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The American way of life is about to change whether we like it or not.
Notice that no shots were fired, no one sent up a balloon saying "Russia no longer uses the dollar as a reserve currency!" No, it happened slowly and subtly. (ht Comrade)
Russia Dumps the U.S. Dollar for Euro as Reserve Currency
The US dollar is not Russia's basic reserve currency anymore. The euro-based share of reserve assets of Russia's Central Bank increased to the level of 47.5 percent as of January 1, 2009 and exceeded the investments in dollar assets, which made up 41.5 percent, The Vedomosti newspaper wrote.
The dollar has thus lost the status of the basic reserve currency for the Russian Central Bank, the annual report, which the bank provided to the State Duma, said.
In accordance with the report, about 47.5 percent of the currency assets of the Russian Central Bank were based on the euro, whereas the dollar-based assets made up 41.5 percent as of the beginning of the current year. The situation was totally different at the beginning of the previous year: 47 percent of investments were made in US dollars, while the euro investments were evaluated at 42 percent.
The dollar share had increased to 49 percent and remained so as of October 1. The euro share made up 40 percent. The rest of investments were based on the British pound, the Japanese yen and the Swiss frank.
The report also said that the reserve currency assets of the Russian Central Bank were cut by $56.6 billion. The losses mostly occurred at the end of the year, when the Central Bank was forced to conduct massive interventions to curb the run of traders who rushed to buy up foreign currencies. The currency assets of the Central Bank had grown to $537.6 billion by October 2008. Therefore, the index dropped by almost $133 billion within the recent three months.
The majority of Russian companies, banks and most of the Russian population started to purchase enormous amounts of foreign currencies at the end of 2008. The dollar gained 16 percent and the euro 13.5 percent over the fourth quarter. The demand on the US dollar was extremely high, and the Central Bank was forced to spend a big part of its dollar assets, experts say.
The change of the structure of the currency portfolio of the Bank of Russia has not affected the official peg of the dual currency basket, which includes $0.55 and 0.45 EUR.
The investments of the Bank of Russia in state securities of foreign issuers have been considerably increased, the report said. About a third of Russia's international reserves are based on US Treasury bonds.
Russia became one of the largest creditors of the US administration last year, the US Department of the Treasury said. Russia increased its investments in the debt securities of the US Treasury from $32.7 billion as of December 2007 to $116.4 billion as of December 2008.
If that little development doesn't bother you, then how about the possibility of the U.S. losing her AAA credit rating?:
Dollar Is Dirt, Treasuries Are Toast, AAA Is Gone
Commentary by Mark Gilbert
May 21 (Bloomberg) -- The odds on the dollar, Treasury bonds and the U.S. government's AAA grade all heading for the dumpster are shortening.
While currency forecasting is a mug's game and bond yields can't quite decide whether to dive toward deflation or surge in anticipation of inflation, every time I think about that credit rating, I hear what Agent Smith in the "Matrix" movies called "the sound of inevitability."
Several policy missteps suggest that investors should stop trusting -- and lending to -- the U.S. government. These include the state's pressure on Bank of America Corp. to buy Merrill Lynch & Co.; the priority given to Chrysler LLC's unions over the automaker's secured creditors; and the freedom that some banks will regain to supersize executive bonuses by giving back part of the government money bolstering their balance sheets.
Currency markets have been in a weird state of what looks almost like equilibrium for the past couple of months. What's really going on is something akin to an evenly matched tug of war that fails to move the ribbon tied around the center of the rope, giving the impression of harmony while powerful forces do silent battle until someone slips.
"All currencies are being debased dramatically by their central banks at extraordinary speeds and so in relative terms it appears there is no currency problem," Lee Quaintance and Paul Brodsky of QB Asset Management said in a research note earlier this month. "In reality, however, paper money is highly vulnerable to a public catalyst that serves to acknowledge it is all merely vapor money."
Flesh Wounds
Why pick on the dollar, though? Well, not necessarily because the U.S. economy is in worse shape than those of the euro area, the U.K. or Japan. The biggest problem is that external investors -- particularly China -- have more skin in the dollar game than in euros, yen or pounds, which makes the U.S. currency the most likely candidate to meet the cleaver in a crisis of confidence about post-crunch government finances.
China owns about $744 billion of U.S. Treasury bonds in its $2 trillion of foreign-exchange reserves.
Chinese exports, though, are dropping as the global economy weakens, with overseas shipments declining 23 percent in April from a year earlier, leaving a nation that has already expressed concern about its U.S. investments with less to spend in future.
'Heavy Hand of Government'
Those kinds of concerns are starting to surface in a steepening of the U.S. yield curve, driven by an increase in 10- and 30-year U.S. Treasury yields. The 10-year note currently yields 3.23 percent, about 235 basis points more than the two- year security, which marks a near doubling of the spread since the end of last year.
"When the government parks its tanks on capitalism's lawns, that spells trouble for those who invest, add value and create jobs," says Tim Price, director of investments at PFP Wealth Management in London. "Trillion-dollar bailouts do not only leave massive public-sector deficits in their wake, they also leave the presence of the heavy hand of government all over industry and markets, so the outlook for government bonds is less promising than the economic textbooks on deflation would have us believe."
Earlier this month, the U.S. reported the first budget deficit for April in 26 years, with spending exceeding revenue by $20.9 billion, even though that's the month when taxpayers have to stump up to the Internal Revenue Service and the government's coffers should be overflowing. So far this fiscal year, the U.S. shortfall is $802.3 billion, more than five times the $153.5 billion gap in the year-earlier period.
Deathly Deficit
For the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, the Congressional Budget Office forecasts a record deficit of $1.75 trillion, almost four times the previous year's $454.8 billion shortfall and about 13 percent of gross domestic product. Bear in mind that the target demanded of European nations wanting to join the euro was a deficit no greater than 3 percent of GDP.
David Walker, a former U.S. comptroller general, wrote in the Financial Times on May 12 that the U.S.'s top credit rating looks incompatible with "an accumulated negative net worth" of more than $11 trillion and "additional off-balance-sheet obligations" of $45 trillion. "One could even argue that our government does not deserve a triple A credit rating based on our current financial condition, structural fiscal imbalances and political stalemate," he wrote.
No Default
It is undeniable that the U.S. government's ability to finance its borrowing commitments has deteriorated as its deficit has ballooned. Dropping the U.S. from the top rating grade, though, wouldn't mean the nation is about to default on its debt obligations; there's a subtle distinction between ability to pay and propensity to fail to pay. There's also a compelling argument that no government should be enjoying the benefits of a top credit grade in the current financial climate.
Using the definitions outlined by Standard & Poor's, a one- step cut into the AA rated category would nudge the U.S.'s creditworthiness into a "very strong" capacity to fulfill its commitments, just weaker than the "extremely strong" capabilities demanded of AAA rated borrowers. That seems an appropriately nuanced sanction -- albeit one that the rating companies might turn out to be too cowardly to impose.
Okay, first of all, we are ALREADY BANKRUPT as our collective debts exceed our collective assets. But let's just ignore that, shall we? The credit rating agencies have NO CREDIBILITY left at all. They, and their pay for rating scheme, are a huge part of the problem to begin with. They will only downgrade AFTER people have stopped buying our debt which basically began in January of this year.
Secondly, when a country begins printing money to buy back their own debt, DEFAULT HAS ALREADY OCCURRED. Again, don't look for the headline that reads, U.S. DEFAULTS ON HER DEBT!" It will never come. But we already have, that's what quantitative easing (printing) is all about.
Rule of law? Third world country? Naw, only banana republics think people will be fooled by stunts like that.
Eh, it's only money. Money for nothing, get your tricks for free!
Dire Straits – Money for Nothing:


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Harp seals spend relatively little time on land and prefer to swim in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. These sleek swimmers cruise the chilly waters and feed on fish and crustaceans. They can remain submerged for up to 15 minutes. Harp seals are sometimes called saddleback seals because of the dark, saddlelike marking on the back and sides of their light yellow or gray bodies.
Both sexes return each year to breeding grounds in Newfoundland, the Greenland Sea, and the White Sea. On this turf males fight for their mates, battling with sharp teeth and powerful flippers.
Seal Hunts
When the mating ends, females gather in groups to give birth. Young harp seals are born on the ice, and mothers identify their own offspring from the multitudes by their smell. The young seals are famous for their snowy white coats. This fluffy fur is highly valued and has drawn hunters to the Newfoundland breeding grounds for two centuries. During the past several decades these grounds have become the scene of a human conflict between sealers and outraged environmentalists and animal rights activists. Modern hunts are better regulated than in the past, but the harp seal remains perhaps the most commercially important seal, with hundreds of thousands killed each year.

