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The Justice Department is negotiating a multibillion-dollar settlement with JPMorgan over its handling of mortgage-related securities during the financial crisis. The deal could be announced this week, and it reportedly includes $4 billion set aside for homeowners who lost substantial value on their homes. NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports on lessons learned from the payout of similar settlements.
YUKI NOGUCHI, BYLINE: The focus often lies on the size of any given settlement but experts say figuring out how to distribute restitution to victims - in this case, struggling homeowners - is often the bigger deal.
Kenneth Feinberg has encountered this kind of challenge again and again. He administered the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, the BP-Deepwater Horizon compensation fund, and most recently, the donations for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.
KENNETH FEINBERG: I can tell you that in all of these settlements that I've handled, the same checklist of items come up.
NOGUCHI: He says the list includes who's eligible, what they must provide as proof, and what the formula is for determining who gets how much.
FEINBERG: The next issue is making sure that the process is very transparent.
NOGUCHI: Feinberg says transparency is also important in the appeals process for those who have complaints. And he says none of that matters unless another criterion is met.
FEINBERG: Get the money out fast.
NOGUCHI: By that measure, last year's $25 billion settlement between state attorneys general and five major banks might be considered a success. That case settled the so-called robo-signing scandal, where banks used shortcuts in paperwork to push through foreclosures.
JOSEPH SMITH: The average benefit to borrowers was $79,742.
NOGUCHI: Joseph Smith is the independent monitor overseeing that settlement. He says as of last year, $19 billion worth of loans were forgiven or refinanced, benefiting nearly half a million homeowners, all ahead of schedule. That's good, Smith says, but it's not everything.
SMITH: Even though $19 billion is a large number, it was nowhere near the number necessary to deal with the huge need in the marketplace.
NOGUCHI: Smith says, in particular, he wished the settlement permitted him to collect more data about who benefited from the money and to track whether the remedies allowed people to stay in their homes over time. And, of course, not everyone is satisfied.
SMITH: I hear if they don't think it went well.
SMITH: I don't hear from people about a lot of success stories. I think there are a lot.
NOGUCHI: California negotiated a separate settlement in addition to the national one Smith monitored. Katherine Porter was appointed to oversee the state's agreement and says banks there delivered 50 percent more money to homeowners than the settlement laid out. Why? Porter says because it gave banks flexibility and kept the paperwork simple.
KATHERINE PORTER: Banks had some freedom to choose and design different tools. And we saw some very novel programs from certain financial institutions that had very, very high participation rates.
NOGUCHI: Programs that, for example, automatically forgave loans unless the homeowner proactively objected, or that allowed homeowners to refinance by filling out a single page of information. In other words, plans that made it easy for some 150,000 homeowners in California to qualify for the money.
PORTER: And it put the burden on the banks. Here's your dollar target. You figure out how to get there. As opposed to saying to the consumer, here's this help, you figure out how to access it.
NOGUCHI: But Kenneth Feinberg, the administrator of the September 11th funds, cautions that even successful settlements cannot right wrongs.
FEINBERG: People get very, very emotional when they've suffered damage and there's an expectation of compensation. It's natural. It's human nature.
NOGUCHI: In every case, he says, money falls short.
FEINBERG: It isn't fair, and it isn't just. And those words shouldn't be used. I avoid words like that because I think that is overselling the limited ability of money to temper emotional frustration, anger and disappointment.
NOGUCHI: He says justice, even when served, has no price. Yuki Noguchi, NPR News, Washington. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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subset: commoncrawl


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SEC Charges Oil Company CEO as Source in Insider Trading Case
Washington, D.C., Nov. 28, 2012 —
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against the former CEO of a Denver-based oil-and-gas company at the center of an insider trading scheme that the SEC began prosecuting last month.
According to the SEC's complaint, the insider trading occurred in advance of Delta Petroleum Corporation's public announcement that Beverly Hills-based private investment firm Tracinda had agreed to purchase a 35 percent stake in the company, which shot its stock value up by nearly 20 percent. The SEC initially charged insurance executive Michael Van Gilder for his illegal trading in the case, and is now additionally charging his source: Delta's then-CEO Roger Parker.
The SEC's amended complaint alleges that Parker, who lives in Englewood, Colo., illegally tipped his close friend Van Gilder and at least one other friend with confidential information about Tracinda's impending investment. Despite his duty as CEO to protect nonpublic information, Parker repeatedly communicated with Van Gilder following meetings and other developments as the deal progressed. Parker also illegally tipped information about Delta's quarterly earnings. The insider trading in this case generated more than $890,000 in illicit profits.
"Parker was entrusted with highly confidential information, and he betrayed that trust to help line the pockets of his close friends," said Sanjay Wadhwa, Deputy Chief of the SEC Enforcement Division's Market Abuse Unit and Associate Director of the New York Regional Office. "Company officials who exploit their insider status must realize that they do so at the risk of inviting SEC scrutiny."
According to the SEC's amended complaint filed late yesterday in federal court in Denver, Parker tipped Van Gilder and another friend on several occasions in late November and December 2007 as the Tracinda investment was developing. Based on the inside information, Van Gilder and the other friend loaded up on Delta stock and highly speculative options contracts, and Van Gilder advised his relatives, his broker, and a co-worker to do the same.
The SEC alleges that the Tracinda announcement was not the only nonpublic information that Parker tipped to Van Gilder. In November 2007, Van Gilder received an e-mail from a mutual friend of Parker's that included a news article expressing a negative view of Delta's future prospects. After sending an e-mail to his broker indicating he might want to sell the Delta securities that he owned, Van Gilder called Parker three times that evening. Parker conveyed to Van Gilder confidential details about Delta's third quarter 2007 earnings results that were to be announced later that week. Rather than sell his Delta stock, Van Gilder purchased an additional 1,250 shares and responded to the e-mail from the mutual friend by writing, "I had a dialogue with a friend, of whom you know. Do not sell this stock, rather buy more ... Delta will hit their numbers at this Thursday's announcement." When Delta announced its earnings, it reported production and revenue numbers above the company's previously stated guidance.
The SEC's amended complaint charges Parker and Van Gilder with violations of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5. The amended complaint seeks a final judgment ordering them to disgorge their and their tippees' ill-gotten gains plus prejudgment interest, ordering them to pay financial penalties, and permanently enjoining them from future violations of the above provisions of the federal securities laws. The SEC also seeks to prohibit Parker from acting as an officer or director of a public company.
The SEC's investigation, which is continuing, has been conducted by members of the SEC's Market Abuse Unit – Michael Holland and Joseph Sansone in New York and Jeffrey Oraker and Jay Scoggins in Denver – with substantial assistance from Neil Hendelman of the New York Regional Office. The SEC's litigation is being handled by Thomas Krysa, who is Regional Trial Counsel in the Denver office, as well as Mr. Oraker and Mr. Holland.
The SEC thanks the U.S. Attorney offices in the Southern District of New York and the District of Colorado as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their assistance in this matter.


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Ingeniously designed, amazingly manageable and fully stocked with a mind-boggling array of vibrating options in addition to its classic stroking potential, the Apollo Alpha Stroker 2 combines a thrilling textured, all encompassing inner Pure Skin sleeve with 30 incredible modes and functions of rechargeable vibration, all neatly contained in a sturdy, easily handled casing.
Perfectly self-contained and definitely travel-ready, the Alpha 2 offers its big, ergonomically placed handle to position desires of all types. The stroker can be held facing up or down in one hand, leaving the other free to perfectly customize the inner grip of that supple Pure Skin. Pressure sensitive panels placed strategically along the Alpha\'s side can be squeezed at any point during stroking to increase friction.
An amazing assortment of steady, pulsating and escalating vibration wait to please with a touch of a button on the Alpha\'s simple power interface, just a touch will activate the stimulation, while further pushes will cycle the motor through its many pleasure options. Instantly saving the last function used, a state-of-the-art memory chip built into this fantastic stroker allows for a quick return to a favorite. Fully rechargeable via USB, the Alpha requires only a free USB port or compatible adapter to charge up. Cord included.
Made of safe, clean ABS plastic and supple, temperature-receptive TPR, this Apollo piece cleans easily, disassembling quickly for a thorough scrub in warm soapy water. Compatible with water and silicone based lubricants. Fully waterproof.
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Further: Waterproof, Strong Vibrating, Rechargeable, Adjustable Tight
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Squishy Donuts (x150) 68mm Vending Prize Capsules
Squishy Donuts are contained in a 50mm prize vend capsule.
The box contains 150 capsules priced at 0.55p + VAT each.
These capsules are suitable for Discapa Station, Tomy Gachas, and arcade machines that dispense a capsule 68mm in size. Many of our customers also put capsules onto pusher beds so players can collect them all.
We sell a variety of vending capsules and our stock changes throughout the year. Please check our website regularly for updated new lines.


