text:
For the last several months, civil libertarians have watched deadly, unmanned flying drones circle Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen with their unblinking eyes and constantly cocked ears.
What happens, they've worried, once that technology follows the U.S. military home?
Last week, farming websites in Iowa and Nebraska were scorched by rumors that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had launched drones over local cattle herds. As things turned out, the surveillance – the EPA was looking for evidence of large deposits of manure entering the water supply – was of the manned Cessna variety.
But it was during this Midwestern uproar that U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, a Republican who represents a large swath of South Georgia farmland, dropped the first piece of legislation designed to restrict the use of government-operated drones over American soil.
The measure would bar the government use of flying eyes and ears to gather evidence in criminal investigations, or to search for regulatory violations, without a proper search warrant.
We already have plenty of cameras monitoring our lives, but the government-owned ones are aimed at public spaces. They do not peek over fences into our backyards, Scott argues.
"We're not opposed to the use of drones. But their use has to be consistent with the established rules with regard to search and seizure. The same thing that you would have to obtain to use a wiretap, you would have to have for the use of a drone," Scott said. "This has the potential to be a huge invasion."
H.R. 5925 includes exemptions for border patrols, and emergency use by law enforcement or national security authorities. Ultimately, Scott said, the legislation could address privacy rules when it comes to the commercial use of drones as well.
Because, face it. In only a few years, Captain Herb could be — via an unmanned spy in the sky — directing morning Atlanta traffic from his laptop while sitting at home in his jammies.
Scott's legislation received a quick conversational boost from U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has introduced a parallel measure. Paul, son of the yet-unbowed GOP presidential candidate, is considered a rising star in the party.
"He is the perfect senator to carry this language," Scott said. "He's got the ability to attract a lot of attention to the issue."
Scott and Paul have had several opportunities to discuss the issue. Scott plays left field on the Republican congressional baseball team. Paul is the center fielder. "So we're together a good bit," Scott said.
Drones are indeed coming to your future – in part because they're handy, in part because they're cost effective.
Late last year, the Georgia State Patrol applied to a private company looking for candidates to test out a small drone – no larger than a sheet of paper – in SWAT operations. The GSP lost out.
Likewise, Georgia Tech's public safety department applied for federal approval for a drone to help analyze Saturday football traffic. Also denied.
Even so, Scott's decision to engage on this issue is significant, given that the Georgia Tech Research Institute is one of the nation's premier centers for drone studies, operating from acreage around Menlo, Ga., near the Alabama border.
Georgia Tech has been turning up more uses for drones than Scott's bill may be able to address.
Two Tech researchers, Lora Weiss and Gary McMurray, smartly declined to comment on the congressman's effort to rein in domestic drones from the get-go. But they outlined the many areas that unmanned aircraft are likely to be used.
Take that earthquake in Haiti, Weiss said. "Many people on the ground had cell phones, but not cell phone towers. You could easily put up drones as mobile flying towers," she said.
The same thing with that post-tsunami nuclear disaster in Japan. Better to have an unmanned drone track a radioactive cloud than a plane with a pilot in it, she said.
Weiss is also researching the use of drones as more efficient forest-fire monitors. One drone could use thermal images to spot a flame – another could go in close for a visual. She's involved in developing means by which multiple drones can coordinate with each other – with minimum human involvement.
Then there's agriculture. McMurray said farmers in Argentina, South Korea and Japan already hire outfits that send small, unmanned helicopters over their fields to make assessments.
Drones could be used to detect diseased fields and administer surgical strikes. "As opposed to blasting the entire field, which is a waste of money with a huge environmental impact, we can target the application of the chemicals to just the impacted areas," McMurray said.
And the size of some of these future agricultural drones? Some could be small enough to be owned and operated by individual farmers.
This is where Scott's measure may fall short. It is all well and good to be suspicious of government snooping. But how do you secure your own domestic air space against citizen-on-citizen prying – inadvertent or otherwise?
The EPA is one thing. But there may be no greater threat to American privacy than a homeowners association with its own air force.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.
June 16th, 2012
9:36 am
Privacy and protection from our prying government please
June 16th, 2012
9:37 am
Perhaps Austin is afraid of what a drone might see if it flies too close to his domestic untranquility? Maybe he thinks it might see his domestic fights and his wife's tears. What a creep.
June 16th, 2012
9:50 am
It's a strange day when you've got Rand Paul in the center and Austin Scott on his left. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)
June 16th, 2012
9:52 am
If drones are outlawed only outlaws will have drones….
June 16th, 2012
10:09 am
Earth to Austin Scott: Wear heavier tin-foil in your hat. The drones will never see you then.
June 16th, 2012
10:17 am
"Georgia Tech has been turning up more uses for drones than Scott's bill may be able to address."
* Spy on closed UGA football team practices.
* Confirm the majority of UGA athletes don't go to class.
June 16th, 2012
10:21 am
"Georgia Tech has been turning up more uses for drones than Scott's bill may be able to address.":
* Spy on closed UGA football team practices.
* Confirm the majority of UGA athletes don't go to class.
June 16th, 2012
10:30 am
I can only imagine the upsurge in sales of tar and feathers if a government official had gone to Jefferson, Washington, Adams, or Patrick Henry or any other citizen in circa 1800, and told them that someone in the government would sit atop a mountain with a telescope, and monitor the activities on their property; that this is legal because citizens can have "no expectation of privacy" on their own property.
And I can only imagine the disdain with which they view us today, for having sold out so cheaply, for being so gullible to think that we would be secure if we just allow the government to spy without warrants, cops to establish road blocks, where unreasonable searches and seizures have the imprimatur of law, where 'stop and frisk' is not only tolerated but applauded, and dozens more situations where we have ceded our rights because law enforcement claims their 'hands are tied,' and they can't catch criminals unless we give up more of our rights. We've meekly accepted fascist judges rulings that we 'have no expectation of privacy' in our cars, our homes and on our property. Why should we worry about terrorists destroying America, when we're doing such a bang up job of it ourselves.
June 16th, 2012
10:52 am
Better idea: Shut down the EPA!
June 16th, 2012
11:20 am
Better idea: Shut down the EPA!
Good idea. They're keeping me from getting my RDA of mercury, arsenic, selenium and other heavy metals and pollutants from America's rivers. And, my kids love catching those fish with two heads, it makes for great show and tell.
June 16th, 2012
11:31 am
Scott and Rand Paul, can you say "Paranoia."
June 16th, 2012
11:53 am
Auntie Christ is right. Regulation of the environment has been a disaster. Gone are the days when you could go to a river and become entranced by the beautiful fires raging on the river's surface. Have you ever seen a sunset in Bejing? It's absolutely gorgeous the way the sun light filters through the smog creating a cool red glow effect. We had all these beautiful things once put the darned Republicans ruined it with their darned EPA.
June 16th, 2012
11:59 am
Now we have the all seeing eye.
June 16th, 2012
12:30 pm
Ever seen Minority Report? Oh, it would be "efficient" to utilize technology to monitor the citizenry. If we watched everybody all the time, we could ALWAYs catch crime and we might even eliminate a lot of crime. The catch? Easy to recall as we approach the 40th anniversary of the Watergate burglary tomorrow. In the wrong hands, we would be subjugated to a dictator, innocent political enemies hounded and probably arrested for something. Imagine the marriage of the drone and the Patriot Act.
Sure, there might be good things to come from droning the US. For me, it's NO, unequivocally, NO under every circumstance.
June 16th, 2012
12:31 pm
Why stop with drones? How about those cameras mounted in 4 directions on squad cars that see and record 10,000 license plates an hour — letting law enforcement track your every move – especially when you tie in the data from all those cameras at every intersection. And, how about the infrared cameras which can look in side your home – no search warrant required. And, how many warrantless searches of your cell phone records, google searches, and other internet activity — even more intrusive than drones. No, drones are just a straw man — a distraction. There are far worse intrusions made legitimate by the last administration under a law called the "PATRIOT ACT".
June 16th, 2012
12:51 pm
big brother wants to put a tracking device in your noggin'….
June 16th, 2012
12:59 pm
Ever seen Minority Report? Oh, it would be "efficient" to utilize technology to monitor the citizenry. If we watched everybody all the time, we could ALWAYs catch crime and we might even eliminate a lot of crime. The catch? Easy to recall as we approach the 40th anniversary of the Watergate burglary tomorrow. In the wrong hands, we would be subjugated to a dictator, innocent political enemies hounded and probably arrested for something. Imagine the marriage of the drone and the Patriot Act.
Sure, there might be good things to come from droning the US. For me, it's NO, unequivocally, NO under every circumstance.
Further, for those of you who believe you still have robust 4th amendment rights, study the issue. Watergate's burglary probably could have been justified by Nixon under the Patriot Act. There are three justices on the Supreme Court who clearly don't believe that there should be consequences for illegal searches and seizures. People respond saying, well the caught were guilty and shouldn't get off on a technicality. That technicality keeps those of us who aren't guilty from having to submit to the indignity of a search on the side of the road, in our homes if the local police chief is overzealous.
The next Supreme Court appointment very well may decide if the 4th amendment (and the 5th to some extent) disappears by court decisions altogether. If you think long term, thing long and hard about this.
June 16th, 2012
1:10 pm
I say see a drone shot it down after a few mil hits the ground spying on the public will be a second thought
June 16th, 2012
1:27 pm
"There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience"
I am not surprised that Rand Paul, a whiner who won't even let TSA agents frisk him, supports this.
Funny how wall to wall cameras in the inner cities is not a big deal, take the same surveillance to the white folks in the rural areas…and now it is a matter of constitutional freedom.
June 16th, 2012
1:28 pm
I Think there should be more wide spread implementation and use of the Stop and frisk of the Farmers and rural communities out west. Just think of the reduction of the meth epidemic that rages among those communities. I can no longer purchase Advil cold and sinus without showing ID and a signature here in Georgia because of such abuse.
June 16th, 2012
1:43 pm
The irony is when Bush/Cheney were listing to your phone calls and reading your e-mails it was patriotic because "we" had nothing to hide(or protect)..I guess it just depends on your party affiliation to skew the Bill of Rights.
June 16th, 2012
1:47 pm
Austin Scott and Will Rogers, weekend in Vegas, baby, or Hangover part 3 and Rand Paul plays Doug in the trunk.
June 16th, 2012
1:56 pm
Austin has repeatedly DEFENDED the PATRIOT ACT, which has FAR worse provisions in it than simply flying a drone.
That said, a flying object roughly the size of a large bird could be confused for a bird. And thanks to distance perspective, even a larger flying object could be confused for a bird if far enough away. Not that I would encourage anyone to destroy government property, just saying accidents happen.
June 16th, 2012
1:56 pm
I do not understand exactly what is the problem? Especially when it comes to surveillance of phones,emails and everything else personal, the majority of that particular population did not see or have any problem at all with that! Just a little fly over. Here in Atlanta, there is always a plane overhead!
June 16th, 2012
1:58 pm
"big brother wants to put a tracking device in your noggin'…."
Well for some people at least something would be in there!
Overreaction again. I declare special police actions 24/7/365! There .
June 16th, 2012
2:01 pm
Please… as soon as private business starts using them, the GOP will fall in love with domestic drone usage. Can't update your Facebook page during a Falcons game because 50,000 other iphone users are overloading the cell tower? Here comes drones from AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon to the rescue! Tired of waiting for the traffic report on the radio or outdated info on your cell phone? That's ok because you can subscribe to iOnTraffic(TM) which will use an air force of drones to monitor traffic not just on the interstates but everywhere.
And just wait till Papa John's starts using them for delivery. After that happens being against drones will be considered anti-business and by extension, anti-patriotic. Drones are here to stay. It's just a question of who will use them and for what.
June 16th, 2012
2:16 pm
Remember the slippery slope of the Patriot Act, passed and signed on a late night Sunday evening after midnight in 2001? Nooooo…that was sooo too long ago! Read by only be a very few select hand full from both houses, Zero debate by either party or any real vocal dissent for fear of being denigrated and called a traitor. Ultimately approved by a majority of one party in both houses.
and now the Republicans are now claiming and complaining that President OBAMA is overeaching! Kettle ……meet Pot.
June 16th, 2012
4:28 pm
At least Austin Scott is trying to do something to preserve what little privacy we have left.
June 16th, 2012
5:12 pm
1. Will some Obamaphobic Dixiecrat explain the theorical difference between having a police helicopter and a drone watching you? 2. Where are all those Dixiecrats who say that if you are not guilt, why worry? 3. Why isn't Austin Scott introducing job creation bills?
June 16th, 2012
5:19 pm
Austin Scott isn't doing a darn thing to preserve privacy. This is pure Dixecrat pandering and if you defend this silliness, you are a panderee! Drones can do a lot cheaply checking all those rural conservative areas for pot fields, coke warehouses, and meth labs. When was the last time you found one of the three in a ghetto?
June 16th, 2012
5:20 pm
If Big Brother want to put a tracking device in a Dixiecrats head, there is plenty of room and they have to adjust for the echo.
June 16th, 2012
5:38 pm
Will in Roswell @ 4:28 pm – What you really mean is for the YAHOOS in his district who are now just now waking up to the fact that just maybe all of this rush to suspect the American people of nefarious actions does not somehow apply to them because they are somehow more of American than the rest of us. Oh I get it now!
Come on President Obama, how fast can we get those drones in the air and all over South Georgia, I am starting think they have something to hide down there. Remember, they have always said "The SOUTH will rise Again" maybe they are planning so kind of rising down there.
June 16th, 2012
8:28 pm
What are you all doing that you wouldn't want a drone to fly over your area? I'm sure the people in New York City sure wish a drone had been watching out for them on September 10, 2001.
June 16th, 2012
9:25 pm
As I shake my head, A south Ga. republican wants to do something for us….Hummmm The drones can spot illegal aliens as well as legitimate farm workers…Think on that. Ask Double Dip deal state prisoners will not pick the crops.
June 16th, 2012
9:27 pm
Wumpyfish is well and truly a fool.
Obama is listening to far more conversation and reading far more emails than Bush did. he is also killing US citizens without warrant or due process via drone strikes. If you think Obama is more protective of your civil liberties than Bush was you are a gullible idiot.
June 16th, 2012
9:51 pm
Privacy should be protected. Drones threaten privacy. Therefore, drones should be prohibited.
June 16th, 2012
9:54 pm
So many are naiive at best. Sad. You all probably would have protested the news that the earth is not flat, too. Technology is a double-edged sword. It must be used wisely, but it is necessary to have. I doubt if any of our enemies have any reluctance to use a drone or anything similar or better on us. Shall we play nice or be dead?
June 16th, 2012
10:46 pm
So we're worried about the EPA, but we're not worried about, say, Google? At least EPA activities can be discovered through the Freedom of Information Act. Google is continually taking new photos of all of us, and gathering all sorts of other information about us, and there's no way any of us can find out what they know about us or what they're doing with it.
June 16th, 2012
11:46 pm
Proud voter, the sad and naive one here is you, and it's sheeple like you that have allowed the incessant creep of government into every facet of our lives. You naively believe that because a technology is available, we have to accept that our government can and will use it to invade our lives. The soviets and the germans of 1936 loved sheeple like you, they could count on you to meekly accept government intrusion into their life and not protest any government excess.
June 17th, 2012
12:12 am
Sweet dreams and flying machines. James Taylor
Sweet dreams and flying machines
In pieces on the ground
If anyone can crash it Its a GA republican or Redneck. Me I might be a redneck..
June 17th, 2012
2:58 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
June 17th, 2012
6:07 am
The usual argument that, any threat to poisioning us with impunity would be a job-killer, might be more applicable here.
June 17th, 2012
7:03 am
Democrats warned Dixiecrats to remember that the Patriot Act would apply regardless of who was President. What ever happen to security, terrorists, and 9-11?
June 17th, 2012
7:09 am
I'd say just just read the 4th amendment and abide by it. As for being paranoid, just because you are paranoid doesn't mean that "they" aren't really out ot get you.
June 17th, 2012
7:35 am
1984 is here. Oh, and chocolate is 5% higher today, making it cheaper than yesterday.
I love it…so true:
"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them."
June 17th, 2012
7:37 am
With all the junkets he and his lovely bride are taking, I'm surprised he has time to work on any legislation. His 14 years in the House were certainly without any meaningful work to show for the time. Daddy's boy has done made good, but the poor people of the 8th suffer. How could this moron have beaten Jim Marshall?
June 17th, 2012
7:57 am
Mr. Galloway,
This notice is to inform you that our sky patrol has recently determined that your lawn is infested with an unacceptable number of dandelions. Please correct this condition immediately.
Yours Truly,
The Neighborhood Watch
June 17th, 2012
8:01 am
Large deposits of manure have been spotted in and around the White House.
June 17th, 2012
8:21 am
Government is too big and too intrusive. People did you know that the local T-SPOST has a extra BILLION dollars of spending in it for what ever the countries and cities want to do with it. Vote NO on it . Spending is out of control. Just look around and see for yourself how corrupt the local governments are. Examples: Gwinnett County and City of Atlanta. Crooks all of them. And we haven't even mention the Federal Government and all of it's corruption. Isn't that so Mr.President Obama? Corruption at it's finest.
June 17th, 2012
8:28 am
Attack Dog
June 16th, 2012
5:20 pm
If Big Brother want to put a tracking device in a Dixiecrats head, there is plenty of room and they have to adjust for the echo.
All you leftwing nuts know how to do is criticize others. The dromes are another form of big brother. The prevents and child molesters of the TSA are another problem. When is enough enough??????


