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Big 1st half lifts Michigan to 102-47 rout of Charlotte
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) Michigan coach John Beilein thought his team took some poor shots at crucial times during its loss to Connecticut in the opening-round of the Battle 4 Atlantis.
The Wolverines responded by not missing much of anything in their matchup with Charlotte.
Michigan set three tournament records in its 102-47 rout of the 49ers Thursday in the consolation bracket. Moritz Wagner had career-high 19 points. Caris LeVert added 13 points as four Wolverine players reached double figures.
The Wolverines notched new benchmarks for points by one team and for margin of victory.
The 61 percent that Michigan shot from the field was also a new standard for the tournament.
''I'm proud of our team, the way we responded after last night's disappointment,'' Michigan coach John Beilein said. ''For us to bounce back and play the way we did today was a good sign and good step in the right direction.''
The Wolverines (3-2) led by 22 points at halftime and played their reserves for much of the second half after their lead ballooned above 40. Michigan scored at will throughout, knocking down 12 3-pointers.
It was a breakout game for Wagner, a freshman from Berlin, Germany. He had just four points on the season entering the night. He connected on eight of his nine field goal attempts.
''Sometimes I wake up and think it's a dream,'' Wagner said. ''Germany is a different world. Being here that was kind of a dream for me to play NCAA basketball. And now I see myself on the court, and can actually contribute to the team.''
The Wolverines dictated the pace in the first half, quickly going in front by double digits.
Michigan's defense was equally impressive, holding Charlotte without a second-chance point. It also converted Charlotte's seven first-half turnovers into 13 points.
Andrien White led Charlotte (1-4) with nine points.
49ers coach Mark Price said there was little to salvage from his team's performance.
''Not much to say about, other than that was a disaster,'' Price said. ''Michigan just laid the wood to us real good.''
Michigan: Had 53 bench points. ...Scored 20 points off 10 turnovers for the game.
Charlotte: Was outrebounded 44-27. ...Connected on just 15 of 58 field goals.
REHAB TIME: Michigan's Spike Albrecht, who continues to work his way back from double offseason hip surgery, played 10 minutes in the second half after emptying his bench. Though Beilein had said previously that the plan was to rehab him and bring him along slowly, he played him out of necessity in an effort not to burn the redshirt years of some of his freshmen.
LESS LEVERT: One thing Beilein especially liked about Thursday's effort is that it didn't totally revolve around LeVert as the primary scorer. ''We can't stand around and watch Caris the whole game,'' he said. ''We want Caris to be very, very aggressive. But we don't also want the ball to stick either...I think everybody loves watching Caris do what he does. At the same time we're a better team when he's running a play and being a player.''
MOVING ON: Charlotte senior forward Bernard Sullivan said the only way to move past what he called an ''embarrassing'' effort on Thursday is for the team to turn the page as quickly as possible. ''It's one that's gonna sting for a little while,'' he said. ''But we gotta try to put this one behind us because we've got a game tomorrow. The best we can do is to learn from it and let it build a fire in us not to lie down, but to stand up.''
Michigan plays Texas in the fifth-place game on Friday.
Charlotte plays Washington in the seventh-place game Friday.
Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower


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subset: commoncrawl


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The image to the left is the 'average' face of a Mexican woman as generated by the University of Glasgow Face Research Lab. Aside from the fact that the face is prettier than the typical human because of the well known tendency of averaging facial features removing unattractive asymmetry it is racially what you might expect, a synthesis of an Amerindian and European face, with an Amerindian skew. But a phenotypic average only tells you so much. Variation is one of the key ingredients in evolutionary processes, and by getting a sense of a population's variation you can infer things about its past and possible future history. For example, if that variation is heritable, then it is amenable raw material for adaptation. In contrast, if the variation is due to environmental parameters then it is not going to be appropriate input for adaptation via natural selection. In a nation like Mexico we see the full range, from 'typical' Amerindian phenotype, to someone who looks to be fully European (with a small minority with visible African ancestry).
But if the phenotype is heritable, then underlying this variation is genotype. The extent that genotype controls the variation is contingent upon heritability. The heritability of behavioral phenotypes is often around ~0.5. But for physical traits such as height or pigmentation the heritability is much closer to 1, on the order of ~0.8 to ~0.9. That means 80 to 90 percent of the variation of the trait across the population is due to variation in the genes. When we code someone as "Amerindian" or "European" or "African" we are assessing phenotypes with a strong underlying genotypic component. A new study in PLOS GENETICS outlines just how this plays out in Latin America, a region of the world which has the virtue of being a living experiment in admixture between different geographic races over the past 500 years.
Admixture in Latin America: Geographic Structure, Phenotypic Diversity and Self-Perception of Ancestry Based on 7,342 Individuals:
The current genetic makeup of Latin America has been shaped by a history of extensive admixture between Africans, Europeans and Native Americans, a process taking place within the context of extensive geographic and social stratification. We estimated individual ancestry proportions in a sample of 7,342 subjects ascertained in five countries (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, México and Perú). These individuals were also characterized for a range of physical appearance traits and for self-perception of ancestry. The geographic distribution of admixture proportions in this sample reveals extensive population structure, illustrating the continuing impact of demographic history on the genetic diversity of Latin America. Significant ancestry effects were detected for most phenotypes studied. However, ancestry generally explains only a modest proportion of total phenotypic variation. Genetically estimated and self-perceived ancestry correlate significantly, but certain physical attributes have a strong impact on self-perception and bias self-perception of ancestry relative to genetically estimated ancestry.
The phylogeographic aspect of this paper is not too interesting to me, as it confirms what we've known (e.g., more Amerindian ancestry in northern Brazil, Mexicans are somewhat more Amerindian than they are European, etc.). Rather, the biggest findings are those which relate physical appearance, self-identity, and genetic ancestry. In Europe someone who identifies as "white" is invariably ~99% European when assessed using a genetic method (the ~1% balance is often from Iberia). More precisely, white Europeans are ~99% West Eurasian, since a non-trivial amount of trans-Mediterranean gene flow has occurred, meaning there isn't a clear boundary between Europe and nearby regions. Similarly, in Sub-Saharan Africa someone who identifies as "black" is likely to be nearly all Sub-Saharan African. This is often not the case in Latin America. That is, those who identify as "white" or "black" often have substantial admixture from other geographic racial groups.
One of the major drawbacks of this study is that it relies on 30 ancestrally informative markers (AIMs). Though this is acceptable in forensics, some of the ancestry inferences made on an individual basis are a touch less accurate than they would be on a dense marker SNP chip (e.g., the 650,000 SNPs used on the HGDP). The modest correlations here are probably a little lower than they would be if the ancestry was more accurately adduced. But in the broad sketch the conclusions are likely defensible. One result which may surprise then is the very modest correlation between physical traits and ancestry. Here's the quote from the paper:
Regression of phenotypic variation on genetic ancestry (taking Native American as reference) demonstrates a significant effect for most of the traits examined (p-value <10−3 using a conservative Bonferroni multiple testing correction, Table 2). Among the non-facial phenotypes (accounting for sex, country, age, educational attainment and wealth) higher European ancestry is associated with: increased height, lighter pigmentation (of hair, skin and eyes) (Figure S6), greater hair curliness and male pattern baldness. Hair graying approaches statistical significance (p-value 10−2). Higher African ancestry is associated with: increased height, higher skin pigmentation and greater hair curliness. The proportion of phenotypic variance explained by ancestry is highest for skin pigmentation (19%) followed by hair shape (8%) and color of eyes and hair (4% and 5%, respectively) but at most 1% for the other phenotypes.
As I said it could be that the AIMs aren't quite as accurate as they should be, and are underestimating the ancestral fractions on the individuals at the extremes (e.g., someone who is 100% European is estimated to be 95% European, because the marker set lacks precision). So you might bump up the proportion of variance explained a bit, but likely this still seems way too low to you intuitively. There are a few things going on here. First, skin color is controlled between populations by a relatively small set of genetic loci. This means that in admixed populations the sample variance, the random draw of genotypes across the loci, is going to vary a lot even in individuals with the same ancestry. Because of the relatively small number of large effect loci skin color is a trait which shows a lot of variation within families where ancestry is geographically diverse. And within families, or at least across full siblings, total ancestry is not going to vary that much. Second, for some of the "traits" in question that are being measured there is just a lot of variation within geographic races. It makes sense that ancestry would explain only a small fraction within this pooled data set. And yet people can recognize a set of features which are clearly European or Amerindian or African. I think the answer here is that you are picking up on correlation structure across the traits. A suite of subtle facial contours for example connote "European" in a Gestalt manner, even if quantitatively each contour trait has a lot of variation within a population and overlaps across them.
Where this all "cashes out" though is in the intersection of the sociocultural and biological. Within the paper itself they observe a few trends which would not be surprising. Skin color and hair form are very salient characteristics, and lead individuals to shift their estimates of their own ancestries. Those with lighter skin tend to overestimate their European ancestry fractions, while those with curlier hair overestimate their African ancestry. These are traits which have the characteristics that they are quite ancestrally informative to particular geographic races, and, very visible (unlike, say, Duffy status). Within these data there are also particular patterns which are intriguing and less obvious; those with low amounts of Amerindian ancestry underestimate the fraction, while those with higher levels overestimate it. The details of these patterns are obviously contextual in terms of time and place (e.g., in Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s genealogy specials many celebrities seem to yearn for exotic lineages, which would not be the case in past decades). What is more interesting is that fine grain patterns of variation in genetic ancestry and how they deviate from perceived ancestry can finally allow social scientists to get a better grip on patterns of discrimination (or lack thereof). It is not entirely uncommon in Latin America for full siblings to sometimes be socially perceived to be different races because of the random segregation of salient characteristics. In the aggregate these sorts of cases would allow one to estimate the effect of social perceptions, slights, or advantages. With the genetic dimension one could also ascertain the possibility of group differences, because many subtle characteristics are going to track genome-wide patterns, rather than a few phenotypes which society privileges when sorting people by geographic origin.


