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On the night of Sept. 10, 2001, in Columbia, Md., middle-school teacher Sarah Clark and her fiancé, John Milton Wesley, discussed places: where they'd hold their impending wedding reception, his next-day meeting to secure locations for the HBO series The Wire and her early-morning flight to a lovely California locale.
Nearby, in northern Virginia, Peggie Hurt, a civilian accountant for the U.S. Army, treated her godmother, affectionately called "Dunc," to an 86th-birthday dinner. Some 200 miles away in Manhattan, with flashes of lightning illuminating his sky-high studio on the 92nd floor of the World Trade Center's north tower, sculptor Michael Richards watched the Giants-Broncos game and bade fellow artist Monika Bravo — who left that day with a videotape of their breathtaking view — goodnight before returning to work on his bronze sculptures. Over the bridge, at Brooklyn's Tavern on Dean, I had a relaxed dinner meeting with a friend.
By the time I lazily awoke the next morning, bride-to-be Sarah had boarded American Airlines Flight 77 to chaperone students at National Geographic's Sustainable Seas Expedition in the Channel Islands of Santa Barbara, Calif.; Peggie had placed a wake-up call to her friend Phyllis and already made her way to work, a Pentagon post that the small-town girl had held for only two weeks; and Michael, after having worked through the waning darkness and slept in his studio rather than make the long trek home to Rosedale, Queens, likely readied himself for an art handler's gig.
I flipped on the TV at about 9 a.m., saw the live coverage of the burning Tower 1 and watched just seconds later as United Flight 175 slammed into Tower 2. Stunned, I phoned my then-husband, who was working in Manhattan, thankfully away from what would become ground zero. Our thoughts turned to those we knew who might have been in harm's way. I frequently checked my two-way pager, hoping for a response to a message I had sent to my friend Michael: "You must be swamped with messages, but please let me know you're safe."
When I learned of the Flight 77 plunge into the Pentagon, I had concerns for my mama, those in my native D.C. and the threat of a nation under siege. It would be a day or two before I learned that my beloved sixth-grade math teacher, Sarah Clark, and Peggie Hurt, a family friend from my father's tiny Southside Virginia hometown of Kenbridge, had been killed in a fiery collision. Shortly after that, I got the news that Michael had died that same morning in the World Trade Center.
Sarah Miller Clark (April 6, 1936, to Sept. 11, 2001)
I entered sixth grade at Keene Elementary hoping that, like my sister Michele three years earlier, I would be placed in Sarah Clark's homeroom class. A friend and fellow classmate, Carla Garnett, reminisced about her in a September 2009 blog post: "Sarah Clark was the teacher every kid wanted for sixth grade — just strict enough that the classroom never fell into free-for-all, just cool enough so that class time was never too predictable."
Both Carla and I landed in her math class and feel privileged to have been taught by her. She was patient, kind and deeply skilled at finding the workable paths between curricula and individual student understanding. It is no surprise that the excellent, committed teacher maintained her dedication to educating the children of D.C. well into her 60s.
As my sister says, "Miss Clark was born to teach. It wasn't just a job, but a calling." The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sister was smart and elegant, with glinting eyes and an easy smile. It is her smile I see when I recall her joy in recognizing when we, her students, "got it."
Peggie Maxine Hurt (Feb. 27, 1965, to Sept. 11, 2001)
Peggie Hurt was thrilled about her new position at the Pentagon, a promotion she had diligently sought. By Sept. 11, 2001, she had just completed training on the far side of the complex and was settling into her new office in the Army-occupied western side.
I'd known her peripherally as a friend of my Kenbridge kinfolk. Everyone loved big-hearted Peggie; she was like a little sister to my cousin Wanda, and she'd dated my cousin James. I remember her warm, friendly manner and sweet-spiritedness.
At 36 she'd lived in the Washington, D.C., area for a number of years, but she went down home every first and third Sunday of the month to lend her voice to the church choir. She organized a yearly trip with her crew to the Freedom Classic basketball game between Virginia State and Virginia Union universities, held over the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend in Richmond. The group hasn't made the trip since her passing.
Michael Rolando Richards (Aug. 2, 1963, to Sept. 11, 2001)
I met New York-born, Kingston, Jamaica-raised Michael Richards on the dance floor at Buddha Bar in the mid-1990s, when my friend Christie introduced a group of friends to her "brilliant artist" boyfriend. I got a glimpse of that brilliance soon after at his artist-in-residence exhibition at the Studio Museum in Harlem, N.Y., and I happily bore witness over the years as he continued to gain recognition, create an impressive body of work and maintain his good-natured humility.
The new millennium held great promise. He began the year with a National Association for Advancement in the Arts residency in Miami, which would culminate in a show at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. While on a South Beach sojourn, I visited his bright studio space on Lincoln Road, where he was continuing his powerful Tuskegee Airmen series. We'd always been friendly, but it was there that we really bonded. Mike had an endearing ability to decant the goodness of any situation and leave all sediment behind, a quality that made for a loyal, compassionate friend.
In New York that spring, we spent an afternoon viewing a Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition, "Art and Oracle: Spirit Voices of Africa." Mike was particularly interested in the pierced wooden Nkisi N'kondi, power figures of sacred healing that influenced his work.
I was visiting family in D.C. when his Corcoran show opened that June. At the exhibition reception, Michael posed for a photo with a gallery security guard, an older black man, each standing a little taller with pride at the inclusion of his work in the museum. It was a sweet moment.
In 2001, Mike excitedly announced his acceptance into the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council's World Views artist residency, which included a studio in the World Trade Center, where he invited me to "come visit and enjoy the beautiful view." The business of life intervened, and I never got the chance.
On Sept. 11, 2011, American Airlines Flight 11 pierced Tower 1 just as sculpted planes impaled the gilded body cast of Michael's own likeness in his seminal work, Tar Baby vs. St. Sebastian, 1999. Never to reach 40, he'd unknowingly predicted his own fate.
Michael is laid to rest alongside his mother, Mary, in the ruddy, bauxite-rich soil of St. Catherine, Jamaica. When I visited the cemetery with Mike's dear friend Roger, it lifted our spirits to see swarms of chartreuse butterflies clustered in rhythmic, synchronized flight over his grave.
Michael once said of the flight themes in his work that "the idea of flight relates to my use of pilots and planes, but it also references the black church, the idea of being lifted up, enraptured or taken up to a safe place — to a better world."
The similarities of each person in this tragic trinity, the sweetness of their souls, calmness of their demeanors and the impassioned pursuit of their avocations is striking. Sarah, Peggie and Michael died while in service of their calling — an honorable passage. I thank them every one for their endeavors, for alighting in my life; and I wish them peace in the sweet by-and-by.
Sharon Pendana is a regular contributor to The Root.


