text:
Attract Birds with Dwarf Conifers
Attract more birds to your backyard with these top choices of dwarf conifers.
When it comes to attracting birds, there is a guaranteed recipe for success. Birds are attracted to a backyard that provides the tempting trio of food, shelter and nesting sites. And what's a great way to offer all three? Conifers!
Seed-filled or berrylike cones offer food, while dense branches provide four-season refuge as a place to nest or hide from predators. Problem is, if your yard doesn't already boast a few conifers, you may not have the space to grow a full-sized fir or large Colorado blue spruce.
That's where dwarf conifers come in. These compact versions of the large trees offer beauty, versatility and the qualities that attract birds.
With sizes ranging from low-growing ground covers to small globe shapes to pyramidal trees growing 5 feet tall, dwarf conifers easily fit into yards of all sizes. And, in addition to making your place more bird-friendly, their small stature and interesting colors and needle textures satisfy a broad range of landscape needs.
Small Trees for Attracting Birds
"Dwarf conifer" is a somewhat relative term. While they are slower growing and smaller in stature than their full-size counterparts, the rate of growth and the ultimate height depend on your climate, site conditions and characteristics of the particular species. (Read more: Top 10 Dwarf Conifers for Small Spaces)
Dwarf conifers offer a wide range of colors, shapes and textures, making them a great choice for scaled-down landscapes. Color options go beyond your typical shades of green to include yellows and oranges, soothing tones of blue, or variegated needles or scales.
Certain conifers even change color with the season—whether as contrasting shades of new spring growth, the fall foliage of deciduous conifers like larch, or the interesting plum color that appears with cooler weather on trees like false cypress and many juniper ground covers. Showy cone-like flowers on certain species of fir, spruce and pine provide spring color in hues of pink, purple, lavender and red.
The more diminutive dwarf conifers don't provide much benefit to birds as shelter, though these ground covers can complement other plants or provide cones for feeding birds. The key is to select trees that serve birds, yet still fit the size and style of your landscape.
For shelter and nesting purposes, select trees with an upright or drooping growth habit. If you're unsure how they'll grow, check the plant information. There also may be clues in the tree's botanical name. Upright cultivars often contain the words Fastigiata or Columnaris, while Pendular means it has drooping branches.
Dwarf Conifers for Feeding Birds
Conifers that grow in attractive mounds or are shaped like pyramids make great structural accents. Two examples are dwarf western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla 'Thorsen's Weeping') and dwarf Sawara false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Curly Tops'). Dwarf columnar species, such as common juniper (Juniperus communis 'Compressa') or eastern arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Degrott's Spire'), provide intriguing exclamation points of interest in perennial beds or borders.
The selection of conifers for feeding birds is quite broad. The seed-filled cones of spruces, firs, pines and many others appeal to nuthatches, finches, grosbeaks, chickadees and other seed-eating birds. Junipers and yews provide a feast of berrylike cones for species like waxwings, robins, bluebirds and sparrows.
The best time to plant conifers is during the cool days of fall or anytime the ground is not frozen. Areas with milder climates can plant anytime from October through March. Most conifers grow best in slightly acidic soil in a sunny, well-drained site. Give the trees a bit of afternoon shade in the hot, southern regions of the country.
For the most part, yews (Taxus), hemlocks (Tsuga) and some species of false cypress (Chamaecyparis) also do well in partial shade. However, there are certain cultivars in nearly all conifer types that will tolerate some shade.
As a general rule, conifers also prefer moderately moist soil, though junipers, pines and true cedars (Cedrus) easily adapt to dry conditions once they are established. (Read more: Best Conifers for Landscapes)
Once planted, the trees don't require much care. Soils of average or less fertility actually help encourage the dwarf characteristics, so applying a thin layer of organic mulch, such as compost, pine needles, shredded bark or leaves, once a year is plenty.
Seven Best Dwarf Conifers for Birds
These conifers may be dwarf in size, but they all provide giant benefits to birds in the way of seeded cones, insects and year-round shelter.
1. Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis 'Mother Lode'): Attractive ground cover with bright, golden-yellow foliage that turns plum in winter. Berrylike cones. Zones 3 to 9.
2. Dwarf Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis 'Cole's Prostrate'): Low, spreading habit with cascading branches. Dense shelter for ground-feeding birds like towhees and juncos. Zones 4 to 8.
3. Dwarf Colorado spruce (Picea pungens 'Montgomery'): Intensely blue, dense mound that becomes pyramidal to 5 feet tall when mature. Favored by chickadees and grosbeaks. Zones 3 to 8.
4. Dwarf mugo pine (Pinus mugo 'Slowmound'): Dense, dark-green foliage, grows 3 to 5 feet tall and wide in 10 years. Zones 2 to 7.
5. Dwarf Korean fir (Abies koreana 'Starker's Dwarf'): Dwarf nest-form tree, grows 3 to 4 feet tall. Zones 4 to 6.
6. Golden eastern arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Rheingold'): Orangish-gold, globe-shaped tree with soft young foliage. Grows to 4 feet in 10 years. Zones 4 to 7.
7. Sawara false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Curly Tops'): Silvery-blue foliage with distinctive curled needles. Pyramidal habit, grows 5 to 8 feet tall. Zones 4 to 8.


text:
Beauty should be more than skin deep in a beauty salon. And finding small ways to make your salon a healthier place to be will pay off in big ways for you, your clients and the environment. Here are 7 things you can do to green your salon starting today.
1. Choose Organic Hair and Nail Products-There is a growing variety of products available that make this easier to do. Choosing to use products with natural ingredients rather than those with chemicals is great for your clients and leaves less of a footprint on the earth. And using more environmentally friendly products will drastically reduce the chemical smells often associated with salons.
2. Use Fluorescent Rather Than Incandescent Lighting-Fluorescent lights are more energy efficient because they produce up to 6 times more light than an incandescent bulb of the same wattage. They use fewer natural resources because they require less energy, and they put money in your pocket because using less energy costs less money.
3. Use Boar Bristle Brushes-Using this type of brush rather than plastic means less plastic in landfills. It is also a healthier brush for hair and scalp. The boar bristle brush is excellent at removing dirt and dust, stimulates the scalp, and as a result spreads natural oils through the hair. Having your customers experience this type of brush will help you easily justify the price of admission.
4. Use Organic Fabrics-Choose natural fabrics for window treatments, towels, capes. Towels and capes made of organic fabrics will feel better against the skin and will enhance the experience we have come to expect when visiting the salon.
5. Choose to Use Biodegradable Products-The best way to determine if and to what extent soaps, shampoos, cleaning agents, and detergents will return to nature is to look for the "certified biodegradable" designation from the Scientific Certification System. A product with this designation will be 70 percent decomposed within 28 days after disposal. Using products with this certification protects our water supplies and our health.
6. Safe Storage–Store partially used products that contain chemicals away from areas where client services are performed. Put chemical trash in metal trash cans with tops that keep fumes contained.
7. Continuously Filter Chemical Fumes-Unless you use an air purifier to filter the air in your salon, you run the risk of your being constantly exposed to fumes all day every day. The most effective filter for chemicals has been proven to be a carbon based filter with additives that insure elimination of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) that are often found in products used in beauty salons. Allowing harmful fumes to constantly be replaced by fresh air makes your salon a greener place to be.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Exclusive A second software licence broker has been kicked out of the Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) in what appears to be a crackdown against those selling its members' software at discounted rates.
Value Licensing has had its application for renewed membership FAST turned down, it has told The Reg.
The company specialises in selling second-hand Microsoft licences obtained from bankrupt and liquidated companies that it sells for an up to 80 per cent discount.
Its customers include SMEs and corporate types and its biggest sale to date has been the offloading of a whopping £1.3m in unwanted Windows software from collapsed retailer Comet in 2012. The software was broken out from Comet's volume licensing agreement.
Value Licensing is the second software licence broker to be kicked out of FAST.
Discount Licensing became the first member in the history of FAST to have its membership torn up, earlier this month.
Discount Licensing was kicked out following a legal settlement with fellow member Microsoft over claimed copyright infringement on the sale of US software licences in Europe.
FAST said it ejected Discount Licensing because of "uncertainty" around the legality of "certain" second-hand software sales. Discount Licensing had joined FAST in 2009.
Value Licensing managing director Jonathan Horley told The Reg he was surprised to have his company's FAST membership renewal turned down given FAST had lobbied him so hard to join in the first place, during 2012.
"It's a shame," Horley told us. "It's was useful to have the FAST logo on the website."
But, Value Licensing has fallen victim to a policy under chief executive Alex Hilton excluding software brokers from membership.
Value Licensing was approached to join FAST in 2012, but it was in February 2013 that FAST got a new chief executive – non-executive director Hilton.
Hilton is credited with having run Microsoft's anti-piracy business.
Hilton would not discuss the details of the Value Licensing black-balling but he told The Reg Wednesday he'd been approached by five companies selling second-hand software since becoming CEO and that they had not been admitted.
"As chief executive, the buck stops with me," he told The Reg. "It's not a random, knee-jerk reaction. It's a considered action I've taken on behalf of the members [of FAST]."
Hilton said he is representing the interests of the membership of FAST, whose core constituency is those who make and sell software.
He said software that is resold calls into question the "value proposition and pricing policy" of the software companies. "The vendor develops their intellectual property and it's their licence to sell as they see fit," he said.
However, Value Licensing says on its website it's a registered Microsoft partner and reseller and Horley reckoned he'd never had any problems with Microsoft in its dealings. Further, Horley said Value Licensing "follows the rules" – it does not, for example, sell software licences meant for educators to business customers.
Horley claims to sells to most of the European Union. He claims that by buying unwanted Microsoft licences, customers can save between 25 and 30 per cent on the price of Microsoft Office, up to 50 per cent on an Office Windows and core CAL bundle, and up to 90 per cent on the price of older versions of software.
Companies like Value Licensing make their money by exploiting the latitude provided by a July 2012 European Court of Justice ruling involving Oracle.
The database giant had brought a case against UsedSoft, arguing its licence agreement stated its software could not be resold.
It now seems FAST's leadership is now acting despite the apparent freedom to trade granted to companies by that European ruling.
FAST is well-known for prosecuting individuals and companies on software piracy and abuse of its members' licences.
Hilton refused to say whether having now blocked FAST to those reselling software licences it intended to follow up with legal enforcements. ®


text:
Beebe to talk with Washington about Medicaid ideas
Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe is meeting with the Obama administration this week to see how much flexibility Arkansas may have as it decides whether to expand Medicaid's eligibility under the federal health care law.
A spokesman said Beebe plans to meet with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Friday while he's in Washington for the National Governors Association meeting. Beebe is a Democrat who backs expanding Medicaid - but has faced resistance from the Republican-led House and Senate in Arkansas.
One of the ideas Beebe plans to discuss is whether Arkansans making just above poverty can purchase insurance on an exchange rather than go on expanded Medicaid.
House Speaker Davy Carter told reporters he hopes to get answers to questions lawmakers are seeking as they consider Medicaid expansion.


