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Introduction to principles of chemistry and fundamentals of inorganic and biochemistry. Structure and chemistry of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, biochemistry of enzymes, metabolism, body fluids and radiation effects. On-line materials includes the course syllabus, copies of the lecture slides and animations, interactive Periodic Table, chapter summaries and practice exams. This course is targeted towards Health Science Majors. Introduction to principles of chemistry. This course is targeted towards Chemistry Majors. Laboratory experiments to develop techniques in organic chemistry and illustrate principles. On-line materials include step-by-step prelabs for many of the experiments that students will be conducting. Theoretical principles of quantitative and instrumental analysis. Emphasis is placed on newer analytical tools and equipment. Intermediate level course. Includes a discussion of the structure, function and metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. In addition, there is a review of enzymes, DNA and RNA. This course stresses theory and application of modern chromatographic methods. On-line materials include the course syllabus, copies of course lecture slides and animations. A 'short course' covering the use of a mass spectrometer as a GC detector. Basic instrumentation, data treatment and spectral interpretation methods will be discussed. On-line materials include copies of course lecture slides and tables to assist in the interpretation of mass spectra. Coverage of statistical methods in Analytical Chemistry. Course includes basic statistics, experimental design, modeling, exploratory data analysis and other multivariate techniques. On-line materials include the course syllabus, homework problems and copies of the lecture slides. A survey of the basic equipment, data and methodology of Analytical methods that rely on radioisotopic materials. On-line materials include the course syllabus, homework problems. copies of the lecture slides and animations. Why I missed the exam

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Now that we’ve said a lot about individual operators on vector spaces, I want to go back and consider some other sorts of structures we can put on the space itself. Foremost among these is the idea of a bilinear form. This is really nothing but a bilinear function to the base field: . Of course, this means that it’s equivalent to a linear function from the tensor square: . Instead of writing this as a function, we will often use a slightly different notation. We write a bracket , or sometimes , if we need to specify which of multiple different inner products under consideration. Another viewpoint comes from recognizing that we’ve got a duality for vector spaces. This lets us rewrite our bilinear form as a linear transformation . We can view this as saying that once we pick one of the vectors , the bilinear form reduces to a linear functional , which is a vector in the dual space . Or we could focus on the other slot and define . We know that the dual space of a finite-dimensional vector space has the same dimension as the space itself, which raises the possibility that or is an isomorphism from to . If either one is, then both are, and we say that the bilinear form is nondegenerate. We can also note that there is a symmetry on the category of vector spaces. That is, we have a linear transformation defined by . This makes it natural to ask what effect this has on our form. Two obvious possibilities are that and that . In the first case we’ll call the bilinear form “symmetric”, and in the second we’ll call it “antisymmetric”. In terms of the maps and , we see that composing with the symmetry swaps the roles of these two functions. For symmetric bilinear forms, , while for antisymmetric bilinear forms we have . This leads us to consider nondegenerate bilinear forms a little more. If is an isomorphism it has an inverse . Then we can form the composite . If is symmetric then this composition is the identity transformation on . On the other hand, if is antisymmetric then this composition is the negative of the identity transformation. Thus, the composite transformation measures how much the bilinear transformation diverges from symmetry. Accordingly, we call it the asymmetry of the form . Finally, if we’re working over a finite-dimensional vector space we can pick a basis for , and get a matrix for . We define the matrix entry . Then if we have vectors and we can calculate In terms of this basis and its dual basis , we find the image of the linear transformation . That is, the matrix also can be used to represent the partial maps and . If is symmetric, then the matrix is symmetric , while if it’s antisymmetric then .

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The Gram-Schmidt Process Now that we have a real or complex inner product, we have notions of length and angle. This lets us define what it means for a collection of vectors to be “orthonormal”: each pair of distinct vectors is perpendicular, and each vector has unit length. In formulas, we say that the collection is orthonormal if . These can be useful things to have, but how do we get our hands on them? It turns out that if we have a linearly independent collection of vectors then we can come up with an orthonormal collection spanning the same subspace of . Even better, we can pick it so that the first vectors span the same subspace as . The method goes back to Laplace and Cauchy, but gets its name from Jørgen Gram and Erhard Schmidt. We proceed by induction on the number of vectors in the collection. If , then we simply set This “normalizes” the vector to have unit length, but doesn’t change its direction. It spans the same one-dimensional subspace, and since it’s alone it forms an orthonormal collection. Now, lets assume the procedure works for collections of size and start out with a linearly independent collection of vectors. First, we can orthonormalize the first vectors using our inductive hypothesis. This gives a collection which spans the same subspace as (and so on down, as noted above). But isn’t in the subspace spanned by the first vectors (or else the original collection wouldn’t have been linearly independent). So it points at least somewhat in a new direction. To find this new direction, we define This vector will be orthogonal to all the vectors from to , since for any such we can check where we use the orthonormality of the collection to show that most of these inner products come out to be zero. So we’ve got a vector orthogonal to all the ones we collected so far, but it might not have unit length. So we normalize it: and we’re done.

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Urban Sprouts Child Development Center Urban Sprouts Child Development Center offers educational programs for infants and preschoolers. The curriculum is designed to help children develop socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively. The center is designed to feel warm, inviting and cozy. Crafts and artwork cover the center's walls. The decor also includes woven baskets and wooden furnishings. - Hours: 7a.m.-6:30p.m. - Religious affiliation: No

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The Upper Thames Branch is involved in many conservation activities, most of which are organised by our Conservation and Recording Team (CART). We manage Butterfly Conservation's reserve at Holtspur Bottom in Bucks which is an area of chalk grassland, carefully restored over a number of years by a small team of volunteers. If you can spare some time to get involved in our conservation efforts, then your help at one of our scheduled work parties (see the Events section), recording butterflies and moths (see Your Records section), or transect walking will be greatly appreciated. You don't need to be a member to join in with the Branch activities but we hope that, once you've found out more about what we do, you will want to join Butterfly Conservation! The Conservation and Recording Team (CART) Members will be pleased to learn that the Upper Thames Branch's largest Committee, the Conservation and Recording Team (CART) exists to ensure that the efforts of our branch lead to a greater number of better managed spaces for butterflies and moths and therefore to more As its name suggests this Committee concerns itself primarily with two functions: seeing that the sites we believe are most important are being properly managed (conserved) and that local changes are being recorded. In the execution of the first we act both directly, for instance on our own excellent (dare we say showpiece?) reserve at Holtspur Bottom, and through the advice we give to various partner conservation bodies and private owners of key habitats. Right: Members 'plug' planting nectar plants into UTB's Holtspur Bottom reserve in the peaceful Holtspur Valley. Our recording effort is equally important and immensely successful. No other local recording scheme achieves comparable results. Not only do we collect data about all the species flying in each 10km square within the UTB area but we also monitor species' abundance through transects. Left: Transect Recorder (Stuart Hodges) recording in a private woodland. CART members make site visits to assess habitat quality and suggest methods to improve conditions for a range of butterfly and moth species. Conservation tasks often involve removing plants, but this Striped Lychnis larva is feeding on a flowerhead of one the of many planted Dark Mulleins. These plantings have been helpful in maintaining Striped Lychnis numbers. Recording also feeds back information about the condition of the site to allow managers to fine tune their work to be Chalk flora at a closely monitored and recorded BBOWT site where advice is sought and management tweaked accordingly. CART considers all manner of opportunities and threats to our butterflies and moths. We respond to planning applications and advise on regional conservation initiatives such as the ONCF's Landscape Scale Conservation Strategies. Here a group of CART members meet with National BC staff in Bernwood Forest to discuss future management. The Marsh Fritillary, our most threatened species, has been the subject of immense amounts of effort in consultations to improve its situation locally. Here is as good a place as any to give a strongly felt 'thank you' to those of you who lend a hand with our essential conservation work and a reminder that you might have records we could use and that we are always glad of any offer of If you ever feel that you would like to attend a meeting of CART or learn more about its work, please contact the Branch [Photos © Nick Bowles & Dave Wilton] |Copyright Butterfly Conservation © 2007-2013 Upper Thames Branch| |Privacy and Copyright Statement and Cookies Policy| |Butterfly Conservation: Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468)| |Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP| |Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268)|

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19" - e950Swn The eco-friendly 19” e950Swn LEDA light-emitting-diode (LED) is a semiconductor diode that emits light when an electric current is applied in the forward direction of the device, as in the simple LED circuit. The effect is a form of electroluminescence where incoherent and narrow-spectrum light is emitted from the p-n junction. monitor is both Energy-Star and EPEAT silver certified and comes in black with a glossy edge finish. The monitor offers remarkable image quality with a 16:9 aspect ratio and impressive 20,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio (DCR), revealing darker image areas in greater depth. The e950Swn monitor boasts a 5ms response time to eliminate drag, features a Kensington security slot, user-friendly graphical OSD menu, direct-insert horizontal connectors and is VESA wall mount compliant.

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A powerful, emotional memoir and an extraordinary portrait of three generations of Tibetan women whose lives are forever changed when Chairman Mao’s Red Army crushes Tibetan independence, sending a young mother and her six-year-old daughter on a treacherous journey across the snowy Himalayas toward freedom Kunsang thought she would never leave Tibet. One of the country's youngest Buddhist nuns, she grew up in a remote mountain village where, as a teenager, she entered the local nunnery. Though simple, Kunsang's life gave her all she needed: a oneness with nature and a sense of the spiritual in all things. She married a monk, had two children, and lived in peace and prayer. But not for long. There was a saying in Tibet: "When the iron bird flies and horses run on wheels, the Tibetan people will be scattered like ants across the face of the earth." The Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950 changed everything. When soldiers arrived at her mountain monastery, destroying everything in their path, Kunsang and her family fled across the Himalayas only to spend years in Indian refugee camps. She lost both her husband and her youngest child on that journey, but the future held an extraordinary turn of events that would forever change her life--the arrival in the refugee camps of a cultured young Swiss man long fascinated with Tibet. Martin Brauen will fall instantly in love with Kunsang's young daughter, Sonam, eventually winning her heart and hand, and taking mother and daughter with him to Switzerland, where Yangzom will be born. Many stories lie hidden until the right person arrives to tell them. In rescuing the story of her now 90-year-old inspirational grandmother and her mother, Yangzom Brauen has given us a book full of love, courage, and triumph,as well as allowing us a rare and vivid glimpse of life in rural Tibet before the arrival of the Chinese. Most importantly, though, ACROSS MANY MOUNTAINS is a testament to three strong, determined women who are linked by an unbreakable family bond.

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The 'big four' concerns of Chinese Updated: 2012-09-25 08:09 By Robert Lawrence Kuhn (China Daily) An ancient Chinese philosopher described the perfect society as "living in harmony, treating others as family... there is love and caring for the elderly ... nourishment and education for children ... kindness and compassion for widows, orphans, the disabled and the sick". Historically, such harmony is the standard of happiness. But now, after vast economic development, are the Chinese people happy? What I hear are the "big four" social concerns: education, healthcare, housing and retirement. These challenges are what China's new leaders face. For over two decades, I've witnessed the astonishing growth of China's economy. At the same time, I've watched burgeoning economic disparity and social inequality between rich and poor, urban and rural, become China's most severe and alarming problem. I've wondered, could equality in education be a partial solution? If I'm a poor migrant worker, but if my child has an equal opportunity for a good education, and thus has an equal opportunity for a good life, I'd be more willing to endure my own hardships. How to provide equality in education? I visit the Jin Ding elementary school in Shanghai, where all the students are children of migrant workers. Sure, they're better off here than they'd be in their rural hometowns, but how will they feel when they realize that they're not like the children of Shanghai residents? There are more than 200 million migrant workers in China. In Shanghai alone, there are about half a million children of migrant workers. Over 40 percent of students in Beijing and Shanghai are non-residents. At best they are second-class citizens. Migrant workers built these cities, and through education they expect to change their children's fate. But even for successful migrant families, their children cannot overcome structural barriers. They may dream of going to college, but they cannot. According to current policy, migrant workers' children receive compulsory education from elementary through middle school, but if they do not return to their hometowns when they reach 9th grade, they can apply only to vocational schools. This means their careers will be similar to that of their parents' - construction workers, hotel attendants, maids, cooks. And if they do return, the education is so inferior they will not pass the rigorous college entrance exams. Worse are the "left-behind children", the multitudes of rural kids, 60 million of them, who have not moved with their parents to the big cities. Their parents return home generally only once a year, and then only for a short visit. "Left-behind children" are a national heartbreak. Disparities in education cripple the capacity of education to make opportunities equal, to level the playing fields of life and career. For many, the "Chinese Dream" can never come true. In 2012, Premier Wen Jiabao promised that educational funding would grow to 4 percent of China's GDP, a major commitment to China's future. Healthcare affects everyone and China's system suffered in the transition from a planned to a market economy. No one is satisfied, not patients, not doctors, not society. At 7:30 am I arrive at Ren Ji Hospital, one of Shanghai's best. The lobby is packed with people, many already waiting for hours. Ren Ji was built to treat 2,000 patients a day; it now handles 8,500. Something has to give : care, costs, service, time. The system is overburdened: hospitals are besieged and doctors overwhelmed. So an underground economy, insidious and illegal, has spawned. Scalpers exploit the vulnerabilities of patients frustrated by long waiting times. They arrive at a top, in-demand hospital early, register, and then resell their short-wait positions to desperate, real patients who arrive later. Scalpers charge up to 500 yuan. Another odious practice is hong bao, the "red envelopes" stuffed with cash that patients must all too often use to bribe doctors. Imagine a system in which you must wait for hours, your doctors are overworked and underpaid, you may have to pay scalpers or offer bribes, and you only get five minutes of care. Moreover, healthcare in China is wildly uneven. In some rural areas, medical services are dangerously scarce, and when available, decades behind. In 2009, China launched healthcare system reform. In three years, basic medical insurance covered 1.3 billion people, about 95 percent of China's population. And a rural cooperative medical service system provides basic medical care. When I ask young adults in China's big cities, "What's your biggest problem?", they do not hesitate. "Housing," they often exclaim, "Housing prices." Those who move to Beijing are called "Beijing Dream Pursuers" - to own a home in Beijing is the ultimate goal. But "the sandwich class" are people caught between having too much money to qualify for public housing and not enough to buy private housing - at least not in the areas they'd like. The housing price problem is severe, and the din of complaints, especially among young adults, is intense. This gives the government a major housing headache: How to control housing prices, but without harming the real estate market? Because while escalating housing prices aggravates urban buyers, China's entire economy is rooted in real estate. China's leaders tell me that they need to stimulate the domestic economy by increasing consumption. But the Chinese people resist spending. They prefer to save. Why? They worry about retirement. Chinese society has become an aging society; each year the elderly population increases by 8 million. In Shanghai, people aged 60 and above constitute about 25 percent of the population. In downtown Shanghai, it's now hard to find a nursing home vacancy. In response, the municipality proposed that 90 percent of the elderly stay at home and only 10 percent go to nursing homes. But with one-child families and careers demanding more work and travel, if the elderly stay at home, who can care for them? (In traditional Chinese society when large families lived together caring for seniors was shared.) Responding to the aging society, Shanghai is the first city in China to extend the retirement age. The new "flexible retirement policy" enables some males to retire at age 65 and females at age 60. To provide income for retirement, Shanghai will test the first "personal, tax-deferred pension insurance system". China's overarching goal is to become a "moderately well-off society". To achieve this, China must solve the "big four" social problems - education, healthcare, housing, retirement. China's leaders recognize it. China's people demand it. A personal note. Commentating about China invites critique, and one of the criticisms leveled against me has been that much of my work focuses on State leaders, not common people. China's Challenges brings me to China's grassroots. To know China, one needs to know both leaders and people. The author is an international corporate strategist and investment banker. He is the author of The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin and How China's Leaders Think. (China Daily 09/25/2012 page9)

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By Richard Wolf and Richard Willing, USA TODAY WASHINGTON A new intelligence estimate that reverses previous U.S. claims that Iran is developing nuclear weapons will not change the Bush administration's policy of tough sanctions and diplomacy. "That was our policy … and that's our policy going forward," said Stephen Hadley, the president's national security adviser. "We have the right strategy." REPORT SUMMARY: Read the NIE assessment PHOTOS PLAY ROLE: Pictures contributed to reassessment Iran ceased its secret nuclear weapons program in 2003 and has not resumed work toward building nuclear arms, a National Intelligence Estimate released Monday says. The estimate reverses claims the intelligence community made two years ago that Iran appeared "determined to develop" a nuclear weapons program. The new estimate did not explain why the intelligence community did not know Iran had stopped its weapons program before the 2005 estimate was released. The estimate, reflecting the collective judgment of the nation's 16 intelligence agencies, also concludes that Tehran probably is "keeping open the option to develop nuclear weapons" by continuing to build missiles and pursue a civilian nuclear power program. Iran, intelligence analysts concluded, halted weapons development in response to international scrutiny and the threat of increased sanctions. U.S. officials are still trying to enlist more nations to bring sanctions against Iran. On Monday, Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said he met with Chinese officials to agree on key issues involved in imposing a third set of United Nations sanctions on Iran for continuing a nuclear weapons program. Shortly after Burns' comments in Singapore, the intelligence community released its estimate saying Iran had stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003. Despite the differences from the 2005 analysis, intelligence officials thought it was important to set the record straight by making public that "our understanding of Iran's capabilities have changed," said Donald Kerr, deputy director of national intelligence. Monday's estimate was a double "good news story," said Sen. Kit Bond of Missouri, the ranking Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee. "The intelligence community was willing to reconsider an important intelligence judgment," Bond said. "Iran doesn't appear to be currently working on a bomb." Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the estimate undercuts the administration's "obsession with regime change and irresponsible talk of World War III." Last month, President Bush said the U.S. policy toward Iran was aimed at avoiding "World War III." "The NIE makes clear that the right combination of pressure and positive incentives could prompt Tehran to extend the current halt to its nuclear weapons program," said Biden, a Democratic candidate for president. Mordechai Kedar, who served in Israel's military intelligence for 25 years and is a researcher at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies in Tel Aviv, said Israel's intelligence community disagrees with the latest estimate. "This is a matter of interpretation of data. I do believe that the U.S. and Israel share the same data, but the dispute is about interpreting the data. … Only a blind man cannot see their efforts to put a hand on a nuclear weapon. They are threatening the world." Contributing: Charles Levinson Conversation guidelines: USA TODAY welcomes your thoughts, stories and information related to this article. Please stay on topic and be respectful of others. Keep the conversation appropriate for interested readers across the map.

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Sarin was developed in 1938 in Germany as a pesticide. Its name is derived from the names of the chemists involved in its creation: Schrader, Ambros, Rudriger and van der Linde. Sarin is a colorless non-persistent liquid. The vapor is slightly heavier than air, so it hovers close to the ground. Under wet and humid weather conditions, Sarin degrades swiftly, but as the temperature rises up to a certain point, Sarin’s lethal duration increases, despite the humidity. Sarin is a lethal cholinesterase inhibitor. Doses which are potentially life threatening may be only slightly larger than those producing least effects. Signs and Symptoms overexposure may occur within minutes or hours, depending upon the dose. They include: miosis (constriction of pupils) and visual effects, headaches and pressure sensation, runny nose and nasal congestion, salivation, tightness in the chest, nausea, vomiting, giddiness, anxiety, difficulty in thinking, difficulty sleeping, nightmares, muscle twitches, tremors, weakness, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, involuntary urination and defecation, with severe exposure symptoms progressing to convulsions and respiratory failure. breath until respiratory protective mask is donned. If severe signs of agent exposure appear (chest tightens, pupil constriction, in coordination, etc.), immediately administer, in rapid succession, all three Nerve Agent Antidote Kit(s), Mark I injectors (or atropine if directed by a physician). Injections using the Mark I kit injectors may be repeated at 5 to 20 minute intervals if signs and symptoms are progressing until three series of injections have been administered. No more injections will be given unless directed by medical personnel. In addition, a record will be maintained of all injections given. If breathing has stopped, give artificial respiration. Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation should be used when mask-bag or oxygen delivery systems are not available. Do not use mouth-to-mouth resuscitation when facial contamination exists. If breathing is difficult, administer oxygen. Seek medical attention Immediately. Contact: Immediately flush eyes with water for 10-15 minutes, then don respiratory protective mask. Although miosis (pinpointing of the pupils) may be an early sign of agent exposure, an injection will not be administered when miosis is the only sign present. Instead, the individual will be taken Immediately to a medical treatment facility for observation. Contact: Don respiratory protective mask and remove contaminated clothing. Immediately wash contaminated skin with copious amounts of soap and water, 10% sodium carbonate solution, or 5% liquid household bleach. Rinse well with water to remove excess decontaminant. Administer nerve agent antidote kit, Mark I, only if local sweating and muscular twitching symptoms are observed. Seek medical attention Immediately. not induce vomiting. First symptoms are likely to be gastrointestinal. Immediately administer Nerve Agent Antidote Kit, Mark I. Seek medical Above Information Courtesy of United States Army

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Interagency Coordinating Council "The mission of the Utah Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs is to assure that each infant and young child with special needs will have the opportunity to achieve optimal health and development within the context of the family." Introduction to ICC: Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities and their Families What is Early Intervention? Baby Watch Early Intervention is a statewide, comprehensive, coordinated, interagency, multidisciplinary system, which provides early intervention services to infants and toddlers, younger than three years of age, with developmental delay or disability, and their families. Early intervention is the "baby" piece of Special Education. The program is authorized through the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Part C, (Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities). In 1987, Utah's Governor designated the Department of Health (DOH) as the "Lead Agency" for the early intervention program. Utah was one of the very first states in the nation to fully implement its early intervention program after securing the approval of the State Legislature. At present, there are 16 early intervention programs that serve more than 2,000 children per month in the state. It is anticipated that the demand for these services will continually increase. What is an Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC)? The creation of an ICC was established with the passage of federal law P.L. 99-457 in October 1986. Developers of the legislation recognized the need for a group outside of the Lead Agency to "advise and assist" in the development of such a system. The independent nature of the ICC is one feature that gives the group the potential for making a contribution to the development of the service system. Another feature of the regulations is the multidisciplinary and the multi-constituency representation on the ICC. By specifying what types of members should be included on the ICC, the legislation enables states to bring together consumer, clinical, political, and administrative communities. This merging of a variety of communities facilitates the building of bridges between the involved agencies. In addition, the committee has provided a broader vision of the service system based upon the participation and contributions of all relevant providers and consumers. The ICC, a body required by statute to be appointed by each state's Governor, is to be an important participant in the development of a well-coordinated service system (Federal Interagency Coordinating Council, June, 1989). Each state ICC determines, in conjunction with the Lead Agency, the nature of the roles and tasks it chooses to perform at various policy stages. The Utah ICC is an interagency group whose membership represents the statewide early childhood services community. It is comprised of up to 25 members. The purpose of the Utah ICC is to advise and assist the lead agency in the Division of Community and Family Health Services, Bureau of Children with Special Health Care Needs in the UDOH. Much of the work of the ICC is accomplished in standing committees and ad hoc task force meetings that perform long range planning, study specific issues and make appropriate actions. A member of the ICC chairs each committee. What role does the ICC play? The Council functions as a planning body at the systems level and advocates for children birth to three years of age and their families with or at-risk for a developmental disability. The Council acts in three major roles: (1) ADVISOR: Providing advice to the Lead Agency, Governor and the state legislature on issues related to the development of a coordinated system of early intervention services for children with or at-risk for a developmental disability and their families. The federal law defines the Council membership and the program in order to give it a unique view of the "service systems". The parent component of the Council gives it a perspective which may be different from that presented by state agencies which are represented on the Council. The Council can use its special vantage point to be recognized as a source of information for the Lead Agency, Governor, and legislators, as well as other key decision makers in the state. (2) NEGOTIATOR: Working as an advocate to encourage a particular course of action by the state. A major activity of the Council is to "review and comment on the annual state plan for services for children birth to three years" as part of its overall responsibility to assess the service system as it exists in the state. This information as well as interagency coordination is another important goal of the program and puts the Council in a position to be effective in making changes in how services are provided in the state. With agency and provider representatives on the Council, communication can more easily be effected and gaps between agencies can hopefully be bridged. (3) CAPACITY BUILDER: Enhancing the ability of the overall service system to address service needs. In this role, the Council works to increase the quality and quantity of desired supports and services from the public and private sectors, to ensure that all needy children and families will be provided early intervention services.

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en

The "Channel Mixer" command lets you adjust an image by re-mixing its color channels. To use it efficiently, bear in mind the three sets of complementary colors: "Cyan - Red", "Magenta - Green", and "Yellow - Blue". - In the Effects palette, double-click the "Channel Mixer" thumbnail. Tip. If the Shortcuts+ set is loaded, you can call the "Channel Mixer" dialog by pressing [Shift+Ctrl+M] keys. - In the dialog box, choose the proper color channel from the "Output Channel" menu. For example, to alter the blue-to-yellow ratio, you select the "Blue" channel. - Try to adjust color with the "Source Channels" sliders, keeping your eye on "Total" percentage. For example, to fix a blue cast, you reduce this value; to remove yellow, you push it over 100%. - In the Layers palette, select the front (uppermost) layer. - Press [Alt+Ctrl+Shift+E] to merge all visible layers to a new layer. - Edit the created layer with "Channel Mixer". NB Using the Channel Mixer for B&W conversion is explained here.

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en

Confused by some of the terms? Our Merchant Glossary provides concise and easy-to-understand definitions of many of the terms you need to know Debts your business owes to creditors. Debts owed to your business. Account Information Security is a standards-based compliance validation program designed to protect Visa Account and Transaction Information. It helps anyone who stores, transmits or processes Visa account data — financial institutions, merchants, Acquirers and Payment Processors — to assess whether cardholder data is secure within their organization. The financial institution that initiates and maintains contractual agreements with merchants for accepting and processing Visa card transactions. AVS matches the billing address of the purchaser against the address that the Visa card issuer has on file. This helps ensure the person making the purchase with their Visa card online, by mail or by phone is the correct card holder. Learn more about Address Verification Service An inspection and verification of financial accounts, records, and accounting procedures. The approval from the financial institution that issued the credit card, allowing the merchant to accept the transaction. Informs merchants that they have obtained the authorization for a specific Visa card transaction. Arrangement between a merchant or service provider and a customer that allows recurring automatic charges for a service to an agreed-upon credit or debit account. Learn more about Automatic Bill Payments The code that a lodging or car rental merchant gives to a cardholder. The code confirms that the cardholder cancelled a reservation. An individual to whom a card is issued. Credit or debit card transactions that take place online, over the phone or through the mail. CVV2 is a security requirement on all Visa cards. It is found on the back of cards, printed at the end of the signature panel or in a white box outside the signature panel. When a merchant asks their customers for this unique Three-digit Code, Visa and the card issuers can provide a real-time check to help ensure that the person making the purchase has the physical card in hand. Learn more about CVV2 Also known as a "Debit Memo", a chargeback is a reversal of a sales transaction. So if you deposited a $50 transaction in your merchant bank account, a chargeback for that transaction means that the $50 has now been debited from your merchant account. A chip card is a plastic payment card with an embedded chip containing a micro computer. The chip stores encrypted confidential information such as the cardholder's account number and Personal Identification Number (PIN). Learn more about Chip & PIN This is a voice authorization code you might initiate when you suspect a card is stolen or fake, or when a customer is acting suspiciously. The terms or conditions for refunds, cancellations, or modifications made to reservations, etc. A record (usually paper) used to document that a good or service was purchased. Any organization that provides financial services to merchants or individuals, including commercial banks, credit card banks, savings banks and credit unions. A specific dollar limit used to determine which Visa card transactions you must authorize. If your business has a floor limit of $100, you must obtain authorization for any transaction over that amount. The physical impression made from a customer's card on a sales draft, proving that the card was present when the sale was made. Electronic imprints can be made with a magnetic-stripe-reading terminal that includes the correct point-of-sale (POS) entry code. Provides a standard Internet connection for merchants and merchant aggregators (businesses that provide hosting and other e-commerce processing services for multiple merchants) to securely and reliably send and receive payment transaction messages. An online entity that contracts with an Acquirer/Payment Processor to provide payment-related services to Sponsored Merchants. The IPSP interfaces with an Acquirer/Payment Processor on behalf of its Sponsored Merchants and must ensure that its Sponsored Merchants are contractually obligated to operate in accordance with Visa requirements. A financial institution that issues Visa cards and maintains a contract with cardholders for repayment. An authorized acceptor of Visa cards for the payment of goods and services. A financial institution that helps the merchant fulfill Visa card payments from customers. The number a financial institution assigns to a merchant to identify their business. Short for mail order (MO) or telephone order (TO). A short-range, high frequency wireless communication technology that enables the exchange of data between devices over about a decimetre’s distance. Business expenses such as property taxes, utilities, and insurance that are not directly connected to the goods or services you produce. Our contactless payment solution. Your customers wave their Visa card with the Visa payWave feature in front of a secure contactless reader at checkout and the transaction is completed in less than a second. With no signature to check or PIN to enter and cardholder receipt optional, expect faster transactions, shorter lines and happier customers. Learn more about the Visa payWave payment solution. A computerized point-of-sale terminal that processes payment cards and is connected to other systems in a network. A payment card containing a preset amount of funds that can be used anywhere in the world Visa cards are accepted. Learn more about Visa Prepaid cards. An automatic identification method that relies on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. An RFID tag is an object that can be applied to or incorporated into a product for the purpose of identification using radiowaves. Some tags can be read from several meters away, beyond the line of sight of the reader. This technology has a variety of potential uses in the payment industry including payment via mobile phones. A security standard that many merchants use to keep their Web sites secure – and to protect the safety, privacy, and reliability of payment data traveling over the Internet. SSL encrypts the channel between browser and Web server so only the intended parties can read certain data, such as payment or customer information. An online business that contracts with an IPSP to perform some or all of its payment-related operations on its behalf. Verified by Visa (VbV) is a global online authentication service that makes online shopping more secure for both Visa merchants and cardholders. VbV provides your business with added protection against fraudulent transactions and chargebacks for online sales, while providing your customers with added confidence when shopping online – helping to turn “browsers” into “purchasers.” Learn more about Verified by Visa. A global network that acts as an Authorization service for Visa transactions, as well as a Clearing and Settlement service to transfer payment information between parties. A Visa policy that protects cardholders from unauthorized use of their Visa cards†. † Visa cardholders must establish that the transaction is not their responsibility as per all applicable agreements of the issuing financial institution. Commercial cards are excluded from the program.

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On August 9, 2011, the Canadian Ice Service (CIS) reported that the Petermann Ice Island-A (PII-A) appeared to be grounded off the east coast of Newfoundland, east of the city of St. Anthony. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this natural-color image of the ice island and its surroundings on August 14, 2011. Clouds hide much of the region, and white lines delineate coasts and borders. PII-A appears as an irregularly shaped white body east of St. Anthony. What look like small fragments of ice appear immediately west and north of the ice island. The CIS had reported for weeks that the ice island was losing mass due to melting and calving, so a continued loss of ice is consistent with CIS reports. PII-A is a remnant of a much larger ice island that calved off the Petermann Glacier in northwestern Greenland on August 5, 2010. Over the course of the following year, that ice island fragmented into smaller pieces, which continued drifting. Other fragments of the original ice island were in Baffin Bay and Lancaster Sound as of August 9, according to the CIS. - Canadian Ice Service (2011, August 9). Petermann Ice Island Updates. Accessed August 15, 2011.

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Baldwin, James Mark. 1905. Dictionary of philosophy and psychology including many of the principal conceptions of ethics, logics, aesthetics ... and giving a terminology in English, French, German and Italian, vol. 1 [a-laws]. New York: Macmillan – All related Volumes – see also: Ebbinghaus. 1902 [download as PDF file] Some blank pages may have been removed from the source display. ISSN 1866-4784: reference - Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin

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When Will Companies Learn? Another day, another disclosure that some nationwide company has improperly secured or otherwise lost control of data about their customers. What day is it, Tuesday? Oh, then it must be Large Chain Drugstore Disclosure Day. I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling a tad uneasy and angry when I read stories like this one: Apparently, the good people at CVS have been recording what consumers buy on their Web site and then making that data available to anyone with the right information at their fingertips. From the story: "Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering, or CASPIAN, said Monday that people could learn what items a customer had purchased with a [CVS] ExtraCare card by logging on to a company Web site with the card number, the customer's Zip code and first three letters of the customer's last name." "The Woonsocket-based drugstore chain said it was creating additional security hurdles to the information. Fifty million ExtraCare cards have been issued, CVS said." Fifty million cards sent through the mail? That's an expensive "oops," in more ways than one. Unlike the lady who runs CASPIAN, I don't have anything against the notion of trading some information about what I buy in the store for some savings in the checkout line, but I would prefer that the data wasn't shared with the entire world. Granted, it appears you still need a fair amount of information to pull off this hack, but didn't it occur to anyone at CVS that maybe they should require the user to supply a password or something? Certainly they have a right to it, but it's not really clear to me why CVS customers need to be able to view that data. According to the story, CVS said it has taken the site down while it works on doing just that. But what is it going to take to convince companies that it's in everyone's best interests to be a bit more careful and proactive with their customers' data? Apparently, many more incidents like this, and maybe a whole bunch of new state data privacy and breach notification laws. Still, maybe the critics of the data breach notification laws are right: If the disclosures keep up at this pace, pretty soon they'll become nothing but background noise that elicits from the public little more than a collective shrug. Sigh. Posted by: Tina Q | June 22, 2005 4:37 PM | Report abuse Posted by: JDS | June 23, 2005 1:05 PM | Report abuse Posted by: Renard | June 23, 2005 4:20 PM | Report abuse The comments to this entry are closed.

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The U.S. Senate has passed, by voice vote, U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance's "Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act," which would coordinate research of the forms of cancer that have the lowest survival rates. The bipartisan cancer research measure was added an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012, which could gain approval in the U.S. Senate as early as next week. The U.S. House passed a free-standing version of the Lance legislation in September. "I am very pleased that the U.S. Senate has passed this important legislation which seeks to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancers with high mortality rates," said Lance. "I applaud the efforts of U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who shepherded the measure through the Senate, and my friend and colleague Congresswoman Anna Eshoo for joining me as strong advocates for cancer research." The Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act would help the National Cancer Institute's efforts to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancers with high mortality rates. Research advancements in the fight against pancreatic, lung, liver, and ovarian cancers have lagged behind gains made in fighting all other cancers, which have improved from 50 to 67 percent in the last 40 years. Congressman Leonard Lance has been one of these leading advocates in Congress in the fight against pancreatic cancer -- currently the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States with a five-year survival rate of only six percent.

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Guns & Terrorism America's lax gun laws allow foreign and domestic terrorists as well as extremists easy access to all types of weaponry. Just one example is the increasingly popular 50 caliber sniper rifle. Originally designed for military use, and currently used by U.S. and other military personnel around the world, these anti-armor rifles can penetrate the armor plating of armored vehicles, turn commercial jetliners into bombs on the ground, knock helicopters out of the air, and ignite railcars and stationary tank farms containing extremely hazardous, volatile, and explosive chemicals. Violence Policy Center research revealed that Al Qaeda acquired 25 of these rifles soon after they became available on the U.S. civilian market. In addition to the 50 caliber sniper rifle, all stripes of extremists have access to a plethora of assault weapons, high-capacity ammunition magazines, loosely regulated black and smokeless powder explosive materials, body armor, explosive devices lacking the powder charge, and other materiel. In short, virtually everything needed to arm and equip a small army is available legally in the United States because of our lax laws.

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St. Simon & St. Jude Church The church of St. Simon & St. Jude is a thing of beauty. It's construction began to be in the works in 1857, and it was built between the years of 1859-1860. The entire build was guided by Rev. Peter McIntyre. There were 300 families living in Tignish at this time. The St. Simon & St. Jude Church can be seen from around the community; it being 100 feet long by 62 feet high, and it's magnificent steeple of 185 feet high was used as a beacon for the fishermen and to reach towards the heavens. The church is made of 500,000.00 bricks that came from Hughes` Brickyard, making it the first major brick building built in Prince Edward Island. The architect of the church was Patrick C. Kielly. Patrick designed the church in a Gothic Design. The twelve pillars located inside consist of one large tree that was cut down from "Virgin Forest" located on the Centre Line Road. Each of these pillars were shaped by hand. In 1885 the stations of the cross were erected in the church. These are very unique, as there are only three others like it in all of Canada. In 1888 a famous artist from Montreal; Francois Xavier Edouard Meloche, painted the twelve life size murals of the Apostles located along the walls, between the stained glass windows. In this same year the church was decorated dark blue with stars. In 1997 the church was once again painted, in creams, greys and a replica of the same blue sky. The following are the pastors of St. Simon & St. Jude Parish: - 1799-1803 L`Abbe de Calonne. - 1799-1803 Amable Pichard. - 1803-1812 Angus MacEachern (1st Bishop of Charlottetown). - 1812-1818 Jean-Louis Beaubien. - 1818-1822 Joseph Etienne Cecile. - 1822-1828 Bernard MacDonald (2nd Bishop of Charlottetown). - 1828-1843 Sylvain Emphrem Perrey. - 1843-1860 Peter McIntyre (1st Resident Pastor of Tignish & 3rd Bishop of Charlottetown). - 1860-1861 Andre Roy. - 1861-1863 Dougald M. MacDonald. - 1863-1867 Dougald MacIsaac. - 1867-1923 Dougald M. MacDonald. - 1923-1931 Gregory MacLellan. - 1931-1956 John Archie MacDonald. - 1956-1971 Michael Rooney. - 1971-1975 Austin Bradley. - 1975-1977 Arthur Pendergast. - 1977-1980 Walter Reid. - 1980-1983 Edouard Cormier. - 1983-1990 Claude Shea. - 1990 Albin Arsenault.

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Regulating Wall Street Co-Editor Ingo Walter presented a live webinar on March 31, 2011, titled "Inside Job: Reputational Risk and Conflicts of Interest in Banking and Finance." Recently in Other Finance Regulatory Topics Category Get the Flash Player to see this video. As Greece gets ready to default or restructure its debt, and several other Eurozone countries deal with their rating downgrades, it is useful to keep things in perspective. Here are ten interesting facts based on reports from IMF, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and my ongoing research with colleagues Itamar Drechsler and Philipp Schnabl ("A Pyrrhic Victory? The Ultimate Cost of Bank Bailouts"): 1. Sovereign credit default swap and bond spreads started rising in the Fall of 2008, especially following the collapse of the global financial system (failures of Lehman Brothers and A.I.G.). 2. In most cases, the widening of sovereign spreads was initiated by announcement of massive rescue packages for the financial sector and in some cases equally large fiscal stimulus packages. For instance, the immediate cost of UK's rescue package was in excess of 20% of its GDP. 3. As sovereign spreads widened with announcement of rescue and stimulus packages, in the short run bank and financial firm spreads in fact fell. But within a few weeks of the announcement, both sovereign and financial sector spreads started moving in tandem. There was effectively a "merger", a transfer of the "bad bank" assets of the financial sector into the government. Or you could say, we passed on the buck to the governments! 4. But it is not all about the additional debt and risks taken on by governments through the rescue packages. Countries that have experienced the greatest widening of their spreads are those that have also had high levels of debt relative to GDP and relatively low levels of labor productivity and global competitiveness. 5. Most developed countries are now running debt to GDP levels in the range of 50-120%. Typical emerging market defaults on external debt have in fact been at lower debt to GDP levels of 40-80%. The financial crisis of 2007-09 is metamorphosing as a potential sovereign crisis of 2010. 6. The US debt to GDP level is now at the same level as that after World War II. That should help put in perspective the crisis we have just witnessed (and the fiscal imprudence in the period leading up to it). 7. With all this credit deterioration of sovereigns, the interest in their credit default swaps (CDS) - a way of buying protection against default on sovereign's debt - has increased dramatically. While there were hardly any trades happening in sovereign CDS prior to the crisis (and in fact, until Summer of 2008), these are among the most widely traded CDS now. 8. The financial sectors of various countries are buying massive protections against sovereign credit risk. Net dealer exposures to Western countries has been rising dramatically since the Fall of 2008. Gross exposures in SovX, the Eurozone CDS index, now exceed exposures to financial CDS. 9. Since November 2009, the rapid widening of Eurozone sovereign CDS has been accompanied with little widening, if any, of global, investment grade corporations and financials of these countries. Now, it is the "bad countries" of the world that are partially getting merged with safer countries' balance-sheets (Think of Greece and Germany!). 10. The ratio of CDS traded to debt for sovereigns is the highest for Eurozone countries at the current moment, reflecting both their credit risk problems as well as their monetary inflexibility given the currency union. In contrast, CDS to debt ratios for the UK and the US are tiny. Moral of the story: At least two. 1. Bailing out banks or countries does not mean the credit risk of their bad assets just vanishes in thin air. It simply gets transferred to (other) sovereign balance-sheets. But these sovereign balance-sheets, like corporations, also have limited debt capacity. 2. It may be time for most countries, including the United States, to exercise fiscal restraint and devise a clear strategy to reduce government debt over next 3-5 years. Those who do not act now put at risk any economic recovery witnessed since the Fall of 2008. Sometimes, less is more!

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As Commissioner of Education, I am committed to ensuring that all of our students will graduate from high school ready for success in colleges and careers. For too long, our schools have awarded diplomas to students who have not acquired basic skills in mathematics and reading. These graduates soon learn that they are poorly prepared for college or careers. Many of these graduates enter CCRI must take remedial classes at their own expense in order pursue a degree. Many others find doors closed to them because they do not have the skills they need when they seek employment. We cannot let this happen any longer. Today, our Rhode Island Diploma System sets reasonable expectations for all students, requires our schools to provide students with the support they need to meet these expectations, and provides students with multiple opportunities to meet all graduation requirements and earn a diploma. You may have heard people talking recently about one aspect of our Diploma System: the expectation that students meet expectations on our statewide assessments. Success on assessments is only one of our graduation requirements. I do not believe that one test score alone should determine whether a student is ready to graduate, nor do I believe that a test score alone is a reasonable way to measure student achievement. We must measure student growth and achievement using many sources of evidence, including state assessments. Earlier this month (February 8), we released the results of our latest (October 2012) state assessments, which showed that about 4,100 high-school students scored "substantially below proficient" on 10th-grade standards. These students have not yet met the assessment component of the graduation requirements, but they will have many opportunities to do so. These students will take the NECAP assessment again in October and, if necessary, once again in the spring of their senior year. If their results improve, they will meet this graduation requirement, even if they do not attain the level of "partially proficient." Students also have the opportunity to submit the results of another approved test and to appeal decisions about graduation. In some limited instances, students may also seek a waiver from this graduation requirement. To prepare students for graduation, we require that our schools provide additional, intensive support and instruction to all students who fall below "partially proficient" on the state assessments. I am confident that, with good instruction and with the will to succeed, our students can learn, improve, and earn a meaningful high-school diploma. I encourage parents and guardians, from the time your children enter school, to keep in touch with teachers and guidance counselors about how your children are performing. When you receive from your school a report on your child's test results, read the report carefully. If your child is having difficulty in mathematics or reading, at any grade level, be sure to discuss with teachers or school leaders what steps the school will take to help your child succeed - and what you can do to help as well. I understand that our Diploma System demands a lot of our teachers, of our students, and of their families. We must never give up on our students. Let us work together to ensure that our students succeed. Their success in school today is the key to their future success and to the future prosperity of our state. Deborah A. Gist is the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. She can be reached at (401) 222-8700 or firstname.lastname@example.org

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Oracle of Omaha earned his nickname — and more than a few billion dollars — by spotting investments that others overlooked, but Warren Buffett makes mistakes. No, really, he does. Just pick through Buffett’s annual letters to shareholders of his conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway. His pronouncements are eagerly anticipated by investors around the world. But sometimes even the Oracle gets it wrong. By the second page of this year’s letter, released Saturday, Buffett was borrowing a tennis term to take credit for “a major unforced error” he’d made on some Texas utility bonds. Of course, Buffett’s shareholder letters are filled with a lot more good decisions than bad ones. His $44 billion fortune attests to that. But the blunders are instructive. Or at least remind us that he’s human. The plainspoken, no-nonsense investor tends to be a good sport about his mistakes. Here are some of the lowlights. The blunder: Buffett predicted in last year’s letter that the U.S. housing recovery would begin within the next year and help fuel economic growth. The explanation: Buffett doesn’t mince words and says he was “dead wrong” about this one. But he says basic biology makes it unavoidable that the country will need more houses. The quip: “People may postpone hitching up during uncertain times, but eventually hormones take over. And while ‘doubling up’ may be the initial reaction of some during a recession, living with in-laws can quickly lose its allure.” The blunder: Buffett spent about $2 billion buying bonds offered by Texas utility Energy Future Holdings. But those bonds are now worth about $878 million, and he conceded Saturday that even that could be wiped out. The explanation: Buffett comes right out and admits misjudging the company’s prospects and the likelihood that natural gas prices would remain depressed. The quip: “However things turn out, I totally miscalculated the gain/loss probabilities when I purchased the bonds. In tennis parlance, this was a major unforced error by your chairman.” The blunder: Some of the companies Berkshire Hathaway has bought don’t add much to the company’s bottom line. Buffett didn’t single out the laggards in Berkshire’s manufacturing, service and retail unit, but he acknowledged that a few produce poor returns. The explanation: Buffett says he misjudged some of these businesses before Berkshire bought them partly because he didn’t always listen to curmudgeonly Vice Chairman Charlie Munger. The quip: “I try to look out 10 or 20 years when making an acquisition, but sometimes my eyesight has been poor. Charlie’s has been better; he voted ‘no’ more than ‘present’ on several of my errant purchases.” The blunder: In 2008, Buffett more than quadrupled Berkshire’s stake in ConocoPhillips when oil and gas prices were near their peak. It cost the company several billion dollars. The explanation: Buffett said he didn’t anticipate the dramatic fall in energy prices that happened later in 2008. The quip: “During 2008 I did some dumb things in investments. I made at least one major mistake of commission and several lesser ones that also hurt.” The blunder: Buffett has said that buying Berkshire Hathaway itself may have been his worst investment decision. It was a struggling New England textile mill when Buffett bought into it in the 1960s. He kept the mill running for 20 years before shutting it down. The explanation: Buffett didn’t recognize immediately that the textile business was doomed to continue losing money. The quip: “The dumbest thing I could have done was to pursue ‘opportunities’ to improve and expand the existing textile operation — so for years that’s exactly what I did,” he said last year. “And then, in a final burst of brilliance, I went out and bought another textile company. Aaaaaaargh! Eventually I came to my senses, heading first into insurance and then into other industries.” (© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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A massive voter rebellion against Washington business-as-usual in 2010 produced a freshman class in the House that included 80 Republicans and nine Democrats, many of whom were elected with support of local Tea Party groups on explicit promises to upset the political applecart in the nation's capitol. And more often than not, most members of the House Freshman class of 2010 have been a thorn in the side of House leaders, especially for House Speaker John Bohner. As a result, on multiple occasions on major issues like the federal budget, Boehnher has been forced to depend upon finding enough Democrats to join with establishment GOPers to pass spending measures. Even so, a new Sunlight Foundation analysis finds extensive evidence that more than a few of the 2010 freshmen are giving in to Washington's ways on the campaign finance and lobbying fronts. |What they found| |* Special interests have doubled their giving to House freshmen over 2010.| |* Several leadership PACs are giving big bucks to freshmen seeking re-election.| |* Super-PACs, labor groups and others are also giving big bucks to them.| According to Sunlight reporter Anupama Narayanswamy, "it wasn't long after they arrived in Washington in January 2011 before some of the newbies began mimicking their seniors in hitting the party trail, holding fundraisers to cover their 2010 campaign debts." As a result, Naranswamy said, "these corporate special interests and businesses registered to lobby have doubled down on their campaign donation to the first-year House members." Among the most significant findings produced so far by Sunlight's 16-member reporting team led by editorial director Bill Allison are these: * In 2010, political action committees of businesses that lobby gave the then-challengers a total of $14.89 million. Since then, they have upped their contributions to the first terms by nearly 100 percent, donating more than $26.66 million so far this cycle. * Leadership PACs--political action committees associated with high-ranking present or former members of Congress--have propped up some of the candidates to the tune of $9.59 million. * Outside groups--super PACs, nonprofits, labor groups and party committees--have spent $1.78 million so far on races where these 89 incumbents are running. * In 2010, the members of the House freshman class collected $144 million in campaign donations. So far this cycle, they've raked in $120 million, more than twice what they had raised at this point in 2010 ($54.6 million) and are heading into the most lucrative months of the fundraising calendar. In addition to looking at their performance as a group, the Sunlight project is producing in-depth analyses of each of the 89 members of the 2010 freshman class. Thus far, analyses have been published on Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-KS, Rep. David Schweikert, R-AZ, and Rep. Cory Gardiner, R-CO. For more of the Sunlight report, go here.

