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Page 1
arXiv:astro-ph/9906115v1 7 Jun 1999
A&A manuscript no.
(will be inserted by hand later)
Your thesaurus codes are:
02(12.07.1; 03.13.1; 03.13.4)
A fast direct method of mass reconstruction for gravitational
M. Lombardi1,2and G. Bertin2
1European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild Straße 2, D 85748 Garching bei M¨ unchen, Germany
2Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, I 56126 Pisa, Italy
Received 25 March 1999; accepted 17 May 1999
Abstract. Statistical analyses of observed galaxy distor-
tions are often used to reconstruct the mass distribu-
tion of an intervening cluster responsible for gravitational
lensing. In current projects, distortions of thousands of
source galaxies have to be handled efficiently; much larger
data bases and more massive investigations are envisaged
for new major observational initiatives. In this article we
present an efficient mass reconstruction procedure, a di-
rect method that solves a variational principle noted in an
earlier paper, which, for rectangular fields, turns out to re-
duce the relevant execution time by a factor from 100 to
1000 with respect to the fastest methods currently used,
so that for grid numbers N = 400 the required CPU time
on a good workstation can be kept within the order of 1
second. The acquired speed also opens the way to some
long-term projects based on simulated observations (ad-
dressing statistical or cosmological questions) that would
be, at present, practically not viable for intrinsically slow
reconstruction methods.
Key words: cosmology: gravitational lensing – methods:
analytical – methods: numerical
1. Introduction
In the context of weak or statistical lensing, the problem of
the determination of the dimensionless mass density distri-
bution κ(θ) from a map of the reduced shear g(θ) has been
considered in detail by various authors, using either simu-
lations or analytical calculations (e.g., Bartelmann 1995,
Schneider 1995, Seitz & Schneider 1996, Squires & Kaiser
1996, Lombardi & Bertin 1998a, 1998b).
The mass inversion is usually performed starting from
the vector field ˜ u(θ) defined in terms of the measured re-
duced shear g(θ) (Kaiser 1995). In the ideal case where
the measured shear g(θ) is just the true shear g0(θ), the
vector field ˜ u0(θ) can be shown to satisfy the relation
˜ u0(θ) = ∇ln?1 − κ0(θ)?= ∇˜ κ0(θ) ,
Send offprint requests to: M. Lombardi
Correspondence to: email@example.com
where κ0is the true dimensionless mass map and ˜ κ0(θ) =
ln?1 − κ0(θ)?. However, because of statistical and mea-
surement errors, ˜ u is not necessarily curl-free, and thus
κ can be determined only approximately. In a separate
paper (Lombardi & Bertin 1998b) we have shown that
– The statistical errors on κ(θ) are minimized if this
function is calculated as
˜ κ(θ) = ¯ κ +
HSS(θ,θ′) · ˜ u(θ′)d2θ′,(2)
where ¯ κ is a constant (introduced to take into account
the sheet invariance), HSS(θ,θ′) is the noise-filtering
kernel (Seitz & Schneider 1996), and Ω is the field of
– The same mass map can be obtained by solving the
∇2˜ κ = ∇ · ˜ u ,
∇˜ κ · n = ˜ u · n
where n is the unit vector perpendicular to the bound-
ary ∂Ω of the field of observation Ω. Hence, the kernel
HSS(θ,θ′) can be identified as the Green function of
this Neumann boundary problem.
– Equations (3) and (4) are precisely the Euler equations
associated with the functional
on ∂Ω ,(4)
??∇˜ κ(θ) − ˜ u(θ)??2d2θ .
In other words, the functional S is minimized when
˜ κ(θ) is calculated using Eq. (2) or, equivalently, by
solving Eqs. (3) and (4).
To these three formulations of the mass inversion problem
there correspond three practical methods to calculate κ(θ)
from a given set of data.
– The first method considered is based on a direct cal-
culation of the kernel HSS(Seitz & Schneider 1996).
Once this kernel has been calculated for a given field
Ω, the mass inversion is straightforward (note that
the kernel HSSdepends on the field of observation).
A problem with this method is that a calculation of
Page 2
2 M. Lombardi & G. Bertin: A direct method of mass reconstruction
HSSis expensive in terms of memory requirements and
computation time. In fact, in order to compute κ on a
square grid of N × N points, HSSmust be calculated
on a multidimensional grid of N ×N ×N ×N points.
Moreover, 2N4multiplications are needed to evaluate
Eq. (2), and thus the method is of order O?N4?. Be-
cause of the large memory needed to allocate HSS, cal-
culations can be performed only with a limited value
of N (typically N ∼ 50).
– The introduction of a method that directly solves the
Neumann problem allows one to go beyond many of the
limitations of the HSSmethod. Equations (3) and (4)
can be solved using an over-relaxation method (Seitz
& Schneider 1998). In this case ˜ κ(θ) is calculated di-
rectly, and thus we need to allocate only N × N real
numbers. Moreover, the method can be applied with-
out difficulties to "strange" geometries Ω (while the
previous method is straightforward only when applied
to rectangular or circular fields). The over-relaxation
method is quicker than the kernel method, being ap-
proximately of order O?N3?.
– A direct method to minimize the functional (5) will be
presented in this paper. As we will see, this method
has several advantages and turns out to be very ef-
ficient from a computational point of view, being of
order O?N2logN?. Moreover, it is extremely easy to
implement (two implementations for rectangular fields
Ω written in C and in IDL are freely available on re-
We should stress that, as proved in an earlier paper
(Lombardi & Bertin 1998b), the three formulations are
mathematically equivalent. Thus it would not be surpris-
ing to find that proper numerical implementations per-
form, for large values of the grid number N, in a similar
manner as far as accuracy and reliability are concerned.
In practice, for finite values of N, the third method turns
out to be characterized by small errors, often smaller than
those associated with the other two procedures.
2. A direct method to solve the variational
Direct methods in variational problems are well-known
especially in applied mathematics (see, e.g., Gelfand &
Fomin 1963). Suppose that one can find a complete set
of functions {fα} on the domain Ω (the full definition of
"complete" will be given below), so that any function on
Ω can be represented as a linear combination of the form
˜ κ(θ) =
cαfα(θ) .(6)
More precisely, we assume that for any function ˜ κ(θ),
there is a choice for the coefficients {cα} such that
????∇˜ κ(θ) −
d2θ = 0 . (7)
Let us now introduce a sequence of trial mass maps
˜ κ[n](θ) =
αfα(θ) . (8)
We further require that the function ˜ κ[n]minimizes the
functional S: in other words, c[n]
so that the functional S has minimum value. This obvi-
ously happens when
n are chosen
= 0for α = 1,2,...,n . (9)
Solving this set of n equations, we obtain the n coeffi-
cients c[n]
operation for a sequence of values of n, we find a sequence
of functions ˜ κ[n]. These functions, under suitable assump-
tions (verified in our problem), have the following proper-
ties (see Gelfand & Fomin 1963 for a detailed discussion):
(i) Let us call S[n]the value of S when ˜ κ is replaced by
the function ˜ κ[n]. Then, obviously, the sequence S[n]is not
increasing. (ii) If the set {fα} is complete, then the func-
tions ˜ κ[n]converge to the solution ˜ κ of the problem. This
method thus provides a way to obtain the function ˜ κ(θ)
with desired accuracy.
The method described here can be easily applied to
our problem. In fact, by expanding ˜ κ[n](θ) as in Eq. (8),
we find
α , and thus the function ˜ κ[n]. By repeating this
? n
β∇fβ(θ)− ˜ u(θ)
d2θ = 0 .(10)
The previous equation, for α = 1,2,...,n, represents a
linear system of n equations for the n variables?c[n]
solution is thus the set of coefficients to be used in Eq. (8).
However, we note that care must be taken in the choice
of a complete set of functions. Let us define, for the pur-
pose, the product ?v,w? between two generic vector fields
v(θ) and w(θ) as
?. Its
?v,w? =
v(θ) · w(θ)d2θ .(11)
As our problem involves ∇˜ κ, the completeness has to be
referred to the set of the gradients. In other words, the set
?∇fα,∇˜ κ? = 0
for every α implies ˜ κ(θ) = constant. It is easy to show
that this condition is equivalent to Eq. (7).
The direct method can be further simplified if a set of
functions {fα} can be taken to satisfy a suitable orthonor-
mality condition, so that the gradients of the functions
{fα} satisfy
?is complete if
?∇fα,∇fβ? = δαβ,(13)
Page 3
M. Lombardi & G. Bertin: A direct method of mass reconstruction3
where δαβ= 1 for α = β and 0 otherwise. Then Eq. (10)
can be rewritten simply as
α= ?∇fα, ˜ u? .
Thus, with the use of an orthonormal set of functions
we have secured two important advantages: (i) The lin-
ear system (10) has been diagonalized, so that its solution
is trivial. (ii) The coefficients c[n]
that is, the coefficients of the exact solution are given by
cα= ?∇fα, ˜ u?.
Because of these advantages, whenever possible an or-
thonormal set of functions should be used. We note, how-
ever, that the orthonormality condition (13) depends on
the field of observation Ω. Even if the existence of an or-
thonormal set of functions is always guaranteed by the
spectral theory for the Laplace operator (see Brezis 1987),
for "strange" geometries, it may be non trivial to find a
complete orthonormal set of functions. In such cases, we
need to solve the linear system (10).
The direct method described above has several ad-
vantages with respect to the "kernel" method and to the
over-relaxation method: (i) The method is fast in the case
where an orthonormal set of functions can be found. In
fact, we need only to evaluate one integral for each coeffi-
cient cαthat we want to calculate. (ii) The method does
not require a large amount of memory: we need to retain
only the n values of the coefficients cα. (iii) The precision
of the inversion is driven in a natural way by the value of
n. Typically, the larger α is, the smaller the length scale
of fα(see below). (iv) In some cases, the decomposition
of the mass density ˜ κ(θ) in terms of the functions fαcan
be useful.
α no longer depend on n:
3. Rectangular fields
When the field Ω is rectangular, an orthonormal set of
functions can be written easily. Here we consider the spe-
cial case when Ω is a square of length π (in some suitable
units); any rectangular field can be handled in a simi-
lar manner. In the case considered, an orthonormal set of
functions is given by
fαβ(θ) = nαβcosαθ1cosβθ2,(15)
with (α,β) ∈ N2\(0,0). The normalization nαβis defined
The function f00is not defined. Note that here we use two
indices for the set. Cosines must be used in order to have
a complete set (see Eqs. (7), (12), and Appendix A). Our
problem is solved in terms of the coefficients cαβ:
α2+ β2
for α = 0 or β = 0 ,
α2+ β2
otherwise .
cαβ= −nαβ
?α˜ u1(θ)sinαθ1cosβθ2+
β˜ u2(θ)cosαθ1sinβθ2
?d2θ , (17)
˜ κ(θ) =
cαβnαβcosαθ1cosβθ2. (18)
We now observe that the particular choice of the orthonor-
mal set {fαβ} allows us to use fast Fourier transform
(FFT) techniques to evaluate Eqs. (17) and (18). The use
of FFT makes the direct method very efficient: in particu-
lar the method becomes of order O?N2logN?. Moreover,
several optimized FFT libraries are available.
The optimal truncation for the series (18) is deter-
mined by the adopted grid numbers: for a grid of N × M
points, α should run from 0 to N − 1, and β from 0 to
M − 1 (this is standard practice for FFT libraries).
4. Performance
Our method has been implemented in C and in IDL. The C
version uses the library FFTW ("Fastest Fourier Transform
in the West," version 2.0.1) to perform discrete Fourier
transforms (DFT). This library, written by Matteo Frigo
and Steven G. Johnson, is considered the quickest DFT
library publicly available. The performance of our di-
rect method is compared with that of the over-relaxation
method, also implemented in C. The procedure used in the
tests is summarized in the following points:
1. A simple model for the dimensionless mass distribu-
tion has been chosen. Then the mass distribution ˜ κ0is
calculated on a grid of N × N points.
2. The associated field ˜ u0is calculated on the same grid
using a 3-point Lagrangian interpolation in order to
numerically evaluate the derivatives that are needed.
3. Noise is added to the vector field ˜ u0using an analytical
model for the noise derived earlier (Lombardi & Bertin
1998b). In practice, the various Fourier components
of the noise are added using a suitable model for the
power spectrum.
4. The resulting noisy ˜ u map is inverted using the over-
relaxation method and the present direct method. The
two dimensionless mass maps obtained are then com-
pared. Moreover, the inversion times are recorded.
The results obtained in the tests are the following:
– The two mass densities obtained are consistent with
each other.
– Because of the set of functions used, the errors pro-
duced by the direct method are larger on the bound-
ary of the field. For this reason, we suggest that a one
pixel strip around the field should be discarded. The
area discarded is very small.
– Some tests have been performed by providing ˜ u0to the
inversion procedures. This allows us to compare the
reconstructed mass density with the original map κ0.
From such tests we have noted that the discretization
Page 4
4M. Lombardi & G. Bertin: A direct method of mass reconstruction
50100 200400
time (sec)
Fig.1. Execution time per call vs. grid number N. The
solid line refers to the direct method applied to "good
numbers" (values 2N−1 that can be factorized with small
primes), the long-dashed refers to the direct method ap-
plied to "bad numbers" (2N − 1 prime), and the short-
dashed line to the over-relaxation method.
errors of the direct method are slightly smaller than the
discretization errors of the over-relaxation method.
– The results of the two methods differ because of the
sheet invariance: in particular, the direct method al-
ways gives a "reduced" mass map ˜ κ with vanishing
total mass.
Regarding the second item, we note that the error is re-
lated to the finite sampling scale of the method; the er-
ror affects only the outermost pixel because of the proper
choice of the truncation (see comment at the end of
Sect. 3).
The measured execution times are plotted in Fig. 1 for
different values of N. These are the averaged CPU execu-
tion times for a single reconstruction on a SUN Ultra 1
workstation. From this figure it is clear that the direct
method is much faster than the over-relaxation method.
Here we should recall that, because of some character-
istics of the FFTW library, the execution time of the di-
rect method can change significantly even for neighbour-
ing values of N. In particular, the inversion is faster when
(2N −1) can be factorized with small prime numbers, and
is slower in other cases (see Fig. 1). For example, the ex-
ecution time (on a SUN Ultra 1) changes from 2.942 to
0.232 seconds when N changes from 121 to 122. Finally,
we observe that our implementation of the direct method
is not optimal: in fact, with a different (non-trivial) use
of FFT one might gain an additional factor of 4 on the
execution time.
Besides the appealing aspects of simplicity inherent to
the direct method described in this paper, we should note
that gaining three orders of magnitude in CPU time will
make it possible to undertake a few long-term projects
of simulated observations (in particular, with the goal of
a statistically sound investigation of the quality of mass
Fig.2. A typical result of mass reconstruction; at the
adopted distance for the lensing cluster, the side of the
square field, 10 arcminutes, corresponds to approximately
2.88 Mpc. From top to bottom, true dimensionless mass
distribution, reconstructed distribution (from the direct
method), and difference between maps of the variable ˜ κ
derived from direct and over-relaxationmethods. The very
small residuals show that the two methods are practically
equivalent in terms of accuracy.
reconstruction; but other objectives might be formulated,
e.g. in the cosmological context) that would remain prac-
tically out of reach for other intrinsically slow reconstruc-
tion methods.
5. Examples of simulated reconstructions
In addition to the reconstructions from "synthetic" data
as described in the previous Section, we have performed
several additional tests in order to demonstrate the relia-
bility of our method. The tests, designed with the aim
to reproduce the main features of a "real" reconstruc-
tion, have been made following a straightforward proce-
dure (see, e.g., Lombardi & Bertin 1999 for similar simu-
Page 5
M. Lombardi & G. Bertin: A direct method of mass reconstruction5
First we have generated a population of source galaxies
using a pseudo-random number generator. Here a source
galaxy is represented by its position and by its ellipticity
(see Eq. (11) of Lombardi & Bertin 1999, following Seitz &
Schneider 1997). Positions are drawn from a homogeneous
distribution (with a density of 70 galaxies per square ar-
cmin), while ellipticities are drawn from a truncated Gaus-
sian distribution with variance σ2= (0.3)2. Sources are
assumed to have all the same redshift zs= 1.5. Source el-
lipticities are then transformed into observed ellipticities.
For simplicity, the observed galaxy positions are assumed
to be equal to the source positions: in other words, no
depletion effects are included in the simulations.
Then the calculation of the observed ellipticities has
been done by referring to a cluster of galaxies placed
at zd = 0.3 with total mass inside the 10' × 10' field
1.5 × 1015M⊙. For the purpose of introducing the lens-
ing effects, we only need to specify the dimensionless pro-
jected mass map κ(θ). For simplicity, we have used a den-
sity distribution made of three symmetrical components;
each component is described by the analytical model out-
lined by Schneider et al. (1992, p. 244), which, at large
radii, is approximately isothermal.
By averaging the observed ellipticities, we have then
obtained a map of the reduced shear g(θ) and, from that
map, the vector field ˜ u(θ). The mass inversion has been
performed using the direct method and the over-relaxation
method. The two mass distributions have been then com-
An example of typical results is shown in Fig. 2. Here,
from top to bottom, we display the original cluster mass
distribution, the reconstruction obtained using the direct
method, and the residuals, i.e. the difference between the
reconstructed maps from the direct method and from the
over-relaxation method. As the figure clearly shows, dif-
ferences are mainly confined to the boundary of the field
where they are found to be of the order of 0.0002, well
below the statistical errors of the reconstruction. In the
inner field the differences are about one order of magni-
tude smaller. Note also that the wavy overall appearance
of the reconstructed map is normal for weak lensing re-
constructions, resulting from the relatively low number of
source galaxies involved (see Lombardi & Bertin 1998b for
a discussion of the statistical aspects of the problem).
Acknowledgements. We thank Luigi Ambrosio and Peter
Schneider for interesting discussions and suggestions. The
reconstruction code uses FFTW 2.0.1 by Matteo Frigo and
Steven G. Johnson. This work has been partially supported
by MURST and by ASI of Italy.
Appendix A: Completeness of {fαβ}
In this appendix we will verify explicitly that the set of
functions defined in Eq. (15) is complete, in the sense that
Eqs. (3) and (4) can be recovered. For the purpose, we
will apply the Fourier theorem (Brezis 1987). In the fol-
lowing, we will assume that ˜ u(θ) is a smooth vector field
(we stress that this condition is needed only for the proof
provided below; the method remains applicable to more
general cases).
Let us consider a solution of the form (6). Then,
because of the orthonormality condition (13), we have
?∇fα,∇˜ κ? = cα= ?∇fα, ˜ u?, so that
?∇fα,∇˜ κ − ˜ u? =∇fα· (∇˜ κ − ˜ u)d2θ = 0 . (A.1)
Now we observe that the previous equation holds for
any α: then it holds also for any linear combination
f =?
0 =
αdαfαof {fα}. Thus
∇f · (∇˜ κ − ˜ u)d2θ = −
f∇ · (∇˜ κ − ˜ u)d2θ
f(∇˜ κ − ˜ u) · ndθ .(A.2)
In the last step we have integrated by parts (n is the unit
vector orthogonal to the boundary ∂Ω of Ω).
We now use this equation to show that the chosen set
of functions, described by Eq. (15), is complete, while, e.g.,
a similar set made of sine functions would not be complete.
By the nature of the chosen set of functions we already
know that we can properly represent any smooth function
f. Using this property, we want to show that the two terms
∇ · (∇˜ κ − ˜ u) and (∇˜ κ − ˜ u) · n entering in the r.h.s. of
Eq. (A.2) vanish on Ω and on ∂Ω respectively.
For the purpose, we observe that if cosines are used
as set of functions, we can "build" any function f pro-
vided that the function has periodic derivatives on the
boundary. In particular, if A ⊂ Ω is an arbitrary open
subset of Ω, there is a function f that is positive on A and
vanishes on Ω \ A. Now suppose per absurdum that the
solution obtained from the direct method does not satisfy
Eq. (3), so that, e.g., ∇·(∇˜ κ− ˜ u) > 0 on a point θ∗∈ Ω.
Then, for the sign persistence theorem, this quantity must
be strictly positive in a neighborhood A of θ∗. However,
if we take a function f which is positive on A and van-
ishes elsewhere, the rhs of Eq. (A.2) will be positive, while
the lhs vanishes, which is contradictory. This proves that
Eq. (3) is verified by cosines.
In a similar manner, now that we have "disposed of"
the first term, we observe that using cosines we can build
a function f that vanishes everywhere on the boundary
of ∂Ω except for a neighborhood. In other words, given
an open subset B ⊂ ∂Ω of the boundary ∂Ω, there is a
function f that is positive on B and vanishes on ∂Ω \ B.
Note that this property would not be satisfied if the set of
functions {fα} were based on sines. Using a proof similar
to the one given above, we obtain that (∇˜ κ − ˜ u) ·n must
vanish, thus leading to Eq. (4).
One might worry that, on the boundary, the chosen
set of functions of Eq. (15) has zero derivative in the di-
rection of n, i.e. ∇fαβ· n = 0. This might suggest that
Page 6
6M. Lombardi & G. Bertin: A direct method of mass reconstruction
the boundary condition (4) cannot be reproduced. In re-
ality, although this is true pointwise, this does not affect
the convergence in L2that is relevant for our problem (see
Eqs. (7) and (12)). This important point is best illustrated
by the following example.
Suppose that we measure a constant field ˜ u(θ) = (1,0)
on a square field Ω of side π. The obvious solution for ˜ κ
in this case is ˜ κ(θ) = θ1. Suppose now that we try to
use a set of functions made of sines. Then the correspond-
ing coefficients cαβwould be proportional to the integrals
cient cαβ vanishes. This proves that a set based on sines
is not complete (condition (12) is not satisfied or, equiva-
lently, a curl-free vector field ˜ u leads to a vanishing mass
map). On the other hand, if we use the set (15), the co-
efficients cαβ do not vanish and the corresponding mass
distribution is given by
0sinβθ2dθ2= 0. Hence, every coeffi-
˜ κ(θ) = −
α odd
πα2cosαθ1. (A.3)
This function can be shown to reduce to ˜ κ(θ) = θ1−π/2.
Bartelmann M., 1995, A&A 303, 643
Brezis H., 1987, "Analyse fonctionnelle : th´ eorie et applica-
tion," Masson, Paris
Gelfand I.M., Fomin S.V., 1963, "Calculus of Variations,"
Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Kaiser N., 1995, ApJ 493, L1
Lombardi M., Bertin G., 1998a, A&A 330, 791
Lombardi M., Bertin G., 1998b, A&A 335, 1
Lombardi M., Bertin G., 1999, A&A 342, 337
Schneider P., 1995, A&A 302, 639
Schneider P., Ehlers J., Falco E.E., 1992, "Gravitational
Lenses," Springer-Verlag, Berlin
Seitz C., Schneider P., 1997, A&A 318, 687
Seitz S., Schneider P., 1996, A&A 305, 383
Seitz S., Schneider P., 1998, preprint astro-ph/9802051
Squires G., Kaiser N., 1996, ApJ 473, 65