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Pre-Qual'd versus Pre-Approved
Buyers and Sellers are often confused by the difference between mortgage loan pre-qualification and a home loan pre-approval. Even some loan officers and real estate agents will use the terms incorrectly, so here's what you really need to know about each one.
A mortgage loan pre-qualification is simply an estimate of how much house you can afford and how much money a lender would be willing to loan you. The best time to get a pre-qualification is right at the beginning of your home buying process, before you even start looking at houses. This involves providing information on your income, assets, debts, and a potential down payment amount. Your lender will then provide you with a general figure in writing of how much he thinks you could afford to pay for a monthly mortgage with all associated costs. There is no commitment on the buyer's end to work with that lender in the future. This estimate is just helpful in helping you figure out if buying a home is a viable option, and if so, what your price range would probably be.
Getting pre-approved means that you have a tentative commitment from a specific lender for mortgage funding. In this case, you provide a home loan lender with actual documentation of your income, assets, and debts. This process typically requires an application fee as well, since the bank will run a credit check and work to verify all your employment and financial information. Once you are approved, your lender will give you a letter of commitment, stating how much money the bank is willing to loan you for a home purchase. With a pre-approval in hand your offer will be taken more seriously.
Shopping Around or Second Opinions
It is important to understand, however, that even a pre-approval is not a guarantee that you will be approved for a mortgage loan. The funding will only be given when the property appraisal, title search, and other verification occurs related to a specific property. Neither are you stuck with the lender once you've been pre-approved; you can still obtain a mortgage from a different lender. If you do stick with the same lender that pre-approved you though, the loan process will be much shorter once you find the right house.


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In view of this growing, hostile reaction to Christianity, you need to keep these three things in mind as you hash out your plan of attack–or retreat.
Books supporting evolution are not in short supply.
Stand just inside my local Barnes and Noble and you'll see what I mean.
Lining a shelf of the new and notable science publications and you'll see books like .
And .
Nothing unusual.
But it's that last one–by none other than Richard Dawkins–that did it…
That got the gears going.
An Abundance of Books Easily Amuses Me
What surprised me most about this book was not that he wrote a book on the evidence of evolution…
But that he keeps on doing it. Systematically. Deliberately.
Naturally, his other books are just variations on the theme. The Blind Watchmaker. The God Delusion. The Selfish Gene.
Then there's the hundreds more published by other authors. It's a veritable cottage industry breaking into the big time.
But it's also indicative of a sense of alarm about the future of evolution and the threat of superstition.
So, in the face of this sleepless opposition, what are Christians to do? Enter the Christian apologists.
Soon We Will Resort to Cage Matches
To be fair, neither is there a shortage of books AGAINST evolution.
For example, a month or two down the road Alistair McGrath, Phillip Johnson, Michael Behe, David Aikman–someone in the camp–will write a book called Evidence Against Evolution.
Or The REAL Greatest Show on the Earth: Evidence for Design.
Well, I'm banking on history here, because this is nothing more than the thrust, counter-thrust, counter-counter-thrust, counter-counter-counter thrust of our current scientific-spiritual climate.
A climate brewing for the last forty years.
My observation boils down to this: We get our underwear in a wad, convinced our privileged nation is going to hell in a hand basket, and so we've got to roll up our sleeves and single handedly stop the steamroller called evolution.
Or atheism. Or pagan spirituality. Whatever you want to call it.
I'm Guilty, Too
Believe me, I hear that same voice every time a new book opposing Christianity is published.
Whether it's by Ehrman, Dawkins, Young or Tolle.
I want to write the book that saws off the branch that evolution sits on. That pulls out the rug from under higher criticism. That drowns false prophets.
Vicious, I know.
And don't get me wrong: This competition is healthy.
Yet in view of this growing, hostile reaction to Christianity, you need to keep these three things in mind as you hash out your plan of attack–or retreat.
Three Reasons Why You Should Chill
One, this shouldn't surprise one thoughtful Christian at all. .
Second, evolution, like all scientific views, has a shelf life.
In fact, it may surprise many to learn that most biologists at the start of the 20th Century .
Darwinism revived when a handful of scientists merged his theory with Mendelian genetics.
This is not an isolated event. The history of science is full of such turnabouts.
Whatever Happened to These Scientific Theories?
Ever heard of the geosynclinal theory? Of course not. It was buried alive by plate tetonics.
Geocentric view of the universe? Shoved aside by Copernicus and his trusty heliocentric view.
That phlogiston caused heat? Well, oxidation burned this one at the stake.
Yes, Darwinism remains the consensus. [As do the others.] How long? A lot longer, I believe, than most because it is truly a great idea.
But that's where it remains. As an idea.
Didn't See This Coming
My final and third point is this: the –the region that covers South America, Africa and China.
What's so special about it? It's a region of the world that's experiencing unprecedented growth in Christianity.
And here's the kicker: This is occurring in the face of rigid anti-religious cultures.
It's really quite astonishing if you think about what's going on in China, for example.
in a nation very unkind to Christianity.
And while not the poverty and persecution of the extremely repressive Cultural Revolution in 3 decades China's gone from 3 million Christians to anywhere from 54 million to 130 million.
Conservately, that's 18-fold jump in Christians. Go with the liberal number and we're talking a 43-fold leap.
And get this.
This wave of Christianity is not led by foreign missionaries: Christianity in China spreads from person to person.
Government crackdowns and public scrutiny. Christians beaten, arrested and church leaders jailed. Converts remaining anonymous for fear of persecution.
As much as changed in China, much has remained the same. But Christianity spreads.
So, while we fight for legislation to protect our freedom of speech or prayer or our right to insist marriage should remain between a man and woman, our .
What Gives?
Quite frankly, we could use a little persecution. And not only of the academic sort.
In the West, we have lots of bandwidth to do much with. No surprise that Christianity comes in 356 colors.
And then some.
And neither is it a surprise that most Christians affirm the view that as long as people leave them alone they'll leave them alone.
We are comfortable and want to stay that way.
Perhaps it would do us well be stripped of our freedoms. To be limited in our movement.
Perhaps creating laws that decreed publishing a book opposing evolution could lead to death. To make a stand against abortion punishable by torture.
I predict that much of what we know as the church today would run for the woods if this ever occurred…
Or commit outright treason against Christ. [I'm sounding rather alarmist myself, aren't I?]
A Conclusion
In a nutshell, rather than wring our hands over the fear that the sky is falling in, our time would be better spent if we simply rejoiced and made discipleship of the nations a singular and solitary pursuit.
If we first sharpened our sense of sound doctrine and gospel truth.
And that we started with our own people.
Once we get back on that horse, then we can get on with the business of trampling evolution. Whacha think?


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Are you dynamic and flexible, and would you like to work for an international library organisation? Do you have broad knowledge and understanding of the current movements in the library business? Do you have experience implementing communication and PR activities? Do you have a good oral and written knowledge of English, and a familiarity with other European languages? Do you have talent for working with stakeholders from different countries?
LIBER (Association of European Research Libraries / Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche) is looking for a Communication and Public Relations Officer.
The role:
The primary focus of this role will be communication and PR activities relating to European projects in which LIBER is a partner. You will be responsible for undertaking the duties listed in the project description of work which have been assigned to LIBER. You will plan, develop and implement overall PR strategies for LIBER. The Communication and Public Relations Officer reports directly to the LIBER Executive Director.
You will
- plan and implement the communication and PR activities in European projects in which LIBER is involved
- work with other project partners and co-ordinate communication and PR actions and work packages
- identify and liaise with different stakeholders in the context of several (European) projects
- promote projects and raise awareness through workshops, conferences, social media and other tools
- support the LIBER Office in communication and PR activities
- draft communication and PR plans for LIBER
- build and maintain the reputation of LIBER as an organisation and get LIBER's core messages across
- maintain regular and effective contacts with press and other targeted audiences (libraries, universities, EU institutions)
- research, write and distribute press releases to targeted media
- collate and analyse media coverage
- organise events including press conferences
- attend networking and media events
- source and manage speaking opportunities
- organise photo and video opportunities
Required skills and experience:
- University degree
- Experience in a communication/PR role
- Full experience of current communication tools, in particular social media
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Excellent knowledge of oral and written English. Understanding of at least 2 other European languages
- Familiarity with/interest in current issues in research libraries
- Full knowledge of the MS Office suite of tools including Word, Outlook, Explorer, Acrobat and Photoshop.
- Dynamic, flexible and with a demonstrable feeling for innovation
- Ability to work on a variety of projects simultaneously, prioritise a heavy workload and meet targets
- Sense of diplomacy and a leader at the same time
- International experience is desirable
Terms and conditions of employment
The initial appointment (40 hours per week) will be for 1 year. The post of Communication Officer will be located in the LIBER Office in the National Library of the Netherlands in The Hague. Regular travel outside The Netherlands will be required.
Salary will be based on Scale 10: minimum € 2,339,- to maximum € 3,707,- gross per month full-time, plus a vacation allowance of 8%, and a December allowance of 8.33%. In addition you will be entitled to 42 days holiday per year. The Labour Agreement is based on the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Research Centres (http://www.wvoi.nl/default.asp?cid=92&pid=76/).
Out-of-hours working, including occasional weekends, will also be expected in association with conferences and meetings.
For further information contact Wouter Schallier, LIBER Executive Director: e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com. Interested? Please send your CV with a covering letter in English to: email@example.com. Please clearly mention your phone number and/or skype ID.
Deadline for applications: 8th of August 2011. Interviews will be held on the 16th of August 2010 (to be confirmed), starting at 1pm CET, via phone or skype.
More about us:
LIBER (Association of European Research Libraries / Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche) is the major association of research libraries in Europe and has its office in the National Library of the Netherlands in The Hague.
LIBER represents and promotes the interests of more than 420 research libraries and related organizations in 40 countries. We develop services for our members in order to preserve the European cultural heritage and to guarantee access to research information; we help libraries to set up adequate and innovative information services to support teaching, learning and research in their institutions; and we invest in efficient and effective library management.
More information about LIBER can be found at http://libereurope.eu