text:
The book's first contents page lists recipes for a range of medical remedies, including concoctions for lethargy, swimming heads, stinking breath, and hair loss.
About Countrey Contentments
Countrey Contentments or The English Huswife was written by Gervase Markham in 1615, and was a best-seller of its time - reprints continued up until 1683. In fact, Markham did not write most of the recipes contained in the book: he admits in the preface 'this is no collection of his whose name is prefixed to this worke, but an approved Manuscript which he happily light on, belonging sometime to an honorable Personage of this kingdome, who was singular amongst those of her ranke for many of the qualities here set forth.' Later editions of the book attribute the recipes to 'an Honourable Countesse.' It was not uncommon for male cookery book writers to transcribe recipes found in unpublished manuscripts, many of which would have been written by aristocratic women, who would have had regular access to key ingredients.
Although the title of the book suggests that it is written for a female readership, it is thought that very few women (between 5 and 10%) were literate at the time. Historians believe that most readers would have been members of the clergy, the gentry and the professions.
Markham (1568-1637), poet and writer, was the third son of Sir Robert Markham of Gotham, Nottinghamshire. He served in the army in the Low Countries and then in Ireland, he spoke several modern languages, and was knowledgeable on the subjects of horse-breeding and forestry. His work included various tragedies and comedies, a study of horsemanship, an account of his military experiences, and a number of books on managing a country household.


text:
View All
Rocket Dog Wall Stickers£13.99
Clouds Wall Stickers£13.50
Repositionable Wall Stickers for Children
Reimagine your rooms with our wide variety of wall stickers for children. Perfect for adding the finishing touches to a nursery, playroom, or bedroom, our wall stickers feature designs in a variety of colours, shapes, and sizes. All are easy to remove with minimal effort and no damage, so you can rearrange your stickers as and when you desire.
With princesses and pirates, animals and the alphabet, wall stickers from Disney, and many more, any room can be transformed with our easy to use stickers.


text:
Food & Drink
Big blimpin': Piloting a 'homesick angel'
Thom Patterson, CNN • Updated 3rd January 2014
View Gallery
14 Pictures
It's New Year's Eve, and we're suspended 2,000 feet above Atlanta by an iconic bag of gas. It's kind of hard to believe I'm actually flying the Goodyear blimp.
For a guy with zero piloting experience, I have to ask: Is this legal?
"Yep," Goodyear pilot Matt Lussier says, sitting on my right. "I'm a certified instructor, and you're my student."
It's an icon that's soared through America's skies for nearly 100 years. Join CNN on a flight aboard the Goodyear blimp.
Let me set the scene. High above the downtown Georgia Dome, where the Chick-fil-A Bowl is being played, Lussier, camera operator Tom O'Keefe and I are sitting in a tiny metal gondola with a passenger and cockpit area about 6 feet wide and 15 feet long. We're surrounded by windows, some of which are open.
Looking out those windows ... it's a loooooooong way down.
And winds out of the northwest at about 12 mph are making it a little chilly.
We have to wear headphones to communicate with each other above the roar of the blimp's twin propeller engines. I don't mind telling you, it's more than a little unnerving.
As Lussier put it more than once this night: "That's blimpin'!"
In front of me on the floor are two pedals.
"Put your feet on the pedals, and push the right pedal down about four inches," Lussier says. When I do this, the rubbery 192-foot-long aircraft slowly begins to turn right. "Now, push the right pedal all the way to the floor." As I do that, I'm surprised when the left pedal starts to push up against the sole of my left foot.
Now, the blimp's right turn begins to speed up.
Next, Lussier tells me to floor the other pedal -- the one under my left foot.
Slowly, the lumbering airship reverses itself, bringing us back to a straight course.
A wooden "elevator wheel" to the right of the pilot's seat is used to point the airship up or down. No fancy "fly-by-wire" electronics here. It blows my mind to think that the controls at my feet are directly connected by cables to the rudder and elevators on the blimp's tail.
Future is in spying and carrying cargo
My five minutes as a blimp pilot trainee hammered home this fact: These aircraft are the ships of the skies. They perform a lot like ships or even submarines, Lussier says. The wind is the equivalent of ocean currents.
The 32-year-old Lussier, who's been "blimpin' " for Goodyear since 2011, answered some of CNN readers' blimp questions.
I'll tick a few off:
• Nope, no bathrooms aboard. It takes discipline.
• No parachutes, either. The blimp flies too low for them to be effective safety equipment.
• No seat belts. No oh s**t handles like you might find in an SUV.
• The blimp does have Sirius/XM satellite radio, when the signal isn't blocked by the giant helium bag.
• Via radio, an ESPN TV director orders specific beauty shots for the bowl broadcasts from Lussier and O'Keefe. Those images are beamed via microwave to a truck on the ground. Although we can't watch the ESPN broadcast, we can see O'Keefe's video on a cockpit monitor.
• The blimp has the same cockpit indicators you'd expect on a plane, including altitude, speed and direction.
• The blimp has radar to track nearby aircraft.
• Rules call for the blimp to stay 1,000 feet above any obstacles, including skyscrapers, and 2,000 feet away horizontally.
Goodyear blimp: Surprising facts
I also got a heart-pounding first-hand look at what makes blimp takeoffs and landings so challenging.
An Idaho State University professor is planning to build a high-tech blimp to track down Bigfoot.
But first, some of you wanted to know why an experienced airplane pilot like Lussier, who's been flying since his teen years in North Carolina, would shift his career from flying private corporate planes to a whole other kettle of fish: blimps.
The answer: Lussier loves working with people. As a pilot, he wanted more than a job that flew passengers from point A to point B.
Flying for Goodyear -- and showing off what's arguably the world's most iconic blimp -- means he and the other blimp crews help raise hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for groups such as the Boys and Girls Club and the United Way. Hour-long blimp rides are auctioned off at fundraisers, and the money goes to help the needy.
Lussier seems to have been born to fly. When he was 3, Lussier's mother asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. "I told her I wanted to be a bird. So I guess I found the next best thing: flying."
He competed against about 1,600 other applicants to join Goodyear's blimp team, surviving a half-dozen interviews before he got the gig.
"I don't want to fly anything else ever again," Lussier says. "It's absolutely my dream job."
Blimpin' is all about appreciating the joy of flying "slow and low," as Lussier puts it -- sometimes so slow and so low that it's not unheard-of to be passed by flocks of Canada geese.
While we regular travelers enjoy the comfort of being sealed away from the forces of nature in airline cabins, blimpin' puts Lussier closer to the true experience of flight. He loves to fly with the windows open. In hot weather, he'll often lean out the window at 2,000 feet to cool off.
Helium heads
Many of the blimp's controls and flight procedures are the same as airplanes. But airship aficionados, affectionately known as helium heads, know what really sets these machines apart: helium.
The helium inside the blimp's giant gas bag, known as "the envelope," is lighter than air. It makes the blimp always want to rise, even when you're trying to land.
"They're homesick angels," says Lussier.
Airplanes take flight when wind rushes across and under their wings, pushing them into the air. With blimps, the lift of the helium creates a pulling sensation, as if a puppeteer is in control from above.
Tweeting live from the Goodyear Blimp
These homesick angels also have a devilish side: The helium and the wind can make takeoffs and landings very tricky.
For some reason, I thought the takeoff would be more like a balloon ride, gently rising from the ground to our eventual altitude. The reality is a bit more dramatic.
I'm not overstating it when I say this: Taking off in the blimp is a scary, thrilling, white-knuckle ride. On this night, Lussier performed one of blimpin's more difficult maneuvers: a "pull off."
Blimps take off best by heading directly into the wind. But that's not always possible. A "pull off" is a trick that pilots use when obstacles stand in the way. In this case, the obstacles are a ditch and a huge mast that is used to tether the blimp.
Using the rudder pedals, Lussier "threads the needle" between the two, steering the blimp like a boat crossing a river with a strong current.
Next, using engine control levers with his left hand and the elevator wheel in his right hand, Lussier points the blimp's nose upward and guns the power.
The blimp's two engines throttle up to a deafening roar as they push their propellers 2,800 revolutions per minute. Suddenly, I'm nearly on my back as Lussier points the blimp up at a 25-degree angle -- only 5 degrees short of maximum.
Heeeeeeeere we go.
The airship ascends at 1,500 to 2,000 feet per minute. In no time at all, we're 1,000 feet high and beginning to level off.
Here come the Zeppelins
At the stroke of midnight, hours after our rumbling takeoff, we find ourselves looking down at the city's traditional giant "peach" drop. This might well be the most unusual New Year's transition I'll ever see.
2014 also will be unique for Goodyear.
Zeppelin: Latest way to see Paris
It plans to begin phasing out the GZ-20A blimps -- like I'm riding in -- and replacing them with
high-tech Goodyear NTs
. These sleek, new bad boys are co-produced by the maker of the famous Zeppelin airships of the early 20th century. Goodyear NTs will have internal frameworks, unlike blimps, which will allow the fleet to go faster and maneuver better than ever before.
Eventually, Goodyear's current fleet of three iconic blimps will retire -- perhaps, some speculate, to become museum exhibits.
Of course, the usefulness of airships extends way beyond broadcasting and promotional purposes.
A U.S.-based company called
Aeros is developing a new kind of airship
that would carry cargo long distances over the Arctic. The defense industry has also been working on an
airship that would carry heavy military equipment
and be able to land or takeoff from virtually any terrain. The Pentagon tested a
surveillance blimp
in 2012.
Dirigible resurgence?
Those airship applications are taking off, but after more than six hours aboard the Spirit of Innovation, I'm ready to experience a blimp landing.
Atlanta's brightly lit skyline is dotted with spectacular orange, red and green fireworks shooting into the air far below as we motor toward DeKalb-Peachtree Airport.
Obviously, planes rely on gravity to bring them down to Earth. With blimps, not so much, because the helium makes them want to keep going up. "You drive it down; you don't fly it down," Lussier explains.
A weather event called a temperature inversion is going to make this landing a little more challenging. This happens when warmer air traps cooler air near the ground. The cooler air will cause a blimp to lift when it approaches a landing strip.
The runway looms large in our windshield, about 100 feet under the gondola.
To cut the blimp's tendency to lift, Lussier comes down low to let the chilly air near the ground cool his helium. Then we circle back around for a landing attempt.
"We'd better try to stay above airport property," Lussier says. We'd very much like to avoid any surprise New Year's Eve fireworks from the neighbors. Should I be nervous?
Armed with red flashlights, a 15-member Goodyear ground crew lines up along the airstrip and grabs the rope lines hanging from our blimp.
Lussier aborts our first landing attempt, a common occurrence. Circling back, we try again.
As the wheel under the gondola hits the pavement, you hear a comforting shushhhhhhhh as Lussier reverses engines to slow us down.
This unforgettable ride is done. All in all, we've burned about 62 gallons of "100 Low-Lead" airplane fuel.
The next day, the crew will pack up its five-vehicle convoy and follow the Spirit of Innovation as it flies toward Florida for another college bowl. There, they plan to do it all over again, practicing a century-old profession unique among aviators.
Like Lussier says: That's blimpin'!
A year of the world's
Best Beaches
There's a perfect beach for every week of the year. Join us on a 12-month journey to see them all
Go to the best beaches