subset: commoncrawl


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How do you reinvent a 1920s period drama?
That was the challenge "Downton Abbey" creator Julian Fellowes faced at the end of Season 3, when three of its biggest stars bolted the series. Currently airing Season 4 in North America, we find our favourite aristocrats leading their coveted life of leisure six months after Matthew Crawley's tragic car accident, Lady Sybil's horrific childbirth death, and the evil Mrs. O'Brien's sudden exit as Cora's lady maid. Downstairs, the hardworking and mostly earnest staff is grappling with Anna's rape among various and sundry injustices.
In an exclusive interview, Fellowes (a.k.a. "Lord Fellowes of West Stafford"), enjoyed a cup of brew with HuffPost TV Canada at last month's BAFTA Tea in Los Angeles to gossip Dowager-style about the show's future, the soap-opera art form, his new TV project and why spoilers and social media aren't a nuisance for him anymore.
HuffPost TV: Despite concerns, "Downton Abbey" survived Matthew's death. I didn't understand the whole brouhaha. Loves like Mary and Matthew's never last.
Julian Fellowes: The show must go on, isn't that what they say? It's definitely opened up a wealth of story opportunities -- not only for Mary, but the whole canvas. I think we've done quite well in Dan's [Stevens] absence. I knew we would have to jump forward in time, six months to be exact, so we could see how his death impacted the family in different ways. Listen, it was Dan's decision to leave. I would've kept him around forever.
Besides Matthew's death, fans and critics are buzzing about you bringing on a black jazz singer, Jack Ross [based on 20s cabaret start Leslie "Hutch" Hutchinson].
I can assure he's not a token. Far from it, in fact. [Actor] Gary [Carr] is a very interesting character. He's very attractive young man, who is also a good actor. His story, in a sense, because I don't want to give anything away for story's sake, is that he's not a loser; he's a winner. That's important to represent in art. So much of today's black narratives are about slavery and oppression. I always say to young writers, "We must empower people; and not think of people as victims all the time. We need black heroes. We need black characters being high achievers doing well in fiction -- because we've got them in real life doing absolutely fine!" There's this tendency in fiction to make black stories sad. I'm not saying they should never be sad. I'm saying we should get the balance better. Every canvas needs black characters, but where their blackness is not part of the story. Make them teachers or cops; people just living their lives. That's my big message this season.
Is it true you write the show by yourself? That's unheard of; but I'm sure the autonomy is a blessing.
And, sometimes, a bloody curse! [Laughs] While I work alone, I will bounce ideas off of my dear wife. No one reads the pages before she does. She's the gatekeeper! After she reviews them and gives me notes, the script goes off to my agent after it's been through her. Then it goes off to Gareth [Neame, the show's executive producer] and it ends up on screen somehow!
What's your secret to your success as a writer?
All my characters have their own journey ... and we know what they all want and what all of them are like.
Have you figured out why "Downton Abbey" has resonated in such a profound way since its international debut?
You work to make it a good show. Sometimes you make a show and it doesn't quite come off. I didn't expect "Downton" to be the hit it is, I just went in wanting to make it a good show -- and it is a good show. Now this could have been just a good show which was well-reviewed and we all could have gone on our merry way. But, you're right: there has been a tidal wave of attention and applause engulfing the show. It has something to do with the zeitgeist right now. It has to do with the insecurity of the economic situation and a certain disenchantment with our present society and all sort of things have come together to make the show impact the way it has. But if you find out the exact reason, tell me!
I love the soap opera art form -- when it's done well. I mean, Charles Dickens created the form, yet there is still a stigma attached to the medium. Why is "soap opera" an insult in North America but not in Europe?
Yes, the term "soap opera" is used pejoratively in America. I mean, all continuing dramas are soap operas. Dickens created the form, for sure. I can only speculate that your [daytime dramas] aren't based in much reality, whereas ours are in England. When our characters die, they die. And life goes on ... I've avoided those distractions because the human mind and heart are complex and entertaining enough to explore.
As a master of continuing drama, what comes first: Character or plot?
If you know a character inside and out, the story comes to you very easily. I would suggest if you're having writers' block coming up with a plot, you may want to dig deeper into who your characters are because you may have created someone black-and-white. So, in continuing drama, character is the most important element in a story. Plot's purpose -- and its core intention -- is to expose a character's strengths and weaknesses, which will hopefully result in growth or death. Now, in suspense and mystery stories, plot is pre-eminent. In continuing drama, it's the opposite.
What's it like working with the Dame Maggie Smith?
She's simply extraordinary! I refuse to do the show without her! [Laughs] It's an honour to not only watch her but to also write for her. She's inspiring.
Do you worry about spoilers?
Social media has changed everything! No doubt about it. I used to worry about spoilers, but worrying about things you cannot control is insanity. Luckily, our cast and crew are very discreet, but since we air in England first, some of our plots have been leaked in North America. Listen, this is why I refuse to worry about spoilers: If your show is good, people will watch. Period. People watch our show for the characters and the small moments -- not the plot twists.
Every time I ask a "Downton Abbey" fan what their favourite moment of show, they say, "Maggie Smith's quips." And those are never leaked, thankfully!
You've announced a Season 5 of "Downton Abbey." Can we expect a Season 6?
I'm not sure. Unlike America, in England we have to wait until the season finishes airs before we receive a pick-up; we're not renewed multiple years in advance. We never want to jinx anything. [Laughs] That's good because it keeps everyone at the top of their game. If there is a sixth season, it may be our last. I'm about to start on a new U.S. drama called "The Gilded Age" for NBC Universal. And the last thing I want is to juggle two shows.
What's it about?
Are you sitting down? Aristocracy! Two families ...The Winthrops and the Stuyvesants ... and the new money of gas, shipping and oil in 1870s New York City.
Hopefully starring Maggie Smith!
"Downton Abbey" airs at 9 p.m. EST during PBS's Masterpiece Theatre.


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Creditors Reject Cyprus's Plan B, ECB Adds Pressure
The ECB ramped up pressure on Cyprus to seal a bailout pact with the EU and the IMF by Monday, making further funding for the island's ailing banks contingent on a deal. Christopher Lawton reports.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... ECB sent a message to Cyprus ... basically the message is ... come up with a deal by Monday or else is the latest in the high stakes gamble that has become the fight over Cyprus and its bailout what happens next and can be a busy weekend for people in Cyprus ... specially our reporters who are covering this story ... were lucky enough that one of them with us Christopher Lawton coming to us from Frankfurt ... odd Chris explained to us believe it's from the ECB and what they're really saying here ... sure sure so it is freezing the risk in this morning was that ... they basically say that they're going in the Cyprus government doesn't seem to deal with the European Union and International Monetary Fund ... for a bailout and they will head off emergency funding ... for Spain's ... know what they're really say this deadline is Monday by the rhetoric to really saying ... it is that's ... if you don't see that the studio ... to bring police have no funding no collapse and that could eventually force and pursue years ... I know I mean God doesn't do this ... with the high-stakes think ... this is a high-stakes thing because during health plan a failed in Cyprus right to depositors tax was totally ... of rejected ... Plan B is failed plan B with them for two for them to tap some of the confines of ... Cyprus is on to plan C and it doesn't seem like they have a very solid plan at all why would the ECB take this step ... why think they need to be returned to pressure on on a per screen ... I'm ... you know and and do the deal can um um that is a favorite rejected on Tuesday it and it did tend to be green told him to veto it that that emergency funding can only be softened Banks and I just don't think that they're willing to gamble with the future of Europe from over two percent for the moment is right but they are gambling ... the euro zone rates ... I mean it didn't occur until Monday ... some people interpret it as a tolerant of it into the tin is going to ... it is hard deadline is the first time that the TV ... to be threatened ... to remove or merchants the funding for banks in the member states though ... I think it is quite serious that helped me to be that they need to ... they need to seal the deal for a bailout ... will options to Cyprus had at this point ... the conflict they don't have ... the option to bed to turn the negotiation with the Russians to perhaps ... speaking at the company or in a couple things for another loan from Russia there also ... thinking about helping their pension fund the additional ... five point eight billion euro that they need to then get the second division here from ... the ... U ... S bailout for ... the ... troika that the European Commission the IMF needs to be ... a degree ... on the door to door like the edge of the pension fund for the trees to the Cyprus government and the Russians ... seem ... to be sitting on the sidelines waiting to see with the European cure for the ... for the jump and show that there are a lot of good option to put the Eurogroup ... chairman said ... in the ... U S Senate urgent but they've been ... released by the line that the ... size of this this picture has become bound and determined that the kids to bed ... some sort of ability on depositors and probably another week to ... cruise last couple days the markets have really responded to all this news I overhear to stocks were up ... this morning stocks are down stocks in Europe are down to you start to see the market for spinal that this ... year and the markets could put some pressure off on all sides really ... to get a deal done things that they send a signal I think that and I think everybody freedom and initiatives stated so far the market have been relatively calmer think with the euro zone a McD Phoebe in particular very afraid of ... is that ... it does get it back and forth between Cyprus ... and and and its European creditors continues ... it could just do the same fears in the market ... about the credibility of the euro and the euro zone and development that they don't want that don't want ... investors in the market to get spooked again about ... the suitability of the euro zone about Italy and ... Spain ... I think most people can see that it ... refers to the paper sticking to the collapse and the method it and ... you can do to survive or avoid having to compacted think what's more important and this ... is to get this deal done as quickly as possible so that we don't ... fears about whether ... this ... great stuff thank very


