrial activity has a mixed performance with certain sectors such as the food industry and high-tech/telecommunications showing healthy increases. Textiles are more affected by international competition. Agriculture employs about 12 percent of the work force and is still characterized by small farms and low capital investment, despite significant support from the EU in structural funds and subsidies. Traditionally a seafaring nation, the Greek-owned merchant fleet totaled 3,355 ships in May 2003, 9.3 percent of world merchant fleet and 18.3 percent of gross tonnage.
European Union (EU) Membership
Greece has realigned its economy as part of an extended transition to full EU membership that began in 1981. Greece last assumed the rotating EU presidency in the first half of 2003. Greek businesses continue to adjust to competition from EU firms, and the government has liberalized its economic and commercial regulations and practices.
Greece has been a net beneficiary of the EU budget; in 2003, EU transfers accounted for 2.8 percent of GDP and may have exceeded 3 percent of GDP in 2004. From 1994-99, about $20 billion in EU structural funds were spent on projects to modernize and develop Greece's transportation network in time for the Olympics in 2004. The centerpiece was the construction of the new international airport near Athens, which opened in March 2001 soon after the launch of the new Athens subway system.
EU transfers to Greece, under the third Community Support Framework Program, are to phase out over the next decade. The last of some $24 billion in structural funds will be disbursed by 2006. These funds contribute significantly to Greece's current accounts balance and further reduce the state budget deficit. EU funds will continue to finance major public works and economic development projects, upgrade competitiveness and human resources, improve living conditions, and address disparities between poorer and more developed regions of the country. A new support program may be implemented in the future.
U.S.-Greece Trade
In 2003, the U.S. trade surplus with Greece was about $1.9 billion. There are no significant non-tariff barriers to American exports. The United States accounted for 5.6 percent of Greece's imports in 2003, which reached $44.7 billion. The top U.S. exports remain defense contracts, although American business activity is expected to grow in the tourism development, medical, construction, food processing, and packaging and franchising sectors. U.S. companies are involved in Greece's ongoing privatization efforts; further deregulation of Greece's energy sector and the country's central location as a transportation hub for Europe may offer additional opportunities in electricity, gas, refinery, and related sectors.
Greece's foreign policy is aligned with that of its EU partners. Greece gives particular emphasis to its close relations with Cyprus but also has growing political and economic ties with the Balkan countries and the Middle East.
Greece maintains full diplomatic, political, and economic relations with its south-central European neighbors. It provides peacekeeping contingents for Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan. Greece has good relations with Russia and has embassies in a number of the central Asian republics, which it sees as potentially important trading partners.
Prominent issues in Greek foreign policy include Greek-Turkish differences in the Aegean, Turkish accession to the EU, the name dispute with the Macedonia, the reunification of Cyprus and Greek-American relations. Starting in January 2005, Greece assumed a two-year seat on the U.N. Security Council.
The Greek dispute with its northern neighbor over its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, has been an important issue in Greek politics since 1992. Greece was adamantly opposed to the use of "Macedonia" by the government in Skopje, claiming that the term is intrinsically Greek and should not be used by a foreign country. Mediation efforts by the UN and the United States brokered an interim agreement whereby Greece recognized the country as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) in September 1995. Talks on the name question continue under UN auspices.
Greece restored diplomatic relations with Albania in 1971, but the Greek Government did not formally lift the state of war, declared during World War II, until 1987. After the fall of the Albanian communist regime in 1991, relations between Athens and Tirana became increasingly strained because of allegations of mistreatment of the Greek ethnic minority by Albanian authorities in southern Albania. A wave of Albanian illegal economic migrants to Greece exacerbated tensions. In the past several years, however, cooperation between Greece and Albania has improved, with efforts focused on regional issues, such as narcotics trafficking and illegal immigration. However, tensions hover just below the surface. Greece remains host to 600,000-800,000 Albanian immigrants, many of them illegal. Albanian crime in Greece often attracts headlines.
