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I have just completed my GCSE's about a month ago and awaiting for the results in August. During the 4 weeks between me completing my exams and the Summer Holidays I have volunteered at my local primary school, (which I went to for my Year 11 work experience) and I thought it was absolutely fantastic! I really enjoyed working with all of the children (3-11), with their work and holding football club during lunchtimes (which I do every Thursday night). I also did the 'boring' jobs, such as laminating , photocopying etc, so I know teaching is not all that glamorous but it is so rewarding, even of I was only there 4 weeks! So much so I nearly cried at their Year 6 leavers assembly! ( I NEVER cry!). I feel so passionate about it and I think it is what I would like to do, so I have been looking into different Universities and have found a few such as Swansea Met, Winchester, Birmingham and others. I think I do want to go to Swansea as it is closer to home but I will need to stay on an extra year for the PGCE so I can have the QTS. Is it worth doing the extra year? Or should I find somewhere with the QTS being involved with the degree? If you have any advice to help me I would be very appreciated! Also for my GCSE's, I am very much a 'C' student with some B's, so I know that some Universities are definitely out of the question. I do know that A Levels will be tough work and I will need to work VERY hard. Thank You for listen to me! If you really want to be a Primary school teacher then you can do a normal degree and then a PGCE Primary or just do a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree which is a specific education degree which will qualify you to be a Primary school teacher. If you are absolutely sure that you want to be a teacher than do the BEd, but i personally would advise you to do a different degree in a subject that interests you and then a PGCE after just in case you change your mind in the future. Don't worry about your GCSEs, as long as you have 5 A*-C grades in English, Maths and Science then you will be fine as that is the general entry requirment for all PGCE/BEd courses Also unless you want to work in a really posh/private school then the university you go to will not matter, employers will be more concerned with your passion for teaching and how you can prove this (i.e you coaching football for children and doing work expereince) Thanks for replying Pixie! I am going to be taking Drama, Media and Welsh, I also have to take Welsh Baccalaureate. I feel quite embarrassed when teachers/students wanting to work with children ask what I am going to take as I haven't picked the core subjects. Swansea Met, doesn't specify which A Levels you do but I have to have 5 C-A* GCSE's (as you stated), but will this effect overall employment availability? ( Originally Posted by Mr.DL ) Thanks for replying Pixie! I am going to be taking Drama, Media and Welsh, I also have to take Welsh Baccalaureate. I feel quite embarrassed when teachers/students wanting to work with children ask what I am going to take as I haven't picked the core subjects. Swansea Met, doesn't specify which A Levels you do but I have to have 5 C-A* GCSE's (as you stated), but will this effect overall employment availability? This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App I'm not really sure about this as i personally thought that you had to have one A-level in a core subject if your degree is not, all the BEd courses that i have looked at have asked for this. If you are really worried about this then you can change one of your Alevel options on your enrollment day. If you choose to do a normal degree and then a PGCE Primary, then you may be asked to show how your A levels/degree was relevant to the national curriculum/core subjects, where you could explain the elements of English Literature and Language which was included in your Media and Drama A-Level. Although your A-levels are not in core subjects, they do show that you are very creative; which is a needed skill if you want to work with small children Whenever I have looked on the Uni's I think I could get into it only asks for a certain number of points and 5 GCSE's C or above including Maths, Science and English Language- I have looked on the UCAS website as well as the Uni website. I don't think picking a different degree then a PGCE is an option, because I am so sure I want to be a primary a school teacher. Would you recommend changing one subject at A-Level? I have picked the ones I enjoy the most and I am good at. Surely having passes at these is better than failing Maths, English and Science? Would doing one year of AS level in one of these then picking a core AS for the 2013-14 school year make a difference? I think you should try to take one national curriculum subject to at least As if you can; maths, english, science, art, music, geography,history,R.E,P.E. But you don't have to but it might narrow down the unis that you can apply to. Also are you planning to specialise in the younger or older children because if you are doing 3-7 then Psychology is a good subject to take. Do a different degree and then a PGCE if you want plenty of people who definately want to be primary school teachers still go this route just because they want to do the other degree just beacsue you do a pgce doesn't mean that you dont want to teach as much as someone who did a primary ed degree. Thanks for replying xxlissaxx, I know it would be better but, I passed Maths GCSE in November at Foundation level, I barely scrape through GCSE Science, English Lit I think is alright but I have stronger areas. I could do English Language as I am good at it, but it was on the same line as Welsh, which I enjoy a lot, and if I wanted to teach in Wales it would help a lot. I could see what the option lines are like for next years AS level and do English Language? During my volunteer work, surprisingly I really enjoyed working with the Year 3 and 4 children, surprised as I thought I would only like to teach the Year 6's, so ages 8+ I would like to teach. The only other thing I really like and could do at University is Drama. I am quite good and have been in numerous plays and musicals, but after a recent re-think, I have decided I am going to kid myself if I am going to have a successful career in acting and teaching would be a better idea for long term jobs, unlike just working for 2 months a year as an actor. To be honest, I only see myself being a teacher, and although I am still quite young and could change my mind at any point. I have always thought "I'd like to be a _____ or a Primary School teacher". I am prepared to work very hard to get to my goal! yeah english language would be good to take, i think you just just take which ever A-levels you want for now and then you can decide wether you want to do a drama degree or a primary ed degree nearer the time. Worth bearing in mind if you dont consider yourself academically very strong that no bursaries are available to primary pgce students if they get under a 2:1 classification in their degree. Definitely try and do a curriculum subject for your A levels too. ( Originally Posted by Mr.DL ) Thanks for replying xxlissaxx, I know it would be better but, I passed Maths GCSE in November at Foundation level, I barely scrape through GCSE Science, English Lit I think is alright but I have stronger areas. I could do English Language as I am good at it, but it was on the same line as Welsh, which I enjoy a lot, and if I wanted to teach in Wales it would help a lot. I could see what the option lines are like for next years AS level and do English Language? During my volunteer work, surprisingly I really enjoyed working with the Year 3 and 4 children, surprised as I thought I would only like to teach the Year 6's, so ages 8+ I would like to teach. The only other thing I really like and could do at University is Drama. I am quite good and have been in numerous plays and musicals, but after a recent re-think, I have decided I am going to kid myself if I am going to have a successful career in acting and teaching would be a better idea for long term jobs, unlike just working for 2 months a year as an actor. To be honest, I only see myself being a teacher, and although I am still quite young and could change my mind at any point. I have always thought "I'd like to be a _____ or a Primary School teacher". I am prepared to work very hard to get to my goal! This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App Though degree +PGCE keeps options open, if you don't want to do a degree in something else anyway it's probably not right for you. And BEd doesn't completely shut every other area off... Teaching gives you plenty of skills that can transfer to tonnes of other careers if you were ever to change your mind. Also, it's quite an uncertain time. If you did a BEd you'd be on it and sorted, whereas if you did a degree by the time you finished it the way teacher training is done may have completely changed, making it harder for you. Regarding a-levels it's always best to phone unis you may be interested in and ask their advice. They will be able to tell you what you need, what will help you etc Also, you're doing great to get experience now, keep doing that as much as you can! Hello (: I'm (hopefully) starting a primary ed degree in September and I took almost only core subjects at a level (maths, lit, politics) but you definitely don't need to. I wanted to specialise in lit but a lot of unis let you specialise in almost any core subject. Languages are a new requirement in primary teaching so having any language at a level is definitely an advantage. Also, my friend took drama and the interviewers were very interested in that 'teaching is all about acting', etc. Drama's also a large part of language and literacy. So yeah, you can take almost anything as long as you can justify it. Go to open days and ask if you're worried. October isn't too late to change a levels in most places (: Sorry I don't make much sense. Thank you everyone who replied, I have learned quite a lot from your posts! I will get in touch with Uni's to see what they would prefer. And will also keep in mind about doing a drama degree then a PGCE. In the meantime I will keep doing as much experience as possible. I will keep to my A Level options for now, and see how it pans out, I can always change it too if I don't like it. English Language I will have as a standby subject if I need to change. Thank you again everybody! ( Originally Posted by Mr.DL ) Thank you everyone who replied, I have learned quite a lot from your posts! I will get in touch with Uni's to see what they would prefer. And will also keep in mind about doing a drama degree then a PGCE. In the meantime I will keep doing as much experience as possible. I will keep to my A Level options for now, and see how it pans out, I can always change it too if I don't like it. English Language I will have as a standby subject if I need to change. Thank you again everybody! This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App Hi! I'm going to be doing an education related degree in September but I've also had a few primary education interviews and been given offers - I just decided that I would have more options doing an education joint honours - as you get a PGCE interview at the end anyway (and I think quite a few uni's are the same). After attending about a gazillion primary ed open days, every one said that you needed to have at least one a level in English, maths or science. They do say about languages, but i didn't even take a GCSE in a language and still got in. A lot said that they won't consider applicants if you have two art-type degrees (e.g. art/drama/photography/media). personally, I took English, biology and art which seemed to impress them because the creativity of art is extremely useful in the job I also think a great thing to have is plenty of experience - I've had 10 months experience of volunteering in a range of years in a infant and junior school and then I volunteered at a kids club which ended up in gaining a job - which is obviously an amazing thing to have on your personal statement as it's valid proof that you're suitable with children - personally, I had a gap year to gain more experience with kids, which might also be another option. If you're certain you want to be a teacher, then primary education is an awesome course - it's really full on and it's 5 days a week of lectures etc. but you do have a lot of fun and gain loads of experience. Otherwise, you could always take an education studies degree which is less demanding (like myself) and can give you more options. You could even consider doing a joint honours degree and combine education with something else you're interested in such as psychology - giving you even more options, not only if you decide to go into something else but if you want to get a temporary job while searching for a teaching job, as they obviously are quite a lot of people wanting to do the job and so many applicants can be at an interview. You could even go into something like counselling etc. I am taking the Primary ed with QTS it is great. As a mature student I didn't have any A-levels. I took and access to higher education diploma and got in that way. I think if these are your best subjects you should look at doing a QTS course and possibly doing your second year specialism in creative arts. In this scenario your A level choices are more than appropriate and would not impact on your employability. I've just started at Winchester Uni doing Primary Education, so if you have any questions about the uni then let me know. It's such a lovely place and the course here is great. You don't need to have an A-Level in the subject that you want to specialise in either. The experience that you are getting is great, and the interviewers will definitely notice how much you have done Let me know if you need any help

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Diary Of A Busker Day 290 Diary Of A Busker Day 290 Saturday September 29th Greenwich Market, London (outside The Coach And Horses public house, Time: 1:35-3:03pm, 4:35-6:03pm). I'm back outside the same pub I was outside in January last year, just after I started this whole busking thing -- again at the invitation of Gary, who's asked me to play for a bit at the nearby Ben Oakley Gallery before the screening (world premier, actually) of his and Loren Scott's Total Thrive Production of 'Ringo And The Idol Of Justice' a proper length feature film. Preceeding the film, they're showing some shorts they've made over the last few years, one of which -- Attack Of The Mutant Potatoids -- I'm actually IN, as a presidential aide! Once again, Gary's got permission from the relevent sources for me to occupy the same spot as before. Having arrived via a series of trains, I walk to the small gallery -- about a twenty second walk from the pub. Gary's there -- he says he'll go out and get me something to eat before I set up...he returns with a rather splendid, super-hot spicy sausage-in-a-roll, which makes me hiccup! -- "That'll set you up for the day, King, then I'll take you over to the pub and introduce you to the guy behind the bar." Having done all that, I set up and start tuning up -- I keep forgetting I've brought TWO guitars up -- my psychedelic double-neck and trusty Epiphone. Up until the last minute, I was just going to bring the double-neck but then I got paranoid and thought "What if it sounds rubbish?! -- I'll be stuck with it!" -- sixty miles from home, so I decided to cram the Epiphone in the same gigbag as the double-neck. It weighs a ton!To add to the weight, I also brought along my bigger busking amp and a microphone and stand, thinking I might do some original songs -- an idea I dispensed with pretty sharpish. It just wasn't the place for an eight minute song about a balloon. I opened with Albatross, after which a man contributed and told me about when he saw Peter Green back in the Sixties -- "...and he used to swear onstage! Well, we'd never heard anyone swear onstage -- we were only young, we couldn't believe it! Then, a few years ago my son went to see him and he said 'My dad saw you way back' and Peter Green said 'Yeah, I remember your dad, how is he?' and, you know, he couldn't have remembered me -- we never met!" My man reckons this was because of all the drugs he took (P. Green, not my man!) years before. After an hour and a quarter a young guy comes up and compliments me on the fingerstyle playing...in fact, over some two minutes, he sort of over-compliments me to the extent I think 'I wonder if he's a musician and he wants to busk here'...and I was right! There's two others stading nearby with their instrument cases. Actually, I don't mind -- I need a break and Fran and young Michael have turned up, along with Des who used to run one of my old haunts, The East Dulwich Tavern. Fran wants to buy me some lunch at the pie and mash place opposite the gallery. So I say to the guys wth the cases that they might as well do a set here for an hour or so, then I can finish with another hour and a half -- that'll take me to six o'clock -- the time I'm booked up til. So after a visit to the gallery and a great lunch of pie, mash and green liquor sauce -- just like the old days, we walk back...and the guys who took over are really good -- a fiddle, guitar and mandolin -- no amps, sounds just right for this sort of setting: lots of people, drinking, etc... The people at the tables outside really like it. I think they should keep playing! At 4:15, they keep their word and announce their last song...at the end they say goodbye but people want them to play on. The guy I spoke to earlier looks at me -- I say "Yeah, go on -- play another one." They may as well -- they're really popular! At the end, we have a chat and I get their names -- Jay Northen(?) on six-string acoustic guitar -- a painted one, sponsered by Coca-Cola he said. I took a photo of it -- nice, although not quite as impressive as mine, I have to say. Then there was Roy Hobbs -- mandolin and James Gavin -- fiddle, who'd clearly had a rigourous work-out -- the ground was covered with broken bow-hairs. Collectively, they are The Badlands Orchestra. Actually, that wasn't all of them -- in the middle of their set, while I was 'lunching', they were joined by two more -- an accordionist and another one, whose instrument I can't remember. By the look of all the money in the guitar case, it looks like they've done well -- there was a 10 note along with some serious coinage. Even spliting it between them, they've each made more than me, easily! I'm not surprised -- they're more fun! Good luck to them, I say. As they're going off -- I think they were going to play at someone's house later -- they say they've left me a little present in my bucket. Great! -- must be some 'rental' money...I don't see any notes in there, though. I think they might have put a couple of pound coins in. I start the second session with my Epiphone then, feeling somewhat more brave than when I started, move on to the double-neck. Gary comes to see how I'm getting on. I think it's OK -- there was about 18 from the first spot -- the usual rate. I don't think Gary thinks alot of my very clever mid-song-switching-in-between-necks -- "It's not necessary, King! Totally unecessary! Only YOU would tell the difference!" Yep, he's probably right. I pack up just after six o'clock...and get the first of three pints of Guinness couple of people have ordered for me -- one from a man who was sitting at the table right next to me when I started and the other two from some weird, posh woman who also bought not one, but two cds during the second set. She was about 60, said she was -- like me, from Winchester (I don't know how she knew that -- I never told her!) and kept coming up to me. The first time, she said she wanted to book me for a party she was giving in a few weeks time and also for something else about a year from now. But half an hour later, she comes up again and says "Maybe just the one next year -- I think we should put a bit of a distance between us"(!) Whatever that's supposed to mean! What a bizarre thing to say! And when Gary came over again and played a bit on my guitar, she started writing something in a notebook, looking at us, writing in the book, looking, writing... Weird people. The only other weird person was at the start -- a man at a table in front who was scowling and muttering at me. I was fearing he was going to be there the whole time but he left after a few minutes. He returned a few times, walking past me, still scowling and muttering rubbish. Par for the course, as they say. I took my Guinness over to the gallery and at Gary's request, set up near the door to do a few numbers to get some passers-by attention -- they might hear the music and maybe like to come in to see the film. Why not -- it's free! I also remembered I'd brought my Prisoner TV series style white-jacket-with-black-piping, so I dug that out of my case. It looked quite good, especially when worn with a striped T-shirt -- very Prisoner-esque, very authentic. In fact there was only one thing needed to complete the picture -- namely, to play my newly worked out Prisoner theme on my double-neck...while Gary filmed me...turning the guitar around to reveal my hand-painted Prisoner 'penny-farthing' bicycle. By the next morning, Gary had edited it and put it up on youtube, which is pretty clever, in my book. That done, the screening with the shorts (Shatner's Pants, Hats For Cats, The Gypsy's Hand and the one with me -'Potatoids') -- all of it brilliant. In The Gypsy's Hand, there was an old Romanian peasant woman speaking but instead of having her speaking Romanian with English subtitles, they'd got her speaking English with Romanian subtitles. Ha! Kwaff -- who did alot of the voices in the main feature -- turned up later, sporting a beard -- never seen him with one before. After the film, there was some serious 'relaxation' back outside the pub...I chatted to fellow Jacques Brel admirer and fellow fingerstyle player (who ISN'T bothered by Focal Dystonia), Joe Wilkes, about Jacques Brel for a bit...then came home -- a somewhat lengthy affair involving a Docklands Light Railway train to Canary Wharf, underground train to Waterloo, train (last one) to Basingstoke and finally a rather cold bus to Winchester, arriving at 3:10am...in the morning. But a good day. I didn't make loads but it's always good to get out of town, see Gary, see Loren...see Fran, Michael, folks from the old days...have a pint of Guinness, or three...and a short, or two. And I didn't pay any train fare -- due to some vouchers a train company sent me as compensation for a botched journey a couple of months ago.

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New Zealand's Minister of Justice comes out in support of marriage equality and other LGBT rights Judith Collins is now in favour of marriage equality (pic: Emergency111) The New Zealand Minister of Justice, who previously voted against the country's civil union legislation, has now come out in favour of marriage equality, same-sex couples adopting and legal recognition of gender identity for trans people. As reported by GayNZ.com, this is a big volt-face for the Honourable Judith Collins, who once raised the question of whether same-sex unions were a human rights issue at all. Nearly a decade ago when the Care of Children Act was being debated, Ms Collins stated: "Accepting the diversity of New Zealand families does not mean advocacy for same-sex parenting situations. And it certainly does not mean a same-sex partner should have the same rights as a father." On the subject of gender identity, she once said: "there is no need to make any person a protected species." However, speaking to GayNZ.com Daily News this week, Ms Collins said that she had "no problem" with marriage equality, "no particular problem" with same-sex couples legally adopting children and in the recognition of respecting gender identities said: "It doesn't hurt for us to acknowledge people's diversity -- it actually helps us." She added: "Frankly it would be really nice if we could look at people as human beings rather than be always saying 'you can't do that because you're gay' or whatever." A private members' bill on the subject of marriage equality -- introduced by openly gay MP Louisa Wall -- is looking to be introduced to the Parliament next week. Policy around gender identity is still muddied and in need of clarification, and New Zealand's adoption laws -- made in the 1950s -- will, it's generally agreed, be the hardest to bring into the 21st century. Pink News covers religion, politics, entertainment, finance, and community news for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community in the UK and worldwide. Founded to produce broadsheet quality journalism for the LGBT community, we cover politics to theology in an intelligent manner.

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For most of us, setting the alarm clock for 7 a.m. seems ridiculous and out of the question. But the men and women’s basketball teams don’t think twice about it during preseason workouts. Even though preseason has ended for both teams, the aches, pains and ice baths have only just begun. This season, the women’s team will fight for a repeat of last season’s Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship, while the men’s team works hard to achieve their highest level of potential. The women’s basketball team has welcomed a new assistant coach this year, Mercedes Van Wagner, as well as junior Ryan Phillips, who is the new student assistant coach. Also joining the team is Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach Reggie Hines, who helps the team out by working with the guards. “It’s been an easy and smooth transition here to Guilford so far,” said Van Wagner. “The girls have been working hard so far, and we are all excited for the season.” “When I decided to stop playing basketball, I got an opportunity to help assist the women’s team,” said Phillips. “My role is helping out with player development, bringing energy to practice, and completing some behind-the-scenes tasks.” Former basketball player Will Cloyd’12 has joined the coaching staff as head coach of the B team — also known as the junior varsity team — and assisting in duties for Head Basketball Coach Tom Palombo and Assistant Basketball Coach Caleb Kimbrough. “My role consists of ordering food for games and referees, recording stats, film exchange and making things easier for everybody else,” said Cloyd. “You can’t have a good team that’s not well-fed or organized.” Winning last season’s ODAC championship has put the women’s team in the spotlight. (Last year’s) Top scorer Jazlyn Gibbs graduated so the team leans on their 11 returners to make up for the loss. “I want to continue to put them in a situation where they have the opportunity to win,” said Head Women’s Basketball Coach Stephanie Flamini. “Gibbs took a lot of shots last year. This year will open up the opportunity for players to take more shots and shine.” An ODAC championship is always in mind for any coach here at Guilford, but the men’s team has other goals they wish to meet first. “We want to try to achieve our highest level of potential that we are capable of playing,” said Palombo. “Of course we want to win the ODAC, but that’s something that happens after you have achieved your goals.” With excitement brewing and only a few weeks into practices, both teams are ready to storm the court and make this season the best one yet. “I’m really excited to see how all the things we’ve been working on in practice all come together,” said junior guard Kayla Adams. “I love spending time with this team because we always have such a great time when we’re together.” “We didn’t end the season the way we wanted to last year,” said sophomore forward Will Freeman. “We are all excited and looking forward to redeeming ourselves.” With anxiousness consuming the coaches and players, you could only imagine how the fans must be feeling. “I am very excited for the basketball games to start,” said senior Kyle Ennis. “I love watching the women’s team because they have great communication between one another. They go out onto that hardwood court floor and take falls that people don’t expect them to take.” “I am beyond excited and pumped for basketball season to start up,” said sophomore Eddie Praley. “I thank Dr. James Naismith every day for inventing the sport of basketball.”

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5 Reason Why Franchisees Need to Talk to Wall Street Franchisees who invest in publicly held companies should have a line of communications with the investors in their system that is uninterrupted by corporate management. After forty years of successful growth the McDonald's restaurant system hit some potholes in the 1990s. Coincidentally we had just launched Franchise Equity Group and were in a position to monitor the trauma that the second generation of McDonald's managers were inflicting on the system. After our efforts in the interests of McDonald's franchisees were mentioned in the major media we were contacted by Wall Street analysts and institutional investors. Working with these people was an extraordinary learning experience. At that time McDonald's had been an NYSE listed company for over thirty years, had a market cap of over $30 Billion, and yet there was an stunning lack of knowledge among investors. Our discussions covered franchisee profitability, the results of an unrealistic growth program intended to impress investors, management's history, franchisee morale, and other basic topics. Over these past fifteen years I've had the pleasure of assisting many investors in learning about not only McDonald's but the franchised industry in general. Franchisees in publicly held brands should develop the philosophy that the corporate people (who are temporary employees) don't own the company. The only significant investors in the brand are franchisees and shareholders - two entities that should be in constant communication. FAQs About Franchisees Communicating With Investors. 1. Should franchisees attempt to influence the value of the corporate stock? Absolutely not - If your brand is to be a good opportunity for franchisees it must be healthy at all levels. However, problems develop when management uses short term strategies that might help the share price but damage franchisees. Think about this activity as the education of investors for the long term health of the entire system 2. know my business intimately but don't know much about high finance and Wall Street? They won't like it but won't say much. This activity is most effective in those franchise systems where management controls 100% of the information about thefranchised side of the business. In those cases they've told investors franchiseesare supportive of management's initiatives and there is complete "alignment"between management and franchisees. Of course they want franchisees voiceless. 4. Will I be divulging proprietary information? If you think you are walking around with a lot of proprietary information you should consider canceling that speech to the local Kiwanis Club. Discerning franchisees would never divulge information that would benefit their competitors. Not so much - But they want to know if the corporate initiatives will be successful and if resistance to management's direction might retard corporate growth. As analysts they understand the franchise model must be a good investment but they won't fuss over every franchisee's survival. Especially if all they hear is corporate's side of the story. In summary, most publicly held franchised systems operate with a few corporate people strutting around like they own the brand while the real investors are franchisees and shareholders. In most cases management has been successful in building a towering wall between the true owners of the brand.

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Pumpkin and Feta Burgers with my new pals, Gourmet Garden Like those times when fresh lemongrass requires me to take out a mortgage in order to buy it. When bugs have eaten all my basil. And when I want some garlic that hasn't sprouted that weird little green horn because I've forgotten it's in the back of the cupboard. Gourmet Garden have always been my friends, coming to my rescue with their reliable little tubes of herby goodness. You may have seen them in your supermarket produce section. They may already be your pals too. They live down the road from me, in pretty Palmwoods. Where, after the herbs are picked when antioxidants and essential oils are at their peak, they are packaged fresh and under refrigeration to get the best flavour, aroma and the highest value of nutrients. They're only washed, chopped, blended and packed. That's it! I've been to their factory and by gum, it smells GOOD! It makes me hungry every time I even visit the offices, let alone where the actual magic happens. Their facilities are so clean and fancy, and although it is freezing in there, everybody looks cheerful and probably goes home smelling like an Italian neighbourhood. This is a Good Thing. The tubes were originally created because they know that fresh herbs and spices can't be beat in cooking. But not all of us can or want to grow them, or they get sad and withered before we can use them. Plus we're all busy and if you're anything like me, you forgot the chillies at the supermarket, and now none of us have to miss out. They have tons of flavours like chives, dill, ginger, rosemary, oregano, and cool mixtures like Thai and Mediterannean seasoning. No waste, always ready to go. Win! You'll be seeing them pop up in recipes from time to time here on Veggie Mama, and I'll be creating some recipes for their site and blog, as well as the very cool Dominique Rizzo and the chicks from 4 Ingredients . I might even make a cameo in their very popular Herb eCooking School videos, which you can like on Facebook here and be kept up-to-date with their goings-on. You can enrol in the classes, which are FREE! And yes, they were the very kind BlogHer/BlogHer food sponsors, so if you're a blogger, you know how awesome that is. For a company to value the worth of what we do, and be excited to partner with us in this way is incredibly generous and SMART of them. They could teach some brands a thing or two! I loved the garlic in this recipe because it mixed much more smoothly and evenly in the burgers than chopped garlic would. They've just got that little something extra that boosted the flavour. 1. Mix all ingredients together. You can mash the pumpkin beforehand if you like, but I don't bother. 2. Cook on medium-high heat in a large frying pan 5-8 mins on each side, until browned and cooked through. You might want to keep flipping if yours is an excellent frypan and keeps the heat, not like mine, who takes forever to brown anything... Share this: i love tomato paste and herbs in a tube! i don't use them enough to warrant keeping fresh ones in the house! these burgers look incredible! i'm freaking out about them as i eat frozen mac and cheese. ugh. Our fridge is literally packed with these babies. I love the mixed mini tubes and the chunky garlic the most. My brother told me a little while ago that they were based on the Sunshine Coast which made me love them even more. Great choice Gourmet Garden, Veggie Mama ROCKS. And about these patties!! Yum. Printing to PDF as we speak to add to my cooking file. ttp://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama The Sunshine Coast has the best! Elizabeth I have worked a few trade shows for Gormet Garden and couldn't agree more- a great company with great products. A little trick I learnt courtesy of lots and lots of free samples is to keep them in the freezer. Many can be squeezed out of the tube even when frozen or take just a few minutes to defrost enough to squeeze them out. Keeps them a lot longer! ttp://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama Yes! That's such a good idea! Especially for the ones I don't use as often, like dill. They really are a fab company, or I wouldn't be working with them. Just love their whole style. Jenni T Thx for your blog veggie mama! I only recently discovered your blog after reading about it in Peppermint magazine. Looking forward to checking out previous blogs for more great recipes like this one! I agree with previous post, freezing your Gourmet Garden tubes is definitely the way to go! ttp://theshylion.com/ Raynor Yes, hello, I would like to please put these burgers in my face. Kind regards, Raynie. ttp://theshylion.com/ Raynor You guys! I want mac and cheese tooooooo! Also, I would like to dunk these burgers -into- the mac 'n' cheese. HOMG! This needs to happen. ttp://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama Best idea everrrrrrr! ttp://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama Done. Tash Hi ! Made these ones for tea tonight..had to do a little test patty before school pick up .... YUM ! They are great thanks. My husband is a FUSSY vegetarian so always on the look out for veggie recipes ttp://www.theveggiemama.com Veggie Mama Oh I hope he likes them! I love any way of sneaking brown rice into my diet

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Why, oh why would a woman choose to grow a moustache? This was the question that passed through my m... Iraq is rending itself apart. The signs of collapse are everywhere. In Baghdad, the police often pick up more than 100 tortured and mutilated bodies in a single day. Government ministries make war on each other. A new and ominous stage in the disintegration of the Iraqi state came earlier this month when police commandos from the Shia-controlled Interior Ministry kidnapped 150 people from the Sunni-run Higher Education Ministry in the heart of Baghdad. Iraq may be getting close to what Americans call "the Saigon moment", the time when it becomes evident to all that the government is expiring. "They say that the killings and kidnappings are being carried out by men in police uniforms and with police vehicles," the Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said to me with a despairing laugh this summer. "But everybody in Baghdad knows that the killers and kidnappers are real policemen." It is getting worse. The Iraqi army and police are not loyal to the state. If the US army decides to confront the Shia militias it could well find Shia military units from the Iraqi army cutting the main American supply route between Kuwait and Baghdad. One convoy was recently stopped at a supposedly fake police checkpoint near the Kuwait border and four American security men and an Austrian taken away. The US and British position in Iraq is far more of a house built on sand than is realised in Washington or London, despite the disasters of the past three-and-a-half years. George Bush and Tony Blair show a unique inability to learn from their mistakes, largely because they do not want to admit having committed any errors in the first place. Civil war is raging across central Iraq, home to a third of the country's 27 million people. As Shia and Sunni flee each other's neighbourhoods, Iraq is turning into a country of refugees. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees says that 1.6 million are displaced within the country and a further 1.8 million have fled abroad. In Baghdad, neighbouring Sunni and Shia districts have started to fire mortars at each other. On the day Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death, I phoned a friend in a Sunni area of the capital to ask what he thought of the verdict. He answered impatiently that "I was woken up this morning by the explosion of a mortar bomb on the roof of my next-door neighbour's house. I am more worried about staying alive myself than what happens to Saddam." Iraqi friends used to reassure me that there would be no civil war because so many Shia and Sunni were married to each other. These mixed couples are now being compelled to divorce by their families. "I love my husband but my family has forced me to divorce him because we are Shia and he is Sunni," said Hiba Sami, a mother, to a UN official. "My family say they [the husband's family] are insurgents ... and that living with him is an offence to God." Members of mixed marriages had set up an association to protect each other called the Union for Peace in Iraq but they were soon compelled to dissolve it when several founding members were murdered. Everything in Iraq is dominated by what in Belfast we used to call "the politics of the last atrocity". All three Iraqi communities - Shia, Sunni and Kurds - see themselves as victims and seldom sympathise with the tragedies of others. Every day brings its gruesome discoveries. Earlier this month, I visited Mosul, the capital of northern Iraq that has a population of 1.7 million people, of whom about two thirds are Sunni Arabs and one third Kurds. It is not the most dangerous city in Iraq but it is still a place drenched in violence. A local tribal leader called Sayid Tewfiq from the nearby city of Tal Afar told me of a man from there who went to recover the tortured body of his 16-year-old son. The corpse was wired to explosives that blew up, killing the father so their two bodies were buried together. Khasro Goran, the efficient and highly effective deputy governor of Mosul, said there was no civil war yet in Mosul but it could easily happen. He added that 70,000 Kurds had already fled the city because of assassinations. It is extraordinary how, in Iraq, slaughter that would be front-page news anywhere else in the world soon seems to be part of normal life. On the day I arrived in Mosul, the police had found 11 bodies in the city which would have been on the low side in Baghdad. I spoke to Duraid Mohammed Kashmula, the governor of Mosul, whose office is decorated with pictures of smiling fresh-faced young men who turned out to be his son and four nephews, all of them killed by insurgents. His own house, together with his furniture, was burned to the ground two years ago. He added in passing that Mr Goran and he himself were the prime targets for assassination in Mosul, a point that was dramatically proved true the day after we spoke when insurgents exploded a bomb beside his convoy - fortunately he was not in it at the time - killing one and wounding several of his bodyguards. For the moment Mosul is more strongly controlled by pro-government forces than most Iraqi cities. That is because the US has powerful local allies in the shape of the Kurds. The two army divisions in the province are primarily Kurdish, but the 17,000 police in Nineveh, the province of which Mosul is the capital, are almost entirely Sunni and their loyalty is dubious. One was dismissed on the day of Saddam's trial for putting a picture of the former leader in the window of his car. In November 2004, the entire Mosul police force abandoned their police stations to the insurgents who captured 20m worth of arms. "The terrorists do not control a single district in Mosul," is the proud claim of Major General Wathiq Mohammed Abdul Qadir al-Hamdani, the bullet-headed police chief of Nineveh. "I challenge them to fight me face to face." But the situation is still very fragile. We went to see the police operations room where an officer was bellowing into a microphone: "There is a suicide bomber in a car in the city. Do not let him get near you or any of our buildings." There was a reason to be frightened. On my way into Mosul, I had seen the broken concrete walls of the party headquarters of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, one of the two big Kurdish political parties. In August, two men in a car packed with explosives shot their way past the outer guard post and then blew themselves up, killing 17 soldiers. The balance of forces in Nineveh between American, Arab, Kurd, Turkoman, Sunni and Shia is complicated even by Iraqi standards. Power is fragmented. Sayid Tewfiq, the Shia tribal leader from Tal Afar, resplendent in his flowing robes, admitted: "I would not last 24 hours in Tal Afar without Coalition [US] support." "That's probably about right," confirmed Mr Goran, explaining that Sayid Tewfiq's Shia Turkoman tribe was surrounded by Sunni tribes. Earlier I had heard him confidently invite all of Nineveh provincial council to visit him in Tal Afar. Nobody looked enthusiastic about taking him up on the offer. "He may have 3,000 fighters from his tribe but he can't visit most of Tal Afar himself," said another member of the council, Mohammed Suleiman, as he declined the invitation. A few hours before somebody tried to assassinate him, Governor Kashmula claimed to me that "security in Mosul is the best in Iraq outside the Kurdish provinces". It is a measure of the violence in Iraq that it is an arguable point. Khasro Goran said: "The situation is not perfect but it is better than Anbar, Baquba and Diyala." I could vouch for this. In Iraq however bad things are there is always somewhere worse. It is obviously very difficult for reporters to discover what is happening in Iraq's most violent provinces without being killed themselves. But, at the end of September, I travelled south along the Iraqi side of the border with Iran, sticking to Kurdish villages to try to reach Diyala, a mixed Sunni-Shia province north-east of Baghdad where there had been savage fighting. It is a road on which a wrong turning could be fatal. We drove from Sulaimaniyah through the mountains, passed through the Derbandikhan tunnel and then took the road that runs beside the Diyala river, its valley a vivid streak of lush green in the dun-coloured semi desert. The area is a smuggler's paradise. At night, trucks drive through without lights, their drivers using night-vision goggles. It is not clear what cargoes they are carrying - presumably weapons or drugs - and nobody has the temerity to ask. We had been warned it was essential to turn left after the tumbledown Kurdish town of Kalar before reaching the mixed Arab-Kurdish village of Jalula. We crossed the river by a long and rickety bridge, parts of which had fallen into the swirling waters below, and soon arrived in the Kurdish stronghold of Khanaqin in Diyala province. If I had any thoughts about driving further towards Baghdad they were put to rest by the sight, in one corner of the yard of the local police headquarters, of the wreckage of a blue-and-white police vehicle torn apart by a bomb. "Five policemen were killed in it when it was blown up at an intersection in As-Sadiyah two months ago," a policeman told me. "Only their commander survived but his legs were amputated." Officials in Khanaqin had no doubt about what is happening in their province. Lt Col Ahmed Nuri Hassan, the exhausted-looking commander of the federal police, said: "There is a sectarian civil war here and it is getting worse every day." The head of the local council estimated 100 people were being killed a week. In Baquba, the provincial capital, Sunni Arabs were driving out Shia and Kurds. The army and police were divided along sectarian lines. The one Iraqi army division in Diyala was predominantly Shia and only arrested Sunni. On the day after I left, Sunni and Kurdish police officers fought a gun battle in Jalula, the village I had been warned not to enter. The fighting started when Kurdish police refused to accept a new Sunni Arab police chief and his followers. Here, in miniature, in Diyala it was possible to see Iraq breaking up. The province is ruled by its death squads. The police say at least 9,000 people had been murdered. It is difficult to see how Sunni and Shia in the province can ever live together again. In much of Iraq, we long ago slipped down the rapids leading from crisis to catastrophe though it is only in the past six months that these dire facts have begun to be accepted abroad. For the first three years of the war, Republicans in the US regularly claimed the liberal media was ignoring signs of peace and progress. Some right-wingers even set up websites devoted to spreading the news of American achievements in this ruined land. I remember a team from a US network news channel staying in my hotel in Baghdad complaining to me, as they buckled on their body armour and helmets, that they had been once again told by their bosses in New York, themselves under pressure from the White House, to "go and find some good news and report it." Times have changed in Washington. The extent of the disaster in Iraq is admitted by almost all, aside from President Bush. Even before the Democrats' victory in the Congressional elections on 7 November the magazine Vanity Fair commented acidly that "the only group in the Bush camp at this point are the people who wait patiently for news of the WMD and continue to believe that Saddam and Osama were once lovers." Previous supporters of the war are showing embarrassing haste in recanting past convictions. These days, it is in Britain alone, or more specifically in Downing Street, that policies bloodily discredited in Iraq in the years since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein still get a hearing. I returned from Mosul to London just in time to hear Tony Blair speaking at the Lord Mayor's banquet. It was a far more extraordinary performance that his audience appreciated. As the Prime Minister spoke with his usual Hugh Grant charm, it became clear he had learned nothing and forgotten nothing in three-and-a-half years of war. Misconception after misconception poured from his lips. Contrary to views of his own generals and every opinion poll assessing Iraqi opinion, he discounted the idea that armed resistance in Iraq is fueled by hostility to foreign occupation. Instead he sees dark forces rising in the east, dedicated, like Sauron in Lord of the Rings, to principles of pure evil. The enemy, in this case, is "based on a thoroughly warped misinterpretation of Islam, which is fanatical and deadly." An expert on the politics of Iraq and Lebanon recently said to me: "The most dangerous error in the Middle East today is to believe the Shia communities in Iraq and Lebanon are pawns of Iran." But that is exactly what the Prime Minister does believe. The fact that the largest Shia militia in Iraq - the Mehdi Army of Muqtada al-Sadr - is anti-Iranian and Iraqi nationalist is conveniently ignored. Those misconceptions are important in terms of practical policy because they give support to the dangerous myth that if the US and Britain could only frighten or square the Iranians and Syrians then all would come right as their Shia cats-paws in Iraq and Lebanon would inevitably fall into line. In a very British way, opponents of the war in Iraq have focused not on current events but on the past sins of the government in getting us into the war. No doubt it was all very wrong for Downing Street to pretend that Saddam Hussein had WMD and was a threat to the world when they knew he was not. But this emphasis on the origins of the war in Iraq has diverted attention from the fact that, going by official statements, the British government knows no more about what was going on in Iraq in 2006 than it did in 2003. The picture Mr Blair paints of Iraq seldom touches reality at any point. For instance, he says Iraqis "voted for an explicitly non-sectarian government," but every Iraqi knows the vote in two parliamentary elections in 2005 went wholly along sectarian and ethnic lines. The polls were the starting pistol for the start of the civil war. Mr Blair steadfastly refuses to accept the fact that opposition to the American and British occupation of Iraq has been the main cause of the insurgency. The commander of the British army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, was almost fired for his trouble when he made the obvious point that "we should get ourselves out some time soon because our presence exacerbates the security problem." A series of opinion polls carried out by the US-based group WorldPublicOpinion.org at the end of September show why Gen. Dannatt is right and Mr Blair is wrong. The poll shows that 92 per cent of the Sunni and 62 per cent of the Shia - up from 41 per cent at the start of the year - approve of attacks on US-led forces. Only the Kurds support the occupation. Some 78 per cent of all Iraqis think the US military presence provokes more conflict than it prevents and 71 per cent want US-led forces out of Iraq within a year. The biggest and most menacing change this year is the growing hostility of Iraq's Shia to the American and British presence. It used to be said that at least the foreign occupation prevented a civil war but, with 1,000 Iraqis being killed every week, it is now very clearly failing. It was always true that in post-Saddam Iraq there was going to be friction between the Shia, Sunni and Kurds. But Iraqis were also forced to decide if they were for or against a foreign invader. The Sunnis were always going to fight the occupation, the Kurds to welcome it and the Shia to co-operate for just so long as it served their interests. Patriotism and communal self-interest combined. Before 2003, a Sunni might see a Shia as the member of a different sect but once the war had started he started to see him as a traitor to his country. Of course Messrs Bush and Blair argue there is no occupation. In June 2004, sovereignty was supposedly handed back to Iraq. "Let Freedom Reign," wrote Mr Bush. But the reality of power remained firmly with the US and Britain. The Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki said this month that he could not move a company of soldiers without seeking permission of the Coalition (the US and Britain). Officials in Mosul confirmed to me that they could not carry out a military operation without the agreement of US forces. There is a hidden history to the occupation of Iraq which helps explain why has proved such a disaster. In 1991, after the previous Gulf War, a crucial reason why President George HW Bush did not push on to Baghdad was that he feared the overthrow of Saddam Hussein would be followed by elections that would be won by Shia parties sympathetic to Iran. No worse outcome of the war could be imagined in Washington. After the capture of Baghdad in 2003, the US faced the same dilemma. Many of the contortions of US policy in Iraq since then have been a covert attempt to avoid or dilute the domination of Iraq's Shia majority. For more than a year, the astute US envoy in Baghdad, Zalmay Khalilzad, tried to conciliate the Sunni. He failed. Attacks on US forces are on the increase. Dead and wounded US soldiers now total almost 1,000 a month.. An Iraqi government will only have real legitimacy and freedom to operate when US and British troops have withdrawn. Washington and London have to accept that if Iraq is to survive at all it will be as a loose federation run by a Shia-Kurdish alliance because together they are 80 per cent of the population. But, thanks to the miscalculations of Mr Bush and Mr Blair, the future of Iraq will be settled not by negotiations but on the battlefield. The Occupation: War and Resistance in Iraq by Patrick Cockburn is published by Verso. The toll of war * US troops killed since invasion - 2,880 * UK troops killed - 126 * Iraqis who have died as result of invasion - 655,000 * Journalists killed - 77 * Daily attacks on coalition forces - 180 * Average number of US troops killed every day in October - 3.5 * Strength of insurgency - 30,000 nationwide * Number of police - 180,000 * Trained judges - 740 * Percentage of Iraqi population that wants US forces to leave within 12 months - 71 per cent * Hours of electricity per day in Baghdad in November - 8.6 (pre-war estimate 16-24 hours) * Unemployment - 25-40 per cent * Internet subscribers - 197,310 (pre-war 4,500) * Population with access to clean drinking water - 9.7 million (12.9 million pre-war). Percentage of children suffering malnutrition - 33 per cent Game on: Oliver Thring joins a partridge shoot Everything but the turkey: Best Christmas trimmings What makes a cracking Christmas meal? It's all in the details, says Christopher Hirst, who has chomped his way through a mountain of supermarket and specialist food Bangkok reigns supreme for street food Every city in the world is now getting in on the street-food act, but Bangkok is still the best, says John Brunton Can you cook perfect fried chicken at home? The vogue for fried chicken has us all lusting after crispy wings, but is it achievable at home? Armed with a thermometer and some expert tips, Samuel Muston takes the plunge. Cabin fever: Cabane Sucre There is a wooden house in the middle of Canada's snowy countryside where food of such sublime richness is served that getting a table there is more difficult than at a Michelin-starred city restaurant Christmas uncorked: The finest reds and whites Anthony Rose reveals his festive guide, from the best party red to wines to drink with stilton The 50 Best Christmas gifts for children From this year's most-fashionable fad to classics they'll want to keep forever, Kate Watson-Smyth fills the family stockings with this year's top toys Sole food: could chicken feet to China be Britain's next big export? Environment Secretary spots a gap in the market for 'phoenix claws' Who is the real Jill Kelley? She first hit the news as the apparently innocent victim of abusive emails from the lover of David Petraeus. But the more we've found out about the other, other woman, the greater the mystery Here comes the demon chef Is London ready for Alvin Leung's 'x-treme Chinese cuisine'? Up all night: 24-hour restaurants A new breed offers fine dining at any time of day, reports Samuel Muston The 10 Best mulled drinks A glass of something spicy -- whether it's boozy or soft -- will get you in the mood for winter. Just add a roaring fire...

