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You know that the recession is really pouring down hard when you have listings for offers like this. A Craiglist poster in Vancouver is offering Tetris lessons for an "affordable price." Apparently, Tetris is so complex that you actually need to pay for lessons.
For US 30, you get 90 minutes of Tetris Fundamentals, which include (as posted on CraigList):So for the 90 minutes you pay 30 bucks for, you spend half of it watching him play. Then you gain more confidence in your Tetris game, so you can pit yourself against other players. facepalm
- the ability to identify and maneuver all 7 Tetriminoes, as well as their major uses
- an understanding of how to achieve back to back Tetrises
- learned to optimize your use of basic features and techniques such as hard drops and wall kicks, as well as making the most out of holds and block preview (these features may not be native to all versions of Tetris)
- watched me play Tetris for 45 minutes
- gained the confidence to play Tetris by yourself or against friends, strangers, and family members
That's not all! For US 40 - 55, you get 2 hours of Intermediate Tetris. Yes, there's an intermediate level, and I didn't even know that. Maybe I should give this guy a call.I'm still laughing. Why do I feel a bit guilty laughing though? I know he's just trying to make a living and all, but come on! Tetris lessons? Drunk Tetris lessons? For at least US 30? You tell me.
- This training program is slightly longer in duration, and incorporates all of the modules covered in Tetris Fundamentals but also includes beer, wine or liquor. You will challenge yourself by applying the skills you ve learned while growing increasingly intoxicated and playing against someone who is similarly drunk
- There may be a short primer on computational geometry and algorithmic complexity theory, unless we run out of time
A better way to spend your money:


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The project funded by the EU Leonardo da Vinci Programme aims to
develop an interactive tool that could be used by practitioners
involved in the construction and development of modules for
The project focuses on workplace learning in the UK and Ireland with particular reference to the problem of competence development.
The study draws on the part played by tacit forms of personal
competences in the education, training and work re-entry of adults with
particular reference to selfevaluation of such competences. Th...
Through liaison between course leaders from the University of London
[Anita Pincas, Institute of Education] and two Centres of Excellence in
Teaching and Learning: WLE-Centre for Excellence at t...
Dynamic Concept Analysis (DCA) is a method for integrating information into conceptual models that was first developed by Kontiainen when considering concepts of interaction between students and sup...
This project will consider the role and importance of motivational factors for learners/employees in workplace settings. This project is the second of two interrelated projects exploring factors mot...
'Putting Knowledge to Work' was a project that started at the WLE Centre
in Year 1 and continued until 2008. It was sponsored by the London
Chamber of Commerce and Industry Comm...

subset: commoncrawl


text: Definition of libertarian in English libertarian Syllabification: (lib·er·tar·i·an)Pronunciation: /ˌlibərˈte(ə)rēən/Translate libertarian | into Italian noun 1an adherent of libertarianism: [as modifier]:libertarian philosophy a person who advocates civil liberty. 2 Philosophy a person who believes in the doctrine of free will. Origin: late 18th century (sense 2): from liberty, on the pattern of words such as unitarianlibertarian in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of libertarian in the British & World English dictionary


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Apr 10, 2012, 8:34 am
138 comments
Three public school employees nab share of record jackpot
Includes video report
By Todd Northrop
The Maryland Mega Millions lottery winners are three Maryland public school employees, who split the world's biggest lottery jackpot with two other winners from Kansas and Illinois.
The trio claimed their share of the jackpot Monday at Maryland Lottery headquarters.
Maryland laws allow lottery winners to remain anonymous when collecting their prize, and the winners chose that option in this case.
Maryland Lottery Director Stephen Martino said the employees will each receive $34.997 million after taxes. They had purchased a total of 60 tickets at three different locations throughout the state, or a total investment of $20 per person.
"It is the first time that the three friends have pooled their money together," Martino said.
The three winners are a woman in her 20s, another in her 50s, and a man in his 40s. One employee is an elementary school teacher, another is a special education instructor and the third works in an administrative role. Two have other part-time jobs.
The youngest of the group held onto the tickets and checked them immediately following the drawing. "I had all 60 tickets spread across my floor," she said. "Once I realized one was a winner, I called my two friends right away."
"That evening, I forgot about the drawing and went to sleep," said one winner. "It was around 11:30 p.m., and my phone just kept ringing and ringing. I finally decided to answer it, thinking something was wrong." Once she picked up, the two other winners were on the phone and said, "Get dressed. We're coming over right now."
After discussing the win, the threesome came up with a plan. "We made copies of the ticket, and we each signed the copies," said one of the women. "At 1 a.m., I took the ticket and drove to my mother's house to put it in her safe. I didn't even take time to pack any clothes — I just drove."
When the group arrived at lottery headquarters Monday, Martino said one of the winners took a small white envelope of out of her purse that contained the winning Mega Millions ticket. The winners had made three copies of the ticket and each signed the copies, he said.
The actual ticket wasn't signed by all three winners until Monday at the lottery's conference room table, Martino said. The ticket was then handed over to lottery security and its authenticity was verified, he said.
The winners' future plans all include new homes. One also plans to take a backpacking trip through Europe, while another will pay for his daughter's college education, Martino said. A third winner will tour Italy's wine country, he said.
"Most importantly," one winner said, "we're going to be careful with how the money is spent. I watched coverage of the jackpot win on television all week, just so I could listen to the financial advice the professionals were offering."
All three have indicated they intend to remain employees within Maryland's public school system.
"They were modest, and humbled," said Martino. "These are precisely the people you would want to see win the lottery."
A total of three winning tickets were sold across the country for the $656 million March 30 Mega Millions drawing matching the winning numbers 2, 4, 23, 38, and 46, with Mega Ball number 23.
Speculation about a Maryland ticket reached fever pitch last week when a Maryland woman, Mirlande Wilson, 37, said she had the ticket, then alternately claimed she had lost it and had hidden it inside the McDonald's restaurant where she works. Her attorney, who admitted he couldn't back up her story, said she wanted to be left alone.
As many suspected, the story was a hoax. Lord knows why people do these things, but the woman fabricated the whole thing.
The anonymous winners bought the winning ticket at a 7-Eleven store in Milford Mill outside Baltimore. The retailer will receive a $100,000 agent bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Lottery officials increased the final jackpot to $656 million after tallying sales from the 44 lotteries that offer Mega Millions. The jackpot was the biggest in Mega Millions history and the three winners — one in Maryland, Illinois and Kansas — will each get more than $218 million before taxes.
Kansas' winner also decided to remain anonymous. (See Kansas Mega Millions winner claims jackpot anonymously, Lottery Post, Apr. 6, 2012.)
The Illinois winner has yet to come forward to claim the prize.
RAW VIDEO: Watch the Maryland Lottery press conference
(Click to display full-size in gallery)The Maryland Mega Millions winners, three public school employees, claimed their share of the record Mega Millions jackpot anonymously, and will each receive just under $35 million.
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Congrats "real" winners!!!
Just as I thought.
More than likely what happened to Mirlande Wilson was that she thought she won without checking her numbers, preached it to the world, found out she didn't win, and had to claim she lost the ticket to hide the humiliation.
Obviously a first time lottery player.
One of the pool members had laid out all sixty tickets on the floor as live TV results came in, and was totally shocked to see that one ticket
had all the numbers. When one member was contacted at 1:00AM in the morning, they thought an early April fools joke was being played.!!!
They did everything "right", and this was the first time they had ever formed a pool together. Talk about beginners luck!
CONGRATULATIONS to the winners!!!
Glad that the money is going to some relatively drama free claimants...
Let the good times roll!
Finally, this story has a happy ending! This is great to hear.
La Maga Della Spaziometria
Congrats to the winners!
They seen like nice people!
We finally know where the "McDonalds" lady lost her ticket ......... it fell onto one of the 3 amigos kitchen table somehow!
The next jackpot stop is the 'dale in PA! I am not allowed to claim via blind trust in PA, so I will form a RLT after I claim the money so that the name of the trust is not in the media!
dpoly1 - Playing the lottery to save the jobs of those that build, transport, sell & maintain luxury items! -
Eschew Poverty ........... Vote Conservative!
I've updated the story significantly with additional information and quotes from the winners.
Check the State Lottery Report CardWhat grade did your lottery earn?
Sign the Petition for True Lottery DrawingsHelp eliminate computerized drawings!
Thanks Todd!
well i'm be,teachers winning the lottery. good for them! now they can retire and live the good life with 34 million dollars, will go a long way. congrats to them,spend it wisely. wish i could have had won a piece of it,but my tickets did'nt have any numbers matching....O well maybe next time......
Congrats to the teachers and their respective families. I truly hope their lives are comfortably lived and all their travel plans are enjoyed. Pretty smart to remain anonymous, although there is enough information in the above to have more inquiries by various persons............................ Thanks for the great story Todd.....
Jackpots...Just Average Citizens Keeping Possibilities Open Towards Security
They all said that they are going to keep their jobs.Yeah,right!Maybe until the end of the school year.
When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become President; I'm beginning to believe it. ~Clarence Darrow
There ought to be one day - just one - when there is open season on senators. ~Will Rogers
That would be tough to keep your job for another couple of months with 35 million sitting in your bank account. I honestly would have to do some deep soul searching on that one. But going to work with that kind of money ?? I am quit sure I could put a smile on my face and be tolerant of any group of kids for another 8 weeks.
Truly, congrats to them! They did everything correct - copying the ticket, signing the back, going anonymous.
Ironically, I almost bought tickets with 2 other friends - one of us is in our 20's, one is in our 30's, and the other is in their 40's - just like them! And we all have other jobs, in addition to the one we all work at. However, I was worried about buying us all tickets, while buying my own too. I didn't want what happened at McDonald's to happen to us. So I didn't approach them for us to all go in together. Hmmm.... maybe if I had.....
"Don't be a schmuck, always take the cash." -Coin Toss
I agree with you. A school system is the worse place to try to keep a secret. I bet the kids already know who won and where they live.
Posters are not forever...


