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These fast drying, professional quality alkyds offer superior pigment concentration while maintaining the excellent handling characteristics of each individual pigment. With a creamy consistency similar to that of Da Vinci traditional oils,
All 60 colors in the line are permanent and have an ASTM lightfastness rating of I (excellent) or II (very good). Colors can be thinned with paint thinner or turpentine to lower the viscosity and increase transparency. Colors can also be mixed with linseed-based oil.
A thin film dries to the touch in approximately 24 to 48 hours depending on the pigments, thickness of the paint, and environmental temperature. This paint is excellent for building layers quickly.
Color Chart Note — Use this color chart as an approximation of the real color. If exact color matching is necessary, use actual samples of the materials.
see also ...
Da Vinci is a trademark of the Da Vinci Paints Company.


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- Description
The DW3161 Features:
- Tougher tungsten carbide stays sharper longer.
- Anti-stick coating reduces friction and gum-up.
- Thin kerf for smoother cuts.
- Ribbed heat vents allow blade to run cooler, reducing blade flexing and binding.
- All blades feature 5/8" arbor with diamond knock-out.
- Customer Reviews

subset: commoncrawl


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Each year around this time our mail boxes and our inboxes are inundated with requests for help and financial support from almost every nonprofit organization under the sun. While most, if not all, are very worthy causes, it can still be a bit daunting! This year, perhaps more than ever, the needs of our communities are great while our resources are dwindling. With unemplyment at over 10% and the real estate market in a freefall, writing a few checks to our favorite charities is simply not an option for many of us right now. But there are still lots of small ways that we can make a difference, some of which can be very rewarding. What we may not be able to give in dollars, we most likely can give in time. Volunteering at a local charity during the Holidays is a always a great way to support our community and make the lives of those less fortunate a little bit brighter. Hosting a Drop In & Decorate Party is a sweet way to pay it forward and have a swell time doing it. read more >>
Filed Under: Announcements, Baking, Holidays


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Past Workshops
You can use this page to search through past workshops run by SERC-hosted projects. Search for a specific topic or choose from the box on the right to see all the workshops sponsored by a particular project. You may also be interested in our upcoming workshops.
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Considering Animals in Washington D.C.
Jul 8-18 2012 July 8-18, 2012 The Considering Animals Seminar will bring together faculty in the Washington, DC, area to explore how humans and animals interconnect and how understanding animals helps us better understand human ...


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Speaker Profile
Pole Position Marketing
Stoney deGeyter is the President of Pole Position Marketing, a leading search engine optimization and marketing firm helping businesses grow since 1998. Stoney is a frequent speaker at website marketing conferences and has published hundreds of helpful SEO, SEM and small business articles.
If you'd like Stoney to speak at your conference, seminar, workshop or provide in-house training to your team, contact him at firstname.lastname@example.com or 866-685-3374.
Stoney pioneered the concept of Destination Search Engine Marketing which is the driving philosophy of how Pole Position Marketing helps clients expand their online presence and grow their businesses. Stoney is Associate Editor at Search Engine Guide and has written several SEO and SEM e-books including E-Marketing Performance; The Best Damn Web Marketing Checklist, Period!; Keyword Research and Selection, Destination Search Engine Marketing, and more.
Stoney has five wonderful children and spends his free time reviewing restaurants and other things to do in Canton, Ohio.
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Authorized ExacqVision Partner
Video Management System (VMS)
The exacqVision VMS software records surveillance video from over 1,800 IP
camera models and displays on a free Windows, Linux or OSX client software, web
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Storage Devices
The exacqVision S-Series network storage servers greatly expand the storage
capacity of your exacqVision NVR's.
Product Catalog
The complete listing of all exacqVision product models and part numbers.


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Solar Gard automotive window film is the investment that improves your driving
experience and your vehicle's value! Solar Gard provides the comfort, style and
solar protection that keep you driving cooler and looking great in your car. And,
you get these other benefits:
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All Solar Gard films come in a wide variety of colors and tints to compliment any
car or truck exterior. The darker you go, the more privacy you will have but make
sure you check your local tinting laws and adhere to them.
Take Solar Gard auto film for a test drive.
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Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012
LINCOLN COUNTY, Ga. -- Investigators are looking into a sexual assault that involves students from Lincoln County Middle School.
The victim told the assistant principal that she was forced to have sex with 13-year-old boys on Sept. 15 along Firetower Road.
The juveniles accused in the assault were taken to the Augusta Youth Development Campus on Wednesday and have been charged with aggravated sodomy. Both suspects in this case are juveniles, so their names have not been released.
Lincoln County Sheriff Gerald Lawson says the investigation is being handled by the assistant district attorney of the Toombs Judicial Circuit. He says the case is being handled carefully, but appropriate measures will be taken if the boys are found guilty.
"Even though they've been charged in a juvenile complaint, they haven't been found guilty. I just ask the public, you know, and stuff, let's let the justice system work," Lawson said.
Lawson says this is the first case he has seen in his time as sheriff involving children this young.
One community member, who preferred to go unnamed, defended one of the suspects.
"I feel that you should get both sides of the story instead of just one side because I know one of the guys, and he is not a threat to the community."
Have information or an opinion about this story? Click here to contact the newsroom.
Copyright WRDW-TV News 12. All rights reserved. This material may not be republished without express written permission.


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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) -- D.J. Williams is preparing for his first start since Jan. 14 with Wesley Woodyard still hobbled by a sprained left ankle.
The Broncos (9-3) take their seven-game winning streak to Oakland to face the reeling Raiders (3-9) Thursday night and Woodyard is listed as doubtful after missing both of the team's practices this week.
Woodyard leads the Broncos with 97 tackles and is the only NFL player with at least three interceptions and three sacks this season. He won the starting weakside linebacker job in training camp with incumbent Williams facing what turned out to be suspensions totaling nine games.
Woodyard was walking around team headquarters without the noticeable limp he had after Sunday's game, but the Broncos are concerned about him aggravating the injury in a short week.
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Items I can scratch off my bucket list:
1. Open a birthday gift from a stranger
2. Build something with my daddy
3. Play with a pinwheel
4. Mold my hands for mommy & daddy
5. Get my first tattoo
That's a small excerpt from five-month-old Avery Canahuati's bucket list. It's heartwrenching and adorable at the same time, right? (Her first tattoo was Hello Kitty btw…stick on, of course.)
I'm a latecomer to the blog having just found it two weeks ago. But when Avery's parents found out in early April she had a fatal genetic disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy, they knew she didn't have much time. Writing from Avery's perspective, her dad, Michael, chronicled her days as she knocked out items from a lengthy bucket list. "We can watch her die, or we can let her live," Michael told a local radio station.
Eat a cupcake? Check. Get a pedicure? Check. Throw the opening pitch at a baseball game? Play ball!
The Avery's Bucket List blog went viral, with hundreds of thousands of hits each day for the past week. Readers contributed items to the bucket list and helped make some come true. The world was her oyster and she tick, tick, ticked her way through the list. I checked the blog every morning wondering what she'd accomplished.
And then, suddenly, she stopped breathing yesterday. Just 24 days after her initial diagnosis, she went into cardiac arrest. I burst into tears the minute I read about it. She left so many items unfinished, I thought.
But then, look at how much she accomplished. More than any other 5-month-old I've ever known.
By the way, Avery's parents are on a mission to make parents aware that you can test whether or not you're a carrier of the SMA gene. They didn't know this, and wish they had. You can read more about SMA here. It's not a rare genetic thing — SMA is the #1 genetic killer of babies under 2.
If you can, leave a comment for Avery's parents below. I would love to forward this to them with all of our support. I can't imagine their grief, but am so inspired by the way they spent this last month making every day matter — for them and their daughter.