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Tagged: critical theory
Alte liebe
Some feudal institutions live on in a significantly diminished form (e.g., the English fox hunt). Others are more robust than they were in the twelfth century (e.g., the University).
If Jürgen Habermas is correct, the public sphere has been a cesspool since the middle of the nineteenth century. There's nothing new about the level of debasement found in the twitterverse. All that has changed is the method and speed of delivery of the textual rubbish.
Mr Geldof has overtaken Bono as the most disdained rocker in the world.
It's important to dress well for the revolution. The "Young Spartacist League" (or "Young Sparts") used to turn up at rallies in the most modish attire (at least on the West Coast). It was enough to make me think twice about abandoning the Orthodox Marxist worker's bib for Critical Theory's classic couture. In contrast, today's Black Bloc are the Ninja Turtles of radical dressing.
Adorno in brief
Another swing and miss on Adorno. [1]
According to Alex Ross,
When Adorno issued his own analyses of pop culture, though, he went off the beam. He was too irritated by the new Olympus of celebrities—and, even more, by the enthusiasm they inspired in younger intellectuals—to give a measured view. In the wake of "The Work of Art," Adorno published two essays, "On Jazz," and "On the Fetish Character of Music and the Regression of Listening," that ignored the particulars of pop sounds and instead resorted to crude generalizations. Notoriously, Adorno compares jitterbugging to "St. Vitus' dance or the reflexes of mutilated animals." He shows no sympathy for the African-American experience, which was finding a new platform through jazz and popular song. The writing is polemical, and not remotely dialectical.
The critique Adorno levels against jazz (circa the 1930s) and the ham radio operator is also leveled against Stravinsky. He is not a simplistic or merely polemical enemy of pop culture. In "On Jazz," Adorno writes
In this context, it may be decisively illuminating that the only important composer who is at all close to jazz is Stravinsky, whose principal work, Le Sacre du Printemps, famous for its artful syncopation, makes the subject of the work a human sacrifice, that of the principal dancer – a sacrifice which the music not so much interprets as ritualistically accompanies. [2]
He characterizes the jazz aesthetic as modern archaic: "The modern archaic stance of jazz is nothing other than its commodity character." This commodity character stands oppose to any potential liberation from the straitjacket of modernity (and bourgeois music that is not jazz) a return to the archaic might promise.
Whatever primordial instinct is recovered in this is not a longed-for freedom, but rather a regression through suppression; there is nothing archaic in jazz but that which is engendered out of modernity through the mechanism of suppression. It is not old and repressed instincts which are freed in the form of standardized rhythms and standardized explosive outbursts; it is new, repressed, and mutilated instincts which have stiffened into the masks of those in the distant past. [3]
The deployment of the modern archaic is not solely the province of jazz. Again, one finds Adorno detecting similar tendencies in Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, particularly in the function of sacrifice.
Stravinsky undertakes such a rebellion [against culture] not only in the familiar aesthetic game with barbarism, but furthermore in the fierce suspension of that element of music which is called culture — the suspension, that is, of the humanly eloquent work of art. He is drawn in that direction where music — in its retarded state, far behind the fully developed bourgeois subject — functions as an element lacking intention, arousing only bodily animation instead of offering meaning. [4]
In Stravinsky's case, subjectivity assumes the character of sacrifice, but — and this is where he sneers at the tradition of humanistic art — the music does not identify with the victim, but rather with the destructive element. Through the liquidation of the victim it rids itself of all intentions — that is, of its own subjectivity. [5]
The archaic effect of Sacre is a product of musical censorship, a self-denial of all impulses which do not agree with the basic stylistic principle. Artistically produced regression then leads, however, to the regression of the composition itself — to the progressive deterioration of compositional procedures, to the ruin of technique. Stravinsky's admirers have grown accustomed to living with the resulting discomfort, by declaring him a rhythmist and testifying that he has restored the rhythmic dimension of music — which had been overgrown by melodic-harmonic thinking — again to honor. In so doing, they assert, he has excavated the buried origins of music; as, for example, the events of Sacre might well evoke the simultaneously complex and, at the same time, strictly disciplined rhythms of primitive rites. [6]
Compare Adorno's analogous comment on the paradox of what could be called regimented spontaneity in jazz:
Even the much-invoked improvisations, the "hot" passages and breaks, are merely ornamental in their significance, and never part of the overall construction or determinant of the form. Not only is their placement, right down to the number of beats, assigned stereotypically; not only is their duration and harmonic structure as a dominant effect completely predetermined; even its melodic form and its potential for simultaneous combinations rely on a minimum of basic forms: they can be traced back to the paraphrasing of the cadence, the harmonically figurative counterpoint. . . . The archaic stance of jazz is as modern as the "primitives" who fabricate it. The improvisational immediacy which constitutes its partial success counts strictly among those attempts to break out of the fetishized commodity world which want to escape that world without ever changing it, thus moving ever deeper into its snare. [7]
Contra Ross, I read Adorno as saying "high culture" is a matter of bad faith; the "culture industry" is a matter of no faith.
One could question Adorno's starting premises which are a mix of Kant, Freud, and Marx. E.g., his insistence on critique over enjoyment. In other words, under the heteronomous conditions of capitalism, autonomous enjoyment of cultural products (enjoyment without compulsion) is impossible. Hence, negative dialectics.
One can ask whether this point of view is correct.
[1] Discussion sparked by Leah Reich.
[2] Theodor W. Adorno, "On Jazz" (1936), Discourse 12, 1 (Fall Winter 1989-1990): 64.
[3] "On Jazz," 54.
[4] Theodor W. Adorno, Philosophy of Modern Music (1948) (New York: Seabury Press, 1980), 140.
[5] Philosophy of Modern Music, 143.
[6] Philosophy of Modern Music, 154.
[7] "On Jazz," 53.

subset: commoncrawl


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Items where Author is "Holmgren, Carl"
Group by: Item Type | No Grouping
Jump to: Article
Number of items: 1.
Shemer, Isaac and Holmgren, Carl and Min, Rogier and Fülöp, Lívia and Zilberter, Misha and Sousa, Kyle M. and Farkas, Tamás and Härtig, Wolfgang and Penke, Botond and Burnashev, Nail and Tanila, Heikki and Zilberter, Yuri and Harkany, Tibor (2006) Non-fibrillar beta-amyloid abates spike-timing-dependent synaptic potentiation at excitatory synapses in layer 2/3 of the neocortex by targeting postsynaptic AMPA receptors. European Journal of Neuroscience, 23 (8). pp. 2035-2047. ISSN 0953-816X (print), 1460-9568 (online)


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Vision and Mission
Working hand-in-hand with its Texas A&M System partners, the state legislature, and the communities it serves, the mission of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to serve Texans through community-based education has remained unchanged for almost a century.
With a vast network of 18 county Extension offices and some 50 professional educators, spanning from Corpus Christi to Brenham, the expertise provided by AgriLife Extension is available to every resident in each of the Coastal Bend District's 18 counties. AgriLife Extension custom-designs its programs to each county through grassroots community issue identification the, significantly depending on residents for input and program delivery.
The mission of AgriLife Extension is a seemingly simple one: improving the lives of people, businesses, and communities across Texas and beyond through high-quality, relevant education. Carrying out this mission, however, is a massive undertaking; one that requires the commitment of each and every one of the agency's employees. Through the programs these employees provide, Coastal Bend residents are better prepared to:
eat well, stay healthy, manage money, and raise their children to be successful adults.
efficiently help themselves through preventing problems and using tools for economic stability and security.
improve stewardship of the environment and of the state's natural resources.
AgriLife Extension offers a diverse array of educational programs, activities, and resources. But they go by many names! They're generally organized under one of our four broad program areas:
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Family and Community Health
Community Economic Development
Youth Development
Today's A&M AgriLife Extension is known for its leadership, dedication, expertise, responsiveness, and trustworthiness. Texans turn to AgriLife Extension for solutions, and its agents and specialists respond not only with answers, but with a significant return on investment to boost the Texas economy.
Be an Extension Volunteer!
More than 104,000 Texas Extension volunteers do the hard work and the "heart work" of educating youth and adults throughout this great state, dedicating themselves to taking action and solving problems in their communities. These folks have a positive impact on the future of our country.


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Chadron State College delivers experiences that foster knowledgeable and engaged leaders and citizens to enrich the High Plains region and beyond.
Chadron State College aspires to continue as a learner-centered institution. We are committed to students through our focus on continuous improvement and excellence in teaching, applied scholarship, and service.
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation that was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region.
Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604
Specialized accreditation may occur through various means: discipline-specific (social work); discipline-specific schools or colleges within universities (e.g. law schools), and in some cases stand-alone institutions, such as those serving the health industry. Not all academic disciplines have specialized accreditation entities such as history or literature. Some disciplines have more than one such as business, possessing three specialized accreditation bodies.
The following accreditation has been granted to CSC:
The degree programs offered by the CSC Business Academy have been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), a professional accreditation agency. The ACBSP emphasizes teaching excellence. Such accreditation matches CSC's central purpose as a learner-centered institution.
The College operates a Child Development Center as a community service and a laboratory for students planning to work professionally with young children. This Center is accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) which sets standards for early childhood educational programs.
The CSC Music Department has earned specialized accreditation through the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The announcement was made at the NASM annual meeting in Dallas, Texas, in November 2016. The address of NASM is: 11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21, Reston, VA 20190-5248. The phone number is 703-437-0700.
The CSC Social Work program is accredited by CSWE. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is a nonprofit national association recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in this country. CSWE accreditation is required for CSC graduates if they intend to be certified in the State of Nebraska and wish to practice as social workers.
Chadron State College's teacher education program is accredited under the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Standards through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accreditation system for a period of seven years, from Fall 2013 through Spring 2020. Chadron State College will seek accreditation under the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Standards in spring 2020. As of 2013, CAEP was the single specialized accreditor for educator preparation and administers NCATE accreditation.
In order to practice in the State of Nebraska, graduates within Education, Social Work, and Counseling must meet the Nebraska licensing or certification requirement. For information about the requirement determined by the State see the following:


text: Rose Gold Bridal Jewelry You'll Love! May 9, 2017 Natasha Blog (0) So, you're getting married! Let the wedding bells ring. While you're busy primping your 'do and fluffing your gown, though, you might have overlooked one crucial element of your getup. Your jewelry. Taking your wedding look from boring to bridal is all about that extra bling, and it pays to get yours on point. Want your guests to gasp in awe? It's time to turn to rose gold. Rosy, regal and oh-so romantic, rose gold jewelry is the prime pick for your bridal embellishments. And when it comes to picking the pieces to work for you, there's a whole lot of sparkle to play with. Bridal jewelry is at the top of its game this year and, with a little rose gold finishing, you can be, too! Simple and pretty When it comes to getting married, it's all about the ring. Whether you choose to go big, minimalist or vintage, the choice is yours. Not sure where you stand on the scale? You can never go wrong with a little sparkle! Rose gold stackable bands are a great way of dressing up your look on the day, flashing your finger right through to the back of the room. This banded beauty uses all the right kinds of stone shapes, finishing off your bridal look with that easy, effortless style. This is rose gold to last a lifetime. A touch of sparkle Accessories, accessories, accessories. While getting your hair and gown on point are essential parts of any bridal look, it's the small details that make all the difference. Looking to push your look to the next level? Finish it off with a diamond touch. Clustered together into one perfect pendant, these bridal diamonds are set in rose gold. Elegant, timeless and classic, the pendant will add just enough luxe to your bridal beauty, without going overboard. Check and check. Vintage dreams Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue; how's your checklist going? This vintage beauty covers at least two of the list, giving you time to breathe a little easier. Bright, bold and just a little bit of bling, this stunning rose gold sapphire ring is the ultimate finishing touch. Layer it on and let yourself shine! Teardrops and waterfalls Are you of the drama queen variety? Nothing makes a statement quite like a shining set of diamonds! This teardrop pendant is all about the big impact, turning all the attention on Y-O-U. Vintage-inspired, the pendant marches that fine line between contemporary and classic, pulling it off with gusto. When you're looking for a piece to carry you through the main event, rose gold will set you apart from the crowd! Starry Eyed and Simplistic Thought simple was a sin? Set your eyes on this rose gold beauty! Glam and gleaming, the two-pronged diamond setting is all you need to shine on your big day. Adorn your fingers with a little sparkle and let the jewelry do all the talking for you. Your guests won't believe their eyes, right from the back row to the front. And there you have it; your big day made even better thanks to the help of a little rose gold. Worn around your neck or on your fingers, the softer hued metal is a true miracle worker, no matter your bridal style. It's your time to shine!