Greece-Turkey-Cyprus Relations
For historical reasons, most Greeks see Turkey as the major potential threat to their security. Greece and Turkey have unresolved disagreements regarding the Aegean, the treatment of the Orthodox Church and Greek minority in Istanbul, and the Muslim (primarily ethnic Turkish) minority in western Thrace. The largest source of tension in their relationship since 1974 has been the Cyprus conflict. Only the Republic of Cyprus entered the EU on May 1, 2004, following a failed referendum on the Annan Plan. Greek Cypriots overwhelmingly rejected the plan, which could have allowed a united Cyprus to enter the EU. Turkish Cypriots voted in favor of the plan and both Greece and Turkey expressed their approval.
At times over the past three decades, tensions between Greece and Turkey have almost reached the point of armed confrontation, usually caused by one side or the other attempting to clarify an ambiguous status quo in the Aegean. In 1996, President Clinton intervened to help avert a possible armed exchange after Greek and Turkish journalists generated a dispute over ownership of an uninhabited rock called Imia. A significant breakthrough in relations took place with the major earthquakes that hit Turkey and Greece in 1999. Both countries and peoples responded generously to the other's need, helping turn around official perceptions that rapprochement was politically too risky. Since that time, Greek and Turkish Foreign Ministers George Papandreou and Ismail Cem (and their respective successors Petros Molyviatis and Abdullah Gul) have steadily increased the quantity and quality of bilateral exchanges, both official and unofficial.
Greece has endorsed and supported Turkey's bid for candidacy to the European Union since the Helsinki EU Summit in 1999. Despite continuing disagreements with Ankara over Cyprus and the Aegean, Greek opinion leaders across the political spectrum are convinced that Greece's long-term interests are best served by Turkey's successfully fulfilling the requirements for European Union membership. On December 17, 2004, the European Union voted to open accession talks with Turkey on October 3, 2005.
The Middle East
Greece claims a special interest in the Middle East because of its geographic position and its economic and historic ties to the area. Greece cooperated with allied forces during the 1990-91 Persian Gulf War. Since 1994, Greece has signed defense cooperation agreements with Israel and Egypt. In recent years, Greek leaders have hosted several meetings of Israeli and Palestinian politicians to contribute to the peace process. Greece has been traditionally supportive of Palestinian claims. However, beginning in the late 1990s, efforts to strike a more balanced relationship with Israel received a boost. Greek-Israeli relations have been complicated by Israel's strategic cooperation with Turkey.
The United States and Greece have longstanding historical, political, and cultural ties based on a common heritage, shared democratic values, and participation as Allies during World War II, the Korean conflict, and the Cold War. The Greek government responded to the September 11, 2001 attacks with strong political support for the United States, use of Greek airspace, and the offer of Greek military assets in support of the counterterrorism campaign. Its participation in Operation Enduring Freedom included the stationing of a Greek Navy frigate in the Arabian Sea for almost 2 years--the most distant deployment ever for the Greek Navy. In the summer of 2002, Greek authorities captured numerous suspected members of the terrorist group "17 November." It was a major break in the investigation of the group, which had killed five U.S. mission employees since 1975. The trial of the November 17 suspects successfully concluded in the fall of 2003.
There is smooth cooperation between U.S. and Greek counter-terrorism officials. Greek and American diplomatic, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies enjoyed close cooperation in the build-up to and throughout the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens.
About 1.1 million Americans are of Greek origin, and almost 3 million call themselves Greek-Americans. This large, well-organized Greek-American community in the United States cultivates close political and cultural ties with Greece. Greece has the seventh-largest population of U.S. Social Security beneficiaries in the world.
The United States has provided Greece with more than $11.1 billion in economic and security assistance since 1946. Economic programs were phased out by 1962, but military financial assistance continued until the early 1990s.
In 1953, the first defense cooperation agreement between Greece and the United States was signed, providing for the establishment and operation of American military installations on Greek territory. The United States closed three of its four main bases in the 1990s. The current mutual defense cooperation agreement (MDCA) provides for the operation by the United States of a naval support facility that exploits the strategically located deep-water port and airfield at Souda Bay in Crete.
