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What is on the Planet's Climate Wishlist?
The Earth cannot use words to speak for itself, but if it could what would be on its climate wishlist this holiday season?
Environmental activists and climate scientists have done a good job of communicating the risks of climate change. Part of the issue is that it's a delicate balance between scaring people so thoroughly that they don't think there is anything they can do about global warming and encouraging people to make any changes that positively impact the environment, even small ones to start. Perhaps we've also underestimated the importance of personal experience.
The facts on climate change alone are not enough. We've had solid, scientific evidence for many years that global warming is man-made and happening right now. However, many people need to experience the effects for themselves in order for the light bulb to go off in their heads. Hurricane Sandy and other extreme weather events are helping people to connect the dots, but now that process has begun the question then becomes, "What next?"
We have a responsibility to be good stewards of the planet. That is what the climate needs and wants this holiday season. There are two main changes that we can undertake to fulfill the planet's climate wishlist. The first is to lower our carbon footprints. Ask yourself, do I really need to leave my lights on all day at home when I am not there? Can I combine trips in the car to drive less or take public transportation instead? What simple steps can I take to save energy and myself some money as well?
The second change is to offset the rest of your carbon footprint. There are many affordable options to make this holiday season a reality, not just for the planet, but for future generations also. Any positive steps you take are welcome and really do make a difference. Although the planet cannot use words to thank you, reducing what you can and offsetting the rest is a beautiful gift and a wonderful place to start this holiday season.
Coal Industry Mega-Player Plans for Climate Change
In a telling and ironic move, coal industry giant BHP-Billiton, is replacing one of its coal export facilities in Queensland, Australia because of its vulnerability to increasingly frequent hurricanes from global warming. BHP-Billiton is an Australian coal company that produces one-fifth of globally traded coal for steel making and is the largest mining company on Earth. The upgrade represents a major investment in planning for climate change. In fact, the company's coal operations are led by Marcus Randolph, who confirmed they are planning, "to rebuild the facility to be more durable to climate change."
Readers of this blog already know that increasingly extreme weather events are the result of climate change in addition to the fact that many businesses are planning now for climate change's effects. Why not a coal company too? The announcement makes it obvious that BHP-Billiton understands that climate change is real and the time is now to begin making changes even if the manufacture of their product contributes to the issue.
Randolph has even warned investors about the implications of remaining dependent on the non-renewable resources of fossil fuels by saying, "In a carbon constrained world where energy coal is the biggest contributor to a carbon problem, how do you think this is going to evolve over a 30- to 40-year time horizon? You'd have to look at that and say on balance, I suspect, the usage of thermal coal is going to decline. And frankly it should."
When a company that mines and exports coal starts planning for climate change it means the writing is on the wall. Businesses and individuals alike should all be working to decrease carbon footprints and offset the remaining carbon emissions. Let's give the planet a holiday present and start doing all we can this season to embrace a cleaner energy future.
CarbonFree certification from NSF International and Carbonfund.org Foundation
demonstrate product is carbon-neutral
Sprint, LG Bring Users Carbon Neutral Cell Phone in Time for the Holidays
BETHESDA, Md., Nov. 12, 2012 — The Carbonfund.org Foundation applauded the announcement by LG Electronics USA and Sprint that the LG Mach smartphone with environmentally friendlier features will be available Nov. 11.
LG Mach, available from Sprint for $99 with a two-year contract, has earned the CarbonFree® label under the rigorous product certification program offered by the Carbonfund.org Foundation and NSF International's Sustainability division.
With the CarbonFree Certified Product program, LG has offset the carbon footprint of the manufacturing of the LG Mach at no extra cost to the customer through the use of third-party verified carbon reduction projects
"Being part of the CarbonFree Certified Product program helps demonstrate LG's overarching commitment to the environment" said Tom Bruursema, General Manager of NSF Sustainability.
"With its new CarbonFree certified mobile phone, LG is helping to fight climate change and continuing to provide consumers with cutting-edge products" stated Carbonfund.org president Eric Carlson.
The LG Mach is the latest carbon neutral product in a line of CarbonFree certified offerings. LG Electronics was the first in its industry to distribute home appliances, solar panels and other consumer electronics that were part of the CarbonFree Certified Product Program. These CarbonFreeCertified Products represent another step in LG's commitment to environmental sustainability and energy-efficient products and services, including a wide range of ENERGY STAR® -qualified appliances and electronics products.
# # #
About LG Electronics USA: LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $49 billion global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative mobile phones, home entertainment products, home appliances, and air conditioning systems and energy solutions, all under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. LG Electronics is a 2012 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year. For more information, please visit www.lg.com.
About Carbonfund.org Foundation: Carbonfund.org is a leading nonprofit climate solutions organization, making it easy and affordable for individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their climate impact and hasten our transition to a low-carbon economy. Carbonfund.org supports innovative renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry projects globally that reduce carbon emissions and help people. Carbonfund.org has worked with over 2,000 corporate and nonprofit partners. More at www.carbonfund.org.
About NSF International: NSF International is an independent organization that writes standards, tests and certifies products for the construction, food, water and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (nsf.org). NSF Sustainability (inserted hyperlink) draws upon this expertise in standards development, product assurance and certification, advisory services and quality management systems to help companies green their products, operations, systems and supply chains. Product assessments include testing and certification for sustainable products such as green chemicals and building products. Through its National Center for Sustainability Standards, NSF also develops sustainability standards for products such as carpet, flooring, and other commercial building materials.
US to Cut Carbon Emissions Despite Cap-and-Trade Failure
It was a sad day in 2010 when Congress failed to pass cap-and-trade legislation. However, a study by Dallas Burtraw, a senior fellow at Resources for the Future, released this month says that the failure had the unexpected consequence of helping to lower greenhouse gas emissions. There are two reasons why U.S. carbon dioxide emissions are likely to be lower by 2020: regulatory measures and market changes.
This is not to say that there is no need for cap-and-trade or a carbon tax. On the contrary, they are still necessary to achieve long-term cuts in emissions and to help establish worldwide support on the issue of climate change. The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES) was an energy bill that would cap the amount of carbon dioxide power plants and manufacturers could emit, and set up a system to trade for carbon offsets.
When ACES failed in the Senate after receiving approval in the House of Representatives, a series of piecemeal measures were put into place. This hodgepodge of regulatory measures put the U.S. on track to meet a pledge set by President Obama of cutting climate change emissions by 17 percent by the end of this decade. The first of which this blog already covered is Groundbreaking Fuel Economy Standards. President Obama pushed for higher vehicle fuel efficiency standards with automakers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) when ACES died in the Senate. Also, the president is pressing for higher emission standards on coal-fired power plants.
Further regulatory measures in the wake of national cap-and-trade's demise include California and some Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states establishing their own cap-and-trade programs, and 29 states setting clean-energy requirements for utilities.
Market changes putting the U.S. on the path to lower carbon emissions by 2020 have been covered by this blog also. Low natural gas prices have been shifting the market away from dirtier coal as power plants' fuel of choice.
If ACES, also called the Waxman-Markey Bill, had passed the law would have barred the EPA from issuing carbon standards for power plants, refineries or factories. Furthermore, it may have very well headed off establishing the higher vehicle fuel efficiency standards. Lastly, under a national cap-and-trade program, any regional or state efforts would be offset by increased emissions elsewhere.
So the planet still needs further, faster and more wide ranging cuts in fossil-fuel use, but the U.S. is on the right path to curbing carbon emissions with the help of some regulatory measures and market changes.
Welcoming Macmillan Publishing
Carbonfund.org Foundation Welcomes Macmillan Publishing to the Large Business Partnership Program.
Macmillan is a group of publishing companies in the United States held by Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck, which is based in Stuttgart, Germany. American publishers include Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Henry Holt & Company, W.H. Freeman and Worth Publishers, Palgrave Macmillan, Bedford/St. Martin's, Picador, Roaring Brook Press, St. Martin's Press, Tor Books, and Macmillan Higher Education.
As a key component of its sustainability initiative, Macmillan has set a goal to reduce the CO2 emissions generated by its annual business activities by 65% (over a 2009 baseline) by the year 2020. This includes the carbon emissions mitigation through Carbonfund.org including supporting renewable energy, forestry and biodiversity preservation.
