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Family trips to New Mexico's three national parks give families an inexpensive way to engage in enjoyable leisure activities while learning about the history, culture and geology of the state. Your family can visit the site of a Civil War battle at Pecos National Historic Park, marvel at enormous and elaborate Pueblo dwellings at Chaco Culture National Historic Park or explore below the ground at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Pecos National Historic Park
Set in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains north of Santa Fe, the site of Pecos National Historic Park is rich in culture, dating back to about 800 B.C. when early people lived in pit houses. Your family can enjoy visiting ruins of a pueblo, as well as a Spanish mission church from the mid-1500s and a ranch house from the early 1900s. You can fly fish from spring through autumn if you obtain a special-use permit to fish along an assigned beat of the Pecos River. The river flows three miles through the park, and each mile-long beat is shared by up to three people. The catch-and-release beats require a per-person daily fee in addition to the park admission fee and a fishing license. When visiting the park, you may wish to participate in a kid-friendly ranger-led program. The park offers Junior Ranger booklets with kids' activities and a chance to earn a Junior Ranger badge.
Chaco Culture National Historic Park
You can visit five major Chacoan sites along a nine-mile paved loop with self-guided trails at each site. The loop makes an ideal spot for a family bicycle trip. Three other trails at the park are designated for bicycle use, and bike racks are provided at each site for you to lock your bike when you are viewing the ruins. If your family prefers hiking, pick up a backcountry permit and set out along your choice of four trails that access more remote sites in the park. Camp overnight in Gallo Campground in the shadow of petroglyphs and a cliff dwelling. The campground is located in a wash and has no shade. The 49 sites have accommodations for tents, and RVs or trailers up to 35 feet in length. There are fire pits and picnic tables at each site. No hookups are provided, but flush toilets are available onsite. A Junior Ranger Program offers special publications and activities for kids.
Carlsbad Caverns
Arrive at Carlsbad Caverns around sunset in the summer months to witness the spectacular sight of thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats in mass exodus as they depart for their nighttime insect hunt. Your family can enjoy exploring two of the cavern's large "rooms" on self-guided tours. The Big Room is appropriate for kids of all ages. The Natural Entrance tour is very steep and may not be a good choice for small kids or anyone with health problems. You can also choose from guided tours that suit your family's interests and abilities, and explore the dramatic stalagmites, stalactites, stone draperies and other magical formations below ground. Kids over 12 can enjoy the Spider Tour, which involves crawling through some of the caverns' small passageways. Kid-friendly audio guides and ranger tours are available, as well as a Junior Ranger Program. Backcountry camping is available at the park with a free backcountry permit you can get at the visitor center.
While pets are welcome in the national parks, they are not allowed in public buildings or at archaeological sites. If you choose to bring the furry member of your family, do not leave him in the car with the windows cracked when temperatures are above 68 degrees -- the inside of the car can quickly heat up to fatal levels for your pet. Bubonic plague and hantavirus are carried by rodents in northern New Mexico. Keep pets away from rodents and their burrows to prevent them from contracting the disease. While Chaco is the most pet-friendly, allowing pets in its campground and backcountry trails, your pet must be on a leash no longer than six feet in length. Bring bags to clean up after your pet, even when hiking in the backcountry. Carlsbad Caverns provides a kennel where you may leave your pet while you are touring the caverns.
- Pecos National Historic Park: Forked Lightning Ranch
- Pecos National Historic Park: People of Pecos
- Pecos National Historic Park: Fishing 2012
- Pecos National Historic Park: Pets
- Chaco Culture National Historic Park: Pets
- Chaco Culture National Historic Park: Plan Your Visit
- Chaco Culture National Historic Park: Bicycling at Chaco
- Chaco Culture National Historic Park: Camping at Chaco
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park: Things to Do
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images


text: STREETFSN's Nam took to the streets of Paris to document styles as they appeared during fashion week recently. The photographer was able to capture a nice variety of different looks from global tastemakers, which serve as either forecast or inspiration for the sartorially inclined. Vibrant colors contrasted the white background of a wintertime Parisian cityscape, including printed denim scarves, orange skirts, and a particularly graphic 3D sweatshirt. The individual personalities that direct fashion are readily apparent here, though complex, contrasted layering seemed to be an undercurrent in Nam's studies.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Gamification of the Everyday
From business models to social networking, fitness to pedagogy, gamification has infiltrated almost any facet of everyday life. Many herald it as a paradigmatic shift in cultural strategy, while others dismiss it as a fleeting buzzword. Where did this impulse come from? How is gamification significant at this cultural moment and what can we stand to learn from it? Possible topics may include:
Consumer culture
Business and culture
Economic and political trends
Game as art/art as game
Emergent technologies
Social networks and communication
Analog gamification
Psychology and neuroscience of risk/reward
Imagined communities
Games and the classroom
Submit paper abstracts (max. 250 words), A/V equipment requests (if needed) and a brief CV by February 1, 2013 to:
Steve Luber
Theatre and Media Studies
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo


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City sheriff has your back on auto thefts
Lt. Col. Robert B. Northern (from left) of the Virginia State Police presents Winchester Sheriff Lenny Millholland and Deputies Bradley Davidson and Steve Snapp with an award at the Virginia State Police Help Eliminate Auto Theft (HELP) program during the 80th annual conference for the Virginia Sheriff's Association last week in Norfolk. The program focuses on reducing auto thefts across the state.
WINCHESTER — Officers with the city Sheriff's Office have received statewide recognition for their efforts to prevent auto thefts.
Sheriff Lenny Millholland and Deputies Bradley Davidson and Steve…
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February 20, 2007
Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Soul-Blues
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Album Review
With the release of
Johnnie Taylor
Live at the Summit Club
, the Concord label's takeover of the Stax catalog from its former owner, Fantasy, has already born fruit. This set is a club date recorded in 1972 as part of the WattStax: The Living Word documentary.
was bumped from the festival lineup on the day of because of time overruns. He was booked into the club with his own band and an expanded set of Los Angeles musicians. The ten cuts here have never been issued unedited, and only one, an edited version of "Jody Got Your Girl and Gone," made the film, and three others were on earlier LPs as edited versions. The performance by
is electrifying. He's in a club in front of the City of Angels regulars who, according to the notes, were "fur-lined players and ice cold hustlers." Given the film stills in the booklet, this observation proves to be true.
is far from intimidated, however; he simply delivers an authoritative, strutting, burning performance that engages the audience at street level. They are active participants in what makes this date so special. The band is ragged and sometimes a bit off harmonically, missing cues (especially early), but
doesn't miss a step. He chides them semi-regularly -- the first time happens at the beginning of "Steal Away," a
Jimmy Hughes
ballad he ramps up into a funky burner after his amazing read of
Isaac Hayes
' and
David Porter
's "Little Bluebird." He simply tells them to pick it up because they've been dragging all night. "Who's Making Love," his smash 1968 hit, is here as a full-blown audience participation number, and works to stunning effect. Cuts like "I Don't Wanna Lose You," "Hello Sundown," and "Stop Doggin' Me" simply come off like the lost funky soul Holy Grail that they are. The sound is impeccable, as the music was recorded for possible inclusion in the film -- he tells the crew to get their stuff out of his way at one point. This one cannot be recommended enough.
Thom Jurek, Rovi
Track Listing
Introduction by Rufus Thomas [#]
Take Care of Your Homework [#]
Little Bluebird [#]
Steal Away [#]
I Don't Wanna Lose You [#]
Who's Making Love [#]
Hello Sundown [#]
Steal Away [#]
Stop Doggin' Me [#]
Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone [#]
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How is intolerance a theme of The Crucible?
1 Answer | Add Yours
I think that Miller's work thematically develops the idea of intolerance in different contexts. Intolerance can be considered a theme in the drama because it is seen in different characters towards different characters. For example, there is automatic intolerance whenever someone, anyone, is accused of witchcraft. Consider the immediate attitudes towards Tituba. The intolerance and exclusion shown to her is representative of how quick the community of Salem demonstrates it when someone is accused of witchcraft. There is intolerance shown even amongst the girls, themselves. When Mary Warren tries to voice disagreement with Abigail, she is met with brutal and quick intolerance to silence her and put her back in line with the wishes of the group. At the same time, as Abigail assumes a greater prominence in the drama, there is greater institutional intolerance demonstrated. Judges Hathorne and Danforth exhibit intolerance towards anyone who disagrees or even tries to speak out against the court's decisions. Francis Nurse, Giles Corey, and John Proctor are all examples of experiencing this intolerance of the court in a direct manner. In these contexts, the idea of silencing voices, preventing full discourse and denying a sense of humanity becomes the key elements of intolerance, representing it as a theme in the drama.
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Stama's MC 726/MT-2C twin-spindle turn-mills enable six-sided processing of parts in two independent operations in five axes on a single machine. The machines are designed for automotive, fluid power, tooling, medical and other industries in which parts need to be milled and turned in production operations.
The machines have two independent spindles, each on a traveling-column assembly and each supporting an independent swivel table, one of which acts with a bar-feeder mechanism. Workpieces are introduced to the turning spindle, then transitioned by a conveyor gripper assembly to the milling indexer and fed to the milling spindle, before finally exiting the work area.