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--Charles Ries
Acting Deputy Chief of Mission--Jeff Olesen
Management Counselor--Jeff Olesen
Regional Security Officer--Michael Darmiento
Political Counselor--Karen Decker
Acting Economic Counselor--Robert Winchester
Public Affairs Counselor--Barry Levin
Consul General-- Ann Sides
Acting Defense Attache--Col. Thomas Tutt
Commercial Counselor--Walter Hage
Principal Officer, Thessaloniki--Demitra Pappas
Agricultural Counselor--Geoffrey Wiggin (resident in Rome)
Greece's embassy in the United States is located at 2221 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008; tel: (202) 939-1300; fax: (202) 939-1324.


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"Ya me voy" is sometimes heard often; for example at the end of the workday. What alternative phrases convey a similar meaning? "Me marcho" comes to mind, but it seems to connote walking in formation.
I realise this is an open-ended question that may or may not have a good, single answer. As such if this is a poor fit for this particular site I would agree with closing/deleting the question. In either case, thanks very much for your time and I look forward to any answers.


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As part of the rejuvenation and regeneration of "Days of Our Lives," yet another familiar face has returned to Salem, and "Days" enthusiasts couldn't be more excited. Matthew Ashford has returned to town, after being held prisoner in Afghanistan while working on a story, and plans to reclaim his life — ex-wife Jennifer and daughter Abigail included. Of course, it won't be easy, as nothing is on soaps, but I've got my money on Jack Deveraux's ability to charm his way back into his family's life. I spoke with Matt recently about his return to Salem.
Daytime Dial: I know you've kept busy doing other projects and televisions series, so how did it come about that "Days" producers were able to lure you back to the show?
Matthew Ashford: I had gone in some years back and had a good conversation with the producers at that time, and they were very upfront. They told me, "We really like you, love your work," and all that good stuff, but they didn't have anything available for me at the time. They were actually trying to clear the deck a little bit anyway. I appreciated the honesty, because it's better than them saying things they think you want to hear, but then nothing comes of it. I understood that, so I kind of moved on.
It started up not too long ago, Jack's name had been coming up in dialogue — Jack's doing this; Jack's doing that — but still no call on my end. Then kind of out of the blue, I get a phone call and they ask: "Are you around? What's your schedule? What's your level of interest?" And I was interested. They said: "We have a story that we are interested in writing. We think there's some really exciting things we can do with the character of Jack."
DD: As an actor, that's always good to know.
MA: Exactly! That's what I'm looking to hear. They have written some really fun stuff, some very challenging things, and that's what brought me back. There's a lot of great stuff coming — they have definitely been true to their word. They are interested in the character of Jack. It's a far more complicated playing field now with Jennifer and this Dr. Dan, and Abigail is now a grown young woman who has her own wants and needs. So coming to terms with that, and then there's other people in town that I'm just starting to get to play with, which is all very, very cool.
DD: I never did buy the story that Jack was "on a walkabout" to find himself. I knew he had another, better reason for leaving his family. I'd say being held hostage is a good reason. Now that Jack is back, what does he hope to accomplish?
MA: He's come back to regain his life. That's the reason everybody comes back to Salem, to regain their life. He has always wanted Jennifer, and I think he's honest and sincere when he says that. Melissa (Reeves, who plays Jennifer) just returned to the show with the passing of Alice, and I think the audience was like: "Yeah, we like this. We like seeing her again. She's got roots here, and we like those roots." I just think those characters are important. They are important to the story. They're important as characters.
DD: Jack has a way of coming back into Jennifer's life just when she has decided to start over and commit to another man …
MA: That's kind of funny, isn't it? How'd that work out? I would think that would be highly annoying to any girl. At least Jennifer has never used the word "stalker," but I guess you could say in some way he's a wife stalker.
