text:
Olympic Pipe
At a summit held last week in Antalya, Turkey, the International Ski Federation (FIS) Congress voted unanimously to support Ski Halfpipe in its bid to become a medal event for men and women at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. The decision means that the FIS will now take Ski Halfpipe's case to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organization that has the final say on whether a sport will be admitted to the Olympic Games.The endorsement of the FIS marks a crucial step forward for halfpipe skiing. The IOC requires that a sport be affiliated with a recognized international federation before it can be admitted as an Olympic event. Lack of support from the top governing body in skiing stymied fervent efforts by French and North American representatives to push halfpipe into the Games. But with the official support of the FIS, all the pieces now seem to be in place.
"The most important step in this whole process has finally happened," explains Trennon Paynter, a former Olympic mogul skier who now coaches and manages the ad hoc Canadian national halfpipe team. "Until this point, Ski Halfpipe has never been officially proposed or submitted to anybody at the IOC."
The FIS endorsement does not make Olympic Ski Pipe a sure thing for the 2014 Games. The federation's bid to admit Women's Ski Jumping in 2010, for example, was rejected by the IOC on the grounds that that sport did not comprise a robust international field another basic criterion for Olympic status.
But with top contenders coming from New Zealand, the United States, Canada, France, Finland, Japan and Switzerland, to name just a few, ski halfpipe doesn't exhibit the same deficiency. By all accounts within the sport, it fulfills all the IOC's other requirements. And then there's the marketing argument: Snowboard Halfpipe was wildly popular in the past two Winter Olympics, drawing huge viewership numbers from the coveted youth demographic, and Ski Halfpipe could presumably ride this momentum in 2012.
"All indications are that the answer is going to be yes," Paynter projects.
The IOC's decision is expected to be final by early November of this year. And if Paynter's optimism turns out to be justified, it will mark a turning point for halfpipe skiers worldwide.
"It would be huge," says Justin Dorey. The 21-year-old Canadian welcomes Olympic status for the increase in funding and resources that would likely come along with it.
"It's going to change our sport for the better," says Dorey. He hopes that, as a residual benefit of Olympic status, "There will be a lot more money to fund the type of training facilities that [most halfpipe skiers] have never had the opportunity to use before."
Despite already being well known for competition runs that are exceptionally technical and risky, Dorey has never used an airbag or a foam pit to learn a new trick in the pipe. It is facilities like this that he along with countless other halfpipe skiers hopes will come to his sport.
Facilities, funding, and recognition aside, skiers are crossing their fingers for another reason. In a sport dominated by youth and rife with all the noncompliant tendencies that go along with it, the visceral thrill of someday competing on the world's largest stage is still alive, well, and zealously coveted. And it is this honor that supporters of halfpipe skiing the world over have firmly in mind as they await the IOC's decision.
"For an athlete, there is nothing that can ever top the feeling of competing with the world at the Olympics," says Paynter. "The athletes that I coach show how much they want it in the way that they work every day and I'm very glad that they're finally going to have it."
Use a Facebook account to add a comment, subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, photo & other personal information you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment, and may be used on ESPN's media platforms. Learn more


text:
Surf Villa Hotel
No prices found through our partners. Please contact the business directly or check some of our recommended alternatives.
How has this hotel rated in the past?
Travelers also recommend:
TripAdvisor Reviews Surf Villa Hotel Ocean City
Travel Blogs from Ocean City
The trek home....
... MD. We all arrived home before dark. We were glad to see Toby Dog. Peggy and Tommy Beauchamp spoiled him rotten while we were gone. I am adding pictures to all the days of the trip. I will be adding more when I receive pictures from Bobby. Looking forward to our next ...
A New Home Base
... windows throughout. This is not to say that we are ready to move in yet. We will completely remodel the kitchen...the kitchen has been remodeled but doesn't fit our needs. We will be adding gas, new appliances, new cabinets, and moving some doors etc. We will take advantage of an empty house to refinish all of the floors plus add a fireplace to the living room. The house sits on about a third ...
Most Beautiful Bridge
This was a fantastic place! This campground was right next to the Indian River Inlet. Next to the campground was the Indian River Bridge. This is one of the most beautiful bridges I have ever seen. Ever day we used to walk to the beach which was just a short walk from our camp site. We explored this area for two weeks. ...
DC to Dewey Beach
... the standard eastern US beach side model of boardwalk with the ocean front on one side and some fancy hotels and a few restaurants on the other. The Atlantic Ocean seems to suffer in comparison to the Pacific as whilst the beach looked serviceable it was unimpressive and the food options for both dinner and breakfast were limited.
September 6, 2014
... before heading to Springfield, IL.
Springfield has the Lincoln Museum and his home. The museum is well worth the trip. His home is also worth seeing. They preserved the entire block of homes.
The back to St. Louis where we took Melanie to The Magic House. It's a great place for kids to do a lot of hands on exhibits.
We flew back from there. Flying saved about 24 hours in driving. We drive just over 2,500 miles as it was. Great ...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Select Local Merchants
Brickhouse GymRead MoreBrickhouse Gym is an icon in Denton County, Texas. Since 1993, we have offered our members a workout facility that meets any fitness goal from ?getting in a little exercise? to professional body building.3300 Unicorn Lake BlvdDenton, TX US
Fitness Evolution DentonRead MoreFitness Evolution?s attentive trainers outline nutrition plans for each exerciser, coalescing with workouts to forge total-body health. Patrons submit a filled-in food log each week for analysis by their trainer, who provides suggestions and feedback for continued healthful eating. Meanwhile, clients tackle their fitness goals on an expansive gym floor, where cardio machines border a basketball court that serves as a stage for pickup games or reenactments of Shakespeare?s Space Jam. Resistance machinery and free weights encourage the building of lean muscles, and Fitness Evolution?s group exercise classes pile on peer motivation and calorie-burning camaraderie. While The Ride chauffeurs cyclists on a classic biking challenge that tests legs and boosts heart rates, beginner yoga sessions center the mind and body with poses that leave stretchers feeling centered and relaxed. Strength-training sculpt, advanced power yoga, and hybrid cardio tone classes are also hosted in the mirrored group fitness studio, which allows students to monitor their form and figure out which fellow flexers are really vampires.2231 S Loop 288Denton, TX US
Diesel FitnessRead MoreWhether seeking a specific sweat session or looking for an intensive cardio overhaul, Diesel Fitness's classes, offered six days a week, cater to every exercising intent. Knead muscles and load biceps with Monday's Buns and Guns class, or sweat out stress with hot yoga on Wednesday evenings. Amenities at Diesel Fitness include a basketball court, an indoor track, free weights, a sauna, a racquetball court, and a cardio room with more than 30 pieces of equipment?one for each ripple in a bodybuilder's pectoral muscle. Diesel Fitness opens at 5 a.m. Monday through Friday, allowing roosters to get in a few bench-press reps before heading to work.2231 South Loop 288Denton, TX US
Crossfit Kids DentonRead MoreAfter rising through the ranks, taking leadership of an aikido school, and attaining a fourth-degree black belt, John Thompson decided he wanted to try something that would push him even harder. He tried CrossFit at the urging of his sensei, and was quickly able to feel its positive impact on both his martial-arts practice and everyday life. Now, he shares the system with others through training sessions at CrossFit Denton. Outfitted with everything from pull-up bars to plyo boxes, the gym is specially designed to maximize the impact of the lauded strength-and-conditioning program. There, exercisers bust through whole-body workouts, which change every day to encourage muscle confusion and prevent burnout.1017 Shady Oaks DrDenton, TX US
Game on AthleticsRead MoreGame On Athletics Facility's fleet of experienced trainers run athletes and adults of all ages through a gamut of exercises designed to increase speed, coordination, and performance in a variety of sports as well as every day living. Within the expansive 18,600-square-foot sports complex, each class consists of small groups that complete various movement exercises, perform strength and resistance training, and core and flexibility exercises. The indoor portion of the complex is10,000-square-feet.2686 Old Alton Rd.Denton, TX US
Mean Green CrossFitRead MoreMean Green CrossFit director Taylor Compton draws on her 13 years of experience as a competitive gymnast to help exercisers achieve the same physical condition that got her into National Physique Committee shows. After becoming enamored with CrossFit's challenging daily workouts and supportive community, she began taking exercisers of all skill levels under her wing, pushing them to their limits with CrossFit's individually tailored, high-intensity workouts. Unlike gaudy gyms, Mean Green doesn't have steam rooms, wall-length mirrors, or butlers that will pedal stationary bicycles for you while you drink a frappuccino. Instead, visitors walk into a no-frills-necessary setting where athletes swing on gymnastic rings, hoist barbells, and pummel punching bags.2105 Sadau CourtDenton, TX US


text:
Political Radar
Lugar to Announce His Future Plans
Indiana (www.incnow.tv) - Senator Richard Lugar is meeting with reporters later this week to announce his future plans.
Indiana's State Revenue Remains Up
Indiana (www.incnow.tv) - Indiana continues to be on stable financial ground.
President Obama and Mitt Romney to Have Lunch in the White House
Washington D.C. (www.incnow.tv) - President Obama promised during his victory speech to meet, soon, with Republican presidential challenger, Mitt Romney.
Per Capita Income in Northeast Indiana Reportedly Up
INDIANA (www.incnow.tv) - Residents in northeast Indiana made more money last year than in 2010, per capita income rose from 79.4% on the dollar to 79.9%.
Fiscal Cliff Negotiations Still at a Standstill on Capitol Hill
Washington D.C. (www.incnow.tv) - The November employment numbers are out, job creation is holding steady and the unemployment rate continues to improve. As good as things look the "fiscal cliff" is still looming.
Hoosier Taxpayers to Receive Tax Refund
INDIANA (www.incnow.tv) -Thanks to the state's budget surplus, you'll have more money in your pocket.
Jury Trial Scheduled for Huntington County Commissioner's Misdemeanor Case
Huntington, Ind. (Indiana's NewsCenter) - The Huntington County commissioner facing 7 counts of battery was in court Wednesday to hear the charges against him.
Mayor Henry Working to Condemn Aqua Indiana in Southwest Fort Wayne
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (www.incnow.tv) – Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry says he's been patient long enough -- and he's moving forward to condemn Aqua Indiana in Aboite Township.
The Impact of Redistricting on Hoosier Elections
Fort Wayne, Ind. (www.incnow.tv) - Every ten years states are redistricted to account for changes in population based off census data.
Petraeus Extramarital Affair: the Scandal Continues to Unfold
Washington D.C. (www.incnow.tv) - New revelations into the General David Petraeus scandal.