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Written by:
We settled into the bay and,
Like lovers kicking the sheets down,
We grabbed and furled, grabbed and furled,
Unveiling a red vista.
You never told me you loved me,
And I never had the guts to speak.
So we threw cherry bombs at each other
From the safe side of a mountain
That was made from our imaginations.
Listening to little pirate angels,
We play out our misadventures,
Swooping in to rescue each other.
We tie off the boat using
The knuckled floor of the cerebellum.
What to do, oh, what to do
With such bedlam?


text:
Inviting Dining Rooms
Canadian House & Home
The elements that make up an inviting dining room can be some of the exact ones that make for successful entertaining. Just look to these examples from Canadian House & Home for a little inspiration:
- Give guests seating options instead of rigid matching chairs. Couples can sit snug on a bench while others can spread out in a cushioned armchair.
- A tablecloth can soften the room and make it feel more inviting than a bare table.
- A casual atmosphere can make guest feel comfortable. Try playful pieces, invite the children, and dress the table in something lively and bright.
- Create interest with scale. Large branches for centerpieces or an oversized lamp above can really up the wow factor.
- Come together. Even if you're in a small apartment without a designated dining table, bring a bunch of smaller surfaces together so everyone can gather 'round. Borrow pieces from friends and neighbors in advance if you need to.
Images: Canadian House & Home
11 Comments
I love the bench and colors in #1. We have a bench at our dining table and have loved having it. I've been thinking about adding a pillow on top of it, but I was concerned about it sliding. The vases in #1 remind me of the trash cans I use in my bathrooms.
that 2nd dining room is pretty!
Love the spherical lamp in the first picture. Anyone know where it's from?
The highchair is amazing. Do you have to sell your firstborn to afford it?
Another hide rug in a dining area! From the perspective that rugs get dirty, it is a little odd.
... that tablecloth looks ridiculous.
I love the fabric that's draping off the white table on the first picture. It's SO beautiful. Anyone know a source?
@ whatmatchesblack:
The spherical pendant lamp is the Random Light and is available at Design Within Reach--
Does anyone know the name of the plant in the first pic?
I don't find benches at dining tables inviting. Inviting implies being able to lean back to me.
Benches are not at all inviting.
Guests are forced to either climb over or scoot the bench back and forth all together - and there's no leaning back...
...and providing benches for guests while reserving the armchairs for the host and hostess at the ends of the table? Frankly, as a guest I would find it insulting.
Upholstered armchairs all around are the most inviting and practical seating options for a dining space - they ooze comfort and warmth, and inspire one to linger after the meal with a glass of wine and great conversation.
bepsf and reef -
I generally agree that benches are not inviting. For example, pic 1 - bench looks gorgeous to me but not practical.
The way its done in the 4th picture seems very comfy, like a booth at a restaurant - pillows and bench against the wall allow for leaning back and sighing contentedly after a delicious meal.
Lovely ambiance in #1!


text:
Four people were killed this weekend on I-94 in a car accident that stemmed from a man chasing his girlfriend, police say. Police say a man was following Jaquis Mayes, his girlfriend, in a separate vehicle when Mayes lost control and drove through a guardrail on Hurlbut St. onto I-94 late Sunday night. Her vehicle went airborne down onto the interstate and ripped off the roof of a third vehicle, killing all three passengers inside. One of those passengers was Angie Battle. Her family tells Fox 2's Maurielle Lue that, instead of celebrating what would have been her 53rd birthday today, they had to identify her body at the morgue. "Mama, I love you. You're going to always be here with us. The lessons and memories, we will never forget them. We will uphold you to the best. I love you, Ma," Jerome Crutcher, Battle's son, says as he remembers his mother.Click on the video player above to watch Maurielle Lue's report and hear more from Battle's family. The other victims in the car with Battle were her 66-year-old cousin Rosie Glenn and 72-year-old Jimmie Barnett. All were members of the Outcast Motorcycle Club and were coming home from a wedding at Belle Isle when they were killed. A passenger in Mayes' car was the fourth person killed in the accident. Mayes is in critical condition in the hospital and is unresponsive, police say. Her boyfriend is in police custody facing two counts of second-degree murder.
In the meantime, if you would like to make a donation to help Battle's family pay for her funeral, you may do so at any PNC Bank.
WHBQ-TV | Fox 13 485 S. Highland St.Memphis, TN 38111Main Station: (901) 320-1313Newsroom: (901) 320-1340


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LANSING, MI (WTVB) - Governor Snyder is scheduled to sign the Medicaid expansion bill today now that he is back from his trade trip to Asia. The measure is designed to make affordable healthcare available to 400,000 to 500,000 low income workers, as a part of the Obamacare program.
While the Governor has muted his criticism of the State Senate for not giving it immediate effect, he has pointed out it will cost the state hundreds of millions and delay healthcare coverage for all those Michiganders. Instead of taking effect in January, the additional coverage won't become available until March 2014.


text:
Puzzling math remains puzzling: Boeing has said for the better part of two years that the 737-800 is 8% more economical than the Airbus A320 and the advantage translates into leads it claims for the MAX over the NEO. With the addition of the Advanced Technology Winglets (BATW), Boeing now claims the 737 MAX will be a whopping 18% more economical than today's A320 and up to 10% better than the NEO.
Such claims make Airbus almost apoplectic. Airbus rejects outright Boeing's 8% claim and further said its own analysis on the MAX (pre-BATW) indicated the best improvement Boeing could get was 8%, not 10%-12%. Airbus also sniffs at the new BATW. Airbus evaluated the design before settling on the sharklets as more advantagous.
We've always been skeptical of numbers advanced by Airbus and Boeing because, after all, they are hardly objective. We've placed more weight in analyses offered by customers, for obvious reasons: they are the ones who have to operate the aircraft and truly know theory in real life.
We've previously written that Lufthansa concluded the 737 MAX will have a 2% advantage over the A320neo (also pre-BATW), which returns the competition to the "status quo." This means that in Lufthansa's analysis, today's airplanes are only 2% apart, not Boeing's claim of 8%.
Now comes information to us that Qantas–which operates both types through its own airline and the JetStar subsidiary–finds its operating experience to be so close as to be indistinguishable.
So we asked Boeing about that, and about how its methodology comes up with the numbers it advertised. Here's the response, foregoing addressing the results of the airlines, citing long-standing policy of not commenting on customers. As for the methodology:
[Our analyses] are based on our average vs. Airbus and not individual customer statistics. There are too many variables to be able to address specifics and details.
Our numbers are cost per seat and are based on a 500 nm mission using typical European economic rules for airplanes with two-class seating giving the Next-Generation 737-800w (with PIP – Performance Improvement Package) 162 passengers and the A320 150 passengers.
Fuel burn values are Boeing tested values for the Next-Generation 737 and Boeing estimates for the A320. Maintenance costs are estimated using Boeing methodology which takes into account industry reported data from the FAA and IATA for both manufacturers. Same crew cost, landing and navigation and passenger handling cost models are applied to both airplanes.
We'll note from our previous discussions with Boeing that Boeing acknowledged factoring in 737 PIPs (as cited above) but not factoring in A320 PIPs. Airbus claims Boeing uses the CFM56 as the base engine for the A320, rather than the V2500, which is 1.5% more efficient. Airbus also claims that Boeing uses older versions of the CFM56 as the A320 base engine rather than the newer, more efficient model. Airbus also uses 800nm vs Boeing's 500nm for its analysis. (AirInsight's analysis of US operation confirms that A320s and 737s tend to fly, on average, around 1,100sm, concluding that the longer range assumption is indeed a fairer data point.)
So the puzzling math used by Airbus and Boeing remains puzzling. The airlines say the airplanes are very close. We believe the airlines.
ExIm Bank: Just when we thought this was over, it turns out the Republicans in the US Senate Wednesday blocked a vote to approve reauthorization of the US ExIm Bank and a hike in its ceiling to $140bn. This story has additional detail. Boeing and GE take a hit on this.
Emirates to Boeing on 777X: Get a move on. You're taking too long.