text:
Whedonites rejoiced when it was announced Joss Whedon will direct an episode of television's best show, Glee. But you know what would be even cooler? If Whedon could pick up some tricks from Glee and bring them back to Dollhouse.
(And no, I don't believe Dollhouse is for-certain doomed — the ratings are picking up slowly, and the show still has a shot. The fact that it's being left out of November sweeps, and won't be back until December, is a very bad sign, but we've already seen miracles. Joss doesn't seem to think it's necessarily the end. So, you know, be mighty and all that.)
Dollhouse is one of my favorite TV shows right now, but it's not my absolute favorite — sadly, that honor belongs to Glee, which isn't even science fiction. It's not just the show's brilliant musical numbers, its visual flair, or its amazingly rich character-driven comedy. It's not even the relentless pushing of the "it's okay to be different" message. It's the storytelling — even in a year that has seen Torchwood: Children Of Earth and the final half-dozen episodes of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Glee has been making me see whole new possibilities for television as a unique medium, with its own storytelling toolkit.
So here are a few things we'd love to see Joss Whedon bring back to Dollhouse after his visit with Glee.
1) The pacing. That's actually the main thing that jumps out at me every time I watch an episode of Glee. They pack so much into one episode, and none of it feels forced. Last night's episode would have been ten episodes, or maybe even a whole season, of any other show. The Puck-dates-Rachel subplot alone would have spanned several episodes and featured a whole host of scenes of them discussing it and other characters reacting. The bit where Mr. Schu and Sue Sylvester are suddenly doing a dance number together — was it a dream sequence? Was it an imaginary story? No! — it came out of nowhere, and then made total sense.
No other television show burns through plot lines as fast as Glee, and it's exhilarating to watch. It makes other TV shows feel like they're doling out story in little doses, with a teaspoon or something. And it makes each episode of Glee feel more like a movie.
Dollhouse, in particular, has a problem with pacing. It was worse in season one, when Fox pushed the "remote-free viewing" idea, in which every episode had limited commercial interruptions and Whedon's crew had to fill 50 minutes instead of 42 minutes per episode. But the pacing continues to lag quite a bit in season two. Whedon has done faster-paced television before — many Buffy season two episodes rush forward as if they're on fire — but maybe it's time to return to that kind of downhill-racer story-telling. Like, for example, maybe instead of the assignment of the week, we could get the assignment of the next ten minutes?
2) Fun villains. Okay, so Joss probably can't put a gun to Jane Lynch's head and march her over to the Dollhouse sets. If he tried, she would probably disable him for life using her retractable ginsu blades. But maybe Dollhouse could use some more characters who actually enjoy being evil? Adelle has her moments of smugness, and Alpha seemed to have some fun with being nasty, in the tail end of season one — but they both mostly seem tormented. Dollhouse is full of morally gray people who feel really bad about all the awful things they're doing, and what's better to put that into relief than giving us at least one character who just revels in his/her badness? I'm holding out hope for Reaper's Ray Wise, as the head of another Dollhouse, in some upcoming episodes. Also, it's possible we'll be meeting some more high-up Rossum Corp. people who can show us more of the full-blooded nastiness we've only glimpsed so far.
3) More fantasy sequences and montages. Quinn's "You Keep Me Hanging On" sequence last week was just insane — and Dollhouse has shown lots of potential to go to the weird montage/dance sequence/bling-covered fantasy place. Just watch its unaired pilot, which is on the DVD box set. There's so much crazy jumping around between Echo as a gangster and Echo as a ballroom-dancing wedding date, and everything is colorful and zingy — I feel like maybe some of that spirit got lost in the show's revamp, after Fox nixed the original pilot. But it wouldn't hurt to get a bit of that back. I'm picturing mindwiped synchronized swimming, and brainwashed hot-air ballooning, set to showtunes. Come on, why not?
What do you think? Could Dollhouse use just a touch more Glee?


text:
Executive Summary: Is the Deepest Recession in Decades Ending?The heady days of 2004-2007, when global GDP growth averaged about five percent per annum, seem like a distant memory now. Growth in most countries slowed in the first half of 2008 due in part to monetary tightening, the unprecedented rise in energy prices and dislocations in credit markets. Global economic activity then went into absolute freefall in the fourth quarter of 2008 as credit markets froze up in the wake of Lehman Brothers failure, and the sharp downturn in major economies extended into the first part of this year. Industrial production in the OECD countries (i.e., the thirty most developed economies in the world) plunged 17 percent in the first quarter of 2009, by far the sharpest year-over-year rate of contraction in decades.
It could have been worse. Most major countries averted a catastrophe last year by taking steps to prevent a wholesale collapse of their financial systems via recapitalization, loan guarantees, and increased deposit insurance. In addition, governments responded to the crisis with stimulative economic policies. Major central banks slashed policy rates to unprecedented levels, and governments in most major countries opened the fiscal taps.
There are signs that the medicine is having its desired effects and that growth is returning to most economies. The global recovery is being led by Asia where growth turned positive again earlier this year. The financial systems of most Asian economies were not nearly as levered as their western counterparts, so banks in the region were able to ramp up lending again. In addition, most Asian governments responded to the crisis with expansionary fiscal policy. The year-over-year GDP growth rate in China rose from six percent in the first quarter to eight percent in the second quarter. However, the expansion is not confined to only China. Many other countries in the region, including the large economies of Japan, Korea and Taiwan, are posting positive growth rates again.
There is solid evidence to suggest that Canada, the United States and most economies in Western Europe have stabilized. Production was slashed much faster than final demand in most western economies, leading to sharp declines in inventories. It appears that massive inventory liquidation has come to an end, and manufacturers are beginning to ramp up production to bring output back in line with final sales. In that regard, stimulus measures enacted late last year and earlier this year are helping to boost activity. Most western economies should post positive growth rates over the next few quarters. That said, the modest global upturn that appears to be underway remains fragile, and a self-sustaining recovery has not yet been firmly established.
The Dollar Should Appreciate Modestly versus Major Currencies
The dollar strengthened significantly last autumn as risk aversion spiked. U.S. Treasury securities are considered to be the safest assets in the world, and massive buying of U.S. government bonds by foreign investors contributed to the dollar's strength. The greenback has given up most of its gains over the past few months as investors have turned less risk averse. With stock markets rising in most countries and corporate bonds rallying, the safety of low-yielding U.S. Treasury securities is not as compelling as it was only a few months ago when worst-case scenarios did not seem farfetched.
Looking ahead, the currency strategy team of Wells Fargo projects that the dollar will trend modestly higher against most major currencies. Investors expect that most major central banks, including the Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England, will be on hold until well into next year. Therefore, expected changes in short-term interest rates will not have as much an influence on exchange rates as in the past. As the U.S. recovery gathers steam, foreign investment flows into long-term securities (e.g., corporate bonds and equities) and direct investment inflows should resume, helping to lift the greenback. In addition, the decline in the U.S. current account deficit should exert less headwind on the greenback than it did earlier this decade when the dollar was trending lower.
To see full report: GLOBAL CHARTBOOK