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This seminar will bring into dialogue those who are working with actual-existing virtual reality and those who are studying its fictional representations. We will accept papers on a wide range of topics related to virtual reality, cyberspace, and cyberpunk. Of particular interest are those papers treating emerging aesthetic or political issues: What is the phenomenology of reading and writing in virtual reality? Is language in the media of virtual reality or is it itself the media? What are the consequences of virtual reality for the future of education? Will virtual reality be the ultimate form of alienation or will it reduce alienation, connecting cultural workers in new ways? How has virtual reality been used to depict issues of race, gender, class, and migration? Might virtual reality be a future site of cultural exchange and translation?
Our aim is to explore the relationship between existing virtual reality technology and its extrapolation into the future by literature and film.


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HARRISBURG - Teams have less than a day left to sign up for the Gus Macker Basketball Tournament July 6-7, part of the capital city's four-day July 4 celebration.
The registration deadline is Monday, according to a statement released that morning by Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson's office.
The tournament pulls at least 200 teams competing for trophies and bragging rights. Games match teams based on age and experience, the news release stated.


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Now that term limits are back in the news — with the surprising ruling that a person who serves 12 years on a local government body is done, regardless of whether he or she is serving as a council member or mayor — it may be a good time to delve into some of the truly classic ironies of term limits in Nevada.
Irony No. 1: Judges were supposed to be included! That's right, when the term-limits initiative was first qualified for the ballot, all elected officials in the state — including judges — were subject to term limits. When the measure passed on the 1994 ballot overwhelmingly (70 percent yes to 30 percent no), the question was whether term limits should be established for "state and local public officers," with no exceptions made for judges or justices of the Supreme Court.
But two years later, things changed. The Nevada Supreme Court ruled in the case of Nevada Judges Association v. Lau that the term-limits question should be split, asking voters in one question about term limits for "state and local elected officials in the executive and legislative branches of government," and in another, separate question about justices and judges. And wouldn't you know it: In 1996, voters said yes overwhelmingly to term limits for politicians, albeit by a much smaller margin than two years earlier (54,3 percent yes to 45.7 percent no) but overwhelmingly rejected term limits for judges (59 percent to 41 percent).
How about that, huh?
Irony No. 2: Members of Congress were supposed to be included, too! The 1994 ballot included Question 8, which asked voters if the Nevada Constitution should be amended to establish term limits for members of Congress, too. And the question passed by nearly the same margin and term limits for everybody else — 70 percent to 30 percent.
But two years later, thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Arkansas case of U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton, the question of amending Nevada's Constitution to limit terms for federal office holders was moot. The high court held that state restrictions on members of Congress run contrary to "fundamental principles of our representative democracy" and was inconsistent with the vision of the framers of the U.S. Constitution for a national legislature representing the people. If term limits were to be established for federal lawmakers, the court ruled, the U.S. Constitution should be amended.
Not only that, but a 1995 attorney general opinion issued by then-AG Frankie Sue Del Papa concluded that the question may not appear on the 1996 ballot.
As a result, an alternative Question 16 was posed in 1996: Should the Nevada Constitution be amended to call upon Nevada's congressional delegation and members of Congress to establish term limits, either through an act of Congress or a national constitutional convention. It passed, 53 percent to 47 percent.
Thus far, no serious move to amend the U.S. Constitution to establish federal term limits has been attempted.
UPDATE: Irony No. 2A: It was supposed to take effect sooner. The actual language of the term limit petition — now the language of our state Constitution, in Article 4, Section 3(2), Article 4, Section 4(2) and Article 15, Section 3(2) — is phrased thus: "No person may be elected to any state office or local governing body who has served in that office, or at the expiration of his current term if he is so serving will have served, 12 years or more, unless the permissible number of terms or duration of service is otherwise specified in this Constitution."
Clearly, the language intends to count years already spent in office toward the term limits, so that long-serving officials would have to immediately decide to run for other offices or retire. But that section was undone, thanks to another attorney general opinion (96-23) that concluded that because state lawmakers' terms begin on the day after the election (in 1996, that would have been Nov. 6, 1996) and because the initiative wasn't effective until the canvass of the vote by the state Supreme Court (which took effect that year on Nov. 27, 1996), the terms of state lawmakers would not come under term limits until the elections of 1998, two years later. The language of the petition, which became the language of the constitution, that appears to have a retroactive effect doesn't appear to have been specifically analyzed, but for all intents and purposes, the clocked started ticking in 1998 for state officials.
(It was another matter for local officials, most of whom served terms starting in January; because the term limits rule was in effect by January 1997, officials elected in November 1996 but who didn't take office until January saw the term limit clock start ticking immediately. This cost several officials their seats in 2008.)
Irony No. 3: Silence is not golden. During the legal fight over whether term limits applies separately to members of a city council and the mayor, or equally to both, there was conspicuous silence from the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities, a group that claims it is organized as "the state's primary champion of local government."
But the league was strangely silent in the case, not bothering to offer an amicus curiae brief in defense of the idea that mayors constitute a separate office, and thus service on the city council should not count against service in the office of mayor. And it wasn't just that the league was silent. The Nevada Supreme Court invited the group to participate, "but the League of Cities declined our invitation"!
I wonder how Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen feels about that decision now, given that questions have been raised about whether he should have been allowed to run for re-election. (Hafen had already served more than 12 years on the Henderson City Council when he was re-elected last year, an election that appears to be barred by the decision handed down last week. At the very least, he'll now be denied an anticipated third term under the ruling.) I only ask because Hafen is listed as a member of the board of the Nevada League of Cities and Municipalities, and his council colleague Debra March is listed as a member of the group's executive board, as the immediate past president. Might have wanted to get in on that, huh?
Irony No. 4: More "career politicians!" The Supreme Court's ruling last week noted that "when the question was presented to the voters, the proponents stated that its purpose was to 'stop career politicians' by preventing them from holding office for an excessive number of terms." But the ruling could have the opposite effect!
(Before I explain, I should also point out the irony of that line: There are few, if any, career politicians in Nevada. Most every elected office in the state is considered part-time, and the office holder is expected to have an outside job that serves as his actual career. The lieutenant governor, members of the state Senate and Assembly, city councils and county commissions are all officially part-time jobs. Only the governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, controller, local sheriffs, district attorneys and — irony alert! — judges and justices of the Supreme Court are full-time jobs.)
Now, if a city were to want to structure its charter so the mayor really was a separate office, it seems there are two ways to do it. One is the city of Sparks approach — the mayor is identified as the head of city government for all purposes, and presides over the City Council but has no vote. (In Reno, the mayor is the head of government for ceremonial purposes, but is specifically listed as part of the City Council, with full voting rights.)
But there's another way to go: The strong-mayor form of government that's foreign to Nevada, but practiced in larger cities around the country. In Los Angeles, or New York, for example, the mayor is the chief executive of the city, specifically not part of the City Council. He has no vote on the council and doesn't preside over it, but can sign or veto laws passed by the council. And he's the chief executive in a true sense: He appoints deputies and they run their respective local governments, the way city managers do in Nevada. Unlike Nevada mayors, however, strong-mayors are full-time jobs, paid a full-time wage.
In other words, they're filled by career politicians.
If Nevada cities were to seek to amend their charters toward that form of government — which would require action by the state Legislature — term limits would still apply, but it would be clear that the mayor is a separate office from city councilman, and thus a person could serve 12 years on a council and then run for and serve up to 12 years as a strong mayor. There's no indication that any city is even contemplating this, but if it were to happen as a result of the term-limits ruling, it would constitute a final and ultimate irony.


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Accomplished Contracting was Founded & Established in 1988 by Rich Ronning. With over 35 years of experience in the business, Mr. Ronning is a Master Carpenter. Insured & Licensed in both Suffolk & Nassau County on Long Island NY. Accomplished Contracting Inc. offers quality craftmanship in every job. Special attention to details and customer oriented are the key elements at Accomplished Contracting. If you are looking to remodel, revamp, add, change the house of your dream, we at Accomplished Contracting, will make it happen. Call us today for a quote or use our form!
Our Sevices Include:
Please call for referrals, (631)724-0020 or use our contact or quote form on this site. We will provide you with best suited referrals for your project.
We only use top quality materials from major manufacturers. Feel free to click on any of the below logos to visit their web sites
Daytime Cell: (516) 635-3134
Office: (631) 724-0020
Copyright © 2016 Accomplished Contracting Inc.. All rights reserved.