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Hemp Felt Growing Medium - 5x5
Hemp Felt is a thin (3/16 inch) medium which holds water well and is easy to handle. Our bulk Hemp Felt is made from Organic Hemp fibers, which are pressed - like felt to form a durable sheet. This page is where you purchase Hemp Felt that fits our 5x5 inch Tray. We also sell Hemp Felt in bulk - which is the least expensive option. Cut your own and save =:-)
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To thoroughly moisten the Baby Blanket, before planting your seeds atop it; submerge it in water. Squeeze it and submerge it, squeeze it and submerge it... Do this until it is thoroughly moist. Put it into a Tray, a SproutMaster, on a plate, or what have you. Then plant your Seeds as instructed.
Hemp Felt is a thin (3/16 inch) pad that holds water very well and which is easy to handle, which makes it an excellent growing medium. Combined with Kelp fertilizer you can grow Micro-Greens without the mess of soil. Hemp Felt is also a wonderful way to grow Grass and Microgreens - though you should consider Coconut Coir for the bigger seeds.
Our Hemp Felt is organic, biodegradable and cuts easily to size to fit any container or tray. Buying it by the Linear Foot is the best deal, of course, though we do offer pre-cut sizes as well.
This is a disposable (compostable) medium. Don't try to use it again - just cut another piece or use a new pad for your next crop.
and any other small seed you want to grow into a tiny plant.
Do not try to re-use Hemp Felt. Just compost your used pad and start fresh with your next crop.
Thorough Instructions are given on the detailed pages we have for every seed/mix we sell.
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Hemp Felt Growing Medium - Bulk
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Oct-19-2009 HMFA Breaks Ground on 90-Unit Affordable Housing Building in Lower Township
HMFA Breaks Ground on 90-Unit Affordable Housing
LOWER TOWNSHIP - New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) Executive Director Marge Della Vecchia today joined state and local officials to break ground on Conifer Village, a 90-unit affordable housing apartment building located at 3805 Bayshore Road in Lower Township. The HMFA is providing $6.5 million in mortgage and tax credit funding for the project.
"In this current economic climate, the HMFA is excited to help jumpstart this worthwhile affordable housing project," said HMFA Executive Director Della Vecchia. "The Lower Township community should be proud of Conifer Village and the permanent housing it will provide the area's senior citizens."
Conifer Village will be a new three-story building for seniors age 62 and older, featuring 63 one-bedroom units and 27 two-bedroom units, as well as a community room, exercise room, computer room, and lounges. All units will include a full kitchen, living and dining area, a full bath, a bedroom, Energy Star appliances, and an energy-efficient heating and cooling system that meets the Energy Star program requirements. An array of social services will be provided by the Cape May County Department of Aging.
The rents will be affordable to tenants, whose incomes are below 60 percent of area median income. The proposed gross rent for one-bedroom units will be between $378 and $720 per month. The proposed gross rent for two-bedroom units will be between $453 and $860 per month.
The HMFA approved a mortgage commitment of approximately $1.4 million in permanent financing for the project and is allocating $1.75 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC). The credits, a dollar for dollar reduction in federal tax liability, act as a catalyst to attract private investment into the affordable housing market. The Agency is also providing $3.4 million in Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP) funds that are being provided under the federal American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.
As the housing credit agency responsible for administration of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program, the HMFA has also been charged with administration of the TCAP Program. The State of New Jersey has received TCAP funding in the amount of $61,243,670. The program assists in closing the funding gap created by the drop in equity pricing and to activate affordable housing construction stalled by the economic downturn. It is also aimed at immediately creating new jobs or saving jobs at risk of being lost due to the economy.
Approximately 200 construction jobs will be created, in addition to work for supportive services and professionals such as architects, engineers, market analysts and title insurance agencies.
The project is a joint venture between Conifer Realty, LLC, a real estate developer, general contractor and property manager based in Rochester, NY, and Homes for All, Inc, a non-profit affordable housing developer located in Toms River, NJ.
For more information on HMFA programs and mortgages, please call 1-800-NJHOUSE or 609-278-7400, or log on to www.nj-hmfa.com.


