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[Personal synthesizer schematic / 5MB]
[mp3 .zip archive / 12.5MB]
I built the personal synthesizer in 2004. It was designed to fit in a small suitcase so I could carry it on to an airplane. I made the whole thing in a week and a half. It was a blur of excitement.
I finished at 3 am, slept for a few hours, and then left with my family to catch a flight to my cousin's wedding. The day after the wedding, I took a five hour bus ride to meet some friends who were on tour. I practiced the new instrument on the bus with headphones. That night I played it in public for the first time. Right away I knew I'd stumbled on something really magic. This instrument was very small and totally self-contained, but had a lot to offer. It became my primary performance synthesizer for the next three years.
The synthesizer has two oscillators based on Thomas Henry's old linear-cv 8038 design. My innovation was to add a control voltage to drive the 8038's waveshaping section. That turned out to be a big part of the magic!
The synth also has a headphone amplifier which uses a transformer. But without the headphones plugged in, the capacitor and primary of the transformer form a current-hungry resonator. So turning "on" the headphone amp gives rise to a pronounced bass boost, or even motor-boating. (Low-frequency feedback through the power supply.)
The mic pre is based on an old Shure microphone mixer. Transformer-coupled circuits have always seemed really magic to me: the information temporarily leaves the charge domain, becomes magnetic flux, and then is converted back to charge again. For this section I used parts recycled off a mystery circuit board I found on a dusty shelf at Jabbour Electronics in Pawtucket RI. Sadly this so-called business has left the building!
I followed the mic pre by the Polyfusion envelope follower (section B, above diagram). However, assigning provenance to this circuit is dubious. The same topology is given as a generic in several old resources, notably the classic National Semiconductor AN-20 (available here). I routed the ef output through a +-1 buffer of course (section A, above diagram).
The synth has a noise generator (section C, above diagram) adapted from a Ray Wilson design. I don't really "like" this circuit (specifically: operating the second opamp open-loop like that just seems wrong) but it works "ok" and I never got around to changing it. I also added a simple 2-pole low pass filter to get a rumbly output. Both noise outputs go through 50k pots (not shown) so you can control how strong the noise outputs are.
Finally, to get to the other really magic part of the personal synth, I eschewed filters and opted instead for a diode-bridge vca, implemented with zener diodes. Theoretically the zeners shouldn't really change things (consider how attenuated the audio input it) but as they say, the results speak for themselves. This is based on a Korg design (MS-50, and also an older opamp-free one from an unknown product), but I removed all the stabilizing/linearizing parts. I apologize for the quality of the schematic but as I said, it was 3 am at that point. Not shown in the drawings is a three-input passive mixer to the diode bridge vca, and also three cv inputs to the bridge (rather than the single one shown).
As it turned out, the most important aspects of the personal synth (from a practical standpoint) were that it fit into a small suitcase so I could bring it everywhere, and its capabilities were both large and small enough that I was able to really develop a relationship with it. A few months after I finished it, I started touring a lot. We had some really great shows together, and a few really terrible ones.
In the good category would have to be the third night I played it. We were in Eugene OR. Instead of a pa I was playing through a big stack of amps. (Probably Prurient's, he had a good concept of heroic size at the time.) Somehow I found out that when I breathed hard into the mic, the protection on the amps kicked in for a second. The sound kind of went away, then it slowly came back. I had these heavy bass interference patterns going below that, so they'd come back all wavery, then I'd exhale again. I remember lying on my stomach on the floor, feeling out of breath and very small but effective, totally entranced by this massive process I could control.
On the bad side would have to be that time I got pissed off in Albany, decided to quit music for good, and threw the poor personal synth on the floor as hard as I could. I had been trying to figure out how to play the song "Let Go" in public. (In point of fact, it was never a good idea. The other time I tried, the most special microphone I ever had was permanently destroyed.) I wanted to leave the synthesizer in the corner of the disgusting club, but luckily my friend Victoria had the good sense to put it in her car. (In the end, I fixed it of course.)
But as much fun as it was getting to travel around and play the personal synth in front of people, the most fun I had with it was playing at home, in the basement. That's where I liked to do experiments, test things out, and make recordings. It had a lucky combination of scientific repeatability and inherent chaos, and it was the perfect size to fit on my lap. That's how I ended up being able to do very relaxed recordings like "New Hard Core", from a 2005 cassette called Wiped Away, originally released on Durable Stimuli, and "The Sun, The Sky, The World", from the Can't 7" released by Ultra Eczema, in 2006.


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analysisBy David Garmaise
The $20.4 million in interim applicant funding approved for Cameroon (first announced in this GFO article) will be used exclusively to procure antiretrovirals (ARVs), related health products and medicines to treat opportunistic infections. The money will be added to an existing HIV grant, CMR-011-G11-H, for which the principal recipient is the Ministry of Public Health (MPH), to be used over the remaining ten months of Phase 1 of that grant.
When the transition phase of the new funding model (NFM) was launched, $81 million was allocated for Cameroon. However, the Global Fund chose to award only $20.4 million at this time and to consider awarding the remaining $60.6 million at the time of Phase 2 renewal in 2014. The Global Fund is concerned about two things: (1) Cameroon has been experiencing recurrent ARV stock-outs; and (2) the Government of Cameroon is not meetings its ARV funding commitments.
According to Antoine Ambassa Bekolo, M&E officer at FIS (For Impacts in Social Health), an NGO, Cameroon also needs to reassure the Global Fund Secretariat that it is able to quantify its ARV needs. "The Global Fund prefers to be cautious before committing more money," Mr Bekolo said. He added that it became evident during the last joint mission by the Global Fund and the (US) President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in June 2013 that Cameroon does not even know the exact number of patients on ARV treatment.
When the Round 10 HIV treatment grant was signed in December 2011, it was agreed that the government would fund 64% of ARV needs and that the Global Fund would fund the remaining 36%. However, the GAC said, recurrent stock-outs in 2012 and early 2013 made it apparent that the government is struggling to meet its ARV commitments. (The GAC noted, nevertheless, that the government's funding commitment for ARVs was still in excess of the percentage required by the Global Fund's counterpart financing policy.)
The GAC said that the Global Fund will maintain high level discussions with the Government of Cameroon to confirm its level of ARV funding commitments.
Because the ARV stockouts had become so widespread, in August 2013 additional funding was provided by both PEPFAR ($10 million) and Cameroon President Paul Biya ($10 million of his personal funds). The MPH issued a communiqué thanking the President for his considerable contribution.
When it was discussing the funding award, the GAC acknowledged that there were opportunities in Cameroon to implement interventions designed to ensure that the human rights of activists and marginalised groups are protected. Some activities related to this are expected to be implemented in Phase 2 of the grant. Meanwhile, the GAC said, the country team has reprogrammed savings from the prevention component of another Round 10 HIV grant focusing on key populations to provide institutional support and legal aid to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender associations involved in programme implementation.
According to Isaac Tita, Vice-Chair of the CCM, the CCM has not been sufficiently involved in the discussions concerning the request for funding. He said that the Secretariat was negotiating only with the PR and with technical partners.
Information for this article was taken from Board Decision GF-B29-EDP9 and from GF-B29-ER5, the Report of Secretariat Funding Recommendations. These documents are not available on the Global Fund website. Our regional correspondent for West and Central Africa, Bertrand Kampoer, contributed to this article.

subset: commoncrawl


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From Scaredy Cat (In Memory)'s Catster Photos[ View profile page | Plus Photobook ]
|"Scaredy Cat in the rock garden."
Your cat loves a clean toilet -- don't we all? Catster's singing Cat Lady, Sarah Donner, explains why.33
|"Scaredy Cat in the rock garden."
Copyright © I-5 Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.


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Polls boycotted by Islamists open in Jordan parliament election
Published on Jan 23, 2013 12:25 PM
AMMAN (AFP) - Polling stations in Jordan opened today in a vote boycotted by Islamists behind strident pro-reform protests who have already labelled as illegitimate what is expected to be an opposition-free parliament.
Analysts say tribal leaders and other pro-regime figures, along with independent businessmen, are expected to sweep the polls in the country of 6.8 million people.
The powerful Muslim Brotherhood and the National Reform Front of former premier and intelligence chief Ahmad Obeidat are staying away from the polls, which opened for 12 hours from 7am (0400 GMT).
Around 2.3 million Jordanians are eligible to vote at 1,484 polling stations, choosing from 1,425 candidates including around 140 former MPs and 191 women, vying for a four-year term in the 150-seat lower house of parliament.
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G2D Games
Most Played Games
New Games
Dressup Games
Makeover Games
Girls Games
Celebrity Games
Cool Games
Cooking Games
Baby Games
Fun Games
Game Name
Color Burst
Cool Games
Click Here to Play
Game Details :
The objective is to burst the number of bubbles every level. There is a minimum number of bubbles to burst to proceed to the next stage. Try to predict where the cluster of bubbles will go. Just click around, sit back and enjoy the show!
New Games
Elsa Bunny Snap Juice
Elsa Banana Cookies
Cheese Omelet
Farm Girl
Christmas Magic Santa
Strawberry Shortcake R
Flappy Mario
Elsa Hand Surgery
Pou Ice Cream Decorati
Frankie Stein Injury
Pizza Mania
Dora Fly Hitter