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Densel W. Dyer, 81, of Benton passed away on July 10, with his family by his side.┬ĀDensel was born on July 28, 1929, to the late, Charles and Maude Dyer in Little Rock.┬ĀHe retired from Alcoa after 33 years. He was a member of Sharon Missionary Baptist Church for 58 years and a member of the Kate Wright Sunday school class.┬ĀDensel was a very loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend.┬ĀHe loved wood carving, fishing and hunting.┬ĀBeing with his family was his most treasured times.
Charles ŌĆ£CharleyŌĆØ Morris Edmonson, 62, of Benton, passed away Monday, July 11. He was born February 1, 1949, in Bauxite.┬ĀCharley retired as a First Sgt. from the U.S. Army, then worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 20 years, until his retirement in February.┬ĀHe was a member of Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church where he served as deacon.┬ĀCharley was preceded in death by his parents, Lofton and Corene Edmonson, and two brothers, Wayne Edward Edmonson and Ronald Morgan Edmonson.
Rev. Fayne W. Wilson Jr., 56, of Benton died Sunday, July 10. He was born July 15, 1954, in Benton. Fayne was preceded in death by his father, Fayne W. Wilson Sr. and his wife, Jean Wilson. He is survived by his mother, Erna Wilson-Rea, of Benton. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Ashby Funeral Home Chapel. Cremation arrangements are by Ashby Funeral Home.
Services for Opal Cleo Ivy Browning, 96, Bossier City, Louisiana, will be held at 12 p.m., Wednesday in the Hill Crest Memorial Chapel with Rev. Ray Raney of First Baptist Bossier officiating.┬ĀInterment will follow in the Hill Crest Memorial Park in Haughton, La.┬ĀThe family will be receiving guests for visitation from 11 a.m. until time of service on Wednesday at Hill Crest.┬Ā
Jerry Wayne Stewart, 64, of Benton, passed away Sunday, July 10.┬ĀHe was born September 29, 1946, in Poteau, Okla.┬ĀJerry was an attorney in Benton for 30 years and was an avid horse racing fan.┬ĀHe was preceded in death by his parents, William and Nadine Stewart, and twin daughters, Jerilyn and Melissa Stewart. He is survived by his son, Jay Stewart and wife, Magen of Little Rock; brother, Larry Stewart of Ft. Smith; granddaughter, Haylee Stewart of Benton and his former wife, Linda Stewart. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. today at Ashby Funeral Home.
Harold ŌĆ£LeeŌĆØ Wallace, 80, of Little Rock, went to be with the Lord on July 10. He was born April 17, 1931. He leaves behind to cherish his memory his wife of 59 years, Margaret Ferguson Wallace; his daughters, Peggy Springer; Carla Carroum and husband, David; son, Tim Wallace; grandchildren, Lauren Renee Springer, Lauren LeeAnn Miller and husband, Jason, Andrew Springer and the late Alex Mathews; nieces and nephews, brother and sister-in-laws, and friends.
Roy Elston Bishop, 83, former mayor of Bryant, passed away Friday, July 8, at Saline Memorial Hospice House in Bryant.┬ĀMr. Bishop was born in Arkadelphia April 28, 1928. He was a member of First Southern Baptist Church in Bryant. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy Ercel Bishop and Bessie Ruff Bishop, and a brother, James Neal Bishop.┬Ā
Kenneth Lee Stafford, 64, of Benton passed away Wednesday, July 6. He was born Dec. 15, 1946, in Ashdown. Kenneth was a retired Hydrologic Tech for the U.S. Geological Survey, a U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret serving in Vietnam and a member of the First United Methodist Church in Benton. He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Mildred Stafford, and daughter, Kimberly Brown.
Donald William Mills Jr., 74, of Ward passed away Monday, July 4, at Saline Memorial Hospital Hospice House in Bryant.┬ĀHe was born in Saugus, Mass., Jan. 6, 1937, to the late Donald William Mills Sr. and Sadie (Rich) Mills.┬ĀHe was a retired U.S. Air Force veteran of 23 years, serving as a security policeman, and also was retired from the U.S. Postal Service.┬Ā In addition to his parents, Mr. Mills was preceded in death by an infant sister.
Truman E. Ashcraft, 83, of Pine Bluff, died Wednesday, July 6, at his home. He was born May 14, 1928, in Tull the son of Ernest and Delva Tull Ashcraft. Mr. Ashcraft was reared and received his early education in Tull and Pine Bluff, graduating from Pine Bluff High School. He served in the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean Conflict.


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The best thing about 6th Grade is…
I like having lockers. Is cool to have your own personal space that you can decorate.
I also stay more organized with a locker.
Also I LOVE the freedom we get. I really enjoy how we get to go places without a teacher tracking our every move. I like having a chance to go places that fit my schedule.
I also enjoy our electives like Drama. We play a bunch of games that help us act better. He is such a great teacher. He has been teaching drama for 30 years!
In addition to that I like Discovery it is study skills that keep us organized in our daily classes. Which helps me a lot. On Wednesday's we get to do our homework and study for 45 min.
I also like how we can listen to music to help us concentrate. It helps me focus and get my work done much more quickly.
I love having Mac books they are much more easier than carrying around textbooks.
The technology advance is way cooler than lame textbooks.
Article posted August 26, 2011 at 08:41 AM • comment (3) • Reads 1164 • see all articles


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The Rubenstein School offers exciting, hands-on environmental programs that integrate natural sciences and social perspectives. Our small, close-knit community challenges students to discover knowledge, skills, and values to become innovative, environmentally-responsible leaders. More about our School...
Academic Programs
Undergraduate Majors
- Environmental Sciences
- Environmental Studies
- Forestry
- Natural Resources
- Parks, Recreation and Tourism
- Wildlife and Fisheries Biology
- Undergraduate Programs > >
Undergraduate Minors
- Environmental Studies
- Forestry
- Geospatial Technologies
- Parks, Recreation and Tourism
- Wildlife Biology
- Undergraduate Minor Requirements > >
Graduate Degrees, Concentrations & Certificates
- Ph.D. in Natural Resources
- M.S. in Natural Resources
- Aquatic Ecology and Watershed Science
- Environment, Society and Public Affairs
- Environmental Thought and Culture
- Forest and Wildlife Sciences
- Dual Degree with Vermont Law School
- Ecological Planning Curriculum
- Certificate in Ecological Economics
- Graduate Programs > >
Optional M.S. concentrations:
Other M.S. options:
12-03-2013 Gund Institute Hosts Its First Research Slam
11-19-2013 RGSA Chili Cook-Off Pictoral 2013
11-13-2013 Corps Values
"Ecological genomics of complex traits: Systems-level studies in sea urchins and horned beetles." Stafford 101
We will take a short walk out to one of our thinning demonstration plots in the red pine plantation. From a recently felled tree, we'll get to explore how the condition of the wood relates to the history of the stand and how this might inform stewardship decisions.
Wood fired pizza afterwords (bring along some toppings to share).
Friends, family, and colleagues are all are welcome.
Where - The Forrest Orr Conservation Center - UVM Jericho Research Forest map link: >http://goo.gl/maps/BGy7A
When - Saturday December 7, 2013 12:30-3:30pm
Questions? email: email@example.com
RSENR on the Move
Watch our community in action at UVM, in Vermont, and around the world.
Learn about the George D. Aiken Center, our LEED Platinum home and learning hub for ecological design.


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Teacher resources and professional development across the curriculum
Teacher professional development and classroom resources across the curriculum
Learner Express: Modules for Teaching and Learning
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Spreading ridge volcanoes form in the deep sea where two plates are moving apart. View Video
Subduction zones are where rock slides under less-dense rock. Magma, enriched with highly pressurized steam and CO2, rises to the surface under subduction boundaries, making volcanoes. View Video
Scientists have proposed that the Moon was formed from a collision in the early solar system. View Video
Scientists Chuck Blay and Dave Sherrod compare Hawaiian volcanoes to Mt. Saint Helens. View Video
The formation of two types of fossils are shown and discussed: an imprint in a rock and minerals replacing the shells of dead organisms. View Video
The gases that make up our atmosphere were released during volcanic eruptions in both the past and present. View Video
Scientists describe how mantle rock melts into magma and how the more buoyant, liquid magma floats toward the Earth's surface. View Video
Seismic waves produced by geological equipment or earthquakes can be used to probe the Earth's interior. View Video
Sediment on a beach contributes to the vast continental shelf offshore over time, but this does not explain where the sediment came from. View Video
Why do craters on the Moon have similar shapes? A planetary scientist uses a ball thrown into sand to illustrate the reason. View Video


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ALDL (GM OBD1) Cable with Bare Pins
This cable will work with any OBD1 system, but requires you to plug the bare male pin from the ALDL cable into the correct female pin location on the cars OBDI connector. The female pin location can vary with the style of connector and year of car. See our home page for references and diagrams of the connectors styles. The bare OBD2 pin is a slightly smaller pin physically than the OBD1 pin. See our Kits page for a size comparison. The OBD2 pin will fit into any OBD1 connector, either upside down or right side up, but is not quite as tight a fit when right side up. We have seen connector pin locations that are well used on the 12 pin OBD1 cars where the OBD2 pin is a little loose when plugged in right side up. Not a big issue, but we should mention it. |
OBD Diagnostics, Inc., PO Box 2002, Redondo Beach, CA 90278 Tel: 310-793-2410 Fax: 310-807-8332 Email: email@example.com Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy Comment or Problem with this Page? |


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Enjoy free shipping both ways this holiday season. If for some reason you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, choose our FREE pre-paid shipping label and we'll cover your return! This offer is only good on eligible orders placed between November 13, 2013 and December 24, 2013. We've extended our normal return period to January 15, 2014 or 30 days after your order is received - whichever comes later. Learn more about our return policy.
Shop now and get Free Value Shipping on most orders over $29.95 to contiguous 48 states, DC and to all U.S. Military APO/FPO/DPO addresses.
Carson Microscopes are ideal for outdoor use or for indoor science. These handly little microscopes combine high value and small size, to give you a portable scope that lets you take your science on the road. Small and portable, Carson Pocket Microscopes can be used for hobbies, field trips, or even industrial applications. Carson Optical Microscopes come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, with numerous options - choose from digital and optical models, with zoom capabilities or fixed-power magnification. Lighted Carson Microscopes let you added extra illumination to your subject.
Carson knows compact optics - they're the the leader in pocket magnifiers and compact scopes. In addition to Carson Pocket Microscopes, Carson also manufactures a complete line of larger-scaled optics - be sure to check out our selection of Carson binoculars, telescopes and spotting scopes.