Macmillan is well on track toward realizing this ambitious goal through the programs and actions undertaken to date. Some examples are:
- Rationalizing sourcing of paper based on the CO2 profile of the various mills that manufacturer the specific grades that Macmillan uses in printing its books.
- By mid-2013, completing the 3-year transition of their car fleet to 90%+ hybrid vehicles which will result in a reduction of over 800 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year from associated fuel savings.
- Significant investment in lighting retrofits at distribution/returns facilities that are 45-50% more energy efficient than the replaced configurations.
"Sustainability is part of the very mission of our company. Not just as a press release, not just around the edges, but in the very fabric of the place. It is as important as growth, as important as profitability. It may even be more important."
"While we've made great headway in reducing emissions in those areas under our immediate control, we know it will take a longer horizon to gain the required savings in areas where we wield influence, but cannot drive change just by force of will. That's why we have pursued a partnership with Carbonfund.org to mitigate our total annual emissions by offsetting approximately 25% of that total through our sponsorship and support of several of the creative, verified, and geographically diverse programs that they administer," says John Sargent, CEO of Macmillan.
Macmillan sets an important example for the publishing industry in both internal and external carbon reduction initiatives.
About Macmillan (http://us.macmillan.com)
News Corporation Overwhelmingly Misleading on Climate Change
Five years ago the CEO of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch, claimed that news coverage of climate change in his media outlets would improve gradually. However, a recent study indicates that not only has that not happened, but that the preponderance of climate change information on Fox News primetime and in the Wall Street Journal's opinion page is overwhelmingly misleading.
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), a science-policy nonprofit, analyzed six months of global warming discussions on Fox News primetime programs (February 2012 to July 2012) and one year of Wall Street Journal op-eds (August 2011 to July 2012). UCS found that climate science was inaccurately covered in 93 percent of Fox News primetime programs and 81 percent of Wall Street Journal editorials.
The analysis found denial that climate change is caused by humans, dismissals of climate science as a legitimate science, and derogatory comments about select scientists. The worst part is that this misleading coverage encourages scientific distrust and portrays climate change as a left-wing idea, rather than based on scientific facts.
How many people are misled about climate science by these media outlets? Well the number is in the multi-millions. In 2011, Fox News Channel (FNC) was the United States' most popular cable news channel. During prime time, FNC reaches a median of 1.9 million people plus. The Wall Street Journal has over 2 million daily readers and the largest circulation among American newspapers.
There is nothing wrong with fully examining and debating the merits of policies aimed at addressing climate change. However, it is ludicrous and irresponsible to deny the overwhelming body of scientific evidence that climate change is man-made and happening right now.
The analysis shows that sadly these media groups continue to waste time and effort that could be put to better use in combating climate change. Readers of this blog already know that global warming is man-made and many are putting their energies toward what they can do about it by supporting organizations such as Carbonfund.org. These climate change leaders seek out quick and affordable ways for individuals and businesses to calculate and offset the carbon emissions they generate.
The science is clear. Invest in renewable energy sources and support reforestation projects because the time is now to build a clean energy future.
Eco Alkalines™ Batteries Renew Commitment to Going Carbon Neutral With the CarbonFree® Product Certification Program Administered by NSF International
ANN ARBOR, Mich., BETHESDA, Md. & BARRIE, Ontario, Canada (September 18, 2012) - Carbonfund.org Foundation and NSF International are pleased to announce the renewal of LEI Electronics' Eco Alkalines™ batteries into the CarbonFree® Product Certification Program. In addition to completing a carbon footprint, the batteries continue to meet and exceed some of the most important international standards such as PAS 2050 (carbon label standard) and ISO 14044 (life cycle assessment standard).
LEI's Eco Alkalines™ batteries are entering their third year under the CarbonFree® Product Certification Program offered through NSF International's Sustainability Division. CarbonFree® certified products are available in multiple countries and LEI reports increasing sales as the product continues to gain acceptance from consumers seeking a cleaner way to meet their battery needs. For example, retailers such as Best Buy, Costco, Grainger, Walmart, Amazon, The Home Depot and many others are recognizing the value of these batteries and offering them to their eco-conscious customers. Commercial customers also report using LEI's Eco Alkalines™ batteries to assist in meeting their green goals.
LEI Electronics Eco Alkalines™ batteries may also contribute to earning LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credits. LEED was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to provide building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operation and maintenance solutions. LEED is based on a credit system and points are allocated based on the potential environmental impacts and human benefits of each credit. Under the current LEED credit system, Eco Alkalines™ batteries may contribute to earning one prerequisite and one point under the LEED category of Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (EBOM) rating system.
Lionel Lalonde, Partner and Vice President of Sales at Eco Alkalines™, credits their steadily increasing sales to the growing consumer demand for sustainable products and the competitive market edge and product confidence associated with the CarbonFree® Product Certification Program. "Certification sets us apart from our competitors," says Lalonde. "We are currently the world's only disposable alkaline battery with this certification. We have found that certification has helped to increase our market share and create customer and brand loyalty among consumers who are seeking to purchase and use eco-friendly products."
CarbonFree® certification also lends credibility to Eco Alkalines™, a relatively newer brand, in a marketplace of well-known battery products. "Although many products claim to be 'green' or 'eco-friendly,' these terms are often used loosely or without a clear description of what that means. We wanted third-party verification from two trusted and recognizable organizations – Carbonfund.org and NSF International - so that consumers would understand and have faith in our green claims," added Lalonde.
Eric Carlson, President of Carbonfund.org Foundation, agrees, "Eco Alkalines™ batteries are an important solution to climate change, providing consumers a simple and affordable way to meet their daily needs while limiting their impact on our environment and supporting innovative carbon-reducing projects globally. Eco Alkalines™ is continuing its commitment to environmental protection and proof positive that what is good for the planet is also good business."
"By maintaining its CarbonFree® certification through NSF International, LEI's Eco Alkalines™ batteries continue to lead the disposable battery industry to a more sustainable future and provide businesses and consumers with a certified carbon neutral battery that will help them achieve their green building and sustainability goals," said Tom Bruursema, General Manager of NSF Sustainability.
Manufactured with 0 percent mercury, lead, and cadmium, Eco Alkalines™ batteries set the standard for responsible disposable alkaline batteries. Eco Alkalines™ brand batteries have ZERO of these heavy metals while all other batteries carry at least one or more of these toxic elements. Eco Alkalines™ batteries use recycled materials where possible and contain 98 percent plus recyclable content. While they are considered landfill safe, recycling is still advised where available. Eco Alkalines™ also have a patented leak resistant seal, ensuring they will not leak into devices.
Visit Eco Alkalines™ at the annual Greenbuild Conference November 14-15 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, Calif. Or learn more by visiting: www.leiproducts.com/eco-alkalines.
About LEI: LEI was established as Logitech Electronics Inc. in 1988. LEI quickly grew to a flourishing import, wholesale, and distribution business with offices in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Shenzhen to support the growing North American business. In addition to the domestic business LEI provided private label products for KOSS Corporation, Sanyo Canada and in excess of 500 private label products for the former RadioShack Canada. Today LEI is an ISO 9001:2008 registered company. They specialize in brand development, global sourcing, web fulfillment, and distribution with an emphasis on eco-friendly products.
AboutCarbonfund.org Foundation: Carbonfund.org is a leading nonprofit climate solutions organization, making it easy and affordable for individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their climate impact and hasten our transition to a low-carbon economy. Carbonfund.org supports innovative renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry projects globally that reduce carbon emissions and help people. Carbonfund.org has worked with over 2,000 corporate and nonprofit partners. More at www.carbonfund.org.
About NSF International: NSF International is an independent organization that writes standards, tests and certifies products for the construction, food, water and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment.
NSF Sustainability draws upon this expertise in standards development, product assurance and certification, advisory services and quality management systems to help companies green their products, operations, systems and supply chains. Product assessments include testing and certification for sustainable products such as green chemicals and building products. Through its National Center for Sustainability Standards, NSF also develops sustainability standards for products such as carpet, flooring, and other commercial building materials.