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Lorraine's Taste Off
This Spring, Lorraine is giving you the chance to see your homemade sweet treat recipe on the patisserie counter at Waitrose supermarkets across Britain!
Across the UK, we are not only eating sweet treats, we are whipping them up too. A One Poll survey exclusively for Lorraine found that more than a quarter of us bake at least once a week.
As we are a nation besotted with baking, Lorraine is offering you the chance to showcase your culinary prowess by sharing your scrumptious homemade sweet treat recipe with us whether it's cake, biscuits, buns, sweet pastries, tarts or a tray bake! We'd also love to hear your stories behind your favourite sweet recipes (this is not mandatory and not part ofthe judging process). One lucky baker will ultimately have their sweet treat on sale at supermarkets across the country.
Whatever your home made patisserie creation is, you'll have to send in the recipe to be in with a chance of impressing our judges, including actress Debbie Rush who plays cafe assistant Anna Windass in Coronation Street; and family cook Alex Hollywood who is the wife of renowned master baker Paul Hollywood.
My favourite treat is a chewy, gooey lemon meringue pie - but I'm also very nostalgic and love any old fashioned cakes and buns, particularly a Victoria Sponge
I'm looking for a tasty treat that is easy to make, is quick and simple and can be enjoyed by all the family. Whether it be a cake or a biscuit or something completely different, having a sweet something in the cupboard is a must for any family kitchen!
So if you think your sweet treat recipes could whip up a frenzy, then we want to stir you into submitting your recipe to Lorraine's Taste Off now... where the proof really will be in the pudding!
Entries for Lorraine's Taste Off are to be submitted by midday on 14th February 2014. You must be 18 or over to apply and a UK resident One entry per person. To submit your entry, please carefully read our terms and conditions then email us at firstname.lastname@example.com with the following:
- Your name, age and daytime telephone number
- The name of your sweet treat recipe and method
- The full list of ingredients required to produce your sweet treat
- A photograph of your sweet treat
Photographs submitted must not be greater than 10MB in size. Images over this size may be rejected. The Promoter will not be responsible for entries sent but not received. The recipe must be sweet (not savoury) and must not include the following ingredients: nuts, ingredients which need to be chilled (i.e. stored in a fridge) or frozen (including cream), or any artificial flavours or colours.
Read the terms and conditions before entering
You can also get Alex Hollywood's top tips for entering


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DOE and Bechtel Jacobs sign $1.48B cleanup contract
OAK RIDGE — The Department of Energy and Bechtel Jacobs Co. have reached agreement on a newly restructured contract, valued at $1.48 billion, for Oak Ridge cleanup activities through 2011.
The new contract replaces Bechtel Jacobs' previous contract and extends the contract period. It also establishes a fixed fee for the company's future work and includes a settlement on previous fees owed to Bechtel Jacobs, which had been the subject of lengthy negotiations.
"We're very happy with the contract and glad to have the issues taken care of," BJC spokesman Dennis Hill said today.
John Shewairy of DOE said the contract agreement was signed Friday. The new contract is retroactive to Oct. 1, 2007 and runs through Dec. 31, 2011, Shewairy said.
The focus of the contract will be high-risk work at the East Tennessee Technology Park, the former uranium-enrichment plant that is being decommissioned and converted to a private industrial park. The biggest task includes the dismantlement and demolition of the gigantic K-25 building — a mile-long, U-shaped structure that was built during World War II to process uranium.
Under terms of the agreement, Bechtel Jacobs will receive a fixed fee of $53.2 million for the duration of the new contract, Shewairy said.
DOE also agreed to pay Bechtel Jacobs $39.9 million for work done from fiscal year 2004 through fiscal year 2007, he said. The federal agency previously paid BJC fee allotments totaling $33 million for that period, so the remaining amount to be paid would be $6.9 million, he said.
The earlier contract was performance-based and included incentives for completing the work, but Shewairy said it was ineffective because budget shortfalls and changing work conditions affected the schedules.
The new contract will not cover all of the cleanup work to be done in Oak Ridge, and Shewairy said DOE plans to award another contract that will begin in 2012 and extend to 2016 or 2017. That work, however, will be lower risk than the jobs included in the Bechtel Jacobs contract.
Bechtel Jacobs has been DOE's environmental manager in Oak Ridge since 1998. Hill said it's too early to speculate on whether the company — a partnership of Bechtel National and Jacobs Engineering — will bid on the work after 2011.
In addition to the work on K-25, the newly signed contract includes operation and eventual closure of the Oak Ridge incinerator; cleanup of a radioactively contaminated area known as Corehole No. 8 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory; and operation of other waste facilities in Oak Ridge.
More details as they develop online and in Thursday's News Sentinel.
Frank Munger may be reached at 865-342-6329.
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AION Asmodian and Elyos F2P launch trailers29 Feb 2012
As AION goes free to play in Europe, a couple of new trailers for the MMO dropped in this afternoon for the Asmodian and Elyos races.Related to this story
Register an IncGamers account to post comments or use Disqus.
You can also post via a social network.
You can also post via a social network.


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How To Catch A Floor With The Zero
It's been a while since I put together a Zero video, but as yesterday's session was a textbook example of how to play prospective sell exhaustion I simply couldn't resist. So grab a cup of coffee or your favorite tea, sharpen your pencil, and pay attention – you don't want to miss this one:
First let's set the stage – this is the Zero right before the open of yesterday's session. What stood out to me right away was a pretty pronounced divergence on the hourly panel (on the left). Price is painting new lows for the year but the daily Zero is starting to push toward its center (or 0) mark. What we DON'T do here is to blindly go long – no siree bub! This is exactly what market makers would expect retail traders to do – make haphazard bets that a low is in place. Stainless steel rats like us however understand that engaging in hasty predictions is hazardous to one's account, so instead we'll watch the Zero Lite for early clues:
Now if you watched the video then I think you understand how we operate down here at the lair. When playing the swings we always look for the Zero Lite to give us sufficient clues to warrant a contrarian position. Most importantly however we also wait for price to back us up a little. There's no predicting when a low truly is in place, and it's better to get in a little bit late than too soon.
I usually start with 1/4R or 1/2R and then put my stop a few ticks below the prior low. As price pushes in my favor I slowly add a few more contracts until I end up with 1R. Things got a bit worrisome there at the EOS but the E-Mini did hold the 2k mark overnight and is currently at 2012 as I'm typing this.
Will it hold and is this a permanent floor? I don't know but I'm well positioned as I started to accumulate a few longs near 1990 – which now affords me the buffer I was hoping for yesterday in anticipation of today's FOMC announcement. Compare that with someone who's trying to chase the tape higher here or, even worse, is waiting for an opportunity to scale out of rapidly depleting short positions (ahead of a high volatility event).
Once the fat lady has sung this afternoon we'll know if our evil plan will come to fruition.
The future is now – so don't bring a knife to a raygun fight. If you are interested in becoming a Zero subscriber then don't waste time and sign up here. A Zero subscription comes with full access to all Gold posts, so you actually get double the bang for your buck.


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Matthew Leo Rondeau Model
Anthony GrassettiPhotographer Male Boston, Massachusetts, US
My Website: http://anthonygrassetti.com/My MM URL: http://www.modelmayhem.com/grassetti
Mayhem # 2849822
About Me
Fashion and portrait photographer specialized in building model's portfolios.
Agencies worked with : NEXT, Ford, New York Models, FRAME, ADAM, MSA, Dulcedo, Maggie Inc, and more.
Models looking to build their books, visit for details:
http://anthonygrassetti.com/home-page/u … velopment/
HMUA, Stylists, Publications, etc please feel free to contact regarding collaborative projects.
A bit about me; I studied film/photography at the Museum of Fine Arts School in Boston and grad school at University of Chicago. My background is in fine art, but I am shooting editorial/fashion work.
IG: GrassettiPhoto
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Jesse Ventura says Obama is basically the black George W. Bush
Categories: Jesse Ventura, Obama
|It's Obama's skin color, not his politics, that set him apart, Jesse said.
-- Jesse Ventura got his ass kicked in a California bar, fellow SEAL says
-- Jesse Ventura loves puns, doesn't like Democrats, Republicans, or third parties
-- Jesse Ventura's TSA search lawsuit thrown out
Jesse Ventura insulted Barack Obama with one of the worst slurs imaginable -- he called him the black George W. Bush.
During an interview with BuzzFeed Politics yesterday, Ventura was asked whether he prefers Obama or Romney. In reply, he said that anybody who reads his new book -- Democrips and Rebloodlicans -- understands that it's basically a choice between flat Coke and flat Pepsi.
"I don't know how they could possibly vote for a Democrat or Republican," Jesse said, adding that Obama and George W. are only distinguished by "the color of their skin."
"They're both bad," he continued. "I won't vote for either [Obama or Romney] because it doesn't matter."
If you're curious, The Body plans to vote for Libertarian candidate and former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson. He said he plans to campaign often with Johnson between now and November, and lamented the fact that the credibility of third parties "is always destroyed by the mainstream media."
"[The MSM] usually label them a wingnut or have their little names for them," Jesse told BuzzFeed. "Both political parties and the media are owned by the corporations now."
Jesse also dropped some interested tidbits about his lifestyle during the BuzzFeed interview:
To reach Ventura, reporters have to call his hotel in New York, where he is staying under his real name (James Janos). Ventura does not have a cell phone and never plans to get one. "Who needs the aggravation?," he said. "Not only that, they can track you."...Jesse has always been a free-thinking original. We can't think of a politician we'd rather be stuck on a cross-country train trip with.
In the years since his governorship, Ventura has stopped flying because he doesn't want to be "treated like a criminal at the airport."
This means that he took a train all the way from Minnesota to New York, which he can "handle better than the airport, being treated like a criminal and sexually assaulted."
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Hello my dear visitor!
My name is Sean Digo and i am musician. Music is my passion and i`m glad to have an opportunity to share my works with you. I like to experiment, so i`m not sticking with a certain style in music. Follow me so you will not miss my new projects!
Have a nice day!


