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Specifications & Dimensions
Product Overview: | |
Gardening Tool Type: | Saws |
Item Weight (lbs.): | 0.7 |
Handles: | |
Handle Material: | Wooden |
Ratings & Reviews
Overall, others give this:
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Those benefits were not conditioned on the positive or negative content of the review.
Most Helpful Reviews
Woodway, TX
via sears.com
I really needed this saw. It's been a life saver. It cuts very smoothly and lets me cut limbs of maximum size. I would highly recommend this saw .
Los Angeles, CA
via sears.com
Fort Worth, TX
via sears.com
its sharp and will cut
Sheffield, AL
via sears.com
I am so pleased with the Curved Raker Tooth Saw. Just from the looks alone, you can tell it means business. It is extremely strong and sturdy. Sawing through small branches is so easy. This saw is an absolute necessity for the any sized garden or landscape.
via sears.com
the sales person was very helpful when i was trying to decide which saw would work best for my situation. i was so happy with the saw that i told my neighbor about it and she borrowed it and also was happy with the saw.
Vienna, VA
via sears.com
So I expect that the blade will hold up relatively well. The gauge of the steel is not as thick as the old time saws with which I am familiar. Nonetheless, the teeth are sharp and it seems sturdy enough to last quite a while.
Fort Worth, TX
via sears.com
This is a great saw for tree trimming as it cuts through with ease leaving a smooth surface. The shape makes it easy to cut through a limb without cutting an adjoining limb. It fits behind the seat of my truck easily so it is always handy.
Oklahoma City, OK
via sears.com
I haven't had the chance to use this, but when I picked it up after ordering it online, I was happy with what I bought. Great length of blade, and not heavy in weight, so easy to handle.
Lima, OH
via sears.com
Does the job! Convenient size!
Tucson, AZ
via sears.com
I usually buy Corona or Fiskars razor pruning saws. This saw was on sale so I thought I would give it a try. A Craftsman should be at least comparable. right? Today I trimmed several small trees with the brand new saw. What a disappointment. This thing does not perform as well as three year old, heavily used saws from Corona or Fiskars. The teeth are so large it is difficult to start a cut and when it does it tends to clog. Overall poor design when compared to other saws. Not even worth the sale price.
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Originally published Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at 8:48 PM
Ore. police chief killing suspect ruled impaired
A Washington state man accused of killing the Rainier, Ore., police chief in 2011 is mentally impaired and can't assist with his defense, a judge ruled Wednesday.
The Associated Press
A Washington state man accused of killing the Rainier, Ore., police chief in 2011 is mentally impaired and can't assist with his defense, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Circuit Judge Ted Grove ordered that Daniel Butts, 23, of Kalama, Wash., be sent to the Oregon state mental hospital to be treated and forcibly medicated until he is fit to return to Columbia County for trial, The Daily News of Longview reported ( http://is.gd/s1WuxN).
Butts is charged with aggravated murder in the fatal shooting of Chief Ralph Painter on Jan. 5, 2011, after Painter responded to a report of a suspicious person at a car stereo shop.
Defense lawyers said in hearings last week that Butts is psychotic and won't meet with them or help make decisions. Prosecutors argue Butts is faking illness.
Grove cited the defendant's childlike behavior and focus on such trivial matters as whether he can smoke or have a cheeseburger. The judge also noted Butts' "bizarre or grotesque" grimaces and movements during the three days of mental competency hearings.
While acknowledging that psychiatrists disagree about whether Butts is impaired or faking, the judge said the uncertainty led to him to conclude treatment and medication are needed.
Several defense psychiatrists said Butts would improve with anti-psychotic medication, Grove noted. Butts has refused such medication. Grove ordered forced medication in hopes of answering the mental health question.
Painter's widow and four of his six children attended Wednesday's hearing.
"We see this as a temporary setback, but we're still not giving up hope (of a criminal trial)," Painter's daughter, Julie Heuer, said after the ruling. "Hopefully he can get treated and will be back here in a reasonable amount of time."
District Attorney Stephen Atchison contends that Butts is faking mental illness or purposely delaying the trial because he faces a possible death sentence and the evidence against him is compelling - there was an eyewitness to the shooting.
Atchison added that state psychiatrists failed to find Butts had any mental disorder.
In January 2012, after an earlier competency hearing, Grove ruled that Butts was faking mental problems to avoid trial. A second hearing was ordered after Butts stabbed himself in the head with a pencil last year and then refused all medical treatment.
Information from: The Daily News, http://www.tdn.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Barbara Weaver, 61, is regional library director at Ivy Tech Community College Northwest in Gary. Meningitis left her with 90 percent hearing loss at age 3. "My hearing loss was the only side effect; it could have been worse," she said. | Provided phot
At a glance
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Updated: February 16, 2012 8:07AM
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."
— Helen Keller
I trimmed my mustache just before interviewing Barbara Weaver. She has 90 percent hearing loss and relies heavily on reading lips.
Weaver, 61, is regional library director at Ivy Tech Community College Northwest. Our interview took place at the Gary campus.
"I grew up in Carroll County," Weaver began. "I'm a farmer's daughter; my maiden name is Minich. My parents are deceased, but they were very influential in my life.
"Dad met my mom after World War II at Grissom Air Force base near Logansport. My mother's dad was a farmer; that's how dad got into farming.
"Basically, we were just tenant farmers. Since my brother, David, has taken over the operation, we farm thousands of acres. Three or four years ago, he was named top producer in the United States."
Did you attend a public school?
"Yes, Carroll High School in Flora. I had meningitis when I was 3; it was a very precarious situation. My hearing loss was the only side effect; it could have been worse. I was fitted with hearing aids by the time I was 5."
Was your education affected?
"By the time I was 6, I was put in the mainstream school system. I worked closely with the teachers.
"Classes back then were very small. My teachers were very understanding; they made sure I had speech therapy in Chicago or at Purdue University in West Lafayette. Those early days of them doing that is why I didn't have to go to a special school."
"I went to Ball State University and earned my undergraduate degree in social work and a minor in history. I earned my master's at Indiana University in library science."
"At the age of 7, I decided I wanted to play piano because my friend was taking lessons. Dad said: 'My little girl wants to play piano, we'll buy her a piano.'
"I took piano lessons for eight years. I've played piano for churches, groups, worship bands ... . I can feel the music through my hands. My heart, my soul, sings."
"My parents made sure I learned how to read at an early age. We didn't have a public library where we lived; we were really out in the boonies. Mom would get books for me at the library in Kokomo.
"Reading enhances your writing abilities as well. I tend to look for the beauty in things rather than deal with concrete things like numbers."
What were some of your favorite books as a kid?
"I loved reading Nancy Drew mystery stories. Every week, I'd get an allowance for doing chores around the house. Every Saturday, I'd buy another Nancy Drew story for a $1.25. I have quite a collection of them."
What attracted you to that series?
"I loved how Nancy solved the mysteries. That must have carried over in later years, because I decided to become a reference librarian."
You could solve other people's questions through research.
"Exactly. My first two jobs were that of a reference librarian."
"In 1976, I was hired at the Lake County Public Library. They were very supportive of my hearing loss. One of the ladies who hired me said that was one of the reasons they hired me."
Explain, please.
"She felt I'd have a sensitivity to people with disabilities. I worked there for about seven years. Then, there was an opening at the library in Crown Point, and I was hired as the first head of reference. I worked there 11 years; it was a wonderful experience."
How long have you worked for Ivy Tech?
"Eighteen years; I love the freedom it gives me to organize, provide services and work with staff. It's really a family environment here.
"If we can make our students feel at home and comfortable, that supports their future careers. We're trying to make a difference in their lives."
You're a big Indianapolis 500 fan.
"Yes, our landlord would treat my parents, brother and me to a trip to the Indy 500 every year. We had great seats, right by the finish line. I really got into it.
"That was about the time Mario Andretti made a name for himself. He was just phenomenal. Instead of following Elvis Presley or the Beatles, I followed Mario; he was dominant.
"I have a huge scrapbook of newspaper clippings and program guides about him."
Did you get his autograph?
"Yes, back in those days, you could get into Gasoline Alley. There was a race where he had car trouble or something. I slipped underneath the tunnel, and there was Mario. He signed a life-sized poster I had purchased."
Hero worship rewarded.
"When I graduated high school, my dream was to be a journalist and cover the Indianapolis 500. I wanted to be a female sports reporter.
"I majored in journalism my first year at Ball State, but I guess reality set in. With my hearing loss, I realized I probably couldn't catch everything."
You recently won a very prestigious award.
"Yes, the Carnegie Corp. of New York-New York Times I Love My Librarian Award in New York City, about three blocks from Times Square.
"I give the person who nominated me, Becky Sacopulos, a lot of credit for believing I was worthy of it and taking the time to fill out all the paper work.
"I didn't think there was a chance I'd win nationally; it was beyond my wildest imagination. There were 1,700 nominations. Caroline Kennedy was there."
Well done.
"I had to give a two-minute speech in front of more than 300 people. I'm not a very good speaker, but I told the audience that when I received the phone call I'd won, I felt like I was being crowned Miss Indiana.
"The crowd burst out laughing and that certainly broke the ice."
You're an amazing person. I know it hasn't always been easy. Over the phone, you told me there's been more than one occasion when people tried to deter you. Would you care to talk about that?
"After I had filled out an application, a lady from admissions questioned me. She said, 'Do you really think you'll be able to handle it in this profession, not being able to hear?'
"Jeff, I'm sorry ... (she starts crying). That's not a pleasant memory."
It's OK; take your time.
"I told her: 'Yes, I do. I've done well in school. I'm an avid reader who graduated sixth of 123 and was on the National Honor Society in high school. I had great role models. My parents loved me and I have a brother I look up to. I don't see why I cannot achieve my dream of becoming a librarian.' "
Barb, read my lips; I'm speechless.
Weaver believes her involvement in Books to Bridge the Region, a reading initiative for all ages from Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, Porter, Pulaski and Starke counties, was instrumental in her being chosen for the I Love My Librarian Award.
It's been quite a journey from the cornfields of Carroll County to Times Square.
In my eyes, Barbara Weaver is Miss Indiana.


