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Sony Vaio VGN-SR21M/S
SpecificationsNotebook: Sony Vaio VGN-SR21M/S (Vaio VGN-SR Series)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8400
Graphics Adapter: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470
Display: 13.3 inch, 16:10, 1280x800 pixels, glossy: yes
Weight: 1.9kg
Price: 1000 euro
Average of 2 scores (from 2 reviews)
Reviews for the Sony Vaio VGN-SR21M/S
Source: Toptenreviews
In every regard, the Sony VAIO SR series of laptop computers are strikingly impressive. They absolutely ooze the quality and sophistication for which Sony is well known. The down side is that it all comes at a cost. For mobile business professionals, students or home users, you can't go wrong with this computer if the budget permits.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 04/30/2010
Rating: Total score: 88% features: 88%
Foreign Reviews
Source: Notebookjournal DE→EN
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 01/30/2009
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 70% performance: 70% features: 30% display: 50% mobility: 40% workmanship: 70% ergonomy: 70%
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470: Faster clocked HD 3450 and successor of the HD 2400 XT but with DirectX 10.1 and due to the new 55nm process, higher clockspeeds. Avivo HD video functions allow the decoding of HD videos.
Only some 3D games with very low demands are playable with these cards.
» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.
Intel Core 2 Duo: This is the Core Duo and Core Solo successor with a longer pipeline and 5-20% more speed without more power consumption. As an addition to the Core Duo design there exists a fourth decoder, an amplified SSE-unit and an additional arithmetical logical unit (ALU).
The Core 2 Duo for laptops is identical to the desktop Core 2 Duo processors but the notebook-processors work with lower voltages (0.95 to 1188 Volt) and a lower Frontside bus clock (1066 vs 667 MHz). The performance of equally clocked notebooks is 20-25% lower than Desktop PCs because of the lower Frontside bus clock and the slower hard disks.
Middle class dual core CPU with a TDP of 25 Watt. For high end gamer the performance could be not sufficient (for class 1 graphic cards).» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.
13.3": This is a common display format for subnotebooks. Netbooks, UMPC and some subnotebooks have tinier displays. Nevertheless, the majority of standard laptops has a higher format. The advantage of a small display is, that the subnotebook can be small dimensioned and can be carried easily. Further the small display needs few energy, which improves the battery runtime and in consequence the mobility. The disadvantage is that the reading of texts is a bit exhausting for the eyes, especially with high resolutions.» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.
1.9 kg: These sub-notebooks weight less than the average of all notebooks, but represent a heavier class of weight among the sub-notebooks. 12 inch displays are normal for this class of weight.
Sony: Sony Corporation is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Japan. Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game consoles, and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Its name is derived from sonus, the Latin word for sound. The company was founded 1946 with another name and renamed in 1958. Sony Corporation is the electronics business unit and the parent company of the Sony Group, which is engaged in business through its five operating segments—electronics, games, entertainment (motion pictures and music), financial services and other. Sony is a notebook manufacturer of medium size according international market shares.
84%: This rating should be considered to be average. This is because the proportion of notebooks which have a higher rating is approximately equal to the proportion which have a lower rating.
» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.


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I hoped to keep this simple.. I know I'm probably not giving enough information but maybe some one can just take a look at it and know exactly what is wrong. I tried to follow the joint editor tutorial with the moire' eel and I believe I was pretty careful, although the interface was somewhat different from his to mine. I restructured the parenting making a hip and two pelvis controlling either side of the skeletons.
The first image is a purchased guitar strap (first image) that I wanted to change the rigging from bones end to end to two bone sets starting from the middle with an IK movement on each section on the ends. It actually works as I wanted but I get these protruding wedges from each bend point when they are bent. (see 2nd image) what is that???
Does anyone know?
Thank You
Steve Dinyer

subset: commoncrawl


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Lux Aeterna (song)
|"Lux Aeterna"
|Song by Kronos Quartet from the album Requiem for a Dream
|Clint Mansell
|Requiem for a Dream track listing
listen to a clip from the soundtrack of "Requiem for a Dream".
|Problems playing this file? See media help.
"Lux Aeterna" (pronounced [lʊks ɛtɛrna]; Latin for "eternal light") is a composition by Clint Mansell, the leitmotif of a movie from 2000, Requiem for a Dream, and the penultimate piece in the Requiem for a Dream score. The popularity of this piece led to its use in popular culture outside the film, most notably in film and teaser trailers, such as Sunshine, and multiple remixes and remakes by other producers. It was also used in the Top Gear: Polar Special episode.
A version of the track was re-orchestrated with a choir and full orchestra for The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers trailer.[1] It was arranged by Simone Benyacar, Daniel Nielsen, and Veigar Margeirsson.
The orchestrated version was made available as part of the Requiem for a Tower album release from Corner Stone Cues.[2]
- ^ Ebert, Roger. "The Movie Answer Man" November 17, 2002. (accessed January 8, 2014)
- ^ Jonathan, Jarry (2006-11-08). "Corner Stone Cues Presents: "Requiem for a Tower"". SoundtrackNet. Retrieved 2009-06-18.
|This article about a classical composition is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.


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Family Fun Guide: Edgewater
Summer is the best time to visit Edgewater and experience what living by the lake really means. Check out this go-to family fun guide.
Guide To: Family Fun In Andersonville
If you are looking for something to do with the kids, head north to Andersonville: "A quaint village in the heart of a world class city." Andersonville was founded by Swedish immigrants and remains a thriving Swedish community with plenty to offer families that visit or choose to make it their home.
Guide To: Family Fun In Bucktown
Bucktown is a hip, urban neighborhood located on the north side of the city. With its trendy boutiques, galleries, cafes and restaurants, it's a great corner of the city to live in or visit for a day or evening of fun.
Parents Decide To Slow Down On Activities
Parents know the feeling all too well, too many activities and not enough hours in the day.
Guide To: Family Fun On Devon Avenue
Share the flavors, sights and sounds of India with your children on Chicago's Devon Avenue (Devon Avenue, west of Western Avenue ). This seven block track of the city is brimming with Indian-American boutiques, restaurants, cafes, bakeries and bookstores.
Guide To: Surviving The Pool With The Kids
During the hot, humid, sticky days of Chicago summer, a day of sitting inside the house with the kids doesn't seem appealing – even if there is air conditioning to keep everyone cool. Venturing off to the local pool is a great way to beat the heat!
Guide To: Kohl Children's Museum
The Kohl Children's Museum is the perfect spot for kids under 8. The museum offers a fantastic array of exhibits all catering perfectly to the munchkin set and is laid out smartly so that you don't waste all day going up and down elevators or searching for hidden treasures.
Guide To Ukie Village: West Town Family Fun
The East Village, Ukrainian Village and Wicker Park neighborhoods, which are renown for their independent leanings, immigrant populations and hipster appeal, are also home to many family-friendly spots, especially during the summer.
Brookfield Zoo Guide
Brookfield Zoo 8400 31st St., Brookfield, Ill. Monday – Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Sunday: 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Indoor Animal Exhibits close one half hour before the zoo closes. General Admission Adults: […]
Weekend Family Fun Guide
When said together, they're three of the most beautiful words in the English language: Three Day Weekend! Memorial Day is on Monday, and whether you observe the holiday in some way or just enjoy your extra time off, there are plenty of activities taking place around town.
Weekend Family Fun Guide
With temperatures swinging wildly from 40 to 90 over the past week, it's been challenging to plan for family activities – not to mention what to wear! Now that this weekend may finally start to […]
Martial Arts Teacher Helps Kids Handle Bullies
A north suburban martial arts teacher has begun to offer free classes to children who have been the targets of bullies in their schools and neighborhoods.
Mom Leaves Kids In Car To Run Errand
While the mother may have thought it was safe to leave her sleeping children alone in her car for a short time, her son was not as content.
Police: Kids Set Leaves On Fire, Causing Damage To Skate Park
Police are working with several families to pay a west suburban park district for damages caused by kids setting leaves on fire in the park — a fire that spread to a skateboard ramp and platform.
'Plugged-In' Parents May Be Missing Quality Time With Kids
More and more parents are too "plugged in" to their technology. As CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez reports, experts warn it could come with a cost.
Best Public Pools For Kids In Chicago
Everyone talks about the Chicago winter, but what about the Chicago summer? Those of who live here know that summer in Chicago can be glorious, but it can also be hot. Fortunately for us, there […]
Best Spots For Kids In The Western Suburbs
The western suburbs of Chicago stretch from towns that border the city, such as Oak Park and Cicero, to DuPage county behemoths Naperville and Aurora — and cover a lot of ground in between. DuPage […]
Best Theatre For Kids And Young Adults In Chicago
While many theatre Chicago companies produce family-friendly shows throughout their seasons, there are also a handful of companies throughout the city devoted to creating theatre geared for kids and young adults.
Tech Minute: How Tech Toys Can Teach Kids
SAN FRANCISCO (CNET) – Young kids parked in front of so called learning DVDs like Baby Einstein and Brainy Baby actually have more limited vocabulary than kids who don't watch. The researchers who documented that surmised that educational content alone, isn't enough.
Best Kids' Clothing Stores In Chicago
Some of the best kids' clothing stores in Chicago can be found in neighborhood boutiques, where hidden gems abound.