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Wednesday 12 March 2008
Is there a small machine like the Asus Eee PC that starts quickly, connects to the internet, etc, but has drives? I want to use it for writing screenplays, so it has to be able to run Final Draft. Ivan Chapman
The Asus Eee PC uses Linux, but it was always planned to have a Windows version, as I mentioned when I reported its UK launch as the RM MiniBook last October. RM says the Windows version will have twice the memory (1GB) and storage (8GB) for an extra £60, and its Web site lists this version as being available on April 28. You may be able to get one from another source.
However, the Eee PC's 7in screen is small and cramped, so Asus is planning to launch an improved "Windows ready" version, the Eee PC 900. If you can wait, this has a wider 8.9in screen, 1GB of memory and up to 12GB of storage for €399 (£305) -- an extra €100. It will be "available in summer this year -- to select countries", says Asus. It does not say whether the UK is "select" or not.
You will also need an external CD drive to install Final Draft. If you feel geeky enough, you could also install Windows XP on an Eee PC yourself.
Of course, there's nothing new about Windows subnotebooks: what's attracting attention now is the price. Lots of cheap machines are appearing, based either on Intel's Classmate PC, like the Asus, or Via's NanoBook design, like the Packard-Bell EasyNote XS. The EasyNote has a 7in screen, 1GB of memory, 30GB hard drive and runs Windows XP.
Hewlett-Packard -- which was selling subnotebooks with solid state drives 15 years ago -- also has a Compaq 2133 ultra-mobile on the way, running either Windows Vista or Linux. It's on pre-order at Expansys.
But make sure you can work with such a small keyboard and screen. I don't think they are suitable (or healthy!) for extended use, unless you are a small person.
Backchat: The consensus on the Ask Jack blog seems to be that keyboards like the one on the Asus Eee PC are a bit small for that and you'd be better off with a "thin and light" laptop. Windows XP or Mac OS would be needed for Final Draft, but OldSkool says he uses Celtx, a free screenwriting program, on his Eee PC. "It's industry standard and I find it functions just as well as Final Draft; it also has a thriving online community." Celtx is available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.
The writing stuff | Backchat