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Those City Lights
February 28, 2010 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Sumayyah Meehan, MMNS Middle East Correspondent
The party capital of the Middle East has long since been Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon. The tiny gulf emirate of Dubai has tried, but miserably failed, to win the hearts and minds of the jet set and party-hungry consumers. The wide open consumer market for clubbing in some parts of the Middle East is enticing and could be very lucrative, as the region was barely scathed by the current credit crisis affecting much of Europe and North America.
A new contender has thrown their hat in the ring to vie for tourists looking to spend their leisure time partying in the windswept deserts of the Middle East. And that country is Jordan. Most famous for its rose-colored city of Petra, one of the 7 new wonders of the world, Jordan is slowly emerging from its well-known lethargic conservative atmosphere and morphing into a clubber's paradise. Nowhere is this transformation more prevalent than in the capital city of Amman.
The city of Amman has undergone a total makeover thanks to a younger workforce of skilled workers with extra money to spend. As a result, an affluent class of partiers has surfaced, fully willing and able to party the nights away. Unlike most countries in the Middle East, alcohol is not illegal in Jordan and flows freely in Jordanian restaurants, dance clubs and bars. With names like, 'Wild Jordan', 'Canvas' and 'Upstairs' there are an abundance of high-end party venues for locals and tourists alike. Even conservative Muslims have found a comfortable niche within the party scene while not overstepping the bounds of Islam, opting for a round of Shisha or piping hot mugs of steamy Arabic coffee instead of alcoholic drinks that are forbidden for Muslims.
Quite notably there is also a dark side to the new party atmosphere in Amman, which is an increase in crimes of morality. Promiscuity and adultery are particularly on the rise in Amman. It is not uncommon for men and women partying together to engage in a 'dangerous liaison' for a couple of hours. There is even an underground network of clever businessman capitalizing on the need for privacy in this newly found culture in Amman, providing secret rooms for rent by the hour. Even married people are getting in on the indiscriminate action, as a popular steakhouse in Amman called 'Whispers' has become a popular meeting place for cheating spouses.
Not to be outdone by their heterosexual counterparts, there is also a thriving homosexual party scene in Amman, a city that often turns a blind eye to homosexual activity. Homosexuals are treated less severely in Jordan than in other Middle Eastern countries. Well-known and openly gay establishments are littered between the ones specifically created for heterosexual clientele. Two of the most famous gay hangouts in Amman are called 'Fame' and 'Books@Café'. However, it's not uncommon to find people from all sexual persuasions partying together in Amman regardless of the theme of the venue.
And while there have not been any fatwas condemning the newly forged party ethos in Amman, several businesses seeking to serve alcohol have struggled with governmental 'red tape' in obtaining the necessary permits. Many business owners have complained that the slowing down of the permit process or denying permits altogether, has been a major and purposeful tactic of some devout Muslims city officials, who are against the whole party culture in Amman, seeking to put a damper on the celebratory scene.
ACCESS Expands Medical Network in Middle East
July 23, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By ACCESS
Over the past two weeks, Senior Director of the Community Health & Research Center, Dr. Adnan Hammad, embarked on a trip to the Middle East to spread ACCESS' medical research knowledge to universities and institutions in Jordan and Morocco. The trip served to educate others as well as expand and strengthen ACCESS' existing networks with health professionals and medical establishments around the world.
Highlights of the trip included a new partnership with the School of Medicine in Fez, Morocco, which could include potential research collaboration and the establishment of a national cancer screening initiative with the Moroccan National Institute of Public Health (MNIPH). Thanks to ACCESS, MNIPH will also be linked with the American Cancer Society and the National Institute of Cancer.
In Amman, Jordan, Dr. Hammad and other professionals provided a one-day workshop at the King Hussein Cancer Center. The workshop included discussions on cancer control and prevention based on extensive research. Also, after meeting with the leadership of Jordan University of Science and Technology, ACCESS has agreed to help them plan a regional public health conference slated for June 2010. This conference will focus on comparative research between Arab and Arab American health outcomes, such as diabetes, cancer, tobacco use, and environment.
Finally, Dr. Hammad met with Questscope and ANERA, organizations whose mission is to educate and help Middle Eastern youth overcome poverty, abuse, and injustice. Discussions are now ongoing over the establishment of a "Train the Trainers" program for the 5,000-6,000 Iraqi children whose parents have been victims of torture. ACCESS has committed to sending some of it mental health care professionals to provide training workshops this fall.
"ACCESS was proud to contribute its knowledge, experience, and talents in helping the well-being of our community overseas," said Dr. Hammad "I am a believer that epidemiology does not recognize borders and I am glad I had this opportunity to serve ACCESS and the Arab American Community."
Did Abbas, Dahlan Conspire to Murder Arafat?
July 23, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Khalid Amayreh in the West Bank
In an impromptu news conference in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on 12 July, Fatah Secretary-General Farouk Kaddumi revealed that Palestinian Authority (PA) leader Mahmoud Abbas and former Gaza strongman Muhammed Dahlan conspired to murder Yasser Arafat in connivance with Israel and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Kaddumi disclosed that Arafat had confided to him the transcript of a secret meeting involving Abbas, Dahlan , US intelligence officials as well as former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The meeting allegedly took place in March 22, 2004.
According to the document, whose authenticity couldn't be verified independently, Sharon told Abbas and Dahlan during the meeting that Arafat should be killed by way of poisoning.
The transcript showed that Abbas protested, saying that murdering Arafat could complicate things and cause serious difficulties.
The Arabic version of the transcript showed Sharon saying the following to Abbas and Dahlan: 'To start with, we should kill all the military and political leaders of Hamas, Jihad, al-Aqsa Brigades and the Popular Front in order to create chaos within their ranks which would make it easier for you to finish them off.'
Sharon then allegedly responded to a suggestion by Dahlan to first abide by a 'period of calm' by saying:
'As long as Arafat is still sitting in the Muqata'a in Ramallah, you will definitely fail, because this cunning fox will surprise you all, as he has done in the past, because he knows exactly what you want to do and he will work to make it fail.'
Sharon then added the following: 'The first step therefore should be to poison Arafat and to kill him. I don't want to send him into exile unless there are guarantees from the country that will take him to place him under house arrest…'
Later on in the transcript, Sharon allegedly mentions the names of senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders to be assassinated, including Abdel Aziz Rantisi, who was murdered by Israel on April 17, 2004.
The document presented by Kaddumi doesn't spell out the ultimate Israeli-American goal behind the liquidation of Arafat and the top leaders of the resistance. However, it is probably safe to deduce that endgame envisaged behind the alleged conspiracy was the creation of a collaborationist Palestinian regime whose central mission and raison d'etre would be to bully the Palestinian masses into accepting a "peace deal" with Israel that would allow the latter to impose its will and conditions on the Palestinians.
Kaddumi is an important figure in Fatah, and it is difficult to dismiss his revelations as hallucinations as his opponents have done.
Nonetheless, it is hard to indict Abbas based on these revelations. However, it is also difficult to grant him a certificate of innocence, because Abbas is not beyond suspicion and is certainly not an impeccable figure.
I remember I spoke with Sakhr Habash, a close confidante of Yasser Arafat, two days before the latter's death, who told me that he was 100% sure that "they killed him."
I pressed him to identify the killers, the people he was referring to. He said "you know them, these people around him, the agents of Israel ."
While one is prompted to speak cautiously about Abbas's alleged role in poisoning Arafat, that is if indeed the late Palestinian leader died of poisoning, one feels freer and more confident to speak about Dahlan's not-so-secret treacherous dealings with the Israelis and the Americans.
A few years ago, I remember I listened to a secret audio-taped briefing by Dahlan to some of his supporters at the al-Hurriya Radio in Gaza.
In the briefing, Dahlan was heard swearing to make Hamas regret the day it decided to take part in the elections of 2006.
"I will make them eat..expletive.., and if any Fatah guy dares participate in the Hamas government, I will know how to deal with him."
Dahlan made more horrifying remarks which one would prefer not mentioning because of their poor taste.
In 2008, the American magazine "Vanity Fair" published an extensive investigative report titled "How the Bush Administration Lied to Congress and Armed Fatah to Provoke Palestinian Civil War Aiming to overthrow Hamas."
The report pointed out that the White House tried to organize the armed overthrow of the Hamas-led government after the Islamic liberation group swept Palestinian elections in 2006.
Obviously, Dahlan was the would-be coup leader whose job was to destroy Hamas, arrest or kill its leaders in collaboration with Israel.
According to the report, the Bush administration lied to Congress and boosted military support for Fatah in the aim of provoking a Palestinian civil war they thought Hamas would lose.
Vanity Fair dubbed the episode "Iran Contra 2"-a reference to the Reagan administration's funding of the Nicaraguan Contras by covertly selling arms to Iran.
David Wurmser, a Bush administration official, was quoted in the report as saying that he believed that "Hamas's seizure of power in Gaza last year might have likely been a preemptive measure against the anticipated US-backed coup."
In light, there is overwhelming evidence that Dahlan brazenly collaborated with the Israeli and American intelligence services against his own people just as it is amply clear that the current regime in Ramallah is collaborating, coordinating and conspiring with Israel to liquidate the resistance in the West Bank.
True, Abbas might argue that he played no part in plotting to murder Yasser Arafat. However, he and his regime in Ramallah can't deny the fact that their security agencies, now trained and armed under the supervision of the American intelligence officer Keith Dayton, have been closely collaborating with Israel for the purpose of eradicating all resistance activists in the West Bank.
Indeed, the recent killings in Qalqilya recently was a damning proof, if a proof were needed, that the PA regime is just another layer of the Israeli occupation.
This, coupled with the unmitigated inquisition of hounding, repression, arrest, dismissal from jobs, seizure and closure of institutions as well as the rampancy of torture which in many instances lead to cruel death demonstrates that the PA is working in concert with Israel to harm and undermine national Palestinian interests.
This alone, and irrespective of who poisoned Arafat, is sufficient to indict the present leadership in Ramallah for collaboration with Israel and treason.
It's All Spelled Out in Unpublicized Agreement–Total Defeat for U.S. in Iraq
December 18, 2008 by TMO · Leave a Comment
Courtesy Patrick Cockburn
On November 27 the Iraqi parliament voted by a large majority in favor of a security agreement with the US under which the 150,000 American troops in Iraq will withdraw from cities, towns and villages by June 30, 2009 and from all of Iraq by December 31, 2011. The Iraqi government will take over military responsibility for the Green Zone in Baghdad, the heart of American power in Iraq, in a few weeks time. Private security companies will lose their legal immunity. US military operations and the arrest of Iraqis will only be carried out with Iraqi consent. There will be no US military bases left behind when the last US troops leave in three years time and the US military is banned in the interim from carrying out attacks on other countries from Iraq.
The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), signed after eight months of rancorous negotiations, is categorical and unconditional. America's bid to act as the world's only super-power and to establish quasi-colonial control of Iraq, an attempt which began with the invasion of 2003, has ended in failure. There will be a national referendum on the new agreement next July, but the accord is to be implemented immediately so the poll will be largely irrelevant. Even Iran, which had furiously denounced the first drafts of the SOFA saying that they would establish a permanent US presence in Iraq, now says blithely that it will officially back the new security pact after the referendum. This is a sure sign that Iran, as America's main rival in the Middle East, sees the pact as marking the final end of the US occupation and as a launching pad for military assaults on neighbours such as Iran.
