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Dec 17, 2009
Time wasting and empty promises
This morning members of Climate Justice Now, briefing the Klimaforum on the sate of the talks, were joined by Cristian Dominguez, a member of the Bolivian negotiating team. At the climate talks Hilary Clinton proposed a $100 billion fund for climate change but, as ever, the devil's in the details.
Ricardo Navarro from Friends of the Earth El Salvador opened proceedings at the Klimaforum by talking about the expulsion of the Friends of the Earth International delegation from observing the talks and how the people who represent the millions of affected people around the world are being denied a voice.
Today only two people from Friends of the Earth International were allowed into the conference centre where the talks are taking place.
On the talks Karen Orenstein from Friends of the Earth US said:
"The blame game is now beginning for who will be responsible for the no solution."
Friends of the Earth International believes that rich countries are squarely to blame for the lack of any meaningful progress made so far.
Cristian Dominguez from the Bolivian negotiating team at the climate conference told the audience what it was like on the inside for developing countries:
"They don't want to talk about the Kyoto Treaty so they delay. Last night we stayed until 2am and achieved nothing."
He said the politicians of the developing countries were focusing on the past and unwilling to change, "they are like robots of the capitalist system."
"We have faith that Evo Morales [the Bolivian President] won't sign a document that goes against humanity, against Mother Earth" he concluded.
the climate fund
Most of the politicians and heads of state attending the summit have now arrived in Copenhagen and are making announcements on how they propose to move forward.
Today US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton announced a $100 billion climate fund. However, she did not say how much the US would contribute to this amount that falls far short of what the United Nations say is needed.
Dec 16, 2009
False solutions: how to resist them and promote alternatives
The common theme than ran through today's talks was false solutions to climate change. Schemes such as REDD - a carbon offsetting mechanism - and carbon capture and storage are being put forward as credible ways to cut carbon emissions. These talks proved the opposite.
The first talk explored the false solutions being promoted in the name of tackling climate change including the role of the World Bank, carbon offsetting, monoculture tree plantations and agrofuels.
The speakers included Camila Morena from Friends of the Earth Brazil and Nnimmo Bassey from Friends of the Earth Nigeria and the Chair of Friends of the Earth International.
Camila looked at REDD as a false solution.
"The Amazon covers 49% of Brazil and Amazon deforestation accounts for 48% of the deforestation taking place at the moment, four times the rate of Indonesia - the second deforester" she said.
REDD, which stands for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation in developing countries, will mean that forests are incorporated into carbon markets.
Put simply, a factory in Europe can offset their emissions by buying credits on the carbon market and as a result a landowner in the Amazon will be paid not to cut down a hectare of trees. The way the mechanism is set up though could also mean that deforestation actually increases under the scheme. It is flawed in many ways.
Camila said there was "tsunami of investment in REDD projects in Brazil at the moment" and said that big agribusiness, who are the owners of most of this land - not peasant farmers as we are led to believe, who are cutting down the rain forest to plant soy are now being rewarded for not deforesting the Amazon anymore.
"We are paying the kings of deforestation not to chop down our forests" she said.
In the climate talks Friends of the Earth are demanding that forests are kept out of carbon markets, that plantations are entirely excluded and land rights are enforced as the basis of any forest policy.
Nnimmo Bassey talked about gas flaring in his country.
Gas flaring takes place when the the associated gasses that occur when oil is extracted from the ground are burnt straight into the atmosphere. This is what Shell and other companies do in the Niger Delta, often in the middle of communities, twenty-four hours a day. Not only are huge quantities of CO2 pumped into the air but also toxins that have had devastating effects on the surrounding communities.
For decades oil companies have broken the law by illegally flaring, saying it's very difficult to stop. Now the clean development mechanism (CDM) has come along, another false solution, and Shell are looking to stop these illegal flares and claim money for doing so under the pretext of reducing their carbon emissions.
Nnimmo put this question to the audience:
"If I were a bank robber and I decide to rob only one bank a day instead of ten should I be given an award? This is what is now happening as oil companies turn to carbon development mechanisms."
Find out more about gas flaring
a future without fossil fuels
In another room George Monbiot, an environmentalist from the UK, also addressed false solutions and looked at the huge levels of investment that would be needed to continue down the road of fossil fuels.
He dismissed the notion that we'll soon be at peak oil and once that runs out we will naturally progress to renewables because we will have no choice.
"The problem we're facing is not too little fossil fuels, it's too much" he said.
He explained that as fossil fuels become harder to reach, more and more money will be needed to extract them. In the case of coal there is plenty in the far reaches of Siberia and the North Sea bed. The problem is getting it.
He conceded that the path to renewables is an expensive one - around $4.2 trillion he'd calculated - and will totally change our consumption patterns but the path to our continued reliance on fossil fuel would also cost around the same amount just to continue with business as usual.
As he sees it, there are two options:
"We spend trillions on securing fossils fuels for the next generation an adapt to the the disastrous consequences, or we can invest the same amount in renewables that will last forever."
I know which one I would choose.
Find out more - http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2008/11/25/one-shot-left/
Dec 15, 2009
Carbon, capture and storage - a new solution or another problem?
A study compiled by a Danish Professor, presented at the Klimaforum09, exposed carbon capture and storage (CCS), where the carbon emitted by coal fired power stations is stored underground, as a false solution to climate change.
The event was hosted by Friends of the Earth Denmark in collaboration with Brian Vad Mathiesen, an assistant Professor at Aalborg University in Denmark. The Professor looked objectively at the case for and against CCS.
Firstly, Palle Bendsen informed us that the technology won't be ready until at least 2020 and not on a large scale until 2030. It's worth bearing in mind that 2020 is the date that countries are committing themselves to achieve large emissions reductions.
The Professor's presentation revealed some fascinating facts about CCS that never seem be raised by the people promoting this 'solution'.
Around 40% more coal will need to be burned just to enable the carbon dioxide to be captured and stored,
There are also added social impacts with CCS. In addition to the negative impacts of coal on the local population, there will now also be an impact on the people who live on land slated for the captured carbon facility. They will have to be evicted.
Professor Mathiesen said: "In Denmark at the moment a community of farmers need to be relocated to make way for a storage facility. They don't want to go and so the project has been delayed due as a result of their appeals."
At least in Denmark there is the benefit of an appeal. This can't be guaranteed for projects being developed elsewhere.
And finally, the money. It is estimated that a coal fired power station with carbon capture storage will take fifty years to achieve a return on investment.
With these stark facts laid out CCS clearly has to be exposed as a totally false solution to climate change.
Find out everything you need to know about carbon capture and storage
Dec 13, 2009
video: The Flood for climate justice
On Saturday, December 12 2009, more than 5000 people flooded the streets of Copenhagen demanding climate justice and an end to offsetting carbon emissions.
View another video here from the Danish Climate Movement
Dec 11, 2009
Video: FoE US on Democracy Now!
Kate Horner from Friends of the Earth US provides analysis of the climate negotiations on Democracy Now!
Call on the US to pay their climate debt
Todd Stern, the US Special Envoy for Climate Change doesn't think rich nations owe a climate debt.
Speaking at a press conference about the USA's role in creating climate change he said:
"The sense of guilt or culpability or reparations, I just categorically reject that."
Instead he wants the poorest subsistence farmer in Africa to have the same responsibility for tackling climate change as an American with a
private jet.
With President Obama, the US has a unique opportunity to take the lead on tackling climate change. But Stern is threatening Obama's chances.
Call on Todd Stern to think again
Dec 10, 2009
Failed promises and a call for stronger emissions targets
Day three of the climate conference saw FoEI call for 40% cuts in EU emissions and our Chair Nnimmo Bassey releasing a statement urging President Obama to rethink his administrations approach to the climate talks on the eve of him receiving his Nobel prize in Oslo
Wednesday was a busy day all round for FoEI. The launch of our 40% report in the morning was followed by a 'target action' where Young Friends of the Earth walked the halls of the conference centre holding up large red targets calling for a commitment to emissions reductions of 40 percent without using any offsets (see video above).
Later the media team released a statement from our Chair Nnimmo Bassey directed at President Obama, who will be in Norway on Thursday (11th Dec) collecting his Nobel prize. The prize was awarded for the President's 'vision for a better future and his ability to inspire hope that bold change is possible'.
In the words of Nnimmo:
"We congratulate him on this honor, but he has not kept true to the vision he articulated during his campaign....he pledged to solve climate change, but the United States is now playing a harmful role on the global stage."
Interview with Rafael Flores from the Bolivian delegation
Rafael Flores from the Bolivian delegation talks about the commitment of the Bolivian government in calling for climate justice in Copenhagen.
Oct 08, 2009
Video blogging from Bangkok climate negotiations
International climate change negotiations are underway in Bangkok, Thailand. Karen Orenstein and Kate Horner from Friends of the Earth US are there following the developments and reporting back.
Sep 23, 2009
A Call for World Wide Solidarity Against the Repression in Honduras
Friends of the Earth International statement on the return of the legitimate President of Honduras to the country.
Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) applauds the return to Honduras of its legitimate president, Manuel Zelaya, who has taken refuge in the Embassy of Brazil in Tegucigalpa. At the same time we note with grave concern the siege on the Brazilian Embassy and the increase in repression following the return of President Zelaya.
Friends of the Earth International denounces the gross human rights violations in Honduras perpetuated by the illegitimate government. This repression violates international norms and cannot be accepted under any circumstances.
The people of Honduras have stood firmly by their legitimate president and have not wavered since the day the unfortunate usurpation of power took place on 28 June 2009.
Friends of the Earth International calls on the international community to pressure the illegitimate authorities in Tegucigalpa to step aside for dialogue and for the completion of term of the legitimate president. Specifically, Friends of the Earth International calls on the Security Council of the United Nations to take immediate actions to stem the rise of violence in Honduras.
We also assure the peoples of Honduras of the continued support and solidarity of our 77 groups and 2 million members spread around the world.
Nnimmo Bassey
Chair, Friends of the Earth International
Sep 16, 2009
the age of stupid
Friends of the Earth International is proud to be associated with The Age of Stupid, director Franny Armstrong's new film illustrating the disastrous effects of climate change.
The premiere of The Age of Stupid will take place worldwide on September 21/22 for International Day of Climate Action and is expected to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest simultaneous screening ever.
Global support for the film is quickly bolstering, and celebrities and politicians are lined up to take part in the premiere across the globe. The New York premiere alone will feature Kofi Annan, Gillian Anderson, Moby, The Age of Stupid's oscar-nominated star Pete Postlethwaite and filmmakers Franny Armstrong and Lizzie Gillett.
Many other A-list celebrities will be arriving to the Big Apple premiere by sailing boat, bike, rickshaw, electric car or skateboard before walking down the green (not red!) carpet, and Radiohead's Thom Yorke is scheduled to play a song for the global audience via satellite linkup.
There will be a global digital screening of The Age of Stupid plus highlights from the New York premiere on September 22nd at 19:00 (CEST).
For information about where the film will be showing in your country, go to The Age of Stupid website.
Aug 31, 2009
Join the youth climate movement
The Young Friends of the Earth Climate project is for young people from all over Europe who are ready to take climate action and demand climate justice for the people and the planet from our governments.
2009 is the pivotal year for climate change. In December the worlds' governments will meet in Copenhagen to negotiate measures to stop climate change. Act Now!
If your are young (age 18 – 29), motivated and believe that our time has come to act, we invite you to join one of the four regional youth climate conferences that Young Friends of the Earth are organizing all over Europe.
From October 8 – 11, Act Now conferences will take place in Berlin, Toulouse, Malmo and – from Oct. 15 to 18 – in Dublin.
To apply, go to www.actnow09.eu
At these European youth climate conferences, you, and more than 200 young Europeans will learn the latest news about climate change and the status of international climate politics, discuss with elected politicians and be trained how to run climate actions, do media work and motivate more young people to join the movement.
Finally, you will find out how to come to Copenhagen in December and we will jointly plan peaceful yet powerful actions to influence this crucial climate change conference.
To apply for one of the four conferences go to www.actnow09.eu
Applications for all four conferences are open until September 10th.
Jul 29, 2009
Donate to the Honduras Solidarity Fund
People in Honduras need your support. Please make a donation to help Friends of the Earth Honduras protect people's rights.
The Honduran people continue to risk their lives and livelihoods demonstrating in support of democracy in Honduras.
Jul 05, 2009
The people need soil not oil!
Ahead of the G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, the alternative G8 summit is taking place in Sardinia. Nnimmo Bassey Chair of Friends of the Earth International is there.
Today the debate is on the Crisis of Civilization and Research for new Paradigms. The day began with a presentation by Roberto Espinoza of the Coordination of Native Andean Organisations. He spoke about the recent resistance in Peru and noted that some of the underlying factors were the privatization of land for agrofuels production as well as moves in the destructive mining sector. The people resisted because their livelihood was being made impossible by the pollution of their waters, land and air. 6000 communities were affected and half of these have their coastline impacted by mining. He mentioned also that oil corporations have appropriated up to 15 million hectares of forest area for their activities.
Roberto stressed that the struggle of the people is not for a mere of government but for a fundamental constitutional review to defend the collective rights of the peoples'.
Speaking further on the subject of today's debate, he said that the multiple crises the world is faced with today go beyond being a crisis of neo-liberalism. According to him, this is a crisis of civilization with soft words such as climate change being used to describe its manifestations. Man has gradually been separated from nature and consumerism is driving humanity towards destruction. He noted that oil and mining remove the soil on which the peoples depend and that the people need soil not oil!
Human wellbeing cannot be constructed on increased consumption and competition but on solidarity. Everything cannot be a commodity. Commodification leads to expropriation and control. We must defend our diversity in every sphere.
A commentator from Italy noted that what the nation (Italy) was facing is a challenge of democracy and that this is the case with other European nations. He agreed with Roberto that cultural, social and other crises all affect the peoples' way of life and builds uncertainties and uneasiness. This uneasiness creates fears and tensions and does not create a path for the future. What is needed is a joint project that would pool resources together to effect a radical change in the way we do things. This new path must lead away from free trade, which dissipates nature. This new path must help the people recover their sovereignty from market forces.
He called for cultural change and a new discussion of the very concept of modernity. This must include the recovery of the imagination in a lifestyle that recognises human interdependency with nature.
Another high point of today's debate was the contribution of the mayor of Iglesias. He captured the multiple crises as one of identity. He rooted his contribution to the historical realities of colonialism and neo-colonialism in Sardinia within the Italian context.
According to the mayor, the local people had over the years got to depend on what they are told was right for them rather than discovering their own realities for themselves. He regretted that today, our world views are framed by what we see on television and unfortunately the medium is largely controlled by those whose desire is to keep us under their control!
The major talked about how an agriculturally prosperous region had their livelihoods disrupted by promises of a better life through mining. While they moved to the mines all they got in return was polluted environments, health problems and a rapacious appropriation of their resources. Even coastlines that served as touristic magnets became damaged by a culture that sees concreting as a measure of development and progress.
An activist or community person from any nation in the global South could have made the mayor's presentation as they mirrored the exact situation of things today in those climes. We saw in this presentation the clear fact that struggles of the peoples of this world can find common grounds if we are true to our sense of perception and the realities we face.
For those who do not know, Iglesias is a town in Sardinia, an island province in the south west of Italy.
I will pause here.
We are working on the outcome document or declaration for the debates on the post carbon economy. That document will be my final post on the Gsott8.
Jul 03, 2009
Keep the oil in the soil
Ahead of the G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, the alternative G8 summit is taking place in Sardinia. Nnimmo Bassey Chair of Friends of the Earth International is there.
I should have mentioned that there are three of us here from the FoEI family. Anne-Sophie Simpere of Les Amis de la Terre, France is here. Also here is BAsilo Tzoy Grijalva of the Council for the Protection of the territory of Indigenous people, Guatemala. His organisation related with FoE Guatemala.
Today's events are organised in panels and will conclude at midnight after the screening of La Ricaduta, a documentary on irresponsible extractions in the Niger Delta. There will also be a special testimony by a citizen of Abruzzo – the earthquake region where ENI wants to extract crude. The people of Aruzzo don't want crude extracted from their territory.
As already mentioned in my earlier post, today's panels are focusing on oil/gas, mining and tar sands. Tomorrow the focus will be on food sovereignty matters. The three cardinal objectives of these sessions are the phasing out of oil economy, keeping the oil in the soil; community control over their resources; new frontier of resource exploitations. The idea is also to strategize on how to find allies and build alliances for the struggle.
The first panel opened with Tom Kucharz of Ecologistas en Accion, Spain interviewing Ivonne Yanez of Accion Ecologica, Ecuador. The thrust of the discussion was the Ecuadorian Yasuni proposal in which a civil society driven process led the government to state readiness to leave the billion barrels of crude oil in the soil at the protected Yasuni Park. Ivonne traced the history of the campaign and noted that although the government was initially seeking payment for leaving the oil in the ground in a way similar to the carbon trade arguments, this has changed to the demand for solidarity funds to avoid drilling for oil in the area.
The purpose of the Yasuni proposal is to commence a process of breaking the world's dependence on fossil fuels, and by so doing reduce carbon emissions and directly tackle climate change. She revealed that just a fortnight ago Germany offered to contribute $1Billion to Ecuador at the rate of $50 million per year over the next 20 years – towards leaving the oil in the ground at the Yasuni Park. This proposal has thus become very concrete.
Nicholas of Corner House interviewed me on the second panel. The thrust of our discussion was our proposal to leave new oil in the soil of the Niger Delta. This proposal is similar to the Ecuadorian proposal but with some key unique aspects. The similarities basically include simply leaving the oil in the soil, defending the environment from degradation related to oil spills and gas flares and also directly tackling climate change.
I traced the historic struggle of the Ogoni under the leadership of Ken Saro-Wiwa who was executed in November 1995 with the active connivance of Shell. Since 1993 direct oil activities in Ogoni ceased with the expulsion of Shell; and the land has from after the post expulsion conflicts known a measure of peace.
The key demand is that there should be no new oil field developments in Nigeria for the following reasons. Nigeria can easily meet a 3 million barrels production right if the Niger Delta knows some peace. Currently the nation's production quota stands at 2 million barrels per day with another estimated 1 million barrels of crude stolen on a daily basis. The government has plans to increase daily production to 5 million barrels per day from the year 2015. We propose that Nigerians can contribute funds to keep those additional 2 million barrels per day in the soil. This comes to only $156 per year for each Nigerian. We note that not all Nigerians (for example the children) can make this contribution. But, there are many who can buy multiple units. There are businesses who can but muliple units and there are concerned citizens, organisations and governments of the world who would be willing to contribute to this fund.
The direct implication of keeping new oil in the soil would manifest in reconnection of Nigerians to the national economy. This would raise accountability and transparency in governance. It would also directly move the nation from dependence on one source of revenue and lead to a diversification of the economy in a productive way. FoE Nigeria schedules to present this proposal formally to the federal government of Nigeria by November 2009.
The other panel that shows the people resisting new oil is in Abruzzo, Italy. This is the region where a devastating earthquake occurred recently. Speaking on this was Maria Rita D'Orsagna of the Abruzzo Movement Against Oil Extraction. She said that when the idea of oil production in the area was first announced to the people the general understanding was that it would be the production of olive oil! A strong resistance is building with the realization that it is crude oil that is to be drilled for here.
The struggle against the Shell Pipeline in Ireland was presented by Nessa Ni Chasaide of Action From Ireland (AFRI) in a day that was loaded with stories of resistance and mobilizations from several countries. The stories of tar sands in Canada and the degradation of indigenous areas were brought by Ben Powless of the Indigenous Environment Network. The mining situation in the Republic of Congo; the situations in Zambia, Guatemala, Philippines and Indonesia all took centre stage.
The last session of the day was a panel that spoke on alternatives. The ideas that came from this panel were mainly on what people and communities can do to show that alternatives exist and that others can be constructed. The vital need to build movements was stressed. The transition to a post carbon civilization will not be easy, but must be planned for and made to happen. The need for reduced consumption and the need to change from the current fossil fuel intensive agriculture were also brought forward forcefully. Other alternatives included building designs using locally available materials and skills thereby being climate sensitive and reducing dependence of materials transported over long distances.
It was agreed that REDD was not a solution to forest protection or for climate change. The need to reframe the climate debate towards climate debt, equity and justice was emphasised.
The day ended at midnight with the screening of a documentary "La Ricaduta" – a story of irresponsible behaviour of oil companies in the Niger Delta with a special focus on ENI (AGIP).
A statement will emerge from the sessions on extractives. It is in the forge at the moment!
4/5 July will focus on Food Sovereignty issues. La Via Campesina and other groups are driving this section.
Jul 02, 2009
Movement against mining's leader disappears
CESTA/Friends of the Earth El Salvador expresses concern about the disappearance of Gustavo Marcelo Rivera Moreno, leader of the social movement against mining in San Isidro Cabañas. His has not been seen since June 18.
Rivera Moreno, has been one of the main activists and opponents against the presence of mining companies in Cabañas. He campaigned against the harmful effect the mining operations were having on the environment and human health.
In recent years church groups, environmentalists and civil society leaders in the region have maintained strong opposition to the operations of the companies involved urging the government to take a similar position.
In El Salvador, 6% of the territory has been acquired by large organizations for the mining of gold, silver and copper. The Canadian company Pacific Rim is one of the largest players in the country.
CESTA are calling on the authorities to launch a thorough investigation into the disappearance of Gustavo Marcelo Rivera Moreno. In addition they express there sympathies with relatives, social organizations and environmentalists that work and fight to prevent the continued destruction of the environment in the area.
take action
There will be a period of mobilization and protest starting today until next Sunday in Central Park, San Isidro, Cabañas, El Salvador.
Jun 04, 2009
Campaigning in South East Europe summer training and skillshare
Friends of the Earth International and Friends of the Earth Croatia invite you to the seminar 'Campaigning in South East Europe' to be held on the island of Sholta, Croatia from July 20-26, 2009.
The Seminar is a part of the Friends of the Earth International project: Capacity building and networking among environmental NGOs and youth in South Eastern Europe with FOEI experience.
The project will last for three years and is supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If you are based in the region or this is simply something you're interested then please go to the Friends of the Earth Croatia website to find out more.
Nnimmo bassey interviewed by Dutch magazine
Nnimmo Bassey, Friends of the Earth International chair and co-founder of Environmental Rights Action (ERA) in Nigeria was recently interviewed by Ex Ponto Magazine in the Netherlands.
In the article he talks about his introduction to human and environmental rights in the 1980's and how his goal since then has been to help strengthen and mobilize local communities to fight for their own interests.
Nnimmo also mentions the dangers he's encountered as an activist and how he has used music and poetry to cope with his own struggles and to empower others.
Read the full interview here
Find out more about Environmental Rights Action
Jun 03, 2009
Young FoEE, split three ways
Delegates from 182 countries are in Bonn discussing key negotiating texts which can serve as the basis for critical climate talks in Copenhagen this December. Sam fleet from Friends of the Earth Europe and also a member of the Young Friends of the Earth Europe movement (Young FoEE) is there.
As the discussions continued in the Maritim hotel, Young foe-ers prepared for the following four days, with morning briefings going deeper into the FoEI position and the background and history of the UNFCCC.
Using "action preparation" as a very poor excuse to get out of these discussions my colleague and I jumped on a bus into central Bonn in search of chalk, paint, paper, fabric and general school materials. You ask why? All will become clear on Friday.
The afternoon saw the Young FoEE group split into three working groups: Action, Media and Policy, followed by three hours of discussion and training.
By the end, in short, the Action group came up with some wonderful ideas and concepts for actions throughout the week, with a teaser for the Flood in Copenhagen (FoEI's large mobilisation at the UN climate talks this December) on Thursday, the main action on Friday (more to be revealed), and further 'fairytale' actions/interventions on Saturday.
The Media group tried to define their role so as to best assist both the Action and Policy groups, to get the Young FoEE and FoEI positions across, and to get the most amount of media-coverage possible, while discussing the possibilities and potential for new-media.
And finally, from what I could observe, the Policy group got incredibly frustrated, and stuck in a quagmire of acronyms and detailed technical discussion.
Back in central Bonn, the REDD side event: "REDD traps: can we avoid them?" with the Global Forest Coalition, asked if it is possible to develop REDD policies that respect indigenous peoples' rights, conserve and restore biodiversity, and do not undermine the climate regime.
- Find out more about Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD)
Tomorrow brings the Young FoEE-ers first trip to the conference centre, accreditation, the small task of preparing and implementing the Flood teaser action, a small amount of press work, and an introduction to Climate Justice from the Climate Justice Now!
Lots to do.
Jun 02, 2009
Plans are a foot
Delegates from 182 countries are in Bonn discussing key negotiating texts which can serve as the basis for critical climate talks in Copenhagen this December. Sam fleet from Friends of the Earth Europe and also a member of the Young Friends of the Earth Europe movement (Young FoEE) is there.
Arriving Tuesday afternoon in glorious weather, weighed down by sacks of wellington boots, flyers and other materials, not to mention our tents, we were greeted by fellow Young FoEE-ers in the garden outside our hostel.
We would not be entering the Maritim Hotel, the centre of the talks, until Thursday, and looked forward to two full days of training and action preparation.
We had no first-hand idea of how the talks were going yet, but the general feeling was one of optimism, although, this would soon be challenged.
The Young FoEE activities got off to a great start. The first afternoon was spent with introductions and to each other and the whole UN climate talks process known as UNFCCC.
After a brief overview of the week's activities, the evening brought an unexpected surprise when members of the Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) delegation arrived for an evening workshop. What was meant to be an informal chat about the FoEI stance on the talks turned into very intense and motivating discussions.
Initially the FoEI delegation looked incredibly exhausted and frustrated by the UNFCCC processes, and said as much, giving all the Young foe-ers a bit of a reality check . But, the pessimism was soon swept aside by a motivating and passionate talk from Asad Rehman, Senior Campaigner for Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The core message of the talk was that the frustrating UNFCCC process should not be demotivating, but in fact the complete opposite: it should be motivation for action action action. This got us all very excited. Talks continued until around midnight, and it became clear that there was a huge gap waiting to be filled by the Young FoEE activists in Bonn: an action-sized gap right outside the Maritim hotel. Plans are indeed afoot...
- More pictures of Young Friends of the Earth Europe in Bonn can be viewed here
- Follow their Twitter updates and more here