But he's back to find his life in Salem again. The writers want to dig into the who, what, when, why and where of everybody, and they're not afraid to look at old story lines and go from there. But they also are bringing to it a new look, a fresh perspective and excitement and energy, and they are willing to look at things a little differently. I'm excited to say that there are things that will be brought up and you will say, "Oh wow, I didn't think we'd get into that." And we are, and it's good.
DD: With this return to its roots, "Days" fans old and new are very excited to see what's in store for them, and for their favorite characters.
MA: It's very good because a longtime viewer will say: "Yes! I remember that!" And a younger viewer might say: "Well, that's kind of weird. What's that all about?" But hopefully it will be told in such a way that the younger viewer and the longtime viewer will be able to come together. And that is what I think is the smart thing to do: Let people enjoy their passion for the show together. When Ken Corday talks about how this is a family show, it's every generation of people sitting down together saying, "Yeah! I like that," or "That was really important when I was your age too." It's all very exciting.
DD: It also must be exciting, and complimentary to you as an actor, that "Days" wanted you to return to help roll out the new/old "Days of Our Lives." Looking back, you've been involved in most of the more-fun and fan-favorite story lines.
MA: I just think we found a level of communication and trust, and that, for us, was paramount. Some of the other stuff was window dressing. Oh they (Jack and Jennifer) were on a cruise, or stuck in a cabin in a snowstorm, or in a train, or in a Wild West show, or wherever the heck we were. I think the important thing is the connection between these characters with all the roadblocks they threw up in between. So, yes, I'm eager to do that. I think we have had some wonderful scenes already. It doesn't mean that they are happy. It doesn't mean that the scenes are easy, but there is definitely a connection. I've had to rely on Missy very much as we're jumping back into this, and she's been wonderful in supporting me. Just jumping in, it takes two to tango, and fortunately she's been very supportive and very helpful.
DD: Jack always seems to be getting himself into something — please tell me that won't change.
MA: Oh yes, I hope he continues to get into something. I hope he never gives that up. He's always trying something. Some people say you can't be goofy and bumbling and also be taken seriously, but I hope we don't have to make it a strong distinction between the two, because he's overcoming obstacles. Like I said, I just hope that he gets into things seriously, really gets in the middle of it.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Interview (Days): Jack Is Back — And He Wants Jennifer!
As part of the rejuvenation and regeneration of "Days of Our Lives," yet another familiar face has returned to Salem, and "Days" enthusiasts couldn't be more excited. Matthew Ashford has returned to town, after being held prisoner in Afghanistan while working on a story, and plans to reclaim his life — ex-wife Jennifer and daughter Abigail included. Of course, it won't be easy, as nothing is on soaps, but I've got my money on Jack Deveraux's ability to charm his way back into his family's life. I spoke with Matt recently about his return to Salem.


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Bali Road Map
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
After the 2007 United Nations Climate Change Conference on the island Bali in Indonesia in December, 2007 the participating nations adopted the Bali Road Map as a two-year process to finalizing a binding agreement in 2009 in Copenhagen. The conference encompassed meetings of several bodies, including the 13th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 13) and the 3rd Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (MOP 3 or CMP 3).
The Bali Road Map includes the Bali Action Plan (BAP) that was adopted by Decision 1/CP.13 of the COP-13. It also includes the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP)[1] negotiations and their 2009 deadline, the launch of the Adaptation Fund, the scope and content of the Article 9 review of the Kyoto Protocol, as well as decisions on technology transfer and on reducing emissions from deforestation.[2]
Bali Action Plan
The Conference of Parties decided to launch a comprehensive process to enable the implementation of the Convention through long-term cooperative action, now, up to and beyond 2012, by addressing: (the called pillars or building blocks)
- A shared vision for long-term cooperative action, including a long-term global goal for emission reductions.
- Enhanced national/international action on mitigation of climate change.
- Enhanced action on adaptation.
- Enhanced action on technology development and transfer to support action on mitigation and adaptation.
