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Njoku, E. G. 2003. Nimbus-7 SMMR Pathfinder Brightness Temperatures. [indicate subset used]. Boulder, Colorado USA: NASA DAAC at the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
84 degrees South to 84 degrees North and longitudes of 180 degrees West to 180 degrees East with a 780 km swath
25 October 1978 to 20 August 1987 with a resolution of every other day
Brightness Temperatures
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Dr. Eni G. Njoku
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The Nimbus-7 SMMR Pathfinder Brightness Temperatures data set contains global brightness temperatures in swath format (level 1b) from October 25, 1978 to August 20, 1987. The instrument obtained near-global coverage at five frequencies (6.6, 10.7, 18, 21, and 37 GHz) in both horizontal and vertical polarizations, at a constant incidence angle of 50.3 degrees, every six days. Data are stored as daily orbit files in compressed Hierarchical Data Format (HDF) and are available on FTP.
The data set was produced at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) from a level 1A antenna temperature ('TAT') data set provided by A. Chang and D. Han of the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The TAT data consisted of uncalibrated raw sensor output.
The SMMR Level 1B data set contains global brightness temperatures spanning October 25, 1978 to August 20, 1987. The SMMR was launched by NASA on the Nimbus-7 satellite, and measured the Earth's microwave radiation at five frequencies (6.6, 10.7, 18, 21, and 37 GHz) in both horizontal and vertical polarizations at a constant incidence angle of 50.3 degrees. Near-global coverage was obtained every six days. Details of the SMMR instrument, the data processing algorithms, and early geophysical results are provided by Gloersen and Barath (1977), Njoku et al. (1980), Swanson and Riley (1980), Njoku (1980), Gloersen et al. (1984), Gloersen (1987) and Fu et al. (1988).
This data set is the outcome of a project to reprocess the original level 1B data. The primary objectives were to remove (or reduce) known calibration anomalies in the data (Milman and Wilheit 1985, Liu and Mock 1986, Frances 1987, and McMillan and Han 1990) and to provide a globally-consistent data set, available on compact media, for global change research (ocean, land, atmosphere, and cryosphere). The processed data are in swath format with the original sampling and resolution of the data maintained. Processing details provided by Njoku et al. (1998). The data are available in the Hierarchical Data Format (HDF).
Each data file contains a complete orbit, defined as beginning and ending at successive descending node equator crossings (approximately midnight local time). The orbital period is approximately 104.16 minutes, resulting in approximately 13.8 orbits per day. The file size for an uncompressed SMMR orbit file is 4.3 megabytes. Due to spacecraft power constraints, the SMMR was limited to acquiring data on alternate days for most of the mission. Additional time gaps occur in the data, primarily due to gaps in acquisition, transmission, or processing of the raw data. The size of the entire (approximately nine-year) data set is 59 gigabytes compressed, and 101 gigabytes uncompressed.
Production of this data set was motivated by the desire to improve upon earlier versions of archived Nimbus-7 SMMR brightness temperatures by providing: (1) data corrected to the extent feasible for observed calibration anomalies in all radiometer channels; (2) data processed globally in swath format at the original sensor sampling and resolution (i.e. without gridding to Earth-fixed coordinates); (3) data processed for the full mission duration using a uniform set of processing algorithms and procedures; (4) data archived, documented, and accessible, on compact media and in standard format, and available at an EOSDIS DAAC, for use in global change research.
Table 1 provides a brief description of the information and variables contained in the HDF data files. For complete details, see the SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set document.
|HDF Object Type
|Reference #
|File Description
|Contains a textual description of the data in the HDF files. See section 3.1 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|Spacecraft Position and Scan Info-1
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Contains spacecraft information such as yaw, pitch, and roll and sun ascension and declination information as well as date and time. See section 3.2 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|Spacecraft Position and Scan Info-2
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Contains spacecraft information such as x, y, and z coordinates and altitude. See section 3.3 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|Scan Angle and Location Info
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Contains the latitude and longitude of the data as well as antenna scan angles, reflected sun-footprint angles, and footprint incidence angles. See section 3.4 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|Calibration Data
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Contains values used to calibrate the radiometric data for the corresponding scan. See section 3.5 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|6.6 GHz Horizontal Data
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Brightness temperature data from the 6 GHz horizontal channel. See section 3.6 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|6.6 GHz Vertical Data
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Brightness temperature data from the 6 GHz vertical channel. See section 3.6 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|10.69 GHz Horizontal Data
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Brightness temperature data from the 10 GHz horizontal channel. See section 3.6 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|10.69 GHz Vertical Data
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Brightness temperature data from the 10 GHz vertical channel. See section 3.6 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|18 GHz Horizontal Data
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Brightness temperature data from the 18 GHz horizontal channel. See section 3.6 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|18 GHz Vertical Data
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Brightness temperature data from the 18 GHz vertical channel. See section 3.6 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|21 GHz Horizontal Data
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Brightness temperature data from the 21 GHz horizontal channel. See section 3.6 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|21 GHz Vertical Data
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Brightness temperature data from the 21 GHz vertical channel. See section 3.6 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|37 GHz Horizontal Data
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Brightness temperature data from the 37 GHz horizontal channel. See section 3.6 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|37 GHz Vertical Data
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Brightness temperature data from the 37 GHz vertical channel. See section 3.6 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
|Surface Type Indices
|Scientific Data Set (SDS)
|Contains an indicator of the surface type based on the radiometric data latitudes and longitudes in conjunction with the Fleet Numeric Meteorological and Oceanographic Center SSM/I surface type database. See section 3.7 in SMMR Level 1B Pathfinder Data Set for complete details.
In addition, daily, global browse images of selected brightness temperature channels are available as follows:
This data set is unique in that it contains brightness temperatures processed in swath format at the original instrument sampling resolution. It includes corrections for instrument calibration anomalies found to be present in data processed originally by the Nimbus Satellite Project. Other reprocessed data sets have also been published, using subsets of the SMMR channels in Earth-gridded format and over specific geographic regions (Wentz and Frances 1992, Gloersen et al. 1992). Comparisons of the present data with these other data sets has not been performed as of the publication date of this Guide (September, 1995).
The data set extends from latitudes of 84 degrees South to 84 degrees North and longitudes of 180 degrees West to 180 degrees East. The 50 degree scan provided a 780 km swath of the Earth's surface.
The data set has been produced in swath format.
The data set covers 25 October 1978 to 20 August 1987. The SMMR operated continuously during the three week checkout period from October 25, 1978 to November 16, 1978. After that, the instrument was switched on and off on alternate days. From April 3 to June 6, 1986, a special operation was under way during which the SMMR was switched off more frequently. The off periods averaged length of 75 minutes and the on periods averaged 30 minutes.
The following graphic shows the percentage of missing data for the SMMR instrument. The value for 1986 does not include the period of special operation which was from April 3 to June 6, 1986.
Switching of the instrument on and off on alternate days was the normal mode of operation for the SMMR for most of its mission due to power sharing constraints among instruments on the spacecraft. The SMMR was routinely turned on at close to midnight GMT (corresponding to a descending node equator crossing near 0 longitude), and turned off at approximately the same time the following day. The satellite completes nominally 13.8 orbits in a day. Each level 1B orbit file covers a time period of approximately 104.16 minutes.
Brightness Temperatures
Brightness temperature is the effective temperature of a blackbody radiating the same amount of energy per unit area at the same wavelengths as the observed body.
All temperatures are stored in Kelvins * 0.1.
The SMMR Pathfinder brightness temperature data set was generated from SMMR measurements.
The range for the brightness temperatures is approximately 65 K to 325 K.
Each processed level 1B orbit file contains the following HDF objects:
ITEM HDF OBJECT TYPE REF# File Description Annotation N/A Spacecraft Position and Scan Info-1 (SP1) Scientific Data Set 3 Spacecraft Position and Scan Info-2 (SP2) Scientific Data Set 5 Scan Angle and Location Info (SAL) Scientific Data Set 7 Calibration Data (CAL) Scientific Data Set 9 6.6 GHz Horizontal Data (06H) Scientific Data Set 11 6.6 GHz Vertical Data (06V) Scientific Data Set 13 10.69 GHz Horizontal Data (10H) Scientific Data Set 15 10.69 GHz Vertical Data (10V) Scientific Data Set 17 18 GHz Horizontal Data (18H) Scientific Data Set 19 18 GHz Vertical Data (18V) Scientific Data Set 21 21 GHz Horizontal Data (21H) Scientific Data Set 23 21 GHz Vertical Data (21V) Scientific Data Set 25 37 GHz Horizontal Data (37H) Scientific Data Set 27 37 GHz Vertical Data (37V) Scientific Data Set 29 Surface Type Indices (SFT) Scientific Data Set 31
A general description of data granularity as it applies to the IMS appears in the EOSDIS Glossary.
The data are stored in daily files by orbit. A complete orbit is defined as beginning and ending at successive descending node equator crossings (approximately midnight local time). The orbital period is approximately 104.16 minutes, resulting in approximately 13.8 orbits per day. The file size for an uncompressed orbit file is approximately 4.3 megabytes. Each daily file is composed of all the orbits for that particular day.
The data are stored in Hierarchical Data Format (HDF).
These products are available on FTP.
HDF files can be viewed using HDFView from the HDF Group.
The current input data for the Nimbus-7 SMMR Pathfinder Brightness Temperatures data set is the Nimbus-7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) Antenna Temperatures data set created at NSIDC.
The original Level-1A antenna temperature tapes (TAT) data provided by A. Chang and D. Han of GSFC were produced and archived originally by the Nimbus-7 Satellite Project at GSFC.
On the Nimbus-7 platform the SMMR instrument measures passive microwave radiances. The SMMR is a ten channel instrument delivering orthogonally polarized antenna temperatures at five microwave frequencies, 6.6, 10.69, 18, 21 and 37 GHz.
The SMMR instrument employed a 79-cm diameter offset-fed parabolic reflector to direct Earth-emitted radiation into a 10-channel multi-frequency feed horn. At the ports of the feed horn the radiation was split into the designated frequency and polarization channels (frequencies of 6.6, 10.7, 18, 21, and 37 GHz, each with horizontal and vertical polarizations) and transmitted via wave guide or coaxial line to the respective radiometers for detection. Scanning was accomplished by sinusoidal oscillation of the parabolic reflector (offset at 42 degrees from nadir) about a vertical axis with a period of 4.096 seconds. The antenna orientation was forward-looking, with a symmetric angular scan between azimuth angles of +25 and -25 degrees to each side of the suborbital track. This resulted in a conical scan, with a constant incidence angle at the Earth's surface of 50.3 degrees. The scan pattern mapped out a swath width of 780 km at the Earth's surface.
The spatial resolutions at the various frequencies ranged from approximately 27 km at 37 GHz to 148 km at 6.6 GHz. The radiometer sensitivities ranged from 0.7 K at 6.6 GHz to 1.4 K at 37 GHz, for radiometer integration times ranging from 128 to 32 ms, respectively. Calibration data were acquired at the scan extremes by alternately switching the radiometers to sky horns viewing cold space and internal calibration loads at the instrument ambient temperature. A summary of the nominal SMMR operating characteristics is shown in Table 1. Further details on the instrument design and operation are given in Refs [2] and [3].
Table 1: Nimbus-7 SMMR Nominal Operating Characteristics ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Frequency (GHz) 6.6 10.7 18 21 37 Sampling period (ms) 128 64 64 64 32 Sensitivity (K) 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.4 3-dB beam width (deg) 4.2 2.6 1.6 1.4 0.8 Footprint resolution (km) 148x95 91x59 55x41 46x30 27x18 Antenna aperture (cm) 79 Offset angle (deg) 42 Azimuth scan range (deg) -25 to +25 Scan period (s) 4.096 Earth-incidence angle (deg) 50.3 Orbit type Circular, sun-synchronous, local noon (ascending) and midnight (descending) equator crossings Altitude (km) 955 Inclination (deg) 99 Period (min) 104.16 Nodal progression (deg) 26.1 (westward) Subsatellite vel. (km/s) 6.4 Swath width (km) 780 Launch date: October 24, 1978 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Nimbus-7 satellite was launched by NASA on October 24, 1978 into a near-polar sun-synchronous orbit of altitude 955 km and inclination of 99 degrees. The orbital period was 104.16 minutes, with a nodal progression of 26.1 degrees westward, resulting in approximately 13.8 orbits per day. The nodal crossings were at local noon (ascending) and local midnight (descending). There were eight scientific instruments on the spacecraft including the SMMR. Due to spacecraft power limitations only one of the instruments operated on a full 100 percent duty cycle. The SMMR was constrained to a 50 percent duty cycle, and was turned on and off on alternate days.
The attitude control system was designed to maintain spacecraft stability to within 0.7 degrees in pitch, and 1 degree in roll and yaw. Nominally, a sun sensor was used to sense the spacecraft attitude during daytime portions of the orbit, and horizon sensors were used during nighttime portions. Spacecraft pitch, roll, and yaw angles, and ephemeris data, were used to compute footprint latitude and longitude locations and incidence angles. These data were placed on the TAT data record.
The SMMR was an experimental Earth-imaging passive microwave sensor launched as a follow-on to earlier experimental radiometers (ESMR, NEMS, and SCAMS) launched by NASA on previous satellites in the Nimbus series (Nimbus-5 and -6). The SMMR was designed primarily for remote observations of oceanic, cryospheric, and tropospheric moisture-related phenomena. Key geophysical variables observable by the SMMR included sea surface temperature, sea surface wind speed, columnar water vapor over the ocean, cloud liquid water over the ocean, rain rate, sea-ice concentration and type, snow extent and depth, and potentially other land parameters such as soil moisture, surface temperature, and vegetation extent.
The SMMR instrument measures passive microwave radiances at 6.6, 10.69, 18, 21 and 37 GHz frequencies.
Six conventional Dicke-type radiometers are used. Those operating at the four longest wavelengths measure alternate polarizations during successive scans of the antenna; the others, at the shortest wavelength, operate continuously for each polarization. A two point reference signal system is used, consisting of an ambient RF termination and a horn antenna viewing deep space. A switching network of latching ferrite circulators selects the appropriate polarization or calibration input for each radiometer. For more details on the principles of operation of the SMMR instrument, see the Scanning Multi-channel Microwave Radiometer guide document.
Final design and fabrication was accomplished at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory by a team under the direction of J. Johnston.
For information on the derivation techniques and algorithms, see Gloersen (1987) and Fu et al. (1988).
A description of the theory and implementation of the processing is given in Njoku et al. (1998). Care was taken to ensure that instrument-related effects (and not geophysical signatures) were removed in the processing. The approach synthesized results and analyses from previous SMMR calibration studies (Swanson and Riley 1980, Njoku 1980, Gloersen 1987, Fu et al. 1988, Frances 1987, McMillan and Han 1990, Gloersen et al. 1992).
The following were the main steps in the procedure:
(1) Calibration of the radiometric data to convert from raw counts to antenna temperatures.
The basic calibration equation used was described in the Nimbus-7 SMMR CELL-ALL tape User's Guide (Ref [8]). This equation was derived from theoretical models of the instrument, data acquired during pre-launch thermal vacuum testing, and post-launch data analysis (Swanson and Riley 1980, Gloersen 1987, Fu et al. 1988).
The equation converted radiometer counts to antenna temperature, making use of the cold sky and warm load calibration counts. Terms in the equation included off-line-derived coefficients to account for losses in the component waveguides, horns, and switches, and in-orbit engineering temperatures measured by thermistors mounted on these components (Fu et al. 1988).
Anomalous cold-sky calibration counts were recorded by the SMMR during a period each orbit when solar radiation entered the sky horns. This occurred over a time interval of about one-sixth of each orbit, and resulted from the spacecraft's orientation relative to the sun as a function of orbit position. The anomalous data were corrected by replacing them with cold counts interpolated linearly between the weighted-average values immediately before and after the anomaly periods. (To reduce effects of noise and other occasional errors in calibration counts and component temperatures, these data were smoothed by computing them as weighted running-averages, and by using thresholds to exclude large error values.)
(2) Adjustment for (a) calibration bias errors, (b) long-term calibration drifts, and (c) calibration drifts with respect to the sun-spacecraft (ecliptic) angle.
(a) Adjustments for calibration bias errors were performed in a manner similar to that described by Gloersen (1987). A renormalization was done to correct for portions of the antenna sidelobes viewing cold space. A linear correction was made to the calibration equation in order to adjust the observed ocean brightness temperatures to those computed from a radiative transfer model (Hofer and Njoku 1981) for similar ocean-atmosphere conditions. This was done by using modeled brightness temperatures, with averaged ocean and atmosphere climatological conditions as inputs, as a "cold temperature" reference point, and the internal warm load as a "warm temperature" reference point. The assumed climatological conditions were typical of average conditions for December in the latitude range 40 to 50 degrees South. Averaged SMMR data from December 1978 nighttime passes over ocean in the latitude range 40 to 50 degrees South were used to obtain the coefficients for the linear adjustment. Two passes of this procedure were performed to minimize the effects of clouds.