Additional NSF services include Education and Training, safety audits for the food and water industries, nutritional/dietary supplement certification, organic certification provided by QAI (Quality Assurance International) and management systems registrations delivered through NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR). NSF-ISR services include ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems registration, Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Chain of Custody (COC) certifications.
Helping Arizona Go Green and Save Green
Carbonfund.org supports several carbon reduction and energy efficiency projects such as the Truck Stop Electrification system, a project that is supported in part by Clean Air Cab's fleet emissions neutralization program.
Clean Air Cab is central Arizona's first carbon-neutral taxicab fleet; they partner with Carbonfund.org to calculate and neutralize the carbon emissions generated by its fleet of Toyota Priuses.
"We chose Carbonfund.org because unlike most companies selling offsets, Carbonfund.org is a non-profit. Clean Air Cab believes in giving back and we are happy to support a non-profit organization," affirms Clean Air Cab founder, Steve Lopez.
The company started by selecting the Toyota Prius, a fuel efficient vehicle for its taxicab fleet. A Ford Crown Victoria, the "traditional" taxicab vehicle, produces two and half times the amount of CO2 per year compared to the 2010 Toyota Prius. But the Prius still creates carbon emissions, so each quarter Clean Air Cab checks its total fleet mileage with Carbonfund.org to ensure that it has secured a sufficient quantity of carbon credits to completely neutralize fleet emissions.
Clean Air Cab's mission "to make it affordable and convenient for everyone to go green" is in lockstep with Carbonfund.org. We are happy to partner with an environmentally conscientious company that provides a carbon neutral transportation alternative to central Arizona communities.
Climate Change Effects: The Power to Ruin Our Children's Futures
More than a couple of our past blog posts have covered how increasingly extreme weather is the product of climate change. However, have you stopped to ask yourself what that really means? How will climate change affect us and future generations? What things that we currently enjoy will be unavailable to our children?
A recent article covers some things that global warming is likely to ruin for our kids; things such as coffee, chocolate, strawberries. And the list isn't limited to agricultural food items. Say goodbye to blazing fast Wi-Fi. Also your favorite vacation spot or even your home may be underwater in a few, short decades time. The country you live in may disappear. The article has some shocking images of Greenland melting away.
So what's it going to take to help preserve the Earth as we know it? Global carbon emissions need to be reduced 80% by 2050. The U.S. has already pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by approximately 17%. Eventually legislation will be enacted increasing the goal to a 30% reduction in 2025 and a 42% reduction in 2030, with the ultimate goal of reducing emissions 83% by 2050.
Do your part in reducing carbon emissions and getting us closer to meeting the goals outlined above. Start by switching your Internet browser to www.envirosearch.org. Your regular, daily Internet search activities will begin contributing to renewable energy, reforestation, and energy efficiency projects. Then go to www.carbonfund.org for ideas on how to reduce your carbon footprint and offset carbon emissions. By working together, and each doing our part, we can change the fate of the planet.
Climate Change Unimportant Issue to Generation X
A recently published study out of the University of Michigan examined Generation X's views on climate change and found them to be largely unconcerned with the issue.
The Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY) releases a quarterly research report and has followed the same 4,000 people for 25 years. Originally, in 1987, 5,900 students were selected from a national sample of 7th and 10th graders in 50 U.S. public school systems.
Generation X now comprises 32-52 year olds who are the most well-educated and scientifically savvy generation in U.S. history. However, the LSAY shows dwindling interest in climate change as it is a complex and long-term issue. The study compared responses from 2009 and 2011 and found that a scant two percent of those aged 37 to 40 follow climate change "very closely". This was a 50 percent drop from 2009 results. Over half said they follow climate change "not closely." More than 40 percent say they have only a "moderate concern" about global warming.
The most disturbing part of the report points to a disregard for future generations. Most do not see climate change as an immediate problem that requires their attention to address. A large percentage, 66 percent, said they aren't sure that global warming is happening. About 10 percent even outright deny global warming is actually happening.
Why is Generation X disengaged, disinterested, or even openly disbelieving regarding climate change? The answer is as multifaceted as global warming itself. Disinterest in climate change is surely due in part to a massive and unprecedented disinformation campaign by oil and gas interests and conservative media outlets spanning more than a decade, even as the overwhelming scientific record points squarely to climate change. Some experts theorize issue fatigue may be the cause when a problem is long-standing. Others point to the complexity in understanding the underlying causes and potential solutions for climate change as a barrier to engagement with the issue. Still another potential answer is the distraction by other timely public policy issues. For example, interest in the economy experienced an upsurge following the Great Recession that began in 2008 to the detriment of environmental issues.
Whatever the reason, there is something every person in all generations can do to help save our planet. One easy and fast way to protect the environment is to switch your Internet browser to www.envirosearch.org. You'll be contributing to renewable energy, reforestation, and energy efficiency projects through you regular, daily Internet search activities. Another simple step is to use an emissions calculator to determine your personal contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Then reduce your carbon footprint, plant a tree, or offset your carbon emissions.
Download and read the entire study here http://lsay.org/GenX-4.pdf.


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- Oklahoma City Deadly Tornado
- Jun 9:
- In wake of tornado tragedies, search on for better timing of warnings
- Jun 3:
- Severe storms hit East Coast as Oklahoma continues to assess damage
- Jun 2:
- Nine died when Oklahoma residents opted to flee tornadoes
- May 28:
- Storm chasers undaunted after deadly Oklahoma tornado
- May 27:
- Obama tours tornado-hit Oklahoma town: "We've got your back"
- May 22:
- Colorado storm researchers were near as tornado hit Moore, Oklahoma
- Oklahoma City rescue workers raced to finish search for tornado survivors
- Colorado sends help to tornado-ravaged Oklahoma
- Teachers credited with saving students' lives during Oklahomas tornado
- May 21:
- How tornadoes form, where they form and why they're so deadly
- Okla. Senator says tornado aid should be paid for
- More tornadoes from global warming? Nobody knows
- Obama pledges urgent aid to Oklahoma town
MOORE, Okla. — With its single-story design and cinder-block walls, Plaza Towers Elementary School might have seemed sturdy when it was built a couple of generations ago. But a powerful tornado revealed the building's lack of modern safety standards, destroying the school and killing seven students. Unlike several other schools in the Oklahoma City area, Plaza Towers had no "safe room" in which students and teachers could seek protection from a twister.
The federal government offers money to schools in some states if they decide to install the reinforced rooms. But doing so can still be a daunting financial decision, requiring up to a $1 million for a single storm shelter that might never be needed. That dollars-and-cents reality has resulted in a patchwork of protection in tornado-prone areas — sometimes with tragic results.
Photos: Tornado hits Oklahoma City
In response to the tornado that plowed through Moore, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin announced Wednesday the creation of a state fund to accept donations for the construction of safe rooms, which are fortified by deep foundations, thick concrete walls and steel doors designed to withstand winds of 250 mph.
Separately, a member of the state House of Representatives proposed creating a $500 million bond issue to pay for storm shelters at public schools and in private homes across the state.
"From the public, it's been a huge outcry," said state Rep. Joe Dorman, a Democrat from rural Rush Springs, about 60 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. "We need to do something to require storm shelters in schools, especially in the vulnerable areas where there have been tornado outbreaks."
Oklahoma, which has averaged more than 50 tornadoes per year since record-keeping began in 1950, is in the heart of tornado alley. State officials asserted Wednesday that they had done more than their counterparts in any other state to encourage construction of community safe rooms and home storm shelters.
More than 100 Oklahoma schools have already received federal grant money for safe rooms, said the head of the state's emergency management agency.
Yet most schools still lack them. The reason: the cost, which can range from a few hundred thousand dollars to more than $1 million, depending on the size of the room. For some cash-strapped districts, that could equal the annual salary of nearly an entire school's teaching staff.
Federal Emergency Management Agency grants distributed by states can cover 75 percent of the cost of safe rooms, but local schools still must come up with the rest. Some school districts have issued bonds, backed by tax revenues, to ease the burden. Even that has limits.
