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Halliburton Agrees To Plead Guilty To Destruction Of Evidence In 2010 BP Spill, Pay Maximum Fine
CREDIT: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
On Thursday, the Department of Justice announced that Halliburton had agreed to plead guilty to criminally destroying evidence in the investigation of the BP Gulf oil spill in 2010. The company "signed a cooperation and guilty plea agreement," will pay the maximum fine of $200,000, and undergo three years of probation. It also had already made a $55 million voluntary contribution to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
Halliburton was the oil services company that oversaw the cement pouring while the Macondo well was drilled. The well malfunctioned on April 20, 2010, causing an uncontrolled blowout on the Deepwater Horizon rig and an explosion that killed 11 people and caused the largest oil spill in U.S. history.
As an oil services company, Halliburton "was responsible for conducting the cement job" according to the final investigation into the disaster. BP and Halliburton had a disagreement over how many centralizers to use on the well, which help keep the wellbore centralized. After the accident, Halliburton tried to find out what happened, according the the Justice Department press release:
On or about May 3, 2010, Halliburton established an internal working group to examine the Macondo well blowout, including whether the number of centralizers used on the final production casing could have contributed to the blowout. A production casing is a long, heavy metal pipe set across the area of the oil and natural gas reservoir. Centralizers are protruding metal collars affixed at various intervals on the outside of the casing. Use of centralizers can help keep the casing centered in the wellbore away from the surrounding walls as it is lowered and placed in the well. Centralization can be significant to the quality of subsequent cementing around the bottom of the casing. Prior to the blowout, Halliburton had recommended to BP the use of 21 centralizers in the Macondo well. BP opted to use six centralizers instead.
That same month, Halliburton did some sophisticated 3D simulations of the final cementing job, using 6 and then 21 centralizers. The simulations, however, showed that there was little difference between the two scenarios, suggesting that Halliburton's recommendation to BP that the well should have 21 centralizers instead of 6 was irrelevant. The Senior Program Manager who conducted the simulations was directed to destroy the results. The same simulations were run a month later, and again the person who conducted the simulation was directed to "get rid" of the results.
This is relevant because when the 2011 Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement report on the spill found that BP and Halliburton shared responsibility for the spill, Halliburton denied responsibility. Halliburton spokeswoman Beverly Stafford said the report "incorrectly attributes the operation decisions to Halliburton," and that "Every contributing cause where Halliburton is named, the operational responsibility lies solely with BP. Halliburton remains confident that all the work we performed with respect to the … well was completed in accordance with BP's specifications for its well construction plan and instructions."
In 2011, BP filed court papers that accused Halliburton of having "intentionally destroyed evidence" related to the explosion aboard the rig. When BP made these allegations, the Halliburton spokeswoman responded that "we believe that the conclusions that BP is asking the court to draw is without merit and we look forward to contesting their motion in court."
A year and a half later, Halliburton agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigation, pay the maximum fine, plead guilty, and undergo three years of probation. Corporate probation is often used when the prosecution defers prosecution, or tries to get a corporation to change practices. It is unclear why probation was used in this case — it is possible that penalties will be higher for future violations within the three years, in addition to an agreement to cooperate with the investigation. The settlement still requires court approval.
TransOcean, the company that leased the Deepwater Horizon rig to BP, has already admitted criminal and civil violations and settled with the federal government to the tune of $1.4 billion. BP, of course, already pled guilty and agreed to pay $4.5 billion in fines and penalties.
In June, BP decided to stop sending crews to Gulf Coast beaches, even as tar balls continue to wash ashore.
34 Responses to Halliburton Agrees To Plead Guilty To Destruction Of Evidence In 2010 BP Spill, Pay Maximum Fine
Criminal penalties for executives are probably what is needed. Indictment of individuals is more effective than even "large fines." When a company pleads guilty, it seems that the only action is to put the company on probation. Guilty individuals can actually serve time. At least, such admissions open up Halliburton to civil suits.
A $200,000 fine?!! Are you f'ing kidding me? That's like you, or I, covering up a murder and having to pay a $1 fine!
It is time for the Justice Department to crack down on these Corporate criminals. Give Halliburton the Corporate DEATH PENALTY! REVOKE its corporate charter . . . put management directly involved in the cover up in JAIL . . . and sell off its corporate assets and use the money to pay to truly clean up the Gulf!
Since Haliburton is apparently a "person", shouldn't it, or at least those with a vested interest in it, all be sent to prison? Why is it that when individuals commit crimes, they go to jail, while the leaders of corporations play a shell game with the truth to avoid any real consequences beyond, maybe, having to pay inconsequential fines.
THIS is why America needs a constitutional amendment that says both "Corporations are NOT People!" and "Money is NOT Speech!"
The ONLY proposed constitutional amendment that says BOTH things is Move to Amend's WE THE PEOPLE AMENDMENT. Check it out at http://www.wethepeopleamendment.org.
Steve Justino
Co-Chair, Colorado Move to Amen
It does seem a travesty of justice that the penalties associated with their illegal behavior are so low.
This is not a situation dealing with Haliburton or BP and others but with Big Corps. In virtually every instance the Corp. pays a "Simple Fine" as in $200,000.00 and admits no guilt. I can't have an accident and claim the auto maker shares liability and my Insurance Company and the Auto Maker's Insurance company pay a fine, admit no guilt and walk away scott free so why should ig Corps. The CEO'S and Presidents and Vice Presidents shoud e held personally responsible for the actions of the companies they lead. Convict them, put the identical fine on them and sentence them to prison just as they were any other person not of wealth.
Fines mean little to huge operations like Halliburton. Added to hefty fines should be criminal prosecutions.
They want to be viewed as "people" when it suits them, but will take corporate exits whenever possible. The best of both worlds thanks to the GOP and the SCOTUS.
The donation to NF&W is "chump change" to them and is a tax write off.
After all we have learned about Halliburton in the past decade the fine for the worst man-made disaster in America is ludicrous.
Heads must roll and responsible persons must be tried.
They need to be axed from all their government contracts as they are, admittedly, a criminal enterprise.
$200k? That's two days worth of coca cola profits from the Halliburton Iraq office.
Criminal prosecutions are called for. We can start with Dick Cheney.
They're still laughing at us all. This was a carefully arranged admission of guilt that harms them not one bit. Those culpable will continue to rake in their fat bonus while this paltry sum is not even missed from the corporation's petty cash box.
But if anyone of us had obstructed justice by destroying evidence we would be in prison!!
Undoubtedly the tip of the iceberg.
Oh, No!! Not a fine. How will they ever recover? Boy, a fine; that'll teach 'em. I'll bet they think twice before risking a small fine to make hundreds of billions. "Obstruction of Justice" may sound like a serious felony, but consider the law as it applies to rich people, and this is a very serious penalty. For stealing far less almost anybody who makes less than a half a million a year would go to jail. That is as it should be. How else can we keep the great unwashed churlish masses under control while we plunder their retirement savings, pensions, and health care?
Re-possess Dick Cheney's defibrillator!
Masterly understatement.
In Australia one of the tobacco Murder Incorporateds and its 'legal' sonderkommandoes ran a 'Document Retention Program' that, would you believe it, did not much but destroy incriminating documents. Capitalism is quite simply and unambiguously totally inimical to all morality but that of the heartless exploiter.
No doubt they will also appeal, use the legal fees for tax deduction purposes, then simply not fork out the cash.
I agree, plus the fine that Haliburton had to pay was a pittance compared to the damage caused. And, now, BP is trying to get out of paying reparations saying that the companies and towns that were damaged by the oil spill are committing fraud and they really didn't suffer that much monetary damage. FRUSTRATION.
Count me in.
Typo: Colorado Move to Amen should be Colorado Move to Amend. It only becomes move to amen in the Sprgs…CO joke.
Otherwise, good comment and I agree.
Tom who used to be in CO but now resides in CA
This is exactly whats wrong with the Department of Justice — A $200,000 dollar fine? Utterly ridiculous. Should be more like $200,000,000 Considering the amount of money they make and the damage that the bad cement mixture caused when it failed.
It's cheaper for them to break the law then to spend the money to do it right.
200k??? Are you serious??? Who's going to jail? The fines that Halliburton is incurring don't make their actuaries break a sweat, reporting how it's the cost of doing business and to do it again with all good speed.