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Currituck Lighthouse Facts:
Height of Tower: 162 Feet, 158 feet to focal point
Year Completed: 1875
Signal Distance: 19 nautical miles
Signal Pattern: white 3 seconds on, 17 seconds off
Currituck was the northern most lighthouse my mom and I visited. The lighthouse is located in Corolla NC. As I mentioned before, this was the first lighthouse my mom and I visited on our grand lighthouse tour, and boy did it set the tone of what to expect.
Currituck is located in between Cape Henry lighthouse to the north and Bodie Island lighthouse to the south. This tower was created to fill an 80-mile void in between Cape Henry and Bodie. Currituck first began to fill this dark void on December 1, 1875. In 1939, the lighthouse's light was automated for the first time. After the lighthouse was automated, keepers were no longer needed and were therefore removed.
Apparently after World War II, Currituck lighthouse was abandoned and fell into poor condition. The keeper's house also fell into disrepair, but in the 1950s, in was placed on the National Registry of Historical places for its architecture. In the 1980s, Currituck lighthouse began to be restored. I personally think Currituck is the best lighthouse in terms of upkeep.
The lighthouse is absolutely stunning and took my breath away. Currituck's bricks are exposed, which makes the visitor truly appreciate how many bricks went into the creation of this grand building. According to one website, one and a half million bricks were used to create this tower. I think that number really proves how amazing Currituck truly is.
If I thought the outside of the lighthouse was stunning, I didn't know what lay ahead of me after I climbed to the top of Currituck. Two Hundred and Fourteen steps later (yes, I got my work out for the day), I was astonished by the beautiful panoramic view of both the ocean and the bay. My mom and I stood next to each other speechless and at a loss for words as we looked out upon nature's beauty.
In addition to having a beautiful view and a beautiful outer exterior, Currituck offers an experience that I felt none of the others could. Currituck's complex is complete with a keeper's quarters, in addition to numerous exhibits that help the tourist understand the Maritime history from the era in which Currituck was built. My mom is a history buff and really enjoyed this aspect of Currituck.
Currituck is really unique from the other lighthouses in terms of what it had to offer. The most similar lighthouse to Currituck is Cape Hatteras lighthouse since you can climb both. I personally favored Currituck over Cape Hatteras because of the atmosphere and I felt you could absorb everything at Currituck without the crazy crowds Cape Hatteras had.
I also want to point out that there is a small fee to climb the lighthouse. Currituck is open to the public daily from Easter through Thanksgiving. During the winter months, Currituck lighthouse is closed to climbers for maintenance.
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Governor Cuomo Announces First of Its Kind Energy Efficient Home Built by Veterans for Veterans
VetsBuild program supports our military heroes in Long Island with career training, jobs and housing opportunities
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the groundbreaking of the country's first U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home, which will be built by veterans, for veterans, in Huntington Station. As part of the United Way of Long Island VetsBuild® program, projects like this help veterans find employment in the green construction industry. Building a zero energy home—one which has a renewable energy system that offsets all or most of its annual energy consumption—translates into virtually nonexistent energy bills. This announcement is in honor of Earth Week, April 19-25, which Governor Cuomo proclaimed as a weeklong celebration of New York's commitment to protecting our environment.
"Our veterans answered the call and put the needs of others before their own, and ensuring access to job training and housing opportunities is one small way we can begin to thank them for their service and their bravery," Governor Cuomo said. "Programs like VetsBuild get the entire veteran community involved from the construction process to the residency, and by building zero energy we are being conscious of the future."
The green residence, located at 40 Depot Road in Huntington Station, NY, in Suffolk County, will be home to several military veterans with special needs, and going forward VetsBuild expects to create approximately 60 jobs and build five Energy Star Homes per year. The program is funded by a $200,000 grant from the New York Department of State. View rendering here.
As part of $81.9 million in state aid that will support 97 projects in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, United Way of Long Island was awarded $600,000 over three years from New York State Department of State for VetsBuild as part of Governor Cuomo's Regional Economic Development Council initiative. Additional partners include The Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Building Performance Institute Inc., State Department of Energy, GEICO, JP Morgan Chase Foundation, Knapp Swezey Foundation, L.I. Regional Economic Development Council, National Grid, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority , PSEG, and United Veterans Beacon House.
United Way of Long Island's President & CEO Theresa Regnante said, "Building this home is crucial to our mission, as it will make a significant impact on the lives of veterans. It is our goal to provide a healthy living environment with very low operational costs. Imagine living in a home that's healthier, safer and more comfortable with no energy bills that will last for 50 plus years. The Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home is leading the path of green building, and United Way of Long Island, through our VetsBuild Program, is proud to be the first to make this dream come true for so many deserving veterans."
Sam Rashkin, Chief Architect of the Building Technologies Office in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for the Department of Energy said, "The United Way of Long Island project is the first of its kind to be certified under the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home program. Only a select group of the top builders in the country meet the extraordinary levels of excellence and quality specified by U.S. Department of Energy guidelines, but the fact that this will be a home built by a group of veterans for a group of veterans, sets this building project apart."
Frank Amalfitano, United Veterans Beacon House President & CEO said, "With an estimated 12,200 veterans unemployed on Long Island, the VetsBuild program has opened the career door for many of these military heroes by providing cutting edge training. A direct result of these training programs are DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes, such as the one that will be built in Huntington Station by participants of the VetsBuild Training Program."
Congressman Steve Israel said, "I am so proud of today's VetsBuild accomplishment. It has been a labor of love since we launched this effort in 2011 with the United Way and United Veterans Beacon House. After our veterans bravely serve our country, VetsBuild ensures they come home to good paying jobs in the high-growth green construction industry. VetsBuild shows that by working together on all levels of government and with the public and private sector, we can help our community and New York veterans. Today's announcement in Huntington Station is an important step forward and I look forward to building on this success."
New York Secretary of State Cesar A. Perales said, "We are committed to ensuring that New York continues to be a State of Opportunity for all. Our investment will enable veterans to stay on Long Island and enjoy careers in the green construction sector."
John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority said, "This DOE Zero Energy Ready Home will serve as a valuable model of sustainability and those who have collaborated to make this a reality should be commended. Education and career training for veterans and others is critical to building a clean energy workforce that will drive the State toward a cleaner and more affordable energy future."
Senator Carl L. Marcellino said, "There is nothing more important than serving our veterans. They put their lives on the line to protect our freedom and for that we are forever in their debt. This program is a great way to provide needed job training and opportunities here on Long Island. Add in the environmental benefits of a green project and it is an unquestionable win for everyone. I am thrilled that the first home will be built in Huntington Station and look forward to its completion."
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said, "What better way to celebrate Earth Day than by providing veterans the opportunity to be trained to build environmentally friendly housing and then providing those housing options to our veterans. With Suffolk County being home to the largest veteran population in the state, it makes perfect sense for the first U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home to be built in our County. I thank Governor Cuomo, our state representatives, the United Way of Long Island and the United Veterans Beacon House for collaborating on this worthy initiative to support our veterans."
Town of Huntington Supervisor Frank P. Petrone said, "Huntington is proud to be the location of the first Department of Energy Zero Energy Home and to support this effort to provide much needed housing for veterans with special needs. Huntington is also pleased to be working with United Way to place our residents in their VetsBuild program to give veterans the green construction skills that will keep them employed in building the homes of tomorrow."
United Way of Long Island Green Building Programs were developed to provide the workforce of tomorrow with the skills to build future Long Island communities that leave a lighter footprint on the environment. To learn more about the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home, the E3 SmartBuild Center or UWLI's VetsBuild Training Program, visit www.UnitedWayLI.org.
About VetsBuild
VetsBuild is a partnership program with United Way of Long Island and United Veterans Beacon House to help veterans find employment in the green construction industry. The grant from New York State Department of State will expand career training services for veterans. At no cost, veterans will be trained for green collar employment opportunities in energy efficiency, renewables, weatherization, Energy-Star construction, home performance, HVAC and home restoration. Training will be conducted at United Way's E3 SmartBuild Training Center.
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Chinese Translation 中文翻譯
French Translation Traduction française
Haitian Creole Translation Tradiksyon kreyòl ayisyen
Italian Translation Traduzione italiana
Korean Translation 한국어 번역
Russian Translation Перевод на русский язык
Spanish Translation Traducción al español
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WE LOVE LOVE LOVE WORKING WITH "AUNT CHRISTY"! We have ALREADY framed pictures she has taken for us! So blessed that she captured this special time in our life! Here are some of our favorites.
xo {Rache}
Monday, September 13, 2010
{Photo Session with CG Portrait Design}
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Book Direct with the Owner at Winchelsea South VIC with Accommodation Tasmania Agent in Winchelsea South, for all your Dining, Dancing and things to do.
Address: 45 Anderson Street, Winchelsea VIC 3241
Address: Birregurra Golf Club House 70 Barwon Terrace, Winchelsea VIC 3241
Address: Main, Winchelsea VIC 3241
copyright © 2020 Accommodation Tasmania. All rights reserved.


