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[mythtv-users] UK Freesat Channel 4 HD off air / moved?
dekarl at spaetfruehstuecken.org
Tue Nov 22 22:49:29 UTC 2011
>>> Channel 4 HD:11126:v:0:22000:2305:2307:21200
>> so you hacked the mplexid and serviceid of the channel?
>> service_id from 55300 to 21200 and
>> mplexid from whatever the id of 12607V is to whatever 11126V is at your
>> video source. (table dtv_multiplex)
> No, because I didn't have a row in dtv_multiplex for 11126V.
>> Don't ask me why they changed the service_id, maybe they've been trying
>> to be funny or something ;)
>> If you just slapped the other frequency on the multiplex you'll have to
>> fix the transport_id, too. old 2614 to new 2068
> Yes, I did that. And changed the freq, and the symbolrate from 27500 to
> 22000. Oh, hang on, where does 2068 come from? Right, lyngsat. Yes,
> that must be why it didn't work. I tried 2305 (from my scan result line
Staring at lyngsat I see this:
* you also need to change the modulation from QPSK to 8PSK...
* and the FEC from 3/4 to 2/3
* 2305 appears to be the PID of the video stream...
More information about the mythtv-users | <urn:uuid:9d7e5fc3-648f-4c37-b7cf-c60f5d55f2d6> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.mythtv.org/pipermail/mythtv-users/2011-November/324189.html | 2013-12-12T03:14:04Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.895841 | 350 |
After graduating and completing an RSA TEFL diploma I taught English in the UK and Denmark, and published English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching materials - two 'Readers' ('The Bermuda Triangle Mystery' and 'The Loch Ness Mystery'), an English Language Teaching (ELT) textbook ('On Location'), videos for EFL teaching, and for 3 years was a regular columnist on the Danish FL teachers' magazine 'Sproglæreren' ('The Language Teacher'). I then embarked on an MA in Applied English Linguistics at the University of Birmingham, UK, and subsequently a PhD at Aalborg University, Denmark. As part of my PhD I spent a year at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the East-West Center, Honolulu. I worked at Aalborg University for a total of 21 years (1986-2007).
I have spent research sabbaticals at the University of York, UK (1994), the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (1997), and The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (2011).
I moved to Newcastle University in March, 2007.
I carry out research on human interaction, more specifically interaction transacted through talk, and have a particular interest in second language learning, multilingualism, English as a 'lingua franca', second language use, the notion of 'competence', intercultural communication, and interaction in a range of institutional settings.
In order to carry out this research, I look at how spoken interaction is *micro-managed* and *socially-organised* - in an attempt to describe, in detail, how people together accomplish understanding, how they overcome (or fail to overcome) problems caused by differences - in communicative styles, in cultural backgrounds, in language proficiency, in competence, or differing interests and agendas.
Much of my research (both empirical and theoretical) has been concerned with interaction in English as a 'lingua franca' (a lingua franca being a contact or auxilliary language between people who do not share a mother tongue). The theoretical and methodological implications of English as a 'lingua franca' are, I believe, wide-ranging and profoundly important for applied linguistics, L2 (Second Language) Education and L2 Acquisition, intercultural communication, and EFL/ESL research.
In terms of theory and methodology, I'm inspired by the fields of Ethnomethodology, Conversation Analysis, micro-ethnography, social constructivism, the phenomenology of everyday life, the learning theories of Lave & Wenger, and post-structural theory, and I attempt to bring these fields of knowledge to bear on my empirically-driven research.
Degree Programme Director, MA in Cross-Cultural Communication and Education
Degree Programme Director, MA in Cross-Cultural Communication and International Marketing
Chair of Curriculum Review Committee, MA in Cross-Cultural Communication
Chair of Applied Linguistics Research Group, School of Education, Communication & Languages Sciences
Committee member, Academic Audit Committee
Ph.D. in Applied English Linguistics, Aalborg University, Denmark
M.A. in Applied English Linguistics, University of Birmingham, UK
B.Ed. (Hons.) with specialism in English language teaching, University of Bradford, UK
R.S.A. T.E.F.L. Diploma in 'Teaching English as a Foreign Language', The Bell School of Languages, Cambridge, UK
Associate Professor of Applied English Linguistics, Department of Culture and Languages, Aalborg University, Denmark
Director of the Post-Graduate programme on 'International and Intercultural Communication', Department of Culture and Languages, Aalborg University, Denmark
Fluent in Danish, very good knowledge of Swedish and Norwegian; working knowledge of Thai, Italian, German and French.
My work (with Johannes Wagner) on reconceptualizing Second Language Acquisition research has been the focus of 2 'special issues' of Modern Language Journal - in 1997 (MLJ 81/3) and 2007 (MLJ 91/5: 'The Impact of Firth & Wagner: SLA Reconceptualised').
I was credited by Juliane House - in her introduction to a 'Special Issue' on 'The pragmatics of English as a 'lingua franca'', in the journal 'Intercultural Pragmatics - as founding a 'new research paradigm' (interactional studies of 'lingua franca' encounters). See 'Intercultural Pragmatics', vol. 6, no. 2, p. 141 (2009)
My work on English as a 'lingua franca' has been featured in The Wall Street Journal (Barry Newman: 'Global Chatter', reproduced as: Barry Newman (1996). Global chatter: the reality of ‘business English’. English Today, 12 (2), pp 16-20) and the Danish national newspaper Weekendavisen (Fri Dec 8, 2006).
I have been invited to be keynote or plenary speaker at international conferences on several occasions; recent invites include:
Plenary speaker at the international conference 'Ethnographies of Diagnostic Work', Lancaster University, April, 2007. See: www.ist-palcom.org/diagnosis
Plenary speaker at the SLRF 2008 conference (Exploring SLA: Perspectives, Positions, and Practices), Honolulu, Hawaii, USA (17-19 October 2008). See www.nflrc.hawaii.edu/slrf08/program.htm
Plenary speaker at the conference 'Living, working and studying in (a) vehicular language(s): Language, discourse, hybridity and identities', Turku, Finland, 26-28 September, 2008. http://www.hum.utu.fi/oppiaineet/ranskankieli/tutkimus/konferenssit/vehicular.html
March-April 2008: invited to give lectures and lead workshops at Brazilian universities, sponsored by a Brazilian government grant (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sol, Porto Alegre, Universidade do Unisinos, Port Alegre, and PUC, University of Rio de Janeiro).
Keynote speaker at the British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL) Intercultural Communication 'Special Interest Group's' inaugural meeting, Nottingham Trent University, 27-28 May 2010. For further details, see: http://baalicsig.wordpress.com/announcement/05-03-2010/
Keynote speaker: ‘Towards a metatheory of English as a lingua franca.’ The Third Annual Language and Society Centre Roundtable, Theme: Language learning in the “global economy”, Monash University, 17 February, 2011
Keynote speaker: ‘Conversation Analysis, competence, and L2 interaction: Why, how and to what end?’ Nordand 10: Conference on Nordic languages as a second and foreign language, hosted by University of Iceland, Reykjavík: http://www.real-association.eu/news/nordand- 10-conference-nordic-languages-second-and-foreign-language-reykjavik-iceland (26-30 May, 2011)
Plenary speaker, 17th Conference of International Association for World Englishes, Hosted by Monash University, Australia, November 23-25, 2011 – see: http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/lcl/conferences/iawe-2011/
Plenary speaker, Business English Special Interest Group, 2012 IATEFL Conference, Glasgow, 19 March, 2012
Keynote speaker, Japanese Association of Language Teaching (JALT) conference, Hamamatsu, Japan, 12-15 October, 2012
Undergraduate courses I have taught:
Introduction to the English Language * Introduction to Sociolinguistics * Introduction to Pragmatics * Introduction to Micro-Ethnography * Introduction to Discourse Analysis * Introduction to Conversation Analysis * Introduction to Applied Linguistics * Introduction to Second Language Acquisition * Introduction to Intercultural and International Communication * Communication at Work: Social Interaction in Institutional Contexts * Ethnography of Speaking * Teaching English as a Foreign Language * Qualitative Research Methods * Academic Composition Writing * Translation (English-Danish) * Oral Proficiency in English
Graduate Courses I have taught:
Applied Conversation Analysis * Themes in Discourse Analysis * Micro-analysis and ethnography * Spoken Narrative Analysis * Anthropological Linguistics * Research Methods in Intercultural Communication * Theories in Intercultural Communication * Workplace Communication: Methods, Theories and Findings * Controversies in Applied Linguistics * The Discourse of Negotiation * Work Talk: Studying Institutional Interaction * Second/Foreign Language Pedagogy * Calling for Help: Discourse and Social Interaction in Telephone Helplines * Discourse and Identity * Talk and Chalk: Analysing the Language of Classroom Interaction * Reconceptualising Second Language Acquisition Research * Talking Global: English as a 'lingua franca'
PhD seminars and courses I have led:
Second Language Acquisition Reconceptualised * Conversation Analysis * Spoken discourse and social interaction * The discourse of negotiation: Methods and Approaches * Sociolinguistic Metatheory * Intercultural Communication * English as an International Language
Update October 2009: Students following my MA module 'English in the World' should consult the module website at: sites.google.com/site/englishintheworldsite
My teaching blog is located at: englishintheworldsite.blogspot.com | <urn:uuid:2a011da5-3e73-4ed5-837b-6400fd9bbb62> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.ncl.ac.uk/linguistics/staff/profile/alan.firth | 2013-12-12T03:14:01Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.845956 | 2,027 |
Felix Sabates was relaxing one night in December when his phone rang at 11 p.m.
On the other end was someone looking for a little advice and perhaps some heavy-handed help. Despite registering 23 Sprint Cup race wins and a championship while getting to Victory Lane at least once per season for a decade -- no small feat -- the guy was having trouble finding a ride for the upcoming season. He thought car owners in general, and one powerful one in particular, might even be blackballing him.
Welcome to what was one of the darkest hours of the offseason for Kurt Busch. Thanks to Sabates' willingness to help him out, and subsequently the seemingly unlikely involvement of Rick Hendrick, Busch soon settled into a deal to run a full-time 2012 Sprint Cup schedule at Phoenix Racing for car owner James Finch.
Once Busch and Penske Racing owner Roger Penske had mutually decided it was in both of their best interests to part ways shortly after the 2011 season, one of the first calls the beleaguered Busch placed was to Finch. But Finch, who buys his equipment from Hendrick Motorsports, wasn't calling him back after they held what the veteran driver thought was a promising initial conversation.
"I felt like I was calling everybody at the beginning, and then I didn't hear back from Finch for a while," Busch said. "So I was like, 'Aw, man, maybe it's not going to work out.' But honestly, Finch was one of the first guys I called because he has that alliance with Hendrick Motorsports. I'm looking for those motors and those chassis and those bodies -- because a guy named Tony Stewart gets those products and look what he did last year."
As time passed, Busch wondered if that alliance between Finch and Hendrick might be what was holding up a potential deal to put him in Finch's No. 51 Chevrolet. Throughout much of last season and even the season or two before, Busch had frequently feuded with Hendrick driver and five-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson on and off the track.
That, in addition to Busch's much-publicized and repeated run-ins with several media members, as well as Penske Racing personnel and Dodge employees, led Busch to believe he was being blackballed by Cup owners. That's when he placed the call to Sabates, a minority owner with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.
"Someone told Kurt that Hendrick would never let him run his equipment, and Kurt believed that," Sabates said. "I knew it wasn't true. That's why I called Kurt back and told him, 'You call Rick yourself, and ask Rick if he's got a problem with you.' He called Rick the next day and Rick was like, 'Somebody is telling you a bunch of crap.' "
Why help Busch when he was down and seemingly out? Sabates said the answer is simple.
"I'm probably one of the few guys who, when he comes around, I've always been very friendly to him," Sabates said. "Anytime I've asked him to do anything over the years -- whether it's sign a shirt or a hat or whatever -- he's always done it. Last year I asked him to go to dinner with some of my friends because I didn't want to do it, and he did. So when a guy does stuff like that, you want to be able to give him something in return.
"Listen, I think he's going to do great. I think the guy has learned his lesson. I think the No. 51 car is one to watch."
Sabates is not alone in that belief. Hendrick, who admitted he was a little surprised to receive the phone call from Busch set in motion by Sabates, also said he believes the Finch-owned, Busch-driven No. 51 car may surprise some people this season.
"Kurt did call me," Hendrick said. "And he said, 'Did you tell James you didn't want him to hire me?' I said, 'Absolutely not. I've got no problem with you, and I will tell James that.' And that's exactly what I did. I called James and said, 'If somebody told you I have a problem with Kurt, that's not true. I have no problem with him at all.' Somebody had said I blackballed him -- and I did not blackball him.
"I can't tell a guy who wants to win that, hey, you can't put a certain guy in your car or else I won't support you. I mean, no matter what R&D (Research and Development) stuff we might have going on. I just wouldn't do that. I want James to do well. I mean, Brad Keselowski won Talladega in one of his cars. James has worked hard and has paid his dues. He deserves to run good."
Hendrick did admit that sometimes in the past Finch has purchased discounted motors or parts or even entire cars because he's been willing to put some Hendrick research-and-development equipment to the test on the track, whereas the four Hendrick teams themselves can't risk the unknown durability issues that might enter such an equation. Hendrick also pointed out that Finch always has the option to purchase equipment "straight-up" and not try the discounted R&D packages, which he also does at least part of the time and may very well do more often now that Busch is behind the wheel of the car.
"Sometimes we want to try things that we don't know will work or not, and James is willing to try it. Now we'll see how Kurt handles some of that. But I don't think James will have any problems with Kurt. I think they have a good understanding," Hendrick said.
"I tell you, I think they're going to surprise some people. They're not going to surprise me -- but I think Kurt's got something he wants to prove; James has something he wants to prove. And I think that car is going to run really well."
Busch knows life will be much different at Phoenix Racing, where there are 18 employees to support a single-car operation, than it was during the six years he was top dog at Penske Racing, which employs closer to 300 and ran multiple cars.
"There are going to be little victories that we claim, even if it's finishing 15th and putting the car back in hauler without a scratch on it," Busch said. "Those are going to be big days because we have two really good bullets right now -- our superspeedway car for Daytona and we have a car that came from Hendrick that's got a ton of R&D stuff on it. So I need to protect that car when we go to Vegas [in the third week of the season] because you want that car again in a couple of weeks at California. So we need to take care of that baby right now, and then hopefully we'll get a few more built like that."
Busch scoffed at the theory that he will have a difficult time toning down his aggression and protecting the car so much on the race track.
"It's just racing smart and racing old-school," he said. "This is like my dad's race team where we had one Legend car. If we wrecked it, we couldn't race the next week unless we had enough parts to put it back together again. If you wrecked too much, it cost you too much to get to the race track. So there is going to be that balance of understanding how to get the best out of the car that day, whether it's 15th or even if I have a shot at a top 10, protecting that car so we can bring it back when we have to."
Meanwhile, Busch made it clear that he genuinely appreciates what Sabates did for him to help him land his current Cup ride.
"Felix Sabates stuck his neck out for me to try to help me out with Finch. I owe a lot to Felix for helping make this deal happen," Busch said. "Even Rick Hendrick had to give his blessing because this is his equipment; these are his cars that Finch buys from him. They're all connected together."
Sabates laughed heartily when he was asked if he might someday regret helping Busch so much.
"I told him I was going to help him," Sabates said. "There were a lot of moving parts in there, but I put the moving parts together for him -- and I'm glad I did. Everybody always says everyone deserves a second chance. What he did was wrong. There is no excuse for what he did. It was stupid. But everyone deserves that second chance.
"He's going to be a pain in the rear for a lot of us. He's got something to prove. Not only does he have something to prove to everyone else, but he wants to prove to himself that he's still got it. I think you're going to see a big change in that kid. If he starts beating our cars every week, I'm going to kick myself in the butt." | <urn:uuid:881f67eb-cc2f-451b-b0f0-5d66b06bf2b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.nhms.com/media/headlines/nascar/busch-owes-debt-gratitude-sabates.html | 2013-12-12T03:15:56Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.991715 | 1,897 |
|Pet of the Week - April 1, 2013|
|Written by Homeward Pet Adoption|
Whiskers and Stubby are quite the handsome pair with the sweetest temperaments you will ever encounter!
These six-year-old, short- haired brothers would love to be adopted as a pair and become part of a devoted family. On the outside they appear to be a strange pairing, Stubby, a small orange tabby, and Whiskers, a very large black and white tuxedo, but they wouldn’t know the difference. They get along wonderfully together and both are affectionate and mellow boys.
If you are looking for two easygoing roommates then come in and visit Whiskers and Stubby! They are quiet, cuddly, and are waiting patiently to find the right home together.
We are located at 13132 NE 177th Place in Woodinville and are open for visitors between noon and 6 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.
See all our adoptable cats, kittens, dogs and puppies at www.homewardpet.org.
April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. Would you know animal cruelty if you saw it? Or who to contact? Go to www.homewardpet.org to learn how to recognize animal cruelty, who to contact, and how to report it.
All month, visit Homeward Pet on facebook to read the stories of adoptable animals who’ve overcome abuse, neglect or abandonment and are now looking for their forever homes at Homeward Pet Adoption Center. | <urn:uuid:102981c1-2a78-4080-ae0d-b424b4b63451> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.nwnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7828:pet-of-the-week-april-1-2013&catid=52:pet-of-the-week&Itemid=79 | 2013-12-12T03:14:31Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951102 | 331 |
Introduction to ODBMS
By Rick Grehan and
Early 1980s - Orion Research Project at MCC
Won Kim at MCC (Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation) in Austin,
Texas, begins a research project on ORION.
Two products will later trace their history to ORION: ITASCA (no longer around)
Late 1980s - First wave of commercial products
A Lisp-based system, Graphael, appears from the French nuclear regulatory efforts.
Eventually, Graphael goes through a re-write and becomes Matisse.
Servo-Logic begins work on GemStone. Servo-Logic is now GemStone Systems.
Start of O2 development at INRIA (France). The founder of O2 is Francois Bencilhon,
also from MCC.
Tom Atwood at Ontologic produced Vbase, which supports the proprietary language
COP (for C Object Processor). COP is eventually eclipsed by C++, Ontologic becomes
ONTOS, and the database is rewritten to support C++. Tom left Ontologic in the late
1980s and founded Object Design (now part of Progress Software) with ObjectStore
(based on C++).
Another product from that time is Objectivity/DB. Drew Wade has been one of the
founders of its vendor, Objectivity.
1991 - ODMG
Rick Cattell (SunSoft) initiates the ODMG with 5 major OODBMS vendors. The first
standard, ODMG 1.0, was released in 1993. Throughout the 1990s, the ODMG works with
the X3H2 (SQL) committee on a common query language. Though no specific goal is
achieved, the efforts heavily influence the ODMG OQL (object query language) and,
to a lesser extent, SQL:1999.
1995 - The OODBMS Manifesto
Malcolm Atkinson et. al. release "The
Object-Oriented Database System Manifesto"
1990s - First Growth Period
Market for commercial ODBMS products grows to some $100M, peaks in 2000 and shrinks
2001 - Final ODMG 3.0 standards released.
A final ODMG 3.0 standards is released. Shortly thereafter, the ODMG submits the
ODMG Java Binding to the Java Community Process as a basis for the Java Data Objects
Afterwards, the ODMG disbands.
2004 - Advent of Open Source
2005-now. New Data Stores
db4o released as free, open source ODBMS. In November 2005, db4o is first to implement
Native Queries as an object
oriented data access API that relies entirely on the programming language (Java/C#)
The world of data management is changing. Service platforms, scalable cloud platforms,
analytical data platforms, object databases, object-relational bindings, NoSQL databases and new
approaches to concurrency control
are all becoming hot topics both in academia and industry.
For up to date information and interviews, please check the "ODBMS Industry Watch Blog.
If you are interested to read more about the history and how the industry learned
to think about object databases we highly recommend to read Marianne Winslett' 2002 interview with Prof. David Maier on
past and future of ODBMSs. | <urn:uuid:8df57357-6a91-454f-8736-600aeb58d3d8> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.odbms.org/Introduction/history.aspx | 2013-12-12T03:25:02Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.890272 | 696 |
Jason Kenison led the majority of the Frostbite 400 on his way to nab the $2000 payday at Riverside Speedway on November 2..
Hinesburg, VT native Eric Messier jumped out to the early lead tailed by Frankfort, ME’s Bobby Seger. Kenison ran down the duo quickly and swapped the lead with Seger multiple times within the first quarter of the race. The first red flag flew when Jake Plummer and Matt “The Hammer” Leblanc made contact coming off turn 4, resulting with Leblanc in the fence and Plummer’s car engulfed in flames down the front stretch.
Bill Fiske’s Dodge Intrepid made contact during the incident, resulting in a stuck throttle. Fiske tried to corral his car but went careening over turn 2, jumping the berm, plowing through the chain link fence and slamming into the guard rail down pit road. The track was cleaned up and the race continued.
The field would dwindle down throughout the race as the stress of 400 laps would start to take its toll on the cars. Running in second place for most of the race Kevin Douglass from Sidney, ME had one of the fastest cars on the track. That is until his Acura Integra blew the motor leaving Douglass limping around the track. Joel Hodgdon inherited the second spot but did not have enough to challenge Kenison as the Groveton, NH driver sped away to victory.
Kenison is now three for his last three races. That is by winning the Street Stock Milk Bowl at Thunder Road, the Street Stock Open at the Fall Brawl last month at Riverside.
Hodgdon took the second spot secured, with Whitefield, NH’s Jon Savage picking up third. The 2013 Street Stock champ Jamie Heath survived to take the fourth spot with enduro veteran Jamie Longley rounding out the top five. Richie Veilleux, Shawn McIntyre, Jeremy LaCoss, Douglass, and Jim Davis completed the top ten.
Next on tap is the Banquet of Champions for the 2013 season at Riverside Speedway on November 16 then on December 29 the return of the “winter enduro” the Snowball Derby. | <urn:uuid:104f9378-d668-4cb6-9910-2cb5e458837d> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.patriotledger.com/tracktalk/x1467730182/Home-town-driver-Jason-Kenison-dominates-Frostbite-400-at-Riverside-Speedway | 2013-12-12T03:17:07Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957427 | 458 |
Jane Shay Wald is an Emeritus Partner with Irell & Manella LLP in Los Angeles, California, and is Chair of the firm's Trademark Practice Group. Her practice focuses on trademark, unfair competition, and copyright law. She counsels clients on acquiring and maintaining trademarks and on potential and pending infringement problems. She litigates before the federal courts and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. The Los Angeles Daily Journal and the San Francisco Daily Journal named her to its 2010 list of the "Top 100 Women Litigators" in California, recognizing her for being a "leader in trademark infringement suits in federal court and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office." She was recently named a "Woman of Achievement" by the Century City Chamber of Commerce and the Chambers Women's Business Council, which produced this short video about her: http://www.irell.com/video-waldwomanofachievement.html The video shows just some of her 400 piece lunchbox collection. Wald has been named to the Southern California "Super Lawyers" list for her work in intellectual property every year since 2005. She has, in addition, been included in the "Super Lawyers" list as one of the "Top 100 Lawyers" in Southern California, and is often listed as one of the "Top 50 Women Lawyers" in Southern California. She has been included in "Best Lawyers in America" in each of the years 2007-2013. Wald received the California State Bar Intellectual Property Law Section's Vanguard Award for private practice in 2009. A frequent speaker and author on trademark topics, Wald also has served as adjunct professor of trademark law at UCLA and USC law schools. She has served as President of the Los Angeles Copyright Society and President of the Century City Bar Association. Wald is a published poet. | <urn:uuid:6f2e854f-e75b-47bb-b585-2be8f6ed5994> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.pli.edu/Content/Faculty/Jane_Shay_Wald/_/N-1z13fwlZ4o?No=50&Ns=sort_date%7C0&ID=PE219302 | 2013-12-12T03:25:22Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963774 | 362 |
OUYA, the powerful little Android game console that finished its funding back in 2012, will begin shipping to Kickstarter backers starting March 28, 2013. According to the OUYA, Inc., “That’s right. Parts are in the factory and assembly lines are buzzing. We’ll gradually ramp up production as we make sure things are working. (Our full launch is still set for June, which is when OUYA will be available in stores!)”
The OUYA remains Kickstarter’s highest grossing game project, bringing in over $8.5 million dollars. OUYA also promises to bring more open platformed Android based gaming to the big screen with it’s low priced $99 bundle that includes an OUYA Console and OUYA game controller.
Game titles have already been lined up with developers and publishers such as Square Enix and NAMCO. In addition, content partners including VEVO, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Plex and OnLive have all jumped on board to truly bring the OUYA Console to life.
OUYA states that while the console will begin shipping to tens of thousands of Kickstarter backers at the end of March, full production is set for the month of June, when you will be able to walk into your local Best Buy, GameStop, or Target and pick one up in person.
It will be exciting see how this indie gaming console stands up to the big entertainment players, like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. With a growing market of Android enthusiasts and people who would love to bring their favorite games like Dead Trigger to the big screen, it will be exciting to see what happens next.
So what do you think – will you be picking up an OUYA for your living room this June? You can watch the original Kickstarter video from OUYA below. | <urn:uuid:55a91a25-7421-43c2-bf19-cba35a5c4047> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.pocketables.com/2013/03/ouya-android-console-ships-to-kickstarter-backers-living-rooms-on-march-28.html | 2013-12-12T03:25:40Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936415 | 371 |
Social Media Strategies
with Mike Bires
What to consider when setting up PD social media accounts
There are dozens of networks your department could join — how do you make the most of your limited time?
If you are just embarking on a social media strategy for your department — or are relatively new to it — you might be scratching your head trying to figure out which ones to use. I recently found a list of more than 150 social media websites.
On the other side of the coin, you may just be familiar with Facebook and Twitter.
Traditionally, law enforcement officers hate change. When we do change, we’re usually 20 years behind everyone else. As a social media manager for your department, you are going to have to change frequently, whether you like it or not.
Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin
I recently read an article on Mashable, in which a young person explains how her generation is moving away from Facebook. They know parents and grandparents can see what they are up to, and the kids don’t like that.
So where are they going? If we are going to be posting messages about cyber bullying, or getting “on their level” to receive tips or information on crimes, then we need to go where they go, right? After all, isn’t that the whole ideology of social media and law enforcement?
Until I spoke with some mentors and received some training in social media, I was guilty of thinking I would sign our department up for any social media channel I heard about. I was proud of my long list, because I was going to have every angle covered — or so I thought.
I was on a mission to have the “Binford 6100” model of social media programs.
In truth, I was on course for disaster.
What I had failed to account for was the simple ratio of the number of social media managers my department had versus the amount of accounts we had. Since the answer was one (me) versus 10 social media channels, my plan could possibly be a detriment to our program.
Each social media channel you manage requires your dedication and passion in order for it to thrive. It needs to have your full attention and constant interaction to make it a success. As with other things in life, if our attention is split, things start coming apart.
What’s a Safe Amount?
Currently, I have selected Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Instagram, and Nixle for our social media channels. I carefully selected these because they all work together seamlessly, which allows me to attend to one channel while working on another.
Although you have to make some changes to the default settings in your profile or options area, you can integrate the channels. Here are some examples:
• If I do a press release on our website, it automatically “pushes” that press release to our Facebook Fanpage. Facebook then automatically pushes the information to our Twitter feed. I just took care of two social media channels with one entry on our website.
• If I take a photo at a public relations event using Instagram, it will not only publish on Instagram, but will be displayed on our website, Facebook page and Twitter feed. In this scenario, I was able to update four channels at once.
Since Facebook and Twitter are essentially the only channels where I have interaction with our followers and fans, it is very easy to communicate using these two channels.
Know Your Tools
As a social media manager in your department, it is going to be assumed you know everything about every social media channel. This may not be possible for anyone, but at a minimum, you really should have above average knowledge for the social media channels you use. This knowledge should include:
• Settings: Know all of the security, privacy and administrative settings.
• Public Access: What does your channel look like when viewed by a visitor? For example, you may find pictures that should be private appearing publicly to anyone.
• Options and Features: Learn everything! Sooner or later, someone’s going to ask you what it is or how to use it.
• Investigative Information: Can this particular channel tell me a person’s location? Can I view a person’s history if I log in using their credentials?
Who Benefits From This Advice?
A large agency, with people assigned to full-time positions monitoring social media, would certainly be able to manage and interact on several different channels. Large agencies have the staffing and budgets to make this possible.
The majority of departments in the United States are comprised of small to medium agencies. When I wrote this article, I took budget cuts, lack of staffing, and the fact that many social media managers do this as a collaborative duty, into account.
Remember, it’s easier to expand than scale back. Start your program out small and expand when you feel you can handle it, and when your public demands it. | <urn:uuid:43e5320a-c74f-4663-910e-570fff6e57c3> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.policeone.com/police-technology/articles/6527705-What-to-consider-when-setting-up-PD-social-media-accounts/ | 2013-12-12T03:14:57Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953704 | 1,024 |
In conjunction with college career network, Readyforce, two of the company's interns will host the $25,000 Lanhammer 2013 gaming tournament, a competition designed to network students with prospective employers, the company announced today.
The free two-day event, which aims to network college-aged students and interns with technology and startup companies in a friendly environment, will feature tournaments in games such as Star Craft 2, League of Legends, Dota 2, Street Fighter 4 and UItimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. The tournament offers a total of $25,000 in cash prizes and offers 500 player tournament slots. About 300 computers and ten PlayStation 3s will be available for competitors to use.
"Nothing of Lanhammer's magnitude has ever been hosted in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we at Readyforce are extremely excited to put together the very first of hopefully many Lanhammer gaming events," said event co-organizer, Andrew Wu, who is a University of California San Diego 2011 graduate. "We are looking forward to watching all the skilled competitors play for great prizes provided by our sponsors and Readyforce."
"We've been dreaming of running a gaming competition like Lanhammer for a long time and I'm very lucky to have Tansen and Andrew make it a reality," said Alex Mooradian, CEO of Readyforce. "Lanhammer represents Readyforce's vision of building a powerful network for college student. We are bringing together 2,000 students from around the country for an amazing weekend of fun and competition."
Lanhammer 2013 will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. PT on Aug. 17 to 18 at Dogpatch WineWorks in San Francisco. Those interested are invited to sign up for registration on the event's official website. | <urn:uuid:e8beefce-2ae5-4508-8034-2f467173bd6d> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/12/4516882/two-interns-organize-bay-areas-25000-gaming-tournament-lanhammer-2013 | 2013-12-12T03:25:40Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952762 | 363 |
Casey James: Playing With Bret Michaels During 'Idol' Was 'Amazing'
By Denise Warner Posted Jun 3rd 2010 03:05PM
After the show, PopEater caught up with third-place finisher Casey James, who told us how great it was to duet with Bret Michael's on the 'Idol' finale, where the two heartthrobs played 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn.'
"It was amazing. He was an amazing guy," James said.
Watch the Video Below
American Idol 2010
© BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM "American Idol" Season 9 finalists perform live in Herald Square as part of the launch of M&M's Pretzel. Picture Shows: Tim Urban NON-EXCLUSIVE June 2, 2010 Job: 100602X7 New York, New York www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com
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Flowers at an outdoor shop. But let's pretend I was standing in a field of flowers. That sounds way cooler!
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Copyright © 2013 Bonnier Corp. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. | <urn:uuid:6201b21d-c2a0-472d-a859-24fb6df55eee> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.popphoto.com/photocontestimage/dsc5150jpg | 2013-12-12T03:18:28Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909929 | 73 |
“Children are all foreigners.”
Children have a precious talent. They become enamored so easily, and by anything. Take a walk through a park with a young child, and it doesn’t take long before he’s stopped, crouched on the side of the path, captivated by a red leaf or line of marching ants. Wide-eyed and oblivious to you and everything else, he just watches. He’s become enraptured by a curious sight that is — to him — a miracle.
About six years ago, when I was at my most miserable and unpleasant, I remember being asked by a concerned family member, “Well when were you happy?”
I had to think about it. “When I was a kid,” I answered, vaguely aware that it was not really an exaggeration. In particular I remembered the feeling of sheer abundance of summer break: sixty straight days of nothing but exploration and imagination.
Racing bikes down the trails by the river. Exploring the undergrowth for cool-looking bugs. Making up clubs and secret handshakes on a whim. Building forts.
We never seemed to have any ambivalence about what we did. An idea would occur to us, and then we’d be right in the middle of it, absorbed completely.
By age nineteen I had the distinct sense that I had lost something vital: a feeling of possibility and wonder in life.
This feeling of lack grew intensely as I bumbled through college. During the height of my unhappiest period, the elusive quality of wonder appeared frequently in dreams, which only made waking life that much more awful. I wanted it so bad, and I thought it was gone forever.
Eventually I recovered from my funk and began to experience the feeling of wonder more and more, at first by happenstance, and then by deliberately cultivating it. I’ve discovered several ways to do it, and in this article I’ll share an easy one that could open your eyes to a whole host of wonder-making possibilities.
Everyone’s life is composed primarily of repetitive everyday events that seem unremarkable. Making dinner, walking to your car, buying a newspaper, dropping files in someone’s in-basket.
These moments make up 90-something percent of every life, but they are so routine and ordinary that you’ll never look back on them or recount them to someone else. They’re boring. We go through their motions so we can get to the parts of life we really want.
It is worth asking this question: What is the quality of that 90+ per cent of your life? Do you, like many, dismiss the bulk of your time on earth, leaning towards certain more exciting moments in the future?
Kids find wonder everywhere with ease, but as we grow up we seem to pick up the troublesome habit of ignoring the present moment in favor of more important ones that may happen later. We think about what we have to do in the office while we are still showering. We think about being off work while we are at work. We think about 4:30 when it’s 2:30. We think about Friday when it’s Thursday.
The causes of this common habit are many, and I will explore them in another article. For now, suffice it to say that most of us feel like we’ve lost most of our capacity for bewilderment, somewhere between childhood and high school.
With a bit of attention, we can get it back.
Coming back to our senses
One eye-opening method is to incorporate the idea of ritual into your daily tasks. When you think of the word ritual, some bizarre images may arise in your mind: hooded druids, incense, green tea, ceremonial masks, skulls with candles on them, maybe. Forget those images. You don’t need any special supplies. What you do in your rituals isn’t even important. Any action, from putting a CD in the stereo, to reading a story to your child, to going to the mailbox to get the paper, can become vivid and poignant scene.
It doesn’t even need to be something you do often. The one thing that all rituals have in common is that they are performed with attention. The participants are fully absorbed in what they are doing, because they believe their actions are important.
Essential to this idea is respect for the things and people involved. Throughout your rituals, recognize the value and usefulness of objects as you pick them up. Recognize the sensitivities and virtues of people as you interact with them. Carelessness and haste have no place here.
The purpose of ritual is to remind you that what you are doing is significant simply because it is what you are doing right now. Rituals need not have any lofty spiritual or religious pretensions; we’re just trying to cultivate attention. You don’t need to light candles or burn frankincense.
The ritual may be a single action, or a series. For example, when I leave my apartment to go to work in the morning, I often conduct it as something of a ritual.
First I remind myself not to rush. With undivided attention, I perform the following steps, or similar ones:
The Turning off of the Lights – The bedroom, then the kitchen, then the living room. As I snap each switch off, I observe the stark instant when the room changes character, from inviting and alive, to dormant and still. I go into the foyer.
The Donning of the Jacket and Shoes – Ah my grey jacket… my holy armor for the journey to work. Light rain is no threat to me now. I pay attention to its weight and feel as I put it on. Without straining or balancing awkwardly, I slip each shoe onto a socked foot and feel my readiness to be outside, rain or shine.
The Assembly of the Work Bag, Sunglasses, Cell Phone, Bagged Lunch and Daybook – Essential supplies, all of them. They promise to provide for the immediate needs of my mind and body throughout the day. How lucky am I to carry with me the tools and supplies I need to feed myself, clothe myself, and protect my body and eyes from the elements, and – most amazingly – beam my voice through the ether to virtually anyone on the planet? I truly am a 21st century superequipped superman.
The Checking of the Attitude – Am I looking forward to work? Hesitant? Leaning towards the weekend? Fearful? Excited?
The Exit and Locking of the Door – I step through and slip in my brass key with the worn rubber ring on it. Creak. Thud. Click. My little box of possessions is now locked and waiting for my return. I find myself in the hallway. It smells like dust and electric heater.
The March down the Corridor – There is a large picture window high up above the stairway at the end of the hall, giving me a living snapshot of this particular morning. As I pass each door, I hear muted bits of morning newscasts, groggy breakfast-table conversations, and frying eggs. Each one fades in and then out into the next one.
The Descent of the Staircase, and Exit – The foyer is always stuffy, but both doors push open easily and I don’t hurry my pace one bit. I push the exit door slowly, unsure if someone is on the other side. I open it with the same wonder and curiosity as I would an unfamiliar door. For a moment I think of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, peering through the widening crack of her front door after the tornado has dropped her house somewhere else.
The Crossing of the Parking Lot – As I exit the muggy foyer of the apartment I am always greeted with a new air and soundscape. Sometimes sunny with chirping birds, sometimes rainy with a breeze, sometimes fog and a passing train. Today it is cool and clear, the asphalt is dry. I head over to my shiny, black machine.
The Seating of the Pilot in the Car – I swing open the door, heave my bag onto the passenger seat, lower myself in, and close the door. Silence, or near to. I buckle up and turn the key, awakening my miraculous machine into a purring state of readiness. My ancestors would have killed for such a powerful device. And through good fortune and my own hard work, I have secured one for myself.
The Piloting of the Vehicle – Careful not to become impatient, I back the contraption out, shift into D, and glide through the lot, relaxed and smiling in my protected, upholstered throne. I turn onto the main drag and push in the accelerator, as the breeze whirling by my window picks up…
The above is just a small taste of the exclusive details available in the moments we usually miss. It may sound laborious or stilted, but all flows rather fluidly, because I do not let my mind or my body poise themselves to perform the next step until the current one has been seen through to completion. I am not thinking of sitting in my car while I am still walking over to it. I’m just paying attention to what it feels like to walk over to the car. Most of the time I’m not thinking at all, I’m concentrating on the physical feeling of what I’m doing.
The Thought Habit
When you’re trying to stay focused on the actions, thoughts will come up and attempt to occupy your attention again. Most thoughts are not useful in the moment; they’re just conditioned mental reflexes, and there are triggers all over the place. To keep your attention on what you’re doing, make a general policy of dumping a train of thought unless the thought determines the next action you take. Nineteen times out of twenty, it doesn’t, and you’re better off ditching it.
The whole operation doesn’t take any more time than doing it absent-mindedly, and the experience will leave you grateful and mindful for the next part of your day. Those steps all have to be completed anyway, so what would be the benefit in letting your attention wander to something else? There is none that I can think of, but it’s what would happen if you didn’t make a point of doing it all deliberately, by ritualizing it.
Most people will find this difficult at first. The mind will wander, and soon you are not really paying attention to the event itself. Perhaps you are preoccupied with your thoughts about what you are doing, rather than the sensation of doing them. There is a simple way to recover your wandering attention from your thoughts: just place your attention on the physical sensations involved in the action. Don’t think about them, just observe them. Sounds, feelings, textures.