text:
Gear Question
Nathan Burgess
Are the XLJ lenses compatible with the...
Are the XLJ lenses compatible with the standard frames? Seems like the frames should be the same...
Tim Stafford
The Std and XLJ lenses are interchangeable. Seems like the Polarized lens is a little thicker and may not fit.
View More Details on Oakley Half Jacket XLJ Dual Replacement Lenses - Polarized


text:
Search: mapsSearch profiles »
BillyDWilsonMatch % Unknown Join to find out!
I can also bring papers, drawings, maps, and stuff.
orangesandteaMatch % Unknown Join to find out!
On the other hand, hyperlinking minimizes the need to explain. The way we show a crush's...
cjaalcMatch % Unknown Join to find out!
mapsmy major is geography/sleeping ... UFOs + mapsmaps maps maps maps maps maps maps maps maps maps maps maps
planetaryorbitMatch % Unknown Join to find out!
Studying, doing something with friends like hiking up a mountain (yes, at night) or watching a movie, or reading a book at home. Actually, anytime I have free time, I love spending it with friends...cooking is fun with others, so is just talking, visiting bookstores, hiking, lately...
- See More Profiles »
The Graphics Test
So you played Halo and Doom, and you thought they looked pretty. You've watched the Matrix movie, and admired its special effects. But do you know h...
The Real man's MATHS Test
This is a rather pretentious knowledge-based maths test. Some of the bits are pretty hard and rather specialized, so don't expect to do too well. ...
The Brain-Wiring Test
This test was adopted from "Why Men Don't Listen & Women Can't Read Maps" by Allan and Barbara Pease This test is designed to indicate the masculin...
The Your a gamer if... Test
Hi! And welcome to my Your a gamer if... Test. I'll be using advanced logic and knowledge to determine your true nature of videogaming. TODO: REWRITE ...
The Geography Test
Do you know your way around the world?
- See More Tests »
- Filter results
- All Results (99)
- Tests (99)
Connect your existing OkCupid account
Sign in
Welcome Back!
Restore your account to continue
meeting new people.
Reset your password
We'll email you a link to reset it.
Email sent!
An email is on its way to .
If you don't see it, try checking
your Spam folder.


text:
How did three Danes end up being tortured in Lebanon?
What a crisis has done to the people of Greece
18 Dec 2010 08:13 GMT | Europe, US & Canada, Australia, Iraq, Sweden
Julian Assange, founder of whistleblowing website WikiLeaks, has said he fears the United States is preparing to indict him on espionage charges.
Speaking outside a mansion in southeastern England where he staying as part of his bail conditions, the 39-year-old Australian said he was being subjected to "what appears to be a secret grand jury against me or our organisation".
"Something is very wrong in the US for there to be an investigation against me and my organisation," he told reporters on Friday, without elaborating.
His comments come a day after he was freed on bail by the High Court in London, following nine days spent in solitary confinement in a British jail.'Successful smear campaign'
Assange is wanted in Sweden for questioning over allegations of sex crimes, accusations he has described as a very successful "smear campaign".
"It's an incredible allegation," he said.
"If you Google 'rape', one-tenth of the entries come up with my name. So it's a very successful smear campaign, but its days are numbered. "People are starting to wonder, 'are these allegations true? Where is the evidence?'"
He said that Swedish authorities had yet to provide "a single piece of evidence to back up its allegations".
Talking to Al Jazeera, the website founder said he fears he could be extradited to the US.
"I, or other members of my staff, could be extradited from here, or from Sweden, kidnapped according to what some people in the United States are saying, taken to the United States and put [in jail] for our lifetimes."
He also denied on Friday that he or WikiLeaks had encouraged a US soldier to pass on secret documents about the Iraq war.
He said he had never heard of Bradley Manning, who is being held in the US on suspicion of handing over video footage US forces killing 12 civilians in Baghdad in 2007, until his name was published in the press.
"WikiLeaks technology [was] designed from the very beginning to make sure that we never know the identities or names of people submitting us material," Assange told ABC's Good Morning America programme.
The organisation's latest release - thousands of US diplomatic cables - has angered the US government and sparked calls from some politicians and commentators for his arrest and even execution.
Assange has vowed to keep on going with WikiLeaks despite the claims against him."The priority for me is to keep on going with our work, to steer this big ship in the right direction," he told Al Jazeera.
"We have over 2,000 sites now. They're going to have to take down all 2,000 if they want to stop the release of this information," he said.'Threat to freedom'Barnaby Phillips, Al Jazeera's correspondent outside Ellingham Hall where Assange is staying, said the website founder was keen to make his point to US media.
"There is no doubt in Mr Assange's mind that [the US] is where the real threat to his freeedom and to WikiLeaks lies.
"He nows sees those sexual assault allegations as a pretext - in the long run he is concerned about extradition to the US and possible charges of espionage there."For the meantime, however, Assange is expected to turn his attentions to battling his impending extradition to Sweden, with a hearing due in England on January 11.
The Australian is staying at the country estate of Vaughan Smith, founder of the Frontline club for journalists, in Suffolk, southeast England.
He was freed after his supporters posted £316,000 bail and agreed to strict bail conditions including an electronic tag, a curfew and daily reporting to a local police station.'No crime' in Australia
Meanwhile, Australian police have said that Assange did not commit any criminal offence in the country by releasing the diplomatic cables.
"The AFP [Australian Federal Police] has completed its evaluation of the material available and has not established the existence of any criminal offences where Australia would have jurisdiction," the AFP said in a statement.
"Where additional cables are published and criminal offences are suspected, these matters should be referred to the AFP for evaluation."Julia Gillard, the Australian prime minister, confirmed the finding, but reiterated her view that WikiLeaks' release of the secret cables was "grossly irresponsible"."I know there are a number of people who are fans of WikiLeaks. Let me make it very very clear - I am not," she said."The release of all of this documentation has been grossly irresponsible and I stand by the remarks that I have made about this previously."
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
UK judge confirms bail conditions ahead of extradition hearing over alleged sex crimes in Sweden.
Europe, US & Canada, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States
Spin-off whistleblower sites emerge in weeks after WikiLeaks publishes leaked US diplomatic cables.
US & Canada, East Timor, Indonesia, Timor, United States
Content on this website is for general information purposes only. Your comments
are provided by your own free will and you take sole responsibility for any direct
or indirect liability. You hereby provide us with an irrevocable, unlimited, and
global license for no consideration to use, reuse, delete or publish comments, in
accordance with Community Rules & Guidelines and Terms and Conditions.
Changing climate, unpredictable rains dry out the land, threaten the pastoral way of life in Somaliland.
Poverty & Development, Environment, Africa
Tensions rise as Greeks from both side of the bailout debate take to the streets to withdraw money and express angst.
Politics, Europe, Greece
The world's biggest producer and consumer of the metal sees a golden opportunity to expand its pricing power.
Business & Economy, Asia, China
Normalised Cuba-US relations could result in a hybrid economic model blending socialism and entrepreneurial spirit.
Business & Economy, Communism, Politics
Voters to decide whether or not to accept creditors' proposals for more austerity in exchange for rescue loans.
Politics, Europe, Greece, European Union
Essebsi declares state of emergency after beach massacre, saying country is 'in a state of war' due to continued threat.
War & Conflict, ISIL, Tunisia, Middle East
An inside look at the devastating impact of the Greek financial crisis on ordinary citizens.
Business & Economy, Europe, Greece
Can Afghan archaeologists take on the Chinese and the Taliban to save a 5,000-year-old archaeological site?
Arts & Culture, Asia, Afghanistan
In war-torn Afghanistan it is not the Taliban that poses the greatest threat to women - it is their own families.
Human Rights, Women, Afghanistan
After decades of tension and hostility between the two nations, has change finally come to US-Cuba relations?


text:
Skip to Main Content
To access full text, please use your member or institutional sign in.
IEEE membership options for an individual and IEEE Xplore subscriptions for an organization offer the most affordable access to essential journal articles, conference papers, standards,
eBooks, and eLearning courses.
Learn more about:
IEEE membership
IEEE Xplore subscriptions
By employing an extended Nyquist array technique, a sufficient condition is obtained for decentralized stabilization of a class of discrete-time large-scale systems with delays in interconnections.
A not-for-profit organization, IEEE is the world's largest professional association for the advancement of technology.© Copyright 2015 IEEE - All rights reserved. Use of this web site signifies your agreement to the terms and conditions.


text:
Share your Tips with friends, family and fans.
Put a few drops of tea tree oil on a cotton ball, dilute it with a bit of water, and apply to your face for clearer skin.
Do not do this every day as it will dry out your skin.
by Rosa S
by Fayna azarzar
by Kerry Etheridge
by Samantha Witt
by Kaylee Young
by 💋Jasmine 💋
by Mohima .
by Kaitlyn Clews


