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Curiosity Lands on Mars
Podcast Transcription
Steve: Welcome to the Scientific American podcast Science Talk, posted on August 6th, 2012. I am Steve Mirsky. At 10:39 P.M. Pacific time last night, August 5th, the Curiosity rover landed on Mars. It successfully navigated the so-called seven minutes of terror of the descent and safely delivered the vehicle and its Mars Science Laboratory mission to the surface. At about 11.20 P.M., some of the principal players involved in the mission held a press conference at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This is an edited presentation of that press briefing. The first voice you hear is Charles Elachi, director of the JPL.
Elachi: Well, tonight was a great drama that was played. I felt like an adventure movie, but in reality I kept telling myself, "This is real. This is the real what's happening." And what a fantastic demonstration of what our nation and our agency, you know, can do. I could only think of the words of Teddy Roosevelt as I was sitting there: "It is far better to dare mighty things even though we might fail than to stay in the twilight that knows neither victory nor the defeat"; and the team brought us victory, you know, today. I can also only think about the Olympians. Here we had our team which went to the Olympics, we were not sure we were going to win, but this team came back with the gold. So, thank you guys: We're so proud of you. (Clapping sounds) And just think what an inspiration to the young people in the world by watching what these young people, and old people like me, have accomplished, it's really inspiring. I just was talking to my daughter, and she was crying, you know, about how exciting this is and how inspirational. So, we hope that the tens of millions of people who have been sharing this adventure with us will be the people who will be carrying the torch, you know, in continuing our exploration of the solar system. And what a bargain that we got this mission for us. This movie cost you less than seven bucks per American citizen and look at the excitement that we have brought and the inspiration that we have brought. (clapping) And tonight we just did the landing; tomorrow we're going to start exploring Mars. And next week and next month and next year, we'll be bringing new discoveries every day, every week to all of you. And we're going to continue not only exploring Mars, but exploring the solar system and exploring the university because our curiosity has no limit. Thank you all, and I'm going to introduce you to John Grunsfeld who's the head of space science at NASA. (clapping)
Grunsfeld: You know we said before landing this afternoon, Charles and I here, that Mars is hard and success is not guaranteed. There are many out in the community who say that NASA has lost its way, that we don't know how to explore that we have lost ourmoxie . I want you to look around tonight, all those folks with the blue shirts, think about what we've achieved. I think it's fair to say that NASA knows how to explore, we've been exploring, and we're on Mars (clapping) The last eight months, and certainly for the seven minutes of terror, has started to weave, you know, an unbelievable story. As we get ready to transition to surface ops, I think what we really need to pay attention to now is that the Curiosity story is just beginning, and with that I'll turn it over to the team. Pete? That's the guy in charge of this project. (clapping)
Steve: This is Pete Theisinger.
Theisinger: (clapping) I think you can tell that the team is ecstatic at tonight's results (laughter). This is an incredible feeling for me personally; not only to be associated with such a tremendous event, but to have the privilege to be able to be asked to lead such an incredible team of people. I mean, as easy as it looked tonight—and it wasn't—but as easy as it looked tonight, it's because of the people in the blue shirts who're standing around you, and because of thousands of others around this country, around the world, who worked on this for seven to eight years to cause this to come to being. I mean, they've done an incredible job, it is—words cannot state the kind of job that they've done. Eight years ago, I stood on this stage, talked to some of you, after the landing of Spirit and then three weeks later after the landing of Opportunity; and I never that I would ever say this that but this is better than that (laughter and clapping). And I especially want to recognize the gentleman whose sitting to my left, and that's Richard Cook. He has blood, sweat and tears into this project—yeah, yeah, yeah (laughter)—but believe me, we would not have been successful without him tonight. And when you look at his record—Pathfinder two MERs and this one—unparalleled in the country today, I mean just unparalleled (clapping). So, I'll now let him humbly accept your accolades (laughter).
Cook: So that rocked. Seriously, was that not cool or what? (hooting, shouting and clapping) I have been lucky enough to have done this now four times, and it never gets old. Seriously, it's just a great experience. And there are some people out there—Rob Manning and Dara Sabahi and some of the other folks who have done this as many times—and I know they all just had the exact same experiences that I did tonight, which just gets better every time. This is amazing. Pathfinder was great, but we were young and stupid, frankly (laughter). And now to have an appreciation for how hard it is and how much effort it takes from, as Pete said, a team of hundreds and thousands of people around the world, it's inspiring, and it's a little bit overwhelming at times how much effort has been required, and how much everybody deserves this great success we've had. I can't let Pete compliment me without returning it, and, you know, there's the guy who's been in charge of three of these things. That is pretty much, nobody else in the world has that record, to be a project manager for three Mars landings. And so I think that he's going to have that no matter what he does from now on. He's going to know that he's the only guy in the world that's ever done that, so good job.(clapping)
Steve: Cook introduces Adam Steltzner, who was in charge of actually landing the Rover on Mars.
Cook: Dr. Steltzner has been the father and the mother and everything in between of the landing system we've built and certainly it's been his biggest proponent. I remember them going to reviews and him saying, "Hey, I think this thing can work, and you guys just have to give the team a chance," seven, eight years ago. And then just stuck with it through every failed test, through every review that didn't quite work out the way we wanted it, and so he really deserves a huge amount of credit for what's happened tonight and hopefully everybody appreciates his contributions. I know I certainly do. ( clapping) So… say something profound.(laughter)
Steltzner: I'm terribly humbled by this experience. I forever, secretly, have felt that I do not deserve to be in a position of believing the team that I lead, because they are, certainly in sum and largely by count of individual, more capable than I. That great things take many people working together to make them happen is one of the fantastic things of human existence. And in my life, I am and will be forever satisfied if this is the greatest thing that I have ever given. There is a new picture of a new place on Mars, and for me at least, that's the big payoff. And to work as a part of such a talented group of people, shepherded by Pete and Richard—and I'm not just talking about the EDL team; I'm talking about the entire team, soup to nuts; the caliber of people here at JPL, the other centers who contribute—it's a tremendous honor, and it is a humbling experience to work with them. And I think that this nation is a truly great representation of a corner or a piece of humanity that reaches out and explores and conquers and engineers. We are, kind of, tool makers, agriculturalists, pioneers, and that's reflected in the activities and actions and results of tonight (laughter and clapping). A couple of other groups of folks that I'd like to thank, that I think we all are thankful for, are certainly this beautiful theater of tonight. The drama of us all being to able to experience it together comes through the efforts of the Odyssey project and the Odyssey space craft, and that team being able to dip that bent-pipe, UHF telemetry to us, unrivaled in the experience for all of us. And naturally the DCN and the X-band telemetry that really allowed us to back that up, so please a round of applause (clapping).
Steve: John Grotzinger, chief scientist of the Mars Science Laboratory mission.
Grotzinger: Thank you, Adam, for getting us on the surface. I think that is the best picture of Mars I've ever seen (laughter). And I can guarantee you in the days, hours, months and years from now, you're going to be hearing about an incredible science story. And I'm not going to bore you with that tonight. You're going to have to wait for that one. Because on behalf of everybody on the science team, 460 members, we thank everybody that was involved in this enterprise: Charles, Pete, Richard, Adam, everybody that pulled this together. There were over 3500 JPL employees—I won't count contractors and subcontractors, but I'm sure there were thousands more—10 science instruments, nine principal investigators, seven countries, Germany, France, Spain, Russia, Denmark, Britain, Canada; all of us are the beneficiaries of your hard work. We've hardly even scratched the surface. And I just want to leave you with one thought about what this success brings to everybody that is involved in this enterprise: There is no greater inspiration for middle school children that are going into math, science and engineering than a mission to Mars. The number of hits on the Web site is unparalleled; the emphasis on the excitement that this generates is what we bestow upon our children. The money, $2.5 billion—we don't put it in the Rover and send it to Mars, we spend it here on Earth. And Charles mentioned at the beginning that this whole enterprise, if you divide it by every woman, child, man in this country, comes out to be the cost of a movie; I know I speak on behalf of all my colleagues and science, that's a movie I want to see (laughter). So thank you all.(clapping)
Lady voice: Okay we're going to open it up to questions now from the news media. Let me wait for a microphone to come over to you and go ahead and give us your name and affiliation, right there in the middle of the row, go ahead Craig.
Covault: Craig Covault with AmericaSpace. Adam, tell us about the landing.(laughter)
Steltzner: All right Craig. I can't tell you too much about it. I mean, it looks good. I'm being a little flip. In short, it looked extremely clean. We touched down in conditions that were on the more benign side of our nominal expectation, our—by the way I want to preface everything: This is preliminary data scooped with the sieve in the cacophony of the control room during the celebration—very nominal, remarkably good. Our navigation error was on the low side of our expectation, which meant that we probably had a good alignment between the celestial sensors and the inertial sensors, the IMU. Our powered flight appears to have been excellent... if my good friend Ben Tomar is in the house—is Ben in the house? We landed with 140 kilograms of fuel reserves out of a total of 400 kilos that we carried in. And Ben worked quite diligently in stretching the tanks at my insistence, because I was worried we wouldn't have enough fuel, and so I think I owe Ben a little bit of an apology there. (laughter) So it looked good, in short—good and clean. And it looks at least by my eyeball that we landed in a nice flat spot; beautiful, really beautiful.
Rail: Hi, Sally Rail with Planetary Society and this is for Adam. Are you going to call your daughter Curiosity?
Steltzner: It is true that I think that Curiosity is perhaps the central defining human attribute, I really do. And Richard and I were both part of the group of people who were in the process of helping winnow down the names that the school kids had taken. And there were, you know, a couple of hundred that we looked at and Curiosity was one of them, and I was smitten from the moment I saw that, and I'm so happy that the rover is Curiosity. My daughter's name will not be Curiosity.
Leo Enright: Leo Enright from Irish television. The unmannedspaceflight Web site has coordinates for the landing that go down to something like five decimal points (laughter); I just wanted to confirm with you that you do have them, have those coordinates and am I reading those coordinates correctly, when I see that, it looks as though you've landed within 500 meters of the skirt around the mountain; that, I mean, you're really very close to the mountain, at the closer end in the landing ellipse and possibly within striking distance of the phyllosilicate trench?
Steltzner: I can't confirm that. My estimate—I'm looking for somebody. Yes, there's somebody in the audience here who has that in the tip of their noggin. We should have soon that estimate, but I don't have it to five decimal places; we wouldn't report it to that because we're certain we don't know it to that and I don't know what the unmannedspaceflight.com estimate is.
Leo Enright: There's a team of people that are working on localization, including what information we got on the way down, you know, on the nav filter; probably taking a picture, looking at the picture and trying to figure out from there where we are. I would imagine by tomorrow's press conference we should have a better idea where it came down within a few hundred meters at least, hopefully.
Tiffy Benth: I am Tiffy Benth of TVBS Taiwan. We also have a live event in Taiwan. This is actually a question from our audience, which is, I think she's, like, around a 10-year-old girl, and she wants to know, if it is possible, if there is any opportunity that JPL would consider to open up the opportunity for students to operate Curiosity in Mars, and especially students from overseas. I want you to know if the answer is yes, I want to sign my name right now (laughter).
Grotzinger: You know, I got to tell you, in all honestly, first we have to let them wait for the scientists to operate it.(laughter)
Botman: Henry Botman with Astrobiology magazine. Can you tell us at what time Curiosity touched down, Earth received time, and at what time the first image came back?
Steltzner: I can tell you the first of those is 10:39 P.M.; the second of those I don't have.
Amanda: Amanda Rechter from Scholastic. (laughter) Both Charles and John said that this is very much of an inspiration for young people. Can you tell me what inspired you when you were growing up—what made you decide to join NASA and do all of this amazing work?
Elachi: Let me start. I was inspired by the first astronauts, the Gemini program, the Apollo program. And specifically, here we are, still in the heart of summer, and I remember being brought into the mess hall at summer camp to look at a small black-and-white TV along with a couple of hundred other boys—it was a boy's camp in central Wisconsin—to see Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin land on the moon. And that stuck with me and inspired me to go on to become a physicist, a scientist, to study math and science throughout school. Eventually to apply at the astronaut corps, to go to space. And I hope—it was a dream of mine for this evening, and I think we've achieved that—and for kids today, actually for everyone today, that this landing of Curiosity on the surface of Mars will be an inspiration that will lead people to think about the great science that's ahead of us and to go on to do great things.
Grunsfeld: I mean, I think the thing, so the kind of—I didn't have a specific activity or thing, like John said, that inspired me, but so much is being able to problem solving. And the thing that we do here and NASA does and JPL does, is we solve problems. And we solve problems that involved, you know, obviously very state-of-the-art activities but also things that require large teams of people working together in a really intimate way that is really different, I think, than almost any other human endeavor. It's amazing to solve a problem as complicated as landing on the surface of Mars, where you're utterly dependent on, you know, a team of a hundred or two hundred or thousand other people to do their parts and to do it, to solve their problems and have all those problems work together. And it's just the scale of that endeavor, that problem solving—that is what got me attracted to working for NASA and for JPL. And I think that's, if I were to talk to my kids or to get kids to go in this field, that's the kind of thing that NASA and JPL does, and it's really, if you're interested in that sort of problem or in that sort of activity, this is the place to come and do it.
Burkhard Bilger: Burkhard Bilger with The New Yorker. I may be imagining this, but the one time during the landing that the temperature seemed to drop in the room was when Adam asked for OD 278, and they said, "No, we only have 277." What was happening? Was it anything of significance?
Steltzner: No (laughter). We are, as we're coming in, the navigators are continuing to make OD's—orbital determination: where the space craft is—and updating. And they all have numbers—an estimate, an estimate, an estimate—and they get better as Mars grabs us and the pull of Mars reduces the inherent, some of the uncertainty in that estimate. While that's going on, while EDL is happening, in the EDL war room in a different building—you were seeing it on some of the cameras—the flight dynamics team is running simulations to the ground with our simulation tool based on those updated OD's. And so I'd seen that OD 278 had come up, and I was asking if they had that, because I had it and they hadn't, they didn't have it over there yet, and that was what that was about.
Thompson: Ian Thompson from The Register. I have a question for John Grotzinger. You now get the keys to this and you can, sort of, get it moving along. What are the first stages that you'll go through in terms of getting Curiosity out there, and potentially, how long could it survive on Mars beyond the two-year span?
Grotzinger: I'll take a swipe at the first one. You know, we just want to get going first and check out all of the engineering systems and the science instruments. And this is a very, very, very complex space craft compared to what we've done before, and so because of that, we'll go through this long check out period called the commissioning activity period. And Pete and Richard will be watching this very carefully and we're going to make sure that we're firing on all cylinders before we blaze out across the plains there. But nested within those initial tests are going to be science observations. And so we have a plan to begin working through those as we test out the instruments, and in the next few days, you guys will be able to see some of the images. You'll see the results of the instrument health and aliveness checks and how we do. But the best way to think about this mission is on the order of days, weeks, months and years. And we can loosely bound things. I think we expect to spend a couple of weeks, checking things out and then maybe taking the first drive a short distance to some place where we'll go through the second phase of commissioning. And then in a matter of months we hope to have used all of the instruments including the SAM and the CheMin instruments and done some scooping and drilling. And, you know, possibly within a year or so, we could be at the base of Mount Sharp because the place we landed on looks pretty damn interesting, and we just don't want to rush out of there without having studied it real well. So it's, the missions about patience and checking things out carefully.
Cook: John and I have a bet as to whether or not, how long it will take us to get to Mount Sharp. Because my version of the surface mission is that it's like going on a family vacation and driving from here to Chicago; except for your family has got 400 scientists who want to stop and look at every (laughter) every fossilized whatever they can find. And so, he says it's not going to take that long, and I don't believe him. (laughter)
Grotzinger: Richard's going to win.
Cook: John is going to search for the biggest ball of twine in Gale (laughter). In terms of the second part of your question, there are no inherent consumables on the spacecraft. We don't have gas or something to be run out of inherently. We tested, the life limiting characteristics tend to be the mechanisms—the motors and those things; they tend to be outside in the cold, so they suffer the greatest thermal highs and lows—and we tested those for three times life, and we don't test them to failure. So the normal mission for this is two years, but I think if it lasts twice that, I don't think anyone will be shocked. And that's the first time anyone's ever got me to say anything more than two years.(laughter) So I think you know, John's right: we've got a long mission ahead of us and because of that and the capabilities of this rover, we have this possibility for just monumental science accomplishments. And the target we've gone to—I mean the Mount Sharp is just, you know, this whole story of Mars, and we're just going to explore and explore and explore across that. The other side of that is, as I've said to the team, and I'll repeat to the press here, is that we're in no hurry, okay. We now have, as I said to the team on 10:32 tonight, we would have a priceless asset, a priceless national asset, okay, and we are not going to—pardon the French here—screw it up, okay. And therefore we'll take our time to understand its condition, and understand if there's anything that happened during landing that we haven't uncovered yet. We will take our time to make sure that we understand how to operate it in this new and challenging environment. And then we will with slow deliberate, methodical pace, we'll begin the science explorations that the science team wants to take. So be patient with us please, because we'll be patient with curiosity.
Elachi: Just realize that this second rover we have on operating on the surface of Mars at the same time. That's pretty spectacular to have Opportunity still there eight years later and Curiosity, both doing their thing.
Cook: Continuous roving presence on the surface of Mars in excess of eight years yeah ( clapping).
>> Also see How to Land Safely on Mars