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Simply confirm your registered email address below and click "Reset Password." We will immediately email you a link back to the site where you can enter a new password for this account.
New Jersey Blind Citizens Association 7th annual Auto Show & Motorcycle Meet on Saturday, October 13th. All proceeds will benefit the 102-year old Middletown-based charity, which supports blind and visually-impaired individuals of all ages. Hours are noon to 4pm in the Middletown Shopping Center, Route 35 North and New Monmouth Road. Pre-registration is $12. On-site registration is $15. Forms are available on the website www.njbca.org or by calling NJBCA Executive Director, Rhoda Yucht at 732-291-0878 or Event Coordinator, Craig Finnegan at 732-856-2821.
WRAT 95.9 FM The Rat Rocks!Your feedback is important! Click here to send us your comments or suggestions.


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Images of various locations operated by Aztec Shops Ltd.
Aztec Shops, Ltd., founded in 1932, is a not-for-profit corporation that functions primarily as an auxiliary of San Diego State University. The corporation provides a diverse portfolio of commercial services including operation of the SDSU Bookstore and SDSU Dining Services on campus. Aztec Shops also operates selected other enterprises at San Diego State and in San Diego.


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TX Travel Guide - Page 2
Live Music Travel / How To Get Tickets To / Music Festivals / Austin City Limits / Austin Travel / → All Tags
How to Get Tickets to the Austin City Limits Music Festival
Surprisingly, with less than two months until the gates open there are still tickets available for this fall's Austin City Limits Music Festival.
ACL returns to Zilker Park on Oct. 3-5 and Oct. 10 -12 with a lineup that includes Pearl Jam, Lorde, Chvrches, Eminem, The Head And The Heart, Lana Del Rey, Spoon and dozens more.
Airport News / Airports / DFW / Dallas Travel / Public Transportation / Subways / → All Tags
How to Go from DFW to Downtown Dallas for a Few Dollars
Grab your luggage off the carrousel and head right into downtown the next time you arrive at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, as there's now a public transportation option that will zip you right into the heart of the city—as long as the city you want to visit is Dallas rather than Ft. Worth.
Around five miles of rail have been added to the existing structure that makes up Dallas Area Rapid Transit—or DART to its friends. This addition makes it possible for arriving passengers to head right into town without the need for a taxi, buses, or a bunch of connections aboard different public transportation options.
Airport Restaurants / Airport News / Airports / Food Travel / DFW / → All Tags
DFW Airport Has the World Exclusive on a New Fast Food Restaurant
Good news for hungry travelers heading to or through Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, as a new sandwich shop is due to open with something other than the usual airport fare.
The new place will be called Banh Shop, and it's the first location of the Vietnamese sandwich concept being tested out from the company behind other fast food eateries like Taco Bell and KFC. The focus here will be banh mi, as well as variations on the sandwich.
Airline News / Virgin America / Texas Travel / DFW / DAL / Airlines / Airport News / New Routes / Wright Amendment / → All Tags
Everything's Bigger in Texas, Including Virgin America's Airport Switcheroo
If you're heading to Texas anytime soon, you should know of the switcheroo taking place with the planes and people over at Virgin America. In case you don't study the carrier's route network on a daily basis—we just might—the airline has been flying to and from Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport, but that's about to change.
Thanks to all the complicated details surrounding the merger between American Airlines and US Airways, plus the lifting of the restrictive Wright Amendment, the area's other airportDallas Love Fieldis now open to new airlines and destinations.
Virgin America filled out their paperwork in number two pencil, and recently received good news. They're now getting the green light to put their planes at Dallas' Love Field, and that means that they will do the nonstop thing to spots like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York (LGA), and Washington (DCA) this October.
Tax Refund Vacations / Austin Travel / Texas Travel / → All Tags
Where to Go with Your Tax Refund: Austin, the Lone Star State's Capital of Cool
Tax day is here, and you're probably excited...but not because you love sifting through receipts and credit card statements. You're excited because you're getting a fat refund. Probably. The economy may be on its way back up, but you should try to stretch that tax refund as far as you can...like with a little "you did a great job last year" tripa Tax Refund Vacation.
In case you didn't hear, today's the day you'll need to finalize your tax return and, if all goes according to plan, your refund should be arriving by check or direct deposit within the next few weeks. At last update, the friendly folks at the IRS report that the average refund this year is just shy of $3,000, so we say it's time to take that money and head out of town.
Affordability is key during tax season, so today we're featuring a domestic destination, to Texas' capital of cool—Austin. Now's the time to visit before the sweltering summer weather rolls in, and with an average April temperature of nearly 80 degrees, you can enjoy the sun without the humidity of the tropics.
How To Get Tickets To / Conan / Dallas Travel / → All Tags
How To Get Last Minute Tickets To Conan In Dallas
Conan O'Brien will be back on the road next week when he brings his TBS show to the Majestic Theatre in Dallas to coincide with the NCAA Men's Final Four.
Unfortunately, all tickets for the March 31st – April 3rd Dallas shows have been reserved but there is still a chance to get standby tickets on the day of the show.
Airport Security / Travel Tech / Global Entry / TSA / IAH / Airports / Airport News / Passports / → All Tags
The Next Airport to Have Automated Passport Kiosks is...
We have not been shy when it comes to sharing our love and affection for some of the new technology making its way into the passport and immigration control line. Automated kiosks smooth the process, and of course cutting down on lines after a long-haul flight is always a plus.
This week some of this travel technology makes its way over to Texas, as Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport is now featuring some of those awesome Automated Passport Control kiosks.
Live Music Travel / Airport News / SXSW / AUS / Music Travel / Airports / Austin Travel / → All Tags
In the Spirit of SXSW, Austin's Airport Will Keep the Live Music Coming
We're right in the middle of SXSW, and if you're lucky enough to be in attendance this year chances are that AUS will be in your plans. We discussed some of our favorite airport eats last year, and the same holds true in 2014—get some ice cream and barbeque before departing town. This year Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is rolling out the welcome mat for visitors yet again, as they're bringing plenty of live music and other entertainment right into the terminal.
How To Get Tickets To / SXSW / Rachael Ray / Austin Travel / → All Tags
How to Attend Rachael Ray's Annual Texas 'Feedback Bash'
If you're headed to Austin next week without a SXSW badge there is still plenty to do, and most of it is free too.
Among the best of the badge-free activities is Rachael Ray's Feedback. Forget whatever preconceived notions you might have about TV's perkiest host because no matter what you think of her, the girl can throw a party.
Airport News / Airports / DFW / Airport Dining / Airport Restaurants / Healthy Travel / → All Tags
Dallas Airport Trying to Ditch Junk Food for Better Health
The healthiest airport in the whole wide world will soon be found here at home in the nifty fifty. Well at least that's the plan if the folks down in Dallas get their way, as they are eager to show that the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is the best option for hungry travelers.
In the past the place has done well when examined by the group known as the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, as they've scored in the top five for good-for-you options when on the go. However, the airport is now going all in with salads, greens, and other healthy habits.
Water Parks / Texas Travel / Schlitterbahn / Summer Travel / Theme Parks / → All Tags
The Best New Water Park of 2014 Ready to Reveal in Texas
There's all kinds of water parks across the globe, but there's only one brand that truly exceeds the expectations of those looking to slip, slide, and swim all summer long. There's no argument that Schlitterbahn has some of the best water parks in the world, and with locations across Texas and even in Kansas City, there are several options from which to choose. However, 2014 is unique in that they're bringing in a new $500 million park into the family, as Schlitterbahn Corpus Christi should be turning on the faucet in just a few more months.
Many of the signature rides and attractions will make an appearance at the new water park. Visitors can expect things like a Torrent Tidal Wave River, swim-up bars, and beaches. There will even be something called Boogie Bahn—according to them it's basically the world's best inland surfing ride. There will be places to stay the night as well, as it looks like they're trying to get Schlitterbahn Corpus Christi up and running as a full-fledged resort.
Flight Reviews / Qantas / 747 / DFW / SYD / Sydney Travel / Australia Travel / Texas Travel / Travel News / Economy Class Travel / Oneworld / → All Tags
'Howdy, Y'all' from the World's Longest Nonstop Flight
Did y'all cowpokes know there's a newly crowned "World's Longest Nonstop Flight?" With the retirement of Singapore Airlines flight 21/22, an unnaturally long 18hr 50min nonstop flight between Singapore and Newark, comes the new champion of distance: Qantas Airlines 7's 15h 25min nonstop from Sydney, Australia to Dallas, Texas.
It doesn't take a math genius to realize that the flying time difference between the newcomer and the old-timer is a dramatic 3hr 25min. You could watch "Titanic" from start to finish in that exact time (the movie is literally 3 hr 25 min long). However, we certainly don't want to make light of a 15-hour flight.
Let us not forget that while Singapore's flights were longer, they were also running a completely business class cabin with no economy option. For Qantas, a few hundred passengers on the new longest flight will be spending their 15+ hours sitting upright in economy, chewing Xanax to make the pain go away. Just kiddingEconomy in one of Qantas' 747-400ERs really isn't all that bad (though we'd still suggest spending a little extra for Premium Economy like we did).