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Good idea, and thanks for the link. Some good videos there. I'm always up for hearing Doug Self (aka God) but other interesting speakers would be Alan Sircom and Martin Colloms. The former for his views on the industry, trends and where we might be heading, the latter as Martin has been around for donkeys years and worked as design consultant to many companies over the years. I guess it could have a DIY build theme. Based around a few rooms containing bits of home brew kit from various attendees. Good idea, and thanks for the link. Some good videos there. I'm always up for hearing Doug Self (aka God) but other interesting speakers would be Alan Sircom and Martin Colloms. The former for his views on the industry, trends and where we might be heading, the latter as Martin has been around for donkeys years and worked as design consultant to many companies over the years. I guess it could have a DIY build theme. Based around a few rooms containing bits of home brew kit from various attendees. I think it would be good to include as many 'forum personalities' as possible, whether pros.semi pros or knowledgeable enthusiasts. The more open the event the better, and the broader appeal it will have; even on this small forum we have some amazing knowledge and even better - the willingness and grace to share it freely. Good work Dave. Would be good to have Rob Holt and more industry bods of as many types as possible to make the event as appealing and credible as possible. Pleasing that TQ have already got behind it. Nice one fellas. I look forward to seeing this one grow. I would be happy to make the tea.

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PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND OUR KIDS: HOW ARE WE DOING? When Betty Lee tells her boys to go outside and play, she knows they will likely be the only two kids out on her street. Unfortunately, this is true across the country. For the fifth year in a row, the Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth gave Canada a failing grade of D in 2009. The report card shows that children still spend twice as much time in front of the TV screen as they do being active. Less than 10 per cent of children and youth are getting the recommended 90 minutes of moderate to vigorous daily physical activity. "We are always kicking them outdoors in summer to be active. If given a choice, they would be inside playing video games," says Lee, a mother from Edmonton. "Kids today have more access to technology, computers, 24-hour TV and computer games. Their activity levels are a lot lower than they used to be." Dr. Mark Tremblay, director of healthy living and obesity research at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and chair of Active Healthy Kids Canada, says that more kids in Canada are becoming obese. He adds that we've been seeing this trend for at least the last generation. "This is a new biological phenomenon. Having large numbers of kids who are obese is new to the species. I don't think any of us understand what the consequences of that are," says Dr. Tremblay. "Almost everyone seems to understand that more activity is better, but we don't seem able to get people to act on that. It's not just being informed. It's creating environments to help make the healthy choice the easy choice," said Dr. Tremblay. Betty Lee says that one thing that seems to work with her two older sons is signing them up for an activity with their friends. "My older son especially does much better in swimming when he takes it through school. I see a positive effect when he is with someone he knows well who is his own age." Being physically active with the whole family also seems to encourage physical activity, says Lee. "We go bike riding every other night in the summer as a family," she said. "Sure, it is nice if they do the spontaneous play thing, but to ensure that they are getting physical activity regularly, we have to schedule it." Dr. Tremblay says modern devices, such as remote controls that reduce work, are a big factor in reducing the daily physical activity of kids. The main cause of obesity can be boiled down to too much energy intake for the amount of energy output. But Dr. Tremblay says the factors that feed into obesity are incredibly complicated. "My guess is that it's not going to be a good news story when we finally get it figured out," says Dr. Tremblay. "We're already seeing a substantial number of cases of children with Type 2 diabetes, which is one repercussion of not getting enough physical activity." He added that the psychosocial, emotional and mental elements of obesity can often have tragic consequences. Dr. Tremblay said that many of these factors are worse in aboriginal children and youth. Less than half of aboriginal children are active for 30 minutes per day five days a week. "Sometimes a reasonable amount of that difference disappears if you control for socioeconomic status," said Dr. Tremblay. "Quite often those groups are in poor living conditions and have poor education and low incomes." However, he pointed to Amish and Mennonite kids who don't have access to electronic devices. "They are way more active even though they have no phys. ed. classes and sports teams. Many of them live in what we think of as poverty. But these groups are achieving much higher levels of fitness. They have almost a complete absence of obesity. They walk, they play, they hunt. It's boring sitting in the living room." The increase in overweight and obesity, combined with low levels of physical activity, represents a serious threat to the health of Canada's children and youth. In response to this crisis, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology developed Canada's Physical Activity Guides for Children and Youth. HEALTHY U NEWS Healthy U Food Checker Compare the nutrition criteria from a Nutrition Facts Table to find out if your food or beverage choice is a Choose Most Often, Choose Sometimes or Choose Least Often according to the Alberta Nutrition Guidelines. more Healthy School Communities Award Ten awards celebrating people & programs addressing healthy eating, physical activity & mental wellbeing in school communities were presented to individuals & organizations from across Alberta. Award recipients were honoured by the Associate Minister of Wellness. more

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Taking care of your silverware Smart and shiny silverware can be a lovely addition to any home, but all too often, people aren't aware of the best way to take care of it -- resulting in it become tarnished and dull. This guide to taking care of your silverware will tell you all you need to know to brighten up your bowls and keep your cutlery bright and beautiful -- you'll be amazed how easy it is! Cleaning To clean your silverware, follow these five simple steps: Rinse the item in hot water to remove dust Line a heat proof dish with aluminium foil Add 1tbsp baking soda, 1tbsp salt, and 4.5 litres of boiling water to the dish Submerge your jewellery into the solution, resting them directly on the foil Once the tarnish has been removed, gently dry the item with a soft cloth Polishing Now that your silverware is clean and tarnish free, it's time to enhance its shine! Invest in a good quality silver polish or cream and buff the item with a soft cotton cloth or cellulose sponge (these materials are recommended because they will not scratch the metal). When you are done, rinse the item under a gentle flow of water and dry it completely with a soft, clean cloth. Storage To keep your silverware in the best possible condition when it's not in use, store it in a clean space away from extreme temperatures. Above all else, ensure that it is dry, as moisture can affect the surface of silver. Keep each item separate to avoid any damage, and they should be ready to use whenever you need them next.

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How to talk to your children about natural disasters In parenting, sometimes nothing is as scary as reality. We wish we could keep our children's lives full of rainbows, unicorns and fancy trucks that fly. But we can't. Because at some point, our children are going to learn about the reality of life, loss and scary things that are out of our control. First and foremost, make sure your child knows she is safe If nothing else, it's your responsibility as a parent to keep your child safe. And the first way to do that is to tell them they're safe. Offering hugs and security is your job. So when you sit your child down, make sure he knows that you will do everything you can to keep him as safe as he is, always. During natural disasters, things can always get out of hand. But your kids will feel confident knowing that you're doing your best for them. Be gentle in your discussion Next, tell your children that something horrible or scary or unplanned happened in the world in a very calm voice. If it makes you cry, that's okay, you're sharing your emotional ties to the story. Let them know that what happened is something no one wants to happen and how hard it is for you to share it or know it. But don't tell them more than they need to know. Let your child ask the questions After you tell your child the basics, go ahead and open the floor to their questions and let their questions take them where they need to go. They likely don't need to know all the statistics that the news is sharing. They may be more interested in what is happening to pets or how kids can get to a hospital. Most likely, kids will need to know how this disaster will affect them or could affect them. Stick with answering their questions and you'll keep your children safe. Expect a follow-up, or two A day or so after we shared the Haitian earthquake in 2010 with our kids, my 4 year old came to me saying "I don't know what an Earthquake is." It turned out that he'd been thinking about it off and on through the day before, rolling around the possibilities and the answers we'd given then. But his persona is one that needs to know how things happen. So we took that opportunity to explain fault lines and the earth shifting. Had we shared all of this when we told him about the quake, he might have been overwhelmed with facts. He asked when he was ready. Offer ways you can help as a family As Pennsylvanian's we were fortunate during Hurricane Sandy. Our house had minimal damage and we never lost power. We know it could have been much worse. During the worst of the storm, my kids and I cleaned out their closets, trying on clothing and setting things aside to give to charity. Later that week, when discussing what to do with the extra 5-year-old boy clothing, my son asked if we could bring it to the kids that lost their homes. While that wasn't possible, we researched drop-off points and lists of supplies and things needed. When we found a drop-off (the ladies of PSMM teamed up to donate), my son raced to his room to find more to help. Many kids want to help other kids, especially those who are able to imagine if they lost their own homes. Further resources to discuss disasters with your kids I posted Earthquakes for Kids lists several parent conversations and resources after the Japanese Tsunami in 2011. About Julie Meyers Pron Julie Meyers Pron has written 1051 post in this blog. mom of 3 and wife, Julie is a former elementary school teacher and a Public Relations manager. She is the owner/editor of Just Precious, founding partner of Just Centsible, and a team member of Splash Creative Media. Julie is a PTOer, volunteer, elementary educator and that's just the beginning of the list. I have a feeling it's very different outside of this area. Here, it's consumed us. But I've talked to people in the midwest who aren't anywhere near as affected. I'm sure if it had happened on the west coast our kids would barely know about it.

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Related Posts Market share: gluten-free baking a piece of cake In August, if you live in Villeray or Parc-Ex (or many other neighborhoods around Montreal), you can go onto your balcony and pick the grapes, crab apples and plums that earlier generations of Greek and Portuguese families planted, long before the sea change of gentrification swept through their neighbourhoods. But if you don't have access to backyard fruit, worry not: The markets are flush with Quebec-grown plums, and unlike other summer fruits, they're cheap as hell. They are also a pretty fruit, so plump and purple. I am always drawn to them, but don't actually enjoy eating them as much as I think I should. Yesterday, however, remembering a time when I made a thyme-scented plum sorbet with honey, I grabbed a basket, thinking I would do the same. But as the weather is starting to cool, and turning on the oven does not seem like the worst idea on earth, I decided instead to make a cake. When traveling through the southern U.S. this summer, I met a number of people who were obsessed with CrossFit , a health and lifestyle regime that "forges elite fitness" through old-school calisthenics ("just finish your burpees, and then we'll head out and toss around the ol' medicine ball") and an even older approach to eating and nutrition: the Paleo diet , in which people try to emulate a caveman's diet. The protagonists in Haruki Murakami novels are always doing calisthenics in their high-rise Tokyo apartments. I like this about them, but when I think about spending an hour doing jumping jacks and gnawing on elk jerky, my enthusiasm wanes. Still, I am compelled by new thinking on diet and exercise, and about the effects that certain foods can have on the body. And so it was that I recently embarked on a diet low in sugar and even lower in wheat. Who knew that one could do this and still eat cake? Cake! Not me. Not until a few months ago. I had set out to make the Brown Butter Financier from the Mission Street Food cookbook -- a cake made with browned butter, toasted ground almonds, icing sugar, egg white and just a teensy bit of flour -- when I thought, heck, I'm throwing caution to the wind and leaving that flour out. I won't exaggerate -- it was a minor revelation. But the result was as delicious as it would have been with the wheat. Over the summer, when the weather permitted, I made the cake countless times, growing lazier with each effort. First, I decided not to brown the butter. Then I determined that the ground almonds were perfectly fine sans toasting. A note: Because it is so trendy these days, almond flour, which is really just finely ground blanched almonds, is often required in recipes, gluten-free or otherwise. You can make it yourself if you have a good blender. Just grab some bulk almonds and blend them up. You don't even need to blanch them if you like more texture. What remains is a cake that takes about five minutes to make, is gluten-free and low in sugar, has a slightly sweet, nutty flavour and has the airy, slightly chewy texture of the much more labour-intensive madeleine. And because the cake is so straightforward in flavour, it goes well with any sort of fruit you desire. On this particular occasion, I used my, by now, very ripe plums. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. To make the cake, you will need half a cup of melted butter that has cooled slightly. Put one cup of ground almonds and half a cup of icing sugar into a large mixing bowl. And the melted butter, and then add one whole egg and the whites of two more. Stir to mix everything together. The batter will be tacky, so you will need a spatula to scrape it onto the cookie sheet -- do not worry if it does not spread to the edges. Put it in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until it is golden brown around the edges. While the cake is in the oven, remove the stones from about 10 plums and put them in a shallow pan with one cup of Lillet . Add two sprigs of fresh thyme and, depending on the ripeness of the fruit, some honey to taste. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Poach the plums in the liquid for about 10 minutes, or until they start to soften and break apart. Then remove them, and the thyme, and raise the heat under the liquid. Cook for about five minutes, stirring often, until the liquid is reduced to a syrup. Taste, and if you feel it is not sweet enough, add a bit more honey. Pour the liquid back over the plums. To serve, use a cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut shapes out of the cake. Dollop the cake pieces with plain or flavoured yogurt, ice cream or whipped cream, and add the poached fruit.

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I think it had more to do with $$$ than any commitment or ability issues. Didn't both Marvel and Norton come out and say it wasn't about cash? I vaguely remember reading it was some crap about creativity and blending all the actors. I think they were negotiating and Marvel suddenly pulled out. Could be wrong though. "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." The way the Avengers origin is, you could have Banner as the Hulk throughout the entire film, so don't really see Norton being too big a loss. Not been reading much at the moment, but stumbled upon "Invincible" ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invincible_\\... )) a while back and would say it's one of the best ongoing series I've ever read. Also managed to get my hands on the Dreamwave Transformers series, which are incredible. Just need Runaways to come back from hiatus and I'd have something to properly look forward to. I've read the first 10 Invincible and enjoyed it, maybe I'll get my hands on the rest. I like Image stuff. Didn't both Marvel and Norton come out and say it wasn't about cash? I vaguely remember reading it was some crap about creativity and blending all the actors. I think they were negotiating and Marvel suddenly pulled out. Could be wrong though. I didn't know about Norton interfering with the creative process so I guess the money angle is wrong. Mark Ruffalo could be good, still got a bit of romcom about him though. "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." What's really turning me off the Thor movie though is that people in Hollywood have somehow magically come up with this. = Not being racist like, but that's hardly the image you instantly get when you think Norwegian. Still the movie has Anthony Hopkins and Ray Stevensson so I'll no doubt see it. It's hardly an attempt to be a historically accurate documentary of the Viking people, is it? It's a big, loud, comic book movie. Heimdall is a god, he's been a seal and a bird and a mysterious walking stranger, and he can look like Idris Elba if he wants to. Has anyone been paying attention to X-Men: First Class? It was mentioned a bit above that director Matthew Vaughn (of recent Kick Ass fame) had gotten his friend Jane Goldman to write screenplay (also of Kick Ass fame), so that's two brits signed to the project. Filming begins next month and here's the cast so far: X-Men's not my favourite title at the best of times, and if I'm being honest the cast looks like absolute shite. But it figures, since they want to appeal to the non comic-reader crowd. Will be the first comic book movie that I'll give a miss. I've seen lots of people saying it's not right having Idris Elba playing a character from norse mythology, who are all completely missing the fact that it's a comic adaptation, and Idris Elba is one bad mofo. If you want to get upset how about the historical detail then have a read of the comic. Thor (the other made up one) is red headed and has a beard... The characters from the Thor film are actually going to be from an alternate universe rather than any supernatural origin like in the comics. So they don't look as daft in the universe created in Iron Man/Cap America. Also, lulz at the guy complaining about the lack of historical accuracy in the Comics "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." You have posted literally nothing of substance to flame about. Your "points", and I dread to call them that, were superficial and completely arbitrary. Nothing you said could be argued against because nothing you said elaborated a position of any kind. At ComicCon this weeked, they also announced Joss Whedon is defo directing which I'm not so sure about...although he does have a lot of experience with ensembles. I think it's going to be a massive challenge to get all of these characters on screen together without fucking it up, but I can't wait. I'm still quite amazed that Marvel are actually making five movies all leading up to a massive crossover film. "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." You have posted literally nothing of substance to flame about. Your "points", and I dread to call them that, were superficial and completely arbitrary. Nothing you said could be argued against because nothing you said elaborated a position of any kind. The clock is ticking on the superhero craze in Hollywood, according to Matthew Vaughn, the director now filming "X-Men: First Class" for Fox in London. "It's been mined to death and in some cases the quality control is not what it's supposed to be," Vaughn said. "People are just going to get bored of it." Vaughn, who produced, directed and co-wrote "Kick-Ass," says he pounced on the chance to make a film about the uncanny mutants from Marvel Comics because he expects the current boom in superhero cinema to fizzle out in the near future. "I've always wanted to do a big-budget superhero film and I think we've kind of crossed the Rubicon with superhero films," Vaughn said. "I think [the opportunity to do one], it's only going to be there two or three more times." "Then," he added, "the genre is going to be dead for a while because the audience has just been pummelled too much." Next summer, "X-Men: First Class" will join "Captain America: The First Avenger," "Thor" and "Green Lantern" in a parade of costumed heroes in big-budget films at the cineplex. Vaughn said audience fatigue is already starting to set in. The subject material can't sustain the Hollywood trample, he said, and the inevitable box-office duds and derivative projects will mark the end of the gold rush by studios. "It is a crowded room," Vaughn said "It's too crowded." The 39-year-old filmmaker (who is married to German model Claudia Schiffer) is known for a candor that is rare in Hollywood circles. He had been in talks to direct the third "X-Men" film but that didn't work out (he instead went off to make the underrated "Stardust") and the superhero project went to Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour"), who delivered "X-Men: The Last Stand," the 2006 film that became the biggest money-maker in the franchise despite far more sour reviews than the two previous films. Vaughn didn't shy away from slagging on Ratner's film: "As it happens, I could have made something a hundred times better than the film that was eventually made," Vaughn told the Daily Telegraph. "It sounds arrogant, but I could have done something with far more emotion and heart." Vaughn made his mark in movies as the producer of three Guy Ritchie films -- "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," "Snatch" and "Swept Away." He made his directorial debut with "Layer Cake" in 2004. "X-Men: First Class," starring James McAvoy as Charles Xavier (aka Professor X) and Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr (aka, Magneto) is due in theaters in June 2011. I thought this was an interesting read. There's a lot riding on the Avenger movies, the Green Lantern one (and they've already hired Michael Goldenberg to write the script for the sequel), the third Batman film, and the Xmen/Spiderman reboots. Looking at box office sales the superhero genre is as popular as ever but I guess the fad will lessen eventually. I thought this was an interesting read. There's a lot riding on the Avenger movies, the Green Lantern one (and they've already hired Michael Goldenberg to write the script for the sequel), the third Batman film, and the Xmen/Spiderman reboots. Looking at box office sales the superhero genre is as popular as ever but I guess the fad will lessen eventually. I thought this was a good retort to Vaughn. Quote WHY MATTHEW VAUGHN IS WRONG ABOUT SUPERHERO MOVIES Matthew Vaughn has sounded the death knell for superhero movies, and a couple of months ago I might have been inclined to agree with him. We've gone past the most exciting and popular heroes, and we seem to have gotten past that brief phase where truly astonishing directors were being attached to superhero films. What's more, the filmic genre itself has begun to feel more than a little long in the tooth, with every movie being essentially an origin tale and with the action often feeling constrained locally, with the stakes being more personal than epic. I recently had dinner with Green Lantern writer and DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, and he brought up a point that stopped me in my tracks: Why don't movie superheroes save the world? Looking at the modern superhero movie they're all-too often just standard action (or cop) movies in funny outfits. In fact one of the few modern films we could think of where the heroes saved the world was Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. (A friend later pointed out that technically Watchmen fits this category as well) 'I think we've kind of crossed the Rubicon with superhero films,' Vaughn told the LA Times. 'The genre is going to be dead for a while because the audience has just been pummeled too much.' On one level he's right. There have been an awful lot of superhero films, and almost all of them have been in the same mold - the mold established by Spider-Man back in 2002. You can see that basic structure echo in most superhero movies since then, and as in Spider-Man most of the threats have felt small, localized, and in almost every single film have been so completely connected to the hero that the villain feels more like an extension of the hero than a threat on his own. That's been great, and it's created some truly wonderful superhero movies, but it's also begun to run its course. Vaughn declared superheroes dead while working on X-Men: First Class, a movie likely to continue that style - a threat whose menace is small (probably just impacting the mutants) and that grows directly from the heroes (if Magneto isn't the bad guy at the start, he certainly will be by the end).* But on another level he's wrong. The superhero movies that we've had have only scratched the surface of what is possible with a superhero story. And I think that could be about to change. I was hoping that Thor would be the first to break the mold; the original script that Marvel Studios had was nothing short of a Lord of the Rings style epic, with Thor only coming to Earth in the final minutes of the film. That would have been a major kick in the pants for the superhero movie concept - the genre is not what you think it is, and to actually classify it as one genre is misleading. It's a way to tell stories within many genres. Sadly the Thor that we're getting is going to be much closer to the standard blueprint, with a smaller, localized threat that is very personal for the hero. Captain America: The First Avenger is another story, though. While I doubt the movie will be a war film per se - this won't be Saving Bucky Barnes - it'll be a movie where the stakes aren't about Captain America himself, his girlfriend or even his hometown. It's going to be the fate of the free world as Captain America tries to stop the Red Skull from winning World War II for the Nazis. That's the kind of selfless heroism that hasn't been en vogue in superhero movies for a while. I'm excited for a hero to be a hero not because he accidentally created the villain or because the villain's plans are all an effort to get revenge, but simply because it's the right thing to do. Then there's Green Lantern; if Captain America is the superhero movie filtered through pulp adventure, Green Lantern will be the superhero movie filtered through pulp science fiction. With a scope that spans the stars and a villain who threatens all life in the universe, Green Lantern will feature a hero who does battle not just to save those close to him but to do right by everybody. And this time I mean everybody. And then we have The Avengers. I am crossing my fingers that Marvel Studios and Joss Whedon have this one figured out and that they realize that you can't get together Earth's Mightiest Heroes for anything less than a global threat of staggering proportions. It can't simply be a revenge plot by Loki or some other villain established in a previous film - it must be something that threatens every living being in the world. Scope. This is the missing element in the modern superhero movie. The stakes have to be huge. The stakes have to be planetary. Failure by the hero can't result just in his own death, or the death of his girlfriend or the destruction of his hometown - it has to result in the deaths of millions, if not billions. It's time to stop looking at Arnold Schwarzenegger action vehicles as the models for superhero films and turn to the world-spanning madness of Roland Emmerich. There will always be room for the more personal stories of Spider-Man and Daredevil, but as the focus of Hollywood moves on to characters like Green Lantern and Dr. Strange and Wonder Woman, it's time to stretch out and think big. Maybe Vaughn's right. Maybe the only type of superhero movie that really works is the smaller, personal, and vigilante-based type. If that's the case, yeah, we're at the end of the ride. But if the magical and the fantastical and the cosmic and science fiction heroes can get a toehold, the superhero cycle will renew itself and it'll be something very different. It'll be something grander, more exciting and wilder. Let's get senses-shattering. Let's get reality-rending. Let's make it so that heroes live, heroes die and nothing is ever again the same. It's time to put the super back in superhero movies. * For the record you could say that the modern superhero movie actually gets its blueprint from the original X-Men, but I argue that it was Spider-Man that refined and perfected it. He's got a point about Vaughn making this statement while he currently filming his second comic book film in a row but as he said, the next batch of films are really upping the scope and stakes. I really want to see more superheros saving the planet rather than their girlfriend. I'm really looking forward to Cap America, the first (decent) period set Superhero film. The past ten years worth of superhero films have been a bit hamstrung by being limited to origin stories, which are obviously going to get tiring when there is one every year, but with these nearly out of the way they can really open up. "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." As they said in the second piece, I think the Avengers series could be the key, if the people involved can pull characters and stories from what should really be several different genres (Iron Man: Action, Thor: Fantasy, Cap: War?) into one single, genre defying megahit then it could really open the door for things to be done differently. I agree that current superhero films are almost by the numbers formulaic and by their nature struggle with pacing unless handled incredibly well but Holywood hasn't helped either. You want no origin? There were rumours of a Green Arrow prison film circulating a few years ago that would have been a breath of fresh air. Want planetary endangerment? Invincible was picked up by a studio back in 2006, had a script written, and was then dropped. There are signs that this is going to change, with Kick Ass, Scott Pilgrim and Jonah Hex getting the go ahead, but the flipside is the decision to continue (and high schoolize) the Spiderman and X-men franchises, which worryingly look to be continuing the trend (one of which, hypocritically, is being directed by Vaughn). Logged "Baby take off your beret, everyone's a critic and most people are DJs" I think we've hardly seen any world saving antics in the current run of films because most of them need smaller, personal stories when presenting an origin story. This obviously makes for a better narrative and more engaging characters when the good guy and bad guy are Intimately entwined, like the Spider-man and X Men films. I imagine the cost of presently a worldwide threat is a problem too, now that comic book films are established and successful most of the time lots more cash can be pumped into them. "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." I agree with Vaughn. There have been loads of superhero films and if it wasn't for Nolan's efforts, Kick Ass in particular and hopefully Scott Pilgrim, my reaction of upcoming comic book films would be negative. It seems that all the big movies in any year tend to be comic book adaptations. You have Marvel making 5 films and then a 6th that brings all them together, with some questionable directors in there. Then you have X-men, which I had no idea that it was being made. You have that one with Ryan Reynolds, some more Superman films and, lest we forget, Batman. We even have Spider-man being made again if I am correct? Its just too many films and with the majority being shite, we are likely to be served more shite. I am not a follower of comics and it can be hard to stomach so many films. He's got a point about Vaughn making this statement while he currently filming his second comic book film in a row but as he said, the next batch of films are really upping the scope and stakes. I really want to see more superheros saving the planet rather than their girlfriend. I'm really looking forward to Cap America, the first (decent) period set Superhero film. The past ten years worth of superhero films have been a bit hamstrung by being limited to origin stories, which are obviously going to get tiring when there is one every year, but with these nearly out of the way they can really open up. That's a good article from Devin. I hope they don't start to die out because as hit and miss as some of them may be, I really enjoy them. Even the shitty ones like Daredevil, and there are some really good stories out there to be told that don't have to be origin stories or involving saving the entire world. It's all about them finding the balance without chasing the box office sales but also maintaining the human element to it all. It's possible for them to go too big, too epic. Fingers crossed they get it right. I'm looking forward to Captain America and Green Lantern especially, I think Ryan Reynolds would make a good Hal Jordan. Wonder if they've changed the Lanterns rather laughable weakness, anything the colour yellow! Always thought that was hilarious. Superhero/Comic book movies aren't going anywhere for a while. Just like with novels, books etc they are too easy turn into cash for that to happen. Most people didn't read or even know Kick-Ass was a comic book I'll bet, same with Scott Pilgrim, same with that Aliens vs. Cowboys etc. It won't matter though, they'll all do well and make a tonne of money. Have to say though I'm not all that interested in this Avengers stuff, all the films just look a bit samey to me, all style, no substance. The acting talent too, all just really uninteresting to me. You do know that between them, the directors of Captain America and Green Lantern are responsible for the masterpieces that are The Edge of Darkness, Legend of Zorro, Wolfman and Jurassic Park 3. At least Campbell directed Casino Royale. To be fair, Joe Johnston came on board Wolfman very late and had to pick up where everyone else had shat all over it. So you can't really blame him for that one. They will be filming Captain America here in Liverpool. They called the Philharmonic too, as they were looking for an Art Deco building (I know this because I know people ) I think I agree slightly with Bob about the Avengers, but I do think it's admirable that they are trying basically to tie 5 big seperate entity comic-book movies together, Iron Man 1&2, Hulk, Capt America and Thor. It's never been done in this way before, and it's a very ambitious thing to do. They did fail in that regard with Iron Man 2 though, Samuel L Jacksons character showing up with little regard to anyone who DIDN'T stay until after the credits of Iron Man, with little or no introduction. I think they forgot that not every member of the public would A. know who he was and B. bothered to wait around to SEE who he was. That said, I like the way they've tied them together so far - Interesting, if a little too samey as Bob said. Still lapping it up me though. I'm definitely curious about how they'll bring them all together, and of all the directors tied to this stuff, Whedon i think has the best chance of making the actual Avengers movie a fun one at least. I just don't think the movies leading up to it will be that good. The two Iron Man's, The Hulk were only decent. Quote That said, I like the way they've tied them together so far - I'd say all of that stuff has been prop easter eggs and little else to be honest. I have to say I have very low expectations for this Avengers movie. I haven't particularly enjoyed any of the X-Men movies and I suspect the net effect of this Avengers movie will feel something similar to those. Daniel LuVisi's "LMS" comic has just had the rights bought by Paramount to make a big multi-platform franchise thing about it. The guy's artwork is amazing, here's the plot & list of characters involved: Last Man Standing, or "LMS", "takes place 600 years in the future, in an alternate universe and is about Gabriel, this invincible soldier, who's been created to help win a war Earth got itself too deep into with Mars. After Gabe wins the war, he comes back down to Earth and is celebrated as this incredible hero. From there, he becomes somewhat of a celebrity, a Superman of this story, but then it all takes a quick turn. Gabriel is framed for an atrocious crime, by a terrorist organization known as Pandemonium and their leader, Dante. He is then sent to Level-9 Facility, where he'll spend the next nine years in the worst prison of all time. Once Gabriel breaks out, only then does his true story begin, and the lies and twists unravel. Dante too was put into the prison and escaped at Level 7, here's what he looks like when he gets out Amazing artwork! Needs to be like a trilogy with that many characters, but it's got high potential and big demand. "'Do it?' Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome? I did it thirty-five minutes ago." I'd say all of that stuff has been prop easter eggs and little else to be honest. Yeah, see what you mean. I suppose tying the threads of the films together would be difficult, and alienate the general public as an audience. But yeah, they are simply just prop easter eggs and little references. Nice to spot though!

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You are here How to leave Red Cross a gift in your Will Making your Will can be a daunting task, but it doesn't need to be complicated. Red Cross has made it easy for you to make or update your Will. We hold a number ofA Wills Days in many areas across Australia and have aA network of solicitors where you can make or update your Will from $75. While there is no obligation to include Red Cross in your Will, we do hope by using this service you will consider it. Download ourA Will Checklist toA help put your wishes in order and make the most of your time with your legal advisor. Steps to making your Will Step 1: Find a Legal Advisor Find a solicitor or trustee company who can help. To find out more about speaking with a solicitor who may be able to help you make or update your simple Will from $75 please, look at our calendar of upcoming Wills Days or contact us for a solicitor in your local area . Step 2: Preparing your Will Our Will Checklist may be beneficial for you to complete before you see your legal advisor. If you are unsure of any question, leave it blank and ask on the day. Step 3: Meeting the solicitor/ trustee Once you have completed your Will Checklist take it with you to your appointment. The solicitor will discuss your instructions and advise how best to word your Will (see Preferred wording for solicitors, below). Step 4: Approving your Will When drafted, your Will shall be sent to you to look over for approval. Any changes can be made at this point. Once you are happy with the document your legal advisor will ask you to sign it in the presence of two witnesses. Step 5: Keeping your Will safe You can keep your will at home or your legal advisor may offer to hold it for you. Don't forget to let your family know where it is and make sure it is safe. Ways to leave a gift in your Will We know that your first priority when making a Will is to provide for your loved ones. Many people find that even after they've done this they can leave a gift in their Will to charity. Leaving a gift in your Will is one of the most valuable and lasting ways you can support the Red Cross. There are a number of different ways you can remember the Red Cross in your will, depending on your circumstances. You can leave a share of your estate A good way to help is to leave a proportion, or the whole of what is left in your estate after you have provided for your loved ones. This type of gift (known as a residuary bequest) is easy to add to an existing Will without interfering with any specific sums you have left to family or friends. It also has the advantage that it will not be eroded in value by inflation over the years. Just 1, 2, 5% or more of your estate can make a difference. You can leave a fixed sum of money You may wish to leave us a fixed sum of money (known as a pecuniary bequest). Please remember that this type of gift does not allow for changes in your circumstances or inflation. You can leave a specific item of value You may wish to leave us a particular item (known as a specific bequest), which can be sold to support our work. It could be property or an item of value such as real estate, art or a piece of jewellery. The following are examples of specific wording recommended for leaving a gift in your Will to Red Cross. In all cases, the most important thing is your own peace of mind so we encourage you to discuss your Will with your legal advisor. To include Australian Red Cross in you Will, you could include the following: To donate a percentage of your estate: "I give to Australian Red Cross (ABN 50 169 561 394), for its general purposes, free of all duties % of my residuary estate for which an authorised receipt from Australian Red Cross will be a sufficient discharge for the executor(s) or trustee." or "I give to Australian Red Cross (ABN 50 169 561 394), for its general purposes, free of all duties the whole of the residue of my estate for which an authorised receipt from Australian Red Cross will be a sufficient discharge for the executor(s) or trustee." ToA donate a specific sum: "I give to Australian Red Cross (ABN 50 169 561 394), for its general purposes, free of all duties the sum of $ for which an authorised receipt from Australian Red Cross will be a sufficient discharge for the executor(s) or trustee."

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October 22, 2012 Tommy Douglas: Not Dead Enough During the first presidential debate, President Barack Obama made a claim against Mitt Romney that has been ringing in my ears ever since. Speaking on the topic of health care, Obama said that Romney would leave people "At the mercy of private insurance." The implication of course is that Obama will protect people from the big, mean insurance companies, and his own plan, Obamacare, is the more compassionate way. Supporters of government health care, and that is what Obamacare will morph into, love to make the insurance industry out to be the boogeyman. Obama's premise only make sense if you believe that government bureaucrats are so much better at serving the public than for profit enterprises. Anyone who has ever been to the MoT for a new driver's licence knows better. Current average wait time in Ottawa for an MRI is 259 days. If you are willing to pay $800 the private MRI clinic in Hull will take you this week. I would certainly like to have a dual care option in this country, but if you can't afford the private insurance in the USA, you are truly screwed too. I have friends in Oregon that lost the house they lived in for over twenty years because although they had medical coverage, it was insufficient to cover the catastrophic medical situation they faced. Not many people in this country lose their house or life savings because of illness or accident. On the other hand we probably have more that die while waiting for help. Neither system is ideal. eterj - there is no such thing a 'system' that works, IMO. Living is risky and everyone always dies. It is expensive to take care of the human being but not much more expensive than taking care of a house or car. I know people who lost everything because they got Drunk and drove home, hitting something along the way; I know country people who could not insure their houses (too far from the fire station) who lost everything when their houses and barns caught fire, I know others who lost everything in a war zone. Health is a private affair and should be just that: private. In the past, before TommyDougiecare/Robama care, people helped their friends and neighbours during times of health crisis via $$ or time. I am old enough to remember fund raisers for people who could not pay medical bills (polio and war wounds were the $$ eaters in my younger days). We do not have a 'system' that works right now, and, IMO, it is bound to get worse as boomers and new immigrants step in the line for 'care', Sarah Palin's Death Panels are now a hidden reality. And as Kate has said: "Nobody has to be a Doctor" stress the good Docs out too much and they will move or quit, we will be left with Duds who are in it only for the money (like a paper shuffler with life and death power). I have a grand child who has been the recipient of close to $100,000 from private individuals to help him "live" because the Canadian system will not step up and pick up the tab for the treatment and tests he needs that are only available in the USA. The health boards as well as the "Minister Of Sickness" are aware of the public fundraisers for him. The only help they have offered...was to take over and manage the funds given by family and friends. And here I sit still waiting to see an orthopedic surgeon since June. Another month and a half to go. My family doctor decided to order an MRI so we wouldn't have to wait? Ha. Surgeon appointment on Dec 6, MRI appointment on Dec 24. On the plus side the company I work for (which was privatized by the federal government 15 years ago) is arranging a private MRI to move things along and want to help me get back to work asap. Thank God I'm not still working for the government. Yeah you might get "free" care or whatever but it's not all that great at all. In Victoria for a few years now we've have ONE anesthesiology on duty in the entire city overnight. Sure they've got others on call I guess but by the time they get there it could be too late. A baby already died because of this and pressure was applied to have more hours for another one but once the firestorm dies down a little I'm sure we'll be back to having just one again. Don't get sick. I am a relatively healthy 'boomer' so it is easy for me to say that reduced health care has to be a reality that we accept. We cannot cry about health care rationing and in the next breath complain about government deficit spending. The demographics tell the tale as our system simply cannot pay for all the demand. Our generation has enjoyed all that government could provide as boomers. As we inevitably march to our demise our kids should not have to pay. It was up to our generation to fund these costs and we didn't do it. We will have to pay the piper. A)Aunt Jeanne died of heatstroke in the emergency ward, all they had to do was put her in tub of icewater to save her, but they 'forgot' her. She was in her 50s with no health problems. B) Uncle Ovide (Jeanne's husband) went to the ER complaining of fatigue and lethargy. The diagnosis 'You've just lost your wife, you're depressed here are some pills'. He died two days later because his pacemaker was defective. He was also in his 50s. The Ontario government bought thousands of pacemakers with defective leads because they bargain shopped. C)My grandmother in Quebec also had one of the defective pacemakers inside her, because the Quebec beancounters bargain shopped too. Fortunately she got a new one before it failed but having a pacemaker swapped out takes a lot out of you when you're in your 80s. She only needed a pacemaker because she was over-prescribed blood thinners, instead of bringing her blood pressure down slightly the overdose caused a heart attack. D)My uncle in Quebec has no family doctor, as his GP retired. For his yearly physical he went to a clinic, a nurse took his vitals and helped him fill out a questionnaire which was then sent off to be reviewed by a doctor. The prescription for blood pressure medications was never mailed to him. He had a stroke and only survived because my cousin had forgotten her phone at his house and doubled back for it. He needs a cane now. E) I was diagnosed with gallstone blockages last December, despite inconclusive ultrasound results that reported 'sludge' in my gallbladder. I was scheduled for an MRI. I was in hospital again in June briefly and was referred to a surgeon. I had emergency surgery July 31st. The 'sludge' was pus, a bacterial infection had killed my bladder which turned gangrenous, another 3-4 days and it would have spread to my liver, killing me. In September I received a call from the surgeons office to schedule an appointment in December. In October I was contacted by the MRI department. ct, We're not complaining about rationing and deficits, I'm personally complaining about the priorities governments utilize. Here in BC the Liberals spent $600,000,000 fixing the highway to Whistler for rich folk to get to their condos to ski. They spent $500,000,000 on the new roof for BC Place for the Lions, They force the anethesiologists to threaten strikes because of lack of funding. They spend untold millions on toll bridges that people aren't using. They spend more time travelling to avoid the tolls. They attack the Gateway pipeline project to appease the enviro freaks and take away good paying jobs for BC residents. I could go on but hopefully I've made my point. As Phantom says, it all about how much you spend. I don't know the inside details on what went sideways with my friends but do know they were spending $610. per month for coverage of 3 people. Also know he was caught in the recession and lost his job in 2009 so he may have gone to a cheaper plan. Found a lower paying job within 2 months but no medical coverage. None of my business so I didn't dig deeper on that end of the story. Medical cost in 2009 was something like this: In a report (Individual Health Insurance 2009: A Comprehensive Survey of Premiums,Availability, and Benefits) made public in October 2009, America's Health Insurance Plans (a trade group representing health plans) presented some information that gives a sense of what a health insurance policy costs when purchased by an individual. On average, the annual premium was $2,985 for a single person and $6,328 for a family. The annual premium differed from state to state. For example, the premium for a family health plan in New York was $13,296, while a similar plan in Iowa was $5609. The annual premiums for health plans were also different depending if the annual deductible was high or low. For example, family plans with no deductible had an average premium of $12686 each year, while plans with an annual deductible of $10,000 had an average premium of $5380 each year. I can see problems with trying to maintain coverage if the finacial situation of the individual deteriorates. I should add that he envies the Canadian system, warts and all. I think you can sum up the differences between US health care and Canadian health care thusly: in the USA, you pay with money. In Canada, you pay with time - waiting time. At least in the USA you can choose to spend more money and get better care. In Canada you have no such choice.

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2 Apr 2009 '"My boss (yes, a senior manager at the bank I work at!) went over last night to see what was going on. He literally was next to the man who collapsed and died. He swears NO ONE was throwing a thing. And that the reason the police couldn't get to the guy was because the cops were using dogs against the protesters and the protesters were running away from them (towards where the guy was). Now interestingly, my boss said the guy looked about 50. The man who died went to the ground and started convulsing. So he seemed to think it was natural causes. But other than that bit, every single thing the police have said is wrong. I will ask my boss to contact the solicitors, as he is a senior manager at the bank and a very unimpeachable source (in that the police can't say he was involved in any way or had any sympathies to the protestors - they can't just brush him off). But I won't hold my breath. He's a good man, but it may be too difficult for him to do (i.e. to stand up)." This comment was on a blog here ....well we shall see what happens, the non violent climate camp does not seem the place where people would throw things at the cops...I dare say all of us might become a less non violent if baton charged by the police or assaulted by their dogs. Watch this space...not so long ago the police killed a man on the tube and a whole series of lies came out from the authorities within hours of the event. No comments: No Nonsense Guide to Green Politics Followers About Me I am a green activist, writer and economist. Three kids, live in Winkfield. Live low impact on the land in my trailer, I am a Green Party local councillor. Ecosocialist and fan of Elinor Ostrom, have worked closely with the Peruvian indigenous leader Hugo Blanco to fight.

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Just as it is easy to forget that Giancarlo Stanton is very young , it is easy to forget that the big man is quite a tidy little right fielder (+8 UZR/150 and +24 DRS in nearly 2800 career innings in RF.) Here he robs extra bases from Eric Kratz of the Phillies, going over his shoulder to make a fine running grab. You could argue that the route Stanton took was less than optimal. I could just as easily argue that you hate fun and still angry at your cold, indifferent father. Then you would argue that not everything Giancarlo Stanton does is worth a Getting Blanked post. Then I'd argue that...what are you, my mother? How I choose to spend my every waking moment is my business, pal. My interest in the progress of Stanton's career is between me, Stanton's legal representation, and the Miami Dade County Sheriff's Office. Stupid Patriot Act for fascist jerks...

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The Pakistani government must explain how Osama bin Laden was able to hide in Abbottabad for years and reveal who in Pakistan helped him, Pakistan's former Ambassador to Washington Husain Haqqani said Wednesday. "It's Pakistan's responsibility to the world to say who did it," Haqqani told an audience at the Center for the National Interest, formerly known as the Nixon Center. "It doesn't have to be the government, it doesn't have to be the military, but whoever it is, we have to come clean on that, because that is the only way we will assure the rest of the world that Pakistan's government and Pakistan's state has its hands clean on this whole thing." Haqqani said that he has no information on how the late al Qaeda leader lived with a large number of family for five years in a military garrison town, but that there were clearly sympathizers in Pakistan that supported bin Laden and the government has failed to issue any report on who they were. "There's no report on bin Laden yet. No one is saying it was the government ... but somebody helped him. Somebody bought the place for him, somebody paid for the electricity bills, somebody helped bring food there, and at least that should be identified and it hasn't been," he said. "Somebody knew. I mean, nobody lives anywhere without anybody knowing. Even Friday knew where Robinson Crusoe was. Somebody in Pakistan knew. Who that somebody is, it's Pakistan's responsibility to identify." Haqqani speculated that bin Laden might have been helped by a private group, a set of individuals, people in Pakistan's jihadi groups, or people in Pakistan's Islamic political parties. He said the U.S.-Pakistani relationship is hampered by the lack of official answers. "The bin Laden event was a very huge event from the point of view of American psyche and it hasn't registered in Pakistan sufficiently ... I tried very hard at that time in Islamabad to get people to realize that people in Washington really want answers," he said. A forthcoming book by journalist Richard Miniter claims that a senior colonel in Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence directorate walked into the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad in Dec. 2010, five months before the bin Laden raid, and told U.S. officials about bin Laden's whereabouts. The book also reports that the bin Laden compound was "carved out" of the Kakul Military Academy and that senior Pakistani military officials may have been briefed on the raid in advance. Haqqani said he has no idea what the ISI knew or did but he can be sure that the civilian leadership in Pakistan had no idea that the Abbottabad raid was coming on the night of May 1, 2011. "We really, on the Pakistani side, were totally taken by surprise by what happened on May 1, 2011. That said, a full, proper investigation on the Pakistani side is needed to find out how Osama bin Laden lived in Pakistan and who supported him, within or outside the government," said Haqqani. Haqqani returned to Washington earlier this year following three months of house arrest in Pakistan while the Pakistani Supreme Court investigated the " Memogate " scandal, in which Haqqani stood accused of being behind a secret memo passed from Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz to Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen , calling on the United States to support an overthrow of the military and intelligence leadership in Pakistan. A commission set up by the Supreme Court eventually determined that Haqqani was behind the memo, but Haqqani maintains that he was not and that the commission's ruling was politically motivated. He has not been indicted on any charges and is free to go back to Pakistan, he said, but fears for his safety if he were to travel there. He returns to Boston this fall to resume teaching at Boston University. Haqqani's new book, Magnificent Delusions , is set to come out later this year. The book argues that, since 1947, Washington and Islamabad's tumultuous relationship has been based on the false assumption that if the two countries could simply engage enough, they could develop a close strategic relationship based on overlapping interests. "I have reached the conclusion that 60 years is long enough for two countries to understand if they really do see things each other's way," he said. "The two countries should look for a non-alliance future that is not based on security assistance and aid." Opinions of the two countries among their respective populations is at historical lows, Haqqani noted, and the relationship won't change for the better until the unhealthy dynamic of giving and then threatening to withdraw U.S. aid to Pakistan is ended, he argued. "Pakistan ends up behaving like Syria while wanting to be treated like Israel," Haqqani said. He called for an amicable divorce in the relationship. "If in 65 years if you haven't been able to find sufficient common ground to live together and you've had three separations and four affirmations of marriage, then maybe the better way is to find friendship outside of the marital bond," he said.