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At the end of August 2013, Japanese Foreign Minister plans to visit Ukraine for the purpose of obtaining information how to mitigate health hazards after nuclear accident. It is unthinkable is the delegation ignores Dr. Bandazhevsky, who gives the world best research on internal radiation exposure and health impacts.
(However, Japanese medical societies have been ignoring Dr. Bandazhevsky though they are aware of his researches.)
In the end of the seminar, I gave one comment on Tokyo University research team.
I am a freelance journalist who has translated 3 radiation related books. In June 2011, I saw the draft translation on your paper by Mr. Mamoru Kubota and was greatly shocked. I wrote a summary quickly and send them to the Society of Medicine, Society of Heart, Society of Kidney, Society of Liver, etc, but the summary of your paper was totally ignored.
Also, I met Dr. Masaharu Tsubokura, one of the researchers at Tokyo University in person and asked if he read Bandazhevsky paper, and he said, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I feel greatly in trouble. All the foods in Fukushima should be measured, but we don't have enough measuring machines." In Mr. Tsubokura's blog, he said, "From 10Bq/kg, EDG started to show abnormality in Chernobyl." However, after that,
he released a paper at Journal of American Medical Association, which stated that the level in Fukushima was safe even though there are many who went beyond 10Bq/kg!
In another words, experts at Tokyo University knows the truth but have been concealing the truth!
When I stressed on this point, a woman and a man abruptly blocked my speech saying, "We want to ask more questions!"
Their interference was so obvious and the couple apologised saying, "Excuse us during the session..." I thought they were from either from Tokyo University or agent from the goverment of Japan.
When the seminar was over and the room was cleaned, Dr. Bandazhevsky was collecting his things on the desk, so I went up to him and said,
"Dr. Bandazhevsky, my mother is from Fukushima. I really thank you. Thank you very much." While I was saying my words of gratitude, I couldn't hold back my tears.
Dr. Bandazhevsky went to Gomel to establish the Medical University since the Gomel was contaminated and local doctors fleed from the town, he also got exposed and became unwell, and some of his students lost their lives, but continued his study.
Dr. Bandazhevsky studies should be prevailed as much as possible.
Thank you again, Dr. Yuri Bandazhevsky.
As a matter of fact, Cs 137 was detected right after the operation of nuclear power plant, but the promoters kept saying, "it is safe."
Cs emitts beta and gamma rays while decaying into Barium, which is highly toxic. There are many papers which shows the toxicity of Ba, too. Especially, when Ba gets into the cells, they are very risky.
Cs has chemical toxicity along with radioactive toxicity.
Internal exposure is much more dangerous than external exposure.
However, international organizations are calculating the risk of internal radiation based on the external one.
They say, 1 mSv (equivalent to 600~700Bq/kg) is harmless, but there are health impacts under much lower levels.
No laboratories have been conducting the studies of internal radiation, since that would prove the danger.
Let me briefly introduce my personal history.
When I started my study in Gomel in 1990, I was already a University professor.
My expertise was originally "congenital malformation."
I founded the Gomel Medical University and started my study.
Gomel was a contamianted area and doctors fleed from the city.
Therefore, I continued my research while I was a rector at Gomel Medical University.
In those days, I didn't have any prejudice on radiation effects and simply tried to search for the causes of diseases among the residents.
I established a Cs monitoring system for residents.
(In those days, nobody was doing that and some Belarus companies cooperated for that.)
After my research, nobody in Belarus, Russia, or Uklaine has done a similar research.
Though vast amount of money is being used for reconstruction of Chernobyl, there is almost nobody who can talk clearly on health impacts. (The same in Japan!)
The former Soviet Union used various ways to conceal the data of contamination, and residents ate contaminated food without knowing it.
For example, stored beef at Gomel station was contaminated but it was distributed all over the country, and of course the residents didn't know about it.
So I checked the Cs body concentration of kids both in Gomel and uncontaminated areas, and found kids in both areas were contaminated.
I was known as the rector of Gomel Medical University in the local society, but when I started my research, local municipal officers started to be away from me.
One day, I gave my rearch paper to the Minister of Health, then he just put my paper in his desk drawer. I also sent the same to the goverment.
After that, oppression started against me.
There is so called reference level for food, but it is wrong to say that the food is safe if it is under the reference level.
For example, milk cannot be safe at the level of 100Bq/l. The inspector does not say the sample was 98 Bq/l and children drink it without knowing it.
If the child keeps drinking that milk for several days, considerable amount of radioactive materials can be accumulated in his/her body. Can you call this is safe? This is solely a fake declaration of safety.
The most important thing is to make decisions to protect people from now on rather than pointing out the past mistakes done by the politicians.
But after the accident, the real situation of contamination had been concealed. Even the accident itself was concealed and on May Day festival, residents including children were mobilized for parades.
After I had been imprisoned for 8 years (I was actually writing in the prison and the book was published in France), I was ousted from my own country since 2006, and had been staying in France for several years.
Everyone asked for my autography in the book I published in France (the one I wrote about the issue of radiation and my thoughts while I was in the prison), but I was wondering whether he/she understood what I wrote.
In 1964, already 450 pCi/kg (16.7 Bq/kg) Cs was detected in soil, which became 50 pCi/kg (1.9Bq/kg) in 1969.(Marey AN、 et al 1974)
* 1Bq=27pCi, 1pCi=1/27 Bq
However, the book disappeared from major libraries after the accident.
The book said, "contamination of this level has no risk, but if there is any additional radiation contamination, there should be some urgent measures to be implemented."
The book was found by a strudent in a small library in Gomel. After that, I used that data in official places and cited the figures in the Parliament of Belarus. Then, the chairman of the Parliament said that special attentions should be paid to the rector of Gomel Medical University and several months later, I was dismissed.
In Russia, even now, the figures have been concealed.
Several months ago, when I said in an interview by a Russian reporter, "There had already been contamination even before Cheronobyl," that statement was omitted from the article. The chief editor told me that my statement was not credible since there wasn't the book in any library in Russia.
However, the figure is listed on my official site, chernobyltoday.org, where many people can take a look.
What is the people in the authority side scared of ? They kept saying that nuclear power is nothing to be worried about, but if the data before the accident is relased, their statement could be proven to be false.
The same thing can be said about IAEA. They say the contamination started only after the Cheronobyl.
In Belarus, the contaminated area in 1974 coincides with the contaminated area since 1986. This information is very important.
Even some people in our side tell me not to talk about the contamination before Chernobyl, since contamination from Chernobyl could be underestimated.
However, I cannot keep silence on the contamination of these areas before the Chernobyl accident.
These areas had been contaminated for 50 years including the years before the Chernobyl accident.
Birth rate decrease had been observed before the Chernobyl accident, but there had been contamination also. Some scholars insist that the birth rate has been decreased even before the accident concealing the pre-accident contamination.
As for cardiovascular diseases, some institutes in Belarus tell the doctors not to write in the medical record.
But in contaminated areas, ischemic heart disease is high.
Cancer incidence rates are higher in rural areas than urban areas, because people in rural areas eat contaminated food more.
Of course, that doesn't mean that urban areas are safe.
While I was living in Belarus, I was eating normally, and I got sick. I bought a lot of blueberries in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. I thought these blueberries were from some surburb of Minsk.
I had food poisoning symptoms several times after eating blueberries (I thought I had food poisoning), but I later knew that the berries came from contaminated areas.
When I checked my body Cs concentraion in Iwankov District in Ukraine, my figure was higher than the local residents, since I had been eating contaminated food.
Cs concentrates more among children.
Especially, accumulation in thyroid is high, so there is a high possibility that Cs is contributing to thyroid cancer. This issue should needs further studies.
For example, children born after year 2000 did not get initial exposure, but there are many thyroid cancer children.
It is very important to know that radioactive iodine is not the sole contributor to thyroid cancer.
There is a possibility that thyroid cancer will be increased from food contamination in Fukushima.
Cs concentration level result coincided between animal experiments and those of human beings. Internal organ's concentration was much higher compared with the average per kg per body.
In a textbook by former Soviet Union, Cs is supposed to accumulate in skeletal muscle, without any further explanation. That is true since the weight of skeletal muscle is much, but as for the concentration, internal organs such as heart is higher.
However, there was nobody who checked the Cs concentration in internal organs.
Injection of radioactive material into a rat.
Measuring the body concentration
Preparing tissue samples of internal organs
The tissue is separated for paraphine block
The scene shows the mortuary
Organs were extracted after dissection
Heart and other organs are placed on the plate.
Sampling of the heart is prepared.
Measuring how much radioactive materials are accumulated in the heart
(Measureing was done in a lead container)
Staff discussing the result.
In case of heart with Cs 45Bq/kg concentration
Mitochondoria (producer of cell energy) structure was altered and multiple number of mitochondorias were joined.
Enzymes alkaline phosphatase and creatine phophokinase (CPK) were measured in heart. In case of animals with high Cs concentration, these enzymes were half of normal figures. These enzymes are necessary for activation of mitochondoria, so energy supply will be suppressed for cells. The same can be said in organs other than heart.
One of my school's female student who was a bit chubby was trying to do a diet by exercising. Then she suddenly died due to heart failure. However, nobody was talking about the cause of her death in connection with radiation.
This is the measurement of heart ECG. My wife, Garina Bandazhevskaya made this table. She is a pediatrician specialized in heart diseases and child ECG pattern.
At first we were examining ECG of children with 30Bq/kg Cs concentration.
As a control group, we chose some uncontaminated area, and also we picked even more contaminated area such as Petka, worse than Gomel.
At 10 Bq/kg, ECG shows a big difference.
This is not only true for the heart.
At 10 Bq/kg, there are many of those who have some genetic defects, which were induced by some other factors besides Cs.
We assumed that even small amount of Cs could induce genetic defects.
Lead could be another factor. Lead was massively poured into the reactor, which was scattered in large volume in the surrounding of Chernobyl.
When we checked the lead concentration in children's blood in various areas, they showed high figures.
Lead can block the energy production generated by ions passing cell membranes.
I assumed that the high rate of ECG abnormality among Gomel children could be partially attributed to lead.
Currently in Ukraine, we have been conducting studies to search for other chemical substances which could be attributable for residents' ill health. It is quite interesting to know relationship with substances other than lead.
However, radiation effects are observed most among all the disease indusing factors in contaminated areas.
This is the photo of heart tissue of 43 year old man who died suddenly with 45.5 Bq/kg Cs concentration of heart. Cardiac muschle dissolution and serious edema are observed. Cs cause diffuse lesion.
This kind of diffuse lesion look quite different from ischaemic myocardiac disease.
For example, when I dissect a person who died suddenly, that person hasn't got myocardiac infarction but had some diffuse lesion. At first I could not understand what was going on when I looked at the diffuse lesion.
Therefore, I established the same environment with experimental animals and observed their internal tissue and found the diffuse lesion, so I found out the cause.
In this way, I came to be aware that the myocardiac disease was caused by internal radiation effect.
However, the nuclear promotors keep their silence.
This effect can be seen in other organs, too.
When energy level is in deficiency, arctation occurs. Excess arctation occurs in cardiac muscle and other tissues. Due to energy deficiency, calcium gets also deficient, whicb causes excess arctation.
Likewise, when blood vessels get harmed, kindney gets affected.
In kidney, blood stoppes circulating glomeruli, resulting in necrosis. I named this glomerulus necrosis as, "melting ice syndrome, " which causea chronic kidney failure in a hidden manner.
Increase of radioactive material causes increase of bodily urea due to failed nitrogen metablism.
If this trend continues for a certain period of time, it will cause chronic kidney failure.
In Gomel, many residents have this chronic kidney failure.
In Belarus, there are dialysis treatment centers, but there are too many patients to treat, and some have died because they couldn't get one.
Lack of inflammatory reaction means suppression of immune system.
Various people write thesis regarding the suppression of immune system caused by radiation.
Lots of radioactive material get accumulated in spleen, too.
Let me show you the photo of liver with radiatioactive material accumulation. You can see the alteration of fat and protein and necrosis of liver cells.
In contaminated areas, there are lots of people who suffer from fatty liver. As a result, metabolism in the entire body gets decreased.
There are many patients who have medium level liver failures.
In 1990, I came to Gomel and had an ordinary diet.
After 3 months, my Cs body concentration became 60 Bq/kg.
But in those days, I was 34 years old and young, and I didn't pay much attention to that.
I tended to feel a bit tired, but I had a lot of work to do as the rector of the university.
One day, in order to check the functionality of our university laboratory, I examined my own blood and then I was told that my liver index showed bad figures.
Two weeks after that, I took several weeks off to my mother's house.
After I came back to Gomel, my Cs body concentration was decreased and my blood index became back to normal.
I believe scholars should study staying in the contaminated area and live like other residents do. I think it is not allowable for researchers to stay at a remote area to conduct a study.
You can have more subjective views and analysis if you stay in the contaminated area and go through the same experiences like other residents do.
After Chernobyl, lots of Japanese scholars came and obtained a lot of information, but where is it now?
Tomorrow, I am going to meet some professor from Tokyo University.
But now is the time to act rather than studying.
Impacts on female reproduction system
At first we conducted internal Cs monitoring on children and then moved to adults.
We checked the internal Cs among young people at reproductive age and also checked the hormons in blood, estrogen and progesteron.
In the female with over 40Bq/kg, increase in the level of progesterone and decrease in the level of estradiol were recorded in the follicle phase, and decrease of progesteron and increase of estradiol were recorded.
With these pattern of hormon secretion, implantation of fertilized ovum, development of fetus and baby will become difficult.
The same can be said for female in puberty age in contaminated areas.
This data became the last release of my study as the rector of and in the newspaper on the same day, my arrest was reported.
After that, President Lukachenko announced that it would be safe to keep living in the contaminated area.
Cs concentration in fetus with congenital malformation is quite high. We checked the cortisol level in blood in accordance with the Cs concentration in placenta. We found that the difference of cortisol concentration between mother and the fetus was greater when Cs concentration was high. That is, mothers had higher cortisol than new borns. This will affect the stress resistance of newborns.
Cortisol also plays an important role in the development of lung tissues.
It will affect the development of alveolus, which could result in atelectasis. Also such babies cannot resisit foreign substances included in the air, and become more liable to get infectious diseases, which could threat the lives of newborns.
In Belarus, the congenital malformation became 1.5 times higher bewteen 2000 and 2008.
The rate is higher in Gomel, but there are many congenital malformation in other states.
Men accumulate Cs more than women.
However, in case of pregnant women, they absorb a lot of radioactive cesium and massive amount of Cs could be accumulated in their placenta. Placenta is like a magnet for radioactive materials.
Placenta blocks harmful material to intrude into fetus, but Cs can pass through it to fetus, and this was proven in animal experiments.
Cs can induce genetic damages on children through multiple causes.
On top of genetic diathesis, when inducing factor intrudes into the body, such genetic damage developes.
The most serious one occurs on central nerve system, especially on the genetic diathesis of brain.
There are many campaigns for studies and fund-raising for children with genetic heart defects.
However, there is nobody who talks about prevention, where pregnant women tries not to take Cs into their bodies.
In Ukranian International Project, lots of efforts are made to protect the health of newborns.
Animal Experiment
We gave oats with various concentration of Cs 137 to rats for 28 days.
As the result, there were differences on the secretes from cerebral hemispheres.Gricin was decreased and glutamic acid was increased.
I will show a video of rats with these brain problems and let's see their behavioral problems of them.
Rats fed with Cs had higher concentration of urea in their blood.
Child cataract is increased in Gomel, Petka district. (Bandazhevsky et al, 1997,1998)
It is quite abnormal for children to get cataract.
35% of children got cataract when their Cs level goes beyond 50Bq/kg.
For children who is more than 30 Bq/kg has consistant impacts on important organs. I call it SLIR.
After the accident, medical society only paid attention on individual organs no the entire system, which was wrong.
In the beginning, there was no monitoring system, so I didn't come to think of this kind of syndrome.
There was also no evaluation system for the entire body system.
In case of children and fetus, they are vulnerable to outside factors, and their symptoms tend to be very serious.
When I took the office of rector at the Gomel Medical University, I began recruiting doctors.
While I was giving lectures on immunology, I tried to find promising students to remain in our laboratories.
Then I established a study group. In our group, there was a female student who was 22 years old. She was very smart and capable.
She was one of the most promising students.
After a while, her friend told me that she had a very big cancer in her liver. It was either in 1990 or 1991. Primary hepatic cancer is a very rare disease. But the cases of primary hepatic cancer.
While we were conducting our research, she didn't complain particular pain and did her work.
I was always worried about her.
One day, she didn't come to the office. Her photo still remains in our website.
Her death was one of the most shocking events for me in the early days.
Impacts of radiation and chemical substances on reproductive organs.
We witnessed the loss of reproductivity through animal experiments.
We evaluated the safety of the oats cultivated in the contaminated area in 2011.
Contaminated oats
50Bq/kg cesium 137
17.2 Bq/kg strontium 90
(The ratio of Sr90 is amazingly high!)
You can see congenital malformation of fetus. This fetus has anastomosis of skeletons.
We also observed fetuses in mother's womb.
This fetus has a brain deviated. This one has cheiloschisis, and this one has cleft palate.
This baby rat has abnormality on his skull.
This baby rat has stress reaction. (Strangely, only female baby rats and no stress reaction was observed among male rats.)
This baby rat is 45 days old and its erythrocytes and hemoglobine were decreased.
Other abnormalities were observed in other blood indexes.
What was typical among these rats was the increased urea.
There were damages on kidney too.
The government is trying to return people to the area where I conducted the oats study.
Now you can guess how I have been hated by authorities.
Pursuing truth accompanies difficulities.
Now I am not alone, but Ukraine Science Academy is supporting us and we have founded Center for Analysis on the Environment and Health.
In April 2008, I talked about the need to study objectively in a contaminated area at European Parliament. After a long time, the project was admitted and EU provided some fund. In Iwankov district in Ukraine, where the contamination is serious, health survey was also started.
There, contamination of the soil and inclusion of chemical substances are measured. Also, the soil and food contamination and human body contamination are measured in the laboratory.
We are also monitoring all the 7500 children living in the area including the monitoring of organs though biochemical inspection.
For children, we gave iodine suppliment for the duration of 10 months and conducted pregnant women and fetus inspection.
We also provided suppliment of iodine, vitamin, and mineral to pregnant women.
We also established the Mother/child center in the central hospital and conduct fetus and newborns' health check.
We also have a counseling center for giving advice on how to obtain uncontaminated foods.
These kinds of activities should have been done 20 years ago, and I wrote the same in my book 20 years ago.
I am involved in this EU international project as an expert. I want our project to be used for Fukushima. It is very important for Japanese citizens and scholars to join this project.
We have to consier not only radioactive materials emitted from the accident, but also chemical substances, too.
When we talk about prevention, we need to protect ourselves from all the toxic materials.


