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Future Shocks
Modern science, ancient catastrophes and the endless quest to predict earthquakes
- By Kevin Krajick
- Photographs by Brian Smale
- Smithsonian magazine, March 2005, Subscribe
Editor's note: On March 11, a massive earthquake struck Japan and sent a tsunami across the Pacific. The earthquake was the worst in Japan's recorded history. This story explains how scientists study earthquakes that weren't recorded in history, and how they use this information to predict and prepare for the next big one.
Brian Atwater paddled a battered aluminum canoe up the CopalisRiver, pushed along by a rising Pacific tide. At this point, a 130-mile drive from Seattle, the 100-foot-wide river wound through wide salt marshes fringed with conifers growing on high ground. The scene, softened by gray winter light and drizzle, was so quiet one could hear the whisper of surf a mile away. But then Atwater rounded a bend, and a vision of sudden, violent destruction appeared before him: stranded in the middle of a marsh were dozens of towering western red cedars, weathered like old bones, their gnarly, hollow trunks wide enough to crawl into. "The ghost forest," Atwater said, pulling his paddle from the water. "Earthquake victims."
Atwater beached the canoe and got out to walk among the spectral giants, relics of the last great Pacific Northwest earthquake. The quake generated a vast tsunami that inundated parts of the West Coast and surged across the Pacific, flooding villages some 4,500 miles away in Japan. It was as powerful as the one that killed more than 220,000 people in the Indian Ocean in December. The cedars died after saltwater rushed in, poisoning their roots but leaving their trunks standing. This quake is not noted in any written North American record, but it is clearly written in the earth. The ghost forest stands as perhaps the most conspicuous and haunting warning that it has happened here before—and it will surely happen here again. "When I started out, a lot of these dangers were not all that clear," says Atwater, a geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) who specializes in the science of paleoseismology, or the study of earthquakes past. "If you look at what we know now, it beats you over the head."
In one of the more remarkable feats of modern geoscience, researchers have pinpointed the date, hour and size of the cataclysm that killed these cedars. In Japan, officials had recorded an "orphan" tsunami—unconnected with any felt earthquake— with waves up to ten feet high along 600 miles of the Honshu coast at midnight, January 27, 1700. Several years ago, Japanese researchers, by estimating the tsunami's speed, path and other properties, concluded that it was triggered by a magnitude 9 earthquake that warped the seafloor off the Washington coast at 9 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on January 26, 1700. To confirm it, U.S. researchers found a few old trees of known age that had survived the earthquake and compared their tree rings with the rings of the ghost forest cedars. The trees had indeed died just before the growing season of 1700.
In the Pacific Northwest, where written records start in the late 1700s, paleoseismologists have spotted many other signs of past disasters, from sands washed far inshore to undersea landslides. In addition to the risk from offshore earthquakes, recent studies show that Seattle and the greater Puget Sound area, with its four million people, is itself underlain by a network of faults in the earth's surface. They also have ruptured catastrophically in the not-very-distant past. Considering all the geologic evidence, scientists now say a major earthquake strikes the Pacific Northwest every few hundred years—give or take a few hundred years. That means the next one could strike tomorrow.
The study of the past has taken on paramount importance because scientists still cannot predict earthquakes, though not for lack of effort. One important quake-forecasting experiment has taken place since 1985 in tiny Parkfield, California, the self-proclaimed "earthquake capital of the world." The town sits atop a highly active section of the San Andreas fault, the dangerous crack that cuts the state south to north for 800 miles. Due to underlying geological forces, quakes occur in the same places repeatedly. Until recently, much of modern earthquake theory was based on the idea that intervals between these events were nicely regular. Through most of the 20th century, Parkfield, for example, had one every 22 years or so. But experience now shows that quakes are maddeningly unpredictable. Scientists forecast that a quake would hit Parkfield in 1988, give or take five years. They installed networks of strainmeters, creepmeters, seismometers and other instruments around the town. Their goal was to capture precursors to the expected quake, such as a pattern of subtle tremors, that they could later use to predict when another quake is imminent. The earthquake did come along—in September 2004, with one-twentieth the expected power—and with no warning whatsoever. Looking at all their measurements, scientists still have found no reliable signs that an earthquake is about to strike.
Still, by gathering ever more information about the past, paleoseismologists are becoming adept at mapping danger zones and spreading the warning, even if they can't say when the next one is due. The information, though imprecise, is useful to engineers, city planners and others who can strengthen building codes and educate the public about how to survive a major quake whenever it comes. Art Frankel, a chief architect of the USGS national seismic hazard mapping project, says such geological "hazard maps" are like charts of the most dangerous traffic intersections; they can't predict when the next car accident will happen, but they do tell you to watch out.
Due to these studies of past earthquakes, the world is looking ever more inhospitable. Paleoseismology is turning up portentous signs of past upheavals in the U.S. Midwest, eastern Canada, Australia and Germany. "We're discovering some new hazard every few months," says Brian Sherrod, a USGS geologist investigating the Seattle faults. The Pacific Northwest may not be the only place harboring such nasty surprises, but it is where the geological signs are most dramatic, the science is moving fast, and a future earthquake would be among the most catastrophic.
Subscribe now for more of Smithsonian's coverage on history, science and nature.
Related topics: Geology
Comments (4) |
I think its not a matter of if but certainly a matter of when, people need to be prepared for this for real. Its not a matter or issue to take lightly especially up in the in Oregon because the Pacific Northwest Earthquake threat is deadly serious.
Posted by Cal on June 4,2012 | 02:37 AM
where do tsunamis mainly occur
Posted by nandi on January 29,2009 | 02:24 PM
Thanks for the information! it really helps us.
Posted by Haley on January 19,2009 | 04:32 PM
Really well written and informative article on paleoseismology and the seismic consequences of living in pungent sound. I lived there many years and avoided the Alaskan way viaduct as well and to me Seattle seemed one of the most vulnerable cities on earth with few concentrated roadways, minimal rail, fragile bridges and vulnerability to not just earthquakes but tsunamis and lahars. The destruction wrought by a major quake there would likely be far more devastating than 8 magnitude repeat quake in SF. We moved.
Posted by HUGH OWENS on February 21,2008 | 02:30 PM


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SOURCE Tommy Emmanuel
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 20th two-time Grammy nominated and world-renowned Australian "fingerstyle" guitar phenomenon Tommy Emmanuel will self-release his highly anticipated live CD/DVD combo, titled "Tommy Emmanuel cgp: Live and Solo in Pensacola, Florida."
Recorded live in early 2013 in Pensacola, FL this CD/DVD set offers 17 tracks of pure Tommy Emmanuel: live, solo, and acoustic. This self-produced release includes old and new favorites, exhibiting Tommy's amazing showmanship and musical talent as he performs before a packed house at the Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio.
Emmanuel comments, "I loved recording this show because it was intimate, raw, yet I felt like I could take my time and try to play thoughtfully....it was a night to remember!"
Critics worldwide have been praising Emmanuel's live performances for years. John Sinkevits of The Grand Rapids Press recently remarked, "Emmanuel…does it all with real flair and genuine love for that instrument, so much so that even his circus-trick-like, eye-candy gimmicks seem designed not just as supremely entertaining devices for audiences but as ways to get every possible sound or squawk out of every part of his guitar."
The legendary guitarist, whose professional career spans five decades, continues to intersect with some of the finest musicians throughout the world. A household name in his native Australia, Tommy has garnered hundreds of thousands of loyal fans worldwide. Tommy's unique style-he calls it simply "fingerstyle"-is akin to playing guitar the way a pianist plays piano, using all ten fingers. Rather than using a whole band for melody, rhythm, bass, and drum parts, Tommy plays all that-and more-on one guitar. Guitar legend Chet Atkins was one of the first to inspire Emmanuel to try this "fingerpicker" style as a child. Decades later, Atkins himself became one of Emmanuel's biggest fans.
Tommy Emmanuel is an honorary Kentucky Colonel, a CGP (Certified Guitar Player), an Order of Australia Medalist (AM) and the holder of an honorary Master's Degree (MA).
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9/20 – Evansville, IN - Victory Theatre
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To purchase the CD/DVD visit http://www.tommyemmanuel.com/ -retailers can contact Edward Lawless for bulk orders at email@example.com
©2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.