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By Don Pearson, General Manager, Conservation Ontario The Owen Sound Sun Times featured an editorial on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 suggesting that Conservation Authorities “have to do more to keep their costs under control.” The article acknowledged the important work that Conservation Authorities do in protecting wetlands, forests, parks, and other natural amenities. It also observed that a 6% increase in the municipal levy to fund this work, was not going over too well – especially considering that inflationary costs are tracking closer to 2%. Clearly, municipal politicians have a tough job to do in balancing the need for their municipalities to provide services against the willingness and ability of their residents to pay for those services. One fact the editorial overlooks, is that in 2011, resulting from a joint provincial municipal fiscal review, the Ontario government committed to upload $2.5 billion in social services costs, creating a corresponding amount of tax room at the local level. This agreement enables programs like social assistance to be funded by provincial revenues (income and sales taxes) while place-based services like roads, fire, police, and yes, Conservation Authorities, are funded from the property tax base. This ‘shift’ means a larger proportion of funding for specific programs is intended to come from the property tax base, with a corresponding reduction in provincial funding. So, why are Conservation Authorities seeking levy increases that are greater than inflation? Don’t they get it that money is tight? Yes, Conservation Authorities understand the bottom line and because of this they leverage municipal investment on a 3 to 1 basis. For every dollar municipalities invest in a Conservation Authority, they get $3.00 in services in return. Conservation Authorities do this by running efficient operations and by partnering with other authorities, outside agencies, landowners and all levels of government to deliver programs and services. Municipalities get a lot for their money. Ontario’s 36 Conservation Authorities collectively spend more than $300 million each year to provide a wide range is essential services: · flood and erosion protection, saving property owners more than $100 million annually; · clean and plentiful water supplies; · more than 3 million trees planted; · outdoor education for a half million kids; and · recreation for 6 million campers, swimmers, hikers, and picnickers. Of this total budget, about 42% or $126 million comes from municipal sources; another 22% or 66 million from provincial and federal governments; and the rest, $108 million from user fees – a pretty good return on the public investment. Put another way, the municipal contribution to Conservation Authority programs is around $10 per year for every person in Ontario. That translates to around $33 per average household! Too high a price for a healthy environment? Not if you consider how important a healthy environment is to our own health and well-being, and to our economy.

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The press release doesn’t contain any pictures, and really doesn’t do this new web tool justice, so I’ve added some screencaps. In a nutshell, the new iSWA site lets you arrange graphical packages of solar images and plots oncsreen for simultaneous evaluation. Stuff that had been scattered over several solar related websites is now in one interface. Pretty cool. – Anthony When NASA’s satellite operators need accurate, real-time space-weather information, they turn to the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) of the Space Weather Laboratory at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The CCMC’s newest and most advanced space-weather science tool is the Integrated Space Weather Analysis (iSWA) system. The iSWA is a robust, integrated system provides information about space weather conditions past, present, and future and, unlike many other programs currently in use, has an interface that the user can customize to suit a unique set of data requirements. “The iSWA space-weather data analysis system offers a unique level of customization and flexibility to maintain, modify, and add new tools and data products as they become available,” says Marlo Maddox, iSWA system chief developer at NASA Goddard. iSWA draws together information about conditions from the sun to the boundary of the sun’s influence, known as the heliosphere. The iSWA systems digests information from spacecraft including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES), NASA’s Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), the joint European Space Agency and NASA mission Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), and NASA’s Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE). Citizen scientists and science enthusiasts can also use the data, models, and tools of the iSWA system. Similar to the way in which armchair astronomers have used SOHO data to discover comets, enthusiasts will find the iSWA system a wonderful resource for increasing their familiarity with the concept of space weather. “We are continuously evolving the iSWA system, and we hope that it will benefit not only NASA satellite operators, but also that it may also help space-weather forecasting at other agencies such as the Air Force Weather Agency and NOAA,” says Michael Hesse, chief of the Space Weather Laboratory at NASA Goddard. Space-weather information tends to be scattered over various Web sites. NASA Goddard space physicist Antti Pulkkinen says the iSWA system represents “the most comprehensive single interface for general space-weather-related information,” providing data on past and current space-weather events. The system allows the user to configure or design custom displays of the information. The system compiles data about conditions on the sun, in Earth’s magnetosphere — the protective magnetic field that envelops our planet — and down to Earth’s surface. It provides a user interface to provide NASA’s satellite operators and with a real-time view of space weather. In addition to NASA, the iSWA system is used by the Air Force Weather agency. Access to space-weather information that combines data from state-of-the-art space-weather models with concurrent observations of the space environment provides a powerful tool for users to obtain a personalized “quick look” at space-weather information, detailed insight into space-weather conditions, as well as tools for historical analysis of the space-weather’s impact. Development of the iSWA system has been a joint activity between the Office of the Chief Engineer at NASA Headquarters and the Applied Engineering and Technology Directorate and the Science and Exploration Directorate at NASA Goddard. The iSWA system is located at NASA Goddard. The Community Coordinated Modeling Center is funded by the Heliophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, and the National Science Foundation. Layout selector tool:

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http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/02/24/new-all-in-one-space-weather-tool-from-nasa/

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Shockingly, Israel is less than pleased with Obama for rewarding the Iranians with direct talks. Via NY Times: The United States and Iran have agreed for the first time to one-on-one negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, according to Obama administration officials, setting the stage for what could be a last-ditch diplomatic effort to avert a military strike on Iran. Iranian officials have insisted that the talks wait until after the presidential election, a senior administration official said, telling their American counterparts that they want to know which American president they would be negotiating with. News of the agreement — a result of intense, secret exchanges between American and Iranian officials that date almost to the beginning of President Obama’s term — comes at a critical moment in the presidential contest, just two weeks before Election Day and a day before the final debate, which is to focus on national security and foreign policy. Israeli officials initially expressed an awareness of, and openness to, a diplomatic initiative. But when asked for a response on Saturday, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Michael B. Oren, said the administration had not informed Israel, and that the Israeli government feared Iran would use new talks to “advance their nuclear weapons program.” “We do not think Iran should be rewarded with direct talks,” he said, “rather that sanctions and all other possible pressures on Iran must be increased.”Direct talks would also have implications for an existing series of negotiations involving a coalition of major powers, including the United States. These countries have imposed sanctions to pressure Iran over its nuclear program, which Tehran insists is for peaceful purposes but which Israel and many in the West believe is aimed at producing a weapon.

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http://weaselzippers.us/2012/10/20/obama-admin-agrees-to-one-on-one-direct-talks-with-iran-over-nuke-program-israel-says-white-house-kept-them-in-the-dark/

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en

By JOHN CARTER When Abraham Lincoln died from an assassin’s bullet on April 15, 1865, Edwin Stanton remarked to those gathered around his bedside, “Now he belongs to the ages.” One of the meanings implied in Stanton’s famous statement is that Lincoln would not only be remembered as an iconic figure of the past, but that his spirit would also play a significant role in ages to come. The Oscar-nominated movie “Lincoln,” which chronicles the struggle to pass the 13th amendment abolishing slavery, has turned our attention again to Lincoln’s legacy and his relevance amid our nation’s present divisions and growing pains. Here is some of the wit and wisdom of Abraham Lincoln worth pondering: “As for being president, I feel like the man who was tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail. To the man who asked him how he liked it, he said, ‘If it wasn’t for the honor of the thing, I’d rather walk.’” “I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside of me.” “Should my administration prove to be a very wicked one, or what is more probable, a very foolish one, if you the people are true to yourselves and the Constitution, there is but little harm I can do, thank God.” “Bad promises are better broken than kept.” “I am not at all concerned that the Lord is on our side in this great struggle, for I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right; but it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation may be on the Lord’s side.” “I have never had a feeling, politically, that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence.” “Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under a just God, cannot long retain it.” “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.” “The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.” “The true rule, in determining to embrace or reject anything, is not whether it have any evil in it, but whether it have more evil than good. There are few things wholly evil or wholly good.” “Some of our generals complain that I impair discipline and subordination in the army by my pardons and respites, but it makes me rested, after a hard day’s work, if I can find some good excuse for saving a man’s life, and I go to bed happy as I think how joyful the signing of my name will make him (a deserter) and his family.” “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” In addition, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and his second inaugural speech are ever relevant. And you may wish to add your own favorites to these. Paul’s advice to us in Philippians 4:8 is to “fill your minds with those things that are good and deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable.” As we celebrate his birthday on the 12th, Lincoln’s words more than meet this standard! John Carter is a Weatherford resident whose column, “Notes From the Journey,” is published weekly in the Weatherford Democrat.

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TAKING EVERY PRECAUTION Japan Takes Measures to Prevent SARS (June 9, 2003) As severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a new type of pneumonia, rages in wide areas of Asia and other places, the Japanese government has been busy taking measures to prevent an outbreak from occurring in Japan. The government has urged people to take caution in traveling to affected areas, and it has been making every effort to prevent SARS from entering Japan. In addition, work is progressing on a system in which medical institutions, national and local governments, and corporations will act together to prevent the spread of SARS in the event of an outbreak in Japan. As a result of these efforts, as of June 9, there have been no confirmed or probable cases of SARS in Japan. |Medical staff practice using an isolator. (Jiji) Plans Already Developed for Dealing with Patients On May 1 the government brought the heads of the relevant ministries and agencies together for a first-ever meeting devoted to SARS in order to decide what measures should be taken in the event that someone in Japan is found to be infected with the virus. The group decided to call on people returning from China to stay at home for 10 days, which is believed to be the incubation period for the disease. Taking this into consideration, the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare made plans for taking action in the event of an outbreak. It decided to give local governments the authority to direct people believed likely to be infected, or "probable patients," to hospitalize themselves. In the event that a patient refuses, the local governments are empowered to forcibly hospitalize the person. Local governments are readying themselves to accept patients. According to a survey conducted by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun in early May, all of the nation's 47 prefectures had already completed action plans spelling out what measures would be taken in the event of an outbreak. In addition, some 250 medical institutions around the country have made such preparations as setting up "negative air-pressure rooms" to prevent the virus from spreading within the hospital or to the outside. Local governments in such places as Kitakyushu City, Hokkaido, and Mie Prefecture have been purchasing capsules called isolators to be used when suspected SARS patients are moved, and they have conducted drills on how to use them with volunteers playing the role of patients. In May a foreign traveler who had been to Japan was found to be infected with SARS. When this was discovered, the government and local authorities quickly implemented emergency measures, as a result of which no secondary infections occurred. According to a survey conducted by the Asahi Shimbun, 28 local governments out of the 47 prefectures and 13 major cities in Japan, nearly half the total, were rethinking their plans to cope with a potential SARS outbreak in light of this news. Fukushima Prefecture decided to check whether visitors from abroad have come from an area to which the World Health Organization recommends postponing travel. It will also make use of the local hotels association to determine the previous whereabouts of such guests. Kagawa Prefecture, meanwhile, which had previously only planned for people who had come in close contact with SARS patients, defined as having been within 2 meters, has created an action plan for checking on people who have had even a low possibility of coming in contact with a carrier. Public and Private Sectors Taking Action The Japanese government is stepping up its efforts to take rapid, nationwide measures to prevent SARS infection. The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare has accelerated revision of the Infectious Disease Law, for example. And while local governments are the first line of defense in tracking the path of infection and following up on people who may have been exposed, the national government will become directly involved in the event that infection spreads outside of a local area. Japan is also actively engaged in international cooperation aimed at preventing the spread The private sector has also been taking action to prevent the spread of SARS and to reassure travelers. West Japan Railway Co. (JR West) has set up a SARS-response headquarters and is considering disinfecting affected carriages in the event that an infected person is found to have been onboard a certain train at a certain time. The company also decided to publicly release information on the time and route traveled by any SARS patients. Orient Ferry, which runs a ferry route from Shimonoseki to China's Qingdao, has since late April requested that all passengers and crew fill out health questionnaires, and the company has trained staff for what to do in the event that a passenger falls ill with SARS while onboard. The terminal in Qingdao, the shuttle bus, and the inside of the ship are all disinfected every day. Meanwhile, some companies have taken the step of postponing scheduled business trips to affected areas, and, in response to requests by the government, airlines and ship operators whose vessels operate in Japan are distributing health questionnaires to their staff and passengers. Japan has avoided SARS so far, and there is every reason to be confident that the country will remain free of the disease. Even if an outbreak did occur, the concerted efforts of local and national governments and private enterprises to prepare for such an eventuality suggest that it would be handled quickly and efficiently. Note: The government's "Measures upon Entry/Return to Japan" for travelers heading to Japan can be found here. (http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/health_c/sars/measure0521.html) Related Web Sites the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare World Health Organization West Japan Railway Co. (JR West) Copyright (c) 2004 Web Japan. Edited by Japan Echo Inc. based on domestic Japanese news sources. Articles presented here are offered for reference purposes and do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government. (November 19, 2002) GIVE BLOOD AND ENJOY (September 25, 2002)

