text:
Film contest invites students to counter messages that can lead to teen pregnancy
The North Texas Alliance to Reduce Teen Pregnancy hopes the young filmmakers' works promote dialogue on the issue.
The North Texas Alliance to Reduce Teen Pregnancy hopes the young filmmakers' works promote dialogue on the issue.
The North Texas Young Latino Leaders want the diversity of the electorate reflected at the polls.
The nationally recognized artist had strong ties to Dallas, Houston and universities.
Anti-immigrant rhetoric spurs interest in citizenshipLatino organizations are responding with information sessions on naturalization.
City officials prefer to wait until after the 2020 census.
With documents given by consulates no longer accepted, immigrant parents face challenges.
Latino voters expected to make strong showing in 2016 electionsA new study shows that Latino voters turned out at higher rates than he overall population in 2014 mid-term election.
The issue will likely be a focus of Texas conservatives in the 2017 legislative session, expert says.
The Farmers Branch founder of an annual labor of love to promote reading is making good on her promise to students.
A 26-year-old Dallas restaurant hostess hopes to put her life back together again after jail time.
The Latino theater group introduced international plays from around world to Dallas audiences, but always from a Latin American perspective.
Now 90, Samuel lied about his age and enlisted at 16; he ended up as a frogman, a forerunner of the Navy SEALs.
The staff at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center called him "Tio Cuba" because Luis Senan would often stop by the center and share stories of his life in Cuba as a musician.Senan was a friendly gentleman, who...
These artists consider themselves part of the larger American theater, but with a different story to tell.
But lower pay and levels of educational attainment could have a negative impact on the larger society, a former state demographer says.
A recent Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at the plant is one way they're trying to spark young Latinos' interest in math and science.
County government is partnering with LULAC to sponsor Hispanic Heritage Month events.
Students from local universities will pitch in to interview all who want to share their stories.
DISD's Michael Hinojosa and Fort Worth ISD's Kent Paredes Scribner join Marcelo Cavazos in Arlington ISD and José L. Parra in Irving.
"The Untold Story," which opened Friday at the Latino Cultural Center, aims to call attention to the "nobility of military service."
Eliseo Garcia's "Guardian of the Dreamers" will be dedicated Sept. 19.
Showing disrespect toward a popular TV news anchorman could give young people, especially, a reason to get involved.
More than 400 people have been helped since the program was launched in 2011.
The city needs a broader and more urgent approach to the issue, the leader of the mayor's task force says.
Marco Rubio emerged as a winner among many Latino voters, both Democrats and Republicans.
A vandal wreaked havoc on the center's roof in July, causing $17,500 in damage.
The appointment of Liz Cedillo-Pereira may signal a shift in the Obama administration's deportation policy.
A recent Grapevine shooting death prompted Gilbert Cerda to ask the Mexican consul if he could make a presentation to the nearly 600 immigrants who go to the Mexican Consulate in Dallas every day.
The foundation seeks to correct the disparity between the number of Hispanics overall and the number of Hispanic attorneys in Dallas County.
Changes are much needed, they say, but they're looking unlikely before the session wraps up Monday.
The ICE director tackles immigration issues and advocates with the same tenacity and toughness.
They are not as risk-averse as the average American, according to recent findings.
About 370 students were the first asked to write letters to themselves about their lives and goals in a program designed to lower high dropout rates.
State Rep. Rafael Anchia and others are seeking alternatives to the mega-lane toll road proposed.
The multicultural performances in the troupe's 40th anniversary show reflect the city's evolution.
Exposing students to ethnic voices in literature helps them academically and individually, Tony Diaz says.
A sculpture of the Dallas civil rights advocate would be the first of a Latina leader erected in a highly visible, public area.
The labor leader's work of community organizing for social justice, civic involvement and love of the environment has motivated generations.
Legislators' efforts to improve pre-K classes should be only the first step to addressing the needs of growing numbers of English language learners, they say.
The fight to preserve a law providing in-state tuition for immigrants revealed the need for new ways to develop Latino leaders, organizers say.
The state must "spend what is needed to remain an economic leader, state Rep. Rafael Anchía of Dallas says.
North Texas plays an important part in the goal of expanding political participation among Latinos.
To many, learning about the Affordable Care Act often involves learning about health insurance in general, including the terminology.
A strong economy, a rising number of immigrants, and DISD's dual-language programs brought the Puerto Rico-based university to Big D.
School board president Miguel Solís says that providing a stable learning environment benefits the district and its students
HB 1403 has allowed more than 16,000 unauthorized immigrants to continue their education.
Many see it as a way to preserve their family and cultural links.
The 1978 play explores issues of identity and assimilation — and mirrors current events.
The high-tech entrepreneur now wants to create opportunities for others.
Founder Karen Furlong will take 12,000 books to the Rio Grande City and Roma school districts in Starr County.
The president's order for deportation relief will still leave many in the shadows.
More than 600 high school and college students gathered this week at the National Hispanic Institute's Celebración.
They tend to follow the same demographic trend as all other groups in the U.S. in midterm elections — those who do vote tend to be older and more conservative.
Latino voters likely won't be a force in this electionLatinos tend to vote for Democrats over Republicans by almost a 2-1 ratio.
The ancient Mexican tradition has become a favorite observance in the U.S, even as it evolves.
Author Carmen Boullosa says both countries lost something in an era of legal scheming.
The county's top law enforcement officer says she is guided in her work by a set of simple rules.
They highlight the role that D/FW Airport has in connecting Asia with Latin America.
The annual conference of William J. O'Neil Center for Global Markets and Freedom at SMU's Cox School of Business on Friday featured scholars who examined migration and the search for a better life.
Vicente Fox will speak at a World Leaders Series event that is part of the 75th anniversary celebration of the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
A Latino Cultural Center exhibit also celebrates the uptown area's Jewish history.
A Tarrant County organization reaches out with information, resources and compassion.
Former employees of the Office of Economic Opportunity gathered to look back on how their work changed the nation.
As long as a huge difference between the economies of the U.S. and Central America remains, experts say, the migrants will keep coming.
Cindy Noble Cole says her "Operation Matthew 25" effort, which will assemble hygiene boxes for Catholic Charities today, became a way for Americans to counter opposition shown to the children.
This month, the group launched a 40-month, 40-community project to increase voter registration and participation.
From providing toothpaste to coloring books to legal help, the efforts seek to give a sense of stability.
More than 130 people, most Latinas, signed up at a recent meeting to help.
Nina Perales, the group's vice president for litigation, was the speaker at a Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation luncheon that raised over $100,000 for legal studies scholarships.
Democrats describe the influx as a humanitarian, not a legal, crisis.
Legal groups are mobilizing to deal with a humanitarian crisis that is expected to see 70,000 to 100,000 kids this year.
The strong advocate for women and Democrats was killed in a car crash Monday en route to a party fundraiser.
With the administration's deferred action policy, 'I don't have to hide who I am.'
He brought a global political perspective to Adelfa Callejo's activism during their 67 years of marriage.
About 300 determined students who answered that question will be awarded college funds next week.
"A Tale of 2 Quinces" poses the question: Would you rather have a good time, or a better future?
More Latinos are going to college, the Pew Research Center's Hispanic Trends Project found — but few of them are graduating.
The law opened the doors for greater voter participation and educational opportunities.
Antonio Flores of the National Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities says a highly skilled and educated workforce is essential to the future U.S. economy.
Her campaign bus tour gives her an opportunity to stress her Hispanic heritage.
An annual march and rally honoring the 1960s activist is today in Fort Worth.
Trini Garza has misgivings about the district's home-rule proposal but says he is trying to stay neutral.
House District 90 is one of the poorest and most ethnically and racially diverse in the state.
The longtime WFAA-TV anchor has served as a mentor since she arrived at age 29 from Harlingen in 1984.
With both Democratic and Republican candidates, the county is catching up to other urban areas, some say.
The new Dallas city manager once aspired to be a scientist, drawn by the need to analyze and find solutions.
José Ángel Gutiérrez is now focused on creating an archival record of Mexican-Americans' place in Texas history.
Whether it was in a courtroom or a boardroom, the attorney and rights advocate was always trying to win her case.