Astonishingly, this momentous agreement has been greeted with little surprise or interest outside Iraq. On the same day that it was finally passed by the Iraqi parliament international attention was wholly focused on the murderous terrorist attack in Mumbai. For some months polls in the US showed that the economic crisis had replaced the Iraqi war as the main issue facing America in the eyes of voters. So many spurious milestones in Iraq have been declared by President Bush over the years that when a real turning point occurs people are naturally sceptical about its significance. The White House was so keen to limit understanding of what it had agreed in Iraq that it did not even to publish a copy of the SOFA in English. Some senior officials in the Pentagon are privately criticizing President Bush for conceding so much to the Iraqis, but the American media are fixated on the incoming Obama administration and no longer pays much attention to the doings of the expiring Bush administration.
The last minute delays to the accord were not really about the terms agreed with the Americans. It was rather that the leaders of the Sunni Arab minority, seeing the Shia-Kurdish government of prime minister Nouri al-Maliki about to fill the vacuum created by the US departure, wanted to barter their support for the accord in return for as many last minute concessions as they could extract. Some three quarters of the 17,000 prisoners held by the Americans are Sunni and they wanted them released or at least not mistreated by the Iraqi security forces. They asked for an end to de-Baathication which is directed primarily at the Sunni community. Only the Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr held out against the accord to the end, declaring it a betrayal of independent Iraq. The ultra-patriotic opposition of the Sadrists to the accord has been important because it has made it difficult for the other Shia parties to agree to anything less than a complete American withdrawal. If they did so they risked being portrayed as US puppets in the upcoming provincial elections at the end of January 2009 or the parliamentary elections later in the year.
The SOFA finally agreed is almost the opposite of the one which US started to negotiate in March. This is why Iran, with its strong links to the Shia parties inside Iraq, ended its previous rejection of it. The first US draft was largely an attempt to continue the occupation without much change from the UN mandate which expired at the end of the year. Washington overplayed its hand. The Iraqi government was growing stronger as the Sunni Arabs ended their uprising against the occupation. The Iranians helped restrain the Mehdi Army, Muqtada's powerful militia, so the government regained control of Basra, Iraq's second biggest city, and Sadr City, almost half Baghdad, from the Shia militias. The prime minister Nouri al-Maliki became more confident, realizing his military enemies were dispersing and, in any case, the Americans had no real alternative but to support him. The US has always been politically weak in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein because it has few real friends in the country aside from the Kurds. The leaders of the Iraqi Shia, 60 per cent of the total population, might ally themselves to Washington to gain power, but they never intended to share power with the US in the long term.
The occupation has always been unpopular in Iraq. Foreign observers and some Iraqis are often misled by the hatred with which different Iraqi communities regard each other into underestimating the strength of Iraqi nationalism. Once Maliki came to believe that he could survive without US military support then he was able to spurn US proposals until an unconditional withdrawal was conceded. He could also see that Barack Obama, whose withdrawal timetable was not so different from his own, was going to be the next American president. Come the provincial and parliamentary elections of 2009, Maliki can present himself as the man who ended the occupation. Critics of the prime minister, notably the Kurds, think that success has gone to his head, but there is no doubt that the new security agreement has strengthened him politically.
It may be that, living in the heart of the Green Zone, that Maliki has an exaggerated idea of what his government has achieved. In the Zone there is access to clean water and electricity while in the rest of Baghdad people have been getting only three or four hours electricity a day. Security in Iraq is certainly better than it was during the sectarian civil war between Sunni and Shia in 2006-7 but the improvement is wholly comparative. The monthly death toll has dropped from 3,000 a month at its worst to 360 Iraqi civilians and security personnel killed this November, though these figures may understate the casualty toll as not all the bodies are found. Iraq is still one of the most dangerous places in the world. On December 1, the day I started writing this article, two suicide bombers killed 33 people and wounded dozens more in Baghdad and Mosul. Iraqis in the street are cynical about the government's claim to have restored order. "We are used to the government always saying that things have become good and the security situation improved," says Salman Mohammed Jumah, a primary school teacher in Baghdad. "It is true security is a little better but the government leaders live behind concrete barriers and do not know what is happening on the ground. They only go out in their armoured convoys. We no longer have sectarian killings by ID cards [revealing that a person is Sunni or Shia by their name] but Sunni are still afraid to go to Shia areas and Shia to Sunni."
Security has improved with police and military checkpoints everywhere but sectarian killers have also upgraded their tactics. There are less suicide bombings but there are many more small 'sticky bombs' placed underneath vehicles. Everybody checks underneath their car before they get into it. I try to keep away from notorious choke points in Baghdad, such as Tahrir Square or the entrances to the Green Zone, where a bomber for can wait for a target to get stuck in traffic before making an attack. The checkpoints and the walls, the measures taken to reduce the violence, bring Baghdad close to paralysis even when there are no bombs. It can take two or three hours to travel a few miles. The bridges over the Tigris are often blocked and this has got worse recently because soldiers and police have a new toy in the shape of a box which looks like a transistor radio with a short aerial sticking out horizontally. When pointed at the car this device is supposed to detect vapor from explosives and may well do so, but since it also responds to vapor from alcohol or perfume it is worse than useless as a security aid.
Iraqi state television and government backed newspapers make ceaseless claims that life in Iraq is improving by the day. To be convincing this should mean not just improving security but providing more electricity, clean water and jobs. "The economic situation is still very bad," says Salman Mohammed Jumah, the teacher. "Unemployment affects everybody and you can't get a job unless you pay a bribe. There is no electricity and nowadays we have cholera again so people have to buy expensive bottled water and only use the water that comes out of the tap for washing." Not everybody has the same grim vision but life in Iraq is still extraordinarily hard. The best barometer for how far Iraq is 'better' is the willingness of the 4.7 million refugees, one in five Iraqis who have fled their homes and are now living inside or outside Iraq, to go home. By October only 150,000 had returned and some do so only to look at the situation and then go back to Damascus or Amman. One middle aged Sunni businessman who came back from Syria for two or three weeks, said: "I don't like to be here. In Syria I can go out in the evening to meet friends in a coffe bar. It is safe. Here I am forced to stay in my home after 7pm."
The degree of optimism or pessimism felt by Iraqis depends very much on whether they have a job, whether or not that job is with the government, which community they belong to, their social class and the area they live in. All these factors are interlinked. Most jobs are with the state that reputedly employs some two million people. The private sector is very feeble. Despite talk of reconstruction there are almost no cranes visible on the Baghdad skyline. Since the Shia and Kurds control of the government, it is difficult for a Sunni to get a job and probably impossible unless he has a letter recommending him from a political party in the government. Optimism is greater among the Shia. "There is progress in our life, says Jafar Sadiq, a Shia businessman married to a Sunni in the Shia-dominated Iskan area of Baghdad. "People are cooperating with the security forces. I am glad the army is fighting the Mehdi Army though they still are not finished. Four Sunni have reopened their shops in my area. It is safe for my wife's Sunni relatives to come here. The only things we need badly are electricity, clean water and municipal services." But his wife Jana admitted privately that she had warned her Sunni relatives from coming to Iskan "because the security situation is unstable." She teaches at Mustansariyah University in central Baghdad which a year ago was controlled by the Mehdi Army and Sunni students had fled. "Now the Sunni students are coming back," she says, "though they are still afraid."
They have reason to fear. Baghdad is divided into Shia and Sunni enclaves defended by high concrete blast walls often with a single entrance and exit. The sectarian slaughter is much less than it was but it is still dangerous for returning refugees to try to reclaim their old house in an area in which they are a minority. In one case in a Sunni district in west Baghdad, as I reported here some weeks ago, a Shia husband and wife with their two daughters went back to their house to find it gutted, with furniture gone and electric sockets and water pipes torn out. They decided to sleep on the roof. A Sunni gang reached them from a neighboring building, cut off the husband's head and threw it into the street. They said to his wife and daughters: "The same will happen to any other Shia who comes back." But even without these recent atrocities Baghdad would still be divided because the memory of the mass killings of 2006-7 is too fresh and there is still an underlying fear that it could happen again.
Iraqis have a low opinion of their elected representatives, frequently denouncing them as an incompetent kleptocracy. The government administration is dysfunctional. "Despite the fact," said independent member of parliament Qassim Daoud, "that the Labor and Social Affairs is meant to help the millions of poor Iraqis I discovered that they had spent only 10 per cent of their budget." Not all of this is the government's fault. Iraqi society, administration and economy have been shattered by 28 years of war and sanctions. Few other countries have been put under such intense and prolonged pressure. First there was the eight year Iran- Iraq war starting in 1980, then the disastrous Gulf war of `1991, thirteen years of sanctions and then the five-and-a-half years of conflict since the US invasion. Ten years ago UN officials were already saying they could not repair the faltering power stations because they were so old that spare parts were no longer made for them.
Iraq is full of signs of the gap between the rulers and the ruled. The few planes using Baghdad international airport are full foreign contractors and Iraqi government officials. Talking to people on the streets in Baghdad in October many of them brought up fear of cholera which had just started to spread from Hilla province south of Baghdad. Forty per cent of people in the capital do not have access to clean drinking water. The origin of the epidemic was the purchase of out of date chemicals for water purification from Iran by corrupt officials. Everybody talked about the cholera except in the Green Zone where people had scarcely heard of the epidemic. .
The Iraqi government will become stronger as the Americans depart. It will also be forced to take full responsibility for the failings of the Iraqi state. This will be happening at a bad moment since the price of oil, the state's only source of revenue, has fallen to $50 a barrel when the budget assumed it would be $80. Many state salaries, such as those of teachers, were doubled on the strength of this, something the government may now regret. Communal differences are still largely unresolved. Friction between Sunni and Shia, bad though it is, is less than two years ago, though hostility between Arabs and Kurds is deepening. The departure of the US military frightens many Sunni on the grounds that they will be at the mercy of the majority Shia. But it is also an incentive for the three main communities in Iraq to agree about what their future relations should be when there are no Americans to stand between them. As for the US, its moment in Iraq is coming to an end as its troops depart, leaving a ruined country behind them.
Patrick Cockburn is the author of 'The Occupation: War, resistance and daily life in Iraq', a finalist for the National Book Critics' Circle Award for best non-fiction book of 2006. His new book 'Muqtada! Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shia revival and the struggle for Iraq' is published by Scribner.
10-52, reprint