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Best place to play in Reno
|July 25th, 2011 at 8:48:18 PM permalink
Member since: Nov 12, 2009
Threads: 15
Posts: 4499
Current blackjack rules in Reno can be found here .
It looks like the best conditions for BJ is Alamo with the 6 card charlie and late surrender (no double after split, double on any two cards, no re-split Aces) (.21%)
But there are a number of single deckers in town where you can double on any two cards (no double after split, no late surrender, no resplit A): Boomtown, Nugget, Rail City, Western Village (.42%)
Next is the same game where you can only double on 9 or more at the Grand Sierra, Sand Regency (.56%)
The Eldorado will only let you double on 10 or more but you can double after splitting. (.58%)
And the other casinos will have the same game when you can double on 10 or more (.70%).
----- You want the truth! You can't handle the truth!
|July 26th, 2011 at 12:18:46 AM permalink
Member since: Oct 19, 2009
Threads: 191
Posts: 9694
For most of us, I think its not really a question of "best" place based solely on rules, decks, shoes or any of the standard indicators.
I'm mindful of that recent article wherein the writer drove all the way to this town of Nowheresville, NV for the ultimate "best rules" in blackjack and promptly got banned from the three casinos in town. He treks there, gets banned and treks back plus he writes an article. For me it would have simply been: trek there, get banned, trek back. No article, just a frustrating and wasted trip.
If some place is "9, 10 or 11" and another place is "10 or 11" ... heck, its the confusion that would annoy me more than anything else. Driving out to a linoleum floored truck stop may be okay. Truckers usually eat well and booze is booze. I don't really need no carpet on the floor. Its just that the "real" casinos with "fairly good" rules are okay. They have carpets, they have more waitresses and probably better looking ones, they have buffets, they probably have a few more diversions than some small truck stop with optimal rules. And if luck is really with me sometimes its nice to just be able to stagger next door than trek somewhere to the second best place to play.
Six card charlie? Yeah I like that. Late surrender? Heck, I can never remember the rules for surrender, be it early, late or on-time. The difference between .56 percent and .58 percent is just too negligible. And if one place serves just one more drink than the other place that difference is lost right there. Now if you are going to put a whopping amount of money on the table then maybe that .56 versus .58 stuff matters but table limits probably matter more in that situation.
|July 26th, 2011 at 12:26:31 AM permalink
Member since: Jul 7, 2011
Threads: 3
Posts: 8
What is the percentage for 6 deck shoe at Silver Legacy with double any time including after split (no surrender, no resplit A)?
|July 26th, 2011 at 12:40:24 AM permalink
Member since: Jul 7, 2011
Threads: 3
Posts: 8
Agree with your views Fleastiff, but just in case I want to check out the casinos in the Boonies, would like to know what places to stop by for a different experience. Ever get the urge to get off the Strip and go to Downtown LV or Boulder Blvd? Same thing.
|July 26th, 2011 at 1:29:17 AM permalink
Member since: Oct 19, 2009
Threads: 191
Posts: 9694
Yes. Its good to atleast know that some place exists rather than drive right past it and then find out later that it was the best restaurant in town or the best blackjack game in town or had a free concert with a world famous organist or something. You can still drive right by it but atleast you are doing it with an awareness of what is available.
Quite frankly, I'd love a non smoking casino but don't expect to find one. I'd prefer a "great ventilation" place to a "gas-mask required" place. And these things probably outweigh the decimal points in house edge calculations, but I would still be interested in the consequences of my choosing lungs over lower house edge. I used to play in one casino where the non-smoking area was large and included the only three craps tables. I was happy. Usually two of the three tables were open and the limits were generally five and ten dollars. And no smoking to boot! I was happy but my companion smokes like a chimney and plays blackjack. The Blackjack was rapid fire blackjack even though the rules were not so bad. So I'd play smoke free low-limit craps for much of the time and then I'd go to the smoke filled blackjack area wherein blackjack was dealt super fast. Its nice when the two separate areas are only one flight of stairs apart. The problem arises when the best blackjack and the low-limit crap tables are at the opposite ends of town and the stiffest drinks are in the middle. Knowledge of what is available is important.
|July 26th, 2011 at 4:41:54 PM permalink
Member since: Aug 11, 2010
Threads: 89
Posts: 1246
I'm pretty sure that game at JANugget is their $25 game...because I'm pretty sure on the $5 single deck game, it's 10/11 only.
I think Western Village has a pretty good game...
Gambling calls to me...like this ~> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Nap37mNSmQ


