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United States/Romania - Stati Uniti/Romania Photo by Eddie Adams "What I want, what I’ve hoped for all my life, is that my past should not become your children’s future." Elie Wiesel was brought up in a closely knit Jewish community in Sighet, Transylvania (Romania). When he was fifteen years old, his family was herded aboard a train and deported by Nazis to the Auschwitz death camp. Wiesel’s mother and younger sister died at Auschwitz—two older sisters survived. Wiesel and his father were then taken to Buchenwald, where his father also perished. In his autobiography, Wiesel writes: "Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreathes of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God himself. Never." Wiesel has devoted his life to ensuring that the world does not forget the atrocities of the Nazis, and that they are not repeated. After the war, Wiesel became a journalist in Paris, ending his silence about his experiences during the Holocaust with the publication of Night in 1958. Translated into twenty-five languages, with millions of copies in print around the world, Night was a searing account of the Nazi death camps. Wiesel has written over forty books, and won numerous awards for his writing and advocacy. He served as the chairman of the President’s Commission on the Holocaust, and was the founding chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. For his literary and human rights activities, he has received numerous awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal and the Medal of Liberty Award, and the rank of Grand-Croix in the French Legion of Honor. In 1986 he won the Nobel Peace Prize. Wiesel teaches at Boston University and travels the globe advocating for human rights and the discussion of ethical issues. The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity KERRY KENNEDY Why don’t you give in to futility, the sense that there’s nothing one person can do in the face of the world’s ills? What keeps you going? DR. WIESEL When you think of the other you realize that something must be done. If I think of myself, I probably wouldn’t have done many of these things. But what else can they do to me that they haven’t done already? I think of the children today who need our voices, possibly our presence, possibly all our help, but at least our emotions. I think of the minorities—social minorities, ethnic minorities, religious minorities, or health minorities, the victims of AIDS or the victims of Alzheimer’s. Then you have no right to say: "Since I cannot do anything. I shouldn’t do anything." Camus said in one of his essays (and it’s a marvelous thing), that one must imagine Sisyphus happy. Well, I don’t imagine Sisyphus was happy, but I imagine the other is unhappy. And because the other is unhappy, I have no right not to diminish his or her unhappiness. KK How did you, as a child, survive after your father died? DR. WIESEL A few months after his death came the liberation. In those months, I could have died any day, any moment. There was no will to live. And even if I were to say today I wanted to live to testify, it wouldn’t be true. KK Do you believe God gave you a special gift to bear witness to the atrocities, or was your survival arbitrary? DR. WIESEL It was arbitrary. I don’t want to call it a miracle because it would mean that God performed a miracle for me alone. It means he could have performed more miracles for others who were worthier than I, probably, or at least not worse than I. I don’t think so. It was sheer luck. I happened to be there, and there were people standing ahead of me. And just as they left, the gate closed. Every single day I was there and at the last moment, the quota was filled. If I had been five rows ahead, I wouldn’t be here. KK Do you think there’s a Divine plan? DR. WIESEL No, I don’t believe it. I don’t know how to react to that. I don’t accept it. I go on questioning God all my life. KK Could you talk about the relationship between courage and love in your experience? From where do you derive your sense of hope? DR. WIESEL It’s very simple. Only another person can give me hope, because only another person can take hope away from me. It’s not God. It’s a person, a human being. Ultimately all this, our relationship with others affects our own destiny, and surely our own moral attitude and destiny (call it love, call it friendship, call it conviction), is related to the other. Whatever it means, this relationship with someone else doesn’t mean my relationship with God. All the laws, morality, are about human relations. In my tradition, my life, there was no animosity, no resentment, no fear in my family. It was a source of strength, of faith, with both my mother and father. Maybe I was too young when I left them. DR. WIESEL Yes. Maybe if I had lived longer with them I would have developed the same problems that children today have with their parents. I don’t know. Maybe. KK How about your own son? DR. WIESEL He is the center of my life. The center of my center. He’s now twenty-six. I am a crazy father. But he doesn’t like me to speak about him. KK You wrote that you were inspired by the Jews’ courage and determination to remain committed to their faith, even in the face of evil and absolute powerlessness against it. Talk about your sympathy for the powerless. DR. WIESELThe powerless, for me, are the most important, the weak and small. For me, that’s why in every book of mine, in every novel, there’s always a child, always an old man, always a madman. Because they are so neglected by the government and by society. So I give them a shelter. And therefore in my childhood, I liked these Jewish people—and do to this day. Years and years ago, I used to go and spend the whole afternoon with old Yiddish writers, whom nobody read because they were marginalized, to make them feel that somebody reads them. KK It’s important to reach out to people who are marginalized... DR. WIESEL Yes, to those who feel nothing is worth it, who feel that one is forgotten. And in fact, with human rights abuse, with prisoners, nothing is worse for a prisoner than to feel that he or she is forgotten. Usually the tormentor, the torturer uses that argument to break the prisoner, saying, you know, nobody cares. Nobody cares. This is why, for instance, at a conference in Washington on the looted artwork and monies, I asked, "Why so late? Why the pressure now?" The main thing is we forget that most of the victims were not rich. The enemy stole our poverty and nobody speaks about it. They speak only about the fortunes and the galleries of those who were rich. But what about the poverty of the poor? At times, when I speak, people listen, but they don’t hear. I owe something to these people who were left behind. We who are so life-oriented, who celebrate youth, who celebrate strength—it’s enough to see the commercials on television of only beautiful girls, healthy young men to know that somehow it is a kind of rejection of those who are not young, who are not healthy, who are not rich. Therefore I feel I owe them something. That’s also why I write. That’s what I write. I’ve written more than forty books, but very few deal with the war. Why is that? Because I believe in sharing. I learn so I have to share that learning. I have a great passion for learning and for teaching. So many of my books are about learning—from the Bible, from the prophets, from mysticism. KK How do people become cruel, talk about hate? DR. WIESEL At least we are in a situation where we realize the consequences. What a hater doesn’t understand is that in hating one group, actually he or she hates all groups. Hate is contagious, like a cancer. It goes from one cell to another, one root to another, one person to another, one group to another. If it’s not stopped, it can invade the a whole country, the whole world. A hater doesn’t understand, therefore, that actually, in destroying others, he then destroys himself. Show the outcome, show the ugliness. There is no glory in killing people, and there’s no glory in degrading people. There is no glory in persecuting. That’s a very important lesson. KK One taught over and over again. Is there a point in repeating it? DR. WIESEL I know what you’re saying. Of course there is. But to come back to what I said earlier, I know I don’t manage to persuade people to change, but I do it anyway. A story: a just man decided he must save humanity. So he chose a city, the most sinful of all cities. Let’s say it is Sodom. So he studied. He learned all the art of moving people, changing minds, changing hearts. He came to a man and woman and said, "Don’t forget that murder is not good, it is wrong." In the beginning, people gathered around him. It was so strange, somewhat like a circus. They gathered and they listened. He went on and on and on. Days passed. Weeks passed. They stopped listening. After many years, a child stopped him and said, "What are you doing? Don’t you see nobody is listening? Then why do you continue shouting and shouting? Why?" And the man answered the child, "I’ll tell you why. In the beginning, I was convinced that if I were to shout loud enough, they would change. Now I know they won’t change. But if I shout even louder, it’s because I don’t want them to change me." KK After all that shouting, do you think you have made a difference? DR. WIESEL Here and there, maybe. I get letters, at least a hundred a month from children who read my books. I answer every one of them. My first book came out forty-two years ago. I know that some are moved. I know they are. KK Is it possible to have courage, the determination to make a difference in other people’s lives, without suffering yourself? DR. WIESEL Of course, by studying the suffering of others. And you can do it in an elegant way, a discrete way. If a person suffers, you cannot reduce his or her suffering, but one thing you can attain is that the suffering should not become a source of human nature. KK What does courage mean to you? DR. WIESEL You know, for me, courage is the way you define it. I don’t even make U-turns. I remain a refugee at heart. I’m afraid of the police. So if I do run into them, I stop and move away. I let my wife handle it. I’m afraid of uniforms. Generals frighten me. It wasn’t courageous for me to tell Ronald Reagan not to go to Bitburg, it was just natural. For me, prophets were courageous because they had no constituents, nobody protected them. KK Wasn’t there one very powerful guy watching out for them? DR. WIESEL Prove it. Do you have a paper identity card, saying, I, the God of the universe, appointed you? It’s only the prophet who said, "God sent me." Go and prove it. And nevertheless, because of the personality, because of the words, he spoke through God. And that is courage to speak the truth. Power may be that of a president or a king. Power may be a destroyer of the individual. And power may be something you must address with courage, which is the truth. The problem is how do you find it? . . . What I want, what I’ve hoped for all my life, is that my past should not become your children’s future. Speak Truth To Power /Umbrage, 2000)

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This article is cross-posted from the Chicago Abortion Fund. Nicole Goss speaks out against the racist billboards that have cropped up in Chicago. Click on the image to watch the news clip in a new window. Recently, CUNY TV’s Independent Sources went to Chicago to talk with reproductive justice leaders from the Chicago Abortion Fund about the community response to the racist, antichoice billboards targeting predominately black and low-income neighborhoods on the South side of Chicago: “The most dangerous place for an African American baby is not the womb,” says Nicole Goss of the Chicago Abortion Fund .”It’s the neighborhood that they’re growing up in, where they don’t have the resources that they need in their schools, they don’t have access to the necessities to become productive human beings in society.” As Gaylon Alcaraz, Executive Director of the Chicago Abortion Fund, stated in The Crocodile Tears of Anti-Choice Billboarders, “we help young poor women because our communities are among the least likely to have regular access to health care, family planning and reproductive health education.” For more information on the outrageous billboards cropping up around the country, follow the series at RH Reality Check, and for more background on the organizations that are funding these billboard campaigns, check out Miriam Zoila Pérez’ article in Colorlines.

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Summer is around the corner, so the local sporting goods store is clearing out their children's winter gear at 50% off. One of the things the kids will need for next winter is some snow pants. But with kids growing so fast, it's hard to figure out what's going to fit them next winter. So even though we might be saving 50% on last season's gear, there's no guarantee that what we're buying will still fit by next winter.these charts provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), you can take some of the guesswork out of buying seasonal clothes ahead of time. And for a cheap RiceDaddy like me, that means I could buy the previous season's gear for half-off and still be sure that the gear will fit next year! If you've ever looked through your kid's file at the pediatrician's office, you will notice that their height, weight and head circumference are all plotted on these same charts. Here's how it works: - Find your child's height on the y-axis. In this example, the child is 42.5" (107.5cm) tall. - Find your child's age on the x-axis. In this example, the child is 5 years, 4 months (metric equivalent unknown :). - Find out where those coordinates meet, and find the closest percentile curve upon which your child's measurement lies. In this example, the child is on the 25th percentile (the line right below the heavy red line which represents the 50th percentile). - Since the child in this example will be about six years old next winter, trace that age from the x-axis up to where it intersects with the percentile curve your child is on. On the 25th percentile in this case, it appears that the child will be about 44" (111.5cm) tall by this coming winter. That's a growth of about 1 1/2 inches. Note that there are different charts to track length/height, weight, head circumference for boys, girls, birth to 36 months, and from 2 years to 20 years old. Be sure you are using the appropriate chart for your child.

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I (Martin) just spent 18.5 hours watching Ken Burns’s epic 1994 PBS documentary Baseball—and then I watched the 2010 two-episode sequel. I was delighted to see that Evander and I got the basic information correct in Right Off the Bat. That said, a few topics stood out for me in a way that I hadn’t appreciated before. They are, in no particular order: - I hadn’t realized quite how sociopathic and uncontrollable Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth were, in spite of their self-evident brilliance. - I knew the owners were reactionary. But I’d assumed that was a 20th-century phenomenon. I was wrong. From the very beginning, it seems, they were forces of sclerosis and exclusion. - I hadn’t grasped fully the connection between the dominance of Babe Ruth and power hitting and the decision to allow balls to be changed in the course of a game. Before 1920, pitchers generally kept the ball, which allowed them to manipulate, scuff, and generally mess it up so it moved more in the air and became less white, and thus more difficult to see. - Before 1920, the New York Yankees were virtually invisible; after 1920, they became the dominant force in baseball. The acquisition of Ruth and much of the champion Red Sox team turned them around. I hadn’t realized before how sharp that volte-face was. - I’d not had much of a chance to hear the players from the Negro Leagues tell their stories. What a delight it was to listen to Buck O’Neil! One of them claimed that the racist horror-show that Jackie Robinson was forced to go through brought about his premature death. After watching this show, I can well believe it. As a cricket-lover, I was tickled to be reminded that it was an English cricketer, Henry Chadwick, who was instrumental in taking the nascent game of baseball from the East Coast to the rest of America in the mid-nineteenth century. I was also irked by the insistent refrain from Baseball’s talking heads that baseball was unique among ball games for its sense of timelessness, its eternal virtues, its mimicking of life, and so on and so forth. As readers of this blog and our book Right Off the Bat will know, cricket and baseball’s claim to uniqueness is, in fact, yet another of the many traits they share.

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1. To encourage people to participate, try to choose songs they know. Be careful of using more than one new song in a set, and make sure it is quickly accessible. If you’re a visiting leader, do your homework (know, in advance, the songs with which the people are familiar). 2. To enable people to sing with you, it will help to choose accessible keys. What vocally works for you might not work for the people. 3. If you want people to actively listen to you sing, say so, and tell them why. 4. To inspire people to follow you, tell them where you are going. Have a theological plan; don’t just choose songs that groove well together. 5. To add some aesthetic interest, try to incorporate a variety of styles in an assortment keys. 6. To help people to engage, provide several avenues of response. Do more than simply “stand and sing.” 7. To get people to think as well as to feel, beware of aimless repetition. 8. To invite an authentic response, tell people why you want them to stand, kneel, raise hands, clap, etc. Don’t assume, and if you don’t know the “why,” go figure it out. 9. To lead people to marvel, rejoice, repent or praise, incorporate the Scriptures for guidance. Be inviting, but don’t demand that they feel what you feel. 10. To facilitate worship, sprinkle your prayers and transitions with the various attributes of God. Don’t just rely upon the song lyrics. 11. If you care more about the people than the platform, design worship for the seats, not the stage.

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Thank you for visiting our past auction result archives. If you have an item identical (or similar) to this auction lot, please call, write or contact us to discuss. We will be able to help you. 1796 Napoleon Bonaparte Signed Letter During the Italian Campaign Starting Bid - $500.00, Sold For - $1,624.00 A fine letter from early in Napoleon's military career when he was proving his mettle as a brilliant military strategist during the 1796 campaign against Austria. Written on Napoleon's personal, engraved letterhead as Commanding General of the Italian Army, with a cartouche design of "Liberté" with her "Liberty Cap," the letter - written in another hand - is signed by Napoleon with the scarce signature "Bonaparte" ("9"). The missive consists of two pages, in French, measuring 8 x 11 inches, and is dated the 14th of Brumaire, Year 5 of the French Republic (November 4, 1796). Addressed to General Baraguay d'Hilliers in Milan, Napoleon orders him to "Have the 40,000 pairs of shoes leave Milan by post, they will engender new orders. I wrote to the Government commissioner for him to send us 4 to 500,000 by post. The commissioner of the place will be personally responsible if after six hours of receiving the shipment at Lelta there are no agents in Verona. I await the Commission Auditor and Chasseloup. Invite the Generals who were sick and are now convalescing to rejoin their posts; consult with the police bureau of Milan to have the officers arrested who have nothing to do in Milan as well as the employees which the city is full of. Make sure that as soon as there are a hundred men available in each of the depots they're dispatched for the locations you indicated in your Austrian letter. Come to the aide of the administrators so that everyone has the honor of presenting themselves to the army now while there are still risks to run." Addressed on the integral address leaf (which is on the reverse of the second page). Apart from a light mark from the original wax seal and small loss on the second page from the same, and very light folds, this letter is as bright and clean as the day it was written. This is an extraordinary representative Napolean signed document, with an exceptionally impressive display value, worthy of the most sophisticated collection. LOA from James Spence, Steve Grad & John Reznikoff/PSA DNA. Reserve $500. Estimate $1,000/$2,000. SOLD FOR $1,624.00 (Click the smaller thumbnails to the left and right (if any) to cycle through each photo in the gallery of images for this lot.)

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I recently watched the movie Deliverance again, and it makes me wonder if humankind will ever outgrow its animal instincts and unenlightened way of living. But does enlightenment mean to outgrow nature, or is it rather the more violent and destructive—the mindless—aspects of (human) nature? What role does humankind play in the evolution of life? Is there really even an evolution, a progression, a growth out of one thing and into another? There is a part of me that feels that humans are different than the rest of nature, but how, really? Can what we see as peace and violence/destruction co-exist? Are they necessarily opposed to each other? Are we meant to evolve out of the base level of “survival of the fittest?” I think that I agree with the idea that what sets humans apart from a great deal of nature is the capacity for compassion. I see a great struggle between the basic animal instincts and this potential for compassion and enlightenment. Is this path of enlightenment what has caused us to lose our sight of where we fit into this world, what has put us in conflict with it, causes us to not understand? Or is it a misunderstanding of enlightenment? I think it is the latter. A good question, though, is: where do we fit in? Do we fit in? And yet, I think we separate ourselves too much from nature, and destroy, or ignore and patronize so much from which we can learn a great deal about ourselves. Perhaps such are the pitfalls and growing pains of evolution. I do think, though, that the great Greek philosophers were right when they saw “the state”, or “society”, as the way of human evolution and enlightenment. We have yet, though, to balance society with the nature it seems to have been so far designed to shut out and evolve past. I do think that society is what will allow humans to evolve and grow and achieve our potential, partially because it is a situation in which we can, and must, give up our ego-based arrogance. But, as is clearly evidenced all around us, this is not what has happened so far. The ego and human arrogance is alive and kicking in Western societies. (It probably is in others as well, but I can only speak with any authority about what I have experienced.) The trick, I think, is not to get ahead of ourselves. If Western ideology has done anything, it has gotten ahead of itself. Its misunderstanding of nature and the self are two such illustrations. This also fits in with my ideas of “children” and “adults”, and how I see us rushing into adulthood when we are not ready, and why we therefore end up children in adult clothing, which just perpetuates a whole bunch of complications and confusions and problems. And it is also why I have seen so much so-called “progress” as no such thing. And so perhaps we must “regress” in certain respects, to get “back” to where some indigenous peoples of the Americas and some Asian cultures were. There is so much wisdom destroyed and disrespected and ignored. Western progress is not progress—it is a masquerade ball. Impatience, arrogance, ignorance—just like teenagers. Western so-called “progress” is not human evolution, but has rather put the brakes on human evolution, or at least thrown a huge detour in the road. To where do we look to find our way back? The Hindus and Buddhists, and even “Jesus Christ”, have all told us: the self. The path of enlightenment is through the illusion of the self. That is the door; the door back; the door forward. You are your answer key. All the answers are in your assumptions and illusions. We all have the answers. We are perhaps asking the wrong questions. Or, said another way, we are asking the right questions wrongly. Rather than asking “What is the meaning of life,” we should be asking: what do we mean by “meaning?” What is “life?” Who am I. Why do I believe what I believe? Why do I do what I do? To honestly seek the answers to these questions will change your entire understanding of everything. From my personal notes, 8/26/00

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The Times ran an article yesterday on achieving great pizza crusts at home. The gist of it is, let the dough rise slowly. So many pizza recipes call for an hour's rise. That's way too fast. Not only does a slow rise give the dough a better flavor and texture, it makes it easier to handle, in my experience. The article also has some accompanying recipes, tips on using a sourdough starter for your dough, and advice from my baking guru, Peter Reinhart. I now have three of his books, and he's one of those guys who won't let you down if you follow his advice. Speaking of sourdough, the Times article, like most that I've read on the subject, recommends discarding part of your starter every time you feed it. I did sourdough for a while, until I unthinkingly used up my entire starter in one batch of bread, and after doing some research and through trial and error, I found that unnecessary. When I used my starter for baking, I'd use all but a small portion of it, then feed it twice, several days before my next batch. Each time you feed it, you double it. By the time I was ready to bake, I had enough healthy, active starter for baking, and I just repeated the process, using it all but about a half cup. Worked for me, and a lot less wasteful.

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My post about Jean the cactus guy generated interest about propagating cacti, so this is the first in a series on how to start a cactus garden through propagation of cuttings from other cactus plants. The first in this series will document my process of propagating new barrel cactus from the one I purchased from him. This barrel cactus arrived with five pups. The choices are to plant it as is, or to remove the pups and start them on their own. We decided to remove all five pups and start them as separate plants. To state the obvious, cacti require special handling. Here's the array of tools set out, and although we didn't use all of them they were ready just in case. Old tongs and a variety of scrapers, chisels, knives and screwdrivers. Leather gloves are a must have. The tools should be clean. There's one important tool missing from this lineup and that's an empty plastic pot to hold the mama plant while the pups are removed. It's important to find something you can grip and avoid the spines. All ready to go and Mr. Rock-Oak-Deer starts with the old tongs and a scraper to remove the first one. One twist and a pull and it's separated so he discards the scraper and works with the tongs for the rest. A slight twist with the tongs and they just pop right off. This action leaves small round scars on the larger plant. Now he's working his way around the cactus. Here are four of the pups ready to go on their own now, one more to go! After the surgery we put the five pups in a box and stored them in the garage for about a week to callous over. If planted immediately the pups could rot, so they must heal first. We also stored the mama plant in a dry spot so its scars can heal. Do not water the plant or pups at this point to avoid any rot that might occur. Fast forward one week later and the pups are ready to pot up. We are using a coarse sand over light potting mix for this phase. The key is to ensure fast drainage and only allow minimal contact with water to avoid rot at this stage. Just use the tongs to place them in pre-watered damp sand. Don't water again for week or so, and then water once a week. About five weeks later, here's what we have. Nice strong roots! The roots were even bigger than we expected. Note that this one was only pulled from its sand to show to you -- plant them with their sand. It will shift a bit, which is not a problem. We planted them out in the new cactus patch along the dry creek. In their new home they are small and barely visible. We gave these plants plenty of room considering their size at maturity. We'd rather wait for cactus to grow into their space than move them later! Next in this series I will show cactus pad propagation. I'll also continue to report on progress in the cactus garden.

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Chicago 430 S. Michigan Ave.Chicago, IL 60605(312) 341-3500 Schaumburg 1400 N. Roosevelt Blvd.Schaumburg, IL 60173(847) 619-7300 In conjunction with the dramatic expansion of Roosevelt’s RUrbanPioneers Community Garden in Schaumburg this spring, the Sustainability Studies Program is offering an innovative hybrid section of its most popular course, SUST 230 Food, that will feature a first-ever opportunity to … Continue reading Appropriately enough as the summer semester begins here at RU, Illinois is celebrating Urban Biodiversity Week starting today, May 13th, and running through Sunday, May 19th. As noted on the Millenium Reserve page on the State of IL website: Please … Continue reading Soon after RUrbanPioneers expanded and enriched the Roosevelt’s Community Garden at the Schaumburg Campus during Earth Week on two “Soil Service” Saturdays in April, this excellent article by RU’s own Laura Janota appeared in this week’s Daily Herald, the main … Continue readingMore from the Sustainability Studies Blog Welcome to the new Sustainability Studies program at Roosevelt University's College of Professional Studies, the first degree program of its kind in the Chicago region and one of the few bachelor's degree in sustainability programs in the US. Canoeing the North Branch of the Chicago River: rafting up to discuss the river's ecology and history with our canoe guides from Friends of the Chicago River, fall 2011 (photo by M. Bryson) The nation and the world face an unprecedented challenge in the 21st century: we need to redesign and rethink much of our way of life to make it sustainable given the planet’s limited and fragile resources. Rigorous science has explained that current consumption trends threaten the planet with extraordinary climate change, which threatens extreme social dislocation by placing hardships on vulnerable peoples. Modern systems ranging from transportation networks to community building to food production will need to be significantly changed and adapted to this new reality. The leaders of this critical effort will be the next generation of college-educated students. Students graduating with a major in Sustainability Studies will have a truly interdisciplinary understanding of the varied dimensions of sustainability, both from a local and global perspective; be fluent in articulating how sustainability issues relate to matter of the environment, the economy, and social equity; and demonstrate proficiency in critical thinking, reading, writing, and research skills. More specifically, students will learn how to: You can pursue an undergraduate major in Sustainability Studies through two different pathways: a 120 semester-hour Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, for students of all ages), and a fast-track Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) degree (for students 24 and older). In both cases, the major requirements are the same -- what differs are the general education requirements and the number of elective courses. In both the BA and BPS options, you can choose a minor in a related field to make your sustainability studies major more focused and powerful. Consider pursuing a double-major in SUST and another discipline offered in the College of Professional Studies. Majoring in something else? Consider complementing your chosen field of study with a minor in Sustainability Studies. The course sequence for the minor (18sh) can be completed fully online, or through a mix of online and on-campus classes. For more information on which SUST degree option is right for you, contact a College of Professional Studies advisor.

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The NY Times has the full transcript. According to Bloomberg News, Clinton's big early applause line about the huge advantage in jobs created during Democratic versus Republican administrations is true: since 1961, for 52 years now, the Republicans have held the White House 28 years, the Democrats, 24. In those 52 years, our private economy has produced 66 million private sector jobs.Actually, Bloomberg didn't really find any significant factual errors in Clinton's speech. That's partly because he didn't do what many other Dems did last night. Consider Elizabeth Warren's address, as the Times reported it: So what’s the job score? Republicans, 24 million; Democrats, 42 (million). (Cheers, applause.) Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts Senate candidate, summed up Mitt Romney’s tax plans this way:“He wants to give tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires,” she said. “But for middle-class families who are hanging on by their fingernails? His plans will hammer them with a new tax hike of up to $2,000.” The Times noted that this charge "is not entirely accurate." That is odd phrasing, but easily explained. The problem is that Warren, like other Democrats, correctly calculated that the Romney tax "reforms" (including significant rate cuts and unidentified reductions in "loopholes") cannot possibly be revenue-neutral, as intended. As Clinton aptly noted on many occasions, the arithmetic just does not work. Thus, Warren and others assume that the lost revenue would be made up primarily by closing loopholes that benefit the middle-class, such as the mortgage tax deduction or other benefits related to payment of college tuition. The Times explains the problem with Romney's vague plans for the budget and taxes: Former President Clinton avoided this problem, as Bloomberg noted, because "he showed the possible choices that Romney’s constraints would force."Many tax experts — from the left, the right and the center — do not think there is any way to do all of those things.When you cut tax rates that much, rich families’ tax liability falls considerably. For the tax plan to raise the same amount of money as it does now, someone would need to pay more.But it is not clear that Mr. Romney would raise taxes on the middle class. Instead, the plan might add to the deficit, make smaller cuts to marginal tax rates or take away preferential rates on investments and savings. It does seem a bit unfair that Democrats would be criticized for stretching the truth about Romney's tax and spending policies precisely because his plans are so slippery and unworkable. Incidentally, the Times also called out some Democrats for repeating the Romney line I've discussed about him allegedly liking to fire people. Fair point. Then again, the Republicans made a similar untruth the organizing theme of the convention. Also, Democrats are essentially accused of hypocrisy for claiming that anti-terrorism initiatives will not "run afoul" of civil liberties or constitutional protections. Again, fair point. The drone war is deeply unsettling. Unfortunately, the problem is primarily that President Obama has not reversed all of the egregious policies initiated by George W. Bush and other predecessors in the Oval office. Visit this blog's homepage. For 140 character IR and foreign policy talk, follow me on twitter. Or for basketball, baseball, movies or other stuff, follow this personal twitter account.

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Duration: 5 hours Tour Code: YLT-002 Unearth the historic treasures of the Ukraine during a trio of unforgettable castle and palace visits along the Southern Crimean Coast. Depart the pier for the brief drive to Livadia Palace, the summer residence of the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, and site of the Crimean Conference in 1945. Built in 1911 for the imperial family, this Italian Renaissance-styled white palace is one of the most remarkable attractions on the Southern Coast of Crimea, and offers superb photo opportunities. During your visit, you will see the Great White Hall, where the fate of post-war Europe was decided in 1945. Feel the atmosphere of the rooms where the Tsar's family lived, and learn about the everyday life of Russian aristocracy in the early-20th century. Today, the Palace hosts political summits and presidents from all over the world. Before you leave, visit the souvenir shops in the Palace for local souvenirs and craft works. Next, you will proceed to Vorontsov Palace in Alupka along the Southern Crimean coastal highway. En route, a brief photo stop will be made at the unusual Swallow's Nest Castle, majestically perched on a rock 125 feet above the sea. This romantic castle was constructed in 1912, and has since been the symbol of Yalta and the Crimea. Next, it's on to Alupka Palace and Vorontsov's Palace. Upon arrival at the bus parking area, you will take a brief walk along a shady road overlooking the sea to the Tudor-style Northern facade of Vorontsov's Palace. The Palace belonged to 19th-century Russia's wealthiest individual, and hosted Winston Churchill during the Crimean Conference. Vorontsov's Palace took 20 years to construct, and was built from diabas, a local stone that's twice as hard as granite. English architect Edward Blore, one of the designers of Buckingham Palace in London, created Vorontsov's Palace by blending Gothic exteriors with Moorish elements. The southern facade, which was designed with an Oriental motif, is reminiscent of the temples of Alhambra. During your walk through the Palace's interiors, you will marvel at the finely-carved marble sculptures in the Winter Garden, and see many wonderful paintings by the likes of Hogarth, Hubert and Shchedrin. Following your visit to Vorontsov's Palace, you will walk back to your coach for the return drive to the pier. Please note: Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes for this tour which involves over 2 hours of walking with multiple steps to climb. Please keep in mind that guides, though knowledgeable and the best available, are not as skilled as those found in the larger tourist centers of the Mediterranean, or other parts of Europe. The order of sights visited may vary to avoid congestion.

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This work is licensed under the GPLv2 license. See License.txt for details Autobuild imports, configures, builds and installs various kinds of software packages. It can be used in software development to make sure that nothing is broken in the build process of a set of packages, or can be used as an automated installation tool. Autobuild config files are Ruby scripts which configure rake to imports the package from a SCM or (optionnaly) updates it configures it. This phase can handle code generation, configuration (for instance for autotools-based packages), … It takes the dependencies between packages into account in its build process, updates the needed environment variables

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SMALL costume exhibits are finding a home at the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute. The cultural center, on Park Avenue near 68th Street, was host to an impressive Balenciaga exhibition in 2010 and now one devoted to the Venetian textile maven Mariano Fortuny. The exhibition spaces are not generous, and they are on separate floors, but on a weekday morning a visitor might find the place to herself, and that’s pretty rare. Also, for “Fortuny: An Artistic Legacy,” the set designer Stefan Beckman (he does Marc Jacobs’s shows, among other presentations) has created a spare but powerful design that helps illuminate the multiple talents and paradoxical nature of Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo. He was born in Grenada, Spain, in 1871, to a family of distinguished painters and curators. His father traveled widely — North Africa, Paris, Rome — and he collected artifacts and decorative objects as he went. You sense that worldly taste and wide-ranging interest in the show, in a small selection of Arabic djellabas and burnooses, and photographs of Morocco by Fortuny. Of course, his fashion also reflected a passion for all things Asian. But, equally, the exhibition conveys a reality of Fortuny’s career: he didn’t want to be defined by one thing. He was an innovator in theatrical lighting design and in textile printing. He patented his method of pleating silk, which became his signature, and he was among the very first designers to propose a loose, body-skimming silhouette free of corsets. One of the beguiling images in the show is a 1920s photograph of three of Isadora Duncan’s adopted daughters, all in Fortuny and barefoot. Obviously his Grecian-style Delphos gowns had a timeless quality (Tina Chow was a devotee in later years), and the pigments were his own creation, but the underlying quality in his work is freedom from convention. Venice became Fortuny’s home in 1889, though it’s unclear why he and his mother moved there from Paris. According to a 1980 article in The New York Times, about a Fortuny exhibition in France, Mariano had a severe allergy to horses, making watery Venice an ideal choice. As a boy, he copied the paintings of Tiepolo, Carpaccio and others, but inevitably he was drawn to textile design and fashion, as well as to advances in lighting and photography, perhaps as a way to distinguish himself from his father. Another person who had an influence on Fortuny was his wife, Henriette Negrin, a talented dressmaker and beauty, whom he apparently met in Venice. And fashion at the turn of the 20th century was becoming an important mode of artistic expression and free thinking, with couturiers like Paul Poiret in Paris, where Fortuny had a shop. That emergence of a modern sensibility is what this show simply and clearly conveys. The exhibition, curated by Oscar de la Renta, who is chairman of the institute’s board, includes pieces lent by collectors like Sandy Schreier, Regina Drucker and Mark Walsh. It runs through March 30.

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Vt. 1st in Peace Corps volunteers MONTPELIER — Peace Corps officials say Vermont is continuing with its ranking as the top state for the per capita production of Peace Corps volunteers. Officials announced the rankings Wednesday. Only the District of Columbia has a higher ranking in the production of volunteers. The same rankings found that New Hampshire ranked fourth and Maine eighth. The Peace Corps’ Northeast Regional office manager Brian Melman says the region has a culture of involvement and community engagement. Since the Peace Corp was created more than 50 years ago, 1,453 Vermonters have served as volunteers across the country. The Peace Corps currently operates in 139 countries across the world with volunteers working in development programs as varied as HIV-AIDS education to information technology.

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A lifetime ago I worked in an office that, like most others, had a tacit dress code. A tie was not mandatory unless you were meeting clients; otherwise a collared shirt and sensible slacks (or a nice blouse and a long-enough skirt) sufficed. One Friday, however, my bohemian colleague rocked up in a tee, jeans, and something the kids these days would call “shoes”. When someone asked him why he was dressed that way, he shot back a quizzical look and stated matter-of-factly, “It’s Casual Friday”. After a private chuckle, I didn’t think too much of it until the following Friday when something unexpected happened: other people were wearing casual clothes. Then the next week, more people were in their civvies. And so on every week until eventually everybody was embracing “Casual Friday”. Now, Casual Friday is an institution at this company. You would look very strange indeed if you turned up in a suit. As I reflected on this little episode, I pondered the teachings of Fred Kofman. In Conscious Business, Kofman defines the difference between a “victim” and a “player”. A victim blames all of his or her woes on external factors – the bus was late; the traffic was horrendous; my boss is an idiot; our IT sucks; we don’t have a learning culture around here. In contrast, a player responds to the environmental conditions to his or her advantage – he calls ahead to push back that meeting; she leaves half an hour earlier to beat the traffic; he buys a judiciously chosen book for his boss for Christmas; she experiments with externally hosted social media; he engages the few employees in the organisation who are hungry to learn. In other words, the player exploits his or her “locus of control”. Of course you’re not the CEO, so you can’t make anything happen just by decreeing it. However, you do have a sphere of influence. Are you using it? If Kofman’s work is a bit too self-helpy for you, let me rephrase it in edu-speak: Sometimes the ones most guilty of the knowing-doing gap are ourselves. As L&D professionals, we know most learning undertaken in the workplace is informal. We know social learning works. We know our target audience is addicted to their smartphones and tablets. So what are we doing about it? The moral of the story of my bohemian friend is that we are more powerful than we realise. A single person can make a world of difference, if he or she has passion, courage and persistence. I’m certainly not goading you into making drastic wholesale changes that are going to bankrupt your company or get you fired. All I’m saying is that sometimes it is better to ask for forgiveness than for permission. If my bohemian friend had asked to wear his jeans that Friday, he would almost certainly have been declined. So he didn’t ask; he just did it. If it backfired, he simply would have fallen back into line the next Friday. (And no doubt try something else!) So I put to you: What do you wish would change at your workplace? Are you a victim or a player? What can you influence? What can you sensibly risk asking for forgiveness for rather than for permission? Do you have the guts to make a difference? It’s time to wield your power of one.

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Have you ever wanted to get the Bitmap Data (pixels) of a Visual (Canvas, Grid, etc) in WPF or Silverlight from memory and without having to add it to the root visual. After doing a lot of trial and error here is a quick piece of code and a sample project that can help you accomplish exactly that. There are plenty of cool ways to extend this project including some cool transition and other code based animations. Just let your imagination go wild! First, create a new WPF Application in Visual Studio or [download a sample project]. In your Window1.xaml give the Grid an x:Name value. You’ll use this to add your elements later on. <br /><grid x:Name="VisualRoot"></grid><br /> Now lets add a new Page to our project. We’re going to alter the Page to extend a Canvas rather than a Page for no other reason then when I’m creating animations I prefer to work with a Canvas. We are going to put some visuals onto our canvas. In the sample it’s a blue square with a red circle next to it and a little bit of text below it. It could be any UIElement including another Canvas/Grid, Images, Text anything. In our Window1.xaml code behind we’re going to create an instance of our Canvas1 and call the methods to have WPF Measure, Arrange, and UpdateLayout in memory. We need to call these methods in order for WPF to figure out where all the pixels are positioned in our visual to return accurate Bitmap Data. These methods are called automatically when you add a Visual to WPF using the Visual.Children.Add() method. The CreateBitmapSourceFromVisual function was taken from a project on CodePlex, unfortunately I can’t recall the link. I’ll add it here if I run across it again. That function takes a Visual and returns a BitmapSource object with the pixel data. It automatically updates the dots per inch (DPI) to 96, which is required for WPF to render properly). Here is the code behind from our root Window. /// Interaction logic for Window1.xaml public partial class Window1 : Window Canvas1 myVisualElement = new Canvas1(); myVisualElement.Measure(new System.Windows.Size(0, 0)); myVisualElement.Arrange(new Rect(new System.Windows.Size(0, 0))); // Note the myVisualElement is never added // Use myVisualElement to get our Bitmap Source Data. BitmapSource myVisualElementBitmapData = CreateBitmapSourceFromVisual(300, 500, myVisualElement, false); // Create an Image for your Bitmap Source Image myImage = new Image(); // use our Bitmap Data myImage.Source = myVisualElementBitmapData; // Add our Image to the Grid public BitmapSource CreateBitmapSourceFromVisual(Double width, Double height, Visual visualToRender, Boolean undoTransformation) if (visualToRender == null) RenderTargetBitmap bmp = new RenderTargetBitmap( DrawingVisual dv = new DrawingVisual(); using (DrawingContext dc = dv.RenderOpen()) VisualBrush vb = new VisualBrush(visualToRender); System.Windows.Point myPoint = new System.Windows.Point(); dc.DrawRectangle(vb, null, new Rect(myPoint, new System.Windows.Size(width, height))); You can run the sample project and you will see the visual we created in Canvas1. We used the BitmapSource object of the Canvas1 as the Source of our Image. Note: we never added Canvas1 to the root visual, we simply created it in the code behind and retrieved the pixel data from that visual to use as on our Image. I leave it to you to play with this technology to create cool WPF/Silverlight animations. [Download Source Code] as Visual Studio Project.

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Experiments on the resynthesis of symbiosis in Convoluta roscoffensis with different flagellate cultures Provasoli, L. and Yamasu, T. and Manton, I. (1968) Experiments on the resynthesis of symbiosis in Convoluta roscoffensis with different flagellate cultures. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 48 (2). pp. 465-479. Full text available as: The symbiotic condition of Convoluta roscoffensis has been resynthesized in vitro by feeding new-born colourless larvae with various clones of Platymonas convolutae Parke & Manton available in culture. Greening has also been brought about by feeding larvae with other species distinguishable from the natural symbiont by pyrenoid characters, but subsequent growth of the greened larvae was less and the length of time required for greening greater. The minimum presentation time effective in initiating greening with alien symbionts in 100% of tested larvae was also greater. Cell multiplication of successful symbionts is mitotic, division stages being demonstrated in sections of worms with different types of symbiont. When cultures of potential symbionts were made available competitively in pairs, greening normally involved only one member of a pair, success being apparently determined by the order of relative efficiency demonstrated in the single-culture infections. A chimaeral condition, with two different symbionts present together, was produced and is demonstrated-but only as a temporary phase in an experiment designed to give an alien symbiont a very long start before admitting the real one. In this experiment effective greening with Prasinocladus marinus did not impede prompt entry of Platymonas convolutae when it was supplied, and this was followed by rapid and complete elimination of the alien symbiont. An interpretation of these various findings is discussed in a preliminary way. NMBL Staff Only: edit this record

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Narrated Al-Bara' bin 'Azib:The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "The first thing that we should do on this day of ours is to pray and then return to slaughter the sacrifice. So anyone who does so, he acted according to our Sunna (tradition), and whoever slaughtered the sacrifice before the prayer, it was just meat which he presented to his family and would not be considered as Nusuk." A person from the Ansar named Abu Burda bin Niyyar said, "O Allah's Apostle! I slaughtered the Nusuk (before the prayer) but I have a young she-goat which is better than an older sheep." The Prophet I said, "Sacrifice it in lieu of the first, but it will be not sufficient (as a sacrifice) for anybody else after you."