Now, if we could just get them to pay for the war we threw for them.
Most likely, Halliburton wrote the legislation specifying that maximum fine.
Since corporations are people, shouldn't it be in jail?
$200,000 fine? Are you kidding me? It should be $200,000,000,000.00—that's just a drop in the bucket for those scumbags.
Gee, 200,000 dollars,Think that will cover the livelyhoods of the gulf states and Mexico? That runs to about .00010 of a cent to everyone in not including those effected by tropical storms coming on to the inland.Don't spend it all in one place.
$200,00.00 is a joke. Prosecution and prison time for executives who okayed this debacle , along with a much bigger fine is abetter idea.
You mean his new, still-not-human, heart…
It is a typical "settlement" that the Justice Dept. Makes with all corporate criminals. No admission of guilt, no jail time for anyone, court records are sealed so that we can't find out the whole truth, allowing the corporate criminals to define the penalties that they shall be imposed upon them, no exclusion from future sweetheart deals with the government. Ain't that a bitch . I, on the other hand, was convicted of FELONY possession of some pot in Indiana which will now effectively excludes me from student loans, government sponsored food and housing assistance for life, bars me from owning a weapon, excludes me from most private and all civil service work…and I spent 6 months in jail and spent 5k fighting it. If corporations are people let them experience this legal system from a peoples perspective.
Halliburton is a despicable company and in my opinion, should be held accountable and responsible for their actions.
The ordinary folks are struggling, while the likes of Halliburton make billions/trillions!
After 911 you fired my brother in law from your company in Huston for being a Muslim. Now 12 years later you have to pay. People who do wrong things or oppress people always pay, they always pay.
It's probably tax deductible, too.
Pardon me, other commenters, but as I read the above article, the evidence, admittedly destroyed, as described in the article was not as prejudicial to Halliburton as I initially thought or is at least unclear. The issue at hand was that Halliburton destroyed some simulation results that showed that their more conservative pre-accident cementing plan recommendation would have been be no more effective than BP's eventual actual cementing. It is unclear to me whether the simulations showed cement failure with both 6 and 21 centralizers or whether both scenarios indicated successful cementing. If they showed failure in both cases, Halliburton is guilty of a much worse crime than if the simulations showed both scenarios would have succeeded. It would be good to know which was the case. In either case, of course, destroying evidence willfully must be punished.
As an unknowledgeable observer, I wonder along what length of pipe the 6 and 21 centralizers were meant to be spaced; certainly not the entire 18k? foot depth of the well.


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Animated! And the whole process took me maybe a couple of minutes, two Symbols and some basic math.. :) (Sometimes my wish to play with Adobe Fireworks and make something funny is just stronger than me... Sorry!)
And yes, I know, the minute and hour clock hands are not moving, but I can live with it... at least for now! ;)
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Shawn Colvin At Belly Up Tavern
- When Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 8 p.m.
- Where Belly Up Tavern, 143 S Cedros Ave, Solana Beach, CA Map | Website
- Age limit 21+
- Categories Folk, Pop
- Cost $38 - $40
Above: Image singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin.
Shawn Colvin is one of the best — and was one of the first — of the crop of female singer-songwriters melding folky introspection with pop-rock hooks. She has found success in both adult alternative and contemporary realms. This self-taught guitarist tried her hand in hard-rock bands and Western swing before settling into a singer-songwriter act.
Date: December 18th, 2011 at 8 p.m.
Cost: $38.00 / $40.00 day of show
Location: Belly Up Tavern, 143 South Cedros Avenue Solana Beach, CA 92075-1963 Google Maps


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After Hours Emergency Procedures
NOTE: The following procedures and contacts are only for parties seeking to make an emergency filing after hours. All other inquires must be directed to the Clerk's Office at 305-523-5001 during normal business hours.
If an emergency matter in a pending case must be filed after business hours (4:30 p.m.), the filer must call the appropriate emergency number shown below. The Clerk's Office will advise the filer how the matter should be handled. If for any reason the filer is unable to reach someone at the appropriate number, for the location where the Judge is chambered, the filer should contact one of the other numbers.
If an after hours emergency is a NEW matter, the filer should contact the number below associated with the division where the matter will be filed. If for any reason the filer is unable to reach someone at that number, the filer should contact one of the other numbers.
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Updated July 1, 2015


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What are your recommendations for a basic, centralized identity management/SSO service? It must be open source, have a pluggable identity manager (eg: LDAP, DB, openID, etc.) and provide a decent range of API access options (eg: web services, REST, etc.). It must also be clusterable for high availability.
JOSSO? CAS? others?


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SOURCE: Reuters
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China's Great Wall raises defenses against party-goersBreaking News
China has banned partying, stunts and other"inappropriate behavior" on the Great Wall to protect one of its top tourist attractions from erosion.
The Great Wall, which snakes its way across more than 6,400 km (4,000 miles), receives an estimated 10 million visitors a year, mostly to the mere 10 km opened to tourists at Badaling, the nearest stretch to Beijing.
More adventurous visitors climb wilder, crumblier sections that are not officially open to the public and stretches near the capital have become popular sites for summer raves.
The new rules, issued by the State Council, or China's cabinet, prohibit the driving of vehicles on the wall or group activities such as parties.
"Inappropriate tourist exploration has caused damage to the Great Wall and its historical features," the government's Web site on Wednesday cited a State Council official as saying.
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Fairleigh Dickinson University
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Residents invited to comment on U.S. 25 zoning proposal
Published: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 at 12:00 a.m.
Property owners and residents in the U.S. 25 North area are invited to give input on the recommended zoning changes from Henderson County's U.S. 25 North Zoning Study. Public input will be collected in a number of ways.
Drop-in informational sessions will be held, with county planning staff on hand to answer questions and take comments from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Land Development Building, 101 E. Allen St. and from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday in the commissioners meeting room, 100 N. King St.
Input may also be submitted to the Board of Commissioners Comment Line through Feb. 28 by calling 697-4842. In addition, through March 21, residents also may call the Planning Department at 697-4819 (TDD 697-4580) or e-mail comments to email@example.com.
Information about the study is available at the Planning Department at 101 E. Allen St., at both the main and Fletcher branches of the Henderson County Public Library, and online at www.hendersoncountync.org.
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Archive for the 'Reform in government' Category
Yoga and Voting for Peace
ONE definition of Yoga is the integration of the spiritual and material realms in the human being, making a union of Heaven and Earth.
Given this definition, it is possible to approach politics as a form of Yoga. This would of course be very different from the usual practice of politics today. Rather, it would try bring into social affairs and institutions of government divine and eternal principles of Truth, Beauty and Goodness.
While we've grown accustomed to think of politics as selfish and egoistic, in truth it is something that can glorify the Divine. Among the animals only human beings have devised such things as governments and elections — methods with which, if used rightly, we can greatly improve our lives and planet.
Today the world is in great peril, with a dangerous combination of growing populations, militarism and materialism, combined with threats to the environment and climate. But since we believe in a benevolent and superintending Spirit, we remain confident that solutions will reveal themselves in due time.
Putting these two thoughts together, we may see that political institutions like elections and voting, if approached rightly, give us a means of shaping a positive future.
What does it mean to approach politics rightly? Some basic guidelines are evident. First we know that our choices should be governed by unselfish rather than selfish or egoistic aims. Our goal as 'yogic voters' should be to better the condition of all, not only of some. Further, it follows from the principles of Yoga, that our actions should seek to unify, not divide members of society. In addition, right politics and voting should leave our mind more calm and peaceful, not agitated and angry. These principles alone would exclude perhaps 90% of usual politics.
Today we are faced with one great need above all, which is to end the terrible program of constant war that our country (that is, the government and corporations) has pursued. To help you exert a countering and correcting force of Love, I have placed my name on the ballot in the June 7 primary as an independent peace candidate for US Congress in our district. A vote for me will be recognized as a vote for peace. In this way the ordinary process of an election is turned into a referendum against war and for peace. Since we do not have direct referendums on war, this means of producing one appears promising and I hope others will follow the example in future elections.
Every vote for peace will have a positive karmic effect, helping to improve our country and world. It is to enable you to gain positive karma for yourself and others that I am running. The direct goal is not to win the present election, but to begin the journey to peace.