(b) Corrections for long-term calibration drifts were implemented in a manner similar to the procedures described in Frances 1987, McMillan and Han 1990, and Gloersen et al. (1992).
Six-day global ocean averages of SMMR brightness temperatures (away from land or ice) were generated for the duration of the mission. The annual cycle was removed, and the residual trends in each channel were fit by least squares to polynomial functions of time. These polynomials were applied as corrections for long-term drift at the "cold temperature" reference of the calibration equation. In applying this approach, it was assumed that the global ocean average brightness temperatures (with the annual cycle removed) should be approximately constant with time, and that any residual, secular long-term trends, uncorrelated by radiometer channel, could be ascribed to calibration drifts, such as due to gradual degradations of instrument components. A correction for long-term drift was not applied at the "warm temperature" reference of the calibration equation since averaged land brightness temperatures, which might be appropriate as a warm calibration reference, do not exhibit the temporal stability of averaged ocean temperatures. However, degradations of instrument components, leading to increased resistive losses, normally have much larger relative effects at cold brightness temperatures than at warm brightness temperatures. Hence, most probably this is not a serious omission.
On January 4, 1984, the recorded SMMR incidence angles and some of the brightness temperatures (predominantly the vertical polarizations) exhibited small but significant discontinuous jumps in their mean values. (The mean recorded incidence angle changed from 50.2 degrees to 49.8 degrees.) The nature and magnitudes of these jumps appeared to be consistent with the possibility that a discontinuous change in the mean spacecraft attitude had occurred. However, these jumps were not discovered in the SMMR data until after the mission when long-term trend analyses were performed, and the cause could not be determined retrospectively, and conclusively from the spacecraft and instrument data records. For this reason, the long-term trend polynomial fits described above were computed and applied in two segments - before and after January 4, 1984. Between these two segments, the fitted trends exhibited the discontinuities shown in Table 2. It is recommended that the brightness temperature "delta" values shown should be added as a calibration offset to all ocean brightness temperatures subsequent to the January 4, 1984 date. These offset adjustments were not applied automatically during reprocessing of the data since there was uncertainty as to whether their cause was in fact instrument-related, software-related, or geophysical in nature.
Table 2: Offset adjustments ("deltas") recommended to be added to the SMMR ocean brightness temperatures after January 4, 1984. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Channel Delta (K) 6.6 GHz (V) 1.04 10.7 GHz (V) 0.81 18 GHz (V) 0.79 21 GHz (V) 0.0 37 GHz (V) 0.88 6.6 GHz (H) 0.0 10.7 GHz (H) 0.0 18 GHz (H) 0.0 21 GHz (H) 0.0 37 GHz (H) 0.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) Calibration drifts with respect to the so-called "ecliptic" angle (the angular distance of the spacecraft in its orbit from the point of closest approach to the sun) were caused by variations in solar heating of the SMMR instrument at different positions in the orbit. The solar heating induced dynamic temperature gradients in the horns, waveguides, and other instrument components, that could not be fully compensated by the basic calibration equation. The calibration drift characteristics were repetitive each orbit since the Nimbus-7 orbit was sun-synchronous. The drifts were estimated and corrected using a procedure similar to that described by Frances (1987) (and also used by Gloersen et al. 1992). In this procedure, differences between co-located brightness temperatures from ascending and descending orbital crossings over the ocean were accumulated for each year, averaged by latitude band (related to ecliptic angle) and six-day period. It was assumed that, averaged over the year, these differences should be zero, and that departures from zero represented calibration drift errors. A weighted least squares procedure was used to estimate these errors as a function of ecliptic angle for each year of the mission. The functional dependence varied slightly from year to year, hence a linear interpolation between years was computed. The final corrections were used as adjustments to the "cold temperature" reference in the calibration equation.
(3) Interpolation of the radiometric data for all channels to the locations of the 37 GHz vertical radiometric data.
As described by Njoku (1980), the sampling sequences of the SMMR radiometers were non-coincident. Also, the vertical and horizontal polarizations (except at 37 GHz) were sampled on alternate halves of the oscillating scan cycle. In order to correct for polarization mixing of the brightness temperatures co-located vertical and horizontal data at each frequency were required. This was accomplished by interpolating the measured brightness temperatures along- and across-scan so that vertical and horizontal channels were co-registered at each frequency. In actual implementation all channels were in fact interpolated to be co- registered to the locations of the 37 GHz vertical samples. This additional density of interpolation provided uniform, co-located data arrays at each channel, and simplified the further processing steps considerably. However, it should be remembered that the interpolation does not increase the inherent resolution of the data channels (as given in Table 1). Conversely, the interpolations are over distances that are relatively small with respect to footprint size, and hence should not adversely affect the accuracy or fidelity of the data.
(4) Correction of the antenna temperatures for polarization mixing.
Mixing of the received vertical and horizontal brightness temperatures occurred due to antenna effects (cross-polarization and scan-induced polarization coupling) and also due to polarization switch leakage. Since these effects, in particular the switch leakages, could not be adequately characterized prior to launch, correction coefficients had to be estimated and applied post-launch. The effects were asymmetrical as a function of scan position, but could be corrected by applying a simple 2x2 matrix operation to convert "measured" vertical and horizontal data to "corrected" vertical and horizontal data at each scan position. The correction coefficients were estimated by fitting brightness temperatures, averaged by scan angle over ocean regions between latitudes 30 and 50 degrees South for December 1978, to modeled functions of the azimuthal scan angle. These coefficients were assumed to be constant in space and time, and were applied globally and for the entire mission.
(5) Setting of flags to identify anomalous conditions and possible losses of data quality.
Each scan of data in the SMMR output includes a 16-bit "scan status word". Six bits of this word are set to indicate possible losses of data quality in the data output for that scan. Details of the interpretations of these data quality flags are described in Section 8.
Table 3: Interpretation of Scan Status Word ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (16-bit word --- all bits will be zero except as follows:) Bit 0 = 1: Possible loss of data quality in level 1A processing (flag passed from input TAT data). Bit 1 = 1: Scan is in period of initialization of calibration and engineering data running averages. Brightness temperature calibrations may be less reliable during this period. Bit 2 = 1: One or more of the instrument component temperatures used in the radiometric calibrations has deviated by more than +/- 3K from its running average value in the previous scan. The accuracy of the brightness temperature calibrations in this scan may be reduced. Bit 3 = 1: Pitch, roll, or yaw error value is greater than +/- 0.95 degrees. This indicates an anomalous spacecraft attitude variation. Bit 4 = 1: The average value of the footprint incidence angles in the scan has deviated by more than +/- 0.1 degrees from the average value for in previous scan. This indicates where caution should be exercised in using incidence angles in subsequent geophysical processing. Bit 5 = 1: Scan is in the "sun-in-the-cold-horn" period. Cold calibration counts have been interpolated and brightness temperature calibration accuracy may be reduced. (Bits 6-15 not used) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The steps performed in reprocessing the SMMR data from uncalibrated sensor data (level 1A) to calibrated brightness temperatures (level 1B) included the following:
(1) Calibration of the radiometric data to convert from raw counts
to antenna temperatures.
(2) Adjustment for calibration bias errors, long-term calibration drifts, and calibration drifts with respect to the sun- spacecraft (ecliptic) angle.
(3) Interpolation of the radiometric data for all channels to the locations of the 37 GHz vertical radiometric data.
(4) Correction of the antenna temperatures for polarization mixing.
(5) Setting of flags to identify anomalous conditions and possible losses of data quality.
The processed data were stored as orbit files in HDF format. The files were created on a Sun SPARCstation IPX with version 3.3 of the HDF library. They were transferred to 8-mm tape via the UNIX tar utility. All files were compressed with the UNIX compress command.
Software for the processing algorithms was written in FORTRAN 77 and C. The code was compiled and run in a UNIX environment on a SUN IPX Sparcstation. The output files are in Hierarchical Data Format (HDF).
For information on the special corrections, please refer to Data Processing Sequence.
Brightness Temperatures
The purpose of the SMMR instrument calibration was to relate raw sensor output (counts) to radiance received at the antenna aperture (brightness temperature). It was desired that the calibration be accurate and stable over the duration of the mission. To accomplish this, time- varying effects including thermal gradients in the components, polarization mixing in the antenna and switches, and component losses and degradation had to be accounted for. After processing the data to account for these effects residual errors may remain in the data, but these are expected to be significantly smaller than the original errors. A discussion of expected residual errors, based on analysis of the processed data, is given by Njoku et al. (1998).
No comparisons with independent data sources have been performed.
Quality indicator flags are provided in the scan status word for each scan. These flags indicate conditions in the original data or in the data processing which may give rise to reduced-quality calibrated output.
Antenna effects:
Corrections are made for antenna sidelobes viewing space and for cross polarization mixing. However, no corrections are made for the antenna pattern beam shape or sidelobes within the Earth field of view. (Such corrections are difficult to perform for the SMMR due to the variable antenna pattern and sampling characteristics across the swath (Njoku 1980). Attempted improvements may be of questionable accuracy when applied globally. Hence, it has been left at the discretion of the user to perform this step in subsequent processing if the improvement obtainable appears to justify the effort involved.) Thus, although the term "brightness temperature" is applied to this level 1B product, it should be kept in mind that these data are smoothed versions of the actual brightness temperatures. The smoothing functions are the antenna patterns, whose half-power beamwidths provide the equivalent footprint dimensions at each frequency as shown in Table 1.
Operational Anomalies and Missing Data:
Acquisition of Nimbus-7 SMMR data commenced on October 25, 1978. The SMMR operated continuously during a three-week checkout period from start-up until November 16, 1978, at which time it began alternate-day operation. Switching of the instrument on and off on alternate days was the normal mode of operation for the SMMR for most of its mission due to power sharing constraints among instruments on the spacecraft. A special operations period occurred from April 3 to June 24, 1986, during which the SMMR was switched on and off more frequently, with "off" periods averaging 75 minutes and "on" periods averaging 30 minutes. The antenna scanning mechanism was turned off on August 20, 1987 marking the end of the SMMR data set.
Time gaps in the SMMR data of varying durations occurred during the mission. The table below summarizes the total instrument "on" and "off" times each year, with percentage estimates of missing data during "on" time. The tabulated values were estimated from data times recorded on the input TAT tapes. The high percentage of data missing during 1987 is due to the presence of several large data gaps in the 8- to 20-hour range. At this stage in the mission, the Nimbus-7 spacecraft had begun to exhibit power supply degradation, and the instrument on-off cycling modes were changed to conserve power and to focus on priority science objectives between instruments.
Any missing data within an orbit file are indicated by zeros in all data fields for the corresponding scan.
Table 4: Nimbus-7 SMMR Operations Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Time Period "Off" Time "On" Time % Data Missing (days) (days) (During "On" Time) 10/25/78 - 11/16/78 0 22.04 7.51 11/17/78 - 12/31/78 24.32 20.68 4.17 1979 187.14 177.86 3.14 1980 186.69 179.31 0.98 1981 186.84 178.16 0.69 1982 187.9 177.10 0.87 1983 180.61 184.39 1.66 1984 188.56 177.44 1.32 1985 187.85 177.15 0.64 SOP* 62.57 20.43 * 1986 (excl. SOP) 147.77 134.23 0.50 1987 101.58 130.42 17.00 TOTAL 1612.71 1608.33 2.60 *SOP - Special Operations Period: April 3 to June 24, 1986 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
The data on the input TAT tapes contained some periods in which all antenna angle values were zero. This condition impeded proper calculation of the output brightness temperatures since the data interpolation step in the processing require accurate antenna angles.
All occurrences of zero-value antenna angles were in 1980 on the days shown below. No data were processed on these dates:
Although corrections applied to the data compensate for most of the long-term drift and in-orbit variations, some residual errors may still exist. Additional fine-tuning iterations and small-scale adjustments may be necessary for applications requiring higher precision in calibration than could be provided here, for instance, for sea surface temperature measurement (Njoku et al. 1998).
Errors in the input engineering data, which affect output brightness temperatures through the calibration equation, are simply flagged by the processing software. These flags can be used to screen bad data if necessary in further processing. Major deviations of brightness temperature from expected values can usually be traced to anomalous instrument component temperatures. For example, high 37 GHz horizontal brightness temperatures for June 19, 1979 can be attributed directly to unreliable calibration horn waveguide temperatures.
Individual instances of anomalously high or low brightness temperatures in a scan are usually traceable directly to "bad" or "questionable" antenna counts in the input TAT data. No provision has been made to screen out these scattered anomalies since it is best left at the user's discretion to place error-bar filters on the brightness temperature data. There is a high frequency of this type of error during 1986, especially during and for some time after the Special Operations Period (April - October). Interpolating radiometric samples within scans and between adjacent scans tends to smear the effect of these "bad" antenna counts, which are most noticeable in browse image maps of 6.6 GHz horizontal polarization data.
It is recommended that users should apply the offsets given in Table 2, and should use the quality indicator flags given in Table 3 to examine the data for possible screening. Users should also observe that the footprint incidence angles, though nominally constant at 50.3 degrees, do exhibit small variations with scan position, position in orbit, and with time during the mission (especially the jump in January 1984). The characteristics of these variations have been described by McMillan and Han (date TK), and should be taken into account for estimations of geophysical parameters that are sensitive to the brightness temperature dependence on incidence angle.
Key geophysical variables that can be derived from the SMMR Brightness Temperature (Level 1B) Dataset include:
Frances, E. A. 1987. Calibration of the Nimbus-7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) 1979-1984. Master's Thesis, College of Oceanography, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR.
Fu, C. C., D. Han, S. T. Kim, and P. Gloersen. 1988. User's guide for the Nimbus-7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) CELL-ALL tape. NASA Reference Publication #1210, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, D.C.
Gloersen, P. and F. T. Barath. 1977. A scanning multichannel microwave radiometer for Nimbus-G and Seasat-A. IEEE J. Oceanic Eng., OE-2, 172-178, 1977.
Gloersen, P., W. J. Campbell, D. J. Cavalieri, J. C. Comiso, C. L. Parkinson, and H. J. Zwally. 1992. Arctic and Antarctic sea ice, 1978-1987: Satellite passive microwave observations and analysis. NASA Special Publication SP-511, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washungton, DC, 1992.
Gloersen, P., D. J. Cavalieri, A. T. C. Chang, T. T. Wilheit, W. J. Campbell, O. M. Johannessen, K. B. Katsaros, K. F. Kunzi, D. B. Ross, D. Staelin, E. P. L. Windsor, F. T. Barath, P. Gudmansen, E. Langham, and R. Ramseier. 1984. A summary of results from the first Nimbus-7 SMMR observations. J. Geophys. Res. 89, 5335-5344.
Gloersen, P. 1987. In-orbit calibration adjustment of the Nimbus-7 SMMR. NASA Technical Memorandum #100678, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, D. C.
Hofer, R. and E. G. Njoku. 1981. Regression techniques for oceanographic parameter retrievals using spaceborne microwave radiometry. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Rem. Sens. GE-19: 178-189.
Liu, W. T. and D. R. Mock. 1986. Evaluation of geophysical parameters measured by the Nimbus-7 microwave radiometer for the TOGA Heat Exchange Project. JPL Publication 86-50, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
Madrid, C. R. (Ed.). 1978. The Nimbus 7 User's Guide. Landsat/Nimbus Project, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD.
McMillan, D. S. and D. Han. (date TK) Attitude angle effects on Nimbus-7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer radiances and geophysical parameter retrievals. NASA Technical Memorandum #4132, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, D.C., 48pp.
McMillan, D. S. and D. Han. 1990. Long-term trends and instrument warm-up effects in Nimbus-7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer radiances. (Unpublished Document), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD.
Milman, A. S. and T. T. Wilheit. 1985. Sea surface temperatures from the scanning multichannel microwave radiometer on Nimbus-7. J. Geophys. Res., 90, 11631-11641.
Njoku, E. G. 1980. Antenna pattern correction procedures for the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR). Boundary-Layer Meteorology 18, 79-98, 1980.
Njoku, E. G., J. M. Stacey, and F. T. Barath. 1980. The Seasat Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR): Instrument description and performance. IEEE J. Oceanic Eng. OE-5, 125-137.
Njoku, E. G., B. Rague, and K. Fleming. 1998. Nimbus-7 SMMR Pathfinder brightness temperature data set. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Publication 98(4).
Swanson, P. N. and A. L. Riley. 1980. The Seasat Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR): Radiometric calibration algorithm development and performance. IEEE J. Oceanic Eng. OE-5, 116-124.
Systems and Applied Sciences Corporation. 1982. User's Guide for the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer Instrument First-Year Antenna Temperature Data Set. SASC, Contractor Report #NAS5-27393, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD.
Wentz, F. J. and E. A. Frances. 1992. Nimbus-7 SMMR ocean products 1979-1984. RSS Technical Report 033192, Remote Sensing Systems, Santa Rosa, CA, 1992.
August 28, 2014: Content was put into the new guide document template and information was updated about how to find the latitude and longitude in the files.
September 10, 1996: Initial release
September 10, 1996
NSIDC Writers