The Choctaw-Nicoma Park School District, which teaches about 5,500 children northeast of Moore, recently used bond money to build safe rooms at five of its nine school buildings. Two additional schools are close enough to the improved buildings that students could run to the storm shelter with just a few minutes of warning. But two elementary schools are without modern safe rooms, said Superintendent Jim McCharen.
"Certainly, when we are able to get some type of assistance or do another school bond issue, both of those schools are slated to get additional classrooms" that can double as safe rooms, McCharen said.
In other places, school districts have built gymnasiums or music rooms that can serve as safe rooms during a storm.
A massive tornado destroyed six schools and badly damaged four others on May 22, 2011, in Joplin, Mo., though none of the buildings was occupied because it was a Sunday.
As Joplin began to rebuild, officials decided to put tornado shelters in all 13 of their schools, including those that were not destroyed. All of the shelters will double as gymnasiums.

subset: commoncrawl


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May 2, 2016
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Kenyon Coleman is out for the season with a torn triceps muscle in his left arm.
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Monday that Coleman will be placed on injured reserve and have surgery.
The 11th-year pro sustained the injury during the third quarter of Sunday's 38-23 victory at Philadelphia.
Coleman started seven games this season, missing two with a knee injury. The 33-year-old could become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Defensive end Sean Lissemore could return this week after missing most of the past five games with a high ankle sprain.
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The Power of Independent Thinking
Jose Yulo: Western Civilization & Thought
Recorded: Monday, July 7, 2014
Jose Yulo discusses the history of western civilization and ways of thinking about morality and economics.
For information on The Challenge of Liberty Summer Seminar, click here.
Experts: José Maria J. YuloType: Challenge of Liberty SeminarsIssues: Civil Liberties/ Human Rights, Culture/ Society, Democracy, Economic History and Development (International), Economic Policy, Economists, Fiscal Policy/Debt, Freedom, Political Ideology and Philosophy
Art Carden Talks Price Gouging on Stossel
Recorded: Thursday, November 1, 2012
Research Fellow Art Carden on Stossel discusses the positive aspects of price gouging during natural disasters.
Experts: Art CardenType: TelevisionIssues: Business, Economic Policy, Economists, Free Market Economics, Law Enforcement
Art Carden on Stossel
Recorded: Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Research Fellow Art Carden on Stossel to discuss the topic What you think you know...may not be so.
Experts: Art CardenType: TelevisionIssues: Agriculture, Economic Policy, Education, Free Market Economics, Trade
José Yulo on Ethics and Liberty
2011 Summer Seminars for College Students
Recorded: Monday, August 1, 2011
This presentation is from our 2011 Challenge of Liberty Summer Seminar for college students, which was held from August 1 to 5, 2011, at Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, California.
View videos and more information about the Summer Seminars.
Experts: José Maria J. YuloType: Challenge of Liberty SeminarsIssues: Economic History and Development (U.S.), Economists, Government Power, History (U.S), Political Ideology and Philosophy
Art Carden on Taxation as Theft
Recorded: Monday, April 18, 2011
Art Carden, Research Fellow at the Independent Institute, explains on Freedom Watch why taxation, despite some of its publicized good intentions, is essentially legalized theft.
Experts: Art CardenType: TelevisionIssues: Taxes
Understanding Today's Economy: A Summer-Seminar Preview for Teens and Their Parents
Recorded: Thursday, May 20, 2010
– Monday, January 1, 1900
Part 1 |
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 1: Introductory Remarks by David Theroux
Part 2: Why Economics Matters more than Ever with Gregory Rehmke
Part 3: Healthcare Reform: a Principled Critique by Michael Winther
Experts: Anthony Gregory, Gregory Rehmke, Emily C. Skarbek, David J. Theroux, Michael Winther, José Maria J. YuloType: Independent Institute EventIssues: Free Market Economics, Political Ideology and Philosophy
The Philosophical Origins of Truth and Freedom
Recorded: Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Part 1 |
Part 2
Part 3
Experts: José Maria J. YuloType: Independent Institute EventIssues: Political Ideology and Philosophy


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The Power of Independent Thinking
How Rising College Costs Hurt Families and Society
Recorded: Monday, December 24, 2012
Research Fellow Vicki Alger discusses the increasing debt burden of student loans and the state of college finances in an interview with Joy Pullman on Heartland.
Experts: Vicki E. AlgerType: RadioIssues: Culture/ Society, Economic Policy, Education, Labor and Employment
Innovative Solutions for Iraq
Recorded: Thursday, February 16, 2006
The recent elections in Iraq have not resolved the main problems therea constitutional crisis, continued terrorism, a potent Sunni rebellion, and fighting between religious and ethnic groups that could result in a full-blown civil war. Is the Iraq war a hopeless quagmire that has been lost, or can the U.S. still foster a united, peaceful and prosperous Iraq?
Experts: Peter Brookes, Ivan Eland, Lawrence J. Korb, Lt. Gen. William E. Odom (Ret.), D. Gareth PorterType: Independent Institute EventIssues: Defense and Foreign Policy


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Explore the islands of the North Atlantic with our new feature page.
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text:
|Photo via Refinery 29 by Sara Kerens
|Photo via Karen Walker
|Photo via Refinery 29 by Sara Kerens
|Photo via Karen Walker
and so they SHOULD!
much more fun to look at than most of the front-rowers i've seen!
yey, advanced style ladies! you rock!
Love them, they were totally cool, your blog keeps inspiring me, style truly is not a matter of age and I can only dream about having such a cool style and attitude when I grow older ! <3 Perfect pics !
Fashion and Cookies
LOVE these photos and you look awesome too Ari... Just wonderful! Thanks for sharing...glad to see the girls getting some celebrity status!!
Hugs Giggles
Advanced Style prove that fashion has no age bar. It;s really awesome idea as well as post also.
I would be staring at them instead of the runway. More depth. xo
You all are the true show stopper to watch, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
When will I be ablet o visit you? ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
The ladies and you look fabulous.
Very cool, age really should not preclude someone to stay beautiful and stylish ...
Such great inspiration, I absolutely love your blog! :)
Joey xo


text:
Ari Ashe, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – The Intercounty Connector, a highway that stretches between Gaithersburg and Laurel in Maryland, could see an increase in its speed limit this year.
An engineering study found the speed limit of the highway could be raised from its current limit of 55 mph to 60 mph.
The ICC, which opened in 2011, gives commuters a quick way to get from Interstate 270 to Interstate 95.
"We wanted to have one year of actual operating experience before we looked at speed limits at all," Maryland Transportation Authority Executive Secretary Harold M. Bartlett tells WTOP.
Bartlett says he thinks there is a very good chance the speed limit will be raised to 60 mph, but that the MdTA needs to examine some additional factors.
"That study concluded there is a potential to raise the limit, but it also concluded we must do a detailed crash analysis," says Bartlett.
"I just want to make sure we have everything ready before we go ahead and implement that, because the most important thing we do is safety."
The Intercounty Connector has yet to see a fatal crash. Raising the speed limit from 55 mph to 60 mph would shave 90 seconds on an end-to-end trip.
The full report of the accident review is expected to be completed by the end of February. If the MdTA decides to increase the speed, it will take two to four months to go into effect.
Follow @ariasheWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2013 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
Recipes that will make your mouth water.


text:
Baldwin 6426412LFD
Distressed Venetian Bronze Kensington Full Dummy Left Handed Handleset
Item # BCI1597092 | Model # 6426412LFD | Kensington Collection
Use Coupon: BALDWIN30
Questions about Baldwin 6426412LFD?
Contact us for advice or more details. Our product specialists are here to help.
Tubular Kensington Full Dummy Left Handed Handleset
Baldwin was born in America, and in the spirit of its birthplace, strives constantly to achieve a rich combination of Timeless Craftsmanship and timely good taste. For more than 50 years, Baldwin has successfully aimed at setting new standards of excellence in its products for the home and workplace.
This left hand lever features a non-functioning lever for both sides of the door. Dummy function is surface mounted and not functional except as a pull. This is perfect for the inactive leaf of a double door, or anywhere else a latch is not needed.
- Finishes match those of other Baldwin products for unity of design.
- Polished and Finished By Hand!
- Manufactured using solid forged Brass.
- Baldwin products feature the highest quality and craftsmanship that has been respected for generations.