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When I first got into Monrose, the German girl trio were just about to launch their 'I Am' album. Little did I know that all this time I had been missing out on 'Strictly Physical'. 'Strictly Physical' was the group's second album and contained the epic 'Hot Summer' which went on to be covered by artists from Australia to Korea, it had fingerlickingly delicious electropop in the form of 'Dangerous', heartbreaking ballads like 'What You Don't Know', the Olive's 'You're Not Alone' sampling 'Just Like That', the self-referencing and attitude-drenched 'Monrose Theme'… Basically, it was one of the greatest girl group albums the world would ever be treated to.
When late 2010 Mandy, Senna and Bahar announced they were going to part ways, it was a sad, sad day for pop fans around the globe. Now, finally, we have something to fill that Monrose shaped void in our lives. Mandy Capristo, who at just 22 has been on the pop scene for 6 years now, has just unleashed her very first solo video onto the internet. 'The Way I Like It' is a slow burning electropop tune that still manages to pack a mean punch. The video contrasts an abandoned setting to Mandy's stunning gorgeousness. Yes, perhaps I'm getting a bit hyperbolic about this, but if 'The Way I Like It' is an indication of what her upcoming album 'Grace' is going to offer then sign me up!
'The Way I Like It' by Mandy Capristo is available on Spotify and iTunes.
'Grace' by Mandy Capristo is released April 27th 2012.
'Strictly Physical' by Monrose is available on Spotify and iTunes.

