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The Susan G. Komen foundation has reversed its defunding of Planned Parenthood, at least temporarily, but the falsehoods and hypocrisy haven't ended. An investigation has revealed that at least four other organizations have received Komen money while under Federal investigation, while others have been the subjects of recent investigations, and a lot of the money Komen hands out was provided by sponsors who were also being investigated.
The Komen foundation hasn't been leveling with the public. Even its apology was disingenous.
The organization is behaving more like Bank of America, one of its most prominent sponsors. Like a Wall Street bank, its using its monopoly power to crush competitors, dictate its terms to the public, and to speak both disingenously and hypocritically to the American people. The Susan G. Komen organization has become "too big to fail."
"Our original desire was to fulfill our fiduciary duty to our donors by not funding grant applications made by organizations under investigation," said a statement issued today. But the evidence shows that no such policy was ever enforced for anyone but Planned Parenthood.
"We will amend the criteria to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political," the statement continued. Yet criminal investigations were ignored, and only the politically-based investigation resulted in action. The only logical explanation is that this policy never existed, or was invented solely for the purpose of defunding Planned Parenthood.
Monopoly to Monopoly
And while the alleged policy was aimed at grant recipients, not donors, the charity's increasingly implausible claim reeks of hypocrisy when the sources of its money are considered. Several large Komen donors are also the targets of past or current investigations. Bank of America, which is prominently displayed on the Komen website as a member of its "Million Dollar Council Elite," has paid tens of millions to settle fraud charges in recent years as the result of "Federal investigations."
The Susan G. Komen Foundation targeted Planned Parenthood for moral scorn to justify a decision that we now know to be political, while accepting money from organizations that are under investigation and giving to others in the same condition.
That's what happens when a single charity pursues and achieves excessive control over one area of need. Like B of A and other large banks, it's a monopoly that's leveraging its size and influence improperly. Case in point: The foundation chose to cut funding for stem cell research. Given its size and dominance, that's a serious threat to this critical avenue of research.
The Komen website includes a sales pitch to corporate donors which notes that "Americans believe it's more important than ever for companies to be socially responsible ... In fact, 83% of Americans wish more of the products, services and retailers they use would support causes ..."
It's now clear that the foundation has a double-standard about who it gives money to and receives money from, and no compunction about using its well-known (and well-guarded) name to provide marketing clout and the appearance of good behavior to some bad corporate actors. And when it came to Bank of America and Komen, it was a case of one monopoly helping another.
Double Standard
In the aftermath of its move to defund Planned Parenthood, Susan G. Komen officials said it had adopted a new policy of refusing to fund any institution that was under Federal investigation. CEO Nancy Brinker (who travels first-class at foundation expense, according to financial documents filed with the government) put it even more broadly when she said that the group had the "right to cancel if a group is under investigation" - which presumably means any investigation.
Despite the new presence of a Sarah Palin-endorsed anti-choice politician as its Public Policy Director, and despite new revelations that it quietly stopped funding stem cell research, the Komen Foundation continues to insist this isn't a politically motivated move. They claim they would cut funds for any organization that's under investigation.
The easiest way to defuse the controversy would have been to list other groups that were losing funding under the same policy. They didn't, which strongly suggests no others have been affected. And look who receives Kamen funds and hasn't lost funds.
Based on its latest legal filings, which is nevertheless only a partial listing of grantees, a casual review reveals five organizations which are under Federal investigation yet still receive Komen funds. (There may be many more; this is what a quick read-through revealed.)
Before we begin, let's be clear: We're not suggesting that these institutions don't do terrific work in the search for a cancer cure, or that their funding should be compromised in any way by the existence of these investigations. The purpose of this exercise is strictly to demonstrate that the Komen Foundation's stated reason for slashing Planned Parenthood funding is demonstrably false.
That said, here are the institutions whose current or recent investigations seem to undermine the 'under investgation' rationale for defunding Planned Parenthood.
Harvard University is currently under Federal investigation for allegedly discriminating against Asian-Americans and is also being investigated for violations of the Animal Welfare Act after a monkey died in its research labs.
Yale University is currently under Federal investigation for failing to adequately address sexual misconduct and harrassment.
Columbia University is currently under Federal investigation for religious discrimination.
University of Texas was the subject of an IRS investigation regarding its executive salaries and compensation.
Massachusetts General Hospital paid a million dollars last year after an investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services regarding HIPAA (patient privacy) violations.
The Komen foundation also continues to give funding to the University of Madison, where a cancer researcher was forced to resign after internal investigations disclosed unacceptable conflicts of interest. And while we were conducting this research, Adam Serwer at Mother Jones noted that Penn State is also receiving Komen funding while it is under investigation.
The Million-Dollar Council Elite ...
When it comes to Federal investigations, a review of its business partners is even uglier. Consider the corporate members of its "Million Dollar Council Elite":
Ford Motor Corporation has been the subject of multiple Federal investigations in the last two years alone. Probes involved defective floor mats on Ford Fusions, a jack defect on the Ford Freestar that was said to have caused at least one death, and an investigation of multiple potential defects on the Ford F-150 truck.
American Airlines is currently locked in a dispute with the Pension Fund Guaranty Agency, which filed $91 million in liens against the company the day before yesterday. The Federal agency accusing American of "pocketing pension relief money instead of putting it into workers' retirements," as the Associated Press reported. No doubt there was a "Federal investigation" before these liens were filed.
And while breast cancer is a great cause, one might well also ask why a corporation that says it's too broke to honor its pension obligations belongs to the "Million Dollar Council Elite" program.
... Million Dollar Settlements, That Is
But nobody outdoes Bank of America, which is featured on both the Komen Foundation's "Million Dollar Council Elite" page, and on its plain old, non-elite "Million Dollar Council."
Bank of America is currently under Federal investigation regarding charges it has illegally foreclosed on borrowers. It stands accused of committing widespread mortgage fraud, including what was allegedly the largest 'robo-signing' operation of them all. ("Robo-signing" is the falsification of court documents, and the filing of false court documents is perjury.)
Bank of America has settled fraud charges with SEC six times in the past fifteen years. Each settlement was the result of a 'Federal investigation.' With each settlement it promised to stop committing the same form of fraud. And yet it has done so anyway, at least five additional times.
Bank of America hasn't just been the target of many Federal investigations. It 'significantly hindered' one of those investigations. As Shahien Nasipour noted in a summary of the mountain of evidence against the bank, a Federal auditor stated that "HUD's internal watchdog issued two subpoenas requesting documents and information, and what was returned was incomplete, had conflicting information, and in some cases, the bank provided excerpts of documents rather than the complete record." An auditor also said that the bank refused to permit a walkthrough of its mortgage documents unit.
The HUD's internal audit – a Federal investigation – concluded that the bank knowingly provided the US government with false information. A Federal investigation of the bank's foreclosure activity is ongoing, and was recently joined by New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Any organization that cuts ties to Planned Parenthood over investigations while advertising its ties to Bank of America is guilty of gross hypocrisy.
Resist - But Give if You Can
It would be tragic if women's cancer services lost funding as a result of this scandal. But the Susan G. Komen foundation story appears to be one of power abuse, corporate cronyism, and politicized decision-making. The Komen group has been extremely aggressive in its attempts to force other such groups off the field so that it can dominate breast-cancer giving.
That's too much power for one organization to have – especially if it has shown itself to be unwilling to act transparently and change direction when it abuses that power. Stem-cell research is a highly promising avenue for a cure. If the organization that's moved so aggressively to dominate funding refuses to fund it, an approach has been partially obstructed that might eventually save millions of lives in the future.
I'm not rich, but I plan to give more money to both Planned Parenthood and another cancer research organization as a result of this incident. I hope others will do the same. This could all turn out for the best, especially if the fall of one organization raises breast cancer awareness and increases support for treatment and research.


text:
Convective wood stove Pyrotron Country with cooking top (Bullerjan stoves) are highly-effective heating equipment for autonomous heating of living quarters and commercial accomodations. The differential pecularity of the stoves Pyrotron Countryи (Bullerjan) by Rud Exhaust System manufacturing is high economical operation and capacity of the stove although they have similar dimensions like stoves of other manufacturers. Unique patented supplementary firing system of furnace gases «Pyrotron», provides ecological compatibility, high efficiency, high capacity and economical operation. The part of air circuits of the supplementary firing system of furnace gases «Pyrotron» are placed pn the rear wall of the stove. This is the cause of the additional reinforcement plate. However the price of the stove is the same, in other words you get the stove woth higher capcity and possibility to heat larger area for the same money.
Stoves are manufactured according to the standard TU U 28.2-38198149-002:2014. Wood stoves Rud Pyrotron Country have successfully passed the tests in European Laboratory and have the Certificate of Quality, Ecological Compatibility and Safety of European sample according to the standards EN 13240-2001 and EN 13240-2001/A2:2004.
Wood stove Pyrotron Country [Type 02] with cooking top allows you to heat any living and industrial accomodations with area up to 80 sq.m. (ceiling height - 2.5 m). It operates on solid fuel: briquettes, wood logs and wood waste etc. Efficiency of the stove is more than 75% due to biphase fuel combustion: the first phase - the fuel is smouldering and evolving furnace gases; the second phase - furnace gases burn away completely. Due to this one loading of fuel is enough for continuous heating during 6-12 hours.
Colour of stovebase - whichever. The stovebase is not included to the set and is ordered additionally.
Technical characteristics
|Convective heating wood stove Rud Pyrotron Country P-01 with cooking top
|Room volume, m3
|Capacity, kW
|Efficiency, %
|Fuel consumption, kg/h
|1.387 - 3.147
|Temperature of issuant chimney gases, Сo
|Height, mm
|Width, mm
|Weight, kg
|Diameter of the chimney, mm
Characteristics are confirmed by Test Report #153000016/314/3 от 07.12.2015 Testing Laboratory TZBaS is given Certificate #0033/104/2015
High-quality stainless steel. Pipes are bent on the modern industrial mandrel bending machine with CNC without ovalization and narrowings in the places of bending, diameter - 76mm. Semi-automatic welding on industrial welding equipment. Plasma cutting machine with CNC is used for manufacturing several parts of the stove.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
See how Toyota vehicles compare against the competition. Start by choosing your Toyota vehicle and a competitor to learn more on how they stack up.
The 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser offers a powerful 381-hp V8, along with some serious off-road capabilities, to help you tackle some of the toughest terrain. But even though it's rugged on the outside, inside is all luxury, with spacious heated and ventilated semi-aniline perforated leather-trimmed front seats, plus a cooler box mounted in the center console to keep everyone's refreshments even more refreshing.
See how the 2018 Toyota Land Cruiser compares against the 2017 Land Rover Range Rover. For starters, a comparably equipped price on Land Cruiser V8 4X4 is $8,420 less than the Range Rover Base. Land Cruiser V8 4X4 has 8 Cylinders while Range Rover Base has 6 Cylinders, and horsepower on Land Cruiser V8 4X4 is 381@5600 while 340@6500 on Range Rover Base. Finally, Land Cruiser V8 4X4 has 384 more pounds of standard towing capacity and 384 more pounds of maximum towing capacity than Range Rover Base.