- Enhanced action on the provision of financial resources and investment to support action on mitigation and adaptation and technology cooperation.
Cutting emissions
The nations acknowledge that evidence for global warming is unequivocal, and that humans must reduce emissions to reduce the risks of "severe climate change impacts" and is emhasized the urgency to address climate change. There was a strong consensus for updated changes for both developed and developing countries. Although there were not specific numbers agreed upon in order to cut emissions, the Decision recognized that there was a need for "deep cuts in global emissions" (plural countries proposes 100% reduction in 2050) and that "developed country emissions must fall 10-40% by 2020".[3]
Enhanced action on mitigation of climate change includes, inter alia:
- Nationally appropriate mitigation commitments or actions by all developed countries.
- Nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) by developing countries.
- Cooperative sectorial approaches and sector-specific actions (CSAs).
- Ways to strengthen the catalytic role of the convention.
The nations pledge "policy approaches and positive incentives" on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) in developing countries; and enhacement of forest carbon stock in developing countries This paragraph is referred to as "REDD-plus".[4]
The nations opt for enhanced co-operation to "support urgent implementation" of measures to protect poorer countries against climate change, including NAPAs. impacts.
In technology development and transfer, the nations will consider how to facilitate the transfer of clean and renewable energy technologies from industrialised nations to the developing countries.This includes, inter alia:
- Removal of obstacles to, an provision of financial and other incentives for, scaling up the development and transfer of technology to developing country Parties in order to promote access to affordable environmentally sound technologies (renewable energies, electric vehicles).
- Ways to accelerate the deployment, diffussion and transfer of such technologies.
- Cooperation on research and development of current, new and innovative technology, including win-win solutions.
- The effectiveness of mechanism and tools for technology cooperation in specific sectors.
Provision of financial resources and investment includes:
- Improved access to predictable and sustainable financial resources and the provision of new and additional resources, including official and concessional funding for developing country Parties (dcP).
- Positive incentives for dcP for national mitigation strategies and adaptation action.
- Innovative means of funding for dcP that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change in meeting the costs of adaptation.
- Incentivisation of adaptation actions on the basis of sustainable development policies.
- Mobilization of funding and investment, including facilitation of climate-friendly investment choices.
- Financial and technical support for capacity-building in the assessment of costs of adaptation in developing countries, to aid in determining their financial needs.
Ad Hoc Working Groups
The Conference decided establish a subsidiary bodies under the Convention to conduct the process, the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) and the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP), that were to complete their work in 2009 and present the outcome to the COP15/MOP 5. The Group must develop its working programme in its first session in a coherent and integrated manner.
The AWG-LCA and AWG-KP presented draft conclusions to COP15 and MOP 5, which contained many unresolved issues. These working groups are now due to report to COP 16 and MOP 6 in Mexico.
Four major UNFCCC meetings to implement the Bali Road Map were planned for 2008, with the first to be held in either March or April and the second in June, with the third in either August or September followed by a major meeting in Poznan, Poland in December 2008. The negotiations process was scheduled to conclude at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
See also
- Adverse impact on the environment
- Agenda 21
- Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)
- Carbon financing
- Climate Technology Initiative (CTI)
- Expert Group on Technology Transfer (EGTT)
- Flexibility mechanism
- Global Environment Facility (GEF)
- Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- Monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV)
- Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN)
- Risk assessment
- Technology Needs Assessment (TNA)
- Zero-carbon economy
External links
- Part of the UNFCCC site dedicated to the Bali Roadmap
- BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | At a glance: Bali climate deal
- Bali Action Plan (.pdf) on United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change gateway
- Full text of the Framework Convention, agreed 9 May 1992
- Conference official blog
- Video clips of key moments on the last session of the Conference and interviews with Hilary Benn and Myron Ebell on Channel4 News: [http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/international_politics/bali+a+deal+of+sorts/1189647 "Bali: a deal of sorts
- Draft report of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol on its tenth session
- Outcome of the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention. Draft conclusions proposed by the Chair.