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Weiner Was Set Up!!!!!! Liberals Prove It!
So, the big story is that Joseph at Cannonfire has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Anthony Weiner was framed, and Case Closed!!!!!!1!!!!!
Folks, I need your help! Reader milowent offers the most intriguing possibility to arise out of this entire case:
easiest way to pull off this as a hoax would be if you knew weiner's yfrog email address. email a blackberry pic to that email address with (@subject) in text and you'd create exactly what happened here.
would require no password hacking (you wouldn't even need to know his password to do it).
the chance that somewhere along the way that weiners yfrog address had been leaked? pretty damn high. it would happen if weiner or an aide simply forwarded a pic he emailed to his yfrog account to anyone else (thus showing the yfrog email address in the chain).
And they played around with all this, but, there seems to be one little problem which no seems to have tried to replicate: the Tweet in question was directing that crotch shot directly to a specific follower, not as a general tweet.
The proofy screencaps of Joseph attempting to replicate how easy it would have been to add the crotch shot in fails to demonstrate the addition of someone else's Twitter name.
Still, Gateway Pundit destroys CANNONFIRE's (ever notice that Liberals love to name their blogs in all caps? Like they're screaming all the time) narrative, and even Rachel Maddow agrees. Just One Minute piles on. As does Red State. And Jammie Wearing Fool writes
Let's face it. Everyone on the planet knows what happened here. It's just Weiner and his desperate left-wing blogosphere fanboys don't want to admit it. Anything that in their minds that would ostensibly give the right a "victory" just cannot happen, and they'll be happy to sacrifice every last shred of credibility to have their way
Were Weiner a Republican, he would have already been forced to resign. For myself, I could care less if Weiner tweeted a crotch shot to a follower. That's his business, regardless of being a sitting Congress Critter. I really do not expect "better behavior" from a Congress-person. The fallout should be between he and his wife. All in all, this is no big deal, except in the notion that the MSM would have simply destroyed a Republican had one done this. There's a true double standard.
Crossed at Pirate's Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach.
Also see...
It took a lot of guts to do what this young man did. They also offered him 20k in hush money. Fabulous. The proof in my opinion here is that...Read More
William Teach
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Tips on encouraging fuchsia to bloom?
Still only on my 2nd attempt out w/fuchsias (smile), so not too familiar with timelines. After searching the FAQ's, and elsewhere, I haven't been able to come across anything that recommends how to encourage the plant to bud up. Is there feeding, culture, or mere patience ;-) that can help my hanging fuchsia in getting started?
Kathleen in TX
Yes Kathleen,
Feed with a balanced feed NPK 20-20-20, it usually says something like once every 10 days on the container instructions. For fuchsias dilute the feed to a quarter strength and use every watering. Some people go on to a higher strength of K to encourage flowering, if you do this it is inclined to make the stems go woody - Kath:)
Patience. The flowers will come. Hopefully you've been pinching all spring to produce a bushy plant. If so you'll have plenty of flowers. They say it takes about six weeks after you stop pinching.
The plus side of showing patience now is that your fuchsia will continue performing right through December (if weather permits).