Your attention is finite, and when you assign it to the sensations themselves, you minimize the amount available for thinking. Thought forms such as preconceptions, opinions, criticisms, fears and aversions all cease, and the moment can unfold without the usual threat of being rejected or disregarded by the mind.
Whenever one of these obnoxious thoughts arises, just remember it’s only the mind’s bad habit, and return your attention to the present physical sensations. Choose any sense to focus on, at first. I like to start by paying attention to how my skin feels and how my clothes feel on me, then I expand my attention to the moment’s visual spectacle, followed by the rich palettes of sounds and smells it offers me.
So whenever you find yourself in that 90+% of life where you’re between the moments you really want, it comes down to a choice between two habits:
1) The habit of appreciating the moment itself and its physical details, or
2) The habit of letting your mental chatter preoccupy you with hypothetical future moments that promise fulfillment.
Whenever you indulge one habit, you strengthen it and weaken the other. Most of us shift over to the second habit as we age and accrue responsibilities, and it costs us bigtime. It makes most of life forgettable and not particularly enjoyable. Ritual is one way to choose door number one. What is that 90% of your life worth to you?
Here is just a short list of routine tasks you can ritualize:
Purchasing something – Roam the aisles until you see the kind of artifact you came looking for. Pick one up, turn it over in your hands, notice its weight. How is the craftsmanship? Is it a fair price? When you are satisfied, bring it up to the front of the store, and wait in line. Forget the next errand you have to do; you’re here, so be here. What are other people purchasing? What is the clerk like? Hurried? Gracious? Experienced or green?
Sitting down to dinner with your family – Let your weight sink into your chair and take the load off your legs. Close your eyes for a second and notice the background noise. Take a breath and let go of any thoughts about the day leading up to this, or what you expect to do later. Eat slowly and pay special attention to the taste and feel of it. You’re alive and well, about to enjoy a meal with the people who matter most. How fortunate. It’s likely not the last one you’ll experience, but who knows? Only this one is guaranteed.
Making a phone call – The phone is a modern miracle, don’t ever forget it. It shoots your voice across cities, forests, mountains, and oceans to anyone willing to listen. What will your message be? Pick up the device and enter the proper code. It rings… and a faceless voice answers. A friend, a merchant whose wares have you interested, an administrator who can redirect your message, or maybe an unexpected stranger. Have a real exchange, rather than just barking your thoughts at them.
Start slow. Pick one thing to do today and devote to it your undivided attention. Defend its importance from your mind’s aimless wanderlust. It’s important because it’s what you’re doing right now, it’s your life. If you need inspiration, small children are great role models.
Photo by Pink Sherbet Photography
If you liked this article, get email updates for free. | <urn:uuid:d86bc66f-47c0-49e6-a089-a75cf63afb4c> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.raptitude.com/2009/03/how-to-improve-your-quality-of-life-by-up-to-90/ | 2013-12-12T03:13:51Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952957 | 3,039 |
Services & Amenities:
|Within 10 Miles|
|Greater Than 10 Miles|
BEAR BROOK STATE PARK, NH
DescriptionBear Brook, with over 10,000 acres, is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire. Located in the southeast region of the state. Hiking, biking, swimming and fishing are a few of the favorite things to do. Forty miles of trails through the heavily forested park, leading to seldom visited marshes, bogs, summits and ponds, offer a variety of options for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. Canoe rentals are available at both Beaver and Catamount Ponds, while rowboat rentals are also available at Beaver Pond. Fly-fishing enthusiasts will be pleased to know Archery Pond welcomes their specialty and is universally accessible. Across the road from Archery Pond is a special little pond just for children under twelve to fish. If archery is your sport you might already know that Bear Brook boasts two archery ranges. Two ranges, a 15-target range and 4-target practice range that is universally accessible. (Bring your own archery equipment.) You can stay in shape by using the park's 1-1/4 mile, 20-station fitness course that is fun for the whole family.
Services & Amenities:
Alerts and Important Information
SITE FEE COVERS 2 ADULTS AND up to 4 CHILDREN ALL ADDITIONAL ADULTS FEES OF $10 PER NIGHT AND ADDITIONAL CHILDREN FEES OF $5 PER NIGHT ARE PAID UPON ARRIVAL.
This park has 2 archery ranges, many fishing areas including a pond for just children 12 and under to fish, many hiking trails, and mountain biking trails.
Sites accommodate a maximum of 6 people, combination of adults and children with no more than 4 adults per site.
NO hook up sites at this campground.
Payment at time of reservation covers 2 adults and up to 4 children. Additional adults and children pay at check in.
For Bear Brook youth group reservations please contact 603-271-3556
**For any refund requests after the reservation arrival date must be in writing and sent to The NH Reservation Information Office, PO Box 1856, Concord, NH 03302-1856 **
Getting There:From I-93: Exit 9N onto Route 3/28 North and follow signs to Bear Brook State Park. From I-95: Route 4 West to Route 28 South and follow signs to Bear Brook State Park.
Mailing Address:BEAR BROOK STATE PARK
157 Deerfield Rd
Deerfield NH 03275
Phone Number:Information: (603)485-9869 | <urn:uuid:c4b42770-1f40-4a9d-9743-f34727ea3df0> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/Bear_Brook_State_Park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NH&parkId=270003 | 2013-12-12T03:15:30Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.8837 | 560 |
- Future Students
- Current Students
- Faculty & Staff
John Muether appointed Dean of Libraries
March 20, 2013
Orlando, Fla. – Reformed Theological Seminary is pleased to announce that John Muether, who established the library at RTS Orlando and has served as chief librarian for the past 24 years, will be assuming new responsibilities for the institution as of June 1. He will become the Dean of Libraries, which includes greater oversight of the development and resource-sharing of the RTS libraries among the six campuses. And he will serve as the editor of the new online theological journal that RTS plans to launch with a tentative start date in Spring 2014.
In addition to those duties, Muether will continue to administer a special curriculum initiative that will provide more instruction on Islam in the seminary's MDiv program, and continue in his role as Professor of Church History at the Orlando campus.
“Professor Muether’s talents are unusually broad,” noted RTS Chief Academic Officer Robert Cara, “and this new position dovetails well with those talents.”
President Don Sweeting states: “John has served RTS Orlando so well over the years as our chief librarian. We are glad to that he can now bless all the RTS campuses as Dean of Libraries. But we are also glad that John will continue to be a part of our RTS Orlando community and faculty in the days ahead.”
Muether earned two master’s degrees: an M.A.R. from Westminster Theological Seminary and M.S.L.S. from Simmons College. His undergraduate degree is from Gordon College. He has authored or co-authored several books including Cornelius Van Til: Reformed Apologist and Churchman, Love on the Rocks: Stories of Rusticators and Romance on Mount Desert Island (co-authored with his wife Kathy), Seeking a Better Country: 300 Years of American Presbyterianism, and With Reverence and Awe: Returning to the Basics of Reformed Worship (both co-authored with D.G. Hart).
Before joining RTS, Muether served on the library staff at Harvard Divinity School, and directed the libraries at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Mich., and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.
The RTS Orlando campus, a graduate theological school, was established in 1989 in Maitland and moved to its permanent location on 65 acres on Long Lake in Oviedo, Fla., in 1999. It is one of several campuses in the RTS system, which was founded in 1966. RTS is one of the largest seminaries in the country with campuses in Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Jackson, Memphis, Orlando and Washington D.C., in addition to RTS Global, which offers online classes.
# # # | <urn:uuid:f8c025fc-7167-4883-8405-2db8510bfe0a> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.rts.edu/Orlando/newsevents/NewsDetails.aspx?id=1793 | 2013-12-12T03:14:45Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956301 | 584 |
Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsh, [1857-78], at sacred-texts.com
Circumcision of the People, and Celebration of the Passover at Gilgal - Jos 5:1-12
When the Israelites had trodden the soil of Canaan, Joshua began immediately to make arrangements for conquering the land, and destroying its inhabitants. As the Lord had only promised his His assistance on condition that the law given by Moses was faithfully observed (Jos 1:7.), it was necessary that he should proceed first of all to impose it as an inviolable obligation, not only upon himself, but also upon all the people entrusted to his charge, to fulfil all the precepts of the law, many of which could not be carried out during the journey through the wilderness, whilst many others had only been given with special reference to the time when the people should be dwelling in Canaan. The first duty which devolved upon him in this respect, was to perform the rite of circumcision upon the generation that had been born in the wilderness, and had grown up without circumcision, so that the whole congregation might be included in the covenant of the Lord, and be able to keep the passover, which was to be celebrated in a few days in the manner prescribed by the law.
Circumcision of the People. - Jos 5:1. Whilst, on the one hand, the approach of the passover rendered it desirable that the circumcision of those who had remained uncircumcised should be carried out without delay, on the other hand the existing circumstances were most favourable for the performance of this covenant duty, inasmuch as the miracle wrought in connection with the passage through the Jordan had thrown the Canaanites into such alarm that there was no fear of their attacking the Israelitish camp. To indicate this, the impression produced by this miracle is described, namely, that all the kings of Canaan had been thrown into despair in consequence. All the tribes of Canaan are grouped together here under the names of Amorites and Canaanites, the tribes in possession of the mountains being all called Amorites, and those who lived by the sea, i.e., by the shore of the Mediterranean, Canaanites (vid., Jos 1:4): for the Amorites upon the mountains were the strongest of all the Canaanitish tribes at that time (see at Gen 10:16); whilst the name Canaanites, i.e., the bent one (see at Gen 9:25), was peculiarly appropriate to the inhabitants of the lowlands, who relied upon trade more than upon warfare, and were probably dependent upon the strong and mighty Amorites. The application of the expression "beyond Jordan" (Eng. Ver. "on the side of") to the country on this side, may be explained on the ground that the historian was still writing from the stand-point of the crossing. But in order to prevent any misunderstanding, he adds "towards the west," as he had previously added "towards the sunrise," in Jos 1:15, when speaking of the land on the eastern side. That we have the report of an eye-witness here is evident from the words, "until we were passed over:" the reading of the Keri, עברם (till they were passed over), is nothing but an arbitrary and needless conjecture, and ought not to have been preferred by Bleek and others, notwithstanding the fact that the ancient versions and some MSS also adopt it.
At that time (sc., the time of their encampment at Gilgal, and when the Canaanites were in despair) Joshua had the people "circumcised again, the second time." The word שׁנית (a second time) is only added to give emphasis to שׁוּב, or as an explanation of it, and is not to be pressed, either here or in Isa 11:11, as though it denoted the repetition of the same act in every respect, i.e., of an act of circumcision which had once before been performed upon the whole nation. It merely expresses this meaning, "circumcise the people again, or the second time, as it was formerly circumcised" (i.e., a circumcised people, not in the same manner in which it once before had circumcision performed upon it). When the people came out of Egypt they were none of them uncircumcised, as distinctly affirmed in Jos 5:5; but during their journey through the wilderness circumcision had been neglected, so that now the nation was no longer circumcised, and therefore it was necessary that circumcision should be performed upon the nation as a whole, by circumcising all who were uncircumcised. The opinion of Masius and O. v. Gerlach, that the expression "the second time" refers to the introduction of circumcision, when Abraham was circumcised with all his house, is very far-fetched. צרים חרבות are not "sharp knives," but "stone knives," which were used according to ancient custom (see at Exo 4:25), literally knives of rocks (the plural zurim is occasioned by charboth, as in Num 13:32, etc.; the singular might have been used: see Ewald, 270, c.).
Joshua had the circumcision performed "at the hill of the foreskins," as the place was afterwards called from the fact that the foreskins were buried there.
The reason for the circumcision of the whole nation was the following: all the fighting men who came out of Egypt had died in the wilderness by the way; for all the people that came out were circumcised; but all that were born in the wilderness during the journey had not been circumcised (ממּצרים בּצאתם, on their coming out of Egypt, which only came to an end on their arrival in Canaan). They walked forty years in the wilderness; till all the people - that is to say, all the fighting men - who came out of Egypt were consumed, because they had not hearkened to the voice of the Lord, and had been sentenced by the Lord to die in the wilderness (Jos 5:6; cf. Num 14:26., Num 26:64-65, and Deu 2:14-16). But He (Jehovah) set up their sons in their place, i.e., He caused them to take their place; and these Joshua circumcised (i.e., had them circumcised), for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised by the way. This explains the necessity for a general circumcision of all the people, but does not state the reason why those who were born in the wilderness had not been circumcised. All that is affirmed in Jos 5:5 and Jos 5:7 is, that this had not taken place "by the way." The true reason may be gathered from Jos 5:6, if we compare the statement made in this verse, "for the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the men that were capable of bearing arms were consumed ... unto whom the Lord sware that He would not show them the land promised to the fathers," with the sentence pronounced by God to which these words refer, viz., Num 14:29-34. The Lord is then said to have sworn that all the men of twenty years old and upwards, who had murmured against Him, should perish in the wilderness; and though their sons should enter the promised land, they too should pasture, i.e., lead a nomad life, for forty years in the wilderness, and bear the apostasy of their fathers, till their bodies had fallen in the desert. This clearly means, that not only was the generation that came out of Egypt sentenced to die in the wilderness because of its rebellion against the Lord, and therefore rejected by God, but the sons of this generation had to bear the whoredom, i.e., the apostasy of their fathers from the Lord, for the period of forty years, until the latter had been utterly consumed; that is to say, during all this time they were to endure the punishment of rejection along with their fathers: with this difference alone, that the sons were not to die in the wilderness, but were to be brought into the promised land after their fathers were dead. The sentence upon the fathers, that their bodies should fall in the desert, was unquestionably a rejection of them on the part of God, an abrogation of the covenant with them. This punishment was also to be borne by their sons; and hence the reason why those who were born in the desert by the way were not circumcised. As the covenant of the Lord with the fathers was abrogated, the sons of the rejected generation were not to receive the covenant sign of circumcision. Nevertheless this abrogation of the covenant with the generation that had been condemned, was not a complete dissolution of the covenant relation, so far as the nation as a whole was concerned, since the whole nation had not been rejected, but only the generation of men that were capable of bearing arms when they came out of Egypt, whilst the younger generation which had grown up in the desert was to be delivered from the ban, which rested upon it as well, and brought into the land of Canaan when the time of punishment had expired. For this reason the Lord did not withdraw from the nation every sign of His grace; but in order that the consciousness might still be sustained in the young and rising generation, that the covenant would be set up again with them when the time of punishment had expired, He left them not only the presence of the pillar of cloud and fire, but also the manna and other tokens of His grace, the continuance of which therefore cannot be adduced as an argument against our view of the time of punishment as a temporary suspension of the covenant.
But if this was the reason for the omission of circumcision,
(Note: This reason was admitted even by Calvin, and has been well supported by Hengstenberg (Diss. ii. pp. 13ff.). The arguments adduced by Kurtz in opposition to this view are altogether unfounded. We have already observed that the reason for the suspension is not given in Jos 5:7; and the further remark, that in Jos 5:5 ("all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised") the book of Joshua dates the suspension not from the sentence of rejection, but expressly and undoubtedly (?) from the departure from Egypt, has no force whatever, unless we so press the word all ("all the people that were born in the desert") as not to allow of the slightest exception. But this is decidedly precluded by the fact, that we cannot imagine it possible for God to have established His covenant with the people at a time when they had neglected the fundamental law of the covenant, the transgression of which was threatened with destruction (Gen 17:14), by neglecting to circumcise all the children who had been born between the departure from Egypt and the conclusion of the covenant at Sinai. We are also prevented from pressing the little word "all" in this manner by the evident meaning of the words before us. In Jos 5:4 and Jos 5:5 the Israelites are divided into two classes: (1) All the people that came out of Egypt and were circumcised; and (2) All the people that were born in the desert and were uncircumcised. The first of these died in the wilderness, the second came to Canaan and were circumcised by Joshua at Gilgal. But if we should press the word "all" in these clauses, it would follow that all the male children who were under twenty years of age at the time of the exodus, either died in the desert or were circumcised a second time at Gilgal. Lastly, it does not follow from Jos 5:6 that the circumcision was suspended for exactly forty years; for the forty years during which Israel journeyed in the desert until the murmuring generation was consumed, are to be interpreted by Num 14:33-34, and amounted, chronologically considered, to no more than thirty-eight years and a few months. On the other hand, the other very general view which Kurtz adopts - namely, that the circumcision was omitted during the journey through the desert on account of the hardships connected with travelling, and because it was impossible to have regard to particular families who might wish for longer rest on account of their children who had just been circumcised, and were suffering from the wound, just at the time when they had to decamp and journey onward, and they could not well be left behind - throws but little light upon the subject, as the assumption that the people were constantly wandering about for forty years is altogether an unfounded one. The Israelites were not always wandering about: not only did they stay at Sinai for eleven whole months, but even after that they halted for weeks and months at the different places of encampment, when they might have circumcised their children without the slightest danger of their suffering from the wound.)
it did not commence till the second year of their journey, viz., at the time when the murmuring nation was rejected at Kadesh (Num 14); so that by "all the people that were born in the wilderness" we are to understand those who were born after that time, and during the last thirty-eight years of their wanderings, just as "all the people that came out of Egypt" are to be understood as signifying only those men who were twenty years old and upwards when they came out. Consequently circumcision was suspended as long as the nation was under the ban of the divine sentence pronounced upon it at Kadesh. This sentence was exhausted when they crossed the brook Zared and entered the country of the Amorites (compare Deu 2:14 with Num 21:12-13). Why, then, was not the circumcision performed during the encampment in the steppes of Moab either before or after the numbering, since all those who had been sentenced to die in the wilderness were already dead (Num 26:65)? The different answers which have been given to this question are some of them wrong, and others incomplete. For example, the opinion held by some, that the actual reason was that the forty years had not yet expired, is incorrect (see Deu 2:14). And the uncertainty how long they would remain in the steppes of Moab cannot be adduced as an explanation, as there were no circumstances existing that were likely to occasion a sudden and unexpected departure from Shittim. The reason why Moses did not renew the circumcision before the end of his own life, is to be sought for in the simple fact that he would not undertake an act of such importance without an express command from the Lord, especially as he was himself under sentence to die without entering the promised land. But the Lord did not enjoin the renewal of the covenant sign before Israel had been conducted into the promised land, because He saw fit first of all to incline the hearts of the people to carry out His commandment through this magnificent proof of His grace. It is the rule of divine grace first to give and then to ask. As the Lord did not enjoin circumcision as a covenant duty upon Abraham himself till He had given him a practical proof of His grace by leading him to Canaan, and by repeated promises of a numerous posterity, and of the eventual possession of the land; and just as He did not give the law to the children of Israel at Sinai till He had redeemed them with a mighty arm from the bondage of Egypt, and borne them on eagles' wings, and brought them to Himself, and had thereby made them willing to promise gladly to fulfil all that He should say to them as His covenant nation; so now He did not require the renewal of circumcision, which involved as the covenant sign the observance of the whole law, till He had given His people practical proofs, through the help afforded in the defeat of Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and in the miraculous division of the waters of Jordan, that He was able to remove all the obstacles that might lie in the way of the fulfilment of His promises, and give them the promised land for their inheritance, as He had sworn to their fathers.
When the rite of circumcision had been performed upon them all, the people remained quietly in the camp till those who were circumcised had recovered. "They abode in their places," i.e., sat still as they were, without attempting anything. חיה, to revive (Gen 45:27; Job 14:14), or recover (Kg2 1:2; Kg2 8:8, etc.). The circumcision of the people could not be performed earlier than the day after the crossing of the Jordan, i.e., according to Jos 4:19, not earlier than the 11th day of the first month. Now, as the passover was to be kept, and actually was kept, on the 14th (Jos 5:10), the two accounts are said to be irreconcilable, and the account of the circumcision has been set down as a later and unhistorical legend. But the objections made to the historical credibility of this account - viz., that the suffering consequent upon circumcision made a person ill for several days, and according to Gen 34:25 was worst on the third day, so that the people could not have kept the passover on that day, and also that the people could not possibly have been all circumcised on one day - are founded upon false assumptions. In the latter, for example, the number of persons to be circumcised is estimated, most absurdly, at a million; whereas, according to the general laws of population, the whole of the male population of Israel, which contained only 601,730 of twenty years of age and upwards, besides 23,000 Levites of a month old and upwards, when the census was taken a short time before in the steppes of Moab, could not amount to more than a million in all, and of these between 280,000 and 330,000 were thirty-eight years old, and therefore, having been born before the sentence was pronounced upon the nation at Kadesh, and for the most part before the exodus from Egypt, had been already circumcised, so that there were only 670,000, or at the most 720,000, to be circumcised now. Consequently the proportion between the circumcised and uncircumcised was one to three or three and a half; and the operation could therefore be completed without any difficulty in the course of a single day. As regards the consequences of this operation, Gen 34:25 by no means proves that the pain was most acute on the third day; and even it this really were the case, it would not prevent the keeping of the passover, as the lambs could have been killed and prepared by the 280,000 or 330,000 circumcised men; and even those who were still unwell could join in the meal, since it was only Levitical uncleanness, and not disease or pain, which formed a legal impediment to this (Num 9:10.).
(Note: For the basis upon which this computation rests, see Keil's Commentary on Joshua, p. 139 (Eng. trans. 1857).)
But if there were about 300,000 men of the age of forty and upwards who could not only perform the rite of circumcision upon their sons or younger brother, but, if necessary, were able at any moment to draw the sword, there was no reason whatever for their being afraid of an attack on the part of the Canaanites, even if the latter had not been paralyzed by the miraculous crossing of the Jordan.
When the circumcision was completed, the Lord said to Joshua, "This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you." "The reproach of Egypt" is the reproach proceeding from Egypt, as "the reproach of Moab," in Zep 2:8, is the reproach heaped upon Israel by Moab (cf. Isa 51:7; Eze 16:57). We are not to understand by this the Egyptian bondage, or the misery which still cleaved to the Israelites from Egypt, and the still further misery which they had suffered during their journey, on account of the displeasure of Jehovah (Knobel), but the reproach involved in the thoughts and sayings of the Egyptians, that Jehovah had brought the Israelites out of Egypt to destroy them in the desert (Exo 32:12; Num 14:13-16; Deu 9:28), which rested upon Israel as long as it was condemned to wander restlessly about and to die in the wilderness. This reproach was rolled away from Israel with the circumcision of the people at Gilgal, inasmuch as this act was a practical declaration of the perfect restoration of the covenant, and a pledge that the Lord would now give them the land of Canaan for their inheritance. From this occurrence the place where the Israelites were encamped received the name of Gilgal, viz., "rolling away," from גּלל, to roll. This explanation and derivation of the name is not to be pronounced incorrect and unhistorical, simply because it merely preserves the subordinate idea of rolling, instead of the fuller idea of the rolling away of reproach. For the intention was not to form a word which should comprehend the whole affair with exhaustive minuteness, but simply to invent a striking name which should recall the occurrence, like the name Tomi, of which Ovid gives the following explanation: Inde Tomos dictus locus est quia fertur in illo membra soror fratris consecuisse sui (Trist. iii. 9, 33). Knobel is wrong in maintaining that the name should be explained in a different way, and that this Gilgal is the same as Geliloth (circles) in Jos 18:17 (see the explanation given at Jos 15:7). The word gilgal, formed from גלל, to roll, signifies primarily rolling, then a wheel (Isa 28:28); and if by possibility it signifies orbis also, like גּליל, this is neither the original nor the only meaning of the word. According to Josephus (Ant. Jos 18:1, Jos 18:4), Israel encamped fifty stadia, i.e., two hours and a half, from the Jordan, and ten stadia, or half an hour, from Jericho-that is to say, in the plain or steppe between Jericho and the Jordan, in an uninhabited and uncultivated spot, which received the name of Gilgal for the first time, as the place where the Israelites were encamped. No town or village ever existed there, either at the period in question or at any later time. The only other places in which this Gilgal can be shown to be evidently referred to, are Mic 6:5 and Sa2 19:6, Sa2 19:41; and the statement made by Eusebius in the Onom. s. v. Galgala, δείκνυται ὁ τόπος ἔρημος ὡς ἱερὸς θρησκευόμενος, which Jerome paraphrases thus, "Even to the present day a deserted place is pointed out at the second mile from Jericho, which is held in amazing reverence by the inhabitants of that region," by no means proves the existence of a town or village there in the time of the Israelites. Consequently it is not to be wondered at, that in spite of repeated search, Robinson has not been able to discover any remains of Gilgal to the east of Jericho, or to meet with any Arab who could tell him of such a name in this locality (see Rob. Pal. ii. pp. 287-8 and 278). On the situation of the Gilgal mentioned in Jos 9:6; Jos 10:6, etc., see at Jos 8:35.
The Passover at Gilgal. - When the whole nation had been received again into covenant with the Lord by circumcision, they kept the passover, which had no doubt been suspended from the time that they left Sinai (Num 9:1.), on the 14th of the month (Nisan), in the evening (according to the law in Exo 12:6, Exo 12:18; Lev 23:5; Num 28:16; Deu 16:6). The next day, i.e., on the 16th, or the day after the first feast-day, they ate unleavened loaves and parched corn ("roasted grains," see at Lev 2:14) of the produce of the land (עבוּר,
(Note: Rendered "old corn" in the Eng. version.)
which only occurs in Jos 5:11 and Jos 5:12, is synonymous with תּבוּאה
(Note: Rendered fruit in our version.)
in Jos 5:12), i.e., corn that had grown in the land of Canaan, as the manna entirely ceased from this day forwards. "The morrow after the passover" is used in Num 33:3 for the 15th Nisan; but here it must be understood as signifying the 16th, as the produce of the land, of which they ate not only on that day, but, according to Jos 5:12, throughout that year, cannot mean the corn of the previous year, but the produce of this same year, i.e., the new corn, and they were not allowed to eat any of that till it had been sanctified to the Lord by the presentation of the wave sheaf on the second day of the passover (Lev 23:11). According to Lev 23:11, the presentation was to take place on the day after the Sabbath, i.e., the first day of the feast of Mazzoth, which was kept as a Sabbath, or the 16th of Nisan, as the seven days' feast of Mazzoth commenced on the 15th (Lev 23:6; Num 28:17). "On the morrow after the passover" is the same as "on the morrow after the Sabbath" in Lev 23:11, the term passover being used here not in its original and more restricted sense, in which it applies exclusively to the observance of the paschal meal, which took place on the evening of the 14th, and is expressly distinguished from the seven days' feast of Mazzoth (Exo 12:23, Exo 12:27; Lev 23:5; Num 28:16), but in the broader sense, which we have already met with in Deu 16:2, in which the name was gradually extended to the whole of the seven days' feast. The writer assumed that the facts themselves were already well known from the Mosaic law, and therefore did not think it necessary to give any fuller explanation. Moreover, the words, "they did eat of the fruit of the land," etc., are not to be understood as signifying that they began to eat unleavened bread for the first time on the 16th Nisan (they had already eaten is as an accompaniment to the paschal lamb); but unleavened bread of the produce of the land, the green corn of that year, was what they ate for the first time on that day. Especial prominence is given to this by the words, "in the self-same day," because not only did the eating of the new corn commence on that day, but from that day forward "the children of Israel had manna no more." This statement is evidently related to Exo 16:35, and must be understood, according to that passage, as merely signifying, that on that day the gift of the manna entirely ceased (see Pentateuch, pp. 366ff.).
Appearance and Message of the Angel of the Lord. - Jos 5:13-15. When Joshua was by Jericho, בּיריחו, lit., in Jericho (בּ expressing immediate proximity, the entrance as it were into some other object, vid., Ewald, 217), - that is to say, inside it in thought, meditating upon the conquest of it-he saw, on lifting up his eyes, a man standing before him with a drawn sword in his hand; and on going up to him, and asking, "Dost thou belong to us or to our enemies?" he received this reply: "Nay (לא is not to be altered into לו, which is the reading adopted in the Sept., Syr., and a few MSS), but I am the prince of the army of Jehovah; now I am come." The person who had appeared neither belonged to the Israelites nor to their enemies, but was the prince of the army of Jehovah, i.e., of the angels. "The Lord's host" does not mean "the people of Israel, who were just at the commencement of their warlike enterprise," as v. Hofmann supposes; for although the host of Israel who came out of Egypt are called "the hosts of the Lord" in Exo 12:41, the Israelites are never called the host or army of Jehovah (in the singular). "The host of Jehovah" is synonymous with "the host of heaven" (Kg1 22:19), and signifies the angels, as in Psa 148:2 and Psa 103:21. With the words "now I am come," the prince of the angels is about to enter upon an explanation of the object of his coming; but he is interrupted in his address by Joshua, who falls down before him, and says, "What saith my lord to his servant?" so that now he first of all commands Joshua to take off his shoes, as the place on which he stands is holy. It by no means follows that because Joshua fell down upon the ground and ישׁתּחוּ (Eng. Ver. "did worship"), he must have recognised him at once as the angel of the Lord who was equal with God; for the word השׁתּחוה, which is connected with the falling down, does not always mean divine worship, but very frequently means nothing more than the deep Oriental reverence paid by a dependant to his superior or king (e.g., Sa2 9:6; Sa2 14:33), and Joshua did not address the person who appeared to him by the name of God, אדני, but simply as אדני, "My lord." In any case, however, Joshua regarded him at once as a superior being, i.e., an angel. And he must have recognised him as something more than a created angel of superior rank, that is to say, as the angel of Jehovah who is essentially equal with God, the visible revealer of the invisible God, as soon as he gave him the command to take off his shoes, etc. - a command which would remind him of the appearance of God to Moses in the burning bush, and which implied that the person who now appeared was the very person who had revealed himself to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (On the meaning of the command to take off the shoes, see the exposition of Exo 3:5.) The object of the divine appearance was indicated by the drawn sword in the hand (cf. Num 22:31), by which he manifested himself as a heavenly warrior, or, as he describes himself to Joshua, as prince of the army of Jehovah. The drawn sword contained in itself this practical explanation: "I am now come with my heavenly army, to make war upon the Canaanites, and to assist thee and thy people" (Seb. Schmidt). It was not in a vision that this appearance took place, but it was an actual occurrence belonging to the external world; for Joshua saw the man with the drawn sword at a certain distance from himself, and went up to him to address him, - a fact which would be perfectly incompatible with an inward vision. | <urn:uuid:5b9413c7-756c-4d26-a1d3-24a5f65564c9> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/cmt/kad/jos005.htm | 2013-12-12T03:27:35Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.985337 | 6,738 |
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Squares and Triangles (Venn Diagram) (Resource Book Only) eBookGrade 1
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This writing unit provides four pages in which students use Venn diagrams to identify characteristics of squares/triangles, oranges/apples, day/night, or things I do inside/outside. Then students write a comparison paragraph, use capitals and periods correctly, and indent the first sentence. (Find other units by searching 'Organize/Write 1.')
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Last updated: June 25, 2011
The origin of this tutorial
This scratchboard tutorial was born out of my desire to give more access to this beautiful medium. When I started out doing scratchboard, somewhere around 1992, there was very little information available on it. Scratchboard and its associated tools were available at most art stores, but there were no instructions. Asking the store employees didn't help. Nobody seemed to know anything about it.
These days, a Google search reveals much more information than was available to me back then. Searches for images show the wide variety of scratchboard styles - some very impressionistic and others almost photo-realistic. Video clips on YouTube demonstrate techniques. The internet has made scratchboard knowledge more accessible, but there still aren't many straight-forward tutorials. There are a few books but the best ones, in my opinion, are out of print.
My goal for this tutorial is to keep the tradition alive and save you some of the trouble I have gone through in my quest to explore the medium of scratchboard. I have been working in scratchboard for close to 20 years now. I have a degree in illustration and scratchboard is my medium of choice. Much of this information initially came from a paper I wrote in my last year of school, along with additional information that has come with my experience as a freelance illustrator.
I don't claim to know everything and I wouldn't say that my methods are the best for everyone. For example, some artists like to start with white scratchboard and add ink to specific areas. I prefer to start with black, pre-inked scratchboard. I give you my method and you are free to modify it to suit your own needs. Have fun!
Scratchboard: How does it work?
The scratchboard surface starts out solid black. When you scratch it you get a white mark. If you're lucky these white marks eventually end up creating a picture.
A common mistake
The first mistake people usually make is drawing everything with a white outline, like they would on a chalkboard. They don't get the result they intended.
they do this... when what they really want is this...
In the second example you can see how black lines are made by scratching on either side of them. It's a lot more work but the result is much better. I usually start by pulling out the bright areas first. In the cartoon above I might start first with the whites of the eyes, then the upper and lower eyelids, then the shape of the head, and finally, the background. When I reveal the shapes first, the lines take care of themselves.
When I sketch with pencil or ink I start building up the shadows first. When I work with scratchboard I start with the highlights first and make my way toward the shadows.
It's not a negative
People often say "So, it's like a negative. You have to train your mind to think in reverse". Not exactly. Technically I am working in reverse because I am using white marks instead of black. BUT the result will not be a negative image.
As you can see above in the positive image, the highlights and shadows look pretty normal, as if the picture been drawn with ink. The negative is on the right. I guess there could be uses for it, but it's that positive image I'm after. I don't know how to think in reverse!
Get good scratchboard
In theory scratchboard is a pretty simple product. A piece of paper or board is coated with a layer of chalky, white material and then sprayed with a thin layer of black ink. The diagram below shows a cross section of scratchboard that has been magnified and separated to show the layers.
Despite the simplicity, good quality scratchboard isn't always easy to find. Don't be tempted by the thin, flexible stuff that has a shiny, black surface and is about as thick as a postcard. This cheap scratchboard is not worth buying in my opinion, not for students, not for anybody. The ink layer is too thick and too hard, making it difficult to make crisp, clean scratches. Unless your scratch tool is perfectly sharp it will often skip on the hard surface. Mostly importantly, the white layer is very thin. This means that, as you're scratching nice and hard to get through the black, the blade may go right through the white layer into the paper underneath. This makes a fuzzy gray spot on your picture that's pretty much impossible to repair. Game over.
I have strong opinions about student-grade art products. I don't buy them anymore. Over the years I've tried to "save" money by buying inferior paints, brushes, paper, scratchboard, etc. The savings aren't worth the frustration.
Many years ago I read an article in Step-by-Step Graphics which showcased the work of Mark Summers (Jan/Feb 1992), well-known scratchboard demi-god. Among other things he talked about Essdee Scraperboard as being easy to work with. He was right.
This scratchboard is well worth the price. It is about the thickness of matboard, very light, and easy to cut to custom sizes with a ruler and a sharp blade. The matte black ink is thin enough for easy scratching. The white clay layer is thick enough to allow multiple corrections. It also comes in white but I prefer to have it already inked. It comes in two grades: commercial and professional. Commercial is all I have ever used because I wasn't aware of the professional. One drawback is its tendency to warp with humidity. Its flexibility also tempts people to bend it, which can crack the inked surface if they aren't careful. In spite of these negatives, it's a great product.
Ampersand Scratchbord (Claybord Black)
Scratchbord by Ampersand is another excellent alternative for the scratchboard user. I think it's safe to say that most scratchboard artists are working on Ampersand Scratchbord these days. It wasn't available when I started. In recent years it has become easy to find in art stores. It is stiffer, thicker, and heavier than Essdee scraperboard. The board itself is very durable and flat. This durability makes it harder to cut to custom sizes, but it comes in a wide variety of pre-cut sizes, from very small to very large. The black surface is more delicate than that of the Essdee scratchboard so handle it with care.
Scratch tools can be basic
Some people swear by the specialized scratchboard points that art stores sell. There is nothing wrong with them, but I haven't used them much. For the work I do, I prefer the #16 Xacto blade (below). It is cheaper than specialized scratchboard tools and it works great.
I can vary the angle of the #16 blade to make thinner or fatter lines, as needed. A lot of people also use the standard Xacto blade (#11). This works well for detailed work. Even finer lines can be achieved with a #11 scalpel blade. The tool you use really depends on the level of detail you need, and what feels most comfortable. I have hundreds of old blades and instead of buying more I have begun using 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper to put the edge back on. It really works well.
In addition to blades I have a sharpened steel point. I don't use it very often but I sometimes need it with a ruler for making nice straight uniform lines. When I do freehand lettering (my name) I will often start it with my steel point for better control.
Mistakes can be fixed!!!
I have read too many times that scratchboard is an unforgiving medium and making a single mistake forces you start all over. Thank goodness it isn't true. Unless you scratch completely through to the white layer, mistakes are easy to fix .
Working with scratchboard is just a matter of scratching off part of the ink. If you make a mistake just put that layer of black ink back on. Presto! All fixed. How do you put the ink back on? The section on pens will give you an idea of what tools to use.
Once a correction is made, the ink tends to shine more than the matte finish of the scratchboard. I gently pat the ink line with my finger to take the shine off and let it blend in. I do this while the ink is still a bit wet. After doing this it is very difficult to tell that a correction was made on Essdee scraperboard. Ampersand Scratchbord has a smoother surface so repairs are harder to hide.
My hands are not very moist or oily. If yours are, I would use a gloved finger to blot the ink. If you have moist or oily hands you should be using white cotton photo finishers gloves to avoid making a mess of the scrachboard surface.
An airbrush would be a great tool for fixing mistakes on scratchboard, but pens work just fine for me. There is an art to doing this that just comes with practice.
I started out using technical pens (rapidograph) but when I would correct an area several times the layers of ink got pretty thick and flaky. The ink also doesn't blend well with the color of the scratchboard and the mistakes are more visible.
Pigment pens (below) are much better. Pigment ink lays down very black. It's also very thin so it doesn't build up layers.
I use the Staedtler Marsgraphic Pigment Liner (bottom) and the Sakura Micron Pigma (middle). The Sakura also comes in a brush tip (top). My favorites are the Staedtler pens. They have the best ink in my opinion. They also have a wide calligraphy tip that I'm a big fan of.
I usually buy size .005 or .01. These work for most small repairs and for crosshatching. I like to hatch ink lines (black) across scratched lines (white) to create textures.
Pigment pens tend to clog temporarily with scratch dust so it's good to have at least three. If one clogs I will write on a piece of paper to get the ink flow going, and then cap it for a while until it's ready to go again. The pens with calligraphy or brush tips don't clog and are great for making larger corrections.
Most art stores carry these pens. Avoid any kind of pen that would stain the white layer of the scratchboard. This would include anything like a felt tip marker or Sharpie. These inks stain too deeply. It is difficult to scratch back through to white if the white has been stained black by a magic marker.
Sandpaper can be a real time saver. I like to use it to get all the extra black off the borders of my illustrations. This can be time consuming with a blade. I use a small piece of fine drywall sanding screen (below left) and then finish the surface with 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper (below right).
Sandpaper can also help with some corrections. Sometimes when a scratchboard surface is re-inked the grooves left by the previous scratches give a bumpy look to any new scratches. When this happens I use a tiny piece of fine sandpaper to smooth the surface before re-inking. I am careful not to sand too much.
Transferring the drawing
So, you have this great drawing that you want to do in scratchboard. How do you get the drawing onto that black scratchboard? There are several methods for doing this. Some work better than others depending on your preference.
This isn't really a transfer method, but it's the easiest way to get an image onto the scratchboard. The ink has enough shine to make it visible even after it dries. It's good for simple drawings.
In the Mark Summers article he explains a method of transfer I have used with good results. Place or tape your drawing on the scratchboard with the image face-up. Trace over the lines of the drawing with a fine ball-point pen. This leaves indented lines on the scratchboard that can't get brushed away. When applying pressure be careful the drawing doesn't shift. It works well on Essdee Scraperboard but may not work with Ampersand Scratchbord with its harder surface.