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The 20km Bega to Yellow Pinch Dam pipeline and pump station has been officially opened after the $24 million pipeline project began construction in 2010.
Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water Senator Don Farrell said, "The new pipeline and pump station means up to 20 million litres of groundwater a day can be transferred to the Yellow Pinch Dam for later use.
"The groundwater will be extracted from the Bega bore fields during high flow events on the lower Bega River, which recharge the groundwater accessed by the bores. This provides the Bega Valley Shire with an additional, secure water supply. It reduces water extraction from Tantawanglo Creek, which will protect environmentally important low flows," Senator Farrell said.
Officially opening the project, member for Eden-Monaro Mike Kelly said the pipeline would be an important part of the long-term water supply strategy for the Bega Valley Shire.
"The pipeline not only provides improved water supply security for urban areas in the south of the Bega Valley Shire, it also means the projected water demands of the shire to the year 2045 will now be met," Dr Kelly said.
Dr Kelly congratulated Bega Valley Shire Council, which contributed $13 million to the landmark project, on delivering a long-term solution to meet the region's water demands.
"This project did not eventuate without considerable time and effort, as well as the understanding and flexibility of a number of landowners – I congratulate everybody who has devoted themselves to seeing this project through to completion," Dr Kelly said.
Bega Valley Shire Mayor, Cr Tony Allen said while the Bega Valley Shire had experienced two years of good rain, planning for future dry spells and the effects of climate change was critical.
"This pipeline will provide more operational flexibility needed to manage the projected impacts of climate change, and will also provide a source of water to refill Yellow Pinch Dam during the high river flows experienced here at Bega," Cr Allen said.
The Bega to Yellow Pinch Dam pipeline project was funded by the Australian Government's Water for the Future initiative through the Water Smart Australia program. The Australian government provided $10 million towards the project.


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DNC *still* advertising for astroturfers.
No, really: check out the job description. Email campaigners are responsible for planning, writing, and executing grassroots campaigns to advance the President's agenda for change. Back in December when Ben Smith reported on this the first time, the DNC's response was "Your in-box isn't going to fill itself." Which is a very unintentionally revealing statement, given that it essentially concedes that the DNC assumes that | Read More »


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Sounds like they are tightening the screws on Menendez. Gotta love it when a politico is being looked at for corruption.
Until my ophthalmologist-cousin told me about his former young associate stealing the opiates that such an office has on hand, I had no idea of such a thing.
The writer cannot even spell fellacious correctly.
One could look it up.Fallacious - Merriam-Webster Online
I think #3 was being facetious.
Are you being fastidious-#5?
Gov. Christie should start tightening the screws on Menendez NOW. Where is the Newark Star Ledger. If Menendez were a Republican CBS, ABC, and NBC would lead the evening news with this story and be demanding he resign in disgrace. Meanwhile, try to find this story.
Who could possibly be paid enough to have sex with Robert Menendez?---it just shows the desperation and poverty of the country. And yet this SLEEZE is up to head a major, major committee.......and by the way, this is not the only scandal Menendez has been dusted with over the years.
Don´t forget his illegal immigrant intern that DHS waited until after the election to arrest.
Forget it, #7, Christie blows with the prevailing wind.
Look up "fellacious" in the Urban Dictionary.
Soooo ... the media explodes with fury when a candidate, Mourdock?, stupidly tries to debate in the public square the complex ethical issue about the value of a life that is the result of rape or incest.A Democrat can be investigated for actual statutory rape and it´s all but ignored? Minors can´t consent, right?
Wonder if any other prominent perv Democrat politicians will be revealed as this latest Democrat scandal unfolds? The Media would have already crucified a Republican by now.
This could be another time that the FBI raids a place to make sure the evidence is never used. Didn´t they do that with Solyndra?
One has to laugh, at the media anyway. I recall Bob Packwood being hounded out of D.C. on a rail because of a couple of clumsy passes made at staffers after a glass (probably a bottle) of wine. Pretty harmless stuff. This matter appears to have a bit more, er, substance.
Isn´t this the guy that was walking around with Hitlery the other day....they both have the brass ones....
Now that Kerry is confirmed and about to take office Friday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee must be organized...it is doubtful Menendez will become chair and therefore it comes down to either Sen Barbara Boxer or Sen Cardin of MD...
Job #1. Make sure can gets kicked down the road till after the ´12 general election
Since Lousenberg is refusing to step aside for Booker, they are going to get rid of Menendez and slide Booker into that spot.You know Christie will go along with the deal.
Bob is having trouble with his trousers.
you can count on Martha Raddatz to ´report´ this ....
Hey these are elites are they not. Sex trafficking minors by a US senator and his eye doctor accomplice are democrats, what´s the problem? It´s not like these girls were even American.
By the way, the rumor mill is that it´s not just little girls.I´m stuck with this piece of garbage as one of two idiot Senators. Yet no one will admit to voting for him....hmmmmmmmm.
Ditto, #23!
I´m definitely visiting the wrong eye doctor. All mine gives me is stronger prescriptions!
You will see this swept under the rug in nothing flat. Menendez is the perfect Dem. Christie will do nothing; he has his buddy in the WH, who has plenty on Cory Booker too.
#22, it is Bush´s fault... he made it illegal for Americans to have relations with underage minors in other countries too.
Why wouldn´t´the FBI search the Senator´s office and orifice? Probably because they are an arm of the White House and is not doing real investigations? Anymore when I see the FBI on the back of those nylon jackets you have to chuckle.