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Slashdot videos: Now with more Slashdot!
We've improved Slashdot's video section; now you can view our video interviews, product close-ups and site visits with all the usual Slashdot options to comment, share, etc. No more walled garden! It's a work in progress -- we hope you'll check it out (Learn more about the recent updates).
Comment: Slippery slope (Score 1) 162
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approval of which would suggest approval of deviancy and thus marginalize those of non-deviant lifestyles.
Ignoring the fact that you can't actually marginalize non-deviants, your statement is incredibly hypocritical. According to you, it's okay to take away people's rights (thus marginalizing them) to do what they want with their lives, because this somehow marginalizes people who are not affected by it at all. If we allow "deviants" the freedom to do what they want with their private lives then "normal" people are somehow marginalized, but if we ACTUALLY marginalize the deviants then it's okay because we're on a moral crusade?
The solution is to just say fuck it and let people do what they want with their private lives. Do I particularly approve of someone who wants to sit in their basement and masturbate to animal porn all day? No. Does this affect me in any way? Do their actions have any influence on my life? NO! It is their life and their choice to do what they want. Who am I to say what is right and wrong for them to do with their lives?
In the words of Frank Reynolds from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, "Who gives a shit if gays want to be miserable like everybody else and get married? Let 'em do it! It's no skin off my ass!"