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Career Education Options (CEO)
5000 (FOSS) Building, Room 5245
Shoreline Community College
16101 Greenwood Ave. N
Shoreline, WA 98133
Phone: 206-546-7844
Monday -Thursday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
The Career Education Options program offers 16 to 21-year-olds without a high school diploma the chance to return to school for the education and job training needed for a successful career. The CEO program provides the needed tools to succeed in the college environment.
What does the CEO Program provide?
To qualify for the Career Education Options (CEO) Program, you need to be 16 to 20 years old, as of September 1 of the current school year. If you turn 21 after September 1, you remain eligible for the entire school year. You cannot be enrolled in high school upon entering the CEO Program.
You can enter CEO whether or not you've earned a GED, but NOT if you have a high school diploma. The program is intended for individuals for whom graduation from high school is highly unlikely.
How to Apply to CEO
It's easy! Just give us a call at 206-546-7844 or drop by Room 5245 in the FOSS Building at Shoreline Community College. You will first need to attend an information session, and then sign up for an appointment with one of the CEO staff.


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Install From Web (For Developers)
From Joomla! Documentation
introduced the new Install from web feature that allows direct installations of extensions that are listed on JED. Making your extensions that are already on JED is a two step process:
- 1 1. Fill out the 2 new fields on JED
- 2 None
- 3 Free Direct Download Link
- 4 Free but Registration Required at Link
- 5 Commerical Purchase Required at Link
- 6 2. Setting your site and extensions up for -Free but Registration Required at Link- Extension
- 7 How web installation works
- 8 Web installation with joomlaapps-plugin
- 9 Setting your site and extensions up for a Commercial Extension
1. Fill out the 2 new fields on JED
If you edit your extension listing on JED you will see the following new fields. Select the type of your extension from the list - there are four options:
- None
- Free Direct Download Link:
- Free but Registration Required at Link:
- Commerical Purchase Required at Link:
And, Download/registration/purchase URL field. URL can target:
- A zip URL E.g. http://www.example.com/updates/com_extension_v9.9.zip
- A update XML URL E.g. http://www.example.com/updates/extension_update.xml
Note, the caching on the server for the Install from Web feature is set for 2-6 hours and so you probably won't see your changes right away in the Joomla backend.
If your extension is a free direct download link then all your work is done and you can ignore the next steps :)
This the most common case today. Only JED mandatory fields are filled, and 'Install From Web' fields are empty. The entry is shown, 'Download' button is shown and there's no 'Install' button.
If your extension is just a free direct download link - then put in a link to the update XML you have or direct URL to the zip file.
Free Direct Download Link
If the URL field is filled with a zip or an update XML URL; 'Install' button appears, and the user can just click to install.
Free but Registration Required at Link
If your extension requires registration then you need to put a link to your site Registration Page; 'Install' button appears, and the user can just click to be redirected to your site.
Commerical Purchase Required at Link
If your extension requires a payment then you need to put a link to your site Purchase Page; 'Install' button appears, and the user can just click to be redirected to your site.
2. Setting your site and extensions up for -Free but Registration Required at Link- Extension
If you require a consumer to register then you have to set up your site to deal with the user registration.
If not, the user fills the registration, and the last step of the web installation is NOT completed.
How web installation works
When user clicks on the 'Install' button, Joomla submits these parameters:
- installat E.g. http://yourdomain.com/administrator/index.php?option=com_installer&view=install
- installapp E.g. 99999
installat is the return URL, and installapp is JED's extension ID.
To fill the web installation step, you backend has to receive these parameters, process the registration, and return to the installat URL.
While the registration is filled and processed, Joomla is expecting to receive the zip URL or an update XML URL. When it's received, Joomla finally completes the installation.
Web installation with joomlaapps-plugin
The joomlaapps-plugin is the reference implementation. A good starting point that was developed specifically for this purpose found here.
The plugin has two parameters:
- Files to download
- Entry URL
In the Files to Download parameter, the first parameter you have to set up is to point the plugin to your extensions update XML files or zip files (one per line).
About Entry URL: this plugin is specifically designed for the Joomla User Component (Defaul value index.php?option=com_users&view=login) however it will also integrate nicely with any registration page. E.g. in Community Builder case simply by changing the entry point URL in the plugins parameters - generally it is recommended (but my no means compulsory) to point this to your login page. Note an empty value of this parameter will default to pointing to the Joomla User Component Login page.
How to build joomlaapps-plugin
- Download the files from github
- Copy language files into the system plugin directory
- Zip all files, and install it in the Extension Manager
Setting your site and extensions up for a Commercial Extension
This will need more work than the previous step. It is advised that you download the same plugin - however you will have to integrate into the plugin an extra check to see if the user has purchased your extension. As different extensions implement this in many different ways it is left to extension developers to implement this functionality.
The plugin can be used to get installat and installapp parameters, but it must NOT return the zip URL or update XML URL onUserLogin. When the purchase is completed, the operation can return to fill the web installation.


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Catalog search
Catalog links
The Cafeteria
The Student Cafeteria's contract operator offers food and catering services to the Lehman College community. Hot and cold dishes are available at moderate prices from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Schedules vary when class is not in session. Current schedules may be obtained by calling 718-960-1175.
The main student cafeteria, in the lower level of the Music Building, has a seating capacity of 800. A café is located in Carman Hall and serves fast food and casual meal items. The hours of operation for the café are the same as those of the student cafeteria. For the convenience of students, a varied selection of vending machines is also available both in the Carman Hall Café and the Student Cafeteria.
Last modified: 8/4/2015


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- Home
- News
- Sports
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- Obituaries
- Features
- Special Sections
- Classifieds
- Public Notices
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The Lebanon Enterprise is a weekly newspaper owned by Landmark Community Newspapers Inc.
It is published on Wednesdays and has a circulation of approximately 6,400.
Its office, located at 119 South Proctor Knott Avenue in Lebanon, has been at its current location since April of 1966.
The staff is comprised of an editor/general manager, news editor, advertising manager, advertising sales rep, circulation clerk, bookkeeper/office manager, graphic artist manager, copy editor/graphic artist, a sports correspondent and a part-time driver.
Located in the geographic center of Kentucky, Lebanon and Marion County is peppered with beautiful knobs and rolling pastureland.
Numerous industries and businesses have located here over the past 20 years.
With a population of 18,000, Marion County is well known for its Civil War and religious history along with its main tourism attractions - Maker's Mark Distillery, the Loretto Motherhouse and Marion County Country Ham Days.
While Maker's Mark Distillery is known for its premium bourbon world wide, Ham Days, the county's fall festival held the last weekend of September each year, attracts more than 25,000 visitors because of its food, entertainment and shopping opportunities.
Agriculture remains an important part of the community with tobacco, corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs among the principal products. Workers here build auto parts and wood products and plastic injection molding industry is abundant.
The community features a variety of restaurants and live entertainment along with disc golf and a nine-hole and 18-hole golf courses, high school athletic facilities that rival those of small universities and several parks including Graham Memorial Park, which has the Lebanon Aquatic Center, an Olympic-style indoor pool.
The county comprises four incorporated communities - Lebanon, which is the county seat, Loretto, Bradfordsville and Raywick - along with villages such as Gravel Switch, St. Francis, Nerinx, Holy Cross, St. Joe and Finley.