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Welcome to the Restaurant De Vier Seizoenen site. We have a standing reputation in Lisse and in the Flower Bulb Region for more than 15 years. Not only based upon our tasty à la carte menu and exciting regular menus but also because of the relaxed, pleasant atmosphere in combination with our hospitality.
Our rule here is: we are only satisfied when you are.
Our kitchen is based on French cuisine with a touch of the Orient. Of course you can also enjoy dishes from the Dutch kitchen. The à la carte Menu varies four times a year in order to maintain the restaurant's reputation and we always use seasonal products. Naturally the Wine list changes with the seasons and the Menu. Our Monthly Menu changes every month and our Chef's Menu even every day!
Naturally we take into consideration clients who have special wishes. We therefore serve a tasty vegetarian as well as a gluten-free menu. We cater both for lunch and dinner guests at our restaurant. For lunch you can choose from the à la carte Menu but also from the special Lunch Menu.
Bed & Breakfast
If you are planning to stay for a couple of days in our beautiful Flower Bulb Region you are very welcome stay in our Bed & Breakfast. It is an ideal place to start from in exploring the surroundings. Lisse is not only close to the Keukenhof Gardens but also to the beach (Noordwijk) and to interesting cities such as Amsterdam, the Hague, Leiden and Haarlem.


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St. Nicholai's Church
The only thing left from Nikolaikirken, St Nikolai's Church, is the name of the street that leads past the church's location in past times. In the Middle Ages the church was used as a lookout for fires, but probably the Reformation made the churche redundant.
From a sketch made by the city map drawer Scholeus from 1580, we can see that the church was built on a high spot above the town. Located like this it was an ideal lookout for fires. Scholeus' sketch also shows that Nikolaikirken was a ruin already in 1580. This may have been caused by the Reformation in 1537, which put quite a number of Bergen's many churches out of business.
Nikolaikirken is first mentioned during the civil wars in 1160 in connection with the fighting between Gregorious Dagsson and Erling Skakke. Other written sources also mention this church, particularly in connection with wars and fires. In Sverre's Saga we find accounts of the big fire in 1198, when Nikolaikirken as well as four other churches, burned to the ground.
The church was significant as a lookout post for the Bergen's watchmen. In King Magnus the Lawmender's City Law from 1276 the following is mentioned about Nikolaikirken:
"Watch shall be held every night in Nikolaikirken' s tower. It shall be kept by two able and reputable men appointed by the magistrate and the house owners. If he who is appointed does not wish to keep guard, he must pay a fine of two øre, and the City Magistrate must appoint another man. The District Governor shall appoint two men to check on the guards every night, and if they find the watchmen asleep, or not present at the watch post when the fire alarm rings, they shall be fined with one silver øre, or be thrown in jail."
The City Law also maintained that when the City Council was in session, bells should ring in Nikolaikirken. During the council the bells should not ring for anything else than a fire alarm. Thus, in addition to being a house of worship, the church had an important practical function – to keep people safe from fire. The church was positioned high enough for the watchmen in the tower to have a good view over the whole town.
There is some doubt concerning who were parishioners to Nikolaikirken – Germans or Norwegians. In 1567, the renowned priest Absalon Pedersøn Beyer wrote that Nikolaikirken was a parish church for Norwegians when they lived around Bryggen, and that the church started to decay after the Hanseatic traders claimed this area for themselves.
Another possible reason for the church's disappearance may be that the Reformation rendered many of Bergen's churches redundant. Also, prior to the Reformation, the town had many more churches than needed by its population.
Til alle som har en fot i fortidens Bergen - hva med Elisabeth Welhavens fornøyelige historier fra Bergen rundt 1800? Boken kan bestilles på Histos forlag!
Nikolaikirken var en middelalderkirke i Bergen. Allerede i 1580 sto den som ruin og omkring 1860 avdekket utgraving deler av skipet. Stein fra kirken ble gjenbrukt og finnes trolig i kjellermurene i nabolaget, rester av grunnmuren ble avdekket ved utgraving i 1895. Kirken lå skråningen ovenfor det som i dag kalles Bryggen, øverst på den tids Breidalmenning, mellom dagens Nikolaikirkeallmenningen og Lindebergsmuget, like nedenfor Forstandersmuget. Bygget var orientert parallelt med Øvregaten med kortveggen mot Nikolaikirkeallmenningen. Det var en typisk romansk steinbygning. Kirken hadde et stort vesttårn der byklokken hang. I tårnet var det også brannvakt (etter byloven av 1276), kirken lå så høyt at man fra tårnet hadde utsikt over hele byen. Det forfalne bygget er synlig på Scholeusstikket fra 1580, der det ifølge Helle feilaktig er angitt som Halvardskirken.
Kirken skal ha blitt grunnlagt av kong Øystein Magnusson som også skal ha grunnlagt Munkeliv kloster tvers over Vågen. Kirken nevnes første gang i Heimskringla (Snorres kongesagaer) omkring 1160. I Håkon Herdebreis saga (del 12) omtales «Nikolaskirken» i forbindelse med stridigheter mellom Erling Skakke og Gregorius. Kirken kan ha blitt reist i tiden 1120-1130. Bygget ble skadet brannen i 1198, 1248 og 1413.
Read full article on Wikipedia


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I have problems with this study, methodologically and philosophically. It was anything but a controlled study. The non-traditional students received a summer "boot camp" in basic sciences to meet state requirements. Baseline characteristics between the two groups were not compared, but it appears that the non-traditional students may have been a very select group on some measures. According to a New York Times report on the project the mean SAT score for the non-traditional students was 1444 (wow!) and "elite" undergraduate schools were heavily represented.
I have questions at a more basic level. I don't think anyone knows how much basic science preparation is optimal in either medical school or undergrad. Maybe we could do with a little less. Moreover, a better background in the humanities can only be a good thing. (You can still major in the humanities and meet traditional med school basic science requirements, by the way. Generations of med students have done it under the "old" pathway). On the other hand, and this is a purely subjective observation, I wonder whether we are seeing a dumbing down of medical education attributable to a gradual de-emphasis on basic science over the past two decades.
Organic chemistry was a pivotal course for premeds at my undergraduate school. It's one of those courses, at least when taught properly, where you can't get by with rote memorization. Basic concepts and patterns had to be understood and built upon. My professor was passionate in his belief that a fundamental understanding of the human body and the natural world was important for success as a physician.
When I see the pervasive move toward promotion and teaching of quackery in academic medicine these days I can't help but think we need more, not less, basic science.


