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Kyodo: GOJ proposes GPS tracking of criminals. SITYS.
Posted by debito on May 25th, 2009
Hi Blog. Regarding those dismissive of my Japan Times article last week, describing how IC Chips in the proposed new Gaijin Cards could be used for remote tracking and targeting of NJ, as “tinfoil-hat alarmism” etc.:
Can’t help it, but I’ll say it:
See, I told you so.
I posted this on Facebook last night, and got people saying GPS and RFID are two separate technologies, so it doesn’t matter. Those who wish to discuss that here, go ahead. My point remains that the political will is there to bell the cat, er, the criminal. And given the GOJ’s propensity to treat all foreigners regardless of status as criminals (as opposed to immigrants), and to give the police free reign to rein in crime, to me it’s only a matter of time before fitting the transponders leads to tracking them, by whatever means necessary.
Read on and comment. Arudou Debito in Sapporo
===========================
GPS studied as tool to track ex-convicts.
ENDS
May 25th, 2009 at 11:18 am
If you want an idea of how sensitive the RFID issue is and how little information is being released by people who know anything about it, all you have to do is take a look at this clip about what happened when Mythbusters tried to do a report on RFID and its vulnerabilities and tracking abilities. This clip is chilling in its implications.
– Let’s not beat around the bush. According to this clip, when the credit card companies learned that Mythbusters was about to do a show on RFID, they leaned on the Discovery Channel (the sponsors of MB) to quash the show. Advertising dollars and all that. There is something that the issuers of RFID don’t want to be made public. Probably vulnerability. As your link in your next post makes clear.
May 25th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Also, RFID-chipped cards can be hacked and decrypted with materials worth a little over $8 US. See this clip from boingboingtv to learn just how simple an RFID chip can be hacked. All you have to do with the material is get close enough to someone’s wallet and all the information from the RFID is yours.
May 27th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Your point doesn’t still stand, because RFID can only be detected from extremely short distances, which means that RFID *can’t* be used for global positioning, unless you are required to swipe your gaijin card through a machine (or wave it over a sensor) every 20 feet. There is an immense technical difference. It’s akin to saying “shoes cushion shock, and car bumpers cushion shock, so it’s only a matter of time before shoes have big chrome bumpers”.
What, I gather, you are advancing is the idea that a new card would be issued to replace the upcoming new card, which in addition to (or instead of) an RFID chip would also have a GPS unit. However, GPS units require considerable power, so it wouldn’t be a card, it would be a little unit, like a tiny watch or beeper. And I think there’s an important psychological block, which would make that seem unreasonable enough that it wouldn’t happen. Authorities can easily hand-wave over “it’s just a little card, it’s not an imposition”, or “you don’t even have to carry anything, it’s just your fingerprints”, but “you have to carry, and maintain charged (including bringing a generator if you go camping or there is a power outage) a GPS unit at all times” is something that would tip the balance in favor of folks in power admitting that it’s just plain unreasonable. |
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 5, 2012 Pakistan’s decision to reopen ground supply routes on its border with Afghanistan will allow the Defense Department to save tens of millions of dollars transporting material in and out of Afghanistan, a senior Pentagon spokesman said here today.
Navy Capt. John Kirby said officials estimate that use of the reopened routes will save $70 million to $100 million per month.
Kirby noted that Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta had told Congress that since Pakistan had closed the routes in November, resupplying forces in Afghanistan had been costing the United States about $100 million more per month than before the closure.
“Secretary Panetta fully supports the approach that was taken, and the discussions that were had,” Kirby said. “He welcomes the decision by Pakistan to open the gates.”
Pakistan closed the supply routes after a Nov. 26, 2011, incident in which American troops came under fire from Pakistan. U.S. forces returned fire and killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan responded by closing the main overland supply routes for U.S. and NATO forces into Afghanistan.
U.S. logistics specialists quickly shifted to other means, such as the Northern Distribution Network, to supply the forces. However, DOD officials have noted the routes through Pakistan are considered the most direct and most cost-effective.
“The Defense Department, immediately after the incident in November, expressed our regrets and condolences over it [and] acknowledged the mistakes we’ve made, and we’re sorry for those mistakes,” Kirby told reporters today.
He added that although the Pakistani ground supply routes are cheaper, coalition forces will continue to use the Northern Distribution Network as well.
“The Northern Distribution Network is still a viable, vital method through which logistics flow in and out of Afghanistan,” Kirby said. “One of the things that we’re looking at, more [now] than we were in November when the [Pakistani ground supply routes] closed, was retrograde -- the need to get material out of Afghanistan. So the Northern Distribution Network will still remain vital as we move forward.”
Kirby said traffic has started to flow through the Pakistan ground gates, and that the same agreement in place before the closure still applies.
“The same arrangement we had using the ground gates before they closed are in existence now,” he said. “There’s been no change to those agreements.” No lethal material is permitted to flow through the ground lines of communication, he added, unless it is designed and designated solely for the Afghan national security forces.
Kirby said the United States and Pakistan continue to work to “get this relationship on better footing.”
“My sense is this was just a series of a lot of discussions and negotiations, and [a] concerted effort by both sides to move past this and to get the relationship into a better place [as we] start to look at the common challenges in the region,” he said.
Kirby re-emphasized the practical benefits and cost-effectiveness of moving logistics through Pakistan’s ground supply routes.
“We’ve always said moving things through the ground gates is cheaper and more expedient,” he said. “Because we have that open to us now, it will save money.”
Related Articles:Panetta Welcomes Opening of Pakistan Supply Lines
Week in Photos 5/11 - 5/17 |
By Gerry J. GilmoreAmerican Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 29, 2003 More than 300 delegates representing a cross-section of Iraqi society yesterday hashed out plans for the formation of an interim government at an all-day meeting in Baghdad.
The Baghdad meeting was follow-on to an April 15 Iraqi leadership gathering in Nasiriyah attended by U.S. diplomatic envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, the head of the Pentagon's Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance.
Both U.S. officials also attended the Baghdad meeting -- held on the date of deposed dictator Saddam Hussein's birthday -- where Iraqi delegates voted to meet again within a month's time.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul D. Wolfowitz noted at an April 25 press conference here that the meetings are stepping-stones to the formation of "a government of the Iraqi people, by the Iraqi people and for the Iraqi people."
Wolfowitz noted that Iraqi delegates produced a written agreement at the Nasiriyah meeting containing 13 principles for reference in forming a new, free Iraqi government:
First, Iraq must be democratic.
Second, the future government of Iraq should not be based on communal identity, as evidenced during the rule of Saddam Hussein, whose regime heavily promoted his birthplace of Tikrit and his hometown cronies.
Third, the future government of Iraq should be organized as a democratic, federal system, but with countrywide consultation and input.
Fourth, the rule of law must be paramount.
Fifth, Iraq must be built on respect for diversity, including respect for the role of women.
Sixth, the meeting discussed the role of religion in state and society.
Seventh, the meeting discussed the principle that Iraqis must choose their leaders, not have them imposed from outside.
Eighth, political violence must be rejected and that Iraqis immediately organize themselves for the task of reconstruction at both the local and national levels.
Ninth, Iraqis and the coalition must work together to tackle the immediate issues of restoring security and basic services.
Tenth, that the Ba'ath Party must be dissolved and its effects on Iraqi society must be eliminated.
Eleventh, that there should be an open dialogue with all national political groups, to bring them into the Iraqi political process.
Twelfth, that the meeting condemns the looting that has taken place and the destruction of documents.
Thirteenth, there would be another meeting, with more Iraqi participants, to discuss procedures for developing an Iraqi interim authority.
The meeting referred to in the 13th principle occurred April 28 in Baghdad. Wolfowitz called it "a meeting of Iraqis who are exercising their newfound freedom to speak." He observed that it was the second in "a series of inclusive meetings, open to Iraqis, to be held throughout the country."
As Iraqis discuss how they will govern themselves in the post-Saddam era, Wolfowitz noted that such events please the United States and its coalition partners.
"The United States and other coalition countries have no interest in governing or occupying Iraq," the deputy defense secretary insisted, adding that U.S. forces would stay in Iraq "not one day longer" than necessary.
He pointed out that Saddam's fall from power would produce an Iraqi government "that preserves the territorial integrity of the country, that uses the resources of the country for the benefit of the Iraqi people, and that poses no threat to Iraq's neighbors."
An interim Iraqi government, Wolfowitz explained, "will lead the way to the formation of a democratic government for a free Iraq; to work on drafting a constitution, on developing a legal reform agenda, an economic reform agenda, (and) organizing elections."
Week in Photos 5/11 - 5/17 |
.
His doctor wouldn't release him to wrestle.
To make it all the more sweet, it's his senior year, and twin brother Dustin, who wrestles at 152, also qualified.
But Jessie Head, who entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed, didn't quite imagine he'd pin his way to the finals and walk in Saturday night's Parade of Champions.
"I'm not trying to be down on myself," said Head after upsetting the No. 3 seed from Sterling to win in the semifinal round on Friday, "but I thought I'd be out tonight because I was wrestling the state champion."
After a first-round win over Lamar, Head came up against Jared Mestas in the quarterfinals. Mestas, the No. 1 seed and defending state champion from Dolores-Huerta, came in with an intimidating 37-1 record.
Photo by Tamie Meck Defending state champion Jared Mestas of Dolores-Huerta bridges in an attempt to escape the grip of Hotchkiss senior Jesse Head in the quarterfinal round of the 3A state tournament. Head pinned the No. 1 seed, then upset the No. 4 seed to advance to the state championship round. Head, who was seeded eighth, placed second."I went out there with my adrenaline running, my nerves, and I had to put it away," said Head.
Seconds into the match, Mestas put Head onto his back, landing on Head's chest and scoring two takedown points. But in an instant, Head scored a reversal and sprawled out across Mestas' chest. Then he held on while Mestas struggled with all his might to escape.
"He was getting close," said Head. "I knew that I was tiring him out as he was bridging. I just had to hold him down, squeeze as hard as I could."
Almost 50 seconds later, Head had unseated the state champ.
"We had one shot, one shot," said head coach Glen Suppes, describing how Mestas started to roll out early on and had enough strength to bridge with Head riding him. "A lot of times when they bridge that high, the guy in control will let go a little bit" and give his opponent a chance to get away. But Head never let up.
Head did a repeat reversal maneuver, upsetting the No. 4 seed from Sterling to win in the semifinals. "I knew that I had to go to my move that I've been working on over the years," said Head, referring to a maneuver he learned from an assistant coach. "I knew I had to perfect it. We call it the Trailer Park."
Meanwhile, No. 2 seed Joe Boyle had a first-round 15-0 win, then pinned 20-3 Zacharia Garcia of Florence and 11th-seeded Dillon Vance of Alamosa to advance to Saturday night's finals.
Boyle, who wrestled 1-2 at last year's tournament, made a mistake against Garcia that almost cost him the match, but he was able to recover. "It's amazing to see how far he's come," said Suppes of Boyle. "Kids underestimate him."
This year is going better, said Boyle after defeating Vance. "Getting it done kind of fast, staying good, not putting myself in a bad position too often," he said with a laugh. In all the excitement, Boyle lost track of the rounds. "Where am I at right now?" he asked before learning he would finally face top-ranked Jason Buhr of Centauri in the finals. The two had never met. They were scheduled to wrestle at the Center tournament, which Boyle won, but Buhr was injured and forfeited.
Suppes said he can't remember a time when Hotchkiss sent two wrestlers into the finals. Both were pinned to place second. Head ended his senior year with a 26-6 record and Boyle finished at 35-4.
The Bulldogs qualified seven for state. Jake Hubbell (106) and Tony Ibarra (160) wrestled two and out. Garrett Toothaker (113), Dustin Head (152) and Zack Taylor (285) opened with wins, then lost in quarterfinals and first-round consolation.
Jesse Head said he was proud to share his final state experience with his brother. The Head brothers were the only twins at this year's tournament. "I told him I love him and I'm happy I got to wrestle all my life with him," said Head, who was also proud to walk in the Parade of Champions with his brother, Mike Vetter, a custodian at Hotchkiss High School. After unseating Mestas, Jesse headed for the stands to see Vetter and his family.
Hotchkiss earned 60.5 points to place 10th; Olathe was ninth with 63 points.
"Those kids that lost, they put in every bit as much work as Joe and Jesse," said Suppes. "What a roller coaster. We lost some good wrestlers in that consolation round tonight ... There is no forgiveness in this sport. None whatsoever."blog comments powered by Disqus |
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Love Among the Ruins
Romantic archeologist, prizewinning dog breeder, energetic socialite, and full-time free spirit—heiress Iris Love remains a true New York original.
One of the stock characters of the 1930s screwball comedy was the madcap heiress—the daring, dauntless debutante who kept a leopard as a pet, led a scavenger hunt in search of The Forgotten Man, or jilted an upstanding fiancé in favor of a former, less reputable beau. Freed from the financial concerns that constrain most people's behavior, those indulged and irrepressible daughters of the upper class acted out a shared national fantasy during the Great Depression, their giddy but good-natured misadventures giving the public a lift during a decade of economic woe and global menace.
If there is anyone who today personifies that same blithe and daffy spirit, it is surely Iris Love, for decades a lively presence in New York and international society. Born to great wealth and privilege during the depths of the Depression, Love improbably became a celebrated archeologist, rising to professional prominence unsought by the glamour-girl debs of her youth. Yet all the while she has retained the freewheeling love of a good time undreamed of by the career-obsessed generation that followed her. She insists that the only two criteria for her easily bestowed friendship are that you like to drink (Grey Goose vodka for her, because, she says, that bird is sacred to Aphrodite) and that her dogs like you.
At 69, the trim, blond Love still possesses the gamine charm and tomboyish self-assurance reminiscent of that pluperfect portrayer of the madcap heiress, Katharine Hepburn. Love can be found seemingly everywhere that the rich, famous, accomplished, and enlightened gather, from Chinese New Year's with Eileen and I.M. Pei to an audience with the teenage Tibetan-born Living Buddha in India to cruising the Turkish coast with Evelyn and Leonard Lauder. Indeed, she can be said to suffer from what Andy Warhol called "social disease," and is mentioned no fewer than nine times in the artist's candid diaries, the definitive chronicle of seventies and eighties café society.
Often Warhol records Love showing up at parties in costume—matching cowgirl outfits with her then steady companion, gossip columnist Liz Smith, at the Houston premiere of Urban Cowboy, a kilt at C.Z. Guest's Christmas Eve dinner on Long Island, and on other occasions wearing a toga in which she performed Greek dances. And not long after the attack on the World Trade Center, Love attended a birthday party near Ground Zero dressed as Uncle Sam and was waved through by security guards when they saw her patriotic getup.
The most improbable encounters seem to occur regularly in Love's broadband magnetic field. Among the many jet-set visitors in the early seventies to her reputation-making Knidos dig in Turkey were Mick and Bianca Jagger. During a 1989 visit to Poland with Johnson & Johnson heiress Barbara Piasecka Johnson, Love successfully urged her friend to invest in the faltering Gdansk shipyard, to the delight of another Polish friend, Lech Walesa.
As a prizewinning dog breeder, Love is the first to acknowledge that the spectacular genes in her own pedigree have decisively shaped her life. A direct descendant of both the explorer Captain James Cook and founding father Alexander Hamilton on her English and Scotch-Irish father's side, and of the "Our Crowd" Guggenheim and Josephthal dynasties on her German-Jewish mother's side, she displays many of the traits that brought those forebears to prominence. From Capt. Cook, Love says, she derives her peripatetic nature and dogged urge for discovery, and from her Guggenheim antecedents an uncanny instinct for digging profitably in the earth.
And from both branches of her family Love has inherited a buoyant positivism that endears her to a wide and wildly varied circle of friends. According to her longtime pal Laura Maioglio, owner of New York's landmark Barbetta restaurant and wife of Nobel Prize biologist Günter Blobel, "Iris has such an incredible enthusiasm and love of life that everyone around her begins to feel the same way."
"I'm very optimistic and always have been," Love admits. "I follow Greek philosophy in that you have to have a balance—in order to combat evil you must have good, to recognize that someone is tall, someone must be short, to understand sweet, there must be sour." Although she was raised as an Episcopalian, this superstitious, amulet-toting pantheist is perhaps best described as an equal-opportunity pagan.
Love's greatest claim to fame came more than 30 years ago, when she scored one of the most dramatic coups in 20th-century archeology, a science known for a glacially slow pace only rarely punctuated by stupendous finds such as King Tut's tomb. She and her international team of archeologists rediscovered the long-lost Temple of Aphrodite at Knidos, on the Anatolian coast of southwest Turkey. Love, who cherishes a deep personal identification with the Greek goddess of love, views the enterprise with religious fervor.
The remains of the ruined sanctuary, which once held the famous white Parian marble statue of Aphrodite sculpted by Praxiteles in the fifth century b.c., had been among the most elusive of ancient sites, and one of the most renowned. By the first century A.D., Pliny the Elder was able to write, "With this statue Praxiteles made Knidos a famous city." In our own time, however, some scholars have proposed that the temple might not have been located in Knidos at all. But Love felt otherwise, based on her characteristic blend of sound scholarship and quasi-mystical intuition.
"I knew, having read the ancient literary sources, that the Temple of Aphrodite must be circular, which was unique for the Greeks," Love explains. "I based it on what Pliny the Elder says, that 'Aphrodite stands in her temple in such a way that she is equally admirable from every angle.' To be equally admirable from every angle, it'd have to be circular."
With the Turkish archeologist Askidil Akarca, a granddaughter of the last sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Love sailed from Bodrum (ancient Halicarnassus) down the coast of Asia Minor to Knidos, now called Tekir by the Turks. "I was sitting on the prow of the caïque," Love recalls, "and suddenly a school of dolphins—which are sacred to Aphrodite—appeared and escorted us into the Bay of Knidos. It was August third, two days after my birthday, and I thought, This is a great present. And when I saw Knidos itself, somehow I knew that this was part of my destiny."
Love got permits from the Turkish government for the dig, raised the money for the operation, and began excavating on a promising site atop a bluff overlooking the Aegean. There she worked over the next three summers, teaching at various colleges during the academic year. Her great breakthrough came on July 20, 1969, an epochal day she sees as a preordained conjunction of the cosmic and the familial— which is very much how she views the world as a whole.
"On Sunday the rest of my team was in camp listening on the transistor radio to man taking his first steps on the moon," she reminisces. "I set off with a Swiss archeologist named Rolf Stucky, who was also a mountain climber, to try to see the site literally as the crow flies. Rolf pulled me up the side of a terrace and from there I was able to look down, and to my astonishment I saw a circular spill of foundation fill, which I knew had to be the Temple of Aphrodite as Pliny described it."
Descending to the site itself, Love and her team began excavating and, as she recalls, "We set the trench, and within two hours the first course of the temple came up—it was marble and circular." Subsequently they found the base of the statue as well as fragments of a hand, a finger, and drapery that could well have come from the legendary statue. News of the discovery quickly made international headlines, but Love saw the timing of the simultaneous events as far from coincidental.
"My great-uncle, Daniel Guggenheim, and his brothers—including Uncle Solomon, who founded the museum—had made their money digging in the earth for minerals, mining copper in Colorado and developing Alaska during the Gold Rush," Love relates. .
"Archeologists and literati had searched for the Temple of Aphrodite at Knidos for over two hundred and fifty years," she continues. "That it should be discovered by a woman whose last name was Love, and that Aphrodite, goddess of love, was worshiped in conjunction with the Moon, and that it happened on the very same day that man landed on the Moon—isn't that too much of an amazing coincidence?"
Having made her great find, however, Love no longer pursued her work with such single-minded passion. "Iris put Knidos on the map and trained a number of students," says one archeologist friend summing up Love's accomplishments and her standing in the profession today. "We all like her, but she's been so inactive in archeology for so many years now that she's had no impact on the field since the seventies."
Love's current great passion is dachshunds, and she is regarded as the country's foremost breeder and trainer of the German "badger hounds." Her standard smooth-coated dachshunds won the best-of-breed category at New York City's Westminster Dog Show in 1996 and 1999. She is also known for the celebrity-packed dog party she throws before the event each February at Tavern on the Green for her fellow fanciers and the dachshunds that own them.
Canines have always been a part of Love's life, and as she puts it, "I was raised by a Scottie, a boxer, and twelve Skye terriers, perhaps because the Loves originally came from the Isle of Skye. The boxer was my second governess. If I went swimming she went swimming, if I went canoeing she would swim out to the canoe."
Love's mother, who was on the board of the ASPCA, adopted a dachshund which she named the Baron Heinrich Schultz von Kraut. "I was in Italy," Love recalls, "And I thought, 'Of all the breeds, how could Mummy possibly adopt a dachshund?' They are so strange-looking, and from an engineering standpoint they're almost impossible. And when I came back from Italy, it took exactly twenty minutes for the Baron Heinrich to totally enchant me, and I have been a dachshund fancier ever since." For the sake of her dogs, Love divides her time between her Upper East Side apartment and a house in the Green Mountains of Vermont, where most of her 42 dachshunds live full time.
Iris Cornelia Love was born in 1933 at 713 Park Avenue, a townhouse just a few blocks from where she now lives. Her parents—the stockbroker Cornelius Ruxton Love Jr. and Audrey Barbara Josephthal, an heiress to the New York private securities firm Josephthal & Co., and to the Guggenheim fortune—met on a proverbial slow boat to China and married after a long courtship. The Love house was loaded with superb works of art, many of which her father acquired in China. "I grew up eating at a table Daddy had made from a Coromandel screen from the Summer Palace, which he had turned on its side and covered with glass," Love remembers.
Ruxton and Audrey Love were voracious and discerning art lovers who amassed Italian bronzes, Duncan Phyfe furniture, and fine collections of Napoleonic vermeil and early-19th-century Paul Storr silver. Ruxton Love developed a passion for Napoleonic relics—including a suite of chairs from Malmaison, the emperor's campaign desk by Odiot, and the nécessaires of Joséphine and her daughter Hortense, by Biennais—many of which Iris found for him during her travels in Europe. The couple were also pioneering collectors of Benin bronzes and Gandharan sculpture, decades before those esoteric treasures became fashionable, and many of their best pieces have been given to museums in his memory. Audrey Love, who is now 97, still lives on Park Avenue, a few blocks away from the younger of her two daughters.
Apart from her parents' love of beautiful objets, another formative influence on Iris was her childhood caretaker. "I had a wonderful English governess, Katie Wray, who had also brought up my mother, and she had had a classical education," Love says. ." Wray also took her young charge to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where Iris fell in love with the Etruscan Warriors, a trio of monumental terra cottas collected by the museum between 1915 and 1921 and long among its most striking treasures.
Love's education was both exceedingly proper and intellectually stimulating: "First I went to a kindergarten whose name I now question. It was called The Yard." Later on she attended the academically demanding Brearley School on Manhattan's Upper East Side, and at 15 she was sent off to the tony Madeira School in the Washington, D.C., suburb of McLean, Virginia. Then came Smith College, where her professors included the redoubtable Phyllis Williams Lehmann, an expert in ancient Greek art of whom Love still speaks with reverence.
Among Love's contemporaries at Smith was the young and very troubled Sylvia Plath. "I knew her quite well," she recalls, "because she kept trying to commit suicide and was kept back until she wound up in my class. In truth, neither her poetry nor her ideas were acceptable to me at that time because I was very much interested in classical literature and art. But she absolutely fascinated me as a person, because I have never understood why anyone would wish to kill herself, especially at such a young age. Suicide to me is the easy way out."
Her junior year abroad in Italy, where she studied at the University of Florence with the eminent archeologist Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli and frequented the city's Museo Archeologico, was a revelation. She became even more fascinated by the Etruscans, on weekends visiting archeological sites of that mysterious pre-Roman civilization and other cities with major Etruscan collections. In the process she developed a sharp eye for the real thing, and after returning to New York, went to the Metropolitan to revisit her beloved Etruscan Warriors, on which she was writing her bachelor's thesis.
With her new expertise in Etruscan art, Love was horrified to realize "there was something terribly wrong" with the statues, and was proved right in 1961 when the pieces were exposed as fakes manufactured in an Orvieto workshop by the forger Alfredo Adolfo Fioravanti, who proudly confirmed his fraudulent authorship. Love claims she told the Met's director, James Rorimer, of her impending exposé, but he beat her to the punch by giving The New York Times the story—which did not mention Love—the day before her paper was to be published.
After graduating with honors from Smith, Love went on to study classical archeology at New York University's postgraduate Institute of Fine Arts. She stopped just short of her doctorate because, although having completed her coursework, she felt unable to write the dissertation. ("I can barely write my own name," she ruefully admits.)
Certainly her lack of scholarly publications has been an impediment to her being taken seriously in some professional circles. But "publish or perish" held no real terror for the financially independent heiress. "God bless my grandmother," Love declares, referring to the trust fund from Edyth Guggenheim Josephthal that has largely underwritten her unorthodox career, "because I probably could never have become an archeologist without her."
To a great extent, Love is a spiritual descendant of the trailblazing 19th-century German archeologist Heinrich Schliemann, the rediscoverer of Troy, who used his own considerable fortune to finance his digs. Schliemann was also an incurable romantic and inveterate fabulist who felt compelled to associate every site he worked on and every object he found with a famous mythical figure.
"Though I am not an admirer of Schliemann, who probably destroyed more evidence than he discovered in his excavations," Love says, "I believe, as he did, that within every legend or myth is a seed of truth. For the last twelve years I've been working on a book about the Odyssey, roughly titled—to steal a line from Frank Sinatra— 'The Odyssey, My Way.' What I have been trying to do is demonstrate from a factual point of view what it might have been that Odysseus encountered. I'm trying to find that seed of truth."
Undiscovered Country
We asked Iris Love what she would consider the five most important discoveries yet to be made (not ranked in order of importance):
1 The statue of APHRODITE EUPLOIA, by the great fourth-century sculptor Praxiteles; also known as the Aphrodite of Knidos or the Knidia. She dates from circa 350 b.c., was considered the most beautiful work of art in antiquity, and at one time was counted among the seven wonders of the ancient world.
2 The Opening of the MAUSOLEUM OF THE QIN EMPEROR SHIH HUANG-TI. Located near the ancient capital of Xianyang, the mausoleum was sealed when the Emperor died in 210 b.c. Ancient Chinese literary sources say that the ceiling is adorned with diamonds of greater and lesser brilliance, to represent the stars and constellations. Flowing quicksilver represents the two great rivers of China: the Huang, or Yellow River, and the Yangtze. Only a small part of the surrounding area has been excavated, and Chinese archeologists have recovered life-sized ceramic figures of courtiers and soldiers. The Emperor believed if he didn't kill his army, (as emperors often did) they'd serve his son and preserve his dynasty, so he replicated the army and the magistrates and courtiers in pottery and bronze.
3 Finding AN ANCIENT GREEK OR ROMAN LIBRARY would be one of the most spectacular discoveries in the world. We have very little ancient literature and yet it influenced the entire Western world. There is a Greek and Roman library—at Herculaneum, near Pompeii, in the villa of the Papyri. This was discovered in the late 18th century and some of the papers were deciphered. Pompeii, which was buried under pumice and volcanic ash, is relatively easy to excavate, but Herculaneum's ash mixed with rain and steam and became somewhat solidified—it's a very difficult excavation.
4 AN INTACT EGYPTIAN TOMB OF ANY OF THE GREAT PHARAOHS OF THE NEW KINGDOM (1650-1085 B.C.). This would be a spectacular discovery. If you think of what came from a very small tomb from a very insignificant boy pharaoh, Tutankamen, imagine what we would find from a great pharaoh—it truly boggles the imagination.
5 A GREEK MONUMENTAL WALL PAINTING FROM THE SEVENTH TO FOURTH CENTURIES B.C. It would be exceptional to find a painting by a great fourth-century master like Apelles, court painter to Alexander the Great; or Nessos, from the seventh century. Although there are Minoan and Mycenean wall paintings, not one Greek wall painting that we know of survives. The only clues are the reflections we see in vase painting or Etruscan tomb painting. Zeuxis, a fourth-century b.c. painter, was known for his highlighting and shading. The literature says he painted grapes that could deceive birds.
Martin Filler wrote about London architecture and antiques shops in the last issue of Departures. |
Ephesians 5:21–28.
The question I want to raise and try to answer today is one that is repeatedly neglected in Christian feminist treatments of Ephesians 5, namely, What is the positive, practical difference in a marriage between the man's role as compared to Christ the head, and the woman's role as compared to the church, Christ's body? Ephesians 5:22–23 says, "Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body." Verse 25, "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church, and gave himself up for her." Husbands are compared to Christ; wives to the church; husbands to the head; wives to the body; husbands are commanded to love as Christ loved; wives are commanded to submit as the church to Christ. My question is: What are the positive, practical differences between a husband's role and a wife's role implied by these different comparisons?
The Important Question That Is Often Missed
As I read Christian feminist books and articles on this passage, my main disappointment is that they seldom get around to this question. They stop short of it. They point out correctly that verse 21 teaches a mutual submission; they stress correctly that Christ's headship was not domineering but servant-like; and they emphasize that the church's submission is not slavish but free and willing. But then they stop. (See Margaret Howe, Women and Church Leadership, p. 55; Patricia Gundry, Woman Be Free, p. 73.) And because they stop there, young people today are left with great ambiguity and confusion about the proper roles of husband and wife. Christian singles and young couples know that husbands and wives are not to lord it over each other; they know they are to serve each other and put the other's interests first and not be mindless and obsequious. They know the pitfalls of domination and servility.
But if you ask the average young man or woman today, who has been bombarded with feminist ideology for fifteen years, What is distinct about your God-intended role as husband? What is unique about your God-intended role as wife? What are some positive, practical implications of being called "head" that make the husband's role different from his wife's?—young people have a very hard time answering these questions. Interpretations of Ephesians 5 have been so defensive that very little help has been offered to young people in defining the biblical differences between the roles of husband and wife.
But every ordinary reader can see in Ephesians 5 what feminist scholars so often neglect: after declaring that there is mutual submission in verse 21, Paul devotes 12 verses to unfolding the difference in the way a husband and wife should serve each other. After verse 21 the whole passage is devoted to making distinctions between the loving headship of a Christ-like husband and the willing submission of a church-like wife. What we so desperately need to hear from this text today is not just what headship and submission don't mean, but what they do mean and the difference between them. What are the positive, practical implications of being called "head" that give man his distinct role in marriage? It is not enough to say, "Serve one another." That is true of Christ and his church—they serve each other. But they do not serve in all the same ways. Christ is Christ. We are the church. To confuse the distinctions would be doctrinally and spiritually devastating. So also the husband is the husband and the wife is the wife. And to confuse these God-intended distinctions harms personal, church, and social life over the long haul.
So what I want to do this Father's Day is not rehearse all of what I've written in the Standard or said in earlier sermons, but rather spell out in practical terms some of what I think it means for a man to be the head of his household.
Four Reasons "Head" Means Leader
Again and again you hear feminists say that "head" does not mean leader. For example, Patricia Gundry writes, "The meaning of head is not that of 'leader' but of 'source,' 'respect,' and 'responsibility'" (Woman Be Free, p. 71). I surely don't want to disagree with those three words. The husband should be a source of strength and security and love for his wife. He should have her respect. He is uniquely responsible in the relationship. But surely those three truths are not the opposite of leadership but the expression of leadership.
There are at least four reasons why we should insist that headship does mean leadership in Ephesians 5.
1) It was commonly held in Paul's day that since the head was on top of the body and had eyes, it was the leader of the body. Philo (a contemporary of Paul) said, "Nature conforms the leadership of the body on the head" (Special Laws, III, 184).
2) "Head" is used for leader in the Old Testament. For example, Judges 11:11, "So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and leader over them." (See also 10:18; 11:8, 9; 2 Samuel 22:44; Psalm 18:43; Isaiah 7:8.)
3) Ephesians 1:21–23 says that Christ is "above every name that is named . . . and God has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body." Christ is not seen here as the source but the ruler over all things when he is called head.
4) In view of all this, when Paul says that a wife should be subject to her husband because he is head, headship must be something that makes submission especially appropriate. And what makes it appropriate is that God has ordained that man, as head, be the leader of his household.
God's Beautiful Plan for Marriage
I'm convinced that as long as this Scripture stands, the efforts of feminist interpreters to flatten out husband-wife role distinctions and to empty headship of its leadership implications will continue to look like the Scripture-twisting we are all tempted to do when we don't like what the Bible says.
But there is no good reason for husbands and wives not to like what the Bible says here. There is something deep in every man that comes into its own when he assumes the role of loving servant-leader in his family. And deep down he knows that part of his personhood is compromised if his wife has taken the leadership of the family. Likewise there is something deep in every woman which rejoices and flourishes when she can freely and creatively support and complement the leadership of her husband. God's plan for marriage is beautiful and deeply fulfilling. It is not oppressive and fearful. It is freeing because it's God's deep design.
Four Areas in Which the Husband Should Lead
So let me spend the rest of our time this morning unpacking some of the specific applications of headship or leadership for husbands. I'll focus on four things in which the husband should take the lead.
1. His Personal Relationship with God
The first is the pursuit of his own personal relation with God. No man will be a spiritual leader in his home if he is not going deep with God in his own private life. He may try to lead, but it will not be spiritual leadership; it will not be Christ-like leadership. Therefore every Christian man who hopes to be a biblical husband and father must go hard after God in the solitude of his own prayer life. He must devote himself daily to the Word and prayer. He must fight the fight of faith in his own soul before he can hope to lead his family in spiritual warfare.
Leadership is something you are as much as something you do. If you come out of your solitude with the aroma of Christ lingering in your life, your wife and children will sense intuitively that you are at the helm of the ship with God's hand on your shoulder. Leadership techniques and strategies are all in vain if the man has not been with God. It's what we become in solitude with God that makes us spiritual leaders. If we fail here, we fail utterly.
A Shared Responsibility
This first step of leadership is not like the other three because this one is shared equally by the wife. Every wife has the duty to go hard after God in her own soul. There is no borrowed or substitute spirituality. The daughters of God must have direct personal dealings with their heavenly Father. The husband's spiritual life can never substitute for the wife's. When Peter described the holy women of old who were submissive to their husbands, he described them as women who "hoped in God" (1 Peter 3:5). The foundation and goal of their lives was not their husband but God. While Noël and the boys were away the past ten days, I thought a lot about what it would be like if one of us died and left the other behind. It was a deep joy for me to know that if I die, the foundation and goal of my wife's life will be unshaken, because it is not me. My sons would have the same spiritual rock to hold on to.
The Difference Between Husband and Wife
But there is a difference in the husband's and wife's pursuit of personal, spiritual strength. For the husband it is the foundation of his headship and the heart of his leadership. For the wife it is the foundation of her submission and support for her husband's headship. Neither will be able to fulfill the role God has appointed without pursuing power with God in solitude. But the roles that grow out of this pursuit are not the same. The same fire can make one element firm and another element soft. And so the fire of God's presence in solitude produces some distinct effects in the life of a husband and some distinct effects in the life of a wife. It refines them for their respective roles.
Do Not Abdicate Your Responsibility
Some men react all wrong to a wife who is growing spiritually. He may say, "Well I'm not into that, so I'll let her be the spiritual leader in the family and I'll make sure we stay afloat financially and have food on the table. She can put her head in the clouds. I'll keep our feet on the ground." This response is neither biblical nor satisfying for husband or wife in the long run. To abdicate leadership at the most important, all-encompassing level of spirituality is to abdicate Christian headship. What is left of headship when spiritual leadership is surrendered is a hollow shell. Instead, a husband who sees his wife going hard after God should humble himself, admit his need, and press on in his own pursuit of spiritual depth. This does not mean he has to be her intellectual superior. There is no necessary connection between being intellectual and being spiritual. It means he must not lag behind her in personal love for Christ and zeal for God's will.
Again and again I have seen that the abdication of spiritual leadership is owing to pride. Men are too proud to admit that spiritually they must play catch-up to their wives. So they just hang back and think of the spiritual life as "woman's work" and so protect their egos. Brothers, that is childish. Our women know it is childish. Some of them will accept what you have surrendered and become your mother. The immature boy in you will like that. The mature man will revolt. So I urge you. Humble yourselves. Grow up. Become a godly man. Go hard after God in the solitude of your room, and I promise a new depth and joy in your relationship.
2. Shaping the Family's Moral and Spiritual Vision
The second area in which the husband should take the lead is in shaping the moral and spiritual vision of the family. A leader is someone who takes the time and initiative to think about priorities and goals. You can't lead anyone anywhere until you have thought about where you want to go. An aimless husband does not make a happy wife. The vast majority of wives love it when their husbands lead out in thinking about family priorities and goals. I say "lead out in" not "monopolize." A good leader always takes the insight and needs and desires of his wife and the children into view. Leader and dictator are not synonymous.
What I have in mind here is that a husband take the initiative in forming goals for the family. This begins in private reflection and prayer about the family. It proceeds by discussion and study and prayer with the family members; and it culminates in a plan of action. The headship of a husband is compromised if he takes no initiative in setting goals and is constantly goaded by his wife to make some decisions. They may joke about his laid-back ways and her forcefulness. But deep down the respect and admiration for a competent servant leader will be missing from her heart; and his jokes will only barely cover up his sense of failure. A man knows in his heart he should be leading out in decisions about issues of lifestyle, and doctrine, and church affiliation, and financial policies, and the discipline of the children. Being the head does not mean that goals are established unilaterally. It means the husband has a special responsibility to lead the family to biblical decisions on these matters. He should not have to be nagged into action by an alert wife. He should take the lead in shaping the moral and spiritual vision of the family.
3. Gathering the Family for Prayer, Scripture, Worship
The third act of leadership comes out of the second. You might say it is a specific part of it. As the head the husband should take the lead in gathering the family for prayer and Scripture reading and worship. When a husband fails here and the wife has to constantly remind him or call the kids by herself, the soul of the marriage is in jeopardy. I would go so far as to say that this one act of leadership is so important that if you men would take the initiative here, almost all other leadership issues would fall into proper place.
I close every series of pre-marital counseling sessions with these words: Your devotional life together as a couple is the soul and heartbeat of your marriage. If it weakens, disease will occur in a dozen other areas with no apparent connection to the heart. You cannot be growing spiritually as a couple or a family without daily prayer and meditation together. And if you are not growing, you are dying. And, men, it is your responsibility. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden and God came to call them to account, it didn't matter that Eve had eaten first; God said, "Adam, where are you?" That's God's word to your family this morning: Adam, husband, father, where are you? He will seek an accounting from you first, not your wife, if the family has neglected prayer and put TV before the living God.
Here's how to get started again. Humble yourselves and admit your failure. Confess to your wife your sin. Go apart with God and plan a week of devotions with her and the family. Announce to them that a new day is dawning on the home front. Then lead them to God. This is so threatening to some of you it makes you tense to think of it. You will have to swallow so much pride. But be courageous. Fear is a scrawny enemy. Do not let him conquer you. I promise you that once you have gotten over the first hill, a new world will open before you. The ugly guilt will be gone. The sense of failure will be gone. The uncertainty of your love for God and the family will be gone. And a dozen areas of tension in your marriage will be healed which you did not know had anything to do with family devotions.
4. Reconciliation
There is one last dimension of leadership I want to charge you men with. You should take the lead in reconciliation. I do"? She might beat you to it. That's OK. But woe to you if you think your headship entitles you to wait. On the contrary. Here, too, you should take the lead.
In summary, then, there is mutual serving in marriage. But the roles of husband and wife are not identical. The husband is to be the head, the leader.
- He should lead out in the pursuit of his own personal relation with God.
- He should take the lead in shaping the moral and spiritual goals of the family.
- He should take the initiative to gather the family for prayer and Scripture reading and worship.
- And he should consider it a special responsibility to take the lead in reconciliation.
When a man has the grace of humility and courage to do these things, the power of Christ is exalted and the heart of his wife rejoices and his children will rise up and call him blessed. |
At the December annual meeting the church approved a new arrangement of responsibilities among the church staff. Many of you were not able to be in on that discussion and did not get a copy of the proposal when it was handed out on Sunday, December 12. So I hope this brief description of the changes will help you see what has happened.
Pastor Glenn’s responsibilities have been redefined to embrace the total ministry of pastoral care. Formerly he was also responsible for visitation of newcomers and evangelism. Now he is no longer responsible for leading our outreach efforts, but is responsible for leading us in the caring, nurturing ministries within the church body. This includes ministry to our elderly members who cannot get out to worship.
Some of you expressed concern that the termination of David Carlson’s position as part-time minister of visitation for the elderly could be a retreat from our commitment to faithful members who are “shut-in.” Please be assured our aim is exactly the opposite of retreat. It is advance. By putting the ministry to the elderly directly under the responsibility of a full-time pastoral staff member we anticipate that all the benefits which David Carlson brought to the shut-ins will be preserved. Not only will Pastor Glenn be visiting the elderly himself on a regular basis, but eventually he will also develop a team to assist him, which will provide other kinds of help to the seniors as well. If any of you have suggestions for the ministry to our senior members, feel free to contact Pastor Glenn.
Now where does this leave our outreach leadership? The proposal approved on December 16 was that the Deacon Council bring nominations to the church for the formation of a search committee which would undertake to find in 1983 a full-time minister of evangelism and discipleship. A detailed (tentative) job description for such a person was presented and can be seen in the church office. The financial feasibility of such an addition is based on one fact and one assumption. The fact is that by including ministry to the elderly in Pastor Glenn’s responsibilities we save about $9,000 annually which Dana Olson and David Carlson were receiving for work in that area. The assumption is that an effective leader in evangelism would mobilize and inspire and train us as a people such that we would grow and give enough to cover his salary. In the meantime, Dana Olson has been appointed as a temporary intern for evangelism and discipleship.
I hope you all can sense the optimism and hope in the air at BBC which I do. Our worship times are becoming more and more authentic as we really “center down” on God himself. Last Sunday morning we had 685 people in two services and 206 in the evening. The spirit was wonderful. We are hard pressed for Sunday School space and people are dreaming of lots of different ways to adjust. Plans are emerging for a church-wide assessment of our goals in preparation for long-range planning. The house at 1212 Eighth Street will be moved in four weeks and the city has approved all our landscaping and parking lot improvements. Best of all, individuals are coming alive to God at Bethlehem: lukewarmness is heating up, bad habits are being broken, many visitors are sensing “God is here!” and are coming back, and we are growing in boldness of witness.
So please join the chorus of prayer. Only God can build a church for his glory. Our first job then is to sing “We need thee every hour.”
Expectantly,
Pastor John |
The inaugural Niche Mommy Conference was held in New Orleans this year and I was lucky enough to attend via sponsorship with Britax. It was an exhilarating weekend, packed with learning, networking and lots and lots of eating. As a boutique conference, Niche Mommy’s emphasis was on the quality of your experience, and as a newbie to the conference scene, that is exactly what I needed.
The conference was held in the beautiful Waldorf Astoria property, The Roosevelt New Orleans. The hotel is seeping in history and nestled within walking distant to all the amazing sights that NOLA has to offer. With a past dating back to the early twentieth century, The Roosevelt New Orleans has hosted the famous and infamous alike. It was undergone restoration, but the charm and nostalgia of the property has remained. It was the perfect selection for the conference venue and I enjoyed calling it home for my weekend getaway.
One of the pieces of advice that I received in attending my first conference was to determine my goals and define my own vision of a successful experience. This was imperative for someone who didn’t really know what to expect. Personally, I wasn’t too concerned with making connections with brands or swag. I was already attending the conference with Britax, a brand I wholeheartedly support and am knowledgeable of. However, I was super excited to meet and mingle with new bloggers, and of course for the learning that goes on within the conference sessions. But, my first order of business was to finally meet IRL {blogger talk for “in real life”} the amazing women who have influenced me so much. At Niche Mommy, I was finally able to hug and chat with bloggers who I frequently email and converse with virtually, and doing so was my ultimate conference goal.
High on my agenda was also learning more about travel blogging and meeting the wonderful Tracey of One Brown Girl. Tracey works tirelessly to promote the values of travel to women of all ages through her Passport Party Project and her recent endevor of #BrownGirlsGive. I was SO thrilled to, not only meet this amazing woman, but to also spend quite a bit of time with her while walking the streets of NOLA. In that time, I learned so much on how to document my philosophies of travel and exposing my kids to culture. Tracey’s passion oozes out of her. Being around her motivated me to engage that part of my voice within this blog.
Meeting the keynote speakers was very cool – what an amazing wealth of knowledge and inspiration from bloggers and social media gurus that are doing big things! I especially enjoyed getting to know Daisy Sutherland, aka Dr. Mommy and author of the newly released book “Letting Go of Super Mom”. I learned a lot from her willingness to share knowledge and tips of advice…. she even extended me an invitation to guest post on her highly awarded website! Although making that connection was not on my radar, I was delighted to have made a great friends with a blogger doing big things.
Listening to Ted Rubin of Collective Bias discuss his infamous phrase “Return on Relationships” was very inspiring. Since I’m still a small blogger reaching for big opportunities, being sure to connect with my beloved readers is imperative. {Look out for a new interactive comment section coming soon!} It was great knowing that big timers believe int this philosophy, too.
Karen Walrond of the ever inspiring, photo-centric blog Chookooloonks was simply amazing. She is doing so many of the things I strive to accomplish with my blog, and in my life. She writes. She shoots. She lives in the most beautiful way. Her blog’s tagline says so much about the person she is and the positive energy she is putting out to the world: wildly convinced you’re uncommonly beautiful. After her keynote address, I stood in line to meet her. In a frantic mess, I told her about De Su Mama and the path I hope to lead my blog’s voice towards. I told her about my mixed family {her’s is, as well} and even asked her what lens she was using for a specific photo that I admired {50mm 1.4}. She took my card and said she thought my message was endearing. This one connection was not one I planned on, but turned into a highlight of my first conference. You better believe I will be reaching out to her in the future!
All in all, The Niche Mommy conference was the perfect pick for my first conference experience. I look forward to its continued growth and to attend again next year, because this is one conference that will for sure continue to evolve and grow into one of the best on the blogging conference circuit.
I will be posting more about my trip to New Orleans, and one amazing new friend I made {I’ll give you a hint: she goes BAM!} this week. It was a splendid city that has captured my heart… I can’t wait to take the family back soon!
Love your photos. It was great to meet you. See you next year
just one tip about your blog – “amor y historia” is incorrect. the correct way to say and write it is “amor e historia.” i believe not too long ago it also said, “letras de amor y history” and if you decide to add letters again, the correct way to write it is: “cartas de amor e historia” (letras are letters like A, B, C, D, etc.) i hope you’re not offended by my observation.
Not at all offended; thank you for your input. I write often about my wish for and lack of fluency in my family’s mother tongue {you can find more pieces on such topic on my author’s page at SpanglishBaby}. Letras de amor y historia is how my Spanglish brain translates the message into Spanish, so that’s how it will stay. Thanks again for your comment.
Why is everyone trying to make me cry today. Love your recap and your photos are gorgeous…you are talented
Looks like you had an amazing time and made lots of awesome connections. I’m thrilled for you! can’t wait to hear more!
Great blog post and FANTASTIC photos. I could still kick myself in the butt for leaving my camera at home. I just can’t believe that I forgot it:-( |
Derrell Johnson-Koulianos Went Full New Jack City In Iowa City
This was not the week to bet on black. Wesley Snipes finally reported to prison to start serving a three-year sentence for tax evasion. Vampires everywhere must be thrilled. Iowa receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos thought he could take Nino’s place and turn his home into a drug house. It’s unclear if a crackhead infiltrated the operation but it suffered the same fate as the Carter Apartments.
Johnson-Koulianos, Iowa’s all time leading receiver in yards and receptions, was arrested along with his roommate Bradley Johnson after police raided their house on Tuesday.
Johnson-Koulianos, a Campbell, Ohio, native,.
Ice-T was unavailable for comment. Hopefully someone on the Iowa City police force uttered a line as hilariously stupid as “I want to shoot you so bad, my dick’s hard“.
Needless to say, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz suspended the senior and first team all-Big Ten receiver from all activities.
As of Wednesday, Johnson-Koulianos was ranked 32nd among wide receivers entering next year’s NFL draft by cbssports.com. I have no idea where Mel Kiper and Todd McShay had him before his arrest but I’ll be damned if I sign up for ESPN Insider again. I made that mistake once and it was like I was being stalked by ESPN The Magazine. Let’s be honest. It isn’t even good bathroom reading and I was tired of answering questions about why I subscribed to it every time a guest used my bathroom. “I swear I didn’t know it was part of the deal!” I digress.
To say Johnson-Koulianos’ stock is plummeting would be an understatement. Good thing Adrian Clayborn will represent Iowa in the first round because he won’t sniff the draft let alone a training camp invite. If teams (well, the Dolphins) were concerned that Dez Bryant’s mom was a whore, imagine what they’ll think of him. This goes way beyond the a Ricky Stanzi party.
Johnson-Koulianos has destroyed his immediate NFL prospects. Although he wasn’t one of the top ranked receivers in the 2011 draft, he had a legitimate shot of being a late draft pick or getting a training camp invite. From there who knows what could have happened. There’s the loss of potential income and the ability to take care of himself and family for life. However this story is bigger than the loss of money or professional status.
Johnson-Koulianos tested positive for marijuana and cocaine. Most people will talk about him sullying Iowa’s reputation or chances in the Insight Bowl. Ferentz’s coaching this season did more to affect the former than his top receiver. He has some major personal issues to sort out before thinking about getting back on the football field regardless of how the legal issues sort out.
Officers … reported finding “electronic media” showing Johnson-Koulianos in possession of cocaine and marijuana, complaints state.
Let’s put the utter disregard for discretion aside at the moment. Johnson-Koulianos was taking so many different drugs that the court should order treatment as part of any sentence. In addition to weed and coke, he also admitted to taking various prescription drugs that he obtained from “friends” without a prescription. Maybe he had a BMOC complex. Perhaps he never saw anything wrong with what he was doing. Many will say he did it to himself and he deserves whatever punishment he gets. It is his fault but he obviously needs help. Does Iowa owe him anything for his contributions to the football program? It’s about helping a young kid get his life together before he throws it away. Look what happened to Maurice Clarett after Ohio State kicked him to the curb. They got what they wanted out of him then tried to forget he ever existed. Forget prison. He’s playing in the UFL with Jeff Garcia. Is that what Johnson-Koulianos wants for himself? Omaha?
Hopefully Ferentz and rest of the Hawkeye football program will support Johnson-Koulianos through this and he’ll come out of this having learnt something before it’s done. Hey hey hey! It’s a bit more serious than an episode of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids and the UFL but you get the point. |
Review of the year
quiz - how well do you remember the year 2001?
Questions about the year 2001.
2. What connects King Gyanendra of Nepal,
India`s `Bandit Queen` Phoolan Devi and Israeli tourism minister
Rehavam Zeevi?
3. What did 25 million people do during Maha
Kumbh Mela, the Great Festival of the Pitcher?
4. Name some computer viruses which hit this
year?
5. Which two companies merged this year only
to find that one of the founding families wasn't happy?
6. Who won the Tour de France for the third
successive year in July 2001?
7. Which infamous drug went off-patent this year?
9. Which wonder company went under & produced the biggest bankruptcy in American history?
10. Which government, led by which leader,
withdrew their support for an accorrd on global warming & an anti-ballistic missile treaty?
11. Choose the correct figures.
In 2001 AIDS killed:
a. 500.000 Africans
b. 1.000.000 Africans
c. 2.300.000 Africans
12. In 2001 AIDS:
a. was contracted by 2.000.000 people worldwide.
b. was contracted by 5.000.000 people worldwide.
c. was contracted by 750.000 people worldwide.
13. Now AIDS afflicts:
a. some 40.000.000 people worldwide.
b. some 4.000.000 people worldwide.
c. some 10.000.000 people worldwide.
14. Which country breathed a sigh of relief
when their leader didn't return from Japan? Who took over
from him?
15. And in Japan which charismatic leader
took the reins?
16. Whose Liberal Party won an unexpected
victory & in which country did the Action Party win an
expected election?
18. Which two opposing countries joined the
World Trade Organisation?
19. Which company got off lightly, to such
an extent that it was seen as a victory?
20. Which leader was voted in again with
a majority & went on to become a roving war leader?
21. Which leader was voted in under a cloud
of scandal? (Which one wasn't!!)
22. Which mop top died & which said he
was ready to get married again?
23.Who was deemed "mentally unfit to
stand trial"?
24. Who was the wizard of the year?
25. Which famous writer is serving a four-year
sentence for perjury and perverting the course of justice
in Wayland Prison in Norfolk?
27. What happened to the Buddhas of Bamian?
28. An anti-globalisation protester was killed
in which city?
30. Which hitchhiker
left behind a novel in his computer, soon to be published?
31. Where did TV journalists barricade themselves
in their studios in a dispute over the station's ownership?
32. Which city won the right to host the
2008 Olympic Games?
33. The former king of which country returned
to power through the ballot box?