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International law includes both the customary rules and usages to which states have given express or tacit assent and the provisions of ratified treaties and conventions. International law is directly and strongly influenced, although not made, by the writings of jurists and publicists, by instructions to diplomatic agents, by important conventions even when they are not ratified, and by arbitral awards. The decisions of the International Court of Justice and of certain national courts, such as prize courts, are considered by some theorists to be a part of international law. In many modern states, international law is by custom or statute regarded as part of national (or, as it is usually called, municipal) law. In addition, municipal courts will, if possible, interpret municipal law so as to give effect to international law.
Because there is no sovereign supernational body to enforce international law, some older theorists, including Thomas Hobbes, Samuel Pufendorf, and John Austin have denied that it is true law. Nevertheless, international law is recognized as law in practice, and the sanctions for failing to comply, although often less direct, are similar to those of municipal law; they include the force of public opinion, self-help, intervention by third-party states, the sanctions of international organizations such as the United Nations, and, in the last resort, war.
National states are fundamentally the entities with which international law is concerned, although in certain cases municipal law may impose international duties upon private persons, e.g, the obligation to desist from piracy. New rights and duties have been imposed on individuals within the framework of international law by the decisions in the war crimes trials as well as the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court (see war crimes), by the genocide convention, and by the Declaration of Human Rights (see Economic and Social Council).
See also international relations.
There was little scope for an international law in the period of ancient and medieval empires, and its modern beginnings coincide, therefore, with the rise of national states after the Middle Ages. Rules of maritime intercourse and rules respecting diplomatic agents (see diplomatic service) soon came into existence. At the beginning of the 17th cent., the great multitude of small independent states, which were finding international lawlessness intolerable, prepared the way for the favorable reception given to the De jure belli ac pacis [concerning the law of war and peace] (1625) of Hugo Grotius, the first comprehensive formulation of international law. Though not formally accepted by any nation, his opinions and observations were afterward regularly consulted, and they often served as a basis for reaching agreement in international disputes. The most significant principle he enunciated was the notion of sovereignty and legal equality of all states. Other important writers on international law were Cornelius van Bynkershoek, Georg F. von Martens, Christian von Wolff, and Emerich Vattel.Development to World War I
The growth of international law came largely through treaties concluded among states accepted as members of the "family of nations," which first included the states of Western Europe, then the states of the New World, and, finally, the states of Asia and other parts of the world. The United States contributed much to the laws of neutrality and aided in securing recognition of the doctrine of freedom of the seas (see seas, freedom of the). The provisions of international law were ignored in the Napoleonic period, but the Congress of Vienna (see Vienna, Congress of) reestablished and added much, particularly in respect to international rivers and the classification and treatment of diplomatic agents. The Declaration of Paris (see Paris, Declaration of) abolished privateering, drew up rules of contraband, and stipulated rules of blockade. The Geneva Convention (1864) provided for more humane treatment of the wounded. The last quarter of the 19th cent. saw many international conventions concerning prisoners of war, communication, collision and salvage at sea, protection of migrating bird and sea life, and suppression of prostitution. Resort to arbitration of disputes became more frequent. The lawmaking conventions of the Hague Conferences represent the chief development of international law before World War I. The Declaration of London (see London, Declaration of) contained a convention of prize law, which, although not ratified, is usually followed. At the Pan-American Congresses, many lawmaking agreements affecting the Western Hemisphere have been signed.Effect of the World Wars
In World War I, no strong nations remained on the sidelines to give effective backing to international law, and the concept of third party arbitration was again endangered; many of the standing provisions of international law were violated. New modes of warfare presented new problems in the laws of war, but attempts after the war to effect disarmament and to prohibit certain types of weapons (see war, laws of) failed, as the outbreak and course of World War II showed. The end of hostilities in 1945 saw the world again faced with grave international problems, including rectification of boundaries, care of refugees, and administration of the territory of the defeated enemy (see trusteeship, territorial). The inadequacy of the League of Nations and of such idealistic renunciations of war as the Kellogg-Briand Pact led to the formation of the United Nations as a body capable of compelling obedience to international law and maintaining peace. After World War II, a notable advance in international law was the definition and punishment of war crimes. Attempts at a general codification of international law, however, proceeded slowly under the International Law Commission established in 1947 by the United Nations.Recent Developments
The nuclear age and the space age have led to new developments in international law. The basis of space law was developed in the 1960s under United Nations auspices. Treaties have been signed mandating the internationalization of outer space (1967) and other celestial bodies (1979). The 1963 limited test ban treaty (see disarmament, nuclear) prohibited nuclear tests in the atmosphere, in outer space, and underwater. The nuclear nonproliferation treaty (1968) attempted to limit the spread of nuclear weapons. The agreements of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, signed by the United States and the USSR in 1972, limited defensive and offensive weapon systems. This was first of many international arms treaties signed between the two nations until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Other treaties have covered the internationalization of Antarctica (1959), narcotic interdiction (1961), satellite communications (1963), and terrorism (1973). The Law of the Sea (1983) clarified the status of territorial waters and the exploitation of the seabed. Environmental issues have led to a number of international treaties, including agreements covering fisheries (1958), endangered species (1973), global warming and biodiversity (1992). Since the signing of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1947, there have been numerous international trade agreements. The European Union (prior to 1993, the European Community) has made moves toward the establishment of a regional legal system; in 1988 a Court of First Instance was established to serve as a court of original jurisdiction on certain economic matters. The establishment of the International Criminal Court (2002), with jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and related matters, marked a major step forward in international law despite the United States' repudiation of the treaty under President George W. Bush.
For a collection of texts by early writers, see J. B. Scott, ed., Classics of International Law (12 vol., 1911-27). See also H. Lauterpacht, International Law: The Law of Peace (4 vol., 1970-78); A. D'Amato, International Law (1987); L. Henkin et al., International Law (2d ed. 1987); R. A. Falk, Revitalizing International Law (1989); D. P. Moynihan, The Law of Nations (1990).
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of states and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond domestic legal interpretation and enforcement. Public international law has increased in use and importance vastly over the twentieth century, due all to the increase in global trade, armed conflict, environmental deterioration on a worldwide scale, awareness of human rights violations, rapid and vast increases in international transportation and a boom in global communications.
Public international law is sometimes called the "law of nations". It should not be confused with "private international law", which is concerned with the resolution of conflict of laws. In its most general sense, international law "consists of rules and principles of general application dealing with the conduct of states and of intergovernmental organizations and with their relations inter se, as well as with some of their relations with persons, whether natural or juridical.
Whilst municipal law is hierarchical or vertical in its structure (meaning that a legislature enacts binding legislation), international law is horizontal in nature. This means that all states are sovereign and theoretically equal. As a result of the notion of sovereignty, the value and authority of international law is dependent upon the voluntary participation of states in its formulation, observance, and enforcement. Although there may be exceptions, it is thought by many international academics that most states enter into legal commitments with other states out of enlightened self-interest rather than adherence to a body of law that is higher than their own. As D. W. Greig notes, "international law cannot exist in isolation from the political factors operating in the sphere of international relations".
Breaches of international law raise difficult questions for lawyers. Since international law has no established compulsory judicial system for the settlement of disputes or a coercive penal system, it is not as straightforward as managing breaches within a domestic legal system. However, there are means by which breaches are brought to the attention of the international community and some means for resolution. For example, there are judicial or quasi-judicial tribunals in international law in certain areas such as trade and human rights. The formation of the United Nations, for example, created a means for the world community to enforce international law upon members that violate its charter through the Security Council.
Traditionally, states and the Holy See were the sole subjects of international law. With the proliferation of international organizations over the last century, they have in some cases been recognized as relevant parties as well. Recent interpretations of international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international trade law (e.g., North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Chapter 11 actions) have been inclusive of corporations, and even of certain individuals.
The earliest known treatise on international law was the Introduction to the Law of Nations written at the end of the 8th century by Muhammad al-Shaybani (d. 804), a jurist of the Hanafi school of Islamic law and jurisprudence, and other Islamic jurists soon followed with a number of treatises written on international law (Siyar in Arabic). These early Islamic legal treatises covered the application of Islamic ethics, Islamic economic jurisprudence and Islamic military jurisprudence to international law, and were concerned with a number of international law topics, including the law of treaties; the treatment of diplomats, hostages, refugees and prisoners of war; the right of asylum; conduct on the battlefield; protection of women, children and non-combatant civilians; contracts across the lines of battle; the use of poisonous weapons; and devastation of enemy territory. The first European treatise on international law was later written by Hugo Grotius in the early 17th century. He and other European legal scholars may have been influenced by early Islamic international law.
Beginning with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries saw the growth of the concept of the sovereign "nation-state", which consisted of a nation controlled by a centralized system of government. The concept of nationalism became increasingly important as people began to see themselves as citizens of a particular nation with a distinct national identity. Until the mid-19th century, relations between nation-states were dictated by treaty, agreements to behave in a certain way towards another state, unenforceable except by force, and not binding except as matters of honor and faithfulness. But treaties alone became increasingly toothless and wars became increasingly destructive, most markedly towards civilians, and civilized peoples decried their horrors, leading to calls for regulation of the acts of states, especially in times of war.
Perhaps the first instrument of modern public international law was the Lieber Code, passed in 1863 by the Congress of the United States, to govern the conduct of US forces during the United States Civil War and considered to be the first written recitation of the rules and articles of war, adhered to by all civilized nations, the precursor of public international law. Part of the Code follows:
"Military necessity, as understood by modern civilized nations, consists in the necessity of those measures which are indispensable for securing the ends of the war, and which are lawful according to the modern law and usages of war. Military necessity admits of all direct destruction of life or limb of armed enemies, and of other persons whose destruction is incidentally unavoidable in the armed contests of the war; it allows of the capturing of every armed enemy, and every enemy of importance to the hostile government, or of peculiar danger to the captor; it allows of all destruction of property, and obstruction of the ways and channels of traffic, travel, or communication, and of all withholding of sustenance or means of life from the enemy; of the appropriation of whatever an enemy's country affords necessary for the subsistence and safety of the Army, and of such deception as does not involve the breaking of good faith either positively pledged, regarding agreements entered into during the war, or supposed by the modern law of war to exist. (...But...) Men who take up arms against one another in public war do not cease on this account to be moral beings, responsible to one another and to God. Military necessity does not admit of cruelty—that is, the infliction of suffering for the sake of suffering or for revenge, nor of maiming or wounding except in fight, nor of torture to extort confessions. It does not admit of the use of poison in any way, nor of the wanton devastation of a district. It admits of deception, but disclaims acts of perfidy; and, in general, military necessity does not include any act of hostility which makes the return to peace unnecessarily difficult."