I may add that the alternative — to vote for a Democrat or Republican politician — would, in my opinion, have little effect, as both represent materialistic values and the differences between them are negligible; I also believe they habitually promote divisive issues with the aim of diverting public attention from more fundamental needs for change, such as ending war.
Therefore please let me ask that you visit my campaign website and consider voting for peace.
If you should like to share this information, that would also be appreciated as I am relying on grassroots means of reaching voters.
John Uebersax
Written by John Uebersax
May 20, 2016 at 3:50 pm
Posted in 2016 election, Culture, Culture of peace, Drone strikes, Gandhi, Humanism, Idealism, Imperialism, International Affairs, Love, Materialism, Middle East, Militarism, MLK, Moral philosophy, News, Occupy Movement, Peace, Philosophy, Politics, Prayer, Reform in government, religion, Social philosophy, Values, Voting, Yoga
George Washington's Solemn Warning Against Party Strife and Plea for Unity
From George Washington's Farewell Address (1796)
A solicitude for your welfare, which cannot end but with my life, and the apprehension of danger, natural to that solicitude, urge me, on an occasion like the present, to offer to your solemn contemplation, and to recommend to your frequent review, some sentiments which are the result of much reflection, of no inconsiderable observation, and which appear to me all-important to the permanency of your felicity as a people. These will be offered to you with the more freedom, as you can only see in them the disinterested warnings of a parting friend, who can possibly have no personal motive to bias his counsel. Nor can I forget, as an encouragement to it, your indulgent reception of my sentiments on a former and not dissimilar occasion….
I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.
This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.
The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.
Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.
It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another….
The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so, for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize. But as it is easy to foresee that, from different causes and from different quarters, much pains will be taken, many artifices employed to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth; as this is the point in your political fortress against which the batteries of internal and external enemies will be most constantly and actively (though often covertly and insidiously) directed,
it is of infinite moment
that you should properly estimate
the immense value of your national union
to your collective and individual happiness;
that you should cherish a cordial, habitual,
and immovable attachment to it;
accustoming yourselves to think and speak of it
as of the palladium of your political safety and prosperity;
watching for its preservation with jealous anxiety;
discountenancing whatever may suggest even a suspicion
that it can in any event be abandoned;
and indignantly frowning upon
the first dawning of every attempt
to alienate any portion of our country from the rest,
or to enfeeble the sacred ties
which now link together the various parts.
~ * ~
Written by John Uebersax
February 17, 2016 at 5:33 am
Posted in Americana, Culture, History, Reform in government, Renewing America
Tagged with George Washington, partisanship, party strife, solidarity, united we stand, unity
The Emersonian 'Universal Mind' and Its Vital Importance
IT SEEMS I'm always trying to get people to read Emerson. Why? Because I'm convinced his writings contain solutions to many of today's urgent social problems.
Perhaps Emerson's most important contribution is a concept that he refers to throughout his works, calling various names, but most often Universal Mind. This term invites a number of unintended meanings, tending to obscure Emerson's important message.
Universal Mind may at first glance seem a vague, new-agey reference to some cosmic super-intelligence, but that's not what Emerson means.. The concept is more commonplace, down-to-earth and practical. It could perhaps better be called the Human Nature, Universal Human Nature, or Man. For now, though, I'll stick with Emerson's term, but put it in italics instead of capital letters to demystify it. What, then, does Emerson mean by the universal mind of humanity?
It is, basically, all human beings share a common repertoire of mental abilities. Just as insects or lizards of a particular species share a common natural endowment of behavioral instincts, so all humans have a common natural set of mental skills, aptitudes, and concepts. (In fact, sometimes uses the word Instinct instead of universal mind.)
For example, consider a basic axiom of plane geometry: that two parallel lines never intersect. Once this was explained to you in high school, at which point you said, "Oh, I see that. It's common sense." This is the Emersonian universal mind in action. Every other geometry student has the same response. The ability to 'see' this is or 'get it' part of our common mental ability as human beings.
And the same can be said of hundreds, thousands, or more particular elements of human knowledge. These cover many different domains, including basic principles of mathematics and logic, artistic and aesthetic judgments (all human beings admire a beautiful sunset, all see the Taj Mahal as sublime and beautiful), moral principles (what is just or fair?), and religion (e.g., that God exists and deserves our thanks and praise.)
By the universal mind, then, Emerson merely means that plain fact that all or virtually all members of the human race share a vast repertoire of common mental abilities, concepts, judgments, and so on. This is not wild metaphysical speculation. It is an empirically obvious fact. Without this implied assumption of universal mind, for example, criminal laws and courts would be pointless. The mere fact that we hold people accountable for criminal misdeeds implies a shared set of assumptions about right and wrong, accountability for ones actions, etc.
Now it is true that one may, if one wants, elaborate the principle of a universal human mind and add all sorts of metaphysical speculations. Some do. They see this universal mind as deriving from the principle of all men being made in God's image and likeness. These are important considerations, but they are, in a sense, secondary ones. More important is that is, it is important that all people — theists and atheists, metaphysicians and empiricists alike — can agree on the existence of the universal human character. Said another way, it is vital that we not let disagreements over metaphysics obscure or distract us from this more important consensus that there is a universal man or universal mind.
Why? Because this concept — something we all assume implicitly — has been insufficiently examined and developed at a collective level. It needs to become a topic of public discourse and scientific study, because its implications are enormous. We've only just begun this work as a species, as evidenced by the fact that we as yet haven't even agreed even on a term! It's always been with us, but only lately have be become fully aware of it. This realization is a milestone in the evolution of human consciousness and society.
Maybe I'll write a followup that discusses the specific ways in which this concept, fully developed, may advantageously affect our current social conditions. For now I'll simply list a few relevant categories where it applies:
Human Dignity. Each person has vast potential and therefore vast dignity. Each carries, as it were, the wisdom and the sum of potential scientific, artistic, moral, and religious capabilities of the entire species. Any person has the innate hardware, and with just a little training could learn to discern the technical and aesthetic difference between a Botticelli painting from a Raphael, a Rembrandt from a Rubens. Each human being is sensitive to the difference between a Mozart piano sonata and one by Beethoven. And so in Science. Any person could understand the Theory of Relativity suitably explained. Or differential equations. Or the physics of black holes.
Consider this thought experiment. If the human race made itself extinct, but aliens rescued one survivor, that one person could be taught, almost by reading alone, to recover the sum of all scientific, moral, and artistic insights of the species! The entirety of our collective abilities would live on in one person. And, more, that would be true regardless of which person were the survivor. So much is the vast ability and dignity of each human being.
Education. It exceeds what we currently know to assert that all possible concepts already exist fully developed, though latent, in each person. But we can assert that all human beings are hard-wired in certain ways to enable to form these concepts when supplied with suitable data. In either case, the implication is that education does not instill knowledge, so much as elicits the pre-existing aptitudes. Further, in keeping with the preceding point, the universal mind means that no person is limited in their ability to learn. Each person is a Genius. We should do our utmost to make this potentiality a fact for as many as possible. Education should be lifelong, not something relegated to the first 18 years of life.
Arts are not the peculiar luxury of the elite upper class. Shakespeare, Mozart, and Raphael are the common heritage of all. We need to take much more seriously the basic human right to have each ones divine artistic nature flower.
Economics. Today economics has become the main frame of reference for conceptualizing all human progress. We must rethink this, and give greater allowance for seeing the flourishing of the universal man as our goal. Nobody can be happy with vast potentials unfulfilled. It is not the way of nature. We must get it clear in our thinking, individually and collectively, that the business of society is to empower the individual.
Social discourse. All solutions to social ills already exist latent in Man's heart. The phrase 'common dreams' is more than a euphemism. We do have common ideals, great ones. Our social discourse should aim for mutual insight and self-discovery. Answers are within: one's within oneself; but also, because of the universal mind, ones within the other as well. Instead of argument and debate we should aim for dialectic: a joint uncovering of ideals and guiding principles and raising of consciousness.
Government. To much of modern political philosophy assumes the principle of nanny government. People are wiser than governments. We should insist that the first priority of government is to make itself unnecessary. Liberate the universal man — the ultimate moral force on earth — and see how much things improve without government intervention!
Foreign policy. All men are at the core alike. All respond to the same appeals to Reason and Morals. All have equal worth and dignity. All are designed for cooperation, friendship, and love. Any foreign policy which denies these realities does not conform with nature and cannot succeed.