Early on in my working with scratchboard I tried using a yellow colored transfer paper. It was a disaster. The fragile lines got brushed away with the scratch dust and started to disappear halfway through the illustration process. It bothered me so much, I avoided the use of transfer paper for years after that. In more recent years I read about how other people were having much better results with it. So, I tried it again with much better results.
Saral transfer paper is a popular brand that most art stores carry these days. I tried it and the lines are very white and surprisingly durable. Another product, Super Chacopaper, gives an even better result in my opinion. The transfer lines don't lay down quite as thick, a good thing, and they wipe away easily with a damp paintbrush tip.
I take my drawing (or a copy of it) and attach it face-up to the board with a tape hinge. This allows me to pull the drawing away or put it back as I please without losing proper alignment. The white transfer paper is used between the drawing and the scratchboard. If I lose some of the lines I can put the transfer paper back, hinge my drawing back down, and trace them back in.
When I have a complicated drawing I like to avoid retracing at all if possible. I have figured out a solution for transferring complex drawings. It's my preferred method but it does take some practice to get it right.
When xylene comes in contact with the toner (anything black on a photocopy) the toner gets soft and sticky. The sticky toner will transfer to anything that touches it. In this way a photo-copied drawing can be transferred to another piece of paper. When the xylene evaporates the toner hardens back up. This works great for transferring to scratchboard.
For this you need a photo-copiedor laser-printedimage of your drawing. Prints from ink-jet printers will not work. It actually works best if the image is a mirror image of the original; if not, the image will be backwards when you make the transfer. I used to draw on mylar, which is pretty transparent, so I could flip it over and make a mirror image on the copy machine. These days I just scan a drawing into the computer, flip it, and print it out on the laser printer.
Get some xylene from a hardware or paint store. Position the photocopy of your drawing face-down on the scratchboard. Tape one edge of the photocopy, like a hinge, to the scratchboard--this will keep the paper from shifting. Pull the photocopy back to expose the black scratchboard surface. Put some xylene on a paper towel. If the whole paper towel is wet you're using too much. Wipe it around on the surface of the scratchboard. The surface should be evenly coated and glossy wet, with no evaporation--don't wait too long or it will evaporate. Quickly lay the drawing back down on the scratchboard and rub lightly to make sure the photocopy toner makes contact with the xylene. When you think it's been evenly rubbed down--don't wait too long--then pull the drawing back and the drawing should have transferred. If it doesn't work just use xylene to wipe it off, then try again with a new photocopy.
Once the transfer is made the scratchboard is ready for work. It doesn't take long at all for the toner to harden. In good light the transferred drawing stands out nicely on the black surface of the scratchboard. It is durable and won't brush off.
Xylene is pretty potent smelling so you're going to need good ventilation. I go outside or use my garage if it's cold or windy. If you are going to use xylene, please read the labels and be aware of the dangers. My exposure to the fumes isn't frequent or for long durations, but I am concerned enough that I don't use it inside my home. I either work outside or in a well-ventilated shed. I've heard of so many people having problems with solvents of all kinds. This isn't going to stop me from using them, but I don't want to breathe the fumes any more than I have to. When I'm doing a xylene transfer I keep a clean, empty metal paint can nearby. Right after making the transfer I put the paper towel and the photocopy into the paint can and place the lid on top. If I'm indoors this keeps the fumes under control until I can take it outside to air out. If I'm outdoors it keeps the solvent-soaked papers from blowing away. When I'm finished I take the lid off and let all the fumes evaporate. Then I throw the paper towels away or reuse them. I try not to get xylene on my hands. This stuff will dissolve plastics so be very careful.
Once you have a drawing transferred, it is up to you to decide how to do the rendering. It is all a matter of style. Some artists use thick strokes, while others make tiny scratches. Some keep it very linear, while others like to crosshatch. Coming up with unique textures can make your work more interesting. Take a look at the work of other artists to see how they have solved the same problems you are facing.
I have previously avoided adding color to the surface of my scratchboard work. As an illustrator I didn't want the risk of doing a nice black and white finish, only to ruin the color. My work was for print so it was easy enough to add the color afterwards using Photoshop. However, there are many artists who incorporate color right on their boards. Diana Lee does amazing work with color, especially on animals. She has an excellent tutorial, and I believe she has been the inspiration for many of the artists doing color work today.
Ampersand makes a set of colors for scratchboard work, but they can be a little hard to find:
A Google search for scratchboard images will turn up some really nice work. To really get a true appreciation for the details, it's even better to look at originals, or at something printed. The best book I have found on the subject is Scratchboard for Illustration, by Ruth Lozner (Watson Guptill Publications 1990). It is out of print, but still obtainable if you keep an eye out for it on eBay. Along with information about the medium Ruth has compiled an excellent collection of work from the best scratchboard illustrators. I highly recommend getting this book for all the examples of different scratchboard styles. No, I'm not in it.
Meet other artists
The best art forum I know of is www.wetcanvas.com. They have a section for scratchboard art that gets a lot of traffic. There are some incredible artists there. Everyone is very friendly so go check it out!. | <urn:uuid:4af9ffe2-7f05-43aa-9a6a-0281bca41589> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.scratchboard.org/russhowto/index.html | 2013-12-12T03:27:34Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957806 | 4,011 |
After a hard day’s work, nothing is more refreshing than a quiet walk along the shore of the sea. While the exercise is good for our bodies, the presence of the ocean seems to have a peculiarly tranquillizing influence upon our minds.
Every sight and sound inspires a spirit of rest and peacefulness; and the effect is enhanced by the absence of the sights and sounds to which we have been exposed throughout the day.
It is a delightful change, after escaping from the noisy bustle of our daily work, to hear the ceaseless music of the waves, and to breathe the fresh sea-breezes instead of the vitiated atmosphere of office or class-room.
During our walk along the margin of the sea we enjoy the view of the broad expanse of waters spread out before our eyes, an unfailing source of delight to any one capable of appreciating the beauties of nature. For the ocean in all its changeful moods never ceases to be beautiful, and is especially beautiful at the hour of sunset.
The spectacle presented by the setting sun, as it sinks beneath the ocean wave, is one of the greatest charms of an evening walk by the seashore. In India, for the greater part of the year, the clouds, whose fantastic shapes and brilliant hues add so much to the beauty of an English sunset, are wanting.
But even in a cloudless sky when “the broad sun is sinking down, in his tranquility” and “the gentleness of heavens on the sea,” the spectacle presented to the eye is full of claim beauty.
For some time after the sun has set, the sky is suffused with delicate tints of colour, until the first stars begin to appear on its darkening surface, and day finally gives place to night.
In the beginning and the end of the monsoon we have splendid specimens of cloudy sunset, such as surpass the most vivid description given by English poets, and would, if faithfully depicted on canvas, be condemned as exaggerated representations of nature.
At this time of year, while the evening sky is still of an intense blue, the clouds are tinged with gold, and purple, and all the colors of the rainbow, and the sea beneath repeats the brilliant coloring of the sky and the clouds above.
From such a revelation of the beauties of nature the poor man derives as much pleasure as the choicest collection of paintings and sculptures and other works of art affords to the millionaire.
Indeed, when we look with reverent awe upon the sea and sky at the hour of sunset, it does not seem strange to us that the great powers of nature were once worshipped as gods; and the tranquillizing effect that the sea, especially in the evening, has upon the spectator, enables us to understand how the ancients found it natural to go to the shore and pour out their sorrows to
the sea, when the hearts were overburdened with care and no mortal being seemed capable of giving consolation. Wordsworth, the great English poet, felt and beautifully expressed this in his sonnet beginning.
“The world is too much with us,” in which he mourned the fact that most people had lost the power of appreciating the beauty of nature, by giving themselves up to business and worldly pleasure “late and soon, Getting and spending we lay waste our powers.”
He ends with this passionate outburst of desire for the old Greek love and reverence for nature. “Great God! I’d rather be A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn, so might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.” | <urn:uuid:1aff869d-62c6-4a35-93a2-0ed4cb2d01a0> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.shareyouressays.com/3488/629-words-short-essay-on-an-evening-walk-by-the-sea-shore | 2013-12-12T03:13:33Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951424 | 792 |
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Sony VPL-VW60 SXRD Video Projector Setup & Tests
Setting up the Black Pearl was no more difficult than any digital video projector. If you have any experience at all with such projectors and it takes you more than an hour to get right (for a tabletop installation), you're out of practice.
On my standard assortment of test patterns, the Black Pearl displayed excellent resolution via HDMI but merely satisfactory resolution via component, particularly at 1080i. Its grayscale performance was good out of the box in the Low color temperature setting, but calibration made a worthwhile improvement. (All of my viewing and tests were performed following a full calibration.)
The peak contrast ratio was superb with the Advanced Iris feature engaged and about average for a good digital projector in manual iris mode. The peak light output was satisfactory in the Low lamp mode but considerably greater in High, as you would expect. The High mode may be useful if the projector is used on a screen larger than mine (78 inches wide, 1.3 gain).
The Black Pearl's video processing left little to be desired, either in upconverting 480i source material to the projector's native 1080p or in deinterlacing 1080i to 1080p. It sailed through all my standard-definition upconversion tests, falling short only a bit in processing video-based (2:2) sources and showing some minor jaggies on the waving-flag test. It correctly deinterlaced 1080i to 1080p, including proper handling of 3:2 pulldown. But the projector did show a trace of moiré and a few ripples on the Vatican wall and staircase in chapters 7 and 8 of Mission Impossible III on Blu-ray when the player was set to output 1080i.
For more details on the resolution, color, contrast, and overscan results, plus a list of the settings I used during most of the review, see "Measurements." | <urn:uuid:34699c0b-76a2-4c98-a346-9fe34d0c02ed> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.soundandvision.com/content/sony-vpl-vw60-sxrd-video-projector-setup-tests | 2013-12-12T03:27:45Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926067 | 395 |
RE: Registered Namespace prefixes
> -----Original Message----- > From: Chiusano Joseph [mailto:chiusano_joseph@b...] > This seems like a case of Thread Deja Vu... > > I believe this progressed to the point where some felt that a prefix > registry would not necessarily be useful, but a namespace identifier > registry would potentially be useful. First of all, I started this thread, so it's MINE! >:-} Second, I was responding to message quoting me. Third, the original proposal was to make the prefix (which is a short string) the namespace id, thus surplanting the URI as the id. If you want to continue discussing a namespace URI repository, would you please so kindly do so in separate thread? This one has not been beat dead beyond the twitching stage quite yet.
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This site gives a good selection of erotic hentai and other anime sex videos for your viewing enjoyment.
Enter Anime Video Archive
$5.95 Limited Access (3 days, recurs $34.95/mo.) Details: After we signed up for this trial we were unable to get the password and username to work. Verified 09-11-12 with International Comix (same company).
$78.95 (3 months, non-recurring)
1-900 Number, Online Check
USA Join Pages - Euro Join Pages (taken on 06-13-2012)
129+ Videos (min. per video varies)
Other (non-stand.), 600k, 640x480 (downloadable)
AVI (.avi), 1100k, 640x480 (downloadable)
The other format is OMG or MKV. Videos are posted in only one of the formats.
content. some exclusive
No information found in the terms and conditions.
Yes, pictures, Flash animations, videos, stories.
1 update since June.
This review is low on our priority list for a new review assignment.
do not have an active member pass required to do a new review.
Register to submit your reviews and comments.
Outside Review dates and scores are submitted to us directly by the approved review site periodically. We have limited control over the scores displayed.
DISCLAIMER: ALL MODELS APPEARING ON THIS WEBSITE ARE 18 YEARS OR OLDER.
We are strong supporters of and RTA , two of the most recognized self labeling organizations. Our site is properly labeled to assist in the protection of minors accessing inappopriate content. For information about filtering tools, check ICRA this site.
To report , go directly to child pornography ASACP! We're proud to be a corporate sponsor.
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Copyright © 2003-2007 Ranks.com, Inc. and its licensors. All Rights Reserved. | <urn:uuid:d61a2741-5d5f-4779-8aad-ab254231f50e> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.thebestporn.com/review/animevideoarchive/ | 2013-12-12T03:28:20Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.798359 | 434 |
The Christiana Motel
is your perfect stop for touring Lancaster and Chester Counties. We are conveniently located about halfway between Kennett Square and Lancaster, PA with very convenient access to beautiful Amish Country as well as Brandywine Valley attractions such as Longwood Gardens.
Formerly the the Lan-Chester Motel way back when, this classic 50s motel has been newly renovated and updated. Come see the sights, and put your feet up with us in our historic roadside inn.
Dutchway Market and Restaurant and other amenities are right across the street. We have a limited number of pet-friendly rooms available.
Call us for group rates, and check us out on the Lancaster County Tourism website, where you'll find a wealth of information about area attractions, and where you can access our seasonal discounts. Call or email us with any questions. | <urn:uuid:170188c5-3eb4-40e8-a3e7-d3631289bfb3> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.thechristianamotel.com/index.html | 2013-12-12T03:15:22Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946358 | 174 |
Raw flower power
Could he get any wilder? Iggy Pop endorses a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, lending it the title of his album Lust For Life.
Taking the Michael?
Its owner George Michael sends the piano on which John Lennon wrote 'Imagine' on a global 'Peace Tour'. Hope George isn't driving the bus ...
Caught in the act
What is it with Hollywood starlets? First Gwyneth Paltrow falls for Chris Martin and now Kirsten Dunst goes all droopy over Johnny Borrell.
Paris by night
And what on earth was a nice posh English boy like James Blunt doing in copping off - if rumours are to be believed - with jailbird Paris Hilton?
C30, C60, C90 gone
Currys announces that it is to stop selling audio cassette tapes. A whole generation raised on painstakingly making compilations for their mates mourns.
Queen is dead
Another starry rock biopic? Even we were licking our lips at the prospect of Sacha Baron Cohen playing Freddie Mercury. Alas, reports prove unfounded. | <urn:uuid:ac42334b-50a5-4a8b-853f-cc9b0cc8cf5f> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/may/20/features.musicmonthly?view=mobile | 2013-12-12T03:14:30Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915495 | 229 |
I Killer (2012)
Many kids (definitely the boys) go through some kind of an initiation ritual to prove worthy of joining a social group — be it just the “in” crowd or a gang. Mixing peer pressure, courage, and a willingness to put yourself at risk if that will help you impress the others – are all things many of us have experienced. I still recall a lake with an island in the middle, an island that everyone had to swim to regardless of his aquatic skills — to prove worthy of being a … friend. Such an initiation ritual is the focus of Francesco Calabrese’s short film I Killer.
It features an intriguing, yet disturbing, narrative: two young boys trying to join a gang of tough kids – the Killers. The initiation rite includes secrecy, blindfolds, blood oaths and, the ultimate requirement, a sacrifice. Will the boys manage to protect their innocence, or have they lost it while trying to project a new, more self-assured, image?
I Killer is an extremely moody film, atmospheric and captivating despite its violent narrative. The action is set in Italy in the 1980′s. The sets and props bring to mind the classical Coming-of-Age films of the 80′s: IT, Stand by Me, The Goonies, Lost Boys. The cast is comprised entirely of children – more than 20 boys – all of them with little or no prior acting experience. In a way, I Killer almost feels like a modern day remake of The Lord of Flies. The names of the two lead protagonists remain unknown, but their characters are developed enough to make the viewer engage with their feelings and experiences- their hopes and fears.
What mostly impresses in the film is the ending and the preceding scene, which utilizes visual metaphor to illustrate the importance of childhood and boyhood in particular.
Watch the entire short-film below : | <urn:uuid:18e20c83-0398-4734-be08-c2bde5d0f865> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.theskykid.com/movies/short-movies/killer-2012/ | 2013-12-12T03:27:01Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944076 | 394 |
Lycett upbeat over future at his new stable
SHAUN Lycett is enjoying a fresh start to his training career after completing his move to a new stable.
He has left Bourton Hill Farm in Bourton-on-the-Water and set up camp just a stone's throw away at Church Farm in Little Rissington.
As part of ongoing improvements, a former cowshed at his new headquarters – owned by mother and son Sue and Ben Firth – has been converted into stables for his horses.
Lycett is also relishing the chance to exercise his string on a new all-weather gallop, made from carpet fibres and shredded up carpet, owned by neighbour David Thorpe.
Gents, come in to Earl's & Co and enjoy a haircut and finish, glass of whisky and a shoeshine for £18.50
Terms: Later and earlier appointments available upon request
Contact: 01242 504887
Valid until: Tuesday, December 31 2013
Living up to the saying 'A change is as good as a rest', Lycett said the move has had a huge galvanising effect.
"It's freshened us up no end and I'm really pleased with the way things are going and I'm enjoying it," he said. "
"We've already built 19 stables here and if we get them all filled I'd be delighted, and we're tidying up the place and adding as we go.
"The gallop's absolutely amazing – there's no jar in it.
"All The Winds, who's always been a bit of a 'shuffley' horse, he loves the gallop because there's no jar in it.
"He seems like a different horse on this new gallop.
"He had a nice summer out and he's had nice long break and since he's been on this new gallop he's moving so much better.
"This season we'll be getting used it, finding out how many times they need to go up it and how fast they need to go to get them fit.
"We've never trained on anything like it and it's not until you bring horses in from not being fit to getting them fit and running them that you find out how much work they need to do.
"We might find we've not been doing enough so then we'll have to re-jig the work programme."
Lycett has shown his versatility as a trainer by saddling winner over jumps – he won the Worcester Racecourse trainers' championship two years ago – and on the Flat.
He said he would be occupying a similar two-pronged assault from Church Farm with the likes of All The Winds, Kalamill and stable stalwart Master Eddy.
"There's going to be a bedding-in process, but we'll try and have a good go at the all-weather during the winter," he said.
"We've got one or two winter jumpers, but mainly we half-gear up for a bit of Flat on the all-weather.
"Hopefully then next summer we'll be geared up the summer jumping again, which is what we normally do the best at, but because we've been so busy doing everything else this year we haven't done much at all – we've been very quiet.
"When we won the Worcester championship we had only ten horses in that year, so to win something like that meant the world to us.
"I love Worcester, it's a great track and we've done very well there.
"I had my first winner there and I enjoy going.
"I would like to get a few more Flat horses. There aren't many Flat horses around this area and I'm getting quite into that.
"I enjoy Flat racing, I think it's much easier than the jumping. I never thought I'd say it, because I've always been a jumping lad.
"But I enjoy going to Wolverhampton for a night-time meeting, it doesn't bother me at all. We won some nice prizes there last year." | <urn:uuid:2547a700-3d9e-4274-afe0-13a94837da52> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Lycett-upbeat-future-new-stable/story-19858038-detail/story.html | 2013-12-12T03:14:39Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986271 | 850 |
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi has been included in the latest edition of the Spanish dictionary in the word “Inmessionante.”
On the pitch the reigning Ballon d’Or champion has been breaking records including Gerd Müller’s most goals in a calendar year in 2012 and has already netted 45 times this season.
But, off the pitch the 25-year-old is also having a huge impact after his name has ben added into the Spanish dictionary.
“Inmessionante” is an adjective that is explained with two points
- Perfect way to play football, an unlimited capacity for self improvement.
- Describes the best player of all time.
More Information : Sports Direct News | <urn:uuid:99b724ed-e3a4-4846-b562-0e17a454cf04> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.total-sports.info/lionel-messis-name-included-in-the-spanish-dictionary/ | 2013-12-12T03:25:25Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947875 | 152 |
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Social Media, Broadcasting, and Political Mobilization in the Arab World
Thu, April 28, 2011 • 5:00 PM • AVAYA Auditorium, ACES 2.302
a talk by Jon Alterman, Center for Strategic and International Studies
The talk will explore the ways in which activists used social media to organize mass protests in the Arab world in the Spring of 2011, and the ways in which social media interacted with traditional media to produce mass political mobilization. The talk with further explore the possibilities and limits of social media in the efforts to consolidate political change in the months following mass protests. | <urn:uuid:7f637a1a-758c-4497-8ced-8c26f489c3fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.utexas.edu/cola/depts/mes/events/18408 | 2013-12-12T03:27:04Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.907768 | 130 |
BLACKSBURG, Va., Dec. 20, 2005 – A prominent international researcher will be joining a research group at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech during the 2006 spring semester through the Visiting Fulbright Scholar Program.
Blessilda Perez Raposa, an associate professor of Mathematics at De la Salle University in Manila, Philippines, will be working with VBI Research Professor and Virginia Tech Mathematics Professor Reinhard Laubenbacher and his Applied Discrete Mathematics Group. Raposa is developing a mathematical model for polynomial dynamical systems that can be applied to biological systems. One of the biochemical systems that she is interested in studying is the dynamics of coral reef formation.
“My country of origin, the Philippines, is home to many diverse coral reef formations,” said Raposa. “However, natural as well as human-related events pose a constant threat to the existence of coral reefs around the globe. Improved simulation and mathematical modeling approaches should allow researchers to discover new ways to allow coral to withstand natural catastrophes and the impact of detrimental human activities.”
“We are pleased to welcome a researcher who has achieved such great academic and professional achievements in the field of mathematics,” Laubenbacher said. “Dr. Raposa will bring extensive knowledge and expertise about mathematical design, graph theory and modeling that will benefit the work at the Institute. We strive to implement and maintain innovative research approaches at VBI and I believe she will be an outstanding contributor to this goal.”
Laubenbacher’s Applied Discrete Mathematics Group develops mathematical models that can be integrated into computational methods for the modeling and simulation of biological systems. This work involves the development and application of bioinformatics tools using discrete mathematics, dynamical systems theory, and symbolic computation. Mathematical methods suitable for this type of approach include computational polynomial algebra, combinatorial topology, as well as combinatorics. The group focuses on several areas, including the development of mathematical models for gene regulatory networks; the development of computer models of immune response to viral pathogens; the development of theory and applications of computer simulation to the study of networks; and the topological analysis of interaction patterns in networks.
Established in 1946, the Fulbright program is America's flagship international education exchange activity and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs. Since the program was established, thousands of U.S. faculty and professionals have studied, taught or conducted research abroad, and thousands of their counterparts from other countries have engaged in similar activities in the United States.
Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech has a research platform centered on understanding the “disease triangle” of host-pathogen-environment interactions. With almost $52 million in extramural research funding awarded to date, VBI researchers are working on many human, crop, and animal diseases. | <urn:uuid:e060357c-00be-4c57-96a3-45c9b92a74e8> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2005/12/2005-1159.html | 2013-12-12T03:13:44Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932382 | 606 |
Datasheet: WATERTRAK™ ElectrodeionizationSource: Aquatech International Corporation
Electrodeionization (EDI) is a membrane process that removes ions from the water to produce ultrapure water. EDI is comprised of ion exchange resin and membranes. The module gets a DC voltage applied across it to help drive the ions into the reject stream. This allows the pure water to exit the module through the product stream. Aquatech's EDI system essentially is a proven design that is suitable for all types of industrial applications. | <urn:uuid:0dadaa62-20d3-4953-8960-5ecb48ac244d> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.wateronline.com/doc/watertrak-electrodeionization-0002?sectionCode=Products&templateCode=SponsorHeader&user=20&source=nl:38529 | 2013-12-12T03:13:25Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.860943 | 112 |
Because tornado sirens are designed to alert people out of doors, they should not be the only tool you and your family use to stay safe during severe weather.
You can sign up for weather alerts:
Weather radios can be difficult to program. To ensure you are receiving alerts from the counties you want, you can check here for the county codes. The number you need is in the column titled SAME #. | <urn:uuid:bb0f30e7-45a0-409c-a419-67f81b1b99a2> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.wfsb.com/story/17797576/sidebar-silent-sirens | 2013-12-12T03:15:14Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164391000/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204133951-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950185 | 84 |
- Movie Review :
- Lixin Fan
Every spring, China's cities are plunged into chaos as an astonishing 130 million migrant workers journey to their home villages for the New Year's holiday. This mass exodus is the largest human migration on the planet - an epic spectacle that reveals a country tragically caught between its rural past and industrial future.
Last Train Home (2009) is a feature length documentary directed by Lixin Fan, and stars Suqin Chen, Changhua Zhan, Qin Zhang, and Yang Zhang in a film about a couple of migrant workers in China whom every year, fight the overcrowded trains to make it home in time for the Chinese New Year.
Imagine 130 million people all trying to make it home for the holidays all at the same time. All at one train station. Now try to imagine what it would look like. How would a potentially chaotic event be controlled? Lixin Fan accomplishes this by aiming his camera down on the millions of people anxious an pushing against one another trying to get home. Then, the camera pans in and fix on a couple rushing to board the same train.
Winter 2006, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province
Mountains of blue-jean material lined the streets, while small children play in-between the mounds on the sidewalks as traffic sped by. Boxes with “made in China” stamped on the side which acknowledges their export destination to a foreign land. People hurry in large, concrete structures with battered walls and within the dark surroundings, and there is a whirl of busying activity. Sewing machines, miles of textiles, and people busy sewing, cutting, and counting as small children nap on the large textile tables,while others play in-between their parents legs and the smaller sewing tables. Suqin tells her husband, Zhan, to rest while she finishes their laundry in a wash bucket. Much later, she is done. Her husband pulls closed the sheet that covers the doorway and they rest. Later, they are seen braving the crowds trying to purchase tickets for home where unsuccessful Zhan is directed to another ticket office, and his wife is on a pay phone explaining to their daughter that they will be late getting home. She encourages them to continue to study hard in school, and that they have been trying to get tickets to come home for the last week. You watch as the strain takes its toll on Suqin. She misses her kids. When she finally meets up with her husband, she tells him how much she misses her children. Zhan, who barely speaks at all through-out the film, asks her why she misses them, because when they finally get to see them, they would not know what they will say to them.
To this, she says nothing.
Hailong Villiage, Sichuan Province, 2100 Kilometers NW of Guangdong Province
In the beautiful countryside of the Sichuan Province, a young girl is seen working and gathering food. Qin, daughter and oldest child of Zhan and Suqin, talks about her working on the farm and going to school–and how some of her friends dropped out of school, just so they can work in the factories. She doesn’t miss her parents. When her parents tell her and her brother to do well in school, that their grades could be much better–she feels that they are nagging and being unfair. She does not want to see her parents because she believes they do not get along. Her grandparents raised her and she refuses to listen to parents that she only sees a few days out of the year.
“My parents said to me “stay home, wait until Qin got older.” I didn’t listen. I hardened my heart, and left with my husband”–Suqin.
When her parents finally arrive, their mother calls out for them–the first thing she asks for are their report cards while her husband hands out gifts to the both of them. At dinner the parents emphasize the importance of going to school and working hard at studying. You can tell they only want the best for their children and do not want them to grow up and work in factories like they do. After such a short visit, Suqin and Zhan are back on the train to work. They will visit their small family again for a few days next year. Qin is tired of the countryside. She wants to go to the city and work with her friends, so she quits school and tells her younger brother to help out with their grandmother–be sure to honor and burn spirit money for their grandfather–she tells her brother that she will never come back to the farm for it is such a sad place.
Xin-tang Town, Guangdong City
Qin now works in the factory. She does not mind it. Freedom is happiness. Like any young person, she complains to her friends about her parents and how they only worry about money and not her. One of her friends tries to be the voice of reason to Qin, saying that her parents only worked in factories and were away so much, so that she can have the money she needed for school. She doesn’t agree. “Money isn’t everything,” she said. She even complains about her boss making fun of the 40″ waistlines pants they have to sew…Qin worries now that she will get fat.
“Have you ever seen a Chinese with a 40″ waistline? Foreigners with waistlines that huge? Americans are fat. Fat and tall so they need big pants!”
Her parents were saddened by the news that Qin dropped out of school and now works in a factory. Her parents wished that they worked harder and provided more money so she wouldn’t have to drop out of school. Qin enjoys her new found freedom, getting her hair done, shopping with her friends at the mall and buying new clothes. Much better than being in school.
Chinese New Year, 2007
Qin’s parents visit to tell her that they are going home for the New Year. Qin, says nothing. She does not want to go home. Her mother tries to establish bonding with Qin, telling her how important it is for them to go home every year to see their families. Qin, says nothing to her mother. She did not care if she went home at all. Now the three of them brave the crowds, getting tickets and waiting to be able to board the crowded trains. You see the anguish and frustration on the faces of all the migrant workers as they try to get home to their families. You listen to the stories they complain about their own families, the massive amount of manufactured goods they produce, and factories they work in.
“The export prices are amazingly low…”
“We make all foreign brands…never our own. China does not have its own brand. The Westerners order, we manufacture…”
“Let me tell you about Western lifestyles. When I work, I make 2000 yuan a month. I save 1800 yuan. When Westerners make 2000, they spend 2000 and sometimes more. “
Once home, Qin is disrespectful because she didn’t want to be there. At dinner, her parents decide that Qin is 18, she can make up her own mind from now on. Her mother is thinking if she should stay home now, so that the youngest, will not make the same mistake. Suqin’s mother is old and she will need help. Then, the 2008 financial crisis hits. Factories are empty. Thousands lose jobs. Unlike America, there is no welfare or unemployment insurance. So what ever money they earned and saved will come in handy for these tough times. As Sugin heads home–Zhang escorts her to the train. He watches as she boards then heads off back to his sewing factory, after nearly 17 years of migrating back and forth. He now has to make the trip home each year–alone.
The Last Train Home chronicles how capitalism transformed the landscape in China, forcing millions to migrate to the city for work. Directer Lixin Fan beautifully captures the migration of the millions of migrants who make this trip every year, and the emotional toll this has taken on one family. The conflicts of modernization and the way things used to be is evident when listening to the Grandmother discuss how things were when she was a child. The film also gives a glimpse inside China and how the supply, demand, and consumption of Western countries, transformed an entire culture.
- editor rating4
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- TOUCHY FEELY (2013) – Review - 12/10/2013
- JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME in ‘WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE (2013)’ - 11/25/2013 | <urn:uuid:aa22e457-bea3-4b1b-82e9-c5f7f9d54527> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://aidyreviews.net/last-train-home-2009/ | 2013-12-13T12:44:02Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97765 | 1,855 |
Welcome to the blog of a Winnpegger.
You will see different things, things like W.I.P's, Drawings, Supernatural, the occasional Disney, a dash of Pokemon, and some other games.
And can't forget the occasional bitch.
Feel free to ask me anything, I enjoy the once in a while hello :). And thank you for stopping by. | <urn:uuid:41c2dbac-4609-4c63-918b-c5ae9a979e46> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://amberflare.tumblr.com/ask | 2013-12-13T12:44:00Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.872679 | 80 |
Talking Cupi HD
"Talking Cupi - Can't beat this app for it must be the absolute cutest little baby Cupid ever seen! He blows kisses, can be tickled and giggles the sweetest ever!!! OMG you must download just to experience the cuteness of the little one who offers you handfuls of flowers and is even in the Christmas spirit. Trust me, you'll love it!!" (by Tracey Leclerc)
Talking Cupi is a cute and funny. You can talk to Cupi and he will repeats anything you say with a funny voice. Tickle him, poke, beat, make him slaps and many other things. Special animation for example "Make a kiss", "Get a Star" from night sky and other, helps you to express your feelings and be creative.
Make you voice greetings, Record funny videos and send them to your friends via email or upload your videos directly to Facebook or YouTube.
* Cool 3d graphic nice animations and finally very gorgeous and sweet character.
* Get Something for FREE! Unique feature - Pay with a Tweet - this is some cool way to get additional Stuff in game completely for FREE. Spread a word about Cupi on Twitter or Facebook and unlock special animations for free.
* We use our server to generate and send video. Save your internet traffic.
Internet connection required for sending your video and cards to somebody.
On iPod Touch, do not forget to plug earphones with mic in to have Talking Cupi repeating.
* New brilliant FREE Valentines Day Cards:
- Create awesome postcards, sign them with custom text, add photos and send to your friends or someone you love.
* Fixed bugs:
- creating video
- sharing video on Facebook and YouTube
* Major improvements.
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- Last changed:
- Mar 08, 2013
- Volodymyr Avdyeyev
- Average Rating:
- 4.50 (12)
- 99.3 MB | <urn:uuid:7dbcbac2-131e-48e5-a431-acba21c0c4d5> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://appshopper.com/entertainment/talking-cupi-hd | 2013-12-13T12:34:08Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.883709 | 410 |
Twin 6.0 Gallon Coffee Brewer, 72 gallons per hour.
Double brewer.Uses 2 LBD-6 LUXUS® dispensers on a stationary counter. Hassle-free cleaning encourages staff to keep the equipment maintained by featuring full access lids with positive lock slides, quick turn handles and seamless, full drain liners.
Electrical: 440- 480 Volts 30.3 Kilowatts 37.9 Amps 3 phase:
Dimensions:36W x 35D x 48H --405lbs:
MPN C72047(with power management)
Airpots sold separately. | <urn:uuid:58108622-11e3-4a68-a0c6-f64c689f68d2> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://arcocoffee.com/coffee-related-items-and-more/coffee-cappuccino-etc.equipment/fetco-coffee-and-iced-tea-brewer/fetco-7000-series-coffee-brewers/fetco-cbs-72a-c72047with-power-management | 2013-12-13T12:32:27Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.778223 | 127 |
(Indian Ocean during a performance )
Often hailed as the biggest success story in the history of live Indian bands, Indian Ocean has definitely had a very interesting two decades of recording and performing their unique breed of fusion music.
Playing their first gig in the city in years, at the Times Chennai Festival this weekend, percussionist Amit Kilam gets talking about what the band has been up to. "In all the years Indian Ocean existed as a band, we have got to perform in Chennai only about four times, the last being a long time ago," says Amit, as he shares his experiences with the city and its audience."Chennai is one place we always look forward to, especially because we don't get to perform there too often."
Indian Ocean had created quite a stir when they released their album 16/330 Khajoor Road — the first studio venture after the death of bandmate Asheem Chakravarty — online in 2010. "A lot of people are curious as to why we want to give away the music free. When you look at it, getting signed on by a label is a tough process, and one that doesn't really pay too much in terms of royalties or CD sales. In any case, physical sales of CDs are dropping rapidly all over and record labels pay little attention to non-Bollywood music. And that is when bands realize how the Internet does not restrict you and lets you reach out to a lot more people. Musicians don't always do it for the money ... it matters more to be heard," Amit explains.
On what they've been up to recently, Amit shares that they have been working on some new material and that they are also looking at re-releasing their last album on CD. We have a plan to collaborate with different musicians from around the world on each song. But the songs will take its time. Knowing what a 'lazy' band Indian Ocean is, we will probably take another year," he laughs.
Amit says the entire band is very excited about performing in the city and that they're all looking forward to their gig on the beach. "First of all, I hope it doesn't rain," the percussionist jokes as he goes on, "But honestly, we've always had amazing experiences playing for the Times Festival in other cities over the years. It's always been brilliant!"
Indian Ocean has composed music for Bollywood films like the now-cult flick Black Friday and most recently, contributing a few tracks for Peepli Live.
Complimentary invites to all events and performances at the Times Chennai Festival are available at The Times Of India office, 126/127, Chamiers Road, Nandanam. | <urn:uuid:b7f5d241-f6ec-45ec-8c62-0ca5834e9fda> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-29/news-and-interviews/32458499_1_khajoor-road-amit-kilam-asheem-chakravarty | 2013-12-13T12:46:08Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980495 | 546 |
From the Wires
Orion Chooses Aryaka Over Riverbed to Deliver 9X Faster FTP, 70%+ Reduction in CIFS/HTTP and 24X Bandwidth Savings
Global Software Solutions Firm Cinches Project Deadlines With Aryaka's Optimized Intelligent Network
By: Marketwired .
Jan. 29, 2013 09:05 AM
MILPITAS, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/29/13 -- Aryaka® (www.aryaka.com), the leading provider of WAN Optimization as-a-Service, Network as-a-Service and Application Delivery as-a-Service, today announced that Orion Systems Integrators, Inc., an award-wining global provider of IT services and solutions for leading Fortune 500 companies, has deployed Aryaka's optimized, intelligent network to speed large file transfers, boost application responsiveness and increase bandwidth utilization for improved collaboration across multiple teams and employee productivity. Orion chose Aryaka over Riverbed because of the greater benefits of controlling the "middle mile" rather than placing an appliance at each end over the public Internet at multiple site locations.
Aryaka delivers these benefits to Orion:
"Our developers in Asia were losing valuable production time due to international ingress and egress bandwidth concerns, keeping them at risk of falling behind on project deadlines, potentially causing conflicts with customers," said Rudy Ramcharitar, Executive Vice President of Orion. "Orion had been considering multiple hardware optimization appliances like Riverbed when we came across Aryaka. We found we could maximize output by allowing Aryaka to both monitor and optimize the core network between our locations -- 9X faster FTP, CIFS reduced 81%, FTP lowered by 40% and 70% reduction in HTTP."
Over the past two years as Orion rapidly expanded its global customer base, the company's infrastructure faced setbacks for intercontinental data transit. As traffic volume increased, data transfer slowed to a crawl, specifically between Orion's India development teams and its US headquarters. Orion initially looked at WAN optimization as a tactical solution to solve its distance and latency issues. However, Orion quickly realized that the bandwidth and cost savings Aryaka delivered as a service enabled the company to be much more strategic and thus enable greater employee collaboration and productivity. By upgrading from public intercontinental wide area network (WAN) links to Aryaka's private, secure network, Orion is now able to better shape its network for optimal communication -- especially during peak traffic periods. As a result, Orion maximizes its existing bandwidth capacity and ensures that international collaboration is seamless for faster time-to-market for its global customers.
Aryaka is a trademark of Aryaka Networks, Inc. All other brands, products or service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.
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When my husband and I were in college, we occupied much of our time going to shows and much of our expendable income on t-shirts from the merch table. As a result, we’d often meet up to find ourselves dressed identically, or at least displaying an affinity for the same band.
You might think that this issue would fade as we entered adulthood (especially since we live together now). But, after years of donating to KEXP, we have an arsenal of apparel featuring all kinds of “I Power KEXP” images, from jellyfish to hot rods. So we often still find ourselves leaving the house as mirror images of one another.
Admittedly, it used to be kind of embarrassing, but we’ve both come to embrace it as a badge of pride. In fact, we often run into people around town wearing KEXP gear, too, and it doesn’t feel like someone stole our style -- it feels like we’re meeting old friends. “Nice shirt,” is a great opening line when you’re wearing the same one.
Last week, a long-time donor named Elizabeth sent us this photo from the Ballard Farmers Market, where she and her husband Patrick ran into a couple of friends. They had to laugh, as all four of them were wearing KEXP t-shirts.
We hear from donors across the world that find comfort -- and even joy -- when they see fellow music lovers sporting a KEXP t-shirt or displaying a KEXP sticker on their car. It creates an instant connection, because you know that person cares about music and discovery as much as you do. It’s a pretty outstanding way to identify fellow members of the KEXP Community, whether you’re at the market or traveling in a foreign country.
In addition to our love of music, my husband and I dig vintage video games, so, of course, we both covet the latest I Power KEXP “Arcade Game” t-shirt. I’ll just think of it as an early start to our golden years-- wearing matching KEXP swag is way cooler than matching tracksuits, anyway. | <urn:uuid:453013f3-b552-48f0-909d-c5010f56b7b6> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://blog.kexp.org/2011/10/03/2011-fall-membership-drive-nice-shirt/ | 2013-12-13T12:33:01Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972163 | 450 |
Bill Handel, KFI-AM 640 Personality, Can't Bring Himself to Say the Bowers Museum is in Santa Ana
A bit of KFI self-censorship, perhaps?