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Reach your marketing goals.
At Pulse Marketing Agency, we know that your business is unique – and we want to be a part of your success story. There are no egos or big agency politics here; just us, working for you – and we'll listen.
How can we help you reach your goals?
"We recently worked with Pulse marketing on helping us create a Native American (culturally based) video. The resulting project was outstanding and we are considering sharing the video with other native tribes nationwide." -Patricia V. Kelleher, Behavioral Health Manager, Penobscot Nation Health Department
Our Team
Our staff is cross-trained in all facets of services we offer, and have a 'can do' attitude towards all projects and the challenges we are presented with. We love what we do and care about our clients and our community as a whole.
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We live and breathe marketing. From the development of effective strategies, to crafting engaging content, to designing amazing campaigns – we believe in what we do and work hard to deliver outstanding customer service along the way.
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Do you have a marketing challenge or want to brainstorm ideas to grow your business more effectively? Talk to us! We love talking to local businesses about marketing. Your first consultation is free of charge – in person, over the phone, or via Skype!
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Catching Time by To The Sky
Here is my new single. I would love to know what the Music Think Tank community thinks - any tips or comments would be extremely helpful.
If you don't like the music on this page, please upload something better…
To maintain a song on this page, simply follow our posting advice…
Here is my new single. I would love to know what the Music Think Tank community thinks - any tips or comments would be extremely helpful.
Lovely, spiritual, artistic, divine, uplifting, emotional, mystic music.
New original instrumental music
Alternative, acoustic rock played by two friends from Krakow, Poland.
Here is one of our ballads and the title song of our new album.
Let us know what you think of it! Cheers!
Relationships can feel like we're sleeping with the enemy. It's hard to let go, and when we do, we can feel lost. They say there's good in everyone. How do you find it?
Follow me on Twitter @TrueKaylaJay and on Facebook as Kayla Jay
"Maverick" is a song of a modern day bad mother fucker, it takes place in the depths of my depression and fueled by pain and regret. I was in denial as I drowned in my despair, trying to fulfill my desires and replace that past love.
First track off of our new EP.
Like Lenny Kravitz meets Robbie Williams, with Dave Gahan looking over their shoulders and a younger Jimmy Page dj'ing in the background … WAIT ! These guys probably meet all the time at those glamorous LA cocktail parties. But since neither you nor I were there to witness the next best thing is to press PLAY.
The New World
A song about new beginnings.
Facing the future, and what it holds.
Hot, unsigned indie-rock/alternative-rock band from LA that has been featured on several television and film productions.
Upbeat, super happy song that will put you in a good mood and want to dance! :)
FreeThinker is a band from Saint Louis. This is their new song Emilee, their debut album releases this june for updates check them out at https://www.facebook.com/freethinkermusic?fref=ts
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/freethinkerstl
Basic Rock & Blues featuring guitar. (C)2014 Dave Thrift https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hgM3rXFROA
Artist Rusty Wright Band
Album: Playin' with Fire [Sadson Music 2009]
Available at iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby, and the band's website: www.rustywrightband.com.
Four CDs available.
Original, rock-tinged blues that has been described by the El Paso Times as "a smart collection of adrenalized modern blues that showcases not only Rusty Wright's considerable guitar chops but an obvious ability to fuse blues and rock in a way that draws from the former's traditions and the latter's high-voltage power."
5-piece Michigan-based blues rock act touring the US spring/summer 2014. Album #5 drops autumn 2014.
This Place—the 4th single off of our debut album, "Escherscapes," due out in June.
Justin and Ian Gregory are Colorado-based songwriters, musicians, recording artists, and brothers known as Cotown Records. You can follow their musical journey (and purchase their songs!) at: http://cotownrecords.com
Hi gentlemen, if you're a dance music producer/label/fan, or you just love the classical guitar sounds, please take a look at this new track 'Origins'.
As an independent producer, the promo is an issue. Hopefully we can get an impulse here to go ahead in the industry.
I hope you all enjoy!
Thank you.
A Christmas single with a bitter sweet mix of dance and ballad and orchestra .. listen to the track right thru…
Do you like to discover new music? So listen to the latest single of singer songwriter Madalena Alberto "Forever Strange".
This was recorded live in London by Madalena Alberto (voice and guitar) with Daniel J Waples (hang drum), Flavio Lopez (violin) and Daniel Gray (bass).
Enjoy it and if you like it, please share it! :)
A fun song to celebrate the season of….shopping!
This is our new single - basically we would like to know what the think tank listeners/readers think - what does it make you feel? Would you buy our record based on this experience?
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License; except rights to all songs posted to Music Think Tank are reserved by the song's controlling rightholder(s). Powered by Squarespace | Designed by Sculpt | Managed by Hypebot


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Don't let it get away!
Keep track of the stocks that matter to you.
Help yourself with the Fool's FREE and easy new watchlist service today.
Sarepta Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SRPT ) is to make a public offering of its common stock, the company said in an official statement and in an SEC filing.
The company didn't specify when the issue will be floated or how many shares will be offered; speculation is that the company is aiming to raise around $100 million.
Sarepta also didn't specify what the proceeds were to be used for, saying only that they will be used for "general corporate purposes."
The company did reveal that Lazard Capital Markets is the be the sole book runner for the issue.
The company is currently developing Eteplirsen, a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a particularly aggressive form of the disorder.


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Does anyone no if floyds boys are training to box?
It would be interesting to see if they do get into boxing and stick to it..
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im pretty sure i heard floyd say in an interview that he will not allow his children to box, he said he wants them to be CEO/owners of mayweather promotions when he retires...but it's not looking good right now considering floyd is at the end of his career and mayweather promotions is still rubbish and unable to obtain a license.
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He got them in boxing, but they werent passionate about it! So he let them pick and choose what they want to do for a living!
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when your that age Sports is not all that important to you, but they will get into it when they get older I am sure...he said he wouldn't force it upon them
I think one of his sons is more into Basketball right now
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The Collateral Damage of a Teenager Might be Exactly What I NeedSabrina James
"Mommy, can I live with you forever?"
My 7-year-old daughter, Kaia, asks me this question at least once a week. She curls her long limbs into a tight ball in my lap, clasps her fingers around my neck, big blue eyes wide with fear, "I never want to leave you," she says. "Can I always be your little girl?"
These moments never fail to bring a lump to my throat. I am enough of a realist to know her feelings will change. She will push me away. She will leave home, and my lap empty. And if I do my job well, she will soar without me.
The thought is almost too much to bear.
In this week's New York Magazine cover story, "The Collateral Damage of a Teenager," where the effect of children's adolescence on parents is outlined in painstaking (and often heartbreaking) detail, Jennifer Senior writes:
"When prospective mothers and fathers imagine the joys of parenthood, they seldom imagine the adolescent years, which Nora Ephron famously opined could only be survived by acquiring a dog ("so that someone in the house is happy to see you"). Gone are the first smiles and cheerful games of catch. They've been replaced by 5 a.m. hockey practices, renewed adventures in trigonometry (secant, cosecant, what the—?), and middle-of-the-night requests for rides home. And these are the hardships generated by the good adolescents."
I know it's coming. Looming on the horizon, as menacing as the receding tide that precedes a tsunami, her teenage years.
If Kaia is anything like me, I'm in for a rude awakening. I remember epic wars with my own mother, the battle royal of my way versus hers. Her desire to protect clashed endlessly with my need to forge my own path. Our arguments often ended in tears, but it's not my own that remain seared in my memory; it's hers. I will never forget the times I made my mother cry. Oh, the power I could wield with my words!
I hate myself in those moments to this very day.
"These fraught dynamics," Senior writes, "may explain why mothers, contrary to conventional wisdom, tend to suffer less than fathers once their children have left the home. Kate readily admits her relationship with her daughter improved once she went off to college. As Steinberg puts it: Women's personal crises at midlife do not come from launching their adolescents but from living with them.'"
Senior's story, and all of her meticulously documented research, did not make me afraid. It gave me hope. Hope that I, too, will have epic rows with Kaia. That living with the teenage version of her will frustrate me and make me yearn for the day she leaves for college. Let those years offer some form of disconnect. Perhaps they'll help me forget the little girl who didn't ever want to leave home; the little girl who needed me to hold her hand when she was nervous, who was scared of dark places and being alone.
I need those years to prepare me.
To answer your question, Kaia, yes. You will always be my little girl. You will never be too old to snuggle safely in my lap. My arms will never stop reaching for you. I will still hold your hand whenever you are afraid. And your home will always be with here with me. But if (or rather, when) you choose to leave, please make it easy. Let's have some epic battles. Make me cry. Go ahead and break my heart a little before you go, because otherwise I don't know how I will say goodbye.
Eighteen years may not feel like enough time for either one of us today, but if all goes well, it will be. And we'll both be ready. I have a feeling you'll make sure of it.