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The NextFit Zip® is engineered to surround your little one in comfort and safety, starting from day one all the way to preschool and beyond. Reassuringly easy installation and user-friendly touchpoints simplify travel and everyday life, making it easier for families to go and grow together.
The NextFit Zip® accommodates infants and growing toddlers in rear-facing position then transitions smoothly to forward-facing position for older children. A removable newborn positioner provides a proper fit from 5-11 pounds, and a nine-position headrest and padded, no-rethread harness comfortably accommodate growth from 5-65 pounds.
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Noninfectious causes of abortion in goats include plant toxins, such as broomweed or locoweed poisoning; dietary deficiencies of copper Copper Deficiency in Goats Copper deficiency may present in goats in two distinct ways. Copper deficiency in utero due to inadequate dietary copper intake of the doe during pregnancy will cause a neurologic condition... read more , selenium, vitamin A, or magnesium; and certain drugs such as estrogen, glucocorticoids, phenothiazine, carbon tetrachloride, or levamisole (in late gestation).
Major infectious causes of abortion in goats are chlamydiosis Chlamydiosis in Animals Chlamydiosis in animals ranges from subclinical infections to life-threatening infections, depend on the chlamydial species and infected host and tissues. Confirmation of chlamydial infection... read more , toxoplasmosis Toxoplasmosis in Animals Toxoplasmosis is an important zoonotic protozoal infection worldwide. All homoeothermic animal species may be infected. Infection is generally asymptomatic and chronic in immunocompetent individuals... read more , leptospirosis Leptospirosis in Animals - Overview Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution caused by infection with any of several pathogenic serovars of Leptospira. The disease affects virtually all mammals... read more , brucellosis Brucellosis in Goats The clinical signs of brucellosis in goats are similar to those in cattle. The disease is prevalent in most countries in which goats are an important food-producing animal, and milk is a common... read more , Coxiella burnetii, and listeriosis Listeriosis in Animals The most common clinical manifestation of listeriosis is a localized ascending asymmetric infection of the brain stem of ruminants by Listeria monocytogenes. The resultant meningoencephalitis... read more . Campylobacter causes abortions but is not nearly as important in does as in ewes.
Brucellosis as a Cause of Abortion in Goats
Brucella melitensis Brucellosis in Goats The clinical signs of brucellosis in goats are similar to those in cattle. The disease is prevalent in most countries in which goats are an important food-producing animal, and milk is a common... read more is the principal organism involved in abortions in animals with brucellosis; B abortus is occasionally involved. Abortion may be accompanied by mastitis and lameness and is most common in the fourth month. The placenta is grossly normal, but does may develop chronic uterine lesions. Infection in adults is lifelong, with organisms shed in the milk (B melitensis is zoonotic but rare in the USA). In the USA, control is by test and slaughter. Tube agglutination and card tests can be used as screening tests.
Caprine Herpesvirus 1 as a Cause of Abortion
Caprine herpesvirus 1 is closely related to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus of cattle and causes sporadic outbreaks of late-term abortions often unassociated with other clinical signs. The virus also causes vulvovaginitis, balanoposthitis, and respiratory disease in adult goats and enteric and systemic diseases in neonatal goats. Fetuses can be fresh or autolyzed and do not contain diagnostic gross lesions. Presumptive diagnosis is by microscopic identification of necrosis with the presence of intranuclear inclusion bodies in the liver, lungs, and other organs. Definitive diagnosis is by identification of caprine herpesvirus 1 by isolation, PCR, or immunologic staining methods. Not all fetuses contain lesions or virus, so multiple fetuses should be submitted. Infected goats can become latently infected and can shed the virus during times of stress. Vaccines are not commercially available in the USA.
Chlamydiosis (Enzootic Abortion) in Goats
Chlamydophila abortus (the agent of enzootic abortion of ewes) is the most common cause of abortion in goats in the USA. In naive herds, up to 60% of pregnant does can abort or give birth to stillborn or weak kids. Abortions can occur at any stage of pregnancy, but most are in the last month. Reproductive failure is usually the only sign of C abortus infection, but occasionally there is concurrent respiratory disease, polyarthritis, conjunctivitis, and retained placentas in the flock. Aborted kids are usually fresh with no gross pathology. Placentitis is usually present and consists of reddish brown exudate covering cotyledons and intercotyledonary areas. Microscopically, necrotizing vasculitis and neutrophilic inflammation are present in the placenta. Chlamydial organisms can be visualized in appropriately stained placental smears, but they cannot be differentiated from Coxiella burnetii. Fluorescent antibody or immunohistochemical staining, ELISA, PCR, or culture can be used to definitively identify C abortus. The placenta is the specimen of choice, but sometimes the diagnosis can be made by testing liver, lung, and spleen.
During an outbreak, aborting does should be isolated, and tetracyclines given orally or parentally. There is no chlamydial vaccine for goats, but the vaccine for sheep is relatively effective. Like sheep, goats that abort are immune. Sheep that abort due to C abortus remain infected for years, if not life, and shed the organism during ovulation; whether this occurs in goats is not known. C abortus is zoonotic, occasionally causing serious disease in pregnant women.
Coxiella burnetii Infection as a Cause of Abortion in Goats
Coxiella burnetii Coxiellosis is increasingly recognized as an important cause of caprine abortion. Occasional outbreaks also occur in sheep. Late-term abortions, stillbirths, and weak lambs are the common presentations. Up to 50% of the flock may be involved. The placenta is covered by gray-brown exudate and the intercotyledonary areas are thickened. Microscopically, there is a necrotizing vasculitis in the placenta, and many chorionic epithelial cells are distended by small, coccobacillary organisms < 1 mcm in diameter. Infection involves only the placenta; without it, the diagnosis usually cannot be made. Diagnosis is by identification of C burnetii by immunologic staining methods, PCR, or by isolation. Coxiella is zoonotic, causing Q fever in people.
Leptospirosis as a Cause of Abortion in Goats
The most common serovars of Leptospira Leptospirosis in Ruminants Several pathogenic strains of Leptospira bacteria infect ruminants. Some are specifically adapted to cattle, whereas others are incidental but can still cause disease. Clinical signs... read more involved in caprine abortion are Grippotyphosa,Pomona, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Autumnalis. Although sheep are relatively resistant to leptospirosis, goats are susceptible, with abortions occurring at the time of leptospiremia. Some does have anemia, icterus, and hemoglobinemia; others are afebrile and are not icteric. Diagnosis is by serology or identification of Leptospira spp in the dam's urine, the placenta, or fetal kidney.
Listeriosis as a Cause of Abortion in Goats
Listeria monocytogenes Listeriosis is a common pathogen in goats and causes sporadic abortions. There are no specific fetal lesions, and the fetus is often autolyzed. Does usually show no signs before abortion but may develop severe metritis after abortion. Diagnosis is by isolation from the placenta, abomasal contents, or uterine discharge. In the rare case of a herd outbreak, preventive treatment with tetracycline is recommended.
Toxoplasmosis as a Cause of Abortion in Goats
Toxoplasmosis Toxoplasmosis is a common cause of abortion in goats in the USA, and toxoplasmal abortion in goats is similar to the syndrome in ewes Toxoplasmosis Also see Management of Reproduction: Sheep. Abortion in ewes, as in cows, is not always easily diagnosed. Although many of the toxins that cause abortion in cows also cause problems in ewes... read more .


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The large, modern visitor center is the ideal place to begin exploring Arikok, a national park preserve that spans 18% of the island across the eastern interior and the northeast coast. Guided ranger hikes, exhibits, films, and maps will get you well started.
The park is the keystone of the government's long-term ecotourism plan to preserve Aruba's resources, and it showcases the island's flora and fauna as well as ancient Arawak petroglyphs, the ruins of a gold-mining operation at Miralmar, and the remnants of Dutch peasant settlements at Masiduri. Within the confines of the park are Mt. Arikok and the 620-foot Mt. Yamanota, Aruba's highest peak.


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SAN FRANCISCO -- A suspect arrested Wednesday morning at the Hells Angels motorcycle headquarters in San Francisco's Dogpatch neighborhood has been released from custody, according to the San Francisco Sheriff's Department.
Charles Nucci, 42, was arrested around 5 a.m. by members of the Police Department's gang task force during a raid at the clubhouse at 1199 1/2 Tennessee St.
Police executed a search warrant and took Nucci into custody on aggravated assault charges stemming from an attack that occurred last year. In that incident, several suspects wearing Hells Angels jackets seriously injured a person in San Francisco, according to police.
Police initially said Nucci was 32, however Chief Deputy Sheriff Kathy Gorwood said he is 42.
He was released several hours after his arrest on $175,000 bail, according to Gorwood.