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The gleaming aluminum handles and the rich black finish of the wood give these salad servers a metropolitan flair. Made in Thailand.
To our way of thinking, serving pieces should be just as enticing as the food they hold. Atticus agrees, creating tabletop design that is striking enough to leave on display long after the meal is over. Organic shapes, rich woods, and cool metal finishes make for a craft-inspired collection that's easy to treasure every day, every meal, and all year-round.


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High School Sports
Williams, Fossett, Burlingame, Burns & Magnett Selected as Max Preps/NFCA National H.S. Players of the Week
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Sophomore pitcher Nicole Williams (St. Joseph (Trumbull, Conn.), senior first baseman Marleah Fossett (Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter (Indianapolis, Ind.), sophomore pitcher/infielder Makayla Burlingame (Auburn (Riner, Va.), senior pitcher/first baseman Hagan Burns (South Laurel (London, Ky.) and sophomore pitcher Devyn Magnett (Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.) have been selected as the MaxPreps/NFCA National High School Players of the Week for games played over May 26-June 1.
East Region
Williams continued her impressive play for the Cadets, batting .400 (4-for-10) with three RBIs, while posting a 3-0 pitching record with a 0.33 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 21 innings of work. During the week, she registered a pair of 2-for-4 efforts at the plate in wins over New Canaan and Darien while also twirling complete games. For the season, Williams is 22-1 from the circle with 162 strikeouts over 125 innings and is hitting .403 with 12 RBIs.
North Region
It's virtually impossible to be as locked in at the plate as Fossett was last week for the Raiders as she went a perfect 10-for-10 at the dish with 10 runs scored, a staggering eight HR's and 13 RBIs over just three contests. During a 14-0 victory over Irvington Preparatory Academy, she was 3-for-3 with three HR's and five RBIs, but amazingly, one-upped that effort in a 22-0 rout of Indianapolis Crispus Attucks by going 4-for-4 with four HR's and seven RBIs. Overall, Fossett is batting .671 with 42 runs scored, 12 doubles, 15 HR's and 47 RBIs.
South Region
Burlingame posted a perfect 3-0 mark from the circle for the Eagles with a no-hitter, a 1.00 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 21 innings of work, while hitting .429 with two doubles and a pair of RBIs. The sophomore twirled her initial no-no of the year in a 9-1 victory over Covington as she struck out a season-high 11. For the year, she is 19-3 overall with a 2.23 ERA, 138 K's over 131.2 frames, while hitting .308 with 10 RBIs.
South Central Region
Burns guided the Cardinals last week by going 3-0 from the circle with a 0.39 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 18 frames, while hitting .500 (5-for-10) with a double and three RBIs. Perhaps her finest effort came during a 5-0 shutout of Clay County as she went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI while striking out 15 during a complete-game, three-hit shutout. Thus far in 2014, Burns is 24-3 overall with a 0.48 ERA and 177 K's over 145 frames while batting at a .447 clip with 15 extra-base hits and 40 RBIs.
West Region
Magnett was a perfect 4-0 in the circle for the Dons, striking out 21 over 30 innings of work with a 0.93 ERA. She worked all nine frames of a 2-1 victory over Fallbrook and struck out a season-high 10 during a 9-1 rout of Otay Ranch. She currently owns a 25-3 overall mark with a 0.49 ERA and 125 K's over 172 innings of effort.
MaxPreps.com, the official high school statistical provider of the NFCA, provides all statistics for the NFCA High School Player of the Week award. To nominate a player for the award, the coach must enter his or her athlete's game stats into MaxPreps.com by Sunday evening to be eligible for that week's award.
The MaxPreps/NFCA High School Players of the Week will be announced on NFCA.org every Monday during the spring season, with one representative chosen from each of five separate high school regions (if there are enough nominations to consider). During the fall campaign, just a single player will be selected representing all participating regions.
MaxPreps is a free stat tool that is available to high school coaches across the country and is one of the most recognized and respected high school athletics web sites on the internet. Coaches who enter their team's stats on Max Preps will not only be nominating their players for this award, but they will be getting their team's information out to thousands of high school sports fans, as well as college coaches across the country.
To obtain a coach's login, please contact: email@example.com or call (800) 329-7324 x5153.
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Preps Interviews
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'Norfolk 4' member won't be put on trial again
RICHMOND, Va. An ex-sailor whose conviction for 1997 rape and murder of a woman was overturned will not face another trial, an encouraging development for three other former sailors who are fighting to be exonerated in the case.
The so-called "Norfolk Four" were convicted in the rape and murder of 18-year-old Michelle Moore-Bosko, but they claimed their confessions were coerced by police. A fifth defendant, who said he acted alone, is serving life in prison for the crime.
A judge accepted a request by a special prosecutor to drop charges against Derek Tice of Clayton, N.C. He had served 11 years before being released.
"I'm still stunned," Tice said by telephone Thursday. "It's been a nightmare, to put it nicely. For me it's over, but there's three more guys still going through it and we've got to get them cleared as well."
Tice's convictions were overturned last year by a federal judge who ruled that his attorney should have tried to suppress his confession, but prosecutors had the option of retrying the case. D.J. Hansen, a special prosecutor from Chesapeake, said a retrial would have been futile.
"We don't have sufficient evidence without the confession," Hansen said. "It's pretty much the end of the line at this point."
The rest of the Norfolk Four - Danial Williams, Joseph Dick and Eric Wilson - claim they were wrongfully convicted and continue to fight to clear their record, even though all have been released from prison.
In 1999, citing "grave doubts" about the convictions, then-Gov. Tim Kaine granted conditional pardons for Tice, Williams and Dick, freeing them from prison but allowing their convictions to stand. Williams was already free after serving 8 1/2 years for rape, and his conviction also was unaffected.
"The dismissal of charges against Mr. Tice underscores his innocence and the grave injustice that was done to the Norfolk Four," said Dick's attorney, George Kendall. "If there is no case against Mr. Tice, then there can be no case against Mr. Dick, Mr. Williams or Mr. Wilson."
Tice's three co-defendants have state and federal appeals pending. Kendall said the state appeals focus on the actions of former Norfolk detective Robert Glenn Ford, who allegedly used threats and intimidation to extract false confessions from the men. Ford was convicted last year of extortion and lying to the FBI in a case unrelated to the Norfolk Four.
The dismissal of charges against Tice means he will no longer have to register as a sex offender and meet conditions of parole - requirements that the other three men still must fulfill because their convictions remain.
"It is now time for Mr. Tice to try to rebuild his life with this grave injustice behind him," said Tice's attorney, E. Desmond Hogan. "We all look forward to the day when Dan Williams, Joe Dick and Eric Wilson - the other innocent men of the Norfolk 4 - can likewise put this tragic chapter behind them."
Tice, 41, is taking classes at a community college in hopes of getting into nursing school and is working for a window cleaning service. He said it was daunting finding a job after his release from prison - 250 applications in three months resulted in no job interviews - but being on the sex offender registry has been even tougher.