text:
Going Green as You Clean: Are 'Green' Detergents Less Toxic Than Conventional Detergents?
|Areas of Science
Environmental Science
|Time Required
|Long (2-4 weeks)
|You will need to be flexible and creative in carrying out the procedure. You should be prepared to adjust the procedure, as needed, to ensure that the results are due to the detergents being tested and not variations in the worms' conditions.
|Material Availability
|Worms can be purchased at fishing bait stores.
|Average ($50 - $100)
|No issues
AbstractThere is strong interest in "going green," including using products that cause less environmental damage when they are disposed of. In this environmental sciences project, you will compare the toxicity of "green" and conventional liquid detergents using worms as test organisms.
ObjectiveThe objective of this environmental sciences project is to determine if green detergents are safer for the environment than conventional detergents.
Share your story with Science Buddies!Yes, I Did This Project! Please log in (or create a free account) to let us know how things went.
Mike M. Pilegard, Student, 2009 California State Science Fair participant
Adapted for Science Buddies by David B. Whyte, PhD.
This science fair project was inspired by the following project from the 2009 California State Science Fair:
Pilegard, M.M. Is It Easy Being Green? Comparing Green and Conventional Cleaners on Environmental Impact, Quality, and Cost.
Cite This PageGeneral citation information is provided here. Be sure to check the formatting, including capitalization, for the method you are using and update your citation, as needed.
MLA Style
APA Style
Last edit date: 2020-06-23
Reduce, reuse, recycle. These are typically known as the three R's of the environment. Every year, Americans throw away billions of containers and other packaging materials that end up in landfills. Reducing the amount of waste you produce is one way to help the environment. Another way to help the environment is to recycle. Many of the things we use every day, like paper bags, soda cans, and milk cartons, are made out of materials that can be recycled. Recycled items are put through a process that makes it possible to create new products out of the materials that come from the old ones.
Reusing is another way to help protect the environment. The idea is simple: instead of throwing things away, try to find ways to use them again. The use of grey water to irrigate plants is an example. Grey water is the water produced by showering, cleaning clothes, washing dishes, etc. It does not include human waste (that is called black water, and is not safe to use for irrigation). Clearly, if grey water is to be used for growing plants, the kinds of detergents used in the house will have to be eco-friendly. In other words, the detergents used should cause little or no environmental damage.
If water is to be successfully reused to irrigate plants, it is critical that the reused water not be harmful to worms and other creatures that are important for the health of the soil. In this environmental science fair project, you will compare the toxicity of "green" (those asserting they are environmentally friendly) and conventional dishwashing detergents by measuring their effects on worms.
Terms and Concepts
- The three R's of the environment: reduce, reuse, recycle
- Grey water
- Black water
- Toxicity
- Control
- Dilution series
- What are some chemicals that are not found in green detergents?
- What kinds of waste water are considered grey water?
- What does it mean for a chemical to be toxic?
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: Kids' Pages. (2008, October 8). Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Retrieved June 30, 2009.
- Wikipedia Contributors. (2009, June 17). Eisenia foetida. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.. Retrieved June 29, 2009.
This webpage allows for searches on a variety of products, including cleaning products, and their health and toxicity ratings. The database includes a multitude of companies, but is limited to information provided by company reports.
- National Institutes of Health. (2008, September). Retrieved June 29, 2009, from http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/
For help creating graphs, try this website:
- National Center for Education Statistics. (n.d.). Create a Graph. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
News Feed on This Topic
Materials and Equipment
- Large work area, as you will have many cups out at once
- StyrofoamTM cups, 12-oz. size (84); you will need fewer if you reuse the cups.
- Permanent marker
- Liquid dishwashing detergents (2 "green" and 2 conventional)
- Plastic container (clean and reuse for each detergent)
- Plastic spoons
- 100 mL graduated cylinder, available from Carolina Biological, item #: 721613
- Plastic wrap
- Disposable 5 cc syringe, available from Carolina Biological, item #: 697771. The minimum order size from Carolina Biological is a package of 15 syringes.
Red worms; available from Carolina Biological (item #: 141650), or at any bait store (see the Bibliography, above, for the Wikipedia link, which includes pictures). Other kinds of worms can be substituted, if you choose. You will need 28 worms per detergent.
- Performing the procedure with four detergents, with three trials of each (suggested in order to obtain accurate and repeatable results), you will need a total of 336 worms. The Carolina Biological item contains "about 75 to 100" worms. This means you should order 5 sets of worms to make sure you have enough.
- Toothpicks
- Potting soil (1 bag)
- Paper towels
- Kitchen scale, metric; available through online suppliers, such as Carolina Biological Supply Company
- Aluminum foil
- Newspaper
- Lab notebook
- Graph paper
Disclaimer: Science Buddies participates in affiliate programs with Home Science Tools, Amazon.com, Carolina Biological, and Jameco Electronics. Proceeds from the affiliate programs help support Science Buddies, a 501(c)(3) public charity, and keep our resources free for everyone. Our top priority is student learning. If you have any comments (positive or negative) related to purchases you've made for science projects from recommendations on our site, please let us know. Write to us at email@example.com.
Experimental Procedure
Important Notes Before You Begin:
- Because this science fair project involves working with living organisms, namely worms, there will be some natural variability in the starting materials. You will need to be flexible and creative in carrying out the procedure. You should be prepared to adjust the procedure, as needed, to ensure that the results are due to the detergents being tested and not variations in the worm's conditions. Allow time to repeat the procedure for each detergent, for a total of at least three trials.
- The following procedure outlines the steps for a single detergent. Repeat these steps for each detergent you test.
- Control worms are those not exposed to any detergent. The other worms will be exposed to different concentrations of detergent.
- Talk with the worm supplier about the best way to store the worms as you perform the experiment.
Making a Dilution Series of Each Detergent
Label Styrofoam cups with the name of the liquid detergent and the percent concentration, as follows:
- Detergent Name: 0%
- Detergent Name: 3%
- Detergent Name: 6%
- Detergent Name: 12.5%
- Detergent Name: 25%
- Detergent Name: 50%
- Detergent Name: 100%
- It is very important to thoroughly mix the detergent solutions before diluting them in the steps outlined below. Pour one of the detergents into the plastic container and mix it by stirring with a clean plastic spoon. Avoid forming bubbles.
- In the cup labeled 100%, add 100 mL of liquid detergent.
- In the cup labeled 50%, add 100 mL of liquid detergent and 100 mL of water.
- Stir gently, but thoroughly, with the plastic spoon to mix the water and detergent.
- In the cup labeled 25%, add 100 mL of 50% detergent (made in the previous step) and 100 mL of water. Stir to mix.
- In the cup labeled 12.5%, add 100 mL of 25% detergent and 100 mL of water. Stir to mix.
- In the cup labeled 6%, add 100 mL of 12.5% detergent and 100 mL of water. Stir to mix.
- In the cup labeled 3%, add 100 mL of 6% detergent and 100 mL of water. Stir to mix.
- In the cup labeled 0%, add 100 mL of water.
- Cover the cups with plastic wrap to avoid evaporation.
- Repeat steps 1–11 with clean materials to create the dilution series for each detergent.
Exposing the Worms to the Detergents
- Poke several holes with a toothpick in the bottom of seven empty Styrofoam cups.
Label the cups with the name of the detergent, the date, and the percent detergent, as follows:
- Detergent Name, date, 0%
- Detergent Name, date, 3%
- Detergent Name, date, 6%
- Detergent Name, date, 12.5%
- Detergent Name, date, 25%
- Detergent Name, date, 50%
- Detergent Name, date, 100%
- Add 100 grams (g) of potting soil to each cup. Use the kitchen scale to measure 100 g. You might want to put down a piece of paper towel on which to measure.
- Add 5 mL of liquid from the dilution series to the appropriate cup.
- Mix the detergent into the soil with a clean spoon.
- Add four worms to each cup.
Cover the cups with aluminum foil and store them in a cool area, away from direct sunlight or hot air from a heater vent.
- Follow the worm supplier's directions about the best way to store the worms for the duration of the experiment.
- If the room temperature is very hot for part of the day, store the worms in a refrigerator until the room temperature cools off.
- Make sure that the soil stays moist and the temperature does not get too high.
- It might be necessary to keep the worms in the refrigerator for the entire duration of the experiment. (Check with your family before putting the worms in the refrigerator.)
- Repeat steps 1–7 for each of the three additional detergents. You should have 28 cups with worms in them when this section is completed (seven for each of the four detergents).
- You can either empty and discard the cups full of the dilution series, carefully and thoroughly wash them out to reuse for your second and third trials, or store them in a safe place to reuse for your second and third trials.
Analyzing the Effects of the Detergents on the Worms
- After five days, pour the contents of the cups, one at a time, onto a surface covered with newspaper. Make sure to keep track of the detergent and dilution for each batch of worms.
- Record how many worms are alive or dead for each detergent and dilution in your lab notebook.
Graph your results. Put the strength of the detergent on the x-axis, in percent, and the number of dead worms on the y-axis.
- Note: All of the control worms should be alive. If they are not, you may need to shorten the period of exposure, or try alternative soils.
- Compare the "green" detergents with the conventional detergents. Are "green" detergents better for the environment than conventional detergents?
- Repeat the entire procedure so that you have at least three trials for each detergent. You can reuse the set of dilutions that you made in the first step in different trials. Remix each one a little before reusing; be sure to use a different plastic spoon for each detergent. Repeating the procedure ensures that your results are accurate and repeatable.
If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:
Environmental ScientistHave you ever noticed that for people with asthma it can sometimes be especially hard to breathe in the middle of a busy city? One reason for this is the exhaust from vehicles. Cars, buses, and motorcycles add pollution to our air, which affects our health. But can pollution impact more than our health? Cutting down trees, or deforestation, can contribute to erosion, which carries off valuable topsoil. But can erosion alter more than the condition of the soil? How does an oil spill harm fish and aquatic plants? How does a population of animals interact with its environment? These are questions that environmental scientists study and try to find answers to. They conduct research or perform investigations to identify and eliminate the sources of pollution or hazards that damage either the environment or human and animal health. Environmental scientists are the stewards of our environment and are committed to keeping it safe for future generations. Read more
Environmental Compliance InspectorOur environment on planet Earth is made up of the air, water, and land. Environmental compliance inspectors work to protect and preserve our environment and the public by making sure communities, individuals, businesses, and state and local governments are in compliance with pollution laws and regulations. Read more
Zoologist and Wildlife BiologistEver wondered what wild animals do all day, where a certain species lives, or how to make sure a species doesn't go extinct? Zoologists and wildlife biologists tackle all these questions. They study the behaviors and habitats of wild animals, while also working to maintain healthy populations, both in the wild and in captivity. Read more
Materials Scientist and EngineerWhat makes it possible to create high-technology objects like computers and sports gear? It's the materials inside those products. Materials scientists and engineers develop materials, like metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites, that other engineers need for their designs. Materials scientists and engineers think atomically (meaning they understand things at the nanoscale level), but they design microscopically (at the level of a microscope), and their materials are used macroscopically (at the level the eye can see). From heat shields in space, prosthetic limbs, semiconductors, and sunscreens to snowboards, race cars, hard drives, and baking dishes, materials scientists and engineers make the materials that make life better. Read more
- Vary the concentrations and times of exposure to collect additional data.
- Determine the dose that kills 50 percent of the worms. This is referred to as the LD50 (stands for lethal dose for 50 percent of a population). You will need more worms per dose.
- Instead of just looking at "alive" vs. "dead" worms, devise a scale for measuring the effect of the detergent on the worm's activity level. For example: 1) Same level of activity as untreated worms; 2) Low level of activity; 3) Very low level of activity. Graph your results.
- Test the ability of the detergents to block seed germination. See the Science Buddies project How Do Roots Grow When the Direction of Gravity Changes? for a procedure about germinating seeds. Use the detergent dilutions made in the procedure above.
Share your story with Science Buddies!Yes, I Did This Project! Please log in (or create a free account) to let us know how things went.
Recent Feedback Submissions
|Sort by Date
|Sort by User Name
kbaffour538 said:
2019-12-31 02:00:41
What was the most important thing you learned?
What problems did you encounter?
Can you suggest any improvements or ideas?
Science Buddies materials are free for everyone to use, thanks to the support of our sponsors. What would you tell our sponsors about how Science Buddies helped you with your project?
Overall, how would you rate the quality of this project?
Very Good
What is your enthusiasm for science after doing your project?
Compared to a typical science class, please tell us how much you learned doing this project.
|Do you agree?
|Report Inappropriate Comment
Ask an ExpertThe Ask an Expert Forum is intended to be a place where students can go to find answers to science questions that they have been unable to find using other resources. If you have specific questions about your science fair project or science fair, our team of volunteer scientists can help. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions, offer guidance, and help you troubleshoot.
Ask an Expert
Related Links
News Feed on This Topic
Looking for more science fun?
Try one of our science activities for quick, anytime science explorations. The perfect thing to liven up a rainy day, school vacation, or moment of boredom.Find an Activity
Explore Our Science Videos
Slippery Slopes - STEM activity
Stretchy Balloons! Fun STEM Activity
Paper Roller Coasters - Fun STEM Activity!