text:
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text:
Ok about a week ago i wrote a Thread Called Fr0sty711(disc whore) stating that i wanted some help ccritiqueing my bag. and to some it all up i had 16 different molds which was too many for me especially b/c i just started playing 1/2 yr ago. and just a few minutes ago i wrote a thread called too many molds b/c i wanted to know how many mold on average you should have. Well i should have just looked around b/c right above my thread is blakes Disc minimalism thread LOL. So i read it and decided i would listen to what people have said and just go back to the basics. In the 6 months i have been playing i have bought around 50 discs just like blake. So i would like some help on my NEW BAG. here is what i have in mind
Stable: DX Teebird(i had this in my bag from the start and i love it),Gazelle,cyclone,avenger
Overstable: Banshee,X pred(just traded for these to try out), flick, spirit
Understable: Sidewinder,Roadrunner,Avenger SS
Mid: Dx Roc (i love them) , Buzzz, element or warrior, XD
Putter: Wizard ( i have alot of these), Banget GT soft(i have thought about trying this)
*t-bone and leopard are of intrest to*
(the disc above are just ones i have had in mind it doesn't mean i own those. so fell free to tell me i should try some of the ones above or give me ur own list)
I am up to using any company and any plastic. i would like you to list the disc and its plastic type. and also i was wondering if i should stay away from lets say champion and only use DX . oh by the way i consistenly drive 310' . so any help to make my new bag would be AWESOME~!!!