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Please bring your favorite banned book and read aloud for five minutes from it. This is an interesting and powerful exercise that presents an opportunity to discover some amazing literature. 1st place winner of our essay contest will have their essay read aloud at this event. Banned Books will be available.
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Hats Off! to Lenard D. Moore, recipient of this year's Bay Leaves dedication sponsored by the Poetry Council of North Carolina.


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ARGRA is a Calgary based not-for-profit society that is 100% volunteer driven. ARGRA was founded in 1991 and the first sanctioned Canadian Rockies International Rodeo was held in 1994. After years of consistent growth we now have a membership base of over 400. This makes us the largest gay rodeo association in the world!
The Canadian Rockies International Rodeo (CRIR) is an International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA) sanctioned event encompassing 20 associations and 4000 members worldwide.
We proudly boast the most unique rodeo on the IGRA circuit. We are able to offer all our events at one location, no other gay rodeo does this. This makes our event a favourite destination for many of the GLBT rodeo contestants and spectators. It is truly an international event with people coming from all corners of the globe to attend. We expect more than 4000 attendees to come to our events this year.
The rodeo has both traditional rodeo events like Bull Riding, Steer Riding, Barrel Racing, Roping Events as well as the popular camp events like Goat Dressing and Wild Drag. Getting those undies on a goat is not as easy as you'd think!
The music festival brings three days of audible enjoyment. 2014 will be its third year and our lil one is growing each year with better artists and groups to liven up your days. We anticipate another 30 hours of good times for the 2014 CRIR!
ARGRA is active year round and participates in the community. ARGRA is both well known and respected in our local community and well beyond those borders. We are a recognized symbol of western gay culture.
- Rodeo School
- Horse Club
- Fundraising Dances
- Participating in Calgary's Pride Festival
- Participating in Edmonton's Pride Festival
- Western Dance Lessons
Giving back to our community. We have given back to the community more than $100,000!


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2012-06-20 17:49
It's good for your game
Remember to look good to feel good
Assuming the correct golf posture will not only improve your golf shots, it also will affect how you think about your game and yourself. And having confidence in yourself is at least as important as good swing mechanics. As my coach used to say, "If you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you do good." Correct Golf Posture Assume your address posture and then use your golf club to check two key relationships that create a perfect setup: 1. Flex your knees. I've laid the shaft over my right thigh in the first photo here so it runs to the tip of my foot, creating the correct amount of flex. Too much flex and I'll have to rise up through impact, catching the ball thin. Too little flex forces the opposite, a drop down and a fat shot. Note that the correct golf flex is about the same as your normal walking flex. 2. Perfect balance at address and while you swing. In the second photo, I've taken my address posture and then, while keeping my right arm in place, I've run the shaft from the tip of my shoulder through my elbow so it touches the tip of my knee. The shaft should hang straight, and you should adjust your body until your shoulder, elbow and knee all line up. When I create an athletic posture, it looks as if I could jump across a pit of snakes without even changing my original body posture. I'm so ready to go that I could jump with no crouching needed. The Takeaway: At high swing speeds, compensations made due to bad posture promote big-time inconsistency. The correct golf posture at address allows me to stay in position so my spine angle and knee flex at impact match address. Because my posture is correct, I feel confident, and that's a good feeling to have when you're playing golf. |


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A Gold Award reflects a very high level of quality, comfort and cleanliness in bedrooms and bathrooms, and outstanding levels of customer care and food
Uplands House is a luxury five star bed and breakfast with a Gold Award, overlooking a Cotswold area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the heart of England. Near to Moreton-in-Marsh, Stratford-on-Avon, Chipping Campden, and Warwick Castle, it provides the perfect base for visiting many of the wonderful events and attractions in the local area.
Situated at the end of a long avenue of wonderful old lime trees and surrounded by the beautiful Warwickshire countryside, this charming 19th century family house built of golden Hornton stone is set within its own delightful garden, and enjoys pastoral views over the luscious greens of the parklands, the planting of which was greatly influenced by historic English gardener, Capability Brown.
Your hosts, Poppy and Graham try to provide the very best in English country house hospitality. The watchwords here are a very warm welcome, friendliness, kindness, comfort, and good food. Guests normally arrive in time for for tea, served with delicious home made cake, either by the fire in the Winter or on the terrace in Summer.
The en-suite bedrooms at Uplands are beautifully furnished and extremely comfortable, guaranteeing a thoroughly restful night's sleep. Guests are also invited to use the garden terrace and the drawing room, both are ideal places for relaxing. WiFi is available, but please bring your own laptops.
A proper Warwickshire breakfast is served in the mornings at a time of your choice. Additionally, you may wish to really treat yourselves to the fine dining experience that awaits you at Uplands House. The majority of our visitors eat with us on their night of arrival. Our mouth watering organic dinners are available most night's for you to enjoy and we also have a surprisingly good wine list to choose from. As far as possible everything you eat here is organic, locally sourced, or grown here. Please see "Dining" for further information.
Lavender borders the terrace and croquet lawn in Summer
About Us: Poppy is a picture restorer. Following many years of charity fundraising and organising countless events, she has also received many accolades for her creative cuisine. Graham is an engineer, having retired from teaching at King's College in London, and now runs a business making flight data recorders for gliders. His amazing practical skills keep everything running smoothly. Both Poppy and Graham have been Olympic fencers, are still active on the veteran circuit, and both are current world veteran champions. They love chatting to guests and unwinding from the day's work over a glass of wine!
Poppy grew up at Barton House, in Barton-on-the-Heath, not far from Uplands, so has plenty of detailed local knowledge. She and Graham delight in helping guests plan their days, and will happily assist with organising garden tours, bike hire, riding, a game of tennis, Clay Pigeon Shooting at Edgehill, walks in the vicinity, booking restaurants or theatre tickets, or downloading opening times of the many places to visit in the Cotswolds listed on this website under "Local Attractions".
Our Green Policy: We are conscious of our responsibility to minimise our environmental impact and make every effort to be as eco friendly as we are able to be. Nothing here is wasted. We compost everything that can be composted, and recycle what cannot. We conserve energy and water wherever possible and manage our resources in an ethical manner. In accordance with our policy, all manner of fruits and vegetables are grown here in our organic kitchen garden using our own compost, and trout, salmon, meat, eggs and dairy products are locally sourced.