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True Christian Religion, by Emanuel Swedenborg, , tr. by John C. Ager at sacred-texts.com I foresee that many who read the Memorable Relations annexed to the chapters in this work will believe them to be inventions of the imagination. But I affirm in truth that they are not inventions, but were truly seen and heard; not seen and heard in any sleeping state of mind, but in a state of full wakefulness. For it has pleased the Lord to manifest Himself to me, and to send me to teach those things which will belong to His New Church, which is meant by "the New Jerusalem" in the Apocalypse. For this purpose He has opened the interiors of my mind or spirit, whereby I have been permitted to be in the spiritual world with angels, and at the same time in the natural world with men, and this now during twenty-seven years. Who in the Christian world could have known anything about Heaven and Hell, had it not pleased the Lord to open the sight of someone's spirit, and show and teach him? That such things as are described in the Memorable Relations do appear in the heavens is made clear by the like things seen and described by John in the Apocalypse, also in the Word of the Old Testament by the prophets. In the Apocalypse are the following: John saw the Son of man in the midst of the seven candlesticks; he saw in heaven the tabernacle, the temple, the ark, and the altar; he saw a book sealed with seven seals; he saw this opened, and horses going out of it; he saw four animals round about the throne; twelve thousand chosen out of each tribe; locusts ascending from the abyss a woman bringing forth a male child, and fleeing into the desert on account of the dragon; two beasts, one going up out of the sea and the other out of the earth; an angel flying in the midst of heaven having an eternal Gospel; a sea of glass mingled with fire; seven angels having the seven last plagues; bowls poured out by them on the earth, the sea, the rivers, the sun, the throne of the beast, the Euphrates, and the air; a woman sitting on a scarlet beast; the dragon cast into a lake of fire and brimstone; a white horse; a great supper; a new heaven and a new earth; the holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, the gates, walls, and foundations of which he describes; also the river of the water of life, and trees of life bearing fruit every month; with many other things, all of which were seen by John, and seen when as to his spirit he was in the spiritual world and in heaven. Add what was seen by the apostles after the Lord's resurrection, and later by Peter (Acts 11), and what was seen and heard by Paul; and still further what was seen by the prophets in the Old Testament, as by Ezekiel, That he saw four living creatures, which were cherubs (Ezek. 1 and 10). A new temple and a new earth, and an angel measuring them (40-48). He was carried away to Jerusalem and saw the abominations there, and also into Chaldea (8 and 11). With Zechariah like things occurred: He saw a man riding among myrtle trees (Zech. 1:8-11). He saw four horns; and afterward a man with a measuring line in his hand (1 and 2). He saw a flying roll and an ephah (5:1, 6). He saw four chariots between two mountains, and horses (6:1-8). Likewise with Daniel: He saw four beasts coming up out of the sea (Dan. 7:1-8). He saw the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, whose dominion shall not pass away, and whose kingdom shall not be destroyed (7:13, 14). He saw the battles between the ram and the he-goat (8:1-27). He saw the angel Gabriel, and he talked with him (9). The servant of Elisha saw chariots and horses of fire round about Elisha, and saw them when his eyes were opened (2 Kings 6:17). From these and many other passages in the Word it is evident that those things which exist in the spiritual world have appeared to many, both before and since the Lord's coming. What marvel, then, that they should be seen now also, when a New Church is commencing, or when the New Jerusalem is descending from heaven? A THEOREM PROPOSED BY A CERTAIN DUKE, AN ELECTOR IN GERMANY, WHO ALSO ENJOYED THE HIGHEST ECCLESIASTICAL DIGNITY. I once saw in the spiritual world a certain duke, an elector in Germany, who also enjoyed the highest ecclesiastical dignity, and near him two bishops and two ministers, and from a distance I heard their conversation. The electoral duke asked the four bystanders whether they knew what constitutes the head of religion in Christendom. The bishops replied, "The head of religion in Christendom is faith alone justifying and saving." Again he asked, "Do you know what lies concealed within that faith? Open it, look into it, and tell me." They replied, "That there was nothing concealed within it but the merit and righteousness of the Lord the Savior." To this the electoral duke answered, "Is there not concealed in it, then, the Lord the Savior in His Human, in which He is called Jesus Christ, because He alone in His Human is Righteousness?" To this they replied, "That certainly and inseparably follows." The electoral duke persisted, saying, "Open that faith, look into it further, examine it well, and see whether there is not something else in it." And the ministers said, "The grace of God the Father is also concealed in it." To this the electoral duke answered, "Obtain a right conception and perception of the subject, and you will see that it is the Son's grace with the Father, for the Son begs and intercedes. Therefore I say to you, since you confess, revere, and kiss that faith alone of yours, you ought by all means to confess, revere, and kiss the Lord the Savior in His Human alone; for, as just said, He in His Human was and is Righteousness. That in this Human He is also Jehovah and God I saw in the Sacred Writings from the following passages: Behold, the days will come, when I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as a King and prosper; and this is His name whereby He shall be called, Jehovah our Righteousness (Jer. 23:5, 6; 33:15, 16). In Paul: In Jesus Christ dwelleth all the fullness of Deity bodily (Col. 2:9). And in John: Jesus Christ is the true God and eternal life (1 Epistle 5:20). Wherefore He is also called: The God of faith (Phil. 3:9). INDEX TO THE MEMORABLE RELATIONS [This is the Author's Index. The figures refer to the numbered paragraphs] I. I heard certain new-comers in the spiritual world talking together about three Divine persons from eternity; and then a certain one who in the world had been a primate opened the ideas of his thought respecting that mystery, saying that it had been and still was his opinion that the three sit upon high thrones in heaven, God the Father upon a throne of the finest gold, with a scepter in His hand; God the Son at His right hand, upon a throne of the purest silver with a crown on His head; and God the Holy Spirit upon a throne of shining crystal, holding in His hand a dove, in the form of which He appeared when Christ was baptized, with lamps hanging around about them in triple order, glittering with precious stones; while at a distance innumerable angels were standing in a circle, worshiping and singing praises. He also spoke of the Holy Spirit, how He introduces faith, purifies and justifies. He said that many of his order favored his ideas, and he trusted that I also as a layman gave them credit. But as an opportunity to speak was then given me, I said that from my childhood I have cherished the idea that God is one. I therefore explained to him what the trinity involves, and what is signified by throne, scepter, and crown, where these in the Word are ascribed with God. To this I added that all who believe in three Divine persons from eternity must necessarily believe in three Gods; and, furthermore, that the Divine essence cannot be divided (n. 16). II. A discourse of the angels about God,-that His Divine is the Divine Being (Esse) in itself, and not from itself; and that it is One, the Same, the Itself, and Indivisible; also that God is not in place, but is present with those who are in place; and that His Divine love appears to the angels as a sun, the heat from it being in its essence love, and the light therefrom in its essence wisdom (n. 25). That the proceeding Divine attributes which are creation, redemption, and regeneration, are attributes of one God, and not of three (n. 26). III. Perceiving that avast multitude of men are in the persuasion that all things belong to nature, and consequently that nature is the creator of the universe, in a certain gymnasium where there were persons of this kind I spoke with a certain gifted man respecting these three things: (1) Whether nature is a property of life, or life of nature; (2) Whether the center is from the expanse, or the expanse is from the center; (3) Respecting the center and the expanse of nature and of life; that the center of nature is the sun of the natural world, and the expanse itself of that center is its world; and that the center of life is the sun of the spiritual world, and the expanse itself of that center is its world. These propositions were discussed on both sides, and lastly it was shown what the truth is (n. 35) 5) IV. I was conducted to a kind of theater of wisdom where angelic spirits from the four quarters were assembled with an injunction from heaven to discuss three arcana: (1) What is the image of God, and what is the likeness of God. (2) Why is not man born into the knowledge proper to any love, when even the beasts and the birds are born into the knowledge proper to all their loves. (3) What do the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil signify. And further, they were to unite the answers to these three in one opinion, and refer this to the angels of heaven; this was done, the opinion was referred, and was accepted by the angels (n. 48). V. From evil spirits who were just above hell a sound was heard like the roaring of the sea; which was from a tumult that arose among them from their hearing it said above them that the Almighty God had bound Himself to order. A certain one ascending therefrom, addressed me sharply on the matter, saying that as God is omnipotent He is not bound to any order. And on being questioned about order, I said: (1) God is Order itself. (2) He created man from order, in order, and for order. (3) He created man's rational mind in accordance with the order of the spiritual world, and his body in accordance with the order of the natural world. (4) Therefore it is a law of order that man from his little spiritual world or little heaven should govern his little cosmos or little natural world, just as God from His great heaven or spiritual world governs His great cosmos or natural world. (5) Many other laws of order flow forth from these, some of which are recited. What afterward befell those spirits is described (n. 71). VI. Concerning the reasoning between certain Dutch and British in the spiritual world on the subject of imputation and predestination; on the one side, why God, since He is omnipotent, does not impute the righteousness of His Son to every man, and thus make them redeemed, for being omnipotent, He is able to make all the satans of hell angels of heaven; and even, if it be His good pleasure, He can make Lucifer, the dragon, and all the goats, to be archangels; and what is needed for this but a little word? On the other side, that God is Order itself, and that He can do nothing contrary to the laws of His order; because to act contrary to them would be to act contrary to Himself. Also much beside, about which they contended on this subject (n. 72). VII. I afterward spoke with others who had believed in predestination, deducing it from God's absolute power or omnipotence; saying that otherwise God would have less power than a king in the world who is a despot, and who can as easily change the laws of justice as he can turn his hands, and can act without restriction, like Octavius Augustus and also like Nero. To which it was answered, that God created the world and each and all things thereof, from Himself as Order, and thus impressed order upon them; also that the laws of His order are just as many as are the truths in the Word. Some of the laws of order were then recited, - what they are, and the nature of them, on God's part, and also on man's part. These cannot be changed, because God is Order itself: and man was created an image of His order (n. 73). VIII. I spoke with clergymen and laymen who had gathered together, concerning the Divine omnipotence; and they said that omnipotence is unlimited, and that limited omnipotence is a contradiction. To this it was answered, that there is no contradiction in acting omnipotently according to laws of justice with judgment. It is said in David that "Justice and judgment are the support of God's throne" (Ps. 89:14); and that there is no contradiction in acting omnipotently according to the laws of love and wisdom; but there is a contradiction in God's being able to act contrary to the laws of justice and love; which would be to act from what is not judgment and wisdom; and such contradiction is implied in the faith of the church of the present day, which is that God is able to make an unjust man just, and endow the impious with all the gifts of salvation and the rewards of life. With much more concerning this faith and concerning omnipotence (n. 74). IX. When I was once meditating upon the creation of the universe by God, I was led in the spirit to certain wise ones who at first complained of the ideas they had acquired in the world which related to the creation of the universe out of chaos, and creation out of nothing; because these ideas obscure meditation upon the creation of the universe by God, and degrade and pervert it. Therefore when asked for my opinion, I replied that it is idle to try to form any but a speculative conclusion about the creation of the universe, unless it is known that there are two worlds, the spiritual and the natural, and that in each of these is a sun; and that the sun of the spiritual world, in the midst of which is God, is nothing but love, and that from it are all spiritual things, which in themselves are substantial; while the sun of the natural world is nothing but fire, and from it are all natural things, which in themselves are material. From these knowledges it can be concluded in regard to the creation of the universe, that it is from God, and how. This was also slightly traced out (n. 76). X. Some satans of hell desired to talk with the angels of heaven, for the purpose of convincing them that all things are from nature, and that God is a mere word unless nature is meant. They were permitted to ascend. Then certain angels descended from heaven into the world of spirits to hear them. When the satans saw the angels they ran up to them furiously and said, "You are called angels because you believe that there is a God, and that nature is relatively nothing; this you believe although it is contrary to every sense; for which of your five senses has a sensation of anything but nature?" After these and many other bitter words, the angels called to the remembrance of the satans that they were then living after death, although formerly they had not even believed that they would so live; and then they caused them to see the beautiful and splendid things of heaven, and told them that these were there because all there believe in God; and afterward they caused them to see the vile and filthy things of hell, and told them that these were there because those there believe in nature. From seeing these things the satans were at first convinced that there is a God and that He created nature; but as they descended, the love of evil returned and closed their understanding from above; and when this was closed they believed as before, that all things are of nature, and nothing of God (n. 77). XI. A type of the creation of the universe was shown me in a living way, by angels. I was conducted into heaven; and it was granted me to see there all things of the animal kingdom, of the vegetable kingdom, and of the mineral kingdom, which were in every respect like the objects of those three kingdoms in the natural world. And then they said, All these things in heaven are created in a moment by God, and they continue to exist as long as the angels are interiorly as to their thought in a state of love and faith; and this instantaneous creation furnishes a clear proof of the creation of similar things, and even a similar creation, in the natural world, with the sole difference that natural things invest spiritual things, and that this clothing was provided by God for the sake of generations one from another, by which creation is perpetuated. Consequently, the creation of the universe was effected in a way similar to that in which it is effected every moment in heaven. Nevertheless, all the noxious and hideous things in the three kingdoms of nature (which are enumerated), were not created by God, but sprang up along with hell (n. 78). XII. In a conversation relating to the creation of the universe, with some who when in the world had been celebrated for learning, these spoke from the same ideas that they had formerly entertained. One of them said that nature created itself; another, that nature gathered its elements into vortices, and that by the collision of these the earth was formed; and a third that the origin of all things was chaos which in extent had equalled a great part of the universe; and that first there burst forth therefrom the purest elements, of which the sun and stars were formed; and afterwards those less pure, of which the atmospheres were formed; and at last the grosser matters, of which the terraqueous globe was formed. To the question, "What was the origin of human souls?" they answered, that the ether gathered itself into little individual globules, and that these infuse themselves into those who are about to be born, and make their souls; and that after death these globules fly away to their former company in the ether, and afterward return into others according to the doctrine of metempsychosis of the ancients. After this a certain priest, by solid arguments in favor of the creation of the universe by God showed all the things which they had said to be an absurd medley, and put them to shame. But still they held to their former delusions (n. 79). XIII. A conversation with a certain satan about God, and the angelic heaven, and religion; who, not knowing that he was not still in the former world, declared that God is the universe, and that the angelic heaven is the atmospheric firmament, and that religion is nothing but a bewitchment of the common people, besides other follies. But when it was brought to his remembrance that he was then living after death, and that he formerly did not believe in that life, for the moment he confessed that he was insane; but as soon as he turned and went away he was as insane as before (n. 80). XIV. I saw by night an ignis fatuus, often called a dragon, falling toward the earth. I noticed the place where it fell; the ground there was sulphurous, mixed with iron dust. And looking there in the morning, I saw two tents; and just then a spirit fell from heaven. I went to him and asked why he had fallen down from heaven. He replied that he was cast down by the angels of Michael, for saying that God the Father and His Son are two, and not one. He also said that the whole angelic heaven believes that God the Father and His Son are one, as soul and body are one, and that they prove this by many things from the Word and still further from the reason, that the soul of a son is from the father only, and that this is a likeness of the father and from it the likeness is in the body. And he added that he indeed had confessed in heaven, as before on earth, that God is one; but because the confession of the mouth and the thought of the mind disagreed in regard to this, they said in heaven that he did not believe in any God, because the confession and the thought dissipate each other; and he said that this was the cause of his being cast down. Returning the next day to the same place, instead of the two tents I saw two statues composed of the same sort of dust, which was a mixture of sulphur and iron. One of these represented the faith and the other the charity of the church of the present day, both beautifully clothed; but the garments were induced by fantasies. And because they were made of dust, when the rain descended from heaven both of them began to effervesce and burn (n. 110). XV. In the spiritual world it is unlawful to say anything except what one thinks; if he does, the hypocrisy is distinctly manifest to the ear. In hell, therefore, no one can utter the name Jesus, because Jesus signifies salvation. In this way an experiment was made to ascertain how many in the Christian world at this day believe that Christ even as to His Human is God. Therefore, when many of the clergy and laity were assembled, it was proposed that they say "Divine Human;" but there were scarcely any who were able to draw forth from the thought these two words at once, and so to utter them. It was proved in their presence by many things out of the Word, that the Lord even as to His Human is God as by the following: (Matt. 28:18; John 1:1, 2, 14; 17:2; Col. 2:9; 1 John 5:20; and in other places also); still they were not able to utter the words Divine Human,- and, what seemed surprising, neither were the Evangelicals able to do this, although their orthodoxy teaches that in Christ God is Man and Man is God; and still more, neither could the monks, although they most devoutly adore the Body of Christ in the Eucharist. From all this it was ascertained that Christians at the present day for the most part are interiorly either Arians or Socinians; and that these, if they adore Christ as God, are hypocrites (n. 111). XVI. An altercation about a little book entitled, A Brief Exposition of the Doctrine of the New Church, published by me at Amsterdam; and especially about this doctrine in it, that not God the Father, but the Lord God the Redeemer is to be approached and worshiped. It was argued that on the other hand it is said in the Lord's Prayer, "Our Father, Who art in the heavens, hallowed be Thy name: Thy kingdom come," And that consequently it is God the Father who is to be approached. I was summoned to end this strife; and I then showed that God the Father cannot be approached in His Divine, but only in His Human; and as the Divine and Human in Him are one Person, that the Lord is that Father. This also was proved by the Word; both by the Word of the Old Testament, where the Son of God is called Father of Eternity, and in many places called Jehovah the Redeemer, Jehovah our Righteousness, and the God of Israel, and from many passages in the Word of the New Testament; consequently when the Lord the Redeemer is approached, the Father is approached; and then His name is hallowed, and His kingdom comes. With much beside (n. 112). XVII. I saw an army on red and black horses, with the faces of all the riders turned to the horses' tails, and with the hinder part of the head turned towards the horses' heads; they were crying out for battle against those who were riding on white horses. This ludicrous army was from the place called Armageddon (Apoc. 16:16), and consisted of those who in youth had become imbued with the dogmas relating to justification by faith alone, but who afterwards, when they had been promoted to prominent offices, had rejected all things pertaining to faith and religion from the internals of their minds to the externals of their bodies, where at last they disappeared. A description of those who were seen in Armageddon; and it was heard that they wished to meet and contend with the angels of Michael; which was permitted, although at some distance from that place. The contention was about the meaning of these words in the Lord's Prayer; "Our Father, Who art in the heavens, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come." It was then said by the angels of Michael that the Lord the Redeemer and Saviour is Father to all in the heavens; since He taught, that the Father and He are one; that the Father is in Him, and He in the Father; and that he that sees Him sees the Father: that all things of the Father are in Him; also that it is the will of the Father that men should believe in the Son, and that those who believe not the Son shall not see life, but that the wrath of God will abide on them; also, that He has all power in heaven and on earth; and that He has power over all flesh; and moreover, that no one has seen or can see God the Father, except the Son only who is in the bosom of the Father; and more besides. After this combat, some of the vanquished Armageddons were cast into the abyss mentioned in Apoc. 9, and some of them were banished into a desert (n. 113). XVIII. I was in a temple in which there were no windows, but a large opening in the roof, and those assembled there were conferring about Redemption, saying unanimously that redemption was wrought by the passion of the cross. But while they were engaged in that conversation, a black cloud covered the opening in the roof, and because of this it became dark in the temple; but a little after that cloud was dispelled by angels descending from heaven, who then sent down one of their number into the temple to instruct them about redemption. He said that the passion of the cross was not redemption, but redemption was the subjugation of the hells, the restoration of order in the heavens, and thus the restitution of all things which were in disorder both in the spiritual world and in the natural world, and that without it no flesh could have been saved. And of the passion of the cross he said, that by it was completed the inmost union with the Father; and that when it is taken for redemption many things unworthy of God, and even unfit to be spoken, follow as consequences; as that He passed sentence of damnation upon the whole human race, and that the Son took that damnation upon Himself, and that thus He propitiated the Father, and by intercession brought Him back to His Divine essence, which is love and mercy; besides many other things, which it is scandalous to attribute to God (n. 134). XIX. The sun of the spiritual world was seen, wherein is Jehovah God in His Human. Presently there was heard from heaven, that God is One. But when this descended into the world of spirits it was changed according to the forms of the minds there, and finally into the expression three Gods. This was confirmed by one there by this reasoning: that there is one who created all things, another who redeemed all, and a third who operates all things; also that there is one who imputes, another who mediates, and a third who inscribes, and thus implants faith in man, by which He justifies him. But because the belief in three Gods had perverted the whole Christian church, from a perception granted me I disclosed to them what, with the one God, is meant by mediation, intercession, propitiation, and expiation; namely, that these four are attributes of the Human of Jehovah God; that because Jehovah God without the Human cannot approach man, nor be approached by man, mediation means that the Human is the intermediary; that intercession means that it mediates perpetually; that propitiation means that an approach is mercifully opened for every man to God; and that expiation means that this is also for sinners; and all these through the Human (n. 135). XX. I entered a gymnasium, where they were discussing what is meant where it is said of the Son of God, that He sits at the right hand of the Father. Concerning this there were various opinions; yet it was the opinion of all that the Son actually sits thus; but they were discussing why it was so. Some supposed that it was done on account of redemption; some that it was from love; some, that He might be a counselor; some, that He might have honor from the angels; some, because it was given Him to reign instead of the Father; some, that His right ear may hear those for whom He intercedes. They further discussed whether it was the Son of God from eternity who sits thus, or the Son of God born in the world. Having heard these things, I raised my hand, requesting that I might be permitted to say something, and to tell what is meant by sitting at the right hand of God. I said that it is the omnipotence of God, by means of the Human which He assumed that is meant; for by means of this He wrought redemption, that is, subjugated the hells, created a new angelic heaven, and established a new church. That this is meant by sitting at the right hand, I proved from the Word, in which "the right hand" signifies power; and afterwards it was confirmed from heaven, by the appearance of a right hand over them, from the power of which and the terror therefrom they all became almost lifeless (n. 136). XXI. I was conducted in the spiritual world to a certain synod at which were assembled celebrated persons who lived before the Nicene council, and who were called Apostolic Fathers; also men renowned in the ages after that council; and I saw that some of the latter appeared with beardless chins, and in curled wigs of women's hair; but all the former with bearded chin, and in natural hair. In front of them stood a man, a judge and critic of the writings of the present century, who began by a kind of lamentation, saying, "A man from the laity has risen up, who has dragged down our faith out of its sanctuary, which yet is a star shining day and night before us; but this is done because that man is blind to the mysteries of that faith, and does not see in it the righteousness of Christ, and thus not the wonders of its justification; and yet that faith is a faith in three Divine persons, and thus in the whole Deity; and because He has transferred his faith to the second Person, and not even to Him, but to His Human, it cannot be otherwise than that naturalism should flow from it." Those who lived after the Nicene council favored his speech, saying, that it is impossible that there should be any other faith, or from any other source. But the Apostolic Fathers, who had lived before that age, being indignant, related many things which are said in heaven respecting the Nicene and Athanasian faith, which may be seen [in the text]. But because the president of the council was affiliated in spirit with that writer in Leipsic, I addressed him, and showed from the Word that Christ, even as to the Human, is God; and also from the dogmatic book of the Evangelicals called Formula Concordiae, "That in Christ God is Man, and Man God;" as also that the Augsburg Confession especially approves of the worship of Christ; besides other things; at which he was silent, and turned away. Afterwards I spoke with a certain spirit who was affiliated with an eminent man in Gottenburg, who defiled the worship of the Lord with a still greater reproach. But at length both of these slanders were declared to be lies craftily invented to turn away men's wills and deter them from the holy worship of the Lord (n. 137). XXII. There appeared a smoke ascending from the lower earth, and it was said that smokes are nothing else than falsities collected together. And then certain angels were seized with a desire to ascertain what the falsities were that thus smoked; and they descended, and found four crowds of spirits, two of which were of the learned and unlearned of the clergy, and two of the learned and unlearned of the laity, who were all proving to each other that an invisible God is to be worshiped, and that the worshipers then secure holiness and a hearing. It is otherwise when a visible God is worshiped. Holiness and a hearing from an invisible God they proved by various things; for which reason they acknowledge three Gods from eternity, who are invisible. But it was shown that the worship of an invisible God, and still more of three invisible ones, is no worship. To confirm this, Socinus and Arius with some of their followers, all of whom had worshiped an invisible Divinity, were brought forth from below; and when these spoke from the natural or external mind, they said that there is a God, although He is invisible; but when their external mind was closed, and the internal mind was opened, and from that mind they were compelled to avow their belief respecting God, they said, "What is God? We have neither seen His shape, nor heard His voice. What then is God, but a figment of reason or nature?" But they were taught that it had pleased God to descend and assume the Human, that they might see His shape and hear His voice. But this was said to them in vain (n. 159). XXIII. First concerning the stars in the natural world; that perhaps they were of the same number as the angelic societies in heaven, since every society there sometimes shines like a star. Afterwards, I spoke with the angels about a certain way that appears crowded with innumerable spirits, that it is the way by which all who depart out of the natural world pass into the spiritual world. I went in company with angels towards that way, and we called from that way twelve men, and asked them what they believed about heaven and hell and a life after death. And because they were recently from the world, and did not know but what they were still in the natural world, they answered from the idea which they brought with them The First. That all who live a moral life go to heaven; and as all do live a moral life no one goes to hell. The Second, That God rules heaven, and the devil rules hell; and because they are opposite, one calls good what the other calls evil; and that the man who is a dissembler, because he sides with both, can live equally under the dominion of the one and of the other. The Third, That there is no heaven, and no hell. "Who has come thence and told us?" The Fourth, That no one is able to come back and tell, because man, when he dies, is either a ghost or a wind. The Fifth, That we must wait till the day of the last judgment, and then it will be told, and you will know all about it. But when he said this he laughed in his heart. The Sixth, "How can the soul of man, which is only a wind, re-enter its body that has been eaten up by worms, or be clothed with a skeleton that has either been dried up or has crumbled into dust? "The Seventh, That men can no more live after death than beasts and birds, are not these equally rational? The Eighth, "I believe that there is a heaven, but I do not believe that there is a hell, because God is omnipotent, and is able to save all. "The Ninth, That God, because He is gracious, cannot send any one into eternal fire. The Tenth, That no one can go to hell, because God sent His Son, who has made expiation for all, and taken away the sins of all. What can the devil do against that? The Eleventh, who was a priest, That those only are saved, who have attained to faith, and that election is according to the will of the Almighty. The Twelfth, who was a politician, "I do not say anything about heaven and hell; but let the priests preach about them, that the minds of the common people may be kept bound by an invisible bond to the laws and rulers." On hearing these things the angels were astonished; but they waked up the twelve by teaching them that they were already living after death; and they conducted them into heaven, but they did not stay there long, because. it was found that they were merely natural, and that from this the hinder part of their heads was hollow; concerning which hollowness and the cause of it, something is lastly said (n. 160). XXIV. There was heard a noise like that of a mill, and following the noise I saw a house full of chinks, to which there was an entrance opening under ground, and in it a man collecting from the Word and books many things concerning justification by faith alone; and at his side copyists were writing his collections upon paper; and when asked what he was now collecting, he said, "This, that God the Father ceased to be gracious towards the human race, and that He therefore sent the Son to make expiation and propitiation. "To which I answered, that it is contrary to Scripture and contrary to reason, that God could fail of grace, for this would be also failing of His essence, and thus He would not be God. And when I demonstrated this even to conviction, he grew warm, and ordered his copyists to cast me out. But when I had gone out of my own accord, he threw after me a book that he happened to lay hand upon; and that book was the Word (n. 161). XXV. There was a discussion among spirits whether one can see any genuine truth in the Word unless he goes immediately to the Lord who is the Word itself. But as some objected to this an experiment was made; and therein those who went to God the Father, did not see any truth; but all who went to the Lord saw. During this discussion some spirits ascended from the abyss (see Apoc. 9), where they discuss the mysteries of justification by faith alone, saying that they go to God the Father and see their mysteries in clear light. But it was answered that they see them in fatuous light, and that they have not even a single truth; at which, being nettled, they brought forth from the Word many things which were true; but they were told that while these were true in themselves, they were falsified in them. That this was so, was proved by their being led into a house where there was a table upon which light from heaven flowed directly; and they were told to write those truths which they had brought forth from the Word upon paper, and lay it upon that table; and when this was done, the paper on which the truths had been written shone like a star; but when they came up and fixed their gaze upon it, the paper appeared blackened as if by soot. Afterwards they were led to another similar table, upon which lay the Word encircled with a rainbow; and when a certain champion of the doctrine of faith alone touched this with his hand there was an explosion as if from a gun, and he was cast into a corner of the room, and lay as (lead for half an hour. From all this they were convinced that all the truths that they had from the Word were true in themselves but falsified in them (n. 162). XXVI. There are climates in the spiritual world, as in the natural world; thus also there are northern zones where are snow and ice. On one occasion, being brought thither in spirit, I entered a temple then covered over with snow, illuminated within by lamps, and behind the altar there was seen a tablet, upon which was written this, The Divine Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are essentially one, but personally three. And I heard a priest preaching about four mysteries of faith respecting which the understanding is to be kept under obedience to faith, which may be seen [in the text]. After the discourse, the hearers thanked the priest for his sermon so rich in wisdom. But when I asked them whether they understood anything, they answered, "We took in everything with full ears; why do you ask whether we understood? Is not the understanding benumbed by such matters?" To this the priest who was present added, "Forasmuch as you have heard and have not understood, you are blessed, for thereby you have salvation." And other things (n. 185). XXVII. The human mind is divided into three regions, like the heaven in which angels dwell; and in those who love truths because they are truths theological matters have their seat in the highest region of the mind; and under these, in the middle region, moral subjects, and beneath these in the lowest region, political subjects; and the various sciences constitute the door. But theological matters with those who do not love truths have their seat in the lowest region, and mingle themselves there with what is man's own, and thus with the fallacies of the senses; and for this reason some cannot perceive theological principles at all (n. 186). XXVIII. I was brought to a place where those were who are meant by "the false prophet" in the Apocalypse; and I was invited by those there to see their temple. I followed and saw it, and in it the image of a woman clad in a scarlet robe, holding in her right hand a golden coin, and in her left a chain of pearls; but these appearances were produced through fantasy. But when the interiors of my mind were opened by the Lord, instead of the temple there was seen a house full of chinks; and instead of the woman there was seen a beast, such as is described in the Apocalypse (13:2); and under the floor there was a bog, in which lay the Word, deeply concealed. But presently, an east wind springing up, the temple was carried away, and the bog was dried up, and the Word lay exposed; and then, by the light from heaven, there appeared there a tabernacle like that of Abraham when the three angels came slid foretold to him the birth of Isaac; and afterwards, light being sent forth from the second heaven, instead of the tabernacle there appeared a temple similar to that of Jerusalem; and after this a light shone upon it from the third heaven, and then the temple disappeared, and the Lord alone was seen standing upon the foundation stone where the Word was. But because an overpowering sanctity then filled their minds this light was withdrawn, and in place of it light from the second heaven was let in, which caused the previous view of the temple to return, and also that of the tabernacle within it (n. 187). XXIX. There was seen a magnificent palace, in which there was a temple, and in this seats were placed in triple order. In it there was a council convoked by the Lord, in which they were to deliberate concerning the Lord the Saviour, and concerning the Holy Spirit. When as many of the clergy were present as there were seats, they began the council. And because they were to consult in regard to the Lord, the first proposition was, Who assumed the Human in the virgin Mary? And then the angel standing beside the table read before them what the angel Gabriel said to Mary, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; and the holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35; and also from Matt. 1:20, 25); and many other things from the Prophets, that Jehovah Himself was to come into the world, and that Jehovah Himself is called Saviour, Redeemer and Righteousness; from which it was concluded that Jehovah Himself assumed the Human. Another deliberation concerning the Lord, was, Whether the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are not thus one, as soul and body are one; and this was proved by many passages in the Word, and also from the creed of the present church; from which it was concluded that the soul of the Lord is from God the Father, and consequently that His Human is Divine; and that the Human is to be approached that the Father may be approached, since by means of it Jehovah God sent Himself into the world and made Himself seen before the eyes of men, and thus accessible. This was followed by a third deliberation concerning the Holy Spirit; and then first the idea respecting three Divine persons from eternity was discarded, and it was proved from the Word that the Holy Divine, which is called the Holy Spirit, goes forth out of the Lord from the Father. At length, from the deliberations of this council, this conclusion was reached: That in the Lord the Saviour there is a Divine Trinity, namely, the Divine from which (a quo) which is called the Father the Divine Human which is called the Son, and the Divine going forth which is called the Holy Spirit; and that therefore in the church God is one. When the council was ended, splendid garments were given to those who sat in it and they were conducted to the new heaven (n. 188). XXX. I saw in a certain stable large purses, in which there was silver in great abundance, and near them young men as guards; in the next room, modest virgins with a chaste wife; and also in another room, two little children; and at last a harlot and dead horses. And afterwards I was taught what each of those things signified; and that by them was represented and described the Word as it is in itself and as it is at this day (n. 277). XXXI. Writing was seen, such as there is in the highest or third heaven, which consisted of inflected letters with little curves turning upwards; and it was said that the Hebrew letters in the most ancient time were somewhat like these when they were more curved than they are at this day, and that the letter h, which was added to the names of Abram and Sarai, signifies the infinite and the eternal. They explained before me the sense of some words in Psalm 32:2, from the letters or syllables alone there, which is, that the Lord is merciful even to those who do evil (n. 278). XXXII. Before the Israelitish Word there was a Word, the prophetical books of which were called Enunciations, and the historical, the Wars of Jehovah; and besides these, also one called the book of Jasher; which three are mentioned in our Word; and this ancient Word was in the land of Canaan, Syria, Mesopotamia, Arabia, Assyria, Chaldea, Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, and Nineveh; but because it was full of such correspondences as remotely signify celestial and spiritual things, which gave occasion for idolatries, this Word, through Divine Providence, disappeared. I have heard that Moses transcribed from this Word the things which he related concerning the Creation, Adam and Eve, the Flood, and Noah and his three sons, but no further. And I was told in the spiritual world by the angels from Great Tartary that this same, Word is still preserved among that people, and that they draw from it the precepts of their faith and life (n. 279). XXXIII. On account of the distinction between spiritual and natural, or what is the same, between the substantial and the material, those who are in the spiritual world cannot be seen by those who are in the natural world, nor conversely; thus spirits and angels cannot be seen by men, nor men by spirits and angels. From this is the fact that spirits and angels have altogether a different language, different writing, and also different thought from what men have. That this is so, was made evident by living experience, which was done by their going in turn to their associates, and returning to me, and thus comparing. In this way it was discovered, that there is not even one word of spiritual language that is like any word of natural language; and that their writing consists of syllables, each of which involves a meaning pertaining to the subject; and that the ideas of their thought do not fall into the ideas of natural thought. The cause of these differences is, that spirits and angels are in principles, but men in derivatives; or that the former are in prior things which as causes are the origin of posterior things, and that men are in posterior things from those that are prior. It was said that there is a like difference between the languages, writings, and thoughts, of the angels of the third heaven and those of the angels of the second (n. 280). XXXIV. On the state of men after death, in general, and the state of those who have confirmed themselves in falsities, in particular. In regard to all of these the following things were observed: (1) For the most part men are commonly resuscitated the third day after death, and then they do not know but that they are still living in the former world. (2) All go to the world which is intermediate between heaven and hell, which is called the world of spirits. (3) There they are transferred into various societies, and thus their characters are ascertained. (4) There the good and faithful are prepared for heaven, and the evil and unfaithful for hell. (5) After the preparation, which continues for some years, a way is opened for the good to some society in heaven where they are to live forever, but a way for the evil into hell; besides many more things. Afterwards the nature of hell is described; and it is stated that those there who are in falsities from confirmation are called satans and those who are in evils of life are called devils (n. 281). XXXV. From the lower earth, which is next above hell, I heard shouts, "0 how just! 0 how learned! 0 how wise!" and because I wondered how there could be any just, learned, and wise persons in hell, I descended, and first went to the place where they were crying, "0 how just!" and I saw there, as it were, a tribunal, and in it unjust judges who could skillfully pervert the laws, and turn judgments to the favor of any one whatever; and that thus their judgments were purely arbitrary judgments; and when the sentences were carried out to the clients, they cried out for a long distance, "O how just." Concerning these the angels afterwards said, that such are unable to see any least particle of what is just. After a while these judges were cast into hell, and their books were turned into playing-cards, and instead of judging, they were assigned to the task of preparing paint, with which they daubed the faces of harlots, and thus turned them into beauties (n. 332). XXXVI. Afterwards I went to the place where they were crying out, "0 how learned" and I saw a company of those who were reasoning whether a thing is so or not, but not thinking that it is so; and therefore they stopped at the first step concerning any subject whatever; thus they merely touched it from without and did not enter into it; so they also argue concerning God, whether there is a God. That I might know for certain whether their character was such I put to them the question, What kind of religion is necessary for the salvation of man? They answered, "It must be considered (1) Whether religion is anything. (2) Whether one religion is more efficacious than another. (3) Whether there is any eternal life, and thus whether there is any salvation. (4) Is there a heaven and a hell?" And then they began to discuss the first, Whether religion is anything. And they said that this required so much investigation that it could not be finished in the space of a year; and one among them said, that it could not be finished in a hundred years; to which I replied that in the meantime they would be without religion. But still they discussed this first point so skillfully that the company standing by cried, "0 how learned!" I was told by the angels, that such appear like graven images; and that afterwards they are sent out into deserts, where among themselves they gabble and talk nothing but nonsense (n. 333). XXXVII. I went on further to the third company, where I heard the cry, "0 how wise!" and I found assembled there those who are unable to see whether truth is truth or not, and yet are able to make whatever they wish seem true, and are therefore called Confirmers. That they were such, I also saw from various answers to propositions as that they could make it true that faith is the all of the church, and afterwards that charity is the all of the church, and also that faith and charity together are the all of the church; and because they confirmed whichever of these they liked, and adorned them with appearances so that they shone like truths, therefore the by-standers cried, "0 how wise!" Afterwards some ludicrous things, also, were proposed to them, that they might make them true; for they say that there is nothing true, except what man makes true. The ludicrous things were these: that light is darkness, and darkness light; and also that a crow is white, and not black; which two they made to appear as wholly true. The arguments for these may be seen in the text. I was told by the angels that such do not possess a single grain of understanding, since all that is above the rational with them is closed, while all below the rational is open; and by this man can confirm whatever he pleases, but cannot see any truth to be truth therefore, this does not belong to a man of understanding, but it does belong to him to be able to see that truth is truth and that falsity is falsity, and to confirm it (n. 334). XXXVIII. I spoke with spirits who, in the natural world, had been famed for erudition, who were disputing among themselves about connate ideas, whether men have any, as beasts have; and then a certain angelic spirit thrust himself in and said, "You are disputing about goat's wool. Men have no connate ideas, neither have beasts. "At which words all were enraged. But afterwards, opportunity to speak being given, he spoke first concerning beasts, saying, "They have no connate ideas; for the reason that they do not think, but only act from instinct, which they have from their natural love, which makes in them something analogous to a will, and this flows immediately into the senses of their body and excites that which agrees with and favors the love; and yet ideas are predicable only of thought. "That beasts have sensation only and not thought, he confirmed by various things, especially by the wonderful things which are known respecting spiders, bees, and silk-worms, saying, "Does a spider think in its little head, when it forms its web, that the web is to be so woven for the rake of such or such uses? Does a bee think in its little head, 'From these flowers I will suck honey, and from these I will gather wax, out of which I will build compact rows of little cells, and in these I will put honey in abundance that it may be sufficient also for the winter?' besides other things. Does the silkworm think in its little head, 'Now I will betake myself to spinning silk, and when I have spun it I will fly forth and sport with my companions, and provide for myself posterity?' besides like things with beasts and birds." Concerning men he said, that every mother and nurse, and the father also, know that new-born infants have no connate ideas, and that they have no ideas at all until they have learned to think, and that then ideas arise and are produced according to every kind of thought which they have imbibed by instruction; and that this is so because man has nothing born in him except a capacity to know, to understand and to be wise, and an inclination to love not only himself and the world, but also the neighbor and God. These things Leibnitz and Wolfe heard at a distance; and Leibnitz favored, but Wolfe did not (n. 335). XXXIX. Once a certain angelic spirit illustrated what faith and charity are, and what their conjunction effects. He illustrated it by comparison with light and heat, which meet together in a third; because the light in heaven in its essence is the truth of faith, and the heat there in its essence is the good of charity; therefore as light without heat, such as there is in winter-time in the world, strips the trees of leaves and fruits, so is faith separated from charity; and as light conjoined to heat, such as there is in spring-time, vivifies all things, so is faith conjoined with charity (n. 385). XL. Two angels descended, one from the eastern heaven where love prevails, and the other from the southern heaven, where wisdom prevails, and spoke concerning the essence of the heavens, whether it is love or wisdom; and they agreed that it is love and wisdom therefrom; consequently, that the heavens were created by God, from love by means of wisdom (n. 386). XLI. After that, I entered a garden, where I was led around by a certain spirit, and at length to a palace which was called the Temple of Wisdom. This was four-square, the walls of crystal, the roof of jasper, the substructure of various precious stones. And he said that no one can enter it who does not believe that what he knows, understands, and is wise in, compared with what he does not know and understand and is not wise in, is relatively so little that it is scarcely anything. And because I believed this, it was granted me to enter; and it was seen that the whole of it was built to be a form of light. In that temple I related what I had lately heard from the two angels about love and wisdom; and they asked, "Did they not also speak of a third, which is use?" And they said that love and wisdom apart from use are merely ideal entities, but that in use they become real, and that it is the same with charity, faith, and good works (n. 387). XLII. One of the spirits of the dragon invited me to see the delights of his love; and he led me to something like an amphitheater, upon the seats of which sat satyrs and harlot, And then he said, "Now you shall see our sport." And he opened a door, and let in, as it were, calves, rams, kids, and lambs; and presently through another door he let in lions, panthers, tigers, and wolves, which rushed upon the flock, tearing them and slaughtering them. But all these things which were seen were induced by means of fantasies. Having seen this I said to the dragonist, "After a while you will see this theater turned into a lake of fire and brimstone "The sport being finished, the dragonist went out, attended by his satyrs and harlots, and saw a flock of sheep; from which he inferred that one of the Jerusalemite cities was near by; on seeing which, he was seized with the desire to take it and cast out the inhabitants; but because it was surrounded by a wall, he planned to take it by stratagem. And then he sent one skilled in incantation, who being admitted spoke craftily with the citizens about faith and charity; especially as to which of them is the primary, and whether charity contributes anything to salvation. But the dragonist, enraged at the answer, went out and gathered together many of his crew, and began to besiege the city; but when he was endeavoring to reach and invade it, fire out of heaven consumed them according to what is foretold in the Apocalypse (20:8, 9) (n. 388). XLIII. A paper was once sent down from heaven, in which there was an exhortation to acknowledge the Lord the Savior as the God of heaven and earth, according to His words (Matt. 28:18). But two bishops who were there were consulted as to what should be done. They said that the paper should be sent back to heaven from which it came. When this was done that society sank down, but not very deep. The next day some ascended therefrom and told what lot they had met with there; also that they went to the bishops there and reproved them for their advice, and that they had talked much about the state of the church at this day, and had censured the doctrine of the bishops regarding the Trinity, of justifying faith, of charity, and other things which pertained to their orthodoxy, and asked them to discard those doctrines because they were contrary to the Word; but to no purpose. And because they called their faith dead and diabolical, according to James in his Epistle, one of the bishops took off the miter from his head, and laid it down upon the table, saying that he would not resume it until the scoffing of his faith had been avenged. But then a monster appeared coming up from below, like the beast described in the Apocalypse (13:1, 2), which took up the miter and carried it away (n. 389). XLIV. I went to a certain house where those assembled were arguing one with another, whether the good which a man does in the state of justification by faith is the good of religion or not. There was an agreement that by the good of religion the good which contributes to salvation is meant. But the opinion of those prevailed who said that no good that is done by man contributes anything to salvation; since no voluntary good of man can be conjoined with what is free, because salvation is bestowed freely neither can any good from man be conjoined with the merit of Christ, by which alone is salvation possible; neither can the operation of man be conjoined with the operation of the Holy Spirit, that does all things without the aid of man. From which it was concluded that good works, even in the state of justification by faith, contribute nothing to salvation; but faith only. On hearing these things, two gentiles who stood at the door said to each other, "These men have no religion. Who does not know that to do good to the neighbor for God's sake, thus from God and with God, is religion?" (n. 390). XLV. I heard the angels lamenting that there is such spiritual destitution at this day in the church that they know nothing else than that there are three Divine persons from eternity, and that faith alone saves; and about the Lord they know only the historical facts; and that they are profoundly ignorant of the things that are taught in the Word respecting the Lord, His oneness with the Father, His Divinity and power. And they said that a certain angel had been sent down by them to discover whether there was such destitution at this day among Christians; and that he asked a certain one what his religion was. He answered, that it was faith. Then he asked him about redemption, regeneration, and salvation. He answered that they were all matters of faith; and also in regard to charity that it is in faith; also, whether any one can do good from himself. Afterwards the angel said to him, "You have answered like a man playing but one note on a flute; I hear only faith; but if you know nothing else but that, you know nothing." Then he led him to his companions in a desert, where there was not even grass. Besides more (n. 391). XLVI. I saw five gymnasia encompassed by different kinds of light, and with many others I entered into the first, which was seen in flame-colored light. Many were assembled there, and the president proposed that they should declare their opinions respecting charity; and when they had begun, the first said that in his opinion charity is morality inspired by faith. The second, that it is pity inspired by commiseration. The third that it is doing good to everyone, both virtuous and vicious alike. The fourth, that it is to serve by every means one's relatives and friends. The fifth, that it is giving alms to the poor and assisting the needy. The sixth, that it is building hospitals, infirmaries, and orphans' homes. The seventh, that it is to endow temples and to do good to their ministers. The eighth, that it is the old Christian brotherhood. The ninth, that it is to forgive every one his trespasses. Each of them fully confirmed his opinion; which confirmations cannot be recited because they are many; they may therefore be seen in the Memorable Relation itself. After this there was given me an opportunity to express my opinion; and I said that charity is to act with judgment from a love justice, in every employment and office but from a love derived from no other source than the Lord the Savior; and after this had been demonstrated, I added that all those things which had been said before respecting charity by the nine celebrated men were eminent examples of charity when done with judgment from justice; and because justice and judgment are from no other source than the Lord the Savior, they are to be done by man from Him. This was approved by most of them in their internal man, but not as yet in the external (n. 459). XLVII. At a distance there was heard something like the gnashing of teeth, and mingled with this a kind of beating; and I went toward the sounds, and saw a small house built of reeds plastered together; and instead of the gnashing of teeth and the sound of knocking, I heard within, in the little house, disputes about faith and charity which of them is the essential of the church. And those who were for faith brought forward their arguments, saying that faith is spiritual because it is from God, but charity natural because it is from man. On the other hand, those who were for charity said that charity is spiritual and faith is natural unless it is conjoined to charity. To these things a certain syncretist wishing to settle the dispute added to this the proof that faith is spiritual and charity only natural. But it was said that moral life is of two kinds, spiritual and natural, and that in the man who lives from the Lord it is spiritual-moral but in the man who does not live from the Lord it is natural-moral, such as exists with the evil and sometimes with the spirits in hell (n. 460). XLVIII. In spirit I was brought into a certain garden in the southern quarter, and saw certain persons sitting there under a laurel, eating figs. I asked them how they understood that man can do good from God, and yet do it altogether as if from himself. And they answered that God works good inwardly in man; but if man does it from his own will and from his own understanding, he defiles it so that it is no longer good. But to this I said that man is only an organ of life; and that if he believes in the Lord he does good of himself from the Lord; but if he does not believe in the Lord, and still more, if he does not believe in any God, he does good of himself from hell; and further, that the Lord has given to man freedom of choice in acting from the one or from the other. That the Lord has given this freedom was proved from the Word, in that He commanded man to love God and the neighbor, to perform the good works of charity as a tree produces fruit, and to keep God's commandments that he may be saved, and that everyone will be judged according to his deeds; and that these things would not have been commanded if man could not do good of himself from the Lord. When this had been said, I gave them twigs from a vine, and the twigs in their hands put forth grapes. And more beside (n. 461). XLIX. I saw a splendid dock-yard, and in it vessels large and small, and on benches there were boys and girls, who were waiting for tortoises to rise up out of the sea; and when they emerged, I saw that they had two heads; one, which at pleasure they drew back into the shell of the body, and another which appeared in form like a man, and from this they spoke with the boys and girls: and these caressed them, because of their elegant discourse and also gave them presents. When these things had been seen an angel explained what they signified; namely, that there are men in the world, and as many spirits from the world after death, who say that in those who have acquired faith God does not look at anything that they think and do, but only looks at the faith which He has stored up in the interiors of their minds; and that these same persons bring forth before the congregations in temples, holy things from the Word just as others do, but this they do from the greater head which appears as a man, into which they then insert the little one, or draw it into the body. The same persons afterwards were seen in the air in a vessel flying with seven sails, and those in it were decorated with laurels and purple garments, and they cried out that they were the chief of the wise of all the clergy. But the things seen were images of pride flowing from the ideas of the minds of such. And when they were upon the earth I spoke with them, first from reason and afterwards from the Sacred Scripture; and by many means I proved that their doctrine was unsound, and, being contrary to the Sacred Scripture, was from hell; but the arguments by which I proved this were too extended to be set forth here, but may be seen in the Relation itself. Afterwards they were seen in a sandy place, in garments of rags, and girt about the loins with network like fishers' nets, through which their nakedness was visible; and at last they were sent down into a society bordering on that of the Machiavelians (n. 462). L. An assembly was called together which sat in a circular temple, in which at the sides there were altars, and near these the members of the assembly sat; but there was no president; therefore each one of himself rushed forth into the midst and spoke out the feelings of his mind. A discussion began about Freedom of Choice in spiritual things. The first speaker, rushing forth, cried out that man has no more freedom of choice in those things than Lot's wife when turned into a statue of salt; the second, that he has no more than a beast or a dog; the third, that he has no more than a mole, or than a bird of night in the day-time; the fourth, that if man had freedom of choice in spiritual things he would become a maniac and believe himself to be as a God who can regenerate and save himself. The sixth read from a book of the Evangelical, called Formula Concordiae that man has no more freedom of choice in spiritual things than a stock or a stone, and that he has no ability whatever to understand think, or will in respect to these things, or even to adapt and accommodate himself to receive what is spiritual; besides other things (of which above, n. 464). When this had been said, and there was also given me an opportunity of speaking, I said, "What else is man, without freedom of choice in spiritual things, than a brute? And without it, of what use is anything theological?" But to this they replied, "Read our theology, and you will not find therein anything spiritual; you will find this so concealed within that not even a shadow of it appears. Therefore, read what our theology teaches respecting justification, that is, the remission of sins, regeneration, sanctification and salvation; you will not see there anything spiritual, because spiritual things flow in through faith, without any consciousness on man's part. It has also removed charity far from what is spiritual, and repentance also from contact with it. And besides, as to redemption, it attributes to God purely natural human properties, as that He included the human race under a universal damnation; that the Son took that damnation upon Himself, and thus propitiated the Father; and what else are intercession and mediation with the Father? From all this it is clear that in all our theology there is nothing spiritual, and not even what is rational, but merely what is natural below them." But then suddenly a thunderbolt was heard from heaven, and the assembly, seized with terror, rushed forth, and each fled to his own home (n. 503). LI. I talked with two spirits, one of whom loved good and truth, and the other evil and falsity; and I found that both enjoyed the same ability to think rationally. But when the one who loved evil and falsity was left to himself, I saw a kind of smoke that arose from hell and extinguished the lucidity which was above his memory; but when the one who loved good and truth was left to himself, I saw, as it were, a gentle flame descending from heaven and illuminating the region of his mind above the memory, and from that the things below it. Afterwards I spoke with the one who loved evil and falsity respecting freedom of choice in spiritual things; and at the mere mention of it he fired up and cried out that no one can move his foot or hand to do any spiritual good, or his tongue and lips to speak any spiritual truth, and thus that he cannot even adapt and accommodate himself to receive any such thing. He said, "Is not man in such things dead, and merely passive? How can what is dead or merely passive do good and speak truth of itself? Does not our church so speak?" But the other, who loved good and truth spoke thus respecting freedom of choice in spiritual things: "Without it what would the whole Word be, or what the church, what religion, what the worship of God, thus what the ministry? And from the light of my understanding, I know that man without that spiritual freedom would not be man but a beast; for man is man and not a beast because of that freedom; and moreover, man without freedom of choice in spiritual things would have no life after death, thus no eternal life, because no conjunction with God; therefore, to deny this is the part of those who are insane in spiritual things." Afterwards there was seen an appearance of a fiery serpent upon a tree, which handed fruit therefrom to him who denied freedom of choice in spiritual things; and when this had been eaten a smoke appeared ascending from hell, which extinguished the light in the higher part of his rational mind (n. 504). LII. There was heard a grating sound like that of two mill-stones grinding on each other; and I went up to where the sound began and saw a house in which were many little cells, and in these the learned of this age were sitting and confirming justification by faith alone; and going up to one, I asked what he was now studying. He answered, "Concerning the Act of Justification which is the head of all things of doctrine in our orthodoxy." And I asked whether he knew any sign by which to tell when justifying faith enters, and when it has entered. And he said, that this is done passively, and not actively. To which I replied, "If you take away what is active in it, you also take away receptivity; and thus that act would be a purely ideal thing, such as is called a figment of reason, thus nothing more than the state of Lot's wife, composed of mere salt which tinkles when scratched by a scribe's pen or fingernail." The man growing warm picked up a candlestick, to throw it at me; but the light going out suddenly he threw it at his companion (n. 505). LIII. There appeared two flocks, one of goats and the other of sheep; but when they were viewed closely, in place of goats and sheep men were seen; and it was perceived that the flock of goats consisted of those who make faith alone saving, and the flock of sheep of those who make charity and faith together saving. To the inquiry why they were there, those who were seen as goats said that they were sitting as a council because it had been disclosed to them that the saying of Paul, "That man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law (Rom. 3:28)" is not rightly understood; because by "faith" here is not meant the faith of this day, but faith in the Lord the Savior; and by "the deeds of the law" are not meant the deeds of the law of the Decalogue, but the deeds of the Mosaic law which were rituals; which also was shown. And they said that they had concluded that faith produces good works as a tree produces fruit. This teaching was favored by those who constituted the flock of sheep. Then an angel, standing between the two flocks, cried out to the flock of sheep, "Do not listen, for they have not receded from their former faith." And he divided the flock of sheep into two, and said to those on the left, "Join yourselves to the goats; but I tell you that a wolf is coming which will carry them off and you with them." Then it was asked how they understood that faith produces good works as a tree produces fruit; and it was found that their perception concerning the conjunction of faith and charity was altogether different from that comparison, and thus that it was a fallacious mode of speaking. When these things were understood, the flocks of sheep reunited themselves into one as before, to which some of the goats joined themselves, confessing that charity is the essence of faith, and that thus faith separate from charity is only natural, but conjoined to it it becomes spiritual (n. 506). LIV. A discourse with angels concerning the three loves, which are universal, and therefore with every man; which are, Love of the neighbor, or the Love of uses, which in itself is spiritual; the Love of the world, or the Love of possessing wealth, which in itself is material: and the Love of self, or the Love of ruling over others, which in itself is corporeal; and that when these three loves are rightly subordinated in man, he is truly man; and that they are rightly subordinated when love of the neighbor forms the head, love of the world the body, and love of self the feet; it is altogether otherwise when they become fixed in man in a contrary order. And it was shown what man is when the love of the world forms the head, and what he is when love of self; that then he is an inverted man; and in respect to the interiors of his mind is a wild beast, and in respect to his exteriors and the body is an actor. After this there was seen a certain devil ascending from below, having a dusky face with a white circle around the head; and he said that he was Lucifer, although he was not; and that in his internals, he was a devil, but in his externals an angel of light; and he declared when in externals he was moral among the moral, rational among the rational, and even spiritual among the spiritual; and that when he was in the world he had preached; and that then he accursed evil doers of every kind, and this is why he was called "Son of the morning;" and, what he himself wondered at, when he was in the pulpit he had no other idea than that it was as he spoke; but otherwise when he was out of the temple. This he said because in the temple he was in his externals and then in the understanding only, but out of the temple in his internals and then in the will; and thus he was raised into heaven by his understanding while his will drew him down into hell; but that the will prevails over the understanding, because it disposes the understanding according to its beck and nod. After this the devil who pretended to be Lucifer fell down into hell (n. 607). LV. There was seen a round temple, the roof of which was crown-shaped, its walls continuous windows of crystal, its door of a pearly substance. In it there was a pulpit, on which was the Word enveloped in a sphere of light. In the center of the temple was a sanctuary, before which was a veil, at that time raised, where stood a cherub waving a sword in his hand. When this had been seen it was explained to me what each particular signified; which may be seen. Above the gate there was this inscription, Now it is permitted; which signified, that now it is permitted to enter understandingly into the mysteries of faith; and it was given me to perceive that it exceedingly dangerous to enter with the understanding into dogmas of faith which are from self intelligence and thus in falsities, and still more to confirm these from the Word; therefore, by the Divine Providence the Word had been taken away from the Roman Catholics, and with Protestants it had been closed by their dogma that the understanding is to be kept under obedience to their faith. But because the dogmas of the New Church are all from the Word, it is permitted to enter into these with the understanding, because they are continuous truths from the Word, and also shine before the understanding. This was what is meant by the writing above the gate, Now it is permitted, and by the veil of the sanctuary being raised, within which the cherub stood. After this there was brought to me a paper from an infant who was an angel in the third heaven, on which was written, Enter hereafter into the mysteries of the Word which has been heretofore shut up; for the particular truths therein are so many mirrors of the Lord (n. 508). LVI. I was seized with a grievous disease, from the smoke that came in from the Jerusalem which is called Sodom and Egypt (Apoc. 11:8); and I was seen by those Who were in that city as dead; and they said one to another that I was not worthy of burial, just as it is said concerning the two witnesses in the same chapter in the Apocalypse; and meanwhile I heard blasphemies in abundance from the citizens on account of my having preached repentance, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. But as a judgment came upon them, I saw that the whole city fell down and was overflowed with waters; and afterwards that they were running about among the heaps of stones, and lamenting on account of their lot; when their belief was that, by the faith of their church they were born again and were thus righteous. But it was said to them that they were anything else than such, since they had never performed any actual repentance; and were therefore unaware of any damnable evil in themselves. Afterwards it was said to them from heaven, that faith in the Lord and repentance are the two means of regeneration and salvation; and that this is very well known from the Word, and still further, from the Decalogue, baptism, and the holy supper; concerning which see the Relation (n. 567). LVII. All who after death come into the spiritual world at first are kept in the externals in which they were in the natural world; and because most men who are in externals live morally, frequent churches and pray to God, they believe that they will certainly come into heaven. But they are taught that every man after death gradually puts off the external man, and the internal man is opened, and then the man is known, as he is in himself, since man is man from his will and understanding, and not merely from action and speech: and from this it is that man can in externals appear like a sheep, although in internals he is like a wolf, and that he is such in his internal man unless he examines the evils of his will and of his intention therefrom, and repents of them; with more besides (n. 568). LVIII. Every love breathes forth delight. In the natural world the delights from love, are but little felt, but in the spiritual world they are clearly felt; and there they are sometimes turned into odors; and the nature of the delights is then perceived and what love they are from; and the delights from the love of good, such as are in the heavens, are perceived as fragrance in gardens and flower-beds; and on the other hand, the delights from the love of evil, such as are in hell, are perceived as the pungent and fetid smells from stagnant waters and from cesspools; and because they are so opposite, the devils are tortured when they are sensible of any sweet odor from heaven, and on the other hand, the angels are tortured when they are sensible of any ill-smelling odors from hell. That it is so, was confirmed by two examples. This is why the oil of anointing was prepared from fragrant things, and why it is said of Jehovah that He smelled a sweet savor from the burnt-offerings; and on the other hand, why it was commanded the sons of Israel that they should carry unclean things out of their camps, and that they should bury their excrements; for their camps represented heaven, and the desert outside of the camps represented hell (n. 569). LIX. A certain novitiate spirit, who in the world meditated much upon heaven and hell, desired to know the nature of each; and it was said to him from heaven, "Inquire what delight is, and you will know." Therefore going away he inquired; but among spirits merely natural he inquired in vain. But he was led to three companies in succession; to one where they searched out ends and were therefore called wisdoms; to another where they investigated causes, and were therefore called intelligences; and to a third where they inquired into effects, and were therefore called knowledges: and by all these he was taught that every angel, spirit, and man has life from the delight of his love; and that the will and thought cannot move a step except from a delight in some love; and this is to everyone that which is called good; and still further that the delight of heaven is a delight in doing good, and the delight of hell a delight in doing evil. That he might be further taught, a devil providentially ascended, and there before him described the delights of hell, that they were the delights of revenge, fornication, plunder and blasphemy; and these when perceived there as odors are perceived as balsams and therefore he called them the delights of their nostrils (n. 670). LX. A company of spirits was seen praying to God that He would send angels to teach them about various things pertaining to faith, inasmuch as in most things they were in doubt, because churches so differ one from another, and all their ministers say "Believe us; we are the ministers of God, and we know." And angels appeared, whom they questioned in regard to charity and faith, repentance, regeneration, God, the immortality of the soul, and baptism and the holy supper; about each of which the angels gave such answers as fell into their understanding; saying further that whatever does not fall into the understanding is like what is sown in the sand which, however it may be watered by the rain, still withers away; and the understanding when closed against religion, no longer sees anything in the Word from the light therein from the Lord; and even if the Word is read he becomes more and more blind in the things of faith and salvation (n. 621). LXI. How man, when prepared for heaven, enters it; namely, that after preparation he sees a path that leads to the society in heaven in which he is to live to eternity; and near the society there is a gate which is opened; and when he has entered an examination is made whether he has in him the same light and the same heat, that is, the same good and truth as are in the angels of that society. When this is determined he goes about and inquires where his house is; for there is for each novitiate angel a new house. When this is found he is received and numbered as one among them. But those who have not in them the light and heat, that is, the good and truth of heaven, have this hard lot, that when they enter they are miserably tortured, and because of the torture cast themselves down headlong. This happens to them because of the sphere of the light and heat of heaven, in the opposite of which they are; and afterwards they no longer desire heaven, but are affiliated with their like in hell. From this it is clear that it is idle to believe that gaining heaven is merely an admission from favor, and that those who are admitted enter into the fruition of the joys there, like those in the world who are admitted into a house where there is a wedding (n. 622). LXII. Many who believe that heaven is a mere matter of admission from grace, and after admission there is eternal joy, were permitted to ascend into heaven; but because they could not endure the light and heat, that is, the faith and love there, they cast themselves down headlong; and they appeared to those who stood below like dead horses. Among those who stood below and who thus saw them, were boys with their master; and he taught them what their appearing like dead horses signified, and who those are who so appear at a distance, saying that they are those who when they read the Word think materially and not spiritually about God, the neighbor, and heaven; and that those think materially about God who think about essence from person, and in regard to the neighbor about his quality from the face and speech, and in regard to heaven about the state of love there from place; but those think spiritually who think of God from essence, and from essence of person; of the neighbor from his quality; and from quality of his face and speech; and of heaven from the state of love there and of place from that. And afterwards he taught them that a horse signifies understanding of the Word; and because the Word with those who think spiritually when they read it is a living letter, so such appear at a distance as living horses; and on the other hand, because the Word with those who think materially when they read it is a dead letter, so those at a distance appear as dead horses (n. 623). LXIII. An angel was seen descending from heaven into that world with a paper in his hand, upon which was written the marriage of good and truth and it was seen that in heaven the paper shone, but in its descent gradually less and less, until neither the paper nor the angel was seen, except before some unlearned ones who were simple-hearted. To these the angel explained what the marriage of good and truth involves, namely, that all and each of the things in the whole heaven and in the whole world contain the two together, because in the Lord God the Creator good and truth make one; and therefore nothing is anywhere possible which by itself is good, nor anything which by itself is true; consequently in each and everything there is a marriage of good and truth, and in the church a marriage of charity and faith, since charity pertains to good and faith to truth (n. 624). LXIV. When I was in profound thought about the second coming of the Lord, I saw heaven from the east to the west luminous, and heard a glorification and celebration of the Lord by the angels, but from the Word, both the prophetic Word of the Old Testament and the Apostolic Word of the New Testament. The passages themselves by which the glorifications were made may be seen in the Relation (n. 625). LXV. In the north-eastern quarter there, are Places of instruction, and those who interiorly receive instruction there are called disciples of the Lord. Once when in the spirit, I asked the teachers there whether they knew the universals of heaven and the universals of hell; and they answered that the universals of heaven are three loves, the love of uses, the love of possessing the goods of the world from the love of performing uses, and true marriage love; and that the universals of hell are three loves opposite to those three, namely, the love of ruling from the love of self, the love of possessing the goods of others from the love of the world, and scortatory love. It is described afterwards what the first infernal love is, which is the love of ruling from the love of self; that it is such with the laity that, when loose rein is given to it, they wish to rule over all things of the world, and with the clergy, that they wish to rule over all things of heaven. That such a hallucination possesses those who are in that love was proved by the like in hell, where such are together in a certain valley, who find enjoyment for their minds in the hallucinations that they are emperors of emperors, or kings of kings; and elsewhere that they are gods; and it was seen that at the sight of these latter, the former, whose minds were so elated, fell upon their knees and worshiped. Afterwards I spoke with two, one of whom was the prince of a certain society in heaven, and the other was the high-priest there; who said that with those in that society there are magnificent and splendid things, because their love is not from the love of self, but from the love of uses; and that they are surrounded by honors and that they accept them not for the sake of themselves, but for the sake of the good of obedience. I then asked them, "How can anyone know whether he does uses from the love of self or the world, or from love of uses since uses are performed from all these loves? Let it be supposed that there is a society consisting of satans only and a society consisting of angels only, and I can imagine that the satans, from the love of self and the world, would perform as many uses in their society as the angels would in theirs. Who, then, can know from which love the uses are?" To this the prince and priest replied that satans perform uses for the sake of reputation, that they may be raised to honors and acquire wealth, but angels perform uses for the sake of uses. And the latter are distinguished from the former especially by this, that all who believe in the Lord and shun evils as sins perform uses from the Lord, and thus from the love of uses; but all who do not believe in the Lord and do not shun evils as sins perform uses from themselves and for the sake of themselves, thus from the love of self or the world (n. 661). LXVI. I entered a certain grove and saw two angels talking with each other. I drew near them and they were speaking of the lust of possessing all things of the world, and it was said that many who in actions appear moral and in conversation rational are in the madness of that lust, and that that lust is turned into hallucinations with those who let their minds dwell in ideas concerning it. And because everyone in the spiritual world is permitted to delight himself in his hallucination, provided he does no evil to another there are even congregations of such in the lower earth; and as it was known where they were, we descended and went to them; and we saw that they were sitting at tables, upon which there was an abundance of gold coin, and they said that this was the wealth of all in the kingdom; but it was only a vision of the imagination which is called a hallucination, whereby such an appearance was created. But when they were told that they were insane, they turned away from the tables and confessed that it was so; but because they were exceedingly delighted by the vision, they could not help returning again and again, and indulging the allurements of their senses. To this they added, that if anyone deprives another of his goods, or otherwise harms him, he falls down into a kind of prison under them, and is kept there at work for food, clothing, and some little pieces of money; and if they also do evil there, they are deprived of these and punished (n. 662). LXVII. A dispute was heard between an ambassador of a kingdom and two priests, whether intelligence and wisdom, and thus also prudence, are from God or from man. The ambassador insisted that these are from man, but the priests that they are from God; nevertheless it was perceived by certain angels that the priests inwardly in themselves believed the same as the ambassador, namely, that intelligence and wisdom, and prudence therefrom, are from man. That this, therefore, might be made clear, the ambassador was requested to lay aside the garments of his office, and to put on the garments of the sacerdotal ministry, and when this was done the ambassador began to prove by many things that all intelligence and also prudence are from God. And afterwards the priests also were asked to lay aside their garments, and to put on the garments of ministers of state; and when this was done the priests spoke from their interior selves, saying that all intelligence and prudence are from man. They so spoke because a spirit thinks himself to be such as his dress is. After this the three became hearty friends; and as they conversed together they went the way that tended downwards; but afterwards I saw them brought back (n. 663). LXVIII. First those are treated of who in the Word are called the elect, and it is known that they are such as are found after death to have lived a life of charity and faith, and who are separated from those who have not lived that life; thus the elect mean those who are then elected and prepared for heaven. Therefore to believe that only some, before their birth or after it, are elected and predestined to heaven, and not all, since all are called, would be to accuse God of impotence and also of injustice (n. 664). LXIX. It was said in heaven, by a certain new-comer that no one in the Christian world knows what conscience is; and because the angels did not believe this, they said to a certain spirit that he might call together with a trumpet the intelligent, and ask them whether they know what conscience is. And it was so done; and they came, and among them there were statesmen, scholars, physicians, and priests. First, the statesmen were asked what conscience is. They answered that it is a pain arising from fear anticipated or actual, of the loss of honor or wealth; or from a hypochondriacal humor arising from undigested substances in the stomach; and more besides. Afterwards, they asked the scholars what they knew about conscience. They answered that it is a sadness and anxiety infesting the body and from that the head, or the head and from that the body, from various causes, especially from applying the mind to one thing only, which is done especially when the reigning love suffers; giving rise sometimes to hallucinations and deliriums, and with some to a kind of brain sickness in religious matters, which is called remorse of conscience. Next the physicians were asked what conscience is. And they said that it is only a pain arising from various diseases, which they enumerated in abundance; also that they had cured many by means of drugs. The diseases from which the pains called those of conscience spring may be seen enumerated in the Relation. Finally the priests were asked what conscience is. They said that it was the same with the contrition that precedes faith, and that they had cured it by the gospel; moreover, that there are conscientious persons of every religion, true as well as fanatical, who make to themselves scruples about matters of salvation, also about indifferent matters. The angel from hearing these things perceived it to be true that no one knew what conscience is; therefore they sent down one from themselves to teach. He standing in the midst said that conscience is not a pain, as they had all imagined, but is a life according to religion; and that that life is especially in those who are in the faith of charity; and that those who have conscience speak from the heart what they speak, and do from the heart what they do. This he illustrated by examples. So, when it is said of anyone that he has a conscience, it is meant that he is upright; and conversely. When all this had been said, those who had been called together divided themselves into four bodies; those who understood and favored the words of the angel passed over into one; those who did not understand but still favored, into another; those who had no wish to understand, saying to each other, "What have we to do with conscience?" passed over into a third; and those who scoffed, saying, "What is conscience but a breath of wind?" passed over into the fourth. After this the two latter bodies were seen to go aside to the left, and the two former to the right (n. 665). LXX. I was led to a place where the ancient Sophi dwelt who had been in Greece, which place they called Parnassium; and I was told that at times they send out some to fetch new-comers from the world that they may inquire about wisdom, how it is at this day on earth. Then two Christians were found and brought, who were presently asked, "What news from earth?" And they answered that this was new there; that they had found human beings in the woods, perhaps left there in early childhood; and that they appeared from the face to be men, and yet they were not men; and that from this it was concluded in the world that man is no more than a beast, except that he can articulate sound, and thus speak; and that a beast could in like manner become wise if endowed with the ability to make articulate sounds; besides more. The Sophi from hearing these things drew many conclusions respecting wisdom, what changes it had undergone since their times; especially from this, that they do not now know the distinction between the state of man and that of a beast, nor even that man is born merely the form of a man, and becomes man by instructions and such a man as the kinds of instruction he receives; that he becomes wise from truths, unwise from falsities, and inwardly a wild beast from evils; and that he is born merely a capacity to know. understand, and become wise, in order that he might be a subject into which God might inspire wisdom, from the first degree of it to the highest. They said further that they understood from the new-comers that wisdom which in their time was in its rise, is at this day setting. Afterwards they instructed the new-comers how it is that man, created a form of God, could be turned into the form of the devil. But concerning all this the Relation may be seen (n. 692). LXXI. There was again a meeting appointed in the place where the ancient Sophi were, since they had heard from those sent out by them that they had found three new-comers from the earth, one a priest, another a politician, and a third a philosopher; these were brought and were presently asked, "What news from earth?" And they replied, "This is new; we have heard that a certain man says that he speaks with angels and spirits; and he relates many things concerning their state and among them that man lives a man after death as much as before, with this difference only, that he is then clothed with a spiritual body, but before with a material body." On hearing which they asked the priest what he had thought about those things on earth. He replied that because he had believed that man was not to live again as a man before the day of the last judgment, he with the rest of his order were of the opinion that the things the man told were visions, and afterwards fictions, and that at last he was in doubt. Then he was asked whether the inhabitants of the earth could not see from reason that man lives a man after death, and thus dissipate the paradoxical notions concerning the state of souls in the mean time, which are, that souls meanwhile are flying about like winds in the universe, continually awaiting the last judgment that they may be combined with their bodies; which lot would be worse than the lot of any beast. To this the priest replied that they talk, but they do not convince; and that they ascribe the combining or re-uniting of souls with their bodies and skeletons in the sepulchre to the omnipotence of God; and when they name omnipotence and also faith, all reason is exiled. Afterwards the politician being questioned concerning the things heard, replied that in the world he could not believe that man would live after death, since all of man lies dead in the grave, and thus he thought that that man saw specters and believed them to be angels and spirits but that now for the first time he was convinced, by his very senses, that he lives a man as before, and that he was therefore ashamed of his former thoughts. The philosopher related nearly the same things concerning himself, and concerning others of his school; saying, moreover, that he referred those things which he had heard respecting the things seen and heard by that man, to a place among the opinions and hypotheses which he had collected from the ancients and moderns. On hearing these things the Sophi were astonished, especially that Christians, who are in light above others from revelation, should be in such thick darkness respecting their life after death; when yet they and the wise men of their time knew about and believed in that life; saying further that they had noticed that the light of wisdom had lowered itself since that age from the interior of the brain even to the mouth under the nose, where it appears as a brightness of the lip, and in consequence the speech of the mouth appears like wisdom. To this one of the tyros added, "How stupid are the minds of those who now dwell on the earth! Would that the disciples of Heraclitus who laughed at everything and the disciples of Democritus who wept at everything were here, and we should hear both great laughter and great weeping." After this there were given to the new-comers plates of copper on which hieroglyphics were engraved and they departed (n. 693). LXXII. New-comers from the world were found, and were brought to the city under Parnassium, and were asked, "What news from earth?" And they answered that in the world they had believed that after death there would be rest from all kinds of labor, and yet they had heard, when they were coming hither, that there are here administrations, offices and employments, as in the former world, and thus that there is not rest. To this the wise ones there replied, "Thus you believed that now you are to live in mere idleness, and yet idleness produces a languid, torpid, stupid and sleepy state of the mind, and from that of the whole body, and this is death and not life." And then they were led about in the city, and to the administrators and workmen; on seeing which, they wondered that there should be such things, since they had believed that there would be some empty place in which souls were to live until the new heaven and new earth came into existence. They were also taught that all the things that here appear before the eyes are substantial and are called spiritual; and that all things in their former world are material and are called natural; and that there is this difference because they are from different origins; namely, that all things in this world exist and subsist from a sun which is pure love, and all things in that world exist from a sun which is pure fire. They were also taught that in this world there are not only administrations, but also pursuits of every kind, and also writings and books. The new-comers were delighted with what they were taught, and when they were going away, some virgins came with pieces of needle-work and embroidery made with their own hands, and gave these to them; and they sung before them an ode in which they expressed in angelic melody the affection for useful labor and its charms (n. 694). LXXIIII. I was introduced into an assembly where some of the ancient philosophers were present, and was asked what they knew in my world about influx. To which I answered, that the only influx they knew about was that of the light and heat of their sun into the things which are of nature, both into animate and into inanimate things; and that they knew nothing about the influx of the spiritual world into the natural world, although from that influx are all the wonderful things which are beheld both in the animal kingdom there, and in the vegetable kingdom (these were in part recounted). And because they are ignorant of this influx, they confirm themselves in favor of nature, and become naturalists, and at length atheists (n. 695). LXXIV. I spoke with the followers of Aristotle, Descartes, and Leibnitz, concerning physical influx, occasional influx, and pre-established harmony, and heard how each confirmed his hypothesis; but as they were able to look into that subject only with an understanding subordinated to confirmations, and not superior to them, they ended the dispute by lot, which came out in favor of spiritual influx, which to some extent coincides with occasional influx (n. 696). LXXV. I was taken into a certain gymnasium in which the young were initiated into various things pertaining to wisdom, and this was done by the discussion of some subject which was there proposed by the president; and the subject then under discussion was, What is the soul, and what is its nature? There was a desk into which those who were to answer ascended. And presently one ascended, who said that no one since the creation of the world had been able to find out what the soul is and what its nature is; but since it was known that there is a soul in man, man had sought to know where it is. There was one who held that it has its seat in man in a certain little gland which is called the pineal gland, which is situated between the two brains in the head; and that at first he had believed this; but as it was rejected by many, he afterwards receded from this view. After this the second ascended, and said that he believed the seat of the soul to be in the head, because the understanding is there; but as he was unable to conjecture where in the head it resided, he acceded now to the opinion of those who said that its seat is in the three ventricles of the brain; now to the opinion of those who said that it is in the striated bodies there; now to the opinion of those who said that it is in the medullary or the cortical substance, and now to the opinion of those who said that it is in the dura mater; adding that he would leave it to everyone to think what he liked. The third ascending said that the seat of the soul is in the heart and thence in the blood; and this he confirmed from the Word where it is said, heart and soul. The fourth next ascending said that from his childhood he had believed with the ancients that the soul is not in one part but in the whole, because it is a spiritual substance, of which place cannot be predicated, but impletion; and further, as soul and life mean the same thing, the life is in the whole. The fifth ascending said that he believed the soul to be something pure, like ether or air, and that he believed this because it is supposed that the soul would be such after it had been separated from the body. But the wise ones in the orchestra, perceiving that none of them knew what the soul is, requested the president, who had proposed the problem, to descend and teach. He therefore descending, said, "The soul is the very essence of man; and because an essence without a form is not anything, the soul is the form of man's forms; and this form is the truly human form, in which wisdom with its perceptions and love with its affections universally reside; and as you believed in the world that you would be souls after death, you are now yourselves the souls;" besides more. And this was confirmed by this declaration in the Book of Creation, "Jehovah God breathed into the nostrils of Adam the soul if lives, and man became a living soul" (Gen. 2:7) (n. 697). LXXVI. There was seen an angel with a trumpet, with which he called together those celebrated for erudition among Christians, that they might tell what they had believed in the world concerning the joys of heaven and eternal happiness. This was done because it had been said in heaven that no one in the Christian world knew anything about them. And after about an hour there were seen six companies coming from the learned Christians, who were asked what they had known about the joys of heaven and eternal happiness. The first company said that they had believed them to be merely an admission into heaven, and then into its festive joys, as one is admitted into a house where there is a wedding and into its festivities. The second company said that they had believed them to be most cheerful companionship and the sweetest conversations with angels. The third company said that they had believed them to be feastings with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The fourth company said that they had believed them to be paradisal delights. The fifth company, that there would be supreme dominion, boundless wealth, and more than royal magnificence. The sixth company, that there would be a glorification of God and a festival enduring to eternity. Therefore that these learned ones might know whether those things which they had believed to be the joys of heaven were so, it was granted them to enter into those their joys, each company by itself, that they might learn by living experience whether those joys were imaginary or real. This takes place with most of those who come from the natural world into the spiritual (n. 731- 733). And then presently the company that had thought the joys of heaven to be most cheerful companionship and sweetest conversations with angels, were let into the joys of their imagination; but because they were external joys and not internal, after some days they were affected with weariness and departed (n. 734). Afterwards those who had believed that the joys of heaven are feasts with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were let into like things; but because they perceived that such joys were only external and not internal, they became weary and went away (n. 735). The same was done with those who had believed that the joys of heaven and eternal happiness consist in supreme dominion, boundless riches, and more than royal magnificence (n. 736). Also with those who had believed that heavenly joys, and consequently eternal happiness, are paradisal delights (n. 737). Afterwards with those who had believed that heavenly joys and eternal happiness are a perpetual glorification of God, and a festival enduring for ever. These were finally taught what is meant in the Word by the glorification of God (n. 738). Finally, the same was done with those who had believed that they would enter into heavenly joys and eternal happiness if only they were admitted into heaven; and that they would then have joys like the joys of those who enter into the house of a wedding, and join in the festivities there. But when they were shown by living experience that there are no joys in heaven except for those who have lived the life of heaven, that is, a life of charity and faith, but instead, heaven is a torture to those who have led an opposite life, they withdrew and affiliated themselves with their like (n. 739). Because the angels perceived that as yet no one in the natural world knows what the joys of heaven are, and thus what eternal happiness is, the angel with the trumpet was told to choose ten from those who had been called together, and introduce them into a society of heaven, that they might see with their eyes and perceive with their minds what heaven is and what the joys there are; and so it was done. And when they had been admitted, it was granted them first to see the magnificent palace of the prince there (n. 740). Then the paradise near it (n. 741). Afterwards, the prince himself and his great men in splendid garments (n. 742). Then, being invited to the table of the prince, they saw such an entertainment as no eye had ever seen oil earth; and at the table they heard the prince give instruction respecting heavenly joys and eternal happiness, that they consist essentially in internal blessedness, and from this in external enjoyments; and that internal blessedness derives its essence from an affection for use (n. 743, 744). After dinner, by command of the prince some wise men of the society were sent for, who taught them fully about the nature and source of internal blessedness, which is eternal happiness; and that this causes external enjoyments to be joys; besides more concerning all these things (n. 745 746). After this they were permitted to see a wedding in that heaven, (of which n. 747-749). And finally, to hear preaching (n. 750, 751). When they had seen and heard all this, full of knowledge concerning heaven and joyful in heart they descended (n. 752). LXXVII. Revelation is here treated of. It has pleased the Lord to manifest Himself to me, and to open the interiors of my mind and to enable me thereby to see the things which are in heaven and hell and thus He has disclosed mysteries which in excellence and dignity surpass all mysteries hitherto disclosed. They are as follows. (i.) That, in each thing and all things of the Word there is a Spiritual Sense, which does not appear in the sense of the letter; and that consequently the Word was written by means of the correspondences of spiritual things with natural. (ii.) The Correspondences themselves, what they are has been explained. (iii.) There has also been a revelation concerning the Life of men after Death. (iv.) Also respecting Heaven and Hell, what the one is and what the other is; also respecting Baptism and the Holy Supper. (v.) Respecting the Sun in the spiritual world, that it is pure love from the Lord who is in the midst of it, the light proceeding from which is wisdom, and the heat proceeding from which is love; thus that faith and charity are from it; and that all things that go forth from it are spiritual and thus alive; also that the sun of the natural world is pure fire, and therefore all things that are from the sun are natural, and thus dead. (vi.) That there are three Degrees hitherto unknown. (vii.) And furthermore, matters have been revealed relating to the Last Judgment; the Lord the Savior as the God of Heaven and Earth; the New Church and its Doctrine; the Inhabitants of the Planets, and the Earths in the Universe (n. 846). (viii.) Also respecting Conjugial Love; that with the spiritual it is spiritual with the natural it is natural, and with adulterers it is carnal (n. 847). (ix.) The angels discerned by inquiry that although these mysteries are more excellent than any mysteries hitherto disclosed, still at this day they are regarded by many as of no account (n. 848). (x.) A murmur was heard from some in the lower earth that they would not believe those things unless Miracles were done; but the answer was made that they would no more believe through miracles than did Pharaoh and the Egyptians; or no more than the posterity of Jacob when they danced about the golden calf in the desert; or no more than the Jews when they saw the miracles done by the Lord Himself (n. 849). (xi.) Finally, why the Lord revealed these mysteries to me, and not rather to some one of the ecclesiastical order (n. 850). The things contained in the Memorable Relations which follow the chapters are true; and like things were seen and heard by the prophets before the coming of the Lord, and like things by the apostles after His coming, as by Peter, Paul, and especially by John in the Apocalypse; which things are set forth (n. 851).