text:
East Coast - north of Cape St. Francis: Synopsis
Technical Marine SynopsisIssued 3:00 AM NDT 21 April 2014 Today Tonight and Tuesday At 3:00 a.m. NDT today departing low 972 mb located east of the
Marine District.
At 3:00 a.m. NDT today high located over the Maritimes.
By 3:00 a.m. NDT Tuesday high located southeast of Newfoundland.
Marine Weather StatementIssued 2:59 AM NDT 21 April 2014 A low pressure system east of the marine district will slowly move
away to the northeast today. Strong to gale force northwesterlies
will diminish later today.
Marine interests are advised that gale warnings are in effect for
Belle Isle Bank - northeastern half, Funk Island Bank - northeastern
half, and Northern Grand Banks - northeastern half.
Marine interests are also advised that freezing spray warnings are in
effects for Belle Isle Bank, and Funk Island Bank.
- Date modified:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Whitney Houston & Cece Winans Perform Bridge Over Troubled Water
hey how are u have a goodnight ?
You are my Bridge Lord!
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- Surprise someone special this year when you break out of your sock gifting rut.
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Dodge the beagle, Sheeba the tabby cat and Bingo the guinea pig are three pets who lead a thrilling double life as superheroes keeping the world safe from the crazy old Mother Goose.
Starring: Ronni Ancona, Adam Longworth, Rob Rackstraw, Ben Small
Classified: G
Genre: Kids
Game Day host Hamish McLachlan is joined by Leigh Matthews, Leigh Montagna, Brent Harvey, Mark Stevens and special guests Alan Richardson and Daniel Wells
Baby Carlos needs a paediatrician, who turns out to be Harper Cummings, the woman Hank cancelled a date with.
When Hank gets a call from Shadow Pond, he's surprised to find Marisa on the phone.
While most residents of the San Francisco Bay Area head out of town for a holiday weekend, an army of workers is attempting to pull off an engineering miracle. They're cutting out a road section about the size of a football field and sliding in a new interchange with only 72 hours to pull it all off before Monday's rush.
Rosamund hatches a plan to help Edith out of her predicament, but will Violet see straight through it?
With tension between Emily and Daniel at an all time high, Emily makes it clear she is not giving up. However, her own instability could put everything she has worked for at risk.
8-year-old Jacob wakes up alone in a rice paddy in a rural Chinese province with no idea how he got there. What is the mystery behind Jacob's return?
Kyle struggles after he hires the waitress from hell - his girlfriend. Andy is back with information on the Barrett/Braxton family tree.
Bringing you the best moments of your mornings with the team.Expires today 12:00pm
It's a gruelling, round-the-clock, real-world mission as the C-17 lives up to its name of 'Globemaster', delivering personnel, supplies, and equipment literally anywhere in the world.Expires today 9:00pm
A woman is in tears when her Husky, which has been trained to warn her when she is about to have an epileptic seizure, is taken in to quarantine. A tortoise makes it's fastest journey of its life when its owners move from Britain to the US.Expires today 11:00pm
Zac and Hannah's relationship continues to crumble following their breakup. Meanwhile, Bianca learns of Jess' illness and Chris struggles to make time with Denny.Expires today 11:00pm
Uncle Brax meets Harley and Heath explodes over Bianca's revelation of an affair.
When these kids disappear, a father's worst nightmare begins. This search is the start of something big.
Catch-up on your favourite TV shows on PLUS7 over Easter, find the codeword and you could...