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UE-GE talks failure 'terribly disappointing'
A midnight deadline for GE Transportation and Local 506 of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America officials to negotiate a deal to save some of the 950 jobs the company expects to cut came and went Saturday with no agreement in place.
Hours later, area officials were calling the impending cuts and the two sides' inability to reach a deal a devastating blow for the Erie area.
"The news that the bargaining window has expired without an agreement is terribly disappointing," said state Sen. Sean Wiley, of Millcreek Township, D-49th Dist., in a written statement. "It is unfortunate that after this lengthy negotiation period, UE Local 506 and GE Transportation could not come to a compromise that might have saved hundreds of jobs and avoided hardship for individuals and families."
Barbara Chaffee, president of the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, said the news is "sad and disappointing" for less-tenured employees at the Lawrence Park Township plant who expected to be at the company for decades and now will be unemployed.
UE Local 506 President Scott Duke acknowledged Saturday that 2,500 of the union's 3,500 members have less than 10 years of experience at the company.
Chaffee said she would have liked to see GE management's best offer taken to a union membership vote instead of being rejected by leadership.
And beyond the upcoming job losses, Chaffee said she worries the lack of change at the plant could work against Erie's economic future.
"Our fear is one day we'll realize we missed an opportunity for this plant to become competitive," Chaffee said.
Chaffee's comment echoes assertions from GE Transportation officials who have said the Lawrence Park plant operates less efficiently than a much newer site in Fort Worth, Texas, and competitors like Caterpillar.
Company officials announced April 9 the plans to eliminate 1,050 jobs -- 100 management and 950 within the union -- amid concerns over slowing orders and productivity at the facility.
The union's contract calls for a 60-day window to reach a deal to save some or all of the jobs up for elimination.
That window was extended two weeks, but the two sides still couldn't reach a compromise.
When negotiations ended late Saturday night, the company was offering to save 375 union jobs in exchange for a two-year wage freeze and work-rule changes. The union offered at least two counterproposals Saturday night. Union leaders said their final proposal would have saved the company $26 million.
Even with the deadline past, at least one local official -- County Executive Barry Grossman -- remained hopeful that those jobs could potentially be saved.
"I'm obviously disappointed there was no agreement," Grossman said. "But from what I've heard, on Monday the two negotiation teams' leaders are going to meet. It doesn't look like they walked away from the table saying 'this is over.'"
Grossman said at the end of the negotiation window the two sides were dealing with things like wage freezes and guarantees of saving jobs, which were off the table completely in April and May.
Grossman was equally optimistic about GE Transportation's long-term future in the area.
The cuts would leave the plant with about 4,400 employees, which Grossman said is comparable to employment numbers at the plant in the early 2000s.
"The only thing I've never believed is GE wants to leave Lawrence Park," he said. "I do believe they want to reshape it, though."
In a statement sent out Sunday, Local 506 President Duke acknowledged the planned meeting for Monday and said the union will "evaluate further legal and/or labor actions."
"We helped GE make billions last year and we are on track to do the same this year only to find our work ethic and productivity under attack," Duke said. "The statements made early on about our time on product by management appear to us to have been calculated to poison the well."
Duke's statement also praised the professionalism of the GE bargaining team and said the union will "keep the lines of communications open."
Asked for comment Sunday, GE Transportation officials sent a statement of their own, saying their final offered included "significant investment in (the) Erie facility."
"We're disappointed with the outcome, but are confident we made every effort to bargain in good faith and achieve an agreement," GE Transportation Chief Executive Lorenzo Simonelli said in a written statement. "We remain proud that GE offers high-quality jobs in Erie with strong wages and good benefits."
It is unclear from both sides what the next step will be, although Simonelli said in April that layoffs will take place in October.
How those layoffs take place will likely be affected by the number of union employees who retire -- especially since early retirements are likely. There also will be reshuffling for employees who remain, with long-time employees bumping into jobs held by those with less experience.
SEAN McCRACKEN can be reached at 870-1714 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNmccracken.


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|+ Visit the NASA portal
Preliminary Design
by Lisa, Alex, Seth, Rebecca, Autumn
We need these things for transportation to Mars. We need oxygen on Mars. We also need a claw and a camera, computers with high tech stuff. A rover and a spaceship is needed as well. Long lasting batteries, manual or computerized are needed. We need chair air conditioning and a heater. The ship has to be made out of plastic on the inside and on the outside. Storage for food and other supplies is needed. Weatherproof material is important. We will need solar panels.
Spaceship Transportation
My group's space ship looks like a silverfish blue. Also a point is that it's small. it is heated and air conditioned by a li-on battery.
It is made of aluminum. The inside is plastic. These materials are used for blocking radiation. it has two storage areas for supplies. A bottom storage is for the Rover/Mars Buggie.
This web site conforms to the NASA User Privacy Policy.
NASA Official: Mark León
Last Updated: May 2005
+ Contact Us


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Giants quarterback Eli Manning has always maintained that the beatings he took in driveway one-on-one basketball with his brother Peyton made him a tougher player, both on the court and on the gridiron.
If one can believe it, Siena College junior rebounder OD Anosike might be even tougher. It's one thing to get your tail whipped by an older brother — a future NFL MVP at that. It's quite another to get wailed repeatedly by a girl, in this case Anosike's older sister Nicky.
"We'd go down to the park and play a lot," the Saints' power forward said. "At that point, she was bigger and stronger than me, and she used to beat me. She's 6-foot-4, and she'd just post me up and shoot over me.
"But it made me a better player as I grew up. It helped me as a player and a person, to really toughen up on and off the court. It was never fun losing to a girl, much less my own sister, but it helped me in many different aspects of my life."
Before the snickers start rolling in, one needs to realize that Nicky Anosike was not just some oversized female sibling taking advantage of her younger brother. She had greatness in her future, first as a standout forward at St. Peter's High, then as a starter and top rebounder on Pat Summit's Tennessee squad that won consecutive national championships in 2006-07 and 2007-08.
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Nicky Anosike currently is one of the most dominating centers in the WNBA, having competed last year with the Washington Mystics after spending her first three seasons with the Minnesota Lynx. She established Minnesota records in rebounding and steals in 2009, just her second year in the league, and was selected to the All-Star team.
She was obviously not an average girl. But her fierce competitiveness against her brother turned OD — his full name is Oderah — into much more than an average NCAA-Division 1 power forward. Despite Siena's 3-7 mark heading into last night's game at defending Ivy League champ Princeton, Anosike's 12.6 rebounding average ranked third in the nation. After a slow first three games, he had recorded six straight double-doubles.
"He's really taken the next step," said Saints head coach Mitch Buonaguro. "The progression from sophomore to junior year has been very, very good. He's having a great year."
Though the 6-8, 232-pounder started 30 of the Saints' 31 games as a sophomore last season, OD Anosike has become much more of a scorer this year. His average has risen from 8.9 to 13.1 points per game. Just as important, Buonaguro's offense now goes through the former St. Peter's Boys and Jaques award winner as the Island's best player, since Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and Farrell product Ryan Rossiter has graduated.
And should continue to do so as the Saints head into their MAAC schedule after the holidays.
"We keep figuring out ways to get him the ball," Buonaguro said. "The way he's been playing, he's been average 16 points and 12 rebounds over the last six games. His production has been remarkable, and he's going to get better. He's got a chance to be one of the better big kids in the MAAC."
Anosike ripped down a career-high 18 rebounds in a 64-60 win over Albany four games ago to go along with a 21-point output.
For a team beset with injuries and youth — one freshman starts, and two others play significant minutes — Anosike has become a stabilizing, dynamic force.
"We run a lot of sets that isolate him," Buonaguro said. "A lot of times, he's the most athletic player on the floor, so we try to take advantage of that."
Anosike is more than willing to accept his role, both as a scorer/rebounder and as a leader.
"I got a chance to win a MAAC championship my freshman year," Anosike said. "I know what it takes. I've been on a team that won a championship, and I've been on a losing team (13-18 last season). I've been through all different parts of the circle.
"They look up to me to lead them in the right direction, and I could be in that position."
Anosike could have played at a higher level than Siena, which sits smack dab among the mid-majors. Forty schools recruited him, and Big East programs such as Rutgers, St. John's, and Villanova showed intense interest.
Several Atlantic-10 schools also came calling. But Anosike put all of them off.
"Siena set itself off in so many way," Anosike said. "The opportunity to play right away was great, and their academics were tremendous. I don't think I could have made a better choice."
His big sister influenced him there, too, though with a lighter touch than her post-ups. Nicky, an Academic All-American as a Vol, has always led the way school-wise.
"She was a tremendous student at St. Peter's," OD said. "I think she graduated first in her class. She's influenced me in many different ways. I just tried to follow in her footsteps."
A 3.75 GPA as a political science major last semester proved as much a tribute to his sister as an 18-rebound game.
"Academics has always been important to my family," he said. "My sister graduated from Tennessee with three majors, three degrees. There was always an understanding that neither of us would have gotten scholarships if the academics weren't in hand also."
The two, who have six other siblings, remain close, though phone calls are rare at this point. Nicky is spending the WNBA offseason in China, playing for the Beijing Great Wall of the Chinese League. She is second on the 8-4 squad with 13.9 points per game and averages a team-high 8.2 rebounds.
Once she returns to the states in February, she'll be able to catch the last part of OD's season.
Perhaps then, they'll both think about how far they've both come since the days when big sister held the upper hand, and not so gently at that.
"I think she's really proud of me," OD said. "Just how much I've grown up and how hard I'm working."
Former St. Peter's standout and Siena forward OD Anosike has become dynamic offensive force for Saints
Giants quarterback Eli Manning has always maintained that the beatings he took in driveway one-on-one basketball with his brother Peyton made him a tougher player, both on the court and on the gridiron.