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Thanks to Jessica Liu for putting together the next few posts on function improvements.
In Excel 2010, we made many improvements to Excel's function library. Excel 2010 will feature an accurate and consistent function library while remaining compatible with previous versions of Excel. In this first blog post, I will be giving an overview of the work we did in this area as well as talk about the function accuracy improvements. Subsequent posts will go into the details of the consistency improvements as well as the backward compatibility story.
The first area we invested in was to improve the accuracy of functions. Over the years there have been various academic papers detailing issues in Excel's worksheet functions. In Excel 2003, we started the work to address the most serious of the issues reported in these papers and in Excel 2010 we have addressed even more of these issues. Our goal for Excel 2010 was to address the most significant function accuracy issues reported. For any function we modified, we corrected all known bugs relating to that function.
We implemented new algorithms in order to improve the accuracy of our statistical, financial and math functions. We worked very closely with industry experts to determine which algorithms to use as well as to validate these new algorithms. Our hope is that Excel 2010 users will be able to utilize functions in our library with confidence knowing that they have comparable accuracy to those of other statistical packages.
The other area we invested in was making our function library more consistent. This was in response to the other set of concerns voiced in these academic papers as well as by our users. Users have noted that there were consistency issues with Excel's function names and definitions. In Excel 2010, we will offer users a set of consistently and accurately named functions as well as function definitions that are consistent with user expectations. We have introduced over 50 new functions in order to do this.
Finally, the last piece of work we did in this area was to update the functions user interface. We have improved the function auto complete feature, and we have also made changes to support the new function set.
For Excel 2010, we overhauled the function library and implemented completely new algorithms for many of our statistical, financial and math functions. The Excel team partnered with Frontline Systems, the Numerical Algorithms Group, and ScienceOps to select, implement and validate these algorithms.
The algorithms for calculating the follow statistical distribution functions have been modified or redesigned completely for better accuracy:
Binomial distribution
Chi squared distribution
Exponential distribution
F distribution
Gamma distribution
Hypergeometric distribution
Lognormal distribution
Negative Binomial distribution
Normal distribution
Standard Normal distribution
Poisson distribution
Student's t distribution
Weibull distribution
The following financial functions have improved accuracy:
Cumulative interest paid on a loan
Cumulative principal paid on a loan
Interest payment for an investment
Internal rate of return for a series of cash flows
Payment for a loan
Payment on principal for an investment
The accuracy of these additional functions has been improved:
Hyperbolic arcsine
Ceiling function
Convert function
Error function
Complementary error function
Floor function
Natural logarithm of the gamma function
Geometric mean
MOD function
Random number function
Sample standard deviation
Sample variation
As part of the accuracy improvements, we will also accept a larger range of input values and as a result will be returning a wider range of results for certain functions. For example, the ERF and ERFC functions will now take in negative input values, and the MOD function will be able to take larger input values.
In the next post, I will talk about the changes we have made in Excel 2010 to improve the consistency of the function library.
Comments: (17) Collapse
Good to see improvements in stats functions, IRR and MOD finally addressed! LINEST also had some problems, I don't know if these were already fixed. It would also be nice to have more functionality for linear and non-linear estimation/interpolation.
Another function that needs attention is PROB. The function can error on a uniform distibution of just 27 values for example. The checksum fails due to the 15-digit precision tolerance as can be checked since =SUM(ROW(1:27)*0+1/27)=1 returns false (array-entered). This function can be very useful for stats on frequency data, something that's not really feasible without UDFs otherwise. eg for ascending data (x) and frequencies (f), LOOKUP(0.5,PROB(x,f/SUM(f),,x),x) returns the (lower) median.
Since you have added over 50 functions whose name is very close to the existing ones (GAMMA.DIST() instead of GAMMADIST()), that will result in a mess with the user unable to choose wisely.
What I would have seen instead is a flag in Excel options (per workbook, or for the application), off by default, where the user can require better accuracy.
That would avoid both breaking changes and a useless row of new functions.
I'd have rather see the Excel functions team work on adding guts to some of the most powerful functions.
I'm curious what is your say on this.
I'm interested to know how the RAND function has been improved (repetition period, cryptographically secure or not). In Excel 2003, I found it baffling that the old Wichman-Hill algorithm was used - an algorithm so old that it had to be converted from Fortran. The Mersenne twister algorithm, for example, has been freely available in multiple languages for quite some time, and is vastly superior to Wichman-Hill.
"The Mersenne twister algorithm, for example, has been freely available in multiple languages for quite some time, and is vastly superior to Wichman-Hill."
Not to mention Microsoft's own CryptGenRandom function.
I would love to see the rand command within VBA given a facelift. It's the same old numbers, time after time.
With respect to the inverse probability distribution functions, the main use would be simulation, no? If so, the formulas calling these functions would change upon every recalc. I'm not sure I see a compelling need for backward compatibility in terms of function return values/[in]accuracy.
Nice to see MOD and GAMMALN on the list. Presumably this means MOD is now calling the hardware FPU remainder operation, so can now handle full IEEE 754 double precision. Also, presumably GAMMALN(1) and GAMMALN(2) both now correctly return 0.
The fix to GEOMEAN presumably means it's now implemented as =EXP(AVERAGE(LN(data))) rather than as =PRODUCT(data)^(1/COUNT(data)).
You should take a look at all the stats, matrix, and optimization functions I created for Excel & Access.
I prefer the additional function route rather the workbook flag approach you prefer.
I think few people check that sort of setting, so its better to be explicit in the face of the worksheet.
I agree it adds complexity, but that is the trade off for power and flexibility.
Having a worksheet/book flag would lead to lots of head scratching when two apparently identical functions in 2 worksheets/books give inconsistent results.
Good news, but long overdue and, without knowing which improved algorithms have been used, it's impossible to be really happy - for instance, the best application for NormSInv that I know is from Feb 2009
And will the last of the former ATP functions, that for Fourier transforms, finally get a proper built-in function?
anon & Simon: I will be describing the UI changes we have made to help users distinguish and choose between functions that are similarly named in a future blog post. So stay tuned for that!
Colin: We are using the Mersenne Twister for RAND.
Jessica, that's good news. Would there be a similar improvement in the VBA Rnd function?
Colin: We did not change VBA's RND function since that is part of VBA's math library. All of the other worksheet functions we've added are available through VBA.
Well, at least we can use the updated RAND function in VBA through [RAND()]
<p>I think it would be great if you could add a function to do a simple linear interpolation, such as in the above link. </p>
"We did not change VBA's RND function since that is part of VBA's math library. All of the other worksheet functions we've added are available through VBA."
Having the worksheet functions available to VBA is no substitute for implementing native VBA functions to the same standard.
Well not unless you have also provided a dramatic reduction in the time penalty of using a worksheetfunction call from VBA.
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Bob Adelmann
Kansas Legislature Sends Governor Strongest Pro-gun Bill in Country
Kansas has overwhelmingly passed a bill nullifying any unconstitutional federal gun laws in the state. Altogether, more than 30 state legislatures this year have considered similar bills.
Furor Over Colorado Bill to Give Secret Service Agents Police Powers
A Colorado bill has sparked a firestorm of controversy because of fears that it could be used by Secret Service agents, acting on behalf of the Obama administration, to arrest sheriffs in Colorado who refuse to enforce unconstitutional federal gun controls.
Friday's Jobs Report In Line with Reduced Expectations
Friday's jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics buttressed the position of many who have seen a widening disparity between Wall Street's enthusiasm and Main Street's gloom over the health of the economy.
Connecticut Governor Signs Toughest Gun Bill in America
At noon on Thursday Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy signed into law a wide-ranging bill in response to last year's shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The new law enhances Connecticut's already highly restrictive gun control laws.
Georgia Town Requires Every Homeowner to Own a Gun
Sleepy little Nelson, Georgia, a bedroom community of 1,314 outside of Atlanta, is gaining a lot of national attention because its town council passed an ordinance on Monday requiring every homeowner to own a gun and the ammunition to feed it.
Connecticut Lawmakers to Infringe Further on Citizens' Gun Rights
New gun control bills about to be signed into law in Connecticut on Wednesday only put further limits on the legal ownership of firearms and do nothing to limit the ability of deranged killers intent on taking the lives of unarmed innocents.
Remembering the Internment of Japanese Americans
Seventy-one years ago today an overzealous general, following unconstitutional orders from his commander-in-chief, started sending American citizens living in California to internment camps outside the state for the crime of being Japanese.
Reality Gap Between Wall Street and Main Street Widens
The battle between a stock market that moves inexorably higher and an economy that continues to languish will be won when reality is recognized: The economy is getting weaker and consequently stocks are overpriced.
Dr. Ben Carson May Consider 2016 Run for President
Following his magnetic speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, Dr. Ben Carson revealed to the New York Times that he would be willing to consider a run for the White House if "the people are still clamoring."
Proposal to Allow States to Tax Internet Sales Passes Senate
Twenty-six Republicans sided with Democrats on March 22 when the Senate voted 75-24 in favor of a non-binding but instructive resolution allowing states to collect sales taxes from internet companies doing business outside the states, overriding an important Supreme Court case along the way.


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The snow predicted for last week's Tuesday afternoon arrived early in the morning. Our drive to DIA on mostly wet, slick roads from Fort Collins took longer than expected. Once there, our noon flight was delayed because heavily overcast skies and runway conditions caused diversion of our incoming plane to Colorado Springs. We were in no hurry. Even with a delay, our 6:30 dinner reservations in Santa Rosa, California, seemed makeable. We finally left Denver about an hour and a half late. No problem – yet.
Read more: Tackling A Rental Car's SecretsOf all the plantations viewed along the Mississippi River cruise aboard the American Queen, Oak Alley fulfilled every idea of southern antebellum homes (houses built and occupied before the Civil War). Visions of Tara in "Gone with the Wind" came to mind (columned portico, wide staircase, opulent furniture, servants). Today Oak Alley may not now compare to Tara, but it probably did in its heyday.
Located on a rural highway along the Mississippi River, the plantation lays approximately half way between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, a little less than a two hour drive
Read more: Oak Alley PlantationWhen we disembarked from the American Queen in New Orleans at the end of our Mississippi cruise, little did we know we were stepping into the beginning of Carnival. Not a carnival with Ferris wheels and rollercoasters, but the city's season of fun, food, frivolity, parades, and masked balls before the somber days of abstinence during Lent.
Read more: Mardi Gras In New OrleansOver New Years we sailed down the Mississippi from Memphis to New Orleans on the American Queen. Boarding the paddlewheel steamboat was like stepping onto a larger version of the Cotton Blossom of "Show Boat" movie fame. Everywhere I looked, I saw southern Victorian items; furnishings, china, hats, gloves, dolls, wallpaper, and portraits. Specialty rooms called "The Ladies' Parlor" and "The Men's Card Room" provided quiet reading alcoves or
Read more: A Step Back In TimeBy the time this article makes the paper, my husband and I will be enjoying the last day of our cruise down the Mississippi (provided there is enough water) aboard the American Queen steamboat. Jazzdagen, our Dixieland Jazz cruise agency, hasn't offered this New Year's trip in several years. Now I know why.
The government maritime agency, which originally built the vessel, repossessed it and let it sit in Beaumont, Texas, for three years. Its sister ship, the
Read more: Roads Traveled with Linda With Linda L. OsmundsonWings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum is presenting its first Salute to the Season event on Friday, December 21 at 8:15 p.m. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
Set in historic Lowry Air Force Base Hangar No. 1., Read more: Get into the Holiday Spirit with Wings Over the RockiesFrequent travelers often collect keepsakes from their destinations: Christmas ornaments, postcards, and other items. Once friends learn of the traveler's passion, they tend to add to the collection. Grace and Carl Hittle in Fort Collins have traveled all over the world and collected nativity sets.
Read more: Roads Traveled with Linda L. OsmundsonFor several years, our son begged us to visit Crested Butte where he owns a house he rents when he or his business partner don't want to use it themselves. A little out of the way and about 255 miles from Lyons, the trip is well worth the effort.
Read more: Roads Traveled with Linda L. Osmundson


text:
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
phone +48 22 600 349 600
fax. +48 22 870 67 33
The store is the only place where the product, consumer, advertising message and money all come together at the same time.
Internet Media Services S.A. (IMS) offers advanced sensory marketing solutions, matching the needs of our clients, at the point of sale: Radio POS, POS TV, Digital Signage.
Advertising messages carried on IMS multimedia have the advantage of not only being seen and heard frequently and by large numbers of consumers, but are also very cost effective. Furthermore, the delivery method ensures that the consumer receives the advertising message while present in the retail environment.