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Click Back on Browser to Return to Previous Page A Year in Part 2 of 3- July 1st to December 31st 1901 This morning early a Boer came into our camp, under cover of a ‘white flag’ – with a note to our General from Commandant Kemp – with whom we had the tussle yesterday – asking for bandages and medicine for their wounded. These were at once sent. Column left Rudival noon, travelling over rough, but beautiful country, till 7.30 p.m. when we camped near a very large Kaffir village; the name of which I have not yet learned. These natives do not live in such squalor, as do our Australian blacks. Their little conical shaped huts, tho’ simple structures of mud and thatch, are kept scrupulously clean. In front of each house is a walled in area, semicircular in shape; within this area, the mistress of the house performs her household duties; does the cooking -such as it is- and feeds her little family. This latter interesting performance is simple in the extreme. The dusky materfamilias places a certain number of wooden bowls (corresponding with the number of ‘little ones’) at certain intervals around the arena. These bowls contain “mealie-meal” which forms the principal food of the Kaffir. The hungry ‘juveniles’ then “file in” in order of seniority, and without argument, apply themselves assiduously -per hand- to the apparently congenial task of reducing the contents of the wooden bowls. It is a novel sight, as pleasing as it is instructive, and I think these young gentlemen would not mind how many times a day they had to rehearse it for the stranger’s edification. Left camp 6.30 a.m. reaching Ebenezar 3.30 p.m. A little skirmishing took place ‘en route’. Convoy remained in camp. Mounted Column went out 6 a.m. with empty waggons to bring in Boer families from Waterval. Returned 6 p.m., with quite a large number of people, - also a fine piano- the property of one of the ladies present. Being a beautiful moonlight night it was decided that we should have a concert – the fair owner of the piano graciously giving her consent; indeed many of the Dutch ladies honoured our humble concert with their august presence. I have an idea, however, that they were not very favorably [sic] impressed with our vocal capacities. There are certain songs always trotted out on every such occasion, notable that one which deals with the pathetic subject of “Plucking a flower from my “oingil” mothers “groive”. This doleful song is sung at every military ‘chivoo’, and generally by about the worst singer present. (On this occasion we had abundant material to choose from). Then follows a few recitations including always a stirring rendition of “The Charge of the Light Brigade”. The “Hard Case” of the company, - whose real talents for comedy by the way– seem to be reserved for the edification of a few intimate friends, in the seclusion of his own tent– then steps jauntily forward amid vociferous cheering, and chants something in rhyme about the impossibility of a man “livin ‘appy with ‘is wife, when she’s alwis chewin’ biscuits in the bed”. He then goes on – still in rhyme- to explain that “Biscuits has drove him off his chump”, and it appears that he “gave his darlin’ warnin’ ”, that he’d got the “bally-ooly ‘ump”, and was ‘orf to–morrow mornin’. -At this juncture someone in the audience rudely asked if it wouldn’t be better to start at once? which remark was treated with the contempt it deserved. But we had a few musicians in the company to whom the Dutch piano proved an acquisition, and to these few our hearty thanks are due for having upheld the prestige of our race in front of the strangers. Left Ebenezar 6 a.m., reaching Elands River 4 p.m. Column left camp 6 a.m. Early in the afternoon Boers were sighted on the hills round Wanderfontein. On coming within rifle-range we had a brisk Encounter. Our artillery got to work, and was soon pumping shell and shrapnel in thick and fast. I have never seen such a display of artillery. The shells literally tore up the tops of the kopjes. We had no casualties. It is said the Boers lost 13 killed, besides many wounded. The country round here is very mountainous, and affords very good shelter for the Boers, who seem to be pretty numerous in this district. Column left Wanderfontein about dawn. Shortly afterwards the enemy attacked our Left Flank and Rear Guard; After a time they were repulsed. One of our officers, Lieut Battye – was wounded in the thigh. We also had several horses shot. In the afternoon we captured a Boer Convoy in the bush, three miles north of Magozastad. In one of the waggons were some boxes of clothing marked “Mrs P. Botha”. Besides some beautiful silk dresses, the boxes contained some jewellery. It is quite possible that Mrs. B– will have some difficulty in getting her trinkets together again, should she require them for the grand ball which “Kruger” is going to give when they finish the war. Column reached Kopval 9 a.m. Here we camped for the day. Can hear heavy cannonading on our Left – probably Lord Methuen’s Column engaged. – Was made a corporal today. We reached Zeerust this afternoon. It is a small town, rather pretty, - also rather unhealthy. At the present time there are six columns camped here comprising in all nearly 10,000 men. It was here, that Sir F. Carrington, - for certain reasons- burnt a greater portion of his convoy last year. He may have been in the right, but it does seem a pity to have burned so much valuable stuff, when there was (apparently) no urgent need for such a course of action. Remained in camp today, getting in supplies for return ‘trek’ to Klerksdorp. Several horses died this evening from the effects of a poisonous weed, which grows plentifully round here. This poisonous plant grows from a bulb, and in appearance is like the daffodil. Local horses will not touch it. Column left Zeerust 6 a.m. by the There is no water for either horse or man to-night, and a stretch of 25 miles tomorrow before we reach any. This portion of the Left camp before dawn, reaching Kroenhoek (and water) about noon. The poor horses were famished, and we were glad enough to get a drink. Left Kroenhoek 6 a.m. About 9 o’clock, a little firing took place on the Flank. Reached Leufontein 2 p.m. Moved off camp 6.30 a.m. Outspanned at 10 for 2 hours. Reached Hartebeesfontein 6 p.m. With commendable forethought, our Colonel has selected a newly-burned piece of country for our camp. What with the tramping about, and a fine breeze blowing, we will all be like Kaffirs in half an hour. Left camp 6.30 trekking South. Reached Klerksdorp at noon. Shortly after arriving, an Australian mail was given out. Little work is done when a mail comes, everyone is too busy reading home-letters. Received a “Pay” – first since we Left Klerksdorp travelling Westward (we never know were we are going) – Camped at Hartebeesfontein 4.p.m. Left camp 6 a.m. When nearing Leufontein, Hasler’s Australian Scouts saw a party of possibly 200 men, approaching. They wore “khaki” and rode in the usual “extended order” of British troops. Captain Hasler, being doubtful, gave the Column signal, whereon, one of the advancing party held his hat out in his left hand (our pre-arranged signal denoting “Friends”) This being considered sufficient, they were allowed to approach. When within a hundred yards the Boers – (for such they were) suddenly dismounted, and fired a volley into our men, killing Sergeant Seymour, wounding Captain Hasler, and hitting several others. Our Squadron-Officer hearing the firing gave us the order to gallop, and not needing a second telling, away we went, racing almost up to the Boers. Then the bullets began to fly. “W-h-i-n-g, whing!” how they whistled through the air, tearing up the ground with a savage “Zip!” The Boers, however, not wishing to quarrel with our particular squadron elected to retire, and were soon tearing across the veldt as fast as their good little horses could carry them; but, five of them remained and will never ride over the great plains and kopjes of their native land again. We are all sorry for poor “Dulce et decorum [est] pro patria mori” sayeth the proverb. Perhaps so. It is right enough to “go down” in a fair, open fight, but not in this cold blooded fashion. Our men have received great praise from the General, who promised to have our “Gallant fight” mentioned in his dispatches to the Commander-in-chief. Captain Hasler is badly hit, and will probably be invalided home. He will be a loss to our Column, as no braver man ever entered the field of action. Column reached Holfontein 2 p.m. Southern Cossack Post – under Corporal Johnson – saw 14 Boers advancing towards their ‘Post’. Lying flat down they allowed the enemy to approach within two or three hundred yards, then opened fire, killing three. The rest fled. All the afternoon Boers were seen hovering about the skyline, but they kept at a respectful distance. “Long Elsie” – our Elswick Gun – fired 3 shots at a farm house -3400 yards range-; First two struck close, the third lodged fair on the roof. Almost instantaneously Boers could be seen emerging from the house, thinking probably that it was no place for them. Reached Doornklip 4 p.m. “Cossack Post” was attacked, and came tearing into camp about 5, overwhelmed, they said by numbers. All that could be seen from camp, however, were hardly sufficient to cause alarm. Left Doornklip 6 a.m. reaching Rooibuilt 3.30 p.m. Reveille 6.30 a.m. Seems like a day in camp. Out comes the “washing”. About noon the Scouts belonging to Col. Hickeys Column, mistaking our Outpost for Boers, fired on them. The bullets came whistling past them, right into the middle of our camp, one striking within a yard of where our “select” party was seated having lunch. Fortunately we had not much furniture to shift, but what we had was removed I believe, in record time. At 2 p.m., the convoy, with an escort left camp. We remained until dusk. After lighting fires, to make believe we were camping for the night, we moved off silently in the darkness. At midnight we halted, tied our horses up, and prepared to go to sleep. At 1 we were turned out again, the Intelligence Staff having brought in word that a Boer Convoy was close at hand. By a quarter past one, we had saddled up, and on the move. It was a glorious moonlight night. No talking was allowed, and nothing save the steady tramp of our horses feet on the grassy veldt broke the stillness of the perfect night. Suddenly the voice of a Boer sentinel rang out “Wei dar!” (Who goes there.) A flash of fire leapt to someone’s rifle and a bullet sped through the air, and that was the only reply the poor chap got. We were ordered to charge, and down to the Boer’s camp we raced. – It was grand. The march had been well planned; we had surprise them, but still some shooting took place. A lad near me was hit, and died afterwards. Some surrendered, many escaped, and a few were killed. In all we had captured 32 waggons, and 70 prisoners; besides a fine herd of cattle. A good nights work. We went on till daylight, then camped, - glad of a rest. It is a blazing hot day, and there is no water here- the nearest being Hart’s River – 20 miles distant. We tried to sleep until the sun roasted us out. No shade to be got anywhere. Everyone looking “only middling”, heavy eyed, dust-begrimed, and thirsty. How is it that one is always thirsty when there is no water procurable? The Convoy rejoined us about noon. They have had a long heavy march, and the mules must have a spell. We go on at mid-night. Reached Hart’s River at day-break and pleased we were to get there. It is over 40 hours since we had aught to drink. The poor horses I pity most. They have been dropping out at intervals throughout the night, and had to be left to their fate. More than one tired solder tramped wearily into camp, sorry enough to have left his equine companion behind him to die. Nothing is sadder than this silent parting with one’s horse. You feel, and rightly too – that you have lost a friend. What friend could be more faithful than this poor dumb creature? – Perhaps you owe your very life to the horse you leave to die by the wayside; but we have come to understand that “War” is no great picnic. Left camp 3.30 a.m., reaching the deserted town of Had a cricket-match this afternoon, the townspeople having been good enough to leave the requisite utensils behind them. We appreciate their thoughtfulness. Column left Swatz-renike 3.30 a.m. travelling through sandy, desert country until 3 p.m. Camped at “Guidplaats” which name translated into English means “Good-place” The Dutchman who named it thus, must have been of a decidedly optimistic turn of mind. Left camp 4.45 a.m. Farewell Guidplaats! We had a brisk skirmish shortly before noon, resulting in the capture of 15 prisoners, 12 waggons and 500 cattle. Only 1 man wounded on our side. After a long, weary, march over barren sandy ground, we reached a place by the stylish name of Lowsblaake. No water again. A man wants to be like a camel for travelling in this country. Left camp early, crossed the Arived at the town of Column left Taungs 4 p.m., travelling in a South Easterly direction till dark. Reached Scaapfontein 6 p.m. 11 Remained in camp all day. “Dulce far niete” 12 Column left Scaapfontein 6 a.m. The country we are passing over is rough and hilly, and -we are told- nearly all gold-bearing. It is the opinion of practical miners amongst us, that there is gold in large quantities about this district. Re-crossed the Transvaal border 10 a.m. Passed ‘Christiana’ on the Christiana was the first Camped at Uitspanning 5 miles North of Christiana, also on the Left camp 4.30 a.m, reaching Matlabanstad about noon, having travelled up the The Mounted Column, taking with them one blanket, and two days rations per man left camp at midnight. A large Boer Convoy passed here two days ago, travelling north -so the local Kaffirs say. After having travelled about 25 miles, we camped. Reveille, midnight. Away again. This morning we overtook six ox-waggons belonging to a Convoy. Pursued a party of Boers, but could not get a shot at them. We can see fresh tracks, as of a large convoy, so things are improving. The Boers we saw this morning were probably acting Rear-Guard. Reveille 5.30 a.m. Rejoined our supply-waggons at 9. They have been travelling along up the river. Drew more rations and set off again in pursuit- of our (?) Convoy. After a long day’s ride we halted near the town of Left camp again, at midnight. About 3 p.m. we came up with the Boer Rearguard and our sprits rose. After a short exchange of pleasantries, we drove the enemy forward, and raced down on their convoy. Here we met with a stubborn resistance, but we have ridden so far, that we were determined not to go back without something for our trouble, and they, probably thinking that it was of no use wasting time with such unreasonable folk, kindly withdrew, leaving us in possession of 105 waggons; 1500 cattle; and 30 prisoners of war, besides many Boer famlies. This may be considered a splendid capture. Darkness was closing in on our triumph, and the return march of 25 miles had yet to be made, over unknown country. We had neither forage for our weary horses, nor rations for ourselves, so must reach our camp somehow. I will not attempt to describe that long, homeward night march. Most of the Transport Waggons had to be driven by our men, -the Kaffir drivers having cleared out during the fight. However, all things good and bad come to an end, and we reached our camp at “Palmeitfontein” at midnight. We had ridden over 70 miles, and had been in the saddle 22 hours since our last brief halt. Most of us slept soundly, I believe, when once we got to bed. Reveille 7.30 a.m. A day in camp. This morning our General sent a message round, congratulating the Flying Column on its well-earned capture. Such a feat, he declares, could not have been successfully accomplished by any other but Colonial troops. He made special reference to what [he] characterised as “marvellous powers of endurance” on our part, and expressed himself highly pleased with the manner in which we piloted the waggons along in the dark. Amongst the Dutch families, are two young ladies, - nieces of the Boer General Delarey. –They are pleasant, refined girls, pretty, well dressed, and speak English fluently – almost too fluently, we thought. During a conversation one remarked that we “Australians seemed to prefer making war on the ladies, to fighting the men”. What could one do but suggest that where such as they were concerned it was rather the more dangerous occupation of the two. Perhaps some of us, really thought so too, at the time. Column left camp 6 a.m., reaching Rhenoster Spruit 3.30. A “white flag” incident occurred here. A party of Boers holding out a “token of surrender”, on being interviewed by a member of the Intelligence staff, stated that they wished to see an Officer, to arrange with him terms of surrender. Captain Vandaleur went out to meet them. Imagine his surprise on being surrounded by armed Boers, stripped of all his valuables -including a gold watch- and even his clothes. A mean trick, and a favourite one of the Boers, but it will yet cost them dear. Reached the Afrikander Mines 5.30. One of the richest gold mines in the Klerksdorp District, and prior to the outbreak of war, was worked by a British Syndicate. -Some splendid machinery going to ruin here. Reached Klerksdorp shortly after mid-day. More news from home. The papers and letters are about six weeks old, but are very welcome, never-the-less. In camp, Klerksdorp. Getting in supplies for next trek. Column left Klerksdorp 6 a.m. trekking out in a north-easterly direction. Camped at Brakspruit 4.30. Reached Klip-plaats Drift 4 p.m. Column reached Ventersdorp 6 p.m. All the gardens and fields round the town are enclosed by hedges of peach trees. These are all out in full bloom at present, and they look lovely. It is a great fruit growing place, being well adapted for peach, fig and apricot. Quinces, also, grow well, and oranges and lemons, to perfection. Left Ventersdorp 7 a.m. camping three miles north of town. A dozen, or more of our men, have been sent into the local Hospital with “enteric”. Aug-30 to 31-01 Remained in camp until moon rose about 6.15 p.m. Travelled north till 11; Outspanned till 3 a.m. then on again reaching Kaallaagte 9 a.m. Remained in camp for the rest of day. Mounted Column left camp 4 a.m. reaching Cypherhoek 4 p.m. We are once again on the verge of the great valley of the Maghaliesberg. Some of our men came in contact with Boer Scouts this afternoon. The result of the interview was that one of our scouts came back shortly after with a bullet in his leg.... Five other Columns are working in conjunction with us, namely It is said that we have Delarey and Co “hemmed in”- down in the valleys below. We are a bit incredulous, knowing how many times that gentleman has been ‘hemmed in’ before; moreover the country out here is exceedingly rough, and between our own Column, and our closest operating neighbour, is a distance of over five miles. It is impossible for a few sentries to guard such an extent of country, more especially as the nights are now dark. Patrols are being sent out tonight, but men such as the Boers are have no difficulty in evading a ‘patrol’, and making good their escape. This has been done before, and will continue to be done, so long as we stick to the present inadequate system of ‘patrolling’. Long lines of well-entrenched outposts would possibly (?) prove more effective. Nothing occurred during the night, -at least the “patrol” ‘saw’ nothing. Moved over to Courtfontein, which place we reached at 5 p.m. Our supply-waggons rejoined us in camp this morning. Some of the Troops -“Right Wing and Bushmen” – went out on a reconnaissance, returning 4 p.m. with half a dozen prisoners and a few waggons. The “Left Wing”- that is, our Squadron, and “D”- went out on patrol early. In one of the rough mountain gullies -so numerous about here – we surprised, and captured 12 Boers. These gentlemen were enjoying their noon-day “siesta” in the shade of some fine trees, and appeared to resent our unmannerly intrusion. They had quite a variety of rifles, “Mauser”, “Krag-Jorgensen” and “Mannlicher”. These we promptly confiscated, but had to eventually hand them over to the “Provost Marshal”. More “patrols” and more prisoners. This ‘patrolling’ is rather exciting work, and, for those who have a fancy for such things, there is an element of danger about it, which makes it fascinating. In parts, the country is so rough, that to get along, we are forced to go in “single-file”. How the Boers could ‘slate’ us in such places! Left Courtfontein this morning early, reached Ebenezar 4 p.m. (This is where we held our concert on a recent memorable occasion.) Troops went up 7 a.m. About 9 o’clock, as we were crossing a deep valley, the Boers opened fire on us. They were completely hidden in the crags of the hillside. In the first volley, they killed two of our horses, and wounded a trooper. The rapidity with which our men dismounted, (without orders), sent their horses back to shelter by the “horse-holders”- that is one man in each four- and themselves took “cover”, does them credit. I was sent in charge of an ammunition waggon to a certain spot, having to cross, what the war-correspondents call the “zone of fire”. I did not think of war-correspondents at the time. “Ammunition Carts”, being objects of interest to Boers, I came in for a prodigious amount of attention. I never hope for a “warmer” reception than those honest burghers accorded me. The Kaffir ‘boys’ began to show unmistakeable signs of “white feather” in spite of their natural duskiness. Bullets were ripping up the dust in fifty places -big “Marlinis” falling with a heavy thud. One of the “boys” lay down in the bed of the waggon, while the other did a ‘break’, leaving “Yours truly” to get out as best he could. This was safely accomplished in an incredibly short space of time. Those mules were never swung round so suddenly before, I’ll warrant. By this time our men had located the hidden enemy, and by means of a well-directed, continuous fire, were gradually shifting them. Half an hour afterwards, we got orders to search the kopje, and up the sides we swarmed. We were rewarded by finding half a dozen “snipers”, whom we rooted out like Gorillas. These baboon-like men had made the cliffs and crags their home, and a fine home it was too, from a strategic point of view, tho’ I must admit, the comfort and refinement of an ideal home was somewhat lacking. All day long, we rode through these lovely, fertile valleys. We saw some splendid crops of barley, and oats. In one field, a stalwart Dutchman was ploughing most unconcernedly. He seemed greatly surprised when we intimated our desire that he should accompany us back to camp. Said he thought the war was over... The ignorance of these people is marvellous, and their “predicants” (or priests) cram them full of lies. To this fact their dogged persistence in continuing a hopeless struggle, can, in a measure, be attributed. The oranges down here are very fine, and though it is but early in September, many of the farms have green peas growing in abundance. Putting the question of propriety aside, these delicacies make a very welcome addition to our limited larder. Returned to camp an hour after dark. Column left Ebenezar 6 a.m., reaching Eland’s River 5 p.m. We found a number of cases to-day, hidden in a small cave. These cases, were found, when opened, to contain ammunition, 33000 rounds in all. There can be no shortage of ammunition about this part. Left camp 6 a.m., reaching Cypherfontein early in the afternoon. The wild flowers here are magnificent. I have rarely seen such a fine display. Our supply convoy rejoined us at Leufontein 3 p.m. Glad enough to make its acquaintance again. We have been on ½ rations for the past three days. “Intelligence” reported, late to night that a Boer Commando was camped at Tafelkop, 12 miles to Southward. Mounted Column moved at 3 a.m. reaching Tafelkop just at dawn, but no sign of Boers. Convoy rejoined us at Witplaats 5 p.m. Column reached Ventersdorp 3 p.m. camping within Garrison boundaries. “Men may sleep with their boots off to-night”. (Extract from Column orders 13/9/01) Left Ventersdorp 11 a.m. Camped at Elandskuil, -10 miles south of town. All waggons sent in to Potchefstroom for rations. In camp. Heavy rain falling to-day. This is practically the first rain we have seen since landing. Some of the “old soldiers” are shacking their heads knowingly, and assuring us that we are “in for it” now, and telling, for our edification, how, in this country, it sometimes rains whole months without ceasing. In camp. Still raining heavily. We have been provided with tents, so don’t care. Our camp is pitched on a fine slope, so whatever water runs in at the top side of our tent, quickly runs out again at the bottom. Weather fine again. Squadron Target Practice in afternoon. Eight of our men sent to No 479 Trooper J. S----- received this day, by Field General Court-Martial, 18 months Imprisonment with Hard Labor, [sic] for sleeping whilst a sentry on duty. Being a volunteer, - and not a “Regular” – the unfortunate lad was “let down lightly”. The extreme penalty for this offence is Death. Moved at 8 a.m. this morning to a camp 3 miles North of Ventersdorp. Sent all surplus stores back to town. Issued to Squadron, - 40 Head collars; 60 Reins; 60 Nosebags; 42 pairs Boots and 30 water-bottles, Left camp 6 p.m. travelled all night, northerly direction. Reached Kaallaagte 8 a.m. Remained in camp rest of day. Mobile Column left camp 6 a.m. N.W. travelling light. Halted at Ottofontein 25 miles distant. Boers were seen about 4 p.m. We had a ‘brush’ with them. Our Regimental Sergeant-Major had his horse shot in three places, simultaneously. I was twenty paces behind him at the time, - wondering what would happen next. He merely said, (looking ruefully at his favorite [sic] ‘grey’) “No use a man having a good horse in this uncivilized country”. He is, -by-the-way- absolutely the gamest man I have seen out here, -a splendid soldier. Left Ottofontein 6 a.m. reaching DoornKorn about noon. Convoy rejoined us here. Troops went out reconnoitring, and ran into a number of Boers, before they knew where they were. One man was knocked over, but not killed. Deeming discretion to be the better part of valor” [sic], the patrol wisely withdrew. I spent a very pleasant and profitable day “banging” dirty clothes down in the river. Mounted Troops went out in force 6 a.m. taking a 15 pounder, and a “Pom-pom”. About 9 o’clock we could see Boers in large numbers, holding the kopjes in front of us. As a preliminary ‘the gunners’ sent them a few ‘messages’ by way of thanking them for the kindly interest they seemed to be taking in our movements. Then we got the order to charge the position. The lead was flying about cheerfully, but mostly well overhead. In “extended order” we raced up the hillside, our excitement rising higher and higher as we went. When we reached the top, the Burgher gentlemen were over on the next kopje. All day long we were “taking positions”, and yet we only scored ½ dozen mean-looking and ill-mounted prisoners, but we drove them, - that is the bulk of the Boers, right into Colonel Kekewich, who was five miles in front of us. We captured a fine herd of cattle, however, which is something. Column remained in camp. Left DoornKorn 2 p.m. reaching Leufontein 6 p.m. Flying column sent out 4 a.m. Rejoined convoy at Cypherwater noon. Troops went out on patrol. I went with Provost Staff to search farmhouses and to bring in all the families in the neighbourhood. One old “vrow” flatly refused to come with us, unless we took her wash-tubs, (3 in number) also. After a heated discussion a compromise was affected – the largest tub was allowed to accompany its affectionate owner, and we went on our way rejoicing. Returned to camp at dusk, with over 200 women, children and old men. Left camp 9 a.m. Country exceedingly rough. About noon, had a skirmish with enemy, resulting in the capture of 14 Boers with their rifles and horses. Later on we had a more serious engagement. A squadron of us made an attack on an orchard, full of ripe oranges, – and bees. Three hives had been overturned, and the plucky occupants rushed out in millions, on vengeance bent. I never saw so many bees before, - and, by the same token, I think I never felt so many-. For a while we held our ground manfully, but the enemy’s repeated and ferocious onslaughts at last caused us to beat a hasty and undignified retreat in search of cover. One senseless youth had taken his horse in. The bees made a vicious attack on the poor animal. Two others and myself rushed in to the rescue, but the poor wretch mad with pain, would neither lead nor drive, in fact, would do nothing but kick at everyone and everything. By dint of main strength, and shoving, and pulling we got him out, but he died ten minutes afterwards. Column camped at Kopperfontein 4 p.m. About daybreak this morning we were roused by the booming of big guns in the direction of Rustenburg. We knew Colonel Kekewich to be camped Northwards. In the first light of the sun a “helio” could be seen flashing incessantly, away in the distance. Our “signallers” were hard at work writing down the message, which was from Kekewich saying that his camp had been attacked by a large force of Boers under General Delarey, Commandants Kemp and Boshoff, and a good deal else besides, which they would not tell us. The outcome of that message was a very hurried breakfast, and shortly after we were all “under way” as we believed, to the rescue. Owing to several large ‘spruits’, and some exceedingly mountainous country, we were obliged to take a very circuitous route. After a weary, troublesome march we reached a large Kaffir village called “Ratsegai’s Kraal”. It was nearly midnight, so we camped till morning. At dawn we were off again, but not before we caught a glimpse of a certain black freak—(or rather “streak”) of nature, a Kaffir fully seven feet in height. He was not built in like proportion, however, being exceptionally thin. This longitudinal dusky phantom strode about the village with the air of a man of some importance. Probably he held a “high position” in the estimation of these villagers. We were also favoured with a glimpse of some great ‘chief’ – with a long name, and (it is said) 24 wives. We did not wait to ascertain the veracity of this statement but marched rapidly to Moedwil, - the scene of the late engagement. On reaching the camp a ghastly sight met our eyes. The Field Hospital was filled to overflowing with wounded soldiers, and the dead were being buried. We saw 60 officers and men laid in the one grave. The few horses and mules left alive were being used to drag their late equine comrades to the rear -a gruesome sight. The rocks all round were literally splashed with human blood. Poor Colonel Kekewich (himself badly wounded) was indeed in a predicament, and seemed greatly relieved to see our Column, as they were dreading a return of the Boers - and a similar attack. It appears the Column had come into camp late on the evening of the 29th, choosing the rising ground a few hundred yards north of the river’s banks, as a site on which to pitch their camp. The position, as after events proved, was not a good one, from a defensive point view. Kekewich, - almost out of provisions- had sent the greater portion of his convoy to Rustenburg, under a strong escort, for supplies. This of course, weakened the camp considerably. The Boers, thanks to an excellent scout system, were aware of the British Column’s every movement, and decided that this would be a good time to make an attack on the camp. The wily Delarey laid he [sic] plans- in something of the following manner: - The attacking party- consisting of 600 men under General Kemp, were to creep quietly up the river, overpower the “outposts”, and rush the camp. Another party went round to the rear of the camp, to prevent escape in that direction. Delarey himself, kept a reserve force of 500 men on a kopje near by in case of emergency. Just before dawn Kemp and his men crept up the river, hidden by rocks and mimosa –shrubs, to within a few yards of where the Southern Outpost – (consisting of 13 men) was stationed. The sentry on hearing men approaching gave the alarm to his sleeping comrades. Together they made a stand, but not for long; they were soon cut down, -12 of the 13 being killed where they stood and the 13th only saved his life by lying flat down, feigning death. On rushed the Boers, gaining a rocky ledge within 150 yards of the Camp. By this time the Camp was standing to arms... Imagine the position.... The enemy under excellent cover, within a stone throw of the camp, - the British with practically no cover at all. Volley after volley from the Boer rifles swept through our lines, riddling the tents and ploughing up the dust. Officers and men were being killed; horses and mules were falling fast. Our men were making a stubborn resistance, yet it seemed as though they must be over powered; the guns were disabled, and most of the gunners shot. Colonel Kekewich was wounded in three places. Something must be done. The Boers must be ousted out of their position, or all would be lost. At last the order rang out “ Fix bayonets”! “Charge”! The Gallant “Derbyshires” (who saved the day for Dixon at Vlakfontein, and than whom no braver men ever left England’s shore) rushed forward with one bound, with bayonets fixed, and a fixed determination to do or die. Down the hill they tore, right in amongst the hidden enemy. For a very short while the conflict was waged fiercely, but it is a noteworthy fact that the Boer never did relish cold steel, and soon began to find out they had a more important engagement elsewhere, - but not before they had lost heavily. Commandant Boshoff was killed within 50 yards of the camp, - riddled with bullets. Many others also met their death by steel and lead. Thus they were forced to abandon their charitable intention of capturing the camp and guns, but they had wrought sad havoc in our lines. Over 500 horses and mules lay dead; - worse still 60 men killed and 80 wounded. On other hand, the Boer casualty list was indeed a heavy one. A few prisoners were taken, amongst whom was a young German, caught deliberately firing with a “white flag” tied to the end of his rifle. He will have to answer for his treacherous conduct, before a Court-martial tomorrow. Column remained in camp. The above-mentioned prisoner tried by Court-martial this morning; found “Guilty”, and condemned to be shot at sunrise tomorrow morning. A “patrol” from our column sent out to reconnoitre neighbourhood. Saw no sign of Boers. I was up betimes this morning, awaiting anxiously the rising of the sun. Another I guess, was also watching that sun rise, which he would never see set. Just as the fiery orb of Apollo rose slowly over the horizon, a small party of men might be seen marching solemnly out of camp. This was the doomed man escorted by the “firing party”. I followed at a respectable distance, unseen, yet seeing. When about 400 yards from camp, the little cavalcade halted. The prisoner was placed in a chair with his back to the firing party. This party consisted of eight men, and an officer. Of the eight rifles which they carried, four were loaded with ‘blanks’ – so that the men might not know who did the killing. Everything being ready the men were marched back 15 paces. The condemned man held a prayer-book in his hand, but did not appear to read. “Shoulder Arms! Pre-sent-arms!! Fire!!!” A volley rang out, and the curtain dropped on the life of yet another foreign traitor. Mounted Column went out 7 a.m. returning to camp 4 p.m. Boers reported in force at Rudival, 15 miles South-East. Troops went over 5 a.m. Saw abundant evidence of a large camp, recently vacated, -but nothing else. Returned to camp 5 p.m. Column remained in camp to-day Enteric Fever is becoming very prevalent, and the sooner we leave this camp the better for us. The heat, the dust, and above all, the stench from the dead horses, is almost unbearable. Ten of our men have just been sent into Rustenburg with fever. Our Field Strength is being rapidly reduced. Column left Moedwil 6 a.m. escorting Colonel Kekewich. Reached Kostafontein 3 p.m. Left camp early, reaching Kleinfontein 5 p.m. Some of our oxen died to-day. “Vet” says he thinks from ‘rinderpest’. Remained in camp to-day. Heavy rain fell all afternoon, terminating in a violent thunderstorm about 10 p.m. The wind blew a hurricane, and “all-hands” were obliged to “stand to the mast” to keep our tent up at all. Mounted Column went out in the direction of Eland’s River. Party of Boers were sighted at DoornKorn. Shots were exchanged. Saw a bullet pass clean through a large ant-hill proving that these much sort-after-mounds can not be relied on for shelter, though many people argue differently. After half-an-hours firing Boers retired. We captured five. It was after mid-night when we got back to camp. Column remained in camp. Heavy rain still continues. The level country is under water. Troops went out on a reconnaissance 9 a.m. returning to camp 4 p.m. A few Boers were seen, but these kept at a very respectful distance. Column left Kleinfontein 5 a.m. reaching Waterhoek 5 p.m. Left camp 4 a.m. reaching Ventersdorp 10 a.m. Boers were here last night, and took a mob of 200 cattle from the garrison. How they; of the boasted British blood, can allow such things, I know not. We were sent out about 10 miles, but saw neither Boers nor cattle. Don’t worry “Tommy”, don’t put yourselves about you “One and tuppenny” heroes of the garrison, we “blanky Orstralians” get five bob a day for gathering these cattle which you gentlemen show such an aptitude for losing. Left camp 11 a.m. travelling as far South as ‘Klip-plaats’ Drift, which place we reached 4 p.m. Reached Doornfontein early in afternoon. Column reached Klerksdorp noon. Oct-17 to 22-01 In camp. Horses are rather low in condition, and we are using every endeavour to get them fit again. Plenty to eat, plenty [of] rest, and good attention is what they require, and what they are getting. There is a very large Concentration Camp a mile from here. (I have made mention of it before) Being anxious to see for myself, how these camps are conducted, I got past the sentries to-day (no matter how) and took a stroll through the lines. As far as I could see, there was absolutely nothing to complain of, and I think it is only people of the “Miss Hobhouse” type – coming with the intention of finding fault – who can pass disparaging remarks about the management of these camps. The “site”, is generally the best procurable, and the drainage good. The occupants of each tent are made to keep their canvas house clean and tidy, and if the infant mortality is great, it is not due to negligence on the part of the British Authorities, who spare no pains to make these unfortunate Dutch people as comfortable as possible under admittedly trying circumstances. Let it be also remembered that the death rate amongst Boer children has ever been abnormally high, accelerated, no doubt, by a lack of medical knowledge. Now that medical aid is within their reach, their natural aversion to using anything British prevents them from making use of it; their narrow-minded prejudice is stronger than their love for their own children. Thus, in many cases, a Boer mother has seen her child die, unaided, sooner than take it to the English camp-doctor. It is to be feared, that the mortality among the children, -regrettable as it is- will continue, in spite of all efforts to reduce it, on the part of the authorities, while ever the little ones are unavoidably kept in these Concentration Camps. Miss Hobhouse (and others) have said that the people are being slowly starved. There is no truth, whatever, in that odious statement. Indeed, these Dutch women, have themselves told me that they have plenty to eat, in fact, some of them admit they never lived so well before. Certainly, their liberty is in a manner curtailed, in-as-much as they are confined to the limits of the camp, but could they be allowed to roam about at will? I came away, like many others, with the impression that England is treating these people with more consideration than is usually the case in warfare, and twenty times more, than these Boers would treat our families, if similarly situated. At 6 a.m. this morning, orders came from Headquarters for the column to entrain at 7, and shortly after that time we were all aboard, rolling away towards the Eastern Transvaal. All unfit men, and weak horses have been left behind at the Depôt in Klerksdorp, So we anticipate some excitement ahead. Travelling through the night, we passed Potchefstroom, Krugersdorp, Johannesburg and Pretoria, reaching the small town of Erste-Fabrieken, (15 miles east of Pretoria, on the Delagoa Bay Line) just at daybreak. Here we detrained and camped, -awaiting supplies from Pretoria.... Left Erste-Fabrieken at midnight, reaching Twefontein 9 a.m. We were here, joined by a detachment of Gordon Highlanders and the “Canadian Scouts”; under Major Ross – a welcome addition to our small column. The ‘Gordons’ have a reputation second to none, and the hard-faced, wiry looking Canadians look fit for anything. Combined Column, - under our Colonel – left Twefontein at midnight. Reached Kalfontein 10.30 a.m. Mounted Troops went out Westward on a reconnaissance, returning to camp at noon, with 14 prisoners. Prisoners all belonged to the now-disbanded ‘Staats Artillerie’, and are all smart, soldierly-looking men. A large number of Boers have been camped here recently. While down at the creek bathing this afternoon, we saw for the first time the South African frog, and were astonished at its size, for they are three times as large as our ordinary ‘big green frog’. When a number of them start croaking in the marshes, the noise is deafening. We have been warned that there is an important move on to-night, and to get as much rest as possible. This we are always willing to do, if given the opportunity. At 9 p.m. we got the order to “saddle-up” and leaving the gallant Gordons to guard camp, we moved silently out, carrying one blanket and a day’s rations each. We marched rapidly all night. About an hour before dawn, we ran on to a small party of Boers, probably an “outpost” of a Commando. These gentlemen gave us a volley, by way of salute, and raced away for their lives. We guessed they would “give the alarm” to their mates, so lost no time in following them. Just at dawn we came in sight of a Boer ‘Laager’ (Müller’s), and rushed down on it with shouts of “Hands up, you Dutchmen, hands up!” Their Mausers rang out in reply, and the bullets whistled cheerfully about our ears. The enemy appeared to be preparing for a stubborn fight, but our artillery sent a few shells crashing down amongst them which seemed to have a wholesome effect on them, inasmuch that they promptly left their convoy, and made for the shelter of the hills. We quickly annexed the abandoned waggons, together with 47 prisoners, 500 cattle, and many Dutch families. Taking these along with us we pushed on over rough, picturesque country, camping at noon under some trees on the cool, shady banks of Kamelsford Spruit. We ‘offsaddled’ and let the tired horses graze about. The men, -weary, with their long night’s march, were not slow in availing themselves of the chance to snatch a few hours rest. By 1 o’clock most of them were asleep, - “dreaming of home faces; of the old familiar places, of the gum trees and the sunny plains, ten thousand miles away”. A few others and myself had just made a successful attack on a pot of tea, and with feeling of great content, - such as one feels after having performed his duty manfully– we were about to join the drowsy “Somnus” sleeping host, when -K-r-r-r-bang! came a shell from a Boer Gun on the hillside 2000 yards away; then another, and another, fair into the camp. The sleeping camp was quickly in motion. Tired men, and habitually lazy fellows, sprang up with the agility of athletes. By this time the shells were coming thick and fast, and our guns were replying. A couple of our men went down, and a few horses were killed. For a time nothing could be heard but the scream of shells as they tore through the air. Over 80 fell in, and around our camp. The horses became frightened, and stampeded, not away, -but towards the fire. My old horse, strange to say, came up to the saddle, and stood there trembling. I volunteered (in a reckless moment) to bring the stampeders back, and in so doing, had a few very narrow shaves; --once a fragment of shell grazed my face- but that’s a detail. Our guns, however, - being more powerful perhaps, besides being well-directed -soon silenced the barking on the hillside, and we could see the Boers retiring to the kopjes further back. Our General gave the order to saddle up and follow on. This we did, finding the enemy shortly after, holding a fine position at the head of a remarkable pass, known as Wit-Nek. They allowed us to approach to within 800 yards, then opened a heavy cross-fire on us. Fortunately there was plenty of ‘cover’ available. For about an hour the firing was tremendous. The Canadians showed great dash and gallantry, in taking a kopje held by the Boers, but they lost a Serjeant – killed – and several wounded in doing so, more’s the pity. While the men from Canada were engaged with the Boers “Left”, we rushed their Right Flank, successfully taking the position. Being dislodged, on both sides, they retired, and we went on through the “Nek” untroubled, camping on open country 8 p.m. Our rations are all gone; we cannot even get water enough to make tea of, but we are tired, and glad enough to lie down beside our saddles, and go to sleep, trusting the Boers will not trouble us tonight... We have been nearly 22 hours in the saddle, and started out with only a pound of biscuit, but it is generally supposed by the British Authorities that we Colonials live exclusively in the saddle when at home, and as far as getting hungry, -well, most of us wear belts, and we can pull them up a few holes, when we feel that way. Pshaw! the very thought of hunger and fatigue is discreditable to the true Australian. The “wiry Colonial” never gets tired. Left camp 3.30 a.m., rejoining convoy at Kaalfontein 10.30 a.m. Left camp same night at 10 o’clock. Surrounded a farm-house about midnight. Capturing Commandant Wolmarans, and a few others who were hiding therein. Wolmarans, by-the-way, is the head of a “train-wrecking” gang out this way, and ‘wanted’ on several charges. Column reached Waggon Drift noon. Left camp 3 a.m. reaching Erste – Fabrieken 9 a.m. The late “trek” has been the hardest we have yet done, but we succeeded in breaking up Müller’s Commando, for which purpose we set out. Marched to Pretoria. Commander-in-chief Lord Kitchener inspected column as we came in, expressing his satisfaction in his characteristically brief language. “Splendid men, and very good horses” was his ‘summing up’. He is a big man with keen, grey eyes, and character written in every feature of his face. It takes but one glance to tell he is a great man. He paid us the high compliment of sending a Military Band out to meet us, and we marched into camp to the stirring sounds of martial music – the first we’ve heard since leaving Randwick. In camp... A general view of the surrounding country gives one the impression that the Boers might easily have held Pretoria, much longer than they did. The town, with lofty chains of mountains running completely round it, with the aid of a few pieces of heavy artillery, could be made almost impregnable. At the present time there is a ‘fort’ every half-mile round the chain of hills, and I think an enemy would have the greatest difficulty now, in effecting an entrance to the town. Went into Pretoria this morning with two other “non-coms”. The town is very pretty; - the ornamental green trees, the bright flower–gardens and the pretty, clean little pink–and–white cottages looked beautiful, after the monotony of the great, far-stretching, silent veldt. We first went to the Public Baths, -a very necessary step to take-, then to the Raad-Stad (Parliament House) which place we were shown through by an obliging official. Everything remains exactly as when the last Parliament (a Boer one) sat. Kruger’s chair is still in its old place. From here we went to those magnificent public buildings, known as the “Palace of Justice”. We were also shown over these, - by one of the clerks, - an ex-Victorian Contingenter. We next explored Kruger’s (or as it is pronounced here Kreer’s) residence. The building itself is a low, and unpretentious structure; the two great ‘lions’ in the front forming the most note-worthy feature of the ex-President’s house. We saw Lord Kitchener’s residence, (got a few roses from his garden, in fact) and also the little cottage in which Rider Haggard wrote his book “Jess”. It was noon by this time, and imagining we had earned lunch, we went to the ‘English’ Restaurant (kept by a Jew) and had a very fair dinner. One of our party tendered a sovereign for payment asking for the change in ‘silver’. Imagine his surprise when the gentleman from Jerusalem politely informed him that it was “de gorrect amound” for three dinners. War!! We other two consoled our ‘would-be-generous’ companion by taking him to a photographer’s to have his photo taken. The result I fancy, will not be very good; our friend did not appear to have his most cheerful expression on; he appeared to be thinking of something. During the afternoon we saw a cricket match played. “Johannesburg – V – Pretoria”, resulting in a win for the latter. After tea we took a ‘cab’, and got back to camp well pleased with our day’s outing. (Cabs, by the way, are worth 7/6 an hour, and not over comfortable at that.) Column entrained for Bronkhorst Spriut 7 a.m., which place we reached 4 p.m. Camped near Railway Station. Left Station 8 a.m. travelling West. Reached Blesbokfontein 1 p.m. Convoy remained in camp. Mounted Column went out 4 p.m. Patrolled all night in a South Westerly direction visiting many houses, but found no Boers. Rejoined convoy 8 a.m. Column left Blesbokfontein, returning to Bronkhorst Spriut – Heavy rain falling 6 p.m. Reveille 2 a.m. this morning. Travelled East, along the Line, camping at Wilge River noon. 9 p.m. Most vivid lightning I have ever seen in my life. Down South a ball of electric fire hangs stationary for, sometimes, 30 seconds, and the chain lightning is grand. Flash after flash lights up the heavens to such an extent as to cause our nervous tent-mate (usually a typical Australian as regards language) to solemnly suggest that we should discontinue swearing – till the storm was over at least. – We did, (because we went to sleep). Left Wilge-River 4 a.m., reaching Balmoral 9 a.m. A very appropriate place to be on King’s Birthday. Outspanned till 1 p.m., reached Brug Spruit 5 p.m. Left camp 4 a.m. in heavy rain. Had much difficulty in crossing several ‘drifts’ now running “bankers”. Reached ‘Groot Oliphant’s Rivier at dusk. 8 p.m. Real tropical rains falling to-night. Column reached Middelburg 5.30 p.m. Lieut. Griffiths, with 18 men, arrived from Detail Camp, Klerksdorp, 6 p.m. In camp. Recvd a good many “remounts” from the Depôt here. Eight men sent to local Hospital with fever; 5 rejoined, from hospital. Force left Middelburg 4 a.m., travelling South-East. Reached Bankfontein noon. Shortly after leaving camp this morning our Rear-Guard was attacked by a small force of Boers. There were no casualties. Reached Leufontein noon. Column left camp 6 a.m. Again Boers, -this time in greater force – came on to our Rearguard. Our artillery opened fire, and the enemy retired. Reached Middel Kraal 5 p.m. General Botha is reported to be in this district with a large force. Reveille 3 a.m. Mounted Troops left camp 4 a.m. to reconnoitre surrounding country, leaving Convoy in charge of the Gordon Highlanders. We did not come in contact with any Boers -though we saw plenty in the distance. “C” Squadron sent out on patrol 3 a.m., returning to camp early in afternoon. Column remained in camp. Heavy rain falling to-day. Left Middel Kraal 8 a.m. The ground is saturated with rain, and it is with difficulty that the Convoy can get along at all. Camped at Wolmefontein. Column reached Middelburg at noon. Left camp early this morning going out as far as Wolmefontein. Reached Middelkraal 5 p.m. Boers were seen on the Right Flank but did not approach within rifle range. Blockhouses are being built out here connecting the “Pretoria – Delagoa Bay Line” with the Elandsfontein – Natal Line. The Boers are swarming out here, doing their utmost to retard building operations. Mounted Column went out on patrol at midnight. About 9 a.m., we surprised and captured a small party of Boers. Left Middelkraal 6 a.m., travelling East, over magnificent grazing country. This is said to be the finest horse-breeding district in the Transvaal, and judging by some we have caught, running wild it certainly would seem well adapted for that purpose. Some cattle we have captured about here show, also, some quality, and are in excellent condition. Camped at Klip-fontein 5.30 p.m. Left camp 5 a.m. Boers attacked Rear Guard, - capturing one of Major Carrington’s Bushmen. Camped at Kaal –Spruit 4 p.m. The captured Bushman strolled into camp 6 p.m. minus horse, saddle, rifle and most of his clothes; his feelings hurt, otherwise uninjured. Column reached Wanderfontein, a railway station out on the Delagoa Bay Line. Remained in camp, taking in Supplies. Six of our men sent to Hospital – four rejoined, -convalescent. “Gordons” left for Belfast this morning. They will be replaced by the Shropshire Light Infantry. We are sorry to lose the Scotchmen -they are fine fellows. Left Wanderfontien 3.30 a.m., reaching Lilliefontein 4 p.m. Reached the pretty, but now deserted town of Carolina 2 p.m. The Boers, it said, held a dance here last night. Quite romantic. Very mean of them not to have invited us. Perhaps they will dance to the music of our rifles ‘ere long (and maybe, we to theirs). Column left Carolina 3 a.m., reaching Smutzhoog about noon. Got a fine mob of sheep to-day, - some of them quite recently shorn, (and carefully shorn too, judging by the “even cut”). A better class of sheep too over this side, than in the Western Transvaal. The wild flowers here are magnificent, and together with the vivid green of the veldt, make a lovely picture, - a veritable “Fairy-land”. One could never tire of the great plains of S. Africa at this season of the year. Our mounted men, and the Canadians left camp 2 a.m. this morning. By 9 o’clock we had reached the high country looking down upon Trichard’s Fontein. Here we met with a surprise. Down in the valley below lay a big Boer ‘Laager’ guarded, (it is said) by Botha’s 2000 men. We didn’t find out their full strength, until after we had received orders to take the convoy. Racing down, in our usual wild fashion, with the Canadians close by on our right, we succeeded in getting 50 or 60 waggons away for a few hundred yards, getting a pretty warm time in doing so. The Boer women in the vans were firing at us as we approached. Fortunately, their aim was not equal to their enthusiasm. But now the Boers let us have it. The hills all round seemed alive with armed men (and artillery too). The shriek of their15 pounder and the deep incessant growl of a “Krupp” on our ‘Right’ was enough to strike terror into the hearts of most men, to say nothing of the cracking of a thousand Mausers, and the horrid thud of bullets as they tore up the dust about us. At times the very air seemed to sing with the rushing and whistling of lead. It seems marvellous how bullets can miss you. One of our fellows had one pass through his coat; the pommel of another’s saddle was cut away; a third got his hat ear-marked, and so on. Our Squadron alone -comprised as it was of less than 60 horsemen- had eight horses shot, and yet not a man of us hit. But it was getting too hot. With a few regrets (very few) we abandoned all the waggons, (excepting eight, which were well forward and almost out of range of the Boer rifles) and ‘cut’ for our lives. My word we did ride. . When our little column was well out of range of Boer fire, our General coolly ordered a halt, and, -securing a good position quietly offsaddled. This admirable bit of coolness, on the part of our Commander, probably saved our Column from a severe “cutting up” or capture, as the Boers seeing us camp must have taken it for granted, that we were awaiting re-inforcements, or else, sufficiently strong to repel an attack. As a matter of fact, our strength was but one quarter of theirs, and our horses tired. The enemy gradually retreated and at 4 p.m., we started on our homeward march, camping shortly after dark at Leu-Kop. We have neither forage, blankets nor rations. Our Colonel expected to be back to camp tonight. He didn’t calculate on having to sit four hours on a hill-side waiting for the horrid Boers to go away. Reached camp 10.30 a.m. Picked up a fine herd of cattle as we came in. Force left Smutzhoog 6 a.m. travelling South-West. Reached Nooitdecht 3 p.m. 9 p.m. outposts fired on some figures, - probably Boer spies – creeping stealthily through the long grass, towards the camp. Reached Kalabashfontein 6 p.m. Column remained in camp. Supply waggons, escorted by 3rd Bushmen went over to Colonel Fortesque’s Column -12 miles distant-, for 3 days supplies. Our mounted Coloum, in conjunction with the W. Australian Mtd. Rifles and 19th Hussars (Col Wing’s Column) left camp 4 p.m. on a big move. Sir H. Rawlinson with his 2000 M.I. is to operate 10 miles to Westward. We travelled all night in a Southerly direction. ‘Dark’ would not covey any idea of what the night was. The inky blackness was such that one could not even see the outline of the man riding next [to] you, though he may have been only a few feet away. The troops, as may be imagined under the circumstances, got very much mixed up on one or two occasions. At intervals a tremendous flash of lightning would flash over the scene, and then there’d be a rush for places. The Hon-Rupert was kept busy riding up and down our lines enquiring if there were any of his “Bushmen” there, and so on. At 4 a.m. our advance struck a Boer outpost. A mile behind lay a fine ‘laager’. (Grobelaar’s) and a large herd of cattle. We could hear the latter bellowing like cattle will do when being hurriedly mustered. We bore down on the camp at full speed, the Canadians yelling and riding like madmen, the Hussars quiet and determined, like the ‘old soldiers’ they are. The Boers were, no doubt, surprised. They stood for a while, then retired hurriedly, leaving us in possession of 30 waggons, and all the cattle 5000 head; besides nearly 100 prisoners. We had not quite finished with them yet, however. They had doubled back and were attacking our Right Flank. In the action which ensued, one of our best officers (Lieut. Forster) was killed; Lieut. Eyre and two troopers wounded. The Boers lost more heavily. At 9 a.m. we halted; offsaddled; had breakfast and two hours rest. At 11 a.m. started on our long, homeward march, taking our fine mob of bovines along with us. Most of us have travelled with cattle out in Australia, but never under such novel conditions. The Boers followed in up the rear, sniping, which made the ‘tail-end’ drovers desirous of putting up a pace record. We reached our convoy at Bethel a small garrison town, 20 miles North of Standerton – at 5 p.m., having been 25 hours away, 23 of which were spent in the saddle. I think this is about a record, even for Colonial Troops. Column remained in camp today. Buried poor Mr Forster at noon. Officers and men feel that they have lost friend, and spare no pains in making a neat enclosure round the popular soldier’s last resting place. Our Column has been officially attached to Major- General Bruce Hamilton’s Brigade. Left Bethel 5 a.m. travelling East. Halted at Spion Kop 8.30 a.m. Mounted Brigade left camp again 6 p.m. travelling through the night in an Easterly direction. Information has been received that Viljoen, with a strong Commando, is at “Bushman’s Hoek”, - 35 miles distant. At dawn, we reached Bushman’s Hoek. As we approached, the enemy, -probably 500 strong- retired, taking up a strong position 800 yards in front, on a range of hills. Orders were given to charge the position. Our Squadron was in front. As we raced across the plain, in extended order, the hill in front seemed ablaze with fire, made more apparent by the peculiar half-light of the misty, early morning. For the first time, I heard bullets cracking like stockwhips. Whether these are “explosive” bullets, I know not, but certainly they make a most peculiar noise, and by no means a pleasant one. The “Hussars” were on our Right and the West Australians on our Left, and forward we raced. Some of the Boers, we noticed, were beginning to leave their positions; some remained too long, and were captured. Flying Dutchmen could be seen, in small groups, riding for dear life. Three others (- who were a trifle in advance of the rest-), and myself followed one of these groups, 13 in all, an unlucky number. -For whom? – It was a fine chase. Five miles, or more we pursued the flying burghers. Three of them surrendered to us. Leaving them in charge of one of our number, we raced on after the others, firing as we went. “It was grand to see those practiced horsemen ride”. Through meer-cat-holes, and boulders, over rough and broken ground, down the hillside at a racing pace they went. Once we got within a hundred yards of them, - so close in fact, that some of our fellows away behind took us for Boers also, and were emptying their ‘magazines’ at us with marvellous rapidity and zeal. Finding we could not gain on the well-mounted men in front, we dismounted, fired a few volleys and succeeded in “winging” three of them as they raced over the brow of the hill in front. Having had enough chasing for one day, we rejoined the column at 8 a.m., where a halt was made, and breakfast partaken of. One hundred and eight prisoners fell to our lot, besides a “Field Gun”, one of three captured by the Boers from Colonel Benson a few months back at Braken-laagte. We had one man killed, and several wounded. At noon, our march was resumed, campwards. I Shall never forget the overpowering Sultriness of the afternoon. I Sneaked off to an orchard en route, and got some green peaches – which revived my drooping Spirits. Others were falling asleep in the saddle. Heavy masses of black clouds loomed up to Southward. Long low rumbles of distant thunder might be heard now and then. This, and the occasional “click-clock” of a hidden ‘sniper’, were the only sounds which broke the awful stillness. But shortly after dark, a thunderstorm- the heaviest I have ever experienced – broke overhead, coupled with the most terrific lightning. During one ‘flash’ almost every man in the column, felt he was lightly struck; some of the horses fell on their knees. It was one of those storms which Rider Haggard, describes so well. We could see the lightning actually running round in circles, where the most ironstone abounded. Our convoy had moved on to the Garrison town of ‘Ermelo’, which place we reached at 8 p.m., - tired hungry and wet. I don’t think I was ever more truly thankful for the sight of camp in my life. Little wonder that we feel weary, for during the last 26 hours, we have only had four hours rest, and that under a scorching sun, on the shadeless plain at Bushman’s Hoek. The horses look bad this morning after their recent hard work. We hear the Column is to remain in camp for three days, in which case they’ll have time to pull round a bit. Australians are lost with out their horses, and I must say they look after them well, when they have the chance. There is a forage depôt less than a mile away, and the quantity of the oats that finds its way into our lines, unaided -, is surprising. Message from Lord Kitchener received this morning, congratulating Colonel E.C.Williams and his column, on the splendid work they have recently done. Since December 1st over 300 prisoners have been captured besides 30 killed; 21 wounded – 7000 cattle; 290 horses; 60 wagons; 80 carts; 8000 rounds of ammunition, and 1 Field Gun. So many captures, he (Kitchener) thinks, are due to the manner in which the Colonials charge when once they sight the enemy. This the first Sunday we’ve had in camp for a very long time. We celebrate it by a church parade in afternoon. Shifted camp to fresh site, the one on which we have been is damp and unhealthy. More men sent to Hospital today. The Field Strength of our Squadron is now barely 70, when we landed in Africa it numbered 125. All the other Squadrons of the Regiment have suffered in a like manner. Our Mounted Column, in conjunction with Colonels Rawlinson and Wing, left Ermelo 6.45 p.m., travelling South–East, towards the Swazi-land Border. We crossed the ‘Vaal’ at midnight. Shortly after heavy rains fell, delaying us considerably. We reached Smutz-farm ½ an hour after daylight, only to see where a fair sized Commando had been camped a few hours prior to our arrival. No Boers now in Sight. The country around is rocky and exceedingly rough and rugged. Returned to Onverwacht, where our convoy awaits us, noon. Heavy rain still falling. Column left camp again at mid-day going again Eastward. Reached Brank-Kop 6.15 p.m. Had supper; saddled up, and left camp 7.30 p.m. Daylight found us amongst the great gloomy mountains which form the Swaziland Border. There is a certain rugged picturesqueness which we cannot help but admire, in spite of the fact that we are wet to the skin, cold, and hungry. Such is Natures power over poor mortals. Great masses of rock, hundreds of feet high, rise up on every side, - excellent places for Brother Boer to hide. At 8 a.m. we had breakfast, and rested until noon, then home by a circuitous route. About 3 p.m. we ran on to a fine herd of cattle, guarded by a few hundred Boers. After a sharp little skirmish we succeeded in annexing the bovines (nearly 800); a small mob of sheep; four waggons, and 11 prisoners. It rained in torrents all the afternoon, and showed little signs of abating when we reached our camp about midnight. Once in the blankets, “our troubles!!” A day in camp.... The sheep captured yesterday are the best I have yet seen in South Africa; large framed; well-woolled, and in good condition. They appeared to have been breed by some-one with a knowledge of sheep-breeding. The cattle are also above the average Transvaal breed, which generally develop tremendous horns, and (tho’ large) are narrow, ill made brutes, and judging by the coarse, low set heads and high withers, - have a big dash of buffalo in them. A Transvaal butcher told me once, that a bullock in this country, when ‘dressed’, rarely exceeds 800 pounds in weight. This, - considering their huge frames, - is a very poor weight, indeed, and may be attributed to the breed, not the country. Column left camp on return to Ermelo 5 a.m. Our Squadron formed the Rear-Guard. The country is rough and treacherous. To avoid surprise from the rear, I was sent, with 3 men to the top of a big kopje to act as “Observation Post”. Our instructions were to stay up there until every man of the Column had crossed the difficult spruit at the foot of the hill... When we reached the summit we could see numbers of Boers coming across our late camp, and making for the kopje which we held. A vigorous rifle-fire from our little party kept them for a while in check, but not for long. The Column appeared to be crawling along. On came the Boers. We were watching them with one eye, and the spruit with the other. By the time the last of our men had crossed, the “Jackies” were within 400 yards of us. I thought we had remained long enough, (and I fancied a little to long) so mounting our horses with commendable alacrity, we commenced our descent. By the time a distance of 200 yards was traversed, fully 20 Boers had raced across the level ground on top and were now on the brink of the hill, giving us a practical demonstration of their marksmanship, which, - fortunately for us – is not faultless. Some bullets went close, - very close-, but we did not stop to argue with the shooters about such trifles as “windage”, “fine sight” and “coarse sight”, but were content in just showing those poor ignorant fellows how we could ride. Soon after our “pom-pom” got to work on them, and they scattered in all directions. We had, however, to fight a rear guard action all the way to the ‘Vaal’, which we reached at noon. Owing to recent heavy rains, the river is in flood, so we must camp till the Ermelo Pontoon Bridge Section is sent for, to construct a bridge across the muddy waters. The message was sent by means of a Field Telegraph line, which General Hamilton always lays on his marches. The innocent-looking little wire runs through the long grasses often unnoticed by the enemy, and proves a blessing in emergencies such as the present. It has turned out a lovely day, and this is a pretty camp. To Eastward, as far as the eye can reach lay the great plains, (now covered with waving grass) stretching away to the Swazi border. The mighty mountains of Natal, - the giant, snow-capped Drakenbergs loom out dimly in the Southern haze; in front like a great grey snake, glides the silvery Vaal, and beyond the river lies the great expanse of the Transvaal. It is Christmas Eve. “Peace on Earth and goodwill towards men”. Two thousand years ago when “Herod-the-Great” ruled, and there was strife throughout the Land of Egypt, the shepherds of Judea saw the wondrous Star hanging low in the sky above Bethlehem, and first heard those oft-repeated words; and “they were afraid at the things they saw and heard, but the Angel Gabriel came down to them and said “Fear not”! For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” “ Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, [sic] which is Christ-the-Lord”. The herald spoke not again, but departed in a ray of light. The shepherds on the hillside standing mute could hear “voices as of a multitude chanting in unison. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men”!!! The great blue vault of heaven overhead; the glorious wild flowers; the flutter of bright winged butterflies, and the vast expanse of Solemn, silent veldt, all seem to whisper words of “peace and goodwill to men”. It is pleasant to stretch out, in the warm sunshine, and think (for awhile) of better things than a despot’s pride, a Nation’s quarrel, war and strife. Who would think to look at the peaceful scene beyond, that for 3 consecutive Christmas Eves, the gloomy clouds of war have been hanging like a pall over the once bright and prosperous Transvaal? Who would think that even a few hours ago, we were engaged in actual warfare with a stubborn, brave and resourceful enemy, who are even now lurking in the vicinity of this camp? But then who would think to look at yonder river, that beneath its placid surface, runs a wild fierce undercurrent, - wilder and stronger than any other in South Africa? So taking no notice of outward appearances, we will sleep, as usual, with our boots on to-night, and our rifles close by. “Santa-Claus himself, if he should visit us, will need to have the proper “Countersign”. *** We are on ¼ rations tonight A merry Christmas to you all! If not a very merry one, it certainly possessed the charm of novelty. Up at 5.30. Half through a breakfast of fried meat, army biscuit and black coffee, when orders came down from Head Qts. to saddle up at once, as the Pontoon Bridge was completed and we were to cross first. We were soon on the move. The bridge, we found, was a simple construction; - three large punts with planking laid on top. It carried our whole column over, however, and that too in good style, waggons and all. Here by the banks of the rushing ‘Vaal’ we ate our Christmas Dinner, untroubled with visions of antiquated turkey and sodden pudding. One burglar-proof and fire-resisting biscuit and a pot of “café-noir” was the extent of our festive board. We enjoyed our modest repast, and I don’t think any of us will be sick after it. Our Scouts were in action about mid-day. After a long, heavy march, we reached Ermelo about dusk. So ended XMAS.1901- In Camp. No Boxing-Day celebrations to attend, so spent most of the day quietly writing to friends across the sea. Our magnanimous Commander-in-chief has ordained that the British Army in South Africa , and members of over-sea Contingents, shall not be deprived of Xmas luxuries. The said luxuries, reached our Column about noon, and were quickly issued to the clamorous soldiers. 1 lb of plum-pudding, and a pint of beer per man. That’s what it was. The pudding was exceedingly rich, -and the beer – well, it was exceedingly poor, and the two together, swallowed as they were, then and there, did not prove an unmixed blessing, and tarried not with the receiver. There were, however, some with cast-iron constitutions, who repressed, - by dint of firmness, and courage -, any rebellious risings, and were able to show their appreciation of the Kings goodness. I was among their limited ranks and was duly respected, by my less fortunate comrades for my valiant conduct. General inspection of horses by O.C. who expressed himself satisfied with their condition. No 698 Trooper---- was this day awarded by Field General-court- martial, 42 days Imprisonment with Hard Labor, [sic] for stealing rations belonging to his Squadron. When “Hard Labor” [sic] is given, the recipient forfeits his wages for the whole term of imprisonment, -which in this case, means a forfeiture of £10.10 Column left camp 7.30 p.m. going East. We reached the ‘Vaal’ at dawn, and found it still in high flood. As time appeared of more importance than the feelings of the men, we had to do a “swim”. It was fine, - after you had crossed – to see others take their bath in the swift cold waters. All safely over, we pushed on. (The waggons will follow later by pontoon.) Visited some farm house in a secluded valley, bagging 15 armed Boers. Reached Brank-Kop mid-day. .... 6 p.m. Heavy rain falling. No sign of convoy coming; no horse-feed, no rations, and no blankets; every prospect of a pleasant night, - sitting on the side of a wet hill, holding our horses till morning. Ugh! Never so glad in all my life to see daylight. We have been alternately lying, sitting and standing in 6 inches of water throughout the long, cold night. The other fellows look pictures. I expect I do too, but I’ve got no mirror, to see. Convoy came up at noon. They too have had a rough time, travelling, or trying to travel all night. Up went the tents. With the sanguine temperament, characteristic of the soldiers, we fully expected a snug night in camp. The rain, which has been hanging off all day, is again coming down in an incessant grey drizzle, but, with the exception of the poor chaps on outpost, we are comfortably ensconced in our canvas homes, and what care we? Imagine our surprise, when at 11 o’clock the “turn-out” sounded; also imagine the ‘language’ as the men reluctantly saddled up, in the inky blackness of the drizzling, murky night. I expect our General knew what he was doing, but the general concessus of opinion was against that idea. Had a vote of censure been taken at the time, The Opposition would have had a glorious victory, but it was not to be. Away we went creeping along through the evil blackness of the night, - our hearts too full for utterance. Peal on peal of thunder echoing on the ironstone hills, like the dull booming of heavy artillery; terrific lightning, dancing fantastically along the barrels of our rifles, showing in ghastly relief the weird procession creeping over the silent veldt, and to finish all the pitiless rain streaming down, as tho’ there was no restraining power in heaven. Most of us, I fancy, were busy making mental comparisons about seeing New Years in happier times, and better places. So passed the Old Year-01 Click Back on Browser to Return to Previous Page

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|Al-Ahram Weekly Online 5 - 11 July 2001 |Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875||Current issue | Previous issue | Site map| Facing up to the futureTashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara -- the city names are evocative of a fabulous civilisation; they hold pride of place in Islamic history. Yet what of their present? On the eve of the 10th anniversary of Uzbekistan's independence, Fatemah Farag tags along for a meeting of the Egyptian-Uzbek Cooperation Committee A walk through Tashkent: wide and gracious tree-lined boulevards, fruit trees laden with bright orange apricots, green pears and red berries, public parks graced with elaborate water fountains -- the quiet of dusk disturbed only by the rumbling of an antiquated trolley-bus and the acceleration of a passing Volga. Bordering the sidewalks, Soviet-style public housing, ultra-modern glass office- buildings and quaint one-story houses compete to define the image of a city searching for post-independence identity. As one takes in the city one cannot help but notice that something is afoot. Walls are getting a fresh coat of paint and a race is on to complete construction projects. These manifestations of intense activity are part and parcel of preparing for this year's 10th anniversary of independence on 1 September. This year's anniversary is extra special: it will signify the passing of 10 years since the Uzbek people ended nearly 140 years of Russian domination, some 70 years of which under the Soviet system. But how much has changed? The concert hall has been converted into the Stock Exchange, the building that used to house the meetings of senior members of the Communist Party is currently and, perhaps ironically, the Faculty of Modern Economics; many government leaders are former Soviet and/or Communist Party officials. And yes, the recently opened Tashkent Plaza houses the labels of Calvin Klein and Burberry and the Tashkent Golf Course is as luxurious as such symbols of bourgeois recreation can be. Here, however, as in other so-called transition economies, these new amenities are well beyond the incomes of the average citizen, while at the same time the previously highly subsidised social services such as education and health are in conspicuous decline. The pride of the city remains the Naboiev Theatre, a grand old structure, the walls of which are elaborately engraved with traditional Uzbek designs. People will tell you it was built during the World War II, "testimony to a time when the arts were given high priority." "We are in a period of transition," said Tuhtamurod Toshev, editor-in-chief of Adolat, mouthpiece of the political party Adolat (Uzbek for justice), which was established in 1995 and is one of the four largest parties in Uzbekistan. "It is true that there are difficulties such as unemployment and some material problems, but the people of Uzbekistan understand that this is the price we must pay towards a better future. We are lucky to have a president with a vision; for economic growth and incorporation into the world system are considered an Uzbek model for development, supported by everyone." Uzbek President Islam Karimov, a former first secretary of the Communist Party, was elected to his position in December 1991. In 1995 a referendum extended his presidency to 2000, and since then he has been elected for a further five-year term. While presidential and other elections in Uzbekistan have been marred by accusations of electoral malpractice, there is no doubting the president's popularity. A common sentiment on the street is that the government is in control, which people here seem to feel is a major asset in view of the civil strife in Tajikistan and other neighbouring states, where security is lacking and governance said to be whimsical at best. Above all, however, one is struck by the strong sense of national pride. In the words of my interpreter Abdel-Hay, "In the days of the Soviets I used to have to translate from one foreign language [Arabic] into another foreign language [Russian]. Today, it gives me great satisfaction finally to be translating into my own language." Even more poignant is the fact that for a population which is 88 per cent Sunni Muslim, religion is no longer taboo. As one old timer, who preferred to remain anonymous, told me: "I remember in the army they would serve pork, and for weeks on end I could eat nothing but water and bread. It was terrible, but there was nothing I could say. Religion was too political." The Naboi Theatre in Tashkent Not that religion is not problematic these days. The loudest voice of dissent against the current government is the Islamist movement, namely Hizb El-Tahrir (considered the largest Islamist group); the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU); and the Wahabis. In the name of stability the clamp-down on Uzbekistan's Islamists has been harsh, particularly following the exploding of five terrorist bombs in the capital city in December 1999. According to the Moscow-based human rights group, Memorial, estimates of the number of Islamists arrested between January 1999 and April 2000 range between 4,000 and 5,000, while a senior United States diplomatic source in Tashkent told Al-Ahram Weekly that on average some 100 people are arbitrarily incarcerated each month . It is not just the numbers that are problematic. In December of last year, Human Rights Watch released an in-depth report on torture in Uzbekistan which claimed that the number of allegations of torture was on the rise, and so was the degree of brutality employed. Recently, however, the government has allowed the International Red Cross to inspect prisons and monitor the situation, a move seen by analysts as a step towards improving the country's human rights record. In the meantime, an imposing building to house the 250-seat parliament, the Oliy Majlis, was built, while a new constitution provides for a separation of powers, freedom of speech and an end to censorship. The former communist party is today the People's Democratic Party, the acronym for which is NDP. Other major political parties include Adolat (Uzbekistan's Social Democratic Party) and Fidokorlar, the Self Sacrificers' Party. To the outsider the young multi-party system might seem cosmetic, with all political parties supporting the president, while critical public debate is conspicuously tame. However, according to Adolat's Toshev: "This is a very superficial view. It is true that all the parties are unified under the government banner of development, but we all have separate programmes. Ours is social justice and democracy while Fidokorlar's, for example, is the promotion of economic development and private enterprise." The extent of democratisation remains something of a sensitive issue. However, Toshev suggests that one might understand the political dynamics of the system by looking behind the scenes. "During parliamentary sessions, there is not much debate. But that is because all the lobbying has happened in advance. Months in advance of every session, the government announces the laws which will be up for discussion, and we begin debate. By the time sessions begin we have already designed the law and are ready to pass it. For example, the new education law and the law to combat tuberculosis -- these are laws we were active in formulating." A small dark room littered with paper and stashed away at the back of a hairdresser's salon is home to Tadbirkor Ayol, the Businesswomen's Association of Uzbekistan. According to the association's chairwoman, Dildar Alimbekova, "Tadbirkor Ayol promotes a very specific model of growth for the non-governmental community." She explains, "Many of the NGOs we have today were established upon the initiative of the president. We were one of the very few which came to being upon our own initiative. But when I was chosen to become a member of a governmental committee discussing structural adjustment we became more influential. It was an opportunity for us to have direct meetings with government officials at the highest level, and it became more possible for us to play a mediartory role between the people and the government." Independence, accompanied by transition towards a market economy, has been as disorienting in Uzbekistan as elsewhere. This seems to be exmplified by the story of the Businesswomen's Association. "All of a sudden, women who taught Communism or planned-development were without jobs and lacked the skills to help them find jobs in a post-Soviet economy. We helped such women set up small businesses. Also, we found that an informal trade in luxury commodity goods began to flourish and, as usual, women were the ones carrying the bags on aeroplanes while men waited outside customs where it is safe to see whether or not they would get through. It is a new world for women, with new difficulties," says Alimbekova, adding that perhaps the greatest challenge for both men and women was the need to change the way they thought. "You can have democracy and freedom when the way people think changes. Today, it is difficult to have a totally independent NGO community. The role of the state to support and nurture such a community is still required. It is possible, however, for such a beginning to eventually lead to a much more advanced and independent NGO community." Uzbekistan is one of Central Asia's most highly populated countries, with a population topping 24 million. It would be landlocked were it not for the Aral Sea, victim to one of the world's biggest environmental disasters -- it has shrunk to half its size as a result of growing concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts. Uzbekistan is the fourth largest producer of cotton in the world ($2.9 billion annually), and the fourth largest producer of gold. The stakes are high and the potentials staggering. At the outset of economic restructuring, the Uzbek economy benefited from its labour-intensive agriculture- and mineral-based economy as well as rapid growth in oil and gas production, all of which helped defer the painful effects of austerity measures. In July 1994, the soum, Uzbek's national currency, was introduced and the government began to undertake economic reforms supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In 1996, however, the government implemented currency convertibility restrictions, to which the IMF responded by suspending its standby facility. Today, currency convertibility remains a basic impediment against free trade (see related article), and according to the senior US diplomatic source, "A lot of the change is on the level of official rhetoric; the mentality, however, has not really changed much. And with regard to economic reform, there is a thick layer of bureaucracy resistant to change." True as that may be, it is not all. Alimbekova (who set up her first business with a loan from the Communist Party) believes that "those who see the government as not committed to economic reform are mistaken. It is true that there was a better investment and business environment between 1995 to 1998, but what happened was that a class of businessmen emerged who were very corrupt. This corruption even made its way into the ranks of government, and hence action had to be taken. What some people take for procrastination by the government is, in fact, the measures taken to crack down on such corruption." The US diplomatic source did acknowledge a new attitude towards corruption, and cited the example of a major campaign against tax officials who extorted bribes from businessmen. "One hundred and fifty inspectors were sent to prison. People refused to succumb and the judiciary took action. That is very encouraging," the source conceded. He went on to argue, however, that because of the delay in the completion of "reform" Uzbekistan was suffering all the "pain of transition without getting anywhere." But is "economic reform" the magic wand that will hurl Uzbekistan towards a more prosperous future? Here, as in most developing countries, the question remains controversial with conflicting interests playing no small part in the to-and-fro movement along the path of economic liberalisation. In a taxi cab, the driver told me: "At least in the days of the Soviets I did not have to worry about a roof over my head or education for my children. Everything was planned. Today, I do not know how to make enough money to ensure these basic things. I worry for the future of my children." While a somewhat cynical bread vendor at the local market gave me a dull stare from under heavy eyelids and muttered: "It is all the same. There are those who live a good life and the likes of us who get the hardship." Others are hopeful. "Change is coming," said Zamir, head of the Regional Centre for Banking, "We are learning new languages and breaking out towards the world." Zamir cannot speak English and as he speaks he fumbles earnestly with the note pad in his lap. Next to him his son Serdar, a student of international economics, sits back, languidly comfortable, translating for his father into perfect English. A very nice name, Serdar. What does it mean? "It is Persian. And it means leader," he tells me very pointedly. Well, the future is still to be written. Recommend this page© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved Letter from the Editor |WEEKLY ONLINE: www.ahram.org.eg/weekly Updated every Saturday at 11.00 GMT, 2pm local time

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Many people struggle to improve their eating habits. The Times food writer Mark Bittman, appearing this week on WNYC radio, told listeners about an unusual strategy that has worked for him. All day long, he eats a vegan diet. But after about 6 p.m., anything goes. In his newest book, “Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating With More Than 75 Recipes,” Mark explains how increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and reducing dependence on processed foods will lead to better health not only for your body, but also for the planet. He explained his “vegan before dinnertime” strategy recently on the Leonard Lopate show: My arrangement with myself is that from the time I wake up until dinner I eat only fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. I don’t even eat white bread during the day. And then starting at dinner, I do. I have one meal a day when I do pretty much what I want, which is normally quite indulgent. Mark made the changes after developing high cholesterol, borderline high blood sugar, bad knees and sleep apnea, and realizing he was about 35 pounds overweight. A doctor suggested he adopt a vegan diet, which means no animal products. But for a food writer, Mark said, becoming a full-time vegan was both unrealistic and undesirable. Instead, he came up with a compromise: I decided to do this sort of “vegan till 6” plan. I didn’t have huge thoughts or plans about it. I just thought it was worth a try. Within three or four months, I lost 35 pounds, my blood sugar was normal, cholesterol levels were again normal … and my sleep apnea indeed went away. All these good things happened, and it wasn’t as if I was suffering so I stayed with it…. I have not eliminated anything completely from my diet. I haven’t had a Coke in a while, but I didn’t drink that much Coke to begin with. Mark says he’s not trying to promote a particular diet, but does want people to realize that a simple evaluation of your diet can lead to meaningful changes. I want to make things as simple as possible. This is consistent with everything I’ve ever done. I’m the guy who says, “Don’t sweat it.” I’m trying to once again say, “Let’s figure out how to do this cleanly and easily.” I would just encourage everyone to examine the portion in their own diet between processed foods and animal food and junk food on the one hand and plants on the other. To the extent the first group is much heavier than the second group, I say make some adaptations to change that.

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They were not for specific films as I understand, just general tests. Welles complete lack of interest in Hollywood prior to the generous R.K.O. offer would probably be one of those "myths" we've been talking about. The fact that he was interested in film from an early age suggests he must have toyed with the idea of being a movie actor or director. I suspect he was invited to Hollywood by Warner Brothers sometime after the success of "Julius Caesar" (or perhaps "Dr. Faustus") which would have demonstrated his serious acting ability in addition to his production work. The tests probably didn't amount to much at the time, so he didn't care to draw attention to them. I recall reading that after "War Of The Worlds" broke, Welles spent more time courting Hollywood, but felt he could hold out for something more remarkable than a leading role or supporting part in someone else's project. He would have been quite interested in a Hollywood career, but only one that would be a continuation of the standards he had set on stage and radio (which, of course, is why he picked "Heart Of Darkness" as his first film, then stumbled for a while when that project proved too expensive).