In the KFI galaxy, SanTana is just one level above hell. For years, listeners have heard nothing but horror stories about the county seat--not over its corrupt leadership, but the fact that the city is super-majority Latino. Handel never once mentioned SanTana in his long plug for himself--why, Bill? Afraid your listeners might not join you after believing the lies that your colleagues have spewed about the city over the years? Let's see if Handel continues to omit the Bowers' actual city location in the coming week. . . . | <urn:uuid:88d404c6-71aa-42fd-9cfe-b9ce9a9ef528> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2011/01/bill_handel_kfi-am_640_persona.php | 2013-12-13T12:34:40Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942626 | 156 |
Friday 13 December 2013 | Blog Feed | All feeds
I’ve just read through the Congressional testimony delivered this week before the Senate Banking Committee by Robert D. Hormats, Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs, on “...
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Lacan and Language
Jacques Lacan was a French psychoanalyst who from 1953 until 1980, in addition to his own clinical practice, gave regular seminars in Paris to an audience sometimes amounting to 800, many of whom were distinguished intellectuals in their own right. Lacan’s influence over the last 20 years or so on nearly all humanities disciplines cannot be doubted. His influence has been especially marked in literary criticism, film theory, art history and theory, continental philosophy and in some areas of social and political thought. Several schools of psychoanalysis have evolved out of his own, but otherwise his relation to established psychoanalytic institutions is strained, to say the least. His theory is by his own account a development of systematic reading of Sigmund Freud’s own works, and in fact his seminars, which are beginning to appear in transcriptions, are always based around particular texts by Freud. But many other influences are apparent, including surrealism, continental philosophy and structural linguistics, which provides much of his vocabulary if not his theoretical base. He uses other sciences like biology, optics, mathematics and physics more for their metaphorical resources rather than any objective principles. This is an important point: Lacan follows Freud in making use of analogies to explain otherwise unexplainable things, so in this respect we can see that psychoanalysis shares some similar characteristics with literature and art generally. There is, for instance, an insistence on the rhetorical dimension underlying human experience. Lacan’s writings provide the clearest example of this aspect of psychoanalysis, so much so that, according to Lacan, literature and psychoanalysis are merely two different types of discourse with the same aims—that is, to expose the discursive dimension of knowledge, power and social relations as the locus of determinations on emotional life.
The Unconscious is the Discourse of the Other
According to Lacan, the human subject is always split between a
conscious side, a mind that is accessible, and an unconscious side, a series of
drives and forces which remain inaccessible. The cost of human “knowledge” is that these drives must
remain unknown. What is most basic
to each human entity is what is most alien. This
S) is the symbol that Lacan uses to figure the subject in its division.
We are what we are on the basis of something that we experience to be missing
from us—our understanding of the other—that is the other side of
the split out of which our unconscious must emerge. Because we experience this “something missing” as a lack we
desire to close it, to fill it in, to replace it with something. Lacan calls this lack desire. Desire is what cannot be satisfied even
when our demands are met. All our
needs are at once converted into desires that cannot be satisfactorily
fulfilled. This is why sexuality
cannot be considered as the result of a need. The unconscious manifests itself by the way it insists on
filling the “gap” that has been left by the very thing the subject feels is
lacking in him or her, that is the unconscious! (The unconscious attempts to fill in the gap caused by the
The Unconscious is structured like a Language
Lacan borrows some ideas of linguistics that Freud did not have access to. As we have seen, Saussure showed that a sign is not necessarily something that connects a word or name to a thing, but is in fact something which connects a sound or image to a concept. The sound or image is called a signifier. The concept is called a signified. Meaning is produced not only by the relationship between the signifier and the signified but also, crucially, by the position of the signifiers in relation to other signifiers (in a given context). When Saussure’s theory is put together with Freud’s it is not difficult to see that the movement of signifiers, which generates meaning, must remain fundamentally unconscious. Meaning may only have a place in what Lacan calls “the signifying chain.” So the signifier has primacy over the signified, which means that meaning is generated not by the normal meaning of a word but by the place the word has in a signifying chain.
Metaphor and Metonymy
These two axes of language—substitution and displacement—correspond to the working of the unconscious. Metonymy, which carries language along its syntagmatic axis, corresponds to the displacement of desire that characterizes the dream work in Freud. Metaphor, on the other hand, corresponds to the paradigmatic axis, the axis of substitution and, therefore, corresponds to that aspect of condensation whereby different figures can be substituted or are condensed into one through an overdetermined nodal point.
Compare Freud’s distinction to Saussure’s formulation:
Lacan turns the formulation on its head:
Henceforth the unconscious, sexuality and fantasy can be pictured as the Signifier over the signified. The unconscious is constituted in the same way as our intrinsic ability to speak. Desire is left always unsatisfied and is either displaced from signifier to signifier or it is substituted for—one signifier for another—and the whole process makes up a “chain of signifiers,” which remains unconscious but which, like the unconscious, leaves traces of itself, traces which may be read.
Metonymy follows the horizontal line of signifiers, which never cross the bar (of repression) that leads to the signified and to signification. Just as desire is always deferred from one object to the next, so the signifier suspends signification while following the horizontal chain. Each signifier that fails to cross the bar has exactly the same meaning. If signifies lack (desire).
Metaphor is placed in a vertical relation. One signifier can substitute as the signified for another signifier. “Crossing the bar” is really the action of one signifier becoming signified by taking the place reserved for the signified itself—the bar allows the substitution of one signifier for another:
Sd î Sr
One of the most controversial contributions of psychoanalysis has been on the issue of sexuality and sexual difference. Most famously Freud introduced a new definition of sexuality. We need to first look at the more traditional one (which still has adherents today) and then examine the nature of the Freudian definition. The terms on which sexuality is usually defined turn on the relation between notions of normality and notions of perversity. Freud was at his most controversial when he stated that he had discovered a form of sexuality present in infants. At this stage the infant expresses his or her sexuality polymorphously (taking many forms)—that is, with no particular fixed object or aim, just a kind of indulgent pleasure. The meaning of this pleasure is then presented back to the adolescent in a kind of deferred action in which primal fantasies are given a more fixed shape (helped along by the notorious Oedipus Complex) with a socially sanctioned object type and a useful aim in reproduction.
Freud’s Three Essays on Sexuality can be a frustrating read, with its delays and detours and often inconclusive observations. Perhaps because of this, however, it remains one of the key books on sexuality and sexual difference both within and outside the institution of psychoanalysis. There are two striking aspects to Freud’s work on sexuality. The first involves his use of the mainstream professional views of his time. He doesn’t simply critique these or oppose them and he doesn’t even try to produce a convincing alternative vocabulary to talk about these issues. So his quite stark departure from mainstream knowledge is made within the terms and the frameworks of that knowledge itself, which is why the standard oppositions like normal and perverse, masculine and feminine, etc. remain part of the vocabulary. However the system governing the meanings of that vocabulary is both subverted and transformed in Freud’s text. The second aspect involves his use of evidence in relation to the professional views. Basically he employs the same hypothetical framework but transforms it through his rigorous and tenacious insistence on the evidence—what happens to the theory when one confronts it with these facts? The theory changes. Perversity, which was once a category for sexuality gone wrong, a perversion of normal sexuality (like fetishism, same sex desire, bestiality, even masturbation), becomes the general condition of all sexuality per se. Normal desire, on the contrary, which had an extremely narrow definition supported (as it still is) by everyday common-sense assumptions, is now understood as being one of the numerous contingent possibilities of a general perversity. Thus Freud appears to be saying extremely odd things in a rather traditional language. In that language, that framework, that vocabulary, however, Freud’s theories remain the only ones that work.
Freud describes the psychoanalytic theory of sexuality in the following way:
Psychoanalysis considers that a choice of object independently of its sex—freedom to range equally over male and female objects—as it is found in childhood, in primitive states of society and early periods of history, is the original basis from which, as a result of restriction in one direction or the other, both the normal and the inverted types develop. Thus from the point of view of psychoanalysis the exclusive sexual interest felt by men for women is also a problem that needs elucidating and is not a self-evident fact based on an attraction that is ultimately of a chemical nature. (Freud, 1915).
In other words, the normal assumption is that normal sexuality involves an exclusive sexual interest felt by men for women. Both the implicit one way sign [men č women] and the exclusive nature of the interest are present in the traditional notions. Of course it is obvious that sexual interest ranges all over the place and that women fancy other people as much as men do. But for the traditional views these would have been problems. For Freud, that is no less true, but for him the normal version (boxed above) is also a problem and has no clear explanation. For him the evidence shows that sexuality is grounded in a condition where there is no pre-existing object and no defined aim. The pleasure principle is unscrupulous.
Some rudimentary definitions of sexuality don’t much help. The standard definitions of sexuality grow out of husbandry. Sexuality has the following related meanings: the condition of being sexed; being male or female; having sexual characteristics; feelings or desires to a specified degree (over-, under-, etc.); the condition of having a sex. Thus the sexuality of someone (their being one or other of the sexes) gets extended to also signify behavioural characteristics. You might begin to expect certain types of behaviour from one or the other sex and you can justly express shock or concern when people behave outside those norms. So what is a sex? The dictionary tells us that Sex is that by which an animal or plant is male or female; the quality of being male or female; either of the divisions according to this, or its members collectively; the whole domain connected with this distinction. (In so far as I am sexed, my sex is male; I share this quality with the whole of the male sex; but I share the quality of being sexed with the entire human race as well as the animal and plant kingdoms). It seems that we are not going to get very far without encountering some aspect of our universally shared sexual difference. This is all very well if you are mating chicks or growing violets. In that case the distinctions have a practical and functional purpose. This is the female and this is the male. Put them together in these particular ways and they will produce. In so far as people reproduce in these ways too, a kind of loose analogy emerges, conferring specific meaning upon each relation that may or may not have a sexual aspect (in the biological sense). The idea that biology is at the root of human sexual relations, and thus explains human sexuality, is at best grounded in the loosest of analogies. Psychoanalysis has played an important role in helping to undo these narrow and ungrounded assumptions. Along the way it has revealed a tangle of problems.
Psychoanalysis, without departing from the traditional vocabulary, develops an extended and transformed understanding of the concept of sexuality. Before Freud, sexuality was most likely to be defined as an instinct with a predetermined object and aim. The object was a member of the opposite sex. The aim was for union of the genital organs in coitus. The sole function was considered to be reproduction. Any kind of sexuality or sexual behaviour that does not aim for reproduction is considered to be perverse. Again the influence from cultivation and husbandry is clear. What is the good of a stud that won’t mount the mare? But psychoanalysis questions the notion of perversity.
Freud takes one of the most influential and highly respected authorities on the matter, Krafft-Ebing, as an example of the normative explanation. This is Krafft-Ebing:
During the time of maturation of physical processes in the reproductive glands, desire arise in the consciousness of the individual, which have for their purpose the perpetuation of the species (sexual instinct) [...] with opportunity for the natural satisfaction of the sexual instinct, every expression of it that does not correspond with the purpose of nature, i.e. propagation—must be regarded as perverse.
According to this view, nature somehow makes itself felt in the consciousness of the mature adult, in the form of a conscious desire to mate with a member of the opposite sex. Nature, in this sense, is simply the need for the reproduction of the race (that peculiarly nineteenth century notion of evolution is evident here). The only “natural” satisfaction of this itch, this desire, would be subordinated to the purposes of nature. Anything that does not obviously lead to reproduction is not natural (“it’s not natural!”), because it would be a perversion of nature’s aim. As usual with scientific views of this time, purpose itself, the Greek telos, is the unanalysed aspect underlying these assumptions. Krafft-Ebing, it is important to remember, is merely representing the popular views in scientific discourse.
Freud responds explicitly to these views at the beginning of his “Three Essays on Sexuality”:
Popular opinion has quite definite ideas about the nature and characteristics of this sexual instinct. It is generally understood to be absent in childhood, to set in at the time of puberty in connection with the process of coming to maturity and to be revealed in the manifestations of an irresistible attraction exercised by one sex upon the other; while its aim is presumed to be sexual union. [...] We have every reason to believe, however, that these views give a very false picture of the true situation. If we look into them more closely we shall find that they contain a number of errors, inaccuracies and hasty conclusions.
In the “Three Essays” Freud doesn’t substitute a new theory for the old ones. Rather he extends and transforms the popular and scientific notions of sexuality by correcting the errors, clarifying the inaccuracies and rethinking the hasty conclusions that make up what he calls the “false picture.” A new picture thus emerges out of the ruins of a now transformed vocabulary.
The evidence against holding to the false picture is available in everyday life. Freud also draws explicitly from his fund of analytic experience, in many cases with distressed men and women of the inherently conservative European bourgeoisie, who had never been able to voice their discomfort about their own apparently perverse desires. The distinction between normal and perverse is so riddled with overlaps that it is impossible to extricate the two. There are numerous perversions and they are common (though not explicitly talked about in Freud’s time). Not only are there numerous varieties of different object but also there are uncountable and creative methods for achieving satisfaction. On the model of means and ends, the normal view holds that sexuality manifests in activities designed to achieve the aim of reproduction. The end is reproduction; the method is union of the male and female genitals. However in Freud’s experiences with his patients, the methods often overlap between the normal and perverse. In other words very similar kinds of activities occur whether there is an obviously reproductive function or not. Men and women will have “sex” in all kinds of ways including “normal” coitus. The ends are as various as the means. Furthermore, same sex relations, as well as masturbation and the fantasies of all kinds that accompany it, each exhibit similar routes to satisfaction, in terms for instance of flirting and foreplay. Even a comfortably heterosexual couple will use a creative variety of methods, including coitus, to achieve satisfaction. So what is consistent in all this is not the function of reproduction at all but the function of satisfaction. Thus the reproductive teleology has no ground in evidence at all.
Evidence against Normativity
The distinction between the normal and the perverse is riddled with overlaps.
A great diversity of sexual “perversion” not only exists but is common.
This diversity involves not only the choice of sexual object but also the type of activity used to obtain satisfaction.
In the popular view, the “normal” type of sexual activity involves only coitus between members of the opposite sexes with the aim of reproduction.
But the “normal” and the “perverse” are not so easily separated.
For instance, the usual form of satisfaction may become temporarily impossible, so a “perverse” satisfaction may replace it.
And the sort of foreplay leading up to normal sexual behaviour is usually also found leading up to perverse types as well.
Freud often found that repressed wishes and desires are of a sexual kind and that the repressed wish in these cases is a perverse sexual wish. He concluded that the so-called normal types of behaviour belong with the forces of rational and socially acceptable convention defensive of the desiring and creative agency. In other words the normative version of sexuality is socially rather than biologically determined. There is a biological difference but—like all difference—it is meaningful only in terms of the institutions that organise experience is specific ways. And we are back in the rhetorical dimension. The libido is thus a kind of undetermined force that becomes bound by the various kinds of restriction, paradigmatically the Oedipus Complex, that represent the institutions of culture and society.
Freud was struck by the similarity between the myth of Oedipus and his own discoveries of unconscious processes. The myth is most clearly dramatised in the plays of Sophocles (who was a contemporary of Socrates). In Sophocles’ drama the unfolding of the tragedy involves Oedipus’ gradual discovery of his own guilt. He discovers that he has in ignorance killed his father and that the woman he loves and has married is none other than his mother. As a consequence of his discovery he blinds himself and exiles himself from his home. In fulfilling the oracle that begins the story he fails to escape his predestined fate. This is Freud’s explanation: “It is the fate of all of us, perhaps, to direct our first sexual impulse towards our mother and our first hatred and our first murderous wish against our father” (IoD 364). Freud argues that the power of this artwork lies in the ability of the poet to force us into a transferred recognition of what he calls “our own inner minds.” Those same impulses (to patricide and incest with the mother) are still lurking yet “suppressed” within all of us. Oedipus’ unconscious guilt (which is literal—he is not at first conscious of his guilt) stands figuratively for our own unconscious guilt. “Like Oedipus, we live in ignorance of these wishes, repugnant to morality, which have been forced upon us by Nature, and after their revelation we may all of us well seek to close our eyes to the scene of our childhood” (IoD 365). This last sentence has many resonances. Freud points out in a footnote to a later edition that it is this part of his theory that has provoked the most embittered denials, fiercest opposition and the most amusing distortions (100 year later we are often led to suspect that this is still the case). Thus the blinding scene is a metaphorical indication of the vicious resistance to the insights that psychoanalysis offers. Freud also, significantly, likens not the myth itself but the action of the play to the processes of psychoanalysis. He says that it “consists in nothing other than the processes of revealing, with cunning delays and ever-mounting excitement—a process that can be likened to the work of a psycho-analysis” (363). It places Freud firmly within the canon of arguments about false-consciousness (along with Plato, Descartes, Marx and Wittgenstein). But we need to ask, what is the so-called “Nature” that the Oedipus myth actually represents (the truth behind the false and blinded consciousness). Freud’s use of he word Nature in fact already illustrates how he is replacing the traditional biological ground of sexuality (the cultivation/husbandry ground) with an alternative in the Oedipus complex.
It is Freud’s account of the Oedipus Complex and its modes of resolution that really grounds the psychoanalytic theory of sexual difference. As such the theory is diagnostic only in so far as it attempts to lay bare the underlying structures that lead to certain tendencies in the relations between people. Unlike the traditional notions there is no sense of what men and women should or should not be like, how they should live in terms of their sexual differentiation. It attempts, instead to find out how people come to be as they actually are in the first place.
In classical psychoanalysis the father represents a third term which must break the imagined dyadic unit of mother and child. Until the “father” interrupts it, the mother-child unit—a perfect self-contained dyad—is asocial. The father stands for social symbolisation. In terms of this structure the distinction between men and women exists but it only has meaning symbolically. Lacan provides the following witty diagram, based upon the story of the two children, a boy and a girl, in a train who, on arriving at a station see this sign:
The boy exclaims, “we are at Ladies.” The girl responds by saying, “no we’re not, we’re at Gentlemen.” The two doors indicate the ways in which boys and girls are given the choice of two alternatives—each of which has intractable meaning in terms of the other—as to where they each are in the social topography. The doors are themselves just signifiers as are the different sexes. Sex (male and female) is always subject to identifications, which tell me who I am in terms of my gender. In traditional terms sex would be the empirical dimension of sexuality and gender would be the transcendental structure or system that gives us its meaning. As we have already indicated, however, the distinction between the empirical and the transcendental is already extremely problematic, so we are going to have to find some way of dealing with the difference itself.
Lacan’s version of the triangulated Oedipus complex (mother—child—father) combines Freud’s theory with structural linguistics, developed as we have seen particularly from the theories of Saussure, Levi-Strauss and Jakobson. The relationship between the child and mother is imagined in the infant’s unconscious as something that was once self-contained and entirely satisfying but has since been broken up. The post-break-up (which is a psychoanalytic version of the fall from grace, mankind now banished from its eternal Garden of Eden) is in fact the child’s beginning. Its prehistory is nothing but an imaginary desire. In other words the child’s experience begins with a feeling of something having been lost. The symbol of this loss is like a third term that has come between the mother and the child—the father who (in a literal version) comes home from work at the end of an otherwise perfect day ordering his dinner and smelling of pipe smoke and the intrusive outside. Lacan calls this “third term” the symbolic because it “symbolises” all relations. Freud had called this third term “the father,” perhaps because of the specific nature of his own upbringing, his dreams, and the dreams of most of his patients (who were mostly bourgeois Europeans). But the father is just a symbol too (anything can represent it). Symbolisation works because we make imaginary identifications, which are based upon proximity and immediate experience (the contiguous axis, or metonymy). What we imagine to be the case is always to be understood symbolically and that makes it seem real (the paradigmatic axis, or metaphor). Symbolisation thus acts as an introduction to the world that is at the same time an introduction of lack. The introduction of a meaningful element disrupts the perfect unity of the imaginary relation, which only has the sense of a perfect unity by virtue of the meaningful element that excludes perfection. The experience of lack is therefore the very thing that gives us the sense that there was something to lack in the first place—it gives meaning to my partial relations and opens my experience to the other—which, of course, I cannot experience at all. The real in Lacan’s theory is a plenum. A plenum is something complete in itself, so full that nothing need be added to it. However because experience is determined by the relation between the symbolic and the imaginary (Lacan’s complicated version of the transcendental and the empirical) the plenum is figured only as an impossible outside. It can therefore appear as a horrifying mysterious thing (enter the house of horror) that sometimes threatens to break open the illusion (our social reality) brought about by the symbolisation of our imaginary desires.
Lacan was so taken by the similarities between Freud’s theory of the unconscious and structural linguistics that he was able to come up with some fairly systematic concordances. At the risk of over-schematising (which Lacan attempted to resist, though his theory encourages it) we might chart them in the following way:
Relation to the Other
Relation to the object
Under the Symbolic we find the system of differences between signifiers that determines their meanings, which Lacan relates to the metaphorical dimension of figurative language (this stands in for that and excludes it). He felt that Freud’s explanation of the dream-work allied metaphor to the process of condensation (which puts different images together under the single sign of a metaphorical nodal point). Under the Imaginary we find proximal identifications that indicate the relations of individual desire, which Lacan relates to the metonymic dimension of figurative language (this stands in a proximal and inclusive relation to that). He felt that Freud’s explanation of the dream work allied the movement of metonymy to the process of displacement (which in a disguised way displaces from an object of immense intensity to an object of relatively trivial significance). Metonymy tends to exclude the meaningful aspect of language for the sake of being-next-to while metaphor privileges the meaningful aspect of proximal signs by giving them meaning, thrusting signification underneath them, under the symbolic “cut” of the bar between signifier and signified in Saussure’s diagram of the sign.
S ć S
Under The Real, in contradistinction to these runaway overdetermined signs, lies the impossible experience of the plenum. The real stands for literal meaning (as opposed to literal uses of meaning, which are always possible). In so far as no experience of the real is possible (experience is the consequence of the interaction between imaginary identifications and symbolic signification) it stands for the impossible. The ideal, beyond signification, which stands in for the fact that there is no real relation, is the non-relational possibility itself, or just death. We can fairly clearly see, I think, that relations of any kind are only possible through certain kinds of signification. In terms of desire, the proximal relation (I just want to get next to you) blots out signified meaning in favour of contiguous relation (pure chance in its extreme form, which is a little disconcerting for those who are waiting for Mr Right). This is perhaps best experienced as a kind of jouissance (the French term denotes ecstatic enjoyment) or petit-mort (little death, a colloquialism for orgasm). In terms of the symbolic, relations are overdetermined by many permutations of social identification, including gender, class, position, status etc. Anything like a real relation is of course impossible, as is a pure symbolic or pure imaginary relation. Everything seems to appropriate bits of everything else like a perpetually shifting system of parasites with no non-parasitical host. Everything to a certain extent depends upon something of its others.
As far as the Oedipal Triangle is concerned it is possible to map a Lacanian triangle over a Freudian one, in the following way:
FREUD (OEDIPUS) LACAN (SOCIALISATION)
Lacan and the theoretical imagination
We should say something about Lacan’s style. In most people’s minds the difference between literary text and theoretical text could not be more marked. Literary texts are full of images, narratives, concrete situations, sometimes wildly imaginative sequences, or they are formally structured pieces, like different types of poem. Theory is a dry discourse, with long, technical sounding terms, full of abstract ideas, objective and perhaps coldly scientific. It often seems difficult if not downright perverse, to apply these coldly scientific systems of ideas to the multifarious and rich fund of personal experience. Lacan’s style suggests that he is concerned to enliven scientific discourse with the metaphorical fecundity of literature. But, at the same time, he seems to want to use the descriptive clarity of scientific formulations to suggest, metaphorically, the otherwise indefinable and sometimes inexplicable aspects of the ordinary common experiences. As the contemporary psychoanalyst Adam Phillips has written: “Psychoanalysis began as a kind of virtuoso improvisation within the science of medicine; and free association is itself ritualised improvisation. With the invention of psychoanalysis Freud glimpsed a daunting prospect: a profession of improvisers. And in the ethos of Freud and his followers, improvisation was closer to the inspiration of the artists than to the discipline of scientists.” So we can already glimpse the point of psychoanalysis for critical theory: a confluence of separate traditions—scientific and artistic—produces something new—psychoanalytic theory.
Returning to Freud
“We are not following Freud, we are accompanying him. The fact that an idea occurs somewhere in Freud’s work doesn’t, for all that, guarantee that it is being handled in the spirit of the Freudian researches. As for us, we are trying to conform to the spirit, to the watchword, to the style of this research”
Freud is, on one level, replying to an ancient prejudice—that which derives human experience from consciousness. For Freud, consciousness is an effect of instinctual neurological or biological drives. The hypotheses of two principles of mental functioning distinguishes between that of pleasure, which wants immediate satisfaction, and that of reality, which puts off the satisfaction of desire for a more appropriate and safer moment. We are not, on this model, born rational and responsible, nor do we learn rationality and responsibility—these are simply terms that describe the instinct for survival in negotiation with the instinct for the reduction of unpleasant impulses. Freud later modified his hypothesis of two principles and reduced them both to a single, rather frightening one, called the death instinct. For him what is typical of instincts is that they tend towards an absolute reduction of all disturbing impulses (even pleasure aims for this). On the one hand the death instinct aims for immediate cessation of dangerous impulses yet, on the other hand, it tones this drive down as a dangerous impulse itself. So in the complex reality of social existence this death instinct can be understood as both the law (the symbolic) and (imaginary) desire in a kind of negotiation. The game that we now know as Fort-Da, which was played by Freud’s grandson, exemplifies the kind of strategies that the unconscious employs to contain the sense of loss that operating in a social world imposes. The mother—as the sole source of comfort and sustenance, leaves for work and is absent for very long periods of time. The infant plays a game with a cotton reel on a string, shouting “Fort” (gone) when it is on the other side of the cot’s curtains and “Da” (here) when he reels it back. Symbolically the cotton reel stands in as a substitute for the mother (oh the power of fantasy). And the reeling-in that the child repeatedly practices stands for the imaginary control he has over a contingent and arbitrary exterior. The reality principle, of course, concerns the child’s ability to tolerate the truth of the outside—oh no, the mother really is absent and this cotton reel is just a cotton reel. The process of mourning after the death of a loved one is very similar. It is this process that allows us to now explore the increasingly influential work of Melanie Klein. | <urn:uuid:0a9c04f1-89ec-45de-96e7-16be6af616e2> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://courses.nus.edu.sg/course/elljwp/lacan.htm | 2013-12-13T12:44:13Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954013 | 7,010 |
We’ve chattered about this building at 1402 W. Byron in Southport in the past.
Previously, we discussed a 3-bedroom first floor unit that was partially a garden unit. It was on and off the market for 3 years.
See our previous chatter here.
Now, this second floor 3-bedroom recently came on the market but the listing says it “sold before print.”
At 1800 square feet, it has 3 regular sized bedrooms along with an open living room/dining room.
The kitchen has maple cabinets, granite counter tops and black appliances.
It has the other features buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and garage parking included.
The unit is also in the Blaine school district.
It was listed at $449,000, or $1,000 above the 2004 purchase price, and went under contract “before print.”
Is the key to a quick sale in this hot market pricing it at 2002-2004 prices out of the gate?
Mario Greco at Prudential Rubloff had the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #2W: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1800 square feet
- Sold in February 1999 for $326,000
- Sold in July 2002 for $414,000
- Sold in May 2004 for $448,000
- Sold in June 2006 for $487,000
- Currently listed for $449,000
- Under contract “before print”
- Assessments of $163 a month
- Taxes of $6585
- Bedroom #1: 15×14
- Bedroom #2: 12×10
- Bedroom #3: 12×10 | <urn:uuid:6a7899d5-5c98-4c90-a938-69188c42a90c> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://cribchatter.com/?p=16639 | 2013-12-13T12:43:53Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957136 | 362 |
- Care Providers > Clinics and Practices > Cancer
- Gwozdz, John M.D.
Provides outpatient radiation oncology treatment. Includes information on the treatment of cancer, patients' experiences, location, and other resources.
- Care Providers > Clinics and Practices > Internal Medicine
- Gorby, Michael MD
Includes practice information, location, and medical news.
- Clinics and Practices@ | <urn:uuid:2aefc676-201c-4943-bf4e-391c11e88e1b> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://dir.yahoo.com/regional/u_s__states/texas/cities/palestine/health/ | 2013-12-13T12:32:04Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.783285 | 89 |
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Libya has paid $1.5 billion to the families of terrorism victims, overcoming the final obstacle to full relations with the United States, the State Department said Friday.
Police officers survey the wreckage of Pan Am Flight 103 in Lockerbie, Scotland, in December 1988.
The payment ends Tripoli's legal liability in U.S. terror cases and paves the way for increased U.S. involvement in the oil-rich nation.
President Bush signed an executive order Friday restoring Libyan immunity from terrorism-related lawsuits and dismissing pending cases over compensation as part of a deal reached this summer.
David Welch, the top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East, who negotiated the agreement, called Libya's rehabilitation from a terrorist nation to a U.S. ally "historic."
The pact closes the book on a contentious period in U.S.-Libyan relations, which began in the 1980s with a series of attacks involving the two countries, including the bombings of Pan Am flight 103, a German disco and U.S. airstrikes over Libya.
U.S. business executives hope the new relationship will lead to billions of dollars of new investment in Libya, a country rich in petroleum reserves but lacking a developed infrastructure.
This summer, the United States and Libya signed a deal for the State Department to create a $1.8 billion compensation fund to finalize the claims for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, and the 1986 bombing of La Belle disco in Berlin, Germany. It also compensates Libyan victims of U.S. airstrikes in the 1980s.
Congress unanimously adopted the Libyan Claims Resolution Act, sponsored by Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, D-New Jersey, which cleared the way to end the feud and created the victim compensation fund.
Under the agreement, Libya pays more than $500 million to settle remaining claims from the Lockerbie case and more than $280 million for victims of the disco bombing. It will also set aside funds to compensate victims of several other incidents blamed on Libya, although Libya has not accepted responsibility.
In exchange, Libya will now be exempt from legislation passed this year enabling terrorism victims to be compensated using frozen assets of governments blamed for attacks. Tripoli sought the protection to encourage U.S. companies to invest in Libya without fear of being sued by terrorism victims or their families.
An initial payment of $300 million was received this month, after the opening of a U.S. trade office in Libya and a historic visit by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Another $600 million was received Thursday and the remaining $600 million Friday, Welch said, adding that the families could start receiving payments within days.
The remaining $300 million will go to Libyan victims of the bombing in Libya by U.S. warplanes in 1986. Libyans say dozens of people died in the U.S. air attack, including an adopted daughter of Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi.
President Reagan ordered the attacks on Tripoli and Benghazi after two U.S. soldiers were killed and 79 Americans were injured in the 1986 Berlin disco bombing.
The bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 killed 270 people, including 189 Americans. Of the dead, 259 people died on board the plane and another 11 on the ground.
Libya has paid 268 families involved in the Pan Am bombing $8 million each of a $10 million settlement. But it withheld the remaining $2 million owed to each family over a dispute regarding U.S. obligations to Tripoli.
A group of relatives of Pan Am victims said in a statement Friday that they applauded Libya's fulfillment of the agreement.
"The Pan Am 103 families deeply appreciate Sen. Lautenberg's work to urge the administration to take every step to bring the agreement to fruition," spokeswoman Kara Weipz said in the statement. "While our loved ones will never be forgotten, we are glad this chapter in our efforts is finally over."
Ties between the two countries began to improve in 2003, when Libya gave up its weapons of mass destruction program and began compensating Lockerbie victims. But lingering lawsuits prevented the two countries from fully normalizing ties.
The State Department has said the deal was pursued on a "purely humanitarian basis and does not constitute an admission of fault by either party."
Senior State Department officials said the formula was designed to respect Libyan sensitivities about compensating victims for incidents for which it hasn't taken responsibility and also allow Libya to settle outstanding claims for the air strikes on Tripoli. Donations to settle Libyan claims were placed in the "voluntary" fund, from which each country involved in the claims draws the money to pay its citizens.
Welch would not say exactly where the money came from but stressed that no American taxpayer money would be used to compensate Libya.
The deal is to be followed by an upgrading of U.S. relations with Libya, including the confirmation of a U.S. ambassador, which was held up until the payments were made.
Lautenberg applauded the payment Friday.
"American victims and their families have waited decades for Libya to pay for its deadly acts of violence and today they have received long-overdue justice," he said in a statement. "I am pleased that our relentless pressure and support for terror victims has led to this historic moment."
Rice's visit in September, the first by a secretary of state since 1953, was hailed by both countries as a breakthrough. It followed months of negotiations between the two countries.
|Most Viewed||Most Emailed| | <urn:uuid:53439e0c-d3be-4aec-8a1a-538509bcff62> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/10/31/libya.payment/index.html | 2013-12-13T12:47:49Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969423 | 1,145 |
- [May 14, 2012, 02:36:02 AM]
Email I just sent to The World, a newspaper in Coos Bay, Oregon.
My name is Ryan Taylor.
My emails are:
^This is the one I actually use.
^I set this one up because people routinely misspell my other email
address, so this is just a way to catch those lost messages.
I lack an address and phone number, but it would be no problem at all
to visit The World and meet in person. Reply with a date and time, if
you want to meet me.
I'm homeless, in the Bay area. I'm also young, and going to school in
the fall at SOCC - thanks to a Pell Grant - so I'm more of a hipster
homeless person than I am someone in dire need of assistance (though I
do have anxiety problems that make employment in, say, the fast food
industry impossible, if that counts as a mental illness).
Nevertheless, I do sleep outside, and I can only afford to spend about
$5.70 per day of my food stamps, to make them last the entire month.
So everything's going well, I was done checking my class schedule for
the next two years and otherwise goofing off on the internet for the
day and I decided to go to T.H.E. House for dinner. I arrived to find
they were serving noodles - I'm not a fan of noodles - so I politely
refused the proffered noodles and opted for week-old pizza instead.
Bill (whom you know as William Robert Mutton, the convicted pedophile
- he "volunteers" at T.H.E. House, but more on that later) immediately
disappeared, and the next thing I know Mary, the other volunteer for
the night, is taking my pizza away from me.
I assume that Bill - being the sneaky child-molester that he is - went
and told Mary (an otherwise sweet old lady) that I thought her food
was dog poop, and that I'd rather eat my own vomit than her own food.
I didn't, of course, because I'd never say such a thing to a woman I
don't hate, and probably not even then. Not because I think it's a
horrible thing to do, but because women work together, and it's never
a good idea to mess with one of them for the hell of it.
Anyways, I lost my meal and I left T.H.E. House hungry this evening.
Right now I'm sitting outside the Coos Bay Public Library typing this
on my laptop (I told you I'm a hipster).
Now for the background, as to WHY Bill wants to fuck with me: I've
seen Bill stealing food from T.H.E. House. I also saw Bill allowing
Kyle - a man who is banned from T.H.E. House property for stealing
food - opening the door for Kyle, after Kyle got of the CCAT bus stop
at T.H.E. House (I often come down Koos Bay Blvd when going to Coos
Bay from SOCC). Bill knows this because he saw me walking by, and he
hurried Kyle into the house as soon as he saw me.
I unfortunately had to sell my camera when I lost all my other worldly
possessions and became homeless, so I lack any way to catch Bill and
Kyle in the act. If you'd like to help me catch them in the act -
which would involve sitting somewhere in view of the front door of
T.H.E. House with a camera between 8:00 AM and maybe 5:00 PM - then
please, please do so. I really don't like having to worry about these
sorts of things, because I tend to obsess about them until I'm utterly
useless - I can't help it.
I haven't had an opportunity to tell the guy who runs T.H.E. House
about this, so I'm emailing it to you. Now that I think about it,
there's probably an email address for T.H.E. House, so I'll google it
and send it to them. I'm also posting this on my facebook page, and I
think I'll make a Blogspot page for it too, so this isn't an anonymous
tip, and the crap-storm which I'm attempting to brew up may be
newsworthy in and of itself. I don't know if brewing a crap-storm is
warranted in this case, because I have problems understanding social
cues and interpreting ambiguity. Your advice on this front is
I'll email you the link to the Blogspot when I set it up. I still
have to think about this, though, so it will be a few days.
One other thing: The Kyle guy who's banned from T.H.E. House property
is also a sex offender, so I hear, but he isn't on any of the
registries I've seen on the internet. I hear he lives with William
Robert Mutton. Is a sex offender who may not be in compliance | <urn:uuid:cc30819d-6b38-463e-a1de-cca7e16c93b3> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://ffhacktics.com/smf/index.php?topic=8818.msg173948 | 2013-12-13T12:32:46Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961514 | 1,107 |
The Asus AC66U should work fine with VLANs and is reportedly working directly connected to the ONT in other countries. Also the Original firmware seems to be very nice and allow you console access to the embedded linux system and even install software inside it.
To setup VLAN connection, Select the WAN menu, under the "Special requirements from ISP" section select "Manual" and in the "Internet" subsection, put the VLAN ID in the VID field, it should do the trick. PS: As you can see you can forward IP telephony net to physical port 3 :-).
Hope it helps. | <urn:uuid:f751b3f8-4331-4dba-a090-5a0922780fbc> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?s=6b0839641b09f4d152713ba9e996f178&p=60776 | 2013-12-13T12:33:35Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.899227 | 128 |
Pakistan turns to drones of its own
citizens are irked by U.S. drones, and its requests to buy them from
Washington have been rebuffed. So it owns and operates Italian-made
models, a version of which it is developing itself.
By Alex Rodriguez
October 9, 2009
Reporting from Kamra, Pakistan
the tribal areas of northwest Pakistan, people are accustomed to the
hum of American drones overhead -- and don't like it. The drones kill
civilians as well as militants, they say, and their use also tramples
This summer in the Swat Valley,
Pakistanis again heard drones whirring in the sky, but there was a
difference. They were Pakistani-owned and operated, a toe-in-the-water
foray into a technology that is revolutionizing warfare.
weren't missile-carrying drones like the ones used by the U.S., but
unmanned aerial vehicles that sent images of targets back to Pakistani
command posts. Symbolically, however, they were crucial baby steps for
a country desperate to develop its own fleet to better combat a
Rebuffed for security reasons in its
efforts to buy unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, from the United
States, Pakistan instead bought unarmed Falco reconnaissance drones
And in a small, glass-walled laboratory at a
state-owned defense enterprise here in Kamra, east of Islamabad, it is
gearing up to produce its own modern tactical drones similar to the
Falcos it used over the Swat Valley.
Drones have dramatically
changed the landscape of war, from Iraq to the Afghan-Pakistani border.
U.S. drones equipped with Hellfire missiles have been one of the most
effective weapons against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants hiding out in
Pakistan's tribal areas, killing at least nine top leaders.
drone strike Aug. 5 killed Baitullah Mahsud, the Pakistani Taliban
leader blamed for overseeing many of the suicide bomb attacks
throughout the country, as well as the December 2007 assassination of
former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
For years, private
Pakistani aviation firms have manufactured small, less-sophisticated
drones, which have been used for purposes such as ground-to-air target
The government has repeatedly asked Washington to
give it weapons-carrying drones like the ones used by the U.S. military
to strike militant targets in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal
Areas, the badlands along the Afghan border that serve as safe haven
for Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters.