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50¢ a dayyou can create a instant mobile connection between you and your customers.
Digital Leaps for Small Business
Mōbē is a customized mobile app that creates an instant connection between you and your customers. mōbē puts your company's logo on iPhone and Android so all your customers can have your app. With the tap of their finger, they can find your latest specials, events, discounts, and hours. They can call or locate you instantly right from their phone anytime, anywhere. Sign up now to see what else mōbē can do for you!
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Did You Know...
The average iPhone user only spends 45% of his on-device time making calls.
There are 5.3 billion mobile subscribers (thats 77 percent of the world population).
There are 100 million people actively using Facebook from their mobile devices every month.
63 percent of survey respondents said they would be more likely to give up their money than their mobile smart phone if they were mugged.
Despite all the media hype, and vast sums pumped into developing and promoting native apps, more consumers use their browser than apps in developed nations.
Half a billion people accessed mobile Internet in 2009, and is expected to double within five years as mobile overtakes the PC as the most popular way to get on the Web.


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Summaries of EU Legislation
Summaries of EU legislation: direct access to the main summaries page.
This directive sets out certain minimum conditions for the circulation of civil firearms inside the European Union (EU) territory.
Council Directive 91/477/EEC of 18 June 1991 on the control of the acquisition and possession of weapons [See amending act(s)].
The directive establishes four categories of firearms * by order of their level of danger, defined in Annex I to the directive.
The directive does not apply to commercial transfers of weapons and ammunition of war nor to the acquisition or possession of weapons and ammunition * by:
- the armed forces, the police or the public authorities;
- collectors and bodies concerned with the cultural and historical aspects of weapons and recognised as such by the European Union (EU) countries in which they are established.
The directive is without prejudice to the application of national provisions concerning the carrying of weapons, hunting or target shooting.
A European firearms pass is issued by the authorities of an EU country to any person lawfully entering into possession of and using a firearm. The pass must always be in the possession of the person using the firearm or firearms listed on it.
For identification and tracing purposes, each firearm and elementary package of ammunition must be marked upon manufacturing. To this end, EU countries may apply the provisions of the Convention of 1 July 1969 on Reciprocal Recognition of Proofmarks on Small Arms. A computerised data-filing system into which these firearms are to be registered must be set up by EU countries no later than 31 December 2014. The register is to be accessed by authorised authorities only. In addition, EU countries may set up a system that will regulate the activities of brokers *. Dealers * must keep a register for firearms they receive or dispose of throughout their period of activity.
Measures for control of the sale, acquisition and possession of these weapons are the responsibility of EU countries; however, such measures must fall within the scope of the provisions of this directive. The arrangements for the acquisition and possession of ammunition shall be the same as those for the possession of the firearm for which they are intended.
The acquisition and possession of a firearm may be permitted when a person:
- has a good cause for the acquisition or possession;
- is at least 18 years of age, although an exception to this rule exists with regard to firearms for hunting and target shooting;
- does not present a danger to him-/herself or the public.
EU countries must, in particular, control the acquisition of firearms, parts of firearms and ammunition when it is done via distance communication, such as through the Internet.
A person that meets the requirements for the acquisition and possession of any firearm may be given a multiannual licence. In such cases, any movements of the firearm must be communicated to the competent authorities, regular verifications must be carried out to evaluate whether the person continues to meet the requirements and the maximum time limits specified by national law must be respected.
To control the movement of firearms within the EU, the directive lays down procedures for the:
- definitive transfers of weapons from one EU country to another;
- temporary transfers of weapons (journeys) through two or more EU countries.
These formalities apply to all firearms, excluding weapons of war.
The Commission will establish a contact group by 28 July 2009 for EU countries to regularly exchange information. They are to communicate the names of their national authorities responsible for the information exchanges to each other and the Commission.
The directive does not affect the right of EU countries to take measures to prevent illegal trade in weapons.
EU countries are to intensify controls on the possession of weapons at the external border of the Union.
The Commission will present a report on the application of this directive to the European Parliament and the Council by the end of July 2015.
Directive 91/477/EEC was adopted in the context of the completion of the Internal Market. The free circulation of some specific goods, such as firearms, had nevertheless to be accompanied by precautionary measures enshrined in the directive. The need to revise this directive partly arose from the international commitments of the Union, namely from the signing of the United Nations Protocol on the fight against illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms, part of the Convention against transnational organised crime.
Key terms used in the act
- Firearm: any portable barrelled weapon that expels, is designed to expel or may be converted to expel a shot, bullet or projectile by the action of a combustible propellant.
- Ammunition: the complete round or the components of thereof, including cartridge cases, primers, propellant powder, bullets or projectiles, that are used in a firearm.
- Broker: any natural or legal person, other than a dealer, whose trade or business consists wholly or partly in the buying, selling or arranging the transfer of weapons.
- Dealer: any natural or legal person whose trade or business consists wholly or partly in the manufacture, trade, exchange, hiring out, repair or conversion of firearms, parts and ammunition.
Entry into force
Deadline for transposition in the Member States
Official Journal
Directive 91/477/EEC
OJ L 256 of 13.9.1991
Amending act(s)
Entry into force
Deadline for transposition in the Member States
Official Journal
Directive 2008/51/EC
OJ L 179 of 8.7.2008
Successive amendments and corrections to Directive 91/477/EEC have been incorporated in the basic text. This consolidated version is for reference purposes only.
Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council of 27 July 2010 – The placing on the market of replica firearms [COM(2010) 404 final – Not published in the Official Journal]. Directive 91/477/EEC only applies to products that are firearms or have the appearance of a firearm and can be converted to expel a shot, bullet or projectile by the action of a combustible propellant. It does not cover replica firearms.
There are great differences in EU countries' definitions of replicas; objects defined as such vary in nature, complexity and level of danger. They range from objects that merely resemble a firearm to exact copies of one. At the same time, there are several other products that resemble firearms, but that are not usually classified as replicas. These include imitations of firearms used in leisure or hobby activities (airsoft, paintball), pellet guns, stun guns and distress/signal guns.
In July 2009, the Commission sent a questionnaire to all EU countries to gain a better understanding of the issue of replica firearms. The topics covered security/policing aspects, legislative and regulatory aspects, economic aspects and aspects related to the conversion of replicas. Based on this questionnaire, EU countries might be divided into three categories:
- countries where legislation does not cover the concept of replica firearms and where there are no public order problems due to the use of replicas;
- countries where legislation covers the concept of replica firearms, but where there are no significant public order problems due to the use of replicas;
- countries where legislation covers the concept of replica firearms and where there are concerns regarding the conversion of replicas and their distribution on the market.
Security concerns, when expressed, are connected to the illicit conversion of alarm guns into real firearms or to the occasional utilisation of realistic imitations of firearms to commit an offence. However, Regulation (EC) No 764/2008 on national technical rules and Directive 2001/95/EC on product safety can already apply to replicas. For all these reasons, inclusion of replicas into the scope of application of Directive 91/477/EEC appears to be neither possible nor advisable.
Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council of 15 December 2000 on the implementation of Council Directive 91/477/EEC, of 18 June 1991, on control of the acquisition and possession of weapons [COM(2000) 837 final – Not published in the Official Journal].
See also
- The European Commission Directorate-General Enterprise and Industry website on Directive 91/447/EEC
Last updated: 02.11.2010


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May 2, 2016
SHERMAN, Texas – Austin College softball player Briana Hernandez has been named the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Softball Hitter of the Week, the league office has announced.
Hernandez, a freshman third baseman from Irving, led the 'Roos to a 4-2 record last week while batting .350 with three home runs and 12 runs batted in and helped Austin College sweep a four game series with SCAC foe the University of Dallas.
Hernandez boasted a .850 slugging percentage and a .435 on base percentage to tally 1.285 OPS, and also scored seven runs and added a double and a stolen base. Hernandez is the second 'Roo to be named the SCAC Hitter of the Week this year, as her twin sister Sophia was honored in March.
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November 22, 2011
Sam Estes
If there was ever any doubt about Colin Goebel becoming a Division I football prospect, one need only look at his family tree. ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
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FOR each serving: Muddle 1 peach half and 2 lemon wedges in cocktail shaker.
ADD 5 oz. water, 2 oz. nectar, 1 pkt. CRYSTAL LIGHT, 1/8 tsp. bitters and 1 cup ice cubes; cover with lid. Shake until blended.
STRAIN and pour over additional ice in glass. Garnish with 1 peach slice.