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James Jackson Toth
Beck's 'Sea Change'
In 2012, the very idea of a breakup record has been rendered something of an anachronism. The divorce-album-as-discographical-inevitability is a phenomenon that historically occurs deep into an established artist's career, and very few new artists are afforded that sort of shelf life anymore. But it wasn't long ago that the notion of a mainstream artist gambling their reputation by over-sharing was as ubiquitous a rock and roll cliché as the double live album and the heroic destruction of a Doubletree suite. Records like Dylan's "Blood On The Tracks," Marvin Gaye's "Here, My Dear," and Val Stoecklein's "Grey Life" express the near-universality of deflated expectations. At their best, they resonate with anyone who's ever had a case of the answering machine blues. At their worst, their self-pitying solipsism still makes for great art. Beck's "Sea Change" is one of the last of the records in this great tradition, and on Sept. 24, it turned 10 years old.
Beck had bared his soul before, in a sense, on 1998's "Mutations," and like "Sea Change," that album followed an impersonal, irony-saturated work with a more reflective, earnest one. But it's easy to mistake "Mutations'" largely acoustic mood for actual primacy. Beck is one of pop music's great chameleons, but his capriciousness works best from album to album, and not from song to song, when his eclectic leanings can often sound satiric and insincere. Peppered throughout "Mutations" are odious genre experiments -- colonialist tropicalia, druggy psych folk, fatback r&b -- that consistently break the album's spell. This impish insistence on the blending of every sound he has ever heard has rightfully earned Beck as many detractors as fans. "Sea Change," however, finds our hero exploring a single theme: heartbreak. For this gesture of thematic focus alone, "Sea Change" is an achievement. The fact that the album features the same band as the markedly different "Midnite Vultures" is also a testament to Beck's immaculate vision, as well as his warranted trust in a group that effortlessly matches his own versatility.
More importantly, "Sea Change" most differs from the disputatious "Mutations" (and other acoustic-based albums like the great "One Foot In The Grave") in that it is not so much mellow as it is lush, and it's not so much personal as it is, well, sad. Beck's well-publicized breakup (with his girlfriend of nine years and fiancé Leigh Limon) provides the context for these songs, and he sounds as if he's aged 25 years since "Midnite Vultures" -- compare his vocals on "End Of The Day" to "Debra." All the studio sheen in the world can't really disguise the fact that dude's been seriously, irreparably damaged by this breakup.
Bing: More music and videos from Beck
Producer Nigel Godrich's reputation as something of a King Midas for post-grunge acts is well earned. His production, here and elsewhere, is of the "you get what you pay for" variety, and "Sea Change" quite literally sounds like a million dollars. The reverb on Beck's voice alone -- rich and full-bodied -- sounds as if it has been worked-over for weeks. Still, for a supposedly mellow album of songs about heartbreak and loss, Sea Change can come off as oppressive, frequently dramatic when intimate and woozy would do. Occasionally, it sounds like "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" for people who collect vintage pinball machines.
And then there are those pesky accusations of theft. Oscar Wilde almost certainly had Beck in his crystal ball when he uttered his famous quip about talent borrowing and genius stealing. Critics have always bayed in adulation at Beck's Prince-ly poses and obscurist MCing, but Beck's affinity for pastiche is not at all limited to schizophrenic classics like "Odelay." On "Sea Change," the objects of Beck's affection are mostly Serge Gainsbourg and AM radio navel-gazers of yore like Graham Nash, Gordon Lightfoot and Poco. The similarity between the arrangement of "Paper Tiger" and Gainsbourg's "L'hotel Particulier," for instance, is uncanny. Many frothing haters will also tell you, quite correctly, that "Round the Bend" -- one of Sea Change's most stunning songs -- pretty blatantly cops Nick Drake's "River Man." Now, this may seem like criticism, but Beck has always approached his records with the decorous eye of a museum curator (see also: Air, Ween, Beastie Boys), so why should his approach differ now that he's finally dealing in actual feelings? It is crucial to remember that Beck's a folkie at heart -- his earliest records make this clear -- and what is folk music (or blues, for that matter) without appropriation? If the primary distinction of "Sea Change" is that it attempts to be timeless rather than merely timely, it only does so by dialing back the kitsch and referencing things that are actually good instead of ironically good. Taking that into account, the sound of "Sea Change" isn't much of a departure at all.
But this isn't an instrumental album, and if the form of "Sea Change" remains consistent with Beck's body of work, the content is anything but. This is not merely a record of breakup songs, but one of highly specialized breakup songs. The tone throughout is reflective and resigned; the complete lack of bitterness or cynicism in the lyrics sets it apart from any other record like it. On "Sea Change," Beck isn't scissoring the faces of his ex out of old Polaroids, and he's not muttering or sobbing or calling to see if anyone answers and then hanging up; he's just totally, thoroughly, pitiably disappointed. For proof, listen closely to the last few seconds of "Lost Cause," when Beck lets out an exhausted sigh. It concludes one of the album's most devastating songs with one of its most revealing, beautiful moments. Later, when Beck groans "I wanted to be a good friend" on the Big Star-esque "All In Your Mind," the prior suggestion to do away with the self-described perdedor on "Loser" suddenly seems more humane than humorous. The lyrics of "Sea Change" are sung from a position of bummed vulnerability, but they are rarely trite, which is one of the more admirable high wire acts of the sensitive singer-songwriter. In the end, it's the maturity with which Beck handles this split that may be the most unsettling thing about it.
If this all sounds more the domain of a sad sack the likes of, say, Neil Halstead than that of a man whose former lyrical concerns revolved around Satanic tacos and dildos large enough to crush the sun, consider that Beck was 32, richer than God, and utterly heartbroken when he recorded "Sea Change." An enduring, well-loved record is certainly the best thing anyone could have hoped to emerge from such circumstances. I dig this version of Beck: the leaf blower-wielding performance artist reborn as heartbroken bohemian superstar. And there is, of course, a perverse moral to be found in the woeful tale of "Sea Change," as well: Even after years of running on rocket power, it's good to know that even our biggest stars, too, occasionally get nailed to the ground.
Also on Stereogum:
Beck covers Caetano Veloso
Beck at Outside Lands festival
Back makes video game music
Copyright 2012 Buzz Media
Yup, just got rehooked on this disc a few weeks ago. It's so thoroughly beautiful without being whiney or sappy. Yup, article was way too wordy. Read it all but was bored by the end, which I didn't think was possible reading an article about one of my all time favorite albums. (Yup, still call them that too.) Why compare Odelay and Sea Change?


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Mortality Risks Decline for Patients in Phase I Cancer Drug Trials
The risk of death related to treatment for cancer patients participating in phase I clinical trials has decreased over the past 12 years, according to a study published in the November 3 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Dr. Thomas G. Roberts, Jr., of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and his colleagues analyzed data from abstracts and journal articles reporting early trial results originally submitted to annual meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) from 1991-2002.
The researchers reviewed data from 213 studies involving 6,474 cancer patients. The overall toxic (treatment-related) death rate was 0.54 percent; treatment-related death rates decreased over the study period from 1.1 percent over the first 4 years to 0.06 percent over the last 4 years. After adjusting for the characteristics of the experimental trials and investigational agents, the chances of a patient dying from an experimental treatment while participating in a trial in the last 4 years of the study period were less than one-tenth those of a patient participating in a trial during the first 4 years.
"This is an encouraging finding," said Dr. James Doroshow, director of NCI's Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis and chair of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Clinical Trials Working Group. "Almost half of the trials involved molecular targeted agents - another indicator of the potential of targeted therapies to improve outcomes while reducing the often debilitating toxicities of cancer treatment." Read more
Improving the Efficacy of Pediatric Cancer Trials
One of the most challenging aspects of conducting clinical trials in pediatric populations is making decisions about which of the many new anticancer agents under development to test. Although treatment of childhood cancers is one of the most remarkable success stories in all of medicine - nearly 80 percent of children diagnosed with cancer survive 5 years or more - if we are to expand on that progress and ensure that every child who develops cancer has a legitimate chance of survival, we must address this issue.
That's why I am so enthusiastic about a new, first-of-its-kind program being launched by NCI: the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Program (PPTP). This program will systematically test 10-15 agents or combinations of agents annually in preclinical models of common childhood cancers. The program's goal is to generate the kind of information that will allow pediatric oncology researchers to make educated, reliable decisions on which new agents should be tested in children with specific cancers. This is critically important because only a limited number of clinical trials can be conducted for any given type of childhood cancer. If we are to provide more effective treatments for pediatric cancer patients, we must test the agents with the best chance of success.
The PPTP, which will begin testing its first set of agents in early 2005, is supported by an NCI research contract with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (SJCRH), with Dr. Peter Houghton as the principal investigator. Testing will occur at SJCRH and other sites with expertise in specific childhood cancers. Dr. Malcolm Smith, of the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, is the NCI project officer. Read more