Washington has refused,
however, citing its concerns that Pakistan's intelligence services
could pass on sensitive data about the drones and their operation to
Pakistan has not stopped trying to acquire
drones from the United States, but it has decided to begin making its
own. The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, a state-owned defense
manufacturer, is teaming up with the Italian company Selex Galileo to
produce the Falco locally.
Pakistani technicians at Kamra are
still in training and several months away from beginning to manufacture
them. In the meantime, Pakistan decided to buy about two dozen Falcos
from Italy and put them to use in Swat.
The Pakistani military
relied heavily on fighter jet airstrikes to eliminate Taliban
infrastructure in Swat, and aerial images taken by Falco drones helped
them pinpoint those targets.
"Our recent area of interest has
been the war on terror, and we've deployed [Falco drones] very
successfully," said Air Marshal Farhat Hussain Khan, chairman of the
Pakistan Aeronautical Complex. "It's been extremely useful in the
Falco drones, Khan said, were used during
the Swat offensive to locate "all kinds of targets ranging from
hide-outs, bunkers, ammo dumps, pickets and other [Taliban]
Defense analyst Talat Masood, a retired
Pakistani general, said producing surveillance drones will be a good
first step toward Pakistan's eventual goal of having UAVs capable of
"My own assessment is that they have helped
in improving intelligence and operations capability of the Pakistani
army in Swat," Masood said. "If they were equipped with missiles, then
Pakistan would take a quantum leap in counter-insurgency capability."
Pakistani public would probably be more tolerant of civilian casualties
caused by drones produced and operated by the country's own forces,
"If an American drone attacks and there's
collateral damage, there's huge anti-American sentiment here," he said.
"At the same time, Pakistani civilians have died during Pakistani
military operations, and it doesn't generate the same kind of
Though the United States won't supply Pakistan with drones, it has at
times shared surveillance data gathered by American UAVs.
in turn, has been more cooperative in providing intelligence to help
U.S. drones find their targets. The drone strike against Mahsud was
preceded by Pakistani intelligence that helped the U.S. pinpoint his
Lt. Col. Gohar Majeed, who is helping lead drone
production at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, said the country's air
force would like the firm to build eight to 10 drones.
Falcos produced in Pakistan, like the Italian-made aircraft, won't have
strike capability and won't be able to fly nearly as long as the CIA's
Predator and Reaper drones. The Falco's flight endurance time is eight
to 14 hours, whereas the Predator's flight duration record is 40 hours.
got limited range and limited payload capability," said a spokesman for
the Pakistani air force, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We do
get real-time pictures from it. . . . It's a tactical tool."
Pakistan's ultimate desire, drones equipped with missiles, can
eventually be achieved by modifying existing UAVs, Khan said. The
question he can't answer is how long that will take.
three years is not enough time to develop such a program," Khan said.
"But everything's possible. There are no hurdles that cannot be
2009 Los Angeles Times | <urn:uuid:fda4271d-7fc3-490f-926d-ca4dae20e21e> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://freedomsyndicate.com/fair0000/latimes0002C.html | 2013-12-13T12:32:15Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951259 | 1,302 |
Dinner is a very important meal. This is the closing of your evening and also our favorite time to get cozy and overeat. It’s even harder to stay on track sometimes when you want to wait till your boyfriend gets home to eat, and that maybe not till 9p.m., or your friends are having happy hour after work and its 1/2 off all tapas. Not to mention the “time to relax” couple of glasses of wine. This is when you decide how much and what type of food you want to really have sitting in your belly right before bed. It never is a good idea to go to bed on a full stomach. After a heavy meal at the end of our night sends us into what I like to call a “food coma”. Where you literally pass out 15 min after you eat because you’ve just really outdone yourself . Oh and before you know it… look at that..It’s bedtime. It’s all too familiar. Now, I’ts ok to have those nights every once in a while, especially if you are consistently working out and staying active. I’m talking to, well, you know who you are, when it’s happens 3-4 days a wk.
Taking time to make healthier choices after 6:00p.m. could be what’s holding you back from reaching your goal weight. If you skip meals during the day, you set yourself up to make poor choices at dinner. You may inhale the first thing you come across, regardless of its calorie or nutrient content. Feeling starved on the way home also makes it hard to resist stopping at the drive through to scarf down a meal.Trust me we are all victims to this vicious cycle, but hopefully the following recipes for evening yummies are easy and satisfying enough to keep you on the right track. I love making dinner, especially if I can get it done and still have time to chill out , hang out with willy ,watch my favorite shows and read my favorite blogs:)
Making sure your dinner is balanced in terms of macronutrients will help you feel satisfied and less likely to snack after dinner. Include one serving of lean protein, such as 3 to 4 oz. lean beef, fish, beans or skinless chicken. Add 1/2-cup to 1-cup serving of a starch like whole grains or sweet potatoes. Include one or two servings of vegetables, preferably ones that contain a lot of fiber and water to help you feel full. Choose the cooking methods of roasting, baking, grilling, poaching and steaming to minimize the added fat. | <urn:uuid:1c1cbc73-78e0-4c90-bc3c-3d8da2bf5401> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://fromfriestofit.com/dinner/ | 2013-12-13T12:32:15Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952091 | 548 |
It would seem not. One set is all born in America, the other in Dublin. The ages and names differ significantly as well. Doesnt always mean anything as they usually were bad a read/writing and remembering what year it was.
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|© 2007 The Generations Network| | <urn:uuid:a83ca7ff-6593-4741-9bc2-274d6a99024a> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://genforum.genealogy.com/maguire/messages/1495.html | 2013-12-13T12:37:24Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967115 | 85 |
§ 70. Mr. W. Roberts
asked the Minister of Food whether he will take action to prevent the waste of green vegetables which is at present occurring on farms in the Eastern Counties; and whether he proposes to make arrangements to dehydrate any of these crops.
§ Dr. Summerskill
Some winter cabbage surplus to market requirements exists in the Eastern Counties this year. This frequently happens when weather conditions are favourable for production. The surplus will not be wasted. It will be fed to stock or used as green manure. The demand for dehydrated green vegetables is not sufficient to make it worth while dehydrating any part of this surplus. | <urn:uuid:1d0baecf-3c82-4db0-9806-c2d1185c6bd0> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1946/mar/06/green-vegetables-eastern-counties | 2013-12-13T12:47:01Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.912544 | 131 |
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A lot of people are showing up to the IJA festival today.
5 months ago
· 231 views
· 80.46 MB bandwidth | <urn:uuid:aa2115f9-32d3-4585-a8bc-77f51df1e83d> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://imgur.com/vsMQ0Ot | 2013-12-13T12:51:15Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923303 | 89 |
- Release date:
- September 9, 2008
- Artist/Band name:
- LL Cool J
- Record label:
- Def Jam
- Official Web Site:
Backstory: The rapper born James Todd Smith and dubbed LL Cool J has been an icon of hip-hop since he was 17 years old, one of the first artists to help build the almighty Def Jam empire to dizzying heights in the ‘80s alongside artists like Beastie Boys and Public Enemy. Now age 40, LL is on his 13th album for Def Jam.
Why you should care: When it comes to rapping, LL is the self-proclaimed “G.O.A.T.” (greatest of all-time), which is a good way to keep people curious. There are certainly a decent number of others who could take a run at that lofty title, but LL still works hard to present a case.
Verdict: LL’s continued passion for music is evident. He fights ageism and irrelevancy in “It’s Time for War,” and ringtone rappers in “Rocking With the G.O.A.T.” and wins both battles. He’s been incorporating the clubby beats and rapid-fire rhymes of the Dirty South for a few years now, and it can be easily heard on songs like the single “Baby” and “Get Over Here,” on which he specifically calls it “Dirty South Yankee music” and says, “It ain’t where you’re from, homie, it’s how hot you are!” In that respect, he’s right. The old goat still has moments of sizzle, after all.
X-Factor: “Exit 13” is LL’s final album under his deal with Def Jam, the longest-running recording contract in hip-hop history. The title suggests that he’s planning to move on, but so far the rapper hasn’t revealed any future plans. | <urn:uuid:8250eb62-b342-482a-aa7c-7e0936caa6a9> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://jackson.metromix.com/music/cd_review/ll-cool-j-exit/601478/content | 2013-12-13T12:31:50Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954649 | 440 |
Sometimes I think I write too often about posts that Seth Godin writes. But, I can't help myself - they are too good, and too relevant to the world we work in.
His post on Sept 20 was particularly pointed regarding MSFT's recent ad campaign with Jerry & Bill.
And, it points up something that many don't quite understand until it's far too late: Affiliation and your brand.
Yup, you've got a brand. It is made up of the thoughts and perceptions others have about you. Some of it is made up of your work, part is from your achievements, and other bits are from the places you've been associated with in the past. You know, Carnegie-Mellon, IIT, Standford, Cal-Tech, Enron, Coca-Cola, Nike, Apple, Defense Language Institute, Microsoft, IEEE, etc., etc.
Seth is absolutely 100% correct when he says that, "For more than twenty years, Microsoft has relentlessly commodified itself and the software it makes. It has worked to become a monopoly, a semi-faceless organization that cranks out very good (or pretty good) software that gets a job done for the middle of the market. It's been a profitable strategy."
For all of you that work at Microsoft, for better or worse, this is the way the world sees you. When you go looking for a job, this is one key aspect that hiring managers tune in on. Some like to see this, others less so. But be clear, this is an attribute you own, and use it to your best advantage.
Kinda makes you think hard about where you want to go work next, doesn't it? Or, how to attract people into your organization that are a good fit w/your brand. | <urn:uuid:90904eab-25c0-4a66-8655-a3154b2ae57d> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://jobhacking.typepad.com/job_hacking/2008/09/you-and-your-brand.html | 2013-12-13T12:43:45Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97606 | 372 |
ALL OF US AT THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, HOLY SPIRIT COUNCIL, we wish you
Our council is looking forward to a very busy year!!
The Holy Spirit Council meets at Holy Trinity
Catholic Church, 2818 E Bennett Street, Springfield, Missouri.. The
Grand Knight for 2013-2014 is Don Mihalevich.
Our Council meets on the fourth Tuesday of each
month at 7 PM.
Holy Spirit Council was founded in 1987 . For over
25 years, the council has been blessed with many kind and generous men
that help serve as a role model to our community.
council has been very active in the support of Catholic Schools and the
parishes of Holy Trinity, Sacred Heart and St. Joseph.
Council also supports, through it's charitable bingo proceeds many local
organizations. These organizations include The Kitchen, Special Olympics, Boy Scouts and many other causes are
supported through our councils donations.
Additional information or questions, please contact:
- Don Mihalevich
Secretary - David Paulie | <urn:uuid:3b2995cb-467a-498e-a16e-3f31ccf213ab> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://kofc9533.org/ | 2013-12-13T12:45:37Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941759 | 222 |
Title: Metaphor Analysis
Subtitle: Research Practice in Applied Linguistics, Social Sciences and the
Series Title: Studies in Applied Linguistics
Publisher: Equinox Publishing Ltd
Metaphor is recognised as an important way of thinking - constructing analogies and making connections between ideas - and an important way of using language - to explain abstract ideas or to find indirect but powerful ways of conveying feelings. By investigating people's use of metaphors, we can better understand their emotions, attitudes and conceptualisations, as individuals and as participants in social life. This book describes practice in the analysis of metaphor in real-world discourse.
When real-world language use is taken as the site of metaphor study, researchers face methodological issues that have only recently begun to be addressed. The contributors to this volume have all had to find ways to deal with methodological issues in their own research and have developed techniques that are brought together here. Using as a basis the discourse dynamics approach to metaphor developed by the editor, the book explores links between theory and empirical investigation, exemplifies data analysis and discusses issues in research design and practice. Particular attention is paid to the processes of metaphor identification, categorisation and labelling, and to the use of corpus linguistic and other computer-assisted methods. | <urn:uuid:d9bdff72-89e4-4b4e-b031-501067424d03> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://linguistlist.org/issues/21/21-3092.html | 2013-12-13T12:33:27Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931279 | 259 |
We usually have an invasion of ants in the house in the winter. But very noticebly, that didn’t happen this winter. Our best guess as to why is that it’s because the ground didn’t freeze.
Three day weekend March 30, 2012
Staff day at Ru-Jun’s day care on Monday. She’ll be at the babysitter Christine’s tomorrow and then two days with me. SBU spring break is next week. Our warm weather has disappeared and now it struggles to get into the 50s.
Pollen March 29, 2012
I think the pollen really started to come out this week. My throat gets a little scratchy and my lung a little irritated. A lot of cherry type blossoms are out right along with the forsythias, due to the warm temperatures last week. Strange year.
An instant out March 28, 2012
Tonight Ru-Jun got to sleep in less than 5 minutes after lights out. Very unusual. Don’t know why exactly. Seemed like a normal night. School must have been extra taxing on her brain today or something. Usually she flops around for at least 30 minutes before letting go of consciousness.
Unsentimental March 27, 2012
Ru-Jun has never been sentimental about her toys. She doesn’t have a dolly or anything that she clings to for any length of time. She is fickle. For a few days she’ll be inseparable from some toy, then another, then nothing. Her friends come and go from daycare as families move around and kids graduate to kindergarten. She seems to have good friends when they are there, but she doesn’t seem to get bent out of shape when they go. This unsentimentality about friends will probably begin to change in a couple years, I would guess…
Blustery March 26, 2012
It’s not March without wind. One of these years it would be fun to get into kite flying. My older brother Tom was really into kites when he was in elementary school.
Back to seasonable March 25, 2012
Our summer in March us over and we’re back to good for March early spring weather. Everyone got a bit spoiled by the last week or two but it was nice getting out in shirtsleeves a bit. A lot of critters and plants have their seasonal timing a bit messed up at this point too. We’ll see how it goes this year.
a semblance of order March 24, 2012
My parents have been visiting. So the place is a bit neater than usual. Ru-Jun has been pretty good helping pick things up (when we hound her a bit). I’ve also done some long-needed putting away and filing of things that were piling up. I’m sure it will be messy again soon. But it’s nice to have some order for a few days.
Will March 23, 2012
I think I’ve mentioned here before how the running of this household and caregiving in my situation is a matter of my force of will. 100% dependent on it, in fact. Had an additional thought on this yesterday. The well being of the three of us and any semblance of order in this household seems dependent on my concentration. Moment by moment almost. If I relax, get lazy, or veg out, even for a little while, it seems like things will fall apart. There was a STTNG episode in which a Spock’s father had a terminal degenerative mental illness that required him to be accompanied by two other Vulcans who constantly used their telepathic powers to help him keep his mind coherent. My situation seems inversely analogous to that.
Clothes shopping March 22, 2012
Ru-Jun has worn pants with more or less blown out knees for three days in a row. So today after school we went to Target and I let her pick out three new pairs of pants and also two dresses and two shirts. Lots of pinks and purples. Hopefully we got them large enough so she’ll be wearing them for a while. | <urn:uuid:2b7779a8-0a13-426e-b857-cd8fcb32e691> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://lioutrue.wordpress.com/2012/03/ | 2013-12-13T12:44:13Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.97994 | 863 |
If choosing a president were like hiring a CEO... There are a slew of online quizzes designed to match voters with the presidential candidate who most closely shares their politics. Most of the quizzes focus on the issues, but there is one that examines a completely different aspect of the candidates -- their leadership skills.7:20 a.m.
A taste of yesterday The general store is mostly a memory now, but it's still an important part of one small Minnesota town.7:45 a.m.
One arts critic unimpressed with Minnesota's sesquicentennial More than 25 historic aircraft will soar over the State Capitol this weekend to mark Minnesota's 150th anniversary as a state. It ends a week of events commemorating Minnesota's sesquicentennial. Morning Edition arts commentator Dominic Paptola has been unimpressed with the celebration.7:50 a.m.
National Public Radio Stories
Dam Scrutiny, Quake Aid Efforts Ramp Up in China
The rescue effort in China has turned toward helping those who survived Monday's earthquake and retrieving bodies from the rubble. Now, the safety of the area's dams is in question — in particular, Zipingdu dam, a staging point for relief efforts that is upstream from a city of a half-million people.
Gaming Your Way to Fitness
Video games designed to provide a workout are becoming big business. But do these games — such as the Wii Fit, which hits stores Monday — deliver on their fitness promises?
Bolivian Mission Towns Revive Baroque Legacy
Deep in the tropics of Bolivia, young musicians and others are keeping alive the legacy of the country's 17th-century Jesuit missionaries. A region with eight mission towns is home to the richest collection of Baroque manuscripts in the Americas and Asia.
Obama Visits Michigan, Wins Edwards' Support
Barack Obama hit the campaign trail in Michigan on Wednesday. That's where former rival John Edwards endorsed Obama for the Democratic Party's nominee. It was the Illinois senator's first campaign visit to Michigan this year. Obama didn't compete in the state's January primary that was outlawed by the National Democratic Party for violating party rules.
Conservative Keene: McCain 'Marginally' Reassuring
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain has been courting conservatives by saying he'd appoint conservative judges. But he's also trying to appeal to independents and blue-collar Democrats on issues like global warming. Keene says he is "marginally more reassured" by McCain's efforts to solidify the GOP base in recent weeks.
Experts Warn Senate Panel of World Food Crisis
The House defied a White House veto threat and voted overwhelmingly for a five-year, $306 billion farm bill Wednesday, the same day that U.S. officials told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that sharp increases in food prices could soon swell the ranks of the world's hungry by a hundred million people.
Can You Pass the President's Adult Fitness Test?
The President's Council on Fitness and Sports has unveiled a fitness test for adults on the Internet. It's similar to one that students take each year, but instead of getting a certificate signed by President Bush, the adults can see how their scores rank nationally. NPR reporters David Malakoff and Jon Hamilton are put to the test.
Judge OKs Shareholder Suit Against Countrywide
A federal judge has ruled that executives from Countrywide, one of the nation's biggest mortgage lenders, will have to face a lawsuit from angry shareholders like the Arkansas Teacher Retirement Fund that have lost fortunes since the housing market meltdown.
Investor Icahn Urges Yahoo-Microsoft Merger
After Microsoft withdrew its bid for Yahoo, it's been reported that billionaire Carl Icahn bought 50 million shares of Yahoo. Apparently, he wants to see the two companies merge, and he has even launched a proxy contest to get rid of Yahoo's entire board of directors. | <urn:uuid:f0f7bdc1-f3b4-4cb6-b3ca-b89d8aef311d> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/programs/morning_edition/index.php?date=05-15-2008 | 2013-12-13T12:37:03Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959728 | 798 |
Brooklyn Decker; a perfect 10 for 2010. All pics Betty Sze for MDC.
Last night’s Sports Illustrated 2010 Swimsuit launch event as expected was a fabulous affair filled with some of the most gorgeous young ladies in the world. Anointed by SI, these bombshells mixed, mingled and dazzled the guests with their beauty and sparkling personalities. The night belonged to Brooklyn Decker though, who after 5 years of working with SI scored her first cover. This lands her in the rare pantheon of SI cover models, many of whom are household names today. The best thing about Brooklyn? She is as genuine and sweet as she is stunning. A perfect 10 indeed!
See below for pics and their memorable moments/thoughts about the shoots.
Cintia Dicker, wearing Gucci with her Marilyn agent Kwok. Cintia’s thoughts on her SI shoot this year: “It was so amazing and sexy from everything I normally do.”
Damaris Lewis wears Herve Leger. “It was an experience that went straight to the sky!” (hint: check the issue to see what she means)
Sonia Dara with Elite, wearing Alice & Olivia: “It was such an honor being the first Indian girl in SI.” This Harvard student proves that brains and beauty are utterly alluring.
One of our faves, Anne Vyalitsyna wears Alexander Wang, (with Women agent, Stephanie). Anne: “Ah Lisbon, so beautiful, I really remember the tiles (of Lisbon). Also Darcy playing Brazilian music to get me in the right mood for the shoot.”
The girls love Diane Smith, the doyenne of SI. Here with Julie Henderson/NY Models (in Marc Jacobs) who says: “The location looked like Mars, it was out of this world.”
IMG new South African faces: Genevieve Morton (left) and Dominique Piek (right).
Genevieve: “It’s a sexy history lesson. The WWII heroes took us around and explained what the planes were used for”.
Dominique “It ain’t over till the sea cucumber squirts!” (check the behind the scenes videos on Dominique’s shoot)
Julie Henderson with Lorenzo Martone of ARC NY
Anne V’s Balmain shoes and Damaris’ LV wedges have a meeting.
Brazilian beauty Daniela Sarahyba shows national pride by wearing Brazilian designer Andre Lima
Jessica White wears Jill Stuart: “After 7 years, I still love reinventing myself every year.” Irina Shayk wears Guilty Brotherhood: “It was one of the highest deserts in the world, thousands of meters above sea level.”
Host Mark McGrath has a much envied role introducing all the ladies of SI 2010.
Damaris struts her stuff.
Jessica is a vision of sexy beauty
Hilary Rhoda wears Wayne and shows off her lithe figure.
Dominique’s boyfriend Joe is a rugby star himself.
Jessica Gomes with IMG agent Marlon.
Brooklyn Decker (in Donna Karan) and her family, brother Jordan, mom Tessa, dad Steve (missing, sister Kate). When asked how they raised such a lovely young lady, Tessa replies: “We always knew where she was and who her friends (and their parents) were. If you asked Brooklyn, she would probably say we were the strictest parents in the world.” Whatever it was, it worked, Tessa!
Marilyn’s Chris Kiely with the gorgeous Cintia.
A vision of loveliness: Daniela, Cintia and Brooklyn.
In the spotlight.
The half Thai beauty and rookie, Christine Teigen from Elite, with Cintia
Brooklyn, Christine and Christine’s beau John Legend.
1 Management president Scott Lipps with last year’s cover girl Bar Refaeli, wearing Haute Hippie.
Esti Ginzburg (in vintage) with Bar Refaeli, lovely belles from Israel.
SI makeup artist Vicky with SI’s MJ are on their way to Vegas and some cheeky fun.
IMG’s Kyle Hagler, giving his best editorial stare, sees off Irina as she gets ready to leave NY snow for the warmth of Vegas.
This post's tags: Anne Vyalitsyna, Bar Refaeli, Brooklyn Decker, Christine Teigen, Cintia Dicker, Damaris Lewis, Daniela Sarahyba, Dominique Piek, Esti Ginzburg, Genevieve Morton, Hilary Rhoda, Irina Shayk, Jessica Gomes, Jessica White, Jules Mordovets, Julie Henderson, sonia dara
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Graduate studies at Western
Harvard University Press (2002)
|Abstract||A Hideous Monster of the Mind reveals that ideas on race crossed racial boundaries in a process that produced not only well-known theories of biological racism ...|
|Keywords||Race History Race Philosophy Racism History Racism in anthropology History Race discrimination History Eugenics History African Americans Public opinion Public opinion|
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(categorize this paper)
|Buy the book||$23.51 used (22% off) $29.92 new (6% off) $29.93 direct from Amazon (5% off) Amazon page|
|Call number||GN269.D34 2002|
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Added to index2009-01-28
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How can I increase my downloads? | <urn:uuid:cf99ea7e-eaed-487c-af18-02ad4a45b1e3> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://philpapers.org/rec/DAIAHM | 2013-12-13T12:44:57Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.690387 | 498 |
Reller Assures Financial Crowd on Windows 7 Readiness
Microsoft executive Tami Reller fielded questions about the company's Windows business segment on Thursday at the Cowen and Co. Technology Media and Telecom Conference, held in New York City.
The Windows segment represents an important cash cow for Microsoft. The event's moderator, part of the Cowen and Co. investment banking concern, noted that Microsoft's Windows business accounts for 25 percent of the company's revenue, as well as about half of its profits.
Lately, Microsoft's financials have taken a beating, with the company recording a 32 percent decrease in net income in its fiscal-year third-quarter report. Microsoft has attributed the income decline principally to slow sales of new Windows-based PCs in a generally down economy.
Most of the questions at the Cowen and Co. event centered on Windows 7, Microsoft's newest operating system, which is currently available at the "release candidate" testing stage. Reller, who is Microsoft's corporate vice president and chief financial officer, confirmed that the Windows 7 product will be available for the holidays this year. However, she emphasized that Microsoft's final decision on when to release Windows 7 will be based on product's overall quality.
Microsoft officials have been indicating that the company wants to avoid past partner readiness problems, particularly with software drivers, that earlier tripped up the product launch of Windows Vista. Microsoft's chief software architect alluded to this issue at an earlier financial analyst event.
Reller suggested that Microsoft will be prepared, this time around when Windows 7 is released, and that Microsoft has had good communications with its partners. She described some indicators for success with Windows 7.
"If I look at some of the things we've really prioritized in planning for the release, how well we have planned for ecosystem readiness is then on the top of the list. And so I have to point that out, which is just how ready is Windows 7 across the ecosystem. Application compatibility, hardware compatibility -- these are things that our customers want Windows 7 to work with…because that's how customers will judge their ability to deploy and use and benefit from."
Reller claimed that Microsoft has made it simpler to understand which product applies to which market with Windows 7. Microsoft's stock keeping unit (SKU) strategy for Windows 7 was first described back in February, in which six editions were announced.
Reller didn't elaborate, but much of the earlier product confusion happened on the consumer side, particularly with the Vista Home Basic edition, which has resulted in lawsuits. While Windows 7 also will have a Home Basic edition, it's designed for use in so-called "emerging markets." Consumers will typically be expected to buy the more full-featured Windows 7 Home Premium edition.
Reller confirmed that the Windows 7 Starter edition will be designed for netbooks, although any Windows 7 SKU will be capable of running on a netbook, unlike Vista's SKUs. The Windows 7 Starter edition initially was described as being limited to running only three different applications at a time. However, on Friday, Microsoft announced that Windows 7 Starter will be capable of running multiple applications simultaneously. It will have some other limitations, such as the inability to play DVDs, stream music or video, or run the Aero graphics display.
Netbooks represent a stumbling block for Microsoft, which is still trying to figure out the pricing margins on these small, low-cost, laptop-like devices.
Reller explained that the netbooks phenomenon "has been a drag on our overall revenues per license…but clearly it's helped the market overall." She added that while Microsoft "feels very good about netbooks to date," the company is taking a cautious approach about future consumer spending trends on netbooks. Microsoft went from a zero percent attach rate on netbooks less than a year ago to "a 97 percent attach rate" today, Reller said.
With Windows 7 coming this year, many have speculated that Microsoft might provide a tech guarantee program to help boost the sales of new PCs, even though those machines may be loaded with Vista. Reller explained that Microsoft had previously offered such a program during the transition from Windows XP to Vista. The company deferred 50 percent of its revenues as an incentive with certain editions of Windows XP. However, Reller did not confirm similar plans for Windows 7.
"We have not announced the tech guarantee program…which is what we did with Vista," she said. "What I can say is that we were happy with that program with Vista. And with Vista it came before RTM [release to manufacturing]."
Perhaps the most interesting comment Reller made during the 40-minute Q&A was about Vista's adoption in the enterprise. Reller claimed that Microsoft has made "good progress with enterprise deployment of Vista." However, a Forrester Research study published this year suggested that Vista adoption in the enterprise hovers at about 10 percent, even after two years of product availability.
Kurt Mackie is online news editor for the 1105 Enterprise Computing Group. | <urn:uuid:9e1db930-d20c-4fd2-8591-3052148965aa> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://redmondmag.com/articles/2009/05/29/reller-assures-financial-crowd-on-windows-7-readiness.aspx | 2013-12-13T12:32:42Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963314 | 1,025 |
"Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Windows and Doors, Four Years in a Row. Tied in 2013."
Simonton Windows is proud tobe one of the Fortune BrandsHome & Security companiesthat offer brands homeownerstrust and love.
With a narrow frame and expansive view, energy efficiency never looked so good.
We use your ZIP code to show you the products and professionals available in your | <urn:uuid:717a253d-ecd6-4a2e-a3ef-886e409c8606> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://simontonwindows.com/ | 2013-12-13T12:32:18Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.871212 | 83 |
Properly watering a lawn is key to maintaining it in a healthy condition. Most lawn problems are either directly or indirectly related to poor irrigation practices. Failing to apply sufficient water will result in dry areas which will turn brown and ultimately die if left too long. On the other hand, excess water can lead to disease and lawn damage. As you can see, it is important to irrigate your lawn correctly.
The first step to proper irrigation is the installion of a sprinkler system and applying a concept called "irrigation efficiency." Irrigation efficiency is the measure of how evenly a system applies water, i.e., a highly efficient system distributes water evenly, whereas a less efficient system applies water unevenly. No system is 100% perfect, so some area of any lawn is bound to receive less or more water than the rest. The area of lawn which tends to dry out first ultimately dictates the watering schedule.
Another key to proper irrigation is learning to recognize the signs of a thirsty lawn. Turfgrass is a very interactive plant material, which immediately indicates its dryness by changing from its typical green color to a slightly blue-gray tint; closer inspection of the turf will show that it is somewhat limp as well. When dehydrated turf is crushed (e.g., stepped on), it will not spring back as a properly hydrated lawn would. Finally, if the lawn is made of Marathon® Sod, the leaves will curl, forming a "straw"in an attempt to minimize water loss.
Usually a section of lawn that shows a need for more water will continue to be the first area to be identifiied as thirsty. This is the area that likely receives the least water due to irrigation inefficiencies and/or receives the most direct sunlight. This thirsty area should serve as the gauge to adjusting sprinkler time.
Continue with one of the links below or use the menu above:
Watering Field Grown Sod
Watering Marathon Lite Sod | <urn:uuid:fa376eff-ca52-48e6-8b64-06d6e6a1b3f8> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://sod.com/lawn_care/Introduction.html | 2013-12-13T12:32:16Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94866 | 404 |
8-8-2013 – Special Edition: Featuring Karting!
Track Source Radio-Thursday Night on RaceTalkRadio.com
Join hosts Dennis Michelsen and Tim Frost of the National Speedway Directory for Track Source Radio…the official radio show of the National Speedway Directory and Speedwaysonline.com. Each week Dennis and Tim will bring you the racing news from behind the scenes and on the track from all over North America. Find out which event, series and track we are highlighting for this weekend.
This week TSR goes inside the world of Kart Racing with the help of National Speedway Directory Intern and Kart Racer Maddie Komar who produced this week’s show.
David Dodson is the Director of Competition at J3 Competition. J3 is a one-stop shop for all of your karting needs and fields an ultra competitive team of racers.
Rob Howden let’s us know his opinion about the strength and growth in the industry. Rob runs eKartingnews.com which is the best news outlet in the karting world.
Alan Rudolph is a five-time King of the Streets winner and General Manager of SuperKartUSA. Alan is not only one of the best drivers in the business but also one of the best kart driving instructors too.
Dave Davies has over 30 years experience in the karting world and is the VP and General Manager at CRG-America. Dave helps us explore the technical side of the sport.
Listen on demand Thursday night after 8pm ET at http://www.racetalkradio.com.
TSR “Track of Week”: Waterford Speedbowl - Waterford, CT - 6th Annual Wings and Wheels - Check out this facility on this NSD Web Page!
TSR “Event of the Week”: 53rd Knoxville Nationals - Knoxville Raceway – Knoxville, IA - Check out this facility on this NSD Web Page!
TSR “Series of the Week”: United SportsCar Racing – (future combination of ALMS and Grand AM) - Road America - Elkhart Lake, WI - Check out this facility on this NSD Web Page! | <urn:uuid:1fa3720a-3738-4703-a9b6-96b671d5b4d9> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://speedwaysonline.com/tsr-radio-calendar/8-8-2013/ | 2013-12-13T12:44:12Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.888974 | 453 |
#33) IronCupcake:Earth Wine, to Toast the New Year - Bakeapple & Bubbly Cupcakes with White Chocolate Champagne Frosting
A long title, I know... but these cupcakes are multi-dimensional and therefore warrant a wordy introduction.
This is my first official entry to ICE so I am very excited to be a part of this great blogging activity for the first time :)
Our January ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists:
DOGBONE ART - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=22042
as well as a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281.
PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!
As an added bonus for January, our friend at SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY will be tossing in another treat as well, http://www.acupcakery.com/index.html.
Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com; the CUPCAKE COURIER http://www.cupcakecourier.com; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com. NEW, BEGINNING IN JANUARY; our new friends at UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM http://www.upwithcupcakes.com/ will be providing our winner with one of their cute cupcake attitue t's! Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com .
My cupcake creation is a light and delicate treat topped with a wonderful swirl of melt-in-your-mouth white chocolate frosting. The champagne undertones are complimented nicely by the bitter but subtle bite of the bakeapples. It is a sweet treat that elevates the everyday cupcake to a more elegant and refined class!
Bakeapple & Bubbly Cupcake
2 egg whites
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup champagne
1/4 cup bakeapple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
-Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin tray with paper cups.
-Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
-Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until combined.
-Stir together champagne, bakeapple syrup, and vanilla. Add to butter mixture.
-Add flour, baking powder, and salt to mixture and beat until well combined.
-Gently fold in egg whites.
-Divide between 12 muffin cups.
-Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
White Chocolate Champagne Frosting
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp white chocolate
1 3/4 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup champagne
1/2 tsp bakeapple syrup
6 tbsp butter
-Melt chocolate in double boiler. Let cool to room temperature.
-Mix together icing sugar, champagne, and bakeapple syrup. Add butter and beat until smooth.
-Add cooled chocolate and mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
-Pipe on cooled cupcakes. | <urn:uuid:80b315d7-a08a-4d78-9a62-da3c57926fcc> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://sweettreatsdani.blogspot.com/2009/01/33-28-ironcupcakeearth-wine-to-toast.html | 2013-12-13T12:33:01Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.822186 | 838 |
Fri 22 Aug 2008
Outside a café: Biskra
A century brings change, yet memories of the past can still bring life to a quickly forgotten past. Exactly one hundred years ago, if you were to visit your doctor and pick up the latest issue of National Geographic Magazine, you would find a story about Biskra, the oasis in Algeria. Pre-Valentino’s The Sheik, this is rather pedestrian travel dialogue from an author who survives in the text only as a Mrs. But the pictures are truly marvelous and make returning to this century-old magazine well worthwhile. Webshaykh
A visit to the market place during the morning is one of the sights of the town and oriental in every tone. Squatting groups and bronzed-legged Bedouins, in brown and white camel’s-hair burnouses, are selling cous-cous, dried peppers, and of course dates. Bunches of fresh grass and green barley and thistles are heaped in one corner of the inclosure, Moorish slippers here and a pile of red fezzes there, and souvenirs for the tourist not lacking. For fifty centimes one may purchase a set of graceful gazelle horns, and curious knives and Arabian guns tempt the collector on the way. An ebon negress is selling oranges, an Arab boy in a red fez, and not much else, carries a basket of purple fruit in green leaves, while cloaks, burnouses, turbans, and yakmahs, purple, blue, deep red, and spotless white all crushed together, make a kaleidoscopic color in the whitewashed square. Bags of henna leaves, for staining the nails in Arab fashion, send forth their pungent odor, and the aroma of coffee and cigarettes fills the air. A Kabyle girl in red gown, tattooed bluely as to her forehead and cheeks, stained yellow as to her finger tips, passes us, cigarette in mouth, her bangles and anklets clanking as she goes.
Outside a Moorish café a row of Moors, clean in their white burnouses, are solemnly crouched, two of them playing a grave game of chess, but the rest doing nothing to perfection, without a trace of boredom or a gesture of impatience, a state of dreamy delight achieved apparently by habit of mind, a realization of Arabian Keyf. Two merry cantinières go briskly along, and behind them glide two Sisters of Charity. Occasionally a tall figure in white burnouse and dark blue or pale gray cape, with crimson fez and gold-embroidered jacket, passes, and the dark eyes and white teeth flash down in friendly glance. Occasionally, too, there is a suspicion of genuine attar-of-rose whiffed in the air, as one of this oriental jeunesse dorée walks by us, and we are reminded of what an Arabian courier once told us: “On my country, if a man have perfume on his clothes, it makes scandal!”…
Ships of the Desert
Beautiful Biskra with her crown of palms rises before us in the sunset as we approach. The grace, lightness, and yet the suggestive strength of the wonderful trees is difficult to describe; the glow of sunset on the stems, the shadows of the sharp-pointed leaves, all need a subtler pen than mine. The sands are dyed deep purple now, with high lights of brilliant rose, and over the Sahara bends the evening sky, its blue blending into saffron and green, washed thinly with streaks of crimson. Until one has seen the sun go down over the African desert one can never conceive what brightness of color Nature carries on her palette.
[Excerpts from Mrs. George C. Bosson, Jr, “Biskra, the Ziban Queen“ National Geographic Magazine 19(8):563-593, 1908.]
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You must be logged in to post a comment. | <urn:uuid:6cba96aa-27de-42f9-9b3e-dde07d19285e> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://tabsir.net/?p=593 | 2013-12-13T12:44:02Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923794 | 833 |
Dom Brown is quickly becoming the feel good story of the season.
One home run? Could be a fluke. Two home runs? Double-fluke. Happens all the time. Three home runs? All right, all right, I’m getting out of bed.
Brown consistenly updates his stats with stellar day after stellar day at the plate, whether that means mammoth home runs or careful pitch selection, the man is getting on base and knocking in runs. Sometimes, he knocks himself in. Those are called home runs.
You probably know that already. It’s spring training for bloggers, too! LOL!
**Gets odd look from co-workers while sipping from pounder at desk**
So anyways, Brown is putting on a hell of a show down in Clearwater, doing all the things we’ve been trying to get him to via whining and screaming over the past three years.
Brown ranks fifth in all outfielders in OPS this preseason (1.369), and second among outfielders with at least 20 at-bats. He is FIRST among outfielders with walks (6), which if not a direct troll-job of Ruben “I don’t care about walks” Amaro, it’s damn fine coincidence.
We’re enough games deep into the Grapefruit League to start realistically surmising people, and Dom has slandered his own bad name with good stats.
It’s only natural for this change in the wind to be met with abject horror, and Dom may not know what to do with his newfound power. Or maybe he entered camp aware of its presence, prepared to expose all haters of what they truly are: self-loathing townies who unfortunately learned how to use a cell phone.
But, if this accompanying picture is any indication, Dom will continue to yelp wildly in the face of his own success, until the day he is traded in a package deal with Kyle Kendrick to the Marlins for Giancarlo Stanton like that one guy actually suggested. | <urn:uuid:8cf2f7e9-1e3c-4cbb-97cf-41a8c153711e> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://thatballsouttahere.com/2013/03/04/domonic-brown-continues-to-be-terrified-by-own-success/ | 2013-12-13T12:45:25Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959272 | 429 |
It was Much Ado month, the hot ticket with accompanying brouhaha. Mr Tennant and Ms Tate et al were very good, shame the audience wasn't quite so and it lost a star because of it. Harsh perhaps but I'm seeing it again so there is ample opportunity for the audience to redeem itself and allow the play to fully shine.
It took equal top spot with One Man Two Guvnors (pictured above) a similar play in tone - lots of physical comedy and farcical elements neither of which are usually my thing but which just seemed to have tickled the right rib.