As noted, Emerson's discussion of the universal mind is found scattered throughout his works. Emerson was not systematic, but nevertheless his message comes across very clear. Some of his works most relevant this theme are Self Reliance, Intellect and Art (Essays, First Series), The Poet and Politics (Essays, Second Series), and Genius and Religion (Early Lectures).
First draft
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Centenary Edition. Ed. Edward Waldo Emerson. Boston, 1903–1904.
Online edition (UMich): http://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/emerson/
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. The Early Lectures of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Volume 2. Ed. Stephen E. Whicher and Robert E. Spiller. Cambridge, MA, 1964.
Written by John Uebersax
June 22, 2015 at 10:13 pm
Posted in American Transcendentalism, Cognitive psychology, Cultivation of the Intellect, Cultural psychology, Culture, Economics, Education, Education reform, Globalization, Higher Education, History, Humanities, Idealism, Law, Libertarian, Literature, Love, Materialism, Media brainwashing, Militarism, modernism, Moral philosophy, Politics, Psychology, Reading, Reform in government, Renewing America, Scholarship, Self-culture, Social philosophy, spirituality, Transcendentalism
Tagged with common sense, Emerson, universal man, Values
10 Reasons to Vote Third-Party
Top Ten Reasons to Vote for Third-Party Candidates
10. Wall Street owns Republican and Democratic parties.
9. At 5% mark, third parties start getting federal campaign funds.
8. Winning not the only purpose of voting
7. Benefits future generations
6. If third parties affect outcome, big parties may change platforms.
5. Won't be a 'useful idiot'
4. Public debate of real issues
3. Maintains & expands third-party ballot access
2. Your name not on US bombs
1. Signals hope to other Americans
Written by John Uebersax
May 14, 2015 at 12:08 am
Third-Party Voting and Kant's Categorical Imperative
ONE of Kant's great contributions to ethics is his statement of the principle known as the categorical imperative. This asserts that, for an act to be moral, one must be able to wish that its "maxim could be made a universal law of nature," or, in ordinary terms, one must do only what one believes nature (meaning here the entire universe) would want everyone to do in similar circumstances. The categorical imperative is not without difficulties in practice — there are exceptions and questionable cases — but these notwithstanding it is a remarkably powerful principle.
How might it apply to voting in an American presidential election? Consider two alternative strategies, which we'll call (1) voting the lesser evil, and (2) voting on principle.
Voting the lesser evil has become virtually the norm today. The Democratic and Republican parties nominate horrible candidates. The task is therefore not to vote for the candidate you like, but against the worse of the two, to prevent that candidate from winning. Since both of these candidates are bad, why don't people simply vote for a third-party (e.g., Libertarian or Green) candidate? Because the races are so close: each voter figures that his or her vote may be decisive in preventing the more feared candidate from winning, so that opting for a third party might tip the balance unfavorably. If one is terrified of a Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton winning, then this strategy has a certain utilitarian logic. But is it moral as judged by the categorical imperative?
Let's see. If everybody did this, then the two big parties would have a perfect way to keep the public in perpetual slavery: keep nominating wretched candidates, and select issues that split the public down the middle, 50/50. That way in every election 99% of voters will continue to cast their votes for the Democratic (or Republican) candidate, to keep the Republican (or Democrat) from winning. If we suppose, not unrealistically, that both parties front the same Wall Street power elite, then this is a perfect racket by the ruling interests. There is no end in sight, and little hope for improvement in our lives. We'll remain serfs in a gradually worsening economy, with continually eroding quality of life. Therefore voting the lesser evil cannot be moral according to Kant's categorical imperative.
What about voting on principle? That would mean voting for the candidate whose platform best conforms to ones authentic beliefs and values, without worrying about who will actually win. If only you vote this way, granted, it may have little practical effect, except, perhaps, to register as dissent to the power elite and your fellow citizens (although these things aren't trivial). But consider the categorical imperative: what if *everybody* voted this way? Then we would break the Republican-Democrat hegemony. We could end US military imperialism, environmental exploitation, a life of perpetual debt, and so on. In short, we could achieve or collective hopes and aspirations to produce a truly just, wise, and happy society. Without question, voting on principle does satisfy the categorical imperative, and therefore is moral.
The argument seems pretty clear. A further consideration is that voting itself ought to be regarded as a deeply important and inherently moral duty — something sacred. Our democracy is only as good as the moral conscientiousness of voters. Presidents and parties come and go, but a moral action is forever.
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Written by John Uebersax
May 12, 2015 at 12:38 am
Posted in 2016 election, Election, Idealism, Libertarian, Moral philosophy, Peace, Reform in government, Renewing America, Social philosophy, Third parties
Tagged with categorical imperative, election 2016, ethics, Green Party, Kant, Libertarian, moral theory, third parties
Voting as Constructive Idealism: Why Principles Do Matter More than Expediency
ELECTION 2016 can be a tragedy or not, depending on how we approach it.
I mean 'tragedy' here not so much in the colloquial sense of simply something bad, but in a more technical sense associated with game theory: a terrible outcome that develops almost inexorably, though it might have been easily avoided. (One example of a tragedy in this technical sense is the prisoner's dilemma, about which I've written previously.)
The tragedy of 2016 would pit Hillary Clinton against some yet-unnamed Republic opponent, in a bitter struggle in which Hillary would win a close race, and where 99% of voters would vote Republican or Democrat, neglecting third parties (as in the previous two elections). The real loss would be to further engrain the two-party (and Wall Street) hegemony of American politics, with the result of further degradation of our economy, foreign policy, and quality of life. And, because nothing would change, in the 2020 and 2024 elections the same thing would happen again, and so on ad nauseam.
Let's be honest. Hillary, while she might be arguably be marginally better than a Republican opponent, is per se not a good candidate for President of the United States (as even many more enlightened Democrats would agree). Beneath a veneer of concern for the welfare of the community is a huge amount of personal ambition, egoism, and arrogance. She is also beholden to corporate special interests, and eager to use war to benefit US commercial interests (as evidenced by her support for the vicious military ouster of Qaddafi in Libya).
Please understand, the point here is not to bash Hillary. Hillary, personally, is incidental to the main point. But her defects must be honestly noted in order to substantiate the real issue here: that many Democrats will vote for her knowing and despite these things.
What prompts this article is that the other day it occurred to me, in a sort of flash of insight, how this impending tragedy could and should be avoided. The concept relates to how we view what an election is, and what our duty and role as voters are.
The Power Theory of Voting
What I would propose is that there are two possible models or theories about what voting for a political candidate is all about. The first model corresponds to the status quo — what has happened in recent years and what will potentially happen again in 2016.
We'll call this the pragmatic theory or power politics model of voting. By this view one sees voting as a means to exert ones personal force in an arena where all other voters, with various value systems, do the same. To the extent that this is a strictly pragmatic activity, it is a-moral: the end justifies the means. Such is characteristic of a Hobbesian society: the bellum omnium contra omnes, or war of each with all.
While at first glance this may seem a normal and obvious way for one to promote ones preferred social agendas, its basic wrongness — or wrongness in principle — can be easily shown by carrying the same principle to more extreme levels. If voting is supposed to be a pragmatic exercise of personal power, then one should logically use any means possible to sway an election towards ones desired end (so-called political realism). Mudslinging, propaganda, lying, or even cheating — casting two votes, bribing others, ballot-box tampering — are fair game. And, in fact, all of these have been used by both parties and justified based on the end justifies the means principle.
Yes people instinctively know these things are wrong. And this common knowledge calls into question the underlying principle: whether the legitimate and intended purpose of an election is in fact for people to attain an end or to exert selfish power.
I grant that the reader may not see where I'm headed at this point and the preceding statement may seem puzzling, but it will become clear momentarily.
The Idealism Theory of Voting
I wish to suggest that there is another viable and plausible approach one may take to voting. We'll call this the Idealism theory. According to this view, an election is like a vast national opinion poll or referendum, in which each individual is asked, "What do you believe should happen? What are your true beliefs concerning fundamental political and social principles?" One then expresses ones true beliefs by endorsing the candidate whose platform is most similar to them.
Let's note the great virtue of the Idealism model: unless voting is approached in this way, there is virtually no other means by which the collective Ideals of a society can find themselves ultimately expressed in political institutions and programs.