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It seems no muslim restaurents know how to cook chinese food in leicester, everytime we go to one its always a dissapointment. Only my mum can cook it properly with all the chinese flavours -exactly how it is in pakistan. I'm dying for some chinese food like they have in pakistan, its the only legit chinese i've had and it tastes soo good. Jahil people over here don't know how to make it. They turn chinese soups into curry's and chicken stirfry into chicken masala, they have to add coriander into every dish. I've been to halal places run by chinese people and even they can't make it as good as my mum or as good as you get it in pakistan. Restaurents in pakistan have mastered it from the chinese, but dunno why so few decent chinese restaurents down here, plenty of pakis but probably cause thers not enough in leicester. Anyone know of any good places in the midlands or even this country? It has to be the proper thing like how it is in pakistan. Leicesters good for all your halal takeaways and grilled food but when it comes to proper food only pakistanis know how to cook. sis_on_sunnah 02-05-10, 08:20 PM assalamu alaykum you know that najeb guy on london road im pretty sure he does ok chinese food? not certain because i dont really like eat chinese but i remember when he was working in that shop near the chippy his food was proper nice!! just go to wagamamas and have vegetarian!! have you been to the new noodle place in town next door to the maryland and opposite the subway? is it even halal? aadil77 02-05-10, 08:26 PM assalamu alaykum you know that najeb guy on london road im pretty sure he does ok chinese food? not certain because i dont really like eat chinese but i remember when he was working in that shop near the chippy his food was proper nice!! just go to wagamamas and have vegetarian!! have you been to the new noodle place in town next door to the maryland and opposite the subway? is it even halal? Wa Alaykum Asalam an najeeb was crap for chinese but decent for indian food wagamama stinks - nearly puked when I went in there lol and all they sell is sushi, its japanese food I know the one next to maryland on granby street, even that was crap and it was run by chinese people, now I doubt it was even halal sis_on_sunnah 02-05-10, 08:32 PM Wa Alaykum Asalam an najeeb was crap for chinese but decent for indian food wagamama stinks - nearly puked when I went in there lol and all they sell is sushi, its japanese food I know the one next to maryland on granby street, even that was crap and it was run by chinese people, now I doubt it was even halal yeah even i was doubting that it was halaal, hmm i reckon theres a business opportunity for a 100% halal authentic chinese place in lesta! aadil77 02-05-10, 08:37 PM yeah even i was doubting that it was halaal, hmm i reckon theres a business opportunity for a 100% halal authentic chinese place in lesta! I was tellin my mum, she goes there defo is cause all of these places are useless at cooking it. I'd love to set up a chinese restaurent by my mum, it would be on E road lol sis_on_sunnah 02-05-10, 08:41 PM I was tellin my mum, she goes there defo is cause all of these places are useless at cooking it. I'd love to set up a chinese restaurent by my mum, it would be on E road lol yeah that would be ideal! .Abu.Rambo. 02-05-10, 09:02 PM Oodles noodles aG123 02-05-10, 10:01 PM Acha in alperton is chineese and halal.... I think TKC in southall do chineese.... Theres one in Mile end road called red dragon but it aint all that... chineese in acton i think does halal chicken etc... aadil77 02-05-10, 10:05 PM Acha in alperton is chineese and halal.... I think TKC in southall do chineese.... Theres one in Mile end road called red dragon but it aint all that... chineese in acton i think does halal chicken etc... the oodles noodles in brum is Halal alhamdulilah and it's booooootiful :p but i've not been in a while EastLondon_Bro 02-05-10, 10:27 PM what wong wit kury chip row...:outta: Asma-SE 03-05-10, 08:19 AM You want pakistani chinese? :0: So just a noodle curry then... xfathimax 04-05-10, 05:02 PM It seems no muslim restaurents know how to cook chinese food in leicester, everytime we go to one its always a dissapointment. Only my mum can cook it properly with all the chinese flavours -exactly how it is in pakistan. I'm dying for some chinese food like they have in pakistan, its the only legit chinese i've had and it tastes soo good. Jahil people over here don't know how to make it. They turn chinese soups into curry's and chicken stirfry into chicken masala, they have to add coriander into every dish. I've been to halal places run by chinese people and even they can't make it as good as my mum or as good as you get it in pakistan. Restaurents in pakistan have mastered it from the chinese, but dunno why so few decent chinese restaurents down here, plenty of pakis but probably cause thers not enough in leicester. Anyone know of any good places in the midlands or even this country? It has to be the proper thing like how it is in pakistan. Leicesters good for all your halal takeaways and grilled food but when it comes to proper food only pakistanis know how to cook. in birmingham there is a place called Lahore Karahi Chinese, there chinese is really nice and tastes like the 1 that u get in pakistan, heres the address, check it out, they also have a website http://www.xpresstrader.tv/lahore/lahore\\... Address 309 Highgate Road, Birmingham, B12 8DN aadil77 04-05-10, 05:17 PM in birmingham there is a place called Lahore Karahi Chinese, there chinese is really nice and tastes like the 1 that u get in pakistan, heres the address, check it out, they also have a website http://www.xpresstrader.tv/lahore/lahore\\... Address 309 Highgate Road, Birmingham, B12 8DN JazakhAllah khair, owned by pakstanis - must be the real deal :D lenty of celebs been there, even prince charles lol lol aadil77 04-05-10, 05:20 PM they do chicken drumsticks!!! no chinese place I been here does them, they have to be the real thing yessshh! and crispy beef- oh yeshhhh brum here I como PEACE TO YOU 04-05-10, 06:59 PM Yes there is a good Restaurant in the Midlands i have visited it when am there it is in STAR CITY it is called Flames if it is not changed it name, they do very very good buffets . All Halal and GUESS WHAT it is not run by Pakistanis not that i have a problem with them, it is run by Chinese people. aadil77 04-05-10, 07:06 PM Yes there is a good Restaurant in the Midlands i have visited it when am there it is in STAR CITY it is called Flames if it is not changed it name, they do very very good buffets . All Halal and GUESS WHAT it is not run by Pakistanis not that i have a problem with them, it is run by Chinese people. I think flames is a chain restaurent, they have one here in leicester claiming to be halal and it was the worst most disgusting chinese I've had in my life, - even tho it was run by chinese, this was a buffet tho FullImaan 05-05-10, 02:13 PM ttp://www.fusionhalal.co.uk/ ttp://www.wokshalalchinese.com/ Masha'Allah :up: Hijabistani 05-05-10, 04:07 PM JazakhAllah khair, owned by pakstanis - must be the real deal :D lenty of celebs been there, even prince charles lol lol Yup owned by paks and if you go for their chicken chow mein dont be tooo surprised when you find out of date chicken bits in it. Tried and Tested, and then rejected them! one of the reasosn we no longer go. there is another place in solihull, Kings chinese takeaway and they also sell chips. Halal, new owners. xfathimax 02-08-10, 04:33 PM im from solihull and occasionaly go to kings for chips, didnt know their chinese was halal, but they have pork on the menu................ can they be trusted?? naila-k 02-08-10, 07:12 PM ne1 4 thai? http://www.thai-thai.co.uk/ ahmeduk 03-08-10, 12:01 PM I think flames is a chain restaurent, they have one here in leicester claiming to be halal and it was the worst most disgusting chinese I've had in my life, - even tho it was run by chinese, this was a buffet tho Haha flames was the place where a mouse jumped out from under a wok when a health inspector visited, goes without saying it was shut down for lack of hygiene. The only problem with Chinese food is the vast majority is cooked with natural brewed soy sauce, which is haram. The synthetic stuff doesn't taste as good apparently, but you'll be hard pushed to find a Chinese restaurant that doesn't cook with natural soy sauce. I might give the HMC one above a try. I'm not that far from Leicester :) muslimprincesss 22-02-11, 10:11 PM Salams. There are several restaurants in Manchester. :) islam4u2 22-02-11, 10:28 PM Oodles noodles i tried that place, it is very good, but the malaysian parathas or whatever they call it are shaan out of the packet jobs. Excuse_me 23-02-11, 12:38 AM We have one in Los Angeles, luckily. Just a couple hour drive for some awesome chinese food. 2-3 times a month. Amaira 24-02-11, 09:22 AM Salams. There are several restaurants in Manchester. :) Ricebars.com Its not exactly chinese, but amazingly yummy. Is it wrong to want a Nasi Goreng at 9 in the morning? muslimprincesss 24-02-11, 11:14 AM Ricebars.com Its not exactly chinese, but amazingly yummy. Is it wrong to want a Nasi Goreng at 9 in the morning? Haha.. It is never wrong in wanting food at 9am! :) seven 24-02-11, 11:39 AM ttp://www.chinagrill.co.uk/ sis_on_sunnah 24-02-11, 01:00 PM brother aadil, i think the business men/women have read your thread as suddenly loads of chinese places seem to have opened up in leicester! ave you tried the one on evington road? oh, you know who do nice chinese? moghul durbar. aurorascopic 24-02-11, 02:47 PM Fortune Cookie, Leeds. Owned by pakistanis but the chefs are chinese. It's not a restaurant, proper little take away, you get food in chinese boxes etc. Their chinese sticky chicken wings are gorgeous! Amaira 25-02-11, 09:36 AM Haha.. It is never wrong in wanting food at 9am! :) Anywhere else in Manc that you would recommend? There seems to be more and more that use halal chicken now. ahmeduk 23-06-11, 09:46 AM Salaams - Chicken and Noodles, Charles Street, Leicester (HMC Certified - http://www.halalmc.net/) Assalam Alaykum, Has anyone eaten at this place? I saw it the other day and picked up a menu, just wondered what the verdict was from those that had already been here. Wasalam elza3d 24-06-11, 03:41 PM This is very strange. What is the difference between Chinese and Pakistani-Chinese? I don't get it. CurlzsRUs 24-06-11, 08:32 PM Uff i hate Chinese food no offense Thai food is amazing tho CurlzsRUs 24-06-11, 08:33 PM This is very strange. What is the difference between Chinese and Pakistani-Chinese? I don't get it. It's not authentic. i doubt anyone in here has actually tasted real Chinese food aka from China I have and it's bland, didn't care for the chilly-oil neither. I too love Thai, as well as Malaysian and Japanese food. CurlzsRUs 24-06-11, 10:04 PM I have and it's bland, didn't care for the chilly-oil neither. I too love Thai, as well as Malaysian and Japanese food. Now you are someone who knows good food lol minus the Japanese food i tried sushi once i would have spit it out if the chef wasn't looking at me :torture: elza3d 24-06-11, 10:49 PM i tried sushi once i would have spit it out if the chef wasn't looking at me :torture: Was it authentic Japanese? There's a world of a difference when it's not. I especially don't like it when Chinese restaurants have it on their menu, or the crap sold in the supermarkets. It just doesn't taste right. Got to get it from a Japanese chief you can't speak a word of English *smile*

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One of the biggest problems prior to placing concrete is determining the correct amount of concrete for the job. To make this task a little easier we have created a useful Concrete Calculator. Simply plug in the correct length, width and depth of your project and click on the "Calculate Now!" button. We will provide you with an approximation of the total amount of concrete you will need for your project. You will also want to add 5% more concrete to your "Total Yardage Needed" in order to allow for spillage, waste, overexcavation, and other causes. We have taken this into account also in our Concrete Calculator, providing you with the "Total Concrete Yardage Plus 5% Extra". Simply provide your results to the concrete dispatcher and we can conveniently arrange to have the necessary concrete delivered to your location. Concrete Calculator Please Input Measurements Below Total Length (in feet): Total Width (in feet): Total Depth (in inches): Calculation Results Total Concrete Yardage Needed: Total Concrete Yardage Plus 5% Extra: You can also figure the amount of concrete you will need manually by using the following formula:

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Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro Directed by: David O. Russell Damaged goods, that's Tiffany and Pat. He's a bipolar teacher just out of eight months in a state loony bin. She's a young widow, overcompensating for the death of her cop husband by fucking, well, anyone. They're manic energy unleashed. But as played with go-for-broke intensity, humor and raw feeling by Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, they're deranged romantics you can't help rooting for. Playing the Hollywood cute game has no appeal for director David O.... | More Keira Knightley, Jude Law Directed by: Joe Wright It could have weighed a ton. That can happen when you film an 1877 classic by Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy. But thanks to director Joe Wright, Anna Karenina lifts off into the wild blue of his imagination. The surging romantic tragedy of a woman who dies for love is still there in Tom Stoppard's screenplay. Anna (Keira Knightley) leaves her dull husband, Karenin (Jude Law, so good he makes virtue worth investigating), and their beloved son to experience unbridled passion with studly Cou... | More Daniel Craig Directed by: Sam Mendes If you can forget the putrid follow-up to Casino Royale that was Quantum of Solace, then Skyfall continues James Bond's backstory with staggering style and assurance. This is Bond like you've never seen him, almost Freudian in his vulnerability. And a dynamite Daniel Craig, never better in the role, nails Bond's ferocity and feeling. Mortality lurks in the shadows as Craig digs deep into Bond's past. Citizen Kane had his Rosebud. Bond has his Skyfall. What is it? I'll... | More Daniel Day-Lewis Directed by: Steven Spielberg In Steven Spielberg's brilliant, brawling epic about the last four months in the life of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln takes a few hits up there on his marble pedestal. Political double-dealing was not beyond this American icon, not when his country was struggling in the darkness. What Honest Abe gets back from this defiantly alive film is his humanity -- flaws, fears and personal feelings that serve to deepen his thoughts rather than distract them. The phenomenal Daniel Day-L... | More Directed by: In September 1965, weeks after "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" hit the charts, the Rolling Stones landed in Dublin to play four manic gigs in two days. The band's manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, commissioned filmmaker Peter Whitehead to capture every moment. "Everybody had done a movie, even Gerry and the Pacemakers," says Oldham. "I wanted to get the Stones in the mood for dealing with the film business." Now that remarkable footage -- which rivals the intimate portrait of Bob D... | More Denzel Washington Directed by: Robert Zemeckis First lesson learned from Flight: Never take Denzel Washington for granted. After making his bones with Glory, Malcolm X and The Hurricane, and winning a Best Actor Oscar for 2001's Training Day, Washington settled into a groove of action films (Safe House, Unstoppable). With the exception of 2007's incisive American Gangster, they relied more on his star power than his acting skills. Flight reminds us of what Washington can do when a role hits him with a challenge that would floor ... | More John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch Directed by: Rich Moore There's been a rash of recent movies fired up with imaginative risk. And the 3D computer-animated Wreck-It Ralph is one of them. Big props to director Rich Moore, making the switch to features after knocking it out of the park on The Simpsons and Futurama. Moore brings a video junkie's passion to the movie game, and it's hilariously infectious. The plot pivots on a crisis of conscience for Wreck-It Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly), an arcade-video-game villain for 30 years. Ra... | More Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman Directed by: Yaron Zilberman Grace notes abound in A Late Quartet, a small, shining gem of a movie that works its way into your heart with insinuating potency of music. The Fugue, a New York-based chamber quartet, is facing a crisis. At the start of their 26th season together, cellist Peter Mitchell (Christopher Walken) breaks the news that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Proper sympathy is offered by his colleagues: First violinist Daniel Lerner (Mark Ivanir) thinks Peter should continue to play as ... | More Tom Hanks, Halle Berry Directed by: Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski It's elating to watch filmmakers you admire take on the impossible. David Mitchell's 2004 novel Cloud Atlas is an uphill battle incarnate. And nobody makes it to the top. A sprawling literary opus that tells six stories that range across continents from the 19th century to the post-apocalyptic future is a killer to squeeze into one movie, even a movie that runs nearly three hours. So naturally the Wachowski siblings, Andy and Lana (the former Larry, now identifying as female), took ... | More

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After what he done to Millwall, I doubt he'll ever find it a pleasant place to come down to again. If you don't know what happened, he claimed he was racially abused by the Millwall fans. None of the other players heard it, nor did the Bolton fans (One Bolton fan even said on Twitter nothing happened). After a couple of weeks, our club questioned a 13 year old boy and he was found guilty of 'abusing' Sordell. He called him Nemo because he had orange boots and looks like a fish, the Media twisted it and said the 13 year old was 'racially abusing' Sordell. Sordell replied after being called Nemo by saying 'You look like you need to go to the gym you fat little c**t'. And apparently this is perfectly acceptable to abuse a 13 year old boy. The boy was banned from Millwall and was sent to a class to help change his outlook on racism etc. when he didn't even racially abuse Sordell. So, at the next home game after this whole incident, a small group of Millwall fans protested with a banner saying 'Sordell, you're a c**t'. It was swiftly removed by the stewards and the fans involved were also banned from the ground. So because of Sordell's lying and our clubs poor management with the whole issue, we've had a handful of fans banned from The Den because Sordell is a little whining tosspot. Needs to keep his toys in the pram to be honest, black people, as soon as a few horrible words get thrown at them, it's instantly 'racial abuse'. Highlighted Game FIFA 13 captures all the drama and unpredictability of real-world soccer, and is driven by five game-changing innovations which revolutionize artificial intelligence, dribbling, ball control and phy...

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Okay y'all. A while back I vowed never to report on Fifty Shades Of Grey again... until I'd read the book . So you know what this means! I finally found some time for the mommy porn to end all mommy porn and based on everything everyone told me about the book (good, bad, and anti-feminist) I was not disappointed. And I'm so excited to talk about the book and the forthcoming movie now that I have an actual foundation, lol. So here's the deal. Ryan Gosling fans will either be really really happy, or really really sad to hear that the actor is not one of the frontrunners for the role of Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades Of Grey movie adaptation, as was previously reported . Click inside to learn more from author E.L. James who recently denied these rumors in an interview with Ryan Seacrest . Fifty Shades of Grey author E.L. James shot down those casting rumors to E!'s own Ryan Seacrest on his radio show Friday, saying stories about the Drive star being the frontrunner to play the coveted role were simply not true. The story started brewing after James' hubby Niall Leonard told the U.K.'s Now magazine that the "last he heard" Gosling was the No. 1 choice to star in the highly anticipated film. But James said those reports were "completely misreported." "What happened is that his local paper, he's from Northern Ireland, there's a newspaper there called the Belfast Telegraph that reported on my husband being the inspiration for Christian Grey. Underneath it they put a picture of Ryan Gosling, as well. So, that's how that came about," James said. While the author played coy when Seacrest brought up a few other actors' names as possibilities for Christian Grey, including Jake Gyllenhaal and Ian Somerhalder , she did admit she's a big Vampire Diaries fan, but said the lead actor would be selected by the studio and they weren't that far along in the casting process. Now HUNDREDS of you already weighed in about who you'd like to see get cast as Christian and Ana (and some of you said the whole idea of a movie was terrible, seeing as how the whole idea of the book was terrible, lol), but I'm curious to know if any new ideas come to mind. Honestly? I couldn't imagine Ryan Gosling as Christian ( Ryan can get intense for sure, but Christian is actually a really dark, troubled character at times), and I do like the idea of unknown actors (or lesser-known actors) coming in and changing the game. But it's tricky! And I still don't get how they are going to make this movie without it being an NC-17 production! What do y'all think? Are you happy Ryan 's kind of out of the running here? Or are you sitting somewhere, trying to figure out how to do some sort of Drive / Fifty Shades Of Grey reading mash-up on YouTube? What? Matt Bomer!!! I know he's older than Christian, but that's exactly how I pictured him when I read it. And maybe Amanda Seyfried. I think she has the kinda original/almost odd pretty thing that Ana does. I think alexander skarsgard is perfect for the role he has something dark and he is tall, handsome he has something that i cant explain but i think he fits the description for christian grey also ryan is a good choice but i see more alexander as christian than any other actor IMHO Ryan would be perfect.He can be dark and broody like in Drive and amorous and hot like in Blue Valentine and really sweet and loving as in the The Notebook.I think he will be perfect.I'm voting for him. Joan and katie, I'm wondering if this could be one of those RARE occasions where the movie turns out better than the book. I actually liked the plot of 50 Shades but the writing style was obviously not... you know... really good. But a good director and good actors could take that plot and make a strong movie, I think. I like Matt Bomer, and maybe Zooey Deschenal (I know i butchered her last name). I see Ana as this beautiful girl who is quirky and doesn't really see herself the way others see her, looks wise. @Shannon -- I agree 100% with your comment about not knowing how this movie will not be NC-17. How are they going to make a movie based on these books and do them justice but leave out all of the juicy sex stuff. R-rated movies can only go so far. In my opinion, its not quite far enough to include everything that goes on in these books. chrisdc77, I know a lot of directors hate for their movies to get NC-17 ratings because it immediately loses whole crowds of people. But I'd like to think that the books are popular enough that everyone will clamor to see the movie either way. Otherwise, it's gonna be pretty annoying to see things get watered down, lol. 100% agreed. Everyone knows what to expect when it comes to this book and will look forward to it in the movie version. If they can't make this movie how it should be made, then don't make it. Maybe HBO or one of these other premium stations could pick up the option to make this movie and do with it what they want. That could be another option (which i doubt will happen, there is just too much money to be made from this).

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Government protects water systems for future generations Government protects water systems for future generations August 16, 2004 12:00 am Ministry of Infrastructure Expert Panel to Consult with Stakeholders; Provide Advice on All Aspects of Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems QUEEN'S PARK, ON, Aug. 16 - The McGuinty government is taking further steps to ensure that municipal water and wastewater systems continue to provide safe, clean drinking water for Ontario residents by appointing an expert panel to advise on how to best manage these systems, Public Infrastructure Renewal Minister David Caplan said today. "The most important thing our government can do is to lay the groundwork now for safe and clean drinking water through the proper long-term management of Ontario's water and wastewater infrastructure," Public Infrastructure Renewal Minister David Caplan said. "I am pleased that Dr. Harry Swain has agreed to lead the Panel's work on this important issue." The Expert Panel will consult with a variety of stakeholders, including municipalities, environmental organizations, plant operators, consumers and ratepayers, and business and industry groups. The Panel has a mandate to provide advice on all aspects of organization, governance, investment, financing and pricing related to Ontario's water and wastewater systems. "The work of the Panel will help communities across Ontario upgrade and enhance their water systems to meet our government's tough environmental standards and protect human health," Minister of the Environment Leona Dombrowsky said. "We welcome opportunities to work with the provincial government on achieving practical solutions to financing water and wastewater systems in our communities that are affordable for consumers," said Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) President Ann Mulvale. "Water issues have been a high priority in Ontario since the Walkerton tragedy in 2000," said Dr. Harry Swain, Chair of the Expert Panel. "Jim Pine, Fred Lazar and I will work hard with all stakeholders. We aim to give the government the best possible advice on how to manage systems that deeply affect health and quality of life for all Ontarians." "We are encouraged to see this welcome step forward," said Sam Morra, Executive Director of the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Contractors Association. "This Committee's work will be important in ensuring that we address the province's water and sewer needs, both now and in the future." WHAT: The Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal (PIR) is spearheading the development of a strategic water and wastewater infrastructure investment and financing plan to ensure the safety of Ontario's drinking water. In order to have the best research and information available, eight (8) expert studies were commissioned by the ministry on a range of water and wastewater issues, which were completed in winter 2003. This work indicates that very large capital investments in our water and wastewater infrastructure are needed and will continue to be needed for a considerable period of time. The next step in the plan is the creation of an expert panel to provide the government with advice on all aspects of organization, governance, investment, financing and pricing related to Ontario's water and wastewater systems. The Expert Panel is tasked with developing a solution that maintains public ownership, while ensuring that the investment needed to improve our water and wastewater infrastructure takes place, that water and wastewater systems are financially sustainable and that water rates are affordable. The Panel will consult with a variety of stakeholders over the coming months, including individual, large and small municipalities, municipal and environmental organizations, plant operators, engineering and public works experts, economic and financial experts, business and industry groups, and consumer and user groups. WHY: The Walkerton crisis of 2000 highlighted the public health risks associated with the improper management of water and wastewater systems. Since then, the government has introduced strong new regulations to help ensure that our drinking water is clean and safe. The government has also made significant progress on Watershed-based Source Protection Planning and is moving forward on other initiatives that are linked to the protection of drinking water, including Places to Grow, greenbelt protection, Planning Act reform and the Provincial Policy Statement review. The next step is to invest in the systems that treat and distribute water, and collect and treat wastewater. Changes are needed to make water and wastewater systems more financially sustainable. In general, users are not paying the full amount that it actually costs municipalities to provide water and wastewater services on a sustainable basis. Limited funds are available for investment in rehabilitation, renovation and expansion. Some municipalities do not have the resources to invest in needed renewal; for others, the cost of making the improvements would make water too expensive. Multi-billion dollar capital investments are required for an extended period to bring distribution and treatment systems into a state of good repair and to allow for expansion. During the next two decades, Ontario's population is forecast to grow by 40 per cent. These people will all need water and sewer services as well as schools, hospitals, and roads. The goal of a strategic and comprehensive approach to planning, managing and financing water and wastewater infrastructure is to ensure environmentally safe and clean drinking water for all Ontarians. The results, over the next decade, will be the creation of sustainable systems that will protect public health and allow communities to grow. The long-term water and wastewater investment and financing strategy will feed into the development of the government's 10-year public infrastructure plan. WHO: Dr. Harry Swain, Mr. Jim Pine and Professor Fred Lazar are the members of the Expert Panel. Dr. Harry Swain was the Chair of the Walkerton Research Advisory Panel and is a frequent speaker on water provision and governance policy issues. He served as Deputy Minister of Industry and Deputy Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development for the Government of Canada. He holds a doctorate from the University of Minnesota and was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Victoria. Mr. Jim Pine is the Chief Administrative Officer of the County of Hastings and a member of the Implementation Committee of the Expert Source Water Protection Committee, providing advice to the Ontario government on tools and approaches to implement watershed-based source protection planning. He brings broad experience of municipal management in a wide variety of municipal settings to the Panel. Professor Fred Lazar brings the perspective of an economist to the panel. He is Associate Professor of Economics at York University and the Schulich School of Business. He has a PhD from Harvard University. He has written extensively on a wide variety of economic policy issues, including water industry investment and regulation, and employment and trade. WHEN: The Panel is expected to deliver its report to the government by end of the year, making recommendations on Ontario's Long-term Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Investment and Financing Strategy. The report will be released publicly. The Ontario government has appointed an Expert Panel to advise on how to make the investment needed to improve Ontario's water and wastewater infrastructure and on how to best organize and deliver water and wastewater services. The overarching public policy goal is to ensure clean, safe drinking water for all Ontarians. The investment and financing strategy will play a key role in achieving this goal, in a manner that is consistent with continued public ownership and the recommendations of the O'Connor Report. The strategy will need to strike a balance between the objectives of financial sustainability, affordable rates, and achievability. Ontario Water Sector Statistics - Multi-billion dollar capital investments in Ontario's water and wastewater systems will be required for an extended period of time to bring those systems into a good state of repair and to permit expansion - There are nearly 1,200 municipal water and wastewater plants in Ontario - Over 90 per cent of Ontarians are served by municipal water and wastewater treatment systems - Ontario has a few large treatment plants and many small ones. Ten per cent of all water plants provide 87 per cent of Ontario's municipal water, and 10 per cent of all wastewater treatment plants provide 84 per cent of wastewater treatment - Municipalities with less than 2,000 people are nearly five times as expensive to service as communities with more than 100,000 people - Although there are variations across Ontario, an average household pays less than $50 per month for water services in almost two thirds of municipalities.

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Any way to get a line installed quicker? Hi I am in the process of moving offices and have just been informed by BT openreach that they can not get the line installed by my the move date. This is a total nightmare as we need to have broadband active on the line on the day we move. The order is through my ISP who have in turn placed an order through BT openreach. I was just wondering if anyone had any tricks to get install dates moved forward. They currently want to put the line in 3 days after we move which will mean broadband takes a further 3 days. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. BT are busy dealing with backlogs caused by flooding (allegedly) and so long lead times are normal in some areas at the moment. Apparently an ISP can escalate the install/get it expedited if it's a business connection. So changing to a business package with a business line might be an option. Your other option is Virgin Media cable if you can get it. To be honest, 6 days without broadband is actually quiite good for a home move, others have waited weeks or months. Thanks for your reply, should have mentioned this is for a business and is business lines that have been ordered. BT also claim it's the Olympics that is delaying things, as an official sponsor you'd have thought they would be more prepared. I think I'm just going to have to keep on pestering openreach.

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Thursday, May 17. 2012 Bloomberg survey - 79% think Facebook is overvalued - so who is over-buying all this stock? Readers of this blog may know that we are a tad sceptical of the IPO valuation price (We wrote this in February): So, what do we have to believe to believe that Facebook is worth the $100bn? Firstly, you need to believe that the numbers are even achievable. A valuation of $100bn on a user base of 845m implies a valuation of c $118 per user, within a reasonable timeframe. In financial modelling that is usually taken as 5 years. There are about 2 billion people online today, most estimates think it will be about 3-3.5 billion in 5 years or so time, a reasonable estimate of the the maximum Facebook user base is probably in the region of about 1.5 bn, ie roughly double today, so let us assume the endgame is the valuation of $100bn over 1.5m people, ie about $70 per person in 5 years time. A simple approximation therefore is that Facebook needs to go from c $70/5 = c $15 ARPU, from the c $4 today. Incidentally, Google's ARPU is about $18 today. So it comes to this - do you believe that Facebook can eventually make the same sort of ARPU as Google does, and keep its current market share? Bear in mind that the next 800m people Facebook adds will have much less disposable income than the current 800,000, so the ARPU growth in ratio terms is far higher than Google had to do, as it grew from a smaller base into a wealthier market. Secondly, long term, ultimately valuation is based on profit. Facebook has a higher profitability than Google at IPO, at c 25%. Google's IPO was c half of that and it only hit the c 25% sort of ratios c 2 years after IPO, and has more or less stayed at around that level. Google now has a c $150bn valuation on c $40bn revenues and c $10bn profit, so for Facebook to justify $100bn longer term you have to believe it can hit c $6-7bn profits, ie revenues of c $24-28bn in about 5 years, and maintaining profis at about 25%. So the question is do you believe there is a sustainable 6-7x growth in profits? Thirdly, to believe the above two things, we pretty much have to believe that Facebook has as easy or easier a time in the next 5 years than Google has had, ie you have to believe competition and regulatory interference (little surprise the Facebook is beefing up its lobbying arm) will be at worst the same, preferably better and that it makes better use of its cash in funding its growth. Now this is not a "proper" analysis, but it does bracket the relative IPOs and trajectories for comparison. What it boils down to is that Facebook has set a significantly higher value per dollar earned and user gained than Google, and you have to believe Facebook gets a fairer wind for the next 5 years than Google had over its first 5 years post IPO to justify the $100bn valuation. In other words, you heve to believe it is a (2x) better company than Google. At that time we wrote that, it seemed Facebook could do no wrong (There Is No Bubble!), and we seemed to be our usual lone contrarian voice. Lets be clear - they have done some amazing things (and some less amzing, like their approach to privacy), and are run and funded by some very smart people - but nothing we have seen in the last few weeks make us change our mind, in fact as valuations go up yet business numbers go static, you have to believe even more things will go very very right right for a very long time. But what has been interesting to watch is in the run up to IPO, an interesting split in attitude is opening up between US West and East Coast thinking, between San Fran and New York states of mind, if you like. Yes, the New Yorkers are becoming more sceptical (whats thay you say - New Yorkers are always sceptical). 79% of Bloomberg readers think its overvalued (see graphic above), Madison Avenue, the Wall Street et al are a tad sceptical aboutthe valuation into question now: On Tuesday, General Motors, the third-largest advertiser in the country, shut down its Facebook budget, about $10 million, saying that those ads were simply not doing enough to sell automobiles. For Facebook, the loss of $10 million is not a big deal. The company generated $3.7 billion of revenue last year, 85 percent from advertising. But the loss underlines the company's need to convince a skeptical Madison Avenue that Facebook pages are the perfect vehicle for marketers and to convince eager investors that it can increase its advertising revenue, and quickly. "It's one of the most powerful branding mechanisms in the world, but it's not an advertising mechanism," said Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP, the giant advertising agency. The smart money is flying out of Facebook as the dumb money piles in. A week ago, Facebook was targeting a valuation of $77 billion to $96 billion in its IPO and early investors were already looking to book plenty of profits by selling their own shares to the public. Venture capitalists Peter Thiel and Accel Partners were planning to sell up to 20% and 22% of their stakes respectively in the offering. Fast forward to this week. Facebook has raised its target price range to as much as $104 billion. Now, some early investors want to sell a lot more. Accel Partners plans to sell up to 28% of its shares. Peter Thiel plans to sell as much as 50% of his stake. Goldman Sachs will also sell as much as 50%, up from 23% previously. DST Global and Mail.ru will dump up to 40% of their shares, up from 23% previously. Tiger Global will sell up to 50% of its stake. Previously it planned to sell 7%. And there are other early investors that aren't increasing their share sales. T. Rowe Price for instance is holding on to what it has. Another interesting wrinkle is the comparison with previous tech IPOs. At Groupon, insiders and early investors didn't sell any of their stake in its IPO. LinkedIn's IPO similarly saw very little selling. At Zynga, insiders and early investors sold just 7% of their stakes on average. Early investors know Facebook as intimately as anyone. That they are selling so much of their stakes should discourage public investors from chasing the stock when it opens. One can argue that Olde New York Establishment is a bit fuddy duddy whn it comes to the New New Things, but principals bailing out of their own company shares at IPO time is not a good sign in any market. The MIT Review (Boston) is even more to the point : Farhad Manjoo has pointed out that for Facebook to maintain its share price, it needs to figure out how to increase its revenue by a factor of ten. Going from $5 per user per year in advertising revenue to $50 per user per year is about as likely as Facebook going from 1 billion users to 10 billion, which I suppose is the other way the company could increase revenue proportionally, even if it requires an alternate Earth's worth of additional human beings. So! Either this IPO is, as the Wall Street Journal has suggested, the biggest shell game in the history of stock offerings, pushed along by those who want to cash out their shares in the company at the expense of unsophisticated investors who are piling on, or Facebook has a plan. The MIT review thinks facebook doesn't have a plan, but their only way out of such an Overvaluation Impasse is to become a bank: Forget Square, the credit card processing dongle for mobile devices produced by a company headed by Twitter alum Jack Dorsey. What the payments industry needs is a fast follower with serious reach and the desire to vanquish every other player in this space. Or, as Dan Hon, interactive creative director at Wieden and Kennedy recently told me, "It would be really interesting if Facebook launched a credit card. In fact, it would be terrifying." Hmmm..they could almost be honorary Londoners . And then you go over to the West Coast, where excitement is palpable. If New York is going "hang on", San Fran is going "Paaaarty" This is what its all about, the biggest IPO since Google, a megaboost for the Great Startup Dream. A quick visit to Techmeme shows all the usual crowd are like totally boosting up, ready for blast off - TechCrunch is waxing lyrical about overnight sleepathon hackathons , and how they are Big in Brazil and Bangkok, that Eduardo is a bad lad, and how the Big Bad Government is a fly in the future ointment. Nary an economic analysis in sight. GigaOm is hopefully pointing to where the Missing Ad Billions may come from , others say there will never be another deal again like Facebook for the small investor, This week, Facebook's IPO will be the largest venture-backed IPO of all time, and not in the subjective Kanye West sense. If, as expected, the company's valuation creeps toward $104 billion, it would be four times larger than Google's 2004 IPO. Facebook will also have earned the distinction of raising the most venture capital of any venture-backed company in the U.S. -- a grand total of $2.2 billion from some of the biggest names in venture capital around the world. This is almost double the amount raised by the second-place company in this category, Clearwire, a wireless broadband service provider that raised $1.2 billion. It's also exactly double the amount Twitter has raised to date, $1.1 billion. Also, Facebook breaks the record for most companies acquired pre-IPO. To date, Facebook has bought 13 other startups, only two more than Twitter, which is the second-most acquisitive company that is still privately held. I guess what you think of it all depends on where you are sitting. My concern is more "who is over-buying", given that the smart money is either very sceptical or bailing out. My cynical side (yes, dear reader, it exists) suspects its the dumb money in the main (that's your and my pension funds, by the way....) Facebook IPO and a Tale of Two Cities - Part 2 The Facebook IPO really has also been a Tale of 2 Cities - or rather, one city and the Rest Of World. Lets face it, an IPO of this level of hype that sputters, which still forces the under-writers to step in and buy the shares to keep it at the out-the -g E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly. Enter the string from the spam-prevention image above:

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NHS chief defends 766m cost of new wing at Broomfield Hospital AFTER a damning report claimed Broomfield Hospital is facing financial ruin for using a private finance initiative (PFI) to fund its 300-bed new wing, the chief executive of the hospital has hit out at suggestions that borrowing the money was irresponsible. Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust paid French contractor Bouygues 148.1 million in 2010 to build and maintain the new wing. INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE: Inside the new wing at Broomfield Hospital DEFIANT: Broomfield Hospital's chief executive Malcolm Stamp says services will not be cut, despite a predicted 27m defecit this year Flashback: Chronicle story last week    The trust must also pay the firm 16 million-a-year for building and maintaining the facility in a 32-year contract that will cost taxpayers 766 million. And it is facing a 27 million deficit this year. Chief executive Malcolm Stamp said: "What I think people need to understand is that we're not a PFI hospital. "We have a PFI wing. This separates us from hospitals that are struggling with their finances where a PFI scheme was used to build a whole new facility. Instead our wing is just part of a number of estates which cost money to run. "There is a lot of concern or worry about the large figures that are bandied about with PFI, and what I want to make clear is that it has allowed us to create a fantastic facility that is in pristine condition and will remain so. "The decision to build a new wing was made because the old one was not fit for purpose, the NHS had a long history of delayed building works and projects being stopped halfway or going over their time limit or budget, and this is why the buildings became decrepit so quickly. "A PFI gave us the option to build the wing that we needed and also allows us to keep it in a high level of condition. I would make the same decision again as there isn't any other option out there which can offer this, or in fact, I would choose a larger PFI than we have. "What you will see in 30 years' time is what the wing looks like today -- the cost ensures it will stay in the pristine condition that is important to our patients. "What has also been misunderstood about the PFI payments is they're not like a mortgage payment -- rather it's a mortgage payment plus all the costs for keeping your house in the best condition, such as redecorating the inside and out whenever you want. "It's about keeping it at the highest level, so it'll be there for our grandchildren to use as it is now. "As it's brand new it's going to be more expensive than when it was old, but the wing is just part of the wider high asset value of the hospital." Just over 18 months ago Broomfield's patient services were rated as some of the worst in country with 18-week waiting lists for cancer services, but the hospital has radically improved and is now rated as one of the best in the country for its services, according to Mr Stamp. He said: "We've worked so hard to improve and the turnaround in such a short space of time is fantastic. "As Broomfield is on such a large size and scale it costs a lot to run, from the staffing to the estate to the computers, and the PFI wing is just part of this -- so it's not fair to say that we're struggling to pay it back. We're just a large hospital and because of that it is expensive to run." The report released last week by trade union UNISON claimed Broomfield would need a bailout from the Government to keep running or clinical services would have to be cut to make savings. Mr Stamp added: "The Government continuously support the hospital so this idea of a Government bailout is incorrect. We also have absolutely no intentions of cutting clinical services. That's not to say these services won't change as NHS guidelines and improvements in technology come about, but we're actively employing doctors and nurses and we've recently spent 1.5 million on our cancer services so cutting clinical services is not going to happen. "I respect the independent reports produced by unions like UNISON but they can be misleading. The large figure that sticks out can be misleading because it's multiplied over the 30 years or so of the contract -- so there is this glaring figure that everyone focuses on and it's not that straightforward. "The PFI is done. It is frustrating that this seems to be all people are interested in about Broomfield. "It could have been bigger, it could have been a penny less or a penny more, but it has allowed us to create an up-to-date, modern working environment which is great for patients and staff."

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Newcastle-under-Lyme wins West Midlands College of the Year! Newcastle-under-Lyme College (NULC) is celebrating after being awarded West Midlands College of the Year in the recent British College Sport (BCS) Awards. The College was awarded at a Gala Dinner held at Aston Business School Conference Centre in Birmingham, where colleges and young athletes from across the country came together to celebrate sporting achievements. NULC was also shortlisted for the National College of the Year Award, which was devised to highlight the good practice in the Further Education sector, but was piped to the post by Gateshead College. Trevor Humphreys, Academy of Sport Manager at NULC said: "This year NULC has worked hard to cement itself as one of the top further education providers for sport in the country. No matter what you want to study at NULC you can combine it with top level coaching, competition and support to help you achieve your academic and sporting potential." The winners were selected from colleges nominated from around the country in recognition of their significant contributions to BCS in developing opportunities for students and staff through sport, developing college sport regionally or nationally, and working in partnership with other BCS member colleges locally, regionally, or nationally. Since the formation of the NULC Academy of Sport the college, has in a very short time, established itself as a leader in sports provision amongst education providers both locally and nationally. Notably the college formed the NULC Knights Basketball team which is the only club in the county to provide the opportunity to compete at national league level. The college also works in partnership with Newcastle Town Football Club to provide a Football Academy. This year in particular has seen phenomenal success for sport at NULC, with highlights including five members of the NULC Academy of Sport being selected to represent national teams in men's and women's football, netball and rugby and 17 students selected to represent regional teams in netball, rugby, hockey and men's and women's football. A number of the Academy of Sport teams have competed in regional and national competitions including the ladies football, men's basketball, netball, men's volleyball, ladies volleyball, mixed volleyball, rugby and table tennis teams, with all teams making it through to either the finals or semi-finals. The College also had record success at the British Colleges National Cup Finals with a haul of gold and silver medals and three national champions.

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Pensioners - but not all of them - better off than previous generation Most pensioners are considerably better off than the previous generation, with incomes rising nearly every year since 1977, according to the Office for Natioanl Statistics (ONS). The average disposable income for retired households reached 17,700 in 2010-11. But the extra income is not spread across all pensioner groups, and there are question marks over future generosity of occupational pensions. Many people currently in work are seeing an erosion in the potential benefit of their workplace pensions, as employers and the Government reduce their generosity, often by closing final-salary schemes. Figures show that average disposable income for retired households was two and a half times higher in 2010-11 than in 1977, taking inflation into account. Working-age households' incomes, on the other hand, tended to rise during times of economic growth and stagnate during recessions. As a result, these households' incomes have risen slower than pensioners' - up 2.12 times, compared with 2.68 times for retired households since 1977. Income inequality among pensioner households became much more pronounced between 1977 and 1991, but narrowed gradually thereafter. This meant that many pensioners still lived with "modest" levels of income. In 2010-11, some 45% of single pensioners received less than 10,000 in income from the state pension, benefits and any private pension. About CashQuestions Got a finance related question and want an answer free of charge from a totally unbiased source? CashQuestions is a unique service run by a panel of renowned personal finance journalists. Alongside our team of financial experts, we are on hand to solve your money problems - and other consumers can help too on the CashQuestions forum. Disclaimer The information contained in the material on this Site is intended for information and interest only, and not to either provide advice to, or to address the particular requirements of, any individual. We do not recommend or endorse any investment, adviser or other service or product, or any material submitted by third parties, or linked to or from this Site. We do not offer any legal, financial or other advice, either regarding the nature, potential value or suitability of any particular investment, security or investment strategy, or otherwise. You should not rely on any material in this Site to take (or refrain from taking) any decision or action.