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CWC to review its free summer housing pilotAug 23, 2013 By Katie Roenigk, Staff Writer
About a dozen students successfully completed the free summer housing program offered this year at Central Wyoming College.
Through the pilot program, students who completed 12 credit hours of coursework during the summer stayed in CWC's apartments free of charge.
Jonathan Rasbach, resident life coordinator at CWC, said 18 students signed up for the program initially, but two withdrew mid-semester. Of the 16 who remained, he said 70 percent successfully completed the 12 credit hours needed for the housing scholarship. And four students earned their degrees during the summer.
"That was a huge success," Rasbach said. "Our goal in doing this pilot program was to encourage people to finish their degrees. ... So I'd say that worked pretty well."
Administrators had hoped that the program would also lead to an increase in summer school enrollment, but Rasbach said fewer students took advantage of the offer than expected.
"We actually had fewer people living on campus this summer than in recent years," he said. "I was surprised."
He guessed that some students already had summer plans lined up and knew they wouldn't be able to complete 12 credits during the break.
Others apparently overestimated their abilities: Rasbach said some students who failed to complete their coursework didn't have the money to pay for their time spent living on campus. Rent for each two-bedroom apartment is about $400 a month and covers utilities, internet access, expanded basic cable and television.
"It's very competitive, (but) it was an expense they didn't necessarily budget for," Rasbach said. "That definitely became a difficult situation. ... There are some things we need to reconsider or maybe restructure if we were to offer this again."
He said staff and administrators will analyze the program this year to determine whether the free housing program will be in place again next summer.