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Newbie Help- Equifax
Posted 09 May 2012 - 03:42 PM
Been reading the forum and I've got a lot more reading to do! A lot of helpful info and it is appreciated! Hubby received a copy of his credit report from Equifax. Here are my ?s please:
1. Hard copy of report. Is the credit score not displayed? How can I obtain the credit score?
2. He has only 4 TL showing, one is an R1, R2, and I1, 09. I assume the first 3 are good while the "o9" is bad, correct?
3. The "O9" is an old acct and here is the info: last reported 2009/09/01. At this time, reported balance is $0. Addl comments: Settlement made. Closed at consumer's request. Account has been 2, 3, 4 + pymt periods behind: 0 times. All other reportings were paid as agreed. When would this reporting "fall off" the credit report? Also, is there anything I can do as far as in writing, via fax, etc to inquire to see if they will remove it?
4. Lastly, the credit inquiries that show on his file is a list of 15 dating back to 2002. Do these ever "fall off"? Is there anything that can be done to have these removed as I have heard from other sources that this attributes to negative reporting?
Any and all advice is more than appreciated! I am new to Canada and am trying to help clear up things for him so that both him and I can start with as fresh or clear a slate as possible! Thanks for your help!
Posted 19 May 2012 - 08:40 AM
-Pay them. Their "credit monitoring services" for (X)$ per month.
I assume the first 3 are good while the "o9" is bad, correct?
0 Current account/zero balance-reported on update tape
1 30 days past the due date
2 60 days past the due date
3 90 days past the due date
4 120 days past the due date
5 150 days past the due date
6 180 days past the due date
7 Bankruptcy Chapter 13 (Petitioned, Discharged, Reaffirmation of Debt Rescinded)
8 Derogatory, e.g. foreclosure proceeding, deed in lieu
9 Bankruptcy Chapter 7, 11, or 12 (Petitioned, Discharged, Reaffirmation of Debt Rescinded)
When would this reporting "fall off" the credit report? Also, is there anything I can do as far as in writing, via fax, etc to inquire to see if they will remove it?
Supposed to fall off X years passed your date of first delinquency, the first time the account was delinquent. X years because Statute of Limitations varies by province. In my case it's 6 years. Transunion has been great with this, Equifax complete douchebags.
Dear Consumer:
Thank you for your recent communication to our office.
All the information contained in your Credit File is part of your credit history. This is why it is still reported, even if the accounts are paid or settled by other means. The fact that you have paid an account on time, or did not pay as agreed, is of interest to any potential credit grantor as it reflects your actual payment history. A Credit File shows past and present credit transactions. Credit information typically remains on file for six years after the last activity date.
This account now 7 years old. Law here states:
109 (1) A reporting agency must not include in a report given under section 108 (1) (a) [to whom reports may be given] any of the following:
(o) any other information adverse to the individual's interest 6 years after the event that gave rise to the information;
Your province may vary. I have no idea about inquiries.
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text: Universal hanging bar adjusts to fit any 10'W, 12'W, or 14'W net. Extends the length of the net up to 10' from the ceiling beam (the bottom of a 14'H net would hang up to 24' from the ceiling beam). Includes three-piece steel bar with eyebolts, 5 adjustable steel I-beam clamps (3-1/2"-12"W), 63' of steel 3/8" chain, and 10 connecting links. Net sold separately.


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On entering the hotel we were impressed, especially the rooms. We were the only ones staying which felt strange. The hotel is really catered to groups of day trippers having lunch.The bathtub in my room leaked when showering, I brought this to the attention of the staff but they seemed unmoved.
- Also Known As:
- Riad Palais Didi Meknes
- Official Description (provided by the hotel):
- Didi is a descendant of sultan Moulay Sulaiman and grandfather to the present owners. Didi had 4 wives, each of them had her own quarters on the ground floor of what is now referred to as Riad Palais Didi. Today Palais Didi is a real masterpiece of Moroccan craftsmanship. Restored in the purest Moroccan style, it is organized around a large patio and a nice fountain where you would eventually refresh during the long summer days. ... more less
- Reservation Options:
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text:
995 Main Street
Brockton, MA 02301
ph: 508-583-1058
In Stock Today
Canon 5D Mark III Kits
Canon EOS 60D Lens Kits
Canon EOS 70D NEW
Canon EOS Rebel T5i
Canon Rebel T3 & T3i
Canon Speedlight 600 EX-RT
Nikon D7100 Kits
Nikon 5200 Kits
Nikon D3200 Kits
Benner's stocks the latest and greatest in photographic equipment. While others are still waiting for shipments, Benner's is putting professional equipment in your hands.
Benner's has long offered transfers to DVD. Now we have the ability to preserve your memories on stunning high definition Blu-ray disks. These Blu-ray transfers carry the worlds highest quality in picture and sound.
Call today about transfers from the following media:
Benner's Camera has a full stock of Savage Seamless Background Papers. These backgrounds are;
We have two versatile sizes in stock
53" x 12 yards (4.25 ft x 36 ft)
107" x 12 yards (9ft x 36 ft)
View our Specials page for color options
Benner's Camera Shop is proud to offer Tenba bags. The popular Messenger series can hold a digital SLR with 2-3 lenses and flash, with a 17, 15, or 13 inch laptop. Come in today to see our large selection of these high quality camera bags at great prices.
Throughout January 2012, get a FREE 5x7 when you leave an image for a Complete Photo Restoration at Benner's Camera Shop
Valid 1/1/12 - 8/31/12
Limit 1 per customer
Mention Promo Code "Restore 5x7"
US and Foreign Passport and Immigration Photos
Benner's offers quality passport photo service. Our photographers will ensure your photos are done right, and right while you wait.
Benner's also offers foreign sized passports, license and permit sized photos, and business professional portrait sittings.
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Canadian Passports
British Passports
Irish Passport
and much more, call today!
Click above to visit US State Department website on travel & Passports
Benner's still has a wide selection of hard-to-find film
We also offer processing on all film types and movie formats.
Benner's is a full service camera shop. We stock all your photographic needs. Come in today to browse our large selection of;
Benner's offers these and more products and services. Call or come in today!
Store Hours:
Monday - Friday
10:00 - 1:00
Please contact us anytime! We look forward to hearing from you.
Other Benner Web Address
Instant Rebate Progran Now In Effect Save Up To 500.00 Layaway For Christmas Free Service
Call 508 583 1058 or email us to schedule your personal class.
Click here for more details.
Highly versatile with it's unique telescopic crossbar that adjusts; from 6.5 ft to 12 ft wide and 3.5 ft to 10 ft tall, making this adjust from a very narrow to a very wide backdrop stand. It's like you are getting 2 stands in 1! Great for all size green screens and backgrounds from 5-12 feet wide and any length. Its metal construction is both strong but light and includes standard 3 year warranty. This high quality backdrop support system is highly versatile and an outstanding value that should provide years of service!
This fall Benner's is offering the deluxe background holder for 99.99. That's $69.95 off the regular price.
Benner's has all your supplies for photography class in stock today. From negative sleeves to film, we've got it all. You can also speak to one of our staff about repairing or renting film cameras and lenses.
This is the most versatile tripod we have ever seen. When not in use, this weather sealed twist lock tripod folds down to a mere 15 inches! It weighs only 2.6 pounds and comes with a professional ball head. The multi angle legs can lock in several positions allowing for shooting in awkward spaces, or flat on the ground.
The MEFOTO is on sale now at Benner's Camera Shop
Store Hours:
Monday - Friday
10:00 - 1:00
Please contact us anytime! We look forward to hearing from you.
Other Benner Web Address
A Review of Benner's Camera Shop taken from Yelp:
I went to Benner's while I was in college taking a photography course. The professor gave us a list of camera stores to go to in Boston but being from the South Shore, I looked for a local store and found this place. When I went in they were busy with other customers so I took some time to look around, and was astounded at all the equipment they had to offer. This place has everything from cameras (of course) to tripods, bags, batteries, film etc... Anyways the guy that ended up helping me was really knowledgeable about all the equipment I asked him about and took a long time to help me pick out the things I needed. I have been going to Benner's in Brockton ever since then for years to buy all of my camera equipment. I like the fact they are a specialty store with a nice selection and good prices. I also like to be able to go in and talk to the same people all the time and not just some sales person at a chain store. I hope this review helps some folks looking for a nice local store to do business in.
Mark F.
Easton, MA
Thanks, Mark! We appreaciate the chance to help our customers with whatever they need, and it's always nice to hear that we're doing a good job!
Canon Authorized Dealers are required to meet Canons high customer service and support standards.
Look for the Canon Authorized Dealer Logo to ensure the integrity of your purchase.
When you buy from a Nikon Authorized Dealer like Benner's Camera Shop,
in addation to a large selection of Nikon products and top notch customer service you get:
Nikon products not distributed to authorized dealers or resellers by Nikon Inc.
(commonly referred to as grey-market products) are NOT eligible for these benefits.
| ||
995 Main Street
Brockton, MA 02301
ph: 508-583-1058