May didn't have any stinkers so there are no bad memories to purge, fortunately:
= 1 Much Ado About Nothing, Wyndhams Theatre 79%
= 1 One Man Two Guvnors, Lyttleton Theatre 79%
3 I Am The Wind, Young Vic 77%
Looking forward, there is much to excite, even with Much Ado out of the way. I'll be making my debut visit to the Arcola Theatre to see my first ever production of The Seagull which I'm particularly looking forward to, especially as Al Weaver is in it (RS/BW 6DS already done for that one then).
I'm also seeing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead for the first time which is highly anticipated not least because the lovely Samuel Barnett is in it and he was marvellous in last year's The Man at the Finborough.
June is also going to be a bit of a Shakespeare-fest - four plays in less than two weeks, three of them in 24 hours - I fear I may start speaking in verse. It's my annual Stratford trip and we are doing a double bill: The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth. These will be bookended by London-based productions of Richard III and Comedy of Errors at Hampstead. Might have to do a separate list for the best Shakespeare in June. | <urn:uuid:76574a78-fe96-4975-8f6f-7f404f87213a> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://theatre.revstan.com/2011/05/rev-stans-may-theatre-round-up.html | 2013-12-13T12:32:21Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970085 | 410 |
My schedule is to clean on Mondays, do paperwork on Tuesdays, do to do list on Wednesdays, catch up the laundry and sew on Thursdays, and grocery shop and run errands on Fridays. Saturday, we do yard work, and I may work on a really big project then.
The main reason to have a schedule is so you feel like you are FINISHED. The old saying that a "Woman's work is never done.", I'm sure came from the fact that our work is so incredibly repetitive. I really love the FlyLady system, but the one down side, is that in many ways I never feel finished. The upside is that you can spend less time per day cleaning. You may not have everything done every day...but Monday's work or Tuesday's work CAN be finished etc.
My problem though, is that when I quit cleaning the old fashioned way--top to bottom on one day during the week, I quit giving my cleaning methods and results the focus they needed. In some ways, it felt like the house was always less than clean.
I do so love the feeling of having the whole house sparkling clean! We had that feeling this week since we spent a good solid two days cleaning to get ready for hosting five boys overnight. We keep things picked up pretty good most of the time, but it seemed like I never quite got to the deep cleaning the way I needed to. There is nothing that says "I love you" to your hubby and kids like clean bathrooms, sheets, clothes, refrigerator, and furniture. Now that the kids are older, I think with all of us working, we can get the job done quicker.
My Weekly Homemaking Schedule
- Vacuum and Sweep: Dust using a vacuum cleaner. Dust high, low, and include couches. Use an extension cord! Work from high to low. We have wood laminate floors and the dust collects all over everything! It doesn't have carpet to catch in so it gathers in dust balls. I use the vacuum wand a lot!
- Clean Glass: Using windex or alcohol and water, spray and wipe all glass and mirrors. Use papertowels to dry.
- Wash Wood and Cabinets: Start a bucket full of warm water with Murphy's Wood Oil Soap. I can use it on my laminate floors too. Give the table and chairs a good scrubbing. Mop floors, wipe down wood cabinets and doors. Polish afterwards. My favorite furniture polish is called Wood to Wood.
- Clean Bathrooms and mop tile. I use Don Aslett's products here too. He has two great products, Safety Foam for the toilet and Showers-n-stuff for the shower and sinks. I mop with Murphy's Wood Oil Soap because I hate the harsh smell of Pine Sol.
- Clean Fingerprints, appliances, doors and door knobs with 409 or Thieves ( I love this stuff!) and paper towels. Use alcohol to clean telephones, and hair appliances.
- Want to clean your windows? Do you know that Don Aslett, the King of Clean, suggests just using a teaspoon of Dawn liquid detergent to a gallon of hot water and a squeegee? For those of you who like homemade cleaners..this is good news!
I plan to wait until Laundry/Sewing day to change the sheets. The fridge gets a good once over when I do my monthly shopping. While I'm cleaning, I can set my stove to self clean. If you have to do it the old fashioned way, be sure to use paper towels to wipe out the yuk rather than cleaning rags as you can just throw the mess away when you are done.
Well, I'm off to find my apron and roll up my sleeves...how about you? How could you plan your week so you could have that 'finished' feeling? | <urn:uuid:1b01f10e-42fa-4a14-9fb1-d831afae2e77> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://thehomemakingarts.blogspot.com/2010/07/getting-that-finished-feeling-weekly.html | 2013-12-13T12:44:16Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95903 | 801 |
Designer Rachel Gilbert’s Bridal Entrance All Feet & Sheets
There is no denying that designer Rachel Gilbert’s entrance to her wedding reception at Catalina, Rose Bay, was dramatic. But it didn’t involve a risqué bridal gown, losing a shoe or tripping as she exited the wedding car. Instead the drama was created by linen. For the bride was kept hidden under a flurry of white linen sheets and huge golf umbrellas – a veritable white wall created by a gaggle of security guards and the bridal party.
So, instead of gracing the social pages with a piece on the glamour and romance of her marriage to TV presenter, Tom Williams, Gilbert’s story became about the extreme lengths the pair would go to in order to keep their wedding private.
Some online commentators ridiculed the couple for going to this extent, for while it was well known that they signed an exclusive deal for their wedding images to appear in OK Magazine, it certainly didn’t seem like the most elegant way for any bride to arrive at her wedding celebrations. But, regardless of their public profile, the pair certainly did have the right to privacy on their wedding day, and the right to choose who had access to their official wedding shots.
Could OK Magazine even cheekily tipped off the photographer with a time and location for these ‘sheet and feet’ shots? After all the ensuing stories have been wonderful promotion for their upcoming magazine story!
But somehow, despite all Gilbert & William’s efforts, a picture did emerge of the newlyweds on the day, so as it’s readily available online already we thought we’d share it with you. She is wearing what appears to be one of her creations, strapless, mermaid with a feathers floating around the base completing the design, while Williams looks smitten with his new wife. (Visit out Wedding Dress Galleries – Mermaid section to see other similar silhouettes).
Other details that are known include that the ceremony was held at the chapel at exclusive girl’s school Kincoppal Rose Bay, attended by approximately 100 guests. After the wedding dinner, which was held at at Catalina’s, guests went on to party into the night at Bar Pelicano in Double Bay. Gilbert’s hen’s party luncheon was held the week earlier at Icebergs in Bondi Beach.
PR girl about Sydney, Roxy Jacenko - who can claim the title of matchmaker having introduced the pair – was a bridesmaid, while Gilbert’s sister Vanessa Gilbert held the title of maid of honour. Both ladies wore Rachel Gilbert gowns in a sparkling iced champagne shade. High profile guests included radio celebs Tim “Rosso” Ross, Merrick Watts and Ryan “Fitzy” Fitzgerald.
The day following the event the newlyweds were spotted sunning themselves happily for all to see poolside at the Park Hyatt in Sydney, where they chose to stay the night of the nuptials, before they jetted off to the Maldives for their honeymoon.
Q. Do you feel Gilbert & Williams went too far in order to ‘cover up’ the bride? | <urn:uuid:d548aeda-dc02-40b7-a169-0c335e7e1376> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://theknot.ninemsn.com.au/community/blogs/editor-blog/designer-rachel-gilberts-bridal-entrance-all-feet-sheets | 2013-12-13T12:32:50Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965417 | 674 |
Flowers have an expression of countenance as much as men and animals. Some seem to smile; some have a sad expression; some are pensive and diffident; others again are plain, honest and upright, like the broad-faced sunflower and the hollyhock. And some reminds us of love.
I love you when I forget about me.
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For questions/inquires about my work, feel free to check out the FAQ on my front page All images are ęcopyright theresahelmer. You may NOT use, replicate, manipulate, or modify images without my permission. All Rights Reserved | <urn:uuid:5d8227a6-9f07-424d-bffc-2becbaf30613> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://theresahelmer.deviantart.com/art/My-Unspoken-Words-369061458 | 2013-12-13T12:32:08Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.909603 | 150 |
|Dec 20, 2011 10:00pm||
Nothing worth having comes easy. If you are really serious about losing weight you have to start eating healthy AND exercise. There is no way around it!
|Dec 21, 2011 2:18am||
Make sure you are drinking enough water! It makes a huge difference.
|Dec 22, 2011 7:33am||
diet and exercise are both important! Maybe start cycling to school?
|Feb 16, 2012 1:31am||
There were some interesting ideas on Dr. Oz from Tim Ferris. Take a cold shower in the am and at night. Eat two spoons of almond butter before bed (keeps insulin even). If you are using a Coffeemate type product in your coffee, use two T of full cream instead.
|Feb 28, 2012 9:49am||
Hi jhGreg, Loving for me its pretty straight forward. I just change my sugar consumption and change it to a natural sweetener brand called natvia. It’s pretty amazing stuff. Taste like sugar but put only a fraction of the calorie of sugar. Sugar has a bog amount of calorie content compared to natural sweeteners. Hope this helps.
|Apr 27, 2012 7:53pm||
WATER! WATER! WATER! Oh, yeah, and move more. Don’t get me started on donuts.
|May 29, 2012 1:43pm||
Try to make a diet chart that what you have to eat and when. By using limited calories you will loose few pounds within in a week. But again if you use to take diet in unmanned way same weight will appear soon. It’s better to take maintain your diet in every time. | <urn:uuid:fb2751e3-45a0-4659-ba33-8b9e3bf496fa> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://tracker.dailyburn.com/forums/general_health/topics/what_small_things_can_i_do_to_lose_a_couple_pounds | 2013-12-13T12:44:18Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940499 | 363 |
Though in the heart of the city, Gopal's Pure Vegetarian Restaurant takes you away from the bustle and provides some fresh nutritious Indian vegetarian meals. The restaurant also serves internationally influenced dishes. With a bit of culture attached to this place, the food cooked is first offered to Lord Krishna and only then is the blessed food served to customers. Being part of the Hare Krishna Movement, onion, garlic and mushrooms are not used in the food.
- Open Hours: Monday to Saturday from 11:30 AM to 08:30 PM
- Feature: Vegetarian
- Credit Cards Accepted: visa, mastercard
- Takeout Available: Yes
- Nearest Train: Bourke Street/Swanston Street | <urn:uuid:c50267cd-1b49-4fc9-8454-01234a3a7abe> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://travel.aol.com/travel-guide/australia-and-south-pacific/australia/melbourne/gopal-s-pure-vegetarian-restaurant-restaurant-detail-371314/ | 2013-12-13T12:47:57Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928196 | 145 |
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Wed September 9, 2009
State offers anti-radiation tablets to people near nuke plants
By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI – Michigan is stockpiling a supply of anti-radiation tablets to help protect people within 10 miles of a nuclear plant in the event of an accident. People can get a one-day supply from a local pharmacy now that Michigan's joined a federal program to get the potassium iodide pills. They help protect from radiation damage to the thyroid gland.
Janet Olzewski is the director of the Michigan Department of Community Health. "There's nothing about this that should be assumed to state that the plants are somehow unsafe at this point in time," Olzewski says. "This is merely good public health practice, just another measure of prevention that people can take advantage of."
Olzewski says the pills are no substitute for evacuation or seeking shelter from fallout in the event of a nuclear accident. Michigan has three nuclear plants - The D. C. Cook plant in Bridgman, the Fermi Two plant in downriver Michigan, and the Palisades plant near South Haven. | <urn:uuid:fd136636-87d2-4822-9a5e-73467fd19d18> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://wkar.org/post/state-offers-anti-radiation-tablets-people-near-nuke-plants-0 | 2013-12-13T12:48:21Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918526 | 320 |
Career Collective post: Once a month, a group of career professionals blog on a subject topical and timely for a job seeker. We’ll post our thoughts on our own blog and link to the post of our colleagues on the same topic.
This month’s topic: Job-hunting “Rules” to Break/ Outdated Job-Search Beliefs
Responses from others contributors linked at the end. Follow the hashtag #CareerCollective on Twitter.
Back “in the day” I used to don my clamp-on roller skates and do laps in the basement. One of my favorite skating songs was by the Monkees “Shades of Gray.” Funny. Now, YEARS later, the message from that song is the core of the most frequent response I give job seekers when asked a question about conducting a job search:
How do I contact this company?
How do I find out the interviewers name?
Should I drop off a resume?
Should I call? Should I email?
Is faxing OK?
My friend said this __________ (fill-in-the-blank) worked for them. Will it work for me?
What do I say in an interview?
What do I wear?
What does HR think about ____ ?
Too often I find job seekers thinking there’s only one right way to conduct a search. They scour the Internet looking for the “THE” answer – a black or white, yes or no, definitive method to use when managing their careers. They’re convinced there’s a magic bullet. They’re sure, once found, that one technique will end the search and land their dream job with little effort. They glom on to what worked for their friend or acquaintance. They read an article about how sandwich boards worked for one job seeker. They find another article about how mailing an empty coffee cup or one shoe with a promise to fill the cup or deliver the other shoe at interview worked for another. They talk to Great-Aunt Tilly, their neighbor, the stranger in line at the grocery store. They try anything and everything. They ask questions about what HR thinks as if HR is some huge entity in the sky with a single mind.
They do all this without any thought to the specific position or industry, their own personal comfort level or even the individual preferences of the hiring authority behind the desk. Too often, I find job seekers willing to do whatever they’re told, until they’re told to sit down, think about the specific situation and formulate a strategy that not only fits the industry, the position and the players, but also fits them.
The best thing you can do for your job search is stop looking for ONE answer. Cookie cutter approaches don’t work in job search. What excites one hiring authority could offend another. What works in one industry may have you ostracized in another. What worked for your friend may not be the right fit for you.
As Davy Jones and Peter Tork sing in “Shades of Gray”:
“Today there is no day or night. Today there is no dark or light Today there is no black or white … only shades of gray.”
Dump the myth of a one-size-fits-all job search. (It’s not true in clothing and it’s not true in job search either.) Customize your search to fit the specific needs of your audience. Differentiate yourself. Make the reader feel special. Speak to their pain; their needs. Apply an “It depends/Shades of Gray” approach to your search and start gaining traction. Who wants cookie cutter, when you can have hand-dropped?
(And yes. I still have my “Headquarters” album.)
Here’s what my colleagues have to say:
Juice Up Your Job Search, @debrawheatman
It’s not your age, it’s old thinking, @GayleHoward
Want a Job? Ignore these outdated job search beliefs @erinkennedycprw
Job Search Then and Now, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes
Break the Rules or Change the Game? @WalterAkana
The New: From The Employer’s-Eye View, @ResumeService
Job Search: Breakable Rules and Outdated Beliefs, @KatCareerGal
Job Hunting Rules to Break (Or Why and How to Crowd Your Shadow), @chandlee @StartWire,
Shades of Gray, @DawnBugni
3 Rules That Are Worth Your Push-Back, @WorkWithIllness
How to find a job: stop competing and start excelling, @Keppie_Careers
Be You-Nique: Resume Writing Rules to Break, @ValueIntoWords
Modernizing Your Job Search, @LaurieBerenson
Don’t Get Caught With an Old School Resume, @barbarasafani
How Breaking the Rules Will Help You in Your Job Search, @expatcoachmegan
Beat the Job-Search-Is-a-Numbers-Game Myth, @JobHuntOrg
25 Habits to break if you want a job, @CareerSherpa | <urn:uuid:f42652ad-110a-419d-bddd-44ec7f000dc5> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://write-solution.com/2011/02/01/shades-of-gray/comment-page-1/ | 2013-12-13T12:44:04Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.899378 | 1,120 |
You've gotta hand it to LG. The Korean manufacturer knows how to package a smartphone, at least when U.S. carriers aren't involved.
Here we have the LG Optimus Vu. It's the crazy 5-inch, 4:3 aspect ratio half-phone/half-tablet mutant we first got our hands on at Mobile World Congress back in February in Barcelona. Now we've got it in our hot little hands, and we can easily say we've never seen a smartphone -- or tablet, or even the Samsung Galaxy Note -- packaged quite this way. And this isn't the first time LG's gone all creative on us -- you'll probably remember the excellent book that came along with the Optimus Black.
So kudos to LG for making our usual boring job of opening up a smartphone box and proving that there's a charger and maybe a set of earbuds inside just a little more fun.
And we'll have plenty more on the Optimus Vu coming right up.
- Related devices:
- Filed under: | <urn:uuid:2d697902-dca6-4e35-afcb-c151b44ead69> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.androidcentral.com/lg-optimus-vu-non-unboxing-unboxing | 2013-12-13T12:46:51Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933727 | 211 |
Calamian deer (Axis calamianensis)
|Also known as:||Calamanian deer, Calamian hog deer, Philippine deer|
|Spanish:||Ciervo De Los Calamianes, Ciervo Porquerizo De Los Calamianes|
|Size||Head-body length: 100 – 175 cm (2)|
Tail length: 12 – 38 cm (2)
Shoulder height: 60 – 100 cm (2)
|Weight||27 – 110 kg (2)|
Classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List 2007 (1) and listed on Appendix I of CITES (3).
The Calamian deer is a fairly small and heavy-bodied deer (4), with relatively long legs (5). Its coarse hair is tawny-brown with darker underparts (4) (6), and the legs are darker than the rest of the body (5). The face has subtle white markings around the muzzle, inside and at the base of the ears, and on the throat, and the underside of the short, bushy tail is also white. Undoubtedly, the most distinctive feature of the Calamian deer is the three-pronged antlers of the male (5): bony, hornlike appendages that are typically shed and re-grown each year (4).
As its name suggests, this deer occurs in the Calamian Islands, a group of islands in the Philippines. Within this island group, it is found on Busuanga and Culion, as well as the small island of Calauit, situated off the northwest tip of Busuanga (7). Calauit currently holds the largest population of Calamian deer, which has increased from a tiny population following the introduction of 30 individuals in 1977 (7).
The Calamian deer inhabits grassland, second growth scrub and woodland (7) (8).
Little information exists about the biology of the Calamian deer (6). It is said to occur in groups usually numbering 7 to 14 individuals, although in areas where this deer is heavily hunted, much smaller groups have been reported (7). In captivity, Calamian deer have been observed to mate and give birth year round, with a gestation period of around 222 days (9).
The antlers of the male deer arise from the skin covering the front of the skull and grow within a sensitive skin containing numerous blood vessels, called velvet. After providing the growing bone with oxygen and nutrients, the velvet dries and cracks when the antlers have reached their full size and the males rub it off by hitting their antlers against small trees or shrubs. This simultaneously stains the antlers with the dark sap that seeps from the tree’s bark (4).
These beautiful deer are hunted by local people, primarily for their meat, although their hides are sometimes used for drum-skins and their antlers for decoration (7). This hunting, which was particularly severe during the mid-1970s but has declined in more recent years (7), has left Calamian deer populations seriously depleted (5).
The greatest number of Calamian deer remains on Calauit Island (2), which in 1976 was declared a Game Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary (6), accompanied by the eviction of 256 families from the island (7). This population of deer is now threatened by the return of the evicted families, who have settled illegally on Calauit Island (7), bringing with them animals which may carry infectious diseases (6), and causing significant damage to the island’s forests through slash-and-burn agriculture (10).
The most significant conservation measures implemented for this Endangered species to date have been the establishment of the Calauit Island Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary and the introduction of 30 deer to the island (7). In 1993, the Calamian Deer Conservation Program was also launched, an initiative which has led to the undertaking of status surveys, research, conservation education, and the formation of management recommendations. There are no reserves on Busuanga and Culion, but relatively large parts of these islands fortunately remain undeveloped and sparsely inhabited (7).
For further information on conservation in the Philippines see:
- Haribon Foundation:
This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
- Gestation: the state of being pregnant; the period from conception to birth.
- Second growth scrub: scrub vegetation that has re-grown after a disturbance, such as fire or clearance.
- Slash-and-burn: the cutting and burning of forests or woodlands to create space for agriculture or livestock.
IUCN Red List (June, 2008)
- Nowak, R.M. (1999) Walker's Mammals of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland.
CITES (June, 2008)
- Macdonald, D.W. (2006) The Encyclopedia of Mammals. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
- Geist, V. (1999) Deer of the World: Their Evolution, Behaviour, and Ecology. Swan Hill Press, Shrewsbury, England.
- Maala, C.P. (2001) Endangered Philippine wildlife species with special reference to the Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga Jefferyi) and tamaraw (Bubalus Mindorensis). Journal of International Development and Cooperation, 8(1): 1 - 17.
- Wemmer, C. (1998) Deer: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN/SSC Deer Specialist Group, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
- Heaney, L.R., Balete, D.S., Dolar, M.L., Alcala, A.C., Dans, A.T.L., Gonzales, P.C., Ingle, N.R., Lepiten, M.V., Oliver, W.L.R., Ong, P.S., Rickart, E.A., Tabaranza Jr, B.R. and Utzurrum, R.C.B. (1998) A synopsis of the mammalian fauna of the Philippine Islands. Fieldiana Zoology, 88: 1 - 61.
- Villamor, C.I. (1987) Breeding of Calamian deer (Axis calamianensis) in captivity. Sylvatrop, Philippines Forestry Research Journal, 12: 49 - 60.
- Oliver, W.L.R. (1993) Calamian deer field survey and (proposed) conservation program. Deer Specialist Group News, 11: 3 - 4. | <urn:uuid:8f6162b4-ae92-40aa-bb55-97cf448ef6b1> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.arkive.org/calamian-deer/axis-calamianensis/factsheet | 2013-12-13T12:33:36Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.883107 | 1,401 |
Nelson Mandela home from hospital after check-up
Former South African President Nelson Mandela, 94, is back home in Johannesburg after spending the night in hospital following a check-up.
A statement by the president's office said that he had undergone a successful, scheduled medical examination at a clinic in Pretoria.
"He is well and as before," the office added on its website.
Mr Mandela spent 18 days in hospital in December, undergoing treatment for a lung infection and gallstones.
His health has been a cause of concern for many years.
He was admitted for the check-up at a Pretoria hospital on Saturday afternoon.
Mr Mandela served as South Africa's first black president from 1994 to 1999 and is widely regarded as the father of the nation for leading the struggle against apartheid and for democracy.
He first contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while detained in Robben Island prison.
He has been admitted to hospital on three occasions in the past two years. In January 2011, he was treated for a chest infection in Johannesburg.
During his December stay in hospital, President Zuma at one point described his condition as "serious", but added that he was responding to treatment.
The former president has been rarely seen in public since retiring from public life in 2004. | <urn:uuid:89656719-bd20-476f-b792-b566872f7ac8> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21728050 | 2013-12-13T12:33:26Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986327 | 263 |
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Childress Racing revs up Davidson HQ operation
- Mark Tosczak
- The Business Journal Serving the Greater Triad Area
(Page 4 of 4)
Another carrier coming?
Apparently Allegiant is not the only airline eyeing service out of PTI. Bob Tenenbaum, a spokesman for the startup discount carrier Skybus, says PTI is on the list of airports the airline is considering. Based in Columbus, Ohio, the airline is still waiting for its final certification from the Federal Aviation Administration before announcing flight locations. Tenenbaum said the certification is expected to come in April and the airline hopes to begin flights in May.
Since the company is starting with only two airplanes and two cities, it seems unlikely that PTI will be the first destination. But Tenenbaum says they plan to add about one plane, and one city, each month after that, so maybe we could have another new carrier here by the end of the year.
Global group, local publisher
It's a big world out there, especially in the increasingly global furniture industry, but Joe Carroll is helping make it a little easier to cover for the international trade press.
Carroll, publisher of the High Point-based industry newspaper Furniture/ Today, has been named chairman of the International Alliance of Furnishings Publications. That alliance was founded in 1995 and includes exactly one publication from each of the 15 member countries, selected by other members based on editorial quality and advertising revenue.
The arrangement essentially gives member papers like Furniture/Today a foreign bureau in each of the other countries, since the newspapers share editorial content, promotions and market research. Carroll will lead the alliance for the next two years.
Has someone said or done something that's got the office buzzing? Let the rest of the Triad know by letting Triad Talk know. Send Senior Reporter Mark Tosczak tips and tidbits at (336) 370-2909 or firstname.lastname@example.org. You can also catch The Business Journal on radio and television every Friday. Editor Kevin Bumgarner is on WFMY-News 2 at 6:35 a.m. and WFDD-88.5 at 7:35 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Talk contributors: Michelle Cater Rash, Matt Harrington, Matt Evans
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North Carolina likely would have to offer Boeing an incentive package well in excess of $1B to build a massive plant here. Should it?
- Accounting Assistant The Mint Museum | Charlotte, NC
- Careers at Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless | Local Opportunities
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- STORE MANAGER, THOMASVILLE NC Dollar General Corporation | Thomasville, NC | <urn:uuid:5b392391-4a94-45d6-977e-068feccf0c02> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2007/03/26/tidbits1.html?page=4 | 2013-12-13T12:35:42Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914649 | 748 |
So they updated their system which allows for no more tethering. Why is it that they offer "unlimited everything" for $99usd, but charge $45usd for "phone as a modem" service? I'm glad my contract is up in March. /rant
Not trying to be a smarta$$ or anything, but you may want to price the plan you have with other carriers before you dump Sprint. I think you'll find that even though this is a crappy deal, their price will still beat any other carrier's.
juwaack68, A CSR I just spoke to right now said so, in fact, they suggested I reduce my plan and ADD the service. Hell no. My salesman and I discussed PAM when I signed my contact. Now, over a year and a half later into my contract, they eliminate the service I pretty much signed up for, and ask me to pay $45usd more (on top of my "unlimited everything" plan).
Something doesn't sound right here. I would verify that they are not trying to give you a connection card IN ADDITION to your BlackBerry.
I add PAM for my users who travel overseas (it's included in the BES plans, but requires a $15 add-on when they switch to the international BB BES plan). Something doesn't smell right about a $45 upcharge.
I just checked their website and the $149/mo is for an additional connection card, from what I can see.
I have a pricing grid from my Sprint rep at work and can check tomorrow.
__________________ No longer a BES Admin, but it was fun while it lasted! | <urn:uuid:0ac09d96-0834-40e0-86f1-aa8241265b2e> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.blackberryforums.com/general-blackberry-discussion/207051-sprints-unlimited-everything-plan-joke.html | 2013-12-13T12:39:38Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973148 | 346 |
You simply slip the seat belt through both carrier keeper straps and then follow with your seat carrier or crate. Once everything is snug, you and Fido are ready to ride without compromising any of those original carrier comforts.
- No slip adjusters so you can be sure it is secure for the whole ride
- Compatible with all seat belts and carriers
- Easy release with push of button
- Straps extend 8 ft from end to end
Caution: Always check seatbelt straps and closures for damage or signs of wear before you leave for your trip. Make sure your dog always has proper ventilation and never leave them alone in your vehicle.
Weight: 2.5 lbs.
Manufacturer: Motivation Design Dba Kurgo
Mfg Part #: 01120
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Ask a Question
Ask your question today to get answers from other owners of this product and Camping World staff members. If you have a question for customer service such as pricing, shipping or order information please do not submit your question through this form. Please contact Customer Service. | <urn:uuid:c62e94f7-a5fb-4bee-a1af-95d4d7ddc5b7> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/carrier-keeper-black/59214 | 2013-12-13T12:46:28Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928858 | 228 |
What makes a strong leader?
As a business owner with employees, you are also a boss. But how do you become an effective leader of your troops? Like many entrepreneurs, you may have started your business with little or no prior management experience. If so, to become a strong leader, you may have to learn on the fly.
Our Leadership skills page offers ideas and resources that can help you understand what it takes to hone your craft as a leader. You will also find our list of Essential Qualities of a Strong Leader highlighting attributes such as:
- Sharing your "team" vision
- Delegation of tasks
- Rewarding your employees | <urn:uuid:186f0cd3-c57c-4f64-8c92-fcf9c1b3a8a7> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/blog/entry/3626/sgc-48/sgc-12/sgc-60/sgc-46/ | 2013-12-13T12:32:21Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959926 | 133 |
Cal NORML/MAPS Study Shows Vaporizer Can Drastically Reduce Toxins in Marijuana Smoke
(Click here for full report published in the Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics 4(1), 2004).
Harmful toxins in marijuana smoke can be effectively avoided by a vaporization device, according to a new study by California NORML and MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) with support from a grant from the MPP (Marijuana Policy Project).
The study, conducted by Chemic Labs in Canton, Mass., tested vapors from cannabis heated in an herbal vaporizer known as the Volcano® (manufactured by Storz & Bickel GmbH&Co. KG, Tuttlingen, Germany) and compared them to smoke produced by combusted marijuana. The Volcano® is designed to heat material to temperatures of 130° to 230° C (266° to 446° F) where medically active vapors are produced, but below the threshold of combustion where smoke is formed.
The vapors from the Volcano® were found to consist overwhelmingly of THC, the major active component in marijuana, whereas the combusted smoke contained over 100 other chemicals, including several polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), carcinogenic toxins that are common in tobacco smoke. The respiratory hazards of marijuana and tobacco smoke are due to toxic byproducts of combustion, not the active ingredients in the plant, known as cannabinoids.
The study suggests that medical marijuana patients can avoid the respiratory hazards of smoking by using a vaporizer. In its 1999 report on medical marijuana, the Institute of Medicine recommended against long-term use of smoked marijuana because of the health risks of smoking. However, the IOM failed to take account of vaporizers.
Previous studies have found that vaporizers can reduce harmful toxins in cannabis smoke. However this is the first study to analyze the gas phase of the vapor for a wide range of toxins. A previous NORML/MAPS study conducted by Chemic Labs found that a vaporizer known as the M-1 Volatizer® completely eliminated three specific toxins (naphthalene, benzene and toluene) in. the solid phase of the vapor (D. Gieringer, "Cannabis Vaporization: A Promising Strategy for Smoke Harm Reduction," Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics Vol. 1#3-4: 153-70 (2001)).
The new study used a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS) to examine the gas components of the vapor. The analysis showed that the Volcano® vapor was remarkably clean, consisting 95% of THC with traces of cannabinol (CBN), another cannabinoid. The remaining 5% consisted of small amounts of three other components: one suspected cannabinoid relative, one suspected PAH, and caryophyllene, a fragrant oil in cannabis and other plants. In contrast over 111 different components appeared in the gas of the combusted smoke, including a half dozen known PAHs. Non-cannabinoids accounted for as much as 88% of the total gas content of the smoke.
The study used standard NIDA cannabis with 4% THC content. A quantitative analysis found that the Volcano® delivered 46% of the THC into vapor following three 45-second exposures of the sample to the heat. This compares favorably with the typical efficiency of marijuana cigarettes as observed in other studies, which depending on conditions can fall below 25% due to loss of THC in sidestream smoke. An important feature of the Volcano® is that it uses a balloon to capture the vapor, thereby avoiding leakage to the air. It is possible that higher THC efficiencies could have been reached with the Volcano® by stirring the sample around and exposing it to more heat.
The combusted sample achieved a relatively high THC efficiency of 78% upon complete combustion. The high efficiency seems due to the fact that the sample was completely consumed by combustion, and that smoke leakage was effectively prevented by the laboratory setup. Similar conditions do not obtain under normal circumstances when a marijuana cigarette is smoked and much of the THC is lost to the air or left in the unburned "roach."
Two other cannabinoids , cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN), were detected in the NIDA cannabis in trace amounts of 0.1%. Both the Volcano® and combustion delivered an apparent increase in CBD and CBN, but the variance of the data was too high to reach statistically significant conclusions.
Sponsors believe that the study results lend support for wider use of vaporizers by medical marijuana patients and researchers. At present, the only FDA-approved method for administering marijuana to human research subjects is via smoking NIDA cigarettes. NORML and MAPS are supporting efforts to have vaporizers approved by the FDA. As a first step in this effort, Dr. Donald Abrams of the University of California, San Francisco, has submitted a grant proposal to the California Center for Medical Cannabis Research in San Diego to test the Volcano® in human subjects. If the protocol is funded and the Volcano® approved by the FDA for human research, it will be the first human study using a vaporizer. If the FDA requests additional laboratory data about the Volcano@, additional funding may be necessary.
California NORML Release May, 2003 | <urn:uuid:101533a0-b0c4-49b9-a306-2c03870b6557> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.canorml.org/healthfacts/Second-Study-Shows-Vaporizers-Drastically-Reduce-Toxins-in-Marijuana-Smoke | 2013-12-13T12:34:11Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934043 | 1,081 |
Actor and Car Guy Paul Walker Killed(Dec 03, 2013)It was a bad call to approach that car. Sometimes not everyone can be saved. The closest thing to James Dean of our generation and ironically he died in a Porsche.
Mayhem Between SUV and Bikers in NYC Ends Badly(Sep 30, 2013)I ride a motorcycle. Any of you guys thinking the RR was at pure fault are wrong. Those guys were way too aggressive. The guy being a dick by getting that close was wrong, not the RR driver. He is lucky he wasn't actually ran over.
The Lotus Esprit Will Forever Live On(Sep 07, 2013)No, OZ are and usually were heavy. There's a variation if the Superleggera that's pretty light. I don't remember how much these weighed. I'm 90% sure they're OZ but they could, slight could, be a set of Fittipaldi. Better stuff now!
The Ford Mustang Concepts that Missed the Grade(Aug 31, 2013)Nice rear. Still futuristic looking and not in a tacky 70s way like we see. This design has aged well is what I'm saying. It's obvious that at the time it would have been expensive.
Ferrari 458 Speciale Spied in the Metal(Aug 29, 2013)I would never, ever, have a 458 winched from its A-arm, to be delivered. I either drive it home or it gets delivered in a trailer 4" from the ground... Purchaser's orders | <urn:uuid:d76c9744-57b5-4d96-8180-ccdd89f3c5dd> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.carbuzz.com/user/1263129359/ | 2013-12-13T12:34:22Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980153 | 317 |
NEW! Search for a Marriage Record (beta)
Marriage records are open to the public. Marriage records are filed in the county where the license was ISSUED, which would be the county of residence of the parties. You can obtain a certified copy of a marriage in person or by mail. For mail requests, fill out the Application for a Certified Copy of a Marriage License, and mail it to the Calhoun County Clerk with the appropriate fee.
$10.00 for the first certified copy. $5.00 for each additional copy of that record made at the same time.
Make check or Money Order payable to Calhoun County Clerk.
Visa or MasterCard is also accepted.
Anne B. Norlander
Clerk and Register of Deeds
315 W. Green St.
Marshall, MI 49068
The following documents provide information on obtaining and filling out a Marriage License: | <urn:uuid:cc9ef2b4-fa06-421b-a079-b19543becb0e> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.co.calhoun.mi.us/docs/vital.taf?_function=marriage&_UserReference=63D380634021C1014C869DE4 | 2013-12-13T12:32:12Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.893999 | 187 |
At Least One Lie Episode Three
This may shock and possibly even appall, but I don't use the internet to research this column. I read books, newspapers, magazines -- I have even been spotted at the library on occasion. This has the tendency to make one feel like a Luddite or some kind of post- modern information guerilla. While I'm sure these items may exist on the internet, I will never reference them here because;
- I don't know where these references are and;
- It would make it far too easy to tell what's the truth and complete fabrication if I linked to the stories.
Given how quickly modern society has become dependent on the internet for information retrieval, relying on print media, especially when it's hidden in such an esoteric place as a library, almost feels like cheating.
But I suppose I am cheating. While most of the stories below are taken from said books, newspapers and magazines to show how comics aren't simply fanciful creations, one of them is a lie. In all of them, though, I'll be noting comics that make good use of the ideas presented here.
Super-criticality may sound like something your mother-in-law specializes in, but it's actually a name for a cascading effect among space debris. The threat here is that orbital debris might begin smashing into each other, causing a domino effect that could destroy portions of the world's satellite networks, endangering civilian and military communications. Theoretically, a nation could push this to happen by taking out key satellites, such as China did last year when it zapped one of its own aging weather satellites. Why would you want to do this? Well, currently the U.S. military is nearly dependent on satellite networks for its eyes and ears. Infinite Horizon is a title from Image that capitalizes on this idea. An adaptation of The Odyssey, it takes the anger of the gods in the original work and replaces it with a war in which everything has gone wrong, including the destruction of military satellites, resulting in the main characters becoming completely separated from the chain of command.
Of course, you don't need to look into the theoretical to get strange. Recently in New Zealand marine scientists studying the corpse of a gigantic squid measure its eye at 11 inches across. Of course, the body had been frozen for awhile, so the biologists assume that it would, in fact, be larger if the creature were still living. It'd probably be the equivalent of swimming along and having an eye the size of a hubcap open in front of you. That's what seniors refer to as a 'bladder control moment'. So what else lives down there in the deep blue sea? Gutsville, another Image title, takes a look at this by supposing that a band of colonists from England were swallowed by a giant sea creature and forced to carve out a living in its belly. Sound implausible? Sure, but a penguin recently discovered in the belly of a Blue Whale makes it seem less so. The whale's digestive system, use to only breaking down plankton, didn't kill the penguin, but the little bird had been in there long enough to have had the feathers on his behind begin to dissolve.
Perhaps the weirdness and seeming hostility of nature is the reason that mankind can be so hostile itself. But does what we do really matter? To us as a species, certainly. To the planet? Probably not. Recently a group of ecologists took a look at some coral that had been nuked 50 years previous to discover that 65 percent of the species have returned to the kilometers wide crater. Mother Nature is just chugging along at the Bikini Atoll. In a nod to this, BOOM!'s Northwind takes place in a future where Man's pollution has turned Winter eternal and the equator has been nuked because, true to our species, we couldn't share. However, while people in Northwind may be hiding underground, the planet continues to change and adapt, not seeming to much notice our presence.
So we're on a hostile planet that doesn't much care if we're on it. Is it any coincidence, then, that we're so cruel to one another? In April, a report released showed that the CIA viewed legal problems from "harsh interrogation" techniques to be inevitable. Not surprisingly, someone over there had the conversation that I imagine went something like, "Yes, Martha, torturing people will probably get us sued, so we'd better have a defense drawn up." So they set out to build a legal support from the Justice Department, which they received in the form of Alberto Gonzales. Left On Mission is another title from BOOM! that tackles this issue in the espionage sphere, head on. And not in a sexy, pro-torture, 24 way, but in morally shady and far more realistic fashion.
It's not terribly surprising, though, that secret agents and covert organizations, by definition groups with little to no oversight, don't always act honorably and sometimes even act criminally. To wit, investigators from the Government Accountability Office were a bit distressed to realize just how easy it was to gain sensitive material over the Internet. On eBay alone, they were able to pick up a nuclear-biological- chemical suit and space parts for a F-14. While the States may have retired its F-14 fleet, Iran is currently sitting on a bunch of them that could function if only they could find the spare parts. Of course, while becoming a regional powerhouse, Iran also has its share of criminal problems. Recently the capital Tehran's police chief, in charge of fighting vice in the city, has been arrested after being caught with six nude women in a brothel during a police raid. Naturally, crime in all of its forms, has always been fertile ground for comics, with 100 Bullets and Criminal being the current standard bearers. Image and Virgin are doing some work in the past eras of the genre with Pretty Baby Machine and Dock Walloper respectively.
So there you have it, the weird and the wonderful in our world and how it's peaking through in comics.
If you're interested in finding out the answer to last week's column you can
find it at http://madbastard.hypersites.com.
Got a comment or question about this Soapbox?