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Better Off Read: The Shoemaker's Wife
Start Date: July 10, 2014 6:30 PM
End Date: July 10, 2014 7:30 PM
Location: Does Not Apply
Better Off Read meets at Jeremiah's Brewed Awakenings
A book club for people who read widely and think freely. We meet the second Thursday of every month at Jeremiah's Brewed Awakenings in Auburn.
This month, we'll be reading The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani
Want more information about EPL's book clubs? Visit our website!
|Thursday, October 2nd
|10:15 AM Creative Writing Group
|Thursday, October 2nd
|6:00 PM Knifty Knitters
|Saturday, October 4th
|3:30 PM Paranormal Investigations
|Thursday, October 9th
|6:30 PM Better Off Read: The Good Lord Bird
|Thursday, October 9th
|6:30 PM Author Talk: Joe Reese and T'Gracie Reese
|Monday, October 13th
|10:00 AM Library Closed: Columbus Day
|Tuesday, October 14th
|6:00 PM Board of Trustees Meeting - October
|Thursday, October 16th
|10:15 AM Creative Writing Group
|Thursday, October 16th
|6:00 PM Knifty Knitters
|Wednesday, October 22nd
|12:00 PM Turn a Page with Anni: The Fault in Our Stars


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How can you improve the accessibility of your online course?
Welcome to K-Access, I am here to help you make your online course content accessible. As daunting as it may seem, accessibility can be easy to achieve if you start your project with accessibility in mind.
Why accessibility? The Department of Education issued guidance in regards to accessibility and higher education recently. They have posted a press release on the educational use of technology and a "Dear Colleague Letter" to institutions of higher education. Plain and simple, accessibility is the law . It is also K-State policy: K-State Course Accessibility Standards Policy
The goal of K-Access is to help you with:
- A Quick and Simple Accessibility Checklist with QuickTips sheets for you to save or print.
- Examples of "What makes content accessible" and why accessibility is important.
- Tips for the accessible and accommodating use of K-State Online
- Resources for more information and best practices for accessibility.
Let us know if you are working on a file type not listed and we will help you find your answer (firstname.lastname@example.com).