Voting is arguably the one and only chance you have as an individual to bring your deepest hopes, aspirations, and instincts to bear on the deeply important issue of constructing, however gradually, a more Just, Good, True, and Beautiful world. It is the only means by which the common moral vision of humanity can contest the juggernaut of blind social forces, Wall Street, and government corruption. This voting your Ideals is an incredibly important, even a sacred task. You are God's emissary in the social sphere, your vote a divinely appointed task.
But voting is mere egoism if conducted at the level of selfish pragmatism.
What would the Idealism model imply for the 2016 presidential election?
For Democrats, I believe those who vote according to Ideals and conscience would find the Green party candidate the best choice. For Republicans, the Libertarian or possibly Constitution party candidate would be the true and honest choice. Voting for these candidates, then, would manifest true Ideals, and contribute to the long term common good; voting expediently, against ones principles, for the Republican or Democrat status quo, Wall Street, pro-war candidates would be unethical.
Most of all, anyone who rejects US militarism in principle should not vote for any candidate who does not publicly denounce war. War is insane. Any candidate who does not publicly denounce war publicly announces their moral derangement. It is immoral in the utmost to vote for a morally deranged presidential candidate!
The Practical Value of Idealism
By Idealism here we don't mean the starry-eyed, Pollyanna kind. Idealism in its finer sense — that which expresses our greatest aspirations and hopes — is the highest form of pragmatism. It is by the actualization of our Ideals that we become most happy and satisfied. Mere practical considerations, when detached from Ideals — and even more when they are antithetical to them — are self-defeating, because they ignore, deny, or even oppose the integral connection between moral virtue, truth, and happiness.
As tangible evidence of the practical value of Idealism in this context, consider this. If third-party presidential candidates, collectively, gained as little as 5% of the popular vote (in 2012 the number was 1.7%) , then in the next election we'd say greater respect paid to third parties. It would create pressure to include third-party candidates in the televised debates. The range of issues and options discussed during the campaign would be greatly widened. Suddenly, ideas like clean air or peace would become topics for public discussion again!
Further, if any individual third-party candidate received 5% of the vote — far from an unattainable result — that party would become eligible for federal campaign financing in the next election. A snowball effect would commence.
Thus, even beyond its moral implications and consequences, the level at which your vote becomes numerically meaningful — or even individually decisive — is much lower than you suppose. Yours could be the vote that pushes a candidate over this critical 5% threshold.
Written by John Uebersax
April 26, 2015 at 1:46 am
Posted in 2016 election, Anti-war, Culture, Election, Idealism, Imperialism, Militarism, Moral philosophy, News, Occupy Movement, Peace, Political parties, Politics, Public opinion, Reform in government, Renewing America, Social philosophy, Third parties, Values, Voting
Tagged with Democrat, Green Party, Idealism, Libertarian, Peace, philosophy, Republican, third parties, voting
A Meditation on Man's Transcendent Dignity
On November 25, 2014, Pope Francis addressed the members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, exhorting them to greater concern for what he called man's transcendent dignity. The next day one newspaper ran the somewhat misleading headline, "Pope Calls for End to Hunger." Now clearly ending hunger is a good thing, and the Pope did mention it. But this was not his core message, which considered not so much man's needs and dignity at a material level, but man's transcendent dignity.
What, then, is man's transcendent dignity? This is clearly too large and involved a topic to pursue in detail here. Rather it is more fitting to call attention to the fact that it is a question. Our first task, that is, is to come to a more clear and explicit understanding of this term, transcendent dignity, which we seem to collectively intuit has some valid meaning even if we cannot at present say exactly what it is.
Here I would simply like to offer an example — a thought experiment, perhaps we could call it — that helps establish that human beings do have what can be properly called transcendent dignity.
Suppose, then, that some form of cosmic radiation were to kill all human beings on earth except one, but leaving all buildings, machines, plants and animals, etc., intact. Although this person would suffer aloneness, he or she would also be able to go anywhere and do anything. He or she could read every great book, see every magnificent building, painting, or sculpture, listen to every work of classical music ever recorded; visit every corner of the globe, see every magnificent spectacle of nature, learn about every animal and plant. Let us add the further premise that this person could by some form of in vitro fertilization or cloning and advanced technology produce exactly one other human being to carry on after he or she died — so that the planet would always have one human being alive, and living the same kind of life.
What I propose is that the world would be a completely different and better place because of this one person. This single person would supply a depth and dignity to the world — a level of intellectual, moral, and spiritual meaning — that would be absent otherwise. Without this person the world might exist materially, but it would be spiritually and morally lifeless. In short, this example implies that the transcendent dignity of man is so great that a single human being is enough to supply moral, intellectual, and spiritual meaning to the entire universe!
The example also implies a moral mandate to give human beings the time, freedom, and opportunity to cultivate their higher nature. The hungry must be fed. But man does not live by bread alone. The European Parliament must also promote policies that allow man to nourish his soul.
A Transcendental Humanism
I will also add that Pope Francis' remarks about Plato and Aristotle in Raphael's 'School of Athens' were quite interesting. They are worth quoting in full:
One of the most celebrated frescoes of Raphael is found in the Vatican and depicts the so-called "School of Athens." Plato and Aristotle are in the centre. Plato's finger is pointed upward, to the world of ideas, to the sky, to heaven as we might say. Aristotle holds his hand out before him, towards the viewer, towards the world, concrete reality. This strikes me as a very apt image of Europe and her history, made up of the constant interplay between heaven and earth, where the sky suggests that openness to the transcendent – to God – which has always distinguished the peoples of Europe, while the earth represents Europe's practical and concrete ability to confront situations and problems.
The future of Europe depends on the recovery of the vital connection between these two elements. A Europe which is no longer open to the transcendent dimension of life is a Europe which risks slowly losing its own soul.
What the Pope is suggesting is a form transcendental humanism which integrates the spiritual and the material dimensions of man's nature. This philosophical view has a long history, and a name: Idealism, or Platonic Idealism. It also corresponds to the Integral or Idealistic cultural mentality described by Pitirim Sorokin.
It also needs to be clearly stated that modern humanism — which views man only in material and biological terms — does not affirm man's dignity, but arguably reduces it.
Philosophers today, in Europe and elsewhere, need to direct their attention to these issues. As always, we must begin with a careful consideration of terms and definitions. Conventionally a distinction has been made between a religious or spiritually based humanism on the one hand, and what is called secular humanism on the other. This terminology immediately paints us into a corner, because it supposes that secular culture and institutions must exclude anything having to do with religion and spirituality. But secular doesn't actually mean non-spiritual — it only means, in this context, that which pertains to institutions that are public, universal, and not affiliated with particular religious institutions. In other words, it is perfectly feasible to envisage a humanism that recognizes dimensions of human experience beyond the material, but which is public, universal, and suitable for incorporation into our civil and government institutions. The actual contrast, then, is between a purely materialistic humanism — which defines man only in terms of biology and physical needs — and one that allows for elements of man's nature which go beyond the merely material.
We can, in other words, have a humanism that is both secular and transcendent. To articulate and develop such an integral humanism should be our goal. The Dalai Lama of Tibet has made repeated pleas for a universal secular humanism based on such principles as compassion and social justice. But this suggestion is not, at least as it has been generally interpreted, sufficiently distinct from a merely materialistic humanism: after all, other animals also have compassion for each other; there is nothing unique to man's dignity in that he cares about the hunger and suffering of other members of his species.
Distinctly European is the Renaissance heritage of a humanism that is truly secular and transcendent. This development came to a halt when Enlightenment rationalism pushed it aside. Now that the perils of unbridled rationalism are evident, we must again seek the more balanced and integral view of man. We can do this by re-examining Renaissance philosophy, and even more so the classical philosophical underpinnings of the Renaissance, especially Platonism.
Also noteworthy is that the theme of individual responsibility, which is easily undermined by state nannyism, has been repeatedly emphasized by papal communications. For example, Pope Paul VI's encyclical, Populorum Progressio, states the following:
15. … Endowed with intellect and free will, each man is responsible for his self-fulfillment even as he is for his salvation. He is helped, and sometimes hindered, by his teachers and those around him; yet whatever be the outside influences exerted on him, he is the chief architect of his own success or failure. Utilizing only his talent and willpower, each man can grow in humanity, enhance his personal worth, and perfect himself.