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We all know - DVDs and CDs and any other physical media fails from time to time. It gets dusty, scratched, breaks and takes up space. Going from physical media to its electronic, non-physical form is a huge process, but I believe it's inevitable and the sooner we start, the better. You've spent a lot of money purchasing all those DVDs and certainly you'd be annoyed if all of a sudden they'd stop playing, right?
Well, this is where DVD back ups could save you. I'm not going into details of whether studios think it's legal or not to make backup for your personal use, let's assume it's ok in your area and you've done it
Then comes the next question - you've got your great new shiny DLNA device and you point it to your folder with your backed up DVDs only to find a bunch a strange, broken up files that may play, but pause right in the middle of the most interesting scene before they continue playing another file. This would be a scenario with a simple DLNA server, but of course KooRaRoo Media is smarter than that
KooRaRoo will automatically (yes, it does a lot on its own, so you don't have to!) recognize those DVD folders, then read information about your movie and combine the main movie into one file, without pauses, breaks or any glitches in between scenes! You will notice that when browsing through KooRaRoo's folders, there will be titles with "(main title)" appended to them. These are the main movies - just play those ones and KRR will automatically combine the whole movie into one for you.
Very handy, isn't it? And of course when you have your DVDs in KooRaRoo's library, you can quickly find them by genre, actors, studios, years and the multitude of other supported criteria. It's a lot easier than going through the hundreds of DVD boxes trying to find that special movie you want to watch right now and there is less dusting!


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LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
Looking to keep track of all the various projects in development? Click here to visit our signature "Devwatch" section. There visitors can view our listings by network, genre, studio and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!
Rebecca Creskoff, Kenny Johnson and Michael Vartan have all snagged roles on the second season of "Bates Motel" (Deadline.com); Chaley Rose has been cast as Scarlett's (Clare Bowen) childhood friend who also has dreams of making it big as a singer on "Nashville" (@Nashville_ABC); David Anders will guest on "Criminal Minds" as "a serial slayer whose M.O. involves the lobotomization of his victims" (TVLine.com); Henry Winkler has been tapped to play Jean-Ralphio's (Ben Schwartz) father on "Parks & Recreation" (THR.com); and Lauren Stamile will drop by the season premiere of "The Mentalist" as the wife of a murder victim whose body is discovered two years after he was reported missing" (TVLine.com).


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I had a friend in the military who was talking to me about a list of locations that you get when you move from one kind of duty to another (I can't remember the details). Apparently you are given a list of different military bases and you get to pick a handful of locations where you'd like to be stationed and number them from your highest desirability to your lowest. He told me some funny joke, that I no longer fully remember, about how you filled out all of these places you'd love to be stationed – only to learn that the military is going to station you wherever the hell the feel like it, and your "wish" list basically becomes a list of places you are pretty much guaranteed to never see. The joke itself was funnier. But you will just have to trust me on that one.
I guess the point that I'm trying to make with the anecdote above is that while I have a lot of wishes that I'd like to see implemented – I also am fairly realistic about any of them coming to fruition. Much like my friend dreaming of being stationed in Hawaii or perhaps internationally, I know that just because I want to see certain changes made, doesn't mean that those changes are going to go any further than this post. That doesn't mean that I'm not going to wish for them, or suggest them! Because, I mean, much like the Field of Dreams, if I don't build my thoughts, no one will ever hear them! Hrm…that analogy worked better in my head.
Regardless! Let's get on to some of the things I'd like to see changed with Mists!
Bring Back Pure Healing
To put it another way: make healing about healing again. This is probably my number one wish for Mists. I miss the days when being a healer was about making smart decisions in your healing and not about what cooldown you offered your raid. Honestly, I'd be 100% okay if they got rid of raid cooldowns altogether and designed encounters around just being able to heal though them based on the skill and ability of your healing team. No gimmicks. No Shenanigans. No "omg we have to have cooldown x or we are at a disadvantage". Just let me heal.
Additionally, I can't help but think that a lot of balancing issues could be solved, or at least heavily mitigated, by removing all of the if/then factors that things like Barrier brought into the healing game this expansion. More than anything else I want to be able to go into a raid and just worry about healing. I honestly don't feel that things like PW:B, AM, (3 min) DH, SLT or (3 min) Tranq make encounters more dynamic or "fun", and often I think that they are detrimental when looking at the way in encounters are designed as a whole. Let's just scrap them all and heal again – after all, isn't that why we signed up to be a healer in the first place?
Quality of Life(bloom)!
My next wish is druid centric and a quality of life request. I'd like to have a way to swap a 3 stack lifebloom between two targets without having it take 3 GCDs. Let's face it, outside of a handful of unique situations, in PvE lifebloom is kept on the tanks. However, a lot of encounters are designed to have tanks swap. Sometimes with alarming regularity (think about fights like Ultraxion or Ragnaros). To be perfectly honest, if you tried to keep a 3 stack of LB up on the active tank during Ultraxion, you'd almost never have time to cast anything but LB as you constantly re-applied your 3 stack between tanks as they swapped back and forth.
I understand that Blizzard wanted to move away from the "rolling LB" healing style that we saw in TBC. I even understand why they moved LB to only being able to be stacked on one target at the end of Wrath. But please, for the love of god, give us a way to swap it between targets while retaining our 3 stack. The swap could cost as much mana as re-applying a fresh stack, just please don't make us spend 3 GCDs to get it back up on a new target.
Mince those Mushrooms
Another druid centric wish! If we can expect to see the damage patterns that have been consistent during this expansion, Druids absolutely need a way to more effectively and efficiently deal with burst AE damage. But Mushrooms are not the way to fix the problem. A spell with (very) limited range, that requires the raid to remain stationary (standing in the mushrooms), that takes 3 GCDs, must be set up in advance (while praying your raid doesn't move and you have enough familiarity with the encounter to know the damage patterns to use them) to detonate and requires the very clunky mushroom placement mechanic is just not a good solution. Especially when you have to consider that we are already maintaining harmony every 10 seconds and having to use 3 GCDs to swap lifeblooms between tanks; oh, and let's not forget the wrath spam we are supposed to be integrating into our healing to boost its potency. Mushrooms are, frankly, the worst solution that I've heard regarding our need to have more burst healing abilities in our aresenal and is going to cause nothing but problems. Or give us another mediocre and lackluster raid heal.
But Beru, I hear your complaints, do you have a better solution? I don't know if I do or not – I just know that what is proposed right now is not something I'm looking forward to trying to navigate in a raid. Why not explore an entirely new spell for us? It seems reasonable since we didn't receive one in Catalcysm. Maybe something that can cause all of your active rejuvs to "flourish" healing nearby raid members for a certain amount in one burst, or maybe base it on how many active rejuvs you have on the raid, with a maximum limit it could heal. It could perform the same task as mushrooms – but would be much more dynamic and not as constricting. It also has the potential to allow the player to make intelligent and smart choices about who they are healing while thinking forward towards how those heals will impact the raid as a whole.
The long and short of it is that I think we do need additional tools in our kit to solve the problems we've seen this expansion, I just do not think that healing mushrooms is a practical, or particularly appealing, way to get there.
Serverwide Achievements
I've talked about this before, but I'd love to see things like "Realm First Boss X" have separate 10 and 25 man achievements. While the two raid sizes coexist, trying to balance them to be equal is an exercise in futility. If Blizzard is going to continue to keep competitive achievements like the server first achievements in the game, I think that there should be a separate achievement for each raid size. I also think that if a guild obtains the server first achievement for one raid size they should be prohibited from obtaining it for the other raid size. As an example, if Guild G obtains a server first achievement for Boss N in a 10 man raid setting, they will be ineligible to later obtain the achievement in a 25 man raid setting. This would mean that each server would have the opportunity for both 10 and 25 mans guilds that are focused on progression raiding to obtain the server first recognition without the concern about an encounter is "easier" or "harder" on one difficulty or the other.
Cross Realm Guilds
Why not?! Everything else in the game is already cross realm, why not allow guilds to be cross realm as well? Guilds are all about community, why should that necessarily be limited to server communities? This would also help recruitment tremendously – as guilds that are on smaller populated realms could attract players who would rather play on a more populated realm, but want to raid with a certain guild that made its home on a smaller realm, or the realm the guild is located on has started to stagnate. As someone who has recruited for a mid-population server, with a smaller horde population, I can absolutely tell you that this is a factor that can be a detriment to some players and that this addition could be extremely valuable to the survival of many guilds moving forward. I think that cross realm guilds will be even more valuable and prevalent if MoP sees cross realm raiding permitted for current content – and could factor into the difference between life and death for many guilds.
Server Mergers
I would like to see the merger of some small and medium population servers. MMOs are all about community and being able to participate in community activities. I know that as we seen things like LFG and LFR introduced this has become less and less true, but I still think that a lot of the value of playing an MMO is in having a community of people that you enjoy. As guilds have continued to struggle this expansion, I think that smaller realms have taken a harder beating than larger realms. Let me see if I can explain this…
A realm has a finite talent pool that they can draw from, once that pool has been tapped the only way to secure talent is to look outside of your realm. The larger and more populated your realm is, theoretically the larger and more diverse your talent pool will be available, which also means that the converse is true for smaller realms. Often times on smaller realms when a guild falls apart, many people either transfer to a new (often more populated) server or quit the game entirely. This, in turn, causes a very nasty catch 22 as smaller realms steadily lose talent and playerbase.
I think that if Blizzard looked at some of their smaller and medium populated realms and cross matched them so that small realms with high alliance population were merged with small realms with high horde population you could invigorate these realms and in the process save a good number of players and guilds in the process.
Get Rid of Legendaries, Bring Back Class Specific Epics
Let's face it, legendaries are nothing but trouble. They cause problems with balancing. They cause drama. I can't think of a single guild leader who heard about a legendary and went "yay!". Personally, I'd rather see class specific epics similar to Rok and Benediction. Along with long, complex quest chains that require players to be a master of their class to obtain the weapon. I completed both a Rok and a Benediction during vanilla, and the quests were amazing. Not only from a lore perspective (it's a real shame people can't see the Benediction quest anymore) – but from a "you must learn to be an exceptional player" perspective. Both quests required you to become a master of all aspects of your class and it's a shame that Blizzard stopped making rewards in this fashion. I would love if we never saw another orange in the game, but had more class-centric epics that really encouraged and rewarded players for learning to think outside of the box and be exceptional.
I have so many more things I'd like to see changed, but I think those listed above are the biggest ones for me. What about you? What would be on your MoP wish list?