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- A rush to profit from medical marijuana has resulted in irresponsible forest clearing, illegal stream diversions, and careless pesticide and fertilizer use that has polluted waterways and killed wildlife. California's annual medical marijuana harvest is just about done, but this year brings a new revelation sweeping the nascent industry: The feel-good herb may not, in fact, be so good for the environment. From golden Sierra foothills to forested coastal mountains, an explosion of pseudo-legal medical marijuana farms has dramatically changed the state's landscape over the past two years. A rush to profit from patient demand for pot has resulted in irresponsible forest clearing, illegal stream diversions, and careless pesticide and fertilizer use that has polluted waterways and killed wildlife, state and local government officials said. The problem has become so big and so unregulated that the California Department of Fish and Game has resorted to aerial surveys to assess its scale. It has a new high-resolution, computer-controlled camera mounted in the belly of an aircraft to help pinpoint problem marijuana areas. For more, see: Medical pot growers ravage California forest habitat

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Protecting your skin and checking it for changes are keys to preventing another melanoma or catching one in an early, treatable stage. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays produced by the sun increases your risk of melanoma. Here’s how to protect your skin from the sun’s UV rays: - Cover your skin with clothing, including a shirt and a hat with a broad brim. - When outside, try to sit in shady areas. - Avoid exposing your skin to the sun between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. standard time or 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. daylight saving time. - Use sunscreens with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more on skin that will be exposed to the sun. - Wear sunglasses with 99% or 100% UV absorption to protect your eyes. - Don't use sun lamps or tanning booths. Check your skin regularly and have someone help you check areas you can’t see, such as your back and buttocks, scalp, underneath the breasts of women, and the backs of the legs. If you notice a new, changing or an irregular-looking mole, show it to a doctor experienced in recognizing skin cancers, such as a dermatologist. This may include large, irregular shape with a border that is not smooth and even, more than one color, or irregular texture. Your doctor may monitor the mole or recommend removing it Contact your doctor if you discover a mole that is new has changed or looks suspicious: large or of irregular shape, color, or texture. - Reviewer: Brian Randall, MD - Review Date: 04/2013 - - Update Date: 04/09/2013 -

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The City of Bloomington is looking to increase their road resurfacing budget by 500,000 dollars to chip away at a 60 million dollar street repair backlog. The proposed 4 million dollar budget will go toward repairing neglected streets, and unseen repairs like sewer systems. Alderman Mboka Mwilambwepointed out that the City's budget for street resurfacing increases in 500,000 dollar increments every year. Mwilambwe wondered if there will be 'drastic plans' in the future when it comes to fixing the road resurfacing problem. City Manager David Hales says yes... "It won't be simple choices of the council. With all the competing demands we have in public safety, infrastructure and water supply--to make the larger step increases we may have to look at additional revenue." Bloomington Council is schedule to vote on the resurfacing budget increase on February 11th when Hales presents his fiscal year 2014 master plan. Support Your Public Radio Station

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Friday, May 17, 2013 Rosewood Poaching Turns Violent; Rapid Response Facility Provides Emergency Support On the 3rd of May, the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) received a request for emergency support in confronting a surge of rosewood poaching in Dong ... Tuesday, May 7, 2013 Two New Episodes of Patrimonito’s World Heritage Adventures Available Online World Heritage Education Programme is pleased to announce the release of "Patrimonito’s World Heritage Adventures" cartoon ... Friday, May 3, 2013 UNESCO and International Astronomical Union sign new agreement On 30 April 2013, UNESCO and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) renewed their Memorandum of Understanding at the Organization’s ... Friday, May 3, 2013 The Director-General of UNESCO Expresses Deep Concern at the Rising Violence in the Central African Republic, at the Heart of the Sangha Trinational Site The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, has expressed deep concern over the rise of armed violence, poaching and destruction in the Dzanga-Sanga ... Friday, May 3, 2013 Collaboration between Two Volcanic World Heritage Sites on Managing Risks to Visitors Demonstrating an excellent example of cooperation between managers and staff of two of the globe’s most iconic World Heritage volcano sites, ... Monday, April 29, 2013 Extension of the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust 2013- 2016 After three successful programme cycles of 4 years each, during the period from 2001 to 2012, the Dutch Government decided to extend the Netherlands ... Friday, April 26, 2013 First European Marine World Heritage Sites conference commits to strong regional cooperation From 15-16 April 2013, 25 experts from 4 European marine World Heritage Sites were brought together in Tönning (Germany) with the aim to ... Thursday, April 25, 2013 2nd South East Europe World Heritage Youth Forum for peace and sustainable development held The 2nd South East European (SEE) World Heritage Youth Forum for peace and sustainable development was held from 6 to 11 April 2013 in Zajecar, ... Wednesday, April 24, 2013 UNESCO Director-General deplores continuing destruction of ancient Aleppo, a World Heritage site UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova expressed her deep distress over reports of the continuing destruction which has severely damaged the ancient ... Friday, April 12, 2013 11th Expert Working Group releases recommendations for Safeguarding the Bamiyan Valley, Afghanistan A group of Afghan and international experts working on the safeguarding of Bamiyan (Afghanistan), as well as representatives of the Afghan and ... Friday, March 22, 2013 World Heritage sites participate in Earth Hour 2013 Once again UNESCO will partner with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Earth Hour, one of the world's largest and most well-known environmental ... Wednesday, March 6, 2013 Agreement signed for reconstruction of Kasubi Tombs, Uganda On 1st March 2013, UNESCO signed the Plan of Operation with the Government of Uganda for the project “Technical and financial assistance for the ... Friday, March 1, 2013 Syria: The Director-General of UNESCO Appeals to Stop Violence and to Protect the World Heritage City of Aleppo For more than a year now, I have been expressing on behalf of UNESCO my deep concern about the dramatic humanitarian situation in Syria and the ... Tuesday, February 26, 2013 World Heritage field guide for climate change adaptation tested at Kenyan World Heritage sites The field testing of the World Heritage Centre’s field guide for climate change adaptation in natural World Heritage sites was launched last ... Friday, February 22, 2013 New UNESCO website on Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha World Heritage site The UNESCO Kathmandu Office has recently created a website on Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha, World Heritage property in Nepal: ... Tuesday, February 19, 2013 International experts and decision makers gathered at UNESCO adopt Action Plan for Mali’s cultural heritage and manuscripts An Action Plan for the Rehabilitation of Cultural Heritage and the Safeguarding of Ancient Manuscripts in Mali was adopted at an international ... Friday, February 15, 2013 UNESCO and the Fondation Franz Weber partner for World Heritage preservation On 10 January 2013, UNESCO and the Fondation Franz Weber of Switzerland signed a five-year agreement to reinforce support for the Rapid Response ... Wednesday, February 13, 2013 UNESCO convenes international experts meeting for the safeguarding of Malian cultural heritage The Director-General of UNESCO, together with the Government of France, is organizing an international Day of Solidarity for Mali on 18 February 2013 ... Friday, February 8, 2013 Marine World Heritage: The Crown Jewels of the Ocean event calls for support of marine sites On 7 February, international film stars Clive Owen and Jacques Perrin gave their support to Marine World Heritage: The Crown Jewels of the ... Monday, February 4, 2013 UNESCO has developed cultural heritage maps and a “Heritage Passport” to help protect Mali’s cultural heritage In response to the conflict taking place in the northern regions of Mali since April 2012, UNESCO, in collaboration with the National Directorate of ...

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Archaeological Site of Rehman Dheri Department of Archaeology and Museums Property names are listed in the language in which they have been submitted by the State Party. The archaeological site of Rehman Dheri consists of a rectangular shaped mound covering some twenty two hectares and standing 4.5 metres above the surrounding field. The final occupational phase of the site is clearly visible on the surface of the mound by eye and also through air photographs. It consisted of a large walled rectangular area with a grid iron network of streets and lanes dividing the settlement into regular blocks. Walls delineating individual buildings and street frontages are clearly visible in the early morning dew or after rain and it is also possible to identify the location of a number of small-scale industrial areas within the site marked, as they are, by eroding kilns and scatters of slag. The surface of the mound is littered with thousands of shreds and artefacts, slowly eroding out of room fills. The archaeological sequence at the site of Rehman Dheri is over 4.5 metres deep, and covers a sequence of over 1,400 years beginning at c.3,300 BC. The site represents following periods: I c.3300-3850 BC II c.2850-2500 BC III c.2500-1900 BC It is generally accept that the settlement received its formal plan in its earliest phases and that subsequent phases replicated the plan over time. Although its excavators have cut a number of deep trenches or soundings into the lower levels, the areas exposed have been too limited to undertake a study of change in layout and the spatial distribution of craft activities. It was abandoned at the beginning of the mature Indus phase by the middle of the third millennium BC and subsequent activities, greatly reduced, are only recorded on the neighbouring archaeological mound, Hisam Dheri. The plan of the Early Harappan settlement is therefore undisturbed by later developments and, as such, represents the most exceptionally preserved example of the beginning of urbanisation in South Asia.

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- weak drug regulatory control and enforcement; - scarcity and/or erratic supply of basic medicines; - unregulated markets and distribution chains; - high drug prices and/or - significant price differentials. At national level, governments, law enforcement agencies, heath professionals, the pharmaceutical industry, importers, distributors, and consumer organizations should adopt a shared responsibility in the fight against counterfeit drugs. Cooperation between countries, especially trading partners is very useful for combating counterfeiting. Cooperation should include the timely and appropriate exchange of information and the harmonization of measures to prevent the spread of counterfeit medicines. The World Health Organization has developed and published guidelines, Guidelines for the development of measures to combat counterfeit medicines. These guidelines provide advice on measures that should be taken by the various stakeholders and interested parties to combat counterfeiting of medicines. Governments and all stakeholders are encouraged to adapt or adopt these guidelines in their fight against counterfeiting of medicines. - Guidelines for the development of measures to combat counterfeit medicines - Rapid Alert System for counterfeit medicines Communication and advocacy - creating public awareness Patients and consumers are the primary victims of counterfeit medicines. In order to protect them from the harmful effects of counterfeit medicines it is necessary to provide them with appropriate information and education on the consequences of counterfeit medicines. Patients and consumers expect to get advice from national authorities, health-care providers, health professionals and others from where they should buy or get their medicines; what measures they should take in case they come across such medicines or are affected by the use of such medicines. Ministries of health, national medicines regulators, health professional associations, nongovernmental organizations and other stakeholders have the responsibility to participate in campaign activities targeting patients and consumers to promote awareness of the problem of counterfeit medicines. Posters, brochures, radio and television programmes are useful means for disseminating messages and advice.

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Most Active Stories Tue October 2, 2012 Judge Postpones Pennsylvania's Voter ID Law RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: A judge in Pennsylvania has blocked a key part of that state's new voter ID law, a law that's caused controversy. Now, come Election Day, voters showing up at the polls can still be asked to show a government-issued photo ID, but they will not be prevented from voting if they don't have one. NPR's Pam Fessler has been covering the story and she joins us now. Good morning. PAM FESSLER, BYLINE: Good morning. MONTAGNE: So, remind us what this Pennsylvania law is - you know, why it's been making national news. FESSLER: Well, the Pennsylvania Republican-controlled legislature enacted this law recently, as several other states have also done, that requires voters when they go to the polls to show some form of government-issued photo ID. And it's a fairly restrictive list of IDs, such as a driver's license, a state-issued photo ID, a passport. And the complaint was that were tens if not hundreds of thousands of voters in the state who were already registered but did not have that identification and would have a hard time getting it. MONTAGNE: So what does the decision of this one judge in Pennsylvania mean? FESSLER: Well, it's a big victory for all those groups that said that so many people would, in fact, be prevented from voting in November because they didn't have this ID. The state had been making a very big effort in recent months to try and get ID to people who didn't have it, but they were running into lots of problems; there were long lines at DMV offices, where people - that's the motor vehicle offices - where people had to go to get the ID. There was confusion over the rules. Some of the requirements had been changing in recent weeks. So, many voters - and they were often elderly and the poor - were just having the trouble getting the documents. And the judge, Commonwealth Court judge Robert Simpson said in his ruling today that he wasn't convinced that there enough time before the election to get ID to all those who needed it, and that some voters, if fact, would be disenfranchised. MONTAGNE: Although, the judge, it seems, only partially blocked this law from going into effect. Have I got that right? FESSLER: Right. So, in effect, basically, what he said is that voters can still be asked to show a photo ID at the polls. But if they don't have it, they won't be blocked from voting. They can still cast a ballot. And this is in fact what the state did for the primary. It was kind of a test run of the new law and, basically, he's extending that test run through the November elections. The state's still going to be allowed to go forward with its outreach efforts and education efforts. Those are ads and, you know, posters that basically say you should show a photo ID at the polls. And some these civil rights groups that have been fighting this law say they have some concerns about that because they think that that might confuse voters. And there's still a possibility that this ruling could be appealed. We haven't heard anything yet. MONTAGNE: Well, if it remains in effect, what impact do you think this will have on the November elections in Pennsylvania? FESSLER: Well, quite frankly, I don't think it's going to actually have that much impact. First of all, the presidential election is - it's not really, actually that close in Pennsylvania, according to the polls, right now. Also, even though some voters might be discouraged from showing up if they don't have the ID - Democrats have actually using this as a fairly effective get-out-the-vote tool. People are, you know, trying to take away your right to vote, you really have to go out there and show them. So, I kind of think it's going to be a draw. MONTAGNE: Pam, thanks very much. FESSLER: Thank you. MONTAGNE: NPR's Pam Fessler. (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) MONTAGNE: This is NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.

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Most Active Stories Around the Nation Sat July 7, 2012 Scranton's Public Workers' Pay Cut to Minimum Wage Originally published on Sat July 7, 2012 4:29 pm The city of Scranton, Pa., sent out paychecks to its employees Friday, like it does every two weeks. But this time the checks were much smaller than usual. Mayor Chris Doherty has reduced everyone's pay — including his own — to the state's minimum wage: $7.25 an hour. Doherty says his city has run out of money. Scranton has had financial troubles for a couple of decades — the town has been losing population since the end of World War II. But the budget problems became more serious in recent months as the mayor and the city council fought over how to balance the budget. Doherty wants to raise taxes to fill a $16.8-million gap. The city council wants to take a different approach and borrow money. City council members did not respond to NPR's requests to discuss the dispute. "I'm trying to do the best I can with the limited amount of funds that I have," Doherty says, "I want the employees to get paid. Our people work hard — our police and fire — I just don't have enough money and I can't print it in the basement." After paying workers Friday, the city had only about $5,000 left in the bank. More money flowed into city accounts that day, but it was still not enough to pay the $1 million the city still owes to its nearly 400 employees. Scranton's public workers received a few days' warning this was coming. John Judge, a firefighter and president of the International Association of Firefighters, Local 60, typically receives about $1,500 every two weeks, after deductions. On Friday his check was less than $600 — before deductions. "Don't know how I'm going to pay bills at home. I may be able to stave it off for a little while," Judge says. "[The] kids aren't going to be able to do certain activities this summer — maybe we're not going to be able to go on vacation." The firefighters' union, along with the police and public works unions, have taken the city to court. Lackawanna County Judge Michael Barrasse issued an injunction, essentially agreeing with the unions that the city was breaking the law, but Doherty says he doesn't have another choice. Despite the injunction, he had the city send out paychecks based on minimum wage. The unions plan to be back in court first thing Monday morning to ask the judge to hold Doherty in contempt. There's been no love lost between Doherty and the public employee unions because of this battle; they've already spent the past decade in a legal dispute over pay that went all the way to the state supreme court. Both sides come to this latest battle with plenty of baggage and hard feelings. But with nearly 400 city workers receiving a fraction of the pay they typically get, pressure is building to resolve the issue soon. SCOTT SIMON, HOST: This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. Scranton, Pennsylvania sent out paychecks to its employees Friday, like it does every two weeks. But this time the checks were much smaller than usual. The mayor has reduced everyone's pay, including his own, to the state's minimum wage, $7.25 an hour. Scranton's mayor says that his city has just run out of money. NPR's Jeff Brady joins us from Philadelphia where he's been following the story. Jeff, thanks for being with us, and explain what's going on? JEFF BRADY, BYLINE: Well, Scranton has had financial troubles for a couple of decades now. The town has been losing population pretty much since the end of World War II. But in recent months, the budget problems became more serious, as the mayor and the city council, they fought over to how to balance the budget. Mayor Chris Doherty wants to rise some taxes to fill a nearly $17 million budget gap. The city council wants to take another approach and borrow money in the meantime. I talked to Mayor Doherty over the phone, and he predictably blames the city council for the current situation. MAYOR CHRIS DOHERTY: I'm trying to do the best I can with the limited amount of funds that I have. You know, I want the employees to get paid. Our people work hard - our police and fire. I just don't have enough money. And I can't print it in the basement. BRADY: The city says it owes employees about a million dollars. But after giving workers their checks based on the minimum wage, it had only about $5,000 left. And I understand more money has coming into city accounts since then but it's still not enough to pay all the wages that are due to Scranton's public employees. SIMON: What was the reaction of city workers, including, obviously, police and firefighters who are expected to be on their important jobs today but maybe can't pay their own bills? BRADY: Yeah. They did have some warning this was coming - just a few days though. There are about 400 employees in Scranton affected by this. I talked with the president of the local firefighters union. His name is John Judge. He also works as a firefighter for the city. He says checks were supposed to come out Thursday but they were a day late. His typical check is about $1,500 every two weeks after deductions. And yesterday, his check was less than $600 before deductions. So, Judge says he has some savings but the reduced pay is going to be hard on his family this summer. JOHN JUDGE: Don't know how I'm going to pay bills at home. I may be able to stave it off for a little while, but I'm going to have to forgo, you know, kids aren't going to be able to do certain activities this summer. And maybe we're not going to be able to go on vacation. BRADY: The firefighters union, along with the police and public works union have taken the city to court. A Lackawanna County judge issued an injunction, essentially agreeing with the unions that the city was breaking the law. But Mayor Doherty says he doesn't have a choice. And despite the injunction, he had the city send out the paychecks based on minimum wage. SIMON: So, the unions have already won their case in court and yet the mayor says, as he said to you, I just can't print money in the basement. What happens now? BRADY: Well, the unions say they plan to be back in court first thing Monday morning. They're going to ask the judge to hold the mayor in contempt. And I think it's worth noting here that there is absolutely no love lost between Mayor Chris Doherty and the public employee unions. They've tussled with each other in the past. There was an extended legal battle over pay that went all the way up to the State Supreme Court. So, both sides are bringing some baggage and some hard feelings to the table. But with 400 city workers receiving a third of the pay they typically get, that sort of thing can't go on forever. SIMON: And I imagine the mayor's position is if you're down to just a few thousand dollars in the bank, to borrow the money to pay the employees would put you in a deficit situation. BRADY: It would put them in a deficit. And borrowing is part of the plan here. The problem is that without a clear path forward for money coming into the city, what bank is going to come along and lend you that money? And that's what the mayor's position is now. This dispute, he says, needs to be straightened out with the city council before they can actually go out and convince a bank to lend them money. SIMON: NPR's Jeff Brady joining us from Philadelphia, speaking about the situation in Scranton. Thanks so much. BRADY: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.

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I don't think that high taxes (or any taxes) are bad, up to a point. Obviously, people have to pay somehow for the common good of their society. And, many societies have found that poverty and inequality lead to social instability. Taxes collected for the common welfare of everyone make more sense than spending even more trying to solve problems in the long run. After school programs and social workers are cheaper than more crime and more prisons. So, reducing poverty and inequality through taxes make sense. The more socially advanced places have figured this out. And they pay tax rates of 40-60% and up to keep their countries stable and pleasant places to live. But in the US people complain about taxes as if the money is just thrown away, perhaps burned to heat the homes of the politicians or something. And we think that our taxes are the highest in the world, when actually we pay among the lowest rates of any industrialized country. Low 20's-30% for most people. So in the US we want even lower taxes , since the government doesn't do anything worthwhile with the money. And everything worth doing can be done better by private businesses. So we have cut taxes to the lowest rates they have been since the 1950's. Wealthy people are taking more of the nation's income than ever in our history. And hilarity has not ensued. Unemployment is the highest its been in my lifetime, largely due to public sector layoffs. Our bridges are deteriorating, school systems are laying off teachers and scrambling for basic funds. Only kids whose parents have the money for fees can be on sports teams or in clubs in many public schools. Forget about music and art classes. Parents have to hold fundraisers to buy new science equipment and computers. After school programs and summer rec gets cut. Libraries have reduced hours and can't afford to replace worn-out books. Police departments and fire departments have to cut back on hiring. Bus and train fares have to go up to make up for the lost tax revenue. I have read in the news that some cities are going to have twice a month trash pickup instead of weekly due to lack of money to pay the workers. Some counties can no longer afford to pave roads . So, crime goes up and no police. Kids are at loose ends and no programs. Longer lines at the post office and DMV. Neighborhoods start to look and feel crappy. What about the private sector? Can't it do the same thing for less? Not really, because you have to add in the profit . Private firms have to cut costs to make a profit, so you get lower wages and less qualified employees, or fewer employees trying to do the same jobs. With fewer benefits and less job security. Private prisons save money by having fewer amenities for the prisoners, fewer classes and drug treatment programs, higher turnover of staff (meaning more inexperienced guards) and higher rates of riots and escapes. We don't have to talk about how inefficient and overpriced private health care is-- there have been many diaries on that already. And private charities can't begin to fix all these problems. The only way this could possibly work out is if the rich folks in the top 1% with the billions voluntarily hand over a small percentage of their incomes, which would amount to a big chunk of change, to the cities, counties and states. But they have not shown any desire to do that. They do send their excess money to overseas banks and (surprise) pay millions for lobbyists to tell the 99% that taxes on wealthy people are evil

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|Founder, Earth Treasury, an NGO to link schools around the world for education and business. See Plans and Essays. NEW PROJECT: Replacing Textbooks XOs and other netbooks cost much less than printed textbooks, so as soon as we replace enough of the textbooks with Open Education Resources, we can explain that OLPC + Sugar delivers better education while saving money. Mokurai has received permission to set up a server for this purpose at Sugar Labs, and is also raising funds to support it. Mokurai volunteers at OLPC and Sugar Labs as a volunteer coordinator, localization administrator (Khmer and Kreyòl), and general knoker (an especially Yiddish know-all, the kind who did math homework in pen), based on End Poverty at a Profit all around by educating children to collaborate and not be helpless. - Epictetus - "Only the educated are free." - Aristotle - "All men by nature desire to know. An indication of this is the delight we take in our senses." The mission is whatever planning, funding, research, development, and deployment is needed to make that happen, with a focus on Management by Exception in order to keep on top of what is needed in changing circumstances and make sure that nothing gets missed that we must have. Sugar Labs has the Sugar software as its main focus, but needs to work with others on the rest of the mission. We should raise substantial funding to support these substantive projects, up to the point at which they can become self-sustaining, in the manner of the Grameen Group of companies. These are the principal elements of the mission today. More will appear. - Extend the OLPC and Sugar Labs work with evidence-based education research, curriculum development, and the redesign of textbooks, taking maximum advantage of software on the XO, and of the best research that we can find or carry out on how children learn, and what is of greatest value for them to learn. - Engineer appropriate solutions for electricity and Internet connections in even the poorest and most remote villages in every target environment, in collaboration with university Schools of Engineering, Engineers Without Borders, and others, in order to maximize the usefulness of XOs to children everywhere. - Work with microfinance organizations to place these electricity and Internet solutions along with XOs. The intention is to jump-start local economies by selling modest amounts of surplus power and bandwidth, and thereby raise the money to pay off the original loans and make further investments. - Create an R&D consortium to further all of these goals and whatever else turns out to be necessary. We know that issues of economics, governance, social attitudes, and sustainability are important. What do we need to know, and how can we come to know it? What can we learn from the children themselves, and from teachers, parents, and others? - Tap into Barack Obama's plans to increase global development aid by $25 billion annually, including a $2 billion Global Education Fund; into the UN Millennium Development Goals program; Make Poverty History; and all of the other initiatives that share our vision, even if they don't know it yet. - Save as many languages and cultures as possible from extinction by teaching the children how to record them. - Link children, schools, and communities together around the world in a safe manner for collaborative development. - Teach children how to create sustainable international businesses together using their new knowledge and skills. Current Projects and Partners OLPC and Sugar Labs, of course, within the scope of their own missions to provide hardware, software, content, and teacher training materials. In each case, the intention is to expand to a comprehensive, integrated program including infrastructure, education, community development, and economic opportunity. Volunteers, donors, and partners welcome. - Nana's House (school and orphanage), computers, Internet, and accessories for students and teachers - Winneba Linux Users Group, Linux+Sugar Installfests - Catch IT Young youth computer training - University of Education, Winneba, research, curriculum, teaching materials, localization - OneVillage Foundation Ghana, Winneba wireless broadband project - Fantsuam Foundation microfinance project and Cisco Network Academy - Asante Foundation Maasai schools and cultural preservation - Bunabumali Good Shepherd Orphanage and School, computers, accessories, electricity, Internet - Mt. Elgon coffee growers co-operative equipment and training - School programs and the rest - Mt. Kilimanjaro coffee growers co-operative equipment and training - School programs and the rest - Interactive digital textbooks, with Lots of partners. - Free computers for schools, two per pupil: one at school, one at home. Possibly Computers4Africa - Flash drives for carrying software and work, so that students can use them on any computer - Electricity generation and storage, Engineers Without Borders - Broadband Internet, OVF Ghana - Microfinance, Fantsuam Foundation - Economic opportunity, education program to be developed at EduForge, social entrepreneurial investors welcome. The following is as much a prediction as a set of goals. Much of this will happen regardless of us. We can make those parts happen sooner, and more effectively. The other parts have to do with the new ideas that we are discovering and shaping together, particularly integrated development that includes the economy, the social structure of society, and spiritual growth. The only project that I know of that currently does this is the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement in Sri Lanka, which I commend to your study and, if possible, participation. For several years I have been seeing a gradual coming together of many strands in development toward the possibility of an integrated strategy that can be replicated worldwide. After the initial stage, it should all become self-sustaining in the manner of the Grameen Bank, Grameen Phone, and the like, and thus independent of the usual sources of non-profit funding. Here are the leading strands. - ICT4D, including newly powerful mobile phones, computers, and Internet at prices that make sense in even the poorest and most remote villages, given the promise of economic growth to enable paying back costs. - One Laptop Per Child, for many reasons, including a rethinking of curricula, textbook content, and publishing models. Scarcity of information is no longer the limiting factor in education. Electronic publications still take effort and time to write, but the reproduction cost on the Internet is nearly nil. Governments will soon realize that they don't have to buy textbooks. They can contract for writing textbooks and other materials with the proviso that the government, or we should say the public, owns the copyright. We can take advantage of Free Software and Open Access publishing throughout this process, and of a century of discoveries in how children really learn. Currently XOs are $198 each, with $75 versions promised for 2010. GiveOneGetOne is to start up again in November. - Fiber optic cables for every country in Africa. There is one installed on the West Coast, two being laid on the East Coast, and four more promised. Rwanda and the other dozen landlocked countries in Africa are making deals with their neighbors for overland links. Some regions in Central Asia may take a little longer. - New satellite launches that promise both to break the current cartel pricing in Africa, and to link Africa directly to South America, the Middle East, and Asia, not just by multihop through Europe. - African banks that are now in a position to start creating a continent-wide network and to roll out electronic banking. - Global GIS initiatives dealing with mapping critical poverty issues: environment, water, agriculture, climate, health, and much more. - The many organizations working on renewable electricity for villages, among them Earth Treasury, Engineers Without Borders, and the Jhai Foundation. - Many organizations rolling out vastly improved health services to whole countries and in a few cases to the entire world. This includes the Rotary International eradication of polio; anti-malarial bednets wherever needed; free medication for River Blindness; low-cost AIDS medication (largely due to the Clinton Foundation); practical methods for treating multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB); microinsurance; Free Software for health, such as OpenMRS; and health education through One Laptop Per Child. - More than 100,000 of the million and more NGOs of the world now connected with each other through Wiser Earth. - Barack Obama's plan to double US Foreign Aid, and redirect it to much more efficient methods (toward helping the poor, not just subsidizing US agriculture, manufacturing, and consulting). This includes a $2 billion annual Global Education Fund. - The microfinance movement's casting about for the next big challenge. I predict village electricity and Internet along with school computers, and I am working on alliances toward that end. Sugar Labs has taken over software development for the OLPC XO. Walter Bender of Sugar Labs is putting together a research consortium to tackle problems in education, and I am assisting in recruiting, and in problem definition. My program is not of the usual kind, where we know what subjects we mean to tackle. My version of the mission is: Whatever turns out to be needed. My self-appointed task is to find the holes in current programs, and fill them, first with my own efforts and second by recruiting others to do the work, research further solutions, and plan where we might go next. Among the critical tasks are village electricity and Internet, redesigning curricula and textbooks, and bringing all of this together into target communities with microfinance, with a flexible, integrated business plan for whole societies to advance societal infrastructure (education, health, clean water, and other essentials), and the private sector (sole proprietorships, sustainable international companies, producer and consumer co-operatives), and shared values. It is no longer practical to impose the illusion of shared values on a society. They must grow out of the situation. The report on OLPC's early effects in Ethiopia gives a glimpse into where we are going. Within a few months, in a highly traditional society that has valued teaching politeness and obedience over subject matter in schools, and where asking questions of a teacher was considered insulting, the XO and its software have opened up a new, collaborative relationship between teachers and students. This is in no small part attributable to the collaborative nature of the XO's Sugar and other software. Access to the information riches of the Internet is another important factor. See Academic Papers on the OLPC Wiki for this and other recent reports. There is more, but that will do to begin with. - We are looking at the possibility of ending poverty as we know it within a generation, except in the most repressive countries (Burma and North Korea are the most likely, but a few others might possibly regress). - We are doing this by means that promise far freer markets, with - Market access for all, at least for electronic markets, including easy entry and exit - General availability of essential economic information, including the price of almost anything right up to the moment - General availability of production technologies, except where embargoes linger (Cuba, Burma, Syria, Iran, North Korea and a few others) In short, these and a few other points add up to the closest approximation to the economic ideal of Perfect Competition ever seen, worldwide. We can confidently predict the largest explosion of productivity and prosperity ever seen, and at some point the end of the continual search for ever-more-benighted denizens of ever-poorer countries to ship jobs off to. The existence of wage differentials between countries is conclusive proof that their market relations are not free. - A complete communications network, in which every person will have the means to connect with any other person who answers the phone. - Directories and social network sites that enable everybody to find the right people to do business with and make alliances with for any economic, social, spiritual, or political purpose. - We can confidently predict an explosive growth of civil society organizations worldwide, among other things. - Edward Mokurai Cherlin/Czerwin - גרשון בן יסעף - Эдуард Георгеевич Черлын - My e-mail - AIM chat: mokurai - ICQ chat: 441484252 - 812 764 0552 New phone number in Indiana - LinkedIn profile - Wiser Earth - Twitter: Mokurai - Facebook page - My Daily Kos Diary Entries - At SCALE x6 Sixth SoCal Linux Expo - Friendly Favors I'm FF10136 - Edward Cherlin - My Digital Earth wiki page - Global Child Participation Mokurai has extensive experience in every aspect of computers, as a tech writer, editor, and publisher, global market analyst, and software developer. Previous work includes math software and textbooks, Computer Science papers, Free Software for voting, Unicode support on the XO, fighting spam around the world, and earlier anti-poverty projects. He can sometimes get people to stop talking past each other and answer the real questions (though not necessarily Nicholas %-[ ). See, for example,the IETF discussions on multilingual URIs. When I wrote a guide for new Internet users at Newbie.Net, there were three questions I couldn't answer: - How to stop spam. So I founded the Coalition Against UCE (Unsolicited Commercial E-mail) - How to view all languages correctly in browsers and other software. So I joined Unicode.org and a number of Free Software projects dealing with browsers, fonts, keyboard layouts, locales, and rendering software for screen display and printing, and the IETF standards process for multilingual URLs and URIs. - How to get everybody on the Net. So here I am. I have previously worked on wireless networking, satellite internet, and the Simputer. I'm contributing information on countries and languages on the OLPC Wiki, including writing systems, fonts, keyboard layouts, sources of literature, and other items of interest, and administering localization projects. I will be adding material on education and on the other impacts of the Laptop. It will have major effects in social development, health, economic opportunity, politics, and other important areas. I started to work on OLPC documentation, but then I discovered that even more pressing needs were being ignored. So now I have appointed myself Shadow Chairman & CEO of OLPC. Don't tell Nicholas. I'm on too many of these networks. If you want to connect with me, please use LinkedIn, Wiser Earth, or Flickr for photos. - Wiser Earth, in particular my page and the Sugar Labs page. - Goodreads Share reading lists. There are too many of these, too. - Here, of course - Frequent contributor to Wikipedia - ISDE5 (International Symposium on Digital Earth) - Python PyCon Bid Chair for SF Bay Area, 2010 - Impeachment Wiki Founder - Obamapedia Wiki - Finnegans Wiki Buddhist priest, software developer, market researcher, technical writer, Peace Corps volunteer, cook, goatherd, music teacher... Co-founder of global anti-spam organization, The Coalition Against UCE (Unsolicited Commercial E-mail) Music: Yale Concert Band and Marching Band, clarinet; First Prize, Classical, in first-ever Foreigner's Korean Music contest of the Korea Herald on gayageum; Slavyanka Russian Chorus; Music Around the World pre-school multilingual music program; banjo, recorders, spoons, piano, harpsichord, dumbek Simputer: Simple, inexpensive, multilingual computer for poor people Science Fiction: John Brunner would have loved the OLPC project if he had lived to see it. Check out Stand on Zanzibar (includes national development projects in fictional countries), The Shockwave Rider (integrated disaster recovery and sustainable communities), The Sheep Look Up (environmental catastrophe), and The Stone that Never Come Down (What if people couldn't ignore information they have?). Geek code GAT d-- s+:+ a+++ C++ UL++ P+ L+++ E- W++ N+++@ o+ K++ M+ b+++ e+++ h---- r+++ w--- APL++++ House, MD+++ Basic level in Korean, Chinese, Swahili, Japanese, Spanish, German Intermediate level in Russian, French

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Difference between revisions of "Meran" Revision as of 19:16, 26 February 2009 Meran (Italian: Merano) is the second largest town in South Tyrol with a population of about 35,000 (63,000 including the metropolitan area). A slight majority (51.5%) of the population is German-speaking, while the others are Italian-speaking. It's an old spa town with very charming promenades and interesting highlights. Meran is located outside of the Brenner line and whether you want to reach the town by plane, by train, by bus or by car you have likely to reach before Bolzano and from this point Meran. Meran is located 33 km (20 miles) north-west from Bolzano. The Airport Bolzano Dolomites is nearest airport, which is located in Bolzano. Getting to/from the airport Many hotels offer a transfer from Bolzano airport, especially if you book through a travel agency (in this case you probably have the possibility to have a transfer from other major airports). In the airport you will find some rent-a-car agencies. http://www.taxidriver-tirol.at/ In order to get in Meran by train you have to arrive in Bolzano first and from here you can take the train to Meran (every 30 minutes). When you buy the ticket at the departure station you can have the ticket from Bolzano to Meran included, saying that your destination is Meran. The Meran Central Rail Station is closed to the town centre. Some German, Austrian and Swiss travel agencies offer direct bus connection to Meran. Normally international bus lines stop in Bolzano and from here you can take the bus Bolzano-Meran (bus line 201) at the Bolzano Bus Station or other stops inside Bolzano (like Dominikanerplatz). Buses are run by SASA , which uses the same orange buses you can find inside cities, and SAD's , with grey-coloured buses (they operate on the same line). There is a departure every hour. A fare from Bolzano to Merano costs EUR 4 (only 2.61 with value card). You have to exit at Bolzano South on motorway A22 and taking the modern freeway. In Meran there are three exits: Sinich/Meran Süd, Meran Zentrum and Algund (freeway end). If you are coming from Landeck in Austria or Engadin, Switzerland, you can follow the signs along the road. 126.96.36.199 15:49, 28 October 2008 (EDT) The best way in order to discover Meran is by foot, but it's covered by an excellent public transport system, which is composed by buses and a chair lift to the village of Tirol. In Meran there are 9 bus lines (generally 6 am - 9 pm) run by SASA and 1 of this have also a night service (9 pm - 1 am). Buses pass frequently (every 15-25 minutes). Buses run always on time. Stamp your ticket at the start of its first use (there are green - on new buses yellow - stamping machines). You have to buy another ticket if you stop and you catch a bus after 45 minutes after the printing (only with single trip ticket or spent value card). Payment is by the honor system and inspectors check for valid tickets. If you don't have one, it's an instant EUR 25 fine (plus the fare you were supposed to have paid). All timetables and bus maps you can find free in the tourist offices or in the bus station. All urban buses stops are request stops (exept end of the line): If you want to get off press the red (in some blue) button, while if you want to get on a bus you have to wave your hand. Meran is connected with the village of Tirol - located on a hill above the town - by a chair lift, which is in service between April and November. Taxis are only on call available. Meran's taxi service is powered by Radio Taxi 24h24 calling 0473 21 20 13. Meran has a good bike trail system - but not so developed as in Bolzano, though - but around the town it's excellent. Maps are available in tourist offices and online . Rentals are available in the following places: The service is available from April until mid of October (M-Sa 9AM-7PM) and it's free. You only have to pay a EUR 5 bail - which is returned if the bike has not been damaged. The public transportation or your own feet should be enough in order to travel inside Meran. Finding a parking in the town centre can be complicated. In winter (from November to March) the whole city is forbidden for the EURO 0 cars in order to prevent from air pollution. In cases of high concentration of polluted substances the streets are forbidden also for EURO 1 cars. Museums, Galleries, and Memorials

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Dutch statisticians have found that when Friday falls on the 13th of a month, it is actually a little safer than a regular Friday. Perhaps this is because many people treat the day with suspicion and tread more carefully. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat-cutting machine and, after a little shopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company expecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef’s claim was approved.

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The craze in 3D printing was anticipated well-before media began to pick up on how its technology could disrupt industries. Companies like 3D Systems (DDD) began to trade upwards since the start of 2012, when shares were $15, and peaked in the summer at $44.30. Stratasys Inc. (SSYS) began the year at $30, and is now trading at $60 with a Price of Profit (POP) of 53. Both companies dipped in recent trading sessions. Only Dassault Systemes SA (DASTY) is managing to hold at close to its 52-week high. Value investors would be inclined to shy away from companies trading at such stratospheric levels. Growth investors buying into the 3D craze now are anticipating that the high POP will be supported by the same level of past growth in the foreseeable future. Challenges do remain. Like all new revolutionary technologies, 3D-printing will need to be adapted on a wider-scale, which would mean ever-increasing demand, which supports the high POPs of 3D-Printing companies. Investors wanting to forecast how 3D growth might play out should look at the supply-side growth of the smartphone industry. Organic LED maker Universal Display (PANL) shares traded as high as $55.04 in 2011, up from $6.03 in 2009 after its technology was adopted to smartphones: Another example of subsiding growth is found in the LED sector, where Cree was in a sweet spot in 2010. The U.S. government moved to replace incandescent light with LED. China increased demand for the product. Municipal spending was strong in 2010, which supported higher share price. When demand dropped unexpectedly, shares fell rapidly: Universal Display owns a number of patents for organic LED manufacturing. The company is receiving a steady stream of royalty payments from Samsung. In the near-term, 3D Systems and Stratasys may face selling pressure, but investors should look for signs of dropping demand first. If 3D is more disruptive than its expensive share price implies, and a drop in demand is only temporary, these companies would move up again. If the hype (and the demand) in 3D printing subsides, shares will decline to reflect a more reasonable long term growth rate and a lower valuation. Business Section: Investing Ideas Will 3D printing reach the masses? Here are some companies trading on the US exchanges that will benefit: 1. 3D Systems Corp. (DDD, Earnings, Analysts, Financials): Engages in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, and servicing of 3D printers and related products, print materials, and services. Market cap at $1.9B, most recent closing price at $34.27. 2. Stratasys Inc. (SSYS, Earnings, Analysts, Financials): Engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of three dimensional (3D) printing, rapid prototyping (RP), and direct digital manufacturing (DDM) systems primarily in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. Market cap at $1.29B, most recent closing price at $60.35. 3. Dassault Systemes SA (DASTY, Earnings, Analysts, Financials): Provides 3D and product lifecycle management solutions worldwide. The company offers SolidWorks software that provides 3D solutions for product design, analysis, and data management. Here are the two companies that illustrate what happens when an expensive stock starts to sell off: 4. Universal Display Corp. (PANL, Earnings, Analysts, Financials): Engages in the research, development, and commercialization of organic light emitting diode (OLED) technologies and materials for use in flat panel display, solid-state lighting, and other product applications. Market cap at $1.58B, most recent closing price at $34.0. 5. Cree, Inc. (CREE, Earnings, Analysts, Financials): Develops and manufactures light emitting diode (LED) products, silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) material products, and power and radio frequency (RF) products. Market cap at $2.89B, most recent closing price at $24.91. ****Article image of 3D printed pieces purchased at MakerBot’s new retail store in New York City. Written by Chris Lau. To interact and discuss these picks with users, attach your watch list or portfolio to your friends on Kapitall. Message the author. He is ranked sixth (by points) on the all-time leaderboard. The leaderboard is located on your score icon -> Leaderboard. Members on Kapitall earn free points, and even more points with every Kapitall Generation trade. These points may be redeemed for goods at the Kapitall store. Analyze These Ideas: Getting Started - Read descriptions for all companies mentioned - Access a performance overview for all stocks in the list - Compare analyst ratings for the companies mentioned - Compare analyst ratings to annual returns for stocks mentioned - Real-Time Opinion: Scan the latest tweets about these companies (feed will open in a new window) Dig Deeper: Access Company Snapshots, Charts, Filings - 3D Systems Corp. (DDD, Chart, Download SEC Filings) - Stratasys Inc. (SSYS, Chart, Download SEC Filings) - Dassault Systemes SA (DASTY, Chart, Download SEC Filings) - Universal Display Corp. (PANL, Chart, Download SEC Filings) - Cree, Inc. (CREE, Chart, Download SEC Filings) New to Kapitall? 1. New to the site? Click here to register for a free account, and gain access to more tools and data 2. Looking for more investing ideas like this? Click here to sign up for your free copy of Kapitall Weekly 3. Follow us on SeekingAlpha, Motley Fool, Nasdaq and Twitter

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This presentation is an Introduction to Open Source. It covers an introduction to the concept of "Open", and introduction to Linux and its features and an insight on the topic of Open Source and Development. Copyright © 2010 Wireless U. All rights reserved. | webmaster [at] wirelessu [dot] org (Webmaster WirelessU)

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Detailed Distribution Map Information This map reflects the specimen location information from the Wisconsin Botanical Information System database and attemps to line up the original Town-Range Survey map from 1833 to 1866 with a computer generated table grid over the map of Wisconsin. Because the original Town Range lines are inexact, these "dots" might be somewhat skewed. Also townships near the borders of the state might only be partial, so the "dot" might center outside the state's boundry. Holding the mouse over the "dot" identifies the Town-Range. Clicking(new window) on the "dot" will link to a list of all specimen accession numbers for this location. You can then link to the individual specimen's label data. Arrange this window side-by-side with the specimen-list window so you can easily go back and forth between this map and the specimen's data.

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You Must Read This Thu January 31, 2013 War Writ Small: Of Pushcarts And Peashooters Originally published on Wed December 19, 2012 6:03 am Adam Mansbach is the author of the forthcoming novel Rage is Back. Stealing my 9-year-old nephew's copy of The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill was the best thing I did last summer. I was his age the first time I read it, and twice his age the last time I went back to it. I'm twice that old again now, but as soon as I dove into this intimate, majestic tale of war writ small — of a battle between the pushcart peddlers and the truckers of New York City — I realized how timeless, and how deeply a part of me, the story was. Before long, I was tearing up as I anticipated events to come — not so much the major plot points as the masterful asides and grace notes that make the story so rich. I finished that same evening — a feat my nephew found stunning — and I haven't stopped thinking about the book since. The Pushcart War is presented as a history of a conflict that has not yet taken place; in each edition of the book, the date on which the hostilities commenced is nudged forward. I remember the power of that effect vividly from my first reading; it felt like standing with one foot in the past and one in the future, and it was strange and wonderful. Merrill, who died in August at the age of 89, begins by explaining that most wars are too massive and too complicated to be understood, and that we cannot prevent what we fail to comprehend — true when she wrote it, nearly 50 years ago, and undiminished since. But the Pushcart War, she tells us, is different. Its battles were confined to the streets of one city, and the weapons were simple enough to be understood by a 6-year-old. It was a war in microcosm, but there were generals and campaigns, truces and casualties. At stake were the streets themselves, and thus the future of the city. At the heart of the conflict lie two opposing models of business, and of thought: The trucking companies believe bigger is better, that growth means progress, and that might is right. They want to eliminate all other vehicles, and their first intended victims are the pushcart peddlers — small businesses beholden to a very different philosophy. Their customer service is personal, their territories well-defined; they perform hidden services fundamental to the function of the city. They are, in today's parlance, "sustainable." But the pushcarts are no pushovers. When their livelihoods and reputations are threatened, they take the fight to the enemy, with a peashooter offensive that leaves the trucks deflated. Literally. There is a familiar old-world charm to peddlers like Morris the Florist and Harry the Hot Dog, but there are no ingenues here. We know whom to root for, but Merrill's war is wrought in shades of gray. Battles are won in the court of public opinion, as often as on the streets. Pushcart king Maxie Hammerman is as savvy a strategist as his opponents, the trucking magnates, and their ally, the mayor. Both sides know how to cultivate powerful friends and the importance of manipulating the media. Merrill's story, full of unexpected reversals and understated witticisms, feels exceptionally modern. And by the end — after the two sides have hammered out a peaceful and deeply reasonable compromise — one can only hope that we'll catch up to Merrill's future one day. You Must Read This is produced and edited by the team at NPR Books.

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Tue August 7, 2012 Meeting to be Held to Discuss Assistive Technology for Blind and Low Vision Individuals A meeting will be held in Bowling Green Tuesday evening, to provide information about assistive technology for blind and low-vision people. The South Central Kentucky Council of the Blind will also provide details on a new grant program that can help to supply matching funds for needed equipment purchases. The President of the South Central Kentucky Council of the Blind, Dr. Ron Milliman, says the meeting is open to anyone interested in learning more about blindness and new developments in assistive technology. Some of those devices will be demonstrated, including talking watches, talking calculators, and devices that can help to identify clothing colors. He says, "Most people have no idea the huge number of devices that are available." The August 8th meeting will start at 7pm Central time, at the Disability Resource Initiative, which is located at 624 Eastwood Street in Bowling Green. The activity is free and open to the public. More information on the South Central Kentucky Council of the Blind can be found at www.sckcb.org

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Sat August 4, 2012 Olympics Sets Off British Tears Originally published on Sun August 5, 2012 10:43 am SUSAN STAMBERG, HOST: You find out so much about a country, you know, when it's hosting the Olympics. It's almost as if the games lay bare a nation's soul. NPR's Philip Reeves says that is what's happening in Britain. He's finding the experience unnerving, as he explains, in this letter from the Olympics. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: Shortly before these Games began, I saw an unusual interview on TV. It was with a middle-aged Englishman, wrapped in a British Union flag. He was very excited. He said he's going to spend the entire Games at home on his sofa with his wife, watching them on TV. This would be their summer vacation. Why are you so interested in the Olympics, the TV reporter inquired. Is it track sports you like or maybe gymnastics or rowing? No, it's not that, the man replied. It's because my wife and I, we both like crying. Not so long ago, I returned to Britain after 20 years away. When I left this country, there wasn't a lot of crying. Teachers at my schools, in the '60s and '70s, never cried. I never saw my father cry. We cried as children, of course, in pain and protest. But the adults made it very clear to us that tears were a worthless currency, about as welcome in Britain as the euro is today. Sporting triumphs were rewarded with a firm handshake, a pat on the back and a small silver cup. The last time the British wept like this, I was overseas. That was when Princess Diana died. They had good cause. Now, the Olympics have set them off again. British tears are flowing faster than their summer rain. I don't blame the athletes. They put themselves through hell. They're entitled to a little weep when they win or lose. But what about all those Brits, happily weeping away in the crowd? And what about all those sports commentators, who, when a Brit wins a medal, start tearing up, who are constantly asking people about how emotional they feel, about how much they're crying? It's as if these Games are a gigantic TV reality show, which I suppose, in a way, they are. There's more to this, though. I suspect the British are crying in relief. Over the last few years, they've watched one villain after another parade across their TV screens - rotten bankers, thieving politicians, wicked media barons, incompetent cops, dishonest journalists. What a relief to find the country actually has some sporting heroes, even if, a week ago, most of us had no idea who most of these athletes are, and in a couple of months, we'll have forgotten their names. What's wrong with that? Nothing. But I find it disconcerting. You see, the English have a skeptical streak I rather like - an ability to raise an eyebrow, to exchange meaningful glances and wry smiles when they catch the whiff of something bogus. Where are all the skeptics now? The answer is they saw these Olympic Games coming. Being skeptics, they concluded - wrongly, as it's so far turned out - that London would be unbearably congested during the Games. They took off on vacation abroad, leaving all the bawlers behind on the sofa - and the bawlers are having a ball. Philip Reeves, NPR News, London. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.