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You've all heard that green tea is good for your overall health…perhaps you never bothered to ask why, but it seems to be common knowledge that we should all be drinking it to some extent. So with a brand new year upon us what could be better than incorporating green tea in your diet for a healthier, more beautiful and less stressed you!
Green tea contains the highest amount of antioxidants of any tea. The tea polyphenol catechins provides anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects, it helps to eliminate free radicals in the body and also reduces inflammation. Green tea is also helpful in maintaining a healthy weight as studies have show that it can help to boost the metabolism, it has also been show to promote cardio health, reduce stress, prevent cavities (thanks to the anti-bacterial effects of the catechins, minerals and fluoride) and treat skin conditions such as Psoriasis. Read more


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While the engineering chefs in the Rally kitchen are busy cooking up some big meals, they also tend to toss out a few tasty product appetizers from time to time. The last few weeks have seen a couple of these delicious bits make their way into Rally: email notifications when a work product gets recycled, and for Rally Quality Manager users, the ability to add Tasks to Test Sets directly from the Iteration Status page.
Notify me
Did you know you can have Rally email you a notification when an artifact field value changes? Yep! Click on Setup in the upper right corner of your Rally screen, then "My Notification Rules", and build your notifications just like you build an iTunes play list. Super simple. You can even add a panel that displays your notifications right there on your dashboard. And now, there's a new condition to experiment with – Recycled. This is a powerful notification and can be used for any artifact type that goes to the Recycle Bin when deleted. Another great suggestion from Rally users via Rally Ideas!
OK, who cares?
Have you ever wondered where a Defect went, only to find it in the Recycle Bin because someone thought it was a duplicate? Do you work with globally distributed teams, where email communication across time zones sometimes results in crossed wires? Things happen. Your team tries to do the right thing and *poof* there goes a nice hierarchy of stories into the bin. Instead of freaking out and wasting a bunch of time, you're all set because your notification email gave you the heads up. Head on over to the Recycle Bin and restore that thing. Give it a try!
Tasks on Test Sets? Crazy talk!
If you're like many of the teams using Rally, you have become very good friends with the Iteration Status page. However, for our Rally Quality Manager users, it was always irritating that you couldn't add Tasks to a Test Set. Guess what? You can now add Tasks directly to a Test Set, right from Iteration Status! Whoo hoo!
And now that you can put Tasks on Test Sets, you can also take advantage of all the Rally goodness that goes along with it. Estimate your Tasks and see them rolled up to the Test Set estimate. Track progress against the Tasks, simplifying cross-team status updates. Get a heads up if blocked Tasks are putting your iteration at risk. Bring your Test Set Tasks into Time Tracker. As an added bonus, your Tasks for Test Sets now show up right alongside your other tasks on the "My tasks" dashboard panel.
In-line saves time
Sitting in a planning meeting, brainstorming tasks for your Test Set? Quickly add them in-line, using the action buttons to the right of the test set. Adding tasks in-line looks and feels just like adding tasks to a User Story, including the ability to drag & drop re-rank and double-click edit. Prefer a pop-up editor for each task so you can put in more details? There's a button for that, too.
Have fun with these features, and let us know what you think in Rally Ideas!
- Log in to post comments


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The Asia Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington has published "The People vs. Koizumi" Japan-U.S. Relations and Japan's Struggle for National Identity." It includes three markedly different interpretations of Koizumi's support for U.S. activities in Iraq and the perception gap between Japanese elites and ordinary citizens.
The report can be accessed at the Web site of the Wilson Center's Asia Program, at the web link provided below.
Send via email for hard copies.
In the report, Naoyuki Agawa of the Japanese embassy argues that the Japanese people will continue to support expansion of the SDF under the U.S. wing. Masaru Tamamoto of the World Policy Institute declares that the prime minister has pushed the public farther than it wants to go in the direction of militarization—-casualties in Iraq could bring down Koizumi's government. According to Toshio Nishi of Reitaku University and the Hoover Institution, increased national pride will prompt Japan toward a more independent and assertive foreign policy.


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Our 120,000-square foot facility includes interactive exhibits, the Reiman Aquarium, movies in our Digital Theater, learning labs, live theater shows, and more! You'll find fun and educational experiences for all ages during your visit to Discovery World. Come and explore!
Technology Building
Aquatarium Building
The Sailing Vessel (S/V) Denis Sullivan


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Someone said on the other page "to all of you questioning if Orpik was hurt" (sorry, quote function on the site is not working for me or I'd quote it)
I don't think anyone was questioning if he got KO'd or not. The question was more of why he got taken off on a stretcher for it. I'll be honest, I thought the exact same thing, since it looked like he just got briefly knocked out. (which know now, is exactly what happened) Players get KO'd pretty much weekly in the NHL, and none of them get taken off in stretchers for it, so it is a legitimate question IMO.
And while Thornton was out of line, lets be real here, if Orpik wasn't taken off in a stretcher, this would have been a non-issue, and all of the focus would have been on Neals dirty hit instead.
I also agree that Neal should receive just as long of a suspension as Thornton for his vicious knee.
In fact he should receive a longer suspension IMO, that play was super dirty and an intentional attempt to severely injure another, unlike Thornton. But as the league is a joke when it comes to discipline, I fully expect Thornton to get the book thrown at him while Neal gets a slap on the wrist.


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A New Mexico family says they're taking it day by day now that they know their loved ones will stay in Iraq longer than expected.
Sgt. Fares Martinez Jr. and his father are part of the 720th Transportation Company, based in Las Vegas. The company makes up part of the 20,000 U.S. soldiers who have had their duties in Iraq extended for possibly four more months. The 720th has already been in Iraq for more than a year.
The Martinez family still has their Christmas tree up, and Easter eggs are filled with goodies.
They plan to celebrate the holidays when the soldiers returned home.


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"Political, Economic Potholes Along The Yellow Brick Road" 0 comments
MarketWatch has a piece today on the recent headline making noise out of the GOP about a return to the gold standard.
GOP's Gold Standard Idea Isn't Likely to Shine
"The gold standard, it is argued, would foster economic stability and prosperity, primarily by creating price stability, fixed exchange rates and placing limits government deficit spending as well as trade imbalances. It would also limit credit-driven boom/bust cycles through constraints on the supply of money."
Yes, absolutely.
"Opponents argue that the gold standard would limit the flexibility of governments and central banks in managing economies, restricting the ability to adjust money supply, government budgets and exchange rates. Opponents also point to the inflexibility of the gold standard, which may have contributed to the severity and length of the Great Depression."
In other words, a gold standard would limit monetary authorities' ability to "manage" economies by manipulating money supplies. As a knock on effect, it would also limit their ability to provide welfare to favored constituents like the first users and abusers of newly created money, e.g. the big investment banks.
The article then goes on to make several points about why a return to the gold standard is unlikely (I agree that it is unlikely any time soon). Here is the most telling reason, however:
"Money is now a matter of pure trust. American dollars still [bear] the words: "In God We Trust". But God is not directly responsible for control of money; governments and central banks are. Politicians and policy makers are unlikely to willingly cede the power that a paper money system provides"
The article goes on to some silly stuff about a Tuscan spa, wealthy clients and the covering of these clients in 24k gold. So, we'll leave the article now except to note that it also has a link to the ever clear headed Mark Hulbert and his Bullishness rising faster than gold. Read it. Gold is not the risk/reward proposition it was a few weeks ago as it has raced to over bought levels in quick time. But that's how the barbarous relic rolls when it breaks out. From Hulbert:
"Unfortunately, there's some bad news to accompany the good: Gold timers have reacted to bullion's recent strength by eagerly and enthusiastically jumping on the bullish bandwagon."
We anticipated this in the newsletter, gave parameters for over bought upside and for a potential reaction to correct the over eagerness. A downside reaction, if indeed it comes about could be an ideal spot for traders of the metal to initiate new positions. Holders of the metal should have taken long term positions long ago and should calmly sleep through any near term turbulence.
Back on theme, while there is talk about the gold standard by the Republicans, they are just blowing hot air and taking advantage of a hot button issue and relevant topic. Don't hold your breath on a gold standard even if Romney/Ryan gain the White House. You and I, as lowly market participants and economic survivalists need to read between the lines in a functional way.
Gold is fine, as a standard or not. As long as it remains an asset class as opposed to official money, it will be subject to market forces and the macro manipulations of current power holders. These manipulations can constrain the metal as Operation Twist has played a roll in doing for a year now. They can also launch the metal to higher levels, when the manipulation is toward increased money supply.
Sign up for Notes From the Rabbit Hole (NFTRH) to effectively manage the process if you would like an effective source of market intelligence to track the progress of gold as well as the bigger picture macro landscape. Or simply watch the blog and/or check out the free eLetter for a lighter and less formal version of the analysis.
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As someone mentioned, I also lost the majority of my 60 pounds CW-Way. I was snacking every few hours w/carbs more like 150 - 200. I've only lost about 17lb since Primal. Every time I type that out, it makes me scratch my head.
The difference it seems, was cutting the whole wheats, etc, I am full for longer now, so I can go longer before my first meal. I am also not hungry when I go to bed like I use to be when I was dieting CW-way.
65lbs gone and counting!!
Fat 2 Fit - One Woman's Journey


