text:
Up and Away and Cosmic Rays May 25, 2011Posted by Lofty Ambitions in Science, Space Exploration.
Tags: Nobel Prize, Physics, Radioactivity, Space Shuttle
add a comment
Physicists in the current world of high energy and particle physics cast their collective gaze in the direction of CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Owing to the Lofty duo's well-documented interest in all things science—and to the fact that one of us, Doug, used to work at Fermilab, home to what was, formerly, the world's most powerful particle accelerator, the Tevatron—we're sure to be writing about the LHC and its discoveries as they unfold.
But first things first. Last week, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) was delivered to the International Space Station by space shuttle Endeavour and her crew and is now offering an unparalleled view of the cosmos by virtue of its purchase 200 miles above the surface of the earth. This new science experiment reminds us that there was a time when, if you wanted to be at the cutting edge of probing the secrets of matter and the universe, you didn't do it on earth. You used a balloon. Why do science in a balloon-basket? Roll back your memory to the tools and techniques of late 19th-century physics.
The electroscope, sometimes called an electrometer, is often the featured device in high school and freshman physics courses for demonstrating electric charge. Electroscopes played an important early role in the discovery and characterization of radioactivity when Ernest Rutherford (1908 Nobel Prize winner who did much early work on alpha and beta radiation) and Pierre and Marie Curie (Nobel Prize winners together in 1903 and for Marie in 1911 who did early work on the theory of radioactivity and isotopes) used the device to make measurements of the intensity of the radioactivity associated with various substances, in particular radium and its decay products, radon and polonium. (Search "radioactivity" here at Lofty Ambitions to see some other interesting takes on this topic.)
As Rutherford, the Curies, and other experimenters continued to use electroscopes in their experiments, they began to run into an odd effect: their electroscopes would continue to "leak" electrical charge, even when they weren't being exposed to radioactive materials. Efforts to build more robust electroscopes, namely by adding thick lead shielding around the experimental apparatus, failed to completely prevent the leakage effect. Physical intuition convinced a number of scientists that a previously unknown form of radioactivity—and given its ability to pass through lead barriers, a very powerful one—was responsible for the leakage effect.
A natural assumption was that there was some form of radiation present in the earth that was responsible for the effect. Therefore, the next step in understanding radioactivity was to eliminate the effect of earth-based radioactivity by getting off of the ground. In 1910, Jesuit priest Father Thomas Wulf did just that by hauling an electroscope to the upper levels of the Eiffel Tower (he went up approximately 900 feet). In one of those lovely curious moments that litter the scientific record, Wulf discovered that the leakage effect in his electroscope was nearly as great as was predicted by theory. From this result, he inferred that, in addition to earth-based radioactivity, there must also be a source in the heavens as well.
Other physicists took up the challenge posed by Wulf's results, and the only recourse that presented itself was to go every higher. So, in the years1911-1913, Austrian-born physicist Victor Hess loaded a balloon gondola full of electroscopes and hopped in with what must have been a amazing spirit of adventure. Hess's experiments soared ever higher, culminating with measurements made at 17,500 feet. His characterization of the intensity of ionizing radiation at various altitudes gave the first proof that, after reaching a minimum at about 5000 feet, ionizing radiation levels continued to climb dramatically, thereby demonstrating the extraterrestrial origin of the rays.
Many other scientists were deeply involved in this research area, too. In fact, it would be American Robert Millikan of the Nobel Prize-winning oil-drop experiment who gave this radiation its name: cosmic rays. But ballooner Hess would be honored with the discovery of cosmic rays, and in 1936, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his high-flying work.
The spirit of Victor Hess and the other researchers who performed early cosmic ray experiments lives on in the AMS-02 that is now orbiting our planet. Those scientists of yore sought to escape as much of the earth's atmosphere as they could to perform their work. Today, the AMS-02 has done them one better by leaving the earth's atmosphere to bask in the cosmic rays.
Interview: Mike Coats May 23, 2011Posted by Lofty Ambitions in Information, Science, Space Exploration, Video Interviews.
Tags: Math, Space Shuttle
add a comment
This video launches our NEW INTERVIEW FEATURE, which will appear every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month. To mark the end of the space shuttle program this year, we'll begin with a series of interviews we've done with astronauts in that program. We have a lot more in store, including interviews with Apollo astronauts Charlie Duke and Walt Cunningham as well as with the first nurse to the astronauts.
Don't worry! We're keeping our established format as well. Our guest blog feature continues on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month, and we post a regular piece every Wednesday. We include extra posts now and then too.
Today, we begin our interview feature with Michael Coats. We interviewed the Director of Johnson Space Center when we were at Kennedy Space Center for what turned out to be space shuttle Discovery's not-launch last year. Astronaut Mike Coats flew on Discovery three times. He also grew up in Southern California so you can hear him reprimand Anna for not yet having visited the happiest place on earth.
Endeavour Launch Photos May 20, 2011Posted by Lofty Ambitions in Space Exploration.
Tags: A Launch to Remember, Countdown to Cape, Space Shuttle
add a comment
The Beginning of the End May 18, 2011Posted by Lofty Ambitions in Science, Space Exploration.
Tags: Space Shuttle
add a comment
Today, a little sleep deprived and somewhat sated, we returned from the Space Coast of Florida to Southern California, where we reside. Upon our return, we headed to our local watering hole for a meet-up with graduate students and colleagues. This evening is a sort of teetering, as will be the next several weeks. Endeavour is in orbit, the shuttle crew is awake, and its focus is on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS). According to NASA, "The crew will extract AMS using the space shuttle robotic arm at 1:56 a.m. Shortly thereafter, the station crew will wake, and at 3:01 a.m., the shuttle robotic arm will transfer AMS to the station's robotic arm. At 3:41 a.m., the crew will manipulate the station arm to install AMS onto the starboard side of the station's truss structure on the zenith side." For more on the AMS, click HERE.
At the same time that Endeavour circles overhead, we saw the beginning of the end of the space shuttle era, the era in which we've fully come of age, with the rollover of space shuttle Atlantis from the Orbital Processing Facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building. We were right there. We were watching history unfold as the last shuttle scheduled to launch made its last trip over that concrete slab to the solid rocket boosters and external fuel tank that awaited it. You saw some photos from those moments in YESTERDAY'S POST, and we include a couple more here in this post.
We also share with you a video of part of the rollover process. Remember that with our Flip camera, like some sideview mirrors, objects may be closer than they appear. How close we were to the actual space shuttle and to its last crew ever in history still boggles our Lofty Ambitions minds.
A Launch to Remember (Conclusion!) May 17, 2011Posted by Lofty Ambitions in Information, Space Exploration.
Tags: A Launch to Remember, Space Shuttle
2 comments
The past few days have been amazing! We've learned a lot, and we've had fun. That's not to say that "A Launch to Remember" was easy for us. In fact, we've been running ourselves pretty ragged.
Two cross-country trips in two weeks without missing any classes was a bit of a feat for Anna. And the lack of sleep and twelve-hour workdays may be taking its toll on both of us. We were up by 2:00a.m on Monday to see the launch; we woke at 5a.m. today to see Atlantis roll over from the Orbital Processing Facility to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), and then we did the "Then and Now" tour of launch pads at Cape Canaveral; and we'll drag ourselves out of bed at 2:00a.m. tomorrow morning with hopes of seeing Atlantis "lift to mate" to the fuel assembly in the VAB. In fact, our last day (tomorrow) may be our busiest, with an interview scheduled before we take our flight home so that Anna can meet with her graduate students in the evening.
Just because it's hard work, of course, doesn't mean "A Launch to Remember" has not been thoroughly enjoyable at every stage. We know we're lucky to have this opportunity. Maybe that's why we're expending as much effort as we can muster. We know this trip is not going to last beyond tomorrow. We know the space shuttle program will end soon too.
This concludes "A Launch to Remember" because Endeavour launched, and we saw our first space shuttle launch. Now, it's the beginning of the end of Atlantis, too. Below, see our Table of Contents for this series (CLICK to view the individual posts):
Part 1: We Get Media Credentials
Part 2: A Space Shuttle Tile in Our Hands and the Leatherby Libraries Collection
Part 3: Arrival at the Space Coast
Part 4: Launch Is Looking Good
Part 5: About the STS-134 Crew, especially Mike Fincke
Part 6: STS-134 Crew Walkout & President Obama's Visit to KSC
Part 7: PHOTOS of Space Coast Wildlife (Alligator!)
Part 9: On Leaving the Space Coast
Part 10: On Being a Couple of Journalists and VIDEOS of Us on NASA-TV
Part 11: Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer
Part 12: Rotating Service Structure Rollback PHOTOS
Part 13: STS-134 Crew Walkout PHOTOS and more
Part 14: VIDEO of Endeavour Launch
Part 15: This POst (TOC)
Guest Blog: Stewart Bailey May 16, 2011Posted by Lofty Ambitions in Aviation, Guest Blogs.
Tags: Museums & Archives, WWII
3 comments
Because Lofty Ambitions never stops having fun and because we promise a guest blog every first and third Monday, we have an especially good one for you here. If you're interested in today's earlier posts in the series "A Launch to Remember," CLICK HERE for the video of Endeavour's launch and CLICK HERE for the photos and commentary on the STS-134 crew walkout.
Today's guest blogger is Stewart Bailey, curator of the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, one we have visited many times. The central piece in this museum's collection is the one-of-a-kind so-called Spruce Goose, built by Howard Hughes. Before he became the curator at the aviation museum in MicMinnville, Oregon, Stewart Bailey was the education director at the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan, another great museum we've visited. We've written about the Spruce Goose before at Lofty Ambitions (CLICK HERE) and welcome the insider's take on this aviation endeavor.
This year, as the U.S. Navy celebrates the 100th Anniversary of Naval Aviation, it is interesting to reflect on how the aircraft, the ship, and the technologies they embody, have shaped our world. When one looks at the centuries preceding the twentieth, the major powers that controlled the world were those that controlled the sea. From the Phoenicians to the Dutch, the Spanish and the British, the growth of commerce, the spread of knowledge, and the fruits of empire belonged to those that controlled the world's oceans. But with the rise of the airplane, that all changed.
In World War II, the struggle between the ship and the aircraft was at its peak, and many of the world's fiercest battles took place between these technological antagonists. Even forty years after the Wrights took to the air, there was still a question of whether or not aircraft would replace the ship (or the sub-surface ship) as the dominant factor in controlling the seas. Most notably in the Atlantic, German submarines had a stranglehold on the Allies' ability to move men and supplies, making prospects of an American invasion of Europe somewhat dicey.
It was at this point that industrialist Henry J. Kaiser came up with a game-changing proposal: if German U-Boats are sinking so many ships at sea, why not fly over them? Kaiser proposed a fleet of "flying cargo ships," moving vast quantities of men and material over the ocean, non-stop to Europe and Africa. Also, being a shrewd businessman, he surely saw the impact that such an idea would have on world commerce after the war was over. However, Kaiser was not an aircraft builder, so he turned to Howard Hughes to make this concept a reality. Together, they received a government contract to build three aircraft within two years that could carry up to 750 troops or two Sherman tanks and would bring the might of America to the old world's door. But there was one caveat: these aircraft had to be made of non-strategic materials such as wood.
The result was the largest aircraft in the world. It was to have a wingspan longer a football field and be powered by eight of the largest piston aircraft engines ever built. At that size, there was no runway in the world that could handle it, so it had to be a seaplane so that it could use miles of water to take off and land. It would push the limits of existing materials and aeronautical technology to leapfrog over the threats presented by the submarine.
But there were problems. By 1944, as the two-year time frame closed in, Kaiser grew frustrated with Hughes's perfectionist nature that delayed the aircraft; by then, it had only just begun construction. He withdrew from the project in mid-1944, leaving Hughes to go it alone with his efforts to create a flying freighter.
The aircraft that Hughes shaped was both elegant and technologically advanced. Hughes oversaw every aspect of design and was particularly concerned with the control systems, since he personally test-flew all of his designs. He wanted it to be capable of being flown by one pilot, and he insisted on the control layout being to his personal taste. An outcome of this was the hydraulically assisted controls that allowed the pilot to move ailerons, elevators, and a rudder that were the size of whole wings on some aircraft. Additionally, Hughes beat the challenge of making the plane from wood, utilizing a process called Duramold in which thin layers of birch were bonded together with resin glue and shaped under extreme pressure and temperature. The resulting material, for its weight, was stronger than wood.
Despite numerous setbacks and delays, the Hughes H-4 Hercules, (derisively called the Spruce Goose by the media), did take to the air on November 2, 1947. Its single flight became a culmination of Hughes's vision for the flying cargo ship. But by that point, the very reason for which it existed had vanished. The Second World War had unquestionably proven that the aircraft had replaced the sea-going vessels as the new measure of global power projection.
So, was the so-called Spruce Goose a waste of time and money? No, not at all. By its very creation, it helped to pioneer technologies like the hydraulically assisted controls that make today's transoceanic airline flights routine. It helped ensure that the aircraft would make global commerce possible on a scale beyond the imagination of ancient sea-faring nations. And it proved that, while not every technological effort is a success, there is no success without effort.
Today, the Hughes H-4 Hercules rests in the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, a reminder of a time when the struggle for control of the seas—and of the world itself—hung in the balance.
A Launch to Remember (Part 14: Launch Video!) May 16, 2011Posted by Lofty Ambitions in Space Exploration.
Tags: A Launch to Remember, Space Shuttle
2 comments
GO, ENDEAVOUR! LAUNCH IS A GO! And Lofty Ambitions is there to see it!
A Launch to Remember (Part 13) May 16, 2011Posted by Lofty Ambitions in Collaboration, Space Exploration.
Tags: A Launch to Remember, Nobel Prize, Space Shuttle
1 comment so far
STS-134 CREW WALKOUT at 5:11a.m. on May 16, 2011
We arrived at the KSC News Center at just after 3a.m. this morning. Within an hour, we had gone through the dog-sniffing security and were on the bus to the astronaut walkout, where we waited about an hour for the STS-134 crew to emerge.
The STS-134 mission is commanded by Mark Kelly, about whom we've written before. Kelly's wife, Representative Gabrielle Giffords, is not among the Members of Congress listed among those attending today's expected launch. California Representative Jim Costa is among the five Members of Congress who plan to view the launch here at KSC, and other VIPs include Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins (one of our favorite astronauts!), Irish Embassy official Catherine O'Connor, and Nobel Laureate and Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS, we'll have a post on that soon) Principal Investigator Sam Ting.
The crew ate before they suited up. Mark Kelly, Greg Johnson, and Mike Fincke had lobster, though Kelly opted for a spinach salad and pear instead of a baked potato and salad. Roberto Vittori and Andrew Feustal, whose relatives (parents, perhaps) were in front of us in line at the KSC gift shop yesterday, feasted on pasta. Vittori's was cooked al-dente and served with bread and extra virgin olive oil, whereas Feustal opted for pasta primavera with chicken strips. Greg Chamitoff had a turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich with salt and vinegar chips, Greek nonfat yogurt, and a banana. We also grabbed a bite: bagels and Diet Coke, with oranges and snack bars planned for later this morning.
The crew looked especially happy this time out and into the Astrovan. They didn't linger as long as the last time, the recent not-launch when they knew the engineers were working a problem. As we compose this post, the crew has been strapped into the orbiter, the orbiter access hatch is now closed, and the astronauts are checking various systems, including communications with Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The sun has now come up over the horizon behind Endeavour, and the News Center is buzzing. Anna tried on the glove of the EVA suit used for spacewalks that's on display for press. We hope to do a couple of interviews with astronauts in a couple of hours. And we're hoping that the cloud cover blows off. No matter how this goes, we'll update again later. In the meantime, our final photo in this post features the first seven astronauts chosen by NASA for the Mercury program.
A Launch to Remember (Part 12) May 15, 2011Posted by Lofty Ambitions in Space Exploration.
Tags: A Launch to Remember, Space Shuttle
add a comment
It's bedtime now! We have to be back at the KSC News Center at 3:30a.m.! If everything remains on schedule, we'll see the STS-134 crew in their orange flight suits at 5:11a.m. Then, they'll make their short drive in the Astrovan to launch pad 39A, where Endeavour awaits. Mechanical problems are in the back of our minds because of our past two not-launch experiences, but it's the wind that's the tangible concern for the launch right now. That said, Endeavour looked great on the launch pad and seems ready to go.
A Launch to Remember (Part 11) May 14, 2011Posted by Lofty Ambitions in Science, Space Exploration.
Tags: A Launch to Remember, Nobel Prize, Physics, Space Shuttle
add a comment
We made our way from California to Florida once again. We'll head to Kennedy Space Center on Sunday morning. In the meantime, here's what's caught our attention.
Even now, comfortably residing in the aft section of space shuttle Endeavour's bay is a sixteen-ton, three-meter-square instrument that represents a laundry list of significant commitments: 16 years from drawing board to delivery; 600 scientists, engineers, and technicians from 56 institutions and 16 countries to design and build it; and $1.5B (yep, that's billions) of cash to fund it. And that price tag doesn't include the $500M cost of launching the instrument into space and connecting it up on its new home, the International Space Station (ISS). This extraordinary expenditure of scientific and financial capital is labeled with a descriptive moniker: Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, commonly referred to as AMS. More precisely, this machine is AMS-02, having been preceded by a ten-day proof-of-concept flown by the STS-91 mission on the space shuttle Discovery in 1998.
So, why the big money, the multinational collaboration, and the long-term investment? The AMS is the brainchild of Nobel laureate Sam Ting, a particle physicist at MIT. The fact that the AMS will spend its working life affixed to the ISS is the result of a marriage of convenience, perhaps necessity (as it's sometimes difficult to tease the two apart), between Dr. Ting and former NASA chief Dan Golden. In 1991, Dan Golden was desperately seeking scientific legitimacy for the ISS. At the same time, Dr. Ting was looking for the best possible spot in the world for his device to access unadulterated, so-called primary, cosmic rays. When hunting cosmic rays, it doesn't get much better than 200 miles above the earth's atmosphere. If you also happen to need to transfer a significant amount of data to physicists so they can analyze it, the ISS is a pretty good place to be. In fact, it not only provides support for communicating data, it also provides power and navigation. If you're building an AMS to orbit the Earth, the ISS simplifies the project enough that it becomes much more possible.
We'll have a future post about cosmic rays and their role in science, once the AMS is up in orbit and working. For now, suffice it to say that cosmic rays can be used to glean a significant amount of information about the universe's past, its current makeup, and quite possibly its future evolution. In other words, if the AMS gets very lucky, it could revolutionize our understanding of the universe.
On a more workaday level, the AMS was designed to sift through the streams of cosmic rays that will pass through its multiple layers of detectors. The AMS will be looking for hints about one of the great cosmological mysteries: why the universe is predominantly comprised of matter. The logical outcome of the Big Bang Theory is that matter and antimatter should have been created in equal amounts. If this is the case, where did all of the antimatter go? The AMS hopes to find out.
Another question that the AMS will attempt to answer is perhaps an even greater mystery than the disappearance of—or our lack of ability thus far to detect—antimatter. Cosmologists, astronomers, and astrophysicists are confronted by the fact that what we can see in the universe—the visible matter in the universe—accounts for less that 5% of the matter that MUST be present in the universe if we explain it gravitationally. Simply put, from what we can observe, there simply isn't enough matter to account for the rate at which the universe is expanding. Most current theories that attempt to explain this apparent contradiction do so by invoking dark matter and dark energy. Sam Ting and the hundreds of other scientists on the AMS project are hopeful that clues as to the nature of dark matter will be revealed by the project.
To accomplish this—to give scientists a chance to find dark matter—the AMS had to be a formidable piece of technology. At its heart is a 1250-Gauss permanent magnet that will curve the path of charged particles that make up cosmic rays. Particles that bend one way are ordinary matter, whereas those that are bent in the opposite direction are antimatter. The AMS has 300,000 data channels to transmit information about the particles passing through it. The dry run in 1998 had nearly 100M cosmic ray events in 103 hours, so they're expecting a lot of data. We're at the Space Coast hoping they start getting that data from space in about a week.