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The new Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300 should not be confused with the commemorative Ref. 5175 of the same name. With its breathtakingly hand-engraved rose-gold case, the latter is a limited, seven-watch edition.
The new Grandmaster Chime features an inimitably new white-gold case with a hand-guilloched hobnail pattern and now belongs to Patek Philippe's regular collection. However, the process of crafting it is so time-consuming that the Ref. 6300 will also remain an exclusive rarity. It strikes the time on three gongs: either automatically every quarter-hour with the Grande or Petite Sonnerie, accurate to the minute with the minute repeater, as an alarm that strikes the preset alarm time, or – for greater time intervals – with the date repeater that acoustically indicates the date on demand. The modes of these sonorous functions are displayed on the front dial, which also indicates the time, a second time zone, the moon phases, the date, and the power-reserve of the movement and strikework spring barrels. The opposite side is dedicated to the perpetual calendar. Its center is a four-digit year display surrounded by four subsidiary dials: the analog date with the leap year cycle at 6 o'clock, the day of the week at 9 o'clock, the month at 3 o'clock, and the 24-hour time indication at 12 o'clock.
The most complicated wristwatch movement ever made by Patek Philippe – the manually wound caliber GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM, composed of 1366 parts – ticks between the two solid-gold dials. Its energy is stored in two double spring barrels. One keeps the movement running for 72 hours. The other one powers the strikework for 30 hours. It is endowed with numerous supplementary mechanisms that enhance user-friendliness and virtually prevent potentially damaging inadvertent manipulations. The pushers and correctors are labeled with delicate engravings and the dial displays the individual functional modes (time strike mode, alarm ON/OFF, crown position, etc.).
The new Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300 comes in an 18K white-gold case with a manually guilloched hobnail motif and features a reversing mechanism integrated between the strap lugs. The black time-side dial with white printed scale elements as well as white-gold hands and appliques is also decorated with a hobnail pattern. The dial on the opposite side, all in white, has black scales and hands. The watch is worn on a black alligator strap with a white-gold foldover clasp.
More information on www.patek.com


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Turns out my computer is still in a funk, and that is holding two personalities... so it has been running two of the same programs at the same time...
still some more things going on, but I am almost back on track.
[Retro] Love the Comments, not so much the Spam... so I have enough man-pills, fake gold watches and link-back options that I need. Thank you!
No More Anonymous Monkeys to much of the above mentioned, sorry sometimes I get some nice things.


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The "Best of Ramada Worldwide" is awarded annually to an elite group of Ramada Worldwide hotels based on brand-leading quality, customer satisfaction, and Wyndham Rewards member support.
The Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence honors hospitality businesses that deliver consistently great service across the world.
St. John's Welcomes You
Enjoy our free shuttle service to St. John's International Airport
Whether you travel for business or pleasure, stay at our Ramada St. John's hotel near Kelsey Drive and O'Leary Industrial Park. We are located just three kilometers from Trans-Canada Highway. If you travel for work, we are near Donovans Industrial Park and Canada Post Headquarters, while students of and visitors to Memorial University of Newfoundland will find our location extremely convenient.


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Wheat Wonders
National Wheat Contest Winners Announced
When the five-year county wheat yield average is 28 bushels an acre (bpa) and the yield monitor hits triple digits, a first likely thought is it's time for a service call or maybe an eye checkup.
However, for Brandon Friesen, from Al's Broken Bar Farms in Meade, Kansas, the 115.26 bpa flashing on the screen was no fluke. It landed the southwest Kansas grower first place in the dryland winter wheat category of the National Wheat Foundation's National Wheat Yield Contest.
During this second year for the national contest, organizers had some anxious moments this growing season as a late-May blizzard blasted parts of winter wheat country and counterpunched with a drought over much of spring wheat territory. Still, wheat showed just how many lives it has -- pumping out impressive yields despite the challenges.
Phillip Gross of Warden, Washington, took top bin-buster honors with a yield of 184.29 bpa with the Limagrain JET variety. This is the second year that Gross has topped the yield portion of the contest. Last year he got 192.85 bpa from his contest plot.
National winners are also named in four individual categories: irrigated winter, dryland winter, irrigated spring and dryland spring using a formula to account for regional growing differences.
In order to level the playing field across the 42 wheat-producing states in those categories, the organizing committee measures the percent yield increase above the county average of the field location. This measurement allows growers to compete against their local county growers. The USDA NASS county average published in January 2017 is used -- the same information used to base Title I farm bill payments.
For example, Friesen's final yield on his plot was a whopping 312% over his county average. The same field saw a harvest average of only 28 bpa in 2014 and has a 10-year farm average that hovers around 45 bpa.
"There is never a crop guarantee when dryland farming in this area," Friesen told DTN. "What contributed most to our yield results were timely rains and cool weather during the filling period." He planted WestBred's Grainfield variety.
Dan Mills, who farms near Stanfield, Oregon, landed first place in the irrigated spring wheat category. His WestBred Solano variety netted 137.85 bpa, which is 112% over the county five-year average of 65 bpa. While that's an impressive yield, Mills -- who also won the category last year -- noted that his previous yield came in at 146.5 bpa.
"We're in a unique area where we average 7 inches to 8 inches of rain per year, and most of that rain falls between November and March," Mills said. "But even though we can control the amount of water on the crop, we are still at the mercy of weather. Good growing conditions can help us push yields higher."
For Paul Solem, of Oslo, Minnesota, the first year of entering the wheat yield contest netted first place in the dryland spring wheat category. The WestBred WB9479 variety came in at 103.42 bpa, 88% above the county five-year average of 55 bpa. "We had ideal weather throughout the growing season, and that really pushed our yields higher," Solem said.
While management methods will vary among wheat producers, an overarching theme emerged from the winners: Keep a tight eye on management, give the crops needed fertility and disease protection and buy certified seed.
"We used the same fertility and disease management program as last year," Friesen said. "It shows that these new varieties can really perform, given ideal growing conditions. And that's why we plant them. Because if the weather is good, we can really produce some good yields."
Friesen is a third-generation wheat farmer, who farms about 3,000 acres. In his region, farming moisture is just as important as the crop. "We keep our fields clean, because weeds take away valuable moisture."
Friesen used Vibrance EXT and Revize seed treatments, and a fungicide post-emergence. "We will sample our soils every year and take care of our fertility needs," Friesen said. That included a starter fertilizer, as well as top-dressing after emergence in November. He bumped up his planting rate this year, putting on 82 pounds per acre. "We had a good subsoil moisture profile at planting, so we wanted to get a few more pounds on to take advantage of it," he said.
Paul Solem, who farms with his brothers Peter and Jim, said Solem Farms includes about 3,000 acres of wheat, soybeans and sugar beets. Seeding wheat at 105 lbs./acre, they used a single-disk air seeder and incorporated a dry starter fertilizer. "We also take care of any weed pressure early," Paul Solem said. He used Tilt and Prosaro fungicides.
While wheat prices have pressured some growers, Mills still sees good returns with the new high-yielding varieties. The Stanfield, Oregon, area is high mountain desert, and he also grows peppermint and spearmint for oil and leaves. Wheat is an important rotational crop that provides consistent yields. The Dark Northern Spring wheat variety he grows garners a premium when protein levels are higher. Farming with his two brothers, they use a 150 lbs./acre planting rate and fertilize through the sprinkler irrigation system. "We give the crop what it needs, and work with our consultant to ensure we are meeting fertility needs of the crop," he said.
"The great thing about yield contests is that it provides useful crop information that we can put into practice," said irrigated winter wheat winner Ty Anderson, of Pine Bluff, Wyoming. His 146.5 bpa entry was 405% above the county five-year average.
"We are always looking at ways we can push our yields, and the contest gets us thinking outside the box," he said. His winning entry was Cowboy, a wheat variety released jointly by universities in Wyoming and Colorado.
Anderson, along with his father and grandfather, raises and sells certified seed wheat. "We grow both irrigated and dryland wheat, so it is helpful to have as much information as possible on how a variety will yield in different conditions," Anderson said. "And we are always at the mercy of Mother Nature."
Having as much data as possible helps Anderson make better management decisions. He uses field-size test plots to provide useful information he can put into practice. "Our entries served as 10 different large-scale plots. We pay close attention to see if there are management practices that will help us boost revenue on our entire farm," Anderson said.
A late hailstorm knocked out a field he was certain was a contender. "But even with a 75% loss, we still harvested 56 bpa. No telling what the final yield could have been, but that just shows that no matter what we do, we are still at the mercy of the weather."
Gross may have set the yield curve again, but the crop got off to a rough start. In the fall, rain saturated the ground and four months of snow cover led to early growth that looked poor to the eye. "We saw poor growth, reduced tillering, bound roots and nutrient deficiency," he said. "So we adjusted our management and attempted to reduce as much of the stress on the crop as we could, especially during the flowering and fruit stages." That included topdressing fertilizer, and applying additional nitrogen and sulfur. He also applied fungicides twice during the growing season to combat disease pressure.
"That crop really surprised us," Gross admitted. "We had excellent fill and we had a yield bonus because of the size of the berries." While the overall yield was down in 2017, he said he learned that if you treat the crop well, and diminish the stress to the crop, it will produce.
In its second year, the national contest saw a surge in entries compared to its inaugural season. "Contest entries more than doubled from 2016 with a total of 287 entries in 2017. I am excited to see that the Foundation's NWYC is attracting more and more wheat farmers from a broad range of states each year," said Phil McLain, chairman of the National Wheat Foundation Board and wheat grower from Statesville, North Carolina. Entries were received from 27 states.
To expand the contest in 2018, the Foundation Board is adding a quality component to the competition. "The United States produces the highest-quality of wheat globally, which will now be reflected in this contest. We hope that by adding this new quality component, the Foundation's NWYC will become the nation's most competitive contest for wheat growers," McLain said.
Solem said the contest is especially fun if you win, but more than that, he's looking for yield tips that he can use next year. "We can't control the weather, but we can do all we can to ensure the crop is given every opportunity to yield," he said.
For more details on the winners go to:
Copyright 2017 DTN/The Progressive Farmer. All rights reserved.