Back
to the top |
News
Wind Energy Study 2008
Rapid growth predicted in the global wind energy market - Annual new installations worldwide will increase from 20 000 MW to 107 000 MW in the next ten years - Globally, there could be some 718 000 MW installed wind capacity by 2017 - HUSUM WindEnergy 2008 at the Husum Trade Fair site from 9 to 13 September 2008
Berlin, 26 May 2008
The international wind energy industry takes a very positive view of further development of the worldwide wind energy market in the coming years. Thus the world market volume of annual new installations is expected to be multiplied by five within ten years, from about 20 000 MW in 2007 to about 107 000 MW in 2017. The results of the fourth WindEnergy Study were presented in Berlin today – they were commissioned by Husum WindEnergy 2008 with the German Wind Energy Institute (DEWI) in the run-up to the industry's leading international fair. As the survey of companies active in this international industry showed, there could be a total of some 718,000 installed wind power worldwide by the end of 2017 (compared with about 94 000 MW at the end of 2007).
“This survey gives the companies in the industry a vital preview of the markets of the future. Its results are also reflected in the structure of the leading international trade fair of the wind energy industry, Husum WindEnergy, with exhibitors from 35 countries, including national pavilions from the USA, Canada, France and the UK, and with visitors from 40 countries, that is from the growth markets,” says Hanno Fecke, Managing Director of the Husum Trade Fair. “The WindEnergy-Study has provided a continuous set of data over the years, giving the industry an outstanding overview and a valuable forecast of the development of the global wind energy market,” says Bernd Aufderheide, Chairman of the Management Board of Hamburg Messe und Congress, which is the cooperation partner of Husum Trade Fair.
The data for Germany are applicable for the time of the survey, that is before the amendment of the Renewable Energies Act and thus before the decision on new conditions. They show possible total installation of 31 800 MW by 2012, of which 28 000 MW is onshore and about 3 800 MW offshore. The figure for 2017 is a total of 44 000 MW installed power, of which 32 500 MW onshore and 11 500 MW in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. That means about 13% more installed power onshore than was forecast in the 2006 Study. A scenario shown at the same time in the WindEnergy Study of the German wind market up to 2030 also gives a very much more positive view than two years ago. It indicates that there could be a total of as much as 65 000 MW on stream in 2030 (onshore and offshore), meeting about 31% of gross German power demand. That would mean some 35 100 MW installed onshore (i.e. about 7 200 MW more than was forecast in 2006) and some 30 000 MW offshore.
“The WindEnergy Study 2008 forecasts strong continuous growth for the global wind industry,” says Thorsten Herdan, Managing Director of the Manufacturers’ Association VDMA Power Systems. “For 2017 we are talking about a total sales volume of well over 100 billion euros. To realise this optimistic forecast, German manufacturers and equipment suppliers, who account for more than one third of total sales volume in the wind industry, would have to make another massive increase in their production capacities for turbines and components. A continuous home market for onshore and offshore wind energy, and sufficient skilled manpower, is essential to bring these enormous investments to Germany.” Hermann Albers, President of the Federal Wind Energy Association (BWE), sees Germany as the clear winner in the global wind energy boom, and notes that “the German export quota of some 80% of manufactured components and turbines is safeguarding and creating more and more jobs –more than 80 000 of them already today.”
The companies surveyed suppose steady development in the European market in the next five years. They are expecting some 129 000 MW installed power by 2012, as compared with 57 136 MW at the end of 2007. Global installed power is expected to reach 288 000 MW by 2012 (versus 94 000 MW at the end of 2007). The study predicts that by 2012 more than half the installed wind turbine power will be outside of Europe, as compared to only 39% in 2007. That shows how fast the non-European markets are catching up with Europe in use of wind energy, and just how much potential this market holds.
The focus of worldwide growth last year was in the USA, China, Spain, Germany and India, with some 78% of new installations. The respondents feel that the USA, China and Spain have great growth potential into the future, and there are also other countries that are becoming important to them, such as Greece and South Korea. The extension of tax benefits for wind energy adopted by the US Senate (PTC) by the end of 2009 (the decision by Congress is still pending) will most likely enable the US wind industry to continue breaking records in the next two years. The majority of companies surveyed feel that the US market will survive even without extension of PTC, as various states are funding wind energy.
“The WindEnergy Study provides impressive proof of the sustained upswing for wind energy worldwide” says Steve Sawyer of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). “The market growth shown in the study, that is some 20% per annum worldwide up to 2017, is a great opportunity for the industry, the labour markets, and for climate protection.”
In China a total of 44 manufacturers installed new turbines with total capacity of 3 499 MW in 2007. Nearly two thirds (62%) of respondents feel that this development gives them good chances of participating in the Chinese market. As many as 19% of the companies participating in the survey see opportunities for themselves to develop wind farm projects in China – mostly in the framework of joint ventures. Respondents feel that the competitors growing up rapidly in China will be competing in the world market from 2010 onwards.
HUSUM WindEnergy 2008 – the leading international wind industry fair – has for the first time been organised as a cooperation venture between the Husum Trade Fair and the Hamburg Trade Fair. From 9 to 13 September, some 700 exhibitors from 35 countries will present their products and services at the Husum trade fair site, including the world’s leading wind turbine manufacturers and their equipment suppliers. This fair is dedicated to the wind industry, and will be the international meeting point and forum for companies and trade visitors for five days.
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Summary WindEnergy Study 2008
Charts |
Mr Michael L'Estrange, Secretary
Address to the National Press Club, Canberra, 27 September 2006
Responding to Twenty-First Century Challenges: DFAT in a Changing World
• Australian foreign and trade policy reflects Australia's interests and values as well as our history and our geography
• Today, I would like to focus on how these influences relate to the current priorities of Australian foreign and trade policy
• And I would also like to address some remarks to the modern capabilities in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which help to advance the interests and aspirations that underpin Australian foreign and trade policy
– those interests and aspirations are defined by the government of the day
– they give the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, or DFAT to give it is everyday title, its points of reference and its benchmarks for effectiveness; their development and implementation are the focus of our policy advice; and their purposes are a key determinant in the allocation of our resources.
A Modern Organisation To Meet Modern Challenges
• Earlier this year, on 2 February to be precise as I signed and dated my first papers for the day, I suddenly realised I was older than I felt
– that was because it dawned on me that it was 25 years to the day since I joined the Australian Public Service, as a graduate recruit in the International Division of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
• The Australian Public Service I joined at that time was very different to the one that exists today
– and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a very different organisation as well
• Today, whole-of-government realities and modernised management practices have fundamentally changed the way that the Australian Public Service operates
– and DFAT has been at the cutting edge of these changes
– that is because DFAT is so intricately involved in the wide-ranging policy implications of increasing globalisation and because across so many areas of national policy - from security issues to national economic competitiveness to many others - the interaction between domestic and international considerations is more active and porous than ever before.
• In response to these new realities, DFAT has adapted and modernised its structures, its work practices and its resource allocation in ways which, I believe, make it extremely well equipped to meet its responsibilities.
• DFAT today is a flexible organisation operating in a complex international environment
– our Australia-based staff number just over 2000 officers of whom around a quarter are posted overseas at any one time
– those postings include 87 Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates and Multilateral Missions in 74 States
– the Department now operates in 61 different currencies
– and on an annual basis around 11% of our Australia-based officers are rotated to overseas assignments.
• In all the areas of their responsibilities, whether it be diplomatic and security issues, or the welfare of Australians overseas, or opportunities for Australian exports and investment, or international policy benchmarking generally, DFAT officers in Australia and overseas require a more diverse set of skills than ever before
– so, in our recruitment and training strategies, our purpose - and I believe our achievement - is to develop DFAT officers with modern diplomatic skills, not of an effete or arcane kind but of a practical, hard-nosed and outcomes-oriented kind focused on policy issues of highest relevance to Australia and with particular skills in areas such as international security, regional relationships, international law, trade and economics, financial administration, client services and project management
: this means having DFAT officers with informed good judgement, policy and analytical depth, carefully focused activism and high quality advocacy skills
: and it means having officers with personal qualities to support Australians in times of emergency or grief and to cope themselves with the pressures that they and their families are under on a regular basis in many parts of the world.
• I believe that DFAT as an organisation and DFAT's officers themselves are meeting these many challenges with appropriately high standards of skill, professionalism and commitment
• The modern capabilities of DFAT need to take account of the fact that the demands that our portfolio generates are often unpredictable and call for immediate response
– for example, in the year that ended in June this year, DFAT activated crisis contingency plans following the London bombings in July 2005, the Bali bombings in October 2005, and the civil unrest in the Solomon Islands and East Timor in April/May this year
: and we sent specialist consular teams twelve times to assist with consular crises overseas.
• The recent Lebanon crisis highlighted the modern need for flexibility within DFAT as an organisation
– DFAT led a multi-agency operation which included Defence, DIMA, Centrelink and others
– that operation oversaw the evacuation of around 5,200 Australians and 1,200 other foreign nationals from a war zone located 15,000 kilometres from Australia
: it was an operation that also successfully brought over 4,600 Australians home by air immediately after their evacuation from Lebanon
– in managing the DFAT resources to support this consular emergency, flexibility was the key in relation to both our Australia-based and overseas-based staff
: we deployed 92 additional officers to support the work of our missions in Beirut, Nicosia, Ankara, Amman and Tel Aviv
: while 357 Canberra-based DFAT staff drawn from many areas of the Department worked on crisis management during the Lebanon emergency through the 24-hour crisis centre, the logistics co-ordination centre and the consular operations centre.
Advancing Policy Priorities
• The capabilities within DFAT to which I have referred are directed to meeting the policy challenges we face in a modern, dynamic and effective way.
• At the core of that policy challenge lies the diversity of Australia's international engagements, with clear priorities in the Asia-Pacific region and with broader interests that are global
• Australia is pursuing both its regional engagements and its wider global interests in the context of an international environment that has fundamentally changed
• Overlaying some of the familiar historical patterns of strategic competition between states that remain clearly apparent around the world there are two new realities that have transformed the international environment and the pursuit of Australian interests in it.
• The first is the reality of global terrorism
– a reality highlighted in the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September 2001 and in other attacks that have followed in Indonesia, Turkey, Spain, Britain, Egypt, Jordan and elsewhere
– the reality of modern terrorism poses a qualitatively new challenge to international security and constitutes a new kind of extremist threat
: one that is global in its reach, utterly ruthless in its intent, indiscriminate in its targeting, rigidly ideological in its perversion of religion and its rejection of pluralism, democracy and tolerance, committed to inflicting as much loss of life and dislocation as possible, and constrained only by its access to weapons with maximum destructive effect.
• The second transforming influence on the international environment is the reality of economic globalisation, that process of market-driven interaction and integration between economies which is being driven by the unprecedented movement of goods, services, capital and people across borders and by the ongoing revolution in innovation and commercialisation.
• There is, in my view, no alternative framework of ideas or action which provides any comparable record of practical gains to that of globalisation in generating higher levels of economic growth and in alleviating global poverty
– more countries are participating in the global economy than ever before and hundreds of millions of people in developed and developing economies alike have benefited as a result
– all of the world's great and emerging powers, including India and China, are committed to the market-led dynamic underpinning modern economic globalisation. They are beneficiaries of globalisation as well as important drivers of it.
• The forces accelerating globalisation bring with them challenges as well as benefits
– challenges such as the illegal movement of people, finance, weapons and drugs
– challenges such as the grievances of states which have not, for various reasons, had access to the full benefits of globalisation; and
– challenges such as the accentuated threats posed by pandemics and environmental issues.
• These are substantive challenges that demand practical and sustained responses
– they demand effective international co-operation to stem illegal movements across borders
: they require dismantling the international trade barriers that prevent developing countries making progress down the path of export-led growth
: and they require effective, targeted development assistance programs which promote economic growth, improve governance and address the real needs of people.
• One of the great challenges currently facing the international community is the erosion of capacity among particular states which creates weakness and vulnerability, and potentially makes such states failing or failed ones.
• There are those who argue that this erosion of state capacity to deliver security or economic opportunity is somehow a direct consequence of globalisation, and in particular of some states being unable to access its full benefits.
• This proposition is, in my view, fundamentally flawed
– failed and rogue states are not the inevitable consequence of globalisation
– they are a consequence of ineffective and often corrupt governance, or a self-defeating economic introversion, or a dependency culture, or perceived grievances against modernity, or extremist ideologies, or some combination of these influences.
Complementarity between Australia's Global and Regional Interests
• The transforming impact of global terrorism and economic globalisation on the international system has had the effect of significantly increasing the complementarity between Australia's global interests and our regional ones
– just as there are interlocking regional and global networks of economic interaction, so too there are interlocking regional and global networks of terrorism, weapons proliferation and extremist ideologies.
• Australian foreign policy has always engaged elements of both regional and global interests
– but the interaction between them is now closer than it has ever been
– and that reality is clearly reflected in DFAT's pursuit of the priorities of Australian foreign and trade policy.
• One such priority is focused on counter-terrorism - and in this context the work of DFAT is directed at developing capabilities within and between governments as well as communities to deter terrorist attacks and to strengthen the mainstream consensus in order to further erode, and eventually eliminate, the appeal of violent extremism
• Terrorism clearly has both global connections and regional manifestations
– and Australia's counter-terrorist strategies address both these realities
: globally, Australia is doing so through on-the-ground commitments to countering terrorist challenges in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan as well as through activist Australian involvement in multilateral diplomacy to address terrorist threats and their bases of support
: and regionally, Australian counter-terrorism priorities are focused very effectively on co-operation with countries from India across South-East Asia to Fiji on issues such as border management, transport security, transnational crime, people smuggling, money laundering and promoting interfaith dialogue, pluralism and tolerance.
• Another key priority for the Department relates to countering the proliferation of weapons which undermines both global and regional security.
• Australia's counter-proliferation strategies again address both these dimensions
– globally, we do so working with others in the international community to meet the challenge posed by the nuclear brinkmanship of Iran and North Korea and through promoting arms limitation agreements and effective export controls
– and regionally, Australian counter-proliferation policy enhances co-operative arrangements to inhibit international trafficking in illegal weapon technologies and to limit the proliferation of small weapons in particular.
• DFAT is also intently focused on Australia's developing relationships with the great and emerging powers of the Asia-Pacific region, and in particular with the United States, Japan, China and India
– these relationships clearly embrace global as well as regional dimensions.
• We have important but different relationships with each of these countries
– we have a strong, close and expanding alliance relationship of critical significance with the United States: an alliance, as the Prime Minister said yesterday, of interests as well as values
– we have a broadening scope of very significant security and economic cooperation with Japan reflecting Japan's own changing view of its role in the world
– we have an important and fast-developing relationship with China which we are keen to advance in an ambitious and clear-eyed way
: ambitious in terms of the important and expanding interests which Australia and China share in areas such as bilateral trade and investment, regional security dialogue and regional institutions,
: and clear-eyed in terms of the different priorities we have on particular issues as a result of different histories, different processes and different values
– and we also have significant new and expanding associations of common interest with India across a range of important bilateral, regional and global economic and security issues.
• Australia's interests in these key relationships with the United States, China, Japan and India are importantly affected by the changing character of the relationships between each of them - and particularly between the United States and China, Japan and China and the United States and India.
• But Australia's relationships with these major powers of the Asia-Pacific region are not the product of zero sum considerations
– in fact, the opposite is the case
– for example, over recent years, in a period when Australia's alliance relationship with the United States has never been closer or stronger, our engagement with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region and with the region's institutions has never been more intensive or productive.
• Another priority issue for DFAT which again engages both regional and global dimensions relates to the pursuit of Australian trade policy interests in the liberalisation of trade and investment flows
– globally we pursue this liberalisation objective through the processes of the World Trade Organisation and, in particular, the negotiations in the Doha Round
– regionally we pursue it through trade facilitation and through addressing structural 'behind the borders' impediments to freer trade and investment flows, and
– bilaterally we work to advance Australian interests through particular liberalising initiatives such as free trade agreements and other facilitating arrangements.
• As a Department, we are also clearly focused on a range of other vitally important international issues where Australian interests engage both global and regional dimensions. Those issues include:
– the alleviation of global poverty and the role of aid, debt relief and liberalised trade access in delivering the most effective outcomes
– the challenges posed to the international community by weak, vulnerable, failing and failed states
– responses to climate change, and
– contingency planning in relation to avian flu and the spread of HIV/AIDS.
• The Australian Government's responsibilities in relation to the safety and welfare of Australians overseas constitute another priority for DFAT which directly engages global and regional dimensions
– these consular responsibilities are not defined by geography
– they are as relevant in our region as they are beyond it
– our support services to Australians overseas continue to increase
: with DFAT in the year to June this year providing assistance in just under 16,000 substantial consular cases involving Australians overseas and responding to many minor ones as well
: with our regularly updated travel advisories now covering 152 destinations
: and with the Department issuing over 1.2 million passports to eligible Australians in 2005-06.
Regional Engagement
• The interaction between global and regional issues in Australian foreign and trade policy is more intense than ever before but it is not symmetrical
– Australia pursues a wide range of important bilateral and institutional interests in the Asia-Pacific region not because they are reflections of broader global trends but because of their significance in their own right.
• Australia's bilateral relationships throughout South-East Asia are more diverse, realistic and productive than they have ever been
– this is reflected across the board
– it is reflected in trade and investment
– it is reflected in the important free trade agreements which Australia has negotiated with the United States, Singapore and Thailand, the further FTAs we are negotiating with China, Malaysia and ASEAN, and in the negotiations on an FTA that we hope can commence with Japan in the near future
– it is reflected in the extensive bilateral and regional cooperation on counter-terrorism, on counter-proliferation and on issues such as maritime security
– it is reflected in the clear focus of Australia's development assistance programs on the Asia-Pacific region
– and it is also reflected in people-to-people contact where Australian linkages in South-East Asia are more extensive and expansive than ever as a result of tourism, employment, education and the diverse connections established between national and community organisations.
• These dimensions of Australia's engagement in South-East Asia are clearly highlighted in Australia's relationship with Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim majority country and the world's third largest democracy.
– commercial links have been further strengthened by the agreement in 2005 between both governments to establish a Trade and Investment Framework agreement
– our shared security interests are the focus of the ongoing negotiations on a framework agreement for security co-operation
– the extensive and highly effective bilateral co-operation on counter-terrorism, is reflected at various levels of agency interaction as well as in the Bali Process on People Smuggling and the Regional Interfaith Dialogue
– the Australia Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development that was established after the 2004 tsunami has contributed significantly to helping re-build communities, promote economic growth and develop new ties of association and friendship between the people of both countries
– and there is a highly productive co-operation between Australia and Indonesia in regional institutions such as APEC, the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum.
• Our shared interests with Indonesia are, therefore, strong and growing
• Clearly there are some issues on which Australian and Indonesian perspectives differ
– that reality reflects the fact that each country has its own traditions, its own values, its own priorities and its own challenges
– our differences need to be recognised but managed in the context of the broad and expanding common ground we share
– they also need to be managed in the context of a modern bilateral relationship in which the capacity to achieve good outcomes to the mutual benefit of both countries has never been greater.
• The Pacific region presents a range of different but also critically important challenges for Australian policy
– the key challenge is to work in co-operation with Pacific Island governments and with the institutions of the region to enhance good governance, sustainable development and economic growth
– this entails a focus on law and order, humanitarian assistance and effective governance mechanisms
– it also entails addressing the challenges of structural development, the impact of transnational crime and the enhancement of strong, accountable national institutions.
• In the pursuit of these priorities, development assistance in its broad dimension is a necessary but, in its own right, not a sufficient condition for good governance, sustainable development and economic growth
– an indispensable additional element is that regional states need to assume responsibility themselves for addressing the root causes of the challenges they face
– Australia's development assistance programs and the work of Australian officials on the ground in the Pacific - including our police, our defence force personnel, our diplomats, our aid workers and our other officials working in line positions - are clearly directed to this objective
– this is especially the case in those countries, such as the Solomon Islands, East Timor and Papua New Guinea where Australian development assistance and other resources are allocated in a particularly intensive way to advance mutually agreed objectives.
• In addition to our bilateral relationships, another critical dimension of Australia's regional engagement concerns our involvement in regional institutions
– from Australia's perspective, the pre-eminent regional institution, by virtue of its membership and mandate, is APEC
: Australia hosts APEC next year with the Leaders meeting in Sydney in September and a series of Ministerial meetings around Australia leading up to it
: this will be a vitally important process for APEC's future following on this year's meeting in November in Vietnam
: and its scope will include important dimensions of APEC's future work program including trade facilitation, structural reforms, human security issues, regional contingency planning and other priorities.
• While APEC constitutes a pre-eminent focus for Australia's regional institutional engagement, there are other established and emerging forums to enhance regional co-operation
– these include the East Asia Summit processes and the ASEAN Regional Forum, in both of which Australia is an active participant
– there is also the ASEAN Plus Three process (including China, Japan and South Korea)
– in the Pacific, there is the Pacific Islands Forum
– and a range of other formal and informal associations of interest throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
• The challenge of this diversifying structure of regional institutional architecture is to encourage the minimisation of unnecessary duplication and the development of constructive and complementary dimensions of regional responses to regional challenges.
Conclusion
• The final point I wish to make today relates to values and foreign policy.
• In the context of modern global terrorism and the accelerating globalisation to which I have referred today, I believe that the values which underpin Australian foreign and trade policy are particularly well suited to the challenges of the times
– in promoting priorities such as good governance, transparency, accountability, democratic freedoms, the rule of law, economic openness, market competitiveness and practical support to enhance the capacity of states to benefit from economic globalisation, Australia is not only being true to the values it believes in itself and we are not only effectively pursuing our own prospects in an increasingly competitive international environment
: we are doing more than that
: by encouraging and actively helping other states to do the same, we are also advancing our wider interests and responsibilities in promoting stability, in supporting economic development and in countering extremism in our own region and in the wider world as well. |
This is a syndicated post from CNA Daily News. [Read the original article...]
Rome, Italy, Mar 11, 2013 / 02:02 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- In a homily at his Roman parish on Sunday, Cardinal Marc Ouellet encouraged forgiveness and reconciliation, especially through the sacrament of confession.
“The cardinals that will now participate in the conclave will have the opportunity, and will all be invited to confess their sins, so as to choose with purity of heart,” the Quebec native said March 10.
Cardinal Oullet, who formerly served as head of the Vatican's Congregation for Bishops, noted that during the conclave the cardinal electors will be able “not only to confess their sins, but also to offer forgiveness.”
Since cardinals are part of the clergy of Rome, each is given a titular parish for which they are responsible to support and care. Many cardinals said Mass at their parishes to “pray with God's people at this historical time for the Church.”
Santa Maria in Traspontina is Cardinal Ouellet's titular parish, and is located on the Via della Conciliazione, which leads into Saint Peter's Square.
“After His Holiness Benedict XVI’s resignation from his Petrine post, we are all trying to understand God’s will for his Church,” the cardinal reflected.
“Personally, knowing how Pope Benedict meditated a long time and profoundly on his decision, I cannot doubt that he did it following God’s will and for the good of the Church.”
Cardinal Ouellet discussed the Gospel reading of the prodigal son and its message of forgiveness and reconciliation.
“To live reconciliation during Lent, we must offer forgiveness to those who have offended us at home, in the family, at work, or in other circumstances.”
He recalled the example of John Paul II, who visited his would-be assassin to offer him forgiveness, and that of Benedict XVI, who forgave Paolo Gabriele, his own butler who betrayed him.
“Let us rejoice in this good news” of reconciliation, preached the cardinal, which “we should carry to the world and share with all who don’t know Jesus Christ, the treasure of our hearts, the reason for our Church’s existence.”
Going to Mass, he said, is a return to God's love, which we in turn “share with others” as we “offer the forgiveness that we aren’t capable of giving with our own strength.”
Cardinal Ouellet turned to the upcoming conclave, which will begin tomorrow.
“Let us pray together that the Holy Spirit indicates to the Church and the College of Cardinals, him who has been chosen by God, and whom they should indicate by their votes.”
On March 12, at 10 a.m., the cardinals will celebrate a Mass “for the election of a Roman Pontiff,” and at 5 p.m. they will have gathered in the Sistine Chapel. They will then take oaths not to divulge any thing about the proceedings and to vote their conscience before God, and the conclave will begin.
Cardinal Ouellet finished his homily by exhorting prayer for the conclave and the Pope whom it will elect.
“Having faith that the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church to eternal life, let us pray that the cardinals make a good decision.”
“But let us all prepare to receive the new pastor in faith as the one who God has chosen and who will carry Jesus’ mystery – the only savior of the world, the joy of our hearts, our life and our hope.”
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For the past two weeks, I’ve written about super fruits—exotic, unfamiliar fruits that contain higher levels of antioxidants than your “run of the mill,” everyday fruits, such as apples and oranges. However, many claims about the health benefits of super fruits have yet to be proven. And we shouldn’t overlook the garden-variety (literally) fruits and vegetables that brighten up the produce aisles in our local grocery stores.
You may remember the campaign to get Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables that started years ago called the “5 A Day for Better Health” program. This program began in 1991 and was formed by a collaboration between the National Cancer Institute and the Produce for Better Health Foundation. While this campaign hasn’t exactly gone away, the government is now trying another tactic, called “Fruits & Veggies—More Matters.” And, with September being Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Month, what better time to familiarize yourself with this campaign?
The More Matters program stems from the latest version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released in 2005. If you think it was tough trying to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, brace yourself for this: we need to aim for between 4 and 13 servings, or 2–6 ½ cups, of produce every day! Of course, the amount that you need depends on your age, sex, and physical activity level. For example, if you need about 2,000 calories per day to reach or maintain a healthy weight, your goal is to eat at least 4 ½ cups of produce every day. Still sounds like an awful lot, doesn’t it?
Why the big push to eat more fruit and vegetables? Are apple orchard owners or vegetable farmers the driving force behind this? Well, they certainly have a vested interest, but the real reason is what we’ve learned over many years (at least 30) of population research. Nutrition scientists are pretty confident when they report that eating produce can help prevent heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, diverticulosis, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and Alzheimer disease. Pretty impressive, especially since Americans seem to be plagued with most of these diseases or conditions.
My patients would often ask me if it’s better to eat vegetables than fruit. Or they’d tell me that they really disliked vegetables, so was it OK to just eat fruit? As with many things, the ideal is to eat a variety of both. Vegetables are lower in calories and carbohydrate, so for the weight-watching set, aiming for more servings from vegetables makes sense. Also, some new evidence shows that eating more vegetables, rather than fruits, may slow down the rate of cognitive decline. On the other hand, fruit has an awful lot to offer in terms of nutrition, and the naturally sweet flavor is more appealing to some people.
Well, the sweet flavor in pies and cakes is also appealing to some people. Does this mean we should eat a lot of pies and cakes? Most fruit makes my blood sugar skyrocket.Posted by gretchen | Sep 27, 2007 at 9:22 am
Hi Gretchen,
Yes, fruit is sweet, but is obviously more nutritious than cakes and pies - fruit is practically fat-free (and certainly doesn’t contain harmful trans or saturated fat). Plus, fruit is rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients. Fruit does contain carbohydrate - moreso than most vegetables, so it does need to be counted in your meal plan. In general, a small fruit (the size of a tennis ball) contains about 15 grams of carb. However, to be more precise, it’s helpful to use a carb counting book to look up actual carb values of the kind of fruit you like to eat.Posted by acampbell | Oct 01, 2007 at 9:39 am |
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I want to know about effect of self-management and self-efficacy in patient with DM type 2Posted by panisa | Apr 09, 2008 at 3:28 pm
What do you think of Detox foot patches> Thanks TedPosted by trestad7 | Apr 09, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Hi Panisa,Posted by David Spero RN | Apr 09, 2008 at 8:00 pm
That’s a big question. It’s what my books are about. Please visit my web site . Any issue of Diabetes Self-Management magazine will have good info also. Or you can e-mail me directly through the web site.
David
Hi, Ted,Posted by David Spero RN | Apr 10, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I hadn’t heard of these detox patches, so I asked my Traditional Chinese Medicine acupressure therapists about them.
They said that the patches can help certain conditions. Don’t expect huge benefits, but you might notice a general feeling better.
Your sugars might also improve, but don’t count on that.
I researched on the Web and think these patches are worth a try. Don’t stop your other medicines or self-management practices, though. Test your sugars to see if they’re changing with the patches.
Please let us know how this comes out.
David
I have Type 2 diabetes, blood sugars are under control now. in May 2006 had surgery for colon cancer. I began chemo in July 06 thru 14 Dec 06. I told oncongolist of tingling in hands and feet about the second month of chemo. She said can you button, Yes. She did not change. After getting over chemo and getting blood sugars under control. The neuropathy in elbows, hand, fingers, knees and feet at times is almost more than I can cope with. Have discussed with primary care. I have tried lyicra. Walking seems to help. Have recently gotten inserts and diabetic shoes orthodicts. Is there and effective form of water therapy that would help. Is walking the best ? I have seen a neurologist. He said no large nerves damaged just the small ones. Any help- would be appreciated.Posted by Shirley | Apr 16, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I have had great results using the Anodyne Light & have purchased a home unit. I am also having great sugar control on a yeast free diet. I have cut my insulin by 2/3 in three weeks time & running sugars of 78 to 110 on a regular basis after cutting my isulin that I was taking. 40 units Lantis twice per day & Novalog three times a day on sliding scale & still having some high numbers on that.Posted by Sam Spencer | Apr 16, 2008 at 6:36 pm
As a Type 2, with neuropathy I am continuing to look to improve the care of my feet. I was told about a foot bath (Ionic Detox Foot Bath System) that helps to remove toxins from the system and helps to relieve foot pain. Does anyone know if this is valid or beneficial?Posted by Colin Lennon | Jun 03, 2009 at 9:03 pm
What do you know about charcot fractures?Posted by Shirley Horner | Jul 28, 2010 at 2:05 pm
I have them in both feet and strugle with the pain from these fractures. I wear special supports inside my very expensive ahoes. I still can’t walk for any distance and as retireing because of all the difficulties I am having with my feet.
The ReBuilder has saved me from life in a wheelchair.
My neuropathy was so seveve I couldn’t walk anymore.
I won’t say that I am a completely fine and healthy man now–i do still have symptoms. But I am a darn sight better since finding the rebuilder!Posted by Ed C. | Jan 31, 2012 at 6:03 pm |
>>.
TheraSlim
TheraSlim is marketed as one thing: a natural starch-neutralizing agent.
TheraSlim is marketed toward the average person who has heard about all of the benefits of a low carb diet, but is unlikely to be able to follow it, at least not to a T. Does that sound like you? That sounds like most people!
But if you’re right on the edge (of being disciplined enough to get powerful results on your own) or if you need a little extra help to get the low carb dieting results that you simply can’t seem to get on your own, products like TheraSlim are designed to help you to block a certain part of your carb intake to lose weight more successfully.
Is TheraSlim Successful and Effective?
TheraSlim has just 2 ingredients, both of which are stimulant free, and most people don’t report side effects, allergies, or any other common problems. In fact, the fennel seed powder fiber in TheraSlim seems to be more effective at improving health in most users.
But the important part is the Phase 2 white kidney bean. Phase 2 is a patented form of the white kidney bean or phaseolus vulgaris, and as far as I know, it’s the only carb blocker recognized anywhere in the world, or at least in this market. It’s used in most major carb blockers, though there are a few that don’t even use ingredients that control blood sugar (and therefore cravings). But then, in this market, is that really surprising?
Phase 2 has a good record, and it seems to be pretty powerful. Phase 2 gets quite a few good reviews from consumers who have heard about the low carb dieting policy. And it is the only one that does in most cases. And while some products that have Phase 2 seem to attract bad ratings, in part because TheraSlim has higher doses of Phase 2 than most. Is there any reason not to use TheraSlim?
Is TheraSlim Safe?
I have yet to see any reports of side effects associated with TheraSlim. It seems to have both safe and effective ingredients, and it seems to even promote certain health benefits.
Conclusion
TheraSlim has ingredients that promote carb blocking and healthy fiber benefits at the same time, which can be a big problem with low carb diets. TheraSlim seems to have powerful and effective amounts of each ingredient, and so far, it seems to be one of the few so called carb blockers that actually works.?
Posted on January 13, 2013 at 2:09 am |
Digital Book World Conference: A Strong Author Platform Translates into Book Sales
[Press Release]
Digital Book World Conference: A Strong Author Platform Translates into Book Sales
Authors Launch offers key marketing strategies for the author and
guidelines for successful author-publisher partnerships
The traditional book promotion paradigm is shifting away from publicist-generated buzz for new title launches, to a year-round marketing partnership between author and publisher. In the new model, the author takes charge of building a strong personal brand and collaborates with his publisher to grow awareness, distribution and sales. Authors Launch, a new event presented by Publishers Launch Conferences and F+W Media arms published and aspiring authors with what need to know about building a promotional platform that supports and enhances their publishers’ marketing efforts. The one-day event takes place January 18, 2013, at the Hilton New York in New York City immediately following the fourth annual Digital Book World + Expo. Full details on Authors Launch can be found at conference.DigitalBookWorld.com.
Mike Shatzkin and Michael Cader of Publishers Launch Conferences have assembled an impressive roster of publishing house marketers to augment an all-star cast of consultants and service providers who will cover the topics every author needs to know:
- How to develop and manage an effective author brand
- What to do (and what not to do) before your book launch
- The power of social media and how to determine the best strategy from a dizzying array of platforms including Twitter, Facebook, blogs, Pinterest, and YouTube
- Finding your audience using audience-centric marketing and search engine optimization to drive your platform to the top Google search results pages
- Why you need a 365 day marketing strategy and how to measure the success of your efforts. Learn which metrics to track plus how to interpret and act upon them
- How to generate media buzz: when and how to hire a publicist, a primer on media training and how to further polish your public image
“This is a new era of book publicity and marketing. What used to be the sole province of the publishing house – finding a book’s market and letting it know a book they want is available – is now a shared responsibility to which the author can make a substantial, even a critical, contribution,” says Mike Shatzkin, founder of The Idea Logical Company and program director for Authors Launch. “This program details what the publisher can do best for the author and what the author can do best for herself. A successful partnership translates into awareness, and ultimately sales.”
A special conference package bundles the last day of the Digital Book World Conference with Authors Launch for one price. Thursday programming at Digital Book World includes sessions of specific interest to authors as well as publishers. Self-published Author Hugh Howey will present a case study of “WOOL,” his self-published sensation that started as a novella on the Kindle platform. In Straddling the Models: Authors Choosing to Both Self- and Traditionally Publish, literary agents Kristin Nelson, Steven Axelrod and Jay Mandel will discuss how an increasing number of established authors are simultaneously working with traditional publishers while also issuing some titles directly. And, in The Evolving Author-Publisher Relationship: How Publishers are Powering and Empowering Authors Today, Carolyn Pittis of HarperCollins and Peter McCarthy of McCarthy Digital, will share how author education and author services are coming together at many publishing houses. This session will address services such as author portals, and the new approaches publishers are taking to better equip authors to join the marketing effort.
More details may be found on Digital Book World, an F+W Media event, online at conference.DigitalBookWorld.com. Register by December 7 for early registration discounts. Special group rates are available for companies bringing 3 or more people to the event.
# # #
For information:
Gary Lynch, Group Publisher, F+W Media Design Community, Digital Book World
212-447-1400 x12102
[email protected]
Samantha Stanford
Marketing Manager, Digital Book World
513.531.2690 ext. 11009
[email protected]..
Prove it.
Your conference link doesn’t work. |
The boyfriend of the late Amy Winehouse raped a female friend twice and asked to keep her underwear, a court has heard.
© PA Images / Lewis Whyld/PA Wire
Reg Traviss, who was dating Winehouse at the time of her death from alcohol poisoning in July 2011, is accused of sexually assaulting the woman at his Marylebone flat after a night of drinking on December 30 last year.
Prosecutor Katherine Lumsdon opened the case in Southwark Crown Court by saying that the defendant twice awoke to find Traviss having sex with her, and on one occasion told her: "I always wanted to do this to you."
Lumsdon stated: "She said she would not have consented to sex even if she had been conscious.
"She asked Reg to put her in a cab so that she could go home. He suggested she stay at his as it was closer. She was also aware that a black cab was unlikely to take her as she couldn't stand.
"She remembers him asking, 'Would you like to stay at mine?' She does not remember her reply, but assumes she said yes. That's the last thing she remembers before waking up in his bed because of an acute pain."
The prosecutor says Traviss stopped the first time the woman awoke, offered her more alcohol and continued "acting as if nothing had happened at all".
© PA Images / Yui Mok/PA Wire
© PA Images
The woman claims to have gone back to sleep and awoke to find Traviss having sex with her again, but "felt so tired and so weak that she passed out", the Daily Mail reports.
The court heard that the next day "she asked him where her knickers were and he said, 'I actually want to keep them', and she didn't press the matter as she just wanted to get home".
The complainant said that she could not "understand how somebody so nice and gentlemanly could do something like that", adding that Traviss had been "shattered and quite distressed" since Winehouse's death five months prior.
Traviss was arrested on April 5. The woman had been reluctant to report the alleged incident due to his status and, according to the prosecution, "thought it would be easier to forget about it".
Traviss claims that upon returning to his home, the woman lit candles and told him not to sleep on the sofa, but join her in the bed, where they had consensual sex.
He says they were equally as drunk and parted the next day with a "big cuddle and a kiss".
Traviss denies two counts of rape. The trial continues. |
Joining the Fox Sunday night 'Animation Domination' lineup this fall is Jonah Hill's latest comic creation Allen Gregory. The Superbad star's comedy follows the delusional, super-rich and pretentious 7-year-old title character, who is heading to public school for the first time.
Digital Spy joined a selection of journalists in interviewing Hill about his highly anticipated new show.
© Fox
What can you tell us about the character Allen Gregory?
"Allen Gregory's a fish out of water. He's going to public school for the first time with normal kids. He's a pretentious outsider and he's just trying to fit in. The character is going to be having some financial trouble because his family have spent all their money. You get to see the funny side of these people having jobs for the first time. All these spoilt rich people, making their way in the world for the first time."
Where did the inspiration come from?
"Allen Gregory came about because we wanted an animated show and we were just tossing around some ideas about me playing a 7-year-old. We thought that would be cool, because we couldn't do that in real life."
Are you excited about working on an ongoing TV project after a career in movies?
"That's really cool and exciting. With a film it's over with and done with. With a TV show it will be cool to see it grow and change over time. I don't know how Allen will change, I can't say that yet. We'll just see where the stories take him and see how it naturally grows. We don't have a full idea of that yet."
Will there be anything you won't laugh about in Allen Gregory? Are there any restrictions on the jokes?
"Taboo-wise, no, we don't shy away from anything on this show. But on a reality level, we won't allow it for a spaceship to land in the school. It is all reality-based. If it couldn't happen in real life, it won't. That being said, I have never heard of a 7-year-old boy having a relationship with a 75-year-old disgusting woman. But I guess it's different strokes for different folks."
What were your favourite cartoons growing up and what are your favourites now?
"The Simpsons, The Critic and South Park answer all those questions. Those are the ones that were really inspiring to me."
Who would be your dream guest star?
"Ooh, I don't know. Robert De Niro. He'd be the best Allen Gregory guest star."
Will Allen become a more likeable character as the show progresses?
"I think that the thing they'll love about him is that he has all this false bravado and condescension and arrogance, but it's all just covering up the fact that he's insecure. He just wants to be accepted by these people. That's my favourite type of character to watch. Someone who acts like they don't care about anything, but actually they care about everything more than anybody else."
Were you constantly aware of the comparisons to The Simpsons and Family Guy after being given a Sunday night slot?
"I think we paid absolutely no attention to that. Being unique and different to those two was really important. As opposed to trying to fit in with them. Having said that, I think people who do like those shows will like Allen Gregory, because it is irreverent and different. It is original as The Simpsons and Family Guy were and are. I don't think you want more of the same. That's why those shows are really successful, because there was nothing else out there like them."
How did you decide what Allen would look like?
"We wanted the whole show to feel like it was ripped from the New Yorker. We showed the animators Wes Anderson movies and Capote, because we wanted a classier type of animation. We wanted his awful attitude to be juxtaposed by the most adorable-looking kid aesthetically."
Will we hear more about where Gregory and his money came from?
"The great thing about Allen Gregory is that we try to make it really questionable that the things he says have happened, have really happened. We like that ambiguity."
What have the audience reactions been like at screenings for the show?
"Laughter. Thank God!"
How involved have you been in the day-to-day development of the programme?
"Everything from how a lamp looks to what colour someone's tie should be to the bigger stuff like the jokes, me and the team are involved all the way. We write the episodes, oversee the animation, it's a beautiful process. We read scripts at night, give notes, watch cuts, give notes and then rewrite. We do all that stuff from set. Oh my gosh, I loving it so much. It's unbelievable."
What have been the biggest challenges for you in making the show?
"The challenge is making a creative product within a big corporation. There is so much money and time in this and you have to fight to keep your show exactly how you pictured it. I've had lots of creative arguments and fighting, but the truth is that our relationship with Fox is great. It's scary for them to be pushing the envelope, just like it would be for anyone investing money in it. For me, it was just a case of doing it like this or not doing it at all."
Allen Gregory premieres on Sunday, October 30 at 8.30-9.00pm ET/PT on Fox |
1975 Major League Baseball season > 1975 World Series
Cincinnati Reds postseason > 1975 World Series
Boston Red Sox postseason > 1975 World Series
World Series > 1975 World Series
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The 1975 World Series of Major League Baseball was played between the Boston Red Sox (AL) and Cincinnati Reds (NL). It has been ranked by ESPN as the second-greatest World Series ever played.[1] Cincinnati won the series four games to three.½ games over the Baltimore Orioles then defeated the three-time defending World Series champion Oakland A's, three games to none, in the American League Championship Series..
NL Cincinnati Reds (4) vs. AL Boston Red Sox (3)
†: postponed from October 18 due to rain
Saturday, October 11, 1975 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts's first run on a single by Carl Yastrzemski. From then on in the seventh,.
Sunday, October 12, 1975 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.
Tuesday, October 14, 1975 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.To close out the inning Will McEnaney would enter. popped out, but Joe Morgan knocked in Geronimo with the winning run by hitting a deep fly to center over a drawn in outfield.
Wednesday, October 15, 1975 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Thursday, October 16, 1975 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Oh.
Tuesday, October 21, 1975 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts
This game would go down as one of the greatest games not only in World Series and post-season.[9] Both,.[10] left, and Foster gunned down Doyle, who tagged up and attempted to score. McEnaney then retired Petrocelli, ending the jam. Doyle would later admit Pesky's Pole in just. ).[11] The game was ranked Number 1 in MLB Network's 20 Greatest Games.[9]
Wednesday, October 22, 1975 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.)
SERIES STATS | REGULAR SEASON
Player G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG SB | AB H HR BA OPS SB
+-------------------+-+---+--+--+--+--+--+---+--+--+-----+-----+-----+---+----+----+---+-----+-----+---+
Ed Armbrister 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 .000 .667 .000 0 | 65 12 0 .185 .454 3
Johnny Bench 7 29 5 6 2 0 1 4 2 4 .207 .258 .379 0 | 530 150 28 .283 .878 11
Jack Billingham 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 | 65 7 0 .108 .313 0
Pedro Borbón 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 | 24 7 0 .292 .625 0
Clay Carroll 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 | 19 0 0 .000 .000 0
#Darrel Chaney 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 0 | 160 35 2 .219 .574 3
Dave Concepción 7 28 3 5 1 0 1 4 0 1 .179 .200 .321 3 | 507 139 5 .274 .679 33
*Terry Crowley 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .500 .500 .500 0 | 71 19 1 .268 .728 0
*Pat Darcy 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 0 | 47 4 0 .085 .191 0
*Dan Driessen 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 | 210 59 7 .281 .814 10
Rawly Eastwick 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 | 15 1 0 .067 .133 0
George Foster 7 29 1 8 1 0 0 2 1 1 .276 .300 .310 1 | 463 139 23 .300 .875 2
*César Gerónimo 7 25 3 7 0 1 2 3 3 5 .280 .357 .600 0 | 501 129 6 .257 .690 13
*Ken Griffey 7 26 4 7 3 1 0 4 4 2 .269 .367 .462 2 | 463 141 4 .305 .793 16
Don Gullett 3 7 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 .286 .286 .286 0 | 62 14 0 .226 .520 0
*Will McEnaney 5 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.000 0 | 14 0 0 .000 .000 0
*Joe Morgan 7 27 4 7 1 0 0 3 5 1 .259 .364 .296 2 | 498 163 17 .327 .974 67
Gary Nolan 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 | 68 12 0 .176 .474 0
#Fred Norman 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 | 60 7 0 .117 .292 0
Tony Pérez 7 28 4 5 0 0 3 7 3 9 .179 .258 .500 1 | 511 144 20 .282 .816 1
Merv Rettenmund 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 0 | 188 45 2 .239 .669 5
#Pete Rose 7 27 3 10 1 1 0 2 5 1 .370 .485 .481 0 | 662 210 7 .317 .838 0
+-------------------+-+---+--+--+--+--+--+---+--+--+-----+-----+-----+---+----+----+---+-----+-----+---+
Total 7 244 29 59 9 3 7 29 25 30 .242 .315 .389 9 |5203 1430 124 .275 .753 168
* - bats left-handed, # - switch hits, ? - unknown, else - bats right-handed
A + before season totals indicates the player was with multiple teams this year.
SERIES STATS | REGULAR SEASON
Player G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG SB | AB H HR BA OPS SB
+-------------------+-+---+--+--+--+--+--+---+--+--+-----+-----+-----+---+----+----+---+-----+-----+---+
Juan Beníquez 3 8 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 .125 .222 .125 0 | 254 74 2 .291 .760 7
Rick Burleson 7 24 1 7 1 0 0 2 4 2 .292 .393 .333 0 | 580 146 6 .252 .634 8
Jim Burton 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0
*Bernie Carbo 4 7 3 3 1 0 2 4 1 1 .429 .500 1.42 0 | 319 82 15 .257 .892 2
Reggie Cleveland 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 0 | 0 0 0 0
*Cecil Cooper 5 19 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 .053 .050 .105 0 | 305 95 14 .311 .899 1
*Denny Doyle 7 30 3 8 1 1 0 0 2 1 .267 .312 .367 0 |+325 97 4 .298 .742 5
Dick Drago 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0
Dwight Evans 7 24 3 7 1 1 1 5 3 4 .292 .393 .542 0 | 412 113 13 .274 .809 3
Carlton Fisk 7 25 5 6 0 0 2 4 7 7 .240 .406 .480 0 | 263 87 10 .331 .923 4
Doug Griffin 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 | 287 69 1 .240 .560 2
*Bill Lee 2 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 .167 .167 .167 0 | 0 0 0 0
*Fred Lynn 7 25 3 7 1 0 1 5 3 5 .280 .345 .440 0 | 528 175 21 .331 .967 10
*Rick Miller 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 | 108 21 0 .194 .557 3
Bob Montgomery 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 | 195 44 2 .226 .559 1
#Roger Moret 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0
Rico Petrocelli 7 26 3 8 1 0 0 4 3 6 .308 .379 .346 0 | 402 96 7 .239 .644 0
Dick Pole 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0
Diego Seguí 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0
Luis Tiant 3 8 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 4 .250 .400 .250 0 | 1 0 0 .000 .000 0
Jim Willoughby 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 | 0 0 0 0
Rick Wise 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 0 | 0 0 0 0
*Carl Yastrzemski 7 29 7 9 0 0 0 4 4 1 .310 .382 .310 0 | 543 146 14 .269 .776 8
+-------------------+-+---+--+--+--+--+--+---+--+--+-----+-----+-----+---+----+----+---+-----+-----+---+
Total 7 239 30 60 7 2 6 30 30 40 .251 .333 .372 0 |4522 1245 134 .275 .761 66
SERIES STATS | REGULAR SEASON
Player G ERA W-L SV CG IP H ER BB SO | W-L IP ERA WHIP SO SV
+-------------------+-+-----+---+--+--+----+--+--+--+---+------+----+-----+-----+---+--+
*Don Gullett 3 4.34 1-1 0 0 18.2 19 9 10 15 | 15-4 160 2.42 1.15 98
Jack Billingham 3 1.00 0-0 0 0 9.0 8 1 5 7 | 15-10 208 4.11 1.43 79
Rawly Eastwick 5 2.25 2-0 1 0 8.0 6 2 3 4 | 5-3 90 2.60 1.13 61 22
*Will McEnaney 5 2.70 0-0 1 0 6.2 3 2 2 5 | 5-2 91 2.47 1.26 48 15
Gary Nolan 2 6.00 0-0 0 0 6.0 6 4 1 2 | 15-9 211 3.16 1.10 74
Clay Carroll 5 3.18 1-0 0 0 5.2 4 2 2 3 | 7-5 96 2.62 1.30 44 7
Pat Darcy 2 4.50 0-1 0 0 4.0 3 2 2 1 | 11-5 131 3.58 1.48 46 1
*Fred Norman 2 9.00 0-1 0 0 4.0 8 4 3 2 | 12-4 188 3.73 1.31 119
Pedro Borbón 3 6.00 0-0 0 0 3.0 3 2 2 1 | 9-5 125 2.95 1.33 29 5
+-------------------+-+-----+---+--+--+----+--+--+--+---+------+----+-----+-----+---+--+
Total 3.88 4-3 2 0 65.0 60 28 30 40 | 94-47 1300 3.37 1.310 598 50
* - throws left-handed, ? - unknown, else - throws right-handed
A + before season totals indicates the player was with multiple teams this year.
SERIES STATS | REGULAR SEASON
Player G ERA W-L SV CG IP H ER BB SO | W-L IP ERA WHIP SO SV
+-------------------+-+-----+---+--+--+----+--+--+--+---+------+----+-----+-----+---+--+
Luis Tiant 3 3.60 2-0 0 2 25.0 25 10 8 12 | 18-14 260 4.02 1.28 142
*Bill Lee 2 3.14 0-0 0 0 14.1 12 5 3 7 | 17-9 260 3.95 1.32 78
Reggie Cleveland 3 6.75 0-1 0 0 6.2 7 5 3 5 | 13-9 171 4.43 1.32 78
Jim Willoughby 3 0.00 0-1 0 0 6.1 3 0 0 2 | 5-2 48 3.54 1.28 29 8
Rick Wise 2 8.44 1-0 0 0 5.1 6 5 2 2 | 19-12 255 3.95 1.31 141
Dick Drago 2 2.25 0-1 0 0 4.0 3 1 1 1 | 2-2 73 3.84 1.38 43 15
*Roger Moret 3 0.00 0-0 0 0 1.2 2 0 3 1 | 14-3 145 3.60 1.43 80 1
Diego Seguí 1 0.00 0-0 0 0 1.0 0 0 0 0 | 2-5 71 4.82 1.61 45 6
*Jim Burton 2 9.00 0-1 0 0 1.0 1 1 3 0 | 1-2 53 2.89 1.45 39 1
Dick Pole 1 inf 0-0 0 0 0.0 0 1 2 0 | 4-6 90 4.42 1.49 42
+-------------------+-+-----+---+--+--+----+--+--+--+---+------+----+-----+-----+---+--+
Total 3.86 3-4 0 2 65.1 59 28 25 30 | 95-64 1426 3.98 1.360 717 31
NBC broadcast the Series on television and radio, with Curt Gowdy and Joe Garagiola alternating play-by-play along with team announcers Dick Stockton and Ned Martin (Red Sox) and Marty Brennaman (Reds) and Tony Kubek doing color commentary..
1975 World Series, Game 6: Reds @ Red Sox
Cincinnati Reds 6 at Boston Red Sox 7, F/12 -- Home runs by rookie Fred Lynn, pinch-hitter Bernie Carbo and the Reds' George Foster made this back-and-forth ...
1975 World Series Games 6 And 7 Highlights And Commentary
All rights reserved by MLB. Just sharing with my friends.Cemmentary by Peter Gammons Boston Globe Reporter, Curt Gowdy, Rick Petricelli, Fred Lynn, Carlton F...
NBC Joe Garagiola Jack Buck Joe Morgan Jim Rice Henry Kissinger 1975 World Series Reds Red Sox
Here is something that no one has ever seen about this great World Series.... like Jack Buck waiting for the "live call".
1975 World Series Game 6
All rights to ESPN and MLB. Bernie Carbo and Carlton Fisk let the Red Sox breathe easy for at least one more night here in game 6.
"Boston Red Sox" Manager Goes Nuts In "1975 World Series" Game 3 In Cincinnati! Boston Red Sox Manager Darrell Johnson goes nuts after umpire Larry Barnett doesn't call interference on a play involving Carl...
1975 World Series Carlton Fisk homerun Game 6
Read more about Carlton Fisk and the 1975 World Series:.
1975 World Series closing credits
Originally aired Tuesday, October 21, 1975 during Game 6 of the 1975 World Series.