text:
Miami's poor shooting continued Saturday night as the Hokies snapped a 10-game conference losing streak and defeated the Hurricanes 52-45 in Blacksburg.
The Hurricanes were held to their lowest offensive output of the season and the fifth time they've been held under 50 points. Miami shot 15-of-58 from the field, 7-of-34 from 3-point range, and missed nine of its 17 free throw attempts in another woeful performance from the field.
Miami (12-13, 3-9) dug themselves an early hole, missing 22 of its first 27 shots. That hole became even steeper when it missed 10 of its first 11 shots to start the second half.
Virginia Tech (9-15, 2-10) led for most of the game despite shooting just 37 percent from the floor. The Hokies used an early 14-1 run to take a 17-5 lead and never trailed again the rest of the way.
Miami pulled to within three twice in the second half, first on an Erik Swoope layup with 10:47 to play and later on a Garrius Adams 3-pointer with 5:05 left but couldn't get any closer. Its comeback attempt was dashed when Devin Wilson scored all 12 of his points in the final 3:38 to close out the Hurricanes. Wilson also had nine assists and B.J. Barksdale also scored 12 points for the Hokies.
Adams led Miami with 13 points while Rion Brown recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds but the offense was too inconsistent for the majority of the night.
Miami faces Notre Dame next Wednesday night at 9 PM at the BankUnited Center.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
More New and Used
from Private Sellers
Note: Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases.
Mozambique Travel Pack, 5th
ISBN13:by Slater, Mike
The highly successful Globetrotter Travel Series, which includes Travel Guides, Travel Maps, Road Atlases, Best Of Pocket Guides and In Your Pocket Language Guides, presently covers more than 90 destinations worldwide. The Packs are excellent value, including both a guidebook and a foldout Globetrotter map of the region, in a printed plastic wallet. The handy pocket-size guide is packed with useful information, tips and recommendations, accompanied by color photographs, charts and maps for the first time traveler who wants to experience the major highlights that Mozambique has to offer. The fold-out map of Mozambique is ideal for tourists and visitors.
Author Biography
Ardent adventurer, Mike Slater, spent four months cycling through Mozambique, becoming familiar with this country and its people who endured 17 years of civil war. Slater is also a professional river guide, geography teacher, expedition society founder, and author of the coffee-table title, Guide to Mozambique.
Table of Contents
Maputo The Lagoon Coast Inhambane and Surrounds Bazaruto Archipelago From Beira to Tete North of the Zambezi