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by Rev. Dale Azevedo, Sr. Minister – Feb 1, 2018
"Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:
Christians have always observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection. It became the custom of the church to prepare for Easter by a season of penitence, fasting and prayer. This season of forty days provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for baptism in to the body of Christ. It is also a time when those who had committed serious sins and had been separated from the community of faith were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the church. The whole congregation is thus reminded of the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ and in the need we all have to renew our baptismal faith.
I invite you, in the name of the Lord, to observe a holy Lent, by self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting and almsgiving; and by reading and meditating on the Word of God." 1
This is a traditional greeting shared at the opening of a typical Ash Wednesday Service, which marks the beginning of our Christian season of Lent. Throughout the generations, Christian communities have found countless different ways of remembering this season and making it meaningful in our lives. Many of us were brought up with the idea of "giving something up" for Lent. In recent years, we've heard more about "taking something on" during this time (such as a new discipline or prayer schedule). Whatever it is you choose to do during this season, I argue that making Lent a more personal experience will lead to Easter becoming a more powerful experience for you. And most of us can use the power of resurrection in our lives!
Here at BCCUCC, we are offering many different programs to help you make your Lenten experience more meaningful. I am leading a six-week adult education program and discussion on Wednesday evenings focusing on the PBS series "God in America." Brenden will be christening our new "meditation room" with two weekly meditation offerings, Mindful Mondays (at 7:00 PM) and Mid-Week Recharge (Wednesdays from 12:30-1:00 PM). In addition, Brendan will also host a Saturday morning retreat entitled, "Healing Hands, Healing Hearts," on March 17th. And, as usual, we will be holding our special mid-week worship services on Ash Wednesday (2/14) and Maundy Thursday (3/29). (Click on any of the links for more information!)
I encourage you to consider these options and join in wherever and whenever you can. Many, if not all, of these opportunities are open to a range of ages and the wider community. Young children are perhaps the only exception, as they will likely struggle to sit still or engage in the more adult-focused activities. Feel free to invite your friends and family.
Of course, it is possible that none of these activates will work for you. In that case, I still encourage you to find another means of making your Lenten experience meaningful this year. Make the commitment to join us in worship each (and every!) week through Lent. Find a consistent time each day (no matter how brief) to pray, read scripture, or just be alone with yourself and God. Decide to do something nice, compassionate, or Spirit-filled for someone else each day or week from Ash Wednesday through Easter. Whatever it is, I challenge you to find something personal to add to your life during these 40 days and 40 nights and be amazed at how God is working in and through you.
Blessings to you this season,
1 Hickman, Hoyt, et. al., The New Handbook of the Christian Year. Abingdon Press: Nashville, 1992, p.112.


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Tough Winter For Transat
by Bruce Parkinson
Deviations - More Frightening Than Fiction: 'Real' Haunted Houses Across America 'Shining' As Hallowe'en Destinations
ALBUM - Skål International Annual General Assembly Elects Canadian President, Recognizes Other Canadian Work
This tour operating business is for the birds.
No, Transat executives didn't actually say that during the company's Q1 earnings call with analysts. But they made it pretty clear that even by the standards of a business frequently buffeted by external forces, this winter has been a nasty one.
Things were going well until mid-December, said CFO Denis Pétrin, when sales took a tumble with bookings down as much as 30% some days. "Bookings were ahead, margins were similar, we had more people on smaller planes – we were anticipating an improvement of our winter results," Pétrin said. But then the roof fell in.
It wasn't one thing, it was a confluence, and competitors felt it too. Warm weather in much of Canada, gloomy economic news, a stagnating dollar. Then came the spectre of the Zika virus. Finally, in an added kick just for Transat, its pilots' union passed a strike vote that the press seized on because it could potentially have impacted March Break travel. The strike was settled, but damage was done.
Transat says that the weakening dollar alone cost the company $72 per package – or $55 million – about 2/3 of which was recovered through price increases. But that factor alone offset much of the gain the company made through an ongoing cost-reduction program.
The result of all these factors was a widened adjusted Q1 loss of $37.3 million or $1 per share, which missed analyst expectations. Q2 doesn't look much better, though Transat has been able to cut some losses by trimming late winter season capacity, as have its rivals, which are experiencing the same conditions.
The jury is still out on summer, where Transat has enjoyed recent success, posting its best summer results in the nearly 30 yr. history of the company over the past 3 years.
Transatlantic capacity for summer is up a startling 16% across the market, with Transat itself boosting seats by 8%. CEO Jean-Marc Eustache says he's confident about most of the program, but he acknowledges that the very important London route could be a bloodbath, with WS entering the fray for the 1st time.
Eustache says transatlantic flight prices are already lower than last year, especially away from the peak summer weeks, and acknowledged that cutting capacity is an option. But he also vowed not to give up market share easily – to new entrants and established competitors alike.
"We're not ready to cancel right now and let the other guys come in. We've been there 29 years. We're not ready to let this go easily. The new guys will have to work hard. The big guys have to be ready to have a fight if necessary."
Eustache expressed frustration about what he called "a very undisciplined" Canadian industry.
"If business is good, everybody adds capacity. It's always like that. One is smarter than the other. To be in this business you have to be very strong or very crazy."
One could argue that it's especially tough to navigate these waters as a publicly traded company, with analysts questioning every move and lack of predictability a negative. "If you want to know what's going to happen in the future, good luck – and please tell me," said Eustache.
That unpredictability is the main driver behind an overall shift in strategy for Transat, which it hopes will leave it less vulnerable to vagaries.
To that end, Transat has put its tour operations in France and Greece up for sale, and expects to have a deal in place – if it can get the price it wants – by June. Funds from that sale will be used for diversification, likely through a partnership with or acquisition of a hotel company. Transat is already a 35% owner of the Ocean hotel chain in collaboration with H10. The overriding goal is to be less dependent on the ever-tricky ITC business.
"We really want to be a North American business. And we want to focus on 3 things – the hotels, the airline and distribution, which includes the tour side of the business. We're going to be a different animal. We're going to change the business," Eustache vowed.


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Year ago some douche bag migrant from South America told me that i should be on the disability pension because i can't hold job a down. Well that's bullshit. I have been in employment for 3 years now, i have work for four companies where my work lasted more than 6 months and i have been to 26 nations in that time frame.
I am not that disabled even though i have medical condition and a mild form of cerebral palsy. Even if you are: deaf, dumb, retarded, blind, in a wheelchair, obese, paralyzed, depressed, mentally Ill etc you can still work.
I'd say the disability pension should be reserved for people that are impaired, cripple and lack independence.