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Three finalists will present plans Jan. 19 for an Edgar Allen Poe memorial in Boston: Stefanie Rocknak of New York plans a statue of Poe with a trunk containing a raven, a heart, and pages of stories and poems; Ann Hirsch and Robert Olson suggest figures of Poe and a female who will represent his childhood trauma; and Jennifer Bonner and Christian Stayner want a triangular glass pavilion where Poe-related items will be on exhibit and for sale.
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Yeah, I was going to say that if your budget allows for a pro DIT than you're production is only going to be better because of it. HOWEVER, if your budget doesn't allow for the luxury, I can see why people choose to forgo a real DIT (or treat them like a new-age film loader, just dumping cards.)
I've had a long hard think about this...
Good DITs are necessary on big jobs, like movies etc.. That's 100% for sure.
TVAD's how ever... I tend to think about how those individual jobs are managed, budgeted, how gorilla they may be.. how huge they maybe... They are all so different and call for different needs on all fronts.
For instance.. I finished a job last year, 6 country shoot, 12 days.. DIT was me... Huge job it was as well. Why.. because I did not need to drag around someone just to manage files. Was easy for me to do at the end of each day, and playback came directly from the camera.
Next job, multiple camera, motion control, 200 hundred crew, 6 different types of cameras... feeds going everywhere.. DIT was a must !
Different countries as well. I know when I'm bought in as a director to shoot in the US. A huge army turns up. Everything to slow you down turns up, trucks line up down the streets, shots take for ever to set up... complete over kill..
So what I'm saying is, in the States were there is a lot more monetary waste, and productions come with everything, then why not have a DIT as well... The job is already choked full of techs, may as well have one more.
I take the opportunity and use them to there fullest. Why not, if they are skilled and are there and can offer benefits to the production, then that's a good thing right.
Over all I cannot really say that I will ever need highly qualified DIT's in my productions with huge carts filled with the latest greatest gizmo's. Only because I like to manage all my own edits, grading etc... and what I want to show clients on set I show them through PLAYBACK from the camera (edited in the playback function, so they only see what I want to show them) I'm a control freak. All I want to know is from a DIT.. are the R3D's good (not corrupt) and back them up at least 3 times and hand a copy to myself , producer, and post house each day. But that's me... I certainly don't answer for everyone on this forum. Reason is that a majority of directors / DP's / Producers don't have a clue how any of this stuff works. how to post, how to do anything technical... hence the need for good DITS to be on set is imperative. I do hear of many crazy backup systems in place... Were a producer will supply some cheap little USB 2 pocket drive for the rushes.... that's it. no backups nothing. No onset quality control... just crazy stuff. But they only do this becuase they are not educated on what a good DIT can do and supply.
So in short... DITS are a much needed asset, I 100% believe this... But should sculpt there business models to at least 3 different scales. Small, medium and large to suite each and every production. Modern day Loader, what ever you want to call it's a real job and needs to be setup to suite many different situations.. Bit like a SOUND guy... I have sound engineers come in all different capacities. from small fanny bag set ups to huge trollies of gear. You are the same.
Oh.. and remember... everyone is looking for the cheapest way out.
What I dislike about DIT discussions is th e distinction between DIT and data wrangler.
What I want from the person who I hire to fill this spot is three good, clean checked copies. Obtaining these copies takes time. I have done this job myself, frequently, so I understand exactly how much time and focus it takes to do a proper job.
Somehow the perception has emerged that this is not enough...that the DIT has to do all these other things to justify the job's existence or to pay that person a living wage. If the DIT is nt color correcting camera exposing, cable soldering, then somehow we think our disdain is somehow warranted?
Ridiculous. Your data is you MOVIE, for gosh sakes...your data is the sum of all that labor, resource, and investment.
I don't care if it is done with laptops or Scratch trolleys. You can have all the bells and whistles in the world and still lack the meticulous nature which the DIT needs, first and foremost....
More than a great cart or even an exceptional skill set, give me someone meticulous, who can troubleshoot, is a team player, who can be entrusted with the entire production's most valuable asset, the data. I really don't care I'd they can color or expose a camera. Hopefully, I have hired smart in my camera operator, AC, and in the editorial pipeline. If a DIT can do all these other things, that is great but I don't want them thinking that copying files and bomb proofing the film is dull or secondary...at the end of the day, it is important to have a dedicated set of eyeballs on this task, someone knowledgeable who can identify things like IR pollution or banding or sensor issues or other potentially destructive landmines to the sanctity of the data....
This stuff MATTERS, so I always dislike when these discussions eclipse the most important aspect of the job, as if it is somehow the least important, when in fact, the opposite is true.
Everything else is secondary to that....
These are two different things though. A good data wrangler understands checksums and the nature of data integrity, but doesn't necessarily know anything about image quality. He or she would not recognize IR pollution, banding, artifacts, etc. A data wrangler only knows that the Ones and Zeroes from the Red Mag made their way over to the destination drives in the same order in which they were sent.
A DIT knows more about colors and digital imaging, however, and would be able to spot problems like under-exposure, IR pollution, too much noise, etc., and would have some suggestions as to have to fix if asked, in addition to knowing about checksums and data integrity.
And Mark, you continue to be one of my favorite posters. I'd kill to spend a day on one of your sets, if you're ever shooting in the North East of the USA.
A DIT is a person who is competent in data management, look creation, and giving knowledgable advice to the DP on ways to get the best image possible (when appropriate). I think when you become DIT MAN and know it all and are always right, you might not be made for a a lot of jobs.. It's a very responsible job, but it's a skill. I don't think you need to be a former cinematographer to be a DIT.
This discussion has veered into familiar territory. It always seems to lead here; loader v. DIT.
We all want to keep this position in the Camera Department and not cede it to Editorial, right? It would seem ideal to flex the position as budget allows: on bigger jobs call him a DIT and give him the bigger paycheck and on the smaller jobs limit his responsibilities and pay him less, but at least we can still pay a camera person.
The inherent danger in minimizing the duties of a loader is that in limiting his camera specific expertise we open the door for Production to move the job to Editorial Department, since they can then claim that he is serving as more of an Assistant Editor. Is that what we want to do, or is it better to maintain a higher standard and require more of a loader than file management?
It seems to me that the conversation is always going to end up here. If we loose sight of the forest for the trees and forget to stand together, good camera people are going to loose jobs.
Does anyone with a larger perspective agree?
I am just talking about what I want, as a producer, from the position. The DIT may want to be other things or aspire to more. Or it may be important for union rules to define the position one way or another. My point is, these competing desires create a lot of convoluted perceptions and confusions about what the job entails -- once again, my post was about working against the perception that copying is somehow the least of what a DIT does - to me, it is the essential function. Bomb-proof my data...
Instead of saying that the DIT should be this or should be that - we should be saying that getting good clean copies in triplicate is an exacting, meticulous, time-intensive, and essential job. Somehow that always ends up at the bottom of the priority list, or somewhere in the middle. Doing this is exacting work and something the DIT should be able to take pride in.
That should be all that is required to justify the pay and the existence of the DIT - ...just my opinion -
A real thug is a thug that's hush.
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Report: FBI wanted to fly Snowden's father
Lon Snowden said he backed out because it was unclear if he would speak to his son
UPDATED 3:14 AM CDT Jul 31, 2013
The FBI planned to fly the Edward Snowden's father to Moscow to encourage the National Security Agency leaker to come home to the United States, his father told the Washington Post.
But Lon Snowden said he backed out, because it was not clear he would be able to speak to his son.
"I said, 'I want to be able to speak with my son. . . . Can you set up communications?' And it was, 'Well, we're not sure,' " the father told the newspaper. "I said, 'Wait a minute, folks, I'm not going to sit on the tarmac to be an emotional tool for you.'"
Copyright 2013 by CNN NewSource. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Good news from mosley?
Discussion in 'Draft Zone' started by Sonny Koufax, Apr 22, 2012.
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The Israeli government on Sunday said it has been hit with more than 44 million cyberattacks since it began aerial strikes on Gaza last week. Anonymous, the hacker collective, claimed responsibility for taking down some sites and leaking passwords because of what it calls Israel's "barbaric, brutal and despicable treatment" of Palestinians.
"The war is being fought on three fronts," Carmela Avner, Israel's chief information officer, said on Sunday in a press release. "The first is physical, the second is the world of social networks and the third is cyberattacks....A page associated with Anonymous also posted a new threat: "November 2012 will be a month to remember for the (Israel Defense Forces) and Internet security forces. Israeli Gov. this is/will turn into a cyberwar.


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I have an ultrasound scan tomorrow and don't know if I have to come on an empty stomach.
What are the laboratory opening times ?
I need an ambulance. What number do I ring?
How do I get to the Hospital?
I want an appointment but the switchboard is busy. Is there a direct line or extension?


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Dave Eggers Biography
Dave Eggers was born in Boston, Massachusetts, grew up in suburban Lake Forest
and attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is married to
the writer Vendela Vida (author of Girls on the Verge, And Now You Can
Go, and Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name). They live in
San Francisco with their daughter, October Adelaide Eggers Vida, born in October
Anthologies edited
This biography was last updated on 08/11/2011.
A note about the biographies