text:
Re: Re: IDS-Testing tools
- From: aa@xxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 3 Oct 2010 11:49:18 -0600
You can try hping , its good and its also small
Securing Your Online Data Transfer with SSL.
A guide to understanding SSL certificates, how they operate and their application. By making use of an SSL certificate on your web server, you can securely collect sensitive information online, and increase business by giving your customers confidence that their transactions are safe.
- Next by Date: Re: IDS-Testing tools
- Next by thread: Re: IDS-Testing tools
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages


text:
For decades, if not centuries, doctors have searched for the one diet that will help people maintain a healthy weight. But the latest thinking points to a different goal: finding not the best eating plan but the best eating plan for you. You've probably already noticed that when it comes to dieting, what works for your best friend—say, a low-carb plan—doesn't necessarily work as well for you. But while that might have seemed like a purely personal preference, researchers now believe that it's more a matter of biology.
Last year, for instance, Stanford University researchers gave genetic tests to 133 overweight and obese women who had already participated in a yearlong study in which they had been randomly assigned one of four popular low-carb or low-fat diets. The tests, which focused on three genes that affect how efficiently the body metabolizes fat and carbohydrates, determined which variations of those genes each woman possessed. The researchers then reanalyzed the original study data and found that women whose diets had matched up well with their low-fat or low-carb gene profiles lost 5.3 percent of their body weight, while those whose diets didn't suit their biology dropped only 2.3 percent.
At Canyon Ranch, Mark Liponis, MD, the corporate medical director, has been conducting his own research on more than 6,000 patients for an upcoming book. We talked with Liponis, author of UltraLongevity, about how understanding your weight-loss genetics—?by looking at your body type—?can up your chances of dropping pounds.
Why would genetic differences play a role in our weight?
Humans have evolved in different environments around the globe, with different food supplies readily available. Maybe in one environment, people ate a lot of salmon and other fish and over time became more efficient at metabolizing protein, and maybe in another they ate a lot of corn and wheat and so got better at handling carbohydrates.
Would you recommend getting a genetic test to figure out which diet may work best for you?
No, not at this point. There are probably easier solutions than testing every person's genes.
Such as what?
I think we are going to learn a lot more about how a person's phenotype—her observable physical characteristics, which are influenced by her genetic structure—correlates with how she gains and loses weight. I think people are going to stratify into one of three groups based on how they look when they become heavier: those with big bellies, those with big butts and those who get big all over. And then we can design diets to fit each phenotype.
What have you learned from your work at Canyon Ranch?
If we put a person on a diet that matches her body type, she not only loses more weight but feels full most of the day and does not have trouble staying on that eating plan. We also see improvements in blood parameters, such as blood sugar levels and cholesterol measures.
So what type of diet seems to work best for specific body types?
Those with big bellies do well on a low-carbohydrate, low-glycemic diet. This kind of diet emphasizes meat and dairy products, which generally produce small fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin, as well as carbohydrates that contain a lot of fiber, such as bran cereals. On the other hand, people with big butts tend to do better with low-fat, high-carb diets—eating plans that often center on vegetables and grains while minimizing red meat. And those who are large all over seem to do well with a Mediterranean diet—one that is rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes and healthy fats like olive oil.
As a woman reaches menopause, weight often shifts to her belly. Does that mean she falls into this so-called big-belly category?
Not necessarily. One of the best ways to determine if you are big bellied is to figure out your BBR, or butt-to-belly ratio. Here's how: Measure your belly and buttocks at their widest points; for the butt, that's the hips. Then divide your butt number by the size of your belly. So a woman with a 43-inch butt and a 36-inch belly would divide 43 by 36, yielding the number 1.19. A 1.1 or below is a big-belly type, who could do well on a low-carb diet. Someone who's 1.1 to 1.25 would be fat all over and may do well with a Mediterranean approach. A ratio of 1.25 or over is a big-butt type, who may do best on a low-fat diet.
Wouldn't it just be simpler to count calories and exercise more?
No. That equation—subtracting the number of calories burned from the calories taken in—is completely invalid. There's a lot more going on in your body that affects your weight. For example, the microbes in your gut are critical; there are different types, and each type affects your appetite and metabolism differently, according to mouse studies done at Emory University. The composition of your specific microbe population can make it easier or harder for you to drop weight.
Do you believe that these findings can help control the current obesity epidemic?
Well, humans have been evolving for thousands of years. We used to have to hunt our food or go to a marketplace and trade for it. We have not had that long to adjust to the food supply we have now. It's been only 80 or so years that we have had fast-food restaurants and grocery stores stocked with everything. Plus, we have genes for preserving calories, which protect us from famine. For the first time, we have to use what we know in order to choose what to eat rather than just eat what's available. It's going to be tricky. We'll see how we do.
Originally published in the November 2010 issue of More.
Next: Calorie-Torching Exercise DVDs
Want the latest beauty, fashion and lifestyle tips? Click here to sign up for our fabulous weekly newsletter!


text:
Royce White to play in CCL this Wednesday
Chris Williams
According to league officials, former Iowa State star Royce White will play in the YMCA Capital City League this Wednesday at 5:30.
White, who was recently traded from Houston to the 76ers, will play on the Walnut Creek YMCA squad with current Cyclones K.J. Bluford and Dustin Hogue. White's team will go head-to-head with current Cyclones Percy Gibson and Bubu Palo.
Wednesday's competition will take place at the Valley Southwoods Freshman Gymnasium.
Check out Cyclone Fanatic on Monday for more on this story.


text:
Home Repairs, Basements Decks
Serving Utah County, Park City, Central Utah areas
Business Details
have done many home remodels, finished basements, build both composite and
hardwood decks in and around Utah County. References available. Certified to
repair flood, fire, and mold damage to most residences for much less than any
insurance company..!!! Small Company = Small Prices
Hours of OperationsMonday - Sunday 8:00am - 7:00pm
Coupons (1)
Reviews (3)
by User82515 on
Steve Morely is the kind of guy you want to work on your basement. He finished our basement on time, on budget and showed up every day. He did a fantastic job and obviously takes pride in his work. I found him on KSL classifieds and that was a little unnerving to me, but the minute I met him I was at ease. He is a consummate professional and does excellent work.
finish a basement bedroom and walk-in closet
by User105021 on
Steve and his helper did a good job of finishing this room and an outstanding walk-in closet
Beautiful Basement
by User97710 on
Steve and his crew did an amazing job on finishing my 1600sqft basement. They were very clean and were able to work around my busy schedule and my kids. He also helped spruce up the main floor with new paint and Wayne's coating. I would highly recommend him for any job.


text:
Post: Have Extra For 12/30!!
~ Awesome communication and great follow through!!! Would deal with Anthony again anytime!!!12/31/15
Post: FT: 2-GA West 1/1 Looking For Floor Reserved
~ Excellent trader!!! Constant updates and communication throughout. Would do another trade in a minute. HIGHLY recommended trader!12/28/15
Post: Phish FT: (4) PTBM 1/1/16; ISO: (2) 12/30 & (2) 1/2/16
~ We discussed several options before agreeing on a trade. Great with communication! Honest, and reliable! I would happily trade again! Thank you, and enjoy the MSG shows!12/23/15
Post: FT: SPAC Pav ; ISO: Lawn Boy And Junta Vinyl
~ Within 8hrs trade was completed.Met Anthony at Capitol before Furthur show. Exchanged vinyls for ticket +cash. Smooth and easy!! Would trade with him again anytime!!!
Post: Phish: Have: (1) Friday BGCA Plus Cash, Want: (2) K.C. Starlight
~ Shaker Blue Bison all day baby!8/04/12
Payment Details
CashorTrade 2009 - 2015 Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Powered by SimpleNation.com


text:
CM Punk Appearance CM Punk is scheduled to co-host the AP Music Awards red carpet pre-show event with Juliet Simms. You can view a post made on Facebook to announce the July 21, 2014 appearance embedded below: Post by Alternative Press. Farewell Address of Petey Williams We noted over the weekend that Petey Williams worked […]
Petey Williams On TNA Spin Cycle, Robbie E Q&A, Impact In Cleveland
Petey Williams on TNA Spin Cycle A new episode of TNA Spin Cycle is online and features Kenny King, Eric Young, Petey Williams and Brian Hebner. You can watch it at this link. You can watch it in the video embedded below: [youtube id="51iU538kATQ" width="620″ height="360″] Robbie E Q&A WhatCulture has an interview online with […]
The Contract Status Of Petey Williams Revealed
We are able to confirm that Petey Williams is returning to TNA Wrestling on a full-time basis and has a new performer's contract with them. If you missed our earlier report, you can watch a promo he cut after a match with Clash Wrestling at this link.
Petey Williams Update
Petey Williams is believed to have signed a contract to return to TNA Wrestling on a full-time basis. Williams lost a "title vs. career" match at a Clash Wrestling event over the weekend. His post match speech is online at this link or embedded in the video below: [youtube id="UH4VUiHXMus" width="620″ height="360″]
WWE Wellness Testing Top Talent, Where's Petey Williams?, Vince/Cena Backstage Blowout, Edge Working Again
The following is today's edition of Ask WNW. Ask WNW is the most popular feature on the website where Richard Gray answers four questions daily, Monday through Friday. To submit your question for the next installment of Ask WNW, click here.