1975 World Series slideshow - Cincinnati Reds vs. Boston Red Sox - Luis Tiant - Joe Morgan
Curt Gowdy promotes Saturday Night Live during 1975 World Series
During a pitching change in the bottom of the 7th inning of Game 1 of the '75 Series Curt Gowdy reads a promo live on the air about NBC's Saturday Night's de...
1975 World Series Game 6 Carlton Fisk Home Run
Here it I don't own this video. Mlb and the red sox do. No copyright intended.
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The other day I was watching former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean on CNBC do his best to bash the Medicare-reform plan authored by Paul Ryan and endorsed, with a key change, by presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney.
Dean botched it and the other panelists called him on it. He simply didn’t know the details.
You can almost smell the panic..
Last week, President Barack Obama joined other Democrats in recycling the “end Medicare as we know it” line, which the left-leaning PolitiFact site labeled the “2011 lie of the year.” The original version of Ryan’s idea would have offered only private-sector policies, but the latest iteration includes traditional Medicare as one of the choices. How would that “end Medicare”?
As Yuval Levin wrote at National Review, it is only now dawning on Democrats that it is Obama — not Romney — who would cut Medicare for current seniors. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that Obamacare will yank $716 billion from Medicare’s planned spending over the next 10 years.
Under Romney, Medicare wouldn’t change during that time. Ryan’s version, adopted by the House, called for the same amount of Medicare savings as Obama, but without endorsing specific cuts — such as Obama’s planned $260 billion reduction in payments to hospitals built into the 2013-2022 budget baseline.
Medicare actuary Richard Foster has estimated that those reductions will cause one in six U.S. hospitals to become unprofitable. Democrats say they’re committed to saving Medicare, but what good is this “entitlement” if more doctors and hospitals close their doors to new Medicare patients?
Here’s how the Romney-Ryan plan would work:
Seniors would receive “premium support” they could use to purchase insurance, or choose Medicare. The money would flow to government-approved providers. Each would have to cover the full range of Medicare services.
How much would each person get? It would be based on annual competitive bidding by participating insurance companies, with the amount based on the cost of the second-least-expensive plan. Seniors who choose the cheapest plan would get a cash rebate. Those who choose the pricier plans would pay more out of pocket. Sick and low-income people would receive more support. Wealthier recipients would get less.
Suddenly, you would have something new in health care: systemwide pressure to offer more cost-effective deals. Insurance companies, eager to offer the most-competitive plan under premium support, would push providers to become more efficient and combine services. This competitive element would offer a way around Medicare’s innovation-killing, fee-for-service model that pays lousy hospitals the same as good ones.
Historically, politicians proposing entitlement reform lose in the face of hysterical attacks from the programs’ defenders. Two things are different this year. The Obama administration, not Romney, approved cuts in Medicare’s growth for today’s seniors. That means the usual “Mediscare” campaign will have diminished credibility.
And a long-running movie has been playing in Europe, showing what happens when countries refuse to get their houses in order. There’s a good chance Americans don’t want to be in that movie.
E. Thomas McClanahan writes for the Kansas City Star. |
Web-only letters to the editor, Dec. 31,.
Economic woes
When a court injunction stopping the Kasich administration from completing contracts with five health plans selected to manage care for Medicaid patients was lifted yesterday it in a sense privatized Medicaid. In the short run it will save a few dollars, but it's at the expense of our most vulnerable citizens, the poor and unemployed who are already holding on to their lives as if they were cast upon the streets of Mumbai. Walk into any food bank and you will see neighbors standing in line, hungry. Yet, we cling to our faith in an economic system that has brought us to our knees.
Privatization is a failure of monumental proportions. It promises profits and solutions, yet we all know that privately held companies don't build our infrastructure or pay for our most needy citizens. These companies have mission statements that maximize profits and lowers costs. Where do the citizens of this great city fit in? Or are we to be reduced to Dickens' characters begging for just a little more, sir?
John Thomas Ellis, Columbus
Funding schools
Like many other states, funding for Ohio’s public schools depend mainly on property taxes. This funding system’s downfalls have been ignored for decades by the majority of the nation. The dependence on local property taxes is unconstitutional and lack stability; therefore, the state of Ohio should make education a priority in its budget to efficiently fund public education like it is called to do in the Ohio State Constitution.
In the 1991, court case DeRolph v. State of Ohio, the Supreme Court states that:
"In DeRolph I, this court's primary concern with the state's funding system was that it relied too heavily on local property taxes to fund a statewide system. The problem this creates… is that a system overly reliant on local property taxes will result in disparities between districts…” (p18)
In this famed court case the Supreme Court of Ohio declared Ohio’s funding for public education
unconstitutional because the state is putting most of the burden of funding schools on local
communities. The reliance on the community creates a wealth disparity, where districts in less
affluent areas receive less funding per child than wealthier districts that collect more in
property taxes. It is not fair that a student in Bexley is “worth” more than a child in a
struggling southern Ohio school district. It is the State’s responsibility to fill that void, and
promote equality in educational opportunity.. Statistics from the 2010 census show the rate of home ownership has declined in 86 of Ohio's 88 counties in the past decade. With less homeowners to pay property taxes, districts are forced to harass its locals to pass levy after levy. More funding by the state is the only practical option to have a reliable, consistent funding system. Many other states allocate revenue from sales taxes. Many other countries have completely revolutionary public educational infrastructures that are worth observing and imitating in many ways. It’s time for not only Ohio, but for the nation to take notes.
Many critics of the subject claim that more funding is not directly proportional to better school performance, so why give more money? This is not true at all because poor districts cannot attract quality teachers and cannot expand programs like AP classes, when more affluent districts can. And these elements of education are known to increase students’ performance. For one to say that amount of school funding does not matter is a fallacy that acts as an expedient to dismiss talks of a higher educational standard because of bureaucratic laziness.
The state should not completely stop funding by property taxes, just simply decrease public school reliance on them. And by acknowledging the current system’s unconstitutionality and instability and finally doing something about it, the great state of Ohio can show the nation at large what adequate funding for public schools looks like. Let us influence the nation to abandon the unconstitutional practice, and start on a campaign for educational reform in America!
Mica Caine, Pickerington
Hiring Ohioans
At a recent event honoring the Ohio State football team, Governor, last month. These investments are being made right here in Ohio, and are creating jobs and wealth that are benefitting Buckeyes of every political and socio-economic stripe. And they would not exist if not for the demand of Ohio’s burgeoning oil and gas industry.
The Governor knows all of this, and has stated as much on multiple occasions. In his 2012 State of the State address, Governor the year. This is likely what led the Governor to declare on October 9th
Ohio Oil and Gas Association |
15 June 2012
The German radar satellite TerraSAR-X
Five years ago,; the spacecraft is expected to continue operating for several more years.
Credit:
DLR (CC-BY 3.0).
Jakobshavn Isbræ at risk
Jakobshavn Isbræ, in Greenland, is one of the fastest-moving glaciers in the world; the mass of ice is advancing up to 35 metres per day towards the sea, and is threatened by climate change. The progress of glacial melting can be documented by comparing satellite images acquired in different years. The processed radar data shows the glacier structure in false colour. Smooth ice surfaces are coloured blue; magenta shows prominent structures like crevasses, while yellow indicates roughened surfaces and thus clearly marks the flow movement. It can be seen that the ice sheet advances to a narrow zone (left-hand side of image) and eventually breaks abruptly into the ‘smooth’ open sea.
Berlin Central Station on the move.
Measurement of elevation variations using radar
Radar view from above; this data analysis reveals variations in the height of the station and its surroundings. The yellow and red markings in the dot cloud show elevation changes in the millimetre range.
The flooded Higashi-Matsushima airport, near Sendai; it is expected to continue functioning for several more years.
"TerraSAR-X has now been operating almost flawlessly for five years. The satellite's propellant consumption has been low, the solar arrays and radar instrument are in good condition, and all of the redundant systems are still available. We could not have hoped for more," says Michael Bartusch, TerraSAR-X mission Project Manager at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) Space Administration.
Dependable and high-precision
TerraSAR-X was constructed by Astrium on behalf of DLR and is the first Earth observation satellite to be developed entirely in Germany. Thanks to the on-board radar instrument, Earth's surface can be surveyed regardless of weather conditions, cloud cover or availability of daylight. The satellite has been providing unique datasets with resolutions down to one metre since the beginning of the mission. By so doing, TerraSAR-X has completely fulfilled its mission objective – the provision of high-quality X band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data for research and development purposes as well as for scientific and commercial applications. From the beginning of 2008, commercial distribution of the data has been performed by the German division of Astrium Geo-Information Services, Infoterra GmbH.
The high accuracy and dependability of TerraSAR-X data has enabled scientists from a wide variety of research fields to develop entirely new applications and processes. In particularly high demand are time-sequenced images, which enable changes in a specific region to be precisely determined.
Glaciers and wood frogs
This applies to the observation of glaciers in Greenland, for example. Their flow rates allow them to be used as indicators for global warming. In a research project being carried out by the Institute of Applied Physics at the University of Washington, the 20 most significant outlet glaciers are surveyed five times a year. Special attention is paid to Jakobshavn Isbræ, one of the fastest-moving glaciers in the world. TerraSAR-X is currently the only remote sensing satellite capable of supplying images for the project at the required resolution and time intervals.
The German radar satellite is even putting wood frogs in Northern Canada under the microscope for climate researchers. The eight-centimetre-long amphibians are also climate indicators; changes in climate and habitat immediately affect the sensitive population. The frogs breed in small ponds that form during the thaw period following the harsh winter and then dry out. Using high-resolution images from TerraSAR-X, scientists from the Terrestrial Wetland Global Change Research Network can now see when the frog ponds form and how they evolve over time. Previously, the usual method used was to set up microphones and use the sounds emitted by the frogs to work out what was happening. With remote sensing technology, biologists can now use entirely new methods.
Berlin Central Station
TerraSAR-X has also found a completely new application in the observation of important infrastructure components. This applies to bridges and, especially, safety-critical facilities such as dams. Using the latest processes, the radar satellite's images can be used to detect deformations down to the millimetre range with high accuracy. In collaboration with Technische Universität München, DLR Oberpfaffenhofen has demonstrated this for Berlin Central Station; over the course of a year, the steel complex deforms by up to 1.8 centimetres vertically and between 1.5 and 3.5 centimetres horizontally. The TerraSAR-X images reveal the seasonal differences with millimetric accuracy; the steel structure expands during the warmest months of the year, being largest between June and September. During the cooler parts of the year, the material contracts and the station 'moves' back to its previous state.
Natural catastrophes and major events
TerraSAR-X makes important contributions during natural catastrophes, major incidents and humanitarian relief efforts. To provide the best possible help on site, emergency services need comprehensive, detailed, up-to-date geographical information – regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. This is not a problem for TerraSAR-X, and this is why DLR is a member of the International Charter 'Space and Major Disasters'; the radar satellite has supplied emergency cartography data for natural disasters such as the severe earthquake in Haiti in 2010, the floods in Pakistan in 2011 and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Most recently, TerraSAR-X was used during the Champions League football final in Munich, for a test by the German Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe; BBK) of situational awareness during major events.
… and TanDEM-X.
About the TerraSAR-X mission
TerraSAR-X is being implemented on behalf of DLR with funds from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie; BMWi). It is the first German satellite manufactured under what is known as a Public-Private Partnership DLR and Astrium. DLR is responsible for using TerraSAR-X data for scientific purposes; it is also responsible for planning and implementing the mission as well as controlling the satellite. Astrium built the satellite, shared the costs of developing it and is sharing the costs of operating it. Infoterra GmbH, a subsidiary company founded for this purpose by Astrium, is responsible for marketing the data commercially.
Last modified:18/06/2012 11:24:43 |
By
Chad Taylor
[email protected]
Michael Marcus cut his teeth listening to blues
albums in San Francisco in the 1960s, wanting
to emulate people like Sonny Sitt and Charlie
“Bird” Parker.
“I studied blues because that’s where everything
else I was into came from,” Marcus said in an
interview from New York. “I began to understand
the art of jazz improvisation and the relationship
jazz has with the blues as its foundation.”
Meanwhile, Sonny Simmons was already the stuff
of jazz legend. By the time Marcus had finished
high school, Simmons was already nationally
recognized through albums like “Staying on the
Watch” and his turn with the Prince Lasha Quintet
on “The Cry!”
Then their lives took dramatically different
paths. In the 1970s, Marcus hit the blues circuit
full-stride. Playing his baritone saxophone,
Marcus toured the country — then the world —
with blues greats like Sonny Rhodes, Albert
King and B.B. King. During the same time, however,
Simmons’ career would be marked only by silence.
Personal problems and family issues conspired
against him, and his career faded throughout
the decade.
But in 1980, the two men were introduced for
the first time.
“(Bay Area blues musician) Hi Tide Harris hired
me to play baritone sax on this recording he
was doing,” Marcus recalled. “He mentioned that
there would be an alto player that sounds like
Bird. I thought it was going to be The Bishop
(Norman Williams), but Hi Tide said, ‘No, it’s
Sonny Simmons!’ I just thought, ‘Wow. The guy’s
a legend.’ ”
From there the two would maintain a casual working
relationship throughout most of the next two
decades, playing together a couple of times
on the east coast and some gigs in San Francisco
in the mid-’90s. Finally, around the turn of
the millennium, Simmons and Marcus decided to
form a band. From the beginning, the feel of
the project — named The Cosmosamatics after
a track from Simmons’ 1996 album “Transcendence”
— would be based upon the comfortable exchange
of two musicians with a long history together.
“Sonny is a telepathic player, and I’m a telepathic
player,” said Marcus. “It just means that we’re
able to feel the flow of what the other is doing
and play accordingly. I am one of the few horn
players that has the ability to telepathically
hook up with Sonny.”
Eventually, they would add drummer Jay Rosen
to the lineup.
“Michael actually auditioned me,” Rosen recalled.
“I played for a while and didn’t see Sonny at
all until he walked into the room, listened
for a little bit and said ‘Y’all right.’ And
that was that.”
There have been other members at various points
throughout the years, most notably upright bassists
William Parker, Curtis Lundy, Masa Kamaguchi,
Gildas Scouarnec, Tarus Mateen and Peter Herbert,
but the core has remained Marcus, Simmons and
Rosen. The continuity is important to Marcus.
“We are a BAND,” reads the liner notes from
The Cosmosamatics’ 2005 album “Zetrons.” “Sonny
and I have been collaborating for years to keep
the tradition alive of being a band.”
The resulting sound on display in central Iowa
for the first time ever this week is eclectic
and mercurial, like avant-garde jazz should
be. Simmons’ alto sax conjures up the ghost
of “Bird” Parker and mixes it with jazz overtones,
while Marcus’ woodwind work dances alongside.
Rosen’s timekeeping is impeccable behind the
two, and the sound of these three cats together
is the sound of creation. CV
Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc. • 414 61st Street • Des
Moines, Iowa 50312 • 515-953-4822 • 515.953.1394 (fax)
©2012 Copyright Big Green Umbrella Media |
Arsenal an opposition striker in plain sight of the referee with only 10 minutes on the clock. No manager can legislate for this kind of aberration, unless he threatens to lock any player guilty of such a reckless act in a dungeon for the rest of his life. And Arsene Wenger, we know, is not that sort of manager.
So Laurent Koscielny is dismissed before backsides have had time to warm on seats and Arsenal spend the next 80 minutes battling against insuperable odds. But here is the encouraging part. At no point in the inquest did Wenger try to hide from the deeper failings of his side. He had no issue with the penalty awarded against his defender (Edin Dzeko, the victim, missed) and no real objection to the red card that forced him to take off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and send on another centre-half, Per Mertesacker.
Instead Arsenal's manager of 17 years deferred to undeniable evidence. He said: "We didn't start with enough confidence or authority. You have to dictate your personality, especially defensively. We could have done better at both goals. It's frustrating because the team showed great heart and desire after that, but we're a bit too nervous to play in a serene way at home and that is costing us." As Wenger diagnosed, the Gunners were hesitant at the start, unconvincing in their efforts to answer James Milner's opening goal for the English champions and a long way short in most departments of a top four side, which they need to be if they are to extend Wenger's excellent record of qualifying for the Champions League: itself a comfort blanket against the lack of success in domestic competitions.
Arsenal (sixth) are only six points behind Spurs in fourth and have a game in hand, but no serious punter would bet big on them seeing prime-time European action next autumn. Harry Redknapp, the Queens Park Rangers manager (and not an impartial observer, admittedly), spoke for most observers when he said: "Spurs have a much stronger squad than Arsenal.
Much stronger." Liverpool (three points back) are also shaping up as credible outsiders for the fourth-place spot and Everton are holding their ground in fifth.
A team that whacked Reading 5-2 and Newcastle 7-3 in December might look pretty enough in the right kind of light. But Arsenal have fewer points after 21 games (34) than at any time in Wenger's Premier League career.
Often they are missing rhythm, conviction, individual match-changing talent and faith. Wenger has noticed the pessimistic mood around the ground but has been careful not to provoke the crowd. After this 2-0 defeat, though, he was asked whether audience disquiet was affecting results. "I don't know if it's linked with that," he said, "but it doesn't help." In the crowd's mind is a link between the astronomical price of tickets and the diminishing quality of the entertainment this season. At first Koscielny's sending off provided a grievance to hide behind. It was all referee Mike Dean's fault. By the time Dean balanced things up by ejecting City's Vincent Kompany 15 minutes before the end it was already plain Arsenal were beset by other problems. A match official correctly applying the laws of the game could not be used as crutch all afternoon and evening.
First: the defending for both the Milner and Dzeko goals was slack. In each case defenders failed to react the danger: especially Thomas Vermaelen, the captain, who is increasingly prone to concentration lapses.
A few yards further up the pitch, Abou Diaby made a tortured return to the side after four months out with injury. He can be forgiven his scattergun passing and general disorientation against a strong City midfield. While Diaby was struggling to find his range, Jack Wilshere was chopped and upended with bruising frequency. It was a clumsy challenge on Wilshere that led to Kompany's debatable red card.
Where we pick up traces of panic in the whole Arsenal enterprise is the use of Theo Walcott as a lone centre-forward. Walcott struggled to make the starting XI until his contract negotiations entered a critical phase. At that point his wish to play as a central striker was suddenly granted.
Meanwhile Olivier Giroud, the latest in a long line of new Arsenal strikers, started against City on the bench. At 2-0 down, Walcott and Giroud played together, but a long way from a three-man Arsenal midfield who were asked to service two strikers who mostly spectated from a distance.
Wenger needs no tactical lessons from a journalist, but perhaps a 4-5-0 formation would have worked better, with two players breaking from midfield. Lukas Podolski also gave cause for concern here, presenting himself as a luxury striker runner with no great urge to get back and help with the messy stuff. Santi Cazorla's creativity is drowned out on days like this.
Wednesday's FA Cup third round replay against Swansea and Sunday's Premier League visit to Chelsea now assume ominous weight for an Arsenal side who bear little resemblance to the cavaliers of old. Bayern Munich are next month's formidable Champions League second-round opponents.
A good start would be for the centre-backs to acknowledge that bear-hugging an opponent in the penalty box with the referee a few yards away is likely to end in calamity. The smattering of fans who applauded Koscielny might also give it some more thought. The players are in no position to blame the crowd, though. The "authority" Wenger says they lacked in this game has to be found from somewhere. Preferably, within.
Wife's query may fix Ajit Chandila
David Warner comes under scrutiny for swearing at journalists over IPL on Twitter
IPL spot-fixing: Chavan's kin leaves Special Cell Office, police reaches Chandila's residence in Faridabad
Victoria Beckham tweets picture of herself with husband David after his retirement announcement
IPL associated with satta, hawala and sex: Sharad Yadav
David Beckham made the right decision of retiring, says PSG boss
Not all can deal with the spotlight: Boris Becker
It's a big bad world
Adam Gilchrist demands life bans for 'IPL spot-fixers' if found guilty
Atletico Madrid beat Real Madrid to win 10th Spanish Cup
Arsenal are a club living on the edge of their nerves. With some fans close to open revolt, and the team in danger of missing out on Champions League qualification, this luxury north London theatre is a place of skittishness and angst. - 7 hours ago
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2012 - 2013 Deer Season
White-tailed deer
General Deer Hunting Regulations for Private and Public Land
(For additional information see Private and Public Land)
Legal hunting time for deer is the time between one hour before official sunrise until one hour after official sunset (50-11-710).
In Game Zones 1 and 2 it is unlawful to pursue deer with dogs, and it is unlawful to bait for deer
Antlerless Deer Harvest Programs are conducted statewide using either-sex days and 2 optional antlerless deer tag programs. The dates for either-sex days are shown in the hunting season section.
Individual Antlerless Deer Tag Program
With the Individual Antlerless Deer Tag Program and “unnamed” small WMAs starting Sept. 15. Tags are also valid on Sand Hills State Forest WMA in Chesterfield Co., North Dike WMA in Berkeley Co., Longleaf Pine WMA in Lee Co., Francis Marion National Forest in Berkeley and Charleston counties during still gun hunts for deer starting Sept. 15 and on Ditch Pond HP WMA in Barnwell and Aiken Counties and on Henderson HP WMA in Aiken County beginning Oct.1.ul.. 1. in Game Zone 2 (Central & Western Piedmont) and Game Zones 3-6 (Coastal Plain) tags are valid..
Crossbows
Crossbows may be used on private lands and WMA lands statewide during all archery, muzzleloader or gun seasons for deer, bear and turkey...
Selling Game Animals
It is unlawful to sell, except by special permit, any protected wildlife (50-1-290). Furbearing animals may be sold with a valid commercial fur harvest license. Contact SCDNR for a copy of the commercial fur harvest regulations.
Sunday Hunting
Hunting is prohibited on Sundays on all WMA lands. On private lands statewide, Sunday hunting for all game is legal.
Transporting Firearms
There are no SCDNR restrictions on transporting firearms by licensed hunters and fishermen in a vehicle to and from the place of hunting and fishing except on WMA lands. See regulations on WMA lands.
Trespass
It shall be unlawful to enter upon the lands of another for the purpose of hunting, fishing, trapping or retrieval of dogs without the consent of the landowner or manager.
Charles Ruth - Deer Project Supervisor
SCDNR Deer Project
P. O. Box 167
Columbia, SC 29202-0167
Phone: 803-734-3886
The Hunting Regulations are provided in the Adobe® Acrobat® (PDF) format. Adobe® Reader® is required to open this file and is available as a free download from the Adobe® Web site. |
by C.B. Bylander
I didn't expect the Rainy River to hook my heart and not let go.
But it did. And that surprised me.
The 90-mile-long ribbon of river that separates Minnesota from Canada isn't nearly as alluring to me as the streams of the southeast, streams that call like sirens and beckon with diamond-clear waters that trickle and tumble through tree-shrouded valleys. Nor is the Rainy as awe-inspiring as the Mississippi at Lake City, where the great river unwinds into a sprawling mile-wide knot of water before flowing south beneath scenic bluffs, which rise like furrows hoed by an unseen giant.
Yet the Rainy—a relative Plain Jane in a state steeped with beauties—has become my favorite river.
The reason is simple. Lake sturgeon. Big lake sturgeon. Sturgeon that stretch from gunwale to gunwale. Some weigh 100 pounds, even more. I have yet to catch a fish that size, but a man can dream—and casting one's thoughts to the Rainy is fertile water for that.
I stumbled into sturgeon fishing several years ago when a group of friends asked me to join their annual spring pilgrimage to the Rainy. They had an empty boat seat, an empty bunk, and plenty of room in a pickup truck. They wondered if I, like them, would welcome the salving sound of waves splashing against a boat's hull after a long and depressing winter.
So on a Friday morning, our group angled northwest from Brainerd to Baudette. We brought three boats. A dozen rods. Hundreds of night crawlers. A thousand hopes. And one cooler chock-full of thick steaks, red potatoes, and plenty of fixings—the logic being we'd feast well even though we planned to release our catch.
Turned out, the bite was good. At one point, two anglers in our group were wrestling with 59-inch sturgeon at the same time. Later, a much bigger fish was caught. I was hooked.
I had the good fortune to spend much of that seminal trip with two fisheries biologists. While all of the men in our group were good cards, these two were a pair of pocket aces. I say this because they were Wikipedia personified—yet even better, for they could pass night crawlers, pour coffee, spin yarns, and perform other critical angling responsibilities. So during the lulls between bites, I'd fire off questions and they'd shoot back answers. Before long, I'd learned how the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods sturgeon population collapsed some 100 years ago from too much commercial fish harvest and too little regulation of the wastewater that poured from the pipes of paper mills, timber mills, and municipalities. In the late 1800s, commercial harvest of sturgeon topped 1 million pounds a year at the south end of Lake of the Woods. This over-harvest, combined with water pollution in the years to come, removed old fish and stymied the production of new fish in these waters where sturgeon had lived for thousands of years.
The sturgeon's salvation was the 1972 national Clean Water Act. Over time, this antipollution legislation and growing enlightenment among business, community, and natural resource leaders led to improved water quality and renewed spawning success. Today's good fishing, I was told, was 50 years in the making.
I had no idea what to expect on that first fishing trip, but I soon learned sturgeon fishing is pretty straightforward. If you can feel a bite, you can catch a fish. Equipment needs are basic too. You don't need much more than a stout rod, strong line, and a decent reel, preferably a level-wind reel that cranks like a winch. Add to this a hefty slip-sinker or two, a swivel, and a good-sized circle hook threaded with a few night crawlers, and you are ready to fish. Simply toss the crawlers to the bottom of the lake or river and wait, being careful to stay on the Minnesota side of these border waters.
If you're lucky, one of these bottom-feeding fish will open its mouth and engulf your bait. This might feel like the light tap of a walleye. It might feel like a steady pull. No matter. Simply raise the rod tip, start reeling, and let the circle hook catch in a corner of the fish's mouth. Then hold on. It can get real interesting real fast.
Fast Forward to Spring 2012. Spring came early on the Rainy. Record-breaking warm temperatures had melted much of the river's ice by March 22, about three weeks ahead of average. I didn't like that. Sturgeon fishing is often best shortly after ice-out. That's when mature fish intent on spawning funnel from gigantic Big Traverse Bay on Lake of the Woods into a constricted area known as the Gap. From there they fin farther into the mouth of the Rainy to spawn. The Rainy always holds sturgeon, but the odds of catching a big one are better when fish numbers are at their peak.
Unfortunately, my wife, son, and I weren't scheduled to fish until early May. Too late? It was hard to say. But that possibility nagged at me during the days leading up to our trip.
It was about noon on a Friday when Linda, 12-year-old Michael, and I hitched the Crestliner to the Pathfinder, crossed our fingers that nothing would break, and pulled the rig north onto Highway 371. We bought four dozen night crawlers in Walker. We bought gas and groceries in Baudette. We bought new fishing licenses at Border View Lodge on Wheeler's Point, our destination. We were set.
Once registered at the lodge, I ambled over to the adjacent public boat launch to collect the latest local fish-catching intelligence. It was depressing. The school of men I waded into had fished a sturgeon tournament earlier that day. They had not fared well. Neither had many others, they said.
"It was a tough bite," one of them grumbled in a voice as dry as the desert.
"Sure was," said another. "I was skunked most of the day. Thankfully, I caught this one right before quitting time." He pushed a smart phone in front of my face. A photo of a 55-inch sturgeon shone from the screen. Nice fish.
After I said so long to these men, I strolled down to the docks to observe anglers in the flotilla of boats up and down from the access. I didn't see a single bent rod. I didn't see anyone ready with a net. I did bump into Mike Larson, an angler of some repute on the river, as he pulled up to the dock.
"Any action?" I asked.
"Not much," he said. "But I did see a woman just land two fish out in the Gap. … If you're gonna give it a try tonight, you may want to fish out her way. … She's past the second weedbed … last boat in the string … kind of out there by herself."
Thirty minutes later, that's where Michael, Linda, and I were bound. Upon arrival we kerplunked a 22-pound anchor close—but not too close—to the port side of the woman's boat. We baited hooks. Checked drags. Dropped lines. And then we kicked back and relaxed. We had soft seats and plenty of snacks. The night was young. This would be good.
It was at this point—just as a wave of bliss was washing over me—that the boat's bilge pump whirred into action. I peered over the gunwale and beheld the contents of the belly of the boat being upchucked back into the lake. Not good. Leaks below the water line never are.
"I bet this means we're going back to land right now," my wife opined in a soft voice that spoke loudly to the wisdom of lifting the anchor and not arguing.
"Yes," I replied without hesitation. "Land sounds good."
So that's where we went. At the access I wrapped the better part of a roll of electrician's tape around a livewell pump that had fractured from ice expansion over winter. We were set for the next morning. Unfortunately, the fish weren't. We didn't catch a thing in the forenoon.
However, the afternoon was different. It all started when Linda, seated in the back of the boat with her feet propped up against the transom, detected a bite. It was just a light pull. She passed the rod to Michael with the counsel that "it feels like a small one."
Michael, who had landed a 50-inch sturgeon the year before, knew what to do. He raised the rod tip. He cranked the reel. He measured tension in the line. Then he reefed back in a slow and steady motion. Confident the hook was set, he cried, "Fish on!"
His eyes, which had grown dull since dawn, now widened and sparkled with intensity. They grew even larger as the sturgeon made its first run, unspooling line with ease and bowing the rod until its tip stabbed through the surface of the water.
"Doesn't feel like a little one to me," he said, grinning.
In the minutes that followed, he gradually worked the rod back to a more horizontal position by heeding age-old advice: "When the fish pulls, you don't." It was quite the tug-of-war. Michael would pump the rod, crank the reel, and gain line. Moments later, the fish would take it back, and then some. The seesaw battle reminded me of Hemingway's story The Old Man and the Sea, which Michael and I had read together years ago. I began to call Michael "the boy," a reference to the boy in the book. I thought this was apt and funny. He found it odd and not funny at all.
"He's coming up," Michael said at last. And when it did, we got our first look at the sturgeon that would later be measured at 61 inches and 62 pounds. Yet we didn't see the behemoth for long. It dove again, this time pulling out line as though the hook were snagged to a submarine.
Finally, Michael said, "My arms are on fire. Take the rod." I didn't, at least not immediately. But when I did, I too was amazed at the strength of the fish. The seesawing continued far longer than I would have imagined. At last, Michael and Linda swooped a net under the fish and hoisted it into the boat. We heard whoops of approval from anglers on nearby boats as we raised the fish for a photo and then released it.
As fishing stories go, I know this one is quite ordinary. Countless others have caught more fish, bigger fish, and overcome adversity far beyond a broken livewell pump. Yet it remains extraordinary to me how fishing can unite a family and spawn memories that last a lifetime. Together in a boat, you talk. You laugh. You imagine. You catch fish, or at least sometimes you do. And you dream.
As we drove home on a Sunday afternoon, Michael daydreamed of boating an even bigger fish but wasn't sure we would.
"Are we coming back next spring?" he asked.
"Yes," I replied.
"Good," he said.
The Rainy had hooked his heart too.
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Ethiopia 2008 © Francesco Zizola
MSF medical staff examines a malnourished child at a nutrition center in southern Ethiopia.
Mumishene was not yet two years old. The doctors in the intensive nutrition center at Shinshicho had struggled long and hard, even resuscitating him several times. But on a Sunday morning, as day broke, this little boy died. A low keening funeral song surrounded the Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) vehicle as it bore Mumishene and his mother back to their village. The family wept as they learned the sad news and soon they were joined by the whole of the community. His fragile body shrouded in a few blankets, they carried Mumishene through an Eden of dark green maize and lighter green banana leaves.
Why, in the midst of this symphony of colors, with the life-force of nature burgeoning all around, are children visibly dying of malnutrition? Why are tragedies like Mumishene's afflicting this apparently prosperous region of southern Ethiopia?
Samuel, an Ethiopian member of MSF’s team at Tunto, in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR), explains: "Over the last few weeks, I've been talking a lot with the parents of malnourished children. They tell me that for five or six months there was not a drop of rain. Hunger started to set in. Some of the farmers around here managed to grow a scant crop of ginger to sell to traders, but they've no food to eat. The staples have become very expensive at the market. Compare the prices with last year—100kgs of maize, for example, has shot up from around 360 to 800 Ethiopian Birr ($37 to $82 US). The same with fertilizer—it is simply too expensive for the farmers. Now that we've got some decent rainfall, the maize and other crops are growing again. But we'll have to wait until the next harvest, in September or October, before we see any sort of improvement".
Mothers and children wait in line at an MSF supplementary feeding center in Tunto, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region.
In urgent need of food aid MSF started an emergency relief operation in the southern Ethiopian regions of Oromiya and SNNPR on May 13, 2008. Since then, the teams have been constantly reassessing the needs in this area. Confronted by rapidly escalating numbers of severely malnourished patients, MSF has set up a total of 51 outpatient nutrition centers and five hospitalization centers. For children suffering from moderate malnutrition, other centers offering supplementary nutritional feeding were rapidly set up. By early August, more than 20,000 patients with severe acute malnutrition had been admitted into this nutrition program and about 8,500 children suffering from moderate malnutrition had received nutritional and medical help.
"The patients in MSF's care are just the tip of the iceberg," explains Rosa Crestani, MSF's emergency coordinator. "We are treating the most severely ill patients, but many others are suffering from hunger. They have exhausted their food stocks and right now they depend totally on food aid brought in from elsewhere. Food aid urgently needs to get through to these people so that they don't slip into acute malnutrition as well".
In the Siraro district of Oromiya region, MSF has contributed to the reduction of the occurrence of severe malnutrition by taking a comprehensive approach. Carrying out both therapeutic feeding programs and carefully targeted distributions has brought the number of patients in MSF's programs down from 1,251 to 971 over the last four weeks.
MSF medical staff helps warm a malnourished child at a feeding center in southern Ethiopia.
"An organization like MSF has neither the capacity nor sufficient stocks of food aid to employ this strategy in all the affected areas," says Crestani. The teams have opened some supplementary nutritional programs where every two weeks families receive cooking oil and 14kgs of flour.
MSF's temporary rural centers are literally besieged by villagers. In the village of Ajora, in SNNPR, dozens of children wait barefoot in the mud, shivering in the freezing rain. Several are admitted into MSF's nutrition program, but many are turned away. "It's very difficult to send children back home because they're not malnourished enough, when you can plainly see that they are hungry and that their whole family needs help," says Dr. David de Souza, simultaneously trying to control the crowd and identify the patients at greatest risk. "Many are so desperate, they'll do anything to receive a little food."
Some patients cover vast distances to come to MSF's centers. "We even have patients who speak the language of distant regions like Wolayita or Hadyia," continues de Souza. "These are areas where the humanitarian needs are comparable to here, but where the amount of aid is clearly still insufficient."
To reach people who have not yet received assistance, MSF teams are still exploring new areas, like the Amhara region in the north, or the Somali region in the east of the country. MSF also set up new feeding programs in Afar region in the north, and around Chencha, Dita, Duna, and Bursa in SNNPR. Alarming rates of severe malnutrition had been reported in these areas.
As things stand, the agricultural, economic, and climatic conditions mean that there could be a gradual improvement in some areas, while in other areas the situation could continue to deteriorate. This is exactly what is happening on the highlands of SNNPR, where the crops will probably not be harvested until October. MSF teams will have to continually adapt their activities as the needs change, closing some centers and opening other new ones.
A mother and child play at an MSF feeding center in southern Ethiopia.
The last drops of the rain shower fall to the ground at Ajora. Shafts of light pierce the lowering clouds, illuminating the lush green of the fields. Southern Ethiopia seen like this is a million miles from the clichés of famine—dust-bowl landscapes and the white bones of dead cattle. But the crowds jostling at the entrances of MSF's clinics are a sharp reminder that even here, there is a desperate shortage of food.
At the intensive nutrition center at Shinshicho, the regular blips of the artificial respirator show that death is never far away. But MSF doctor Karianne Flaatten, an intensive care specialist, prefers to dwell on the children who will make it through. Here, as she well knows, they are the overwhelming majority. "This 15-year-old boy weighed no more than 20kgs," she says. "He was like a skeleton—he couldn't even open his eyes. For two weeks we were here at his bedside every day. Eventually, he started to look like a boy again. It really made me so happy; a shadow had transformed into a human being! Malnourished children always look somehow old and sad, and so adult. But with good nutritional treatment, before long they start to smile. You can start to look these children in the eye again."
Ethiopia,
Southern Ethiopia Nutrition Crisis |
Trigeminal Neuralgia – Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Trigeminal neuralgia is the most common facial pain syndrome with paroxysmal character, representing one of the most unbearable pain. Also known as tic douloureux, trigeminal neuralgia has an incidence of 4.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and is characterized by recurrent episodes of pain, which starts in a small area of the face. Onset is most common in middle age, but have been reported cases with onset in childhood or in adolescence.
Trigeminal nerve is the largest of all the cranial nerves, is a mixed nerve and presents two components: a sensory component which is formed by somatic sensory fibers that carry pain, temperature and touch sensations from the face and a motor component formed by motor fibers that supply temporalis, pterygoid, tensor tympani, tensor palati, mylohyoid, and anterior belly of the digastric muscle.
Trigeminal Neuralgia Causes
The exact pathophysiology of trigeminal neuralgia is not well known, in most cases the cause is not evident, being an idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. In a small percentage of cases, trigeminal neuralgia may occur due to structural lesions of the trigeminal nerve.
In most cases, trigeminal neuralgia is probably caused by the compression of an aberrant arterial or venous loop on the nerve root, produced where trigeminal root is entering into the pons. This mechanism first described by Jannetta in 1967 is still incriminated in 80% -90% of cases.
Pulsations of arterial or venous vascular loops that produce aberrant trigeminal root compression, are responsible for the appearance of demyelination areas in the trigeminal root, which causes a non-synaptic transmission between sensory, thick , myelinated fibers and small, thin fibers that transmit pain. Aberrant arterial loops most often originate from superior cerebellar artery and anterior inferior cerebellar artery.
In a lower proportion of cases, trigeminal neuralgia may be caused by a primary demyelination, as occurs in approximately 2% of cases of multiple sclerosis that is associated with trigeminal neuralgia.
Trigeminal Neuralgia Symptoms
The disease usually appears after age of 40 years, between 50 and 58 years, and most commonly affects females, the female/male ratio being 1,6:1 for women.
Trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by a paroxysmal, repetitive, very strong and lancianting pain that is lasting a few seconds, described by the patient as a sensation of electrical shocks that starts suddenly. Attacks occur daily for several weeks or months, followed by a period of remission that may last for years and then attacks may recur. The pain is always located unilaterally, is so strong and sudden that the patient is frightened, may grimace, wince, or make an aversive head movement, reason why trigeminal neuralgia is also called tic douloureux.
Paroxysmal pain attack lasts a few seconds, up to 20-30 seconds, rarely up to several minutes and during the day or night painful attacks can occur several times. The attack appear and disappear suddenly. Pain may occur spontaneously or is triggered by stimulation of specific areas located on the face, called trigger zones. Trigger zones are stimulated by low intensity stimuli, especially tactile or activities like teeth washing, yawning, talking, shaving and laughing. Pain may be precipitated by loud noises or bright stimuli. Most often the trigger zone is located on the nose or lips. After the active period of the disease, remissions can last for months or years, and recurrence of painful paroxysms is unpredictable.
Neuralgia occurs mostly on maxillary and mandibular branch, but were reported exceptional cases were neuralgia was located in the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve.
Neurological examination reveals no changes in trigeminal nerve territory, which is an argument for the diagnosis of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. In evolution, trigeminal neuralgia tends to deterioration, painful attacks have the tendency to increase in frequency and severity.
Trigeminal Neuralgia Treatment
Trigeminal neuralgia benefit from medical treatment and neurosurgical treatment. Because trigeminal neuralgia affects patients older than 50 years, medical treatment should represent the initial therapy. Medical therapy is often sufficient and effective, allowing surgical consideration only if pharmacologic treatment fails.
Medical Therapy
Carbamazepine is the drug of choice in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Dose should be increased gradually to obtain a maximum effect of the drug. After several weeks of symptoms improvement, the dose of carbamazepine may be decreased gradually. The most common side effects of carbamazepine are represented by skin rash, liver problems, ataxia and dizziness. Oxycarbamazepine has fewer side effects compared with carabamazepina and represent an other choice in trigeminal neuralgia.
Phenytoin, clonazepam, baclofen, gabapentin and lamotrigine may be used either alone or in combination with carbamazepine.
Baclofen is the second choice in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, especially in relapse cases. Dose should be increased gradually to obtain a maximum effect and can be administered alone or in combination with phenytoin or carbamazepine.
Neurosurgical Procedures
Neurosurgical procedure are applied to cases that are unresponsive to drug therapy and consist of:
- Microvascular decompression;
- Percutaneous radiofrequency rhizotomy;
- Percutaneous radiofrequency trigeminal gangliolysis;
- Percutaneous microcompression with balloon inflation;
- Gamma knife surgery.
3 Responses to Trigeminal Neuralgia – Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Respected sir
Iam living in india at cuddalore in tamilnadu state.
Now iam suffering from facial pain .(facial nerve pain) daignosed trigeminal neuralgia,since 10 years.
given carbamazipine,and prigabaline.Now stoped all drugs. because iam going to acupuncture treatment.but till now iam suffering from trigeminal nerve pain(madible and maxilary nerve).opthalmic nerve giving pain in the time of taking cabapentini.cabapentine is giving side effect to trigeminal opthalmic nerve.
kaindly i request to you sir,give proper direction to me for treatment.
thanking you
yours faithfully
s.sathiyarajmohan
All antiseizure drugs caused impairing fogginess. Eventually I found that topical LIDOCAINE 2% VISCOUS placed inside the upper lip at the very top would stop the pain. This is where your dentist injects novicaine (like lidocaine), the very end of one branch of the trigeminal nerve. Recently, I saw a neurologist who very wisely prescribed the ORAL form of lidocaine, “mexiletine” (Mexitil)capsules, 150 mg to start.
This durg stopped excruciating, overwhelming, exhausting pain within about 15 minutes! Incredible.
Sometimes I need a higher dose (max is 900 mg to avoid side effects; otherwise there are NO side effects). This drug is used for heart spasms of the lower part of the heart at a higher dose. But at this dose, below 900 mg, there is no heart effect.
It is very safe, without side effects, and extremely effective for “central” (originating in the brain as trigeminal neuralgia does) pain!
Ask your doctor for mexiletine/Mexitil. It is a long-proven drug, available all over the world.
If it ever stops working,I will have the “gamma knife” treatment.It does not involve opening up the skull,done at major medical centers by a neurosurgeon with very advanced and precise equipment (UCSF, Stanford, Univ of Washington). It takes a short time, and there is total remission within three weeks.
An old friend has had the gamma knife treatment four times now, each time lasting for 5-7 years, and has been able to give college lectures and travel widely to conferences to give presentations. She also publishes books on her work in literature (John Milton) and lectures on the psychoanalysis of pain in major medical schools–so she is urging me to get the gamma knife treatment ASAP. Meanwhile, Mexitil and using the lidocaine on gauze strips under my upper lip stop the pain! Completely.
Be sure to use the treatment as soon as possible after an attack begins to interrupt the pain to keep the pain gates from opening more. No reason to go through this.
My pain goes from the roof of my mouth, up through my sinus bone, through the eyelid and eyebrow, the forehead, and into the edge of the scalp. These sites spread after I had “shingles” on the same side about eight years ago; the pain had followed a dental infection (dry sccket)in a tooth next to the “eye tooth” in 2000.
I feel very, very lucky to have found both lidocaine (on the skin or in the mouth) and then Mexitil. Pain only recurs rarely now that the nerve is not being stimulated, I assume.
By the way, my pain was deemed “intractable”, since no drugs would interrupt it, and I was referred to a neurosurgeon for the gamma knife treatment. It is the most severe kind of trigeminal neuralgia. because it’s complicated by “post-herpetic neuralgia” (PHN)
Please ask your doctor for mexiletine (Mexitil is easier to spell);in the meantime, use the topical (surface) lidocaine– only the 2% viscous lidocaine will work. I was happy to find this specific form verified as uniquely effective in clinical research articles.
There is a lidocaine patch that’s used for severe pain, too, but I’d rather use this goo in my mouth than have a patch on my face. Some people put the lidocaine gel on their skin; I’ve used this for the sinus bone and eye pain in the past not as effective as putting it under your upper lip, good as a supplement. But try the oral capsule, the Mexitil, as well– much more effective. lasts for 4-8 hours. |
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What human medications can you safely give a 35 lb dog. My vet charged me $14 for 4 pills that are anti inflamitory. I have seen low dose asprin 81 mg in the Jeffers pet catalog alot cheaper than that.
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on Feb 13th 2012
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What did he prescribe? There are some medications from the vet that are a combination of anti-inflammatory and pain med. I have given my dogs baby aspirin in the past. Dogs are also tolerant of benadryl and low dose tylenol. Guess it just depends what you're looking to do.While I understand wanting to save money - its important to know why your vet is giving a particular med and what it does. Straying from that can have unwanted consequences.
Bella
answered on 2/13/12.
Helpful?
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0
Tylenol is NOT safe for dogs as they metabolize it differently from humans and it will destroy their livers.
Even baby aspirin can cause intestinial bleeds in dogs and should be avoided if at all possible. Most NSAIDS for dogs ARE formulated differently from human meds since dogs digestive systems are so much different from humans and are sensitive to different drug activity.
I would ask your vet to give you a prescription and then order the drugs from some place online like pet med or a place like that.
Perhaps your vet will price match if he knows you are going to order them elsewhere, my vet will do that if you ask for a written prescription.
Toto, CD, RN, CGC
answered on 2/13/12.
Helpful?
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2
If you're wanting an anti-inflammatory supplement, I highly recommend giving Traumeel tablets by (Heel). I take these and so do my dogs. My dog had really bad arthritis, so bad that we were fixing to put him down because he could barely walk on his own and when I started giving him Traumeel tablets by (Heel) he can walk and run on all fours with no problem.
Curcumin and yucca are also great supplements that would be great anti-inflammatory supplements. Yucca by Nature's Way and Curcumin by Life Extension are both great products, highly recommend them.
Howard
answered on 2/15/12.
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0
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“I’ll keep you in my thoughts.”
These comforting words are sometimes substituted for the more typical expression of sympathy and consolation: “I’ll keep you in my prayers.” But what does it mean to keep someone in your thoughts? Should we say such a thing?
I suspect that the reason for the modification is that referring to “thoughts” can seem to be less contentious than referring to “prayers.” The former expresses sympathy, but softens the philosophical and theological baggage tied to “prayers.” After all, prayer is an act of begging. As such, it is directed to someone, namely, God. Since God and religion are treated as essentially private matters in our society, it might seem pushy to bombard a non-believer with promises of prayer. Besides, if the point is to sympathize and to console—to do a kind act to someone in need—then there is no need to get God involved.
But are thoughts adequate for consolation?
Here I would like to refer to the great 19th century critic of Christianity, Friedrich Nietzsche. In his book The Antichrist, Nietzsche offers a somewhat surprising criticism of his contemporaries. He argues that Christianity, which he calls the “religion of pity,” is opposed to what makes human life excel and thrive. His reasoning is simple enough. “Suffering,” he says, “is made contagious by pity.” Pity, according to Nietzsche, preserves what is most miserable in life and acts as a “depressant.” For what is pity but suffering because of someone else’s suffering?
Although I am far from accepting Nietzsche’s criticism, either in whole or part, one must admit that there is some sense to it. What if “pity” were set up as the chief virtue, as Nietzsche claims some of his contemporaries had done? The answer is simple: suffering and destruction would be seen as ends in themselves. In this way, so-called pity would exalt suffering as a good in itself. Nietzsche is right in saying that it is absurd to exalt suffering in this way.
For the Christian especially, sympathetic thoughts are a form of co-suffering. We take on mental and spiritual anguish alongside our friends and neighbors. To the ancient Greeks, true pagans, this is incomprehensible. The tranquility of mind which is the end of the good life seems directly opposed to thoughts which upset and disturb the mind.
But on account of the crucified Galilean, suffering is transformed. It becomes a subordinate and instrumental means of merit. It is not undergone for its own sake, but for the sake of something greater out of charity. Without charity, Christ’s suffering would not be wonderful, it would be sadistic.
As the inheritors of the residue of a Christian culture, we stand in much the same position as those Nieztsche was criticizing. They tried to have it both ways—to preserve the outer shell of Christian morality, while disregarding its distinctive religious claims. Thus, such pity could be easily disparaged by Nieztsche, since the willingness to co-suffer is meaningless apart from Christ.
But in Christ suffering gains an ontological weight. Uniting ourselves to the very Cross of Christ, we “co-suffer with Him” (sympaschomen) that we may be “co-glorified with Him” (syndoxasthōmen) (cf. Romans 8:17).
Now, if the promise of sympathetic thoughts is given as a mere formality, then one could make the gesture without the least thought of Christ. We simply need something nice to say— it would be terribly awkward to say nothing—and so we fill in the blank space with a Hallmark card. But if true consolation is intended by the offering of one’s thoughts, then it turns out that the philosophical and religious presuppositions behind such “thoughts” are even deeper than those behind “prayers,” because compassionate thoughts assume a theology of suffering which is distinctively Christian. If the offer of one’s thoughts in sympathy is to actually mean something in its own right, then this offering must be united with the cross, which alone gives meaning to suffering.
Let us remember that Christ Himself bore us in His thoughts in His agony in Gethsemane, and that He thirsted in hope for our salvation on the Cross. And the Apostle, too, bore the “the daily pressure… of [his] anxiety for all the churches” (2 Cor 11:28). Indeed, such “slight momentary affliction” prepares for us “an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor 4:17).
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Life's Rich Pageant - R.E.M. Reviews
Newest Review: ... needed to release an album per year: look at today's periodic and bloated outputs and try to argue against the idea that ... more
Customer Life's Rich Pageant - R.E.M. Reviews (7)
by - written on 26/11/10 (Very useful, 108 readings)
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An exchange I had on numerous occasions from Autumn '92 to Christmas '93. Other person: 'Oooooh, I absolutely love R.E.M.!! I've got both their CDs!!' Me: 'Would that be the R.E.M. who've now released 8 studio albums, then?' Other person: 'Oh.' R.E.M. crawled from the south (specifically the university town of Athens, Georgia) in 1980. Vocalist Michael Stipe and guitarist Peter Buck met in the record store where the latter worked in 1978, and a couple of years later they hooked up with the rhythm section of (in grand teenage style, sworn enemies who'd become best friends) preppie-esque bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry, owner of ... Read the complete review
by - written on 11/05/09 (Very useful, 26 readings)
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When my girlfriend asked me why I was writing a review for an R.E.M. album when I've been listening to Pearl Jam all day long, my reply was that this is what my soul desires. It's not a cheesy reply; seriously, this is one of the greatest albums ever released. And you know why? Because it's unknown and pretty obscure. R.E.M. is one of those great American bands that didn't become famous overnight but they managed to build a great fan base as each year went by. What's amazing is that they released 6 albums in less than 6 years during the 1980's. What's even more amazing is that those old-school R.E.M. albums are fantastic albums, and they have a very vital ... Read the complete review
by - written on 26/10/05 (Very useful, 991 readings)
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"Lifes Rich Pageant" (no apostrophe!), REM's fourth studio album after "Murmur", "Reckoning" and "Fables of the Reconstruction" was released on the IRS label in 1986. Guitarist Peter Buck explains the apostrophe-less title as follows: "We all hate apostrophes. Michael insisted and I agreed that there's never been a good rock album that's had an apostrophe in the title." I don't know what Lynne Truss would have to say about that, but seeing as it's REM, I'll forgive them their punctuation sins. This was the first REM album I ever heard, in about 1987. I thought it was fantastic then and its appeal has definitely ... Read the complete review
by - written on 29/09/01, updated on 29/09/01 (Very useful, 169 readings)
Rating:
Back when i was first buying music, i came accross REM's 1994 album 'Monster'. Seeing as how i loved this album to death, i pretty much bought their entire back catalogue (on tape as my battered old stereo didn't have a CD player). This album though is the absolute business. It's hard to imagine a band consistently making a new record every year making great albums year in, year out, but REM did it! This is from 1986, 3 years after making their acclaimed debut record, 'Murmur' (excellent album as well!). After 1984's 'Reckoning', 1985's 'Fables of the Reconstruction' and before their 1987 breakthrough record, ... Read the complete review
by - written on 12/02/01, updated on 12/02/01 (Very useful, 123 readings)
Rating:
The title's a phrase from Inspector Clouseau (from "A shot in the dark"), but why REM chose it as the title to their fourth album is, like Michael Stipe's vocals at the time, about as clear as mud. It's not, for one thing, a mumbling Clouseau-like collection - it is a rich mix of tracks, though, and contains some of my favourite REM songs. At the time of its release, REM were still a cult band, in the UK at any rate, they were yet to have a chart hit here (that would come with "The one I love" from the album that was to follow "Life's rich pageant"). However, this album did seem to be beckoning towards a more mainstream ... Read the complete review
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Mutsy Spider Reviews
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India is aggressively shopping for nuclear fuel and technology to ramp up its energy production. What does it mean in terms of cost, technology and safety?