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Experts say gang members use online tools to plan crimes, recruit members and threaten rivals, and online activity often leads to offline violence.
Graffiti -- the traditional "newspaper" of the street gang -- has long been used to mark territory and communicate messages. But these days, gangs also are "all over social media," as one expert says, embracing a more modern way to make their presence felt and, in many cases, further their criminal enterprises.
Whether it is Facebook or YouTube or Twitter or Instagram, gang members are becoming more adept at online communications, experts say. Though much of their communication mirrors the benign activities of their non-gang peers, a darker component exists, too.
"Activities online are sparking violence offline," said David Pyrooz, the co-author of a study of Internet gang activity published earlier this year. "That's when it gets real serious."
Some gang members are using online tools to plan crimes, recruit members or challenge and threaten rivals, said Bruce Ferrell, the president of the Nebraska-based Midwest Gang Investigators Association. Many of those kinds of back-and-forth "dissing" between rival gang members come in the form of rap lyrics that are recorded and posted online, he said.
One such online rap war had a deadly effect in Chicago last fall after someone shot and killed gang-affiliated rapper Joseph Coleman. That prompted several retaliatory killings, police in the city said.
Much of the threatening and harassing words that gang members spew toward one another online may seem trivial, but it can "spark an all-out gang war," said Pyrooz, an assistant professor at Sam Houston State University in Texas.
"What the Internet does is what word of mouth used to do," he said. "It provides them with a wide platform to promote their reputations."
And it is happening in Kansas City, where law enforcement officials have estimated that 2,500 to 3,500 people have been involved in gang activity in recent years.
"They are real savvy with social media," said Ron Hunt, a Kansas City community activist who works with young people seeking to get out of the gang lifestyle.
The study of online gang activity was conducted in five large cities, including St. Louis but not Kansas City. Researchers interviewed nearly 600 people, about two-thirds whom were active or former gang members, Pyrooz said.
Gang members use social media at about an 80 percent rate, which is consistent with the general population, he said.
But gang members engage in "criminal and deviate" behavior online at a higher rate than other people, the study found. Besides the threatening and harassing behavior, the gang members are more likely to do such things as illegally download files, arrange drug sales, sell stolen goods or post and watch videos of street fights.
Nearly 20 percent of the participants in the study said their gangs had their own websites or social media pages. About one-third of those said the pages were password-protected.
One thing that struck Pyrooz was how technically savvy young gang members were. The "digital divide" that once separated residents of large urban areas from those in more affluent communities has disappeared as a result of handheld technology, he said.
On the streets, gang members go online to monitor the movements of police officers and warn one another or give an "all clear" when officers depart, said Ferrell of the gang investigators association.
Ferrell said one social media phenomenon occurring on the West Coast is "flocking." It is a type of flash mob in which gang members text one another to show up all at once at a specific place to commit a crime. It can involve breaking into a home or stealing from a business.
Officer Steve Edwards of the Overland Park Police Department said gang members have a propensity to post pictures of themselves and their friends online. Sometimes they are pictured holding guns, money or drugs.
"That can help us locate where they are and who they are hanging out with," he said.
With the wide use of social media today, it is imperative that police agencies learn how to employ it effectively, said Lauri Stevens of LAwS Communications, which trains law enforcement officers to effectively use social media.
Beyond using social media to track gang members and their criminal activity, police also must learn how to gather evidence so it can be used to successfully prosecute the criminals, she said.
Stevens said there has been very little legal precedent in that area, particularly when it comes to cell phones and other hand-held devices.
State courts have split on whether police can obtain evidence from cellphones without search warrants.
Lawyers for a California man who was linked to a gang-related shooting by photos police obtained from his cellphone have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for a hearing on the issue.
This article originally appeared in The Kansas City Star.
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We met up with ProTonLocks at Interbike. During our meeting/video interview, their product actually wowed us. The nice gentleman showed us a large poster of a bmx guy with a prosthetic leg doing a crazy stunt while using these pedals. He even demonstrated how his pedals worked and by that time we were convinced that they would do well in a review. ProTonLocks gave me a set of pedals to take home so we can test it and review them on the site.
Here's an excerpt from their description of their pedals:
ProTon Magnetic Pedal Locks Should reduce the risk of injuries by providing a means to secure the rider to the bicycle pedal via the New Hi Tech Magnetic Pedal Locking Device. This allows the rider to maintain a positive attraction to the bicycle pedal through a new break through in magnetic materials, yet if the rider falls, the "side shear force" can quickly and easily release the rider from the bike reducing the risk of additional injuries. These units are made from A380 Aluminum, Nickel Plated High Power Magnet, Chrome-molly spindle and sealed ball bearings.
You can read more HERE.
So let's get down to the nitty gritty. I'm not going to beat around the bush, these pedals suck. First of all, I after installing them, I noticed that they didn't spin freely, I had to loosen the nylock bolts on the spindle to let them give the pedal the ability spin.
Then I had to install the cleat/magnet onto my shoes. I had to cut out some of the rubber in order for me to get them to sit. After I got them on, I decided to go for a ride. One thing that was disappointing was the lack of magnetic power these pedals/cleats had. From what they described it on their website, these things are supposed to have "high power magnets."
In order for me to test the power, I simple tried to do a bunny hop by lifting the rear wheel with my shoes. Normally this can be easily done with SPD style pedals. But with the ProtonLocks, I couldn't do it, if anything, my feel came right off.
They also claim, "The magnetic force of the magnet will help keep your feet on the pedals while riding hard reducing the risk of "slipping a pedal" . During my ride this evening, my feet kept slipping like crazy. Other riders that were with me, witnessed my frustration with the ProTonLocks because my feet would constantly slide off the pedals. The magnets were not strong enough. Even though there is a lip so the magnet doesn't slide off, any little bump would cause your feet to come free from the pedal.
With the ProTonLocks pedals, you can't do a sweeping motion as you pedal. What I mean is, when you go from the 4 o'clock to the 11 o'clock pedal stroke, your foot simply comes off the pedal. There's nothing other than the supposed "magnetic power" to keep you in place. As I was hitting the downhill section of my trail, I felt really insecure riding because I was afraid that my feet would slip off and cause me to lose control.
Here's another thing that kills me, the price. They are selling these pedals for $165 for the model we tested. In all honesty, you're better off buying a pair of Crank Brothers Smarty Pedals for $30 or a pair of inexpensive Shimano SPD pedals for less than $50. Truth be told, I was really disappointed in how these pedals performed.


text: It still doesn't make sense. For some of the patterns, after an initial burst of enthusiasm the controller seems to be sending nothing, despite the LEDs happily continuing their pattern. Maybe all the controller is doing is selecting one of a hundred or so patterns and telling the D7001 which one to display.