text:
About a decade ago, Alvin Schwartz, who wrote Superman comic strips in the 1940s and '50s, published one of the great Odd Books of our time. In An Unlikely Prophet, reissued in paperback this spring, Schwartz writes that Superman is real. He is a tulpa, a Tibetan word for a being brought to life through thought and willpower. Schwartz also says a Hawaiian kahuna told him that Superman once traveled 2,000 years back in time to keep the island chain from being destroyed by volcanic activity. Maybe it happened, maybe it didn't, but it does sound like a job for Superman – all in a day's work for a guy who can squeeze coal into diamonds. Schwartz then tells of his own encounter with Superman in a New York taxi, when he learned firsthand that Superman's cape is, in fact, more than mere fabric.
An Unlikely Prophet brings up an important question about Superman: What makes people want to meet him so badly? It's tough to imagine a similar book about, say, Green Lantern or Captain America. Superman is different because he doesn't really belong to the writers who've created his adventures over the last 68-plus years. He has evolved into a folk hero, a fable, and the public feels like it has a stake in who Superman "really" is. Schwartz quit writing Superman because his bosses were telling him to put in things that he thought were out of character. That was admirable, but really, the specific stories we tell about Superman – the what-happened and what-he-did – don't matter that much. Superman transcends plot. We retell his tales because we wish he were here, real, to keep us safe.
Everyone knows the Superman story: rocketed to Earth from the distant planet Krypton just before it explodes, raised by a loving Kansas couple, possessing powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men, defends the city of Metropolis – and the world – from evil. His real-world origin is more humble: Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Jewish kids from Cleveland, created him as a character in a newspaper comic strip. But the strip didn't sell, so they reformatted it and flipped it to a publisher hungry to buy content for one of the first comic books. When the story appeared in the premiere issue of the anthology Action Comics, kids went crazy for it, as if there had always been a Superman-shaped hole in the world and it now was filled.
It's a classic American success story on a couple of levels. Two outsiders create a new art form, and Superman – an alien in a strange land – takes off. "Given the nature of the US, it was only natural in the 1930s for our new hero to be the ultimate immigrant," says Bryan Singer, director of the new movie Superman Returns. "I'm an only child, adopted, and as a kid I identified extraordinarily with that aspect of Superman. The scene where the Kents decide to keep him always touches me."
Of course, baby Clark has a special destiny. He's literally empowered to be our salvation, endowed with all the basics – flight, strength, invulnerability – plus the wildcard powers of super hearing, heat vision, x-ray vision, and supercold breath. He used to be even more incredible; before a radical overhaul in the mid-'80s, he could move planets and run faster than the speed of light. His cape was infinitely elastic and never tore. He had super-hypnotism. In the 1978 movie, he turned back time. He's not a superhero; he's a demigod.
What's important, though, is how Superman uses these powers. Compared to most A-list comic characters, he has almost no memorable villains. Think of Batman, locked in eternal combat with nocturnal freaks like the Joker – or Spider-Man, battling megalomaniacal weirdos like Dr. Octopus. For Superman, there's pretty much only bitter, bald Lex Luthor, forever being reinvented by writers and artists in an effort to make him a worthy foe. Superman's true enemies are disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes, jet planes tumbling from the sky, enormous meteors that would crush cities. Superman stands between humanity and a capricious universe.
Singer's movie hasn't yet screened in its entirety, so no one knows what he's going to add to the myth. The few minutes of the film that outsiders have seen (watched with a chaperone, on a DVD that gets shredded after viewing) look good, a spiritual successor to the Richard Donner films from a quarter-century ago. The special effects will be flawless. But Singer's Superman is bound to be less interesting than his Clark Kent. Of all the relationships at the heart of the myth – Superman and Lois Lane, Superman and Jimmy Olsen, Superman and his adoptive parents – the most important is the one with his alter ego.
In 1959, Jules Feiffer did a classic cartoon about that dynamic. In it, Superman "pulled this chick from the river" and, after being briefly subjected to her Freudian questions about his motivation for rescuing people all the time, he quits. He settles down and spends the rest of his life pretending to be human – going to work, watching TV. In less than a page, Feiffer encapsulates the internal war between Superman's moral obligation to do good and his longing to be an average Joe.
Other heroes are really only pretending: Peter Parker plays Spider-Man; Bruce Wayne plays Batman. For Superman, it's mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent that's the disguise – the thing he aspires to, the thing he can never be. He really is that hero, and he'll never be one of us. But we love him for trying. We love him for wanting to protect us from everything, including his own transcendence. He plays the bumbling, lovelorn Kent so that we regular folks can feel, just for a moment, super.
Neil Gaiman wrote the best-selling novel Anansi Boys. Adam Rogers is a senior editor at Wired*.* 2006 Rave Awards:
Bryan Singer & the Man of Steel
Industrial Design:


text:
Presidential impersonator stays busy
President Obama's inauguration is big business for lots of folks: Restaurants, hotels, vendors and so on.
Also: Obama impersonators.
Larry Graves, a Maryland resident, is a pretty good dead-ringer of the president and he's been booked solid leading up to Monday's inauguration.
"No rest for the weekend," said Graves, who commands up to $1,000 an appearance. "Basically, I've been running the past two or three days and I'll be running probably past Monday. It's prime time."
Graves got into the business of impersonating Obama by simply "looking in the mirror."
"It was pretty obvious to me, it really was," said Graves, who says he simply thickens his eyebrows, darkens his lips and adds a fake mole near his nose in order to emulate the commander-in-chief.
For Graves, the impersonation of Obama's speaking style has a simple recipe: "You don't smile a lot. … You give an air of authority, and you basically go up and then you go down with your voice. And you emphasize a word and you contemplate."
As good as business is leading up to Monday, Graves is hopeful that he'll still get gigs even long after Obama has left the political scene.
"They're still hiring Abraham Lincoln and George Washington," Graves joked.
Graves website is Obama-Lookalike.com and is booked through the agency Cast of Thousands.