subset: commoncrawl


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Easter Basket 2012: Ice Cream Flavored Malted Milk Balls
When you think of Easter candy, a few key items probably come to mind: chocolate bunnies, marshmallow Peeps, and malted milk balls. And when you think of malted milk balls, you probably think of Whoppers.
It's no surprise—Whoppers has been making an Easter version of their malted milk balls since 1949. They gussy up the regular candy by transforming the balls into "robin eggs" using an elongated shape, smooth white coating, and pretty pastel speckles. But PAAS, of egg-dye fame, has steadily been creeping onto the scene, most recently with their Ice Cream Flavors Malted Milk Balls. With time growing short before the big day, I wondered—would these new flavors beat out Whoppers for a place in my Easter basket?
Whoppers Robin Eggs are about the size of a candied almond. Their outer shells fall at an 8 on the hard spectrum: cutting one of these eggs cleanly in half definitely requires your best sharpened knife.
Robin Eggs have three layers: a hard candy shell followed by a chocolate ring and a malted milk ball in the center. The outer chocolate ring provides an initial burst of cocoa flavor that lingers slightly before giving way to a marshmallow-scented interior. The flavor is a pleasing combination of milk and cocoa, but the texture is really the key: the malted ball melts on your tongue like astronaut ice cream. At the end of the day, Robin Eggs are just Whoppers in an Easter bonnet.
For as long as I can remember, PAAS has meant Easter. But it wasn't until the dye company joined with Necco that they made an attempt to conquer the second half of the Easter market—candy. PAAS is going a less traditional route, offering malted bird eggs in ice cream flavors.
These malt balls are about the size of Brazil nuts, making them substantially bigger than the Robin Eggs, and their outer shell was noticeably less crunchy. The Ice Cream pack contains four flavors: Chocolate, Orange, Strawberry, and Cookies N' Cream.
I started with the Cookies N' Cream because it looked the most similar to a regular malt ball. It tasted a shocking amount like raw cake batter, as if it was aspiring to be a chunk of the "birthday cake" they use as a mix-in at Cold Stone Creamery. I don't actually mind the taste of super vanilla-y boxed "yellow" cake and this is what these balls resemble. Boxed cake with sprinkles. It wasn't half bad.
The chocolate egg didn't fare as well. This flavor tasted so distinctly like orange that at first I thought I had sampled the wrong flavor. Another egg (halved, with insides exposed) confirmed that this off, fruit-flavored candy was indeed the chocolate egg. I had hoped that the chocolate flavor would taste like the chocolate ring of a Whopper, times three, but this had sadly lost its way.
At first bite, Orange tasted just like a Flinstones' Push-up Pop. The creamy orange flavor melted into a less desirable, astringent orange Tic Tac aftertaste, but it definitely wasn't as awful as you would think an orange malted milk ball would be. Meanwhile, there are no words for how strongly I disliked the Strawberry egg. It was Tums gone wrong, curdled Pepto Bismol, a cloud of bad strawberry-scented perfume shot into your mouth. To make matters worse, when I spit out the egg (no, I couldn't bring myself to swallow) the pink dye seeped all over my hands.
The verdict? If PAAS made an all Cookies N' Creme pack I might consider throwing it into my basket; it's nice to change things up. But as we've seen before, the oldies seem to be the goodies on the Easter candy scene.
What about you? What's your favorite brand of malt ball? Are you putting anything new in your Easter basket this year?


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Clint Woods begins his 11th year with Lipscomb University Sports Medicine and his sixth year with Baptist Sports Medicine. Clint's primary sport responsibilities will be men's soccer and baseball. Before coming to Lipscomb University, Clint worked as an athletic trainer at Trevecca Nazarene University where he was responsible for all sports and worked as the strength and conditioning coach for men's and women's soccer and assisted with women's basketball. Prior to that time, Clint served as the head athletic trainer at Father Ryan High School for two years.
Clint earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education with an Emphasis in Athletic Training from Cumberland University. He is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist and certified personal trainer through the National Strength and Condition Association.
Clint resides in Nashville with his wife Lily, daughter Naolin, and son Cayden.