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After 34 years of dedication, Cedar Key Postmaster Annette Kordgien retired from the United States Postal Service Oct. 1.
Airheads from all over the state converged on a 45-acre farm located between Cedar Key and Chiefland last weekend for the Second Annual Suwannee River Tech Day and Camp.
The international Airheads Beemer Club is for riders who own specific BMW bikes: those with air-cooled engines. Most anything that happens with an Airhead Beemer can be repaired on the side of the road with the tool kit that BMW provides – with the right knowledge, of course.
That's why the Airheads motto is "Simple by Choice."
Technicians completed the two and half week installation of a permanent weather station on the Big Dock tower this week, making Cedar Key the first station in Florida capable of enduring hurricanes up to category 4.
"Everybody's been wondering what that mushroom's been about," said NOAA contractor Lee Chapin. "That's why it's built in that fashion – they hope it will withstand a category 4 hurricane." The only others like it are in Mississippi and Louisiana, he said.
"We've got a grease problem again," said Jack Hotaling, Cedar Key Water and Sewer District Manager. "Best way to describe it is sabotage." On Sunday, someone unlawfully dumped approximately 30 to 40 gallons of grease into the sewer system, Hotaling said in a phone interview Tuesday morning. "Grease destroys the good bacteria that does all the work in the plant," Hotaling said. "It also clogs the filters and headworks of our structure.
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant has arrived and the Cedar Key Police Department is using the $65,723 to prepare for the worst.
The grant paid for a new Ford F150 truck, three radar units, a speed trailer, one set of tactical ballistic gear, and four bullet-proof vests, said Police Chief Virgil Sandlin.
All Cedar Key restaurants are required to have working grease traps, and now the Cedar Key Water and Sewer District is going to enforce that rule.
The District Board voted unanimously Monday night to send a letter to all restaurant owners, as well as landlords if applicable, informing them that they have 30 days to meet the grease trap requirement, or their water will be shut off. District staff will inspect each restaurant to ensure compliance.
Oysters on the Gulf Coast — including those in lugged by Cedar Key water men — are safe from a proposed federal Food and Drug administration "warm months" ban for now.
Leslie Sturmer, multi-county aquaculture extension agent, briefed the Levy County Commission on Tuesday on the status of a proposed rule requiring post-harvest processing of oysters or an outright ban on the harvest and sale of oysters from Gulf of Mexico waters from April through October beginning in 2011.
The FOG Problem FOG: Fats, oils, and grease. If homeowners, and especially restaurants, pour grease down the drain, the sewer lines become clogged and the beneficial bacteria that do the dirty work at the wastewater treatment plant die off. When this happens, rules of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection require that the District stop disposal of the treatment plant effluent by way of groundwater infiltration, and instead disposing of the effluent into Cedar Key's surface waters.
Levy County Commissioners William Samuel "Sammy" Yearty and Robert Anthony "Tony" Parker were unanimously found guilty by a jury of conspiring and accepting a $10,000 bribe to pay for a trip to New York City in December 2007 in return for favorable treatment of a project proposed by an FBI agent posing as a developer.
Yearty was also found guilty on a third charge — lying to a federal agent — for denying in an interview that he had accepted a lunch, dinner or gift from anyone.
Cypress Christmas Party - Dec. 14
Cypress Station in Sumner will hold its annual community Christmas party on Dec. 14 at 4:30 p.m. Santa will bring a present for every child between the ages 0-11 and refreshments will be served.
Sign-up at the store by Friday, Dec. 11 to ensure Santa brings enough gifts for everyone.
4-H Christmas party - Dec. 14
Copyright © 2016
The Cedar Key Beacon is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Levy County and Cedar Key Florida, and the surrounding area.