text:
The transfer of the management of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust ("MSFT") services to University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust and The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust took place on 1 November 2014.
Alan Bloom, Alan Hudson and Hugo Mascie-Taylor stepped down from their positions as Trust Special Administrators on 31 October 2014. Monitor has appointed a new TSA, Tim Rideout, from 1 November 2014. Tim Rideout will remain a TSA to deal with any potential criminal liabilities.
The purpose of the new TSA will be solely to manage any potential criminal liabilities. As such, MSFT will only continue to exist as a shell legal entity for a limited time after the transfer of management services on 1 November 2014. It is not possible for the Trust's criminal liabilities to be transferred and, if the Trust were dissolved on 1 November 2014, any criminal liabilities would terminate at that time. It has therefore been agreed that the Trust will not be dissolved until 1 November 2017.
If you have any queries in relation to MSFT please contact the legacy management office using the address below:
Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust
c/o Legacy Management Office
County Hospital
Weston Road
On this website you will find accurate and authoritative information about the historical TSA process.


text:
Michigan author Sue William Silverman has just released a new memoir, 'The Pat Boone Fan Club: My Life as a White Anglo-Saxon Jew.' The book explores Silverman's search for self-identity, her conflicted emotions toward Judaism, and her various and sometimes entertaining efforts to pass as a Christian.
Where does Pat Boone come into play? The 1960s icon played a role in Silverman's life through three different encounters, but at the heart of the story is Silverman's desire to be taken in and adopted by an idealized Christian father figure.
Poignant and funny, heartwarming and candid, Silverman's writing will win over readers regardless of faith, belief, or pop music preferences.
Silverman's 'The Pat Boone Fan Club: My Life as a White Anglo-Saxon Jew' was published by University of Nebraska Press. An excerpt is available on the press website.


text:
Jackie Larue Smith
Position: TE
Height: 6-4 Weight: 235 lbs.
Born: February 23, 1940 in Columbia, MS
High School: Kentwood
College: NW State (LA)
Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 10th round (129th overall) of the 1963 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 73 (500th overall since 1950)
5-time Pro Bowler (fine print)
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1994, finalist in 1993
Promote your website or business by sponsoring this page for $15 on Pro-Football-Reference.com. Your message will replace this ad.


text:
Workweeks shorter in 1998
April 02, 1999
The average workweek of production or nonsupervisory workers in the private sector declined slightly in 1998, after increasing in 4 of the previous 5 years. The 0.3-percent decline followed rises of 0.3 percent in 1996 and 0.6 percent in 1997. The manufacturing workweek declined more sharply, dropping 1.0 percent in 1998.
[Chart data—TXT]
Despite the average workweek decline, aggregate, or total, hours worked per week rose 2.0 percent in 1998 because of increased production employment in the private sector. However, the rise in total hours was the smallest since 1995 and 1.2 percentage points lower than the average increase over the five preceding years.
The manufacturing division reported a decline of 2.5 percent in aggregate weekly hours in 1998. The decline reflected both the shortened average workweek and a decline in the number of production workers on factory payrolls.
The average weekly and aggregate hours data are products of the Current Employment Statistics program. Obtain more information from "Job growth slows during crises overseas," Monthly Labor Review, February 1999.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Workweeks shorter in 1998 on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/1999/mar/wk5/art05.htm (visited June 27, 2016).
Recent editions of Spotlight on Statistics
Employment and Wages in Healthcare Occupations
Healthcare occupations are a significant percentage of U.S. employment. Some of the largest and highest paying occupations are in healthcare. This Spotlight examines employment and wages for healthcare occupations.
Fifty years of looking at changes in peoples lives
Longitudinal surveys help us understand long-term changes, such as how events that happened when a person was in high school affect labor market success as an adult.
- A look at pay at the top, the bottom, and in between
The Spotlight examines how earnings and wages have changed over time and how they differ within a geographic area, industry, or occupation.


text:
Many Texans who are current candidates for governmental office are looking to please Texas voters by disassociating from the White House.
Current campaign ads describe 'pushing back against President Obama,' 'standing up to Obama,' 'keeping our gun rights,' 'taking on Obama,' 'winning,' and 'Texas needs a fighter.'
An ad supporting Senator John Cornyn, Keeping our guns, states, "Senator John Cornyn stands up to President Obama -- pushes back. John Cornyn's for us -- for Texas."
An article by Seth McLaughlin in The Washington Times, Sen. John Cornyn wallops Obama administration in campaign ad, states that one of John Cornyn's ads, "plays up his conservative credentials and accuses the Obama administration of trying to ram his liberal agenda down the nation's throat." McLaughlin quotes the ad which describes Obama as being "astonishingly liberal" and says that he "has squandered the public's trust by using backhanded methods to change the very fabric of American life."
An ad promoting Dan Branch for Texas Attorney General emphasizes, "Texas needs an Attorney General who can take on Obama -- and win. Texas needs a fighter like Dan Branch."
Republicans in the primarily RED state of Texas are not the only ones who are distancing themselves from Obama. Many Democrats are distancing themselves, too.
In an attempt to preserve the Democratic majority of the U.S. Senate, even Obama seems to agree with distancing himself.
In a recent New York Post article, Obama offers to help Democrats by staying away, Geoff Earle suggests that "President Obama is offering to help Senate Democrats get re-elected — by staying as far away as possible."
Geoff Earle quotes a source who referred to Obama's unusual suggestion, saying, "'He said he knew he is not popular in some of the states, so he would not be offended if he were not invited to visit them this year,' one senator later confided to The Washington Post."
Apparently, Obama is being shunned by Democrats in multiple states. Earle adds, "Several vulnerable lawmakers — including those in Louisiana and North Carolina — have already been shunning the president in their home states."
Problems with Obamacare and 'earlier promises later found to be false' regarding Obamacare have caused much of the disassociation from Obama.
A phrase from Geoff Earle sums up the current political situation, "With Obama declaring himself radioactive in some areas . . . . . ."
While 'pushing back' against attempts at fundamental change, Texas can be proud that it has more jobs than most states and a better than average economy.
In The Texas Economy's Comptroller's Weekly Economic Outlook, updated February 07, 2014, Susan Combs states, "Job growth, sales tax collections and building permits all signal that the Texas economy continues to outpace the national economy."
'Clinging to guns and religion'? Seems to be a proud tradition in Texas.
The message in Texas remains the same . . . . . . Don't mess with Texas.


text:
$util.date("MMMM d, yyyy",$topLevel.timeZone)
The circus is here in town and our sister station Telemundo anchor Roberto Galvez helped welcome in Circo Hermanos Vazquez to the Gateway City.
The circus is located at Uni-Trade Stadium and runs through the 23rd, ending next Sunday.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
- Submitted by: World Ocean Network
- Primary SD area: Oceans and Seas, SIDS
- Keywords: Blue Society, Blue Economy, Ocean Stewardship, Mobilisation and Mutual Learning, Capacity building, Education
- Location: Worldwide
- Date of completion: 1 Jan 2000
- More information
Deliverables & Resources
Organization(s) making commitmentNausica�
World Ocean Network
Global Ocean Forum
Potential partners still to be confirmed
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO
United Nations Development Programme
Ocean Policy Research Foundation
Sea for Society consortium
International Union for Conservation of Nature
Agence des Aires Marines Prot�g�es
Achievement of CommitmentIn the last summits on SD, States agreed on the need for a joint framework for conservation and sustainable use of ocean resources. To reach this goal, we shall bring together researchers, policy makers, economic stakeholders, local authorities and the general public in dialogue, mutual learning, and action in order to develop the �Blue Society� concept, a new vision of our life on Earth, in the spirit of sustainability, well-being and equity for mankind in harmony with the World Ocean.
To implement it, we shall identify innovative research themes and governance modes and promote them to be duplicated elsewhere.
www.seaforsociety.org www.iucn.org
How this will be achievedThere is a clear need for cooperation among States in marine scientific research and sustainable governance to build the new vision of the Blue Society.
We shall create the framework of the Blue Society by working with civil society, youth and other stakeholders in Europe thanks to the Sea for Society project. The consultation and mobilisation fora will be held to link together innovation and marine ecosystem services.
At the international level, we shall join efforts with World Ocean Network and Global Ocean Forum to feed, promote, and implement the concept of Blue Society with more partners worldwide.
An international expert group, the Blue Society Advisory Panel, will steer the development of the concept. International and European experts from the Global Ocean Forum and IUCN will collaborate with key regional stakeholders worldwide to enrich and promote the Blue Society concept.
With the support of Directorate General Research and Innovation of the European Commission, Business Innovation Centers, science centres and aquariums, research organisations (including the Sea for Society consortium) and business representatives, we shall further translate this concept into actual research and business partnerships.
In 2015, we shall convene an international event on the Blue Society: the Blue Society conference.
|The Blue Society Advisory panel will be installed
|We shall lead consultation fora and mobilization process in ten European countries (Belgium, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden).
|The 2013 3rd International Marine Protected Areas Congress will be the opportunity to consult with partners worldwide. World Ocean Network will launch a broader mobilization effort, with the preparation and organization of the 2014 WON 5th international
|Launch of the Blue Society concept in an international conference.
|Resources devoted to delivery
|Staff / Technical expertise
|Expert staff on Capacity Development on oceans, coasts, and SIDS (all partners)
|Staff / Technical expertise
|Capitalisation on the Sea for Society Mobilisation and Mutual Learning action plan and partnership; project funded by European Union DG Research and Innovation
|Staff / Technical expertise
|Expert staff and public outreach network (Nausicaa, World Ocean Network)
|In-kind contribution
|GOF network of over 3,000 ocean leaders and collaborators from Intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organizations, research and academic institutions, and the private sector