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5.1 channels of vivid, realistic home theatre sound
The Harman Kardon HKTS 16 system is a complete 5.1-channel speaker package that takes all the guesswork out of the home theatre equation, surrounding you with the captivating, all-encompassing sound that you associate with your favourite cineplex. With dual midrange centre and satellite speakers that are engineered for optimal performance, and a down-firing, 200-watt powered subwoofer that adds serious bass punch, the HKTS 16 package delivers over-the-top Hollywood excitement movie after movie, year after year.
Complete 5.1 home theater surround-sound speaker system
As a complete home theater package, the HKTS 16BQ/WQ has everything you need – including satellite bases, wall-mounting hardware and all necessary cables – in one box. And by including removable shelf-mount stands and wall-mount brackets for the satellite and center speakers, the system offers you great flexibility for installing the speakers in different locations.
Voice-matched, two-way, 120W satellite speakers
The HKTS 16BQ/WQ system's five voice-matched satellite speakers with dual 3-inch (75-millimeter) midrange drivers and 1/2-inch (13 millimeter) high-frequency tweeters are engineered to work together to produce a rich, realistic, all-encompassing sonic performance with convincing sound effects. You can even place these video-shielded speakers near your TV without causing magnetic interference.
Powerful, down-firing, 200W subwoofer
The HKTS 16BQ/WQ's 200-watt down-firing subwoofer with an 8-inch (200-millimeter) driver offers deep, authoritative low-frequency realism that lends a richness and believability to whatever imagery you're seeing on screen – while remaining surprisingly unimposing off screen. While viewing an action film, you hear every crash, bang and boom the soundtrack has to offer.
Stunning modern design
The HKTS 16BQ/WQ system represents a décor-friendly complement to any entertainment center or home theater. Its contemporary styling incorporates glossy, black (BQ) or white (WQ) accents, polished surfaces and elegant symmetry – elements that are clearly part of the rich Harman Kardon® design heritage. The system's compact, unobtrusive dimensions offer virtually unlimited installation options.
Bass-boost controls and phase switches for subwoofer
Controls on the HKTS 16BQ/WQ's 200-watt subwoofer let you fine-tune its bass output for your personal taste and room acoustics. Bass-boost and phase switches also allow you to optimize the subwoofer's performance, depending upon where you place the speakers. A subwoofer properly in phase with the satellite speakers generates clear, and lifelike sounds for instruments such as drums, piano and plucked strings.
Magnetically shielded loudspeaker components
Unshielded loudspeaker components can upset the magnetic field in a conventional TV, resulting in visible color shifts and possible long-term damage. But the HKTS 16BQ/WQ's magnetically shielded loudspeaker components can deliver high-quality, high-performance results even when you place them near a TV.
LFE (low-frequency effects) input connector
The HKTS 16BQ/WQ includes an LFE (low-frequency effects) input connector that bypasses the subwoofer's internal, low-pass crossover. As a result, you can use a receiver/processor's dedicated subwoofer output to provide enhanced low-end performance.
Compatible with HTFS 2 floor stands
If wall-mounting is not your preferred method of installation, the optional HTFS 2 floor stands (sold separately) set the HKTS 16BQ/WQ satellite speakers at the ideal, ear-level listening position. The aluminum-extrusion columns, which also include a self-contained wire-management system, will elegantly complementing virtually any décor.
Energy-saving features
To adhere to European guidelines, the HKTS 16BQ/WQ system uses low standby-power consumption – less than 1 watt – and includes a number of energy-efficient features. For example, an auto-power on/off function automatically controls the subwoofer in response to a relayed voltage or an audio input signal. (If the subwoofer receives no audio signal for 15 minutes, the subwoofer automatically shuts off.) By meeting such "green" standards, this speaker system keeps sound quality high – and your power bill low.
Speaker System
■ Frequency response: 45Hz – 20kHz (–6dB)
SAT-TS11 Satellites
■ Midrange transducers: dual 3″ (75mm) cones, video-shielded
■ High-frequency transducer: 1/2″ (13mm) dome, video-shielded
■ Impedance: 8 ohms nominal
■ Recommended power: 10 – 120 watts ■ Sensitivity: 86dB @ 2.83V/1 meter
■ Enclosure Type: sealed
■ Dimensions (H x W x D): 243mm x 100mm x 92mm
■ Weight: 1kg (2.2 lb)
CEN-TS11 Centre Speaker
■ Midrange transducers: dual 75mm cones, video-shielded
■ High-frequency transducer: 19mm dome
■ Recommended power: 10 – 120 watts
■ Impedance: 8 ohms
■ Sensitivity: 86dB (2.83V/1m)
■ Enclosure type: sealed
■ Dimensions (H x W x D): 102mm x 241mm x 92mm
■ Weight: 1kg (2.2 lb)
HKTS200SUB Subwoofer
■ Low-frequency transducer: 8″ (200mm) cone
■ Amplifier power: 200 watts RMS
■ Enclosure type: sealed
■ External trigger voltage: 3V – 30V AC/DC
■ Dimensions (H x W x D): 353mm x 267mm x 267mm
■ Weight: 9kg (19.8 lb)


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For the life of me I cannot figure this kite out!
I am a heavier rider, ~230lbs, and my home kiting spot is the mid-atlantic, Chesapeake Bay beaches. The wind is light and variable which is one of the reasons why I chose the 21m.
HOWEVER - have yet to even launch and fly the kite at Zenith. I can't even keep it in the air and it's brand new!
So, two questions:
1) Anyone have any recommendations?
2) If I can't figure this out, I am ready to sell it.


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text:
I think this post is a good restart to my blog, because I have not written any post for 2 months, I can recall someone who are special for me. Thanks to all visitors of my blog, because U have reached 37,127 hits. Yaah.. 🙂
I have to dedicate all of your wishes to Miss Amy who introduced http://www.wordpress.com to me to write about something about an issue.
As I have chosen to write about endangered animals, I have got a lot of information which helps to many people who have visited my blog since I created this blog. Every post I have written teaches me a lot and they help me to understand the reality of life. As many human's activities are harmful for nature, we have to be friendly with environment, because as human beings we have to survive and save other living beings as well.
Though my blog shares about animals, it has other pasts too. I have decided to write about others too as I can improve my writing skill and learning other skills like researching and enjoying my leisure time. In addition, this blog have brought me a lot of friends who really help me to expand my blog.
In this place, I have to remember Miss Amy again. Although she is not with me in Bangladesh now as she is in the United States, whenever I see my blog and viewer, I recall her. I can remember, one day she said that I was one of the best students of her who studied under her.
Thanks Miss Amy.
Love you…
I'm really sorry to say that I couldn't link this URL.


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Beholden to no one, Behind the Curtain with Jack Burkman stops at nothing to get to the stories that nobody is talking about but everyone needs to know.


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Feds to help keep sage grouse off threatened list in CA
RENO, Nev. (AP) — The Obama administration is launching an effort to accelerate protection of sage grouse along the California-Nevada line with $31 million in spending through 2024 to help ranchers and others improve habitat in what one top official says may be the best, last chance to keep the bistate population off the list of threatened species.
"This is the last train out of the station," Jason Weller, chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, told The Associated Press.
While the multiagency effort targets grouse habitat in California and Nevada, officials said they hope it will spread in years to come to the overall habitat of the greater sage grouse across 11 western states.
"With proactive conservation investments, we're helping farmers and ranchers who are improving habitat through voluntary efforts to stabilize this population of sage grouse," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Friday in formally announcing what he said was a "groundbreaking commitment" to provide $25.5 million over the next five to 10 years to help buy conservation easements in areas with key habitats.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management also is committing $6.5 million over 10 years to finance a wide range of improvements for the bistate population, which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed be granted protection under the Endangered Species Act.
The service estimates there are only about 5,000 of the birds left. A final decision is expected next April.
"The biologists that work for NRCS and our partners were concerned that absent an accelerated action, staying the course we are on, all signals were it's likely going to be listed," Weller said in a telephone interview from the District of Columbia. "There are no promises here, but hopefully it will make a difference in the ultimate listing decision."
In proposing last year to list the bistate population as threatened, the Fish and Wildlife Service agreed with conservationists who raised concerns about the lack of certainly and funding for future efforts to protect the bird.
"We are trying to address that uncertainty," Weller said. "It's all hands on deck. We are committing the money. This is about as concrete as we can get."
In addition to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the USDA's Forest Service will focus efforts to stem the invasion of juniper and other conifers into the sagebrush habitat grasses that grouse need for nesting and protection from predators.
"I applaud the NRCS, USFS and the BLM for their very significant commitments, which will help provide certainty that important conservation actions in key areas of the bird's habitat will continue to be implemented," said Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, who oversees both the Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service.
The service in October proposed protecting the distinct population along the Nevada-California line under the Endangered Species Act. The proposal would designate about 1.8 million acres as critical habitat.
The bistate population is separate from the greater sage grouse population, which is also under consideration for protection. The service plans to make a decision by late 2015 on whether greater sage grouse also warrant protection.
Weller said Friday's announcement should help spur similar efforts in the nine states beyond Nevada and California with greater sage grouse — Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, North Dakota and South Dakota.
"It's bigger than just the bistate population," he said. "It puts a marker in the ground for the overall sage grouse population across the West."