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For the most current version of this Note, see Background Notes A-Z.
Area: 780,580 sq. km.
Cities: Capital--Ankara (pop. 4.66 million). Other cities--Istanbul (12.916 million), Izmir (3.86 million), Bursa (2.55 million), Adana (2.06 million), Gaziantep (1.65 million).
Terrain: Narrow coastal plain surrounds Anatolia, an inland plateau becomes increasingly rugged as it progresses eastward. Turkey includes one of the more earthquake-prone areas of the world.
Climate: Moderate in coastal areas, harsher temperatures inland.
Nationality: Noun--Turk(s). Adjective--Turkish.
Population (July 2010 estimate): 76.8 million.
Annual population growth rate (2010 estimate): 1.312%.
Ethnic groups: Turkish, Kurdish, other.
Religions: Muslim 99% (majority Sunni), Christian, Bahai, and Jewish.
Languages: Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek.
Education: Years compulsory--8. Attendance--97.6%. Literacy--87.4%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--25.78/1,000. Life expectancy--71.96 yrs.
Work force (24.74 million): Agriculture--29.5%; industry--24.7%; services--45.8%.
Type: Republic.
Independence: October 29, 1923.
Constitution: November 7, 1982. Amended in 1987, 1995, 2001, 2007, and 2010.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state), prime minister (head of government), Council of Ministers (cabinet--appointed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister). Legislative--Grand National Assembly (550 members) chosen by national elections at least every 4 years. Judicial--Constitutional Court, Court of Cassation, Council of State, and other courts.
Political parties with representatives in Parliament: Justice and Development Party (AKP) (336 seats), Republican People's Party (CHP) (101 seats), Nationalist Action Party (MHP) (70 seats), Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) (20 seats), Democratic Left Party (DSP) (6 seats), Democrat Party (DP) (1 seat), Turkey Party (TP) (1 seat), seven independents, and eight vacant seats.
Suffrage: Universal, 18 and older.
National holiday: Republic Day, October 28-29.
GDP: (2005) $481.5 billion; (2006) $526.4 billion; (2007) $658.8 billion; (2008) $680 billion; (2009) $618 billion; (2010 forecast) $641 billion.
Annual real GDP growth rate: (2005) 8.4%; (2006) 6.9%; (2007) 4.5%; (2008) 1.1%; (2009) -4.7%; (2010 forecast) 6.8%.
GDP per capita: (2005) $6,681; (2006) $7,500; (2007) $9,333; (2008) $10,436; (2009) $8,590; (2010 forecast) $9.000.
Annual inflation rate/CPI: (2005) 7.7%; (2006) 9.7%; (2007) 8.4%; (2008) 10.1%; (2009) 6.5%; (2010 forecast) 7.5%.
Natural resources: Coal, chromium, mercury, copper, boron, oil, gold.
Agriculture (9.3% of GDP): Major cash crops tobacco, cotton, sugar beets, hazelnuts, wheat, barley, grain, olives, and citrus. Provides about 29.5% of jobs and 2.7% of exports.
Industry (25.6% of GDP): Major growth sector, types--automotive, electronics, food processing, textiles, basic metals, chemicals, and petrochemicals. Provides about 24.7% of jobs and 95% of exports.
Trade: Exports (merchandise)--(2005) $73.5 billion; (2006) $85.5 billion; (2007) $107.2 billion; (2008) $132 billion; (2009) $102.1 billion; (2010 as of August) $72.9 billion: textiles and apparel, industrial machinery, iron and steel, electronics, petroleum products, and motor vehicles. Imports (merchandise)--(2005) $116.8 billion; (2006) $139.6 billion; (2007) $170.1 billion; (2008) $201.8 billion; (2009) $140.4 billion; (2010 as of August) $114.9 billion: petroleum, machinery, motor vehicles, electronics, iron, steel, plastics precious metals. Major partners--Germany, U.S., Italy, France, Russia, Japan, China, Iran, U.K.
Modern Turkey encompasses bustling cosmopolitan centers, pastoral farming villages, barren wastelands, peaceful Aegean coastlines, and steep mountain regions. More than 70% of Turkey's population lives in urban areas that juxtapose Western lifestyles with more traditional ways of life.
The Turkish state has been officially secular since 1924. Approximately 99% of the population is Muslim. Most Turkish Muslims follow the Sunni traditions of Islam, although a significant number follow Alevi and Shiite traditions. Questions regarding the role of religion in society and government, the role of linguistic and ethnic identity, and the public's expectation to live in security dominate public discourse. Turkish citizens who assert a Kurdish identity constitute an ethnic and linguistic group that is estimated approximately 12 million in number.
Mustafa Kemal, celebrated by the Turkish State as a Turkish World War I hero and later known as "Ataturk" or "father of the Turks," led the founding of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 after the collapse of the 600-year-old Ottoman Empire and a 3-year war of independence. The empire, which at its peak controlled vast stretches of northern Africa, southeastern Europe, and western Asia, had failed to keep pace with European social and technological developments. The rise of national consciousness impelled several national groups within the Empire to seek independence as nation-states, leading to the empire's fragmentation. This process culminated in the disastrous Ottoman participation in World War I as a German ally. Defeated, shorn of much of its former territory, and partly occupied by forces of the victorious European states, the Ottoman structure was repudiated by Turkish nationalists brought together under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal. The nationalists expelled invading Greek, Russian, French and Italian forces from Anatolia in a bitter war. After the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey the temporal and religious ruling institutions of the old empire (the sultanate and caliphate) were abolished.
The leaders of the new republic concentrated on consolidating their power and modernizing and Westernizing what had been the empire's core--Asian Anatolia and a part of European Thrace. Social, political, linguistic, and economic reforms and attitudes decreed by Ataturk from 1924-1934 continue to be referred to as the ideological base of modern Turkey. In the post-Ataturk era, and especially after the military coup of 1960, this ideology came to be known as "Kemalism" and his reforms began to be referred to as "revolutions." Kemalism comprises a Turkish form of secularism, strong nationalism, statism, and to a degree a western orientation. The continued validity and applicability of Kemalism are the subject of lively debate in Turkey's political life. The ruling AKP comes from a tradition that challenges many of the Kemalist precepts and is driven in its reform efforts by a desire to achieve European Union (EU) accession.
Turkey entered World War II on the Allied side shortly before the war ended, becoming a charter member of the United Nations. Difficulties faced by Greece after World War II in quelling a communist rebellion and demands by the Soviet Union for military bases in the Turkish Straits prompted the United States to declare the Truman Doctrine in 1947. The doctrine enunciated American intentions to guarantee the security of Turkey and Greece and resulted in large scale U.S. military and economic aid under the Marshall Plan. After participating with United Nations forces in the Korean conflict, Turkey in 1952 joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Turkey is currently a European Union candidate.
The 1982 Constitution, drafted by the military in the wake of a 1980 military coup, proclaims Turkey's system of government as democratic, secular, and parliamentary. The presidency's powers are not precisely defined in practice, and the president's influence depends on his personality and political weight. The president and the Council of Ministers, led by the prime minister, share executive powers. The current president, who has broad powers of appointment and supervision, was elected by Parliament in August 2007 for a 7-year term. Pursuant to a constitutional amendment package approved by voters in an October 2007 referendum, the president is directly elected by the voters for a term of 5 years and can serve for a maximum of two terms. The prime minister administers the government. The prime minister and the Council of Ministers are responsible to Parliament.
The 550-member Parliament carries out legislative functions. Pursuant to the October 2007-approved constitutional amendment package, members of Parliament are directly elected by the voters for a term of 4 years, although general elections may be called at any time. Election is by the D'Hondt system of party-list proportional representation. To participate in the distribution of seats, a party must obtain at least 10% of the votes cast at the national level as well as a percentage of votes in the contested district according to a complex formula. The president enacts laws passed by Parliament within 15 days. With the exception of budgetary laws, the president may return a law to the Parliament for reconsideration. If Parliament reenacts the law, it is binding, although the president may then apply to the Constitutional Court for a reversal of the law. Constitutional amendments pass with a 60% vote, but require an additional popular referendum unless passed with a two-thirds majority. The president may also submit amendments passed with a two-thirds majority to a popular referendum.
In the November 2002 election of Turkey's 58th government, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) captured 34.3% of the total votes, making Abdullah Gul Prime Minister, followed by the Republican People's Party (CHP) with 19.39% of the vote, led by Deniz Baykal. A special general election was held again in the province of Siirt in March 2003, resulting in the election of AKP's chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan to a seat in Parliament, allowing him to become prime minister and solidifying AKP's position in Parliament.
The Turkish Grand National Assembly was to have elected in May 2007 a new president to succeed President Sezer, whose term ended on May 16. Opposition parties led a Constitutional Court challenge to the electoral procedures, which resulted in a series of proposed constitutional amendments and early general elections on July 22, 2007. In the general elections, AKP won 46.6% of the vote, followed by CHP (20.9%), MHP (14.3%) and independents (5.2%). The new Parliament, which was sworn in on August 4, 2007 included 341 AKP members, 97 CHP members, 71 Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) members, 20 Democratic Society Party (DTP) members, 13 Democratic Left Party (DSP) members, one Freedom and Democracy Party (ODP) member, one Grand Unity Party (BBP) member, and five independents. Following the election, Sezer reappointed Erdogan as Prime Minister and then-Foreign Minister Gul again declared his presidential candidacy. The Parliament then elected Gul in the third round of voting on August 28, 2007. Following Gul's move to the presidency, AKP seats in Parliament totaled 340. An MHP deputy died in August 2007, bringing the number of MHP members to 70, and the ban on a DTP deputy expired in July 2008, raising the number of DTP members to 21. President Gul approved Erdogan's proposed cabinet on August 29, 2007, and the new government received a vote of confidence on September 5.
Nationwide local elections for provincial general assemblies, municipal assemblies, and mayoral positions were held March 29, 2009. AKP received 38.39% of the votes in provincial general assemblies and a similar percentage in municipal assemblies. CHP and MHP followed AKP with 23% and 15% respectively. AKP won 10 of 16 metropolitan municipality mayoralties. Though AKP won the elections, party leaders had hoped for a larger percentage of the vote. Prime Minister Erdogan reshuffled his cabinet on May 1, 2009. The next general elections are scheduled for June 2011.
The Judiciary. The judiciary is declared to be independent, but the need for judicial reform and confirmation of its independence are subjects of open debate. Internationally recognized human rights, including freedom of thought, expression, assembly, and travel, are officially enshrined in the Constitution but have at times been narrowly interpreted, can be limited in times of emergency, and cannot be used to violate what the Constitution and the courts consider the integrity of the state or to impose a system of government based on religion, ethnicity, or the domination of one social class. The Constitution prohibits torture or ill treatment; the current government has focused on ensuring that practice matches principle. The law provides most but not all workers with the right to associate and form unions, subject to diverse restrictions.
The high court system includes a Constitutional Court responsible for judicial review of legislation, a Court of Cassation (or Supreme Court of Appeals), a Council of State serving as the high administrative and appeals court, a Court of Accounts, and a Military Court of Appeals. The High Council of Judges and Prosecutors, appointed by the president, supervises the judiciary.
In March 2008 the Constitutional Court agreed to hear a case to close down the AKP because of alleged "anti-secular" activities that contravene the Turkish Constitution. Seventy-one AKP members, including President Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan, were named in the case and could have been barred from politics for 5 years. On July 30, 2008 the court voted six in favor and five against closing down AKP; seven votes were required to close down the party. The court decided to cut the party's state funding, worth about $58 million, in half. None of the AKP members were banned. On December 11, 2009 the Constitutional Court closed the DTP party for its association with the PKK terrorist organization and imposed a 5-year ban from politics on 37 of its members. The remaining elected officials reunited under the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP).
Principal Government Officials
President of the Republic--Abdullah Gul
Prime Minister--Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Ahmet Davutoglu
Ambassador to the United States--Namik Tan
Ambassador to the United Nations--Ertugrul Apakan
Turkey maintains an embassy in the United States at 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008, tel. (202) 612-6700. Consulates general in Chicago (360 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1405, Chicago, IL 60601, tel: 312-263-0644, ext. 28); Los Angeles (4801 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 310, Los Angeles, CA 90010, tel: 323-937-0118); New York (821 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, tel: 212-949-0160); and Houston (1990 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 1300, Houston, TX 77056, tel: 713-622-5849). The Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations is located on 821 United Nations Plaza, 10th floor, New York, NY 10017, tel: 212-949-0150.