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Born: May 3, 1907
Ohio connection: Birth
Harvey Earl Wilson, son of Arthur Earl and Cloe (Huffman) Wilson, was born in 1907 in Rockford, Ohio. A budding career as a news reporter began while he was in high school, when he worked as a sportswriter for a local weekly. He went on to attend Heidelberg College and Ohio State University, receiving a B.S. from Ohio State in 1931. In 1935, he was the first to report the news that an anti-polio vaccine was in the works. In 1936, he married Rosemary Lyons, and the couple would have one child, Earl, Jr. Wilson's most famous newspaper work was his syndicated column "It Happened Last Night", which reported show business news. The column started in the New York Post in the 1940s, and was eventually published by approximately three hundred newspapers. His columns were known for their humorous human interest stories of show business people. He was also the author of a number of books: I Am Gazing into My Eight-Ball; Pike's Peak or Bust; Let 'Em Eat Cheesecake; Look Who's Abroad Now; NBC Book of Stars; Earl Wilson's New York; The Show Business Nobody Knows; Show Business Laid Bare; and Sinatra. He also wrote for magazines, including Esquire, Liberty, and the Saturday Evening Post. Earl Wilson died January 16, 1987, in Yonkers, New York.


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from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A statistical measure of the tendency of two random variables to vary in the same direction (called positive covariance) or in an opposite direction (called negative covariance) over many observations. Covariance is equal to the summed products of the deviations of corresponding values of the two variables from their respective means.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun a statistical measure of the relationship of two variables, formed by multiplying the difference of each variable from its mean, both variables being measured at the same time, and averaging all such products.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun statistics A
statistical measuredefined as given two real-valued random variablesX and Y, with expected valuesand .
- noun computing, programming The
conversionof data typesfrom wider to narrower in certain situations.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun (statistics) the mean value of the product of the deviations of two variates from their respective means
Sorry, no etymologies found.
If so, this would explain the reference to a "correlation matrix" in their article and could also be reconciled with the use of the term covariance matrix in the email.
The term "standardization" is also used in dendroclimatology to describe the process of making tree ring chronologies, so I think that the terms covariance and correlation PCs are more precise.
That is the conception of intelligence among scientists who study human intelligence: The abstract theoretical construct to which this covariance is attributed.
Correction of inaccurate renderings would also require removing all references to MM "presenting" an alternative reconstruction; removing all reference to MM or MBH "centering conventions" and using neutral language such as covariance matrix, correlation matrix, or uncentered; removing all reference to tree ring chronologies being "unstandardized" since they are all pre-standardized; etc.
I'm sure you know that R2 is pretty widely defined as the covariance squared divided by the product of the two variances.
Markowitz reasoned that what matters is the riskiness of the portfolio rather than its components, and that the riskiness of the portfolio depended, not so much upon the riskiness of its components, as upon their covariance, meaning the tendency of their prices rise and fall in concert.
These are given by the elements of the variance-covariance matrix of β (aka the covariance matrix of
To fully utilize the panel design of the Faith Matters surveys, we used both change score and analysis of covariance ANCOVA models, the two most common methods used to analyze two-wave panel data.2 The two approaches differ in how they adjust for initial differences in the outcome variable.
Finally, George R. Price's theory of group selection via covariance (as championed by David Sloan Wilson) asserts that selection can also act at the level of groups, as well as individuals.
The covariance of most assets is currently extremely high because of debt levels that are also near their apogee.


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You are going to want to be certain to select one which is powerful and safe enough to support your residence. Whether you're purchasing a very small house, working with a very small house designer, or designing your own, understanding how to draw a floor program will allow you to communicate your suggestions and turn them in a real, workable design. Parking a small house can be hard, and can break more rules and regulations than you are perhaps thinking. With each of the advantages, there are a lot of things that have to be given up when living in a small . Building a small house might be a little undertaking when it comes to square feet. however, it is similar to any other home build. It is do-it-yourself size, especially compared to a big normal' house. A terrific tiny house starts with a terrific plan!
There are a lot of elegant and terrific styles to choose from, the majority of them from Italy or the enlightened continent of Europe. Interior design is dependent largely upon the flavor of whoever owns the residence or the individual that would be occupying the working space. Typically, there are 3 broad varieties of interior design. There are lots of great outdoor fireplace designs as well that can be constructed at an inexpensive price.
The plans are rather impressive, and it is the way I imagined the home. The floor program isn't forced into a rectangle, nor do the windows must be put in a normal position. The plans shows how to construct the gambrel roof along with the remainder of the building. Also, wherever you reside, if you prefer something unique, we can offer expert custom made residence plans for your new house.
If an individual is keen on making use of a window covering, you have to try to find a window covering which will not hide the window design. The tall walls offer more headroom in the loft over the major living space. The glass walls offer you magnificent views, particularly if you take this small house in the center of nature. You are going to be capable of seeing through the glass from the exterior of the garage. Porcelain is a great material for those sinks and tubs.
The right sort of furniture may have a huge effect on this image, and that's why making the correct decision is so essential. This sort of furniture is also of exceptional quality, and as soon as it regards the ideal furniture quality certainly produces a big difference. Modern-day furniture for the living room is a significant idea because there are such a wide variety of kinds of pieces which may be had for the shopper.
Kitchen has become the most crucial region of the home. A little kitchen could be put along one wall. It could be placed in the center of the house. Just outside the bathroom is it. It could be placed A in the center of the house. The room needs to be decorated with accessories which do not render a clumsy appearance to the interior. Living room is of prime value in every property, whether you're living alone or you're living with your family members.
Here's Marvelous and Impressive Tiny Houses Design for Inspiration.
Inside, the home is bright and airy. Thus, house is seen as the absolute most important sweet place to each individual, and Hollywood celebrities aren't exception. In addition, the home is also sustainable. Built by Leaf House, this small house is situated in Yukon, Canada. It was built by Derek Diedricksen and it's not the only one of its kind. Something similar occurs when you purchase a home already built by somebody else.


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Q: "Guruji, so many books say doing pranayam cleanses one of all the sins. How does it work?"
Guruji: "On the surface level, sins and merits/virtues don't change. But the sins get cleansed in a different manner. As I've said earlier, our body is made of menstrual blood. This has already been established. And a woman menstruates 432 times in 36 years. The more pranayam we do, the more we overcome the limits of menstrual blood, and that is called bhuta shuddhi (purification of elements), and that is called cleansing of sins. Using the word sin doesn't really convey the correct meaning here. It narrowly means an adverse social behavior. But think of sin as our limitations, such as bodily impurities or the dormant talent or infinite possibilities hidden inside of us. When we understand all that and limitations completely go away, that is actual cleansing of sins.
"Nobody recognizes the truth that everybody is made of raja – menstrual blood. And when a female is menstruating, she is considered impure by religion. That's why Christians also say you are born in sin. We are not! We just have to touch the limit of internal refinement of the body. Refined body leads to refined mind resulting in tremendous expansion of consciousness. That is essentially cleansing. Otherwise mostly all sins and merits are no more than social behavior in some sense. Society developed, and to keep it disciplined, laws were created. But as we've already established, dharma (religious law, righteousness) means career1. For yogis, dharma will always mean something else.
"You know the clean and peaceful feeling after yoga practice; we are already getting cleansed. We are fighting our own limitations, not any sins or merits. See, until we overcome our limitations, our point of view will remain limited. That's the important thing. That's the real motivation for doing yoga, and people start running after it instinctively, because it is in our genetic record somewhere, and our soul has a impression of it. When we make progress, we understand why are we actually doing it. The old song of Gita Dutt describes the situation exactly:
वक़्त ने किया क्या हसीं सितम / तुम रहे न तुम, हम रहे न हम
जायेंगे कहाँ, सूझता नहीं / चल पड़े मगर, रास्ता नहीं
तुम भी खो गए, हम भी खो गए / एक राह पर, चलके दो कदम
वक़्त ने किया, क्या हसीं सितम …
(What sweet destruction time has wrought / you are no longer you, me no longer me
Don't know where to go from here / we've started but there's no path forward
You got lost, I also got lost / taking couple of steps on the same path
What sweet destruction time has wrought..)
"It was a film by Guru Datt, all of its songs were great – "Kagaz Ke Phool". You must listen to all its songs; you'll develop vairagya (detachment) and will get lost in time as well (laughs). [Guru Datt] was a dreamer too. This song describes a yogi's state of mind exactly."
Q: "Guruji, it's said that karma dictates the situation in life, whether you are going to lead a comfortable or a painful life, etc. Does it apply to animals as well?"
Guruji: "Of course! Animals have a destiny too. One stray animal gets beaten on the streets, while the other sits comfortably in air conditioning! Everything depends on the situation at birth, the planetary position at birth. We have cast horoscopes for the all the calves and puppies born here [in the academy], and their lives are closely following the pattern dictated by their planetary position at birth. Astrological principles apply to everybody, whether human or animal. Animals also have good or bad spirits. You'll have to widen your perspective to understand all this. This is the mystery we are all trying to solve, that's why it is so fascinating."
[20090801] Conversation recorded on: June 26th, 2004
- Guruji explained it as follow: In Gita, Lord Krishna says 'dharma is what sustains us' (धार्येत, स धर्मः). Our career is what sustains us, hence our career is our real dharma.