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About us
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom is the foundation for liberal politics in the Federal Republic of Germany. It aims to promote the goal of making the principle of freedom valid for the dignity of all people and in all areas of society, both in Germany and abroad. With the safeguarding and the development of its statutory projects (civic education and dialogue, sponsorship of the talented, research and political consultation, archive-work), the Friedrich Naumann Foundation wants to contribute to shaping the future.
In Germany the Foundation offers diverse forums, mostly for young and talented people, to exchange of information and experience in present-day contexts. Its main focus is to promote a greater understanding of politics and to inspire citizens to take part in political processes.
Abroad, the support of human rights, rule of law and democracy in more than 60 countries form the core of the work of the regional offices in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Central America; various forms of international dialogue and transatlantic dialogue programme are used to promote these three values around the world. The foundation supports local, regional, and national initiatives to advance the rights of minorities, the democratic control of security forces and for strengthening international human rights coalitions.
Furthermore, we assist the development of democratic and constitutional structures by supporting liberal parties and groups. A strong network of associations of democratic parties, of human rights organisations and of academic establishments forms the basis of the foundation's activity abroad. The foundation's central idea, both at home and abroad, is the realisation of freedom and responsibility.
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text:
'The MacBook Air 11-inch is a wonderful commuter laptop, and it should be on your short list if you're constantly on the move. '
'If you've got the money it's perfect for business trips.'
'More ports than 12-inch MacBook. '
'Apple's buying process is very user-friendly.'
'Asus Chromebook Flip (C100PA-DB02), on the other hand, delivers a stunning, lightweight convertible design, excellent performance, and impressive battery life for under $300. '
'The Asus Chromebook Flip C100 takes some real risks, some more successful than others, in order to provide a premium-feeling experience for only $249 (£249 in the UK; not currently available in Australia).'
'impressive build quality'
'It helps that the Chromebook Flip is one of the smallest and lightest convertible systems around, weighing 1.96 pounds and measuring 10.6 x 7.2 x 0.6 inches. '
'the Dell Chromebook 11 Non-Touch is ideal for any grade-school classroom or for use as an affordable, everyday laptop.'
'As an everyday laptop, though, this model falls a bit short of our expectations, especially considering the achievements of its older sibling. '
'The matte finish on the keys made them comfortable to use.'
'Snappy performance'
'The new MacBook is brilliant.'
'A genuinely unique laptop for those seeking a Retina display in the most compact and light chassis around, the fact remains that the new MacBook's many compromises mean it won't suit everyone. '
'Impossible movie was loud and clear, even at the highest volume setting.'
'Just get ready for some sticker shock, as this system costs $1,299.'
'The Dell Chromebook 11 Touch is a decent Chrome OS laptop for education, with a rugged design that should survive whatever stresses are inflicted upon it in the classroom. '
'In many areas the notebook is an excellent budget system. '
'Bright, colorful display. '
'Not a good value'
'The built-in speakers are a bit trebly, but moderately loud and distortion-free. '
'The rugged body, meant for students, is especially thick and heavy.'
'Intel Core i5 processor and 128GB solid-state drive offer solid performance. '
'While the graphics processing will do quite well for streaming media or loading up graphics-heavy websites, it's definitely not meant for rendering games or 3D models, and may be noticeably slow in some multimedia tasks.'
'decent ultraportable budget laptop'
'Finicky touchpad.'
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text:
Hello guys, I bought new dedicated 2003 windows server, anyway, I installed xampp 1.8.0 and I keep getting this error when I try running apache manually, cause in the control panel it's says started and stopped
httpd.exe: Syntax error on line 456 of C:/xampp/apache/conf/httpd.conf: Syntax e
rror on line 17 of C:/xampp/apache/conf/extra/httpd-xampp.conf: Cannot load C:/x
ampp/php/php5ts.dll into server: This application has failed to start because th
e application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix t
his problem.
Why is that, can someone tell me what to do to make it work?
Thanks in advnace!


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CHICAGO — Some women's advocacy groups want to stop a fighter from competing in this weekend's Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is set to compete in the championship this Saturday night at the United Center.
The advocacy group claims Jackson appeared in a video that, they believe, made light of rape.quintonjackson
The video, featured on YouTube, shows Jackson giving advice on picking up women.
In the video, he suggests using chloroform and duct tape until a woman pulls a gun on him.
UFC officials say they find the video "tasteless" but they've agreed to let Jackson compete.