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- Angelella Guardagnoli - Colomba of Rieti Legend says that at her birth, angels gathered around Columba’s house to sing. During her Baptism, a dove suddenly flew down to the font. From that point on, no one used her by her given name (Angelella = little angel), but called her Columba (= dove). She was raised in a poor but pious family; her parents gave away nearly everything thing they had to people even poorer than themselves. As a small girl Columba learned to spin and sew; she and her mother repaired the clothes of the local Dominicans. Educated by Dominican nuns. Columba quickly developed a strong devotion to Saint Catherine of Siena and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. While still in her teens she prayed about her vocation in life, and received a vision of Christ on a throne surrounded by saints. She took this as instruction to dedicate herself to God, and so she cut herself off from the world, made a private vow of chastity, and spent her time in prayer. Unbeknownst to Columba, her parents had arranged a marriage for her, but she cut off her hair and sent it to her would-be suitor, an accepted way at that time of telling him that she was devoting her life to God, not marriage. She had the gifts of prophecy, healing, exorcism, raising the dead, and miracles. Given to ecstacies during one of which her spirit toured the Holy Lands. Dominican tertiary at age 19. Her reputation for wisdom and holiness spread throughout the region, and she was a much sought after counsellor. Some people from the city of Narni, Italy tried to kidnap her so she could be their miracle worker, but she escaped. Following a revelation that she should leave Rieti, Italy, she walked away with no destination in mind. Along the way she was arrested in Foligno, Italy as a vagrant, but she eventually stopped and stayed in Perugia, Italy. On 1 January 1490 she and several other women took vows as a community of Dominican teritary nuns. Noted spiritual counselor to any who sought her advice. During an epidemic she worked among the sick, healing many by praying for them. She offered her own health in exchange for the city; when the general epidemic ended, she became ill, eventually recovering through the intercession of Saint Catherine of Siena. Her sanctity caused her to be persecuted by Lucrezia Borgia for years; at one point Borgia had a decree issued accusing Columba of practicing magic. - 20 May 1501 at Perguia, Italy of natural causes - at the moment of her death, her friend, Blessed Osanna Andreasi, saw Columba’s soul as a radiance rising to heaven - the whole city turned out for her funeral, which was paid for by the city fathers - Dominican tertiary receiving the Eucharist from a hand reaching down from heaven - Dominican tertiary receiving the Eucharist from an angel - Dominican tertiary with a dove, lily, and book - Dominican tertiary with a wreath of roses, cross, lily, and rosary - Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate - Catholic Encyclopedia, by F M Capes - Katherine Rabenstein - Kirken i Norge - New Catholic Dictionary - Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

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The ambassadors at il Salviatino are eager to arrange your visit to what The New York Times terms a “Must-See” and a once-in-a-lifetime affair. The exceptionally brilliant and innovative director of the Strozzi Museum in Florence, James Bradburne, has created the very first retrospective celebration of the works of Agnolo di Cosimo (Bronzino), 1503-1572, which spills out of the Palazzo Strozzi into almost every corner of Florence (September 24, 2010 – January 23, 2011). The city is alive with examples of and tributes to this prolific and influential artist. Some of the most recognizable of Bronzino’s works such as the profile portrait of Cosimo il Vecchio: or the spectacular portrait of Eleonora of Toledo with her son: and then Andrea Doria as Neptune: have long been icons of Italian Mannerist Paintings in the mid-1500’s. One fascinating revelation in this powerful exhibit is the introduction after almost 300 years of a unique painting – a double-sided canvas – known as the Portrait of Dwarf Morgante. Disguised by moralists with over-painting as a Bacchus serving wine: It is being re-introduced, front and back (after restoration) as the fully nude, favorite court jester of the Medici family just like Bronzino painted it. Documented in an article by Rossella Lorenzi at Discovery News (http://news.discovery.com/history/naked-dwarf-revealed-again-in-painting.html), the dwarf Morgante was a favorite of Cosimo I de’ Medici, and records testify that he was often mortified, and even had to fight, naked, with a monkey. The portrait was designed to stand in the center of a room like a statue. Bronzino was involved in a debate about which was the nobler art – painting or sculpture? He hoped this portrait would prove painting to be the higher art. It shows the passage of time, which a sculpture cannot do: i.e., the front view shows Morgante with the tools of a hunter, while the reverse depicts him at the end of the hunt holding his catch. Members of Club Salviatino may receive special discounts and access to the exhibit at the Palazzo Strozzi as well as be eligible for a personal, guided tour of the significant works of Bronzino around Florence. Just ask an ambassador, or any staff member at il Salviatino, your 5 star hotel in Florence. We welcome everyone to Florence this fall for a once-in-a-lifetime experience – art by day; Devarana Spa in the evening; gourmet candlelight dining at night.

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Camp debate an issue in Congressional race To view our videos, you need to install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now. Then come back here and refresh the page. ELLENVILLE, N.Y. -- A political feud brewing over a Jewish summer camp in the Hudson Valley could complicate a New York City Congressional race. Control over this kids camp in Ellenville, which is more than a two-hour drive from Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez's district in Brooklyn, is kicking up a decade-long feud between two sects of the Satmar Jewish Community: the Zalmans and the Aaronites. The camp is at risk of not opening. Velazquez said she doesn't want one group to control the camp, but according to some, that's an unpopular decision. Assemblyman Vito Lopez said, "It's a poor political decision on her part because the overwhelming number of people, if majority rules and 80 percent of them are in need and support this, it's sad that she has taken the minority position." Rep. Velazquez said, "The person that you mention went up there to advocate for the four camps to be given to one group," said Velazquez. "I am not advocating for that. I am advocating for all the girls." Ulster County Executive Mike Hein met with representatives of both sides, but it is still unclear whether the camp's gates will be open at all this summer.

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Waiting for Godot “Searching for Serbia’s roots in the spiritual life of Velika Hoca” The idea of isolated Serbian enclaves in Kosovo evokes images of broken phone connections, power shortages and constant tension that complicate the lives of local residents. But the sum of these words hides another more subtle existence: a no less important struggle to preserve cultural identity. Villages with hardly 700 inhabitants today are unique in many ways. They remain very proud and still unconsciously determine the fate of Serbia’s connection with their roots. The fact is that there are many important Orthodox Christian medieval churches in these lands. They lie upon a holy land called “Metohija’’ which belonged to church even before The Ottoman Empire. Those villages are in an Albanian area, like Velika Hoca, they are very much cut off from other Serbian areas and needs to be defended. Large-scale emigration of ethnic Serbs, especially since the conflict in 1999 and 2004 leaves them as the only major ethnic group in Kosovo that is naturally disappearing. My mother was born in Metohija and I have instantly felt a deep emotional connection with my roots and childhood here. I need to explore how life exists here today, for myself and for my nation. The Serbian government has high hopes for the returnees to the holy Serbian land and preservation of cultural monuments, but this is hampered by their disputed jurisdiction since Kosovo’s declaration of independence in 2008. I believe it is just a marketing gimmick by Serbian establishment to manipulate the electorate and gain time until the next election. The Serbs who remain in Kosovo are dependent on donations from non-governmental organizations from Serbia and the other from the Kosovo institutions, but some of them feel mistreated by those institutions. This creates a paradox and leaves Serbs almost crucified in real time where their future life becomes uncertain. What they have left is days full of wandering and waiting for something to happen. Perhaps they are waiting for the Godot who may never come. Serbs need to reconnect with those villages soon, in order to preserve their own heritage.

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I’ve been singing “Back Home Again in Indiana” as I have moved back to Indiana from Kentucky. I believe the state of Indiana has a good knowledge of the cemetery locations within the state. In July 2000 the Indiana General Assembly Passed IC 14-21-1-13.5, which authorized the Indiana Department of Natural Resources – Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA) to locate and survey every cemetery and burial ground in the state. They appointed Jeannie Regan-Dinius as Cemetery Registry Coordinator. I have met her and she is a lovely lady who really seems to care about Indiana cemeteries and she is glad to give you information. She can be contacted by email at email@example.com. Jeannie works with hundreds of interested volunteers to help get all Indiana Burial Gounds registered in the state by county. This project will not read every tombstone to document individual burials. The DHPA welcomes public involvement in this program, contact Jeannie for information on how to volunteer. Indiana has ninety-two counties and the data collection varies from county to county. Each year DHPA co-sponsors with the Indiana Historical Society a series of workshops to teach cemetery preservation. Indiana law gives the responsibility for maintaining abandoned cemeteries in the state to the township trustee. They must keep the cemeteries in a respectable condition by removing all unsightly accumulations and debris. The one problem is that the funds for any maintains is taken from the township funds. So many will do minimal work in each cemetery. They are always in need of volunteers and funds to help with the cemeteries. The trustee may also run active public cemetery using any plot fees to help maintain the cemetery. Until 1999, farmers could legally remove the stones and plant over the cemetery. They could even build on top of them. The Indiana Pioneer Cemetery Restroation Project begun in 1997. Many volunteers join this effort to generate public awareness about neglected pioneer cemeteries in Indiana. I attended the Fall meeting at the Monroe County History Center and nearly 30 people came. After lunch attendees visited White Oak and Rose Hill Cemetery. The next meeting will be held Saturday April 6, 2013 at Franklin College in Franklin, IN. For more information about the Indiana Chapter please contact Chapter Chair Joy Giguere at firstname.lastname@example.org

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Innovative Eye-Safe Wavelength High Power Fiber Laser High power fiber lasers have made significant progress in the last several years. Ten kW of diffraction-limited output power at 1 micron from one single mode fiber has been demonstrated. Department of Defense (DoD) needs 100s of kW for missile defense as well as for protection against rockets, artillery, and mortars (RAM). There is serious concern about current 1 micron fiber laser system potentially causing collateral eye damage due to scatter off of target surfaces. AdValue Photonics proposes to develop an innovative eye-safe single mode fiber laser with output power greater than 5kW using our proprietary glass fibers, and scale up the total power to 100s-kW with good beam quality using an innovative beam combining technique. In Phase II we shall further optimize erbium doped double cladding fiber, demonstrate cladding pumped fiber laser with slope efficiency greater than 85%, demonstrate output power of 500W, and design the proposed 100kW fiber laser system. Small Business Information at Submission: AdValue Photonics Inc 4585 S. Palo Verde, Suite 405 Suite 405 Tucson, AZ - Number of Employees:

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Mary McLeod Bethune Scholarships The Mary McLeod Bethune Scholarship (MMB) provides financial assistance to undergraduate students who meet scholastic requirements, demonstrate financial need, and attend Bethune-Cookman University, Edward Waters College, Florida A&M University, or Florida Memorial University. Available funds are contingent upon matching contributions from private sources on behalf of eligible institutions. MMB is a decentralized state of Florida program, which means that each participating institution determines application procedures, deadlines, and student eligibility. What are the Initial Eligibility Requirements to Receive Funding? The student will: - Be a Florida resident and a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen. A student’s residency and citizenship status are determined by the postsecondary institution. Questions regarding such status should be directed to the financial aid office or admissions office of the institution the student plans to attend. - Not owe a repayment or be in default under any state or federal grant, loan, or scholarship program unless satisfactory arrangements to repay have been made. - Not have previously received a baccalaureate degree. - Enroll at Bethune-Cookman University, Edward Waters College, Florida A&M University, or Florida Memorial University as a degree-seeking, undergraduate student for a minimum of 12 credit hours per term or the equivalent. Applications must be obtained from financial aid offices at Bethune-Cookman College, Edward Waters College, Florida A&M University, or Florida Memorial University. - Have earned a minimum, unweighted, cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or the equivalent, for high school subjects credited towards a diploma. How Does a Student Apply? - Demonstrate financial need as specified by the participating institution. - Meet the application procedures and deadlines established by the participating institution. Applications may be obtained at the financial aid offices of eligible Florida colleges and universities. For more information, visit: http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/home/ProgramsOffered.htm or contact the Financial Aid Office of eligible Florida colleges and universities.

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Archive for June, 2012 In my current series of blog posts on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, I left off last time talking about the rational aspect of true love. Now, of course very few men and women would be satisfied with their partner loving them for purely rational reasons. Let us suppose that for some reason Ferdinand has to choose between his marriage with Miranda and his rich kingship of Naples. He chooses Miranda and poverty, and quite literally has to be a “patient log-man” for the rest of his life. As the initial amour wanes, he also finds his patience waning, and regret over the fulfilling life he has given up comes knocking at his mental door. Say this feeling of regret grows increasingly stronger, and his feeling of love diminishes into nothingness. He still carries those logs for Miranda and their mutual children. Steered by Reason, he still does his best to serve and help them. But all his service his tainted by regret. If such a state lasts for years, and his negative feelings are consistently much stronger than any feelings of love, he probably should have a talk with Miranda whether there might not be other alternatives for them and their children’s futures. Reason is vital for love; otherwise it would have hardly made sense for the author of John’s Gospel to tell us that Jesus commanded his disciples to love one another. Clearly, then, love has to be more than just a feeling, and sometimes it has to act against one’s feelings. But it is equally clear that one cannot erase feelings from love on a permanent basis. Reason might be the helm of love, but feelings are the wind in the sail. Taken together, they are what we call “character.” The more developed someone’s character, the less schizophrenia there will between his Reason and his feelings.

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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The STS-108 crew and Expedition 4 crew answer questions from the media during an interview session. With the microphone is Commander Dominic L. Gorie. From left are STS-108 Pilot Mark E. Kelly, Mission Specialists Daniel M. Tani and Linda A. Godwin, and Gorie; Expedition 4 Commander Yuri Onufrienko, Carl E. Walz and Daniel W. Bursch. The crews are at KSC for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that include emergency exit training from the orbiter and launch pad and a simulated launch countdown. STS-108 is a Utilization Flight that will carry the replacement Expedition 4 crew to the International Space Station, as well as the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, filled with supplies and equipment. The l1-day mission is scheduled for launch Nov. 29 on Space Shuttle Endeavour. (Photo Release Date: 11/09/2001 ) KSC-01PP-1680 - Raw ASCII Text Caption file KSC-01PP-1680 - Low (GIF Format, 320x240 pixels x 256 colors, approx 50 Kbytes) KSC-01PP-1680 - Medium (JPEG format, 1024x768 pixels x 256 colors, approx 250 Kbytes) KSC-01PP-1680 - High (JPEG, 2040x2640 pixels x 16 million colors, approx 400 Kbytes) STS-108 KSC Photo IndexNext Image KSC-01PP-1681 DISCLAIMER: No copyright protection is asserted for these photographs. If a recognizable person appears in this photograph, use for commercial purposes may infringe a right of privacy or publicity. It may not be used to state or imply the endorsement by NASA of a commercial product. These photographs are available for preview and download in electronic digital form ONLY. They may not be ordered from NASA in photograph form. (See NASA Copyright Notice)

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destinyland writes "One in 12 men suffers from colorblindness, though '[t]he good news here is that these folks are simply missing a patch of DNA ... which is just the kind of challenge this Millennium is made for. Enter science.' But NPR's Moira Gunn (from Biotech Nation) now asks a provocative question. Is it wrong to cure colorblindness? She reports on an experiment that used a virus to introduce corrective DNA into colorblind monkeys. ('It took 20 weeks, but eventually the monkeys started distinguishing between red and green.') Then she asks, could it be viewed differently? 'Are we trying to 'normalize' humans to a threshold of experience?'"

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Sorry for missing in action. Lots of new articles in various PLoS journals yesterday and today. As always, you should rate the articles, post notes and comments and send trackbacks when you blog about the papers. You can now also easily place articles on various social services (CiteULike, Mendeley, Connotea, Stumbleupon, Facebook and Digg) with just one click. Here are my own picks for the week – you go and look for your own favourites: Distinguishing between a fair and unfair tackle in soccer can be difficult. For referees, choosing to call a foul often requires a decision despite some level of ambiguity. We were interested in whether a well documented perceptual-motor bias associated with reading direction influenced foul judgments. Prior studies have shown that readers of left-to-right languages tend to think of prototypical events as unfolding concordantly, from left-to-right in space. It follows that events moving from right-to-left should be perceived as atypical and relatively debased. In an experiment using a go/no-go task and photographs taken from real games, participants made more foul calls for pictures depicting left-moving events compared to pictures depicting right-moving events. These data suggest that two referees watching the same play from distinct vantage points may be differentially predisposed to call a foul. Normally, in sexually reproducing organisms, the sex ratio (ratio of males to females) is 1:1. However, examples are known where this is not the case and there are more females than males in a population. Extreme bias in sex ratio can lead to females failing to find a mate. We studied Cheilomenes sexmaculata, a ladybird species that has females that produce more female than male offspring. In aphid-eating ladybirds, this phenomenon has been widely reported and is known to be due to the presence of bacteria that live inside the mother and are passed via her eggs to her offspring. In eggs destined to become male, the bacteria kill the embryo by some unknown mechanism. This is known as male-killing. Female offspring develop normally. Evolutionary theory predicts that in such systems, the genome of the host can fight back if a variant arises that stops the bacteria killing male offspring. In C. sexmaculata we found females that carried the male-killer but the sex ratio of their offspring depended on the male that they mated with. We carried out breeding tests to show that some ladybirds had a version of a gene that rescued the male offspring from the pathological effects of the male-killer. Differential herbivory and/or differential plant resistance or tolerance in sun and shade environments may influence plant distribution along the light gradient. Embothrium coccineum is one of the few light-demanding tree species in the temperate rainforest of southern South America, and seedlings are frequently attacked by insects and snails. Herbivory may contribute to the exclusion of E. coccineum from the shade if 1) herbivory pressure is greater in the shade, which in turn can result from shade plants being less resistant or from habitat preferences of herbivores, and/or 2) consequences of damage are more detrimental in the shade, i.e., shade plants are less tolerant. We tested this in a field study with naturally established seedlings in treefall gaps (sun) and forest understory (shade) in a temperate rainforest of southern Chile. Seedlings growing in the sun sustained nearly 40% more herbivore damage and displayed half of the specific leaf area than those growing in the shade. A palatability test showed that a generalist snail consumed ten times more leaf area when fed on shade leaves compared to sun leaves, i.e., plant resistance was greater in sun-grown seedlings. Herbivore abundance (total biomass) was two-fold greater in treefall gaps compared to the forest understory. Undamaged seedlings survived better and showed a slightly higher growth rate in the sun. Whereas simulated herbivory in the shade decreased seedling survival and growth by 34% and 19%, respectively, damaged and undamaged seedlings showed similar survival and growth in the sun. Leaf tissue lost to herbivores in the shade appears to be too expensive to replace under the limiting light conditions of forest understory. Following evaluations of herbivore abundance and plant resistance and tolerance in contrasting light environments, we have shown how herbivory on a light-demanding tree species may contribute to its exclusion from shade sites. Thus, in the shaded forest understory, where the seedlings of some tree species are close to their physiological tolerance limit, herbivory could play an important role in plant establishment. Traditional treatment of bacterial infections relies heavily on the use of antibacterial compounds that either kill bacteria (bactericidal) or inhibit their growth (bacteriostatic). Typically, the targets for the main conventional antibiotics are essential cellular processes such as bacterial cell wall biosynthesis, bacterial protein synthesis, and bacterial DNA replication and repair. However, resistance to these drugs arises and spreads very rapidly, even to such an extent that bacteria have been identified that are simultaneously resistant to all available antibiotics . The increasing occurrence of resistant bacteria gradually renders antibiotics ineffective in treating infections and has enormous human and economic consequences worldwide. As a result, the identification of novel drug targets and the development of novel therapeutics constitute an important area of current scientific research. An alternative to killing or inhibiting growth of pathogenic bacteria is the specific attenuation of bacterial virulence, which can be attained by targeting key regulatory systems that mediate the expression of virulence factors. One of the target regulatory systems is quorum sensing (QS), or bacterial cell-to-cell communication. QS is a mechanism of gene regulation in which bacteria coordinate the expression of certain genes in response to the presence or absence of small signal molecules (Figure 1). Can hearing a word change what one sees? Although visual sensitivity is known to be enhanced by attending to the location of the target, perceptual enhancements of following cues to the identity of an object have been difficult to find. Here, we show that perceptual sensitivity is enhanced by verbal, but not visual cues. Participants completed an object detection task in which they made an object-presence or -absence decision to briefly-presented letters. Hearing the letter name prior to the detection task increased perceptual sensitivity (d′). A visual cue in the form of a preview of the to-be-detected letter did not. Follow-up experiments found that the auditory cuing effect was specific to validly cued stimuli. The magnitude of the cuing effect positively correlated with an individual measure of vividness of mental imagery; introducing uncertainty into the position of the stimulus did not reduce the magnitude of the cuing effect, but eliminated the correlation with mental imagery. Hearing a word made otherwise invisible objects visible. Interestingly, seeing a preview of the target stimulus did not similarly enhance detection of the target. These results are compatible with an account in which auditory verbal labels modulate lower-level visual processing. The findings show that a verbal cue in the form of hearing a word can influence even the most elementary visual processing and inform our understanding of how language affects perception. Adaptation of sessile animals, such as molluscs, to stress is achieved by a number of molecular mechanisms, few of which are clearly understood. Insights from this research can provide clues about stress tolerance both for sessile and mobile organisms. The Mediterranean mussel, of the genus Mytilus, is a model organism for the study of stress at the molecular level, with sufficient gene structure and function data available. We have thus investigated a key stress response gene, Hsp90, and in particular its upstream region, using a combination of sequence and expression analysis approaches. We demonstrate that this region, responsible for the regulation of heat shock-associated gene expression, exhibits an unparalleled structural and functional complexity compared to other model organisms, as well as subtle gene expression patterns across multiple tissues. These results form the basis upon which the heat shock response can be used as a molecular biosensor for environmental monitoring in the future. Anecdotal information and case reports suggest that intravenously administered vitamin C is used by Complementary and Alternate Medicine (CAM) practitioners. The scale of such use in the U.S. and associated side effects are unknown. We surveyed attendees at annual CAM Conferences in 2006 and 2008, and determined sales of intravenous vitamin C by major U.S. manufacturers/distributors. We also queried practitioners for side effects, compiled published cases, and analyzed FDA’s Adverse Events Database. Of 199 survey respondents (out of 550), 172 practitioners administered IV vitamin C to 11,233 patients in 2006 and 8876 patients in 2008. Average dose was 28 grams every 4 days, with 22 total treatments per patient. Estimated yearly doses used (as 25g/50ml vials) were 318,539 in 2006 and 354,647 in 2008. Manufacturers’ yearly sales were 750,000 and 855,000 vials, respectively. Common reasons for treatment included infection, cancer, and fatigue. Of 9,328 patients for whom data is available, 101 had side effects, mostly minor, including lethargy/fatigue in 59 patients, change in mental status in 21 patients and vein irritation/phlebitis in 6 patients. Publications documented serious adverse events, including 2 deaths in patients known to be at risk for IV vitamin C. Due to confounding causes, the FDA Adverse Events Database was uninformative. Total numbers of patients treated in the US with high dose vitamin C cannot be accurately estimated from this study. High dose IV vitamin C is in unexpectedly wide use by CAM practitioners. Other than the known complications of IV vitamin C in those with renal impairment or glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, high dose intravenous vitamin C appears to be remarkably safe. Physicians should inquire about IV vitamin C use in patients with cancer, chronic, untreatable, or intractable conditions and be observant of unexpected harm, drug interactions, or benefit. Neurons communicate primarily with stereotypical electrical impulses, action potentials, which are fired when a threshold level of excitation is reached. This threshold varies between cells and over time as a function of previous stimulations, which has major functional implications on the integrative properties of neurons. Ionic channels are thought to play a central role in this modulation but the precise relationship between their properties and the threshold is unclear. We examined this relationship in biophysical models and derived a formula which quantifies the contribution of various mechanisms. The originality of our approach is that it provides an instantaneous time-varying value for the threshold, which applies to the highly fluctuating regimes characterizing neurons in vivo. In particular, two known ionic mechanisms were found to make the threshold adapt to the membrane potential, thus providing the cell with a form of gain control. Uncertainty and predictability have remained at the center of the study of human attention. Yet, studies have only examined whether response times (RT) or fixations were longer or shorter under levels of stimulus uncertainty. To date, no study has examined patterns of stimuli and responses through a unifying framework of uncertainty. We asked 29 college students to generate repeated responses to a continuous series of visual stimuli presented on a computer monitor. Subjects produced these responses by pressing on a keypad as soon a target was detected (regardless of position) while the durations of their visual fixations were recorded. We manipulated the level of stimulus uncertainty in space and time by changing the number of potential stimulus locations and time intervals between stimulus presentations. To allow the analyses to be conducted using uncertainty as common description of stimulus and response we calculated the entropy of the RT and fixation durations. We tested the hypothesis of uncertainty compensation across space and time by fitting the RT and fixation duration entropy values to a quadratic surface. The quadratic surface accounted for 80% of the variance in the entropy values of both RT and fixation durations. RT entropy increased as a function of spatial and temporal uncertainty of the stimulus, alongside a symmetric, compensatory decrease in the entropy of fixation durations as the level of spatial and temporal uncertainty of the stimuli was increased. Our results demonstrate that greater uncertainty in the stimulus leads to greater uncertainty in the response, and that the effects of spatial and temporal uncertainties are compensatory. We also observed compensatory relationship across the entropies of fixation duration and RT, suggesting that a more predictable visual search strategy leads to more uncertain response patterns and vice versa. Classical morphological taxonomy places the approximately 1400 recognized species of Scleractinia (hard corals) into 27 families, but many aspects of coral evolution remain unclear despite the application of molecular phylogenetic methods. In part, this may be a consequence of such studies focusing on the reef-building (shallow water and zooxanthellate) Scleractinia, and largely ignoring the large number of deep-sea species. To better understand broad patterns of coral evolution, we generated molecular data for a broad and representative range of deep sea scleractinians collected off New Caledonia and Australia during the last decade, and conducted the most comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analysis to date of the order Scleractinia. Partial (595 bp) sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene were determined for 65 deep-sea (azooxanthellate) scleractinians and 11 shallow-water species. These new data were aligned with 158 published sequences, generating a 234 taxon dataset representing 25 of the 27 currently recognized scleractinian families. There was a striking discrepancy between the taxonomic validity of coral families consisting predominantly of deep-sea or shallow-water species. Most families composed predominantly of deep-sea azooxanthellate species were monophyletic in both maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses but, by contrast (and consistent with previous studies), most families composed predominantly of shallow-water zooxanthellate taxa were polyphyletic, although Acroporidae, Poritidae, Pocilloporidae, and Fungiidae were exceptions to this general pattern. One factor contributing to this inconsistency may be the greater environmental stability of deep-sea environments, effectively removing taxonomic “noise” contributed by phenotypic plasticity. Our phylogenetic analyses imply that the most basal extant scleractinians are azooxanthellate solitary corals from deep-water, their divergence predating that of the robust and complex corals. Deep-sea corals are likely to be critical to understanding anthozoan evolution and the origins of the Scleractinia.

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W hy is it important for scientists to contribute to science education? Our nation has failed to meet important educational challenges, and our children are ill prepared to respond to the demands of today?s world. Results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study ( TIMSS )--and its successor, TIMSS-R--show that the relatively strong international performance of U.S. 4th graders successively deteriorates across 8th- and 12th-grade cohorts. Related studies indicate that U.S. PreK-12 curricula lack coherence, depth, and continuity and cover too many topics superficially. By high school, unacceptably low numbers of students show motivation or interest in enrolling in physics (only one-quarter of all students) or chemistry (only one-half). We are rapidly approaching universal participation at the postsecondary level, but we still have critical science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce needs and too few teachers who have studied science or mathematics. Science and engineering degrees as a percentage of the degrees conferred each year have remained relatively constant at about 5%. In this group, women and minorities are gravely underrepresented. The consequences of these conditions are serious. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that 60% of the new jobs being created in our economy today will require technological literacy, yet only 22% of the young people entering the job market now actually possess those skills. By 2010, all jobs will require some form of technological literacy, and 80% of those jobs haven?t even been created yet. We must prepare our students for a world that we ourselves cannot completely anticipate. This will require the active involvement of scientists and engineers. How is NSF seeking to encourage scientists to work on educational issues? The NSF Strategic Plan includes two relevant goals: to develop "a diverse, internationally competitive, and globally engaged workforce of scientists, engineers, and well-prepared citizens" and to support "discovery across the frontiers of science and engineering, connected to learning, innovation, and service to society." To realize both of these goals, our nation?s scientists and engineers must care about the educational implications of their work and explore educational issues as seriously and knowledgeably as they do their research questions. The phrase "integration of research and education" conveys two ideas. First, good research generates an educational asset, and we must effectively use that asset. Second, we need to encourage more scientists and engineers to pursue research careers that focus on teaching and learning within their own disciplines. All proposals submitted to NSF for funding must address two merit criteria: intellectual merit and broader impacts. In everyday terms, our approach to evaluating the broader impact of proposals is built on the philosophy that scientists and engineers should pay attention to teaching and value it, and that their institutions should recognize, support, and reward faculty, as well as researchers in government and industry, who take their role as educators seriously and approach instruction as a scholarly act. We think of education very broadly, including formal education (K-graduate and postdoctoral study) and informal education (efforts to promote public understanding of science and research outside the traditional educational environment). What does it mean to take education seriously and explore it knowledgeably? Any scholarly approach to education must be intentional, be based on a valid body of knowledge, and be rigorously assessed. That is, our approach to educational questions must be a scholarly act. NSF actively invests in educational reform and models that encourage scientists and engineers to improve curriculum, teaching, and learning in science and mathematics at all levels of the educational system from elementary school to graduate study and postdoctoral work. We recognize that to interest faculty and practicing scientists and engineers in education, we must support research that generates convincing evidence that changing how we approach the teaching of science and mathematics will pay off in better learning and deeper interest in these fields. Here are a few of the most recent efforts to stimulate interest in education that might be of interest to Next Wave readers. (For more information, go to the NSF Education and Human Resources directorate's Web site .) The GK-12 program supports fellowships and training to enable STEM graduate students and advanced undergraduates to serve in K-12 schools as resources in STEM content and applications. Outcomes include improved communication and teaching skills for the Fellows, increased content knowledge for preK-12 teachers, enriched preK-12 student learning, and stronger partnerships between higher education and local schools. The Centers for Learning and Teaching ( CLT ) program is a "comprehensive, research-based effort that addresses critical issues and national needs of the STEM instructional workforce across the entire spectrum of formal and informal education." The goal of the CLT program is to support the development of new approaches to the assessment of learning, research on learning within the disciplines, the design and development of effective curricular materials, and research-based approaches to instruction--and through this work to increase the number of people who do research on education in the STEM fields. This year (FY 02) we are launching some prototype higher education centers to reform teaching and learning in our nation's colleges and universities through a mix of research, faculty development and exploration of instructional practices that can promote learning. Like other NSF efforts, the Centers incorporate a balanced strategy of attention to people, ideas and tools. We hope to encourage more science and engineering faculty to work on educational issues in both K-12 and in postsecondary education. If you are interested in these issues and want to pursue graduate or postdoctoral study, or want to develop a research agenda on learning in STEM fields, find the location and goals of the currently funded centers and also check later this summer to find out which higher education CLT prototypes are funded. The following solicitations all involve the integration of research and education as well as attention to broadening participation in STEM careers: The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program ( STEP ) program seeks to increase the number of students (U.S. citizens or permanent residents) pursuing and receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging fields within STEM. The Faculty Early Career Development ( CAREER ) program recognizes and supports the early career development activities of those teacher-scholars who are most likely to become the academic leaders of the 21st century. The Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) program seeks to improve the quality of STEM education for all students and targets activities affecting learning environments, course content, curricula, and educational practices. CCLI offers three tracks: educational materials development , national dissemination , and adaptation and implementation . The Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training ( IGERT ) program addresses the challenges of preparing Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the multidisciplinary backgrounds and the technical, professional, and personal skills needed for the career demands of the future. The Vertical Integration of Research and Education in the Mathematical Sciences ( VIGRE ) program supports institutions with Ph.D.-granting departments in the mathematical sciences in carrying out innovative educational programs, at all levels, that are integrated with the department?s research activities. The Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers (ADVANCE) program seeks to increase the participation of women in the scientific and engineering workforce through the increased representation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers. The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Teacher Preparation ( STEMTP ) program involves partnerships among STEM and education faculty working with preK-12 schools to develop exemplary preK-12 teacher education models that will improve the science and mathematics preparation of future teachers. The Noyce Scholarship Supplements program supports scholarships and stipends for STEM majors and STEM professionals seeking to become preK-12 teachers. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Science Foundation.

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3. Responses and Execution > 3. Creative Momentum > Surprise Set-up Which of the following best describes what you need to know to set up a surprise. - I need to understand how to psychology of competition makes surprise both possible and necessary. - I understand the psychology, but I need to understand the role of proven methods in establishing the basis for surprise.

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Back To Packing List Gear Advice: First Aid Kit (Small) A good first aid kit is essential to a pack trip, but knowing how to use it, and how to deal with medical emergencies is even more important. Make sure that someone in your group has some experience with this as getting hurt in the back country can easily turn into a major problem. The spall or personal first aid kit may include is really for every day issues including splinters, blisters, aches & pains, burns, etc. When on North Manitou Island, the ranger gave a good talk explaining how things you do every day at home could become life threatening on the island. He gave a story about a pickup game of baseball done using sticks and rocks. You can imagine the rest. When something like that happens miles from the road, out of cell coverage, 911 is not an option. Play it safe when on the trail. I run the REI's "Hikers first aid kit", and have included a number of extra medications (lots of Ibuprofen), Band-Aid Blister Block Cushions, second skin, various ointments, etc.

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Please login using the form on menu list.| It is required to login for Full-Text PDF. A 315 MHz Power-Gated Ultra Low Power Transceiver in 40 nm CMOS for Wireless Sensor Network IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Electronics Vol.E95-C No.6 pp.1035-1041 Publication Date: 2012/06/01 Online ISSN: 1745-1353 Print ISSN: 0916-8516 Type of Manuscript: Special Section PAPER (Special Section on Analog Circuits and Related SoC Integration Technologies) low noise amplifier, ultra low power, Full Text: PDF(2.4MB) A 315 MHz power-gated ultra low power transceiver for wireless sensor network is developed in 40 nm CMOS. The developed transceiver features an injection-locked frequency multiplier for carrier generation and a power-gated low noise amplifier with current second-reuse technique for receiver front-end. The injection-locked frequency multiplier implements frequency multiplication by edge-combining and thereby achieves 11 µW power consumption at 315 MHz. The proposed low noise amplifier achieves the lowest power consumption of 8.4 µW with 7.9 dB noise figure and 20.5 dB gain in state-of-the-art designs.

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Content. This buzzword in the SEO space has grown to astronomical levels. As I speak with companies on a regular basis, they constantly tell me that they've been advised to write new and unique content by the boatload -- no matter the Web site or space they're in. It's time we review the advantages of content, and where it may be applicable. Let's look at a few sites that will either need heavy amounts of content or little to no content. These sites need content: - Affiliate sites, which typically add little to no value by simply copying from others. These sites need a specific value-add, to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack. - Sites with heavy amounts of graphics, Flash, video, or any other site that may be difficult for a user requiring a screen-reading program to view. - E-commerce sites that use a set amount of content from a massive distributor, like Ingram Micro or Tech Data. Each merchant has access to the exact same data -- what makes your site different from the rest? These sites don't need heavy amounts of SEO-specific content: - Sites with a large community of content contributors who spend a good portion of their time writing about the topics surrounding the subject matter of each site. - Sites that generate content on a regular basis, such as news sites or blogs. Instead of trying to manipulate search engines, consider providing a way for your users, distributors and/or manufacturers to give you unique and well-written content. It's likely that they have written marketing materials that won't make it to their standard (and usually expensive) forms of distribution. This content could add a great deal of value to products and/or services that may be offered by many other online dealers with either the same or slightly different data. When creating content, keep in mind that it can come in multiple forms -- services, contests, games, video, and even news . It's critical that the content is interesting and compelling, so it has the chance of being linked to by a "fan." It's very important that if you offer a special guarantee, such as a price match, you honor it to any possible level. By having complicated terms that make it nearly impossible to use -- the Starwood Price Match Guarantee, for example -- you'll wind up upsetting your client base. While you may get links to your site, it will hurt your reputation. It's also extremely important to have a "yes we can help" customer service attitude. Your loyal customers can be solicited to come back and write about their experience. This most important feature has helped companies such as eBay and Zappos. The retail sector, such as stores like Best Buy, has lost this attitude. In many cases, no matter how small the request, they just say no. You wind up spending an enormous amount of time arguing with them that you're right. However, if you buy the same product at a site like Zappos, with their very friendly customer service attitude, you'll be satisfied through the entire process and come back to buy more. Join us for SES San Jose, August 18-22 at the San Jose Convention Center. Introducing SES Online Want to view one of the sessions you missed or listen to an especially informative presenter a second time? SES New York sessions are available for purchase on ClickZ Academy's new e-Learning site. SES is now Online!