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Friday, April 15, 2011
Anthropologists Adopt New Language Against Secret Research
February 19, 2009
By David Glenn (The Chronicle)
In the latest outgrowth of the debate over military sponsorship of social science, members of the American Anthropological Association have voted to strengthen language in their code of ethics against research conducted in secret.
Among other things, the new amendments declare that clandestine fieldwork constitutes "a clear violation of research ethics" and that anthropologists "should not withhold research results from research participants when those results are shared with others."
The amendments were endorsed in a mail ballot by a vote of 87 percent to 13 percent. (The turnout rate was 16 percent.) The association announced the results on Wednesday.
The ethics code carries no formal weight, and the association has no mechanism for adjudicating charges of misconduct. But the code is widely discussed in graduate courses, and some anthropologists say that it embodies a powerful set of norms.
The code represents "a sense of our collective judgment," said Dena K. Plemmons, a research scientist at the University of California at San Diego and the chair of the association's Committee on Ethics, during a conference call with reporters on Wednesday. "We assume that it gives us a guiding framework for our practice."
The new ethics-code revisions stem from a two-year-old debate about whether—and under what conditions—anthropologists should cooperate with projects sponsored by intelligence agencies or the military. Several government programs are at issue, but the most visible one is the U.S. Army's Human Terrain System, in which social scientists give on-the-ground advice to military units in Afghanistan and Iraq (The Chronicle, November 30, 2007).
Officials at the Department of Defense have maintained that the research generated by social scientists in the Human Terrain System will be open and unclassified, except in limited cases in which data must be temporarily withheld for reasons of operational security. They have also said that the social scientists are always candid with Afghani and Iraqi citizens about their dual roles as researchers and military personnel.
If those assertions are true, then it appears that anthropologists could participate in the Human Terrain program without technically violating the new ethics rules.
But even if the Human Terrain teams' reports are unclassified, it seems unlikely that the Afghani and Iraqi citizens who interact with the teams could realistically obtain those reports. As a recently leaked program handbook makes clear, many of the teams' reports take the form of oral briefings and PowerPoint presentations for brigade commanders.
Lingering Concerns
During a discussion of the Human Terrain program at the anthropology association's 2007 meeting, Terence Turner, a professor emeritus at Cornell University, called for a strict ban on secret research. The association had added such a ban to its ethics code in 1971, in the wake of revelations about American social scientists' clandestine counterinsurgency work in Thailand and elsewhere. But the ban was lifted during the 1980s.
The newly approved amendments are not as strong as the 1971 language, and Mr. Turner says he is not fully happy with them. "The new text of the AAA Ethics Code goes some way, but not all the way, toward satisfying the concerns I raised in my 2007 resolution," he wrote in an e-mail message to The Chronicle on Wednesday.
Mr. Turner's resolution was aimed primarily at social scientists who work with the Human Terrain System and similar programs. But strong anti-secrecy rules would also call into question the work of a much larger group of anthropologists who conduct proprietary research for corporations and nonprofit organizations.
Officials at the National Association for the Practice of Anthropology, which promotes nonacademic anthropology, did not reply to a request for comment on Wednesday. That association opposed Mr. Turner's 2007 motion, but its president gave a qualified endorsement to the weaker language that was approved this week.
Mr. Turner is not happy that the code's epilogue still includes language that suggests that anthropologists who are also members of other organizations might legitimately choose to follow the other organizations' rules instead of the anthropology association's code.
That passage "opens a hole wide enough to drive a Humvee through," Mr. Turner says.
Mr. Turner will have plenty of additional chances to push for revisions. Ms. Plemmons's committee recently began a wholesale review of the ethics code—a process that is expected to take two years. The anthropology association is also collecting material for an ethics casebook for scholars who work with the military.
'Accessory' to State
Scholars took up broader questions about the military and social science during a symposium that was Webcast on Wednesday afternoon from Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies.
"What happens to universities and to disciplines when military funding becomes larger rather than smaller?" asked Catherine Lutz, a professor of anthropology and international studies at Brown.
She said that anthropologists should look skeptically at how fields like physics and communication studies have been shaped by Pentagon money. "We're not simply helping the state when we take military funding," she said. "We are in fact restructuring and reshaping our discipline as an accessory to various kinds of state projects."
But David Kennedy, Brown's vice president for international affairs, urged scholars not to categorically reject collaboration with the Pentagon. He noted that military personnel themselves have played crucial roles in exposing abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison and in similar recent scandals.
Scholars should keep such complexities in mind, Mr. Kennedy said, rather than simply deciding that "the taint of militarization" can be avoided if they refuse to accept money from the Defense Department.
Program Modifications
The Human Terrain program, meanwhile, has been through a difficult period. Three social scientists in the program have been killed since last May, including Michael V. Bhatia, a young international-relations scholar (The Chronicle, July 4, 2008).
Last week, Wired and the freelance writer John Stanton reported that the program's structure had abruptly changed. Civilians in the program will now be government employees rather than contractors. Among other things, the change reportedly means that social scientists on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq could see pay cuts of more than 60 percent.
Officials in the program did not reply to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Thanks to David Glenn and The Chronicle for covering this document. Reprint rights remain with the aforementioned.
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Before & After: From Disaster to Delightful in 2 Days
For some reason bedrooms seem to be left as the last room in the house to be decorated. I've seen it a lot in friend's houses and House Tours. I am definitely guilty of neglecting my own bedroom, as you can see in this before photo. I am the first to admit — that room is hella ugly! But in two days I was able to take this room from a decorating disaster to delightful with a couple coats of paint (and some major purging).
I've been planning the overhaul of my bedroom for months. I'm usually a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, devil-may-care decorator and — while that usually works for me — it clearly hadn't in the bedroom. From the moment we painted the bedroom this awful shade of green, I hated it. And then, when the non-refundable bed we ordered online arrived I was also rather nonplussed. When I put it all together at the time I wasn't pleased but I was willing to settle in and see if I learned to like it. That never happened and I've been thinking about redecorating the room almost as soon as I finished it the first time!
The planning and deliberation in redecorating the bedroom was actually really helpful in refining what I wanted to do to the room so that I accomplish it in a short amount of time. After all, my husband and I live in an 800 square foot one bedroom apartment. If I'm going to do an overhaul on the bedroom, it needs to be done in less than three days. Luckily, this project only took two days.
The most dramatic change in the room comes from repainting. The dark green in the before photo was an experiment in color gone awry. From the moment I applied a swath of the new color, inspired by a Tiffany & Co. box, I could see that painting the room was going to absolutely transform it.
The paint mixer at Lowe's innocently asked me if I wanted to use the new Valspar HD paint. He explained that the paint has a primer mixed into it and thinking about that dark, forest green I had to paint over, I agreed and ended up walking away with two gallons of Valspar HD paint in Tropicana Cabana blue.
To be honest, I hadn't planned on painting the ceiling the same color as the walls. After I had finished taping around the baseboard and trim, I got a little overzealous and started painting before I taped off the ceiling. As I was painting the wall I thought "hmm, maybe I should paint the ceiling too and then I won't have to tape". Am I ever glad I did! Painting the ceiling and walls all one color really works in this room. It's kind of like sleeping in a giant Tiffany box!
Before I started painting the walls, I was toying with also painting the bed. By the time I the second coat was on the walls, I was convinced that the bed had to be painted. Luckily, I had enough paint leftover from painting all the trim and doors in our apartment when we first moved in. The off-white paint not only transformed the bed from eyesore to OK, it also had the effect of visually shrinking the size of it. When the bed was its original wood finish, it seemed massive in our small bedroom. Painted off white, the bed now seems to recede a bit.
All told, the project cost me less than $200 (including new bedding) and I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. Next up: accessories!
Images: Jason Loper


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Walkers Automotive
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Last updated: March 17, 2012
Comments by Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D.<br/> Director, National Human Genome Research Institute
Archived Page
This page has been archived and is provided for historical reference purposes only. The content and links are no longer maintained and may now be outdated.Comments by Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, National Human Genome Research Institute
Regarding Genetic Nondiscrimination Legislation
April 1, 2004
Last October, I sat in the Senate gallery and watched the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2003 (S. 1053 [thomas.loc.gov]) pass unanimously (95-0). Senator after senator, from both sides of the aisle, rose to endorse the need for this legislation. Several of them made the point that this is a civil rights issue. That was a seminal afternoon in my career here in Washington, as it showed a real commitment by our leaders to protect the American public from genetic discrimination.
On that same day, President Bush issued a Statement of Administrative Policy in support of the bill expressing the Administration's willingness to work with Congress to see final passage of the bill so that "the Nation [could] fully realize the potential of ongoing advances in genetic sciences." I am here today to help encourage progress in this regard.
The National Human Genome Research Institute and the National Institutes of Health have been working on the issue of genetic discrimination since the very beginning of the Human Genome Project. In 1995, we published recommendations on preventing discrimination in Science magazine, many of which are reflected in S. 1053. We have seen many attempts to draft legislation on this important topic, but this bipartisan bill represents an outstanding effort and successfully addresses the concerns expressed by those of us in the research and health community. Should it become law, S. 1053 will clearly protect all of us with disease-associated misspellings in our DNA - and that's ALL of us -- from genetic discrimination in health insurance and employment.
If this bill doesn't pass, my concern is that we won't be able to realize the full potential of advances in genetic science, because people will be afraid to participate in clinical trials or obtain genetic tests out of fear of discrimination. Most people have not yet had a genetic test, so the opportunity for genetic discrimination has not occurred in most people's lives. But as genetic tests become more widespread, the risk will be quite real. The public, through numerous surveys, has indicated its concern about the potential misuse of their genetic information. For instance, a survey done by the Pew Charitable Trusts indicates that people who may have the opportunity to be tested for various diseases list genetic discrimination as a reason why they might not participate. And I can tell you, based upon research studies going on at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and elsewhere, that about a third of people who have been offered genetic testing for colon cancer or breast cancer ultimately decide not to participate precisely because they are concerned about discrimination.
Just last month, my own lab at the NIH reported finding variants in a gene that may predispose people to type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. Having this variation appears to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by about 30 percent. Someone testing positive for this variant could potentially incorporate preventive measures to avoid developing type 2 diabetes. Yet, if such a test is developed some may be afraid to learn their own risks, for fear their insurance company might deny them insurance or raise their rates.
Last April, the Human Genome Project was completed. The next phase of genome research is rapidly moving forward, applying this powerful information about our own DNA instruction book to improve human health. But without protections in place like those outlined in S. 1053, it will be extremely difficult to bring the full benefit of the genome to us all. Furthermore, it will be much harder to solve this problem down the road, after discriminatory practices have already become widespread. I call on the members and the leadership of the House of Representatives to take the same bipartisan stance as the Senate against genetic discrimination - and pass genetic nondiscrimination legislation in the current session.


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The Mediterranean Journal of Computers and Networks covers all technical aspects of computers and networks. Its scope encompasses cutting-edge research and development, education and applications. The journal publishes professional peer-reviewed papers designed to appeal to both researchers and practitioners. It presents up-to-date coverage of the latest developments, offering a unique interdisciplinary perspective. In addition, we encourage authors, researchers and conference organisers to put together a special issue of the journal on the selected current topics of interest.
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MatrixLib™ is a C++ implementation of one and two dimensional matrices. Ideal for science and engineering applications, this library provides an easy to use matrix "class" with an extensive body of functions and operations.