text:
Palau Escapes Major Typhoon Damage
Koror mostly spared, impact on eastern atolls uncertain
HAGÃ TÃA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, Dec. 3, 2012) – Palau President Johnson Toribiong said this morning the island nation's capital, Koror, escaped major damage from Typhoon Bopha, but he's waiting for an assessment of eastern atolls and islands where waves went inland.
An initial assessment in Koror shows the damage was not extensive, except for downed trees and power disruption since yesterday afternoon, Toribiong said by phone from Koror.
"We've been blessed," Toribiong said, that Koror was spared from major damage.
Koror's TV and radio services are down and flights have been suspended, the president said. Making phone calls to Palau has been challenging as well.
Toribiong said initial reports showed seawater went inland in areas including Kayangel, Angaur and Babeldaob, where residents evacuated to higher ground.
The president said there has been no report of any casualty.
David Tevid, with the Palau community on Guam, said he heard some homes may have been swept, but that information could not be independently verified by the Pacific Daily News.
Babeldaob is the largest island in Palau with about 6,000 people.
Kayangel is the northernmost state of Palau, with a population of less than 200. Angaur, also with a population of less than 200, was inundated with waves that were whipped inland as well, the president said.
He said an assessment of the damage would begin today as Palau is officially declared out of the damaging typhoon's reach.
Bopha is moving west at 17 mph but is expected to resume a west-northwest motion, according to the National Weather Service.
Maximum sustained winds have decreased to 130 mph. The Weather Service said Bopha is expected to continue to weaken through this evening. As it moves to the Philippines, typhoon-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center of the storm and tropical-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from the storm's center.
This story is developing.


text:
Health Topics and Links
The Common Cold | Mononucleosis | Meningitis | Eating Disorders | Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD's) | HIV/AIDS | Tobacco | Influenza |New Ohio LawThe Common Cold
We all know how miserable we can feel when we get a cold. The common cold, also referred to as a Upper Respiratory Infection (URI), is most commonly caused by a variety viruses that attack and multiply in cells lining your nose and throat.
How colds are spread: hand-to-hand (shaking, touching, or holding the hand of an infected person and then touching your eyes or nose), and touching a non-porous surface (telephone, doorknob) shortly after someone with a cold has touched it. Colds are not spread primarily through coughing and sneezing.
Prevention: You may not be able to prevent all colds, but you can keep most of them at bay. Be kind to yourself and (1) wash your hands often and avoid touching your face; (2) do not use a handkerchief; use a tissue, then dispose of it; (3) eat a well-balanced diet; (4) avoid having lengthy contacts with people who have a cold; (5) try to keep your stress level down; (6) maintain your room humidity from moderate to high; (6) drink a lot of clear liquids, but avoid caffeine and alcohol as they can dehydrate you; (7) get plenty of sleep; (8) gargle with warm, diluted salt water.
What you can do from home: Call 419.530.3471 and consult with our pharmacist. Our pharmacist will help you choose an over-the-counter (OTC) medication.
When to call the doctor:
- If you have a fever over 100.5 F for 2 days
- If you have severe ear pain
- If you have pain or tenderness around your eyes
- If you have a severe headache
- If you have difficulty breathing, are wheezing, or shortness of breath
- If you have white spots on the back of your throat or tonsils
- If you have an extremely red throat
- If you have an unusual level of fatigue
- If you have discolored mucus
- If your cold symptoms have been present for more than 5 days
THE COMMON COLD IS NOT HELPED BY TAKING ANTIBIOTICS. Viruses are much smaller than bacteria and are not killed by antibiotics. There is no anti-viral medication available to treat the common cold. More than 80% of common cold infections are viral. Antibiotics are helpful only if the infection is bacterial, such as in the case of strep throat or bronchitis.
Mono is called "the kissing disease" because it is communicated through saliva. Some people who have the infection never develop mono and can, therefore, transfer the disease to someone else unknowingly. It can be caused several ways, however, the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) causes more than 95% of cases among adolescents and adults.
Symptoms include loss of appetite, feeling of being rundown and over tired, achy muscles, and sometimes a rash. Sometimes the spleen can become enlarged and the liver can be affected. If this occurs, you will need to avoid contact sports until your spleen is the normal size.
An uncommon complication that may occur is "mono hepatitis" which is an inflammation of the liver. Typically, someone with mono hepatitis feels sicker and may even require hospitalization.
Another rare, uncommon complication is when the spleen becomes enlarged and ruptures. Fortunately, this happens to only about 1 or 2 people per 1,000 people with mono and it usually happens within the 4th to 21st day of the illness.
You may be ill for up to two weeks, so make sure you keep in touch with your classmates and professors to make up class work!
Mono is not spread through casual contact, so your roommate is not at any greater of a risk of contracting mono than other people on campus. It is not a highly contagious disease, and it does not require quarantine.
Meningococcal Disease (Meningitis)
Meningitis is a disease that has caused concern throughout the country in recent years, particularly in the college campus setting. It is an infection of the fluid of a person's spinal cord(also known as "spinal meningitis") and the fluid that surrounds the brain. Meningitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Bacterial meningitis can be quite severe.
Early diagnosis and treatment are VERY important. If symptoms occur, you should see a doctor immediately. Symptoms may include:
- high fever
- headache
- stiff neck
- nausea, vomiting
- discomfort looking into bright lights
- confusion
- sleepiness
Some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious and are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (i.e., coughing, kissing). It is not spread by casual contact or by breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.
There are vaccinations against some strains of meningitis. These injections are available through the University Health Center. Please call 530-3451 if you wish to make an appointment.
Eating Disorders and Body Image
Human beings come in many shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, our culture perpetuates the myth that only thin, long-boned people are attractive. Less than 10% of the female population is more than 5'6" and weigh less than 120 lbs. at that height. It is healthier to think of one's body in terms of fitness, or body mass index. When body weight for females drops too low for too long, for any reason, several consequences can occur:
- Osteoporosis
- Low potassium leading to abnormal heart rhythms and possibly death
- Thinning of hair, skin, and nails (fingers/toes)
- Permanent digestive disorders
Eating disorders can be a very serious issue which can potentially result in death. Thin is not necessarily in. Although thought of as a female concern, eating disorders impact males as well. Because of the pressure to maintain a certain weight, etc., athletes and dancers are also at risk for eating disorders.
Two of the most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa (self-starvation) and bulimia (binging and purging). People with anorexia are typically thin to the point of emaciation. They are afraid to gain weight. They experience a multitude of health concerns such as weakness, constipation, digestive problems, and amenorrhea (loss of menstrual periods). As the disease progresses, more serious complications arise such as severe chemical imbalances within the body and can lead to death.
Bulimics may be considered above average in weight and have rapid weight gain and loss. They eat great amounts of food and then self-induce vomiting, as well as abuse laxatives and diuretics. Bulimics can develop ulcers and severe esophageal problems because of the vomiting.
Signs and symptoms: People with an eating disorder may spend quite a bit of time obsessing about food: thinking about what they eat, how much they weigh, and how their body looks. They may weigh themselves several times a day. They may also feel self-conscious when eating food in front of other people.
Ifyou think you may have a problem, or you think you have a friend with an eating disorder, please seek assistance. UT's counseling services provide assistance and direction for individuals with eating disorders, and can help you or help you help a friend.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD'S)
If you are sexually active, you can get an STD. They can be transmitted or received while having unprotected sex. Some STD's spread easier than others, and you can have more than one STD at the same time. Most STD's are treatable, although viral STD's such as genital herpes have limited treatment and cannot be cured. You should know the facts and you should know the risks.
Some of the more common STD's that may affect college student are: Herpes, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Hepatitis B, and Genital Warts.
Although you can contract an STD through sexual intercourse, you can also contract an STD through other intimate contact as well. For example, you can contract herpes or gonorrhea through oral sex. And, you can also contract Hepatitis B and herpes from kissing.
Protect yourself (and your partner) by taking precautions. Practice safer sex, which will greatly decrease your likelihood of contracting an STD. For women, birth control pills may prevent pregnancy, but they DO NOT prevent STD's. Begin by talking frankly with your partner about his or her history. This may seem to be an awkward and uncomfortable discussion, but let's face it ... you are about ready to become intimate with someone and you should be able to talk about it! Never mix alcohol or drugs with your sexual activity! Use latex condoms with a lubricant, as the lubricant can provide moisture and also assist in preventing the condom to break. Use water-based lubricants such as K-Y. Products such as Vaseline can actually cause a condom to break ... so don't use oil-based lubricants.
HIV, the virus which causes AIDS, is a potentially fatal disease that is 100% preventable!!! You don't have to contract this virus.
Ways in which you can contract HIV/AIDS are: (1) having unprotected sex; (2) sharing IV needles; (3) being born to a woman infected with HIV; (4) receiving tainted blood or blood products. You CANNOT get HIV/AIDS from toilet seats, public pools; doorknobs, handshakes, hugging, donating blood, mosquito bites, sweat, or sneezing. You CANNOT get HIV/AIDS by attending school with a student who is infected with HIV and AIDS.
According to the American Lung Association, "Smoking-related diseases claim an estimated 430,700 American lives each year. It is directly responsible for 87 percent of lung cancer cases and causes most cases of emphysema and chronic bronchitis." Plus, it's incredibly expensive, not very attractive, and pretty smelly.
It is also a difficult habit/addiction to break. Who wants to quit with papers due, exams coming up, parties to go to, and all the other things that tobacco "help" you through? The health risks involved ... even for college-aged students ... far outweigh the two to three minutes of "comfort" a tobacco product can give you. Plus, think of all the money you'll save. If you smoke one pack a day at about approximately $6 per pack, you will save $42 a week, $168 a month, and $2,016 for a year! Think of what you could buy with that!
If you've been thinking about giving it up ... good for you!!! Check this out:
After 20 minutes of quitting:
- blood pressure decreases
- pulse rate drops
- body temperature of hands and feet increases
At 8 hours:
- carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
- oxygen level in blood increases to normal
After 24 hours:
- chance of a heart attack decreases
After 48 hours:
- nerve endings start regrowing!
- ability to smell and taste is enhanced
At 2 weeks to 3 months:
- circulation improves
- walking becomes easier
- lung function increases
1 to 9 months:
- coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases
1 year:
- excess risk of coronary heart disease is decreased to half that of a smoker
Long-term Benefits of Quitting:
At 5 years:
- from 5 to 15 years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced to that of people who have never smoked!
At 10 years:
- risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half of that continuing smokers
- risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases
- risk of ulcer decreases
At 15 years:
- risk of coronary heart disease is now similar to that of people who have never smoked
- risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked
What if the Flu Happens to You?
Influenza is a common, contagious respiratory infection caused by a virus. Incubation after exposure is 24 - 48 hours. There are three main types of influenza (A, B, C) but they have the ability to mutate into different forms. Outbreaks of different forms occur almost every winter with varying degrees of severity. Influenza affects both sexes and all ages, except infants
Frequent Signs and Symptoms:
- Chills and moderate to high fever
- Muscle aches, including backache
- Cough, usually with little or no sputum
- Sore throat
- Hoarseness
- Runny nose
- Headache
- Fatigue
Causes: Infection by viruses of the myxovirus class. The viruses spread by personal contact or indirect contact (i.e., use of a contaminated drinking glass).
Risk Increases With:
- Stress
- Excessive fatigue
- Poor nutrition
- Recent illness that has lowered resistance
- Chronic illness, especially chronic lung or heart disease
- Pregnancy (third trimester)
- Students
- People in semi-closed environments
- Immunosuppression from drugs or illness
- Crowded places during an epidemic
Prevention Measures:
- Try to avoid risks listed above, such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle: get plenty of sleep, eat a balanced diet, exercise, etc.
- Have a yearly influenza vaccine injection, especially if you are over 65 years of age or have a lung or heart disease. The vaccine only protects against two or three specific strains of influenza A.
- Avoid unnecessary contact with persons who have upper-respiratory infections during the flu season (winter).
Expected Outcomes:
Spontaneous recovery in 7-14 days if no complications occur. If complications arise, treatment with antibiotics is usually necessary, and recovery may take 3-6 weeks.
Possible Complications:
Bacterial infections, including bronchitis or pneumonia. These can be especially dangerous for chronically ill persons or for those over age 65.
General Measures:
- Laboratory studies, such as blood tests and sputum culture; x-rays of the chest (only for complications)
- To relieve nasal congestion, use salt-water drops (1 teaspoon of salt to 1 quart of water)
- To relieve a sore throat, gargle often with warm or cold double-strength tea or salt water.
- Use a cool-mist humidifier to increase air moisture, which thins lung secretions so they can be coughed up more easily. Don't put medicine in the humidifier; it does not help. Clean humidifier daily.
- To avoid spreading germs to others, wash your hands frequently, especially after blowing your nose or before handling food.
- Use warm compresses or heating pad for aching muscles.
- For minor discomfort, you may use non-prescription drugs, such as acetaminophen, cough syrups, nasal sprays, or decongestants.
- Do not take aspirin. Some research shows a link between the use of aspirin (especially in children) during a virus illness and the development of Reye's syndrome (a type of encephalitis).
- A class of antiviral drugs may be prescribed for seriously ill persons or for those at greatest risk from complications.
Rest is the best medicine. If you are in good general health, rest helps your body fight the virus. Don't forget to get in touch with someone from your classes so that you do not get behind in note taking, etc.
- Appetite is usually lacking. You may just want liquids at first, then progress to small meals of bland starchy foods (dry toast, rice, pudding, cooked cereal, baked potatoes).
- Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day (especially if you have a high fever). Extra fluids, including fruit juice, tea, and non-carbonated drinks, also help thin lung secretions.
You, a family member, or roommate have symptoms of influenza or if the following occurs during treatment:
- Increased fever or cough
- Blood in sputum
- Earache
- Shortness of breath or chest pain
- Thick discharge from the nose, sinuses, or ears
- Sinus pain
- Neck pain or stiffness
- New, unexplained symptoms develop. Drugs in treatment may produce side effects.
New Ohio Law - Meningitis and Hepatitis B Immunization Disclosure
As a student who will be residing on campus, there is an Ohio law (effective July 1, 2005) concerning Meningitis and Hepatitis B immunizations that will impact your on-campus residency. The law states that you may not reside on campus without disclosing whether you have been vaccinated against meningococcal disease and hepatitis B. You are not required to obtain the vaccination; the law simply requires disclosure of your vaccination status to the University prior to occupancy. The disclosure information is located in your residence hall application form.