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Cookie Cutters: Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 16: Crafting With Food or Cookie Cutters as Food Shapers
Cookie Cutters: Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 16: Crafting With Food or Cookie Cutters as Food Shapers
Cookie dough and paper are not all you can cut with cookie cutters! They also are great to make decorative shapes from food.
I was going to do a photo tutorial on using cutters as food shapers, but when I went on-line to see what I could see I found so many great tutorials that I decided to give you the links instead. Take a look at some of the sites – you will never look at a melon slice the same way again!!!
There are so many different ways you can use shaped food that I cannot have possibly thought of found a reference to of all of them. I'd love to hear any ways you have used shaped food. And if you have photos e-mail them to me at firstname.lastname@example.com and I will add them to this post and give you credit.
So go ahead – – – Play with your food!
- Food that can be cut into slices
Also Needed
- Mini or small cookie cutters
- Cutting board
- Plate
- Sharp knife
- Assemble materials. Choose food that can be cut into about 1 inch thick slices. Select a mini or small cutter that will fit on a slice of the food to be shaped. For example a cake slice will accommodate a larger cutter than a slice of melon. Wash your hands thoroughly before handling food.
- Cut the food to be shaped into about one inch thick slices. Fondant will be rolled out thinner.
- Lay the food slice flat on a plate or CLEAN cutting board. Carefully place the mini cutter on the slice to maximize the number of shapes that can be obtained from each slice.
- Press down and cut out shape. Remove cutter and the carefully lift and place on a plate.
- Once all the food has been cut arrange the shapes on a platter or in a bowl.
Additional Notes
- Save the scraps of food to be used in another manner. For example, if cutting out cheese shapes keep the cheese scraps to use as cheese crumbles on top of a salad or in a cheese ball and fruit scraps can be used to make frozen drinks or in a fruit salad the next day.
Shaped Foods
Below are some links I have found on using cookie cutters to shape food. They tips range from using the cutter to make decorative accent pieces to using the cutter as a mold. There is something for all skill levels.
Biscuits: Use a floured cookie cutter to cut biscuits or rolls in cool shapes. Make special shapes for holiday & event suppers: hearts for Valentine's Day or your anniversary, shamrocks for St. Pat's, etc.
- Sweet biscuit wreath: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/sweet-biscuit-wreath-recipe/index.html
Breakfast Sandwiches: Mold ground sausage into a simple roundish shape (ex: flower) and cook as usual. Cut biscuits with the same cutter and bake. Cook an egg in the cutter. Cut a slice of cheese in the same shape. When all parts are ready, assemble sandwiches for a special breakfast treat!
Cake & Other Dessert Shapes: Use cutters to cut any food that can be made in a jelly pan or cut into slabs – – – brownies, cake, ice cream, etc. Use as a mold and pack with Rice Krispie treats (wet your hands first).
- Serve cake in a way you may have never served it before – in shapes! I can just see pound cake stars on top of cake scraps layered with strawberries and blueberries and then topped with whipped cream. How red, white & blue can you be?
- Use cutters to cut out dough other than cookie dough: scones, doughnut dough. puff pastry and tiny tarts or pies.
- http://www.ehow.com/how_7724487_use-cookie-cutters-cake.html
Cake Stencil, Reverse: Use the cutter to make a reverse stencil. Example: place the cutter in the middle of a cheesecake then spread fruit filling around the cutter. Carefully remove the cutter and leave a cookie cutter shape in the center of the cheesecake. Place mini stars randomly around the cheesecake and then spread blueberry and cherry pie filling around the cutters either in stripes or an outer ring of cherry, then center of blueberry. Then fill in the cutters with whipped cream, chill pie in the freezer for 30 minutes, and then carefully remove the cutters.
Cake Stencil: While this idea is not cutting a shape from food, but is using a cutter to make a shape on top of food, I have included it in this category anyway. Want a unique cake topper FAST? Simply put an outline cookie cutter on top of the cake and sprinkle colored sugar, cake glitter, or sprinkles directly into the inside of the cutter. You can also pipe in more frosting in a contrasting color into the shape. Mini cutters can be used for cupcake stencils. Place mini cutters on top of cupcakes for décor and a favor. Or use a cutter to dust a plain cake with powdered sugar to create a lacy design instead of frosting. A snowflake done this way is beautiful.
- http://www.realsimple.com/new-uses-for-old-things/new-uses-kitchen/cookie-cutters-decorate-cakes-10000001551274/index.html
- http://www.marthastewart.com/318926/crisp-sugar-doily-cookies?xsc
Cake Topper: Trace a large cookie cutter on a sheet of very heavy cardstock (glue 2 sheets together or glue scrapbook paper to the cardstock) and add a large tab to the bottom of the shape. Cut the shape out and then use markers, paints, etc. to decorate it (do not decorate tab). Then insert the tab into the center of a frosted cake. Use mini cutters to create cupcake toppers. Either use the method above or make and decorate two shapes (one the reverse of the first) and glue the shapes together with a mini food skewer sandwiched between the shapes. After the pick dries, insert into the cupcake. You can use this method to make a set of picks depicting a scene (example: pilgrims, Native American, pumpkin, turkey, etc.) for a cake topper.
Candy & Cake Molds: For both candy & cake start by making a mold with a cutter (mini – candy, regular – cake) and aluminum foil (Wrap the bottom of a metal outline cookie cutter with aluminum foil, leaving top open.). Use mini cutters as molds hard candies. Then fill the mold with ground up hard candies (Life Savers, root beer barrels, etc.) or cake batter and bake. Pop treats out of the mold when cool. Insert a sucker straw into the mini cake to make a cookie cutter cake pop. Also use mini cutter to cut out and make shaped petite fours out of cake batter baked in a jelly roll pan.
- Mini sugared jelly candles: http://www.countryliving.com/recipefinder/sugared-jelly-candies-3073
Chocolate Cutouts: Spread melted chocolate on wax paper. When the chocolate is slightly set, cut shapes using cookie cutters. Let set up completely and then remove chocolate shapes to be used to embellish desserts.
Cookie Cutter Cut Brownies: Bake and then cut brownies in cookie cutter shapes or use the cutter to bake the brownies in – make a "mold", spray the sides and bottom of the mold with vegetable spray, add a little more flour to the recipe, then pour and bake.
Cool Whip: Spread Cool Whip in a thick, even layer on a cookie sheet with sides or jelly roll pan. Freeze. Remove from freezer right before serving and cut shapes with a small or mini cookie cutter. Place on top of a mug of hot cocoa and serve. The shape can also be used as a decorative accent for cold pies. Add the shape IMMEDIATELY before serving (like cherry cheesecake).
- Cool whip hearts for cocoa: http://pinterest.com/pin/57350595224584771/
Egg-tastic Breakfast: Simple to do and delicious to eat!
- Butter a piece of bread on both sides and lay flat on a plate.
- Then use your child's favorite cookie cutter shape (or a shape to fit the season) and cut the center of the bread out.
- Place the bread outline in a hot, buttered skillet and give it a few seconds head start.
- Then crack an egg INTO the outline of the bread – the egg will spread out to fill the open shape (if your child does not like their egg with a runny center "pop" the yolk and hard fry it or scramble the egg before pouring it in the middle of the bread).
- Once the egg has cooked and the bread "toasted", flip it over and let it cook & toast on the second side.
- Then toast the shape you cut out of the bread.
- Add it to the plate with some fruit slices cut with a coordinating shape and get ready for egg-tastic reviews!
Food Label Picks: Cut two cookie cutters shapes (one reverse to the other) from scrapbook paper glued to cardstock. Then glue the two shapes together with a bamboo skewer (cut to the needed length) sandwiched between them. Decorate the pick and the insert into a large piece of food (for example: Label a cheese platter with the type of cheese by inserting the pick into a large hunk of cheese. Surround this with cubed cheese and crackers.).
Fondant: Finding unique shapes in edible sugar decorations that top cupcakes or cakes in stores can be hard and if you need them say by "tomorrow" – it can be impossible! The ever useful mini cookie cutter to the rescue! Instead of fruitlessly searching for the perfect cake topper to go with your theme, turn instead to the craft and baking aisles of almost any department store (even scour your own kitchen for cutters) to find pre-made fondant and a mini cookie cutter.
- You can tint white fondant any shade using paste food coloring and fondant even comes pre-tinted in a variety pack in several color schemes (primary, pastel, earth tones, etc.).
- Simply roll out a thin layer of fondant and then using cookie cutter shapes that fit the occasion cut out fondant shapes.
- You can even create layers for a 3D effect; just slightly dampen the back of the shape so that it sticks to the larger piece of fondant.
- Use an imprint cutter to make fondant shapes with imprints.
- Apply a thin layer of cake glitter to dampened fondant to give the cut outs a little extra sparkle.
- http://www.ehow.com/how_5852187_cut-fondant-shapes.html
Food Mold: Cookie cutters can be used to mold almost any food that can be molded – – – hamburgers, ground sausage, cheese "ball", cream cheese (hot pepper jelly "dip"), butter, custard, sticky rice, ice, etc. Pack food to be molded into a cookie cutter, chill and then pop food out of the mold.
Fruit & Veggies: Cut fruit & veggies into cool shapes for great decorative accent to salads, drinks, and garnishes. Start out with thin slices of fruit or veggie that can be sliced into "slabs" and your favorite mini cookie cutters. Then just cut and serve! Think of almost white honeydew melon stars in a red, white & blue fruit salad or yellow, green & red bell pepper or cucumber flowers in green & other salads. Potatoes can be cut into shapes and then fried for unique French fries. Make frozen fruit pops – cut out larger shapes from watermelon or other fruits then place on a stick and freeze for a cool summer treat. I've posted some cool fruit and veggie "cookie cutter" foods on my Pinterest board. Take a look! Here are links to a really great site that has tons of ideas for carving watermelons using cookie cutters to make fruit shapes.
- Fruit shape for drink: http://snappygourmet.com/2011/09/02/go-blue-tini/
- Love Basket: http://www.watermelon.org/Carvings/Lips-and-Love-Basket-54.aspx
- Beach Bucket: http://www.watermelon.org/Carvings/CarvingsDetail.aspx?ID=4
- http://www.annathered.com/2008/11/30/how-to-make-vegetable-flowers/
- Cut-Out Apple: http://www.thecraftycrow.net/2011/08/back-to-school-ideas.html
Fruit Flower Bouquet: Fill the bottom of a new, small clay flower pot with decorative rocks. Place a piece of Styrofoam that reaches the top of the pot on top of the rocks. Fit parsley over the Styrofoam and secure with a "U" pin to resemble grass. Cut fruit (kiwi, watermelon, apples, bananas, cantaloupe, etc.) into 3/4 inch thick slices. Then cut with mini flower-shaped, doughnut hole cutters (for centers of the flowers) and leaf-shaped cookie cutters. You can also use mini ladybugs, bees, etc. Insert skewers into the Styrofoam. Thread the fruit on bamboo skewers layering the fruit to create flowers. Add bees or ladybugs as accents.
- http://www.watermelon.org/Carvings/Flowering-Garden-12.aspx
- http://www.ehow.com/how_4611613_edible-fruit-flowers.html
Fudge Filled Cutters: Make fudge or white chocolate filled cookie cutters as gifts, place cards, party favors and more. Tightly wrap the bottom of metal outline cookie cutters with aluminum foil and place on a cookie sheet. Pour fudge or white chocolate mixture into the cutter and allow it to harden. Decorate the top with sprinkles, crushed peppermints, etc. before it completely hardens. If using as a place card pipe cookie icing on the top of the cooled shape. Place in a clear cellophane bag and tie with ribbon that coordinates with your event/the season. Attach a hang tag (can use the hang tag as the place card).
JELL-O Jigglers: Make JELL-O Jigglers per the recipe on the box in a jelly roll pan and then cut out shapes using mini cookie cutters. Eat as is or use them as accents on top of the whipped cream on a JELL-O dessert..
Meat & Cheese Appetizers: Have the deli in your favorite grocery store cut pepperoni, hard salami, other hard meats and your favorite kinds of cheese into one inch thick slabs. At home use an assortment of cookie cutters to cut out shapes that fit the reason for your party (for example; hearts, clubs, diamonds & spades for a card party) and arrange on a tray. Serve with crackers. Cut mini shapes of meat and cheese for a fantastic chef's salad. Cut sliced cheese with a cutter for a hamburger or sandwich! Save the scraps to use in cheese balls (how about using a cutter to shape it?), crumble on top of salads, to use in cheese biscuits, etc.
- http://www.ehow.com/info_8353112_meat-cheese-appetizer-ideas.html
- http://www.bhg.com/halloween/recipes/halloween-recipe-ideas/
Mini Pizzas: Use large simple cookie cutters to cut pizza dough into decorative shapes. Then prepare per the recipe. These can be a seasonal shape for a holiday party or in just about any shape for an everyday pizza treat!.
Pancakes, Waffles & Toast: How cute would heart shaped pancakes or toast be for Valentine's Day? Don't have a pancake mold on hand? Just cut the ALREADY COOKED PANCAKES OR WAFFLES OR TOAST into heart (or whatever!) shapes with cookie cutters (use your largest cutter that will fit on the pancake/etc.). You can also use a metal outline cutter to make shaped pancakes. To prevent sticking, spray the edges and inside of the cookie with a non-stick vegetable cooking spray. Place it flat on a hot griddle. Pour the pancake batter into the cutter. Do not remove the cutter until the pancake batter is set (but not completely cooked). Lift off the cutter and flip the pancake. For added fun, tint the pancake batter with food coloring paste. Top pancakes with fresh sliced & sugared strawberries and whipped cream. Use fruit to fit the occasion, example: blueberries & strawberries for Fourth of July pancakes. Make your kids extra-special pancakes for their birthday, Christmas, or just because.