text:
An antenna arrangement comprises a folded structure (100) comprising first and second sections (102, 104) defining a transmission line. The sections may be meander-line elements or other physically-shortened electric elements, for example a helical element. Respective feed points (103, 105) are provided at the free ends of the sections (102, 104), thereby enabling independent connections to be made for different modes, such as transmit and receive. Top-loading and additional short-circuit elements may be provided to improve performance and reduce antenna volume. The impedances of the sections (102, 104) may be arranged to differ by adjusting conductor width or by fabricating one of the sections as a plurality of conductors connected in parallel. Discrete components may be included within the antenna structure, to provide enhanced design possibilities, while multi-band operation is enabled by fabrication of additional folded structures within the same volume.
1. An antenna arrangement, comprising:
a first folded structure including a first section and a second section defining a first transmission line, wherein said first section includes a first physically-shortened electric element having a first free end and said second section includes a second physically-shortened electric element having a second free end;
a first feed point provided at said first free end of said first section to receive a first signal; and
a second feed point provided at said second free end of said second section to a second signal.
2. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
3. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
4. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
5. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
6. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
a short circuit between said first section and said second section.
7. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
8. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
9. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
10. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
11. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
12. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
a second folded structure including a third section and a fourth section defining a second transmission line, wherein said third section includes a third physically-shortened electric element having a third free end and said fourth section includes a fourth physically-shortened electric element having a fourth free end;
a third feed point provided at said third free end of said third section to receive a third signal; and
a fourth feed point provided at said fourth free end of said fourth section to a fourth signal.
13. A radio communication apparatus including an antenna arrangement as claimed in
14. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
a first signal source for feeding the first signal to said first free end;
a second signal source for feeding the second signal to said second free end.
15. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
wherein said first signal source is connected to a ground whenever said second signal source is actively feeding the second signal to said second free end.
16. The antenna arrangement as claimed in
wherein said second signal source is connected to the ground whenever said first signal source is actively feeding the first signal to said first free end.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna arrangement employing a folded structure having first and second sections defining a transmission line and to a radio communications apparatus incorporating such an arrangement.
2. Description of the Related Art
Terminals for use in radio communication systems are increasingly becoming smaller and smaller, for example cellular phone handsets. Hence, there is a need to provide smaller antennas without sacrificing radiation performance or efficiency. A further requirement is to provide antennas capable of operating in a range of different radio systems, for example GSM (Global System for Mobile communications), UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) and Bluetooth.
A range of compact antenna arrangements are known, for example helical and meander-line antennas, the latter as disclosed for example in International Patent Application WO 97/49141.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved compact antenna.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a antenna arrangement comprising a folded structure having first and second sections defining a transmission line, wherein each of the first and second sections comprises a physically-shortened electric element having a respective feed point at its free end.
The first and second sections need not be exactly parallel, for example they could define a tapered transmission line. Similarly, the first and second sections need not be exactly symmetrical, but do need to take approximately the same route so that a transmission line is defined.
Such an arrangement enables the use of one feed point for each operational mode. Different operational modes may consist of transmit and receive functions, different systems (for example GSM and UMTS), different frequency bands, or any combination of these modes. By the use of a separate feed point for each mode, it is significantly easier to provide optimal loading and efficiency in all modes.
Top loading may be provided between the first and second sections, thereby improving antenna performance and providing a more uniform current distribution through the folded structure. Additional short circuit elements may be used to modify the impedance of the arrangement.
The relative impedance presented by the feeds may be altered by arranging for the conductors of the first and second sections to be of different width, or by arranging for one of the sections to comprise a plurality of conductors connected in parallel.
The antenna arrangement may include discrete components, particularly if it is fabricated on a substrate such as PCB or LTCC. Such components may vary the current distribution on the folded structure, or may implement a switching function.
Multi-band operation may be enabled by duplication of the folded structure, at a reduced scale, within the same volume.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a radio communications apparatus including an antenna arrangement made in accordance with the present invention.
The present invention is based upon the recognition, not present in the prior art, that by folding a meander-line or other physically-shortened electric antenna, improved performance can be provided in a reduced volume.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 shows a basic antenna arrangement made in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows an antenna arrangement having top loading in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows an antenna arrangement having sections of different impedance, provided by variations to track width, in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 4 shows an antenna arrangement having sections of different impedance, provided by incorporation of additional tracks in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 5 shows an antenna arrangement incorporating discrete components in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 6 shows a switched antenna arrangement in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 7 shows a multiband antenna arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
In the drawings the same reference numerals have been used to indicate corresponding features.
Referring to FIG. 1, a basic embodiment of the present invention comprises a folded antenna 100 comprising first and second meander-line sections 102, 104. The sections 102, 104 shown are of a "zig-zag" type, but other forms are possible, for example helical or square-wave (the latter as shown in WO 97/49141). The main criteria for design of the meander lines is that the horizontal components of current (i.e., those perpendicular to the axes of the sections 102, 104) cancel while the vertical components of current do not. The antenna does not have to be completely symmetric provided that both sides 102, 104 of the fold take approximately the same route, thereby defining a transmission line. The reasons for this requirement will be apparent from the following description
First and second feed points 103, 105 are provided at the free ends of the first and second sections 102, 104 respectively, fed by signals from first and second sources 106, 108. When the first source 106 is in use the second source 108 is connected to ground by a diode 110. Similarly, when the second source 108 is in use the first source is connected to ground by switching means (not shown) The switching could be accomplished by a range of alternatives to the diode 110, for example an on-chip transistor or even by a passive LC resonant circuit or similar if the sources 106, 108 operate at different frequencies.
The configuration shown in FIG. 1 allows use of cheap, low-distortion switches, as disclosed in our co-pending unpublished United Kingdom patent application 0025709.7 (applicant's reference PHGB000145). The antenna may also be provided with multiple feeds, thereby enabling operation with a distributed multiplexer, as disclosed in our co-pending unpublished International patent application PCT/EPO1/06760 (applicant's reference PHGB000083).
The electrical behaviour of the folded antenna 100 can be considered as a superposition of unbalanced currents, flowing in the same direction in the two sections 102, 104, and balanced currents, flowing in opposite directions in the two sections 102, 104. Radiation is only generated by the unbalanced currents. The impedance of the radiating mode is approximately four times the impedance of an unfolded structure of the same total length, typically allowing the low impedance of a short antenna to be transformed to around 50 Ohms. The impedance of the balanced mode is approximately twice that of a short circuit transmission line of appropriate length.
The total impedance presented by the antenna 100 is the parallel combination of the impedances of the two modes. By making the overall electrical length of each section 102, 104 less than a quarter of a wavelength, the impedance of the balanced mode is that of a short circuit stub having a length of less than a quarter of a wavelength, namely inductive. This impedance can therefore be used to tune out the capacitive reactance of the balanced mode.
The basic embodiment therefor provides a compact antenna, having a shorter length than an equivalent unfolded antenna and supporting efficient switching and multiple-frequency operation (via multiple feeds). It would typically be implemented as a printed structure, either as part of an existing circuit board in a radio transceiver or as a separate module. By having independent feeds for each mode (for example transmission and reception), the antenna can be made narrower band, and therefore smaller, while the design of matching circuits is simplified.
New possibilities are also provided by the use of a printed structure. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which an antenna 200 is further shortened by the addition of top loading 202, which as is well known improves the antenna impedance and gives a more uniform current distribution.
A short circuit 204 is also provided between the sections 102, 104, thereby altering the impedance of the balanced mode (by changing the length of the short circuit stub) without affecting the performance of the radiating mode (since corresponding points on each of the two sections 102, 104 of the antenna are at the same potential in the radiating mode). Hence, the feed impedance can readily be adjusted to a convenient value by adjusting the location of the short circuit 204.
The antenna impedance at the feeds can also be altered in other ways. One is by the addition of independent matching circuitry at each feed point 103, 105, thereby allowing more efficient matching and broadbanding of each feed. Another method is to alter the relative impedances of each side of the antenna by changing the track width, or wire diameter, or numbers of tracks or wires.
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of an antenna 300 in which a wider track is used for a first section 302 while the width of the second section 104 is unchanged The impedance presented at the first feed point 103 is therefore reduced relative to that at the second feed point 105. Hence, in a transceiver the first feed 103 could be connected to a transmitter power amplifier and the second feed 105 to a receiver low noise amplifier, thereby providing improved operating conditions.
FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of an antenna 400 in which two tracks 402 in parallel are used for a first section, similarly presenting a reduced impedance at the first feed point 103 compared to the second feed point 105. Clearly a wide range of variations are possible, tailored to particular requirements of a given application.
A further advantage of an antenna which can easily be fabricated as a printed structure on a substrate such as, PCB (Printed Circuit Board), LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic) or similar is the possibility of including discrete components within the antenna structure. FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of an antenna 500 incorporating lumped passive components 502, 504 to vary the antenna current distribution
Switching components could also be incorporated in the antenna structure, for example enabling multi-mode operation by switching parts of the antenna structure into and out of operation. FIG. 8 shows an example of a double-tuned antenna 600, based on the antenna of FIG. 1. The first and second sections 102, 104 are linked by a shunt switch 610 and are also linked to further meander-line sections 602, 604 by first and second series switches 612, 614.
As shown in FIG. 6, the shunt switch 610 is closed and the series switches 612, 614 are open circuit, thereby switching the top portion of the antenna out of circuit. Reversing the state of all three switches routes current via the further sections 602, 604. Hence, dual band operation is enabled for an arbitrary pair of bands. The antenna 600 is therefor an electronic equivalent of an LC trap whip, where an LC resonant circuit alters the effective length of an antenna at its resonant frequency. Further switches could be used to enable multi-band operation, as well as to vary the impedance of the antenna in the same manner as provided (without switching capability) by short circuit track 204 of FIG. 2. Such switching could also be used to switch other discrete components into and out of circuit.
The switched 610, 612, 614 can be implemented using any suitable components. These include diodes as well as more recent developments such as Micro ElectroMagnetic Systems (MEMS) switches. MEMS can also be used as variable capacitors without the non-linearity problems associated with conventional variable capacitors
FIG. 7 shows another embodiment, in which a multi-band antenna 700 is obtained by duplicating the antenna structure with minimal change in volume. In addition to the first folded meander line, comprising first and second sections 102, 104, the antenna 700 comprises a further folded meander line, comprising third and fourth sections 702, 704 and third and fourth feed points 706, 708. The configuration illustrated is operable in four bands. If the further meander line was printed on a different layer or side of the substrate, it could even overlap with the first meander line. If a smaller number of feeding points was required, the first and third feed points 103, 703 could be combined, or the second and fourth feed points 105, 705, or both sets of feed points.
All of the above techniques can readily be combined, to enable the design of low-volume antennas suitable for a wide range of applications.
Although the embodiments described above relate to a folded monopole, in which each of the sections 102, 104 has an axis comprising a single straight line, other structures are possible, for example an 'L' shape. The only restriction is that the sections 102, 104 follow a sufficiently similar path to define a transmission line, typically by being substantially parallel.
The embodiments of the present invention described above use a meander-line antenna 100. However, other types of physically-shortened electric antennas could be used instead. Such antennas are monopole or dipole-like antennas that are physically smaller than their electrical length, and receive predominantly the electric field. An example of such an alternative antenna is a helical antenna.
From reading the present disclosure, other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Such modifications may involve other features which are already known in the design, manufacture and use of antenna arrangements and component parts thereof, and which may be used instead of or in addition to features already described herein.
In the present specification and claims the word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. Further, the word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those listed.
Patent Citations
Referenced by
Legal Events
Original Image