Patriarch of the nuclear family: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (Credit: REUTERS) India's desperate pursuit of nuclear energy will be expensive and risky. Small wonder industry wants to dilute its liability Commission.
The first phase envisaged setting up pressurized heavy water reactors and running them on uranium available in the country. In the process some of the uranium gets converted into plutonium, which is recovered from the spent fuel.
In the second stage, fast breeder reactors use a mix of recovered plutonium and depleted uranium. A blanket of thorium is put around the reactor, and some of it converts into uranium, which is extracted. In the third stage, uranium converted from thorium is used to fuel power plants. India is entering the second stage and it will take at least 20 years before it can generate electricity by using thorium. Reactors running on thorium are yet to be developed.
But setting energy targets is easier than meeting them. Even if India gets uranium immediately and overcomes the fear Chernobyl and Three Mile Island accidents evoke, several bottlenecks remain. Long timeframes and delays are one. Nuclear energy is capital-intensive and delays result in cost overruns, making it even more expensive..
Even in countries India is looking to for cooperation nuclear projects are marred by delays. In a recent ranking of nuclear utilities in the US, ranking service Moody's ranked the proposed nuclear reactors poorly in terms of viability due to cost overruns.
The second bottleneck is technology. Fast breeder reactors necessary for the second stage of India's nuclear programme are fraught with financial and health risks.
Plutonium used in them is 30,000 times more radioactive than uranium-235 used in heavy water reactors. Fast reactors generate a lot of heat in very small volume and use molten metals, like liquid sodium, to remove the heat. Since sodium burns on contact with air or water, a leak can be dangerous. These reactors are also costly to build and maintain, though they partially solve the problem of disposing of plutonium-rich spent fuel.
Worldwide, fast breeder reactors have been abandoned. The Superphn.
Scientists are working on advanced versions of fast reactors but they are not yet commercially available. "We aren't going to get much on the technical front. Countries would set up reactors on a turnkey basis, but won't give away their technology," said R Ramachandran, member of the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change.
India's logic behind pushing for fast reactors is to be able to convert thorium into uranium. A prototype fast breeder reactor is under construction in Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu.
M V Ramana, physicist at the Princeton University in usa, is not optimistic of its success. "The three-stage nuclear programme was an idea from the 1950s when no one knew that breeder reactors would be a technological failure, expensive and prone to accidents, and that reprocessing would be so costly," he said. "If the country does have to go nuclear, it should stay with heavy and light water reactors."
There is another hurdle.
The US has linked India's access to the enrichment and reprocessing technology, needed for the thorium stage, to signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Australia has also refused to sell uranium to India unless it signed the treaty.
Ultimately, it is economic viability that will determine the success of nuclear energy projects. Financing up-front investment for nuclear plants is a challenge even in industrialized countries.
Nuclear energy in India is being supplied by heavy water reactors. A study by Ramana in 2007 showed the Department of Atomic Energy (dae) heavily subsidizes npcil to provide cheap heavy water (Rs 12,000 per kg). "Atomic energy is unlikely to be economically competitive if the true cost of producing heavy water is taken into account," wrote Ramana. Besides, cost overruns due to delay in construction of nuclear reactor are also borne by dae, and that keeps the price competitive with coal-fired thermal power plants.
Data available for construction of reactors at Kaiga and Rajasthan showed that even with an experience of setting up heavy water reactors, the cost overshot. While Kaiga was estimated to cost over Rs 730 crore, it ended up costing nearly four times (Rs 2,896 crore). The Rajasthan reactor was estimated at Rs 711 crore and cost Rs 2,511 crore. They were delayed by five-six years.
In 2004, dae projected a cost of Rs 3,400 crore for the prototype fast reactor in Kalpakkam and completion by 2010. An untested design, this reactor is unlikely to be finished in time and budget, said Ramana. A former head of dae had also warned of slips in the schedule and cost uncertainty, he added.
Imported reactors are not going to be cheaper. Areva's light water reactors are likely to cost India US $9,000 per kW, said Praful Bidwai, a political analyst and member of the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace, a national network of over 200 organizations. This is way beyond India's estimate of US $3,000-4,000 per kW, he added.
Managing waste from nuclear reactors is another expensive proposition. Being highly radioactive, the waste needs constant monitoring. The half-life (the period in which radioactivity halves) of plutonium-239 is 24,400 years and that of uranium-235 is 710 million years. Though the economic lifespan of a reactor is only 30-40 years, it remains hazardous for thousands of years. Decommissioning a reactor is costly. "If one is just going to dig a deep hole and put the waste inside it, there will be enough money. But not if you think about monitoring it for the tens of thousands of years," said Ramana. Of the total cost of a reactor, 20 per cent is set aside for waste management, said S Thakur, executive director of npcil.
So what will a unit of electricity produced by nuclear plants cost? A rough estimate is between Rs 4 and Rs 6. This is close to Rs 3-4 per unit by coal plants, but only after including the heavy water subsidy and cost overruns underwritten by dae. Hydel power costs much less and renewable much more (see Cost of Electricity). "Use of imported (cleaner) coal has hiked the cost of thermal energy to Rs 6 a unit," said Ramachandran.
Power sector analyst and member of the Delhi Science Forum, Prabir Purkayastha, estimates nuclear energy will be more expensive. "Without including fuel and operation cost, the cost per unit would be Rs 7 to Rs 8. If we add to this the fuel cost, which is 25 per cent of the cost, it becomes evident that nuclear renaissance is fast disappearing from Western countries and India is the only possible dupe for the West," he said (see Who is building reactors?).
Despite these odds the nuclear industry is hopeful of a renaissance. There is more to its optimism than growing energy demand and climate change. It expects the customer nations to dilute its liability in case of a nuclear accident. "We are hoping to see action on nuclear liability legislation that would reduce liability for American companies and allow them to invest in India," US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Robert Blake, told a House committee in June.
India is yet to take a stand on liability; it is drafting the bill governing civil nuclear liability. Many believe the bill, being hastened to please the US, was instrumental in lifting nuclear sanctions.
Nuclear companies will not invest in India unless liability is capped and fixed not on the supplier but on the operator. At present the operator in India is npcil. Areva also made it clear that France will not move ahead on the nuclear agreement unless the civil nuclear liability bill is passed. Although Areva is owned by the government, it is a listed company with private and public shareholders and is run like a private company. "The French government will not bail us out in case of an accident, so we have to insure ourselves through the liability bill," said Patrick Teyssier, marketing and strategy director at Areva.
If Areva gets its nuclear plants insured through an insurance company, the cost of electricity generation can go up three times. According to a report prepared by the Austrian ministry of environment in 2007, if Europe's largest nuclear utility, Electricit de France, were to fully insure its power plants with a private insurer using a liability limit of 420 million (US $610 million), it would pay an insurance premium of 0.019 cents/kWh. But if there is no ceiling in place, the premium would be 5 cents /kWh. This would increase the cost of generation 200 per cent. So nuclear energy is a viable option only if liability is diluted. In other words the risks and costs are passed on to the public. Small wonder former US ambassador to India David Mulford even lobbied for an ordinance in case India could not enact the liability law quickly.
Though the details of the draft are not clear, the bill is said to indemnify the private player so that it does not have to go through what Union Carbide did in the Bhopal gas tragedy. Union Carbide shelled out US $470 million to the victims, while the Indian government estimated losses at US $3 billion.
Speculations are that the bill limits the liability of the operating company to US $450 million as per the Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage or even less. India will have to ratify the Convention (see Liability regimes. Damages beyond this amount will be paid by the Indian government. "Why should suppliers go scot-free?" asked Anil Chaudhary of the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace. "Everyone involved in the process of producing nuclear energy should be held equally liable," he said.
India's opposition parties, bjp, cpi and cpi(m), said they will oppose the bill if it does not make all parties liable.
Austria, for example, had extended the liability regime to suppliers of equipment and other parties involved in transporting or dealing with nuclear fuel and waste. It did not cap liability either. A public vote in 1978 halted Austria's nuclear programme for lack of a radioactive waste disposal plan.
India Inc also wants a share of the nuclear business and is pushing for limiting liability. Reliance, Tata Power and Larsen and Toubro are interested. At present, private sector is limited to supplying equipment; it cannot have stakes in management. ficci submitted a paper to the government earlier this year recommending legislative and policy changes to allow private participation. The recommendations include fdi in the sector and the liability bill.
The accident at the Chernobyl reactor in Ukraine in 1986 demonstrated that the economic, environmental and health consequences of a nuclear mishap are extremely serious. The unofficial estimated death toll after the Chernobyl mishap was 65,000; damages were worth US $250 billion. Even 10 years after the accident, Ukraine's neighbour Belarus continued to spend over 10 per cent of the state budget to mitigate Chernobyl's effects.
In India, health hazards from nuclear power plants have always been swept under the carpet. In 2007, physicist V Pugazhendhi of the Doctors for Safer Environment released a study on the incidence of auto-immune thyroid disease among women in and around Kalpakkam, where the prototype fast reactor is under construction. It showed the disease affected 24 per cent women within a radius of 5 km from the plant. It reduced to 6 per cent within a 40 km radius and to 0.8 per cent in 400 km.
Of the 5,000 people working at the plant site in Sadras village, very few are from Tamil Nadu, said Suresh Kumar, a resident of Sadras whose brother used to work at the site. People in the area are afraid of exposure to radiation.
The reprocessing plant at the site segregates the spent fuel into plutonium and uranium, and radioactive waste is diluted for disposal in the sea. A retired nuclear scientist from Kalpakkam, requesting anonymity, said uranium and plutonium, which need to be stored in secure underground repositories, are kept in temporary surface facilities at the site. Health surveys conducted by physicist Surendra Gadekar between 1989 and 1991 at the Rawatbhata nuclear plant in Rajasthan showed high incidence of tumours, miscarriages, still births and congenital diseases.
dae denies radiation from nuclear plants is affecting people's health.
Several accidents have also occurred at nuclear plants. Six employees of the Kalpakkam reprocessing plant were exposed to high radiation due to a leak in a safety valve in 2003. This could have led to a major accident. In 1993, failure of steam turbine blades caused a fire at the Narora plant in Uttar Pradesh. It could have partially melted the reactor core where fission takes place.
India's nuclear power producer npcil said there is no reason to worry about safety. "In India we have had 305 reactor-years of safe operation," said S Thakur, npcil's executive director. Reactor-years are the cumulative years for which all reactors in a country have functioned. A UN report in 1993, found occupational hazard in nuclear plants in India was six to eight times the world average. A public interest petition demanding the disclosure of an Atomic Energy Regulatory Board's report on the safety of nuclear power plants was rejected by the Supreme Court in 2004 under government pressure.
Given the risks, how desperately should India pursue nuclear energy? The Planning Commission's energy policy report says India will have to increase its electricity generation more than four times by 2030 to sustain the eight per cent economic growth. The report also observed India's coal reserves will not last more than 45 years. So it is impossible to leave out any energy source. "Just one per cent (of the energy mix) decides between illuminating two million houses and plunging them into darkness," said V S Arunachalam, chairman of the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (cstep) in Bengaluru.
Wind, hydel and biomass cannot contribute more than a fourth of India's future energy need, estimates a report by cstep. Coal, nuclear and solar energy will have to meet the rest of the demand.
The world's uranium reserves are likely to last 80 years, according to the industry body, World Nuclear Association. Solar energy is viable subject to scaling down the price (Rs 20 per unit) and evolving the technology.
Additional reporting by Niranjana Ramesh in Chennai. |
One, two, Freddy’s coming for you. Three, four better lock your door. Five, six grab your crucifix. Seven, eight gonna stay up late. Nine, ten never sleep again! That is the famous nursery rhyme from one of the best horror films of all time, A Nightmare on Elm St. The serial killer in the movie was Freddy Krueger and he was created by the very talented Wes Craven. The movie hit theaters back in 1984 and it was the most talked about horror film during the eighties. The actor that played Freddy in all seven films was Robert Englund and I have to say he is probably one of the best serial killer performers that I have ever seen. Not only is he creepy, but he is also very energetic, comical, and ruthless. This tutorial will show you “how to draw Freddy Krueger” step by step. Now Freddy was or is a character that was executed by all the parents that lived on Elm St. because he was kidnapping kids and killing them. It was never said if Krueger molested the children or not, just that he was definitely killing neighborhood children. How and where did he tale these children you ask? Well from what the movie explains Freddy would abduct children and then take them to where he worked which was a power plant. He lured the kids into the basement of the power plant and then killed them in the boiler room. He was later arrested and convicted for the murder of twenty children but some how he walked free. Almost every parent on Elm St. conspired to make Krueger pay for his crimes so what they did was set his house on fire and he and the house burned to the ground obviously killing Fred Krueger in the process. Wes Cravens creation of Freddy Krueger was brilliantly done. He made the character with a burnt scared up face, he wore a dingy brown fedora hat, his famous red and green striped sweater, and his notorious killing tool; a glove that was made by Krueger that had elongated razor sharp knives that he controlled with his fingers. His whole purpose in the movie is to get revenge on the towns people by killing off their children. Now it is said that Krueger was born to a nun named “Sister Mary Helena” or Amanda Krueger. She was rapped by one hundred maniacs and her basted child was the result of her rap. Anyways, I’m done talking about children dying and nuns being rapped, I just want to show you “how to draw Freddy Krueger step by step“. Have fun ya’ll and peace out. I will be back in a bit. |
I love haggis.
Yes, I admit it, and I’m not even Scottish. But I only love the real thing, and that is a sheep’s stomach stuffed with sheep offals, onions, oatmal, suet and spices. Well, I’ll make the concession that a plastic wrapper might be an acceptable substitute for the stomach on less formal occasions than Burns Supper, also smaller sausage-like versions are alright. But that’s about all I can concede.
But the traditional haggis is under perpetual threat from many directions. Here is a selection of what people have done to the national dish of Scotland:
1. Messing Around With the Ingredients
This is the most commonly practiced adulteration. I’m afraid to say that it seems like there is actually more faux haggis adorning the shelves of butchers and supermarkets than proper specimens.
I admit that some might feel mildly nauseous when confronted with the truth behind real haggis. But if you can’t take it, you’d better leave it. Please don’t try to substitute the yucky sheep stuff with pork or beef. Have a steak instead, or meat balls, it’s going to taste better. But at the very least, please don’t call it haggis.
2. Vegetarian Haggis
What’s a veggie going to have on Burns Night? Tough question. OK, I see that you don’t want to be left out of the fun. But is faking really the answer? Aren’t there other things that go well with neeps’n tatties and can profit from a good helping of whisky sauce? Be a little creative!
3. Haggis Pizza
Take a pizza Margherita and sprinkle some haggis on top before baking. Gross? You bet! I love pizza almost as much as I love haggis, but the combination of both is just perverted. Sheep lungs with mozzarella di bufalo and extra garlic? Pass the grappa please.
4. Haggis Crisps
British snack producers are probably the most creative of the world when it comes to flavours for crisps. Roastbeef, prawn cocktail, you name it, it’s all been done before. So it was only a matter of time until the Scots favourite staple was to be addressed. Is it good or bad news that the list of ingriedients boasts “natural pork flavouring”? Decide for yourselves. (I would love to try them anyway, but don’t tell anybody…)
5. Haggis Chocolate
Nadia Ellingham from Edinburgh invented this treat. I have to admit that even I as a haggis purist thought this idea had some peculiar charm to it. But I had to find out that only the haggis spices are used. No sheep were hurt during of the production of these chocolates. Skip.
6. Haggis Ice Cream
Morelli’s in Harrods Food Hall is supposed to serve ice cream made with proper haggis ingredients. Call me old-fashioned, but for me haggis is a winter warmer and not a summer freezer. But at least serve it in bowls, please, to allow adding generous measures of whisky sauce.
Now I need a dram.
Haggis image from Wikimedia Commons
Followup: Actually the final kick for publishing this post was the report of Clootie Dumplings being made “fit for the 21st century” that was published on the ScotFest Blog on tuesday. But I have always wanted to write about the assorted haggis weirdness anyway. |
The charge of the priests and of the Levites, and their portion.
[1] And the Lord said to Aaron: Thou, and thy sons, and thy father' s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the sins of your priesthood.
[2] And take with thee thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, and the sceptre of thy father, and let them be ready in hand, and minister to thee: but thou and thy sons shall minister in the tabernacle of the testimony.
[3] And the Levites shall watch to do thy commands, and about all the works of the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary nor the altar, lest both they die, and you also perish with them.
[4] But let them be with thee, and watch in the charge of the tabernacle, and in all the ceremonies thereof. A stranger shall not join himself with you.
[5] Watch ye in the charge of the sanctuary, and in the ministry of the altar: lest indignation rise upon the children of Israel.
[1] And thy father's house with thee, shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: That is, you shall be punished if, through negligence or want of due attention, you err in the discharge of the sacred functions for which you were ordained.
[6] I have given you your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel, and have delivered them for a gift to the Lord, to serve in the ministries of the tabernacle.
[7] But thou and thy sons look ye to the priesthood: and all things that pertain to the service of the altar, and that are within the veil, shall be executed by the priests. If any stranger shall approach, he shall be slain.
.
[11] But the firstfruits, which the children of Israel shall vow and offer, I have given to thee, and to thy sons, and to thy daughters, by a perpetual law. He that is clean in thy house, shall eat them.
[12] All the best of the oil, and of the wine, and of the corn, whatsoever firstfruits they offer to the Lord, I have given them to thee.
[13] All the firstripe of the fruits, that the ground bringeth forth, and which are brought to the Lord, shall be for thy use: he that is clean in thy house, shall eat them.
[14] Every thing that the children of Israel shall give by vow, shall be thine.
,
[16] And the redemption of it shall be after one month, for five sicles of silver, by the weight of the sanctuary. A sicle hath twenty obols.
[17] But the firstling of a cow and of a sheep and of a goat thou shalt not cause to be redeemed, because they are sanctified to the Lord. Their blood only thou shalt pour upon the altar, and their fat thou shalt burn for a most sweet odour to the Lord.
[18] But the flesh shall fall to thy use, as the consecrated breast, and the right shoulder shall be thine.
.
[20] And the Lord said to Aaron: You shall possess nothing in their land, neither shall you have a portion among them: I am thy portion and inheritance in the midst of the children of Israel.
[19] A covenant of salt: It is a proverbial expression, signifying a covenant not to be altered or corrupted; as salt is used to keep things from corruption; a covenant perpetual, like that by which it was appointed, that salt should be used in every sacrifice. Lev. 2.
. |
Introducing C++ Order Relations
The C++ library facilities for sorting, binary searching, and ordered containers work only on types with appropriate order relations defined on them. For example, if
v has type
vector<T>, and we wish to call
sort(v.begin(), v.end()), the call will work properly only if
T has an appropriately defined
operator<. If there is an appropriate operation with a different name, such as
compare, we could call
sort(v.begin(), v.end(), compare) instead. Either way, the operation has to be appropriately defined.
Because the built-in numeric types, along with the standard string and container types, define appropriate operations, C++ programmers can go a long time without having to know just what it takes to define such an operation. Over the next few weeks, I intend to discuss some of the subtleties involved in doing so.
Perhaps the most important aspect to remember about C++ order relations is that the parts of the library that expect them expect only a single relation. In other words, when you call
sort, sort needs to know only how to look at two values
a and
b and answer the yes-or-no question: Should
a precede
b according to the given ordering? Asking this question is analogous to asking whether
a<b, except that the operation need not be spelled as
<. So, for example, when we call
sort(v.begin(), v.end(), compare), we are saying that the function named
compare will be used to say whether
a precedes
b.
Because
sort's caller need supply only a single operation, the code inside
sort itself never compares two elements directly for equality or inequality. Instead, any equality test comes about only as a consequence of calling
<, or
compare, or whatever its name might be.
At this point, I could continue by explaining the rules surrounding order relations. Instead of doing that, however, I'd like to take a step back and think about what properties an order relation needs to have in order to be useful for sorting.
The most important such property is that after a sequence has been sorted, the order of its elements must conform to the definition of
<. In particular, if
a precedes
b in the sequence, then
b<a must be false. By implication,
a<a must be false for all values of
a. Otherwise, it would be impossible to sort a two-element sequence both of whose elements had value
a. We can describe this requirement by saying that
< must be irreflexive.
For similar reasons,
a<b and
b< a must never both be true. Otherwise, it would be impossible to sort a two-element sequence with
a and
b as its two values. By implication, for any two values
a and
b, either
a<b is true,
b<a is true, or
a<b and
b<a are both false. We can describe this requirement by saying that
< must be antisymmetric.
Whenever
a<b is true,
a will precede
b in any ordering — that's the meaning of
a<b. As a result, if
a<b and
b<c are both true, then
a must precede
b and
b must precede
c. As a result,
a must precede
c, from which we can infer that
a<c ought to be true as well. Indeed, the C++ library requires this property: Whenever
a<b and
b<c are both true,
a<c must be true as well. We can describe this requirement by saying that
< must be transitive.
Let's abbreviate the state of affairs in which
a<b and
b<a are both false by writing
a?b, which we might describe by saying that
a and
b are unordered. Note that for any
a and
b, exactly one of
a<b,
b<a, and
a?b is true. We've already seen that
a?a must be true for any value of
a, and that whenever
a?b is true,
b?a is also true. In other words, unlike
<,
? is both reflexive and symmetric. However, like
<,
? must be transitive: If we don't care whether
a precedes
b, and we don't care whether
b precedes
c, it makes no sense to care whether
a precedes
c.
We can summarize these rules as follows:
- < must be irreflexive, antisymmetric, and transitive.
- If
a<band
b<aare both false, we say that
aand
bare unordered.
- The unordered relation must be reflexive, symmetric, and transitive.
Any relation that is reflexive, symmetric, and transitive is called an equivalence relation. Elements that are related by an equivalence relation are not necessary equal, but they share some of the properties of equality.
Exercise:
bool compare(int m, int n) { return abs(m) < abs(n); }
Does this function meet all of the requirements of an order relation? Why or why not? |
22 Inspiring Examples of Facebook Page Designs than wall. Here are 22 examples of what you can do with your Facebook page’s landing tab.
Kit Kat
Victoria’s Secret
Gary Vaynerchuk
Toyota USA
Sony Football
If you know of any really cool Facebook welcome page examples please add them to the comments. Continues on the next page…
Posted on: November 29, 2010
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Good list of Facebook pages. I’m starting to do some of the same FMBL things they are doing. Thanks for sharing on sphinn.
I recently saw this page here in Ontario – Thought it was good:
Thanks for this awesome post. now i shall surely implement it on my website to attractive visitors..
Thanks Kevin! You can do pretty neat things with the FBML. For the more interactive experience you have to go with the apps.
Love these examples.
LOL
Of course if we could all use “Victoria’s Secret” ads, we would get plenty of likes
Just starting to learn about FBML and apps to liven up the page.
Thanks for the creative ideas.
Best, Lisa
Fantastic! Thanks a lot
Great examples of amped up FB pages. For companies that use Facebook for marketing, there are some wonderful ideas here for making pages more engaging.
Get your web designer to do a little FBML work and your page can have a big impact, too. (I’m adding that to my own to-do list for)
Awesome collection! All are very unique, fresh, attractive and inspiring.
Victoria’s Secret, Coca Cola, Harley Davidson and Twilight are some of other awesome designs you can add to your list. What say?
Hi Raj! Thanks for your comment. I specifically excluded Coca Cola, Harley Davidson, RedBull and some others. These are already shown in so many places that I thought repeating would be a bit too much..
Hi! Thanks for the comment Brad. Yes, you are right about some pages. I went over all of these and and most of them have some social/sharing/engaging aspect. The least social pages from this selection seem to be: Victoria’s Secret, Gary Vaynerchuk, On Your Own Adventures, Dunkin’ Donuts, Lacoste, and Windows.
Still I think they are OK for getting ideas flowing.
Interesting…..
wow great designs and great inspiration. This reminds me I should do a new design for my facebook page
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In response to “Brad Brenner said at 6:53 pm on December 1st, 2010:”.
They are landing pages which means they have been designed to extend the brand and influence people to like the page upon initial contact. People who have ‘liked’ the page more often than not, will never see the landing page again. No long-term value?! If you want to increase your traffic conversion by 30-50%…. use landing pages. By converting traffic, your repeat visitors do not decrease, they increase because you have more people ‘liking’ the page and therefore more fans on the page. Without landing pages your system operates like a leaky bucket that fails to capture a large percentage of traffic.
Agreed, the new marketing paradigm is much more than simply porting old methods to new medium. It needs an advanced understanding of ‘both’ the old and new media.
aesome collection..thanks….
This one was pretty cool:
Thanks, Jay!
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Very insightful examples….Thanks for sharing.
Nice pages there! Victoria’s Secret is a classic… The trouble is, most of the big brands have large budgets to burn on Facebook marketing and the small businesses can’t keep up with them. We developed a Facebook page for our business (Big Click) which you can check out here – … It’s only been up for a short time but our ‘likes’ seem to be increasing steadily since revamping it. Having a good page design definitely assists people into ‘liking’ the page.
Justin – Big Click Studios
@JustinRob
Thanks for your comment Justin! I think that building Facebook special tab is relatively simple and while big brands can put relatively better quality promo material on them (studio photos, video clips, etc) then smaller companies can work with design and copy. So, I would say it’s a tie
great list! any chance on adding ours
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Very creative!
We composed a double layered fan page. On the first there is a little game that you have to solve until you reach the real fan page.
If you like our creativity, please push that “LIKE” button!
Many thanks in advance!
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Nice and cool… Have a look at some of my landing page design works at
Nice work Jasmir!
Thank you for the list…
always good to have lists like these for inspiration
If I may, here are some good ones too
Pingback: Facebook Cheat Sheet: Sizes and Dimensions | DreamGrow Social Media
my page incorporating a smaller version of my main web design site
Guys, I recommend you visit June Spring Multimedia’s Facebook Page. It deserves to be in this list!
Those ones are so great and creative!
A perfect way to look original and make the buzz all around you!
Thanks! I loved the inspiration.
We just designed ours. Hope you like it |
Preparing for a bolt out of the black.Level of Lucidity:
Lucid Intent? No
This dream has been viewed 5059 times.
Looking at the chunky copper buckle it vaguely reminds me of the ratchet like clasps that are used to secure the tarpaulins on huge articulated 18 wheel trucks. I continue to watch the man finishing of his work and wonder to myself if the man isn’t making these preparations because he is expecting a thunder storm tonight.
Additional Comments:
Interpretation: I was woken up by my wife snoring last night between 2am and 3am, I took the opportunity to memorize all of my dreams up to this point but when I fell back asleep I slept very solidly right through till 7am. Between 2am and 7am it was like I was in a very refreshing void of nothingness, I only hazily recalled a very vague dream about being a child in a group of other children being looked after by a motherly figure, I awoke feeling extremely revitalized and rested. It was strange how all of my dreams seemed to revolve around America last night, each of the three dreams mentioned here were heavily infused with the usual American feeling that accompanies such dreams. I have read that lightening can represent very positive transformation and changes, the house in the dream might represent me I guess and the American/Italian man might represent a combination of pioneer spirit, opportunity and creativity. The dream had a very positive edge to it as did all of the other dreams from this night but it was also tinged with a high tension like the rest of the dreams too. Dream 1: The pinball repair shop – It is late evening time and I find myself in my dream version of America (just like in the previous dream). I am walking some quiet out of the way streets in a rundown part of a city, I cross over a deserted road and enter inside a small bare shop where I meet an older man and woman who are possibly husband and wife and who own and run the store. The interior looks virtually empty and the pastel green paint peels from the walls, the lady immediately starts chatting with me and explains that she and her partner have just managed to sell or rent out a property they own just over on the other side of the street. Apparently a lawyer who is new to the area has moved in to this property in order to open his bureau, the lady seems kind of proud and excited that she has managed to find such a respected and up market tenant. The lady then explains to me that her line of business is in pinball machines and that she and her partner repair them for a living. She takes out some components and places them on a table explaining that they only use original components which they refurbish, these items are scarce and rare but are the simply the best. After the chat I head off out into the empty streets and walk to the centre of the city where the tall skyscrapers are. I pause right in the centre of the city looking up at these immensely tall buildings, some kind of special light show or film show is being projected up onto the skyscrapers effectively using them as a kind of enormous screen. The animation is of a pinball table being played, all of the features are being lit up with all manner of digital displays showing scores, special features etc. Suddenly a message comes up on the gargantuan opaque scoreboard which I realize is for me. The words “Go for the Extra Ball!” pass by from left to right in digitized orange pixels, the message passes by over and over again as if crying out for my attention. Dream 3: My wife embarrasses me at the gym – Daytime and I find myself in my dream version of America again I am heading out to visit a gym, I am aware that my wife is going to be there. I enter the gym and see her sat on an exercise bicycle gossiping with lots of other women, I seem to immediately know that my wife is speaking badly about me and in a negative way to the other women. I walk on over without her noticing and lean against one of the bicycles whilst she continues to gossip about me. She hasn’t noticed me which seems unbelievable considering my proximity, and even when she does see me she just turns and continues to put me down in front of all the other women, this leaves me feeling very upset, hurt and betrayed. I get the impression that she thought I would get fed up of the insults and just leave the gym but I feel adamant to stay and exercise. I sit down on the floor and lace up my running shoes and then walk over to two large glass swinging doors which lead into the room where the treadmills are. When I get into the room though I see lots of business women and men stood around as if they were having a kind of informal meeting or coffee break. It looks like I won’t be able to exercise here after all as the room is booked for something else, I start to become a bit frustrated and annoyed. Suddenly a woman with a masculine parted black haircut comes over to me, I recognize her as an old work colleague, but when I look again I see that I must have been mistaken as it wasn’t her after all (or perhaps she transformed?) but now there is a different woman with much the same lean build, milky white tanned features but now with light blonde hair. The more I look at the woman’s face the more I try to wrack my memory for where I’ve seen or met her before (this was a very lucid tangible moment where my waking self was really struggling to try and figure out where I’d seen this woman before). Unfortunately I just cannot manage to place her face as memorable as it is which is very frustrating (even to me now). The blonde haired woman is the trainer in charge of the treadmills she seems friendly and sympathizes to a degree with my predicament. She asks me “What do you really want?” and “How much longer are you willing to put up with these conditions?” as we converse “2 years” is also mentioned possibly by me. Even though the lady was trying to help I decide I don’t want to talk about this awkward topic any longer and I pull myself away in a irritated by the previous situation with my wife and the not being able to use the treadmills, even before I flounce off out of the gym I start to feel very bad at just walking away from the lady as she was being friendly and was only trying to help me, I never meant to be rude to her. |
New Graduate Student Orientation
The Office of Graduate Studies in collaboration with the Office of Student Life host New Graduate Student Orientation prior to the start of the fall Academic Term. Attendance is strongly recommended but not required of all graduate students. Check back soon to register for Orientation.
Dates
Thursday, September 13, 2012 - Mandatory Orientation for International Students (Click to Register)
Friday, September 14, 2012 - General Graduate Student Orientation for all incoming graduate students
Schedule & Registration
New Graduate Student Orientation is divided amongst students whose programs are on the University City campus and students whose programs are on the Center City Campus. Please view the schedules and register for your orientation.
Webcast
Can't join us for Orientation? You can view our live webcast which will be active near 10:00AM on Friday, September 14.
International Students
If you are an international student, you are required to attend a Mandatory Orientation for International Students (Click to Register) on Thursday, September 13, 2012. This is seperate from Graduate Student Orientation, which you are still strongly encouraged to also attend.
Checklist for Incoming Students
Accept your offer of admission
Confirm your enrollment by submitting your intent to enroll form along with the nonrefundable tuition deposit to Enrollment Management. This form was included in the acceptance package from Enrollment Management.
Set up your Drexel Computer Account
If you are a newly matriculated graduate student, you are entitled to computer accounts such as email and DrexelOne portal. Visit the Information Resources and Technology (IRT) New Accounts website to pick up your accounts
Contact your Graduate Advisor
When you arrive on campus, make sure you stop by your academic department and introduce yourself. If you have questions or concerns related to your program, plan of study or registration, contact your graduate advisor.
Contact for International Students
Be sure you complete all the necessary tasks with the International Students and Scholar Services prior to the start of the term.
Enroll in or Waive Student Health Insurance
All international and full-time graduate students must be in compliance with Drexel’s Immunization and Health Insurance Policies. If you have an external health insurance, please check with a representative in the health insurance office to ensure it is in compliance with the university’s standard. As for doctoral students who are receiving a health insurance subsidy from the Graduate Studies Office, you must be enrolled in a Drexel’s health insurance plan.
For more information, please visit the Health Insurance and Immunization Website and check out the health insurance subsidy program.
Pick up your University Identification (DragonCard)
If you are an on campus student and have registered for classes, you are eligible for the DragonCard, which is crucial for you to gain access to certain buildings and utilize the services on campus.
Online students can also obtain a non-photo DragonCard Identification by sending an email to [email protected]. Please include your university ID number (eight digits) and current mailing address in your email.
For more information, please visit the DragonCard website.
Inform Disability Services
The Office of Equality and Diversity collaborates with and empowers individuals who have documented disabilities by working together proactively to determine reasonable and appropriate accommodative measures.
For more information, please visit the Office of Equality and Diversity website.
If you have a job or position on campus, it is a good idea to sign up for direct deposit. Direct deposit is the safest and easiest way to get any payroll you may receive. For more information, please visit the Office of Comptroller.
In addition, please visit the Tax Office and fill out the necessary paperwork for payroll.
Attend Graduate Student Orientation and Teaching Assistant Orientation
In addition to attending Graduate Student Orientation, some departments will also provide their own an academic orientation. Please check with your department for more information. Teaching Assistant Orientation is required for all incoming students who have a teaching assistantship.
If you are a matriculated graduate student after the fall quarter, please take a moment to review the video titled "Administrators Welcome You" from Graduate Student Orientation as well as the presentations/modules from various administrative offices.
Read the Graduate Student Handbook (Roadmap)
The handbook is for informational purposes only. It is offered to you as an introduction to Drexel University and to the policies and regulations that will guide you to your degree. Policies outlined in the handbook do not replace the policies of the Office of the Provost.
Visit the Drexel Resource Fair
At the start of each term during the first-two weeks of the quarter, there is Drexel Resource Fair held in the Great Court of the Main Building where you can get answers to questions relating to billing, financial aid, and health insurance and immunizations. |
Topo map
My bandwidth and graphics are being leeched.
117 days ago
Topo map
117 days ago
Pull up a chair, some popcorn, and something to drink, and enjoy !
Please note I don’t buy, sell, nor trade anything, but especially via email.
Nov 21, 2011
Working on the site by improving the site navigation menu. I won’t get all of it done this week. I’ll be adding direct links to each town’s topo map/aerial photo page.
Alabama is done with the new menu at the top of the pages. I’ll add more menu updates as I have time.
Thank you for stopping by.
June 13, 2010
Unless you see a post here that a state’s links have been checked, they may or may not work. The links in the menu above are all correct.
19 of 50 states done. I am not counting Texas in the total as it is only one-fifth done. Washington, D.C. didn’t have drive-in movie theaters.
597 articles corrected/checked; 762 left to go.
All pages for Maine Drive-Ins now have correct links.
New Katrina damage photos. January and March, 2009 Some changes, some still the same.
Warning: I don’t send from this account using form mail, if you receive form mail from me, please delete it. Its a forgery attempt.
This is where I am moving my Drive-in movie theater site to.
The original site will stay up until I have moved all of it here; however, as I correct links on pages I will delete them from the old site.
I have found that the old terraserver site has changed urls.
I am changing them, but I wont get it done this weekend. So if you try a link and it has terraserver in it change everything in the terraserver url from the .com back to the double slash in the url to msrmaps.com
So would become
A few more done. I updated and checked all links on the 2 open drive-in pages and the links page. Going to rest my eyes, so that is it for the day.
Thank you for stopping by.
343 days ago
Provided by Steve.
406 days ago
i hope this it the right place to send this info. the valley drive in is still open in newton iowa, it is on highway f48 just west of town on the north side of the road. you cant miss it using google maps.
thanks
terry
March, 2012
Topo map
Aerial photo
413 days agoSamGreen |
Road test maybe booked, cancelled or re-scheduled by the following method.
Please
be aware that if you are re-scheduling your road test appointment through the internet, you will be required to cancel a previous
appointment before you are able to view other dates available. If
you cancel a previous road
test appointment less than 48 hours before the scheduled road test,
you will lose your road test fee. Also see notes at the bottom of the page.
Note:
You will be required to provide your Ontario Driver's Licence number and your Driver's Licence Expiry date when you book a road test. Please note that if you were issued a temporary driver's licence, the expiry date on the temporary driver's licence is not the expiry date required. If you are unsure of your expiry date;
When booking your road test on the internet, please ensure you print your confirmation page before you exit the page. The confirmation page will indicate your test date and the DriveTest Centre of your test booking. You will be unable to print the confirmation page if you exit before the page is displayed.
All road test fees must be pre-paid at the time of booking an appointment. You may pre-pay your road test fee using a credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express) if you are booking an appointment over the phone or the Internet. Cash, Debit Card, Credit Card, Certified Cheque, Traveller’s Cheque, Bank Draft or Money Order can be used if booking in person at a DriveTest Centre.
How do I pre-pay for a road test if I don’t have a credit card?
Payments can be made at all DriveTest Centres by Cash, Debit Card, Certified Cheque, Traveller’s Cheque, Bank Draft or Money Order. You can also mail a Certified Cheque or Money Order, made payable to DriveTest, to the DriveTest Centre where the road test will be conducted. Your cover letter must include your name, address, phone number and driver’s licence number.
*Scheduled appointment/test time for each applicant is subject to change without notice
You are required to give 48 hours notice of test cancellation to avoid loss of the test fee.
If you cancel your road test three times online (internet and automated telephone booking), the system will block you from booking a fourth time and you may have to contact DriveTest to book your next road test appointment.
Novice class applicants may not book a road test after the date of licence expiry and are required to re-commence the graduated licencing system. Please be aware that tests booked in contravention of this policy will not be facilitated and unused appointment fees may be invoked.
Applicants may continue to book a road test prior to the date of their licence expiry for utilization after expiry, however if this test is cancelled after the licence expiry date, no further bookings may be made and the applicant is obliged to re-commence the graduated licencing system.
PLEASE NOTE:
Click here to review the requirements needed for your road test. |
Gadgets & Other Electronics Weather Devices
Baseball and Softball Accessories
Men's Clothes Shirts
Film & Movie Cameras
Desktop & Laptop Accessories Headsets
The world is changing at a fast pace and to keep up with this pace, we tend to adopt several unhealthy lifestyle habits and this can have many adverse consequences on our health. Being overweight is one problem that is related largely to the unhealthy lifestyle that we lead and our unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise aggravates the situation. Sometimes, obesity and being overweight can also be hereditary, but what is a regular feature with people who are overweight, is that they tend to suffer from several types of medical condition, which can sometimes even turn life threatening. There are several ways through which one can lose weight; in fact if you switch on the television or open a newspaper you will literally be bombarded with all the ads that claim to reduce weight magically.
Some of the claims at times come out to be true, but most of the times you will end up feeling frustrated as you will not lose any weight, rather you will end up losing lots of money in the process. If you are serious about losing weight, you must go for a stomach band surgery. Stomach band is a surgical process of losing weight and this is turning out to be hugely popular among the people as this is a very successful method of losing weight. For a stomach band surgery a person must be above the age of eighteen years and below the age of sixty two years. Also, a person can undergo the gastric band surgery only if all the other methods of reducing weight have failed. The person must be overweight for more than 5 years to be eligible to undergo a stomach band surgery.
The idea behind the gastric band is to reduce the size of the stomach so that the food intake is reduced, which in turn will help a person in reducing weight. In gastric band surgery a band is placed around the top portion of the stomach so that the stomach gets divided into two parts. Generally an adjustable stomach band is used for this weight loss surgery and that can be either tightened or loosened depending on the need. These adjustments can be made by pumping saline in or out of the inner rubber present within the ring through a reservoir and access port that is inserted just under the skin of the patient during the surgery itself.
When the size of the stomach is reduced by using the band, the food gets deposited in that small portion only and the person gets the feeling of being filled up after eating a very small portion of food. The signal which is transmitted to the brain is that the hunger has been satiated and thus the patient ends up eating a lesser portion of food. One needs to take care of the diet that they have after the surgery, if they want this method of weight reduction to be successful. The patient must strictly follow whatever the doctor has advised him or her to do.
About the Author: He advises obese people about the best methods of reducing weight depending on their health and body condition. One of the reference sites he mentions regularly for information about weight loss surgery,Stomach band is |
CALL NOW TO BOOK A TOUR!1,2.
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Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest:
If.
Salvia divinorum - aka the ‘YouTube drug’ - is banned in many countries around the world, but not in Britain. Is it as harmless as its users claim? By Philip Sherwell ‘bong’ to those in the know). He breathes in deeply, taking a lung-full of smoke. ‘alternative’ lifestyle and, as he puts it, still ‘open. ‘What we are witnessing is no less than the world’s first internet-driven drugs explosion,’ says Dr John Mendelson, a San Francisco-based clinical pharmacologist who is conducting medical trials into how the drug works on the brain.
A video of ‘Ashley’, a young red-haired American woman, sitting on a patch of grass, laughing wildly, and wearing a perplexed look on her face has been viewed more than two million times. As she grabs at her mouth, ‘Ashley’ mutters to her friends: ‘I can’t control it. My mouth is going to fall out.’ The site also encourages people to comment on the videos and many take this opportunity to describe their own experiences. ‘I took a large hit the other night from my bong,’ says a user in response to Lee Hogan’s video. ‘ ‘10x concentrate’ is 10 times the potency of the unprocessed leaf. Prices for a gram on one British website range from £10 for the 5x extract to £35 for the 50x extract. In return, the website promises a whole range of ‘, ‘most mind-bending, totally bizzarest, weirdest, strangest experience I have ever had’. It’s difficult, he says, to explain the impact that the herb had on his brain. ‘I was pulled to my right, into the brain-curve-warp-swirl tunnel is the best I can describe it,’ he says. ‘My brain, reality as we know it and everything else just sort of fused together and became this swirling tunnel. Endless, infinite. Speaking becomes very difficult, almost impossible.’
In a nod to some kind of ‘code. ‘I am very concerned about the use and misuse of Salvia divinorum because it contains an active ingredient that can trigger hallucinations,’ says Professor Fabrizio Schifano, an expert in drug addiction based at the University of Hertfordshire. ‘For. ‘A few months earlier, one of his cousins had told me that he was smoking some weird herb,’ she recalls. ‘I looked through his computer history and found that he had been going online to buy salvia. It was the first time I had ever even heard the name. ‘I. ‘Once one surrenders the five earthly senses and the mind, they are free,’ he wrote of salvia’s effect (he used to smoke the 20x extract). ‘Sal ‘love letter’ to his mother, father, girlfriend and friends, Mrs Chidester said. At the end the handwriting went ‘weird and sloppy’ as he signed off: ‘How could I go on living once I had learned the secrets of life?’ The medical examiner subsequently listed salvia as a contributory factor on his death certificate. ‘A psychologist who analysed the suicide note told us that he was under the influence of a drug when he wrote it,’ his mother said.
‘The ‘Bre. ‘I am concerned about the use and misuse of Salvia divinorum because it contains an active ingredient that can trigger hallucinations,’ he says. ‘, ‘If. ‘The web provides an early warning system about the use of drugs,’ he says. ‘.
‘As scientists, we did a good job of explaining that those synthetic drugs are dangerous,’ he says. ‘But.
‘.
‘It was clear to them that salvia was harmful, emotionally and possibly physically, and they were frustrated that there was nothing they could do,’ he says. ‘. ‘Salvia Sold Here’ signs adorn the windows of various ‘head. ‘100x must be a killer,’ said the Briton. ‘I. ‘How can you make this illegal?’ she asked. ‘: ‘Every. ‘Make no mistake, salvia is not a recreational drug,’ he adds. ‘It can be terrifying. It feels in part like a near-death experience but that can also be a blissful experience.’
Such praise for the drug does not impress Prof Schifano: ‘Salvia is not some innocuous drug,’ he says. ‘We should be very concerned about the potential for psychotic episodes.’ For Kathy Chidester, the experience is deeply, sadly personal. ‘My sincere hope,’ she tells me, ‘is that no other family will ever have salvia involved in the death
of their child or loved one.’
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Prevents
Eye irritant. Do not get in the eyes. First Aid: Rinse with water for 15 minutes. If irritation persists, call a doctor.
Keep out of reach of children.
Disposal; offer empty container for recycling. If recycling is not available, discard container in trash.
©The Clorox Company
(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
Works very well
By Sea Star
from Vancouver, Canada
describe yourself Meticulous Cleaner
See all my reviews
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Comments about Tilex Fresh Shower Daily Shower Cleaner, Original Scent, 32 fl oz:
This product works well to keep your tub and shower clean on a daily basis. Plus, it has no irritating chemical or bleach smell at all, making it safe for you and your family.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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If You Hate to Clean Showers...
By Amanda
from Chicago
describe yourself Casual Cleaner
I HATE to clean the shower but this is nearly revolutionary. In 7 months I've yet to find any mildew or other junk between the tiles or in any nooks and crannies. You know how there's almost always at least some build-up underneath the soap holder? None! (just make sure you spray some Tilex there)
Can't Praise This Product Enough
By JennieB
from Florida
Fresh and clean is a miracle cleaner. I started using it on newly installed glass shower doors and then used it on old and badly marked old shower doors. The old doors are now almost crystal clear. The new doors remain perfect. Wish this product had been around when the old shower doors were installed 20 years ago.. Can't say praise it highly enough.
Soaking Tubs
By Marjorie not meticulous
from Vermont
I like to take bathes. I do NOT like to scrub bath tubs. Tilex works on a tub as well as a shower. I just let the tub empty, spritz it with the hand shower first, then use the Tilex. Honestly I forget I do it, come into the bathroom and hour later, and you think some one has recently cleaned the tub.
excellent product
By nyitaly
from New YOok, NY
Have used this product for several years after learning about it from a friend.
Keeps the shower cleaner
By carak2000
from New York, NY
If you spritz this all around the shower after you are finished, you will keep the shower cleaner in between more serious scrubbings. This product definitely allows for there to be more time in between serious cleanings.
Surprisingly effective
By Nayana
from Sunnyvale, CA
I got this product, because I have a horrible time trying to keep the old shower doors clean in our rented apartment. I started using the spray on a 'dirty' shower, just to see how well it worked. After a few days, I noticed gunk piling up on the lower half of the shower. The next time I showered, I just wiped these buildups with a sponge and the shower has been clean ever since. We have a problem with mildew buildup around our tub, but this product has so far reduced the extent of that problem.
Easy cleaning
By fire guy
from Dallas, Texas
Good for daily use to keep the shower clean but a once a week complete clean is needed as the product does leave a soapy residue if you do not get a cloth and wash the shower down at least once a week. Good fast way to assure a clean mildew free shower from daily use. May streak glass enclosures closer to the bottom but still looks good.
(4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)
If your shower is clean to begin with...
By Guy
from Somewhere, PA
describe yourself Renter
...this will definitely keep it clean. The only downside is that a bottle only lasts about about a month or so. Still, it's cheaper than hiring a cleaner, and less backbreaking than cleaning your shower.
(3 of 4 customers found this review helpful)
If your shower isn't ...
By Elyse W
from Santa Barbara, CA
If your shower isn't completely clean before using this, this isn't worth using. It does stop water spots on the shower glass door, however. And the fragrance is nice.
Safety First: |
reply to HiVolt
reply to J E F F Bautista to have season ending surgery:»
Bautista to have season ending surgery:
I just hope he will be 100% come spring training. Jays can't lose his bat.
Who knows though... Bautista was not a major power hitter all of his career, nor is his body style all big and juiced up... In fact he wasn't a regular until he joined the Jays... So I'd say he shouldn't be worn out at all by 35...
Actually...I did your first few points: We didn't expect this from out dude, we should be replaceable with something close.--If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. - Albert Einstein
Ricky Romero just can't catch a break... for once he doesnt suck, 7IP only 2ER, 2BB, yet the Jays can't score and they lose 2-1...
Jays won 2 out of 3 vs the Yanks... First and only series win in August... Yup, that's how bad this month was... Could have swept them really, if they only had scored a couple more runs in the 2nd game...
Looks like the roof is stuck at the Rogers Centre. Oddly, it was closed when they started, opened during the game, now they are attempting to close it again.Not sure if they forgot, but you need to wait 2 hours between opening/closing.Rain is coming down HARD! LOL. Fire the weather man! Fire the crew that decided to open this beast!--If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. - Albert Einstein
Actually, I am quite surprised with all the umbrella's that are up. Not surprised in the way people would have them, since it was a rainy day. Just weird seeing them at the SkyDome.--If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. - Albert Einstein
Jays swept the Red Sox this weekend...Team looked much better in having Lawrie & Arencibia back....Red Sox are now last in the AL East. Lets hope they finish there.--GO BLUE JAYS!
Red Sox are hurting right now. Almost as bad as the Jays.Wouldn't be surprised if Bobby V. does't make it to Tuesday game.--If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. - Albert Einstein
If they haven't fired him by now, I don't think they will... If anything, he might just resign... Managers have been known to resign with even a few games left, when the pressure of a terrible season is just too much to bear to just keep coming out on the field and make decisions that you know don't matter and that they wont be back for next year.
reply to J E F F
reply to ZZZZZZZ
Yikes...
quote:Blue Jays Yunel Escobar played game with homophobic slur written across eyeblack Saturdays game against the Boston Red Sox with the Spanish words TU ERE MARICON written on an eyeblack sticker, a black patch baseball players wear under their eyes to reduce the suns glare.The phrases most common English translation is You are a faggot. Other translations are less explicitly homophobic, but more of an emasculating insult.A league spokesman told the Star via email they are looking into the matter.»···ye-black
I was wondering what Escobar meant by putting that on his face. The translation isn't 100% clear, at least on the meaning and intent. It has several meanings: You're calling someone a faggot, it can also mean jerk or *sshole. It can also question a guys 'manhood', sort of the way Arnold Schwarzenegger calls weak men "girly man".Escobar is an idiot for getting himself into the spotlight this way. However, it goes to show just how far our political correctness has gone. This picture apparently was taken by a season ticket holder who posted it on his site. At some point, he noticed the wording and looked it up and "just had to say something". No one else noticed it. But now it has made international news. Some people need to learn to STFU.Of course, I don't condone Yunel's actions. And it's a good thing the organization is distancing themselves from his stupidity.For the edit: When I was in school (and it wasn't that long ago..although 20 years +) calling someone a "fag" didn't always mean something homophobic. It was always in the context. You messed up, "You're such a fag!" You ratted on a student "Faggot!". It wasn't until maybe grade 8 or so that it started to become homophobic slang.Since Escobar is Cuban I'm trying to find how that worded is used in context in that country. It does refer to a 'gay' person but in a non-derogatory way. (so as far as I read)--If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. - Albert Einstein
Escobar is an idiot for getting himself into the spotlight this way. However, it goes to show just how far our political correctness has gone.
Not sure if you listened to the press conference, but the Blue Jays should have decided punishment AFTER the press conference rather than before. This press conference was an embarrassment to the organization and Rogers. A complete PR disaster. Alex tried to smooth things over but it is clear that Escobar should be given his walking papers. Just release him. During the conference I was thinking "It is me, or is he just digging himself a massive hole"...it was cut short because the Fan590 had to put on Vacation Bob, but he got right into this whole Escobar thing. He was totally shocked with the way Yunel handled himself. Certainly didn't help that Escobar refused to answer anything in english but rather hid behind his native language. It got worse when he wouldn't/couldn't explain why he did it, then went out to say "I have gay friends".It was a "wow" moment. Most....I mean all...of the callers that called in were disgusted with the whole thing and swore up and down never to go to a Jays game again. (well, unless they are contenders) I won't go to that extreme, but I sure do hope the Jays consider moving him elsewhere in the offseason.--If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. - Albert Einstein |
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"The demand for our services has increased over the past three years. For example, we have seen a 35 percent increase in the number of food stamp cases statewide from 2007 to 2010," Nichols said. "Our current office structure and business processes cannot continue to meet the needs of Louisiana residents. We must adapt to current and future budget pressures and the growing need of our clients and modernize our delivery system in order to sustain our services."
Nichols said DSS has 165 offices in parishes across the state with multiple office locations in many parishes. This costs the agency approximately $27.6 million annually in rent and leases alone.
"Currently, some clients must visit two or three different office locations to get the services and information they need from DSS. This wastes our clients' time and transportation resources and poses an unnecessary cost to taxpayers," said Nichols.
As part of DSS' new plan, the agency will consolidate 20 parish and regional offices. Following the consolidations, residents in these areas will have the option to conduct DSS business by phone or Internet without ever having to visit a physical office. Clients would also be able to visit another DSS office or utilize DSS community partner sites.