Turkey is a large, middle-income country with relatively few natural resources. Its economy is currently in transition from a high degree of reliance on agriculture and heavy industry to a more diversified economy with an increasingly large and globalized services sector. Coming out of a tradition of a state-directed economy that was relatively closed to the outside world, Prime Minister and then President Turgut Ozal began to open up the economy in the 1980s, leading to the signing of a customs union with the European Union in 1995. In the 1990s, Turkey's economy suffered from a series of coalition governments with weak economic policies, leading to high-inflation boom-and-bust cycles that culminated in a severe banking and economic crisis in 2001, a deep economic downturn (GNP fell 9.5% in 2001), and an increase in unemployment. Turkey's economy recovered strongly from the 2001 recession thanks to good monetary and fiscal policies and structural economic reforms made with the support of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Turkey's economy grew an average of 6.0% per year from 2002 through 2007--one of the highest sustained rates of growth in the world. During this period, inflation and interest rates fell significantly, the currency stabilized, and government debt declined to more supportable levels (39.5% of GDP in 2008). However, booming economic growth contributed to a growing current account deficit (-5.6% of GDP or $41.6 billion in 2008). Growth fell to 1.1% in 2008, and the economy contracted by 4.7% in 2009 due to the global economic slowdown and reduced exports. Growth was expected to pick up to 6.8% in 2010, based on strong first and second quarter growth rates. Continued implementation of reforms, including tight fiscal policy, and securing independent Central Bank monetary policies is essential to sustain growth and stability.
After years of low levels of foreign direct investment (FDI), Turkey succeeded in attracting $18.3 billion in net FDI in 2008. Global market conditions reduced foreign capital inflows in 2009, and Turkey attracted $7.7 billion in net FDI in 2009. This amount was expected to fall to around $5 billion in 2010. A series of large privatizations, the stability fostered by the start of Turkey's EU accession negotiations, strong and stable growth, and structural changes in the banking, retail, and telecommunications sectors contributed to the 2008 rise in foreign investment. Turkey has taken steps to improve its investment climate through administrative streamlining, an end to foreign investment screening, and strengthened intellectual property legislation. However, a number of disputes involving foreign investors in Turkey and certain policies, such as high taxation and continuing gaps in the intellectual property regime, inhibit investment. Turkey has a number of bilateral investment and tax treaties, including with the United States, which guarantee free repatriation of capital in convertible currencies and eliminate double taxation.
EU Accession. Turkey and the then-European Economic Community (EEC) entered into an Association Agreement in December 1964. Turkey and the EU also formed a customs union beginning January 1, 1996. The agreement covers industrial and processed agricultural goods and has prompted Turkey to harmonize its laws and regulations with EU standards. Turkey adopted the EU's Common External Tariff regime in 1963, effectively lowering Turkey's tariffs for third countries, including the United States. In 1999 the European Council granted the status of candidate country to Turkey, and accession negotiations with Turkey were opened in October 2005.
Accession talks include a process known as the acquis communautaire that determines to what extent an applicant meets the EU's rules and regulations. The acquis is divided into 33 chapters that range from free movement of goods to agriculture to competition.
As of late November 2010, Turkey had opened 13 chapters, including the provisionally closed chapter on Science and Research. Most recently, in June 2010, the chapter on Food Safety, Veterinary & Phytosanitary Policy was opened. Seventeen chapters are blocked. Three chapters remain unblocked and have yet to be opened. One of the key stumbling blocks to opening new chapters is that Turkey has yet to fully implement the Ankara Protocol, which requires normalizing bilateral relations with EU member Cyprus, something Turkey has said it will not do until both Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities on the island are reunited.
Energy. In 2009, total electricity supply in Turkey reached 194 terawatt-hours (TWh), up by 51% from 2000. Natural gas fueled 49% of power generation, while coal provided 28%, hydropower 19%, oil 3%, and other sources 1%. Electricity demand in Turkey has an annual growth rate of approximately 7.5%, which is higher than the average rate of GNP growth over the last few years. This, combined with the lack of investment in the sector, mainly due to the Government of Turkey's (GOT) control over prices and slow progress in market liberalization, increased concerns regarding electricity shortages. Official data indicated that Turkey would face electricity shortages as of 2009; however, the Government of Turkey revised its projections after experiencing reductions in demand in late 2008, due to the global economic crisis and relatively mild weather. The Ministry of Energy declared a 4.5% annual growth in electricity demand in 2009, half the amount of demand growth in previous years. In 2008, the Government of Turkey passed new legislation to encourage investment in the sector, which introduces incentives for companies bringing their facilities online by 2012. Turkey is currently undertaking privatization of its electricity distribution. Sixteen of 21 electricity distribution facilities have already been tendered.
In 2008, fossil fuels accounted for 90% of total primary energy supply (TPES) in Turkey. Oil, coal, and natural gas each provided 30% of the total, while renewable energy sources provided the remaining 10%. On an energy basis, oil provided 37% of total final consumption, electricity and natural gas 18% each, coal 17%, biomass and waste 7%, and other sources 3%. Coal is the only energy source with significant domestic availability; around 90% of both oil and natural gas is imported. Domestic oil and gas production is mostly from small fields in the southeast, although major exploration projects are active in the Black Sea. TUPRAS, the largest refiner in Turkey, was privatized in 2005. Turkey has a refining capacity of 714,275 barrels per day (b/d).
Turkey acts as an important link in the East-West Southern Energy Corridor bringing Caspian, Central Asian, and Middle Eastern energy to Europe and world markets. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which came online in July 2006, delivers 1 million barrels/day of petroleum, and in 2007, the South Caucasus Pipeline (from Shah Deniz) started bringing natural gas from Azerbaijan to Turkey. Turkey's interconnector pipeline to Greece, an important step in bringing Caspian natural gas to Europe via Turkey, came online in November 2007. In July 2009, Turkey signed the Nabucco Intergovernmental Agreement, along with Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary, which includes plans for a 2,000-mile natural gas pipeline running from Erzurum, Turkey to Baumgarten, Austria with a 31 billion cubic meter capacity. Alternative proposals to Nabucco include the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and the Italy-Turkey-Greece Interconnector.
Telecommunications. Parliament enacted legislation separating telecommunications policy and regulatory functions in January 2000, by establishing an independent regulatory body, the Telecommunication Authority. The authority is responsible for issuing licenses, supervising operators, and taking necessary technical measures against violations of the rules. Most regulatory functions of the Transport Ministry were transferred to the authority, and the regulator is slowly gaining competence and independence. The Electronic Communication Law passed in 2008 gave greater autonomy to the Telecommunication Authority. The authority realized some important projects in 2008. Introduction of number portability was a big step forward, encouraging more competition among the GSM mobile phone operators. The authority also held a 3G License tender in 2008, where all the GSM operators participated and started implementing this new technology in Turkey.
The long-expected privatization of the state-owned fixed-line telecommunications company was accomplished by the sale of 55% of Turk Telekom to the Saudi-owned Oger Group in November 2005. The company remains as a monopoly in fixed lines, but the GSM operators' competition against Turk Telekom has been increasing. With liberalization and growth in the economy, there is growing competition for Internet provision, but Turk Telekom remains the sole provider of ADSL wide band Internet.
Environment. With the establishment of the Environment Ministry in 1991, Turkey began to make significant progress addressing its most pressing environmental problems. The most dramatic improvements were significant reductions of air pollution in Istanbul and Ankara. However, progress has been slow on the remaining--and serious--environmental challenges facing Turkey.
In 2003, the Ministry of Environment was merged with the Forestry Ministry. With its goal to join the EU, Turkey has made commendable progress in updating and modernizing its environmental legislation. However, environmental concerns are not fully integrated into public decision-making and enforcement can be weak. Turkey faces a backlog of environmental problems, requiring enormous outlays for infrastructure. The most pressing needs are for water treatment plants, wastewater treatment facilities, solid waste management, and conservation of biodiversity. The discovery of a number of chemical waste sites in 2006 has highlighted weakness in environmental law and oversight.
After long years of silence, Turkey signed the Kyoto Protocol in 2008 and ratified it in 2009. Turkey will not be obligated to reduce its greenhouse emissions until 2012, when the agreement's second commitment period goes into force.
Transport. The Turkish Government gives special priority to major infrastructure projects, especially in the transport sector. The government is in the process of building new airports and highways, thanks to an increased public investment budget. The government will realize many of these projects by utilizing the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model.
Turkey's primary political, economic, and security ties are with the West, but the AKP government has also sought to strengthen relations with its Middle Eastern neighbors and Central Asian, African, and Latin American countries.
Turkey entered NATO in 1952 and serves as the organization's vital eastern anchor, as it controls the straits leading from the Black Sea to the Aegean and shares a border with Syria, Iraq, and Iran. NATO's Air Component Command Headquarters is located in Izmir and NATO's Rapid Deployable Corps-Turkey is headquartered in Istanbul. Turkey has made important contributions to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, commanding ISAF four times (2002, 2005, 2009-2010, and 2010-2011). Turkey currently commands Regional Command Capital and has set up two Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Wardak and Jowzjan Provinces, with approximately 1,700 troops stationed in Afghanistan.
Besides its relationships with NATO and the EU, Turkey is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Turkey also is a member of the UN and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Turkey and the EU formed a customs union beginning January 1, 1996. In December 1999, Turkey became a candidate for EU membership. On December 17, 2004, the EU decided to begin formal accession negotiations with Turkey in October 2005.
Turkey is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It has signed free trade agreements with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Israel, and many other countries. In 1992 Turkey and 10 other regional nations formed the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Council to expand regional trade and economic cooperation. Turkey chaired BSEC in 2007 and hosted the 15th BSEC Summit in Istanbul in June 2007 and the 17th BSEC Council of Foreign Ministers in Ankara in October 2007.
In October 2008 Turkey was elected to hold a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for 2009-2010. Turkey took that seat January 1, 2009 and held the rotating presidency in June 2009 and September 2010.
U.S.-Turkish friendship dates to the late 18th century and was officially sealed by a treaty in 1830. The present close relationship began with the agreement of July 12, 1947, which implemented the Truman Doctrine. As part of the cooperative effort to further Turkish economic and military self-reliance, the United States has loaned and granted Turkey more than $12.5 billion in economic aid and more than $14 billion in military assistance.
U.S.-Turkish relations focus on areas such as strategic energy cooperation, trade and investment, security ties, regional stability, counterterrorism, and human rights progress. Relations were strained when Turkey refused in March 2003 to allow U.S. troops to deploy through its territory to Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom, but regained momentum steadily thereafter and mutual interests remain strong across a wide spectrum of issues. On July 5, 2006, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul signed a Shared Vision Statement to highlight the common values and goals between our two countries and to lay out a framework for increased strategic dialogue. U.S. President George W. Bush welcomed Prime Minister Erdogan to Washington for a White House visit on November 5, 2007, during which he committed to provide greater assistance to Turkey in its fight against terrorism from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK or Kongra Gel), which he characterized as a "common enemy" of Turkey, Iraq, and the United States. He reiterated this commitment during President Gul's January 8, 2008, White House visit. Turkey allows the use of Incirlik Air Base for the transport of non-lethal cargo in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
After just 3 months in the White House, President Barack Obama paid a historic visit to Turkey April 5-7, 2009, as the first bilateral visit of his presidency. During the visit, he spoke before the Turkish Parliament and outlined his vision of a model U.S.-Turkish partnership based on mutual interests and mutual respect. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also prioritized the U.S.-Turkey relationship, and included a stop in Turkey on her first European trip, visiting Ankara on March 7, 2009. On December 7, 2009, Prime Minister Erdogan met with President Obama at the White House. During the visit, the U.S. and Turkey launched the Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation, a new cabinet-level initiative focused on boosting trade and investment ties. The inaugural Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation meeting was held in Washington in October 2010. In addition to the new framework, the U.S. and Turkey hold annual meetings of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council, which met in Washington in July 2010, and Economic Partnership Commission (EPC), which met in March 2011. In 2009, Turkish exports to the U.S. totaled about $3.3 billion, and U.S. exports to Turkey totaled $8.6 billion.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr.
Deputy Chief of Mission--Douglas Silliman
Political Affairs--Daniel O'Grady
Political-Military Affairs--Anthony Godfrey
Economic Affairs--Laird Treiber
Regional Affairs--Thomas Sylvester
Consular Affairs--Richard Appleton
Management Affairs--Richard Jaworski
Public Affairs--Tom Leary
Agricultural Affairs--Clay Hamilton
Commercial Affairs--Michael Lally
Senior Defense Official--Major General Stanley Clark
Deputy for Attache Operations and Air Attache--Col. Ralph Hansen
Navy Attache--CDR Peter Catalano
Army Attache--COL Dean Katsiyiannis
The U.S. Embassy is located at 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, Ankara 06100, tel: (90) (312) 455-5555.
Short URL: http://m.state.gov/md178609.htm