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Pancreatitis can be a serious illness for a dog. Many times it is painful and can be life threatening. If a dog has any symptoms of pancreatitis; such as vomiting, not eating, lethargy, and/or is walking around with their back arched up, pancreatitis could be the culprit.
The links below have a wealth of information regarding canine pancreatitis.
The spec cPL test can rule in or rule out pancreatitis. Link with information regarding the spec cPL test: http://www.idexx.eu/smallanimal/refe.../spec-cpl.html


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This May Be Where We Leave It
The redbuds are in full bloom and the iris and peonies are coming soon. The backyard frogs are warming up for a long night of love songs. After a day of bike rides and running and playgrounds the children are having a frankly ridiculous dance party in the back yard accompanied by the music blasting from our living room. The calendar is obscene and I am thrilled to be going to work tomorrow. There are troubles too, of course, and hardship and woe, and I am luckier than I could ever have imagined.
Miss you, love you, thank you.
State of the Union
My baby is five. Sure, he still says "lemember" for remember and "bigtar" for guitar but I know he's just humoring me because I have to buy him new shoes every three months and despite my best efforts he insists on learning how to read. He could happily eat nothing but meat all day every day with maybe some frozen peas thrown in for variety. He remembers every single thing that has ever happened to him since birth, as near as we can figure, and he uses it against us on a regular basis. Five. My baby. Five.
My not-baby made a chocolate cake with two kinds of frosting and decorated it pretty much entirely by herself. I figure tomorrow I will just teach her how to drive and then she can dispense with this whole parenting facade and get herself an apartment, except that she will have to come over every morning so I can strap the velcro on her shoes which she refuses to do for herself.
I bought a minivan. I know, I know, but I hate how much I love it. I'm working on developing some sort of minivan-mom gang signs that we can flash each other when we pass in the elementary school carpool lane. Something that means "yes I'm driving a minivan, but only ironically" or "we win cupholders" or "maybe you should put your latte in one of your many cupholders before you flash minivan gang signs next time." I'll host several convenient training sessions once I have them finalized.
Third or Maybe Fourth Sort-of Annual Cactus Fish Christmas Card Exchange
Well! That was a very brief blog resurgence, wasn't it? The good news, however, is that I just ordered my Christmas cards. No, wait, the good news is that Chris just ordered our Christmas cards because he designed them. Twice. The first design was great but it was also $102 for 50 cards and I told him there was no way in hell we were paying that and he'd better get his virtual butt over to Costco right quick and start over. Which he did, because he loves me. Or maybe just because we are both pretty tired tonight and he didn't have the energy for a fight. The better news than that is that since Chris did the cards this year I didn't have to, and it is usually my job and not my tippy-top favorite holiday task. But the other good news is that Costco cards are pretty cheap and once you order 50 it is even cheaper to add on a whole bunch more and that bunch more are going to you nice people, if you would like to have them. Just in case you haven't participated before, here's how it works:
- If you want to exchange cards with me, leave a comment on this post and I will email you.
- Please for the love of god do not put your mailing address in my comment section.
- No lurkers. Sorry, lurkers, I love you, I truly do, but you aren't getting my address unless we have had some level of two-way communication over the years and I feel reasonably sure you aren't going to run over to my place and steal my kidneys.
- If you request a card from me, you have to send one back. Fairs fair.
- I'll do Canada, but anywhere else takes too damned long. Sorry Europeans! And Aussies! And everyone else!
- I won't do do Canada, get your minds out of the gutter.
- While supplies last - I'll post a follow-up once I think I've maxed out my available cards, but please forgive me if I run out before I get back here to beg for mercy.
- How impressed are we that I remembered how to do bullet points? Very impressed indeed.
We started making gingerbread men on Thanksgiving morning before Owen was born. We turn on the parade, cut out the cookies, decorate with homemade frosting, and have eaten enough to be in a full on sugar crash by the time Santa gets to Macy's. When I told the kids today that we were going to be making gingerbread men tomorrow, I was met with a resounding and stereophonic "Do we have to?"
And then when I announced that I would be making cinnamon rolls (from scratch, mind you) for breakfast tomorrow, Mia said "But why?" and Owen said "Ew, gross." And then they both said, "Do we have to eat them?"
Yes, yes you do. And you have to make gingerbread men as well. I'm making your childhood memories here, goddamit, now smile and have fun.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, my dear old friends, and may all of your children participate in your family traditions without whining.
Let You Entertain Me
What are you watching?
I'm watching Sons of Anarchy season whatever they are on now and Dowtown Abbey season 2. Chris and I are caught up on Walking Dead and working our way through a backlog of Mad Men. We watched all of The Booth at the End over the summer. Otherwise, we watch a couple of shows that we mostly hate and sometimes, like last night, get sucked into some sort of Intervention marathon and stay up entirely too late watching something we will never watch again.
We have cable and Netflix streaming and Hulu and Amazon Prime and there must be something better out there with which to pass the mindless hour a night between when the children finally fall asleep and we head upstairs ourselves, but we haven't the foggiest what it might be. So tell me, what's good? It doesn't have to new, in fact we both like to have an entire series of something available in case we like it.
Oh, and you will notice a total lack of comedies on my list. That's because I have no sense of humor. You can recommend them though, and I'll pass the ideas along to Chris for the nights I'm out.
Sometimes it is fine, really, almost totally fine. And other parents and other kids have it so much worse, and really it is fine, and probably totally normal, and developmentally appropriate or at least he will likely grow out of it but really nothing to worry about. Except that maybe it is, something to worry about I mean, but how am I to know, I'm not an expert.
And that, my friends, is borderline. And we are, so many of us, trained not to raise a stink for anything less than egregious. We mind our manners. We wait and see. But sometimes even the most reticent among us have to stand up and say, or really, stand up and yell, wait, this isn't right. This is my kid, and this isn't right.
Which is why Owen - challenging, trying, sweeter than a chocolate factory Owen - has both a full speech evaluation and an (almost unbelievably unrelated, but I assure you that it is) ENT appointment to determine whether he needs to have his adenoids removed coming up in the next month. And Owen loves teachers, so the speech thing is no problem, but man does he hate doctors, bringers of throat cultures and shots.
Poor thing. But I'm the mom, and something, somewhere, isn't quite right. Not quite. Borderline. Sorry, baby, but it is my job to stand up and yell about it.
Go Turkey Go Turkey Go
I started running in mid-August. And then I went on vacation and then I started running all over again at the beginning of September. I did Couch to 5k via a handy dandy iPhone app and lots of full-blast Pandora and I hated almost every minute of it but lo and behold, by the end I could run 5k without stopping or dying along the way. And after that I added some distance so that I've actually run 5 consecutive miles a couple of times now.
None of this is all that interesting, except that I have been trying, off and on, to be a runner for about 12 year now, and in all those 12 years I never once managed to put three miles together. I never managed it because I wanted to be fast. I couldn't just run a mile, it had to be an eight minute mile. Never mind if I hadn't exercised in a year and smoked a pack a day. And as soon as I ran one mile I started planning how I would run a marathon. I never, ever made it to a race of any kind. I would burn out, or break my foot, or get pregnant, or something else would happen and I would give it up cold.
And then yesterday, I ran my local Turkey Trot. My goals were to finish and to run the entire way. And I did. I put together some 10-plus minute miles and I high-fived my kids and Mia made me a sign and I ran every step of those 5000 meters and finished just over 32 minutes and I hated every single second of it. But I did it. And now that it is over I am overly proud of myself and feel the need to brag. A lot.
Now, did I ever tell you about that time I got an A in Calculus?


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Acer A500 Restore Factory Hard Reset Remove Pattern Lock
Acer A500 Restore Factory Hard Reset Remove Pattern Lock
It will remove all the data ,contacts and apps that you installed
Holding Volume UP, Turn on Power, then switch Lock On/Off back and forth with Volume Up Continually held. THIS STARTS THE RESET, wait for 20 sec. to start Android. You may have to perform a reset if your tablet fails to respond when buttons are pressed or the screen is tapped.
To reset your tablet use a small thin object (such as a paperclip) to press the recessed reset button.
Insert a small thin object (such as a paperclip) to reset power to the tablet.
ACER Iconia Tab A500 Clean boot
A clean boot will restore your tablet to the factory settings.
Warning! This will erase all your personal information, any contacts stored on your
tablet and any programs you installed.
Open Settings from the application menu, then tap Privacy > Factory data reset; click Reset tablet and then Erase everything to format your tablet.
After a certain number of wrong entries, you will be presented with an option to reset your pattern. Tap Forgot pattern? and enter your google
account username and password.
Note: You must have an active Google account on the tablet. If not working do a clean boot.
How to Install any iconia A500 patch
Install an update.zip file on your Iconia A500 tablet check acer website here
1. First copy update.zip file to your FAT or FAT32 microSD card.
2. Copy Update.zip to the microSD card, but delete everything else on the card.
3. Power off your fully charged A500 tablet with the microSd card inserted.
4. Press and hold the Volume Down key then press and hold the Power key together.
5. When you see the LED turns on, release Power key but still hold Volume down key.
The Acer logo will appear on the screen and the tablet will vibrate.
Still press Volume Down key until you see "Erasing cache before SD update…" message.
The update.zip file will be automatically installed and then your tablet will reboot.
A500 system update: Select Apps, Settings, About Tablet, and System Update.
Acer A500 Restore Factory Hard Reset Format Phone.So lets start the Acer A500 Restore Factory, Acer A500 Hard Reset.Turn Off the mobile phone for few mints.Acer A500 Remove Pattern Lock.