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Michael Urie talks 'Partners,' living in Los Angeles, and the role for Mitt Romney We're basically obsessed with Louis ( Michael Urie ) on "Partners" and we want him to be our best friend... but it's hard to deny that sometimes, his well-intentioned snark seems particularly mean when it's leveled at Wyatt ( Brandon Routh ), whose naive idealism can put him at a bit of a disadvantage in the battle-of-wits department. On occasion, Louis has dismissed the importance of Wyatt's sobriety, scoffed at his job prospects, and just straight-up prioritized Joe ( David Krumholtz ). We were relieved, then, when we visited Urie on set, to learn that in an upcoming episode, Louis will find new reason to respect his boyfriend. Urie also gave us the scoop on Ali's humor deficiency, his LA vs. NYC conundrum, and whether Louis and Joe actually have friends other than each other. Read on for our Q&A, and don't forget to tune in for "Partners" at 8:30 p.m. EST on CBS Mondays. Zap2it: So far, Louis and Joe pretty much seem like each other's only friends. Are we going to see their worlds open up a bit? Urie: Yes! There was an episode where I mention Buck, Andrew, Randy and the other Randy, who are these four gay guys that Wyatt and Louis hang out with, and you'll get to meet them in an episode, which is really fun. You also get to see a group of guys at a bar that Ali used to work at, so you get a sense of that. The episode we're shooting tomorrow is about a straight guy that Joe becomes really good friends with. We're starting to see more and more of the life outside the four people. Are Louis's friends a lot like him? Well, Louis and Wyatt's friends that they get together and watch TV and make snarky comments with -- they're considered 'gay funny.' The whole problem of the episode is that Ali is hilarious when she's hanging out with her straight guy friends, but when she comes and hangs out with gay guys, they don't find her funny, and I have to explain to Joe that Ali is pretty funny. And he's like "Yeah, she's pretty funny!" "No, she's pretty funny. She's pretty, so straight guys think she's funny even if she's not funny." Last time I saw you, you were a little iffy about leaving New York and moving to LA. How's it treating you? Thank God for this amazing job and for Runyon Canyon. LA is a tough place to live. It's great when you have a job. I'm a homebody, and being a homebody in LA means you never do anything . In New York, you can be a homebody but you still go out, because there's life like a block away. Here, you've got to have your whole plan, you've got to get in your car, you've got to park -- sometimes I won't go places just because I don't know how or where to park. I definitely miss New York, but I'm going back next week. The actors have a week off every month because the writers have to catch up with us, so I usually go back. My boyfriend's there, and I get to go see theater. When I go back I'll go see 'The Heiress' on Broadway with Jessica Chastain, who was my classmate at Juliard. Oh, just Jessica Chastain, no big deal! She's such a huge deal. It's so funny. There was a time when we hung out with another classmate of ours, and we were all three in a place in our careers where we were complaining. 'Oh, what am I going to do.' Jessica had done a bunch of movies that hadn't gone anywhere, Jess Weixler was like 'Oh, I got offered this part in a movie, I don't think it's going to work,' and I was like 'I just shot this pilot, and there's no way it's going to go.' My pilot was 'Ugly Betty,' the movie that Jess was lamenting was 'Teeth,' which went to Sundance and she ended up winning best actress, and all of Jessica's movies came out at the same time, and now she's probably going to get nominated for another Oscar. How the tables turn. When "Partners" started you'd just come off of "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" on Broadway. Do you miss theater, or is the live studio audience enough to satisfy the stage performer in you? The live audience is amazing. Thursdays at this job are heaven. Doing it with the audience and collaborating on a back-and-forth level with the writers is such a rush, The best performances come up when you really feel it with the audience. I miss the theater a lot though, because it's only one show a week and I like doing eight shows a week. I'm already looking for something I can do when we have a break. Are there any upcoming episodes that you're particularly looking forward to fans seeing? I think what this show is doing so well is really, every episode is about something, and it's based on a real thing that happens with people. Like "Pretty Funny," that's a real thing that happens. There's an episode where Joe and Louis get into a debate about which one of them is Simon and which one of them is Garfunkel, and when you're dealing with a partnership, that is a very real thing, that's something that actually happens. The issue of who gets to be closer, the best friend or the fiance. These are real things that people go through. I love the relatability of this show. As far as the arc of Louis and Wyatt's relationship, are we going to see things balance out a bit? Will Louis give Wyatt a break? Actually yes, in the episode we're shooting right now, Louis has to go to the hospital, because he takes Elphaba [the dog]'s hormone pills. He gets to see Wyatt in action, and he finally respects him as a nurse. It's a big moment for them, and I love it because, you know, Louis is ridiculous to not respect Wyatt. A nurse is such a noble profession! And he's so mean! So Louis gets his comeuppance and he gets shown the light. And finally, who do you think should play Louis's bigoted older brother if he ever comes into play? Oh, Mitt Romney. Hopefully he'll be available.

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Option is still there, but you need to have billable time or expenses tracked for a particular task before it shows up. Note that this checks for "free records" - records that are billable and not already used to create an invoice. If you need to charge for custom work, without pulling reports based on tracked data, use standard New Invoice form from Invoices page. All "New Invoice Based On" (project, milestone, task, tracking report) tools use time and expenses to create an invoice, and only regular New Invoice form is free-form. Option is still there, but you need to have billable time or expenses tracked for a particular task before it shows up. Note that this checks for "free records" - records that are billable and not already used to create an invoice. Cool. I missed it! :-) I use this trick sometimes... I create an invoice from ticket. Then edit it to make it look like "fixed cost" (generally qty=1 & description, cost changes) Then release time records associated with invoice! Above takes more "clicks" but less time as in our case, list of clients and projects is too big to scroll though :|

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Catherine, tell us a little about your business. Do you have any particular niche? How many staff do you have, and where are you based? I run my own PR company which I set up in February 2008. My background is in the children's toy and nursery sector so I did imagine that I would specialise in that area, however, I was introduced to the local business networking scene very early on so it has really been small and medium size local companies looking for one off PR campaigns that I've worked heavily in so far. I'm based in Oxford and while most of my clients are local I've worked with companies nationwide. I don't employ anyone, but work closely with other freelancers. Why did you start the company? Was it something you always intended to do, or did you fall into it? I had always wanted to set up my own business -- a tea shop, a boutique or something very day dreamy like that! Realistically though I knew where my strengths were -- in writing. It's something I've loved since I first learnt to write, and spent Sunday mornings copying articles out of the newspapers while my parents had breakfast! My husband and I travelled the world after marrying in 2007 and the plan was to return and set up the business. I happened to also be pregnant at the time, so it was a busy year, but it's worked out well-now our son is a toddler and the business is growing well. Did you start it alone, or with partner(s), and how did that work out for you? I started alone -- working for myself for the first time my connections locally were very limited so I didn't have contacts to join up with. I had really good relationships with local marketing and PR agencies and had some great support and advice there. I also kept closely in touch with my previous boss who has become a real mentor to me. The PR industry can be really supportive I've found, I've been introduced to hugely successful people who run big agencies and they've always been open and welcoming with their guidance. Do you work from an office, or home? Why have you chosen to do that? I work from a home office. We moved this summer and a big reason for that was so that I could have dedicated office space. There's space for three people to work from here so I can expand without the overhead of an office becoming a necessity, however in a year or so I imagine we'll have a serviced office. See, I'm already saying 'we'! What was your vision for you business when you created it? My vision was to create a small but successful business that could make a difference to small and medium sized businesses -- to show that you can take a different approach to stand out -- that quirky and creative is good. You can achieve a lot by breaking the mould. Has that actually happened in reality? I think so yes. Definitely the making a difference part. I'm really proud of the campaigns I've worked on with local businesses. Now I want to utilise what I've learnt about running the business to attract bigger clients. Regarding the small but successful business, I'm getting there! I work a three day week, and am mum the other two days. Since returning to work in January I've taken on two big retained clients, finished a big restaurant launch campaign that was really successful, and am moving forward with expansion plans, having just joined up with another freelance PR woman locally who also has a son the same age as mine. What do you think you have that clients appreciate? I think we listen and understand. This is a small business too and we appreciate the challenges -- there's no huge pot of money for marketing and PR, but there is a need to stand out above the competition. We're honest, flexible and creative. It's not a PR machine, we don't pump out press releases. We listen, we research, we test and try and we get to know our client and their business so that we can do them justice. We strive to be innovative and original and capture the imagination as well as the attention of the media. Who are your favourite type of clients? Those who want to do things a little differently! They're bored of paying thousands for an ad in business directories every year and want to take a different approach. For example, a high street coffee shop who will enlist a local artist to do pavement art guiding customers to their door, rather than just handing out buy one get one half price coffee vouchers. Can you run through a typical day for us? A typical day is really tricky, but a typical week will include some of this -- time on our own PR -- updating the work blog with news and PR advice, scooting around Twitter and LinkedIn, keeping up to date and posting comments and ideas, meetings with clients to discuss next steps and review current activities, conversations with press about securing coverage for clients, writing of press releases, articles, news stories, editorial and other copy for client campaigns, attendance of local networking meetings, our business development -- website, strategic planning, pitches, our portfolio and marketing material, a quick lunch break, reviewing artwork for clients, commissioning photography, website design, graphic design, and a quick cuppa before heading off for the nursery run! Are you still very much hands-on, or is your role now more about bringing in clients and management? Very hands on. One day I'd like to focus on the running of the business, with a smaller role in the day to day client campaigns -- purely because this is how I see the business growing. I'll always want to retain my commitment to the creative planning side of the business. What's been your worst financial worry? I've been lucky that PR is booming during the recession as a cost effective alternative to marketing. I think my biggest worry has been when I need to make big investments such as the media databases I need for up to date journalist contacts. These are really expensive but an absolute must have. And your absolute favourite moment? Getting a client in with Paris Hilton, onto the Paul O'Grady Show and into Heat Magazine, all in the space of a week. I was over the moon, and the client was too! How do you cope with the work/life balance (if you do, that is!) It's the biggest challenge I've faced and something I think about daily. I have to be really strict that work time is for working (that's the easy bit), but mum time is quality time with my family (that's the hard bit!). Because I work part time, it's very easy for work commitments to spill out beyond those days. I just work my socks off on my three days so that I have time to dedicate to my son when I'm being mum. You have to be extremely focussed. I admit that if my husband is working late though, that the laptop comes straight back out after my son is in bed! What's been your worst moment? I'm not sure, I've had a few frustrating moments -- a huge opportunity with prime time TV that a client decided not to pursue, and a campaign that changed course completely and lost a lot of momentum when new management came in. Without going into detail, I think the hardest moments are when you put your life and soul into making something work, you can see the finish line and then something unforeseen changes at the last moment. How do you cope with clients that are behind on payments? This has only happened to me once thankfully and it was resolved within a week or so, but it can be really stressful. If I had to pursue a matter I think I would call a meeting. I ask clients to sign a contract upfront. If they don't want to, it's a good indication that reconsidering the account may be worthwhile! What do you look for in a new member of staff? Passion, lots and lots of energy and most importantly creative flair -- the ability to brain storm and bounce around ideas. Has the recession made much of a difference to your business? No, in fact it's been a positive influence on my business which is a relief. What have been your must have investments (gadgets, PR tools, taking the time to learn about...) Number one has to be the PR databases that I subscribe to which I could do my job without. Others include storage -- it sounds simple but I can't work efficiently in a messy office! Branding -- always invest in a professional designer, and my Blackberry -- although not really an investment, just a free upgrade!! Who do you admire most in the PR world, and why? Ideas that come out of nowhere -- original, inspired ideas. Not reports off the back of news stories, or market research shoe horned to fit a story. I really like quirky thought provoking stunts -- like the T Mobile flash mob dances at Liverpool Street station. What are you plans for the future? Now that I've joined up with another PR, my plans are to continue expanding and working with small and medium size businesses. I also want to pitch for more copywriting work in the children's toy sector -- I did some party plans for a very well know fashion doll and really enjoyed it -- writing as if you're a 7 year old girl is a lot of fun! I also want to cement the suppliers I use and over the last year I've found a fantastic website designer, photographer and graphic designer so I'll be using them regularly. I'm also rolling out a rebrand which will be a new umbrella that allows the business to grow and work with other freelancers. It's an exciting time and I'm really pleased that the business is doing well. Hopefully next year we'll be able to work with even more businesses and get stuck in to some great PR campaigns with them.

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Wind farm 'will benefit all' Story Tools IN THE DISTANCE: Waverley Wind Farm, as it would look from the junction of Peat and Stewart roads, looking south. PHOTO SIMULATION/ SUPPLIED The idea of a $350 million wind farm at Waipipi on the South Taranaki coast was instigated by the two farmers who own most of the land, one of them says. Warwick Lupton and his cousin David Alexander own much of the 980ha site, with another portion leased from the Parininihi Ki Waitotara Incorporation (PKW). Mr Lupton said the two men hatched the first wind farm idea with Australian company Allco Wind Energy. That company went broke and they are now working with electricity generator and retailer TrustPower. The coastal site had good consistent wind and the landowners would be paid by the company for use of the land. "It's good for the community and it's obviously good for us as well. We're always looking for other options to diversify into," Mr Lupton said. He and his cousin use the land for dairying and cropping, which he said could continue with wind turbines in place. They also have a freight business and race hydroplanes. Mr Alexander's house is the closest to the site. Their deal with TrustPower would see the wind farm built within two to three years. Mr Lupton's impression is that local people are supportive of it. "The majority seem to be in favour of it, but they would probably say that to us anyway." One person vehemently against it is Sally Sisson, who lives about 2.4km from the edge of the proposed site and does not want to see or hear the turbines. "There's no way you could say that these things fit into the environment," she said. The turbines would be huge, and she predicted that property values would fall and all the profit would go out of the area. "We are in the throes of getting together an anti group. It sort of feels like the ant versus the elephant." The proposed wind farm site is 6km southeast of Patea and 7km southwest of Waverley, and TrustPower lead environmental adviser Ryan Piddington said the turbines would be visible from both towns. He's been leading consultation meetings, with 40 people at the first one in Waverley, one person at the open day on Sunday and a steady stream at Waverley A & P Show. He said it would take 18 to 24 months and 80 to 100 people to build the wind farm. The economic benefit to the area during that time was predicted to be $80 million. Once the turbines were working it would take eight to 10 people and cost about $2 million a year to maintain them. The wind resource at Waipipi was nearly as good as that at TrustPower's Tararua wind farm, the biggest in New Zealand and one of the best in the world. The output would be enough to power 50,000 homes. The turbines would be among the highest in New Zealand, to catch the best wind. They would be imported from Denmark and each would need 400 to 600 cubic metres of concrete at their base. The company would not site turbines on sensitive dune areas, Mr Piddington said. It had also promised to enhance Waipipi Stream by fencing and planting along it. The next community consultation meeting is at Patea Old Folks Association Hall from 5pm to 8pm on November 22, with presentations starting at 6pm.

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How to get a start in the (booming) mining industry There is so much talk at the moment about the "white hot" mining sector and the "boom" in WA and Qld. As a result of saturated media coverage on the matter in the "non-mining" Australian states, we receive constant enquiry from people trying to get that start. Firstly, it is not that easy, there is not an out of control boom as such and mining companies are being very careful with how the spend their money right now. They are also very careful with who they hire, their equipment is often sophisticated, expensive and takes certain skills to operate well. Additionally, the mining sector has a very strong safety culture (despite what the media will have you believe) and good companies will also screen for people with the right safety attitude. That said there ARE thousands of excellent opportunities for people to get into this exciting sector right now and so here are some very basic tips, for someone with little or no experience just wanting to get that break: If you have any sort of mechanical background or are from a farming or related industry then highlight this when applying. People that have worked in remote environments or have some mechanical training or aptitude inevitably have more to offer and have been proven to succeed in the mining sector. If you are prepared to relocate, then taking the risk (and it IS a risk) and moving to a regional area such as North Qld, the W.A. Goldfields (Kalgoorlie etc) will usually give you a head start over someone trying to land their first job from a capital city. Be prepared to do anything. With no experience, you have no track record to demonstrate so your best chance is to prove you are a good worker, after which time (presuming you ARE a good worker) other opportunities will quickly open up for you. If you can get some sort of certification through a night class at one of the many excellent TAFE (and like) courses now, this does two things. 1.) it shows you are serious and 2.) it will give you a basic overview of a certain field of work (being a pit technician supporting a Geologist for example). If you know someone, ask them to refer you on and ask them to give you a positive recommendation. Once again, with no demonstrated track record and probably little in the way of relevant referees, referrals are often viewed as good sources of new staff because hiring managers assume the person making the referral will usually only do that if the potential new employee IS also a good worker otherwise their own reputation is damaged. Keep it simple. The opportunities are there. Look at each knock back as another test and keep at it. Every so often check in with someone already in the industry or a trusted advisor who can assess what activity you have done and propose modifications to your approach as appropriate. These comments are intended to be general in nature. For a more detailed overview refer to the Frequently Asked Questions section of the MPi web site. Mining companies dont hire carefully. They take anyone. Its just the agencies that tell you that. Ive worked in mining for 22 yrs. Anonymous @aplleby I agree but the companies that don't hire carefully loose out in the long run and many companies learn the hard way. Samwise I gather that if you've worked in mining for 22 years, that it was a different story for you when you first started out in the mines. Nowadays, yes, I have an understanding of what the Mining companies are looking for and it is harder for people with no experience to get into the mines. Some companies will take on greenies as their learning capacity has not been tainted with set procedures and practices and they can be taught the way the company would prefer them to conduct themselves. But generally, they would take someone with experience over someone with no experience. If they have called up all the mining recruitment agencies and are still coming up dry, they will start to look at other people. They won't just take "anyone" as you say. They will still be looking for people with good attitutes and work ethic and atleast an understanding of the mining sector. Case and point buddy Abeckman9 Ive been applying for over a year now heard nothing back yet [email protected] email me with more info if you can please kannadiide Aldhoux {kenneth} i ,there my name is Kenneth Aldhoux ive a apply a position as field assistant and i heard nothing yet so please im still available .thanks Mark_1988 Can you get a job in the mines without a licence? As a t/a or labouring? What about if you relocate? Anonymous @Mark_1988 relocating to a town like Kalgoorlie can help your chances as Mining companies are more willing to take on people with no industry experience as Drive in drive out vs fly in fly out. Anonymous Guys here is the link to our FAQ's page on our website. It has loads of good info and links to other websites to help out if you currently have no mining experience and wanted to get into the industry. What is MPi LIFE? "MPi LIFE" is a lifestyle blog that is written for mining employees, FIFO workers and mining industry partners across Australia. The blog is written by the Workforce Division of Mining People International (MPi). Commenting Policy The editors of MPi LIFE aim to promote constructive debate about topics affecting people within the mining industry, by presenting thoughtful ideas in a way that respects a wide range of views. We welcome all respectful comments free of personal attack, however we reserve the right to remove any comments that we think are offensive or not supporting the ideas we look to promote.

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Opinion: DREAM On: Immigration reform should not focus on Dreamers by Stephen A. Nuo 7:00 am on 11/13/2012 As the GOP licks its wounds and the Democrats lick their chops after this election, the broad impact Latino voters had throughout the country on the president's reelection will once again focus the national discussion on immigration reform. We've been here before. Presidents from both parties, as well as Republicans and Democrats in Congress, have tried to pass immigration reform to no avail. And as Congress has failed to pass a reform bill that would relieve Latino families from the brutal results of our immigration system, a segment of the undocumented community has emerged from the dialogue -- the Dreamers. Dreamers are a group of undocumented residents who draw their name from the Dream Act, a bipartisan bill proposed more than a decade ago as a compromise for failure to come to an agreement on a comprehensive reform bill. Seeking to influence the public and policy makers through moral persuasion, Dreamers are young, smart, and they challenge authority by daring police to arrest and deport them. These are bold kids, but something about them has always been a little unsettling. Keep in mind that as we march into this debate over immigration yet again, the language and images both sides use in this debate will be critical. My own wish is to pass a comprehensive immigration bill that addresses the perverted incentives built into the immigration system that ultimately leaves no participant -- not the government, nor the immigrants or the businesses that hire them -- particularly interested in cooperating. As Dreamers protest across the country, trying to convince the public that our immigration system is unjust, I am left wondering how effective they will be in helping comprehensive reform move forward. I wonder how persuasive it is to on the one hand argue that the system is merciless, while on the other hand expect to travel around the country challenging authority. How brutal can the system be if these kids are allowed to flaunt the law like that? This image is damaging to the prize, because the system is brutal. It is unjust. It is unreasonable. It's irrational and economically damaging. But that's not the message I get from Dreamers. If I weren't already convinced that they should be given a pathway to citizenship, I'd question whether or not the government isn't negotiating immigration reform from both sides of the table. Of course, that's why the president has implemented the harshest deportation program since Eisenhower; to address that argument. But who cares? Immigration reform will be tough to pass. Getting it past a House of Representatives run by the Republicans may make this a drawn-out affair at a time when the president will be under extreme pressure to move on and focus on the broader fight over the budget and the economy. We've been here before. Faced with a decision to address health care or immigration reform, the president chose health care. I'm not sure he had a choice, but choose he did, and in the process condemned the Latino community to three years of hard time. Will the president sell us out? I can't say I'm confident he wouldn't. And this is where I think Dreamers can be detrimental to the goal of immigration reform. To put it bluntly, Dreamers think they are special. They feel entitled. They're cute. They're smart. They make people cry because of their compelling stories. But that's not special. And if times get tough for the president, I fear he may use the Dreamers as a pressure valve. He may focus the debate away from comprehensive reform and towards this small group of vocal undocumented immigrants. I have a problem with that. Dreamers aren't special. They don't suffer disproportionately for being undocumented. Besides the individual level storytelling, they have not moved the debate except to focus much of the debate on them. I have a problem with that. I think that needs to change before we go back into the fray. Excellent! I love kids - my kids, your kids - everyone's kids........and their aspirations and hopes. But - in relation to national legislation and it's effect in immigration as a whole, I agree with "And this is where I think Dreamers can be detrimental to the goal of immigration reform." Based on standard national statistics, the Dream issue is like 2% of the 5% of the 30%. It's like basing legislation reform for construction standards based on how left handed people open doors. BUT - excellent 'throw-a-bone' sensationalism for the masses to focus on and NOT hold lawmakers accountable. Another 'Wag - meet Dog'. I get the point of this column and respect it. However, I think the DREAMers have done an amazing job in using social media to take their issues to the masses, and this is something that all of us who are pushing for CIR should use a digital grassroots model. Their ability to make this issue so public and part of the national dialogue is because of how they have organized through hard work and social media. Others who are fighting the same fight would learn a lot from them. How do you know that Dreamers don't suffer disproportionately for being undocumented? What is the objective criteria for what makes Dreams special or not? And, lastly, why do you fail to differentiate between activist dreamers and non-activist dreamers? Most dreamers do not go around the country protesting. Most just work to get by. They see their potential hit a hard, concrete ceiling, unlike those who came here as adults. This article is ridiculous. Who do you think made sure to turn out the latino vote? What faction of the latino community do you believe is the most organized and politically aware? The fact that immigration reform still on the map at all considering the last few years is because of the hard work and sacrifice of DREAM students. Now that they've done the hard work you just want to brush them aside? The DREAM act is necessary and relevant to the whole discussion of Immigration reform. If you can't see that, then you honestly have no place in the discussion that will soon be taking place in congress. Immigration Reform NOW! DREAM Act NOW! Fuck your kids and the things they say, fuck you're misery cause it ain't worth shit, too. Suffering? It's the American way! Ain't you ever heard about how the frontier was slayed? No worries, colonization (if not a master teacher) is still a merry master. Your wife? She's fucked too. Oh, & by the way my foundation told me to tell you. They dictate this. Stephen Nuo, check your privilege. Your perceptions of what undocumented youth experience is based on what you see in the media. Did you bother to meet any before writing out this crap? Throwing youth under the bus does not boost your argument- it merely shows just how clueless you are to the issues. Stephen A. Nuo I can tell from you writing that you get a long with leaders in the CIR community. It is clear that you are an ignorant in the internal politics of immigrant organizations. You don't understand organizing. If you have time please educate yourself before writing another peace in CIR and DREAM ACT. "I Agree with this article in that its United We DREAMs fault for creating such a perception of what a DREAMer is i.e cute little innocent valedictorian success story etc.. Has this author seen the work DREAMactivist.org and TheNIYA have been doing the past year? infiltrating jails stopping deportations of older non dreamers etc.." Jose Franco. Thanks for continuing to add to the divide in our movement. There is already enough between the DREAMers and then you add fuel to their fire. People need to understand we aren't all cookie cutter, there are many different stories, don't let what this man whom obviously has a biased view, determine what you think. If you think all DREAMers are cute and valedictorians, then go for it, if you want to think all DREAMers infiltrate jails, then go for it. However I really hope that you don't base your opinion on this man and his skewed view of what he wants you to think. What makes us all great is that we are so different and we are able to work past that. Why are the resources being spilled into having a Dreamer travel the country, much less travel the country and go partying. In light of the number of deportations under Obama, something has to be done now. We have to spend our resources wiser than that. I think the Republicans are on one hand just trying to make it possible for themselves to win an election in 2016 while on the other hand are making it possible for us to have the bipartisan support we need in both Houses to pass comprehensive immigration and the DREAM Act all at once. Stephen A. Nuo, We all due respect, thank you for pointing this out! Thank you for making us, DREAMers the oppressors, the selfish arrogant kids that all we want is to fix status without worrying or even caring for our loved ones. I'm sorry to say it, but you are not seeing the big picture. We are the product of the hardworking families, countless sacrifices made by our communities. We are the Fruit produced by every member of our community. Therefore, we love the "fruit (us), but we cannot love it without loving the roots that produce it -- our communities". If I'm not mistaken, what you said about those kids is: "Dreamers think they are special. They feel entitled. They're cute. They're smart. They make people cry because of their compelling stories. But that's not special. And if times get tough for the president, I fear he may use the Dreamers as a pressure valve. He may focus the debate away from comprehensive reform and towards this small group of vocal undocumented immigrants.". So for you we are selfish and arrogant? Well, let me break it down for you! Our families have sacrificed everything they had; they risked their lives so we could have a better future. So you are saying their sacrifices are in vain just because we could potentially be used as a valve for the failure of the Immigration Reform? No sir, we are not dumb, either! We will hold President Obama and all the politicians accountable for their empty promises. As a matter of fact we have proven it! Does DACA sound familiar to you? We were the ones that kept the Immigration issue alive after almost everyone else gave up on it! We will fight until the end, we won't stop on just the DREAM Act, and we will fight until we get the CIR! The author of this piece is still smarting from the way in which Dreamers were able to navigate a spineless Democratic party, a hate-mongering Republican party, and the oppressive CIR non-profit industrial complex, to WIN, by making ourselves the litmus test for immigration reform, and winning some form of relief (DACA). There is a much better way to say that Dreamers should not be the only people who benefit from immigration reform and there is a much better way of pushing for the best available plan while being inclusive of everyone-- something, that you should also learn from Dreamers. Go figure. After reading the article and reading the responses I think there is a general misconception about the point of the article. The article itself does not speak out against the DREAMers, nor does it call for a halt to the movement, rather it questions whether or not it should be the leading the democratic party's reform plan. To the millions of uneducated white folk in America, illegal immigration as a whole is bad and mass migration back to Mexico is the only solution. Now, present the image of an 18 year old Latino/Latina who gets to travel the country and lives better than said white American while on speaking tours to rally immigration change. Some are moved and come to the inevitable conclusion that immigration reform is necassary, others are enraged, and this symbol created for the future becomes an antithesis, a symbol for the GOP to use as the next "handout" group. This is what Nuo is saying, comprehensive immigration reform is the only form that will fix all of the relating issues in the United States. If this subject becomes the headlining topic, then there is a strong possibility that it might be the only issue fixed and the hundreds of thousands of other illegal immigrants, the mothers and fathers of these DREAMers will never get a chance to live safely in this country. A little unsettling? You mean they are the ones willing to put themselves on the line to pass legislation, risk being deported, so that they and their families could become fearless? This vato, hahaha! But he got what he needs: page views. Now, let the market dictate; we want more hate articles! Let capitalism be the ultimate decider; spoon feed us entertainment. It's sometimes incomprehensible why people stick their necks out when others sit and hold their tongues. We can see this as irrational or we can see this as bravery. I see it as bravery. That said, I also think that immigration reform should not *only* focus on Dreamers, because this is a human rights issue. We can't allow ourselves to get painted into a corner and only address some of the inhumane aspects of our immigration policy. We have to attack it all with a focus on creating a just system for all. You'll hear some elites go on about how super elite college grads should be allowed in the country because they will instantly become job creators and you'll hear others push for work programs to fill the needs of large corporations and agribusiness but these are all exceptions. We need something comprehensive and something with a path to citizenship. This is horrible analysis. Self-contradictory. So what does he expect dream activists to do? Sit down, shut up, and go to the back of the bus, and then "stop crying about themselves." Who said they were crying about themselves? They're raising a ruckus for all uf is. The worst part is that he invalidates the whole suffering of undocumented people, and makes it seem like giving them anything is an act of grace and kindness, rather than an act of necessity and justice; something worth fighting for that they are going to have to fight for themselves, because clearly, with friends, like this who needs Mitt Romney? I've seen lots of so-called "experts" with PhD's or JD's say things like this. If it were up to them, we'd still all be hiding behind black bars and on-screen shadows, never saying our true names or advocating for ourselves, because all we really need is experts to do it for us right? wrong. This "kid" is 22 years old, and by all rights an adult. But I am sure that as a mature and grown up person with papers you know what is best for us. It must a 'burden' to let us young undocu-folk know how to be GOOD, young undocu-folk, but thank you for going out of your way. Thank you for being one more patronizing and belittling voice... And thank you for assuming I would throw my mother under the bus for a chance at citizenship. " I have a problem with that. Dreamers aren't special. They don't suffer disproportionately for being undocumented. Besides the individual level storytelling, they have not moved the debate except to focus much of the debate on them." Really? Our parent's struggle is our struggle as undocumented immigrant youth and students. We have always, and will continue speaking and organizing loud and strong for a path to citizenship for our entire family. I guess you are not aware of immigrant youth organizing out in the streets, risking deportation, mobilizing the Latino Vote, and pressuring for Deferred Action as something that has placed the immigrant debate as a top priority and the biggest pro-immigrant step in the past 26 years! AND GUESS WHAT..we made that happen along with our families! Orale! My Dear Stephen Nuo, I do not know what are your qualifications to write an article like this one, but you have shown a lack of knowledge, empathy, and compassion for the cause of the undocumented immigrants that is bewildering to me. I have had the PRIVILEGE to get to know many of the Dreamers and their situations, and let me tell you, they are from what you describe them. It is not because they feel entitled that they have been able to organize and travel the country to advocate for the cause, it is because they are trapped in a unbearable situation with no end in sight that they have gathered the courage to fight for their rights and for what they duly deserve as young undocumented immigrants who have not broken any law. Rather than look down on them, you should make them an example of what a group can achieve for the betterment of society when people put their mind together. And, by the way, I am a citizen, and I welcome this group into the country. The Dreamers will make a fabulous contribution to our society.

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I'm exactly the same; just my head, nowhere else. My hair looks as if I've just got out the shower! I've always been hot and never feel cold, even pre MS. It happens after any exertion such as hanging the washing out or making a drink! You should see me after my physio class! I go bright red as well but I do also have rosacea It's only recently that I've looked at the side effects of my medication and amitryptaline and duloxetine both can cause sweating. I think I may mention it to my GP next time I see him as it can be a bit embarrassing.

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The Course of Theoretical Physics is a ten-volume series of books covering theoretical physics that was initiated by Lev Landau and written in collaboration with his student Evgeny Lifshitz starting in the late 1930s. It is said that Landau composed much of the series in his head while in an NKVD prison in 1938-39. [ 1 ] However, almost all of the actual writing of the early volumes was done by Lifshitz, giving rise to the often repeated witticism, "not a word of Landau and not a thought of Lifshitz". [ 2 ] The first eight volumes were finished in the 1950s, written in the Russian language , and translated into English by the late 1950s. The last two volumes were written in the early 1980s. Vladimir Berestetskii and Lev Pitaevskii also contributed to the series. The series is often referred to as " Landau and Lifshitz ", " Landafshitz " (rus. " Ландафшиц ") in informal settings. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] Contents The books are well known for their concise, elegant and accurate formulation of the laws of physics. Generations of physicists, both in Russia and around the world, have been educated in physics through this series. The presentation of material is advanced, requires a foundation of physics, and is suitable for graduate-level study.

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Egyptian astronomy Egyptian astronomy begins in prehistoric times, in the Predynastic Period . In the 5th millennium BCE, the stone circles at Nabta Playa may have made use of astronomical alignments. By the time the historical Dynastic Period began in the 3rd millennium BCE, the 365 day period of the Egyptian calendar was already in use, and the observation of stars was important in determining the annual flooding of the Nile . The Egyptian pyramids were carefully aligned towards the pole star , and the temple of Amun-Re at Karnak was aligned on the rising of the midwinter sun. Astronomy played a considerable part in fixing the dates of religious festivals and determining the hours of the night, and temple astrologers were especially adept at watching the stars and observing the conjunctions, phases, and risings of the Sun , Moon and planets . The precise orientation of the Egyptian pyramids affords a lasting demonstration of the high degree of technical skill in watching the heavens attained in the 3rd millennium BCE . It has been shown the Pyramids were aligned towards the pole star , which, because of the precession of the equinoxes , was at that time Thuban , a faint star in the constellation of Draco . [ 3 ] Evaluation of the site of the temple of Amun-Re at Karnak , taking into account the change over time of the obliquity of the ecliptic , has shown that the Great Temple was aligned on the rising of the midwinter sun. [ 4 ] The length of the corridor down which sunlight would travel would have limited illumination at other times of the year. Astronomy played a considerable part in religious matters for fixing the dates of festivals and determining the hours of the night . The titles of several temple books are preserved recording the movements and phases of the sun , moon and stars . The rising of Sirius ( Egyptian : Sopdet , Greek : Sothis ) at the beginning of the inundation was a particularly important point to fix in the yearly calendar. From the tables of stars on the ceiling of the tombs of Rameses VI and Rameses IX it seems that for fixing the hours of the night a man seated on the ground faced the Astrologer in such a position that the line of observation of the pole star passed over the middle of his head. On the different days of the year each hour was determined by a fixed star culminating or nearly culminating in it, and the position of these stars at the time is given in the tables as in the centre, on the left eye, on the right shoulder, etc. According to the texts, in founding or rebuilding temples the north axis was determined by the same apparatus, and we may conclude that it was the usual one for astronomical observations. In careful hands, it might give results of a high degree of accuracy. Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius ( floruit AD 395–423) attributed the planetary theory where the Earth rotates on its axis and the interior planets Mercury and Venus revolve around the Sun which in turn revolves around the Earth, to the ancient Egyptians. He named it the "Egyptian System," and stated that "it did not escape the skill of the Egyptians ," though there is no other evidence it was known in ancient Egypt. [ 5 ] [ 6 ] And after the Singer advances the Astrologer (ὡροσκόπος), with a horologium (ὡρολόγιον) in his hand, and a palm (φοίνιξ), the symbols of astrology . He must know by heart the Hermetic astrological books, which are four in number. Of these, one is about the arrangement of the fixed stars that are visible; one on the positions of the sun and moon and five planets; one on the conjunctions and phases of the sun and moon; and one concerns their risings. [ 7 ] The astrologer's instruments ( horologium and palm ) are a plumb line and sighting instrument. They have been identified with two inscribed objects in the Berlin Museum ; a short handle from which a plumb line was hung, and a palm branch with a sight-slit in the broader end. The latter was held close to the eye, the former in the other hand, perhaps at arms length. The "Hermetic" books which Clement refers to are the Egyptian theological texts, which probably have nothing to do with Hellenistic Hermetism . [ 8 ] Following the Roman conquest of Egypt , the region once again became the centre of scientific activity throughout the Roman Empire . The greatest astronomer of this era was the Hellenized Egyptian, Ptolemy (90-168 CE). Originating from the Thebaid region of Upper Egypt , he worked at Alexandria and wrote works on astronomy including the Almagest , the Planetary Hypotheses , and the Tetrabiblos , as well as the Handy Tables , the Canobic Inscription , and other minor works. The Almagest is one of the most influential books in the history of Western astronomy. In this book, Ptolemy explained how to predict the behavior of the planets with the introduction of a new mathematical tool, the equant . Ibn Yunus (c. 950-1009) observed more than 10,000 entries for the sun's position for many years using a large astrolabe with a diameter of nearly 1.4 meters. His observations on eclipses were still used centuries later in Simon Newcomb 's investigations on the motion of the moon, while his other observations inspired Laplace 's Obliquity of the Ecliptic and Inequalities of Jupiter and Saturn . [ clarification needed (not the title of any work by Laplace) ] [ 9 ] In 1006, Ali ibn Ridwan observed the supernova of 1006 , regarded as the brightest stellar event in recorded history, and left the most detailed description of the temporary star. He says that the object was two to three times as large as the disc of Venus and about one-quarter the brightness of the Moon , and that the star was low on the southern horizon. [ 10 ] The astrolabic quadrant was invented in Egypt in the 11th century or 12th century, and later known in Europe as the "Quadrans Vetus" (Old Quadrant). [ 11 ] In 14th century Egypt , Najm al-Din al-Misri (c. 1325) wrote a treatise describing over 100 different types of scientific and astronomical instruments, many of which he invented himself. [ 12 ] In the 20th century, Farouk El-Baz from Egypt worked for NASA and was involved in the first Moon landings with the Apollo program , where he was secretary of the Landing Site Selection Committee , Principal Investigator of Visual Observations and Photography , chairman of the Astronaut Training Group , and assisted in the planning of scientific explorations of the Moon, including the selection of landing sites for the Apollo missions and the training of astronauts in lunar observations and photography. [ 2 ]

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Teen's Online Plea To Be Mainstreamed Strikes A Chord A 13-year-old with autism has taken to social media to persuade his school district that he ought to attend his local middle school rather than a segregated program for those with disabilities. Henry Frost, who communicates using an iPad, has garnered thousands of supporters on Facebook and more than 2,300 signatures through an online petition asking his Tampa, Fla.-area school district to allow him to be mainstreamed at his neighborhood school. According to the petition, Frost says that school officials told him he needs to prove that he can handle transitioning between classes and climbing the building's stairs. He was also told that he would need to take tests before he could attend his local school. Currently, Frost is taking online classes at home rather than enroll in the segregated class where he was assigned. While school district officials said they could not comment specifically on Frost's case, they said they work hard to provide for every student. "I would like the chance to try," Frost told NPR StateImpact Florida. To read more click here . Post a Comment Comments are moderated and will not appear until they are approved. All comments must be in compliance with the DisabilityScoop.com Terms and Conditions . Please stay on-topic, keep your comments brief and refrain from inserting links or using abusive language. Comments (5 Responses) First since I live in Hillsborough county all I can say is I am ashame to be in this town and see this happening. But thats florida these kids are to not to be seen or heard from.as a mother of a child with special needs they deserve to be treated like other kids and by law allowed to go to a public school in their district. If the IEP and parents are for him trying the school there should be no reason he should not be allowed. I would get an advocate for the disabled and fight this a 100%. I would do this for my kid and any kid like her that wants a chance to be with there peers who have no disabilities. [Disclaimer: KA101 is an autistic attorney in Pennsylvania who focuses on special-ed law. He claims absolutely no knowledge of Florida law nor bar membership there, but is speaking strictly from his experience with federal laws as applied in Pennsylvania. Florida tends to get territorial about out/state lawyers talking about it.] OK. Assuming that the school's concerns are genuine, there are ways around them. Transitioning: 1) Familiarization with the building beforehand. It's easier to get a handle on where things are without the crowds of noisy students. (Meeting the teachers might be helpful, too.) 2) How about a map on that iPad? Surely the school has fire evac plans posted; scan and photochop as needed. 3) Letting Mr. Frost leave classes a few minutes early as needed (still getting used to transition, longer commute, complex locker needs, etc) might help things go more smoothly. 4) Horrors -- we may need an aide. If he needs one to receive instruction in the LRE (also where he would receive education were he not disabled), Mr. Frost is entitled to one. This is fact-dependent and I don't have the facts to affirmatively make the call one way or another, but IDEA is pretty clear on that. Stairs: Not sure why these would be a problem, so it smells like ADA barrier-removal to me. If there's an elevator, Mr. Frost can be issued a key. If Mr. Frost's service dog somehow has difficulty with stairs, that may be a training issue but should not be grounds for removing him from the school he would attend were he not disabled. This child should not have to go to these lengths to be heard. The school district's Child study team should provide the student with the appropriate supports so that he may be educated in the least restrictive environment. If he has difficulty transitioning of using stairs, he should have the appropriate therapeutic interventions either by an occupational therapist, behavior specialist(BCBA), or physical therapist. What are the parent's doing? Sounds like the family needs an advocate or an attorney. Many states have free, non profit organizations that can help. Good luck. I predict that Henry Frost, with the help of major publicity, will prevail. It's distressing to hear how backward some states are with regard to accommodating students with disabilities. I'm shocked that a student with this much capacity to advocate for himself, would be placed in a special school. This is happening at all Florida schools. We moved from OH to Okaloosa County schools a year ago with military orders. My son is 8 years old. In Ohio he was mainstreamed with an aide and performing at just below Kindergarten levels. In Florida, he was placed in a behavioral classroom with 8 other children, one teacher, and one aide. My son went from starting to read to functioning at a 2 year old level. We had to pull him from the school, because it got to the point where he was becoming self-injurious (this behavior did not happen often when he was growing up, but it became a weekly thing at public school). The school district when approached about breaching the law would say, "he's not ready for mainstreaming" (even though they did no IEE or evaluation to prove he was not ready), "we don't do aides in Florida" (even though a qualified para professional aide was PUT in his IEP), and "the aide probably was doing the work for him." (even though he was reading on his own and can recognize over 100 site words, he could not possibly know how to do that). The schools here are ridiculous. The district we are in spends around $54K a year on attorneys to avoid litigation. I'm not the only family -- there are about 10-20 families who have the same issues with the school district. Oh and get this, I filed a state complaint and the school was investigated for systematic failure on ESE students. The school district called the base and complained to the military school liaison about my complaint. They wanted the liaison to "pass it up the chain of command" and get me to drop the complaint.

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(T) I have a big bulge and one of my nuts is knackered :( Notice a tyre bulge today on OSF wheel. So I went to take the wheel off to replace it, and I couldn't get any purchase on the Locking wheel nut. Some numpty has drilled it on by the looks of things and rounded the prongs off. Called recovery who couldn't do anything. He tried to hammer a socket on it and take it off that way, but no luck. He said my options are to snap the bolt by pulling the wheel off, try and chisel it out, or drill through it. He reckons whichever option I go for the wheel (OZ Schumie) will be damaged beyond repair I've just limped along to a mate, who is gonna try his welding expertise. if you can weld to it you may be able to crack it off, seen this before, when i have new tyres now i take my wheels down to them and i re fit them instead saves the hassle of them jacking i in the wrong place and over doing it on the buzz gun, hope you get it sorted asap if you can weld to it you may be able to crack it off, seen this before, when i have new tyres now i take my wheels down to them and i re fit them instead saves the hassle of them jacking i in the wrong place and over doing it on the buzz gun, hope you get it sorted asap I managed to get it sorted! A mate mig-welded a nut on to it and it came out. I've invested in some decent locking nuts now, with an inner shape. Hate Fiat locking nuts.

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Research The Bioinformatics group at Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre is developing computational approaches to analyse DNA sequence information, especially deriving from the next-generation DNA sequencing technology. Studies are ongoing which will provide insights to the mutations and other DNA re-arrangements which occur and accrue within the oncogenic process which give rise to cancer. The group has a long established interest in the understanding the mechanisms by which DNA sequence changes can give rise to altered gene expression. To this end, investigating computational approaches to detect regulatory elements within genomic sequences as well as methods to map transcription factor binding events such as described in Nat. Methods. 2007 Aug;4(8):613-4. Previously, Steven Jones was a researcher at the Sanger Institute , Cambridge, UK. , 1994-1998. During this time he participated in the computational analysis of the 45 MB of Caenorhabditis elegans sequence generated at the Sanger Centre as part of the C. elegans Genome Project [Science (1998) 282:2012-2018]. This project resulted in the derivation of the first complete genome of a multi-cellular organism. Another contribution also includes the invention of the web-based blast server, which currently is now the most common interface through which DNA and protein sequence searches are now performed. The original concept was developed to serve the needs of the C. elegans genome sequencing project but it was rapidly adopted by other groups, including both NCBI and EMBL, as a generic way of searching DNA and Protein databases. See here and here my original postings to the C. elegans newsgroup back in the heady days of 1995. In 2005 Steven Jones was identified as one of Canada's top 40 professionals under 40 by Caldwell Partners International as well as by Business in Vancouver. He also received the Spencer Award for IT innovation as well as the 2007 Medical Genetics teaching award for UBC. Further contributions include his involvment as the founding director of the CIHR/MSFHR Bioinformatics Training Program as well as director of the University of British Columbia Bioinformatics Graduate Program. In 2011 he was inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada for his contributions to Genomics and Bioinformatics. To learn about more events for Bioinformatics in the Vancouver area, check out VanBug .