The offices that will be consolidated by July 1 are either family assistance or regional offices that have month-to-month leases, do not provide direct client services or are in close proximity to other DSS office locations in the same or adjacent parishes.
Nichols said that the focus of the agency's plan is on improving customer service and making it easier for clients to apply for the services by eliminating the need for clients to physically visit an office. DSS has already instated a phone interview process for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps), with plans for a call center and an online application to be active in late summer. Eventually clients will be able to access their case records electronically. Through these three main service points, clients will be able to access services by phone or from any computer with Internet access.
To supplement this service delivery model, DSS is partnering with local community organizations that serve similar client populations. The purpose of the Community Partnership Initiative is to create a collaborative network of regional and community organizations that can assist clients with varying levels of support, from simply providing information about DSS services to guiding clients through the application process.
There are many different ways in which community organizations can choose to partner with DSS. A community partner may choose to be a self-service point of access or an assisted point of access. Self-service sites will provide basic information regarding DSS Services, access to equipment such as Internet capable computers, telephones, fax machines, printers or scanners. Alternately, community partners may choose to provide a higher level of service including confidential space for customers to complete the application for benefits. They also may encourage or assist clients in filing of the online application for benefits. In each case, it is up to the community partner to decide which level of service they would like to provide.
Community partners will not determine eligibility for DSS program benefits. DSS will continue to be responsible for processing all applications completed at a community partner site. This includes interviewing the applicant, determining eligibility for benefits, and notifying applicants of the decision.
Ultimately, DSS' new model of service delivery will include a statewide network of community partners, satellite offices, other state agency offices, roving workers, DSS District Service Centers and access via phone and Internet, which will provide multiple options for accessing services within each community to meet the individual needs of clients.
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A New Hampshire folk singer has a standing date with Amazing Grace Bakery & Café: Bill Staines always plays a show at the Canal Park venue on the Thursday before the last Saturday in February.
It’s been that way since the café opened in 1995.
“I’m drawn to one place and play every year until they won’t have me anymore,” Staines said.
The prolific singer came of age in the thick of the Mitchell-Garfunkel-Baez era in Boston and is a heavy touring singer-songwriter known for his upside-down guitar playing, yodeling and depth of catalogue.
He’s been heard on “A Prairie Home Companion” and the HBO series “Deadwood.”
Mostly he lives the old-school folk singer lifestyle, traveling around the country in his Jeep and playing 150-200 shows a year at coffee shops, festivals, auditoriums and living rooms.
“I’ve played one place in Massachusetts for 43 years in a row,” Staines said. “Who’s going to be the evil demon that says we can’t hire Bill next year?”
Playing Duluth
Staines said he was contacted by late owner Chip Stewart back when the café started booking music. Once Staines finds a place he likes, he likes to double back to it, he said.
Staines’ regular Duluth stop became a natural extension of an annual three-day stand in Minneapolis the last weekend in February. The details of his Minneapolis show have changed over the years, but the Amazing Grace gig remains set.
“Oh, it’s great,” Staines said. “It’s a very intimate crowd. The atmosphere — it’s like playing in your living room almost. People are really warm and it’s usually brutally cold outside. It’s just a very warm feeling.”
John Ward and Lori Hatten have worked as sound techs around town and were on board when Staines started playing his regular gigs at Amazing Grace.
“I’ve seen almost all of them,” Ward said. “He’s the consummate Americana singer-songwriter. He just weaves great stories. His songs are memorable and thematic. They have a kind of Western feel, which is unusual because he’s from the Northeast.”
February has become the time of year when Staines books shows in Chicago, Wisconsin, Duluth and Minneapolis. He played Tuesday at Edison Club in Antigo, Wis., and on Wednesday was en route to a show at Bo Diddley’s Pub & Deli in St. Cloud, Minn. From Duluth he will travel St. Peter, Minn.
Staines estimates that he travels 65,000 miles per year by car.
“It’s the only thing I’ve ever known,” he said of the lifestyle.
On Wednesday, Staines’ road companion was a recording of Jack London’s “Call of the Wild.”
Staines’ career
Staines once held a traditional job. He worked for Sears Roebuck for four years out of high school. But it was the folk music scene in the local coffee houses that drew him. The Boston-Cambridge area was host to Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Gordon Lightfoot, Art Garfunkel and more — artists who would play in front of a crowd of 90 people.
“It was a great time to grow up in the Boston area,” he said. “I, myself, was playing at the smaller clubs.”
In 1969 he quit his day job and never went back.
“I was immersed in the music,” he said. “It became a snowball effect. Gradually I was touring more and more and then it was 45 years later.”
Staines has written children’s songs, campfire songs and church songs. A News Tribune reviewer described Staines’ live performance in a review of his 2010 album “Old Dogs”:
“It wasn’t his comfortable well-crafted songs about love, cowboys, the road and aging; it wasn’t his pleasant half-sung, half-spoken vocal style; it wasn’t his easy stage manner, interacting with the audience the way only someone who has toured endlessly over the last 40 years could; and it wasn’t even the occasional yodel that graces many performances. It was his guitar playing! It was backwards and upside down. … Staines’ guitar playing seemed so bizarrely achieved that I was glued, so to speak, to the fingerboard during his show.”
His 20th album, “Beneath Some Lucky Star,” was released in fall 2012.
Go see it
What: Bill Staines
When: 7 p.m. today
Where: Amazing Grace Bakery & Café, 394 S. Lake Ave.
Tickets: $15 at the door
Tags: canal park, arts and entertainment, wave, entertainment, music, duluth, artsMore from around the web |
Wisconsin governor schedules 'brat summit' for TuesdayFire up the grill with some nonpartisan charcoal or bipartisan propane. Gov. Scott Walker's brat summit is on.
By: Associated Press report, Associated Press
MADISON — Fire up the grill with some nonpartisan charcoal or bipartisan propane.
Gov. Scott Walker's brat summit is on.
Walker scheduled the informal social cookout for Tuesday afternoon, one week after he easily won a recall election that was sparked largely by initiatives he pushed through the Legislature with little or no bipartisan support.
On the night of his 7-point election win, Walker and his defeated opponent, Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, stressed the need for the two political parties to work together and move the state forward with less acrimony.
Walker's first idea, the brat summit, was a familiar way to break the ice in a state where people love their malted beverages and encased meats.
Democratic leaders in the Senate and Assembly, Sen. Mark Miller of Monona and Rep. Peter Barca of Kenosha, both plan to attend the summit at the governor's mansion.
“I welcome the governor's pledge to govern in a new way and will accept his offer of brats and beer,” Miller said in a statement. “I want to give him the benefit of hospitality that has been extended.”
Democratic Sen. Chris Larson of Milwaukee, one of the most outspoken critics of Walker's agenda, said he would like to go but his wife is working and he has to stay home with his 1-month-old child.
Still, Larson said Walker needs to do more than just down a couple of brats and beers to show he's serious about engaging with Democrats.
“For sure it's a great photo op for him but are we going to sit down and work on jobs?” Larson said. “I'm not interested in getting a brat and a beer, I want to work on creating jobs.”
Larson, a former Milwaukee County supervisor, said Walker took the same tactic after winning election as Milwaukee County executive. He met with supervisors, but there were no shared policy initiatives, roundtables or any attempts to include Democrats, Larson said.
Walker invited both lawmakers, their spouses and two staffers each to the two-hour picnic. There was no word on what type of brats or beer would be served.
Brats, believe it or not, have become entangled in the hyper-partisan environment that engulfed the state since Walker took office. Two alternative brat festivals were organized in Madison last year, featuring locally produced brats, in protest over the World's Largest BratFest.
Brats at that fundraiser over Memorial Day weekend were donated by Johnsonville Sausage, whose executives, family members and employees made campaign contributions to Walker. That connection proved to be unappetizing for some liberals in Madison who organized the alternative festivals that were held for a second year, a week before Walker's recall victory.
Tags: wisconsin legislature, news, wisconsin, politics, elections, legislature, food, updatesMore from around the web |
How to Identify Ideal M&A Advisors
Whether you’re a Buyer or Seller, successfully completing M&A transactions requires a skilled team of advisors who have negotiating experience, the right temperament to deal with many different personalities, and the willingness to listen to you whine and pout.
At the core, a deal is very simple: A Buyer gives a Seller money or some other store of value in exchange for a company. But a deal isn’t just about numbers; it’s about the personalities of the Buyer and Seller. Those personalities are what make completing a deal complicated.
Ideally, your deal advisors should have the following traits:
Depth of correct experience: In addition to being an expert in law, accounting, tax issues, or whatever, make sure the person is an expert in M&A deal-making. The attorney who wrote your will or disputed your property taxes may not be the person to advise you during an M&A transaction.
Confidence and self-assuredness: You need someone who’s willing to challenge you and tell you when you have a bad idea. After all, if your advisor can’t or won’t tell you your idea is bad, how can you know when you legitimately have a good idea?
Challenging you is just half the equation; your advisors should be able to stand up to the other side as well.
Tact and professionalism: Negotiations during the sale of business can often become contentious and frustrating, thus devolving into name- calling and recrimination. An M&A professional should always refrain from letting business decisions and discussions become personal.
Ability to serve as a sounding board: A good advisor should be able hold your hand (figuratively, of course) as you navigate the ambiguities of M&A. You also want an advisor who can offer you a shoulder to cry on when things get difficult or frustrating, an ear to listen when you vent, and a firm hand to slap you back into reality when you need it.
Logic and reason: Negotiating doesn’t mean forcing your will upon the other party. It involves understanding the needs and wants of the other side and working together, in good faith, to craft a mutually beneficial agreement. The ability to reason and logically explain your rationale is a key consideration for an advisor, and someone adept at the Socratic method is ideal.
Calmness: Advisors need to be calm, cool, and collected rather than prone to being overly emotional. Emotions can run hot in mergers and acquisitions.
A company often represents a Seller’s life’s work, and dissecting that through the M&A process often makes Sellers feel open and vulnerable as they look back on mistakes they may have made and how those errors are affecting the proceedings.
Buyers worry about financing and whether they’re making a good buy; a bad acquisition can ruin a career. When you’re in that kind of state, you want calm advisors to rely on.
Creativity: A creative brain is a huge asset for an advisor. There’s more than one way to pull off an M&A deal. If one plan doesn’t work, you want an advisor who can jump in with another idea.
Willingness to negotiate: Deals rarely get done if one side is digging in its heels. Advisors who are willing to negotiate and try different ideas are what often get deals across the finish line.
Perseverance and foresight: A good advisor, especially one of the been there, done that variety, knows that deal-making is often a marathon, not a sprint. The advisor’s ability to see long term, anticipate problems and the other side’s next move, and stick with the deal is an enormous boon to getting deals done.
Consider asking whether a consultant, especially the legal or accounting type, would be willing to work on some sort of flat-fee basis. You can always offer those consultants the long-term relationship in exchange for a lower rate or flat fee now. |
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ABS piping is easier to work with and less expensive than metal piping. It also doesn't rot, rust, or corrode.
These ceiling tiles are specially designed to improve sound quality and reduce noise levels.
ADA-compliant showers are designed to allow individuals with disabilities greater freedom to access the shower. Some showers are made so a wheelchair can roll in, and some are designed for transferring to a seat in the shower.
The Adirondack style (1890s-present) embraces rustic, natural, often made of bark-covered logs or simple planks.
Adjustable shelving systems involve open wire shelves that can be adjusted to suit your individual needs.
A power tool for painting that uses high pressure to force paint through a small tip very quickly.
A device that helps you to eliminate squeaks in floors by placing nails at the right depth and breaking them off below the floor's surface.
A paint that has an oil base. Alkyd paint is extremely durable and easy to clean; however, it requires mineral spirits to remove.
American country style that stresses antiques and folk art, basically pieces and fabrics from America's past.
The Southwest look blends the colors and styles of the Native American cultures and the west.
The ADA is a law signed in 1990 that requires buildings and businesses to provide equal accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
A color scheme using colors that are located next to each other on the color wheel.
A type of bolt used to anchor or mount something securely.
A narrow paintbrush that is angled to allow more control in corners and other tight areas.
A wardrobe that has drawers and shelves. It can be used for either clothing or as an entertainment center.
The Art Deco Style (1918-1939) is fashion-oriented and influenced by primitive art and cubism.
The Art Nouveau style (circa 1900) was the first new style not using any historical reference was based on flowing lines of leaves and vines and influenced by Japanese art.
The Arts and Crafts style (circa 1900) uses simple designs executed in natural wood. Emphasized hand craftsmanship, quality materials, and strong, clean lines.
A stiff bristled broom that is designed for working with asphalt.
A tool with a handle and a long, sharp pointed end used for punching holes into things like wood or leather.
Awning windows are hinged at the top and swing outward via a crank or lever.
The gravity-operated valve that controls the flow of water into the toilet tank.
Baseboards are the finish strips between the floor and the wall and range in width from 3 to 18 inches.
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Bauhaus design (1919-1933) is based on unifying art and technology. Little ornamentation. Function, form, and materials (metal tubing, glass, and other technological, machine-made materials) most important.
A bay window is a large picture window that projects outside the walls of the building.
A line of caulk that has been applied to a seam. Use a finger or tool to smooth out the bead to seal the surface.
A form of paneling, traditionally made of wood, with tongue-and-groove boards running the height of the panels. Also called wainscoting.
Boots, the rubber seals that are around the electric service and plumbing vent pipes, air vents, and exhaust fan flashing.
A type of nail with a very small head used for securing molding.
Most towns or counties require a permit to build on or change a property. During different stages of the job and at its completion, the work is inspected to ensure that it meets the building codes.
A thick block of wood made from laminating several strips of wood together. Butcher blocks are often used as a cutting surface.
The fat end of a shingle.
A faucet with a cartridge filter built in to filter drinking water.
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Commonly used before 1960 for the vertical drain, vent stacks, and sometimes the horizontal drain lines. Cast iron is durable, but can rust over time.
Caulk is a filler material that seals a crack where two nonmoving components meet, such as where a house’s siding meets the exterior window trim.
The housing for the electrical wiring that provides power to ceiling light and fan fixtures.
Cellulose insulation is an organic, loose-fill material made from recycled paper. It has to be chemically treated to resist attack from moisture and pests. Moisture absorption can make cellulose heavier, causing it to become compacted and lose its insulative value.
Chimney pots are decorative flues that sit on top of the chimney in older homes and in Tudor or Medieval styled homes.
A glazed floral fabric often used in the English Country style.
A chip brush is a small paintbrush used to paint in tight spaces.
Protective switches that enable you to fix short circuits without turning off the power
A combination primer/sealer seals the surface material and allows the finish paint to have a strong bond.
A color scheme made up of colors that are at the opposite ends of the color wheel.
Compression fittings are used to bond two pipes made of different materials. The fittings also allow the water flow to be turned off to a single faucet instead of having to turn the water off in the entire house.
Contemporary design combines influences, trends, and new technologies without strict adherence to any one design philosophy.
A special carpeting tool shaped like a cookie cutter. Twist it back and forth in a circular motion to make the cut.
Copper pipe is long lasting and resistant to corrosion, and so it is commonly used pipe in water supply lines. It costs more than plastic but it lasts and lasts! There are two common types of copper pipe: rigid copper and flexible copper.
The mechanism that allows double-hung windows to open easily, stay open (without a stick propping them up), and shut.
You countersink a screw by driving it in below the surface of the wood.
CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) pipe has PVC's strength but is heat-resistant, which makes it acceptable in many regions for use on interior supply lines.
Decorative embroidery made by manipulating wool yarn in designs and patterns.
Curing paint is the process of the paint taking its final shape. Curing happens after the paint dries and until the curing is complete the painted surface can still be damaged.
The curtain heading is the top of the curtain that attaches to the curtain rod.
A paint that has been mixed to make a specific color that the customer has requested.
Cutting in is the process of painting the edges of the wall (or other surface to be painted) before painting the rest of the wall with the larger brush or roller.
A chemical that destroys the smooth, glossy finish on a surface so that the surface is rougher, allowing the paint to grip the surface.
An artificial canopy, usually in a half round, which is draped above a bed in place of a headboard.
Distressing is the process of making a piece of furniture look artificially aged by adding nicks and scratches to the finish.
The dormer valley is the point at which the dormer meets the rest of the roofline.
Pleats, ribbon, welting, and other trim as might be used by a dressmaker.
A drop cloth is a piece of fabric or plastic that is used to protect items from paint or splatter.
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A large machine used for sanding floors that is roughly the size of a lawn mower.
The damage caused by a fungus that eats away at wood causing extensive damage.
Drywall is a construction material that is made of plasterboard in the center with a heavy paper on the outside. Drywall is used to finish the walls in most houses made since the mid-1960s.
Dye lot refers to the color pass that is used to make a certain batch of tiles or wallpaper rolls. There can be color variations from dye lot to dye lot even though the pattern name and number do not change.
A smaller hand-held disc sander, to refinish the perimeter of the room and inside closets.
A paint finish that is often used for decorative finishes because it provides a low luster.
A substance that has the ability to remain flexible after drying and won’t crack when weather changes.
Electrical tape is used to secure the electrical connections and to keep the wires attached to each other.
A houses energy envelope refers to the seal within which the homes heating and cooling is maintained.
English Manor House is a decorating style that uses traditional furnishings and florals to capture the feel of an old English manor.
The faucet aerator forces water though a fine mesh to increase the force with which the water comes out of the faucet. The aerator lets you use less water while still maintaining the same force.
A painting technique that employs different styles and techniques to give a wall more interest than a standard flat finish.
To feather the edges means to apply the materials (paint, drywall compound, and so on) so that it’s thinner on the edges to allow it to blend into the surrounding material.
Fiberglass insulation is the most common type of insulation and is available as either batts or loose fill. It is relatively inexpensive, and the batts are very easy to install. It is non-flammable and resists damage from water.
The fixture base is the part of a ceiling lighting/fan fixture that contains the wiring. The fixture base secures to the ceiling box to provide electricity to the fixture.
The valve at the bottom of the toilet tank that controls the flow of water into the tank.
Roof flashing creates watertight connections between the roofing and items that penetrate it, including plumbing pipes, furnace flues, skylights, and chimneys.
An opaque latex paint finish that works great on interior walls and ceilings.
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A float is a board with a handle that smoothes thick compounds such as concrete.
The floatball is a ball that is inside the toilet tank that prevents the tank from overflowing. When the water level rises, the floatball rises which shuts off the water supply.
The flush lever is the part on the outside of the toilet tank that you push to cause the toilet to flush.
The flush lever rod connects the flush lever and controls the flapper valve or tankball.
The flush valve is the controlling mechanism for the flush lever on a toilet tank.
The soldering paste used to sweat copper pipes.
This is the point of visual reference to which the eye always returns—a home base.
The French country look embraces the warmth and grace of the Provence region for France. French country has the warmth of American country but its furnishings tend to have a less homespun feel.
Furring strips are narrow strips of wood used to raise the surface, level the surface, or otherwise smooth out a rough surface to prepare it for paneling.
Galvanized steel pipe is common in older homes for supply lines and branch drain lines. Galvanized pipe is strong, but only lasts 50 years.
The Gothic Revival style (1851-1914) emphasized natural materials and was usually used in large pieces.
A swirling geometric pattern common in Greek design.
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Pliers that can be adjusted to fit the size and shape of pipe fitting that you want to turn.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) was developed to help keep people from getting shocked by electricity. The easiest way to think of a GFCI is to remember that a normal circuit breaker protects property, while a GFCI protects people.
A hacksaw is a saw consisting of a fine toothed blade in a frame and is used to cut through metal.
Half-drop patterns repeat at the ceiling line on every other strip and the design tends to run diagonally. It requires 3 strips of wallpaper to repeat the vertical design. A half-drop match is a straight match that has been split in half.
The bar at the top of a set of mini blinds. The header bar contains the mountings for the blinds themselves as well as the mechanical pieces for adjusting the blinds.
A kind of tape used in laying carpet. The adhesive is melted into place to create a tight seal.
The banded part of a paintbrush.
A decorating style (1980-1990s) that emphasizes exploitation and exposure of elements of science and technology for home use. Shows the construction of the interior. Uses industrial materials for the home. Electronic and space age details important.
A paint finish that has a shiny, polished look. It’s also stain resistant and very scrubbable.
Design styles created before the 1800s.
A hole saw is a ring-shaped saw that connects to a drill and is used to create holes.
A way of sealing a home's energy envelope to keep the heat and cool inside the house and the elements out.
Hopper windows are hinged at the bottom and swing inward.
A small paint roller roughly the size and shape of a hot dog. are electronic devices that measure the infrared light and are often used in motion sensing security devices.
The intake valve controls the amount of water that enters the toilet tank.
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Jalousie windows are made of a series of horizontal glass slats that are joined so that all the glass slats open or close together when the crank is turned. Unfortunately, the cracks between the windowpanes don't allow for air infiltration.
The wood lath is installed with gaps, called keys, between each piece of lath. The plaster was forced between spaced lath, and this keying action holds the plaster in place.
The part of the latch that goes into the edge of the door.
Latex glazing putty is used for sealing window glass into frames.
Thin strips of wood used as a base for applying plaster. The strips are installed next to each other, separated by gaps. The plaster is forced between spaced lath.
A light box is a fixture mounted to the ceiling to hold a flat light fixture, usually fluorescent.
A very durable flooring material made from natural products, such as linseed oil, cork or wood dust, and tree resins. Not to be confused with vinyl sheet flooring.
The oil of the flax seed plant, which is used in paint, varnish, lacquer and in the making of linoleum.
A product that is used to make asphalt more water proof and less porous.
The part of a door look that is attached to the face of the door.
Loose fill insulation is made out of small chunks of fibers; this insulation type is also known as blown insulation because it is installed with a giant blower hose.
A drill bit that is used for drilling through masonry.
Mastic is a type of adhesive used to bond items where waterproofing is important.
The top rail of the bottom sash and the bottom rail of the upper sash meet and are slanted and weather-stripped to form a tight seal between the rails.
Triangular metal glazing points the small pieces used to hold a glass pane in position until you apply the glazing putty.
A sensor that uses microwaves to detect motion.
A chemical that will actually kill the fungus that causes mildew.
A solvent made from petroleum and used primarily as paint thinner.
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The term molding refers to larger and typically more ornamental finish strips.
A piece of hardware used to anchor drapery rods into hollow walls. The molly bolt includes an anchor plug and a screw with sides that spread out behind the wall to hold it in place.
Mortar is the bonding mixture that is used to cement bricks and stones together.
A mortise is a shallow recess in a wood frame to seat a piece of hardware flush with the wood.
The metal brace that lays across a ceiling box and to which you mount a fixture base.
A multiple drop match is the most complex pattern match. It can take four or more strips to repeat the vertical design. A good example of this is a dense paisley pattern.
A short tool with a blunt pointed tip that is used for pushing the head of a nail or brad into wood.
Low- to high-pile carpets have a nap. You have to put the patch in so that the nap runs in the same direction; otherwise, it will look different from the rest of the carpet.
The NEC is the legally defined code that determines how electricity and electrical fixtures need to be used to ensure safety.
The NFPA is an organization created to establish rules and guidelines that will help to prevent fires.
A natural bristle brush is a paintbrush that uses hairs from animals. They are the best brushes for oil-based paints and varnishes.
A series of traditional geometric designs used on Navajo blankets.
Some floor paints (epoxy, for one) look fabulous and hold up to wear but are slippery when painted on concrete, even when they’re dry. Reduce the risk of slipping by adding nonslip silicate to the paint before you roll it on.
A solid covering that does not allow light to penetrate.
The outlet pipe is the pipe that connects the toilet tank to the bowl.
Mounting a blind or shade to the outside of the window casing to provide better light filtering.
A substance that is packed into a faucet through which the water flows.
The paint finish determines how bright or shiny the paint looks when it dries. Paint finishes range from flat, which absorbs light but isn’t easily cleaned, to scrubbable, stain-resistant glosses that reflect light.
A paint guard is a plastic tool used to block paint from reaching the walls or surrounding surfaces. It is usually held in one hand while the paint is applied with the other.
A solvent that is used as a cleaner or to thin down oil-based paint.
A door that has molding to create multiple panels on the surface.
A piece of wood that separates the tracks of the upper and lower sash of a window.
The repeat is the vertical distance between one point on the pattern and where the identical point appears again vertically.
A patch that is used to cover the gap in a hole in drywall. The solid patch has an adhesive background that sticks to the wall surrounding the hole.
A permanent furnace filter is a washable filter used to block debris from entering the furnace.
PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) is the newest pipe for residential use. Approved in many regions of the country, PEX is easy to install because it cuts easily, is flexible, and uses compression fittings. However, more permanent connections require a special crimping tool.
A pilot hole is a starter hole made by drilling. Using pilot holes prevents the screw or nails from causing damage to the wall.
A plaster washer is a thin metal disk that increases the size of the head of a drywall screw so that it doesn’t pull through the plaster.
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A vertical guide created by hanging a weighted string from the ceiling.
The plumber’s snake has a long tightly coiled wire attached to a handle. This coiled wire can slither down the pipes clearing blockages and even pulling out the obstruction.
A plumbing tool that is used to loosen clogs by using suction to dislodge the clog.
A type of insulating material made of polystyrene foam. This foam is waterproof.
Popcorn ceilings are textured, acoustic ceilings that are sprayed on and resemble popcorn or cottage cheese when they dry.
To prime a surface means to apply a primer and/or sealer to the surface to seal the surface and provide the best bond for the paint.
A tool used to apply a paste or compound to a surface. The shape of the tool allows control over how much materials is applied and how thickly.
This white or cream-colored pipe is the most commonly used pipe for drain lines. It’s strong, untouchable by chemicals, and seems to last forever! The rating and diameter is stamped right on the pipe.
A rabbet groove is part of a window frame that has a groove cut into it to hold glass panels.
A rake is the part of a paint tray that allows you to roll off the excess paint on a paint roller.
_177<<
This push-type wallpaper-scraping tool (about 3 to 4 inches wide) looks like a putty knife but has a slot for replaceable blades so that you always have a sharp edge.
A reciprocating saw moves in an upright piston-like manner. It is used for cutting almost any material given the proper blade.
Leftover pieces of fabric, carpet, or other flooring. To patch a carpet you will need to cut out the damaged spot and replace it with remnants that you saved when the carpet was installed.
Flooring products that come in vinyl, polyurethane, linoleum, cork, and rubber materials. These floors are resilient because they are more durable and more easily cleaned than traditional floor materials.
The amount of insulation provided by various materials.
The part of the piece of the roof that lies at the ridges and over the edges of the shingles.
The vertical board behind the step, which fits up to the underside of the tread.
_186<<
The metal frame on a paint roller onto which the roller cover slides.
The piece that slides over the roller cage on a paint roller. The roller cover is the part that actually holds the paint.
Roof flashing creates a watertight seal wherever the roof meets an upright — such as around plumbing pipes, furnace flues, skylights, and chimneys.
A tool that is used for scraping ice off roofs.
A faucet that has a ball mechanism inside which controls water flow and temperature.
The first inspection on a remodeling project which occurs while everything is still at the rough-in stage of progress.
If each flush doesn’t end with a gurgle but instead continues with a hissing sound, with water running into the toilet bowl, you have a run-on toilet.
A narrow paintbrush used to paint trim and molding.
The most popular paint sheen, which is a good choice for woodwork, walls, doors, and hallways.
Schedule 40 PVC is strong enough for residential drain lines, but check with your plumbing inspector first.
Schedule 80 PVC is sometimes used for cold-water supply lines, but it isn’t allowed in some regions because it isn’t suitable for hot water.
A seam iron is a tool for heating the heat-activated tape the holds the two carpet pieces together.
wallpaper roller
A seat bolt is a heavy bolt used to hold the toilet seat to the toilet base.
Outdoor security lights use infrared or microwave sensors to light up whenever someone or something passes within a certain range.
A screw that taps (makes a hole) all by itself, with no need to drill a starter hole first.
A shiny paint finish that is scrubbable and good for moldings, doors, windows, kitchens, and baths.
A sewer rodding machine is an industrial strength auger that is motor driven and can push its way through touch sewer lines.
The design combines the elegance of English Country living with the comfortable casualness of a California lifestyle.
A decorating (1830-1850) style that utilizes designs that are plain in appearance, stripped to bare essentials (few turnings, no decorations.
The showerhead aerator forces water though a fine mesh to increase the force with which the water comes out of the showerhead. The aerator lets you use less water while still maintaining the same force.
A sink trap is a plumbing connection that is bent at such an angle as to capture items that might have fallen down the drain allowing you a final chance to retrieve them before they disappear down the pipes.
Sliding windows open horizontally and bypass each other in separate tracks mounted on the header jamb and sill.
The amount of fall or collapse in mortar or concrete.
Snap-off screws are designed so that the heads literally snap off below the surface of the floor to allow you to repair squeaks in the flooring without leaving a visible sign.
The flat boards under a roof's overhang.
Pipefittings that have been soldered to seal the connection.
Spade bit is an inexpensive wood-boring instrument that looks like a paddle with a triangular point on the end.
Spalling is when chips and chunks break off a surface, such as concrete, usually caused by weathering.
Brick that has popped out of the wall
1. Rubber or neoprene cording that holds screening material in a window or door frame. 2. Ribbon-like finishing piece that holds in sheets of cane on furniture.
Looks like a pastry cutter with a convex roller on one end and a concave roller on the other end. Use this to push spline into the grooves around a window or door frame.
A small mechanical piece at the end of an airless paint sprayer's spray gun. The spray tip is the small hole through which the paint is dispersed.
Spring clips hold the glass panes in place in steel casement windows.
The spud nut holds the spud washer in place.
Seals the gap between the flush valve and bowl.
The long vertical slotted strips fastened to the wall to attach the shelves in a wire based shelving system.
The unmovable upright on a sliding glass door.
A straight across match is a type of wallpaper pattern that starts over at the ceiling line. This means that the design has to match the strips on either side. These take more planning than random matches, but they are not typically complex patterns.
Sweating copper pipe is a term used to describe the soldering of copper pipe.
A piece of cloth that is coated in a sticky (tacky) substance so that dust and particles stick to it. Tack cloths are used to remove any debris before painting or sealing a project.
The tank bolts that connect the bottom of the tank to the toilet base, and each bolt has a rubber gasket between the bolt head and the tank to stop water from leaking. The spud washer seals the gap between the flush valve and bowl.
The tankball lifts out of the drain when the flush handle is moved, allowing the tank to fill with water. It should settle back into place with the water level is restored.
The tankball rod controls the tankball which controls the water flow in the toilet tank.
A tapestry is a fabric that has a pattern created by weaving or by needlepoint.
A pole that attaches to short-handled tools like paint rollers. The pole allows the handle to be extended to the desired length.
A television mirror is a type of surface, on a television screen, that converts to a standard mirror when the television is not turned on.
Like a dye lot, the tile run is the batch of tiles that was manufactured at a specific time. The color and pattern can vary slightly between tile runs.
To toenail a shingle means to drive the roofing nails at an angle.
A toggle bolt has a mechanism that folds up so that it can be pushed through a regular drill hole, but when it is fastened the toggle opens up to clamp to the back side of the wall.
A fabric with a solid background and pastoral scenes printed in a solid color.
Track lighting is a long flexible mount that attaches to a single ceiling box and allows you to mount and direct lighting multiple fixtures exactly where you want it.
The 18th century style is created by combining fabrics and patterns that would have been available at the time.
The horizontal board on the top of a step.
Trim is an umbrella term for any kind of finish strip applied around openings to conceal surface or angle joints and raw edges where drywall meets doorways, windows, floors, and ceilings.
A trowel is a tool used for applying mortar.
TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) is an alkaline cleaning material. TSP-PF is a phosphate-free version.
A tube cutter is a tool for cutting pipe.
Tuckpointing is the process of repairing the mortar on a brick wall.
Is a form of mineral solvent used for cleaning and breaking down oil-based products.
A form of filler that activates when you combine the two materials together creating a hard finish.
Type K is a thicker type of rigid copper pipe and is used in outdoor and drain applications.
Type L is a thicker type of rigid copper pipe and is used in outdoor and drain applications.
Type M is the thinnest type of rigid copper pipe, but it is strong enough for most homes.
The usable yield is the amount of wallpaper that will actually go on the wall. The type and size of pattern repeat reduces the amount of wallpaper that you can actually use.
Vinyl composition tile. Commercial floor tiles made from chips of colored vinyl and compressed into solid sheets. These sheets are heated and then cut into 12" squares.
Vent flashing is installed around (you guessed it) the vents on your roof. The flashing is typically made of metal and has a rubber grommet around the edge.
Vintage materials are those from an earlier time. Vintage materials can be anything from clothing from the 1940s to antique furniture to old advertisements.
A tool to measure the voltage emanating from a wire or appliance.
A form of wood paneling that comes about halfway up the wall. Often built from beadboard.
A flat-bottomed paintbrush, usually 3-5 inches wide, used for painting the large main areas of a wall.
Wallboard clips are fasteners for attaching a wallboard patch to an existing wall.
Wallpaper remover: Although warm water may do the trick (and is certainly priced right), you can turn to commercial wallpaper removal solvents if you need to.
A tool that is used to push air bubbles out of wallpaper while it is being applied.
A tool used for applying steam to wall coverings so that they peel off the wall.
A weatherproofing seal for exterior electric fixtures.
Weather-stripping is material that seals the cracks between moving components, such as the crack where a window sash meets the frame or stop.
A tool for cutting glass.
The horizontal and vertical trim that holds the window sash.
The moveable parts of a window.
The trim along the inside of the window frame.
A wire nut is a small plastic fastener that can be twisted over the ends of wires to create a connection without soldering.
Plaster is installed over strips of wood called wood laths.
A product that is used to fill defects in wood, such as nail holes.
Iron that has been forged into decorative and utilitarian objects. |
Dr. Helen Haines of Trent University Oshawa was giving a talk to a first-grade class when the boy asked her the question regarding the supposed end of the world. This made her realize just how widespread the myth that the ancient Maya foresaw the apocalypse on Dec. 21, 2012 had become.
So she chose to give a public lecture at the university in late November, less than a month before the supposed end of the world. The room was packed with people of all ages interested in hearing what the expert had to say about the date, which is fast approaching.
"The Maya never said that the world would come to an end," said Dr. Haines, a specialist in ancient Mayan culture.
The ancient Mayan long-count calendar consisted of days, months, and years. A bak'tun references a cycle of 144,000 days in the calendar.
The date in question is the reference of the 13th bak'tun -- the current cycle or age -- which has been calculated to end on Dec. 21. This also signifies the beginning of a new era, said Dr. Haines.
Some monuments did reference Dec. 21, 2012, but Dr. Haines explained it signified the coming of time, or continuity and stability, not the end of time.
"It never says anything about destruction here," she said.
Authors have come up with various theories. Some say the earth and the sun will align with a black hole at the centre of the universe on Dec. 21. But this is a regular occurrence in the solar cycle, said Dr. Haines.
"The answer is really, it can mean whatever you want it to," she said.
The reference could mean it's the birthday of the current world, or the New Year's Eve for the Mayan calendar, or even the marking of the winter solstice.
But the bottom line is none of the writings from the ancient Maya say anything about the world ending on Dec. 21, 2012. In fact the Maya of the current world are a little annoyed that their ancestors are being accused of predicting the apocalypse when there's no evidence to back it up, she said.
English major Rebecca Scerbak said she'd heard a lot of different theories on the myth, and was glad to learn she'd see Christmas this year. Her friend Kianna Grant was happy for one thing.
"It makes me feel better that I'll get to see my 18th birthday," she said.
Community
Pickering students prepped to flourish in high school
Pickering couple walk toward wedding
Your Life: Focus on breathing
In this segment, Your Life expert Bruce Raymer helps you to breathe properly.
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The third installment in the recently released collection of Lech Majewski films offers the director's most personal film - the autobiographical opera The Roe's Room (1997). Written, composed, and directed by Lech Majewski the work follows cycles of memories while also introducing beautiful, at times hypnotic, abstract imagery.
Similar to Lech Majewski's The Gospel According to Harry(1994) and Glass Lips (2007) his The Roe's Room is very much an experimental feature where minimalism and symbolism are key ingredients. This time around, however, a collage of personal recollections is apparently the instigator for the unusually beautifully scripted opera.
Relying on simple but effective harmonies to achieve a calming, near meditative, feel for his work Majewski accomplishes a sense of serenity that remains with the audience until the final credits roll. Scene after scene the camera's careful observation of the main protagonists is what drives the tempo of the opera - there aren't any secondary plots nor there are any key dramatic resolutions here. Rather, as it is the case with Glass Lips, one is expected to react to the visuals which complimented with the beautiful music do indeed create a very unusual atmosphere.
From a purely technical point of view The Roe's Room isn't a departure from the director's desire to experiment. Abstract visuals are mixed with more traditional imagery allowing for the same fascinating but arguably chaotic order of events Glass Lips reveals. As if to force the viewer to completely let go of any conventional stereotypes about how a story is told in a film The Roe's Room is very much a hallucinatory puzzle with difficult to fully deconstruct symbolism.
How Does the DVD Look?
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1 The Roe's Room looks on par with the rest of Lech Majewski's films released by KINO - this is an interlaced transfer with acceptable basics. The opera was shot with a digital camera and both detail and colors here are rather convincing. This being said, the majority of the opera takes place indoors and when a sufficient amount of light isn't present there are notable limitations that become apparent (macro-blocking, noise, etc). Still, The Roe's Room is probably the best looking disc from the entire collection.
How Does the DVD Sound?
Presented with a Polish DD track (music) and optional English and French subtitles The Roe's Room sounds good but not exceptional. The music comes off the speakers without any pop-ups, cracks, or hissing that I could detect and the excellent performances by the singers (and choir) are indeed easy to appreciate. I have not seen the opera on stage and I am unaware precisely what the director's intentions were but it seems to me that the evocative music could have greatly benefited from a more elaborate treatment (a 5.1 mix would have been great). Still, this is an adequate presentation without any disturbing technical flaws.
Extras:
Aside from a text-format biography for Lech Majewski on this disc you will find a commentary by the director where he talks about his project, what it was meant to reveal (personal history), and how it was made possible. A great deal of info is allocated, as expected, to the music. This being said, this is a substantially better analysis by Lech Majewski, far more informative and much more detailed than the one heard on The Gospel According to Harry.
Final Words:
Visually-enticing, evocative, and with a soundtrack capable of existing on its own The Roe's Room is arguably the best of the four films by Lech Majewski KINO have released. It appears to be a very personal project though it still builds on the marquee for the Polish director universal symbolism. The music performances are truly haunting. Once again, I am going to recommend this disc to those willing to experiment. |
Before our bedroom felt like it was lacking something. I liked everything in there, but just felt it needed a little more drama. I really like the wall quote that was above our bed, but I got it crooked when I applied it and it has always bugged me. I have been seeing lots of beautiful canopy beds with luxurious fabric and it got me thinking. First, I tried to convince my husband to let me find a four poster bed on craig's list but he didn't go for that. So, I figured I would just make a small canopy above the bed.
Here is what it looked like before...
Here is what it looked like before...
and here it is now. I would love a beautiful chandelier in our room but the fan is definitly more functional and practical. Anyways, I just bought 2 curtain rods from IKEA for $7.99. I attached one to the ceiling and one to the wall. Then I hung four curtain panels on the rods (also from IKEA) and now for under $50 I have a canopy! You could of course make your own panels out of material, but these curtains were $14.99/pair. I don't think I could find material for that and then I would have to sew it too. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. It really adds a lot to the room and makes everything seem more grand.
Next on the list, I would like to make a platform for the bed so I can get rid of my bedskirt. It drives me crazy! Then, I may add a padded insert to the headboard. Who knows, I've always got a project up my sleeve! :)
If you need additional info with more specific instructions on how I hung this then check out this updated post with more instructions. Thanks!
If you need additional info with more specific instructions on how I hung this then check out this updated post with more instructions. Thanks!
16 comments:
Oh that looks sooo pretty!
Good job;)
Lovely greetings...
very pretty! Great idea!
gives me a grand idea for my guest room! also, could you please tell me the diameter of the two vases you used on a previous post. you had one inside the other with limes (or maybe lemons...) between the two vases. i would like to do something similiar for reception centerpieces. thank you...love your projects and your blog!
That is so cool, it adds a lot to the room. I will attempt to try this!!
I was just scrolling through and admiring everything when I saw the verse about the bed. Psalm 46:10 is my absolute most favorite, most turned-to scripture. I just lost a friend this week to a sudden death, and it has been a comfort once again.
But I do love the changes to the room. It's beautiful!
xoxo,
Kimberly
I love this idea! ( I sounds like a broken record.)
I wonder if this would work in my master with my bed in the corner. (we have a small room and this makes it feel more spacious.)
ideas, ideas...
How are the panels attached to the second rod? It looks like you have all four panels strung on the first rod, but then somehow they are also strung onto the second rod ... did you sew a second loop after measuring out how much material you wanted to have hanging?
How did you mount the second curtain rod onto the ceiling? I love this idea and I'd love to do it in our room but I can't seem to master that idea...
Can you explain how you attached curtains to rods to hang properly?.
Love this! The canopy is awesome. how did you attach the second rod to the ceiling without the rod falling out of the brackets?
I love the canopy and have been crushing on it for a long time. I think it looks so great. I blogged about it today and I hope you will come and check it out.
Morgan
Oh gosh, I love this! Do you think it would still work if I didn't have a headboard? Like to just leave the extra fabric behind the pillows?
Also, how did you mount that to the ceiling? I was just going to pick up these:
You think that would mount okay?
Thanks for your help!
Valeri
suburbanlivingblog.blogspot.com
Did you hang 2 curtains on each rod? or 4 curtains on the ceiling and then made the draped. Can't figure out how you hung the curtains on the ceiling rod and the wall rod at the same time HELP!
I love this! What size curtains did you use?
@MomtoKandM I think I used 54" x 98" for the curtains. Here's another more detailed post on this if you need more info on how I hung it too.
Thank you for your sweet comments, they make my day! |
May 18 2013 Latest news:
Boy Blue Entertainment: Legacy The Return 2012, at DanceEast this week.
By WAYNE SAVAGE, entertainment writer
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
2:59 PM
I’m as urban as a leafy cul-de-sac, the closest I’ve come to being street is watching all four Step Up films; but that didn’t stop me enjoying unstoppable hip hop sensation BBE: Legacy The Return.
Swapping this year’s London Olympics for Ipswich’s Jerwood DanceHouse; Boy Blue Entertainment are back for some Christmas yo yo yo - see, told you I was uncool.
Led by co-artistic director and main choreographer Kenrick “H2O” Sandy and co-artistic director and music composer Michael “Mikey J” Asante, BBE are an Olivier Award-winning hip hop dance theatre company from London, which continues to develop and inspire hip hop dancers from grass roots to seasoned professionals.
It’s been a great year. They’ve just toured Hong Kong and San Francisco as well as choreographing, staging and performing at the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony for the Thanks Tim segment alongside Danny Boyle, as well as choreographing and composing the sound score to 2013’s Brit flick All Stars from Vertigo Films.
Featuring an almost entirely new cast - “we’re trying to not only push our collective of dancers but continously change the format of Legacy,” Kenrick tells me - the new 17-segment show includes some old favourites plus some new moves; including three world premieres created for DanceEast. All set to a blistering soundtrack.
The performance features breaking, popping, hip hop freestyle, isolation work and static style.
“I’m happy to be back in Ipswich; it’s nice to maintain that relationship with outside of London theatres.
“This show helps you to understand a variety of different styles of hip hop and street dance. We play with the convention, we don’t stick to straight, traditional, hip hop and street dance. For young people interested in dance or who love movement, performance, theatre, come and be inspired. There’s levels of how we educate, for example the crump section.
“At first I didn’t like crump, I thought this is rubbish, I said let me open my mind to it, now it’s one of my favourite styles.”
The show I saw was an energetic, fluid, humorous hour plus with not a Christmas hat or carol in sight. The syncopation and musicality were clearly on point; drawing whoops, whistles, cheers and claps from the audience.
If you’re a dance fan or looking for something different this Christmas this is the show to see.
BBE: Legacy The Return runs at Jerwood DanceHouse, Ipswich, to December 23.
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ANDOVER — In a letter to the community, Andover Public Schools Superintendent Marinel McGrath has advised parents to "protect your young children from repeated viewings and auditory exposure to news accounts" of today's elementary school shooting as new information becomes available.
In a two-page letter to parents and community partners, McGrath cautioned that "young children will be particularly vulnerable, as other young children have reportedly been impacted by this tragedy."
"We are all in this together; loving and caring for the children of this community," she wrote. "For all of us as adults, I trust we will find a way to draw reassurance and comfort from each other and the affirming messages of this holiday season. The bad news is not all of the news, and we have so much to be thankful for."
When talking about the incident with children tonight, Janet Yedniak, director of Social Workers, has the following advice:
YOUNG CHILDREN
All young children are negatively impacted by multiple viewings of scary events, or by relentless news coverage of those events. With young children, it is usually most helpful to find out what their questions are, rather than trying to anticipate yourself what it is that they need to know.
If they do ask, it would be helpful to downplay the setting that this event happened in, and simply say that someone hurt some people in another place, and that everyone feels sad for the people who were hurt.
Depending on what your child has heard, you may need to gradually step out more information, and it certainly is helpful to respond truthfully to your child’s questions, but remember that you do not have to give more information than your child is asking for.
Emphasize that they are safe and that you love them. If they are aware that the shooting took place in a school, remind them that we have all kinds of ways that we all work to keep our school buildings safe, including locks on the doors, and adults who are there to take care of us.
It’s fine to tell them you don’t know, if they ask you questions about why this happened, or what was wrong with the person who did the bad thing. It is helpful to remember that you may have different feelings about, or interest in, this event, than your children do.
Try to keep your own feelings distinct from your child’s, as they may not be interested in a lengthy conversation about this, and will be satisfied with a brief reassurance.
It is in the nature of childhood that youngsters often choose to think about other things when they are overwhelmed by a piece of information, and may be happy to talk about something else or engage in some activity that they find calming or enjoyable.
If your individual child persists in asking questions, try to ascertain what it is that they are really wondering about. If their primary fear is that something like this might happen to them or someone that they know, you could ask them, “If you were in that situation, what do you think you might do to keep yourself safe?” If your child over the next several days seems particularly troubled or persists in questioning you about it, we would encourage you to contact your child’s teacher and let them know. You also may want to contact your school’s school social worker if you need specific advice for your child.
OLDER CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS
With older children, events in the news often represent teachable moments for families. If you feel that your individual child would appreciate this conversation, it is fine to ask them whether there have been conversations among their friends about this tragedy.
What does everyone think about this? Asking what their friends think is often a helpful conversation starter with adolescents. This is a good opportunity to model your own values in processing this incredibly sad event.
Since we are always trying to maximize the development of empathy in our young people, it is helpful to keep the focus on the people who were negatively impacted by this senseless violence. If your youngster wants to focus on the perpetrator of the violence, you may want to redirect the conversation to the families who were affected by the violence.
It is important to recognize that we really do not know what motivated this act, and to acknowledge with our older children that people always struggle to understand why bad things happen in the world.
As parents, we can deliver a helpful and empowering message to our youngsters that as individuals, we can try to balance out the negative things that happen in the world by being forces for good, both in our communities and in the world at large.
Similarly, while it is human nature to try to impose some sense on the event through speculation about the perpetrator, you can caution your youngster that the really important thing here is that some families who were impacted are in a tremendous amount of pain right now, and that they all have our sympathy.
As with younger children, it is helpful to ask questions to ascertain what they are thinking about, what their questions are, and how do they feel affected by this? If you have concerns about your own individual child, we would encourage you to call, at the middle school, one of the school social workers, or at the high school, your child’s guidance counselor or social worker. |
OK! Forget the Kindle DX I was talking about! This is what I want and I’m gonna save for it! And today Apple just introduced the new iPad! Yes and iPad !
The perfect device I’ve been looking for! It has Wi-Fi, large screen, perfect for reading e-books, browse the net, watch movies and bring anywhere!
-.
- 10 hours battery life!
- It has Wi-Fi and 3G !
- Built-in audio!
How much is an iPad?
With Wi-Fi a 16GB is $499, 32 GB $599, and a 64GB is $699
With Wi-Fi and 3G 16GB $629, 32 GB $729 and 64GB for $829
It’s not available for ordering yet but I already signed-up to get notified when they are good to go. Wi-Fi models will be shipping in March and 3G models in April! I can’t wait!
Oh, i am also wishing and praying that I can have one too. Sana meron mag bigay. LOL.
di ko sya type, di ko ma imagine kung paano ka mag tatype eh pero sana you can have it soon
OMG. I so want one ren sis. Huhuh. kelan pa kaya ako magkakaron nyan? tsktsk
I want one too. I don’t care if people say it’s a fail!
.-= JT´s last blog ..If The iPad Is Such A Big Fail, Then Why Do I Still Want One? =-.
The name, the name, the name! They (Apple) could have been more ingenious. But it definitely is an eyecandy. A gadget one should have in these times ruled by technology.
.-= Kessa Thea´s last blog ..WINNER: Belle de Jour Planner =-.
@Bogcess hindi kasi nila kilala yung kalaban na Kindle kaya ganun sila maka-comment hehe hayaan mo sila ala lang silang pambili lolz
Hi ms. earthlinggorgeous! Saw you at MS VIP Mix last night. Hehe! The iPad is full of controversy because of the many negative comments. Isang malaking iPhone lang daw. Glad you took the review lightly.
.-= Bogcess´s last blog ..Microsoft Philippines VIP Mix January 2010 Preview =-.
yun nga! ang panget lang ng name parang sanitary napkin or something that’s making fun of the iPod diba? Sana something like iTab nalang or something else lol
HAHAHA sabi pa nga nung mga friends ko sa facebook : IPAD=iced tea+LAPAD (tanduay rhum 5years)
kasi sabi ko gusto ko ng IPAD ahahah
a, eto pala yun! i thought some wiseass is making fun of the ipod
shucks, huli na naman ako sa balita. thanks for sharing Earth!
.-= Dinah´s last blog ..Mommy Moments: New Favorite =-.
another baby I wish to have.
.-= levy´s last blog ..My Birthday is coming soon! =-.
hmmmm iam pretty pretty love to own one.
now i know what iPad is! lol
.-= Wena´s last blog ..So Many Thing to Blog About But This Mom is Busy is a Bee… =-. |
Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless” created a gangster in Jean-Paul Belmondo who was an existential hero. Jean Seberg, your friendly local Francophile, represented America’s ambivalent infatuation with a culture that itself has a love-hate relationship with all things American, including cinema. But it’s one thing to debate “Breathless” or, say, Robert Bresson’s “Pickpocket,” another New Wave classic, while walking past the Cinematheque Francaise, now a formidable institution in its own right occupying a Frank Gehry-designed structure in the 12th arrondissement on the Rue de Bercy, and another to actually be a victim of a real Parisian gangster.
The French outlaw or rebellious character may be a beloved creature, like Jean-Pierre Leaud in Truffaut’s “400 Blows,” but when you confront the reality of a French gangster, he or she conforms more to Hannah Arendt’s “banality of evil” than to cinematic incarnations themselves modeled on American films. Was Camus thinking about James Cagney’s explosive response to his mother’s death in “White Heat” when he wrote the famed beginning lines of “The Stranger,” “Mother died today. Or, maybe, yesterday: I can’t be sure”?
Pickpocketing is the crime of choice for Parisian criminals, and it’s far more surgical, unremarkable, and uncinematic than anything Godard or Truffaut could have conjured. It’s painful when it happens, as it did to my wife on a recent trip to Paris, but painless in the expert way it attacks the unsuspecting tourist, removing his or her offending affluence and peace of mind like the microbe of a virus that creates havoc invisibly and so quickly as to wipe out the possibility of memory. But here is what happened to us.
We were on our way to a restaurant called La Cordonnerie on the Rue St.-Roch in the 1st arrondissement. Even though it was near the tourist area of the Louvre and not on the Left Bank, where vaguely artistic criminals like the Belmondo character tend to congregate, it was just the kind of charming traditional place advertising six tables, a chef owner, and top ratings on Trip Advisor that Americans like us, whose Grail is authenticity, seek out in droves. The name might have been a cause for concern, with its association to noose, but we were feeling triumphant, despite the heavy rain that had begun to fall, in having gained any reservation at all.
Our stop on the Metro was Tuileries, and by the time we were drying out in the restaurant and arguing about how to deal with a petulant waiter who didn’t appreciate being asked for bread, bread, and more delicious bread every time our bread basket was emptied, unbeknownst to us, the crime had already taken place. It was only when my wife received a call on her cell from her bank saying that someone was making lots of charges on her Visa card that she reached into her purse and realized that her wallet was gone. Our bread basket was filled in time for both of us to lose our appetites, on our first night in Paris.