In 1987, marking the 20th anniversary of Populorum progression, Pope John Paul II issued the encyclical, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis. The encyclical was critical of the so-called liberation theology which seeks to improperly prioritize man's material advancement ahead of his moral and spiritual advancement:
Development which is merely economic is incapable of setting man free, on the contrary, it will end by enslaving him further. Development that does not include the cultural, transcendent and religious dimensions of man and society, to the extent that it does not recognize the existence of such dimensions and does not endeavor to direct its goals and priorities toward the same, is even less conducive to authentic liberation. Human beings are totally free only when they are completely themselves, in the fullness of their rights and duties.
- Text of Pope Francis' address (Vatican Website)
- Populorum Progressio (1967)
- Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (1987)
- Giovanni Pico della Mirandola's Oration on the Dignity of Man (1486)
Written by John Uebersax
December 4, 2014 at 1:03 am
Posted in Art, Christian, Cultivation of the Intellect, Cultural psychology, Culture, Europe, Globalization, Humanities, Idealism, Materialism, modernism, Moral philosophy, News, Philosophy, Reform in government, religion, Self-culture, Social philosophy, Statism, Transcendentalism, University of California, Values
Tagged with Catholic, Catholic Culture, EU, Humanism, Pico della Mirandola, Pope Francis, Renaissance, secular humanism, transcendental humanism, Values


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Controversial as it might have been, no one was particularly shocked Kobe Bryant got the call he did to help force overtime in the Jazz's eventual Thursday-night loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
That's not a cry of conspiracy but rather one of reality.
The NBA is a star-driven league. Bryant shines. And in cases of doubt, especially when a game is on the line and cameras from a network like TNT are rolling, Kobe is more inclined than a Devin Brown to have one go his way.
No one with the Jazz was saying precisely that Friday morning, in the aftermath of Utah's stunning 105-101 Delta Center loss to the Lakers. Yet one could sense some might have been thinking along those lines.
"Miss America gets all the dates," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "You have to understand that."
To review:
The Jazz, down earlier by as many as 14, rallied to take a 92-90 lead with 4.3 seconds remaining in regulation. After a 20-second Lakers timeout, Bryant rose and hoisted a long jumper that missed. Referee Ron Olesiak ruled that Bryant had stepped on the 3-point line, making the shot a 2-pointer and that Bryant was fouled on the play by Brown. Bryant made both ensuing free throws with 0.4 seconds left to force overtime, and L.A. won the five-minute extra period 13-9.
Video replays and still photographs clearly show Bryant extending his shooting arm after the shot to help draw the foul. Afterward, he suggested the call was quite justified but for a different reason.
"He (Brown) kicked my legs out from under me," Bryant said. "When it's a questionable call, the refs usually won't make the call when the game's on the line, but that was an easy call."
Brown evidently did not agree, and video replays backed his contention.
"To me," he said while still in the Jazz locker room minutes after the loss, "that's a tough call to make with the game on the line like that."
Even Lakers coach Phil Jackson hedged: "We needed a lucky call at the end of the game to (win)," he said.
Luck? Incompetence? Something else?
The Jazz don't know what to call the call.
"Basketball is a game of mistakes, and, obviously, I make them," Sloan said. "And the players make them. Coaches. And the officials make them once in a while, too. . . ."
Sloan, who afterward said he was blocked out and never even saw the play, did not finish his thought Friday.
He did not make the leap.
He didn't need to.
Jazz player reaction immediately after Bryant's shot missed, though, reveals what many thought.
"I saw it. I didn't see a foul," said rookie point guard Deron Williams, on the floor at the time. "I thought we won the game, then I heard a whistle blow. I look over at coach, and they were congratulating each other and about to walk off the court when they called the foul."
"I thought the game was over," added Andrei Kirilenko, a Jazz captain. "It was kind of a tough decision. It's hard for referee to judge 'foul, not foul' especially when Kobe is with the ball. He is so aggressive."
Brown, for his part, said he did all he could on Bryant.
"You knew Kobe was going to get it," he said. "They went into (isolation). He was going for the 3. They wanted to get the win. And he stepped on the line. As soon as he went up, I just put my hands straight up and he kind of gave an 'oohhhh' and I couldn't believe that ref made that call.
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Britannica Web sites
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
- Nikolai Bukharin - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
(1888-1938). Russian revolutionary and leader of the Bolshevik party. Nikolai Bukharin came to prominence as one of the leading figures of the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. In the years following the revolution, Bukharin was a leading figure of the radical left wing of the Bolshevik party. During the 1920s Bukharin became the chief ideologist of the Bolshevik party's so-called "right opposition," favoring a slowly evolving brand of socialism against calls for rapid industrialization. One of the last Bolshevik leaders to mount a serious challenge to Joseph Stalin's control over the party and the state, Bukharin was eventually ousted from power, tried as a traitor, and executed in 1938 at the height of Stalin's Great Terror.


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On this day: April 1
POSTED: 12:55 PM Mar 28 2013 UPDATED: 2:00 AM Apr 01 2016
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The ruins of Pompeii are discovered, Apple Computer starts up, Marvin Gaye is shot and killed by his father, and U.S. Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch is rescued from Iraq, all on this day.
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Craft Camp 2013 | Day Three.
It was rewarding to see my little campers arrive to craft camp the following days wearing their necklaces. They were so proud!
Here's what we used to make our necklaces if you'd like to make one too:
Wooden Faceted Beads
Ball Chain found at my local Hobby Lobby
Martha Stewart Paint in Raspberry Ice, Geranium, Yellow Gold, Beach Glass, Champagne, Sea Lavender
1" Poly Foam Brush
Kraft Bags
Color Wheel Printable
Posted by dandee on Friday, June 28, 2013 Labels: craft camp
22 comments:
So cute! I bet those girls had a blast, I know I would!ReplyDelete
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- AnonymousJuly 2, 2013 at 8:19 AM
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Super idea! I can't wait to try this with my grandchildren when they visit this summer. Those chunky necklaces are adorable!ReplyDelete
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Ad hoc networks are a new paradigm of wireless communication for mobile hosts. Security is an important issue for ad hoc networks, especially for those security-sensitive applications. The salient features of ad hoc networks pose both challenges and opportunities in achieving security goals. One such goal is to consider not only malicious attacks launched from outside a network, but also take into account the attacks from within the network by compromised nodes. Various ways are possible to overcome vulnerabilities in Wireless Ad hoc Networks from attacks and threats. One of the most widely used solution is designing an intrusion detection system (IDS) that suites the security needs and characteristics of ad hoc networks for effective and efficient performance against intrusions. This paper investigates the serious and harmful attack, "denial of service" (DoS) that exhibit in multiple forms across different layers of protocol stack. To defend against this attack, we propose a novel approach "cross layer based intrusion detection system"(CIDS) that performs accurate diagnosis of malicious attacks by analyzing the pattern of trace files, overcome the demerits such as false positives present in traditional IDS, thereby providing secure communication between nodes that communicate with each other to route the traffic from source to destination and also increase the efficiency of the network performance. The simulations conducted in ns2 and proved that our work achieved high performance with fewer overheads.
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SEOUL, March 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korean handset maker LG Electronics Inc. captured the No. 3 spot in the North American smartphone market in 2012 on strong sales of its new premium brands, data showed Friday.
In terms of shipments, LG accounted for 7.1 percent of the smartphone market last year, trailing its bigger rivals Apple Inc. with 37.6 percent and Samsung Electronics with 26.6 percent, according to the data by market researcher Strategy Analytics.
LG overtook Taiwanese handset maker HTC Corp. and Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry in the market last year.
It is the first time that LG has become the third-largest smartphone seller in the North American market since its entry into the high-end handset segment.
LG's ranking in the North American market rose to fifth in 2011 from seventh in 2009 and sixth in 2010.
LG said last year's stellar performance is attributable to the release of its high-end smartphone models including a Connect 4G phone for the VoLTE service, which offers voice calls through the fourth-generation long-term evolution (LTE) network.
In addition, rave reviews of LG's LTE patents contributed to a rise in sales of its smartphones, LG said.
U.S. investment bank Jefferies & Co. and technology and intellectual property research firm TechIPm LLC. rated LG Electronics as the world's top possessor of technology patents related to the fourth-generation LTE network in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
<All rights reserved by Yonhap News Agency>


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Cancer Health Center
FDA Eyes Anemia Drugs' Cancer Risk Again
Jan. 3, 2008 -- The FDA today announced that it's reviewing more data on cancer risks tied to the anemia drugs Aranesp, Epogen, and Procrit.