Additional Baldwin Links
This Baldwin item can also be referenced by the following color/finish specific model #:
- Baldwin 6426038LFD*
Aged Brass
- Baldwin 6426151LFD
Antique Nickel
- Baldwin 6426452LFD
Distressed Antique Nickel
- Baldwin 6426402LFD
Distressed Oil Rubbed Bronze
- Baldwin 6426412LFD
Distressed Venetian Bronze
- Baldwin 6426034LFD
Lacquered Vintage Brass
- Baldwin 6426003LFD
Lifetime Polished Brass
- Baldwin 6426055LFD
Lifetime Polished Nickel
- Baldwin 6426056LFD
Lifetime Satin Nickel
- Baldwin 6426031LFD*
Non-Lacquered Brass
- Baldwin 6426102LFD
Oil Rubbed Bronze
- Baldwin 6426190LFD
Satin Black
- Baldwin 6426040LFD
Satin Brass
- Baldwin 6426050LFD
Satin Brass and Black
- Baldwin 6426060LFD
Satin Brass and Brown
- Baldwin 6426264LFD*
Satin Chrome
- Baldwin 6426150LFD
Satin Nickel
- Baldwin 6426112LFD
Venetian Bronze
- Baldwin 6426033LFD
Vintage Brass
*Discontinued model or finish
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Discover the best online deals for the Baldwin 6426.LFD and everything else for your home from the leading online home improvement store.
We're committed to providing you with the best assortment of Baldwin products with over 400 warehouses across the country.
Our knowledgeable product specialists work to bring you the best prices on every product and provide unmatched customer service. Your satisfaction is our highest priority!


text:
Welcome to the forum!
Hey all, I ran across this site in a Google search and decided to join up. I'm in Albuquerque, and my wife and I just completed a CCW course last weekend. I have owned a Glock 23 for a couple of years now, but am not really in love with it. I'm thinking of selling/trading it and getting a more compact 9mm for carry purposes. The H&K P2000SK and Walther PPS are at the top of my list, but I may also explore the world of small caliber revolvers (I qualified .40 SA & .45 R).
So, as you can see I have several questions that I plan to do some searching and/or posting about in the near future.
Welcome to the forum!
Hi and welcome neighbor......JJ
Welcome from Oklahoma. It's hard to beat the H&K.
Welcome to the site!
"Placement is power" -- seen in an article by Stephen A. Camp
(RIP, Mr. Camp; you will be remembered, and missed)
Hello, ask when ready.


text:
May 2, 2016
Federal and North Carolina emergency officials say they're trying to get the word out about government assistance available to people whose homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed by last month's tornadoes.
Michael Bolch with the Federal Emergency Management Agency told lawmakers about recovery efforts during Monday's first meeting of a legislative panel examining whether more needs to be done to help storm victims. The tornadoes killed 24 people and seriously injured more than 130.
Bolch said about $6.5 million in grants and low-interest loans have been offered so far to displaced residents and business owners.
Legislators from the hardest-hit areas say they're worried many people are turning away from assistance because they qualify for loans, not grants. Bolch said FEMA can't force anyone to receive assistance.
Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
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text:
Area: 233,000 sq. mi.
Cities: Capital--Kiev (often transliterated as Kyiv from Ukrainian, pop. 2.8 million). Other cities--Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Odesa, Lviv.
Terrain: A vast plain mostly bounded by the Carpathian mountains in the southwest and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov in the South.
Climate: Continental temperate, except in southern Crimea, which has a sub-tropical climate.
Population (est.): 47.42 million.
Nationality: Noun--Ukrainian(s); adjective--Ukrainian.
Ethnic groups: Ukrainians, Russians, Belarusians, Moldovans, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Jews, Poles, Crimean Tatars, and other groups.
Religions: Ukrainian Orthodoxy, Ukrainian Greek Catholicism, Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Islam, others.
Languages: Ukrainian (official), Russian, others.
Education: Literacy--98%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--22/1,000; life expectancy--61.6 yrs. males, 72.8 yrs. females.
Work force: 23 million. Industry and construction--32%; agriculture and forestry--24%; health, education, and culture--17%; transport and communication--7%.
Type: Presidential-parliamentary.
Independence: August 24, 1991.
Constitution: First post-Soviet constitution adopted June 28, 1996.
Branches: Executive--president, prime minister, cabinet. Legislative--450-member unicameral parliament, the Supreme Rada (members elected to 4-year terms). Judicial--Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, local courts, and Constitutional Court.
Political parties: Wide range of active political parties and blocs, from leftist to center and center-right to ultra-nationalist.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Administrative subdivisions: 24 provinces (oblasts), Crimean autonomous republic, and two cities with special status--Kiev and Sevastopol.
Nominal GDP (2004 est.): $62.77 billion.
Annual growth rate (2004 gov. est.):10.5%.
Nominal per capita GDP (2004 est.): $1324.
Natural resources: Vast fertile lands, coal, ironstone, complex ore, various large mineral deposits, timber.
Agriculture: Products--Grain, sugar, sunflower seeds.
Industry: Types--Ferrous metals and products, oil and gas transport, coke, fertilizer, airplanes, turbines, metallurgical equipment, diesel locomotives, tractors.
Trade (2003): Exports--$23.07 billion: Ferrous and nonferrous metals, mineral products, chemicals, energy transport services, machinery, transport equipment, grain, and textiles. Imports--$23.02 billion: Energy, mineral fuel and oil, machinery and parts, transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles, and paper.
The population of Ukraine is about 47.42 million. Ethnic Ukrainians make up about 73% of the total; ethnic Russians number about 22%, ethnic Belarusians number about 5%. The industrial regions in the east and southeast are the most heavily populated, and the urban population makes up about 67% of the population. Ukrainian and Russian are the principal languages. Although Russian is very widely spoken, in the 1989 census (the latest official figures) 88% of the population identified Ukrainian as their native language. The dominant religions are the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (which practices Orthodox rites but recognizes the Pope as head of the Church). The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is divided between a Moscow Patriarchy and a separate Kiev Patriarchy, which was established after Ukrainian independence and which declared independence from Moscow. In addition to these, there are also the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church and representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.
The birth rate of Ukraine is declining. About 70% of adult Ukrainians have a secondary or higher education. Ukraine has about 150 colleges and universities, of which the most important are at Kiev, Lviv, and Kharkiv. There are about 70,000 scholars in 80 research institutes.
The first identifiable groups to populate what is now Ukraine were Cimmerians, Scythians, Sarmatians, and Goths, among other nomadic peoples who arrived throughout the first millennium B.C. These peoples were well known to colonists and traders in the ancient world, including Greeks and Romans, who established trading outposts that eventually became city-states. Slavic tribes occupied central and eastern Ukraine in the sixth century A.D. and played an important role in the establishment of Kiev. Situated on lucrative trade routes, Kiev quickly prospered as the center of the powerful state of Kievan Rus. In the 11th century, Kievan Rus was, geographically, the largest state in Europe. Christian missionaries, Cyril and Methodius, propagated the Christian faith and the Cyrillic alphabet. Kievan Rus Prince Volodymyr converted the Kievan nobility and most of the population to Christianity in 988. Conflict among the feudal lords led to decline in the 12th century. Mongol raiders razed Kiev in the 13th century.
Most of the territory of what is modern Ukraine was annexed by Poland and Lithuania in the 14th century, but during that time, Ukrainians began to conceive of themselves as a distinct people, a feeling that survived subsequent partitioning by greater powers over the next centuries. Ukrainian peasants who fled the Polish effort to force them into servitude came to be known as Cossacks and earned a reputation for their fierce martial spirit and love of freedom. In 1667, Ukraine was partitioned between Poland and Russia. In 1793, when Poland was partitioned, much of modern-day Ukraine was integrated into the Russian Empire.
The 19th century found the region largely agricultural, with a few cities and centers of trade and learning. The region was under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the extreme west and the Russian Empire elsewhere. Ukrainian writers and intellectuals were inspired by the nationalistic spirit stirring other European peoples existing under other imperial governments and were determined to revive Ukrainian linguistic and cultural traditions and reestablish a Ukrainian state. Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861), national hero of Ukraine, presented the intellectual maturity of the Ukrainian language and culture through his work as a poet and artist. Imperial Russia, however, imposed strict limits on attempts to elevate Ukrainian culture, even banning the use and study of the Ukrainian language.