This first statement of the previously uncodified rules and articles of war led to the first prosecution for war crimes—in the case of United States prisoners of war held in cruel and depraved conditions at Andersonville, Georgia, in which the Confederate commandant of that camp was tried and hanged, the only Confederate soldier to be punished by death in the aftermath of the entire Civil War.
In the years that followed, other states subscribed to limitations of their conduct, and numerous other treaties and bodies were created to regulate the conduct of states towards one another in terms of these treaties, including, but not limited to, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 1899; the Hague and Geneva Conventions, the first of which was passed in 1907; the International Court of Justice in 1921; the Genocide Convention; and the International Criminal Court, in the late 1990s. Because international law is a relatively new area of law its development and propriety in applicable areas are often subject to dispute.
A number of states support very narrow interpretations of international law, including the People's Republic of China, the military junta currently holding power in Burma, and the Russian Federation. These states maintain that sovereignty—and thus what some view as the basis of sovereignty, the ultima ratio regum, or last argument of kings (force and coercion, by military or other means)—is the only true international law; thus seeing states as having free rein over their own affairs and their affairs in the larger world. Other states oppose this view. One group of opponents of this point of view, including many European nations, maintain that all civilized nations have certain norms of conduct expected of them, including the prohibition of genocide, slavery and the slave trade, wars of aggression, torture, and piracy, and that violation of these universal norms represents a crime, not only against the individual victims, but against humanity as a whole. States and individuals who subscribe to this view opine that, in the case of the individual responsible for violation of international law, he "is become, like the pirate and the slave trader before him, hostis humani generis, an enemy of all mankind, and thus subject to prosecution in a fair trial before any fundamentally just tribunal, through the exercise of universal jurisdiction. Another group believes that states only commit to international law with express consent, whether through treaty or customary law, and have the right to make their own interpretations of its meaning; and that international courts only function with the consent of states.
Though the European democracies tend to support broad, universalistic interpretations of international law, many other democracies have differing views on international law. Several democracies, including Israel, India, the United States, take a flexible, eclectic approach, recognizing aspects of public international law as universal, regarding other aspects as arising from treaty or custom, and viewing certain aspects as not being subjects of public international law at all. Democracies in the developing world, due to their past colonial histories, often insist on non-interference in their internal affairs, particularly regarding human rights standards or their peculiar institutions, but often strongly support international law at the bilateral and multilateral levels, such as in the United Nations, and especially regarding the use of force, disarmament obligations, and the terms of the UN Charter. Although considerable differences exist amongst democracies as to their policies and practices regarding international law, most dictatorships have very low regard for any kind of international law, either in principle, or in practice, except when it comes to the international laws that protect their own thrones and sovereignties; indeed, most grave breaches of public international law are committed by dictatorships.
These are general rules of interpretation; specific rules might exist in specific areas of international law.
It is implicit in the Westphalian system of nation-states, and explicitly recognized under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, that all states have the inherent right to individual and collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against them. Article 51 of the UN Charter guarantees the right of states to defend themselves until (and unless) the Security Council takes measures to keep the peace.
Violations of the UN Charter by members of the United Nations may be raised by the aggrieved state in the General Assembly for debate. The General Assembly cannot make binding resolutions, only 'recommendations', but through its adoption of the "Uniting for Peace" resolution (A/RES/377 A), of 3 November1950, the Assembly declared that it has the power to authorize the use of force, under the terms of the UN Charter, in cases of breaches of the peace or acts of aggression, provided that the Security Council, owing to the negative vote of a permanent member, fails to act to address the situation. The Assembly also declared, by its adoption of resolution 377 A, that it could call for other collective measures—such as economic and diplomatic sanctions—in situations constituting the milder "threat to the Peace".
The Uniting for Peace resolution was initiated by the United States in 1950, shortly after the outbreak of the Korean War, as a means of circumventing possible future Soviet vetoes in the Security Council. The legal significance of the resolution is unclear, given that the General Assembly cannot issue binding resolutions. However, it was never argued by the "Joint Seven-Powers" that put forward the draft resolution, during the corresponding discussions, that it in any way afforded the Assembly new powers. Instead, they argued that the resolution simply declared what the Assembly's powers already were, according to the UN Charter, in the case of a dead-locked Security Council. The Soviet Union was the only permanent member of the Security Council to vote against the Charter interpretations that were made law by the Assembly's adoption of resolution 377 A.
Alleged violations of the Charter can also be raised by states in the Security Council. The Security Council could subsequently pass resolutions under Chapter VI of the UN Charter to recommend the "Pacific Resolution of Disputes." Such resolutions are not binding under international law, though they usually are expressive of the Council's convictions. In rare cases, the Security Council can adopt resolutions under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, related to "threats to Peace, Breaches of the Peace and Acts of Aggression," which are legally binding under international law, and can be followed up with economic sanctions, military action, and similar uses of force through the auspices of the United Nations.
It has been argued that resolutions passed outside of Chapter VII can also be binding; the legal basis for that is the Council's broad powers under Article 24(2), which states that "in discharging these duties (exercise of primary responsibility in international peace and security), it shall act in accordance with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations". The mandatory nature of such resolutions was upheld by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in its advisory opinion on Namibia. The binding nature of such resolutions can be deduced from an interpretation of their language and intent.
States can also, upon mutual consent, submit disputes for arbitration by the International Court of Justice, located in The Hague, Netherlands. The judgments given by the Court in these cases are binding, although it possesses no means to enforce its rulings. The Court may give an advisory opinion on any legal question at the request of whatever body may be authorized by or in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations to make such a request. Some of the advisory cases brought before the court have been controversial with respect to the court's competence and jurisdiction.
Often enormously complicated matters, ICJ cases (of which there have been less than 150 since the court was created from the Permanent Court of International Justice in 1945) can stretch on for years and generally involve thousands of pages of pleadings, evidence, and the world's leading specialist public international lawyers. As of 2005, there are twelve cases pending at the ICJ. Decisions made through other means of arbitration may be binding or non-binding depending on the nature of the arbitration agreement, whereas decisions resulting from contentious cases argued before the ICJ are always binding on the involved states.
Though states (or increasingly, international organizations) are usually the only ones with standing to address a violation of international law, some treaties, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights have an optional protocol that allows individuals who have had their rights violated by member states to petition the international Human Rights Committee.
Through the ages a code developed for the relations and conduct between nations. Even when nations were at war, envoys were often considered immune to violence. The first formal attempts in this direction, which over time have developed into the current international law, stem from the era of the Renaissance in Europe. In the Middle Ages, it had been considered the obligation of the Church to mediate in international disputes. During the Council of Constance (1414) Pawel Wlodkowic, rector of Jagiellonian University (Kraków, Poland), theologian, lawyer and diplomat, presented the theory that all, including pagan, nations have right to self-govern and to live in peace and possess their land.
At the beginning of the 17th century, several generalizations could be made about the political situation:
Some people assert that international law developed to deal with the new states arising, others claim that the lack of influence of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church gave rise to the need for new generally-accepted codes in Europe.
The French monk Emeric Cruce (1590–1648) came up with the idea of having representatives of all countries meeting in one place to discuss their conflicts so as to avoid war and create more peace. He suggested this in his The New Cyneas (1623), choosing Venice to be the selected city for all of the representatives to meet, and suggested that the Pope should preside over the meeting. Of course, during the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), this was not acceptable to the Protestant nations. He also said that armies should be abolished and called for a world court. Though his call to abolish armies was not taken seriously, Emeric Cruce does deserve his place in history through his foresight that international organizations are crucial to solve international disputes.
The statesmen of the time believed no nation could escape war, so they prepared for it. King Henry IV's Chief Minister, the Duke of Sully, proposed the founding of an alliance of the European nations that was to meet to arbitrate issues and wage war not between themselves but collectively on the Ottoman Turks, and he called it the Grand Design, but was never established.
After World War I, the nations of the world decided to form an international body. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson came up with the idea of a "League of Nations". However, because of political wrangling in the United States Congress, the United States did not join the League of Nations, which was one of the causes of its demise.
When World War II broke out, the League of Nations was finished. Yet at the same time, the United Nations was being formed. On January 1, 1942, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the "Declaration by United Nations" on behalf of 26 nations who had pledged to fight against the Axis powers. Even before the end of the war, representatives of 50 nations met in San Francisco to draw up the charter for an international body to replace the League of Nations. On October 24, 1945, the United Nations officially came into existence, setting a basis for much international law to follow.
Modern international law is often affirmed as the product of modern European civilization.
The seafaring principalities of India established legal rules for ocean navigation and regional commerce.
The Greek system of independent city-states bore a close resemblance to contemporary nation-state system. The Aetolian and Achaean leagues of the 3rd century BC represented early organisational efforts at international cooperation and facilitated the development of arbitration as a dispute settlement technique.
See also: Discrimination
The fundamental facets of the Grotian or eclectic school, especially the doctrines of legal equality, territorial sovereignty, and independence of states, became definitive to international law in Europe. These principals were recognised in the Peace of Westphalia and became the foundation for the treaties of Osnabrück and Münster.
Another eclectic thinker, German philosopher Christian von Wolff, contended that the foundation for international community should come as a world superstate (civitas maxima), having authority over the component member states. This view was rejected by the Swiss diplomat Emmerich de Vattel, who favoured a rationale of equality of states as articulated by 18th century natural law. Vattel suggested in his major work Le droit des gens that the law of nations was composed of custom and law on the one hand, and natural law on the other.
In the 18th century legal positivism became popular and found its way into international legal philosophy. The principal figure among 18th century positivists was Cornelius van Bynkershoek, a celebrated Dutch jurist who asserted that the bases of international law were customs and treaties commonly consented to by various states. A second positivist, John Jacob Moser was a prolific German scholar who emphasized the importance of state practice in international law. A contemporary German scholar, Georg Friedrich von Martens, published the first systematic manual on positive international law, Precis du droit des gens moderne de l'Europe.
The growth of nationalism and Hegelian philosophy in the 19th century pushed natural law farther from the legal realm. Commercial law became nationalized into private international law, distinct from public international law. Positivism narrowed the range of international practice that might qualify as law, favouring rationality to morality and ethics. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 marked formal recognition of the political and international legal system based on the conditions of Europe.