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Will the US Lead the Green Industrial Revolution?
Last week in President Obama's inaugural speech he addressed the most serious threat our planet has ever faced, climate change, when he said, "We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries – we must claim its promise. That's how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure – our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That's what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared."
It is exciting and hopeful to hear our nation's leader pledge to put us on the path to conquer global warming and combine it with the economic recovery the US so badly needs. Now we need to back up these words with some actions. What can we do to lead a green industrial revolution?
Well we're already seeing some promising actions from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). Did you know the DOD is the largest single consumer of energy in the world? The agency spends approximately $20 billion on 3.8 billion kilowatt hours of electricity and 120 million barrels of oil per year. That's a lot of energy, and sometimes fossil fuels are bought from countries hostile to U.S. interests. So the U.S. military is turning its eyes to renewable energy. Fortunately they are not starting from scratch; they currently have about 80 megawatts of installed renewable energy capacity. However, the good news is that a report released this week by Pike Research forecasts this number to quadruple to 3,200 megawatts by 2025. The research firm quantifies the increase in renewable energy use to a predicted almost $1.8 billion in 2025 of U.S. military spending on renewable energy programs, including conservation measures.
All of this green spending can have lasting positive effects on the industry overall. For example, as the demand for solar cells increases, it encourages the building of more solar cell manufacturing plants. Due to economies of scale, the cost of producing solar cells can decrease, and the new lower costs are passed on to the private sector. Additionally, the solar industry, because of large sales from the U.S. military, has more funds available to conduct research and development into better and cheaper solar cells, which can drive down the price permanently.
It is encouraging to hear and see the U.S. take steps towards leading a green industrial revolution. Is there more that can be done? Absolutely! But we have to recognize these constructive efforts as they are brought to light.
Five Ways to be Chic and Eco-Friendly
There's quite a bit of buzz in the news about eco-friendly clothing, but you may be asking yourself why. Here are five reasons to go green with your clothing choices.
1) Keep toxic chemicals off your skin. Did you know that conventional cotton uses 25% of the world's pesticides? Those same pesticides can be harmful to you if they are absorbed through your skin. Seek out Certified Organic textiles that are grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic fertilizers, and are certified by an international governing body such as Control Union, Institute for Marketecology (IMO) or One-Cert.
2) Get informed about the labor and shipping practices employed to make the clothes you buy. All those pesticides already mentioned, well, they're not good for you or the farmers that grow cotton using them. Also keep in mind where the clothes were manufactured, which you can often find on the label. Think about all the greenhouse gas emissions generated if that t-shirt you're considering had to be shipped across the ocean.
3) Buy antibacterial and durable clothing – it'll save you money and keep you healthier in the long-run. Bamboo fabric can have up to a 99.8% antibacterial rate. This reduces bacteria that thrive in clothing and cause unpleasant odors. So you'll smell better and be less likely to have a skin infection or allergic reaction. Tencel is a completely biodegradable fabric that retains its shape after its first washing and is naturally wrinkle resistant. Its durability is maintained whether wet or dry.
4) The earth has finite resources; buy clothes that are sustainable. Polyester is mainly made out of oil, which is not a renewable resource, and to make matters worse it is not biodegradable either. Sustainable textiles include organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and soy fabrics.
5) Lastly, consider vintage clothing. Buying clothing that was chosen once before is environmentally friendly, and a great way to maximize your clothing budget. If you need an outfit for a special event, check out a consignment store first. Oftentimes, they'll help you find what you're looking for because they have the time and staff that know the available stock.
If you prefer to buy new, look for clothing that is created with reclaimed, recycled, and vintage materials.
Shopping for clothes has an often overlooked environmental impact. It pays for us to use our purchasing power to make ourselves chic and reduce our carbon footprint.
Learn more about eco-friendly fabrics here: http://www.the-eco-market.com/eco-friendly-fabrics.html.