text:
Smoking on Cruise Ships: The Great Debate
September 9, 2013 | By Gina Kramer | 32 Comments
32 Responses to "Smoking on Cruise Ships: The Great Debate"
S Harris
September 10th, 2013 @ 6:15 am
I am slightly anxious about my first cruise in October with Costa as I have many postings describing the commonplace smoking situation inside the ship.
I worry about the fire hazard risk and also I hate the smell that gets on me, gives me a headache and that lingers in rooms. It also distresses my fourteen year old son.
I would book a non smoking ship definitely if possible.
N. Cavallin
September 10th, 2013 @ 9:03 am
S. Harris's first concern should be, that she chose Costa
Cruises. I think somewhere to have a cigar or cigarette
at the end of night, or after dinner should be allowed.
Especially if you are outside.
tyra young
September 10th, 2013 @ 1:54 pm
No one who smokes feels comfortable having to go to a designated place to smoke. We have always booked balconies or suites for this reason. To top it off, these areas are never cleaned up of glasses, etc, making you feel like a dirty outcast. The lines should have smoking balcony cabins. Heck, they could put us at the aft, with all the smoke the ship makes. I have been on 14 cruises and for this reason alone, I am going to protest and not cruise this year, or until they give smokers back their rights!
Dave MacDonald
September 11th, 2013 @ 12:44 pm
I wouldn't be opposed to allowing smoking on balconies except for the ignorant few. I was on one cruise, with balcony, and had the 'pleasure' of cleaning cigarette butts off my deck most mornings because someone nearby thought they could flick the butts into the ocean. I am just glad that none came back into our cabin as we liked to leave the door open, whenever possible. It is a safety issue, no smoking except in designated areas.
peggy and john smith
September 11th, 2013 @ 2:34 pm
we have 70 some odd cruises under our belt
the day that we cannot find a ship with an inside cigar lounge, we would, much to our chagrin, in all probability give up cruising.
we love cruising and it is one of our true pleasures in life. over the years we have watched smoking areas shrink to practically zilch. i daresay we smokers have much less than 5% of the public places on ships now days. i think it is a shame. we respect the rights of those who do not smoke. however, we smokers get absolutely no respect in return, and i think that tide should turn just a little bit. that's all we ask.
Greg Raven
September 11th, 2013 @ 4:15 pm
I am perfectly content to be allowed to smoke my cigars on the upper aft section of Celebrity boats. Since I rarely have more than one a day, this suits me quite well. What doesn't please me are those few who wish to force their non-smoking preference onto me and my fellows smokers.
Our experience has been most fellow passengers are quite OK with a "smoking allowed" location on board. Do I miss smoking on the balcony….sure….but I am willing to forego that convenience in order to be allowed to smoke hassle-free in a designated location.
Like those with tattoos, it's never the smokers who have issue with non-smokers…it's the other way around.
And please spare me the health issues…I am so very aware of ALL of your "points"…leave us to our small section of the ship and we'll stay out of your way.
Deal with it !!!
Jim Bishop
September 11th, 2013 @ 4:21 pm
sorry but if the cruise lines completly ban smoking they will lose me as a customer and I speak for a great number of other cruise customers. Who or what is the next ban fat people or old people? Keep it up and the old all inclusive resorts will pick up the crowds and you can start carrying cargo.
Angie Fernandez
September 12th, 2013 @ 8:30 am
Paying the same fee as non smokers why do I not get the same respect. I think smokers are really being ostraczied and I don't think I will be doing any cruises on ships with non smoking balconies, I pay extra for that and I cannot see the harm expecially when I am a considerate smoker and would not throw butts in the sea or on a neighbors balcony.
September 12th, 2013 @ 9:08 am
September 12th, 2013 @ 11:58 am
Like Sonya, I will quit cruising with Carnival if they ban smoking on balconies. I have had many cruises with Carnival and book balcony cabins in order to smoke. The wind is enough to blow the smoke away so that it doesn't bother anyone else on the ship. I always use an ashtray and carefully extinguish the cigarettes.
A Busfield
September 12th, 2013 @ 5:09 pm
Having done numerous cruises with Royal Caribbean i am really annoyed they have now decided to ban smoking on private balconies We pay extra for the privilege, and i for one will be looking for another cruise line We actually did a World cruise this year with P$O thankfully we could smoke on our balcony or i four one would never have gone for such a long time Have some consideration RCI
Scary Anti-smoking Ads Prompt 100,000-plus To Kick Habit | Hujufima
September 13th, 2013 @ 1:27 am
[…] The majority of cruisers always have been in favor of tighter bans and restrictions. Since our daily poll began running in 2007, weve seen some pretty consistent results. (See one of our first polls on smoking below.) And as you will see in our latest poll which we ran in light of Royal Caribbean s new smoking ban on cabin balconies the overall stance has not changed. What http://www.examiner.com/article/vaporscapes-oak-cliff-s-premier-personal-vaporizer-e-cigarette-shop we asked: Smoking on cruise ships should be ___. What they said: Similar to our earlier results, more than half of our poll-takers feel strongly about anti-smoking enforcements onboard. For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2013/09/09/smoking-on-cruise-ships-the-great-debate/ […]
Scary Anti-smoking Ads Prompt 100,000-plus To Kick Habit | Mother Goose
September 13th, 2013 @ 3:45 am
[…] But its not a surprise to us. The majority of cruisers always have been in favor of tighter bans and restrictions. Since our daily poll began running in 2007, weve seen some pretty consistent results. (See one of our first polls on smoking below.) And as you will see in our latest poll which we ran in light of Royal Caribbean s new smoking ban on cabin balconies the overall stance has not changed. What we asked: Smoking on cruise ships should be ___. For the original version including any supplementary images or video, visit http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2013/09/09/smoking-on-cruise-ships-the-great-debate/ […]
Pat Streeter
September 13th, 2013 @ 8:39 pm
I'm delighted that Royal Car. is going smoke free on balconies. Numerous times we've been in a balcony that we couldn't use because of the smoker next door–the last time, it was a cigar smoker, which was, of course, against the rules. When we reported the smell, they told us they couldn't be sure where it was coming from, so "too bad." However, when I told them I saw him smoking and gave the cabin number, Royal Car. dealt with it promptly, and the cigar didn't come back.
I understand that smokers pay for their space, too, but the stink doesn't stay on their balcony.
September 14th, 2013 @ 7:03 pm
As a smoker, I have rights too! It is unfair to not have at least some designated areas and cabins for smokers…they sure have made enough money off us! I guess I will be banning cruises as well!
September 15th, 2013 @ 2:04 am
We are avid cruisers and I am an addicted smoker. We always have a balcony cabin. Our last cruise was a first with Royal Caribbean, and we liked it so much we put down a deposit for a future cruise. Now I learn with dismay that they have banned smoking on balconies. On sea days it can take me several hours to get ready to leave the cabin, so I don't intend to throw on clothes and run the length of the ship to find the one place where I might light up. Non-smokers just do not understand.
We are about to embark on a 34-day cruise on Holland America which, to the best of my knowledge, still allows smoking on balconies. I shudder to think what that would be like if I were to find out that they've disallowed it. But the handwriting is on the wall, and it's just a matter of time. Then I will put my cruising life to rest, or just roll an extra $250 into our budget for the cleaning fee they assess. On second thought, maybe this is just an airline-type maneuver to collect more fees. It just isn't fair, and I resent the continuing attacks on smokers.
September 16th, 2013 @ 12:00 am
My husband and I both smoke, and we are considerate smokers. We have been on many cruises, including a world cruise. I know that the rabid anti smokers would say there is no such thing as a considerate smoker, but I noticed that the gamblers don't care how much you smoke as long as they can gamble!
the long and the short of it is, we won't be cruising if we have to get dressed and traipse the length of the ship to have a cigarette. In an enclosed space such as a cruise ship, they are many ways for people to offend others. What about the people who are so fat they can't walk, and are always in my way? Or how about the people who run over my toes with their scooters? Or the slobbering drunks who wake me in the middle of the night stumbling to their cabin? Or the kids who thunder down the hallway and wake me up in the morning? Or the people who don't know how to wait their turn, and cut in front of me in the buffet line? Get my drift? Seems like what we really need is a little "live and let live".
Johan van Coller
October 17th, 2013 @ 3:28 am
I am 100% for not smoking in your cabin or balconies, but let the back staterooms on the ship be smoking rooms. That way every cruiser willshould be happy.
Just my 2 cent
February 16th, 2014 @ 4:04 pm
I am considering booking a cruise, however the idea of sitting near anyone who smokes will destroy my holiday. As a non smoker, I detest the way smokers think its okay to spit cigarette smoke over me and make my clothes stink and cause me to cough and wheeze. I am glad they have introduced a non-smoking policy. Well done!!
April 1st, 2014 @ 5:35 am
We don't smoke and we pay extra to have a balcony so we can enjoy the view, not so we have to keep the door closed 24/7 to avoid those who think it is OK to poison everybody around them. If anyone smokes near me it could be damaging to my health, as I had serious life threatening medical issues last year. All I want is to enjoy a cruise with FRESH AIR not smoke from cigarettes and cigars wafting around all the time. Celebrity have the right idea, ban smoking of ALL types on balconies and cabins. Surely smokers know what damage they are doing to their health as well as other people?
Douglas Holman
June 12th, 2014 @ 4:08 pm
Just returned from a 7 day cruise on Royal Caribbean. The new smoking policy was great and made a big difference! Was smoke free on the balcony and clubs so no more inconsiderate and disgusting smokers with their nasty addiction!
July 2nd, 2014 @ 3:11 pm
Doughlas Holman,
As a considerate smoker, I have found in my many travels it tends to be the non-smokers who are rude and inconsiderate. The amount of times they come into the small smoking area left to us on board and then stand there bitching about the smoke, that is what I am sick of.
July 3rd, 2014 @ 8:33 am
The smokers are the rudest not the non smokers. Also on our last cruise there was a man smoking INSIDE obviously in a NON SMOKING area when we returned from the late evening show. However, in order not to create a scene, we went a longer way round from our normal route back to where we wanted to be! There, non smokers not being rude, but smokers being selfish. BTW we have not found any considerate smokers on any of our cruises so far. Even in non cruising it is always the smokers being inconsiderate and smoking in non smoking areas. Those of us who do not want to inhale poison, do not get a choice even in non smoking areas.
NC Sanders
July 14th, 2014 @ 7:42 pm
I agree that there should be some areas in the back, where smokers could smoke in their balconies or rooms. Some say it is just being rude to try to keep someone from smoking. But I have asthma & already have to go from the front to the back of the ship on floors other than the Promenade because the Casino is so smoke filled. We had a Suite in front of the ship & we were thrilled knowing that so we wouldn't be disturbed by smoke from others when we went on our balcony. But there was a small area in front that allowed smoking. We weren't able to use our balcony at all that trip.
I have no problem with someone smoking as long as they can keep their smoke contained. Put a plastic bag on your head & tie it up to keep the smoke in. Your right to swing your arm stops at the end of my nose. So your smoke should also not be allowed to invade my air.
Susan C
September 14th, 2014 @ 1:44 pm
I had resigned myself to the fact that I could handle not having a balcony on which to have a cigarette. I never ever smoked inside the cabin. Furthermore, I alternately use an e-cig. I would save several hundred dollars for something I could not use. So, I thought about booking the Carnival Splendor and after some research found that smoking was NOT allowed on the aft Lido deck where the adult pool is located. That did it. I am not cruising at least until this asinine policy of not smoking (on one side of the ship) in an outdoor area is lifted.
October 31st, 2014 @ 9:25 am
Just come back from a cruise on Celebrity. Smoking was allowed on the port side of Deck 5, we were on Deck 9 and could smell it every time we ventured out onto the balcony, so smokers do not say it stays within your balcony! Smoking was also allowed on other decks, one port, one starboard, so really, it was difficult to get away from it! There was a mile walk for breast cancer, and we had to go past the smokers happily puffing away while more than 300 people did the walk, they were at the same time applauding the walkers! Also one smoker started smoking on the wrong side where the walk was held, thankfully she was told to move or put it out by the staff! Rather hypocritical, after all, we may have raised money to help treat them in the future??
Will R
November 13th, 2014 @ 6:16 am
I was just wondering where do the employees who smoke go as I am sure every ship has a few employees that smoke,
I would also like to know how will the cruise line know if you are smoking on your balcony or not, because if you do complain about your neighbor then it could be a uncomfortable cruise, what are they going to do, view the camera and see if you are smoking, be careful of your intimate moments if that is the case.
I wonder how many of these non-smokers sneak alcohol on board, but yet a majority of them talk and have a holier than thou attitude, so what's next, no alcohol, no fat people, no people with different lifestyles, We talk and try to teach tolerance but really all it is, is just that just cheap talk.
I understand that Holland America is seeing a huge increase in there bookings from smokers and non smokers, I guess those that are booking on Holland are walking the walk and talking the talk and being tolerant of one another and isn't that what we are supposed to do.
Regardless of whether you are a smoker or non smoker I wish you all an awesome cruise
November 14th, 2014 @ 9:25 am
Will R – How do people sneak alcohol on board, when everything, and I mean everything is scanned every time you come back on board? Also, does that mean that it is only non smokers who would try and sneak alcohol on board and not smokers??? Only asking!
Will R
November 15th, 2014 @ 7:18 am
People sneak alcohol on board ship all the time, either in suit cases, wrapped up in socks and put inside your boots, rum runners, the latest trend is using the soda making machine as it will put the carbonation in the container and this gives it the bubbles when the crew looks it over, or putting it inside wine bottles and re-cocking the bottle. personally I think any of these are a lot of trouble to go to, its a lot of money but I will just pay for my alcohol on board ship.
To answer your question, no I was not saying that only non smokers would try and sneak alcohol on board, I was just asking a question to non-smokers on how they can be if they are, being intolerant of smokers if they are someone who breaks the rules and sneaks alcohol on board, because you see it clearly states that you are not allowed to bring certain alcoholic beverages on board and I have to wonder if there will be a fine of $250.00 if they are discovered to have broken the rule.
Best cruising to all
November 17th, 2014 @ 3:10 am
Will R – in answer, I have not seen anyone drinking alcohol that they have sneaked aboard, after all, they would probably drink it in their cabins if they got away with it. Sounds like as you know the way round it, perhaps you have done it yourself? I would be intolerant of anyone breaking rules, and if they get caught, then they should pay the fine and if they continue, to be put off the ship at the next port! Rules have been made for a reason; the ban on smoking for instance, in certain areas are for the good of the passengers and of course the crew who do not want to inhale smoke. People have a right to want to inhale smoke free air. On another matter, children who use the adults only pools and people jumping in where it is banned, should be removed, some cruisers say this happens and the staff ignore them, again the rules are there for a reason, mainly for safety reasons.
Jackie Y
December 5th, 2014 @ 10:12 pm
On the Star Princess I researched the smoking areas so I wouldn't smell smoke on my balcony. I still smelled smoke that was being blown out of the casino with an exhaust fan, but at least it was a tolerable level and not like smoke from next door. The sports bar is now also the cigar bar – we love sports but couldn't go there to watch any because it was disgusting, and they left the door open so it drifted into the public areas. I would prefer that there be some cabins in the rear of the ship for smokers and limit smoking entirely to the rear of the ship. Casino smoking is a big deterrent to gambling!
Tina P
March 25th, 2015 @ 9:52 pm
We have been on many cruises over the years. At least 4 yearly. We like to relax and gamble in the casino's. We always book a balcony suite, as I am a smoker. Since smoking has been banned on balconies, I must say that every smoker on the ship was in the casino smoking, even if they did not gamble. It was horrific. Usually we will gamble late, however, the smoke was so thick, neither of us could stand it, so we would go back to our suite no later than 10 p.m. It would be much more preferable if some cabins in the rear of the ship were available for smokers. Really doubt if we will be cruising anytime soon. Not because the balconies are non smoking, but the casino's are, and my husband loves to gamble.
Leave a Reply