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Posted on: 7/25/2012 2:48:04 AM Posted By: 25187172 Membership Level: Bronze Total Points: 8
I have a diploma in purchasing and supplies management holder from Kenya institute of management having attained a credit in my results.I could like to pursue a degree in business management at moi university west campus 2013
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Charter Insuranceby Amy Ullrich, Posted August 7, 2008
As Sunsail's Peter Cook says, "You never know what will happen on a boat." Enter charter insurance, which is designed to cover you in case of a serious event—major loss or damage.
In the well-established charter world of the Caribbean, the pattern is industry wide, though the actual amounts differ by company; the variables are the size and age of the boat and the location of the charter.
Pacific Seacraft 38by Sail Staff, Posted August 7, 2008
One-Way Streetby Amy Ullrich, Posted August 7, 2008
I was recently confronted with the not-unpleasant conundrum of how to make the best use of a one-week charter in a place (a) I'd never sailed before, (b) I am unlikely to return to, and (c) that is too big to sail and see it all in a week. What I consider to be "best use" involves a pleasant amount of sailing (but not dawn to dusk) and a reasonable amount of time to see the sights ashore and
Dreamcatcherby Rebecca Waters, Posted August 7, 2008
Myth, mystery, and Midnight Magic evoke childhood adventures on a Lake Michigan charter
We were lost in the woods on Garden Island. The trail we followed from the Native American graveyard had melted into a woodland clearing, leaving us guessing at the path ahead. My brother Xander had even stopped pointing out peculiar vegetation and was instead studying the trail map
Five Mornings In Maineby Sail Staff, Posted August 7, 2008
When you hit the weather right, the Maine coast is simply Shangri-la
The Maine cruise my new fiance, Caroline, and I took over the long Fourth of July weekend was a preemptive honeymoon. We'd been together and sailed together for over seven years when I donned my tuxedo and popped the question on a borrowed Rhodes 19 as the sun set over the Boston skyline on the summer


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Increasing Distributed Storage Survivability With a Stackable RAID-Like File System
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This paper has designed a stackable file system called Redundant Array of Independent File-systems (RAIF). It combines the data survivability properties and performance benefits of traditional RAIDs with the unprecedented flexibility of composition, improved security, and ease of development of stackable file systems. RAIF can be mounted on top of any combination of other file systems including network, distributed, disk-based, and memory-based file systems.
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What to tell?
Started by stephkp , Mar 11 2012 06:46 PM
7 replies to this topic
Posted 11 March 2012 - 06:46 PM
Hi, I have become pregnant using a sperm donor (yay! I am single and late 30s). I hadnt quite worked out what I was going to tell people because I am quite private but didnt really want people to think I went out for endless one night stands. I get the impression a friend at work has let it slip I conceived using a donor. I'm obviously not ashamed of this fact, but am not sure how I feel about everybody knowing - especially if some tactless people start to ask me personal questions. I just want to know how other single mums or couples may have dealt with this situation.
Thanks, Steph
Posted 11 March 2012 - 07:02 PM
I haven't been in that situation, but I would be inclined to just tell people the truth. That way there is no misunderstandings or innuendos. It might be a bit confronting but would save people inventing stories. Best wishes for the pregnancy and birth.
Posted 11 March 2012 - 07:05 PM
I don't belong here and saw this in recent topics.
A woman in my MG is a single mum with now two kids conceived using a donor. She was very up front and told the truth and just answered any questions (did you know the donor, do you get to sue for child support, what do you tell the kids about their Dad...and that was all from one very interested mother! I can only imagine what her family asked her).
Most people I know are very open and fine about anything like this, especially if you've been single for a while and the alternative *thought* is constant one night stands (especially unprotected ones!)
In the situation of work I'd tell them if they ask but wouldn't volunteer the info.
Congratulations, enjoy
Posted 12 March 2012 - 06:35 AM
One of my friends did this and she just told everyone up front. Her donor was a friend as well but not someone we know.
Edited by Kay1, 12 March 2012 - 06:41 AM.
Posted 12 March 2012 - 07:04 AM
We just told everyone up front too. We wanted no secrets and for people close to us, we were clear what we wanted the kids to be told should they talk about it with them eg he is a donor, not a dad.
Posted 12 March 2012 - 08:37 AM
Congratulations - I had donor eggs and I tell people if it comes up, but I don't feel a need to tell everyone. It's personal although wonderful, it's your business not others.
I found a mix of responses but generally I've had wonderful support and absolutely no regrets.
All the best and enjoy it all
Posted 12 March 2012 - 06:29 PM
Hi Steph, congratulations. I'm in the same situation as you. My son is 5 months. I just tell everyone the truth and answer their questions. I figured it was good practice for being matter of fact and natural about it when it comes time to discuss it with my son. Everyone (even fuddy duddy old partners at my law firm) was really excited and supportive. It was important to me for my family and friends to understand it was something I'd thought deeply about and planned in detail.
Best question "meggs, is your baby going to be Chinese?"
"um no, I don't think so, why do you ask"
"because then he"ll be really good at school and get a scholarship, and save you so much money"
"right, it doesn't really work like that".
Edited by meggs1, 12 March 2012 - 06:30 PM.
Posted 21 March 2012 - 12:18 PM
QUOTE (Kay1 @ 12/03/2012, 07:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
One of my friends did this and she just told everyone up front. Her donor was a friend as well but not someone we know.
Ditto, but an unknown donor. She said she had no negative comments, in fact a lot of women asked her all about it, keen to do it themselves
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1500 North Milwaukee Avenue
Libertyville, Illinois, 60048
Commute to Downtown Libertyville
Most errands require a car.
Score Details
1500 North Milwaukee Avenue has a Walk Score of 41 out of 100. This location is a Car-Dependent neighborhood so most errands require a car.
This location is in Libertyville. Nearby parks include Adler Park, Adler Memorial Park and Butler Lake Park.
Nearby schools include Adler Park School, St Joseph Elementary School and St John Lutheran School.
The closest grocery stores are Someone's In the Kitchen, Parkview Gourmet and Murphy's Health Foods & Juice.
Nearby coffee shops include Hansa Coffee Roasters, Mischief's Brewing and Egg Harbor Cafe. Nearby restaurants include Bauer's Party Masters Catering, Taco Bell and McDonald's.
1500 North Milwaukee Avenue is near Butler Lake Park.
Explore how far you can travel by car, bus, bike and foot from 1500 North Milwaukee Avenue.
Rail lines:
MD-N Milwaukee North
0.6 mi
Bus lines:
574 CLC - Westfield Hawthorn
0.4 mi
View all Libertyville apartments on a map.
Popular apartment searches include fireplace, pool and furnished. View all Libertyville apartments and rentals.
This location is in the city of Libertyville, IL. Libertyville has an average Walk Score of 33 and has 20,315 residents.Learn More About Libertyville


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I am working with a pydev project across 2 computers, one 32bit and another 64bit. When I switch between environments the libraries I need for my computer move from the Program files directory to the Programs (x86). These libraries are a third party and I do not have control over where they are placed.
If I add all the external libraries for both environments I get an error about the other libraries that are not available in the environment.
Has anyone else experienced this issue, is there a way to let eclipse know that this is not an issue?