The group's MLK Justice Award goes to someone who embodies the values and principles of the civil rights leader.
The 40-year-old organization hopes to register as many as 25,000 Latino voters by the November general election.
The International Day of Ladino celebrates an endangered language that is gaining new life on the Internet.
Pauline Valenciano learned early to "work hard for your community"; she later marched with César Chávez and backed voter rights.
Many in a recent Pew poll said there is no national Latino leader, and one is needed to make concerns heard.
One of them, the School Archive Project, aims to keep kids in school and help them envision a bright future.
Many who marched for immigration reform have stayed engaged in civic work and encourage others to get involved.
Starr Readers founder Karen Furlong hopes to branch out and offer scholarships and possibly even a book festival next year.
The Dallas-Fort Worth organization hopes to groom new leaders during a time when Hispanic political representation has dwindled.
The Cox School of Business is expanding its effort to put promising middle managers on an executive track.
JFK inspired Mexican-American voters like no candidate before him, and they turned out in record numbers.
Miguel Solis, a 27-year-old Harvard graduate, was a history teacher in the school district he will now help lead.
A group hopes to refocus attention on the park, once a centerpiece of Dallas' historic Little Mexico neighborhood.
The Day of the Dead exhibition at the Latino Cultural Center crosses ethnic boundaries in honoring those who "paved the way."
Many are self-employed or work for small organizations and stand to benefit from the Affordable Care Act, organizers say.
Backers say she's on the right side of issues affecting Latino voters; others doubt she can energize the vital bloc.
Health and Human Services chief, city leaders note that Latinos represent the largest percentage of the uninsured.
The land adjacent to the center has already been bought. But someone needs to come forward to lead a new capital campaign and raise the seed money for the expansion.
The West Texas native hopes to inspire girls to become judges themselves.
Among covered topics will be how to buy a house, how to avoid becoming easy targets for criminals, and information about notary publics.
At a time of growing need and booming Hispanic populations, events offer a range of basic services to needy families.
Latino migration, the shooting of Santos Rodríguez and growth of advocacy groups are among the trends and events depicted
Some groups express concern that many wouldn't qualify for legal status and that the the bill would create a war zone along the border.
Hateful tweets questioning the citizenship of San Antonio native Sebastien De La Cruz sparked a "second conversation" about bigotry.
The organization raised a record $12.3 million in scholarships this year for 221 Latino college students.
Ethnic studies help students of color on their journey of self-discovery, says Houston author Tony Diaz.
Jorge Huerta, a founding figure in the movement, called for unity at a meeting of a newly formed local coalition.
Richard Rodríguez has spent a lifetime exploring issues of identity and ethnicity and will share his journey at a free public lecture Thursday.
Maria Robles, who's spent 27 years trying for permanent legal residency, works to help others achieve legal status.
A performance of the baroque operetta captivates elementary school students with its mixture of pratfall, song and dance.
The Southwest Voter Registration Education Project organizes the events to help fill a void in municipal and school board races.
From the president and a bipartisan group of senators to economists, many agree the moment for comprehensive reform has arrived.
Some say changing demographics could fuel Battleground Texas effort; others have doubts for success anytime soon.
Students choose the school they want to attend — even if they don't live in the district — and specialized programs abound.
Although the Hispanic population is booming, regional arts organizations are struggling to find funding and to raise visibility.
Trinity River Mission and Senior Citizen Services remind us to remember our most vulnerable.
Andrés Ruzo has seen good times and bad, but he is now sought out for advice from others starting in business.
The Rev. Rudy García, who sat in the pews of the Dallas cathedral as a boy, now leads the congregation.
This year, for the first time, 10,000 volumes will be rolling south to schoolkids in impoverished Starr County.
Members of North Texas group are heading to a national meeting to push for passage of the act and immigration reform.
Despite a surging population, Hispanics lag in education at a time when engineers are sorely needed.
It could be another decade before Hispanics have a big impact on voting in the Lone Star State, an expert says.
For students, including some who could not afford instruments, the program offers a life-changing opportunity.
Voting location signs and the formation of a Latina action committee are among efforts to increase political participation.
As the pre-Hispanic tradition of honoring the dead becomes more common in the U.S., it is incorporating symbols of Halloween.
Cuban-born executive producer Cynthia Cidre discussed how she wanted the new show to better reflect the city's diversity.
Volunteers register thousands of students, including many Hispanics, but also find many young people disengaged.
Theater, dance and a wide variety of music will be featured at multiple venues, including the new City Performance Hall.
Experts say the Republican-led efforts rejected by the courts could undermine the party's outreach to Latino voters.
The 89-year-old cancer survivor is having two cancerous brain tumors removed next week but hasn't slowed down.
The region needs an educated workforce, an SMU economist says, and immigrant youths could help fill the need.
With the patron deity Quetzalcoatl as its focus, the exhibit brings together artwork from the U.S., Mexico and Europe.
The Aug. 2 event at Fair Park offers screenings and supplies to ensure Dallas students are ready to learn.
Despite the drug war, the country has emerged from 12 years of National Action Party rule with a healthy and growing economy.
The "Sesame Street" star addressed a fundraising luncheon for the Trinity River Mission in West Dallas.
Many young immigrants have become involved in the push for legal status, including the DREAM Act and similar legislation.
Today, the concessionaire is giving back by sponsoring a scholarship through the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
In a crowded list of Democratic candidates, both Marc Veasey and Domingo Garcia had success in the first round.
But teachers face additional burdens from budget cuts, testing changes and the the pressures of a new superintendent.
Eighty works, by both renowned and lesser-known artists, depict the country's people, places and traditions.
If the state is to remain competitive, it must invest in schools, Cal Jillson says, and Latinos must make education a priority.
Willie Velásquez, a San Antonio native, made a historic impact on Latino voting participation in the U.S.
Long the heart of Dallas' Little Mexico, the park remains part of downtown Dallas, with townhomes and office buildings next door.
Among those present Thursday was Sylvia Navarro Tillotson of Dallas, a relative of one of the Texas Declaration of Independence's signers.
Arlington's first César Chávez march will celebrate the legendary farm worker and bring attention to education and voter rights issues.
About a dozen participated in Tuesday's event, organized by Fort Worth poet Tammy Garza and streamed online.
The race for the 33rd Congressional District is shaping up as a Dallas vs. Fort Worth rivalry, but could also shake up each city's parties.
The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge links two radically separated communities, and "that's a great thing," the architect said.
He worked on key civil rights cases that would become milestones in City Hall and DISD history.
Bilingual educators examined ways to improve student performance at their annual conference in Dallas this week.
Teatro Dallas and Cara Mia Theatre also find success in directing programs to students as demand grows.
Organizers will present speakers in art, culture and law enforcement to highlight the complicated forces at work.
The center is gearing up for events and activities that are part of a new exhibition on Latino music and its influence on the American pop music scene that opens March 24.
Irving ISD's move toward single-member districts, which includes two at-large seats, still falls short, some advocates say.
An upcoming conference will address several areas of need, but a West Dallas organization is looking for more help.
The Redistricting Task Force hopes to register 25,000 new voters with the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and county elections officials.
Tom Landis, of the Texadelphia and Pizza Patrón chains, says he wants his employees' kids to be safe
Local leaders are disappointed that there are no new Latino-majority seats, but they expect a population shift in some districts.
Starr Readers aims to distribute 6,000 new books to elementary students in one of the nation's poorest counties.
Opponents of the cities' new maps say officials ignore large Latino population gains by not expanding the number of districts.
Volunteers for Court Appointed Special Advocates serve as the voices in court for Hispanic children.
An ancient Mexican tradition takes on a modern face as sixth-graders pay tribute to Steve Jobs and Latin American artists.
Also, two graduate students have explored the history of SMU's first Latino students, and the Latino Cultural Center gets new leadership.
Wednesday's town hall at the Belo Mansion will share resources with the unbanked and underbanked.
They will share their technical know-how in a seminar sponsored by the Hispanic chamber.
Members are providing advice on immigration and foreclosures to an underserved group in Dallas.
Plans reflect demographic changes by increasing the number of Hispanic-majority districts.
José Baez said he wants to leverage his newfound fame by creating a Miami firm focused on immigration cases.