text:
8514/AA high-resolution video standard for PCs developed by IBM in 1987. It is designed to extend the capabilities of VGA. The 8514/A standard provides a resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels, which gives it about 2.5 times the pixels of VGA (640 by 480). Like VGA, 8514/A provides a palette of 262,000 colors, of which 256 can be displayed at one time. On monochrome displays, 8514/A provides 64 shades of gray.
In its original version, 8514/A relies on interlacing, a technique that makes it possible to provide resolution at low cost. Interlacing, however, carries a performance penalty, so many manufacturers produce noninterlaced 8514/A clones.
In 1990, IBM released the Extended Graphics Array (XGA ) standard, which supersedes 8514/A.
From secure messaging to document editing, our top free must-have apps have been rated, reviewed and named the best free Android apps of 2015. Read More »The Five Generations of Computers
Learn about each of the five generations of computers and major technology developments that have led to the current devices that we use today. Read More »Cloud Computing Market Leaders, 2015
If not for AWS, Microsoft would dominate the cloud. The race to capture market share will grow ever more fierce in the years ahead. Here's a look... Read More »
From wacky alarm clocks to lecture hall tools and after class entertainment, these Android apps are a good fit for a student's life and budget. Read More »Network Fundamentals Study Guide
A network is a group of two or more computer systems or devices, linked together to share resources, exchange files and electronic communications.... Read More »Computer Architecture Study Guide
This Webopedia study guide describes the different parts of a computer system and their relations. Read More »
Stay up to date on the latest developments in Internet terminology with a free weekly newsletter from Webopedia. Join to subscribe now.
We Recommend
Datamation Hangouts with Tech ExpertsWatch Datamation's editor James Maguire moderate roundtable discussions with tech experts from companies such as Accenture, Dell, Blue Jeans Network, Microsoft and more »


text:
Basketball - Page 7
Texas Tech Loses to No. 20 Baylor, Falls to 2-12 in Big 12
Smith and Red Raiders Host No. 20 Baylor at United Supermarkets Arena
Lady Raiders Prevail in Overtime Over Kansas State 74-68
Red Raiders Fall to Texas 56-41
Freshman Myles Turner scored 25 points,leading Texas (17-8, 6-6) to a 56-41 victory over Texas Tech (12-14, 2-11) on Saturday night at the Frank Erwin Special vents Center.


text:
4TH OF JULY SALE!enter HAPPY4TH for 10% off
See more: Blocks & Building
Ball Track Ringing Track
Ready to create sound and music as the marbles run through your latest ball track invention? Children will delight to the sound of our Ball Track Ringing Track from Haba, which sounds a tone as marbles race through the steps of the track. It's equipped with two chimes that each marble strikes multiple times for a clear, ringing tune.
- Recommended for children 3 years and older
- Integrates with our Ball Track Construction Marble Run Set
- Includes 1 ringing track, 1 descending block, 1 track, 1 round pillar, and 6 marbles
- Made of untreated beech wood
- Lovingly designed in Germany by our friends at Haba
- Made in Germany
You might also enjoy...
Delight your child with the award-winning Bilibo. The possibilities are virtually endless, limited only by your little one's imagination. Its vibrant color and smooth, curved shape will inspire many uses. He can pretend it's a seat in a race car, use it as a rocking chair, or pretend it's a spinning top. Lightweight and compact, it can be easily...More Details →
Bright Wooden Letters Name Train
What better way to put a smile on your child's face than with our unique, personalized Bright Wooden Letters Name Train handcrafted by Maple Landmark? This wonderful gift will be treasured for years. You may even want to buy buy the whole alphabet for tons of learning fun! Handcrafted in Vermont from New England Rock Maple, these beautiful woode...More Details →
Original Play Silks
The quintessential Waldorf toy, our Original Play Silks by Sarah's Silks encourage endless hours of creative, open-ended play. Children adore using play silks to create scenes with wooden animals and dolls, for dress-up play, for puppet shows... the possibilities are unlimited. Adults may wonder how to play with these, but children know exactly...More Details →
Cordoba Blocks
Give your child the gift of creativity with this colorful and unique set of building blocks. Made of beech wood and coated with natural, solvent-free lacquers that are safe for curious hands and teething mouths, this quirky play set is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. Your child will enjoy exploring the rattle, bell, mirror, and reflective...More Details →
Dog Hand Puppet
Our Dog Hand Puppet is a delightful and engaging toy to brighten any toy chest! Parents will endlessly entertain little babies with this puppet while older children can play with them in playgroups, encouraging imaginative play year after year. Handmade in Canada of reclaimed wool sweaters, no two puppets are identical; each toy has a completel...More Details →


text:
Thanks for redeeming.{{else}}
Success! Thanks for repurchasing.{{/if}} {{else}} {{#if Expired}}
Increase my visibility!{{else}} {{#if IsMultiPack}}
{{#if HasMultiPack}} You have {{MultiPackCount}} top spot(s) left. Now loading you into the search listings... {{else}} You have used all top spots. Now loading you into the search listings... {{/if}}{{else}}
We are loading you into the search listing pages...{{/if}} {{/if}} {{/if}} {{/if}}
{{Current}} just saw you!{{/if}} {{#if LastTopSpotPurchaseIsMulti }} {{#if HasAnyTopSpot}}
{{#if HasFreeTopSpot }} {{ UnclaimedTopSpotFree }} Free {{/if}} {{#if HasPaidTopSpot }} {{#if HasFreeTopSpot }} & {{/if}} {{ MultiPackCount }} {{/if}} Top Spot{{#if Plural}}s{{/if}} Left{{else}}
0 Top Spot{{#if Plural}}s{{/if}} Left{{/if}} {{else}} {{#if HasFreeTopSpot }}
{{ UnclaimedTopSpotFree }} Top Spot{{#if Plural}}s{{/if}} Left{{/if}} {{/if}} {{else}} {{#if HasResults}}
{{Current}} see you now!{{else}} {{/if}} {{/if}}
You can now invite anyone to meet at your favorite Starbucks.
Limited-time feature
31 year old man | Newport Beach, CA, USA | Seeking women 21-35 within 30 miles
Active within 5 days
My dog eats catfish
Alright, let me save you some time…....first check my salary below. Ok? Cool. I'm not terribly rich nor am I in destitution but I'm ferociously ambitious…i don't know why. Read on. Frankly, a lot of friends of mine tell me i'm overdoing it with respect to how hard i work and workout. My weeks are tough, relentlessly tough, and my car is often messy to prove it….but i make my bed every day. I don't know, it's best to start the day with very small accomplishments before engineering bigger ones i guess. In any case, I'm not terribly quick at following up. I apologize. Most of it is because when I'm tired, i have nothing interesting to say other than "hi" or "I'm thinking of you" which is boring. I know. So i follow up when i have something exciting to say. Thank God, right? I'm not a player as it turns out. Imagine that. Sigh. Don't judge a book by its cover!!! On that same note, I'm nearly impossible to label but class clown is probably the closest…probably due to the need to laugh almost all the time. Short-ish attention span. Sometimes I travel, usually to the tropics, occasionally internationally, often right here in the US. Def need to get out more to be honest, sorry i couldn't get you wet by telling you dozens of places i traveled to. Working on it. The type of girl i may get along with, well, I have learned a few things. I'm not picky, but i do hold very strongly to the following things: Athleticism. The kind that wouldn't mind being in yoga pants, running shoes, and sports bra. Lean and tenuous kind of athleticism. Runner. More things we can do together. Maybe you can keep up with me. Educated, or at least educated enough to know how many incomplete sentences are in my stream of conscious profile. No really, but smart, and enough to appreciate shows like Vice and would at least pretend to like my interest in science. No nasally voice, protractors, or calculators in my pocket. Don't stress. Preferably fair to light skin. Strange considering i look rather dark. I know. The kinda pale that wears the "nude" color makeup.That's how I'm calibrated. Jessica Chastain, Nicole Kidman, Rachel McAdams…all dimes in my eyes. Pale enough to watch my back and wonder if i'm going to have a neck bite coming. I'll be your sunscreen. Adventurous. Yes, every sense of that word. Willing to try new things….our own hobbies. Willing to go to new places. Willing to try things…on each other. Supportive. I kick my own ass. Almost like Jim Carrey in the movie Liar, Liar. I don't need your help. Thanks. Ok, that's really it! Simple, but mandatory preferences along with those listed further below. I have no idea how to date. Surprise! Yeah, it's true. So i don't know how many messages to send before asking for a phone number. I honestly suck at messaging and will delete 3 messages before sending out a final one because i care. I will probably still be messaging other girls since I know you are very fickle and picky and you have a million guys messaging you. Tough life for you, all these options for you to chose from. There will come a point when it will just be….only you. Rest assured. Take some melatonin, drink some sleepy time tea. You will be fine. Now tell me about yourself
Camping , Coffee and conversation , Dining out , Movies/Videos , Music and concerts , Exploring new areas , Playing sports
Baseball, Billiards / Pool, Bowling, Football, Golf, Running, Tennis / Racquet sports, VolleyBall, Walking / Hiking, Weights / Machines, Yoga
I exercise 5 or more times per week.
I have Dogs
Golden retrievers. Squirrel!
Some other viewpoint
Costa Rica, Italy, UK, Switzerland, New Zealand, Mexico, Major US Cities...
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, CA
I love grilling, horror movies (not really gory ones though…paranormal), Last King of Scotland, Charley Wilson's war, American Horror Story, TBC...
Crossfit, beach volleyball, fast-paced/high energy sports in general. Seeing scary movies.
I don't read. I'm not illiterate though despite my fragmented "about me" section. Just too impatient.
Z{{Cta}} {{#if HasMoreInfo}} ?{{CtaSecondary}} {{/if}}
|What he is looking for
|6'0" (182cms)
|5'0" (152cms) to 5'10" (177cms)
|Body type:
|Athletic and toned
|Slender, Athletic and toned
|Blue, Brown, Green, Hazel
|Light brown
|Auburn / Red, Black, Light brown, Dark brown, Blonde, Dark blonde
|No Way
|No Way
|Social Drinker
|Never, Social Drinker, Moderately
|Technical / Science / Computers / Engineering
|No preference
Project Engineer
|$50,001 to $75,000
|$35,001 to $50,000, $50,001 to $75,000, $75,001 to $100,000, $100,001 to $150,000, $150,001+
|Never Married
|No preference
|Have kids:
|Wants kids:
|No preference
|White / Caucasian
|Native American, White / Caucasian
Irish/German/something Mediterranean?
|Christian / Other
|Christian / Catholic, Christian / Protestant, Christian / Other
|English, Spanish
|Graduate degree
|Some college, Associates degree, Bachelors degree, Graduate degree, PhD / Post Doctoral
Got an environmental science degree at Calpoly but I really like physics and chem so I got a chemical engineering degree after that (2nd bachelor). I love to tutor those subjects when I get the chance because they are interesting to me.