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Junkfood Cinema: Guardians of the Galaxy Quest
Features By Brian Salisbury on September 2, 2014 | Be the First To CommentWrapping up our curated series on sci-fi comedies, Cargill and I warp to a seldom trekked sector of the filmic universe. Setting our phasers on geek-out, we expound upon the various merits of the underrated Galaxy Quest. We discuss the movie it almost was, the deeper themes of hero worship and the complex nature of niche fame, and then we issue you, the listener, a very strange homework assignment. Because how can anyone enjoy a podcast that doesn't involve homework, right? RIGHT?! By Grabthar's Hammer…what an episode. You should follow Brian (@Briguysalisbury), Cargill (@Massawyrm), and the show (@Junkfoodcinema). Download Episode #22 Directly
Why Doesn't Judge Reinhold Suffer an Existential Crisis at the End of 'The Santa Clause'?
Culture Warrior By Landon Palmer on December 17, 2013 | Be the First To CommentFor many, finding out the truth about Santa Claus is an important first step of a ritual entry into adulthood. The experience differs from person to person, but for me it happened gradually and without incident. Around 7 years old, I reasoned that it was impossible for a character as absurd as the Easter Bunny to exist. A year later, I came to the same conclusion about the big jolly guy. I didn't see my parents as deceptive, or myself as naïve – this exit from childhood fantasy was more like an induction, or the first of many doors opened into rational adult living. I preserved the fantasy as best as I could for my younger brother, and played along with my parents whenever Kris Kringle's name came up. My experience must not be unusual, as many children's Christmas films deal directly with a similarly gradual onset of Santa skepticism – that moment where one's imagination is put in conflict with the dawning truth that the world operates on particular rules that are impossible to break. Gravity, time, matter. In this way, such films imbue an adult and a child's view of Christmas simultaneously by investing in the illusion while also showing its manufacture. But these films (as children's Christmas films will unsurprisingly do) ultimately demonstrate the impossible fantasy to be undeniably true, to the dismay and shock of enlightened skeptics like James Caan's Walter Hobbs in Elf or Judge Reinhold's Dr. Neal Miller in The Santa Clause. And Reinhold's […]
The 10 Best Pixar Characters: From Infinity to Squirrel!
Cinematic Listology By Kevin Carr on June 21, 2012 | Comments (9)For more than fifteen years, Pixar has represented the gold standard in computer generated films. Since the studio's early days of making groundbreaking short films to producing Oscar-winning feature-length movies, Pixar has become a brand associated with quality animation and adorable characters. There have been some bumps along the road, from a love-hate-owner relationship with Disney to some questionable sequels, but few studios can boast such a consistent level of quality and innovation. This week, Pixar will be releasing its 13th full-length feature, Brave, with an entire new cast of characters different from any other Pixar film. This gives us a chance to look into Pixar's past and remember some of the favorite characters from their films.
Review: 'Chimpanzee' Provides Charming Family Entertainment and Way Too Much Narration
Movie Reviews By Kate Erbland on April 18, 2012 | Comments (1)For most of its slim 78 minute runtime, Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield's Chimpanzee focuses on the daily minutiae of a large group of chimpanzees living in the Ivory Coast's Tai Forest – their eating habits, sleeping patterns, and how they interact on a social level. It's not particularly exciting, but it is interesting and it does serve an important purpose when the film finally gets to the meat of its story – it serves to lull its audience into a false sense of safety. Centered primarily on a three-year-old chimp named Oscar and his mother Isha, the film certainly benefits from its built-in "awww" factor, because baby Oscar is both adorable and engaging. Despite the fact that his family unit includes other baby chimps, there's no question as to why Fothergill and Linfield trained their film on young Oscar, even before we get to the heart of the story (which requires a focus on Oscar) – he's a star. A G-rated film from Disneynature, Chimpanzee provides a charming slice-of-life look at Oscar, Isha, and their family group's daily existence that should amuse family members of all ages. While it does come packaged with some overly-humanizing narration work by Tim Allen, the film eventually turns into a production with an eye-opening plot and a very incredible story to tell. Though the threat of the "evil" chimp Scar and his band of "soldiers" is ever-lurking, and a bit too much time is spent hammering home the point that baby Oscar is […]
How to Catch Santa Claus (According to the Movies)
Features By Kevin Carr on December 12, 2011 | Comments (1)In schoolyards around the world, the debate continues to rage: Is Santa Claus real? Or is he just some concept concocted by parents to keep kids in line year-round? Even us adults can remember having knock-down, drag-out arguments over this. Our parents told us that if we waited up for Santa on Christmas Eve, we'd be quickly relegated to the dreaded "Naughty List," and we'd get nothing but coal in our stockings. As a public service, this installment of the Holiday Survival Guide will help you win those arguments. Keeping up with the tradition of every child's desire to capture jolly old St. Nicholas, here are some tricks we can dish out, courtesy of the big entertainment machine called Hollywood. Use them wisely, and be sure to only target the real Santa Claus. Failure to do so may result in injury or even death.
First (Little) Look at New Pixar Short 'Small Fry'; Film Will Play Before 'The Muppets'
First Look By Kate Erbland on November 11, 2011 | Be the First To CommentWhile I am not entirely sure that fans of animation and puppets and joy and wonder and childhood dreams need yet another reason to check out The Muppets when it opens over Thanksgiving weekend, Disney and Pixar are not taking any chances, loading up the fleecy feel-good film of the holidays with an extra gift – a new Pixar short. But it's not just any new Pixar short, it's a Toy Story short. Small Fry returns us to a post-Toy Story 3 world, with (spoiler alert if for some horrific reason you've yet to see the third film, you cold-hearted bastard) all the toys happily living out a play-filled existence with wee lass Bonnie. Ever equal when it comes to said play time, Small Fry opens with Bonnie and her mom going on a fast food-outing, accompanied by both Buzz and Rex. But a tiny little tyrant capitalizes on some ball-room confusion, usurping Buzz's place in Bonnie's backpack and leaving ol' Lightyear to fend for himself. Happy Meal toys will never look the same after you see Small Fry. Angus MacLane (who previously contributed to the Burn-E short) directs the film, which features voice work from Pixar director Teddy Newton as the bite-sized Buzz and Jane Lynch as newcomer Neptuna, along with the whole rest of the recognizable Toy Story gang, including Tim Allen, Tom Hanks, John Ratzenberger, and Joan Cusack. After the break, sate your appetite for delicious new Toy Story fare and check out larger versions of two new […]
9 Actors Who Turned to Directing…Only to Make One Film
Cinematic Listology By Matt Patches on June 30, 2011 | Comments (18)That Thing You Do! is the kind of movie only a man with a particular amount of clout can get made. An off-beat comedy about a fake rock band from the '60s starring a bunch of unknowns and unfamiliar songs to boot? Maybe if it was a comic book first. But thank the powers that be for Tom Hanks and his odd sensibilities. He may be a two-time Oscar winner and an impassioned producer of WWII serialized dramas, but when it came to his directorial debut, the end product was something closer to his Bosom Buddies/The Man with One Red Shoe days. When That Thing You Do! hit theaters it bombed, barely making back its budget and putting Hanks's directing career in question. Not even Tom Freakin' Hanks could get his passion project to play with audiences. That very well could have been the end of the actor behind the camera. But lo and behold, a decade and a half later, Hanks returns this weekend with another oddball flick, Larry Crowne. Whether the new comedy (sporting plenty of familiar faces) can counter-program Transformers 3 and survive the competitive summer isn't the point — we should be happy enough he made something. With Larry Crowne, Hanks has succeeded in doing what so few of his actor-turned-director friends have managed: to make a second movie. Here are a few thespians who took the plunge into filmmaking, only to return to their day jobs after one outing.
ABC Releases Prime Time Schedule And Clips
Television By Merrill Barr on May 18, 2011 | Comments (1)Like NBC & FOX, ABC cleaned house last week by canceling pretty much every under-performing show that was on their schedule. But today they have released the schedule that will be filling all the gaps. Unlike NBC & FOX there is nothing really eye popping or exciting. However, there were some oddities: – The new Tim Allen series Last Man Standing will be leading off Tuesday nights at 8pm – The Middle is being pushed to Wednesday lead off at 8pm – Charlie's Angels will lead off Thursday nights at 8pm Basically the oddities are that ABC is over-selling their shows. Need I remind everyone about the scheduling disaster that was FlashForward? Fine show, but it was never meant to lead off the night in its first season. And the general rule is you never put a new show as your lead off (even if it is produced by Steven Spielberg, FOX). But why listen to me when you can look at ABC's schedule and the clips for yourself:
36 Films: Toy Story (1995)
Features By Landon Palmer on September 12, 2010 | Be the First To CommentFor 36 days straight, we'll be exploring the famous 36 Dramatic Situations by examining a film that exemplifies each one. From family killing family to prisoners in need of asylum, we brush off the 19th century list in order to remember that it's still incredibly relevant today. Whether you're seeking a degree in Literature, love movies, or just love seeing things explode, our feature should have something for everyone. If it doesn't, please don't put a snake in my boot. Part 35 of the 36-part series takes a look at "Rivalry of Superior and Inferior" with Toy Story.
Kevin Carr's Weekly Report Card: June 18, 2010
Features By Kevin Carr on June 18, 2010 | Comments (2)Fat Guys at the Movies Ep. 169 – Jonah Fat Story 3D
Features By Kevin Carr on June 18, 2010 | Be the First To CommentKevin and Neil meet up in the miraculously bird-free Magical Studio in the Sky to gush over the latest Pixar release – Toy Story 3. They also shrug their shoulders at Jonah Hex, not having had a chance to review it at the time of recording.
Toy Story 3 Trailer: Pixar's Most Epic Adventure Yet?
Movie News By Neil Miller on February 11, 2010 | Comments (8)You wouldn't think it possible, considering the fact that Pixar has recently taken us to the deep space with Wall-E and to the far reaches of Earth in Up, but I have a feeling that Toy Story 3 might be their biggest adventure yet.
Hanks Producing 'Comedy Store' Movie
In Development By David Baxter on January 27, 2010 | Comments (3)Toy Story 3 Trailer: Officially in HD, Officially Beautiful
Movie News By Neil Miller on October 12, 2009 | Comments (4)A few days ago we made mention of the Toy Story 3 trailer, which had popped up on YouTube a bit early. And sadly, it was gone very quickly. But it left with a promise of returning. And return, it has.
The Beautiful, Full Toy Story 3 Trailer Appears
Movie News By Neil Miller on October 9, 2009 | Comments (11)It's likely that Disney and Pixar didn't intend for the full Toy Story 3 trailer to be online this early, but that's not really our problem. It's actually our big win today…
Kevin Carr's Weekly Report Card for 10.09.09
Features By Kevin Carr on October 9, 2009 | Comments (4)Kevin Carr takes a look at this week's movie releases, including Couple's Retreat, Paranormal Activity and Toy Story & Toy Story 2 in 3D Double Feature.
Fantastic Fest Review: Toy Story 3D Double Feature
Fantastic Fest By Neil Miller on September 27, 2009 | Comments (3)Fourteen years after Toy Story ushered in a new generation of computer generated animation, this celebrated first feature film of Pixar is still leaps and bounds ahead of so many of today's animated fair.
Toy Story 3 Teaser Trailer Lights Up the Web
Movie News By Neil Miller on May 29, 2009 | Comments (11)Right on the heals of releasing their 10th (and according to my review, one of their best) film Up this weekend, the folks at Disney/Pixar have released the first teaser trailer for their next great adventure, Toy Story 3.
When Comedians Get Animated: Ten of the Best and Worst
Features By Neil Miller on June 6, 2008 | Comments (6)With the release of Kung Fu Panda, Jack Black becomes just the next in a long line of comedic talents, both stand-up and otherwise, to take the lead in a major animated film. So how does he compare to others who have come before him?
Stand Back, Tim Allen to Attempt Directing
Movie News By Scott Beggs on March 3, 2008 | Comments (6)After Scorsese got his golden statue in 2007, the world wondered who it could rally behind as a brilliant-but-snubbed auteur director. Now, finally, a stand-out contender is rising above the fray.
Neil Miller
Scott Beggs
Rob Hunter
Kate Erbland
Christopher Campbell