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A little something I wrote on my film social media site here https://plus.google.com/u/1/b/103662...ts/cCu9fGAnexF about Cerebral Palsy awareness month 2016. See below.
March is Cerebral Palsy awareness month. Many of the characters in my films have Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy (often shortened to "CP") is a brain injury that happens before, during, or shortly after birth. It can be caused by lack of oxygen to the brain or conditions such as a fetal brain hemorrhage, which is similar to a stroke, but in most cases the reason for the brain damage is unknown. Cerebral Palsy affects the motor areas of the brain in a vast amount of ways depending on where the damage in the brain occurs. It usually causes the muscles to be too tight (spastic) or too loose because the brain signals are constantly being misfired throughout the person's entire life. The misfiring can lead to issues with balancing, coordination, speech, proprioception, body alignment, and even a life long retaining of certain infant reflexes such as the Moro Reflex. The Moro Reflex is the startle reflex in babies and usually disappears when the baby is under 6 months of age but people with CP can have this reflex as children and adults. It is essentially a built in pre programed fear of falling. CP can affect one side of the body (called hemiplegia) or both sides of the body. Every case of Cerebral Palsy is unique and can range from being so mild that it is almost unnoticeable to being so severe that the person uses a wheelchair full time. Most people with Cerebral Palsy in media are portrayed as having the more severe types so we at Crip Video Productions are interested in raising awareness of the experiences of those with more mild to moderate cases of CP. A lot of people still dont seem to realize CP can be mild. I think the internet is a great place to show the reality i.e the good, the bad, and the ugly of living with disabilities and it is my hope that my films do just that. I was also surprised to learn that March is Traumatic Brain Injury awareness month. In October 2015 I gave a talk about Traumatic Brain Injury http://cripvideoproductions.tumblr.c...y-presentation where I showed the trailer for Crips Not Creeps http://www.cripvideoproductions.com/cripsnotcreeps.php I was surprised to discover the many similarities between Cerebral Palsy,Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke. I met people with types of brain damage that I had never even heard of before, such as brain damage that effects sleep patterns and thalamus damage that effects sensory processing. These types of brain damage are almost completely invisible. The above information can be found on our website here as well http://www.cripvideoproductions.com/about.php


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File photo
Bay Area sports radio station 95.7 The Game has leaned on its FM sound quality and edgy approach its first two years to try wrestling some of the young audience from local heavyweight KNBR.
Beginning this fall, The Game will add a Silver and Black twist to win listeners. But can Raiders play-by-play provide 95.7 the same kind of lift KNBR gets from the Giants?
The Game, which signed a multiyear deal with the Raiders in April, hopes that bookending an NFL franchise with the A's will provide the station year-round muscle in a tough market.
"They've been walking with just one shoe on with only baseball," said Gary Fiset, whose San Francisco-based company specializes in broadcast promotion for TV and radio. "For me, this dresses them for success."
Two years into its all-sports format, The Game's big-picture plan to carve out a niche in the market doesn't rely solely on game broadcasts. The differences start with 95.7's FM signal.
Dwight Walker, vice president/market manager for Entercom San Francisco, which operates four local stations, said 82 percent of Bay Area radio listeners tune in to FM.
"A lot of the younger audience, they don't even know the AM dial exists," Fiset said.
Moving sports programming to FM is a nationwide trend, according to Jason Barrett, program director for The Game. "It just sounds better," he said. "For a lot of listeners 25 to 54 — the world we're in — quality is a big deal."
The Game also tries to counter KNBR's powerful signal and quarter-century of momentum with a fast-paced, energetic approach.
"KNBR has grown older, its audience has gotten older," Walker said. "The younger end of the audience is ripe for something new. That's where we see our beachhead. That doesn't mean KNBR goes away."
Even putting a dent in KNBR won't be easy.
KNBR's Arbitron ratings numbers for May were the highest of any Bay Area station — AM or FM — and nearly five times what The Game (KGMZ) attracted. The Game ranked 25th in the local market for May.
Clearly, the World Series champion Giants are the source of the spike in KNBR's numbers. KNBR was tied for 12th in the Bay Area Arbitron ratings as recently as March. Then the baseball season arrived and KNBR's April figures doubled, pushing it past even all-news KCBS.
The Game got a 50-percent ratings boost from the start of the A's season, and expects an even more significant lift from the Raiders, with its devoted fan base.
"This is a baseball market," Walker said. "But there's no question the NFL is king in terms of content. This cements us as a play-by-play destination for both baseball and football."
Former KNBR program director Bob Agnew, who helped popularize sports radio in the Bay Area, said having both the A's and Raiders will be crucial to The Game's survival.
"To be a successful sports station, you absolutely have to have play-by-play," said Agnew, now program director for Orange County-based KLAA AM-830, flagship station of the Los Angeles Angels. "The success of KNBR was built around some huge personalities Monday through Friday, but you can never undervalue the importance of having the Giants and the 49ers."
Through its first two years, there has been no panic within the offices of The Game or its parent company, Entercom, which owns 101 radio stations in 24 U.S. markets, many featuring all-sports formats.
"We knew this was a long-term strategic play," Walker said. "With the A's and the Raiders and our fantastic (programming) lineup, we feel really good about where we are. We know there is still future potential growth."
Certainly The Game has been good for the A's, who previously had bounced around among 11 stations since arriving in Oakland in 1968.
"It's fantastic," said Ken Pries, head of communications and broadcasting for the A's, and a lifelong Bay Area resident. "It gives people an alternative to KNBR. It's no secret A's fans never have been serviced very well by KNBR."
The Raiders' radio situation has been even less stable, their games carried on eight stations since the franchise returned to Oakland in 1995. Games were heard a year ago on KITS Live 105.3 FM and KFRC 1550.
The Raiders' relationship with The Game began last season, when coach Dennis Allen and players were featured on "Raiders Friday." Game broadcasts were the next logical step, said Mike Taylor, the Raiders' director of public affairs.
"The opportunity to be on an all-sports station is great for the Raiders and our fans," Taylor said. "Now our fans have a place where they can talk about the Raiders and hear about the Raiders 24/7."
And this fall, when Raiders and A's broadcasts conflict, the Raiders will be moved to sister station KFOX, which could reel in a new audience, Barrett said.
Progress is slow but steady. "The Wheelhouse," the station's noon-to-3 p.m. show featuring John Lund and Raiders play-by-play man Greg Papa, got a No. 9 rating in May, the station's first program to earn a top-10 spot.
In its target demographic of 25-54, The Game recently earned a No. 17 ranking in the market. It's progress, but Barrett conceded, "Nobody in the company is going to tell you we're satisfied with being 17th."
Follow Jeff Faraudo on Twitter at Twitter.com/CalBearsBANG.


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Just a heads up, I feel awesome today. Someone's getting a hug that goes on for just a little too long.
What is it about Stanley Tucci's name that makes me want to pinch a baby's cheeks? Not like in a creepy way, just like in an adorable way. This has gotten kind of weird. He's joined the cast of "Your Voice in My Head" and will play a psychiatrist who helps a self abusing woman, played by Emma Watson, heal her mental scars. Tucci Tucci Tucci! Come on, it's adorable.
I've seen the 1995 movie "Embrace of the Vampire" no less than a dozen times and I could not tell you what the hell it's about. All I remember is Alyssa Milano was nude for 90% of the film and had sex with just about everyone that was on screen. CineTel Films, who I've never heard of but are now my favorite studio, have decided it's time for a remake of the soft core classic. I wonder if Milano will have a cameo. God I hope so.
Chloe Moretz is kind of awesome. She was brutal in "Kick Ass", she was creepy as hell in "Let Me In" and she's pretty damn funny on "30 Rock". So now I'm excited about the "Carrie" remake because she's officially been offered the lead role. If there's anyone that can pull off a pig-blood prom dress it's her. I just hope it isn't after labor day. That's a fashion no-no.
If you didn't like "The Woman In Black" then I kind of want to punch you in the face. It scared the crap out of me. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm not going to punch you in the face if you don't buy the DVD when it's released in May though. I understand times are though and you can't drop money on every movie I like. Where the hell would you even keep the entire "Police Academy" series? There's like 9 films. That's so much shelf space.
Need another reason to not visit the Florida Keys? How about giant 9 pound rats that are invading the coast line? Plus Disney World is like a 40 hour drive or something from there.
I love it! A woman in NY is under arrested after she lost her shit on the highway and just started throwing coffee into people's windows. Sometimes you just gotta burn people to make a point that you're sick of traffic.