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File compression is to perform some algorithm on the file that reduces it in size but the reverse of the algorithm will return it to its original form. In data files, the compression and decompression must be lossless which means that the data must be returned to its exact form. There are various methods to do this: some hardware implementations and some software. The most popular ones that are implemented in hardware usually use a Limpel-Ziv algorithm to look for repeating sequences over a set span of data (the run) and replace that with special identifying information. Compression does save space but may take extra time (latency). Video and music data are typically already compressed. The compression rates are usually very high because of the data and the fact that a lossy compression algorithm is used. It can be lossy (meaning that all bits may not be decompressed exactly) because it won't be noticeable with video or music. Zip files are the result of software compression. Another compression round on already compressed data will probably not yield any substantial gain. Evaluator Group, Inc. Editor's note: Do you agree with this expert's response? If you have more to share, post it in our Storage Networking forum at http://searchstorage.discussions.techtarget.com/WebX?50@@.ee83ce4 or e-mail us directly at firstname.lastname@example.org. This was first published in December 2001

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Discography: p. -282. Includes bibliographical references and index. Brief Biography-- Works and Performances-- Individual Songs-- Discography-- Filmography. (source: Nielsen Book Data) A brief biography and comprehensive bibliography of the life and work of American composer and icon of the American Jazz Age, George Gershwin. The biography examines Gershwin's influences and situates him within the cultural context of his time, whilst the bibliography provides a complete cross-reference list of all his compositions. There is also a discography of more than 1150 items, and a descriptive filmography. The bibliography includes writings by both George and Ira and more than 2100 entries about George's compositions. A separate index lists itineraries for the famous Paul Whiteman tours (1924-1925) and the Leo Reisman tour (1934), at which Gershwin's music figured prominently. (source: Nielsen Book Data)

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Hershey, PA : Information Science Reference, c2009. xxi, 417 p. : ill. ; 29 cm. "Premier reference source"--Cover. Includes bibliographical references (p. 362-407) and index. Now established as an effective tool in the instructional process, multimedia has penetrated educational systems at almost every level of study. In their quest to maximize educational outcomes and identify best practices, multimedia researchers are now expanding their examinations to extend towards the cognitive functionality of multimedia."Cognitive Effects of Multimedia Learning" identifies the role and function of multimedia in learning through a collection of research studies focusing on cognitive functionality. An advanced collection of critical theories and practices, this much needed contribution to the research is an essential holding for academic libraries, and will benefit researchers, practitioners and students in basic and applied fields ranging from education to cognitive sciences. (source: Nielsen Book Data)

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Delridge area's 'food desert' gets fruit, veggie oasis A "healthy corner store" project in West Seattle's Delridge neighborhood aims to bring better food choices to a neighborhood without any sizable grocery store that leaves residents — especially those without cars — with few convenient options for a healthful diet. Seattle Times staff reporter At the register of Bhim Singh's Super 24 Food Store is a sight not typically associated with convenience stores, especially those in low-income areas such as West Seattle's Delridge neighborhood: a batch of shiny red apples. Lemons and limes populate the refrigerator. Onions, potatoes, garlic and ginger dot a shelf in back. "Sometimes people go to market and they forget the onion," Singh says. "I sell for 69 cents — two for a dollar." As efforts grow to improve health among the nation's poorer communities, the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association is hoping to make healthy variety the norm along its largely neglected corridor. Delridge lacks any supermarket of significant size, which makes buying produce inconvenient, even unlikely, for those without a car. The association's "healthy corner-store project," which aims to get stores to trade fried chicken and jo-jos for pears, beans and greens, is waging its crusade with the aid of a King County-run Kellogg Foundation grant. The foundation is funding efforts in nine U.S. communities to fight such issues as obesity, diabetes and infant mortality. In neighborhoods like this, convenience stores usually focus on low-cost items with long shelf lives. Such items — chips, cigarettes, malt liquor — are usually not healthful. As a result, "responsible people aren't making irresponsible decisions — they're making decisions based on the options they have," says Randy Engstrom, the neighborhood association's founding director. "We're trying to compete with an economic model that's been around a long time." Rather than fight the problem by bringing in farmers markets, the group aims to partner with local farmers to either supply existing stores or use them as customer-pickup sites in community-supported-agriculture (CSA) arrangements. "Farmers markets are rad, but that's not sustainable," Engstrom says. "There's only so many farmers and only so many days of the week." For its pilot project, group leaders chose the Super 24, with which they already had a relationship through regular store visits. The store is less than a mile from the association's offices. Singh, who bought the store four years ago, is already imagining the possibilities. Where the slush machine is now, he foresees veggies: spinach, lettuce, celery, cilantro. "All green stuff," he says excitedly. "That's what I'm thinking." Not getting veggies For lifelong resident Ranette Iding, the reason Delridge is often termed a "food desert" — a place with little or no access to healthful food — is no mystery. "Where we live now, we have to drive to get groceries," she says. Residents without cars "are resigned to the fact that they have to take a long bus ride, or eat out all the time, or go to a minimart." Delridge and several adjoining neighborhoods — an area bordered by the West Seattle Bridge to the north, Southwest Roxbury Street to the south, 35th Avenue Southwest on the west and the West Duwamish greenbelt to the east — have roughly two dozen convenience stores and only one supermarket near the southern boundary. "That's a huge area with no grocery," Iding says. Delridge offers no plot of land large enough to hold a supermarket, association director Engstrom says. "Also, there's the perception that this isn't the kind of neighborhood that would support one." Supermarkets in West Seattle's Admiral District or at Westwood Village can actually be easier to reach by bus from White Center, to the south, than from Delridge. Walking can require formidable uphill treks. Iding has heard tales of time-strapped parents delivering fast-food meals to schoolkids. One local day-care staffer told her that when the care center asked parents to supply lunches for a week, "kids came in with little plastic bags from the minimart, with corn dogs and a candy bar." The retail project is one of two — the other is in White Center — overseen by the King County Food and Fitness Initiative. In addition to healthful eating, the initiative aims to provide spaces promoting physical activity and community. Though unconnected, the Delridge project also mirrors efforts of the national Healthy Corner Store Network, which local organizers are eyeing for inspiration. "Convenience stores thrive on providing food that's not healthy," says Delridge resident Galena White, who's leading efforts to start a permanent produce stand in the area. "The goal is to show that providing healthy food can be profitable." But when local project leaders contacted store owners with the idea, only four responded. "For some, there's a language barrier," Engstrom says. "Some are second- and third-generation owners. This is what their family does. And then here comes this fancy letter from some organization talking about changing their store." Admittedly, store owners are being asked to take some risk, "but we're also offering to help them grow their customer base," Engstrom says. In addition to stocking stores with fresher, more healthful food, project leaders plan to spiff the stores up and help promote their new offerings. Store owners will be asked to provide wall space for community bulletin boards rather than beer or cigarette ads. Eventually, the group wants to create a brand label that member stores could use to promote themselves. For now they're working with Singh, considering his customer base and suggesting items to add or reduce. That might mean, for instance, asking that he devote 10 percent of his snack racks to granola bars rather than candy bars. Already, the store has been outfitted with a new mural showing a halved apple and a bird on a branch, with handprints of lime and Kelly green. It reads: "Healthy cornerstore, Super 24." Can this work? "I guess what it boils down to is getting enough people into the store who will buy healthy food," says the co-op's White. "We have to get people to know there is good food in the stores, and we have to provide a selection that will keep them coming back." Singh knows it's not easy for stores like his to carry produce; when customers aren't used to looking for it, it often goes unsold and spoils. That's lost money. "The first couple of months was hard," he says. He ate a lot of apples and bananas. Everything else, "I take home. My wife uses them. Why waste?" But then customers began to keep up, and he's excited about the possibilities that the project could bring. Another wave of customers rolls in. One man grabs two 99-cent bags of jo-jos. A woman buys Snapple and a bag of Doritos. Aisha Zaffino, 5, roams the aisles, seeking something to pair with her bag of Funyuns. "You already got chips," says her mother. The two are frequently at odds. "She wants a lollipop, and I want her to have an apple," Destiny Zaffino says. They live not far away, and because of her schedule, Zaffino often has to squeeze in late-night grocery runs. A convenience store is often the easiest place to go. Knowing she can find produce at the Super 24 gives her some peace of mind, she says, and the prospect of stores offering even more is reassuring. "That's definitely a good thing," she says. "Everybody should do it." Marc Ramirez: 206-464-8102 or email@example.com Information in this article, originally published Dec. 5, 2009, was corrected Dec. 5, 2009. A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Delridge and several adjoining neighborhoods have no supermarkets. There is one supermarket near the southern boundary. Sam and Sara Lucchese create handmade pasta out of their kitchen-garage adjacent to their Ballard home. Here, they illustrate the final steps in making pappardelle pasta. Furniture & home furnishings POST A FREE LISTING

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Snohomish County Council bans slaughter of horses for food Moving to pre-empt the revival of slaughter houses that kill horses for food, the Snohomish County Council on Wednesday voted unanimously to ban the practice. Seattle Times staff reporter The Snohomish County Council voted unanimously Wednesday to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption — pre-empting any effort to reinstate the controversial practice anywhere within its jurisdiction. The council's action followed impassioned testimony from both sides. It comes about a year after the federal government reinstated inspections of horse-slaughter facilities, making it possible, after a five-year hiatus, for horses to be killed in this country for food. While not widely consumed in the U.S., horse meat is eaten in parts of Europe, South America and Asia. Under federal law, inspections of slaughterhouses where horses are killed are mandatory, and when funding for those inspections ended in 2007 it essentially ended horse-slaughtering operations in the U.S. The Snohomish County ordinance, introduced by Councilman Dave Somers and backed by a broad coalition of animal rescuers and advocates, was aimed at preventing the revival of horse slaughtering at Florence Packing, a company located just outside Stanwood. Owner Wayne Lindahl slaughtered horses at his facility for more than two decades until 1992. These days, he ships an average of 2,000 live horses a year to a Canadian slaughterhouse, Bouvry Export. Bouvry in turn ships horse meat to markets around the world. Allen Warren, founder of the equine sanctuary Horse Harbor Foundation in Kitsap County, said he was told by sources inside Bouvry that the Canadian company had planned to reopen horse slaughtering at the Florence facility now that federal inspections have been allowed to resume. Florence's proximity to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, he said, made it ideal for shipping to an expanding Asian market. Florence also is the only facility in the state where slaughtering could begin almost right away, without requiring the kind of approvals, including environmental, that would be required for a newer facility. Animal advocates said they also found out through a Freedom of Information Act request that Bouvry had requested a permit from the Food and Safety Inspection Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to slaughter horses in this country, although a representative of Bouvry said he could not confirm that. Given what they say they've learned, Warren said, "We connected the dots." In addition to pre-empting such facilities in Snohomish County, Warren and other animal advocates are working to ensure that funding for inspections is stripped from the federal agricultural appropriations bill, essentially prohibiting horse slaughtering once again. Florence's owner, Lindahl, said that despite the persistent rumors he has no plans to restart his slaughterhouse and is not in talks to sell his buildings. He's running a stripped-down operation, he said. "We have no refrigeration, no equipment. It's been like that since 1992. I'm done with this business; I plan to retire by the end of next summer." He said, "What the horse people don't understand is that there's no place for these horses when they're not being used anymore. We're not taking saddle horses and sending them for slaughter. They are older or ex-bucking horses." Animal advocates point out that most of the horses sent to slaughter are not old, but are healthy. They also maintain that slaughtering is not humane but cited an inspector's testimony before Congress in 2008 that horses often are conscious during the killing process. Jack Field, executive vice president of the Washington Cattlemen's Association, which voiced strong opposition to the ban, said there's a need for a slaughter system in this state that has strong state and federal inspection and oversight. It's important, he said, that decision makers not allow "emotion to cloud science and good judgment on this issue. You mention horses and people think of these great majestic animals with their mane and tail blowing in the wind." But that's different from reality, he said. "What they don't see are the horses dumped on public or private lands by people who can no longer afford to manage and maintain them. "Where's the science that drives this decision?" Lornet Turnbull: 206-464-2420 or firstname.lastname@example.org. On Twitter @turnbullL.

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Low-graphic news index | Thursday, August 23, 2012 - Page updated at 07:00 p.m. Tainted tattoo ink blamed in rash of nasty skin infections By The Associated Press and Seattle Times staff ATLANTA — Health officials said Wednesday they are seeing more cases of a nasty skin infection caused by a common bacteria traced to the ink used for tattoos. Five confirmed cases have been reported in Washington since last fall, health officials said. Three people were infected at a tattoo parlor in Snohomish County, including one King County resident. Two more King County residents were infected at a parlor in King County and 26 Washington residents had possible infection, according to the report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In all cases, investigators concluded the culprit was the ink, said Michael Kinzer, an epidemic intelligence officer from the CDC working with King County's health department. The tattoo artists appeared to be meeting all the regulations, he added. There are no health regulations for the production of tattoo ink, Kinzer added. In the largest outbreak, 19 people in Rochester, N.Y., ended up with bubbly rashes on their new tattoos, researchers reported Wednesday. In the past year, there have been 22 confirmed cases and more than 30 suspected cases of the skin infection in Colorado, Iowa, New York in addition to Washington, health officials said. Hepatitis, staph infections and the superbug known as MRSA have been tied to tattoos. Dirty needles and unsanitary conditions are often to blame. But all the New York cases were linked to an unidentified artist who wore disposable gloves and sterilized his instruments. The infections were tied to ink or water used to dilute the ink. Tattoo artists and ink makers should use only sterile water to dilute ink, health officials advise. The illnesses were caused by a bacterial cousin of tuberculosis named Mycobacterium chelonae (pronounced chell-OH-nay). The bacteria can cause itchy and painful pus-filled blisters that can take months to clear up, and involve treatment with harsh antibiotics with unpleasant side effects. The bacteria are common in tap water and have been seen in the past when tattoo artists used contaminated water to lighten dark ink. The ink used in New York was "gray wash," used for shaded areas of tattoos. The ink was recalled and has not returned to the market. "Even if you get a tattoo from a facility that does everything right, it's not risk free," said Dr. Byron Kennedy, deputy director of the health department in New York's Monroe County. He is lead author of a report on last fall's Rochester cases that was released by The New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday. Some ink manufacturers add witch hazel or an alcohol preservative to lower risk of certain viruses, but those additives don't kill the hardy chelonae bacteria. An estimated 1 in 5 U.S. adults have at least one tattoo, according to polls. Copyright © The Seattle Times Company Low-graphic news index Graphic-enabled home page

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If you would like to understand how to conceive a boy, you must take note of the ovulation period. This is the stage exactly where the egg has left the ovary and travel by way of the fallopian tube to stay within the uterus even though waiting for a sperm to fertilize it. It is a truth that the male sperm will decide the gender of the baby. Nevertheless, determining your precise ovulation will aid enhance your chances of conceiving a baby boy. At this time, it could be great to follow these tips if you want to understand how to have a boy. To understand how to have a boy, you must have a sexual make contact with together with your partner in the day of ovulation and not a lot more than 12 hours soon after you ovulate. Then, you are going to have higher chances of getting a boy in the event you monitor the pH balance of the physique and your vaginal fluids as well. Male sperm cannot live in a very acidic atmosphere that it really is necessary to decrease the acidity. You’ll be able to aid control the pH level of your body by changing your diet regime. Eat foods rich in sodium and potassium like bananas and salty foods. Don’t take foods high in acid such as milk, yoghurt, and also other dairy products. You could also employ douching to assist lower the all-natural pH of the vagina but make sure you consult your medical practitioner very first prior to doing so. An additional tip that’s valuable on how to have a boy is always to know which positions to use. Given that the male sperm is weaker, it demands a position that permits deeper penetration to assist the male sperm swim towards the uterus easily. Reaching your climax is also valuable in producing a son. A woman’s orgasm will aid pull the sperm closer towards the egg and enhance the opportunity of getting a male sperm reach the egg. You could also use supplements on how to have a boy to enhance the quality of cervical mucus and facilitate the conception of a boy than a girl. Furthermore to these, the father has also a thing to complete in knowing how to have a boy. He should refrain from hot showers if you are planning to have a boy. Hot water may possibly reduce the capacity of the male sperm to live. It is also valuable to keep the testicles cooler to make sure a lot more male sperm is produced. He can do this by wearing boxers as opposed to briefs. Boxers permit a lot more airflow in between the legs keeping the testicles and the sperm cooler. A caffeinated drink is also valuable on how to have a boy. He should drink a cup of coffee prior to sexual make contact with to enhance the power of the male sperm to reach the egg. These tips are just overview of what you can get from “Prince or Princess” e-book. If you would like to learn a lot more on how to have a boy, you may acquire the guide for a

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This is a thought experiment on the interaction between Tor, OpenID and one (or more) compromised nodes in the secure path. I'm focused on how to use technology in a way that adds value to a secure cloud solution. I have no interest in using this technology for nefarious purposes. Suppose I have a multi-tenant server where each customer determines the visibility of their domain. For example: x.myhost.com can choose to be "public" and xyz.myhost.com is private and only accessed by a hidden As I understand it there are two ways for a server to interact with Tor: - Do nothing, use SSL, and trust that the last exit node has not been compromised - "Hook" into the Tor network using a hidden service and a .onion address From what I understand, the session is vulnerable to a compromised .EXIT node. Some hacks I've read about include: - disclosure of data protected by SSL - Loss of anonymity if the user uses many services over the same Tor network, enabling correlation Now that the world is moving to claims-based authentication, SAML, and OpenID, how should Tor be used with these technologies, considering that .exit nodes could be compromised? Given that correlation hacks exist, should OpenID/SAML be used at all? Some questions that affect architecture include - Is public OpenID less secure than those with forms-based authentication? - Does using OpenID/SAML enable session correlation? Are some OpenID providers better than others? - Should the OpenID/SAML server has a .onion address? Will that help prevent correlation attacks? - Are there benefits of using a public OpenID server (Google/Yahoo) to a private one (Microsoft ADFSv2)

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Toronto's parks department dumps the excrement from the animals at the High Park Zoo in the middle of the park. The poop does not have a fence around it to sequester it nor is there any sign to warn users of the park about it. The poop pile is very close to a path that people walk along and is also adjacent to the dog off leash area. Because it smells very attractive to dogs and is not fenced, it is very easy for dogs to access the pile. In addition, this is an area that coyotes are sighted and I wonder if the smell of the animal waste is also attracting coyotes. I think that dumping animal excrement in the middle of one of the city's most beautiful parks is both a health and an environmental hazard. Downhill from the pile is a stream that ends up in Lake Ontario and I am concerned about runoff, particularly bacteria parasites such as giardia. I have no objection to composting animal waste but it needs to be done properly in an area that is not accessible to the public. All of the dog owners that I have spoken to think the pile is disgusting and it either needs to be moved or adequately fenced. I have contacted Sarah Doucette's office, Public Health and the supervisor of High Park about this. No one is taking my concerns seriously. The supervisor of High Park refuses to do anything about the pile because they have been dumping the waste there for decades. They claim that if the area is fenced off the pick up truck will not be able to dump the @#$% there. Shouldn't human health and the environment take precedence over these feeble excuses. Help!

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The worldwide battle to get away from the coal and oil industries has been underway for some time. Countries are fighting to gain a share of the new green manufacturing industries with millions of jobs and trillions of dollars on the line. Country after country is executing plans to grab a share of this new industry. But not us. Oil-funded conservatives are trying to keep us from even fighting in that war. Oil And Coal Are The Problem Look around you, the climate is changing, the seas are rising, terrible storms are hitting, huge fires are burning, terrible droughts are causing crop failure, and plants, animals and insects are migrating to new areas. (In DC right now you might not be able to turn on a light because of that huge, freak storm you just had, so maybe wait and look around you after the sun comes up.) We have to stop burning oil and coal, and find a way to get that carbon back out of the air. Aside from the terrible effects of climate change, our country has a trade deficit that is partly about buying oil, and those purchases send money to places that use that money against our country’s interests. Other countries get all of this. But our country is in the grip of an oil-and-coal-funded propaganda machine that tries to keep us from getting it. Green Job Opportunities We are in a worldwide economic competition to build the post-oil economy. This is a competition for millions of jobs and trillions of dollars. Every country wants a share of the design and manufacturing of wind turbines, solar panels, geothermal systems, biofuels, electric cars, high-speed rail, urban and suburban light rail, advanced batteries, smart-grid power transmission systems, and all of the rest. And there is also the fight for the construction, installation and maintenance contracts for all of these systems. Many countries are fully engaged, and have national plans to capture a share of this new industry. They compete with us as countries, and see us as a country to compete with even if we do not. Because we refuse to act as a country, we send our companies out to compete with countries, and as big as our companies are they cannot compete with the resources of engaged countries. Conservatives Demand Surrender Our top competitor is China. Shots have been fired; China is helping their companies compete, and this has cut solar prices. So a few American companies are going under. In response, America’s oil-backed conservatives are demanding immediate surrender. In fact, they don’t just demand surrender, they are giving aid and comfort, even actively helping the other side, running down America’s efforts to fight for a share of the new green economy. This huge effort by conservatives to keep our country out of the world competition for a share of the new green economy kind of makes you wonder about the secrecy surrounding all of the money that funds the conservative movement, its think tanks, media outlets, and now even funds political campaigns. We don’t even know where the hundreds of millions funding these horrible, negative ads comes from! Does any of it come from our economic competitors? Shouldn’t we at least be able to find out who (or where) is funding the conservative propaganda and political machine that is running down our own government and demanding we surrender the new green economy to China? Solyndra And Chevy Volt Conservatives celebrated the fall of Solyndra, declaring that its demise meant that green energy in general is a “bad bet,” or losing technology. They also have been trying to convince people not to purchase hybrids and new technologies like the Chevy Volt. The next time you hear someone of FOX running down our country’s green energy efforts, knocking the Chevy Volt or denying climate change, think abougt this: Fox’s second-largest shareholder is a billionaire Saudi oil prince. Fox might just have an agenda beyond backing conservatives here. Speaking of conservatives, though, keep in mind that the Koch brothers == oil. Abound Solar Goes Under Last week solar panel manufacturer Abound Solar filed for bankruptcy. NY Times reports in “A 2nd U.S.-Supported Maker of Solar Panels Will Close,” Republicans, including Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, seized on Solyndra’s failure as evidence that the Obama administration was wasting taxpayer money by supporting clean energy companies. … The company said it could have been profitable if it had had large-scale manufacturing under way, but “aggressive pricing actions from Chinese solar panel companies have made it very difficult for an early stage start-up company like Abound to scale in current market conditions.” Abound Solar was unable to compete with low solar prices resulting from Chinese subsidies for their own solar manufacturers. (Add to that, China’s currency manipulation which keeps the prices of everything made there up to 30% lower, even bore their subsidies, trade barriers, etc.) Federal officials froze their credit line last year, after the Solyndra failure, so Abound was unable to draw on credit to scale its manufacturing to a level that could compete with subsidized Chinese imports. Conservatives immediately stepped up their drumbeat of demands that we surrender to China. Here are a few examples of conservatives blaming America first, calling America’s efforts a failure, or generally running down efforts to fight for a share of the new green economy: Hot Air: Yet another DOE-backed solar panel company bites the dust Good grief. I feel like these ailing Department of Energy-backed loan guarantees are so laughably many that they’re barely even worth noting anymore, but you’re darn tootin’ I’ll continue to do so as long as President Obama keeps acting like it’s the federal government’s divine right to pick and choose winners in the energy market on the taxpayers’ dime. … This article tries to spin the situation to suggest that the company’s failure is the result of too much unfair competition and global oversupply, and we should therefore direct our ire at China. No — just no. This is the fault of the Obama administration. Maybe if we had just left the decision to develop solar (or not!) up to the private sector, we would’ve quickly figured out that investing in solar energy was a bad idea. Weekly Standard: Video: Obama Touted $400 Million Loan to Another Solar Company Now Declaring Bankruptcy Washington Moon Times: Yet another government-backed solar company turns out the lights News of the company’s demise prompted early criticism from Rep. Jim Jordan, Ohio Republican and chairman of the House subcommittee on regulatory affairs, stimulus oversight and government spending. In a statement, Mr. Jordan, among other Republicans, said Abound’s collapse shows that “our government is not good at picking winners and losers in the marketplace but has certainly proved it is good at wasting taxpayer dollars.” National Legal and Policy Center: Yet Another DOE Green Failure as Abound Solar Goes Bankrupt And now with failures like Solyndra and Abound Solar, in addition to several others, these crony redistributors leave the political fallout to others and just move on to their next “green” scheme. Unfortunately we won’t find out if the ultimate political price is paid until November, but in the meantime DOE continues with its renewable energy “investments,” which will undoubtedly lead to more pain for taxpayers. Abound had borrowed about $70 million against these loan guarantees. That would have bought a lot of health care for poor people, but the Obama Administration blew it on solar panel junk instead. Heritage Foundation: Another Stimulus Backed ‘Green Energy’ Company Goes Bankrupt Another stimulus-backed green energy company has filed for bankruptcy, further fueling criticism of Energy Department programs that backed highly-risky investments on the taxpayer dime. Like Solyndra and a number of other green energy investments made under this administration, Abound Solar had a very poor credit rating, but enjoyed a wealth of political connections. So … should we respond as a country to this economic attack on us by other countries who see us as a country and compete with us as a country? Or should we surrender the new green economy to others? This post originally appeared at Campaign for America’s Future (CAF) at their Blog for OurFuture. I am a Fellow with CAF. Sign up here for the CAF daily summary

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Bubbles start in areas where we do not expect and continue until they reach such a size that eventually they collapse upon themselves. It has been said that bubbles need more and more money to keep expanding but eventually they collapse upon themselves. Currently, the largest bubble ever seen has entered the public eye but has yet to be recognized by the public or financial markets. That bubble is governments and their debt all around the world. One can say that the start of this bubble was when former President Bush embarked on a program to give money back to the people via a $500 disbursement. Spending then exploded throughout the prior decade as the financing of two wars and loose credit created a mortgage bubble of epic proportions which almost brought down the entire global financial system. The last four years have seen the US spend every possible dollar they could create exploding budget deficits and threatening the future of the US Dollar as a global reserve currency, credit rating, and the fiscal sustainability of the country itself. Over in Europe the IMF and the EU appear to be engaged in a sort of shell game to raise capital from investors and then continually throw it at imploding banking systems and sovereign governments. Take the LTRO program as an example. The central banks expected the banks to borrow at ultra low rates using strong bonds as collateral and in return lend the borrowed funds to companies kick starting economic growth. In reality, the banks dumped their worst garbage on the ECB as collateral in return for money which was either kept on deposit or used to purchase slightly better quality sovereign debt. So bad was the garbage put up as collateral that the Bundesbank push the ECB to revise their rules to give sovereign nations the right to refuse bonds if they saw fit. Now the IMF believes that they can raise $400 billion dollars to provide a firewall against the crisis when the flames have already spread from Greece to Portugal to Spain and now to the Dutch. That is like bringing a water pistol to a raging forest fire. The mountain of debt that has been created by sovereign governments in Europe and the US is weighing heavily upon the markets as seen by the rolling over of major indices as the mopping up of capital by sovereign nations constrains the ability of companies to expand. Across the board in Europe and China manufacturing PMI's are coming in below expectations and the fears of a global slowdown and recession are rising. Investors hoping that this rally may continue into the summer should watch the indices very carefully as two important technical patterns are playing out. The first is a head and shoulders top within a much more important 3 Peaks and a Domed house pattern (more info here). As the newsflow begins to turn negative over the coming months and worries over a debt restructuring in Spain grow the market will turn lower leaving investors wondering what happened to their first quarter gains. During the current market conditions investors should look for a pullback to the 200 day moving averages in the Dow (DIA), S&P 500 (SPY), and Nasdaq (QQQ) where we can properly assess the risks emanating not just from the EU's failed programs but the results of upcoming elections across Europe which are already generating surprises for investors. Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. Additional disclosure: I am short the broader market through some leveraged ETFs as part of my overall strategy to be long gold and short the broad market.

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On Wednesday August 1st, Gross said "The cult of equity is dying ... Investors' impressions of 'stocks for the long run' or any run have mellowed as well." His phrasing of "stocks for the long run" is the title of a well-known book by Jeremy Siegel. Siegel is a Professor of Finance at the Wharton School and has written books emphasizing stocks. Bill Gross manages the $252 billion PIMCO Total Return Fund. To drive his point home, Gross likens historical stock market returns to a "Ponzi scheme." Those are loaded words, deliberately used to make his point. However, Siegel is on the right side of this argument because history is on his side. This time is NOT different. Siegel emphasizes buying quality stocks that pay dividends and then reinvesting the dividends. This means that at lower prices, you will purchase more shares. It's like dollar-cost averaging. And it has worked for stocks like Merck (MRK), Procter & Gamble (PG), and Altria (MO) just to pick three of many. A 50 year chart of the S&P 500 or a one-hundred year chart of the Dow Jones Industrials make the point that over the long run, stocks go up. I know the components of the averages change regularly, but stocks have provided a greater return than bonds over time. Even over the last 12 years, a time of great volatility, stocks ended up about where they started. The ride has been quite bumpy but the trend was not down. And dividend reinvestment in quality companies would have produced quality results. In addition, to make money in long-term bonds, you've got to believe the current interest rate will drop even further. That's a stretch. But can we predict the stock market future from the past? Well, nothing is certain, but the three stocks above have steadily increased their dividends for at least 20 years (though in Merck's case, not every year.) Procter & Gamble and Altria have increased dividends yearly for over 40 years. These companies aren't going to disappear. And there are many others with familiar names that could be mentioned. Just think of the many market swoons that occurred since 1972 - the Recession of 1973-74, the crash of 1987 where the market dropped 22 percent in one day, the two year drop in the S&P of 45 percent from 2000-2002, and the drop of 56 percent from 2007-2009. Many of us thought the financial world was going to end. Through it all, two of those stocks kept raising their dividends yearly. Reinvestment of dividends bought more shares at lower prices. And there are many others that have raised their dividends for over 25 years, in all sorts of stock market environments. See David Fish' list here. The argument for bonds, of course, isn't going away. And maybe a portfolio should have both. Investors have recently pulled billions out of stock-based mutual funds and put them into high yield bond funds. Gross says that economic growth has outpaced stock market returns for a long time, but it can't do so forever. He says stock market returns like Siegel emphasizes are "an historical freak, a mutation likely never to be seen again as far as we mortals are concerned." In other words, this time IS different. I don't think so. As Siegel said on June 4th, "This is the first time in 60 years that dividend yields on the market exceed long-term interest rates. It's the first time in 60 years when you don't need gains in stocks to have a higher return than gains in bonds." The current yield on the S&P 500 is about 2.0 percent and the 10-year Treasury yields about 1.5 percent. And many quality stocks yield more than 3 percent. Even buying an index fund mirroring the S&P 500 and reinvesting the distributions would work. But we can do far better by picking our own quality stocks. We ignore dividend-paying stocks at our peril, no matter what we might hear.

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Romiosini – The Soul of Greece http://crete.wordpress.com/2007/09/28/romisini-the-soul-of-greece The trouble with Romiosini is that it is what could be called Greek fundamentalism. No two Greeks that I know have ever given the same definition. It is tied up with their identity and their soul, but it is not exclusively either. It is about Greekness, but not the Greek State as such. It is Hellenic and Byzantine and it is almost incomprehensible to foreigners and difficult to describe,even by Greeks. All agree that the origin of the the word Romiosini is from being part of the Roman Empire – eastern Rome which became the Byzantine Empire which was largely Greek and based around its capital Konstantinopoulos and included the borders of the Black Sea and Mikra Asia – Asia Minor. The ‘Megali Idea’ was the concept back in the 1920s that this Empire could be regained, an enterprise which resulted in catastrophe and the exchange of populations with a result of nearly two million refugees. Theodorakis sings “Romiosini”, one of his best and most politically powerful works, based on the poem of Giannis Ritsos. The songs in this video are: 1) Afta ta dentra, 2) Oloi dipsane, 3) Otan sfiggoun to heri. The songs in this video are: 1) Tosa hronia, 2) Bikan sta sidera, 3) Dentro to dentro. Maria Farantouri sings Taner Aykol http://vimeo.com/27487333 Lyrics and compositions by Memet Çapan, Arranged by Taner Akyol, Berlin Concerto Chamber Orchestra conducted by Symeon Ionnidis Charles Lloyd and Maria Farantouri, the Athens Concert http://vimeo.com/29510403 Historic concert at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on June 4, 2010. Lloyd and Farantouri are joined by Jason Moran, Reuben Rogers, Eric Harland, Sokratis Sinopoulos and Takis Farazis to perform Lloyd originals along with a Byzantine prayer, traditional and contemporary songs of Greece and compositions by Mikis Theodorakis. History of Romiosini http://greece.org/Romiosini #romiosini #rwmiosynh #romiosyni

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May 20, 2009 The Cook Islands are closely associated to New Zealand. Air New Zealand is the only air carrier that flies directly from the U.S. to the Cook Islands. As you will see below, the Cook Islands use the NZD as their currency. Despite some 90,000 visitors a year to the capital island, Rarotonga, the Cook Islands are largely unspoiled by tourism. There are no high-rise hotels, only four beach buggies and very little hype. The Cook Islands offer a rare opportunity for an authentic island holiday. There are a total of 15 islands in the heart of the South Pacific spread over 850,000 square miles with a population of approximately 15,000. The Islands most visited are Rarotonga and Aitutaki which are only 140 miles apart. Cook Island History Ru, from Tupua’i in French Polynesia, is believed to have landed on Aitutaki, and Tangiia, also from French Polynesia, is believed to have arrived on Rarotonga around 800 AD. Similarly, the northern islands were probably settled by expeditions from Samoa and Tonga. Cook Island Climate Cooled by the gentle breezes of the Pacific, the climate of these islands is sunny and pleasant. Roughly speaking, there are two seasons: from November through May the climate is hot and humid, and from June through October the climate is warm and dry. Most of the rain falls during the hot season, but there are also many lovely sunny days during these months, with refreshing trade-winds. Cook Island Geography The Cook Islands consists of two main groups, one in the north and one in the south. The southern group is nine “high” islands mainly of volcanic origin although some are virtually atolls. The majority of the population lives in the southern group. The northern group comprises six true atolls. Cook Island Southern Group Aitutaki, Atiu, Mangaia, Manuae, Mauke, Mitiaro, Palmerston, Rarotonga (the capital island), Takutea. Cook Island Northern Group Manihiki, Nassau, Tongareva (Penrhyn) also known as Mangarongaro, Pukapuka, Rakahanga, Suwarrow Cook Island Time Zones Rarotonga and Aitutaki are in the same time zone. Cook Island Currency New Zealand dollar. Cook Island Language English and Cook Island Maori. Call the “Island Travel Gal” at 800 644-6659 or email email@example.com to secure your seats to the idyllic Cook Islands If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

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Classroom Activities for Teaching Sedimentary GeologyThis collection of teaching materials allows for the sharing of ideas and activities within the community of geoscience teachers. Do you have a favorite teaching activity you'd like to share? Please help us expand this collection by contributing your own teaching materials. Subject: Sedimentary Geology Results 1 - 4 of 4 matches Chemical and Physical Weathering Field and Lab Experiment: Development and Testing of Hypotheses part of Activities Lisa Greer, Washington and Lee University This exercise combines an integrated field and laboratory experiment with a significant scientific writing assignment to address chemical and physical weathering processes via hypothesis development, experimental ... Demystifying the Equations of Sedimentary Geology part of Activities Larry Lemke, Wayne State University This activity includes three strategies to help students develop a deeper comfort level and stronger intuitive sense for understanding mathematical expressions commonly encountered in sedimentary geology. Each can ... Digital Sandstone Tutorial part of Activities Kitty Milliken, University of Texas at Austin, The The Tutorial Petrographic Image Atlas is designed to give students more exposure to petrographic features than they can get during organized laboratory periods. Red rock and concretion models from Earth to Mars: Teaching diagenesis part of Activities Margie Chan, University of Utah This activity teaches students concepts of terrestrial diagenesis (cementation, fluid flow, porosity and permeability, concretions) and encourages them to apply those concepts to new or unknown settings, including ...

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- Exam wrappers. As David Thompson describes the process, "exam wrappers required students to reflect on their performance before and after seeing their graded tests." The first four questions, completed just prior to receiving their graded test, asked students to report the time they spent preparing for the test, their methods of preparation, and their predicted test grade. After reviewing their graded test, students completed the final three reflection questions, including a categorization of test mistakes and a list of changes to implement in preparation for the next test. Thompson then collected and made copies of the wrappers returned them to the students several days later, reminding them to consider what they planned to do differently or the same in preparation for the upcoming test. Thompson reports that each reflection exercise required only 8-10 minutes of class time. Clara Hardy and others also describes uses exam wrappers. - Reading Reflections. As Karl Wirth writes, reading reflections, effectively outlined by David Bressoud (2008), are designed to address some of the challenges students face with college-level reading assignments. Students submit online reading reflections (e.g., using Moodle or Blackboard) after completing each reading assignment and before coming to class. In each reflection, students summarize the important concepts of the reading and describe what was interesting, surprising, or confusing to them. The reading reflections not only encourage students to read regularly before class, but they also promote content mastery and foster student development of monitoring, self-evaluation, and reflection skills. For the instructor, reading reflections facilitate "just-in-time" teaching and provide invaluable insights into student thinking and learning. According to Wirth, expert readers are skilled at using a wide range of strategies during all phases of reading (e.g., setting goals for learning, monitoring comprehension during reading, checking comprehension, and self-reflection), but most college instruction simply assumes the mastery of such metacognitive skills. - Knowledge surveys. Many members of the group were influenced by Karl Wirth's work on "knowledge surveys" as a central strategy for helping students think about their thinking. Knowledge surveys involve simple self-reports from students about their knowledge of course concepts and content. In knowledge surveys, students are presented with different facets of course content and are asked to indicate whether they know the answer, know some of the answer, or don't know the answer. Faculty can use these reports to gauge how confident students feel in their understanding of course material at the beginning or end of a course, before exams or papers, or even as graduating seniors or alumni. Kristin Bonnie's report relates how her students completed a short knowledge survey (6-12 questions) online (via Google forms) on the material covered in class that week. Rather than providing the answer to each question, students indicated their confidence in their ability to answer the question correctly (I know; I think I know; I don't know). Students received a small amount of credit for completing the knowledge survey. She used the information to review material that students seemed to struggle with. In addition, a subset of these questions appeared on their exam – the knowledge survey therefore served as a review sheet.Wirth notes that the surveys need not take much class time and can be administered via paper or the web. The surveys can be significant for clarifying course objectives, structure, and design. For students, knowledge surveys achieve several purposes: they help make clear course objectives and expectations, are useful as study guides, can serve as a formative assessment tool, and, perhaps most critically, aid in their development of self-assessment and metacognitive skills. For instructors, the surveys help them assess learning gains, instructional practices, and course design.

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It's the largest transit system in the United States, moving millions of people daily throughout New York City and beyond and serving as the lifeblood of one of the largest economies in the world. Unfortunately, writes Streetsblog Network member Benjamin Kabak on Second Avenue Sagas , those who depend on the MTA -- and those whom the MTA depends upon -- are often ignorant of its plight and seemingly indifferent to its fate. The best quotes from Haddon’s articles are from those who say they will turn to their cars. “Now I know what I’m going to do next week. I’m going to pull out the car,” Angela Pacheco of Brooklyn said, because the 30-Day Unlimited Ride is going up the cost of a whopping three gallons of gas. Another rider in another Haddon piece echoed Pacheco. “Might as well get a car,” Marcia Roberts, a Queens resident, said. This is the attitude that explains why our mass transit system doesn’t have political support. This is why people are going to be fighting with MTA employees over the new fares. This is why politicians refuse to toll the East River bridges, refuse to allow the city to implement camera-enforced bus lanes. This is why the agency that runs our subway system -- a system that transports over 5.2 million people per day -- is struggling to keep it in a state of good repair. On the eve of yet another fare hike, transit advocates have themselves to blame. We haven’t united behind the proper message; we haven’t overcome a powerful auto lobby; and we haven’t made our voices heard by those who hold the purse strings. One day, that will change. For now, we’re left with higher fares and a transit authority on life support. of which begs the question: If New York City doesn't recognize the value of a healthy transit system, who will serve as the much-needed role model for the rest of the country? In happier Network news, Streetsblog San Francisco reports progress toward lifting the bike infrastructure injunction. Meanwhile, World Streets talks up shared public spaces, Hard Drive advises a reader on motorcycle noise, and Bike Portland bids farewell to Michael Jackson with -- what else? -- a bike ride.

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Free the Cans! Working Together to Reduce Waste In a blog about how people share, it’s worth the occasional reference to the bizarre ways that people DON’T SHARE. Is it safe to say we live in a society that places great value on independence, private property, personal space, and privacy? Even sometimes extreme value? Is that why people at an 8-unit apartment building in Oakland, CA have separate caged stalls for eight separate trash cans? I know it’s not nice to stare, but I walked by these incarcerated cans and could not help myself. I returned with my camera, so that I could share my question with the world: Why can’t people share trash cans or a single dumpster? Or, at the very least, why can’t the cans share driveway space? The Zero Waste Movement has come to the Bay Area and it calls for a new use for these eight cages. Here are my suggestions: - Turn two of those cages into compost bins. Fill one with grass, leaves, and vegetable scraps, let it decompose for six months, then start filling the second bin in the meantime. - Put in a green can, which is what Oakland uses to collect milk cartons, pizza boxes, yard trimmings, and all food to send it to the municipal composting facility. If your city doesn’t do this yet, tell them it’s a great idea and they could be as cool and cutting edge as Oakland. - Put in one or two recycling cans for glass, plastic, cardboard, paper, aluminum, etc. - Put out a FREE STUFF box for unwanted clothing and household items. The neighbors could sort through it each week, and later put it out on the curb for passers-by to explore. Take what’s left to Goodwill or a comparable donation spot. - Put in a few small bins for various items that can be recycled, such asbatteries and electronics, which can then be taken to an electronics recycling center every month or two. Styrofoam can be brought to a local packaging store or ceramics business that accepts used packaging material. Or, if you accumulate a bunch of plastic bags,take them to a store or to some other place that accepts used ones. - Put in ONE trash can. By the time you compost, recycle, re-use, redistribute, and take a few other measures to reduce your waste, you’ll have almost no trash each week. - Install a bicycle rack or locked bicycle cage. - With the leftover space, put in a container garden and a bench where neighbors can gather and chat. A much more pleasant alternative to the garbage can jailhouse ambiance, wouldn’t you agree?

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Solid Wood Floors Solid wood floors are one solid piece of wood and are generally 3/4" thick. Mohawk Solid Hardwood Floors are produced from the finest domestic and exotic hardwoods including red & white oak, American cherry, hickory, maple, and Brazilian cherry, and are available in several widths. Because solid hardwood floors are more susceptible to humidity and temperature changes than engineered wood floors they should only be installed above grade over approved wooden subfloors and must be nailed or stapled down. Solid wood floors can generally be recoated and refinished several times. Engineered Wood Floors These floors are produced by laminating several hardwood plies together to form the planks. Most engineered floors can be glued-down, stapled-down or floated over a variety of subfloors including wood, dry concrete slabs and some types of existing flooring. Engineered hardwood floors have cross-ply construction which reduces the expansion/contraction of planks caused by variations in humidity and allows these floors to be installed on any level in the home. Available in plank and longstrip format, Mohawk Engineered Hardwood Floors come in a wide variety of widths, thicknesses and colors in both North American and Exotic hardwoods. Exotic Wood Species Today wood flooring is also offered in a variety of hardwood species that are not found in North America. Mohawk Hardwood Flooring Collections include some of the finest exotic hardwoods from all over the world. These floors offer many unique and visually striking appearances that are distinctly different from the North American hardwoods. Many of these exotic species are photosensitive and may change color over time. Please refer to sample panels for the level of photosensitivity of each product. Prefinished Versus Unfinished Unfinished floors require several days to install, stain and finish the flooring. Prefinished floors are less messy and can be installed and completed the same day. A factory-applied finish like Mohawk's exclusive Scotchgard™ or CrystalShield™ finish with aluminum oxide is extremely durable and could not be duplicated with a job-site finish. Where is the room? Knowing where the floor will be installed is essential. Before choosing a floor, determine if the room is above, on or below ground level (grade). Mohawk Engineered Hardwood Floors can be used in most areas in the home including rooms below, on or above ground level. Solid wood floors are approved for above ground-level installations only. These floors perform better in humidity-controlled environments. Is your sub floor concrete or a type of wood substrate? Engineered floors are ideal for concrete slabs. For remodel projects you may want to consider Mohawk Engineered Hardwood floors that can be floated directly over the existing floor which eliminates the mess and additional costs of tearing out the old floor.

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On a scale of 1 to 5, this carpet receives a on a Hexapod test, which evaluates appearance retention after simulated foot traffic. Shaw's performance rating is based on an international test method known as Hexapod. This procedure evaluates appearance retention of carpet. The instrument used to test the carpet is composed of a circular rotating drum with carpet placed on the inside. Also placed inside the drum is an eight-pound steel ball with six pods. As the drum rotates, the ball falls on the carpet face, simulating After the standard number of rotations, carpets are then assessed using the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) performance rating scale. The lowest rating of 1 means "severe change in appearance" and the highest rating of 5 means "no change in appearance."

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Excerpts for Thames : The Biography The River as Fact It has a length of 215 miles, and is navigable for 191 miles. It is the longest river in England but not in Britain, where the Severn is longer by approximately 5 miles. Nevertheless it must be the shortest river in the world to acquire such a famous history. The Amazon and the Mississippi cover almost 4,000 miles, and the Yangtze almost 3,500 miles; but none of them has arrested the attention of the world in the manner of the Thames. It runs along the borders of nine English counties, thus reaffirming its identity as a boundary and as a defence. It divides Wiltshire from Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire from Berkshire; as it pursues its way it divides Surrey from Middlesex (or Greater London as it is inelegantly known) and Kent from Essex. It is also a border of Buckinghamshire. It guarded these once tribal lands in the distant past, and will preserve them into the imaginable future. There are 134 bridges along the length of the Thames, and forty-four locks above Teddington. There are approximately twenty major tributaries still flowing into the main river, while others such as the Fleet have now disappeared under the ground. Its "basin," the area from which it derives its water from rain and other natural forces, covers an area of some 5,264 square miles. And then there are the springs, many of them in the woods or close to the streams beside the Thames. There is one in the wood below Sinodun Hills in Oxfordshire, for example, which has been described as an "everlasting spring" always fresh and always renewed. The average flow of the river at Teddington, chosen because it marks the place where the tidal and non-tidal waters touch, has been calculated at 1,145 millions of gallons (5,205 millions of litres) each day or approximately 2,000 cubic feet (56.6 cubic metres) per second. The current moves at a velocity between 1Ú2 and 23Ú4 miles per hour. The main thrust of the river flow is known to hydrologists as the "thalweg"; it does not move in a straight and forward line but, mingling with the inner flow and the variegated flow of the surface and bottom waters, takes the form of a spiral or helix. More than 95 per cent of the river's energy is lost in turbulence and friction. The direction of the flow of the Thames is therefore quixotic. It might be assumed that it would move eastwards, but it defies any simple prediction. It flows north-west above Henley and at Teddington, west above Abingdon, south from Cookham and north above Marlow and Kingston. This has to do with the variegated curves of the river. It does not meander like the Euphrates, where according to Herodotus the voyager came upon the same village three times on three separate days, but it is circuitous. It specialises in loops. It will take the riparian traveller two or three times as long to cover the same distance as a companion on the high road. So the Thames teaches you to take time, and to view the world from a different vantage. The average "fall" or decline of the river from its beginning to its end is approximately 17 to 21 inches (432 to 533 mm) per mile. It follows gravity, and seeks out perpetually the simplest way to the sea. It falls some 600 feet (183 m) from source to sea, with a relatively precipitous decline of 300 feet (91.5 m) in the first 9 miles; it falls 100 (30.4 m) more in the next 11 miles, with a lower average for the rest of its course. Yet averages may not be so important. They mask the changeability and idiosyncrasy of the Thames. The mean width of the river is given as 1,000 feet (305 m), and a mean depth of 30 feet (9 m); but the width varies from 1 or 2 feet (0.3 to 0.6 m) at Trewsbury to 51Ú2 miles at the Nore. The tide, in the words of Tennyson, is that which "moving seems asleep, too full for sound and foam." On its flood inward it can promise benefit or danger; on its ebb seaward it suggests separation or adventure. It is one general movement but it comprises a thousand different streams and eddies; there are opposing streams, and high water is not necessarily the same thing as high tide. The water will sometimes begin to fall before the tide is over. The average speed of the tide lies between 1 and 3 knots (1.15 and 3.45 miles per hour), but at times of very high flow it can reach 7 knots (8 miles per hour). At London Bridge the flood tide runs for almost six hours, while the ebb tide endures for six hours and thirty minutes. The tides are much higher now than at other times in the history of the Thames. There can now be a difference of some 24 feet (7.3 m) between high and low tides, although the average rise in the area of London Bridge is between 15 and 22 feet (4.5 and 6.7 m). In the period of the Roman occupation, it was a little over 3 feet (0.9 m). The high tide, in other words, has risen greatly over a period of two thousand years. The reason is simple. The south-east of England is sinking slowly into the water at the rate of approximately 12 inches (305 mm) per century. In 4000 BC the land beside the Thames was 46 feet (14 m) higher than it is now, and in 3000 BC it was some 31 feet (9.4 m) higher. When this is combined with the water issuing from the dissolution of the polar ice-caps, the tides moving up the lower reaches of the Thames are increasing at a rate of 2 feet (0.6 m) per century. That is why the recently erected Thames Barrier will not provide protection enough, and another barrier is being proposed. The tide of course changes in relation to the alignment of earth, moon and sun. Every two weeks the high "spring" tides reach their maximum two days after a full moon, while the low "neap" tides occur at the time of the half-moon. The highest tides occur at the times of equinox; this is the period of maximum danger for those who live and work by the river. The spring tides of late autumn and early spring are also hazardous. It is no wonder that the earliest people by the Thames venerated and propitiated the river. The general riverscape of the Thames is varied without being in any sense spectacular, the paraphernalia of life ancient and modern clustering around its banks. It is in large part now a domesticated river, having been tamed and controlled by many generations. It is in that sense a piece of artifice, with some of its landscape deliberately planned to blend with the course of the water. It would be possible to write the history of the Thames as a history of a work of art. It is a work still in slow progress. The Thames has taken the same course for ten thousand years, after it had been nudged southward by the glaciation of the last ice age. The British and Roman earthworks by the Sinodun Hills still border the river, as they did two thousand years before. Given the destructive power of the moving waters, this is a remarkable fact. Its level has varied over the millennia--there is a sudden and unexpected rise at the time of the Anglo-Saxon settlement, for example--and the discovery of submerged forests testifies to incidents of overwhelming flood. Its appearance has of course also altered, having only recently taken the form of a relatively deep and narrow channel, but its persistence and identity through time are an aspect of its power. Yet of course every stretch has its own character and atmosphere, and every zone has its own history. Out of oppositions comes energy, out of contrasts beauty. There is the overwhelming difference of water within it, varying from the pure freshwater of the source through the brackish zone of estuarial water to the salty water in proximity to the sea. Given the eddies of the current, in fact, there is rather more salt by the Essex shore than by the Kentish shore. There are manifest differences between the riverine landscapes of Lechlade and of Battersea, of Henley and of Gravesend; the upriver calm is in marked contrast to the turbulence of the long stretches known as River of London and then London River. After New Bridge the river becomes wider and deeper, in anticipation of its change. The rural landscape itself changes from flat to wooded in rapid succession, and there is a great alteration in the nature of the river from the cultivated fields of Dorchester to the thick woods of Cliveden. From Godstow the river becomes a place of recreation, breezy and jaunty with the skiffs and the punts, the sports in Port Meadow and the picnic parties on the banks by Binsey. But then by some change of light it becomes dark green, surrounded by vegetation like a jungle river; and then the traveller begins to see the dwellings of Oxford, and the river changes again. Oxford is a pivotal point. From there you can look upward and consider the quiet source; or you can look downstream and contemplate the coming immensity of London. In the reaches before Lechlade the water makes its way through isolated pastures; at Wapping and Rotherhithe the dwellings seem to drop into it, as if overwhelmed by numbers. The elements of rusticity and urbanity are nourished equally by the Thames. That is why parts of the river induce calm and forgetfulness, and others provoke anxiety and despair. It is the river of dreams, but it is also the river of suicide. It has been called liquid history because within itself it dissolves and carries all epochs and generations. They ebb and flow like water. The River as Metaphor The river runs through the language, and we speak of its influence in every conceivable context. It is employed to characterise life and death, time and destiny; it is used as a metaphor for continuity and dissolution, for intimacy and transitoriness, for art and history, for poetry itself. In The Principles of Psychology (1890) William James first coined the phrase "stream of consciousness" in which "every definite image of the mind is steeped . . . in the free water that flows around it." Thus "it flows" like the river itself. Yet the river is also a token of the unconscious, with its suggestion of depth and invisible life. The river is a symbol of eternity, in its unending cycle of movement and change. It is one of the few such symbols that can readily be understood, or appreciated, and in the continuing stream the mind or soul can begin to contemplate its own possible immortality. In the poetry of John Denham's "Cooper's Hill" (1642), the Thames is a metaphor for human life. How slight its beginning, how confident its continuing course, how ineluctable its destination within the great ocean: Hasting to pay his tribute to the sea, Like mortal life to meet eternity. The poetry of the Thames has always emphasised its affiliations with human purpose and with human realities. So the personality of the river changes in the course of its journey from the purity of its origins to the broad reaches of the commercial world. The river in its infancy is undefiled, innocent and clear. By the time it is closely pent in by the city, it has become dank and foul, defiled by greed and speculation. In this regress it is the paradigm of human life and of human history. Yet the river has one great advantage over its metaphoric companions. It returns to its source, and its corruption can be reversed. That is why baptism was once instinctively associated with the river. The Thames has been an emblem of redemption and of renewal, of the hope of escaping from time itself. When Wordsworth observed the river at low tide, with the vista of the "mighty heart" of London "lying still," he used the imagery of human circulation. It is the image of the river as blood, pulsing through the veins and arteries of its terrain, without which the life of London would seize up. Sir Walter Raleigh, contemplating the Thames from the walk by his cell in the Tower, remarked that the "blood which disperseth itself by the branches or veins through all the body, may be resembled to these waters which are carried by brooks and rivers overall the earth." He wrote his History of the World (1610) from his prison cell, and was deeply imbued with the current of the Thames as a model of human destiny. It has been used as the symbol for the unfolding of events in time, and carries the burden of past events upon its back. For Raleigh the freight of time grew ever more complex and wearisome as it proceeded from its source; human life had become darker and deeper, less pure and more susceptible to the tides of affairs. There was one difference Raleigh noticed in his history, when he declared that "for this tide of man's life, after it once turneth and declineth, ever runneth with a perpetual ebb and falling stream, but never floweth again." The Thames has also been understood as a mirror of morality. The bending rushes and the yielding willows afford lessons in humility and forbearance; the humble weeds along its banks have been praised for their lowliness and absence of ostentation. And who has ventured upon the river without learning the value of patience, of endurance, and of vigilance? John Denham makes the Thames the subject of native discourse in a further sense: Though deep, yet clear; though gentle, yet not dull; Strong without rage; without o'erflowing, full. This suggests that the river represents an English measure, an aesthetic harmony to be sought or wished for, but in the same breath Denham seems to be adverting to some emblem of Englishness itself. The Thames is a metaphor for the country through which it runs. It is modest and moderate, calm and resourceful; it is powerful without being fierce. It is not flamboyantly impressive. It is large without being too vast. It eschews extremes. It weaves its own course without artificial diversions or interventions. It is useful for all manner of purposes. It is a practical river. When Robert Menzies, an erstwhile Australian prime minister, was taken to Runnymede he was moved to comment upon the "secret springs" of the "slow English character." This identification of the land with the people, the characteristics of the earth and water with the temperament of their inhabitants, remains a poignant one. There is an inward and intimate association between the river and those who live beside it, even if that association cannot readily be understood. From the Hardcover edition.

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Teach your child the importance of good sportsmanship.Not too long ago, my 10-year-old daughter's indoor soccer team finished their game and lined up to do the traditional end-of-game walk with the other team. If your own child has ever played in a team sport, you likely have seen this walk a hundred times before. Win or lose, each member of the team is expected to essentially tell the other players they did well and good game. This is a classic way to end a game on a positive note and to exhibit good sportsmanship, win or lose. The opposing team in this case, however, had a unique way of showing their good sportsmanship. They all licked their hands before holding them out for our own girls to "low-five" as they walked down the line. Our girls saw this, and they refused to touch the other girls' slimy, slobbery, germ-ridden hands. You may be wondering if our girls' team beat this other team. The truth is that they beat the other team pretty harshly, but there is no score that would justify the level of poor sportsmanship that the other team exhibited. As a parent, I can only hope the parents or coach on the other team reprimanded their girls for this unsportsmanlike behavior. This is not the kind of behavior any parent would be proud to see in their own child. However, this is just one of many ways unsportsmanlike behavior is exhibited. From tears on the field to pushing, shoving, "trash talking" and more, there are many different behaviors that are associated with poor sportsmanship. The fact is that good sportsmanship is a quality that can play a role in your child's ability to react to other situations throughout life. Competition may occur on the field, but it also plays a part in the college admission process, a run for a place on the school board, the job application process and so much more. Teaching your child how to be a good sport now can help him or her to handle wins and losses throughout life with grace. So how can you help your child build a healthy "win-or-lose" attitude? A Positive Parental Role Model No parent takes pride in seeing other players, either from their child's own team or on the opposing team, be better than their own child. Parents simply want their child to be the best. However, somewhere between the desire to see your kid to aim for the stars and the truth of reality is the fact that there always will be someone or some team that is better. As a parent, you can talk negatively about these better players or better teams, or you can talk positively about them. You can use these interactions with better competition to point out areas where your own child can improve and to teach your child to respect those with skills and talents that are worthy of respect. This is a great opportunity to teach your child to turn lemons into lemonade. You Win Some, You Lose Some Very few children really are the best at what they do. There is always someone who either is better now or who is working hard to be better in the near future. A team that was on top this season may not be the top team the next season. While you want your child to work hard and strive to win, it is unrealistic to expect a child or his or her team to win all of the time. Children will inevitably be disappointed after a loss. This is understandable and justified, especially if he or she has been working hard and did his or her personal best. As a parent, your response to a loss is every bit as important as your response to a win. The fact is that an entire team can play their best, and they may simply be out-matched. Teaching kids that losses do happen, even when they try their hardest, can help them to cope with their defeat. Show them that you are proud of their performance and effort at each game rather than letting the tally mark under the "W" column dictate this. A Lesson Learned The fact is that a child or a team simply will not improve very quickly when they are blowing out the competition on a regular basis. To be the best, you have to play the best. You have to be challenged by the best, and sometimes this means a loss will occur. Within each game, whether a win or loss, lies an opportunity for growth, development and improvement. After each game, regardless of the outcome, talk to your child about what he or she did well and what he or she thinks could have been done better. Rather than tell your child what you think, ask your child his or her personal opinion on the matter and what the coach said. Then, remind your child that these are areas that he or she can work on for the next game. Nobody likes to lose, but challenge and loss are the motivators that make us all better. Whether on the field, in the workplace or any number of other environments, challenge and loss are vital to developing that ever-important trait that true winners in life have. That trait is perseverance.Content by Kim Daugherty .

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View Sample Pages Provides a detailed curricular calendar that's tied to a developmental continuum and the standards so you'll know not only what you should be teaching, but what your students are ready to embrace and what you can reasonably expect of them as successful readers and writers. Additionally, you'll find monthly units of study that integrate reading and writing so both work together to provide maximum support for your students. The units are organized around four essential components, process, genre, strategy, and conventions, so you're reassured you're addressing everything your students need to know about reading and writing. What's more you'll find ready-to-use lessons that offer exemplary teaching and continuous assessment, and a flexible framework that shows you how to frame a year of teaching, a unit, and a lesson—and you can easily adapt all to fit the unique needs and interests of your own students. 240 pages + DVD (17 minutes) & fold-out color year-long planner .