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Home >
Legislative Tracker
> improvement districts; renewable energy
Our Position: support
Bill Number: HB2298
Sponsor: Campbell
Legislative Session: 2012 Legislative Session
It allows improvement districts to be established for acquisition, installation and improvement of energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements and water conservation improvements and water resource management improvements, including solar energy systems, rainwater harvesting equipment and systems and gray water systems. We strongly support this legislation. It will help promote renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in our communities. Committee members include Representatives Barton, Patterson, Wheeler, Fann, Reeve, Brophy McGee, Judd, Saldate, and Pratt (Chairman).
© copyright Sierra Club 1892-2014


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Marriott Cleveland Airport
No availability found through our partners. Please contact the business directly or check some of our recommended alternatives.
- Meeting rooms/conference facilities
- Airport Transportation
- Suites
- Shuttle bus service
- Drycleaning onsite
- Wireless internet connection in room (surcharge)
Photos of Marriott Cleveland Airport
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Historical Traveler Reviews Marriott Cleveland Airport
The Best Hotel No Resort
I loved this resort it was the best i recommond any one to stay there it is the beat the resourant was outstading (i suggest the steak and there breakfast buffet)there drink are not expensive and very good 1 drink per per person of 16 people only cost me 25.00
i loved the pool it was great. on some days they let you order from the pool any kind of drink.
Stay elsewhere.
I spoke too soon; I posted an earlier review saying that the hotel was okay if you ask for a quiet room. I have just returned from another trip to this hotel and would like to post more comments as my recent experience surprised me.
This time I experienced the rude and uncaring staff that others seem to have made contact with. They just don't care. They had king beds available but would not give it to me because I was not a Marriott Rewards Platinum member. Never mind that I chose to stay at their hotel although I am Plantinum at Holiday Inn / InterContinetal or that I had reserved a kind bed well in advance. To make matters worse, the desk clerk even said that she had king beds available but I could not have one.
I will definitely stay elsewhere next time. Management needs to quickly take action and fix these issues before things spiral out of control.
Great stop-over on long moving trip
It's odd how critical most reviewers are of this hotel. They seem to expect a luxury resort... at the CLEVELAND AIRPORT. This hotel is great at being what it is: an airport hotel.
We were scheduled to make a stop-over on a Monday night off a (cheap) priceline bid while driving a moving truck from Chicago to New York. One thing led to another, and we arrived to check in at about 7:30am on Tuesday. The desk staff were friendly and flexible, letting us stay well past what should have been our check out without any hassles. We asked for the quietest room possible, and got a room in the older section (not the tower) with two full beds. This was just fine with us. The only noise was an occasional plane flying by. We were never rushed to leave nor bothered by anyone from the hotel and slept very well.
If you want to be in the action, stay in downtown Cleveland. There are many excellent properties there, especailly the Hyatt Regency at the Arcade.
If you're looking for a place to sleep for a night near the highway, this is the one for you, especially if you get a good priceline bid.
Great for One Night Stay
We stayed at the Cleveland Airport Marriott for one night - the reservation was made through Priceline for ~ $50 + taxes. We didn't check in until almost 10 pm because we were doing some sightseeing in Amish country. Originally we were assigned a room with double beds but after asking was easily reassigned to a room with a king size bed. The room was located in the tower was clean and well kept. I used the fitness center in the morning which was typical of most hotel fitness centers. We didn't use the pool or the restaurant. We were charged an additional $5 for parking which I didn't know about until we got there, but not a huge problem.
As another reviewer said, it is somewhat noisy as it is right next to
I-71. It might be quieter if you requested a room on the courtyard side. Overall, I would stay here again - we were happy with the room and the hotel.
Flew The Coop After One Night
The concierge, Dot, was the only saving grace at this place. She went above and beyond to be sure that I got what I needed. The hotel itself is a throw back to the old, old days. There is nothing special about the rooms, beds, or decor. It is a place to flop for the night. My inital room had an a/c fan so loud I thought it was a plane taking off! It's convenient to the highways and airport and therein lies the problem - you hear all kinds of noise - planes, cars, etc. Oh, and the slamming doors! Yikes! I stayed only one night, checking out early, and moved to the Courtyard in North Olmstead.
Not worth the money
I stayed here one night for business on 1/14/05. The lobby is very pleasant to the sight. I requested 1 king sized bed and I received two doubles. The clerk at the front desk advised that they had been so busy today and sold out. That would have been a good response to someone who didn't have a reservation but this hotel was booked weeks in advance. Ok, shall I move on to the room...... Water in the room, $2.50 if you open it. Dirty coffee pot and glasses. I went all the way downstairs to get bills for the soda machine and the machine doesn't take any bills. Nothing spectacular about this hotel. The shower had scum build up. It took me forever to go to sleep b/c the beds were not comfortable. Let's just say I was happy in the morning when I checked out. Oh and the breakfast in the restuarant is not worth the money. Cleveland is a very nasty city. No one is nice.
Good service
I stayed at the Cleveland Marriott for 5 days in July, on training for work. Not the greatest location, but there is free transport to the airport. Front desk was cordial but wasn't very helpful when I asked for directions to the nearest train station, but I found out that the airport shuttle will drop you off at the train station if you ask.
Housekeeping was great. They were very responsive and very friendly when I had problems/requests. Also, I left my cell phone charger in the hotel room, and they returned it to me priority mail. I really appreciated that.
Cleveland's not so great, but the Marriot is livable for a few days.
Cleveland Airport Marriott
Stayed at the Cleveland Airport Marriott for one night as I was flying out the next morning. This is definitely not worth the price, and I actually got a good deal through an online booking. Room was damp, toilet was running non-stop (they did come up and fix it but it took way too long). The restaurant was very much overpriced and the meal was not up to par. I travel to Cleveland several times per year and there are much better choices available still close to the airport.
Average Rooms, Good Food, Mean Manager
Have stayed here on several business trips. Ask for a room in th Towers section - they have been updated but have very small bathrooms. The rooms in the other wing should be demolished - very old and dirty. Very good food - both at restaurant and room service. The Director of Operations has NO business dealing with customers. He has a very rude, condescending and impatient manner. I saw him "bark" at several customers who were asking for services that were NOT out of the ordinary. One employee, Kurt Z., was EXTREMELY helpful, pleasant and professional. He went out of his way to help customers. He should be running the hotel!
The Cleveland Airport Marriott is a great hotel. We checked in and out with no problems. We were in town for a wedding with the reception to be held at the hotel. It was beautiful!! and tons of fun! The room was very spacious and the bathroom extremely clean and bright!! There are a few restaurants nearby and many just an interstate ride away. I would definitely recommend this hotel!
TripAdvisor Reviews Marriott Cleveland Airport
Travel Blogs from Cleveland
"Cruis'n down the road, try'n to loosen my load "
It's Christmas Day and my present to myself is to be climbing into my car and head'n down the rod to Washington DC - the weather service suggests generally good weather for DC and I have always wanted to go to the Smithsonian, so, as I was so close (400 miles / 600 km) it seemed like a good idea!
But before I do head on down the road - I'd like to say how lucky I was to find Mike at 'MS Precision Automotive' who's workshop is just down the road from the dealership where ...
On to Cleveland to collect a car
I flew out of Seattle today to Cleveland, Ohio to collect my new (for me) 1976 Buick Electra.
I now understand why my friends almost fell off their chairs with laughter when I mentioned 'Cleveland' - there is somewhere that can be colder than Seattle, Washington in Winter! When I arrived and walked out of the airport to get a taxi, I felt little flutterings against my face - it was only when I looked into the light of the nearest light that I realized it was lightly snowing!!
... possible. All the staff that are experts in caring for this patient group are all on one particular ward, with easily accessible resources and the patients stay for an intensive programme for a few days that help determine the next course of action in their care. The staff knew 'their stuff', they had positive attitudes towards the patients and the reasons they were there and the patients seemed to respond to ...
popped in on Juice (Jessica Carson Shelley) in Shaker Heights as I couldn't have been that close to her and not pop in. I needed a Juice hug too.
What a fun family! Cutie pie kids, dogs that needed belly rubs, and can't forget the birds!
Watch out for that first step out the back tho. Little rough on the knees ;-)
Happy Birthday JD - long driving day towards home
JD's 65th birthday today! Left Sturbridge at 7am. Trying to make Cleveland today for a shorter drive tomorrow. Took a different route through New York.. Took the southern route closer to Ithaca to enjoy the fall colors. 700 miles today..just under 12 hours..stayed near Cleveland after getting delayed by some horrific rush hour traffic at the ...