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National Report of Turkey for COP7
Lamentablemente, no hay versión en español de este documento
National Report prepared for the 7th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971)
Implementation of the Ramsar Convention in general, and of the Ramsar Strategic Plan 1997-2002 in particular, during the period since the National Report was prepared in 1995 for Ramsar COP6
|Contracting Party
|Republic of Turkey
|Designated Ramsar Administrative Authority
|Full name of the institution
|Ministry of Environment-General Directorate of Environmental Protection.
|Name and title of the head of the institution
Fahri AKBEN- General Director
|Mailing address for the head of the institution
Eskitehir Yolu 8.km. 06530 Ankara / TURKEY
|Name and title (if different) of the designated contact officer for Ramsar Convention matters
|Mailing address (if different) for the designated contact officer
Ramsar Strategic Plan - General Objective 1
To progress towards universal membership of the Convention.
1.1 Describe any actions your government has taken (such as hosting regional or subregional meetings/consultations, working cooperatively with neighbouring countries on transfrontier wetland sites) to encourage others to join the Convention.
Turkey has ratified the Ramsar Convention in 1994. In 1995, an International Wetland Conference that covered current problems as well as policies and strategies on protection and improvement of wetlands was organized at Cappodocia. Representatives from Europa, North Africa, Black Sea shoreline countries, Turkish Republic, and The Federal Republic of Northern Cyprus attended the conference. Additionally, international institutions, MedWet, Station Bioloque de la Tour du Valat and International NGOs BirdLife, WWF and National NGOs attended the conference.
In 1997, a Council of Europe seminar on Action Plans for European Globally Threatened Birds was held in Izmir in collaboration with Bern Convention. The seminar was attended by representatives from European countries, Bonn Convention, international institutions, international and national NGOs.
Ramsar Strategic Plan - General Objective 2
To achieve the wise use of wetlands by implementing and further developing the Ramsar Wise Use Guidelines.
2.1 Has a National Wetland Policy/Strategy/Action Plan been developed, or is one being developed or planned for the near future? If so:
Turkey has not developed a National Wetland Policy. It is being planned for the near future.
a. What are/will be its main features?
Its main features will be providing the coordination between related governmental and non-governmental organisations on the subjects of conservation and wise use of wetlands, their rehabilitation, and restoration.
b. Was it, or is it, intended that the Policy/Strategy/Action Plan be adopted by the whole of Government, the Minister responsible for Ramsar matters or through some other process. Please describe.
It will be adopted by the Ministry of Environment responsible for Ramsar matters and it will be presented to all related Governments, academic institutions and NGOs in order to take their opinions. It will come into force after finishing this procedure.
c. How does it relate/will it relate to other national environmental/ conservation planning initiatives (e.g., National Environmental Action Plans, National Biodiversity Action Plans, National Conservation Strategies)?
National Wetland Strategic Plan will be prepared by taking into consideration National Environmental Action Plan, National Biodiversity Action Plan and the Ramsar Strategy Plan 1997-2002.
2.2 If a policy is in place, how much progress has been made in its implementation, and what are the major difficulties being encountered in doing so?
As it was indicated at 2.1.a, Turkey has not a policy focused on wetlands. On the other hand, Turkey has accepted and implemented the wise use principle of Ramsar Convention after being contracted Party of Convention. For instance, although there are some judgements in the National Legislation of Turkey on drying swamps , these applications have been given up since 1994.
The major difficulty is the lack of coordination between related institutions in implementation of Ramsar Convention principles, because Turkey has not had a National Ramsar Committee yet.
2.3 If a Policy/Strategy/Action Plan is in place, is the responsibility for implementing it with :
a. a single Government Ministry,
b. a committee drawn from several Ministries, or
c. a cross-sectoral committee?
As it was indicated in the previous question, Turkey has not a policy. However, the activities mentioned at 2.2 have been carried out by the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with related institutions and NGOs.
2.4 For countries with Federal systems of Government, are there Wetland Policies/Strategies/Plans in place, being developed or planned for the provincial/state or regional levels of Government? Yes/No If yes, please give details.
2.5 Has a review of legislation and practices which impact on wetlands been carried out, and if so, has this resulted in any changes which assist with implementation of the Ramsar Convention? Please describe these.
The practices which impact on wetlands have been examined in the scope of Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations. The evaluation of the Ministry of Environment has to be taken for activities in the Ramsar Sites or near the Ramsar Sites.
Ramsar Convention has become very important and main assistant on this type of activities for Turkish Government since it has been ratified.
As a result of such work:
Impact on ongoing irrigation and drainage activities on wetland ecosystem of Kizilirmak Delta, the most important wetland on the Black Sea coast, was assessed and after a number of field trips and meetings, the planned drainage and irrigation activities on 12.000 ha area was canceled.
In order to conserve and maintain the ecological integrity of Lake Beytehir, the largest freshwater lake of the country, the Konya Plain Irrigation Project was re-evaluated, and the irrigation of a 48.000 ha large area was canceled.
The Mucur-Seyfe Watershed Ecological Protection Project was prepared by DSI (State Water Hydraulic Works) in 1990, was re-evaluated by the Ministry of Environment and it was concluded that the project would destroy the ecological integrity of Lake Seyfe. Following this finding, under the coordination of the Ministry of Environment and with the contribution of relevant institutions and organizations, a revision of the project was proposed and accepted by the implementing institution.
With the involvement of relevant institutions and organizations, and under the coordination of the Ministry of Environment, the flow of salty drainage water into the reedbeds at another Ramsar Site, the Sultan Marshes, was considered, and its redirection instead into Lake Yay was accomplished.
In order to prevent likely negative impacts to the Gediz Delta, the planned international harbour and dockyard were assessed and construction of them were canceled. Additionally, taking the sludge from deep scanning of Izmir Bay to the Delta was prevented.
In order to return the water regime of Lake Kut (Manyas) to its natural situation, the required works and their implementations have been started with the involvement of relevant institutions and organizations under the coordination of the Ministry of Environment.
2.6 Describe the efforts made in your country to have wetlands considered in integrated land/water and coastal zone planning and management processes at the following levels:
a. national
b. provincial
c. local
An Urban Surrounding Planning for the Kizilirmak Delta, the largest and most intact wetland of the Turkish Black Sea coast, was completed. Its zonation and usage principles were developed under the guidance of Ministry of Environment and it was enforced by the Ministry of Public Works. The planning regulates all land use in the delta by considering the balance of conservation/use. The plan decisions were written on the 25.000 scale of map.
In order to integrate all sectors within economical, ecological and socio-economical wholeness, two management planning projects have been started by the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the universities for Lake Burdur and the Gediz Delta which are already in Ramsar List since 1997.
Project for Ecological Risk Assessment and Management Planning at Lake Kut has been awarded support by European Union LIFE-Third Countries Programme. The project is coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and is implemented in collaboration with the Faculty of Agriculture (Ankara University) and the Ministry of Forestry. 50 % of the financing of this project will be provided by LIFE Programme.
The project Integrating Development and Conservation in the Göksu Delta, which is the most important wetland on the Turkish Medtiterrenean coast, was executed by the Society for the Protection of Nature in collaboration with National and International partners. The project was completed at the end of 1997. The long term objective of the project was the sustainable development and conservation of biodiversity in the Göksu Delta through integrated management.
2.7 Have there been any publications produced, or practices documented, which could assist other countries to promote and improve the application of the Ramsar Wise Use of Wetlands Guidelines? Yes/No If Yes, please provide details and copies.
2.8 Noting COP6 Recommendation 6.14 relating to toxic chemicals and pollution, please advise of the actions taken since then "to remedy and to prevent pollution impacts affecting Ramsar sites and other wetlands" (Operative paragraph 9).
The Regulation for Water Pollution Control came into force in 1988 under the Environmental Law. With the Regulation, the direct release of non-treated waste waters to the receiving water is banned and the criterias for the discharge of waste waters to the receiving water after treatment are determined. Accordingly, all implementations are evaluated in this scope.
Turkish Government observes more sensitively the activities around the wetlands of international importance.
A project was started for determination of Bor pollution and developing recommendations for its solution in Lake Kut (Manyas) was started by the Ministry of Environment In 1997.
2.9 Describe what steps have been taken to incorporate wetland economic valuation techniques into natural resource planning and assessment actions.
Wetland economic valuation has been taken for potentially impacting on wetlands in the step of planning.
Before becoming a party to the Convention, the functions of wetlands were not considered sufficiently. As for the present, the evaluations have been made more carefully and ongoing investments have been reviewed by considering the wise use principle of the Convention.
2.10 Is Environmental Impact Assessment for actions potentially impacting on wetlands required under legislation in your country? Yes/No
Yes, Environmental Impact Assesment for actions potentially impacting on wetlands required under the legislation that came into force in 1993.
2.11 Is wetland restoration and rehabilitation considered a priority in your country? Yes/No. If Yes, describe the actions that have been taken to identify wetlands in need of these actions and to mobilise resources for restoration or rehabilitation.
Wetland restoration and rehabilitation is not considered a priority due to lack of financial resources. With the existing limited financial resources have been given to the activities for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. However, these sources are not sufficient for mentioned works. For instance, in 1994 the pre-feasibility study was realised for restoration and rehabilitation of Lake Amik but this study was not done as the required financial sources were not found.
2.12 Describe what actions have been taken to "encourage active and informed participation of local communities, including indigenous people, and in particular women, in the conservation and wise use of wetlands." (refer to Actions 2.7.1-4 in the Strategic Plan).
Although there are not any systematic or planned activities focused on indigenous people and women to inform during the field studies, some interviews have been made with indigenous people and stakeholders. On the other hand, educational studies have been carried out more actively by NGOs in Turkey.
As a matter of fact Turkey needs more a systematic educational programme focused on target groups.
2.13 Describe what actions have been taken to "encourage involvement of the private sector in the conservation and wise use of wetlands" (refer to Actions 2.8.1-4 in the Strategic Plan). Has this included a review of fiscal measures (taxation arrangements, etc.) to identify and remove disincentives and introduce incentives for wetlands conservation and wise use? Yes/No If yes, please provide details.
The studies to provide cheaper electricity for treatment plants have been started on the legislative basis.
In Turkey, some of the NGOs' efforts are supported by private sectors.
Ramsar Strategic Plan - General Objective 3
To raise awareness of wetland values and functions throughout the world and at all levels
3.1 Is there a government-run national programme for Education and Public Awareness in your country which focuses on, or includes, wetlands? Yes/No? If yes, what are the priority actions under this programme and who are the target groups? (Refer also to question 9.4)
Although there is not a national programme for Education and Public Awareness, some improvements have been provided as a result of Ministry of Environment and NGOs efforts.
Many publications related to importance and functions of wetlands of Environment and NGOs and many documentary films have been prepared for TV.
Additionally, some meetings for decision-makers, managers and stakeholders have been arranged.
3.2 Describe the steps taken to have wetlands issues and Ramsars Wise Use principles included as part of the curricula of educational institutions. Has this been at all levels of education (primary, secondary, tertiary and adult)? Please give details.
Ramsar Strategic Plan - General Objective 4
To reinforce the capacity of institutions in each Contracting Party to achieve conservation and wise use of wetlands.