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About the Show
The Harbor Farts Farewell Extravaganza is a free for all variety show with Lorena & James, as they experience their FINAL time on stage together before Lorena leaves the country!
Come join them in their metaphorical living room for live music, joke telling, and spectacles of all kind in the most ridiculous farewell of all the Sundays you've lived. Also, there might be free tattoos.
Directed by Jana Schmieding
Magnet Theater
254 West 29th St.
New York


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SA Post Office IT Graduate Internship Programme 2019; Shape your future Information Technology Graduate Programme 10 Positions – 12 to 18 months.
Postbank is offering the oppor – tunity to unemployed IT gradu – ates who are willing to grow their career and gain excellent skills and knowledge in the IT industry and at the same time be part of a team that is shaping the future of financial inclusion. We are looking for socially driven individuals who live the spirit of entrepreneurship, and are inno – vative and technology savvy. The graduates must be resilient and have a strong work ethic and must be high performers and self-motivated.
Graduates will have the opportunity to be exposed in the following areas: • Enterprise Architecture and solutions design. • IT Infrastructure Engineering and Support. • Application development and support. • Software and Hardware testing, Windows Specialist on software and active directory. • Database Administration and Infrastructure storage. • Information Security. • System Integration and Middleware.
Minimum Requirements: • Completed or must be in the final year of a 3 year recognised Degree / Diploma in Information Technology. • Relevant IT Certification will be an added advantage. • Persons must be South African Citizens seeking workplace experience. • Must currently be unemployed. • Must be residing within the area for which they are applying for or willing to relocate temporarily at own expense. • Must be willing to render excellent service to the unit. • Must be willing to travel. • Must be willing to undergo an assessment/interview. • Must have a clear credit (ITC), qualification and criminal record.
Successful Applicants: • Will be paid a monthly allowance/stipend as determined by the company. • Will sign a 12–18 months on-the-job training contract. • Will not be guaranteed permanent positions after completion of the training. • Will not be entitled to company benefits apart from the monthly allowance. • Will have a formal development plan.
Applications: NB : All applications to be accompanied by a: • Comprehensive CV. • Certified copies of qualifications. • Statement of results and. • ID Copy and contact number.
The South African Post Office is committed to the achievement and maintenance of diversity and equity in employment, especially with regard to race, gender and disability.
Closing Date: 29 October 2018
Location: Pretoria
How To Apply
If you wish to view vacancies, log on to www.postoffice.co.za and Click on Careers or Email your CV to: [email protected]
Enquiries regarding the programme can be directed to: [email protected] or call: 012 407 6819 or 012 407 7639
Correspondence will be limited to short-listed candidates only. If you do not hear from the South African Post Office or its Agent within 3 months of this advertisement, please accept that your application has been unsuccessful. The South African Post Office Limited reserves the right not to fill this position or to re-advertise the positions at any time.


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The American Classical Music Hall Of Fame offers a complimentary smartphone application for playing inductee music through your phone and also through Washington Park's PA system.
Download Android Player Download Player On iOS No, thank you. Just take me to the website.Born in 1946
Inducted in 2013
André Watts burst upon the music world at the age of 16 when Leonard Bernstein chose him to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic in their Young People's Concerts, broadcast nationwide on CBS-TV. Only two weeks later, Bernstein asked him to substitute at the last minute for the ailing Glenn Gould in performances of Liszt's E-flat Concerto with the New York Philharmonic, thus launching his career in storybook fashion. More than 50 years later, André Watts remains one of today's most celebrated and beloved superstars. A perennial favorite with orchestras throughout the US, Mr. Watts is also a regular guest at the major summer music festivals including Ravinia, the Hollywood Bowl, Saratoga, Tanglewood, Eastern Music and the Mann Music Center. Recent and upcoming engagements include appearances with the Philadelphia Orchestra in Philadelphia and on tour, the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, and the St. Louis, Atlanta, Detroit, Cincinnati, Dallas, Houston, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Seattle and National symphonies among others. In celebration of the Liszt anniversary in 2011, Mr. Watts played all-Liszt recitals throughout the US, while recent and upcoming international engagements include concerto and recital appearances in Japan, Hong Kong, Germany and Spain. André Watts has had a long and frequent association with television, having appeared on numerous programs produced by PBS, the BBC and the Arts and Entertainment Network, performing with the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center among others. His 1976 New York recital, aired on the program Live From Lincoln Center, was the first full length recital broadcast in the history of television and his performance at the 38th Casals Festival in Puerto Rico was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cultural Programming. Mr. Watts' most recent television appearances are with the Philadelphia Orchestra on the occasion of the orchestra's 100th Anniversary Gala and a performance of the Brahms Concerto No.2 with the Seattle Symphony, Gerard Schwarz conducting, for PBS. Mr. Watts' extensive discography includes recordings of works by Gershwin, Chopin, Liszt and Tchaikovsky for CBS Masterworks; recital CD's of works by Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt and Chopin for Angel/EMI; and recordings featuring the concertos of Liszt, MacDowell, Tchaikovsky and Saint-Saens on the Telarc label. He is also included in the Great Pianists of the 20th Century series for Philips. A much-honored artist who has played before royalty in Europe and heads of government in nations all over the world, André Watts received a 2011 National Medal of Arts, given by the President of the United States to individuals who are deserving of special recognition for their outstanding contributions to the excellent, growth, support and availability of the arts in the United States. In June 2006, he was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl of Fame to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his debut (with the Philadelphia Orchestra) and he is also the recipient of the 1988 Avery Fisher Prize. At age 26 Mr. Watts was the youngest person ever to receive an Honorary Doctorate from Yale University and he has since received numerous honors from highly respected schools including the University of Pennsylvania, Brandeis University, The Juilliard School of Music and his Alma Mater, the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University. Previously Artist-in-Residence at the University of Maryland, Mr. Watts was appointed to the newly created Jack I. and Dora B. Hamlin Endowed Chair in Music at Indiana University in May, 2004.


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ROYAL ENFIELD as its name depicts the image of bike in our mind the ride of the pride.In 1909 Royal Enfield surprised the motorcycling world by introducing a small Motorcycle with a 2 ¼ HP V twin Motosacoche engine of Swiss origin & in present it has rocked the whole Automobile world with its powerful bikes.Service centre in Dhule is located nearest in your home place.Contact number,product services,timing and other details regarding any other service related matter of Royal Enfield bike is mentioned below .Royal Enfield Manufactures various Models of Bikes i.e.- Bullet 500, Bullet Electra, Bullet 350, Thunderbird 500, Thunderbird 350, Classic desert storm, Classic battle green,Classic chrome, Classic 500, Classic 350, Continental GT.For servicing of your Royal Enfield two wheeler just call at the contact no mentioned below to avoid long rush or waiting time at the service centre.Make Advance booking for maintenance/servicing/Repairing of Royal enfield bikes. Service centre details in Dhule Mentioned below .
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The birds high above on the cliffs feast on the offerings in the rich marine swells. Fishermen reel their heavy lines from the ocean at the base of El Morro. The small hotel owners in Arica provide rooms for tired sailors from across the seas. The ocean is the source of life here.
It has been this way for thousands of years for humans. It has been this way for millions of years for the various creatures that made northern Chile their home long before humans came here. In this part of the world, the sea is rich with life-sustaining nutrients and the land is a barren desert. All life here owes so much to the ocean.
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Keith Urban Insists Even Reality TV Stars Pay Their Dues
While some country artists — namely Eric Church — have been outspoken with negative thoughts about reality television talent competitions, Keith Urban can be added to the growing list of superstars in full support of the alternative road to success.
"These guys aren't getting an easy ride, Urban tells Australia's Herald Sun of those who compete on such shows. "I don't know what sort of courage it takes to get up there — the idea of doing that is something I find so intimidating and nerve-racking."
Urban would know. The 'For You' singer had a front row seat to see the courage and nerve it takes to remain composed under the pressure, given his celebrity mentor role on the first season of Australia's version of 'The Voice.' That's why the native defends many of his friends and country peers who have risen to superstar status through small screen success.
"A lot of people are so quick to say that's a cop-out, you have to work the pubs and clubs to pay your dues, but honestly, if we didn't have to, would we?" Urban asks. "Nobody wants to go and starve for 10 years. Nobody chooses that. That was just my lot. That's what it took for me."
Speaking on the "different levels" of paying dues, Urban says, "Maybe it's in front of an arena full of people instead of a pub full of people. Wherever it is, you're still learning in the trenches. For me the trenches were tiny little pubs and clubs in front of very few people and it slowly got bigger and bigger and bigger."
And unlike the success of current superstars Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and Scotty McCreery — who all found the path to country music thanks to shows like 'American Idol,' 'Nashville Star' and 'The Voice' — Urban knows the difference between winning a competition and earning respect as an artist.
"Nowadays it might be just on television in front of millions of people — that's where you are going to fall on your a– or you are going to rise to the occasion," the singer says candidly.
Unfortunately, Urban and his teammate didn't win the first season 'The Voice' Down Under. No word on if the Aussie native will return for the show's second season.


text: Auto InsuranceAuto insurance coverage is packaged into different coverage types. It is usually easiest to determine what you are required to purchase. Then, you determine what you have that needs to be protected. You purchase insurance to protect yourself (your family) in the event that you suffer a loss to your person or property and you purchase insurance to protect yourself (your family) from losses suffered by others. Business InsuranceWhat Does Business Insurance Mean? Insurance coverage that protects businesses from losses due to events that may occur during the normal course of business. There are many types of insurance for businesses including coverage for property damage, legal liability and employee-related risks. Companies evaluate their insurance needs based on potential risks, which can vary depending on the type of environment in which the company operates. Homeowners InsuranceHome insurance provides coverage for damage or destruction of the policyholder's home. In some geographical areas, the policy may exclude certain types of risks, such as flood or earthquake, that require additional coverage. Maintenance-related issues are typically the homeowner's responsibility. The policy may include inventory, or this can be bought as a separate policy, especially for people who rent housing. In some countries, insurers offer a package which may include liability and legal responsibility for injuries and property damage caused by members of the household, including pets. Health InsuranceInsurance against loss by illness or bodily injury. Health insurance provides coverage for medicine, visits to the doctor or emergency room, hospital stays and other medical expenses. Policies differ in what they cover, the size of the deductible and/or co-payment, limits of coverage and the options for treatment available to the policyholder. Health insurance can be directly purchased by an individual, or it may be provided through an employer. Medicare and Medicaid are programs which provide health insurance to elderly, disabled, or un-insured individuals. |