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Latest Loch Lomond Stories
Edina Realty's Kris Lindahl, an experienced Brooklyn Park real estate agent, has just listed another single-family home in Brooklyn Park MN Brooklyn Park,
Scottish national parks are dealing with camping equipment so inexpensive many visitors simply abandon tents and sleeping bags, rangers said. Rangers patrolling the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond sometimes need police escorts, The Scotsman reports.
The first survey of Loch Lomond in 147 years has found Scotland's most famous loch is 600 feet deep in places with sheer cliffs lining an underwater canyon. The British Geological Survey used the latest technology -- multi-beam sonar -- to map the floor of Loch Lomond, The Scotsman reported.
Two city men have completed their 'ultimate challenge' of cycling, kayaking and climbing across Great Britain - and raised pounds10,000 for charity in the process.
Splish Splash: Music fans brave the mud at the Live At: Loch Lomond event on Scotland's west coast. Many fans had been angered after the music festival failed to open on time amid health and safety fears.
By andy everett THERE isn't much that promoter Ricky McGowan hasn't seen and done in the world of dance music over the past couple of decades, from small intimate club nights to massive sell-out events, he's been there and succeeded hundreds of times.
By Jim Gilchrist PERHAPS not quite as awful as being kidnapped by Orcs, but rolling down a hillside in a giant hamster ball does sound rather like the kind of mishap that might befall an unwary Hobbit in Lord of the Rings.
BROTHERS Cider is giving two lucky music lovers the chance to win a pair of VIP passes and two complimentary tickets to the one of the UK's hottest new festivals, Live at Loch Lomond 2008, which is taking place on August 2 and 3.
DRILLING at a Highland gold mine could be just a week away, it was revealed yesterday. Aussie operators Scotgold will take delivery of specialist equipment to begin exploratory work near Tyndrum in Perthshire. The machinery is on the way from Chile and will allow work to begin at the Cononish site.
By Jenny Haworth Environment Correspondent NEW laws could see anglers and landowners who put alien fish species into lochs and rivers fined up to GBP 1,000. The Scottish Government legislation aims to provide greater protection to our native freshwater fish life.
Latest Loch Lomond Reference Libraries
Symbol: ERCO39 Group: Dicot Family: Apiaceae Duration: Perennial Growth Habit: Forb/herb Native Status: L48 N Distribution: County distributions for the following U.S. states are available at PLANTS:CA Classification: Kingdom Plantae – Plants Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants Class ...
- A hairdresser.


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Geezer from Oklahoma
I am retired and an armchair sailor for now. I sailed a 420 that I purchased from the instructor of a sailinng class. I have hopes of attending another sailing class so I can charter a larger crusing sailboat. I would like to try sailing in the ocean. Lived in Japan and had a 34' power boat that i motored around Hakat Harbor. in Kyushu. Plannig of Vacationing in Southern California this summer. I have been a woodworker for about 10 or so years. Have many power tools and know how to use them.
Hey mrp - welcome to SN dude.
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What days, other than the first two days, of the World Cup are you open to meet up to watch them?
Happy Birthday!
It was all good.
It's been forever, algunz. How was your holiday?
danke dear :) I see an addiction coming on.
Well, of course!!! :)
you had to pick the hotdogs.
great meeting you!!! :)
thanks for being a great date.
hey new friend. log on to facebook and acecpt my friend request!
The Encyclopedia
Coachella Junkie
Daft Punky Junkie
Stage Manager


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Carbon Trading - How it works and why it fails
This accessible, well-researched book provides a devastating critique of both the theory and practice of carbon trading, which lie at the heart of global climate policy.
Carbon trading lies at the centre of global climate policy and is projected to become one of the world's largest commodities markets, yet it has a disastrous track record since its adoption as part of the Kyoto Protocol.
Carbon Trading: how it works and why it fails outlines the limitations of an approach to tackling climate change which redefines the problem to fit the assumptions of neoliberal economics. It demonstrates that the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, the world's largest carbon market, has consistently failed to ́cap ́ emissions, while the UN's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) routinely favours environmentally ineffective and socially unjust projects. This is illustrated with case studies of CDM projects in Brazil, Indonesia, India and Thailand.
UN climate talks in Copenhagen are discussing ways to expand the trading experiment, but the evidence suggests it should be abandoned. From subsidy shifting to regulation, there is a plethora of ways forward without carbon trading – but there are no short cuts around situated local knowledge and political organising if climate change is to be addressed in a just and fair manner.
The new book is published by the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation (www.dhf.uu.se) as part of its Critical Currents series.
"Anyone who still thinks that creating a carbon casino can solve our climate crisis owes it to themselves to read this book. The most convincing and concise challenge to the green profiteers yet."
Naomi Klein, author, the Shock Doctrine
"Carbon trading is a scandalous story of economic dogma, government-business collusion, windfall profits, and promotion of emissions-intensive growth, compounded by speculative sub-prime trading and creation of divisions within vulnerable communities. This incisive analysis demolishes many myths and argues for sustainable solutions to the climate crisis."
Praful Bidwai, Delhi-Based journalist and author of An India that can Say Yes: a Climate-Responsible Development Agenda for Copenhagen and Beyond
Chapter 1 »
introduces carbon trading, how it works and some of the actors involved.
Chapter 2 »
explores the origins and key actors involved in building the architecture of emissions trading.
Chapter 3 »
examines the performance of the EU ETS and finds that it has generously rewarded polluting companies while failing to reduce emissions. Many of the scheme's fl aws, from the overallocation of permits to pollute onwards, are found to be fundamental to the cap and trade approach more generally.
Chapter 4 »
outlines the performance of the CDM and looks at four case studies of CDM projects in Thailand, India, Indonesia and Brazil; it argues that off sets projects, even those that promote renewable energy, will not be a solution to climate change.
Chapter 5 »
outlines what could work and ways forward for political organising around questions of climate change.
"Anyone who still thinks that creating a carbon casino can solve our climate crisis owes it to themselves to read this book. The most convincing and concise challenge to the green profiteers yet."
- Naomi Klein, author, the Shock Doctrine
"This book is an invaluable contribution to understanding the pitfalls of relying on the carbon markets to save the world's poor and the planet."
- Meena Raman, Third World Network
"The transition to a post-oil model is inevitable but instead of starting this process, it is delayed by barriers and traps such as the carbon market. This book teaches us how this barrier works and what there is behind this new trap of green capitalism. It is obligatory reading for all who fight for a post-oil civilisation."
- Ivonne Yanez, Oilwatch South America
To obtain a printed copy, please contact Nina Brenjo, nina AT tni.org
About the authors
Tamra Gilbertson
Tamra Gilbertson is one of the founders of Carbon Trade Watch, a former project of the Transnational Institute (TNI), and co-author of Carbon Trading: How it works and why it fails. She has been active in the project since 2001 and was a founding member of the Durban Group for Climate Justice. She is trained in photography and film-making and was a co-director of The Carbon Connection. She has been published in the New Internationalist, Opciones and Diagonal. She received a Teamsters Union Scholarship from 1995 to 1998 and the Samuel Rubin Young Fellowship Award in 2004.
Recent publications from Environmental Justice
Anglo American's dirty energy lobby and its false climate solutions
Climate talks in Lima will be subject to intense lobbying by some of the biggest industrial polluters. They not only cause serious social and environmental conflicts where they extract fossil fuels, their capture of decision-making also prevents a real solution to the climate crisis.
Corporate Conquistadors
An examination of the destructive environmental record of Repsol, Glencore Xstrata and Enel-Endesa in Latin America and worldwide is clear evidence that transnational corporations should have no place in decision-making around the climate.
Venezuela: terminal crisis of the rentier petro-state?
Venezuela's failure to develop an effective strategy to reduce its economy's dependence on gas and oil threatens the social successes and future viability of the Bolivarian project.
The Emerging Economies and Climate Change
The BASIC bloc of countries in UN negotiations have too often ended up collaborating and colluding with the inaction of industrialised countries, undermining the future of the poor in their own countries and throughout the South.


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A two-piece, holiday-themed earthenware chip and dip set featuring delicate botanicals and a matching inscription.
The Portmeirion pattern The Holly and the Ivy was named after the well-known traditional English Christmas carol. Holly and ivy are core English Christmas decorations. The pattern's design is a contemporary arrangement of antique illustrations with a flowing script that gives it a sophisticated, original and versatile look. Holly and Ivy will bring cheer to table settings not only at Christmas but through the winter months.