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Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area
Tad Xay and Pha Xay is in Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area of Laos.
Tad Xay and Pha Xay are considered to be the most beautiful waterfalls of Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area (PKK). They are actually two falls within less than a kilometer. The stream Houay Xay has its source in the northern mountains of the park, meanders through dense and relatively untouched evergreen and dry deciduous forest, and finally empties about 2,5 Km north of Ban Hatkhai into the Nam Mang, one of the three major rivers of the PKK area. This small stream appears to be a calm and gentle creek with little water during the dry season (October to May). As soon as the rain starts to fall, though, it turns as quickly as it dried out into a roaring "wild dangerous beast" for the rest of the year. Particularly in September, Tad Xay id nothing than a thundering white wall.
By reaching Tad Xay, the crystal clear waters Houay Xay are cascading over seven 1-3 meter steps, and then flowing in a sharp curve to the left through a picturesque small valley, just to plunge only 800 meters downstream over a steep 50 meters cliff info a breathtaking forested gorge.
"Tad" means waterfall in Laotian, "Pha" - cliff, "Houay" - stream, "Nam" - river and water.
Flora and fauna[edit]
Get in[edit]
By Car or Bike[edit]
Can be reached directly from Vientiane by car or motorbike. Turn left short before entering Thabok (Km 90, highway 13 south), the dirty (and during dry season, very dusty) road leads to Ban Houay Leuk (5 Km). Always follow the road signs "National Park". After crossing iron bridge over the Nam Leuk turn right after 1 Km. Two kilometers on, you'll pass another small village, Ban Hatkhai, which is the "gateway" to this part of the park.
For the time being, a bridge only half a kilometer before Ban Hatkai collapsed end of 2002, and is not passable during the rainy season, but can be by-passed without major problems during the dry season through the riverbed. The waters can be very deep there. Makeshift bridges have been constructed several times, but were later torn away by torrential waters. These bridges were also very narrow and shaky and it'a on the nerves of the driver to cross. The construction of a new, solid bridge turned out to be very costly for the villagers and it may still take some time to repair it.
The remainder of the road to Tad Xay and Pha Xay is inside the forest and may occasionally get a bit rough and steep. This part after Ban Hatkhai, about 7 km long, is amazingly good. Finally, you reach the parking area, from where you are to explore the beautiful surroundings by foot.
Highly recommended for people who want to experience more of the really beautiful nature around: Ban Hatkhai offers well trained guides, who will bring you to Tad Xay on a rewarding trip by boat (45 min) and relatively easy trekking (about 1,5 hours walk) through wonderful jungle. Other treks to different destinations can be booked as well.
By Boat[edit]
Ban Hatkhai can also be reached by boat from Thabok (a little bit more than 2 hours). It's not a regular tour so you have to find someone to bring you there and negotiate for the price.
Public transport[edit]
From Vientiane is available from bus stations at Talat Sao (Morning Market) or at Talat Thad Luang. These buses or pick-ups pass either Thabok or go once a day directly to Ban Hatkhai. Irregular and often overcrowded public transport is also available from Thabok to the Long Xan valley, passing Ban Houay Leuk. 1 km after this village at the junction Tad Leuk/Tad Xay, leave the car and walk for about 2 km.
Get around[edit]
Starting at parking area, two trails are marked with colored triangles:
There can be fallen trees on the path which you'll have to climb over. After 200 meters you'll reach the viewpoint.
The safety fence is there, but should be approached with ultimate care. It's going down 50 meters straight and can be very slippery when wet. The cliff is not fenced over its entire length.
It is also a very good place for a picnic. A large pool with clear water all year round at the foot of Tad Xay invites visitors for a refreshing bath. Please bring back your rubbish and do not use soap in the water.
See[edit][add listing]
Do[edit][add listing]
Buy[edit][add listing]
Eat[edit][add listing]
Drink[edit][add listing]
Sleep[edit][add listing]
Stay safe[edit]
Get out[edit]


text:
Ergobaby Adapt Baby Carrier: Cool Air Mesh - Deep Blue
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text:
Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for Florida Saturday ahead of Tropical Storm Isaac.
"That's standard protocol to make sure we can coordinate our efforts with federal, state and local so we can have the proper response," he said.
U.S. & World
As Tropical Storm Isaac swept across Haiti, killing at least three people, forecasters continued issuing new watches and warnings for parts of Florida.
As of 11 p.m., Isaac was located about 65 miles northeast of Camaguey, Cuba, and 340 miles east-southeast of Key West. The center of Isaac was nearing the north coast of Eastern Cuba. Isaac had maximum sustained winds at 60 mph and was moving northwest at 17 mph.
The storm was expected to strengthen over the next 48 hours and be at or near hurricane strength when it reaches the Florida Keys.
A hurricane warning was issued for the Florida Keys, including the Dry Tortugas, the west coast of Florida from Bonita Beach southward to Ocean Reef and Florida Bay, according to the National Hurricane Center.
A hurricane watch was also extended for the Florida east coast from Golden Beach southward to Ocean Reef, and Andros Island in the Bahamas, the hurricane center said.
A hurricane watch was issued for Miami Beach and part of Miami-Dade County but no evacuations have been issued.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for Florida's east coast from Sebastien Inlet southward to Ocean Reef, the Florida west coast from North of Bonita Beach to Tarpon Springs, including Tampa Bay, and remains in place for Broward and Miami-Dade counties. The tropical storm warning was also in place for the Cuban provinces of Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spiritus, Villa Clara, Camaguey, Las Tunas, Granma, Holguin, Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo, the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands.
A tropical storm watch was in effect for the Florida east coast north of Sebastian Inlet to Flagler Beach, the Florida west coast and the Florida Panhandle north of Tarpon Springs to Indian Pass and the Cuban provinces of Matanzas and Cienfuegos.
A track closer to or over Cuba would likely weaken the storm opposed to a track over water.
South Floridians were urged to monitor the progress of Isaac throughout the weekend. Winds will increase locally early Sunday and peak during the afternoon and evening. Gale force winds are currently forecasted to end Monday morning.
"I think the general scenario is going to hold in terms of it moving roughly parallel to the northern coast of Cuba in a northwestern direction and the models can bounce around and move, but we are not doing to try to convey a consistent forecast. I don't think that's going to cause us to change any of the warnings or watches for the southern part of Florida later today," said hurricane center director Rick Knabb.
In addition to wind, abundant rain is expected with 4 to 8 inches in South Florida. There may also be higher amounts, perhaps up to 12 inches.
Scott said evacuations would be determined locally.
"It's very important that everybody watch the weather, listen to local officials because they'll be making the decisions," he said."Everybody has to get ready for this."
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus announced Saturday that the bulk of the GOP's convention in Tampa will be delayed until Tuesday afternoon due to Isaac.
Priebus said the convention will convene briefly Monday and then immediately recess until Tuesday afternoon, once the storm is expected to have passed.
GOP Delays Bulk of Convention Due to Isaac
Some 70,000 delegates, journalists and protesters are expected at the event.
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez issued an evacuation order for residents living in mobile parks and low-lying areas prone to flooding Saturday afternoon. Public schools in Miami-Dade and Broward counties will be closed Monday.
Gimenez said tropical storm force winds from Isaac could begin in South Florida as early as tomorrow morning. He urged residents Saturday to begin putting up their shutters, gather supplies and fill up their cars with gas.
"You should begin putting up your shutters now. Even tropical storm winds can cause damage so you shouldn't wait until the last moment to protect your home," he said.
Miami International Airport will remain open but seven flights had been cancelled on Saturday. The Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport was also to remain open, but 120 flights were cancelled between Friday and Sunday. Click here for status of flights there.
In Broward, Chuck Lanza, the director of the Broward County Emergency Management Division, encouraged residents to brace for tropical storm conditions.
"We're going to have potentially tropical storm winds for 24 hours," he said, adding that he would be going home to put up his hurricane shutters.
"All the personal preparedness stuff they should have taken care of already - their food, their water, their supplies - what we want them to do now is to look at their house and start protecting their homes," he said.
Two special needs shelters will open at 3 p.m. for residents with medical conditions or disabilities.
Residents pre-registered for the shelters will be contacted and given specific locations. For additional information call (954) 831-4000.
In Miami Beach, officials said the city was in an evacuation zone, even though no orders had been issued. They urged residents to get supplies for each member of the household for at least three days.
Monroe County began strongly recommending that visitors leave the Keys if they can, but officials did not issue a mandatory evacuation. Four shelters in Monroe will open at 2 p.m.
Officials said Saturday residents living in low-lying areas, mobile homes and boats should seek shelter. Snake Creek Bridge will close at 3 p.m. and parks and beaches will close at 2 p.m.
Key West International Airport and Marathon Airport will close at 7 p.m. and reopen when the tropical storm winds subside.
Meanwhile in South Florida, forecasters said residents should not let their guard down and begin preparing for the storm.
"Today is really the day when we need to start doing our preparations because by tomorrow, especially for mainland South Florida, at least by late tomorrow morning, we could already be starting to experience the first tropical storm winds," Robert Molleda of the National Weather Service told NBC 6.
"It's a pretty large storm," Molleda said. "That tropical force wind field, even if the center passes over the lower Keys, Miami-Dade and Broward County will likely see some tropical force storm winds, probably for most of the day on Sunday."
The center of Isaac is expected to move near or over eastern Cuba later Saturday. Forecasters expect Isaac to become a hurricane Sunday.
Florida Power & Light said they had 7,700 workers ready to respond, including 5,200 line and vegetation workers.
The storm brought heavy rain to Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
A woman and a child died in the town of Souvenance, Sen. Francisco Delacruz told a local radio station. A 10-year-old girl died in Thomazeau when a wall fell on him, said Marie Alta Jean-Baptiste, director of Haiti's Civil Protection Office.