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Mirza Abul Hassan Khan by Sir Thomas Lawrence (1810) in Fogg Art Museum Photo by Daderot CCO via Wikimedia Commons |
Mirza Abul Hassan Khan (1776-1845) was an Iranian envoy who came to England on diplomatic missions in 1809-10 and again in 1818, and was known as the Persian ambassador.
The Persian ambassador in England (1809-10)
Mirza Abul Hassan came to England in 1809 to secure the ratification of the Anglo-Persian treaty made between Sir Harford Jones and Qajar Shah, Fath Ali. This was the first time that the Persians had negotiated directly with the British rather than through the East India Company.
During his visit, he was known as Mirza Abul Hassan without the 'Khan' – this was a title given to him later by the Shah. His official title was "Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary" but he was known as the Persian ambassador and given the higher status of an ambassador rather than an envoy.
His visit lasted from 29 November 1809 when he landed in Plymouth to 18 July 1810 when he set sail from Portsmouth. The King appointed Sir Gore Ouseley, who was fluent in Persian, to be his host. Sir Gore was later appointed Ambassador to the Shah of Iran.
The Persian ambassador was easily offended if he felt he was not receiving enough respect as the Shah's representative, and he became frustrated that it took so long to complete his diplomatic mission. In the meantime, the ambassador explored British culture, visiting the attractions of London and being entertained by her people. His visit provoked widespread interest and all things Persian became highly fashionable.
Evening dress - an Albanian robe in Sicilian blue with a Persian helmet cap from Ackermann's Repository (January 1810) |
Mirza Abul Hassan had his portrait painted by Sir William Beechey for the East India Company and again by Sir Thomas Lawrence (shown above).
The Persian ambassador returned to England in 1818 in a failed attempt to gain British support against Russia.
The Book of Wonders
Mirza Abul Hassan kept a detailed journal of his visit which was known as The Book of Wonders. This journal has been translated and edited by Margaret Morris Cloake and published under the title A Persian at the Court of King George, 1809-10: The Journal of Mirza Abul Hassan Khan (1989). Because his culture was so different from that of the British, this journal included many details about customs and events that other contemporary accounts don't think to include.
The Persian ambassador at court
The Persian ambassador was affronted when the King delayed receiving him at court. He was only pacified when he was assured that the King had been ill, and he was eventually received at court with great pomp and ceremony on 20 December 1809.
The Times recorded that:
The introduction of the Persian Ambassador attracted a greater concourse of spectators yesterday, to St James's Park, than has been seen there for some years. The way from the Stable-yard to Buckingham House was quite thronged.1
On a later visit, he noted that a court official stood behind the King and announced each person's name because the King's eyesight was so weak.
The Queen received the ambassador on 17 January 1810 and he wrote at length about his experience at court. He was astounded at the extraordinary shape of the ladies' court dresses which he described as being tightly fitted from waist to shoulders and then like full-blown tents from waist to toe. He also thought that the men's clothes were immodest and unflattering, especially the trousers, which he thought were made to look like under-drawers.
The Times recorded that:
His Excellency was conducted by Mr Chester to the Drawing-room, and introduced to her Majesty by Earl Morton, with the same pomp and form as if her Majesty was holding a public drawing-room, all her Majesty's state attendants being present. Her Majesty was accompanied by the Princesses, the Dukes of Kent, Cambridge and Brunswick. His Excellency delivered his credentials to her Majesty, and also the presents from his Court, consisting of three boxes of jewels, several choice shawls, and a curious carpet, which were most graciously received.2
A drawing room at St James's Palace from The Microcosm of London (1808-10) |
He also recorded that if a man had an illegitimate daughter, she could not go to court until she was married; if he had an illegitimate son, this son could not inherit his name or title.
The Prince of Wales fetes the ambassador
On 24 January 1810, the ambassador was invited to wait on the Prince of Wales at Carlton House, and on 3 February, the Prince gave an entertainment in the ambassador's honour. The ambassador wrote that the Prince asked him whether he preferred thin women or fat, and agreed with him when he answered fat. He also wrote how he had complained that all the English women were put off by his hairy face. He dined with the Prince of Wales and other royal princes on 27 February.
Crimson Drawing Room, Carlton House, from The History of the Royal Residences by WH Pyne (1819) |
The Persian ambassador's observations
Leaving cards
The Persian ambassador was introduced to the custom of leaving cards. He recorded that when ministers or councillors called on him, they left a card about the size of the palm of your hand at his door. He was told he should return these calls, leaving cards with his name on at the homes of the gentlemen who had called on him.
Dinners, balls and other entertainments
One of the most fascinating sections in the ambassador's journal is where he talks about the different types of gathering that were part of fashionable life in London. He wrote that invitation cards were given out with a date, time of arrival and time of departure on them.
• A dinner lasts for four hours, from 6 pm to 10 pm.
• A ball is a large gathering with musicians and lasts from 10 pm to 5 am in the morning.
• A musical entertainment lasts for four hours from 10 pm to 2 am. The guests are invited to come and hear a famous musician or singer and the host persuades them to perform although everyone knows they are being paid to do so.
• An assembly or rout lasts for six hours from 10 pm to 4 am and is simply a gathering. The ambassador thought this type of entertainment was completely pointless.
• A breakfast is a morning meal.
The ambassador thought that all parties should be held in the early hours of the morning as the calls of the nightwatchmen made it impossible to sleep.
On Friday 16 March, the Persian ambassador returned the hospitality of his London acquaintances by holding a grand entertainment for some 500 people. The guests started arriving at 9 pm and some stayed until 1 am although many left an hour earlier to attend the Countess of Clonmell's ball in Portman Square.
Valentine's Day
On 14 February, the ambassador recorded that the English called this Valentine's Day and had a custom of sending anonymous letters and love poems to their sweethearts. He noted that elegant dandies also sent each other caricature drawings for fun.
Mrs Hope
The Persian ambassador recorded some very frank opinions in his journal. He thought that Mrs Hope, who before her marriage had been the Irish beauty Louisa Beresford, was very beautiful, and that it was awful that she should have married Thomas Hope for his money when he was so very ugly.
Louisa Beresford, Viscountess Beresford (earlier Mrs Hope) from The Court Magazine and Monthly Critic (1837) |
Sir Francis Burdett and the London riots
The Persian ambassador was in London when Sir Francis Burdett refused to be arrested in April 1810 and riots broke out as his supporters resisted his arrest. The ambassador was astonished that it took several days to obtain a warrant to arrest Sir Francis. He said that in Iran, more than 2,000 people would have been executed by then.
Rachel Knowles writes clean/Christian Regency era romance and historical non-fiction. She has been sharing her research on this blog since 2011. Rachel lives in the beautiful Georgian seaside town of Weymouth, Dorset, on the south coast of England, with her husband, Andrew.
Find out more about Rachel's books and sign up for her newsletter here.If you have enjoyed this blog and want to encourage me and help me to keep making my research freely available, please buy me a virtual cup of coffee by clicking the button below.
(1) From The Times 21 December 1809, Times Digital Archive.
(2) From The Times 18 January 1810, Times Digital Archive.
Sources used include:
Ackermann, Rudolph and Combe, William, The Microcosm of London or London in miniature Volume 3 (Rudolph Ackermann 1808-1810, reprinted 1904)
Hassan Khan, Mirza Abul, A Persian at the Court of King George 1809-10, edited by Margaret Morris Cloake (1988)
Hassan Khan, Mirza Abul, A Persian at the Court of King George 1809-10, edited by Margaret Morris Cloake (1988)
Times Digital Archive


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Title: ROOMIES
Author: Lynn Stevens
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Designer: Southhampton Design
Publication Date: August 20th, 2018
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR
The night before my wedding, I ran.
The night before my wedding, I ran.
I needed a place to hide. A place to start over. A place to figure out how to move forward with my life.
When my cousin Lena offered me a rent free apartment in Chicago, it seemed like the perfect solution. And it was until the legal tenant, a Marine named Josh, returned early from his deployment overseas.
The little security I had shattered. I had no place left to go, and I couldn't live with a man I didn't know. But I had no choice. If he knew how badly I was damaged, he wouldn't want me around. After all, that's what he had told me over and over. Nobody would want me.
Maybe sometimes you have to run away to find yourself.
The night of my wedding, I ran, but I hadn't ran far enough.
Lynn Stevens flunked out of college writing her first novel. Yes, she still has it and no, you can't read it. Surprisingly, she graduated with honors at her third school. A former farm girl turned city slicker turned suburbanite, Lynn lives in the Midwest where she drinks coffee and sips tea when she's out of coffee. She's the author of Full Count and Game On..
Author Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstevensauthor/
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2JinMTL
Pre-Order Link:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2uYa1UU
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2uYa1UU