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Geographic Range
Long-tailed porcupines are endemic to southeast Asia. They are found in the entire area bordered on the west and south by Sumatra and bordered on the east and south by Borneo. Their distribution is bordered to the north by the Malay peninsula. ("Long-tailed porcupine", 2004; Medway, 1965)
Long-tailed porcupines live in several different habitats and are predominantly terrestrial, preferring to live in burrows, caves, and fissures in or around fallen trees. Although they also climb trees and shrubs in search of food. They inhabit subtropical and tropical moist broadleaf forests such as rain forests, peat swamp forests, freshwater swamp forests, lowland rain forests, montane rain forests, and heath forests. They also inhabit montane alpine meadows and shrublands, along with subtropical and tropical coniferous forests. They sometimes occur in mangrove forests. They have been found at elevations as high as 1159 m. ("Ecoregions containing Long-tailed Porcupine, Trichys fasciculata", 2005; "Long-tailed porcupine", 2004; "Porcupine", 2005)
- Habitat Regions
- tropical
- terrestrial
- Terrestrial Biomes
- savanna or grassland
- forest
- rainforest
- Wetlands
- swamp
- Range elevation
- 0 to 1159 m
- 0.00 to 3802.49 ft
Physical Description
Long-tailed porcupines are the smallest members of the family Hystricidae, resembling spiny rats. They can weigh from 1.7 kg to 2.3 kg, and can be up to 48 cm long from the head to the base of the tail. Tail length can be up to 23 cm long. The long tail can break off from the rest of the body, potentially saving its owner from predation. More females than males are found without their tails. Perhaps the males hold the females by their tail during mating, causing the tail to come off. Once lost, the tail cannot be regenerated. Long-tailed porcupines have four toes on their front legs and five toes on their back legs. Long-tailed porcupines are good climbers, because of their broad paws. ("Long-tailed porcupine", 2004; "Porcupine", 2005; "Porcupines", 2002; Medway, 1969; Roze, 1989)
Long-tailed porcupines are black or brown on the upper body and white on the under body. Except for the head and underside, which are covered with hair, long-tailed porcupines are covered with flattened spines that are dark brown in color at the ends and white at the tip. This species has the shortest spines in the family Hystricidae. None of the quills are more than 5 cm long. There are hairs, similar to bristles, between the spines. Scales cover most of the length of the brown tail, which is tipped with hollow quills. These brush-like quills are concentrated at the rear and the hindquarters. Unlike other porcupines, when shaken, these quills do not produce any rattling sound. No information was found on physical differences, such as size, between males and females. ("Long-tailed porcupine", 2004; "Porcupine", 2005; "Porcupines", 2002; Roze, 1989)
- Other Physical Features
- endothermic
- homoiothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- Range mass
- 1.5 to 2.3 kg
- 3.30 to 5.07 lb
- Range length
- 27.9 to 48 cm
- 10.98 to 18.90 in
The size of the male and the density of his quills seem to be a determining factor for females in choosing a mate. However, chemical cues are also expected to play a large role for the female in choosing a mate. The strong decaying-wood odor of porcupines probably attracts males and females to each other during the breeding season. When a female is ready to mate, she vocalizes a mating call, which attracts males to her. The males must then fight each other to be her mate. Males that win battles with other males may then be chosen by a female to be her mate. The winner is normally the largest and oldest porcupine, and he must guard the female from other suitors for three days. No specific information on mating systems has been found for T. fasciculata, other than that it is similar to other porcupines in its family. ("Porcupines", 2002; Dworetzky, 1998)
The breeding season for porcupines is between September and November, but females are only sexually active for about a month (if they breed within that month). If the female does not breed within that month, she becomes sexually active again in another month. Females begin breeding at one year of age, ovulation often begins at 18 months of age. Leading up to the breeding season, females exhibit anxiousness and anticipation by gnawing their teeth on objects. They are also more vocal; chattering their teeth more than usual. Males also exhibit unusual behavior during this time period. They whine louder, and they travel farther than normal. These porcupines mate at night. After a gestation period of about seven months, one or two young "porcupettes" are born. Specific information for T. fasciculata is not known, but it is thought to be similar to other members of its family. ("African brush-tailed porcupine", 2004; "Long-tailed porcupine", 2004; "Porcupines", 2002; Costello, 1966; Dworetzky, 1998)
- Key Reproductive Features
- iteroparous
- seasonal breeding
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
- sexual
- viviparous
- Breeding interval
- Breeding intervals may be up to two litters per year.
- Breeding season
- Breeding occurs from September to November.
- Range number of offspring
- 1 (low)
- Average number of offspring
- 1-2
- Average gestation period
- 7 months
- Range weaning age
- 6 to 8 weeks
- Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
- 9 to 16 months
- Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
- 12 months
- Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
- 8 to 18 months
- Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
- 12 months
No specific information on parental investment in T. fasciculata is available, but their reproduction is thought to be similar to other Old World porcupines Hystricidae. In related species, young are born with their eyes open and quills, incisors, and premolar teeth present. The mother takes care of her newborn though the summer months. Females nurse their young, which also begin to incorporate other foods into their diets relatively early. ("African brush-tailed porcupine", 2004; "Long-tailed porcupine", 2004; "Porcupines", 2002; Costello, 1966; Dworetzky, 1998)
- Parental Investment
- precocial
- provisioning
- female
- female
- female
- provisioning
- female
- female
- provisioning
A captive individual lived more than 10 years, no information on wild longevity is available. Other porcupine species often live 5 to 6 years in the wild. ("Long-tailed porcupine", 2004; "Porcupines", 2002)
- Range lifespan
Status: captivity
- 11 (high) years
- Range lifespan
- Average lifespan
Status: captivity
- 10.1 years
- Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
- Average lifespan
Long-tailed porcupines make shelters in burrows, caves, trees, and other natural cavities. They are nocturnal animals, spending most of the day in underground shelters. Although T. fasciculata are primarily ground-dwelling animals, they are also very nimble climbers. When running along the forest floor, T. fasciculata holds its tail straight up. This porcupine fluffs and widens its quills and pounds its feet when frightened. ("Long-tailed porcupine", 2004; Roze, 1989)
Home Range
No information on home ranges of T. fasciculata was found.
Communication and Perception
Male porcupines will "sing" either in a low or a high pitched whine when they are sexually excited. Mothers will communicate with their young using voice sounds to direct their offspring where to go. Sometimes the offspring will answer with whimperings. Specific information on communication for T. fasciculata was not found. (Costello, 1966)
Food Habits
Long-tailed porcupines are mainly herbivorous, eating fruits, seeds, bamboo shoots, and the cambium layer of trees, although their diet can also include invertebrates. They will climb trees and shrubs in search of food ("Long-tailed porcupine", 2004; "Porcupine", 2005)
- Animal Foods
- insects
- terrestrial non-insect arthropods
- Plant Foods
- leaves
- wood, bark, or stems
- seeds, grains, and nuts
- fruit
Long-tailed porcupines seem to have the ability to lose their tail, potentially enabling them to escape predation when the tail is grabbed. There are no documented predators of long-tailed porcupines, but many larger mammals, snakes, or birds of prey are potential predators, ("Long-tailed porcupine", 2004; Schemnitz, 1994)
Ecosystem Roles
Because porcupines feed on the cambium layer of a tree, the tree will then die. The death of a tree is ecologically significant. For example, dead trees may be important habitats for several species of birds. (Wright, 2004)
- Ecosystem Impact
- creates habitat
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Some native people believe that the tail of long-tailed porcupines has some value. They remove it from the rest of the porcupine hide. The use of the tail by native peoples has never been fully documented. ("Long-tailed porcupine", 2004)
- Positive Impacts
- body parts are source of valuable material
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Long-tailed porcupines are sometimes considered nuisance species because they destroy certain crops (i.e. pineapple crops). By eating the cambium layer of a tree, they can also cause the death of trees. ("Long-tailed porcupine", 2004)
- Negative Impacts
- crop pest
Conservation Status
Long-tailed porcupines are not currently threatened. However, under the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972/1976, long-tailed porcupines are cited as "Totally Protected" in the Malaysian Peninsula. ("Long-tailed porcupine", 2004; "Long-tailed Porcupine, Landak Padi", 2004)
- IUCN Red List
Least Concern
More information
Tanya Dewey (editor), Animal Diversity Web.
Ariane Reister (author), Kalamazoo College, Ann Fraser (editor, instructor), Kalamazoo College.
- acoustic
uses sound to communicate
- arboreal
Referring to an animal that lives in trees; tree-climbing.
- bilateral symmetry
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
- chemical
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- endothermic
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
- folivore
an animal that mainly eats leaves.
- forest
forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality.
- herbivore
An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
- iteroparous
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
- motile
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- native range
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- nocturnal
active during the night
- oriental
found in the oriental region of the world. In other words, India and southeast Asia.
- rainforest
rainforests, both temperate and tropical, are dominated by trees often forming a closed canopy with little light reaching the ground. Epiphytes and climbing plants are also abundant. Precipitation is typically not limiting, but may be somewhat seasonal.
- seasonal breeding
breeding is confined to a particular season
- sedentary
remains in the same area
- sexual
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- solitary
lives alone
- swamp
a wetland area that may be permanently or intermittently covered in water, often dominated by woody vegetation.
- tactile
uses touch to communicate
- terrestrial
Living on the ground.
- tropical
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.
- tropical savanna and grassland
A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia.
- savanna
A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.
- temperate grassland
A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5° N or S latitude). Vegetation is made up mostly of grasses, the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands.
- viviparous
reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female.
- young precocial
young are relatively well-developed when born
2004. African brush-tailed porcupine. Pp. 362-363 in M Hutchins, D Kleiman, M McDade, eds. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Vol. 16: Mammals V, Second Edition. New York: Gale.
"BIODIVERSITY INFORMATION SHARING SERVICE (BISS)" (On-line). Accessed November 20, 2005 at http://www.arcbc.org/cgi-bin/abiss.exe/spd?tx=MA&spd=10896.
2005. "Ecoregions containing Long-tailed Porcupine, Trichys fasciculata" (On-line). Accessed October 18, 2005 at http://worldwildlife.org/wildfinder/searchBySpecies.cfm?fClass=&fOrder=&fFamily=&fGenus=&fAdvancedSearch=closed&fSearchMode=simple&fIUCN=&fSpecies=trichys%20fasciculata&startIndex=1&orderBy=1&fWildCard=exact%20match&speciesID=17128.
2004. "Long-tailed Porcupine, Landak Padi" (On-line). Accessed October 18, 2005 at http://www.mazpa.org.my/zooku/mazpa/show_animal.php?content=view&animal_id=1096528901.
2004. Long-tailed porcupine. Pp. 363-364 in M Hutchins, D Kleiman, M McDade, eds. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Vol. 16: Mammals V, Second Edition. New York: Gale.
2005. Porcupine. Encyclopædia Britannica, Online Edition. Accessed November 20, 2005 at https://webmail.kzoo.edu/k04ar03/Inbox/%5BFwd:%20Old%20World%20porcupines%20(family%20Hystricidae)%20(from%20porcupine)%20--%20%20Encyclop%C3%A6dia%20Britannica%5D.EML/1_multipart_xF8FF_2_0-search.eb.com.ariadne.kzoo.edu_xF8FF_eb_xF8FF_article-226110_x003F_query=Trichys%26ct=eb/C58EA28C-18C0-4a97-9AF2-036E93DDAFB3/0-search.eb.com.ariadne.kzoo.edu_eb_article-226110_query=Trichys%26ct=eb?attach=1.
2002. Porcupines. Pp. 1298-1299 in C Hoagstrom, T Irons-Georges, eds. Magill's Encyclopedia of Science: Animal Life, Vol. 3, First Edition. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, Inc..
Costello, D. 1966. The World of the Porcupine. New York: J. B. Lippincott Company.
Dworetzky, T. 1998. Classic Behavior: How Does a Female Porcupine Select a Mate? Carefully, Very Carefully. National Wildlife, Vol. 36 No. 4. Accessed October 18, 2005 at http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueID=18&articleID=148.
Medway, L. 1965. Mammals of Borneo: Field Keys and an Annotated Checklist. Singapore: Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Medway, L. 1969. The Wild Mammals of Malaya. London: Oxford University Press.
Roze, U. 1989. The North American Porcupine. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
Schemnitz, S. 1994. "Porcupines" (On-line). Accessed October 18, 2005 at http://wildlifedamage.unl.edu/handbook/handbook/allPDF/ro_b81.pdf.
Wright, J. 2004. "And You Thought I, Quill, Was Just A Big Rodent" (On-line). Accessed October 18, 2005 at http://bsi.montana.edu/web/web/template/ViewArticle.vm/articleid/16892.