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The Great Crab Hunt
After reading Bryan Waterman's definitive account of crabbing near the San Juan Islands in Washington I have a newfound interest in going crab hunting and eating the flesh of the freshly killed crustaceans. And by "going crab hunting" I mean "watching other people do the dirty work" since I have no proclivity towards handling live seafood and I'd probably get a finger pinched off after poking a crab in the wrong spot. But after all the catching and killing is done I bet the rewarding mountain of steamed crab tastes really good.
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There's yogurt and lemons in the fridge, it's near midnight and I cannot fall asleep. Instead I wander food blogs like a nomad, doting over pretty pictures of summer fruits and decadent cakes topped with billows of soft whipped cream. I pause here for a moment, such a happy, simple cake. One I could have a slice from right before going to sleep, and another slice when I wake up.
So I baked this yogurt cake in quiet of the rainy Manoa night, omitting the rum and grating in the zest of a single lemon. A tender light, lemony slice with a hot cup of tea put a smile on my face and I went to sleep quite content.


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You are Here:
/ Latest NRCS science and technology helps agriculture mitigate climate change
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has developed the world's largest soil carbon dataset to help producers and planners estimate the impacts of conservation practices on soil carbon levels. USDA is committed to reducing agriculture's carbon footprint, as Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack discussed in a June 5 address at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The Secretary outlined USDA's modern solutions for environmental challenges.
"It is our obligation to equip landowners with the most up-to-date information and technical assistance so we can mitigate the impacts of climate change and help secure sustainable food production systems for the American people," said NRCS Acting Chief Jason Weller.
Soil has tremendous potential to store carbon, which reduces the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, one of the leading greenhouse gases contributing to climate change.
Storage potential varies among soils, land covers, land uses and management, and NRCS soil scientists took 148,000 individual soil samples and evaluated them for carbon content. This Rapid Carbon Assessment, or RaCA, dataset serves as a baseline or snapshot in time for the amount of carbon each soil type is holding.
"By understanding our soils' current carbon content, we can target the ones with the greatest potential to store additional carbon. Planners can use models (where accuracy is enhanced by RaCA data) to better predict the impact a conservation practice might have on enhancing the soil's carbon content," Christopher Smith, NRCS soil scientist, said.
Increasing soil carbon is also the single most important component of soil health, Smith said.
Several conservation practices, such as conservation crop rotations or planting cover crops, help increase carbon storage in soil. These crops take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and deposit it into the soil as organic matter. They also help reduce erosion and increase water-holding capacity and water infiltration, which increases the resiliency to drought, heavy precipitation and extreme temperatures.
Landowners can calculate how much carbon their conservation practices such as cover crops can remove from the atmosphere with the new tools, COMET- Farm™ and the Agricultural Policy Environmental Extender, or APEX model.
COMET- Farm™, developed in partnerships between USDA and Colorado State University, is a free online tool that allows producers to enter information about their farm or ranch management practices and receive general guidance on actions they can take to build carbon in their soil.
APEX, developed in partnership with Texas Agrilife Research, Texas A&M, and USDA's Agricultural Research Service and NRCS, is planned for use by NRCS conservation planners and private technical service providers. This tool will also assist NRCS and landowners with properly managing nutrients to keep a balance between soil carbon gains, production goals and impacts on water quality.
The Rapid Carbon Assessment, COMET- Farm™ and APEX open the door to new possibilities for producers, said Dr. Adam Chambers, scientist with the NRCS air quality and atmospheric change team in Oregon.
If carbon can be quantified, verified, and then sold into carbon markets, it is "another potential revenue stream for producers," said Chambers.
As of Jan. 1, California began regulating a cap and trade carbon credit market for industries. The first to do so, the state is looking for agricultural greenhouse gas emission reduction and carbon sequestration projects to provide offsets into their regulated markets, he said.
"The Rapid Carbon Assessment provided baseline data on how much carbon is in each soil type. COMET-Farm™ can then be used to show how different management practices can increase that soil carbon," said Chambers, who is guiding the work in environmental markets for the agency through NRCS Conservation Innovation Grants programs.
To find more information on COMET- Farm™, APEX, the Rapid Carbon Assessment and how NRCS can help you mitigate climate change, visit your nearest NRCS field office.
This announcement is one of many USDA efforts to help America's farmers, ranchers and forest owners adapt to new challenges caused by a changing climate – ranging from more intense weather events, to increased risk of wildfire, to a greater prevalence of invasive species. While assessments on the future of agriculture and forestry show that climate change holds these and other challenges in the years ahead, American producers are longtime leaders in innovation, risk management and adaptation. USDA has supported these efforts for more than a century. Now we are developing new tools to help rural America create climate solutions and play a role in President Obama's comprehensive effort to reduce carbon pollution. More information on USDA's work is available at www.usda.gov/climatesolutions.
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service helps America's farmers and ranchers conserve the Nation's soil, water, air and other natural resources. All programs are voluntary and offer science-based solutions that benefit both the landowner and the environment.
Follow NRCS on Twitter. Checkout other conservation-related stories on USDA Blog. Watch videos on NRCS' YouTube channel.
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Athens Christian coach Ron Link said all week that his Eagles would need to play with heart to beat No. 1 North Cobb Christian.
Athens Christian did just that along with a hefty helping of William "Turtle" Jackson as the Eagles snipped North Cobb Christian 78-76 in the Class A Private School State quarterfinals at Athens Christian's Sports and Music Complex on Wednesday.
Jackson scored 36 points and hit a pair of free throws with 3.8 seconds left to push the Eagles into the state semifinals for the second consecutive season.
"This just feels great," Jackson said. "This just goes to prove that if you put God first, you can do anything. This is all about the man upstairs."
Athens Christian (24-4) will play either Greenforest Christian (22-4) or Calvary Day (20-8) at 8:30 p.m. on Friday at Kennesaw State.
"It feels so good," Athens Christian guard DeMarcus Evans said. "The preparation we had last year going to the semifinals made us ready. We got great experience from the players last year like (Zach) Lillie and (Zack) Resop and that helped us this day."
Athens Christian trailed most of the game and was down by 21 early in the second half. But Jackson scored 22 points in the fourth quarter to help Athens Christian come back. The game turned when Evans and James Howell drew charges in the last minute that enabled Athens Christian to take the late lead.
"We had to have more than just Turtle step up," Link said. "We had to have other guys step up and they did that. We took six charges. That was the key and all that is, is heart. We played with a lot of heart tonight. We've got to win with all of it."
Demetrius McWhorter scored 12 points and had 10 rebounds for Athens Christian. Marcus Mattox scored nine points, Evans hit a late layup and scored eight points. Howell scored seven and Brett Blanton finished with six points.
"Our coach has taught us to never give up," Jackson said. "We live by God's will every day and we don't give up, no matter what. All I could think about was keeping God first and just playing."
North Cobb Christian (22-5) took a 74-65 lead when Kendall Crute hit a 3-pointer with about two minutes left. But Jackson went on a personal 7-0 run with a driving layup and a pair of 3-pointers to pull the Eagles within 74-73 with 1:10 left.
Crute finished with 27 points for North Cobb Christian. Hunter Ware added 16, Stephon Jelke and Elijah Weems each had 11 and Hulian Terrell added 10.
Crute hit a pair of free throws to give North Cobb a 76-73 led. But Evans responded with a driving layup to pull the Eagles within 76-75 with less than a minute left.
The game turned around when Evans drew a charge to give Athens Christian possession. He hit 1 of 2 from the line to tie the game 76-76 with 44 seconds left.
"Coach Link has been on me to get a charge all year," Evans said. "He wouldn't leave me alone about it so I decided to step up and get one."
On North Cobb Christian's next possession, Howell took a charge in the lane to give Athens Christian the ball with about 18 seconds left. Jackson was fouled and hit a pair from the line. Crute missed a jumper at the buzzer to end the game.
"It's great playing with a player like Turtle," Evans said. "He can handle the ball, pass, rebound, shoot, he can do anything. That helps us a lot."