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Groundhogs, as a species, have a large range in size. There are the medium-sized rodents I grew up with, averaging around 4 kg, and groundhogs—like a certain Phil—that are probably more like 14 kg. This is the likely source of my earlier confusion, as that's a huge discrepancy in size. Evidently, it's all in the diet, much like humans. Where I grew up, in rural Northern Minnesota, we called the groundhog a woodchuck; I thought that the groundhog was some fat cat, East Coast, liberal rodent. As it would turn out, they are actually one in the same creature—Marmota monax, a member of the squirrel family. Woodchucks spend a lot of their time in burrows. It is their safe haven from their many predators, and they are quick to flee to it at the first sign of danger. They will sometimes emit a loud whistle on their way to alert others in the area that something is awry. Groundhogs enjoy raiding our gardens and digging up sod, thereby destroying what we've spent countless hours toiling upon. Look for groundhog signs. You might not even know there is a groundhog around until your garden has been devoured or your tractor damaged by a collapsed groundhog den. Things to look for are large nibble marks on your prized veggies, gnaw marks on the bark of young fruit trees, root vegetables pulled up (or their tops trimmed off), groundhog-sized holes (25–30 cm) anywhere near your garden, or mounds of dirt near said holes. If you see these signs, take action. Don't wait or it will be too late! If you know it will be a problem and do nothing, you can't blame the animal. Set groundhog traps. This technique takes some skill as you need to be able to pick a spot in the path of the animal, camouflage it, and mask your strong human scent. Setting a spring trap, whether coil or long-spring, is usually just a matter of compressing the springs and setting a pin that keeps the jaws open into the pan or trigger. Make sure your trap is anchored securely with a stake. Check your traps often, and dispatch the animal quickly and humanely. Shooting them in the head or a hearty whack to the head with club will do the trick. If you can't deal with this, you have no business setting traps. Call a professional. Guns kill groundhogs. I have never shot a groundhog. I rarely have had problems with them, and they move so damned fast it is difficult to get a shot off. If I had to, I know how I would do it. First, be sure it is legal in your area, and be sure to follow gun safety protocols. After that, it's just a matter of learning where your target is going to be comfortable and let their guard down. I would follow their tracks back to their den, find a spot downwind to sit with a clear shooting lane, and make sure nothing you shouldn't hit with a bullet is down range. Then, I would wait, my sights set on the den, until the groundhog stuck its head up—quick and easy. Demolish the groundhog burrows. If you find a couple holes around your yard, they are likely the entrances to an elaborate tunnel maze carved into the earth beneath you. About all you can do, short of digging the whole mess up, is to try and fill it in from the top side. First, fill it with a bunch of rocks and then soil—make sure to really pack it in. This will make it difficult for the groundhog to reclaim its hole without a lot of work. You probably want to do this in tandem with other control methods such as trapping, shooting, or fumigating to prevent the groundhog from just digging a new hole. Do some landscaping and build barriers. As with the control of many pests, it is advisable to keep a yard free of brush, undercover, and dead trees. These types of features are attractive to groundhogs as cover, and without it, they are less likely to want to spend time there. If you want to keep a groundhog out of an area, consider a partially buried fence. This will require a lot of work, but it is going to help a lot. Make sure it extends up at least a meter, and that it is buried somewhere around 30 cm deep. Angle the fencing outward 90 degrees when you bury it, and it will make digging under it a very daunting task for your furry friend. Try using fumigants to kill groundhogs. What is nice about this product is that you can kill the animal and bury it all in one stroke. The best time to do this is in the spring when the mother will be in the den with her still helpless young. Also, the soil will likely be damp, which helps a lot. You should definitely follow the directions on the package, but the way they usually work is that you cover all but one exit, set off the smoke bomb, shove it down the hole, and quickly cover it up. Check back in a day or two to see if there is any sign of activity, and if so, do it again or consider a different control method. It is important that you don't do this if the hole is next to your house or if there is any risk of a fire. Poisons are a last resort. I am not a fan of poisons because it is difficult to target what will eat said poison in the wild. Also, you are left with the issue of where the groundhog will die and how bad it will smell if it is somewhere under your house. Or, if it is outside somewhere, who will be affected by eating the dead animal? Where does it end? If you want to use poison, you're on your own. Use live traps. This is a good option for those of you not too keen on killing things. Try jamming the door open and leaving bait inside for the taking a couple of times so they get used to it. Then, set it normally and you've got your groundhog (or a neighborhood cat). Now what? The relocation is just as important; you need to choose a place that is far away from other humans and can likely support a groundhog. Good luck. Predator urine. The idea is simple: form a perimeter around an area you want to protect. If the groundhog doesn't recognize the smell as a natural predator, it is probably not going to work too well. Look for brands that have wolf and bobcat urine. Apply regularly, or as the manufacturer recommends. Remember, if it rains, the urine has probably washed away. Repellents. Another popular method involves pepper-based repellents. These deter groundhogs by tasting horrible and burning their mucous membranes. You can do a perimeter with powdered cayenne pepper or just apply it to the things you want spared in your garden. Be sure to wash your vegetables off before using them (which you should be doing anyway).

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My friend Jen emailed me a few weeks ago asking for help finding green organizations in my area that she could contact about her upcoming documentary screening. Because in case being a non-consumer for a year and generating no trash wasn’t treehuggery enough, Jen and her partner-in-crime Grant made a documentary about their year long experiment, firmly placing the two of them into the category of Eco Rockstars. So I did what any loudmouth know-it-all would do and emailed her back with a few organizations to try as well as a link to Idealist. In return, Jen gave me free tickets to the screening closest to me. To be frank, she went above and beyond any helpfulness on my part. Tickets to a movie screening from the filmmaker herself in exchange for a few links? I hit the green lottery, my friends. I skidded into the darkened movie theater just as The Clean Bin Project: Documentary Film began rolling last weekend, and sat down among the 20 or so other moviegoers who were eating their popcorn and sipping their sodas and murmuring to their friends. Over the course of the movie, we watched Jen and Grant explain the project. We watched them struggle to find retailers who would give them rubbish free groceries. We watched Jen grow a garden and compost and make personal care products, and the two of them research ways of reducing trash and learn about what garbage is doing to the environment. If you thought the Clean Bin Project blog was comprehensive, you should check out the movie. Not only do you feel the desire to do something good for the planet, but you gain the kick in the pants that you otherwise wouldn’t get when you’re sitting home alone in your pajamas reading the blog to yourself and eating cheese (not that I have ever done that). Because what’s better than realizing you’re killing the planet with your plastic soda cup than realizing you’re killing the planet with your plastic soda cup while in a roomful of people? Seriously. There came a point in the movie when Jen and Grant showed the work of artist Chris Jordan, who uses everyday disposable objects in art. It was a piece showing 1 million plastic cups, the number of cups used on airline flights in the US every six hours. What look like pipes snake across the image, but then we zoom in and see that they are not pipes at all, but a horrifying number of plastic cups stacked one inside another . Every six hours? We saw that and people in the audience began murmuring. They fiddled with their drinks and rustled their now-empty popcorn bags, and I knew they were feeling guilty. I even pulled out my trusty notebook and wrote it down in the middle of the film: “Looking at the artwork and people are gasping, about half have popcorn and soda cups and water bottles. Wonder how many people will stop using disposables or think twice in the future.” (Yes, I bring my notebook to movies. I’d show you, but it’s in reporter chicken scratch. You’ll just have to take my word for it.) I felt a moment of smug-awesome for having brought my water bottle, but it lasted only a moment. Because while I am a bit green, Jen and Grant take it to a whole new level. They do public speaking. They started a garden. They competed to see who could produce less garbage and made a documentary, for pete’s sake. The whole thing was eco friendly and intense in that fun sort of “OH MY GOD I’M EATING POPCORN FROM A DISPOSABLE BAG,” sort of way. Like you realize you could do so much more than you ever thought. I recommend The Clean Bin Project Documentary for anyone who has ever had a squidgy feeling about plastic forks and knives, for anyone who has thought that the plastic packaging in grocery stores is getting ridiculous. For anyone who has ever wanted to do more. Go for it. If you have the time and mental energy to think about reducing trash, go for it, because the rewards go beyond what you can do for yourself. What’s the harm in doing it for the planet too? ©2011 at Simple Savvy, the simple living blog where I got my rear in gear this weekend and I’m doing more, gosh darnit. It’s such a privilege to be able to think about reducing my waste. All images courtesy of the Clean Bin Project’s press page.

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The 5 Most Common Diet Mistakes By Martin Brown Just about all of us know that if we eat fewer calories per day than we burn off we’ll lose weight. But this simple fact leads many of us to make bad choices as to how we actually can lose weight. Here are five common diet mistakes you should avoid: Mistake #1: The Crash Diet: This works like a cheap patch on an old tire. In other words for a week or two all appears to be fine and then you’re back where you started. Why? Because crash diets tell your metabolism that you’re in a starvation mode and your body quickly slows down and starts burning far fewer calories. That grapefruit, salad, and soup regimen you’ve been on that’s driving you crazy is only losing five pounds instead of 15 because your system has slammed on its brakes. Long before most of us get to our desired weight loss goal we’ve ditched the diet and put back on the few pounds we so painfully lost. So don’t go there! Mistake #2: Ditching breakfast. This is another one of those diet shortcuts that appears to make sense but really doesn’t work if you stop for just a moment to consider the big picture. The calories you’re losing by not eating breakfast you’l make up for in a mid-morning snack or a high calorie lunch. Here’s the simple truth: Study after study reveals that a hallmark of successful diets is a satisfying and nutritious breakfast. So get your day started right and eat a healthful breakfast. Mistake #3: Forgetting that calories come in deceptive packages. How could a simple coffee drink be a big deal? Starbucks has fatten up millions of Americans based on that simplistic assumption. Those soothing hot frappuccinos on a cold day, or a yummy iced coffee drink on a hot day can be a calorie super bomb with an obscene amount of sugar and fat. That may not be your calorie blind spot, perhaps it’s a cocktail or two after work. But those extra five hundred calorie oops that you enjoy make the difference between diets that work and diets that fail. Mistake #4: Not recognizing the value of healthy snacks. There has been a debate raging on for decades about eating between meals. Some say it leads to excess weight gain others say it keeps extra weight off. I favor the mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack. First, it reduces the chances that you’re going to gorge at lunch or dinner. Second, snack breaks keep your metabolism running at a higher rate. And the busier your metabolism the more calories you’ll burn. That said, however, be smart about snacking. Healthful small portions of almonds and dried cranberries, are great. That chocolate glazed donut is not! Mistake #5: Forgetting to stay well hydrated. Water is the easiest aid to weight loss, unfortunately it’s also the easiest thing to forget. Adequate hydration keeps our metabolism humming along. Poor hydration slows down the system and slows our calorie burn rate as well. But it is so easy to forget to drink water. So here’s a couple of simple ways to up your water intake. One, keep water at your desk and always with you when you walk, run, or do other forms of exercise. Two, be sure to have a glass of water with every meal and every snack. Your goal eight, eight-ounce glasses per day and some of those extra pounds will just float away. His latest book is Fit in 50 Days. More SMW Dieting Tips

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This field study represents the second half of a modest research project to investigate whether international Islamic aid agencies can make use of their privileged relationship in majority Muslim societies to achieve high standards of efficacity, as Christian agencies are often able to do in majority Christian societies. (The first case study was conducted in Mali, where the evidence was clearly positive.) Post-tsunami relief aid in Aceh, Indonesia, was chosen for the second case study, with a focus on rehousing programmes. Attention is given to the contrasting programmes of the Turkish Red Crescent Society (strictly speaking, a non-confessional organization) and of two British agencies, Islamic Relief Worldwide and Muslim Aid. The conclusion is reached that whereas benefit has been gained from the ‘cultural proximity’ of Muslim agencies, this is a problematic concept and the main reason for the high reputation of all three organizations in Aceh has been the recognized quality and reliability of their service delivery. However, in the current international political climate where the entire sector of Islamic charities is experiencing an overreaction against them after 9/11, it should not be necessary for a Muslim charity to demonstrate that it can do better than non-Muslim charities – only that it can do as well.

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1. What is Pranayama That (Asanajaya) being acquired, follows Pranayama or the control of breath - the cessation of the movements of inspiration and expiration. Pranayama is said to be the union of Prana and Apana. Pranayama, in the language of Yoga, means the process by which we understand the secret of Prana and control it. He, who has grasped this Prana, has grasped the very core of cosmic life and activity. He who has conquered and controlled this very essence, has not only subjected his own body and mind, but every other body, mind and power in this universe. Thus, Pranayama or the control of Prana is that means by which the Yogin tries to realise in this little body the whole of cosmic life, and tries to attain perfection by getting all the powers in the universe. His various exercises and training are for this end. A comprehensive knowledge of Prana and its function is absolutely necessary for Pranayama. Here, I will give you a short description. For detailed information and different exercises, refer to my book Science of Pranayama. 2. What is Prana He who knows Prana knows the Vedas, is the important declaration of the Srutis. You will find in the Vedanta Sutras, For the same reason, breath is Brahman. Prana is the sum total of all energy that is manifest in the Universe. It is the sum total of all the forces of nature. Heat, light, electricity, magnetism are all the manifestations of Prana. All forces, all powers and Prana spring from the fountain or common source - Atman. Whatever you behold in this sense-world, whatever moves or works or has life, is but an expression or manifestation of Prana. The Prana is related to the mind and through mind to the will and through will to the individual soul, and through this to the Supreme Being. If you know how to control the little waves of Prana working through the mind, then the secret of subjugating universal Prana will be known to you. That which moves the steam engine of a train and a steamer, that which makes the aeroplane glide in Akasa, that which causes the motion of breath in lungs, that which is the very life of this breath itself is Prana. Pranavadins or Hatha Yogins consider that Prana-Tattva is very superior to Manas-Tattva, the 'mind-principle.' They say, Prana is present even when the mind is absent during slumber. It is through the vibrations of psychic Prana that the life of the mind is kept up and thought is produced. You see, hear, talk, sense, think, feel, will and know through the help of Prana. Prana is the very essence of cosmic life, that subtle principle which evolves the whole universe into its present form and which is pushing it towards its ultimate goal. The Prana may be defined as the finest vital force in everything which becomes visible on the physical plane as motion and action and on the mental plane as thought. Though Antahkarana is one, yet it assumes four names, viz., Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahamkara according to the different functions it performs. Likewise, though Prana is one, it assumes five forms, viz., Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana and Vyana according to the different functions it performs. This is termed as Vritti Bheda. The principal Prana is called Mukhya Prana. The function of Mukhya Prana is respiration; Apana does excretion; Udana does deglutition; Vyana performs circulation of blood; and Samana does digestion. 3. Yoga Nadis Nadis are the astral tubes made up of astral matter that carry the subtle Prana. It is through these Nadis that the vital force of Pranic current moves. Since these are made up of subtle matter, these cannot be seen by the naked eyes. These Yoga Nadis are not ordinary nerves, arteries and veins that are known to Vaidya Sastra. The body is filled with innumerable number of Nadis that cannot be counted. Nadis play a vital part in this Yoga. These subtle tubes - Yoga Nadis - have influence in the physical body. Wherever there is an interlacing of several nerves, arteries and veins, that centre is called as Plexus. Similarly there are plexuses or centres of vital forces in the Sukshma Nadis. These are called as Chakras or Padmas. All Nadis spring from Kanda. It is in the junction where the Sushumna Nadi is connected with the Muladhara Chakra. Of the innumerable Nadis, Ida, Pingala and Sushumna are the most important. Ida and Pingala Nadis are on the two sides of the spinal cord and Sushumna is within the spinal cord. Ida operates through the left nostril and Pingala through the right nostril. When the breath operates through Sushumna, the mind becomes steady. This steadiness of mind is termed Unmani Avastha, the highest state in Raja Yoga. If you sit for meditation when Sushumna is operating, you will have wonderful meditation. When the Nadis are full of impurities, the breath cannot pass through the middle Nadi. So, one should practise Pranayama for the purification of Nadis. 5. Prana and Mind The mind of a man can be made to transcend ordinary experience and exist on a plane higher than that of reason known as superconscious state of concentration and gets beyond the limit of concentration. He comes face to face with facts which ordinary consciousness cannot comprehend. This ought to be achieved by proper training and manipulation of the subtle forces of the body, so as to cause them to give an upward push to the mind in the higher regions. When the mind is so raised into the superconscious state of perception, it begins to act from there and experience higher facts and higher knowledge. Such is the ultimate object of Yoga. The control of the vibratory Prana, means to a Yogin, the kindling of the fire of Supreme Knowledge, the realisation of the Self. 6. Prana and Breath That which travels in the nerves of the physical body is gross Prana. That which moves in astral tubes or Yoga Nadis of the astral body is subtle Prana or psychic Prana. Breath is an external effect or manifestation of gross Prana. There is intimate connection or close relationship between the gross Prana and subtle Prana. Otherwise Hatha Yoga is impossible. Just as the stoppage of the fly-wheel of an engine brings about the stoppage of all other wheels in a factory, so also, the control or stoppage of the external breath leads to the efficient stoppage or control of the whole gross and subtle Prana of the physical and mental factories. Hence Pranayama exercises are practised. If mind and Prana cease to exist, then thought will not arise in any way. Both these are one only, like the flower and its odour or a sesamum seed and the oil in it. Prana and mind stand to one another in the relationship of the supporter and the supported. If either of them is slain, then the other also will cease to exist. The destruction of both will confer Moksha on all. The function of mind belongs to Prana; from Prana or life proceeds all (Chhandogya Upanishad V: 14 & 15). If Prana departs from the body, all functions of organs cease immediately. 7. Pranayama Exercises Pranayama is of long duration or subtle according to the external and internal restraint or holding process regulated by place, time and number. Puraka, Rechaka and Kumbhaka vary according to place, time and number. The period of Kumbhaka must be gradually increased. Kumbhaka gives strength. If you want to increase the Kumbhaka for more than three minutes the help of a Yogic Guru by your side is very necessary. You can suspend the breath for 2 or 3 minutes without the help of anybody. This is quite sufficient for all persons for purifying the nerves and for steadying the mind and for purposes of health. By place is meant the inside or outside the body and the particular length of the breath in the act. It is calculated by Yogis that the breath is respectively 12, 16, 4, 8 and 0 finger-breadths long according to the Tattvas Prithvi, Apas, Tejas, Vayu or Akasa. Time is the duration of these, which is counted by Matra: 12 Matras for Puraka, 48 Matras for Kumbhaka and 24 Matras for Rechaka. Matra means a measure or time-unit. Some take one second as one Matra. The time taken in making three rounds of the knee with the palm of the hand, neither very slowly nor quickly and snapping the fingers once, is called a Matra. The twinkling of an eye is sometimes taken as one Matra by some. Time taken by one normal respiration is taken as one Matra. Time taken up in pronouncing the monosyllable OM is regarded as one Matra. This is very convenient for practice. Many Pranayama practitioners adopt this time unit in their practice. Number refers to the number of times the Pranayama is done. One should do by gradual practice 80 times in the morning, 80 in the evening and 80 at night and 80 times at mid-night. When Prana comes under the control of the Yogi, it is called Pranajaya or conquest of Prana. When the breath flows towards the left nostril, it is called Ida or Chandra Nadi; when it flows through the right nostril it is called Pingala or Surya Nadi; and when it flows through both nostrils, it is called Sushumna or Agni. Meditation is very conducive when Sushumna is operating. The breath flows for two hours in each nostril. This time is distributed as follows: Prithvi flows for 1 1/2; Apas Tattva 1 1/4; Tejas 1; Vayu Tattva 3/4; and Akasa Tattva for 1/2 Naligas. (2 1/2 Naligas for one hour). If you read Svara Udhaya, you will understand these points fully. In Patanjali Yoga Sutras there is a description of Kevala Kumbhaka in Sutra 51 of Chapter II. This is a very advanced course. One should practise from stage to stage, step by step for getting success in the advanced course. We have seen before, that, subtle Prana has intimate connection with the respiration. By regulating inhalation, exhalation and retention, one can understand and control the subtle Prana. For the regulation of respiration and for the practice of Kevala Kumbhaka, the following exercises will help the Sadhakas. 8. Preliminary Exercise Sit on Padmasana or Siddhasana. Slowly inhale the air through both the nostrils without making any sound. Do not retain the breath. Immediately exhale the air very, very slowly. Repeat this process ten or twenty times both morning and evening. Practise this regularly for three months. Then you can attempt for the Sukha Purvaka exercise where there is retention of breath. Inhalation is termed as 'Puraka'. 'Rechaka' is exhalation and 'Kumbhaka' is retention of breath. Svasa refers to Puraka and Prasvasa refers to Rechaka. This is given in Sutra 49 of Chapter II. 9. Sukha Purvaka Pranayama (Easy Comfortable Pranayama) Sit on Padmasana or Siddhasana in your meditation room. Close the right nostril with the right thumb. Draw in air slowly through the left nostril. Now close the left nostril also with the little and ring fingers of the right hand. Retain the breath as long as you can comfortably do. Then exhale very, very slowly through the right nostril after removing the thumb. Now half the process is over. Then draw in the air through the right nostril as soon as you can completely exhale. Retain the breath as long as you can after closing the right nostril and then exhale through the left nostril after removing the little and the ring fingers. These six processes constitute one Pranayama. To start with, do 10 Pranayamas in the morning and 10 in the evening. Gradually increase the number to 20 in each sitting. Gradually increase the period of Kumbhaka also. Have a Bhavana (mental attitude) that all the Daivi Sampat as mercy, love, forgiveness, Santi, joy, etc., are entering your system along with the inspired air and all the Asuri Sampat such as lust, anger, greed, etc., are being thrown out along with the exhaled air. Repeat OM or Gayatri mentally during Puraka, Kumbhaka and Rechaka. Hard-working Sadhakas can do 320 Kumbhakas in four sittings at the rate of 80 in each sitting. This Pranayama exercise removes all diseases, purifies the Nadis, steadies the mind in concentration, improves digestion, increases the digestive power, helps in maintaining Brahmacharya and enables one to attain Kevala Kumbhaka in due course of practice. 10. Kevala Kumbhaka The fourth (Pranayama exercise) is going beyond the internal and external positions. In the previous Sutras, three kinds of Pranayama exercises are given, viz., internal, external and the period of suspension. In this Sutra the highest stage of Pranayama, i.e., going beyond internal (Puraka) and external (Rechaka), is given. This exercise is Kevala Kumbhaka wherein is neither Puraka nor Rechaka. There is Kumbhaka only. This is for advanced Yogins. Kumbhaka is of two kinds, viz., Sahita and Kevala. That which is coupled with inhalation and exhalation is termed Sahita Kumbhaka, which is described in Sukha Purvaka. That which is devoid of Puraka and Rechaka is Kevala Kumbhaka. When you get mastery in Sahita, it is said: When after giving up of inhalation and exhalation, one holds his breath with ease, it is Kevala (absolute) Kumbhaka. He attains the state of Raja Yoga. The practitioner attains perfection in Yoga. 11. Benefits of Pranayama Then the covering of the light is destroyed. The ignorance caused by the Karma covers the light of knowledge. By the practice of Pranayama this covering is destroyed by the development of concentration and knowledge. The next Sutra says that the power of concentration increases by Pranayama, as the distractions are removed thereby. 12. Mind Fit for Concentration The mind becomes fit for concentration. The mind becomes quite steady after Pranayama. It can be fixed at any point. By the practice of Pranayama, Rajas and Tamas which screen the light of Purusha are destroyed. Then the real nature of the Purusha is realised. There is no Tapas greater than Pranayama. It causes Chitta Suddhi, Nadi Suddhi and Mano Suddhi. Pranayama practice destroys the Karmas which hurl down man in various sorts of activities. Karmas also act as a screen that destroys the purity of intellect. Pranayama serves as a Prayaschitta (that which nullifies the effects of Karma) for all sorts of sins. It removes the Doshas in the body, Indriyas and mind. Pranayama practice steadies the mind. Vikshepa is destroyed. Mind gets Ekagrata state. Constant practice enables one to observe perfect Brahmacharya. 13. Hints on Pranayama Practice - In the early morning answer the calls of nature and then sit for the practice. Pranayama should be practised in a well-ventilated room. Pranayama requires deep concentration and attention. Do not keep anyone by your side. - Before the practice, clean the nostrils thoroughly. When you finish the practice take a cup of milk after 10 minutes. Do not take bath immediately after Pranayama. - Some people twist the muscles of the face when they do Kumbhaka. It should be strictly avoided. It is a symptom to indicate that they are going beyond their capacity. Such people cannot have a regulated Rechaka, Puraka and Kumbhaka. - Pranayama can be performed just before Japa and meditation. It will make the body light and you will enjoy your meditation. The Asana should be steady when you practise Pranayama and Dhyana. Do not scratch the body every now and then during Pranayama practice. - In the beginning of practise you should observe some time-unit for doing Puraka, Kumbhaka and Rechaka. The ratio is 1 : 4 : 2. When you have advanced in the practice, you need not distract the mind in counting and keeping time-unit. The lungs will tell you when you have finished the required rounds. - Do not perform Pranayama till you are fatigued. Take a few normal breaths after some Pranayama. That will give you relief. Do not make any sound when you do Puraka and Rechaka. - You should not expect the benefits after doing it for 2 or 3 minutes only for a day or two. Regular, steady practice is needed for a long time. - Pranayama cannot bring about Manonasa (annihilation of mind). The Vrittis are quietened only temporarily. You should practise Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.

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So fundamentally my argument is that whatever scraps of paper exist that might be described as a constitution in the UK merely say that Parliament can do whatever the hell it wants. You're quibbling about the mere existence of those scraps of paper while ignoring my fundamental argument which is that whether they exist or not they have no value whatsoever. Ok, douchebag. Maybe that quotation wasn't the best one. Look a bit further up on that same wikipedia page, and you'll find this one: Parliament means, in the mouth of a lawyer (though the word has often a different sense in conversation) The King, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons: these three bodies acting together may be aptly described as the "King in Parliament", and constitute Parliament. The principle of Parliamentary sovereignty mean neither more nor less than this, namely that Parliament thus defined has, under the English constitution, the right to make or unmake any law whatever: and, further, that no person or body is recognised by the law of England as having a right to override or set aside the legislation of Parliament. —A.V. Dicey Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution (1885) That's more evidence than you've supplied to the contrary. Even the ECHR was merely agreed to via an Act of Parliament. A future Parliament would have no legal encumbrance to repealing it. The UK Parliament is supremely sovereign. There's no law in the UK other than, ultimately, what Parliament passes. And there's no law they can't repeal, should they so choose. Their only restraint is custom and electability. Uh, no. There isn't one. The UK Parliament is supremely sovereign. What's the difference between a Sunday and a holiday again? The UK Parliament is supremely sovereign. That means you can be jailed for anything that they say you can be jailed for. I just want to use my camera. Like virtually all cameras made in the last 20 years, it qualifies as an electronic device. The last time I flew into Newark, I was treated to breathtaking vistas of the Manhattan skyline, including the Empire State building in full plumage. I can't share those memories because of FAA stupidity. Don't forget this, btw... The US did not declare war against Germany until Germany made such a declaration first, after the US declared war on Japan. Germany was not bound by the tri-partite pact to honor Japan's "de-facto" declaration of war (to wit, the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor), and it's quite possible that had Hitler not so declared that the US might have gone on to fight a one-front war against Japan only. I (and I don't believe I am alone in this) regard Germany's declaration of war against the US to be Hitler's first major blunder (not counting things before his rise to power, like the Beer Hall Putsch). So... Microsoft's "research" seems to come from reading competitor's product specifications: my AirPort Extreme has been doing this for my network of macs for ages now - ever since Snow Leopard came out. This is WoL combined with a proxy. Whenever the target machine is asleep, the proxy continues to respond (in this case) to Bonjour requests. When someone attempts to actually connect to the machine, the proxy sends a WoL packet out and then when the original host wakes up, it will hear from the requesting host and proceed as normal. The one thing that's a little weird about this is that the AirPort extreme will actually wake the target machine up every few hours to make sure it's still there. I've been using 6to4 ever since the 6bone shut down, and I've had no problems with it. In fact, it seems to me there are only two possible problems with 6to4 generally: 1. Bastard ISPs could, if they deeply inspect packets, see 6-in-4 packets generally as different or undesirable or whatever and do bad things like they do with bittorrent. 2. The 6to4 anycast default route as a mechanism to get from 6to4 space to the "real" IPv6 space can sometimes send your packets to a non-optimal gateway. The fix for this is simply for more such gateways to be created - preferably one (or more) per ISP - so that the traffic can be routed optimally. I wanted to opt into Google over IPv6, but when I wrote them they told me to pound sand because I was using 6to4. This is bullshit. There is always a couple of seconds where your light is red, but the other lights in the intersection are not yet green. Care to guess why it was designed that way? Because someone was asleep at the switch. It used to be that the light turned green immediately after the light the other way turned red. Everybody knew this, and gave the yellow light a lot more respect than they do today. Then some numb-nut thought it would be a good idea to separate the end of the yellow from the beginning of the (opposing) green. And as soon as they did, people adapted and yellow lights lost a measure of the respect they had before. And now, there's no going back. It would be unsafe to get rid of the buffer because it's expected now. Of course, if you never start the computation at all then you never get results. The terminating condition is knowing when Moore's law will fail.... far enough in advance to know when it is optimal to begin computation. Um, if you wanted to use a circle as a metaphor for the year, then 2 pi radians would be a full circle, so wouldn't it make more sense to make it the day half way through the year (pi radians)? Um, that's why they're battery operated.

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In my next few blogs, I will provide an overview of Voltage Source Converter (VSC) HVDC technology and its suitability for Smart Grids operation and control discussed. VSC HVDC is based upon transistor technology and was developed in the 1990′s. The switching element is the Insulated Gate Bipolar Thyristor (IGBT), which can be switched on and off by applying a suitable voltage to the gate (steering electrode). Because of the more switching operations, and the nature of the semiconductor devices itself, the converter losses are generally higher than those of HVDC classic converters. VSC HVDC is commonly used with underground or submarine cables with a transfer capacity in the range of 10 – 1000 MW, and is suitable to serve as a connection to a wind farm or supply a remote load. VSC HVDC technology has very fast steer and control functionality and is suitable for meshed networks. It is characterised by compactness of the converter stations, due to the reduced need for AC harmonic filters and reactive power compensation. Power flow reversal in VSC systems is achieved by reversal of the current, whereas in HVDC classic systems the voltage polarity has to change. An important consequence of this voltage source behavior is the ability to use cheaper and easier to install XLPE cables, instead of the mass-impregnated cables that are needed for HVDC classic. Currently, only twelve VSC HVDC projects are in service. A few examples include: Estlink, which connects Estonia to Finland (350 MW), and BorWin1, connecting an offshore wind farm to Northern Germany (400 MW). Both are equipped with ±150 kV submarine cables, and the Trans Bay project in California (400 MW) that consists of 90 km ±200 kV submarine cable. Most projects have submarine cable, but some projects include long lengths of underground cable, such as Murraylink (220 MW, 177 km underground cable), and Nord E.On 1 (400 MW, 75km underground cable). The 500 MW East-West interconnector between Ireland and Great Britain, operating at ±200 kV, is scheduled to go into service in 2012. A 2000 MW 65 km cable interconnector ±320kV as part of the Trans European Network—between Spain and France—is scheduled for commissioning in 2013, and will represent the highest power rating for a VSC HVDC system installed at this time. Make sure to check back next Tuesday for my next blog on the comparison between HVDC classic and VSC HVDC. By: Peter Vaessen

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The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade cannot advise on the specific requirements which may need to be met in order for a marriage to be legal in a particular country. However, as a general guide only, the following information may be of assistance. Certificates of No Impediment to Marriage Certificates of No Impediment to Marriage are issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through overseas missions and state and territory offices to Australian citizens seeking to marry overseas. Some foreign countries require foreign nationals to present a Certificate of No Impediment before they are able to legally marry in that country. Certificates of No Impediment to Marriage are not a requirement of Australian law. Some countries will only accept Certificates of No Impediment issued by the local Australian Embassy or Consulate in the country in which the marriage is to take place. However, if authorities of the country in which the marriage is to take place have advised that they will accept a Certificate of No Impediment issued in Australia, you should complete the applicable application form for a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage and return it to your state or territory office of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Consular fee for a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage is $90. - Application form for Certificates of No Impediment to Marriage for use in Poland, Portugal and Turkey [PDF 22 KB] - Application form for all other countries [PDF 21 KB] The forms are also available from any state or territory office of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Please ensure that you bring your passport when presenting the Certificate of No Impediment to be witnessed by us. We may need to sight documentary evidence of your date of birth, nationality and Australian residency. Issue of Certificates of No Impediment to same sex couples The Attorney-General has announced that from 1 February 2012 Australians seeking to enter into a same-sex marriage overseas will be able to apply for a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage. The issuing of a Certificate of No Impediment will allow same-sex couples to take part in a marriage ceremony overseas and to be recognised as being married according to the laws of that overseas country. Same-sex marriages conducted overseas are not recognised as a marriage in Australia, but may be evidence of a de facto relationship for the purposes of Commonwealth, State and Territory laws. In addition to the Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade can provide general advice on the requirements which may need to be met in order for a marriage to be legal in a particular country. For exact details of what requirements will need to be met, persons wishing to marry overseas should contact the embassy or consulate of the country in which they would like to marry. The following general information may be of assistance. Overseas marriage authorities often require evidence that the party is free to marry. Such evidence may be a statement from the Australian State or Territory Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages that there is no record of the person having been previously married. Authorities may also require divorce papers/death certificate of a former spouse in the case of being divorced or widowed. Overseas marriage authorities generally will also want to sight an original birth certificate and the person’s passport. Foreign marriage authorities may have further additional requirements e.g. a requirement to reside for a length of time in a country prior to a marriage taking place in that country. Recognition of overseas marriages The Attorney-General’s Department has responsibility for developing policy about issues relating to family law and marriage, including who can get married, who can solemenise marriages and the validity of overseas marriages. The rules governing whether or not a marriage is valid under Australian law are to be found in the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth). There are currently no Australian diplomatic or consular officers appointed to solemenise marriages overseas under Australian law. Marriages entered into overseas are generally recognised as valid in Australia - if the marriage was recognised as valid under the law of the country in which it was entered into, at the time when it was entered into, and - providing the marriage would have been recognised as valid under Australian law if the marriage had taken place in Australia. There is no requirement to register a marriage in Australia which takes place overseas. The foreign marriage certificate is prima facie evidence in Australia of the occurrence and validity of the marriage. Marriage to an Australian citizen does not automatically guarantee entry of a citizen of another country to Australia. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) can advise on immigration to Australia. You should consult a legal practitioner if you need advice on whether a marriage which has taken place overseas is recognised as valid in Australia. The basic rule of foreign marriages generally being recognised as valid in Australia is subject to the following exceptions: - where one of the parties was already married to someone else; - where one of the parties was, at the time of the marriage, domiciled in Australia and either of the parties was not 18 years old; - where neither of the parties was, at the time of marriage, domiciled in Australia, the marriage shall not be recognised as valid in Australia until one of the parties is 16 years old; - where the parties are too closely related under Australian law (including relationships traced through adoption or an adoption that has ceased to have effect) i.e. either as ancestor and descendant, or as brother and sister (including half-brother and half-sister); - where the parties to the marriage are both of the same sex, or; - where the consent of one of the parties was not real consent due to duress or fraud, a mistake as to the identity of the other party or as to the nature of the ceremony performed, or mental incapacity. Where can I return my application form? - Adelaide, South Australia - Brisbane, Queensland - Canberra, Australian Capital Territory - Darwin, Northern Territory - Hobart, Tasmania - Melbourne, Victoria - Perth, Western Australia - Sydney Passport Office, New South Wales

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For all of the celebrating in the nation’s capital and around the country as the nation’s first black president was sworn in, Juanita Nelson’s reaction was, well, reserved. The 85-year-old African-American woman, who has been active throughout her life in civil rights, anti-war, tax refusal and other social justice movements, has a skeptical outlook on the Obama presidency as a watershed “I think it’s interesting, but it doesn’t necessarily warm the cockles of my heart,” said Nelson. “He’s going to be presiding over something that’s the same old, same old. He’s only one person.” Nelson says she didn’t even vote for Obama — or for anyone else, in fact. The only election in which she’s cast a ballot, for that matter, was for Franklin Delano Roosevelt in . The same holds true for her late husband, Wally, who died in at the age of 93, and who[m] she had first met as a newspaper reporter covering his imprisonment as a conscientious objector — he’d walked out of a Civilian Public Service Camp that felt like “slave labor.” “There’s not anything to vote for,” said Nelson. “I vote with what I do or don’t do. I have to do what I believe in, you have to do what you believe in.” What a rare and heartwarming surprise it is to hear Thoreauvian echoes in the hills this cold . is approaching, and so you’re probably starting to get those W2s and 1099s and such in the mail, showing any money you brought in in the above-ground economy, and how much taxes were withheld. And so you can probably get started in making some back-of-the-envelope calculations of how much you gave Uncle Sam last year, how much you still owe (or maybe you overpaid like so many do and you’re looking forward to getting some back). At least you’ve got a ballpark figure, right? Wouldn’t it be nice to know what that money went for? You worked hard for it. Those dollars represent hours of your time. I noted that struggling farmers in Argentina were organizing and engaging in nonviolent direct action campaigns such as strikes and The latest news suggests that they may be adding tax resistance to their arsenal (excerpts translated by me, and my Spanish isn’t all that hot so caveat emptor): Leaders from the Córdoba district of the Argentinian Agrarial Federation felt the concern of numerous rural producers from throughout the province in launching a tax rebellion to start in . So, with all of this forcefulness, Agustín Pizzichini, head of the FAA’s Córdoba district, explained to La Voz del Interior that the proposal to halt national and provincial tax payments was launched by independent producers in various locations in the province during a meeting that took place on at the federation’s headquarters. The meeting also took stock of the presence of the future head of the provincial council of Coninagro, Marco The revolt is a reaction to the lack of “concrete measures” from the national government to confront the drought in the affected regions, the fall in profitability, and the increased tax burden from provincial mandates. The drastic situation will be conveyed for consideration by the central council of the FAA on in Rosario. While a group of directors of Agrarian Federation subsidiaries held a meeting in Oncativo, the head of the Pilar subsidiary, Juan Pivetta, said, as for himself as regards to the decision of a tax revolt, “not participating.” However, he indicated that producers are willing to engage in other methods of protest, like a suspension of sales. “The situation today is more serious; it is one thing to have problems, volatile prices, and it is another not to have a harvest; it will motivate a different reaction,” he argued. Leonardo Ferrero, a producer and contractor from Hernando, said that the idea of halting tax payments “is what you hear from people who are desperate. The credits (that the government announced) only work if the productive economy is well,” he argued. Find Out More! For more information on the topic or topics below (organized as “topic → sub-subtopic”), click on any of the ♦ symbols to see other pages on this site that cover the topic. Or browse the site’s topic index at the “Outline” page.

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The Operations Layer defines the operational processes and procedures necessary to deliver Information Technology (IT) as a Service. This layer leverages IT Service Management concepts that can be found in prevailing best practices such as ITIL and MOF. The main focus of the Operations Layer is to execute the business requirements defined at the Service Delivery Layer. Cloud-like service attributes cannot be achieved through technology alone and require a high level of IT Service Management maturity. Change Management process is responsible for controlling the life cycle of all changes. The primary objective of Change Management is to eliminate or at least minimize disruption while desired changes are made to services. Change Management focuses on understanding and balancing the cost and risk of making the change versus the benefit of the change to either the business or the service. Driving predictability and minimizing human involvement are the core principles for achieving a mature Service Management process and ensuring changes can be made without impacting the perception of continuous availability. Standard (Automated) Change Non-Standard (Mechanized) Change It is important to note that a record of all changes must be maintained, including Standard Changes that have been automated. The automated process for Standard Changes should include the creation and population of the change record per standard policy in order to make sure auditability. Automating changes also enables other key principles such as: The Service Asset and Configuration Management process is responsible for maintaining information on the assets, components, and infrastructure needed to provide a service. Critical configuration data for each component, and its relationship to other components, must be accurately captured and maintained. This configuration data should include past and current states and future-state forecasts, and be easily available to those who need it. Mature Service Asset and Configuration Management processes are necessary for achieving predictability. A virtualized infrastructure adds complexity to the management of Configuration Items (CIs) due to the transient nature of the relationship between guests and hosts in the infrastructure. How is the relationship between CIs maintained in an environment that is potentially changing very frequently? A service comprises software, platform, and infrastructure layers. Each layer provides a level of abstraction that is dependent on the layer beneath it. This abstraction hides the implementation and composition details of the layer. Access to the layer is provided through an interface and as long as the fabric is available, the actual physical location of a hosted VM is irrelevant. To provide Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), the configuration and relationship of the components within the fabric must be understood, whereas the details of the configuration within the VMs hosted by the fabric are irrelevant. The Configuration Management System (CMS) will need to be partitioned, at a minimum, into physical and logical CI layers. Two Configuration Management Databases (CMDBs) might be used; one to manage the physical CIs of the fabric (facilities, network, storage, hardware, and hypervisor) and the other to manage the logical CIs (everything else). The CMS can be further partitioned by layer, with separate management of the infrastructure, platform, and software layers. The benefits and trade-offs of each approach are summarized below. CMS Partitioned by Layer CMS Partitioned into Physical and Logical Table 2: Configuration Management System Options Partitioning logical and physical CI information allows for greater stability within the CMS, because CIs will need to be changed less frequently. This means less effort will need to be expended to accurately maintain the information. During normal operations, mapping a VM to its physical host is irrelevant. If historical records of a VM’s location are needed, (for example, for auditing or Root Cause Analysis) they can be traced through change logs. The physical or fabric CMDB will need to include a mapping of fault domains, upgrade domains, and Live Migration domains. The relationship of these patterns to the infrastructure CIs will provide critical information to the Fabric Management System. The Release and Deployment Management processes are responsible for making sure that approved changes to a service can be built, tested, and deployed to meet specifications with minimal disruption to the service and production environment. Where Change Management is based on the approval mechanism (determining what will be changed and why), Release and Deployment Management will determine how those changes will be implemented. The primary focus of Release and Deployment Management is to protect the production environment. The less variation is found in the environment, the greater the level of predictability – and, therefore, the lower the risk of causing harm when new elements are introduced. The concept of homogenization of physical infrastructure is derived from this predictability principle. If the physical infrastructure is completely homogenized, there is much greater predictability in the release and deployment process. While complete homogenization is the ideal, it may not be achievable in the real world. Homogenization is a continuum. The closer an environment gets to complete homogeneity, the more predictable it becomes and the fewer the risks. Full homogeneity means not only that identical hardware models are used, but all hardware configuration is identical as well. When complete hardware homogeneity is not feasible, strive for configuration homogeneity wherever possible. Figure 2: Homogenization Continuum The Scale Unit concept drives predictability in Capacity Planning and agility in the release and deployment of physical infrastructure. The hardware specifications and configurations have been pre-defined and tested, allowing for a more rapid deployment cycle than in a traditional data center. Similarly, known quantities of resources are added to the data center when the Capacity Plan is triggered. However, when the Scale Unit itself must change (for example, when a vendor retires a hardware model), a new risk is introduced to the private cloud. There will likely be a period where both n and n-1 versions of the Scale Unit exist in the infrastructure, but steps can be taken to minimize the risk this creates. Work with hardware vendors to understand the life cycle of their products and coordinate changes from multiple vendors to minimize iterations of the Scale Unit change. Also, upgrading to the new version of the Scale Unit should take place one Fault Domain at a time wherever possible. This will make sure that if an incident occurs with the new version, it can be isolated to a single Fault Domain. Homogenization of the physical infrastructure means consistency and predictability for the VMs regardless of which physical host they reside on. This concept can be extended beyond the production environment. The fabric can be partitioned into development, test, and pre-production environments as well. Eliminating variability between environments enables developers to more easily optimize applications for a private cloud and gives testers more confidence that the results reflect the realities of production, which in turn should greatly improve testing efficiency. The virtualized infrastructure enables workloads to be transferred more easily between environments. All VMs should be built from a common set of component templates housed in a library, which is used across all environments. This shared library includes templates for all components approved for production, such as VM images, the gold OS image, server role templates, and platform templates. These component templates are downloaded from the shared library and become the building blocks of the development environment. From development, these components are packaged together to create a test candidate package (in the form of a virtual hard disk (VHD) that is uploaded to the library. This test candidate package can then be deployed by booting the VHD in the test environment. When testing is complete, the package can again be uploaded to the library as a release candidate package – for deployment into the pre-production environment, and ultimately into the production environment. Since workloads are deployed by booting a VM from a VHD, the Release Management process occurs very quickly through the transfer of VHD packages to different environments. This also allows for rapid rollback should the deployment fail; the current release can be deleted and the VM can be booted off the previous VHD. Virtualization and the use of standard VM templates allow us to rethink software updates and patch management. As there is minimal variation in the production environment and all services in production are built with a common set of component templates, patches need not be applied in production. Instead, they should be applied to the templates in the shared library. Any services in production using that template will require a new version release. The release package is then rebuilt, tested, and redeployed, as shown below. Figure 3: The Release Process This may seem counter-intuitive for a critical patch scenario, such as when an exploitable vulnerability is exposed. But with virtualization technologies and automated test scripts, a new version of a service can be built, tested, and deployed quite rapidly. Variation can also be reduced through standardized, automated test scenarios. While not every test scenario can or should be automated, tests that are automated will improve predictability and facilitate more rapid test and deployment timelines. Test scenarios that are common for all applications, or the ones that might be shared by certain application patterns, are key candidates for automation. These automated test scripts may be required for all release candidates prior to deployment and would make sure further reduction in variation in the production environment. Knowledge Management is the process of gathering, analyzing, storing, and sharing knowledge and information within an organization. The goal of Knowledge Management is to make sure that the right people have access to the information they need to maintain a private cloud. As operational knowledge expands and matures, the ability to intelligently automate operational tasks improves, providing for an increasingly dynamic environment. An immature approach to Knowledge Management costs organizations in terms of slower, less-efficient problem solving. Every problem or new situation that arises becomes a crisis that must be solved. A few people may have the prior experience to resolve the problem quickly and calmly, but their knowledge is not shared. Immature knowledge management creates greater stress for the operations staff and usually results in user dissatisfaction with frequent and lengthy unexpected outages. Mature Knowledge Management processes are necessary for achieving a service provider’s approach to delivering infrastructure. Past knowledge and experience is documented, communicated, and readily available when needed. Operating teams are no longer crisis-driven as service-impacting events grow less frequent and are quickly resolves when they do occur. When designing a private cloud, development of the Health Model will drive much of the information needed for Knowledge Management. The Health Model defines the ideal states for each infrastructure component and the daily, weekly, monthly, and as-needed tasks required to maintain this state. The Health Model also defines unhealthy states for each infrastructure component and actions to be taken to restore their health. This information will form the foundation of the Knowledge Management database. Aligning the Health Model with alerts allows these alerts to contain links to the Knowledge Management database describing the specific steps to be taken in response to the alert. This will help drive predictability as a consistent, proven set of actions will be taken in response to each alert. The final step toward achieving a private cloud is the automation of responses to each alert as defined in the Knowledge Management database. Once these responses are proven successful, they should be automated to the fullest extent possible. It is important to note, though, that automating responses to alerts does not make them invisible and forgotten. Even when alerts generate a fully automated response they must be captured in the Service Management system. If the alert indicates the need for a change, the change record should be logged. Similarly, if the alert is in response to an incident, an incident record should be created. These automated workflows must be reviewed regularly by Operations staff to make sure the automated action achieves the expected result. Finally, as the environment changes over time, or as new knowledge is gained, the Knowledge Management database must be updated along with the automated workflows that are based on that knowledge. The goal of Incident Management is to resolve events that are impacting, or threaten to impact, services as quickly as possible with minimal disruption. The goal of Problem Management is to identify and resolve root causes of incidents that have occurred as well as identify and prevent or minimize the impact of incidents that may occur. Pinpointing the root cause of an incident can become more challenging when workloads are abstracted from the infrastructure and their physical location changes frequently. Additionally, incident response teams may be unfamiliar with virtualization technologies (at least initially) which could also lead to delays in incident resolution. Finally, applications may have neither a robust Health Model nor expose all of the health information required for a proactive response. All of this may lead to an increase in reactive (user initiated) incidents which will likely increase the Mean-Time-to-Restore-Service (MTRS) and customer dissatisfaction. This may seem to go against the resiliency principle, but note that virtualization alone will not achieve the desired resiliency unless accompanied by highly mature IT Service Management (ITSM) maturity and a robust automated health monitoring system. The drive for resiliency requires a different approach to troubleshooting incidents. Extensive troubleshooting of incidents in production negatively impacts resiliency. Therefore, if an incident cannot be quickly resolved, the service can be rolled back to the previous version, as described under Release and Deployment. Further troubleshooting can be done in a test environment without impacting the production environment. Troubleshooting in the production environment may be limited to moving the service to different hosts (ruling out infrastructure as the cause) and rebooting the VMs. If these steps do not resolve the issue, the rollback scenario could be initiated. Minimizing human involvement in incident management is critical for achieving resiliency. The troubleshooting scenarios described earlier could be automated, which will allow for identification and possible resolution of the root much more quickly than non-automated processes. But automation may mask the root cause of the incident. Careful consideration should be given to determining which troubleshooting steps should be automated and which require human analysis. Human Analysis of Troubleshooting If a compute resource fails, it is no longer necessary to treat the failure as an incident that must be fixed immediately. It may be more efficient and cost effective to treat the failure as part of the decay of the Resource Pool. Rather than treat a failed server as an incident that requires immediate resolution, treat it as a natural candidate for replacement on a regular maintenance schedule, or when the Resource Pool reaches a certain threshold of decay. Each organization must balance cost, efficiency, and risk as it determines an acceptable decay threshold – and choose among these courses of action: The benefits and trade-off of each of the options are listed below: Option 4 is the least desirable, as it does not take advantage of the resiliency and cost reduction benefits of a private cloud. A well-planned Resource Pool and Reserve Capacity strategy will account for Resource Decay. Option 1 is the most recommended approach. A predictable maintenance schedule allows for better procurement planning and can help avoid conflicts with other maintenance activities, such as software upgrades. Again, a well-planned Resource Pool and Reserve Capacity strategy will account for Resource Decay and minimize the risk of exceeding critical thresholds before the scheduled maintenance. Option 3 will likely be the only option for self-contained Scale Unit scenarios, as the container must be replaced as a single Scale Unit when the decay threshold is reached. The goal of Request Fulfillment is to manage requests for service from users. Users should have a clear understanding of the process they need to initiate to request service and IT should have a consistent approach for managing these requests. Much like any service provider, IT should clearly define the types of requests available to users in the service catalog. The service catalog should include an SLA on when the request will be completed, as well as the cost of fulfilling the request, if any. The types of requests available and their associated costs should reflect the actual cost of completing the request and this cost should be easily understood. For example, if a user requests an additional VM, its daily cost should be noted on the request form, which should also be exposed to the organization or person responsible for paying the bill. It is relatively easy to see the need for adding resources, but more difficult to see when a resource is no longer needed. A process for identifying and removing unused VMs should be put into place. There are a number of strategies to do this, depending on the needs of a given organization, such as: The benefits and trade-offs of each of these approaches are detailed below: Option 4 affords the greatest flexibility, while still working to minimize server sprawl. When a user requests a VM, they have the option of setting an expiration date with no reminder (for example, if they know they will only be using the workload for one week). They could set an expiration deadline with a reminder (for example, a reminder that the VM will expire after 90 days unless they wish to renew). Lastly, the user may request no expiration date if they expect the workload will always be needed. If the last option is chosen, it is likely that underutilized VMs will still be monitored and owners notified. Finally, self-provisioning should be considered, if appropriate, when evaluating request fulfillment options to drive towards minimal human involvement. Self-provisioning allows great agility and user empowerment, but it can also introduce risks depending on the nature of the environment in which these VMs are introduced. For an enterprise organization, the risk of bypassing formal build, stabilize, and deploy processes may or may not outweigh the agility benefits gained from the self-provisioning option. Without strong governance to make sure each VM has an end-of-life strategy, the fabric may become congested with VM server sprawl. The pros and cons of self-provisioning options are listed in the next diagram: The primary decision point for determining whether to use self-provisioning is the nature of the environment. Allowing developers to self-provision into the development environment greatly facilitates agile development, and allows the enterprise to maintain release management controls as these workloads are moved out of development and into test and production environments. A user-led community environment isolated from enterprise mission-critical applications may also be a good candidate for self-provisioning. As long as user actions are isolated and cannot impact mission critical applications, the agility and user empowerment may justify the risk of giving up control of release management. Again, it is essential that in such a scenario, expiration timers are included to prevent server sprawl. The goal of Access Management is to make sure authorized users have access to the services they need while preventing access by unauthorized users. Access Management is the implementation of security policies defined by Information Security Management at the Service Delivery Layer. Maintaining access for authorized users is critical for achieving the perception of continuous availability. Besides allowing access, Access Management defines users who are allowed to use, configure, or administer objects in the Management Layer. From a provider’s perspective, it answers questions like: From a consumer’s perspective, it answers questions such as: Access Management is implemented at several levels and can include physical barriers to systems such as requiring access smartcards at the data center, or virtual barriers such as network and Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) separation, firewalling, and access to storage and applications. Taking a service provider’s approach to Access Management will also make sure that resource segmentation and multi-tenancy is addressed. Resource Pools may need to be segmented to address security concerns around confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Some tenants may not wish to share infrastructure resources to keep their environment isolated from others. Access Management of shared infrastructure requires logical access control mechanisms such as encryption, access control rights, user groupings, and permissions. Dedicated infrastructure also relies on physical access control mechanisms, where infrastructure is not physically connected, but is effectively isolated through a firewall or other mechanisms. The goal of systems administration is to make sure that the daily, weekly, monthly, and as-needed tasks required to keep a system healthy are being performed. Regularly performing ongoing systems administration tasks is critical for achieving predictability. As the organization matures and the Knowledge Management database becomes more robust and increasingly automated, systems administration tasks is no longer part of the job role function. It is important to keep this in mind as an organization moves to a private cloud. Staff once responsible for systems administration should refocus on automation and scripting skills – and on monitoring the fabric to identify patterns that indicate possibilities for ongoing improvement of existing automated workflows.