José Baez's appearance sparked a boycott and even death threats, but organizers felt vindicated by how his talk was received.
Police Chief David Brown, City Council member Delia Jasso and state Rep. Rafael Anchía discussed the measure at the Hispanic National Bar Association's convention..


text:
Judgement Day by SharpWriterWatch
©2009-2016 SharpWriter
"The attack began at 6:18 PM, just as he said it would. Judgment Day, the day the human race was almost destroyed by the weapons they'd built to protect themselves."
Cue terminator theme ---> [link]
Way'com tablet
Cue terminator theme ---> [link]
Way'com tablet
the link has been terminated!
This is beyond awesome. Everything about it is top notch.
Your gallery rocks my man! This piece kicks serious ass!
my goodness
like it again!
Sweet dude. I dig the chunk of molten metal being slung from the left shoulder.
Frigging awesome...Well done.
I could solo all of them
Me too.......with about thousand missles in outerspace..
well sir, you would be the new john connor. though your not as epic as bale i am sorry to admit.
Wow great detail... not what I expected

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dakine 2014 Kiteboarding collection preview01:25
Check out the new Dakine Kiteboarding product designs and some smooth freestyle action in this sick edit direct from Hood River Oregon USA.+ More details
There are 2 videos in this album. Albums make it easy to organize a collection of videos. They can be used to display videos together, or sent to friends as a playlist. You can even arrange the order of videos in each album.
You can add a video to one of your albums or create a new album from the "+Add to…" tab on video pages.
Albums can also be used to show videos on other web sites using Vimeo Widgets.


text:
Remilia Scarlet: I Could Tear You Apart by ValdaValshaWatch
©2014-2016 ValdaValsha
Photo/Edit by J-o-i-FuL-CoSpLaY
Other edits by OztheNekoMaster
Remilia Scarlet from Touhou Project
I am specifically cosplaying the artwork done by Sayori.
Taiyou Con 2014
wow that looks amazing!
this awesome!! and you look so serious on this one xD
Ohhhh awesome I've been waiting for your remilia cosplay for such a long time! \(>w<)/ The material you used for the wings look UBER nice OwO I don't think I've ever seen cosplay wings that look that good, especially when most wings that look that detailed and high quality would usually be completely stiff (I'm assuming your wings aren't stiff based on the creases)
Whoa! You look awesome!! Nice job!!
Ooooo!! This is awesome! What they call scary good or frighteningly beautiful!


text:
Walk into Lois Jackson's home in Gary's Glen Park neighborhood on Wednesday evening and you know you are among family.
The cackling of mothers, grandmothers and wives in the living room can be heard from the porch. The smell of a turkey roasting in the oven greets you at the door.
Then the music starts and these family women are transformed into The Whitney Nots, a synchronized, lip-syncing ensemble of dancing grandmothers who perform to Motown and doo wop hits across the country.
Lois Jackson founded the group in 1993, while trying to help a male friend going through a difficult divorce.The women took him out dancing and to see Gary's own Billy Shelton of The Spaniels perform.
"We used to go out to the Khaki Club (at the Radisson) when Billy was there to pick him up and dance," Jackson said.
The friend moved on and later contacted Jackson with a request.
"He said I've met the love of my life and I want you to perform at my wedding reception," Jackson said.
Whitney Houston was popular at the time, as was the term "Not!"
"We said we could be the Whitneys but we can't sing so we called ourselves The Whitney Nots," Jackson said. "...We always tell our crowd we don't sing, but we do like we used to do, get a broom handle, a mop handle, a paper towel roll and sing."
What was supposed to be a one-time gig 18 years ago has turned into a nationally touring dance ensemble. The Whitney Nots are comprised of friends Elaine Cuthrell, 53, of Gary; Lynne Trask, 49, of Highland; Sharon Phelps, 55, of Gary and Jackson, 54, of Gary.
The four women perform all over the country, doing synchronized dances in the style of 1960s Motown and doo wop singers.
The women coordinate their outfits, from their wigs and jewelry down to their sequined pantsuits and shoes. They change costumes to fit the theme or era of the songs, including large hoop earrings, dashikis and afro wigs for "Got To Be Real."
"Groups don't get dressed up anymore," Jackson said.
The women admit they have had a few wardrobe malfunctions. Jackson remembered the women telling her to put her wig further back on her head before going on stage and during the performance "felt a cool breeze" as her wig fell off.
"The audience just cracked up," she said.
The women joke that Jackson is like "Inspector Gadget" and always has whatever you need on hand, from pins for costumes and hair to the more practical needs of a grandmother.
"If you need a diaper, you can yell, 'Lois! Where's your purse?' and she has it," Trask said.
When people see the women out together dressed exactly alike, they often wonder if they are famous.
"Here we are, we're walking down Hollywood Boulevard and 'Dream Girls' just came out," Jackson said.
The women were dressed identically and someone in a passing car yelled out "Dream Girls."
"I said no, we're the Dream Girls' mamas!" Jackson said.
Jackson said she knows what it takes to put on a good performance that will keep the audience engaged.
"You're got to have pitch, pace and power in a routine or you'll lose them," she said.
Jackson said the women tried to put the modern dance The Dougie into a routine which was met with great reviews.
"We try to keep it fresh," Jackson said. "We're grandmas. We're not going to be vulgar."
The women call Whitney Houston's "I'm Every Woman" their signature number and feel the lyrics fit their own lives.
"We're wives, we're mothers, we take care of our religion, we take care of our families," Jackson said. "We fight, we throw shirts at each other."
"We eat and we drink," Trask added with a laugh.
"But that's how come 'Every Woman' is special to us," Jackson said. "When you've got a job, a family, it doesn't stop, it doesn't end."
The women have been through births, deaths and everything in between together. They admit they sometimes argue and fight, but the love between them never fails.
"That's family," Jackson said.


text:
Let Me In Photo Gallery
Chloe Moretz stars as Abby, a secretive 12-year old girl, who moves next door to Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Owen is a social outcast who is viciously bullied at school and in his loneliness, forms a profound bond with his new neighbour. Owen can't help noticing that Abby is like no one he has ever met before. As a string of grisly murders occupy the town, Owen has to confront the reality that this seemingly innocent girl is really a savage vampire. Let Me In, a haunting and provocative thriller written and directed by filmmaker Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) and produced by legendary British horror brand Hammer Films, is an astonishing coming-of-age story between a young girl and an alienated young boy unlike any other you have seen. View photos…
Roll your mouse over the left and right-hand sides of the image and then click to view more pictures.
Read our review of Let Me In or our interviews with director Matt Reeves or star Kodi Smit-McPhee
Alternatively, view photos from the film's UK Premiere
Recent Galleries:
- Ben Wheatley's High Rise Teaser Poster Gallery
- Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds/Morena Baccarin) Photo Gallery
- Sexiest actresses of 2015 - Photo Gallery
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- Zoolander 2 Character Poster Gallery
- The Revenant (Leonardo DiCaprio/Tom Hardy) Character Posters
- Spectre Photo Gallery 2
- Spectre: Rome car chase photo gallery
- Spectre: Behind The Scenes Photo Gallery


text:
I've recently (only on SO actually) run into uses of the C/C++ comma operator. From what I can tell, it creates a sequence point on the line between the left and right hand side operators so that you have a predictable (defined) order of evaluation.
I'm a little confused about why this would be provided in the language as it seems like a patch that can be applied to code that shouldn't work in the first place. I find it hard to imagine a place it could be used that wasn't overly complex (and in need of refactoring).
Can someone explain the purpose of this language feature and where it may be used in real code (within reason), if ever?


text:
Litchi in the wood by GiorgiacosplayWatch
©2012-2016 Giorgiacosplay
pic by Daniele Faccioli
one of the best cosplay you've done yet.
Your costumes are all amazing, but I like this one a lot especially, since I'd like to do it myself sometime. You and your work are gorgeous!
mmmmmh! poderosa!!
Will you be putting a full set on your website giorgiacosplay.com?
Hoo boy! Great photo and superb costume! Such talent!
Nice shot
sweet jesus yes.
There certainly are a lot of boulders there...