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There's a reason why prescription drugs are intended to be taken under a doctor's direction: If used improperly, they can be dangerous. Despite what many teens and adults think, abusing prescription drugs is not safer than abusing illicit drugs. As the facts will tell you, prescription drugs can have dangerous short- and long-term health consequences when used incorrectly or by someone other than for whom they were intended.
Prescription drug abuse is when someone takes a medication in an inappropriate way, such as:
- Without a prescription
- In a way other than as prescribed
- For the "high" elicited
It includes taking a friend's or relative's prescription to treat pain or because you think it will help with studying.
Opioids (such as the pain relievers OxyContin and Vicodin), central nervous system depressants (e.g., Xanax, Valium), and stimulants (e.g., Concerta, Adderall) are the most commonly abused prescription drugs.
Medications available without a prescription—known as over-the-counter drugs—can also be abused. DXM (dextromethorphan), the active cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cough and cold medications, is one example. It is sometimes abused to get high, which requires taking large and potentially dangerous doses (more than what is on the package instructions).
Prescription drugs have chemical names, brand names you may have heard before, and street names.
|Chemical Name (Brand Name)
|Street Names
|Chemical Name (Brand Name)
|Street Names
|Chemical Name (Brand Name)
|Street Names
It depends—some people take other people's medications for their intended purposes (e.g., to relieve pain, to stay awake, or to fall asleep). Others take prescription medications to get high, often at larger doses than prescribed, or by a different route of administration, such as by breaking or crushing a pill or capsule and then snorting the ingredients.
Virtually every medication presents some risk of undesirable side effects, sometimes even serious ones. Doctors consider the potential benefits and risks to each patient before prescribing medications. They understand that drugs affect the body in many ways and take into account things like the patient's age, weight, and medical history; the drug's form, dose, and possible side effects; and the potential for addiction. People who abuse drugs might not understand how these factors interact and put them at risk, or that prescription drugs do more than cause a high, help them stay awake, help them relax, or relieve pain.
- Personal data. Before prescribing a medication, doctors take into account a person's weight, how long they've been prescribed the medication, and what other medications they are taking. Someone abusing prescription drugs may overload their system or make themselves vulnerable to dangerous drug interactions that can cause seizures, coma, or even death.
- Form and dose. Doctors know how long it takes for a pill or capsule to dissolve in the stomach, release drugs to the bloodstream, and reach the brain. When abused, prescription drugs may be taken in inappropriate doses or by routes of administration that change the way the drugs act in the body and brain, presenting overdose risk. For example, when people who abuse OxyContin crush and inhale the pills, a 12-hour dose hits their central nervous system all at once—which increases the risk of addiction and overdose.
- Side effects. Prescription drugs are designed to treat a particular illness or condition, but they often have other effects on the body, some of which can be dangerous. These are referred to as side effects. For example, OxyContin stops pain, but it also causes constipation and drowsiness. Stimulants such as Adderall increase attention but also raise blood pressure and heart rate. These side effects can be worse when prescription drugs are not taken as prescribed or are abused in combination with other substances—including alcohol, other prescription drugs, and even over-the-counter drugs, such as cold medicines. For instance, some people mix alcohol and benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium), both of which can slow breathing. This combination could stop breathing altogether.
- Addiction. Studies show that when people take a medication as it is prescribed for a medical condition—such as pain or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—they usually do not become addicted, because the medication is prescribed in dosages and forms that are considered safe for that person. The person is also monitored by a physician. The drug addresses a real problem, which makes the person feel better, not high. But medications that affect the brain can change the way it functions—especially when they are taken repeatedly or in large doses. They can alter the reward system, making it harder for a person to feel good without the drug and possibly leading to intense cravings, which make it hard to stop using. This is no different from what can happen when someone takes illicit drugs—addiction is a real possibility.
Every day in the United States, an average of 2,000 teenagers use prescription drugs without a doctor's guidance for the first time. Among youth who are 12 to 17 years old, 2.8 percent reported past-month nonmedical use of prescription medications. According to the 2012 Monitoring the Future survey, prescription and over-the-counter drugs are among the most commonly abused drugs by 12th graders, after alcohol, marijuana, synthetic marijuana (e.g., "Spice"), and tobacco. Youth who abuse prescription medications are also more likely to report use of other drugs.
The majority of both teens and young adults obtain prescription drugs they abuse from friends and relatives, sometimes without their knowledge. And according to the 2012 Monitoring the Future survey, about 50 percent of high school seniors said that opioid drugs other than heroin (e.g., Vicodin) would be fairly or very easy to get.
Teens abuse prescription drugs for a number of reasons, including to get high, to treat pain, or because they think it will help them with school work. Interestingly, boys and girls tend to abuse some types of prescription drugs for different reasons. For example, boys are more likely to abuse prescription stimulants to get high, while girls tend to abuse them to stay alert or to lose weight.
Abusing prescription drugs can have negative short- and long-term health consequences.
- Stimulant abuse can cause paranoia, dangerously high body temperatures, and an irregular heartbeat, especially if stimulants are taken in large doses or in ways other than swallowing a pill.
- Abuse of opioids can cause drowsiness, nausea, constipation, and, depending on the amount taken, slowed breathing.
- Abusing depressants can cause slurred speech, shallow breathing, fatigue, disorientation, lack of coordination, and seizures (upon withdrawal from chronic abuse).
Abuse of any of these types of medications may result in addiction.
Abusing over-the-counter drugs that contain DXM—which usually involves taking doses much bigger than recommended for treating coughs and colds—can impair motor function (such as walking or sitting up); produce numbness, nausea, and vomiting; and increase heart rate and blood pressure.
Abusing any type of mind-altering drug can affect judgment and inhibition and may put a person at heightened risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
No. Many people think that abusing prescription drugs is safer than abusing illicit drugs like cocaine and heroin because the manufacturing of prescription drugs is regulated or because they are prescribed by doctors. These circumstances don't mean these drugs are safe for someone who was not prescribed them or when taken in ways other than as prescribed.
Like illicit drugs, prescription drugs can have powerful effects in the brain and body. Opioid painkillers act on the same sites in the brain as heroin; prescription stimulants have effects in common with cocaine. And people sometimes take the medications in ways that can be very dangerous in both the short and long term (e.g., crushing pills and snorting or injecting the contents). Also, abusing prescription drugs is illegal—and that includes sharing prescriptions with friends.
On rare occasions they do, which is why a person must be under a doctor's care while taking prescription medications. A doctor prescribes a medication based on an individual's need, symptoms, and other factors, assigning a particular dosage to treat the problem effectively and safely. Typically, prescription drugs are taken in a form (e.g., a pill) that gets to the brain slowly and at a dose that treats the problem but doesn't overwhelm the system—both of which reduce the likelihood of addiction.
Long-term medical use of certain prescription drugs can, however, lead to "physical dependence," because the brain and the body naturally adapt to chronic drug exposure. A person may need larger doses of the drug to achieve the same initial effects (known as "tolerance"). When drug use is stopped, withdrawal symptoms can occur. Dependence is not the same as addiction. It is one of the many reasons why a person should only take and stop taking prescription drugs under a physician's care.
Yes. Both prescription and over-the-counter drugs pose increased risk of health complications when combined with other prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines, illicit drugs, or alcohol. For example, combining opioids with alcohol can intensify breathing problems and lead to death.
Cough and cold medications are some of the most commonly abused over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Many contain an ingredient called dextromethorphan (DXM). However, to get the "high" craved by people who use drugs, large quantities are needed. At high doses, DXM causes effects similar to those of the drugs ketamine or PCP by affecting similar sites in the brain. Ketamine and PCP are considered "dissociative" drugs, which make people feel disconnected from their normal selves. Such drugs affect memory, feelings, and thoughts. DXM is similar, and its abuse can affect control over movement; cause numbness, nausea, and vomiting; and increase heart rate and blood pressure.
When taken as directed, OTCs are safe and effective, but high doses can cause problems. And, some OTC medications can produce dangerous health effects when taken with alcohol. It's important to understand these risks, read the bottle labels, and take OTC medications only as directed.
Not all prescription drugs have the potential for abuse and addiction—many drugs don't even act in the brain. For example, antibiotics, which are used to treat infections, are not addictive.
You (and your parents) should read the label on prescription drugs and any information that comes with the prescription. This will include the doctor's instructions for how much to take and how often, as well as warnings about possible side effects. Read the label and learn whether you should take the medication with or without food, whether it will make you drowsy, and whether you can take it with other prescription or over-the-counter medicines. You can protect yourself by taking prescription drugs only according to these instructions. That includes the dosage and duration prescribed. If you have a question about a drug that has been prescribed for you, have your parents call your doctor or pharmacist.
If the drug is creating problems for you (e.g., if you experience unpleasant side effects or think you may be becoming addicted), consult your doctor immediately to see if a change is needed, or if the medication should be stopped altogether. But do not make these decisions on your own—there can be risks to changing dosage or stopping a medication abruptly.
When a person you care about has a drug problem, it's not always easy to know what to do. If you are concerned about someone's drug use (illicit or prescription), encourage him or her to talk to a parent, school guidance counselor, or other trusted adult. There are also anonymous resources, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) and the Treatment Referral Helpline (1-800-662-HELP).
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) is a crisis hotline that can help with many problems, not just suicide. This includes problems due to drug use. Family and friends who are concerned about a loved one, or anyone interested in mental health treatment referrals, can call this Lifeline. Callers are connected with a nearby professional who will talk with them about what they're feeling or about concerns for family and friends.
In addition, the Treatment Referral Helpline (1-800-662-HELP)—offered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration—refers callers to treatment facilities, support groups, and other local organizations that can provide help for their specific needs. You can also locate treatment centers in your state by going to www.samhsa.gov/treatment.


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timbo2k2 brauchte ein neues Logo Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 42 Designs von 16 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
Require a logo for a company that essentially provide loans to businesses.
Desired Color Scheme:
Black and Red - Grey can also be used
Desired Style:
Proffesional and clean
Accepted File Formats:
Standard Web Formats (.jpg, .gif or .png); Vector Formats (.eps, .pdf or .ai)
The company is called E--a--s--t--e--r--n C--r--e--d--i--t Ltd (remove the "-"), they essentially provide loans to businesses.
They don't especially have specific corporate colours yet, but would like the logo to be black and red; also grey could be used if you think it'll look good. It's important for them that it also works in black & white; so if you could provide samples in colour and mono that would be great.
They have the idea that the initials EC could be incorporated in to a pound sign - however I think this would look a bit too cliche but welcome to try it.
I will provide feedback on each logo but in the end it is my client who will pick the winner. Because of this contest may close earlier if there is a specific logo he deems fit.
Potential future work also available to winning logo designer.
Finden Sie heraus, wie ein Designwettbewerb funktioniert, oder lernen Sie mehr über unsere Logo-Design-Angebote.


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Displacement: Place, Power, and Race
The Foreclosure Defense Group presents its second event in the "Welcome to Class Warfare" series
$? Free!!
First Congregational Church
2501 Harrison St, Oakland, CA
Gentrification, foreclosures, "urban redevelopment"…. all are facets of the same brute force we feel acutely in our daily lives : Displacement, the uprooting and shifting of communities serving the demands of speculative capital and white supremacy. We offer this forum to hear voices from different struggles, to deepen understanding of the powers at play, and to strategize for popular self defense.
Historically, Economically, the Fight Ahead of Us
- James Bealum, former Fillmore resident and organizer, will speak on the community organizing against displacment in the Fillmore of the mid-1960s
- Darwin Bond-Graham, Oakland journalist and sociologist, will present on his recent work detailing the local "foreclosure-to-rental mill". on the further impositions of precarity on the working class and communities of color.
- Tony Marks-Block, an organizer with the Stop the Injunctions Coalition will speak to the deployment of gang injunctions effecting displacement
- Brooke Terpstra, FDG organizer, will present on different models of present organizing and their underlying values and limitations.
- Community members…. You! Each segment is intended not only as a presentation but as provocation! As starting points for discussion, the inclusion of all our voices. Each portion will have ample time and space for any questions and discussion.
Hope to see you Friday!
Wheelchair accessible.
Childcare provided (please rsvp)
Friday, March 8th
$? Free!!
First Congregational Church
2501 Harrison St, Oakland, CA
For any questions and childcare RSVPs, you can call the FDG hotline 510.207.0182 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com
header image: A Cityscape by Geremy George