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This Super-Sized McDonald's Figure Just Made Me Lose My Appetite
I hate clowns. Never liked them when I was still a kid, and I still don't. Ronald McDonald used to be an exception. I say 'used to be', because after seeing these super-sized McDonald's figures with their evil faces and transparent abdomens, I'm not really sure how I feel anymore.
Cute? In a way, I guess it is. Weird? For sure. Scary, creepy, and other similar adjectives? Yes, definitely.
The creepy face with the devilish expression isn't the most off-putting thing about this character. Rather, it's all in its transparent tummy that shows two as-yet-undigested cheeseburgers. I guess we don't need to ask or wonder what Mr. McDonald ate to make him gain all that weight.
The Super-Sized McDonald's figure is available for 9,475 yen (~$116 USD) – at least until McDonald's lawyers see it.
[via Inventor's Spot]
MORE:Geek Art + Craft | Strange + Wonderful | creepy | doll | figure | mcdonalds | weird


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What can world-changers learn from software developers?
This is the first of a three part series in which I'll share some lessons drawn from the world of software development that can be applied to the social good sector. Part one is about recognizing obstacles to action for what they are.
I work on the web development team here at Idealist. My business card has the title of "Scrum Master," which sounds equal parts terrifying and mystifying (in reality, it's neither). One of my primary responsibilities is to remove obstacles for our web developers.
"Scrum" is one of several popular software development methodologies collectively known by the umbrella term "Agile." Agile processes seek to address some of the issues inherent to highly complex projects such as software development, by providing a set of shared values, engineering principles, and communication methods.
As I've learned more about these methodologies, I've discovered there are many applications to the work that members of the Idealist community are engaged in every day. After all, what's a more complex project than eradicating poverty, ending homelessness, or convincing world leaders to cooperate on climate change?
A technique for recognizing obstacles
Every morning, we have a 15-minute meeting called "the daily scrum" where each developer makes a commitment for the day, and talks about their obstacles.
One technique we use is making a list of certain words that we think might indicate a hidden obstacle, like "try," "maybe," and "hopefully."
We write them on a whiteboard. Whenever a developer uses one of those words during the daily meeting, we call it out. For example, a developer might say, "Today I'll try to finish the new blog feature…," and the rest of the team will challenge him to explain why he's only going to try.
This isn't some Yoda-esque motivation strategy ("Do or do not. There is no try."). Rather, it's an attempt to understand what is causing the hesitation. Typically there's an underlying obstacle, like the developer isn't familiar with the relevant part of the code. Once that's been articulated, we can work as a team to solve it—perhaps by having him pair up with another developer who's more experienced with that part of the codebase.
Applications for world-changing work
Identifying your own obstacles, or your organization's, is a key step in any plan to change the world. Here are some strategies:
1. Make it a regular practice.
In Scrum, we ask ourselves every day what our obstacles are, and what's getting in the way. In your context, this may be a weekly ritual, or something that you do at a twice-annual staff retreat.
2. Learn to recognize symptoms of hidden obstacles.
In the world of web development, there are a few common signs of unspoken obstacles: a general lack of progress, having more work "in progress" than there are developers on the team, or releasing buggy code. In the world of social good, the signs might include: not hitting your fundraising targets regularly, skipping writing your annual report to stakeholders, or getting unsatisfactory feedback from clients. Recognize these symptoms for what they are: evidence of some underlying obstacles.
3. Make obstacles visible.
Some Scrum teams have an "Impediments board" where they list their obstacles to action on index cards. Cards get removed when the impediment is removed. By making the obstacles visible, everyone sees them and they tend to get resolved faster.
4. Prioritize obstacles.
Not all obstacles are created equal. For example, an obstacle that is preventing your organization from receiving donations might be more important than something that prevents your organization from getting a new logo in time for your summer campaign. Some Scrum teams limit the number of obstacles "in play" at any one time. This forces you to prioritize, and choose the most significant obstacles to focus on.
5. Share responsibility.
A good Scrum Master will facilitate the removal of obstacles by creating a culture of shared team responsibility. Similarly, an executive director or project manager might be ultimately responsible for removing obstacles within an organization, but by empowering the team, they will be resolved more quickly.
We've found paying special attention to identifying and removing obstacles has greatly improved our development work at Idealist. What do you think? Do you have any tips or tricks for finding and resolving obstacles in your organization or projects?
p.s. Stay tuned for the next part of the series, where I'll share some ideas for how to "inspect and adapt" on your internal processes.