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The RTC will be handing out candy to trick-or-treaters downtown Seymour on October 27, 2012 from 1pm to 3pm. Enjoy meeting neighbors and watching the area's children show off their costumes to obtain crazy amounts of treats in the saftey of daylight.
Candy donations are welcome, please bring them to the September RTC meeting.
Try to pencil in on your calendar a Flag Day Celebration Pig Roast for June 14th.
As always we welcome donations to help make these events successful. Please send checks to The Seymour Republican Town Committee, 126 Pearl Street, Seymour, CT 06483. Each donation is required to accompany a donation form. Please click on the icon for a printable the form.
The SRTC generally meets on the fourth Thursday of every month at the Seymour Community Center. located at 20 Pine Street; starting at 7:30pm. All registered Republicans who reside in Seymour are welcome to attend.
Click on the links below to find local news.
The Valley Independent Sentinel
Always on Facebook? We are there too! Keep track of RTC happenings and voice your comments.
Get short, timely messages from Seymour Republicans. Twitter is a rich source of instantly updated information. It's easy to stay updated on an incredibly wide variety of topics.
View videos posted by the SRTC on the world's most popular online video community.
View pictures posted by the SRTC in this photo sharing community.
Learn about local Republican State Representatives on the State Delegation page.
Read a letter from Mr. Paecht. Learn Republican Values and the SRTC Purpose on the Purpose page.
In the About Us page find RTC Members, Committees, and Bylaws.
Find Voter Registration Information and Polling Locations on the Resources page.
Donations are welcome, to learn how please visit the Contact Us page.
The Seymour Republican Town Committee's mission is to maintain and promote Republican values through a government that is close to the People, for the People. We advocate individual responsibility, responsiveness, and volunteerism to minimize government imposition. We do this by recruiting dedicated, community minded citizens to serve as elected or appointed officials on Seymour's Boards and Commissions. It is understood that these citizens will subscribe to and uphold Republican values. We seek the greatest possible return of tax dollars to benefit the Town of Seymour with fairness to all taxpayers in mind. We actively encourage all Seymour residents to learn about and get involved with the Seymour GOP.
Copyright 2010 Seymour Republican Town Committee
Paid for by the Seymour Republican Town Committee
Michelle Walsh, Treasurer. All rights reserved.