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Is it a woman's world now? The reports of women's ascendency in today's world at the expense of men have been greatly exaggerated.provides the facts. A FLURRY of books and articles in recent months, with titles like The End of Men and The Richer Sex, have sounded the alarm--watch out, fellas, women have you on the run. According to these publications, women are surpassing men on any number of fronts, but especially jobs and wages. They cite various pieces of evidence--from employment levels in the U.S., to polls about whether male or female offspring are preferred in South Korea, to interviews with men who feel they're being replaced--to back up their claims. Well, you could have fooled me. It's not just that many of the statistics used are misleading, and sometimes incorrect, but they get in the way of a serious examination of the day-to-day reality for most working-class women. On top of that, the claims about women passing up men mask the deteriorating conditions and living standards that working-class women and men are both facing--while a select few men and and an even select fewer women are doing better than ever. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ACCORDING TO Hanna Rosin, author of The End of Men, women are on their way to making as much, if not more, than men--and could soon take men's place as the main "breadwinner" in conventional families. "Our vast and struggling middle class, where the disparities are the greatest, is slowly turning into a matriarchy," writes Rosin, "with men increasingly absent from the workforce and from home, and women making all the decisions." Is there any truth to this picture? Since the 1960s, women's earnings have increased relative to men's overall. But women still make less than men--on average, 77 cents to every dollar a man made as of 2011, according to government statistics. According to the most recent Census Bureau figures, women are still more likely to be poor, too. More women are filling jobs that were dominated by men in the past, but it's still the case that certain fields remain "women's work"--and along with gender segregation in employment comes lower pay for female-dominated jobs. And historically, as women have made gains in a new field, wages decrease compared to jobs that continue to be male-dominated. What we are seeing is a convergence in economic fortunes, not female ascendance. Between 2010 and 2011, men and women working full time year-round both experienced a 2.5 percent decline in income. Men suffered roughly 80 percent of the job losses at the beginning of the 2007 recession. But the ripple effect of the recession then led to cutbacks in government jobs that hit women disproportionately. As of June 2012, men had regained 46.2 percent of the jobs they lost in the recession, while women had regained 38.7 percent of their lost jobs. Working-class women aren't eclipsing working-class men. At most, women are meeting men on the way down, which isn't exactly good news for either one. While some journalists might be happy to muse about women's new position as the "breadwinners" in families, what they're ignoring is the fact that most families as a whole are getting by on less. According to University of Maryland sociologist Philip Cohen, there has been a significant increase in the frequency of wives earning more than their husbands. But this was true for only 28 percent of married heterogamous couples in 2010--and in the most common scenario, women didn't earn that much more than their spouse. If some women now have the lead role in bringing home the bacon, the reality is that the meat is sliced very thin all around. So how is it anyone can claim that women are taking over? The question begs another: Which women? A small number of women have made it to the top and now wield power in the worlds of business and politics where men once ruled alone. Hillary Clinton, for instance, was a successful attorney before she took her latest job as Secretary of State, one of the most powerful political positions in the world. Forty-five women made the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans this year. Of course, this small group doesn't represent the majority of women--and in many cases, the women who achieved great wealth or political power contribute more to other women's suffering than success. Alice Walton, one of the richest people in the world thanks to being born into the family that owns Wal-Mart, comes to mind. For the majority of women--those who don't own any companies, but have to work for them--there hasn't been any meteoric rise to the top, just like for the men they work alongside. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - IN ADDITION to the misleading statistics about jobs and wages, books like the The End of Men offer additional pieces of "evidence" for women's supposed ascendancy--that more women are deciding not to marry or pursue the sex lives of their choice than in the past, and that more men are sharing in work inside the home, like cooking, cleaning and child-rearing. Rosin also offers some other facts that venture into the head-scratching realm--for example, that women are committing more murders than ever before. I'll set aside the "more likely to get into a bar fight" measure of women's changing role in society for now, and focus on some of her other points. It is indeed the case that women have greater freedoms than they had in the past, in the areas of jobs and reproductive freedom and family choices. The first thing to say is that's a good thing. But End of Men spends some pages contemplating the ramifications of women frittering away their "erotic capital" by having sex too freely. For most women, however, there's no debate about whether it's liberating to be freer in making decisions about their sex lives. It's also no small improvement that women are part of the workforce in a way that was unimaginable just 40 years ago. The social movements of the 1960s and '70s--when women were inspired by the African American struggle for civil rights and Black Power to organize around their own demands--made these changes possible. That's what transformed U.S. society from a place where a woman could be legally raped by her husband to one where women had the right to legal abortion. Instead of recognizing the role of political and social activism, books like The End of Men try to associate changes in women's lives with supposed unchanging differences between men and women. Rosin's conception is of "Cardboard Man" and "Plastic Woman"--with women possessing the ability to adapt and transform themselves to new work situations while men stagnate in their old unbending role. Women's successes, like men's failures, are, in the end, the product of the natural differences between the sexes. Thus, Rosin asked, in an article written for the Atlantic: What if the modern, postindustrial economy is simply more congenial to women than to men? For a long time, evolutionary psychologists have claimed that we are all imprinted with adaptive imperatives from a distant past: men are faster and stronger and hardwired to fight for scarce resources, and that shows up now as a drive to win on Wall Street; women are programmed to find good providers and to care for their offspring, and that is manifested in more nurturing and more flexible behavior, ordaining them to domesticity. This kind of thinking frames our sense of the natural order. But what if men and women were fulfilling not biological imperatives, but social roles, based on what was more efficient throughout a long era of human history? What if that era has now come to an end? More to the point, what if the economics of the new era are better suited to women? Women's supposed natural advantages in the modern world come down to being flexible and--believe it or not--their ability to sit still. "The postindustrial economy is indifferent to men's size and strength," Rosin writes. "The attributes that are most valuable today--social intelligence, open communication, the ability to sit still and focus--are, at a minimum, not predominantly male." First of all, this just isn't true--I know plenty of women who can't sit still. But the whole proposition makes a mockery of the reality of inequality, whether in the past, present or future. Sexism and discrimination do exist. Maybe it sells books to portray it all as a good-natured "battle of the sexes," where the question is who hunts and who nests, who's from Mars and who's from Venus. But there is a much more serious dynamic at play. Real discrimination and real sexism are a part of day-to-day life--and their roots lie not in any fundamental differences between men and women, but in the structure of our society. It isn't a coincidence of biology that women are unequal to men. It's part of the fabric of a capitalist society, where workers are pitted against one another in a multitude of ways. Gender is one of those ways, and that's what keeps women in a subservient role. If conditions and opportunities for women have improved at all, it's because there was a struggle to improve them--and that struggle was only possible when sexism and discrimination were acknowledged, faced and confronted. The fake men vs. women debate blurs the reality that working-class women and men have a common interest in improving their conditions of life together. Tucked away in The End of Men are a few important stories of men who have lost their jobs during the economic crisis and are struggling for a way forward. The lesson should be that the futures of working-class men and women are intertwined--and depend on a common struggle for a better life.

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Facebook. Twitter. MySpace. These social networking websites have become ever pervasive in modern life. They allow us to keep up with friends and family, as well as keep tabs onformer classmates and co-workers. They also serve many psychological functions such as providing a sense of being connected to others (however difficult it may be to establish the meaningfulness of these online relationships), a social comparison function, and bolstering one’s sense of identity (in that we can see ourselves through what others post about us or in response to us.) Despite the positive functions of these sites we may be exposing ourselves to an undesirable loss of privacy and even public scrutiny regarding the content we post online. Rusty DePass, a South Carolina Republican activist, wrote a private message to a friend that included a racist remark targeted at First Lady Michelle Obama. A local political blogger saw this message and now DePass’s comments are public fodder. While DePass’s case may not be the most sympathetic it does call into question the protections in place for content we would like to keep to ourselves or among close friends. Robin Wauters, a blogger for TechCrunch, recently wrote about FBHive a website which will allow anyone to take advantage of a security loophole to view private profile information. The fun innocuous image of sites like Facebook give users an apparently unwarranted sense of safety regarding the security of their “private” thoughts, feelings, and images. Internet and Popular Culture Online Social Networking

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God the Father and Embryo Advent suggests so many mysteries of God's patience. One rarely commented case is God as Father and embryo. It is extra Biblical so imagination can only begin to tell the bizarre tale. Gabriel's annunciation and appearance to Joseph begins the period of waiting and soul searching, but a remarkable gap exists in the Advent story. Luke 1:56 makes this cursory remark as though it would suffice: Take Action on This Issue Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. Presumably the second trimester of Mary's pregnancy is treated with a passing reference. If we simply take the divine conception of Jesus at face value, there was a moment in human history where God existed as Father in the heavens and embryo in Mary's uterus. Paradox of paradoxes. The Creator in utero. Luke does not give us what we need so desperately to peer into this divine mystery. Our innate curiosities explode with anticipation of any insight and insider information. Daily changes in the body of a young girl, budding woman, happened with virtually no commentary. I find this equally disturbing as Father God choosing Mary as the mother of a divinely human being. If such a tale should be at least give us some gory details, right? However, God the Eternal Spirit grew as a material embryo, and the record is mute. Could it be that Mary had a 'normal' pregnancy? Preposterous. Such an assumption assaults our over saturated imaginations. We see the depiction of God the Father resting a globe on his knee as imagined by Pieter de Grebber as very plausible and expected. In the full painting, God the Father invites Christ to sit next to him on the throne in Heaven following the Ascension of Christ. This makes sense to most of us Christians. The majesty of the 'old man in the sky' is familiar. Long white beard. Golden cloak and white robe. God the Father must be such. However, this presumed God of all might and capability took a young child, made her a woman and subjected her to a natural pregnancy. The mysterious embryo God indwells or inhabits known as Jesus, the one to shake the Heavens and to redeem the Earth, exists as a feeble and frail cluster of cells growing ever so quietly. Is it possible God the embryo grew like any other? Risking the possibility of miscarriage? Venturing into the plausible realm of complications of a natural birth? Mary's stomach ever-so-slowly demonstrated signs of the most ridiculous birth tale in human history. Hips widening to bear the weight of the immaterial God. Breasts developing milk for the nourishment of the nourisher. Life giver seeking life support from a young child mother. A tragic tale of early pregnancy would set the stage for this most wonderfully awkward narrative we Christians extol. This is the God we celebrate at Advent. Such an Advent moment waiting for the embryonic God overwhelms my sensibilities. The illogical and improbable, the absurd and ludicrous, the natural and expected? Surely God as Father would make a grand entrance into the world? There should be no pain, no labor, no normalcy. Sustained through the blood of a young girl. The signs we seek are so often unrequited with silence and a glaring command to wait and be patient. God must not rely on such weakness and expected means. How could an all powerful God do such a ridiculous thing as to make a divinely human conceived being be so base and common? The patience and mystery of God the Father using his own natural means of procreation to reach us all is a powerful demonstration of the degree we must wait and anticipate His coming in our lives. If an embryonic God did not burst forth from Mary's uterus, what makes us think God will do the same in the wombs of our dilemma's? If this God would use natural processes to perform the most extravagant of supernatural appearances, why can't Father God do the same for us today? Through the naturally supernatural environments we inhabit each moment. Advent teaches us that we can experience God in the waiting of mundane life. God the embryo lives in us, through us, when we open ourselves to birth of God's Spirit. The possibility is just as unlikely and feeble when we encounter such moments of nascent divinity inside. But these moments of love, joy and peace; patience, kindness and goodness; faithfulness, gentleness and self-control resemble the methods of the embryonic God of this Advent story. Photo: Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem, ©

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A joint special event during the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit 2009 (DSDS 2009) Congress "Localisation on Environmental Business and Supply Base in India". Dr Rajendra Pachauri is the Patron Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, and the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), the world’s first and North America’s only voluntary, legally binding integrated greenhouse gas emissions reduction, registry and trading system, today announced the launch of the Dow Jones/CCX European Carbon Index and Dow Jones/CCX Certified Emissions Reductions (CER) Index, which serve as benchmarks for participants seeking exposure to the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme and Kyoto Protocol Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), respectively. Renewable Energy Stocks Green Investor Audio Interview With Ezra Green, CEO and Chairman of Clear Skies Solar, Inc. (OTCBB: CSKH) Patented XTRAXR Technology Estimated at $500 Million Plans are underway for the third national conference on New Ideas in Educating a Workforce in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. This event will be held in the fall of 2009 in Albany, New York. The NABCEP PV Study Guide Committee is please to announce version 4.0 of the NABCEP PV Study Guide, which is “substantively reorganized from the earlier version” according to Bill Brooks, Chair of the Committee. The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) voted last week to terminate Florida Power & Light Company’s (FPL) Sunshine Energy Program and place any future customer contributions to the program into an escrow account. PSC Commissioners further directed its staff to continue to pursue an audit of how the funds were utilized by Green Mountain Energy Company, a third party renewable contractor. The results of this audit will be considered in a future PSC meeting. Following a two year period of research and planning, NexPower Technology Corporation, a subsidiary of United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), has decided to establish a new solar cell manufacturing plant in Taiwan through a contract with ULVAC. Our utility is not in the sunny Southwest. Does it still make sense to create solar programs for our customers? — Larry T., Walla Walla, WA Oregon Public Utility Commission Gives a Green Light to Third-Party Ownership of On-Site Solar and Wind Facilities On July 31, 2008, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (“the OPUC”) issued an Order that paves the way for developers to build and operate solar and wind facilities on property that belongs to utility customers. The Order comes less than two months after Honeywell International, Inc., Honeywell Global Finance, LLC, and PacifiCorp filed a joint petition with the OPUC seeking a declaratory ruling to resolve questions about how Oregon law and OPUC regulations would apply to solar facilities that are installed on a utility customer’s property but are owned by a third-party developer. See In re Honeywell et al., Docket No. DR 40, Order No. 08-388 (OPUC July 31, 2008). Chief Administrative Law Judge Michael Grant reduced the questions down to two key issues: (1) whether a customer is eligible for net metering under such an arrangement, and (2) whether the developer is subject to regulation by the OPUC. The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the two non-profits that have presented the Solar Power Conference and Expo since 2004, have announced that effective immediately, the event will be renamed Solar Power International.

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Let and be two differentiable functions. We will say that and are proportional if and only if there exists a constant C such that . Clearly any function is proportional to the zero-function. If the constant C is not important in nature and we are only interested into the proportionality of the two functions, then we would like to come up with an equivalent criteria. The following statements are equivalent: Therefore, we have the following: Define the Wronskian of and to be , that is The following formula is very useful (see reduction of order technique): Remark: Proportionality of two functions is equivalent to their linear dependence. Following the above discussion, we may use the Wronskian to determine the dependence or independence of two functions. In fact, the above discussion cannot be reproduced as is for more than two functions while the Wronskian does....

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Published May 2008 Properly located digital signage in high traffic areas on school campuses provides students and faculty with a convenient resource to stay up to date about the latest school news and activities. Signage in Education By Anthony D. Coppedge Technology gets high marks. Digital media and communications have come to play a vital role in people’s everyday lives, and a visit to the local K-12 school, college or university campus quickly illustrates the many ways in which individuals rely on audio and visual technologies each day. The shift from analog media to digital, represented by milestones ranging from the replacement of the Walkman by the MP3 player to the DTV transition currently enabling broadcasts beyond the home to mobile devices, has redefined the options that larger institutions, including those in our educational system, have for sharing information across the campus and facilities. Flexible And Efficient Digital signage, in particular, is proving to be a flexible and efficient tool for delivering specific and up-to-date information within the educational environment. As a high-resolution, high-impact medium, it lives up to the now-widespread expectation that visual media be crisp and clear, displayed on a large screen. Although the appeal of implementing digital signage networks does stem, in part, from plummeting screen prices and sophisticated content delivery systems, what’s equally or more important is that digital signage provides valuable information to the people who need it, when and where they need it. On school campuses—whether preschool, elementary, high school or post-secondary institutions—it does so effectively, for both educational purposes and for the security and safety of staff, administration and the student body as a whole. School campuses have begun leveraging digital signage technology in addition to, or in place of, printed material, such as course schedules, content and location; time-sensitive school news and updates; maps and directions; welcome messages for visitors and applicants; and event schedules. Digital signage simplifies creation and delivery of multiple channels of targeted content to different displays on the network. Although a display in the college admissions office might provide prospective students with a glimpse into student life, for example, another display outside a lab or seminar room might present the courses or lectures scheduled for that space throughout the day. This model of a distribution concept illustrates a school distributing educational content over a public TV broadcast network. At the K-12 level, digital signage makes it easy to deliver information such as team or band practice schedules, or to post the cafeteria menu and give students information encouraging sound food choices. Digital signage in the preschool and daycare setting makes it easy for teachers and caregivers to share targeted educational programming with their classes. Among the most striking benefits of communicating through digital signage is the quality of the pictures and the flexibility with which images, text and video can be combined in one or more windows to convey information. Studies have shown that dynamic signage is noticed significantly more often than are static displays and, furthermore, that viewers are more likely to remember that dynamic content. Though most regularly updated digital signage content tends to be text-based, digital signage networks also have the capacity to enable the live campus-wide broadcast of key events: a speech by a visiting dignitary, the basketball team’s first trip to the state or national tournament, or even the proceedings at commencement and graduation. When time is short, it’s impractical to gather the entire student body in one place or there simply isn’t the time or means to deliver the live message in any other way. The ability to share critical information to the entire school community, clearly and without delay, has made digital signage valuable as a tool for emergency response and communications. Parents, administrators, teachers and students today can’t help but be concerned about the school’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to a dangerous situation, whether the threat be from another person, an environmental hazard, an unpredictable weather system or some other menace. Digital signage screens installed across a school campus can be updated immediately to warn students and staff of the danger, and to provide unambiguous instructions for seeking shelter or safety: where to go and what to do. Although early digital signage systems relied on IP-based networks and point-to-point connections between a player and each display, current solutions operate on far less costly and much more scalable platforms. Broadcast-based digital signage models allow content to be distributed remotely from a single data source via transport media, such as digital television broadcast, satellite, broadband and WiMAX. The staff member responsible for maintaining the digital signage network can use popular content creation toolsets to populate both dynamic and static displays. This content is uploaded to a server that, in turn, feeds the digital signage network via broadcast, much like datacasting, to the receive site for playout. By slotting specific content into predefined display templates, each section with its own playlist, the administrator can schedule display of multiple elements simultaneously or a single-window static, video or animated display. The playlist enables delivery of the correct elements to the targeted display both at the scheduled time and in the appropriate layout. In networks with multicast-enabled routers, the administrator can schedule unique content for displays in different locations. In the case of delivering emergency preparedness or response information across a campus, content can be created through the same back-office software used for day-to-day digital signage displays. Within the broadcast-based model, three components ensure the smooth delivery of content to each display. A transmission component serves as a content hub, allocating bandwidth and inserting content into the broadcast stream based on the schedule dictated by the network’s content management component. Content is encapsulated into IP packets that, in turn, are encapsulated into MPEG2 packets for delivery. Generic content distribution model for digital signage solution. The content management component of the digital signage network provides for organization and scheduling of content, as well as targeting of that content to specific receivers. Flexibility in managing the digital signage system enables distribution of the same emergency message across all receivers and associated displays, or the delivery of select messages to particular displays within the larger network. With tight control over the message being distributed, school administrators can immediately provide the information that students and staff in different parts of the campus need to maintain the safest possible environment. Receivers can be set to confirm receipt of content, in turn assuring administrative and emergency personnel that their communications are, in fact, being conveyed as intended. On the receiving end, the third component of the system, content, is extracted from the digital broadcast stream and fed to the display screen. The relationships that many colleges and universities share with public TV stations provide an excellent opportunity for establishing a digital signage network. Today, the deployed base of broadcast-based content distribution systems in public TV stations is capable of reaching 50% of the US population. These stations’ DTV bandwidth is used not only for television programming, but also to generate new revenues and aggressively support public charters by providing efficient delivery of multimedia content for education, homeland security and other public services. Educational institutions affiliated with such broadcasters already have the technology, and much of the necessary infrastructure, in place to launch a digital signage network. In taking advantage of the public broadcaster’s content delivery system, the college or university also can tap into the station’s existing links with area emergency response agencies. As digital signage technology continues to evolve, educational institutions will be able to extend both urgent alerts and more mundane daily communications over text and email messaging. Smart content distribution systems will push consistent information to screens of all sizes, providing messages not only to displays, but also to the cell phones and PDAs so ubiquitous in US schools. The continued evolution of MPH technology will support this enhancement in delivery of messages directly to each student. MPH in-band mobile DTV technology leverages ATSC DTV broadcasts to enable extensions of digital signage and broadcast content directly to personal devices, whether stationary or on the move. Rather than rely on numerous unrelated systems, such as ringing bells, written memos and intercom announcements, schools can unify messaging and its delivery, in turn reducing the redundancy involved in maintaining communications with the student body. An effective digital signage network provides day-to-day benefits for an elementary school, high school, college or university while providing invaluable emergency communications capabilities that increasingly are considered a necessity, irrespective of whether they get put to the test. The selection of an appropriate digital signage model depends, of course, on the needs of the organization. Educational institutions share many of the same concerns held by counterparts in the corporate world, and key among those concerns is the simple matter of getting long-term value and use out of their technical investments. However, before even addressing the type of content the school wishes to create and distribute, the systems integrator, consultant or other AV and media professional should work with the eventual operators of the digital signage network to identify and map out the existing workflow. Once the system designer, integrator or installer has evaluated how staff currently work in an emergency to distribute information, he then can adjust established processes and adapt them to the digital signage model. The administrative staff who will be expected to update or import schedules to the digital signage system will have a much lower threshold of acceptance for a workflow that is completely unfamiliar or at odds with all their previous experience. An intuitive, easy-to-use system is more likely to be used in an emergency if it has become familiar in everyday practice. Turnkey digital signage solutions provide end-to-end functionality without forcing users and integrators to work with multiple systems and interfaces. The key in selecting a vendor lies in ensuring that they share the same vision and are moving in the same direction as the end user. In addition to providing ease of use, digital signage solutions for the education market also must provide a high level of built-in security, preventing abuse or misuse by hackers, or by those without the knowledge, experience or authority to distribute content over the network. Because the network is a conduit for emergency messaging, its integrity must be protected. So, the installer must not only identify the number of screens to be used and where, but also determine who gets access to the system and how that access remains secure. Scalable systems that can grow in number of displays or accommodate infrastructure improvements and distribution of higher-bandwidth content will provide the long-term utility that makes the investment worthwhile. By going into the project with an understanding of existing infrastructure, such as cabling, firewalls, etc., and the client’s goals, the professional is equipped to advise the customer as to the necessity, options and costs for enhancing or improving on that infrastructure. As with any other significant deployment of AV technology, the installation of a digital signage network also requires knowledge of the site, local building codes, the availability of power and so forth. Ralph Bachofen, senior director of Product Management and Marketing, Triveni Digital, has more than 15 years of experience in voice and multimedia over Internet Protocol (IP), telecommunications and the semiconductor business. The infrastructure requirements of a school in deploying a digital signage network will vary, depending on the type of content being delivered through the system. HD and streaming content clearly are bandwidth hogs, whereas tickers and other text-based messages put a low demand on bandwidth. Most facilities today are equipped with Gigabit Ethernet networks that can handle the demands of live video delivery and lighter content. However, even bandwidth-heavy video can be delivered by less robust networks, as larger clips can be “trickled” over time to the site, as long as storage on the unit is adequate. There is no set standard for the bandwidth required, just as there is no single way to use a digital signage solution. It all depends on how the system will be used, and that’s an important detail to address up front. Most digital signage solutions feature built-in content-creation tools and accept content from third-party applications, as well. Staff members who oversee the system thus can use familiar applications to create up-to-date content for the school’s digital signage network. This continuity in workflow adds to the value and efficiency of the network in everyday use, reducing the administrative burden while serving as a safeguard in the event of an emergency. For educational institutions, the enormous potential of the digital signage network can open new doors for communicating with students and staff, but only if it is put to use effectively. Comprehensive digital signage solutions offer ease of use to administration, deliver clear and useful messaging on ordinary days and during crises, and feature robust design and underlying technology that supports continual use well into the future.

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Here they are, my top 10 life lessons boiled down. I regularly ask people I know for their 10 best lessons in life. Everybody has lessons to share whether it’s about their best skill or it’s their life lessons learned. I figured since I regularly ask people for their best lessons, I might share some of mine. This particular set is the result of me thinking really hard for 10 minutes (at which point I had to send my email), so they are likely to change as I give them more thought. As you’ll see below, there’s an important lesson I learned that helped me settle for these 10 lessons as “good enough for now”, with the idea that I can revisit later. My Top 10 Lessons Here is a summary of my top 10 lessons learned in life: - Lesson 1. Model the best. - Lesson 2. Be YOUR best. - Lesson 3. Set boundaries. - Lesson 4. Life’s not static. - Lesson 5. Follow the growth. - Lesson 6. Focus on one pitch at a time. - Lesson 7. Version your perfection. - Lesson 8. It’s what you know and who you know. - Lesson 9. Use metaphors to shape your experience. - Lesson 10. Structure your success. Lesson 1. Model the Best. If you want to be great at something, learn from the best. Find the best of the best. When I studied martial arts, I studied Bill Superfoot Wallace. He set a bar I never would have imagined possible. That’s what heroes do. They inspire and they prove a path. I learn from everyone around me. I find their super skill, and they are usually more than happy to share what they know. Lesson 2. Be Your Best. You can’t always be THE best, but you can always be YOUR best. You can’t ask yourself for more than that. Because I always modeled from the best, I always felt like I missed the mark. I had to learn 3 things: 1) When you’re just starting out, you’re the sapling. The might oak took time. 2) Enjoy the journey. 3) Your best is not the same as somebody else’s. I remember John Wooden saying in an interview once that the key to his peace of mind was knowing that he gave his best. I think the key to giving your best, is knowing where you have your best to give, and playing to your strengths. The thing that always keeps me going here is I remember that giving up is easy. Forgiving yourself is not. I don’t want to be on the rocking chair thinking, what if I gave just a little more. Lesson 3. Set Boundaries. Sure, set boundaries says the guy who regularly worked 100+ hours. That’s what playing to your strengths and following your passion can do to you. I didn’t burn out. Passion fueled me. I just didn’t know when to stop. I also didn’t know that limits are your friend. I have a simple frame now for setting boundaries, and I invest in my life hot spots: mind, body, emotions, career, financial, relationships, and fun. Another key to boundaries is knowing your values. This is especially true if you’re a people pleaser. You can aim to please, but don’t lose yourself in the process. Lesson 4. Life’s Not Static. When I was younger, I thought I would make a lot of money and then live off of it. I was thinking like a static lake instead of a flowing river. Things flow in and things flow out. People flow in and people flow out. Your body changes. Your skills change over time. I’m regularly surprised by how people have made something more of themselves or how they’ve let themselves go. It’s also a reminder to find a sustainable path in life. Seasons change, and there are cycles to everything. It’s the ebb and flow, along with the waxing and waning. Lesson 5. Follow the Growth. This goes hand-in-hand with life’s not static. When you get on your surfboard of life, follow the growth. Find the waves, and when there’s no wave make one. I pick projects that grow me. I find people that grow me. I look to the market and I find the growth. Related to this, it’s important to know when to quit. Cut your losses. Quitting the right things and sticking with the right things is an art and science. It means knowing yourself and working on your anticipation skills. I regularly look to the future, find the trends, and figure out where to put my time and energy for the best waves. Life’s not static. You’re growing or dying, climbing or sliding. Don’t merely be a shadow of your former self. Become the mighty Oak. Lesson 6. Focus on One Pitch at a Time. Focus on one pitch at a time, but check the scoreboard now and then. Your brain works better when it’s in the zone. Your get in the zone by being in the moment. When I catch myself focusing too much on the scoreboard, I remind myself to keep my eye on the ball. This improves my focus, and it helps me find my flow. I make a time to check the scoreboard, but I don’t let it disrupt my focus or rattle my cage. It’s the key to how I knock the ball out of the park. Lesson 7. Version Your Perfection. When you try to be your best and you model from excellence, it can be tough to set the right bar at a given point in time. There’s never enough time and you can never be too good. Surprisingly, I didn’t learn one of my most important lessons until I joined Microsoft. version your perfection. Focus on “good enough for now” and improve with each release. Getting incrementally better over time is better than never being good enough, or never being ready. I get from idea to done quickly, and then I improve. Feedback is your friend. It’s a learning loop. I’d rather get the learnings and results from 20 dry runs, than one *perfect* run, that falls short. Good enough for today, means I’ll be back in the batters box, swinging better tomorrow. It’s this very lesson that let me have 10 life lessons for now, while I can refine again later, and this is a key concept behind my You 2.0 guide. Lesson 8. It’s What You Know and Who You Know Just when you thought being good enough, was good enough. Unfortunately, in my experience, it’s never been the case. The people in your life can create or limit opportunities. If you keep bumping into glass ceilings, you might be trying to go it alone. Life’s a team sport and it’s better together. You’re the sum of your network, and in today’s landscape, your network will open or close doors for you. Life’s not static and neither is your network. Tune it and prune it like a Bonzai tree. Add the catalysts to your life, and limit the time you spend with the drains. Life’s too short, not to stack yourself for success. Lesson 9. Use Metaphors to Shape Your Experience The metaphors you use can bring you down, or lift you up. Is your life a tragedy or a comedy or a drama? Are you nose to the grindstone or unleashing your best? Connect your metaphors to your values and you light up your life. Adventure is one of my values. I found this out at one of my recent leadership trainings. Suddenly thinks make so much more sense. It runs deep. I always thought I was going to be Indiana Jones (but with Numchucks instead of a whip.) I’ve got a lust for the open road, whether I’m on my motorcycle or in my Jeep with the top down. When I first joined Microsoft, the words “Go West young man!” echoed through my mind. Whenever I lead a project, I make it an epic adventure. When life’s an adventure, you deal with the pitfalls. Figure out what your metaphors are and if they aren’t working for you, swap them out. Lesson 10. Structure Your Success The most effective people I know set themselves up for success. They have personal success patterns for thinking, feeling, and doing. They have checklists, mantras, and metaphors that remind them of what works, and they throw away what doesn’t. I’ve made success a journey and I continuously learn and refine patterns and practices for mind, body, emotions, career, financial, relationships and fun. This helps me deal with the set backs and always find a way forward. I’ve learned coping strategies for some of life’s worst scenarios. I’ve adopted some simple practices for weekly results, such as my Monday Vision, Daily Outcomes, and Friday Reflection pattern that help me get back on my horse, when I get knocked down. It’s more than just at the personal level. I also structure success at the social and environment level. Who I hang with and the container I’m in is an important influence. Your container limits or enables you. Your personal development helps you succeed, but your container helps you amplify your results, and your support network can help you get back on your feet when you need it most. I’ll have more for another day. I think it’s about time for me to compile my best of the best life lessons learned. Consider this a starter set and version 1.0. How about you? What’s your top life lessons learned? Photo by Official Star Wars Blog.

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How We Found the Missing Memristor The memristor--the functional equivalent of a synapse--could revolutionize circuit design Image: Bryan Christie Design THINKING MACHINE This artist's conception of a memristor shows a stack of multiple crossbar arrays, the fundamental structure of R. Stanley Williams's device. Because memristors behave functionally like synapses, replacing a few transistors in a circuit with memristors could lead to analog circuits that can think like a human brain. It’s time to stop shrinking. Moore’s Law, the semiconductor industry’s obsession with the shrinking of transistors and their commensurate steady doubling on a chip about every two years, has been the source of a 50-year technical and economic revolution. Whether this scaling paradigm lasts for five more years or 15, it will eventually come to an end. The emphasis in electronics design will have to shift to devices that are not just increasingly infinitesimal but increasingly capable. Earlier this year, I and my colleagues at Hewlett-Packard Labs, in Palo Alto, Calif., surprised the electronics community with a fascinating candidate for such a device: the memristor. It had been theorized nearly 40 years ago, but because no one had managed to build one, it had long since become an esoteric curiosity. That all changed on 1 May, when my group published the details of the memristor in Nature. Combined with transistors in a hybrid chip, memristors could radically improve the performance of digital circuits without shrinking transistors. Using transistors more efficiently could in turn give us another decade, at least, of Moore’s Law performance improvement, without requiring the costly and increasingly difficult doublings of transistor density on chips. In the end, memristors might even become the cornerstone of new analog circuits that compute using an architecture much like that of the brain. For nearly 150 years, the known fundamental passive circuit elements were limited to the capacitor (discovered in 1745), the resistor (1827), and the inductor (1831). Then, in a brilliant but underappreciated 1971 paper, Leon Chua, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, predicted the existence of a fourth fundamental device, which he called a memristor. He proved that memristor behavior could not be duplicated by any circuit built using only the other three elements, which is why the memristor is truly fundamental. Memristor is a contraction of ”memory resistor,” because that is exactly its function: to remember its history. A memristor is a two-terminal device whose resistance depends on the magnitude and polarity of the voltage applied to it and the length of time that voltage has been applied. When you turn off the voltage, the memristor remembers its most recent resistance until the next time you turn it on, whether that happens a day later or a year later. Think of a resistor as a pipe through which water flows. The water is electric charge. The resistor’s obstruction of the flow of charge is comparable to the diameter of the pipe: the narrower the pipe, the greater the resistance. For the history of circuit design, resistors have had a fixed pipe diameter. But a memristor is a pipe that changes diameter with the amount and direction of water that flows through it. If water flows through this pipe in one direction, it expands (becoming less resistive). But send the water in the opposite direction and the pipe shrinks (becoming more resistive). Further, the memristor remembers its diameter when water last went through. Turn off the flow and the diameter of the pipe ”freezes” until the water is turned back on. That freezing property suits memristors brilliantly for computer memory. The ability to indefinitely store resistance values means that a memristor can be used as a nonvolatile memory. That might not sound like very much, but go ahead and pop the battery out of your laptop, right now—no saving, no quitting, nothing. You’d lose your work, of course. But if your laptop were built using a memory based on memristors, when you popped the battery back in, your screen would return to life with everything exactly as you left it: no lengthy reboot, no half-dozen auto-recovered files. But the memristor’s potential goes far beyond instant-on computers to embrace one of the grandest technology challenges: mimicking the functions of a brain. Within a decade, memristors could let us emulate, instead of merely simulate, networks of neurons and synapses. Many research groups have been working toward a brain in silico: IBM’s Blue Brain project, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Farm, and Harvard’s Center for Brain Science are just three. However, even a mouse brain simulation in real time involves solving an astronomical number of coupled partial differential equations. A digital computer capable of coping with this staggering workload would need to be the size of a small city, and powering it would require several dedicated nuclear power plants. Memristors can be made extremely small, and they function like synapses. Using them, we will be able to build analog electronic circuits that could fit in a shoebox and function according to the same physical principles as a brain. A hybrid circuit—containing many connected memristors and transistors—could help us research actual brain function and disorders. Such a circuit might even lead to machines that can recognize patterns the way humans can, in those critical ways computers can’t—for example, picking a particular face out of a crowd even if it has changed significantly since our last memory of it. The story of the memristor is truly one for the history books. When Leon Chua, now an IEEE Fellow, wrote his seminal paper predicting the memristor, he was a newly minted and rapidly rising professor at UC Berkeley. Chua had been fighting for years against what he considered the arbitrary restriction of electronic circuit theory to linear systems. He was convinced that nonlinear electronics had much more potential than the linear circuits that dominate electronics technology to this day. Chua discovered a missing link in the pairwise mathematical equations that relate the four circuit quantities—charge, current, voltage, and magnetic flux—to one another. These can be related in six ways. Two are connected through the basic physical laws of electricity and magnetism, and three are related by the known circuit elements: resistors connect voltage and current, inductors connect flux and current, and capacitors connect voltage and charge. But one equation is missing from this group: the relationship between charge moving through a circuit and the magnetic flux surrounded by that circuit—or more subtly, a mathematical doppelgänger defined by Faraday’s Law as the time integral of the voltage across the circuit. This distinction is the crux of a raging Internet debate about the legitimacy of our memristor [see sidebar, ”Resistance to Memristance ”]. Chua’s memristor was a purely mathematical construct that had more than one physical realization. What does that mean? Consider a battery and a transformer. Both provide identical voltages—for example, 12 volts of direct current—but they do so by entirely different mechanisms: the battery by a chemical reaction going on inside the cell and the transformer by taking a 110â¿¿V ac input, stepping that down to 12 V ac, and then transforming that into 12 V dc. The end result is mathematically identical—both will run an electric shaver or a cellphone, but the physical source of that 12 V is completely different. Conceptually, it was easy to grasp how electric charge could couple to magnetic flux, but there was no obvious physical interaction between charge and the integral over the voltage. Chua demonstrated mathematically that his hypothetical device would provide a relationship between flux and charge similar to what a nonlinear resistor provides between voltage and current. In practice, that would mean the device’s resistance would vary according to the amount of charge that passed through it. And it would remember that resistance value even after the current was turned off. He also noticed something else—that this behavior reminded him of the way synapses function in a brain. Even before Chua had his eureka moment, however, many researchers were reporting what they called ”anomalous” current-voltage behavior in the micrometer-scale devices they had built out of unconventional materials, like polymers and metal oxides. But the idiosyncrasies were usually ascribed to some mystery electrochemical reaction, electrical breakdown, or other spurious phenomenon attributed to the high voltages that researchers were applying to their devices. As it turns out, a great many of these reports were unrecognized examples of memristance. After Chua theorized the memristor out of the mathematical ether, it took another 35 years for us to intentionally build the device at HP Labs, and we only really understood the device about two years ago. So what took us so long? It’s all about scale. We now know that memristance is an intrinsic property of any electronic circuit. Its existence could have been deduced by Gustav Kirchhoff or by James Clerk Maxwell, if either had considered nonlinear circuits in the 1800s. But the scales at which electronic devices have been built for most of the past two centuries have prevented experimental observation of the effect. It turns out that the influence of memristance obeys an inverse square law: memristance is a million times as important at the nanometer scale as it is at the micrometer scale, and it’s essentially unobservable at the millimeter scale and larger. As we build smaller and smaller devices, memristance is becoming more noticeable and in some cases dominant. That’s what accounts for all those strange results researchers have described. Memristance has been hidden in plain sight all along. But in spite of all the clues, our finding the memristor was completely serendipitous. In 1995, I was recruited to HP Labs to start up a fundamental research group that had been proposed by David Packard. He decided that the company had become large enough to dedicate a research group to long-term projects that would be protected from the immediate needs of the business units. Packard had an altruistic vision that HP should ”return knowledge to the well of fundamental science from which HP had been withdrawing for so long.” At the same time, he understood that long-term research could be the strategic basis for technologies and inventions that would directly benefit HP in the future. HP gave me a budget and four researchers. But beyond the comment that ”molecular-scale electronics” would be interesting and that we should try to have something useful in about 10 years, I was given carte blanche to pursue any topic we wanted. We decided to take on Moore’s Law. At the time, the dot-com bubble was still rapidly inflating its way toward a resounding pop, and the existing semiconductor road map didn’t extend past 2010. The critical feature size for the transistors on an integrated circuit was 350 nanometers; we had a long way to go before atomic sizes would become a limitation. And yet, the eventual end of Moore’s Law was obvious. Someday semiconductor researchers would have to confront physics-based limits to their relentless descent into the infinitesimal, if for no other reason than that a transistor cannot be smaller than an atom. (Today the smallest components of transistors on integrated circuits are roughly 45 nm wide, or about 220 silicon atoms.) That’s when we started to hang out with Phil Kuekes, the creative force behind the Teramac (tera-operation-per-second multiarchitecture computer)—an experimental supercomputer built at HP Labs primarily from defective parts, just to show it could be done. He gave us the idea to build an architecture that would work even if a substantial number of the individual devices in the circuit were dead on arrival. We didn’t know what those devices would be, but our goal was electronics that would keep improving even after the devices got so small that defective ones would become common. We ate a lot of pizza washed down with appropriate amounts of beer and speculated about what this mystery nanodevice would be. We were designing something that wouldn’t even be relevant for another 10 to 15 years. It was possible that by then devices would have shrunk down to the molecular scale envisioned by David Packard or perhaps even be molecules. We could think of no better way to anticipate this than by mimicking the Teramac at the nanoscale. We decided that the simplest abstraction of the Teramac architecture was the crossbar, which has since become the de facto standard for nanoscale circuits because of its simplicity, adaptability, and redundancy. The crossbar is an array of perpendicular wires. Anywhere two wires cross, they are connected by a switch. To connect a horizontal wire to a vertical wire at any point on the grid, you must close the switch between them. Our idea was to open and close these switches by applying voltages to the ends of the wires. Note that a crossbar array is basically a storage system, with an open switch representing a zero and a closed switch representing a one. You read the data by probing the switch with a small voltage. Like everything else at the nanoscale, the switches and wires of a crossbar are bound to be plagued by at least some nonfunctional components. These components will be only a few atoms wide, and the second law of thermodynamics ensures that we will not be able to completely specify the position of every atom. However, a crossbar architecture builds in redundancy by allowing you to route around any parts of the circuit that don’t work. Because of their simplicity, crossbar arrays have a much higher density of switches than a comparable integrated circuit based on transistors. But implementing such a storage system was easier said than done. Many research groups were working on such a cross-point memory—and had been since the 1950s. Even after 40 years of research, they had no product on the market. Still, that didn’t stop them from trying. That’s because the potential for a truly nanoscale crossbar memory is staggering; picture carrying around the entire Library of Congress on a thumb drive. One of the major impediments for prior crossbar memory research was the small off-to-on resistance ratio of the switches (40 years of research had never produced anything surpassing a factor of 2 or 3). By comparison, modern transistors have an off-to-on resistance ratio of 10 000 to 1. We calculated that to get a high-performance memory, we had to make switches with a resistance ratio of at least 1000 to 1. In other words, in its off state, a switch had to be 1000 times as resistive to the flow of current as it was in its on state. What mechanism could possibly give a nanometer-scale device a three-orders-of-magnitude resistance ratio? We found the answer in scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), an area of research I had been pursuing for a decade. A tunneling microscope generates atomic-resolution images by scanning a very sharp needle across a surface and measuring the electric current that flows between the atoms at the tip of the needle and the surface the needle is probing. The general rule of thumb in STM is that moving that tip 0.1 nm closer to a surface increases the tunneling current by one order of magnitude. We needed some similar mechanism by which we could change the effective spacing between two wires in our crossbar by 0.3 nm. If we could do that, we would have the 1000:1 electrical switching ratio we needed. Our constraints were getting ridiculous. Where would we find a material that could change its physical dimensions like that? That is how we found ourselves in the realm of molecular electronics. Conceptually, our device was like a tiny sandwich. Two platinum electrodes (the intersecting wires of the crossbar junction) functioned as the ”bread” on either end of the device. We oxidized the surface of the bottom platinum wire to make an extremely thin layer of platinum dioxide, which is highly conducting. Next, we assembled a dense film, only one molecule thick, of specially designed switching molecules. Over this ”monolayer” we deposited a 2- to 3-nm layer of titanium metal, which bonds strongly to the molecules and was intended to glue them together. The final layer was the top platinum electrode. The molecules were supposed to be the actual switches. We built an enormous number of these devices, experimenting with a wide variety of exotic molecules and configurations, including rotaxanes, special switching molecules designed by James Heath and Fraser Stoddart at the University of California, Los Angeles. The rotaxane is like a bead on a string, and with the right voltage, the bead slides from one end of the string to the other, causing the electrical resistance of the molecule to rise or fall, depending on the direction it moves. Heath and Stoddart’s devices used silicon electrodes, and they worked, but not well enough for technological applications: the off-to-on resistance ratio was only a factor of 10, the switching was slow, and the devices tended to switch themselves off after 15 minutes. Our platinum devices yielded results that were nothing less than frustrating. When a switch worked, it was spectacular: our off-to-on resistance ratios shot past the 1000 mark, the devices switched too fast for us to even measure, and having switched, the device’s resistance state remained stable for years (we still have some early devices we test every now and then, and we have never seen a significant change in resistance). But our fantastic results were inconsistent. Worse yet, the success or failure of a device never seemed to depend on the same thing. We had no physical model for how these devices worked. Instead of rational engineering, we were reduced to performing huge numbers of Edisonian experiments, varying one parameter at a time and attempting to hold all the rest constant. Even our switching molecules were betraying us; it seemed like we could use anything at all. In our desperation, we even turned to long-chain fatty acids—essentially soap—as the molecules in our devices. There’s nothing in soap that should switch, and yet some of the soap devices switched phenomenally. We also made control devices with no molecule monolayers at all. None of them switched. We were frustrated and burned out. Here we were, in late 2002, six years into our research. We had something that worked, but we couldn’t figure out why, we couldn’t model it, and we sure couldn’t engineer it. That’s when Greg Snider, who had worked with Kuekes on the Teramac, brought me the Chua memristor paper from the September 1971 IEEE Transactions on Circuits Theory. ”I don’t know what you guys are building,” he told me, ”but this is what I want.” To this day, I have no idea how Greg happened to come across that paper. Few people had read it, fewer had understood it, and fewer still had cited it. At that point, the paper was 31 years old and apparently headed for the proverbial dustbin of history. I wish I could say I took one look and yelled, ”Eureka!” But in fact, the paper sat on my desk for months before I even tried to read it. When I did study it, I found the concepts and the equations unfamiliar and hard to follow. But I kept at it because something had caught my eye, as it had Greg’s: Chua had included a graph that looked suspiciously similar to the experimental data we were collecting. The graph described the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics that Chua had plotted for his memristor. Chua had called them ”pinched-hysteresis loops”; we called our I-V characteristics ”bow ties.” A pinched hysteresis loop looks like a diagonal infinity symbol with the center at the zero axis, when plotted on a graph of current against voltage. The voltage is first increased from zero to a positive maximum value, then decreased to a minimum negative value and finally returned to zero. The bow ties on our graphs were nearly identical [see graphic, ”Bow Ties”]. That’s not all. The total change in the resistance we had measured in our devices also depended on how long we applied the voltage: the longer we applied a positive voltage, the lower the resistance until it reached a minimum value. And the longer we applied a negative voltage, the higher the resistance became until it reached a maximum limiting value. When we stopped applying the voltage, whatever resistance characterized the device was frozen in place, until we reset it by once again applying a voltage. The loop in the I-V curve is called hysteresis, and this behavior is startlingly similar to how synapses operate: synaptic connections between neurons can be made stronger or weaker depending on the polarity, strength, and length of a chemical or electrical signal. That’s not the kind of behavior you find in today’s circuits. Looking at Chua’s graphs was maddening. We now had a big clue that memristance had something to do with our switches. But how? Why should our molecular junctions have anything to do with the relationship between charge and magnetic flux? I couldn’t make the connection. Two years went by. Every once in a while I would idly pick up Chua’s paper, read it, and each time I understood the concepts a little more. But our experiments were still pretty much trial and error. The best we could do was to make a lot of devices and find the ones that worked. But our frustration wasn’t for nothing: by 2004, we had figured out how to do a little surgery on our little sandwiches. We built a gadget that ripped the tiny devices open so that we could peer inside them and do some forensics. When we pried them apart, the little sandwiches separated at their weakest point: the molecule layer. For the first time, we could get a good look at what was going on inside. We were in for a shock. What we had was not what we had built. Recall that we had built a sandwich with two platinum electrodes as the bread and filled with three layers: the platinum dioxide, the monolayer film of switching molecules, and the film of titanium. But that’s not what we found. Under the molecular layer, instead of platinum dioxide, there was only pure platinum. Above the molecular layer, instead of titanium, we found an unexpected and unusual layer of titanium dioxide. The titanium had sucked the oxygen right out of the platinum dioxide! The oxygen atoms had somehow migrated through the molecules and been consumed by the titanium. This was especially surprising because the switching molecules had not been significantly perturbed by this event—they were intact and well ordered, which convinced us that they must be doing something important in the device. The chemical structure of our devices was not at all what we had thought it was. The titanium dioxide—a stable compound found in sunscreen and white paint—was not just regular titanium dioxide. It had split itself up into two chemically different layers. Adjacent to the molecules, the oxide was stoichiometric TiO 2 , meaning the ratio of oxygen to titanium was perfect, exactly 2 to 1. But closer to the top platinum electrode, the titanium dioxide was missing a tiny amount of its oxygen, between 2 and 3 percent. We called this oxygen-deficient titanium dioxide TiO 2-x , where x is about 0.05. Because of this misunderstanding, we had been performing the experiment backward. Every time I had tried to create a switching model, I had reversed the switching polarity. In other words, I had predicted that a positive voltage would switch the device off and a negative voltage would switch it on. In fact, exactly the opposite was true. It was time to get to know titanium dioxide a lot better. They say three weeks in the lab will save you a day in the library every time. In August of 2006 I did a literature search and found about 300 relevant papers on titanium dioxide. I saw that each of the many different communities researching titanium dioxide had its own way of describing the compound. By the end of the month, the pieces had fallen into place. I finally knew how our device worked. I knew why we had a memristor. The exotic molecule monolayer in the middle of our sandwich had nothing to do with the actual switching. Instead, what it did was control the flow of oxygen from the platinum dioxide into the titanium to produce the fairly uniform layers of TiO 2 and TiO 2-x . The key to the switching was this bilayer of the two different titanium dioxide species [see diagram, ”How Memristance Works”]. The TiO 2 is electrically insulating (actually a semiconductor), but the TiO 2-x is conductive, because its oxygen vacancies are donors of electrons, which makes the vacancies themselves positively charged. The vacancies can be thought of like bubbles in a glass of beer, except that they don’t pop—they can be pushed up and down at will in the titanium dioxide material because they are electrically charged. Now I was able to predict the switching polarity of the device. If a positive voltage is applied to the top electrode of the device, it will repel the (also positive) oxygen vacancies in the TiO 2-x layer down into the pure TiO 2 layer. That turns the TiO 2 layer into TiO 2-x and makes it conductive, thus turning the device on. A negative voltage has the opposite effect: the vacancies are attracted upward and back out of the TiO 2 , and thus the thickness of the TiO 2 layer increases and the device turns off. This switching polarity is what we had been seeing for years but had been unable to explain. On 20 August 2006, I solved the two most important equations of my career—one equation detailing the relationship between current and voltage for this equivalent circuit, and another equation describing how the application of the voltage causes the vacancies to move—thereby writing down, for the first time, an equation for memristance in terms of the physical properties of a material. This provided a unique insight. Memristance arises in a semiconductor when both electrons and charged dopants are forced to move simultaneously by applying a voltage to the system. The memristance did not actually involve magnetism in this case; the integral over the voltage reflected how far the dopants had moved and thus how much the resistance of the device had changed. We finally had a model we could use to engineer our switches, which we had by now positively identified as memristors. Now we could use all the theoretical machinery Chua had created to help us design new circuits with our devices. Triumphantly, I showed the group my results and immediately declared that we had to take the molecule monolayers out of our devices. Skeptical after years of false starts and failed hypotheses, my team reminded me that we had run control samples without molecule layers for every device we had ever made and that those devices had never switched. And getting the recipe right turned out to be tricky indeed. We needed to find the exact amounts of titanium and oxygen to get the two layers to do their respective jobs. By that point we were all getting impatient. In fact, it took so long to get the first working device that in my discouragement I nearly decided to put the molecule layers back in. A month later, it worked. We not only had working devices, but we were also able to improve and change their characteristics at will. But here is the real triumph. The resistance of these devices stayed constant whether we turned off the voltage or just read their states (interrogating them with a voltage so small it left the resistance unchanged). The oxygen vacancies didn’t roam around; they remained absolutely immobile until we again applied a positive or negative voltage. That’s memristance: the devices remembered their current history. We had coaxed Chua’s mythical memristor off the page and into being. Emulating the behavior of a single memristor, Chua showed, requires a circuit with at least 15 transistors and other passive elements. The implications are extraordinary: just imagine how many kinds of circuits could be supercharged by replacing a handful of transistors with one single memristor. The most obvious benefit is to memories. In its initial state, a crossbar memory has only open switches, and no information is stored. But once you start closing switches, you can store vast amounts of information compactly and efficiently. Because memristors remember their state, they can store data indefinitely, using energy only when you toggle or read the state of a switch, unlike the capacitors in conventional DRAM, which will lose their stored charge if the power to the chip is turned off. Furthermore, the wires and switches can be made very small: we should eventually get down to a width of around 4 nm, and then multiple crossbars could be stacked on top of each other to create a ridiculously high density of stored bits. Greg Snider and I published a paper last year showing that memristors could vastly improve one type of processing circuit, called a field-programmable gate array, or FPGA. By replacing several specific transistors with a crossbar of memristors, we showed that the circuit could be shrunk by nearly a factor of 10 in area and improved in terms of its speed relative to power-consumption performance. Right now, we are testing a prototype of this circuit in our lab. And memristors are by no means hard to fabricate. The titanium dioxide structure can be made in any semiconductor fab currently in existence. (In fact, our hybrid circuit was built in an HP fab used for making inkjet cartridges.) The primary limitation to manufacturing hybrid chips with memristors is that today only a small number of people on Earth have any idea of how to design circuits containing memristors. I must emphasize here that memristors will never eliminate the need for transistors: passive devices and circuits require active devices like transistors to supply energy. The potential of the memristor goes far beyond juicing a few FPGAs. I have referred several times to the similarity of memristor behavior to that of synapses. Right now, Greg is designing new circuits that mimic aspects of the brain. The neurons are implemented with transistors, the axons are the nanowires in the crossbar, and the synapses are the memristors at the cross points. A circuit like this could perform real-time data analysis for multiple sensors. Think about it: an intelligent physical infrastructure that could provide structural assessment monitoring for bridges. How much money—and how many lives—could be saved? I’m convinced that eventually the memristor will change circuit design in the 21st century as radically as the transistor changed it in the 20th. Don’t forget that the transistor was lounging around as a mainly academic curiosity for a decade until 1956, when a killer app—the hearing aid—brought it into the marketplace. My guess is that the real killer app for memristors will be invented by a curious student who is now just deciding what EE courses to take next year. About the Author R. STANLEY WILLIAMS, a senior fellow at Hewlett-Packard Labs, wrote this month’s cover story, ”How We Found the Missing Memristor.” Earlier this year, he and his colleagues shook up the electrical engineering community by introducing a fourth fundamental circuit design element. The existence of this element, the memristor, was first predicted in 1971 by IEEE Fellow Leon Chua, of the University of California, Berkeley, but it took Williams 12 years to build an actual device.