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found a new home!
Plenty of my friends are looking
for one too. Find a pet to adopt.
Find a pet to adopt |
My name is Fluffy Muffy!
Facts about Fluffy Muffy
- Breed: Domestic Mediumhair
- Color: Cream Or Ivory (Mostly)
- Age: Kitten
- Sex: Female
- Hair: Medium
Fluffy Muffy's Info...
I am already spayed, up to date with shots, good with kids, and good with cats.
Pretty, loving and playful kitty. She has lots of energy and love to give to the right person.
Other Pets at Friends of Strays
Why Adoption is a Great Option
Fluffy Muffy, a St. Petersburg Domestic Mediumhair kitten was adopted! Here's how you can benefit by looking at adoption as an option to buying a Domestic Mediumhair for sale in St. Petersburg, or seeking a Domestic Mediumhair kitten from a breeder in St. Petersburg.
- Rescues and shelter volunteers in St. Petersburg already know the personality and tendencies of their pets. This means they can match you with the right pet. That will makes it much easier transition to owning a pet for yourself and your new pet.
- On average adoption fees are much less than you'd pay a St. Petersburg breeder, or pet store. Plus most often rescue pets have already been to the veterinarian for a check-up, had a round of vaccinations, and are spayed or neutered. That is a lot of savings!
- You will become a hero, and give a needy dog or cat a loving home. In fact, there are even Domestic Mediumhair breeders who help with Domestic Mediumhair rescue. One puppy or kitten adopted in St. Petersburg paves the way for another one to be saved.


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VIDEO: Jonathan Toews on injury status before Game 6
BY MARK POTASH Sun-Times Media June 24, 2013 2:52PM
Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews discusses his injury before Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final vs. the Bruins.
© 2014 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.


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1 AANP Member data, http://www.aanp.org/NR/rdonlyres/0313B5B2-325A-4B66-A3C6-569902C3837E/0/AANPNPFactsLogo09.pdf
2 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm
3 Gracias et al. Critical Care Nurse Practitioners Improve Compliance with Clinical Practice Guidelines in "Semiclosed" Surgical Intensive Care Unit. J Nurs Care Qual 2008;23(4)338-344
4 Ohman-Strickland P et al . Quality of Diabetes Care in Family Medicine Practices Influence of Nurse Practitioners and Physicians Assistants. Ann Fam Med 2008;6:14-22
5 Pearson LJ. The Pearson Report AmJNursPract 2009;13(2)4-82
6 Huber C. et al. A Tool to Assess Compliance in Anticoagulation Management. AHRQ grant 2008
7 Cook et al. Telephone Counseling to Improve Osteoporosis Treatment Adherence: An Effectiveness Study in Community Practice Settings. Am J Med Quality;2007;22;445
8 Albert. Improving Medication Adherence in Chronic Cardiovascular Disease. Crit Care Nurse 2008;28:54-64
9 Homer et al. Providing patients with information about disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs: Individually or in groups? A pilot randomized controlled trial comparing adherence and satisfaction. Musco Care online 15Sep2008
10 Hatfield et al. Nurse-led risk assessment/management clinics reduce predicted cardiac morbidity and mortality in claudicants. J VascNurs 2008;26(4)118-122
11 Murchie,P et al. Running nurse-led secondary prevention clinics for coronary heart disease in primary care: qualitative study of health professionals' perspectives. Br J Gen Pract 2005; 55(516): 522–528
14 Horrocks S et al. Systematic Review of Whether Nurse Practitioners Working in primary Care Can Provide Equivalent Care to Doctors. BMJ 2002;324:819-23
15 Personal communication
16 Gambino, Katherine K et al. Transition Toward a Nurse Practitioner-Managed Clinic; The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing: March/April 2009;24(2)pp 132-139
17 Kinnersley, P. et al. Randomised controlled trial of nurse practitioner versus general practitioner care for patients requesting "same day" consultations in primary care; BMJ 2000; 320:1043-1048
KnowledgePoint360Group Over 30 years of medical communications excellence in partnership with the pharmaceutical industry


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The story of Captain Beyond, stoner rock pioneers
I'm your Captain: Rod Evans (centre) on stage with the Beyond
They were the pioneers of stoner rock, a supergroup who should have been super-massive. But somehow Captain Beyond managed to throw away all that promise…
Words: Ken McIntyre
Rock'n'roll has many well-kept secrets, some dirty, some amazing, many both at once. It's one of the genre's most enduring and endearing traits. One of its greatest hidden treasures is a scruffy neo-supergroup from the dawn of the 1970s called Captain Beyond.
Formed in the wake of Iron Butterfly's sudden and premature demise in 1971, Captain Beyond captured perfectly the zeitgeist of the era, wrapping their Technicolor freak-flag around the Butterfly's grungey stoner metal, layering their dense caveman-thud with far-out spurts of space-prog and throbbing tribal grooves. It was hard rock, for sure, born of thunder and sweat, but it was weird and cosmic, too. Think head shops and UFO cults and you've got it.
Captain Beyond were wily wizards gnawing on dinosaur bones in the waning days of the Age of Aquarius. It's not surprising that Larry 'Rhino' Reinhardt is the only person that's been part of Captain Beyond since the band formed. It was, after all, named after him.
"We were on tour in Europe with Iron Butterfly," Reinhardt explains, sitting at home in Florida. "Butterfly and Yes were on the same bus. After a real long night with a pipe – we all partook in some attitude adjustment for the long ride – I was coming out of the bus, and Chris Squire from Yes looked at my blood-red eyes and said: 'Goddamn, you look like Captain Beyond!' The name stuck with me ever since."
Reinhardt joined proto-metal warriors Iron Butterfly for their 1970 album Metamorphosis. He was also with them on a European tour to support the album.
"We were riding high, the European audiences were loving the new band. We were just tearing people's heads off, and we were all saying: 'We've really go to do another album.' But then Doug [Ingle, Iron Butterfly's original singer] called a meeting, and so we went down there. As I remember it, there were a couple of groupies, and he was having a cocktail, and there were crosses all over the room. He was a preacher's son, and I think he had a revelation or something. He said: 'Guys, I can't go on any more. I can't take this rock'n'roll life with all the women and the drinking.' And I'm looking at him having a gin and tonic with two broads sitting next to him while he's telling me this. I was in shock. I just couldn't believe it. I was like, this band is about to make a big, new splash, and you quit? We couldn't do Butterfly without his voice. He flushed the toilet on us."


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How do I describe him? He is a warrior and a healer. He is a leader and a friend of SWC. He is Lakota. Harry comes from the Cheyenne River Reservation, and he has visited our campus a number of times to teach. He is an elder in his tribe and leads the "Healing of Mother Earth & Sun Dance" ceremony in July every year outside of Eagle Butte, SD. He comes to SWC where he talks about his people, and tells the story of his tribe, and the meaning of the sacred pipe. As you may already know, this is a story that is filled with heartache, tears and triumph. Harry Charger is a warrior – not because he was in the military when he was younger, he is a warrior because he has had to stand up, speak out and fight for his people to be heard and acknowledged during his entire life.
When Harry has come to campus he carries the wisdom he is graced with from the healing traditions of the Lakota. He carries the pipe and prays with the pipe. He has offered the students and SWC community the sweat lodge ceremony for purification and healing. He has sat outside the sweat lodge and prayed with the sacred pipe for healing of hungry and hurt souls.
Harry also carries the wounds he has received personally and those of his tribe. He is of the generation that was sent off to the government schools to be taught "how not to be an Indian." Harry is forthright about his distrust of "white people" based on his experiences. He has not had an easy life, and when he speaks of his journey one can hear the voice of a healer as well as one who has been oppressed and disrespected by mainstream society. It is not an easy task to carry the pain and suffering he carries. He can be rough, blunt and unforgiving in his style of delivery in the classroom. And yet this man has a huge heart and he wants so much for others to hear the story of his people and to "get" that their struggles continue today. The students and SWC community have become much more aware of the challenges of Harry's tribe and all the other tribes in America thanks to his efforts to illuminate us.
When I was in sweat lodge with Harry Charger, what I learned was the incredible reverence he holds for Wakan Tanka (Great Spirit). I also see that amazingly wonderful heart staying open in ceremony to everyone no matter what their color or creed I am grateful for Harry, and all the other Harry's who walk the planet today – inviting us to open our eyes and our hearts.


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Southport Sites
Situated just 20 miles north of Liverpool, 30 miles from Manchester and with excellent transport links - you can see why people keep coming back to Southport for days out, short breaks and seaside holidays!
Southport has beautiful beaches, un-spoilt coastline, unbelievable natural beauty, stunning architecture, one of the oldest piers in the UK along with a superb choice of restaurants, pubs, world-class golf courses, family attractions and a vibrant events programme - a tradition thats over 100 years old, creating many happy memories in the process!
It is even rumoured that Napoleon re-modelled certain parts of Paris based on his knowledge of Southport during his stay in the town back in the mid-19th century.
Combine this with plenty of accommodation, hotels, bed and breakfasts, amazing shopping and a great nightlife - whether you choose a few nights break or a longer stay, make this year's holiday in Southport.
It really is the perfect destination - whether you are a family looking for a new things to do, a couple just looking for somewhere to relax and recuperate, a day-tripper looking for somewhere to spend a few hours or are here on business and just want to enjoy the surroundings, you really cant go wrong with Southport!
This is why Southport is regarded as one of the best seaside locations in the UK and is fast becoming the 'go to' location for business and corporate conferences and exhibitions.
So, next time you are planning a short break, seaside holiday or just a nice day out with the family, ask yourself this question 'what do I really want from a holiday?'
We are confident you will find all the answers here in Southport!
The Seaview has a warm, friendly and inviting atmosphere and is personally supervised by Alex and...
Set in 200 acres of parkland, the sophisticated Formby hall Golf Resort and spa offers 62...
A unique stylish boutique hotel situated in Southport, The Vincent Hotel offers a cool, relaxed...