Bella la Giorgia! Superfluo chiederti come hai fatto a camminare su quei sassi con i tacchi XD
wow beautieful woman and a romantic place


text:
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Tag Archives: children's books
'Talking Books'…On trying to become Somerset's answer to Mariella Frostrup
Posted on March 28, 2013 by keatsbabe
…I wish! But I do have my own book show on local radio -10Radio based at the heart of a Somerset community – and the first programme is looming large. I go on air at 11am tomorrow (Friday 29th March … Continue reading →
Posted in Author interviews, Book, Dandelions and Bad Hair Days, Family History, Poetry, Radio Show, Reading, Talking Books, Writing | Tagged 10Radio, Beth Webb, Books, children's books, genre, photography, Poetry, radio, reading, somerset community, writing, young adult fiction | 5 Comments


text:
WunderPhotos Upload
Sunset afterglow
Uploaded by: Wunderjump
Wednesday September 11, 2013
Finale Emilia, Italy
Caption: Sunset afterglow at the end of a rainy day and an old abandoned barn
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text:
The Slave by kerembeyitWatch
©2009-2016 kerembeyit
This is the cover art I made for the upcoming Blutorks (Bloodorcs) trilogy by Frenz Bernd. This is for the second book : Der Sklave (The Slave)
Photoshop CS2
© 2009 Hilden Design
© 2009 Blanvalet
Photoshop CS2
© 2009 Hilden Design
© 2009 Blanvalet
Am I right....in thinking hes Orc?
"I wouldn't want to fight him!"
..."That is why no one will remember your name.."
quise decir sobresaliente
That is awesome!
You knew I was looking around again
That could probably be interpreted as a Middle Earth Orc because they (along with most of those monsters [trolls, goblins, firedrakes, hellhawks, werewolves etc.) were enslaved to Sauron, Morgoth, and other such leaders. They didn't exactly have a choice.
Flaw free art. I loved how you make his face all skyrim orcsh style *---* love it!
wow that is amazing!!
that tattoo in orcs shoulder is nice detail
that tattoo in orcs shoulder is nice detail
Ooooooo. O.O
Me like. ^^
He looks so rough and bad A!
GREAT work.
Me like. ^^
He looks so rough and bad A!
GREAT work.
Nicely done ..
Cool !
Amazing, you're pretty good !!
Cool !
Amazing, you're pretty good !!
i don't know anything about this series but all i can say based on this cover art is "shut up and take my MONEY"
looks like thrall.
Wow, that's... Thrall, innit?
This reminds me of Elder Scrolls Oblivion
Amazing piece- powerful all around.
awesome background and character design.
" The age of man is over,
The time of the orc has begun! "
-- puddle-face ^__=
" The age of man is over,
The time of the orc has begun! "
-- puddle-face ^__=
It's suspiciously similar to the orc in WoW series.. o.O
Nice chaining!
Nice chaining!
i really love it, there's so much expression on this image...
he reminds me to thrall ^^
he reminds me to thrall ^^
This is an awesome work! You really managed to pull off both a monstrous yet intriguing look for the character. I love it.
he is the slave.. you are the Master !!!
where can I get one? '>.<
mega and awsome, where is he though?
Everything on him is just amazing !
I would likely read that Trilogy... thanks for the info!
I would likely read that Trilogy... thanks for the info!
cool work
Wieso weiß ich schon jetzt, dass ihn die Ketten nicht halten werden?
Geniales Bild! Lob an den Künstler!
Geniales Bild! Lob an den Künstler!
*omnoms Thrall* :3
Looks like Thrall
WTB one of these...
Nice work hehe
Nice work hehe
YEAH! The books are awesome! I didn't expect to find the illustrator of this book cover! *cheers you*
awesome and mencing!a
Very well done!
when i saw it i thought of Thrall from Warcraft xD
ist echt gut!
That coverart made me curius. I just bought the first volume. Beware if it can't live up to the cover!
Awesome and very powerfull. Respect.
hmm... interesting.. more like gladiator
Elder Scrolls: Oblivion oyunundaki arena girişini andırıyor fakat güzel bir çalışma.
ya üstad insanmısın sen ya süer olmuş.
Great detail and colour tone - like the tattoo.
First thing I thought when I saw this: "Thrall?"
Awesome work.
Awesome work.


text:
Pretty, sunny, private courtyard garden
Modern well equipped kitchen
Large lounge with huge sofa, dvds and ipod dock
Lots for the kids to do in the playroom
Large dining room in which to eat and drink all that lovely French food and wine
Very comfortable king size bed in master bedroom
Antique French double bed in second bedroom facing garden
Modern, clean and pretty bathroom
Child's bed in second bedroom looking on to the garden
An extra day bed to relax on in the master bedroom
The kitchen has everything you need
The garden from the main door
The house and its garden in use by kids!
The Cow House from the lane
Next door neighbours & name sake
River Planquette runs through village
Merlimont beach, a short drive away, acres of sand until the tide comes in!!
Happy times at the restaurant at Merlimont beach!


text: ... the harder they fall. The Japanese population's brief rekindling of their romance with the DS Phat, showing a massive 1559% increase in sales last week, seems to have died out for now. Our obese friend takes the sharpest fall this week, with slimmer, trimmer machines like the Game Boy Micro and DS Lite faring better. The ranking, according to number of units sold after the jump.


text:
Buildings reborn: new uses, old places
Harper & Row, 1978 - Architecture - 255 pages
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19th-century adaptive re-use apartments arches architect Art Hupy artists Arts Center Associates bank began Boston bought brick building's built cast-iron ceiling central city hall city's columns commercial Commission completed construction converted cost court courtesy courtyard cultural decorative downtown entrance exterior facade factory Faneuil Hall Marketplace Flagler College floor funds galleries George Cserna Ghirardelli Square Giorgio Cavaglieri glass Greek Revival Harry Weese historic district Historic Preservation installed interior landmark loft marble Market mill million museum neighborhood office space old building Old Federal Building OPPOSITE BOTTOM original painted Park Photo Pioneer Square preservationists Quincy Market railroad recycling Register of Historic renovation residence restaurants restored retail Romanesque Revival roof Rutan and Coolidge shops skylight square feet square foot station Street structure studios style theater tion townhouses urban Victorian Villard Houses walls warehouse William York
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Bob Vila's This Old House
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It is a very nice hotel, well kept and very good service. It is run by very nice people and the rooms are very spacious, all with a balcony or terrace. The breakfast room is a new addition, the buffet very complete. The location of this hotel in Bad Bayersoien is very calm and practical to visit the region, the... More
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Hey, I'm Kimberly!
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Cassandra think about this young mans parents just because of the color of his skin don't make his family bad people. Have some morals...
Sorry but this all begin when George was president !!!!!
johnston.cliff that statement is so heartless think about there families your picture tell the story!
Good lord you people must be sitting on the right hand of jesus you all have so much to say!
could everyone have a litle respect for those that have lost a love one. these are humans god made us all please!


text:
Detecting coalfires with remote sensing: a comparative study of selected countries
Coal fires, both underground and on the surface, are a serious problem in most major coal-producing countries of the world. Combustion can occur from both natural and anthropogenic causes either spontaneously on exposure of coal to air, or as a result of ignition from lightning strikes or forest fires. The anthropogenic fires are due to poor mining techniques and human activities near the coal seams. Once started, they are difficult to extinguish leading to operational difficulties and causing local pollution and endangering human security. However, coal fires emit large quantities of carbon dioxide (CO2) along with several other noxious gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of sulfur and methane that are significant enough to create impact on global scale. The scientific study of coal fires thus becomes essential to track them in remote locations. This paper discuses the significance of satellite remote sensing as a reliable tool to detect and monitor coal fires in selected countries, with a review of coal fires and related environmental issues. It notes the use of multi-spectral space-borne thermal remote sensing data in returning reliable results in detecting and measuring coal fires.