Leave at message at the Silver Soapboxes Message Board. | <urn:uuid:57eaeddf-272a-4659-adac-574052ea15d7> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.comicsbulletin.com/main/sites/default/files/soapbox/121072619050218.htm | 2013-12-13T12:44:13Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971342 | 1,316 |
<i>Visit http://wmata.com/timetables/timetables-state.cfm?State=VA for timetables and other information about these routes.</i>
The Tysons Corner-Dunn Loring Line, Route 2T serves the Tysons Corner area of McLean and Vienna. The route begins at Tysons Corner Center and stops at Tysons-Westpark Transit Station; Tysons Towers; and makes two stops in Vienna before ending at the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metrorail station. The route runs seven days a week.
The Pimmit Hills Line, Route 3T, runs through the Pimmit Hills area with terminal stops at the Tysons-Westpark Transit Station and the West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail station. Other stops in McLean are at Tysons Corner Center; the Colshire Drive loop (Westgate); and at Anderson and Chain Bridge Roads. This route is not in service on Sunday.
The D.C.-Dulles Line, Route 5A, runs from the L’Enfant Plaza Metrorail station to Dulles Airport. Area stops are at the Tysons-Westpark transit station and at the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride along the Dulles Toll Road. This route runs seven days a week.
The Chain Bridge Road Line, Routes 15 K and L, both with terminal stops at George Mason University in the City of Fairfax and the Rosslyn Metrorail station in Arlington, make stops at Tysons Corner Center and along Dolley Madison Boulevard (called Chain Bridge Road outside of McLean) at Old Courthouse Road; Colshire Drive; Old Dominion Drive; Langley; and Kirby Road. Transfers to Route 23C at Langley are prohibited for security reasons, connections can be made at Dolley Madison Boulevard and Potomac School Road.
The McLean-Crystal City Line, Routes 23A and C, both begin at the Crystal City Metrorail station and make two stops in McLean on Old Dominion Drive at Kirby Road; and Corner Lane. Here the routes split, with Route 23C continuing to a terminal stop at Langley, and Route 23A continuing to Chain Bridge and Anderson Roads; Tysons Corner Center; the Tysons Galleria; and ending at the Tysons-Westpark Transit Station. Route 23A is in service seven days a week; Route 23C runs weekdays only.
The McLean Hamlet-East Falls Church Line, Route 24T, runs from the Tysons-Westpark Transit Station to the East Falls Church Metrorail Station. Stops are at Lewinsville and Falstaff Roads; #1501 Farm Credit Drive, the Farm Credit Administration building; Great Falls Street and Aynsley Lane; and Westmoreland Street and Kirby Road. The route runs only on weekdays.
The Alexandria-Tysons Corner Line, Routes 28A and B, take separate routes from the King Street Metrorail station in Alexandria to Tysons Corner Center. Both routes stop at Leesburg Pike and Lisle Avenue before ending at the shopping center. Route 28B runs seven days a week, but Route 28A does not run on Sundays.
The Tysons Corner-West Falls Church Line, Route 28T, with terminal stops at the Tysons-Westpark Transit Station and the West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail station, makes stops at Leesburg Pike and Lisle Avenue; Tysons Corner Center; Gosnell Road and Tyspring Street; and the Westwood Center. This route is in service Monday through Friday.
<b>Fairfax Connector Bus</b>
<i>Visit http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/north.htm for route maps and schedules.</i>
The Tysons-Westpark Transit Station/West Falls Church Metro Line, Routes 425 and 427, runs from the Tysons-Westpark Transit station to Jones Branch Drive, Greensboro Drive and the West Falls Church Metrorail station. Route 425 is in service seven days a week, Route 427 runs weekdays only.
The Tysons Corner-Reston Town Center Line, Route 574, runs from the Tysons Corner Center to the Reston Town Center transit station. Stops in between those terminals in the Tysons Corner area include the Tysons-Westpark transit station; Tyco Road and Leesburg Pike; and Leesburg Pike and Beulah/Forestville Roads. The route runs seven days a week. | <urn:uuid:032e12e2-3e85-499d-aee0-ed2a6f1bcf31> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2008/aug/28/transportation/ | 2013-12-13T12:33:14Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.878785 | 971 |
The Teaching of King Amenemhat I
mk stAw xpr iw.i m xmt.k
n sDmt Snyt swAD.i n.k
n Hmst.i Hna.k ix iry.i sxrw.k
Hr-ntt n Hr.i st n xmt.i st
n in ib.i wsft nt bAkw
Section 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
SEE, THE ATTACK HAPPENED WHEN I WAS WITHOUT YOU, Before the court had heard I would hand over to you,
Before I had sat with you, to make your position.
For I had not feared it, I had not envisaged it.
My hear had not borne the failure of servants.
Commentary to the translation. Detailed points
Perhaps more specifically 'treason' or 'treachery'
Before I had sat with you, to make your position: on the coregency question,
see the general commentary
I had not envisaged it A stark implicit contrast to the ideological norm whereby the king rules, like the sun-god, with Divine Perception (Sia).
This word denotes not all estate-workers, but those whose juridical status tied them to the person of their master, the closest in Middle Kingdom Egypt to the ancient Greek and Roman category of slave. However, the same word was used by extension to denote all subjects on a lower level, regardless of juridical status. In late Middle Kingdom letters, the sender regularly takes the designation 'servant', much as modern letters use the phrase 'Yours' without literal significance.
Copyright © 2000 University College London. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:b7b49b8e-4b74-40d7-86a6-0b2bde03384d> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/literature/teachingaisec8.html | 2013-12-13T12:31:51Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.894384 | 367 |
NYX Photochromic Comet
Home » Products » Health Supplements » Sports Glasses » NYX Photochromic Comet
NYX Sports Vision Systems new Chrysalis photochromic technology automatically adjusts for optimal light transmission. With a dynamic variation range of 45% to 15%, the photochromic technology delivers the precise amount of light whether it's sunny, cloudy, shaded or in extreme glare.
The photochromic lenses are polycarbonate for impact resistance and available in Grey, Amber.
The Comet comes with durable storage case, microfiber poly-bag cleaning cloth, 1 set of photochromic lenses and frame.
Other products to consider: | <urn:uuid:9d002da7-8c92-45c4-af85-ec1e7dcd014b> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.earinc.com/p3-nyxcomet.php | 2013-12-13T12:34:03Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.785379 | 135 |
Todd, a bit late (by 3 weeks or so by the look of it)
My opinion.. there's nothing wrong with buying a nice radio, after all, that's the "user interface", the bit you can play with in the middle of the night, the knobs and dials to enjoy. I have an FT1000MP with a couple of dipoles. I don't see why my antenna should represent a boat anchor.
But readers might like to check out http://www.hamuniverse.com/multidipole.html
which I am building. Currently I have a G5RV wrapped around the attic in a "Z shape" configuration together with a separate 20 meter dipole built from mains electrical cable which handles DX very well!
I wonder if this will help? | <urn:uuid:8447a427-3142-49eb-8a18-8510f08c02e7> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php?action=profile;u=4300113;sa=showPosts | 2013-12-13T12:34:18Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929768 | 166 |
Sorry, this item sold. Have BglorifiedBoutique make something just for you, or try these other items:
Please read your item's production time that can be found under the Ships from United States section on each listing.
This style is comfy and loose with 3/4 length sleeves.
The upcycled Sweater is hand washable in cold water. Please lay flat to keep the best heart shape.
Thanks to Dana Ann Photography for the brilliant photos:
Return to my shop here: | <urn:uuid:45581e3a-8a65-40aa-8b36-dc218cb4be31> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.etsy.com/listing/94192629/heart-cut-out-sweater-super-wide-cut-out?ref=listing_favoriter&atr_uid=13029707 | 2013-12-13T12:50:39Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.830695 | 107 |
P*DE*Q Profile: How to Utilize the Fresno Food Expo to Successfully Launch Your Company
P*DE*Q was born out of a food craving and a desire by owner Flavia Takahashi-Flores to open her own business after years of helping develop and launch businesses for a variety of companies.
Born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Flavia was educated as a food engineer and then in 1998 she immigrated to the United States. In 2006, she earned her M.B.A. from California State University, Fresno’s Craig School of Business. Since being in the United States, Flavia has held positions as a food engineer and business development manager for a variety of companies. She loved developing businesses but in 2005 made the decision to take the step to open a business of her own.
Since leaving her home in Brazil, Flavia greatly missed eating pão de queijo, a tapioca-based cheese bread that is a classic snack in Brazil. So, she drew upon that food craving when developing her first business plan for P*DE*Q while completing her M.B.A. at Fresno State. The plan helped Flavia to sharpen her vision, and ignited her dream to start working towards building a business of her own circled around her passion for food. Flavia first worked on the product formulation – her goal was to use the original receipe and adapt it to the American taste, with American products that were natural. Along with the formulation, she worked on the marketing strategy, the business structure and financial backing.
As she learned about the Fresno Food Expo to be held March 11, 2011, Flavia knew that would be her launching pad for P*DE*Q. In the Fall of 2010, she made sure the following pieces were in place in order to effectively launch her product at the Inaugural Fresno Food Expo.
- Production Formulation (tested and accepted by the market)
- Establish a reliable supply chain (From ingredients to packaging supplies to distribution outlets)
- Establish a clear vision of the target market, market strategy and product positioning (prices, packaging, etc.)
- Develop Marketing Tools (website, Facebook, Twitter, business collateral material, product collateral material)
- Establish initial financial funds to launch the business
“The Fresno Food Expo is an incredible platform to launch a business like mine. In one location there are industry peers, buyers, distributors and the public allowing you to make connections needed to successfully launch your business,” said Flavia Takahashi-Flores. “But you must be sure to have all the pieces listed above covered so that when an opportunity presents itself, you can move quickly on it.”
Success from the Fresno Food Expo:
- At least 75% of P*DE*Q’s overall sales can be traced back to various contacts made at the Fresno Food Expo.
- More than 50% of P*DE*Q’s catering customers come from contacts made at Fresno Food Expo.
- The company’s first Point-of-Purchase display is at Sierra Nut House, who was also a fellow exhibitor at the Fresno Food Expo.
- P*DE*Q averages four promotional events a month to further introduce the product to the market and at least one of those events was made possible by a contact established at the Fresno Food Expo.
- Established a strong connection and support from City of Fresno officials and governor services. This has been critical in helping Flavia as she expands her business from finding a manufacturing location, reliable commercial contractors, to locating capital funds.
- In October of 2011, just seven months after the Fresno Food Expo, Flavia will open her own P*DE*Q manufacturing location with a grab-n-go store. Her goal is to have a place where people can eat P*DE*Qs, while watching her staff manufacture the product. Along with baked P*DE*Q, the store will also offer coffee and tea, boba tea, ice-cream, and many products that complement the P*DE*Q flavor.
You can connect with P*DE*Q at the 2012 Fresno Food Expo to be held March 8th or through the contact information below: | <urn:uuid:a27d1945-cc9a-49c8-ab4e-5e6fa652e7a3> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.fresnofoodexpo.com/producers/pdeq | 2013-12-13T12:44:04Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967646 | 881 |
Low flows of Santa Fe River, springs a concern
Published: Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 7:52 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 7:52 p.m.
HIGH SPRINGS -- Jim Wood looked out at what used to be a river and spotted a glass bottle. He stepped down and used a pole to retrieve it from the muck. At least, he joked, the Santa Fe drying up made it easier to clean.
From the dock of Wood's business here, the Santa Fe Canoe Outpost, the river has been barely moving recently, and its depth is the lowest he has seen since buying the outfitter in the 1980s.
When he bought the company, the water came about 50 yards farther inland, up to the lot where the canoes are stored.
Now, he said, “It's like a swamp.
“What a difference 20 years make.”
Like the Santa Fe, springs in the area also are flowing the weakest they have since data started being collected in the early 20th century.
One reason is the severe drought the region has been in for the past few years. But academics, officials, the environmentally conscious and river-goers are grappling over the impact human consumption has had on the water table and what needs to be done to keep that in check.
At a time when the water supply is stressed, the Florida Legislature has fiscally gutted the state's five water management districts and imposed more oversight over their spending, making their difficult charge of balancing growth and preservation that much more arduous.
But there has been no indication from the districts covering North Central Florida — the Suwannee River and St. Johns River water management districts — that more pumping permits won't be granted, though an effort is beginning to require the largest water users — farms — to monitor what they are pumping out of the ground.
A few weeks after Wood was on his dock bemoaning the condition of the Santa Fe, the river was covered in a green algae, a byproduct of the low water levels and nitrates from lawn fertilizer seeping into the aquifer.
“We keep pumping more and more out of the ground,” Wood said. “I'm afraid we're going to kill the goose that laid the golden egg.”
Lowest flows, levels ever?
Poe Springs has been closed to swimmers for the past four months as Alachua County builds a new retaining wall and steps around the swimming hole.
But the severely low flow out of the spring is threatening to keep the park closed even after construction ends because, if it stops flowing, bacteria could develop there, said Chris Bird, director of Alachua County's Environmental Protection Department.
“It looks like an abandoned swimming pool,” Bird said recently.
On May 23, the flow was down to 0.59 cubic feet per second, according to data from the Suwannee River Water Management District, which includes western Alachua County. On Monday, it was at 0.26 cubic feet per second.
In May 2005, it was measured at 74.6
“We know where it's going,” Bird said. “It's going to zero.”
Some springs in the region already are there.
Hornsby Spring, at Camp Kulaqua off U.S. 441 south of the Santa Fe River, stopped pumping weeks ago, said Phil Younts, the camp's executive editor.
Traditionally, the senior class at Buchholz High School takes a trip to the spring at the end of the school year, but the Class of 2012 had to go elsewhere.
Younts said the spring stopped flowing once before that he knows of, in 2002 and 2003 during the midst of the last drought.
Bird said he can't recall Poe Springs ever stopping.
“In terms of recorded measurements, no one has recorded it stopping,” he said. “I'm not aware of any old-timers who remember it stopping.”
Flows in other springs such as Gilchrist Blue, Treehouse and Columbia have all dropped considerably in recent months, according to data from the water management district.
Wood said that because of the low water levels and lack of flow in the Santa Fe, paddlers who put in at his dock would end up spending three hours to take what is normally an hour-and-a-half trip down the river because they would have to get out of the canoes and walk in parts.
Lars Andersen, who owns Adventure Outpost, another outfitter in High Springs, said the river was “as low as I have seen it,” which is prompting concern among residents and officials.
“That combination of the visual evidence and the hard information is really getting people's attention, fortunately,” Andersen said. “Though it's hard to say what the remedy will be, at least short term.”
How much is being pumped?
Part of the water issue is that it's not entirely clear how much is being pumped every day.
The water management districts issue consumptive-use permits, setting the maximum amount of water a permit holder can withdraw in a day.
But large farms and ranches, which officials say use the majority of the groundwater that is pumped from the aquifer, aren't required to monitor their withdrawals.
A proposed 25,000-acre project being planned in Marion County called Adena Springs Ranch has filed an application with the St. Johns River Water Management District to pump more than 13 million gallons of water per day from the aquifer to feed the 30,000 cows that eventually will graze on the property.
Environmental groups have expressed concerns about the impact the ranch would have on the already-depleted Silver Springs nearby.
Jon Dinges, the director of water supply and resource management at the Suwannee River Water Management District, said the lack of monitoring of agricultural users has left a “data gap” for engineers who are trying to determine exactly how much is being drawn — and whether the biggest users are overdrawing.
“If you don't know what your water usage is or has been, it's very difficult to predict what it will be,” Dinges said. “It's important information in normal rainfall years or drought years.”
He and other staff from the district recently met with ranchers discussing plans to begin requiring monitoring of their usage.
During a meeting Friday in Gainesville of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' recently formed Agricultural Water Policy Advisory Council, state officials said they are working to formulate a long-term projection of agriculture's water needs.
Rich Budell, director of the Office of Agricultural Water Policy, said that task will not be easy. He said many farmers might not know what crops they will be growing four years down the road, and factors such as rainfall are difficult to predict.
That discussion also focused on the state's ongoing effort to have uniform statewide rules for all water withdrawal permits, including those for agriculture, and potential incentives to promote conservation on agricultural properties.
Pumping's effect unknown
David Richardson, the assistant general manager for water and wastewater systems at Gainesville Regional Utilities, said residential usage has dropped in the past few years because of conservation efforts and an uptick in xeriscaping, the practice of using plants in lawns that don't require irrigation, unlike the ever-popular St. Augustine grass.
Overall pumping in the utility's system has gone up and down since 2005, according to GRU data, going from 25.52 million gallons a day in 2005 to 27.21 million in 2007 to 24.59 million in 2011.
Richardson said the current drought conditions have exacerbated the issue, as farms will pump more water than normal to make up for the lack of rainfall.
Still, he said, it's unclear how much of the water issues are from the drought or from pumping.
“The hard part is teasing out what is driven by the climate and what is driven by pumping,” he said.
Megan Weatherington, a senior engineer at the Suwannee River District, said data to answer that problem isn't available, save for a study indicating that pumping had an impact on the Ichetucknee River.
“The reason the springs are low is because we're in a drought,” Weatherington said. “Pumping effects can make it worse, obviously, but there is no science right now, aside from work on the Ichetucknee, that can say it's a 1 percent impact or 10 percent or 50 percent. Those numbers do not exist.”
Still, there are people who would like to see the districts stop issuing permits for the time being.
Last month, the Suwannee River Water Management District's governing board passed a water-shortage order that will limit homeowners to watering their lawns once a week while still allowing golf courses to water their greens and tees every night.
Later that day, members of a nonprofit group of concerned residents, Our Santa Fe River Inc., applauded the step at a meeting called to discuss the state of the river.
But they made it clear to Charlie Houder, the acting executive director of the district, that they thought his agency could be doing more.
Asked whether the district planned a moratorium on issuing water-use permits, Houder said it didn't and that such a move isn't necessary at this point, adding it would be more disruptive than it would be good.
“Disruptive to whom?” a woman asked.
Demand down, water stress up
Wendy Graham, a water resources professor and director of the Water Institute at the University of Florida, said current conditions are largely because of the drought but that pumping has exacerbated the strain on the system, which in the past could handle a rain shortfall.
Graham said that while water demand on municipal utilities such as GRU has tended to go down over the past decade, as conservation pushes have become more widespread, the landscaping and farming needs have continued to put stress on the system during the drought.
“We're pushing things toward the edge,” she said. “As our water use goes up, we need to be smarter about how we use the water.”
Robert Knight, the director and founder of the H.T. Odum Florida Springs Institute, said the fact that droughts have come and gone before but Poe Springs and the Santa Fe River haven't been in such bad shape in recent memory indicates there is more at play than a cyclical climate.
“It's not a direct measurement of the groundwater level, but it's a pretty good indicator of it,” Knight said. “It's just too much pumping, and it becomes really obvious during a drought.”
Knight recently gave a presentation about the state of the Santa Fe to the Alachua County Commission, and while he said he appreciated some commissioners' interest in the issue, he said it wasn't necessarily up to them to fix the problem.
That responsibility, he said, rested with the water management districts. Or was supposed to.
Christopher Meindl, an associate professor of geography at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, has been following the districts and how the Legislature has handled them in recent years, and his graduate students now are examining how Tallahassee has made changes to their budget processes.
Meindl said some could rightly be critical of the water management districts for being stacked with board members who were builders and ranchers who weren't tough enough on the water issue.
But, he said, the Legislature is chipping away at the power they did wield.
In 2011, lawmakers cut their budgets by roughly 40 percent.
Earlier this year, the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott approved Senate Bill 1986, a measure that meant legislative leaders would have to approve the water management districts' budgets each year.
To Meindl, that smacked of, at best, overreach as Florida's voters, in the 1970s, created the districts to independently collect property tax revenues to be spent on water projects around the state.
“We have this half-decent infrastructure set up with water managers,” he said. “I think one of the biggest threats to water supply and the state of water generally is the disregard — the contempt almost, it seems to me — with which state leaders hold water management districts.”
Beryl offers little help
Last month, Tropical Storm Beryl swept from the Atlantic Ocean over Jacksonville and west over the Panhandle, dumping between 4 and 6 inches of rain on the area.
At the meeting at Poe Springs about the slime-coated Santa Fe, rain left over from the storm fell to the ground around the pavilion. It was a welcome reprieve, from the heat and the drought.
Days later, though, officials and river observers said they hadn't seen much uptick in water levels or flows since the rains, the heaviest in months.
Staff reporter Christopher Curry contributed to this report. Contact Chad Smith at 338-3104 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged. | <urn:uuid:48f43f79-1777-408c-9ed4-228f156a9509> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120609/ARTICLES/120609598?p=1&tc=pg | 2013-12-13T12:45:32Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970526 | 2,782 |
THIS GAME IS EVERYTHING I EXPECTED IT TO BE AND MORE. COMPARED TO THE ORIGINAL HEAD COACH FROM THE XBOX VERSION, THIS GAME IS EXCELLENT. IT MAKES YOU THINK MORE, AND IT IS COMPETITIVE. THE IDEA OF THE GAME IS TO BE THE BEST HEAD COACH IN THE NFL. THE GRAPHICS ARE GREAT AND THE REALISM OF THE GAME IS AWESOME. I HAD WAITED NEARLY A YEAR FOR THIS GAME, AND IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT. COMPARE TO MADDEN 09, HEAD COACH 09 IS BETTER WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING CONTROLLING EFFECTS OF REALITY VIA FANTASY.
It's a good game, but it gets boring. I used the Patriots and dominated, and after a day, it didn't get very fun. The Good: Create your own Head-Coach is awesome. Input from other coaches makes it more lifelike. Signing Free Agents is good, competition was added very well for free agents. The Draft. Being able to be fired made it more realistic. The Bad: Cutting players. The Draft(others put in too much info and if you don't like their opinion then they don't like you). Salary Cap, I know it's part of the game but it made free- agency kind of pointless. Game gets too easy, I had the Pats Offense storm up and down the field relentlessly, and my D was unstoppable.
Overall: B The minor mistakes took alot away from the game itself. Very Realistic. A few adjustments and it would have gone through the goal post!
At first this game looked cool but then oh no when I played it this game was one of the worst ever. I mean its ok but so many confusing things take the enjoyable part of the game and just throws it of the empire state building and when it hits the ground nothing is left but the most little microscopic particles. I do not recommend this game to anybody not even the head coach of the Colts. | <urn:uuid:82272830-fc92-465a-a97c-38ab8bebc863> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.gamefly.com/Rent-NFL-Head-Coach-09/130005/CriticAndUserReviews/userreviews/MostHelpful/Small/3/ | 2013-12-13T12:36:18Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948416 | 426 |
Barbra Streisand — actress/singer/director/writer/ composer/producer/designer/ author/activist and eight-time GRAMMY winner, GRAMMY Legend Award and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient — was honored as the 2011 MusiCares Person of the Year at its 21st annual benefit gala on Feb. 11 in Los Angeles.
An all-star group of performers paid tribute to Streisand, including Jeff Beck, Tony Bennett, Kristin Chenoweth, Darren Criss, Herbie Hancock, Diana Krall, Barry Manilow, Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison, LeAnn Rimes, Seal, Donna Summer, BeBe Winans, Stevie Wonder, and Nikki Yanofsky. Streisand also performed a medley of her hits, including "Happy Days Are Here Again," "The Way We Were," "Evergreen," and "Finally Found Someone."
The legendary artist was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year in recognition of her renowned creative accomplishments as well as her philanthropic work, which has included an extraordinary range of charitable activities over the years. Proceeds from the dinner and concert provide essential support for MusiCares, which ensures that music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need. | <urn:uuid:861ca570-0814-4d86-9401-3905d47736ec> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.grammy.org/musicares/news/streisand-feted-as-musicares-person-of-year | 2013-12-13T12:47:43Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954972 | 271 |
Chapter 20 : Writing on the Wall
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Currently he was sitting at a table in the library across from Scott. The two had a transfigurations test the next day and Scott needed help with some of material.
"Fera Verto," Scott said pointing his wand at a large rat that was sitting on the table in front of the two. The rat let out a squealing noise and tried to bolt. Tom lifted it into the air quickly before it got away. For a moment he briefly wondered if this counted as cruel and unusual punishment. It was the fifth time in a row that Scott had zapped the poor thing.
"You are waving it too much," Tom said, "This spell works best when you hold your wand steadier."
Scott nodded and tried again. This time the rat's fur turned a shade of bright pink although it didn't seem to notice anything.
Scott stared at it for a moment, willing the thing to change into a cup.
"I don't know what to tell you," Tom snorted out, "Its pink."
"I noticed," Scott sulked.
"You must be directing your magic wrong," Tom contemplated, once he had finished laughing.
"What?" Scott asked confused.
"A wand is only a tool used to refine your magic. It doesn't physically do the magic, you are the one who does it. If you were to somehow directing you're magic to make the rat pink, then I bet it wouldn't matter what incantation you were saying," Tom explained.
Scott furrowed his eyebrows, "Of course," Scott said sarcastically," Why didn't I think of that?"
Tom ignored him and sunk deep into his own thoughts. Directing magic was something very advanced; most wizards didn't ever learn it to any extent in their life time. His father had started to teach him the basics two year ago. The fact that he had waited until he was twelve was a testament to the difficulty of the technique. He was taught the three unforgivable curses when he was eight.
That's when the idea hit him. If done correctly channeling his magic wandlessly could create a powerful shield. When his father had been arrested that was the technique they were working on, how to cast protego without a wand. Tom never mastered the technique but he understood the gist of it. Legilimency was more or less a spell, if he made the shield smaller, and more concentrated, it might be able to work as a good Occlemency technique.
Tom stood up and started heading out of the door towards Snape's office.
"Wait, where are you going?" Scott shouted from behind him.
Tom spun around and pointed his wand at the rat, "Fera Verto." The rat transformed into a small goblet before toppling over.
"There the rat is now a cup," Tom called behind him, "I have to go talk to Professor Snape."
Tom ran out the door and started climbing down the stairs. His mind was racing though all of the possibilities of this new method. If it worked maybe he could project it further than his own mind. If it worked maybe he could start working on the protego spell again. If it worked…
Tom burst into the potions master's office. Snape was rummaging through potion ingredients.
"Professor I want to try one more time," he blurted out upon entrance.
Snape's dark eyes glanced coldly over at Tom, "I see you couldn't wait until tomorrow. Obviously you have learned an abundance of self-control," he said sarcastically.
"Sir is your way the only way to find success with Occlemency," Tom asked ignoring Snape's comment.
"It is the simplest method and I have no intention of teaching you another one of which you will be incapable of doing," Snape sneered.
"I think I know a way. You wouldn't have to teach me anything," Tom replied quickly.
"And what would your genious proposal be?" Snape snpped. The man couldn't have looked more uninterested if he tried.
Tom didn't say anything instead he looked waved his hand at a container on Snape's shelf. It fell to the ground but just before it shattered it stopped its fall. Tom lowered his arm slightly and it plopped itself gently on the ground. All of which he did without his wand.
Snape didn't look the slightest bit impressed of course, "Your point?" Snape asked impatiently.
"I think that if I can make a smaller version of the protego curse around my mind it might work instead of having good self-control," Tom explained. He examined his professor's face carefully hoping that the man was convinced.
"One try today," Snape said unhappily. Tom sat down eagerly into the chair and waited for Snape to cast the spell.
Jonathan and Tom ducked behind a couch that was cast onto its side. Around the two the room was in disarray. A woman's voice rang through the room calling several incantations. There must have been a duel going on. For a moment the two boys just hid there shaking in fear watching the reflection of different flashing lights in the broken mirror that was on the floor a few feet away from them.
Tom's conscience watched the scene stunned for a moment. He knew this was his own memory because it was familiar. He felt as if he were watching a movie that he had seen ages ago. He didn't remember the details, but the outcome was clear. This was the day his mother died.
The flashes continued. Some of them were green and that scared little Tom. He didn't know the lights came from killing curses at the time but he knew they were bad.
At this point Tom remembered that he was supposed to be blocking Snape out. He took in his three year old self in one last time before turning his attention away from the scene. He stretched his senses out looking for the sixth one that he had learned to recognize over the years, magic. He imagined a thin blue layer of protection around his mind.
For a moment the memory faded and he saw Snape again through his eyes. As fast as the real world returned though it went away and the memory returned.
Tom heard his voice pierce through the sounds of crashing objects, "Wake up Mommy," he said quietly.
Tom was standing over her fallen body. The woman's face once again became clear in Tom's memory. Her hair was a brown- almost blonde- color. Her nose was small and delicate and fit in her face well with her high cheek bones. Tom felt a lump form in his throat. His face was shaped like hers, like a pear. He felt a hand on his shoulder pulling him away. Little Tom turned to look up at the stranger. At that moment he didn't know the man, in time though he would come to know him as Father.
The vision faded and Tom felt himself frozen in his chair, unable to move. Snape was breathing heavily now his wand lowered.
"It worked," Snape breathed, shocked.
Tom didn't reply he just sat there and stared. That was his mother. He couldn't remember her face a few weeks ago. Furthermore, his father had been there.
His father had killed her.
No that couldn't be true. He would have known if he had done it. Tom would've known better than to defend the man when Jonathan accused him years ago.
Jonathan knew he killed her.
The day before he died Jonathan had been arguing with Tom. He was convinced that their father had been innocent. Tom felt sick to his stomach.
"Professor," Tom said in a voice just above a whisper. Snape had been talking about Occlemency, about Tom's new method.
"What?" Snape snapped annoyed that Tom had interrupted him.
"He did it didn't he?" Tom asked. His eyes desperately searched Snape's face for denial. It wasn't there.
Tom stood up," I'm going to dinner." Without another word Tom fled the room and walked up to the Great Hall.
Scott was waiting for him there.
"Hey Tom look I did it. That stupid rat is a cup now," he cried excitedly.
Tom smiled half-heartedly," That's great." He sat there silent for the rest of the meal as Scott talked excitedly about how he mastered the spell. For the first time since he had met the boy Tom didn't listen to the word he said.
"Are you ok?" Scott asked towards the end of dinner, "You haven't eaten anything. I mean no offence man, but usually you eat like a pig."
Tom put a fake smile on his face," I'm fine Scott, just tired."
"Alright," Scott said, though he obviously didn't believe him.
"I think I'm going to call it a night," Tom said, standing up to leave.
Scott stood up too, "I'm coming with you."
Tom didn't respond instead he just let Scott fall into step with him as the two headed towards the tower. When they turned the corner they saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing in the middle of the hall staring at something.
That wasn't what made Tom think something was wrong. It was the cat that was hanging stiff in front of the three. Tom rushed forward to see what was going on. Written on the wall beside the cat was "The chamber of secrets has been opened, enemies of the Heir beware" in blood.
Tom felt a wave of energy move through his dark marks. This day couldn't get any worse.
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Advances in Artificial Neural Systems
Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 703878, 20 pages
Modelling Biological Systems with Competitive Coherence
Theoretical Biology Unit, EA 3829, Department of Biology, University of Rouen, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
Received 8 February 2012; Revised 16 April 2012; Accepted 24 April 2012
Academic Editor: Olivier Bastien
Copyright © 2012 Vic Norris et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Many living systems, from cells to brains to governments, are controlled by the activity of a small subset of their constituents. It has been argued that coherence is of evolutionary advantage and that this active subset of constituents results from competition between two processes, a Next process that brings about coherence over time, and a Now process that brings about coherence between the interior and the exterior of the system at a particular time. This competition has been termed competitive coherence and has been implemented in a toy-learning program in order to clarify the concept and to generate—and ultimately test—new hypotheses covering subjects as diverse as complexity, emergence, DNA replication, global mutations, dreaming, bioputing (computing using either the parts of biological system or the entire biological system), and equilibrium and nonequilibrium structures. Here, we show that a program using competitive coherence, Coco, can learn to respond to a simple input sequence 1, 2, 3, 2, 3, with responses to inputs that differ according to the position of the input in the sequence and hence require competition between both Next and Now processes.
The quest for universal laws in biology and other sciences has led to the development—and sometimes the acceptance—of concepts such as tensegrity , edge of chaos [2, 3], small worlds , and self-organised criticality . This quest has also led to the pioneering () model developed by Kauffman in which is the number of nodes in an arbitrarily defined Boolean network and is the fixed degree of connectivity between them . The actual use of the () model to the microbiologist, for example, is that it might help explain how a bacterium negotiates the enormity of phenotype space so as to generate a limited number of reproducible phenotypes on which natural selection can act. Although the () model successfully generates a small number of short state cycles from an inexplorable vast number of combinations—which might be equated to generating a few phenotypes from the vast number apparently available to the cell—the model has its limitations for the microbiologist as, for example, it has a fixed connectivity, it does not evolve, and it does not actually do anything.
In a different attempt to find a universal law in biology, one of us began working on the idea of network coherence in the seventies. This idea is related to neural networks (though the idea was developed with no knowledge of them) which have indeed been proposed as important in generating phenotypes . The network coherence idea turned out to be scale-free and to address one of the most important problems that confronts bacteria, eukaryotic cells, collections of cells (including brains), and even social organisations. This problem is how a system can behave in (1) a coherent way over time so as to maintain historical continuity and (2) a coherent way at a particular time that makes sense in terms of both internal and environmental conditions. A possible solution would be for these systems to operate using the principle of competitive coherence [8, 9]. Competitive coherence can be used to describe the way that a key subset of constituents—the Active Set—are chosen to determine the behaviour of an organisation at a particular level. This choice results from a competition for inclusion in the Active Set between elements with connections that confer coherence over time (i.e., continuity) and connections that confer internal and external coherence at the present time. Given that living systems are complex or rather hypercomplex systems, characterised by emergent properties, we have speculated that competitive coherence has parameters useful for clarifying emergent properties and, perhaps, for classifying and quantifying types of complexity . We have further argued that competitive coherence might even be considered as the hallmark of life itself.
One of the objections to universal laws such as competitive coherence is that without testing they are mere hand-waving. To try to overcome this objection and to make the central idea and related ideas clear, we have implemented competitive coherence into a toy-learning program in which the competitive coherence part, Coco, learns or fails to learn when playing against an environment that rewards or punishes Coco by changing connections between elements. In what follows, we describe the structure of the program, results from this toy version, and optional extras that could be added to or manipulated within the program. Some of these optional extras are wildly speculative but they are included to show that Coco might be useful as a generator, editor, and test-bed for new and/or woolly concepts including those that might find a home in biology-based computing .
2. Principle of the Program
The central idea is that an active subset of elements determines the behaviour of a system: the majority of elements are inactive. The members of this active subset, the size of which is fixed, are chosen by a competition between two processes, Next and Now (Figure 1). The active subset corresponds to those elements that have their addresses in the current line of the Activity Register. The subset of elements that are active at the same time constitutes the state of the system at that time and each line in the Activity Register says what state is at a particular time; consecutive lines correspond to consecutive states of the system. How is this state obtained? An overview of the program is given in Figure 2 to show the order of the essential subroutines, which are explained in detail in the following subsections. COMPUTE is the cyclical core of the system. INITIALISE sets up the initial conditions by filling at random the Now and Next fields (two separate sets of weightings) of each element with the addresses of other elements, and by filling at random the first line (which corresponds to the state of the system) of the Activity Register with addresses. INPUT provides one input at a time (by loading the address into the Activity Register of a specific element); these inputs are taken in order from a defined sequence. DOWNTIME prevents an element whose address has been loaded into the Activity Register from having its address loaded again within a brief time. MUTATE changes at random the contents of the Now and Next fields (in a sense, the weightings). LOAD is responsible for extracting and ranking the scores of the elements' Now and Next fields and then comparing these scores so as to decide which address to load to the Activity Register. LOAD is helped by REVERSE DOWNTIME, which stops an element likely to be useful later from being used too soon, and by COMPATIBILITY-EMERGENCE, which increases the probability that some groups of elements have their addresses loaded at the same time (corresponding to these elements being active together). REWARD-PUNISH routines detect and evaluate outputs and reward or punish the elements involved by strengthening or weakening the Now/Next links between them. The results are displayed every loop of the COMPUTE routine, which corresponds to a line in the Activity Register being filled (see the following).
2.1. The Biological Elements
An individual gene or neurone or another biological building block is represented in the program as an element. In the version presented here, there are a thousand elements. Only ten elements (again in the version presented here) can be active—that is, determine the state of the system—at any one time. The composition of this subset of active elements determines whether this active subset is successful or not.
Each element contains, in the version presented here, two fields: Now and Next (Figure 3). Each element has an address. Each field contains the addresses of other elements with which the element has been associated successfully during learning (see the following). The Now field contains the addresses of those elements that have been successful in the same time step in which the element itself was successful whilst the Next field contains the addresses of those elements that have been successful in the time step following the step in which the element was active. A time step corresponds to a single line in the Activity Register, hence the active subset of elements corresponds to those elements that have their addresses in the current line of the Activity Register. In other words, each line says what the state of the system is in terms of activity in that particular time step.
2.2. The Activity Register
Each line in the Activity Register contains the addresses of the small subset of elements that are active at a particular time (Figure 4). Each line is filled according to a set of rules (see the following), and when the register is full, the first line is filled again (so the register operates cyclically). A line is set to zero before it is filled.
2.3. Coherence via the Now Process
Biological systems are characterised by coherence. At the level of human society, the composition of a successful football team reflects the importance of coherence in the manager's choice of players: the team must contain players who can take on the roles of goalkeeper, defenders, midfield players and attackers. Choosing the players is a progressive process: the choice of the goalkeeper influences the choice of the defenders which then influences the choice of the defenders. At the level of a bacterium, the composition of a bacterium reflects its growth strategy: if Escherichia coli is to grow rapidly, it needs to express the genes that encode ribosomes, tRNA synthetases, RNA polymerases, and the proteins that drive the cell cycle whereas if it is to survive in harsh conditions and in the absence of nutrients, it needs to express the genes that, for example, encode proteins that compact and protect its genome such as Dps . Biological systems from sports’ teams and brains to bacteria that fail to achieve this internal coherence risk elimination in a world in which natural selection operates. The coherence that a biological system must achieve also has an external component. The football manager may choose his team as a function of the pitch, the weather, their position in a league table, and the opposing team (which may contain players known for their “physical” approach). The bacterium should not express the full complement of genes needed for fast growth if it is in conditions in which there are few nutrients and in which physical conditions such as temperature and humidity require stress responses. The Now process is intended to represent the way biological systems achieve both internal and external coherence. For example, suppose that at high temperatures, phospholipids with long, saturated fatty acids are needed to confer stability to the membrane; suppose that genes 7, 19, and 23 encode membrane proteins with an affinity for such phospholipids (Figure 5); the expression of one of these genes (e.g., 23) may help to create a domain on the membrane enriched in both the protein encoded by 23 and the long chain phospholipid; the existence of this domain then helps the expression of 19 which has a protein product that also contributes to the size and stability of the domain; this in turn helps the expression of 7 (for the possible biological significance see ).
2.4. Coherence via the Next Process
The Now process on its own is not enough to allow a biological system to adapt effectively to its environment. This is because these environments often require different responses to the same stimulus because the historical contexts are different. One may not respond in the same way to an invitation from Human Resources following a successful sales campaign as following the news that the company is about to go out of business. A Next process is required to take account of the dependency of a correct response on the history of the system. This is made easier by the fact that environments are often unchanging for long periods and, when they do change, change in predictable ways; rules in sport, for example, do not change very often. And even when different environments exist at the same time, it would not be advisable for a sports’ team that wants to compete at a good level for it to play football one week, switch to hockey the next, then rugby, and so forth. It would not be a winning strategy for a bacterium to switch phenotypes either (we ignore here events at the level of the population of bacteria which needs to explore phenotypic heterogeneity). For example, three genes that are active in one time step, 7, 19, and 23, may have connections via their Next fields to the same subset of genes, 22, 24, and 33 (Figure 6) with 7 encoding a transcriptional activator being produced in one time step and 22 and 23 being the genes under its control and hence expressed in the following time step.