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Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty Images
A lot was made of Kevin Durant's seemingly slow start where he still led the NBA in scoring, but his percentages were a little lower than the ridiculous numbers we're accustomed to seeing. I tried to make the point that his start to this season was very similar to last season's first month and that there's no reason to fret.
And really, if you look back to last year where KD was absolutely amazing, you'll notice he's on a pretty similar path this season.
NOVEMBER 27.7 ppg (46.3 FG%, 23.7 3P%) 26.8 ppg (42.6 FG%, 23.3 3P%)
DECEMBER 29.7 ppg (49.3 FG%, 38.6 3P%) 29.4 ppg (51.7 FG%, 41.1 3P%)
JANUARY 32.1 ppg (51.9 FG%, 53.2 3P%) 30.5 ppg (47.5 FG%, 35.2 3P%)
I remember Durant saying during the first HORSE competition he won in 2009 after heating up late that he's a slow cooker. Judging by the numbers, that's true in real basketball too.
KD's January this time around wasn't quite as spectacular as last year's, but this time his team has won more games and he's had some pretty big moments. Still though, he seems to be the forgotten MVP candidate. He's leading the league in scoring, his team is first in the Northwest and fourth in the West, yet he's not even in the top 10 in ESPN's award tracker but has moved up to No. 5 on NBA.com's.
A lot of this is because teammate Russell Westbrook (rightly) stole some of the spotlight with his fantastic start to the season. And people love the new story. Westbrook was the new face, the fresh blood in the conversation and he was fun to talk about. Durant may have been the near unanimous favorite before the season but a lot of that was because I think people wanted him to win it. KD was riding a wave of summer momentum that saw him tweet about his extension, win a gold medal and become some weird anti-LeBron.
But the season is long and as this thing has gone along, Durant is now positioning himself and his numbers right back in the spot they were last season where he finished as runner-up for the MVP. He's off to a pretty nice start in February as he dropped 43 on 14-19 shooting last night against the Hornets and if his team keeps up its pace and wins 53-56 games, there's no doubt Durant's name will be where it should.
Last week after his incredible 47-point, 18-rebound effort against the Timberwolves, Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser talked about KD's MVP chances and both had him second in their mind behind Rose. Today, SI's Zach Lowe in making a point about KD's MVP candidacy, brought up the excellent point of how he's guiding one of the league's best offenses.
Awards like MVP are all about hype and right now, players like Amar'e Stoudemire, Derrick Rose and LeBron James make for really nice stories. But KD is playing it cool and smooth right now as he brings around his numbers to the level we expected. If Oklahoma City keeps winning and Durant stays on the path he followed last season, everything will line up for KD to be right in the middle of the conversation in April.


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Minutemen, The
The Minutemen: Buzz Or Howl Under The Influence Of Heat (SST)
Review by R.J. Smith, Creem, April 1984
CIVIL DEFENSE QUIZ: ARE YOU PREPARED?What should you do in case of a sudden dropping of a nuclear weapon on your neighborhood? A) Grab ...
The Minutemen: Double Nickels On The Dime (SST double — US import)
Review by Richard Grabel, New Musical Express, September 1984
Punk Lives: The Minutemen, Meat Puppets and SST Records
Report and Interview by Michael Goldberg, Rolling Stone, July 1985
They don't sound like the Ramones, and they don't look like the Sex Pistols, but bands like Hüsker Dü, the Minutemen and the Meat Puppets ...
Profile and Interview by Byron Coley, Spin, December 1985
The jazz-power-punk trio from San Pedro is trying its damnedest to sell out — sort of. ...
The Minutemen: 3-Way Tie (For Last) (SST)
Review by Byron Coley, Spin, April 1986
FATE SUCKS. And this this is not meant to be read in the Bob Christgau suck-is-good meaning of the word either. ...
Memoir by Michael Goldberg, Neumu, June 2003
Bassist Mike Watt remembers his days in one of THE best rock bands – punk or otherwise – of the '80s. ...
Report and Interview by Fred Mills, Harp, September 2005
DECEMBER 13, 1985: I'm backstage at the Park Center in Charlotte, N.C., where, about an hour ago, the final concert of R.E.M.'s Fables of the ...
see also fIREHOSE
see also Mike Watt
back to LIBRARY