Coal fire: the problem
The widespread extent and intensity of subsurface and surface coal fires poses serious problems from many perspectives. The fires may occur spontaneously (spontaneous combustion) as, in the right circumstances coal will catch fire of its own accord in the presence of air. Coal fires may be ignited through lightning strikes, bushfires or through human agency. Combustion can occur either within the coal seams themselves, in piles of stored coal or in spoil-dumps on the surface. Such fires are widespread in many locations of coal-producing countries, but are of particular preponderance in China, India, Indonesia, in parts of USA, and in Australia (Fig. 1). Some of these fires are been continually burning for decades without being effectively controlled. Some of these fires have endangered human safety, altered local vegetation patterns and have been associated with wider fires such as peat bog and forest fires, thus potentially contributing to the alteration of global climate. Later on in this paper, we give a brief account of coal fire occurrence and history from selected coal producing countries.
A considerable range of environmental and economic issues are directly and indirectly related to coal fires. These problems affect a range of geographical scales from the local to global, from short-term to the long-term, from reversible to irreversible damages.
The local impacts, some of them being irreversible, may concern:
- environmental damage and degradation of land, heat effects on surrounding rocks and land subsidence, desiccation of forests, lowering of water quality, and the smoke-related air pollution which can effect human health and safety.
- wasteful consumption of a potentially valuable resource,
- operational difficulties related to mining by increasing the cost of production or by making existing operations uneconomical.
The global scale is invoked because of the substantial emissions from coal fires of CO2 and methane (CH4), which are the major contributors to the enhanced greenhouse effect and climate change. As coal will continue to provide the major source of power in some of these countries and hence will continue to be mined, the study of coal fires assumes great significance.
In terms of air pollution, coal fires emit a range of substances such as the traditional air pollutants, sulfur oxide (SOx), nitrogen oxide (NOx), and carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter along with compounds that fall into the 'air toxics' category. As well as being visible, coal fire emissions have a strong odour. Coal fires, be they in a power station or as a result of spontaneous combustion, emit their carbon (C) mostly as CO2 which is a strong greenhouse gas. In addition, spontaneous combustion also emits CH4 (not from coal seam gas but formed in the combustion/oxidation process) which on a mass basis is 21 time more powerful as a greenhouse gas than CO2. The CO2/CH4 ratios from spontaneous combustion are highly variable but can increase the climate forcing potential of these emissions by up to 30%.
Our study, presented in this paper, is placed in this context. It first discusses the chemical properties of spontaneous combustion and the case histories of fires in the major coal-producing countries of the world, and illustrates how to detect these fires with the help of remote sensing. In addition to providing an assessment of the possible impacts of these fires, it looks at how best to determine their occurrence, extent and spread and outline the levels of resultant impacts. In the next section, we give the background as to why or how these fires occur and a brief history of their occurrence in the main locations.
Coal: properties and the burning process
Coal is a readily combustible rock containing more than 50% by weight of carbonaceous material. There are substantial reserves of coal in the world, and coal accounted for 30% of the worlds primary energy production from fossil fuels in 2003. Coal is formed from plant materials as the result of compaction by burial and subsequent induration (the temperature rises with depth of burial). These remains were initially deposited in a swampy basin in the form of vegetation which would then have become peat. Unpredictable amounts of other substances such as sulfur, chlorine, sodium, and other elements can also be deposited in the swampy basin and are then found in the coal. The physical properties of coal, such as colour, specific gravity, and hardness, vary considerably. This variability depends on the composition and the nature of preservation of the original plant material that formed the coal, the amount of impurities in the coal, derived from soil and silt being co-deposited with the parent material and the amount of time, heat and pressure that has affected the coal since it was first formed. Time, heat and pressure also determine the degree of maturation of the sequence, which according to the increasing amount of carbon, is classified as lignite, sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal, and anthracite. Rank is another index of coal quality. This is a measure of brightness (reflectivity) of the coal as measured microscopically and is function of the vitrinite content – one of the microlithotypes in coal.
Combustion of coal is a chemical process which can be defined in a simplified form as:
COAL + O2 ? CO2 + Energy (1)
Other substances present in the coal will also combust; for example iron pyrites (FeS) will oxidize to form sulfur dioxide (SO2). Coal can be represented by a large organic molecule of somewhat indeterminate and variable composition. For dry coal, equation 1 can be depicted as:
C100H74O11 + 113O2 ? 100 CO2 + 37 H2O + 4.2×108 J/kmol O2 (2)
In the first part of the equation 2, chemical absorption of oxygen occurs on the coal surface, (equation 3), and is an exothermic reaction.
C100H74O11 + 17.5 O2 ? C100H74O46 + 2.5×108 J/kmol O2 (3)
However, the heat of absorption is difficult to isolate as CO2 is invariably formed in the process. Therefore the value for the heat of absorption should be viewed with caution. The rate of equation 2 increases with rising temperature which is fundamental to spontaneous combustion.
Spontaneous combustion and coal fire
The potential for spontaneous combustion of coal lies in its ability to react with oxygen at ambient temperature. When coal is exposed to oxygen, heat is evolved (equations 2 and 3). The temperature of the coal may then start to rise to an extent dependent on how easily the heat generated by the oxidation can be carried away, i.e. the degree of insulation. Once the temperature of the coal rises it may well continue to do so if sufficient oxygen (air) is available, as the oxidation rate coefficient also increases with temperature, but this is offset to the extent that heat losses also increase as the oxidizing coal heats up. If it reaches somewhere between 230°C and 280°C, then the reaction becomes so rapid that the coal reaches 'ignition' or 'flash' point and starts to burn.
It has been well known to coal miners that the most fire-prone coal is often low in rank, probably because low-ranking coal has a higher porosity which more readily allows the ingress of oxygen. However, this is less obvious in laboratory experiments probably because of small sample sizes compared to the scale of heterogeneity, both vertically and horizontally, within the coal seam. The pores in low-ranking coal are often filled with moisture which blocks the oxygen from getting in, but when the coal is exposed the moisture drains away allowing oxygen to get in. A few fires are caused by an external heat source speeding up the oxidation process and setting fire to the coal. A bizarre example would be the 'spontaneous' combustion triggered by the illegal distillation of alcohol in Indian coal mines. Unregulated digging of coal in surface or underground deposits can also lead to the beginning of a fire. In Indonesia, forest fires are known to have triggered coal fires.
Fires can be located on (or very near) the surface or underground and can burn with an open flame or take place as smouldering combustion. An open fire is defined as a coal fire that burns in direct contact with the atmosphere usually with visible flames. Open fires occur in exposed seams in open pit mines (also called open cast) and in stock piles particularly of reactive coals. These can be controlled by water spraying.
For subsurface combustion, the requisite oxygen enters via fissures connected to the surface, through old abandoned mine tunnels which have not been properly isolated, or via fissures resulting from subsided land over such mines. In many subsidence prone old coal mining areas such as the Raniganj in eastern India, breathing of oxygen through cracks hse caused subsurface fires. For spoil dumps (i.e. the dumped overburden), the ground is unconsolidated so that air can get through, especially with a sloping surface exposed to the wind. Subsurface coal fires and subsidence thus have a close relation, one being at once the cause and consequence of the other. The following figure (Fig. 2) describes the relations more clearly.
Coal fires and surface temperatures
It is obvious that coal fires will heat the ground around them even when they are located underground, provided they are not at a great depth. This fact of ground heating provides a convenient means of detecting the coal fires using satellite or airborne remote thermal sensors. Indeed it is the only tool to survey wide areas in remote locations of Asia, particularly China, India and Indonesia, where coal fires are prevalent. The methodology in the use of remote sensing is outlined below.
Remote sensing, surface temperature and coal fires
The process of remote sensing can be briefly described by the following steps:
- Energy source - illuminates or provides electromagnetic energy to the target of interest.
- Radiation - energy travels from its source to the target.
- Interaction with the target - depending on the properties of both the target and the radiation.
The previous three steps apply to remote sensing making use of reflected radiation rather than detection of emitted radiation of the target. The following steps apply to both reflected and emitted radiation:
- Interaction with the atmosphere – reflected and/or radiated energy from source target is transmitted through and interacts with the atmosphere. The degree of interaction depends both on atmospheric composition along the ray path and on the height of the sensor (e.g. satellite or airborne).
- Recording of energy at the sensor - a sensor collects and records the electromagnetic radiation that has been transmitted through the atmosphere.
- Reception and processing - the data recorded by the sensor is received at a ground station where the data are processed into an image and distributed.