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Over the last couple months, I have tried really hard to stick to healthy food and exercising regularly. Well tonight I decided, no ifs ands or buts, I am starting healthy habits starting tomorrow hard core. No more fast food, no more soda unless it's diet, and exercising everyday, even if it's only for 30 min. I plan to post weekly to track my progress, I hope that's okay. And hopefully besides motivating myself I hope can motivate anyone else that is trying to get in shape or lose some weight for their wedding day. Wish me luck ladies!!! Here I go!!! Starting weight: 160 lbs. Target weight: 125 lbs. If anyone has any suggestions for maintaining or any tricks to falling back into my fast-food habit, please let me know. I want to make this a permanent change, thanks!
You go girl! I wish you the best of luck! I also want to lose weight but have a hard time staying motivated... I want to exercise, but I have no equipment . I am trying to eat healthy as well.
Me too!! We'll do it together. I'm not snacking anymore (no more sweets for Lent) and I'm only drinking diet sodas. Also, I'm trying to exercise once a day AND tan once a day (a lot I know). So we'll post together!! See you in a week!
Just wanted to share what I have been drinking these days. Make a big pitcher with 2 Crystal Light tubs of iced tea and one half tub of Crystal Light lemonade. It tastes soooo good and is a great alternative to soda!
At work I'm trying to do the no soda, just water, but it's hard b/c I sit at a computer all day and it's easy to get tired. And I get sick of water, so I got some of those Crystal Light to-go packs and I'm gonna start drinking that at work too. I love that stuff. Raspberry Ice is my favorite flavor
i too used to work at a computer all day and i would get tired as well. i did quit drinking pop, my fiance and i have not had pop in over a year. we did start to drink the crystal light lemonade and raspberry iced tea. i have also bought grean tea that i would bring to work then i would also make some more at work. for my coffee fix i got that general foods international coffee stuff, only 30 cals per serving. even if you dont have equipment you still can work out. walk outside if its nice, take the stairs, park the farthest away from the door. small things count. just cutting a few things or even changing what you eat, instead of a bag of chips get a mini bag of pop corn 100 cals for the bad. i have lost 50lbs and still need to lose but just little things like these have really helped.
I was HUGE HUGE soda drinker in college. Being an engineer meant lots of work, and I needed every bit of caffeine I could get, not to mention I was a sugar junkie. I went from 95 lbs to 125, which is a huge weight gain when you're only 5'0".So to further motivate you - I hated dieting, and all I did when I decided I had enough was switch from regular pepsi, to diet. I'm now at a nice 102ish, which is pretty nice considering I don't exercise. Cutting out soda can make a really big difference, and even if you're like me and really don't like the taste of artificial sweeteners - start with a flavored diet (I was addicted to diet vanilla coke, now discontinued, and do diet cherry pepsi now) - and you know what? After 1 month, I couldn't even smell regular pepsi - was WAY too sweet!
Good, I'm not the only one trying to kick the soda habit! I was dping pretty good..cut down from 5 sodas per day to 1..then I slipped back into my old routine of drinking it all day..so, now I am trying to cut down again. It's so hard to kick that habit, but luckily there are alot of great tasting juces and teas you can substitue for it...eventually I'd like to get all the refined sugar out of my diet.
I'm trying to lose some weight as well. I drink diet soda and crystal light and try to eat as healthy as I can but I know that I need to exercise. The only problem is that there isn't a gym where I live and I don't like to work out alone. I'm going to try to start, but it's easy for me to lose motivation.http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/4;10704;88/st/20...f5/event.png[/image][/link]
I love crystal light!!!The peach tea is my favorite. Good luck to all of you who are trying to quit bad habits. I'm trying to quit smoking because, duh, it's bad for you and My FH and I want to try for a baby 6 months to a year after ther wedding. Keep at it even though it's hard! you will feel better afterwards I'm sure.
I started my weight loss craze in January. I started at 220 and am now at 200! (I am proud that I have lost 20lbs and that is the only reason I let the world know.) I got sick in February and have hit a lull in my motovation. I have a year and 2 months to loose another 60 lbs. I joined a gym and try to go everyday for about 1 1/2 hours. My FH works nights so it gives me something to do and my neighbor goes with me. I also gave up fast food places for lent execpt Subway. That can be healthy!
Subway rocks!!!
HOORAY!!! I made this same decision two years ago, and I have NEVER been happier with any other choice I've made. I wish you all the luck in the world.This is the most valuable lesson I learned over my journey to become healthy: you must not be too hard on yourself. You're doing a very risky thing by quitting cold turkey (most humans just aren't naturally programmed to end a habit immediately and pick up a totally different one). To make your decision worthwhile, and to make sure you STAY with your decision, don't worry about eating fast food every once in a while, or forgetting to exercise. It does not mean you're a failure, and you are not set back at all. Just when you slip up and go to Taco Bell (or wherever), remember how Taco Bell makes you feel and use that memory to motivate you the next time you get a craving.
Here's my first weekly update. Unfortunately I didn't stick to my plan too much, reason being is that I was sick with the flu for 4 days this past week. So I wasn't too motivated to work out or anything. I did stay away from fast food for the most part though b/c I was scared to eat anything after I felt better. So my goal this week is to work out everyday if possible. Also a goal I have is to start eating a good breakfast everyday, I'm one of those people that don't make time for breakfast but I'm starting to. I bought this cereal bowl-to-go from Walmart and it's the size of a portion of Special K cereal you should eat. So I'm gonna start using it. I'll be back again next week with another update. How's everyone else doing?Starting weight: 160Weight as of 3-12-06: 158Woohoo lost 2 pounds
Don't kill me for saying this, but diet soda is really not much better than real soda. And it's like any other little addiction or dependency: if you quit, a few months later you don't even crave it anymore. But good luck! stay strong! And after a while, you won't even want to pick up your old habits.
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- Martha Kwataine (above) is leveraging a tiny investment of US foreign aid to protect the health of people in rural communities across Malawi. Click here to read more or download briefing note. Also see Martha Kwataine on The Hill's Congress Blog: Foreign Aid: A Beltway Outsider Perspective.
- Delia Salminang is leveraging a tiny investment of US foreign aid to end conflict and violence in the Philippines. Click here to read more or download briefing note.
- Alexis Nkurunziza is leveraging a tiny investment of US foreign aid to open up budgets in Rwanda. Click here to read more or download briefing note.
- Majeda Begum Shiru is leveraging a tiny investment of US foreign aid to enable women to speak powerfully to improve health and education in Bangladesh. Click here to read more or download briefing note.
- Tanzanian farmer Emiliana Aligaesha is leveraging a tiny investment of US foreign aid to ensure the success of an early-stage, high-potential start-up. Click here to read more or download briefing note.
- Village Chief Kojo Kondua IV is leveraging a tiny investment of US foreign aid to train fishermen and protect jobs and the environment in Abuesi, Ghana. Click here to read more or download briefing note.
- Mayor Manuel Dominguez is leveraging a tiny investment of US foreign aid to budget for a sound future for his community in the Peruvian Amazon. Click here to read more or download briefing note.
...and many more stories to come!
Oxfam America is working to deepen the US government's commitment to making poverty-reducing foreign aid more effective. We can't afford to let Congress duck their responsibilities and that's why we need your voice right now.
» » » Join our mailing list here. Keep up to date about what the Aid Effectiveness Team is doing to help make US poverty-reducing aid more effective!
Note: Oxfam America does not take US federal funds, but we do support effective development programs.
]]>What I saw in La Oroya made my head hurt even more: It is one of the most polluted cities in the world, primarily due to a metal smelting facility operating there since 1922.
I met with a range of people from the community who described the public health crisis. Lead pollution particularly was affecting virtually all the children living near the plant, most of whom had very high levels of it in their blood. My altitude headache was nothing compared to that.
Since then the owner of the plant, a company called Doe Run Peru (part of an American company called Renco Group), shut down the plant and has been trying to renegotiate the environmental clean-up commitments it made when it bought the plant in 1997. We are hearing that the government of Peru is allowing another company to operate the parts of the facility that they say can comply with environmental regulations. The groups working to defend the rights of people in La Oroya to live in a safe environment are hoping that whoever runs this plant will comply with all the environmental standards if and when it becomes fully operational again.
My colleagues and I have been working to find ways for the people of La Oroya to get their message out to people in power, so they can defend their right to live in a clean environment. On July 19th, they had a major success here in the US: a hearing before the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights.
Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) organized the hearing. "Environmental damage in Peru is our concern, not just because we care about suffering people outside our borders – we absolutely do," he said in his opening remarks. "But it is also our responsibility to make sure that our own companies aren't at fault."
Two people from La Oroya gave their testimony: Monsignor Pedro Barreto, the Archbishop of Huancayo, cited the environmental problems and raised the larger question about the purpose of economic development: "The Church is not opposed to mining or development, but it does ask the question: Development for whom? Mining for the benefit of whom? At what cost?"
Rosa Amaro also testified. She works with the Movement for Health in La Oroya (known as MOSAO), and has been threatened on numerous occasions for speaking out in favor of a cleaner environment. "Supporters of Doe Run have thrown stones at me, threatened to burn down my house, and threatened my life…When they see us in the street they shout 'Death to MOSAO.' We have no protection from these threats." Her security concerns did not prevent her from traveling to Washington to testify.
To detail the toxic life people in La Oroya are leading, Dr. Fernando Serrano from the University of St. Louis delivered findings from studies that show people are living with pollution levels of the most toxic metals three to six times higher than the US average.
Keith Slack from Oxfam's office in Washington, who has written extensively on mining-related conflicts in Peru, made recommendations for Peru's government to improve respect for basic human rights and strengthen environmental standards. He urged the US government to support Peru's defense of an $800 million lawsuit brought against it by Renco Group. "[The]US government should encourage all American companies operating in Peru and elsewhere in the region to ensure that they are following the highest possible human rights and environmental standards," he concluded. "Their behavior is a reflection on the US as a whole."
]]>Many of these plants have been cultivated by Kichwa people for generations, but are in danger of disappearing as growers turn to cash crops like coffee or cacao instead. This shift to a single crop can leave farmers more vulnerable unpredictable rainfall caused by climate change, and more dependent on purchasing food from outside rather than growing it themselves—putting them at risk of hunger.
"Food prices are increasing. Sometimes we don't have money for bread," said Luz Sinarahua, who leads the group of women growers in Chirikyacu. "That's why we're glad to have the beans, yucca, and plantains from the garden."
See a photo slideshow of the women and their gardens
Oxfam program officer Lorena Del Carpio said the ancestral Kichwa methods of harvesting and planting year-round can help people adapt to changes in the climate. "Indigenous people have important knowledge about how to work with the environment," said Del Carpio. "[Their traditional way of] growing diverse crops helps ensure food for their families."
The idea for the gardens came from listening to Kichwa women, who first raised concerns about the loss of their crops in an AIDESEP workshop designed to build women's leadership and advocacy skills. These efforts are part of a larger Oxfam program that helps indigenous people in South America protect their cultural, political, and territorial rights.
In the future, "we want to make sure we have enough for food, [but] our main goal is to sell crops so we can increase our incomes," said Sinarahua of the women's plans. AIDESEP aims to organize a sellers' fair where growers from these remote towns can exchange seeds and connect with potential buyers. And, eventually, they hope to expand the project to other communities.
To learn more about the traditional gardens and the women who grow them, see the article in OXFAMExchange magazine.
]]>Sofia Vergara, community organizer for Oxfam's Right to Know, Right to Decide campaign, has worked with the people of La Oroya since 2005. Below, Vergara explains the new developments and what lies ahead.
What happened last week, and why is it important?
The Doe Run Peru smelter in La Oroya has not operated since 2009, when the company began a bankruptcy process, saying that it lacked the funds to run the smelter. Doe Run Peru recently proposed a restructuring plan that would allow it to begin operations again, but without first taking the steps to clean up the environment that are required by law in Peru.
Last week, Doe Run Peru's creditors, including the Peruvian government, voted to reject the company's plan. By doing so, the government showed that it is willing to stand up to the company in defense of the people of La Oroya. This is a very positive step.
How will this affect families in La Oroya?
Without emissions from the smelter, people are breathing cleaner air. You can tell just by looking at pictures: there are blue skies now, and plants growing that weren't there before. The children are not facing day-to-day exposure to contamination. A recent government study found that children's blood lead levels have decreased compared to 2005 [when a study found that 97 percent of the children in the town under age 6 had elevated blood lead levels]. Most people in La Oroya want the smelter to reopen, but with adequate environmental controls installed first.
What happens next?
There are a lot of unanswered questions. The company has entered into what's called "liquidation in progress," which means that the smelter will not operate, but 3,500 workers can keep their jobs. Another entity will manage the liquidation for the next six months, but we don't know who. The government and the creditors' board have until May 25 to decide. That decision will play a big part in determining La Oroya's future.
For now, we need to make sure of two things. First, that the government's process is clear and transparent. For example, Doe Run has a plan to build a sulfuric acid plant in La Oroya—a critical step for reducing toxic emissions. Residents want to know if that will still happen, and if Doe Run Peru will meet environmental requirements before reopening. Second, the government's decision will have to take the environmental and health issues, as well as the workers' rights, into account.
What about this ongoing conflict between workers and activists in La Oroya? With violent protests around mining now making news in other parts of Peru, how can we prevent violence from happening there?
In a recent statement issued by a coalition of Oxfam's partners in La Oroya, they "call for all actors to prioritize dialogue and avoid any kind of confrontation, or acts of violence." The government plays a key role in communicating with the population, making sure people know what will happen and how they will be protected. The company also has a responsibility to negotiate with the government in good faith, and to not put pressure on workers to create violence in the city.
In general, I think people in La Oroya have access to more information than they did in the past, which will help them understand this complex situation. Many have been put in a difficult position because they have to defend the source of their livelihood, and on the other hand they face the issue of contamination of themselves and their families.
What are Oxfam and its partners doing to support citizens' efforts?
Local grassroots leaders like Rosa Amaro and Esther Hinostrosa have played a key role in defending the environment and human rights in La Oroya, as have representatives of the church. All of these groups have kept up their courage even in the face of pressure, violence, and threats.
Through its partners and allies in the area, Oxfam helps strengthen these local groups and makes sure they have access to information they need. We've also supported them as they raise awareness about the case in the US and Peru. That's something Amaro told me herself: even though her life has been threatened, it's important to communicate about this case as much as we can. That's how we will bring about real change.
How have people in the US contributed?
A lot of people are taking action—people of faith, students, others. They feel a strong sense of solidarity with the families of La Oroya, and they are also concerned because Doe Run Peru is a US-owned company. Peruvian and Latin American communities in the US have also been very active on this case.
So far, more than 35,000 supporters have signed an online petition asking US Congress to support the people of Peru in the trade lawsuit [Doe Run Peru is suing the Peruvian government for allegedly violating the terms of the US-Peru Free Trade Agreement]. Thanks to efforts like this, 18 members of US Congress recently sent a letter asking the US Treasury and State Departments not to support the company.