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Science SPORE Prize
November 2011
The Open Source Physics Project is supported by NSF DUE-0442581.
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Is it possible to have a Field in EJS display results in scientific notation?
Sure!Use, for instance, "0.##E0" as Format property of a number field.Paco


text:
Jil Sander brings a new piece for the Spring, the "Rabat Techno Parka." A great detail is the hidden hood feature on the jacket's rear collar, I think more jackets should have this detail. The jacket also features a "grip-tape throat tab" which sounds crazy enough that you need this piece. There are adjustable tabs on sleeves with waist slash pockets as well. A anorak with taste and fit made in Italy with strong attention to detail. It's available at Saks.
More looks after the click.


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|Molecular Virology Workshop Preliminary Program
All sessions will take place at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa in Grand Ballroom CDEF.
7:00am - 10:00am
8:10am - 12:30pm
8:10am - 10:50am
8:10am - 8:50am
Sample Selection, Collection, Transport Issues and Challenges
Nucleic Acid Extraction: Options, Selection, Challenges, Troubleshooting
10:10am - 10:50am
10:50am - 11:05am
11:05am - 11:45am
Quantitative PCR Issues
11:45am - 12:25pm
12:25pm - 1:30pm
1:30pm - 3:30pm
1:30pm - 2:10pm
Sample Preparation
2:10pm - 2:50pm
Bioinformatics - Data Analysis
2:50pm - 3:30pm
Sequencing Applications and Sample Selection
This one-day interactive workshop focuses on practical aspects of molecular diagnostics and on cutting edge technologies as applied to clinical molecular virology. This year's sessions include discussions on sample selection, collection and transport, nucleic acid extraction and quantitative testing, together with a two-hour "mini-symposium" on options and challenges faced when implementing next-generation sequencing for diagnostic purposes.
Upon completion of this webinar, the participant should be able to:


text:
Tessora's LIVE music: Johnny Neri & Luke Piro
This event has already passed
This popular duo has been performing together for quite some time in the Bay Area and have been receiving rave reviews from patrons and owners. Together with Johnny on lead vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica and Luke on drums and vocals, this duo brings live to you hundreds of singer/songwriter songs from over 7 decades of music. You will love to sing along to all the songs you grew up loving and listening to. From Elvis Presley to Creedence Clearwater Revival to The Beatles, you are guaranteed to have a great time while sipping your wine and eating some amazing food. Come early to get a seat.


text:
This property has been removed by the agent. It may be let or temporarily removed from the market
4 bedroom property to rent13 Dogfield Street, Cathays, Cardiff, South Glamorgan. CF24 4QJ
£1,140 pcm| £263 pw fees apply
Property Description
Letting information:
|Added on Rightmove:
|09 December 2011 (2116 days ago)
Key features
- Four bedroom STUDENT property
- Recently renovated
- Great location for city centre and Uni.
- Fully furnished
- Must see
- Available 1st July 2012
Full description
Four bedroom student house in Dogfield Street, off Cryws Road, Cathays. Has recently been renovated to a high standard and is in very good order. Walking distance to the Cardiff City Centre, Cardiff University, Uwic Cyncoed. Available 1st July 2012.
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Property reference PRA51319. The information displayed about this property comprises a property advertisement. Rightmove.co.uk makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the advertisement or any linked or associated information, and Rightmove has no control over the content. This property advertisement does not constitute property particulars. The information is provided and maintained by Bentleys Sales & Lettings, Cathays.
Please refer to our Renting Guides for further information on how to safely rent a property.
Map data ©OpenStreetMap contributors.


text:
If you're looking for funding to start or grow your business, then you should listen to this.
Below, I'm giving away 7 of my best capital raising tips as a 45-minute long MP3 file: "The 7 Secrets To Capital Raising Success"
Click here to download (right-click and "Save As..." MP3 to your computer), or click the blue triangle below in the player below to stream the MP3:
This MP3 is a preview of my brand-new, in-depth capital raising course, "The Secrets to Raising Capital."
If you want to learn how to successfully raise capital from more than 40 sources of funding, then click here to learn more about the full 14-part course.
Subscribe to Growing Your EmpirePrivate Equity Opportunities via Growthink


text:
Trayvon Is Already A Verb
Don't let a proper name become a common noun
On election night of 2008, I was so excited that President Barack Obama won. I never thought I would live to see the day that the leader of the United States would be a African American man. One of the first things I thought about his election is that I hoped he would not be assassinated. The second thing is that I hoped is that young Black men would pull up their sagging jeans.
It may seem trivial to be concerned about saggy pants, but at the time I lived in New York City, and I bore witness to boxers and briefs shown by many young men wearing saggy pants as they rode the subway or walked to school. I get that it is a style, but it is so aesthetically displeasing to me. For some reason, I thought Obama's presidency would inspire young men to pull up their pants.
Last year, President Obama said that if he had a son, he would look like Trayvon. A few days ago, George Zimmerman was acquitted of killing Trayvon. There have been protests all across the country with people holding signs that say "We are all Trayvon". I appreciate the protests but I disagree with the assertion.
Black people are not a monolith. We are not all the same. We share many experiences because of our race. However, where we live, who are our parents and what we do play a major part in shaping who we are.
Three days a week, I walk four miles on a running track at a middle school. Today I saw the football team come out to the track. They were about forty young Black men running practice drills. I wondered if their parents have talked to them about the trial. I wondered if their parents hugged them tighter now. I wondered if they thought they were all Trayvon.
Colloquial language plays a part of how people of similar background communicate and UrbanDictionary.com has been chronicling slang and colloquialisms for years. According to Urban Dictionary, Trayvon is already listed as a verb. It means " the act of neutralizing a lethal threat, through sudden application of deadly force, often with a concealed weapon".
It is ironic that the named Trayvon has been denigrated in such a way that it means a violent act. The definition is more fitting for the word "Zimmerman", but that's another conversation.
Trayvon Martin was a individual. I can't speak for the Fulton/Martin family, but I would guess that they don't want more "Trayvons" if that means more young unarmed Black men die by the gun of another man.


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College of Marin held off a ninth-inning rally by host Solano College on Thursday for a 6-5 victory.
Solano scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to cut the Mariners' lead to one run before reliever Steve Baker worked his way out of trouble to earn the save. Baker faced five batters in the ninth, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk.
The Mariners trailed 3-1 after the first inning, but a four-run third inning swung the momentum COM's way. Ben Shea singled to score Jared English to start the rally. Michael Heinevetter then followed with a two-run single. Ryan Burke capped the scoring flurry when he scored on Andre Holmes' sacrifice fly.
English was 4-for-5 with a double and a triple. Shea and Heinevetter had two hits each.
Mariners starter Steven Nagy struck out three batters in eight innings of work for the win.
The Mariners (21-14, 15-5) are celebrating back-to-back Bay Valley Conference championships. They'll host the first round of the State Championships on May 2.
Pacifics exec leaving
San Rafael Pacifics independent minor-league baseball team's president and GM Mike Shapiro announced that assistant GM Josh Jackson has accepted a position with the Baylor University athletic department in his native Texas. Former Pacifics player Steve Detwiler, a San Rafael High grad, and Tristan Barbieri will share the duties of the assistant GM position.
Detwiler will serve as assistant GM for operations where he will head up the team's sales efforts and oversee day-of-game operations as well as stadium operations.
Barbieri, a former Pacifics intern and director of operations, will assume the role of assistant GM for administration for business and baseball operations.


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|Jim Sargent receives the FMC Legislative Day Award from FMC's Bethwyn Todd.
WASHINGTON — Jim Sargent, director of technical support and regulatory compliance, Copesan Services, was recognized with the FMC Legislative Day Award, on Monday.
"Sarge," as he is well known by in the pest control industry, has brought an important entomology perspective to NPMA and the committees on which he has served.
He's been a valuable longtime member of NPMA's Fumigation Committee, which played a leading role in NPMA's successful effort to push legislation that retained food uses of sulfuryl fluoride. He also gave NPMA important guidance when the association was fighting to retain flexibility for the use of rodenticide products, after EPA had imposed harsh restrictions for where these products could be placed.
Sargent was presented the FMC Legislative Day Award by FMC's Bethwyn Todd.
"[Sarge] has not only demonstrated an incredible commitment to the pest management industry, but he is equally dedicated to the sciences," Todd said. "He's passionate about entomology and he serves as a great role model for the discipline. He's respected worldwide as a scientist, but he's never lost his sense of wonder and his thirst for learning. He's a much-valued resource by pest control operators, technicians, vendors and clients alike."
The FMC award is presented annually to individuals who have distinguished themselves in the pest management industry through various activities — particularly legislative involvement — and through their contributions to advancing the industry.


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ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the world should keep up pressure on Iran to rein in its nuclear program and avoid thinking the election of a moderate president will bring change.
"The international community should not fall into wishful thinking and be tempted to ease pressure on Iran to stop its nuclear program," Netanyahu said at the start of a meeting of his cabinet on Sunday.
"Iran will be judged on its actions," he said a day after Hassan Rowhani, a moderate cleric and former top nuclear negotiator, was declared the winner of Iran's presidential election.
"If it insists on continuing to develop its nuclear program, the answer needs to be clear - stopping its nuclear program by any means," Netanyahu said.
"In the past 20 years the only thing that brought about a temporary freeze in Iran's nuclear program was the fear of aggressive action against it."
Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz said although Rowhani won the support of reformists, it was still supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who called the shots.
"The working assumption should be that Khamenei, who has been heading this (program) for 24 years, will continue to head it and therefore without continued pressure on Iran there is no chance of seeing significant change in nuclear policy," said Steinitz.
Israel, the region's sole if undeclared nuclear power, along with the West accuses Iran of using its atomic energy program as a cover for developing an atomic bomb. Tehran vehemently denies those claims.
It also charges Tehran with aiding Lebanon's Shi'ite Hezbollah movement and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, both bitter enemies of the Jewish state.
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni preferred to reserve judgment on Rowhani.
"The test will be in his actions," she said on army radio. "It is impossible to know today."
Suzanne Maloney, senior fellow at The Saban Centre for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, was upbeat.
"Rowhani is an ideal candidate to spearhead a new initiative to wrest Iran from its debilitating battle with the international community over the nuclear issue," she said in a blog ahead of the Iranian poll.
Writing in the top-selling Yediot Aharonot daily, veteran Middle East affairs correspondent Smadar Perry, argued Rowhani's background and connections could actually help bring about change, if he seeks it.
"It is part of the Iranian president's job definition to sell Iran to the outside world," she wrote.
"Rowhani has promised to improve the image of the Islamic republic and use his connections to reduce its international isolation."
Originally published as Keep up Iran nuclear pressure: Netanyahu


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Last week, New Jersey became the first state in the nation to pass a ski helmet mandate. Gov. Christie signed the bill (S130) on April 8 that requires individuals under the age of 18 to wear a helmet while downhill skiing or snowboarding. The measure provides favorable language for ski areas from an enforcement and liability standpoint, stating "[N]othing in this act shall be construed to extend liability to the ski area operator."
New York's helmet bill, S.4356, picked up serious steam this week with the news of NJ's bill becoming law. The Massachusetts General Assembly has a ski helmet bill pending (H. 638) that would require ski areas in the state to include helmets for free with equipment rental and require resorts to post injury data online. The bill does not require individuals to wear helmets, and is the most succinct bill to date on the subject: Chapter 143 of the General Laws is hereby amended in Section 71N by adding after subsection (6) to following two new subsections: (7) All ski areas must provide helmets free of charge for all rentals. (8) Ski areas must post their accident and safety records online for public access.
The bill is currently pending in the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, and NSAA is working with the Massachusetts resorts in responding to this bill. California's SB 105, an under 18 helmet mandate bill, passed the Senate Health Committee last month and is likely to pass on the Senate floor any day. The Illinois Helmet bill, SB 57, (see February 15 Capital Watch for more info) was defeated in Committee last month. Ski areas opposed the measure, which would have required helmets for all ages and placed the burden of enforcement on ski areas. Click here to learn more.