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Early last week social-housing maintenance company Connaught called in administrators after government spending cuts pushed the firm into financial difficulties.
Connaught's demise led many to speculate on the future of thousands of social-housing homes left in limbo -- who would step in to perform the maintenance contracts?
Up stepped Lovell, a division of construction company Morgan Sindall, who agreed to assume Connaught's maintenance responsibilities in return for the payment of £28m.
Portrayed in some quarters as knights in shining armour, the deal with described as a win-win for all concerned. The move secured the future of around 2,500 workers and maintenance on social-housing homes would continue with the 'minimum of disruption'.
As Jonathan Parker highlights in the Guardian, however, the law in this area is complex and housing associations could still face challenges ahead.
Public procurement law
When public housing authorities need work done above a certain value, EU law requires they advertise the contracts and conduct an open and transparent competition before selecting a party to do the work.
The objective is to stop public bodies unfairly aiding or subsidising one party over another -- for instance, because of some personal preference or prejudice against a contractor -- and unfairly 'distorting free competition'.
As Parker explains:
'This means that if a contract is simply handed over or sold -- as KPMG has implied it intends to do [] -- it is clear that the party who ends up carrying out the works was or may not have been the party who won the contract based on the "fair" and "transparent" criteria required by law.'
The consequences of failing to comply with public procurement laws are that contracts may be terminated and parties may be ordered to pay fines.
Tenants also face being left in the lurch with no maintenance or refuse collection from their homes.
Parker concludes:
'The more prudent approach would perhaps have been for Connaught's administrator to avoid the temptation to run in and start handing out contracts to whichever contractor shouts loudest.
'Instead, it should take a breath and ensure that the strategies employed by housing associations and local authorities are legally robust enough to insulate against onerous legal, financial and social consequences. As the old maxim goes: act in haste, repent at leisure.'
- Connaught collapse raises legal fears over maintenance contracts (Guardian)
- Public procurement law: the basics (Out-law.com)
- Connaught fate a sign of austerity woes to come? (Reuters UK)
- Connaught's social housing arm survives bankruptcy (LocalGov)
- Property law (Findlaw.co.uk)
- Property law Q&A (Community)
- Property law news (The Solicitor)
- Find solicitors (Contact Law)