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Spyware are dangerous programs that attack your computer and gather personal information without your knowledge. Viruses may alter or destroy important information on your computer.
How Spyware And Viruses Work
Spyware monitors when and how you use your computer, as well as the information you enter into it. Spyware can also track your e-mails and visits to websites. Spyware programs are installed on computers without the users ever knowing. Sources of spyware most often include e-mails, e-mail links and websites.
Viruses are most often planted on computers by e-mails, through visits to websites or by clicking on links in pop-ups or e-mail messages.
What Spyware And Viruses Do
Spyware is used to steal important personal information that can be useful in identity theft. Viruses can corrupt files or even permanently disable your computer's hard drive.
How To Know If Your Computer Has Spyware And Viruses
You may have spyware on your computer if you:
A virus may be present on your computer if:
How To Avoid Spyware And Viruses
The following tips can help you protect yourself from spyware and viruses:


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May 14, 2010
First of all, I'm sorry I'm late announcing this. I have been so insanely busy today…. *deep breath* AND THE WINNERS ARE:
1. Freya who made the lovely Bella's Diary trailer below! She also sent in this adorable joke:
Jane (to edward)- "pain"
Edward- "arrrgghhhheeeoooooooargh"
Jane (to alice)- "pain"
Alice- "arrrgghhhheeeoooooooargh"
Jane (to bella)- "pain"
Bella- *bitch face*
2. Kiley Long who submitted a bunch of her diary entries from Alice Cullens POV! She covered everything from New Moon to Breaking Dawn! If you would like yo read the entries she submitted CLICK HERE!
I'm putting them under a cut because there's a lot and it might slow down the front page if I paste it right here. I loved reading her entries though and think you will too!
Winners, please send your complete shipping addresses to firstname.lastname@example.com
I will be sending you both confirmation emails shortly after posting this to make sure you know you've won!
Winners have Five (5) days to get back with their mailing addresses before a new winner will be chosen.
Will be announcing the LAST weeks Vampireology giveaway details shortly! Stay Tuned…


text:
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The Edgar Allan Poe Awards (the "Edgars") are named after MWA's patron saint, Edgar Allan Poe, and are awarded to authors of distinguished work in various categories of the...
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Every year the NBCC presents awards for the finest books and reviews published in English.
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The Nebula Awards are administered, voted and presented by the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) to acknowledge excellence in science fiction writing.
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Oprah's Book Club highlights books chosen by Oprah Winfrey.
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The New York Times Best Seller List is a weekly chart that tracks the week's best-selling books in the United States. Unlike some subsequent lists of best sellers, The New York...
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Bearskin Lodge
Pasta Night at Bearskin Lodge
Pasta night at Bearskin Lodge returns for winter season 2014, every Wednesday night beginning January 8 through mid-March. Your dinner includes fresh, warm bread with dipping sauce, artisan mix salad with feta cheese and balsamic dressing, and pasta dinner. Add a glass of wine for $5-$7. Reservations needed before 3 PM on Wednesday.
Call 388-2292 for reservations