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The Shivering Sea is a substantial ocean located to the north-east of Westeros and north of Essos. It separates Essos from the northern polar icecap. The Narrow Sea opens into the Shivering Sea just east of the Vale of Arryn. The Bite and the Bay of Seals are inlets of the Shivering Sea.
In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the Shivering Sea is an immense circumpolar sea. It is said to be home to many whales. The largest island on the sea is Ibben, located almost three thousand miles due east of Skagos. Ibben is home to folk who make their trade from fishing and whaling, selling their catches in the Free Cities and the ports of north-eastern Westeros.
The Shivering Sea becomes extremely dangerous to cross during winter, due to severe storms and also to icebergs and other cold-weather dangers.
See also
Seas of the Known World
|Major Seas:
Sunset Sea · Summer Sea · Narrow Sea · Shivering Sea · Jade Sea
|Lesser and Inland Seas:
Bay of Ice · Bay of Seals · The Bite · Blackwater Bay · Gulf of Grief · Ironman's Bay · Sea of Dorne · Sea of Myrth · Smoking Sea · Sea of Sighs · Shipbreaker Bay


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WOODBRIDGE, Va. (WUSA9) -- An 88-year-old driver died after he ignored a stop sign, say Prince William County Police.
Police say Kermit Adam Gueiss of Woodbridge and a passenger were traveling on Post Office Road when he disregarded a stop sign and collided with a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado on Golansky Boulevard.
Gueiss, his passenger, and the Silverado driver were transported to hospitals, say police. Gueiss was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later. Police say the driver of the Silverado and Gueiss' passenger suffered non-life threatening injuries.
According to police, all three people were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. They do not believe speed and alcohol were factors in the crash.


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Great new images of the golden mouse.
Related species for the Pelagic thresher (Alopias pelagicus)
By Taxonomy
« Back to the Pelagic thresher (Alopias pelagicus)
Thresher shark (Alopias vulpinus)
With their enormous, curving upper lobe of the tail fin, which can be as long as the body, thresher sharks (Alopias vulpinus) are one of the…
Bigeye thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus)
Information on the bigeye thresher shark is currently being written and researched and will appear here shortly.…
More about the bigeye thresher shark »
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Shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus)
The shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) is believed to be the fastest-swimming of all sharks, thought to be capable of attaining bursts of…
Crocodile shark (Pseudocarcharias kamoharai)
A particularly small, slender and distinctive shark, the crocodile shark is named for its prominent, spike-like teeth, and its habit of…
More about the crocodile shark »
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Longfin mako (Isurus paucus)
A little known, elusive shark, the longfin mako is a large, powerful, oceanic predator. With a long, pointed snout, a large dorsal fin and…
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Salmon shark (Lamna ditropis)
A formidable hunter, the salmon shark (Lamna ditropis) is sometimes mistaken for the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), but can…
Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus)
The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is the second largest fish in the seas, after the whale shark (Rhincodon typus); its maximum…
Smalltooth sand tiger shark (Odontaspis ferox)
Information on the smalltooth sand tiger shark is currently being researched and written and will appear here shortly.…
More about the smalltooth sand tiger shark »
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Megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios)
The megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios) is one of the most mysterious and least understood of all the sharks. It was first recorded…
Porbeagle (Lamna nasus)
The porbeagle is a stout, heavy shark with a pointed, conical snout and a crescent-shaped caudal, or tail, fin. Its name is thought to…
Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)
The mighty great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is often mistakenly thought of as the most voracious predator of the seas…
Sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus)
This stocky shark has a conical nose and a slightly flattened head. It is a dark brown or beige colour above, with blotches of darker colour…


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Sabrina's Kadabra is a Kadabra belonging to the Saffron City Gym's Gym Leader, Sabrina. It is one of her most powerful Pokémon.
In the AnimeIt first appeared as an Abra in IL022: Abra and the Psychic Showdown. It first appeared as if it was sleeping. Sabrina used Kadabra in a Gym Battle against Ash's Pikachu. Whilst the two Pokémon battled, Abra evolved into Kadabra. It displayed great strength after it's evolution by controlling Pikachu's Thunder with Confusion turning the attack not only against him but into what appeared to be a dragon made of electricity. It used Psychic to slam Pikachu on the ceiling and on the floor repeatedly until Ash couldn't take it and forefited the match causing it to stop the brutal onslaught.
It later appeared in IL024: Haunter Versus Kadabra. It was supposed to battle Ash's Haunter but it was nowhere to be seen. Later, in Ash's re-rematch Kadabra battled Pikachu again and was tougher than before, especially with attacks like Teleport and Psybeam. Just as Ash thought he had the battle won with a devastating Thunder attack, Sabrina told it to use Recover and all the damage it took was gone. When Sabrina was laughing because of Ash's Haunter's slapstick, Kadabra was laughing as well since they were both psychically linked, making it unable to battle.
- Kadabra is the first Pokémon to evolve during a Gym battle with Ash.