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The key to finding the perfect wedding day hairstyle is making sure it lasts all day long. These 8 styles work on type 4 natural hair and can be done at home. Read more »
If you live in the DC-Maryland-Virginia area and have natural curly hair, give one of these underrated salons a chance. Read more »
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text: Hello! The thoughts and opinions are many but when it comes down it is our bosses that makes the calls. The "lusers" I have here can't run windows how should I convince the boss that we should run OpenBSD with X? The boss buys a finacial system that is based on MS SQL, should I take all my free time to make it work with a UNiX based SQL? The point beeing, I dosen't make the calls. But I can convince my boss not to put a NT box on a network with a nice OpenBSD box protecting it from the big bad Internet. /Mj1 -- Everything has its place, for some it is in the recycle bin. And that day will come. =)


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The Irish city of Limerick, a stronghold of Jacobite supporters, capitulates to the Williamite forces. Commander Patrick Sarsfield, with approximately 10 000 fellow soldiers and 4000 women and children, leaves Ireland for France to enter the services of Louis XIV.
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What's so good?
By Christiana Bartolini | Nov 13, 2010 | Total plays: 44,240
The two opening acts, Oberhofer and Twin Sister, were thoroughly enjoyable and talented, perfectly priming the crowd for what was in store next. As I scanned the room before the Morning Benders took the stage, I could tell that their fans were amping themselves up for something truly fantastic, as if they already knew they were in for a considerably rare experience (because, let's face it, this band is steadily climbing their way to much-deserved success, and with more success comes more fans, and, in result, larger venues). The anticipation that filled the room was unavoidable, and just when the impatience began to set in, the beautiful melody from the beginning of "Excuses" began to blare through the speakers. The crowd. Went. Wild.
The band members entered the stage calm, cool, and collected and immediately got down to business (or pleasure? or... both?). They were the pilots and we were the passengers, putting all of our trust in them to provide us with a delightfully fulfilling adventure. Cameras flashed from every direction, screams and hoots could be heard throughout the set, and the entire crowd devotedly sang along to the songs; it was obvious that the Morning Benders were playing to a crowd that adored them dearly.
Their set list consisted of many infectious tracks from Big Echo, and they also touched on their 2008 album Talking Through Tin Cans. This is one solid band, through and through. Every track they played was a present beautifully wrapped and sealed with raw, undying love. Let's not forget the two very unexpected covers -- first, Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" (oh, fuck yes), and then, a totally impromptu surprise... Sublime's "Garden Grove," which I'm sure left the crowd with a whole new appreciation for this talented four piece.
After finishing Sublime's cover, lead singer Chris Chu stated that they had never played that song for a live audience before, and probably never will again. The crowd felt exceptionally special, to say the least. They ended their encore with a brand new track called "Virgins," which had the crowd hanging on every note. I highly, highly recommend you check out the live La Blogotheque version (posted with this review), I cannot begin to emphasize the beauty it encapsulates.
The energy and comradery that engulfed the room during their entire set was contagious. There was a strong mutual love between the Morning Benders and the crowd; it was obvious that the band members were thriving off of that which, in turn, the audience easily absorbed. The whole show was a pleasant game of give and take; we were picking up what they were putting down and vice versa.
I have a feeling that the Morning Benders' relationship with their fan base is going to be a long-lasting, unbreakable one. With music so heartfelt, sincere, and relatable, who in their right mind would voluntarily deprive themselves of the gift that is the Morning Benders? Their tour is coming to an end, so take my word and do yourself the favor of seeing these guys perform live next time they grace us with a tour.


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WIN Movie Night: Boy I Am
The Women's Issues Network will be holding a movie night and discussion on the documentary Boy I Am on Thursday, March 1. This is a free event, and all are welcome! It will be held in UCC 315, Council Chambers. After the film, there will be time to discuss the specific difficulties that female-to-male transgender people experience, and how the film comments on them. Afterwards, we will also head downstairs to join PrideWestern at their event in the Support Services Centre!
… Continue Reading


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The Center for Early Childhood Education engages in a variety of research and professional development projects. Recent and current projects include the following:
Dialogic Reading for Multi-Lingual Families
(also known as Family Reading Time! or La hora de lectura en familia!)
In December 2012, the Center was awarded a grant from the Women and Girls Fund of Eastern Connecticut to train bilingual women and girls on dialogic reading strategies. The goal of this project is to promote effective reading practices to young children and to encourage families to read to children in their first language. Families participate in trainings and are then offered the opportunity to be videotaped reading in both English and their first language to be part of the Family Reading Time/La hora de lecturea en familia video series. Completed videos are being broadcasted on local television stations to further promote reading to young children, as other families will see their friends and neighbors reading to their children in two languages. Read more.
TIMPANI Toy Study
Each year, the Center conducts the TIMPANI toy study: Toys that Inspire Mindful Play and Nurture Imagination. The ongoing empirical study looks at how young children in natural settings play with a variety of toys and identifies toys that best engage children in intellectual, creative, and social interactions in preschool classrooms. Toys are nominated by teachers, parents, and faculty and then placed in preschool classrooms. Eastern students videotape children playing with the toys and code the interactions under the direction of faculty researches. The results of the study, including the highest-scoring toy, are announced in November. Read more.
Educational Video Clips for Early Childhood Professionals
The Center's e-clips project provides early childhood professionals with video-based tips and ideas they can implement in their own classrooms. e-clips are brief, professional development videos that teachers and child care providers can access electronically from the Center's website or our YouTube channel. Each e-clip features an expert describing how early childhood professionals can use the latest research to enhance children's learning. Interviews with classroom teachers and footage from preschool classrooms illustrate how educators can put theory into practice and capture authentic early childhood classroom experiences. Supplementing each e-clip are discussion questions to support conversations within instructional teams or in staff meetings. Read more.
Community Partners for Early Literacy (CPEL) Project
In 2008, the Center began a three-year, $3.9 million project to improve the language and early literacy skills of preschool children in Willimantic, Connecticut. Under a U.S. Department of Education Early Reading First grant, the Community Partners for Early Literacy (CPEL) project is providing intensive professional development and in-classroom coaching to teachers and paraprofessionals in 13 preschool classrooms, as well as supporting parents to improve the home literacy environment. The Center produced the video Inspiring Lessons: What We Learned from the Community Partners for Early Literacy Project to document the successes and lessons of the project Read more.
Video Trainings
The Centerdevelops video trainings that provide early childhood professionals with tools and strategies for improving their teaching practices. The videos can be viewed from anywhere in the world, and many are available as downloadable podcasts from iTunes U. The videos include footage from actual preschool classrooms that demonstrate effective teaching practices, including videos of teachers handling challenging behaviors.
Project Navigate
In 2005, the Center began a partnership with the U.S. Navy to ensure that young children who attend Navy Child and Youth Programs receive the best possible care and education. Center faculty and staff
designed a transportable digital portfolio assessment system to monitor and share children's developmental progress with U.S. Navy parents (including deployed parents) through video clips and digital photos. The Center also designed the first multi-media training CD in a planned series of distance trainings. Read more.