text:
In 2009, President Barack Obama announced his intentions of deploying more troops to Afghanistan. Statistics show that close to 74 percent of U.S. casualties in Afghanistan have occurred since the surge.
In more than 12 years of war in Afghanistan, 2,162 U.S. troops have given their lives trying to oust the Taliban. The Department of Defense says that 1,593 of those 2,162 who've died, or 73.7 percent to be exact, occurred under Mr. Obama.
Mr. Obama announced on Feb. 17, 2009, the need for more troops in Afghanistan, he said:
To meet urgent security needs, I approved a request from Secretary Gates to deploy a Marine Expeditionary Brigade later this spring and an Army Stryker Brigade and the enabling forces necessary to support them later this summer.
This increase is necessary to stabilize a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, which has not received the strategic attention, direction and resources it urgently requires.
A report from the Congressional Research Service says before Mr. Obama entered office, there were 32,800 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. By February 2009, that number was 35,900 by the end of the year, there were 69,000 U.S. troops. By Sept. 2010, there were 98,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
On March 27, 2009, the president announced a second increase in the number of troops being deployed to Afghanistan. He said:
For three years, the resources that our commanders need for training have been denied because of the war in Iraq. Now, this will change. The 17,000 additional troops that the president decided in February to deploy have already increased our training capacity.
Later this spring we will deploy approximately 4,000 more U.S. troops to train the Afghan National Security Forces so that they can increasingly take responsibility for the security of the Afghan people.
Since that announcement 1,575, or 72.8 percent, of U.S. casualties in Afghanistan have occurred. In all Mr. Obama announced three different troops surges upon recommendations of his top military officials. (You can read the rest of the CNSNews report where this information was gathered from by clicking here.)
What exactly are these numbers telling us? Could the higher number of U.S. deaths in Afghanistan be attributed to Mr. Obama not fully backing the war? Mr. Obama appears to lack faith in a war strategy he approved and in the commander he named to lead it, according to The New York Times and The Washington Post.
"Obama doesn't believe in his own strategy, and doesn't consider the war to be his. For him, it's all about getting out." This is what former U.S. Secretary of Defense wrote about a March 2011 meeting in the White House.
It's reported that Mr. Obama has been "plagued by doubts and surrounded by civilian aides who sowed distrust with the military." The president has been criticized because he hasn't fully backed the war in Afghanistan according to Mr. Gates.
Mr. Gates has written his memoir called, "Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary of War," the following:
All too early in the administration, suspicion and distrust of senior military officers by senior White House officials - including the president and vice president -- became a big problem for me as I tried to manage the relationship between the commander-in-chief and his military leaders.
Could it be a safe and fair assessment then that more of America's fighting men died in Afghanistan because of Mr. Obama's attitude toward the war? You decide; the numbers seem to support that analysis. Despite whether you believe we should be in Afghanistan or not we are there now, so either we should fully commit or withdraw.
If you would like to receive automatic notifications when new articles from the Marine Corps Examiner when they are published please consider subscribing by clicking the blue subscribe link under the photo that accompanies this article, (note that photo is near the top of this article, near the photo of the Marine Corps Examiner).
If you would like to read more articles from the Dothan Marine Corps Examiner you can go here.
Suggested Links
- Discarded veterans: 'A nation who forgets it defenders will itself be forgotten'
- US sailors who assisted at Fukushima are contracting cancers and other diseases
- Syrian rebels toast civilians in ovens, murder families outside of Damascus
- Obama places new restrictions on combat troops fighting in Afghanistan
- Was Indiana guardsman planing on attacking a military facility?


text:
Oct 31, 2006 6:57 PM
Don't need a briefcase, but still need something to carry office essentials? Check out the Academy Bag ($195) from Sara Langley Designs. With an amazing eight pockets on the inside, and two on the outside, you'll be organized in no time. Leather handles and accents, magnetic closure and purse feet give it all the features you require in a bag that can keep up with your busy lifestyle.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us and check out:


text: This old man from India has an awesome talent of frying fish. No one can do such thing and risk their life. Many people come far away from their home to see his talent and really appreciate him. Well his name should be included in Guinness Book of World Record. Watch an old man frying fish with hands in 200C Oil.