- Interpretation and analysis - the processed image is interpreted, visually and/or digitally, to extract information about the illuminated or emitting target.
- Application - the final element of the remote sensing process is achieved when it reveals new information or assists in solving a particular problem.
In the electromagnetic spectrum the 3-60?m region is referred to as the thermal infrared region. Practically, in the region with wavelengths longer than 15?m the energy radiation from earth's surface is insignificant and it is complicated to acquire a signal. Within the overall thermal infrared region, the 3-5?m and 8-14?m regions are used in thermal remote sensing as in the intervening part of the electromagnetic spectrum the energy is greatly absorbed by the atmospheric gases.
Thermal-infrared sensing exploits the fact that everything above absolute zero (-273°C) emits radiation in the thermal infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Thermal infrared radiation of an object is controlled mainly by several factors: the emissivity of the object, its geometry and its temperature. A perfect blackbody (an object whose temperature of emissions is controlled only by temperature) has a predictable range of wavelengths that varies as the temperature in Kelvins, and that moves to shorter wavelengths as the temperature increases (Wiens' Displacement Law). Emissivity and geometry alter this wavelength range, primarily by absorbing at wavelengths characteristic of the chemical composition of the object. The energy emitted is described by the Stefan-Boltzman Law, which relates the energy to the fourth power of the temperature. For objects with an emissivity of 1, the observed "brightness temperature" is equivalent to the kinetic temperature of the object. The conversion from brightness (remotely observed) temperature to kinetic temperature can be easily made when the characteristic emissivity of an object is known. These calculations do not take into account the interactions with the atmosphere, which must be separately considered. However when thermal contrast between objects is the intended observation, as in fire detection, atmospheric interference removal and conversion to precise kinetic temperatures is less important to the object of the exercise.
Thermal infrared sensors record the spatially averaged received infrared radiation from various objects within the target footprint. The energy recorded by a space-borne sensor is the combination of energy radiated by an object and the energy absorbed and reemitted by the atmosphere (Fig. 3).Since the differences in temperature and emissivity from one object to another are often considerable, an infrared image can exhibit a large amount of contrast. The sensors carried by aircraft or spacecraft, sensitive to this (infrared) region, provide a possible means of making synoptic measurements of land surface temperatures.
Many commercial and research satellites are now acquiring data in the thermal infrared region (8-14?m) all over the world. Among them Landsat7 ETM+ band 6 thermal data has 60m spatial resolution which is the highest in commercially available thermal satellites. Landsat 7 produces two thermal images, one acquired using a low gain setting (referred as band 6L) and the other using a high gain setting (referred as band 6H). Since May 2003, Landsat 7 ETM+ is semi-operational due to failure of a mechanism to properly align rows of pixels. Landsat 5 TM data, acquired in a single band at 120m spatial resolution, can in some instances be used to provide needed data within the Landsat 7 images. Extensive work is being done to provide the best quality data possible under the circumstances. In addition, archived Landsat 5 TM data from 1984 to the at least 2007 is available. Another useful thermal scanner is aboard the multi-sensor TERRA satellite, namely ASTER. It has five channels in the thermal infrared region (8.125-8.475?m, 8.475-8.825?m, 8.925-9.275?m, 10.25-10.95?m, 10.95-11.65?m) at 30m spatial resolution. Different methods have been developed by researchers to extract emissivity from ASTER data that can provide better surface temperature estimation in the area under consideration. Some ASTER data has also been used to compensate for Landsat 7 ETM+ errors. At a coarser resolution, AVHRR scanners with a spatial resolution of 1.1.km have been aboard successive NOAA satellites since the 1980s, providing continuous data. Since 1999, thermal data from 19 different channels at 1 km resolution is available from the MODIS sensor, aboard the TERRA and AQUA satellites. All of the above satellite-based sensors are US-based. In addition, the European Space Agency has a number of thermal satellites although low-cost public access to the data is less readily available. Finally, many airborne thermal scanners exist adapted to detailed work; the Australian Daedalus scanner will be mentioned below. Since sensors and satellite systems are undergoing rapid development, the images available may change from time to time and knowledge of them needs to be updated whenever undertaking a particular project.
Coal fires on the surface, when present as flaming combustion, emit significant thermal energy that is easy to detect by any remote sensing scanner. Some of these may be at a high enough temperature to become visible in wavelength bands shorter than the thermal infrared, indeed even in the visible wavelengths. However, in the case of a subsurface coal fire the surface heating is comparatively subdued and may be masked by the solar heating or reflected solar thermal radiation during the day. In that case it is necessary to use night-time remote sensing data to reveal and measure the extent of heating.
Coal fire detection using remote sensing has three major steps:
- Acquire a thermal image (preferably night) of the area under investigation using remote sensing and process digitally to create a surface temperature map to reveal the temperature anomalies,
- Acquire information about local geological setting, temperatures of coal fire vents and different land covers through field survey,
- Use geological and other field data to eliminate anomalies other than coal fires and produce a final temperature map calibrated with field collected temperatures to reveal the coal fires.
As discussed above, the process is not exactly simple, and one needs to keep several parameters in mind, particularly the atmosphere between the coal fire and the remote sensor which plays a significant role in the accuracy of the surface temperature estimation. One must also know the nature of the affected surface in terms of albedo (reflectivity), emissivity and thermal conductance. Soil moisture also affects surface temperature. A typical diurnal temperature profile is shown in Fig. 4. To avoid surface heating due to daytime solar radiation, night-time images are needed but they are not always readily available. Table 1 shows how the thermal properties of different surface materials may vary.
Table 1: Thermal properties of some materials (CGS units for 20°C)
Thermal conductivity
Thermal capacity
Thermal diffusivity
Thermal inertia
Sandy soil
Coal dust
Source: Kahle A.B., 1979
Other methods for coal fire detection
Other methods for detection of coal fires are local and ground-based in nature as compared to satellite or airborne remote sensing techniques. Ground-based survey methods require access to the collieries which may be difficult to obtain for several reasons: the nature of the terrain, difficulty of obtaining permission in visiting controlled zones, presence of forests and lack of roads are the important obstacles have been often faced by the field survey experts. Use of these methods also commonly involves some a priori knowledge that a coal fire exists or has been present, thus precluding the possibility of prediction.
Temperature surveys
The extent and intensity of subsurface combustion can be ascertained through borehole temperature measurements. Indeed, this was the main tool to detect subsurface coal fires until the 1960s. The advantage of this method is that temperature measurements are taken close to the fire. However this method requires time and effort to drill, and was generally only used in specific instances such as fire management, identification of deep subsurface fires or maybe to validate processed remote sensing data. It remained difficult to gather enough data to produce a large-scale synoptic view.
Radioactivity method
Sedimentary rocks contain natural radionuclides such as isotopes of potassium (K-40), rubidium (Ru-87) uranium (U-235, U-238) and thorium (Th-232). Uranium and thorium nuclides decay via emission of ? and ? particles; during this process they are transformed into radon gas, containing radon (Rn-219. Rn-220, Rn-222) with half-lives ranging from 3.9 sec to 3.82 days (the Rn nuclides decay further to isotopes of lead). Radon gas diffuses through fissures to the surface where it can be detected and may accumulate, for example in the basements of buildings. The emanation rate is a function of several variables including U and Th concentrations in the sedimentary rocks, the effective porosity of the rocks and the extent of fissuring. It is likely that the gas is carried to the surface along with other gases such as CO2 and CH4 released in the combustion process, and CH4 from the adjoining coal seams, but the details are not well understood. In principle, if CO2 and CH4 are co-emitted one could use them as a tracer. However, the background atmospheric concentrations (370 and 1.7 ppmv respectively) preclude sensitive and accurate measurement. An array of turned cups, coated internally with an absorptive material, is distributed across the surface of a study area and the accumulation of Rn over a period of time (e.g. 30 minutes) is measured with an ionisation chamber. Xue and Winkelmann give a successful example of the use of this technique for the surface detection of heating in underground goafs (200-340m deep), where underground gas analysis suggested self heating was occurring.