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Follow this item and we'll let you know when the price drops
Specifications & Dimensions
|Product Overview:
|Gardening Tool Type:
|Pruners & Loppers
|Item Weight (lbs.):
|Blade Length:
|13 in.
Ratings & Reviews
Overall, others give this:
Winter Park, FL
via sears.com
Craftsman is brand name ( lifetime warranted). Quality too Bought was on sale, good price Easy to trim small branches Excellent tool to have at home
Fairport, NY
via sears.com
The Craftsman Tree Pruner blade is a prefect fit to my pole pruner. The quality of the steel seems superior to the original blade that came with the pruner.
via sears.com
not bad, but need to be more aggressive and thicker so it doesn't flex so much while cutting and needs to be made in AMERICA, USA
- Free shipping! Orders $59 or more Offer ends 31-Dec-2015 See details.
- Get Quarter ct tw Diamond Earrings for $24.99 with any storewide purchase of $19.99 or more! Offer ends 31-May-2015 See details.


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Nuvo is focused on the research and development of drug products delivered to and through the skin using its topical and transdermal drug delivery technologies. Nuvo's lead product is Pennsaid, a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Nuvo intends to leverage its skin-penetrating technologies to create a portfolio of topical and transdermal products targeting a variety of indications.
Nuvo Research Inc. is a publicly traded, Canadian pharmaceutical company headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, with manufacturing facilities in Varennes, Quebec and Wanzleben, Germany and a research and development Center in San Diego, California. For more information, please visit www.nuvoresearch.com.
These forward-looking statements, by their nature, necessarily involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. The Company considers the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based to be reasonable at the time they were prepared, but caution that these assumptions regarding future events, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, may ultimately prove to be incorrect. Factors and risks, which could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations, are discussed in the annual report, as well as in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2007. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether a result of new information or future events, except as required by law. For additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements, investors should consult the Company's ongoing quarterly filings, annual report and Annual Information Form and other filings found on SEDAR at '/>"/>
|SOURCE Nuvo Research Inc.
Copyright©2009 PR Newswire.
All rights reserved


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Energy Publications
The Risk and Regulation of Deepwater Offshore Drilling: American and Canadian PerspectivesMar 14, 2012
Issue fourteen more
US-Mexico Cross Border Energy Cooperation: a new era in the Gulf of MexicoMar 13, 2012
First in his series of Monthly Reports on PEMEX and U.S.-Mexico Energy Cooperation, this article explores the implications of the recently signed Transboundary Hydrocarbons Agreement, which resolves the question of what to do with potential oil reserves along the dividing line between Mexico and the United States in the Gulf of Mexico. Wood sees the agreement as "extremely good news," as it marks the "end of a decades-long process to try to determine oil rights in these two areas, opening the door to exploration and production that offers the prospect of exciting new modes of cooperation between Pemex and private oil companies." more
Securing Development and Peace in the Niger Delta: A Social and Conflict Analysis for ChangeJan 26, 2012
Few regions in the world have been as unfortunate as Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta. The delta's abundant natural wealth stands in stark contrast to its palpable underdevelopment. The oil sector accounts for approximately 95 percent of Nigeria's export earnings and over 80 percent of federal government revenue, but for nearly two decades the delta has been mired in conflict and violence that threatens human security and the national economy. more
China and the Persian GulfAug 01, 2011
This new book examines China's role in the Persian Gulf, evolving views on China from within the Gulf, and what China's presence means for the United States. more
U.S. Military and Environmental Security in the Gulf RegionJul 07, 2011
Oil spills, water shortages, earthquakes, and desertification are only some of the potential environmental threats to the Persian Gulf region's security, but multilateral and regional efforts to address these problems could help build bridges between nations, writes Rear Admiral John F. Sigler, USN (Ret.). more
Conflict and Cooperation: Making the Case for Environmental Pathways to Peacebuilding in the Great Lakes RegionJul 07, 2011
This brief examines the possibility of using environmental management as a pathway to peace in the Great Lakes Region. more
The Greening of the U.S. Military: Environmental Policy, National Security, and Organizational ChangeJul 07, 2011
The Greening of the U.S. Military: Environmental Policy, National Security, and Organizational Change is a carefully constructed and well-organized account of the regulation of environmental issues within the Department of Defense and the armed services. more
ECSP Report 4: Official Statements and New PublicationsJul 07, 2011
Excerpts from recent official statements in which environmental issues are cited in the context of security institutions and national interests, and reviews by experts of new publications. more
Environment in the U.S. Security Debate: The Case of the Missing Arctic WatersJul 07, 2011
This essay asks whether and if so how the United States might employ new understandings of security in the management of Arctic waters issues, and in responding even more particularly to the prospect of intensified use of Russia's Northern Sea Route. more


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A number of you emailed this to me earlier today... h/t to you all!Read More »
"Natural Selection" swept the jury awards at SXSW 2011, and has been generally hailed especially for Rachael Harris' performance, a dramatic turn from a well-established comedienne. The feature debut from writer/director Robbie Pickering, the film stars Harris as mousey Texas housewife Lindy who has...Read More »
Forget "Veep," is there are show on TV right now with a darker view on politics than "Scandal"? The Shonda Rhimes-created political thriller came to a season one end last night in a crescendo of overheated developments that included a murder, a cover-up, a confession of love and, yes, the scandal pr...Read More »
Recommendations for the week:Read More »
You may not have heard of Luke Snellin, and that would make him one of the most talented and promising young filmmakers that you haven't heard of. Don't believe us? Watch some of his films, including "Disco" and "Mixtape" below, and you may just change your mind. It's with a great deal of excitement...Read More »
We missed this in our Cannes 2012 previews.Read More »
Alex Ross Perry shares an exclusive scene from his sophomore feature "The Color Wheel," which topped Indiewire's 2011 end-of-year poll for best undistributed film. The film got picked up by Cinema Conservancy after topping that chart and opens Friday at BAMcinematek in New York. Co-staring and co-wr...Read More »
Movie Lovers We Love: Filmmaker Robert Beavers Heads to Remote Area of Greece to Screen the Never-Before-Seen Work of His Partner Gregory MarkopoulosRead More »
On "30 Rock"'s season finale last night, Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) announced his intention to open his own movie studio that makes films where he dresses up as an elderly woman, that appeal entirely to black audiences. It's an obvious dig at the ludicrously successful Tyler Perry, who's made milli...Read More »
It's been very interesting to watch the opening of the Cannes Film Festival. In light of the fact that there are no women directors in competition and the great work of La Barbe, at the opening press conference the jury as well as the directors of the festival were confronted with a barrag...Read More »


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The Youthshack Backpackers is located in the heart of Darwin City. Close to pubs, shopping centres, restaurants and bars we have everything you need to complete your stay in Darwin.
If you are looking for a job, getting your tax back, hanging out in a great bar, resting your head in a comfortable bed or booking your next holiday destination, the Youth Shack can help you with all your needs.
We are your one stop shop when it comes to backpacking in Darwin! With a mix of 8 share and 4 share dorms, twin & double rooms we have room types to suit anyone!
- 24 Hour Check-in
- Domestic and International Travel Desks
- Job Shack Agency
- Swimming Pool
- Bar & Weekly Events
- Laundry Facilities
- Kitchen & Utensils
- Sun Deck
- TV Room
- Internet Computers and Wi-Fi
- Air Conditioned rooms
- Taxback Desk
- & of course the best staff in town!