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Brazil to deploy 6,000 Cuban doctors in remote areas
News from Cuba | Monday, 6 May 2013
Brazil plans to hire 6,000 Cuban doctors to serve in remote parts of the country where medical services are deficient or nonexistent, despite controversy over the quality of their training.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota said on Monday negotiations were under way involving the Washington-based Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) to allow the Cuban doctors to practice in Brazil.
Brazilian medical associations have opposed Cuban-trained doctors practicing in their country, arguing that standards at Cuba's medical schools are lower than in Brazil and equivalent in some cases to a nursing education in Brazil.
Over the past decade Cuba's communist government has sent 30,000 doctors to work in poor neighborhoods of Venezuela, Havana's closest political ally in Latin America, under an agreement reached with the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez that involved an exchange of medical services for cheap oil.
The Cubans are expected to be sent to poor corners of the Northeast of Brazil and the Amazon jungle where Brazilian doctors are reluctant to serve.
"Cuba is very proficient in the areas of medicine, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology and Brazil is considering receiving Cubans doctors in talks that involve PAHO," Patriota said at a news conference with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.
The Federal Council of Medicine, a body that represents doctors in Brazil, criticized as "irresponsible" the government's proposal to allow in doctors whose "technical and ethical quality was in doubt."
It issued a statement demanding foreign doctors be recertified in Brazil before being allowed to practice.
Foreign Minister Patriota said the plan to bring Cuban doctors to Brazil would strengthen ties between Havana and Brasilia that have expanded since the leftist Worker's Party came to power a decade ago.
He announced that Brazil will finance the modernization of five airports in Cuba, where Brazilian construction conglomerate Odebrecht is already building a container terminal at the port of Mariel.
Earlier on Monday in Havana, Brazil's Trade Minister Fernando Pimentel signed an agreement setting conditions for a $176 million loan from its giant development bank BNDES to upgrade and expand the airports of Havana, Santa Clara, Holguin, Cayo Coco and Cayo Largo.
(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)


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How do we connect with our kids while juggling work, home and child-care? How do families create a meaningful lifestyle while parenting simply? We shared tips and ideas on how to foster balance and peace of mind at Local 121 on March 7, 2011.
Some of the ideas discussed; Be present, Have a playful attitude, Don't sweat the small stuff (Does it really matter if your child wears pajamas to the grocery store?), Reduce choices (Including activities and food options.), and Trust your intuition. (Make decisions based on what is right for you and not out of guilt.)
If you missed the conversation, join in now. Watch the video here.
– The Hurried Child: Growing Up Too Fast Too Soon by David Elkind
– Playful Parenting by Lawrence J. Cohen, PhD
– Timeshifting: Creating More Time to Enjoy Your Life by Stephan Rechtschaffen
Reduce Clutter
– Give "Experience Gifts" instead of toys and games. Memories from experiences like art lessons, theater performances and picnics will outlast the latest toy.
– Encourage your family to recycle books through www.paperbackswap.com. When you post a book and another member wants it, you get to choose a "new- to-you" book from the thousands of titles other members have listed.
– Ditch TV shows with commercials. Commercials can make children think they have to have that latest toy or gadget. You'll accumulate less clutter and save money if you DVR shows or stream from Netflix.
– Declare one weekend day per month "DO NOTHING DAY" for your family. Stay home, sleep late, have brunch, be goofy, and connect with each other.
– Leave little notes for your children in places they would not expect: A coat pocket, in a pencil case or as a bookmark in a book they are reading.
– Establish or resurrect family traditions. These fill a person's soul more than any material possession.
Play With Your Kids! A How-To, Why-To Guide for Parents: My tips for balancing everyday life, published by Providence Children's Museum.
PlayWatch: Connecting the Community to Promote Children's Play: Join the conversation about the importance of unstructured play on this Museum-hosted email discussion listserv. Subscribers can share information, articles, resources, events and more — including ideas about what we, as a community, can do to safeguard children's play.
Alliance for Childhood: Promotes policies and practices that support children's healthy development, love of learning and joy of living; links to articles, resources and reports, including the Time for Play info sheet.
Free Range Kids: A tips-info-outrage exchange forum hosted by Lenore Skenazy, author of the book of the same name, that shares "how to raise safe, self-reliant children (without going nuts with worry)."
Playborhood: A blog committed to bringing back free, unstructured play for our children, with the goal of building a community of parents who are more aware of the problem, discuss solutions, and implement the best of those solutions.
Hassle-free (or minimum-hassle) things to do with kids:
– Walk along the beach. Trace each other's shadows in the sand. Look for beach glass, pretty stones, cool shells. Dig in the sand.
– Walk in the woods. Join a Rhode Island Families in Nature hike.
– Go to the zoo. First thing in the morning is best. Spend as much time as your kids want watching the giraffes or gibbons. Bring snacks.
– Go to the children's museum — especially Providence Children's Museum — but any children's museum and follow your kids' lead.
– Hang out in the library on a rainy day. Spend the whole afternoon reading together and separately. Some libraries have toys, so the kids can play while you read.
1. Buy whole foods: Shop on the outside edges of the grocery store for most of your food, or shop at the farmer's market. Vegetables, grains, beans, fruits, pastured meats should be the bulk of your cart.
2. Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne: Every parent should read this book and give it as a gift to someone else. Tips on staying simple in all areas of parenting.
3. Create simple rituals: Tea in the morning, singing while you brush your teeth, who gets in the car first and who gets out first. We all love to know what to expect; it creates security and safety.
4. Abundance Jar: A jar that each member of the family contributes to for saving up for something special. This might be a family vacation, a new game or an ice cream party.
5. Exhale. Return To Center: One of my favorite blogs because Erin keeps it real by giving us honesty, inspiration and support for being a mother and woman.
6. Take turns: When one parent is stressed and needs a break, have a signal that lets them know you are taking over. Parenting is awesome and really hard work. Give each other breaks and support.
7. Green smoothies: Start your day with greens. Call it a monster smoothie, alien blood or energy blast. It is fun to make using simple whole ingredients and shows our children that greens are awesome.
8. Clean Food by Terry Walters: Simple meals and ingredients that will help you keep meal time manageable.
9. Create sacred space: Carve out time that is just for you. A few minutes each day to focus, relax and create calm in your mind and body. It might be a quiet meal, a cup of tea and a candle, a brisk walk, 10 minutes of yoga…
10. Accept support: When it's offered, say yes. Say yes again. When you have extra energy, offer support to someone else. Pay it forward; use your community and friends.
1. Eat dinner together. Due to work and other commitments, we don't do this every night, but we are relentless about having dinner together as often as our schedules permit. There is no substitute for checking in face to face (to face to face to face, since there are five of us).
2. Leave enough time. If you have enough time, it seems easier to avoid a crisis and keep your cool. Accept that things are going to go wrong, that kids are going to need extra help and time. Allowing a few extra minutes for whatever you're doing helps create good conditions for dealing well when things go bad.
3. Have kids do as much as they possibly can for themselves. The more kids can do for themselves, the less you have to do. They feel more competent, you can marvel at their competence, and everyone feels good.
4. Rely on routines and agreements. When you and your kids know what to expect, everyone's a lot happier. If someone is not happy, see tip #5.
5. Be a hard ass, sometimes. Be willing to say no, set limits, and stand by your decisions. Life is simpler when parents and kids know where the boundaries are.
6. Make it easy to have fun. Find activities to do with your kids and for your kids to do by themselves and with each other that keep it simple. Have fun together with a deck of playing cards, a few sticks of sidewalk chalk, and a ball to toss back and forth.
7. Ask for help. Having family, friends, and others who you can ask for help when you need it can make all the difference. We can't do it all ourselves.
8. Know what to let go. There's no way that most of us can do everything at once. Know what's important to you and let the rest go. For us, it's important to have a healthy, fun dinner together. If that means that not all of the Legos get picked up in the living room, so be it.
9. Be fair. The best parenting tip I ever received: My friend Nick, a father of three, told me when our third son arrived, "You will never be able to pay equal attention to all of them at once. Just make sure you revolve who you're ignoring and it'll all work out." That has helped me so much, and I really do try to think carefully about how much attention each kid is getting.
10. Make mistakes/be forgiving. You're in it for the long haul with your family, so be as gracious as you can be when someone screws up, and you'll get the same in return.
Anisa Raoof
I am inspired by the tips and resources shared by Jill, Janice, Hannah and Johanna. Thank you. I would also add a few ideas that help me parent simply:
Pot luck parties. Sharing the cost of buying food and time to cook food with others makes getting together with friends more fun and less of a burden. Trying new recipes and learning about other cultures is an added bonus.
Pack car with essentials. Having a stocked car helps with everyday travel and unexpected mishaps. I currently stock reusable grocery bags, a blanket, papertowels, Kleenex, pencils, quarters for parking meters, maps, a first-aid kit, wipes, and soccer ball and basketball for impromptu games after school. What I used to stock: Lots of diapers and extra change of clothes.
Birthday gift registry. We select the boys' favorite store (last two years: Books on the Square) and have guests contribute to a joint gift certificate. Simple for parents, reduces excessive toy clutter and supports our local community.
Learn to say no. Although I love to volunteer at school, take on extra projects for work and start more things than I can finish, I am learning to say "No" more often leaving more time for me and my family.
Pay it forward. I have been fortunate over the years with generous friends, neighbors and family who help with shoveling snow, watch my kids and bring us food when needed. We like to share this generousity, and whenever possible my husband and I (and now our kids) do small favors and help others. No scorecard needed.
Crafternoons (Crafting in the afternoon with friends). Carving out time to be creative is essential to my soul. Finding time to see friends always a challenge. Combining the two is multi-tasking at it's best.