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Reckless Kelly
For fifteen years Reckless Kelly has been doing things their way, bucking the mainstream system and playing by their own rules, straddling the fence between country and rock as if they built it themselves. Throughout the years their old school approach to recording has always adhered to one main objective: make each record better than the last. Their latest effort, "Good Luck & True Love" is no exception to this rule.
Recorded in an old farmhouse-turned studio in Austin Texas, and released on the bands new independent label "No Big Deal Records," "Good Luck & True Love" is pure, driving, uncut Reckless Kelly. The songs are all written or co-written by front man Willy Braun and range in subject matter from road songs, ("Weatherbeaten Soul," "Hit The Ground Running") to songs about music, ("New Moon Over Nashville," "I Stayed Up All Night Again") and songs about good old-fashioned heartbreak ("Guarded Heart," "She Likes Money, He Likes Love," and "I Never Liked St. Valentine"). The album is the 9th in RK's ever-growing catalogue and is the 3rd they have produced by themselves.
The Reckless boys also made it a point to track almost all of it live. Just 5 guys sitting in a room playing music, with minimal overdubs and aside from a harmony vocal from Dani Flowers, the band plays each and every instrument and part. "We wanted to make a record that sounded like we sound live, without any extra parts thrown in. We wanted it to sound like a band," said fiddle/mandolin player Cody Braun. "Keeping it all in the same space and making sure it was an album rather than just a collection of songs was the main goal, and I think we came pretty close to what we set out to do…there's a lot of continuity within this project." The result is an album that encompasses the last 15 years of Reckless Kelly. Ten new songs that capture the essence of a road worn and battle scarred band of brothers that aren't afraid to take risks and tell it like it is. That's country rock. That's old school. That's Reckless Kelly.
Date Recorded: 6/4/2012
Podcast of the interview Download:


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Get DVD Talk Feeds
I must confess to never having seen director Joseph Losey's mid-career debacles (or masterpieces; depends on whose take you listen to) Modesty Blaise (1966) or Boom! (1968), but judging from what I've read and heard regarding those films, Losey -- an expat American who fled McCarthyism in the '50s and made an unusually varied string of films in the U.K. and Europe over the subsequent decades -- had an ability and a willingness to go over the top not quite hinted at by, say, his more widely-respected collaborations with playwright Harold Pinter (as in 1963's The Servant). "Operatic" is, among other things, a synonym for "over-the-top," and so I half-expected something rococo, a subversion or a lark -- maybe along the lines of Ken Russell's playfully grotesque, hyper-modern classical-music extravaganzas -- from Losey's late-career Don Giovanni (1979). But (and this is probably for the best), it's actually a faithful and straightforward, albeit highly intelligent and ravishingly cinematic, movie version of Mozart's beloved 18th-century opera. Losey undertook quite the international cinematic adventure to make his Don Giovanni: He obtained generous French funding; scouted eye-popping, authentic Italian locations; got renowned costumer and opera expert Franz Salieri to aid with the adaptation of the libretto and the look of the film; cast a handful of well-known and highly-regarded professional opera singers; and had the three-hour-long piece recorded by his cast with the Paris Opera, under the baton of the accomplished American conductor Lorin Maazel. He then brought the shoot to Venice and to Vicenza, on the Northeastern coast of Italy, for the shooting. What resulted from all that large-scale yet intricate preparation is a gorgeously well-realized, worthy film version of Don Giovanni that maintains an aura of seeming effortlessness as it pulls off the considerable feat of translating everything entertaining, beautiful, and compelling about the opera into the language of the movies.
Losey's Don Giovanni is Ruggero Raimondi, who plays the recklessly womanizing Don (a sort of 18th-century Wilt Chamberlain whose list of conquests is at one point in the story unfurled...and unfurled...and unfurled, allegedly totaling 1800 dalliances) with a perfect combination of smooth, snobbish entitlement and seductiveness; Don G.'s sycophantic sidekick Leporello, whose deflating little commentaries and asides on his master's misadventures provide most of the robust comedy, is played by Jose van Dam. In a bravado opening that establishes Losey's and cinematographer Gerry Fisher's (Huston's Wise Blood, Losey's earlier The Go-Between) lush but fleet and kinetic visual approach, the don is hustling Leporello away from the venerable Venetian mansion of a powerful Commendatore (John Macurdy) after the old noble has thwarted Giovanni's plans to seduce his married daughter, Donna Anna (Edda Moser), and has been murdered by the ferociously aristocratic and hot-blooded don for his trouble. The rest of the plot consists of expansions -- rendered complex and rich by the music and by Losey's visual sensitivity to what that music means at any given point -- upon the simple story of the arrogant Don Giovanni, his sardonic, abused sidekick in tow, as he flees and successfully evades (for a while) the comeuppance he so richly deserves. With the tragically heartbroken Donna Anna and her husband, Don Ottavio (Kenneth Riegel) momentarily dormant but soon to be back on his horizon and jonesing for a cosmic justice that will see Don Giovanni literally burn in hell, we follow along in the meantime as he runs back to his provincial mansion and headlong into Donna Elvira (Kiri Te Kanawa), another of the many broken hearts who litter the path behind him. Don Giovanni barges past her, pushing her aside and forging ahead, always in pursuit of fresh female conquests, as if forward movement could erase his destructive past. But his past wrongs have built up enough momentum that those who've suffered from them, from Donna Elvira to Donna Anna and her dead father to the hardworking peasants of his village who resent his shameless life of idle vice, are joining forces to head him off....
In terms of cinematic storytelling, opening out an opera as Losey does here results in an experience whose characteristics are more or less familiar from many a movie musical. Exclusively through Mozart's superlative music (thankfully, no spoken dialogue has been added), rousingly played and accompanied by the often awe-inspiring vocalizing of Losey's cast of fine singers, the plot is unfolded: We hear Elvira's testimony (and Don Giovanni's disingenuous rebuttals) and are privy to her secret ambivalence over this irredeemably wicked man for whom she still carries a torch. We witness the stunned recognition of Donna Anna, crazed with grief, that her and her husband's host in the country is none other the seducer who nearly took her honor before killing her father. We follow the ever more complicated, funny, violent, ultimately tender ins and outs of Don Giovanni's attempts to pluck what he thinks is easy fruit, a peasant girl called Zelina (Teresa Berganza) from her hardy, handsome husband, Massetto (Malcolm King), as well as Giovanni's increasing recalcitrance and unrelenting, unrepentant pursuit of sexual conquest. All the while, the desire for vengeance on the part of Donna Anna and Don Ottavio, Donna Elvira, Zelina and Massetto, and the other peasant villagers around his lavish estate is building to a furious degree that will reach its consummation when, after Don Giovanni has made light of the grave of Donna Anna's late father and mockingly invited the dead-and-buried man to dinner in an attempt to show off for the frightened Leporello, the dead man, in the form of the eerily lifelike statue that marks his gave, shows up to put Don Giovanni in his place, which is someplace other -- lower, you might say -- than the heaven that this messenger of cosmic justice came from or the earth on which Don Giovanni has abused his privileged freedom and callously broken hearts for far too long.
The music ascends to heavenly heights and plumbs nearly chest-beating, despondent depths; even if you're only a classical-music dilettante like me, or even if your closest brush with Mozart has until now only been Amadeus, you assume this to the case, and Don Giovanni doesn't disappoint. It's the fact that it's told through music, and through this particular kind of music, that spins what is essentially a simple, even simplistic, moral tale of fascinating, heedless wickedness roundly punished into a complex tapestry of human feeling, the mixed and ineffable kinds of emotion to which spoken dialogue, or even the words of songs -- here provided by Mozart's contemporary, poet and librettist Lorenzo da Ponte, who also provided the words for Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro and Cosi fan tutti -- could never do real justice. (Speaking as one who didn't grow up on opera at all and is still hardly an expert, one key is that the lyrics themselves are often secondary; it's the life breathed into them through the singers' physically demanding, highly expressive interpretation, and the patterns of repetition that accumulate as some lines are sung over again or returned to, that carry them aloft and set their meanings alight, leaving you powerless not to respond.) Through that mode of expression and its simultaneous elevation and immediacy, we can viscerally feel and voyeuristically enjoy Don Giovanni's passionate wrongheadedness and rampant lust; we can laugh along with Leporetto's bemused exasperations; we're empathetically dismayed and bereft for Donna Anna and Don Ottavio, their own marriage shattered by grief, and for Donna Elvira, a crushed and ranting spinster thanks to Don Giovanni's cruel indifference; and we become protective in the face of Giovanni's predatoriness toward the healthy, vibrantly physical but also sweetly romantic love between Zelina and Massetto. (The peasants' hard-working lives and well-rounded sexual and romantic freedom and health, the converse of the indiscriminate, superficial greed for flesh and everything else displayed by noble-by-birth Don Giovanni, is what finally connects the film to the anachronistic onscreen quote from 20th-century Italian Communist Antonio Gramsci* that precedes the opening credits.)
Losey's triumph here is the sheer, fresh, lively inspiration with which he follows through on his choice to be faithful to the opera in setting and tone. From the very beginning (in which Don Giovanni meets eyes and flirts with Donna Anna over the fiery work of glassblowers below, an infernal atmosphere/image brought deliciously full-circle at the end), the director takes full advantage of the many visual opportunities afforded by his authentic exterior and interior locations, not just to frame, capture, and present us with their beauty (though there are a few shots, several taken on the evening-sunlit waters around Vicenza and the one in which Don Giovanni's rapacious eyes fixate upon the image of a nubile teen bathing beauty, whose lighting and framing make them eye-pleasuring, painterly compositions, indeed), but to move through, physically rendering the feelings and plot dynamics, with all the performers and camera operators evidently under strict orders to move with the tempo of the music. This makes for some swooning, exquisitely graceful "musical" effects in the blocking and movement of scenes that could not be brought out on the stage, but only through the cinematic apparatus of which Losey here proves himself such a sensitive, restrained but agile master. The film's baseline is, truth be told, the stage-like composition, wide-shot proscenium-arch framings that give us sumptuous, frieze-like views of the characters and their environs. But Losey (often through fairly impressive unbroken takes that "cut" from one figure/space to another through camera movement, not montage) is then always branching out or launching away from this stage-replicating type of image, and in unexpected, inventive ways, too -- panning off to the side to reframe the image to a surprising, evocative close-up, or creating frames within frames for a sometimes extreme, telescopic effect -- using space and movement to add yet another, purely filmic layer to Mozart's already-rich work for a bursting, bounteous, and gratifying experience that is alive and attuned to aesthetic possibilities at every level. Don Giovanni is a visually and narratively sophisticated picture quite apart from its source material; it looks fruitfully back (the park-and-meadow exteriors as Donna Elvira roams the grounds create pastoral-melancholy tones noticeably similar to the ones Bergman sought for Cries and Whispers) while also anticipating the future: In a scene where Donna Anna, Don Ottavio, and Donna Elvira arrive to Don Giovanni's ball in disguise, the vivid threat to a sexual malingerer of cloaked and masked figures, right down to the details of what specific cloaks and masks are on display here, seems very much like something Kubrick could have borrowed for Eyes Wide Shut.
One could argue that there's no real need to ever make a movie out of an opera, because every important sonic and visual dimension is already there and accounted for, complete and perfect, so well-established and long-admired over the centuries (undoubtedly so in the case of Don Giovanni, at least) that shoehorning them into another medium is a superfluous, foolhardy, or even disrespectful or tasteless act. But, granting the opera purist's insistence that no movie could ever replicate the immediacy and specific power of seeing it live (and above and beyond the important logistical and financial consideration that many more people have always had access to recordings and movies than to live opera, so a movie as well-done as this one is surely the right kind of intended popularization, through which a more rarefied art like opera has a real chance to reach far and wide), Losey's version makes for a striking example of how, instead of forcing some unholy, compromised union of opera and film, you can match the unique properties of the cinema to the musical and performative and visual greatness already there in a great opera to make the different media complement and enrich one another. There are certain qualities to any story that might only be brought out, or at least might best be brought out, through the movies' uncanny ability to focus and direct our gaze -- guiding and restricting it in one way, if you compare it to looking at everything onstage at once, but in another sense freeing it so that, as Losey allows us to do in, we may see more, and in different ways. It's a further range of distance, closeness, and shifting points of view that's only possible with a dextrously-handled camera; a well-guided cutting table; and the guiding vision of people like Losey and the collaborators with whom he created this beautiful, lovingly faithful yet zestfully cinematic rendition of Mozart's great opera -- film artists and artisans who know how to handle, coordinate, and maximize the artistic possibilities of their instruments as capably as anyone tuning a violin in an orchestra pit or singing on a stage.
With thanks to reader Jeremy Gilliam for catching and bringing my attention to a date error I made in the originally posted review, which has now been corrected.
The transfer (AVC/MPEG-4, 1080/24p) faithfully presents the film widescreen at its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1, and is overall very nice-looking, continuing Olive Films' streak of quite-good (but not-quite-great) transfers. The crispness and clarity of the image is excellent, as are the trueness and solidity of the colors (including in the many nighttime/dark scenes) and the naturalness of skin tones. There is also a healthy amount of celluloid texture to prove that nobody went on an over-scrubbing, grain-killing spree with the digital noise reduction (DNR); however, the DNR has probably been over-applied here and there at the expense of the picture quality being as natural and cinematic as possible, and there is also some intermittent edge enhancement with some occasionally noticeable haloing around human or structural edges in the picture (this is easier to discern with the home projector/large-screen setup used to watch the film for review; it's possible that these small and fleeting flaws would be even less noticeable on standard TV screens). Still, on balance, an overall very respectful and fairly conscientious job has been done with the image, and there's nothing very distracting in the relatively minor missteps to detract too significantly from the overall very high picture quality.
The two soundtrack options available on this edition (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround and DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo, in Italian with optional English subtitles) are both outstanding, with a clarity and depth and resonance that reflects the uniquely controlled (all post-dubbed, since the film's soundtrack is, virtually in its entirety, a pre-recorded opera lip-synced and acted out after the fact) sound-recording situation of the film. All the ambient sound, such as the chirping birds used to enhance and somewhat naturalize the pastoral setting, are also sharp, vivid, and well-integrated into the mix, with no distortion, imbalance, or any other audio flaws to speak of. This reviewer is normally a purist when it comes to these matters, and the 2.0 option might seem to better reflect the film's "original" Dolby sound, but the 5.1, promising as it does to immerse the viewer in Mozart's gorgeous music, was too much to resist (though the 2.0 stereo option is of equally high quality and will likely not lose anything important for those viewers whose traditionalism is hardier than mine, or who are not equipped with surround capabilities.)
It's somewhat surprising that Joseph Losey's very nicely opened-out film version of Mozart's Don Giovanni doesn't have more of a solid, widespread reputation (I was familiar with Losey, but not with this late-career triumph); it's easy to imagine it as a standard, unassailable point of entry for contemporary audiences into the world of the great 18th-century composer. But now Olive Films' pulling it out of the vault and carefully dusting it off for Blu-ray (it makes for a nice companion, in the Olive studio-repertory catalog, to their release of Francesco Rosi's movie version of Carmen) is giving it another chance at familiarity and appreciation, and reappraisals should find it much newfound favor among cinephiles and classical-music buffs alike. Losey's take on the opera is unexpectedly faithful (you could even call it "traditional") for a director more famous for iconoclastic art-house visions (The Servant, The Go-Between) or giddy, campy excess (Modesty Blaise, Boom!); he cast the film with professional opera singers, adheres with high fidelity to the music/melodies by Mozart and libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte, and shot most of it in Venice and in Italy's gorgeous northeast to take advantage of the regions' well-preserved, authentic period architecture and grounds (it's a finely-wrought period film as well as a great adaptation). But it's a case of well-circumscribed boundaries leaving plenty of room within them for the artist to dig deep and work his magic, which in this case means Losey's presiding over the perfect marriage of careful, fluent cinematic technique and the famous operatic work; he doesn't touch its core elements at all (subversion, again, is in no way the aim here), but he uses the camera and then-innovative (still marvelous-sounding) Dolby technological advances in sound in such a way that we visually experience the story and the music on whole new, finely detailed visual and aural planes, thereby making his own contribution, actually adding something to a venerable and long-standing high-water mark of Western culture, reviving it with no disrespect and without compromising any of its effect. This is a film whose visual sensitivity and prowess, not to mention its dictionary-definition "classic" soundtrack, aren't fully appreciable in the old standard-definition media, and you feel grateful while watching it that it has finally had its rightful turn at a well-done high-definition upgrade. There's no reason not to introduce yourself to Don Giovanni via this film if you're as-yet unfamiliar, and nor is there any excuse for those who love Mozart and/or the cinema not to have this one high up on their short list of coveted titles that have finally made their way to a good high-def home. Highly Recommended.