text:
Project Manager App - Organize Create Content
Download the newest revolution in multitasking, collaboration, productivity, and content creation with Project Manager.Designed with...
Download the newest revolution in multitasking, collaboration, productivity, and content creation with Project Manager.Designed with...
Managing bugs doesn't always require using a big bug tracking system. With judicious use of SaaS cloud-based apps, it may be possible to build a powerful and efficient solution with tools you're already using.
Salesforce's new tools are designed to bring multichannel customer support to mobile apps.
If you like testing new products and writing reviews then product discovery app Influenster may meet your sampling needs.
The Pebble Time smartwatch is useful for more than just smartphone notifications. These 10 apps should help keep you informed, prepare you to perform, and capture your thoughts.
Apple is gaining a strong foothold in the enterprise. Tech Pro Research surveyed 1,369 respondents to find out how Apple is being used within their organizations.
Microsoft has purchased Berlin-based to-do-list maker 6Wunderkinder, adding to Redmond's rapidly growing list of productivity apps and services.
Struggling to get things done? Grab some or all of these Android apps for your phone or tablet to get a useful productivity boost.
Microsoft looks to be readying two more new productivity apps: A cloud clipboard called OneClip, and a Windows Phone version of its Revolve calendar-contact manager mash-up.
Flow may not be the only new 'mobile first' lightweight productivity app Microsoft is building. There may be new, lightweight document collaboration and project management apps in the works, too.
Citrix updated its product line at its flagship conference with a focus on making enterprise apps more accessible on tablets and mobile devices.
Dropbox also slipped in that it will be adding the ability for creating new Microsoft Office docs straight from its iOS app in the next few weeks.
Some lucky folks are about to get their Apple Watch, and will need apps to put it to good use. These apps will make you more productive with a glance at the wrist.
There are a few apps at launch for the Apple Watch that can help you boost productivity at work or on the go. Look for more over time, but these are a good start.
Microsoft has bought another productivity company. This time it's LiveLoop, a vendor of collaboration plug-ins and tools for Microsoft Office.
The Apple Watch launch on March 9 will be about fashion, health and the next big thing. Rest assured that CIOs are pondering the enterprise implications.
Microsoft has made a handful of new, free experimental productivity apps for Windows Phone and Android available for download from its Garage incubator.
Take your Android tablet to work with these apps. Track your time, stay on top of what you need to do, and collaborate with colleagues.
If you're a Dropbox user who owns an iPhone or iPad, then your life is about to get a lot more productive.
The iPad is a capable tool for work but requires good apps to provide the needed functionality. These 10 apps will go a long way to meeting the needs of most iPad users. You can't work all the time so we threw in a hot new game for down time.
Microsoft rolls out its first updates for the year to Office Online, its free productivity apps for consumers.
How much does an iPhone 6 really cost? (Hint: It's way more than $199)
Windows 10
How to survive an iPhone liquid submersion (hint: it's not rice)


text:
|Reviews for A Fight for the Kingdom
| skylar chapter 15 . 21h
Great job with the story. loved it
| Archdale chapter 15 . 7/1
Dawww my gaawwwwd! I read the whole thing in a day. It was amazing! I loved it I loved it I loved it!
| Guest chapter 15 . 3/5
wonderful story you should of added them kissing at the end that would of been really romantic.
| CupcakeGirl633 chapter 15 . 9/29/2014
OMG this is such a cute story! I love all the characters and I love Kai's personality. I really hope Kai lives a good life. I'm glad that the lovers got reunited and like how Natsu is the dragon and Lucy is a princess. I love the nicknames they gave each other, and I seriously loved the plot! This is such a cool idea you have, and I loved reading each and every chapter! Great job with this story! :)
| CupcakeGirl633 chapter 9 . 9/29/2014
OMG I love this! IM SO GLAD NATSU REALIZED SHE WAS ASTER
| CupcakeGirl633 chapter 7 . 9/29/2014
OMG this is awesome so far! Aster is Lucy! isn't it?! I'm so excited though, to find out, hehe. I love this plot and I love this idea. I hope Kai turns out well in the end, but at least he isn't a bad guy that will force Lucy to be with him or something. Great story!
| CupcakeGirl633 chapter 1 . 9/28/2014
Hehe love this so far! Seems like an interesting plot! I wonder what's going to happen...
| jackiejaimes chapter 14 . 3/6/2014
I didn't really enjoy the characters not from Fairy Tail but i like the story :)
| Guest chapter 14 . 7/3/2013
Please write more!
| 4everFTfan chapter 13 . 6/16/2013
So, she remembers?
| Adelyna13 chapter 12 . 6/1/2013
KAI? yayyyy
| GoldenRoseTanya chapter 12 . 6/1/2013
| lucylover chapter 11 . 2/17/2013
hiii! :))) im glad i got you inspired and thanks for the dedication that was the first time anyone dedicated me something in my whole life. :) i was touched x) arigato for this wonderful story! *bows* :)) and again i will support you until the very end with my reviews! . fighto! good luck! :))))
| NatsuxLucy4ever chapter 11 . 1/29/2013
That was amazing and I'm glad you updated after a while! Great job and keep up the good work -
| lucylover chapter 10 . 1/27/2013
Please update :( ive been craving for this story the year alredy passed and yet you havent update. I really love your story please :))) i would be supporting you when i get my account you have my word. :)) but... One problemm... I cant get verification but dont worry i will be supporting this through reviews! :))


text:
Forest Park
TIAM Weekend: Labor Day Gateway Cup, Forest Park Balloon Race
The annual Labor Day weekend Gateway Cup professional cycling event is underway. Mike Weiss is the owner of Big Shark Bicycle Company and coordinator of the Gateway Cup. We caught up with Mike to get all the details for this weekend's activities. The annual Great Forest Park Balloon Race is getting closer. The event's President, John Marlow has the details on the mid-September event.
Top Outdoor Basketball Courts In St. Louis
Here are some great places around the city to shoot some hoops.
Parks Director: Soul Food Festival Won't Be Asked Back
Many complained that the weekend event had long lines, 40-minute gaps between performances and left behind mounds of trash.
Renovations Underway at Forest Park
St. Louis City Parks Director Gary Bess says while more than $100 million has been spent on Forest Park since 1995, more work needs to be done.
July 16th: Meet Us At The Muny!
Join us for the next stop of the tour on Wednesday, July 16th from 6 – 8 PM at The Muny in Forest Park.
Fair St. Louis Embracing Forest Park Fit
Organizers say they couldn't be happier with how 4th of July went at temporary home
Fair St. Louis: New Location, New Attractions
One of the largest 4th of July celebrations in the country gets underway tomorrow at Forest Park.
Guide To A Long Weekend In St. Louis
Get the most out of your long weekend in St. Louis with these recommendations.
Zoo Offers Fair St. Louis Parking Alternative
300 parking spaces at the old Forest Park Hospital will be available for $15 during the fair, with a free shuttle to transport visitors to the park.
New Acts Added to Fair St. Louis Lineup
The Lake St. Louis Water Ski Club and the Flying Walendas will perform at the Grand Basin.