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Videos | June 1, 2011
What's Up for June 2011?
What's up for June? Solar system collisions! Hello and welcome. I'm Jane Houston Jones at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
What's up for June? Solar system collisions! Hello and welcome. I'm Jane Houston Jones at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
The early solar system was a messy place and asteroids, moons and planets frequently collided.
These collisions and impacts left scars we can see.
Craters are the most common surface features on many solid planets and moons.
When an impactor strikes the solid surface, a shock wave spreads out from the impact point.
The shock wave fractures the rock and excavates a large cavity, much larger than the impactor.
The impact sprays material in all directions.
Sometimes the force of the impact is great enough to melt some of the local rock.
If an impactor is large enough, some of the material pushed toward the edges of the crater will slump back towards the center, and the rock beneath the crater will rebound, or push back, creating a central peak in the crater.
The slumped edges of these craters also may create terraces that step down into the crater. We can even see crater chains on many moons and planets. These are thought to be made by the impact of a string of objects, just like what happened when comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacted Jupiter.
Most impact features on many of the moons and planets can't be seen by amateur telescopes. You'll have to look at mission images for those.
When you're not looking at craters this month, turn your eyes toward Saturn.
You'll find it halfway up from the southern horizon at sunset.
The hours between midnight and dawn offer glimpses of Pluto, Uranus, Neptune and even asteroid Vesta, which has a huge impact crater at its south pole.
A large family of meteorites which fell to Earth may have originated from this impact event on Vesta. We'll have more to say about NASA's Dawn spacecraft next month, when it's expected to achieve orbit around Vesta.
There are two eclipses this month, too.
A partial solar eclipse on June 1 is visible over the northern Arctic regions.
Two weeks later, on June 15, a total lunar eclipse will be visible from much of the Southern Hemisphere. You can read all about impacts in our solar system at solarsystem dot nasa dot gov slash yss, for Year of the Solar System.
And you can learn all about NASA's missions at www dot nasa dot gov That's all for this month. I'm Jane Houston Jones


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1 (14-ounce) can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained
1 packed cup basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, or more as needed
2 tablespoons olive oil
In a blender, combine artichoke hearts, basil, garlic, 1/2 cup chicken broth, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth, adding more broth, if necessary, to create a thick sauce.
Serve with grilled chicken or pecan chicken.


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Use instead of 'AC_STRUCT_TIMEZONE' to determine whether the external timezone variables 'timezone', 'altzone' and 'daylight' exist, defining 'HAVE_TIMEZONE', 'HAVE_ALTZONE' and 'HAVE_DAYLIGHT' respectively (as well as gaining the macros defined by 'AC_STRUCT_TIMEZONE').
Rewritten for Autoconf 2.68, and made robust against BSD's timezone() function, by Daniel Richard G.
Download the latest version of ax_var_timezone_externals.m4 or browse the macro's revision history.
Copyright © 2008 Mark R. Bannister email@example.com
Copyright © 2011 Daniel Richard G. email@example.com
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
As a special exception, the respective Autoconf Macro's copyright owner gives unlimited permission to copy, distribute and modify the configure scripts that are the output of Autoconf when processing the Macro. You need not follow the terms of the GNU General Public License when using or distributing such scripts, even though portions of the text of the Macro appear in them. The GNU General Public License (GPL) does govern all other use of the material that constitutes the Autoconf Macro.
This special exception to the GPL applies to versions of the Autoconf Macro released by the Autoconf Archive. When you make and distribute a modified version of the Autoconf Macro, you may extend this special exception to the GPL to apply to your modified version as well.
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by Daniel A. Kaufman
My discussion with Dan Tippens on rationalism in mainline philosophy. Originally aired on MeaningofLife.TV, part of the BlogggingHeads.TV network, 3/25/2016.
A modern symposium for the digital age
by Daniel A. Kaufman
My discussion with Dan Tippens on rationalism in mainline philosophy. Originally aired on MeaningofLife.TV, part of the BlogggingHeads.TV network, 3/25/2016.
Very interesting discussion,
I have listened to the first Hr & 40 minutes. I agree with DanK that human nature or human practices are such that a philosophical emphasis on pure reason or even a goal of over-riding rationalism may be impractical.
The concept of habit kept popping up for me as I listened to the discussion. When facing conditions of uncertainty that allow for a period of deliberation I think it is useful to develop some skill in rational deliberation. I'm thinking of the kind of rational deliberation Dewey recommends which I think he himself would acknowledge as being limited in it's capacity to address the ambiguity of any given situation . I think of this deliberation itself as a type of practice, and I don't think it is ever purely rational, nor do I think we can ever fully access all the prejudice or bias that underlies the process. I do also feel however that it can be very useful to practice a degree of detachment in order to better access what I see as the continuity of the feeling/intuition/belief/reasoning process. Certainly some situation call much more for direct action or engagement based on cultivated habits that apply, while others present opportunities for deliberation and hopefully conceptual progress.
On the issue of moral values over-riding other concerns I'm a bit torn. I do try to continually make progress with regard to the virtue I extend into the world, although I don't have a set ideal I'm trying to obtain, and I hope not to come across as attempting to be a moral saint. I often try to do this not by seeing ethical, pragmatic, hedonic & aesthetic concerns necessarily as being in conflict, but by trying to develop a lifestyle and habits whereby the conflicts in my values are minimized. I think a pretty good range of mutual support among the concerns can be found although I don't deny that conflicts will always be present. I conceive of the ideal of virtue as the place where the various values are mutually supportive in interaction with a given situation. I think it has to be abstract and vague as every situation is multi-layered and unique. So I suppose I agree with Ross that we have to 'muddle' but I think with cultivation we can become more skilled in our muddling.
Hi dbholmes.
I find it interesting that you use the metaphor from biology (cells in a body) to find some resolution to the political theory. Couldn't you use the same metaphor to resolve the consistency/variability issue. I'm thinking of homeostasis/allostasis as the model whereby an organism maintains core stability through the capacity of other more variable response systems to respond and adapt to environmental change. Another example would be the models of Jeremy England which holds that physical systems that tend to endure are the ones that are best at both receiving and and dissipating energy. So they endure by being in constant flux. That one goes back to Heraclitus as I expect you are familiar.
So I don't think we need to give up on the idea of consistency entirely. As is often the case I think the problem only appears when one idea is elevated and then fixed as an ideal outside of situational context.
Hi Dan and Dan
Thanks for that. I now have a better insight into your personal positions (and their history), and I don't know that they are all that far from my own.
I am a bit surprised, however, that neither of you seems to fully acknowledge the possibility that the problems you sketch out could be seen as rather damning of the discipline as a whole (at least as it is currently conceived and set up). I'm not saying let's chuck it all out, but I am saying that a very radical critique could be seen (by an outsider, say) to be implicit in much of what you say. But I won't labour this point.
I think my differences from Dan Kaufman's position relate not to ethics, etc. so much as to (the relationship of philosophy with) religion and science. But these issues were not really the focus of the video.
One small issue which struck me was the material about who we might like to hang out with. I know this was really about the serious question of what a balanced person might look like but it could be misunderstood.
My point is that the sort of person we might like to spend time with is just that and only that. I don't think we should seek to generalize the claim or base too much on it.
It also occurs to me that in different circumstances (say a war or crisis situation) our ideal companions might suddenly need to have very different qualities. (Echoing Seth Leon here.)
Thanks dbholmes 🙂
I should mention that I login here with facebook account, and that doesn't seem to allow me to 'like' comments. My lack of participating in 'liking' isn't some narcissistic tendency on my part, just a combination of low internet skill and insufficient motivation to improve it. I'm am always forgetting my other password.
I would probably end up liking about 75 percent of the posts if I did figure it out so that wouldn't be much contribution anyway. My 'likes' would be devalued due their frequency 🙂
Dan K: I think you mentioned Marcuse's concept of repressive tolerance, which got me thinking and I now have several questions: 1) how much explanatory weight do you think "repressive tolerance" has? 2) how large a factor is repressive tolerance on college campuses with regards to protests, no platforming, etc? 3) what do you think the effect of the surveillance state might have on the social development/expression of morality? 4) could what happens on (e.g.) campus be (more) related to the detrimental effects of the surveillance state (than repressive tolerance)? (Not to imply that detrimental effects from the surveillance state are incompatible with repressive tolerance as social forces.)
Comments are closed.


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Animal P E X E S O
The tiles below hide 24 pairs of pictures, all mixed up. Your task is to find all the pairs. Click on the tiles, pair by pair, to open the images. If you find a correct pair, the images will stay uncovered. If you miss, they will flip back. Let's see how much time you need to open all of the pairs!