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34 Holiday Ideas for Gifts in a Jar
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Golf Lover Picture Frame
By: DecoArt
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Commemorate a golf-lover with this fun golf picture frame. This painted green frame makes a wonderful Father's Day gift.
DecoArt Products Required
Americana Acrylics
- DAO1 - Snow (Titanium) White
- DAO67 - Lamp (Ebony) Black
- DAO77 - Desert Sand
- DA230 - Festive Green
Liquid Beadz
- BE06C - Green
Palette Knife
- DT02 - Palette Knife
Americana Brushes
- DBL1000-B - Liner 0
- DBF2575-B - Flat 3/4"
- Water container
- Paper towels
- Old scissors
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Pencil
- Hair dryer with low setting
- Wood frame with heart cut-out
- Craft stick
- Lara Crafts wooden pieces: 1-1/2" diamond; 5" sign plaque; 1" round ball
1. Paint entire frame using 3/4" brush and Festive Green. Let dry.
2. Paint wood sign using Desert Sand; craft stick, Lamp Black; and wood diamond and round ball, Snow White.
3. Use pencil to lightly sketch lettering on wood sign. Paint lettering using liner brush and Lamp Black.
4. Use handle of brush to dot golf ball. Paint number on diamond. Use old scissors to cut off bottom edge of sign. (see photo)
5. Using palette knife scoop and spread Green Beadz around frame platform. Use hair dryer on low setting to set Beadz. Let Beadz dry thoroughly.
6. Use glue gun to assemble pieces as shown.
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Comcast CEO Brian Roberts last week reiterated his faith in cable's high-speed capabilities, saying the competitive threat posed by DBS and telecoms is something cable can handle. Roberts also said the company's DVR and VOD services are set to take off.
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Inner Awareness
What it feels like to be out of your body
More News from Philippine Daily Inquirer
Part II
One thing more. Although I was looking at my physical body and at Betina Loman from where I was in the ceiling, I could see 360 degrees around the room, as if I had a panoramic view of the whole room.
I also felt very light and free. It was a very pleasant feeling. And I was not afraid at all. That's one thing I couldn't understand. I didn't think I was dead, in fact, I was enjoying my newfound freedom when Betina started snapping her fingers near my left ear. I heard the sound from afar.
She continued snapping her fingers and the sound became louder and louder until, suddenly, I straightened up and opened my eyes, exclaiming and laughing! "Hey, I saw all of you! You were all scared, but I'm okay."
I asked Betina, what happened? "You were having a trip," she replied. "What do you mean?" I asked her. You see, I had never heard of astral projection nor out-of-body experience before. "You were just having a trip," Betina repeated. "I saw you up in the ceiling."
Nice trip
"You saw me?"
"Yes," she replied. "You were having a nice trip."
When I pressed her for an explanation, she said she could explain what happened better in an individual counseling. That meant having to pay an extra money, but I did it anyway. That's when Betina explained to me all about the astral body, astral projection, the astral cord.
I experienced many trance states and out-of-body experiences (OOBEs) many times over the next 20 years. But in those OOBEs, I never went out of the room where I was, and neither have I met any astral being or guide that others who have had OOBEs have encountered.
I believe now that when my body became cataleptic or stiff, I was in a state of trance. But although I lost control of my body and my mind, I was fully conscious and aware of what was happening to me, and what everybody was saying or doing at that time.
During the first few years of my trances, I never spoke a word. I would just lie on the floor completely quiet, as if in deep sleep. It was only much later that I began saying aloud what was coming to mind. I didn't dare speak before because I thought the ideas I was getting were coming from my imagination. It took many years for me to realize that these ideas were coming from some spirit entity or from other dimensional realities.
An OOBE is not strange or uncommon at all. So many individuals in the Philippines and all over the world have experienced the same thing with no adverse effect on them. It is as natural as breathing or talking, and is neither supernatural nor paranormal at all. So when you find yourself out of your body, don't panic. Just relax and enjoy the trip.
Attend the next Practical Mind Dynamics seminar on Sept. 28-29, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Rm. 308 Prince Plaza I, 106 Legaspi St., Greenbelt, Makati City. For past life regression, personal consultancy and other paranormal services, call 8107245 or 0908-3537885.
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Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer's day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer's Reader's Advocate. Or write The Readers' Advocate:
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Our pre-k picks: Queens & Staten IslandWritten by Lydie Raschka Wednesday, 16 April 2014 19:17
Queens will have more than 1,500 new pre-k seats this fall. Unfortunately, most are clustered in the southeast and other areas of Queens where there's little demand — rather than in the very overcrowded northeast section.
Corona, Glendale and Elmhurst
There are 90 new full-day pre-k seats opening up in District 24, a densely populated section of Queens that is home to many immigrants, but it won't be enough to satisfy demand. Overcrowding persists despite the opening of several new schools in recent years. One possibility: The Children's Lab School, a new school opening in the fall, will offer two full-day pre-k classes.
Flushing and Whitestone
District 25 has many well-regarded, neighborhood schools — but the competition for full day pre-k is fierce. Three wildly popular early childhood schools — PS 130, PS 242 and the Active Learning Elementary School--receive several hundred applications each. PS 169 is another good pre-k pick if you can manage to get your child in. It will offer two full-day pre-k classes for a total of 36 seats, although last year the school received almost 300 applications. Your best bet: PS 201 is adding two additional classes for a total of four. Our reviewer called the school "charming" and the Department of Education rated it "well-developed," the highest rating.
Our pre-k picks: Manhattan & the BronxWritten by Lydie Raschka Wednesday, 16 April 2014 17:39
Here are our recommendations for pre-kindergarten in the Bronx and Manhattan public schools, based on our school visits and the results of the city's parent and teacher surveys. We didn't include some very popular schools that receive hundreds of applications for a handful of seats. Instead, we tried to find some good schools that aren't hopelessly oversubscribed.
Lower East Side
If you live on the Lower East Side, you're in luck. Every school in District 1 has full day pre-kindergarten classes and all offer tours to prospective parents. There are no zoned schools in the district. Some of the schools are known for their progressive philosophy and high levels of parent involvement, including Earth School, Children's Workshop and East Village Community. The Neighborhood School shares a building with PS 63 William McKinley/STAR Academy, which is expanding its pre-k program from one to two classes. Shuang Wen has long been a top-scoring school serving primarily Asian families who want their children to be fluent in both English and Mandarin. Under new leadership, the school has become more welcoming to non-Asian children who want to learn Mandarin. Some schools have space for families outside the district.
Upper East Side, Midtown and downtown
District 2, a huge district that stretches from 96th Street on the East Side and 59th Street on the West Side all the way down to the Battery, has some of the best and most popular schools in the city. Unfortunately, there are far more applicants than spots in pre-kindergarten. A brand new school, PS 340 Sixth Avenue Elementary, in Chelsea, will offer two pre-k classes in the morning and two in the afternoon. If you're looking for full day options popular Midtown West is opening its first pre-k class, PS 116 Mary Lindley Murray is opening two classes and PS 40 Augustus Saint-Gaudens is opening one. PS 126 and PS 1 Alfred Smith are terrific schools that sometimes have room for children outside their attendance zones.
Upper West Side and Harlem
District 3 covers the west side of Manhattan. Most of the schools on the Upper West Side have far more applicants than seats, but PS 191 sometimes has seats for children outside its attendance zone. In Harlem, we loved our visits to the Early Childhood Discovery and Design Magnet (with a hands-on engineering program and LEGO Lab) and PS 180 (which boasts a strong arts program). We haven't visited PS 76, but parent and teacher surveys say it has a friendly vibe and strong leadership.
East Harlem
East Harlem has long been a pioneer of innovation and school choice and is home to popular progressive schools such as Central Park East I, and Central Park East II, which receive hundreds of applicants for only 18 full day pre-k seats. Try a hidden gem like River East instead, which is opening a new pre-k class. We haven't visited PS 102, PS 146 or PS 155 recently, but positive surveys of parents and teachers suggest they are worth considering.
Central Harlem
District 5 in Central Harlem has long had some of the lowest-performing schools in the city. However, there are a few bright spots: We loved our visit to Teachers College Community School (although competition for seats there is fierce.) Our recent visit to PS 200 suggests that it's moving in the right direction. We haven't visited PS 125 or PS 197 recently, but parent and teacher surveys are positive.
Washington Heights and Inwood
District 6 once had very overcrowded schools, but enrollment has declined in recent years as the neighborhoods of northern Manhattan have gentrified. Some of the most popular schools have far more applicants than seats. You may have a better chance at three schools we visited recently: Washington Heights Academy, Castle Bridge and PS 128.
South Bronx
District 7 in the South Bronx has mostly low-performing schools, but we can recommend the pre-kindergarten at a few schools we that we have visited. PS 5 has strong leadership and a happy cohesive staff. PS 25 has an amazing science exploration center. PS 157 boasts a good arts program.
Soundview and Throgs Neck
In District 8, we enjoyed our visit to PS 152, which often takes kids from outside across its attendance zone. PS 69 and PS 304 are terrific schools but they are flooded with applicants. It doesn't hurt to apply, but don't get your hopes up. We haven't visited PS 182 in quite a while, but parent and teachers surveys say it's a safe school with strong leadership and solid academics.
Grand Concourse, Morrisania, Crotona Park
District 9 is on the western edge of the south Bronx and is home to Yankee Stadium and much of the revitalization in the south Bronx. Best bet here: PS 63, which our reviewer called "an oasis of calm."
Riverdale, Wave Hill, Central Bronx
One of the most overcrowded districts in the city, District 10 is also the top-performing district in the Bronx. A few schools are adding new pre-kindergarten seats: Bronx New School and a new school opening on Webster Avenue called Bedford Park Elementary.
Northeast Bronx
District 11, covering the northeast Bronx including Pelham Parkway, Eastchester and Woodlawn, has space opening up at Linden Tree Elementary, a new small school that strives to be attentive to children's different learning styles. PS 160 Walt Disney is one of the best bets for getting a spot in this area with three full day classes opening in the fall and good leadership, according to teacher surveys.
Crotona Park
District 12 is smack dab in the middle of the Bronx so it's worth checking all the bordering districts to find borough-wide options. Bronx Little School is a safe, welcoming place with high-expectations, but over 200 families applied for 18 seats in 2013. Samara Community School is a new school opening in the fall hosting one full day pre-k.
Our pre-k picks for BrooklynWritten by Pamela Wheaton Wednesday, 16 April 2014 16:23
Brooklyn is the city's largest borough and the one with most schools. Pre-kindergarten choices are as varied as the borough. In some areas of brownstone Brooklyn, pre-k programs don't meet the demand. Even parents who list 12 schools on their application will be disappointed. In other areas—such as Fort Greene or Bedford Stuyvesant—parents have more options.