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Talk:How to write a Haskell program
From HaskellWiki
How do people feel about
#!/usr/bin/env runhaskell
import Distribution.Simple
main = defaultMain
instead of
#!/usr/bin/env runhaskell
> import Distribution.Simple
> main = defaultMain
dons 07:59, 31 October 2006 (UTC)In fact, just this works:
#!/usr/bin/env runhaskell
import Distribution.Simple
main = defaultMain
which is simplest of all
Directory structure
Shouldn't the advise be to let all the source code be collected under src/ and the testing under test/ extra scripts under scripts/ etc.?
I was putting off (and meaning to get around to) cabalising my software until I saw how easy it was on this page. BTW, I kinda like the birdtracks as is -- kowey 09:20, 31 October 2006 (UTC)
Imported to the wikibook
I'm using this tutorial to bootstrap a the Haskell wikibook Packaging chapter. The wikibook version diverges somewhat in that it ignores the Haskell community stuff, and (one day) tries to flow with the rest of the book. -- firstname.lastname@example.com 15:33, 10 January 2007 (UTC)


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Private donors save Detroit recreation centers which faced chopping block
17 Detroit recreation centers will remain in operation thanks to private donors
DETROIT – If he is not working or at school, you likely will find Mark Walker at Detroit's Northwest Activities center.
Walker calls the activities center his second home.
"Well, I've been coming here since I was about 7," he said.
Walker's so-called second home is a community resource he and so many other Detroiters almost lost.
"If this rec center was to close ... it's part of my life," Walker said.
Detroit's financial crisis threatened the future of 17 recreation centers throughout the city. However, with the help of donors the doors won't close.
More: Detroit City in Crisis
"It is our intent as we go through this financial crisis to be honest with everybody and let them know we don't have the funding to maintain the programs we now have at our rec centers, we needed help," said Detroit Mayor Dave Bing. "I've been overwhelmed with the kind of support we've gotten."
Big name companies such as General Motors and Lear have pledged to donate millions of dollars to a new trust. It is private funding that will go toward after-school programs such as swimming, basketball and dance.
"Without rec centers, I feel like if kids don't have anywhere to go, where are they going to be? On the street," said Walker.
Mary Barker said she is thankful there is someone fighting for the community.
"I just thank God that there is someone fighting and contributing and helping us to keep places like this in our community," she said.
The city of Detroit cut the recreation department's budget nearly in half. Bing says what is left will go toward the upkeep of facilities.
So far, the trust has secured $15 million in pledges to keep the after-school programs running.
Copyright 2012 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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The 68000B Synthesized CW Generators feature 10 MHz to 65 GHz frequency coverage. CW or step sweep, low SSB phase noise and spurious signals, output levels to +17 dBm, and optional 0.1 Hz resolution combine to make these sources ideal for local oscillator replacement applications. To meet requirements that expand over time, economical upgrades are available to any higher performing model. For the most demanding CW requirements, the 68000B provides the ultimate in performance.
• Frequency: 10 MHz to 26.5 GHz
• Channels: 1
• Form Factor: RackmountDatasheet
Frequency: 0.1 MHz to 6 GHz
Channels: 1
Form Factor: Benchtop
Frequency: 10 MHz to 20 GHz
Channels: 1
Form Factor: Rackmount
Frequency: 500 MHz to 60 GHz
Channels: 1
Form Factor: Rackmount


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We Grind To Order, Part 1
How often do we acquire pre-ground black pepper, or nearly any other spice for that matter? Never! Our store is bustling with spice merchants grinding spices right when folks order them.
Why do we keep pure spices and our house-made blends whole until you tell us to grind them? It keeps our spices exceptionally fresh; some especially dedicated spice connoisseurs even prefer to grind their spices in their kitchen, right before adding them to their recipe! Grinding a spice releases much of it's great flavor and aroma, but more aroma in the air means less flavor in your food. Grinding spices to order also lets you request a custom grind for certain spices. Need your black pepper extra coarse for a nice steak au poivre? Sure! Need your white pepper really fine so it just disappears into a cream soup? No problem! Want us to crack some fennel for your homemade sausage? You got it!
There are many different ways to grind your spices at home. A mortar and pestle works well for most things if you don't mind your final product being a little coarse. An electric blade grinder works for a finer grind. Some folks even have their coffee grinders pulling double duty. Don't want your spices to taste like coffee? Easy, simply grind rice or stale bread to clear out the leftover flavors. If, like me, you've encountered a couple of groggy mornings making curry coffee, you may want to keep a separate grinder for coffee and spices.
So go ahead and start grinding your own spices at home, there's a reason those fancy restaurants offer you freshly ground black pepper on your soup or salad – it tastes better freshly ground! If you kitchen is void of a grinder, take advantage of our low purchase minimums and rest assured that all of your spices will be ground to order. Check out Part 2, where I'll give you a behind the scenes look at how we grind as much as 200 pounds of spice in a day at our professional division.