What can people do to help now?
Follow our partners' coalition, La Oroya por un Cambio, on Twitter and like La Oroya por un Cambio on Facebook to get updates. Share the information with others. And tell Congress to stand with the people of Peru on the trade case, which is still going on.
After the Peruvian government cited Doe Run Peru for environmental violations, the company closed the smelter in 2009, citing the high cost of complying with the government's requirements for cleanup. In April 2011, Doe Run Peru's parent company Renco Group filed a lawsuit against Peru, claiming its actions violated the US-Peru Free Trade Agreement.
With the case now due to go to international arbitration, the multi-billion-dollar Renco Group is lobbying the US government for support. At the same time, Oxfam and partners are calling on Congress to make sure that Doe Run doesn't abandon its commitments to the community where it did business for more than a decade.
"Renco Group has money, power, and influence on Capitol Hill," said Keith Slack, manager of Oxfam America's Right to Know, Right to Decide campaign. "The people of La Oroya don't. But they have an equal right to make their voices heard."
Oxfam America's oil, gas, and mining program has been working with partner organizations in La Oroya since 2000. Their efforts around the current case are twofold:
Slack compared La Oroya to Herculaneum, Missouri, where the US-based branch of Doe Run operates a lead smelter. After millions of dollars in environmental fines and multiple lawsuits that helped set stricter US standards for lead pollution, Doe Run has said it will close the Herculaneum smelter in 2013 and explore opening a new earth-friendly facility.
"This is a company with a clear double standard, since the health situation in Peru is even worse than it was Missouri," said Slack. "If [La Oroya] was in our own backyard, we wouldn't allow this to happen."
Rosa Amaro's family has lived in for generations in La Oroya Antigua—the neighborhood directly across the river from the smelter and one of the worst affected by pollution. In 2002, Amaro and her children participated in a study conducted by Peru's Ministry of Health. The tests showed that her older son, then age 8, had 58 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood. (The US Center for Disease Control recommends medical action at anything above 10 micrograms per deciliter.) Now 17, he suffers from gastritis and severe pain requiring repeated trips to the hospital.
Amaro's family also participated in a 2005 St. Louis University study, which not only detected elevated lead levels in children, but also found that residents had above-normal levels of cadmium, arsenic, and antimony. These toxic elements are associated with cancer, kidney failure, and other medical problems.
After their children tested positive for lead in 2002, Amaro and other concerned parents formed a grassroots group called the Movement for the Health of La Oroya (MOSAO). "[We want] to spread information about what's going on," said Amaro. "Children in Peru and in the US have the same right to live in a healthy environment, and their parents have a right to dignified work."
The issue of work has divided La Oroya, where some say closing the smelter permanently would take away most of the town's jobs. For participating in the health studies and publicly speaking out against the company, Amaro has faced harassment and repeated threats of violence. Even so, she recently visited the US for an Oxfam speaking tour with other women from mining-affected areas.
Whether or not the smelter reopens, said Amaro, Doe Run Peru must still meet its environmental and social obligations to the community. "The ground is totally polluted by heavy metals," she said. "It's not only the government's responsibility to clean up the mess, but also that of the company, which has been operating here for so many years."
Meanwhile, in a neighborhood where residents once had trouble breathing outdoors, the last two years have brought a measure of relief.
"You don't feel the chemical fumes in the air, and you can even see some green coming out of the ground," said Amaro. "We would love it if it would remain the way it is right now."
Take action: Tell Congress to stand with the people of La Oroya and hold the company accountable.
]]>Celia Candiotti works as a security guard at the main municipal office of Huamanga, the capital of Ayacucho province in Peru. She's tall and thin, and has a narrow face and severe eyes. She's pleasant, but professional, as you would expect from a uniformed officer who commands respect.
Several years ago she was at work when she saw a 12-foot-high wall of water, mud, boulders, and cars flooding down one of the main streets in the city.
Cadiotti ran straight into the maelstrom to rescue people.
"You can't fight your destiny," Candiotti says, citing her training as a nurse and a firefighter. "I didn't even think, I just responded -- I waded right in." She rescued several injured people before she found a young girl, perhaps seven years old, trapped in a car. "She said to me, 'I'm gonna die.' I said 'no'. But the water was coming in the window fast."
That day the landslide killed about a dozen people, but thanks to Candiotti, that one young girl survived. The Ministry of Women gave Candiotti an award for heroism.
Candiotti noticed something then: people lined the street, horrified by the disaster, but did not help. She remembered this later when she went to a training session for the staff at the municipal office. The topic was how to understand and reduce racism and discrimination at their work, so they could ensure equal access to the services citizens need from the local government.
When it came to the pervasive racism in Ayacucho, Candiotti was much like the bystanders she saw on the street that day: concerned, but not sure what to do.
The training session was organized by APRODEH, a human rights group Oxfam has been funding to work on ways to reduce racism and discrimination in Peru. The organization led efforts to help local governments pass new laws – ordinances – that require equal access to services, equal treatment by officials, for everyone, whatever their gender or ethnicity, whatever language they speak, however they dress, and whatever their age or appearance.
Addressing the racism and discrimination directed toward indigenous people, women, and handicapped people is an important component of Oxfam's work to reduce barriers that keep people in poverty. And training for municipal workers, who play an essential role in helping citizens gain access to crucial services from local government, is one way APRODEH and Oxfam are working to changing the way people think about each other—and themselves--in Ayacucho.
For Candiotti, a woman who grew up on the coast in a family of Italian immigrants, understanding and confronting the racism and discrimination she could see in Ayacucho since she moved here eight years ago is a tremendous blessing. She says APRODEH's training helped her and others understand that all people have basic rights. "People from the highlands are not any less than me, and we all have to learn to relate to each other. I could see the changes in the staff here," she says, standing in her uniform near the front of the municipal hall. "We left the training calm and happy, a joy has taken over us."
Now, Candiotti says the staff of the municipality behaves completely differently. Whereas before the indigenous staff would be reluctant to even speak Quechua, the local indigenous language, they are now happy to help indigenous people who come to the office no matter what language they can speak. "When people come and inquire in Quechua," she says, "we all speak Quechua now, our attitude has really changed. We used to make fun of an elderly señora dressed in traditional clothes, but not anymore."
When she's at work, Candiotti wears a uniform slightly too large for her slim, athletic frame, with a cap pulled low over her forehead. She's got a serious look about her, but when she describes the changes in the staff attitudes her eyes get a little wet.
Near the front entrance, she meets with some indigenous, Quechua speaking women under an arch leading in to the massive, Spanish colonial courtyard. Her warmth comes through as she answers questions, gives direction, and laughs at a joke.
Candiotti acknowledges that perhaps some destinies can change: "There's always been discrimination," she says near her post at the front entrance. "But little by little, this is changing."
]]>There's a poster in the office of APRODEH in Ayacucho that depicts a group of highland indigenous people riding on a bus. Each passenger is regarding the others with suspicion: "I don't like the look of that one," one is thinking. Another thought bubble over the head of a fellow passenger says, "that cholo might rob me," using a derogatory term for an indigenous person.
It's a realistic scene, says Wilfredo Ardito, a 45-year-old attorney who APRODEH's work on racism and discrimination in Ayacucho. He says Peru is an extremely ethnically diverse country, but years of racist attitudes towards the native people have resulted in the indigenous people themselves rejecting their own identity, refusing to speak their own languages, and turning their backs on their own culture. "They even use derogatory words against people like themselves," Ardito says. "People lack self esteem, they respect white people more than themselves." This is one of the key aspects of APRODEH's training: helping people accept who they are, and to be proud of themselves. "Part of the process of eliminating racism is accepting your own face," Ardito says.
APRODEH teaches staff at municipal government about discrimination and racism as a means to raise awareness and encouraging local communities to pass local ordinances to promote equality as part of a comprehensive effort to fight poverty in Ayacucho "We know it is more effective to have a local law," Ardito says. "Most people don't know about the national laws, not the police, not the judges." One strategy that has proven effective is to work directly with elected regidoros, sort of like county commissioners, who represent specific constituencies in municipal affairs.
Socorro Arce, 45, is a regidora in Huamanga who helped organize a training session for all the female elected politicians in the department of Ayacucho – about 113 of them. This led to a network that is helping to promote women leaders, a space where Arce says "we can exchange ideas, and talk about human rights and gender, and we support new ideas like the ordinances, so we can reduce discrimination against people who speak Quechua, have a different religion, or women who are pregnant."
Arce started fighting against injustice while in a religious high school, which she says was run poorly and discriminated against the darker skinned, poorer girls. "That's why I became a leader -- the girls were really submissive, and I started to change that mentality," she says. Arce was expelled twice, once for leading a strike against the school by students objecting to corporal punishment. "They would make us stand facing a wall with our hands on our heads for hours, it was like torture. I told them, 'If you keep punishing us like this, we won't go to class'," she says she announced one day. "I was about 14 or 15 then."
When APRODEH was looking for an ally to promote local ordinances, program officer Arturo Lopez decided to approach Arce because "she's really accessible, I called her and she said 'come on over,' and she helped negotiate with the other women leaders." He called the right person, it seems. Starting in her high school days, Arce says struggling against injustice was always high on her agenda. "In all the positions I have held as a leader, I have always spoken out against discrimination."
Lopez and Arce are an unlikely pair. He is soft spoken, she is an aggressive talker, an avid networker. "I really like Arturo," Arce says over a glass of fruit juice overlooking the central plaza in Huamanga. "He's really calm. I'm more like an earthquake."
Together they convened the women leaders, held a training session, and these women then went out and helped their communities pass four new ordinances in Ayacucho APRODEH says are fighting back against racism and discrimination at the local level.
]]>Near the city of Huamanga is a smaller municipality called Jesus Nazareno. After the city of Huamanga passed a new ordinance to address racism and discrimination, Jesus Nazareno took steps to do the same in 2008.
Jesus Nazareno is a community founded by people fleeing the violence of the 1980s guerilla war. This conflict originated in the highlands of Ayacucho, and indigenous people there suffered terribly at the hands of both the Shining Path rebels and the Peruvian military. Many were survivors of horrible human rights violations. The founders of Jesus Nazareno had the protection of human rights firmly in the foundation of their new community.
"We took this initiative to create a non-discrimination ordinance to counter the prejudice against campesinos, rural people, even disabled people," says Nancy Contreras, who works for the Jesus Nazareno government. She says the central message the municipality wants to send with the ordinance is that everyone is equal in Jesus Nazareno. "We are all the same here, poor or not poor, disabled or not." Contreras says Jesus Nazareno wanted to take measures that would help people gain equal access to those things local government does that can help people climb out of poverty: education, health care, and assistance for disabled people and the elderly.
At a meeting of staff, regidoras and regidoros, and volunteers at the municipal office, the scope of the ordinance starts to become clear:
On the other side of the city of Huamanga, San Juan Bautista developed an anti-discrimination ordinance later the same year. APRODEH helped train staff at the city hall, and aired radio spots to teach citizens about the new ordinance. Since then, one regidora named Magaly Bautista, 28, says she has seen significant differences in the ways people relate to each other in the town since she took up her elected post four years ago. "They've changed the way they relate to people," she says. "I've seen changes in people's conduct; it's very fulfilling to be a part of it."
Bautista says the new ordinance has created some positive things for her personally. Coming in to office as a 24-year-old, and a representative from the opposition political party, she says, "I felt discriminated against because I am young…all the people in power were over 40, and they always put me last."
Now, she says "I have definitely seen changes since the ordinance passed two years ago…young people have gone from being passive to taking up a dynamic role in the government. They participate more in events, and the majority of public officials are women.
"I feel part of the team, and people listen to my opinions."
]]>To Wilfredo Ardito, the links between poverty and racism in Peru are obvious.
"The differences between life in the highlands, and in the jungles, and life in Lima are extreme," he says in APRODEH's office in Ayacucho. "Life expectancy in Lima is 80, and in the highlands it is 50. The campesinos [rural people] are poor, illiterate, malnourished, and people think this can't change. So when budgets are approved, there is money for a [football] stadium in Lima instead of for reducing maternal mortality in the mountains…there is an attitude that campesinos can suffer, they can exist in this state of poverty, it is all right."
After 10 years of economic growth in Peru, Ardito says wealth is concentrated in very few hands in the country, and the situation of the poorest people has not changed much.
APRODEH's strategy is to encourage local leaders to promulgate local ordinances to address problems of racism and discrimination, and then train local municipal staff and officials to implement and enforce the new laws. The training sessions, Ardito says, are particularly effective. "People are skeptical at first, or they think we are going to talk about Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement...then they realize it is about their experience, and that they share with others experiences of racism." This goes for indigenous people, as well as for mestizo (mixed race) and white people who may have been brought up to behave in certain ways towards others who are different. The realization of this can be profound, and life changing.
Oxfam America supports efforts to reduce racism and discrimination against indigenous people and women in Peru because these are the most impoverished people in the country. Helping indigenous people gain more respect for their basic rights will help them gain their fair share of quality education and health care. Eliminating discrimination will also help women gain access to better jobs and other services, and generally improve the situation for the country's poorest people.
Building respect for indigenous people will also help communities value their own indigenous culture. This is essential because many indigenous groups have developed efficient, sustainable ways of living and working the land in some environmentally sensitive areas. The indigenous ways of using natural resources are being forgotten as people feel they must reject their indigenous identity in order to take advantage of all that modernity and western culture can offer. This is part of the reason why APRODEH and others are encouraging indigenous youth to speak their native languages and be proud of who they are—so they can live a decent life, take advantage of all that their government and society can offer them, without forcing them to assimilate into western culture and forget their past.
These municipal ordinances are helping Peru pull these problems out of the shadows," Says Santiago Alfaro, Oxfam America's program officer for indigenous rights in Peru. "Government employees can now see the negative effects of racism and discrimination on the quality of life in the country. APRODEH's work in Ayacucho is echoing across the country, and there are now more and better legal tools available to help indigenous people remove barriers to public services."
]]>For four days, participants exchanged their experiences using "Getting It Right," a dynamic tool developed by Canada-based Rights & Democracy. Designed especially for communities and their support organizations, the tool enables teams to conduct HRIAs of private investment projects, such as infrastructure projects, agro-industry, dams, extractive industries, and other initiatives.
This report summarizes key lessons learned and recommendations from participants, based on their pilot experiences in Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, the Philippines, and the United States.