Resistivity method
Coal fires can affect the bulk resistivity of the surface strata. The resistivity is generally determined by the amount of conducting fluid contained in the strata. The resistivity is measured by inserting several metal electrodes into the earth perhaps some tens of meters apart, applying a current between the outermost pair and measuring the potential difference across inner pairs of electrodes. For constant electrode spacing, a, and if the impressed current is i resulting in a potential difference of ?V, then the resistivity is given by 2?a?V/I. In normal conditions the resistance of sedimentary rock is about 600-800 W/m but in burnt rock it goes up to 1200-3000 W/m, because of higher porosity, more cracks and lower water content.
Coal fires worldwide
Coal fires have occurred since time immemorial. Remnant baked rocks in northwest China around what were coal seams originated up to 1.5 million years BP measured according to their geomagnetic properties. Goldammer and Seibert, using thermoluminescence, dated baked rocks close to a coal seam in East Kalimantan to 13,000 years BP. Lightning strikes/forest fires were the probable igniters of outcropping coal. Archaeological remains suggest that human involvement with coal fires has occurred since at least 75,000 years BP and may well have started from observations of spontaneous combustion of naturally-occurring outcrops. In countries where coal mining started early in human history, coal fires were inevitably reported; some were responsible for mine disasters and were short-lived, others burned for considerable periods of time. The advent of open-pit mining provided greater scope for the occurrence of coal fires both in-seam and within spoil piles. However, these open fires on the surface are more easily managed, although they contribute more readily to a decrease in air quality. The fires that are burning underground pose a much more difficult management task. Major coal fires of the world, largely uncontrolled, are burning in Asia, but other large coal producers also have spontaneous combustion. A brief outline of some of the coal fires around the world follows.
Coal fires in the United States
Based on the clinkered remains in the Powder River Basin (between Montana and Wyoming), Heffern and Coates estimate that tens of billions of tonnes of coal have burned away over the past two million years ignited by forest fires or lightning strikes. While this is much larger than the total amount of coal burned for energy over the past century, the overall rate of consumption was orders of magnitude less. These naturally-ignited fires still occur and in general the coal in this region is of low rank and therefore more susceptible to spontaneous combustion.
Coal mining started in Pennsylvania, USA, mainly to make coke for iron smelting. The occurrence of the first coal fire was reported in 1772 and in 1869 it turned into a major disaster and claimed many miners' lives as cited by Stracher and Taylor by referring to Glover. Finally it extinguished itself about a year after an attempt to pour water in the mine failed. The Pennsylvania fire had so great an impact on the local environment that it badly affected local flora and fauna, and made it a major acid rain producer in the United States. But many underground coal fires continue to remain poorly documented because they are uneconomic, intangible and unpredictable. The Centralia mine fire in Pennsylvania has been burning since 1962 and is one of the worst mine fires in the United States.
In 1962, the United States Bureau of Mines reported 223 coal fires all over the United States. The United States was the first country to apply remote sensing to coal fire detection. Using the 'Reconofax' thermal scanner on an airborne platform, Slavecki and Kunth, and also Greene et al. studied fires on waste coal and subsurface coal in Pennsylvania, the state where coal fire is still a serious problem. Greene et al. also studied the depth of fire and they classified fires of three types according to their depth: shallow fires (up to 10m deep), intermediate fires (10 to 30 m deep) and deep fires (more than 30 m deep).
Coal fires in Australia
The first recorded observation of the famous Burning Mountain coal fire in Australia was in 1828 after its discovery by a local farmer. In 1829 and again in 1831 these fires were mapped with a detailed description by the then surveyor general, T.L. Mitchell. Later, Abbott recorded detailed information about this phenomenon concerning the movement of the main vent area. Bunny and Rattingan made detailed and careful contributions on the study of the Burning Mountain coal fire. A notable study was produced by Fleming that suggests the fires could have been burning since Pleistocene times. Later Ellyett and Fleming did an extensive study using a Daedalus thermal airborne scanner that operates in 8-14 ?m. Today that fire is more than 152 meters underground, and is still slowly burning the coal.
In addition to this non-anthropogenic (presumably) event, fires also occur spontaneously on open-pit coalmines in many locations such as Hunter Valley (New South Wales) and the lignite mines in Victoria and South Australia. These provide a continuing emission of greenhouse gases, those from black coal mining being assessed by Williams et al. A review of spontaneous combustion incidents in Australian black coal mining over the past 30 years has been provided by Ham. While sporadic in nature, some of these incidents have had high impact resulting in loss of life.
Coal fires in Indonesia
In Kalimantan, formerly the Borneo island of Indonesia, slash and burn is a widely-used and easy method to claim cultivable land from forests. Sometimes the fires get out of control, and become widespread. Lightning strikes may also ignite forest fires. Such forest fires sometimes ignite the coal seams that are close to the surface which become very difficult to extinguish because they often ignite in the peat layer. In East Kalimantan, baked rocks were found close to a coal seam which, using the technique of thermo-luminescence, dated the fire to 13,000 years BP. The existence of coal fires in southern Sumatra is also familiar to the coal fire research community. It has been assumed that these ancient coal fires were initially ignited by lightning. In Indonesia, the combination of violent forest fires, frequent lightning and a warm climate favour the spontaneous combustion in exposed layers of coal and peat. The collieries that have sprung up e.g. in East Kalimantan are open cut operations and fires tend to occur on the surface in areas where the coal is of lower rank – the coal deposits can be heat affected due to high geothermal gradients associated with volcanic activity and thus the rank of coal further away from such hotspots has a lower rank. Although Indonesia is the world's fifth largest coal producer, many coal operations are rather small and a large amount of coal is mined by 'petis' or illegal miners around the official collieries in the central parts of Kalimantan. Consequently, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of such fires.
Coal fires in India
Coal mining began in India in the late 18th century at Raniganj, about 250 km northwest of Calcutta in what are now the Eastern coalfields. Underground fires have been known there for the past 100 years or more and they occur in what was shallow, almost cottage industry type of mining. Studies based on Landsat 5 thermal data with inputs from topographical maps and census data show that these fires are endangering the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
The neighbouring Jharia coal belt has also experienced fires throughout many decades and, as with Raniganj, these fires are often associated with shallow underground coal dug out with basic equipment such as pick and shovel. In the past 30 years or so the rate of coal extraction from Indian mines has accelerated such that India is now the third largest coal miner in the world. Jharia along with the Raniganj coalbelt, now produces about one third of the coal in India. In addition, there is a large illegal coal economy that runs parallel to the official one and adds to the causes of coal fires.
Many researchers, such as Bhattacharya, Cracknell and Mansoor, Reddy et al., Saraf et al., Prakash et al. have worked on the Jharia coal fires. Using airborne predawn TIR (thermal infrared) and daytime multispectral data Bhattacharya et al. could distinguish the fires from the background. To detect the coal fire another attempt was made by Mukherjee et al. using pre-dawn airborne thermal data. They also attempted to estimate the depth of the fire using a linear heat flow equation. Cracknell and Mansoor first used Landsat-5 TM and NOAA-9 AVHRR data and found that night time NOAA data was quite useful to isolate the warm areas from the background. Reddy et al. used the short-wave infrared (SWIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is covered by Landsat TM bands 4, 5 and 7. They described that the hotspots found in the image corresponded well with the field measurements. In the same area, using Landsat TM bands 6 and 7, Saraf et al. found that comparatively high temperature zones must have surface fires, whereas the less warm areas should have subsurface fires. Later Prakash et al. used the Landsat TM TIR and SWIR bands to identify surface and subsurface fires separately. Based on a dual band approach for TM data, Prakash and Gupta attempted a method for calculating the area of surface fires. The main problem they faced while developing this method was reflected solar energy in the SWIR region in the daytime images.