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How can it be that a Pope retires?
In an exclusive interview, Cardinal Meisner admits to being shocked by the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. Nevertheless, he understands the decision of the Pope. The cardinal of the Germans is disappointed how often the Pope was ridiculed in his homeland.
Your Eminence, you are considered to be a close confidant of the pope. Were you kept in the picture about the resignation?
I was absolutely surprised and thought that the news was a joke from the Carnival on Shrove Tuesday. To be honest, I'm shocked really.
Such a step was beyond my imagination. Previously not even priests and bishops resigned. This has a very deep meaning: The ministry is indeed a kind of fatherhood. Father and one remains a father throughout life. Then, as the age limit for bishops and priests was introduced, I have for a long time thought: lucky that at least the Pope officiates for life. Then the continuity of this paternity is assured. However, I notice it in myself, that with the years I am more and more clinging to the ropes. And in as far as it makes sense, that you can also withdraw from matters. Not because you do not want to do anything any more. But one is freed from the "you must" and should instead say: "I can"
Did the Pope ever indicate anything to you?
Never. And if so, then I would not have understood. Because I had never held an abdication possible. I have recently told my nieces and nephews when they asked me what things would be like at Christmas after my 80th Birthday, "There are so many things that I no longer need to do. For example, I never have to go back into a conclave. "
What was your last meeting with the Pope like?
I met him in November during the Synod of Bishops and spent an evening with him. He was wide awake and on the mark. Also at the synod he held at the beginning of a 40-minute presentation – given without notes without equal in spiritual and intellectual depth. That is for him the elixir of life. And yes, he once told me: "If there comes a time when I cannot go on ..." Apparently he had at that moment a feeling of weakness.
In farming families, there is for the old farmers the farm outhouse in which after full time work they can enjoy the autumn of their days? Is the possibility of a resignation not a similar act of charity?
From my viewpoint especially a thought went through my head: How will things move now? A Pope retired! Reasonably considered, it is certainly appropriate that the Pope gives the office to another when he comes to the end: he can no longer continue with the necessary force. As a good father, he knows his responsibility to take care of his house. A building with a billion Catholics and endless stories to manage, is a burden that I do not wish to imagine. Especially when one is so smart and honest as the Pope who wants to think through everything important and is even more aware of the risks of his actions.
Are you stalked by the belief that he flees from office?
Not for a second! The claim that the Lord of the Church makes on us, we cannot escape. The Pope tries to do justice to the claim of the Lord when he says now: I have to recognize my inability to perform well the service entrusted to my care.
Did the Pope really know about the revision of your position on the "morning after" pill that you now have declared to be ethical after cases of rape?
My statement was agreed with the Congregation of the Faith and the Pontifical Academy for Life. I have also talked about it with the secretary of the Pope, Archbishop Gänswein,. He told me: "The pope knows. It's all right. "
You pushed in 2005 for the choice of Joseph Ratzinger. Has he met your expectations?
So, besides me there were also a few others who were for Ratzinger. What surprised me was his ability to grow into the new office. Shy as he is by nature. I found this on his first major trip back to Cologne for World Youth Day on the ship when I kept telling him: "Holy Father, you must now wave to the youngsters! And not only right, but also to the left, to all sides, "Until he once replied:" you constantly criticise me about it " Yes, "I said," until you have learned to be Pope ". The Pope tolerated such familiarity. He stayed really quite natural.
How does he go down in history?
As Pope, who with great intelligence analyses the present and set the course for the future. I had actually hoped he would still write a great encyclical on the "human condition", the problems of humanity in our time. No moralizing, but an unfolding of the Christian image that is now often called into question.
Contrary to what you said to your nieces and nephews another conclave is upon you. What sort of Pope do you want to vote for with the other cardinals?
For an answer, the news is still too fresh. First comes the 28th February, and I'm curious how this will happen in Rome: Will the Cardinals be there when the Pope leaves office? Is there a retirement party? But if I take a first look at this moment out into the future, the new pope would certainly a man of similar high education to Joseph Ratzinger, with great human experience, and - be of vital health – especially. No older than 70, I'd say. John Paul II once said to me in a face-to-face meeting: "The theological profile of my Pontificate I owe Joseph Ratzinger." The two complemented each other wonderfully. So a mixture of Wojtyla and Ratzinger would not be bad. But I've made really no idea about an appropriate candidate.
Did Benedict XVI miss the counterpart, which he himself was for his predecessor?
The Cardinal Secretary of State did not secure this role. During the Williamson affair, I even once, on behalf of a number of cardinals, went to the Pope and said: "Holy Father, you have to dismiss Cardinal Bertone! He's in charge - as would be the responsible minister in a secular government, "He looked at me and said," Listen to me carefully! Bertone remains! Basta! Basta! Basta! "After that I never brought up the subject again. Incidentally, this is typical: The Ratzingers are loyal. That makes life for them not always easy. The Pope has basically taken his closest collaborators from the CDF when he took over the new office, Cardinal Bertone as well as his secretary, the present Archbishop Gänswein. But the former prefect of the CDF, Cardinal Levada, did not play for Ratzinger a role in the way that he played for John Paul II. And the new prefect, Archbishop Müller of Regensburg, is only just in the office and must find out about his own role. He is a clever man, yet different to Ratzinger himself
The relationship of Germans to "their" Pope was very mixed. What is your assessment?
It has always hurt me how dismissively, even maliciously the Pope was spoken about in Germany. . What many lacked was a sense of self-awareness, even of pride that for the first time in nearly 500 years, again a German held such an office with this global responsibility. This was completely ignored.
News and comment on church closings and on modern Catholic life throughout the world. The practice of Catholic devotions as a remedy and in reparation will also be encouraged. If anyone has any news on any Catholic Church closures anywhere in the world, pictures and suggested links please feel free to e-mail. Also pay a visit to the extensive archives- also click on labels.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Cardinal Meisner ""Holy Father, you have to dismiss Cardinal Bertone! "
at 15:29
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Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It's free!
Monday September 12, 2011 3:51 pm
Top 10 Tech Deals of the Day
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Displays, Hot Deals, PC / Laptop, Portable Audio / Video, Storage, Video Games
We've got your latest list of items that fall under the best tech Deals of the Day for you, separated out into laptops, desktops, monitors, gaming, and home entertainment. The laptop deals are right here, but be sure to click through to get a look at all the rest of what we determined to be today's top 10 deals in tech, including that Killzone 3 Collector's Edition up there!
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- Deus Ex Human Revolution (Xbox 360, PS3) for $35 (normally $50)
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Cloud computing: new strategy to drive European business and government productivity27 September 2012
by eub2 -- last modified 27 September 2012
The European Commission's new strategy for "Unleashing the potential of cloud computing in Europe" outlines actions to deliver a net gain of 2.5 million new European jobs, and an annual boost of EUR 160 billion to EU GDP (around 1%), by 2020. The strategy is designed to speed up and increase the use of cloud computing across the economy. 'Cloud computing' refers to the storage of data (such as text files, pictures and video) and software on remote computers, which users access over the internet on the device of their choice. This is faster, cheaper, more flexible and potentially more secure than on-site IT solutions. Many popular services such as Facebook, Spotify and web-based email use cloud computing technologies but the real economic benefits come through widespread use of cloud solutions by businesses and the public sector.
What is Cloud Computing?
'Cloud computing' is the storing, processing and use of data on remotely located computers accessed over the internet. Many people use the cloud today without even realising that they do so. Services such as web-based e-mail or social networks may be based on cloud technology. For professional IT users cloud computing means a high degree of flexibility as to the amount of computing power needed. For example, if a service sees increased use, it is very simple to add more capacity to it – something that would take much more time if a company had to install a new physical machine in its own data centre.
How does cloud computing work?
The user connects his/her computer to the cloud platform through dedicated software. In the cloud, the processing power is provided by big data centres with hundreds of servers and data storage systems that are able to handle practically any computer software (from data processing to video games) that clients might need to use. Sometimes the services are offered free (for example webmail offerings), but most clients can pay flexibly on a pay-per-use basis or by a single monthly fee.
Where is my data being stored when I use the cloud?
In a data centre somewhere on the planet. If the physical location is important, users can make sure this is specified in their cloud computing contracts. With regard to others' personal data, the Data Protection Directive requires data to either be stored in the European Economic Area (EEA) or in a territory that has equivalent privacy laws.
What are the main advantages of cloud computing for users?
Users do not have to buy software or buy and maintain expensive servers and data storage. This saves on money, office space and in-house IT support staff. Users also have near total flexibility about the storage space and tools they use.
Why do we need an EU strategy to unleash the potential of cloud computing?
The economic benefits are much bigger - €160 billion per year, or around €300 per person per year - through pan-European action. Today the patchwork of different rules at Member State level increases companies' uncertainty about their legal obligations, thus delaying the adoption of cloud computing. While cloud initiatives in the Member States are welcome, such as Andromède in France, G-Cloud in the UK and Trusted Cloud in Germany, this is not enough and not the most efficient way to grow the market for everybody's benefit.
What are the economic and job gains from a European cloud strategy?
New estimates indicate that cloud computing revenues in the EU could rise to nearly €80 billion by 2020 if policy intervention is successful (more than doubling the growth of the sector). So this strategy is about building a new industry, and better competing against the United States in particular.
More broadly, we expect a net annual gain of €160 billion to EU GDP by 2020 (or a total gain of nearly €600 billion between 2015 and 2020) if the full EU cloud strategy is in place. Without that, economic gains would be two-thirds less.
These benefits largely come from businesses being able to either save money or get access to technology that makes them more productive.
In terms of overall job numbers, we expect to see 3.8 million jobs generated following full implementation of the strategy, against 1.3 million if the regulatory and other policy barriers are not tackled.(1)
What is the time line of the actions? How long will it take for concrete change?
The Commission will deliver on the key actions identified in the Communication in 2013, notably in respect of actions on standardisation and certification for cloud computing, the development of safe and fair contract terms and conditions and the European Cloud Partnership. A progress report by the end of 2013 will show whether further policy and legislative initiatives are needed.