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Saucy Portobello Pitas
Total TimePrep: 25 min. Cook: 10 min.
Makes4 servings
- 1 cup reduced-fat plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup chopped peeled cucumber
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup minced fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Greek seasoning
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 8 pita pocket halves, warmed
- 8 thin slices red onion, separated into rings
- 8 slices tomato
- In a small bowl, combine the cucumber sauce ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
- Sprinkle mushrooms with pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and Greek seasoning. In a large skillet, cook mushrooms in oil for 3-5 minutes on each side or until tender.
- Cut pita breads in half; line each with a slice of onion and tomato. Cut mushrooms in half; place in pitas. Serve with cucumber sauce.
Nutrition Facts2 filled pita halves with 1/3 cup sauce: 303 calories, 9g fat (1g saturated fat), 3mg cholesterol, 411mg sodium, 45g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 4g fiber), 11g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 fat.
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Apr 21, 2011
I made the cucumber sauce the day before and we thought the flavors were pretty intense. But when added to the pita all the flavors blend for a surprising taste sensation. Normally I'm not a fan of raw onion, but the flavors all go together great. We didn't miss the meat with this dish either.
Apr 5, 2011
Fantastic low-calorie choice for gyro-fans! My honey and I are trying to make healthier food choices, and this recipe fits the bill while letting us enjoy one of our favorite Mediterranean staples. I've tried to make it more authentic by adding shredded lettuce, wedging the tomatoes and slivering the onion (instead of slicing). I also cut the portobellos into bites-sized pieces that resemble the traditional lamb. Not a big deal, but a good psych-out! A couple of tips: if you pita are too thin and tear when stuffing, warm them and leave them whole, arrange the ingredients in a column down the center and roll them. You can pick it up easier with less mess. Also, when making cucumber sauce, it is important to drain the yogurt in cheese cloth or yogurt sieve (or use Greek yogurt). You also need to get the extra liquid out of the cucumber by removing the seeds and putting the chopped cuke in a stainer for a couple of hours, sprinkled with 2 tsp of salt. This will keep the sauce from getting too runny. Also, refrigerate the completed sauce for at least 2 hours to let the flavors blend. I'll use this recipe a lot!


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UH Board of Regents approves land sale agreement with Hunt Building Corporation
Approval provides financing of infrastructure and construction costs for new UH West Oahu campusUniversity of Hawaiʻi-West Oʻahu
UH West Oahu
KAPOLEI, Oʻahu — At its monthly meeting held this week, the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents (BOR) approved a purchase and sales agreement between the University of Hawaiʻi and Hunt Building Corporation. The agreement was expected as part of the development for the UH West Oʻahu campus in Kapolei.
The purchase and sales agreement will generate $100.14 million in revenues in exchange for approximately 298 acres of fee simple property at Kapolei. Approval of the purchase and sales agreement provides the means to finance the infrastructure and construction of the new UH West Oʻahu campus. Earlier this month, the state Legislature approved CIP funding of $35 million in general obligation bonds and a $100-million spending ceiling authorization in special funds that will allow the university to accept and expend revenues to support the new campus development.
"The Regents' approval today enables us to progress toward the next step in developing this long awaited campus at Kapolei," said Gene Awakuni, UH West Oʻahu chancellor.
The West Oʻahu campus continues to work towards meeting the higher education needs of Leeward and Central Oʻahu. The campus will take a major step forward in its efforts when it welcomes its first freshman class this fall, leading towards the opening of its new campus in Kapolei, which is scheduled for Fall 2009.
When fully completed, the UH West Oʻahu campus will serve approximately 7,500 students and 1,000 faculty and staff. UH West Oʻahu has begun the transition from an upper division, two-year program to a four-year baccalaureate program to make higher education more readily accessible to underserved youth and residents in West Oʻahu. The new West Oʻahu campus is also expected to help alleviate traffic congestion on Oʻahu's roads from the west side to downtown Honolulu and Mānoa Valley. Students, faculty and staff will be encouraged to walk, bike or use fixed rail to school or work.
For more information, visit: http://westoahu.hawaii.edu


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A press release from the Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution about the Shipwrecked: Tang Treasures and Monsoon Winds exhibition which they were supposed to host next year, but put on hold because of outcries from some archaeologists and cultural heritage experts over the issues of exhibiting artefacts taken from a commercial salvage operation (See here). The exhibition was on display this year at the ArtScience Museum in Singapore, and is now in storage.
Sackler Gallery Convenes Advisory Group to Discuss "Shipwrecked: Tang Treasures and Monsoon Winds" Exhibition
Media Release from the Sackler Gallery, 08 December 2011
The Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery will convene an international advisory committee Dec. 8-9 for discussions on issues surrounding the proposed exhibition "Shipwrecked: Tang Treasures and Monsoon Winds." The meetings, part of the Smithsonian's internal review process, are not open to the public or media.
Participants will include experts from professional organizations such as UNESCO, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the International Committee on Monuments and Sites, the World Archaeological Congress Committee on Ethics, the Philippines National Museum and others.
"Shipwrecked" tells the story of one of the most significant archaeological finds of the late 20th century–the Belitung shipwreck. The ship had lain undisturbed off the coast of Indonesia for more than 1,100 years. Its cargo of more than 63,000 items, including Chinese ceramics, bronze mirrors, spice-filled jars and vessels of silver and gold was discovered in the late nineties.
When the ship was recognized as an ancient dhow, a traditional Arab sailing vessel, scholars realized that this was the first intact proof of a maritime trade route between China and Iraq.
The discovery of the shipwreck changed the world's knowledge about trade between China and the Middle East, confirming the existence of a maritime trade route between the two superpowers of the 9th century–Tang China and Abbasid Iraq. The size of the cargo shows that China was a manufacturing giant more than a millennium ago.
Since the exhibition was announced in 2010, a number of archaeology and cultural heritage organizations, including individuals within the Smithsonian, have objected to the display of the Belitung cargo, arguing that commercial involvement in shipwreck recoveries can compromise scientific standards of excavation and lead to exploitation of shipwreck sites. Others support the exhibition, contending that public-private partnerships can help prevent loss and dispersal through looting and commercial fishing. Supporters argue that such partnerships are especially valuable in regions like Southeast Asia where underwater cultural heritage needs are great but funds and expertise are scarce.
The exhibition, originally scheduled for the Sackler Gallery in spring 2012, was put on hold last summer. Since that time, Julian Raby, director of the Smithsonian's Freer and Sackler Galleries, has consulted with professional archaeologists and cultural heritage experts across the globe regarding the issues raised by the Belitung shipwreck.
The advisory committee will discuss topics related to underwater cultural heritage standards and practices and explore whether the exhibition could, with modification, contribute to public education and dialogue on the importance of preserving and protecting underwater cultural heritage discoveries.
When news of the exhibition and controversy was posted last spring on the Smithsonian Facebook page, the public response ran strongly in favor of the exhibition. "Shipwrecked" was well received by the press and public at the Art Science Museum in Singapore, where it was on view from February to October 2011.
The exhibition is now in storage in Singapore. No decision has been made about its showing at the Sackler Gallery. For more information on the exhibition, visit http://asia.si.edu/exhibitions/SW-CulturalHeritage.asp.


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Fury (1936)
"A mob doesn't think. It doesn't have time to think." - Sylvia Sidney as Katherine Grant
Fritz Lang wasted no time in establishing his reputation in Hollywood as the master architect of the thriller. His first American film after having fled Hitler's Germany is a searing indictment of the dark side of the American character that pulsates with an almost unbearable tension for its first half as a collision of combustible elements in a small town ignites into a shocking act of cold blooded mob violence. Lang wanted to do a film about the culture of public lynching in the U.S. and the curiously grotesque party atmosphere that has historically accompanied them. He felt that his protagonist would have to be guilty of the crime for which he was being lynched and that he should be African American in order for the story to truly resonate in this country and for the film to have the maximum impact. MGM would never agree to either of these stipulations, so he geared his story around a young Spencer Tracy as an American everyman in the wrong place at the wrong time, who faces the full unhinged brutality of a mob of townspeople calling for his blood.Continue Reading