Don't be afraid to look at historically low-performing schools: in some cases pre-kindergarten programs are excellent and expanding, even if the school as a whole has a long way to go. Further out in Brooklyn, half-day programs can be the norm, especially in Districts 21 and 22. We haven't found much to recommend in central Brooklyn, where school environment surveys reflect a discontent with the tone of the buildings. We advise you to take a look and let us know what you find.
Child born in 2010? Apply to pre-k by April 23Written by Anna Schneider Wednesday, 16 April 2014 12:13
If your child turns four this year, it's time to apply to pre-kindergarten.
If you're interested in a program that's part of a regular public school, you should should submit your application, either online or in person at a borough enrollment office, by April 23 for your best chance of a getting a good seat. (If you are interested in applying to a pre-kindergarten program that's housed at a community based organization, you should apply directly to that organization. The city will be adding more seats later this spring, and we'll post a new list when we have it.)
Unfortunately, you are not guaranteed a seat in pre-kindergarten--there simply aren't enough spaces for all the city's 4-year-olds. In neighborhoods where the zoned schools are very popular, there are hardly any pre-k seats. However, if you are willing to travel a bit, you may find a seat for your child in a neighborhood where the schools aren't so crowded, especially since the city created 4,200 new full-day seats.
Here are some pre-k basics:
Any child born in 2010 who lives in New York City may apply to a free pre-k program.
Pre-k programs in public schools or local child care centers and community organizations, are either half day (2.5 hours), or full day, (6 hours and 20 minutes). The state mandates that each pre-k class may have a maximum of 18 students with two teachers.
About 40 percent of the city's pre-k seats are in public schools. The application process for public school pre-k is centralized and parents apply online or in person at a borough enrollment office. The deadline is April 23, 2014.
The remaining 60 percent of the city's pre-k seats are provided by Community-based organizations (CBOs) such as Y's, preschools and other childcare centers. These seats are also free and available to all New York City families with four-year-olds. Admissions to these programs continues as long as slots are available. An updated list of CBOs offering programs will be available in June.
How to find a public school pre-K program:
Pick up a pre-k directory and the expanded directory at an elementary school or borough enrollment office. You may also download the guide here. [PDF]
New York City has 32 public schools districts and each district has two pages in the directory, with a map listing the district schools and admissions information.
To find your public school district, enter your address in the DOE's school search tool or call 311.
When you have identified some schools, look at the school profiles on Insideschools.
Once you have narrowed down a list of schools, be sure to arrange a visit.
Before you tour schools, check out our video "What to Look for in an Elementary School." On your visit, you want to see well-arranged rooms with plenty of places to play. A good pre-k shouldn't be too heavy on academics; kids should be engaged, busy and happy. Scan the wall for a daily schedule that should include snacks and naptime.
Ranking schools and submitting your public school pre-k application:
Families may apply to up to 12 schools for pre-K but are not required to choose that many. Only list schools on your application that you want your child to attend.
Public school admissions are not first-come, first-served. Anyone who applies by April 23 has the same chance.
After the application process closes, seats will be randomly assigned according to a list of 10 priorities, with first dibs going to families who live in the zone and have a sibling enrolled in the school. Next up is kids who live in the zone without siblings enrolled, then kids in the district, and so on.
List the programs in order of preference. If your zoned school is not your top choice, there is no disadvantage to placing it lower on your list. If you don't get your top choices, your child still has priority at your zoned school.
While there are more seats available this year, consider the 2013 numbers when choosing schools. If your top pick had a waiting list last year, you may want to consider other options.
If you live in a crowded district where pre-k seats are few and far between, like District 2's Upper East Side or District 15 in Park Slope, you'll probably need to consider CBOs and other districts where there were empty seats in 2013.
District 1 on the Lower East Side, District 7 in the South Bronx and District 23 in East New York are unzoned. Families in these districts have top priority at all district schools.
Families who submit their public school pre-k applications by April 23 will find out in June whether they got a spot and will register at the school that month.
Most CBOs admit children on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis, so it's best to apply early. Some CBOs also have income-eligibility requirements. Contact each program for specifics.
The DOE does not provide pre-K transportation, so parents should consider travel time to all the schools they rank.
Also, the DOE does not guarantee that all special needs will be met in every pre-kindergarten program. Parents of children with special needs may apply to pre-K through the centralized public school process and to CBO programs but should also contact their local Committee on Special Education or the Committee on Pre-School Special Education to identify the school that best meets your child's needs. See this page on the DOE's website or call 311 for more information.
For the most up-to-date information and news about new seats, Nicholas Farrell from the DOE's Office of Enrollment suggested parents should sign up for pre-k admissions email updates. Farrell also said that district offices will keep lists of open seats.
(Post updated with new information on March 4 and on April 16.)
City takes high stakes out of testingWritten by Pamela Wheaton Wednesday, 09 April 2014 14:14
The city has taken a big step to scale back on anxiety over state tests. A new promotion policy takes the high-stakes out of testing for grades 3-8, at least when it comes to determining who gets promoted to the next grade and who must attend summer school.
The Department of Education announced the new policy today, which, if approved by the Panel for Educational Policy in May, will mean that a student cannot be held back simply because of a low score (Level 1) on the state reading or math exam. Instead, "multiple measures" will be used to determine promotion, including report card grades and schoolwork as well as test scores.
"We have listened and worked closely with families, teachers and principals to establish a new promotion policy that complies with State law and empowers educators, takes the temperature down around testing, and keeps rigorous standards in place," said schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña in a statement.
Manhattan schools join anti-test protestsWritten by DNAinfo Tuesday, 08 April 2014 15:17
(This story first appeared on DNAInfo.com)
More than 30 public elementary schools — including TriBeCa's top-ranked P.S. 234 and the Upper East Side's P.S. 59 — are set to participate in protests Friday to blast the state's standardized English exams.
The planned protests by schools in Manhattan's District 2 — which also includes Greenwich Village and Chelsea — are part of a growing anti-testing movement in some of the city's most esteemed public schools. Last week, a protest at Park Slope's P.S. 321 drew hundreds of teachers, parents and students who complained about age-inappropriate content and poorly explained multiple-choice questions that seemed to have no one right answer.
Now, the 31 Manhattan elementary schools are planning an even bigger demonstration at each of their schools Friday morning, to demand that the exams be released to the public as soon as they have been graded.
G&T: Fewer qualify; rich-poor gap persistsWritten by Pamela Wheaton Friday, 04 April 2014 15:23
Nearly one-third of the 14,600 rising kindergartners who sat for Gifted & Talented assessments in January and February found out today that they qualified for one of the city's district or citywide G&T programs. That's about six percent fewer than qualified in 2013, according to Department of Education data released Friday afternoon. The number of children who scored in the 99th percentile--the score usually necessary for a chance at entry into one of the five coveted citywide G&T--programs also fell, from more than 1,450 last year to about 950 this year.
Even with the lower number of qualifiers, there are still three times as many top-scoring tykes than there are seats in the five most selective citywide programs which have only about 300 seats for incoming kindergartners. Further decreasing the odds of entry, qualifying siblings of current students get first dibs at those seats.
The gap in student performance between richest and poorest districts remains wide but there were gains in Harlem and Washington Heights. In Districts 4 (East Harlem), 5 (Harlem) and 6 (Washington Heights and Inwood) nearly twice as many students scored in the top percentile than did last year.
Parents were notified of their child's score today along with an application listing their progam options. Families who do not get their results by Monday, April 7, should call the DOE at 718-935-2009. Families have until April 21 to apply one of the gifted programs, but since schools are closed for spring vacation from April 14-22, parents have only next week to visit schools. A list of open houses is posted on the DOE's website here. Letters of acceptance for regular, non-gifted, kindergarten programs will be sent during the spring break. G&T applicants won't find out until May 26 if they have been offered a spot.
City creates 4,200 new full-day pre-k seatsWritten by Pamela Wheaton Wednesday, 02 April 2014 12:55
Some highly sought-after schools that lacked pre-kindergarten programs will now have them. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today the city will add more than 4,200 new full-day pre-k seats at 140 public schools in September, thanks to $300 million in funding from the state that was approved over the weekend.
There are three new programs in popular midtown Manhattan schools: Midtown West, PS 116 and PS 40. In Chinatown, PS 130 is offering a full day instead of a half-day program, and PS 124 will house three classes. In Brooklyn's District 15, the new Maurice Sendak Community School will have 66 seats, up from the 30 originally planned. PS 15 in Red Hook is offering 84 slots. PS 20 in Fort Greene will have two classes, instead of one.
In the Bronx, perennially popular Bronx New School will offer two full-day classes, not one and PS 23 in Fordham will have 48 seats. In Queens, new programs will open at PS 290 in Maspeth and PS 63 in Ozone Park and at two new schools that will open in the fall, PS 343 in Corona and PS 316 in South Ozone Park. PS 175 in Rego Park will also offer three classes. In Staten Island, 15 schools have either created new programs, added additional seats or are expanding half-day programs to full-day.
State: NYC must give space to chartersTuesday, 01 April 2014 10:31
The state budget bill's expected passage includes several dramatic education policy shifts for the city, but perhaps none have been more fiercely debated than new provisions for providing new city charter schools with free or subsidized space. Now…
15 charter schools opening, apply by April 1Written by Pauline Zaldonis Thursday, 20 March 2014 17:22
Amid the debate surrounding charter schools in the city, 15 new charter schools will be opening in the fall, adding to the 183 already operating in New York City. The majority of the new schools are part of established charter networks, including Success Academy, Achievement First and Ascend Schools. A few of the new schools are independent "mom and pop" charters that aren't part of a larger network.
Applications for most charter schools are due by April 1 with admissions lotteries held in early April. Parents may submit applications to multiple schools at once using the online Common Charter School Application on the New York City Charter School Center website. Parents should also contact the schools that they wish to apply to directly to make sure that they understand all the application requirements. Admissions to charter schools is determined by lottery, giving priority to residents of the district where the school is located. Some charters have additional admissions priorities.
In a charter's first year, there is frequently space for out-of-district students, as some families are reluctant to take a chance on a school until it has a track record. All charter schools keep waitlists so even if you miss the application deadline, if you are interested in a school it's worth asking to be put on the waitlist.