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Back in the trenches Two days after the Canadiens called up Swedish forward Andreas Engqvist from Hamilton, the team went back to the well and gave Ryan White the phone call he's been waiting for all season. "This is great. I couldn't be happier," beamed White, who has 10 points in 28 games with the Bulldogs this year. "It's been a trying season for me a little bit so far, but I'm happy where I am right now and I just want to try and help this team win and contribute when I can." White celebrating one of his preseason goals. Despite having a stellar training camp with the big club this September, racking up three points in five preseason games -- and dropping the gloves four times in that span -- the 22-year-old still found himself on a bus headed for Hamilton when the season began. "Camp is camp; it's what you do here in the season that gets results and gets you back up here," offered the Brandon, MB native. "All of the guys who came up before me totally deserved it and they're playing great. I'm happy I'm still in the mix and it's good to get back up here." Having bounced back after missing 14 games with a knee injury earlier this season, White is more motivated than ever to carve out a niche full-time with the Canadiens. "It was tough," admitted the gritty forward. "I have a lot of respect for guys who have to go through that in a year. That was my first time going through something like that and it was tough sitting around not playing. It's tough on the mind, but I got through it and I'm back to 100%." White may be making his first appearance in a Habs jersey this season on Friday night, but his coach already has a pretty good idea of what he can expect from the versatile center. "Ryan's been playing well in Hamilton. He and Andreas Engqvist have both done a good job there and we expect the same here," explained Jacques Martin, who coached White for 16 games in Montreal last season. "He spent some time here last year for us and he's a good, smart player. He brings an extra physical presence and he's a good penalty killer." His head coach isn't the only one who had good things to say about him, either. Immediately after hearing that White had been recalled, one of his former Hamilton teammates couldn't wait to heap on the praise for the "warrior and best teammate he'd ever had". "Some of the guys told me Davey [Desharnais] was pumping my tires a little bit yesterday [to the media] so I read a few things before I came up," laughed White. "Hearing that kind of stuff is great, especially coming from your teammates and your peers. It's always a blessing."

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Markon - A Stories A4 Markon was confused ; it was a symptom of the breakdown of ... reality ? He could feel it around him again - again ? Something was coming through . H stood and paced the deck of the ship . Down here in his cabin , his private world , he could forget the injustices of the world , the side-lining of his person by the powerful Grey Wolf clan ... though for some reason all this was seeming less vital today . What day was it , anyway? He stopped and shook his head - there was definitely something wrong . Running a hand through his short black hair Markon hurried for the stairway and bounded up to the top deck . Standing , hands on hips , surveying the surrounding vista of Wolfburg , he took a deep breath , and then another . There was still a fuzzy feeling in his head ; had he been poisoned ?! No , it was what his first instinct had told him - a reality ... shift ? And then there was that feeling that it was happening again . . . Oh , Gods ! Markon sighed - what was going on ? Maybe a Priest would help - he laughed ; more likely a mage could ... A10 Markon sat alone in the inn beside the roaring fire . He was aware of the life and bustle of the other customers but today they seemed more distant , less real than before . There was something stirring at the back of his mind , and he needed to be alone to grasp it . He took another swig from his pewter tankard , not tasting the dirty brown ale as it washed down his throat .He gazed into the flames and saw ... saw a park , a lush greenness , a lake , the sun shining , a magical world , and ... He sat up bolt straight - THAT was not possible surely ! The head of the Grey Wolf clan was surely that and that alone , but even as Markon tried to resume his previous take on reality he knew that it was not so - there was something there , and he was , for some reason , central to this mystery ... Barely able to comprehend the line of his own thoughts he wondered again at the possibility of consulting a mage , but just as before he really had little idea how to go about contacting one ... A21 Markon wandered the wilderness beyond the city limits , chain mail on and sword ready at his side - you could never tell out here , and a member of the Grey Wolf clan should never take unnecessary risks this close to the territory of their main rivals . Ofcourse , mused Markon , some would say that for him to be out here at all , never mind alone , was an unnecessary risk , but he knew the true situation regarding his usefulness and current standing in the clan hierarchy - it was a long time since the clan leader had sought his counsel for all his title of counsellor and stewardship of the ship upon the river - more of an old hulk than a warship though her captain would rather die than admit that . No , he would not be greatly missed if something befell him out here , but from his own personal point of view he was taking precautions to ensure nothing untoward occurred . The amulet and the scarab he wore on the cloak had been obtained at no small cost and what were reputed to be healing potions he had stowed in his belt had almost emptied his savings in their purchase . Why was he here ? He wondered that himself ; what if it had been only a dream ? It had felt real and vibrant and urgent , but that could have been the alcohol talking ... If it was just a dream he was out here for no reason , wandering over the hillocks and stream beds for no purpose . Yet , the voice had been strong , insistent - he had had to come to make sure - one way or the other ... He stopped dead in his tracks ; a warrior woman stood regarding him from the top of a rise just ahead of him . "Markon ?!" she demanded . It was the same voice ! "Yes !" he began to hurry towards her . Just then a rectangle of blinding white light seemed to open out of the sky to the left . The woman cursed and drew her sword . Markon made to do likewise but found himself mesmerised by the sight of a black-clad man , with a black helmet with a black visor emerging out of nowhere holding a glowing red stick in a black-gloved hand . The man waved the rod in the air . There was a terrific boom , sending Markon sprawling down into some bushes . When he was able to stager to his feet once more he found that the strange man and the woman had disappeared - both vanished completely , without trace . Still somewhat stunned by the after-effects of the sonic boom Markon turned and began to trudge back towards Wolfburg ...

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Jeff Hamada Jeff Hamada Interview by: Reid Stewart Photographs by: Jennilee Marigomen I dont' get to see Jeff much these days but I sure love the guy. I first got to know him through a show we worked on a few years ago called "Tangents". It was a group show that revolved around artists he had worked with and featured on Booooooom and artists we have worked with for Lifetime. It was a real pleasure to work alongside him and really see how creative and collaborative he was. I get to work with a lot of different people with Lifetime but it's folks like him that really get me excited to keep creating. Keep up the great work Hamada! How old were you and where were you when art/creativity started to become an interest for you? Was it even something that you consciously realized was even happening? My mom still has all my old drawings from when I was like 5 or 6, but I don't think I was conscious of it back then. It was maybe a year or two later that I realized making pictures was something I liked to do. I would invite friends over to draw on our kitchen table and I didn't really think it was that strange to spend an afternoon doing that. Thinking about it now, it's funny to know how many of my friends I subjected to that. How did art become important for you? I don't know if I've ever thought of art as something important or unimportant. Creating something has always felt like the normal thing to do. If my day to day life was a pie chart and one slice was eating, and another was working, I wouldn't make a slice for art. Art would be a smaller circle in the middle that is intersected by all the other slices. It's somehow a part of everything. I don't really know if that makes any sense. When did the creative process start to enter into the equation for you and what did that look like? I have always loved brain teasers and things like that. My uncle had all these puzzles in his house and I remember one of them was this small smooth wooden box that wouldn't open. That was it, that was the puzzle. I remember staring at the box for a long time and trying a million different things until finally I spun it around really fast and the box slid into two halves. Inside I could see that there were these little bullet shaped wood pieces that were loose, and the only way for the box to be unlocked was for each of the pieces to be at the outer edge of the box. So essentially it was an elegant way of illustrating centrifugal force. I still think a lot about that puzzle, how perfectly designed it is. I guess the creative process for me started as a designer, problem solving, and just inventing dumb things. I remember Marble Madness was a popular thing at the time (I'm talking about the plastic building set, not the video game), and my friends had all these sets we could join together. So we would make huge "booby traps" and Rube Goldberg type machines using parts of the Marble Madness sets, cut-up cereal boxes, lego, anything we could find. Someone's mom would open a door and a bucket might fall on her head and start a chain reaction across the house. What style of work are you currently working on and why? I like to play with words, I like hand drawing letters and text. Sometimes they are conversations I've overheard or just things I think about. I took creative writing in college and really enjoyed it. When I transferred to Emily Carr I took film and I thought I wanted to be a director but I realized after a while that I just liked the story-telling part. Some of my ideas are a lot funnier as text and don't translate to an actual image. Lately I've been reading lots of comics and trying to effectively turn some of my written ideas into drawings and text. What sorts of influences do you draw upon? Generally are these influences always changing or do they remain constant through out your process of making art? It's always changing. I love Tauba Auerbach's text works, I think she probably grew up interested in puzzles too. There is a sort of math in all her work. I am terrible at math but I think have an analytical mind. I had a magic set as a kid and one of the tricks involved these 5 cards with a whole bunch of random numbers on them. In the trick I think the person had to point out which cards had their number on it and the magician would secretly add together numbers from one of the corners of each card (I forget how the actual trick worked exactly) and instantly knew which number the person had chosen. Anyways, I lost one of the cards and I remember spending a whole afternoon staring at the cards until I was able to figure out which numbers had to be on the missing card and I remade it with an old recipe card. Do you travel well while creating or do you need to be in a certain space? I know this can be different foreveryone. I like to be in one place. I need to not have anything else on my mind, I have a hard time juggling different projects and then also creating. I can do it but I don't enjoy it. It's probably why I've quit doing any freelance design work. It's just my personality, it's the same if I go out for lunch and I have something else to do in the evening. I don't like going straight from one thing to the next. I like a buffer, even just to sit and do nothing for a little bit in between. How do you document daily inspirations for future work? Or do you? That's kinda what Booooooom is, a personal document of work I find inspiring for later reference. I don't even really have to keep looking back at the archives, I can recall most things I've ever posted on there so the ritual of posting about something kinda locks it into my memory. How did the idea for Booooooom come about? Why? It really just started as an archive of work, but now it's become a way for me to encourage people. It's as much about inspiring people as it is about encouraging artists to keep going. I think sometimes the assumption is that really talented people know they're talented and don't need encouragement. It must be an amazing network of people you've come to know and meet over the years? Meeting new people has really been the best part for sure. I've made some friends that I'll have for the rest of my life because of Booooooom. I've probably had lunch with at least one new person every week for the past 2 years. It's kinda wild. Has this process helped your own art work and process? I'm sure you've been able to learn from other people's ways and experiences. It certainly has. In order to make great work you have to see and experience great work. Aside from Booooooom what have you been working on? What future projects are you looking forward to working on? Is it tough to get time for your own work? I don't know if there's anything I do now that isn't at least partially related to Booooooom. It is my life! Right now I'm working on collaborations with a couple companies to develop some actual Booooooom products. I'm still slowly working on my own drawings but it has been tough to find time for it lately. I am trying to block out most of July and August for my own work - trying.

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Breakthrough in bid to create first quantum computer UNSW Newswire 20 September 2012 A research team led by Australian engineers has created the first working quantum bit based on a single atom in silicon, opening the way to ultra-powerful quantum computers of the future. Dr Andrea Morello and Professor Dzurak from the UNSW School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications led the team, which includes researchers from the University of Melbourne and University College, London. In a landmark paper published in the journal Nature , the team describes how it was able to both read and write information using the spin, or magnetic orientation, of an electron bound to a single phosphorus atom embedded in a silicon chip. Dzurak described it as ... a remarkable scientific achievement -- governing nature at its most fundamental level -- and has profound implications for quantum computing. In current computing, information is represented as 'bits', a code made up of zeros and ones stored in transistors on a silicon chip. A quantum computer needs an equivalent 'quantum bit', or 'qubit'. The Australian team has coded data on a qubit comprising a single phosphorus atom, implanted next to a specially designed silicon transistor. As qubits are added to a quantum computer its ability to perform calculations increases, opening the way to solving problems that are currently impossible for even the world's largest supercomputers. These include the development of new medicines, which would be sped up greatly by the computer-aided design of pharmaceutical compounds, reducing the timescale for medical trials and finding cures faster. The team used the facilities at the Australian National Fabrication Facility, which receives $91 million from the Australian Government to support 21 research institutions across Australia. The ARC Centre of Excellence involves six participating universities including UNSW and the University of Melbourne, and will receive $24.5 million in funding over seven years to support the work of high-quality multi-disciplinary researchers in the field of Quantum Computation and Communication Technology.

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Went to the Gun Show Today.... This is a discussion on Went to the Gun Show Today.... within the MP Full Size Pistols forums, part of the Smith & Wesson MP Forum category; With the wife, She's fed up with the ever Jamming Glock 26 and was determined to get a full sized gun. She checked out CZ's, ... With the wife, She's fed up with the ever Jamming Glock 26 and was determined to get a full sized gun. She checked out CZ's, Sig's & Hk's and came home with a full size M&P 9mm . She actually shoots better with it at 25' than she could with the baby glock at 10'. So she's happy, and so am I cause now I have another M&P to mess with With the wife, She's fed up with the ever Jamming Glock 26 and was determined to get a full sized gun. She checked out CZ's, Sig's & Hk's and came home with a full size M&P 9mm . She actually shoots better with it at 25' than she could with the baby glock at 10'. So she's happy, and so am I cause now I have another M&P to mess with Congrats on the new addition to the family. I have a FS 9mm and like mine alot! Glad to hear that she likes it too. Its nice to see more females becoming involved in shooting sports and CCW! With the way the world is now days unfotunately its good to know our spouses and loved ones have the means to take care of themselves when we arent around! Love hearing about the Glock converts!!! I'm the wife of FastDonzi and very proud new owner of the M&P 9mm full size. Awesome gun, love it!!! Took the Glock26 back to the gun show today and sold it!!! Even got what I wanted for it It's going to be my carry weapon too as I find that it feels great in my IWB holster. Can't wait to go shoot again today, but the Hubby has to get a reloader soon or we're going to go broke!!! I'm the wife of FastDonzi and very proud new owner of the M&P 9mm full size. Awesome gun, love it!!! Took the Glock26 back to the gun show today and sold it!!! Even got what I wanted for it It's going to be my carry weapon too as I find that it feels great in my IWB holster. Can't wait to go shoot again today, but the Hubby has to get a reloader soon or we're going to go broke!!! I'm the wife of FastDonzi and very proud new owner of the M&P 9mm full size. Awesome gun, love it!!! Took the Glock26 back to the gun show today and sold it!!! Even got what I wanted for it It's going to be my carry weapon too as I find that it feels great in my IWB holster. Can't wait to go shoot again today, but the Hubby has to get a reloader soon or we're going to go broke!!! It'll take a lot of 9mm reloads to break even. I'm so tempted to do it myself. Lots of Vols on the forum today. I'm in exile right now. It'll take a lot of 9mm reloads to break even. I'm so tempted to do it myself. Lots of Vols on the forum today. I'm in exile right now. I mainly shoot .40's (she shoots 9's) We have accumulated a huge box of spent 9 & 40 cases. at some point reloading will pay off. We have been spending $200.00 + a month at wally world, I figure it'll pay off in a few months...or a year...

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Romney's Sick Joke OK, so Obama did a terrible job in the debate, and Romney did well. But in the end, this isn't or shouldn't be about theater criticism, it should be about substance. And the fact is that everything Obama said was basically true, while much of what Romney said was either outright false or so misleading as to be the moral equivalent of a lie. I guess you could say that Romney's claim wasn't exactly a lie, since some people with preexisting conditions would retain coverage. But as I said, it's the moral equivalent of a lie; if you think he promised something real, you're the butt of a sick joke. And we're talking about a lot of people left out in the cold -- 89 million , to be precise. Furthermore, all of this should be taken in the context of Romney's plan not just to repeal Obamacare but to drastically cut Medicaid. So enough with the theater criticism; Romney needs to be held accountable for dishonesty on a huge scale.

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Drew Olanoff has over 10 years of marketing, PR, customer service and support, relationship building and management, product management, and technical support experience in multiple verticals. Online, including mobile. He prides himself on being a connector. Connecting people, stories, information. He has worked under some amazingly talented and gifted PR pros while working for startups as a "Director of Community",... ? Learn More Tumblr, the micro-blogging service that allows everyone to be a creative publisher, has updated its iOS app to become faster and more engaging. Tumblr says it's "completely native." By "native," the company means that the app feels faster and more integrated into your iOS experience because it's no longer just a web view. After a few minutes of playing with it, I can tell you that the company has backed up its claims in every sense of the word. Recently, the company built a standalone photo-sharing app that was lovelier than its own app, so I knew that something was up. Mobile is really important for Tumblr, as it has helped propel the company to an impressive 20 billion pageviews a month . Sadly, it doesn't look like there's a native iPad version of Tumblr as of yet, even though this version will work on the device. We're so thrilled to tell you that our app is now completely native! Get ready for a faster, smoother, and more responsive Tumblr Dashboard. - Completely redesigned Dashboard -- bigger photos and faster post loading. - Spiffy new notification previews -- see exactly which posts were liked, reblogged, or replied to! - New blog screens with blog portraits and descriptions. - GIFs play automatically on your Dashboard! Slide your finger across to view frame by frame. - New gestures -- swipe right on any screen to go back to the previous view; long tap photos, links, tags, and post headers for more options. When you log in, you'll see the differences immediately. Everything is prettier, it's easier to browse content and obviously easier to publish content of your own. This is a much-needed update for an app that hasn't always had the best experience for sharing. In addition to new gestures, animated GIFs, a hallmark of the service, play right in your dashboard, or stream if you will. Following people and blogs on the service actually make sense now, as you can easily keep up to date on things when you're mobile, without hassle or annoyance. It feels a lot like Google+ for iOS and Android in the sense that it's really a joy to scroll for days and days. The key for the company is to take publishing to the next level by letting people engage with content in a way that other services, like WordPress or Blogger, don't let you do. By re-blogging, liking and following, Tumblr is truly a hybrid of a few different experiences, including Twitter. With a better notification system, that means you'll spend way more time hanging out in the app, much like you do right now with Facebook's iOS app. When someone comments or mentions you on Facebook, it's very very hard not to jump in and see what's up. Tumblr noticed. Smart move. Do you like gestures? Then check this out . Simply grab a photo from your stream and move it around: Recently, Tumblr's CEO, David Karp, said this about why he started Tumblr: "I wanted an ease of expression where I could up put a video or photo and I wanted it to have my own domain name. I wanted it to be something that I was really proud of." Tumblr is "blogging" for the masses, and that's not a bad niche to be in. Tumblr is a re-envisioning of tumblelogging, a subset of blogging that uses quick, mixed-media posts. The service hopes to do for the tumblelog what services like LiveJournal and Blogger did for the blog. The difference is that its extreme simplicity will make luring users a far easier task than acquiring users for traditional weblogging. Anytime a user sees something interesting online, they can click a quick "Share on Tumblr" bookmarklet that then tumbles the snippet directly. The result is...

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Can fake views be removed? Hi, I have another channel that I won't name here, but I'll be honest in saying that I got about 500 fake views recently via ytpros. I regret this decision and not because it cost $10, but because it doesn't seem right. I read that the way they do fake views doesn't violate youtube rules, which turns out to be technically true. However, the views are not by real people so there are no comments or likes. I'm not a fan of this, so I'm looking for a way to remove the views. Maybe I just have to contact Youtube and tell them what I did. I suppose they would remove it, and maybe I should do it first. Help is much appreciated. Hi, I have another channel that I won't name here, but I'll be honest in saying that I got about 500 fake views recently via ytpros. I regret this decision and not because it cost $10, but because it doesn't seem right. I read that the way they do fake views doesn't violate youtube rules, which turns out to be technically true. However, the views are not by real people so there are no comments or likes. I'm not a fan of this, so I'm looking for a way to remove the views. Maybe I just have to contact Youtube and tell them what I did. I suppose they would remove it, and maybe I should do it first. Help is much appreciated. No way to remove it yourself and I think youtube will remove your channel because it's against the rules. this is inreversable your stats stay with you forever and the only way for it to be remove is to get rid of the channel, for now you cant do anything about my suggestion is dont do it again and just continue to legitimately grow your channel Hi, I have another channel that I won't name here, but I'll be honest in saying that I got about 500 fake views recently via ytpros. I regret this decision and not because it cost $10, but because it doesn't seem right. I read that the way they do fake views doesn't violate youtube rules, which turns out to be technically true. However, the views are not by real people so there are no comments or likes. I'm not a fan of this, so I'm looking for a way to remove the views. Maybe I just have to contact Youtube and tell them what I did. I suppose they would remove it, and maybe I should do it first. Help is much appreciated. No you cannot remove views. No one can. Also if you tell them that you used a bot, then they will definitely take down your account. Best just to take down the video..

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Pages Friday, 6 July 2012 4 ways with a teapot Got an old teapot sitting around doing nothing? Here are some easy ways to add a beautiful injection to your home and garden. /// Make up brush holder I store my dirty brushes in a mini teapot and just take it into the bathroom for a spot of brush laundry when I've collected a few dirty ones together. The handle makes it perfect to pick up and move from place to place or easy to wipe under when I doubtlessly spill messy make up. /// Herb pot or window box Often you can pick up a cracked tea or coffee pot for mere pence. Sure they're not great for drinks but they're perfect for a mini herb garden because they have inbuilt drainage. Maybe even use them instead of traditional window boxes, you could secure them with pretty twine if you're high up or if your window ledge is slanted. /// Watering can Exactly what it says on the tin can. Easy, pretty and functional. /// Vase Simple and easy. Just fill your teapot with water and fresh flowers to fill your home with beautiful scents and cheery floral-ness. For my makeup brushes I use the glass jars from small pots of nutella, rinse out the last of the chocolate spread and take off the label. They have a rubbery lid too so you could use them for a ton of things. I do this :) Well, not what teapots. I have a huge collection of mugs. And the more special ones which I don't want to use to risk cracking or breaking, I use to store things in such as some of my make up brushes :) xo

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Just bought a 2nd hand laptop and it has a 1st gen i7 720qm 1.6x4. It's supposed to go to 2.6 or something under load but it just refuses to! The only way I can get it to exceed 1.6ghz is to use throttlestop and force the turbo.. The laptop is still fairly fast but it's just annoying! I've changed the powerplan, checked the temps, latest chipset drivers etc but nothing seems to work. It has the latest BIOS but it doesn't have any options in there. These are the maximums. The amount of Turbo Boost can be limited by power consumption (TDP), the amount of current flowing through your CPU (TDC) or the core temperature. It's usually power consumption that limits Turbo Boost. When fully loaded with something like Prime95, power consumption will exceed the Turbo Boost power limit and so Turbo Boost gets completely turned off leaving your CPU running at the default 12 multiplier or 1600 MHz. For Turbo Boost to fully work, you need to make sure the C3 and C6 sleep states are enabled. unused Cores need to be able to enter one of these sleep states so the remaining active cores can Turbo Boost up to the higher multiplier. The Turbo TDP and TDC power limits are locked in these processors so they are kind of lame. Their big brother the Core i7-920XM Extreme CPU can run fully loaded over 100% faster than the 720QM. If you can keep a 920XM cool enough, they can run all 4 cores fully loaded with a 24 or 25 multiplier compared to the 12 that you will get when your 720QM is fully loaded. Big difference. Time to start saving up. You won't be disappointed. It's a very good monitoring tool for these CPUs and can accurately calculate just how much Turbo Boost you are really getting during normal use. You can turn on the Log File option and go do some gaming and then when you are done you will have a record of what multiplier your CPU was using. It varies hundreds of times a second. ThrottleStop uses high performance timers within the CPU to calculate an average multiplier while this is going on. The sad part is that Windows background tasks often keep 2 or more cores active so you will never see the full 21 multiplier unless you disable 3 of your 4 cores which isn't a very practical thing to do to a Quad. I don't think you fully understand just how beastly the 920XM really is. Maybe this will open your eyes. svl7 over at Tech|Inferno knows how to get the most out of a 920XM. Yes, this is definitely a laptop and all 4 cores are fully loaded. This is a whole different performance league compared to what a fully loaded 720QM can run at. Matt - The 720 isn't bad. I'm looking to buy a couple of games in the future so that will probably test it more. General OS tasks are fine though. I just like having fast things I guess.. that looks serious!! That looks like a desktop version though with some serious cooling? A laptop might be harder to get me most out of? Can you select the turbo multipliers using throttlestop with the 920XM?? 200quid seems like a bit of a bargain when i see that.. are there 2nd and 3rd gen i7's that have that capability? The only issue is this motherboard has the PM55 chipset so a bit old now, so things like sata3 and usb3 are missing etc. Not sure weather to buy a new laptop or just beast this one up.

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The Financial Services Club is a unique service designed for Senior Executives and Decision Makers from any firm interested in understanding and planning strategies for the future of banking and finance. September 25, 2012 How do you behave when no-one is watching? During my trip around the Middle East, I met a lot of banks looking at a lot of new ventures with lots of dialogue about new business models, new products and services, new organisational structures and new ways to communicate with staff, customers and stakeholders. One of the key questions was how to maximise human resources. OK, now you could debate whether humans are resources or assets or whatever, but the core of this answer was that humans need to be valued and have values. We concurred that the clearest way to convince people of their role is to give them a very memorable understanding of what the company is about and then let them get on with it. A kind of values or principles based organisational model. Now I've seen this model in practice in many firms and they are often the best in their field. These firms have vision, mission and values statements, but their statements rock and roll, are passionate and are lived by everyone in the company, not just the CEO. Let's take an example of the difference between a firm with passion and one without. Here are two banks. The first has a statement of vision, mission and values as follows: Our Vision: To take our place as the most powerful, most profitable and most admired bank. Our Mission: Having regard to ethical values, to meet our customers' financial needs in the fastest and most appropriate way; to continue innovative works in order to achieve; and to have human resource with superior qualities, supported by the best technological infrastructure and service packages. Our Values: To exceed customer expectations in service quality. To be a pioneer in the implementation of technologies that create great experiences for our customers, employees and shareholders. To keep our reliability at the utmost level through the contribution of a strong capital structure and liquid assets. To make a positive contribution to the community To respect meritocracy during hiring processes, improving knowledge and skills of its employees, creating the most preferred work environment. These are laudable statements, but they fail. The reason they fail is that no-one can remember them. Turn away from the screen now, and tell me what this bank's third value is. You can't remember, can you? Even if you went to this screen every single day and read these statements, I doubt that over the weekend with your family you could tell them what your company's vision, mission and values are. You may think it's because you don't work for this bank that you cannot remember them, but even if the bank rolled this out with dry mist and bass beats of One Direction blaring out through the conference hall, give it a week and I bet these statements are forgotten. This is because most companies create such vision, mission and values from formulaic workbooks and workshops, using facilitating consultants who lack passion. Believe me, I've been there and done the workshops, got the t-shirt and wear the badge. Now let's try a different bank. Here's their vision, values and mission. Vision: to be the FIRST choice bank. Mission: to have our customers always vote us FIRST choice. Values: F riendly I nformed R esponsive S ervice-Oriented T rustworthy It's very similar to the previous set of visions, values and mission, but it's simplified, targeted and memorable. What is this bank's third value? I bet you remember now, as the acronym FIRST makes it easy to remember. But it's not just a veneer over the top of the organisation, but a layered approach with detail behind each value about how it is measured and managed. This is why every person from the CEO to the Janitor knew how friendly, informed, responsive, service-oriented and trustworthy was measured and rewarded. Everyone remembered the program. They knew that Friendly meant don't read from scripts. Informed means that you must know how to describe the firm's products and services in a way that is easy to understand for the customer. Responsive means dealing with customer's questions fast. Service-oriented means being clear about what the customer needs and how to deliver. Trustworthy means only sell what the customer needs and not what they don't. No PPI mis-selling or subprime mortgages at this bank. I could take this dialogue much further and into more depth, but the difference between the former and latter banks is that values are something that should live and breathe in a bank, or any other firm for that matter. They are not a plaque on the wall or a paper on the desk, but the way in which the bank thinks, acts and behaves. They are shared from the CEO to the Janitor and are so memorable that all of the company can articulate what these values mean for the bank and for them as an individual. In other words, it becomes the bank's culture. It's heart and soul. It's culture. It's core. It's the guiding light by which people behave when no one is watching. This last piece is Bob Diamond's statement from his BBC 2011 Lecture : "For me, the evidence of culture is how people behave when no-one is watching". How do people know how to behave when no-one is watching? How do they know right and wrong? Because the bank's shared their values with them and made it quite clear: "our value is to be trustworthy by selling the customer the right things, treat them as the centre of your focus and view the customer as being King or Queen." Alternatively: "our values are to be rich by selling the customer whatever they will buy, treat them as punters and view the customer as a muppet." Yep, values, visions and missions are simple. It's about culture and about the way the bank behaves from the top-down, not when no-one is watching. Simple. TrackBack TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.typepad.com/services/trackbac\\... Comments You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post. First class comment Chris and thanks - it could not have been more timely for me. I'm much involved just now on the matters of organisational values and giving them real life in the everyday 'how we do things here'. Whilst your take is primarily on the private sector, my current focus is on third sector organisations. Growing numbers of such organisation in the UK are opting for the social enterprise route. I, however, judge that a proportion of them are/will suffer from inadequate attention to the impact this has on their hitherto non-profit culture and on the staff and (voluntary) board members. These staff and members most likely did not join the organisation motivated by notions and practices of entrepreneurial and commercial behaviour. A move over to the entrepreneurial stance will, however, either have an impact on existing values, or the nature of that move will be governed by the existing values. I'm now scoping out the potential usefulness of this whole theme being approached on a cross-sector basis. Thanks again. Diamond's statement from his BBC 2011 Lecture: "For me, the evidence of culture is how people behave when no-one is watching". Nope. It's the demonstration of character. Which can be reinforced by culture to be sure. But behavior always reflects character

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The same thing happened to Pippi JRT when she was 8 months old. A muzzled Akita pinned her and was head butting her and she was screaming her head off. The owner said oh it's all right he can't hurt her he's wearing a muzzle But as his head was twice the size of her whole body he could and was hurting her. The same thing happened to Pippi JRT when she was 8 months old. A muzzled Akita pinned her and was head butting her and she was screaming her head off. The owner said oh it's all right he can't hurt her he's wearing a muzzle But as his head was twice the size of her whole body he could and was hurting her. Makes your blood boil doesn't it? Big hugs xxxxx Yeah we're OK now. This GSD had her pinned down, and Daisy was yelping Now you know how gutsy Daisy is.. wouldn't yelp for nothing I was shouting get off her, and the bloke just carried on with his walking.. and conversation. Hope you are OK now. I hate dog walkers on their phones too - I do the same as mv; go another way if I see someone on the phone and put Kilo on the lead if I have to take an important call. Where I used to walk before I moved a lad used to walk along reading a book whilst his dog did as it pleased!!

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Western Horse Review Full Description Western Horse Review is about Canadian life in the west. Mind you, not geographically -- for we have found the idea of "the west" is alive from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast -- but rather as a state of mind. For most of us who embrace this idea it includes the horse in some respect. At home in our pastures and barns, on the magnificent trails of this country, and certainly, in the competition arena. Also in our accruements and passions. One could say, in our identities. In our appreciation of the majesty of the animal, in the subtle nuances of the horse's work, and our various sports. Our idea of western style is also about a life that is engaged with western culture -- appreciative and honoring the land, from the cowboy tradition to current trends and views. It's modern, but respectful and mindful of tradition and history. It's photography, books, gear, travel, music and food. It honors the trainers, competitors, artisans, musicians, authors, photographers, artists and even regular folk, who spend their lives devoted to keeping our idea of the West in Canada alive. It's about appreciating the richness of our Canadian idea of how to live in the western way, recognizing its authenticity, and celebrating how it enriches all of our lives.

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The Worst Sound in the World is a Knife Scraping a Bottle Researchers at Newcastle University wanted to learn more about why our brains make us recoil from unpleasant sounds like nails on a chalkboard or screaming. So they looked at the brains of a group of volunteers (who no doubt regretted their decision after this test) and played them a series of sounds to find where the recoil response was coming from. They also asked people to rate the sounds they heard from most to least pleasant, leaving them with a (slightly less than definitive because of its small sample size) list of the very worst sounds on the planet. At the top? The sound of a knife scraping a bottle . After rating 74 sounds, participants in the study found these ten to be the worst. The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience , imaged subjects' brains while they were played a series of sounds ranging from soothing to godawful, and also shed some light on why we recoil from unpleasant sounds, finding that sounds in the 2,000 to 5,000 Hz range tend to trigger a response in the amygdala, a region of the brain responsible for regulating emotion and fear responses. That makes some sense, as one of the most glaring sounds of danger -- a fire alarm -- rests right in the middle of that range at about 3,200 Hz. Researchers also released a list of the four sounds rated the least unpleasant, including applause, a baby laughing, thunder, and flowing water. This, of course, means that the most pleasant sound in the world is a baby sitting next to a river and laughing at a thunderstorm while people nearby clap. Which doesn't actually sound too pleasant, but hey, what do we know? No video or audio file? Darn, I was curious about what that sounded like, well I guess I'll just have to ruin a perfectly good knife and bottle Anonymous Okay -- measuring the amygdala response and then saying it's "unpleasant" is a bit overrated. For example, hearing a women scream might make me feel afraid -- I wouldn't rank that sound as "unpleasant", though, because it's more of a "warning scream". ttp://www.facebook.com/ami.kismet Ami Kismet .....knife on a bottle and ruler on a bottle.... when does anyone encounter those sounds in every day life? ttp://www.facebook.com/zach.fortier Zach Fortier Wait what? "Chalk on a blackboard." Seems pretty normal to me. Bullroarer Ok... I just pulled out a knife and raked it across a wine bottle. Not exactly a pleasant sound but not the worst by far. Now some crying, whiny, kids and babies out there downright make my ears bleed.

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I never used to think of myself as elite upper class. I always grew up thinking of myself as a middle-class kid from a middle-class family. Part of the 99 percent, you know? Well, I dined out for all three meals today. About $50 NZD altogether. Yes, that's entirely too much money to be spending on food and I don't normally do that. It's actually kind of disgusting, isn't it? If I would just forgo that for a week or two and cook pasta instead, I could save enough money to buy a brand new Wii for my flatmate's birthday. Or save a few families' lives in another country somewhere. I'd probably be healthier, too. Here's where I'm going with this: I'm not in the 99%. I'm not in the 53% either, in case you were wondering. I'm in the 1%. Anyone who makes over $34k USD per year is in the top 1% of elite wealthy people in the world. Yeah, you heard me right: there are all kinds of people getting checks and foodstamps from the US government who are actually in the top 1% of the richest people in the world. That's how big of a deal this is. Almost half of the human race alive right now represents the bottom 5% of income earned in a given year. Think about that: that's billions of people getting only 5% of the money in the world divided up among all of the while most of the people reading this are probably all the way at the TOP of the pyramid. And yeah, I know: it's just too big. You can't even get your mind around it. I'll tell you straight up that I can't. Something about the knowledge that if I'm ever sad or annoyed about anything... well, there are people just a few islands over who are being methodically raped / sold into slavery / tortured / executed / etc (three letters which cover a lot of things I'd rather not even think about.) Oh, and then I guess a lot of them are dying and going to eternal Hell that is horrifying beyond our wildest dreams. And I get sad about some sports team losing some ball game. Why am I not sad about that? I mean, it's not like it's a big deal or anything, right? Or if I'm ever happy about much of anything... well, there are people right now who are being saved from all of that even as I type this. So why am I not completely ecstatic about that? Why am I not celebrating and shouting and telling everyone I know? I think the answer is disgusting and obvious and simple as human nature itself. Out of site; out of mind. And what does it take to wake us up? There's this big game we play of materialism and society and status and madness. It's the water we swim in. What does it take to snap us out of it? I've been given this beautiful and amazing life for no apparent reason while other people my age have sons and daughters eating mud and drinking disease and dying of starvation. And that's why we need pain. That is exactly why we need sorrow to break through all of our first-world comforts. That's why it's a good thing that my body has started to fail me more and more each year. What it takes to shatter the illusion that I can live for myself. That's why all of us need to see the stars and get the flu and lose everyone we will ever love. It shakes us out of our happy fantasy land and into real life -- even if only for a few minutes before we stick our heads back in the sand. We go to ridiculous lengths to keep ourselves distracted and stuck inside our own tiny empires. TV and Facebook and shopping malls and commutes and weekly schedules. And it ALWAYS eventually comes crashing down, because there is meaning to life and it has *nothing* to do with any of that stuff. You never could take it with you. Anything or anyone or anywhere: it will all leave you eventually. We all want to be the center of our own little world. We all want to get everything and give nothing. Reality is the direct opposite if that. We live in an incalculably huge, enormous, beautiful and terrible world. And none of us are anywhere near the center of it -- but for those who have been given much, much will be expected -- and he who seeks to find his life will lose it. And we want to tell ourselves there's a certain point of "good enough" where you can't ask for any more than that, right? How much giving is enough? You've got to be smart and not stupid. You've got to be more sensible than to just ruin yourself, right? And I try to convince myself that I'm doing the best I can with what I have. But the more I think about that phrase, the less I'm sure what it even means. And really, when it comes down to doing the BEST with what you have... is there anyone who ever does? 1 Hey Brad, as always I enjoy reading your thoughts. Whenever I think about the whole "People starving in Africa" topic, I prefer to remember that the goal is to help bring them a higher quality of life, not to drag us down to a lower quality of life. If I don't do this then my mind can't turn off the GIVE MORE mode -- to the point that I think if I'm not living in a cardboard box then I should feel guilty, and that is not how it should be. You're also right that we could all use a reality check every once in a while, but I don't think that we need to lose everyone we ever love to be blindsided by reality. Being broken for a time can definitely be a good thing, but the point of brokenness is to be built up stronger than before, not to be crushed into oblivion. "But for those who have been given much, much will be expected -- and he who seeks to find his life will lose it." -- Absolutely! I REALLY like this Bible verse, and I think you hit the nail on the head there. We've been given a lot of gifts, both tangible and intangible, over the course of our lives. We should be using those gifts to make the world a better place. However, neither of us are Superman (you're more like Batman anyway). So although we can not save the world single-handedly, we can make a world of difference within our sphere of influence. At least, that's how I try to roll. =) Coderman @ September 12, 2012 2:31 am 2 This reminds me of a topic we discussed during a religion class at good old St.Mary's High school. Only a few of us are going to be like Mother Theresa... What about the individuals who are invalids , who cannot give of themselves? Are they going to earn their place in heaven? My teacher, Sister Alice, who, by the way taught my sister, your aunt Claire , taught me and my children.! said something I will never forget. "They also serve, who only stand and wait" they give the rest of us a reason and a way to serve God. We may not be able to "SAVE THE WORLD" but we can contribute in some way where ever we are... Love you Brad Please pray for me and my up coming surgery. You can help one person right now by doing that... Grammy Mary Grammy @ September 12, 2012 2:51 am 3 There are a whole lot of ways in which I couldn't have said this better myself! Brings to mind a LOT of different scriptures...like Isaiah 58, 1 Timothy 6:6-10, & Matthew 16:24-28...& on & on. I think that Cody's right about not being Superman, & Grammy Mary is right about contributing where you are, but I also think that you're on the right track...are we really doing the best with what we have? The answer is probably no. It's definitely possible to steward resources differently than we do, & to live with less & be content, & to take the money saved & use it to relieve suffering & advance the kingdom. There are a lot of practical ways to go about doing that...it takes wisdom & prayer to know exactly what you should be doing yourself, I guess. How do you think you go about becoming the sort of person who REALLY cares, thinks, & prays about human suffering? Grammy Mary -- I haven't met you, but I will pray too! SP @ September 12, 2012 3:37 am 4 I agree with you Brad. I also agree with your family and friends. As Coderman pointed out, I don't think we should feel guilty about not living in a cardboard box. I mean, how can we look after others if we're not in a position to look after ourselves, right? It is all about doing what you can where you can. A little bit can go a long way. And it's not always about giving away money or material things either -- it's also about using your gifts, skills and wisdom to help others so that they can help themselves (whether those people who need help are across the world or right under your nose; whether they're starving or just need advice) I'm still getting to know you, but knowing what I know so far, I think you're already making a difference in people's lives -- by your music, by sharing your thoughts on this blog (so even if those people who're reading this are the elite 1%, you're inspiring them to go out and do their bit for the world!), by caring for your friends, family, and for the less fortunate. If you want to do more, that's great and it is your choice what you do, but I don't think we have to feel like we're not doing enough. At the end of the day, every little bit helps. And also I think it is more meaningful to the giver and receiver, if help is given freely with love in your heart rather than tainted by feelings of guilt and obligation. Just my thoughts anyway ^_^ miniNinja @ September 12, 2012 4:47 pm 5 About being happy / sad about those things... yes, out of sight out of mind -- but also, I think that to some degree -- if we constantly think about those things all the time, then paralysis comes in. The state of the world is so huge I doubt any human could properly contemplate all those things at once and respond appropriately. Or at least, I can't. When I worked in NGOs I remember the shock and sadness that hit so often every time a disaster struck and we collected donations...... to the point my mom told me that if I wanted to work there I had to get past the emotions and get on with it. About waking up and pain: yes, absolutely. But I agree with Coderman -- that the point of brokenness isn't to be crushed into oblivion... hmm, this is a topic that is too wide to broach in a comment box. Hmm, there is so much you have written in your post and as always I find my mind spinning as I try to pen down here the things I am thinking!! Discuss next time I see you? 6 WOW! So I have some seriously *wise* friends and family! I think I'm even more fortunate than I knew, because that definitely counts on the list of things I have going for me, you know? Coderman, Grammy, SP, miniNinja, and Mel -- all you guys: THANKS so much for the encouragement and extremely wise words! It means a lot to me. Also: Grammy -- I'm definitely praying! Big Bad Brad @ September 18, 2012 10:38 pm 7 Seriously: I keep re-reading these comments and they really hit the nail on the head in so many different ways. With that said, invitations all ACCEPTED to talk more about it... Big Bad Brad @ September 18, 2012 10:41 pm Leave a comment Name (required) Mail (will not be published) (required) Website BM@W Whatever that means. This is the site for all kinds of thoughts from the mind of Brad Moore. Whether those thoughts are coming from an eloquent musician / thinker / writer - or just from a Nebraska farmboy who somehow wandered into a South Pacific island nation... you may have to decide for yourself.

Opinion/Argumentation

CORE

English

Featured: Paul Rudd on Grace, Bar Mitzvahs and This is 40 The actor delivers a knockout turn as a Christian evangelical whose life spirals out of control in 'Grace,' a new Broadway play. I'm not sure we've seen you kill anyone before, in a film or on stage. I don't think I have! This is a very interesting and different part for me. And there are not many plays that open right with someone blowing their brains out. Rudd and Kate Arrington play hotel owners with a holy mission. (Joan Marcus) Is theater more creatively satisfying for you than acting in film? Acting in a play takes a lot of focus, concentration, and energy. The big myth is that you have a show at night so you have your days off, and that isn't the way it works. Your day revolves around the show. I spent the early part of my career doing plays and independent movies, and while I'm grateful that I'm still working and consider myself extremely fortunate, over the last few years I've gotten jobs in big studio movies that have much higher visibility; I hit that [Judd] Apatow trend. And those movies are very creatively fulfilling because the actors are involved in many different capacities. Was it strange to be a Jewish kid growing up in Kansas? This evangelical subject matter must hit pretty close to home. Oh yeah, man, I grew up in the Bible Belt. While I'm not the born-again Christian I'm playing, I know a lot of people who are because I was surrounded by that. The idea of gospel-themed hotels is -pretty wild. Ever had any strange -business ideas of your own? When a friend and I were in college these "Don't Be A Dick" shirts were popular, so we made one about safe sex. We actually made good money. You also DJed bar mitzvahs. What's the craziest thing you saw happen? I was just out of college and going to acting school, so I got this job working on the weekends. I had never seen bar and bat mitzvah receptions that were such huge deals. The Laker girls were at one. It was surreal. It was a weird job. What were your most-played songs? "U Can't Touch This" was pretty big at the time and "I'm Too Sexy," by Right Said Fred. You had your classics like "What I Like About You." It was good to start a set with "In the Mood," by Glenn Miller, because then you got the grandparents up and dancing. You don't throw MC Hammer at them right out of the gate. These are the tricks of the trade. Your next film, This Is 40 , is out soon. Did your outlook change when you hit 40? You think, Oh my God, the weight of even the word 'forty.' But my father died when I was 39, and I was still in a daze by the time I turned 40, so I didn't process that the way I should have. Marlow Stern is the assistant culture editor of Newsweek and The Daily Beast and holds a master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He has served in the editorial department of Blender magazine, and as an editor at Amplifier Magazine and Manhattan Movie Magazine.