Rather than playing itself across an imaginary screen the way some painful events do, the violation in question required a retrospectroscope. We thought back to a moment when the exit door at the Metro stop wouldn’t open. Yes, that was it, we both agreed. A man had been standing in front of my wife, seemingly unable to budge the door. I’d felt an almost imperceptible panic, the involuntary response that one has to the feeling of being trapped. We were late for our coveted reservation, which we would lose if we couldn’t get out of the Metro.
Another man had been standing between my wife and me, and I remembered thinking he was a crazy. He had looked at me and said something about “la porte,” and I’d thought I’d done a good job in shooing him off. My wife had been sandwiched between two con men who had expertly “cordoned” her off from me, using the classic concept of distraction that is employed by all magicians who engineer a sleight of hand.
I’d thought we’d be spending the whole night arguing about my unwillingness to shut my mouth with the waiter — who’d also told me I could go to the local “magasin” if I wanted ketchup with my entrecote — but instead we found ourselves on the phone with credit card companies that reported robust activity on my wife’s accounts.
At midnight we ended up at the police station on the Rue Bonaparte, one block from our charming hotel, filing a report and discussing Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris” with one of the local gendarmes. He was less baffled by what had happened to us, which was “ordinaire,” than by his own as yet futile attempts to find the street and the chink in time where Owen Wilson accomplished what we all dream of doing, returning to La Belle Epoque, in both the literal and figurative senses of the words. For the rest of our stay we unsuccessfully tried to take a philosophic attitude toward what had happened. If a whole generation had been lost, was it so bad to lose just a wallet?
--
Francis Levy is the author of the novels "Erotomania: A Romance" and "Seven Days in Rio." He lives in New York and Wainscott and blogs at TheScreamingPope.com. |
East Valley hotels are gearing up for an influx of weekend guests from across town. Other local holiday travelers are packing for a destination farther from home.
And they all will be paying more for their holiday fun.
Prices for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals and fill-ups at the gas pump are higher than last year, said Christina Estes, AAA Arizona spokeswoman.
Big tabs aren’t killing July 4 vacation plans, she said, but they are causing people to plan better before they set out.
Use of AAA’s fuel cost calculator has soared 100 percent, Estes said. The Web site,, allows motorists to figure out how much a road trip will cost before setting out.
Local drivers will pay about 60 cents more for a gallon of gas than they paid last year, but 16 cents less than they paid last month, she said.
Still, a record 40.7 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles this weekend, Estes said. That’s 1.2 percent more than traveled last July 4 weekend.
About 150,000 people a day will be passing through Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, said Deborah Ostreicher, Sky Harbor spokeswoman. The airport just opened a new security line at Terminal 2 to help speed them through.
“We expect traffic to be spread out, like at Thanksgiving,” Ostreicher said. “(Today) will be the busiest day, and the 4th and 5th will be very busy.”
Economy parking lots are expected to be packed, she said.
East Valley hoteliers hope the thought of airport crowds and gas-guzzling road trips will convince people to stay in town and vacation at a local resort.
At the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort on the Gila River Indian Community, “It’s looking good,” said spokeswoman Kristin Jarnagin.
As of Thursday, the posh resort had only three of its 500 rooms still available for Monday night and 35 not yet booked for Tuesday night, Jarnagin said.
Most of the calls for reservations are coming from 480 and 602 area codes, she said.
The Hyatt Regency Resort Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch also is filling up fast for the next few days.
“We’re within a couple of rooms of being sold out on Monday and Tuesday and the weekend is like a strong summer weekend,” said spokeswoman Ann Lane. About 60 percent of those reservations are for local people, and, of the remaining 40 percent, most are from California, Lane said.
Estes said if July 4 falls near a weekend, it is typically the busiest holiday for summer travel because families are free to extend it into additional days.
“For Memorial Day, some kids are still in school, and by Labor Day some are back in school,” she said. “But on July 4, they are all out of school.”
Traveling tips
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport travel tips for the holiday weekend:
•Economy parking lots are expected open and close periodically. Call the parking hot line before leaving home to check the current status at (602) 273-4545.
•Arrive at the airport at least two hours before flight time to allow time to park and clear security.
•Before leaving home, check with the airline on possible flight delays and baggage weight limits.
•Don’t pack lighters in carry-on luggage. Certain lighters may be packed in checked baggage. For information, check.
•When picking up passengers, wait in the free Stage & Go lot on the west side of the airport. Electronic flight display monitors show arriving flights and the estimated time that passengers will be on the curb for pick up.
• Don’t pack fireworks in checked or carry-on luggage.
Smokin’ destinations
Holiday hot spots for AAA Arizona members:
• Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Denver are the most popular TripTik and map requests.
• Seattle, Denver, Chicago and Minneapolis are the most popular domestic flights.
• London, Amsterdam and Victoria, Canada, are the most popular international flights. |
NEW YORK - Recent disclosures of massive data leaks at information brokers, banks and retailers have prompted Congress to once again consider tightening access to Social Security numbers, which have evolved into dangerous master keys for fraud.
But Social Security numbers already have come under a hodgepodge of restrictions over the years, and many experts question whether the new proposals would truly hinder identity theft.
In fact, reducing some companies’ access to Social Security numbers could even worsen the situation. also can.
‘‘It’s too easy to get to data no matter what the key is, from insiders or hackers or mistakes,’’ said Jody Westby, head of the security and privacy practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. ‘‘What-check.
Finer points in the bills are expected to change as several measures are combined in hopes of generating one likely to pass. But a look at some of the details shows the difficulty of restricting Social Security numbers.
For example, a proposal from Sens. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and Pat Leahy, D-Vt., would prohibit data brokers from selling a Social Security number without the consent of the subject. But there are many exceptions. The numbers could be sold for ‘‘research’’ purposes, for example, or if just the last four digits are listed.
The latter exception ‘‘almost nullifies the entire bill,’’ said Daniel Solove, a law professor at George Washington University and author of ‘‘The Digital Person.’’ That’s because the last four digits of any Social Security number are the only truly random part of the string. A savvy thief sometimes can determine the first five digits, because those are determined by where and when the number was granted.
And even if a thief doesn’t get someone’s exact number, he still might be able to obtain credit in that person’s name.
Because the system is built to grant credit in a minute, there’s a built-in tolerance for typographical errors or misprints such as transposed digits in the Social Security number.
‘‘They’re looking for accurate matches, but not exact matches, and that gray area is where fraudsters seek to perpetrate their crime,’’ said Terrence DeFranco, chief of Edentify Inc. Edentify makes software that scans credit applications for signs of fraud.
To perform that check, Edentify examines information harvested by data brokers, companies like Choice-Point Inc. or Reed Elsevier PLC’s LexisNexis, which both had breaches that led to the current scrutiny.
Consequently, DeFranco has lobbied Congress to make sure Social Security numbers could still be sold for fraudprevention services like his.
Since ChoicePoint discovered that it let identity thieves posing as legitimate customers get information on 145,000 Americans, the company has stopped printing Social Security numbers on background reports.
But James Lee, ChoicePoint’s director of marketing, argues that preventing data brokers from harvesting Social Security numbers would be ill-advised. The accuracy of background checks and other reports would suffer, he said, because the numbers remain the best way to differentiate people with similar names and to examine people’s financial histories.
‘‘You have to be very careful of the law of unintended consequences,’’ he said.
What this all points out, many people in the information business argue, is the need for a new identifier.
One solution could be a ‘‘federated identity’’ system that relies on the mathematical principles of cryptography to ensure information can be transferred only among prearranged parties. trust is now exploring ways its system can be applied more broadly in online systems where most identity thefts happen.
‘‘We’re not going to go from what we’re standing in now to nirvana in a single step,’’ said George Goodman, an Intel Corp. research executive who heads the alliance’s management board. ‘‘But federated identity management is a step in the right direction. It puts a greater level of security and protection in place that currently exists.’’ |
Aerzen Svenska AB
Also in categories:
Delta Hybrid – Innovation from tomorrow’s world!
Aerzen presents the first Rotary Lobe Compressor
Relying on experience in the design and production of rotary lobe blowers since 1868 and screw compressors since 1943 Aerzen has continually set new standards for quality and innovation in the field of twin-shaft positive displacement machines. Aerzener Maschinenfabrik counts among the pioneers of compressor technology and is today one of the leading manufacturers worldwide.
The unique combined experience from the worlds of rotary lobe blowers and screw compressors is the foundation upon which the new groundbreaking and future-oriented Delta Hybrid technology has been developed – the first series of Rotary Lobe Compressors!
Delta Hybrid is a synergy of blower- and compressor technology. By combining the technical advantages of both concepts, it offers completely new possibilities for generating positive pressure or vacuum in air and neutral gas applications.
A total of 7 patents or patent applications currently make the Delta Hybrid one of the most innovative products in compression technology. While low pressure applications call for the Roots-principle.
Over a ten year operating period, energy costs equate to about 90% of the total Life Cycle Costs of a compressor. With this in mind, the Delta Hybrid was developed with the focus on increasing energy efficiency and achieving a significant reduction of energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
The ideal union of both rotary lobe blower and screw compressor technologies resulted in the Delta Hybrid, a future-oriented innovation that reduces the energy consumption by up to 15% compared to usual compressors.
A 3+3 twisted rotor profile is used for low pressures up to 800 mbar (12 psi) whereas a 3+4 rotor profile is used for pressures up to 1500 mbar (22 psi): a compressor with optimum efficiency can be selected for the needed pressure range. Optimized fluidic design of inlet and discharge ports provides for ideal flow conditions and reduced slippage. The inlet air is sucked in on the cold side of the package and discharge silencer isolation helps maintaining a low inlet temperature, therefore increasing the compression efficiency. Moreover, the belt-driven Delta Hybrid offers the significant advantage of exact sizing the greatest advantage comes from the energy that does not need to be used. In other words, a 5% excess in volume flow corresponds to a 5 % higher energy use.
The new Delta Hybrid-series distinguishes itself by the following advantages:
• Especially favorable price performance-ratio considerably below the investment-, energy- and maintenance costs for a comparable turbo- or screw compressor
• Energy savings of up to 15 % compared to conventional compressors
• Low maintenance and service costs; reliability and durability
Content is provided by exhibitors. If you consider any content inappropriate or misleading, please contact [email protected]
Media & Partners
|
Oh one of our traditions {for any holiday} is making all the typical fixings for dinner when the family gets together. I'm talking glazed turkey, honey baked ham, green bean casserole, heaping amounts of mashed potatoes, homemade stuffing and of course, cranberry sauce. This year I decided to do up a new version that I found from my Cooking Light magazine and this was amazing! I had never thought of adding orange zest or WINE to my sauce, but it came out wonderful.
This also jars really well and would make the perfect holiday gift OR bring it your next family gathering to share with everyone. This sauce took hardly any time to make and smells incredible on the stove.
Everyone is here except for my Aunt {whose taking the picture} and my brother who was in Afghanistan.
He'll be here this year though!
Oh and board games are clearly a must.
And so is wine.
This year should be even better now that my brother is home from Afghanistan, I know we're all happy to have him here!
Now about that recipe...
______________________________________
Servings: 12
Serving Size: 1/4 cup
Calories: 112
Fat: 1.2 g
Carbs: 25.5 g
Fiber: 1.5 g
Protein: 0.2 g
Sodium: 1 mg
Old Points: 2 pts
Points+: 3 pts
______________________________________
Here are your ingredients:
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
1!
Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Can't wait to see what delicious meals everyone will make!
29 lovely comments:
You're right that would make a great gift! So pretty and festive. I'm so glad the season is upon us! Enjoy the time with your family!
So tasty! Great job. I make mine with some ginger, but otherwise almost the same. Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! That cranberry sauce is bangin'. I love the pic with the orange zest on top.
Thanks for the recipe. I'm making my cranberry sauce today and prepping for my stuffing. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Beautiful and delicious!!!
Delicious! I am passing this onto my mom who makes our Thanksgiving dinner - she will love it!
These are such beautiful pictures! You captured the colors perfectly!
Have a great thanksgiving! It is so wonderful that your brother is back home to celebrate with you and your family!
~Rona
That looks fantastic. Sometimes nothing beats the standard, does it. Don't know if anyone else sees this, but half of your pictures are missing and there's just a black box with a yield-shaped sign and an exclamation point in the middle. The pictures I can see are gorgeous.
Oh, I'm thrilled that your brother is home for the holidays this year...such a blessing for your family! Your cranberry sauce looks fabulous!!! Enjoy your Thanksgiving~
I love the cranberry sauce! Thanks for the recipe. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
Great recipe,the color looks great,I m sure adding yummy taste to the Thanksgiving meals,,,have a great thanksgiving with your family :)
Ridwan
Glad to hear your brother is home! Have a wonderful day with your family!
this looks yummy! happy thanksgiving!
This sauce looks wonderful. We are all about traditions as well. I hope you have a fabulous Thanksgiving.
I did not know you before but you were already on my bookmark long before I started blogging. i have tried couple of recipes. One of them I remember is the chestnut soup. At 20, so much of a passion for cooking is something an amazing thing for me.Thanks for visiting my blog.How do you manage so much?
It is so fun celebrating holidays with family and close ones, you all look to be enjoying your delicious cooking light dinner. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
Cranberry sauce looks absolutely perfect, love the post....Happy Thanksgiving!
Your cranberry sauce looks delish! Plus everything tastes better with wine! ;) Happy Thanksgiving x
This looks lovely! I love the photos of your family! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Fun Thanksgiving! Totally jealous :) And that cranberry sauce is totally droolable!
This looks delicious.
So glad i found your Blog! Im your newest follower :)
Yum, would have never thought to put wine in cranberry sauce! Hope your family enjoyed it and that you had a lovely Thanksgiving!
That is a gorgeous sauce--beautiful color!
I'm with you on the board games! Monopoly is our goto Thanksgiving game, but Apples to Apples is a fave!
I have to make this next year for my blog! It looks delicious :) xoxo
I love homemade cranberry sauce so much! It is so much better this way! I am also with you on the holiday thing... I love turkey day, but I have been listening to christmas music for weeks now! :)
My sister in-law brought Apples to Apples to our house for Thanksgiving this year! I'd never heard of it before, but it might be the best game ever!!!
yes another girl who makes their own cranberry relish and doesn't just pop open a can. that stuff is nasty! i will pin your recipe and photo so i can try it next year
Love this recipe! Will be linking back to this in my upcoming post :) |
Consumer Know How Blog
January 2010
26 January 2010
Marketing Doesn't stop at the shop door
Alex Marks - Head of International Business Marketing, eBay Advertising
It has to be said there are advantages to being a man, even in these days of enlightened thinking. I don’t mean our innate ability to find travel directions an interesting and perfectly acceptable discussion topic. Or even the fact that we are able to store and retrieve at will, important facts about dinosaurs. No, one of our main advantages in this modern world lies in our ability to shop at record speed. And time as we know, is precious.
But are we really ruthless hunters of goods and services? Do we take a focused and direct route to our chosen victim then once claimed escort it to the till, pay and leave with a feeling of self-satisfaction.
Sometimes yes, but a body of evidence, and it should be noted that there are differing views, suggests that somewhere between 20-60% of our purchases are entirely unplanned, and that goes for men as well as women. That’s an awful lot of wandering around, shrugging shoulders and thinking, ‘oh go on then’.
So what is at work here?
There are whole books written on the psychology of buying so I won’t try to cover all the bases here. Suffice to say that it is a combination of factors. Age and gender, in-store marketing and purchase type all have a part to play.
Our own recent research studies into online shopping (E-buyers Mind) also points to the fact that frequency of purchase impacts on how we choose our supplier. Whether it be a more casual search and price led decision for those infrequent purchases, or a more convenience based and brand loyal decision for the regular ones.
But if so much of what we buy is unplanned why do brands spend so much on advertising outside the shop? Well to counter that question with a statement – In-store marketing spend in the UK is around £25bn. Media spend is around £20bn. They are both enormous markets but how much do they work together?
It seems to be that media spends a large part of its effort getting people to the front door. Once inside in-store marketing takes over.
In the high street the rules are pretty fixed, media agencies do outside the store; marketing and sales promotion agencies generally do inside. But in the online world e-tailers are only just beginning to open their doors to advertisers. In the UK on eBay for example, over £100m worth of goods are sold every week. That’s a lot of purchases that could have been swung your brands way.
Online shopping used to be about getting a bargain, the cheapest CD player I could find. It’s not like that anymore. Trust, selection, and convenience are now just as important. Bargain has been replaced with ‘Value’ and that’s an important distinction as the breadth of goods gets ever wider. The biggest selling category online in 2009? Clothing, Shoes, and Accessories. The biggest growing sector? Groceries. Both markets where you always thought you needed to see the item. Consumers are changing.
There is a real opportunity here for brands to start looking at online shops as a place to promote their goods and services. And an opportunity for online retailers to develop new formats for advertisers.
Marketing doesn’t stop at the shop door, wherever you might find it. |
Read news & updates from around the EDM world.
Electronic music visionary Paul van Dyk is delighted to reveal the first details of the second coming of We Are One, his Berlin-based festival spectacular. On July 6th the enigmatic, atmospheric, arena. I look later. Those purchasing the limited number of VIP tickets will gain admission to both the We Are One Festival as well as its exclusive after party (more info on which TBA)..
Posted on May 8th, 2013 by Matt Labour in Events • News
Last year, the 250th and New Year’s live editions of Corsten’s Countdown spiked Twitter trends, premiered new anthems and transfixed music lovers around the globe. Today, electronic music maven Ferry Corsten reveals the first details of his third extended spectacular.”
Taking over the SiriusXM airwaves for 8hrs at a time, previous live editions of Corsten’s Countdown have drawn listenerships numbered up in the 100s of 1000s. Most recently, through its thrilling, feature packed action (and often fan-guided musical content), the 2012 New Year’s broadcast trended 3 times on Twitter.
Now, much more is in store! The Summer Special edition of Corsten’s Countdown will be packed to the nines with the hottest tracks, drop-ins from surprise guests, ticket giveaways, track and remix premieres, live interviews (with DJs calling in from around the world) and, of course, in the last hour, the Countdown itself. You name it, #CCSUMMER is going to have it, so put a mark in your calendar for June 2nd now!
Corsten’s Countdown Sunmmer Special video trailer online now here:
As every seasoned Corsten’s Countdown listener knows, each episode gives you the chance to vote up your favourite track of the moment. With the live extended editions though, Corsten’s Countdown goes into interactive overdrive. For the Corsten’s Countdown Summer Special,! If you’ve got exciting plans for this summer – places you’re going, people you’re seeing – Ferry wants to know. He and RTÉ Pulse co-presenter Mr. Spring will be sharing them throughout the show with hundreds of thousands of fans from around the world.
Simple! The Corsten’s Countdown Summer Special micro-site is now open. There you can submit track requests along with video links for them, as well as your favourite sun-season memory and accompanying photos. On June 2nd Ferry will incorporate them into one summer-celebrating radio & online social get-together. Head over to and start getting involved.
Wherever you are in the world, you’re going to be able to catch the action. Alongside RTÉ’s Corsten’s Countdown broadcast, the entire 8 hours will be going out live as part of SiriusXM and Armin van Buuren’s A State of Sundays programming. You can also tune in via one of the 50+ international stations carrying the show, listen in via the corstenscountdown.com portal or via the official Ferry Corsten App (available here:).
The only thing better than tuning in… is being there! Corsten’s Countdown Summer Session takes place on the Bank Holiday of June 2nd. It’s going to be a unique start-to-finish, not-to-be-missed F.C. day in the scenic surrounds of the Irish Republic’s capital. Having spun 8hrs at RTÉ’s Pulse studios, he’s moving the party on to the city’s Academy club. There, playing an extended set, Ferry will close out your holiday weekend in the fashion that only Corsten can! So why not make a weekend of it and hit Dublin for the Summer Special!
Corsten’s Countdown Summer Special will raise the temperature of radio waves around the world… Give your sunglasses a wipe and get your #CCSUMMER tunes set. June 2nd’s gonna be a scorcher!
Posted on May 8th, 2013 by Matt Labour in Events • News
6 inCroatia. British bass purveyors Chase & Status, dub-house duo Cazzette and Turkish progressive mainstayDeniz Koyu are all taking to the main stage at the Poljud Stadium in Split over Friday 12th and Saturday 13thJ.
Following the record breaking fifteenth edition of Ultra Music Festival that took place over two weekends in Miami in March, this trend of raising the bar will continue when electronic music lovers from over 75 countries flock to Croatia for Ultra Europe, which is on course to sell out with over 60% of tickets already sold 3 months before the festival even begins! Arena.
Keep up-to-date with all announcements and information by visiting ULTRA EUROPE’s Official Website and Facebook page.
Posted on April 18th, 2013 by John Silvera in News.
For more info check:
Video created by Robin Piree & Tom van den Berg
Posted on April 17th, 2013 by Matt Labour in News
Read what's on EclecticRadio today from their amazingly big network of artists, promoters, venues and agencies and this Friday we will be able to enjoy ErroV & Reef!
The last show on this Friday will be a brandnew episode of DIMIX Essential Selected at 11pm CET, this time with a guestmix from Danny Howard!
Enjoy!
Posted on May 17th, 2013 by Mark in Club Judge Showcase • DIMIX Essential Selected • ManiacBeatz with DJ ManiacBeatz • Show News
Download mixtapes, liveshows, bootlegs and tracks.
Genoten van de liveset van ManiacBeatz gisteren in de ER studio? Mooi, download hem nu hierboven!
ManiacBeatz draait elke vrijdagavond van 19:00 – 21:00 een heerlijke weekendset om jouw weekend officieel keihard te laten beginnen en dat doet ‘ie goed
Geniet van deze twee-uur durende show en als je helemaal zit te genieten, kun je nog veel meer ManiacBeatz downloaden vanaf onderstaande link:
Enjoy!
Posted on April 27th, 2013 by Matt Labour in House Music Downloads
VatoGonzalez.com is proud to present the 2nd edition of the free ‘Army of Bastards’ mixtape, thanks to the collective effort of all the producers of our own online community.
Mixed & mastered by Vato Gonzalez. Additional laziness provided by Furr & Squeek.
Big shout out to all the producers who sent in their work; Volts, Guiseppe Funka, RMCO, Kama Qu, Olivier Heldens, Randy Sauvage, Mystique, AMRO, Jonathan Pitch, Sedelic, Backcornerz, Jasper Dietze, Emilio G, Aaron Chase, Crowd Pilots, Martin Falkenberg, Ruben Kusters, Robby East, Beatbangersz, Anoosh, Mad Nation, Arvana, D-Velro, Veni, Positiv, Row Rocka, Ricos, Ryan Sauvage, Veni, Vandé, Sonny G, Joe Fosho, Jaxx Morero, Erol Montez, Difesa, Dirty Minds, AvD, Asic & Hugs, Art Inc, Stavros Martina, Andy Woods, Aletro, Laëro, Massivebeatz, Royal Flavour, South Fellas, NEXTBEST, Lucky Dice, Rixter, Antigrav, Maracas, H20, Vincent Voort, Mickey Hollander, Tim Noir, Fiero, Certas, Tyro Maniac, Savero, Robin Dekkers, Regtur, l’Exclusiv, TMH, Ali Jouher, Emilio G, DJ UpsideDown, P.M.C, Nicky Roos, DJ StoneX, Chriss Stussy, WastedWankers, Nick Double, Lovado, Ruben Deluxx, Daniel Robson, Will J, JesterD, Dayo Nasty, Chris Decent, Mark Koster, Bonzer, Jarugorn, Eyedentity, House Addications, Ruben Deluxx, Fabio Ramoz, Joshua Vaughn, Pelle, Jordan Hill, Funkshifter, Overtracked, Soriento, Mick Slack, Fiero, Alex Kalicki, Sacha Harland.
Another big shout out to “captain” Kama Qu for organizing the troops again! For press, bookings & business please contact [email protected]!
DOWNLOAD NOW: bit.ly/AOBMixtape2
FREE DOWNLOAD: SINDEN & VATO GONZALEZ – $100 INFINITE KUNG FU VIXENS (INDIAN SUMMER RMX)
My track $100 Infinite Kung Fu Vixens with SINDEN is doing so well that the label has decided to give away the Indian Summer Remix. In short, get it here as a FREE DOWNLOAD.
PREVIOUS FREE DOWNLOADS (IN CASE YOU’VE MISSED ONE)
Posted on April 24th, 2013 by Matt Labour in House Music Downloads
Franky Rizardo has dropped a super nice remix on his Soundcloud and made it available for free! Awesome share, so be sure to grab it now to enjoy the real Rizardo sound!
Grab the download now: soundcloud.com/frankyrizardo/lego-el-ritmo-de-verdad/download
Enjoy the summer
Posted on April 18th, 2013 by Matt Labour in House Music Downloads
Dutch Eclectic God DJ The Flexican finally found the time to wrap up his yearmix 2012! Awesome job on April 4th, haha
Enjoy the great mixing techniques and track selection of this amazing DJ and performer and whenever you can catch a Flexican show, be sure to check him out because he’s (yours) truly one of a kind.
Check out the tracklist below and be sure to download the yearmix now!
1. Major Lazer – Get Free
2. Miguel – Adorn
3. Rihanna – Diamonds
4. Chris Brown – Strip
5. French Montana – Shot Caller
6. Nas – The Don
7. Alicia Keys – New Day
8. A$AP Rocky – F**kin’ Problems
9. T.I. – Ball
10. Tyga – Faded
11. Trinidad James – All Gold Everything
12. Drake – The Motto
13. Adje – Hele Meneer
14. Popcaan – Party Shot
15. Stevie Wonder – Superstition (The Flexican & SirOJ Remix)
16. Bondax – Baby I Got That
17. Rihanna – Nobody’s Business ft. Chris Brown
18. Moon Boots – Got Somebody
19. M83 – Midnight City (Nightmare! Remix)
20. Diplo – Express Yourself ft. Nicky Da B
21. Jeremih – Fuck U All The Time Ft. Natasha Mosley
22. Staygold – Wallpaper ft. Style of Eye & Pow
23. Solange – Losing You
24. The Opposites – Slapeloze Nachten
25. Noir & Haze – Around (Solomun Vox Mix)
26. Storm Queen – Look Right Trough (MK Dub III)
27. Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix)
28. Jessie Ware – Running (Disclosure Remix)
29. Will Monotone – Fiona
30. Boddika & Joy O – Swims
31. Julio Bashmore – Au seve
32. Gregor Salto – Azumba
33. Gesaffelstein – Control Movement
34. Nari & Milani – Atom
35. Nicky Romero – Toulouse
36. Knife Party – Internet Friends
37. Redlight – Get Out My Head
38. Schoolboy Q – Hands On the Wheel
39. Juicy J – Bandz a Make Her Dance
40. Chief Keef – I Don’t Like
41. Cash Out – Cashin Out
42. Usher – Climax
43. Future – Turn On The Lights
44. Kirko Bangz – Drank In My Cup
45. Jeremih – 773 Love
46. Major Lazer & Partysquad – Original Don (Flosstradamus Remix)
47. Baauer – Harlem Shake
48. French Montana – Pop That
49. Future – Same Damn Time
50. 2 Chainz – Birthday Song
51. Hardwell – Spaceman (Carnage Festival Trap Remix)
52. Rita Ora – Radioactive (The Flexican RMX)
53. Bingo Players – Rattle (Damage Remix)
54. Kanye West – Mercy ft. 2 Chainz
55. M.I.A. – Bad Girls
56. Sleigh Bells – Demons (Diplo Remix)
57. Benny Benassi – Satisfaction (RL Grime Remix)
58. Sef – De Wereld In
59. Yellow Claw – Nooit Meer Slapen ft. Ronnie Flex, MocroManiac (The Flexican Minder Herrie Edit)
60. Nicki Minaj – Beez In The Trap
61. Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank)
62. A$AP Rocky – Goldie
63. Rick Ross – Stay Schemin’ ft. Drake
64. Big Sean & Nicki Minaj – Dance (Ass) Remix 65. TNGHT – Higher Ground
66. Frank Ocean – Bad Religion
67. Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know (Mphazes Remix)
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Posted on April 4th, 2013 by Matt Labour in House Music Downloads |
In this eleventh and final step of the energy services project delivery process, the electrical contractor (EC) follows up with the customer to verify that the project continues to perform as planned and helps the customer correct any warranty, guarantee or performance issues discovered since project closeout. This step is vital to marketing performance-verification services.
Why verify?
Most energy services project agreements require the EC to provide a standard one-year warranty for the installation. As a result, customers do not expect the electrical contractor to check the performance of the energy services project after project closeout. However, from a business development standpoint, the EC needs to ensure the customer is satisfied with the work and is willing to provide a recommendation to other potential customers if asked.
Without following up with the customer and verifying that the installed equipment and systems are performing as expected, there is no way for the EC to know if the customer is satisfied with the installation. The energy services project could be working, but it may not be working as well as planned; the customer may not be happy with it. In this case, the EC needs to know the customer’s concerns and work to resolve them and ensure repeat business and good recommendations.
Similarly, customers undertake most energy services projects based on the planned annual energy savings. However, there is no way of knowing if the actual installation is producing savings without verification. This is especially true where installation performance varies throughout the year as in the case of a photovoltaic system or daylighting control system.
Energy performance verification can include analyzing the customer’s monthly utility bills, looking at building management system (BMS) data, setting up temporary monitoring equipment, or a combination of methods. If system performance deviates substantially from planned performance and can’t be explained by changes in weather patterns or facility occupancy and use, the EC can help identify the performance issues and develop a plan for correcting them. It could be as simple as the customer’s personnel not understanding how to operate the system, not maintaining the system as required, or unknowingly modifying the system.
A followup review of the installed system can also help the EC learn and improve its future energy services. Talking to the customer’s personnel that operate and maintain the installed equipment and systems will net valuable information as to what works and does not work for future projects. Information obtained from the customer can include equipment and system operational and maintenance idiosyncrasies; distributor and manufacturer responsiveness; equipment or system options that should have been included or excluded; installation methods and details that could have been better; and other things. Listening to the customer about the project’s performance will not only help the EC improve its services, but the EC will also cement its relationship with this customer by better understanding what this customer wants next time.
Marketing performance verification services
There are a variety of ways that the EC can package and market energy services’ project performance verification services to the customer. The best method is to include the verification services and their associated cost as part of the electrical contractor’s original project scope of work. If the customer is competitively bidding the energy services project, the EC can include the verification process in its bid proposal as a voluntary alternate and not part of the base bid.
In this way, the EC will not be penalized for including this additional service in its proposal, and it can educate the customer about the advantages of project performance verification during contract negotiations if it is the successful bidder. Other options include offering periodic system inspections and performance verifications as part of an ongoing service contract or as a regular service call.
The author thanks ELECTRI International Inc. for sponsoring the project, “Energy Roadmap: Electrical Contractor’s Guide for Expanding Into the Emerging Energy Market,” on which this article is based. |
While fire alarms can be integrated with other building systems, they are tightly governed by codes and standards, such as NFPA 72, NFPA 70, UL864, etc., since these systems directly affect life safety.
According to the National Fire Alarm Code, NFPA 72, a true fire alarm system has three parts, which not only have different functions but are physically separate. Each function can be implemented by a variety of different types of devices. The system consists of the following:
• “Initiating device: A system component that originates transmission of a change-of-state condition, such as in a smoke detector, manual fire alarm box, or supervisory switch.” (3.3.89) [Note: all numbered references are to the 2007 edition of NFPA 72.]
• “Fire Alarm Control Unit: A component of the fire alarm system, provided with primary and secondary power sources, which receives signals from initiating devices or other fire alarm control units, and processes these signals in order to determine part or all of the required fire alarm system output function(s).” (3.3.64)
• Output functions: There is a very wide range of output functions, which can be used to activate various types of warning devices, such as bells, horns, lights, speech, text. They can activate a fire suppression device, such as a sprinkler system; transmit a notification to a central monitoring station and/or to a fire department; and transmit emergency commands to other systems, such as elevators, door locks, HVAC dampers and emergency lighting.
Initiating devices
“Automatic and manual initiating devices shall contribute to life safety, fire protection, and property conservation by providing a reliable means to signal other equipment arranged to monitor the initiating devices and to initiate a response to those signals.” (5.2)
The simplest initiating device is a manual pull box activated by a person who sees a fire. Others include smoke detectors, heat detectors and the following:
• Radiant energy detector, which is defined in 5.8.1.2 as “… fire detectors that sense the radiant energy produced by burning substances. These detectors shall be categorized as flame detectors and spark/ember detectors.”
• Water flow switch, which indicates that water has started to flow in a sprinkler system, initiated by a heat-sensing element built into the sprinkler head.
• Detectors that note the operation of other automatic extinguishing systems. (5.12)
• Supervisory signal-initiating devices (5.15) are switch inputs that monitor the readiness of fire suppression and detection devices.
• “Smoke Detectors for Control of Smoke Spread” (5.16), which are smoke detectors designed to sense smoke in chambers that involve air circulation, such as ducts and plenums.
Fire alarm control panel
An addressable fire alarm control panel (FACP) or, as it is called in NFPA 72, fire alarm control unit (FACU), is the heart of what is used to integrate the various elements of fire alarm systems and other building systems.
In an addressable panel, each input device has a unique identifier. The panel reads that information and responds to it with a preprogrammed series of output events designed to deal with the specific type and location of signal initiator. Input and output signals can be transmitted over a single pair of wires, since each device is uniquely identified by a programmed code. NFPA 72, 3.3.173 calls this kind of connection a signaling line circuit: “A circuit path between any combination of addressable appliances or devices, circuit interfaces, control units or transmitters over which multiple system input signals or output signals or both are carried.”
If an alarm is triggered by a particular smoke detector, audible and visual alarms can go off and, at the same time, dampers, fan controls, smoke doors and fire doors in the HVAC system should prevent the flow of smoke from entering unaffected areas. Fire doors might be locked to prevent the spread of the fire, or security doors might be unlocked to permit people to evacuate and/or fire fighters to enter. Since it is possible to know the location of the sensor that triggers an alarm, one can activate a voice message to instruct occupants to move away from that location. Exit marking notification appliances (3.3.113.1.1) are used to mark viable exits by emitting a series of sounds that can be traced and even provide verbal instructions on what action to take, such as “stairs up,” “stairs down,” “area of refuge” and “exit here.”
NFPA 72, in fact, requires fire alarm systems to be integrated with other building systems. For example, the elevator might automatically be switched into firefighters’ recall mode or be sent to an alternate floor. The elevator might be shut down completely prior to automatically activating sprinklers. All these actions and interactions can be programmed locally or remotely in the FACP.
The integration of fire alarm systems with other building systems is rapidly evolving. Specific regulations govern their installation, but the techniques are similar to the typical work of electrical contractors. Furthermore, the regulations clearly specify the required procedures.
BROWN is an electrical engineer, technical writer and editor. He serves as managing editor for SECURITY + LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS magazine. For many years, he designed high-power electronics systems for industry, research laboratories and government. Reach him at [email protected] |
My last column detailed duct smoke detectors and some of the conflicting requirements we experience. I discussed the basic location requirements for duct detectors—on either the supply or return air side of the air handler unit—depending on whether the International Mechanical Code or NFPA 90A is used.
Before we can determine where and when duct smoke detectors must be used in conjunction with smoke dampers, one must determine where smoke dampers are required. A variety of documents may cover this.
Let’s start with NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code, 2009 edition. Although you will find some requirements in the occupancy chapters, most of that information will tell you when the dampers are not required. Chapter 8, Features of Fire Protection, covers the smoke detection requirements. Section 8.4.6.4 states, “Dampers in air-transfer openings shall close upon detection of smoke by approved smoke detectors installed in accordance with NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code.” NFPA 90 defines an air transfer opening as “an opening designed to allow the movement of environmental air between two contiguous spaces.”
Does this mean we must have a smoke damper in every wall? No, we provide them in barriers separating smoke compartments. To find where smoke barriers and smoke compartments are required, refer to either the International Building Code or NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code. Keep in mind that there are many sprinkler trade-offs in place in the codes that may reduce the number of smoke compartments required.
When smoke compartmentation is required and smoke dampers will be installed, the fire alarm contractor must determine where to install the duct smoke detector. One source is the International Building Code, 2009 edition, Section 716.3.3.2, which states, “Where a smoke damper is installed within a duct, a smoke detector shall be installed in the duct within 5 feet (1,524 mm) of the damper with no air outlets or inlets between the detector and the damper.” This is typical of the requirements for installation. As indicated in the previous paragraph, the detectors are installed per NFPA 72. Paragraph 5.1.6.5 (2007 edition) gives the installer four choices of mounting detectors in air duct systems. These include using a duct detector with sampling tubes protruding into the duct; spot-type detectors listed for the velocity, temperature and humidity suspended in the center of the duct or mounted to the inside of the duct or using a beam smoke detector.
To recap, first determine the occupancy. Then find smoke barrier or smoke compartment requirements. Next, find where the air ducts penetrate the smoke barriers to determine damper locations by looking at mechanical plans.
Next, let’s discuss testing duct smoke detectors. NFPA 72 was a little vague on this until the 2010 edition. Basically, a duct detector is a system smoke detector that performs a specific function, so you need to test the duct detector as you would any other system smoke detector as well as test to ensure smoke can get to the detector. It is a two-step process. One step is to ensure proper air movement from the duct to the detector through the sampling tubes. This can be verified with an instrument that will measure the differential pressure between the inlet and outlet sampling tubes, such as a manometer.
Secondly, you must test for smoke entry into the detector by introducing a smoke or aerosol acceptable to the smoke detector manufacturer. Both of these tests must be conducted to meet the testing requirements of NFPA 72. The use of magnets or remote test switches does not meet the intent of NFPA 72 for initial and annual testing. They may be used for more frequent testing than required, but cannot be used in place of the required annual test verifying smoke entry into the detector.
This can be a challenge due to the locations of the detectors. Sometimes, it is almost impossible to get to them, but that should be considered during installation. Remember that NFPA 72 requires all fire alarm equipment to be accessible for periodic maintenance. Communicating with the general and mechanical contractors ahead of time can help a great deal.. |
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Computers. |
THE European Central Bank gets a lot of brickbats, even though it has shown great flexibility at several stages of this crisis (including all the way back in August 2007, when it was quick to supply liquidity to the markets as the subprime mess was revealed). Mario Draghi has reversed his predecessor's rate rises and lent €1 trillion to European banks.
Unfortunately, it does not look as if it has done enough. The ECB has always paid a great deal of attention to money supply and the latest numbers look awful. A 0.5% month-on-month fall in M3 (the biggest fall since January 2009), dragging the annual number down to 2.5%. Private sector loan growth is a measly 0.3%.
As James Ashley of RBC Capital Markets remarks
improving the supply and availability of credit is only one side of the equation; and in an environment of heightened uncertainty and an awareness of the need to deliver, households and businesses appear to be shunning the option to tap into those credit lines. As a result, while base money has increased by some 30% over since December, the increase in broad money aggregates has been much more subdued; consequently, the money multiplier has now fallen to an all-time low.
There are signs that investors have withdrawn cash from banks and are keeping it under the metaphorical mattress; an understandable reaction, perhaps, to talk of a euro zone break-up.
In the light of this data, the ECB really has to respond. And it could start by cutting rates by half a point from the current 1%. It is hard to believe, based on the monetary or economic data, that there is any short-term inflation threat.
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There are various forms that the 'metaphorical mattress' has assumed, but the question is whether further credit creation would make the mattress assume larger proportions. The sluggish nature of growth of the broad money supply (now that has also stalled according to Buttonwood) in Europe is a pointer that the conventional instruments have not worked unlike U.S., but here we are comparing apples with oranges; it is not liquidity or its absence that one is grappling with at the moment. Too much money following too few productive avenues in the Euro economy, or is it too little money following austerity concerns, would be decided by the trade offs on the anvil in form of interest rates and / or inflation targeting, this prescription perhaps has limited upsides.
Procyon Mukherjee
Inflation (printing) is a bank bailout.
The current problem is that banks printed the global housing Minsky to bail banks out of the Y2K Minsky. In parts of Europe, 13% of the population were in construction (compared to 5.8% in the US), despite the fact that 20% fewer prime age home buyers will be extant withing 20 years. The cost of bailing banks out of this much capital misallocation is more than European voters are willing to pay.
Printing yet another Minsky to bail banks out of the housing Minsky will just create yet another a future credit crisis. Printing capital misallocation is a no win scenario, in the long run.
There must be a better way.
"It is hard to believe, based on the monetary or economic data, that there is any short-term inflation threat."
Oh, but the Germans' historic sensibilities! Of course, the 1923 hyperinflation was quite intentional, the German government's way of wiping out its war debt, and pressuring the Allies regarding reparations. Such inflations do not happen by accident.
Simply red is the Greek issue or issue of realigning the euro zone’s current account imbalances.
It is indeed a matter of money multiplier, but some people seem to be taking some wrong causation this time. It is the long-term expectations that have already collapsed to a level to affect the complex of rates of interest in the open market or the money multiplier. With liquidity preference theory it is easily understandable that there are times when a central bank can’t control M3. A rate cut sounds rather off the mark for the moment without a large banking crisis imminent which could collapse the schedule of the marginal efficiency of investment to trigger a depression. As long as it is a euro zone break-up that is the source of anxiety or the accelerating liquidity preference, it must be the probability of a euro zone break-up that has to be tackled in the first place.
Can we have the real Buttonwood back, please?
Interest rates are already extremely low and, in any case, are not supposed to have much short term effect. If, as Buttonwood frequently contends, there is a problem of solvency and not liquidity, then how is increasing the money supply - the purported aim of an interest rate drop - supposed to help?
There is already too much liquidity sloshing around but it is collecting in all the wrong places because of the need to shore up bank balance sheets and the carry trade in sovereign debt.
If you want a quick increase in the money supply then prick a couple of the asset bubbles and be ready with forgiving bankruptcies and writedowns.
Good observation, Andros. The "structural" problem to which you allude, non-competitive wages in the US, is becoming a lightening rod issue. Regrettably, this is becoming an anti-union movement as well. I say regrettably because trades unions do respond to the industries in which they function. Accordingly, they serve a useful purpose and contribute to competitiveness. There is, however, no such responsiveness in unions functioning within existing monopolies, e.g. education, municipal and federal government. These organziations borrow the form and tactics of trades unions, but exert a death-grip on the institutions they serve. The recall election of Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin, June 9th, will demonstrate which side is gaining ascendency.
The great horror to liberals of a Bain Capital alumnus [Bain being the equity capital firm Mitt Romney headed] becoming chief executive is that such an executive might bring to the federal government the standards of worker efficiency that Bain Capital brought to its various acquisitions. These standards, of course, are what has kept the American worker among the most productive on the planet.
Until futile and misguided efforts to legislate the economy are abandoned, the American economy will be vulnerable to competition from elsewhere. You point out quite correctly that the labor practices in Shantung Province will continue to undercut our workplace. It's utter foolishness to think that the markets for labor, for instance, will permit law-givers to dictate terms such as minimum wage, closed shop, health care, etc. without adjusting. Like all productive resources, labor is becoming global. This is particularly true in times when freer trade and greater mobility of capital are prime objectives.
I would say the ECB has done well enough but that it can't solve the political problems. When they extended liquidity to the banking system, that opened a window for addressing what was already obvious and which has become the headlights of an oncoming train: bank insolvency. The solution advanced was "banks need to raise capital" with no "here's how". The ECB stepped in, pushing forward their commitment to provide liquidity as a last resort. That created space. The only things done since have been negative: cash flowing out of countries, drying up lending markets, choking off economic activity, wrecking employment, etc.
From the upcoming Euro zone debt disco repertoire:
ECB's song, by Sam Fox and Sabrina Salerno
Inflation in both Europe and the US seems tame and a further increase in the money supply will likely not change that fact. The Fed has pumped about $2 trillion of new money into the economy and prices are still pretty stable.
Bernanke, drawing on his research, has averted what historians now see as the great culprit in bringing on the Depression -- a contraction in the money supply. So far, so very good, indeed!
Averting catastrophe has not, however, restored prosperity and after the "sugar high" of the past two (and covert third) episodes of "quantative easing," the U.S. economy is starting to appear anemic.
The near-bottom interest rates have perked up the housing market in the States, all to the good. They have also helped debtors lessen their load by refinancing, again to the good.
The American economy, though, is bogged down by problems that monetary policy can alleviate but, unless high inflation is targeted as central bank policy, cannot solve. Americans are still burdened with high personal debt (student loans are becoming a huge factor.) Wages continue to stagnate or, in manufacturing, fall in order to meet foreign competition. Finally, the current low interest rates so reduce demand from savers (primarily retirees) that they actually constitute a drag on the economy.
The American economy is slowly seeing the air go out of its tires due to 1) a legacy debt burden 2) an overdue readjustment of personal income forced by low foreign wages. Monetary policy can help with the first problem -- but stumbles with the second, structural, problem.
We probably worry too much about inflation. But, we probably don't worry enough that current trans-Atlantic economic problems are due to an irreversible shift in wealth to the Pacific. To a considerable extent in both the US and the EC, consumer income will depend on the lowest wage a laborer in Shantung Province will accept. There is something sadly autumnal about the western economies that all the printing presses in the Western Hemphishere cannot dispel.
1) banking union
2) eurobonds (scheduled as 4% of the GDP 25 years previous (to principle repayment), due every year issuable for the next 25 years).
Both would ease the pace of credit contraction on the periphery, reduce government deficits as bond yields fall, and finance new investment in export industries - just what a rebalancing requires. In other words, a more normal rate of M3 growth and less recession. Get on with it.
The United States Federal Reserve has the exact opposite problem. Here is an article that shows just how the Federal Reserve has now expanded the supply of money at nearly exponential rates since 2009:...
These actions by the Fed cannot continue without repercussion. Eventually, the Fed is going to be responsible for creating yet another asset bubble.
That asset bubble is already here - and it's gigantic.
???
Gold?
(*laughs at the idiots holding gold)
Tech stocks?
(*wonders if there's any way of cashing in on the euphoria)
Stick to productive assets, whose value is in reasonable proportion to expected productive output of said assets.
Gold? - probably later, not just yet. Look at the chart of gold/US$ over 10 years. The US$ is the "safe haven" when panic sets in - you can see the examples of gold dropping when The Apocalypse appears imminent; we're seeing it lately. The fuel for gold is QE, not fear. When the QE comes so will the gold boom. I really want to say, “it shouldn’t be long …”, but ….
Tech Stocks? - HaHa, wise guy. Z'berg et.al. showed you how to profit from tech, and it isn't by being a muppet and chasing the dream - it's by selling the dream.
Productive assets - sure, but they require some degree of economic prosperity/stability to earn to potential. Do you see that?
IMO the bubble now is in Treasuries, Bunds, Swiss currency and that kind of thing - and cash, strange as that may seem. Now you tell me - what phenomenon makes all of those assets crash at the same time?
Agreed - there is a little bubble in sovereign bonds.
But since bonds are dominated by the principle payment, the bubble isn't too big.
Even for 10 year bonds, if yields went from 2% (today) to 4% (normal levels), that would only wipe out 18% of the value. Even at a nominal 6% (if the fed were fighting soaring inflation - hardly likely), we'd only be talking about a 32% loss. For shorter term length bonds, we're talking about much smaller losses (value is dominated by principle).
If the banks are hiding massive bad debts, then this could be enough to tip them over the edge, with recapitalisations pushing up debt pushing up rates pushing up bankruptcies and finishing in Greek style collapse (with no prospect of an external bailout - only inflation and harsh fiscal contraction).
But things aren't that extreme - most banks are sufficiently capitalised to endure any (modest) rate rises that will happen in the next 3 years. And if congress forces a sharp and sustained US deficit reduction, rates might just remain subdued for another 8 years (plenty of time for banks to clean their books and build capitalisation - though not the best economic environment to achieve this).
Agreed - stability and illiquidity make it hard to invest in productive assets. I would like to see the UK build the Severn tidal barrier (which would provide 20% of UK electricity cheaply - screw the bird habitats) and a NorNed style power cable to Iceland (dirt cheap and abundant geothermal electricity for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northumbria). Both are massive long term projects that require competent government involvement (at least in framing a regulatory regime to establish the market, grid infrastructure, planning approval and credit conditions).
I'd like to see more public education investment (sack bad teachers, recruit the best graduates). I'd like to see a modern and efficient court system (with most evidence submission, etc happening online in real time rather than in a physical room at a mutually inconvenient time after months of delay), a massive reduction in the volume of law, etc (about as sound a public investment as public investments get).
I'd like to see lower public pensions, lower public payroll (except for teaching & investment), lower military spending, lower government health spending on the elderly & nearly dead (spend more on public health, vaccinations, contraception, and on discouraging unhealthy lifestyles). Cut all food subsidies (especially for high calorie staple crops), cut all agricultural import tariffs (especially for South American fresh fruit & vegetables)...
Hell, there are so many structural changes that would contribute so much to long run GDP potential, and lay the foundations for increased private investment.
Sadly, politicians seem primarily to bicker and pass yet more laws, regulations and little programs on top of an already bloated system.
What happens to sovereign deficits if rates rise? Not much doubt about the impact, is there? The entire financial sector is probably in the same situation, but that's not quite so clear, at least to me.
Is there any other answer besides QE? Which would imply gold, yet what is gold really worth in such a scenario? The answer is either "everything" or "nothing". Take your pick.
Unfortunately politicians have to be elected, and we gave the vote to people who haven't got a clue. I don't mean "oh look at those idiots who never read the FT/economist/learnt how economies work" I mean myself included most people have nowhere near enough information to even start choosing between political parties, we just follow our instincts towards the guys who is our favorite narrator. They can't do what they think is best if people get upset. and the other parties just want to discredit the one in power.
just a one-man bitter rant :)
Most of the demand for sovereign debt, such as US treasuries, is driven by collateral needs.
I'm always amazed at how the pseudo Austrians never seem to get this. In a financed financial system, collateral is gold. The US is still the least ugliest currency in the room. That may well change, but not in the next 6 months or a year.
What happens if rates rise?
Realistically, even more dramatic fiscal contraction across the rest of the budget.
Europe (except from the UK) is already doing this. It isn't pretty.
America, Japan and the UK still have this coming - growth will be dismal. Yes, this is the case for the entire financial sector - when rates rise, the market value of bonds (banks' liquid asset) falls - and they have to suffer multi billion dollar losses when they trade in bonds. And if those losses trigger investor/ depositor flight and a bank has to start liquidating its mortgage security assets at massive write-down... It's time to run for the hills.
The Fed has room to intervene in all this - and would. The Fed would probably allow inflation to reach double digits rather than lay wreck to the financial system.
It probably won't come to all that - but another 8 years of fiscal contraction, low private investment, dismal productivity and low GDP growth seem very likely (unemployment will probably fall amidst stagnant wages and rising underemployment rates, as the labour market adjusts to low demand and years of low growth).
Disaster is unlikely, but it'll take 15 years before academics will be able to say that there was a substantial recovery (and many disaffected citizens will still insist that America never did recover).
What is gold worth? The largest source of demand isn't manufacturing or jewellery - it's hoarding. The largest source of supply isn't mining, recycling or melting down of jewellery - it's investors and central banks selling. The price of gold depends on people's net inclinations to stockpile or sell off. They will sell off when their incomes fall, when they retire, or when they expect higher "returns" on other investments. They will continue to stockpile if QE drives inflation fears and suppresses bond yields, or if they fear that their bank could bust, their currency collapse or their government default on bonds.
It's a kind of binary switch - at some time in the next 10 years, there won't be enough bad new to sustain the returns that gold bugs want. Some will start selling, returns will fall, and the flight will bring about a collapse in values as net destocking replaces the current stocking of gold bars.
It's all pretty stupid - trading in gold is like trading in virtual internet currency (yes - plenty of people do that too). It has almost no real world value (except in manufacturing and jewellery - but as said, this comprises a tiny portion of market demand, and both combined are not enough to use the output of our mines at even a quarter of the prevailing price).
Most of us feel the same, I'm guessing. We have to try, though.
I've made my peace with just cussing.
Rather than argue to no end with you, I suggest you spend a few minutes researching what has actually been happening to M1, M2 and what we can estimate for M3. You would then learn something. |
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Lately, here, in the United States, a number of prominent conservatives and lobbyists have sought to maintain that the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution was intended by the Founding Fathers to empower the average man to maintain a private cache of weapons, so as to preserve himself against the tyranny of the State !!
Amazing as such claptrap sounds, they insist that this is what their "2nd Amendment Right" consists of and, so, they abjure anything that might interfere with their private ownership of whatever weapon strikes their fancy.
I have to say that these people advocating this perverted interpretation of the US 2nd Amendment are certainly "fringe" elements of our society, that they have it entirely backwards, and that they are, themselves, the kind of dangerously psychopathic people who should and would fail any licensure test, if we had a proper licensure test, for the privilege of owning and operating firearms.
These people, like the former senate candidate, Sharon Engle, of Nevada, completely misunderstand the 2nd Amendment. That constitutional provision empowers the States, by and through the fact that their citizens may own firearms, to raise "militias" in defense of the States and of the Nation. But the 2nd Amendment does NOT empower private citizens to harbor weapons for the purpose of attacking the government at any level, nor for protecting themselves from having to submit to the enforcement of the law.