Who can benefit from cloud computing?
All internet users can benefit and cloud computing could revolutionise many fields.
Surveys show that 81% of businesses already using the cloud reported 10%-20% lower IT costs, while 20% of them reported savings rising to 30% or above.
Many consumers already use basic cloud computing (e.g. Internet-based e-mail accounts). A large storage capacity at no or minimal cost, convenient and ubiquitous access, reduction of expenditures – these are some of the advantages offered by the Cloud.
Cloud computing could bring large gains to the public sector, by making it easier to provide services that are integrated, effective and at lower cost.
Cloud computing could also boost research as research institutions could complement their in-house dedicated computing infrastructures with those of cloud providers, thus being able to maintain huge amounts of data and process these much faster, and innovation, as it becomes much easier and cheaper to try out new ideas for IT products or services.
How can cloud computing help protect the environment?
Like aviation, the rapid growth of computing means it is one of the fastest growing sources of carbon emissions. At the same time, cloud computing is the best way to increase the carbon efficiency of computing use. This is because large cloud-related investments can be planned with low-energy servers and green sources of energy, much more easily than ensuring hundreds of millions of computer users make green choices. In addition, hardware use can be optimised, reducing the number of physical machines needed to perform a given set of tasks.
The European Commission is funding a research project – the Eurocloud server project – whose first results show that it could be possible to cut cloud data centre energy use by 90%, this coming on top of the efficiencies already achieved by switching from desktop and server solutions to cloud solutions.
How could cloud computing affect the ICT sector?
If barriers to cloud computing were removed, a study of 1000 European companies shows that:
More than 98% of EU companies would start or strengthen cloud usage.
The cloud would attract new users: 96% of those EU businesses that are not using the cloud but are currently thinking about it would actually start investing.
An increase in the demand for IT skills not only for the fundamental areas such as data centre management but also, for example, in digital marketing, app design, social networking and financial health.
Details regarding the European Cloud Partnership (ECP)
What is the European Cloud Partnership and what will it do?
The European Cloud Partnership (ECP) will consist of high level procurement officers from European public bodies and key players from IT and telecom industry. The ECP will, under the guidance of a Steering Board, bring together public procurement authorities and industry consortia to implement pre-commercial procurement actions. This will allow them to identify public sector cloud computing requirements, to develop specifications for IT procurement, and to procure reference implementations. Thereby it will help advance towards common and even joint procurement of cloud computing services by public bodies on the basis of common user requirements. The ECP does not aim at creating a physical cloud computing infrastructure. Rather, via procurement requirements that will be promoted by participating Member States and public authorities for use throughout the EU, its aim is to ensure that the commercial offer of cloud computing in Europe, both of the public and of the private sector, is adapted to European needs,.
How will the European Cloud Partnership (ECP) operate?
A Steering Board will advise on strategic orientations, in particular with regard to public sector adoption of cloud computing services in a way that shapes the market to the benefit of all potential cloud users.
The other key component of the ECP is the implementation level: an initial budget of €10million has been earmarked for a pre-commercial procurement project in the ICT theme of the FP7 Research Programme (2) This project will require close coordination and a joining of forces between different public sector actors across several Member States in order to consolidate public sector requirements for procurement and use of cloud computing services.
What is main mission of the Steering Board of the European Cloud Partnership (ECP)?
The main mission of the Steering Board includes:
advising on strategic priorities for positioning cloud computing in Europe as an engine for economic growth, innovation and cost-efficient public services via the European Cloud Partnership;
giving recommendations on policy development for secure and interoperable cloud computing that will contribute to the European Digital Single Market.
What are operational arrangements of the Steering Board of the ECP?
The members of the Steering Board and its Chairperson will be appointed by the Commissioner responsible for the Digital Agenda, and will act in their personal capacities. The Board will meet two or three times per year. The Steering Board may consult with industrial, academic and governmental bodies and experts.
The inaugural meeting of the Steering Board is planned to take place in the last quarter of 2012.
Data protection, security, privacy and user rights
How will the strategy help me enforce my rights as a user of cloud services?
One of the key actions of the Strategy is to develop model contract terms and conditions to address issues not covered by the Common European Sales Law such as: data preservation after termination of the contract, data disclosure and integrity, data location and transfer, ownership of the data or direct and indirect liability. Identifying and developing consistent solutions in the area of contract terms and conditions is a way of encouraging wide take up of cloud computing services by increasing consumer trust.
How does this strategy relate to the Commission's proposals on data protection?
The concerns of cloud computing providers and users were carefully considered during the preparatory work for the Data Protection Regulation proposed by the Commission in January 2012. The proposed Regulation constitutes a good general basis for the future development of cloud computing
Given that data protection concerns were identified as one of the most serious barriers to cloud computing take-up, it is all the more important that the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament work swiftly towards the adoption of the proposed Regulation as soon as possible in 2013.
Once the proposed Regulation is adopted, the Commission will make use of the new mechanisms to provide any necessary additional guidance on the application of European data protection law in respect of cloud computing services.
What is being done concretely at global level to ensure consistent regulation?
Cloud computing is a global business that demands reinforced international dialogue on safe and seamless cross-border use.
The European Commission is working, through international dialogues on trade, law enforcement, security and cybercrime to fully reflect the new challenges raised by cloud computing.
These dialogues are pursued in multilateral fora such as the WTO and the OECD to advance common objectives for cloud computing services, and bilaterally with the USA, Japan and other countries.
How do I know if my data is stored in Europe or elsewhere?
The contact terms and conditions should address the issue of data location. However, the "take-it-or-leave-it" standard contracts used by many cloud providers today may not include such information. The strategy underlines the need to develop model contract terms and conditions to address issues not covered by the Common European Sales Law such as, inter alia, data location.
What happens to my data if the cloud company I use shuts down?
This will normally be covered by the contact terms and conditions – the need for clearer protection is why the Commission will develop model contract terms and conditions to address issues not covered by the Common European Sales Law.
Standards, certification and contracts
Why can't you write the necessary standards yourself, why do you rely on the industry to make this happen?
Standardisation works best as an industry-led process. The industry is already putting a lot of effort into creating standards that increase interoperability of the clouds.
Standards are emerging but at the moment there is no common agreement as to which standards would guarantee the required interoperability, data portability and reversibility. The Commission wants to identify coherent sets of useful standards to make it easier for the demand and supply sides to organise themselves.
When you do you hope to launch the certification scheme?
The Commission will work with the support of ENISA and other relevant bodies to assist the development of an EU-wide voluntary certification schemes in the area of cloud computing (including data protection) and establish a list of such schemes by 2014.
If it is voluntary, what will you do if companies simply decide not to join?
We will keep working with companies to increase the attractiveness of the scheme. Citizens tell us they want such information, and it should be remembered that certification is not a punishment for companies. It simply gives them a tool to signal their quality and compliance to prospective customers.
Does the Cloud Computing Strategy foresee the building of a "European Super-Cloud"?
No, the strategy is not about creating physical infrastructures. But we want to see publicly available cloud offerings that meet European standards not only in regulatory terms, but in terms of being competitive, open and secure.
What about the security in the cloud?
Cloud-specific security risks relate to multi-tenancy and shared resources character of cloud computing (that means that the same physical infrastructure will often serve many different customers of a cloud provider). In the cloud, the client cedes control of security to some extent to the service provider, making it important to be able to assess whether the cloud service provider complies with the security requirements. This shows why certification schemes will play an important role because they help providers signal compliance to prospective users in a reliable way. On the other hand, for non-IT security experts, leaving security issues to the hands of IT professionals working for the cloud service provider could in fact increase security.
Are clouds interoperable? Is it possible to easily change your cloud service provider?
At the moment different cloud offerings are not as interoperable as they could be. Cloud providers might use different operating systems or application interfaces which are not interoperable, meaning that software developed to work with one cloud provider cannot easily be made to work with another. This could lead to dependency from one service provider, since it is not necessarily easy to move data from one cloud to another ("lock-in").
Does the cloud computing strategy address wider the security issues?
The strategy does not address the security issues related to the internet and online environment as such. The Commission will in the coming months address general cyber security challenges in its Strategy for Cyber Security. This forthcoming strategy will address all information society providers, including cloud computing service providers. It will, inter alia, indicate appropriate technical and organisational measures that should be taken to manage security risks. It will also establish reporting obligations to competent authorities of significant incidents.
Does the cloud computing strategy intend to impede the activities of international cloud providers in Europe?
No. The strategy aims at facilitating Europe's participation in the global growth of cloud computing by: reviewing standard contractual clauses applicable to transfer of personal data to third countries and adapting them, as needed, to cloud services; and by calling upon national data protection authorities to approve Binding Corporate Rules for cloud providers.(3) Furthermore, the Commission will also build on its on-going international dialogues with the USA, Japan and other countries, as regards key cloud themes.
1 : See: IDC, "Quantitative Estimates of the demand for cloud Computing in Europe and the likely barriers to take-up", February 2012.
2 : See Objective 11.3
3 : The relevant opinions of the Article 29 Working Party (See: WP 195 and WP 153) will serve as a basis for a Commission draft. Binding Corporate Rules are one means to allow for legal international data transfers: they govern in an enforceable manner how the different parts of a corporation, regardless of their international location, deal with personal data.
Source: European Commission