Other

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Financial Fair Play equals nothing, but someone is going to go bust Billy the Dog McGraw runs his finger over Uefa's financial fair play rules, gets it snagged on a sharp bit and scuttles off to the local A and E for a quick repair. There is a report on the BBC web site this morning that "Two of English football's top-four clubs could be excluded from European competition in future as they fail Uefa rules that are about to be introduced." This is interesting to me at least because in the last few days a whole swirl of stories relating to the new financial regs have emerged. There's been little on them for months, and suddenly everyone and his grandmother's pet rat are dripping pieces into the media. What, one might ask, if one had the time and was not already 10 minutes late for work, is going on? Well bugger work for a bunch of soldiers, I'm staying put while I type this up. As our august overlords of the news, the BBC, point out, the Financial Fair Play Regulations do not come into force until 1 June and will not really bite until 2013. So why suddenly get multo agitato just now? The BBC says that "a study of recent accounts by BBC Sport shows Chelsea and Manchester City would fall well short of the rules if they were being applied today. City were 110m in the red while Chelsea showed a deficit of over 50m. Uefa's rules allow clubs to run up losses of 65m over the first five years." c Uefa will have the power to ban any side that repeatedly flouts the rules from European competition, but as we have noted in past discussion, any revenue earned from side businesses such as property, hotels or media are excluded. Hence the Manchester City plan to build lots of emporia in sunny Manchester next to the ground, and Tottenham's plan to build a superb six star hotel next to their ground, making use of the exquisite local features, the water fountains, the open garden spaces, and the proximity to more prostitutes and drug dealers than you can shake a stick at. (Some of that sentence is ironic, some of it is true -- you have to sort it out. I would do it but I am too busy typing this). Using this bit of rope Manchester IOU can get out of some of their problems because the interest payments incurred by the Glazer family won't count. So although Man U made a pre-tax loss of 79m in 2010 according to the Uefa Book Cooker in Chief, they made a profit of 42m. Clever eh? (That fellow used to work at Lloyds). Arsenal would also easily meet the guidelines, posting a surplus of 55m. But you, me, Andersred of Man U (whose knowledge of such things is spoken of from the plains of Cornwall where their supporter base is to the wild uplands of Mongolia when the Ulan Bator clan climb aboard their bus for home games) and Swiss Ramble have some doubts about the rest of the gang. Take Manchester C and Chelsea (I wish). Andersred considers that a ground like Arsenal's might pull in enough dosh for Chelsea. Swiss Ramble, the other financial blog of note on such matters reckons Man City have a cunning plan relating to property. But for any of this to work -- indeed for the clubs to survive, the financial players need the Champs League each year. There is no choice in this for Man City, Chelsea and Man U if they are going to meet the Uefa requirements. Arsenal can survive outside the top four, because the finances are so sound. But if Man U Man C Chelsea and Arsenal do constantly secure the top four, for the little clubs like Tottenham and Liverpool trying to break into to the big boys room, life is tough and money is hard to come by. Of course this is Uefa, so there's always a laugh on the horizson. This time it is Uefa general secretary Gianni Infantino. Try this one for size... "The English clubs are among those generating the highest revenues in Europe. The basic rule is the break-even rule that says you cannot spend more than you generate, so if you generate more than the others you have an advantage. So I am not worried at all about the English." Yes, well, I suppose so. Like Nat West, Lloyds and Northern Rock... Or come to think of it, Woolworths. "They know what these rules mean and how we will implement them. I am sure that tomorrow they will put their finances in order so they are able to break even. Our president spoke to Manchester City's owners over a year ago when we started with this process and they were very happy with it." So there we have it. Uefa speaks to Man City and Man City says, there there little man, let the big boys sort it out. Of course clubs can change -- that's true. As Mr Infantino said, "Ten years ago Arsenal reported less income than Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle. Now it is more than those clubs and in 2009 more than double Newcastle's. This shows what is possible with good management and careful investment." Yes, except this is now the post-wanker crisis recession doom gloom and end of the world. No one lends money any more. Elsewhere there are reports that Sheikh Mansour (I have to use his real name because I have used up all the Shake Rattle and Roll jokes, and the titles of those wonderful Frank Zappa albums like Sheikh Yerbooty, and Sheikh Yermoney) has sent club officials to hold talks with European football's governing body to discuss how they can comply with new regulations. Uefa's head of licensing Andrea Traverso stated: "We are in talks with the club, they are aware of the rules and they probably have a strategy to raise their income." Michel Platini said: "Last year in Abu Dhabi I met up with the owner of Manchester City and he promised they would live with the rules and regulations." Roberto Mancini said the 27m-signing of Edin Dzeko was the end of his spending until next Tuesday when he had promised to take his wife out for a meal. He also said they need another two or three players in the summer (that bit is true). Platini also said, "There will be no witch hunt," which I think is a shame. I like witch hunts. Not that I have anything much against witches of course, but given that a witch hunt involves chasing people who don't exist with powers that don't exist who undertake tasks that don't happen, witch hunts involve the rather futile passing of time for no particular benefit -- which makes it an ideal activity for Uefa. Just look at the figures: 655 top clubs in Europe reported a loss in 2009 and the combined deficit across Europe's 53 football nations was 1bn. Spending on player wages is up almost 10%, with clubs spending 64% of their income on these and other staff expenses. 73 European clubs are spending more than 100% of their revenue on wages. An analysis of the accounts of the EPL clubs last year for the Guardian showed that almost three-quarters of them would fall foul of the new Uefa regulations, if they were applied tomorrow. Because tucked away in the deepest of deep print in the smallest typeface ever conceived in the history of eyesight it says that if clubs can show that they are travelling in the right direction, that their losses are reducing year on year and can point to them being a result of contracts signed before June 2010 when the rules were enshrined they are safe. So even though costs are rising across Europe at around twice the rate of revenue, and only four leagues (Germany, Austria, Belgium and Sweden) broke even overall. Yes, at the start of all this I did naively think that maybe we were onto something here, and that Uefa might just get it right for once. But now it seems that it is all for nothing -- expect the fact that as Ireland, Portugal and Greece have found, eventually if you go on spending lots of money you don't have something goes bang. The only interesting question now is, which big club goes bang first. Barca were close last year when they failed to pay their players. Liverpool got right to the edge once their were owned by the bank. Everton are struggling on day by day but just can't sell themselves even for 1p. Rangers have to find a new buyer and have to win their case against Revenue and Customs to survive (lose both and they vanish totally). Man U are dependent on the Emperor's New Clothes act of the Glazers (look money, look no money). Even the astounding Tiny Totts who print their own money in their off-shore hideaways are talking about selling off players if they don't get into the Champs League again. In effect Uefa has made itself irrelevant. Our old capitalist chum Market Forces will run the show, and that means someone will get hurt. It always ends in tears. Nice Article... Although I dont really believe a lot of doom predicted for the big clubs is going to happen. Sooner or later, the big businesses always find a way out through whichever way be it creative accounting or getting the rules changed. I'll again say what i had said a long time ago regarding the financial fair play rules -- Big clubs will get a way around it. Many months ago, this very same site told how ManU will not be able to follow the rules bcoz of massive losses and now we're being told that they're running a profit according to the rules?? Thats why i said, big clubs will have a way around these rules. UEFA need the big clubs for their own revenue, so dont expect them to hit the hammer on their own finger. The fact that the Financial Fair play was originally meant to start from the 2010-11,but was postponed by Uefa till 2013 says it all. I have to agree with Dark Prince in that regard. I do not think the rules are going to be applied fairly across the board. Certain big clubs are too important for UEFA's revenues to leave them out. The likes of ManCity may get banned though, if nothing else but to make a show of seriousness about the rules, though I doubt even that will happen. But I think the article said as much anyway. That UEFA are basically not going to act. They will shut their eyes to all the madness going on, and eventually the madness will claim its own victims. there is never going to be a level playing field, the champions league would end up like the europa league over night if the big clubs werent allowed in and the competition would be discredited because the best teams werent allowed to pay, the perceived power of UEFA / fifa would be embarrassed because the big clubs could make their own competition set their own tv revenues and sky would pay it, the greedy clubs like barca would gladly cut schalke, shaktar out of a piece of the pie, the golden rule is he who has the gold makes the rules. ersonally I would like to see a competition where each league nominates their all stars and you have premier all stars versus la liga all stars and so on. The scary thing for me with arsenal is we have adapted the ajax model and I confess I dont know the reason why it failed but it did and ajax were very successful. I think it all went wrong the day Uefa asked JL Dehaene to be president of the committee that would look at things. I even wrote an article about it here on Untold. Seems a century ago. And I then warned: if Uefa take on this Belgium former politician to implement the FFP rules, it would lead to nothing. Because JL Dehaene is know in Belgium for doing nothing. Oh, and when he did something it was such a terrible law that if you asked 100 people how the rules should be read you got at least 110 different answers. I then hoped I would be wrong but it seems that I was right with my prediction. The one thing we can be sure of is that, in order to comply, all other clubs (other, that is, from Arsenal) will have to change the way they operate. And change always entails risk. Chelsea have already done things like not renewing the contracts of Ballack, Deco, Cole etc. that they would not have done had it not been for the FFP regulations. And one glance at the table shows what effect that has had in weakening Chelseas position this season. The sale of Ronaldo by Manure probably falls under the same heading. Yes, they may still win the league, but they have never sold their best player before, at any price, and it's likely that it's to do with proving that their balance sheet is 'moving in the right direction'. Spurs are talking today of 'streamlining their squad' because it's bigger than anyone elses -- when we all know that all squads are 25 players strong so that's bollocks designed for uninformed City ears and to demonstrate to UEFA that they are 'moving in the right direction' despite still not getting a new stadium and still being managed by a serial bankrupter of clubs. The most common mistake when assessing the effects of change is to over estimate them in the short term and to under estimate them in the long term. Change is already happening and the effects of that change are already noticable. But in five years time (and maybe a lot less) football could look quite different to how it looks now and those differences will suit Arsenal very nicely thank you. If UEFA wanted to screw Arsenal they wouldn't be publicly holding them up as the template by which they want all clubs to be run in the future. And the other clubs have' where they can, tried to screw us by spending money that they don't have. And their main screwdriver is being taken away from them! Cripes! Master William Mcgraw, is it capitalism for the poor and communism for the rich all over again? of course it is. the posturing is ridiculous until you realise just what a logistical nightmare is involved if you were going to rigorously delve into the finances of football clubs and just how many layers of specialist paper pushers are in for a big pay day, and of course the backhand brigade will be warming their envelope passing hands and various branches of the tax offices of various counties will be doing their best for the tax dodging elite all on our coin. the future looks muddy, the future looks vodaphoney, Oh bollocks!- Give me my arsenal to take the pain away and please god, blight the trolls with leprosy and open sores they're ruining Untold for Me. Tony/Walter/Billy, Totaly off topic I know, Id like to ask a question though. What if anything have you heard about an immenent announcement from the Arsenal board as quoted on Arseblog the other day ? Whats your thoughts on the youth chamions league due to start this summer with group games and a knockout phase in january. Do you feel it will be unbalanced as most clubs have all their youth out on loan to gain experience and only spanish clubs will benefit as they play together in the second divison ? Sorry about been off topic there was no where to ask these questions Regarding financial fair play. I think most people will believe it when they see it. @shard, When you see thoroughly dysfunctional organizations trying to reposition themselves for another big pay day, it is amazing just what shiny new dawn is promised to keep the proles looking in the other direction while the sharks slip into position out of sight. no one believes they can carry it off or that they have thought this out thoroughly, the only reason anyone has tried to cut costs on players is the credit crunch and the recession, but what better time to come out sabre rattling than when you enemy is preoccupied with surviving a bigger threat! it would go a long way if anyone could explain the qatar world cup just for starters. I agree Ugandan Goon..That's a good point. It actually is quite amazing when you think about it, that there isn't a larger acknowledgment that there is bound to be rampant corruption in the game..From people in general I mean, I understand why none of the media will talk about it. I mean, just the vast sums of money alone would be enough. But when you factor in that they operate in a world where there are no clear laws, no defined jurisdictions, and that they are only answerable to themselves and no one else, then how can anyone in their right minds not agree that there is bound to be corruption? I was shocked to see that at the start of the World Cup in South Africa, when after the opening ceremony Jacob Zuma and Blatter went to meet the players, it was Sepp Blatter who took precedence.. Doesn't that have to be some sort of a breach of protocol? Or does the FIFA president outrank a Head of State? while we're on the subject of finance- there have been pockets of fans calling dein back to the club, i am yet to so read a convincing argument against our current financial model. everyone is tightening their belts and yet we should throw money around? 50 million, say, for a world class striker, proven in the premiership, with champions league experience? I am yet to hear a convincing argument from all who say that Wenger should go, or that we need massive changes. They have one or two reasonable, and reasonably good points, but when you force them to put it in context and build the argument as a whole, then you realise it's all bluster and very little substance. It's just headless chickens running around in the belief that the sky is about to fall on their heads... Yes, it is as ridiculous as that. @Redgooner -- picked up on the imminent board announcement a couple days ago on Arseblog. He did not seem to know much about the forthcoming announcement, but did say Lady Nina was becoming conspicuous by her presence at recent games, and he suspected the whole thing may have "an orange glow about it" -- which I assume is a reference to Usmanov. Just hope it isnt Usmanov doing too much anyway -- if in charge, he would certainly be prone to breach the fair play rules! Pure speculation but maybe just Nina selling her shares to Usmanov but even if she did, would imagine Stan + board would not allow a takeover -- heres hoping! Or maybe Deins coming back! Sorry being very silly there! Guess we will find out soon if there is actually anything going on. @shard, Clearly, the worlds meanest party organizers have decided they are going to step up the entry fee by employing more of their friends to riffle through your pockets anywhere they chose right across the planet! World government sucks! Anybody see Wenger's press conference? I know there will be, and already are, people who take his comments out of context, and call for blood on the streets, but I love it when Arsene comes out fighting. He makes some good points too, but I think part of him wanted to just stick the knife into the more fickle fans. I guess that sort of attitude will not be to everyone's liking, but as I said, I love it when he fights back. @ Shard, I agree with the part would you swap the FA cup for chamions league qualifiaction each year.Id sooner have 0 FA Cups and 15 champions league qualifications even it means listening to we won nothing for 6 years. The points he make are valid and a lot of our frustration is as much to do with the crap the media are saying about us winning nothing more than going through 6 years without a trophy. we have gone longer before and it seemed shorter because every muppet out there wasnt constantly on about it. Agree Shard -- his comments oozed intelligence. Sections of the media and so called fans will brand him a satisfied loser as you say but these fans need to get over themselves and as for the media, we all know their agenda... The fact is, we are competing against clubs financed by billionaires, a club who has half the refs, the FA and most British managers in its pockets and we are not doing so badly. Great to hear Wenger on the attack. There will be many interpretations on his words,I believe he is categorically telling all and sundry he has not been given the finances, at least not until very recently. There are a few things wrong that need to be fixed -- for instance some of the Barca pressing and work ethic would not go amiss. I also think a revamp of coaching staff would help My favorite bit of all -- he would love to manage us for another 20 years! Wenger has not helped by saying things to the effect that if this team do not win silverware in the next couple of years -- he will have failed....but this press conference seems to be a new stance. Wenger, unlike Jose and to a lesser extent, Arry is not a quick fix merchant and never will be. Fans cannot take silverware for granted -- look at what we are up against. Some fans seem to have imploded after the Carling Cup -- if this competition hits them so badly, says a lot about them as fans. On a happy note, we have Lee Mason as ref this weekend, you know -- they guy who managed to single handedly get the Mancs back in the game when 2-0 down against West Ham. Should befun1 Who honestly didn't see this coming? Did you really expect the likes of Man Utd, Chelsea, and Barcelona to be excluded from European tournaments because their books aren't in order. Anyway, when is Arsenal going to start fighting fire with fire and stop thinking that one day Jesus Christ himself will come down and tame the sharks and the lions and make sure all Football Clubs live within their means. Maybe Wenger should be president of UEFA when he eventually leaves Arsenal, as I have faith in Wenger's moral code(although I wouldn't leave him alone with my wife). What is it they say about the victors writing history? Well, this is it. The victors are Man United and Barcelona and they are the ones who write the UEFA rules. If Arsene Wenger wants to have the authority to re-write the way football is run he has to win (I think he knows this), but the question is, "Do we have enough in the squad to pull this off?". If the answer is "YES" (Wenger's answer is YES) then we sit and wait for these players to get us to the promise land. If the answer is "NO"... The next question is, "Does spending 30 million pounds on players to improve the team hurt our perceived righteousness?"...If the answer is "YES" (Wenger's answer would be YES) then sit and wait for these players to pull off a miracle. If the answer is "NO", then we go out there, buy the pieces needed to get us to the mountain top and we worry about paying off that money later. The most important thing to do is to WIN, the next important thing to do is remember why we want to win. It is not just because we want glory for Arsenal, but because we want to show the world that Building a club around A FEW PURCHASED PLAYERS is just as effective as just splashing cash on every free agent on the market.

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Does your safety get engaged by accident? Like it gets bumped into safe when you are firing? If this is whats going on, check to make sure you didnt lose the safety plunger that puts pressure on the safety lever. There is no real way to tighten a safety. The only thing would be to try to make sure the pin that puts pressure on it is there and working. You could try using a stiffer spring so there is more pressure. Other than that the only thing could be buying a cheap safety and seeing if that works better for you.

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Two subspecies or ecotypes have been described: the plains bison ( Bison bison bison ), smaller in size and with a more rounded hump, and the wood bison ( Bison bison athabascae )—the larger of the two and having a taller, square hump. [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] Furthermore, it has been suggested that the plains bison consists of a northern ( Bison bison montanae ) and a southern subspecies, bringing the total to three. [ 7 ] However, this is generally not supported. The wood bison is one of the largest wild species of bovid in the world, surpassed by only the Asian gaur and wild water buffalo . It is the largest extant land animal in the Americas. A bison has a shaggy, long, dark brown winter coat, and a lighter weight, lighter brown summer coat. As is typical in ungulates , the male bison are slightly larger than the female and, in some cases, can be considerably heavier. Plains bison are often in the smaller range of sizes, and Wood bison in the larger range. Head-and-body length ranges from 2 to 3.5 m (6.6 to 11.5 ft) long, the tail adding 30 to 91 cm (12 to 36 in). Shoulder height in the species can range from 152 to 186 cm (60 to 73 in). Typical weight can range from 318 to 1,000 kg (701 to 2,205 lb). [ 10 ] [ 11 ] The heaviest wild bull ever recorded weighed 1,270 kg (2,800 lb). [ 12 ] When raised in captivity and farmed for meat, the bison can grow unnaturally heavy and the largest semi-domestic bison weighed 1,724 kg (3,801 lb). [ 13 ] The heads and forequarters are massive, and both sexes have short, curved horns that can grow up to 2 feet (61 cm) long, which they use in fighting for status within the herd and for defense. Calf Bison are herbivores , grazing on the grasses and sedges of the North American prairies . Their daily schedule involves two-hour periods of grazing, resting and cud chewing, then moving to a new location to graze again. Bison mate in August and September; gestation is 285 days. A single reddish-brown calf nurses until the next calf is born. If the cow is not pregnant, a calf will nurse for 18 months. At three years of age, bison cows are mature enough to produce a calf. Bison bulls of that age may try to mate with cows, but if more mature bulls are present, they may not be able to compete until they reach five years of age. Bison have a life expectancy of approximately 15 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity. For the first two months of life, calves are lighter in color than mature bison. One very rare condition is the white buffalo , in which the calf turns entirely white. White bison are considered sacred by many Native Americans. The term "buffalo" is sometimes considered to be a misnomer for this animal, as it is only distantly related to either of the two "true buffalo", the Asian water buffalo and the African buffalo . However, " bison " is a Greek word meaning ox -like animal, while "buffalo" originated with the French fur trappers who called these massive beasts bœufs , meaning ox or bullock—so both names, "bison" and "buffalo", have a similar meaning. Though the name "Bison" might be considered to be more scientifically correct [ by whom? ] , as a result of standard usage the name "Buffalo" is also considered correct and is listed in many dictionaries as an acceptable name for American Buffalo or bison. In reference to this animal, the term "buffalo", dates to 1625 in North American usage when the term was first recorded for the American mammal. [ 14 ] It thus has a much longer history than the term "bison", which was first recorded in 1774. [ citation needed ] The American bison is very closely related to the wisent or European bison . Although they are superficially similar, the American and European bison exhibit a number of physical and behavioral differences. Adult American bison are slightly heavier on average due to their less rangy build, and have shorter legs, which render them slightly shorter at the shoulder. [ 15 ] American bison tend to graze more, and browse less than their European cousins, due to their necks being set differently. Compared to the nose of the American bison, that of the European species is set farther forward than the forehead when the neck is in a neutral position. The body of the American bison is hairier, though its tail has less hair than that of the European bison . The horns of the European bison point forward through the plane of its face, making it more adept at fighting through the interlocking of horns in the same manner as domestic cattle, unlike the American bison which favors charging. [ 16 ] American bison are more easily tamed than their European cousins, and breed more readily with domestic cattle. [ 17 ] The bovine family (taurids and bisonids) diverged from the common ancestral line with water buffalo and African buffalo about 5 to 10 million years ago. [ 18 ] Thereafter, the family lineage of bison and taurine cattle does not appear to be a straight forward "tree" structure as is often depicted in much evolution, because there is evidence of interbreeding and crossbreeding between different species and members within this family, even many millions of years after their ancestors separated into different species. This cross breeding was not sufficient to conflate the different species back together, but it has resulted in unexpected relationships between many members of this group, such as Yak being related to American bison, when such relationships would otherwise not be apparent. However, Y chromosome analysis associated wisent and American bison. [ 20 ] An earlier study using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprinting showed a close association of wisent and American bison and probably with yak, but noted that the interbreeding of Bovini species made determining relationships problematic. [ 21 ] "Last of the Canadian Buffaloes", 1902, photograph: Steele and Company The steppe bison ( Bison priscus ) diverged from the lineage that led to cattle ( Bos taurus ) approximately 2 to 5 million years ago. The bison genus is clearly in the fossil record by 2 million years ago. [ 22 ] The steppe bison spread across Eurasia and was the bison that was pictured in the ancient cave paintings of Spain and Southern France The European bison or wisent arose from the steppe bison, without fossil evidence of other ancestral species between the steppe bison and the European bison, though the European bison might have arisen from the lineage that led to American bison if that lineage backcrossed with the steppe bison. Again, the web of relationships is confusing, but there is some evidence that the European bison is descended from bison that had migrated from Asia to North America, and then back to Europe, where they crossbred with existing steppe bison. [ 22 ] At one point, some steppe bison cross bred with the ancestors of the modern yak. After that cross breeding, a population of steppe bison ( Bison priscus ) crossed the Bering Land Bridge to North America . There is evidence of multiple crossings of bison to and from Asia starting before 500,000 years ago and continuing until at least 220,000 years ago. The steppe bison spread through the northern parts of North America and steppe bison lived in Eurasia until approximately 11,000 years ago [ 23 ] and North America until 4,000 to 8,000 years ago. [ 22 ] Bison latifrons (giant bison or longhorn bison) is thought to have evolved in midcontinent North America from Bison priscus , after the steppe bison crossed into North America. [ 24 ] [ 25 ] [ 26 ] Giant bison ( Bison latifrons ) appeared in the fossil record approximately 500,000 years ago. [ 22 ] B. latifrons was one of many species of North American megafauna which became extinct during the Quaternary extinction event . It is thought to have disappeared some 21,000–30,000 years ago, during the late Wisconsin glaciation. [ 27 ] The Bison latifrons (giant bison or longhorn bison) species was replaced by the smaller Bison antiquus . Bison antiquus appeared in the North American fossil record approximately 250,000 years ago. [ 28 ] Bison antiquus in turn evolved into the Bison occidentalis , then into the yet smaller Bison bison —the modern American bison—some 5,000 to 10,000 years ago. [ 29 ] [ 30 ] Some researchers consider Bison occidentalis to be a sub-species of Bison antiquus . [ 31 ] Pile of American bison skulls to be used for fertilizer in the mid-1870s During the population bottleneck, after the great slaughter of American bison during the 1800s, the number of bison remaining alive in North America declined to as low as 541. During that period, a handful of ranchers gathered remnants of the existing herds to save the species from extinction. These ranchers bred some of the bison with cattle in an effort to produce "cattleo". [ 32 ] Accidental crossings were also known to occur. Generally, male domestic bulls were crossed with buffalo cows, producing offspring of which only the females were fertile. The crossbred animals did not demonstrate any form of hybrid vigor, so the practice was abandoned. The proportion of cattle DNA that has been measured in introgressed individuals and bison herds today is typically quite low, ranging from 0.56 to 1.8%. [ 32 ] [ 33 ] In the United States, many ranchers are now utilizing DNA testing to cull the residual cattle genetics from their bison herds. The U.S. National Bison Association has adopted a code of ethics which prohibits its members from deliberately crossbreeding bison with any other species. Despite being the closest relatives of domestic cattle native to North America, bison were never domesticated by native Americans. Later attempts of domestication by Europeans prior to the 20th century met with limited success. Bison were described as having a "wild and ungovernable temper"; [ 34 ] they can jump 6 feet (1.8 m) vertically, [ 35 ] and run 35–40 mph (56–64 km/h) when agitated. This agility and speed, combined with their great size and weight, makes bison herds difficult to confine as they can easily escape or destroy most fencing systems, including most razor wire . There are approximately 500,000 bison in captive commercial populations, mostly plains bison, on about 4,000 privately owned ranches, and approximately 30,000 animals in environmental and government preserves. [ 36 ] According to the IUCN , there are only 15,000 animals that are considered wild bison in the natural range within North America, defined as free-ranging and not confined primarily by fencing. [ 37 ] American bison live in river valleys, and on prairies and plains. Typical habitat is open or semi-open grasslands, as well as sagebrush, semi-arid lands and scrublands. Some lightly wooded areas are also known historically to have supported bison. Bison will also graze in hilly or mountainous areas where the slopes are not steep. Though not particularly known as high altitude animals, bison in the Yellowstone Park bison herd are frequently found at elevations above 8,000 feet and the Henry Mountains bison herd is found on the plains around the Henry Mountains , Utah, as well as in mountain valleys of the Henry Mountains to an altitude of 10,000 feet. Bison are increasingly raised for meat and hides; the majority of American bison in the world are raised for human consumption. Bison meat is generally considered to taste very similar to good beef, but is lower in fat and cholesterol , yet higher in protein than beef, [ 38 ] a fact which has led to the development of beefalo , a fertile hybrid of bison and domestic cattle. In 2005, about 35,000 bison were processed for meat in the U.S., with the National Bison Association and USDA providing a "Certified American Buffalo" program with birth-to-consumer tracking of bison via RFID ear tags. There is even a market for kosher bison meat; these bison are slaughtered at one of the few kosher mammal slaughterhouses in the U.S., and the meat is then distributed nationwide. Recent genetic studies of privately owned herds of bison show that many of them include animals with genes from domestic cattle. [ 39 ] For example, the herd on Santa Catalina Island, California , isolated since 1924 after being brought there for a movie shoot, were found to have cattle introgression. [ 40 ] It is estimated that there are as few as 12,000 to 15,000 pure bison in the world. The numbers are uncertain because the tests used to date— mitochondrial DNA analysis—indicate only if the maternal line (back from mother to mother) ever included domesticated bovines and thus say nothing about possible male input in the process. It was found that most hybrids look exactly like purebred bison; therefore, appearance is not a good indicator of genetics. The size of the Canadian domesticated herd (genetic questions aside) grew dramatically through the 1990s and 2000s. The 2006 Census of Agriculture reported the Canadian herd at 2006 195,728 head, 34.9% increase since 2001. [ 41 ] Of this total, over 95% was located in Western Canada , and less than 5% in Eastern Canada . Specifically Alberta was the province with the largest herd, accounting for 49.7% of the herd and 45.8% of the farms. The next largest herds were in Saskatchewan (23.9%), Manitoba (10%), and British Columbia (6%). The main producing regions were in the northern parts of the Canadian prairies , specifically in the parkland belt , with the Peace River region (shared between Alberta and British Columbia) begin the most inmportant cluster, accounting for 14.4% of the national herd. [ 41 ] Canada also exports bison meat, totaling 2,075,253 kilograms (4,575,150 lb) in 2006. [ 42 ] A proposal known as Buffalo Commons has been suggested by a handful of academics and policymakers to restore large parts of the drier portion of the Great Plains to native prairie grazed by bison. [ 39 ] Proponents argue that current agricultural use of the shortgrass prairie is not sustainable , pointing to periodic disasters, including the Dust Bowl , and continuing significant human population loss over the last 60 years. However, this plan is opposed by some who live in the areas in question. [ citation needed ] American bison galloping. Photos by Eadweard Muybridge , first published in 1887 in Animal Locomotion . Bison are migratory and herd migrations can be directional as well as altitudinal in some areas. [ 43 ] [ 44 ] [ 45 ] Bison have usual daily movements between foraging sites during the summer. In a montane valley, bison have been recorded traveling, on average, 3.2 km a day. [ 45 ] The summer ranges of bison appear to be influenced by seasonal vegetation changes, interspersion and size of foraging sites, the rut and the number of biting insects. [ 43 ] The size of preserve and availability of water may also be a factor. [ 45 ] Bison are largely grazers, eating primarily grasses and sedges. On shortgrass pasture, bison predominately consume warm season grasses. [ 46 ] On mixed prairie, it appears that cool season grasses, including some sedges, compose 79–96% of their diet. [ 47 ] In montane and northern areas, sedges are selected throughout the year. [ 43 ] Bison also drink water or consume snow on a daily basis. [ 45 ] Female bison live in maternal herds which include other females and their offspring. Male offspring leave their maternal herd when around three years old and will either live alone or join other males in bachelor herds. Male and female herds usually do not mingle until the breeding season, which can occur from July through September. [ 48 ] However female herds may also contain a few older males. During the breeding season, dominant bulls maintain a small harem of females for mating. Individual bulls "tend" cows until allowed to mate, by following them around and chasing away rival males. The tending bull will shield the female's vision with his body so she will not see any other challenging males. A challenging bull may bellow or roar to get a female's attention and the tending bull has to bellow/roar back. [ 49 ] The most dominant bulls mate in the first 2–3 weeks of the season. [ 49 ] More subordinate bulls will mate with any remaining estrous cow that has not mated yet. Male bison play no part in raising the young. Bison herds have dominance hierarchies that exist for both males and females. A bison's dominance is related to its birth date. [ 50 ] Bison born earlier in the breeding season are more likely to be larger and more dominant as adults. [ 50 ] Thus bison are able to pass on their dominance to their offspring as dominant bison breed earlier in the season. In addition to dominance, the older bison of a generation also have a higher fertility rate than the younger ones. [ 50 ] Cows nurse their calves for at least 7 or 8 months but most calves seem to be weaned before the end of their first year. [ 45 ] Bison have been observed to display homosexual behaviors , males much more so than females. In the case of males, it is unlikely to be related to dominance but rather to social bonding or gaining sexual experience. [ 51 ] Bison mate in late spring and summer in more open plain areas. During fall and winter, bison tend to gather in more wooded areas. During this time, bison partake in horning behaviors. They will rub their horns against trees, young saplings and even utility poles. Aromatic trees like cedars and pine seem to be preferred. Horning appears to be associated with insect defense as it occurs most often in the fall when the insect population is at its highest. [ 52 ] Cedar and pines emit an aroma after bison horn them and this seems to be used as a deterrent for insects. [ 52 ] A bison wallow is a shallow depression in the soil, which is used either wet or dry. Bison roll in these depressions, covering themselves with dust or mud. Past explanations and current hypotheses suggested for wallowing behavior include grooming behavior associated with shedding, male-male interaction (typically rutting behavior), social behavior for group cohesion, play behavior, relief from skin irritation due to biting insects; reduction of ectoparasite ( tick and lice ) load; and thermoregulation . [ 53 ] While often secure from predation due to their size and strength, in some areas, bison are regularly preyed upon by wolves . Wolf predation typically peaks in late spring and early summer, with attacks usually being concentrated on cows and calves. Observations have shown that wolves more actively target herds with calves than those without. The length of a predation episode varies, ranging from a few minutes to over nine hours. [ 54 ] [ 55 ] Bison display five apparent defense strategies in protecting calves from wolves: running to a cow, running to a herd, running to the nearest bull, running in the front or center of a stampeding herd, and entering water bodies such as lakes or rivers. When fleeing wolves in open areas, cows with young calves take the lead, while bulls take to the rear of the herds, to guard the cows' escape. Bison typically ignore wolves not displaying hunting behavior. [ 56 ] Wolf packs specializing in bison tend to have a greater number of males, as their larger size compared to the females allows them to wrestle their prey to the ground more effectively. [ 57 ] Healthy, mature bulls in herds rarely fall victim to predators. The grizzly bear can also pose a threat to calves and sometimes old, injured or sick adult bison. Bison are among the most dangerous animals encountered by visitors to the various U.S. and Canadian national parks and will attack humans if provoked. They appear slow because of their lethargic movements but can easily outrun humans—bison have been observed running as fast as 40 miles per hour (64 km/h). Between 1980 and 1999, more than three times as many people in Yellowstone National Park were injured by bison than by bears. During this period, bison charged and injured 79 people, with injuries ranging from goring puncture wounds and broken bones to bruises and abrasions. Bears injured 24 people during the same time frame. Three people died from the injuries inflicted—one person by bison in 1983, and two people by bears in 1984 and 1986. [ 58 ] Buffalo hunting (hunting of the American bison) was an activity fundamental to the Plains Indian tribes of the United States, which was later adopted by American professional hunters, leading to the near-extinction of the species around the year 1890. It has since begun to recover. Year American bison (est) Before 1492 60,000,000 1890 750 2000 360,000 Range history of bison in North America Original distribution of plains bison and wood bison in North America. Holocene bison ( Bison occidentalis ) is an earlier form at the origin of plains bison and wood bison. Holocene bison Wood bison Plains bison Map of the extermination of the bison to 1889. This map based on William Temple Hornaday 's late-nineteenth-century research. Original range Range as of 1870 Range as of 1889 Distribution of public herds of plains bison and of free-ranging or captive breeding wood bison in North America as of 2003. Two of the major problems that bison face today are the genetic bottleneck and lack of genetic diversity that has been caused by the very small number of bison that survived their near extinction event. A second genetic problem is the entry of genes from domestic cattle into the bison population, through hybridization. [ 39 ] Officially, the "American buffalo" is classified by the United States government as a type of cattle, and the government allows private herds to be managed as such. This is a reflection of the characteristics that bison share with cattle. Though the American bison ( Bison bison ) is not only a separate species, but is usually regarded as being in a separate genus from domestic cattle ( Bos taurus ), they clearly have a lot of genetic compatibility and American bison can interbreed with cattle, although only the female offspring are fertile in the first generation. These female hybrids can be bred back to either bison or domestic bulls, resulting in either 1/4 or 3/4 bison young. Female offspring from this cross are also fertile, but males are not reliably fertile unless they are either 7 ⁄ 8 bison or 7 ⁄ 8 domestic. [ 59 ] Moreover, when they do interbreed, crossbreed animals in the first generation tend to look very much like purebred bison, so appearance is completely unreliable as a means of determining what is a purebred bison and what is a crossbred cow. Many ranchers have deliberately cross bred their cattle with bison, and it would also be expected that there could be some natural hybridization in areas where cattle and bison occur in the same range. Since cattle and bison eat similar food and tolerate similar conditions, they have often been in the same range together in the past, and opportunity for cross breeding may sometimes have been common. In recent decades tests were developed to determine the source of mitochondrial DNA in cattle and bison, and it was found that most private "buffalo" herds were actually cross bred with cattle, and even most state and federal buffalo herds had some cattle DNA. With the advent of nuclear microsatellite DNA testing, the number of herds known to contain cattle genes has increased. Though approximately 500,000 bison exist on private ranches and in public herds, some people estimate that perhaps only 15,000 to 25,000 of these bison are pure and are not actually bison-cattle hybrids. "DNA from domestic cattle ( Bos taurus ) has been detected in nearly all bison herds examined to date." [ 60 ] Significant public bison herds that do not appear to have hybridized domestic cattle genes are the Yellowstone Park bison herd , the Henry Mountains bison herd which was started with bison taken from Yellowstone Park, the Wind Cave bison herd and the Wood Buffalo National Park bison herd and subsidiary herds started from it, in Canada. A landmark study of bison genetics that was performed by James Derr of the Texas A&M University corroborated this. [ 61 ] The Derr study was undertaken in an attempt to determine what genetic problems bison might face as they repopulate former areas, and it noted that bison seem to be doing quite well, despite their apparent genetic bottleneck . One possible explanation for this might be the small amount of domestic cattle genes that are now in most bison populations, though this is not the only possible explanation for bison success. In the study cattle genes were also found in small amounts throughout most national, state and private herds. "The hybridization experiments conducted by some of the owners of the five foundation herds of the late 1800s, have left a legacy of a small amount of cattle genetics in many of our existing bison herds." He also said, "All of the state owned bison herds tested (except for possibly one) contain animals with domestic cattle mtDNA." [ 61 ] It appears that the one state herd that had no cattle genes was the Henry Mountains bison herd in the Henry Mountains of Utah . It is also notable that the Henry Mountain herd was started initially with transplanted animals from Yellowstone Park. However, the extension of this herd into the Book Cliffs of central Utah involved mixing the founders with additional bison from another source, so it is not known if the Book Cliffs extension of the herd is also free of cattle hybridization. A separate study by Wilson and Strobeck, published in Genome , was done to define the relationships between different herds of bison in the United States and Canada, and to determine whether the bison at Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada and the Yellowstone Park bison herd were possibly separate subspecies, and not plains bison. It was determined that the Wood Buffalo Park bison were actually cross breeds between plains bison and wood bison, but that their predominant genetic makeup was truly that of the expected "wood buffalo". [ 8 ] However, the Yellowstone Park bison herd were pure plains bison, and not any of the other previously suggested subspecies. Another interesting finding was that the bison in the Antelope Island bison herd in Utah appeared to be more distantly related to other plains bison in general than any other plains bison group that was tested, though this might be due to genetic drift caused by the small size of only 12 individuals in the founder population. A side finding of this was that the Antelope Island bison herd appears to be most closely related to the Wood Buffalo National Park bison herd, though the Antelope Island bison are actually plains bison. The first thoroughfares of North America, except for the time-obliterated paths of mastodon or muskox and the routes of the Mound Builders , were the traces made by bison and deer in seasonal migration and between feeding grounds and salt licks . Many of these routes, hammered by countless hoofs instinctively following watersheds and the crests of ridges in avoidance of lower places' summer muck and winter snowdrifts, were followed by the Indians as courses to hunting grounds and as warriors' paths. They were invaluable to explorers and were adopted by pioneers . Among Native American tribes, especially the Plains Indians, the Bison was considered a sacred animal and religious symbol. According to University of Montana anthropology and Native American studies professor S. Neyooxet Greymorning, "The creation stories of where buffalo came from put them in a very spiritual place among many tribes. The buffalo crossed many different areas and functions, and it was utilized in many ways. It was used in ceremonies, as well as to make tipi covers that provided homes for people, utensils, shields, weapons and parts were used for sewing with the sinew." [ 63 ] The Sioux consider the birth of a White Buffalo to be the returning of White Buffalo Calf Woman , their primary cultural prophet and the bringer of their "Seven Sacred Rites". Among the Mandan and Hidatsa , the White Buffalo Cow Society was the most sacred of societies for women. First postage stamp with image of bison was issued US in 1898—4¢ "Indian Hunting Buffalo". Part of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition commemorative series. The American bison is often used in North America in official seals, flags, and logos. In the United States, the American bison is a popular symbol in the Great Plains states. Kansas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming have adopted the animal as their official state mammal , and many sports teams have chosen the bison as their mascot. In Canada, the bison is the official animal of the province of Manitoba and appears on the Manitoba flag. It is also used in the official coat of arms of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police . Several American coins feature the bison, most famously on the reverse side of the " buffalo nickel " from 1913 to 1938. In 2005, the United States Mint coined a nickel with a new depiction of the bison as part of its "Westward Journey" series. The Kansas and North Dakota state quarters, part of the " 50 State Quarter " series, each feature bison. The Kansas state quarter has only the bison and does not feature any writing, while the North Dakota state quarter has two bison. The Yellowstone National Park Quarter also features a bison standing next to a geyser. Other institutions which have adopted the bison as a symbol or mascot include:

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IT is a load of old poo - it's official That quote is basically a polite way of saying IT and poo are pretty much the same thing, so thanks to Chandrakant D. Patel, the director of HP's sustainable information technology laboratory for his contribution to the great "It is a load of old s**t" debate, in a report in the New York Times . Patel was, apparently, talking about a report from HP that suggests cow manure could soon power datacentres. According to HP, a dairy farmer could rent out land, create a poo-to-fuel converter, and sell the energy to datacentre operators located nearby, and make a return on their investment within two years. "The average cow makes enough waste per day to power a 100-watt light bulb," Michael Kanellos, editor in chief at Greentech Media, told the New York Times . Staff in large enough IT departments might want to consider relocating the office loo next to the datacentre room. Who knows, you might even earn a bonus for reducing energy costs.

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Sydney's Battleships -- Stream A Couple Of Videos by New Music Michael on November 16 2012 Working on some non-music tasks last night at the computer, and at the same time trying to get through some of the listening required by my overflowing inbox. Trying to keep it under control. It's not easy. But this band made it easier, because oh my god they're good. From Sydney, Australia. Speaking of which, I wonder if my friend Jennifer is still there. I should check in with her. Or if she's reading this she should email me. At any rate, Battleships are an indie rock / folk quartet that are captivating. Alluring. Mellow but with a grab-you-by-throat-throw-you-down-to-the-ground aesthetic. You can check out a couple of videos, the one above is "In Retrospect", and the one below is "Your Words". Their newest 7" has just been released featuring the track "To You". It's got a total of seven tracks on it, including of course the tracks from the two videos. It just dropped last week (I checked on iTunes first, it's definitely there).

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Yeah, i'd echo that. The Snake is a great album. I don't rate Crock of Gold very highly though. There are some fantastic tracks on it such as St.John of Gods and Mother Mo Croi but i find it too sanatised and country for my personal taste, he seemed to have lost some of his bite (excuse the pun). The Snake is a great rock & roll album. The first two tracks on full blast can't be beaten Sadly there's not that much of Shane's solo stuff to be discovered, but as already mentioned, Snake and Crock of Gold are (in my humble opinion) highly brilliant. Since I'm a big country fan as well, I welcome the country influence on the latter. If you just want to start with a few tracks instead of full albums, here's what I'd recommend: St. John of Gods Lonesome Highway Snake with Eyes of Garnet The Song with No Name More Pricks Than Kicks Victoria Nancy Whiskey bla bla bla...btw: his live album with the Popes ( Across the Broad Atlantic ) is brilliant as well. It features some really good live versions of Pogues tracks as well. in_the_morning wrote: Sadly there's not that much of Shane's solo stuff to be discovered, but as already mentioned, Snake and Crock of Gold are (in my humble opinion) highly brilliant. Since I'm a big country fan as well, I welcome the country influence on the latter. If you just want to start with a few tracks instead of full albums, here's what I'd recommend: St. John of Gods Lonesome Highway Snake with Eyes of Garnet The Song with No Name More Pricks Than Kicks Victoria Nancy Whiskey bla bla bla...btw: his live album with the Popes ( Across the Broad Atlantic ) is brilliant as well. It features some really good live versions of Pogues tracks as well. Across the Broad Atlantic is a lovely little live album however I would say the pogues numbers are probably the weakest on it. They just don't pack the same punch if that makes sense. Further evidence that the pogues are not just Shane's backing band. Their music makes some already brilliant lyrics into powerful songs. in_the_morning wrote: Sadly there's not that much of Shane's solo stuff to be discovered, but as already mentioned, Snake and Crock of Gold are (in my humble opinion) highly brilliant. Since I'm a big country fan as well, I welcome the country influence on the latter. If you just want to start with a few tracks instead of full albums, here's what I'd recommend: St. John of Gods Lonesome Highway Snake with Eyes of Garnet The Song with No Name More Pricks Than Kicks Victoria Nancy Whiskey bla bla bla...btw: his live album with the Popes ( Across the Broad Atlantic ) is brilliant as well. It features some really good live versions of Pogues tracks as well. Across the Broad Atlantic is a lovely little live album however I would say the pogues numbers are probably the weakest on it. They just don't pack the same punch if that makes sense. Further evidence that the pogues are not just Shane's backing band. Their music makes some already brilliant lyrics into powerful songs. agree! What I meant was that some of the Pogues tracks on Across the Broad Atlantic do have a refreshing and good sound in their own rights (for example "Streams of Whiskey" or "Rainy Night" or "Fairytale"), however, compared to the Pogues' musicianship (although comparing is a bit of a silly thing to do) they are not that great anymore. You just have to listen to Across the Broad Atlantic and then followed by Pogues at Brixton 2001 , so yes, you are right. Nevertheless, Shane's live album is great, some very raw and powerful renditions on it. Fr. McGreer wrote: The Snake is a great rock & roll album. The first two tracks on full blast can't be beaten Agreed. But if you can choose, get the original version. It was later re-released with a different track order, and padded out with duets with Sinead O'Connor & Marie Brennan and another couple of tracks. All may or may not be good songs depending what you like, but I thought it killed the flow of the "album" and made it a compilation instead. Those duets just don't mesh! Does anybody else think it's funny that Shane & The Popes released two studio albums AND a two-disc "best of"? I one-disc collection of non-album tracks should have been plenty, i'd think. And for the record, I quite like both albums, and a number of the b-sides. In these days of downloading for free, you should check it all out. Some of the live stuff is laughably terrible, but some of it surprisingly good. Fr. McGreer wrote: The Snake is a great rock & roll album. The first two tracks on full blast can't be beaten Agreed. But if you can choose, get the original version. It was later re-released with a different track order, and padded out with duets with Sinead O'Connor & Marie Brennan and another couple of tracks. All may or may not be good songs depending what you like, but I thought it killed the flow of the "album" and made it a compilation instead. Those duets just don't mesh! Does anybody else think it's funny that Shane & The Popes released two studio albums AND a two-disc "best of"? I one-disc collection of non-album tracks should have been plenty, i'd think. And for the record, I quite like both albums, and a number of the b-sides. In these days of downloading for free, you should check it all out. Some of the live stuff is laughably terrible, but some of it surprisingly good. Wasn't that called the rare old stuff or something? I think I have it somewhere Fr. McGreer wrote: The Snake is a great rock & roll album. The first two tracks on full blast can't be beaten Agreed. But if you can choose, get the original version. It was later re-released with a different track order....... Definately. Nancy Whiskey is a great track but does not fit in straight after Church of the Holy Spook. I do like the duets, especially the version of Haunted. Sinead is just amazing on that track and struggle to choose a favourite between all the versions released (box set included).