text:
THE MAKROBOI (or Macrobi), the "Long Lived Ones," was the name given to a number of long-lived Indian tribes, including the Kyrnoi and Gymnetai.
Pliny the Elder, Natural History 7. 27 (trans. Rackham) (Roman encyclopedia C1st A.D.) :
"The Indian race of Cyrni according to Isigonus [a Greek writer] live to 140; and he holds that the same is true of the long-lived Aethiopes (Ethiopians), the Seres (Chinese) and the inhabitants of Mount Athos--in the last case because their diet of snakes' flesh, which causes their head and clothes to be free from creatures harmful to the body.
Onesicritus [Greek historian C4th B.C.] says that in the parts of India where there are no shadows there are men five cubits and two spans height [about 8 feet], and people live a hundred and thirty years, and do not grow old but die middle-aged.
Crates of Pergamenus [Greek writer C2nd B.C.] tells of Indians who exceed a hundred years, whom he calls Gymnetae, though many call them Macrobi (Long-Livers)."


text:
Member of the reality-based community of progressive (not anonymous) Massachusetts blogs
We have 'rumor," and we have data:
But, not all data is created equal.
Thanks to Corey S, I found my way onto a photo gallery on Facebook by the Lowell Historical Society. As a "nouveau townie" (let's do away with blow-in, please), I was fascinated to see what Lowell looked like as it widened Pawtucket Blvd, built the Wang Towers and the Rourke bridge, and before the tear-down and rebuilding of large areas of downtown Lowell. This early-80s set of photos (donated anonymously) is a great walk down memory lane for some, and a fascinating look at old Lowell for those who have more recently made it their home.
In other great Lowellcentric things to browse on a Sunday afternoon, I again came across the Rourke Bridge replacement study website, which has lots and lots of great information on the public meetings, studies that have been done, and more. As project websites go, it's a really good one. If you, like me, missed the public meetings, I highly recommend reading through some of the material!
[powered by WordPress.]


text:
I have a web site - photo gallery. About 400 photos. Site on Gallery 3. mySQL. Hosted on VPS from myhosting.com (CPU 1792 MHz, 2048 MB RAM).
Everything seems to be ok, but there is one big problem. Once traffic reaches ~ 20 people (online) - website start loading really really slow. Actually website can't be loaded about 30-60 sec.
What should I do?
Buy more RAM / CPU on the same VPS? Move to a dedicated server or maybe myhosting.com just sucks?
What do you recommend?


text:
b. 1965, New York City
Lyle Ashton Harris was raised in Dar Es Salaam and New York City, where he currently lives and works. He graduated with honors from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, in 1988 and received his MFA from the California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, in 1990.
Harris has used photography to explore and challenge sexual and racial stereotypes since the early 1990s. He frequently serves as the primary subject of his images, transforming himself through pose and costume to highlight the workings of gender, ethnicity, and desire. More recently, after traveling extensively through Africa and residing part-time in Ghana, Harris has been creating video and photographic pieces that extend his use of abstract imagery and consider the undercurrents of the contemporary African experience, particularly as they relate to globalization.
Harris was awarded the Art Matters Grant (1992) and more recently received a Rome Prize (2000). In addition to serving as associate professor at New York University, he exhibits his work regularly in solo exhibitions such as Lyle Ashton Harris: Self/Portrait, The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York (2011); Lyle Ashton Harris: Ghana, CRG Gallery, New York (2010); and Untitled (Black Power), Cokkie Snoei Gallery, Rotterdam (2010). Group exhibitions include The Global Africa Project, Museum of Arts and Design, New York (2010); Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (2010); and Face, New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York (1993); and he participated in the 52nd Venice Biennale (2007).


text:
The River and The Thread
Alabama Chanin friend and inspiration, Rosanne Cash, explores her connection to the South and the region's physical, musical, and emotional landscape in her newest record, The River and The Thread. You can hear influences of Southern gospel, country, Appalachian, rock, and Delta blues throughout. Get your copy today, and read more about Rosanne on our Journal.Quantity
Organic Tote Bag
100% organic cotton tote bag is perfect for lunches, books, or traveling. Comes in Natural only and measures 11 1/2" x 13" x 3." Made in the USA.Quantity
Points of Departure
Phillip March Jones' collection of roadside memorial polaroids is a stark visual demand that we stop and see. These images capture the markers left for lost loved ones - which most of us drive past without thinking twice about the departed they commemorate. Polaroid film lends an ethereal, dated, yet momentary feel to the work. Read our interview with Jones on our Journal here.Quantity


text:
MONTHLY Newsletter of the Society for Modeling & Simulation International
SCS M&S Newsletter
M&S Resources
P.O. Box 17900
San Diego, California
Society for Modeling &
Simulation International
Ph +1 858.277.3888
Fx +1 858.277.3930
Archive of Proceedings of Conferences and Meetings
· BRIMS Behavior representation in modeling & simulation—2009 (NEW!)
· ECMS—European Conference on Modeling & Simulation, CFPs List (since 1995) (NEW!)
· ECMS—European Conference on Modeling & Simulation, Proceedings Archive (since 2002) (NEW!)
· EMSS—European Modeling and Simulation Symposium, Simulation in Industry (1995-2005) (NEW!)
· ICCM—International Conference on Cognitive Modeling 2007 (NEW!)
· I/ITSEC, The Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation & Education Conference (since 1995)
· I3M Multi-Conference (on Liophant Website, since 2004)
· I3M Multi-Conference (on MSC-LES website, since 2007)
· NDIA M&S Committee – proceedings of past meetings (since 2006)
· SCS - Proceedings of Conferences
SPRINGSIM, Spring Simulation Multiconference Historical Archive
SUMMERSIM, Summer Simulation Multiconference Historical Archive
SUMMERSIM, Summer Simulation Multiconference (on Liophant Website)
· SIMTecT Conference Proceedings Archive (since 1996) (NEW!)
· SISO conferences & Workshops
· WSC, Winter Simulation Conference Programs and Full Papers (since 1971)
· WSC, Winter Simulation Conference Programs and Full Papers (since 1995)
Archives of Journals
· ACM Simuletter at ACM Portal, since 1971 vol. 3, issue 1 – until 1998 vol. 28, issue 1
· Combustion Theory and Modeling—since 1997 (vol. 1)
· Communications in Statistics – Simulation and Computation—since 1973 (vol 1)
· Complexity Digest - since 1999
· HCI - Human Computer Interaction—since 2003 November (NEW!)
· IJSPM—International Journal of Simulation and Process Modeling – since 2005 (vol. 1)
· International Journal of Systems Science—since 1971 (vol. 1)
· Journal of Computational Technologies, Russian (since 1996, vol. 1, issue 1)
· Mathematical and Computer Modeling of Dynamical Systems Methods, Tools and Applications in Engineering and Related Sciences—since 1995 (vol. 1)
· Mathematical Population Studies An International Journal of Mathematical Demography—since 1988 (vol 1)
· MCMDS – Mathematical & Computer Modeling of Dynamical Systems – since 1995 (vol. 1)
· Molecular simulation - since 1988 (vol. 1)
· Pelican Web's Journal of sustainable development (NEW!)
· SCS - Archive of Journals
Simulation: Transaction of SCS—Past Special Issues and Call for papers
Simulation: Transaction of SCS—archive of all online issue, since 1963
JDMS—The Journal of Defense Modeling & Simulation—Past Special Issues and Call for papers
JDMS—The Journal of Defense Modeling & Simulation—archive of all online issue, since 2004
· Stochastic models—since 1985 (vol. 1)
· System Dynamics Newsletter - since 1968
· World Scientific (List of Journals) (NEW!)
Libraries and Collections (including list of publications and other contributions by experts in the field of M&S)
· Directory of Open Access Journals (1814 Journals, about 347763 articles)
Technology and Engineering Open Acess Journals (478 journals)
Computer Science Open Acess Journals (175 journals)
· The British Library – simulation (British Library web site: over 40 hits, catalogue records: over 11000 hits, journal articles: over 128000 hits )
· Discover Magazine (NEW!)
Collection on Simulation (NEW!)
· National Defence and the Canadian Forces (almost 7000 entries)
· Online Research in Philosophy
Collection on Mathematical Modeling
· US Library of Congress - Digital Collections
· NATO Modelling and Simulation Group—Publications
· List of publications and other contribution by experts in the field of M&S
Mikuláš Alexík (NEW!)
Virginia Dignum (NEW!)
Andreas Tolk (NEW!)
· The Robert Sargent Papers, 1962-2003
· Publications of the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center
· United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) (NEW!)
US-CERT, Collection on Simulation (NEW!)
· World Scientific (Journals) (NEW!)
Collection on Simulation (NEW!)
Other M&S Resources
· ACM Special Interest Group on Simulation
· Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation
· AMSC News - Alabama Modeling and Simulation Council Member News
· CACI Products Company - modsim.com
· Comprehensive World Medical Simulation Centre Database
· European Council on Modeling & Simulation (ECMS)
· EUROSIM, the Federation of European Simulation Societies
· Liophant Simulation (a Chapter of ECMS )
· List of (over 140) M&S Associations/Organizations/Committees/Research Centers/Research Groups/Military Organizations
· McLeod Institute of Simulation Science
· Military Operations Research Society
· Modelica Design & Users Group (a Technical Chapter of SCS International)
· Modeling & Simulation Coordination Office
· Modeling & Simulation Resources (Dr. Hossein Arsham)
· Modeling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand (a Chapter of SCS Pacific Rim )
· National Educational Computing Association
· National Training Systems Association
· NMSG (NATO Modeling and Simulation Group)
· Reference Management Software (Comparison on Wikipedia) (NEW!)
· SimCentral - The Modeling and Simulation Information Network
· SIMSOC List (News and discussion about computer simulation in the social sciences)
· Simulation Industry Association of Australia (SIAA) (NEW!)
· Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization
· United States Air Force Technology Links
· United States Army Technology Links
· U.S. Army Warfighting Analysis and Integration Center
· United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) (NEW!)
this issue
M&S Resources
Web manager and Web designer
of SCS M&S Newsletter Sabrina Rondinelli
Volume 2