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OTSEGO (WKZO) -- Tests are underway to determine whether hazardous materials had been stored for years under the former Rock-Tenn paper mill in Otsego. County officials were doing an environmental assessment of the property, when they found two-hundred barrels filled with chemicals stored in the basement of the plant. They also found plastic totes and other containers that had chemicals in them. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was called to the site. An EPA investigator says most of the drums and containers are either lacking labels or mislabeled. They are going through plant records to try and determine what might have been used in the paper manufacturing process. The plant closed in 2004.

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CARBONDALE — The Lackawanna River Heritage Trail in the mid and upper valleys of Lackawanna County is filled with walkers and bikers this time of year. Sections of that trail are still being developed including a section in Carbondale that just received some grant money. There is already a trail through the woods along the Lackawanna River in Carbondale, but it’s not officially part of the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail yet. “You can see this is sort of de facto, people are already using this trail to walk to work and it really needs to be designed and developed,” said Natalie Gelb of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority. Gelb said $75,000 in state money will help do that. She and Carbondale officials hope the trail will be the Carbondale River walk, a part of a growing trail system from Scranton through Lackawanna’s mid and up valleys. Part of the money is to go to design repairs to a century old railroad bridge that will help link the trail from one side of the Lackawanna River to the other. “This is a really big step, this is a critical gap in our trail. When we’re finished our trail system will be about 70 miles long and right now we’re filling in the gaps, it’s all starting to come together, but this is a critical gap,” said Gelb. Carbondale Mayor Justin Taylor said linking his city to the trail system can help draw business here. “It’s exciting to finally piece this together because it was such a vast trail system, and we were kind of the missing piece,” said Taylor. We met up with some cyclists from southern PA who were just finishing a ride on a completed part of the trail. They said a similar trail in their area is a big success. “We’re from York, and they had to construct their rail trail a piece at a time, the same way, but everybody uses it. It’s amazing,” said Tom Bride of York. Once design on this part of the trail is done, hopes are construction would follow soon helping complete the trail, one step at a time.

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A partnership at many levels: CARE and WorldFish A story of partnership from WorldFish and CARE, for the Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD) theme P - Partnerships. Since the 1940s, the humanitarian organization, CARE, has been a key player on the world development stage. CARE’s work ranges from the delivery of humanitarian assistance amid times of crisis, to more on-going support to build community resilience and development capacity. CARE began working with WorldFish in a number of projects to improve livelihoods in developing countries. CARE and WorldFish both share a determination to alleviate poverty in vulnerable communities, and this mutual goal has fostered a productive partnership in countries including Bangladesh and Egypt and now with the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS). CARE and WorldFish have joined together to plan and implement the AAS Program. The communities in aquatic agricultural systems that both organizations work with are unique and varied, as are the multitude of vulnerabilities and challenges they face. Andrea Rodericks, Executive Director for Program Quality and Learning in CARE India notes that “the problems we are trying to address are complex change processes and no one organization can tackle them alone.” The empowerment of women in low income communities is fundamental to CARE’s work around the world. Rodericks, who has worked for many years to improve the status of women in developing countries, sees a natural partner in WorldFish on this issue. “I find our ideas of thinking around gender transformative change align quite well,” she says. “It’s still a long journey to get that right, but I’m impressed by the way WorldFish is approaching this and their clarity of intent in this area.” Partnerships provide opportunities to bring together complementary expertise and experiences to tackle development challenges. As Jamie Terzi from CARE Bangladesh explains, “The relationship with WorldFish is strengthened by having mutual objectives and understanding how we can complement each other’s work.” For Ms Terzi, the partnership is growing. “We’ve been building the relationship – we’ve now done a joint assessment mission in south west Bangladesh – that was a valuable experience for us, as rather than one organization going it alone we were learning as a team. The results were a much deeper analysis. We don’t want to confine ourselves to the south west so we are looking for wider partnership in Bangladesh and with WorldFish taking the approach it is in AAS, this fits well with the approach CARE is taking in relation to the total ecosystem approach. The partnership is changing from a more project-based to an institutional relationship.” In Egypt, where much effort is needed to address persistent high unemployment and limited economic opportunity for the poor, CARE is working with WorldFish on a significant project to improve employment and income through the development of Egypt’s aquaculture sector (a project connected with the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish). In both instances, the collaboration between organizations has benefited from a shared vision. Susan Nour, Initiatives Manager at CARE Egypt, describes WorldFish as a “natural partner” for this reason. “In this project we definitely have aligned around the objectives and our understanding of the approach and methodology that WorldFish is using – bottom up, poor-focused and the interest WorldFish has in listening to CARE’s point of view and the commitment to development. We also seem aligned on building capacity and empowering marginalized communities.” CARE Egypt Country Director, Kevin Fitzcharles, and Assistant Country Director, Hazem Fahmy, agree, adding that the research element that the WorldFish brings to the partnership is of great value. “There is a rigor in the evidence-based approach used by WorldFish that makes CARE work better grounded,” they note. Whether it’s in the Bangladeshi lowlands, the banks of the Nile or in aquatic agricultural systems across Asia and Africa, the partnership between CARE and WorldFish could be transformative for many. “I think CARE and WorldFish could be a good partnership that will work together to influence the agenda on what donors fund and in negotiating for longer term projects,” says Rodericks. “If we identify issues together we can use our evidence to influence funding and programming strategies that could enable real social change.”

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The White House’s $4B Better Buildings Challenge Can the Obama administration spur $4 billion in building energy efficiency retrofits without being able to get the money out of a deadlocked Congress? Looks like we’ll have the next two years or so to find out. That’s the gist of a big 'Better Buildings Initiative' set to be announced by the White House late Thursday evening. After months of working with former president Bill Clinton and a lot of private-sector and government partners, the White House says that more than 60 organization have pledged to spend $2 billion to retrofit about 1.6 billion square feet of commercial and industrial property in the next 24 months. The announcement also comes with a commitment to move forward with $2 billion in federal building “performance-based contracting” projects over the next 24 months. Because private investors and companies will pay for efficiency upgrades at government buildings, then pay themselves out of the energy savings, those projects can go forward without new federal spending, National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling said in a Thursday press pre-briefing call. Together, that $4 billion in projected commitments could add up to “tens of thousands of jobs,” Sperling said. Consider it a major new market opportunity for the building energy efficiency sector -- and a major new challenge in making private-sector economics work in the absence of direct taxpayer support. That’s because the Obama administration has been unable to get Congress to act on many of the proposals in its Better Buildings Initiative launched in February. The Department of Energy initiative laid out a laundry list of building energy efficiency initiatives, all aimed at making the nation’s commercial buildings 20 percent more energy efficient by 2020. Part of that plan was the 'Better Buildings Challenge,' launched in late June at the Clinton Global Initiative. On June 30, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that 14 initial private sector and local government partners had pledged to spend $500 million to retrofit buildings totaling about 300 million square feet. That included big public-private partnerships in Seattle, Los Angeles and Atlanta, as well as buy-in by USAA Real Estate Company, Best Buy and other corporate partners. As for financing the projects, partners including Citi, Hudson Clean Energy Partners, Metrus Energy, Transcend Equity and Renewable Funding agreed to provide at least $525 million in project funding in the next 18 months. Presumably that figure is part of the $2 billion in new public-private sector financing announced this week, but there were some new funding promises as well. San Francisco-based startup Serious Energy, for example, on Thursday promised to execute $100 million in energy efficiency upgrades for customers as part of the initiative. Indeed, the list of Better Buildings Challenge participants includes a who’s-who of startups seeking to revolutionize the way energy retrofits are financed, including Metrus Energy, Transcend Equity and Serious Energy (via its new Serious Capital model). At the same time, energy services giants such as Siemens, Schneider Electric, Honeywell, Johnson Controls and the like are doubtless participating as well in serving the federal building upgrade portion of the work announced this week. Schneider, for its part, announced it would also join the "Challenge" portion of the project with a pledge to cut energy use at 40 U.S. manufacturing facilities by 25 percent. The $4 billion challenge is the latest move the Obama administration has made as part of its “We Can't Wait” campaign to bypass a deadlocked Congress and spur job creation, even as the President pushes lawmakers to pass a $447 billion jobs bill. Sperling wouldn’t put an exact figure on the number of jobs the White House hopes will come from the $4 billion initiative, though he noted that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce -- not known as a great friend of green initiatives -- has estimated the $2 billion in federal building retrofits alone could create about 35,000 jobs. The Political Economy Research Institute projected in June that the entire Better Buildings Initiative could create up to 114,000 jobs if implemented in full. Of course, much of that would have to come via legislation, which seems increasingly unlikely, at least this year. Sperling did make clear that one proposal contained in the Better Buildings Initiative -- legislation to authorize up to $2 billion in federal loan guarantees for retrofit projects -- was not part of the new $4 billion announcement. Given the heat the White House is taking over Solyndra and Beacon Power, two companies that won separate DOE loan guarantees only to later declare bankruptcy, it’s not surprising that more loan guarantees aren’t on the table. The big question, of course, is whether the economics of building energy retrofits are developed to the point where they can support a $4 billion boost in business without loan guarantees or other federal supports. Kudos to the Obama administration for bootstrapping these projects via any means necessary -- but we’ll have to wait for a few years to see how many billions of dollars in projects actually get done. World Green Top News - Testing a New Dynamic Solar Facade - Joshua Tree Gets a New Desert Prefab - Plugwise Eliminates Excess Energy Use - Ahead of Schedule, An LED Bulb for us All - Community Solar Programs Let Renters Share The Power - Simple Green Harpoon House in Oregon - Dad Was Right About Those Lights - Gary Chang's Sliding Wall Apartment Is An Eco-Friendly 24 Rooms! (VIDEO) - Who Wins in the Home Star Program? GridPoint, Big Box Retailers - Seeking Existing Home Energy Efficiency - Venture Inside the Leading Compliance Platform - Source Intelligence 17 May 2013 | 9:05 am - AOL Monster Help Day 2013 17 May 2013 | 8:15 am - 5 Necessary Steps to Better Integrated Reporting AND a More Sustainable Company 17 May 2013 | 8:05 am - Economic Losses from Disasters Underestimated, ‘Out of Control’ 17 May 2013 | 8:00 am - Living the Mission: Connecting People, Purpose & Performance 17 May 2013 | 7:45 am

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The variable cyclotron line in GX 301-2 UNSPECIFIED. (2004) The variable cyclotron line in GX 301-2. ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS, 427 (3). pp. 975-986. ISSN 0004-6361Full text not available from this repository. Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20035836 We present pulse phase resolved spectra of the hypergiant high mass X-ray binary GX301-2. We observed the source in 2001 October with RXTE continuously for a total on-source time of almost 200 ks. We model the continuum with both, a heavily absorbed partial covering model and a reflection model. In either case we find that the well known cyclotron resonant scattering feature (CRSF) at similar to 35 keV is - although present at all pulse phases - strongly variable over the pulse: the line position varies by 25% from 30 keV in the fall of the secondary pulse to 38 keV in the fall of the main pulse where it is deepest. The line variability implies that we are seeing regions of magnetic field strength varying between 3.4 x 10(12) G and 4.2 x 10(12) G. |Item Type:||Journal Article| |Subjects:||Q Science > QB Astronomy| |Journal or Publication Title:||ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS| |Publisher:||E D P SCIENCES| |Number of Pages:||12| |Page Range:||pp. 975-986| Actions (login required)

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Oct. 22, 2011 What she craved My mother sugared grapefruit; my father salted it. My mother sugared cantaloupe; my father salted it. My mother put sugar and lemon on leaf lettuce from her garden; two heaping teaspoonfuls into her milky coffee, with cake. Her teeth rotted out and were yanked from her bleeding jaws by a cheap sadist downtown. Still she craved sweetness. In a life with too much that was bitter, tear soaked salty, sour as unspoken grief, sugar was her comfort a little sweetness in the mouth lingering like an infrequent kiss.; sugar was the friend kept her clock ticking through running down days. Today is the birthday of frontiersman Daniel Boone (1734). His birth date is sometimes given as November 2, because the "new style" Gregorian calendar was adopted during his lifetime. Boone himself considered October 22 to be his birthday. He was born near Reading, Pennsylvania; his father, Squire, was a weaver and a blacksmith, and the family were Quakers. Daniel was the sixth of 11 children. He enjoyed hunting from a young age, employing both European and Native American techniques, and though he did learn to read and write, hunting and outdoor pursuits made up the bulk of his education. He usually took a book or two on his longer expeditions — often the Bible or Gulliver's Travels — and would entertain the other men by reading them stories around the campfire of an evening. When Daniel was 16, the Boones moved to North Carolina, possibly because the family was shunned after two of the children married non-Quakers; it made an impression on Daniel, because never went back to church, although he still considered himself a Christian, and he had all of his 10 children baptized. It's rather remarkable that he managed to have such a large family, because his hunting and exploring expeditions frequently kept him away from home and his wife, Rebecca, sometimes for up to two years at a stretch. He supported his family by hunting and trapping in the fall and winter, and selling the furs and hides to traders in the spring. Though Boone wasn't the first European to discover Kentucky, he did blaze a trail through the Cumberland Gap and make the first European settlements in the region possible. The Wilderness Road, which ran from eastern Virginia well into the Kentucky territory, became the main route into the west. Boone became a legend in his own lifetime. He was a taciturn man, but that didn't stop biographers from interviewing him and then embellishing his exploits until they became tall tales. They credited him with implausible pronouncements, like "Let peace, descending from her native heaven, bid her olives spring amidst the joyful nations; and plenty, in league with commerce, scatter blessings from her copious hand!" Lord Byron included him in his epic Don Juan (1822) and perpetuated the popular image of Boone as a man who shunned society. Boone, however, complained late in life about "the circulation of absurd stories that I retire as civilization advances." It's the 200th birthday of Romantic composer and piano virtuoso Franz Liszt (1811). He was born in Raiding, Hungary, and was composing by the age of eight. By the time he was 16, he was exhausted from studying and touring all over Europe, and he expressed a desire to become a priest. He earned his living as a piano teacher after his father died, and when he was 17, he fell in love with one of his pupils. Her father insisted she end the romance, at which point Liszt became so ill that his obituary appeared in a Paris newspaper. He gave up on the idea of the priesthood, but later in life spent many years composing religious music inspired by his interest in Gregorian plainsong; the religious establishment didn't approve of it, and so it wasn't published until many years after his death. In the 1860s, following the death of two of his children, he eventually joined a monastery outside Rome. Though he received the four minor orders of porter, acolyte, exorcist, and lector, he never became a priest. In many ways, Liszt was ahead of his time, and not just musically. He gained a reputation as a humanitarian, and at the height of his popularity he would give concerts specifically to earn money for disaster relief. By the late 1850s, he was so wealthy that he gave all of his concert fees to charity. Liszt was also charismatic, and his onstage presence inspired what may have been the first example of widespread fan frenzy. It began in Berlin in 1842 and came to be known as "Lisztomania." His admirers would follow him around, snatching up his discarded cigar butts, coffee dregs, and broken piano strings. They fought over his handkerchiefs and gloves, and would scream and faint at his performances. Rather than being considered a harmless and amusing fad, Lisztomania was viewed as a serious, and contagious, medical condition. Today is the birthday of Hungarian photojournalist Robert Capa (1913). He was born Endre Ernö Friedmann in Budapest. He originally wanted to become a writer, but he happened to get a photography job in Berlin as a young man, and he fell in love with the lens. He took the name "Robert Capa" from his boyhood nickname, Cápa, which means "shark." He covered five wars in his brief life: the Spanish Civil War, the Second Sino-Japanese War, World War II, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and the First Indochina War. He famously said, "If your picture isn't good enough, you're not close enough," and he lived up to this maxim on his assignments. On D-Day, he swam ashore with the second assault wave on Omaha Beach, and took more than a hundred photographs; a lab error resulted in the loss of all but eight of them. In 1947, he traveled into the Soviet Union with his friend John Steinbeck, and the two of them produced a book called A Russian Journal (1948). In 1954, he accepted an assignment from Life to cover the First Indochina War. He began the last day of his life optimistically: "This is going to be a beautiful story," he said. "I will be on my good behavior today. I will not insult my colleagues, and I will not once mention the excellence of my work." Later that day, he left the French regiment with which he was traveling to walk ahead so he could photograph the advance. He went over a hill and out of sight, where he stepped on a landmine and was killed. It's the 60th birthday of Canadian author Elizabeth Hay (1951) (books by this author), born in Owen Sound, Ontario. Her parents were strict in most things, but they let her read whatever she wanted to. "The public library was almost a second home," she recalled, "a place in which I didn't have to set the table or do the dishes or cope with being teased." When she was 14, the family moved to London — England, not Ontario — for a year, and this was where she learned that she enjoyed writing poems. She eventually gave up poetry in favor of fiction: "I wasn't a very good poet and didn't know how to become a better one. Also, stories drew me. My short stories usually arise from something that's worrying me." Her first collection, Crossing the Snow Line, was published in 1989; since then she's written another story collection, Small Change (1997), and four novels, including Late Nights On Air (2007) and Alone in the Classroom (2011). She's also written several essays and two books of creative nonfiction, The Only Snow in Havana (1992) and Captivity Tales: Canadians in New York (1993). Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®

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So to wrap up this year’s last “Writing for Radio” column, here’s a list of my favorite radio-related websites that are part of my Internet rounds. These websites will keep you primed for writing for radio for the rest of 2009 and into 2010. 1. British Broadcasting Company’s International Radio (BBC) / What is it? The largest broadcasting corporation in the world. Why browse it? Because BBC Radio takes submissions for its radio dramas and situation comedies. 2. National Public Radio (NPR) What is it? A newspaper and website about public TV and radio in the United States. Why browse it? Truly all things public radio and public television. What is it? The online portal for the Poynter Institute, a school for journalists. Why browse it? In addition to the latest news about the news, this site has information about radio journalism. Go to the search box on the homepage, type ‘radio,’ and start reading. What is it? A website for a variety of creatives, from editors and writers to television, film, and radio professionals. Why browse it? Practical advice about the business-side of being creative, such as How to Pitch pages. Some content is free; other content requires a subscription. What is it? A not-for-profit storytelling organization. Why browse it? Because it’s fun. And because The Moth Radio Hour takes pitches. 8. Your favorite radio station’s website Why browse it? Whether you are currently writing for radio or hope to one day, reading your favorite radio station’s website will keep you informed on a variety of topics, from finding a new call for submissions to getting ideas about what you might want to write. The Internet can be a huge time sink (think YouTube videos of the Keyboard Cat), but it can also be valuable. Click through the above websites and bookmark the ones that seem useful for you (most Internet browsers have a bookmark feature). Then the next time you sit down to surf the net, you’ll avoid the virtual rabbit holes during your Internet rounds.

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The Politics Of Raising The Minimum Wage SCOTT SIMON, HOST: This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for Congress to raise the minimum wage to $9 an hour, up from its current rate of 7.25. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Today, a full-time worker making the minimum wage earns $14,500 a year. Even with the tax relief we've put in place, a family with two kids that earns the minimum wage still lives below the poverty line. That's wrong. SIMON: But does raising the minimum wage help families if it discourages hiring? David Leonhardt is with his. He's the Washington bureau chief of the New York Times. David, thanks for being back with us. DAVID LEONHARDT: Thanks for having me. SIMON: What do history and numbers say? Is raising the minimum wage a good way to help low-wage workers? LEONHARDT: Raising the minimum wage pretty clearly helps low-wage workers. I think sometimes you hear it described as some sort of free lunch and other times you hear it described as an economic calamity, and I don't think it's either of those. SIMON: Why not? LEONHARDT: Because what happens when companies have to pay higher wages, the evidence suggests, is that although it may have some modest effect on employment, it doesn't have a big effect on employment. And so what that means is that the companies absorb the higher wages. And they absorb them either through taking a hit to their profit or they raise their prices, which means that essentially it comes out of all of their customers, which is to say the society as a whole. So, you can think of it as moving some income from the middle and the top toward the bottom. SIMON: Why wouldn't raising the minimum wage hurt small businesses and job growth if they're dependent on minimum-wage employees? LEONHARDT: It's not that it wouldn't hurt them, but the question is would it hurt society as a whole. When economists have gone and looked at this, the answers are in a pretty clear range, that it doesn't have huge effects on the size of employment. So, for example, they looked at two neighboring states - one of which raised it minimum wage and one of which didn't - and you don't see that because the minimum wage goes up by 10 percent, the employment at businesses that employ low-wage workers go down by 10 percent. It's much smaller than that. In fact, in some cases, it appears to be zero. SIMON: If the minimum wage is increased and companies in large pass those increased costs onto their consumers by increasing the price by whatever goods or services they're selling, what's that effect on the economy? LEONHARDT: Well, you can think of that - if that's what happens - you can think of it as potentially being a little bit of a drag initially because you're taking some money out of the pockets of those consumers. But you're putting it right back into the pockets of low-wage workers, and low-wage workers spend a very large percentage of their income - larger than middle-income or upper-income workers. So, if you think about that dynamic, you can see why historically raising the minimum wage has not had some sort of huge macroeconomic effect. It's instead more redistributing wages among different groups. And it's important to say here that low-income workers have done among the worst of any group over the 20 or 30 years. SIMON: What are some of the political implications of this proposal? LEONHARDT: Well, I think this proposal's probably unlikely to happen because there is opposition, substantial opposition, from Republicans. But I don't think it's totally out of the question because it tends to poll fairly well. And you could imagine it being included as part of some larger deal. I don't see it passing on its own but maybe as part of a larger deal in which both sides have to make compromises. One of the interesting things is the president didn't just propose raising it; he proposed linking it to inflation the way many other things, like Social Security are, so that over time the minimum wage wouldn't fall absent action by Congress, but it would keep up with the value of goods and services. SIMON: If you were to peg the minimum wage to the rate of inflation, what are some of the advantages or drawbacks to that? LEONHARDT: Well, over time, the minimum wage goes up, and I think for a lot of low-wage workers that's a good thing. But I thought there was a good point by Matthew Iglesias on Slate this week. He's generally supportive of raising the minimum wage, but he said that he thinks the best argument against it is a freedom argument. If there's a worker out there who's willing to work for $6 an hour and there's a business that is willing to employ that worker for $6 an hour, maybe there's an argument that other people shouldn't be getting in the way. I don't know if that argument wins out in the end, but if over time you're raising minimum wage with inflation to keep it constant in real terms, as economists say, over time that means there are more people who cannot come to an agreement on their own to work for a wage below the minimum wage. SIMON: David Leonhardt, Washington bureau chief of the New York Times. He has a new eBook out by the way: "Here's the Deal." David, thanks for being with us. LEONHARDT: Thank you, Scott. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

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By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Getting doctors together to discuss the best treatments for cancer patients in U.S. Veterans Affairs hospitals was only linked to a minor improvement in care in a large new study. Analyzing the records of 138 VA medical centers, researchers found that the presence of a so-called tumor board - a group of cancer treatment experts - only affected seven out of 27 measures of quality and processes in patient care, and not always for the better. "This does not support the hypothesis that tumor boards are doing a lot to improve care," said Dr. Nancy Keating from Boston's Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, the study's senior author. Tumor boards are a standard part of medical care in the U.S. and are generally made up of several different types of doctors, including surgeons and radiation oncologists, who review patients' cases and make recommendations for their treatment. The study's authors write in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that previous research found hospitals dedicate about 50 hours per month of their doctors' time to participation in tumor boards. "It is interesting that despite the fact that tumor boards seem like a good thing and they are so well established, there is so little literature on them," said Keating. She and her colleagues wanted to know whether tumor boards actually made a difference. To do that, they linked together information and records from the VA's 138 medical centers on cancer patients treated between 2001 and 2004. The team found that 75 percent of the medical centers had at least one tumor board that discussed most of the conditions the researchers were interested in: colorectal, lung, prostate, breast and blood cancers. Then, using established national guidelines, the researchers developed a list of 27 markers for the quality and type of care patients received. For example, the researchers checked whether patients with stage II or III rectal cancer got the recommended dose of chemotherapy and radiation before surgery to remove the cancer. Overall, the researchers found the presence of a tumor board was only linked with differences in seven of the 27 markers. "And some of those seven were actually a situation where the tumor board was associated with worse care," Keating said. In addition, recommended care for specific types of malignancies, such as blood cell cancers, was more often seen in centers with no tumor board (56 percent) or only a general tumor board (61 percent) than in centers with tumor boards specializing in blood cancers (39 percent). "This is a little bit off-putting because it challenges the conventional wisdom that tumor boards are a good thing," said Dr. Douglas Blayney, a professor of medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine in California. "I think the main issue that remains to be answered: Did the recommendations of the tumor boards actually get carried out?" added Blayney, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study. "We think patients benefit from having their cases reviewed at the outset, but we leave it to the medical system to get acted upon," he said. Keating said researchers need to do a "deep dive" into tumor boards to find out more. She said they still need to know how the tumor boards are structured, and what types of cases are discussed. Until then, "I do think that people and centers who are investing time and energy in their tumor boards should really think about how they are structured, and if they're set up in a way to improve patient care," she said. Blayney told Reuters Health that he doesn't think hospitals should scrap their tumor boards based on these findings, because there are new possibilities with new technology. "The promise of telemedicine technology makes extra use of academic centers available to patients who may live in rural locations and doctors who are remote from the academic centers," he said. For example, the rural doctors of a woman with breast cancer can conference with a tumor board that specializes in breast cancer at a large, urban academic center. "Again it's tapping into the knowledge and experience of a broad range of physicians," Blayney said. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/UckC33 Journal of the National Cancer Institute, online December 28, 2012.