text:
Still not connected?Sign Up
Thank You!
Your Response has been received successfully.
We will get back to you shortly.
There seems to be some problem sending the request.
Please try again later.
Redirecting you...
A rich ill-mannered Jingle Composer is left by his love of life Anya and is visited by a modern age God Of Death (Yamraaj) who offers to take his life in a unique way via a special deal. Will he be able to find a way out or will he give up and succumb to God of Death`s plan? Will Anya come back in his life?
Sorry! None of the critics have had a chance to review this movie yet.


text:
Main Menu
All times are in GMT +2 (DST) :: The time is now 3:37 pm.
Sub Menu
Knowledgebase Sections
Article Data
- Article Ref
- Written By
- tanidar
- Date Created
- Thu, 30th Dec 2010
- Updated By
- tanidar
- Date Modified
- Fri, 17th Jun 2011
Article Actions
Helpdesk News
saves placing instructions for Sherlock Holmes vs Jack the Ripper
Where i can find save folder to put save there?
To find the save folder please follow the steps:
- Press "Start", then "Run..."ore press Win and R keys together.
- In dialog box type %AppData%\games, press Ok
- In opened Explorer window search for the 'Sherlock Holmes vs Jack the Ripper' folder and open it.
- Open folder 'save' and put save there.
- Run the game and load this save.
Article Comments
There are currently no comments.


text:
NISE Network
The National Informal STEM Education Network (NISE Net) is a community of informal educators and scientists dedicated to supporting learning about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) across the United States.
Fact Sheets and Overview Slide Presentation
- NISE Network Fact Sheet (2019)
- NISE Network overview slide presentation (PDF)
- NISE Network overview slide presentation (PPTX) for download
- A quick summary of NISE Network projects and opportunities (revised October 2020)
NISE Net advances the field of informal learning by incorporating current science into museum exhibits and programs, improving the practices and skills of educators and scientists, and creating lasting, valuable relationships among individuals and organizations. Network partners generate, develop, implement, and collaborate on projects that strengthen and advance informal STEM learning in a variety of settings, including science centers and children's museums. Network projects develop educational products and implement them with multiple and diverse public audiences, provide professional development for practitioners, and create opportunities for capacity building through collaboration and networking.
The Network is led collaboratively by Arizona State University, the Museum of Science, and the Science Museum of Minnesota. The Network's leadership group includes representatives and advisors from informal learning organizations across the US, providing a wide range of knowledge, expertise, and connections. The Network also maintains connections on an organization-to-organization level with other national networks, centers, and professional associations. The leadership group regularly seeks and acts upon feedback from Network partners in order to identify needs in the field that the Network can help to address, as well as knowledge and practices that the Network can help to spread.
NISE Net achieves its reach and impact through the participation of over 700 partner organizations in Network activities each year. The Network creates resources and coordinates activities on a national and regional level, while Network partners coordinate and implement project activities locally. Through the diversity of our partner organizations, the Network has broad geographic and demographic reach across the country. Together, we engage 15 million people each year in high-quality STEM learning!
Learn more about our partners.
Learn more about NISE Network partner impacts.
The NISE Network works on a variety of current science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) projects.
Learn more about projects affiliated with the NISE Network at: nisenet.org/projects
A quick summary of NISE Network projects and opportunities (revised October 2020) is available for download.
The NISE Network's affiliated projects are generously supported by a variety of funders. Without their vital support these efforts would not be possible. Summary of project funding sources and acknowledgements.
Joining the Network
You're a member of the Network if you take part in our activities and use our resources! We have a variety of public education and professional development materials that are ready to use. Digital versions are available for free download from this website, nisenet.org. Most of our materials are designed for educators and scientists to use with public audiences in the United States, in informal education settings such as science museums and children's museums.
Please visit our FAQ page to find out how you can get involved.
Network impacts
The NISE Network Report to Partners provides an overview of the major activities of the Network and highlights our collective accomplishments related to building collaborations, engaging the public, and increasing the capacity of the field. It also looks ahead to sustaining the Network beyond the original Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation.
The report includes three related products: a printed report, a set of presentation slides, and a video. Together, these resources allow NISE Net partners to learn about the impact of the Network and share it with others. For example, the slides and video can be presented at a staff or board meeting and the print report circulated to provide more information.
The printed report can be viewed online or downloaded and printed on standard 8.5"x11" paper. The slides are customizable, and presenters are encouraged to add their own content to highlight local activities and outcomes related to the NISE Network. The video provides perspectives from individuals across the Network on what we have accomplished as a group and what the Network has meant to them.
- 2019 Year in Review blog post
- 2018 Year in Review blog post
- 2017 Year in Review blog post
- 2017 Report to Partners print document
- 2015 NISE Network Impacts Partner Testimonials video
- 2015 Museum-Scientist Partnerships NanoDays and Beyond video
Network audiences
The NISE Network creates educational products for a wide range of public audiences in informal learning settings. The NISE Network also creates a variety of professional development materials for scientists and educators to raise their capacity to engage the public in current science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Resources on this website include more about: inclusive audiences approach, tips for engaging visitors, tips for visitor conversations, as well as special resources for bilingual audiences, girls, universal design, and collaborations to reach under-served audiences. To learn more about NISE Network public audiences visit: www.nisenet.org/Audiences
Network development process
All products on the website created by the NISE Network are reviewed by scientists and educators, and tested with visitors. Most products created by the NISE Network are available for free digital download, and are designed to be easily adapted and modified for different settings and audiences under a Creative Commons attribution non-commercial share-alike license. To learn more about the development process visit: www.nisenet.org/development_process
Our "Linked Products" are related programs and activities, exhibits, media, and other tools that have been created outside the NISE Network. For more information, please visit our FAQ page.
- 2020 Let's Do Chemistry! Changing Attitudes about Chemistry Video
- 2019 NISE Network Earth & Space Partner Meeting 2019 Highlights Video
- 2017 Explore Science: Earth & Space events video (3 & 5 minute versions)
- 2015 Creating Successful Collaborations: Museum and Community Partnerships video
- 2015 NISE Network Impacts Partner Testimonials video
- 2015 NISE Network Impacts Museum-Scientist Partnerships NanoDays and Beyond video
- Training and professional development video links:
- Search all videos in online library:
The nisenet.org website is an online digital library of public nano educational products and tools designed for educators and scientists to increase their capacity to engage their audiences in current science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
- Search the website
Search the digital library by audience, topic, and product category (format).
For assistance please see the list of product category descriptions and the table of contents which lists all the educational products on the website.
- Public audience websites
Additionally, the NISE Network directly reaches public audiences through several websites:
- www.whatisnano.org - companion website for the Nano exhibition and NanoDays
- www.explorescience.org
- www.explorescience.org/sun - companion website for the Sun, Earth, Universe exhibition
- Network products
This website contains a compilation of educational products designed for use in informal education settings to engage the public in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The website features a variety of educational programs and activities, media, exhibits, professional development tools, and evaluation and research reports designed for educators and scientists.
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Please visit our FAQ page
- Logos and promotional materials
Please visit our Promotional Materials page
- Seasonal events and holidays: STEM throughout the year
Calendar of seasonal STEM events
- Link to us
Use the icons on our Promotional Materials page