text:
In the Congo, explains Eve Ensler, militias use rape to fracture communities and the threat of sexual violence to coerce slave labor to mine coltan (a colloquial name for columbite-tantalite ore) which is used to produce capacitors that power cell phones, iPods, and other gadgets. "We create those atrocities through our consumption," says Ensler. She is proposing that electronics manufacturers and their customers—us—began to concern themselves with the notion of "Rape-Free" products in which the raw, mineral components of consumer electronics are traced back to sources that can be verified to have procured them ethically. (She allows that "Rape-Free" is probably not a moniker that would be comfortable plastered on boxes and signs.) It's without a doubt one of the most horrible but compelling things I've heard in a while. I've been considering a parallel notion lately about the shocking rate we're using a limited mineral supply to make what are essentially disposable bits of gadgetry. While I don't doubt that every effort will be made by profit-driven corporations to develop ways to produce goods even if rare minerals are fully depleted, the gulf between now and a future where minerals can be safely reclaimed and reused is fretfully wide. [via Treehugger]
Eve Ensler and "Rape-Free" Gadgets
• Discuss this post in our forums
47 Responses to "Eve Ensler and "Rape-Free" Gadgets"
Our thirst for new cellphones and the minerals required to make them, are what helped the Congo war continue for so long.
Death toll: 5.5 million.
But hey, I really NEED a new phone to twitter all the banalities of my meaningless consumer existence.
Bah. Humanity is overrated.
Also: this is a typical example of
commodity fetishism
I bet no one who reads will remember this next time they buy some gadget that they'll use for a year at the most.
I think "Cruelty Free" could probably be extended to other minerals.
Yes, because the first thing that leaps into my head when I pick up a gadget, or when I buy anything, is that I would not be purchasing it unless there were atrocities intimately linked to its creations. As a consumer, I only reward atrocities when I make my purchasing decisions. I can recall with great satisfaction all of those companies I drove out of business who refused to commit the atrocities I demanded be linked to the production of the wares I purchase.
Perhaps it is not the consumer who is to blame, Eve Ensler, but the rapacious executives who are always looking to maximize profits by any means necessary.
If this weren't the case, wouldn't they offer us a choice between rape-produced and rape-free brands? They don't even want us to think about such things. Nor do they, themselves, want to think about such things.
If there are "rape camps" enforcing discipline among a slave workforce, then international attention needs to be focused on the situation, regardless of the products produced.
Another point about the depletion of minerals; remember, these discarded items aren't being shot into the sun. As soon as it is profitable to do so, the landfills will be mined, probably by autonomous robotic "moles" to recover and sort all the useful stuff we've just thrown away for over a hundred years. It's gone, but not forgotten, here on Spaceship Earth.
The fact that the Congolese rape each other really doesn't have anything to do with our consumption. One of the sillier things I've seen on BoingBoing
Right, and the Middle East would be all sunshine and lollipops and unicorn farts if it weren't for the oil.
Not to diminish the argument that ethical production is necessary, but can anyone find corroboration that 20% of the world's Ta comes from the Congo?
Thanks for this.
"We create those atrocities through our consumption," says Ensler.
What bollocks. The cause she is talking about deserves attention, global outrage, intervention, horror, etc.
So should we evaluate the cause– and our response to it– based on her advocacy or not?
Very little tantalum is produced from Congolese ore, ~ 1% of world production according to the USGS, IIRC. Most of the tantalum is produced by Australia and Canada.
Consumers/Gadget-Co's are not driving "rape camps in the Congo." The people who run them there are doing that. A lot of horrible stuff happens in Africa, should you be checking every component of everything you own for the slight possibility that there is a connection?
Um, Tantalum capacitors? How the hell do you avoid buying products with those in?
They're in *everything*. Well, probably not torches and vibrators. But everything else.
Granted, there are other ways of making a capacitor. But short of opening up every electronic product *before* you buy it, there isn't going to be much the consumer can do about this one.
It's worth noting that many large manufacturers (eg Nokia) already go out of their way to source their tantalum capacitors from elsewhere, and have been doing this for years. The atrocities in the Congo driven by the demand for tantalum capacitors is not news to the electrical engineering community, either. (And despite the nice properties of tants as compact high frequency bypasses, they have some downsides, too, like their tendency to catch fire with little provocation.)
Wow, BB Gadgets is a harsh crowd today. Yes, it is true that DRC is only acknowledged to produce 1% of the world's tantalum. By that simple number some here seem ready to dismiss this. Since the DRC is shunned by most countries most of its' tantalum is smuggled out to neighboring countries. So that number is probably low. But it is not what percent of the international supply the DRC produces but rather how much income it brings to the various fighting factions. In the year 2000, the price of tantalum increased 5 fold to nearly $275/pound. This has translated to millions of dollars in income for this "small" miner of the mineral. The Rwandans back back some of the rebels there and were making as much as $20M a month from tantalum in 2000.
Correct the consumers are not 'driving' the rape camps in the sense that they don't ask for them to occur. But by ignoring who we buy from we do provide an income source to the military forces that are running these rape camps. Do you knowingly buy stolen goods, since you didn't "force" the seller to steal them?
All she is trying to do here is raise awareness. The goal is not to declare you guilty. It is to push companies to try to build a system that reduces the funding that electronics indirectly provide to the war in Congo. Diamond mining has a much more rigorous tracking process from similar pressure. It is not perfect but better. 5.4M have been killed in the Congo since 1998. It is the most deadly conflict since WWII. They can't keep killing or they will run out of labor. Instead they make "rape camps" to drive their labor force.
Lot of defeatists and responsibility shirkers here. 2 things the average consumer can do are make some noise about the issue and demand to know who sources from where, and celebrate those companies that take an interest in this issue, like Wim did above.
I don't know that the average consumer would take the time to research this but if there was a site listing this sort of information, most of us read a few links before pulling the trigger on a gadget anyway. One more wouldn't be a big deal.
Responsibility shirkers?
These people aren't being raped to produce Tantalum. They're being raped to produce labor. Are you somehow arguing that the value of labor can be diminished? Is diminishing the value of Congolese labor actually a solution here?
Face it. This is a cultural issue in Congo that we have zero influence over as individual consumers from the outside short of banding together to starve them all to death. This needs to be handled through international politics and diplomacy.
No matter what your mother told you, sometimes you really just can't make a difference yourself.
I think you (and others) might be equivocating on 'responsibilty'.
On one sense, an individual is responsible if the responsible individual can be *blamed* for the offense. On another sense, an individual is responsible individual is morally *liable* for the offense.
Let us suppose that the rapes would be occurring in the Congo regardless of whether we purchased products manufactured using the labor which the rapes are allegedly used to enforce.
Even if this is true, it is not relevant to the second sense of moral responsibilty — by knowingly purchasing products that are manufactured using labor motivated by rape, the individual purchasing the product can be, to a degree, morally liable for the atrocities. That is, you don't have to cause the rapes to bear a degree of morally liable for them. It might be enough if you willingly benefit from the rapes.
The upshot is that whether you can "make a difference yourself" is not necessarily relevant to the issue of moral liability. The issue of what causes the rapes is distinct from the liability you bear in virtue of knowingly benefiting from the rapes.
Sorry for the typo in my previous post. The last sentence of the second paragraph should read:
"On another sense, an individual is responsible if the individual is morally liable for the offense."
And as was to be expected, we get the usual rationalisations from selfish people who want to keep buying crap for as cheap as possible and refuse to take any responsibility as consumers
Ich habe es nicht gewusst, ich habe es nicht gewusst.
Read the UN reports. The congo war was prolonged by our first for coltan. Fact.
But then again, who gives a shit about black people in africa. If I don't see it on the news, it isn't happening.
*thirst. sry
1. One way to stop the Coltan-Chaos in Congo is "simple": Coltan-Embargo for Congo.
(Or even a Coltan-Embargo for all African Countries, so it can't be smuggled around easily… …still could be flown to Russia or somewhere else, but would really make it way less profitable)
2. Africa is THE G-Continent. G for Gangsta. No Joking. No Fun. Not Funny. Even less funny: no "1st-World"-Government wants to change that.
Because the easiest way to get ressources from a country is to simply bribe a corrupt elite (gangsta-clikk/crew) with money and weapons, so the "Gs" can oppress and enslave the rest of the population and sell all the countries ressources for cheap.
This System is really simple and works perfect and deadly. Give some people power over other people and promise them to leave them alone in their "Gangster's Paradise" as long as they deliver what you want from them: gold, diamonds, coltan, you-name-it.
I really don't understand all the hostility of most of the comments here. Eve is right, and her proposed validation/labeling solution follows where ethical diamonds or Fairtrade coffee have gone before. This for sure won't solve all the world's problems overnight, but it's a step in the right direction.
Heck, this is one of the few times when a bit of consciousness raising might actually do some good.
And as for 'Rape-Free' not being a comfortable thing to put on packaging, well actually being raped probably isn't very fricking 'comfortable' either.
These people aren't being raped to produce Tantalum. They're being raped to produce labor.
And the labour is used to produce Tantalum. So, indirectly, those people are being raped to produce Tantalum.
Reading this thread reminds me of the rationalisations Nicolas Cage's character in 'Lord of War' comes up with as he's selling weapons to people who are clearly about to use them to massacre civilians: Utterly transparent and self-serving.
And as for 'Rape-Free' not being a comfortable thing to put on packaging, […]
I dunno, if I was choosing between two otherwise identical products, I certainly wouldn't by the one without the 'rape-free' sticker. Come on, who wants a wireless router that will rape you?
Mandatory disclosure of types and brands of components used in devices would be generally a good idea. The most painful issue is not tantalum, but the aluminium electrolytic capacitors.
We then could avoid buying devices using the CrapXon capacitors and other inferior brands prone to early failures and prolonging the electronics' time-to-landfill.
I take umbrage with Ensler for saying that "we create these atrocities".
No, we don't. African rapists do.
You know what else I wish was "Rape-free"? Rape
#22 has it. Since FairTrade logos have been applied to various products, those products have become more popular, because they're targeted at a specific market demographic. Electronics that use capacitors made from humanely sourced tantalum could become the same. It's a niche, but an informative niche: the very presence of FairTrade products alert the public that the vast majority of products are not fairly traded.
This is part of living in a globalized economy. We can't benefit from it on one side and claim that there's nothing to be done on the other. We may not have Congolese citizenship, but we have our money. And money is just as important there, if not more so, than a vote.
@ S.R.Hadden,
The question of moral responsibility DOES change depending on how far removed a person is from an immoral act. Let's consider the case of a murder. A man murders a woman in cold blood outside of a restaurant. The man is directly responsible for the murder, hence he is the most morally reprehensible. Curious on-lookers who did nothing to help the woman are arguably responsible for the act (via Good Samaritan Laws), but in no way would anyone consider the on-lookers anywhere near as morally reprehensible as the murderer. The man who sold the murder the gun is even less responsible for the murder and the person who produced bullets for the gun is not at all responsible for said murder.
What Ensler and many other Marxists argue is moral culpability if any sort of moral transgression occurs during any part of the production process. This is patently absurd and, as my previous example illustrates, it'd be like accusing bullet-makers of murder. Indeed, the rape camps in the Congo are an atrocity that deserves international attention, but it is a problem that cannot be dealt with simple changes in consumption. The more robust (and practical) solution would be to embargo the Congo and deal with the situation politically.
Clearly, we didn't *commit* the atrocities, but we do provide the rapists with an incentive to commit the atrocities, by purchasing products that contain resources mined by the victims — we do so without regard for the labor practices of those selling the resources. Thus they have a motivation to commit the atrocities, a motivation provided by us. It is in this sense that we "create" (not "commit") the atrocities.
I totally agree that the existence of FairTrade/Cruelty-Free options raises awareness of the fact that the vast majority of consumer goods are NOT FairTrade or Cruelty-Free. And thinking about that can only be a good thing. I don't see why, when so many other consumer industries have opened up 'ethical-consuming' niches, gadgets can't too.
Surely I do believe that consuming LESS is the preferable option, but sometimes you gotta buy shit, and it's nice to be presented with the option to buy shit that doesn't involve the exploitation of slave labour/the existence of rape camps/the rampant abuse of human rights.
The same situation exists for chocolate and child slave labour in the Ivory Coast.
It it doesn't say fair trade, children were probably forced to work under horrifying conditions to produce your chocolate.
And I'm sure the same goes for many things (e.g. conditions of factory workers in China).
Personally, I'm all in favour of the inverse of the fair trade mark – if a product doesn't qualify, force them to print on the packaging the horrors that went into its production.
"Cocoa produced by child slave labour."
"Miners of raw materials regularly raped to increase productivity."
… etc.
I don't agree.
At what point do we stop saying the West is responsible for the problems in Africa? At what point do we start saying that African culture is at fault for being misogynist, violent and corrupt?
I argue that the moral culpability argument here says that we essentially believe that Africans are like animalistic automatons that can have their poor behaviours sneakily modified with punishment/reward training.
Africa is a black hole for foreign aid that never reaches the poor, and sanction policies that benefit plutocracies. If embargoes are placed on the Congo, do you really think they'll suddenly lose the incentive to be evil? The place will get worse. Much, much worse. Sanctions against Iraq, for instance, are believed to have been responsible for over 600,000 deaths in that country. Imagine what will happen when the plug is pulled on Congo.
@Ladyfingers: Spoken like a caricature of a racist middle class white South African.
I know you're better than that.
Certainly a 'wonderful thing'.
I hate to break it to you, but a rape-free label doesn't suddenly mean people will stop getting raped. It's hard enough to guarantee ROHS compliance.
I'm responsible for the purchase of millions of dollars of tantalum caps. I haven't seen all of my suppliers policies but I don't believe they have raping in any of their quality guides.
That said, I'm all for making the world a better place but let's at least try to be practical and not pin everything on the evil corporations.
What is funny is a sick sort of way is that Africans don't give a shit about other Africans, so why in the hell does anyone else? Thugs like Zuma and Mugabe are adored by their followers. They view the the rest of the world as suckers for donating aid since most of it goes to corrupt pols and what little goes to the people only insures that there are more people in the next generation to beg for aid or illegally immigrate to countries that are a step above their current cesspool. Face it. If the UN seriously wanted to intervene in the various African crisis of the day, they'd have to take over the entire continent. If you want to fix it, ban all trade, travel, and currency exchange with the continent. In 20 years or less, it would be a nice site to for a reintroduced wildlife park with pockets of sustainable civilization. Harsh? Yes, but IMHO, it would be less cruel than what we're doing now which only insures that unknown millions more will live in misery for decades to come.
While I think everyone is in agreement that this is a more than noble cause, does anyone else remember that there is, in fact an underage lesbian RAPE scene in her "vagina monologues?"
I believe the passage "If it was a rape, it was a good rape" was later taken out.
But more to the point, and not to distract from the horrors of the rapings, but am I alone in thinking that it's somewhat absurd to conclude that rape as a war tactic is DRIVEN by consumerism? I mean, rape and pillage is a figure of speech after all, no matter how insensitive it may be,and it has been around long before columbite-tantalite ore was ever a prized commodity.
I think it's somewhat irresponsible to raise awareness by finger pointing, rather than genuinely trying to help these women. I mean, not buying from these regimes dosn't solve the actual problem of conquest-raping in the least. I suppose it's something more than nothing.
Ivan@16 – the value of labor cannot be diminished, no. But the value of slave labor can be diminished pretty obviously, if products disclose whether or not they were produced by slaves and consumers choose to purchase only slavery-free products.
cognitive dissonance,
It is important to distinguish rape in general, from the particular rapes used to enforce laborers to mine coltan.
No one claims (or at least no one should claim) that rape in general, or as a war tactic, is caused by consumerism. Rather, the claim is that particular rapes, in a particular context, were driven by consumerism with respect to a particular product. Since we provide those rapists with an incentive to commit the rapes, and since we benefited from those rapes, we share responsibility for THOSE rapes — not for rape in general.
You mean that laborers in developing countries don't get health plans and worker's comp???
Folks, this is what humans do. We can get all high an mighty about how awful all this is, but you go back in any civilization's history and you will find this kind of thing all over the place. The US, for example, was built on slave labor, and yes, a lot of those women were raped.
We don't do this kind of thing in our countries anymore not because we have seen the light or are better/smarter/more-enlightened people, but that we can afford not to.
Does this deserve international exposure and shaming? Yes. Is it surprising? No. Is it any of our business? No. All "we" could really do is put an embargo on Congo, but you can bet that won't do anything to the number of people being raped and forced into servitude. That happens all over sub-Saharan Africa.
It is so incredibly arrogant to think we are so important that we are responsible for every evil to which we have even the slightest relationship, and even more to think we have a responsibility to stop it.
I believe things we do make a difference, sometimes a big difference in the world. I want to do my best to make the world a better, less evil place.
There are probably six degrees of separation between me and any evil– but also any good– on the planet. This one link is not particularly notable, and buying things we like generally doesn't promote more evil than it stops, or cause more harm than good, elsewhere.
Trying to monitor, label and boycott flows of tantalum in war zones would probably do more harm than good.
Meanwhile all of the other evil– and good– is still going on, I am still connected to it all, and the question remains how to best spend my time.
My claim is not that we are providing an incentive for them to be evil in general. My claim is that we are providing them with an incentive to level atrocities against forced laborers to mine coltan. Even if those in power would still have an incentive to commit *the same* atrocities if we did not purchase their resources, the fact that we actually provide them with an incentive inculpates us, or at least makes us morally liable.
This causal vs. counterfactual distinction is fundamental to ethics and law in general, and you seem to be confusing the two. Imagine that someone will give you 100 bucks for pushing a button that will kill a child. And suppose there are hundreds of people behind you, each of whom would take the offer and push the button if you refuse. But if you push the button, kill the child, and take the money, you are STILL responsible for the child's death, EVEN IF the child would have died at someone else's hands anyway. Similarly, it's no defense for a hitman to say "the mob boss would just have hired someone else if I didn't do it".
Likewise, even if the rapists would have some OTHER incentive to commit the rapes if we didn't provide one, that we actually provide an incentive, and that we benefit from providing it, renders us responsible for the atrocities.
You should register, so that you have a screenname, and so that your comments show up immediately!
Anyway, you are confusing moral culpability with moral liability. It is very important that we distinguish the relevant concepts here. When it comes to moral liability, the causal relations between the liable party and the harm in question is far less important An individual can be morally LIABLE for a harm EVEN IF 1) the individual played NO ROLE in causing the harm, and 2) the individual could not have prevented that harm.
Again, I'm not sure precisely where any real help is coming to these women through this "rape free gadget" embellishment, and am not convinced that we provide them with an 'incentive' to commit them in the first place.
Primarily, it is proposing a war of attrition against perhaps the most inhuman and degrading of war tactics; essentially proposing a "dolphin free" tuna, only public indifference dosen't result in some mammals in your tin, it results in every day, thousands getting raped. This is acting as if the warlord/regeime won't just exploit another raw materiel, or turn to more savage of tactics when(if) the money does dry up, if this scheme works and they are more desperate to assert their power.
Secondly, by the world requiring an obscure mineral of which they posess 1% (from what i've seen in the comments) of the global load of, I'm not convinced is providing any serious incentive for these rapes. It's rape to assert dominance and to force labor, and to be honest we should be so lucky that this is a mineral that is also going to medical devices, rather than rape labor for blood diamonds or endangered species. Forgive the insensitive tone, as the rapes are a tragedy, but I'm sure you can see where I'm coming from.
Cognitive Dissonance,
Good points! But I addressed precisely these is #43.
This is asinine.
By the measure of that woman's logic, we could as well stop buying anything, curl up and die (go on, check the procedence of most of ths stuff you buy nowadays, I am sure you can find something objectionable about the place where it is produced, even stuff from the US and other developed countries is boycotted in other parts of the world for a myriad of variety of reasons).
In countries where people have some higher moral standards (many of them in Africa, before somebody throws the racist card around) when you have a resource that is valuable, you don't resort to raping women in order to obtain the labour necessary to extract it.
The unavoidable responsibility for the rapes of women is squarely in the shoulders of the rapists and of the African politicians, leaders and strong men that allow such thing to happen.
Ban anything produced in DR Congo (because if minerals are banned, then the thugs would just force women to produce something else) and in top of being raped, women would live in a country with no economic future.
The illogical militant feminism that tries to make everybody guilty by association is morally corrupt, since it does not address the actual issues while creating all kind of illogical smokescreens.