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Spice of Life
Alamelu Vairavan, a Whitefish Bay resident, is an author and culinary instructor. Alamelu has a passion for educating the public about the use of spices and legumes in preparing healthy and tasty foods. She is also interested in educating the public about the growing research that points to the enormous health benefits of spices in preventing many diseases. Her mission is to enrich people's culinary experience and to inspire them to discover that cooking and sharing healthful foods can be an especially joyful experience.
Visit Alamelu's web site, CurryOnWheels.com.
Magical Experience In A Farmer's Market
Farmer's Market is my playground during summer and fall weekends. I love the vibrant fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers that farmers so enthusiastically bring to us in their trucks for bargain prices. I feel so happy to talk to the farmers and enjoy buying farm fresh vegetables, herbs, and flowers. To me, farmers look like so divine when they bring the nutrient-rich, fresh produce harvested from their farms.
I was invited to do cooking presentations in two open air farmer's markets in Milwaukee this summer and fall. In both places, it was a beautiful sight to see people so relaxed, talking to each other and asking farmers, what is this, what is that, and how do you cook this vegetable and so on.


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read reviews [19]
Serves 8 to 10
Inspired by fregolatas (large, crisp Italian cookies flavored with almonds and cornmeal), this sturdy bar-cookie-disguised-as-a-tart features a tangy cranberry filling between two tender layers of almond-cornmeal shortbread.
Combine the sugar, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup water in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar, about 2 minutes. Add the cranberries and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the cranberries have popped and the liquid is syrupy, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the apricot jam and simmer until the jam melts, about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F. Spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until warm and fragrant but not yet brown, about 5 minutes; let cool completely.
In a food processor (with at least a 10-cup capacity), combine the nuts with 2 Tbs. of the flour. Pulse until very fine but not powdery, 20 to 25 short pulses. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the remaining flour, the cornmeal, and salt.
In the food processor, combine the butter, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and almond extract.
Pulse until creamy, 10 to 20 short pulses. Add the egg yolk and pulse a few times to combine. Add the dry ingredients and pulse, scraping down the sides as necessary, just until a soft dough forms, 30 to 40 short pulses. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic and divide.
Lightly coat a round 91/2 x1-inch fluted metal tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Press half of the dough evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap. Form the remaining dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate the dough and the tart shell until very firm, at least 30 minutes.
Prick the bottom of the tart shell all over with a fork and bake on a heavy-duty baking sheet until firm, dry, and just starting to turn golden brown around the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. The shortbread will have puffed up during baking, so use the back of a spoon to gently press down the bottom of the crust to create enough space for the cranberry filling. Spoon the filling into the tart and spread evenly.
Crumble the remaining shortbread dough over the cranberries in pebble-like pieces, covering the filling. Bake until the topping is firm and golden-brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Carefully remove the tart rim. Slide a long, flat spatula between the pastry and the pan bottom and transfer the tart to a serving platter. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if using, just before serving.
The dough disks can be refrigerated up to 2 days, wrapped tightly in 2 layers of plastic wrap.
The dough can be frozen for up to 2 weeks: Put the plastic-wrapped dough in a zip-top bag, seal, and freeze. Thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator before proceeding with the recipe.
The finished tart can be wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and stored for up to 2 days at room temperature.
The finished tart can be frozen for up to 2 weeks: Transfer it to a 10-inch cardboard cake round, wrap tightly in 2 layers of plastic wrap and then in foil, and freeze. Up to 10 hours before serving, remove the foil but not the plastic wrap from the tart and thaw at room temperature. When completely thawed, remove the plastic wrap. For freshly baked flavor, warm the tart in a 300°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
nutrition information (per serving):
Fat Calories
Saturated Fat
Monounsaturated Fat
Polyunsaturated Fat
Photo: Scott Phillips
by Goodell_Claire,
11/30/2013This was FABULOUS and mine looked just like the picture! The crust was so delicious and a compliment to the filling.
by rsoffa,
2/19/2013A big hit at T-day with my family - it's a great combo of sweet and tart. I used almond meal and forgot to toast it separately and it still turned out great.
by Floridafoodie,
12/27/2012Made this for Christmas. Watched a video from Joy of Baking which showed how to put the tart dough into the pan- very helpful. Unsure what temperature to bake it at. The recipe has 325 to cook the almonds and does not mention increasing it to cook the tart. Joy of Baking had 425 for tart shell, 13-15 minutes and down to 350 once the filling is in. I think that is what I did. Next time will not put so much dough on the top. Loved that it was not too sweet. Perfect!
by CathyZ,
11/26/2012Made this for T-Day and it was a hit. I liked it because it was not to sweet. I also really liked the toasted almond flavor. I had no problems getting mine to work in the 9 1/2 inch tart pan. I will make this again. For those who like things sweeter maybe they should look at the recipe for "Cranberry Streusel Shortbread Bars" by fine cooking.
by Cutebunny,
11/25/2012I thought this was excellent! Easy to make ahead, transports easily, keeps well, not too sweet, pairs wonderfully with apple pie.
by CathEL,
11/24/2012This was a big Thanksgiving hit! I made a few small modifications: 1) prepped the pan with butter, not cooking spray (yech); 2) no apricot jam in the house, so I flavored the cranberries with an orange's worth of segments, zest and juice; 3) instead of crumbling on the top crust, I grated it.
by sookee0310,
11/24/2012I made this for T-day; I followed the recipe exactly. I agree that the cranberry filling would have been too tart, so I did adjust it by adding some brown sugar. I agree the amount of crust seems excessive for the size tart pan, but that is all I have. There was extra crust/crumbles left over in the end. The finished tart gets 5 stars for presentation; it looked so pretty, sliced into near perfect wedges, and tasted very very good. I only give four stars as it was still tart and did seem to polarize the group gathered for our annual turkey fest. I am keeping this recipe, quite selfishly, for Xmas and will adjust the filling some more to see if I can get it to be a complete crowd pleaser.
by ellen_in_charlotte,
11/23/2012Agree completely with doggerham's review. Too tart, too dry, too mealy. I also used an 11.5" pan (I don't think a 9.5 exists) and upped all ingredients by about 15% to make up the difference.
Aside from the results being disappointing, the length of time to make this is absurd. I'd invested aout an hour in prep work when I realized I still had 1.5 hours to go with the chill time and 2 baking periods. For that much time and effort the result should be one of the best things you've ever eaten. This was far from that. Won't make it again.
by Chefpaulo,
11/15/2012I love cranberries, almonds and cornmeal, so this was a winner for me, especially accompanied by some homemade French vanilla ice cream. However, are you SURE about the 9.5-inch tart pan? I looked at the volume of ingredients I had created and couldn't believe they'd all fit. Like another reviewer, I used an 11.5-inch pan with excellent results.
by doggerham,
11/13/2012I was disappointed with this recipe. As others said, the filling was very, very tart -- but that is easy enough to fix. Maybe I just don't care for cornmeal in desserts, but I found it too...crunchy or mealy. Maybe if I had pulverized the cornmeal with the nuts, I would have liked the results better. Also, the crust wasn't tender enough for my taste -- a little too sturdy. Most of these things can be tweaked, but it might just be easier to move on to a different recipe.
by buen_provecho,
11/5/2012This is quite tart, so it was a bit polarizing. It was received better by my co-workers who ate the leftovers in the morning with coffee than the previous day's lunch guests that had it for dessert. I personally prefer something sweeter. Made in 11" tart pan since that's all I have and used scant 2/3 of dough for crust and 1/3 for topping based on other reviews. Looked just like the picture, though I had to cook a little longer to get the golden brown top.
by Shoechick,
11/4/2012Loved everything about it except the cornmeal. I would either cut it out next time or at least half it. Not a fan of cornmeal in my desserts. Other than that, it was excellent.
by sunflowershine,
10/28/2012Tart - 5 stars, Recipe (as far as clarity is concerned) 4.8 - there were just a few vague moments in the recipe, but it was also the first time I'd ever made anything with shortbread. I was really happy with how it turned out, though mine was thicker because I put in all my filling. I cooked the bottom layer a bit too long, but I'll adjust that next time I make one - and there will be a next time, because this turned out so tasty in spite of my flubs. :) I will definitely be revisiting this recipe.
by bellaginger,
10/21/2012YUM!! Just made this as a test for Thanksgiving and it passed! Presentation is beautiful, it cut perfectly and was delicious. I added a cinnamon stick to the cranberry mixture while it was cooking otherwise I followed exactly. I thought it was an easy recipe to follow. It will be added to my Thanksgiving menu!
by Birmingham_MI_Cook,
10/9/2012Made this for a picnic and everyone raved. Recipe was a little hard to follow, but results were outstanding.
by function56,
10/9/2012found the recipe easy to follow. was concerned initally as the dough didn't hold together, but refrigerating for one hour did help with roll out process. Only used 1/2 the topping. Would have liked more filling! that being said, taste was excellent!
by leruth,
10/7/2012Great sounding receipe, however, it said what temperature to toast the almonds at but didn't say what temp to cook the crust or the rest of the tart....I guess I'll wing it...
by kendoty,
9/11/2012Spectacular flavor and presentation. Recipe was a little hard to follow as presented in Magazine in addition to small white print on black background. Try printing from computer.
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Series 1 Episode 1
Emily returns to Southampton and rents the home she shared with her father.
When Emily Thorne she was nine her father was framed for a horrific crime and was sentenced to life in prison. Emily never saw her father again and 17 years later, she has returned to the Hamptons under an assumed identity with one endgame: REVENGE.
Emily VanCamp Gabriel Mann Henry Czerny Josh Bowman Madeleine Stowe
Drama, Thriller
Suitable for 12 years and over
Emily returns to Southampton and rents the home she shared with her father.
Emily forms an alliance with Nolan and goes on her first date with Daniel.
Emily targets the political and professional life of an incumbent US Senator.
Emily trains her sights on taking down renowned therapist Dr. Michelle Banks.
Lydia returns to the Hamptons with a vendetta against both Emily and Victoria.
Emily plans to break the bond of trust between Conrad and Frank.
Conrad and Victoria plan to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
Emily's master plan begins to unravel when the real Emily Thorne arrives.
A desperate Emily turns to her mentor Satoshi Takeda for advice.
Emily discovers Nolan's sexual liaisons with Tyler.
Emily plans to eliminate Tyler from interfering with her master plan.
When author Mason Treadwell comes to town Emily sets her sights on a new target.
Daniel plans on proposing to Emily and gaining access to his trust fund.
Victoria decides to regain the upper hand in her divorce from Conrad.
Back to where the pilot began, it is Labor Day weekend in the Hamptons.
The Hamptons Police Department investigates the murder of Tyler Barrol.
Victoria's surprise reunion with her ex-lover poses a threat to her family.
The Graysons become embroiled in an insidious cover-up.
Because of Conrad's framing of Lee Moran, Daniel is released from Riker's Island
Emily goes undercover as a server at the Grayson's New Year's Eve party.
Emily searches for the white-haired man that killed her father in prison.
Emily moves forward with the final phases of her master plan of revenge.