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Bontrager Evoke RL WSD Saddle - Women's
Bontrager's Evoke RL WSD is THE saddle for epic days, 24-hour races and general riding. It's optimized for mountain biking with a narrower, rounded tail to make slipping off the back easier, a wider nose that you can grip with your thighs to help steer the bike through technical sections and abrasion-resistant sides for when things don't go quite as planned. It's got some of the most advanced comfort and support features, too. The size-specific curvature fits great, the carbon-reinforced base provides a little more give, and Bontrager's Contour Relief Zones with medium-weight padding ensure excellent support and no pressure on sensitive areas. This fine seat also boasts hollow-titanium rails and it's available in 3 widths for a custom fit.


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The ICCA Forum has a new website which includes a variety of ICCA information, analyses and reports from all over the world: www.ICCAforum.org. You are welcome to submit ICCA-relevant case studies and other insights, announcements and materials that you would like to propose for uploading.
What are Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs)?
ICCAs are natural and/or modified ecosystems containing significant biodiversity values, ecological services and cultural values, voluntarily conserved by Indigenous peoples and local communities, both sedentary and mobile, through customary laws or other effective means. ICCAs can include ecosystems with minimum to substantial human influence as well as cases of continuation, revival or modification of traditional practices or new initiatives taken up by communities in the face of new threats or opportunities. Several of them are inviolate zones ranging from very small to large stretches of land and waterscapes.
Three features car be taken as defining charateristics of ICCAs:
- A community is closely connected to a well defined ecosystem (or to a species and its habitat) culturally and/or because of survival and dependence for livelihood;
- The community management decisions and efforts lead to the conservation of the ecosystem's habitats, species, ecological services and associated cultural values [even when the conscious objective of such management may be different than conservation per se, and be, for instance, related to material livelihood, water security, safeguarding of cultural and spiritual places, etc.].
- The community is the major player in decision-making (governance) and implementation regarding the management of the site , implying that community institutions have the capacity to enforce regulations; in many situations there may be other stakeholders in collaboration or partnership, but primary decision-making rests with the concerned community.
The global coverage of ICCAs has been estimated as being comparable to the one of governments' protected areas (12% of terrestrial surface). Globally, 400-800 million hectares forest are owned/ administered by communities. In 18 developing countries with the largest forest cover, over 22% of forests are owned by or reserved for communities. In some of these countries (e.g. Mexico and Papua New Guinea) the community forests cover 80% of the total (Molnar et al., 2003). More land and resources are under community control in other ecosystems. By no means all areas under community control are effectively conserved (i.e. can be considered ICCAs), but a substantial portion is.
The ICCA Forum are in the proces of writing IUCN/CEESP Briefing Note no 10, which is preliminarily entitled "Recognising and supporting indigenous and community conservation: from lessons to action"
Briefing Note 10 is a follow up to Briefing Note no. 8 and Briefing Note 9, can be downloaded from here:
The new Briefing Note 10 - about 36 pages, with possibly a detached summary – will be produced in English, Spanish and French thanks to the support of GTZ and GEF SGP. The text will draw a lot from BN 9, but will incorporate new ideas and lessons and attempt to clearly spell out the most important "dos" and "donts" for policy and practice regarding ICCAs.
We expect to distribute BN 10 at the next CBD SBSTTA meeting in Nairobi in May 2010 and, after that, at CBD COP 10 in Nagoya, in October 2010. We thus have a tight deadline for the preparation of the document, but we still would like to make this preparation as participatory and open as possible.


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I know I just got done telling you not to buy a car on Black Friday, but if you absolutely must get a new car this weekend, do yourself a favor and buy a minivan because the deals are really good.
Practically every jamoke in a region that gets even a hint of snow this coming winter looking to buy a family car is starting to panic about having four-wheel-drive. They are going to trek on out to the dealerships and get their cold weather conquering crossover and compromise almost everything they actually need the 90 percent of the time there is no snow on the ground.
Don't be one of these fools, get a minivan. Specifically a Honda Odyssey. Why the Honda? Because even though the Sienna is just as "good," Honda gets a slight edge for offering more features across the lineup. But perhaps more importantly the discounts on Odysseys are bonkers right now.
I just helped three customers in different metro areas, Houston, Washington DC and NYC buy an Odyssey for way less than they expected. Of course, prices in your region may be different, but Honda dealers are serious about clearing out the 2016 Odysseys.
In Texas, I was able to get a 2016 Odyssey EX-L with Navigation (MSRP $39,100) for $34,425 + tax and fees. Shopping in the Baltimore/DC metro was even better, a regular EX-L (MSRP $37,100) for $30,327, that's almost twenty percent off! Honda is also offering 0.9 percent financing for up to 36 months and 1.9 percent financing for up to 60 months.
Sure the new Pacifica is very nice and the rebates are good, but this is the van you lease and give back in three years. Even still, the Chrysler can't touch the Honda in terms of leasing. Given Honda's healthy discounts this month and far superior resale value, a more expensive Odyssey can end up being cheaper to lease than a Pacifica. My client in New York was looking at a $34,000 Pacifica-L or a $37,000 Odyssey EX-L. A 36 month, 12k mile lease with $2500 down (all taxes and fees included) was $350/mo for the Honda and $450/mo for the Chrysler. The Honda is $3000 more expensive, yet $3600 cheaper to lease.
Get a van, using the savings for snow tires enjoy the goodness of sliding doors. You will thank me later.


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OK, that's it. No more cheap poly/cotton bee suits for me. I went to pull fall honey from my 4 hives and the first 3 were quite peaceful after getting smoked. However, the 4th one, which is my most rowdiest one, nailed me at least 50 times through the poly/cotton suit I bought because I'm a new beek and it was cheap. Not anymore. It's time to whip out the big bucks on a quality suit.
Any thoughts from personal experience as to what the best beesuits that are on the market today that can handle aggressive hives and, at the same time, are cooler that the cheap ones? I know there are some good ones out there, but I would much rather receive personal recommendations from experienced beekeepers than reading vendor promo ads.


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282 0041
Smooth Silver Manicure Scissors
Perfect pair of manicure scissors is a necessity for any spa, salon or home. Use this product to trim the nails and cuticles during a manicure. The solid, stainless steel construction makes them stronger and more durable than any average pair of manicure scissors.


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All of the products that you see on our web site can be purchased from our Authorized Dealers. Visit the Dealer Locator to find one near you!
Sewing Machine Services, based out of Mississauga, Ontario, is Canada's largest wholesale distributor of the highest quality sewing machine parts and notions. It is our mission to bring you quality items at affordable prices.
We are pleased to share with you our web site, with an interactive product database that you can search for information on our popular products.
-SMS Team
Home - Parts Charts - Products - *NEW PRODUCTS* - About - Contact - Dealers - Francais
SMS Canada - 2019
SMS Canada - 2019


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Well, here is the most delicious of Caesars!!! The Earls Caesar. I love how it was presented with a yummy spicy pickle. We had pickled some beans so I decided to add those with the Caesar when I made it here at the house. It is a perfect blend of spices and flavors to accompany that already wonderful Clamato. You can now make this at home or better yet come to Earls, sit back, relax and enjoy a Caesar.
Cheers all!!!
- 1 oz. Smirnoff vodka
- 1 oz. Earls Caesar spice mix
- Mott's Clamato
- Caesar rim trim
- Spicy beans or pickles for garnish
- Lime wedge
- Rim a Mason Jar with Caesar Rim trim. Fill the glass with ice. Add 1 fl oz Smirnoff Vodka and 1 fl oz Caesar Spice Mix. Top off the glass with Clamato, stir and serve with spicy green beans and a lime wedge.
- Earls special spice mix includes Montreal steak seasoning spices, horseradish, onion powder, HP, Worcestershire, housemade pickle brine (Earls makes their own pickles to use as garnish, as well as Landjager beef jerky instead of celery sticks), soy sauce, green tabasco, red tabasco. The salt rim includes roasted garlic pepper, celery salt & black pepper


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Trailer FrenzyA special place to find the newest trailers for movies and TV shows you're craving.
If you weren't excited for Marc Webb's sequel to Amazing Spider-Man, this trailer could change your mind fast. Watch what is basically the whole opening act for the second Spider-Man movie.
This trailer has everything we love about Webb's reinvention of the Spider-Man franchise: hilarious quips, sick action, and red-hot chemistry between Gwen and Peter Parker. And it looks absolutely, well, amazing.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will hit theaters on April 2.