text:
Suffolks for Sale
The Suffolk Horse Society has been notified that the following pure-bred Suffolks are for sale. Contact the Society for owner information for any of these horses.
Geldings for Sale
Gateridge Bombardier 9019
d.o.b. 13 May 2008 s. Clenchwarton Rookery Rupert 8760 d. Sendholme Divine Duchess 28444
County: Essex
Bokesell Hobgoblin Olympian 9075
d.o.b. 15 June 2010 s. Euston Malachite 8903 d. Donhead Hall Annabelle 28388
Olympian is ready for harness training. Stands at 16hds, Fully vaccinated, good with farrier and vet. Lives out all the time.
County: East Sussex
Cardenhurst Spitfire 9106 (aka Sparkie)
d.o.b. 28 May 2012 s. Colony Edward 8781 d. Donhead Hall Penny 28447
He handles well in hand and knows the basic commands. He is bright chesnut with a flaxen main and tail and a white comet marking on his face, and should make in the region of 17.2 hands. He has excellent feet.
County: Cheshire
Yearling for Sale
Tollemache Frederick 9136
d.o.b. 21 May 2014 s. Besthorpe Achilles 8961 d. Clemmills Anya 28569
County: Suffolk
Mares for Sale
Honeymill English Rose 28660
d.o.b. 3 May 2011 s. Gosgame Prince William 8926 d. Auchenhamper Early Morning Surprise 28497
County: Hampshire
Sendholme Divine Duchess 28444
d.o.b. 6 June 2000 s. Golden Grandchild 8810 d. Wadesbeck Fatima 28175
Nice Suffolk temperament. Good on roads. Genuine reason for sale.
County: Clwyd
Stallions for Sale
Gosgame Prince 8914 Licence Number SHS84
d.o.b. 23 May 2002 s. Golden Grandchild 8810 d. Farmland Wispa Gold 28393
County: Worcestershire
Springtime Earl 9032 Licence Number SHS118
d.o.b. 21 April 2009 s. Springtime Hector 8868 d. Farmland Dolly Mixture 28501
County: Suffolk
The Gateridge Stud, Brackley, Northamptonshire
E-mail for details: email@example.com
The Holbeache Stud near Bewdley, Worcestershire
Contact: Mike Clarke
Tel: 07831 674018
E-mail: email@example.com
The Whatton Manor Stud Whatton-in-the-Vale, Nottingham
Contact Peter or Edward Player
Tel: 01949 850993
E-mail: email@example.com
Banham Zoo Heritage Stables
Contact Matt Bundock
Tel: 01953 887193
E-mail: email@example.com


text:
Walking on pavement with sport shoes
running down a street two times. medium tempo
a big crash
Field recording of Water Buffalo bells sounding as the creatures wallow and graze near the village of Ban Paklung, Laos. ...
cow bells in mountain area. Recorded near Ermita de la Virgen de la Loma de Orio (Villoslada de Cameros, Spain). ...
Some cowbells in the Crête de Geruen, Alpes de Hautes Provence. Recorded with Tascam HD-P2 and Schoeps Mk4
Some cows with their bells on the Alps Recorded with Tascam Dr-40
Driving along a rural highway in Norway on a rainy night. Recorded with a Sony PCM-M10.
Car driving
I was recording a voice over. I belched. I had to pull it out of the session, but why waste ...
Biting, chewing and swallowing a crunchy stalk of celery.
lip smacking, mango eating, sweetner for jungle animal sounds recorded using edirol R09, edited, mono
Slurping soup really loud.
Early morning before sunrise on a big farm, so-called fazenda, in the Sao Paulo hinterland, near Campinas, Brazil. Song and ...
Tamborim, levada de samba.