Those drugs are erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). They boost production of red blood cells and already bear a "black box warning" (the FDA's toughest warning) about cancer risk.
That warning, launched in March 2007 and revised in November 2007, is based on six studies. Now, the FDA is reviewing two more studies from Amgen, the company that makes all three ESAs.
An FDA advisory committee will discuss the data and revisit the drugs' risks and benefits in the next few months.
Meanwhile, the FDA advises doctors and patients to review and discuss the risks and benefits of ESAs outlined in the product label.
The new studies provide "further evidence" of the drugs' risks, states an FDA news release.
The FDA notes that together, all eight studies (including the two new studies) show that tumors grew faster and survival rates were worse among patients with breast, non-small-cell lung, head and neck, lymphoid, or cervical cancers who took ESAs compared with those who weren't taking those drugs.
An FDA advisory committee will discuss the data and revisit the drugs' risks and benefits in the next few months.
Amgen provided the two new studies to the FDA in late November and early December 2007, according to the FDA. While Amgen makes all three ESAs, Procrit is marketed and distributed by Ortho Biotech LP, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.
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I'd like to offer my readers easy quoting and styling of their comments, but I can't seem to find anything. Ideally, I'd like to have a couple buttons over the box that inserts links and formatting codes around selected text, but automatic quoting from other comments in the thread would be nice, too.
In other words, I'd like it to work like the comments here do.
Live preview and user-editing of comments would also be nice, but I know there are already plug-ins for this.


text:
filetransfer.download seems working fine, but reader.readAsText never works for a downloaded HTML file for instance. My environment is Cordova2.0 iOS.
filetransfer.download works fine for any remote files. I can see that using i-funbox file browser with my iOS device.
reader.readAsText works fine for the other existing files.
however, reader.readAsText never works for downloaded files by filetransfer.download API.
How come does this happen?? Please advise.


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Hi all,
Terrible title, I know. Wasn't sure how to explain this one quickly. Here is my site: majesticdetroit.com
I am using this code to sort my events in my sidebar by a custom date field:
<?php $recent = new WP_Query('cat=45&showposts=15&orderby=meta_value&meta_key=Date&order=ASC'); while($recent->have_posts()) : $recent->the_post();?>
Basically, what is happening is that events with a date of 03/10/11, or anything in 2011 are being sorted and showing at the top of my events list. I need to know how to get around this. Is this a WordPress issue? Or is it my code?
Any help would be great!


text:
Definición de gratuity en inglés:
sustantivo (plural gratuities)
1 formal A tip given to a waiter, taxi driver, etc.
Oraciones de ejemplo
- However, a special gratuity paid to a driver, for example at Christmas, may not be taxable.
- As we headed home, my mate wondered why many cafés have counter-top jars for tips if paying gratuities was not New Zealand custom.
- These gratuities are voluntary rewards given from spectators who genuinely enjoyed the battle in the ring.
fringe benefit, bonus, extra payment, little extra, bit extra;
(gratuities) largesse, benefaction;
informal perk
formal perquisite
2British A sum of money paid to an employee at the end of a period of employment: an end-of-contract gratuity of 20% of the total pay received
Más ejemplos en oraciones
- Well, as part of my pay for February, I received my gratuity for the contract period that ended December 31, 2002.
- Charitable payments or gratuities given by employers should not be deducted from awards of damages as it is important not to discourage benevolence.
- Government has been implored to intervene in the labour stand-off between the company and its workers following failure by management to pay gratuity to over 400 employees.
Late 15th century (denoting graciousness or favour): from Old French gratuité or medieval Latin gratuitas 'gift', from Latin gratus 'pleasing, thankful'.
Palabras que riman con gratuityacuity, ambiguity, annuity, assiduity, congruity, contiguity, continuity, exiguity, fatuity, fortuity, ingenuity, perpetuity, perspicuity, promiscuity, suety, superfluity, tenuity, vacuity
For editors and proofreaders
Saltos de línea: gra¦tu|ity
Definición de gratuity en:
¿Qué te llama la atención de esta palabra o frase?
Los comentarios que no respeten nuestras Normas comunitarias podrían ser moderados o eliminados.
Muy popular en Reino Unido
Muy popular en Australia
= de moda


text: I have a custom WMP theme with some custom templates. On some pages I need to display 4 posts and on others I need more than 20. The Number of Posts setting in WMP overrides my numberposts in a wp_get_recent_posts(array('numberposts' => '4')) call. Is there a way to turn off this option or a snippet to override the override?


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Search Results
Search Results Type: Posts; User: prinsessa
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I have worked all shifts and 7-3 is my favorite. 3-11 was too difficult because I never got to see my kids. I was always exhausted when I worked 11-7. I like 7-3 because I can still get home...Dec 29, '12
- Forum: General Nursing Discussion
But you should call the doctor first and get an order to hold it. If one of my patients is going for surgery, I will call the doctor in the morning (if there aren't already orders) and ask how much...Nov 12, '12
- Forum: Geriatric Nurses / LTC Nursing
Don't feel bad. I have seen very experienced nurses hold Lantus without a MDs order. That being said, you should never hold any insulin without a doctor's order. If one of my patients is running...Nov 12, '12
- Forum: Geriatric Nurses / LTC Nursing
I don't mind working the holidays but it annoys me to work a holiday and not get paid extra for it. For example, if you work Christmas Eve or New Years Eve, holiday pay doesn't start until 3 pm. I...Nov 12, '12
- Forum: Nurses Rock
It depends on how long you have been working for my hospital. You start off with 24 days/year for full time employees. PTO includes sick days, vacation days and mandatory holidays (for employees...Oct 29, '12
- Forum: General Nursing Discussion
When I worked at a SNF, one patient's cytotec came up missing several times. The DON asked several of us if we know anything about it. She also asked what it was used for. All I knew was that it...Oct 26, '12
- Forum: Geriatric Nurses / LTC Nursing
There have been times where I really felt like I was going to lose it. Usually when I haven't had anything to eat or a second to go to the bathroom. I think it is a joke when I hear "we really care...Oct 26, '12
- Forum: Nursing Humor / Share Jokes
I haven't worked on many units but the least stressful for me was Mother-Baby. Yes, you can have 8 patients but I felt like I actually had time to do education. This was my final semester during...Oct 26, '12
- Forum: General Nursing Discussion
When I worked at a SNF, I had an ER nurse ask me if I pushed the patient out of the bed (this was a patient who tried to get up and fell). I was house supervisor at the time and this really made me...Oct 18, '12
- Forum: General Nursing Discussion
We use tegaderm. It drives me crazy when someone applies a patch and doesn't document where they applied it or when. We even have a spot on our eMAR for notes. And the note will stay at the top of...Oct 15, '12
- Forum: Nursing and Patient Medications
Become friendly with some of the doctors you work with. I know quite a few RNs (including me!) who got hired at the hospital I work at because a doctor recommended them.Oct 15, '12
- Forum: Geriatric Nurses / LTC Nursing
I had patients who looked like they could die any second and it turned out to be a UTI. And the strange thing was that all vitals were normal. Not even a low grade temp. I have called MDs before...Oct 15, '12
- Forum: Geriatric Nurses / LTC Nursing
I'm really good with dealing with difficult families/patients. Plus I remember random information from nursing school ;)Oct 15, '12
- Forum: First Year After Nursing Licensure
I work on a skilled care unit in a hospital and we don't even give IV push meds. We remind the MDs that if the patient really needs IV push meds, they don't belong on our unit. Usually they will...Oct 10, '12
- Forum: Geriatric Nurses / LTC Nursing
When I worked at a SNF we would send someone to the hospital if they showed any of those symptoms. It really could be anything from a stroke to a UTI.Oct 4, '12
- Forum: Geriatric Nurses / LTC Nursing
I work 5 8s per week and it works for me right now. I have kids so I like being home shortly after they get out of school. I live very close to work so I get home in 15-20 mins. Plus I like...Sep 28, '12
- Forum: General Nursing Discussion
Generally if a patient is going to surgery the MD will say to hold all meds except for Beta blockers and long acting insulin. When the NPO order is being put in there is a section for NPO except...Sep 28, '12
- Forum: Nursing and Patient Medications
There have been shifts where I didn't pee. That is usually because I didn't drink anything all shift either. I have learned to make myself eat something, even if it is only 5 mins. I wish I had...Aug 16, '12
- Forum: General Nursing Discussion
I am fair and get along with most of the CNA/PCTs but I will speak up if they aren't being fair with me (or the patients). The other day I was in a patient's room giving him medications. A bed...Aug 7, '12
- Forum: Nurse Colleague / Patient Relations
I just wash my scrubs with all the other clothes. I do take them off right away after coming home. One girl did tell me that she didn't wash her scrubs every time she wore them. I thought that was...Jul 14, '12
- Forum: Nursing Scrubs / Uniforms / Gear
We had one nurse like that who worked on our floor. Luckily she found another job ;)Jul 12, '12
- Forum: Nurse Colleague / Patient Relations
I passed out (several times) at a concert. It was really hot and standing room only. We were standing close to the stage and I started to feel a little funny. I was trying to make my way to the...Jul 12, '12
- Forum: General Nursing Discussion
It isn't the BO that bothers me. It is the perfume that I can smell from 20 feet away. People should shower before they come to work....just please don't shower in perfume! Makes me sick and I...Jul 6, '12
- Forum: Nurse Colleague / Patient Relations
At our hospital we have the overhead page with the unit only. Plus certain people (code team, supervisor, pharmacist,etc) get a page telling them which room the code is in.Jul 3, '12
- Forum: Nursing Issues On Patient Safety
On my floor day shift does the blood glucose and insulin administration in the AM (unless someone is on a tube feeding and their blood glucose is supposed to be checked Q 6). It can be very...Jun 27, '12
- Forum: Diabetes / Endocrine Nursing


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I am a experienced Web Developer. I have knowledge of using many different technologies such as, backbone, underscore, twitter-bootstrap, LAMP Stacks, and monitoring tools. I am a self taught developer and have experience working with integrating API's into web applications. While working, I enjoy being challenged and set out to find the answers for myself.