text:
The students, staff and parents all saw it happening: Students hugging, students playing basketball, students laughing and exchanging email addresses. One student brought Felicia a bag of Chinese snacks to take home to her parents, little treats her fellow flutist thought they might miss.
"When you're at your weakest, you're really tired, really hot, you've really studied hard, your inhibitions go," Felicia said. "Band kids are band kids."
It hasn't felt so simple since then. The Valley Christian band was on summer break, then immersed in its fall field show. Each band independently rehearsed its Rose Parade music, a new arrangement of "Shenandoah," a traditional American tune, and "Jasmine Flower," a Chinese folk song. The color guard in San Jose sent videos of their flag routine to the Chinese band and hoped for the best.
"Patience is the word," said Kathryn Read, one of the army of parents who raised money for the China trip who was on hand to find gloves and serve food for the combined band.
"I certainly saw a growth in (students) being able to connect with the music, to understand other cultures love to do the same thing they do, and put in the hard work that they do," said Read, whose son and daughter are marching in the parade. "They have an understanding, even if they can't talk to each other."
The bands finally met again last week, when 105 students from Beijing No. 57 arrived in California for a few more days of rehearsals and a schedule packed with performances. They have more in common than they realized at first, said Brooke Read, a color guard captain.
"You don't need words to express what you want accomplished. You do it more in your actions and body language, being able to show and do, not yelling at them, talking at them" said Brooke, who will be the featured twirler during Tuesday's parade.
"Leaders don't always need words. They need actions."
Early Tuesday morning, the band from San Jose and the band from Beijing will meet at the bus at 5:45 a.m. and travel to the starting point for the Rose Parade. The music will be memorized, the feet in step, the flag flourishes in sync. The bands will wear matching uniforms -- Valley Christian in light blue, Beijing No. 57 in red -- and they'll spread into a parade block by instrument, not by country or band director.
Brooke Read will be toward the front, her dress speckled with 400 rhinestones. The parade is the ultimate reward for her senior year, for her band director's long-ago dream, for the 240 kids who learned to speak without words.
From the first note, the first step, she knows she'll be thinking something still hard to believe: "This is my band."
All of them.