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NEW YORK (Sep. 29)
Poland's Foreign Minister told Jewish leaders here that in the aftermath of the decision to resume Polish-Israeli diplomatic links, he is "convinced that other Socialist countries are adopting the same attitude," Kalman Sultanik, World Jewish Congress vice president, disclosed.
Sultanik also said that Foreign Minister Marian Orzechowski pledged to take up the growing problem of Catholic Church institutions being built at the sites of Nazi death camps in Poland — specifically the convent at Auschwitz and the chapel at Sobibor.
Orzechowski and senior aides held three hours of discussions "on matters of mutual concern" with Jewish leaders at a private luncheon last Friday at the offices of WJCongress president Edgar Bronfman, who was joined by Morris Abram, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
The talks were "wide-ranging" and served as a follow-up to discussions held last December in Warsaw with Polish leader Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski, WJC sources said.
On the subject of diplomatic relations with Israel, Orzechowski disclosed that Poland's diplomatic representative will arrive in Israel on October 14 — coincidentally, the date of rotation of posts between Premier Shimon Peres and Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir.
He noted that it would have been "impossible" for Poland to have taken this step two or three years ago given the international climate, but had done so now because it is "in the interests of Poland, the Jewish people, and peaceful coexistence."
Although Orzechowski said he expected other Communist states to soon act similarly, he noted that Poland had taken the lead because of its historical legacy linking it to special ties to the Jewish people. "It is naive and wrong to try and separate the Jewish people from Israel," he said, explaining that normalization of relations with the Jewish people is linked to recognition of Israel.
Orzechowski stressed support for Israel's right to "secure borders" and added that "the existence of the State of Israel is a fact and any effort to disregard this fact is doomed to failure."
Turning to the question of Auschwitz and Sobibor, Sultanik said there were indications that church institutions were being planned at other death camp sites and noted that the chapel at Sobibor — where all the 200,000 victims were Jewish — "will be the central building at the site, and will distort the true nature of the place."
"Poland's role should be to preserve the authentic historic record and prevent these distortions of history," Sultanik told Orzechowski. In response, Orzechowski pledged that "Poland will be the guardian of the historical record." The government, he said, had regretted what had happened.
He said he would take up the matter of Sobibor on his return to Warsaw, claiming he had not previously been aware of it. "We do not wish to do anything that would irritate our relations with the Jewish community inside or outside of Poland," the Foreign Minister stated.
On another issue, Orzechowski pledged to continue full cooperation with American authorities in the pursuit and prosecution of Nazi war criminals. He specifically said Poland would continue its wholehearted assistance in the case of John Demjanjuk who is facing trial in Israel charged with being the notorious "Ivan the Terrible" at Treblinka.


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'I'm fine': injured athlete snaps selfie on air ambulance chopper
WINNIPEG – A Winnipeg motocross athlete is recovering from a bruised pelvis after a race Sunday, but it's not the crash that has people talking — it's what she did when she was picked up by STARS Air Ambulance.
Ami Houde snapped a "selfie" — a smartphone self-portrait that's become the social media signature of a generation. The image shows Houde strapped down in the back of the chopper wearing aviator's headphones, giving a thumbs-up and sporting a big smile.
"I think attitude is everything and it's always good to make light of a serious situation," said Houde. "I wasn't dying, I didn't think anything was broken so … I thought it would be hilarious to take a selfie in a helicopter because not many people get a chance to do that."
The 25-year-old hit a berm wrong in her first race of the season in Grunthal, Man., about 60 kilometres south Winnipeg. Though she is walking now and has no broken bones, the nature of her injuries at the time had emergency crews worried, so they called in STARS.
"She'd gone over her handlebars at a fairly high speed, hit her pelvis on her way over the handle bars," said Jennifer Fosty, who was a nurse on the flight.
The selfie Houde took in the chopper has well over 1,000 likes on Instagram.
She's not surprised.
"Motocross is like one big family. It's a huge community so everybody knew that I crashed and wanted to make sure I was OK," said Houde. "I just wanted to let them know I'm like, 'Don't worry guys, I'm fine.' "
The athlete is hoping to be back on the track next week so she's ready to race in a Canadian national event in Calgary in two weeks.
© 2014 Shaw Media


text: The director behind such cult classics as Clerks, Mall Rats and Chasing Amy among other comedies, etnies align with the multi-faceted funnyman in an all-new shoe release. Just recently, etnies were also on hand to follow Kevin Smith through this year's SDCC event to talk to Smith as he partook in a small and intimate session with fans. The shoes themselves are inspired by Smith's directorial debut, Clerks. The Jameson model's executions are simple with an all black upper and white embroidery. The insoles feature a black and white image of Jay and Silent Bob, two iconic personalities seen throughout Smith's work. For more details, check out the etnies Presents Kevin Smith micro site.


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LAKEPORT >> Measure L, the lake transaction and use tax that failed to garner a two-thirds approving vote during the June primary election, has been rebranded as Measure S and will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot.
The placement on the ballot was unanimously approved by the Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) after a public hearing was held Tuesday.
As with Measure L, if approved, Measure S will impose a half-cent sales tax to fund lake-related programs, which include water quality, aquatic invasive species and nuisance aquatic weed and algae programs
The tax is expected to raise $2.4 million annually beginning in spring 2015, of which $1 million will be allocated to aquatic invasive species prevention; $400,000 will go toward the Middle Creek Marsh Restoration Project; $400,000 will be used for weed and algae abatement; $250,000 will fund the Burns Valley Creek water quality project; $250,000 would go toward the water quality monitoring program; and $100,000 would fund the purchase of property to create wetland adjacent to the Clearlake Keys, according to the measure ordinance.
The Water Quality Monitoring Program would consist of three projects, which include stream monitoring, lake sediment monitoring and lake monitoring for nutrients and cyano-bacteria toxins, the ordinance continues.
Measure S will require a two-thirds vote in order to be passed.
During the June 3 primary election, Measure L failed to reach the required 66.7 percent of yes votes by 2.5 percent, receiving 65.2 percent yes and 34.8 no.
"There were too many questions on the last measure, and I think that is why it lost," Fletcher Thornton said during public comment.
Tensions rose when Phil Murphy, of Lakeport, addressed the board during public comment.
Murphy mentioned the half-cent tax for code enforcement and road improvements placed on the November ballot by the Clearlake City Council, as well as the availability of state grants, as reasons against placing the measure on the ballot.
"You're asking the poorest people in the county to pay a regressive tax," Murphy said. "The bulk of those homes that are having weeds removed from their docks are not vacation rentals, they are people that have a second home or live there full-time ? so you're taking from the poorest people to benefit only people who are in the wealthiest segment of our community."
"I don't think your facts are right ? the bulk of it is not coming from low-income people," District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing countered.
District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown said that if Murphy is against the tax, then he should vote against it.
"Our role here is not to campaign for or against it," Brown said.
Thornton believes that with more public education the new measure will garner the required votes to pass.
"I don't have a place by the lake and I don't have a boat," Thornton said. "But I will pay that tax, because I want to see the lake be cleaned up."
"If you look at our socio-economics ? as the lake goes, so does our economy," District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington said.
"I feel that the watershed is our lifeboat. It is our legacy, it is our future," Rushing said. "An investment in it is an investment in our future."
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.


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Research Topics
F Zavala
Country: France
Detail Information
- Role of uncoupling protein UCP2 in cell-mediated immunity: how macrophage-mediated insulitis is accelerated in a model of autoimmune diabetesYalin Emre
BIOTRAM, Universite Paris 5 Site Necker, Unité Propre de Recherche 9078, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 156 rue de Vaugirard, 75730 Paris Cedex 15, France
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104:19085-90. 2007..Altogether, our data show that inflammation is stronger in Ucp2-KO mice and islets, leading to the exacerbated disease in these mice. Our results highlight the mitochondrial protein UCP2 as a new player in autoimmune diabetes...
- Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor treatment of lupus autoimmune disease in MRL-lpr/lpr miceF Zavala
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité 25, Hopital Necker, Paris, France
J Immunol 163:5125-32. 1999..Our results demonstrate a beneficial effect of high doses of G-CSF in the prevention of lupus nephritis that may hold promise for future clinical applications, provided caution is taken in dose adjustment...
- G-CSF therapy of ongoing experimental allergic encephalomyelitis via chemokine- and cytokine-based immune deviationFlora Zavala
Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medical, Unité 25 and Unité 345, Necker Hospital, Paris, France Sanofi Synthelabo, Bagneux, France
J Immunol 168:2011-9. 2002..These findings support the potential application of G-CSF in the treatment of human autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, taking advantage of the wide clinical favorable experience with this molecule...
- G-CSF treatment prevents cyclophosphamide acceleration of autoimmune diabetes in the NOD mouseKarine Hadaya
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale INSERM U580, Institut de Recherche Necker Enfants Malades, Hopital Necker, 161 rue de Sevres, 75743 Paris Cedex 15, France
J Autoimmun 24:125-34. 2005..Thus the immunoregulatory properties of G-CSF were critical in the early control of the accelerating effects of CY on autoimmune diabetes in the NOD mouse...
- Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor: a novel mediator of T cell toleranceSergio Rutella
Department of Hematology, Laboratory of Immunology, Catholic University School of Medicine, Rome, Italy
J Immunol 175:7085-91. 2005..This review summarizes the growing body of evidence that supports a critical role for G-CSF as a novel mediator of T cell tolerance...
- The expression of hepatitis B spliced protein (HBSP) encoded by a spliced hepatitis B virus RNA is associated with viral replication and liver fibrosisPatrick Soussan
INSERM U370, CHU Necker and Institut Pasteur, 156 rue de Vaugirard, 75015 Paris, France
J Hepatol 38:343-8. 2003..The present study was designed to evaluate the impact of HBSP expression on the clinical status and liver pathology of HBV infection...
- Alcohol and hepatitis C virus core protein additively increase lipid peroxidation and synergistically trigger hepatic cytokine expression in a transgenic mouse modelGabriel Perlemuter
Liver Cancer and Molecular Virology, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité 370, Faculte de Medecine Necker Enfants Malades, 156 rue de Vaugirard, 75730 Paris Cedex 15, France
J Hepatol 39:1020-7. 2003..We therefore investigated the effects of chronic ethanol consumption in HCV core protein-expressing transgenic mice...
- Treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor prevents diabetes in NOD mice by recruiting plasmacytoid dendritic cells and functional CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T-cellsHassen Kared
DSC, INSERM U580, Necker Institute, 161 rue de Sevres, 75743 Paris Cedex 15, France
Diabetes 54:78-84. 2005..They also provide a rationale for a protective role of the endogenous G-CSF produced during infections in early diabetes...
- Fas receptor signaling is requisite for B cell differentiationValerie Pasqualetto
IINSERM U 591, nstitut Necker, Paris, France
J Leukoc Biol 78:1106-17. 2005..In contrast, B cell hematopoiesis was complete in gld chimera but MZ macrophages undetectable. These defects suggest a direct and determinant dual role of FasL regulation in negative selection of B cells and in maintenance of the MZ...