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209 results for "leukemia"
Caleb Porter Coach of Year; Kevin Alston gets comeback honor
Associated PressMLS news
Story | Conversation | December 02, 2013 -
Years of friendship set up Pagano-Arians
Josh WeinfussTEMPE, Ariz. -- One of the first calls Bruce Arians made after he found out Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia last September was to his son, Jake, who raced up I-65 from Birmingham, Ala., to be by his father's side. ...
Blog | November 22, 2013 -
Colts helped Arians prepare to lead Cards
Josh WeinfussTEMPE, Ariz. -- There wasn't a manual on how to be an interim coach. There wasn't a playbook or film for Bruce Arians to study last year when Chuck Pagano called to tell him the news. Pagano was diagnosed with leukemia and would be leaving the Ind...
Blog | November 20, 2013 -
San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants among those to support ...
The sports world went batty for Batkid.
Story | Conversation | November 15, 2013 -
Afternoon Links: Batkid Saves San Francisco, Our Hearts
Zach DionneA 5-year-old leukemia patient named Miles got to play Batman Jr. on Friday, courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and 10,000 amazing volunteers in San Francisco. There was a packed itinerary — Batmobile driving, rescuing a woman the Riddler ti...
Blog | November 15, 2013 -
Jarrod Lyle makes cut at Australian Masters
Two-time cancer survivor Jarrod Lyle made the weekend cut in the Australian Masters in his first event in 20 month.
Story | Conversation | November 14, 2013 -
Arians understands Phillips' position
Tania GanguliHOUSTON -- The coaches facing each other Sunday in Arizona are two who have been in similar shoes. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians took over last year in Indianapolis as Colts coach Chuck Pagano underwent treatment for leukemia. Starting today, Texan...
Blog | November 06, 2013 -
North Carolina Tar Heels coach Sylvia Hatchell responding to leuk...
The doctor overseeing North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell's leukemia treatment said the recently inducted Naismith Hall of Famer is doing well.
Story | Conversation | November 01, 2013 -
North Carolina Tar Heels' Andrew Calder fills in as Sylvia Hatche...
Longtime North Carolina women's assistant coach Andrew Calder said Tuesday he's focused on keeping the Tar Heels on course until head coach Sylvia Hatchell can return from treatment from leukemia.
Story | Conversation | October 15, 2013 -
Women's college basketball - Support pours in for Sylvia Hatchell...
As soon as news of Sylvia Hatchell's leukemia diagnosis broke, coaches and players around the country tweeted their support and good wishes to the North Carolina coach.
Story | Conversation | October 14, 2013 -
Hall of Famer Sylvia Hatchell of North Carolina Tar Heels has leu...
North Carolina women's basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell has been diagnosed with leukemia.
Story | Conversation | October 14, 2013 -
Jarrod Lyle to return to pro golf at Australian Masters
Cancer survivor Jarrod Lyle will make his professional golf comeback at the Australian Masters in November ahead of a possible return to the PGA Tour.
Story | Conversation | August 14, 2013 -
Shawn Burr, former member of Detroit Red Wings, dies at 47
Shawn Burr, who played 16 years in the NHL, mostly with the Detroit Red Wings, died Monday. He was 47.
Story | Conversation | August 06, 2013 -
Revs' Kevin Alston relishes return after leukemia diagnosis
Kristan HeneageSurrounded by a clutch of media in the New England Revolution's locker room last Saturday, Kevin Alston knew he was once again immersed in the life of being a professional soccer player. With a smile beaming from ear to ear and still wearing his unif...
Blog | August 01, 2013 -
Chuck Pagano of Indianapolis Colts honored by Football Writers
Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano has won the George Halas Award from the Professional Football Writers Association for overcoming adversity.
Story | Conversation | June 17, 2013 -
Florida forwards befriend 'awesome kid'
Eamonn BrennanEarlier this offseason, we got to see former Kentucky forward Nerlens Noel and his friend, a 7-year-old leukemia sufferer named Kelly Melton, swag it out at the Kentucky Derby. Today, we have a similar story, this time from Florida, where rising seni...
Blog | June 03, 2013


text:
(AFP) – Jul 18, 2012
BRUSSELS — Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, a key player in the fight against Islamist extremists, was "critical" in hospital in Brussels Wednesday, diplomatic sources told AFP, though his government denied he was unwell.
The one-time Marxist who toppled the bloody dictatorship of Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991 was in a life-threatening condition, said a diplomat who asked not to be named.
"He is in a critical state, his life is in danger," said the diplomat.
"He is in a critical state but is alive," said another.
In Addis Ababa, however, government spokesman Bereket Simon denied reports that the 57-year-old premier who has held power in the populous African nation for over two decades was ill. "He is not in a critical state. He is in good condition," the spokesman told AFP.
In Brussels, the Ethiopian embassy refused comment.
It said earlier this week that reports Meles was being treated at a hospital were "false and wrong", a rumour created by "an interest group which has preoccupied itself in disseminating such untrue stories".
But several diplomats in Brussels said he had been undergoing regular treatment on a private basis at one of the city's major hospitals for some time, and had been in hospital for some days.
No information was available on his illness and hospital officials declined comment on grounds of medical confidentiality.
His death could have dire consequences in the already unstable Horn of Africa, said diplomats in Brussels. "He has imposed his will on his neighbours" and is "a pole stability between Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia."
Questions surfaced about Meles's health when he missed a two-day African Union summit Sunday and Monday in Addis Ababa, apparently for the first time.
Meles's wife, herself a lawmaker, declined to talk to reporters about her husband.
One of the last times Meles was seen in public was at the G20 meeting in Mexico on June 19.
Dozens of African heads of state visited Ethiopia for the summit, including newly elected Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, the first to do so since an assassination attempt in Ethiopia on former president Hosni Mubarak in 1995.
Benin's president and current AU chairman Thomas Boni Yayi said at the opening of the summit that the "unusual absence... cannot go unnoticed, because we know that Mr Meles is full of dynamism and leadership in our meetings".
Meles has been vilified by some as a dictator and praised by others as a visionary.
A key ally of the US in the fight against regional Al-Qaeda linked Islamists, Meles sent troops into Somalia to topple the Islamic Courts Union in 2006.
He sent troops back in five years later in 2011 to fight the Islamist group that had sprung up to replace the ICU, the Shebab.
Last week, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay condemned a "climate of intimidation" in Ethiopia after a court jailed a journalist for 18 years for "terrorism" and 23 other reporters and activists for between eight years and life.
Pillay said the overly broad definitions in a July 2009 anti-terrorism law had resulted in "criminalising the exercise of fundamental human rights".
Born May 8, 1955, Meles abandoned his medical studies before turning 20 to join the Tigray People's Liberation Front and fight Mengistu's regime.
In 1989, he took over the group's leadership and then forged a broader coalition with other regional movements to make up the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), now the country's ruling party.
With US backing, the rebellion toppled Mengistu in 1991, a year after Meles abandoned Marxism.
Meles also fought a bitter war from 1998 to 2000 with neighbour Eritrea, which broke away from Ethiopia and won independence in 1993 after a 30-year struggle.
Copyright © 2013 AFP. All rights reserved. More »