text:
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Hero Arts Giveaway!
Be back soon....
15 comments:
- Unknown said...
Congratulations on your winning photos! I wish I could make paper crafting more of a priority in my days.
- January 10, 2013 at 4:33 PM
- Yvette said...
I love your winning photo's.Congratulations!
I wish I had more time to make cards.
- January 10, 2013 at 4:48 PM
- Tiffany said...
Oh...what a cutie! Hmmm...something about me is that I am always looking for ideas for cards for guys...specifically my husband! (So hard to make them look "manly")
- January 10, 2013 at 5:19 PM
- Ger said...
He's way too cute! I eat waay too much chocolate ... Ger x
- January 10, 2013 at 5:29 PM
- Ashley Newell said...
Congrats on your win! Something about me...I just had a baby two weeks ago. :)
- January 10, 2013 at 5:41 PM
- Suzanne :O ) said...
How generous of you! Let's see... the something about me is that my boyfriend and I are going to start looking for a house soon. :)
- January 10, 2013 at 6:04 PM
- Jana said...
No need to enter me in the giveaway. Just stopping by to congratulate you!
- January 10, 2013 at 6:25 PM
- Kelly said...
congrats! I am a SAHM mom and just started a class online to renew my teaching certificate.
- January 10, 2013 at 8:46 PM
- maryse n. said...
I've been buying Hero Arts stamps for over 10 years. They are the best! Thanks for the give-away.
- January 10, 2013 at 8:53 PM
- Lisa said...
How sweet are you? Thanks for the chance to win. Something about me... I miss my doggy. He passed away 287 days ago. Ahem. Who's counting?
- January 12, 2013 at 1:45 AM
- Small T said...
Congratulations on your win! Very cute pictures! :-) How sweet of you to share with us! Something about me... My birthday is January 18th. :-) xx
- January 13, 2013 at 12:43 PM
- Karen said...
The most adorable pictures ever. So cute. I work full time and make at least 100 cards each month to donate to our local Family shelter. They especially need Thank You cards. So sweet of you to share your winnings.
- January 13, 2013 at 4:53 PM
- Jess said...
What a cutie!! Love seeing other little boys! I just had my first son in June, named Archer! Can't believe he is about to be 7 months. :-)
- January 13, 2013 at 8:33 PM
- Linda said...
You are so kind, Heather! My "babies" are 17 and 15. It seems like yesterday that they were sitting in the cart at Target!
- January 15, 2013 at 12:57 AM
- Victoria S. said...
OH he is soooo cute! you are so blessed!
- January 15, 2013 at 10:51 PM


text:
Highlights / General details
You will spend an unforgettable day discovering the most impressive Ligurian landscapes. In this area, which has been declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO, earth and sea blend and create a unique landscape. The area consists of eighteen kilometers of rocky coasts with caves, beaches, paths and breathtaking views. The area consists of eighteen kilometers of rocky coasts with caves, beaches, hiking paths and breathtaking views. The tour will take you through the Cinque Terre National Park by train. You will visit Manarola a tiny urban jewel characterized by Genoese style 'case-torri'; Vernazza, overlooked by the remains of a Medieval castle with a cylindrical tower; Riomaggiore dating back to the 13th century, famous for its wine and its typical narrow streets and Monterosso, known as the 'pearl of Cinque Terre', an ancient fishing village with lovely beaches and lush vegetation on the rocks. After lunch you will have the chance to taste the local 'Limoncino ligure' in a quaint wine shop. In the afternoon you will have free time for a swim or a walk round the village.
Hotel Pick-up (upon request); Travel by GT coach or minivan with air conditioning; Expert multilingual escorts; Limoncino ligure tasting; Ferry boat and train tickets; Visit 4 of the 5 villages: Manarola, Riomaggiore, Monterosso and Vernazza; Free time to take a swim in the sea.
Languages available: English, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, German, Russian, Swiss.
Drop off; Gratuity.
Hours of operation
Available: Daily (April - October); Departing at 6:50am. Check in closes 15 minutes before departure.
Approximately 13 hours.
Meeting Point: Poggibonsi, Bus stop in Salceto (in front of Esso Gas Station). Check in closes 15 minutes before departure. Tour returns to the same location.
Additional Information
A vegetarian menu is available upon request for the optional lunch.
Participant restrictions
Customers must be able to climb and descend stairs.
This tour requires a minimum of 2 people to operate.
Guests are required to be at the meeting point 15 minutes before departure time.
Itinerary may be changed due to acts of force majeure, such as strikes, bad weather, etc.
Complete information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, will be included on your Confirmation Voucher.
**All information requested must be supplied or booking is subject to automatic cancellation**


text:
The fall of the Berlin Wall. D-Day. Reagan's heroic invasion of Grenada. The tumbling Saddam Hussein statue. Okay, forget the last one, but some events throughout history mark the birth of Freedom. And now in China, internet porn is accessible!
The Chinese government's notorious Great Firewall, which for years has kept that country's 420 million internet users from accessing many news and politically charged websites, may finally be showing some cracks. For the past eight weeks, horny web surfers have noticed that many porn sites are no longer blocked. There has been no official word from the government's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, or the Ministry of Public Security and State Council Information Office, both of which police the internet in China. But analysts are speculating! The AP spoke to an analyst named Zhao Jing, who had one theory:
Maybe they are thinking that if Internet users have some porn to look at, then they won't pay so much attention to political matters."
Perhaps by keeping the population's hands and minds distracted, the Chinese government can maintain its totalitarian grip? Holding a mouse in one hand is preferable to a gun or molotov cocktail for sure. But one day, this turn of events may be looked on by scholars as the death knell of communist rule in China. Even some who work within the system see this is a potential watershed in China's long history:
The more they restrict something, the more people pay attention," said a 29-year-old employee at a state-owned logistics company who did not want to be identified because he surfs for porn on business trips.
However, there is still a long way to go and the government may only be willing to allow so much. Last year, a college professor was tried and convicted of organizing orgies over the internet, so people shouldn't get too excited just yet. But with sites like Xingba (Sex Bar) now unblocked, the revolution has clearly begun.
[Images via AP]


text:
An obstetrician was a type of physician who specialized in the medical science field of obstetrics, and as such, dealt with the care of females during pregnancy, childbirth, and the subsequent recovery period following delivery. Nurses who specialized in this field were recognized as obstetrics specialists.
In mid-2369, the USS Enterprise-D received a transfer of several new crewmembers from Starbase 218, including a Nurse Beck, an obstetrics specialist. (TNG: "Lessons")
While assisting Pralor Automated Personnel Unit 3947 in the construction of Prototype Unit 0001, in 2372, B'Elanna Torres asked if 3947 was going to be the obstetrician for the new unit. 3947, however, did not understand the question. Torres clarified, "If this works, will you be in charge of assembling the new units?". 3947, who was programmed as a ship's maintenance unit, explained that neither he nor any other personnel unit had "knowledge of design". Torres stated, "Sounds like you just volunteered for new duty,". She further explained that the scope of his obstetric duties, once the prototype was completed, would simply involve "copying it." (VOY: "Prototype")