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Titan Industries has announced that it has revised downward
its watch sales target by half a million units for the fiscal following weak economic sentiment and a slowdown in the sector. At the beginning of the year, the company was expecting to achieve a sales target of about 16.5 million units, but now it has been brought down to 16 million.
According to Titan Industries COO Harish Bhat, by 2015 they expect the volume turnover to be around Rs 3,500 crores, with sale of at least 25 million watches. This year it is between Rs 1,800 to 2,000 crores. While about 17-18 million watches are sold in the country ever year, Titan sold 13.5 million units across all its brands last year, with 4 million sales in Titan, 7 million from Sonata and 2 million from Fastrack. Titan is a leader accounting for 65 per cent volume share in the market.
The Bangalore-based company has about 10,000 points of sales in the country and has plans to expand its reach by launching its own stores in the next four years. They plan to grow through the franchisee route for Titan and Fastrack and in Helios it will be a combination of both company-owned stores and franchisees. Over the next four years, they will add 100 World of Titan showrooms to the current 340 stores, and 150 Fastrack stores to the current 100. For Helios, they will add 50 to take the total to 75.
The company that sells watches, jewellery, eye-wear and other accessories like belts and wallets under brands like Titan, Xylys, Sonata, Tanishq and Fastrack is aiming to become a total lifestyle company. It also has presence in 27 countries, with the latest being Indonesia. The overseas market accounts for 7 per cent of the firm's revenues.


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COLLEGE students have hosted the premiere of their first feature film.
Students at Andover College, including Annie LeGresley from Salisbury, Joe Daly from Durrington and Matty Crawford from Shrewton, held the premiere of their film Scrawl in a packed Lights Theatre.
The idea behind the film was to give students a foot on the ladder by getting them professional credits on IMDb, an online database of films, television programmes and video games, and giving them the experience of working alongside professionals such as Daisy Ridley, who is now filming Star Wars: Episode VII.
The film has been two years in the making and follows two friends living in a rundown seaside town who create a comic book to escape their reality. All is going well until situations in the comic book start to come to life.
Lecturer Peter Hearn, who wrote and directed the film, said: "The benefits of working on this project have been countless. Whether picking up tips from the professionals, to being given the heads up on work opportunities, our students have grown both personally and professionally."
Annie LeGresley worked on the group's short film Motto as an assistant before stepping up to producer and one of the leads in Scrawl. Annie, along with her production company Half Day Wednesday, helped co-produce Firehouse Film's I only have eyes for you, has worked as a runner on various BBC productions and is due to work on a feature film which is being executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
Cinematographer Matty Crawford completed the media BTEC at the college last year. He has worked as an assistant editor on a project for David Gyasi's Indictus Films, has completed a documentary for Pied Piper Racing and received a grant to make his own independent short film. He has been accepted to do film production at Gloucestershire University.
Joe Daly, who was an actor and crew member on Scrawl, is about to start his final year of the performing arts course and is doing paid work at a camera rental company in London this summer.


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NBA.com Rookie Ladder
The Rookie Ladder is a free-flowing, constantly updated chart that ranks the 2013-14 rookies. If a rookie plays well, he climbs the Ladder. Play poorly, and he'll slide down a rung ... or two or three. The rankings are updated by NBA.com's Drew Packham. If you have an issue or have a question or comment, send Drew an e-mail. You can also follow him on Twitter.
• Past Seasons: 2012-13 | 2011-12 | 2010-11
The 76ers' Michael Carter-Williams and the Jazz's Trey Burke were named the Kia NBA Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in April.
Rookies of the Month
- Carter-Williams, Burke - April
- Carter-Williams, Dieng - March
- Oladipo, Calathes - February
- Carter-Williams, Burke - January
- Oladipo, Burke - December
- Carter-Williams, McLemore - Nov.
NBA Rooks: McCollum
NBA Rooks: McLemore
NBA Rooks: Plumlees
NBA Rooks: At the Break
NBA Rooks: Zeller
NBA Rooks: Giannis
NBA Rooks: Burke
NBA Rooks: Bennett
NBA Rooks: Porter
NBA Rooks: Noel
MCW's The Man
April 16 -- It's been a fun ride this season with surprises and busts, but the Kia Rookie of the Year race comes down to two names: Michael Carter-Williams and Victor Oladipo.
So far, two main arguments have been made on NBA.com in regards to the debate.
John Schuhmann, our resident stats guy, recently crunched the numbers to show that the context backs up the argument for Carter-Williams taking home the hardware despite the Sixers' losing ways and some of his deficiencies.
Meanwhile, TNT analyst David Aldridge couldn't look past Philly's atrocious season -- and MCW's benefit as one of its only options -- and gave his vote to Oladipo, who, in his view, may have done less statistically but for a slightly better team.
Both are valid arguments, and it's hard to argue against the esteemed Aldridge ... but I'm afraid on this occasion he misses the mark.
History has rarely held a team's win-loss record against rookies, and rightfully so. This isn't the NBA's MVP Award, where so often the winner plays for one of the best teams in the league and is rewarded for his value. This is the Rookie of the Year Award, which rewards a player who has the best rookie campaign while historically playing for a losing squad. Of the last 10 winners, none has played for a team with a winning record. It's the nature of the beast.
All this isn't to take anything from Oladipo. He had a great rookie season in Orlando, juggling two positions and various roles, all while bouncing between the starting lineup and the bench. He'll finish the season second among rookies in scoring and steals, third in assists and sixth in rebounds. He's got a bright future ahead of has the chance to become a perennial All-Star.
But Carter-Williams deserves the honor and gets my vote for Rookie of the Year.
All Carter-Williams has done is put up a historically remarkable rookie campaign. He will become just the third player since 1951 to lead all rookies in points (16.7), rebounds (6.6) and assists (6.6), joining Oscar Robertson (1960-61) and Alvan Adams (1975-76).
He also leads all rookies in steals per game (1.9) and joins Robertson and Magic Johnson (1979-80) as the only players to average at least 16 points, six rebounds and six assists in their first season.
So why should Carter-Williams be punished because the team around him isn't exactly up to NBA standards?
He shouldn't.
-- Drew Packham
Dropped out: Ray McCallum, Ben McLemore, Matthew Dellavedova
Just missed the cut: McLemore, Nick Calathes, Nate Wolters, Dellavedova, Ryan Kelly
-- Drew Packham
As always, feel free to email me with any comments, questions or suggestions. I'm also on Twitter, if that's your thing.
Current Rankings
|Michael Carter-Williams
|Victor Oladipo
|Mason Plumlee
|Trey Burke
|Tim Hardaway, Jr.
|Pero Antic
|Gorgui Dieng
|Kelly Olynyk
|Giannis Antetokounmpo
|Cody Zeller


text:
By Sue Anne Pressley Montes
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, December 30, 2006
In a busy second-floor corridor at the National Archives yesterday, the crowds paused reverently before the glass display case labeled "Gerald R. Ford -- 38th President of the United States."
They studied the documents that marked Ford's entry into -- and exit from -- Washington political life: the oath of office he took as a freshman congressman from Michigan, dated Jan. 3, 1949, and his final State of the Union address, delivered as the outgoing president Jan. 12, 1977. They read the poignant comments he made at the end of that speech, about how he had experienced "many, many of the highlights of my life" in the halls of Congress.
The National Archives, at Constitution Avenue and Ninth Street NW, opened the tribute to Ford on Thursday, and since then, hundreds of visitors have stopped to snap a photograph of the documents and read the words he once spoke. The exhibit will be open every day through Jan. 11, including New Year's Day and Tuesday, the national day of mourning for Ford.
"We always have an uptick of visitors on the holidays, but there have been lots of people stopping by to look at the Ford documents," said Susan Cooper, spokeswoman for the National Archives, which has about 1 million visitors a year.
For tourist Carla Curtis of Tyler, Tex., viewing the Ford documents took her back more than 30 years, when she was a student at Baylor University fascinated with the Watergate hearings and all the political tumult that brought Ford to office after Richard M. Nixon resigned.
"Gerald Ford was one of my favorite presidents because I thought it took such incredible courage to step in as he did," Curtis said.
For three generations of the Reser family of Clarksville, Mich., yesterday's visit to the archives was a blend of pride and sadness. Their home is about 30 miles from Ford's home town of Grand Rapids, and they planned to pay a double tribute to Ford, viewing his coffin after it arrives in Washington this weekend and again in Michigan next week.
"We hate that it had to happen," Dave Reser said, "but since it did, we're glad we'll be able to say goodbye twice."
View all comments that have been posted about this article.