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Top in Technology An indigenous language chat application for mobile devices has created a shimmer of hope for the survival of aboriginal culture across the province and country. FirstVoices Chat is an iPhone application with over 100 keyboards for indigenous languages compatible with Facebook Chat and Google Talk. [...] Top Feature As athletes and coaches we spend a lot of time working on physical, technical and strategic skills in our particular sport. But is that enough? What about the mental aspect of the game? How important is it for athletes to prepare their psychological mindset? [...] We Need to Talk About Kevin is tedious psychological horror These two put a lot of work into developing a convincing family scowl. Sometimes directors and actors work at cross purposes, causing a film to be disjointed and aimless, regardless of a clever scene here or a good performance there. Unfortunately, such cross purposes plague We Need to Talk About Kevin and are likely responsible for much of its failure as a film. We Need to Talk About Kevin is a celebrated psychological horror drama that follows Eva Khatachadourian, a reluctant mother, as she deals with her demon-seed son Kevin and the aftermath of his horrific actions at school. The film has no fixed timeline and jumps around to moments before and after Kevin's crimes with no discernible pattern. The sequencing of events merely reflects Eva's fragile mental state. She is as much consumed by the horrors of Kevin's childhood and her failure as a mother in the past as she is by the aftermath of his crimes she deals with in the present. Tilda Swinton, the pale, androgynous actress known for her roles in The Chronicles of Narnia and Michael Clayton , plays Eva. Swinton is a fascinating actress; she carries this film and gives an impressive performance despite its failings. This is because We Need to Talk About Kevin is most interesting in its exploration of Eva's depression and hatred for her child, Kevin. Eva never wanted to have a child and from the early moments when baby Kevin refuses to stop crying, we realize she hates the kid. In one hilarious scene, Eva is out with Kevin in his stroller and takes a break beside a jackhammer in the streets of New York City, basking in the machine's loud noise as it drowns out her child's wails. The scene is extremely honest, but little touches like this are few and far between and can't save the film from its glaring tonal mistakes. One major error is that director Lynne Ramsay seems to think this is a horror film. She makes the film impressionistic and fills it with stylistic flourishes. It's as if she intends to pummel the audience into terror through exaggeration and the relentlessly depressing tone of everything occurring onscreen. While Tilda Swinton plays the character as though she's in a psychological drama about a mother dealing with the devastating consequences of her son's horrific actions, Ramsay does the subject matter an injustice and mistakenly gives it a horror genre treatment. Swinton mines a fascinating situation and explores the question of whether parents have any responsibility in the actions of their children. Unfortunately, Ramsay doesn't seem at all interested in actually exploring this question. She's too interested in her stylistic touches. For example, everything in the film is splattered with red -- red blood, red sandwich jelly, red paint, red tomatoes, red lamps, red chairs, red cans in a grocery store. Everywhere Eva goes, she is surrounded by red. This is meant as a way to skewer the perception of the events; we are supposed to be seeing everything as Eva sees it, and because she is fixated on the blood her son spilled, everything gets a red tinge. However, instead of its desired effect, the oversaturation of red just becomes a running gag. Ramsay intended horror and instead produced camp. In another scene, Eva is terrorized by children in Halloween costumes on her way home from work, and all the while Buddy Holly's "Everyday" plays on the car radio. This is meant to be terrifying but is instead laughable. In almost every scene involving other people, the townsfolk just stare at Eva as though they are characters out of Village of the Damned . There's nothing wrong with these tropes in genre movies, but not in this context. In essence, Ramsay is playing camp horror seriously and the result is a film that is repetitive and preposterous. Perhaps the film's biggest sin is that Kevin is a B-movie villain. Instead of a complex portrait of a sociopathic child, he is merely a demon seed. He is evil from the moment he is born and no action of his makes us question that designation. This would be fine for a genre film, but for something exploring such challenging subject matter, it is reductive and a little offensive, as if it were explaining away Columbine by saying the killers were merely "bad seeds." Exploring whether Eva is at all responsible for Kevin's development becomes a lost cause. There was never any chance for Eva to teach Kevin to be good since he's pure evil from the get-go, and her obsessing over her own responsibility is fruitless. We Need to Talk About Kevin is a film that had potential, but the dissonance between the subject matter and the execution leads to a disastrous outcome. There is nothing wrong with making a film exploring an absolutely evil individual, but don't use that individual to explain away complex and challenging subject matter that is rooted in real life. The evil acts that occur in real life can never be so easily explained away by the conventions of the horror movie genre.

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October 20, 2012 summiting all over the place wow! sewing summit was insane. and lovely. and overwhelming. i met somewhere around a zillion awesome people, took some classes, ate a lot, talked about embroidery, listened to lectures, and even managed to fit in a little sleep. and wouldn't you know... i captured most of it on instagram (@imaginegnats). here are my recommendations for successful summiting... ack very late the night before you leave. shove everything handmade that you own in your suitcase, as well as lots of embroidery hoops. ok, the hoops are only necessary if your silly self volunteered to teach two impromptu embroidery classes while summiting. (more on that soon) leave your house early enough in the morning that you can't even find coffee until you get to the airport, book a flight with a very long layover at an airport with questionable wifi, and when you can't stop sniffling (stupid allergies), buy extra tissues and remember that chocolate solves anything. what else? you might want to remember to take a pic of yourself with your BSF, Allegory of {sew} Allegorical ... you know, that person that kept you sane when all of the sewing and people and excitement got to be a bit much. and eventually you should troll the internet for pictures on others' summit posts that you want to steal reappropriate for your own use. Wow - what a fabulous time you have had. How wonderful to meet in person those you have cyber talked to. I'm sooo envious! Glad you managed to fit in some stitching, sewing and other crafty stuff. Xx. K LinkWithin search Loading... all *free downloads* are original graphics of imagine gnats. you may print, share, and/or alter for your personal use only; you may not use graphics for commercial purposes. you are welcome to share links to any tutorials, patterns, or inspirations you find here. when linking to or sharing any photos or graphics of imagine gnats or imaginegnats.com, kindly link back to the original source or list appropriate credit. any patterns or tutorials should be shared as links back to original post.

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JR “The Wrinkles of the City” Los Angeles Behind-the-Scenes Earlier this year, acclaimed street artist JR canvassed Los Angeles with large-scale, black and white portraits taken in low-income urban areas. Adding “wrinkles” in the smooth veneer of LA’s glamorous facade, the recent TED award-winner’s efforts were part of “The Wrinkles of the City,” an initiative to explore and introduce the oft-forgotten individuals and stories that inhabit great cities. Arrested Motion photographer and filmmaker Carlos Gonzalez of theonepointeight most recently released a video for MOCAtv, a short feature consisting of behind-the-scenes footage from the experience. Watch the film above and let us know your thoughts.

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Cost of Building a Quad How much does it cost to make a Quadcopter? Making Quadcopter's can become an addictive hobby very quickly. You can build it from various parts from scratch or build from reputable sites like I have, the costs can be from about $90 (56) the sky is the limit. I am here to help you build a Quad within your cost budget. Trying to balance all of the specifications between parts to make a stable and agile Quadcoptor , can be quite a arduous task. In this post I will be covering some of the costs for making a Quadcopter, and some of my experiences in my venture into building a Quadcopter, in the hope that this post might help you save some time and money. General Estimated Parts Cost for a kit. RTF ! Frame $10 -$300 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 6 ish -- -190 4 Motors $40 -$100 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -25 -- -- 63 4 ESCs $40-$100 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 25 -- -- -65 4 Props $5-$50 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 3 -- -- -- 30 top price is for carbon props. 1 Flight Controller $15-$250 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 10 -- -- -150 1 Lipo Battery $10-$50 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 6 -- -- -- 30 + depending on if you choose to have more than one. Transmitter and Receiver $25-$450 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 80 -- -- -300 Miscellaneous Parts (Wire, connectors, etc) $20-$50 -- -- 15 -- -- -- 25 Battery Charger $5-$100 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -4 -- -- -- 65 * Keep in mind that these estimates include a transmitter, receiver, battery and battery charger. Many kits will not include all these items. Estimated cost for the complete system I made do not! include the Transmitter and Receiver. As you can see there is a massive range that you can spend on a Quadcopter (Not including the cost of FPV. That will be another post ). My Quadcoptor cost, so far $233 -- 150 (Excluding postage and import duty cost, The radio equipment I already own) Please keep in mind that there was a lot of work in building this, there is soldering and some other work involved! I can help you with this, it is not difficult. The frame is the main part of a Quadcopter, and there is a massive choice of materials, designs and layouts to pick from. You can even build your own very cheaply you can make the frame out of wood if you wish to keep cost down. Leave a Reply Disclamer Point to mention. This site is not!!!! a selling site! Please read the total disclaimer at the bottom of the main page. I want to help you guys. But if you do buy anything from my website, This will go into keeping this website live. New Posts This web site is not affiliated in any way with the manufacturer of the product or products featured on this web site. This site only provides marketing information for the products featured here.We acknowledge that products,company names and logos mentioned on this site are trademarks of their respective owners. FTC Affiliate Disclosure.Some links on this site may lead directly or indirectly to affiliate offers. The owner of this site may receive compensation if a purchase is made using a affiliate link from this site. The owner of this site does not make any guarantee concerning these offers and all offers should be viewed as recommendations only

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Obama to announce that there was no war in Afghanistan In an advance copy of tonight's TV speech about Afghanistan, Tom has learned that Commander-In-Disbelief and Constitutional Lawyer extraordinaire Barack Obama will announce that there will be no need to withdraw troops from Afghanistan because in 10 years there has not been a war in Afghanistan. The clear-cut facts on the ground are that there has never been hostilities in Afghanistan. What we had was friendly banter or aggressive bullying between the Taliban and US troops. There are no "boots on the ground" as the Pentagon has retroactively renamed boots military walking/toner shoes. Moammar Gadhafi, military fashionista, has endorsed the Obama principle as consistent with the Libyan findings. Slick Willie Clinton said "Man. this guy is good" 3 Responses to Obama to announce that there was no war in Afghanistan And here, I thought it was an environmental campaign. Didn't we go to Afghanistan so we wouldn't tear up the California desert with our tanks and bombs? Besides, military vehicles are notorious fuel hogs, so better to have them near their sources of fuel, no? And military weaponry DOES have expiration dates, and need to be replaced, so where better to get rid of old explosives than a country that already LOOKS like it was bombed to the Stone Age before we arrived? Then there is the obvious option of wanting a base on the border of your TRUE enemy. Imagine how boring it would have been, had the SEALs been forced to fly into Pakistan from, say, Saudi Arabia? Keeps the commute short! Oh, my friend, if only I could take credit for such cunning. Blame WordPress -- if they'd keep their formats the same for more than 2 days in a row, I could settle on SOMETHING! Besides, this way, every time I comment, you get to see a dashing, handsome, debonair young gent! And the idiot in the hat is me, by the by.

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Deliberation, single-peakedness, and the possibility of meaningful democracy: evidence from deliberative polls List, Christian and Luskin, Robert C. and Fishkin, James S. and McLean, Iain (2006) Deliberation, single-peakedness, and the possibility of meaningful democracy: evidence from deliberative polls. PSPE working papers, 01-2006. Department of Government, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK. Abstract Majority cycling and related social choice paradoxes are often thought to threaten the meaningfulness of democracy. But deliberation can prevent majority cycles -- not by inducing unanimity, which is unrealistic, but by bringing preferences closer to single-peakedness. We present the first empirical test of this hypothesis, using data from Deliberative Polls. Comparing preferences before and after deliberation, we find increases in proximity to single-peakedness. The increases are greater for lower versus higher salience issues and for individuals who seem to have deliberated more versus less effectively. They are not merely a byproduct of increased substantive agreement (which in fact does not generally increase). Our results both refine and support the idea that deliberation, by increasing proximity to single-peakedness, provides an escape from the problem of majority cycling.

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Any profitable Internet marketer will tell you that email marketing is the best way to make money online. Although not just any type of email marketing, but email marketing that is sending your offers to a targeted list of prospective customers. Now with regards to certain types of email marketing programs I am certain you will realize that safelists and credit based mailers simply don't work. If you really want to be successful you need your own list of individuals who want what you are selling. This is why we're going to be looking at the, "Email Your Way To Wealth Program". Each profitable Internet marketer will tell you that if you want to become successful online you need to develop your own list. This actually makes a lot of sense, mainly because when you have a list of people you can email your offers to, and these people are enthusiastic about the types of products your promoting they are more likely to purchase your product. And that is exactly what this system shows you how to do. The great thing concerning this system is that you will be able to learn how to construct and grow your list each day. You will understand where you should stop wasting your time and energy and where you should be putting all of your attention. Keeping your communications open together with your prospective customers is what you will find out about in the second step. Then you'll move on to step 3, which teaches you ways to get other folks to consider you an expert. As you move on to step 4 you will find out the best and easiest method to get new people to join up for your list constantly. How to correctly use affiliate programs for your list is what you are going to find out in step 5. You will even find out other ways you can make money and monetize your mailings in step 6. And additionally there are also 3 more steps they reveal to you only after you become a member of their program. There are a few additional bonuses that you'll receive for free if you choose to sign up for this program. The "Passive Income Through Email" is the 1st bonus you will get. "20 Million Dollar Subject Lines" is the subsequent bonus you will get and it teaches you how to compose subject lines that get opened. You will in addition get interviews from Website marketing geniuses, Eben Pagan, Yanik Silver and also Steven Pierce. This really is a whole email marketing system that virtually anybody can benefit from. Something else you may like about this system is that it only costs $37. Also the 100% money back guarantee should also allow you to feel a little better about this program. You can get a refund for a full SIXTY days after you purchase the system, which means that you have sufficient time to try the system and see if it's for you.

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Americans Speaking Out in Favor of Mortgage Relief We've been talking about President Obama's proposal to cut through the red tape that is preventing many homeowners from refinancing their mortgages and saving hundreds of dollars each month. And we've been listening as people from around the country share their thoughts about why mortgage relief is such a big deal. Here's what one group of homeowners had to say: Leah from New York : My husband and I bought our house, our family first home, with our savings and with help from our family to make the down payment, on February 18th, 2008. By September 2008, we were underwater for nearly $25,000 at a 5.75% interest rate on a fixed 30 year mortgage. We paid our mortgage every month, we've never missed a payment, and our taxes are paid in full. Our income has gone down, our mortgage on a once $215,000 home has stayed the same and our credit card debt continues to grow. There must be a way out. Gene from Oregon : With so many people unemployed or in low paying jobs, and with this poor economic climate, it just makes good sense to let folks keep a little more money in their pockets through affordable refinancing plans instead of paying out every nickel in exorbitant monthly mortgage payments. A two or three hundred dollar monthly savings on such payments could make an incredible difference in boosting people's sense of self-worth, their self-confidence, confidence in the American way of life, as well as increasing the diversification of their spending. Barbara from Connecticut : We are among the many who work and pay their mortgage, we are involved members of our community. We are so close to walking away from our underwater situation. It will be a loss for us, the investors in our mortgage loan and our neighborhood. Multiply this throughout the country and it's a major contributing factor to a stalled economy in the U.S.A. Jody from Ohio : I bought a fixer-upper in 2008, one I could afford until I got laid off in 2011 and have not found my feet yet. I have to say I didn't have the best credit at the time so I did not get a great rate. I also fell down a few times trying to find my feet (no luck and a lot of bills). I still have my house and I'm up to date on the payments. But not on all of my bills. I cannot find a job, I'm older and everyone I know is saying the same thing. A few more dollars a month saved on my house payment would only help me pay all the other things I owe, on my way to learning how to live on a lot less.

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Cancer News Bowel cancer screening test 'may be less accurate in summer' Wednesday 7 July 2010 A new study suggests that the test used in the Italian national bowel cancer screening programme may be less likely to spot cancerous changes in summer than it is in winter. The study looked at the 'immunochemical' faecal occult blood test (iFOBT). The test detects traces of blood in participants' stool samples, which may be a sign that an individual has bowel cancer or precancerous changes in their gut. In the UK the national bowel screening programmes use a different, older version of the test, called gFOBT (guaiac faecal occult blood test). Samples taken using gFOBT deteriorate less quickly than those taken using iFOBT. Scientists at the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute in Florence, Italy, analysed how ambient temperatures affected the performance of the iFOBT in the Italian national screening programme in Florence. They studied temperature variations during the time between sampling and the return of test samples to the lab - estimated to be around seven days - and the time spent in a refrigerator in the lab - about four days - for just under 200,000 iFOBT results. Analysis revealed that levels of haemoglobin - the protein that gives blood its red colour - were significantly lower in the summer months. This is thought to be because haemoglobin degrades more quickly at higher temperatures. The likelihood of a test being positive for signs of blood was 17 per cent lower in the summer than in the winter, dropping by 0.7 per cent for every one degree rise in temperature. The chances of the test picking up an established cancer or precancerous changes were estimated to be about 13 per cent lower in summer than in winter. Writing in the journal Gut, the study authors claimed that the findings could have implications for 'interval cancers' - tumours that develop between screenings. "During the summer, significant neoplasia [cancerous changes] will be missed, which will increase the number of interval cancers," they warned. "Our observations have important implications for the organisation of iFOBT-based screening programmes. [These] are greatest for those countries with wide seasonally related temperature variations." Sarah Woolnough, head of policy at Cancer Research UK, said: "While this study looks at the Italian bowel screening programme, the recommendations may help improve the accuracy of the current bowel cancer screening programme. "Earlier this year a new screening test called 'Flexi-scope' was shown to reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer by a third. We are calling on the government to add this to the current screening programme which could save thousands of lives a year." " Earlier this year a new screening test called 'Flexi-scope' was shown to reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer by a third. We are calling on the government to add this to the current screening programme which could save thousands of lives a year. " - Sarah Woolnough, Cancer Research UK Find out more Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666) and the Isle of Man (1103). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: Angel Building, 407 St John Street, London EC1V 4AD.

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21 Dec 2010 Best Of The Best When she was a child, her parents would dress her up in branded clothing from the university where they had met. They would take her along to football games, on pilgrimages back to the campus that she began to think of as a holy land of sorts, littered as it was with beer cups and demonstration flyers, and filled with erudite people carrying large books and highlighters in colors they did not carry in the stationers back home. Here is the Kappa house , they would say, there is the student union . This is the lecture hall that had hosted the zoology course for which he would always need to borrow her mother's notes. Her mother had always taken excellent notes. At some point, her brother came along and another set of branded clothing was procured, and they became a family wandering the hallowed halls of lives long past. She was a child, and she did not understand how the world worked. But she had determined that whatever college was, it must be very important. And she thought that, when the time came, whatever college she chose, would have to be the best. So much depended on it. One day she heard about Harvard, and she announced to them her intention to go there because she had heard on good authority that it was the best of the best. Her mother told her how expensive it would be to attend a school like Harvard. Her father laughed. He told her that people did not just decide to go to Harvard -- it was difficult to go to Harvard. Everybody wanted to go to Harvard. He told her that for her whole life, everywhere she went, there would always be somebody better than she was, smarter than she was, and that if she only wanted the best of the best, she would only always be disappointed, and she would never get what she wanted. She thought long and hard about what her father had told her, not wanting to believe what he said, but feeling she had no choice. He was her father. As far as her experience had taught her, he was the smartest person in the world. She looked around for somebody to tell her that, in this case, her perception was right, and his perception was wrong. But that person was not there. In moments of uncertainty, she would continue to look for that person, in one form or another, for the rest of her life. She looked at the branded university clothing piled up in her closets, collected years before she understood the promise she was implicitly giving by agreeing to wear it on the annual trips to the university where her parents had met. She thought about what she could do, if she couldn't go to Harvard -- if she wasn't going to be good enough for Harvard, what could she do, she wondered? And she started ripping up all of the clothes she could find, shredding them into tiny pieces, vowing then and there, that if she did nothing else, she would never go to that school, even if it meant that she would end up being the worst of the worst. After they divorced, she found out that her parents had never even dated while at the university. As it turns out, they had only been distantly acquainted while in school; to her mother, her father had only been the kind of person you know well enough to lend your zoology notes to, and then when you meet again it is like you are meeting for the first time. They married after graduation. The campus trips had been constructions, but if there had been any castles built, it had been the little girl as the architect, for the two of them did have fond memories of college life that they wanted desperately to share with their children, even if history dictated that it could never be one in which they spent that college life together. As for the little girl, she never did go to Harvard. Instead, she went to the school across the bay from the school where her parents had (not) met. And though she never became the best of the best, she never could quite get herself to stop trying. The effort was long and frustrating, with many pitfalls. Along the way, she learned to parcel herself out in pieces, only giving parts of herself to people whom she felt deserved them, withholding herself from people when she could not bear to give any more. There were those times when she felt like she wanted to take things away from people, when she wanted to rip up the metaphorical sweatshirts and stuff them in people's faces. But even on those hard days she would try to remind herself that this was not the worst she had seen, not by far. Comments How I wish parents would not plant the seed of that thought in a child's head -- that the only thing to be is The Best. So many people I know with the same taped message playing in their brains, and I'd like to go in, tear that tape out of its cassette and put in a new one that says "You are the best YOU there ever was. No on else will ever be you but you." I like this post, and not just because I suspect that picture up there is from my alma mater. Seriously, I can completely identify with that "must be the best of the best" mentality, whether it comes from without (where it usually starts) or within (where it's even worse). I had my first existential gotta-be-the-best-no-wait-do-I crisis in grad school, and (if I'm being honest) relived it about ten years later, too. It can be hard to escape. For the five years after I graduated from (a different) college, I worked as a staff assistant in an academic department at Harvard (referred to with heavy sarcasm by a Boston Globe columnist as World's Greatest University). In my time there, the pink collar workers -- the secretaries and clerks -- unionized. One of my favorite pro-union button sayings was "You Can't Eat Prestige." Once you see what goes on behind the scenes at a place like that, you get better at separating myth from reality. "But that person was not there." And that knowledge can be ever so hard to bear. The entire body of my parenting philosophy rests on ONE conviction I have , that is, as long as I'm always there, with my kids, they'll grow up with confidence in their self worth. So far, I have been correct in that assumption. Unfortunately seeing a lot of collateral damage among my kid's classmates who have had "that person who was not there." And I had almost the exact opposite upbringing. My mom wanted me to stay with her on a goat farm in Alaska and NEVER leave. Which meant that I felt the need to flee to L.A. alomst the minute I was able. No worries about being "the best of the best," simple survival was enough. Though we have really different stories, I identify with this post so much. I had the same relationship to the idea of Harvard as a kid, though neither of my parents went to college. Possibly because of that, they also told me that I wasn't Harvard material and one of them gave me a brochure for the Army Reserves while the other took me to tour the local community college. While I never made it to Harvard, I did graduate at 16, leave their house, and start self-funded at a local but nice public university, and later went on to grad school (something else they were discourage-y about). Now they have complete amnesia about being unsupportive and suggesting I attend a dental hygienist program instead of university. Instead, they think they were with me all the way, and have actually said wondered why I didn't go to Harvard instead of the public university I'm now getting my PhD at. So I got both "it's too hard!" and "well, if you were going to graduate school, I don't see why it's not Harvard" as if it would have been easy. (And, it wasn't. I got rejected from every Ivy and accepted to every public. So, I guess I'm NOT Harvard material, but whatever). My name is Anna. I like to blog. ABDPBT is a creative effort at understanding my experience as a wife, mother, recovering academic, popular culture enthusiast, satirist, and unrepentant fake American. You can read more about me on my about page .

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Don't lead us back to the dark age of strife Here we go again. Adopting the ugly language of class warfare, Labour's union paymasters seek to drag Britain back into the dark ages of industrial strife, proving they've learned nothing since they brought the country to its knees more than 30 years ago. Unveiling their boneheaded masterplan to get the economy moving, they propose... wait for it... another Winter of Discontent, with a campaign of co-ordinated stoppages and civil disobedience over the coming months. 'If you spit on your own, you can't do anything,' declares militant RMT leader Bob Crow. 'But if you all spit together, you can drown the b*****ds.' Declaration: Outgoing TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said the unions' aim was to force the Coalition to abandon austerity Could there be any more disturbing insight into the unions' bullying mentality and the standard of debate at the TUC? Leave aside that nothing could be better guaranteed to destroy Britain's hopes of recovery than a winter of strikes, which would cause incalculable damage to ordinary union members' interests. What is so contemptible is that the threat comes at a time when employees of private firms have made huge sacrifices to keep the economy turning over. Indeed, it is thanks to them that unemployment remains well below the European average, and hasn't risen for months. Yet now the state sector unions -- whose members already enjoy superior pay, pensions and working conditions -- are prepared to sabotage other people's jobs (and, indeed, our children's schooling) in pursuit of selfish demands that no reasonable government could accede to. This is a fight by the haves against the have-nots. And it's a battle they know they cannot win -- although they can do a great deal of harm in trying. In his final speech to the Congress, outgoing General Secretary Brendan Barber said the unions' aim was to force the Coalition to abandon austerity and learn from the triumph of public spending on the Olympics (which, incidentally, Mr Crow's RMT threatened to disrupt). In other words, the TUC's leaders' economic policy is to carry on spending as if the deficit doesn't exist. How many of their members are really blinkered and irresponsible enough to follow them? Bumptious Boris Going wildly over the top, even by his own standards, Boris Johnson shamelessly upstages the Prime Minister at the Olympic victory parade, whipping the crowd into frenzies of enthusiasm and chants of: 'Boris! Boris!' The Mail joins the London Mayor in heartily applauding the tens of thousands of volunteers, athletes and spectators who made the Games such a spectacular success. Share this article: Comments ( 46 ) >>>Private sector workers have faced zero percent payrises for five years now, they can't afford pension contributions, have to live off statutory sick pay when they're ill and get by on 21 days holiday per year not that they can afford holidays. Not that any of us would complain though. Because while our income shrinks and the cost of living goes up massively we all have a song in our hearts knowing that we're doing it all for the good of the country. Or at least for the good of the "wealth creators" who are reducing our standard of living while paying themselves bonuses and share dividends just like nothing has changed. Given the choice, I'm on the side of the people in the same situation as I am, just trying to get by. Best of luck to the unions I say. Teacher bashing again? Maybe this should become an Olympic sport, the DM does so well at it. - Saryne, Hereford, 11/09/2012 00:16 Do you really not get it? There's less money to around and we are ALL taking our fair share of the pain. That's the end of the matter. Your defiance will be defeated by the general public. There on no winners when industrial disbutes lead to strikes, Bob Crow will still pick up his pay packet a considerable one at that they should take a leaf out of Churchills saying jaw jaw not war war i live in a former mining village stikes shut down the entire mining industry Scargil is still in his job after the strikes all of our industries were shifted abroad we need these back and more investments industrial action will kill it dead. The Government should immediately announce a minimum 70 per cent turnout requIred for strike action. Additionally, anyone tasking action should be sacked on the spot and job filled by unemployed person. I have some sympathy with Public sector workers, I'm not one myself but my wife is and her pay is very low for what she does. However, the Unions need to explain what the alternative is because we can't carry on spending money we don't have. I don't like this Government's solutions either but the Labour/Union way is No way. Go on follow the unions just like the 70s they ruined more industries than anyone they ruined the mining industry, they ruined the car industry, they ruined the steel industry and many more so just how many jobs did they save for their members but the champagne communist leaders kept their jobs so tell me when you go on strike and they find out they can manage without you or you have put the country in a bigger financial crisis than Labour left and even bigger cuts are needed who will suffer the not the likes of Brendan Barber just the union members. We are not being led in to the dark ages by the Unions we were brought in by this austerity Government by the scuff of our necks the unions are going to amass the workers of this land into getting rid of these Tory ministers who have no idea and do not listen to any one this country although we area very wealthy country in turmoil by this bunch of rich boy's who will put the Conservative into yesterday beside the liberals and we certainly do not want New Labour, "So" DM get this country to elect UKIP as a new and truthful Government for Britain.

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An angry Mark Cavendish bowed out as world race champion in style, despite a whack on the head by a fan wielding a clapping stick in a lively World Championship road race won by Belgium's Philippe Gilbert on Sunday. I was hit by some ----head with a full-on wooden sign and I've got a sore head from it. Cavendish, who won the world title 12 months ago in Copenhagen, who set the race alight with a premeditated decision to ride aggressively at the front of the peloton for most of the first three hours, including the first four climbs on the famous Valkenburg circuit. Shaking his head, in astonishment and some pain, Cavendish continued uninterrupted but on the next lap made a play to the cameras of looking for the spectator as he passed the same spot. Not surprisingly, the fan made himself scarce. On the next lap, having expended every last ounce of energy for the team, Cavendish dropped off the back of the race and received rapturous applause all the way up the Cauberg before he pulled over and headed for the team coach, his race and season done. Philippe Gilbert of Belgium breaks away from the pack. Photo: AFP "I was hit by some ----head with a full-on wooden sign and I've got a sore head from it," Cavendish said. "It was a proper whack. I was looking for him next time." Cavendish, who wore the No.1 jersey denoting last year's champion, was delighted with his abbreviated ride in support of other GB colleagues and confirmed it was always his intention to climb off just after halfway. Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome, both running out of steam at the end of a long season, did likewise a couple of laps later. "I went well but I was more tired after 140km today than I was when I won the championship over 250km last summer," Cavendish said. "It was nice going up the Cauberg at the end, the fans' reception meant a lot and it was the perfect way to end the year. It's been a good year as world champion with 15 wins but I don't think, for whatever reason, I have got the maximum out of myself." For the first time in three years, Australia failed to have a rider on the podium with Allan Davis finishing sixth, five seconds behind Gilbert, while Simon Gerrans finished in 21st place.

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It has been a while hasn't it Well well.. it's been a some time since I hit the blog with an update. Being a lazy Saturday morning and I can't sleep in I thought I might give you an update. Katherine and I are well, we've been to Ireland and Krakow over the past couple of months. Both places are fantastic. Dublin is mighty expensive given the state of Sterling, but the west coast of Galway is just magnificent. Krakow is in another class. After going to Prague last year -- which was a really pretty city, I found Krakow to be similar yet have a more down-to-earth feel. After I got back to London I put a Facebook update wishing for the 'vibe' to be imported. Thinking back I still wish this was the case. Coming up this northern summer we are off Italy for a two week trip, through Roma, Napoli, Amalfi, Sicillia then back to London town. Before that though a weekend in Bath should be a nice getaway from the London life. In other news it's been hectic at work, which is a good thing. Keeping busy is all important. I find that I get bored if I'm not working. The problem I have is keeping focused on one thing. The all important list to write the to-do is my life line to staying on top of it all. Katherine is well as am I (touching wood). I'm in the gym and making great use of Hyde Park up the road. Trying to stay fit in a country that loves a drink to socialise. A mate of mine from Melbourne who has moved over is looking into a couple of hockey clubs that we could join. We played hockey together in Melbourne so we are both keen to get back into it this September. Anyway please keep in touch. I do enjoy hearing from you all. Love to all. Chris About Golds Originally from Perth, Australia I now live in Melbourne after spending 3 years in London. I'm interested in everything from AFL Football and also the world game (Soccer), Photography, to the regulatory environment surrounding Telecommunications.

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Skyrim's Dragonborn DLC Will Sort Of Bring Players Back To Morrowind Thanks to last week's trailer, we already know that the next DLC for Bethesda's hit action/RPG will be pitting players against the first humanoid to wield dragon powers. And now we know where Dragonborn 's battles will be happening. New screenshots and details from the publisher reveal that your Dovahkiin will indeed be making a rumoured return to Morrowind , site of the third Elder Scrolls game. From Bethesda: journey off the coast of Morrowind, to the island of Solstheim. Encounter new towns, dungeons, and quests, as you traverse the ash wastes and glacial valleys of this new land. Become more powerful with shouts that bend the will of your enemies and even tame dragons. Your fate, and the fate of Solstheim, hangs in the balance as you face off against your deadliest adversary -- the first Dragonborn. So, in two weeks, you'll return to the shores of a Skyrim prdecessor. Hope they've spruced up the place since you've been away. uge fan of all Elder Scrolls games, now the fanboys would say Morrowind was the best.. but yeah i personally think that is a overstatement much like the people who say Halo was the best Halo game when in fact it was more likely Reach, people tend to get overly nostalgic about games Fuck I hate photoshoped marketing screenshots. These are from the xbox reveal, there is 0 fucking way that the textures look that good on xbox. Fuck they look better than custom modded high res textures on pc. Just for being lying fucks, I'm going to pirate it.

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The Nature of Nature THE INNER WORLD Human "Faculties" SUNSHINE SPIRIT SUN SOUL "Earth-Moon" "Consciousness" MOON MIND EARTH HEART by PRF Brown, BCSLS (FreshWater) Mountain Man Graphics, Australia A Model of the Inner World of Living Beings The EcoSystem of the Soul ABSTRACT As the description of a journey may note certain landmarks, may relate the relative positions of mountains to the mountainous horizon and may introduce new concepts of life and customs to the traveller, so then too does this series of articles take the form of a journey through different conceptions of nature. In doing just this, if it supplies answers to some then well and good. And if it provides questions to others, then so be it. In any event, I have tried to make the account interesting and informative for all folk. For I have walked the mountains of the earth, I have surfed in the foothills and peaceful valleys of the seas, through the canyons of the city and the manifold suburbia of existence I drove a taxi cab for 17 years, and in the last decade have been the mechanic on the running board of the informational machine. I have studied the sciences of the west and the east, and I have learnt of love and of life. And I have learnt of the journey which every living being on the planet must sometime make ..... the journey to the stars. And I have a story for the telling ... Each man and each woman must walk their journey, and establish their path .... I have found that this is without question. If, in the publishing this wild and romantic account of the nature of nature, I assist another being in the discovery of the nature of nature, then this will be my greatest reward. I have chosen to approach this matter by way of an ancient and far-flung path. It is not an autobahn of informational conventioniality, neither is it one of the more elitist expositions of any of the contemporary educational disciplines of western science. While it may alude in places to the age old sciences of the east and, at times where the mountain ranges plunge to deep ravines, cross and re-cross the bridges between these to the western concepts of religion and science, the journey itself in the following articles will be established in the overall simplicity and beauty of nature. Both the east and the west have their secrets and their mysteries, but in following the path which leads through the nature of nature we visit the lands which lie east of the sun and west of the moon. And from this vantage point, we observe a unique aspect of nature, and one which both unifies the world of the individual, and the world of the global community of life. OUTSIDE: The sun and it's sunshine, the earth and the moon. These four entities weave a dominant background tapestry in which "Outer World" life on earth is established. This view is established from a cosmic perpective. In surfing, "outside" is the call given when a big set of waves is sighted rolling in amidst the smaller sets. One must heed the call of the outside, for it may impact upon your survival. The nature of the "Outer World" shared by terrestrial beings is observed from some unique vantage points on the journey. When it is dark, and their is no light on the trail, unless it is in the time of the larger moon and the need is pressing, one cannot travel without stumbling, and the time is used to rest from the rigours of the journey. And upon the earth we huddle around the fire beneath the stars, and we experience "a rest" while the system of life continues to breathe. INSIDE: The self and it's spirit, the heart and mind. These four entities weave a dominant background tapestry in which "Inner World" life is established. This view is established from a cosmic perpective. In surfing, "inside the break" is where you DONT want to be when a big set of waves is sighted rolling in amidst the smaller sets. It is therefore completely undertandable simply to paddle outside the break and feel the planet shake behind you as the set waves break. This is also entirely obvious to a non-surfer. However, the whole spirit of surfing is to catch that wave in which you are "INSIDE THE WAVE", where the walls of water tube and barrel overhead, and surfer is tested for his or her skills in survival. The nature of the "Inner World" shared by terrestrial beings is observed from some unique vantage points on the journey. When it is day, and there is light on the trail, unless it is in the time of the terrestrial storms and the need is not pressing, one must continue to pursue the path of the journey that is being made from the placement of the soul of your feet. Daily on the journey through the days of our lives, our instincts drive us to avoid the cosmic surf. The outer world demands us all to work with constant attention and the fullness of resources, and so we dont go surfing and so we go about our days. And if we need a break, we might visit the mountains, or the park, or just take a peak at the open sky above us. We might even visit the beach. An still, if we decide to gather a cosmic wave or two, we must first paddle out into it, and remain outside the break until such time we feel comfortable enough in the environment to actually "go for a wave". The inner world is rarely an important consideration in our daily journeys, yet all would agree it is fundamental to our welfare, our survival and to our greater journey through the nature of nature. It is also fundamental in our relationships with other people on other journeys, and this includes our ancestors and our children's children. I imagine that this article really takes the plunge at a few points. The journey through "The Nature of Nature" will make correlations between the cosmic outer world "system" described by the sun and it's sunshine, and the earth and the moon, and compare these to those inherent in the cosmic inner world "system" described by the self and it's spirit, and the heart and the mind. The observations drawn from this activity establish direction towards an awareness and an understanding of an inner nature which is shared with every living being on this planet we call earth. The key item that links all these entities is the nature of the outer world sunshine and the inner world spirit. What is undefinable or unprovable by the mind, is often times more easily understood by the heart. The two faculties share common ground, yet have different perspectives and different natures. On this journey through the nature of nature, we are guided on the path by one another - our selves. The mind is a fundamental guide, and so is the heart, but there is a fundamental principle of the journey to be understood by each soul. And this is the principle of the pioneer. It is the pioneering spirit which commands life. In the evolution of our footsteps, while we may be cognisant of the ideas and thoughts presented by our minds (or others to us), and of the emotions and feelings presented by our hearts (or others to us). the spirit of the pioneer demands no such contraints, and is free to explore the deeper trails within the nature of nature. There is pioneering spirit within us all, and its expression is as manifold as there are living beings on this planet we call earth - in reality a dual bodied part of the terrestrial earth/moon system, which orbits (on each of our birthdays) an ancient and cosmic central fire - the ecosystemic engine of nature.

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There is something in trade I can't say that I've ever really understood this idea that we must all eat only the things that have been grown in our own region. "Region" of course is a variable thing. It seems to depend on how deep the green of the fool recommending it is. Something from "the nation" to "your back yard" is the spectrum. But as I say, I've never really understood the point. For we know what happens when food supplies are indeed restricted to just the region one is actually in. We've been there before, back before we had decent roads. And what used to happen is that when the local crops failed then everyone died of starvation: even if 30 miles away there was a bumper crop. Quite why anyone wants to recreate the bad parts of the Middle Ages I'm really not quite sure. . . Localists and proponents of yokelnomics -- the policies which would take us back to peasant economies of the distant past -- pose the greatest danger to food security. There are good points about buying local but not at the expense of free trade which is an essential part of addressing world hunger. Rate this: Share this: Like this: This entry was posted on Monday, November 12th, 2012 at 9:00 am and is filed under politics , trade . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response , or trackback from your own site. Post navigation 7 Responses to There is something in trade Tim Worstall says that he can't say that he's ever really understood this idea that we must all eat only the things that have been grown in our own region. He's right. He hasn't been able to understand it and nor it seems, Ele, have you. You extrapolate the concept out, as is your habit, to the extreme end, so that you can dismiss it as 'yokelnomics' and mock what you clearly don't 'get'. You do say though, that there are good points about buying local food, but spoil your moment of rationality by invoking the 'threat it poses' to free trade and food security, and through your reproduction of Worstall's extremist comments, the image of the Middle Ages, starvation and 'green fools'. I think you are being very silly here, Ele. It's not the buying of local food in itself that is a threat to trade. It's the regulation required to force it upon people that is where the real threat lies. How else would you make it happen when not everyone is of a green mind? No one I know is talking about 'forcing it on people', Tracey. Perhaps you and Ele and Mr Worstall are just jumping the gun, making a mountain out of a mole-hill, over-egging the pudding. I think you are. As for 'making it happen' -- I'm one for the 'show the way by your own behaviour' and 'promote the ideas in a way that makes them attractive' kind of guy. It's annoying to have to try to counter the kind of fear-mongery over green-proposals I find here, but I do it because someone has to Good on you Robert, but when you get sick of waiting for the sheep to follow, and if you have some power, what then? We've been growing our own food (about 60% by weight) for years. People are interested, and if you give food to them for free; very interested, but most want all the benefits of the supermarket model as well. Convenience and variety in particular. Change will be a long time coming. I don't believe it will happen to any great degree without innovation from industry, including the farming industry. Another point to keep in mind is that restricting trade to a "region" means you limit the size of the market and thus you are limited in you ability to take advantage of specialisation and the division of labour. As George Stigler put it "The Division of Labor is Limited by the Extent of the Market". In short you make yourself poorer than you would otherwise be.

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Skype, social media and news relayed via journalists are good mediums. But there's nothing like being in a room with employers and agency owners from around the world to share opinions and ask questions about employment outside Australia. It's now Sunday night in Beijing and most of the 46 attendees and speakers are on a plane heading home. I'm staying an extra day before heading to Shanghai tomorrow to visit some of our recruitment partners there. This was a successful NPA Global Owners Meeting: 15 attendees from China, 12 from Australia, 9 from the US & Canada, 3 from Singapore, 2 from Indonesia, 2 from the Philippines, and 1 each from Korea, Taiwan and Ireland. Everyone contributed and left richer for the experience together. Asian members represent only 17% of NPA Worldwide but are responsible for 33% of successful cross-border recruitment projects. This outward perspective is important to China's desired transition from an industrial economy to knowledge economy. And it was highlighted in our meeting in a presentation by CAIEP -- the China Association for the International Exchange of Personnel. This speech, via a translator, was a rare window into the strategic thinking on China's labour costs, manufacturing efficiencies and balanced development across primary, secondary and tertiary industries. The need for high-level creative talent from foreigners was a point emphasised on more than one occasion. A Q&A session with Chinese HR Managers -- one from a marketing/event management agency and the other a very large complex manufacturing company -- reiterated the need for global thinking in recruiting key staff. As in-house recruitment professionals, these representatives discussed the balance between competition and cooperation with agency recruiters on junior and middle level recruitment projects. But they emphasised the need to partner with recruitment experts capable of accessing an international candidate pool for leadership and strategic staff requirements. The time together included a Country Presentation from ten of the attendees. From basic GDP, population and employment figures to the personal experiences of each in sourcing and screening candidates in a range of classifications, industries and cultures. Countries like China, Korea, Singapore, the US and Australia reported softer employment activity in some sectors and a cautious outlook. Other regions like Indonesia and the Philippines outlined a national sentiment of confidence and growth. I am an employer. My expertise includes thinking like a job seeker. Whichever way I look at it, I believe our exposure to these neighbouring Asian markets is important and I am grateful for this time I have spent with old friends and new this past few days.