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Aroma Home Microwavable Knitted Snuggle Hottie
Get yourself this new knitted hot water bottle alternative that everyone is talking about. This new character is the perfect companion for you when there's a chill in the air. As the days grow cold and frosty, it'll keep them snug, warm and smiling.
No more chilly nights, these knitted hotties with their soft fleecy warm backing will keep you snug as a bug in a rug. These adorable soft hotties contain an easily removable tummy pillow, which can be made cosy and warm by simply heating in a microwave. The tummy pillow is filled with natural wheat grain fragranced with calming lavender and chamomile pure essential oil. Just 60 seconds in the microwave makes this hottie ready for bedtime or around the house.
Category: Heat Pad, Hot Bottle


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Ellen Liebenow
Campus Involvement
- Majors: Anthropology and International Studies
- Language: German
- Pending Study Abroad: Scotland
- Swim Team
- Crew Team
- Archaeology Field School, Summer 2009
Future plans? I would like to be able to get a job in the government or in a non-profit organization as an applied anthropologist after college.
Travel beyond U.S.? Italy, Croatia, Austria, and Mexico


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In its desperate bid to make the rich and the telecommunications monopolies happy, the former British colony of Virginia is screwing over the rest of its population.
The internet speeds in the US are falling faster than a freefalling team of elephants who have forgotten to pack a parachute. Currently the US' is the 25th fastest Internet service in the world, just behind Romania, and falling.
The problem was caused by the owl worshipping George Bush who decided that his chums in the telcos would be a lot better off if they did not have so muchred tape. It sounded like a good idea even if the telcos were starting to merge and create more monopolies.
So the government watchdog, the FCC tossed out competitive broadband safeguards such as open-access requirements, which opened lines to other providers. In 2002, the agency ruled that high-speed cable Internet access would no longer be considered a telecommunications service but rather an "information service." In 2005, the FCC also reclassified broadband delivered by the phone companies as an "information service."
This killed off the idea that open communications in competitive markets were essential to economic growth and innovation. The nearly monopolistic telcos could effectivelty tell the customer that they could screw themselves.
Meanwhile other nations in Europe and Asia set up pro-competitive policies, which make even Romania look superior to the US, which of course, it is.
Published in News
US Internet falls behind Romania
by Nick Farrell on20 September 2011
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That is what you get when you listen to big business


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$2,500 Reward Offered for Help Catching Thugs Behind 18 Waffle House Robberies
Waffle House is offering a big plate of cash for the person who helps police catch a couple of armed robbers.
Eighteen Waffle House restaurants in Georgia have been hit in the past two weeks, and authorities believe two men may be responsible for the stick-ups.
Each robbery follows a similar pattern. One or the both of the thieves will walk into a Waffle House between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. They order food at the counter and then wait for the meal to arrive. When it does, one of the men pulls out a gun and tells employees to open the registers. The latest holdup happened on Aug. 12.
Waffle House is offering a $2,500 reward for tips leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the heists. The suspects are described as black men in their 20s or 30s. One is tall (about six-foot-one) and thin, while the other is about five-nine and stocky.
If you spot the armed duo, the police urge you to call 911. Anyone with tips about the case can contact the Norcross Police tip line at (770) 448-6457.


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Kapiolani Community College presents multi-talented Japanese chef Yoshinori Matsusaka
The Guslander Distinguished Visiting Chef presents a public cooking demonstration on March 1Kapiʻolani Community College
UH Community Colleges
Louise Yamamoto, (808) 734-9513
Kapiolani Community College
HONOLULU - Proving that culinary arts, in all its glory, is truly an art form providing a full sensory experience, Kapiʻolani Community College presents its 2007 Guslander Distinguished Visiting Chef Yoshinori Matsusaka to share his culinary expertise at a cooking demonstration on Thursday, March 1, from noon to 2 p.m. at Kapiʻolani CC, Ohia 118. The event is free and open to the public.
Known for his unique cooking-style and elaborate food presentations, Matsusaka is not only a superb chef but is also an accomplished painter and calligrapher. He creatively uses these talents to convey his philosophy that culinary arts is indeed an art form, to be enjoyed through all senses until it reaches your soul. He has been known to create new menus and placemats for his restaurants by designing, painting and handwriting each unique piece, drawing upon the flavors of the season.
His art has been exhibited at the Le Salon Exhibition and the Millet Exhibition in France, as well as the most reputable fine arts exhibition in Japan, the Nika-ten Exhibition.
Matsusaka's stable of restaurants includes the highly regarded flagship Kankawa, which has been touted as the best restaurant in the western part of Japan. He also owns Kinojin and Uoyoshi in south Osaka, as well as the stylish, upscale Le Hannari, which has become a sought-after wedding venue due to its sophisticated and fashionable setting and superb cuisine.
Chef Matsusaka's cooking demonstration is part of the visiting chef program funded through the Grace and Lyle Guslander Distinguished Visitors Program in Advanced Food Service. The public is invited to participate in this free presentation. For more details about this event, contact Louise Yamamoto at 734-9513.
About the Guslander Visiting Chef Program at Kapiolani CC
Grace Guslander created "The Distinguished Visitors Program in Advanced Food Service" to perpetuate her husband Lyle's memory by fulfilling his desire "to give back to the community." Through a generous donation made in 1989, the distinguished visiting chef's program was launched, and Kapiʻolani Community College has showcased several of its graduates who have become outstanding chefs themselves, or other renowned chefs from Hawaii and abroad.
Previous participants in the Guslander Visiting Chef's Program have included Stanton Ho, executive pastry chef at the Las Vegas Hilton, who at the time of his visit was among the top 10 chefs in America. The program was also privileged to have Tony Liu, now the executive chef at August Restaurant in New York; Andre Soltner, dean of classic studies at the French Culinary Institute; and Richard Han, a Kapiolani CC graduate who became the executive chef at Pechanga Resort and Casino in California.
For more information, visit: http://www.kapiolani.hawaii.edu


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Global situation
Nearly 47 million inhabitants
The Spanish population now stands at nearly 47 million, and the country has an area of 505,986.36 square kilometres.
The large metropolitan areas include Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Zaragoza, Bilbao, etc. To this we must add the fact that life expectancy in Spain is one of the highest in the world (83 years). Spain is a non-confessional state, and freedom of worship is recognised in its Constitution. However, most Spaniards profess the Catholic faith, which is deeply rooted in society. Castilian/Spanish is the nation's official language. There are also officially-recognised languages in the following Autonomous Regions: Catalonia, Galicia, the Basque Country, Valencia and the Balearic Islands (where they speak a particular variety of Catalan).


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Somehow, I'm guessing that they only disabbled the stock check feature for toys.
I went to Target today and punched in several different DCPI#'s (500th Vader, Evolutions set, and then a couple of random DCPI#'s - a bag of chips, and a headset) - NONE of them worked. The scanners worked and if you scanned the product, it would show if they had any in the back as well as the price, however if you entered any DCPI#, "ITEM NOT FOUND" came up.I asked an employee to use one of their mobile scanner things, but I guess it's linked up to the price scanners because it came up ITEM NOT FOUND as well. I think they're updating their system or something - it doesn't seem to be related at all to collectibles.
Since I've seen the pics of all the new clones coming out, the target Clone looks like a big waste of money...Glad I never bought one.
LOL..The "new" clones Cdfhghdk!?M?? hehe-the "new" special ops trooper excl. isn't even out yet..so, it 's a good thing you didn't buy it, LOL
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There are some people who like to claim that had the Confederacy survived it would have soon emancipated its slaves. While I suppose this event might have occurred eventually as farm machinery made slave labor in the South uneconomic it certainly wouldn't have been in the offing in the near term, as the purpose of the Confederacy was to preserve the institution of slavery.
Don H. Doyle, McCausland Professor of History at the University of South Carolina, argued this point eloquently yesterday in a post to H-Net group, H-South. I am reprinting his post here with Dr. Doyle's permission.
From: DOYLE, DON
Date: Tue, Jan 25, 2011 at 10:11
Regarding Confederate plans for emancipation:
It was common during the war for defenders of the CSA to suggest that
slavery would eventually be phased out in the South, and even that this
was likely to happen sooner in an independent South. This vague promise
of emancipation became an important part of the international campaign
to win public support and diplomatic recognition abroad. It worked
better before than it did after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
The notion of setting forth a formal plan for Confederate emancipation
was indeed a topic of discussion, and early on among CSA agents abroad
who quickly realized that their nation's commitment to slavery was a
major obstacle to foreign recognition and support. This finally
resulted in the 11th hour mission of Duncan Kenner, CSA special
commissioner to Europe, who was authorized by the CSA to offer
emancipation for recognition. Bruce Levine's excellent book on this
whole topic, Confederate Emancipation, examines this issue in full.
The CSA was set up to perpetuate, not abolish, slavery. As to the
possibility that there might be some future effort to phase out slavery,
the CSA constitution explicitly forbad such legislation: Article 9,
Section 4: "No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law denying or
impairing the right of property in negro slaves shall be passed." Had
individual states abolished slavery it would not stop slave owners from
coming into their state, for Article 4, Section 2 stipulated that "The
citizens of each State shall be entitled to all the privileges and
immunities of citizens in the several States; and shall have the right
of transit and sojourn in any State of this Confederacy, with their
slaves and other property; and the right of property in said slaves
shall not be thereby impaired."
John Bigelow, US Consulate in Paris during the war, wrote a marvelous
piece for Century Magazine in 1891. It is a sardonic review of the claim
that the Confederates were on the path to emancipation. He closes with
the observation: "If the South had made the abolition of slavery a part
of its policy there would have been no war and the Confederate maggot
would never have been hatched."
–Don H. Doyle
McCausland Professor of History
University of South Carolina