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Because most—but not all, apparently—dates at an Ikea end in the utter collapse of one's relationship ("you don't think it was a little passive aggressive to take that detour through the cchildren's section?"), College Humor sister site Jest has...
read more
British humor site The Poke—akin to The Onion here—reports that Ikea now has in-store relationship counselors on hand to help sparring couples. While the Swedish retailer "has been extremely effective in [...] promoting Scandinavian... Read Post
The folks at College Humor achieved what Bryan Singer could not. They made Superman cool. Super-cool. Last October, they posted a hilarious cartoon of Supe meeting his harmless little Bat-bro. Watch The Dark Knight Meets Superman an... Read Post
Here's a strategy that perhaps Andy Warhol's landlord could have used; the photo first made an appearance on humor site Passive Aggressive Notes. As one commenter astutely noted, "Easier to break out the kid's chalk in the morning t... Read Post


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aAsk a Tradesman
- Need some tips or advice?
- Post a Question
How to remove a non load bearing stud wall
The wall we wish to remove is in a bedroom and does have an electric socket in it. However it is not a load bearing wall. Is it a case of just using a sledge hammer and knocking it through and plastering afterwards or is there more to it than that?
- Yclaireb_79 24th Jul, 2011 Carpentry & Joinery
- share this question:
u 3 Liked
hi there claire there is a bit more to it your best way to do it is get a hammer and knock holes along the middle or the wall then you can wiggle the sheet of plasterboard loose and it keeps the mess down. as for the socket use the hammer to smash the plasterboard round it to loosen it off the wall. after you have got all the plasterboard off then hit the bottom of the studs to loosen them then pull them down from the bottom. then phone a electrican and he will disconect your socket for you as he will have enough room to do it.
Hope this help you Robert
- SS joinery & contractors 25th Jul, 2011
u 1 Like
Hi Claire,
To be honest you probably wouldn't need a sledge hammer. Just make sure the electricity supply to the socket is switch off in case the wire gets pinched when you remove the studs. Sometimes a ceiling joist can be fixed to the wall so have a look first because you could end up with the ceiling being pulled down.
have fun
.- Rebel Carpenter 26th Jul, 2011
u 1 Like
Hi Clare. I would get an electrician. first as there may be other cables that you are not aware. of once the. sparks has cleared the wall ..maybe. check. for pipes too. then you can smash it down any way you like. Have fun.
- Bates Carpentry and building 26th Jul, 2011
u 0 Like
I would agree with everything R &A Joinery has said, But just double check in the loft, there could be additional weight up there.. ie junk or maybe a water tank!
- J Chappell Joinery 26th Jul, 2011
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Course Materials
Course Reserve Readings
Course Text
The RIL course text may be purchased at the CNR bookstore located on the New Rochelle Campus or it may be ordered through www.cnrbookstore.com
Writing Research Papers
Call Number: On Reserves at all Gill Libraries: LB2369 .L4 2012
Publication Date: 2011-06-20
This market-leading text provides readers with step-by-step guidance through the research writing process, from selecting and narrowing a topic to formatting the finished document. Writing Research Papers backs up its instruction with the most complete array of samples of any writing guide of this nature. The text continues its extremely thorough and accurate coverage of citation styles for a wide variety of disciplines. The fourteenth edition maintains Lester's successful approach while bringing new writing and documentation updates to assist the student researcher in keeping pace with electronic sources. Available in two formats-perfect-bound and spiral-bound with tabs, a handier format at a slightly higher price)-Lester's text is one that readers will keep throughout their college careers.
Other Related Texts (Optional Resources)
Teaching Information Literacy
Call Number: Selections from this book are recommended as reserve item assigned readings.
Publication Date: 2010-04-01
Updated to todays ever-expanding world of electronic information, Teaching Information Literacy, Second Edition, is the best single resource for fundamental information literacy instruction. Covering the basics of planning, collecting, and evaluating the exercies in the book. *Address one or more of the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education *Promote conceptual and applied skills via active learning, problem-based learning, and resource based learning *Are ready for use by reference and instruction librarians at colleges and community colleges, as well as others responsible for teaching students how to conduct research These 50 lessons can be used as a full semester course or as a single focused seminar or workshop, and show how to engage with electronic and print information resources alike.
The Elements of Library Research
Publication Date: 2008-08-25
To do solid academic research, college students need to look beyond the computer search engine. This short, practical book introduces students to the important components of the information-seeking process.The Elements of Library Researchprovides a foundation for success in any research assignment, from a freshman paper to a senior thesis.Unlike guides that describe the research process but do not explain its logic, this book focuses entirely on basic concepts, strategies, tools, and tactics for research--in both electronic and print formats. Drawing on decades of experience with undergraduates, reference librarian Mary George arms students with the critical thinking skills and procedures they need to approach any academic project with confidence.Ways to turn a topic into a research questionTechniques for effective online searchesHow to evaluate primary and secondary sourcesWhen and how to confer with reference librarians and facultyHow to avoid plagiarismGlossary of key terms, from Boolean search to peer reviewChecklists, timelines, and hints for successful research projects


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Sandusky Cabinets Inc. has been building high quality metal cabinets and school or office supplies for years. With careful craftsmanship, the best materials available, and a satisfaction guarantee, a Sandusky purchase is guaranteed to satisfy your needs.
Full line of Sandusky products available and offered at the best prices. |


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Totes Eve Snow Boot
Sorry, this item is sold out!
Looks like you've got more shoe shopping to do - have fun!
Looks like you've got more shoe shopping to do - have fun!
Item # 196761
You can't go wrong with the Totes Eve snow boots! This winter boot will keep you nice and warm and is water resistant from the rain or snow.
- Water resistant synthetic upper
- Lace-up with adjustable toggle button
- 6½" shaft height, inside zipper
- 12½" calf circumference
- Faux fur lining
- Thermolite® insole
- Synthetic sole
- Imported
- View more Women's Totes Shoes
January 05, 2014
Excellent Warm Boot!
"I bought these boots to travel to a snowy area. They kept my feet warm and dry. Super comfy! I have a wide foot and ordered and 11 (usually wear a 10). These run a little wide but ok for me. I would order your true size!"
December 28, 2013
Great boot!
"These boots are really comfortable and feel terrific! I ordered a wide and they fit perfectly."
December 17, 2013
"I actually seen these boots at another store and tried them on in a size 7 1/2. The fit was kind of tight and that is my size. So then when I tried them on at DSW in a 8 they were perfect. The boots are not warm like they say they are. The first time I walked in the snow I felt the cold air right on my feet. I wasn't happy about that. But overall they are kinda cute on my feet."
December 17, 2013
I Would Buy More Colors
"I am a normal 7 1/2. I am basing my size ratings based on being a 7 1/2. As the boots are full sizes with no halfs, I tried the 7 The 7s (on my 7 1/2 foot) were exactly the right length, an nth shorter and they would have been too short. The width across the ball of my foot was just wide enough. I was able to wear regular socks, (thick ones would have been too tight). I wore them to work on a very cold day and they kept my feet warm and snuggly. I wore them all day and I did have to take them off for a little bit at my desk because my feet got a bit too warm. lol.I would love to have them in more colors such as a marine blue, kelley green, red and pink."
Click anywhere to close this.


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Papillion-Lavista South Titanium Garage Sale
Please mark your calendars for the first annual Papillion-LaVista South Titanium Show Choir Garage Sale to be held on Saturday, October 27th in the PLSHS cafeteria from 8:00 a.m. to Noon. Titanium is PLSouth's award-winning varsity show choir. You can show your support in three ways: 1) By attending the sale on the 27th (there is no cost for admission). 2) By donating any good-condition items that you would like to get rid of. 3) By helping spread the word for donations and attendees. We are particularly interested in homecoming and prom dresses. Donations will be accepted on Friday, October 26th from 5:00-9:00 p.m. in the PLSouth cafeteria. Please price your items ahead of time. Thank you so much!
Papillion Lavista South High School
10799 Nebraska Highway 370, Papillion, NE 68046


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Harlem just got greener, thanks to the opening of nonprofit GrowNYC's seasonal Mt. Sinai Greenmarket, bringing more than just fresh, locally grown produce to the area. Continue Reading →
Tag Archives: Compost
Farm School NYC Teaching Opportunity!
The good folks at Farm School NYC is looking to fill several teaching positions For a complete job description and a teacher application, visit the Farm School NYC website.
Please apply immediately or forward this email to anyone you know in Harlem who would be a great addition to Farm School NYC's teaching team.
Continue Reading →
Continue Reading →
Want To Be The Greenest Neighbor On Your Block
Great, become the greenest neighbor on your block with the NYC Master Composter Certificate Course! You'll learn about setting up your own compost system, using finished compost and techniques for teaching others about composting. Continue Reading →


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The Human Library is an innovative project designed to promote dialogue, reduce and dispel stereotypes, myths and prejudices, thereby, promoting inclusion, tolerance and understanding.
"The Human Library enables groups to break stereotypes by challenging the most common prejudices in a positive and humorous manner. It is a concrete, easily transferable and affordable way of promoting tolerance and understanding. It is a 'keep it simple', 'no-nonsense' contribution to social cohesion in multicultural societies." - Human Library web site at: http://humanlibrary.org/
- The Human Library Event
Arizona Spotlight - Podcast on the Living Library Event
Everything you need to know - Participate in the Human Library
People are the "Books of knowledge" — Volunteer to be a Book - Current Book Titles and Descriptions
- Distribute the Human Library flier
- Read Tips for Books