4.1 Describe the mechanisms in place, or being introduced, to increase cooperation between the various institutions responsible for actions which can have an impact on the conservation and wise use of wetlands. If one of the mechanisms is a National Ramsar/Wetlands Committee, please describe its composition, functions and modus operandi.
The working group consists of related governmental and non-governmental institutions; experts have been established under the coordination of Ministry of Environment in order to find solutions for any actions which can have an impact on the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
4.2 Of the following, indicate which have been undertaken:
a. a review to identify the training needs of institutions and individuals concerned with the conservation and wise use of wetlands Yes/No? If yes, please indicate the major findings of the review.
b. a review to identify training opportunities for these people both within your country and in other countries. Yes/No?
c. the development of training modules or a training programme specifically for wetland managers. If yes, please give details.
The internal service training programmes have been arranged for the staffs of the Ministry of Environment and of the provincial organizations every year.
d. people from your country have gained wetland-related training either within or outside the country. Yes/No? If yes, please give details.
Yes. If the required financial supports are found, the opportunities on wetland related training can be provided for people outside of Turkey.
Besides, people join in training programmes which have been realised by NGOs, universities, and governmental institutions in Turkey.
Ramsar Strategic Plan - General Objective 5
To ensure the conservation of all sites included in the List of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar List).
5.1 Of the Ramsar sites in your country, how many have formal management plans: One.
a. being prepared?
The management plans are being prepared for Lake Kut (Manyas), Lake Burdur and Gediz Delta.
b. fully prepared?
c. being implemented?
The management plan of the Göksu Delta has being implemented.
Please indicate in the attached table of Ramsar sites which sites these are and what category they fall into.
5.2 Of the management plans referred to above, which ones have included a monitoring scheme or programme to allow changes in ecological character to be detected? Please indicate this in the attached table of Ramsar sites also.
5.3 Has there been a change in the ecological character (either positive or negative) at any of your Ramsar sites or is this likely to occur in the near future? Yes/No. If Yes, please give details.
After the management plans mentioned on 5.1a are finished and implemented, some positive changes in ecological characters are expected at these sites.
5.4 In the case of Montreux Record Ramsar sites where the Management Guidance Procedure has been applied, what is the status of the implementation of the MGP report recommendations? What is the expected time-frame for removing the site from the Montreux Record?
Turkey has no Montreux Record Ramsar sites.
5.5 For those countries referred to in COP6 Recommendations 6.17.1-4, "Ramsar sites in the Territories of Specific Contracting Parties", please provide advice on the actions that have been taken in response to the issues raised at that time.
Ramsar Strategic Plan - General Objective 6
To designate for the Ramsar List those wetlands which meet the Conventions criteria, especially wetland types still under-represented in the List and transfrontier wetlands.
6.1 Has a national inventory of wetlands been prepared for your country? Yes/No.
If no, are there plans for this to be done? Yes/No.
No. In 1992, the Ministry of Environment has started the Research Project for Determination of Biological and Ecological Properties of the Internationally Important Wetlands.
This study will have been completed for 21 sites by the end of 1998 and for more 17 sites by the end of 1999. It is planned that the project will be completed for whole sites of Turkey until 2002.
The researches include the natural environmental characteristics (geological, meteorological, hydraulogical, biological, topographic parameters), physical and chemical characteristics (water quality parameters), and natural property use (water use, agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, tourism, hunting, grazing, reed production and other products, salt, soda) of the sites.
Where a national inventory exists please provide details of when it was finalised, where it is kept and what information it contains.
6.2 Does there exist a list or directory of "important" wetlands for your country or region? Yes/No. If yes, please provide details of when it was finalised, where it is kept, what criteria for "important" were used, and the types of information it contains.
Yes, Turkey has a list of important wetlands. The list was finalised in 1993 and revised in 1996. It is kept in the Wetland Section of the Ministry of Environment. The specific criteria based on waterfowl adopted by the 4th and 6th Meetings of the Conferences of the Convention.
6.3 If it is known, please provide an estimate of the area of wetlands in your country at present and any information on rates of loss or conversion to other activities. If this information is available, please indicate what definition of "wetland" was used.
It is not known.
6.4 Have any actions been taken in response to the COP6 Resolutions and Recommendations that Contracting Parties should give priority to listing Wetlands of International Importance which:
a. meet the criteria for fish habitat (Resolution VI.2),
b. meet the 1% criterion for waterbird populations using data provided by the International Waterfowl Census (Resolution VI.4),
c. are subterranean karst or cave wetland systems (Resolution VI.5),
d. are peatland ecosystems (Recommendation 6.1)
e. are coral reefs and associated systems (Recommendation 6.7)
f. are under-represented wetland types (which apart from d. and e. above include mangroves and sea grass beds) (Strategic Plan Action 6.2.3)
The study for determination of The Important Bird Areas in Turkey was realised by the Society for Nature Protection (DHKD) between 1990 and 1997. It was supported by Garanti Bank, RSPB, Birdlife International and Vogel bescherming Nederland. Although this document is not a full list of Turkish Important Bird Areas, it includes the current inventory of the most of the important large wetlands in Turkey.
6.5 If your government indicated at COP6 that it would be proceeding to list further specific sites, please advise of the status of this action.
A project for Identification of Potential Ramsar Sites in Turkey has been started in 1998 supported by Ramsar Small Grants Fund for Wetland Conservation and Wise Use.
6.6 Please advise which of the sites included in the Ramsar List from your country are transfrontier wetlands (Refer also to 7.1).
6.7 Describe any plans, or actions being taken for further transfrontier sites to be listed (Refer also to 7.1).
Ramsar Strategic Plan - General Objective 7
To mobilise international cooperation and financial assistance for wetland conservation and wise use in collaboration with other conventions and agencies, both governmental and non-governmental.
7.1 Briefly describe any bilateral or multilateral activities that have been taken, are under way, or are planned for the management of transfrontier wetlands or their watersheds/catchments (Refer also to 6.6 and 6.7).
7.2 Do you have Ramsar sites that are "twinned" with others, either nationally or internationally? Yes/No. If yes, please give details.
The question is not understood well.
7.3 Where your country is also a signatory of any of the following Conventions, describe what mechanism(s) exist to assist regular dialogue and cooperative actions between the personnel responsible for their implementation and the Ramsar Administrative Authority:
a. Convention on Biological Diversity
b. Framework Convention on Climate Change
c. Convention to Combat Desertification
d. Convention on Migratory Species
e. World Heritage Convention
Turkey has already ratified Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention to Combat Desertification, and World Heritage Convention.
The Ministry of Environment General Directorate of Environmental Protection is responsible to carry out Convention on Biological Diversity and Convention on Combat Desertification as focal point and also Ramsar Convention. Accordingly, the dialogues and cooperative actions between the personnel responsible for their implementation and the Ramsar Administrative Authority have been carried out regularly.
The Administrative Authority for World Heritage Convention is the Ministry of Culture and Turkey has not any area included in the list of the Convention yet.
7.4 Is your country cooperating as part of any bilateral or multilateral activities directed at the conservation of migratory wetland species? Yes/No. If yes, please provide details.
7.5 Are there multilateral and/or bilateral donors supporting projects which contribute to implementation of the Ramsar Convention in your country? Yes/No. If yes, please provide details.
7.6 Does your government make an annual budgetary allocation to support the conservation and wise use of wetlands within your country? Yes/No. If yes, is this a specific allocation to a wetlands programme or as part of a larger environment or natural resource management budget?
A portion of the annual budget of the Ministry of Environment is used for conservation and wise use of wetlands.
7.7 If your country has a development assistance programme, does it include funds earmarked for wetland conservation and wise use in other countries? Yes/No. If yes, please give details.
7.8 Is there a formal process in place for consultation between the Ramsar Administrative Authority and the development assistance programme in your country, where one exists? Yes/No. If yes, what is that process.
Ramsar Strategic Plan - General Objective 8
To provide the Convention with the required institutional mechanisms and resources.
8.1 Has your government made voluntary financial contributions, other than the invoiced contributions or to the Small Grants Fund, to further the work of the Convention globally? Yes/No. If yes, please provide details.
8.2 If your country is in arrears with the payment of its annual contributions to the Ramsar Convention, please indicate the reasons for this situation and the prospects for paying these arrears in the near future.
Optional section - Participation of non-government organizations in the implementation of the Convention
These are optional questions relating to cooperation with and involvement of non-government organizations in the implementation of the Convention.
At COP6 some 42 NGOs made the "Brisbane NGO pledge of support for the Ramsar Convention". The Standing Committee agreed that for COP7 there should be an effort made to gauge the level and type of cooperation which is occurring between government Administrative Authorities and the national and international NGOs with an interest in wetlands issues.
In this optional section of the National Report, you are asked to describe the nature of the cooperation and relationship with any other international, regional, national and provincial NGOs operating within your country.
9.1 Approximately how many NGOs have wetlands as part of their regular "business" in your country?
Please break this down between international, regional and national/provincial organizations.
Only one. National.
9.2 Is there a regular forum or mechanism through which these NGOs express their views on wetland conservation and Ramsar implementation:
a. to each other? Yes/No No.
b. to the government? Yes/No No.
9.3 Does your government include one or more NGO representatives on its official delegation to Ramsar COPs? Yes/No
9.4 Do any of the NGOs run programmes aimed at Education and Public Awareness about wetlands in your country? Yes/No. If yes, please give details (Refer also to question 3.1).
Organizing wetland training course on Ramsar / IUCN Management Guidelines.
Publications; awareness materials, films, posters, etc.
Campaigns and press trips to sites.
9.5 Where they exist, do Ramsar site management advisory committees include NGO representatives? If yes, please give details
9.6 Describe the themes of the Convention (refer to General Objectives 1-8 of the Strategic Plan) where you perceive the national/provincial NGOs to be most active.
Wise use planning, awareness, education. (Obj. 2, 3)
Final comments:
10.1 General comments on implementation of the Ramsar Strategic Plan.
It is a good prepared plan. If the plan can be implemented, it will be a very valuable tool for reaching its targets.
The problems during implementation of the plan:
Lack of experts having adequate qualification to prepare wetland management plans,
Lack of sufficient financial sources for preparation and implementation of wetland management plans, restoration and rehabilitation of wetlands,
Contradictions between protection policy, decision makers, and stakeholders,
Lack of training activities,
Lack of legislative and administrative measures.
In order to solve these problems we need more financial sources. Consequently it should be endeavoured to increase financial possibilities at the international level.
10.2 Observations concerning the functioning of, relations with, and services provided by:
a. The Ramsar Standing Committee
b. The Ramsar Scientific and Technical Review Panel
c. The Ramsar Bureau
d. The Ramsar NGO partners
The Ramsar Bodies are sufficient and the services provided by them are very helpful and positive.
10.3 Any other general observations and/or recommendations for the future.
The Ramsar Bureau should encourage countries in establishment of their own national committees. Therefore making of necessary legislative arrangements and providing of coordination and cooperatiom between related institutions are getting easier.
The educational possibilities for especially decisionmakers and planners should be increased.
Exchange of knowledge on the implementation of the Convention and the strategic plan should be increased.
The repetitions in the Ramsar Site Information Sheet should be omitted.