Those paranoid personalities and other psychopaths who believe otherwise shall surely go the way of Timothy McVeigh. But their vocal opposition is no reason at all to avoid repealing and replacing the 2nd Amendment with a public policy and a regime much more appropriate to the 21st century than the late 18th century.
While I agree with your analysis, I do not agree with your conclusion in the final paragraph. The second amendment cannot be repealed as a practical matter, and any attempt to do so would merely be a huge fight for nothing. What can be done far more easily is to pass legislation to regulate or eliminate certain types of firearms in the civilian sector. The second amendment does not prohibit this, as restrictions have long been permitted by the courts on certain weapons.
What appears impractical to the point of an impossibility, today, will not seem so in due time, as long as we maintain our determination. See, fight against slavery, for women's rights, for LGBT rights, for disabled persons' rights, etc., etc.
The idea of a "right" to own weapons in an modern society is just crazy. Only in America, today, is this craziness still in evidence. This, too, will pass.
Unfortunately for those who wish to see a repeal of the Second Amendment, advocating for such a course of action is an absolute non-starter. The thing is so deeply ingrained in the American psyche that you might just as effectively be calling for the abolition of religion.
In order to effect massive cultural change, smaller steps must be taken, realpolitik practiced, and compromises arrived at. Abolitionism was preceded by slave codes, the legalization of homosexual marriage by the decriminalization of homosexual acts, etc. Please consider supporting the "responsible gun owners" who crop up everywhere to oppose suggestions of bans and repeal; I think that even those who hate gun culture can agree with them that a responsible, restrained gun culture would be a vast improvement on the mess that exists now.
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I see your point, but the consequences of repeal would be disastrous. Even if the libertarian faction were to accept a forfeiture of firearms*, the problem of many millions of illegal guns would become much worse than it is now; Brazil is the model for such a scenario, and it's not a good situation down there at all.
As with the war on drugs, the continuing criminalization of prostitution, and the example of Prohibition, a "war on guns" would, in the current historical scenario, be extraordinarily costly and disastrously divisive, and may ultimately cause more harm than good. Effective regulation of hazards that aren't universal evils (and no, Virginia, much as we might personally dislike them, they are not a universal evil) is what free and civilized countries do. I don't believe that incremental change need ultimately be toothless. To the contrary, I believe that strong, meaningful measures are possible (if not terribly likely), but not without a lot of give and take on both sides.
*which is flat-out not going to happen. A more likely scenario: the survivalist/militia fantasy of rising up in armed rebellion against a "tyrannical" government would be realized; there would virtually be a second civil war.
The general population has always relied on "the fringe" to defend their personal liberties. As George Orwell pointed out, people sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
On the contrary. We don't rely on the "fringe" but on the STATE. The "fringe" are precisely those callous psychopaths who love guns, hate gays, and wish to preserve a "right" to do battle with the government, so that they won't have to submit themselves to the greater authority of the community, as a whole.
Orwell was talking from the point of view of someone fighting totalitarianism. We democrats believe that the authority of the State derives ultimately from the consent of the governed. When the governed irrecovably deny any government their consent (cf., Syria, today), the regime falls.
Orwell's vision of an infinitely massive, pervasive, all-encompassing and insurmountable State is completely unrealistic, as it envisions that the State can govern without the consent of the governed.
Not everything is relative !
Actually, the consequences of repeal would be very salutary and equally straight-forward: For no one is suggesting that private gun ownership be completely eliminated.
Rather, we're saying that gun ownership should not be considered a right of citizenship, but a privilege for which one must apply and demonstrate merit.
In order to make this change of policy effective, it will be necessary to phase it in over a period of time, to educate the people about the new regime, and the begin requiring everyone who has guns today to come forward with them and to demonstrate that they meet the necessary criteria. Considerable peer pressure can be placed through community organizations, churches and the like to encourage people to abide by the new regime.
With time, the number of guns in circulation will be reduced through normal attrition, and criminals and lunatics will see their guns eliminated. Anyone found carrying or harboring a gun without a proper license would lose that weapon plus face a stiff fine, at a minimum, plus/minus jail time at the discretion of a judge.
In time, the new regime would encourage people not to think of purchasing weapons, as doing so would expose them to significant difficulty and possible liability. The 50% of murders caused by family members on each other, their friends and neighbors with handguns, etc., would begin to diminish, and the public would feel encouraged about the new regime.
Of course, there would still be criminals seeking guns, but the likelihood that they would find one would be greatly diminished and the killing effectiveness of those they found along with it. The article makes this point about the experience in the UK quite effectively. Brazil continues to be a largely unregulated, third world nation with a comparatively weak state and a very large and open border with other nations. You cannot compare OECD nations with Brazil.
I think a lot of the gun control controversy boils down to what the economists call the 'fallacy of composition'. The idea is, what might make sense for an individual to do, doesn't work when everybody does it. A simple example is, you're in a crowd watching a parade. You can't see, so you stand on your tiptoes. That's fine as long as you're the only one doing it, but if everyone else around also stands tiptoe, then you and they are worse off because you can see no better than before, and to have to stand that way is uncomfortable and tiring. In the same way, it might make sense for an individual to own a gun (though even that is doubtful), but if everyone owns one, he and they are actually less safe, because a certain proportion of the population is irresponsible, impulsive, criminal or crazy. Even if that proportion is tiny, guns amplify their power of dealing death so much that it puts everyone at risk.
That's why, when the criminals own guns, it's important for all people to own guns to reduce the power of criminals. It may be more tiring, but at least the playing field is level. Unfortunately, it's naive to think that we can somehow remove all the guns from circulation. Any attempt to try will only succeed in removing them from the hands of law-abiding citizens. The criminals will not let them go.
While your sentiments obviously have an appealing logic of their own, their are only that: Your sentiments.
The reality is quite the opposite. In every society where gun ownership is tightly controlled by the State, murder and other forms of violence are far less in evidence and criminality overall much reduced in comparison with the situation in the West, especially in America, where guns are every day, everyone can also be a "gun-slinger", and murder is still a significant problem.
Time to wake up and smell the coffee !
How do other nations manage it, then? How is it Britain and Australia aren't being overrun by criminals with guns, in spite of having strong gun controls?
You're basically counseling despair. You're saying that guns are so widespread in our society that the only solution is more guns. But the more widespread guns are, the more guns will make their way into the hands of the irresponsible, impulsive, criminal or crazy, and guns favor the offense.
Although I have most often sided with NdiliMfumu's positions on subjects, I have to take your side here. What (S)he espouses is a desirable but utopian goal that I can see little hope of achieving in a reasonable amount of time.
On the other hand, his opponents generally are those buying into the false portrayal of the American "Wild West." They refuse to see, much less understand, the "socialistic" aspects of joint action, and to overestimate the effect of the "lone gunslinger/sheriff."
The gun is not an "equalizer" if it pits a good person with poor vision and hand eye coordination against a well trained or coordinated criminal or crazy gunman. They view cooperation as bad because they refuse to acknowledge the American institutions of barn raising, welcome wagon, quilting be and other [to them socialist/communist] community actions that were the true backbone of American development.
The roots of Americas problems appears to be lack of accurate historical knowledge and poor critical thinking skills. The right-wing GOP is still intent on further subverting education by substituting Bible for science and history, mythology for health care, and voodoo [thank you GHW Bush] for economics.
Where you and NdiliMfumu fail is in assuming that what ails America is a fairly simple and easily overcome problem. The false history and the mythology of America has been inculcated for more than a century and there is still a large and well funded opposition to exposing the truth and fixing the problem.
I wish it were otherwise.
So yes, small incremental steps with lots of education are going to be required. The present dire economic situation, largely the creation of the GOP, could lead to a second great depression.
If that happens, we may just, if fortunate, find it leading to a second Democrat New Deal and banishment of the FOX/GOP/TEA Party from government for at least a generation. If we are really, really lucky, FOX will sink like the Titanic and take the TEA Party Faction in the undertow!
Did outlawing drugs in America prevent their use? Or send money to the cartels in South America who supply the black market?
I can't remember the name of a single individual who died in the Oklahoma city bombing, but I can still see Timothy McVeigh's mugshot. Why do we glorify the criminals (see the jaw-dropping number of copycat crimes that occur in the wake of a shooting) and marginalize the victims? A change in that media paradigm would do more than any ban on gun ownership.
Who glorifies these shooters? Maybe some shooting freaks.
Are you trying to quash the First Amendment in order to facilitate the false interpretation of the Second Amendment?.
You continue to confuse fame for infamy, and really in a most sentimentalist manner. The victims of terrorism and other abuse are remembered by us all through the moniker given to the place and/or the date on which they suffered, e.g., 9/11. But attempting to remember or to focus on the victims individually by name is a hopeless exercise in mnemonics.
We remember the perpetrators much more easily than the victims by name, precisely because there is (typically) only one such principal perpetrator, no matter how many victims there are. Even with respect to 9/11, we remember Osama's name but have already forgetten the names of the 19 terrorists who committed the crime.
Our ready recollection of the names of egregious criminals does NOT constitute or result from "glorification" of those criminals but, rather, from the shock and the infamy of their crimes. This is what you're confusing.
The media has to sell its wares (copy, internet clicks, etc.), or else it will not survive. This is only natural. Again, something you don't understand.
If some proto-terrorist somewhere feels excited by seeing the name of Al-Qaeda in print and feels proud of what that organization accomplished in its heyday, he will doubtlessly also feel dismay and discouraged by the fact of Osama's death and the continuing dismembering of Al Qaeda's hierarchy in Pakistan and elsewhere.
Merely publicizing these facts cannot be deemed to be "glorifying" them. It's much more important that we continue to have a vibrant and free press than that we take any steps at all to limit how they might characterize events, so as to suit some particular political objective or other. If you don't agree, I suggest that you move to Syria, Iran or China, where the press is decidedly more limited than in the US.
The gun ownership has been glorified and their benefits to society and personal security much exaggerated. To some extent gun ownership has been unconsciously entangled with American exceptionalism and maybe that's why it's so hard to convince American people to give it up. When thing touches your pride, real or perceived, people normally go to great length to protect it, rationally or irrationally.
The recent horrifying catastrophe that occurred in Connecticut should oblige us to take a deeper look at the values of the society we live in at large, and what sort of people emerge from it consequently. Or perhaps this will be like every other tragedy that takes place; a temporary buzz is created by mass media that soon fades as we continually trudge down the same blind-folded competitive, individualistic, dog-eat-dog paradigm that we live in that inevitably leads to more events like such..
If we felt those children as a part of ourselves, as members of our family, for example- we wouldn't be able to forget about it. It would haunt us continually, and force us to research the root of this illness that has spread into our consciousness and allows us to perceive such events as a random "hiccup" of our society, and not as a complete value-system disorder.
Acts of insane violence have always been with us. To turn the insanity of a single person into a wholesale murder tragedy it needs advanced assault weaponry (One-Man-WMDs): semiautomatic guns in combination with high velocity rounds and large-capacity magazines. Only this creates the 'efficiency' to allow large death tolls of a scale as seen now.
Support a renewal of the -2004 lifted- assault weapon ban. Assault weapons aren't covered by the Second Amendment..
J_Mac08: "(It's erroneous to think) that the causal issue of such events is the availability of guns and not the seriously distorted psychological conditions and values we allow to run rampant thought our media outlets, public schools, and society in general. Guns are the means to the end of an action ...".
This might be so.
Much was written about the 'ideal society' with the 'ideal' people.'.
This said, I think that the Sandy Hook shooting-massacre is part of a very apparent gun-law problem in our country, whereby a mother can train her (then under-aged) son in the use of semi-automatic assault weapons, while being fully aware that he sufferers from 'social awkwardness' characterized by significant difficulties in social adaptation and interaction. "Adam Lanza has been a weird kid since we were five years old," a former classmate of his wrote on Twitter.
Nancy Lanza taught her son how to shoot and shared with him freely her gun collection that he would eventually use to devastating effect.
Nancy Lanza was not an 'angel' within the meaning of your 'ideal' social requirement. She is rather described as what 'insiders' call a "survivalist" - or a "gun-freak" as ordinary Americans termed this 'addiction'.
Nancy Lanza is believed to have owned at least five firearms, including the powerful semiautomatic Bushmaster .223 rifle, used by her son Adam in his attack on children from the kindergarten at Sandy Hook. He also carried two semi-automatic handguns.
Not living in the wilderness with bears and cougars to protect against, this is a lot of assault guns for a single woman ... who isn't accidentally a Chicago gangster boss.
Thus, Nancy Lanza and her sociopathic son were maybe "addicts" in the sense used in your post, but these two "gun-addicted" people, mother and son, could only act as they did because her social environment "thought nothing of it".
Instead, Nancy Lanza was a registered Republican (supposedly a NRA member) and her equally gun-fanatic acquaintances presumably recited the "Second Amendment" five times a day as a quasi-alibi for the fast approaching 'insane' doings of the partially home-schooled Adam Lanza . . . very similar to certain fanatic religious believers who perform Salah Prayers five times a day . . . before going out to mass-kill in a fanatically pursued act of suicide bombing.
la.výritý: '."
Where do you think those evil, murderer qualities come from? Is it a matter of sheer genetic luck; programed into our nature and can't be altered by the environment our society creates for itself? (who's in charge of mass media, public school systems, etc.? Do you think they're really concerned about developing a "whole human being" through the individualistic content and examples of war-fare and hatred towards the fellow man that they provide for us continually?) It makes sense why this thought pattern would be pushed- as it wouldn't obligate us to take a serious look at the values that are ruling and molding our society to this day.
The idea that our behavior as human beings is naturally "evil" or "predetermined by our genes" is a complete scientific fallacy. It's impossible to discuss our genetic/behavioral expressions outside of the context of the environment those genes are molded and shaped from. If baby's eyes aren't give the appropriate conditions for optic development (if they are left in darkness for the first year of their life), their neural components of vision would atrophy and the baby would remain blind forever.
The same example can be applied to the conditions/environment we need to provide our children and society with in order for us to have a "whole" human society that doesn't consume and destroy itself. The fact that we dispose of 1/3 of the food we produce here in the U.S while approx. 3 billion people are dying of starvation and preventable disease in the world is just an expression of what kind of paradigm our "free market society" has created for us.
Revelations such as the Sandy Hook tragedy and many others happening all over the world today should once again, oblige us to re-evaluate the values that surround and influence us constantly. It's time for us as a society to feel the responsibility of such tragic events, and rapidly start building new values for ourselves- at least to demand and expect them.
We can't depend on the current governance of our political/economic systems for any public discourse or change for us as a society. We have to build it from the grass-roots up, and more and more people are starting become aware of the ground workings of the mass media and the current education system- of what their intentions and incentives are of operation.
Connection and Mutual Concern are the values that are needed for us to thrive as a society. It's also the same values we see see in Nature- through the various interconnected and interdependent functioning systems we see on all levels of life in the world... except in us humans.. It's up to us to demand, create, and push such values through our own public discourse as a society that is fed up with cancerous values that are the root source of all the troubles we see around us today..
True. And what are the conditions that create derailed individuals with sociopathic personalities? Shouldn't that be more of an issue than banning one of the means by which they murdered tens of children? We can't solve the root of a problem by putting a band-aid on one of the symptoms, we need to dig deeper into the causal factors of such mindsets and behavior- and that's the value system that permeates our society. I hope that through such conversations as this we can come to a mutual understanding and feeling of what's most important for us as a species in general- and not to continue with methods and legislative adjustments we've tried in the past that have had no affect on the state of our humility and humanity towards each other as a species..
Guns don't kill people, they just make it easier for people to kill people..
I completely agree. Repeal and replace the 2nd Amendment with a fully modern regime of gun regulation.
The second amendment intended that civilians have weaponry equal in force to that of military personnel. The right to have a musket, instead of a sword, was to ensure a level playing field against all enemies, both foreign and domestic.
In this vein, the current situation is in line with the intentions of the Second Amendment and requires no corrections.
I don't under stand what you mean. Are you, indeed, saying that today American civilians must have "weaponry equal in force to that of the US military", like missile-carrying drones and submarines equipped with ballistic rockets loaded with nuke heads?
Yes, he and the NRA extremists mean just that. In my experience they will never admit to any limitation on armaments available to "the citizens" however justifiable. They always use the "opening wedge or slippery slope" argument.
They fantasize that the legions of the NRA could actually defeat the US army, Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy [each of whose 10 attack groups has power equal to the total French military power].
We are a nation of over 350 million with the rights to do a lot of things unrestricted, or where there are restrictions in place, we know there often isn't sufficient enforcement and continue as we see fit anyways. I believe this inflates a lot of the stats about accidents, crimes and so forth in comparison to other countries. Nonetheless, these horrific crimes demand a response. However, what will it take to guarantee this does not happen again?
I look at the TSA and their tactics. The terrorists have used the elderly and children before. So any flying now done within the US requires removal of shoes, body and bag scan, possibility of interrogation separated from your family (kids too), testing of baby bottles for bomb residue, strict restrictions on liquids carried. Ok, but that is just flying. Does there not exist countless other opportunities for terrorists to attack? If that is the level of security required to protect us, we then need to dramatically roll out that standard across the nation to all our vulnerable areas.
I look at domestic abuse and rape. I believe the data and the horrendous nature of those crimes demands a response, but what restrictions can you put in place to prevent those crimes from happening?
There is room to tighten gun control. No one should be demanding gun rights right now, and if guns aren't the problem, the ball is in the gun owners' court to willingly cooperate with greater restrictions to ensure that guns don't fall into the wrong hands and to provide people with a greater sense of security. Any increase in restrictions will be meaningless without the appropriate increase in enforcement, and the decision makers must look at the data to determine the effectiveness of whatever restrictions are on the table. I believe that dramatic increases in any restrictions will only yield small increases in our "perception" of security and safety.
The answer to the conundrum that baffles you is to change our culture of lusting after guns, first, and then to change our laws which make gun-ownership into a right of citizenship, instead of what it should be, a privilege merited by a showing of physical and mental good health and competence in owning and operating a firearm.
In almost all other countries in the world, there is no "constitutional right" to own a gun. In fact, in most places, it's entirely illegal to own firearms under any circumstances. We need to get to that same place, here, in the USA.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, should not become unhinged.
OK, so let's regulate the militia.
Let's make sure that anyone who owns a powerful gun understands how to use it properly. And is psychlogically fit to own one.
I think people need to be honest with themselves. The media as well as many of the posters here are quoting nationwide violence, gun death and homicide statistics. The reason why we are all posting here isn’t because 10,000 people were killed last year, the vast majority of which were street crime and drug related, it is because 27 people, 20 of them children, were killed randomly by a madman. The motivations of a madman are not the same as those of a street criminal or a drunken spouse so the remedy for each should be different as well. Restricting ownership/access or implementing a prohibition entirely oversimplifies the possible solutions and ignores the separate underlying problems which ultimately lead to violence.
What's wrong with doing both?? Why not make gun-ownership a privilege, rather than a right of citizenship? AND do everything necessary and reasonable to ensure that the mentally ill are found, registered with a mental health provider and well-treated?? AND do everything to countermand the disgusting perversity of American's obsession with virtualied gun violence, otherwise known as "action flicks"??
Why not?
It's quite simple, Gnostic Liberal, sociopaths have always been with us, as arsonists and as murderers. But only in combination with semi-automatic guns and extended high volume magazines, these sociopaths are able to turn into walk-in mass murderers 'out of convenience'.
As a gun owner, I support President Obama’s call for a change in how we regulate guns, and our societies’ relationship with guns. Second Amendment Right proponents who will not work to prevent this type of act have no ground to stand on. NONE.
The victims of the Newton, Connecticut tragedy, and many others like it, have been permanently denied their life and all rights. Their families and communities devastated. Any argument that it is the gunman, not the gun that is at fault is totally vapid and irrational.
Perhaps a place to start this change is to simply outlaw, without loopholes, the sale and possession, of assault weapons. Then confiscate, and destroy all assault weapons in private position. This would include all automatic weapons and semi-automatic side-arms. Ammunition clips holding more than 4 rounds would be subject to the same. This would not prevent this type of tragedy, but would help prevent its magnitude.
As for all with a survivalist bent, if you can’t make it with your revolver and four-round hunting clip, you will not make it in any case.
Bottom line: my right to keep and bear arms is just not worth this type of tragedy.
Michael Bain
Glorieta, New Mexico
I fully agree -:)
Our hearts are truly broken.To imagine such carnage is awful enough. A balance must be struck between gun right and peoples' safety. Now is the time to act, otherwise there will more of this heartrending occurrences as derangement seems to be in the increase.
American citizens have offered prayers after the massacre of innocent school children. Are prayers good enough to deal with the basic malady? It has been reported that over 10,000 people have been killed in USA during this year and this statistics speaks for itself. One feels so much for the near and dear one of those killed, particularly the children. This however, may not be the last of such shootings. Issues involved here are essentially social and are also about frustration among people. They are quite complex and only one of them is easy availability of guns. Why should the killer kill his mother? Is it that an individual’s anger against the society or the government or against no one in particular cannot be expressed except by using a gun and taking lives of innocent people? But more important question is why do people think that they can solve their problems, whatever they may be, by resorting to violence?
American citizens themselves have to seriously ponder whether the guns are really required by them for self- protection.
Sociopaths have always been with us, as arsonists and as murderers. But only in combination with semi-automatic guns and extended high volume magazines, these sociopaths are able to turn into walk-in mass murderers 'out of convenience'.
"
How funny and realistic you are with your examples, dude! I've no words to express myself now! Using chaotic societies to legitimate the right of a disturbed killer to buy (and use) Sig Sauers, Glocks and Bushmasters! Let's hear the kids laughing on your "sarcasm"!
... (one eternity of silence) ...
;)
The Nazis turned an armed 'militia', the infamous Nazi-SA, against the state and the people and, thus, managed to subdue the rest of the society. This speaks rather against gun-ownership of private militias gun associations.
My deepest condolences go to the people affected by this tragic incidence.
Hope that there are sufficient loves to overcome such violence.
I don't understand why people are upset. We (the US) are a gun culture. Just last week a federal court ruled in Chicago that a law passed by a duly elected government was not valid in the face of people who want to carry deadly force into public spaces. It is our most sacred right, above life, liberty, etc. That right comes with a price. So embrace your culture and accept that public gun fights are what our Constitution is about.
Either that, or we've reached the point where all interpretations of the Second Amendment have been reduced to the absurd, and that gun control is no longer a legal issue. It can only be served by repealing the Second Amendment. I don't like this option, but the gun advocates seem to want to make it the only option.
"The less weapons in a society, the hardest it is to get a weapon, the stiffer the sentences for weapon possession... the less innocent people will die"
Patently untrue.
The rifle looks like this? Is that a serious argument? Firearms don't frighten people to death. The only things that matter are caliber, cartridge, rate of fire, and magazine capacity. Perpetuating the populist idiocy that dangerousness is something that can readily be perceived is the kind of thing I'd expect from the headline writers of the New York Daily News, not The Economist. What will we have next from you, a Scary Looking Weapons Ban Bill?
There is a correlation. The weapon in question is typical of assault weapons. It shoots relatively small bullets at high velocity, the cartridges are loaded in clips (those used by the shooter held 30 rounds) which can be changed quickly, it is semiautomatic fire, which can fire rounds in quick succession. The shooter had hundreds of rounds with him, and could have killed many more had police not arrived promptly.
Nothing about the appearance of the weapon affects caliber, cartridge, rate of fire, and magazine capacity, which is what I said mattered. Basing arguments or laws on appearance is like replacing the plastic in a toaster with wood and thinking it makes healthier toast.
I think you missed Handworn's argument. For example An old wooden stock M1 garand could be considered only "slightly less lethal" because it has a smaller clip capacity but in reality it is just as effective as the weapon used by the shooter. The Bushmaster, an M4 variant, looks like something from an action movie and easily frightens those less informed and who support such "scary weapon" legislation.
Laws that have or are proposed to regulate assault weapons are not based on appearance.
They are based on appearance to the extent that they're not based on making the gun more deadly. To quote from the Wikipedia article on the Assault Weapons Ban that expired in '04, an assault weapon is defined as one of a number of specific semiautomatic rifles and:
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Exactly two of these have anything to do with making the gun more deadly: magazine capacity and detachable magazines. Grenade launchers are ridiculous; rifle grenades are impossible to get and not used in shootings. Folding stock, because it might take care of concealable rifles? Oh, well, I guess that takes care of the 90% of gun homicides that take place with pistols, even more concealable. Barrel shroud? That's something to put on machine guns to keep them handleable when the barrel overheats, and machine guns, having been highly restricted since 1934, aren't covered by the ban. The only possible reason to include the features apart from the magazine-related ones I mentioned is that they make the gun scary-looking. Which is truly stupid.
Why worry about the appearance? I think the appearance tell us a lot about the person buying it, and their intent. I'm no expert, but I'd expect an M1 (or equivalent)to be of more interest to a gun enthusiast than a Bushmaster. It's a larger calibre, so more stopping power for the hunter, and longer barrelled, so presumably more accurate. So why did Adam and/or his mother by an M4/AR15 alike ? Why spend $1000 odd on this weapon, instead of $700 odd on an M1 alike ? It's lighter and shorter, easier to conceal, can be waved around with one hand, and it LOOKS SCARY. The very fact that anyone would want one of these, to my mind, should disqualify them owning any firearm at all.
I horror at the thought, but a properly motivated person with a knife could have killed just as many children at that school.
Most people posting here are Anti-Gun Owner and the same with the Economist. If bad guys really want to get guns to do harm to innocent people there is nothing you can do to stop that. They can just go buy it from the black market or steal them and do their thing. Look at the Mexican drug cartel in the US for an example. If you remove all guns from responsible citizen and the bad guys will have the upper hands and do anything they want. The problem we had here was a mental guy kills his mother and uses her guns to kills innocent kids. She even knew that her son had a problem and she quit her job to watch over him. She should have sent him to a mental health facility. If there were a security officer at the school that day we would not loose any lives. Budget cuts??? America needs to stop giving away free money to other countries, bombing other countries and use that money for the safety, health care and education for their own people
You are correct, where there is a will there is a way so those determined to have a gun, no matter how strict the laws, will find a way. But this is not about making it impossible to get guns, or to eliminate these cases, it’s about being realistic and doing practical things that will reduce cases like this. Your argument is akin to saying we can't stop car accidents, so why bother with seatbelts and airbags! I don't want to take your hunting rifle, and if a warm gun makes you sleep better, then a sane licensing system nationwide should allow you a hand gun for personal protection. But please explain why you or any private citizen needs a semi-automatic assault weapon, or clips that hold 30 rounds or more. Do you think bambi is going to fight back?
Gun doesn’t go around killing people. It’s a mentally ills person that use it to kills people. That was the main problem. His mother was blind to see and think her son is safe and she should have never trained him to use guns. He should have been in a mental institution. It doesn't matter how many rounds a clip can hold in a gun, or a knife to stab children in China, or a guy strapping himself with bomb in the Middle East. Its craziness in a person you can't prevent. Of course Bambi is not going to fight back and it was very sad that it had happen. That was either a dumb question or a complete troll.
The Bambi comment was facetious so I apologize, however I'm still no clearer on why a huntsman or any other private citizen would need an assault weapon or a clip containing 30 or more rounds. Yes people do the killing, and it’s clear this individual had mental issues; however you take the guns out of the equation how much damage could he have done? The case in China used a knife, which would not have allowed the individual in Newtown to even gain access the school as you can't shoot off a lock with a kitchen knife. To be perfectly frank I just don't understand why those who defend the 2nd amendment are so opposed to legitimate gun control. Simple straight forward licensing would not impede your right to hunt, but might limit some of who you call the "crazies" getting their hands on lethal weapons. What is so wrong with that?
There is nothing wrong with it except that gun owners resist having any responsibility go with their 'freedom'.
Mass shootings by wackos, like plane crashes, are rare in a nation of 300 million plus. Like plane crashes, its horrifying because so many die at once. But your chances of dying in a mass shooting are very very very very very small.
Once again, the focus is taken away from our nation's real tragedy. Gang violence. That is where youth are dying in appalling numbers every day. The focus should be on understanding and attempting to change the culture of inner cities.
Mass shootings tend to occur in rich, white, liberal neighborhoods by the spawn of rich, white liberals. Introspection by those people should be encouraged to understand why. But don't hold your breath. They will blame others for their problems.. |
Chinese condoms
Reds in the bed
A Chinese start-up with XL ambitions
WHEN choosing a product once called “an armour against pleasure, and a cobweb against infection”, people tend to go for trusted brands. That is why well-known condoms such as Durex and America's Trojan have such huge market shares. And it is why Safedom, a start-up condom-maker from Beijing, met such scepticism when it visited Europe to look for a partner. How could the Chinese firm overcome doubts that its products were reliably up to the job?
Its answer is a demonstration, witnessed by your correspondent. Dangled in a solution containing a virus, Safedom's condoms kept the dangerous liquid out. Condoms from prominent Western brands appeared to let in a small quantity. After performing the test in meetings, says a Safedom executive, “the atmosphere changed completely”.
Even with its claim to produce the first entirely virus-proof condom—yet to be verified by international bodies—Safedom reckons it needs a European brand for success outside China. Joining a list of Chinese companies recently striking deals in Europe, it will shortly announce a partnership with a European firm.
Safedom then aims to take on Durex and other giants in Europe and elsewhere. Founded in 2006, it has grown rapidly at home. It expects to sell 1 billion condoms in China this year, giving it about 8% of the domestic market. Most Chinese used to take free condoms from the government. Now, those who can afford to buy their own. When in a party mood, who trusts the Party?
Brian Fu, Safedom's boss, praises European brand expertise and business management, but has his own clever strategy to raise sales: targeting women. Four-fifths of customers for Safedom's condoms in China are women, whereas in most big markets, including China, only an estimated 40-50% of condom-buyers are female.
Durex, Trojan and Australia's Ansell offer chiefly condom brands that appeal to men, with names such as “Performa”, “Magnum”, and “Jissbon”, whose name in Chinese means “James Bond”. Safedom, by contrast, sells “Elegant Winter” condoms under brands such as “Beautiful Girl” and “Green Lemon” in oval-shaped, paisley-patterned tins. Its marketing emphasises female health benefits. Whether or not Safedom goes all the way in Europe and other markets will, as usual, depend on the women.
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Universal banking
Together, forever?
The enduring marriage of investment and commercial banking
OPPOSITES no longer seem as attractive. Universal banks combine the complexities of investment banking with simpler commercial-banking services for individuals and companies. Their proponents argue that the model offers the benefits of diversification, and enables banks to offer a full range of services to their clients. But even their backers are now having second thoughts. Sandy Weill, the man behind the mergers that created Citigroup, the archetypal universal-banking giant, surprised pundits last month by saying that megabanks should be broken up.
In doing so he joined a sizeable list of ex-bankers who seem to have experienced remarkable changes of mind once they have retired, options and bonuses doubtless vested. The converts include two former chairmen of Citigroup (John Reed and Richard Parsons) and David Komansky, a former chief executive of Merrill Lynch.
Their sheer size is not the only thing that makes people fret about universal banks. Many regulators and politicians see scandals such as the LIBOR rate-fixing allegations as evidence that staid commercial banks have been “contaminated” by the culture of the investment banks joined to them. The volatility of wholesale markets—think of the recent losses sustained on credit-derivative positions by JPMorgan Chase—also unnerves people.
Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, said in June that he saw “real merit in pursuing the separation of this utility-type banking from investment banking”. There are calls in America for the resurrection of the Glass-Steagall act, a Depression-era law that split investment and commercial banking. BaFin, Germany’s national watchdog and Deutsche Bank’s home regulator, is reportedly examining the case for segregating the two types of business as well.
Some investors and analysts have also begun arguing the case for breaking up big banks. “You can slice and dice [the numbers] in many ways, but all conclusions mean these companies are worth more dead than alive,” says Mike Mayo, an analyst at CLSA, a broker. “It doesn’t necessarily mean you should kill them off but you should liquidate some bits.” Barclays and Deutsche Bank, for instance, are valued by the market at 30-40% of their book values. JPMorgan Chase trades at a narrower-but-still big discount of about 25%.
Not so fast. A very few universal banks have investment-banking arms with enough scale to stand on their own. But stand-alone investment banks face an even wobblier future than their universal-banking cousins. In the five years since the start of the crisis, the investment-banking arms of large international commercial banks have won a dominant share of key markets such as bonds, currencies and commodities (see chart). That is partly because the number of pure wholesale banks has gone down, but also because they face higher borrowing costs. That discrepancy is likely to widen after recent credit-rating downgrades hit Morgan Stanley, one of the last remaining investment banks, particularly hard.
And even if regulators and shareholders were to agree on a separation of the two sorts of banking, it is hard to unscramble the eggs that have gone into making them. Most universal banks with subscale investment-banking arms will neither find buyers (given the current slump in earnings) nor will they be able to wind down these businesses without incurring big losses.
Part of the problem is that investment banks may have entered contracts such as swaps or other derivatives that produce risks to the bank that can last 20 years or more. These positions are not easily sold, so their creators are forced to maintain teams of skilled traders and mathematicians to keep hedging, or managing, the risks to the bank.
Yet when a bank is winding down its business, it finds it harder to attract and retain people with the right skills. Labour costs soar, since banks must compensate people for the fact that they are working themselves out of their jobs.
The former finance director of a large universal bank says that when his institution looked at winding down its investment bank it “couldn’t find a glide path” that didn’t result in hefty losses. Instead it decided to keep pumping money into its investment-banking business in the hope that it would eventually grow big enough to compete.
Such problems suggest regulators ought to look for more subtle interventions than simply carving banks up. One example might be the “ring fence” approach proposed by an independent commission in Britain, in which banks would have to stump up enough capital and liquidity to support each business but not be forced to choose between them.
Another approach might be for regulators to specify how big investment banks can be compared with commercial banks. A senior investment banker suggests regulators and banks look to biology to judge the relative sizes of the businesses. “You have to say what is the host organism to which the investment bank is attached,” says the banker. “If you can keep the parasite in the right proportion to the host you can have a symbiotic relationship.”
From the print edition: Finance and economics |
KONA, Hawaii, Dec. 14 (UPI) — The world’s first solar thermal plant using proprietary MicroCSP solar panels opened at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii in a major new response to the state’s clean energy initiative.
The thermal energy project spans 3.8 acres in the Kona desert and features 1,000 of the solar panels, the first of their kind, Hawaii-based Sopogy Inc. said.
Through the use of mirrors and optics and an integrated sun tracker, the company claims the panels achieve higher efficiencies than conventional solar panels and are good at gathering energy even in the cloudiest of conditions.
Solar energy is attracting funding and support worldwide amid a scramble for clean energy. As the panels’ manufacturer, Sopogy is poised to replace the “chaotic” solar power installations worldwide with its branded product.
Sopogy has projects operating in Idaho, California, Hawaii and several more across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. However, many of Sopogy’s customers are using the systems as a competitive advantage and have intentionally kept their projects confidential.
Analysts said several factors supported upgrading of conventional solar panels with more efficient and versatile devices that respond to familiar challenges, such as poor sunlight or fragility and unreliability of the equipment.
Sopogy’s branded system also uses a thermal energy storage buffer, the first of its kind, that allows energy to be produced during cloudy periods. The buffer can also transfer energy produced during the day to evening hours.
Sopogy named the project, “Holaniku at Keahole Point” to add local color and to reflect the diversity of the technology’s uses. The Hawaiian term stands for a location that has everything required for self-sufficiency.
Sopogy also believes it is on to an all-round winner with the MicroCSP technology applied in solar power systems. “MicroCSP is an achievement in rugged, modular and cost-effective solar thermal technology,” said Darren T. Kimura, the company’s president and CEO.
Kimura said the completion and demonstration of the 2 megawatt solar thermal project is an important first step toward widening its usage across the world.
Sopogy’s MicroCSP technologies are being used in such diverse applications as process heat, solar air conditioning, rooftop deployment and power generation.
The Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative has attracted the attention of the renewable energy industry. Sopogy and its local solar project development partner Keahole Solar Power plan to bring 30 megawatts of MicroCSP power to the state by 2015.
Analysts said competitive pricing of Sopogy’s systems would be crucial to establishing the company into solar thermal energy markets with less cash than Europe’s industrial countries or oil-rich states experimenting with energy diversification. |
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Hours of OperationTRINITY NETWORKING TEAMS meets at noon on most Wednesdays in the greater Modesto area for our mid-week "oasis" from 11:45 to 1:15pm. Please Visit "Trinity Networking Teams" on Facebook for our current meeting location or call 209-571-1990. ~ TNT is the place to be!
TNT: AN ENCOURAGING PLACE TO GATHER, GROW AND GLORIFY GOD
Trinity Networking Teams (TNT) is a Christ-Centered, Faith-Friendly, Marketplace Ministry; We encourage Christians in business, public service and ministry. TRINITY NETWORKING TEAMS (TNT) meets each Wednesday at area businesses and venues. Check our Facebook Fan Page for locations and speaker information. The "Friends" of TNT are on a mission to "encourage one another" in the name of Christ. Newcomers are welcome, please join us and bring a friend.
TNT is the place to be to meet with faith-friendly business owners, encouraging speakers and ministry leaders. You are invited to come and network with local professionals, dedicated individuals and skilled craftsmen, hear their stories and learn from their victories and defeats.
Each TNT meeting is designed to provide optimal opportunities for local business people and others to meet and fellowship with one another. The setting is casual, relaxed and informatve.
You will have a brief opportunity to introduce your product, service or passion at our weekly luncheons. Our guests may make an anouncenment and hand out a business card, flyer or brochure.
TNT speakers, artists and performers typically include business and ministry leaders, missionaries, public servants, entreprenuers and visionaries. Each week we feature a new speaker. After visiting three meetings, you may be invited to give an extended presentation or share your testiimony with the group.
Trinity Networking Teams is a growing band of believers who encourage one another in prayer while sharing food and fellowship. In doing so, we carry the fruit of the Holy Spirit into the marketplace and beyond in order to build bridges of faith throughout our community and to demonstrate God's good and perfect will in our lives through service to others.
Our Mission: "To gather, grow and glorify God" -- Heb 10:25; Gen 26:13; Psalm 34:3
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Our 5th Annual TNT Anniversary celebration was held on Saturday, January 7th, 2012 in the multipurpose room of Shelter Cove Community Church in Modesto, CA and was a huge hit. We had 9 guest speakers including Kaylee Smith of Agape Children's Ministry, Shelly Walker from SC Mexico Missions and Carl Stange, board president of United Cerebral Palsy of Stanislaus County. In addition we heard stirring messages from Mylinda Mason, Brad Hawn and 25th Assembly Member Kristin Olsen. Our last three speakers were Joe Williams of Marriage 911, Steve White (local Christian radio on-air personality) and Pastor Craig Hunnel of Lifepointe Ministries in Ceres, CA.
Over 100 friends of TNT supported this gala event. Naja Froewn and TNT Founder JP Hurlbert co-hosted the event and introduced each speaker and performer. Brian Hyde opened with the national anthem followed by Country Gospel singer Mike Barnes. Catie Carrel & Kara Reeves sang a beautiful tribute duet. The talented Shuntavia Reynolds sang a Gospel solo accompanied by pianist Glen Stovall. Rick and Maile Delgado blessed us with a Christian interpretation of traditional Hawaiian hula. Vocalist and worship leader Dezman Turner, Gospel Hip Hop group God's Men at Work and soloist Sarah Hunnel rouned out the two-hour afternoon anniversary celebration.
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The Pirates were led by senior Crystal Frye who won the ECAC shot put championship with her personal-best throw of 48 feet, three-quarter inches.
For the women, senior Margaret Clayton and freshman Krystel Pabey both earned All-East honors as they finished eighth in the hammer and javelin, respectively. Clayton threw 159 feet, 10 inches, while Pabey was the top-freshman finisher with her toss of 136 feet, one inch.
The 4x100 relay team of freshman Terri Davenport, freshman Shirena James, sophomore Estrella Coppin, and sophomore Quiana Battle qualified for Sunday's finals as they finished sixth in 47.18. Davenport also qualified in the 100 meter dash (11.94) and the 200 meter dash (24.54).
The Lady Pirates are currently tied for 10th-place with 12 points. Virginia is the current leader with 41 points, followed by Rutgers at 27 points and Syracuse at 25 points.
In men's action, juniors Julien Dunkley and Jeremy Carter led the Pirates as they qualified for Sunday's finals in the 100 meter dash, the 200 meter dash, and the 4x100 meter relay. Dunkley finished first in the 100 meter dash (10.47) and third in the 200 meter dash (21.35), while Carter was second in the 100 meter dash (10.55) and second in the 200 meter dash (21.12). The Pirates finished first in the 4x100 relay preliminaries as they finished in 40.14 seconds. The team was Dunkley, Carter, senior Darren Tuitt, and freshman B.J. Henderson.
The men's 4x400 meter relay of junior Keith McMillian, junior Frankie Green, sophomore Stephen Reid and freshman Domonick Richmond qualified for Sunday's finals by finishing fifth in 3:11.41. Also returning for Sunday's finals is the men's 4x800 meter relay team of junior Jamal Nisbett, sophomore Wes Ricci, freshman Vance Stephenson, and freshman Trent Fuchs. They ran the event in 7:34.95 finishing eighth.
Georgetown is the current leader with 32 points, followed by Providence College at 23 points and Connecticut at 22 points.
"The team did an absolutely terrific job today. They had great intensity coming off the Conference USA meet last week," said women's Head Coach Matt Munson. "I was very happy to see Crystal Frye win the shot put, she's done an excellent job for us throughout her career. After tomorrow's finals, I think we have a shot to see the most athletes earn All-East honors which is a real testiment to the program's growth and the desire the girls have to compete at a high level." |
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Contrary to popular belief, cranberries do not grow in water. They grow in beds called 'bogs' made of impermeable layers of sand, peat, gravel, clay, and organic matter from the cranberry vines. The vines only grow where specific conditions exist, such as acid peat soil, an adequate supply of fresh water, periodic flooding, a supply of sand, and a long growing season that extends from April to November. There are two methods of harvesting cranberries - dry and wet harvesting.
EDEN Dried Cranberries are native American Vaccinium macrocarpon organically grown on family owned cranberry bogs in Québec. They are wet harvested, considered to be the best way to harvest cranberries. When ripe the bog is flooded with water. A simple machine called a 'water reel' stirs and loosens the cranberries from their vines. The water reel is nicknamed the 'egg beater' and resembles a paddle boat. Cranberries have an air bubble in the center, and once loosened they float to the surface. Harvesters use a long handled gathering device to corral the berries into a large red carpet that is loaded into trucks and taken to the processing to be cleaned, sorted, and quick frozen. When ready for drying they are thawed and infused with organic apple juice concentrate to a targeted sweetness or 'Brix'. The infused cranberries are then rinsed, slowly dried, misted with organic sunflower oil to prevent clumping. They require no refrigeration.
Unlike commercial dried fruit, organic EDEN Dried Cranberries contain no added refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup. They are free of sulfites, chemical preservatives, or any other additives.
History
Cranberries are native North American and were prized by American Indians. They used them as food, as textile dye, and as a healing plant for arrow wounds. Indians had many names for the cranberry such as sasamanesh, ibimi, and atogua. To Delaware Indians it was a peace symbol. Native Americans believed cranberries calmed their nerves. Its current name is from Dutch and German settlers who called it 'crane berry,' because its small pink blossoms resembled the head and bill of a Sandhill crane.
Nutrition Facts
Although folklore and anecdotal accounts of cranberries healthful properties (especially benefits to urinary tract health) have been touted for centuries, research is revealing how healthful cranberries are. Packed with antioxidants and other efficacious compounds, cranberries are indeed valuable. USDA found its high phenolic content delivers a potent antioxidant value, rating it one of the highest out of 20 common fruits tested. USDA uses a system called Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC). By testing the ability of foods and other compounds to subdue oxygen free radicals, USDA determines antioxidant capability. The ORAC value of cranberries is 1,750. Cranberries recently became the first fruit to carry a French certified health claim for urinary tract health.
Organic EDEN Dried Cranberries are a versatile healthy snack, but there's no sense limiting them to snacking. Use them in baking breads, cakes, and muffins, in pie fillings, puddings, and in grain and bread stuffing. Sprinkle them on salads and put them in hot or cold cereals. They're great in granola, muesli, granola bars, popcorn balls, and caramel corn. |
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Organic EDEN Quinoa Chenopodium quinoa Willd is the most ancient American staple grain, sustainably grown at over 12,000 feet in the Andes, preserving native culture. EDEN Organic Ouinoa is mechanically de-saponized and mountain spring water washed; superior methods that best preserve flavor and nutrients.
Organic EDEN Quinoa has a pleasing texture, great flavor, potent nutrition, and is versatile and easy to cook. It is one of the fastest cooking whole grains, ready in 12 minutes. About the size of millet, each round grain is bound with a narrow germ. When cooked the wispy germ separates from the seed and its delicate, almost crunchy curlicue makes a great contrast to the soft grain.
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Calling it the "Top Secret Superfood," Men's Health magazine recommended EDEN Quinoa in its April 2007 issue. EDEN Organic Quinoa was chosen by nutritionists at Women's Health magazine as a 'Top 125 Best Packaged Food for Women' in their 2009 study. It was the top choice in the rice and pasta category. Women's Health said of EDEN Quinoa, "Try this hunger-killing supergrain."
History
Quinoa was cultivated over 7,000 years ago near the equator in South America and was a staple grain of the Inca, Maya, and other native Americans for centuries. In Quechua and Aymara languages, Quinoa means 'Mother Grain'. Recently it has become widely popular for its nutrition, flavor, and convenience. A relaxing and satisfying whole grain with fast growing global appeal, quinoa has been called 'the rice of the new millennium'.
Nutrition Facts
Quinoa is a gluten free whole grain food., "Quinoa is a very nutritious grain and therefore a very useful alternative to wheat, rye, barley and oats in the diet of Celiacs."
EDEN Quinoa is heart healthy and an excellent source of magnesium. It is a good source fiber, protein, iron, thiamin B1, vitamin B6, and folate B9. Sodium free, low fat, and saturated fat and cholesterol free. According to the FDA, "Diets rich in whole grain and other plant foods, and low in saturated fats and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers."
Quinoa provides complete protein and has the best amino acid profile of all grains, including lysine and threonine, that are rarely found in cereal grains. The Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) of the United Nations rated the nutritional quality of quinoa's protein similar to casein (milk protein), we know it's far better.
Use EDEN Quinoa as you would rice. It is delicious as a main grain dish, with beans, with vegetables, as a hearty hot cereal, in stuffing vegetables, and in soups, stews, and salads. Quinoa can also be used in making a variety of delicious and nutritious desserts and puddings. Try two of our favorites, Minted Quinoa with Crunchy Pine Nuts, and Baked Squash Stuffed with Quinoa and Dried Fruit, in our free recipe section. Quinoa can be freshly ground into flour for more usability. Place 3/4 cup of EDEN Quinoa in a blender and grind it until it becomes flour; equals 1 cup flour. Use to make delicious, wheat and gluten free desserts, waffles, pastries, and baked goods. |
Does the Berlin Patient Hold the Secret for an End to HIV?
In 2009, scientists and researchers announced that a bone-marrow transplant had cured the so-called "Berlin patient" of HIV. At the recent XIX International AIDS Conference, they shared news that two Boston men may have also been cured of HIV, bringing the total number to three worldwide. The unexpected has happened for three HIV-positive people. The question is: how did it happen and what does it mean for people living with HIV?
"Everyone knows about this ’Berlin patient.’ We wanted to see if a simpler treatment would do the same thing," Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes told MSNBC. He oversaw the study at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston where both men were HIV-positive and had undergone a bone marrow transplant, similar to the "Berlin patient," Timothy Ray Brown. The men had their transplant procedures between two and four years ago and both now have no detectable HIV in their blood. Before declaring them officially cured, doctors will continue to search for HIV in their tissues. At this time, the men both remain anonymous while the study continues.
The basis for this treatment approach began in 2007. Brown, an HIV-positive man from Seattle, WA, was living in Berlin, Germany, and underwent a stem cell transplantation procedure to treat leukemia. His doctor hoped to cure both diseases with a single treatment. And amazingly, the cure appears to have worked. Brown became known as the Berlin patient, the only person in the world to have been cured of HIV. Now the procedure has been repeated for two other HIV-positive cancer patients, and it is possible that they have been cured as well.
Having a stem cell or bone marrow transplant is risky business. Stem cells are the cells in the body that make blood, found in the bone marrow inside bones. When Brown decided to have the procedure, his doctor looked for people with a certain type of cell that would stop HIV. The key in the transplant’s success lies in how the HIV virus moves into cells in the body. In order to move from the blood into a cell, where more HIV virus can be made and the infection can take hold, the virus has to attach to a receptor on the cell surface. Most of us have cells that have these receptors.
The bone marrow that was transplanted into Brown was from a donor who did not have the receptor. People without this receptor are rare, but they do exist. To make a long story short: no receptor, no entrance into the cell, no viral infection. As new blood cells were generated by the transplanted bone marrow, they could no longer be infected with HIV.
Even though researchers know that this isn’t an approach to be used for the masses, they have continued to explore what it means for HIV treatment. The procedure used for the two Boston men had several significant differences from the procedure used to treat Brown in Berlin. Instead of stopping their anti-HIV medication for the transplant, they continued to take the drugs. But their bone marrow donors did have the receptor that allows HIV to move into cells and begin the infection.
Why, then, has their HIV begun to disappear? It is possible that because these patients were able to keep using their anti-HIV medication, the new cells from the donor did not get infected. And as the donor cells took hold in the patients’ bodies, the new blood cells may have killed off the cells that were already infected with HIV.
"Words cannot begin to express my joy that two other men may have been cured of HIV," said Brown, reacting to the news of the two Boston men. His delight is easily understood. The World Health Organization reports that as of 2010 there were approximately 34 million people living with HIV. Clearly, a bone marrow transplant is not an option for most of these patients.
While antiretroviral therapy is the gold standard of treatment world wide, it keeps the virus at bay but does not cure the patient of the disease. Patients can stay healthier, but only as long as they continue their therapy. HIV is a tricky virus. It lurks out of sight in the body, ready to come back as soon as the way is clear. While bone marrow transplantation may not work for everyone, this unexpected success for three patients has provided fresh energy toward finding a cure.
"This gives us some important information. It suggests that under the cover of retroviral therapy, the cells that repopulated the patients immune system appear to be protected from becoming re-infected with HIV," said Kuritzkes in a press release. By studying situations like this, scientists gain a greater understanding of how the virus functions. To paraphrase Sun Tzu and "The Art of War," only if we know our enemy and ourselves can we win the battle.
It is frustrating to be part of a community that has been affected so deeply by a disease and still see scientists struggling to find a cure. While recent attempts may not represent a cure that can affect the millions living with HIV, they do represent a significant step forward both in hope and in understanding. Modern medicine is a process of discovery that involves creativity, dedication and unexpected breakthroughs.
"My dream is to not be the man who stands before you and says ’I am cured’, but to be the man who stands before you and says, ’We are cured’," said Brown on his website. Let’s hope that the people leading HIV research will, through that dedication, find a cure that can help make Brown’s dream a reality. |
EDMONTON - The Redford government announced plans to cut the size and cost of Alberta’s public service Tuesday, starting with a three-year pay freeze for managers and plans to cut their ranks by 10 per cent.
The move comes as nurses, teachers and other provincial employees grapple with or prepare for contract talks. The province’s doctors also are locked in a fierce year-long fight with the government over their fees.
Alberta Finance minister and Treasury Board president Doug Horner said the freeze to managers signals the government is serious about scaling back spending in the face of plummeting resource revenues.
“What you would want to take from the salary freeze is the fact that this government’s resolve and this premier’s resolve is very solid and that would be certainly an indication of where we would like to see things go,” Horner said.
The freeze on general wages affects about 4,800 workers, including deputy ministers, managers and specialists such as engineers and veterinarians. It takes effect on April 1. Collectively, the changes will save an estimated $54 million over three years, Horner said.
Horner delivered the news on the same day he reported the third-quarter financial results for 2012-13 which put the province on track for a deficit as high as $4 billion, which will have to covered by the province’s dwindling sustainability fund.
While other details of the 2013-14 budget remain secret until March 7th, Horner said the government felt it was important to deliver the message on wages immediately.
Many of the employees covered by Tuesday’s announcement were expecting a two-per-cent raise, a figure based on the Consumer Price Index. Those same senior officials received a four-per-cent pay hike in the current fiscal year after a freeze for the previous three years.
A bonus program will remain suspended, but a manager not at the top of their pay grid could increase their wage if the position is reclassified.
The approximately 480 job cuts will come through retirements and program changes, Horner said.
In a memo to government employees issued Tuesday afternoon titled “Fiscal Challenges,” Executive Council deputy minister Peter Watson said that public servants have a duty to provide options that help the government deal with emerging problems.