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Historic Sites in Journalism Postmark deadline for nominations: March 20 Download nomination form Click here to download the nomination form. Complete List of Historic Sites The Silverton Standard & the Miner Read press release White Hall, Eastern Kentucky University University of Mississippi Hubbard Broadcasting and KSTP-TV Denver, Co., Denver Press Club Milwaukee , WI., Milwaukee Press Club, oldest continuously operating press club in the Americas. Los Angeles, Calif., KTLA, leading radio news in the Los Angels community since becoming the first commercially licensed station in LA. Washington, D.C., American News Womens Club Chicago, Chicago Bee Building Tombstone, Ariz., The Tombstone Epitaph Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Recorder. Montpelier - Lancaster, Pennsylvania Washington, D.C., The Senate Press Gallery in honor of Anne N. Royall(1769-1854), the first Capitol Hill news woman New York City, the Algonquin Hotel, initial site of the Overseas Press Club, a meeting place for foreign correspondents. San Francisco, awarded to the San Francisco Chronicle in honor of the founders Michel H. de Young and Charles de Young. The brothers founded the Daily Dramatic Chronicle which appeared as the Chronicle in 1868. Memphis, Tenn., at the Beale Street Baptist Church, in honor of Ida B. Wells-Barnett, editor of the Memphis Free Speech, a Black newspaper. New York City, to The Amsterdam News, the oldest Black newspaper in New York City. Edited by James L. Hicks, first Black journalist accredited to cover the Korean War and the United Nations. Montpelier, VA., the Virginia estate of James Madison. Baltimore, The Sun, in honor of one of the newspapers founders, A. S. Abell. Greenville, Ohio, birthplace of Lowell Thomas, radio and television broadcaster Mississippi State University, Starkville, Miss., marks the site of the personal and professional papers of William Turner Catledge, late editor of The New York Times. New York City, accepted by the Magazine Publishers Association and the American Society of Magazine Editors in honor of Ida Tarbell, muckraking journalist of the turn of the century. Washington, D.C., National Press Club, site of many world news events. Red Wing, Minn., upon occasion of 100th anniversary of founding of National Newspaper Association. Annapolis, Md., at site of Revolutionary War newspaper, Maryland Gazette, published by Jonas Green and his wife, Catherine Hoof Green. New York City, Margaret Bourke-White (1904-1971), one of Americas best-known photojournalists. Kansas City, Mo., the Roy Wilkins site at the Kansas City Call, marked by the Kansas City Professional Chapter in recognition of Roy Wilkins editorship there between 1923 and 1931. The Kansas City Association of Black Journalists was a co-sponsor of the dedication. Washington, D.C., United Press International, upon its 75th.anniversary. New York City, Freedoms Journal, the first Black newspaper published in America. Akron, Ohio, Akron Beacon Journal, in honor of John S. Knight, builder of the Knight-Ridder Newspapers Company. Philadelphia, Richard Harding Davis, one of the most adventurous war correspondents of his time who was known for his colorful reportage during six wars. Boston, The Christian Science Monitor, founder Mary Baker Eddy and long-time editor Erwin D. Canham. Newburyport, Mass., William Lloyd Garrison, founder of the Liberator, anti-slavery journal. Atlanta, W. A. Scott II, founder of the Atlanta Daily World, oldest continuing Black owned and controlled daily newspaper in the United States. Charleston, S.C., Elizabeth Timothy, first woman publisher of an American newspaper. Milwaukee, Christopher Latham Sholes, chief inventor of the first practical typewriter. Memphis, Tenn., the Christian Index, the second oldest Black religious newspaper in the nation. Philadelphia, Cyrus H. K. Curtis, who played a major role in consolidating Philadelphia newspapers and founded the Ladies Home Journal. Toledo, Ohio, David Ross Locke (Petroleum Vesuvius Nasby), who created the Nasby Letters and was a forerunner of the muckrakers. Milwaukee, H. V. Kaltenborn, pioneer radio news analyst who was known for his analysis of World War II. New York City, The Wall Street Journal. Richmond, Va., John Mitchell, one of the Souths leading Black reform journalists and editor of the Richmond Planet. Philadelphia, The Pennsylvania Packet or the General Advertiser, the first successful daily newspaper in the United States and first to publish the Declaration of Independence and the U. S. Constitution. Rochester, N.Y., Frederick Douglass, founder in 1847 of the North Star, which with its successor newspapers under Douglasss direction was the leading Black journal in the United States in the antebellum period. Canton, Ohio, Donald Ring Mellett, publisher of the Canton Daily News, who was gunned down in front of his home after editorializing against Cantons lawless elements and city officials ineptness. Worcester, Mass., Isaiah Thomas, American revolutionary editor, printer, pioneer press historian and co-founder and first president of American Antiquarian Society. New York City, The Nation, oldest opinion magazine in the United States. Pittsburgh, John Scull, first editor to transport type and a press across the Alleghenies to establish journalism west of the peaks; founder of Pittsburgh Gazette in 1786. University of Alabama, Supreme Court Justice Hugo L. Black, eloquent and effective for the principle of a free and untrammeled press. Chicago, the Chicago Defender, for pioneering and continuous leadership and strength in the Black press. Gathland State Park, Md., Townsends War Correspondents Arch, a memorial to Civil War correspondents of the North and the South. Augusta, Ga., the Augusta Chronicle, the Souths oldest newspaper presently publishing. Chicago, the Chicago Tribune. Oologah, Okla., the Will Rogers Home, birthplace of Will Rogers. Philadelphia, Sarah Josepha Hale and Godeys Ladys Book, first major womans magazine of mass circulation published from 1830-1882. Baraboo, Wis., Ansel N. Kellogg and the first newspaper syndicate developed in 1861. Chillicothe, Ohio, the Chillicothe Gazette, oldest newspaper in continuous publication west of the Allegheny Mountains, published since 1800. Chicago, the Chicago Daily News and the nations oldest foreign news service operated by a newspaper. San Francisco, William Randolph Hearst and the San Francisco Examiner. Calhoun, Ga., the Cherokee Phoenix, the Indian-language newspaper of the Cherokee Nation. Sacramento, Calif., the Sacramento Union, oldest daily in the West, founded in 1851. Madison, Wis., the Wisconsin Press Association, oldest continuing state press association in the nation, existing since the 1830s. Des Moines, Iowa, J. N. (Ding) Darling and the Des Moines Register and Tribune. Darlings cartoons catapulted him into national prominence and were a factor in enhancing the great prestige of his newspaper in the first half of the 20th century. Hannibal, Mo., 206 Hill Street, boyhood home of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) and site of the Hannibal Journal, which started Twain on the way to fame as one of Americas great writers. Lexington, Va., Reid Hall, the journalism building on the campus of Washington and Lee University. Here the first formal instruction in journalism in the history of education was initiated by General Robert E. Lee in 1869. Atlanta, Henry Woodfin Grady (1850-1889), and the Atlanta Constitution, leaders in creating a more comprehensive, interpretative journalism in the South. Gunston Hall, Va., home of George Mason, author of Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), which gave the first expression of a free press its binding, legal form. Boston, James Franklins New England Courant, first newspaper published in the United States without license or authority. Washington, D.C., the Washington Globe (1831-1845), published by Francis Preston Blair and John C. Rives. Cincinnati, The Centinel of the North-Western Territory, marking the 175th. anniversary of the first newspaper in the Northwest Territory, published in 1793. Philadelphia, and Baltimore, Richard Hoe and Ottmar Mergenthaler, for invention of the rotary press in 1847 and the linotype machine in 1886, respectively. New York City and Washington, D.C., the Associated Press. Establishment of the worlds first private, leased wire for news transmission (1875). Carmel, Calif., Lincoln Steffans (1866-1936), foremost exponent of journalistic crusaders known as muckrakers, whose exposes of corruption and injustice aroused the public conscience. Greencastle, Ind., DePauw University, where Sigma Delta Chi was founded, April 17, 1909. Little Rock, Ark., John N. Heiskell and the Arkansas Gazette, oldest newspaper west of the Mississippi. New York City, News department, Columbia Broadcasting System. Leadership in founding independent radio news system; distinguished reporting and interpretation exemplified by H. V. Kaltenborn and Edward R. Murrow. Washington, D.C., National Intelligencer (1800-1865). Vital force in nations political force and set high standards of journalistic responsibility. New York City, Adolph S. Ochs, largely responsible for the revival of The New York Times. Louisville, Ky., Henry Watterson, outstanding editorialist. Kansas City, Mo., William Rockhill Nelson, founder, Kansas City Star. Hartford, Conn., the Hartford Courant, oldest newspaper of continuous publication in the United States. New York City, James Gordon Bennett. New York City, Horace Greeley, one of the most influential newspaper editors in American history. Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin, statesman and newspaperman. Charlottesville, Va., Thomas Jefferson. Cleveland, Edward Wyllis Scripps and the Cleveland Press. Publisher, founder of the Cleveland Press and chain of newspapers, plus United Press and Newspaper Enterprise Association. New York City, the trial of John Peter Zenger. Baltimore, H. L. Mencken, author and newspaperman. Columbia, Mo., Walter Williams and the University of Missouri School of Journalism. First school of journalism in the nation. Pittsburgh, Radio Station KDKA. Reported Hardings election in 1920. First radio coverage of a national event. New York City, Henry J. Raymond, co-founder and the first editor, The New York Times. Bloomington, Ind., Ernie Pyle, editor, columnist, war correspondent for Scripps-Howard newspapers. Alton, Ill., Elijah Parish Lovejoy, editor, The Observer, and a militant abolitionist assassinated by his enemies. New Orleans, George Wilkins Kendall, co-founder of the New Orleans Picayune, first war correspondent to achieve fame as a regular reporter of military actions. Boston, Mass., The Boston Gazette, second regularly-published paper in the nation. Emporia, Kan., William Allen White, editor and publisher, the Emporia Gazette. Montgomery, Ala., Grover Cleveland Hall, editor, the Montgomery Advertiser. He fought the Ku Klux Klan. St. Louis, Mo., Joseph Pulitzer, founder, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. San Francisco, Calif., James King of William, founder, editor and publisher, the San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin. He fought corruption in municipal government and was assassinated by a politician after many threats on his life. A contribution was made to Peter Zenger Memorial Fund. Bennington, Vt., Anthony Haswell, editor and publisher, the Vermont Gazette. He was jailed for fighting the Sedition Act. The Societys Historic Sites in Journalism program honors the people and places that have played important roles in American journalistic history. The program dates back to 1942. The sites were originally marked with a bronze marker, and some honorees include: World War II correspondent Ernie Pyle; Benjamin Franklin; William Randolph Hearst; The Associated Press offices in Washington and New York City; Freedoms Journal, the first Black newspaper published in the United States; and Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black. Nominations are open. Self-nominations are permitted. Nomination form should be accompanied by a letter(s) of recommendation that reflects the nominees national historic significance in journalism and why the nominee is deserving of this national recognition. Submit all nomination materials unbound on 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Additional supporting materials are welcomed and should be limited to 10 pages. Nominations should also include an indication of the specific location (i.e. building, street address, inside or outside installation) where a bronze plaque would be placed and the name of a person to be contacted to supply additional information if necessary. Nominators should contact the rightful authorities (such as owner of the building) to ensure that they are amenable to placement of a plaque. Only one historic site may be chosen each year. However, if one of the nominated sites is not selected, it may be resubmitted for future consideration. Winner Announcement and Presentation Honorees will be announced and honored at a special celebration event. A bronze plaque is displayed at the location marking it as a Historic Site in Journalism. Nominations must be postmarked on or before March 20. Nominations should be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to: Historic Sites in Journalism Society of Professional Journalists 3909 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis, IN 46208 For More Information Contact the Director of Awards at 317/927-8000 or email@example.com

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These tried and tested old favorites still bring excitement and hours of delight! From ball games to tag and relay races, find an activity that will inspire your kids to go outside and play! Bring old school style back with these 10 awesome playground games and activities Find games and activities that are great for burning energy and having fun with friends. Bring the thrill of the gridiron to your living room wall with this pigskin version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey. A variation on checkers that's a deceptively simple strategy game. Four projects to mark African-American history month A close relation to musical chairs, this game uses towels in place of the classic game's seats. Starting with its amusing name -- Dumb Crambo -- this old game of rhyme and mime,or silent charades, offers lots of laughs. Ring in the new year with this silly game in which players act out notable events of the past 12 months. For a quick after-school or before-dinner activity, try a round of this fun game for two, played on an easy-to-craft homemade game board. Turn a spot in your yard into a giant version of the classic paper-and-pencil game tic-tac-toe. These tried and tested old favorites still bring excitement and hours of delight and nostalgia.

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Kids can test their aim and douse their opponent at the same time with this water balloon game of throwing and blocking skills. Fill the buckets to the brim and line them up. Divide into 2 teams (throwers and receivers). The throwers line up several yards away from the buckets and try to toss water balloons into the buckets. Each successful toss is worth 1 point. Each member of the receiving team sits (or kneels) behind a bucket and holds a plastic bat ready to defend his or her bucket by blocking the incoming water balloons. Be sure the buckets are far enough apart that batters won't hit each other. Each thrower tosses 2 balloons, the score is tallied, and then the receivers get a chance to be the throwers and earn points. The teams continue to alternate throwing and blocking. The team with the highest score at the end of 3 rounds wins.

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|Canto 10: The Summum Bonum||Chapter 30: The Gopīs Search for Kṛṣṇa| Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.30.18 āhūya dūra-gā yadvat kṛṣṇas tam anuvartatīm veṇuḿ kvaṇantīḿ krīḍantīm anyāḥ śaḿsanti sādhv iti āhūya — calling; dūra — who were far away; gāḥ — the cows; yadvat — just as; kṛṣṇaḥ — Kṛṣṇa; tam — him; anuvartatīm — one gopī who was imitating; veṇum — the flute; kvaṇantīm — vibrating; krīḍantīm — playing games; anyāḥ — the other gopīs; śaḿsanti — praised; sādhu iti — "excellent!" When one gopī perfectly imitated how Kṛṣṇa would call the cows who had wandered far away, how He would play His flute and how He would engage in various sports, the others congratulated her with exclamations of "Well done! Well done!" Copyright © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari Dravida dasa Brahmacari

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In GHCI prelude> using :t for finding the types of functions: (.) :: (b -> c) -> (a -> b) -> a -> c (:) :: a -> [a] -> [a] ((.)(:)) :: (a -> b) -> a -> [b] -> [b] -- (what happened here?) I understand the result of the single functions, but when partially applied I do not. what is the type of map map ? I found an answer on this page, how to do this algebraically. But I have a problem applying the same method on the What is the method when you want to know the type of ((.)(:))? Is there a way of thinking that can be used for any partial application of a function? Thanks in advance.

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I need to loop through all n-bit integers which has at most k bits ON (bits 1), where 0 < n <= 32 and 0 <= k <= n. For example, if n = 4 and k = 2 then these numbers are (in binary digits): 0000, 0001, 0010, 0100, 1000, 0011, 0101, 0110, 1001, 1010, 1100. The order in which these numbers are looped through is not important, but each is visited only once. Currently I am using this straightforward algorithm: for x = 0 to (2^n - 1) count number of bits 1 in x if count <= k do something with x end if end for I think this algorithm is inefficient because it has to loop through too many numbers. For example, if n = 32 and k = 2 then it has to loop through 2^32 numbers to find only 529 numbers (which have <= 2 bits 1). My question is: is there any more efficient algorithm to do this?

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Bayesian Fisher's discriminantThis page describes how to use the so-called Bayesian Fisher Discriminant (BFD) software, which is available for download here. Please note that in the subsequent discussion we will be using these references: Current release is 0.12 Release 0.12 was used for the experiments presented in . The code was written with flexibility in mind so probably there is room to make improvements in terms of efficiency of computation. Release 0.11 corresponds to the results presented in . The BFD software requires some functions, written by Neil D. Lawrence, that have been put together in form of the NDLUTIL toolbox. You may access this toolbox with the username and password you are given when you register for the BFD toolbox. There are many versions of this toolbox but we recommend only a few of them in order to obatin the results of . To obtain the classification results for benchmark data it will be necessary to download Gunnar Rätsch's data, available at . You will also need the function normal, written by Ian T. Nabney. Note: this function does not belong to the Netlab toolbox, but is rather a worked example. Please give a read to the readme.txt file that comes in this distribution to have more details about the installation procedure. The experiments with synthetic data, presented in , can be recreated by using the function Given the inputs and we have implemented the RBF prior in the following way, where the parameter vector . The ARD-composed kernel is defined as with a vector of parameters given by . This kernel is composed of four parts: RBF-ARD, LINEAR-ARD, BIAS and NOISE parts, thus giving its name of `composed'. Just run the following commands from Matlab's command prompt For each dataset ( Classification of synthetic datasets using an RBF kernel. Two classes are shown as pluses and circles. The separating line, in blue, was obtained by projecting test data over a grid. The dotted line indicates points at 1/4 of the distance, as measured in projected space, from the decision boundary to the class mean. The blue line was obtained after training a BFD model by maximising the marginal log-likelihood, L.   Left: Spiral data, with bound after training L=658.6107.   Right: Overlap data with final bound L=638.5258. In both problems the parameters were initialised to . Left: Bumpy data with final bound L=609.0547.   Right: Relevance data, with bound L=895.7308. For both problems the initial parameters were set to . In order to run experiments with the ARD-composed kernel, it is necessary to use a different value for the variable The script should produce the plots shown below. Left: Spiral data, with final L=674.2042. In this experiment we initialised and the rest of parameters Right: Overlap data, with final L=650.0908. This experiment used as initial parameters . Left: Bumpy data, with final L=636.8442.   Right: Relevance data, with final L=998.9992. In both problems we used an initial. Generating ROC curves and computing AUC's There are several demos included in this distribution and two of them were specifically written to obtain some of the results presented in Table 1 of reference . More specifically, these demos generate ROC curves for either banana or breast-cancer data and then obtain statistics related to the AUC's (area under ROC curves). The first demo can be run from the command-line as shown below After execution, a file The second demo does the analogue process for breast-cancer. Hence it is required to run Note on ROC curves During execution of either of the scripts ( Some ROC curves of the test instances of banana. Left: First instance. Right: Second instance. Some ROC curves of the test instances of breast-cancer. Left: First instance. Right: Second instance. Additional ROC-AUC demo An extra script obtains ROC curves (and additional statistics) for the heart dataset; this time according to the results of Table 2 of reference . Again, it is only a matter of running a script. The result file should look as follows. Generating histograms of projected data The histograms presented in Figure 10 of reference can be created by running two scripts. The first script will display and save on file the histograms of twonorm projected data. All files related the histograms of twonorm will be stored in a directory Left: Histogram of projected data for training instances of twonorm Right: Histogram of projected data for test instances of twonorm. The batch of histograms of waveform are obtained by running the script which generates plots like the following ones. Left: Histogram of projected data for training instances of waveform Right: Histogram of projected data for test instances of waveform Other experimentsFurther experiments can be carried out by modifying the scripts previously mentioned of by using the functions Tonatiuh Pena Centeno 2006-02-11

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Who is responsible Similar issue for test & quality: if test coverage is only limited, bugs are seldomly found during testing, or tests themselves are faulty, then you could finger point to testers and developers. However, it is your job as an architect to deal with quality. Don't try to escape your responsibility in this area. Test First Design makes it very clear that testing requires the different roles to cooperate. What about business aspects? I know, you got this product manager who is in charge of all business aspects. But software architects are responsible in helping develop the technology roadmap, identifying patents, estimating the business implication of architecture decisions. Even more, architects must base every architectural decision on requirements and business needs. Hmmh, what about project management? Of course, an architect should not be forced to also act as a project manager. These two rules are very difficult to live at the same time in the same project. But what if project management needs to estimate costs and resources? Here the software architect needs to provide support. What skills do developers need? How many developers and how much time are necessary to develop subsystem A. I don't claim that architects shuld be jack of all trades but masters of none. Their main focus should be on software architecture. However, they cannot ignore what is happening on the boundaries between software architecture and the rest of the project. They should feel responsible for project success.

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Mercury in the Morning The planet Mercury -- the planet closest to the Sun -- is just peeking into view in the east at dawn the next few days. It looks like a fairly bright star. It's so low in the sky, though, that you need a clear horizon to spot it, and binoculars wouldn't hurt. Mercury is a bit of a puzzle. It has a big core that's made mainly of iron, so it's quite dense. Because Mercury is so small, the core long ago should've cooled enough to form a solid ball. Yet the planet generates a weak magnetic field, hinting that the core is still at least partially molten. The solution to this puzzle may involve an iron "snow" deep within the core. The iron in the core is probably mixed with sulfur, which has a lower melting temperature than iron. Recent models suggest that the sulfur may have kept the outer part of the core from solidifying -- it's still a hot, thick liquid. As this mixture cools, though, the iron "freezes" before the sulfur does. Small bits of solid iron fall toward the center of the planet. This creates convection currents -- like a pot of boiling water. The motion is enough to create a "dynamo" effect. Like a generator, it produces electrical currents, which in turn create a magnetic field around the planet. Observations earlier this year by the Messenger spacecraft seem to support that idea. But Messenger will provide much better readings of what's going on inside Mercury when it enters orbit around the planet in 2011. Script by Damond Benningfield, Copyright 2008 For more skywatching tips, astronomy news, and much more, read StarDate magazine.

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Author: Stan Tekiela Paperback: 345 pages (4.5 x 6 in.) • 145 species (only Arizona birds!) • No need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in Arizona. • Easy-to-use color guide. See a yellow bird and don't know what it is? Go to the yellow section! • Fact-filled, containing the information you want to know. • Compare feature. Not sure which woodpecker you're seeing? This feature helps you decide! • Contains range maps showing where in Arizona you'll find the birds in summer, winter, all year or during migration. • Full-page photos with corresponding full-page descriptions. •Stan's Notes include naturalist information and interesting gee-whiz facts.

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|Chronological and political information| - «Galaxy = needs T7 + Jedi // T7 = ready for next mission» T7-O1, known affectionately as Teeseven or T7, was a T7-series astromech droid active during the Great Galactic War, the Cold War, and the renewed war between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. Manufactured by Duwani Mechanical Products sometime before 3,837 BBY, the astromech droid did not undergo a memory wipe during his entire lifetime, allowing him to develop a strong personality and preserve the memories of the dozen or so partners he worked with throughout the years. Originally a repair and pilot droid, Teeseven began working with the Jedi Order in the years before the Great Galactic War as the partner of Jedi Master Ven Zallow, and he went undercover for the Jedi and the Republic Strategic Information Service on multiple occasions during the conflict. Surviving the Sacking of Coruscant and the fall of the Jedi Temple at the end of the war, Teeseven served as a reconnaissance droid for the Order on their homeworld of Tython for much of the Cold War before teaming up with a young Jedi who was the former apprentice of Jedi Master Orgus Din. Alongside his friend and the Jedi's apprentice Kira Carsen, Teeseven played a pivotal role in halting the plot of the Sith Lord Darth Angral to assault the Republic using stolen superweapons, and after the Knight received the title of Hero of Tython the droid continued to travel the galaxy with his partners. Teeseven's service with the Hero of Tython eventually culminated in a plan to capture the Sith Emperor himself, and the droid accompanied the Hero of Tython during an assault on the Sith capital of Dromund Kaas. The two managed to gain entry to the Emperor's throne room and defeated the Emperor in a fierce confrontation. Afterwards, Teeseven and the rest of the Hero of Tython's companions were awarded the Cross of Glory for their pivotal role in ending the threat of the Sith Empire. - "T7! Prep the ion cannons!" - ―Nico Okarr to T7-O1 A T7-series astromech droid produced by Duwani Mechanical Products, T7-O1 was constructed sometime before 3,837 BBY as a standard factory-spec astromech. Over the next century and a half, Teeseven passed from owner to owner—whom the droid referred to as "partners"—without ever undergoing a memory wipe. This led Teeseven to develop a personality and preserved the droid's memories of all of his former partners. Approximately one hundred years after his creation, Teeseven was assigned as a Senate legislation analyst under Senator Oodora of Manaan. Oodora promoted the astromech after his first year, and Teeseven soon became the Senator's campaign manager and speech writer throughout Oodora's four consecutive terms. When the Senator retired after twenty years of working with Teeseven, the droid began working with a Rodian named Shafu—who, unbeknownst to Teeseven, was a slaver. Teeseven served Shafu faithfully as a navigator, piloting the Rodian's ship and never entering the cargo hold. However, Shafu was eventually captured by a Jedi named Ven Zallow, who convinced Shafu to turn over a new leaf instead of turning him over to the authorities. At Zallow's request, Shafu became a confidential informant for the Order, and in gratitude the Rodian gave Teeseven to the Jedi. By 3,681 BBY, Zallow had sent Teeseven undercover to work with the smuggler Nico Okarr, and the droid served as the human's mechanic and aide on his XS stock light freighter Redshifter. While attempting to smuggle Sith artifacts off the planet, Okarr and Teeseven were captured by Republic forces over the Sith homeworld of Korriban, and the Republic arrested Okarr and impounded the smuggler's ship with Teeseven aboard the Republic space station in the Horuset system. However, Okarr's transfer to a holding cell was interrupted by the arrival of the Sith Empire. A massive fleet arrived in-system and launched an offensive against the station, intending to retake their homeworld. As the smuggler's ship was the only one fast enough to escape the Sith fighters, Jedi Knight Satele Shan and her master decided to use it to escape in order to warn the Republic. Teeseven had been on-board the ship performing maintenance as the hangar came under assault by Sith forces, and the smuggler instructed him to prepare the ship's weapons in preparation for their escape. The smuggler and his passengers, including Teeseven, were ultimately able to escape their pursuers and bring word to the Republic of the oncoming Sith threat. Leaving Okarr's service sometime after Korriban and returning to Master Zallow, Teeseven worked with the Jedi Order throughout much of the Great Galactic War. By that time, he had worked with a total of eleven partners, including Zallow, Oodora, a doctor, mechanic, Shafu, a Senatorial aide, and Okarr. Around 3,663 BBY, Zallow lent Teeseven to the Republic Strategic Information Service for a single mission. The intelligence agency sent the droid undercover to protect a Muun ambassador from the secretive bounty hunter guild known as the GenoHaradan. During the assignment, Teeseven was successfully able to detect the assassin in the crowd and discharged a stun bolt, but the assassin escaped into the crowd. The ambassador retired in fear, leaving Teeseven depressed and believing that he never truly completed his mission. Service to the OrderEdit The fall of CoruscantEdit "You know this astromech?" "It was Master Zallow's droid." - ―Aryn Leneer and Zeerid Korr In 3,653 BBY, Teeseven was present on the Republic's capital planet of Coruscant with Ven Zallow when the Jedi Temple was attacked by a Sith strike force under the leadership of the Sith Lord Darth Malgus. Zallow ordered his astromech companion to stay hidden and record the battle in case of a Jedi defeat, though the droid emerged briefly to warn the Jedi Master of Darth Malgus' approach during the fighting. Teeseven returned to his hiding place and watched as Zallow was slain in battle with Malgus, and he escaped into the tunnels beneath the Temple as the battle turned against the Jedi. Teeseven attempted to return to Zallow's body after the fighting ended and managed to recover his lightsaber, but the Sith planted explosives and the droid was forced to retreat deeper into the lower levels of Coruscant as the Temple was brought down. A damaged Teeseven remained there for quite some time before he encountered Zallow's former apprentice Aryn Leneer and the smuggler Zeerid Korr, who were attempting to find out who had killed Zallow. After explaining what had transpired at the Temple, Teeseven accompanied the pair to the Temple's backup surveillance station, and he was able to restore power to the systems in order to show Leneer recordings of the Temple's fall. He paused and resumed the recording as per Leneer's instructions, allowing her to discover the identity of Zallow's killer, and he copied the recording for Leneer to peruse later when the trio departed. T7 and the two Humans hid in an abandoned apartment building after leaving the Temple ruins, and he stayed with Leneer while Korr scouted the nearby Liston Spaceport. Leneer departed during the night despite T7's protests, and the droid later followed the Jedi Knight to the Temple with Korr when the smuggler returned. There, the two found Darth Malgus and Leneer embroiled in a fierce duel, but Korr interrupted the fight in fear of her falling to the dark side and helped Leneer escape. Leneer then decided to pursue Malgus' Twi'lek lover, Eleena Daru, in her quest for revenge, and as part of her plan the trio fell from their speeder onto the top of the spaceport. Leneer slowed T7's descent with the Force, and the droid hacked into the spaceport's systems and triggered the facility's fire suppression and safety systems with a false signal that tricked the network's sensors into detecting a fuel gas leak. As a result, evacuation alarms were triggered in Landing Bay 16-B—the hangar used by the shuttles belonging to Daru and her team—and the hangar's launch doors openned, allowing Leneer to enter and attack Daru. At Korr's orders, T7 hacked into the Dragonfly-class dropship Razor in the landing bay, but the droid decided to remain behind with Leneer after she decided not to kill Daru. Teeseven hid in the shadows of the hangar while the Knight confronted Malgus, and the two departed Coruscant aboard Daru's shuttle after Leneer threatened the Twi'lek to ensured her own safety. The Tython uprisingEdit While Leneer left the Order and traveled to the planet Dantooine to live with Korr, Teeseven returned to the Order's service, and when the Jedi Order left Coruscant in 3,650 BBY, Teeseven accompanied them to the Order's long-lost homeworld of Tython. Teeseven served as a reconnaissance droid for the Order over the next few years, scouting Tython's wilderness and identifying hazards. In 3,643 BBY, Teeseven was sent out along with nineteen other droids as long-range probes, but he was captured by a group of Flesh Raiders, a violent species native to Tython, near the Flesh Raider-controlled Tythos Ridge region. Locked inside a weapons cache in the Upper Hollows cave system, Teeseven faked deactivation and recorded a meeting between the Dark Jedi Callef and a hooded figure whom Callef called Master. When the apprentice of Jedi Master Orgus Din raided the weapons cache for the Pilgrims of Kalikori Village, the Padawan freed T7 and removed the restraining bolt that the Flesh Raiders had attached to the droid. In thanks, T7 showed the Jedi the recording it had secretly made while pretending to be deactivated: a hooded figure, giving orders to the Dark Jedi Callef—whom the Padawan had defeated earlier—and the Flesh Raiders. Callef referred to the figure as his master, and the pair seemed determined to destroy the Jedi Order. Having discovered the source of the Flesh Raiders' sudden increase in violence, the Padawan and the other Jedi set out to stop Bengel Morr and prevent further casualties. T7's later accompanied the Padawan in rescuing Orgus Din after the latter was lured into a trap and captured by Bengel Morr. Morr revealed himself as Orgus Din's former apprentice and was assumed to have been killed during the Sacking of Coruscant, and his rage at his perceived weakness of the Jedi left him seeking vengeance on the Order. Before he could slay Orgus Din, the Padawan and T7 intervened, defeating Morr and saving the Jedi Master. The Padawan was then elevated to the rank of Knight for the Jedi's role in ending the Flesh Raider threat, and T7 looked on as the newly promoted Knight constructed their first lightsaber. When the Knight was then dispatched to the capital of Coruscant to aid Jedi Master Bela Kiwiiks and her Padawan in dealing with a new threat, T7-O1 decided to remain with the Knight as the droid felt they were a formidable team. Partners and heroesEdit On Coruscant, T7-O1, the Knight and Orgus Din were brought up to speed on the situation by Master Kiwiiks. They were introduced to Republic scientist Eli Tarnis and General Var Suthra, who informed them that the plans for a Republic superweapon known as the Planet Prison had been stolen, and the Jedi had been called in to help retrieve them. Working with Kira Carsen and Agent Galen of the Republic Strategic Information Service, T7-O1 and the Knight tracked the stolen plans first to a Rodian slicer then to the Black Sun criminial syndicate. The mission then became more complicated as the two learned that Tarnis had been kidnapped by Black Sun. After one failed attempt to rescue Tarnis, T7-O1 and the Knight were informed by General Suthra that the stolen plans had also contained information about every Republic superweapon in development, not just the Planet Prison. Masters Din and Kiwiiks, as well as Agent Galen then departed Coruscant to secure the sites of the compromised superweapons while the Knight and T7-O1 launched an assault on the headquarters of Black Sun in order to rescue Tarnis. With the aid of the Coruscant Security Force, T7-O1 and the Knight fought their way to the Black Sun command center, where they found the Black Sun leader in a holocall with Tarnis, who revealed himself to be a Sith Lord. After defeating Salarr, T7-O1 and the Knight were told by Carsen that Tarnis had stolen the Planet Prison prototype and intended to use it on Coruscant. The three then pursued the Sith Lord first to the Justicars' Sector, where they found the murdered engineering team behind the Planet Prison, then to the ruins of the Jedi Temple, where they found Tarnis in a call with four Sith Lords, including his father, Darth Angral. Tarnis was slain by the Knight in combat and the activation of the Planet Prison was narrowly averted. Infuriated by his son's death, Angral promised to have vengeance on the Republic and the Knight in particular. Upon reporting in to General Suthra and Grand Master Satele Shan, the Knight was told that Din, Kiwiiks and Galen had all failed to report in, and General Suthra feared that Angral had already seized control of the superweapons. The general then gave the Knight a Defender-class light corvette for use as their personal starship as well as the location of one of Angral's bases on the planet of Ord Mantell, and asked the Knight to look into it. With Kira Carsen in tow as the Knight's new Padawan, the group then departed Coruscant for Ord Mantell. Upon arriving on Ord Mantell, T7-O1 and the Knight made their way to Angral's hidden base and fought their way into the command center of the facility. With the base's defenders dealt with, T7-O1 accessed the facility's databanks and found files indicating that Angral was planning to combine aspects of several Republic superweapon programs into a single project, which was codenamed the "Desolator." The files additionally contained intelligence indicating that Angral had sent agents to various worlds to where Republic superweapons were under development. With this information in hand, T7-O1 continued to accompany the Knight as they traveled to the worlds of Taris, Nar Shaddaa, Tatooine and Alderaan in order to chase down Angral's agents and secure the superweapons. As a result of these travels the Knight and his companions rescued Doctor Nasan Godera , a former Republic weapons designer and destroyed the prototypes of the Power Guard Project, the Shock Drum and the Death Mark, each of which was a Republic superweapon seized by Angral's forces, rescuing Agent Galen and Masters Kiwiiks and Din in the process. Unfortunately the Knight and his companions learned from General Var Suthra that Angral had already succeeded in combining the superweapons technology into the Desolator, which he had mounted on his flagship. The Knight and his companions pursued Angral to the Republic agriworld Uphrades but arrived to find that the world had already been devastated by Angral's superweapon. Personality and programmingEdit Equipment and descriptionEdit Behind the scenesEdit T7-O1 is a companion character for the Jedi Knight class of Star Wars: The Old Republic, a MMORPG released by BioWare on December 20, 2011. He first appeared in the Deceived cinematic trailer for the game, briefly warning Ven Zallow of the approach of Darth Malgus, and also appears in the related novel Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived, which is set directly following the trailer. T7 would also appear in the third and final trailer for the game, Return, in the service of Nico Okarr. Like all other pages on the site, T7-O1's HoloNet page on the official Star Wars: The Old Republic website features three phrases written in Aurebesh. The first, "accidental slaver", refers to T7-O1's work with the slaver Shahtfu before the Rodian's change of heart, and the second, "Flesh Raider collectable", is an allusion to how T7-O1 is captured by Flesh Raiders just before the player encounters him in the mission "High-Tech Savages". The last phrase, "The Exploding Starships Conspiracy", refers to the work of the bounty hunter Terrin Sandafar, who killed Shafu and the Alderaanian noble Eckhorn Baliss by setting their ships to explode at the orders of Senator Verre Sydia's husband. T7-O1 also appears as a minifigure in a LEGO set; namely 9497 Republic Striker Starfighter, a set composed of a Talon-class Republic starfighter as well as a Republic trooper and Satele Shan as she appears in the Hope cinematic trailer. - Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived - Deceived (First appearance) - Star Wars: The Old Republic - Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Hutt Cartel - "Exploring The Old Republic"—Star Wars Insider 121 - The Art and Making of Star Wars: The Old Republic - The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural - Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia Notes and referencesEdit - ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Star Wars: The Old Republic: Deceived - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Deceived cinematic trailer - ↑ Using a cutscene where T7-O1 is next to a Jawa, a species whose average height is 1 meter, a ratio of approximately 1 to 1.15 was found for the heights of the Jawa and the droid. The Jawa is the same height as all other Jawas found in Star Wars: The Old Republic. - ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "High-Tech Savages" on Tython - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—T7-O1 Ability: "Weapons Proficiencies" - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—T7-O1 Ability: "Frag Grenade" - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—T7-O1 Ability: "Flameguard" - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—T7-O1 Ability: "EMP Blast" - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—T7-O1 Ability: "Deploy Shields" - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "The Shock Drum" on Tatooine - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—T7-O1 Ability: "Flare Gun" - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—T7-O1 Ability: "Intercept" - ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 - ↑ 15.0 15.1 Star Wars: The Old Republic—Conversation with T7-O1: "The Assassination" - ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Star Wars: The Old Republic—Conversation with T7-O1: "Slaver's Redemption" - ↑ 17.0 17.1 Star Wars: The Old Republic—Conversation with T7-O1: "The Traitor" - ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Return (cinematic trailer) - ↑ Using comments and information from Star Wars: The Old Republic 8: The Lost Suns, Part 2, The Last Battle of Colonel Jace Malcom, and Star Wars: The Old Republic: Annihilation, it is possible to place the events of the Prologue and Act I for the Jedi Knight, Smuggler, and Trooper classes in Star Wars: The Old Republic in 3,643 BBY, the general events of Act II in 3,642 BBY, and the events of Act III for all classes in 3,641 BBY. Subtracting 20 years from 3,643 BBY results in a date of 3,663 BBY. - ↑ The Journal of Master Gnost-Dural - ↑ Using comments and information from Star Wars: The Old Republic 8: The Lost Suns, Part 2, The Last Battle of Colonel Jace Malcom, and Star Wars: The Old Republic: Annihilation, it is possible to place the events of the Prologue and Act I for the Jedi Knight, Smuggler, and Trooper classes in Star Wars: The Old Republic in 3,643 BBY, the general events of Act II in 3,642 BBY, and the events of Act III for all classes in 3,641 BBY. - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "Attack of the Flesh Raiders" on Tython - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "The Face of the Enemy" on Tython - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "The Jedi Envoy" on Coruscant - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "Stolen Secrets" on Coruscant - ↑ 26.0 26.1 Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "Kidnapped!" on Coruscant - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "Tracking Down the Traitor" on Coruscant - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "New Intelligence" on Ord Mantell - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "The Architect of Annihilation" on Taris - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "The Search for Agent Galen" on Nar Shaddaa - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "The Shock Drum" on Tatooine - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "The Death Mark" on Alderaan - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "Showdown with Lord Sadic" on Nar Shaddaa - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "The Sand Demon's Lair" on Tatooine - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "Siege Mentality" on Alderaan - ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic—Jedi Knight Mission: "Uphrades" on Uphrades

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Learning a new framework is not always straight forward. In this section, we (the Spring Data team) tried to provide, what we think is, an easy to follow guide for starting with Spring Data Key Value module. Of course, feel free to create your own learning 'path' as you see fit and, if possible, please report back any improvements to the documentation that can help others. As explained in Chapter 1, Why Spring Data Redis?, Spring Data Redis (SDR) provides integration between Spring framework and the Redis key value store. Thus, it is important to become acquainted with both of these frameworks (storages or environments depending on how you want to name them). Throughout the SDR documentation, each section provides links to resources relevant however, it is best to become familiar with these topics beforehand. Spring Data uses heavily Spring framework's core functionality, such as the IoC container, resource abstract or AOP infrastructure. While it is not important to know the Spring APIs, understanding the concepts behind them is. At a minimum, the idea behind IoC should be familiar. These being said, the more knowledge one has about the Spring, the faster she will pick Spring Data Key Value. Besides the very comprehensive (and sometimes disarming) documentation that explains in detail the Spring Framework, there are a lot of articles, blog entries and books on the matter - take a look at the Spring framework home page for more information. In general, this should be the starting point for developers wanting to try Spring DKV. NoSQL stores have taken the storage world by storm. It is a vast domain with a plethora of solutions, terms and patterns (to make things worth even the term itself has multiple meanings). While some of the principles are common, it is crucial that the user is familiar to some degree with the stores supported by SDKV. The best way to get acquainted to this solutions is to read their documentation and follow their examples - it usually doesn't take more then 5-10 minutes to go through them and if you are coming from an RDMBS-only background many times these exercises can be an eye opener. One can find various samples for key value stores in the dedicated example repo, at http://github.com/SpringSource/spring-data-keyvalue-examples. For Spring Redis, of interest is the retwisj sample, a Twitter-clone built on top of Redis which can be run locally or be deployed into the cloud. See its documentation, the following blog entry or the live instance for more information. If you encounter issues or you are just looking for an advice, feel free to use one of the links below: The Spring Data forum is a message board for all Spring Data (not just Key Value) users to share information and help each other. Note that registration is needed only for posting. Professional, from-the-source support, with guaranteed response time, is available from SpringSource, the company behind Spring Data and Spring. For information on the Spring Data source code repository, nightly builds and snapshot artifacts please see the Spring Data home page. You can help make Spring Data best serve the needs of the Spring community by interacting with developers through the Spring Community forums. If you encounter a bug or want to suggest an improvement, please create a ticket on the Spring Data issue tracker. To stay up to date with the latest news and announcements in the Spring eco system, subscribe to the Spring Community Portal.

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Teacher Tip: instead of addressing the class as... Maps: Behold ORBIS, a Google Maps for the Roman... → Have you ever wondered how much it would cost to travel from Londinium to Jerusalem in February during the heyday of the Roman Empire? Thanks to a project helmed by historian Walter Scheidel and developer Elijah Meeks of Stanford University, all of your pressing queries about Roman roadways can be answered! This is ORBIS, an online simulation (and thoroughly brainy time sink) that allows you to... "Telling the Time" presentation → Don't Insist on English → chris-english-daily: A TED talk presentation about the spread and usage of the English language - some interesting ideas here kids ….

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It’s interesting to see those who don’t realize that most of Wisconsin is actually rural (that is, those who live in greater Madison or Milwaukee) to observe those who made America’s Dairyland America’s Dairyland. Isthmus, of the People’s Republic of Madison, reports the observations of a UW professor: At a forum last week hosted by the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, political science professor Katherine Cramer Walsh made a stark observation, culled from five years of conversations with residents around Wisconsin. “In most communities,” she said, “the public workers are the ones who are rich.” Not “comfortable” or “middle-class,” but rich. Walsh’s comments came as she offered suggestions for what people on either side of the political divide need to know about the other in order to start mending fences. For Barrett supporters, she said, “It’s useful to hear that, especially in smaller communities, public employees are the only ones making decent wages and getting insurance and benefits,” she said. For these residents, she added, “it’s a question of public employees versus private employees, not rich versus poor.” Walsh claims to be a Wisconsin native and the daughter of two teachers. Her bio doesn’t say where in Wisconsin she grew up. Isthmus recounts the tale of Walsh’s visit to northwest Wisconsin in 2008: She says that a group of loggers, most of whom were self-employed, believed that while schoolteachers may work hard during the year, they have cushy positions. Among the perks: great benefits, health care, summers off and an annual salary of about $50,000 a year. “Nobody in this town makes anywhere near $50,000,” says Walsh, paraphrasing comments she heard. “At the lumber mill, they’re making $20,000 and losing their fingers!” Walsh says when she probes further, asking why people see a public employee/private employee divide and not a rich/poor divide, she gets stares of disbelief. It seems to come down to what is tangible and what can be controlled. Private-sector workers, many of whom are struggling, perceive that a large portion of their taxes are going to pay for the salaries of public workers. A cut to public-employee wages and benefits would, at least in theory, mean lower taxes. But these same people don’t see themselves as having any control over the salaries and benefit packages of CEOs in the private sector, says Walsh. Moreover, they don’t really see anything wrong with top executives making big bucks. “There’s very little blame on the private market,” says Walsh. “It always comes back to government.” Well … a large portion of the taxes of private sector workers are going toward public employee salaries. The biggest part of any unit of government’s budget outside state government is employee compensation. For state government, it’s second largest after shared revenue. And of course you know what funds government employee salaries. Rural people learned well that the phrase “we’re from the government, and we’re here to help you” is a threat, not a greeting. The phrase “Damn Near Russia” as an alternative name for the Department of Natural Resources did not come from Madison. Walsh helpfully debunks a claim of an ignorant Democratic legislator (but I repeat myself): State Rep. Terese Berceau (D-Madison) says that Republicans have cultivated this “politics of resentment.” She says that when she grew up in Green Bay in the 1960s, things were not always easy, but “we didn’t feel that the next-door neighbor was the enemy — that somebody had a job and we should hate them for it.” … Walsh says the current GOP leadership in the state might have seized on simmering resentment about public workers, but they did not create it. “The interesting thing to me, being here in Madison and watching events unfold, is knowing that a lot of the sentiments Gov. Walker and the Republicans tapped into were not manufactured, but were out there well before the governor [took office].” By the way, if you’re wondering about Walsh’s advice to Walker supporters, it was this: “It would be helpful for them to sit down with public employees — to hear that they are concerned about the future, the financial well-being of their community, and that they also work hard.” That last sentence is sort of a non sequitur. Walsh’s first two points about concern for the future and “the financial well-being of their community” is belied by the flood of government-employee retirements in the past year. (No private-sector employee jumped into retirement in their 50s over the cost of their benefits.) I never claimed government employees, particularly teachers, don’t work hard. Conservatives do not further their cause by harping about teachers’ summer vacations; looking at the number of hours a teacher works over the entire year is more to the point. But private-sector workers also work hard, and for less pay and benefits. Small business owners work longer hours than their employees, pay 100 percent of their benefits, and have their entire financial fortunes tied up in their businesses. And you would have to look hard during Recallarama to find anyone with a title at the Wisconsin Education Association Council or AFSCME, or anyone with a D after their name, to acknowledge those facts. (For that matter, I wonder how many Ds from Madison or Milwaukee have ever milked a cow or shoveled manure … other than what comes out their caucus, that is.)

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Due to the growth of gang membership nationally and as a preventative measure, Stop Albuquerque Gangs Task Force, has created this website to educate the public about criminal gangs and to provide a way for residents to report tips to thwart the potential threat. This community policing initiative has been designed to help keep our neighborhoods and families safe from gangs and the related violence they bring. Read more>> Gangs are morphing, multiplying, migrating and entrenching themselves in our inner cities, suburbs and rural communities. They are selling drugs to our kids, shooting up our neighborhoods, invading our homes, robbing our banks and stores, stealing our identities, our money, and instilling fear and violence everywhere they go. Read more>> Gang-related crimes typically fall within the jurisdiction of state and local law enforcement. In response to the growth in gang membership nationally, several Albuquerque based federal, state, and local agencies have joined forces and created the Stop Albuquerque Gangs Task Force. To disrupt and dismantle the most significant criminal gangs in Albuquerque and the surrounding area. "Criminal street gang" is defined as three or more persons having a common identifying sign or symbol or an identifiable leadership who continuously or regularly associate in the commission of criminal activities. Read more >> These fugitives should be considered armed and dangerous. Never try to apprehend a fugitive yourself. Contact law enforcement for assistance. The act of engaging in criminal activity as a structured group is referred to in the United States as racketeering. Once a gang shifts from turf wars and organizes illegal activities with a money focus they have crossed the line and can be classified as an Organized Criminal Enterprise. There are some facts you need to consider before you join. Read more >> Disclaimer: Images and symbols displayed in tattoos on this website may not be gang affiliated and in fact may represent legitimate entities such as sport teams and ethnic groups. It's time to learn about gangs and how to recognize them Most people don't want to admit that gangs and violence exist in our home towns and sometime in our own families. If we don't educate ourselves you on what's going on we can't help our sons, daughters and friends. Talking about the problem is the first step to fixing it. If not, we know one group that will listen to your children - gang members. Read more >> Join Our Neighborhood Gang Watch Click here to see the status of tips submitted over the last 90 days. Report - Prevent - Solve - Protect Stop Albuquerque Gangs News on

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“Whenever you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.” – William James I get asked all the time as a Life Coach, what does it take to have an utmost relationship. Let’s be honest. We have all gone through difficult times in relationships. I have some friends who got dumped at prom, many friends who went through an ugly divorce, a lot of friends who feel just plain stuck in what seems to be a horrible relationship. We see couples all the time at the beach, the mall or the movies who seem surprisingly happy and in love, but we all know that at some point, they will, if they didn’t already, have a fight or disagreement. What makes the difference between bliss in the relationship and feeling like it just isn’t working? Attitude. Now let’s remind ourselves that it takes two. This means both parties need to take a look at their attitude. This is where many couples find support in a counselor or mediator. Like the old saying, “relationships are like socks, you need two and they should match”, it is necessary to make sure you are on the same road. This doesn’t mean you have to be identical in your likes and dislikes, but it does mean that you should be both willing to support each other’s goals and dreams because they also fit into yours as well. Here is an example. My nephew is married to a wedding planner who’s dream it is to support couples on their special day. Now, while it is not his dream to do the same, it is however his dream to see his wife happy and fulfilled in her career. The same can be said for her support of his work as a designer. They are not two identical people, but rather two people who’s attitude it is to support each other on the journey. This common ground is the basis for a long, healthy friendship. Its about providing an environment for others to be their best and vice versa and in doing so you make way for your best. “When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.” – William Arthur Ward Living your utmost finest life while being a support for others to do the same is a difficult, but rewarding experience. Remember, it’s not just about you, we were meant to do life together. So whether you are working on better friendships, business relationships, marriage or simply how you interact with your community, remember loving you neighbor as yourself requires both loving yourself by living your life at the utmost level as well as supporting those around you in doing the same.

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The Heart and Stroke Foundation is a volunteer-based health charity that provides information on stroke and heart disease. The National Stroke Association provides education and programs on prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and support for all impacted by stroke. The Stroke Recovery Association of British Columbia is a non-profit organisation helping stroke survivors and their families in BC. The American Stroke Association is dedicated to providing information to enhance the quality of life for stroke survivors. The Internet Stroke Center is a non-profit, educational service that exists to advance understanding of stroke research and clinical care by providing current, professional, un-biased information about stroke. The Canadian Stroke Network is a not-for-profit corporation that brings together researchers, students, government, industry and the non-profit sector. The Canadian Stroke Network is dedicated to decreasing the physical, social and economic consequences of stroke on the individual and on society.