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The Motorola Moto X was one of the last smartphones to be made under Google's guise, and it brought with it a range of industry-shaking innovations. These include its ability to leverage Google's Search and Now platforms, and the options – if you were in America – to order the smartphone with custom casing.
4.4 KitKat
The Motorola Moto X will ship with the latest version of Android in Australia, that is, Android 4.4 KitKat. Motorola barely tweaks the stock Android software used on its smartphones. This was largely the case with the Moto G we reviewed, which supplemented the stock Android OS with just a few additional applications.
The Moto X goes one further by leveraging the predicative functions of Google's Now service. Many functions can be actioned without touching the smartphone at all, such as asking for directions, setting the alarm or finding out if you'll need an umbrella tomorrow. Doing this from an Apple, Samsung, Nexus or LG smartphone requires a button to be pressed. But the Moto X can perform these functions from standby when it hears "okay Google" as it features dedicated language and context processors.
Read more: Motorola to launch Moto G follow-up smartphone this month: Possible Moto E inbound
Rather than including a generic notification light, the Moto X displays missed and incoming notifications right on the standby screen. Frankly, we're not sure if this is that great of an addition. We'll have a lot more to say about the software tweak once we complete our review of the Moto X.
Custom computing architecture
The Motorola Moto X looks largely understated. The 4.7in AMOLED display has a 1280x720 resolution and a healthy 312 pixel-per-inch density. A curving back lends itself to good ergonomics and gives the smartphone a distinguishing design trait.
Read more: Official: Motorola Moto E will launch in Australia for less than $200
Inside the Moto X makes do with Motorola's custom X8 mobile computing system, which features a software optimised 1.7GHz dual-core CPU, a quad-core Adreno 320 GPU, and the dedicated processors for language and context mentioned earlier.
It also comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The lack of expandable memory is supplemented by 50GB of Google Drive cloud storage, which is made available at no cost over two years.
The Moto X comes with a well-rounded suite of connectivity technologies, including dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi direct, Bluetooth 4.0, and support for 4G LTE networks. Motorola claims the 2200 milliamp-hour battery can sustain charge for a whole day with 'mixed usage'.
There are two cameras capable of recording Full HD (1080p) videos: one 10MP on the rear, and another 2MP found on its front.
The Motorola Moto X will be available in black and white alone this month for $549. This makes it a worthy adversary to the widely revered Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, which is priced at $552 and can be purchased from Telstra.


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(Adds details from second arraignment)
By Zach Howard
BOSTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - A former Massachusetts crime lab
chemist accused of falsifying evidence tied to as many as 34,000
cases pleaded not guilty to obstruction of justice charges on
Prosecutors allege Annie Dookhan, 35, tampered with drug
evidence and faked test results at the Hinton State Laboratory
Institute in Boston, where she had worked for nine years
analyzing drug samples submitted by law enforcement across the
Dookhan is accused, among other things, of altering
substances in vials to cover up what prosecutors say was her
practice of visually identifying samples without doing the
proper chemical testing.
Dookhan was arrested in September and subsequently charged
with tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice, perjury,
and falsely claiming to have an advanced degree in chemistry.
Prosecutors charge she got the job by falsely claiming she had a
master's degree from the University of Massachusetts.
Investigators have said they identified some 10,000 people
convicted or accused of crimes based on evidence she had handled
at the Hinton lab, which is temporarily closed.
State officials say 252 people had been released from prison
pending new trials as a result of the investigation as of early
Dookhan pleaded not guilty to five obstruction of justice
charges during an arraignment on Wednesday at Plymouth County
Superior Court's criminal division in Brockton, Massachusetts.
At a separate arraignment at a Bristol County courthouse,
she pleaded not guilty to a single count of the same charge.
Dookhan faced no evidence-tampering charges on Wednesday
because prosecutors allege tampering occurred only at the Hinton
lab, located in Suffolk County.
The obstruction charges relate to her allegedly misleading
courts while testifying as an expert witness during trials.
Dookhan was indicted on 27 charges in mid-December. She was
released on $10,000 bail after pleading not guilty to the
initial charges after her arrest.
Authorities believe she gathered samples from different
cases that appeared to contain the same substance but tested
only a few of them. She allegedly tampered with vials undergoing
subsequent testing to make sure they were consistent with her
initial findings, they have charged.
The release of prisoners has created a headache for state
and local officials. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino in November
requested $15 million in state aid to help the city cope with
additional police and shelter expenses that resulted from their
Dookhan, who told officials according to a police report
that she "screwed up big time", has said no one else at the lab
knew what she had done and that she was just trying to get more
work done.
This month, a second state crime lab chemist who worked at
the Amherst lab in western Massachusetts was charged with
tampering with evidence and drug possession after being accused
of stealing already-tested illegal drugs for her own use.
(Editing by Paul Thomasch, Ellen Wulfhorst, Tim Dobbyn and Dale


text:
Choose your path .. Roll your fate!
An interactive fantasy adventure! It's a Gamebook Adventure!
First in the series of critically acclaim more...
Choose your path .. Roll your fate!
An interactive fantasy adventure! It's a Gamebook Adventure!
First in the series of critically acclaimed interactive fantasy gamebooks in which you, the reader, control the direction of the story! Along with a realistic dice-based battle system to fight creatures, a great story and beautiful artwork, An Assassin in Orlandes will give you many hours of gamebook adventuring! "'
Set within Orlandes City, nobles are being systematically murdered by a ruthless assassin no-one seems able to catch. Finding yourself thrust in the middle of a large conspiracy, you must make decisions that may put yourself and one other most precious to you in great danger. Can you locate the Assassin in Orlandes before it is too late?"
"Tin Man Games has done an admirable job of recreating the experience in an electronic format. The story is top notch, the interface works quite well, and the music really gets you into the atmosphere of Orlandes. This is definitely a title worth taking a look at, especially if you're familiar with the print version of this type of book." – iPhone Life
What is a Gamebook Adventure?
Gamebook Adventures is brought together through the efforts of passionate and avid gamebook enthusiasts. If you are familiar with the Choose You Own Adventure, Fighting Fantasy, Sorcery, Lone Wolf or Grail Quest series then Gamebook Adventures will really appeal to you. Our aim is to give those nostalgic readers of old something new and fresh, and bring a new exciting experience to those unfamiliar with gamebooks. If you enjoy fantasy RPGs or adventure games then this is for you!
At their core, all of our gamebooks are compelling adventure stories where you get to choose how the adventure unfolds. Every section of the narrative concludes with choices that you have to make. The choices you make will alter the story, taking you down new paths and giving you new choices.
Occasionally you will be presented with a situation that needs to be resolved with some dice rolling. The gamebook engine lets you throw 3D physics based dice that roll and bounce as if you were tossing them on a tabletop. Roll the dice to resolve combat by pitting your character against a myriad of enemies. Roll the dice to see if you were able to leap the gaping chasm, or pick the shopkeep's pockets. Roll the dice to see if you won a bet, or caught the plague!
Did you take a wrong turn? Or make some bad dice rolls? Then hopefully you put in a bookmark so that you can go back and try again!


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Yesterday the CRTC did an about face and reversed the terrible decision to allow Bell Canada to charge Usage Based Billing to the Independent ISP's customers, effectively pronouncing UBB dead.
On the specific decision, the CRTC rejected the UBB model it approved less than a year ago, acknowledging that it was too inflexible and could block independent ISPs from differentiating their services. The issue then boiled down to Bell's preferred model based on volume and the independent ISPs' approach who preferred capacity based models. The Commission ruled that capacity-based models are a better approach since they are more consistent with how network providers plan their networks and less susceptible to billing disputes.
With Bell's preferred approach out of the way, the Commission was left to choose between two capacity models – the independent providers' "95th percentile" solution and MTS Allstream's capacity model. The Commission chose a variant on the MTS Allstream model that involves both a monthly access fee and a monthly capacity charge that can increase in increments of 100 Mbps. That model is even more flexible than what MTS proposed, suggesting that the Commission was primarily focused on building in as much flexibility for independent providers as possible. In addition to this model (which the Commission calls an approved capacity model), the large ISPs can continue to use flat rate models which provide for unlimited usage.
Michael Geist, The CRTC's UBB Decision: Bell Loses But Do Consumers Win?
Although I agree that further changes should be made, I'm not so sure I go along with all of Professor Geist's suggestions. The CRTC clearly does not function the way that it should.
The CRTC's mandate is supposedly to protect consumers. Looking at the history of UBB it is clear that the CRTC does not. In practice, consumers don't even make it onto the their radar at all; the only CRTC concern is the ISPs.
The CRTC continues to allow Bell Canada to deploy:
- Deep Packet Inspection. This essentially allows Bell Canada total access to all unencrypted Internet traffic. Which means the technology gives Bell the means to read our email, and the CRTC allows this. With zero oversight. The CRTC trusts Bell with their privacy, but I don't. And although I'm not even a Bell customer, my email is not safe from Bell, because my ISP goes through Bell. This is no more reasonable than giving blanket permission to Canada Post to open postal mail.
- Gouging Customers. I was aghast that the CRTC didn't understand that most Canadians pay a lot for mediocre Internet access, and worse, didn't seem to believe the issue was relevant to their deliberations. Have to move to a different geographical location in order to get an another choice of ISP is not "choice."
- Throttling the Internet. This one still boggles my mind today just as much as when I first heard about it. When customers pay for a level of service, and the service provider deliberately impedes that service, providing inferior service than has been contracted for is wrong. And again, Bell is not only does this to their own customers, but to the customers of the Independent ISPs as well. Worse still, Bell decide singles out specific Internet traffic to discriminate against it. The CRTC gave Bell permission to do this, the implication being that is that all encrypted traffic is "Downloaders" It seems to me, even if someone is using the Internet for nefarious means, to illicitly download copyrighted content, say, it should not give an ISP the right to provide less bandwidth than the customer paid for. This argument is flawed; one crime doesn't justify another.
Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I grew up in a world where deliberately short changing consumers was considered to be fraud, and when even the government law enforcement officials were required to get a warrant before they read my mail.
These are some of the reasons why I don't think the CRTC is doing its job of protecting consumers. This could be fixed by making sure that the CRTC reflected its real constituency better. [hint: the CRTC should not be limited to past or present Telecom employees, but should also include consumers.] There shouldn't have to be a major outcry before the CRTC hears consumer; if the CRTC is going to continue to exist, it needs to be responsive to the public.
If the CRTC isn't reformed, it should be dissolved and replaced with something that does look out for citizens.
Both Bell and Rogers have far too much control over too many facets of the industries they inhabit. This sure looks like what our American friends might define as "anti-trust." Where was the CRTC … how did things get this messed up if the CRTC was doing its job?
Rogers is apparently an even worse throttler than Bell, and in fact, "Rogers: The World's Worst Throttler (Officially)".
These corporations are not going to behave any better unless compelled to do so. Maybe its time they were broken up; the Internet is an essential service, perhaps it should be administered like any other utility, for the public good rather than the corporate greed.
[Thanks to both Robert & Joan!]