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Demarcating the Boundaries: Geopolitical Dimensions of the Israel-Palestine Peace Process
A public lecture by David Newman, Ben Gurion University, part of the series on Israel Studies.
Published: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
David Newman is Professor of Political Geography at Ben Gurion University, where he founded and was the first chairperson of the Department of Politics and Government. Newman is co-editor (along with Professor John Agnew from UCLA) of the international journal, Geopolitics, and is currently the Visiting Leverhulme Professor of Geopolitics at the University of Bristol in the UK. Newman has published widely on issues relating to territorial conflict and borders in general, and the territorial dimensions of the Israel-Arab conflict in particular.
More information about the lecture and related events


text:
Narrow your search
With solid photo-editing tools, cool-looking filters, a ton of other useful perks, and continued support from the developers, people who take pictures on their iPhone should not hesitate to download this app.
Pricing not available
Road Trip 2010: CNET reporter Daniel Terdiman visited the famed research and development lab and got a first-hand look at some technologies that could reshape our world.
Human volunteers in the near future will test out blood created from engineered stem cells. Someday facilities could make type O on demand, like real-life Tru Blood factories.
CNET takes a trip to AT&T Mobility's headquarters in Atlanta to check out the carrier's vision for the future of phone shopping.
Check out how AT&T tinkers with the look and feel of its retail stores. It isn't just about selling phones anymore.
Researchers at UCLA are using a 3D printer to produce an inexpensive, lightweight smartphone attachment that could ultimately take the place of large, expensive lab equipment.
Duke University researchers create living skeletal muscle that looks and acts very much like the real thing -- even down to repairing itself. Then they attack it.
The social network is inventing new technologies in house to deliver affordable Internet access to all.
Work begins on Athena, a $19 million project that seeks to create artificial organs that work in concert inside a human-like test dummy that could reduce reliance on animal testing.


text:
This is lovely and has so very many applications--cutting-painting-spritzing-embossing paste-glitter-cutting--paper piecing-on and on and ...well...you get my drift...I have lots of plans for scrapping with my lovely new template! Oh and I got a new swivel-headed craft knife to try out on it as well. Hmmm...anyone else have some ideas? I'd love to hear them.
Realy love the Fiskars shape templates. They are quick and easy to use.


text:
Sewage Pumps
Westside Wholesale online store offers a line of high-rated sewage pumps. These units are cost-effective and durable, providing customers with quiet operation. Favorable prices as well as free shipping to 48 American states are sure to please the customers. Westside Wholesale introduces sewage pumps for every budget and opportunity.
Choose an appropriate model from the output presented. Sewage pumps by Flotec and Barnes are available. The Horse Power level varies from 4/10 to 1. The possible voltage is 120V and 240V. The devices perfectly suit numerous wastewater applications. All the items are simple to install, including a rather long power cord.
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The wide range of sewage pumps offered at Westside Wholesale is likely to present a number of options to meet your needs and requirements.