text:
Freespirit Girls Metallic Tassel Slipper ShoesShimmering with metallic style, these girls slipper shoes from the Freespirit footwear collection feature tassels to the front for a trendy textured finish. The slip-on style of these girls slipper shoes is a cool casual choice for everyday wearing. While the tassels bring classic elements of the moccasin shoe to mind, the stylish shape has a smart refined finish. Cute and comfortable, these flats are a fabulous pick for bringing a shiny edge to her outfits. Style-savvy girls can don these tassel shoes with skinny jeans and an over-sized t-shirt. Add a snuggly cable knit cardigan to the look on colder days. Useful info:
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By Kenneth Hunter, Guest Blogger
The picturesque riverfront of Wilmington, North Carolina, was the scene for academic and practitioner discussion and collaboration during the 30th Southeastern Conference of Public Administration (SECoPA), held October 13th-16th.
The conference, held at the Wilmington Hilton Riverside, was attended by 326 academics and practitioners, including 123 current students of public administration.
More than 70 sessions were held where academics and practitioners at the federal, state, and local level presented research on topics ranking from finance and human resources, to nonprofit management, environmental policy, and comparative theory. Along with heavy representation from institution in the southeastern US, the conference also saw presenters from across the country, as well as visitors from India, Singapore and Turkey.
Traditional sessions were complemented with special offerings featuring Wilmington's new convention center and collaborative visioning process. A pre-conference presentation by the Alliance for Innovation focused on the importance of innovation, partnerships and organizational renewal in the current environment of government fiscal crisis.
Plenary luncheons featured presentation of annual SECoPA awards, along with engaging presentations by Meredith Newman, ASPA President, and the Honorable Carolyn Justice of the North Carolina General Assembly. Dr. Newman's presentation focused on the need to improve response capacities in anticipation of potential crisis and disaster, while Representative Justice focused her remarks on the importance of a personal commitment toward ethics for those in public service.
Winners of 2010 SECoPA awards include:
Donato J. Pugliese Award
Professor Ed Jennings, University of Kentucky
Senator Peter B. Boorsma Award
Professor Alan Rosenbaum, Florida International University
Distinguished Public Service Practitioner Award
William E. Solomon, J.D., Miami-Dade Parks & Recreation
Robert Kline Award (Best Master's Student Paper)
Meredith Howes, University of Kentucky
Morris W.H. Collins, Jr. Award (Best Ph.D. Candidate Paper)
Winner – Gina Scutelnicu, Florida International University
Honorable Mention – Matthew Howell, University of Kentucky)
Attendees were impressed with the conference's positive atmosphere, along with the visible work put forth in organizing and hosting the event by the University of North Carolina at Wilmington's MPA Program.
"(UNC-Wilmington Professor) Tom Barth and company are to be congratulated for putting on a first rate conference," said past SECoPA Chair, Dr. Steven Condrey. "The annual SECoPA conference is a clear model for other regions to follow in designing a conference that unites the academic and practitioner communities."
As conference chair, Dr. Barth declared this year's SECoPA a rousing success. ""It was gratifying to see the wonderful mix of faculty, students and practitioners at theSECoPA 2010 Conference."
"I have discovered first-hand what makes the annual conference so special….tremendous cooperation, collegiality and a welcoming atmosphere for many students and practitioners who are presenting for the first time," Barth added. "However, it was also special to see so many leading scholars from the field also in attendance, sharing their insights and offering suggestions. Thank you to all the SECoPA 2010 participants!"
During the final evening reception, attendees learned about plans for the 2011 SECoPA, scheduled for September 21st-24th in New Orleans. A raffle and silent auction were also held, raising $1,370 for the SECoPA Endowment Fund.
"Once again, I left a SECoPA Conference energized about the many panels I attended and proud to be a part of an organization that takes its work seriously," said incoming SECoPA Chair, Dr. Dorothy Norris-Tirrell.
To learn more about SECoPA, visit their website, http://www.aspaonline.org/secopa.
ASPA Member Kenneth Hunter is an MPA graduate of The University of Georgia with more than a decade of experience in local government finance. Kenneth is the Budget & Evaluation Manager for the City of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Association for Budgeting & Financial Management and is a Board Member and Webmaster for the North Carolina Local Government Budget Association. You can follow Ken online via Facebook & Tumblr.


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text:
STORAGE SEARCH: The U.S. government continues to search for a safe geologic home for the spent nuclear fuel from the nation's nuclear power plants.
Image: markwgallagher, courtsey Flickr
The embarrassing and damaging failure of U.S. policy on spent nuclear fuel can be repaired if the administration and Congress begin work now on new strategies, the co-chairmen of a presidential commission said yesterday.
"The basic choice here is whether or not we're going to continue a system that has not worked for 40 or 50 years ... or do you try going toward with a new approach," said former Indiana Rep. Lee Hamilton (D), co-chairman of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future (BRC), which issued its final report yesterday.
The BRC proposes establishing one or more interim storage facility for spent reactor fuel and beginning a search for a permanent geological repository.
Both would be managed by a new federally chartered organization like the Tennessee Valley Authority, and would require the consent and support of the host states, tribes and communities, the BRC proposes. The Yucca Mountain waste fuel repository in Nevada was approved by Congress without such comprehensive state support and has been sidetracked by the Obama administration at the behest of Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
That has left operators of U.S. reactors and decommissioned nuclear plants no alternative but to store spent nuclear fuel on-site and has exposed the federal government to costly lawsuits for breaching its contractual commitment to remove and store it.
"This is an urgent matter. It is a problem the government has not solved. It is creating all kinds of negatives for the U.S. in many different ways," Hamilton added. "We think we have a way forward."
Hamilton and co-chairman Brent Scowcroft, a former national security adviser, said in a joint interview that the Energy Department and the administration can initiate parts of the new policy now, even though Congress would have to rewrite the Nuclear Waste Policy Act to carry out the plan's fundamental changes.
A legislative and financial challenge
New legislation would be required to create the proposed new nuclear waste management organization, and to create interim waste storage facilities before a new permanent geological repository is opened. Both the interim and permanent facilities should be developed simultaneously, the commission said.
"That is probably a year at a minimum, or two years, to achieve that," Hamilton said of the proposed new federal corporation. "We certainly don't want the DOE to stop in its track to wait until the new organization is in place." DOE can continue discussions with communities that may volunteer to host interim or permanent storage sites and begin work on the challenging issues of transporting spent fuel, he added.
The administration should also act to secure the roughly $750 million that utilities and their customers pay in each year to the Nuclear Waste Fund. It was intended to finance a permanent federal storage program, but now goes into general government funds to fund current spending, leaving the industry and ratepayers with a congressional IOU, the BRC said.
"The commission is putting pressure on to try to straighten out this financial challenge," said Richard Meserve, a commission member and former Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman. "The $750 million disappears into the Treasury. It should be held instead by a reliable custodian to make sure that money is available when needed and doesn't have to be appropriated for the federal corporation."
Congressional attention on spent fuel has been riveted on the Yucca Mountain controversy, particularly after Energy Secretary Steven Chu shut down the program and NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko halted the NRC's licensing review. "In light of the current $15 trillion federal debt, I'm not sure why this administration and Senator Reid insist on spending even more money trying to find alternatives to something that is already in place," said Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.).


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Thursday Nov 14 | Click2Houston
Deer Park student arrested over social media threats
Nov. 14, 2013: Deer Park police have arrested a ninth grade student who allegedly made several threats on social media using an anonymous account.
Are you smart enough to be a US Marine?
What's the youngest age at which the death penalty should be applied?
Dunkin' Donuts to open 12th Houston-area store this month
The Deer Park location, at 3313 Center St., will open at 9 a.m. Nov. 23. Festivities and giveaways begin at 8 a.m., and Deer Park city officials will be among those in attendance for the ribbon cutting ceremony at 9:30.
Petry brings Deer Park pride at state meet
In a league dominated by Wyoming and Indian Hill, Deer Park High School's Adam Petry made a name for himself this fall by qualifying for the Division III state cross country meet at National Trails Raceway in Hebron.
Most Halloween horror stories turn up false
Children have risked their lives on Halloween night for decades, braving their mothers' warnings of poisoned candy and child abductors in pursuit of the night's unlimited supply of candy.
FBI: Suspect threatened to open fire with an AK-47 at La Porte school
LA PORTE, Texas A dozen La Porte ISD schools were put on lockdown Friday after an ominous threat was phoned into a tip line.