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How the “Law” Really “Works” I’m publishing four items of evidence below. I’m not even going to bother explaining them in detail. For any thinking person who reads the material below – the picture should fall into view; no further explanation necessary. Couldn’t make it up. 1: A quote from the speech made by Sir Phillip Bailhache, when swearing-in to Office as magistrate, Bridget Shaw on the 2nd July 2008. The “senior politician” he was referring to in such a prejudicial manner was me. “Mrs Shaw, you take up your post at a time when the judiciary and those in public office in the Island are, for better or for worse, under greater scrutiny than has been the case for some time. No-one can object, of course, to holding individual members of the judiciary to account for their judicial conduct or indeed for their conduct outside the court room. Indeed you have become, by virtue of your office, a member of the Jersey Judicial Association which last year adopted a Code of Ethics and Conduct setting out quite clearly what is expected of judges and magistrates in this Island. But wholesale attacks upon the judiciary and suggestions that they are collectively incapable of dealing with any outcomes of the current child abuse inquiry are ignorant and unwelcome, and I deplore them. Senior politicians, should know better than to attempt to subvert public confidence in our judicial institutions in pursuit of a personal agenda.” [emphasis added] 2: Two paragraphs extracted from the 94 page statement made to the Wiltshire police force by Graham Power, Queens Police Medal, the then Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police Force. The Stephen Baker referred to is the same Crown Advocate Stephen Baker who is paid with tax-payers money by William Bailhache and Tim Le Cocq to prosecute me, the then politician who led on exposing the child-abuse cover-ups: 208. It might be useful to offer some comment on the role of Stephen Baker. Mr Baker is a highly regarded lawyer who is experienced in working with the police. He is liked and respected by police officers. From his evidence the impression may have been given that he was a lawyer dedicated to Rectangle whose efforts at engagement were frustrated. This is not entirely the case. He is a busy criminal lawyer with a heavy and varied workload. I see from the disclosure documents he was first appointed to the case in late January and had some involvement in issues around the charging of the accused Wateridge. I will return to that matter in more detail a little later in this statement. The point I wish to make at this time, is that in the period which followed his appointment the force was having exchanges with Mr Baker of an entirely different nature. He was at that time representing a man called Curtis Warren who had a few years previously, been described as the U.K.'s leading criminal. Warren was in custody locally, having been arrested in Jersey following a covert operation by the force. Warren, who at one time appeared in the Sunday Times Rich List, was reported to have substantial criminal wealth, which he had successfully hidden from the various agencies which had sought its recovery. This led to an interesting exchange of correspondence between David Minty and Stephen Baker. David asked if Baker was being paid for his services, and if he was, whether he proposed to make a disclosure to the financial crime unit. I think that this was eventually resolved in favour of Baker, who successfully argued that he did not have to do so. 214. The core of the story is that Wateridge was in the process of being charged, when Stephen Baker attempted to intervene but apparently was too late to change matters. My notebook for that day records that in my briefing from Mr Harper I was told that there had been an "issue regarding charging. JJ (Notebook 07/358 page 68.) Stephen Baker's intervention came at a time about which he states "At that stage I knew nothing about the cases. JJ (Statement of Stephen Baker paragraph 7.) He had clearly been retained by the Attorney General to work on the abuse enquiry. He knew that, and obviously the Attorney General knew that. 3: A quote from the Jersey Evening Post of the 13th October 2011, in which the paper reported my appearance on the 12th October, before magistrate Bridget Shaw. The quote – from Jersey’s only “newspaper” - should be borne in mind, and contrasted with the facts as evidenced in the actual transcript, published further below: "Throughout yesterday's 70 minute hearing the 45 year old repeatedly interrupted the magistrate or spoke over her as she repeatedly asked him to be concise and relevant with his argument." 4: The actual transcript from the appearance before Bridget Shaw on the 12th October. I had to force this court hearing because it was the only chance I had to attempt to use evidence that had been unlawfully concealed from my defence during the prosecution and the appeal. (I was prevented from using that evidence – as the grimly amusing transcript shows.) Key amongst that evidence is the 94-page statement by Graham Power - the importance and relevance of which I’ve scarcely yet touched upon. That key evidence was unlawfully concealed from me by William Bailhache’s prosecuting lawyer, Stephen Baker. The person who refused to give me access to court to raise this fresh evidence – until after the election - was William Bailhache. “In the Magistrate’s Court of Jersey 12th October 2011 Before: B. Shaw, Magistrate HER MAJESTY’S ATTORNEY GENERAL Crown Advocate Stephen Baker Defendant representing himself Verbatim Transcript of recorded proceedings AG v Syvret: 12/10/11 MAGISTRATE: Good afternoon. CENTENIER HUELIN: Good afternoon. GREFFIER: Be seated, please. CENTENIER HUELIN: Thank you, Ma’m. Stuart Syvret. MAGISTRATE: Good afternoon. Will you confirm your name is Stuart Syvret? DEFENDANT: Yes, yes, that’s correct. MAGISTRATE: Thank you very much, date of birth 30th of July ‘65? DEFENDANT: Yes, that’s correct, Madam. MAGISTRATE: Thank you. DEFENDANT: Obviously before these proceedings begin, I want to begin by making a recusal application concerning yourself. MAGISTRATE: Well, I am going to---- CROWN ADVOCATE: Madam, there has been a recusal application previously. CROWN ADVOCATE: It has been rejected as far as the Court of Appeal. There should be no recusal application. DEFENDANT: Well, with all due respect, if I may be---- MAGISTRATE: Mr Syvret, is there any different from anything you’ve said to me before on this issue? DEFENDANT: Oh indeed there is, absolutely. (Magistrate conferred with Deputy Greffier) MAGISTRATE: I want to get these proceedings started, Mr Syvret. I am going to ask that the Representation is put first and then we will deal with any substantial matters. CENTENIER HUELIN: Centenier Huelin of the Parish of St Helier, on behalf of the Constable of the said Parish, has the honour to present to the Court that, in virtue of the terms of the Criminal Justice (Community Services Orders)(Jersey) Law 2001, he is of the opinion that, for the reasons given in the attached statement submitted by the Community Service Officer, it is necessary for the Magistrate’s Court to re-examine the conditions imposed on Stuart Syvret, who, by Act of the said Court, dated 17th of November 2010, was convicted of the offence of Contempt of Court by failing to attend a hearing at the Magistrate’s Court on the 9th of November 2009, and sentenced to a term of eight weeks’ imprisonment. The said Stuart Syvret made an appeal to the Royal Court of Jersey against the said conviction of the Magistrate’s Court and, on the 8th of August 2011, the appeal against conviction was dismissed, but the appeal against sentence was allowed, in part, by ordering that the term of imprisonment be substituted with a Community Service Order of 80 hours or eight weeks’ imprisonment. The said Stuart Syvret has failed to conform to the conditions of the Community Service Order. Therefore, the said Centenier, on behalf of the said Constable, presents the aforementioned information to the Court in order that it may ordain on the facts contained in the above mentioned statement; the whole in accordance with the terms of Article 7 of the said Law. MAGISTRATE: Thank you very much. Mr Syvret, do you understand what has been said and why you are here? DEFENDANT: Yes, I do. MAGISTRATE: Thank you very much. CROWN ADVOCATE: Madam, the Defendant has said that he intends to apply for you to recuse yourself. You spent a considerable period listening to recusal applications some 18 months ago now, I anticipate. The complaints went in that regard as far as the Court of Appeal and were entirely rejected. The complaints as to bias and recusal were rejected by Commissioner Pitchers. There has been a full hearing of these allegations, these repeated allegations. The last time that they were repeated was before Commissioner Pitchers in the middle of August this year and, if you are minded to ask the Defendant whether he has anything new to add from that which was said to the Court in the middle of August 2011, then that is understandable, but he should immediately identify what it is that is new. MAGISTRATE: Yes. Yes, Mr Syvret, if there is anything new, I want you to say very concisely what is new. If I don’t hear anything new within the first couple of minutes, then I am going to stop you. DEFENDANT: Yes, Madam, there are new grounds. Obviously I remain of the view that the old grounds were valid. DEFENDANT: And indeed I think the events showed that that was the case, but Advocate Baker has referred to the Judgment of the Royal Court, which is before you, I believe. DEFENDANT: And if one looks, for example, at paragraphs 59 and 60, it does there describe how the inappropriateness of your conduct on the day of sentencing and the way you applied contempt of Court charges against me without proper due notice and without proper due process against me; and indeed the Royal Court found that these were plainly so insupportable that they were, these particular charges were thrown out by the Royal Court. MAGISTRATE: Yes, thank you. DEFENDANT: The conduct that you exhibited on that day, Madam, on that ground, does show very clear, powerful and dramatic actual bias. One doesn’t even need anything approaching a complex or well versed understanding of law to know that, if you lay a charge before a person, if you accuse them of a criminal offence of some description, especially one that is so significant you’re going to impose a significant sentence upon it, you have to allow that person an opportunity to defend themselves. You have to give them a reasonable notice of the charge, allow them some time to prepare their defence case and to make their defence. You did not on that occasion, Madam, do any of that. Your decisions concerning me were wholly extraordinary, wildly, massively at variance with even the most rudimentary and simple understandings of how the administration of justice operates in a clear and fair and impartial manner. Clearly your conduct was not compliant with Article 6 on that day; and I make the point that this was such a very, very clear matter because it is not as though it could be argued that this was some complex consideration, perhaps an error in law of the kind that can get made or perhaps a misunderstanding of some factual item. This was an extremely aggressive, overtly actually biased decision/decisions on your part on that day and quite extraordinarily so. I mean, I am not aware of another case where a person has been faced with charges of that nature, even contempt of Court charges, when the matter normally can be dealt with summarily of course, but that is in the cases of contempt, direct contempt, in the face of the Court. I have not been able to locate a similar case anywhere that corresponds to your conduct, your attitude towards me as displayed on that day. The charges I had less than 24 hours’ notice of. I applied to reserve my plea. You wouldn’t even allow me to do that. You then entered a not guilty plea on my behalf and I then applied for time to then prepare some defence, some defence argument or possibly some mitigation argument to the charges in question and you absolutely refused an adjournment to me to do that, which was quite extraordinary given that these charges had only been notified to me less than 24 hours beforehand. You then proceeded to find me guilty of these charges and I then sought another adjournment in respect of sentence and sentencing so that I could appeal, and you refused that too and you also pretty much instructed the Prosecution to prepare further charges on the day, which were worked into the proceedings. Now, these are absolutely very clear crystallisations of the bias that you displayed to me throughout the whole proceedings and it was very powerfully and dramatically overt and on display in your conduct in that particular instance, and these were, indeed so insupportable was your conduct on that occasion that not even the Royal Court could uphold it. Now, the conduct that you displayed towards me, the attitude that you displayed towards me on that occasion in that kind of kangaroo court approach that you took does display actual bias, very clearly evidenced actual bias. There is no other word for it. We are not even talking about potential bias here or conduct that might risk appearing to be biased. This was overt, aggressive, biased conduct and one has to also read the Judgment that you delivered on that day and see that there are various passages in it, various observations that depart considerably from consideration of the verdict and the law and so on and effectively amount to a Jersey establishment press release condemning me in all kinds of ways, calling me a liar and things of that nature for having tried to protect my constituents by making the public interest disclosure that I did. Indeed, the evidence that you refused to allow me to use in my defence case is now published so that the public can see for themselves how serious that matter was. You brought, as it were, the Prosecution argument that somehow it had been wrong of me to have published that information, the original information, with some kind of a political commentary alongside it. Now, that may or may not have been a legally correct decision. I don’t believe it was a legally correct decision judgement or yours, nor of the Royal Court consequently, but it is quite one thing, even if I were wrong to have published that material, for me to have published it in a way that didn’t suit your particular interpretation of the law, but then to write at great length of how I was some kind of malicious liar in what I have written---- CROWN ADVOCATE: This can’t be relevant. MAGISTRATE: Is there any … the Royal Court has ruled on my previous Judgment, Mr Syvret. The Royal Court has upheld it and I am not going to reopen anything regarding that. Have you anything else directly to say to me that you haven’t said to me before about why I shouldn’t sit? DEFENDANT: Yes, the, the case uhm that, of the uhm, the uhm, sorry the contempt of Court matters that you put before, that you put before me, this does demonstrate very clearly and dramatically actual bias on your part. MAGISTRATE: Yes, you said that. DEFENDANT: As did a lot of the other proceedings. It is also since those events occurred, which takes me onto the second plank of the argument, and that is really why I am here today, because I obtained some evidence recently from a source in the---- CROWN ADVOCATE: This can’t be relevant to recusal. MAGISTRATE: I don’t think fresh evidence can be relevant to why you are here before the Court or why I shouldn’t sit in the case. DEFENDANT: Well, I think it is. Perhaps you would care to listen to the explanation before coming to a judgement? MAGISTRATE: Well, we’re talking about fresh evidence and the evidence in the case has been heard and that stage of the case is over. DEFENDANT: The evidence in question is a 94 page statement to the Wiltshire Police Force by Graham Power. Now, clearly in a variety of different ways that evidence is of dramatic and central---- CROWN ADVOCATE: I am sorry to---- MAGISTRATE: I just don’t follow this. CROWN ADVOCATE: I did not interrupt Mr Syvret at all---- CROWN ADVOCATE: -----in the substantive proceedings, but it is my intention to interrupt him if it is apparent and obvious that he is going to address the Court on matters which are utterly irrelevant to the issue before it. What you are being asked to do at present is to recuse yourself because of actual bias. A 96 page statement by Mr Power to Wiltshire can have nothing to do with that whatsoever and was canvassed in the Royal Court on appeal and dealt with on appeal by the Royal Court and unless---- DEFENDANT: That’s not true. CROWN ADVOCATE: -----and unless Mr Syvret can show that it has anything to do whatsoever with the recusal application, you shouldn’t hear him. He shouldn’t be given any more indulgence than any other citizen in this position. MAGISTRATE: Mr Syvret---- MAGISTRATE: -----I don’t see on the surface of it what the 96 page statement by somebody else will have to---- DEFENDANT: It is 94 pages actually. MAGISTRATE: Will you tell me in two sentences what the link is between my sitting and this statement? DEFENDANT: Certainly. You, Madam, are mentioned in the document, I think in a couple of points, in your previous capacity as being involved as a legal adviser with the police force in respect of the child protection issues and investigations and that does have a bearing on the recusal application. This was not evidence or knowledge that was in my possession before and this is not an argument that has been advanced before. MAGISTRATE: But I don’t see what that can have to do with breach of a Community Service Order. DEFENDANT: This is in connection with the recusal application, Madam. You have---- MAGISTRATE: Yes, but what I am sitting on is a Representation to do with a breach of a Community Service Order. I’m not sitting on the trial. Mr Syvret, you haven’t raised anything else. DEFENDANT: But this is a part of the recusal application---- MAGISTRATE: Which can be---- DEFENDANT: -----this is evidence that I was not aware of previously that I am now aware of which goes further to the fact that you have a history, as it were, of involvement in the background issues and that goes further to the strength of the argument that you must recuse yourself from this case. Your past involvement with these matters and your acquaintance with a number of the individuals involved, of the interested parties as it were, is magnified and made even clearer by the fresh evidence. MAGISTRATE: Okay, well---- DEFENDANT: That is fresh evidence that goes to---- MAGISTRATE: -----well that is your point, right. DEFENDANT: -----the recusal ap---- MAGISTRATE: I hear what you are saying. Thank you very much. DEFENDANT: -----the application. DEFENDANT: The evidence is of further relevance, and I must address this because Advocate Baker raised the point, I did not. Advocate Baker suggested, and he used the word “canvassed”, he suggested that the matter of the 94 page statement of Mr Power had been dealt with in detail in the Royal Court. It in fact had not. That is simply incorrect and that is another one of the numerous untruths uttered by Advocate Baker throughout these proceedings. I repeatedly, indeed before you and before the Royal Court, sought disclosure of this document. Advocate Baker throughout most of the proceedings repeatedly asserted that this document would not be disclosed because, in his judgement, it was of no relevance to the Defence arguments of things like abuse of process and malicious prosecution. MAGISTRATE: Mr Syvret, thank you very much. I have heard enough about that. MAGISTRATE: I don’t see that---- DEFENDANT: Am I allowed to actually make my case? MAGISTRATE: I have heard enough, thank you very much. Would you, would you sit down? DEFENDANT: I haven’t finished making my case. MAGISTRATE: Well, you might not have finished, Mr Syvret, but you’re saying there is something in this statement to say that I worked for the Law Officers and had some involvement in child abuse cases in the past. From what you’ve been telling me, I cannot see that this can have any possible relevance to whether I should sit on a breach of Community Service Order in the Court now, so would you just take a seat for the moment? DEFENDANT: -----well, Madam, I must respond to that. What you are hearing today, whether it is a breach of Community Service Order or any other matter, the nature of the case you are hearing is immaterial. You are sitting in the capacity of a judge and, if I have grounds for considering that you are conflicted or that you have exhibited bias towards me, I am entitled to make that argument. The particular nature of the case you are hearing is immaterial. If there is a credible argument that you have exhibited actual bias, then you have exhibited actual bias and the nature---- MAGISTRATE: You have made that point---- DEFENDANT: -----the nature of---- MAGISTRATE: -----in relation to the contempt of Court. Now you are bringing in something that doesn’t seem to me to be directly relevant. DEFENDANT: Madam, this is of relevance as to whether you are capable of being an objective judge in any matter concerning me and I do not believe that you are capable of being an objective judge in this matter before the Court today or, frankly, in any other matter concerning me. That is the argument I am making and now if I could please---- MAGISTRATE: Right, thank you. No, I understand the argument you are making, Mr Syvret. Would you sit down, please? DEFENDANT: But I haven’t---- MAGISTRATE: I want to hear from Mr Baker. DEFENDANT: But I haven’t finished making---- MAGISTRATE: No, I don’t wish to hear any more, Mr Syvret. MAGISTRATE: I understand the nature of what you’re saying. MAGISTRATE: If what you’re saying is right, then---- DEFENDANT: With respect, Madam, there---- MAGISTRATE: -----you’ve said sufficient already on the contempt matters. DEFENDANT: There are entire strands of the argument that I have not yet addressed. MAGISTRATE: Mr Syvret, I just don’t see that you’re saying anything to me that I can see is relevant to the proceedings today. DEFENDANT: Any matter that demonstrated conflicts of interests or bias on your part---- DEFENDANT: -----is of relevance. MAGISTRATE: Yes, but you have raised it and I understand that you’ve raised it. DEFENDANT: I haven’t yet---- MAGISTRATE: And, therefore, I shall take it into account---- DEFENDANT: I haven’t yet finished. MAGISTRATE: -----when I consider what to do. DEFENDANT: But I haven’t yet finished making the argument. MAGISTRATE: You have raised the matter and said that I was involved in child abuse cases when I worked for the Law Officers’ Department. Where does that take you? DEFENDANT: Well, we go back to the earlier considerations and they do have to be put forward again in that---- MAGISTRATE: No, no, you have said the earlier considerations. MAGISTRATE: Can we go back to the---- DEFENDANT: -----when you---- MAGISTRATE: -----to what you are saying to me now because I really don’t follow what you’re saying. DEFENDANT: When you made the earlier decision not to recuse and you considered yourself able to hear this case, you did on that occasion refuse, as you did on several occasions throughout the proceedings, you refused to itemise and declare openly who your particular acquaintances were, who you knew and so on and the extent to which you may have worked with them. Now, if you worked further with these people, as indeed is indicated by this statement, then that is further grounds for me, new grounds for me, arguing that for you to meet the test of coherence of objectivity, you must declare quite openly the full extent and nature of your acquaintance with any of these interested parties. That is a perfectly reasonable test of openness and transparency. If you do not declare openly each such acquaintance, then you can’t meet the test of the appearance of objectivity. DEFENDANT: And the recently obtained evidence adds weight to my previous argument that there is a requirement for you to declare quite openly your acquaintances with any of the involved parties. There is another dimension to this argument too, which I advance against you hearing any case concerning me, and---- MAGISTRATE: What is that? DEFENDANT: That is the question of judicial, simply professional competence. Anyone has a right to a fair hearing under Article 6 of the ECHR---- DEFENDANT: -----and part of a fair hearing has to be competency. If a judge isn’t fully competent, then they are not capable of presiding over a hearing in an effective manner. DEFENDANT: Now, you, Madam, agreed with the Prosecution throughout that they not be required to disclose to me any of the evidence I sought that was of relevance, obviously central relevance, to what were in many ways the very key foundation stones of the Defence argument. Those arguments were abuse of process, malicious prosecution, politicised prosecution and personal conflicts of interest on the part of the prosecutor. Now that was, if you like, the very centre, in many ways the foundation stone of the defence case throughout. You repeatedly refused, quite remarkably, to disclose any of that evidence, in particular and expressly and directly the evidence provided by Mr Power to the Wiltshire investigation. That was never a decision I accepted. I always knew perfectly well that there would be, quite obviously, material within that evidence that would, could not be anything other than of relevance to the Defence arguments, but you refused and that evidence was not disclosed to me. DEFENDANT: I have now obtained the evidence and I will be exploring it in some detail and it shows in fact, precisely as one would expect, I think as any reasonable person even without legal training would expect, and fully as I expected, that in fact substantial parts of that evidence do without question go absolutely directly and most powerfully to the Defence case I was running---- MAGISTRATE: Hmm hmm. DEFENDANT: -----namely abuse of process, malicious prosecution and essentially a structural set of proceedings by the prosecution authority in Jersey that were wholly non-compliant with the ECHR. Now that Defence argument now is effectively proven and Mr Power’s statement proves it, as it was probably always going to do. I believe that so extraordinary was your decision not to order the disclosure of that evidence to me and indeed some other similar decisions that it has to raise very serious questions about your basic competency as a judge. MAGISTRATE: Right, okay, that’s your third point. DEFENDANT: And there are also other questions that have to go towards the whole consideration of competency. It is entirely right that when considering whether judicial proceedings are Article 6 compliant, the person before the tribunal has a right to consider that everyone taking part in it is fully competent and to understand what the methodology and the standards are of the proceedings taking place. Further to that end, I repeatedly sought disclosure from you of whichever third party or parties you’ve taken advice and guidance from during the course of the proceedings against me and during adjournments and so on and again you have refused to disclose that information, much like---- CROWN ADVOCATE: This must be a repeat. DEFENDANT: -----much like you refused to disclose … well, it is a different argument if you don’t mind. CROWN ADVOCATE: It is a repeat. DEFENDANT: You refused to disclose---- MAGISTRATE: All right. DEFENDANT: -----the acquaintances you had. MAGISTRATE: So you are saying for various reasons I am incompetent, yes? DEFENDANT: Yes, Madam, I think you are on the evidence, and this is not merely an assertion of mine. DEFENDANT: And this is an important point because obviously it is very easy for any accused person just to stand up and cast condemnations upon the Court that is hearing them and, you know, justice would not function if such claims were to be taken seriously without any kind of evidential background to any kind of robust grounds for making such claims, but in this particular case I do have such robust claims. I am able to argue in powerfully evidenced detail that you have in fact made many decisions in this case certainly concerning me and possibly in other cases too that do cast the most telling light on your basic competency as a judge. Now that is an entirely legitimate argument. If it is true, then the proceedings you preside over will not be Article 6 compliant, so, if I can show to the tribunal, if I can demonstrate that you have made basic errors and that you’ve been incompetent in some regards as a judge, then your capacity in the past tribunal and indeed any other tribunal hearing matters concerning me becomes vitiated. MAGISTRATE: Thank you. MAGISTRATE: I understand what you’re saying. DEFENDANT: -----that is an argument I am entitled to make and to make on an evidenced basis. MAGISTRATE: No, you can make representations---- DEFENDANT: I want to tell you---- MAGISTRATE: -----which you have just have done. Mr Baker? CROWN ADVOCATE: Madam, the Defendant has, as he so frequently does, utterly overstated his case. He accuses you of actual bias and incompetence and what the material that he has drawn to your attention shows is only this, that the Appellate Court concluded that you had made errors in procedure. It makes no comments whatsoever on the merits of the conduct which was under consideration. By that I mean merits of the conduct by the Defendant, which was under consideration. There is absolutely nothing to suggest actual bias. There is nothing to suggest apparent bias and any reasonably or properly informed independent observer would come to no conclusion other than the Appellate Court had concluded that you followed the wrong procedure in what is a difficult area and an uncommon area of law to have to deal with. His attacks upon your competence are wholly misplaced. Your Judgment at first instance was upheld in its entirety effectively by the Appellate Court. The Court had no criticism whatsoever of your conclusion that the Defendant had lied to you. It concluded that the convictions on the main charges were entirely justified. In fact, the proper reading of the transcripts and the whole of the case shows that you have demonstrated remarkable patience with the Defendant, as in fact have all the judges who have had to deal with this Defendant’s case, and you have shown remarkable patience in the face of unprovoked and unsustainable and (in the words, in the mouths of a lawyer) utterly improper allegations against you. There is nothing whatsoever in this application that you recuse yourself and you should sit. MAGISTRATE: Thank you very much. Mr Syvret---- DEFENDANT: I haven’t actually finished. MAGISTRATE: Well, I have heard four headings under which I shouldn’t sit. Is there a separate heading? DEFENDANT: Well, I mean, I am dealing with the evidence under those headings. MAGISTRATE: No, no. I have heard those headings. I have heard you outline what your arguments are. It is not an occasion on which to bring evidence. I will deal with this matter by way of submissions. I have heard submissions from you and I have heard them from Mr Baker. I would say I am not going to recuse myself in this case. MAGISTRATE: I do not have actual bias against you and any informed bystander I believe would not think that there is an appearance of bias. DEFENDANT: No informed bystander---- MAGISTRATE: The case against you was taken on appeal to the Royal Court. The Royal Court found that I did make procedural errors in dealing with your contempt. The Court has dealt with that. That doesn’t mean that any judge who is overturned by a superior Court bears malice towards a defendant in that case. Nor does the procedure I adopted on that occasion demonstrate actual bias towards you. In terms of my competence, the vast majority of my decision at first instance was upheld by the Royal Court. I was right, they said, on the disclosure issue and I don’t think my competence is being, can seriously be called into question. MAGISTRATE: So, Mr Syvret---- DEFENDANT: -----with respect---- MAGISTRATE: -----I intend to---- DEFENDANT: -----I haven’t yet finished. MAGISTRATE: No, that is the recusal matter over with. DEFENDANT: Well, I have to state that it is not the recusal matter over with as far as I am concerned because you have not permitted me to explain the facts properly. MAGISTRATE: No, you have brought up the planks of your argument, Mr Syvret. I don’t think they are sustainable. DEFENDANT: We have not seen, we have not examined, we have not considered the evidence. MAGISTRATE: No, well we’re not going into the evidence. We don’t go into the evidence in cases like that. DEFENDANT: But there is---- MAGISTRATE: We deal with the matter by way of representation. DEFENDANT: There is ample evidence available which could be explored and argued about here and now that would indeed seriously challenge your competency. Indeed, one of the factors that makes that relevant to be dealt with at this particular time is the fact that that evidence was not in fact before the Royal Court and was not in fact heard or considered by the Royal Court, largely due to the mendacity of Advocate Baker; and that evidence does in fact now, as it is before this Court at the moment, does in fact go powerfully to questions of your competence, and this is not a matter that has been dealt with in any other Court---- DEFENDANT: -----because of the failure to disclose the evidence. It is now before this Court for the first time and it does indeed form a substantive argument, evidenced grounds for exploring whether you are competent as a judge and I have a right to make that argument. For example---- MAGISTRATE: Mr Syvret, we are here to deal with an allegation of breach of a Community Service Order. DEFENDANT: Well, with respect, we’re here first of all to---- MAGISTRATE: No, no, Mr---- DEFENDANT: -----we are here first of all to deal with---- MAGISTRATE: Mr Syvret---- DEFENDANT:-----the question of whether your presiding---- MAGISTRATE: No, we are not. DEFENDANT: -----over this Court case---- MAGISTRATE: I have ruled on that matter, Mr Syvret. DEFENDANT: -----is Article 6 compliant. MAGISTRATE: I don’t wish to ask, I don’t wish to hear any more. DEFENDANT: So you’re not---- MAGISTRATE: That matter is, that matter is closed. DEFENDANT: So you’re not prepared to hear the evidence? MAGISTRATE: Mr Baker, can we carry on? DEFENDANT: You’re not going to permit me to explain the evidence? MAGISTRATE: No, no. MAGISTRATE: I’m not. CROWN ADVOCATE: Madam, before I do, can I just say that the suggestion that the “mendacity of Advocate Baker” could in any way persuade a High Court Judge not to look at something is utterly ridiculous and it should be dismissed for the piffle that it is. Can I then move on to the breach of the Community Service Order? DEFENDANT: I can bring the transcripts up. CROWN ADVOCATE: This matter is listed before the Court today because the Defendant has been ordered to serve 80 hours’ community service. That 80 hours’ community service was imposed for an offence of contempt of Court. The contempt of Court was his absconding from Jersey for some six months and thus not being available for his trial. In England, the matter would have been dealt with under the Bail Act in all likelihood, but in Jersey by our law it is dealt with as a contempt of Court and it is dealt with frequently as a contempt of Court in this Court. He was convicted and sentenced by you for contempt of Court on the 17th of November 2010. A transcript of what transpired is in the bundle before you and will be easily in your recollection in any event, Madam, but he was sentenced to eight weeks’ imprisonment for that contempt of Court. The reason that he was sentenced to eight months’(sic) imprisonment---- MAGISTRATE: Eight weeks. CROWN ADVOCATE: Eight weeks, I do apologise, eight weeks’ imprisonment that day was because he refused the offer of community service as an alternative. You specifically gave him the opportunity of undertaking community service and he declined it and you therefore sentenced him to eight weeks’ imprisonment, which was inevitable. He thereafter, as soon as he could, applied for bail from the Royal Court and he was granted bail by the Royal Court pending his appeal in regard to a series of convictions and sentences which had been passed, but it is only the contempt for absconding which concerns you today. His appeal against conviction was rejected by the Royal Court on the 11th of August of this year and, as to sentence, the learned Commissioner and Jurats offered him the opportunity of doing community service and he accepted that opportunity. Commissioner Pitchers told him on that occasion that he had no doubt that he could do community service and asked him whether he was willing to do it as an alternative to prison. The Defendant said that he was. The Commissioner then substituted 80 hours’ community service for the contempt and told the Defendant that, if he failed to comply, he could be resentenced and made it clear “This is the sentence that the Magistrate wanted to pass the first time round”, so he was left in no doubt as to what the consequences might be should he fail to co-operate and carry out his community service. It is alleged that he has failed to comply with the requirements of the Community Service Order. He has refused to attend a single appointment for work. He attended one meeting at the Community Service, at the Probation and was largely offensive and insulting at that meeting. You have before you a report prepared by Mr Le Marrec, who sits behind me, dated the 12th of October 2011 and who is available to give evidence or answer questions, as is the normal course in this Court. I hope I can encapsulate the Probation Service’s position, but they can speak for themselves if and when you have questions for them, Madam, but that they consider that the Defendant has been dismissive of them and has effectively been contemptuous of them in the casual use of the word. You will see that in paragraph 4 of the report “You don’t really expect me to take this seriously” is what he says to Community Service, and this days after he has been sentenced to community service as an alternative to custody. (Pause) MAGISTRATE: Carry on. CROWN ADVOCATE: As I say, the Probation Officers can speak for themselves, but arrangements had been made for him to attend Community Service on a Wednesday morning, on a day when lighter work and more vulnerable prisoners – sorry, not prisoners, more vulnerable convicted persons – are carrying out their order. They tend to carry out tasks at the zoo, at Durrell, sweeping up leaves and the like. What I submit to you – and you should ask the Probation Officers some questions – but what the report which the Probation Service has prepared for you reveals is just exactly the same type of conduct as you have faced for 18 months and which the Royal Court faced, with him playing a medical card when he thinks its suits him, being dismissive of people when it suits him and not engaging and then making allegations against people when it suits him. So that when he comes across people who don’t see the world as he does, or who want him to do something he doesn’t want to, he seems incapable of engaging with them and, rather than engaging in reason and reaching compromise with them, he accuses them, makes wild allegations with virtually no evidence or no evidence at all to back it up. What you see in the report, I repeat, is what you’ve seen throughout these proceedings and he is “swinging the lead. “ Commissioner Pitchers was in no doubt in the middle of August that he was capable of doing community service. He is Exhibit A as to why he is capable of doing community service. He is a man who will argue with you until he is blue in the face. He will talk across you. He will insult you and he is more than capable of engaging with things when he wants to. It is just when he doesn’t want to, when it doesn’t suit him that he decides that oh he’s too ill, “I’ve got a doctor’s report saying that I’m unfit for work” and he resorts to insults and excuses as to why he can’t comply with something he has been ordered to do; this in circumstances where a retired High Court Judge says that he is certain that he can carry out community service. Again, you doubtless will ask some questions of the Officers, but 95% of people who are ordered to do community service in Jersey carry it out, and in the Wednesday working group at the moment there are several people who have doctors’ certificates saying they are unfit for work, who carry out community service. It is about seven hours on a Wednesday. It can be as low as four and a half hours and any sensible engagement with Probation leads to persons being able to carry out community service. Madam, you have power to deal with the alleged breach under Article 20(3) of the Magistrates’ Courts Law. I don’t intend to take you to it unless you wish me to. MAGISTRATE: Article 23? CROWN ADVOCATE: I have got 20(3). MAGISTRATE: Yes, sorry 20. CROWN ADVOCATE: It is behind divider 8---- CROWN ADVOCATE: -----of the bundle I have put before you. CROWN ADVOCATE: Do you wish me to read it? MAGISTRATE: Yes, the Royal Court has effectively varied a decision of the Magistrates’ Court. Is that what you’re saying? CROWN ADVOCATE: Yes, that is right. CROWN ADVOCATE: The Defendant claims to have material which affects the safety of his conviction on one of the data protection offences. Any such material is entirely irrelevant to this Community Service Order, which he has been ordered to complete for contempt of Court, not for the data protection offence, about which he says there is evidence which may affect the safety of that conviction. It is plain that he has been told that in terms by Commissioner Pitchers, and there is an email behind divider 6. MAGISTRATE: Hmm hmm. CROWN ADVOCATE: Mr Syvret wrote to the Bailiff’s Judicial Secretary saying he needed an immediate injunction, or something of that type, to suspend the orders which had been made against him, and Commissioner Pitchers replied through the Bailiff’s Judicial Secretary, saying that he had read the documents submitted by Syvret, “he wishes to seek a stay of the orders made on appeal, applications properly made to me, he argues a new witness is relevant in the defence of public interest under Article 55 of the law” – that is the offence I was referring to. MAGISTRATE: Hmm hmm. CROWN ADVOCATE: “Accordingly whatever the outcome of this application for convictions and sentences to do with the data protection offences, the two motoring offences and the contempt of Court offence will be unaffected. The fines and the community service for those offences will remain.” So he knows, because Commissioner Pitchers has told him, that any material which might be relevant (and there will be a dispute as to that doubtless) to the data protection offence is not relevant to this. Madam, if the breach of Community Service Order is proved or admitted by the Defendant, then you have various options. One option is to allow the order to run with a final warning to the Defendant that, if he does not complete community service, then you will have no option but to send him to prison. That is entirely your decision and the Crown in this Court has no role in submitting as to what it believes you should do, but, should the Defendant refuse to undertake community service, then the likelihood is that the Court will be left with no option but to send him to prison to serve the eight weeks’ imprisonment. The Prosecution indicates that it has no desire that the Defendant be sent to prison. It is in highly unusual circumstances, that people get themselves into a position where a Court has to send them to prison where they have been sentenced to community service. If he is sentenced to imprisonment, it will be entirely a consequence of his own acts and he would effectively have chosen to be imprisoned. It is all his doing. It is all his choice. Madam, I have told you that there is a report from the Probation Services dated the 12th of October 2011. Mr Le Marrec is here behind me, as is his boss, if you will excuse the colloquialness, and they are here to answer any questions you might have. MAGISTRATE: Has that report from Mr Le Marrec been supplied to Mr Syvret? CROWN ADVOCATE: Yes. MAGISTRATE: Thank you. Mr Syvret, you’ve---- DEFENDANT: Can I make my---- DEFENDANT: Can I make my case now? MAGISTRATE: No, I’m going to ask you some questions about what Mr Baker has just said. Firstly, he said that there is an allegation of a breach of a Community Service Order, and the details of what is alleged to amount to the breach is contained in a report by Mr Le Marrec. Have you read the report by Mr Le Marrec? DEFENDANT: I only received the report, it was handed to me in a physical copy today. I’ve glanced at it briefly. I haven’t had time, sufficient time to absorb it, properly read it and absorb it all. MAGISTRATE: Has that been emailed to you before? DEFENDANT: No, it has not. The first I have seen of this was today. CROWN ADVOCATE: As for me, as with me. MAGISTRATE: You saw it for the first time today? CROWN ADVOCATE: Yes, I did. MAGISTRATE: The report. DEFENDANT: With respect, Advocate Baker is a trained lawyer. I am a lay person. MAGISTRATE: I beg your pardon? DEFENDANT: I said, with respect, Advocate Baker is a trained lawyer. I am a lay person. I haven’t had sufficient time to consider this. CROWN ADVOCATE: You have had all day. He has had all day. He has had from ten o’clock to read this. MAGISTRATE: Well, Mr Syvret, this isn’t so much a matter of law but a matter of fact. All the law requires for you to do is to do the work as directed and to keep appointments and Mr Le Marrec’s report is saying what he says happened. So have you actually read the report? DEFENDANT: I have glanced through it briefly. I haven’t had a chance to study it or absorb it, no. MAGISTRATE: At this stage are you able to say whether you agree or disagree with the basic allegations that Mr Baker has just---- DEFENDANT: I can’t, no. MAGISTRATE: -----enunciated, that you failed to keep appointments? DEFENDANT: Well, I failed to keep the appointments, but I have been signed, signed off ill. I mean, that is, that is the case. I mean, as far as the specific detailed allegations, I have not yet had time to consider them. CROWN ADVOCATE: Madam, it is entirely a matter for you, but let’s give him 15 minutes to read it. DEFENDANT: Well, with all due respect, I haven’t yet---- CROWN ADVOCATE: He has had all day. He has had all day and it is not acceptable to be in Court for breach of community service, to be given the report and not to bother reading it. DEFENDANT: But with all due respect---- CROWN ADVOCATE: He knows he is here for breach of community service. This is the report and to tell you that he has skimmed it is utterly unacceptable. DEFENDANT: Madam, this, this, this grandstanding and this PR speak by Advocate Baker playing to the gallery is really quite transparent and quite tiresome. MAGISTRATE: Well, what I want to know---- DEFENDANT: If people are being thrust documents upon them that they are then being expected to comment upon in a case that day, it isn’t adequate. It is simply basic rudimentary due process that people are given adequate time to reflect upon documents. People might want to take advice on documents. This is not unreasonable. This is a perfectly proper approach and---- MAGISTRATE: Yes. Mr Syvret, can I just stop you there? The other question that I wanted to ask you is whether you wish to be legally represented in these proceedings and have you thought about applying for Legal Aid? DEFENDANT: Well my view on that remains the same as it has always been. I would like to be legally represented by a paid lawyer of my choice, but, as that is not going to happen, then I have to represent, I have to try. MAGISTRATE: So you accept that you are going to represent yourself in this matter? DEFENDANT: With reluctance, yes. CROWN ADVOCATE: Madam, this matter has been dealt with in entirely the usual way. He has been treated exactly as any other citizen. MAGISTRATE: Well, yes. Mr Baker, I was just going to make the point that it is the usual practice in this Court to ask a defendant whether they wish to seek legal advice and, if they do, to grant a two week adjournment. That is perfectly standard practice and Mr Syvret will be afforded that opportunity should he wish to take advantage of it. From what you’ve just said, you don’t seem to want an adjournment to seek legal advice. Is that correct? DEFENDANT: Well, I may well try and take some pro bono legal advice on these matters, yes, I may well do that. MAGISTRATE: Well, I---- DEFENDANT: But, you know, the question you put to me was whether I would be represented by a lawyer. DEFENDANT: And my answer to that is no. If the question is will I, would I like an opportunity to seek some pro bono advice on these matters, the answer is yes. DEFENDANT: They are two different questions. MAGISTRATE: Well, right. Can I just stop---- DEFENDANT: But, but---- MAGISTRATE: -----can I just stop you there, because this matter, if the Court is, if the matter is proved to the satisfaction of the Court that you were to be in breach, then clearly you would be at risk of going to custody. You understand that, don’t you? DEFENDANT: I do. MAGISTRATE: Very well. In that circumstance, the Court would normally make an adjournment available for someone to seek legal advice. Now, whether that is pro bono advice or whether that is advice that you pay for or that is advice under the Legal Aid Scheme, that is a matter for you, but you can face custody if this matter is found against you. DEFENDANT: Yes, I fully understand that. MAGISTRATE: You have been given this report from Mr Le Marrec today. I would have thought that you would have been able to read that in some detail because you have had several hours today, but I want to give you an opportunity, if you wish to take the opportunity, to take legal advice as to your situation---- DEFENDANT: Well, I---- MAGISTRATE: -----including any matters raised in the report and any matters you would like to raise if you want to say that you are not in breach of this Community Service Order. DEFENDANT: Yes, indeed. I would indeed want to take advice on those points because there are---- MAGISTRATE: Well, yes, I don’t really need to know why---- MAGISTRATE: -----but that is the normal procedure of the Court. So---- DEFENDANT: I’m trying to, well, to answer you, and I am trying to assist the Court, Madam. To answer your question, would I wish an adjournment to take advice on the report and the options in it and what arguments I might make---- MAGISTRATE: And what arguments? Because what would happen if I did find---- DEFENDANT: The answer to your question---- MAGISTRATE: -----if the Court did find---- DEFENDANT: -----the answer to your question is yes. MAGISTRATE: Yes, because, if the Court did find that you were in breach, then the Court has various options, and sentencing, re-sentencing for the original offence is one of them, for which you might like to take advice. MAGISTRATE: -----and you might like to take advice as to, and sit back and think about what position you’re in and what your approach to the Community Service Order is in the cold light of day. DEFENDANT: Well, if---- MAGISTRATE: So what I am going to do, Mr Syvret, is adjourn the case for two weeks. That is the standard adjournment. DEFENDANT: But before---- MAGISTRATE: Is that a convenient date for the Court? (Magistrate conferred with Deputy Greffier) Tuesday the 25th? DEFENDANT: Before the, I am trying to assist the Court here---- DEFENDANT: -----so as not to have be accused of raising these issues again in the future. I am trying to be helpful. I was going to apply for an adjournment in any event because I want to subject your decision today to a judicial review. You are, that is your decision to refuse to recuse. DEFENDANT: You are a public authority exercising a statutory power. DEFENDANT: Exercising a discretionary power. All public authorities bar statutory waiver are susceptible to judicial review. DEFENDANT: Now, there is no appeal of course that lays from interlocutory decisions in the Magistrates’ Court. I think we have established that on past procedures. There are, however, grounds, and this does relate to the matter that we have just discussed actually, the question as to whether I have breached the order, there are matters that I need to take advice on and there are grounds upon which I would seek judicial review of your decisions in this matter. MAGISTRATE: I think the 25th of October should be sufficient, Mr Syvret. CROWN ADVOCATE: Madam, I am not available on the 25th of October. It is a half term week---- MAGISTRATE: Oh yes. CROWN ADVOCATE: -----and I have arranged to be away for some considerable time. MAGISTRATE: Yes. What about the beginning of the following week? CROWN ADVOCATE: I am in Court on the 1st of November. DEFENDANT: Madam, could I finish the point I was making, because it may help the Court in making its arrangements? MAGISTRATE: Hmm hmm. DEFENDANT: Advocate Baker made a number of assertions which are untrue. For example, he accused me of not engaging with these procedures. MAGISTRATE: Hmm hmm. DEFENDANT: Well, I am more than happy to engage with the full range of judicial procedures and I am more than happy to use those, and I am entitled to use them in ways that meet my human rights. Advocate Baker also asserted quite volubly that I make “wild allegations” that are not substantiated with evidence. Well, as I think today’s proceedings have demonstrated, as indeed did a lot of the other proceedings, I do have in fact ample evidence that does prove my concerns, but I am repeatedly prevented from using that evidence in Jersey’s courts. Now, one of the reasons that I wish to judicially review this matter is that the key argument I am bringing forward – and this does address a point that was advanced by Advocate Baker in his arguments a moment ago – he suggested that this matter was simply a question of whether I had complied with the order in respect of the contempt of Court charge. Advocate Baker asserted, therefore, that any matters I might raise or bring before this Court or other courts were, or this Court, were of no relevance. The other charges, for example, were of no relevance. DEFENDANT: Well, that isn’t the case because my key argument is that the entire proceedings against me dating from the very original decisions of the Attorney General to have me investigated, raided, arrested, charged and prosecuted, right back from that day forward, the entire proceedings against me are structurally unlawful and evidencedly so an demonstrably so. Now, the case, if I had access to a higher Court where I could run these arguments, let us suppose hypothetically, I know you don’t share my views on this matter, but it must be regarded as a hypothetical consideration. Let us suppose hypothetically I were to win that argument which did show and did prove that the basic fundamental administrative decisions and decisions of the Attorney General concerning all of the actions taken against me in the first place and all of the charges and so on, were structurally unlawful, then all of the proceedings against me and all of the charges and all of the convictions would fall away. DEFENDANT: And that would---- MAGISTRATE: You have---- DEFENDANT: -----true of all of them. MAGISTRATE: Yes, but---- MAGISTRATE: -----but you have exhausted those remedies, Mr Syvret. DEFENDANT: With respect, Madam, no, I have not. Since the decision in the Royal Court to reject the appeal, two things have occurred. A witness came into my knowledge who could well have placed an entirely different complexion upon the whole public interest disclosure argument I ran, and in fact that witness was known to the Court Greffier, Mr Le Heuze, yet the identity and the existence of that witness was not informed to me, not notified to me and I came, I had no knowledge of this witness until after the appeal when the witness themselves approached me. The second factor that has changed is of course I have come into the possession of the 94 page statement of Mr Power. Now, both of these dramatic bits of evidence do clearly at the very least more than justify the reopening of the appeal. These clearly are matters that should have been considered and I should have had access to as evidence to enable the working of these considerations into at least my appeal and frankly probably the proceedings beforehand. Now, had I been able to do so, it is conceivable, it’s possible that such evidence, particularly for example the report of Mr Power, would have demonstrated sufficiently to the Court indeed my argument that I have always made, the actions of the Attorney General were unlawful, would be upheld, in which case all of these proceedings would be overthrown. Now the difficulty I face from a legal perspective is that I sought---- MAGISTRATE: I can’t see that, Mr Syvret, at all. MAGISTRATE: I can’t see that as a matter of law is possible. DEFENDANT: It is. CROWN ADVOCATE: Madam, the---- DEFENDANT: Well, it is possible--- CROWN ADVOCATE: Madam, his comments are legally illiterate. He is being sentenced for contempt of Court, namely absconding. MAGISTRATE: Yes, yes. CROWN ADVOCATE: That is what you are dealing with. MAGISTRATE: Yes, I entirely take your point, Mr Baker. CROWN ADVOCATE: Madam, I am not going to suggest that you depart from your normal procedure and an adjournment for legal advice. MAGISTRATE: No, no, no. CROWN ADVOCATE: Excuse me, I am speaking. DEFENDANT: Well, I was speaking actually. MAGISTRATE: No, I want to hear Mr Baker at the moment. I just want a date. CROWN ADVOCATE: If that is the normal, if that is the normal procedure, then I don’t in any way suggest---- MAGISTRATE: Yes, yes. CROWN ADVOCATE: -----that you should not follow it, you should, but I do make it plain that, on 16th September, a month or so ago now, Mr Le Marrec wrote to Mr Syvret saying “It has been decided to return your case to Court because, in the opinion of the Community Service Officer, you have failed to comply with the conditions of the Community Service Order. This is known as breaching the order. You will be notified when a Court date has been set---- CROWN ADVOCATE: -----You are strongly urged to seek legal advice. If you wish to apply for Legal Aid, then you should call the Legal Aid Office or email the current Acting Bâtonnier. You may then be given a personal appointment.” So what you have here, you should of course follow the normal procedure, but what you have here is this man again manipulating events to his benefit. MAGISTRATE: Well, I am afraid that the experience of this Court, Mr Baker, is a lot of people appear before this Court without having taken legal advice first when they perhaps should have done. CROWN ADVOCATE: I am sorry, Madam, I didn’t mean to sit down, yes. MAGISTRATE: All I want to do at this stage---- DEFENDANT: In response---- MAGISTRATE: Mr Syvret---- DEFENDANT: May I respond? MAGISTRATE: No, Mr Syvret---- DEFENDANT: Well, Madam---- MAGISTRATE: -----the things you are telling me---- DEFENDANT: -----you have just allowed---- MAGISTRATE: -----no, Mr Syvret, the things that you are telling me---- DEFENDANT: -----you have just allowed Advocate Baker---- MAGISTRATE: -----are not---- DEFENDANT: -----to lie. You have just allowed Advocate Baker---- DEFENDANT: -----to make a misleading assertion. MAGISTRATE: I am---- DEFENDANT: I received that email that he has---- MAGISTRATE: I am not interested in that email, Mr Syvret. DEFENDANT: -----referred to. The report in question that I was given today---- MAGISTRATE: I am saying I am not interested in it. DEFENDANT: The report in question---- MAGISTRATE: A lot of people don’t---- DEFENDANT: -----that had the detail I was only---- MAGISTRATE: -----get the Legal Aid that they need. DEFENDANT: -----handed today. MAGISTRATE: I am adjourning this case for you to seek Legal Aid and I am asking for a date from the Greffier---- MAGISTRATE: -----which is convenient to the parties. DEFENDANT: But, Madam, I was in the middle of speaking when Advocate Baker interrupted. MAGISTRATE: But you’re in the middle of saying things, Mr Syvret, that really don’t make a great deal of sense. You’re hypothesising that you might have a third route of appeal, sorry a second route of appeal beyond the Royal Court and hypothesising that a number of not only the case to which you think you might have a route of appeal would be thrown out but everything else besides. I really don’t think that that is tenable in any way. Therefore---- DEFENDANT: But, Madam, with respect, you---- MAGISTRATE: -----I am going to allow an adjournment for you to seek legal advice. DEFENDANT: -----you have just expressed a prejudiced view and you haven’t even considered the evidence yet. MAGISTRATE: It is not a question of evidence, Mr Syvret, at this stage---- DEFENDANT: Well, if Court cases are not questions of evidence---- MAGISTRATE: -----it is a question of allowing you an adjournment for legal advice and, therefore, I am asking for a date from the Greffier. DEFENDANT: May I finish what I was saying when Advocate Baker interrupted? MAGISTRATE: No, you may not. DEPUTY GREFFIER: Madam, if Mr Baker is not available on the 1st, if Mr Syvret is also available, the 2nd in the afternoon. Might I suggest Wednesday the 2nd pm? MAGISTRATE: 2nd of November. DEFENDANT: Can I finish what I was saying? MAGISTRATE: Well, no, you can tell me whether you are available on the 2nd of November. DEFENDANT: Well, this was the point I was attempting to address. MAGISTRATE: No, you are saying that you would like to take my decision on recusal to judicial review. 2nd of November would give you time to make an application should the Court entertain that and, if you wish to take legal advice you can do so and, if you don’t have any other reason why you shouldn’t attend on 2nd November, then I shall adjourn the case until that date. DEFENDANT: Well, if I may continue with the explanation I was making before Advocate Baker interrupted---- MAGISTRATE: No, no, Mr Syvret, I just don’t see the relevance of what you are saying. I am going to adjourn the case---- DEFENDANT: With all due respect, Madam---- MAGISTRATE: -----until the 2nd of November. DEFENDANT: -----you’ve not yet heard what I was going to say, so how can you gauge whether it is going to be relevant? MAGISTRATE: Well, you have prefaced it with a long introduction relating to additional evidence that you might have in other cases. I just don’t see how they can impact on the case that we’re dealing with at the moment. DEFENDANT: Well, admittedly---- MAGISTRATE: 2nd of November---- DEFENDANT: -----admittedly I’m not a lawyer, but let me try and explain my thinking---- MAGISTRATE: -----at 2.30pm. DEFENDANT: -----on the question. My thinking is that if, as I believe it does, the statement of Mr Power demonstrates structural unlawfulness of the office of Attorney General in respect of me, then all of the decisions of that office in respect of me are vitiated. MAGISTRATE: Yes, yes, I understand that that is what you think. DEFENDANT: That is, well it is not a question of what I think, Madam. There are, there is substantial case law on the requirement, the very strict requirement from public authorities when making discretionary decisions such as those to prosecute. There is a very clear body of evidence that such public authorities must not be conflicted---- DEFENDANT: -----and that officers within them must not have direct personal conflicts of interest. Now, this is rock solid, uncontroversial, English jurisprudence. MAGISTRATE: Yes, I understand you want---- DEFENDANT: I am pointing---- MAGISTRATE: -----to raise these matters, Mr Syvret---- DEFENDANT: -----I am pointing to that. MAGISTRATE: -----but now is not the time or the place. It is the 2nd of November at 2.30 in the afternoon. DEFENDANT: Well, Madam, you were fixing the date and that date might not be possible because of the proceedings I am going to bring---- MAGISTRATE: Well, then you will have---- DEFENDANT: -----in the other Court. MAGISTRATE: -----to come back to the Court and say so, Mr Syvret, but for the time being it is the 2nd of November at 2.30 in the afternoon. (Magistrate conferred with Deputy Greffier) Is there any need for conditions on the bail? CROWN ADVOCATE: No, I don’t think he is on bail. Is he on bail? MAGISTRATE: Well, he will be on bail from now on. The Court will grant bail to that date. Mr Syvret, you are under an obligation to attend. DEFENDANT: Madam, may I---- MAGISTRATE: -----and you know you will be arrested if you don’t. DEFENDANT: -----may I point out at the end of these proceedings that I consider your conduct today to again exhibit actual bias. CROWN ADVOCATE: Madam, I do apologise, the Probation have raised this with me. The Probation have prepared a report upon this man. I have referred to it. It has been prepared for the purpose of these Court hearings. CROWN ADVOCATE: And they are concerned to ensure that it doesn’t get published to the world on a blog or something of that type and they invite me to invite you to remind Mr Syvret that there are conditions upon him being given a copy of that report, namely that it is used for this. MAGISTRATE: Yes. Mr Syvret, you know the obligations. You are familiar with the Data Protection Law. MAGISTRATE: And there has been a report given to you in connection with these proceedings and, apart from your legal adviser, if you have a legal adviser, then that report should otherwise remain confidential. DEFENDANT: Can I just be clear about this? Does that mean that I can’t publish it on my blog, but it’s okay for it to be given to Channel Television by the Probation Department and they can publish it? CROWN ADVOCATE: Of course it is not. MAGISTRATE: Of course it is not. CROWN ADVOCATE: That is an absurd suggestion. MAGISTRATE: Very well.

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I posted on this topic earlier when the contest was first kicked off. Here were the results from the spring 2008 contest: - Among the 46,000 students who took the test in the spring, the average score was 56%; 35 students aced the exam. The fall 2008 results quite a bit lower as the blurb below indicates: 75,000 took the exam, average score of 52% and 28 students aced the exam. Here is a table comparing results from the two contests in 2008: Test takers 46,000 75,000 Avg. score 56% 52% Perfect scores 35 (0.08%) 28 (0.04%) One bright spot I guess is that the awareness of the challenge contest increased between spring and fall with an increase of almost 30,000 participants. Now if only the scores were increasing.... The Fall 2008 Challenge is Complete! Thank you to all the teachers and students who participated in the fall 2008 Challenge. More than 75,000 high school students in the U.S. and at Department of Defense Schools around the world took the Challenge. The average score was 52 percent. More than 18,000 students earned certificates of recognition for scores in the top 25th percentile of all scores. Nearly 400 students earned the National Financial Literacy Award, a medal from U.S. Treasury. (Medal winners answered at least 94 percent of the questions correctly). Twenty eight students earned perfect scores.

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http://studentlendinganalytics.typepad.com/student_lending_analytics/2009/01/national-financial-literacy-challenge-results-are-in.html

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en

The STUDIO 20 concentration at NYU offers master’s level instruction with a focus on innovation and adapting journalism to the web. The curriculum emphasizes project-based learning. Students, faculty and visiting talent work on editorial and web development projects together, typically with media partners who themselves need to find new approaches or face problems in succeeding online. By participating in these projects and later running their own, students learn to grapple with all the factors that go into updating journalism for the web era. The program seeks to draw together a diversely talented team of students who can produce excellent work that pushes the field forward and realizes some of the possibilities inherent in a multi-media, interactive and constantly evolving platform for journalism— namely, the World Wide Web and its mobile extensions. Studio classes provide a “hub” for organizing activity and a common space for inquiry and reflection around the program’s various projects. Students are expected to be flexible and curious, generous in sharing skills, eager to pick up new knowledge and willing to adapt to what the project—and its deadlines—demand. The curriculum has three parts: 1.) the traditional requirements of two basic reporting classes plus “digital thinking;” 2.) a core of three project-based classes called Studio I, II and III; and 3.) elective enrichment courses that allow students to pursue interests and work on initiatives of their own. In their third and final semester, students design their own projects with an appropriate media partner and try to create innovation—as well as a name—for themselves. For a list of typical projects go here. Each year Studio 20 recruits a mix of writers, editors, videographers, audio journalists, programmers, designers, Web producers and smart people who may have no journalism training at all— under the principle of “bring skills, share skills, learn new stuff.” Recruiting emphasizes students comfortable in more than one medium and ready to tackle new challenges. One of our mottos is: “Everyone works on everything.” In 2009-10, one of Studio 20’s major partners was the New York Times. Working with editors at the Times, students and faculty designed and planned a hyperlocal news site for the East Village neighborhood in Manhattan. It launched in September, 2010: The Local East Village. The site is edited and produced at NYU, but runs on nytimes.com Studio 20 students can publish there, and if they have ideas for improvements they can pitch them. In the spring of 2013 that site evolved into Bedford + Bowery, which will be co-published by NYU Journalism and New York Magazine (nymag.com). The New York Times involvement will end. The editor, Daniel Maurer, explains: “We’ll still be covering the East Village and Lower East Side but we’ll also be jumping on the L train to cover Williamsburg, Bushwick and Greenpoint – where, of course, the East Village already has a strong presence.” The change was covered here. In 2010-11 Studio 20’s major project was a collaboration with ProPublica, the investigative reporting non-profit. Students experimented with the genre of “the explainer,” a form of journalism that provides essential background knowledge and brings clarity to complex issues in the news. Read more here and see the project site, Explainer.net. Don’t miss The Fracking Song, which came out of that work. Time magazine named it one of the most creative videos of 2011. In December of 2010, NYU announced that the renowned Internet thinker Clay Shirky would be joining the Carter Institute and Studio 20, where he will teach courses and consult on projects. In 2012-13, Studio 20’s big project revolved around networked reporting. Five media partners were involved: The Wall Street Journal, ProPublica (again), Fast Company, Mashable.com and Pando Daily. You can read about it here and here. Think you might be interested in applying? Email firstname.lastname@example.org to let us know; do tell us about yourself and your background. Also: how we can find you and your work on the web. Here is Studio’s 20’s official page at New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Institute of Journalism. It’s not as good as this page. Here are the official instructions on how to apply. (The initial deadline is Jan. 4, 2013; we will accept applications after that but cannot guarantee space or financial aid. Please note that the GRE General Exam is required of all applicants. See our How to Apply page for more details. If you cannot take the GRE by January 4, you should submit your application by the deadline and take the GRE before March 1.) Here is a map showing where we are located. Follow professors Jay Rosen and Jason Samuels on Twitter, as well as Clay Shirky. And check back at this site for updates.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://studio20nyu.tumblr.com/post/11720969262/description

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz

en

Requirements for proficiency in Norwegian The Norwegian language is the primary language of instruction at Norwegian institutions of higher education. Some foreign students learn Norwegian before they continue with further studies in Norway. Below is an overview of the language requirements for foreign students applying for courses where the language of instruction is Norwegian. If applying for a course taught in Norwegian, or for general acceptance into an institution, applicants outside of the Nordic countries must meet one of the following requirements: - Successfully passed 'Norwegian as a second language' from upper secondary school. - Sucessfully passed Level 3 in Norwegian at a university. - Successfully passed one-year study in Norwegian language and society for foreign students from a university college. - Successfully passed test in Norwegian at higher level, 'Bergenstesten', with a minimum score of 450. In certain cases, institutions may accept other types of documentation. Please contact the institutions directly for details.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://studyinnorway.no/Study-in-Norway/Admission-Application/Requirements-for-proficiency-in-Norwegian

s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368696381249/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516092621-00000-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz

en

Numbers stations are mysterious shortwave radio channels of indiscernible origin that exist in countries all across the world and have been reported since World War 1. They are identifiable by the unusual contents of their broadcasts: seemingly random sequences of numbers, words, letters, tunes, and Morse code, usually spoken by artificially generated voices of women and children. The most common theory regarding the purpose of these bizarre stations is that they’re used by governments the world over to secretly transmit encrypted commands and messages to spies. That said, even though numbers stations have been discovered all over the globe and in any number of different languages, no government has ever officially acknowledged their existence. While the espionage theory is a logical one, with no official confirmation of their purpose the jury is still out. One particularly odd station, UVB-76, has existed since the late 1970s and has broadcast a simple, repetitive buzzing tone 24 hours a day ever since. On very rare occasions, however, listeners have reported a Russian voice interrupting the buzz to read out sequences of numbers and words, always in a consistent format — this happened once in 1997, once in 2002, once in 2006, 56 times in 2010, and 14 in 2011. As with all numbers stations, its true purpose is and will probably remain unknown, but the increase in frequency of whatever it’s doing is certainly odd. You can listen to well over 100 recordings of numbers stations for free on archive.org but be forewarned that they’re all kind of, well, eerie. They feel like something you shouldn’t be listening to, which stands to reason since apparently you’re not supposed to know they exist.

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CC-MAIN-2013-20

http://subjectoftowels.tumblr.com/

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en