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DURHAM, N.C. - The Duke baseball team takes on No. 5 NC State today at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park at 12 p.m. The Blue Devils will honor seniors Chase Bebout, Jeff Kremer, Al Morris and Ryan Munger in a pregame ceremony.
Follow the Action
The Blue Devil Network will stream live video of the game and Steve Barnes will call the action for the audio broadcast. Live stats are also available through GoDuke.com while fans cans also follow updates of each game via @Duke_BASE, the official Twitter account of Duke baseball.


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Naomie Harris
• Naomie Harris: Mandela role took me to dark places
• Kate Middleton, Naomie Harris Attend Mandela Movie Premiere, Learn Of Icon's Death At Screening
• Stars pay tribute to Nelson Mandela
• Idris Elba tried to capture Mandela's aura
• Naomie Harris, Gillian Anderson Sizzle At Harper's Bazaar Women Of The Year Awards
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Born Sept. 6, 1976 in North London, England, Naomie Melanie Harris was the only child of television writer Lisselle Kayla. She took to acting at a very early age, joining the Anna Scher Theatre School, a prestigious children's drama club in London, and was encouraged by the school's founder to audition for roles on television. Shortly thereafter, H... Continue Bio >>
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Packers Randall Cobb: 2012 Player Evaluation and Report Card
1) Introduction: In the first game of his NFL career last season, Randall Cobb burst onto the scene with two touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints. He proved to be a dynamic kick returner with seemingly limitless potential. But with wide receiver being one of the Packers' deepest positions, it was unknown just how many opportunities Cobb would get to prove his worth.
2) Profile:
Randall Ladonald Cobb II
- Age: 22
- Born: 08/22/1990, in Maryville, TN
- Height: 5'10″
- Weight: 192
- College: Kentucky
- Rookie Year: 2011
- NFL Experience: 2 years
3) Expectations coming into the season: Last summer, Cobb was clearly behind Jennings and Nelson in the pecking order at wide receiver. But it became evident early in training camp that the Packers had big plans for the second-year player. Cobb lined up inside, outside and even in the backfield, in hopes of getting him into the open field more often. But still, playing behind Jennings
4) Player's highlights/low-lights: Cobb led the team with 80 catches and 954 receiving yards this season and likely would have surpassed 1,000 if he hadn't missed the Packers' week 17 game at Minnesota. He caught at least six passes in eight out of the 15 games he played, with his biggest game coming at Minnesota in week 15. Against the Bears, Cobb racked up 115 yards on six catches, helping the Packers win the NFC North title. His least effective game of the season was in week three at Seattle, in which he caught just one pass for a one-yard loss.


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This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
The British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) has given its support to the government's signposting proposals, which it believes will maximise the likelihood of older customers finding insurance, in its response to a Government Equalities Office consultation paper.
The consultation outlines the government's intention to end age discrimination in the provision of goods and services and to encourage action to improve access to insurance products. It outlines signposting, a system where individuals receive helpful guidance that directs them to a suitable insurance provider if they are refused insurance based on their age, as an initiative to achieve this.
Insurance is widely available from insurance brokers for all ages and improving access to financial services particularly for young and older drivers, and older travellers seeking insurance is important and signposting is the most effective way to achieve this.
Travel insurance and EHIC cards


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Video devices typically support one or more different video
standards or variations of standards. Each video input and output may
support another set of standards. This set is reported by the
field of struct v4l2_input and
struct v4l2_output returned by the VIDIOC_ENUMINPUT
ioctl, respectively.
V4L2 defines one bit for each analog video standard
currently in use worldwide, and sets aside bits for driver defined
standards, e. g. hybrid standards to watch NTSC video tapes on PAL TVs
and vice versa. Applications can use the predefined bits to select a
particular standard, although presenting the user a menu of supported
standards is preferred. To enumerate and query the attributes of the
supported standards applications use the VIDIOC_ENUMSTD
Many of the defined standards are actually just variations of a few major standards. The hardware may in fact not distinguish between them, or do so internal and switch automatically. Therefore enumerated standards also contain sets of one or more standard bits.
Assume a hypothetic tuner capable of demodulating B/PAL, G/PAL and I/PAL signals. The first enumerated standard is a set of B and G/PAL, switched automatically depending on the selected radio frequency in UHF or VHF band. Enumeration gives a "PAL-B/G" or "PAL-I" choice. Similar a Composite input may collapse standards, enumerating "PAL-B/G/H/I", "NTSC-M" and "SECAM-D/K".[6]
To query and select the standard used by the current video
input or output applications call the VIDIOC_G_STD
ioctl, respectively. The received
standard can be sensed with the VIDIOC_QUERYSTD
ioctl. Note that the parameter of all these ioctls is a pointer to a v4l2_std_id type (a standard set), not an index into the standard enumeration.[7] Drivers must implement all video standard ioctls
when the device has one or more video inputs or outputs.
Special rules apply to devices such as USB cameras where the notion of video standards makes little sense. More generally for any capture or output device which is:
incapable of capturing fields or frames at the nominal rate of the video standard, or
that does not support the video standard formats at all.
Here the driver shall set the
field of struct v4l2_input and struct v4l2_output
to zero and the VIDIOC_G_STD
ioctls shall return the
ENOTTY error code.[8]
Example 1.5. Information about the current video standard
v4l2_std_id std_id; struct v4l2_standard standard; if (-1 == ioctl (fd,VIDIOC_G_STD
, &std_id)) { /* Note when VIDIOC_ENUMSTD always returns ENOTTY this is no video device or it falls under the USB exception, and VIDIOC_G_STD returning ENOTTY is no error. */ perror ("VIDIOC_G_STD"); exit (EXIT_FAILURE); } memset (&standard, 0, sizeof (standard)); standard.index = 0; while (0 == ioctl (fd,VIDIOC_ENUMSTD
, &standard)) { if (standard.id & std_id) { printf ("Current video standard: %s\n", standard.name); exit (EXIT_SUCCESS); } standard.index++; } /* EINVAL indicates the end of the enumeration, which cannot be empty unless this device falls under the USB exception. */ if (errno == EINVAL || standard.index == 0) { perror ("VIDIOC_ENUMSTD"); exit (EXIT_FAILURE); }
Example 1.6. Listing the video standards supported by the current input
struct v4l2_input input; struct v4l2_standard standard; memset (&input, 0, sizeof (input)); if (-1 == ioctl (fd,VIDIOC_G_INPUT
, &input.index)) { perror ("VIDIOC_G_INPUT"); exit (EXIT_FAILURE); } if (-1 == ioctl (fd,VIDIOC_ENUMINPUT
, &input)) { perror ("VIDIOC_ENUM_INPUT"); exit (EXIT_FAILURE); } printf ("Current input %s supports:\n", input.name); memset (&standard, 0, sizeof (standard)); standard.index = 0; while (0 == ioctl (fd,VIDIOC_ENUMSTD
, &standard)) { if (standard.id & input.std) printf ("%s\n", standard.name); standard.index++; } /* EINVAL indicates the end of the enumeration, which cannot be empty unless this device falls under the USB exception. */ if (errno != EINVAL || standard.index == 0) { perror ("VIDIOC_ENUMSTD"); exit (EXIT_FAILURE); }
Example 1.7. Selecting a new video standard
struct v4l2_input input; v4l2_std_id std_id; memset (&input, 0, sizeof (input)); if (-1 == ioctl (fd,VIDIOC_G_INPUT
, &input.index)) { perror ("VIDIOC_G_INPUT"); exit (EXIT_FAILURE); } if (-1 == ioctl (fd,VIDIOC_ENUMINPUT
, &input)) { perror ("VIDIOC_ENUM_INPUT"); exit (EXIT_FAILURE); } if (0 == (input.std & V4L2_STD_PAL_BG)) { fprintf (stderr, "Oops. B/G PAL is not supported.\n"); exit (EXIT_FAILURE); } /* Note this is also supposed to work when only B or G/PAL is supported. */ std_id = V4L2_STD_PAL_BG; if (-1 == ioctl (fd,VIDIOC_S_STD
, &std_id)) { perror ("VIDIOC_S_STD"); exit (EXIT_FAILURE); }
[6] Some users are already confused by technical terms PAL, NTSC and SECAM. There is no point asking them to distinguish between B, G, D, or K when the software or hardware can do that automatically.
[7] An alternative to the current scheme is to use pointers
to indices as arguments of VIDIOC_G_STD
, the struct v4l2_input and
struct v4l2_output std
field would be a set of
indices like audioset
Indices are consistent with the rest of the API
and identify the standard unambiguously. In the present scheme of
things an enumerated standard is looked up by v4l2_std_id. Now the
standards supported by the inputs of a device can overlap. Just
assume the tuner and composite input in the example above both
exist on a device. An enumeration of "PAL-B/G", "PAL-H/I" suggests
a choice which does not exist. We cannot merge or omit sets, because
applications would be unable to find the standards reported by
. That leaves separate enumerations
for each input. Also selecting a standard by v4l2_std_id can be
ambiguous. Advantage of this method is that applications need not
identify the standard indirectly, after enumerating.
So in summary, the lookup itself is unavoidable. The difference is only whether the lookup is necessary to find an enumerated standard or to switch to a standard by v4l2_std_id.
[8] See the section called "Buffers" for a rationale.
Applications can make use of the Table A.38, "Input capabilities" and Table A.41, "Output capabilities" flags to determine whether the video standard ioctls are available for the device.
See the section called "Buffers" for a rationale. Probably even USB cameras follow some well known video standard. It might have been better to explicitly indicate elsewhere if a device cannot live up to normal expectations, instead of this exception.