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Agricultural and Wine Sciences
A career in agriculture is more than farming or working on the land, providing a wide range of opportunities across the supply chain and the broader communication process. Explore your passion in finance, science, marketing, media, sales or information technology and discover how rural Australia and agriculture can provide you with a lifetime of career opportunities.
CSU's proud history of education in the Agricultural and Wine Sciences supports your passion to learn and innovate in this constantly evolving field. Our courses allow you to follow your strengths and develop expertise in an area relevant to your career goals, such as agriculture, agribusiness, horticulture, farm management, viticulture and wine science.
Depending on your course, you will have access to campus farms and an on campus experimental winery, will undertake industry visits, and be taught by experienced staff and guest lecturers, ensuring you graduate with the practical skills and experience necessary to forge a career in these industries.
CSU graduates have the qualities to meet new challenges, and can make a difference in the industry across the world through their expertise in new forms of agriculture.
Career opportunities
Today there is an exciting range of professional careers within the food, wine and fibres industries. Whether you are interested in feeding the world, adapting to climate change, developing the environment or managing future energy sources, CSU will help you pursue your passions.
Agriculture is a vital sector of the jobs market, and almost anything is possible for a driven and committed graduate in this field.
CSU's campuses are ideally located in regional NSW, making us the obvious choice for anyone considering a career in Agriculture. You will learn about the changing agricultural industry, enabling you to develop new production methods and agricultural practices from a scientific and practical perspective. As a CSU student, you will learn in an agricultural setting, visit farms or agricultural businesses, and hear from guest lecturers in your field of study, giving you a comprehensive understanding of what to expect when you enter the workforce.
The University has strong links to industry, providing opportunities to form relationships and networks within the agricultural field before you graduate. The Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, a research centre combining the skills of staff from the Department of Primary Industries and CSU academics, is located within the Wagga Wagga Campus, offering the perfect environment for research. Following decades of investigation into agriculture and related fields, CSU is now recognised as an international leader for research in agricultural science.
Career opportunities include:
- agricultural marketing or research
- agronomy
- consultancy
- farm management
- Landcare coordinator or irrigation specialist
- livestock or animal production
- rural journalism
- with further study, agriculture teaching
Related courses
- Bachelor of Agricultural Science – includes integrated Honours
- Bachelor of Agriculture
- Bachelor of Horticulture
- Bachelor of Science (Honours)
- Master of Sustainable Agriculture
Graduate Diploma of Sustainable Agriculture
Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture
- Master of Philosophy
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Doctor of Sustainable Agriculture
Agribusiness is a combination of business and agriculture or wine science knowledge that will provide you with career opportunities ranging from within the farm gate through to export and marketing of agriproducts. You could also work in the industries that service agriculture, as well as managing or marketing wineries and wine products.
Our degrees in agricultural or wine business combine an understanding of the concepts and practices within the industry with study in accounting, management or marketing. You will graduate equipped with skills that may include accounting, marketing, finance, people management, international business, agricultural enterprise management and sustainable resource management.
Career opportunities include:
- agribusiness management
- agricultural marketing or sales
- business consulting
- commodity trading
- exporting
- financial planning for this sector
- mainstream business roles
- professional farm management
Related courses
- Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management
- Bachelor of Wine Business
- Bachelor of Science (Honours)
- Master of Agricultural Business Management
Graduate Diploma of Agricultural Business Management [exit point only]
Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Business Management
- Master of Philosophy
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Doctor of Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable Agriculture
If you're curious about how agriculture affects the natural environment and how this impacts on and is impacted by our modern lifestyle, investigate CSU's courses in ecological agriculture.
Study in areas like ecological agricultural systems - such as holistic grazing, natural sequence farming, pasture cropping, biodynamics, permaculture, composting and keyline farming - sustainable agriculture or water management equips you with an understanding of the ecological, social and business elements relating to agricultural practices, and prepares you for a wide range of careers.
Satisfy your curiosity about agriculture, develop strategies to balance agricultural and environmental needs, or expand our body of knowledge through research in ecological agriculture.
Career opportunities include:
- consultancy
- ecological agriculture
- management
- policy making/advisory roles
- organics industry
- Bachelor of Science (Honours)
- Graduate Diploma of Water Policy and Governance
Graduate Certificate in Water Policy and Governance
- Master of Sustainable Agriculture
Graduate Diploma of Sustainable Agriculture
Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture
- Master of Philosophy
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Doctor of Sustainable Agriculture
Viticulture and Wine Science
Grow your passion in viticulture and wine science with CSU. Our courses can prepare you for career opportunities in all facets of the wine industry, from grape growing and wine making to management and marketing of wine businesses or research into grape or wine production methods.
Scientific study is complemented by practical education in industry settings. You will have access to CSU's on campus experimental winery as well as industry placements to give you a real understanding of what you are learning. A degree in viticulture and wine science, whether at the undergraduate or postgraduate level, is an ideal way to turn your passion for wine into a career.
Career opportunities include:
- cellar door manager
- consultant
- grape/fruit grower
- grower liaison officer
- marketing
- researcher / developer of wine
- small winery business owner
- sommelier
- vineyard manager
- wine distributor
Related courses
A vigorous research profile within CSU's School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences benefits the industries and regions it serves. Academic staff conduct research in their fields of expertise, with funding from various sources, including the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Environmental Protection Agency, New South Wales Department of Agriculture, New South Wales Wine Industry Association and the Australian Research Council. Postgraduate students enrolled in research degrees (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Masters and Honours programs) work closely with academic staff on their research projects.
The Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, on CSU's Wagga Wagga Campus, includes a field site with a range of research trials and demonstrations spreading across 15 hectares. Research areas include conservation cropping, ruminant feedbase, bio-protection and integrated pest management of crops and pastures, animal health and welfare, and irrigated cropping systems. Current research projects at the Graham Centre have a total value of about $48 million.
Related courses
CSU's School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences is located in the heart of agriculture in some of the most productive regions of south-eastern Australia. As well as the rich resources in the region, our students have access to some of Australia's best agricultural teaching and research facilities for practical experience, including:
- extensive and diverse farming facilities on a university farm, incorporating precision agriculture technologies
- access to the university sheep and cattle herds and animal handling facilities
- the most sophisticated underground root growth laboratory (rhizolysimeter) in the southern hemisphere
- access to a range of mixed farms and agricultural research institutions
- five state-of-the-art laboratories and modern glasshouse facilities
- extensive computer facilities
- working models of a full range of irrigation systems for teaching and research (linear move, overhead sprinklers, drip irrigation systems, furrows, beds, flood and paddy)
- strong links with the Department of Primary Industries' Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute located on campus
- an extensive and well equipped experimental winery
- tasting rooms for state-of-the-art wine sensory assessment
In 2012 CSU opened its $48.6 million National Life Sciences Hub (NaLSH).This facility includes three flexible learning and teaching areas, which each hold up to 50 students; four large research laboratory spaces including quarantine-approved research areas; a phytotron building housing controlled environment and growth chambers; three glasshouses; research and teaching support areas such as offices, plant rooms and bike storage; and a rhizolysimeter – an underground field laboratory.
Browse courses
More information about CSU courses in the area of Agricultural and Wine Sciences:
How to apply
Access all the information you need to apply to study at CSU.HOW TO APPLY
Contacts us
You can complete an online enquiry form or call us on 1800 334 733 to speak to a student recruitment adviser now.FREE CALL
Browse Courses
- Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management overview
- Bachelor of Agricultural Science
Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours) - integrated Honours
Bachelor of Agriculture - exit point
- Bachelor of Agriculture overview
- Bachelor of General Studies (Science)
Associate Degree in General Studies (Science) [exit point only]
University Certificate in General Studies (Science) [exit point only]
- Bachelor of Horticulture
Associate Degree in Horticulture (Production) [exit point only]
- Bachelor of Viticulture
- Bachelor of Wine Business
Associate Degree in Winegrowing [exit point only]
- Bachelor of Wine Science
- Graduate Diploma of Water Policy and Governance
Graduate Certificate in Water Policy and Governance
- Master of Agricultural Business Management
Graduate Diploma of Agricultural Business Management [exit point only]
Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Business Management
- Master of Sustainable Agriculture
Graduate Diploma of Sustainable Agriculture
Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture
- Master of Viticulture and Oenology
Higher Degree by Research
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What our students say
"I chose CSU because it is renowned in industry as without a doubt the best wine science / viticulture / wine marketing degree in Australia, with an excellent record of distance education capabilities." Ryan Aggiss
"CSU really puts knowledge into practice with many different resources, including a University farm right at your doorstep on Wagga Wagga Campus." Melanie Bower


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This is a well-written monograph that covers all aspects of ileostomy surgery—preoperative, operative, and postoperative. The foreword by Stanley J. Dudrick summarizes and praises the scope of the book.
The author introduces the subject with a comprehensive historical section relating the role of surgeons and others who developed and perfected ileostomy.
The operation, ileostomy, is described and well illustrated to clarify various techniques. Much attention is given to preoperative and postoperative care, with special emphasis on nutrition and parenteral hyperalimentation.
The chapter on ileostomy care is complete, and is followed by three chapters that present in an interesting manner normal ileostomy physiology, the pathogenesis and management of ileostomy diarrhea, and metabolic and mechanical complications of ileostomy. These four chapters combine to give a total picture of an ileostomy, its function and its problems.
A detailed section is devoted to Koch's continent ileostomy—its action, construction, and complications. A reasonable attitude about
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The drive-up window tax
-- Here's a solution to the 1-cent tax dilemma: Charge 25 cents for each car that uses a drive-up window, whether it is a fast food restaurant, bank or pharmacy. The city gains revenue. People can choose whether they want to pay the tax or not. People may save gas by not idling in drive-through lines. Businesses may improve inside customer service instead of placing a priority on drive-up service. People may lose weight. It's a win-win-win-win-win situation.
Pensions are root of the problem
-- In regard to the shortfall in the city's budget, why is it nobody wants to talk about the big gorilla in the room? We have over-promised on pensions; therefore, we need to reduce the amount of pension payments going out. That's the solution nobody wants to talk about.
Don't be penny foolish
-- I don't make a whole lot of money, but I enjoy city services, such as garbage and trash and sweeping the streets. I enjoy those and they make our community better. If we give those up, the lazy ones will be dumping their trash out of their cars and into people's yards because they won't pay for privatized trash.
More for Coach Saban
-- What irony. Saban makes the salary of millions each year, but a child can't give his teacher a $10 gift. In 30 years of teaching, I never got a $10 gift, because I discouraged it. Homemade Christmas cards are the best.
Cut him some slack
-- Can there never be exceptions to laws? The man in the wheelchair who wants to advertise on the back of his wheelchair should be given an exception immediately. Have we lost all common sense? Can there never be exceptions to anything?
So proud of Prichard
-- I'm calling about the people in Prichard that got together to march for the barber who got murdered, Sam. People need to go back to that. They need to start marching against crime. I'm proud of Prichard. I live in Mobile but I'm so proud of Prichard people for that march.
Some love for the big guy
-- With all the bad stuff this year you see in the paper every day that you don't want to hear about, it's nice to be able to open it up on Wednesday, go to the Living section and have David Holloway put a smile on my face because he does it every time. Thank you, David Holloway, for continuing to write for the paper, even with your broken leg and your confinement.