Coal fires in China
China is the world's largest coal miner, extracting over 1 billion tonnes annually, for its own consumption. Coal fires are an immense environmental problem in northern China. A study by Huang et al. using Daedalus data, presented a frightening picture of the extent of coal fires. In Xinjinag and Ningxia Hui regions several ITC based researchers have worked on coal fires since 1986. By using pre-dawn airborne thermal scanner data, Yang identified several coal fires in these areas, which correlated well with field observations. Later Wan and Zhang carried out a detailed study in the same area. They used daytime Landsat TM band 6 (TIR) data to estimate the relative amount of solar illumination during the overpass time, which was used to correct for the effect of topography. Because the spatial resolution of Landsat 5 thermal band is quite poor (120m) and cannot detect small fires, Zhang et al. tried a sub-pixel temperature estimation method and found if a pixel has a considerablly higher temperature than that of the surrounding background, is easy to detect even if smaller than the pixel footprint. They also highlighted how a fire can be identified if the background temperature is known. Cassels attempted modeling of underground coal fire in the Kelazha area of northern China with the inputs from a 3D geological model that has returned significant results. By analyzing SWIR spectra of rocks, Zhang Jianzhong identified the burnt rocks, which is also an indication of coal fire. In 1997, Peng et al. attempted fire depth estimation in the Kelazha area. In Xinxiang province, Wang identified coal fire-affected areas with ASTER and Landsat TM data.
In the Wuda mining region, situated in Inner Mongolia, an extensive study has been done on coal fires using satellite-derived emissivity that returns a more reliable surface temperature. Because emissivity values vary somewhat with the change of landcover, satellite-derived emissivity values can increase the accuracy of kinetic surface temperature calculation which was one of the outcomes of this research.
Greenhouse gas emissions from coal fires
Over the past two centuries, anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) have increased to an alarming situation. This stead increment of GHGs in atmosphere act as a blanket that retains solar radiation in the atmosphere leading to global warming. Among the all GHGs, CO2 has a significant status in this phenomenon. Since pre-industrial era the concentration of CO2 has increased from 280ppm to 370ppm (2005 Mauna Loa annual average data). This rise in the concentration of CO2 is not only influenced by human activity such as rapid industrialization and deforestation, but also by some geo-natural events such as coal fires. The greenhouse gases, emitted from all sources, have increased the global mean surface air temperature between approximately 0.3 and 0.6ºC since the late 19th century and have caused serious consequences for low-lying coastal areas as a result of rising sea levels from both thermal expansion and melting of ground-based glacial ice..
Presently the impacts of coal fires on climate change and their contributions to global warming are increasingly getting expert attention. Recent coal fire studies in China, one of the major producers of coal, estimate that the country contributes 0.3% of the total world annual output of CO2 caused by fossil fuels. Other researchers put this amount at a much higher level, 3% of the world's total, neither of which is a negligible amount. However, the above mentioned estimations are based on indirect methods such as the total coal burnt in a certain area. Presently some hyperspectral remote sensing-based methods are being developed that use the absorption features of CO2 in a particular part of the electromagnetic spectrum to quantify CO2 emissions. Finally, coal emissions come from a combination of naturally and anthropogenically ignited coal fires. Any assessment of these from a GHG perspective should attempt to apportion these emissions into these two categories. If, however, it is viewed that any emission from fossil fuels is undesirable, this separation becomes unimportant.
Coal fire is a widespread problem with long and complex histories in most coal-producing countries. Their extent and frequency varies according to the local climate, terrain and social factors such as the prevalence of illegal mining or mining techniques. The impacts of coal fires are large and wide-ranging, extending from local (pollution) to global climate change. An important problem in coal fire studies is to determine the location, extent and intensity of the fires, and in this respect, we suggest the use of remote sensing technology. Remote sensing can play a significant role in detecting and monitoring coal fires, potentially leading to the optimization of strategies for their control and thus minimizing economic and environmental impacts. Though most researchers concentrate their study primarily on coal fire detection and monitoring, the measurement of greenhouse gases emitted from coal fires needs to be considered more seriously. The coal fire-related greenhouse gases have a significant adverse contribution to global climate. It is clear that to reduce the steadily increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, emissions related to coal fires need to be examined more intensively. However, as noted in the case histories, often coal fires are caused by multiple factors that are rooted in local socio-economic frameworks. Thus, to prevent them requires a concerted effort among social and physical scientists, as well as by governments.
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LUPUSBy Mayo Clinic Staff
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems—including your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs.Lupus can be difficult to diagnose because its signs and symptoms often mimic those of other ailments. The most distinctive sign of lupus – a facial rash that resembles the wings of a butterfly unfolding across both cheeks – occurs in many but not all cases of lupus.,Some people are born with a tendency toward developing lupus, which may be triggered by infections, certain drugs or even sunlight. While there's no cure for lupus, treatments can help control symptoms.No two cases of lupus are exactly alike. Signs and symptoms may come on suddenly or develop slowly, may be mild or severe, and may be temporary or permanent. Most people with lupus have mild disease characterized by episodes – called flares – when signs and symptoms get worse for a while, then improve or even disappear completely for a time.The signs and symptoms of lupus that you experience will depend on which body systems re affected by the disease. The most common signs and symptoms include: Fatigue and fever Joint pain, stiffness and swelling Butterfly-shaped rash on the face that covers the cheeks and bridge of the nose Skin lesions that appear or worsen with sun exposure (photosensitivity) Fingers and toes that turn white or blue when exposed to cold or during stressful periods (Raynaud's phenomenon) Shortness of breath Chest pain Dry eyes Headaches, confusion and memory lossWHEN TO SEE A DOCTORSee your doctor if you develop an unexplained rash, ongoing fever, persistent aching or fatigue.Lupus occurs when your immune system attacks healthy tissue in your body. It's likely that lupus results from a combination of your genetics and your environment. It appears that people with an inherited predisposition for lupus may develop the disease when they come into contact with something in the environment that can trigger lupus. The cause for lupus in most cases, however, is unknown. Some potential triggers include: Sunlight. Exposure to the sun may bring on lupus skin lesions or trigger an internal response in susceptible people. Infections. Having an infection can initiate lupus or cause a relapse in some people. Medications. Lupus can be triggered by certain types of anti-seizure medications, blood pressure medications and antibiotics. People who have drug-induced lupus usually see their symptoms go away when they stop taking the medication.Factors that may increase your risk of lupus include: Your Sex. Lupus is more common in women. Age. Although lupus affects people of all ages, it's most often diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40. Race. Lupus is more common in African Americans, Hispanics and Asians.Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many areas of your body, including your: Kidneys. Lupus can cause serious kidney damage, and kidney failure is one of the leading causes of death among people with lupus. Signs and symptoms of kidney problems may include generalized itching, chest pain, nausea, vomiting and leg swelling (edema). Brain and central nervous system. If your brain is affected by lupus, you may experience headaches, dizziness, behavior changes, hallucinations, and even strokes or seizures. Many people with lupus experience memory problems and may have difficulty expressing their thoughts. Blood and blood vessels. Lupus may lead to blood problems, including anemia and increased risk of bleeding or blood clotting. It can also cause inflammation of the blood vessels (vasculitis). Lungs. Having lupus increases your chances of developing an inflammation of the chest cavity lining (pleurisy), which can make breathing painful. You may also be more susceptible to pneumonia. Heart. Lupus can cause inflammation of your heart muscle, your arteries or heart membrane (pericarditis). The risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks increases greatly as well.See your doctor regularly, get adequate rest, be sun smart, get regular exercise, don't smoke, and eat a healthy diet.Excerpt from Mayo Clinic Staff
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Best Tearoom (2007)
Amate Tea Lounge
Enough with the coladas and the chain coffee stores. It's time to slow down and drink a nice cup of tea at a place owned by a local. Amate is perfect. Sit in the covered patio on a comfy orange couch or sprawl out in the bamboo-lined outdoor area. The space is a tiki-Zen mashup, but it's a welcome respite in this hardscrabble northeast neighborhood. A giant Buddha statue smiles as you peruse the long list of teas (green, black, infusions, tea with caramel, fruit infusions). They start at $2.95 (a big cup, infused tableside in a French press-like tea contraption), while larger, three-cup options run $3.95. If you're lucky and indecisive about your tea selections, the effervescent Milagro will help you choose a blend. Amate owner Emilia Pena promises to hold poetry, music, and matchmaking nights. She also stocks a small stack of games (checkers, backgammon, Parcheesi) if you're into that sort of thing. If you don't want to participate or mingle, you can always order a cup of Marrakesh mint and hunker down with your laptop: Amate offers free Internet access.
Location Details
811 NE 79th St.
Miami FL 33138
Miami FL 33138
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