“Given that more than 40 per cent of our budget is for public-sector salaries, we must deal with the growth in public-sector salaries,” Watson wrote.
Liberal Leader Raj Sherman said that his party has long said the government has “too many managers managing managers.”
Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said the plan to cut managers by 10 per cent does not go far enough. Smith noted the ratio of staff to managers in government is four to one, compared to a private-sector ratio of more than ten to one. “You’d need to cut management by 50 per cent if you’re actually serious about reforming the way the public service works,” she said.
Both questioned what the government’s intention are for other public-sector workers.
“Stay tuned to the budget on March 7th,” Horner said. “What ministers are doing is making some very tough choices. I would not want to prejudge where they’re going with some of their decisions. Obviously, if some programs are moved or eliminated, that’s going to mean you’re going to lose some people in those areas.”
Alberta Health Services president and CEO Chris Eagle said in a statement Tuesday that his agency, which employs more than 100,000 people, will make recommendations about its budget to its board of directors on March 14th.
The health authority no longer expects to receive a 4.5-per-cent increase as planned, he said. “While we do not have details, it is reasonable to expect that difficult decisions need to be made,” he said.
A spokesman for the Alberta Medical Association said Tuesday the organization was not commenting on Horner’s warning.
Alberta Union of Provincial Employees president Guy Smith said while the government had the right to publicly signal its financial goals, unions have the right to a free collective-bargaining process.
“There’s certainly no room for cuts on the front line and I think they could redeploy those opted-out folks to the front lines to help,” Smith said. “We’re telling people stay calm, we’ll negotiate and we get to where we end up getting to.”
Leaders of both the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the United Nurses Association of Alberta said that it was frustrating for members to hear politicians talk of freezes and unfulfilled spending commitments when they are not considering revenue reform in the same breath.
Wages are only one of the issues that nurses and teachers are concerned about.
“Things like health, education and other public services should not be precariously budgeted based on non-renewable resources,” UNA president Heather Smith said. “The words coming out of this messaging are really, ‘We want you to do more with less, because we’ve had a population increase of close to 100,0000.’ ”
With files from Karen Kleiss
[email protected] |
May 18 2013 Latest news:
Emily Dennis
Saturday, June 19, 2010
9:00 AM
Emily Dennis
Arts organisations across the region were breathing a sigh of relief last night after learning their budgets would not be slashed as much as feared this year.
Arts organisations across the region were breathing a sigh of relief last night after learning their budgets would not be slashed as much as feared this year.
Arts Council England has bailed out the organisations it regularly funds by digging deep into its coffers as it implements £19m of government cuts.
The body said it has shielded them to some extent by taking the “exceptional” step of using £9m from its “historic reserves” cash, which it has drawn down with government permission.
The cuts, announced by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport last month, come on top of an earlier in-year reduction of £4m.
But while arts organisations across the region spoke of their gratitude to Arts Council England they are bracing themselves for further and deeper cuts.
Arts Council England's regularly funded organisations (RFOs), of which there are around 880, all face a cut of 0.5pc - an average of £2,000 each.
Some 34 RFOs in the East will receive cuts ranging from as little as £278 to £7385.
Arts Council England said that had the £9m not been used, the organisations would have been hit with a 3pc cut.
Stuart Hobday, director of Norwich Arts Centre, which has seen its £123,632 grant for 2010/11 cut by £618, said: “I think it's a relief for this financial year that the Arts Council has chosen to cover a lot of its losses by digging into its reserves, so we feel like we can manage a 0.5pc cut this year.”
He added: “It has been indicated to us that there will be big cuts in the next financial year, 2011, so we are bracing ourselves for that.”
Jonathan Holloway, director of Norfolk & Norwich Festival, which has seen its £415,624 grant for 2010/11 cut by £2,078, said it would have to review its activities planned for 2011.
He said: “These are tough times and every penny counts so inevitably this cut will mean that we, like scores of other arts organisations in the region, will have to carefully review the activities we had planned for 2011.
“We are keenly aware that we must do all that we can to secure funding for arts and culture in this region in the coming years whilst continuing to be world class in everything that we do.
“This May alone, we attracted a whopping 278,000 people to engage with the arts through Norfolk & Norwich Festival and contributed an estimated £9.2m to the local economy.
“We have worked intensively with young people and community organisations on world class arts projects and the impact has been uplifting.”
Chris Gribble, chief executive of the Writers' Centre Norwich, which has seen its £205,848 grant for 2010/11 cut by £1,029, said he thought that Arts Council England had done its very best in a “difficult situation”.
He added: “We're just going to have to work a little bit harder and more creatively to overcome the difficult times.”
The British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT), based at the University of East Anglia, has seen its £127,300 grant for 2010/11 cut by £637.
Acting director Dr Valerie Henitiuk said: “We were expecting it to be worse - it could have been 5pc. I think the Arts Council is showing they are doing their best to struggle through what is being imposed on them.
“We are very grateful because it is not as bad as we thought. However, we have to be prepared for the years ahead. We are facing a double jeopardy because we get half our funding from the Arts Council and half from the UEA. Both the Arts Council and the university are facing severe cuts from the government.”
Ivan Cutting, artistic director of Eastern Angles theatre company, which has seen its £230,188 grant for 2010/11 cut by £1,151, said: “Our reaction is one of relief that it is not worse. It makes a lot of difference there is to be just 0.5pc cut.”
He said it indicated that bigger cuts must be expected in future years, adding: “Clearly there's something even nastier coming around the corner.”
Helen Lax, Arts Council England regional director for the East, described the injection of funds from reserves as an “absolute one-off”.
“Had we not been able to do that the impact on these organisations would have been much worse,” she said.
“We do not know what will happen next year but as with all public sector we are expecting further cuts.”
Ms Lax explained that the body's historic reserves stood at £18.4m. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has freed £16m, leaving the body with a balance of £2.4m which remains blocked from use.
Of the £16m freed, £9m is to be used to mitigate the in-year cuts, and £7m will be returned to the department.
It has been agreed that £5m of that £7m will be returned to the Arts Council's baseline funding for 2011/12.
Dame Liz Forgan, chair of Arts Council England, said: “We have done our best to minimise the effect on our funded organisations and the art they produce so brilliantly.
“The financial climate is tough, but the arts remain a compelling case for public investment. We will continue to put that case to government, and to make it clear that now reserves have been spent, the burden of any further cuts will fall on funded organisations.”
Arts Council England East region - in year cuts announcement 2010/11
Regularly Funded Organisation 2010/11 grant 0.5% reduction
Aldeburgh Music 1,476,986 7,385
Colchester Mercury Theatre Limited 834,353 4,172
Orchestras Live 816,961 4,085
Watford Palace Theatre 777,364 3,887
New Wolsey Theatre 763,547 3,818
Firstsite 666,200 3,331
DanceEast 601,196 3,006
UK Centre for Carnival Arts 539,175 2,696
Junction CDC Limited 533,914 2,670
Norfolk & Norwich Festival Ltd 415,624 2,078
Britten Sinfonia 341,649 1,708
Metal Culture Ltd 318,370 1,592
Trestle Theatre Company 262,183 1,311
Eastern Angles Theatre Company 230,188 1,151
Wysing Arts Centre 209,906 1,050
Writers' Centre Norwich 205,848 1,029
Theatre Is 184,680 923
New International Encounter 158,209 791
Kettle's Yard Gallery 157,539 788
Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds 137,735 689
British Centre For Literary Translation 127,300 637
the hat Factory 123,754 619
Norwich Arts Centre 123,632 618
Tilted Productions 123,403 617
Hoipolloi Theatre Company 122,378 612
Colchester Arts Centre 118,967 595
Bedford Creative Arts 111,801 559
Visual Arts And Galleries Association 108,642 543
Commissions East 105,473 527
DanceDigital 101,685 508
Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery 82,328 412
Southend-On-Sea Borough Council 75,974 380
Theatre Resource 60,701 304
The Poetry Trust 55,516 278
TOTAL EAST RFO: 11,073,181 55,366
Nearly 3,000 people have supported a Facebook campaign demanding safety improvements on the A47 near Dereham set up after the latest fatal crash.
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Dental Science for Dental Assisting Exam Practice Problems
The study guide for these practice problems can be found at:
Dental Science for Dental Assisting Exam Study Guide
1. What is #1?
a. clinical crown
b. anatomical crown
c. root
d. alveolar bone
e. both a and b
2. What is #2?
a. clinical crown
b. anatomical crown
c. root
d. pulp
e. apex
3. What is #3?
a. enamel
b. dentin
c. cementum
d. pulp
e. alveolar bone
4. What is #4?
a. pulp
b. apex
c. cementum
d. root
e. dentin
5. What is #5?
a. enamel
b. dentin
c. cementum
d. pulp
e. alveolar bone
6. What is #6?
a. pulp
b. apex
c. cementum
d. root
e. dentin
7. What is #7?
a. enamel
b. dentin
c. cementum
d. pulp
e. alveolar bone
8. What is #8?
a. pulp
b. apex
c. cementum
d. root
e. alveolar process
9. Using the Universal Numbering System, which tooth is the maxillary right first molar?
a. 1
b. 3
c. 14
d. 19
e. 30
10. Using the ISO numbering system, how is the mandibular left second molar charted?
a. 4,7
b. 4,6
c. 2,7
d. 3,7
e. 8,7
11. How many major salivary glands are there?
a. six
b. three
c. two
d. four
e. five
12. The larynx is also known as the
a. throat.
b. esophagus.
c. voicebox.
d. Adam’s apple.
e. both a and b
13. What is the name of the bone on the lower arch?
a. maxilla
b. mandible
c. masseter
d. TMJ
e. both b and c
14. How many sets of teeth does a human being have in a lifetime?
a. one
b. two
c. three
d. four
e. none of the above
15. When is the term mixed dentition used?
a. when there are only permanent teeth present in the mouth
b. when there are only primary teeth present in the mouth
c. when there is a combination of primary and permanent teeth in the mouth
d. when primary teeth are falling out, but no permanent teeth are present yet
e. when permanent teeth are erupting, but no primary teeth are being exfoliated
16. What are the names of the two types of saliva?
a. serous, mucous
b. serous, spit
c. lubrication, enzymes
d. demineralization, remineralization
e. subcutaneous, minerals
17. How many surfaces does each tooth have?
a. two
b. three
c. four
d. five
e. six
18. In dentistry, what are front teeth called?
a. maxillary
b. mandibular
c. anterior
d. lateral
e. posterior
19. What is the curve of Spee?
a. the curve of the occlusal plane
b. the curve of the midsagittal plane
c. the curve of the midline
d. the curve of the Frankfurt plane
e. both a and d
20. What is an embrasure?
a. a triangular space above the contact just before the gumline
b. a triangular space below the contact near the chewing surface of the tooth
c. a space in the vestibule
d. a space in between tooth #9 and #10
e. a space where the teeth occlude
21. What is the other name for the nostril?
a. anterior naris
b. tragus
c. philtrum
d. ala of the nose
e. none of the above
22. What is the longest rooted tooth in the permanent dentition?
a. central incisor
b. first molar
c. first bicuspid or premolar
d. cuspid
e. third molar
23. What is the name of the extra (or fifth) cusp of the maxillary first molar?
a. fossa
b. mamelon
c. furcation
d. Cusp of Carabelli
e. Cusp of Cingulum
24. How many teeth are in development when a baby is born?
a. 15
b. 50
c. 44
d. 20
e. 32
25. What is the name of the top surface of the tongue?
a. ventral
b. lingual
c. dorsal
d. taste buds
e. buccal
26. Which teeth found in the permanent dentition are not found in the primary dentition?
a. cuspids, first bicuspids or premolars, second bicuspids or premolars
b. first molars, first bicuspids or premolars, second bicuspids or premolars
c. second and third molars
d. first bicuspids or premolars, second bicuspids or premolars, third molars
e. cuspids and third molars
27. What are the smallest teeth in the permanent dentition?
a. maxillary lateral incisors
b. mandibular central incisors
c. mandibular lateral incisors
d. maxillary cuspids
e. mandibular cuspids
28. The clinical crown of the tooth is:
a. the portion under the gum tissue.
b. the portion we see upon examination.
c. the roots of the tooth.
d. the entire tooth.
e. both b and d
29. When does drifting occur?
a. when a tooth is missing
b. when there is no contact for an opposing tooth
c. when there is a fossa present
d. when there is a large cingulum
e. both a and b
30. Type I periodontal disease is known as
a. refractory periodontitis.
b. advanced periodontitis.
c. recurring caries.
d. gingivitis.
e. acute periodontitis.
31. What three factors must occur at the same time for caries to develop?
a. susceptible tooth, poor oral hygiene, bacteria
b. susceptible tooth, bacteria, fermentable carbohydrates
c. bacteria, fermentable carbohydrates, non-fluoridated water
d. bacteria, saliva, fermentable carbohydrates
e. saliva, susceptible tooth, bacteria
32. What is an incipient carious lesion?
a. rampant caries
b. recurrent caries
c. first stage of caries
d. gingivitis
e. overt caries
33. What is broken down during the periodontal disease process?
a. periodontium
b. alveolar mucosa
c. cementum
d. dentin
e. oral mucosa
34. What percentage of Americans are currently living with one form of periodontal disease present in their mouth?
a. 10%
b. 25%
c. 40%
d. 50%
e. 75%
35. What eating disorder is characterized by self-starvation?
a. fasting
b. bulimia
c. anorexia nervosa
d. dieting
e. both b and c
36. What is/are often referred to as “the forgotten nutrient”?
a. water
b. minerals
c. vitamins
d. proteins
e. fats
37. Which pathologic term describes an infl ammation of the tongue?
a. candidiasis
b. cellulitis
c. leukoplakia
d. glossitis
e. geographic tongue
38. Patients who have undergone radiation or chemotherapy treatments often experience “dry mouth,” or a reduction in saliva flow. What is the dental term for this?
a. sarcoma
b. xerostomia
c. hyperplasia
d. anadontia
e. parathesia
39. How many bones are in the human body?
a. 206
b. 225
c. 200
d. 215
e. 230
40. What is the name of the body system that includes the skin?
a. nervous system
b. muscular system
c. skeletal system
d. integumentary system
e. pulmonary system
41. What is #1?
a. cementoenamel junction
b. dentinocemental junction
c. dentinopulpal junction
d. dentinoenamel junction
e. none of the above
42. What is #2?
a. cementoenamel junction
b. dentinocemental junction
c. dentinopulpal junction
d. dentinoenamel junction
e. none of the above
43. What is #3?
a. cementoenamel junction
b. dentinocemental junction
c. dentinopulpal junction
d. dentinoenamel junction
e. none of the above
44. Identify the eight surfaces of the teeth in Figure 4.3 above.
45. Identify the 14 structures of the oral cavity in Figure 4.4 |
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Paralegal Schools
In Carson City, Nevada
There is only one paralegal school in Carson City for faculty to choose from. The following statistics and charts help analyze the current state of the paralegal academic community in Carson City, and the future trends. Academia in paralegal includes paralegal training at the paralegal associates degree level.
Statistics
Professional Trends
Carson City Vs. Nevada Paralegal Employment
Exactly 120 of Nevada's 3,710 paralegals work in Carson City. There has been a 8% decline in the number of paralegals in Carson City between the years 2006 and 2010. Overall employment in Carson City has also decreased.
Carson City Vs. Nevada Paralegal employment growth
- Grey: Nevada
- Dark Yellow: Carson City
Paralegal VS. All professions salaries in Carson City
- Light Blue: Paralegal in Carson City
- Dark Yellow: All Professions in Carson City
In Carson City, salaries for paralegals have increased. In 2010 Carson City paralegals earned an average yearly salary of $45,910. Four years earlier in 2006, paralegals in Carson City made an average salary of $42,045 per year. The growth in the salary of paralegals in Carson City is slower than the salary trend for all careers in the city.
Salary percentiles for Paralegals in Carson City
Paralegals in Carson City make a median yearly salary of $45,925. The difference in pay between the paralegals in the lowest pay bracket and those in the highest pay bracket is approximately 99%. Those in the lowest 10% of the pay bracket earn less than $31,295 per year, while those in the highest 10% of the pay bracket earn more than $62,430 per year.
Average Salaries for Paralegals and related professions in Carson City
On average paralegal salaries in Carson City are lower than salaries earned by their professional counterparts in related professions.
Educational Trends
Paralegal schools in Carson City
Many of Carson City's paralegals are graduates of the only accredited paralegal school in the city.
Paralegal Programs Offered In Carson City
Carson City's paralegal school offers one paralegal degree and certificate program.
Student Completed Paralegal Degrees In Carson City
In 2010 approximately 2 students graduated from paralegal courses. |
Topic of Interest
Challenges to Educational Quality*
The debate surrounding education has a growing place in society especially over the past several decades. There has also been a great deal of scientific production focusing on the evaluation and improvement of quality in education. In effect, in both the public and private domains, and by virtue of mass publications, it is possible to see the interest in quality and in the mode in which its conceptualization is interrelated with culture and the practice of the various educational institutions, in particular at the higher and university levels. Thanks to the intellectual movement towards a greater focus on quality in education, today we can affirm that we know more than ever about the mode in which we should promote and sustain reflection regarding the educational experience in general and by consequence, its qualitative improvement.
Among the dimensions that have emerged and are strongly implicated in the processes of qualitative improvement to high education, we find the procedures of self-evaluation and the academic evaluation of study programs; the models, methods and applied techniques for the achievement of efficacy; the importance of continuing education for the professor; the re-conceptualization of criteria for the realization and management of knowledge and the strategy of intervention and innovation based on the incorporation of new technologies.
In the framework of this dynamic tendency, important initiatives can be observed at a global level, from agreements and policies implemented in Australia, to the European Union, Asia and America. Our region has a great deal to contribute, one important part of which is the fruit of collaborative efforts realized by the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), Ecuador, which acts as the primary executor of an IDB Project for the creation of the “Virtual Centre for the Development of Quality Standards for Superior Distance Education in Latin America and the Caribbean”. This project also benefits from the active involvement of the Asociación Iberoamericana de Educación Superior a Distancia (AIESAD) and the Consorcio Red de Educación a Distancia (CREAD), together with other various contributions of other institutions in America and Europe, as well as by the OAS. As a follow-up to these activities, on the 17th and 20th of October the UTPL, the first congress of CREAD in the Andean region will take place. The theme will be “Quality and International Accreditation in Superior Distance Education”. In this editorial we applaud and wish to support the maintenance by the UTPL of its work towards creating a starting point in the search for models and interpretations that will allow us to understand, reflect on and better apply forms of Distance Education in the future.
We find ourselves in a time of change, characterized by a generation of great volumes of information and knowledge together with the appearance of opportunities that have never before been available or even imagined. The reality of being able to study in a continuous never-ending manner, without worry for time or distance, has inaugurated a new way of conceiving of the training and educational necessities that we face. Still, paradoxically even, there are very serious problems persisting, including academic failure and inequity, which are several of the most dangerous concerns to the sustenance of efficiency and efficacy of the superior educational system. It is important, therefore, to think and to rethink the mode in which we implement change and more specifically, qualitative change to education.
A wide range of studies have shown that change is a complex phenomenon and that it often it occurs and develops speed outside of an organization before affecting the interior of the organization. The persistence within educational organizations of “doing the same thing in the same way” is a strong force the can delay necessary reactions to external change. It is because of this that being conscious of change and innovation at a personal and institutional level is possibly the most efficient resource to use for developing a project of qualitative improvement.
If Distance Education is currently at its peak, due the extensive academic offerings provided by this educational medium, we now have the opportunity and the possibility of making this into an element for qualitative change to Superior Education in general. This is possible if we can understand and learn from our experience and the way in which we are currently fulfilling the demands of contemporary society. We can do this by: seeking to provide education centered on learning and access to New Technologies, designed to satisfy training needs and continuous upgrading, and that is involved in processes of improvement of quality and focused on the local context of the specific learner.
Dr. Mónica G. Luque
Invited Editor
Academic Director, Institute of Advanced Studies for the Americas
(INEAM/OAS)
*The
ideas, thoughts, and opinions expressed are not necessarily of the OAS nor
of its member states. The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the
authors.
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Developed primarily for wireless infrastructure applications, the DAC1627D1G25 is fully compliant to the Multi-Carrier GSM spectral mask and the LTE and LTE-Advanced transmit specification, with comfortable margins. As a result, the DAC1627D is ideal for multi-standard radio base stations, allowing design engineers to employ a single DAC transmit architecture, which minimizes the system bill-of-material costs.
Maury Wood, general manager, High Speed Converters product line, NXP Semiconductors, declared: "The opportunity for this DAC. The new converters we are developing will be used in macro, micro and pico base stations."
"The DAC1627D1G25 is a high-speed 16-bit, dual-channel radio frequency DAC which uses a LVDS DDR digital parallel interface. We will have over the next few months a CGVxpress version of this device which uses the serial interface which allows us to put it into a smaller package. When combined with CGVxpress and CGV, NXP's implementation of the industry-leading JESD204A high speed serial interface, NXP has a roadmap that meets the most demanding digital radio transmitter signal fidelity requirements."
"Perhaps the most important point, however, is that we are fully compliant to the very challenging Multi-Carrier GSM spectral mask which requires a combination of high linearity, low noise and high dynamic range. We also comply with LTE/LTE-A Tx specifications by a comfortable margin."The DAC1627D incorporates elements of NXP's CGV technology feature set, including Multi-Device Synchronization (MDS), which solves tough system synchronization and latency challenges in many digital communications system applications, including MIMO and active antenna array LTE radio base stations.
The first public demonstration of the DAC1627D will be made in the NXP booth at IMS2011, the IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium held June 7-9, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. NXP also plans to showcase at IMS2011 the DAC1627D1G25 plus the BGX7100 IQ Modulator on a dedicated evaluation/demonstration printed circuit board which, in combination, deliver optimum RF performance.
For further information:.. |
三芒草属 san mang cao shu
Authors: Sheng-lian Lu, Shou-liang Chen & Sylvia M. Phillips
Perennials, less often annuals or suffruticose. Culms tufted. Leaf blades usually basal, rolled or rarely flat. Inflorescence a narrow or open panicle. Spikelets with 1 floret; glumes scarious, narrow, unequal with the upper usually longer, 1(–3)-veined; floret callus bearded, obtuse to pungent or 2-toothed; lemma narrowly cylindrical or laterally compressed, convolute, glabrous or sparsely hairy; awn 3-branched, branches arising directly from lemma apex or seated on a straight or twisted column, persistent or disarticulating either at base or apex of column (always persistent in China), scabrid. Stamens 3.
About 300 species: widely distributed in tropical and warm-temperate regions of the world; ten species (six endemic) in China.
This genus is found on poor, dry soils in areas of low rainfall, but does not usually penetrate into true desert.
1
Annuals; culms usually branched
(2)
+
Perennials; culms usually unbranched
(4)
2 (1)
Lemma 1.7–2 mm; central awn 0.5–0.8 cm.
1 A. cumingiana
+
Lemma 5–11 mm; central awn 1–2.5 cm
(3)
3 (2)
Glumes subequal or lower glume slightly shorter; lemma distinctly longer than upper glume.
2 A. adscensionis
+
Glumes unequal, lower glume 1/2–2/3 length of upper glume; lemma ± equal to upper glume.
3 A. depressa
4 (1)
Lower glume longer than upper glume; panicle open, branches divaricate, bearded in axils.
4 A. chinensis
+
Lower glume shorter than upper glume or glumes subequal; panicle narrow, branches erect or ascending, glabrous in axils
(5)
5 (4)
Column of awn 1–3 mm, twisted; lateral awns 5–10 mm
(6)
+
Column of awn absent or very short and straight; lateral awns reduced, 0.1–3 mm, or up to 6 mm
(7)
6 (5)
Leaf sheaths and blades glabrous; glumes and lemma smooth (rarely scabrid); anthers 3.5–4 mm.
5 A. tsangpoensis
+
Leaf sheaths and blades with silky hairs; glumes and lemma scabrid or lemma with long soft hairs; anthers 4–4.5 mm.
6 A. scabrescens
7 (5)
Lateral awns 0.1–0.4 mm.
7 A. brevissima
+
Lateral awns 1.1–6 mm
(8)
8 (7)
Glumes 7–10 mm, lemma 6.5–8 mm, central awn 4–8 mm
(9)
+
Glumes 12–13 mm; lemma ca. 9 mm, central awn 8–9 mm.
10 A. alpina
9 (8)
Lateral awns 1.1–3 mm; apex of glumes acute, upper mucronate; leaf sheaths smooth.
8 A. triseta
+
Lateral awns 5–6 mm; apex of glumes obtuse or emarginate; leaf sheaths scaberulous.
9 A. batangensis
Lower Taxa
Aristida adscensionis LinnaeusAristida alpina L. LiuAristida batangensis Z. X. Tang & H. X. LiuAristida brevissima L. LiuAristida chinensis MunroAristida cumingiana Trinius & RuprechtAristida depressa RetziusAristida scabrescens L. LiuAristida triseta KengAristida tsangpoensis L. Li |
中南鱼藤 zhong nan yu teng
Lianas. Leaves 5- or 7-foliolate; rachis 15-28 cm, including petiole 3-8 cm; leaflet blades ovate-elliptic, ovate-oblong, or elliptic, 3-13 × 1.5-6 cm, thickly papery to thinly leathery, both surfaces glabrous, reticulate veins slightly prominent or obscure, base rounded, apex acuminate to slightly obtuse. Inflorescences and pedicels sparsely yellowish brown hispidulous or densely brownish pubescent. Pseudopanicles axillary, slightly shorter than leaves; rachis nodes with several fascicled flowers on short branchlets. Pedicel 3-5 mm. Flowers 1.2-1.3 cm. Calyx campanulate, 2-3 mm, sparsely pubescent; teeth orbicular to deltoid, short. Corolla whitish, ca. 1 cm; standard obovate-elliptic, claw short. Ovary sessile, whitish villous. Legume oblong to ligulate-oblong, 4-10 × 1.5-2.3 cm, compressed, swollen or not when mature, thinly leathery, glabrous; abaxial suture wing up to 1.5 mm wide, adaxial suture with a 2-3 mm wide wing. Seeds 1-4 per legume. Fl. Mar-May, fr. Jun-Nov.
● Mountain valleys, scrub, sparse to dense forests, mountain slopes, near trails; 500-1600 m. Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Zhejiang.
1
Leaflet blades 4-13 × 2-6 cm, reticulate veinlets slightly prominent; inflorescences and pedicels sparsely yellowish brown hispidulous; legume slightly thick, swollen when mature, abaxial suture with a less than 1 mm wide obscure wing
12a var. fordii
+
Leaflet blades 3-8 × 1.5-3 cm, reticulate veinlets obscure; inflorescences and pedicels densely brownish pubescent; legume thin, not swollen when mature, abaxial suture with a 1-1.5 mm wide distinct wing.
12b var. lucida
Lower Taxa
Derris fordii var. fordii Derris fordii var. lucida F. C. How |
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It's the home of the famous, alive and dead. Full of articles by people who understand what it’s like to be famous for a particular act or talent because they've been there before. They are the egos who didn't die, but passed on.
Unsurprisingly, they have strong views about the famous people they've passed their egos on to. See who’s in the archive.
"IIf a 'burn notice' is an instruction to ignore henceforth all communication and activity of someone previously thought to be acting on your behalf, then I regard myself as one of the first recipients. Because I had championed women's rights before I took office yet addressed other priorities when in government (such as the conflagration being stoked in the name of the Kaiser), Christabel Pankhurst arranged to burn down the house that was being built for me. Burn notices have since become less literal and more common.
In that less venomous spirit, I would like to issue one of my own. In my opinion, nothing that Nicholas Clegg says or does should be seen as supportive of the Liberal cause.” (read more)
'THE ARCHER PRISM’ by the editor, Will Coe, wins historical fiction section in IndieReader Discovery Awards 2012.
Click Archive to see other perspectives on today from famous names in history.
Or go for it, submit an article yourself.
EGOPENDIUM EBOOKS
2011 compilations
The editor has compiled the best of Egopendium 2011 into two free Ebooks, 'Ten women with a past' and 'Twenty men with a past'. You can download them into any available Ebook reading format from Will Coe's Smashwords page.
The Archer Prism, a 2012 award winner
Will Coe has also published 'The Archer Prism: reflecting Sir John Harington', an Enovel in the Egopendium spirit. Instead of looking at a modern life through an historical lens, it uses the prism of a modern life to help an historical figure understand his own. It's an autobiography with a difference.
John Harington, a colourful, controversial character in Elizabethan England, uses the extraordinary literary and political career of Jeffrey Archer to throw light on his own life.
The novel won first prize in the historical fiction category of the IndieReader Discovery Awards 2012, announced in June at Book Expo America.
It's available from the Kindle store to buy (a snip!) or to sample the early chapters. Later chapters can also be sampled from the Ebooks page on this website. |
How to Clean a Carpet in a Green Way
Wall to wall carpeting can be a wonderful luxury; it feels good under your feet and can look really lovely when it is kept clean. Unfortunately like everything else it has its down sides as well. The bad thing about carpet is that it doesn't stay clean. Even after cleaning and vacuuming you are left with all the dirt, dust, dander, and other hazards that your carpet collects deep into the fibers. Calling a professional carpet cleaner may sound like a good option but is it? It may be expensive plus they may use toxic chemicals to clean your carpets and leave it soaking wet for a very long time which can contribute to mold and mildew growth. You can clean your carpet in a "green" way. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Clean Your Carpet in a Green Way
- 1
Start by getting a vacuum that really sucks…in a good way. You want a vacuum with a HEPA filter that can suck up and trap all the dirt, dust and allergens that may be in your carpet. Vacuum really well a couple times a week. This will keep dust and dirt particles to a minimum. By thoroughly vacuuming regularly you are keeping all the dirt and dust to a minumum in your carpet fibers. This helps keep it clean and stop the dirt from being ground deep into the carpet.
- 2
Invest in a pump sprayer, like one you would use for outdoor staining or gardening. This is what you can put your mixture of carpet cleaning solution and water in to gently spray onto your carpets for cleaning. Most garden centerc carry sveral types. A small cheap one is fine. Don't get anything that will be too heavy for you to carry once it is full of water and cleaning solution.
- 3
Purchase a carpet shampooer, Bissell steam cleaner, or rent a Rug Doctor from your local grocery store. Do not fill it with water or use the shampoos that they suggest you use. Regular carpet shampoos are filled with harsh detergents and soap which does more damage than good. It leaves a residue on your carpet which will actually attract dirt faster than if you didn’t clean it at all. The only thing you want the vacuum/rug doctor for is to suck up your cleaning solution, not to put any wetness into the carpet.
- 4
Get great, natural carpet cleaning products like Bi-O-Kleen’s Bonnet Cleaner carpet cleaning solution. This is a great all natural cleaner that leaves no nasty residue on your carpet. Seventh Generation’s spray carpet cleaning solution is an excellent choice for spot cleaning. It gets nasty stains out easily. Both can be found in many natural stores and online retailers. If you have heavy duty stains you might also want to try Bi-O-Kleen’s Traffic Lane Cleaner, this can be mixed with the Bonnet Cleaner.
- 5
Move all your furniture and vacuum your carpets really well with your HEPA filter vacuum.
- 6
Mix your carpet cleaning solution and water (follow directions on label for amounts) in your pump sprayer. Use hot water.
- 7
Spray the solution all over your carpet. You want it to be wet but not drenched.
- 8
Use the mixed solution or a carpet spotter in a spray bottle, like Seventh Generation’s carpet cleaner and spray directly onto any stains. Nudge these with your foot and work the solution in.
- 9
Use your rug doctor/wet dry vacuum and start sucking up all the solution out of your carpet. This should get everything nice and clean without leaving a residue or toxic odors behind.
- 10
To make sure your carpets dry as fast as possible plug in fans to circulate the air and turn on overhead ceiling fans if you have any.
Tips & Warnings
It may seem like an investment to buy a new vacuum or a wet/dry vacuum or carpet cleaner but if you already have them it’s about time you put them to good use and if you do have to make the investment it will save your money and your health in the long run. And the solutions that you buy will last for many, many cleanings.
Try to avoid brand new carpet. It is especially hazardous because of the toxic fumes that can be released during installation and long after. If you have chemical sensitivities, allergies, asthma or other health conditions you may want to avoid new carpet altogether, unless it is an eco-friendly choice made without chemicals.
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Listen to Session:
Audio of Session 1 from 2009 EIA Conference
Full Session Transcript pdf
Transmission Incentives pdf ppt
P. Kumar Agarwal has been with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission since 1994 and is presently serving as an acting director for the division of Reliability and Engineering Services within the Office of Electric Reliability. He was with Florida Power and Light Company from 1987 to 1994. He was a member of the adjunct faculty at Florida International University from 1990-93. He was one of the authors of the Commission’s foundational reliability orders - Order No. 672 and the ERO certification order. He testified in litigated cases as an expert witness on issues related to transmission service while he was part of the Commission’s litigation staff during 1994-97. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Maryland. He received his B. S. in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India in 1983 and his M. S. in Electrical Engineering from Florida International University.
Supporting the Infrastructure: Has Deregulation Helped or Hurt? pdf ppt
Timothy J. Brennan is a professor of public policy and economics at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and a senior fellow with Resources for the Future (RFF) in Washington, DC. During 1996-97, he was the senior economist for industrial organization and regulatory policy on the staff of the Council of Economic Advisers. From 2003 through 2005, he served as a staff consultant to the Bureau of Economics of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. During 2006, he held the T. D. MacDonald Chair in Industrial Economics at the Canadian Competition Bureau. His electricity research has examined the California 2000-01 crisis, capacity markets, reluctance to switch suppliers, energy efficiency and “decoupling,” real-time metering, market power measurement, transmission adequacy, convergence mergers, state/federal relations, stranded costs, and difficulties in implementing competition. He has written two books with others from Resources for the Future on competition and deregulation in the electricity sector, A Shock to the System in 1996 and Alternating Currents: Electricity Markets and Public Policy, published in 2002. He received his B.A. in mathematics from the University of Maryland in College Park and his M.A. in mathematics and Ph.D. in economics from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Electric Power Infrastructure:Status and Challenges for the Future pdf ppt
Mark G. Lauby joined the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) in January 2007 as the Manager of Reliability Assessments. He leads the electric reliability organization’s efforts to independently assess and report on the overall reliability, adequacy, and associated risks of the interconnected North American bulk power system. Prior to joining NERC, he worked since 1987 for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) where he held a number of senior positions, including: Director, Power Delivery & Markets; Managing Director, Asia, EPRI International; and Manager, Power System Engineering in the Power System Planning and Operations Program. He started his career in the electric industry at the Mid-Continent Area Power Pool (MAPP), in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1979. His responsibilities included transmission planning, power system reliability assessment, and probabilistic evaluation. He is a Senior Member and previously chaired the International Electricity Research Exchange (IERE) and several working group. He has been recognized for his technical achievements in many technical associations, including the 1992 IEEE Walter Fee Young Engineer of the Year Award. He is the author of over 100 papers on the subjects of power system reliability, expert systems, transmission system planning, and power system numerical analysis techniques. He received both his B.A. in Electrical Engineering in 1980 and his M.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1989 from the University of Minnesota. |
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The sutures or staples have come out, and the surgical wound has healed. Now you can begin to prepare your residual limb for a prosthesis. During this time, keep these goals in mind:
Proper positioning of your residual limb
Muscle stretching and strengthening
Touch and desensitization
Residual limb shaping
Daily limb care and hygiene
Keeping your residual limb in the right position is vital. This helps prevent muscle shortening and tightening (contracture), which prevents full range of motion. To avoid contracture, you’ll need to keep your knee and hip as straight as you can. Here’s how to do this:
When seated, always support your residual limb to keep it from dangling or hanging. When sitting in a wheelchair or a regular chair, you can use an “amputee board.” This is a flat board that sticks out to support the weight of your residual limb.
Spend time every day lying flat on your stomach (proning). Proning stretches the muscles at the front of your hip. These muscles get tight when you sit. It’s important to spend 15-20 minutes proning several times a day.
Don’t prop your residual limb on pillows or blankets when you sit or lie down. Keep your residual limb flat, with your knee as straight as you can.
If the amputation is above the knee, keep your residual limb close to the intact leg. Allowing it to move outward may make it difficult to walk with a prosthesis later.
You need to keep the muscles in your residual limb strong and limber. Keep doing the exercises you were taught in the hospital. This will help prevent contracture. It also ensures that your intact limb and residual limb are strong and flexible. Both legs need to be strong to walk with a prosthesis.
At first, the skin on your residual limb will be sensitive to touch. Desensitization can help. This involves massaging, rubbing, and tapping the end of your residual limb. Begin with a light, gentle touch. As your tolerance improves, slowly increase pressure. This helps prepare you for your first prosthesis fitting.
Even after the surgical wound has healed, your residual limb can still be swollen. Swelling must be reduced so your residual limb will fit into the socket of a prosthesis. This process is called “shaping” the residual limb. Your healthcare provider will prescribe a compression stocking to shape your residual limb. Remember:
Wear the compression stocking (shrinker sock). This is a tapered sock that applies even pressure to the bottom of the residual limb. Pressure helps reduce swelling.
Wear the shrinker sock as close to 24 hours a day as possible (except when bathing). Keep it pulled tight to maintain a snug fit at all times.
See your prosthetist regularly. The prosthetist will monitor the changing size of your limb through the entire fitting process. This helps to ensure the prosthesis fits correctly.
Keeping your residual limb clean is vital to prevent skin problems and infection. Do the following every day:
Wash your residual limb at least once a day. Use warm water and a mild antibacterial soap.
Using a washcloth, scrub gently over all surfaces of the residual limb. Pay close attention to the skin behind your knee and on the bottom of your limb.
Dry your residual limb thoroughly. This keeps moisture from being trapped between your skin and the shrinker sock.
Wear a clean shrinker sock every day. Wash each sock with mild soap and water, rinse well, and air dry completely. This removes salts and acids left by your sweat.
Inspect your residual limb daily, especially the skin of the surgical scar. Use a mirror to check the back of your limb. Or ask a family member or friend to help. Call the doctor if you notice the following:
Skin separation along the surgical scar
Scar or residual limb has a bad smell
Area around the scar is warm or hot, or becomes red or swollen
Pus or yellow drainage from the scar, or thick discharge that is brownish gray
Sudden increase in pain or severe tenderness
Fever of 100.4°F or higher
© |
It’s been over two years since the foundations went in for the extension we’re building on our house. In that time I’ve come to respect and somewhat rely on glib phrases such as “Good things come to those who wait” and “Patience is a virtue”. I told my better half we’d be moved in by Christmas, I didn’t say which one though. In this blog series of the time I used FloVENT to simulate the beneficial thermal effects of the layer of sub-floor expanded foam insulation that UK building regulations insist on. There’s not much point in insulation unless you’ve added some heat to keep inside. Being located in quite a rural location we’re not on the gas mains, we haven’t got an oil tank to power a boiler so the only heating options are wall mounted electric storage heaters or underfloor electric heating mats. I’m not a big fan of wearing socks inside and I don’t like cold feet. I opted for the latter.
Electric heaters, whether wall mounted or buried under the floor, rely on the concept of Joule (or ohmic or resistive) heating to turn electric current flow into heat. Whilst electronics cooling is the challenge faced by thermal engineers helping design electronic products, or products with electronics in, electronics heating is the friend of those of us who live in more temperature climates.
The cost of installing wall mounted electric storage heaters compared to underfloor electric heating mats is surprisingly similar. The main difference in operation being the power density (and resulting local temperature) of the heat source. The wall mounted heater is quite small and gets quite hot, in that respect operating in a similar way to a wall mounted hot water radiator heating system though with a much higher thermal mass and subsequent inability to cool down or heat up quickly. The underfloor electric heating mats are spread over the entire floor area and warm the floor up slightly.
The heating mats come rolled up with the electric heating element already taped to a mesh to ensure that when laid out, the element is equally distributed on the floor.
Once taped to the floor you put a layer of adhesive over the top (unless you’re brave enough to lay the tiles directly on top), let that dry then lay the floor tiles as usual. The installation instructions indicate that you should do a resistance check at all stages of the installation. They didn’t say what you should do if the resistance goes up massively (due to damage or fracture of the wire) after the tiles are down. The inference was I think to run screaming outside with your hands flailing above your head prior to phoning professional installers to rip out your attempt and to do the job for you properly.
Thermal simulation of such an application lies somewhere between what FloTHERM and FloVENT was designed to do. The former having the ability to simulate Joule heating, including the temperature dependent effects of the electrical resistivity of the wire. The latter having the ability to predict specific aspects of the resulting human comfort such a comfort temperature, PMV, PPD etc. Let’s just say I used FloTHENT.
From a qualitative perspective you can clearly see the effects of the hot wires and how the heat diffuses down into the concrete screed. But hey, qualitative, shmalitative, who’s interested in pretty pictures? For an accurate simulation it’s critical to ensure the correct boundary conditions are defined for the heating element itself. More on that next time.
11th August 2011, Ross-on-Wye. |
And "a year away from championship quality," according to Todd Blackledge (PSU Alum and CF Analyst) on ESPN's PTI today. Do you agree or disagree?
Before the year began, I'd say (objectively speaking) that Michigan or Michigan State had better all around talent. After the first 3 weeks, I'd have to say that I agree with Mr. Blackledge to some extent, we're on par with Michigan at the top of the conference imo. I personally feel we're currently only a slightly above average team overall though, and probably closer to two years away from championship quality, as opposed to one. What do you guys think?
"OSU: Most Talented Team in the B1G"
And "a year away from championship quality," according to Todd Blackledge (PSU Alum and CF Analyst) on ESPN's PTI today. Do you agree or disagree?
I think they are probably the most talented team, but I disagree that they are a year from a Championship. Urban's guys will still be young, and big impact players like Marshall will only be freshman. I think 2014 is the year they win it all, or are a serious contender that could take on the likes of Bama or LSU. All the immensely talented guys on D will be Jr's and sophomores, Braxton will be a senior, the playmakers like Marshall will have a year under their belts. I say 2013 will be a great year, but 2014 is the title run.
Msu and scum if you combined their best players and made a team are not as talented top to bottom as TOSU... Combine that fact with UFM as our coach and Blackledge is right...
"GIMMIE THAT BEAT FOOL!!! IT A FULL TIME JACK MOVE" Ice Cube jack for beats..
I like Blackledge a lot (even though he played @ Penn State) and I respect his opinion. I think he's correct on the talent @ OSU being best in the conference. I also think by next year we can certainly compete for a national title.
Agree on all fronts. Michigan's defensive talent is still average, and MSU's offensive talent is inferior.
vacuuming sucks
I believe that Ohio State will be "championship quality" next year, but there might be 6-8 teams going into a season that fit that category.
Often, it comes down to breaks, injuries, etc.
Other times, there will be a powerhouse team (or two) that can blast its way through all potential obstacles (e.g., Miami FL in 2001 and, we thought, 2002). As long as there isn't one of those teams next year, and things break right, the Buckeyes might have a puncher's chance next year in spite of youth.
The rest of this season, Spring and Preseason camp, this offense will be championship caliber barring major injuries next season. Braxton doesn't lose any of his wideouts and Hyde, Dunn, Smith all get more experience. The line will be good-very good.
Now for the defense. Well, the offense will be championship caliber.
vacuuming sucks
^Based on what I've seen in recruiting, I think we'll have a Top 5 defense in two year's time. Next year though, you're right, could be a crapshoot. Will likely be a transitional year as guys like Spence, Washington and Shutt try to replace Simon, Williams, Goebel (and Hankins if he leaves after this year).
We do have the most talent, however the thing working against us is that the other teams players are perfectly molded into their systems. In other words we have the best talent but not necessarily the type of player that is needed for each position in the spread offense. For example, a lot of msu's players wouldn't play for osu, however all of there players are pretty good fits for the offense that they run. Going forward particularly into next year and the coming years Michigan should be some real competition but that will probably be about it. In closing, we have the most talent but not even close to the best fit for our players. Also our defense has to improve leaps and bounds if we are to be in national title talk, it probably has to be actually much better than the tressel defenses.
It's destiny. It's just what he does. 2nd year at Utah - unbeaten. 2nd year at Florida - national title. And he has more talent on this team than he did with either of those other 2.
I honestly think Nebraska is the most talented in the B1G this year.
I can't disagree with that. We should by all means have the best team, we kill the B1G in the recruiting trail. Plus we're not Georgia we don't coach down our 4-5* players!!!
Wherever you are, there you be!
Buckeyes14- I respect your opinion but would love to hear your reasoning. They have the advantage at RB for sure and probably OL. Otherwise I don't see where they have more talent, especially with their defensive losses. If anything we might be even overall, but I'd still take OSU's cast any day.
From a talent perspective, OSU is the only team in the B1G who has players that are\will\can end up on award watch lists.
By my amateur estimation, I see the following possible. (Note, this is guys in the running, not anything anyone will end up winning)
Braxton Miller-Maxwell, Heisman, O'Brien, Unitas and Camp
John Simon-Outland and Lombardi
Jonathan Hankins-Outland, Nagurski and Lombardi
Ryan Shazier-Bednarik, Nagurski, Butkus
Bradley Roby-Bednarik, Nagurski, Thorpe.
Now, I don't think any of those names will win any of those awards this year but I wouldn't be shocked if their names crept up on the semi finalist lists at some point, at least for a few of them. I do think Roby will win a Thorpe before its all said and done and Miller will absolutley be your Heisman front runner next year. Shazier has to get the details of the game down but he might want to make a new shelf in his house pretty soon.
OSU is an immensley talented football team. They are actually winning games on talent alone so far as they have a tenuous grasp on the defense and a loose, yet slowly tightening, grasp on the offense. Not many teams in the B1G can say they are winning on talent alone. When these guys all blend the cocktail that is talent and superior coaching, the B1G as a whole and much of the nation at large is in for a very long and painfull curb stomping at the hands of OSU.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
Year two could be interesting. The players coming back know what to expect from the coaches in the off season, the competition will heat up for playing time in (spring ball), more talented hungry freshman that's ready to contribute, and coaches ready to roll instead of explaining every little detail. I say we will have a team who knows itself and a team ready to go all out! We may win it all or come close.
Jford
OSU is going to be a top 5 team next season. They'll lose Simon, Sabino, Stoney, Hall, potentially Hankins but all 5 of those guys have their replacements loaded. To be honest, Schutt and Washington has the potential to be a terrifying DT combo with Spence coming off the edge (in addition the rest of the ends OSU is lining up!). Perkins should fill in nicely next season. Dunn and Hyde will be a devastating RB combo. Vannet doesn't have Stoney's versatility but it appears to have the tools to be a very good TE in his own right.
Next year is really going to bug the anti OSU crowd out there...
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
Unless they improve drastically, not a chance they are championship caliber team. They come out struggling versus teams they should be beating by 2-3 scores at the half. I'll go on record saying I don't think Meyer wins a National Title here.
Run_Fido's favorite word is strawman.
Meanwhile Sparty is losing to directional Michigan late in the 2nd.
Its official, THE BIG TEN IS CURSED!
Run_Fido's favorite word is strawman.
I think we're the best team in the B1G, but let's be honest--it's like being the slimmest person at an Overeater's Anonymous meeting!
First, B1G is horrible...so is this really a compliment? I guess it's all how you look at it and presently I don't look at it as a good thing. We're mediocre and that's not too much to be happy about, but 4-0 is. Hopefully Tue and Wed practices will be enough time to repair all that's broken before 3:30 next Saturday in order to go 5-0. I see Bell getting about 50 carries...why not...OSU's defense hasn't stopped a good RB yet. Not sure 5-0 will be attainable for this team...guess we'll see.
"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you."
"I love football. I think it is most wonderful game in world and I despise to lose."
Woody Hayes 1913 - 1987
All I have to say is that Tressel was 7-5 in year 1 and then 14-0 national champions in year 2. Also Meyer's second year at a school has always been better than year 1. |
Out with the girly and in with the glam.
When is a fashion show more than a fashion show—when is it a work of art? Marc Jacobs is no stranger to spectacle, but with his NYFW-closing show on Thursday, he elevated the typical show format to a museum-worthy plane. In so doing, he didn’t just delight his audience; he dazzled us. Literally.
Guests arrived at the Lexington Avenue Armoury and entered a show space that was less a set, more a solarscape. A massive ‘sun’ cast an artificial glow over a round, moon-like runway. It was just like Olafur Eliasson’s mock sun from The Weather project, the 2003 Tate Modern installation that had urbanites queuing up to bask in manmade rays through the grayest winter months.
This sun threw a golden-brown light over the catwalk, temporarily obliterating colour perception. When the first model took to the catwalk, we could see shapes and textures, but few fabric details—and no colour at all. Reflective pyjamas, wide-sleeved coats, cheek-baring hot pants, boxy jackets, sequinned dresses and big shaggy furs all took turns.
Every few exits, it looked like a model meandered out from backstage having forgotten to put on the other half of her outfit. Cara Delevingne, almost unrecognisable in her Joan Jett wig, wore a cable-knit sweater and goggly-eyed faux fox stole. Another model made her lunar orbit wearing only a pair of high-waisted hot pants and heels, holding a gloved hand across her chest for a nod to the idea of coverage.
After the entire cast walked, the lighting changed—and they did it again. The natural light by now suffusing the show space revealed unperceived riches of hue. Sequinned shirtdresses flowed over the body in sapphires, rubies and rose quartz tones. The paillette-covered coats and cropped jackets of the finale weren’t just sparkly; they glittered in colour. Bias-cut gowns flowed over the body in precious-metal tones. It was out with the girly and in with the glam.
Jacobs hasn’t enjoyed the easiest of seasons. First Hurricane Sandy devastated his home, to which he apparently has yet to return; then Winter Storm Nemo interrupted work on his collection and forced him to delay his Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs shows. He told WWD that the idea of ‘comfort’ and a reassuring beauty underpinned this collection.
Leaving aside its contemplative basis, one thing about this collection was clear. Sofia Coppola expressed it best as she made her way backstage: ‘I can’t wait to go shopping,’ she said. Something tells us that next season, just about everyone will be ready to let the sun shine in. |
Elsevier’s “Article of the Future” is now available for all Cell Press Journals
Cell readers can experience the first four issues of 2010 for free
Amsterdam, 7 January 2010 – Elsevier, the leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, today announced that all research articles in its flagship collection of Cell Press journals will be published online in the new ‘Article of the Future’ format on. Previously released as a demonstration prototype for two sample articles, the “Article of the Future” is an ongoing collaboration with the scientific community to redefine how scientific articles are presented online. Successful ideas from this project are planned to be rolled-out across Elsevier’s portfolio of 2,000 journals available on ScienceDirect, the world’s largest scientific, technical and medical database.
“By taking advantage of the functionalities afforded by online publishing, our new article format provides authors and readers with more effective and efficient ways to present and access scientific information” said Emilie Marcus, Editor in Chief, Cell Press. “We’ll continue to solicit and incorporate user feedback in developing improvements to the format with the continuing goal of helping to advance scientific research.
In celebration of the launch and to encourage user feedback, Article of the Future articles are accessible for free for Cell Press’ flagship title, Cell, on, for the first four issues of 2010.
The ‘Article of the Future’ reflects a new approach to structuring the traditional sections of a research article, moving away from the linear format required by print presentation to an integrated, linked navigation scheme that allows each reader to create a personalized path through the article’s content. For example, one of the key features of ‘Article of the Future’ functionality is a tabbed navigation structure through the Introduction, Results, Figures and Discussion sections, providing experts with in-depth coverage of a particular experiment, while allowing more general readers to absorb the main message without being overwhelmed by additional details.
Readers will also experience a graphical abstract and a highlights section on the landing page of each article, complimenting the abstract text by creating a quickly reviewable visual summary and bullet points. In addition, articles will offer the article’s text, a figure and a figure caption at the same time on one screen, with a zooming capability to discover the finer details of a figure. Selected articles take advantage of integrated multimedia by featuring PaperFlicks, a video tour of an article’s content.
Elsevier’s Content Innovation Initiative
The functional roll-out of these Article-of-the-Future features at Cell Press is part of Elsevier’s larger Content Innovation initiative. This initiative aims at improving the formal scientific communication in a scalable way, and includes efforts to enhance the presentation of the current scientific article (like the Article of the Future), but also projects to better connect this article with the larger body of scientific knowledge on the web.
“The new capabilities in online publishing allow us to move forward from a one-size-fits-all approach to online formats tailored to specific subject domains.” remarked IJsbrand Jan Aalbersberg, Vice President of Content Innovation for Elsevier Science & Technology Journal Publishing. “Content Innovation is thus also about observing the life-scientist, the mathematician, and the chemist and adding relevant domain-specific value to their workflows. And the reactions on our Article-of-the-Future features and on the Reflect pilot demonstrate that we are on the right track here.”
# # #
About Cell Press
Cell Press, an Elsevier company,:
Anna Hogrebe
Elsevier
+31 20 485 3269
[email protected] |
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