text:
(CNN/Gray News) - KFC announced it's joining in on the meatless trend hitting fast food restaurants across the globe.
The fast food chain is rolling out the meat-free version of its signature chicken sandwich, calling it "The Imposter." KFC says the sandwich is a "triumph of deception."
Right now, the burger will only be available in the U.K. as part of a four-week test starting June 17.
The Imposter patty will use a Quorn fillet and vegan mayo.
Quorn is made using something called mycoprotein. It's essentially a dough made from fermented fungus spores.
Recently, Burger King and McDonald's announced their own testing of meatless options, with Burger King's Impossible Whopper being tested in the US and McDonald's testing its meat-free burger in Germany.
Tyson Foods also announced its newest initiative into a not quite meat-free venture with its new Raised & Rooted brand. It will offer meat-free nuggets and lean beef burgers blended with plant-based ingredients.
Copyright 2019 CNN and Gray Television Group, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, USA, March 1, 2017 /EINPresswire.com/ — Shannon Connor Phillips, MD, MPH, has been named as Intermountain Healthcare's Chief Patient Safety and Experience Officer. In this role, Dr. Phillips will work collaboratively with other Intermountain leaders to continually improve outcomes, safety, and the patient experience.
Dr. Phillips comes to Intermountain from Cleveland Clinic, where she is a physician lead in the Office of Clinical Transformation. She also served as Associate Chief Quality Officer and previously as the organization's first Patient Safety Officer. In addition, she is on the National Quality Forum Expert Panel on Common Formats, a group focused on development of a national standard and repository for patient safety events. Dr. Phillips is recognized nationally and internationally for her expertise and leadership in safety, quality improvement, and culture in healthcare.
Dr. Phillips is a pediatrician and pediatric hospitalist with an interest in children with special healthcare needs. She joined Cleveland Clinic in 2004 to develop and lead a pediatric hospitalist medicine program and served as the first Cleveland Clinic Director of Pediatric Hospital Medicine. Previously, Dr. Phillips served at Riley Children's Hospital in Indiana and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Dr. Phillips earned her medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York and her undergraduate degree from Emory College in Atlanta. She completed a pediatric internship and residency at George Washington University Children's National Medical Center, in Washington, D.C. In addition, she earned a Master of Public Health degree at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University.
Intermountain Healthcare is a Utah-based not-for-profit system of 22 hospitals, 185 clinics, a Medical Group with about 1,500 employed physicians and advanced practitioners, a health plans group called SelectHealth, and other medical services. Intermountain is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare through high quality and sustainable costs. For more information about Intermountain, visit www.intermountainhealthcare.org.
Daron Cowley
Intermountain Healthcare
email us here
Source: EIN Presswire


text:
It seems that a good explanation of "and then some" is:
and then some
(Informal) With considerably more in addition: This project will take all our skill and then some.
Is this a quite accurate definition? (with the stress of "considerably more"). Why is it like that, I wonder -- is it a short form of something, such as "and then some more" or "and then some considerably more amount"? Actually, just from the word "some", it seems it is a little more or somewhat more, without the meaning of "considerably more".


text: Over time the asphalt will become faded and cracks will develop. Cracks and potholes form due to the freezing and thawing of snow and ice, weed or grass growth in small cracks, and general wear and tear. Regular maintenance will prevent the need to replace the existing driveway. The best way to begin is to repair any existing cracks or potholes. This is easy to do and requires up to a day to complete depending on the condition and size of your driveway. Follow these steps along with those in the Sealcoating Asphalt Driveways tutorial to see dramatic results.


text:
Who didn't like Super Soakers as a kid? You pump it a lot, it builds pressure, then it shoots liquid. In many ways, they were very similar to humans, which is why Lonnie Johnson, its inventor, is looking for ways to use harvest waste heat from humans to power a tiny Johnson system. The full name is the Johnson Thermoelectric Energy System, and it could be up to 60% efficient (standard car engines are only about 30% efficient) at the right temperature.
Not only could it be used to harvest waste heat from humans, it can be used to harvest heat from regular engines or combustion turbines, and has no moving parts at all. The National Science Foundation has granted Mr. Super Soaker funding, which means that we could soon have stuff attached to siphon off our waste heat. Or be connected to the Matrix by robots. Either/or. [Popular Mechanics via Treehugger]


text:
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Halloween Goblin Dream
6 comments:
- Johan said...
I really wanted to do a Sleepy Hollow scene for our Halloween theme, though it just didn't seem as fitting as a goblin does.
I think I'm going to hold off on the stipple for the next round.
- November 4, 2009 at 10:51 PM
- Brooks Golden said...
Pumpkin!...altho, im having a lil trouble making out the rest of the drawing...but that makes me wanna see so much more of it...the pumpkin and its starkness helps make everything else so interesting to explore...
..maybe a larger photo so we can "click it" and get a real eyeyful?
- November 5, 2009 at 8:40 AM
- Johan said...
Large photo posted! Yes, I'm getting better at this. : )
- November 5, 2009 at 9:13 AM
- Brooks Golden said...
thank you...it was well worth it...so many good things in this drawing....
- November 5, 2009 at 9:33 AM
- Nicky Dieter said...
Agreed Brooks, really into the patterning to show layers and textures. There is something biologically primal about patterns.
Hell hath no furry like a pumpkin with a forgotten candle. Burn-baby-burn.
- November 5, 2009 at 1:14 PM
- Jeremy said...
i dunno dude i really like the pointillist mist you got going on its a good contrast to all the hard lines.
- November 5, 2009 at 9:30 PM


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Now that the snow SEEMS to be over for the time being, and it has warmed up significantly, I have been working like crazy to get the main garden planted and going.
A few weeks back, I planted our early garden in a small bed behind the garage. There were a number of Columbine plants there starting to poke through the ground, and I moved all that I saw to the front of the bed, in a row. I say all that I saw- because I obviously missed a number of them- they are spread out all over! I will move them in the fall.
Anyway, in that bed along with the columbines, I planted snow peas, shelling peas, lettuce, and spinach. Everything is up and starting to grow!
When Chloe and I were digging weeds and starting to prep the main veggie garden, we transplanted the chives and thyme that had sprung up into a bed beside the patio. I want all the herbs together and for the perennial ones to have a safe place (from the tiller and pitchfork) to pop up next year. I still have a number of herbs to plant this week.
I have some fruit plants and bushes along the back fence, but that "garden" is very underdeveloped. I will work on that this summer when we are back from holidays.
And the veggie garden. Ahh, what a space. Approximately 400 square feet of mostly clay soil. I have soil envy! My next door neighbor has this soft, beautiful soil, the kind you could lay in and just inhale... But they have lived here for many years and so have quite a head start on me! lol
Yesterday I added my composted manure and fertilizer and, using the pitchfork only, turned the soil six inches deep. I got a ton of blisters on my hands (even though I was wearing work gloves!), I have sore muscles everywhere today, and I was absolutely exhausted as it was a huge job. But I got a huge satisfaction from a job well done. Next year though, I am either going to talk my husband into buying me a little rototiller, or I will hire someone to do it.
Today we laid out the soaker hoses and are watering the space and I am putting the final touches on where I think everything should be planted. I try to write it all down so I know what is where... and I am still learning to recognize plants from weeds- good rule of thumb is to wait a bit if you are not sure... lol
So that is where we are at right now. I will post updated photos as soon as there is something cool to see!


text:
You will receive: 1pcs Cute Blue Crown Bird Locket Necklace, Antique Bronze Brass Birds Charm Pendant 32mm 25mm 20mm Locket (Design Same as first image)
Size: 32mm (1.26 inch), 25mm (1 inch), 20mm (0.8inch)
High Quality , Nickel and Lead Free.
More Options:
- Just Locekt: 3 Size for Choosing: 32MM, 25MM, 20MM (See Second Image)
- With Necklace: With Bronze Chain to be a Finished Necklace (See Third Image)
PS. All these Photo Locket are handmade by Shajewel Team, NOT all Perfect , maybe contain a little bit defect. but we should check before post, and will send the best ones to you.
Happy Shopping!!!


text:
Student counsellors
Student counsellors can answer questions and provide guidance in situations involving regulations and legal provisions. All meetings with student counsellors are strictly confidential.
You can turn to a student counsellor with any questions or problems you might have concerning:
Exceptional circumstances
- Combining studying with top-level sport
- Studying with a disability
- Studying and pregnancy / studying with children
Academic delay
- Delays to your studies caused by personal circumstances
- Issues concerning binding study advice (BSA)
In cases of academic delay, first speak to your study adviser.
- Support in cases of complaints and conflict
Financial matters
- Finances
- Obtaining funding
- Financial support for student board members
Open consultation hours
For brief questions and advice you can drop by during open consultation hours.
As part of the measures taken in the context of the Corona virus, open consultation hours will take place by telephone. You can call 071 5278025 at the times which you find here below.
|Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
15.30 - 16.30 hrs
|Plexus Student Centre
Kaiserstraat 25
2311 GN Leiden
The Netherlands
Please report to desk 5
The Hague
|Every Wednesday
10.00 - 11.30 hrs
|Beehive Student Centre
Turfmarkt 104
2511 DC Den Haag
Please report to reception
Questions by email
Short questions can also be sent by e-mail.
If you need more extensive advice or support, for example a formal statement or mediation, please make an appointment with a student counsellor.
You can make an appointment, either in Leiden or The Hague, via the online appointment system.
|Please note: Appointments with student counselors will not take place in Student Center Plexus and the Beehive due to the measures taken in the context of the Corona virus. The employees will contact you to arrange the appointment in an alternative manner (via Skype, by telephone, etc.).
Please note that in busy periods you may have to wait several weeks for an appointment.