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Hainanese Chicken
by Dawn T in Rouxbe RecipesMoist and flavorful poached chicken is served with a delicious aromatic rice. Hainanese chicken is typically served with s...
Comments: 5 | Views: 12455 | Success: 100% |
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Moist and flavorful poached chicken is served with a delicious aromatic rice. Hainanese chicken is typically served with s...
Comments: 5 | Views: 12455 | Success: 100% |
I have cooked this dish maybe twice, but have eaten this dish over 50 times, from hawker centre to high end restaurants. They are all good. I had tried another chicken very similar to this, called Drunken chicken. You marinate the cooked chicken in Maotai wine overnight and served it cold. It is very yummy too. I think you can used the rice wine, it will work, maybe cook off the liquor if you like before marinating.
I want to make this recipe this weekend for dinner; my go to shop for exotic ingredients only has Pandan Leaves Extract, 70% leaf extract and 30% water. Do you think I can substitue the extract, and, if so, in what proportion? Never having used the leaves in real life, I cannot envision how to equate the the leaf to the extract. So sorry to bother. Should it just be a suggestion to the rice? Maybe I'll go to the boroughs and see if I can find it. Or if was originally a chinese dish in origin, I could go down to Chinatown to the asian market.
I suggest starting with just a bit and then see how it goes. Pandan is sort of like vanilla, so use the extract like you would vanilla extract.
Pandan leaves are the best, if you can find them, but in a pinch the extract will do. Many Asian stores sell the leaves either frozen or fresh.
Good luck Julie!
and found a place once highlighted on the FN a Bobby Flay segment, featuring asian products. The web site looks like the place sells frozen Pandan leaves in 3/4 packs. I should be able to go crosstown and down after my VO tomorrow afternoon. If I make it tomorrow, should I let the flavor develop overnight? It sounds to me like a yes answer.
Thanks for your help Dawn. You are the BEST!
You can develop the flavor...but really you will still get a load of flavor from them just by adding them to dishes as is. A good tip is to poke the top of a leaf with a fork. Then use the fork to shred the leaf all the way down. Then tie the leaf in a knot and away you go.
Here is a drill-down with a bit more info on Pandan Leaves
Happy Cooking!
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Let's go to the mall
Water Tower Place is suddenly a hip place to shop again. No, seriously, it is.
What a difference a few months make. It was just the beginning of summer when TOC lured three shoppers away from Water Tower Place. We deemed the Michigan Avenue mall a tourist trap and were looking to take them to neighborhood destinations with more authentic Chicago shopping—or at least somewhere that didn't house shops easily found in any suburban American mall. But guess what? Things seem to be changing at Water Tower.
The Gap is gone, and storefront vacancies have been replaced by some smaller boutiques with no other Chicago locations. Don't get us wrong, Water Tower Place still has a very mallish feel. (American Eagle Outfitters? Check. The Limited? You betcha. The Territory Ahead, a store featuring western wear for the menopausal crowd? Uh…yeah.) But ever since General Growth Properties Inc., a local mall operator, purchased the venue four years ago, it's been taking steps in a cooler direction.
Sure, on a recent visit to the shopping center, we saw the same old suspects: European tourists taking advantage of the weak U.S. dollar, Croc-clad families from Iowa and suburban teens playing with the dancing water fountains lined along the escalators. But we also noticed other groups of shoppers: fashionistas wearing designer denim and carrying high-end bags, as well as hipster dudes in skinny jeans and Chuck Taylors. It's the anti-mall type of shopper who usually avoids places with food courts and favors designer boutiques along Oak Street or indie shops in Wicker Park.
"Our goal is to put together a new retail collection that appeals to sophisticated shoppers," says Katie Lindsay, assistant marketing manager for General Growth. MNG by Mango—the Barcelona-based boutique known for delivering shipments of budget-friendly women's clothing twice a week—was one of the first stores that fit that bill in 2006. At the time, the shop had no other Chicago locations. It's since opened outposts in Northbrook and Oakbrook malls, but the Water Tower store remains the only Mango on Michigan Avenue, which fits in with General Growth's plans to keep a majority of the shops in Water Tower exclusive. "We're always looking for stores that are unique, with some of them not even having other locations in the Midwest," Lindsay says.
The plan seems to be working. Betsey Johnson recently moved her boutique from Halsted Street in Lincoln Park to the mall's second level. Aritzia, the trendy Canadian chain, just opened. And the only Chicago location of Hollister and Cusp, an offshoot by Neiman Marcus, is set to open this fall. According to Lindsay, Water Tower currently has the largest number of exclusive stores that have no other locations in the city. "When you think of any of the other shopping centers [and buildings along Michigan Avenue], they always have the same old stores," she says, referring to shops like Express, a former Water Tower tenant. "We're looking for special boutiques."
The mall also appears to be courting a few local stores looking for a bigger, more diverse customer base ranging from the boutique shoppers of Bucktown to tourists. Skinstinct, the eco-friendly boutique based in Lakeview, opened a location on the fourth level earlier this year, and Lindsay hints that more Chicago-based shops could be on the way. Local retail giant Akira had a space in the mall but vacated in May because its temporary lease expired. "Without a doubt, malls are not cool," says Akira co-owner Eric Hsueh. "But, it was an awesome experience." Akira was supposed to occupy the space only during last year's holiday shopping season, but Hsueh says he had such a great relationship with Water Tower that he signed a lease for another six months—and suggests Akira could be back sometime next year. "You can really see the effort," he says of the mall's planners. "They have a certain game plan and are focused on fashion."
The only thing that doesn't seem to fit in with the mall's new, more fashionable image is American Girl Place, set to take over the former Lord and Taylor space next month. According to Hsueh, the doll mecca—which currently occupies digs just down the street from Water Tower—is the highest-grossing business on Michigan Avenue. The addition of American Girl Place is all about bringing in more money, which in turn, allows General Growth to focus on bringing in more specialty boutiques. As long as the fashionistas don't mind stepping over life-size dolls to get to Betsey Johnson, it shouldn't be a problem.


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Finally, an issue Republicans and Democrats can agree on: The Justice Department went too far in secretly obtaining phone records from the Associated Press that covered parts of two months and more than 20 separate lines. The department says it needs the records to investigate how AP uncovered a story about a foiled terrorist bomb plot in Yemen. And White House press secretary Jay Carney was correct in saying "a balance needs to be struck" ...
Obama and his minions are mired up to their eyeballs in scandals, what with Benghazigate, the IRS targeting of conservative groups for harassment, and the Justice Departments secret grab of Associated Press phone records, not to mention the lingering Operation Fast & Furious debacle.
A world-famous entertainer announced that she and her boyfriend were splitting up in one of the saddest tweets I've ever read: "We have decided to go our separate ways. Please respect our privacy."
The still-rugged beauty of the Santa Clarita Valley provides a natural appeal for motorcyclists. For the past six years, chapter 101 of the legendary Boozefighters Motorcycle Club has enjoyed our rural spirit and open roads by making Canyon Country their home.
SAN JOSE (AP) - Brent Burns helped San Jose jump off to a fast start with his second goal of the postseason and the Sharks tied their second-round series against Los Angeles at two games with a 2-1 victory over the Kings in Game 4 on Tuesday night.
ANAHEIM (AP) - Mike Trout hit for the cycle and drove in five runs, Josh Hamilton celebrated his 32nd birthday with a homer and a triple, and Howie Kendrick also went deep in the Los Angeles Angels' 12-0 rout of the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Summoned by Congress, a key figure in the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups plans to invoke her constitutional right against self-incrimination and decline to testify at a congressional hearing on Wednesday.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Officials at the University of California, Los Angeles say a man was found dead on campus after an apparent fall from a building.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Far-reaching legislation that grants a chance at citizenship to millions of immigrants living illegally in the United States cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a solid bipartisan vote Tuesday night after supporters somberly sidestepped a controversy over the rights of gay spouses.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - About 17,000 Californians with serious medical problems will be moved from a state-run stopgap health insurance program to a federal plan starting in July, ensuring they will have no break in medical coverage until the national health care reforms kick in next year, state officials announced this week.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - California is sending six specially trained urban search-and-rescue workers to Oklahoma to assist recovery efforts after Monday's tornado.
CALABASAS, Calif. (AP) - Many areas of sprawling Point Mugu State Park that have been off-limits since this month's big wildfire on the outskirts of Camarillo and Thousand Oaks will reopen in time for the Memorial Day weekend.
MOORE, Okla. (AP) - The principal's voice came on over the intercom at Plaza Towers Elementary School: A severe storm was approaching and students were to go to the cafeteria and wait for their parents to pick them up.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate voted Tuesday to keep a $400 million annual cut - or roughly a half of 1 percent - to the food stamp program as part of a major five-year farm bill.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Here's a rule that only applies to dog beaches: they are all clothing optional.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - He said he would eat a bug to get you to buy a car. He promised that he would even stand upon his head until his ears were turning red if you would just, "Go see Cal."
PARIS (AP) - The world's largest solar-powered boat has docked on the banks of the Seine River, its final port of call after a three-month voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to study how the Gulf Stream and climate change could influence each other.
AMSTERDAM (AP) - A painting that sat for six decades in a Norwegian industrialist's attic after he was told it was a fake Van Gogh was pronounced the real thing Monday, making it the first full-size canvas by the tortured Dutch artist to be discovered since 1928.
JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Richard Van As, a South African carpenter, lost four fingers from his right hand to a circular saw two years ago.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Apple is expected to unveil its latest take on the iPhone Tuesday during an annual ritual that will probably cast a spotlight on the gadget maker's drive to regain market share and its sluggish pace of innovation.
I am noted for my exclamation marks in ending a sentence when I submit a letter to the editor to the SCV Signal, which seems to annoy some posters.
Today, President Obama will address the nation and try to convince a skeptical American public why it's important to take limited military action in Syria as retaliation for President Bashar al-Assad last month allowing chemical weapons to be used against civilians, killing nearly 1,500 people, including more than 400 children, with sarin gas.
Does any American believe that Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance, 28, should remain in a military prison for the next 20 years for "murder" after giving a legitimate order to his soldiers to fire at three Afghan men on motorcycles, killing two in the process?
This summer, the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce will host the third annual Patriot Luncheon on July 11 at the Hyatt Regency Valencia.
Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich will address the Santa Clarita Valley business and community leaders on May 1 at the fifth annual State of the County Luncheon.
We all know that perception often influences our decisions, yet we catch ourselves and become reminded that what we perceive isn't always what's really going on. With the constant barrage of information available in today's 24/7 world, it's important to not get caught up in the day-to-day market volatility and news headlines. That daily hype doesn't always dovetail with what Wells Fargo Advisors top strategists are observing in the financial marketplace.
Bayless is…
With everything from nationally ranked academic programs to effective career education opportunities and college placement services, Hart district students are afforded every opportunity to excel in an increasingly competitive academic environment.
Whether priorities are schools, recreation or convenience and friendly neighborhoods, home buyers are finding that Fair Oaks Ranch by Pardee Homes fills the bill.