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text:
Commonweal Magazine
Trending Topics:
Steven Englund's essay on Catholic anti-Judaism is as passionate and eloquent as it is challenging. He writes with respect and honesty about a complex and painful subject, and as one who shares his desire to decry any form of anti-Judaism or anti-Semitism, and to advance relations between the church and Judaism, I am grateful for his work.
[See all the essays included in "Getting Past Supersessionism: An Exchange on Catholic-Jewish Dialogue."]
Englund details the history of the church's "physical and material atrocities against the Jews," arguing that the primary reason for the church's antipathy to Judaism is its underlying "supersessionist" conviction. That conviction is paradoxical: the church depends on Judaism as the root of its own religious tradition, yet claims that Christianity is Judaism's God-ordained successor and replacement; it has appropriated Jewish Scriptures, practices and dogmas, while delegitimizing Judaism itself for failing to recognize its own longed-for Messiah. Fundamentally, Englund argues, quoting the words of the Jewish theologian Ben Zion Bokser, supersessionism entails the bludgeoning conviction that "authentic Judaism is really Christianity."
Historically this has been the case, but things...
Donald Senior, CP, is president of the Catholic Theological Union at Chicago. He was appointed by Pope John Paul II to the Pontifical Biblical Commission.
Tweets by @commonwealmag


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How is it that the restoration of antique trunks and design are connected? We are often asked this question and the answer is that we offer two related, but distinct services and products.
For one, we offer our expert craftsmanship in the traditional sense. We restore antique trunks for those wanting to have their own antique trunk brought back to life and we have experience with restoring just about every make model, size and shape of trunk that was ever made. If you have an old trunk that you've been using as a storage bin in your attic, or maybe as a storage container in your basement or garage and would like to see that trunk restored, refinished and made beautiful and turned into a decorative trunk that you will be able to use, we perform restorations like this every day and would be more than happy to quote you a very reasonable rate, along with a realistic time frame for completing the work. If it is an antique steamer trunk that you would like to use as a coffee table trunk in your living room, or you are in need of an additional toy box, or storage trunk, we can clean, re-line and restore your antique trunk and then add legs to it (if you would like) allowing it to be the perfect height for your specific application. Do you have a large wardrobe trunk that you don't know what to do with? We can make the piece completely useful again by refinishing the entire inside, as well as the outside, or transform it into something that will work within your home, something other than a storage container. How about making it into a bar? We can preserve, repair, refinish, rejuvenate, revive and make new again, that precious heirloom that you'd like to pass down for generations.
Please don't hesitate to give us a call to discuss restoring your antique trunk. We're up early, and work well into the evenings (on weekends too!) and would love to talk to you about how to get started. We'll be able to give you an accurate estimate for the cost, the best and easiest way to pack and ship your trunk to us, and also give you a time frame for completing the work and when you'll have your trunk back home again.
- Call us now at (310) 318-7129 -
Do you want to know where you can buy a trunk? The "DESIGN" work we do on antique and vintage trunks is the second half of our mission. RE-design would be a more fitting description of this work as we take artistic license to creatively restore most of these antique trunks, adding design elements which we hope will augment, and in some cases, exaggerate the original design, or personality of the trunk. We offer these antique trunks as our line of ANTIQUE TRUNKS FOR SALE and if you click on that tab to the left, you will see examples of this work. Steamer trunks, wooden chests, wardrobe trunks, Jenny Lind trunks, toy chests, decorative trunks, toy boxes and coffee table trunks can be so much more than just a storage container and we have them all, in just about every size, shape and color imaginable. All for sale, right here.
There is another service that we offer too but we thought that if we named our company ANTIQUE TRUNK RESTORATION & DESIGN AND CUSTOM WORK TOO, it would be a bit too long to remember, but we also produce custom made trunks! For customs, we try to utilize genuine antique trunk hardware on these whenever possible and can duplicate just about any of the trunks that we've sold in the past.
Say, for instance, that you wanted to have a matching pair of side table trunks for your bedroom and you wanted to also utilize these as additional storage trunks. We can build and fabricate these in your choice of fabrics (or leather) and color, and size. Unlike many of mass-produced "antique" trunks you might see for sale, these would be one-of-a-kind pieces, built entirely to your specifications, typically at a price similar to our re-designed genuine antique trunks. We offer generous trade discounts to the interior design community and are always excited to work with designers world-wide in creating these custom pieces. You don't have to be an interior designer to have us build you one either. We're also happy to work with people wanting to have a custom trunk designed to call their own.
Lately, I've been asked the same question about if it is wise to restore your trunk, or leave it "as is" I was lucky to find a statement regarding this question which answers it much better than I could have and if you continue to scroll down, past the below photos, you will see that BUSACCA GALLERY in San Francisco offers words on this very topic....
"Much controversy exists over "restored" or "original" in relation to a trunks value. However, little information exists regarding what actually determines the value of a trunk or even a proper definition of the term "value" as it is applied in this situation. For the largest percentage of trunks, an increase in monetary value is bestowed upon those with visual appeal, exceptional condition, unique attributes such as rare design, or are from a maker whose works are collected. Often, it matters little each way whether these examples are restored or original as the value is determined on a case by case basis by the individual buyer. However, there are trunks that exist whose value is measured not only in monetary terms, but more importantly, historical value. This is the heart of the debate and the only real argument that exists in trunk restoration. To take an essentially ruined standard trunk with not one shred of evidence regarding its past and restoring it to a nice, usable antique piece generally makes it more appealing and increases its market value over its original state. However, restoring a trunk with a link to an important historical person or event could destroy any proof of its past in which case history is lost and the monetary value would significantly be reduced. As it turns out, situations exist where both sides are correct. A well done restoration or refinish can increase a trunks value. Conversely, that same restoration can destroy important information regarding a trunks history and its original condition would have been the more valuable state in all aspects. This debate is not unique to trunks and frequently applied to most antiques in general. Often, the most important skill is in understanding the significance and uniqueness of the particular trunk in question. Some are simply very rare while others could be called historically significant. A proper restoration should begin with understanding the type of trunk in question and researching information regarding the history of the trunk if present. If in doubt, it is best to approach conservatively. Nearly all of the hundreds of professional and part-time restorers in the United States have their preferred or learned method of restoration. However, there are only a few who are able to gain the experience necessary to master more than two proper techniques."