When World War I and the Russian revolution shattered the Habsburg and Russian empires, Ukrainians declared independent statehood. In 1917 the Central Rada proclaimed Ukrainian autonomy and in 1918, following the Bolshevik seizure of power in Petrograd, the Ukrainian National Republic declared independence under President Mykhaylo Hrushevsky. After three years of conflict and civil war, however, the western part of Ukrainian territory was incorporated into Poland, while the larger, central and eastern regions were incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1922 as the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.
The Ukrainian national idea persevered during the twenties, but with Stalin's rise to power and the campaign for collectivization, the Soviet leadership imposed a campaign of terror that ravaged the intellectual class. Stalin also created an artificial famine (called the Holodomor in Ukrainian) as part of his forced collectivization policies, which killed millions of previously independent peasants and others throughout the country. Estimates of deaths from the 1932-33 famine alone range from 3 million to 7 million.
When the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, some Ukrainians, particularly in the west, welcomed what they saw as liberation from Communist rule, but this did not last as they quickly came to understand the nature of Nazi rule. Nazi brutality was directed principally against Ukraine's Jews (of whom an estimated 1 million were killed), but also against many other Ukrainians. Babyn Yar in Kiev was the site of one of the most horrific Nazi massacres of Ukrainian Jews, ethnic Ukrainians, and many others. Kiev and other parts of the country were heavily damaged.
After the Nazi and Soviet invasions of Poland in 1939, the western Ukrainian regions were incorporated into the Soviet Union. Armed resistance against Soviet authority continued as late as the 1950s. During periods of relative liberalization--as under Nikita Khrushchev from 1955 to 1964 and during the period of "perestroika" under Mikhail Gorbachev -- Ukrainian communists pursued nationalist objectives. The 1986 explosion at the Chornobyl (Chernobyl in Russian) nuclear power plant, located in the Ukrainian SSR, and the Soviet government's initial efforts to conceal the extent of the catastrophe from its own people and the world, was a watershed for many Ukrainians in exposing the severe problems of the Soviet system. Ukraine became an independent state on August 24, 1991, and was a co-founder of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, although it has not officially joined the organization.
Ukraine has a presidential/parliamentary system of government with separate executive, judicial, and legislative branches. The president nominates the prime minister, who must be confirmed by the parliament. The 450-member unicameral parliament (Supreme Rada) initiates legislation, ratifies international agreements, and approves the budget. Its members are elected to four-year terms. Following free elections held on December 1, 1991, Leonid M. Kravchuk, former chairman of the Ukrainian Rada, was elected president for a five-year term. At the same time, a referendum on independence was approved by more than 90% of the voters. Political groupings in Ukraine include former communists, socialists, agrarians, liberals, nationalists, and various centrist and independent forces.
Shortly after becoming independent, Ukraine named a parliamentary commission to prepare a new constitution, adopted a multi-party system, and adopted legislative guarantees of civil and political rights for national minorities. A new, democratic constitution was adopted on June 28, 1996, which mandates a pluralistic political system with protection of basic human rights and liberties.
Freedom of religion is guaranteed by law, although religious organizations are required to register with local authorities and with the central government. Minority rights are respected in accordance with a 1991 law guaranteeing ethnic minorities the right to schools and cultural facilities and the use of national languages in conducting personal business. According to the constitution, Ukrainian is the only official state language. In Crimea and some parts of eastern Ukraine -- areas with substantial ethnic Russian minorities -- local and regional governments permit Russian as a language for local official correspondence.
Freedom of speech and press are guaranteed by law and by the constitution, but authorities sometimes interfere with the news media through intimidation and other forms of pressure. In particular, the failure of the government to conduct a thorough, credible, and transparent investigation into the 2000 disappearance and murder of independent journalist Heorhiy Gongadze, in which government officials have been credibly implicated, has had a negative effect on Ukraine's international image.
Ethnic tensions in Crimea during 1992 prompted a number of pro-Russian political organizations to advocate secession of Crimea and annexation to Russia. (Crimea was ceded by the RSFSR to the Ukrainian SSR in 1954, in recognition of historic links and for economic convenience, to mark the 300th anniversary of Ukraine's union with Russia.) In July 1992, the Crimean and Ukrainian parliaments determined that Crimea would remain under Ukrainian jurisdiction while retaining significant cultural and economic autonomy.
Official trade unions have been grouped under the Federation of Trade Unions. A number of independent unions, which emerged during 1992, among them the Independent Union of Miners of Ukraine, have formed the Consultative Council of Free Trade Unions. While the right to strike is legally guaranteed, strikes based solely on political demands are prohibited.
In July 1994, Leonid Kuchma was elected as Ukraine's second president in free and fair elections. Kuchma was reelected in November 1999 to another five-year term, with 56 percent of the vote. International observers criticized aspects of the election, especially slanted media coverage; however, the outcome of the vote was not called into question. In March 2002, Ukraine held its most recent parliamentary elections, which were characterized by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as flawed, but an improvement over the 1998 elections. The pro-presidential For a United Ukraine bloc won the largest number of seats, followed by the reformist Our Ukraine bloc of former Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko, and the Communist Party. There are 450 seats in parliament, with half chosen from party lists by proportional vote and half from individual constituencies.
The campaign leading to the October 31, 2004 presidential election was characterized by widespread violations of democratic norms, including government intimidation of the opposition and of independent media, abuse of state administrative resources, highly skewed media coverage, and numerous provocations. The two major candidates - Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and opposition leader (and former Prime Minister) Viktor Yushchenko - each garnered between 39 and 40 percent of the vote and proceeded to a winner-take-all second round. The November 21 runoff election was marred by credible reports of widespread and significant violations, including illegal expulsion of opposition representatives from election commissions, multiple voting by busloads of people, abuse of absentee ballots, and an abnormally high number of (easily manipulable) mobile ballot box votes. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Kiev and other cities to protest electoral fraud and express support for Yushchenko, and conducted ongoing peaceful demonstrations.
The OSCE International Election Observation Mission found that the election "did not meet a considerable number of OSCE commitments and Council of Europe and other European standards for democratic elections...Overall, State executive authorities and the Central Election Commission (CEC) displayed a lack of will to conduct a genuine democratic election process." Other independent observers were similarly critical. On November 24, the CEC declared PM Yanukovych the winner with 49.46 percent compared to 46.61 for Yushchenko. The U.S. and Europe refused to accept the result as legitimate due to the numerous, uninvestigated reports of fraud. European leaders traveled to Kiev to mediate a political solution between the parties. On November 27, Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada (Supreme Parliament) passed a resolution declaring that the election results as announced did not represent the will of the people. On December 1, the Rada passed a vote of "no confidence" in the government. On December 3, Ukraine's Supreme Court invalidated the CEC's announced results and mandated a repeat of the second round vote to take place on December 26. An agreement mediated by the European leaders resulted in new legislation being passed by the Rada and signed by the President December 8. The Electoral law was reformed to close loopholes that had permitted pervasive electoral fraud. The Constitution was amended, effective not earlier than September 2005, to transfer power, especially with respect to appointment of Ministers, from the President to the Cabinet. Yet another law was passed, in first reading, to devolve some powers of the central government to regional councils. In addition, Prime Minister Yanukovych requested and was granted a leave of absence, and Prosecutor General Hennadiy Vasilyev submitted his resignation.
The December 26 re-vote took place in an atmosphere of calm. While irregularities were noted, observers found no systemic or massive fraud. The OSCE Mission, in a preliminary statement, noted that "campaign conditions were markedly more equal, observers received fewer reports of pressure on voters, the election administration was more transparent and the media more balanced than in previous rounds...in our collective view Ukraine's elections have moved substantially closer to meeting OSCE and other European standards." Preliminary results, unofficially announced by the CEC with 99 percent of precincts reporting showed Yushchenko with a lead of approximately 52 to 44 percent. However, the CEC was not expected to be able to certify a winner until the week of January 3, and inauguration of the new President was not expected until mid-January.