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Maxine Waters Reclaiming Her Time Just Became Everyone's New Summer '17 Mantra
California Congresswoman Maxine Waters puts her foot down by reclaiming her time.
Tyler Perry told Blackfilm.com that his next directorial effort will be Good Deeds. Perry, who accepted a CinemaCon Visionary Award last week, will also produce and star in the film.
"It's a romantic comedy that I play the lead role in," said Perry. "It's about a guy who is torn between the girl he's going to get married to and a new girl he just meets and he falls in love with. So that's a little different for me."
Good Deeds is scheduled to start production on April 25, and Perry hopes for a fall release.
In addition to the April 22 release of Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family, Perry is also set to star as the Alex Cross in I, Alex Cross, James Patterson's original tale of the detective/psychologist. The film is a reboot of the role popularized for moviegoers by Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman.
"I'm very excited about Alex Cross. I'm working out and taking ass-kicking classes and all that other stuff to make sure that I'm on point for it. I'm taking acting classes and everything. So it's going to be great."
(Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
California Congresswoman Maxine Waters puts her foot down by reclaiming her time.
"Black women: Be fearless. Speak out for equal pay."


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ELYRIA - Elyria Schools officials and the owner of Midway Mall reached an agreement this week on the amount of money the school district should receive from property taxes on 47 acres of mall property.
In short, the deal will give the school district an additional $1.1 million in payments from Centro Watt for 2006-08.
The district plans to use the additional money to enhance the new Elyria High School with green building elements, the costliest of which would be the installation of a geothermal system that regulates heating and cooling, said Amy Kren, Elyria Schools` spokeswoman.
Centro Watt`s Midway Mall property, in turn, will remain valued at $44 million - at least until the next property tax revisions in 2009.
The school district and Centro Watt - which purchased the mall last year - were at odds as to the actual value of 47 acres at the mall, which included an area near JCPenney, the movie theater and other stores on the periphery of the main structure.
Before reaching the agreement this week, school officials had said the county auditor`s assessed value of $44 million was too low on the 47 acres. They argued that the property should have been valued upwards of $89 million.
With the property`s value sticking at $44 million, the school district will continue to receive about $577,000 a year in property taxes.
If the value of the 47 acres were to have been hiked to $89 million or more, the district could have collected as much as $1.1 million a year, according to Chief Deputy County Auditor Linda Keys.
Fred Stephens, treasurer of Elyria Schools, said the payment from Centro Watt works out for the district because it won`t count as property tax revenue, which could have meant a reduction in state funding.
Elyria Schools tax attorney Tim Armstrong said the $89 million value for the 47 acres was a best guess by the district, and not necessarily a perfect representation of what the property might be worth.
"No one exactly said we`re going to prove what the value is," Armstrong said.
Stephens said reaching the agreement with Centro Watt was preferable to any court action to reassess the property`s value.
"If we had gone to court, who knows what would have happened?" Stephens said. "We agreed to settle on this dollar amount and drop the complaint."
For the three-year tax period in question, the district would have collected about $3.3 million had the value been upped to $89 million. Instead, it will receive $1.7 million - or $2.8 million with the additional payment amount figured into it.
The school district had been trying to find ways to pay about 60 percent of the $1.7 million estimated cost associated with "going green" at the new Elyria High School, since the state is willing to pay 40 percent.
"Obviously this comes at a good time," Kren said. "That was money we would have had to come up with."
Contact Shawn Foucher at 653-6255 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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EVERY SPRING FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, California photographer Nick Dunlop has gone on the hunt in the remote reaches of western Nevada's Great Basin and Black Rock Deserts. "I go to the desert because nobody's out there," he says. His quarry: golden eagles nesting on the sides of cliffs that might tower 400 feet high. His gear: a collapsible blind and a selection of fast, telephoto lenses that allow him to capture images of skittish raptors that may be 200 feet away.
Dunlop seeks out the birds primarily during April and May, when Nevada eagles are hatching their young. "I do a lot of hiking and driving," in search of nests, he says. "A lot are accessible, but it often seems like you're hiking forever to reach some of them." He is familiar with a number of nests, or aeries, which can measure as many as 6 feet across. "I monitor them each year and use a spotting scope to see what the eagles are doing."
He looks for nests that stand opposite hillsides or cliff faces that he can reach on foot and where he can set up a blind. Capturing his images may require that he spend an entire day in a blind with outside temperatures approaching 100 degrees F. Wind may batter his setup. "If I leave a blind up too long, it'll be destroyed," he says.
He also positions remote-control cameras with wide-angle lenses in or near aeries for shots that combine a nest with more distant backgrounds, such as the flat lands sprawling below. The eagles, he says, generally ignore remote-control cameras close to their young but will pay attention to the blind, at least initially. If he finds that the birds are not coming into the nest because of the blind, he takes it down and moves away. Some eagles are skittish, others not. Especially memorable, he says, was one blasé female that flew into the nest and calmly fed its young while Dunlop was only 20 some feet away setting up a remote-control camera.
Golden eagles range across most of the Northern Hemisphere. With a wingspan that can approach 7 feet, the eagles are powerful and maneuverable fliers. They feed on a wide variety of prey, from rodents to reptiles, including animals that may nearly match an eagle's own body weight of more than 14 pounds for the largest females and less than 9 pounds for large males.
The birds tend to mate for life and to claim territories of 8 to 12 square miles where, over the years, they may build and maintain more than a dozen aeries in trees and on cliffs. "Many cliffs have half a dozen nests on them," Dunlop says. "It's rare to find a cliff with only one." Females lay one to four eggs at a time, though usually two, of which one typically survives the two months needed before fledging.
Dunlop says he has had a camera in his hands most of his life but really started getting serious about photography "with the digital age." Using digital cameras, he says, "I can shoot in the morning and have an 11 by 14 picture on the wall by dinner."
Throughout its 76-year history, NWF has a long record of successful efforts to protect habitat for grizzly bears, Florida panthers, bald eagles and other North American predators. Most recently, working with ranchers and federal authorities, the Federation has secured more than 620,000 acres of prime habitat in the Northern Rockies through its Adopt-a-Wildlife-Acre program.
Roger Di Silvestro is a National Wildlife senior editor and author of the book Theodore Roosevelt in the Badlands: A Young Politician's Quest for Recovery in the American West.


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As a Forester, you will be challenged to grow physically by training and competition, mentally by developing stronger skills of determination, discipline, and focus, and ultimately spiritually by growing in your relationship with God.
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Riikonen named assistant men's basketball coach
HUNTINGTON, Ind. - Huntington University head coach Ty Platt announced Thursday the hiring of Josh Riikonen as an assistant coach for the Forester men's basketball program.
Riikonen comes to HU after spending several years as a high school varsity assistant coach with his most recent stint at Huntington North High School. He has also coached at Jay County and East Noble in addition to spending the last three years with the Indy Heat AAU program based out of Fort Wayne, Ind.
"We are…


text: After trying everything I could think of... I just restored (and re-JB) my iphone 4 to 4.3.3 I installed and registered the paid version 5.30 of PdaNet. iTunes 10.5.1.42 When my iphone is connected to my home wifi, PdaNet works as planned - other devices can see and connect to the pdanet hotspot. BUT... when my iphone is connected to 3G, no hotspot is ever seen or can be connected to. No error messages from Pdanet and crappy support (I wasn't expecting a lot) from June Fabrics. Anyone else have this issue? This is really the last app that is keeping me from upgrading to 5.0x... PdaNet used to work... I think the only change was going to iTunes 10.5 - but the pdanet site 'says' it should work with 10.5 Thanks


text:
Momentum continued to push forward for the 2015 signing class at Mississippi State when the Bulldogs picked up a commitment from one of the top safeties in the state. Collins three-star Mark McLaurin chose the Bulldogs on Thursday morning days after Big Dawg Camp.
"I felt like it was time to do it," McLaurin said of his commitment. "I just got done talking about it to my mom and the coaches and we felt like Mississippi State was the place for me. I just called coach Hughes and coach Mullen and talked to them about it. They were really excited and just told me they were ready to have me on campus."
McLaurin had previously said that he wanted to wait out the process a bit since he was new to recruiting, but the relationship with Tony Hughes and his experience at Big Dawg Camp was the tip of the iceberg to make the call.
"I have a great relationship with the coaches up there," McLaurin said. "They'll take care of me on and off the field and make sure I get a degree. To me, that's the most important thing and I know that Mississippi State can do that for me."
A big, physical and athletic defender, McLaurin has a college-ready body at 6'1, 200 pounds. He doesn't anticipate changing positions, however.
"The coaches love my athletic ability, speed and size," McLaurin said. "They love the way that I can dissect the offense back there. I don't think I'll grow into a linebacker or anything. They pretty much like me how I am right now."
While McLaurin didn't join the class last Friday, he mentioned that it was awfully hard not to with the eight commitments that made their decision that day. Now that he's officially a part of the group, he's looking forward to building the class even more.
"It's going to be a great thing playing with all my friends," McLaurin said. "We're all from down here and have talked about playing together in college. I haven't got a chance to tell them about my commitment just yet but I'm about to."
"This is going to be a great class and now we're looking to do something special. We want to win a National Championship at Mississippi State. Now we're going after our top two targets, Leo Lewis and Javon Patterson. We're trying to do a Mississippi thing. It's going to be a great thing to be a part of. We can't all make is by ourselves but if we get together we can do something special."
McLaurin is now the 26 commitment of the class after the Bulldogs signed just 24 all of last year. He is the third player expected to play safety and the 14th commitment from the state of Mississippi.