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OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL ACCESSIBILITY Beth Ann Dickie Educational and Athletic Support Specialist Faculty and Community Liaison Assistant Office Manager Doctoral Graduate Assistant Masters Graduate Assistant TABLE OF CONTENTS I. EDUCATIONAL ACCESSIBILITY AT OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY II. DISABILITY ETIQUETTE III. TEACHING AND ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IV. INDIVIDUAL TYPES OF DISABILITIES - Mobility Impairments - Information for faculty - Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Information for faculty - Visual Impairments - Information for faculty - Specific Learning Disabilities - Information for faculty - Psychological Impairments - Information for faculty - Asperger's Syndrome - Information for faculty - Alcohol and Substance Abuse - Information for faculty - Speech Impairments - Information for faculty - Other Disabilities V. UNIVERSITY POLICY AND PROCEDURES This faculty guide has been developed to provide the Old Dominion University faculty with practical information and suggestions to meet the needs of students with disabilities in the classroom. A student with a disability is any student who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working. A person is considered to be a person with a disability if he/she has a disability, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. Students with disabilities are a rapidly growing minority in American higher education. At Old Dominion University over five hundred students have identified themselves to the Office of Educational Accessibility as having disabilities and are receiving accommodations and/or services through the University. Nationally, during the past several years, the proportion of college freshmen with disabilities has tripled to 7.4 percent. The increased observance of students with disabilities on college campuses can be attributed to several factors. First, greater assistance has been provided to students with disabilities in the elementary and secondary schools resulting in more students with disabilities prepared to attend college. Second, current college students who have not been previously identified as having a disability are being recognized and are receiving accommodations. Finally, federal laws have protected the rights of these students to receive reasonable accommodations and have provided means of redress if rights are violated. This final factor supports student assertiveness in requesting accommodations. The obligation to accommodate students with disabilities extends beyond the University's commitment of access to programs, services, activities and the physical plant. A legal imperative, which is embodied in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, confirms civil rights for persons with disabilities by the following statement: No otherwise qualified handicapped individual...shall, solely by reason of his handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. In order to comply with this mandate, colleges and universities that receive Federal assistance must assure that the same educational programs and services offered to other students are available to students with disabilities. Academic ability must be the sole basis for participation in post-secondary education. To accomplish this goal, both physical and programmatic access must be provided. While this includes the removal of architectural barriers and the provision of auxiliary services, reasonable accommodations must be made by the University through its instructors and administrators in the instructional process to ensure that appropriate educational strategies and modes are available to students. Achieving this goal requires knowledge and sensitivities. This handbook is designed to provide information and to heighten awareness for the benefit of both faculty and students I. THE OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL ACCESSIBILITY AT OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY Recognition of the need of services began in 1987. The Assistant to the Vice President for Student Services worked with a committee to generate the nucleus of a program. Subsequently, a series of graduate assistants and part-time coordinators further developed the program. Since 1992, a full-time coordinator has worked to provide services to students. As the number of students with disabilities on the campus has increasingly been recognized, there has been growth in the available support services, assistive equipment, and staff knowledge and experience to meet the needs of these students. The Office of Educational Accessibility provides students and faculty with assistance and information in meeting the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The professional staff works with faculty, administrators and students toward the goal of complying with state and federal regulations and integrating the student with a disability into the college community. The major goal of the Office of Educational Accessibility is to assist all students with disabilities in the pursuit of their educational objectives. Efforts are made to coordinate the student's needs with services and resources available within the institution. The Office of Educational Accessibility office strives to coordinate services that will enable students with disabilities to act as independently as possible in a supportive atmosphere that promotes self- reliance. Students may choose whether or not to use the available services. Students wishing to use services and accommodations must follow the established process. No services will be rendered until the student has completed the prescribed steps and indicated that he/she understands and agrees with the professional evaluator's recommendations and the student's responsibility in the delivery of services. The student must 1. Complete an intake procedure with the Office of Educational Accessibility prior to the provision of services 2. Provide recent documentation of the disability and recommendations for accommodations from an appropriate professional 3. Meet with the Director or Learning Coordinator to determine reasonable accommodations 4. Submit a Request for Letters Form prior to the start of classes each semester to provide information to the faculty as soon as possible 5. Provide a Faculty Accommodation letter to instructors. At the Office of Educational Accessibility 1. Offer pre-admission information concerning services and accommodations which are available to enrolled students 2. Facilitate program accommodations in accordance with recent documentation results 3. Offer a support group for students with learning disabilities where they can address issues of concern, develop self advocacy skills, and share their skills with others 4. Refer students to appropriate services such as Student Support Services for tutors 5. Coordinate a note-sharing program 6. Offer opportunities for faculty/staff awareness 7. Act as a liaison between faculty and students 8. Proctor examinations. We Do Not: 1. Provide formal diagnostic evaluations, although we do provide a comprehensive list of qualified diagnosticians in the area 2. Offer self-contained classes for students with learning disabilities 3. Ask faculty to compromise the quality of instruction or evaluation in any class, but rather to provide the accommodations necessary for a student to meet the standards of the class The Office of Educational Accessibility is located at 1525 Webb Center. The telephone number is (757) 683-4655. II. DISABILITY ETIQUETTE It is most important to remember that students with disabilities are just that; students first who happen to have disabilities. They were accepted into the university using the same standards as everyone else and they share the same desire to learn and succeed. Therefore they need to be treated with the same respect. One of the best ways to do this is by treating them as people first and by using people first language. When using people first language, you state the person first then the disability. Examples would be to Say this: Not this: · Student with disabilities Disabled student · Student who is blind or visually impaired Blind student · Student with an emotional disability Emotionally disabled student · Student with cerebral palsy Cerebral palsied student · Student with a seizure disorder Epileptic · Student with ADHD Hyperactive student When you place the student first, you are subtly acknowledging that the student is more than his/her disability. It is also important to refrain from using descriptions of the disabilities that have negative connotations such as afflicted, invalid, confined, and stricken. These words evoke thoughts of illness and weakness; not a message we wish to send to our students. When Meeting A Person With A Disability Offer help, then wait until it is accepted before you give it. Offering to assist someone is polite behavior. Giving help before it is accepted is rude and may, sometimes, even be unsafe. If a person with a disability asks for help and you want to provide assistance, but don't know how, ask the person to tell you the best way of providing the needed assistance. If a person with a disability feels she/he can do something but you cannot understand how (e.g. performing certain job requirements, tasks, white water rafting), ask the person to explain. Accept the fact that a disability exists. Not acknowledging a disability is similar to ignoring someone's sex or height. But to ask personal questions about the disability would be inappropriate until a closer relationship develops in which personal questions are more naturally asked. Speak directly to the person with a disability (including a person who is deaf), not to their companion. Speak directly to the person with a disability (including a person who is deaf), not to their companion. Include students and employees with disabilities when planning programs and meeting locations. Do not assume that a lack of a response indicates rudeness. In some cases a person with a disability may seem to react to situations in an unconventional manner or appear to be ignoring you. Consider that the individual may have a hearing impairment or other disability which may affect social or motor skills. When Speaking To Someone Who Uses A Wheelchair Do not automatically hold on to a person's wheelchair. It is part of that person's body space. Hanging on or leaning on the wheelchair is similar to leaning on a person sitting in any chair. Do not be sensitive about using words like "walking" or "running." People using wheelchairs use the same words. If conversation proceeds more than a few minutes and it is possible to do so, consider sitting down in order to share eye level. It is uncomfortable for a seated person to look straight up for a long period of time. When Speaking To A Person Who Is Blind If you see a person who is blind in a dangerous situation (about to walk into a wall or piece of furniture) speak out and make her/him aware of the danger. Do not be sensitive about using words like "see" or "look," etc. People who are blind use them regularly. Speak in a clear, normal manner. Do not exaggerate or raise your voice. Remember that the person is blind, not necessarily hearing impaired. When Speaking With a Person With A Hearing Impairment Speak clearly and distinctly, but do not exaggerate your words. Use normal speech unless asked to slow down. Provide a clear view of your mouth. Waving your hands or holding something in front of your lip, thus hiding them, makes speech reading impossible. Use normal tone unless you are asked to raise your voice. Shouting will not help. Speak directly to the person, instead of from the side or back of the person. Also, make sure the hearing impaired person is looking at you before you begin to speak. Speak expressively, and keep good eye contact. Persons who are deaf cannot hear subtle changes in tone which may indicate sarcasm or seriousness. Many will rely on your facial expressions, gestures, and body language to understand what you are saying. If you are having trouble understanding a person's speech, feel free to ask her/him to repeat. If that does not work, then use paper and pen. Most people will not be offended. Remember, communication is your goal. The method is less important. If you know any sign language, try using it. If the deaf person you are communicating with finds it a problem, the person will let you know. Usually your attempts will be appreciated and supported. When talking with a deaf/hearing impaired person, try not to stand in front of a light source (e.g. a window). The deaf/hearing impaired person will find it hard to see your face, which will be silhouetted in the light. Do not assume that the deaf/hearing impaired person really understands you if she/he nods her/his head "yes." This is often an automatic reaction. If you want to make certain that the person understood, ask her/him (in a tactful way) to repeat or explain what you said. III. TEACHING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Most faculty members will, at some point, be teaching students who have physical or learning disabilities. All students require various amounts of assistance in order to make optimal use of their college experience. Students with disabilities differ from other students in their needs for modification of the environment in which they move, learn and are evaluated. While many learn in different ways, their differences do not imply inferior capacities. Students with disabilities enrolled at the university have met all academic qualifications for admission. They are expected to perform at the same level academically as all other students. It is not necessary to lower academic standards to accommodate a student with a disability. While course requirements are specified, the means to achieve them may need adjustments in order to equalize the competitive disadvantage caused by a disability. The same treatment is not always equal treatment when a functional or processing problem limits a student's involvement in an activity. In most cases, students and faculty can work with the Office of Educational Accessibility to identify fair alternatives if teaching or testing styles present a barrier to a student with a disability. Many students have already developed workable methods for managing their education. Often, all that is necessary is a meeting early in the alternate courses of action. 1. IDENTIFYING THE STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY Determining that a student has a disability may not always be a simple process. Visible disabilities are noticeable through casual observation. An immediately recognizable sign of a physical impairment, for example, is the use of a cane, a wheelchair or crutches. Other students have hidden or inconspicuous disabilities, such as hearing loss, legal blindness, cardiac conditions, learning disabilities, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, psychiatric disorders and seizures, all of which are usually not outwardly apparent. Finally, there are students with multiple disabilities, which are caused by such primary conditions as muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis. Depending on the nature and progression of the illness or injury, it may be accompanied by a secondary impairment in mobility, vision, speech, or coordination, which may, in fact, pose greater difficulties. Some students with disabilities will identify themselves by contacting the Office of Educational Accessibility and their instructors before or early in the semester. Others, especially those with hidden disabilities, may not reveal impairments until later in the semester. Students who wait to self-identify their disability may do so for a variety of reasons. Some are reluctant to draw attention to themselves as different from their peers. Some students want to try to accomplish their goals without accommodations. (See Policy and Procedures Part IV). 2. DIVIDING THE RESPONSIBILITIES To the extent manageable, students with disabilities bear the primary responsibility for identifying their disabilities and for adjusting to the learning environment. However, accommodation of the disability involves university and departmental resources. 3. FACULTY-STUDENTS RELATIONSHIPS Dialogue between the student and instructor is essential early in the term, and follow-up meetings are recommended. Faculty should not feel apprehensive about discussing the student's disability as it relates to the courses. 4. ATTENDANCE AND PROMPTNESS The student using a wheelchair or other assistive devices may encounter obstacles or barriers in getting to class on time. Others may have periodic or irregular curtailments of functioning, either from their disability or from medication. Flexibility in applying attendance and promptness rules to such students will be helpful. 5. CLASSROOM ADJUSTMENTS A wide range of students with disabilities may be served in the classroom by making reading lists available prior to the beginning of the term, by thoughtful seating arrangements, by speaking directly toward the class and by writing key lecture points and assignments on the chalkboard. 6. FUNCTIONAL PROBLEMS Some understanding is required in coping with more subtle and sometimes unexpected manifestations of a disability. Chronic weakness and fatigue characterize some disabilities and medical conditions. Drowsiness, fatigue or impairments of memory or speech may result from prescribed medications. Such curtailments of functioning and interference with the student's ability to perform should be distinguished from the apathetic behavior it may resemble. Students who cannot take notes or have difficulty taking notes adequately would be helped by allowing them to tape-record lectures, by permitting them to bring a note-taker to class, by assisting them in borrowing classmates' notes, or by making an outline of lecture materials available to them. The method most appropriate to each student will be identified by the Office of Educational Accessibility. 8. TESTING AND EVALUATION Depending on the disability, the student may require an adjustment in the administration of examinations. For out-of-class assignments, the extension of deadlines may be requested. A letter from the Office of Educational Accessibility will identify the appropriate accommodation(s) for each student. The same standards should be applied to students with disabilities as to all other students in evaluating and assigning grades. All accommodations students receive at Old Dominion University are based upon documentation resulting from an evaluation performed by a qualified professional. The University does not provide documentation of disability for students. Guidelines for Documentation of Specific Learning Disability have been developed which identify the elements that must be provided in verifying this disability. These components include: I. Comprehensive testing that assesses aptitude, achievement, and information processing II. Current test results, usually within the past three years III. Assessment instruments normed for testing adults IV. Specific test scores V. Clear and specific diagnosis of a learning disability VI. Results provided by experienced qualified professionals VII. Clear identification of the testing professional's credentials VIII. Recommendations about accommodations for the academic setting. The following is a list of some of the accommodations to which eligible students with appropriate documentation may have access at Old Dominion University: - Allowing extended time for testing - Disregarding spelling errors for in-class work - Permitting tape recording of classes - Allowing use of a calculator in mathematics classes - Allowing a distraction-reduced setting for testing - Permitting an alternative to opscan forms for objective tests - Permitting attendance at duplicate lecture sections - Allowing essay exams to be completed using word processing - Permitting tests to be placed on tape - Permitting alternative testing which allows for a scribe - Utilizing multiple choice tests as much as possible - Providing advanced notice of writing assignments - Allowing extended time to complete course requirements. IV. INDIVIDUAL TYPES OF DISABILITIES Mobility impairments are generally defined as any disability which restricts a person's gross motor functioning and which may require the use of specially constructed equipment for access. The numbers of mobility impaired students attending colleges and universities have always been high. This does not, however, mean that their disabilities are similar. Mobility impairments range from musculoskeletal disabilities to respiratory and cardiac diseases, which are debilitating, and may consequently affect mobility. Some of these conditions may also impair the strength, coordination, endurance or dexterity that are necessary for proper hand function. While the degree of disability varies, students may have difficulty getting to or from class, performing in class, and managing out-of-class assignments and tests. The disabilities which can, and generally do, restrict mobility and motor functioning are: I. Cerebral Palsy - group of disabling conditions that result from damage to the central nervous system. The effects can be severe, causing an inability to control bodily movement, or the effects can be mild, perhaps only slightly affecting the speech or hearing. Persons with cerebral palsy who have gross motor dysfunction may walk with crutches or use a wheelchair. Their access to the environment may be restricted due to architecture which impedes travel such as entrances which do not accommodate their mobility aids. II. Arthritis - progressively degenerative disease which creates an inflammation of the joints. Many people with arthritis encounter mobility problems due to knee and ankle joint involvement. Additionally, fine motor control is often impaired, making writing difficult and/or painful. III. Congenital defects - impairments existing from birth, which may include the total or partial loss of limbs or require the use of prostheses. Personal mobility may require wheelchair use. The impairment of individual body functions may also exist. IV. Degenerative disease - progressive illnesses. Multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy are two examples. These disabilities are degenerative and often call for eventual use of a wheelchair. Again, not only are gross motor functions impaired, but the deterioration of fine motor activity often develops. V. Spinal cord injury - injury involving damage to the spinal cord causing it to be either severely scarred or partially severed. Injury in relation to the vertebrae determines the amount of functioning the individual will retain. Information on spinal cord injury is detailed and lengthy. For the purpose of this publication, only highlights of descriptive information will be touched upon. A. Quadriplegia - a spastic or flaccid paralysis of the upper and lower extremities. Arm and had impairment is dependent upon the location of the fractured vertebra. Most individuals require the use of a wheelchair. B. Paraplegia - a spastic paralysis of the lower extremities. In this case, arm and hand function are intact, but ambulation is possible only in exceptional cases. Use of a wheelchair is nearly always necessary. C. Hemiplegia - incomplete paralysis involving one side may result from either spinal cord injury or stroke. Ambulation is sometimes possible with the use of aids. Support services and equipment at Old Dominion University include: - Note-sharer assistance - Examination accommodations - Emergency evacuation plan - Access to computers - Lowered drinking fountains (in most locations) - Lowered telephones - Accessible lavatories - Curb cuts and ramps - Dedicated parking spaces. INFORMATION FOR FACULTY - Integrate seating arrangements in the regular classroom as much as possible - Students may need to use note-sharers or tape recorders - Written assignments are best completed outside of class - Off-campus assignments need to be in accessible locations - Occasionally classes are relocated to accessible classrooms - Examinations may be proctored through the Office of Educational Accessibility to utilize accommodations such as scribing or word processing. DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING Hearing impairments represent the greatest chronic physical disability in the United States. Hearing loss from a slight deficiency affects approximately 19 million Americans while total deafness affects two million. The age of onset generally determines the profundity of the disability. Those who are born deaf or suffer a hearing loss at an early age, especially in the pre-lingual stage, bear the most severe disabilities. Because they do not hear language, their impairments generally extend beyond hearing to speaking and reading. For the deaf who can speak, vocal control is often marred, distorting their tone, volume and/or articulation. For the many who use sign language, English is a second language and may therefore, be faulty in most aspects of communications. These secondary effects of hearing impairments need to be understood as physical disabilities rather than intellectual weakness. People who are deaf or hard of hearing use a variety of devices to help them improve their aural capacity or substitute for it. Many use lip reading but, by itself, comprehension is only 30 to 40 percent of spoken English. Those with a sufficient degree of residual hearing are helped by the amplification provided by hearing aids, which include public address systems or transmitter-receiver systems with a clip-on microphone for the speaker. The main form of communication for the profoundly deaf is sign language. Students who must rely on sing language need an interpreter, who either mouths what is being said, translates it into sign language, or both. Support services and equipment include: - Note sharer assistance - Assistance in acquiring interpreters - FM amplification systems - General support services - Text-print telephone (TT 1-757-683-5356) or use of the Virginia Relay Center (voice users: 1-800-828-1120) for telephone communication with those who have the necessary receiver/transmitter in their homes or offices. INFORMATION FOR FACULTY - Auditory Lecture Intake - Instructors should face the class as much as possible while lecturing in order to allow the student to lip read and get visual cues from the face to enhance comprehension. Instructors should be careful that light sources do not interfere with seeing their face. They should speak clearly and audibly. Placing key phrases on the board and repeating questions asked by other students is also helpful. - Attention - At the beginning of a classroom presentation and following breaks, draw the student's attention before speaking. - Seating Location - Students will need to sit close to the speaker for maximum intake of visual cues. - Audiovisual Materials - Instructors should use at least a minimum amount of lighting when presenting audiovisual information so their face, or the interpreter's, can be seen at all times. They should allow time for the student's gaze to shift from the visual materials to the instructor or interpreter for verbal explanation. An alternative is to write captions to visual aids. Supplying the student in advance with a written explanation of a demonstration or facilitating independent viewing time for audio-visual materials in another helpful option. - Assignments - Students with hearing impairments need to receive assignments in written form in order to insure proper understanding of the requirements. A detailed syllabus and lecture outline will be extremely beneficial. If the hearing impairment involves language difficulties, allow extended time for reading assignments and examinations. - Acoustics - Students using a hearing aid may find the instructor's voice masked by excessive background noise. If problems continue, room changes, an interpreter (who repeats a lecture at close visual range), or auditory training equipment (to bring the lecturer's voice directly into the hearing aid) may be utilized. - Exams - Avoid orally administered exams requiring written answers. - Technical Words - Providing the interpreter and student with a list of technical words at the beginning of the semester will allow them time to develop or learn signs for those words. - Interpreters - The student and faculty members should meet with the interpreter at the beginning of the semester to discuss potential problem areas. At this time the interpreter can better explain the process of interpreting and answer any questions the instructor might have. The instructor should speak directly to the student even when their conversation is mediated by an interpreter. Faculty should monitor a severely hearing impaired student's progress during the first few weeks to insure that newly learned concepts are clear. Tutors may be available through Student Support Services if difficulty is perceived. Visual impairments vary from partial loss to total blindness. Persons are considered legally blind when visual acuity is 20/200 or less in the better eye with use of corrective lenses. Most legally blind persons have some vision. Others who are partially sighted may rely on residual vision with the use of adaptive equipment. A totally blind person may have visual memory. Its strength depends on the age when vision was lost, the extent of that visual impairment and the support required. Students may be virtually independent with the use of magnifying eyeglasses, or they may utilize a cane or guide dog and require readers, tape recorders, and taped textbooks. Whatever the degree of impairment, visually impaired students should be expected to participate fully in classroom activities such as discussions and group work. To record notes, some use such devices as portable or computerized braillers. They may confront limitations in laboratory classes, field trips and internships, but with planning and adaptive equipment their difficulties can be minimized. Support services and equipment include: - Priority registration - Orientation to available equipment on campus - Taping and reading assistance - Examination accommodations - Assistance in acquiring textbooks on tape through Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFBD) - Accessible computer lab - Reader and tutor referral - Print enlargement capability - 4 track cassette player and tape recorders for in-office use - Optical reading machine in the library - Talking calculator - Emergency evacuation plan - General support services. INFORMATION FOR FACULTY - Hold all conferences with visually impaired students in easy-to-locate places and notify the student of any schedule changes. - Guide dogs are a well-trained working tool for students who use them. They will not be disruptive n class and people should be informed that the dog should not be petted or played with while in harness. - Provide reading lists or syllabi in advance to allow time for such arrangements to be made as the taping or brailing of texts. - The Office of Educational Accessibility may request your assistance in finding readers, note-sharers. - Reserve front seats for low-vision students. If a guide dog is used, it will be highly disciplined and require little space. - Face the class when speaking. - Convey in spoken words what you put on the chalkboard and whatever other visual cues or graphics materials you may use. - Permit lectures to be taped and/or provide copies of lecture notes, where appropriate. - Duplicate materials distributed to the class on a large print copier. - Be flexible with assignment deadlines. - Plan field trips and special projects well in advance and alert field supervisors to whatever accommodations may be needed. - If a specific task is impossible for the student to carry out, consider an alternative assignment. - Students should not be exempt from examinations or be expected to master less content or a lower level of scholastic skills because of a visual impairment. However alternative means of assessing their course achievements may be necessary. The students themselves, because of their experience in previous learning situations, and the Learning Coordinator of the Office of Educational Accessibility may offer suggestions on testing and evaluation strategies. The most expedient devices the most expedient devices are alternative examinations (oral, large-print, or taped), the extension of time for exams, and the use of such aids as print enlargers, or tape recorders. - Note-taking - Students often tape record lectures. For this reason a student may need to sit close to the speaker to insure clear tapes (and to maximize any visual and auditory cues). Students who use Braille may also use a slate and stylus or portable braillers for note-taking. It will be helpful to the student if the instructor spells technical words when presented for the first time in lecture. - Visual Lecture Intake - Visually impaired students may miss all nonverbal cues unless they are explained by instructors. Intensive visual concentration can be fatiguing for visually impaired students. - Audiovisual Material (blackboard, projector) and Handouts - These require oral explanation. Instructors should be conscious of their use of descriptive terms. Copies of overhead materials should be provided so that they can later be reviewed with a reader. - Classroom Changes - When classroom location is changed, another student should wait for the blind student and direct him/her to class. The student should be informed of any changes in arrangement of furniture or equipment. - Texts - When possible, materials are obtained in Braille or on tape from Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic. Often texts must be ordered well in advance to allow preparation time. - Reading - volunteer readers are provided by Disability Service to assist blind students with materials that are not previously on tape. Often it is preferable to have a reader from the same class who is familiar with the materials. - Time Involvement - Because of the time necessary to have books read aloud or to review tapes, students often require extra time to complete required assignments, especially when library research is involved. - Research Papers - Students and faculty may want to consider the texts already on tape when deciding on topics for a research paper. Catalogs listing taped are available through Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic. - Last Minute Assignments - Instructors should keep in mind that this can present a problem because reader scheduling and special preparation of material requires adequate advance notice. - Field Trips, Internship - Preplanning will be needed in order to consider adaptations that may be necessary. · Exams - Testing needs will vary with the degree of visual impairment. Enlarged print tests or answer sheets may be helpful. With advanced notice, the Office of Educational Accessibility will provide a reader, scribe and access to a word processor for assistance with exams. Other alternatives are to tape record the test question and request typewritten or taped answers, or test the student's competency orally. Matching, multiple choice, or questions involving diagrams can become problematic and often place visually impaired students at an unfair disadvantage because of the visual cues used in doing these types of questions. Extra time may be necessary due to the alternate methods involved. SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY In the 1980's, awareness about learning disabilities, their possible causes and manifestations increased. As a result, there was an increase in the number of young adults with learning disabilities choosing to attend post-secondary educational institutions. In addition, those students who would not have been recognized are now identified as having a learning disability. A 1982 study by White, Alley, Deshler, et al. revealed that 67% of young adults diagnosed with learning disabilities planned to attend post-secondary educational institutions after high school. Definition of a Learning Disability Learning disability (LD) is a generic term for a group of disorders that affect the manner in which individuals with average or above average intelligence acquire, store, retrieve, and express information. Encoding or decoding information may occasionally become inadvertently distorted as it travels between the senses and the brain. This distortion is presumed to result from sporadic dysfunction of the central nervous system, as in the case of a facial tic. Processing problems may occur periodically in one or more of the following areas: oral expression, listening comprehension, mathematical calculation, or problem solving. Individuals with learning disabilities also may have difficulties with sustained attention, time management, or social skills just like any other student. A Learning Disability Is......... - Permanent, although it may seem to be more acute at times, and be more apparent in computation than literacy skills or vice-versa. - Often inconsistent. A person may have problems on Monday, but not on Tuesday. It may cause problems in grade school, seem to disappear during high school, and resurface in college. It may manifest itself in only one specific area such as math or foreign language. - Frustrating. Persons with learning disabilities often have to deal not only with functional limitations, but also with the frustration of having to prove that their invisible disability is as handicapping as any other. A Learning Disability is Not.......... - A form of mental retardation or an emotional disorder. - A learning difficulty that results primarily from visual, hearing, or motor dysfunction. - A learning problem resulting from environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. Characteristics of College Students with Learning Disabilities: College students with learning disabilities are as intelligent, talented, and capable, as any other group of students. Typically, they have developed a variety of strategies for compensating for their learning disability. (Individuals who come from divergent cultural and language backgrounds may exhibit many of the oral and written language behaviors cited below, but do not necessarily have a learning disability by definition.) The degree of severity of the disability varies from individual to individual. People with learning disabilities exhibit some of the characteristics outlined below. - Slow reading rate /or difficulty moderating reading rate in accordance with material's level of difficulty - Confusion of similar words, difficulty integrating new vocabulary, and incomplete mastery of basic phonetic skills - Skipping words or lines of printed material - Difficulty reading for long periods of time - Frequent spelling errors (e.g., omissions, substitutions, transpositions), especially in specialized and foreign vocabulary - Difficulty effectively proofreading writing and making revisions - Poor penmanship (e.g., poorly-formed letters, incorrect usage of capitalization, trouble with spacing, overly-large writing) - Inability to correctly copy from a book or blackboard Oral Language Skills - Difficulty in translating into oral expression concepts that are understood - Difficulty following oral or written directions - Difficult conversing or following a conversation bout an unfamiliar idea - Inability to concentrate on and to comprehend spoken language when presented rapidly - Difficulty speaking grammatically correct English Organizational Study Skills - Easily distracted by outside stimuli - Hyperactivity and excessive movements may accompany the inability to focus attention - Difficulty reading and copying numbers and/or symbols correctly - Transpositions of numbers in sequences - Difficulty with memory for formulas - Difficulty understanding oral directions - Difficulty distinguishing between visual symbols (e.g., x and +) - Difficulty understanding oral directions The above primary problems for students with learning disabilities impede their performance in the following secondary areas, which are often difficult for students without disabilities: · Uneven comprehension and retention of material read · Difficulty identifying important points and themes · Difficulty planning a topic and organizing thoughts on paper · Difficulty with sentence structure (e.g., sentence fragments, run-ons, poor grammar usage, missing inflectional endings) · Compositions often limited in length · Slow production of written work · Difficulty with organizational skills · Time management difficulties · Slow to start and complete tasks · Repeated inability, on a day-to-day basis, to recall what has been taught · Class notes taken lack overall organization · Trouble focusing and sustaining attention on academic tasks · Inconsistent attention span during lectures · Difficulty handling multiple task demands · Quickly becomes overloaded · Difficulty solving problems · Slow visual processing speed · Difficulty comprehending word problems · Difficulty understanding a new application of a previously learned formula to a new problem · Difficulty recalling previously learned concepts · Difficulty storing and retrieving information over a long period of time. Support services and accommodations at Old Dominion University include: · Referral to Student Support Services for notetakers and tutors · Testing accommodations · Access to a special section of Spanish 101-102 designed with accommodations · Priority registration · Access to word processing for testing · Advice about course load · Assistance in acquiring textbooks on tape through RFB&D · Study strategy assistance · Learning disability support group · Section of University Orientation (ELS 101) for students with learning disabilities · Coordination of academic adjustments as supported by the student's documentation. INFORMATION FOR FACULTY - Provide students with a detailed course syllabus. Make it available before the start of classes. - Clearly spell out expectations at the beginning of the course (e.g., grading, material to be covered, due dates). - Start each lecture with an outline of material to be covered that period. At the conclusion of class, briefly summarize key points. - Present new or technical vocabulary on the blackboard or use a student handout. Terms used in context will give them greater meaning. - Give assignments orally as well as in written form. This will eliminate confusion regarding due dates and content. - Announce reading assignments well in advance. This will be of great help to students with LD who use taped text materials. It takes an average of six weeks to get a book tape-recorded. - Facilitate use of tape recorders for note-taking by allowing students to tape lectures. - Provide study questions for exams that demonstrate the format, as well as the content, of tests. Explain what constitutes a good answer and why. - Permit use of simple calculators, scratch paper, and electronic or conventional spellers' dictionaries during class sessions and testing. - Provide adequate opportunities for questions and answers, including review sessions. - If possible, select a textbook with an accompanying study guide for optional student use. - Periodically review previously learned mathematical concepts and skills. - Allow students to utilize formula cards during testing Students with psychological disabilities present some of the most difficult challenges to the college professor. Like those with other disabilities, their impairments may be hidden and, in fact, latent, with little or no effect on their learning. Unlike others, however, their emotional disturbances may manifest themselves in negative behavior ranging from indifference and recalcitrance to disruptive behavior. Such conduct makes it hard to remember that they have as little control over their disabilities as do the students with physical disabilities. The most common psychological impairment among students is depression. The condition may be temporary, in response to inordinate pressures at school, on the job, at home or in one's social life; or it may be a pathological sense of hopelessness or helplessness which may provoke, in its extreme, threats or attempts at suicide. It may appear as apathy, disinterest, inattention, impaired concentration, irritability, fatigue or other physical symptoms resulting from changes in eating, sleeping, or other living patterns. Anxiety is also prevalent among students and may also be the transient reaction to stress. Mild anxiety, in fact, may promote learning and improve the student's functioning. Severe anxiety may manifest itself as withdrawal, constant talking, complaining, joking, crying, fantasizing, or extreme fear, sometimes to the point of panic. Bodily symptoms might include episodes of lightheadedness or hyperventilation. Students are susceptible to the myriad psychological disorders that others are, some of which express themselves in inappropriate classroom behavior or inadequate performance on assignments. Some troubled students who are undergoing treatment take prescription medication to help control disturbing feelings, ideas and behavior. These medications might cause undesirable side effects such as drowsiness and disorientation. INFORMATION FOR FACULTY In dealing with psychological conditions that impair the functioning of the affected student alone, the principles outlined for all students with disabilities in Section IV generally apply. If the behavior begins to affect other or your course of instruction, other measures may be necessary: - Discuss inappropriate classroom behavior with the student privately, directly, and forthrightly, delineating if necessary the limits of acceptable conduct (see Code of Student Conduct, "The Faculty Handbook"). - In your discussions with the student, do not attempt to diagnose or treat the psychological disorder. Focus on the student's behavior in the course. - If you sense that discussion would not be effective, or if the student approaches you for therapeutic help, refer the student to the Office of Educational Accessibility, to the campus counseling staff or to an appropriate community mental health agency, whichever is most acceptable to the student. - Promptly refer to the college's proper disciplinary or security channels any behavior by the student that may be abusive or threatening to self or others. Offices and telephone numbers are: - Campus Police 757-683-4000 - Counseling and Psychological Services 757-683-4401 - The Office of Educational Accessibility 757-683-4655 One of the largest growing groups of students with disabilities on the college campus is students with Asperger's Syndrome. Therefore our understanding of this disability and the necessary supports are essential to help these students as they enter into college life. The most common characteristic of persons with Asperger's Syndrome is the general inability to understand non-verbal behavior and social situations. These students have great difficulty understanding and using non-verbal behaviors such as eye-gaze, facial expressions, and gestures. They also have great difficulty developing appropriate peer relationships due to their inability to understand other's implicit intentions and subtle social nuances. It is extremely important to remember that students with Asperger's Syndrome do desire to have positive peer relationships; they simply lack the innate ability to negotiate the extremely complex realm of social interactions. Another common characteristic of persons with Asperger's Syndrome is a range of idiosyncratic behaviors. They tend to develop intense pre-occupations with specific areas of interest. Areas of interest tend to revolve around transportation, electronics, computers, science, and mathematics. While the college campus is a great place to pursue these interests, students with Asperger's tend to immerse themselves in the interests to such an extent that it dominates their conversations and time. Other idiosyncratic behaviors may include repetitive motor patterns and vocal tics during times of stress. In order to avoid some stress, students with Asperger's Syndrome tend to develop strict routines and rituals in their lives. They need these often intricate routines and rituals so that they can establish some predictability in the ever-changing, complex world. In general, these students tend to have good cognitive and academic abilities. They are highly visual learners. Many adults with Asperger's Syndrome describe their learning as a series of pictures in their heads. They are able to see the pictures of the information when asked to recall it. They work best with factual information. They tend to have very good verbal memory. They have a hard time, however, with academic tasks involving problem-solving, synthesis of information, and understanding another's perspective. Group projects and team work can be particularly stressful to student with Asperger's Syndrome. Persons with Asperger's Syndrome report a wide range of sensory challenges. They can be hypersensitive to sounds; often hearing and being distracted by low intensity sounds such as the hum of a computer or alarms down the street. They can also be overwhelmed by the complexity of noise in large group social settings to such a degree that they are unable to distinguish one voice over the noise. They might also have hypersensitive responses to touch and texture, lighting, and smells. Interestingly enough, they may have lowered responses to temperature and pain. Keep in mind that Asperger's Syndrome is a broad spectrum disorder. Every person presents the disability differently. The previous descriptions are meant to be a general overview of possible manifestations of the syndrome. When a student identifies himself to you as having Asperger's Syndrome, it is very important to talk with him or her about the following: · particular strengths and needs, · areas of interest, · specific sensory sensitivities · trigger points · coping strategies · calming techniques Getting to know each person as an individual will allow you to best meet their needs in the classroom setting. INFORMATION FOR FACULTY The following are possible strategies and accommodations that you can use to help students with Asperger's Syndrome in your classroom. · Work to minimize sensory distractions within the classroom. Remove auditory and visual distractions if possible. Seat them away from windows or overhead projectors. People with autism spectrum disorders often report that florescent lights are highly distracting because they can visually see the flickering of the lights. Consider turn off overhead lights if it is possible. · Set clear expectations for class attendance, class participation, tests, and assignments. Clear, concise written expectations are best. · If the student becomes disruptive to the flow of the class (i.e., asking too many questions or providing too much factual information), speak with the student individually after class. Explain in clear and specific terms what behaviors are expected in your classroom. · Establish a quiet area for the student to go if he or she becomes overwhelmed or distressed during class. This should be a place where they can quickly go in order to calm when stress and anxiety have been triggered in class. · If group projects are required in your class, establish a clear role for the student with Asperger's within his/her group. Note-taker or researcher might be good roles. Another option would be to allow the student to work individually on the project. · If possible, use the student's area of interest for research or class projects. Highlight his or her areas of strengths in the classroom setting. · Provide extended time for tests especially if they require problem-solving or synthesis of information. · If possible, provide short answer or multiple choice tests rather than essay format. · Keep in mind that the student may not be capable of understanding/taking another's perspective, so papers or projects that involve this skill may be impossible for the student to complete satisfactorily. ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE Substance abuse is a condition of psychological and/or physiological dependence on a chemical substance such as alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription drugs. Individuals who are recovering from drug or alcohol abuse or who are in treatment programs to assist them in recovery are protected by federal legislation as are individuals with other types of disabilities. These students may experience psychological problems such as depression, anxiety or very low self-esteem. They may exhibit poor behavioral control and, if they are using medication as a part of their treatment, they may experience undesirable side effects. Support services include: - Personal and academic counseling - Referrals to community support agencies - Assistance with registration - General support services. INFORMATION FOR FACULTY - Students showing symptoms of substance abuse should be referred to the appropriate college facility: Counseling and Psychological Services, the Office of Educational Accessibility, or Student Affairs. - Inappropriate classroom behavior should be discussed with the student in a private setting. - Appropriate campus disciplinary channels (Student Affairs or the Vice President for Student Services) should be used when necessary. - Section IV and the information on psychological impairments of this handbook provide suggestions for additional classroom considerations. - Counseling and Psychological Services staff will refer students who are concerned about their own or someone else's drinking or drug use to community and private practitioners for therapy or intervention. The staff acts as liaison between the University and various treatment programs in the community, referring students in need of treatment as well as supporting those already involved in a treatment program. Information on self-help groups (i.e., A.A., N.A., A1-Anon) that meet on and off campus is also available. Speech impairments range from problems with articulation or voice strength to complete voicelessness. They include difficulties in projection, as in chronic hoarseness and esophageal speech; fluency problems as in stuttering and stammering; and the nominal aphasia that alters the articulation of particular words or terms. Support services and accommodations include: - Assistance in communicating with faculty and staff - Academic and personal counseling - General support services - Extended time for testing. INFORMATION FOR FACULTY - Give the students the opportunity to speak, but do not compel them to speak in class. - Permit them the time they require to express themselves without unsolicited aid in filling gaps in their speech. Don't be reluctant to ask the student to repeat a statement. - Address them naturally. Don't assume the spread phenomenon - that they cannot hear or comprehend. - Consider course modifications, such as one-to-one presentations and the use of a computer with a voice synthesizer. Students with speech impairments may be hesitant about speaking n class and/or may require more time to be understood. After some practice listening to the student, it will become easier to understand him/her. The instructor should not hesitate to ask for repetition of words or phrases. Alternatives for classroom participation might be considered if the student finds speaking in class too difficult. If possible, oral exams should be avoided. There are many other medical conditions that may interfere with a student's academic functioning. Some of their symptoms, like limited mobility or impaired vision, and the types of intervention required may resemble those covered elsewhere in this manual. The general principles set forth in Section IV apply. Below are brief descriptions of some of the more prevalent disabilities among students. ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS) Acquired immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by a virus that destroys the body's immune system. This condition leaves the person vulnerable to infections and cancers that can be avoided when the immune system is working normally. The virus is transmitted primarily through sexual contact or needle sharing with intravenous drug users. It is not transmitted through casual contact. Manifestations of AIDS may be afraid to reveal their condition because of the social stigma, fear and/or misunderstanding surrounding this illness. It is, therefore, especially important that the strictest of confidentiality be observed. In addition, if the issue should arise in class, it is important for faculty to deal openly and non-judgmentally with it and to foster an atmosphere of understanding. A disorder of the respiratory system, asthma can cause severe respiratory distress. Often accompanied by severe allergic conditions, the asthmatic condition impairs the person's ability to breathe, and often causes dizziness. In its most severe form, asthma can lead to respiratory distress resulting in hospitalization. The asthmatic student must attempt to control his/her environment to eliminate the allergic triggers to an attack. Some control can be gained by simply avoiding objects or substances that bring on an allergic reaction. Often prescribed medications are necessary. Environmental adjustments may also be required to reduce the impact of perfumes or smoke. Asthma can lead to class absence. Such absences should be few but may last for one or two days. ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD) The student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has difficulty in the areas of attention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity due to a disorder of the central nervous system. The condition may exist without the most obvious characteristics of hyperactivity. The effects of this disorder impact the student's concentration, memory, distractibility, ability to control fidgeting, activity levels, organizational focus, and decision- making. While medication is often prescribed for students with this condition, additional accommodations may also be needed. Testing in a distraction-reduced environment is the most frequently utilized accommodation. Because cancer can occur in almost any organ system of the body, the symptoms and particular disabling effects will vary greatly from one person to another. Some people experience visual problems, lack of balance and coordination, joint pains, backaches, headaches, abdominal pains, drowsiness, lethargy, difficulty in breathing and swallowing, weakness, bleeding or anemia. The primary treatments for cancer, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery may engender additional effects. Therapy can cause violent nausea, drowsiness and/or fatigue, affecting academic functioning or causing absences. Surgery can result in amputation, paralysis, sensory deficits, and language and memory problems. Cerebral palsy is caused by an injury to the motor center of the brain, which may have occurred before, during or shortly after birth. Manifestation may include involuntary muscle contractions, rigidity, spasms, poor coordination, poor balance or poor spatial relations. Visual, auditory, speech, hand-function, and mobility problems might occur. This Metabolic disorder is characterized by insulin deficiency and excess blood sugar. Diabetes can be controlled by insulin injections and by strict diet. The strictness of diet forces the individual to eat at regular intervals. Therefore, it is possible that a student may need to eat during class if the class is scheduled during mealtime. The insulin dependent diabetic, or a person who has had diabetes for years, often has concurrent visual deficits and may have and may have impaired tactile sensation. These may be necessary factors to consider when preparing a classroom experience for the student. This metabolic disorder causes unusually low blood sugar levels. The student with hypoglycemia must follow a regular dietary schedule, usually eating several small meals during the day. The student may have to eat a small snack during class. Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease of the central nervous system, characterized by a decline of muscle control. Symptoms may include disturbances ranging from mild to severe: blurred vision, legal blindness, tremors, weakness or numbness in limbs, unsteady gait, paralysis, slurred speech, mood swings or attention deficits. Because the onset of the disease usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 40, students are likely to have difficulty adjusting to their condition. The course of multiple sclerosis is highly unpredictable. Periodic remissions are common and may last from a few days to several months before the disease symptoms return. As a result, mood swings may vary from euphoria to depression. It is not unusual to have striking inconsistencies in performance. Muscular dystrophy refers to a group of hereditary, progressive disorders to a group of hereditary, progressive disorders that most often strike the young, producing degeneration of voluntary muscles of the trunk and lower extremities. The atrophy of the muscles results in chronic weakness of fatigue and may cause respiratory or cardiac problems. Walking, if possible, is slow and appears uncoordinated. Manipulation of materials in class may be difficult. Students with epilepsy and other seizure disorders are extremely reluctant to divulge their condition because of the fear of being misunderstood or stigmatized. Misconceptions about these disorders - that they are forms of mental illness, contagious, and untreatable, for example - have arisen because their ultimate causes remain uncertain. There is evidence that hereditary factors may be involved and that brain injuries and tumors, occurring at any age, may give rise to seizures. There are three distinct types of seizures: 1. Petit mal means "little seizure" and is characterized by eye blinking or staring. It begins abruptly with a sudden dimming of consciousness and may last only a few seconds. Whatever the person is doing is suspended for a moment but resumed again as soon as the seizure is over. Often, because of its briefness, the seizure may go unnoticed by the individual as well as by others. 2. Psychomotor seizures range from mild to severe and may include staring, mental confusion, uncoordinated and random movement, incoherent speech and behavior outburst, followed by immediate recovery. They may last from two minutes to a half hour. The person may have no recollection of what happened, but may experience fatigue. 3. Grand mal seizures may be moderate to severe and may be characterized by generalized contractions of muscles, twitching and limb jerking. A few minutes of such movements may be followed by unconsciousness, sleep, or extreme fatigue. Students with seizure disorders are often using preventive medication, which may cause drowsiness and temporary memory problems. Such medication makes it unlikely that a seizure will occur in class. In the event of a grand mal seizure, follow this procedure: · Keep calm. Although its manifestation may be intense, it is generally not painful to the individual. · Remove nearby objects that may injure the student during the seizure. · Help lower the person to the floor and place cushioning under his/her head. · Turn the head to the side so that breathing is not obstructed. · Loosen tight clothing. · Do not force anything between the teeth. · Do not try to restrain bodily movement. · Call the Campus Police (3-4000) or other appropriate authority (911) or ask someone else to do so. · After a seizure, faculty should deal forthrightly with the concerns of the class in an effort to forestall whatever negative attitudes may develop toward the student. SICKLE CELL ANEMIA Sickle cell anemia is a hereditary disease primarily affecting African-Americans. It reduces the blood supply to vital organs and the oxygen supply to the blood cells, making adequate classroom ventilation an important concern. Because many vital organs are affected, the student may also suffer from eye disease, heart condition, lung problems, and acute abdominal pain. At times limbs or joints may be affected. The disease is characterized by severe crisis periods, with extreme pain, which may necessitate hospitalization and/or absence from class. Completing academic assignments during these periods may not be possible. A reasonable accommodation in this case may be an incomplete for the semester. TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY The student with a head injury may be recovering from some traumatic impact to the brain or may be rehabilitating from a stroke or similar cerebral disorder. Head injury can be responsible for a number of significant changes in the student. Brain damage, depending upon the location and intensity of the injury, may affect motor coordination, sensation, perception, speech and language processing, and/or intelligence and memory. The student is generally enrolled for less than full-time study and must spend a great deal of time with tutors and learning assistants. Students with head injuries benefit from adaptations to academic testing. Extended time to complete exams outside of class is frequently necessary. Also, avoiding in-class questioning of the student is advisable unless the student volunteers. Immediate recall of facts is often very difficult. The pressure of in-class performance creates anxiety that further blocks recall. Support services include: · Personal and academic counseling · Test/ examination accommodations · General accommodations. V. UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Old Dominion University is committed to achieving equal educational opportunity and full participation for persons with disabilities. It is the University's policy that no qualified person be excluded from participation in any University program or activity, be denied the benefits of any university program or activity, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination with regard to any University program or activity. This policy derives from the University's commitment to non-discrimination for all persons in employment, access to facilities, student programs, activities and services. The Office of Educational Accessibility shall oversee the assessment of student requests for accommodation and assistance and shall coordinate the development of the program among the student, faculty members, and department chairs. In addition, the office shall implement the University's disability program for students and supervise the delivery of equipment and services. The Director of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action will monitor the implementation of these guidelines. The provisions of services to students with documented disabilities at Old Dominion University are based on the principle of non-discrimination and accommodation in academic programs set forth in implementing regulations for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Students may require unique accommodations and must have their needs assessed on a case-by-case basis. The provision of accommodations for students with documented disabilities need not guarantee them equal opportunity for achievement. Old Dominion University is committed to providing students with documented disabilities the same opportunity to achieve academic success as it provides for all students. I. Definition of Those Qualified for Assistance The appropriate recipient of accommodations is defined as one who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, performing manual tasks or learning. In addition, a person who has history of such impairment is qualified for assistance. With respect specifically to the post-secondary setting, such a person must be otherwise qualified under the academic standards requisite for admission in spite of the disability. The Office of Admissions at Old Dominion University will make all reasonable effort to assure that all recruitment activities are made accessible to persons with documented disabilities. All schools hosting Old Dominion University recruitment activities will be encouraged to provide that such facilities are accessible so that interested persons with disabilities will not be excluded or denied participation. In keeping with this policy, Old Dominion University will provide, if given adequate advance notice, such services as interpreters, audiotapes or reader services at recruitment functions. III. Admissions to the University a. General Admissions The requirements for general admission for persons with disabilities are no different from those for other persons applying to Old Dominion University. The official application for general admission to the University will not ask for information concerning an applicant's physical or mental disability. However, there are programs within the University that have technical standards that must be met. A prospective student may choose to self-disclose in the admissions process. b. Acceptance to Specific Programs Technical standards have been established by each academic program which describe the skills the student must have or be able to acquire in order to meet curriculum requirements and to perform successfully in an academic program. The University is not required to make major academic adjustments, fundamental changes, or substantially modify standards for acceptance into or completion of any academic program. Students with disabilities interested in applying for acceptance to a particular program should assure that they are aware of any applicable technical standards. If a question arises about the qualifications of a student with a disability who wishes to be accepted in a particular degree program, the department chair shall have the responsibility of deciding whether or not the applicant will be accepted to the program. After having considered the requests for accommodation presented by the student, as well as the technical standards for the requested program, the department chair shall determine whether or not the student is otherwise qualified for acceptance to the program. In making the determination, the department chair should consult with the student's advisor and the Office of Educational Accessibility. If after careful consideration, the department chair decides that the student is not otherwise qualified for acceptance to the program of study, the student will be advised of his or her academic options. The decision of the department chair may be appealed to the dean. The dean shall consult with the Director of Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action prior to deciding the appeal. The decision of the dean is final. IV. Determination of Need for reasonable Accommodations/Academic Adjustments Under Section 504, institutions are required to respond by making modifications in academic requirements as necessary to ensure that such requirements do not discriminate or have the effect of discriminating against a student with a disability. The information sent to students upon acceptance to the University shall include a notice that it is the responsibility of students with a disability to contact the Office of Educational Accessibility to arrange for accommodations. The information provided by the student in doing so will be kept confidential and shared only with those involved in arranging for accommodations. Students who request reasonable accommodations must be prepared to provide documentation of the disability by a qualified professional, where appropriate, before accommodations will be implemented. Except under extraordinary circumstances, the documentation must be current i.e., dated no more than three years prior to enrollment in the University. Documentation must provide sufficient information to assist the institution in determining what difficulties the student would encounter in a normal learning environment. Although formats will vary, the following critical data should be included in any documentation in support of a request for accommodations: 1. The student's name, the dates of examination or testing, the examiner's name and credentials. 2. Identify the problems or reasons for referral. 3. In cases of learning disability, a list of the tests administered, including the names of the tests as well as the version used. 4. An analysis or interpretation of test results. 5. Diagnostic summary with a brief composite of the entire assessment process. The summary should address the concerns raised in the section on reasons for referral. 6. Recommendations of strategies to assist the student in becoming an efficient learner. A student with a documented disability who has registered for class or has been accepted into the University can request support services and the use of assistive technology for classroom and extracurricular activities. The student must notify the Office of Educational Accessibility of the accommodations required within a reasonable time prior to the date of anticipated need. Reasonable accommodations by the university are possible only after contact with the Office of Educational Accessibility has been initiated. Students needing sign language interpreters or special equipment should provide 45 days notice to the Office of Educational Accessibility. The Office of Educational Accessibility will assess requests for accommodation after carefully reviewing the diagnostic evaluation. Each accommodation will be based on objective documentation regarding the effect of the specific documented disability on the ability to learn in the content area in question. In order to receive accommodations, students must supply their instructors with letters from the Office of Educational Accessibility which verify their disability and identify reasonable accommodations. The student and faculty member shall: a. Discuss the implementation of appropriate accommodations b. Note their respective agreement to these accommodations c. Return the signed forms to the Office of Educational Accessibility noting their agreement in the space provided Students who have a documented disability may elect not to disclose the disability. Should the student seek accommodations late in the semester, or if a student has a disability which is not obvious and chooses not to disclose it, then he/she should be aware that 1) all previous grades will stand as earned, and 2) accommodations will be implemented n a timely manner, usually within two weeks. For students who are newly identified and documented during the course of a semester and thus, have not had the advantage of accommodations, considerations will be made on a case -by-case basis in consultation with all parties involved. The types of accommodations provided to student with documented disabilities will vary depending on the nature of the disability and the course content. Often an initial trial-and-error period may be needed to determine the best way to accommodate a student's disability. The Office of Educational Accessibility will advise the students in writing of the results of the assessment. This notification to the student from the university shall serve as a guide for the provision of services from the university for the semester or situation specified. If agreed upon accommodations did not meet the needs of the student, the student should contact the Office of Educational Accessibility for further assistance. If the Office of Educational Accessibility does not agree with the student's request, then the student may follow the procedures outlined in section VI of this policy. V. Support Services Students with documented disabilities should make sure that their advisors are aware of the disabilities so that the advisor can guide the student as to course or degree requirements which may affect the student's completion of the course or degree program. 2. Classroom Accommodations The University shall provide the following minimal accommodations for students with documented disabilities in the classroom; 1) classroom activities, including testing procedures and other methods of evaluation used for classroom participation, shall be reasonably modified to provide students with documented disabilities with the opportunity to participate; 2) the location of classrooms shall be changed as appropriate to accommodate the student with a disability; 3) a reasonable number of elective courses shall be held in accessible facilities; 4) the use of special equipment and assistive technology shall be made available; and 5) modification of course requirements or assignments which may not be essential shall be considered. 3. Student Services and Activities Students with documented disabilities at Old Dominion University shall be provided reasonable accommodations for participation in and use of student services and activities including housing, health, insurance, counseling, financial aid, physical education, athletics, recreation, transportation, or other extracurricular programs or activities. Given adequate notification, those students who require assistive technology and assistance for counseling settings will be provided with the aids and assistance necessary to participate. At athletic and extracurricular activities, such as concerts and stage entertainment, special seating will be provided for students using wheelchairs as audience participants. For Old Dominion University sponsored lectures cultural activities, convocations and commencements, the participation of students with documented disabilities shall be provided, upon request, through the aid of sign language, assistive technology or other reasonable accommodation. Arrangements shall be made by the Office of Educational Accessibility if sufficient notification is given. Old Dominion University provides on-campus housing space that has been specifically reserved for occupancy by students with documented disabilities and is moderately barrier free. The University will provide and assign students with disabilities to housing as such space is available in residence halls and apartment settings. Roommates will be assigned to students with disabilities occupying modified rooms in the same manner as other resident students. It is the responsibility of the student to identify him/herself as a student with a documented disability seeking university housing in order to be considered for a reserved space. Application for a reserved space for a student with disability should be made to the Office of Educational Accessibility. Housing Services will assign that space based on information provided by the Office of Educational Accessibility. Priority will be based on the greatest physical need to live in university housing as a means of providing a student with a disability opportunity to successfully fulfill his/her academic program at the University. Final selection for reserved spaces for students with disabilities will be completed at a specified date in mid-summer of each year. The student will be informed of the room assignment by Housing Services. The remaining spaces reserved for students with disabilities will be turned over to the housing services staff for assignments to students on the housing waiting list. Any student with a documented disability has the alternative of entering the regular housing application procedures and is not required to take a reserved space. However, students who have special needs should make sure the regular housing space can accommodate their needs. Rental rates for students with documented disabilities shall be set at the same rate as for any other student at Old Dominion University. The exception to this is the single room policy that provides for a limited number of single room accommodations available for qualified students with documented disabilities at the rate which would normally be charged for double occupancy. The request for single accommodations must be made to the Office of Educational Accessibility and be properly documented. A final determination is made by Housing Services. Returning students may request that they be assigned to the same space as in the previous year. Students should proceed through the regular housing process to request the same space. VI. Complaint Resolution Process If a student with a documented disability believes that he/she has not been provided with the services to which he/she is entitled, the student should direct his/her complaint to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. The student shall provide to the Director of EO/AA, in writing, documentation of the disability the nature of the discrimination and any other information deemed important. The Director will then attempt to reach an agreement through an informal mediation process. If an agreement is reached, a copy of the agreement shall be provided to the student and the faculty member. If an agreement cannot be reached, the Director will convene an ADA Evaluation Committee for the purpose of evaluating the case and making a recommendation to the Provost. The decision of the Provost is final. The members of the ADA Evaluation Committee will be the Director of Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action (chair), the General Counsel, the Director of the Office of Educational Accessibility, the appropriate dean and a designated representative from Academic Affairs. Old Dominion University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution.

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ZEMA W. HILL (1891-1970) Zema W. Hill was a faithful and devoted minister, a funeral-home owner, and a notable leader in Afro-American Nashville. He was born in Franklin County, in the community of Asia near Winchester, Tennessee, on April 2, 1891. He became a Christian at an early age, joined the Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church during its revival services, and became an evangelist during his teenage years. In 1916, Hill moved to Nashville, where he preached and evangelized in Hightower Hall. His elegance. good looks, and magnetic preaching style enlarged his South Nashville congregation until the services had to be moved under a large tent. In 1919, a house of worship was dedicated at Overton and Division streets. Elder A. M. Bedford, the moderator of the Cumberland River Association of the Order of the Primitive Baptist Church, dedicated the building as "Hill's Tabernacle." Elder Zema Hill faithfully served the congregation for thirty years. In the year his church building was dedicated, Hill also established the Zema W. Hill Funeral Home at Fourth Avenue, South, and Peabody Street. During this period, no black insurance companies existed in Nashville, and there were few black funeral homes. The demand for services caused the Hill funeral business to expand so rapidly that a large facility was acquired at Fourth Avenue, South, and Franklin Street. Hill not only arranged the funerals, he also preached and sang at the services. Although he catered to the black elite, Hill's civic-minded zeal caused him to arrange funerals for the destitute as well. These were known as his "silver services," where the plate was passed to collect money from the audiences. The Zema W. Hill Funeral Home moved to 1306 South Street and became one of the first black businesses in the area. He purchased a fleet of Packard automobiles in the mid1930s, and his business nourished despite the economic depression. Over the years, Hill bought many other fine automobiles, including Cadillacs, Chryslers, and Lincolns. He attracted attention to his business by printing "Zema W. Hill" in gold letters on his cars' windows and placing two six-and-a-half-feet concrete polar bears in front of the funeral home. Elder Hill left his imprint on Afro-American Nashville through his charismatic evangelism. During the thirties and forties, whites and blacks, political leaders, and famous persons attended services at Hill's Tabernacle. Even some of Nashville's underworld figures could be seen at Hill's Sunday night services. He was renowned for sermons such as "The Resurrection of the Dead" and "If a Man Should Die, Shall He Live Again." Elder Hill's ministerial work was highlighted with his selection as a moderator emeritus of the Cumberland Association of Primitive Baptists and builder of the Cumberland Tabernacle in 1944. Zema W. Hill died on February 5, 1970, after 17 years of illness. A year before his death, Hill's Tabernacle was rebuilt. At his funeral services on the morning of February 9 at the Cumberland Primitive Baptist Tabernacle, Elder C. R. Wooten and others lauded the late Elder Hill as ". . .a faithful and devoted minister, a loving father, neighbor and friend, and [who] was respected by all who he came in contact with of both races...." Hill, who was interred in Mount Ararat Cemetery in Nashville, was survived by two children: Doris Hill Griner (deceased) and Clarence D. Hill.

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The Lotus Symphony Sync Cell Content Plugin adds the capability of synchronizing cell contents and formats in spreadsheets and presentations. When you select part of the cell content in a spreadsheet, you might want to make a copy of the cell contents in a presentation. This plug-in helps you to automatically synchronize cell contents when the original cell data or cell formats change in the spreadsheet. Steps to use the plug-in: 1 In a spreadsheet, select a cell range, and click Plug in > Cell Sync > Copy OLE. 2 in a presentation, click Plug in > Cell Sync > Paste OLE. 3 After changing the cell content in the spreadsheet, save and close the spreadsheet. 4 In the presentation, click click Plug in > Cell Sync > Update OLE.

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Click the picture above to see three larger pictures Show birthplace location |Previous||(Alphabetically)||Next||Biographies index | |Version for printing| Lipman Bers, always known as Lipa, was born into a Jewish family. His parents Isaac Bers and Bertha Weinberg were teachers, his mother being head at an elementary school in Riga where teaching was in Yiddish while his father was head at the Yiddish high school in Riga. Born in 1914, Lipa's early years were much affected by the political and military events taking place in Russia. Latvia had been under Russian imperial rule since the 18th century so World War I meant that there were evacuations from Riga. The Russian Revolution which began in October 1917 caused fighting between the Red Army and the White Army and for the next couple of years various parts of Russia came first under the control of one faction then of the other. Lipa's family went to Petrograd, the name that St Petersburg had been given in 1914 when there was strong anti-German feeling in Russia, but Lipa was too young to understand the difficulties that his parents went through at this time. At the end of World War I in 1918, Latvia regained its independence although this was to be short-lived. Lipa spent some time back in Riga, but he also spent time in Berlin. His mother took him to Berlin while she was training at the Psychoanalytic Institute. During his schooling mathematics became his favourite subject and he decided that it was the subject he wanted to study at university. He studied at the University of Zurich, then returned to Riga and studied at the university there. At this time Europe was a place of extreme politics and, in 1934, Latvia became ruled by a dictator. Lipa was a political activist, a social democrat who argued strongly for human rights. He was at this time a soap-box orator putting his views across strongly both in speeches and in writing for an underground newspaper. Strongly opposed to dictators and strongly advocating democracy it was clear that his criticism of the Latvian dictator could not be ignored by the authorities. A warrant was issued for his arrest and, just in time, he escaped to Prague. His girl friend Mary Kagan followed him to Prague where they married on 15 May 1938. There were a number of reasons why Bers chose to go to Prague at this time. Firstly he had to escape from Latvia, secondly Prague was in a democratic country, and thirdly his aunt lived there so he could obtain permission to study at the Charles University without having to find a job to support himself. One should also not underestimate the fact that by this stage his mathematical preferences were very much in place and Karl Loewner in Prague looked the ideal supervisor. Indeed Bers did obtain his doctorate which was awarded in 1938 from the Charles University of Prague where he wrote a thesis on potential theory under Karl Loewner's supervision. At the time Bers was rather unhappy with Loewner :- Lipa spoke of feeling neglected, perhaps even not encouraged, by Loewner and said that only in retrospect did he understand Loewner's teaching method. He gave to each of his students the amount of support needed ... It is obvious that Lipa did not appear too needy to Loewner. In 1938 Czechoslovakia became an impossible country for someone of Jewish background. Equally dangerous was the fact that Bers had no homeland since he was a wanted man in Latvia, and was a left wing academic. With little choice but to escape again, Bers fled to Paris where his daughter Ruth was born. However, the war followed him and soon the Nazi armies began occupying France. Bers applied for a visa to the USA and, while waiting to obtain permission, he wrote two papers on Green's functions and integral representations. Just days before Paris surrendered to the advancing armies, Bers and his family moved from Paris to a part of France not yet under attack from the advancing German armies. At last he received the news that he was waiting for, the issue of American visas for his family. In 1940 Bers and his family arrived in the United States and joined his mother who was already in New York. There was of course a flood of well qualified academics arriving in the United States fleeing from the Nazis and there was a great scarcity of posts, even for the most brilliant, so he was unemployed until 1942, living with other unemployed refugees in New York. During this time he continued his mathematical researches. After this he was appointed Research Instructor at Brown University where, as part of work relevant to the war effort, he studied two-dimensional subsonic fluid flow. This was important at that time since aircraft wings were being designed for planes with jet engines capable of high speeds. Between 1945 and 1949 Bers worked at Syracuse University, first at Assistant Professor, later as Associate Professor. Gelbart wanted to build up the department at Syracuse and attracting both Bers and Loewner was an excellent move. Here Bers began work on the problem of removability of singularities of non-linear elliptic equations. His major results in this area were announced by him at the International Congress of Mathematicians in 1950 and his paper Isolated singularities of minimal surfaces was published in the Annals of Mathematics in 1951. Courant writes:- The nonparametric differential equation of minimal surfaces may be considered the most accessible significant example revealing typical qualities of solutions of non-linear partial differential equations. With a view to such a general objective, [Bers] has studied singularities, branch-points and behaviour in the large of minimal surfaces. Abikoff writes in that this paper is:- ... a magnificent synthesis of complex analytic techniques which relate the different parameterisations of minimal surfaces to the representations of the potential function for subsonic flow and thereby achieves the extension across the singularity. Bers then became a member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton where he began work on Teichmüller theory, pseudoanalytic functions, quasiconformal mappings and Kleinian groups. He was set in the right direction by an inequality he found in a paper of Lavrentev who attributed the inequality to Ahlfors. In a lecture he gave in 1986 Bers explained what happened next:- I was in Princeton at the time. Ahlfors came to Princeton and announced a talk on quasiconformal mappings. He spoke at the University so I went there and sure enough, he proved this theorem. So I came up to him after the talk and asked him "Where did you publish it?", and he said "I didn't". "So why did Lavrentev credit you with it?" Ahlfors said "He probably thought I must know it and was too lazy to look it up in the literature". When Bers met Lavrentev three years later he asked him the same questions and, indeed, Ahlfors had been correct in guessing why Lavrentev had credited him. Bers continued in his 1986 lecture:- I immediately decided that, first of all, if quasiconformal mappings lead to such powerful and beautiful results and, secondly, if it is done in this gentlemanly spirit - where you don't fight over priority - this is something that I should spend the rest of my life studying. It is ironic, given Bers strong political views on human rights, that he should find that Teichmüller, a fervent Nazi, had already made stunning contributions. In one of his papers on Teichmüller theory, Bers quotes Plutarch:- It does not of necessity follow that, if the work delights you with its grace, the one who wrought it is worthy of your esteem. In 1951 Bers went to the Courant Institute in New York, where he was a full professor, and remained there for 13 years. During this time he wrote a number of important books and surveys on his work. He published Theory of pseudo-analytic functions in 1953 which Protter, in a review, described as follows:- The theory of pseudo-analytic functions was first announced by [Bers] in two notes. These lecture notes not only contain proofs and extensions of the results previously announced but give a self-contained and comprehensive treatment of the subject. The author sets as his goal the development of a function theory for solutions of linear, elliptic, second order partial differential equations in two independent variables (or systems of two first-order equations). One of the chief stumbling blocks in such a task is the fact that the notion of derivative is a hereditary property for analytic functions while this is clearly not the case for solutions of general second order elliptic equations. Another classic text was Mathematical aspects of subsonic and transonic gas dynamics published in 1958:- It should be said, even though this is taken for granted by everybody in the case of Professor Bers, that the survey is masterly in its elegance and clarity. In 1958 Bers address the International Congress of Mathematicians in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he lectured on Spaces of Riemann surfaces and announced a new proof of the measurable Riemann mapping theorem. In his talk Bers summarised recent work on the classical problem of moduli for compact Riemann surfaces and sketched a proof of the Teichmüller theorem characterizing extremal quasiconformal mappings. He showed that the Teichmüller space for surfaces of genus g is a (6g-6)-cell, and showed how to construct the natural complex analytic structure for the Teichmüller space. Bers was a Guggenheim Fellow in 1959-60, and a Fulbright Fellow in the same academic year. From 1959 until he left the Courant Institute in 1964, Bers was Chairman of the Graduate Department of Mathematics. In 1964 Bers went to Columbia University where he was to remain until he retired in 1984. He was chairman of the department from 1972 to 1975. He was appointed Davies Professor of Mathematics in 1972, becoming Emeritus Davies Professor of Mathematics in 1982. During this period Bers was Visiting Miller Research Professor at the University of California at Berkeley in 1968. Tilla Weinstein describes in Bers as a lecturer:- Lipa's courses were irresistible. He laced his lectures with humorous asides and tasty tidbits of mathematical gossip. He presented intricate proofs with impeccable clarity, pausing dramatically at the few most critical steps, giving us a chance to think for ourselves and to worry that he might not know what to do next. Then, just as the silence got uncomfortable, he would describe the single most elegant way to complete the argument. Jane Gilman describes Bers' character:- Underneath the force of Bers' personality and vivacity was the force of his mathematics. His mathematics had a clarity and beauty that went beyond the actual results. He had a special gift for conceptualising things and placing them in the larger context. In Bers life is summed up by Abikoff as follows:- Lipa possessed a joy of life and an optimism that is difficult to find at this time and that is sorely missed. Those of us who experienced it directly have felt an obligation to pass it on. That, in addition to the beauty of his own work, is Lipa's enduring gift to us. We have yet to say something about Bers' great passion for human rights. In fact this was anything but a sideline in his life and one could consider that he devoted himself full-time to both his mathematical work and to his work as a social reformer. Perhaps his views are most clearly expressed by quoting from an address he gave in 1984 when awarded an honorary degree by the State University of New York at Stony Brook:- By becoming a human rights activist ... you do take upon yourself certain difficult obligations. ... I believe that only a truly even-handed approach can lead to an honest, morally convincing, and effective human rights policy. A human rights activist who hates and fears communism must also care about the human rights of Latin American leftists. A human rights activist who sympathises with the revolutionary movement in Latin America must also be concerned about human rights abuses in Cuba and Nicaragua. A devout Muslim must also care about human rights of the Bahai in Iran and of the small Jewish community in Syria, while a Jew devoted to Israel must also worry about the human rights of Palestinian Arabs. And we American citizens must be particularly sensitive to human rights violations for which our government is directly or indirectly responsible, as well as to the human rights violations that occur in our own country, as they do. Bers received many honours for his contributions in addition to those we have mentioned above. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, to the Finnish Academy of Sciences, and to the American Philosophical Society. He served the American Mathematical Society in several capacities, particularly as Vice-President (1963-65) and as President (1975-77). The American Mathematical Society awarded him their Steele Prize in 1975. He received the New York Mayor's award in Science and Technology in 1985. He was an honorary life member of the New York Academy of Sciences, and of the London Mathematical Society. Article by: J J O'Connor and E F Robertson Click on this link to see a list of the Glossary entries for this page List of References (5 books/articles)| |Some Quotations (3)| |Mathematicians born in the same country| |Honours awarded to Lipman Bers| (Click below for those honoured in this way) |AMS Colloquium Lecturer||1971| |AMS Steele Prize||1975| |American Maths Society President||1975 - 1976| |LMS Honorary Member||1984| Other Web sites |Previous||(Alphabetically)||Next||Biographies index | |History Topics || Societies, honours, etc.||Famous curves | |Time lines||Birthplace maps||Chronology||Search Form | |Glossary index||Quotations index||Poster index | |Mathematicians of the day||Anniversaries for the year| JOC/EFR © April 2002 | School of Mathematics and Statistics| University of St Andrews, Scotland The URL of this page is:|

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x2/3 + y2/3 = a2/3 x = a cos3(t), y = a sin3(t) Click below to see one of the Associated curves. |Definitions of the Associated curves||Evolute| |Involute 1||Involute 2| |Inverse curve wrt origin||Inverse wrt another circle| |Pedal curve wrt origin||Pedal wrt another point| |Negative pedal curve wrt origin||Negative pedal wrt another point| |Caustic wrt horizontal rays||Caustic curve wrt another point| The astroid only acquired its present name in 1836 in a book published in Vienna. It has been known by various names in the literature, even after 1836, including cubocycloid and paracycle. The length of the astroid is 6a and its area is 3πa2/8. The gradient of the tangent T from the point with parameter p is -tan(p). The equation of this tangent T is x sin(p) + y cos(p) = a sin(2p)/2 Let T cut the x-axis and the y-axis at X and Y respectively. Then the length XY is a constant and is equal to a. It can be formed by rolling a circle of radius a/4 on the inside of a circle of radius a. It can also be formed as the envelope produced when a line segment is moved with each end on one of a pair of perpendicular axes. It is therefore a glissette. Other Web site: |Main index||Famous curves index| |Previous curve||Next curve| |History Topics Index||Birthplace Maps| |Mathematicians of the day||Anniversaries for the year| |Societies, honours, etc||Search Form| The URL of this page is:

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A major storm has missed Australia's major iron ore port and crossed a sparsely populated stretch of the west coast. The Bureau of Meteorology said in a statement Thursday that Cyclone Rusty was weakening as it tracked inland from the coast of Western Australia state but remained destructive with gusts up to 78 mph. Port Hedland was relatively unscathed by the storm that was gusting up to 140 miles per hour late Wednesday as it crossed the coast from the Indian Ocean to the south of the town. Port Hedland residents were returning to their homes from storm shelters on Thursday after the bureau declared the danger there had passed. The iron ore export facilities were shut down on Wednesday for fear of damage.