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Connect with us.
Written by P.D. Eastman
Written by Christopher Paul Curtis
Written by P.D. EastmanIllustrated by P.D. EastmanTranslated by Desiree Marquez
Written by P.D. EastmanTranslated by Carlos Rivera
Written by Phyllis RootIllustrated by Randy Cecil
Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use. Copyright © 1995-2015 Random House LLC. All rights reserved.


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Our American Cousin and the Assassination of President Lincoln
Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln with a production of "Our American Cousin." Audience members will watch the play as seen by the president that evening, then follow along through the tragic moments of the assassination and its aftermath before ending with a journey back to the Goosenest Prairie, home of the president's beloved step-mother, Sarah Lincoln. Audience members will experience the cultural offerings of 19th-century American theatre and be able imagine the grief and horror of a nation's response to Lincoln's murder, and closer to home - the grief of the president's Coles County kin. Directed by Earl Halbe, volunteers will recreate the play President and Mrs. Lincloln attended that fateful evening when the president's life was tragically taken by the assasin John Wilkes Booth. During these dates the site will feature "Draped in Mourning", an examination of mourning customs of the 19th century.
Don't miss the queen pageant and free barbecue Friday night in addition to great entertainment all weekend, car show and more.
World's Largest Horseshoe
Weighing in at 1,144 lbs and measuring 5'8" by 4' 5/8", this horseshoe is sure to bring good luck to all that visit. The Martinsville Horseshoe gained its Guinness Book of World Record status in 2013. The horseshoe stands at the entrance to the Martinsville fairgrounds.
Mill Creek Triathlon
An intense 1500 meter swim, 40K bike ride, 6 mile run along with a 400 meter swim, 10 mile bike ride and 3 mile run. Location is the beautiful Mill Creek Park located in Marshall Illinois.
Open Water Swim at Lincoln Trail State Park
A rectangular 1.2 and 2.4 mile loop course marked by buoys, lifeguards, rowboats, kayaks and other safety officials. Finish with a brief run of beach sand through finish chute.
Mill Creek Mayhem
Toughest trail race in the Midwest. Extreme 12K trail run and 1 mile mini mayhem. The footing (What footing?) is hilly, muddy (several water crossings), and loose in places. The trail is not maintained (non-existent) in some places. Expect to be scratched and bruised. Located in the beautiful Mill Creek Park in Marshall Illinois.
Sheep to Clothing at Lincoln Log Cabin
Discover how raw wool from the Lincolns' own sheep is turned into finished cloth for use on the farmstead. Watch interpreters as they weave on the site's mid-nineteenth century Sargent and Martin looms, replicating a period coverlet on one loom and weaving "jean cloth" on the other. After the wool is shorn, visitors are encouraged to participate in the hands-on demonstrations including, sorting and washing the wool, teasing and carding it for spinning, and finally spinning the wool into yarn where some of it will end up being knit into items following nineteenth-century patterns. Interpreters and volunteers will also demonstrate dyeing and felting and will showcase the final step in the process where woolen jean cloth is sewn to make pants for Mr. Lincoln.
Annual Bluegrass Jam
It's bluegrass time again at the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, with both fans and performers gathering on Sunday from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Musicians from Illinois and Indiana will converge at the site for a day of jamming with informal groups playing along the creek throughout the day. The site's volunteers will be serving hamburgers, hot dogs and more with proceeds benefit the historical and interpretive programs at the site. Anyone with a love of this unique style of music is welcome to join one of the many the groups playing in the park.
Torchlight Halloween Hike, Pumpkin Carving and Wiener Roast
Enjoy Lincoln Log Cabin in the dark! We will start at the Visitor Center for a bonfire and wiener roast. Bring out your best carved pumpkin by 4:30 pm and visitors will judge the best carvings and prizes will be awarded. You will also want to hike the paths between our historic farms by torchlight to hear storytellers in the Lincoln Cabin and Sargent House there to entertain guests with seasonal stories. To benefit the educational and interpretation programs of Lincoln Log Cabin, the Foundation will be selling hot dogs and s'mores for you to roast over an open fire.
World's Largest Knitting Needles and Crochet Hook
The World's Largest Knitting Needles and Crochet Hook are located inside The Yarn Studio in downtown Casey, Illinois. In order to make it in to the Guinness Book of World Records shop owner, Jeanette Huisinga, had to knit and crochet a 10X10 square with the largest tools. Knitting Needles are 13ft .75in and 25 pounds each. Crochet Hook measures at 6ft. 1.5in and weight is 9lbs.
Moonshine Store
The Moonshine Store is situated at a country crossroads near the town of Martinsville, IL. It is an adventure in itself just finding the place. What makes it special is the unique atmosphere of this little country store that is home to the famous "Moonburger". It has been featured on the CBS Morning Show. It is a "must stop" location for travelers with its guest book logging visitors from all 50 states and around the world. In April 2014, a new record was set where 3,251 burgers were served during a major motorcycle rally, the Moonshine Lunch Run.
D & J Cafe
Homestyle cafe offering full menu.
CITY:Willow Hill
Clark County Fair
The 118th annual Clark County Fair features beauty pageants, harness racing, running races, tractor/truck pulls, motocross, demolition derby, horse shows, alpaca and llama show, livestock exhibits, C Bar rodeo, carnival rides and family fun. $5 all you can ride. Free to enter the gates.
Harmon's Lunch Counter
Lunch counter serving sandwiches and more. At the back of Harmon's Healthsmart Drugstore.
Joe's Pizza
Traditional Italian pizza restaurant with seating for 80. Every item is homemade by this family owned and operated establishment.
Hong Kong House - Charleston
Chinese restaurant with full menu - dine-in, carry-out or delivery.
Old fashioned drive-in restaurant - open seasonally May-Oct.
Joe's Italian Foods
Full Italian menu.
Monical's Pizza - Paris
Pizza, fast food.
Marshall Autumn Fest
Located on the Courthouse Square and featuring a variety of events, amazing food, live entertainment, vendors and so much family fun. Includes a car/truck/motorcycle show and a large parade on Saturday at 11am.
China King
Seating for 40 people dining or take-out.
Check Mart - Oblong
Serving "hot stuffed pizza".
Budget Host
29 units with smoking and non-smoking. Two queen beds are in a standard room.
Los Tres Caminos
Authentic Mexican food, fine dining, take-out, seating for 99, imported Mexican beers.


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£250 pcm
2 bedroom flat to rent New Road,Galston,KA4Second floor two bedroom flat with gas central heating, double glazing, secure entry. The property comprises of Lounge with patio doors leading to the balcony, Kitchen with appliances, 2 double bedrooms and Bathroom . This property has recently been redecorated and new carpets laid throughout. More details ›
£425 pcm
2 bedroom ground floor flat to rent Brewland Street, Galston, KA4Rarely available, preferred position, GF Flat in stunning red sandstone building with patio leading from lounge to spectacular rear gardens. More details ›
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Katy Perry, Juicy J Team for 'Dark Horse'
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Pop star vanquishes poor gift-givers in over-the-top new clip
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