text:
local deals and offershave it all
Today marks the start of #NationalIceCreamMonth! @toastmeetsworld and @muppetsrevenge agree, it's a great way for pups to cool off! Come get your pups a free sample on the 19th! #PetSmartTreats #hellojuly
Posted by: petsmart
Gearing up for the 4th of July? Check in on the latest red, white and blue from @port_lbc + more now at #pacsun and pacsun.com.
Posted by: pacsun
Get that flavor for the 4th. #FitOfTheDay #USA #igsneakercommunity #Nike #CSG
Posted by: champssports
The #Nike LeBron 12 Low 'Remix' arrives in stores and online Thursday. Head over to unlocked.footlocker.com/launchlocator for stores. #July4th #Approved
Posted by: footlocker
Defense wins championships, Offense sells the tickets. The Curry 1 Low drops Friday at 10am EST.
Posted by: finishline
Before I Forget...I need to get these Slipknot socks. #repost @myarktoast #hottopic
Posted by: hottopic
Sporty supermodel is right! @lilyaldridge trains with some of the country's top athletes for @SELFMagazine's July cover story. #PlayLikeAGirl #TrainLikeAnAngel #regram @victoriassecretsport
Posted by: victoriassecret
Bubbles, Beverly, and beauty—what else does a girl need? The grand opening of our Beverly Drive store ?? was a blast ??
Posted by: sephora
Congrats to our IG Follower Of The Month @sophia_lemus! ?????????? She liked and commented most and we're giving her an awesome prize pack we know her daughter will #love! ?????? Do YOU wanna get in on the fun? like and comment each month and you cou
Posted by: clairesstores
It's time to take a trip that has nothing to do with location. And everything to do with where your mind and soul are at. #Departwest #BuckledOut
Posted by: bucklestore
We adore this pic of our buyer Jill rocking our floral dress! For more maternity style inspiration and to shop the look, head to the link in bio and follow along with Jill and more of our very own preggonistas! #expecting #wereexpectingtoo #preggonis
Posted by: motherhoodmaternity
Try not to melt for this scorching playlist from our third guest DJ, @tk_wonder Hit the link in our bio to #ElectrifySummer with her mix.
Posted by: sunglasshut
Guest post on the blog! @HeidiSwapp is getting you ready for the #4thofJuly! Hop on over to Joann.com/Blog to get started! #hsminc #hsmarqueelove #joann #heidiswapp
Posted by: joann_stores
Take a #LeapSecond today and tap tap this #funny @officialshoebox joke. #LOL #shoeboxcards #hallmark
Posted by: hallmarkcards
Only a few weeks left to enter the #mywarpedkicks contest! Post a photo of ur fave pair of kicks and let us know why you want new shoes for @vanswarpedtour this summer 4 a chance to win!! #contest #journeysshoes
Posted by: journeysshoes
Psssst! Scarves are 30% off for a limited time!????#maurices #sale #summer #fashion >> click the link in our bio to shop!
Posted by: maurices
Tuesday mornings: Even the #BestBuy PR team isn't immune to breaking down how busted our #Bachelorette brackets are...
Posted by: bestbuypr
Set your style to island time like the beautiful @haycons. #jcpStyle #HeartandHave
Posted by: jcpenney
Becky is all dressed up in our colorblock dress to see Wicked! #dressforsummer #summerlovin #christopherandbanks
Posted by: christopherandbanks
@juleshough describes the Complexion Perfecting Hydrator as #luscious. How would you describe it? #allthegoodstuff
Posted by: proactiv
What a breathtaking view for a proposal @drewpeneton! Congratulations on your engagement!????#repost?··· She said "yes!" This lovely piece of wonderful makes me happy every day, and I couldn't wait any longer to ask her to be by my side forever. #ari
Posted by: helzbergdiamonds
Happy Friday! #blingontheweekend #tgif #yayweekend #diamond #madeintheusa #everydayfairytales #riddlesjewelry
Posted by: riddlesjewelry
hey guys it's @ginacangemi! so excited to be taking over this weekend from nyc's biggest music festival @govballnyc! can't wait ??????
Posted by: Aeropostale
Don't miss out on your chance to win a pair of tickets to @Bonnaroo 2016! ??Visit www.gncrootix.com to enter.
Posted by: GNCLiveWell
Living for this fun and flirty #ootd, featuring #SanctuaryClothing #SamEdelman and #JoesJeans
Posted by: dillardsstores
Red, white and booya! #ExpressMen #regram @themetroman Shop our shirts for #fourthofjuly party hopping. Link's in the profile.
Posted by: expressrunway
Officially 2 weeks until the #AllStarGame! Get your LimIted Edition Major League All Star cap on our site or at a LIDS near you! #ASG #MLB #NewEra
Posted by: lids4hats
More sizes of the KD8 "4th of July" Available now! Click Bio Link to Shop Now.
Posted by: finishline
Festival bracelet rule: Wear as many as possible. #ExpressLife Shop our stackable bracelets with the link in our profile!
Posted by: expressrunway
@nickyhilton looks pretty in pink wearing her #iheartronson New York sweatshirt. (#regram @charlotteronson) #jcpStyle
Posted by: jcpenney
A sophisticated blend of black and gold gives our #LookOfTheDay by BVLGARI a refined elegance - just right for summer soirées. #PopIntoColor (BV8156B, Black/Grey)
Posted by: sunglasshut
We ?? this 'gram from @_sange__ "She's 1000 miles away, but can always put a smile on my face. This surprise came in the mail yesterday, and I couldn't have been happier! This time of the year is never easy for either of us, but little things like th
Posted by: hallmarkcards
That's one happy pup leaving after a successful day at doggie day camp. #PetSmartCamp (Photo credit @cocopooky)
Posted by: petsmart
Our #ManCrushMonday this week is the #legend that is #JustinBieber ?????????? Love him or hate him? #mcm
Posted by: clairesstores
The #Nike 2015 Penny Pack drops in stores and online Saturday. Check out unlocked.footlocker.com/launchlocator for stores and full release details. #July4th #Approved
Posted by: footlocker
The Double Whammy is here! Featuring both of the #Yankees iconic symbols. Exclusively at LIDS. Get yours now! #LIDS20 #NewEra
Posted by: lids4hats
New arrivals have landed. Slip into the latest @Vans Surfsiders like the Chauffeur SF + Rata Vulc SF now at #pacsun. #vans
Posted by: pacsun
#AllAmerican fragrance bursting with ????????????!! #AmericanApple #4thofJuly
Posted by: bathandbodyworks
Congratulations, @jaylene0717! You're the lucky winner of the Tarteguard On Duty #SephoraSweeps. Enjoy your @tartecosmetics prizes!
Posted by: sephora
Your #selfie is destined to be #epic. Upload your summer selfie with #rue21selfie for your chance to win a #rue21 ultimate selfie prize pack. Our Mankato, MN store shared theirs, brag about yours!
Posted by: rue21official
Then Get Our Can't Miss Style Reports, Retailer
Offers and Event News Before Everyone Else.
Plus you'll be entered to win a $1,000 Shopping Spree.
View our privacy policy / No spam. We promise.


text:
Joomla gallery extension by joomlashine.com
Daily Maverick Op-Ed: Our new lost generation
23 June 2015 | Murray Leibbrandt and Pippa Green
In South Africa, the intense struggle that followed the youthful uprising of 1976 aimed to create a South African Dream – a new country with new prospects for the generations ahead. Today, 21 years after the end of Apartheid, as the youth of the 1976 uprising slide into middle age, how real is that dream for the post-Apartheid youth? Read more...
The Conversation: Apartheid continues to cast shadow on equality of opportunity
9 June 2015 | Patrizio Piraino
Countries with a more unequal distribution of income tend to have less economic mobility from one generation to the next. This relationship is often referred to as the "Great Gatsby Curve". Generational mobility refers to the extent to which individuals have the opportunity to succeed economically regardless of the background of their parents. There is growing global evidence on the nature of this relationship as well as on unequal access to opportunities in general. This has helped shine more light on the continued persistence of inequality. Read more...
SALDRU Affiliate, David Lam, to direct University of Michigan Institute for Social Research
David Lam, SALDRU Affiliate and Honorary Professor in the School of Economics, was appointed by the Regents of the University of Michigan to be the 8th director of the Institute. David has the academic, administrative and personal qualities as well as the knowledge of ISR and its unique culture necessary to help ISR do what it does best – reimagine social science in the public interest. Read more...
Why is South Africa still so unequal?
May 2015
Murray Leibbrandt recently contributed to a BBC report on the very high levels of inequality in South Africa:
The violent riots on the streets of South Africa in recent weeks have seen foreigners killed, their shops looted and 5,000 left homeless. They are accused of taking jobs from locals in a country where high unemployment is a big concern - and an example of the gaping chasm that remains between rich and poor. So 21 years after Nelson Mandela pledged to liberate all South Africans from the continuing bondage of poverty and deprivation, why is South Africa one of the most unequal societies on the planet. Listen to the podcast here...
• Problems with SWIID: the case of South Africa
Martin Wittenberg
• Unconditional cash transfers and children's educational outcomes: Evidence from the old-age pension programme in South Africa
Jessica Standish-White and Arden Finn
• Entrepreneurship and the Business Environment in Africa: An Application to Ethiopia
Zuzana Brixiová and Mthuli Ncube
• Increasing access to HIV testing: Impacts on equity of coverage and uptake from a national campaign in South Africa
Brendan Maughan-Brown, Neil Lloyd, Jacob Bor, and Atheendar S. Venkataramani
• Poverty and land redistribution
Malcolm Keswell and Michael R. Carter
• Male circumcision and sexual risk behaviours may contribute to considerable ethnic disparities in HIV prevalence in Kenya: An ecological analysis
Chris Richard Kenyon, Lung Vu, Joris Menten and Brendan Maughan-Brown
• The economic consequences of AIDS mortality in South Africa generations
Cally Ardington, Till Barnighausen, Anne Case and Alicia Menendez
• Partner age differences and concurrency in South Africa: Implications for HIV-infection risk among young women
Brendan Maughan-Brown, Chris Kenyon and Mark Lurie
• Econ 3x3 brief: How the old age pension is helping young people from rural areas find jobs
Cally Ardington and Clare Hofmeyr
• Econ 3x3 brief: More financial aid is not the best way to close the racial gap in tertiary education
David Lam, Cally Ardington, Nicola Branson and Murray Leibbrandt
• Econ3x3 brief: Enforcement and compliance: The case of minimum wages and mandatory contracts for domestic workers
Taryn Dinkelman, Vimal Ranchhod and Clare Hofmeyr
• Econ 3x3 brief: The matric certificate is still valuable in the labour market
Clare Hofmeyr, Nicola Branson, Murray Leibbrandt, Cally Ardington and David Lam