2.5. Competition between the Now and Next Processes
Modelling competitive coherence in the program consists of the competition between the Now and Next processes for choosing the subset of elements that are to be active (i.e., determine the state of the system). This activation takes the form of loading the addresses of elements into the new line of the Activity Register. The competition is on the basis of the scores of the elements. To load a new line, first, the Next fields of the elements present in the current line are consulted and the number of occurrences of the addresses in these fields is counted to give Next Scores (Figure 7). These Next Scores are then ranked in HighestNext to give, in Figure 7, element 7 with the highest score (of 8).
Once the address of this first element has been loaded into the new line, the following highest score in the HighestNext list is consulted: this is 22 with a score of 5. It is not, however, loaded straightaway because 7 has been loaded and 7 has a Now field. The addresses of the elements in 7's Now field are counted and ranked in HighestNow; in this example, the ranking is at random because the scores of these addresses are all the same (here, 1). The highest scores in HighestNext and HighestNow are then compared and the address of the element with the higher score is then loaded into the Activity Register (if they have the same score, the Now element is preferred).
There are now two addresses in the Activity Register, 7 and 22. The addresses in the Now fields of both 7 and 22 are counted and ranked to give at the top of HighestNow 16 with a score of 3. The address at the top of HighestNext is 24 with a score of 2. Comparison of the two scores shows that the address of element 16 has the greater score and this address is therefore loaded to the Activity Register. Once an address has been loaded, its score is set to zero to prevent it from being loaded a second time.
This competition between Next and Now processes continues until the line of the Activity Register has been filled. Note that, during the determination of the new state of the system, the relative contribution of the two processes changes since, first, the number of Now fields increases as addresses are progressively loaded into the Activity Register (i.e., as more and more elements become active), and, second, each time an element is chosen from the HighestNext, the following one has a lower score. In other words, the Next process dominates at the beginning and the Now process at the end (Figure 8).
2.6. Inputs and Outputs
Both inputs and outputs correspond to specific elements each of which has a Now and a Next field. In this version, there are three inputs, 1, 2, and 3, and three outputs, 998, 999, and 1000. An input is generated when the INPUT subroutine inserts one (and only one) of the three inputs into the new line of the Activity Register. An output is generated when Coco loads an output element into the new line of the Activity Register. The lines between the input line and the output line constitute an input-output module.
A new input is generated in the line immediately following an output. A new output must occur in the four lines following an input; if an output is not generated in these time steps, an arbitrarily chosen output is inserted into the fourth line. A maximum number of lines before forcing an output is needed if the program is to run rapidly when the proportion of output elements to the total number of elements becomes small (since the initial probability of generating an output is similarly low). The choice of four lines as a maximum is also arbitrary.
Inputs are not related to outputs: it does not matter whether the output is right or wrong. The sequence of inputs is fixed: . Elements in lines containing outputs that correspond to inputs are rewarded—or punished if the outputs are wrong (see the following). Coco is considered to have succeeded when it has learnt to generate in response to the input sequence (Figure 9). This simple input-output relationship was chosen because neither the Now nor the Next process alone is sufficient to lead to Coco learning. The Now process fails because two different outputs—999 and 1000—are required when 2 is the input (and also because two different outputs—999 and 998—are required when 3 is the input). The Next process fails because two different outputs—999 and 998—are required when 3 follows 2.
An element that has been active (i.e., its address has been loaded into a line of the Activity Register) cannot be activated again for ten more timesteps. Inputs that are generated by the environment subroutine are not affected by downtimes (artefactual inputs generated by the dynamics of Coco do have downtimes). Outputs do not have downtimes. Downtimes are taken into account when the Now and Next scores are worked out. Downtime can be problem when the size of the Activity Register is increased since Coco can run out of elements to load; for example, if there are only 1000 elements, if the Activity Register has a line containing 100 elements, and if Downtime is set to 10, there are not enough elements to load. There is an echo here of the E. coli cell cycle in which, after initiation of chromosome replication, the constituents of the initiation hyperstructure are inactivated or sequestered to prevent a second initiation event , whilst after cell division, the constituents of the division hyperstructure are presumably also disabled to prevent repeated divisions in the bacterial poles .
2.8. Rewarding and Punishing
Rewarding entails strengthening the connections between successful states (and series of successful states). Briefly, this is achieved by (1) taking an element with its address in a line of the Activity Register between and including the input and output lines, which we term a module (see the previous part) and (2) writing this address into the Now or Next fields of other elements in the same or in the preceding lines of the Activity Register (Figure 10). First, the environmental part of the program detects whether there is an output in the new line and, if so, decides whether there is more than one output (more than one output is punished, see the following). Then, if the output is correct, two addresses are chosen from the same line in the successful module and the second address is written into the Now field of the first element. This is done for every element in the entire module (i.e., each line is treated). These connections are not made when it would entail connecting an element to itself (i.e., self-referral) or overwriting the address of another element that is actually already in the same line. The Next connections are rewarded in much the same way except that elements are taken from one line of the module and the addresses that are written into their Next fields are taken from the following line. Self-referral and overwriting of successful elements is avoided as in the case of rewarding via the Now connections. It should be noted that a connection is made between the previous module and the rewarded module insofar as the Next fields of the last line of the previous module are connected to the first line of the rewarded module (note too that the Next rewarding has to stop at the penultimate line of the rewarded module because the future line is not known!). A small section of the elements, along with a couple of lines of the Activity Register and the HighestNow and HighestNext registers (Figure 11) shows the pattern of connectivity resulting from learning to couple an input with the appropriate output for Coco with a 1000 elements, Anumber of 10 (size of Active Set) and Knumber of 7 (size of Now and Next fields).
Punishing entails taking a single Activity Register line at random from the failed input-output module or taking the last line of the previous module. The Now fields of the elements whose addresses are in this line are then consulted. A randomly chosen address is then used to overwrite one of these Now addresses. The Next fields of these elements (which helped determine the following line) are altered in a similar way. There is a mutation aspect to punishment (Section 4.3).
There is a synchrony in the program that results from it being based on successive lines in the Activity Register, each of which is examined in a time step. Reward and punish decisions are then made in this time step to change the connections between the elements by altering the contents of their Now and Next fields; these alterations are made together in a synchronous fashion. The actual loading of addresses into a new line is a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous events: the Next scores are obtained together at the end of one time step (and the process exhibits synchrony) whilst the Now scores are obtained progressively during the loading of the Activity Register (and the process exhibits asynchrony).
3.1. With Next Alone
The relative contributions of Now and Next scores to the loading of addresses into the Activity Register can be altered by a constant factor, NowNextWeighting. If this factor is set very low or very high, it switches the program so that it operates with either just Nexts or just Nows. Generally, this factor equals 1. By setting NowNextWeighting to 1/100, the Next scores dominate. The graphs show the fraction (total outputs-correct outputs)/total outputs, so a line towards the top of the figure corresponds to a failure to learn effectively. When the Nexts alone determine the loading of the Activity Register (red circles), learning does not occur (Figure 12). Note that only a truncated part of HighestNext and HighestNow is shown and that the scores shown in the bottom row are before scaling by NowNextWeighting.
3.2. With Now Alone
Setting NowNextWeighting to 100 allows the Now scores to dominate. The graphs in Figure 13 show the proportion of incorrect outputs (failures to learn) to total outputs, so a series of successful outputs corresponds to a negative slope. In one case, learning has not occurred after 20000 timesteps (Figure 13(a)). In another case, learning has actually occurred at a late stage (Figure 13(b)). The explanation is that the Next scores are still operating even with this NowNextWeighting because the first address chosen for the NewLine of the Activity Register is chosen from the Next element with the HighestNext score (unless an input is loaded). This initial choice does not depend on the NowNextWeighting. The Activity Register corresponding to this surprising learning confirms that the Nows have contributed the addresses (compare contents of last line of Activity Register and with contents of HighestNow and HighestNext in Figure 13(c)).
3.3. Without Downtime
The address of an element that has loaded into the Activity Register cannot be loaded again within the next ten timesteps. In the absence of DOWNTIME, Coco does not learn (Figure 14(a)). One evident reason for this is that false inputs can be loaded into the Activity Register (Figure 14(b)).
3.4. With Now, Next, and Downtime
Three independent runs of the program show that Coco learns the task albeit sometimes with difficulty (Figure 15). Inspection of the Activity Register and the HighestNext and HighestNow confirms that the initial contribution to the last line in the register comes first from the Next (red circles) and then from the Now (blue circles). Note that only a truncated part of HighestNext and HighestNow is shown. Note too the limited size of the Activity Register (Section 4.14). What might DOWNTIME correspond to in a biological system? In a bacterium, it might correspond to the state of a gene in an operon which requires an activator but which also encodes an unstable repressor Y of this operon; activating the gene would then lead to both production of X and of Y; Y would then switch off the operon for a Downtime until it was degraded. A more interesting possible example is that of the sequestration of newly replicated, hemimethylated DNA in E. coli (which occurs when the SeqA protein recognises that a GATC sequence in the old strand is methylated whilst its complement in the new strand has yet to be replicated); since a gene may have a greater chance of being expressed when the region within which it lies is being replicating (perhaps due to greater accessibility to RNA polymerase), some genes with GATC sequences may be both switched on and switched off by the act of replication. This latter possibility might be modelled specifically by confining DOWNTIME to those elements that are activated by the CYCLE subroutine, as mentioned in Section 4.2. What then might the inputs and outputs correspond to in a biological system? As shown here, Coco readily learns to give the same output to different inputs. It also learns to give a different output to the same input depending on the history of the inputs; this could correspond to a low concentration of nutrients having a different meaning for a bacterium if this concentration follows a period of starvation or a period of plenty; in the former case it means that conditions are improving and in the latter case it means that they are getting worse, and the appropriate response of the bacterium would be to grow or to sporulate, respectively.
3.5. An Oscillatory Input Gives an Oscillatory Output
The environment gives the inputs (1, 2, 3) in a cycle and immediately Coco responds with an output the environment gives the next input. Hence, Coco learns to respond to an oscillating input pattern with an oscillating output pattern. This can be confirmed after learning has occurred by removing inputs and following the pattern active elements (i.e., the addresses in the Activity Register). It does indeed maintain the output pattern in the absence of inputs and absence of changes to connectivity normally caused by rewarding, punishing, and noise (data not shown). This shows the extent to which the state of the system reflects the interdependency of the elements loaded to the Activity Register. Note though that if the Activity register is small (low Anumber) and the connections are weak (low Knumber), inputs must be continued (along with rewarding) to maintain the oscillating output pattern. We discuss further the significance of a noncyclical input-output pattern—and how to achieve this—in Section 4.18.
4. Optional Extras
4.1. Positive and Negative Links
Biological systems generally have both activators and repressors. Simulation suggests that the ratio between them is a major influence on the dynamics . In the program, elements can be connected positively and negatively. When the Now and Next scores are calculated, each address present in a field with a positive link counts as +1 whilst an address with a negative link counts as −1. The positive or negative nature of a link is defined at random at the start of the program and is not modified afterwards. In the present version, 10% of the signs are negative (though it learns when none of them are negative).
4.2. DNA Replication
Growing bacteria replicate their DNA. It has been proposed that the replication of a gene affects the probability that the gene and its physical neighbours may have an altered probability of transcription [17, 18]. One consequence of this could be to enable the bacterium to avoid getting trapped in a very limited state cycle of phenotypes. In other words, DNA replication itself might constitute a way of exploring phenotype space. Such exploration could even constitute a coherent exploration of phenotype space if the position of the gene on the chromosome were close to those of other genes with related functions (and far from those with opposed functions). To introduce this parameter into the program, a CYCLE subroutine allows an element to be loaded into the Activity Register irrespective of the Now and Next connections. This element is chosen in order from the elements (e.g., first 17 is inserted, then 18, then 19, etc.). It is not inserted into the Activity Register if Coco has just given the correct output (which corresponds in this version of the program to CyclePermission = 0).
4.3. Mutations and Noise
Mutations occur as part of the PUNISH subroutines. In fact, the overwriting of the Now and Next fields (of the elements with addresses in the line to be punished) is a mutation process insofar as the new addresses that are written into these fields are chosen at random. This overwriting is done at a frequency determined by the MutationThreshold which, in the version presented here, is set so that overwriting occurs on one out of ten occasions.
There is more to the mutation story than this though. After the program has run for 200 timesteps, a RunningScore is kept of how many of the last ten outputs have been correct (this involves a sliding window, RunningScoreWindow, set to ten). Depending on this RunningScore, mutations are either made at different frequencies or not made at all. A mutation is made by taking an element with an address that is rarely found in the fields of the other elements (i.e., a lonely element) and writing it into a field of any one of the other elements chosen at random. This is done ten times per output if the RunningScore is low. If the last ten outputs were all correct, no mutations are made. Clearly, RunningScoreWindow is a parameter that the program itself could modify during running but, in the version presented here, it is held constant at ten.
Noise is not present in the basic version of the program presented here but is easy to introduce. For example, in Figure 16 the NoiseLevel has been set to insert a random address for every twenty or so (on average) addresses loaded into the Activity Register (i.e., around every three lines). The results show that the learning displayed by Coco is fairly robust and, even when it is forced to forget, it can relearn rapidly.
Finally, a SCRAMBLE subroutine may be a source of mutations. This routine operates in a democratic way to ensure that when elements have the same score, they are chosen at random to be ranked in HighestNow and HighestNext. This may result in an address being loaded into a position in the Activity Register that it had not occupied previously and bring to an end a winning streak, at least, temporarily. The fact that learning is often stable despite scrambling is again indicative of the robustness of this learning.
4.4. Reverse Downtime
Input-output modules can readily become compressed so that, for example, an input in line of the Activity Register followed by an output in line can be shortened such that the output occurs in line or indeed in line itself (Figure 17). The idea behind REVERSE DOWNTIME is to avoid this compression by preventing the addresses of elements in line from being loaded into the previous line . This entails using the REVERSE DOWNTIME subroutine to examine progressively the elements of addresses loaded into the NewLine and ensuring that the addresses in their Nexts, which may correspond to elements often active in the following line, are not loaded via the Now process. Preventing such addresses from being loaded is done via the NOW EXTRACTION subroutine which sets their scores to zero (in this version, it is not done by the NEXT EXTRACTION subroutine too—but could be). Although it is not clear to us that the REVERSE DOWNTIME subroutine has an equivalent in cells, it might be argued that REVERSE DOWNTIME resembles checkpoints, which prevent late cell cycle events from occurring until earlier ones have been completed .
It would be easy to introduce an uptime in which an element that had already participated successfully would have a greater chance of being loaded again. This would be a variant of the Matthew effect in which the rich get richer (and the poor, poorer), which has been explored in connectivity studies .
One of the characteristics of an emergent property is that it resists attempts to predict or deduce it . An emergent property could be, for example, the affinity of certain membrane proteins for the phospholipid, cardiolipin, so that they assemble into a membrane domain enriched in cardiolipin where these proteins then function together. In the framework of competitive coherence, emergence is related to the formation of the new state, the subset of elements that are active together because their addresses are loaded together into the Activity Register . Suppose that a subset of the elements (e.g., 27, 37, 47, 57, 67, and 77) correspond to proteins with a strong affinity for cardiolipin. Similarly, another subset of elements (e.g., 23, 33, 43, 53, 63, and 73) might correspond to proteins with an affinity for another phospholipid, phosphatidylethanolamine. This could be done for a hundred different phospholipids. In the program, these affinities could correspond to a hardwiring done in the INITIALISE subroutine such that the probability that 27 and 37 and so forth are loaded into the Activity Register is greater if one of them is already present. If this combination of elements turns out to be a successful one, this might be considered as the emergence of the property of an affinity for cardiolipin.
The aforementioned approach to emergence can be modelled to some extent in the program via a Compatibility Table, which is a 2D matrix of the elements in which the Compatibility of Element() × Element() is a factor. During the loading of the Activity Register, this factor is used to multiply the Now and Next scores of the elements so as to help determine which is the highest. The factor in () is determined once and for all at the start of the program (i.e., it is hardwired). It would be possible to have a large number of sets of factors (e.g., a hundred sets of factors each linking ten elements) and then explore the effect—for example, it might significantly reduce the combinatorial space. In the present version, all the factors in the Compatibility Table are set to 1 (so they have no effect) with the exception of the inputs with one another which are set to zero (e.g., Compatibility(2,3) = 0).
4.7. Global Changes via Yin-Yang
A bacterium like E. coli can be exposed suddenly to an environmental change that affects a great many of its systems. Typically, such global changes might include those in temperature or calcium concentration. Global changes can also result from internal changes such as those resulting from alterations in DNA supercoiling, mediated by topoisomerases like DNA gyrase, which then affect the expression of many genes . Such changes distort the entire phenotype but in a way that is related to the original phenotype. It seems reasonable to imagine that mutations that affect the activity of enzymes like gyrase have a different role in evolution from those that affect enzymes involved in the metabolism of lactose. One way to explore this in the program is to choose two elements (e.g., 6 and 7) to represent two different global conditions (such as a high calcium level and a low calcium level alias Yin and Yang). When a 6 is loaded into the Activity Register, the Compatibility Table is modified temporarily such that different addresses may be loaded into the Activity Register under these Yin conditions. The effect of loading a 6 can be carried over several time steps before the Compatibility Table is reset. When a 7 is loaded into the Activity Register, the Compatibility Table is modified in a different way to take into account the Yang conditions. In the present version, no such changes are allowed to the Compatibility Table.
4.8. Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium Structures
It has been proposed that bacteria and other cells are confronted with the task of reconciling surviving harsh conditions, which requires quasi-equilibrium structures (thick, cross-linked walls, and liquid crystalline DNA), with growing in favourable conditions, which requires nonequilibrium structures (such as those formed by the dynamic, ATP/GTP consuming, dynamically coupled processes of transcription and translation) [23–26]. To put it picturesquely, cells are confronted with life on the scales of equilibria and, conceivably, use the cell cycle in their balancing act [23, 27]. It might therefore be interesting to explore what happens when the equivalent of the energy currencies of the cell, ATP, GTP, and polyphosphate, is introduced into the program. This might be achieved by attributing the role of ATP to an element and giving this element special properties. For example, this element (e.g., element 77) might have to be present in the Activity Register for a subset of other nonequilibrium elements to be loaded (which could be done via the Compatibility Table); if 77 were absent from the Activity Register, this subset could not be loaded although another subset of equilibrium structures could be; the probability with which 77 could be loaded might depend on a combination in a line of the Activity Register of an input element (corresponding to glucose) and other elements (corresponding to glycolytic enzymes).
4.9. Several Activity Registers
The Yin-Yang approach (Section 4.7) could be adapted to study some of the under-appreciated implications of DNA being double stranded [28, 29]. This might be done by employing two Activity Registers running in parallel, one using the odd numbers and the other the even numbers. Loading one Activity Register (corresponding to creating a nonequilibrium hyperstructure) would require ATP whilst loading the other Activity Register (corresponding to creating an equilibrium hyperstructure) would require the absence of ATP (Section 4.8). This might allow two phenotypes to be selected simultaneously so as to balance the scales of equilibria (Section 4.8). More interesting still would be to create a hierarchy of Activity Registers or to allow Coco itself to create them during learning.
4.10. Free-Running, Dreaming, and Looking Ahead
If Coco’s environment were partially disconnected, Coco can continue running—more exactly, free-running—in the absence of inputs. Such free-running would occur if the environment were not to respond immediately to an output. Periods of free-running could be used to play in a sandbox or to dream. A sandbox is a concept that refers to a software environment where potentially dangerous operations can be tested in isolation, thus reducing the chances of damaging the primary program. Using a sandbox allows risk-free exploratory behaviour and, in a sense, corresponds to Coco operating in a look-ahead mode. In this mode, Coco might be disconnected from the environment and run through different combinations of stored input and output modules (where modules are sequential lines of the Activity Register). These modules might be associated with special elements 12 and 13 to represent pleasure and pain, respectively, depending on whether they have been rewarded or punished. Starting from the present state, Coco might load the Activity Register with different addresses for different runs (e.g., 20 timesteps) and compare the pleasure index (e.g., sum of 12/()) for these runs (in which inputs from the environment are replaced by those stored in the modules). The initial loading of the Activity Register corresponding to the most successful run would then be adopted and environmental inputs once again were allowed.
Hypotheses about the function of dreaming might be explored via the creation of a parallel set of objects copied from the normal ones, namely, a DreamActivity Register running in dream time with DreamElements, DreamNow, and DreamNext. Perhaps this could be used to discover and remedy pathogenic connectivities that lead the system to get stuck in deep basins of attraction and so forth. Such action might be based on a characterisation of the states in the Activity Register. For example, for each line in the Activity Register, the ten addresses have elements where each contains seven Now addresses and seven Next addresses, hence a total for the line of 70 Now addresses and 70 Next addresses. Each line, alias the state of the system at that time, can therefore be characterised by a pair of coordinates (different Now addresses, different Next addresses). Intuitively, a successful state should tend towards (length of line, length of line)—here (10, 10)—whilst an unsuccessful state should tend towards (length of line × size of Now field, length of line × size of Next field)—here (70, 70). (This is not strictly speaking correct, but it gives the flavour.) The sequence of these coordinates then constitutes a function that might be recognised and used during dreaming.
A different approach would be to use dreaming to make a landscape of the connection space by loading the Activity Register with different elements and then letting it run so as to determine state cycles and basins of attraction; when the program has done, it might be possible to modify the connections so as to maximise the use of the landscape and connect basins. One attractive possibility is that Coco acts during free-running to minimise conflict between the Next and Now processes. This would take the form of changing the connections so that in loading addresses into a line of the Activity Register the same elements are scored highly by both processes. It amounts to making the Next and Now processes coherent with one another. Indeed, insofar as incoherence results in unhappiness, it could even be argued that this would create a state of happiness in systems as different as men, bacteria, and machines!
How far away is all this from real biology? Is the dreaming envisaged here only relevant to higher organisms or does it extend, for example, to bacteria? If that were the case, related questions include how we would know that a bacterium was dreaming and what it would mean for the bacterium. Showing that dreaming had a role in the learning of Coco might cast some light on its potential evolutionary value for all organisms.
4.11. Varying the Size of the Now and Next Fields
In the version presented here, the Now and Next fields are of constant size (each contains 7 addresses). This is far from biological reality where networks generally contain nodes with very different connectivities, including hubs and “driver” nodes [30–32]. These connectivities can take the form of protein activators and repressors of gene expression , small molecules acting on functioning-dependent structures , ions travelling along charged filaments such as microtubules or DNA , ions and molecules moving along and through pili and nanotubes [36, 37], convergence on common frequencies of oscillation [38, 39], joining a hyperstructure , and so forth. Coco would be much closer to modelling reality if the size of the fields were to vary as a function of learning (one reason for this is that increasing the size of a field permits element X to have stronger connections to element Y because X's field can hold more copies of Y's address). This may prove relatively easy to implement: for example, rewarding and punishing might entail increasing and decreasing the fields, respectively (as well as overwriting).
The relative strengths of the Now and Next connections can also be modified via the NowNextWeighting. As shown in Sections 3.1 and 3.2, setting NowNextWeighting very low or very high makes Coco run with either just Nexts or just Nows. Insofar as Next connections can be equated with local connections and Now connections with global connections, changing the value of NowNextWeighting can result in a phase transition in connectivity with similarity perhaps to the great deluge algorithm or to Dual-Phase Evolution or even, in the world of microbiology, to maintaining the right ratio of nonequilibrium to equilibrium hyperstructures within cells .
4.12. An Interactive Environment
An output is immediately followed by an environmental input that does not depend on the nature of the output. There is no possibility therefore for the present version of the program to influence the environment. This excludes the richness of connections that may emerge from dialogues between a learning system such as Coco and its environment. Two-way connections between a biological system such as a bacterium and its environment are fundamental and trying to understand them using Coco might take the form of Coco learning to play a simple game such as Noughts and Crosses (Tic-Tac-Toe).
4.13. Three or More Fields: from, Now, and Next and So Forth
The addition of a From field might add a new dimension to Coco. A From field would record the addresses of elements which preceded successful states in which the element was active. This would allow Coco to run backwards during Dreamtime (Section 4.10), analogous perhaps to the way humans mull over the day's events. In this speculation, such running might then allow input-output modules with similar characteristics to be identified (Section 4.10) and eventually connected via yet another, higher-level field involving a higher-level Activity Register. This, we would like to think, might be the equivalent of generating concepts.
4.14. Size of the Active Set
The size of the Active Set is an important parameter that can be changed and, in particular, increased, to take into account biological systems in which many elements can be active at the same time. In the present version of the program, the maximum size of the Activity Register is limited by the number of elements and by DOWNTIME (Section 2.7). This limits the size of the Active Set to around 80. An example of results obtained with an Activity Register containing 60 addresses is shown in Figure 18. Increasing the number of elements to, for example, 4000, allows learning with an Activity Register containing 100 addresses (Figure 18). It may prove important under some circumstances for Coco itself to modify the size of the Active Set. This might be the case if an input were to arrive “out of the blue” when Coco is in free-running mode; if an input were to trigger a sudden change in the size of the Activity Register, this could have a major effect, perhaps similar to that reported for the effects of a stimulus on connectivity in the cortex (for references see ) and perhaps similar too to the greater receptivity of bacteria to their environment when conditions start to worsen .
4.15. Collaborative Coherence
It will not have escaped the attention of the reader that, instead of separating the scores of the elements in competition for inclusion in the Active Set into Next and Now scores, these scores could be added together or even be combined synergistically to yield a kind of collaborative coherence. Philosophically, it would be nice to escape competition but we have no preliminary evidence that collaborative coherence leads to learning.
4.16. Pain and Pleasure
The present version punishes incorrect responses by randomly overwriting connections. This squanders a lot of information. A potentially better approach would be to retain and reuse information about mistakes by, for example, making use of specific elements such as 12 and 13 to represent pleasure and pain, respectively, in combination with a LOOK AHEAD subroutine (Section 4.10). Rewarding successful states might then entail writing a 12 into the Now and Next fields of the elements whose addresses are in the rewarded line of the Activity Register and, reciprocally, punishing might entail writing a 13 into them. This information could then be exploited using the LOOK AHEAD subroutine sketched out before that would count and compare the total of the addresses of these two elements when looking into possible futures (Section 4.10). An interesting question here is what would end up in the Now and Next fields of elements 12 and 13 themselves. Presumably, these fields would reflect connections to common, strong sources of pleasure and pain; these connections might then be used to drive the system towards or away from these sources.
4.17. Long-Term Memory
One way to obtain a long-term memory would be via a connections’ matrix (number of elements × number of elements) that would record Now connections between elements that had participated in the same successful state (there could be similar ones for Next connections and, perhaps, further two matrices for unsuccessful states). A SUCCESSFUL CONNECTIONS subroutine could then be used to prevent overwriting successful connections or, at least, to alter the probability of overwriting these connections.
4.18. Noncyclical Input Sequences
Cycles are of major importance in biology. A primary example is the cell cycle which still remains to be fully understood . The learning task presented here is based on an input sequence that is presented cyclically. Each output is immediately followed by a new input; at no time does Coco “run on its own” or run freely (Section 4.10). In responding to an input that “comes out of nowhere,” as in the case of the first input in a linear series of inputs, the size of the Activity Register may be important (Section 4.14). One might envisage that during free-running the Activity Register would be small but would increase greatly on receiving an input; such increase might enable an input to make a decisive contribution to the composition of the Activity Register, particularly in the case of a variable Knumber since in such conditions, and when learning has occurred, the Now and Next fields of inputs become large (Section 4.11, unpublished data). It would also be interesting to explore the effects (on responding to an unannounced input) of changes to connectivity made during free-running (Section 4.10), changes that might even include modification of the weights associated with the Now and Next fields of inputs; such temporary modifications could be made during looking ahead.
Free-running whilst waiting for an input would entail Coco filling the Activity Register and wandering through the enormity of the combinatorial space in a state cycle . The nature and length of such cycles may prove an important parameter in learning to respond to inputs that are given at random intervals from one another and from the outputs. This is because it is of little value in learning to connect (via the Next process) an active state containing an input to the active state that immediately precedes it if this preceding state is hardly ever repeated. A possible solution would be for Coco to enter a short state cycle whilst waiting for the next input such that each input in the sequence was accessible from its own preceding state cycle. It is conceivable that these cycles might again be generated by the changes in connectivity occurring during dreaming (Section 4.10).
5. Relationship to Existing Systems
Hopfield’s network model uses the same learning rule as used by Hebb in which learning occurs as a result of the strengthening of the weights of the links between nodes ; this resembles the strengthening of links in Coco by the writing of addresses into the Now and Next fields of elements. In the Hopfield model it is assumed that the individual units preserve their individual states until they are selected at random for a new update; in Coco, the elements also preserve their identity until they are selected, but this selection is confined to members of the Active Set and occurs during rewarding and punishing. In a Hopfield network, each unit is connected to all other units (except itself); in Coco, each element can only be connected to a few others (the Knumber) via the Now and Next fields. A Hopfield network is symmetric because the weight of the link between unit i and unit j equals that between unit j and unit i; the network in Coco is asymmetric. In a Hopfield network, all the nodes contribute to the change in the activation of any single node at any one time; in Coco, only the elements (nodes/units) in the previous Active Set and in the developing Active Set contribute to the activation of an element (node/unit). In a Hopfield network, there is one type of connection between the nodes; in Coco, there are two types of connection—Next and Now. In a Hopfield network, the units can be in a state of either 1 or 0; similarly, in Coco, the elements can be either active or inactive.
It might be argued that a Hopfield network is a type of the Coco program. For example, if an attempt were to be made to turn Coco into a Hopfield network, (1) the size of the Knumber would be set similar to the size of the Enumber (i.e., the total number of elements) to make it closer to a weighting factor that takes into account all elements, (2) the activity of an element would be determined by its absolute score (using a threshold) rather than by its score relative to a limited number of competing elements, (3) the Anumber (the size of the Active Set) would therefore become a variable whose size would vary with the number of elements deemed to be active, (4) the Next links would correspond to the links between nodes but the Now links would have no equivalent, (5) the asymmetrical Coco network would tend towards symmetry if changes in the links to element i in the Next field of element j were accompanied by reciprocal changes in the links to element j in the Next field of element i (of course, Coco would then no longer run in the same way), and (6) some of the biologically relevant developments of Coco would have to be implemented in a Hopfield network which would be hard since Coco lends itself to the study of types of links with different properties; see Sections 4.6 and 4.7. In this context, it should be stressed that the weights in Coco are discrete, transparent, and easy to study and to manipulate.
Boolean networks have been extensively used to model biological systems. Thomas and collaborators have developed logical analysis which they have used both to study specific systems and to derive general principles . From such analyses, predictions can be made for experimental biologists to test. Logical analysis is not, however, a learning system like Coco. Reciprocally, Coco is not designed at present to model specific biological systems. As mentioned in Section 1, the () Boolean network of Kauffman has given insight into the dynamics of biological systems and, in particular, into the concept of cells as living on the “edge of chaos” [2, 3]. But again, it is not a learning system like Coco.
Few would deny that living systems are rich, complicated, and (hyper)complex. Such systems are often, almost necessarily, modelled and simulated by invoking Occam's Razor and adopting a reductionist approach. Life may, however, have originated as a rich, complicated, and diverse system, as, in other words, a prebiotic ecology . In attempting to capture some of the characteristics of living system in a program, we have therefore adopted the holist approach of putting everything in and seeing what, if anything, emerges. To try to create a test-bed for concepts and to ensure that these concepts have some substance, we have written a program with a learning part, Coco. Coco contains parameters that may have very loose equivalents in aspects of evolution via global (as opposed to local) mutation, DNA replication, emergence, life on the scales of equilibria, and even the generation of concepts and dreaming. Most importantly, Coco is based on coherence.
Coherence characterises living systems. Coherence mechanisms operating—or suspected by some to operate—at the level of cells include tensegrity, ion condensation, DNA supercoiling, and a variety of oscillations [25, 48–52] plus, of course, mechanisms based on the usual activators and repressors of transcription along with DNA packaging proteins. Competitive coherence is an attempt to describe how bacterial phenotypes are created by a competition between maintaining a consistent story over time and creating a response that is coherent with respect to both internal and external conditions. Previously, it has been proposed that the bacterium E. coli can be considered as passing through a series of states in which a distinct set of its constituent molecules or “elements” are active . The activity of these elements is determined by a competition between two processes. One of these processes depends on the previous cell state whilst the other depends on the internal coherence of the developing state. The simultaneous operation of these two processes is competitive coherence. Competitive coherence is in fact a scale-free concept. It can be applied to a population of bacteria such as a colony in which each cell is an element with its own Now and Next fields. In this case, a typical Now process might involve global connections via a sonic vibration created by the combined metabolic activity of all the growing cells in the colony (which constitute the Active Set) whilst the Next process might involve essentially local connections via diffusible molecules, sex pili, and lipid nanotubes . We have invoked competitive coherence at higher levels to explain, for example, how a football team is selected. It is perhaps no longer original in computer science since the idea of two competing processes staggered in time can be found elsewhere in Simple Recurrent Networks . What may be new is the possibility that the implementation of competitive coherence into a learning program could give rise to parameters suitable for describing the rich form of complexity found in living systems which depends on the interaction between many types of connection and which we have termed hypercomplexity . The preliminary results from the toy program presented here encourage us to think that this may be the case.
One of these preliminary results is on the maximum size of the Activity Register that can result in Coco learning (Section 4.14). In Section 1, we mentioned the problem of how cells manage to negotiate the enormity of phenotype space in a reproducible and selectable way ; if, for example, a phenotype were determined by a simple combination of on-off expression of genes, a bacterium like E. coli with over 4000 genes would have the difficult task of exploring 24000 combinations. (It should be noted though that no one knows how many genes are expressed at one time in an individual cell, let alone how many of these expressed genes are actually determining the phenotype, that is, form part of the Active Set.) However, if the phenotype were determined not directly by genes but at a higher level by a hundred or so extended macromolecular assemblies or hyperstructures comprising many different macromolecules—for which there is good evidence [25, 54, 55]—the number of on-off combinations would fall to 2100. As we show here, a system with 4000 elements, of which a hundred form an Active Set, can learn via competitive coherence.
Finally, if there is any substance to our claim that competitive coherence is a fundamental to life, perhaps even its defining characteristic , the concept should be of value in novel approaches to computing inspired by and reliant on the way real cells behave .
Competitive coherence is a concept used to describe how a subset of elements out of a large set is activated to determine behaviour. It has been proposed as operating at many levels in biology. The results of the toy version of a type of neural network, based on competitive coherence, are presented here and show that it can learn. This is consistent with competitive coherence playing a central role in living systems. The parameters responsible for the functioning of the competitive coherence part of the program, which, for example, are related to complexity and emergence, may be of interest to biologists and others.
For helpful discussions, the authors thank Abdallah Zemirline, Alex Grossman, Francois Kepes, Jacques Ninio, and Michel Thellier. They also thank the anonymous referees for many valuable comments. For support they thank the Epigenomics Project, Evry, and the University of Brest. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Maurice Demarty.
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In Great Company (Edition 2)
By Quentin Jones, Dexter Dunphy, Rosalie Fishman, Margherita Larne-Jones, and Corinne Canter
In the first edition (2006), we focused on an in-depth approach to how companies go about creating organizational change. Since then, the world at large has experienced extraordinary external drivers, including the global financial crisis and devastating natural disasters.
This led to us revisiting three of the original case studies to investigate how these impacts test the initial investment in company culture and enable these businesses to be resilient and sustainable in tough conditions.
The dominant theme to emerge from the updated research was the sustainability of cultural change and the benefits of the "Constructive Core."
While the original research answered these questions:
- What creates cultural transformation in organizations?
- How can organizations transform their cultures successfully?
- Do businesses with Constructive and supportive cultures perform better?
The updated edition takes this one step further:
- Can cultural change be sustained in uncertain times?
Contact us to order a copy of In Great Company.
In Great Company (Edition 1)
Published by Human Synergistics, In Great Company: Unlocking the Secrets of Cultural Transformation is a comprehensive examination of five leading Australian companies that have successfully transformed their business with inspirational results.
This research, which was led by Professor Dexter Dunphy of the University of Technology Sydney, is a response to our clients’ challenges: ‘How do organizations transform their cultures?’ and ‘What is the evidence about what works?’
Whether you are the leader of an organization or aspire to be one, whether you are an experienced change agent or are just entering the field, this book will help you understand the initiatives, strategies, and personal actions needed to create lasting cultural change and improve the overall performance of the organization.
Read the Executive Summary | <urn:uuid:3d093f26-d3bf-4385-9335-fdb1526fa4d1> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.humansynergistics.com/Products/Books/InGreatCompany | 2013-12-13T12:32:31Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.923035 | 385 |
You can’t deny that titles Gameloft releases are always top quality – one look at the N.O.V.A or Modern Combat series is enough to convince you of that.
What they do lack however, is originality, you know, something new and unique, to make it stand out among the huge crows. Gameloft is making serious money mind you, but it would really be nice to see those talented devs trying out something new.
Unfortunately, Zombiewood isn’t doesn’t have that new, fresh taste, but it’s a polished, entertaining game, plus you get to shoot zombies. In a way, it bring out the worst and best of Gameloft.
You start in the game as a stuntman with a taste for violence, and trucker hats. California has fallen, and it’s now populated with flesh muchers, and you act as the star of thriller zombie actions. The tasks you must complete are being given to you by a hack director.
Of course, every level comes with challenges you can complete, and these challenges give you reels. Collect enough of those, and you unlock the next level.
There’s nothing revolutionary or innovative about this game, but it offers enough entertainment to keep you cutting down zombie hordes for a long time.
Zombiewood isn’t exactly a breath of fresh air, but it’s not halitosis either. Just another game from Gameloft that’s tons of fun, and does everything in a great way. The game is polished maximally, but it still lack that taste of something new and original. Oh Gameloft, you’ll never learn. | <urn:uuid:fede0a82-2e0e-4e82-b989-f20e31f8fc86> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.itecholic.com/zombiewood-review/ | 2013-12-13T12:46:00Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933233 | 359 |
The choir practising in Christ Church Cathedral ahead of the Queens visit tomorrow.
Tomorrow the Queen will visit Oxford to hand out Maundy coins to elderly people in recognition of their service to their community. Doreen Fowler is one of those who will receive money at the service.
This year's visit will be the first time the Queen has visited Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford for the service. Buckingham Palace will invite 87 men and 87 women from the Oxford Diocese to receive the special coins.
Doreen Fowler's got an important day tomorrow - she'll be receiving Maundy Money from the Queen at a service in Oxford. Doreen, who's from Banbury has been picked because of her services to the church. | <urn:uuid:e047dbab-eff7-4678-a96f-270539ea7549> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/story/2013-03-27/meeting-the-queen/ | 2013-12-13T12:50:18Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386164941522/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204134901-00027-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960852 | 149 |