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The official roll out of Windows Phone 8.1 begins, coupled with Nokia's firmware update named Cyan.Read More
Nokia Lumia 900 reviews are out. A look at why Nokia and Microsoft have a problem with the device and the platform when it comes to reviews and reviewers. Perception is reality, right?Read More


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Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (commonly called antiphospholipid syndrome or APS) is a recently identified autoimmune disease present mostly in young women. Those with APS make abnormal proteins called antiphospholipid autoantibodies in the blood. This causes blood to flow improperly and can lead to dangerous clotting in arteries and veins, problems for a developing fetus and pregnancy miscarriage. People with this disorder may otherwise be healthy, or they also may suffer from an underlying disease, most frequently systemic lupus erythematosus (commonly called SLE).
APS is an autoimmune disease which can cause frequent clotting in arteries and veins and/or miscarriages. The clotting results from the presence of proteins in the blood called anti-phospholipid autoantibodies (commonly called aPL) formed against the person's own tissues. These autoantibodies interfere with coagulation, leading to increased clot formation or thrombosis (in which blood flow stops due to a clot).
The damage caused by this clotting can vary depending on the site of the clot. For instance, repeated small clots in the heart can cause heart valve thickening or damage, with the risk of releasing clots into blood (called an arterial embolism). aPL also may be associated with heart attacks in young people without any known cardiac risk factors. Blood clots in the arteries in the heart can lead to heart attacks, while blood clots in the arteries in the brain can result in strokes. Blood clots from aPL can occur anywhere in the circulation and can affect any organ in the body.
Clots forming in the veins most frequently occur in the lower legs. Blood clots in the leg veins can break off and travel to the lung, causing a very serious condition called pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism blocks blood flow to the lung and decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood.
In a few cases, repeated thrombotic events may take place in a short time, leading to the progressive damage of several organs. This acute and life-threatening condition is called catastrophic APS.
Patients with APS may suffer from other problems including low number of platelets, mottled purplish discoloration of the skin (livedo reticularis), and skin ulcerations.
For pregnant women, aPL can lead to early and late miscarriage, and pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure and protein in the urine during pregnancy). Originally it was suggested that aPL were responsible for clots in the placenta's blood vessels, causing fetal growth retardation. aPL also may directly attack the placental tissues, blocking their growth and development.
Why patients develop these autoantibodies is not completely understood. The production of these autoantibodies likely is triggered by an environmental factor, such as an infection occurring in an individual with a genetic background that makes him or her more susceptible to the disease.
For pregnant women, aPL can lead to early and late miscarriage, and pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure and protein in the urine during pregnancy).
aPL can be present in the bloodstream for a long time, but thrombotic events result only occasionally. aPL increases the risk for blood clotting, but thrombosis usually occurs when other conditions that favor clotting are present, such as prolonged inactivity(e.g., being restricted to bed), surgery or pregnancy. Additional risk factors for thrombosis are hypertension, obesity, smoking, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and use of estrogens (birth control pills).
APS affects women five times more commonly than men. It is typically diagnosed between the ages of 30 and 40. While up to 40% of patients with SLE will test positive for the anti-phospholipid autoantibodies, only half will develop thrombosis and/or experience miscarriages.
Like most autoimmune disorders, APS has a genetic component, although there is not a direct transmission from parent to offspring.
The diagnosis of APS is made by testing the blood of patients with thrombosis and/or recurrent miscarriages for aPL. Screening is done using two kinds of tests.
Tests may vary because of the differences in the aPL from patient to patient. Each single test cannot detect all of the possible autoantibodies, so their combined use is strongly advised. At least one of these tests must prove positive, and be confirmed on two occasions no less than three months apart. In general, the higher the level of the test and the greater number of positive tests increases the risk of developing symptoms. Having positive blood tests alone in the absence of a clot does not make a diagnosis of aPL. There are healthy people who carry these clotting proteins in their blood who never have a clot in their lifetimes.
Most often, aPL is detected after a thrombotic (clotting) event or recurrent miscarriages. Therefore, the main goal of therapy is prevention of recurrences, given that the presence of the antibodies puts the patient at strong risk for future episodes.
Subcutaneous injections of heparin and low-dose aspirin are the standard therapy for preventing new miscarriages.
Vascular events. Acute thrombotic events are treated with anticoagulants (blood thinners), initially with intravenous heparin and then followed by oral warfarin (Coumadin). In serious situations, some patients also are given compounds that dissolve clots quickly.
In patients with aPL, oral anticoagulation is required to avoid recurrences of venous blood clots, possibly over a period of years. For arterial events, recurrences also are prevented with drugs that inhibit platelets, such as aspirin and clopidogrel (Plavix).
Obstetrical manifestations. Subcutaneous injections of heparin and low-dose aspirin are the standard therapy for preventing miscarriages. The therapy is started at the beginning of the pregnancy and continued in the period immediately after the delivery. This therapeutic approach has been shown to be effective in the majority of the cases, with delivery of healthy babies. In non-responsive cases, alternative therapies such as intravenous immunoglobulin infusions and administration of corticosteroids (prednisone) may help.
Pregnant women who had previous blood clots may receive the same combination of heparin and low-dose aspirin—but with higher doses of heparin—because of the increased risk of blood clots.
The therapy with heparin and aspirin has been shown to be safe for both the mother and the baby.
When antibodies are detected in patients with no prior thrombotic events or pregnancies, the need of preventive therapy must be evaluated case by case. However, it is generally accepted that treatment is not necessary if no additional risk factors for clotting are present.
The need for a long-term oral anticoagulant (blood thinning) therapy significantly affects the lifestyle of the patients, creating the need for regular monitoring of the anticoagulation (blood-thinning) effect and special attention paid to the diet and to situations with a bleeding risk (e.g., falls). Correction of conventional risk factors for thrombosis (diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and smoking) is mandatory in APS patients. Estrogen therapy for birth control or menopausal symptoms should be avoided.
Present treatment for the prevention of the obstetrical manifestations is quite effective. The majority of the women can have healthy babies.
While APS is an autoimmune disease, its diagnosis does not mean that a patient will develop another autoimmune condition.
For a listing of rheumatologists in your area, click here.
Learn more about rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals.
If you want more information on this or any other form of arthritis, contact the Arthritis Foundation at (800) 283-7800 or visit the Arthritis Foundation Web site at www.arthritis.org.
Updated March 2013Written by Pier Luigi Meroni, MD, and reviewed by the American College of Rheumatology Communications and Marketing Committee.
This patient fact sheet is provided for general education only. Individuals should consult a qualified health care provider for professional medical advice, diagnosis and treatment of a medical or health condition.
© 2013 American College of Rheumatology
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