text:
Today I had the pleasure of spending my Saturday in the company of Chris Fry of MDTS/Progressive FORCE Concepts and maybe 10 to 12 other students for a knife seminar on the carry, deployment, and defensive/offensive use of knives (primarily folders, though we covered some fixed blade aspects).
As usual, Chris ran a very easygoing but efficient class, demonstrating his natural teaching ability, his years of martial arts experience (which really comes out whenever he deals with blades and with empty hand work, but which is even evident during his firearms seminars), and his general competence when it comes to instructing a diverse group of people in how to do something that is both physical and mental.
He kept the class on track but allowed for useful tangents, kept the students focused, let them make mistakes just long enough so that he could point them out and correct them (always with an eye towards encouraging rather than discouraging), used humor but reminded us of the seriousness of knife work, and ran drills systematically, building on each one. This is classic good teaching, both in demeanor and in the "instructional design" aspect. Take a sloppy, poorly planned seminar and you'll immediately appreciate the difference between that and this.
This was a four hour class that ran a little longer than that, with a review of some previous empty hand MDTS/PFC combatives material (drop stepping into edge of hand blows, palm heels, forearm smashes, etc.). We first covered safety (Chris always stresses safety and emphasized the utility of eye protection in classes of this type) and then spent considerable time on the drawstroke with our folders (covering the differences and variations possible).
Folder deployment centered on first slapping the knife (levering aside any outer garments and keeping them back), shoving the web of the hand deeply onto the pocket-clipped folder, pulling the folder out of the pocket (using the index finger for leverage on the clip as necessary and applicable), bracing the folder aganist the hip, and thumbing it open. (Deviations in the mechanics for specific designs, such as the Wave and the the Carson Flipper, were also covered for those of us who had them.)
Chris instructed us in two no-surprises stances -- a defensive stance with the knife leg back, the folder braced against the hip, and the off hand up and protecting the face; and an offensive stance which was the same thing, but with the knife leg forward (the knife still held close to the body and braced against the hip). The utility of keeping the knife close to the body with the elbows down was also emphasized.
We ran through a series of drills that included targeting with pads, some entering and clearing, and some combinations, all using rubber knives and launching the four basic weapons Chris taught us systematically. The first weapon was the snap cut, which some of you might call a comma cut; it starts with the palm nominally up while the folder is braced against the hip and shoots out, the blade rotating, thrusting into the target with the palm facing down, then very quickly retracting back to the ready position, the whole movement a snap! of quick action.
The second attack was a vertical cut, in which the blade launches out vertically and slices down and through as the arm retracts (used for cutting down and clearing a horizontal obstacle like an arm held parallel to the ground in front of the body).
The third and fourth weapons were palm-up and palm-down horizontal cuts, which come out and trace a tight triangular pattern in the air as they cut horizontally across the target and then retract back to ready.
After the partner drills with rubber knives (including variations and counters) we did some cutting of cardboard sheets. "Chunking" attacks to the eyes left devastating wounds that looked like the eye cutouts of a jack-o-lantern.
The four weapons I described previously were practiced on the cardboard and this cutting medium really showed us if we were performing the techniques properly. While not a realistic medium like, say, meat, it nonetheless showed us when we were properly snap-cutting or slashing horizonatlly -- and when we were simply flailing the knife at the target o little or no effect. Those of you who don't do a lot of test cutting really should start; the feedback it provides is immensely helpful and I was reminded that I should do more of this type of thing than I have been doing.
At the end of the class we covered some draw fouls and other counters using blue guns -- with one partner attempting to draw a gun and the other partner stopping the draw or interfering and knifing the gunner (if he could).
Every time I take a class with Chris I cannot wait to sign up for another one. This is pragmatic training that covers essential basics and introduces some more advanced material -- training that will benefit complete beginners and experienced martial artists alike. This class specifically (or something like it) should be required curriculum for anyone who carries a folder or self-defense. It will teach you what your folder realistically can and cannot do, and under what conditions it can be expected to do it. It will also teach you if you, the wielder, aren't up to snuff and should be practicing more.
I'm off to hack away at my targets now.


text:
Ref Betting Scandal Rattles Well-Lawyered NBA
A Law Blog reader emailed us this morning expressing surprise that we hadn't yet weighed in on the NBA referee betting investigation. "This is a catastrophe in the making," he wrote. "How many millions do Nike, Reebok, UnderArmour, etc., spend to market in the NBA? What are the league's TV revenues and when is the renegotiation of the contract? When are we going to get the first civil suit filed by a Suns fan?"
All good questions, beloved Law Blog reader. As the rest of you have surely heard by now, the U.S. Attorney's office in Brooklyn is investigating allegations that veteran NBA referee Tim Donaghy (not a lawyer) influenced the outcome of basketall games on which he or associates of his had wagered. A law enforcement official told the Times that Donaghy was expected to surrender to the FBI this week. He's being represented by John Lauro, a Tampa, Fla., white-collar lawyer who was a federal prosecutor in Brooklyn in the 1980s.
The news has rattled the NBA's front office, which could hold a press conference on the matter as soon as today. Wrote a NYT columnist: "At a time of plummeting television ratings, the NBA can ill afford a scandal that violates the essence of what the public loves about games: honest and fair competition."
We're pleased to report that the the league has plenty of lawyers to deal with this potential crisis. Of its five top executives, three pack serious legal credentials:
- Commissioner David Stern began his tenure in 1984, a fact which makes the Law Blog feel very old. Stern (Rutgers, Columbia Law) began his association with the NBA in 1966 as a lawyer at the league's longtime outside counsel Proskauer Rose. He joined the NBA in 1978 as general counsel. (Law Blog Trivia: Gary Bettmann, the commissioner of the NHL, is also a former partner at Proskauer.)
- Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver is thought to be the league's marketing whiz, but his background is in the law. Silver (Duke, Chicago Law) joined the NBA in 1992 as a special assistant to David Stern. Prior to joining the NBA, he served as a litigation associate at Cravath.
- Joel Litvin, the lontime head of legal affairs, was named last year the president of league and basketball operations. Litvin (Wharton, NYU Law) joined the league in 1988 as a staff attorney from Willkie Farr.
And that's just a sampling. We didn't even highlight Richard Buchanan, the general counsel and former Covington & Burling lawyer; Ayala Deutsch, the head IP counsel and former Cleary lawyer; and David Denenberg, the head of legal and business affairs who joined the league from Paul Hastings.


text:
WOOSTER, Ohio – March 1, 2013
E&H Family Group is the umbrella company owned by the Buehler family that operates Buehler's Fresh Foods and E&H Hardware Group (ACE Hardware Stores). Rick Lowe, Vice President of Human Resources, stated "We congratulate each of the new Directors and Vice Presidents on their new responsibilities and expanded roles within our growing organization".
Buehler's Fresh Foods is announcing six promotions at headquarters in Wooster:
- Harry Graham to Vice President of Packaged Goods
- Ron Monroe to Vice President of Store Operations
- Mike Merritt to There's plenty you can study from Latest Casino Bonuses, consider getting your pen out and begin making notes. Director of Food Production
- Dave Savidge to Director of Meat and Seafood
- Jeff Tomassetti to Director of Produce and Floral
- Wade Yenny to Director of Grocery, Dairy and Frozen
E&H Family Group (provides services to Buehler's and E&H Hardware group) is announcing two promotions at headquarters in Wooster:
- Greg Buehler to Vice President of Training & Development
- Becky Foster to Vice President of Construction and Maintenance
Buehler's Fresh Foods operates 13 Supermarkets located in Wooster, Orrville, Wadsworth, Medina, Brunswick, Ashland, New Philadelphia, Dover, Jackson Township, Delaware and Coshocton, Ohio.
In addition to Buehler's, E&H Family Group also owns and operates E&H Hardware Group (ACE Hardware stores) located in Orrville, Medina, Dover, New Philadelphia, Delaware, Jackson Township, Independence, Rocky River, Westlake, and Middlefield, Ohio.
E & H Family Group is a family owned company committed to environmentally responsible behavior. For more information visit www.buehlers.com.
March 4, 2013 in Blog, News/Media


text:
Domestic Short Hair - Cybil - Medium - Adult - Female - Cat in Hornell, New York For Sale
Date/Time:07 Dec, 06:35 a.m. EST
Type: Pets, For Sale - Private.
Domestic Short Hair - Cybil - Medium - Adult - Female - Cat
Adoption Process: HAHS has an adoption application that you can fill out if you are interested in one of our animals. Once we receive the application we review and contact veterinary and personal references and make sure that the animal chosen is the best fit for your family and lifestyle. Our adoption fees are as follows: Dog/Puppy: $100 plus an additional $35 refundable spay/neuter deposit Kittens under 13wks :$25 plus an additional $35 refundable s/n deposit Cats: $40 plus and additional $35 refundable s/n deposit.
Breed: Domestic Short Hair
Size: Medium
Petfinder ID: xxxxxxxx
Pet has been spayed/neutered
Hornell Area Humane Society | Hornell, NY | 607-324-xxxx
For additional information, reply to this ad or see: http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=xxxxxxxx
Brought to you by Petfinder.com
Pets in New York for sale
View similar ads: Pets, Pets in New York for sale
A volunteer writes: Biscuit was relinquished into our care as his family, counting many children and a new arrival,...
Date: 07 May
Hazel previously lived with an adult and children under the age of 10, and the owner states she is always friendly...
Date: 29 Apr
CAN U HELP REHOME ONE OR TWO KITTENS ASAP? "Heaven" is Black/White Kitten female 11mths fixed with shots, house cat,...
Date: 22 Apr
Sparkle was reported to be very soft and gentle with people of all ages and can be very attention seeking. Sparkle...
Date: 11 Apr
Russian Siberian Forest Cats are a wonderful medium to long-hair breed of cat. Similar to the Norwegian Forest Cat,...
Date: 06 Apr
Maxine is a shy older lady who was adopted from AC&C eight years ago, but was brought back last week due to landlord...
Date: 06 Apr


text:
One would have to ask whether China has an influence on the outcome of this year's Super Bowl. As the Chinese begin their New Year's celebration on January 31, 2014, Denver Bronco fans are all smiles over the fact this year's featured animal of the Chinese zodiac is the horse.
Named "Shēngxiào" ( 生肖 - "birth likeness") by the Chinese, (the English refer to it as the Chinese zodiac or "circle of animals"), it rotates through a 12-year cycle, relating each year to a specific animal and that animal's reputed attributes. Shēngxiào continues to remain popular in most of the countries of Eastern Asia.
From the viewpoint of the Chinese people, those born under the Horse, the seventh sign of their zodiac, are resourceful with respect to communicating techniques; in addition to being energetic, intelligent and warm-hearted. Clever and kind to others, Horses also tend to talk too much and can be talented, while also stubborn. Bronco fans likely hope their team is stubborn about winning, intelligent in the way they play the game, warm-hearted while dealing with the cold temperatures they will face and utilize their talents without talking too much to the press or others in the process.