Security forces are controlled by the president, although they are subject to investigation by a permanent parliamentary commission. Surveillance is permitted for reasons of national security.
After independence, Ukraine established its own military forces of about 780,000 from the troops and equipment inherited from the Soviet Union. Under defense reform legislation passed in 2004, Ukraine is strengthening civilian control of the military, professionalizing its non-commissioned officer (NCO) corps, modernizing force structure to improve interoperability with NATO, and reducing troop numbers, all with an eye toward NATO standards. Current force levels are approximately 350,000 (plus 90,000 civilian workers in the Ministry of Defense), with the goal of further reductions to around 200,000 by 2005. Ukraine's stated national policy is Euro-Atlantic integration, including with both NATO and the European Union, though explicit mention of aspiration to NATO membership was removed from official military doctrine in July 2004. Ukraine has a Distinctive Partnership with NATO, signed an agreement with NATO on using Ukraine's strategic airlift capabilities, and has been an active participant in Partnership for Peace exercises, in Balkans peacekeeping, and Coalition forces in Iraq. Ukrainian units have been serving in the U.S. sector in Kosovo, and in the Polish-led division in Iraq.
Principal Government Officials
President—Leonid D. Kuchma
Prime Minister—Mykola I. Azarov, acting
Foreign Minister—Kostyantyn Gryshchenko
Ukraine maintains an embassy at 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 (tel. 202-333-0606).
Ukraine has many of the components of a major European economy -- rich farmlands, a well-developed industrial base, highly trained labor, and a good education system. After eight straight years of sharp economic decline from the early to late 1990s, the standard of living for most citizens declined more than 50%, leading to widespread poverty. Beginning in 2000 economic growth has averaged 5-6% per year reaching 9.4 percent in 2003. Personal incomes are rising. The macro economy is stable, with the hyperinflation of the early post-Soviet period having been tamed. Ukraine's currency, the hryvnia, was introduced in September 1996 and has remained stable until quite recently. While economic growth continues, Ukraine's long-term economic prospects depend on acceleration of market reforms. The economy remains burdened by excessive government regulation, corruption, and lack of law enforcement, and while small and medium enterprises have been largely privatized, much remains to be done to restructure and privatize key sectors such as energy and telecommunications.
Ukraine is rich in natural resources. It has a major ferrous metal industry, producing cast iron, steel, and steel pipe, and its chemical industry produces coke, mineral fertilizers, and sulfuric acid. Manufactured goods include airplanes, turbines, metallurgical equipment, diesel locomotives, and tractors. It also is a major producer of grain, sunflower seeds, and sugar and has a broad industrial base, including much of the former USSR's space and rocket industry. Although oil and natural gas reserves are small, it has important energy sources, such as coal, and large mineral deposits, and is one of the worlds leading energy transit countries, providing transportation of Russian and Caspian oil and gas across its territory.
Ukraine encourages foreign trade and investment. The foreign investment law allows Westerners to purchase businesses and property, to repatriate revenue and profits, and to receive compensation in the event that property were to be nationalized by a future government. However, complex laws and regulations, poor corporate governance, weak enforcement of contract law by courts and corruption stymie large-scale foreign direct investment in Ukraine. While there is a functioning stock market, the lack of protection for minority shareholder rights severely restricts portfolio investment activities. Total foreign direct investment in Ukraine is approximately $7.32 billion as of July 1, 2004, which, at $154 per capita, is still one of the lowest figures in the region.
While countries of the former Soviet Union remain important trading partners, especially Russia and Turkmenistan for energy imports, Ukraine's trade is becoming more diversified. Europe is now the destination of over one third of Ukraine's exports, while around one quarter of Ukraine's exports go to Russia and the CIS. Exports of machinery and machine tools are on the rise relative to steel, which constitutes over 30% of exports. Ukraine imports 90% of its oil and most of its natural gas. Russia ranks as Ukraine's principal supplier of oil and Russian firms now own and/or operate the majority of Ukraine's refining capacity. Natural gas imports come from Russia, which delivers natural gas as a barter payment for Ukraine's role in transporting Russian gas to Western Europe.
The Government of Ukraine signed a 12-month $605 million precautionary standby agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in March 2004. The IMF, however, failed to complete its review of the agreement in July-August, raising concerns about inflationary aspects of an increasing budget deficit at a time when revenues are growing (i.e. a pre-election spending surge), the accumulation of arrears of VAT refunds to exporters and ongoing structural problems, especially in the financial sector. Ukraine received just $75 million of the $250 million Programmatic Adjustment Loan, second tranche, in 2003. The World Bank may grant the remaining $175 million to the Government of Ukraine this year, subject to energy sector financial reforms. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) project outlays, which often are tied to nuclear safety, totaled $120 million in 2003 and $206 million in 2002.
In 1992, Ukraine became a member of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. It is a member of the EBRD but not a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Ukraine applied for membership in the WTO in 1995. Progress on its application has been slow, but picked up momentum in 2003 and early 2004. The government's stated goal is to accede by the end of 2005.
Environmental Issues
Ukraine is interested in cooperating on regional environmental issues. Conservation of natural resources is a stated high priority, although implementation suffers from a lack of financial resources. Ukraine established its first nature preserve, Askanyia-Nova, in 1921 and has a program to breed endangered species.
Ukraine has significant environmental problems, especially those resulting from the Chornobyl nuclear power plant disaster in 1986 and from industrial pollution. In accordance with its previously announced plans, Ukraine permanently closed the Chornobyl Atomic Energy Station in December of 2000. Design work as well as structural improvements to the "sarcophagus" erected by the Soviet Union are largely complete and construction on the new shelter to be built around the sarcophagus is expected to be awarded by the end of 2004.
Ukraine also has established a Ministry of Environment and has introduced a pollution fee system, which levies taxes on air and water emissions and solid waste disposal. The resulting revenues are channeled to environmental protection activities, but enforcement of this pollution fee system is lax. Ukraine ratified the Kyoto Protocol in April 2004.
Construction of a shipping canal through a UN protected core biosphere reserve in the Danube Delta, which began in May 2004, is an environmental issue of international interest.
Ukraine considers Euro-Atlantic integration its primary foreign policy objective, but in practice balances its relationship with Europe and the United States with strong ties to Russia, including pursuing the Single Economic Space project with Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. The European Union's Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with Ukraine went into force on March 1, 1998. After the 2004 round of EU expansion, the EU did not signal a willingness to consider Ukraine for an association agreement, as Ukraine had hoped for, but instead included it in a new "neighbor" policy, disappointing many Ukrainians. On January 31, 1992, Ukraine joined the then-Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (now the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe -- OSCE), and on March 10, 1992, it became a member of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. Ukraine signed a Charter Agreement with NATO in 1997, sent troops to Kosovo in close cooperation with NATO countries, signed an agreement for NATO use of Ukrainian strategic airlift assets, and has declared interest in eventual membership. It is the most active member of the Partnership for Peace (PfP).
Ukraine maintains peaceful and constructive relations with all its neighbors, though there are some unresolved maritime issues along the Danube and in the Black Sea with Romania; it has especially close ties with Poland and Russia. Relations with Russia are complicated by energy dependence, payment arrears, and a dispute over bilateral boundaries in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. The 1998 ratification of the bilateral Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation and a series of agreements on the final division and disposition of the former Soviet Black Sea Fleet have helped to reduce tensions. Ukraine co-founded the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on December 8, 1991, but in January 1993 it refused to endorse a draft charter strengthening political, economic, and defense ties among CIS members. Ukraine was a founding member of GUUAM (Georgia-Ukraine-Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan-Moldova).
In 1999-2001, Ukraine served as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Historically, Soviet Ukraine joined the United Nations in 1945 as one of the original members following a Western compromise with the Soviet Union, which had asked for seats for all 15 of its union republics. Ukraine has consistently supported peaceful, negotiated settlements to disputes. It has participated in the five-sided talks on the conflict in Moldova and promoted a peaceful resolution to conflict in the post-Soviet state of Georgia. Ukraine has also made a substantial contribution to UN peacekeeping operations since 1992.
The dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991 brought an end to the Cold War and created an opportunity to build bilateral relations with the New Independent States (NIS) as they began a political and economic transformation. On December 25, 1991, the United States officially recognized the independence of Ukraine. It upgraded its consulate in the capital, Kiev, to embassy status on January 21, 1992. The U.S. ambassador to Ukraine is John E. Herbst, the fifth U.S. ambassador since Ukrainian independence.
The United States attaches great importance to the success of Ukraine's transition to a democratic state with a flourishing market economy. Following a period of economic decline characterized by high inflation and a continued reliance on state controls, the Ukrainian government began taking steps in the fall of 1999 to reinvigorate economic reform that had been stalled for years due to a lack of a reform majority in the Ukrainian parliament. The Ukrainian government's stated determination to implement comprehensive economic reform is a welcome development, and the U.S. is committed to strengthening its support for Ukraine as it continues on this difficult path. Bilateral relations suffered a setback in September 2002 when the U.S. Government announced it had authenticated a recording of President Kuchma's July 2000 decision to transfer a Kolchuga early warning system to Iraq. The Government of Ukraine denied that the transfer had occurred. U.S. policy remains centered on realizing and strengthening a democratic, prosperous, and secure Ukraine more closely integrated into European and Euro-Atlantic structures.
U.S. Assistance to Ukraine
A cornerstone for the continuing U.S. partnership with Ukraine and the other NIS has been the Freedom for Russia and Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets (FREEDOM) Support Act (FSA), enacted in October 1992. Ukraine has been a primary recipient of FSA assistance. Total U.S. assistance since independence has been more than $3 billion. U.S. assistance to Ukraine is targeted to promote political and economic reform and to address urgent humanitarian needs. The U.S. has consistently encouraged Ukraine's transition to a democratic society with a prosperous market-based economy. For more detailed information on these programs, please see the "Annual Report to Congress on U.S. Government Assistance to and Cooperative Activities with Eurasia," which is available on the State Department's website at the following address: http://www.state.gov/p/eur/ace/. Information is also available on USAID's website at the address: http://www.usaid.gov.
[Fact sheet on FY 2004 U.S. Assistance to Ukraine.]
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--John E. Herbst
Deputy Chief of Mission--Sheila S. Gwaltney
Political Counselor--Aubrey A. Carlson
Economic Counselor--Necia L. Quast
Public Affairs Counselor--Janet Demiray
Consul General-- Mary Kay Loss Carlson
Management Counselor--Jennifer Bonner
Commercial Officer--Robert Shipley
USAID Mission Director--Christopher Crowley
Agricultural Attach�--Garth Thorburn
Defense Attach�--Colonel Terron Nelsen
Peace Corps Director--Karl Beck
The U.S. Embassy in Kiev is at 10 Yuriya Kotsyubinskoho Street, 01901 (tel. [380] (44) 490-4000). The Embassy's website is: http://kiev.usembassy.gov/.
For the most current version of this Note, see Background Notes A-Z.
Short URL: http://m.state.gov/md40724.htm


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Hahahaha funny shit!
Although in all seriousness even though this will be comedy gold im surprised that TSG are letting it happen, stuff like this normally gets sorted out behind closed doors... is it a legit Pro Fight or just an exhibition bout?
I reckon the big guy takes it just circle each other for a minute or so Mikey tries a few kicks or whatever then they exchange and the big guy just overwhelms him and the ref stops it or heas knocked down.
New book coming out soon a fighters guide to dog walking.
hope the fraud gets knocked into next week.
"The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war"
What has gone on here Stav, your attitude to Mikey seems to have changed quite dramatically


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Our Home Groups exist to provide a safe environment where authentic community might develop and spiritual transformation might occur.
Group members covenant to meet regularly and discuss the sermon-based application questions provided weekly. Then the group takes requests and prays for one another. Group members pray for one another throughout the week.
These groups are about life more than doctrine, doing more than hearing, application more than education.
"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers" (1 Timothy 4:16)
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22).
Relationship: Relationships are God's catalyst for spiritual transformation (Heb. 10:24; Prov. 27:17).
Realness: Openness and transparency are essential to spiritual transformation. The groups will model Jesus who did not come to condemn us in our sins but to save us from them (cf. Jn. 3:17; Gal. 6:1-2; 1Jn 1:7-9).
Respect: What happens in the group, stays in the group. During group meetings, members should never say anything that puts down or embarrasses their spouses or other members of the group (Eph. 4:29). This needs to be safe place where God can do spiritual surgery.
Responsibility: We are accountable for one another. Spiritual transformation can be hard, messy and dangerous but we're in this together. I've got your back. Leave no one will behind (Matthew 18:15-17; 1Cor. 12:21-27; Gal. 6:1-2; James 5:16,18-19).
More information about our currently available groups is available by contacting the church office: email@example.com.


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Revision as of 19:56, December 7, 2012 by ProfessorTofty (Talk | contribs)
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- "We tried to shut Percy in a pyramid. But Mum spotted us."
- —George Weasley[src]
Egypt is an African country in north-east Africa, and is the earliest place where magic has been recorded. In its society, wizards and witches were held in high esteem. Egyptian wizards also had a tendency to place curses on tombs, which Gringotts Curse Breakers try to break. The capital of Egypt is Cairo. The Nile River runs through here.
Known residents
Bill Weasley worked in Egypt as a Curse Breaker before taking a desk job in England. The Weasley family visited him there and also toured some of the Egyptian tombs. One of the pyramids that the family toured was full of skeletons of Muggles who had broken in and had "grown extra heads and stuff."
Hassan Mostafa is from Egypt.
Phoenixes and Sphinxes are native to Egypt.
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film) (Mentioned only) (Seen in picture(s))
- Wonderbook: Book of Spells (Mentioned only) (Seen in picture (s))


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Nearly three years ago, the future looked bleak for the Tecumseh Youth Theatre. Following the March 2013 production of "Seussical the Musical," the organization revealed it did not have enough money for another season. However, a better-than-expected return from the second production of the season, "Annie Jr.," and a streamlining of the organization and widening of its scope, specifically aimed at elementary-age children, has enabled TYT to come...
In today's edition of The Daily Telegram:— Lenawee County's public defender prepares to open the office in January— Tecumseh Youth Theatre makes a comeback— Lenawee County getting prepped for winter weather
Due to holiday scheduling, the Hudson City Council meeting set for Tuesday, Dec. 1, has been rescheduled for Dec. 15, city officials said.
Nearly 5,000 car lovers turned out for the 'AmeriCarna LIVE' Car Show that featured cars from the collection of a number of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr.
A consultant's draft report on a potential consolidation of 911 dispatch services for Lenawee and Jackson counties is being reviewed. But the findings will not be made public until a final version is ready, officials said.
In today's edition of The Daily Telegram:— Clinton Redskins fall to Ithaca at District 6 state football championship— Joint 911 center study nearing completion
The Blues-n-Brews Group, the non-profit that organizes the annual Blues-n-Brews event in downtown Adrian, provided $1,000 to local student organizations at Adrian College and Siena Heights University. The four student organizations...
A Christmas holiday ball tradition at the old Brick Walker Tavern is being revived this year by a regional organization as a fundraiser.The Irish Hills Community Legacy, in the spirit of large-scale holiday gatherings at the...
Adrian Directory
Business Name
Location, ST | website.com


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Difference between revisions of "Malbork"
From Wikitravel
Pomeranian Voivodship : Malbork
Revision as of 11:23, 23 June 2013[1] (German: Marienburg) is a town in Pomorskie voivodeship in Poland, famous for the biggest Gothic castle in Europe. Built by the German Teutonic Knights in the middle ages this fortress is one of a kind.
Get in
By train
There are two international trains going through Malbork:
You can also get to Malbork from other Polish major cities:
You can find the schedule on Polish Railways site: [2]
By car
By bus
There are PKS connections with Bydgoszcz, Elbląg, Gdańsk, Iława, Krynica Morska, Olsztyn, Płock, and few other polish cities. You can find the schedule: [3]. Site is only in Polish, but it is easy to use it, even if you don't know Polish.
Get around
Malbork Castle
Castle of the Virgin Mary [4]. The ancient capital of the Teutonic Order, the largest Gothic fortress in Europe, on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Get out