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Pyrenees: Crossings
The Pyrenees are crossed by two rail lines, but the chief rail lines connecting Spain with France skirt the Pyrenees along both coasts. A number of roads cross the Pyrenees; of the major ones, three use tunnels and four are through high passes that can become snowbound in winter and spring. Most of the mountain passes are high and difficult, but they were often crossed by invading armies and barbarian hordes and by innumerable medieval pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela . The Col de Perthus, used by the Romans, and Roncesvalles , famous for the Roland legend, are the best known.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: French and Benelux Physical Geography


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Article content
SKOPJE, Macedonia — Macedonia's parliament on Monday ratified a landmark friendship pact with Balkan neighbour Bulgaria designed to dampen a historic rivalry in a region beset by old ethnic and territorial disputes.
Under the treaty, both countries have renounced territorial claims against each other, and Bulgaria has committed to back Macedonia's bids to join the European Union and NATO.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Macedonia ratifies friendship pact with neighbour Bulgaria Back to video
The deal also calls for a committee to "objectively" re-examine common history, which could lead to a review of school textbooks.
Lawmakers backed the agreement though the majority in favour was accentuated by the fact that Macedonia's main conservative opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE, boycotting the session as part of a protest over the arrest of six of its lawmakers for alleged involvement in a parliament invasion last year.
VMRO-DPMNE opposed the ratification, saying the pact contains "serious faults" and fails to recognize the existence of a Macedonian ethnic minority in Bulgaria.
A party statement also complained that the potential school textbook review "is beyond common sense and the principles of science."
Bulgaria has already ratified the pact.


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The Senate is sometimes called the "world's greatest deliberative body." [citation needed]
Politicians! They're just like us when we're at our work meetings…except instead of ignoring debates about what kind of pens we should buy, they ignore debates about the future deaths of thousands of people.
Grist for the Photoshop mill…
Manchild doesn't take his job seriously unless he's trying to win credibility for his desperate, insecure ego, that's McCain 24/7.
So, who wants to bet that the "SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!!!" brigade will not reach the obvious conclusion that fucking around on your phone during the process of deciding whether or not to commit said troops to meatgrinderstan is a failure to 'support' them?
They all gamble with our futures.
Nice to see that after wanting to suspend the 2008 campaign to deal with the financial crisis and being told by Obama that Presidents must be able to do more than one thing at a time, that McCain has finally embraced the idea of multitasking.
Besides some eyerolling, it's not a giant deal. What's annoying is that McCain can dismiss this with a "Oops, caught me!" If it was John Kerry or Obama who did that, it would be HOW DARE THEY TAKE OUR TROOPS FOR GRANTED WITH THEIR COMMIE SOCIALISTS ELITE WEB APPS KSAJFCSKLFJSK etc.
Seeing him play on his phone at an important time is not a big deal to me, I would be doing the same thing in his shoes because that's how I pay attention to dry preachy speaking instead of letting my mind wonder. It's really not a big deal on par with doodling in the margins.
However, John McCain is the type that would instantly condemn anyone for the same thing as well as the type who tries to present himself as a picture perfect war hero and not the doddering old man he is. That is what aggravates me about this, and it's such a pervasive hypocrisy that continues to drive me insane with politics. To be honest, the approach journalism has a habit of taking doesn't help anything at all. Wow, you exposed our Senate as people instead of American mensches that deserve their over-bloated sense of self. This is the way anyone at any job acts, and it's not even like John McCain is the type to be on the fence about Syria anyways.
Yeah, you know, I am NOT a zero tolerance kind of a guy by any stretch of the imagination, but in my slightly saner world this incident right here would result in a recall election or in the very least, some sort of serious censure. No Democrat, Republican or Pirate party voter should tolerate shit like that. That's the thing that now disturbs me most about America - there no longer seems to be ANY area of convictions that transcends politics and is firmly planted in an inalienable Americanism. Of course I feel that the NSA thing should be a slam dunk for the glorious resurgence of this ostensible concept of liberty americanus but sadly I am mistaken on that front. But it seems like maybe, just maybe, something like this - a rotten old political careerist playing ipoker while a matter of utmost national gravity is afoot - would be obscene enough to jolt a critical mass into action and say, "yeah, enough's enough. this shit has to change. NOW."
Christ, what an asshole.
Didn't know the Jitterbug phone had a poker game on it.
I'm fairly sure that every phone has poker on it.
If you can provide a comparable corporate meeting agenda that wouldn't get someone fired for doing that, then ill entertain your viewpoint.
And for what it's worth his extreme bias isn't a defence, that's just another problem area isn't it?
He's supposed to be there representing his people. But he's not. He's there representing himself and his friends, well at least he would be if he was paying attention.
His dismissive "oh, well" defence is also disgusting - this is not a man that works for the people, and he's not even pretending he is. That's a big issue when it comes to politics.
This man should be listening to different view points, balancing the numbers and pondering the facts. The fact that he made up his mind on day 1 and is now just sticking his fingers in his ears is a gross abuse of his position and is the exact opposite of how he should be doing his job.
His "people" are the State of Arizona, which unfortunately would probably support nuking Syria if the question was put to them directly. But only if there was an amendment to also nuke Mexico.
maybe. but i think crap poker app is significantly different than doodling, or even working on a crossword puzzle. these are fuzzy lines, of course. his brain is inside the room? vs. his brain is outside the room?
But I'm sure you appreciate that's not the point.
If I asked my representative why he voted for something and his only reason was 'because you told me to' then he'd still not be doing his job. Representation doesn't necessarily mean agreement, we vote for someone to make difficult, informed decisions on our behalf, something he's clearly not doing.
(We, as in in democratic nations, I'm not American)
Does your job involve decisions about dropping massive amounts of explosives on people? Because if not, what you might do in a meeting vs. what these people might do in a meeting aren't comparable in any sense. Do regular folk screw around during meetings? Of course. But regular folk aren't part of the decision of what to do with the world's most powerful military force.


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This light weight compact but accurate instrument takes the guesswork when calculating appliances power consumption. This is useful for estimating the amount of power your home uses during the day, and also helps you to calculate the amount of load power that you use in your home or office at any one time. You will be surprised to find which appliances are consuming the most electricity, and help you to plan to make their use more efficient, reducing your electricity bill.
The instrument can also be used to measure the total power consumption of any equipment you would wish to power by an alternative power source. With the constant threat of load shedding, this instrument makes the calculation far simpler. Simply power the required equipment through the power meter, and note the consumption. Now you have the size of the inverter or generator running consumption. No more over spending on oversized inverters and generators.
There is also a lamp kit available in which you can compare the power consumption of various types of lights, and see which lights give the most light for the lowest power consumption
Contact: Arthur Fonseca for more information & price enquiries.


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Lightbend Tech Digest - November 2016
Winter is coming. But nothing stops the November Tech Digest on Akka, Lagom, Play and Scala!
Winter is coming and the temperatures have dropped significantly in the parts of the world which have a winter. And while everything is slowed down, including the release of the monthly tech digest, we continue to work our way towards Christmas. The last month will hold some surprises but for now it is time to look back at November and see what our awesome community created.
To contribute to amplifying the news, articles, guides and how-tos out there, feel free to reach out on Twitter at @myfear to point me towards relevant resources. Now it's time to sit back, grab a coffee and relax while you read through this month's highlights!
Releases and Updates
- Highlight: Scala 2.12.0 is available! The Scala compiler has been completely overhauled to make use of the new VM features available in Java 8.
- sbt 0.13.13 released! This version is a technology preview of what's to come in sbt 1.0.
- Lagom 1.2 released! - introduces support for message brokers, JDBC, and an overhaul of read sides.
- Akka HTTP 10.0.0 "X" released!
- Akka 2.4.14 released!
- Alpakka 0.2 released!
- akka-persistence-cassandra 0.21 relesed
- akka-http-json 1.11.0 released!
Conferences and Events
- Highlight: Scala Days 2017 announced for Chicago and Copenhagen! CfP is open now!
- Scala eXchange 2016: Meet up with Martin Odersky, Adriaan Moors, Henrik Engström and other Lightbenders
Articles and Books
- Highlight: Designing Reactive Systems: The Role Of Actors In Distributed Architecture
- Free O'Reilly eBook: Why Reactive? Foundational Principles For Enterprise Adoption
- Playing with Play - SQL. Learn how easy it is to connect to a database with Play.
- ConductR - One tool to rule them all. Learn how to create and test ConductR bundles.
- Event sourced microservices. Learn how to create event sourced microservices from scratch using Slick, Play and types.
- Solving for High Throughput with Akka Streams
- AkkaPaint – simplicity and power of Akka
- Akka anti-patterns: being out of touch with the hardware
- Yet another sbt-docker introduction
- Akka.io, sbt-assembly and Docker
- The framework for Microservices and Domain-Driven Design - Lagom
- Dockerizing a Java Play Application
- The Lagom Framework for reactive microservices
- Instant Messaging at LinkedIn: Scaling to Hundreds of Thousands of Persistent Connections on One Machine
Code-snippets and other highlights
- Alpakka - A call to arms. The initial release of Alpakka modules.
- Distributed Systems Seminar's reading list for Spring 2017
- Duncan DeVore on: How To Understand Reactive Architecture, Design, And Programming In Less Than 12 Minutes
- How to run Akka Cluster on Google Cloud Platform
- Compile-time DI sbt/g8 template for Playframework, incl test-harnesses
- Which is better, Play Framework or Spring MVC? How should I decide what to use?
- JAXMagazine edition about Reactive Programming with Scala, Lagom, Akka and Play (PDF!)
- Functional Geekery Podcast Episode 73 with Jonas Bonér
- Play Application using Dagger 2 for Compile Time DI
- Understanding Akka Dispatchers
Thanks for reading! To get the freshest updates, follow @Lightbend, @AkkaTeam, @Lagom, @playframework, @scala_lang and @scala_sbt on Twitter.
p.s. if you'd like to get in touch with someone at Lightbend, let us know here:


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Ever go into a wine shop to buy a gift for a friend and feel overwhelmed by the choices? Or have trouble selecting the right wine to go with dinner in a restaurant? We all realize that with the help of a knowledgeable sommelier, the list seems manageable, and choosing becomes a pleasure rather than a burden.
The same holds true for fragrance. Whether you're choosing for yourself, or buying a gift for someone else, it's good to have the help of a knowledgeable guide. How about a sommelier of perfume, someone who has studied all aspects of the scent world and understands how fragrances are made, and can answer all your questions about the fireworks in those beautiful bottles? The Fragrance Foundation wants to share the love of scent and realizes that knowledge is powerful and the more people know, the more they enjoy the ride.
The Fragrance Foundation Certification Program is an intense course open only to those who are already talented in fragrance sales. Those that pass the lengthy exam are given a pin which tells you that the person you're dealing with really knows what they're talking about and is passionate about perfume. The fragrance specialist can explain the difference between natural and non-natural ingredients, how they're extracted, and what the families of fragrances are as well as fragrance construction, how fragrance can trigger memory or relaxation, and even fragrance history. TMI for you? Don't worry, they won't overload with you with too much…unless you want to know it all. Most importantly, if you're looking to buy a gift, the fragrance specialist can help you make an educated buy; or if looking for something new for yourself, instead of just spritzing 'til your olfactory senses are on overload, he or she will make suggestions that will enable you to make a great choice based on what you tell him or her about your preferences.
The Certified Specialists can be found in Saks, Sephora, and Nordstrom, as well as at select counters such as Thierry Mugler, CHANEL, and Victorinox Swiss Army, amongst others. Ask to speak to an expert and look for the pin. You'll be glad you did!


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The Most Closed Congress in History
By now, many Americans have seen the headlines that this Congress is on pace to be the least productive in history. What is less well known is that under Republican control, we have also experienced the most closed session of Congress in history—a dubious achievement that has contributed to the historic gridlock and dysfunction that defined Washington in 2013.
Many have speculated on the forces that are driving the current polarization in Washington—from the rise of the Tea Party to the dominating influence of outside groups and a Republican majority in the House whose agenda is at odds with the views of the American people. However, it's the manipulation of the legislative process itself that has enabled each of these forces to take root and grow.
In particular, the use of "closed rules" has excluded most House members from full participation in the legislative process. Under a closed rule, no amendments are allowed on the House floor. As a result, House Republicans are able to pursue a politically driven agenda without allowing commonsense amendments that could achieve bipartisan compromise.
This approach has also empowered the most extreme members of the House to pursue narrow policy goals at all costs, triggering a government shutdown, debt-limit brinksmanship and partisan stalemates that are seemingly the new norm.
While closing down the legislative process has become more common under the leadership of both parties over the last two decades, the current House GOP has broken all previous records. Over the last 12 months, the House has adopted 44 closed rules, making 2013 the most closed year on record. In fact, the House GOP passed as many closed rules in a single week in October as during the entire last year of Rep. Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) speakership.
Under this closed regime, Republicans have pursued their agenda with vigor, holding 46 votes to undermine the Affordable Care Act, taking the full faith and credit of the United States hostage and shutting down the government. Meanwhile, important national priorities like creating jobs, fixing our crumbling infrastructure and extending unemployment benefits went unaddressed.
Repeatedly during 2013, GOP leaders only considered bipartisan legislation after exhausting their partisan approach, often after embarrassing failures. Critical legislation to provide relief aid to victims of Hurricane Sandy, reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and re-open the government were only considered after more partisan versions had been rejected, and were passed only after a majority of Democrats voted yes.
Even when the stakes were the highest, House Republicans closed down the legislative process to pursue partisan gridlock over bipartisan compromise. On the evening of Spt. 30, 2013 the House Rules Committee convened with a chance to avert a government shutdown by allowing a vote on a compromise spending bill that had passed the Senate just days prior. Instead, the majority members of the Rules Committee changed the rules of the House to prevent a vote on the Senate-passed compromise. As a result of their actions, the country endured a 16-day government shutdown that cost the economy more than $24 billion, by some estimates. Without this rule change, Democrats—who were already clamoring for a vote on the Senate bill—would have been able to call for an immediate vote and avert a painful and costly government shutdown.
The current atmosphere in Washington has prompted authors, journalists and politicians alike to look back in wonder at the late 1970s and early 1980s, when relationships like the respectful friendship of Speaker Tip O'Neill and President Ronald Reagan resulted in a Congress that took pride in shaping major legislation and passing it into law. After a record-breaking year of closed rules, it is clear that a willingness to work together in a divided government is the only way to end the partisanship, gridlock and dysfunction that have plagued the House of Representatives.
Unfortunately, the New Year is already off to a bad start. The House GOP plans to spend the first full week of January continuing to target the Affordable Care Act—most likely under a closed rule—and Republican leaders have hinted at another round of hostage-taking on the nation's debt limit in February. Instead of continuing to engage in a closed process, Republican leaders should change course and work with Democrats to get things done in an era of divided government.


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I've been doing some research about antioxidants of late. You see it everywhere: in health supplements, in beauty products, in anti-aging products…
Why are antioxidants all the rage? How do they work?
I asked my kids, "What happens when we leave apple slices out on the counter for some time?" They replied, "They go bad."
Yes, indeed they do. They turn brown, get softer, then turn bad and rotten.
That's exactly what the oxidizing process does to your body. When our body processes or metabolises oxygen, it creates free radicals. Cells in our body exposed to external factors (like pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke, natural aging, to name a few…) get oxidized. The process of oxidation is sped up by stress, alcohol, sunlight and other external factors too. It's a natural and unavoidable process.
Now when cells get oxidized, they become free radicals. If you remember your chemistry, free radicals are atoms or molecules with an unpaired electron. What this means is that free radicals are highly unstable and will go on a rampage to steal another electron from a nearby cell, in order to pair off its unpaired electron. If it steals from a healthy cell, that healthy cell in turn will become another free radical. This process will continue on and hence as time goes on, there will be an avalanche of free radicals in your body. During the process of free radical creation, some cells will be damaged and transform and mutate to become abnormal and diseased cells. As the process continues on, a chain reaction is created very quickly and if not treated, dangerous illnesses will affect the body, such as cancer, diabetes, skin diseases, heart and liver diseases and so on.
"The problem is, free radicals often injure the cell, damaging the DNA, which creates the seed for disease."
Here's where antioxidants come in. From the name, "antioxidants" mean they "cancel out oxidants" or prevent oxidizing. Antioxidants will stop this "stealing electron" process explained above by providing an electron for the free radical, hence creating a stable atom or molecule. The process stops there because antioxidants are stable whether or not they gain or lose an electron.
"We have clear science about antioxidants, that our bodies need a Natural Antioxidant Defense Network, for lack of a better term," Blumberg says. "Just like a country needs a military system, the human body needs defense workers at all levels — lieutenants, corporals, generals, staff sergeants – in the form of antioxidants."
So it follows that the more antioxidants you take in, the healthier you become and the less free radicals there will be in your body. The body creates antioxidants on its own too, but sometimes it is just not enough to fight all the free radicals that are generated especially if there is a severe illness.
Fresh fruits and vegetables contain loads of antioxidants essential for our body. Processed foods contain fewer antioxidants than fresh and uncooked foods, because preparation exposes food to oxygen.
Some of the antioxidants found in food are:
- Vitamin A: carrots, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes (which gain their color from the compound lycopene), kale, mangoes, oranges, seabuckthorn berries, wolfberries (goji), collards, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots are particularly rich sources of beta-carotene, the major provitamin A carotenoid.
- Vitamin C: citrus fruits (such as oranges, sweet lime, etc.), green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, black currants, strawberries, blueberries, seabuckthorn, raw cabbage and tomatoes.
- Vitamin E: wheat germ, seabuckthorn, nuts, seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, kiwifruit, vegetable oil, and fish-liver oil.
- Alpha-carotene – carrots, winter squash, tomatoes, green beans, cilantro, Swiss chard
- Beta-carotene – found in high concentrations in butternut squash, carrots, orange bell peppers, pumpkins, kale, peaches, apricots, mango, turnip greens, broccoli, spinach, and sweet potatoes.
- Lutein – found in high concentration in spinach, kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, beet and mustard greens, endive, red pepper and okra
- Lycopene – found in high concentration in cooked red tomato products like canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice and garden cocktails, guava and watermelons.
- Zeaxanthin – best sources are kale, collard greens, spinach, turnip greens, Swiss chard, mustard and beet greens, corn, and broccoli
- Astaxanthin – found naturally in red algae and animals higher in the marine food chain. It is a red pigment familiarly recognized in crustacean shells and salmon flesh/roe.
In conclusion, antioxidants aren't important only for people with illnesses. If you are healthy (or at least if you think you are), antioxidants are necessary to help PREVENT the free radicals chain reaction and thus prevent diseases from forming in the first place.
After all, the old adage of "Prevention is Better Than Cure" can't be closer to the truth.