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Foods That Burn Fat Dieting seems to be a difficult route for many of us to take. The plans are confusing, the exercises difficult to imitate and the motivation too hard to find – what’s a dieter to do? Thankfully, science has tried to make it a little easier on us by discovering that some foods are actually good for burning fat – even without a special diet plan. Adding foods that burn fat to your diet can not only help you achieve a slimmer physique, but they can also ensure that you don’t have to work too hard. Foods that burn fat are sometimes surprising while others make sense because they’re so healthy to begin with. Here’s a list of the various foods that burn fat and why they’re supposed to work: Foods that Contain High Levels of Vitamin C Because the body requires vitamin C to burn fat, eating foods that are high in vitamin C is said to help metabolize fat faster and make losing weight less difficult. You might want to try eating more oranges, pineapple, grapefruit, lemons, limes, green peppers, red, peppers etc. These foods that burn fat are tasty and have few calories too to help increase the health in your diet. Foods High In Fiber When you eat more fiber, your stomach thinks that it’s fuller than it actually is. And while this isn’t quite like foods than burn fat, it lessens the amount of overall calories that you can ingest, which leads to fat loss. You’ll want to choose foods like complex carbohydrates, beans, carrots, etc. when you’re looking for high fiber foods. Even just adding a high fiber cereal in the morning can help boost your fat loss efforts. While tea doesn’t really fall into foods that can assist in fat burning, it certainly can help you find a slimmer new you. Because green tea contains caffeine, it’s a natural stimulant that can help your body burn more calories while at rest – meaning that you can burn fat without doing a thing. But it also includes ECCG compounds that are also supposed to help boost your metabolism as well. You can find green tea supplements as well as normal tea bags in your local grocery store. According to new research, it seems that dairy products are the latest foods that burn fat. Studies have shown that dairy suppresses a fat producing hormone called calcitrol. By drinking two to three glasses of low fat milk each day or eating a few servings of low fat cheese or yogurt, you can help to suppress that hormone and make fat burning a breeze. Hot and Spicy Foods When you eat foods like jalapenos or hot peppers, you stoke the fat burning fires in your body. What happens is that a chemical is released into your body that increases your metabolism, if only for a short while. By eating more spicy foods that burn fat, you can have tasty meals without the added guilt. Just add a little Tabasco sauce to your eggs in the morning or to your soup at night for all the kick your body needs. Drink Plenty of Water Water helps to rid the body of toxins and chemicals that make be slowing down your overall metabolism. By drinking at least six glasses a day, you can make sure that your digestion is running smoothly and that anything that shouldn’t be in your body is eliminated. This water intake will also help you feel full longer, which allows you to eat less and lose more weight. Many times our hunger is really just thirst in disguise. High Protein Foods Protein - While you might already think this because of the Atkins Diet, protein is thought to help increase your metabolism. Eating protein rich foods that burn fat will help you give your diet an edge. All you need to do is choose low fat protein items (and this includes soy-based items if you’re vegetarian) for each meal of the day. Foods that burn fat are tasty and easy to add to your daily diet. With a little diet renovation, you can create a daily eating plan that’s working for you, instead of against you.

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Here I would like to tell you how I made the displacement map, which I wanted to add as a line structure to the tree. As it was quite difficult to draw it in the Photoshop, I did it the other way and I simply modelled it from a plane object with a high number of faces by using paint deformation in editable poly. I did it three times on three different planes with different brush sizes and strengths. You can see something similar on the next picture (image a). Further on, I transformed this model into a 2d displacement map. I did it by rendering a z-depth map from the top view to this object. So it became a map which I have then used to displace some parts of the tree. Here is the rendered z-depth map (image b). I made the long leaves with standard max hair and fur which was causing me a headache:) I had to redo them 4 times until I was fully satisfied. The small leaves were done with the same method as the small tree on the right. When it was nearly finished, I rendered it out and connected it in Photoshop. This was just to check the composition again. After I checked it I decided, that it would be cool to have some darker bushes in the foreground to lead the viewer's eye into the scene. So I drew the shape directly on the picture in PS and then modelled the bushes from this. The last step was the creation of background and post production Making the Background I spent some time searching on the Internet for nice skies and mountains. The final background is a composition of 5 different pictures. There was then added, a volume light and colour correction in the post production and final picture was done:) I hope that this "short" making of was helpful to you and you learned something. I'm really looking forward to see some feedback, so don't hesitate to write me, if you have any question and just to say hello:)

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My New Year's resolution is to not die for my faith. I'd hoped that 2012 would bring a revolution among Muslims and Muslim-majority nations to free oppressed minds. Yet I find myself still waiting to not die. That's the "curse" of being an Ahmadi Muslim in too much of the Muslim world. Ahmadi Muslims believe Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) is the long awaited messiah and Mahdi the Prophet Mohammed foretold, sent to unite mankind and establish peace. But this isn't an evangelical piece, so please, keep reading. Instead of peace, 2012 brought increased persecution in which vigilante murder, unjust arrest and outright discrimination against Ahmadi Muslims continued. A new type of persecution also increased, from which even death is not an escape. On December 3, armed extremists destroyed 120 graves belonging to Ahmadi Muslims at a cemetery in Lahore, Pakistan. When I condemned the attack on Twitter, the response from some was just as ignorant. "You're an infidel! Stop calling yourself a Muslim!" "You're causing Fitna (or chaos) stop with these infidel beliefs!" Across Pakistan, Europe, Indonesia---and yes, even here in America---this is reality for Ahmadi Muslims. I get it. Some Muslims aren't thrilled that Ahmadi Muslims believe the messiah has come because they expect Jesus, son of Mary, to literally descend from heaven. Ahmadi Muslims believe the Quran is clear that Jesus died a natural death many years after surviving the crucifixion. But this isn't about persuading anyone to believe us. Instead, it is about confronting Fitna's actual source and recognizing the biggest poison for Muslims worldwide: religious bigotry. Sometimes that bigotry is peripheral. The other day I tweeted a quote from Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison praising the head and Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, "... under (your holiness') leadership the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has been a true blessing for us here in the United States." Like clockwork I lost a dozen followers. Sometimes that bigotry is disguised as a compliment. "You'd be such a good Muslim, if only you weren't a Qadiani," someone once told me in person. Qadiani is a pejorative for Ahmadi Muslims. The "compliment" reeks of patronization, is actually an insult, and ignores the shocking possibility that perhaps I am a "good Muslim" because I am an Ahmadi Muslim.

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The machete blades turned red with heat in the fire that the rubber workers built on a Liberia plantation, Thomas Unnasch remembers from a visit in the 1980s. This was how the men tried to quell the intense itchiness that comes with river blindness, a rare tropical disease. "You can imagine how bad the itching must be, that running a red-hot machete up and down your back would be a relief, but it was," said Unnasch, whose laboratory works on diagnostic tests for the disease. About 18 million people have river blindness worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, but more than 99% of cases of this disease are found in Africa. It goes by the technical name "onchocerciasis," and it spreads through small black flies that breed in fast-flowing, highly oxygenated waters. When an infected fly bites a person, it drops worm larvae in the skin, which can then grow and reproduce in the body. Unlike malaria, river blindness is not fatal, but it causes a "miserable life," said Moses Katabarwa, senior epidemiologist for the Atlanta-based Carter Center's River Blindness Program, which has been leading an effort to eliminate the disease in the Americas and several African countries. Some strains cause blindness, while others come with more severe skin disease. With time, generally all strains of the disease can lead to rough "lizard" skin, depigmented "leopard skin" and hanging groins. Another big problem among patients is itching, which happens when the worms die inside a person. In southwest Uganda, the locals call the disease "Obukamba," referring to the symptoms of distorted skin appearance and itchiness, Katabarwa said. In western Uganda, he said, "the fly is called 'Embwa fly' or dog fly, for it bites like a dog!" There is no vaccine for river blindness, but there is a drug, called ivermectin that paralyzes and kills the offspring of adult worms, according to the Mayo Clinic. It may also slow the reproduction of adult female worms, so there are fewer of them in the skin, blood and eyes. The pharmaceutical company Merck has been donating the treatment, under the brand name Mectizan, since 1985. Great strides have been made against this disease. In the Americas, it was eliminated in Colombia in 2007 and in Ecuador in 2009.

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Green Foods True Vitality Plant Protein Shake is a complete and natural plant protein shake with DHA, formulated for those with active lifestyles. Designed as an all in one meal, it contains vegetarian protein, omega 3's, probiotics, enzymes, carbohydrates, greens, fiber, and 100% of the RDA of the essential daily vitamins. The ingredients were scientifically formulated to work synergistically to enhance protein digestion, promote healthy digestive flora, as well as support the brain, eye, heart, and nervous system functioning. Those with busy lives, people interested in weight loss, and athletes will benefit from this convenient, nutritious, and tasty shake. Green Foods True Vitality Plant Protein Shake - Great source of vegetarian proteins. - DHA from algal oil supports cardiovascular health, as well as supports the brain, eye, and nervous system development and functioning. - Specially formulated enzymes aid in digestion. - A blend of prebiotics and probiotics work together to maintain healthy flora throughout the digestive tract. - 8 billion probiotic cells helps to maintain healthy and beneficial intestinal flora in the small intestine. In addition, probiotic supplementation assists vitamin synthesis, enhances immunity, and promotes a healthy digestive tract. - Contains Green Foods' Green Magma (barley), as well as spirulina and chlorella. - Contains 100% of the RDA of the essential daily vitamins. Complete Protein Digestion The proteins found in True Vitality are all vegetarian based and derived from pea, rice, hemp, spirulina, chlorella and barley grass juice. The proteoic enzyme blend is specifically designed to help break down these plant proteins. The five different types of enzymes help to reduce the digestive load place on the body from protein supplementation, while also providing maximum nutrient availability for muscle recovery and rebuilding. Green Foods True Vitality Plant Protein Shake contains: - Vegetarian Proteins: A balanced protein profile from pea, rice, hemp, barley, chlorella, and spriulina. Unlike animal protein, vegetarian proteins are highly digestible and low in saturated fats. - Specially Formulated Enzymes: The proteolytic enzyme blend is a specially formulated blend of five different types of enzymes designed to aid in the complete digestion of the vegetarian proteins. The enzymes help to reduce the digestive load placed on the body from protein supplementation while providing the maximum nutrient availability for the recovery and rebuilding process. - DHA from Algal Oil: The DHA (omega-3 fatty acid) found in True Vitality comes from algal oil. DHA is recommended by the American Heart Association and the USDA Dietary Guidelines for good cardiovascular health, and it also supports the brain, eye, and nervous system development and functioning. - Digestive Health: A blend of prebiotics and probiotics work together to maintain healthy flora throughout the digestive tract. Prebiotic organic inulin assists the movement of food through the large intestine while helping to maintain healthy cholesterol and blood glucose levels. - 8 Billion Active Probiotic Cells: These 8 billion probiotic cells, the most of any product in the market, helps to maintain healthy and beneficial intestinal flora in the small intestine. In addition, probiotic supplementation assists vitamin synthesis, enhances immunity, and promotes a healthy digestive tract. - True Vitality is a great tasting, easy to use nutritional shake designed for those with busy lives, people interested in weight loss, as well as athletes. The powder dissolves easily in water, smoothies, almond milk, etc. Promotes Healthy Digestive Flora True Vitality contains a blend of prebiotics and probiotics which synergistically work to maintain healthy flora throughout the digestive tract. The prebiotic organic inulin assists the movement of through the large intestine, and is particularly effective for those suffering from common ailments caused by slow moving digestive tracts. In addition, the organic inulin may help in maintaining healthy cholesterol and blood glucose levels. Organic inulin has a very low glycemic, making it suitable for those on restricted diets. The 8 billion active probiotic cells (Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium bifidum) also aid in digestion via maintaining healthy and beneficial intestinal flora primarily in the small intestine. Supplementation with probiotics helps to created effective an unfriendly environment for bad microororganimm as well. Green Foods True Vitality Plant Protein Shake Frequently Asked Questions When should I take True Vitality? True Vitality is ideally taken on an empty stomach. It can be used as part of a healthy diet, for those looking for extra protein, or for athletes and busy individuals needing a nutritious alternative to energy or sports drinks. How should I take True Vitality? It is best mixed in 8 to 10 ounces of water or juice, or mixed in a smoothie. Do not take with hot liquids since the enzymes and delicate nutrients may be destroyed. Can I mix up multiple servings and leave in the refrigerator for later use? We do not recommend this since oxidation of the vitamins, DHA, etc. may occur. Rather, it is best mixed when you are ready to drink. Omega 3's: Essential for Every Stage of Life Life's DHA is a vegetarian source of the omega 3 fatty acid DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) which is ideal for all ages. DHA is recommended by the American Health (Docosahexanoic). Dietary Guidelines for good cardiovascular health. In addition, it supports brain, eye and nervous system development and functioning. Life's DHA is free of the unpleasant taste and odor associated with fish oil, as well as free from the various contaminant

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en

Provided by Networx.com In quite a few municipalities, the onus is on homeowners (and building owners) to clear snow and ice from the sidewalks adjacent to their properties. In many of those cities, residents face fines if they fail to clear the ice from their sidewalks, as well as possible liability in cases resulting from slip and fall injuries. I went looking to some of the snowiest, iciest municipalities in North America (meaning Canada, too!) for advice on how to clear ice from the sidewalk. Did I learn much? In terms of technique, not really. However, I did pick up a few environmental tips and some snow removal etiquette inspiration. There is really only one basic technique for removing ice from sidewalks, and it involves burning calories. First, shovel while it is still snowing. If you do not allow snow to accumulate, you are less likely to see that snow turn to ice through freeze and thaw cycles. You'll want to clear snow down to the pavement. Once the snow has been cleared down to the pavement, apply sand or the ice melt granules of your choice to the sidewalk to prevent ice from forming and to provide traction. There is some debate about what the best ice melt granules are; some municipalities suggest sand, others suggest salt, and others suggest using only calcium chloride. (We'll get to why later in the article.) If you do end up with a buildup of ice on your sidewalk, the way to cut through it effectively is to hack at it with a garden edger or pick in order to break it up. Once the ice has been loosened sufficiently, shovel it away, and then apply your gritty sand or salt-esque substance. Let's have a look at what public works departments in cities across the US and Canada have to say about removing ice from your sidewalk: The Cambridge, MA Department of Public Works says, "Use ice melter with calcium chloride (CaCl2), which is the best choice for the environment and only a small amount is required to melt ice. Potassium chloride (KCl) is okay, too. Avoid rock salt (NaCl or sodium chloride), which kills plants and trees. Do not use sand. It doesn’t help pedestrians; but it makes hard ice more slippery. It gets into street drains and is expensive to clean up in the spring." However, just across the Charles River, the City of Boston says, "Remove ice to bare pavement or make as level as possible and treat with sand, sawdust or similar material." In neighboring Somerville, their DPW merely says, "Homeowners must shovel, salt or sand their sidewalks when it snows." Will Boston concrete contractors have to do costly sidewalk and road repairs in the spring? Are the Cantabrigians on to something? Weigh in in the comments if you have an answer. How long do you have to clear ice off the sidewalk? New Yorkers have four hours to clear their sidewalks if it snows between 7 AM and 5 PM, and then "The City may issue property owners a summons for a failure to clear the sidewalks within these time frames." In Chicago, you have only three hours to clear the snow off the sidewalk, and folks who don't do it can face fines of $50. You don't want to leave ice and snow on the sidewalk in Ann Arbor, Michigan, though. They issue fines of up to $1000! Toronto has a nice snow and ice clearing system: "In much of Toronto, the City provides mechanical sidewalk snow clearing." However, their municipality reminds residents that the snow removal service can take up to 72 hours. True to the way that Canadians seem to do things right, the City of Edmonton explains the freeze-thaw cycle, and even gives out free sand to its residents. "While properly removing snow prevents a build-up of ice over the winter, freeze-thaw weather cycles cause water from melting snow to run on to cleared walks. The water then becomes ice when the temperature drops. You are still required to keep the walks around your property safe during freeze-thaw cycles, either by keeping them ice-free or by spreading sand or gravel to give pedestrians traction. To help you keep your walks safe, the City provides free sand that can be picked up from green boxes outside your nearest Community League," says the city's website. The best advice comes from the City of Madison, Wisconsin: "The sooner and more completely you shovel, the less likely ice will form." Chaya Kurtz writes for Networx.com.View original post.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

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Wiles, Irving Ramsay, Painter, Illustrator, Teacher New York, N.Y.; Peconic, N.Y. Collection size: 1 item (on partial microfilm reel) Collection Summary: A letter to Mrs. Scharin from Wiles concerning a portrait Wiles painted for her (the subject of the portrait is unclear). Biographical/Historical Note: Portait painter, illustrator, teacher; Long Island, New York. Donated 1979 by William Postor who found the letter in a book purchased from the Scharin estate. How to Use this Collection - Microfilm reel 3482 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. - Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information. - For more information on using the Archives’ resources, see the FAQ or Ask Us.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

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Washington, D.C.; Ohio Collection size: 8 items (on 2 partial microfilm reels) Collection Summary: A journal; watercolor and pencil sketches; and a photograph. REEL 3569: A handwritten copy, ca. 1892, of a journal kept by John Cranch from 1831 to 1833 while studying in Italy. The journal contains descriptions of Italian art, architecture and scenery, an account of Cranch's physical and emotional state of health and his drawing and painting activities, and annotated pencil sketches. Cranch's travelling companions were Thomas Cole and Henry and Horatio Greenough. The journal was hand copied by Cranch's wife, Charlotte. Also included are 6 watercolor and pencil sketches, 1856 and 1886-1887. REEL 3667: One photograph of Cranch in his studio at his daughter's home in Urbana, Ohio, ca. 1885. Biographical/Historical Note: Portrait painter; Washington, D.C. and Urbana, Ohio. Journals & sketches lent and photo donated 1985 by John E. Cranch, great-grandson of the artist. How to Use this Collection - Microfilm reels 3569 & 3667 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. - Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information. - For more information on using the Archives’ resources, see the FAQ or Ask Us.

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AACAI has a number of specific Policy Documents dealing with a variety of important issues. In 1995 AACAI developed a policy on the use of volunteers working on archaeological sites. The policy was in keeping with the general objects of the Association, as set out in the Constitution. It has regard for AACAI's objective to set professional standards in the consulting field and also its training functions. The use of volunteers has become commonplace on historic site and on some Aboriginal site projects. In general the volunteer should be trained to undertake excavation tasks, the washing or sorting of artefacts and simple cataloguing procedures. The volunteer should not undertake work normally the responsibility of an assistant or specialist. Volunteers should be superfluous to the project's labour needs. It is the responsibility of the consultant to provide a safe working environment for volunteers and all other staff. Since the volunteer is not covered by workers' compensation insurance, it is an obligation of the consultant to have public liability insurance. Volunteers should be reimbursed for agreed expenses, such as travel and consumables. The recommended minimum fee scales cover general consultants, sub-consultants, specialists and archaeological assistants. AACAI recognises that the fee scale is referred to by people and organisations that are not consultant archaeologists but who have some need of estimating costs for a project or establishing payment scales for employees. While the rates may provide a useful guide for such matters they specifically do not cover minimum payments to waged/salaried employees. Other public sector wage scales may provide a more appropriate guide for such positions. The original basis for the development of the fee scale built in factors to compensate for the lack of long-term payment security, leave loading and other factors that are benefits that are generally enjoyed by waged and salaried staff. All rates listed are exclusive of GST. The fee scale applies to short-term contracts, of less than 2 months or 320 hours duration. Rates for longer-term projects may be negotiated between the employee, consultant and client. This rate applies to fully qualified archaeologists holding the primary responsibility for archaeological projects. Previously represented as a single minimum hourly rate, it is now represented as a minimum range to more accurately reflect the reasonable rate that a qualified experienced consultant archaeologist might charge. The range should not be taken to imply that consultants are restricted from charging higher rates. Generally, rates may vary depending on the specific skills and experience of the consultant and the nature of the work being undertaken. The lower end of the bandwidth is regarded as a recommended minimum rate. This hourly rate is calculated at 80% of the recommended minimum rate for consultants or the rate negotiated between the consultant and sub-consultant, whichever is the greater. The category of sub-consultant is defined not only by the skills and experience of the individual but by the nature of the work undertaken. A sub-consultant is engaged to undertake parts of a contract awarded to another consultant. Overall responsibility for completion of the project lies with the principal consultant but the sub-consultant usually carries out a substantial part of the project independently without supervision. Simply having an ABN does not mean that a person is a ‘sub-consultant’. Nothing in this fee scale should be taken to infer that a more qualified and experienced person should not from time to time be employed in a capacity of lesser responsibility. For example, an experienced and qualified archaeologist who normally works as an independent consultant might choose to work in a field assistant position to work with a colleague on a particularly interesting project. The hourly rate reflects the nature of the work being paid for and the minimum skills and experience necessary to successfully undertake that work. Several categories of assistant are described and rates have seen set that reflect the complexity of the task and the skills and experience of the individual. These rates do not apply to waged positions and may not apply to jobs of more the 2 months (320 hours) duration. Fee scales for long-term projects may be negotiated. On a project of less than 2 months (320 hours) no qualified archaeologist should be employed on a contract basis for less than $29 per hour. Specialist assistants are persons with specialist qualifications or experience in archaeology, for example the statistical analysis of Aboriginal stone artefacts. The specialist assistant should be able to command a higher hourly rate than other assistants, because he or she will normally prepare a written contribution, requiring interpretive or independent research skills. The role of the specialist assistant should be differentiated from the descriptive cataloguing and sorting of artefacts, which does not necessarily require interpretative or independent research skills. Grade 1 Assistants are employed to work independently, their work should not need review or supervision, and they should supervise others without intervention. Grade 2 Assistants should undertake site survey or recording, but their work should be reviewed or supervised. They may supervise the work of others, but under the review or supervision of a more qualified person. Grade 3 Assistants should be supervised at all times in such tasks as site survey or recording. They should not supervise others. It is expected that Grades 1-3 Assistant should have extensive previous experience in all or most of the tasks they are expected to undertake. AACAI considers that it is appropriate to introduce an hourly rate for trainees. This is intended to provide opportunities for new graduates, as well as a rate that enables the consultant to increase training opportunities without prejudicing the overall viability of a project. Trainees should have an honours degree in archaeology or other field of scholarship, or equivalent qualifications, but may not have the extensive practical experience necessary to qualify as an assistant. It is the duty of the consultant to provide relevant tuition to the trainee, for example, in excavation, recording or site survey. The trainee should not supervise others. Policy Last Updated: 24 December 2006 The purpose of the procedure for handling complaints against members is to assist the National Executive Committee (NEC) to handle such complaints in an equitable way, by providing a transparent process in the handling and investigation of complaints. All members of the Australian Association of Consulting Archaeologists Inc. (AACAI) undertake to abide by the Association’s Code of Ethics, along with other policies, rules and codes as outlined in the constitution and its schedules, when they accept membership of the Association. Several times over recent years the NEC has dealt with complaints against individual members who, it has been alleged, have breached the Code of Ethics. In most cases these matters have been dealt with through a combination of negotiations and arbitration. Disturbingly, although perhaps not surprisingly, some complaints appear to have been motivated by an attempt to disrupt matters being appropriately dealt with elsewhere, such as in the Land and Environment Court of NSW. In such cases it appears that the making of a complaint against members (usually by a non-member) has been used as a tactic to attempt to discredit the member in court. Most complaints received by the Association about its members relate to perceived or actual breaches of the Association’s Code of Ethics. AACAI is committed to upholding its Code of Ethics and ensuring that Members abide by the Code, however more guidance is required on how and when complaints will be handled. The following procedure follows closely the procedure for complaints handling of other similar organisations, specifically the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) and Australia ICOMOS. Specifically, the procedure states that a compliant will not be accepted while the matter or a related matter is being dealt with in the courts. Allegations of a Breach of the Rules and Codes of the Association At present Clause 38 of the Constitution of AACAI provides that disciplinary action may be taken against member of the Association. Specifically ‘Where the National Executive Committee is of the opinion that a member of the Association: There is little guidance, however, in the constitution about the process of handling and investigating the complaint before it reaches the stage of implementing disciplinary action. This current document is intended to be consistent with the Constitution, but to clarify the process between the point at which a complaint is received by the organisation and the imposition if necessary, of disciplinary action. The AACAI Code of Ethics The AACAI Code of Ethics forms a schedule of the Association’s Constitution. All members (in all categories) of AACAI are required to commit to and abide by the Code of Ethics as a condition of their membership of the Association. A copy of the Constitution and Code of Ethics can be found on the Association’s website at www.aacai.com.au. When AACAI Will Not Take Action on a Complaint The Association’s Rules and Code of Ethics do not bind archaeologists who are not members of AACAI and AACAI cannot assist with complaints about non-members. Nor can AACAI assist with complaints that are related to matters outside the scope of the Constitution and associated Codes. AACAI will not investigate a complaint while any other attempt is being made in another forum (such as a court, tribunal or mediation) to resolve an issue relating to any of the same facts or circumstances. Consequences of Breaching the Rules and Codes of the Association Under the Constitution the options open to the National Executive Committee to discipline a member are limited to: Clauses 38-47 of the Constitution set out how such disciplinary action takes effect and this involves a series of resolutions. Who Can Make an Allegation? An allegation of a breach of the Rules or Code of Ethics against an AACAI member can be made by a client, a member of the public, or another member of AACAI. Form of Allegation Any allegation must be in writing, addressed to the Secretary, name the member against whom the breach is alleged, and be signed and dated by the complainant. The allegation must also state where and when the breach is alleged to have occurred and the Clause of the Constitution or the Code of Ethics or other Rules or Policies alleged to have been breached, and must include sufficient documents or other information to explain the allegation. All allegations will be dealt with confidentially. Those who will know about the application will be the Secretary of the National Executive Committee (NEC) who receives the complaint, the President of AACAI (or his or her representative), the volunteer NEC member appointed by the President to conduct the investigation, the NEC Members if called upon to make a resolution on disciplinary action and the member who is the subject of the complaint. AACAI will use its best endeavours to ensure that any people investigating or dealing with a complaint are unconnected with the allegation in any way that is likely to involve self interest, conflict of interest or bias. When a complaint is received by the NEC, the Secretary will check whether the person named in the allegation was a member of the AACAI when the event or circumstance is alleged to have taken place. If so, the complaint will be acknowledged in writing, and the member concerned will also be notified in writing. Both parties will be asked to confirm that no other procedures outside the complaint to AACAI are in progress. AACAI prefers to resolve any complaint informally through negotiation, and will therefore seek to do this by referring the complainant to another member of AACAI (usually an NEC member unless a conflict of interest dictates otherwise) with whom the complaint can be discussed. If the complainant wishes to proceed with a formal allegation, the President will appoint an Assessor, who will be a member of the NEC or a senior member of AACAI (if a conflict with NEC members is involved), to investigate the complaint. If the Assessor considers that the allegation, if true, would constitute a breach of the Code of Ethics or the Constitution, the Assessor will write to the member who is the subject of the allegation and seek a written response. If, on the other hand, the Assessor does not consider that the allegation, even if true, would constitute a breach of the Code of Ethics or the Constitution, the Assessor will not investigate further. The Assessor will prepare a report on the investigation for the President. If after investigation the Assessor considers that a breach of the Code of Ethics or Constitution may have occurred, the President will bring the matter to the next meeting of the National Executive Committee to discuss any further action. The complainant will be informed in writing about the results of the investigation. Where the National Executive Committee agrees that a member: then the formal steps as outlined in the constitution in clauses 38-47 will be initiated. If the report of the Assessor concludes that a breach has not occurred the complainant will be informed in writing of that conclusion and that the matter has been deemed to have been dealt with under AACAI procedures. Policy Last Updated: 24 December 2006 If you are seeking work as an archaeological assistant then you are probably an Associate Member of AACAI. If you are not yet a member of the Association you should complete the Application Form. Most consulting archaeologists regularly employ assistants to help with fieldwork, artefact analysis, and archival research. Associate Members' names and addresses are circulated with the Association's Register of Consultants. Members of AACAI give preference of employment to other members. There is a Recommended Minimum Fee Scale for employees by which members are obliged to abide. On joining the Association a current Recommended Minimum Fee Scale and a copy of the Code of Ethics is provided. This information is designed to help recent graduates and other newcomers to the field who are looking for work as archaeological assistants. We hope it will help you to clarify your role as assistants and negotiate suitable employment conditions. Don't be afraid to ask questions It is important that employee and employer know what is expected of each other. It is often easy for other people to take a certain level of knowledge for granted, especially when they have been working in a particular field for a long time. As an assistant you are not expected to know everything and you should feel free to ask questions when in doubt. There are several points that you should clarify prior to accepting employment. How much will I be paid? The rate of pay should not be less than that shown in the Association's Recommended Minimum Fee Scale and you should ascertain that you are being paid the rate suitable to the type of work/level of experience required. When will I be paid? For example, weekly, fortnightly, at the end of the project etc. How long will the job last? For example, a month, about a month, up to three months and so on. What sort of work is involved? For example, fieldwork, office work, physical environment. What resources are supplied? It is usual for the consultant to supply all field equipment required to complete the job. If you are required to supply a vehicle or computer or other equipment then you may be entitled to additional reimbursement. Special needs regarding food or medication must be discussed with the employer. What costs are met by the consultant? All reasonable costs incurred while working with the consultant are usually met by the consultant. The consultant then claims these back from their client. Such costs might include items such as accommodation, postage, photocopying etc. Assistants are advised to discuss costs with the employing consultant before incurring them. Appropriate clothing is usually the responsibility of the employee. Are you covered by insurance? Your employer is required by law to have Worker's Compensation Insurance that will cover you.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a common childhood illness. People who are affected can have trouble with paying attention, sitting still and controlling their impulses. There are three types of ADHD. The most common type of ADHD is when people have difficulties with both attention and hyperactivity. This is called ADHD combined type. Some people only have difficulty with attention and organization. This is ADHD inattentive subtype or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Other people have only the hyperactive and impulsive symptoms. This is ADHD hyperactive subtype. It is a health condition involving biologically active substances in the brain. Studies show that ADHD may affect certain areas of the brain that allow us to solve problems, plan ahead, understand others' actions, and control our impulses. Many children and adults are easily distracted at times or have trouble finishing tasks. If you suspect that your child has ADHD, it is important to have your child evaluated by his or her doctor. In order for your child’s doctor to diagnose your child with ADHD, the behaviors must appear before age 7 and continue for at least six months. The symptoms must also create impairment in at least two areas of the child's life-in the classroom, on the playground, at home, in the community, or in social settings. Many children have difficulties with their attention but attention problems are not always cue to ADHD. For example, stressful life events and other childhood conditions such as problems with schoolwork caused by a learning disability or anxiety and depression can interfere with attention. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, ADHD occurs in an estimated 3 to 5 percent of preschool and school-age children. Therefore, in a class of 25 to 30 children, it is likely that at least one student will have this condition. ADHD begins in childhood, but it often lasts into adulthood. Several studies done in recent years estimate that 30 to 65 percent of children with ADHD continue to have symptoms into adolescence and adulthood. No one knows exactly what causes ADHD. There appears to be a combination of causes, including genetics and environmental influences Several different factors could increase a child's likelihood of having the disorder, such as gender, family history, prenatal risks, environmental toxins and physical differences in the brain seem to be involved. A child with ADHD often shows some of the following: Difficulties with attention: - trouble paying attention - inattention to details and makes careless mistakes - easily distracted - losing things such as school supplies - forgetting to turn in homework - trouble finishing class work and homework - trouble listening - trouble following multiple adult commands - difficulty playing quietly - inability to stay seated - running or climbing excessively - always "on the go" - talks too much and interrupts or intrudes on others - blurts out answers The good news is that effective treatment is available. The first step is to have a careful and thorough evaluation with your child’s primary care doctor or with a qualified mental health professional. With the right treatment, children with ADHD can improve their ability to pay attention and control their behavior. The right care can help them grow, learn, and feel better about themselves. Medications: Most children with ADHD benefit from taking medication. Medications do not cure ADHD. Medications can help a child control his or her symptoms on the day that the pills are taken. Medications for ADHD are well established and effective. There are two main types: stimulant and non-stimulant medications. Stimulants include methylphenidate, and amphetamine salts. Non-stimulant medications include atomoxetine. For more information about the medications used to treat ADHD, please see the Parent Med Guide. Before medication treatment begins, your child's doctor should discuss the benefits and the possible side effects of these medications. Your child’s doctor should continue to monitor your child for improvement and side effects. A majority of children who benefit from medication for ADHD will continue to benefit from it as teenagers. In fact, many adults with ADHD also find that medication can be helpful. Therapy and Other Support: A psychiatrist or other qualified mental health professional can help a child with ADHD. The psychotherapy should focus on helping parents provide structure and positive reinforcement for good behavior. In addition, individual therapy can help children gain a better self-image. The therapist can help the child identify his or her strengths and build on them. Therapy can also help a child with ADHD cope with daily problems, pay better attention, and learn to control aggression. A therapist may use one or more of the following approaches: Behavior therapy, Talk therapy, Social skills training, Family support groups. Sometimes children and parents wonder when children can stop taking ADHD medication. If you have questions about stopping ADHD medication, consult your doctor. Many children diagnosed with ADHD will continue to have problems with one or more symptoms of this condition later in life. In these cases, ADHD medication can be taken into adulthood to help control their symptoms. For others, the symptoms of ADHD lessen over time as they begin to "outgrow" ADHD or learn to compensate for their behavioral symptoms. The symptom most apt to lessen over time is hyperactivity. Some signs that your child may be ready to reduce or stop ADHD medication are: - Your child has been symptom-free for more than a year while on medication, - Your child is doing better and better, but the dosage has stayed the same, - Your child's behavior is appropriate despite missing a dose or two, - Or your child has developed a newfound ability to concentrate. The choice to stop taking ADHD medication should be discussed with the prescribing doctor, teachers, family members, and your child. You may find that your child needs extra support from teachers and family members to reinforce good behavior once the medication is stopped. Without treatment, a child with ADHD may fall behind in school and have trouble with friendships. Family life may also suffer. Untreated ADHD can increase strain between parents and children. Parents often blame themselves when they can't communicate with their child. The sense of losing control can be very frustrating. Teenagers with ADHD are at increased risk for driving accidents. Adults with untreated ADHD have higher rates of divorce and job loss, compared with the general population. Luckily, safe and effective treatments are available which can help children and adults help control the symptoms of ADHD and prevent the unwanted consequences.

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Comics Digital Coloring 101 for Adults and Older Teens Learn how to use Adobe Photoshop Element to clean up your art, fill in line work with colors and half tones, create cool lettering, prep the finished page for printing, and more. Cartoonist Jerzy Drozd will be your instructor. Art will be provided for you to work with or we can scan your art for you to work on. Select from one of the time slots listed below. Both sessions are identical. Registration is required. Register at any AADL location, online at aadl.org or call 327-8301. Wednesday August 22 -- (3:00-5:00 PM) OR (6:00-8:00 PM) -- Downtown Library -- 3rd Floor Training Center

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The United States government has issued a warning to its citizens all over the world this Thursday, telling them to avoid traveling to Pakistan, Aaj News reported. Pakistan is currently in a state of protest against an anti-Islam film made by a person living inside United States of America. The warning issued by the State Department was an update of an August 27 warning about the risks of traveling to Pakistan. This warning, however, recommends Americans to avoid visiting here. Only today, protests turned violent in the capital city of Islamabad as mayhem and chaos became highlight of the day. Diplomatic Enclaves were stormed by enraged mobs of protestors expressing their anger over the anti-Islamic film.

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... your resource for public presentations This is a resource for members of AAPG, teachers, student and media who need visual aids for a speaking engagement or other illustrative applications. All slides are provided by the original speaker and in some cases with notes or talking points and small previews of each slide. If you need a better quality for print, please contact the individual for their permission and higher resolution material. We Are AAPG This slide set is an overview about AAPG. It touches on AAPG’s mission, its membership and the opportunities it provides. It is ideal for sharing with any audience and would be a great introduction or close to any presentation. Additionally you may download the “We Are AAPG” video - An Introduction to the Hunt for Oil Posted November- 2011 - These slides were designed for an AAPG Visiting Geoscientis Program short course. The intended audience is upper class undergraduate students, Masters and PhD candidates in any branch of geoscience. Much of the material is basic and intended for students who do not have much prior knowledge of Petroleum Geology and/or Exploration Seismology. There are 17 slide sets and 10 possible agendas for their use. Slides and captions are provided courtesy of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and were provided by AAPG Visiting Geoscientist Fred W. Schroeder. - Geoscience Workforce for the Future: “The Great Crew Change” Posted December, 2008 - A panel of executive-level experts share their observations and concerns about manpower for the oil industry in a special session at the AAPG International Convention and Exhibition in Cape Town held October 2008. Presenter Title Materials Provided Pete Stark Introduction to the Session Slides Scott Tinker Texas BEG (2008-09 AAPG President) Workforce Observations Slides Michael Naylor A 2020 Vision Notes Jatinder Peters The Great Crew Change Slides Notes Mario Carminatti A Petrobras View Slides Rod Nelson Developing People Slides Christian Heine Presented but no materials provided - Managing Your Career as a Geoscientist Posted Sept. 22, 2008 - DOWNLOAD PDF / PPT Presented by Bob Shoup on a visit to Khon Kaen University. A great resource admonishing the audience to "Take Reponsibility: It is your career. It is your responsibility." - Global Energy: Myths, Realities and Paradoxes Posted: July 31, 2008 - Answering the continuing questions about oil prices and the curret energy situation inspired Scott Tinker, AAPG President 2008-09, to generate this "Top 10 List" of the myths and realities about energy. Global Energy: Myths, Realities and Paradoxes was presented in July, 2008 at the Rocky Mountain Section and COGA meeting held in Denver, Colorado. - Geoscience Careers Updated: Sept. 22, 2008 - The following Slide presentation on Geoscience Careers was prepared by Chuck Caughey, Chair of the AAPG Visiting Geoscientist Program Committee, for use by Visiting Geoscientists on campus visits. Visiting Geoscientists may wish to add or subtract slides to personalize the presentation and adapt it to their audiences. Talking points are included. - Grand Canyon: Geology is Scenery! Posted: May 19, 2005 - In 1991 Kansas Geological Survey sent an expedition to the Grand Canyon to re-photograph a 1923 visit. These slides provided, by Lee Gerhard, include that expedition and other trips Gerhard has made. - Energy Posted: April 6, 2005 - These slides were provided by Will Green from talks he presents when he visits university campuses as a Visiting Geoscientist. They are compiled from data found at DOE/EIA. - Canadian Rocky Mountains Posted: October 11, 2004 - A virtual field trip designed to familiarize viewers with the geology of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and the overthrust belt. Not much later, the overthrust belt in the United States became a prime exploration target. Lee Gerhard - Anatomy of a Reef Posted: September 22, 2004 - A photographic virtual field trip though a classical Caribbean reef complex, photographed prior to the collapse of the ecosystem owing to coral and echinoderm disease. Clarendon Bowman (deceased) and Lee Gerhard - Geologic CO2 Sequestration and Denali Fault Earthquake Posted: August 25, 2003 - The earthquake slides illustrate how the engineering of the Alaskan pipeline really works and that development of oil and gas in sensitive areas can be accomplished without damage to the environment. Larry Wickstrom, Ohio Geological Survey, Columbus, Ohio - Is There a Future for Professionals In the Petroleum Industry? Posted: August 18, 2003 - Today's Students, Tomorrow's Professionals. A report presented by John Kaldi, National Centre for Petroleum Geology and Geophysics, University of Adelaide, Australia - AAPG Membership Benefit Pyramid Posted: January 16, 2003 - Help promote AAPG through this simply slide presentation for just about every audience. - Energy and Environment: A Partnership That Works Posted: January 14, 2003 - Slides from four the speakers at this AAPG President's Conference held September 23, 2002 in Washington D.C. - Distinguished Lecture Program Slide Library Posted: November 12, 2002 - The Future Need for Petroleum Geoscientists Posted: May 1, 2002 - presented originally by Donald W. Lewis Presented as a report from the Future of Earth Scientists Committee to the House of Delegates at the AAPG Annual Meeting, March 2002, Houston - The Quest for Energy: Rewarding Careers in Petroleum Exploration Posted: February 2000 - presented originally by John Armentrout The entire slide set is 139 slides, which includes a number of slides dealing with petroleum statistics and images of the exploration process Users have the option of downloading the entire slide presentation or individual slides. Entire presentations are provided both as PowerPoint and PDF documents. When possible, notes are provided within the PowerPoint slides and may be viewed in the Notes Page View. Don't have PowerPoint? No problem. Here are two options you may use in lieu of PowerPoint. - Use the PPT version. There is a PowerPoint viewer available from Microsoft for both the Windows and Macintosh operating systems. They are free for download. - Use the PDF version. Download the PDF version. Open your PDF file using Adobe Acrobat Reader. Using the View menu, select Full View, and the presentation will fill your screen. You may then use either your Page Up or Page Down keys or your arrow keys to navigate through the presentation. Simply press the Escape key to return to your normal view. Presenters are asked to give proper credit to the speaker when you use any slide from this bank. Should you have any questions regarding the slides, please contact the original speaker for clarification.

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Weights linked to lower diabetes risk Weight gains Weight training, and not just cardio workouts, is linked to a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a US study. "We all know that aerobic exercise is beneficial for diabetes - many studies have looked at that - but no studies have looked at weight training," says study leader Frank Hu, at the Harvard School of Public Health. "This study suggests that weight training is important for diabetes, and probably as important as aerobic training." Hu and his colleagues, whose report was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, used data on more than 32,000 male health professionals, who answered questionnaires every two years from 1990 to 2008. On average, four out of 1000 men developed type 2 diabetes every year, the researchers found. The risk of getting the blood sugar disorder was only half as high for men who did cardio, or aerobic, workouts - say brisk walking, jogging or playing tennis - at least 150 minutes a week, as for those who didn't do any cardio exercise. Men who did weight training for 150 minutes or more had a risk reduction of a third compared to those who never lifted weights, independently of whether or not they did aerobic exercise. Exercise is beneficial Whereas weight training increases muscle mass and can reduce abdominal obesity, it tends not to cut overall body mass, says Hu. The results don't prove that working out staves off diabetes, because many men who stay fit may also be healthier in other ways, but the researchers did their best to account for such potential differences, including age, smoking and diet. "I think the benefits of weight training are real," says Hu. "Any type of exercise is beneficial for diabetes prevention, but weight training can be incorporated with aerobic exercise to get the best results." Along with an appropriate diet, exercise is also important for people who already have type 2 diabetes and can help control high blood sugar, he adds.