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Media Contact
Viveca Novak
(202) 354-0111
Solar, Wind Power Groups Becoming Prominent Washington Lobbying Forces After Years of Relative Obscurity
In 1998, the entire alternative energy industry barely even registered as a political player in Washington, spending a mere $2.4 million on lobbying the federal government. Meanwhile, in the same year, the oil and gas, electric utilities and mining industries spent a combined $142 million advancing their own legislative interests.
That landscape, however, has changed considerably.
By 2007, the alternative energy industry had begun to drastically increase its lobbying spending, almost doubling its expenditures from the previous year. In 2009, alternative energy organizations shelled out an unprecedented $30 million to protect and promote their interests on Capitol Hill.
The alternative energy industry's lobbying expenditures have grown to 12 times from its 1998 level. In comparison, oil and gas spending and mining spending have grown less than three times their 1998 amount, and electric utility spending has grown to just twice its 1998 amount.
The growing involvement of the alternative energy industry in legislative affairs is reflected not just in increased spending, but also in the number of companies and organizations that employ federally registered lobbyists.
In the late 1990s, only about 20 alternative energy industry organizations used federal lobbyists.
By 2009, there were about 200 alternative energy companies and organizations employing lobbyists to help advance the industry's interests.
The American Wind Energy Association is one of those organizations that recently and significantly increased lobbying efforts.
Until 2008, AWEA failed to crack the $1 million mark in annual lobbying expenditures -- and most years, it spent less than $500,000. In 2009, its expenditures experienced a drastic increase, and the group spent almost $5 million on lobbying for issues related to the wind power industry.
But why did AWEA, and scores of other alternative energy corporations, trade organizations and non-profits, get involved in legislative affairs so suddenly and with such gusto?
The involvement stems from the growth in number of alternative energy companies, which was made possible by the growth in popularity of wind power in the national consciousness, said Christine Real de Azua, an AWEA spokeswoman.
Real de Azua states that this, in turn, increased AWEA's ranks by more than 1,000 new business members in 2009 alone, many of them "companies entering or seeking to enter the wind turbine supply chain."
Last year "was a record year for wind power in the U.S.," Real de Azua said. "The industry installed 10,000 megawatts last year, enough to generate as much new electricity as three new nuclear plants."
The recent involvement of AWEA in federal affairs, she said, "reflects the urgency of the industry's number one priority -- passing a national renewable electricity standard with aggressive, binding near- and long-term targets, as part of comprehensive energy and climate legislation."
Azua de Real cites "market certainty" as a concern of AWEA's members, who need legislative support of their industry "in order to expand their operations and invest in new manufacturing as well as new wind farm facilities." She added that it is imperative to the members of AWEA that the U.S. government "steps up and clearly commits to developing renewable energy."
AWEA cites the sheer potential of wind energy and the opportunity for job creation as two key points that their lobbyists emphasize in the fight for favorable legislation.
Not as drastic but certainly notable is the increased lobbying by the Solar Energy Industries Association. Until 2007, the organization had never spent more than half a million dollars on federal lobbying efforts. In 2009, it spent more than $1.6 million.
Monique Hanis, an SEIA spokeswoman, attributes the increase in lobbying presence to a growth in membership that enabled the organization to expand legislative activities.
She explains how in late 2008, SEIA's increased lobbying pressure paid off when Congress "passed the eight-year extension of the solar investment tax credit," which allowed the organization to move on to lobbying regarding climate, renewable energy standards, green jobs and appropriations.
The goal of spending more money than ever before on federal legislation, Hanis says, is "to remove market barriers so that solar can compete fairly with other energy sources and we can expand the amount of solar used in this country."
SEIA has already seen positive gains from their increased expenditures, Hanis said.
The group's lobbyists were successful in promoting several provisions of the stimulus bill, such as the "lifted cap on solar investment tax credit for residential solar water heating systems." In addition, the industry's increased presence on Capitol Hill has "built bipartisan support of and knowledge about solar."
But while alternative energy interests are just getting acquainted with K Street, the oil and gas industry has been a permanent resident for years.
Since 1998, the oil and gas industry has never spent less than $50 million on lobbying in any given year, and in 2009, it reported $168 million in lobbying expenditures.
Does a rise in alternative energy lobbying threaten to erode the oil and gas industry's political power?
Probably not, said American Petroleum Institute spokesman Bill Bush, adding that he is "not concerned" about the alternative energy industry's efforts and "not aware of any impact" they're having on the petroleum industry's fortunes.
Bush also emphasized that the oil and gas industry "understands that there is a role for alternative energy" and has "invested billions in it."
He added, however, that "on various issues, we may be on different sides."
In 2009, API focused on energy legislation and "issues related to access to oil and natural gas development," Bush said. The institute spent more than $7.3 million in 2009 on federal lobbying efforts after spending between $2.8 million and $4.8 million each year on lobbying between 2002 and 2008.
As this decade moves forward, climate and energy policy remains a key issue in Congress.
Barack Obama labeled such legislation a high priority long before he became president, and people and political action committees associated with the alternative energy industry responded with campaign contributions of $173,500. The oil and gas industry poured more than five times that amount into Obama's campaign coffer, but gave most of its presidential campaign contributions to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are currently drafting a bill to address the nation's energy needs. The bill, if passed, could certainly become a major political victory for Obama.
Although most of the conversation regarding the drafting of legislation has revolved around the question of greenhouse gases and the proposed "cap-and-trade" policy, the bipartisan bill also makes a point of emphasizing job creation and the use of renewable energy.
In a statement in February, Kerry promoted his energy bill by stating, "Americans want us to be energy independent. Moreover, every job created in the course of energy independence is a job that stays here at home."
And with political focus on alternative energy constantly expanding, the lobbying power of the alternative energy industry may soon become as plentiful as Great Plains breezes and desert sunshine.


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Venice is a city filled with traditions, art and culture, but at the same time like the rest of Northern Italy, fashion is part of its culture. For this reason Venice is a paradise for shopping lovers! If you go hanging around the labyrinth of calli, bridges and campielli you will discover special shops and workshops: jewels and old prints, silverware and old crystals, unique and unforgettable accessories. Masks, needle–laces from Burano, carnival gadgets, glass products, are the best souvenirs you can buy in Venice, choosing from the several opportunities offered by the city. If you prefer go shopping around the fashionable Venetian ateliers, you will surely have an overwhelming amount of options walking around the streets of Mercerie or along "Calle Larga XXII Marzo".
Venetian cuisine has a centuries-long history, and it is significantly different from the other cuisines of North Italy as well as the neighbouring Austria and Slavic countries, despite having something in common with all these. A city like Venice, which has always maintained contacts both with the inland and with diverse and faraway countries, presents in its culinary tradition a variety of dishes linked to the different origins of ingredients. A trip to Venice can be quite a 'palatable' experience as well as a visual treat. History, art and culture should always inspire visitor's steps, so here is our tip to avoid tourist traps: You just have to eat as Venetians do!
I Bacari -
The Bacaro is a picturesque typical Venetian, with local offers delicious snacks and a multitude of local wines at very reasonable prices. A good solution, and certainly convenient, is the "bacaro", a picturesque typical Venetian tavern, where you can eat tasty appetizers (cicheti) usually taken before dinner with a glass of wine at a reasonable price, or with the typical Venetian aperitif , "Spritz". They are scattered all over the city and you can have an authentic and delicious meal or an evening aperitif, being immersed in the local culture. (Venice Spritz is certainly the aperitif par excellence. It consists of 1/3 white wine, 1/3 sparkling mineral water – or soda – and 1/3 moderately alcoholic liqueur, sweet or bitter. Then it is decorated with a lemon skin or a green olive. The word Spritz dates back to the Austrian domination of Venice).
Le Osterie -
The osterias in Venice are a great choice for the wide range of traditional dishes at good price. The atmosphere is always friendly.
Restaurants -
In Venice restaurants could be a little expensive but you can have excellent food if you try to escape from tourist traps.
Opening Hours:Monday to Saturday 9am to 8pmSunday 9am to 5pm
We speakSpanish, English, French, Italian, German, Portuguese and Dutch


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Canonical Updates Landscape's Look
To celebrate the new look of and solicit user feedback on their commercially offered Ubuntu Advantage Program, Canonical is offering a free 30-day trial version of Landscape.
Landscape, available as a Canonical support service since 2007, now plays a central role in the Ubuntu Advantage Program. Landscape has been given a new lighter interface look and feel, and to highlight the changes to the program, Canonical is making a trial version of their enterprise systems management tool available free for 30 days.
More information on the Ubuntu Advantage Program, Landscape, and the trial offer can be found on the Canonical website.
Issue 163/2014
Buy this issue as a PDF
Digital Issue: Price $9.99
(incl. VAT)
Tag Cloud
KDE Announces Software Compilation 4.13
New release comes with better semantic search and improvements to Kontact.
Coverity: Open Source Code has Fewer Defects
Annual code quality report shows FOSS is more secure at all project size levels.
An Even Smaller Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has announced an even smaller version of the tiny computer that will fit into a DIMM slot.
Freaky Privilege Escalation Attack
A new class of problems lets a malicious app pre-configure an invisible privilege update.
Facebook Rolls Out New PHP-like Programming Language
New Hack language adds static typing and other conveniences.
Fedora Announces Innovative Crytography Policy System
New crypto policy system will offer easier configuration and more uniform security.
Shuttleworth Calls for Declarative Firmware
Ubuntu founder denounces insecurity in proprietary, close-source software blobs.
New TLS Attack Takes the S out of HTTPS
Vulnerability affects many Linux web servers
Munich Adopts Kolab
The Bavarian capital shuns Microsoft, Google, and other alternatives to implement an open source groupware solution.
Canonical Announces Ubuntu Smartphones
Phone vendor partnerships bring Mark Shuttleworth's dream of Ubuntu on a phone a step closer to reality.


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We are proud to offer new homes that have earned the ENERGY STAR® label. ENERGY STAR qualified new homes are substantially more energy efficient than homes built to the minimum code requirements. Our ENERGY STAR qualified new homes are independently verified by a third-party Home Energy Rater to ensure they meet ENERGY STAR energy efficiency guidelines. These homes are better for the environment and better for you. Learn more about ENERGY STAR qualified new homes at ENERGYSTAR.gov.
Custom Homes
Homebuyers are often reluctant to take on the process of constructing a custom home. The task can seem daunting and complex and the home is typically the largest investment many of us will encounter in our lifetimes. It important to select a builder that is sensitive to these issues—an experienced builder that will help to simplify the process and guide the client through important decisions.