Pies & Pie Crust Cut-out or Accents: Use your mini, mini cutters to cut shapes from the top crust of a pie for cute cut-outs or cut shapes from leftover pieces and then attach to the top of the crust with a little water for a raised pattern on top of your pie.
- Mini pie crusts: http://blog.catchmyparty.com/2011/09/06/tutorial-mini-lemon-tartlets/
- http://www.hgtv.com/entertaining/make-a-cookie-cutter-pie-crust/index.html
- http://allrecipes.com/howto/making-fancy-pie-crust-toppers/
Sandwiches: Everybody loves small sandwiches at a party (my favorite is chicken salad!), so why not make yours extra special? Make your sandwiches as usual and then use a sharp cookie cutter (metal are sharper than plastic) to cut out shaped sandwiches. You can get one to four mini or one large shaped sandwich from each sandwich, depending on the size of the cutter. For tuna or chicken salad (other) sandwiches cut the bread first and then make the sandwich. Don't reserve this idea for parties only – – – cut your child's favorite sandwich into their favorite shape to make an everyday lunch special. I have some sandwich cutters that cut two medium sized shapes from a sandwich with very little waste. Dollar General and Wal-mart have these. They work great on sandwiches and toast. I love them. "Reverse it up" by using these sandwich cutters to cut out pairs of cookies!
- Shaped sandwiches for Bento Box: http://pinterest.com/laurahobson/lunch-box-fun-with-bento/
- Star shaped sandwiches: http://www.karaspartyideas.com/2011/11/magic-themed-birthday-party.html
- Cutting bread with cutters: http://www.ehow.com/how_5598348_cut-bread-cookie-cutters.html
- Cookie cutter sandwiches: http://www.squawkfox.com/2011/09/19/lunch-ideas/
Tortilla Chips: Make homemade tortilla chips in cookie cutter shapes for that special party touch! Preheat your oven to 350º F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Using 3″ to 4″ cookie cutters cut flour tortillas into shapes. Lightly spray the tortilla shapes with cooking spray. Place on baking sheets and sprinkle with salt to taste. Bake the shapes for 5 – 7 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Spiderweb-Dip-with-Bat-Tortilla-Chips
- http://beentherewipedthat.com/?p=477
Thank you for reading my post. I hope you enjoyed the tutorial. If you have any questions or something is not clear, please let me know so that I can improve the tutorial.
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IAEA Legal Standards: The Final Round
Below appears the final exchange (of three) in the colloquy between Dr. Ford, Daniel Joyner, and Andreas Persbo published by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists on the subject of whether or not the IAEA was properly applying legal standards vis-à-vis Iran. The entire conversation is available from the Bulletin, but NPF reproduces the final round here. (The first two exchanges also appear here and here.)
EXTENDING ABOVE AND BEYOND, by Daniel Joyner
Christopher Ford and I agree on one thing: The IAEA's Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) needs to be read clearly. We differ, however, in that I am reading the CSA both clearly and fully as the text is actually written, and not as Ford and Andreas Persbo -- or perhaps the IAEA itself -- might wish that the agreement had been written.
Ford and Persbo have cherry-picked phrases from Articles I and II of the agreement to support their arguments that the CSA provides the agency with the authority to investigate and assess whether there are undeclared fissile materials in Iran. However, they essentially disregard the entire rest of the treaty, which details the agreed processes for the agency's application of safeguards.
It's as if Ford and Persbo want to convince readers that the CSA and the Additional Protocol are one and the same. Under the protocol, the IAEA's mandate and the agreed processes for carrying out investigations and assessments, do allow the IAEA, within limits, to investigate and assess the completeness, in addition to the correctness, of a state's declaration. However, the CSA and the protocol are not one and the same, and the protocol is not in force in Iran's case. Thus, the IAEA's mandate for investigation and assessment in Iran's case must be taken solely from the text of the CSA.
Article I of the CSA is Iran's basic undertaking, while Article II is the agency's mandate. Article II states that the agency has the "right and obligation to ensure that safeguards will be applied, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, on all source or special fissionable material in all peaceful nuclear activities within the territory of Iran, under its jurisdiction or carried out under its control anywhere, for the exclusive purpose of verifying that such material is not diverted to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices."
Chiding me for rendering an interpretation inconsistent with the text of Article II, Ford, when quoting the article, rather conveniently omitted the above-italicized clause entirely. But these words are not just superfluous, as his ellipsis implies -- they are essential for a holistic understanding of what Article II means within the context of the CSA. This clauseexplicitly makes the IAEA's mandate in Article II subject to, and circumscribed by, the procedures agreed to in the CSA.
If Ford's interpretation were correct -- and the IAEA's mandate were not limited by the agreed procedures in the rest of the CSA -- it would mean that the agency would have unlimited authority to ensure that safeguards are applied on all fissionable material anywhere within the territory of Iran, by any means the agency considers necessary, no matter how intrusive or compromising of Iran's national security or sovereignty. The IAEA could require Iran to meet any evidentiary standard it unilaterally determined, in order to subjectively satisfy itself of the absence of undeclared materials in Iran (i.e., require Iran to prove the negative).
That is a completely untenable reading of the CSA. No state would ever agree to such a broad and unrestricted mandate for the IAEA. That's why Article II specifies that the agency's mandate is subject to, and limited by, the terms of the agreement. Those terms stipulate in detail the process to be followed for applying safeguards. That process essentially involves a declaration by Iran, and the IAEA's verification of the correctness of that declaration.
The agency, therefore, is simply incorrect when it claims that its mandate under the CSA extends to investigations and assessments beyond the agreement's terms -- i.e., beyond verifying the correctness of Iran's declaration.
-- Daniel Joyner
DON'T ERASE THE TERMS OF THE CSA, by Christopher Ford
Daniel Joyner seems to be having as much trouble reading my earlier essays in this Roundtable as he does Iran's Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA). He somehow understands my interpretation of the agreement to mean that the IAEA has "unlimited authority to ensure that safeguards are applied on all fissionable material anywhere within the territory of Iran, by any means the agency considers necessary, no matter how intrusive … ." This assertion about my views suggests he never actually read my last essay, however, for in it I made quite the contrary claim.
As I explained, the fact that a CSA fails to provide sufficiently intrusive tools with which the IAEA can carry out its responsibilities is precisely the problem that the Additional Protocol was designed to help solve. As written, Article 2 makes the agency responsible for verifying the correctness and completeness of declarations, but the agreement, itself, fails to provide the agency with adequate investigative authority to do this job. The Additional Protocol was written to remedy this.
This isn't too complicated a point, and it's a shame to repeat it: Far from providing "unlimited" authority to poke around in Iran, the CSA doesn't provide nearly enoughinvestigative authority relative to the verification responsibility with which it saddles the IAEA.
In truth, even though the protocol improves things immensely, it still provides too little investigative authority to permit reliable verification in a country such as Iran, which has a dismal compliance track record and has engaged in systematic denial and deception. Even if Iran were to comply with the protocol as the Security Council has required, therefore, this would only partly solve the problem; this is why the council has commanded Iran to cooperate beyond the scope of what is specified in the protocol.
If Joyner were really interested in protecting the sovereignty of states with CSAs, he should consider what might happen if Article 2 existed today in the absence of the investigative tools that the protocol seeks to provide. A generation ago, the IAEA was willing to assume it could do its job simply by inspecting declared facilities. Having learned from the nuclear work secretly conducted by Iraq, Libya, and Iran in the 1980s and 1990s, however, it now knows that, by using only traditional investigative tools, it cannot verify that safeguards apply to "all" relevant materials and activities.
The agency's standard of proof for reporting to the Security Council is fairly low. Under Iran's CSA, the agency may report Iran if it "finds that the Agency is not able to verify that there has been no diversion of nuclear material … to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices." The IAEA doesn't need to show that there has been a diversion, just that it's insufficiently clear that there hasn't.
Without the expanded tools of the protocol, therefore, the IAEA today might have to refer countries -- more often than they deserve -- to the Security Council, simply because the agency is unable to verify non-diversion. The Additional Protocol, therefore, protects countries that follow the rules, because it permits the agency to satisfy its responsibilities in more cases without having to involve the council.
The agency is charged with applying safeguards to all nuclear materials in Iran "in accordance with the terms" of its CSA, and it is precisely those terms that make clear that this responsibility extends to "all" materials. The agency asks that the terms of Iran's agreement be honored, while Joyner asks that they be selectively erased.
Faced with those alternatives, I submit, lawyers must side with the IAEA.
-- Christopher Ford
THE DUBIOUS JOY OF MISPERCEPTIONS, by Andreas Persbo
Aristotle is sometimes credited with saying, "the law is reason, free from passion." If this is true, our Roundtable may not have been one of law. Some arguments seem to have been motivated by passion, and not by reason.
I understand one thing about Daniel Joyner's arguments: that he believes that both Christopher Ford and I should bend to his sense of logic. That I cannot do. His academic credentials do not make his line of reasoning any stronger, and his coherence leaves a lot to be desired. Indeed, Professor Joyner's arguments are full of misinterpretations, cherry-picking (an accusation he levels at others), or impenetrable obscurity. Worse, he seemingly attempts to get around salient points by throwing up bewildering arguments. The latest example is to accuse his fellow debaters of not analyzing the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) holistically against the entirety of the text. At this stage of the debate, this is nothing more than a rhetorical trick designed to seed confusion. The arguments brought forward by Ford and I are clear, and appear to be supported by two former IAEA deputy directors general and one former chair of the Standing Advisory Group on Safeguards Implementation.
If Daniel Joyner reflects on the CSA more carefully, he will see that it enables the agency to conduct "special inspections," which would give it exceptionally broad authority to go anywhere, see anything, and request access to whatever information it desires. Why would the agency need these powers if the agreement were limited to declared nuclear material? The answer should be evident, however, I strongly predict that Joyner might come up with an answer that fits his own world view. Lest we forget, the Greeks once imagined the heaven as a large dome of bronze onto which the constellations of stars were fixed. The explanation made sense to the Greeks. However, as we now know, it was erroneous.
I believe that the safeguards system, a fundamental pillar of the world's common security, is worthy of a more dignified and informed debate. I disagreed with some of Ford's statements, also. For instance, there is a legitimate debate on whether Article XII(c) in the agency's statute, which mostly deals with noncompliance in respect to IAEA projects, was properly applied in Iran's case -- considering that Article 19 of the CSA, which is both more recent and more specific than the statute, envisions a slightly different way to deal with non-compliance. In particular, before the agency submits a report to the Security Council, the Board of Governors must "afford the Government of Iran every reasonable opportunity to furnish the Board with any necessary reassurance" on the application of safeguards. This Roundtable could, for instance, have examined whether Iran was given every reasonable opportunity to resolve issues in 2006. We also could have debated the dynamic among the IAEA and the United Nations (both intergovernmental organizations with a relationship agreement) and Iran (a member state of both bodies). These discussions were lost in favor of a quarrel over a rather simple interpretative issue. Matters of common security deserve, indeed demand, more stringent contemplation than this.
The IAEA applies far more standards in Iran than we have had the chance to cover. From a legal perspective, they appear to have been applied correctly. Practically, as far as Iran is concerned, it does not matter that much. Iran is refusing to allow the IAEA to conclude that all material that should be declared has been declared. This is not the time, if ever there was one, to allow passion to flow freely into a legal debate.
-- Andreas Persbo
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