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2014 LifeWise Oregon Health Plans
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2014 Health Plan Rates
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To provide control and accountability over Sno-Isle Libraries assets and to comply with the Washington State Office of Financial Management's Financial and Administrative Policies, Regulations, Procedures and Guidelines.
Sno-Isle Libraries shall have procedures and guidelines for identifying, tracking, and safeguarding:
Capital Assets
Capital Assets for the purpose of this policy include all land, buildings, and remaining fixed assets with a unit cost of $5,000 or greater.
Small and Attractive Assets
Small and Attractive Assets for the purpose of this policy include fixed assets with a unit cost of greater than $300 and less than $5,000 that are considered particularly vulnerable to loss. In compliance with the Washington State Office of Financial Management's Administrative and Accounting Manual, the items in the following categories must be considered when determining what will be considered small and attractive assets:
Library Collections
Print materials, DVDs, CDs, and other library collection material intended for customers' use are not considered fixed assets for the purposes of this policy.
Risk Assessment
An annual risk assessment shall be done to determine which assets or asset categories are small and attractive assets. The assessment shall be conducted by the Administrative Services Director in conjunction with managers from the Technical Services & Facilities Development and Community Libraries & Information Technology departments. A listing of the types of assets considered to be small and attractive will be maintained.
All Capital Assets and all assets considered small and attractive shall have a numbered identifying tag attached when purchased. A record of the asset and its related tag number shall be maintained.
Physical Inventory
A physical inventory of all Capitalized Fixed Assets and all Small and Attractive Assets will be conducted a minimum of once a year.
Adopted by the Board of Trustees October 25, 2010


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OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Arnold Schwarzenegger quietly slipped in and out of Oshkosh Thursday, where he test drove military vehicles made at the Oshkosh Corporation.
Company spokesman John Daggett tells the Oshkosh Northwestern that the "Terminator" toured the main plant, and took a 13-ton mine-resistant ATV for a ride on a test course.
Daggett said Schwarzenegger became acquainted with Oshkosh military vehicles when the firm entered a concept unit in a race across the Mexican desert a few years ago.
Schwarzenegger, a former California governor, could not have bought one of the vehicles he saw Thursday. Daggett said the design is the property of the Defense Department -- and the company cannot sell the military products to private persons or businesses.
(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)


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Yakima, WASH.--Christmas came early for 200 little kids Sunday.
Victory Outreach Yakima teamed up with United Health Care Community Plan to give away toys to needy children in the area. The toys were donated by "Toys for Tots."
Victory Outreach is a Yakima church that focuses on getting involved with the community and helping others.
"Some of us have been more fortunate or more blessed and we can look at a Teddy Bear and say it's a Teddy, but to a child it offers hope," said Crystal Roa, a member of Victory Outreach Yakima. "It says that there's a little joy or a little comfort."
Members said Victory Outreach Yakima is always looking for partners to help put on events and donate resources that will help children in the community.