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Show All Answers
Sirens are activated by supervisors at the Dakota Communications Center (DCC) based on the criteria.
If the weather warning includes all of Dakota County, the sirens will sound countywide. Sirens can also be activated by zones or by individual cities within Dakota County as determined by information the DCC receives from the National Weather Service or local officials.
The sirens automatically shut off after three minutes.


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Active Hunter
hey, i am working on my Boba Fett ROTJ costume, and i am wanting to put at least 1 CPU fan in my helmet. well, as most of you know, boba's helmet isn't that big. so...i was wondering if anyone has placed a CPU fan on there T-Visor...the wind blowing up. i have held it in place and put my helmet on, and off. this also cuts down on the helmet visor fogging up. but, the thing is....can you see a dark like where the fan is glued? the visor is pretty blacked out, so, you won't see much, but, i just thought you might see it. but, anyway, has anyone tried this, and if so, how did it work out?


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Haufe-Lexware is a German media group operating in business, law, and tax. The company was founded as Rudolf Haufe Verlag in 1934 in Berlin.
Key Company Developments in 2012 & 2013
The Haufe-Lexware group closed fiscal 2012 ending June 30, 2012 with a revenue increase of 218.2 million EUR, up from 206.5 million EUR in 2011.
Ownership, Mergers & Acquisition, Internal Organization:
In summer 2012, the group announced the incorporation of EDV-Software-Service (ESS), a leading consulting company for the real estate industry. Haufe-Lexware also continued to expand its B2B business by acquiring Semigator, an e-procurement company that provides the largest German-speaking online marketplace for advanced education. In January 2013, the managing director Birte Hackenjos has been designated as COO. Hackenjos has been working for Haufe for fifteen years and will restructure project management to create flexible project teams.
Earlier Developments:
In 2011, the Haufe Group experienced a good financial performance, with revenue growth accounting for 207 million EUR against 193 million EUR in 2010.
In January 2010, when the brands Haufe, Redmark, and Lexware united with the affiliated companies Haufe Fachmedia and WRS Verlag, the Haufe Group repositioned itself as Haufe-Lexware GmbH & Co. KG. In the following year, Haufe-Lexware expanded its activities on the B2B market by acquiring Literatur-Service Leipzig GmbH, which offers intranet platforms for publishing companies to create automated procurement processes that correspond to their client-specific systems.
Click here to return to the full listing of the world's largest publishers.


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Hugh Manson enjoys a reputation as one of the UK's most experienced and respected guitar makers. A career that spans over 30 years, a highly successful retail store and high profile clients - not least Muse's Matt Bellamy and Led Zep's John Paul Jones - means that he rarely has a spare minute.
Yet as with so many independent guitar makers, his own creations - even in limited runs, such as the most recent tech-loaded MB-1 - never come cheap.
With the recent formation of Manson Guitarworks and the introduction of his first own-design, offshore-made series, however, that all looks set to change.
"Firstly, I don't do the woodwork," confirms Manson. "I designed the guitars, I went to the factory and checked it out because after 30 years of guitar making and building up what I hope is a good reputation, I didn't want to lose that overnight.
"So I wanted to go out, look at the machinery, the wood and talk to the people and check out that what I'd designed they'd actually made.
"It's the factory that makes our John Paul Jones signature bass, which I consider to be of really high quality. John has put his name to it and there's no way he would have done that if he hadn't been happy. I wouldn't have even entertained the factory if I hadn't been happy with their whole ethos and history of work."
Those readers familiar with the guitars Manson has made for Matt Bellamy over the years will see some similarities here but the MA is, as Manson is very keen to point out, quite a different design.
"If you put one on top of the other they are extremely different. The top horn on Matt's guitar is enormous. Visually, I find it too big but that's personal choice - no two people have the same view. But to me that horn is too big, so the MA's is smaller.
"Then there's more of a flow from that horn into the treble cutaway - the Celtic curve if you like, it's more of a fluid curve. The cutaway is slightly deeper too and it has a rounded, not pointed, horn."
With a full 648mm (25.5-inch) 'Fender' scale length, the MA's geometry is similar to a Telecaster, although a tighter waist makes the upper and lower bouts a little more pronounced, and then the treble cutaway sits deeper into the body, while the horn is more Les Paul-like.
Add in the beautifully rounded forearm contour and rear tummy cut, the Les Paul Junior-ish mirror scratchplate, a less Fender, more Les Paul-like bridge and dual pickups, and we have a unique but comfortingly familiar design.
The maple neck bolts to the alder body in Fender style, while the soft 'V'-profile is a Manson hallmark. "Yes, the neck shape is totally me. It took a few attempts to get it right. We also had a few attempts to get it to sound right," a major consideration being the truss rod.
"The MA-2 has a single acting truss rod loaded into a routed channel that's the same shape as the rod - there's no air in the neck and less metal too."
With its compound radius the fingerboard and neck feel is quite modern, very slick and very smooth. The medium jumbo frets are perfectly finished; there are no face dots, just small and rather hard-to-see side dots placed on the joint line between the rosewood 'board and the maple neck.
With a design that's very Telecaster-based it's perhaps a surprise to see that Gibson-style bridge/tailpiece arrangement.
"I far prefer the Les Paul bridge arrangement in terms of a piece of machinery and its adjustability, but it's also about the feel of the string. When a string comes through the body with a really steep angle over the bridge - as on a Telecaster - it feels very different to that lovely long two-inch gap between the tailpiece and the bridge.
"That shallow angle results in a totally different feel: that's what I wanted. I just like the feel of that arrangement, I feel it makes string bending far more pleasurable. It's very smooth."
But Manson believes this arrangement also contributes to creating a more "mid-pushed" (Gibson-like) tonal goal.
Another factor is the weight: for the style it verges on the heavy side. "As I say, the platform the string is vibrating on is meant to be mid-pushed and that requires some weight too."
The major difference between the MA-2 and its sister guitar, the MA-1, is the pickup arrangement. While the MA-1 uses off-the-shelf Seymour Duncan humbuckers (pre-fitted along with the electronics in the Czech Republic), the MA-2 uses the Manson/Bare Knuckle humbucker and humbucking- sized P-90-style single-coil set beloved by Matt Bellamy in recent years.
These more expensive UK-made pickups are fitted, along with the electronics, in the UK by the Manson Guitarworks team.
The MA-2's sounds are certainly the result of what is an interesting blend of ingredients. The alder body/bolt-on maple/ rosewood neck clearly references Fender, but the Gibson-like bridge set-up and beefy, hot but harmonically rich bridge humbucker create a very different flavour.
Through a clean Fender amp, that 'bucker has quite a round-nosed smoothness to the note attack, lacking a little high-end zing with, by design, plenty of fuller midrange.
The neck single-coil certainly restores some cut but with a smooth, bell-like tonality that's almost old Les Paul-like, and certainly rounder, warmer and fuller than a Strat's neck position. Swapping to a Telecaster reminds us how far it is removed from that tone - overall the MA-2 certainly exhibits much more of a Gibson's powerful warmth.
The mixed pickup position brings in some handy rhythm snap and with the right amp tone is quite classic sounding. Using just the volume and perhaps a gain boost with the neck and mixed pickup positions alone would get you through many a classic soul, funk or blues gig.
Light to medium gains begin to take us off in a more obvious rock direction; the bridge humbucker's powerful edge easily does those halfway clean- to-crunch sounds and, combined with the sustainful ring of the guitar, ticks the rock rhythm box nicely.
But kick in a level boost, or move to a more gained amp channel, and the MA-2 really comes alive. More like the power rock of Matt Bellamy, there's power and sizzle from the bridge humbucker and hot single-coil raunch from the neck pickup - it's the sort of performance that would suit anything from more player or enthusiast modern Texas blues through to classic era Van Halen and beyond: an almost timeless character.
With heavier gains the smooth playability allows all sorts of fun, but throughout the mayhem it remains characterful, not just powerful. As with any good guitar it's hard to put it in one stylistic camp and Manson's 'halfway' tone description seems pretty much spot on.
Are there any downsides? Well, not if you understand the aim. It's not a Telecaster and it doesn't capture the really deep lows of a cranked Les Paul, but its musical middle ground is extremely appealing. It could do with some more visible side dots though.
Great design is all about subtlety and the MA has it in bucketloads. It may start with an altered Telecaster platform but the combination of carefully considered neck and fingerboard tweaks, the Gibson-style bridge set-up, not to mention the pickup choice, create a guitar that embodies Manson's considerable experience.
It's not about replicating the past, nor a futuristic vision: instead it's a real hybrid design that is very in-tune with the needs of serious performing musicians. Its "mid-pushed" tonal aim makes it superb for a wide range of rock styles, but that neck single-coil adds a fatter Fender-style edge that easily produces classic, cleaner voices as well.
Here's an instrument that draws on all the vast experience of one of the UK's finest guitar makers at a far from custom guitar price. You'd be barking mad not try one.


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