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Type, bread, syntax error on data section 1 = '[]'
Type, bread, syntax error on data section 1 = '[]'
Updated 10-22-2014:
Stadium Heights tours are available Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Tours will begin at the Residential Life Stadium Heights Office.
Call 507-388-5167 NOW to make your tour appointment with Mary or Wendy.
Returning Student Residence Hall Room Selection Schedule
Current residents living on campus may sign up to live on campus again next year through E-Services from Monday, November 3 through Monday, March 31. As a returning student, you can hand-pick your room for next year during Room Selection.
View the Room Selection Schedule
Make your $250 prepayment, agree to the housing contract terms, and choose your space next year all online. You'll need:
If you want to make your prepayment by cash, check, or money order, please come to the Residential Life office at 111 Carkoski Commons to make your payment PRIOR to choosing your room online.
Remember to carefully read the 2015-2016 Housing Contract before you agree to the terms. You are entering into a legal agreement in effect for the entire academic year. Once Residential Life has accepted your contract, the terms within both the contract and Residential Life Student Guide apply.
To secure your space for next year, you will need to make a $250 prepayment when you sign up. Residential Life will apply this payment to your 2015-2016 fall room and board charges. You may pay online with a credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover). You may also make your payment by check, cash, or money order in the Residential Life office at 111 Carkoski Commons prior to choosing your room.
Visit the Residential Life office at 111 Carkoski Commons weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and we'll be happy to help you!
When you sign up online, you may hold the space in your room for another current student who has not yet signed up. You will need the other student's name and TechID to enter into your housing application. When the other student logs in to E-Services to apply, they will see that they have an "invitation" from you. If you do not request a specific roommate, the other space in the room you have chosen will be available to other students signing up online. A requested roommate space can be held through May 20. After May 20, the hold will be released and another student will be assigned to the room.
If you are interested in signing up for a semi-suite or apartment with two or more other students, your group should try to all sign up at the same time. Please contact the Department of Residential Life to place holds on the spaces if not all students will apply for the room at the same time and you wish to place holds on the spaces.
If you want to change your room after your initial sign-up, stop by the Residential Life office at 111 Carkoski Commons before Friday, May 8, 2015. Room changes must be completed in the Residential Life office in person. Do NOT cancel your room and attempt to sign up again.
Residents may choose from several dining options each year. Each meal plan has two components: meals and Flex Dollars. All students living on campus must choose a meal plan. Meal plans for next year have not yet been finalized. You will have the opportunity to choose a meal plan beginning in February.
Like so many things, it depends on what you choose. There is a range of prices in on-campus housing, and there is a range of prices in off-campus housing. To assist you in comparing amenities and prices, you can use this consumer guide to help you directly compare costs.
[PDF] Student Housing Comparion Guide (183 KiB)
The University provides information to assist students in this transition, including information on apartment listings, renter rights and responsibilities, campus shuttle services, and city bus services at Off-Campus Housing.
Current residents may sign up using E-services according to the Room Selection Schedule dates.
You'll need your Minnesota State Mankato TechID and TechID Password
What is my TechID?
What is my TechID Password?
Students currently living on campus may choose their same room (based on eligibility) beginning Monday, November 3. To sign up during this week, students must choose the room in which they live currently.
Students currently living on campus may choose a room in the same hall in which they are living beginning Monday, November 10. Halls are defined as the letter name of your hall--Crawford A, Crawford B, McElroy E, Preska I, etc. Students currently living in Julia Sears may choose any room in Julia Sears during this week, and students currently living in Stadium Heights may choose any room in Stadium Heights during this week.
Students currently living on campus may choose from any available space beginning Monday, November 17. Students can reserve a room and choose their space through Monday, March 31.
All students currently enrolled at Minnesota State Mankato may choose from any available space beginning Monday, November 17. Students can reserve a room and choose their space through Monday, March 31. Note: Students currently living off-campus MUST contact the Residential Life office to sign up for 2015-2016 on-campus housing.
Current residents may sign up using E-services according to the Room Selection Schedule dates.
You'll need your Minnesota State Mankato TechID and TechID Password
What is my TechID?
What is my TechID Password?


text:
Sun, Sep 9, 12 at 17:10
Follow-Up Postings:
Gorgeous garden! |
Gorgeous garden! |
Gorgeous garden! |
very nice, my wife saw the picture from where she is sitting and came over for a peek! not much rain here, your garden is beautiful! |
I agree, your garden is lovely. It is nice to hear from you again. :o) |
- Posted by hester_2009 9a/b Sarasota (My Page) on Mon, Sep 10, 12 at 14:05
Just my kind of garden! Lush and a little bit wild in a good way. Post more pics!!! Hester |
- Posted by tropicbreezent (My Page) on Mon, Sep 10, 12 at 16:29
Relaxing ..... that's what gardening is all about. Looks very nice. |
It really is beautiful. Makes ya want to walk down the path and peek around the corner. Please post more pics! Susie |
Hi everyone. I am happy to share my garden photos with you. I must say I do enjoy lurking florida GW and over the many years I have enjoyed your inspiring photos of your garden. Thanks to you all I was able to incorporate some of your wonderful ideas into my garden. Still dreaming of attending one of your many Spring Gardenparties/swap LOL One of these days. This is a view of my side garden enjoy |
Hi Bradisha You have a beautiful garden! And you are invited to any garden party that you can come to my house. When you are ready, we will be happy to meet you. Silvia |
Thanks Sylvia, Happy gardening and keep sharing those wonderful photos. |
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09 December 2010
More than one million news articles in 22 languages have been analysed using the latest technology to pinpoint the factors that influence and shape the news agenda in 27 European countries.
The research is the result of a collaboration between Professor Justin Lewis, Head of Cardiff University's School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies and Nello Cristianini, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Bristol. With an international team of researchers they conducted the first large-scale content analysis of multi-lingual texts using artificial intelligence techniques - automated smart computing.
Every day hundreds of news outlets across Europe choose which story to cover from a wide and diverse selection. While each outlet may make news choices based on individual criteria, clear patterns emerge when these choices are studied across many outlets and over a long period of time.
By using automated methods from artificial intelligence and because of recent advances in machine translation and text analysis the team was able to analyse 1,370,874 articles – a sample size well beyond existing research techniques.
They discovered that chosen news content reflects national biases, as well as cultural, economic and geographic links between countries. For example outlets from countries that trade a lot with each other and are in the Eurozone are more likely to cover the same stories, as are countries that vote for each other in the Eurovision song contest. Deviation from 'normal content' is more pronounced in outlets of countries that do not share the Euro, or have joined the European Union later.
Professor Lewis said: "This approach has the potential to revolutionise the way we understand our media and information systems. It opens up the possibility of analysing the mediasphere on a global scale, using huge samples that traditional analytical techniques simply couldn't countenance. It also allows us to use automated means to identify clusters and patterns of content, allowing us to reach a new level of objectivity in our analysis."
Professor Cristianini, University of Bristol added: "Automating the analysis of news content could have significant applications, due to the central role played by the news media in providing the information that people use to make sense of the world."
The researchers selected the top-ten news outlets - established by the volume of web traffic to either its leading news feed or main page - for each of the 27 EU countries. They gathered their sample from the top stories of these outlets for six months, from 1 August 2009 until 31 January 2010. The non-English language news items, which totalled 1.2 million, were translated automatically to English.
Several expected connections between countries were found such as Greece-Cyprus; Czech Republic-Slovakia; Latvia-Estonia; United Kingdom-Ireland; Belgium-France. Links between countries not explained by borders, trade or cultural relations, could be due to other factors and may form the basis of further research.
"While this approach lacks the analysis provided by people, this new research is a significant breakthrough in the study of media content due to the recent availability of millions of news articles in digital format," added Professor Lewis.
The paper, The Structure of the EU Mediasphere, is published in the issue of Public Library of Science ONE and was carried out in conjunction with the Joint Research Centre and the European Commission.
Notes to editors
1. Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies
The School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies has research and teaching interests in journalism and other contemporary media including, international media, media technologies, media and development, film, popular music, radio, television, photojournalism, magazine journalism and public and media relations.
The School houses the Centre for Journalism Studies, founded by Sir Tom Hopkinson in 1970, and the Tom Hopkinson Centre for Media Research, founded in 1996.
The Centre for Journalism Studies offers the highly acclaimed Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism Studies, which prepares new graduates for a career in journalism or public and media relations. Students can chose to specialise in broadcast, magazines, newspaper, photojournalism or public and media relations. The course is recognised by industry's accrediting and standard setting bodies, the National Council for the Training of Journalists, the Periodicals Training Council, the National Council for the Training of Broadcast Journalists and the Institute of Public Relations.
Media research is supported by the Tom Hopkinson Research Centre. Areas of research expertise include: visual culture, popular journalism and democracy; media and national/regional identities; media histories; media and gender and ethnic representations; media and children; and international journalism.
2. Cardiff University
Cardiff University is recognised in independent government assessments as one of Britain's leading teaching and research universities and is a member of the Russell Group of the UK's most research intensive universities. Among its academic staff are two Nobel Laureates, including the winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize for Medicine, University President Professor Sir Martin Evans.Founded by Royal Charter in 1883, today the University combines impressive modern facilities and a dynamic approach to teaching and research. The University's breadth of expertise in research and research-led teaching encompasses: the humanities; the natural, physical, health, life and social sciences; engineering and technology; preparation for a wide range of professions; and a longstanding commitment to lifelong learning. Three major new Research Institutes, offering radical new approaches to neurosciences and mental health, cancer stem cells and sustainable places were announced by the University in 2010.
3. The full paper with images can be accessed at:<https://www.bris.ac.uk/fluff/u/ficmc/EG1B3oFe2iYPMe7KXjw4mAKI/>
4. For further informationVictoria DandoPublic RelationsCardiff UniversityTel: 02920 879074Email: email@example.com
This is an externally hosted beta service offered by Google.


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Like we've been seeing from ASUS for months now, the P8H67-I uses the same UEFI layout that we've become so accustomed to seeing. When you first enter the BIOS you're greeted with EZ Mode which kind of limits what you can do, but you're only a few clicks from jumping into Advanced mode.
While Advanced mode is of course more advanced than EZ Mode, being based on the H67 chipset and being a more mid-range to low-end offering means there's not heaps of options to mess around with. The biggest loss on the on the H67 chipset is that even with K series CPUs, you're unable to adjust the multiplier. That means overclocking is of course limited to BCLK adjustment only.


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Select () or exclude () categories to narrow your recipe search.
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Find exactly what you're looking for with the web's most powerful recipe filtering tool.
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"I made a few minor adjustments. I used 2 tbsp of green curry paste, 1/2 c of chicken broth, chili flakes instead of the red chili pepper, more lime juice, and about three tbsp of brown sugar, because my husband likes a sweeter spicy curry.I also thickened this at this at the end with a tbsp of cornstarch in a 1/4 c of cold water.I didn't cook..."