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My Settings
posted 11/21/2012 by
Cyril Lachel
other articles
by Cyril Lachel
A few years ago, Michael Thomsen
published an article
wondering if Metroid Prime was video gaming's Citizen Kane. It's a baffling notion that was, understandably, mocked by gamers around the world. Honestly, I don't know if Metroid Prime is our Citizen Kane. I liked both and wouldn't even know where to begin when it comes to comparing the two. But there's one thing I do know for sure: Retro City Rampage is our industry's Mad Magazine.
Retro City Rampage is a never ending confetti explosion of classic video game references and jokes. Within seconds of starting the game you'll be bombarded with references to the Mega Man II intro, the Duck Hunt pooch, Mortal Kombat's "Toasty" guy, the Green Hill Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog, and the underground piping of Mario Bros. And that's just the video game references. The whole stage is couched in what appears to be an 8-bit retelling of the opening minutes of The Dark Knight.
Although it looks like an 8-bit Grand Theft Auto 2, Retro City Rampage has its sights set a little broader. This is a stinging indictment against modern games, the people that make them, and those of us in the press that cover them. By stretching them to their extremes, designer Brian Provinciano has pointed out how ludicrous modern day gaming tropes really are. I'll never look at another pointless tailing mission the same way after playing this game.
There's a story here, though it's little more than an excuse to get us from one parody to another. You play a low-level criminal named Player, who spends much of his time hunting down ridiculous parts so that his mad scientist buddy can rebuild a time machine. Gee, where have we heard that before?
Each stage is an opportunity to skewer a different game or genre. Often you'll have to play a parody of a specific level from an iconic game, all while the game is tossing jokes and references at you. Early on, Player is forced to stealth his way through a Metal Gear-like compound (complete with guards with translation problems). This gives the designer a chance to also make fun of RoboCop and Bionic Commando, a couple of franchises I never thought would be smooshed together.
Later in the game you'll meet up with the Game Genie, who forces you to go through a Legend of Zelda-style dungeon. By itself that isn't a terribly original idea, yet it works here because they take the time to lampoon other overhead games (including Smash TV). The same thing happens late in the game when we're presented with a Rad Racer parody. The fact that this section is compatible with your old school red and blue 3D glasses may have been enough for some people, but Retro City Rampage goes the extra step by tossing in references to Super Mario Kart, OutRun, SpyHunter, and many other classic racers.
Like any comedy, not all of the jokes hit their target. There's a parody of an infamous Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stage that doesn't go far enough. Other times it felt like I was left hanging as I waited for a punchline. Thankfully most of the humor works, and even when it doesn't, the absurdity of the story and situations should be enough to keep you going through all 62 stages.
When you're not tracking down items for a time machine, you can zip around Theftropolis stealing cars, running over pedestrians, and causing the usual open-world chaos. Even with the simplistic 8-bit graphics, Retro City Rampage's world is bursting with familiar cars and locations. Spend a few minutes walking the streets of Theftropolis and you'll have a chance to steal famous rides from the Ghostbusters, A-Team, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more. The stores and billboards are also love letters to 1980s pop culture, including MJ's Face R Us Plastic Surgery, Skate or Buy, Grogbrush's coffee stand, Bugeye Louie's Bike shop, and many more.
There are also 37 different arcade challenges, which are separated into slaughter sprees and second-rate sprees. Here you'll have a minute to complete an objective, usually involving killing Theftropolis civilians as quickly as possible. Although simple, these quick missions are a great way to waste some time. Best of all, each of these missions is archived in the main menu for easy access. You can even compare your scores to friends'.
Even though the scope and ambition is far beyond your typical 8-bit title, Retro City Rampage does still suffer from many of the problems that plagued classic Nintendo Entertainment System games. For starters, many of the late-game missions are needlessly difficult. A particular fight with the Dr. Robotnik-inspired villain left me cursing Brian Provinciano's name. I also ran into some control problems that stemmed from the limited gameplay mechanics.
And yet, it's hard for me to criticize some of these problems. Frustrating boss battles are true to the spirit of the 8-bit action games. This game does try to meet the player halfway, offering well-placed checkpoints on the especially difficult missions. But even that may not be enough for a generation of gamers who don't remember a time when games were genuinely hard.
Retro City Rampage is one of the few games where too much happens. The jokes and references come at a rapid fire rate; blink and you'll probably miss two or three. There's barely enough time to digest one thing before the game throws something else at you. Needless to say, the frenetic pace can be exhausting. By the time I finished the story, I had seen so much content that it all started to blur together.
Brian Provinciano is at his best when he's dialed into one specific target. There are bits about modern game journalism and the disposable nature of developers in Retro City Rampage that are truly inspired. If nothing else, this is his critique on gaming culture, both good and bad. It's easy to write this game off as nothing more than an homage to a time many of us have nostalgia for, but that completely misses what makes this game so remarkable.
Retro City Rampage won me over the moment I saw that I could emulate the look of Nintendo's black and red Virtual Boy on my PS Vita. From there I was delighted by the amusing story, challenging missions and non-stop pop culture parodies. Somehow Brian Provinciano has been able to create a product that works as both a deconstruction of Grand Theft Auto and an extended satire of classic games. That's something that not even Rockstar Games was daring enough to attempt.
More On:
Retro City Rampage
VBlank Entertainment, Inc.
* The product in this article was sent to us by the developer/company for review.
Class Leading
Retro City Rampage works as an always funny parody of Grand Theft Auto and classic games. But it's much more than that. There's some devilishly clever content here, including a solid action game with consistently humorous writing. Not every joke lands, but the experience is so dense with ridiculous fun that it's impossible to imagine somebody not having a good time with Retro City Rampage!
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Welcome to hpl.ca!Apr 25, 2014
Hamilton Public Library celebrates National Poetry Month
Established by the League of Canadian Poets in April 1998, National Poetry Month brings together schools, publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries and poets across the country to celebrate poetry and its vital place in Canada's culture
Author Readings for April
From medical mysteries to the new adventures of Lady Neville-Ashford, there is an author reading that would suit your taste.
For April, we have Rick Blechta, Alison Bruce, Steve Burrows, Melodie Campbell, Ross Pennie and Jennifer Robson visiting our branches and reading from their works.
Yoga @ HPL
Namaste. Explore the fitness benefits of yoga at the library for free.
Gardening Programs @ HPL
Starting your own garden? Check out our programs about gardening for tips on how to make your garden the envy of your neighbourhood.
Hamilton Gallery of Distinction
The Hamilton Gallery of Distinction was founded in 1984 for the purpose of permanently recognizing outstanding Hamilton citizens, past and present, who have made significant contributions towards the betterment of our community.
The deadline for nominations has been extended until April 30, 2014.
Log in to My HPL


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5932 Madison Ave, Carmichael
7951 Auburn Blvd., Citrus Heights
This bar really has everything you can possibly think of. I go there often because of the Buzztime Poker, $6 pitchers of Coors and Rolling Rock, and the awesome burgers and tacos.…
7433 Greenback Ln Ste D, Citrus Heights
The bar staff is very friendly and service is quick, unless the bar is busy, but still courteous. Some nights have more dance music than the karaoke.
6901 Greenback Ln, Citrus Heights
WOW! Talk about the worst owner and boss on the face of this planet!! Where do i start??? I have never in my professional career ever seen an owner of a business treat here…
8100 Butternut Dr, Citrus Heights
7811 Lichen Dr, Citrus Heights
3730 Auburn Blvd, Sacramento
7433 Greenback Ln # C, Citrus Heights
6095 San Juan Ave, Citrus Heights
7512 Auburn Blvd, Citrus Heights


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SUU Digital Library
aminers or city boards of education, when such cities are not under the supervision of the county superintendent of schools. * * * Holders of normal scholarships shall be required to declare their intention to complete the prescribed course of normal instruction, and after graduation to teach in the public schools of the State; and in the event of such students discontinuing their studies at the University before graduation, they shall be required to pay to the University the amount of registration or entrance fees required of other students for a corresponding term of attendance. * * * The President of the University may at any time cancel the normal scholarship of any student for neglect or incompetency and require the payment to the University of all fees exempted by virtue of said scholarship."
Normal Course. Applicants for admission to the first year of the Normal. School must be at least fifteen years of age, and must pass satisfactory examinations in arithmetic, English grammar and composition, physiology, geography, United States history, reading and spelling. The required work in these studies is as follows:
Arithmetic. As treated in Southworth's Essentials of Arithmetic, Book II., Werner's Arithmetic, Book III., or an equivalent.
Geography. A knowledge of the relative locations of principal nations, and names and locations of their capitals and chief cities; a good knowledge of the principal river and mountain systems of the earth; a good knowledge of the principal capes, islands, gulfs, bays, seas, etc., of the earth; the chief industries and products of the principal nations. A minute knowledge of the United States, and particularly of Utah, will be required. The advanced natural- geography will furnish needful preparation.
English Grammar, Composition, Reading and Spelling. The applicant should be able to recognize and define all the


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Last Commented Item
» From "Lynyrd Skynyrd Bio" // September 26, 2009 1:41:38 PM UTC
My children & grandchildren grew up on Skynyrd. Keep the
music alive. God bless America. SkynyrdNation forever!
See you in Jan 2010 for our second Simpleman Cruise.Would not miss it! See you in Atlantic City on Oct 17! Can't wait for the new album-sounds great so far!
Hello to my friends Dave & Toni!
Have a Skynyrd of a day!
Chalie Rossi - PA
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