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The lenders in the list below are included because they meet two or more of the following criteria:
Please refer to each bank's website and be sure to compare the fees and terms of all student loan products and determine which are best suited to your needs. Note that most interest rates are determined by the sum of an Index rate (such as LIBOR or Prime) and a Margin that determined from your credit rating.
Fixed: 5.25% - 11.25%
Variable: LIBOR+2.5% to 8.75%
Fixed: 5.49% - 7.89%
Variable: Prime Index + 0% to 4%
Upon graduation: 2% cash reward on principal balance
Automatic payments: 0.25% IRR
Fixed: 6.49% - 12.99%
Variable: 3.49% - 10.44%
Fixed: 5.74% - 8.56%
Variable: 2.25% - 7.72%
Auto Payments: 0.25% IRR for automating payment
Reward of 2% of scheduled monthly payments made on time while in school
Fixed: as low as 6.36% - 9.44%
Variable: as low as 3.22% - 8.03%
Upon graduation: 0.25% IRR to borrowers who graduate.
Auto Payments: 0.25% IRR for enrolling in automatic payment from your checking or savings account
Key: IRR = Interest Rate Reduction, LIBOR = London Interbank Offered Rate* Awarded to a Westminster student within the past two years.
Westminster Theological Seminary - 2960 Church Road, Glenside PA 19038 - 215-887-5511© Copyright/Privacy 2014 Westminster Theological SeminaryDesigned and Developed by Trinet Internet Solutions


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WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) - Two teenagers had to be rescued from the water under the Thomas Street Bridge in Wausau this afternoon.
Fire battalion chief Paul Czarapata says a group of teenagers were swimming on the sandbar off of Fern Island when one of them was swept into the current. Another teenager went out to rescue the other one and got caught in the current as well. "The current is really strong. We've had a lot of rain and it's just funneling water past that point."
Czarapata urges teenagers to find somewhere else to swim. "Places like Man Made Lake and other places where the current isn't so strong."
The two teens were pulled from the water with ropes cast from the bridge. A boat was sent out further downstream to make sure no one else was in the water.


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Don't let those gloomy days put a damper on your running routine...train through the elements with the Saucony Drylete Sportop. Reflective details and USB_LED light on the right sleeve provide enhanced visibility, while the soft inner is cozy and provides added warmth. Raglan sleeve construction and a shaped hem line deliver optimal range of motion, while an invisible side pocket allows you to securely stow your essentials while you run.
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Comments: Received this last week and ran 3 miles in drizzling cold 34 degree temp. It was comfortable and to my surprise kept me warm and dry. This was my first experience in cold weather running gear and I was reluctant to invest. I must say, I am very pleased. I especially like the longer sleeves with thumb holes that fit over the gloves I was wearing. The length of the top also covered well into my backside (butt). I'm 5'8" and ordered the Medium. Quite cozy and I look forward to purchasing more as fall/winter is only beginning. From: Denise, Hudson area, WI, USA
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Discover how to establish a healthy approach to successful weight loss and weight maintenance for a lifetime.
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Political Science
Patterson Hall
Political Science/Sociology Office - 331
Campus Mailbox: 31
(724) 946-7253
About Me
I have been with Westminster College since 2004 and am currently the secretary for the departments of chemistry and physics. I graduated from Westminster College in 2010 with a BS in Business Administration. I also am currently serving as President of the Westminster College Support Staff Organization.


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Protecting the Great Lakes State
Welcome to Michigan
Michigan sits at the heart of the Great Lakes basin, the largest source of surface freshwater in the world. Those who live here can't help but feel inextricably linked to the lands and waters around us. We understand that time spent outdoors, enjoying wildlife and spectacular landscapes, gives us meaning and allows us to rejuvenate and escape. We've built our economies and communities around the natural resources here. The Nature Conservancy's goal is to protect and restore the natural systems and places critical to the well-being of nature and people in Michigan, and throughout the Great Lakes region, for generations to come.
To learn about the broad, innovative strategies our conservation staff are developing and the priority places where they are being put into action, visit How We Work. Below are stories about individual conservation projects designed to protect and transform, and the people who inspire our work.
Michigan Spotlight
Protect: Grass Bay Preserve
This summer, The Nature Conservancy added 41 acres to this northern Michigan wildflower paradise.
Transform: Conservation and Construction at Erie Marsh
The Conservancy and its partners are reconnecting Erie Marsh to Lake Erie and restoring wetlands, and that's just the beginning.
Inspire: Growing Up Wild In Michigan
Inspired by a global survey, we interviewed Conservancy staff who are also parents to get a local perspective on the importance of getting kids outside.
Latest Photos
Tour Sharon Hollow
Got spring fever? Take a tour of our beloved Nan Weston Nature Preserve in all its springtime glory by watching an amazing slideshow.
Building a Bridge
To improve connectivity on the Two Hearted River, the Conservancy replaced an unserviceable culvert with a new bridge.
Latest Videos
Great Lakes Migratory Birds
Spring migration is underway across the Great Lakes! Hear what our panelists had to say about what this critical flyway means for our feathered friends on our latest co-production with Detroit Public Television.
Meet Helen Taylor
State Director Helen Taylor talks about the past, present and future of conservation in Michigan in this short video.
Get Outside!
See the world with new eyes this spring. Check out this video then find a preserve near you to get out and connect with nature.
Recent Press
- August 13, 2014
- Mending the Meander with the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
- July 23, 2014
- Girls from New York City experience the outdoors in the U.P.
- May 12, 2014
- Saginaw County golf course now part of federally protected natural area
- April 11, 2014
- Nature Conservancy gets $1M grant for purchase of St. Martin Island, improving wetlands
- January 06, 2014
- Restoring Lake Erie's largest wetland (Great Lakes Echo)
- January 05, 2014
- Great Lakes Only Region In U.S. To Gain Wetlands, Report Finds (Huffington Post)


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In 2013, Hollywood saw big box office hits with Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," Sandra Bullock in "Gravity" and Melissa McCarthy (and Bullock again) in "The Heat." But none of these girl-power sagas were directed by a woman.
It's the same old story. Four years after Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the directing Oscar for "The Hurt Locker," the industry still has a terrible track record on gender equality behind the camera. As we head into awards season, the Oscar buzz is all about the guys (see Alfonso Cuaron, Steven McQueen, David O. Russell, Paul Greengrass, Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Spike Jonze, etc.).
Frozen," made by the duo Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. The most successful movie directed solely by a woman was Kimberly Peirce's remake of "Carrie," which ranked No. 77 for the year at the domestic box office with $35.3 million.
These statistics are always discouraging. In 2011, 5 percent of the top-grossing 250 films were directed by women; in 2012, it was 9 percent, according to a study by San Diego State U's Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film. But those numbers, as bad as they are, get worse when you consider big-budget releases. Variety found that in 2013, only two of the top-grossing 100 movies of the year were directed by women.
Here are the 10 most successful titles.
1. "Frozen"
Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee
$263.1 million
Actual rank: 6
It only took 76 years after "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" for Disney to hire a woman director for one of its animated princess stories, which naturally skew toward female audiences. "What we're always told in the industry is the audience you want is men, 18 to 25," Lee told Variety in the fall. But "Frozen," one of the biggest hits of the holiday season, is proof that's not always the case.
2. "Carrie"
Directed by Kimberly Peirce
$35.3 million
Actual rank: 77
Peirce made her directorial debut with 1999′s "Boys Don't Cry," but her follow-up (2008's "Stop-Loss") was a commercial disappointment. At the time of "Carrie's" fall release, she talked to the New York Times Magazine's Mary Kaye Schilling about the heartbreaking years she tried-and failed-to get her own ideas turned into movies. She agreed to helm the Stephen King remake starring Chloe Moretz after Sony offered her the project.
3. "Enough Said"
Directed by Nicole Holofcener