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- Introduction
- Land
- People
- Economy
- Government and society
- Cultural life
- History
The Mahdiyyah
Muḥammad Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd Allāh was the son of a Dunqulahwi boatbuilder who claimed descent from the Prophet Muhammad. Deeply religious from his youth, he was educated in one of the Sufi orders, the Sammāniyyah, but he later secluded himself on Ābā Island in the White Nile to practice religious asceticism. In 1880 he toured Kordofan, where he learned of the discontent of the people and observed those actions of the government that he could not reconcile with his own religious beliefs. Upon his return to Ābā Island, he clearly viewed himself as a mujaddid, a "renewer" of the Muslim faith, his mission to reform Islam and return it to the pristine form practiced by the Prophet. To Muḥammad Aḥmad the orthodox ʿulamāʾ who supported the administration were no less infidels than Christians, and, when he later lashed out against misgovernment, he was referring as much to the theological heresy as to secular maladministration. Once he had proclaimed himself Mahdī, Muḥammad Aḥmad was regarded by the Sudanese as an eschatological figure who foreshadowed the end of an age of darkness (his arrival coincided with the end of a century—in this case, the 13th—of the Islamic calendar, a period traditionally associated with religious renewal) and heralded the beginnings of a new era of light and righteousness. Thus, as a divinely guided reformer and symbol, Muḥammad Aḥmad fulfilled the requirements of mahdī in the eyes of his supporters.
Surrounding the Mahdī were his followers, the anṣar ("helpers," a Qurʾānic term referring to one group of Muhammad's early followers), and foremost among them was ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad, who came from the Taʿāʾishah tribe of the Baqqārah Arabs and, as caliph (khalīfah, "successor"), assumed the leadership of the Mahdist state upon the death of Muḥammad Aḥmad. The holy men, the faqīhs who had long lamented the sorry state of religion in the Sudan brought on by the legalistic and unappealing orthodoxy of the Egyptians, looked to the Mahdī to purge the Sudan of the faithless ones. Also in his following, more numerous and powerful than the holy men, were the merchants formerly connected with the slave trade. All had suffered from Gordon's campaign against the trade, and all now hoped to reassert their economic position under the banner of religious war. Neither of these groups, however, could have carried out a revolution by themselves. The third and vital participants were the Baqqārah Arabs, the cattle nomads of Kordofan and Darfur who hated taxes and despised government. They formed the shock troops of the Mahdist revolutionary army, whose enthusiasm and numbers made up for its primitive technology. Moreover, the government itself only managed to enhance the prestige of the Mahdī by its fumbling attempts to arrest him and proscribe his movement. By September 1882 the Mahdists controlled all of Kordofan, and at Shaykān on November 5, 1883, they destroyed an Egyptian army of 10,000 men under the command of a British colonel. After Shaykān, the Sudan was lost, and not even the heroic leadership of Gordon, who was hastily sent to Khartoum, could save the Sudan for Egypt. On January 26, 1885, the Mahdists captured Khartoum and massacred Gordon and the defenders.
1Alternately known as The Sudan.
2Data prior to 2011 include the newly created South Sudan unless otherwise noted.
3Includes 2 observers from Abyei Area Council, who do not have voting rights.
4Comprehensive peace agreement ending 21-year-long war in southern Sudan signed Jan. 9, 2005; interim constitution from July 9, 2005, to be effective for 6 years; South Sudan seceded on July 9, 2011.
5Council of States meets in Khartoum; National Assembly meets in Omdurman.
6Official working language per 2005 interim constitution.
7Islamic law and custom are applicable to Muslims only.
|Official name
|Jumhūriyyat al-Sūdān1, 2 (Republic of the Sudan)
|Form of government
|military-backed interim regime with Council of States (323); National Assembly (354)4
|Head of state and government
|President: Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, assisted by Vice Presidents: Bakri Hassan Saleh and Hassabo Mohammed Abdel Rahman
|Official languages
|Arabic6; English6
|Official religion
|See footnote 7.
|Monetary unit
|Sudanese pound (SDG)
|(2014 est.) 35,482,000
|Total area (sq mi)
|Total area (sq km)
|Urban-rural population
|Urban: (2011) 33.2%
Rural: (2011) 66.8%
|Life expectancy at birth
|Male: (2012) 60.6 years
Female: (2012) 64.7 years
|Literacy: percentage of population age 15 and over literate
|Male: (2010) 80.1%
Female: (2010) 62%
|GNI per capita (U.S.$)
|(2013) 1,130