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Arctic meltdown not caused by nature Rapid loss of Arctic sea ice - 80 per cent has disappeared since 1980 - is not caused by natural cycles such as changes in the Earth's orbit around the Sun, says Dr Karl. The situation is getting rather messy with regard to the ice melting in the Arctic. Now the volume of the ice varies throughout the year, rising to its peak after midwinter, and falling to its minimum after midsummer, usually in the month of September. Over most of the last 1,400 years, the volume of ice remaining each September has stayed pretty constant. But since 1980, we have lost 80 per cent of that ice. Now one thing to appreciate is that over the last 4.7 billion years, there have been many natural cycles in the climate — both heating and cooling. What's happening today in the Arctic is not a cycle caused by nature, but something that we humans did by burning fossil fuels and dumping slightly over one trillion tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere over the last century. So what are these natural cycles? There are many many of them, but let's just look at the Milankovitch cycles. These cycles relate to the Earth and its orbit around the Sun. There are three main Milankovitch cycles. They each affect how much solar radiation lands on the Earth, and whether it lands on ice, land or water, and when it lands. The first Milankovitch cycle is that the orbit of the Earth changes from mostly circular to slightly elliptical. It does this on a predominantly 100,000-year cycle. When the Earth is close to the Sun it receives more heat energy, and when it is further away it gets less. At the moment the orbit of the Earth is about halfway between "nearly circular" and "slightly elliptical". So the change in the distance to the Sun in each calendar year is currently about 5.1 million kilometres, which translates to about 6.8 per cent difference in incoming solar radiation. But when the orbit of the Earth is at its most elliptical, there will be a 23 per cent difference in how much solar radiation lands on the Earth. The second Milankovitch cycle affecting the solar radiation landing on our planet is the tilt of the north-south spin axis compared to the plane of the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. This tilt rocks gently between 22.1 degrees and 24.5 degrees from the vertical. This cycle has a period of about 41,000 years. At the moment we are roughly halfway in the middle — we're about 23.44 degrees from the vertical and heading down to 22.1 degrees. As we head to the minimum around the year 11,800, the trend is that the summers in each hemisphere will get less solar radiation, while the winters will get more, and there will be a slight overall cooling. The third Milankovitch cycle that affects how much solar radiation lands on our planet is a little more tricky to understand. It's called 'precession'. As our Earth orbits the Sun, the north-south spin axis does more than just rock gently between 22.1 degrees and 24.5 degrees. It also — very slowly, just like a giant spinning top — sweeps out a complete 360 degrees circle, and it takes about 26,000 years to do this. So on January 4, when the Earth is at its closest to the Sun, it's the South Pole (yep, the Antarctic) that points towards the Sun. So at the moment, everything else being equal, it's the southern hemisphere that has a warmer summer because it's getting more solar radiation, but six months later it will have a colder winter. And correspondingly, the northern hemisphere will have a warmer winter and a cooler summer. But of course, "everything else" is not equal. There's more land in the northern hemisphere but more ocean in a southern hemisphere. The Arctic is ice that is floating on water and surrounded by land. The Antarctic is the opposite — ice that is sitting on land and surrounded by water. You begin to see how complicated it all is. We have had, in this current cycle, repeated ice ages on Earth over the last three-million years. During an ice age, the ice can be three kilometres thick and cover practically all of Canada. It can spread through most of Siberia and Europe and reach almost to where London is today. Of course, the water to make this ice comes out of the ocean, and so in the past, the ocean level has dropped by some 125 metres. From three million years ago to one million years ago, the ice advanced and retreated on a 41,000-year cycle. But from one million years ago until the present, the ice has advanced and retreated on a 100,000-year cycle. What we are seeing in the Arctic today — the 80 per cent loss in the volume of the ice since 1980 — is an amazingly huge change in an amazingly short period of time. But it seems as though the rate of climate change is accelerating, and I'll talk more about that, next time … Published 27 November 2012 © 2013 Karl S. Kruszelnicki Pty Ltd

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Black holes growing faster than expected Black hole find Existing theories on the relationship between the size of a galaxy and its central black hole are wrong according to a new Australian study. The discovery by Dr Nicholas Scott and Professor Alister Graham, from Melbourne's Swinburne University of Technology, found smaller galaxies have far smaller black holes than previously estimated. Central black holes, millions to billions of times more massive than the Sun, reside in the core of most galaxies, and are thought to be integral to galactic formation and evolution. However astronomers are still trying to understand this relationship. Scott and Graham combined data from observatories in Chile, Hawaii and the Hubble Space Telescope, to develop a data base listing the masses of 77 galaxies and their central supermassive black holes. The astronomers determined the mass of each central black hole by measuring how fast stars are orbiting it. Existing theories suggest a direct ratio between the mass of a galaxy and that of its central black hole. "This ratio worked for larger galaxies, but with improved technology we're now able to examine far smaller galaxies and the current theories don't hold up," says Scott. In a paper to be published in the Astrophysical Journal, they found that for each ten-fold decrease in a galaxy's mass, there was a one hundred-fold decrease in its central black hole mass. "That was a surprising result which we hadn't been anticipating," says Scott. The study also found that smaller galaxies have far denser stellar populations near their centres than larger galaxies. According to Scott, this also means the central black holes in smaller galaxies grow much faster than their larger counterparts. Black holes grow by merging with other black holes when their galaxies collide. "When large galaxies merge they double in size and so do their central black holes," says Scott. "But when small galaxies merge their central black holes quadruple in size because of the greater densities of nearby stars to feed on." Somewhere in between The findings also solve the long standing problem of missing intermediate mass black holes. For decades, scientists have been searching for something in between stellar mass black holes formed when the largest stars die, and supermassive black holes at the centre of galaxies. "If the central black holes in smaller galaxies have lower mass than originally thought, they may represent the intermediate mass black hole population astronomers have been hunting for," says Graham. "Intermediate sized black holes are between ten thousand and a few hundred thousand times the mass of the Sun, and we think we've found several good candidates." "These may be big enough to be seen directly by the new generation of extremely large telescopes now being built," says Graham.

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Hoodoos may be seismic gurus Hoodoo prediction Towering chimney-like sedimentary rock spires known as hoodoos may provide an indication of an area's past earthquake activity. The research by scientists including Dr Rasool Anooshehpoor, from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, may provide scientists with a new tool to test the accuracy of current hazard models. Hoodoo formations are often found in desert regions, and are common in North America, the Middle East and northern Africa. They are caused by the uneven weathering of different layers of sedimentary rocks, that leave boulders or thin caps of hard rock perched on softer rock. By knowing the strengths of different types of sedimentary layers, scientists can determine the amount of stress needed to cause those rocks to fracture. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) use seismic hazard models to predict the type of ground motion likely to occur in an area during a seismic event. But, according to Anooshehpoor, these models lack long term data. "Existing hazard maps use models based on scant data going back a hundred years or so," says Anooshehpoor. "But earthquakes have return periods lasting hundreds or thousands of years, so there is nothing to test these hazard models against." The researchers examined two unfractured hoodoos within a few kilometres of the Garlock fault, which is an active strike-slip fault zone in California's Red Rock Canyon. Their findings are reported in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. "Although we can't put a precise age on hoodoos because of their erosion characteristics, we can use them to provide physical limits on the level of ground shaking that could potentially have occurred in the area," says Anooshehpoor. The researchers developed a three-dimensional model of each hoodoo and determined the most likely place where each spire would fail in an earthquake. They then tested rock samples similar to the hoodoo pillars to measure their tensile strength and compared their results with previously published data. USGS records suggest at least one large magnitude earthquake occurred along the fault in the last 550 years, resulting in seven metres of slip, yet the hoodoos are still standing. This finding is consistent with a median level of ground motion associated with the large quakes in this region, says Anooshehpoor. "If an earthquake occurred with a higher level of ground motion, the hoodoos would have collapsed," he says. "Nobody can predict earthquakes, but this will help predict what ground motions are associated with these earthquakes when they happen." Dr Juan Carlos Afonso from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Sydney's Macquarie University says it's an exciting development. "In seismic hazard studies, it's not just difficult to cover the entire planet, it's hard to cover even small active regions near populated areas," says Afonso. "You need lots of instruments, so it's great if you can rely on nature and natural objects to help you." He says while the work is still very new and needs to be proven, the physics seems sound.

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Now, it is common knowledge these days that Hitler's final great offensive in the last years of WWII was the Ardennes Offensive of 1944/45, also known as the battle of the Bulge. What was not appreciated at the time by the Allied high command was just how desperately short of vital supplies the Third Reich armies actually were. The Ardennes Offensive was Hitler's bold attempt to capture and hold the Allied army's massive supply of Brussels sprouts, vital - of course - for the full functioning of any army. German intelligence were aware that the American army was - in particular - massing huge quantities of the vital Brussels sprouts just behind their frontlines in preparedness for their own massive push - and - of course - in time for Christmas. The German's audacious plan would have succeeded if the Allies had not quickly worked out that it was their stockpiles of Brussels sprouts that were under immediate threat. The bold plan put forward by the Allied Generals was a heavy gamble, but it paid off. They ordered their front-line chefs to begin boiling their entire stocks of Brussels sprouts, and - most importantly - to keep them boiling well past a state of fully preparedness. So, when the weather altered and the wind direction changed, it blew the smell of over-cooked Brussels sprouts straight into the faces of the advancing Germans. Then the Reich troops knew that they would not be able to replenish their stocks of Brussels sprouts and any sprouts that they did capture from the Allied frontline kitchens would be overcooked to the point of inedibility. Later in this series, we will discuss the major strategic role that Brussels sprouts have played in world history, such as Hadrian building a wall to protect the Roman Empire's most northern supplies of Brussels sprouts from the northern barbarians, thus thwarting the barbarian's fiendish plan to deep-fry the Roman's entire stockpiles of sprouts. Then there was, also, Napoleon's retreat from Moscow when his over-long supply line of Brussels sprouts direct from France broke down. Even when his troops could get sprouts, they were of poor quality - dry, wizened and frozen solid. Of course, this led to a massive collapse of morale. Eventually, the lack of good quality sprouts forced a massive retreat where thousands of French troops died from a pitiful lack of sprouts. And, of course, not forgetting - of course - how the Spanish conquest of the Americas was a result of the Spaniards overwhelming sprout superiority.

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Books Yellow, Red, and Green and Blue, All true, or just as good as true, And here's the Blue Book just for YOU! Hard is the path from A to Z, And puzzling to a curly head, Yet leads to Books—Green, Yellow and Red. For every child should understand That letters from the first were planned To guide us into Fairy Land So labour at your Alphabet, For by that learning shall you get To lands where Fairies may be met. And going where this pathway goes, You too, at last, may find, who knows? The Garden of the Singing Rose. As to whether there are really any fairies or not, that is a difficult question. The Editor never saw any himself, but he knew several people who have seen them-in the Highlands-and heard their music. If ever you are in Nether Lochaber, go to the Fairy Hill, and you may hear the music your-self, as grown-up people have done, but you must go on a fine day. This book has been especially re-published to raise funds for: The Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity By buying this book you will be donating to this great charity that does so much good for ill children and which also enables families to stay together in times of crisis. And what better way to help children than to buy a book of fairy tales. Some have not been seen in print or heard for over a century. 33% of the Publisher’s profit from the sale of this book will be donated to the GOSH Children’s Charity. YESTERDAYS BOOKS for TODAYS CHARITIES LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a little country girl, the prettiest creature was ever seen. Her mother was excessively fond of her; and her grandmother doted on her still more. This good woman had made for her a little red riding-hood; which became the girl so extremely well that everybody called her Little Red Riding-Hood. One day her mother, having made some custards, said to her: "Go, my dear, and see how thy grandmamma does, for I hear she has been very ill; carry her a custard, and this little pot of butter." Little Red Riding-Hood set out immediately to go to her grandmother, who lived in another village. As she was going through the wood, she met with Gaffer Wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but he dared not, because of some faggot-makers hard by in the forest. He asked her whither she was going. The poor child, who did not know that it was dangerous to stay and hear a wolf talk, said to him: "I am going to see my grandmamma and carry her a custard and a little pot of butter from my mamma." "Does she live far off?" said the Wolf. "Oh! aye," answered Little Red Riding-Hood; "it is beyond that mill you see there, at the first house in the village." "Well," said the Wolf, "and I'll go and see her too. I'll go this way and you go that, and we shall see who will be there soonest." The Wolf began to run as fast as he could, taking the nearest way, and the little girl went by that farthest about, diverting herself in gathering nuts, running after butterflies, and making nosegays of such little flowers as she met with. The Wolf was not long before he got to the old woman's house. He knocked at the door—tap, tap. "Your grandchild, Little Red Riding-Hood," replied the Wolf, counterfeiting her voice; "who has brought you a custard and a little pot of butter sent you by mamma." The good grandmother, who was in bed, because she was somewhat ill, cried out: "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up."The Wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened, and then presently he fell upon the good woman and ate her up in a moment, for it was above three days that he had not touched a bit. He then shut the door and went into the grandmother's bed, expecting Little Red Riding-Hood, who came some time afterward and knocked at the door—tap, tap. Little Red Riding-Hood, hearing the big voice of the Wolf, was at first afraid; but believing her grandmother had got a cold and was hoarse, answered: "’Tis your grandchild, Little Red Riding-Hood, who has brought you a custard and a little pot of butter mamma sends you." The Wolf cried out to her, softening his voice as much as he could: "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up." Little Red Riding-Hood pulled the bobbin, and the door opened. The Wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the bed-clothes: "Put the custard and the little pot of butter upon the stool, and come and lie down with me." Little Red Riding-Hood undressed herself and went into bed, where, being greatly amazed to see how her grandmother looked in her night-clothes, she said to her: "Grandmamma, what great arms you have got!" "That is the better to hug thee, my dear." "Grandmamma, what great legs you have got!" "That is to run the better, my child." "Grandmamma, what great ears you have got!" "That is to hear the better, my child." "Grandmamma, what great eyes you have got!" "It is to see the better, my child." "Grandmamma, what great teeth you have got!" "That is to eat thee up." And, saying these words, this wicked wolf fell upon Little Red Riding-Hood, and tried to start eating her. Red Riding Hood screamed “Someone Help Me!” over and over again. The woodcutter, who was felling trees nearby, heard Red Riding Hood’s screams for help and ran to the cottage. He burst in to find the wolf trying to eat Red Riding Hood. He swung his axe, and with one blow killed the bad wolf for which Red Riding Hood was ever so grateful. Great Book! Really interesting read! Was great to see a published version of Jewish tales! Arrived very quickly too - great service! A thrilling book about a chase across the US! A great story, my son loved it! Quick and Convenient delivery! Stories of the famous spice route across Asia! Great to see a volume of Phillipine Folklore Stories in Print, only one I've found on the web! We deliver to destinations all over the world, and here at Abela, we have some of the best rates in the book industry. We charge shipping dependant on the book you have ordered and where in the world you are ordering from. This will be shown below the price of the book. The delivery time is typically dependant on where in the world you are ordering from, Should you need a estimated delivery time, please do not hesitate to contact us. We pride ourselves on the quality of our packaging and damage rates are very low. In the unlikely event there is damage please contact us before returning your item, as you may have to pay for return shipping, if you have not let us know. Due to the nature of books being read then returned for a refund, unfortunately we do not accept returns unless the item is damaged and we are notified ON THE DAY OF DELIVERY.

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Peak oil is reality. Demand is growing and supplies are dwindling. Our government refuses to make this known widescale. In not making the general public aware of this, and not planning for the eventuality of it, one not-so-fine day in the not-so-distant future we will all be left to fend for ourselves as oil and gas become near impossible to acquire. It's time to start thinking about ways to survive that. How many of you out there live in the city? How many in the country? How many rent? How many own property/homes? Let's say 2020 is our cut-off date (meaning: oil and gas is way too rare and expensive for the majority of Americans to get), what will you have done Here's a project for all of us.. What can we do now to be ready for that awful day? Tell us what you can do, start implementing those plans now and share with ATS your progress. Here are a few things I have thought about and am trying to do now: 1. Stockpile water, MRE's, canned goods, medicines/first aid supplies & everything related 2. Looking into growing my own foods (canning would be excellent). 3. stockpile ammo for firearms, parts & cleaning supplies. One day we may find ourselves without law enforcement and may have to defend against looters & criminals. 4. Live as close to the job as possible 5. Get a bike, a couple horses, livestock, etc. These are just a few of the things to be done. There are many others. What are you gonna do? Here's an article on the end of oil... The End of Oil Is Closer Than You Think By John Vidal The Guardian UK Thursday 21 April 2005 Oil production could peak next year, reports John Vidal. Just kiss your lifestyle goodbye. The one thing that international bankers don't want to hear is that the second Great Depression may be round the corner. But last week, a group of ultra-conservative Swiss financiers asked a retired English petroleum geologist living in Ireland to tell them about the beginning of the end of the oil age. They called Colin Campbell, who helped to found the London-based Oil Depletion Analysis Centre because he is an industry man through and through, has no financial agenda and has spent most of a lifetime on the front line of oil exploration on three continents. He was chief geologist for Amoco, a vice-president of Fina, and has worked for BP, Texaco, Shell, ChevronTexaco and Exxon in a dozen different countries. "Don't worry about oil running out; it won't for very many years," the Oxford PhD told the bankers in a message that he will repeat to businessmen, academics and investment analysts at a conference in Edinburgh next week. "The issue is the long downward slope that opens on the other side of peak production. Oil and gas dominate our lives, and their decline will change the world in radical and unpredictable ways," he says.

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REG $12.99 - ON SALE - NOW $9.99 CRISS ANGEL recently used this method when having a numbered ball selected from a clear bag for his cassette prediction trick! Due to it's strong net material, will last LONGER than any other bag. You will love our NEW IMPROVED MYSTERY NET Force Bag! So well made you can place this bag in front of their nose and they can't figure it out! And with our new net material bag, it's secret is even MORE deceptive! This is more than a GREAT Utility item-This innocent looking bag will help you create a a reputation for being an INCREDIBLE MIND READER! Its deceptive beauty lies in the fact that this bag is transparent. The simple design leads the audience to believe it is innocent. And yet it does all the work for you! Many routines are included for this wonderful clear force bag. For instance, imagine showing the bag on both sides filled with colored buttons. You show your closed fist and tell the audience you have predicted what color they will choose and that color button is held in your closed hand. You shake the bag to mix the buttons. The volunteer is allowed to reach in the bag, remove one and hold it closed in her fist. Both hands are brought next to each other and opened. THE COLORS MATCH! You can use this bag with cards, paper slips with randomly written numbers or names, bills, coins, silks. You can always know IN ADVANCE what item they will pick with this amazing CLEAR NET force bag. - Use it for mind reading predictions - Use it for switching objects - Measures approximately 7 3/4" x 10 1/4" - DELUXE quality, made of really nice netting material - Easy to do - Packs small, plays BIG! BUY TWO MYSTERY NET FORCE BAGS, AND GET A THIRD ONE FREE!

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Axitinib is used to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC, a type of cancer that begins in the cells of the kidneys) in people who have not been treated successfully with another medication. Axitinib is in a class of medications called kinase inhibitors. It works by blocking the action of an abnormal protein that signals cancer cells to multiply. This helps slow or stop the spread of cancer cells. Axitinib comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken with or without food two times a day. Take axitinib at around the same times every day, about 12 hours apart. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take axitinib exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Swallow the tablets whole with a glass of water; do not split, chew, or crush them. If you vomit after taking axitinib, do not take another dose. Continue your regular dosing schedule. Your doctor may start you on a low dose of axitinib and gradually increase your dose, not more than once every 2 weeks. This depends on how well the medication works for you and any side effects you might experience. Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment. Continue to take axitinib even if you feel well. Do not stop taking axitinib without talking to your doctor. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer's information for the patient. This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Before taking axitinib, - tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to axitinib, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in axitinib tablets. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients. - tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: bosentan (Tracleer); carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol); clarithromycin (Biaxin, in Prevpac); itraconazole (Sporanox); ketoconazole (Nizoral); medications to treat HIV/AIDs including atazanavir (Reyataz), efavirenz (Sustiva, in Atripla), etravirine (Intelence), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (Norvir), and saquinavir (Invirase); modafinil (Provigil); nafcillin; nefazodone; phenobarbital; phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek); rifabutin (Mycobutin); rifampin (Rifamate, Rifater); rifapentine (Priftin); steroid medications such as dexamethasone (Decadron); telithromycin (Ketek); and voriconazole (Vfend).Many other medications may also interact with axitinib, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list. - tell your doctor what herbal products you are taking, especially St John's wort. - tell your doctor if you have a wound that has not healed, or if you have or have ever had bleeding problems; blood clots; high blood pressure; a heart attack; bleeding in the stomach or intestines; brain cancer; a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in your lung); a stroke or ministroke (TIA); or heart; liver; or thyroid disease. - tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or if you plan to father a child. You or your partner should not become pregnant while you are taking axitinib. You should use birth control to prevent pregnancy in yourself or your partner during your treatment with axitinib. Talk to your doctor about birth control methods that will work for you. If you or your partner becomes pregnant while taking axitinib, call your doctor. Axitinib may harm the fetus. - tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. - if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking axitinib. Your doctor will tell you to stop taking axitinib at least 24 hours before your surgery. Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while taking this medication. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet. If you miss a dose of axitinib, skip that dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. Axitinib may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: - decrease in appetite or ability to taste things - weight loss - change in the sound of your voice - redness, pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, or itching or peeling of the skin on your hands and feet - joint or muscle pain - mouth sores - stomach pain - heart burn - dry skin - feeling hot or cold - pale skin - fast heart beat - hair loss - ringing in the ears - wound or cut that will not heal Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical help: - severe stomach pain - shortness of breath - unusual bleeding or bruising - black and tarry stools - red blood in stools - bloody vomit - vomiting material that looks like coffee grounds - chest pain or pressure - pain in the arms, back, neck, or jaw - swelling, tenderness, warmth, or redness of a leg - sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg (especially on one side of the body) - sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding - sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes - sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination - sudden severe headache with no known cause - loss of vision Axitinib may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication. If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at Web Site] or by phone [1-800-332-1088]. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication. In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911. Symptoms of overdose may include the following: - coughing up blood Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your body's response to axitinib. Your doctor will also check your blood pressure regularly during your treatment with axitinib. Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription. It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies. AHFS® Consumer Medication Information. © Copyright, The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland. All Rights Reserved. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized by ASHP. Selected Revisions: June 15, 2012.

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Toolkits from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), aimed to help reduce errors in tax returns, have been broadly welcomed by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) as they could help busy accountancy advisors. HMRC is in the process of sending out reminder letters to tax agents about the existence of these toolkits and want feedback from those who are already using them. There are 20 toolkits covering a range of taxes including Income Tax, Corporation Tax, Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and Value Added Tax (VAT). Some specific areas include Directors’ Loan Accounts, Losses and Capital Allowances. The toolkits provide guidance on areas of error that HMRC frequently see in returns and set out the steps that professional agents can take to reduce those errors. They aim to help and support, but are not mandatory, in: - ensuring returns are completed correctly, minimising errors - focusing on the areas of possible error that HMRC consider key - demonstrating reasonable care. They are updated at least annually to make sure they are up-to-date and relevant. Chas Roy-Chowdhury, ACCA’s head of taxation, said: 'These toolkits are helpful guidance for tax professionals which they can use when they are completing tax returns for their clients. 'The toolkits can help to reduce preparation time for the returns for submission deadlines. Tax has become a lot more complicated, so toolkits can make life a little easier for professional advisors will make a difference. 'HMRC is also keen to receive feedback about the toolkits, which you can give on its website.' - To find an ACCA accountant to hire for a variety of financial services, and to feed back about the HMRC toolkits, visit the 'Related Links' section, to the left of this article.

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Equal treatment between persons irrespective of gender, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation is a core founding value of the European Union. In addition to being a fundamental right, with the financial crisis, equality has also become an economic imperative that needs to be further addressed and given exposure. ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) recently organised in Brussels its 2013 President's debate, in association with the Irish presidency of the Council of the EU, to discuss with experts what can be done to fight inequalities and discrimination in the workplace. The aim was to exchange best practice in terms of existing support towards diversity and also envisage what could be the next steps to reinforce that support. The debate’s discussions revealed that despite the positive steps taken in the last half century, real equality is yet to be achieved in society. Managing diversity in working life needs further improvement – women are still facing discrimination in issues such as equal pay, or still experiencing difficulties such as reconciling a work and family life. Other interlinked societal issues include the discrimination towards older and disabled workers, which urgently require new structures and approaches. In addition, the current economic crisis is putting further pressure on the finances of all EU member states, resulting in austerity measures and cuts in social policies, including equality. There was a large consensus among panellists that investing in equality policies should however not be sacrificed: these policies, by ensuring that all groups at risk of discrimination are empowered to play a positive role for growth and given the opportunity to show their talents, could contribute to the creation of a more inclusive and prosperous society. To face the daunting challenges linked to growth and jobs that are today – and quite realistically tomorrow as well - affecting most major economies, we cannot indeed afford to waste any economic contributions. Richard Howitt , MEP Rapporteur on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), stressed that: 'Business progress on diversity must not be a victim of the economic crisis. The gains that we have worked hard to secure are now under huge pressure with redundancies a lingering threat, and continued economic uncertainty. The European Parliament has been clear in my report voted last month that CSR has to be at the heart of a truly inclusive and long-term sustainable recovery. Vulnerable groups are often the first and hardest hit victims of an economic downturn, but as policymakers we must use all tools at our disposal including a better use of public procurement and an increased emphasis on social and human rights standards to ensure that a sustainable recovery is also an inclusive recovery.'

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What exactly does "desecration" mean? Is it just flag burning — or does it also include smearing the flag with dirt? How about dropping it on the ground? And why should law enforcement get to decide who to arrest for such desecration? Free expression and the right to dissent are among the core principles which the American flag represents. The First Amendment must be protected most when it comes to unpopular speech. Failure to do so fails the very notion of freedom of expression. Our democracy is strong because we tolerate all peaceful forms of expression, no matter how uncomfortable they make us feel, or how much we disagree. If we take away the right to dissent - no matter how unpopular - what freedom will be sacrificed next? Make a Difference Your support helps the ACLU defend free speech and a broad range of civil liberties. Burn the Flag or Burn the Constitution? (2011 blog): Sadly, Congress is once again considering an amendment to the U. S. Constitution banning desecration of the American flag and, in doing so, testing our political leaders' willingness to defend what is arguably one of America's most sacred principles — protecting political speech. Flag Amendment Defeated, First Amendment Stands Unscathed (2003): On June 27, 2006, the Senate voted down the proposed Flag Desecration Amendment by the slimmest margin ever. The vote was 66-34, just one vote short of the two-thirds needed to approve a constitutional amendment. Reasons to Oppose the Flag Desecration Amendment (2004 resource): Talking Points on Opposing the Flag Desecration Amendment Background on the Flag Desecration Amendment (2004 resource) Fight for the Flag - Resources (2006 resource)

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Prayer Before Reading Holy Scripture O Master Who loves mankind, illuminate our hearts with the pure light of Your divine knowledge and open the eyes of our mind to understand the teachings of Your Gospel. Instill in us also the fear of Your blessed commandments, that we may overcome all carnal desires, entering upon a spiritual life and understanding and acting in all things according to Your holy will. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ God, and to You we give glory together with Your eternal Father and Your all-holy, gracious and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen. Epistle Reading: St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 3:1-13 TIMOTHY, my son, the saying is sure: If any one aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher, no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way; for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil; moreover he must be well thought of by outsiders, or he may fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for gain; they must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then if they prove themselves blameless let them serve as deacons. The women likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husband of one wife, and let them manage their children and their households well; for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. Gospel Reading: Luke 20:9-18 The Lord said this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, that they should give him some of the fruit of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent another servant; him also they beat and treated shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third; this one they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will respect him.' But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' And they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others." When they heard this, they said, "God forbid!" But he looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written: 'The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner'? Every one who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; but when it falls on any one it will crush him." Saints and Feasts Paramonus, Philumenus, and their 370 Companion Martyrs in Bithynia; Our Righteous Father Nicholas, Archbishop of Thessolonica; Dionysios, Bishop of Corinth; Akakios of Sinai who is mentioned in The Ladder

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Hunger and Malnutrition Crisis Resurfaces in Niger NEW YORK, NY—In response to massive food shortages and staggering acute malnutrition rates in Niger, international humanitarian organization Action Against Hunger | ACF International launched an emergency response to provide nutritional support to children, increase the income of vulnerable families, and bolster a national initiative to dampen the impact of the crisis. These interventions come on the heel of an announcement by the government of Niger that the rate of severe food insecurity in the country has tripled since last year. Government authorities estimate that nearly a million children in Niger are moderately malnourished and another 200,000 have severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening condition. Over 58% of Niger’s population is deemed food insecure, according to recent surveys. Assessments conducted in December by the Nigerien government showed that some 7.8 million people will be forced to cope without food reserves for at least six months before the October harvest; food stocks for severely insecure households—approximately 20% of the population—have already been depleted. These severe food shortages result from a number of factors, including drought-like conditions, high staple food prices, and a sharp drop in the market price of cattle. “The food situation in Niger has reached a critical stage,” says Noemie Munoz, Niger Desk Officer for Action Against Hunger, which has delivered humanitarian programs in Niger since 1997. “Families with no other options are going days without eating or are resorting to begging and borrowing to cope with massive shortfalls.” Action Against Hunger is providing logistical and technical support for the Nigerien government’s response, which includes cash-for-work programs to create 800 new village grain banks and reinforce another 1,000 existing banks, food and seed distributions to vulnerable households during the planting season, and bolstering national grain reserves. The national plan covers approximately 30% of the food insecure population for three months. In addition, a program to provide nutritional care for children under five is intended to reach 378,000 children with severe acute malnutrition and more than 1.2 million children with a moderate form of the condition. The government will also provide a blanket distribution of supplementary nutrition products to 500,000 children between six and 23 months of age as a preventative measure against malnutrition. ACF is also launching an emergency intervention in the Mayahi province of southern Niger to provide nutritional support to roughly 18,000 acutely malnourished children under five and cash-based grants to 1,900 vulnerable people to boost purchasing power at local food markets. Funding for Action Against Hunger's programs is being provided by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation, the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid department, the UK Department for International Development and its West Africa Humanitarian Response Fund, UNICEF, the French Development Agency, the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation, and Accenture. Despite these programs, the population’s needs far outstrip available resources. Action Against Hunger is calling on donors to curb the impact of the crisis through immediate funding for nutrition, food security, and livelihoods. Related Blog Posts We're a Top Nonprofit Action Against Hunger has been named one of the top nonprofits of 2012 by reviewers at Great Nonprofits! Join thousands of Action Against Hunger supporters and subscribe now to our monthly newsletter and alerts. Action Against Hunger is a top nonprofit as rated by BBB, Charity Navigator, and CharityWatch. Support our lifesaving work by making a monthly donation. Facts about Hunger 925 million people suffer from hunger and malnutrition around the world. Malnutrition affects 32.5% of children in developing countries. 1 out of every 6 infants are born with low birth weight due to undernutrition among pregnant women in developing countries. 1 out of every 3 people in developing countries are affected by vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Hunger is number one on the list of the world's top 10 health risks. It kills more people every year than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

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One of the traditional hymns employed throughout the Advent season is the haunting refrain: "O Come, O Come Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel, That longs in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear." This has been a season of anticipation and expectation, but for what? The answer comes in numerous ways: Deliverance, being set free, release of the captive, proclaiming a year of liberty. It is remarkable how the idea of freedom so permeates the season. In a grand, eschatological sense, the freedom for which the heart of man most deeply longs is freedom from the bondage of sin and death. Political, economic, and personal freedom are critical, but the fundamental freedom is salvation. And it is this confrontation with the mystery of human redemption that may appear at first like a contradiction: How can it be said that sin, which must be freely chosen, results in bondage? The answer is that the freedom of which the Scriptures speak is not the freedom to do what we want, but the liberty to choose what we ought. The American people, indeed the entire world have seen the mystery of human freedom at play in recent months, both in the abuse of freedom in tragic events of last September, but also in the myriad acts of comfort, love, kindness, and generosity following those acts. No power on earth, or even in heaven, can force the conscience of man to choose what St. Paul calls, "the freedom of the children of God." Even God Himself permits us to choose sin; so great is his commitment to our dignity that he will never force our free will. Yet, He stands ready, at any moment, to show us the meaning of true liberty. And when we encounter that freedom, we will understand more fully than ever the words of Jesus, "If the Son will make you free you shall be free indeed," as well as the final refrain of the ancient hymn, "Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel, Shall come to thee, O Israel". On behalf of the entire Acton Institute family, we wish you a merry Christmas and a safe holiday season. Father Robert A. Sirico Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty Purchase a subscription to the Journal of Markets & Morality to get access to the most recent issues. Read our free quarterly publication that has interviews with important religious figures and articles bettering the free and virtuous society. Visit R&L today. Phone: (616) 454-3080 Fax: (616) 454-9454

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Diagnosis and Treatment of the Night-Time Defensive Qi Cycle By William Morris, DAOM, PhD, LAc his article continues the discovery of contemporary practical applications of classical Chinese medical methods. Presented is an interpretation of a pulse diagnostic method drawn from the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine which has proven useful for diagnosing the night-time defensive qi cycle. The relationship of nutritive qi to defensive qi is a fundamental expression of yin and yang. It embodies the entire postnatal experience. TAnalysis of defensive qi flow is helpful for a variety of conditions including soft tissue problems, autoimmune disorders and depression. The primary source for this is taken from chapter 76 of the Ling Shu, "Defensive Qi Transformations." Figure one: The night-time defensive qi cycle.Nutritive Qi Cycle The diurnal nutritive qi cycle begins with the lung and runs through the channels. This cycle is the basis of many acupuncture systems. Nutritive cycle concepts include the organ clock system, which was further developed by French and Dutch acupuncturists. Nutritive cycle treatments also include the entry-exit systems so thoroughly explored by British authors Worsley and Mann. Defensive Qi Cycle On the topic of defensive qi flow, the Ling Shu states: "During the daytime, the defensive qi flows through the tai yang, the shao yang, the yang ming, and then returns through the yin." This is the daytime cycle. During the night, the defensive qi enters the kidney and travels along the controlling cycle, moving from the kidney, to the heart, to the lung, to the liver, to the spleen, and back to the kidney. It is the night-time cycle that is the topic of focus here (see figure one). Pulse Diagnosis of the Night-Time Defensive Qi Flow The night-time defensive qi flow is analyzed by touching the pulse positions superficially. First, use the standard locations and compare between the heart and kidney positions. Second, compare the heart and lung positions. Third, compare the lung and liver positions. Fourth, compare the liver and spleen positions. Fifth, compare the spleen and kidney positions. This method will provide an image of where the flow of qi is obstructed during the night-time flow of defensive qi (see figure two). Treatment of the Night-Time Defensive Qi Flow Needle the back shu points to clear defensive qi stagnation from the site of blockage. The qi will immediately flow more smoothly along the cycle. This can be confirmed by checking the pulse. Another effective method is to use the xi-cleft point on the channel where it is blocked. Again, re-examine the pulse to confirm efficacy. Figure two: pulse diagnosis of the night-time defensive qi cycle.Case one: A 47-year-old female complained of deep abdominal cramping, causing her to awaken frequently during the night. There was emotional tension at work. Her pulse was wiry, and her tongue was pink with a thin yellow coat. Abdominal palpation revealed the psoas as the essential muscle involved. The TCM diagnosis would be liver depression qi stagnation resulting in heat. Examination of the wei qi cycle revealed stagnation at the liver, causing a failure to transfer wei qi to the spleen. The use of the fire point on the liver channel, Liver 2, caused the pulse to even out, and the pain in the psoas to diminish. The nutritive and defensive qi cycles as discussed in the Yellow Emperor's Classic hold deep wisdom for the understanding of disease processes. Through the pursuit of classical study, new possibilities can be created for traditional Oriental medicine. There is as much validity in the development of classical Chinese medicine now as there was when it was first developed. It is possible to call forth new developments in Chinese medicine by drawing from the deeper roots so as to nourish the branches of development. This article is from an upcoming book called Neoclassical Pulse Diagnosis. It is the result of clinical application of classical passages. Click here for more information about William Morris, DAOM, PhD, LAc.

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First, an object is placed on the platform of the printer upon – a petrie dish for example. Then the printer must check the height of the object to make sure everything is calibrated correctly. Mr. Carvalho placed a paper card on the platform of the 3D-Bioplotter to demonstrate how the machine works. Mr. Carvalho then talked us through the printing process. To begin, a liquefied material – in this case a silicone paste – is pressed through a needle-like tip by applying air pressure. The needle moves in all three dimensions which means it is able to create a three dimensional object. The printer is called ‘Bioplotter’ because the unique aspect of this machine is its use of biomaterials to make implants or other objects for biomedical application. Some of the implants which are made using the 3D Bioplotter are intended to dissolve in the body. The materials which are used in this application include PLLA, PLGA, and silicone. Implants made with thermoplastics – as they are mostly water and CO2 – are removed by the body naturally in around a week or two. Other materials, such as ceramic paste, may also be used to print implants. The implants printed using ceramic paste do not dissolve. Instead, the body uses this material to create new bone. This actually speeds up the process of the body’s regeneration. The 3DBioplotter also prints hydrogels – such as collagen or alginate. These materials can have human cells actually added to them. Thus human cells may be printed directly with this machine. Every Thursday is #3dthursday here at Adafruit! The DIY 3D printing community has thrilled us at Adafruit with its passion and dedication to making solid objects from digital models. Recently, we have noticed that our community integrating electronics projects into 3D printed enclosures, brackets, and sculptures, so each Thursday we celebrate and highlight these bold pioneers! Have you take considered building a 3D project around an Arduino or other microcontroller? How about printing a bracket to mount your Raspberry Pi to the back of your HD monitor? And don’t forget the countless EL Wire and LED projects that are possible when you are modeling your projects! The Adafruit Learning System has dozens of great tools to get you well on your way to creating incredible works of engineering, interactive art, and design with your 3D printer! If you have a cool project you’ve made that joins the traditions of 3D printing and electronics, be sure to send it in to be featured here!

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If you’ve recently painted your home, or even one room in your home, chances are that you have a stack of paint chips tucked away in a drawer somewhere. Don’t throw them away! There are plenty of ways you can turn those paint chips into decorative items for your home. And the best part? Paint chips are free! Here are a few ideas that I’ve gathered from some creative and crafty bloggers. Cut multi-colored paint chip cards into strips lengthwise, and then attach them side-by-side. Mat, frame, and you’ve got a great piece of modern artwork. From The 3 R’s. Create an antiqued mosaic wall hanging with square paint chips. See Hope Studios for more details on this project. Create an amazing visual effect with paint chips cut into triangles and attached side-by-side. See how it’s done at How About Orange. At a glance, you would probably never guess that this stunning crackle finish mosaic clock is made from paint chip cards, but it is! See how it’s done at Crafts By Amanda. Do you have an outdated fan deck of paint chip cards? Make them into a clock! Get the full DIY at Instructables. Circles, circles, and more circles create a stunning effect. The Crafty Scientist has the details for you. Use paint chips to create a faux tile mosaic on a table top, a backsplash, or any flat surface. Just be sure to cover it with glass or seal it with a clear coat sealer if it’s going to be used in a high traffic area or an area with water. From ReadyMade. Use a paper punch in the shape of your choice, and string them up to create a colorful garland. Grace and Light has the details. Create a colorful pennant bunting with large paint chip cards. Learn how at Sugar and Dots. Turn your Pantone paint chips into cute little refrigerator magnets. How About Orange shows us how it’s done. Young House Love created a stunning visual effect by simply propping paint chip cards on wall ledges. Little effort with a great result! Create a colorful flower out of Behr’s petal-shaped paint chips, or cut your own petals out of any paint chips you have on hand. See the details at Oops I Craft My Pants. Create these simple yet beautiful garlands with varying sizes of rectangles cut from paint chips. These are perfect for a celebration, a child’s room, or to brighten any room that needs a bit of color. See the details at My Hands Made It. Create an adorable rainbow flower garland with a paper punch and brightly colored paint chips. Little Bit Funky shares the details. Create a colorful paper chain with strips cut from paint chip cards. See The Chocolate Muffin Tree for more details. A Bit Of Sunshine shows us how to make a banner with a customized message using paint chip cards. Create bold modern artwork by layering circles in varying sizes. Get the full DIY tutorial at The 3 R’s. Simply arrange paint chip strips side-by-side, then mat and frame for simple yet stunning artwork. From Bower Power. Make bold, graphic flowers by cutting petal shapes out of paint chips, attaching them to a white background, and framing with a white frame. An original project from right here at Addicted 2 Decorating.

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When browsing through different websites, we often stumble upon text in a foreign language. Sometimes, the website is available in multiple languages and can be switched using a drop down menu or a button placed somewhere on the landing page, however, a lot of times, the website is only available in a single foreign language. What you can do is use a language translator for converting the complete website into a language you can understand. Almost everyone knows about Google Translator and its usefulness when viewing web pages in another language, but wouldn’t it be easier if you could translate selected text without visiting Google Translator in your browser? If you are looking for an application that allows you to translate text between different languages, check out QTranslate. It is a portable application for Windows that not only lets you translate text to and from different languages, but also servers as a text-to-speech tool that also reads supported languages once they are translated. It supports multiple translation services, including Google Translate, Microsoft Translator, Promt, SDL, Yahoo! Babel Fish and Yandex Translate. The application comes with some system wide hot key support. The hot key combinations and their functions are as follows: Double Ctrl key tap –> To show the main window (with the translation of the selected text) Ctrl + Q –> To translate the selected text and show it in the popup window Ctrl + W –> To perform web search for the selected text Ctrl + E –> To listen to the selected text The main features of QTranslate, include text translation in any supported using any translation service, Back translation, replacing the selected text with its translation, spell checking, text-to-speech support, word suggest and autocomplete, history viewer to view previous translations and a virtual keyboard. To translate text, simply copy the text in the top part of the interface, select the language which you want to translate the text into, and click Translate. The translated text will appear in the lower part of the interface. You can switch between different services from the bottom of the interface. Right-click on its system tray icon and select Options to configure the Basic, Hot key, Internet, Services, Languages, Appearance and Exception settings of QTranslate. QTranslate has a memory foot print of around 9 MB, and works on both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 2003 Server, Windows 2008 Server, Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

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Abbott points to US inaction on climate - From: AAP - January 22, 2013 FEDERAL Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has pointed to the Obama administration's inaction on carbon pricing after the US president said more must be done to address climate change. President Barack Obama used his inaugural address to suggest his second term administration will strive to do more to alleviate global warming, despite the opposition of Congressional Republicans to any emissions trading scheme. "We will respond to the threat of climate change knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations," the president said. "Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms." Asked if the president's speech meant Australia should do more to tackle climate change, Mr Abbott said the US Democratic administration had backed away from an emissions trading scheme. "The interesting thing is that President Obama's administration has three times, in the last few months, explicitly ruled out a carbon tax or an emissions trading scheme," he said. "Now, all of us are concerned about climate change. All of us want to do the right thing by our planet. We all want to give the planet the benefit of the doubt. "But we've got to have smart policies, not dumb policies, to do that." Mr Abbott reiterated his opposition to the federal government's carbon tax and his belief that climate change was happening. "I certainly accept that climate change is real, that mankind is making a contribution," he said. But he echoed recent comments by Queensland Premier Campbell Newman that severe weather events have been happening for a long period. "Campbell's absolutely right - we've had floods before, we've had droughts before, we've had cyclones before, we've had fires before, we've had very hot days before, very cold days before," he said. "... almost from the beginning of records being kept in this country, we've had very severe heat waves, and from very early on in the time of European settlement we've had devastating bushfires." SENIOR legal figures, police and victims of crime advocates gathered today at St Ignatius Church to farewell a lawyer who inspired unusally fierce loyalty and respect, Paul Rofe QC. UPDATE: Cricket Australia is investigating David Warner's extraordinary expletive-laden social media tirade against journalists. SOPHIE Ann Schulz would have been five-and-a-half now. A MASSIVE explosion from a meteor which crashed into the Moon was visible to the naked eye on Earth, NASA says.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (RIDGELY, MD—OCTOBER 12, 2011) Mushrooms and fungi fill the forest floor in fall. These non-flowering plants are fascinating and diverse additions to the woodland ecology. Learn about mushrooms and capture their beauty in watercolor when Adkins Arboretum hosts Mushrooms and More, a two-day program that combines education and art, on Fri. and Sat., Oct. 21 and 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bill Trakat, mushroom expert and Arboretum docent naturalist, will commence the workshop with an informational program and Arboretum tour to introduce these native plant forms. Following this educational forest foray, Talbot County artist Lee D’Zmura will teach participants to document individual specimens in watercolor. D’Zmura is an award-winning botanical artist whose experience as a landscape architect enriches her watercolors. She earned her Certificate in Botanical Art from the Brookside Gardens School of Botanical Art and Illustration, where she now teaches advanced watercolor classes. An artist with works in collections around the county, she attempts in her watercolors to capture the beauty and delicacy of the individual specimen with botanical accuracy. Some watercolor experience is recommended; a materials list will be provided. Participants should bring a sack lunch to each session. The two-day program is $125 for members, $155 for the general public. Register online or call 410.634.2847, ext. 0. Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. Open year round, the Arboretum offers educational programs for all ages about nature and gardening. Through its Campaign to Build a Green Legacy, the Arboretum will build a new LEED-certified Arboretum Center and entranceway to broaden educational offerings and research initiatives promoting best practices in conservation and land stewardship. For additional information about Arboretum programs, visit www.adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0. Photo: Artist Lee D’Zmura will teach participants to capture mushrooms, such as these polypores, in watercolor when Adkins Arboretum offers Mushrooms and More October 21 and 22. The two-day program also includes an informational program about these native plant forms.

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Tooth Colored White Fillings Tooth colored white fillings are the material of choice to place in small cavities, or to replace existing mercury (silver) fillings. The material we use is the very best and newest material on the market today. The advantages of using this type of filling are many, but most importantly, we can save healthy tooth structure, by actually strengthening the tooth, rather than weakening it, as happens with traditional mercury-silver fillings. This restoration is placed at the chair-side (as opposed to having to send it to a lab), and is finished in one appointment. It takes much longer to do this filling, when compared to the standard mercury-silver filling, because the technique used to perform this procedure correctly is very exact and time consuming. However, research has proven that this material is vastly superior to the mercury-silver filling, due to the bonded adhesive nature of the filling, rather than the traditional “leak and corrode” process of the mercury-silver filling. Mercury-Silver fillings expand with time, and as the mercury leaches out of the filling, it causes the filling to swell out of the tooth, causing cracks in the tooth. While we cannot guarantee that your tooth will never break, the tooth colored bonded restoration will not expand with time, and should help prevent premature fracture. We think you will be pleased with this new and advanced restorative material, and will have other fillings replaced with it, when the need arises. Because of the adhesive nature of this material, and it’s ability to “bond” to the tooth, we feel that this restoration represents the finest option available. Another major advantage is that the restoration is tooth colored, and becomes invisible as it blends into your surrounding natural teeth. Dr. Upadhyay has been experienced and trained to provide this excellent restoration. We continue to strive to provide state-of-the-art dental care to meet expectations and need of our patients. This is what has always set us apart from others. Some would call this the cutting edge; we think it’s progress, and it’s what we have chosen to place in our own mouths.

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