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Any marriage performed without the valid consent of one or both parties, in which physical or emotional trauma is a factor. Early marriage includes children and anyone under 18. EFM is a violation of human rights that disproportionately affects girls and women, and often leads to social isolation and violence.
Child marriage is a tragic reality faced by 15 million girls around the globe every year.*
Early and forced marriage is a violation of human rights that destroys girls' childhoods and women's lives. It has to end. With your help we can end child marriage and forced marriage within a generation, by 2030.
We believe that education is crucial to reducing the incidence of early and forced marriage. This means improving access to quality education for girls, and also educating the wider community to change the social norms that enable forced marriage to continue. We work to raise awareness of girls' rights at community, national and global levels, striving to change both legislation and attitudes.
Help us end early and forced marriage within a generation by supporting our Because I Am A Girl campaign.
If you are affected by child marriage, or are concerned about a child's safety, call Karma Nirvana's helpline on 0800 5999247.
Karma Nirvana is a charity that has been instrumental in developing refuge centres across the UK for men and women fleeing forced marriages. The helpline offers advice, information and support.
The causes of early and forced marriage are complex, interrelated and dependent on individual circumstances and context. But the practice is driven by these main factors:
• Gender inequality. Women and girls often occupy a lower status in societies as a result of social and cultural traditions, attitudes, beliefs that deny them their rights and stifle their ability to play an equal role in their homes and communities. In the ten countries with the highest rates of early and forced marriage, five have laws that permit girls to be married earlier than boys.
• Poverty. In families on a low income, girls may be viewed as an economic burden. The perception of girls' potential to earn an income as comparatively poor pushes girls out of their homes and into marriage. Globally, girls from the poorest 20% of households are three times more likely to be a victim.
• Negative traditional or religious practices. In many countries the importance of preserving family 'honour' and girls' virginity is such that parents push their daughters into marriage well before they are ready. There is a belief that marriage safeguards against 'immoral' or 'inappropriate behaviour'.
• Failure to enforce laws. Sometimes families are not even aware they are breaking the law. In some countries early marriage is so prevalent, prosecutions are seldom brought.
• Conflicts, disasters and emergencies. Disasters and emergencies increase economic pressures on households and many families that wouldn't previously have considered early marriage turn to it as a last resort.
Early and forced marriage contributes to driving girls into a cycle of poverty and powerlessness. They are likely to experience:
• Illiteracy and poor education. When a girl enters into early or forced marriage, their family will remove them from schooling, as their role will then be to carry out domestic work and bear children. Girls with no education are 3 times more likely to be married before the age of 18 than those with secondary education. And the impact continues through the generations. Daughters of young, uneducated mothers are more likely to drop out of school and be married early, repeating the cycle.
• Increased mortality rate. Girls who are victims of early and forced marriage have higher mortality rates than their unmarried counterparts. In developing countries the leading cause of death among girls aged 15-19 is childbirth, where they are twice as likely to die in labour as a woman over 20.
• Poor sexual health. Most girls who are subjected to early or forced marriage usually have poor sexual health. They will have engaged in sex before being physically and emotionally ready, and due to marrying an older man will be at increased risk of sexual infections such as HIV. Research carried out in Nyanza, Kenya found that HIV rates in adolescent married girls was double that of the national average.
• Higher risk of abuse. According to research carried out by the World Health Organisation, married girls aged 15 to 19 are more likely to experience violence than older married women. Due to lack of education, lower status, lack of control and powerlessness, girls subjected to early or forced marriage suffer higher levels of violence, abuse and rape.
Marriage is a formalised, binding partnership between consenting adults. Child marriage involves either one or both spouses being children and may take place under civil, religious or customary laws with or without formal registration. A child is usually someone under 18.
According to the Convention on the Elimination on All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), marriage before the age of 18 shouldn't be allowed since children don't have the 'full maturity and capacity to act'. Similarly, the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that marriage should be 'entered only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses'. Where one of the parties getting married is under 18, consent cannot always be assumed to be 'free and full'.
The issues surrounding forced marriage are complex and can't be eradicated overnight, but with your support we can work to end the misery of millions of girls across the world. Help us today.
Notes* Source: Ending Child Marriage: Progress and Prospects, Unicef (2014)
Registered Charity no.276035


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Netflix comes on top of my "Apple TV-uses" list but AirPlay mirroring is a close runner up. The flexibility it provides is unlimited as you can show off almost anything on your HDTV with just a tap – it can be movies, games, webpages, presentations and what not. Though this works great if you are an Apple-only guy, for a person with a Windows PC or an unsupported Mac, this feature is fairly out of reach and that is where this post comes in.
You may notice a few more icons on your Apple TV than you did before since Apple just deployed an update to the Apple TV to add a ton of new content.


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To coincide with the announcement by APACS that the UK banking industry is gearing up for the launch of contactless payments in the UK, Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) and MasterCard Worldwide announce the results of the first live trials of 'Tap & Go' payments in Europe.
The first of two trials of contactless payments in the UK began in June 2006 and is taking place at RBS's headquarters in Edinburgh. It involves 11 retailers located in the Bank's flagship site including coffee shops, pharmacy, florist and a hairdressers. The second trial is taking place in the staff restaurant at one of its London offices. Some 1,500 staff volunteered to take part, paying for everyday, low value items (under £10) using their Maestro PayPass™ debit and MasterCard PayPass™ credit cards. Both trials are still ongoing.
Feedback from RBS employees has been extremely positive with participants able to make swift purchases by simply tapping their PayPass-enabled card on a specially equipped terminal at the till, eliminating the need to handle cash or coins, hand their card over to a clerk, or swipe a card.
Over 40,000 transactions have been made with contactless cards so far during the trial and RBS employees who use a contractless card are really impressed with its convenience. David Streett who works in RBS Retail Market Support in London says: "The card is really easy to use and it means I don't have to worry about going to the ATM or having enough change in my pocket to pay for my lunch."
Lisa Roberts, who works in RBS Business Development also in London added: "The contactless card is much quicker than paying with cash and I don't have to carry so much change."
David Rockliff, Head of Business Development, Cards and Direct Finance, RBS comments:
"RBS undertook the first trial of contactless cards in Europe, we have been using them in shops and cafes based in our headquarters in Scotland and in our London office since June 2006. Research amongst our employees reveals that nearly three quarters say it is better and faster than paying with cash and 86% say it is more convenient than paying with Chip and PIN.
"Our practical experience with contactless cards from both the UK and the USA means that we are confident that customers and retailers will quickly take to the speed and convenience that they offer for making small purchases."
John Bushby, Country Manager, MasterCard UK comments:
"Our experience testing MasterCard PayPass and Maestro PayPass among staff at Royal Bank of Scotland's offices in Edinburgh and London has shown us that consumers love the convenience, simplicity and security of being able to 'Tap & Go' when paying for everyday things such as newspapers, sandwiches and drinks.
"MasterCard is delighted to be behind the delivery of contactless payments in the United Kingdom as we are already the global leader in this new way to pay. Around the world we have issued over 14 million MasterCard PayPass cards and devices that can be used in some 51,000 retail outlets. We are confident that consumers in the United Kingdom will be quick to adopt contactless payments as they are faster and more convenient than cash increasing both the number of cards in issue and, as retailers benefit too, places where they can be used."
Following the positive feedback received from both staff and retailers, RBS is now working with MasterCard and the UK card payments industry towards the first phase of the public rollout in London in the autumn. RBS, NatWest, MINT and Ulster Bank will issue several hundred thousand contactless payment cards, both debit and credit, during the London launch of the rollout to those customers who live in the roll-out zone. These cards will retain the existing chip and pin and magnetic stripe functionality.
The London Launch area covers the London Corridor, north and south of the Thames, running from Waterloo to Canary Wharf. This includes the following postcodes - EC2, EC3, EC4, E1, E14, SE1 and SE16.
Notes to Editors:
Background on MasterCard PayPass and Maestro PayPass
MasterCard PayPass and Maestro PayPass are ideal for traditional cash-heavy environments where speed is essential Maestro PayPass uses innovative contactless technology and offers a genuine alternative to cash for low value payments of up to £10. It is expected to play a role in reducing the heavy reliance on cash in Europe during the next decade. MasterCard has led the way in bringing contactless technology to consumer categories such as quick serve restaurants, drug stores, gas stations, vending machines, taxis, convenience stores, sports arenas, movie theaters, transit systems and parking garages in 15 different countries, including the U.S. and the U.K. There are more than 14 million PayPass cards and devices in the market, and PayPass is currently accepted globally at more than 51,000 merchant locations.
About MasterCard Europe
MasterCard Europe is the entity responsible for managing MasterCard Worldwide's business in Europe - for Europe. With headquarters in Waterloo, Belgium, MasterCard Europe works with 51 European countries organized administratively into three customer areas, incorporating the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), mature markets and the developing markets of Europe, stretching as far afield as the eastern border of Russia. Through its network of local offices, MasterCard Europe can understand and meet the diverse needs of customers in the very different types of markets throughout Europe, enabling people to do business in their own way in their own language.
Through MasterCard Worldwide, MasterCard Europe offers its European customers and consumers access to leading payment services throughout the world. MasterCard Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes over 16 billion transactions each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial institution customers and merchants. Through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus®, MasterCard serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information go to http://www.mastercard.com
About Royal Bank of Scotland Group
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group ("RBS Group") is one of the world's leading financial services companies providing a range of retail and corporate banking, financial markets, consumer finance, insurance, and wealth management services. RBS Group operates in Europe, the US and Asia Pacific serving more than 36 million personal customers world-wide and employing 135,000 people. In addition to the provision of a full range of banking services under The Royal Bank of Scotland and NatWest brands, RBS Group also includes Citizens Financial Group, Ulster Bank, Coutts Group, Direct Line and Churchill.
In December 2006, RBSG won The Innovators, the awards initiative from Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) in partnership with Ernst & Young that celebrates outstanding innovation in financial services.
For further information, please contact:
MasterCard Contacts:
Tina Bennett
Weber Shandwick
Tel: 0207 067 0707
Mobile: 07764 444048
Stephen Finch
Weber Shandwick
Tel: 0207 067 0705
Mobile: 07814 018484
RBS Contacts:
Morag Fleming
Tel: 0207 672 1817
Mobile: 07824 319162
Anita Ballantyne
Tel: 0207 672 1936
Mobile: 0788 565289
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