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Few events in the imaging arena have commanded more attention than the current revolution going on in nuclear medicine. The spark for this revolution is the development of technology that permits the widespread use of the powerful tumor imaging agent, F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Over the last 20 years, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has developed an impressive body of data concerning FDG applications in oncology.
As Dr. Henry Wagner points out below, these advances were restricted to only a limited number of patients. The capital cost of dedicated PET equipment and the lack of widespread availability of FDG impeded the spread of the technology. Commercial radiopharmacies already are delivering FDG and will be expanding their role in the future.
With the advent of gamma camera FDG imaging, the number of sites capable of imaging FDG will increase by 50% this year alone. Although there are limitations to the technology, overall it enhances the diagnosis of tumor distribution in a number of diseases, ranging from lymphoma to lung cancer. Multicenter clinical trials currently are under way to define more precisely the accuracy and document the impact on patient management of FDG imaging on gamma cameras.
Indeed, we are fortunate to have Dr. Henry N. Wagner, Jr., prepare the review below for us. Dr. Wagner is one of the best known nuclear physicians in the country. His involvement with PET imaging over the last few years gives him a unique perspective on this issue. We are pleased to present this brief introduction to the state of a new art.
Robert E. Henkin, MD, FACNP, FACR
Professor, Department of Nuclear Medicine
Loyola University Medical Center
Maywood, IL
A postgraduate course entitled "Nuclear Oncology: From Genetics to Patient Care," was held at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions between April 7 and 9, 1997. Investigators from around the world presented increasing evidence that Fluorine-18 deoxyglucose coincidence imaging helps detect metastatic cancer of the head and neck, breast, lung, liver, and colon.
Dr. Peter Valk, of the Northern California PET Imaging Center, who has performed over 3,000 PET studies with FDG in patients with cancer, reported the impact of FDG studies in the care of patients with brain tumors, head and neck cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer. In those patients with brain tumors, the FDG study is indicated when an MRI or CT shows new areas of contrast enhancement that may represent either residual or recurrent tumor or radiation necrosis. The demonstration of major survival differences between patients with and without FDG accumulation in these lesions further validates the use of PET for differentiation of recurrent tumor from radiation necrosis.
Dr. Valk further described a study comprised of 33 patients with known or suspected recurrence of squamous cell cancer of the head and neck. FDG imaging was more accurate than CT or MRI in detecting local or regional recurrence. FDG studies often revealed unsuspected distant metastatic cancer. In 99 patients with lung cancer, FDG was more accurate than CT in the diagnosis of metastatic mediastinal nodes and distant metastases. Detection of unsuspected metastatic disease by PET resulted in a decrease in the number of patients who underwent thoracotomy directed at the removal of all cancer.1-3
Dr. Richard Wahl, of the University of Michigan, summarized a worldwide literature search on the use of PET FDG studies to separate lung cancer from benign disease in patients with solitary pulmonary nodules on chest radiographs. FDG was useful in nodules greater than 1 cm in diameter. A recent multicenter study found PET to be greater than 90% sensitive in determining whether a solitary pulmonary nodule was malignant, with an acceptably small number of false positives.
Dr. David Mankoff reviewed data concerning FDG studies in breast cancer. Whole-body PET imaging was used to detect recurrent or metastatic disease. Both FDG and carbon-11 methionine were helpful in determining the response of the lesions to therapy. At Mankoff's institution, the University of Washington, FDG PET studies provided new staging information in over 60% of the patients and significantly affected therapy in approximately 89% of the cases.
Dr. Paul Shreve, of the University of Michigan, reported his preliminary results in the use of dual-headed coincidence imaging with a modified SPECT system. In studies of 34 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, he compared the results of dual-headed gamma camera coincidence imaging to a dedicated PET system. Dr. Shreve reported that, in nearly every case, the results were the same; however, in many cases, the definition of the lesions was better with the dedicated PET than with the dual-headed system.
The dual-headed coincidence imaging system used by Dr. Shreve was developed by ADAC Laboratories and is based upon earlier systems. The use of a gamma camera to image positron emitting radionuclides, such as Fluorine-18, was first described by Hal Anger in 1957. Gerd Muehllehner then advanced dual-head coincidence imaging in the 1970s using analogue detectors, but the images were limited by low count rate capabilities. He subsequently developed a dedicated PET imaging system, called PennPET, in the mid 1980s and formed UGM Laboratories. The PennPET system uses gamma camera detectors built with high-speed digital electronics to achieve the necessary counting rates.
ADAC Laboratories and UGM further developed the digital electronics to enable both single photon and positron coincidence imaging to be performed with the same dual-headed gamma camera. The positron imaging is called molecular coincidence detection (MCD) and was shown by ADAC Laboratories at the annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine in 1995. The results were impressive, and the brain images were deemed "Image of the Year."
Examples of two FDG/MCD studies of patients with lung cancer are shown in figures 1 and 2. CL, a patient of Dr. John Sweeney at Boone Hospital, had a positive CT scan revealing a lesion in the left lower lobe of the lung. On the MCD study, the lesion seen on the CT had a high FDG uptake. There was no evidence of lymph node involvement.
EJ was a patient of Dr. George Sfakianakis at the University of Miami. The CT scan showed tumor in the left upper lobe but no lymphadenopathy. The FDG/MCD study showed avid accumulation of FDG in both the primary tumor and a mediastinal node. The patient had a left upper lobectomy. Pathology results were positive for squamous cell carcinoma and metastases in the visualized perihilar lymph node.
One of the major advantages of a multipurpose dual-headed camera is that a single imaging device can perform both single-photon imaging and coincidence imaging. These systems retain the capability of imaging tracers emitting single photons as well. Radiopharmaceuticals such as Tc-99m sestamibi or similar agents used for the detection of multidrug resistance to cancer chemotherapeutic agents may be imaged. These devices also may study receptor-imaging agents, such as In-111 somatostatin analogues.
The addition of the coincidence capability to the gamma camera, by increasing the crystal thickness to five-eighths of an inch, has not resulted in any significant decrease in the effectiveness of the camera for technetium-99m or other single-photon-emitting tracers. The thicker crystal increases the detection efficiency for Tc-99m by 10%, and higher energy emitters, such as I-131, Ga-67, and In-111, have even larger increases in the detection efficiency. This should improve the image quality of scans involving these radionuclides even further. Thirty systems of this type have been installed by March 1997.
The coincidence system has four to eight times greater counting efficiency than the use of high-energy collimators for FDG collimator-based SPECT for positron-emitters. The dual-headed coincidence systems have a larger axial field of view than dedicated PET systems and, therefore, can image a larger area of the patient with a single acquisition. The spatial resolution of dual-headed coincidence imaging is less than 5 mm, which compares favorably with dedicated PET. Most of the dedicated PET systems, however, have a full ring of detectors around the patient and, therefore, have a higher geometric efficiency that leads to higher image quality in clinical studies. Another advantage of dedicated PET systems is the higher count rate capability. This higher count rate capability permits the use of 10 mCi of FDG, as compared to 5 mCi used in the coincidence gamma camera system.
At the conclusion of the conference, the attendees unanimously agreed that FDG imaging will play a major role in the care of many oncology patients. Half of them responded that the approach that they themselves would take is to image FDG with a dual-headed coincidence system.
The use of dual-headed coincidence systems will allow more widespread use of FDG imaging for the management of cancer patients. Centers that previously have not had access to PET technology may now be able to offer their patients FDG imaging for oncology evaluations. AR
1. Gupta NC, Frank AR, Dewan NA, et al: Solitary pulmonary nodules: Detection of malignancy with PET with 2-[F-18]-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose. Radiology 184:441-444, 1992.
2. Knopp MV, Bischoff HG: Evaluation of pulmonary lesions with positron emission tomography. Radiologe 34:588-591, 1994.
3. Valk P: Clinical application and cost-effectiveness of PET in colon cancer. Nucl Med Biol 23:737-743, 1996.


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Through his own story and the remarkable experiences of others, Brian Hardin inspires you to read the Bible for the adventure it is. In Passages, he answers your questions about reading Scripture, encourages you with practical ideas, and shows you that reading the Bible every day will change your life.
Many Christians feel guilty when they think of reading the Bible. Though they want to love reading Scripture, they rarely have time for more than a few verses on the run. But the Bible is not meant to be a burden. It is the story of God's passionate love for His children. It is also not a book of mystical incantations. It is a best friend offering counsel and companionship. And it is not a distant relic, but something very near. Near enough, in fact, to be every reader's story. So how do Christians delight in this story rather than see it as a source of failure? The founder of the immensely popular Daily Audio Bible, Brian Hardin shows readers how reading through the Bible in a year will change their life and the lives of others. Passages shows readers how to read the Bible and offers practical ideas for immersing themselves in God's life-giving words. Here readers will discover that reading the Bible can be a breathtaking adventure.