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Here are a few key dates in the history of the International City:
From 2,000 B.C. to 3,000 B.C.: Native Americans live in what's now Long Beach.
From 500 to 1769: The Tongva people displace earlier inhabitants. They live off the land and water, and trade goods.
In 1784: Manuel Nieto, a Spanish soldier, receives 300,000 acres of land, some of which becomes Long Beach. The land is called "Los Coyotes."
In 1790: Nieto's holding is cut to 167,000 acres due to a conflict with Mission San Gabriel, which used some of his land grant for its own purposes. Nieto's smaller swath spans from the north side of Whittier south to the ocean and from the Los Angeles River east to the Santa Ana River. Even though it was nearly half the size as before, it is still the largest land grant in what's now Southern California.
1804: Manuel Nieto dies, and initially his land remains intact.
1833: Juan Patricio Ontiveros, one of Nieto's neighbors, tries to get the Mexican government to award him control of Los Alamitos, a part of Los Coyotes. His proposal includes a plan to use the area for cattle ranching. In the process of considering requests, inspectors say the land is unused, which could nudge officials toward awarding Ontiveros the property to build a ranch. Juan Nieto, Manuel Nieto's oldest son, fights Ontiveros's efforts and argues that his family uses Los Alamitos for its own ranch. Juan Nieto receives permission to divide Los Coyotes. It becomes Santa Gertrudes, Los Coyotes, Las Bolsas, Los Cerritos and Los Alamitos ranchos.
1834: Rancho Los Cerritos, which is 27,000 acres goes to Maria Manuela Antonia de Cota, Manuel Nieto's oldest daughter. With the land divided, Juan Nieto quickly sells Rancho Los Alamitos to Alta California Gov. Jose Figueroa, before the conflict with Ontiveros is resolved. The parcel spans about 28,000 acres, and the governor and a partnership raise cattle there.
1842: Figueroa sells Los Alamitos to Abel Stearns, a wealthy Massachusetts businessman living in Los Angeles. He dramatically expands the ranch.
1843: Nieto's oldest daughter, Maria Manuela Antonia de Cota, receives Rancho Los Cerritos, which is 27,000 acres. She was one of the few women to own land in California, and she and her husband live on the property and raised cattle. After her death, her heirs sell the property to John Temple of Massachusetts.
1860s: A drought decimates the state's cattle herds, hurting the Los Cerritos and Los Alamitos ranchos.
1866: Michael Reese, a banker, holds the mortgage on Los Alamitos and forecloses on Stearns, who lost thousands of head of cattle in the drought. Reese then leases the land to tenants who sublease the property. Temple sells Los Cerritos to Flint, Bixby & Co. One principal, Llewellyn Bixby, owns a stake, but the sheep ranch is managed by his brother, Jotham, who eventuallys buy the land. (They would become big-time developers and ranchers, and John Bixby, a cousin of the principals, works the land.)
1878: Reese dies, and three years later, John Bixby's company purchases the land from his estate.
1881: William Willmore leases a portion of Los Cerritos from Jotham Bixby with the intent to buy the property. (A year later, he starts developing Willmore City, but his idea doesn't catch on, and the Long Beach Land and Water Co. buys the land.)
1887: John Bixby dies, and his company continues to manage Los Alamitos.
1888: Long Beach is incorporated and its head of government is called "president of the trustees." The police department is also formed.
1896: On July 24, Long Beach is briefly disincorporated.
1897: On March 16, the volunteer fire department is formed, with 28 people signing its charter. The board of trustees approves funding for a hand-drawn ladder truck. On Dec. 13, Long Beach is reincorporated.
1902: The Pike amusement center opens. It has games, rides and shops. Pacific Electric's Red Cars start running in Long Beach from Los Angeles.
1908: Office of the mayor is created. The mayor is elected from council members. The first chief of police is hired, as is the first woman police officer.
1910: Census data shows that Long Beach is the fastest-growing city in the country.
1911: On June 24, the Port of Long Beach is dedicated days after receiving its first shipment from the S.S. Iaqua, a steam ship that offloads 280,000 feet of lumber.
1916: The Los Angeles Dock and Terminal Co. goes bankrupt and turns over the harbor's dredging to the city, which completes the dredging channels and a turning basin.
1917: The first Board of Harbor Commissioners forms to oversee harbor operations and affairs.
1921: Oil is found in Signal Hill and Long Beach, which makes the cities flourish with new industry and an economic boom. (Signal Hill later becomes its own city, entirely surrounded by Long Beach, to avoid oil taxes.)
1923: The City Council designates 150 acres for an airfield, then called Daugherty Field, named after Earl Daugherty, one of Long Beach's first aviators.
1926: The port obtains "deep water" status, which allows larger ships with deeper drafts to gain access. (Today, Long Beach is one of four West Coast ports that can handle super-sized Panamax freighters.)
1932: The Long Beach Municipal Auditorium opens on a 20-acre tract that extends 500 feet into the ocean. The land is exposed to the water, so a breakwater, later dubbed Rainbow Pier, is added. On July 30, the Olympic Games begin in Los Angeles with the opening ceremony. Long Beach hosts rowing events.
1933: Long Beach is hit by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake on March 10 at 5:54 p.m., and by midnight, 34 aftershocks. Downtown is rebuilt in an art deco style.
1940: The Navy gets 104 acres of land on Terminal Island and establishes a station for ship repairs and maintenance.
1941: Daugherty Field grows to 500 acres. Construction on the breakwater begins, but is halted by World War II. (It resumes in 1946, and is completed in 1949.) Aircraft company McDonnell Douglas opens a facility in Long Beach. The plant builds more than 15,000 civilian and military airplanes.
1947: On Nov. 2 Hughes Aircraft's massive plane, the "Spruce Goose," takes its first and only flight off Long Beach.
1949: On Sept. 28, classes start at Cal State Long Beach, then known as Los Angeles-Orange County State college. It has 13 full-time faculty and 169 students, who pay about $12.50 to enroll. (Within a year, it changes its name to Long Beach State College.)
1950: Returning servicemen buy houses in the suburbs with cheap credit. This hurts downtown urban areas across the country, and Long Beach is no exception. (By the 1960s, downtown was struggling, and many respectable businesses closed and seedy ones moved in.)
1952: The first Miss USA and Miss Universe have their inaugural competitions in Long Beach.
1955: The city begins to fill in the Rainbow Pier lagoon. Several other infill projects follow, which set up the shoreline for its current configuration.
1957: The city purchases a home built in 1912 and rededicates it as the Long Beach Museum of Art.
1962: Red Cars are eliminated in favor of buses.
1964: Four man-made oil islands are constructed offshore. They are named after astronauts – Chaffee, Freeman, Grissom and White – who died in the early days of space flight.
1967: The city purchases the Queen Mary to turn it into a floating but stationary hotel and attraction. It arrives on Dec. 9.
1973: Work on the Civic Center, home to City Hall and the Main Library, begins.
1974: The State Coastal Commission gives Long Beach city government control of downtown redevelopment, and within a year the city starts a multi-billion dollar redevelopment plan.
1975: The first Grand Prix is held. (Today, it's a major race and the largest single event in the city.)
1978: The Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center opens.
1979: The Pike closes and is dismantled.
1983: The Spruce Goose moves to a geodesic dome near the Queen Mary.
1984: A new concourse and lounge were constructed at the airport. In June, Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride, Inc. holds the first Lesbian and Gay Pride Festival and Parade. (The now annual event now lasts two days, has more than 75,000 participants, and is the third-largest LGBT festival in the country.)
1984: On July 28, the Olympic Games begin in Los Angeles. Long Beach hosts the archery competition at El Dorado Park, fencing at the Convention Center, volleyball at the arena and sailing events.
1986: A charter measure creates a citywide elected mayor. (Previously, the council selected the mayor.)
1988: The city has its first citywide election for mayor. Ernie Kell, a councilman, defeats his colleague, Jan Hall, for a two-year term. (Mayors are now elected to four-year terms.)
1989: The World Trade Center opens downtown and is Long Beach's tallest building at 397 feet.
1990: The Metro Blue Line starts service, linking Long Beach to Los Angeles by a light-rail train.
1992: The Spruce Goose moves to Oregon and Warner Bros. converts the geodesic dome into a studio. Artist Robert Wyland completes his "Planet Ocean" mural on the exterior of the Long Beach Arena. According to Guinness World Records, the 116,000-square-foot mural of regional marine life, is the world's largest.
1994: Beverly O'Neill is elected to her first of three consecutive terms as mayor. (She would be re-elected once via traditional ballot, and once again by write-in. She is the only mayor in the city's history to serve three terms.)
1997: McDonnell Douglas merges with Boeing, and its plant in Long Beach takes Boeing's name. Boeing becomes the largest non-government employer in the city. On Sept. 30, the Long Beach Naval Shipyard closes.
1998: Aquarium of the Pacific opens. (It now has more than 11,000 animals, more than 50 exhibits and more than 1.5 million visitors annually.)
1999: The Long Beach Plaza mall closes downtown. On the east side of the city, The Long Beach Towne Center opens, with 1 million square feet of shopping and dining.
2000: The Lions Light House for Sight is built at Shoreline Aquatic Park.
2001: The Navy transfers its last piece of ownership of Terminal Island to the port.
2003: Carnival becomes the first cruise line to operate out of Long Beach.
2010: A modernization project begins at the airport, which unveils the renovated terminal in December 2012. (Work is expected to end in 2016.)
2011: Construction begins on a new courthouse downtown. The port begins construction on the $1.2 billion Middle Harbor expansion.
2013: Harvey Milk Promenade Park and Equality Square open downtown. It's the first park named after the civil rights icon, and the first in Long Beach specifically dedicated to someone who fought for LGBT equality. Port of Long Beach breaks ground on the rebuilding of the Gerald Desmond Bridge.
Contact the writer: 714-796-2212 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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Summary and Keywords
In 1992, when the international community agreed on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the science of climate change was under development, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were by and large produced by developed countries, and the concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere had just surpassed 350 ppm. Some 25 years later, climate change is scientifically uncontested, China has overtaken the United States as the world's biggest emitter of CO2, and concentrations are now measured above 400 ppm. Against this background, states have successfully concluded a new global agreement under the UNFCCC, the 2015 Paris Agreement. Prior to the Paris Agreement, the climate regime focused on allocating emission reduction commitments among (a group of) countries. However, the new agreement has turned the climate regime on its feet by introducing an approach based on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Under this approach, states decide their ambition levels independently instead of engaging in negotiations about "who does what." The result is a more flexible system that for the first time includes all countries in the quest to reduce GHG emissions to keep temperature increase below 2°C compared to preindustrial levels. Moreover, the international climate regime has transformed into a regime complex, denoting the broad activities of smaller groups of states as well as non-party actors, such as cities, regions, companies, and non-governmental organizations along with United Nations agencies.
Keywords: climate change, mitigation, adaptation, UNFCCC, international regime, transnational climate governance, institutional fragmentation
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