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Marginal note: Maximum amount ALTERNATIVE PAYMENTS Marginal note: Alternative payment 14. (1) Where the government of a province has, at least twelve months before the beginning of a loan year, notified the Minister in writing that a provincial student financial assistance plan will be in operation in that province in that loan year and that it does not wish, or no longer wishes, to participate in the plan established by this Act and the regulations, the Minister shall pay to the province, not later than six months after the end of that loan year and each following loan year in which it does not participate in the plan, an alternative amount for the loan year, calculated as provided in this section. Marginal note: Non-participating provinces (2) The government of a province that, on the coming into force of this section, is not participating in the student loan plan established by the Canada Student Loans Act is deemed to have notified the Minister as described in subsection (1) in respect of the loan year in which this section comes into force. Marginal note: Opting in, or opting back in (3) The government of a province that is not participating in the plan established by this Act and the regulations but later wishes to participate may do so by so notifying the Minister in writing at least six months, or such shorter period as the Minister may fix, before the beginning of the loan year in which it wishes to participate. Marginal note: Calculation of alternative amount (4) The alternative amount for a province for a loan year (in this subsection referred to as the "current loan year") is the amount, as determined by the Minister after consultation with the Chief Statistician of Canada, obtained by ( a ) multiplying (i) the net per capita costs for participating provinces for the loan year beginning on August 1, 1990, by (ii) the product obtained by multiplying the estimated number of persons in that province who, on the first day of the current loan year, have attained eighteen years of age and have not attained twenty-five years of age by the escalator determined under subsection (5), for each loan year in the period beginning on August 1, 1991 and ending on July 31 of the current loan year; and ( b ) subtracting from the product obtained under paragraph ( a ) the net costs for that province for the current loan year. Marginal note: Escalator (5) For the purposes of subparagraph (4)( a )(ii), ( a ) subject to paragraph ( b ), the escalator for a loan year is a fraction of which (i) the numerator is the net per capita costs for participating provinces for that loan year, and (ii) the denominator is the net per capita costs for participating provinces for the previous loan year; and ( b ) the escalator for the first loan year in which a provincial student financial assistance plan will be in operation in the province, as stated in the notice under subsection (1), is a fraction of which (i) the numerator is the net per capita costs for participating provinces for that first loan year, and (ii) the denominator is the net per capita costs for the previous loan year for provinces that are participating provinces in that first loan year. Marginal note: Definitions (6) In this section, "net costs" cot net "net costs" , for a province for a loan year, means the amount determined by the formula (A + B) - (C + D) where A is the estimated aggregate of all amounts paid by the Minister in that loan year ( a ) to lenders, service providers or financial institutions under this Act, the regulations or an agreement entered into under section 5, 6.2 or 6.3, to lenders under the Canada Student Loans Act or the regulations made under that Act, and to collection agencies, in respect of student loans or guaranteed student loans made pursuant to certificates of eligibility issued or caused to be issued in any loan year by the appropriate authority for that province, and ( c ) any amounts paid pursuant to paragraph 5( e ) or pursuant to regulations made under paragraph 15(1)( o ) that provide for the repayment of student loans by borrowers on an income-contingent basis, and ( d ) any provincial share paid pursuant to an agreement or arrangement made under subparagraph 18( b )(ii), B is the estimated aggregate of ( a ) the amount of interest calculated in that loan year in respect of outstanding loans referred to in the description of A made under an agreement entered into under section 6.1, at the rate of interest fixed or determined in accordance with subsection 20(2), ( b ) the amount by which the outstanding principal in respect of all loans referred to in paragraph ( a ) has been reduced in that loan year in accordance with the regulations, ( c ) the amount of the outstanding principal and interest in respect of all loans referred to in paragraph ( a ) for which the borrower's obligations have terminated in that loan year as a result of the death or disability of the borrower, and ( d ) the amount of the outstanding principal and interest in respect of all loans referred to in paragraph ( a ) for which the Minister has commenced collection action in that loan year, minus the amount of the outstanding principal and interest in respect of loans referred to in that paragraph for which the Minister has ended collection action in that loan year due to the occurrence of an event set out in the regulations that resulted in the removal of restrictions to financial assistance, C is the estimated aggregate of all amounts received by or on behalf of Her Majesty in right of Canada in that loan year, including any amount received pursuant to the Financial Administration Act , in respect of loans referred to in the description of A, other than loans made under an agreement entered into under section 6.1, excluding ( a ) any amounts received pursuant to paragraph 5( e ) or pursuant to regulations made under paragraph 15(1)( o ) that provide for the repayment of student loans by borrowers on an income-contingent basis, and ( b ) any amounts received by or on behalf of Her Majesty in right of Canada in respect of a provincial share paid pursuant to an agreement or arrangement made under subparagraph 18( b )(ii), and D is the estimated aggregate of ( a ) the amount of interest received by or on behalf of Her Majesty in right of Canada in that loan year in respect of loans referred to in the description of A that were made under an agreement entered into under section 6.1, and ( b ) any amounts received in that loan year pursuant to collection action taken by the Minister in respect of loans referred to in paragraph ( a ). "net per capita costs" cot net par tte "net per capita costs" , for participating provinces for a loan year, means a fraction of which ( a ) the numerator is the amount by which the total program net costs for that loan year exceed the aggregate of the net costs for that loan year for all provinces that are not participating provinces in that loan year, and ( b ) the denominator is the estimated number of persons in the participating provinces who, on the first day of the loan year, have attained eighteen years of age and have not attained twenty-five years of age; "total program net costs" cot net total du programme "total program net costs" , for a loan year, means the amount determined by the formula (A + B) - (C + D) where A is the aggregate of all amounts paid by the Minister in that loan year ( a ) to lenders, service providers or financial institutions under this Act, the regulations or an agreement entered into under section 5, 6.2 or 6.3, to lenders under the Canada Student Loans Act or the regulations made under that Act, and to collection agencies, in respect of student loans or guaranteed student loans made pursuant to certificates of eligibility issued or caused to be issued in any loan year by the appropriate authorities for participating provinces, and ( c ) any amounts paid pursuant to paragraph 5( e ) or pursuant to regulations made under paragraph 15(1)( o ) that provide for the repayment of student loans by borrowers on an income-contingent basis, and ( d ) any provincial share paid pursuant to an agreement or arrangement made under subparagraph 18( b )(ii), B is the aggregate of ( a ) the estimated amount of interest calculated in that loan year in respect of outstanding loans referred to in the description of A made under an agreement entered into under section 6.1, at the rate of interest fixed or determined in accordance with subsection 20(2), ( b ) the amount by which the outstanding principal in respect of all loans referred to in paragraph ( a ) has been reduced in that loan year in accordance with the regulations, ( c ) the amount of the outstanding principal and interest in respect of all loans referred to in paragraph ( a ) for which the borrower's obligations have terminated in that loan year as a result of the death or disability of the borrower, and ( d ) the amount of the outstanding principal and interest in respect of all loans referred to in paragraph ( a ) for which the Minister has commenced collection action in that loan year, minus the amount of the outstanding principal and interest in respect of loans referred to in that paragraph for which the Minister has ended collection action in that loan year due to the occurrence of an event set out in the regulations that resulted in the removal of restrictions to financial assistance, C is the aggregate of all amounts received by or on behalf of Her Majesty in right of Canada in that loan year, including any amount received pursuant to the Financial Administration Act , in respect of loans referred to in the description of A, other than loans made under an agreement entered into under section 6.1, excluding ( a ) any amounts received pursuant to paragraph 5( e ) or pursuant to regulations made under paragraph 15(1)( o ) that provide for the repayment of student loans by borrowers on an income-contingent basis, and ( b ) any amounts received by or on behalf of Her Majesty in right of Canada in respect of a provincial share paid pursuant to an agreement or arrangement made under subparagraph 18( b )(ii), and D is the aggregate of ( a ) the amount of interest received by or on behalf of Her Majesty in right of Canada in that loan year in respect of loans referred to in the description of A that were made under an agreement entered into under section 6.1, and ( b ) any amounts received in that loan year pursuant to collection action taken by the Minister in respect of loans referred to in paragraph ( a ). Marginal note: Exception (7) The following amounts shall be included in the calculations described in the definitions "net costs" and "total program net costs" in subsection (6) only if the government of the province satisfies the Minister, by written notice received by the Minister before the beginning of the loan year in question, that, in relation to the matter in question, the provincial student financial assistance plan has substantially the same effect as the plan established by this Act and the regulations: ( a ) amounts that are determined as a result of the application of subparagraph 5( a )(viii) or section 7, 10 or 11; ( c ) in respect of loans made under an agreement entered into under section 6.1, amounts in relation to a termination of a borrower's obligations under section 10.1 or 11.1 or to a reduction in the outstanding principal resulting from the operation of regulations made under paragraph 15(1)( o ), other than regulations that provide for the repayment of student loans by borrowers on an income-contingent basis; and ( d ) amounts in relation to programs established by regulations made under section 11 of the Canada Student Loans Act . Marginal note: Negative amounts (8) If the amount determined by the formula "(A + B) - (C + D)" in subsection (6) would, but for this subsection, be a negative amount, it is deemed to be zero.

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The man, whose name hasn't been released to the public, had been working at the Sleaford-based Waterloo Farm, picking up some casual work during the potato harvest. However, due to the rocky soil of the farm the potato crusher fitted to the farm's harvesting equipment became blocked with stones repeatedly, which resulted in farm workers having to signal the driver of the harvester stop the machine and deactivate it before reaching inside the crusher to clear the blockage. However, the incident that led to the personal injury at work occurred when the driver missed the worker's signal yet stopped for an unrelated reason. The worker, incorrectly believing that the driver had stopped and isolated the power to the crusher, reached inside, only to have three tendons in his right hand severed by the mechanism, resulting in the HSE investigating and then prosecuting the farmer for neglecting to set a safe work system up or undertaking a proper risk assesment -- resulting in a 20,000 fine for the farmer. Another food-related accident the following year also made it into magistrates' court recently as well, though this one didn't involve a mechanical mangling. Instead, one snack manufacturing company employee broke his leg when he was trapped under an avalanche of falling waste after a forklift truck to turn transport solidified production waste. Another unnamed man, who had been working for Walkers Snack Foods Ltd at the manufacturing firm's Lincoln plant, had been attempting to move the waste with the help of a colleague after it had been filled to the brim with production line waste run-off. The men had been moving the block of solidified waste with the forklift to place it into a bin, only to have the block come tumbling down because the fork lift became stuck at the top. The 400kg block crushed the man's leg, causing severe enough injury to require a 15 week recovery period where he was unable to work. The company, which had been found to have not undertaken safe planning, supervision, or execution of the work that caused the man's injury, was fined -- again for 20,000, much like the farm company. Accident Claims Blog Sitemap Personal Injury Online Limited is regulated by the Ministry of Justice in respect of regulated claims management activities. No. CRM25737. This registration is recorded on the Claims Regulation website.

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That's because Seven was so short on money (the network were saving up for a likely bid for the 2007-11 AFL rights, which they got), they couldn't afford to send all of their commentators to Athens back in 2004, so they sent only Bruce McAvaney, Raelene Boyle, Phil Liggett to call the games from Athens, while the majority of their commentary team called the Olympics from a studio booth in Melbourne.It'll be interesting to see what will happen when Nine/Fox Sports takes over the Olympics TV rights from Seven in time for the 2012 Olympics from London. In fact Nine's likely Olympic team could be like this: Channel 7 is sending a lot more commentators and production team to Beijing that the rubbish they did in 2004 and had them calling from a studio in Melbourne. The fact that China is in our time zone and that most finals will be on in peak ratings time means they will do it. Also as of a couple of months ago 7 still had $2bil in the bank after selling off half their equity to KKR at the end of 2006.And supposedly their new studios wont be finished in time to co-ordinate such a big event. This was reported last October. Because of the Olympic coverage he will have to miss out on calling three rounds of AFL, however the talk around Seven seems to be heading in the direction of Dennis Cometti hosting the coverage on his own of those three rounds with the assistance of the special comments team. A few weeks ago it was announced Bruce will be doing the swimming with Duncan Armstrong and Daniel Kowalski , so like Athens, he will double up with swimming and athletics and call 79 of the 302 finals at the Olympics. Dennis called the swimming for 7 at the Atlanta and Sydney games and in between that he did the 98 World championships in Perth for 7. I wondered if 7 would handball their footy coverage over to Ch 10 for 3 weeks, but looks as if the will try to do both. The footy coverage will be interrupted during the Olympics if an Aussie is the chance to win a medal. Shouldn't happen on a Sunday arvo but a chance on a Friday night. These are the AFL games that will be on Seven while the Olympics is in progress: AUGUST 8: Melbourne v Geelong AUGUST 10: Adelaide v Richmond AUGUST 15: Port Adelaide v Collingwood AUGUST 17: Carlton v Kangaroos AUGUST 22: Western Bulldogs v Essendon AUGUST 24: St Kilda v Adelaide So it'll be interesting to see what Seven will do re AFL coverage. Will they decide to bring these matches I've highlighted from delay to live in case of a clash with their Olympics commitments? Also interesting to see that SEN (who hold the commercial radio rights) will stick with the footy ahead of the Olympics. What will happen if Jana Pittman is a gold medal chance at the athletics and is getting ready to run in the Olympic final, and at the same time Port and Collingwood are dead level at 3 qtr time? Would you stick with the footy, or cross over to Beijing? Most of the Olympics stuff is going to be held in the morning (the finals). The heats would held in the evening (almost in the afternoon here) so would lead into the news. The footy will be okay - and I think Dennis is not going because of his work on the footy with 3aw as well. Wrong, the only thing that has changed for TV is swimming. There are 302 finals. Close to half of the finals are at night time. Maybe Aussie sports fans aren't interested but apart from the road events all other track and field events are at night, as is track cycling, gymnastics, boxing, all the team sport finals, taekwondo, judo etc Some events will be early morning China time ie 7am to 10am so add 2 hours for EST, ie road athletics events, rowing, canoe/kayak events and the swimming finals will start at 10am Beijing time. I can't remember what Seven did last time, and of course the time difference was greater so there were less clashes. But I think footy kept priority in footy markets. Seven will be glad to show no footy in NSW and Qld; but what the contractual obligations? They might just put the footy on 7HD and Olympics on the main channel - that would cover any contract regarding "free to air", even if a large portion of the population don't have the equipment to access it. Seven also are the only commercial network that wanted multi-channelling and have 3 or 4 different versions of their main channel. It is possible this might be used during the Olympics to broadcast different events on each "view"; or to have one interrupted by AFL coverage to meet contracts. (That will only be an issue for Sundays, Friday nights can be safely shown after the Olympics have finished their night sessions; even at 3am if need be. or they could be like Nine were in NSW and Qld during Wimbledon or any other event and not show games at all.) In 1988 when the Olympics were in Korea and therefore in our time zone, ch 10 had the Olympics so there was no clash. But as the Olympics started in mid September they would have only clashed with the PF and GF if ch 7 had the rights. In 1992, ch 7 didn't cover all 7 games (ie 15 teams), so the night games were midday to early afternoon in Barcelona and a minor clash, and for the arvo games it was early am in Barcelona. Similar in 1996 at Atlanta. No clash for night games and some minor clashes for afternoon games. Also ch 7 still weren't covering all 8 games. In 2000, the footy season was finished, and in 2004 ch 7 didn't have the footy. But more important than Dennis not going has anyone heard definitely whether or not Roy and HG are going?? Might be hard to schedule, as in Oz they come on between 11 and 12 at night depending on when the coverage finished. But 11pm Beijing time when the sessions finish is 1am EST. Hopefully they get say, the 6.30pm to 7.30pm gigs when there might be a lull in the afternoon schedule. But more important than Dennis not going has anyone heard definitely whether or not Roy and HG are going?? That is the real question. From what i've heard there won't be another Dream unless something is worked out very soon. Also, how could they not show the footy live? IIRC, it'll almost be 24/7 olypmics on seven with a few exceptions ie news and afl. This means no better homes and gardens so it makes sense to push it forward. These are the AFL games that will be on Seven while the Olympics is in progress: AUGUST 8: Melbourne v Geelong AUGUST 10: Adelaide v Richmond AUGUST 15: Port Adelaide v Collingwood AUGUST 17: Carlton v Kangaroos AUGUST 22: Western Bulldogs v Essendon AUGUST 24: St Kilda v Adelaide So it'll be interesting to see what Seven will do re AFL coverage. Will they decide to bring these matches I've highlighted from delay to live in case of a clash with their Olympics commitments? Also interesting to see that SEN (who hold the commercial radio rights) will stick with the footy ahead of the Olympics. What will happen if Jana Pittman is a gold medal chance at the athletics and is getting ready to run in the Olympic final, and at the same time Port and Collingwood are dead level at 3 qtr time? Would you stick with the footy, or cross over to Beijing ? I cant stand Jana Whatsername, but her event only lasts a minute, like most Olympic Athletic events. Id probably only miss a quarter of footy for the 1500m

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Something To Think About Lyrics Willie Nelson You're wondering just what I'll do now that it's over and done Well that's something to think about and I've already begun I suppose that I'll find a way people usually do But it's something to think about I'll be lost without you One thing I would have you do please consider the dawn The dawn of your lonely years when youth and beauty are gone And when you can no longer have any sweetheart you choose Here is something to think about I'll still be thinking of you One thing I would have you do

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Insolvencies -- a sign of the times Company insolvencies are a sign of a healthy economy and preventing companies from failing may be stifling the innovation the country needs to grow. John Alexander explains While insolvency statistics for companies show a continued decline in 2012 (Q2 liquidations are down 3.6% on the previous quarter), the economy remains effectively stagnant and businesses are generally therefore not growing, despite last week's announcement that the UK economy has grown 1%. Insolvencies, together with mergers and acquisitions, new company registrations, recruitment, and redundancies are, strange though it may seem, a sign of a healthy economy. We need growth even if it results in further company failures. Analysis of the number of new companies created and the number of company insolvencies over the last 10 years shows a pattern. In the two years ended 31 March 2002, the number of new companies registered in England and Wales at Companies House as a percentage of the total registered were relatively low, at 15% and 14%. In the following two years company insolvencies fell by 13% and 11%. However, in 2003 and 2004 new company registrations ran at 18% and 19% and in the following two years company insolvencies increased by 7% and 8%. Similarly, in 2006 and 2007 new company registrations increased by 17% and 18% and two years later, company insolvencies jumped by 28% and 14%. In 2009 new registrations dropped to 12% and insolvencies in 2010 dropped by 21% and continued at much the same rate in 2011. The rate of growth, if indeed there has been any real growth, in UK GDP followed the same pattern as new company registrations. A period of relatively high growth in GDP (and in these times of stagnation "high" is definitely relative) was accompanied by a surge in new company registrations followed by an increase in the number of corporate insolvencies. Equally telling is that in 2010 and 2011 -- a period of virtually no net growth in GDP -- there was initially a drop of 21% in company insolvencies, followed by a period of virtually no change in the number of corporate insolvencies. Fundamental problems There are, of course, some major corporate insolvencies that indicate fundamental problems in the economy and in particular a lack of consumer confidence, as can be seen in the recent spate of large High Street retailers going to the wall. This may be simply a natural result of the increase in online retailing, making it less necessary for national brands to have outlets in every High Street. However, all is not as bad as it may seem, as most are sold on, in whole or in part, enabling businesses and jobs to be preserved. Administrations, with or without a 'pre-pack' sale, are clearly doing what the legislation intended -- enabling businesses to be rescued out of insolvent companies. For many years it has been evident that the single biggest cause of business failure is bad management. Of course, the knock-on effect of falling demand or the failure of a key supplier or, even worse, a major customer, can be the final nail in the coffin. However, good managers will, as far as possible, have plans in place to deal with such occurrences. In a stagnant or declining economy some companies continue to do well. They may have a niche product that appears insulated from recession (eg Rolls Royce's 30% increase in sales in the UK over the past year) but, more probably, they have effective management that have learnt how to manage their resources in a difficult trading period and ensured they have financing in place to deal with the inevitable "unexpected" events. However the current economic situation is masking a peculiar phenomenon, which is far from healthy. When growth returns Low interest rates for corporate loans or overdrafts enable poorly performing companies to struggle on, covering their relatively low financing charges, whie not creating reserves that will be required when business picks up again and they will need to finance growth. We will see, therefore, when the rate of growth in GDP really starts to rise again, an increasing number of company insolvencies, not resulting from a recent increase in new company registrations, but from a lack of the resources needed to fund an increase in demand for their products. Similarly, the lack of resources available now to fund research, development and innovation will restrict growth when the opportunities to develop come around again. Also the fact that banks are allowing poorly performing managers to remain in business so long as they are merely servicing their debts, is failing to drive those managers that are innovative and imaginative. Even good managers, in these circumstances, have to spend too long fire-fighting, micro-managing costs or simply treading water. This is curbing their entrepreneurial tendencies. Companies that take risks grow and, sometimes, fail. In the current environment there is no real growth, no risk-taking and no innovation, thus relatively few companies are going bust. By propping up companies that may be in difficulty, we may actually be stifling the innovation the country needs for us to grow and trade out of the current mire. John Alexander is an insolvency practitioner and partner at accountancy firm, Carter Backer Winter This week economia is guest-edited by entrepreneur Natalie Campbell . Follow more coverage from Global Entrepreneurship week at #GEW2012

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LORD McAlpine reached a 125,000 settlement with ITV and Phillip Schofield yesterday as his lawyers confirmed they will continue to pursue damages from people who wrongly named him as a paedophile on Twitter. In a joint statement with This Morning presenter Mr Schofield, ITV said it had agreed to settle the peer's libel claim in relation to the programme's broadcast on November 8. The broadcaster sparked controversy after Mr Schofield brandished a list of names of alleged abusers that he had found on the internet and handed it to British prime minister David Cameron during a live interview, asking if he would investigate them. "ITV and Phillip Schofield apologise unreservedly to Lord McAlpine, have agreed the terms of a statement to be made in open court, and have agreed to pay him damages of 125,000 and his legal costs," the statement said. It is not known whether Mr Schofield will have to foot any of the bill himself. The agreement with ITV comes a week after the former Tory politician reached a 185,000 settlement with the BBC after it broadcast a botched Newsnight investigation into child abuse at a north Wales care home. Lord McAlpine was mistakenly implicated by Newsnight's November 2 broadcast in a paedophile ring that targeted children at the care home in Wrexham. His name was then widely mentioned on the internet, including social networking site Twitter. Lord McAlpine said yester-day that he was pleased to have reached a "pragmatic settlement with ITV". A statement from his lawyers said: "The settlement reflects the fact that this defamatory incident was aired on ITV post publication of the BBC Newsnight programme, which originally brought this matter into the public domain." Solicitor Andrew Reid told BBC Radio 4's The World At One that the Newsnight programme had effectively "set the pot boiling" and "the Schofield stunt added fuel to the fire that was already there". He said that now they had dealt with the BBC and ITV, they would move to "large-scale tweeters", including Sally Bercow, wife of John Bercow, the speaker of the House of Commons, whose solicitors Mr Reid said had now replied to them. Mrs Bercow posted on November 4, "Why is Lord McAlpine trending? *innocent face*." She appears to have since deactivated her account and quit the site. Mr Reid also confirmed that he has spoken to Scotland Yard about the possibility of a police investigation into people who "maliciously" retweeted the peer's name. Asked whether Lord McAlpine would be ready to accept an apology from those who named him online, he said: "No. There will be damages paid, and costs." Lord McAlpine has asked those who linked him to child abuse allegations to apologise formally and pay a "sensible and modest amount", which he plans to donate to BBC Children In Need. Mr Reid said they had already received "a huge amount of emails" from Twitter users, which have now been processed. "We have got a website up where people can get on, fill in the form and then we will come back to them once we have set the amount of money we are going to ask them to pay us for us to forward on to BBC Children In Need." He said software they are using allows them to look at all social media, not just Twitter, and urged people to come forward. Asked what explanation tweeters were giving for naming Lord McAlpine online, Mr Reid said, "Most of them seemed to have this idea that Twitter was like their kitchen table or a coffee morning. They just didn't think that the ordinary laws that apply to defamation applied to Twitter. "All of them said 'We are re-ally sorry, we just didn't realise what we were doing and we didn't realise the effect of the proliferation of tweets." Mr Reid also confirmed that he had met senior officers from Scotland Yard to discuss a "hardcore of people" who were acting maliciously by "retweeting" about the peer. "No doubt in due course they will investigate that, or not. That's up to the police, not up to ourselves," he said.

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Historians do not, as too many of my colleagues keep mindlessly repeating, "reconstruct" the past. What historians do is produce knowledge about the past, or, with respect to each individual, fallible historian, produce contributions to knowledge about the past. Thus the best and most concise definition of history is: The bodies of knowledge about the past produced by historians, together with everything that is involved in the production, communication of, and teaching about that knowledge. 2. The Necessity for History All developed countries have their National Archives (called the Public Record Office in Britain) and a historical profession, both paid for out of taxpayers' money. This is in recognition of the simple fact that knowledge of the past is essential to society. What happens in the present, and what will happen in the future, is very much governed by what happened in the past. It is obvious that knowledge of the past has not brought easy solutions to problems in, say, Northern Ireland, the Balkans, or Palestine. But without a thorough knowledge of past events and circumstances, we could not even attempt to grapple with these problems. Without knowledge of the past we would be without identity, we would be lost on an endless sea of time. The simplest answer to the questions "Why do history?" or "What is the use of history?" is: "Try to imagine what it would be like to live in a society where there was absolutely no knowledge of the past." The mind boggles. Of course, if history has this vital importance for society, then it must be as accurate as possible, it must be based on evidence and logical thought, not on specious theory or political ideology. 3. Other Justifications for History Those who study history, for career purposes, or just for personal enjoyment, have other reasons apart from this all-embracing justification for national resources being channelled into the study of history. Many of us feel the almost poetic appeal of the past, have a passionate interest in finding out what really did happen in the past - practically all of the world's major tourist traps relate to the appeal of the past (the Tower of London, San Gimignano in Tuscany, Ephesus in Turkey). It is historians who provide the contextual knowledge that eventually works its way into the guide books, and again the need is for accuracy not specious theory. Historians also provide the contextual knowledge for great works of art and literature, thus enhancing our enjoyment of these. In addition, the study of history offers to individuals major utilitarian learning outcomes. Training in history is training in analysing, evaluating, and interpreting both secondary and primary sources. It develops an understanding that everything written pertaining to history, secondary or primary, must be approached with scepticism and caution. It develops the ability to distinguish between pieces of writing which are well-substantiated and logical, and those which simply express theory, hypothesis, or opinion. The skills and learning outcomes rising from historical study are invaluable in a contemporary world which is dominated by information and communications. The methods and skills required of the historian, and, more important, the attitudes of mind transmitted in the teaching of history, are of vital importance in assessing and filtering the messages constantly battering against us. History also provides a training in the writing up of the results of one's researches, in the form of essays, reports, dissertations. What is essential in history is clear and effective communication, well structured, and written in precise and explicit language. 4. The Subjectivity Question Many who call themselves "historians" do, indeed, use "history" as a vehicle for expressing their own political commitment. That is sheer is self-indulgence. History is a scholarly, not a political, activity, and while, as citizens, we certainly should act upon our political views, in writing history we have an absolute obligation to try to exclude them. Most historians, like, most scientists, are motivated by the urge to find out . Much nonsense is talked about historians inevitably being "subjective"; the real point is that, being mere human beings, they are "fallible", and subject to many kinds of career and social pressures, or indeed common incompetence. Historians do disagree with each other in their interpretations, as do scientists. But history deals with human values, in a way the sciences do not, so there is more scope for differences in evaluation. Historical evidence is fragmentary, intractable, and imperfect. Individual books and articles may clash with each other; there will always be areas where uncertainty persists, but steadily agreed knowledge emerges in the form of works of synthesis and high-quality textbooks. History, like the sciences, is a co-operative enterprise. Some historians today still seem to perceive historians (usually themselves) as great literary and media figures, as individual intellectual and moral giants giving leadership to ordinary readers. Such historians - subscribers to what I call the " auteur theory" - tend to glory in their own subjectivity. By all means enjoy their literary flourishes, but always remember that the aims of a work of history are very different from those of a work of literature. 5. History and the Past The existence of the (mistaken) notion that historians "reconstruct" the past does indicate that there is an awareness of the distinction between "history" and "the past", though this distinction is often obfuscated. Particularly is this the case with the metahistorians - A.J. Toynbee, right-wing political scientists like Francis Fukuyama, Marxists, and postmodernists - who, apart from any other uses, apply the term "history" to some great process (invented by themselves) whereby the past unfolds in a series of stages into the present and on into the future. In their own studies this process is taken as a given, and they test the history of historians against this given. No, to keep clear of all the misconceptions which abound in historical epistemology we have to make a firm distinction between history as "the bodies of knowledge about the past produced by historians", and "the past" as "everything which actually happened, whether known, or written, about by historians or not". 6. Periodization It follows from all of this that periodization, the dividing of the past up into the eras or periods, has no a priori existence. It is simply an analytical tool of historians. A periodization which makes sense for the West, will not make sense for Africa or Asia. A periodization which makes sense for economic history, may well not make sense for social or political history. 7. Primary and Secondary Sources The only way we can have knowledge of the past is through studying the relics and traces left by past societies, the primary sources. Primary sources, as it were, form the basic "raw material" of history; they are sources which came into existence within the period being investigated. The articles and books written up later by historians, drawing upon these primary sources, converting the raw material into history, are secondary sources (pedants insist on pointing out that secondary sources may become primary sources for still later historians, but this is a matter of such triviality as scarcely to be worth bothering about). The distinction between primary and secondary sources is a critical one, though no historian has ever pretended that it offers a magic key to the nature of historical study, or that primary sources have a necromantic potency denied to secondary ones. There is always some excitement about being in contact with a genuine primary source, but one will not learn very much from a single source. Reading through an edited selection of excerpts from primary sources will have the salutary effect of bringing one in contact with the thinking and language of past generations, but it will not amount to research. If the ordinary reader, or history student, wants to learn quickly about the role and status of women during the Renaissance, or about the causes of the First World War, they will be well advised to go to the secondary authorities, a knowledge of the principles of history being useful in separating out the more reliable from the less. But if you are planning to make an original contribution to historical knowledge, you are unlikely to make much of a stir if you stick strictly to other people's work, that is, the secondary sources - to which, it should be stressed the research historian will frequently return throughout all stages of research and writing. The difference is critical in that strategy which all historians, in one way or another, devise in embarking on a new research project. It is through the secondary sources that one becomes beware of the gaps in knowledge, problems unsolved, suspect explanations. It is with the aid of the secondary sources, and all the other resources of the profession, that one begins to identify the archives in which one will commence one's researches. Primary sources, numbingly copious in some areas, are scarce and fragmentary in others. Much has to be garnered indirectly and by inference. Historians do not rely on single sources, but are always seeking corroboration, qualification, correction; the production of history is very much a matter of accumulating details, refining nuances. The technical skills of the historian lie in sorting these matters out, in understanding how and why a particular source came into existence, how relevant it is to the topic under investigation, and, obviously, the particular codes or language in accordance with which the particular source came into being as a concrete artefact. Philosophers, and others ignorant of history, get confused because they think "primary" means "more truthful", and "secondary" means "less truthful". That is not the distinction at all. A good secondary source will be as reliable as the historian can possibly make it. Primary sources are full of prejudices and errors. They were not written to serve the interests of historians coming along later: they were written to serve the interests of those who created them, going about their own business. We need to understand not just the distinction between primary and secondary sources, but also that there are different types and levels of secondary source. These range from the most highly specialised research-based work, through high-quality textbooks which incorporate some personal research as well as summarise the work of others, to the simple textbooks, and then on to the many types of popular and non-academic history. 8. Witting and Unwitting Testimony In their work, historians have always recognised that primary sources, as well as containing many kinds of imperfection, also contain many types and many layers of evidence, even if they have tended not to make explicit statements about this. The crucial, though never absolutely rigid, distinction is between the "witting" testimony and the "unwitting". "Witting" means "deliberate" or " intentional"; " unwitting" means "unaware" or "unintentional". "Testimony" means "evidence". Thus, "witting testimony" is the deliberate or intentional message of a document or other source; the "unwitting testimony" is the unintentional evidence (about, for example, the attitudes and values of the author, or about the "culture" to which he/she belongs) that it also contains. Actually, it is the writer, creator, or creators of the document or source who is, or are, intentional or unintentional, not the testimony itself, so these phrases are examples of a figure of speech, the transferred epithet, where the adjective, which strictly speaking should be applied to a person, is transferred to what the person produced - the phrase is all the more effective for that. An understanding of the nature of unwitting testimony, often the most valuable evidence for a historian, might have guarded against the fashion for invoking anthropology and postmodernist theory: from at least the time of Frederick Maitland (1850-1896), historians have been using unwitting testimony to establish the beliefs and customs of past societies. No one is more familiar than the historian with the problems of language to be encountered in primary sources, which abound in obscure technical terms, words and phrases which have changed their meanings over the centuries, attitudes and concepts which no longer exist today, and may be scarcely expressible in the language of today. 9. The Arts as Sources It is fun, and it is becoming fashionable, for historians to work with novels, films, paintings, and even music. Doing this is not evidence of some superior virtue, or sensibility; in fact, most of what we know about most periods in the past will continue to come from the more conventional sources. Historians have had a habit of quoting odd lines from novels, as if these, in themselves, somehow provided some extra illumination. Worse, historians refer to characters in novels (or even films) as if they were real people. If cultural artefacts are to be used at all in serious historical writing (and I believe they should - they can be invaluable for attitudes, values, and quality of cultural life), they have to be used seriously. If one is going to refer to a novel or a film, one must provide the essential contextual information about the artefact, and its production and reception, to make the reference a genuine contribution to knowledge: one must provide a "Quintessential Summary" (nature of the artefact, authorial intentions, and so on). When the temptation comes to make use of some cultural artefact the crucial questions to ask are "Does it tell us anything we didn't know already?", and, more probingly, "Does it tell us anything we couldn't discover more readily from another source?" Novels have sometimes been used as sources for living conditions and standards, as paintings of domestic scenes have sometimes been used as sources for what people ate. But it is far better to go directly to the actual statistics of wage rates and to social investigations for the first topic, and to household accounts, statistics of retail sales and so on for the latter one. A painting of eighteenth-century French peasants consuming bread, garlic and wine may be evidence of their regular diet, but there is always the quite strong possibility that the artist might have been more concerned with infusing his painting with the religious symbolism of the Last Supper than with accurate sociological observation. It is perfectly legitimate for editors and publishers to wish to brighten up articles and books by including reproductions of various works of art. But, with rare exceptions, such art works will, at best, be no more than illustrations; at worst they may have little real relevance to what is being said in the article or book. Serious historians should only use such reproductions as genuine primary sources, explicating them in exactly the same way as they would explicate an extract from a written primary source. 10. Strategy and Structure I have already mentioned the need for identifying a research strategy , using the secondary sources to identify the topics to be addressed and the archives to be used. The writing of history is an iterative process: frequently in writing up one's researches, one will encounter problems necessitating further research in the primary sources, or perhaps the consultation of more secondary sources. The writing of history imposes demands on historians which are very different from those of writing a novel, or, say, literary criticism or sociology. In producing an account which presents a sense of chronological change, and, perhaps, of the movement from one period to another, incorporates explanation, analysis and description, explains causes and consequences, discusses different topics and themes and different aspects of the past (economic, cultural, and so on), and which best conveys to the reader what actually was happening, what interactions there were, what changed, and what did not, it is essential to develop a structure (that is, the sequence of chapters and sections within chapters, and the way in which these are related to each other). 11. Writing History We expect novelists, poets, and playwrights to exploit the ambiguities and resonances of language, even, perhaps, to express directly the dictates of the unconscious, not always logical in its choice of words. Historians, on the other hand, should convey their findings as clearly and explicitly as possible. Some metaphors may be an aid to communication, others will simply contribute to confusion and obfuscation. With all the temptations to indulge in metaphor and rhetoric, clich, sloppy phrasing and slang, getting it right is fiendishly difficult. Two essential injunctions are: "reflect" and "revise". What is it you really want to say? Is precise explication really assisted by phrases like, "webs of meaning", "cultural scripts", "discursive domains"? Revise, not to achieve elaborate literary effect, but to convey precisely what you mean to the reader. An exact, uncluttered style is essential to historical communication, it is not an extra; and if the style can be elegant (which is very different from being elaborate or rhetorical) so much the better. Sentiment is not enough in historical writing, what is needed is thought . 12. Nothing Ruled Out All human activities, including history, are culturally (or socially, the meanings in this instance are the same) influenced, but history is not "culturally constructed" or "culturally determined". Too many nave statements have been made along the lines of "each age rewrites its history". History is not a formation dance in which everybody in one period marches in one direction, and then, in the next, marches off in a different direction. What has happened in the history of historical writing is that the scope, and the sophistication, of history have steadily extended. In the twentieth century there was some development away from political history, but political history is still very important. In fact, no one type of history is intrinsically better than another: provided the fundamental, but ever-expanding methodologies are adhered to, it all depends upon which topics and questions are being addressed. In the recent study of history greater emphasis has been given to comparative history and to cultural history: but one of the greatest strengths of history today is that nothing is ruled out. Conclusion At its very core history must be a scholarly discipline, based on thorough analysis of the evidence, and in the writing up of which language is deployed with the utmost precision. There must be constant awareness of the methods and principles of that discipline, constant attention to how it is taught, and how, at different levels, it is communicated to wider audiences.

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Theatre A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Back to the 60s: the National Theatre's A Funny Thing Happened... Photo: Tristram Kenton Why should the National revive this evergreen mix of Plautine comedy and American vaudeville? One answer, as Edward Hall's joyously eclectic production proves, is that A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is both a nostalgic throwback and a pioneering experiment - a musical farce predating The Producers by 40 years. The book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart is a brilliant synthesis of stock characters from Plautus: the manipulative slave, the military braggart, the senescent lecher. But, into this cat's cradle of a plot about the attempts of Pseudolus to secure a bride for his master, Stephen Sondheim has inserted a group of songs that literally stop the show. Instead of advancing the story, they provide a musical respite; and, although Sondheim once said that "about three-quarters of the score is wrong", here a dozen wrongs add up to a right. Hall instantly grasps the show's formal playfulness by making the opening number, Comedy Tonight, a comic climax: as Pseudolus itemises the evening's ingredients, including tumblers who pop out of a skip like jacks-in-the-box, they coalesce to form a high-kicking finale. Having started, as it were, at the end, Hall is then free to focus on the show's constituent parts. And nothing is more characteristic of Sondheim's elegant wit than a number like Free, in which Pseudolus hymns the joys of liberty, which include "the right to buy a slave for me". But the production's success lies in its ability to draw together a whole range of performance traditions. Desmond Barrit, an RSC Falstaff, lends Pseudolus his own brand of roguish geniality: even the moment when his eyes lasciviously follow a courtesan's rotating hips is purged of offence by his unthreatening charm. Sam Kelly's hilariously goggle-eyed Senex, meanwhile, belongs to the old music-hall tradition of the hen-pecked husband. Hall has shrewdly recruited the Right Size's Hamish McColl to play the quivering Hysterium. Philip Quast parodies the macho solemnity he has brought to earlier musicals by playing Miles Gloriosus as a vain sex object suspending his helmet from his private parts. The courtesans, dominated by Tiffany Graves's whip-cracking Gymnasia, come from some limitless beauty pool. Even the design, by Improbable's Julian Crouch, gives a Roman street an ironic antiquity. The result is a ministry of all the talents that does rich justice to this vertiginously funny show. Most popular on the Guardian Today in pictures After advising tourists against travel to the cities of Jammu and Srinagar for nearly 20 years, the Foreign Office has lifted its guidelines after a fall in violence. So, Dal Lake and part of the Valley of Kashmir, one of India's most beautiful regions, are once again open to visitors

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Genocide is the systematic destruction of all or part of a racial , ethnic , religious or national group via the a) Killing members of the group; (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; or (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group. Genocide entails also the Conspiracy to commit genocide; Direct and public incitement to commit genocide; Attempt to commit genocide; and Complicity in genocide. . [ 1 ] What constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] While a precise definition varies among genocide scholars , a legal definition is found in the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG). Article 2 of this convention defines genocide as "any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national , ethnical , racial or religious group, as such: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life, calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; [and] forcibly transferring children of the group to another group." [ 4 ] Lemkin defined genocide as follows: "Generally speaking, genocide does not necessarily mean the immediate destruction of a nation, except when accomplished by mass killings of all members of a nation. It is intended rather to signify a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves. The objectives of such a plan would be the disintegration of the political and social institutions, of culture, language, national feelings, religion, and the economic existence of national groups, and the destruction of the personal security, liberty, health, dignity, and even the lives of the individuals belonging to such groups." The preamble to the CPPCG states that instances of genocide have taken place throughout history, [ 4 ] but it was not until Raphael Lemkin coined the term and the prosecution of perpetrators of the Holocaust at the Nuremberg trials that the United Nations agreed to the CPPCG which defined the crime of genocide under international law. During a video interview with Raphael Lemkin, the interviewer asked him about how he came to be interested in this genocide. He replied; "I became interested in genocide because it happened so many times. It happened to the Armenians , then after the Armenians, Hitler took action." [ 6 ] [ 7 ] Lemkin was also a close relative of genocide victims; he lost 49 of his relatives to the Holocaust . However, his work on defining genocide as a crime dates back to 1933, and it was prompted by the Simele massacre in Iraq. [ 8 ] There was a gap of more than forty years between the CPPCG coming into force and the first prosecution under the provisions of the treaty. To date all international prosecutions of genocide, the Rwandan Genocide and the Srebrenica Genocide , have been by ad hoc international tribunals . [ 9 ] The International Criminal Court came into existence in 2002 and it has the authority to try people from the states that have signed the treaty, but to date it has not tried anyone. Since the CPPCG came into effect in January 1951 about 80 member states of the United Nations have passed legislation that incorporates the provisions of the CPPCG into their domestic law, and some perpetrators of genocide have been found guilty under such municipal laws, such as Nikola Jorgic , who was found guilty of genocide in Bosnia by a German court ( Jorgic v. Germany ). Critics of the CPPCG point to the narrow definition of the groups that are protected under the treaty, particularly the lack of protection for political groups for what has been termed politicide (politicide is included as genocide under some municipal jurisdictions). [ 10 ] One of the problems was that until there was a body of case law from prosecutions, the precise definition of what the treaty meant had not been tested in court, for example, what precisely does the term "in part" mean? As more perpetrators are tried under international tribunals and municipal court cases, a body of legal arguments and legal interpretations are helping to address these issues. The exclusion of political groups and politically motivated violence from the international definition of genocide is particularly controversial. The reason for this exclusion is because a number of UN member nations insisted on it when the Genocide Convention was being drafted in 1948. They argued that political groups are too vaguely defined, as well as temporary and unstable. They further held that international law should not seek to regulate or limit political conflicts, since that would give the UN too much power to interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign nations. [ 11 ] In the years since then, critics have argued that the exclusion of political groups from the definition, as well as the lack of a specific reference to the destruction of a social group through the forcible removal of a population, was designed to protect the Soviet Union and the Western Allies from possible accusations of genocide in the wake of World War II. [ 12 ] [ 13 ] [ 14 ] Another criticism of the CPPCG is that when its provisions have been invoked by the United Nations Security Council , they have only been invoked to punish those who have already committed genocide and have left a paper trail. It was this criticism that led to the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1674 by the United Nations Security Council on 28 April 2006 which commits the Council to action to protect civilians in armed conflict and to protect populations from genocide, war crimes , ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity . To supplement this proactive stance, the international community at the UN adopted the Responsibility to Protect at the 2005 World Summit , which states that governments and states have the primary responsibility of preventing and deterring these four high crimes from impacting their own populations. Should the government of any country manifestly fail in this responsibility, the UN has resolved to act collectively to stop the immediate manifestations of these crimes. [ 15 ] Genocide scholars such as Gregory Stanton have postulated that conditions and acts that often occur before, during, and after genocide—such as dehumanization of victim groups, strong organization of genocidal groups, and denial of genocide by its perpetrators—can be identified and actions taken to stop genocides before they happen. Critics of this approach such as Dirk Moses assert that this is unrealistic and that, for example, " Darfur will end when it suits the great powers that have a stake in the region" . The CPPCG was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1948 and came into effect on 12 January 1951 (Resolution 260 (III)). It contains an internationally recognized definition of genocide which was incorporated into the national criminal legislation of many countries, and was also adopted by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court , the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Convention (in article 2) defines genocide: (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group. — Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Article II The first draft of the Convention included political killings, but the USSR [ 20 ] (a WWII winner, as well as a permanent Security Council member), along with some other nations would not accept that actions against groups identified as holding similar political opinions or social status would constitute genocide, [ 21 ] so these stipulations were subsequently removed in a political and diplomatic compromise. The Convention was manifestly adopted for humanitarian and civilizing purposes. Its objectives are to safeguard the very existence of certain human groups and to affirm and emphasize the most elementary principles of humanity and morality. In view of the rights involved, the legal obligations to refrain from genocide are recognized as erga omnes . When the Convention was drafted, it was already envisaged that it would apply not only to then existing forms of genocide, but also "to any method that might be evolved in the future with a view to destroying the physical existence of a group". [ 22 ] As emphasized in the preamble to the Convention, genocide has marred all periods of history, and it is this very tragic recognition that gives the concept its historical evolutionary nature. The Convention must be interpreted in good faith, in accordance with the ordinary meaning of its terms, in their context, and in the light of its object and purpose. Moreover, the text of the Convention should be interpreted in such a way that a reason and a meaning can be attributed to every word. No word or provision may be disregarded or treated as superfluous, unless this is absolutely necessary to give effect to the terms read as a whole. [ 23 ] Genocide is a crime under international law regardless of "whether committed in time of peace or in time of war" (art. I). Thus, irrespective of the context in which it occurs (for example, peace time, internal strife, international armed conflict or whatever the general overall situation) genocide is a punishable international crime. — UN Commission of Experts that examined violations of international humanitarian law committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia. [ 24 ] In 2007 the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), noted in its judgement on Jorgic v. Germany case that in 1992 the majority of legal scholars took the narrow view that "intent to destroy" in the CPPCG meant the intended physical-biological destruction of the protected group and that this was still the majority opinion. But the ECHR also noted that a minority took a broader view and did not consider biological-physical destruction was necessary as the intent to destroy a national, racial, religious or ethnic group was enough to qualify as genocide. [ 25 ] In the same judgement the ECHR reviewed the judgements of several international and municipal courts judgements. It noted that International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice had agreed with the narrow interpretation, that biological-physical destruction was necessary for an act to qualify as genocide. The ECHR also noted that at the time of its judgement, apart from courts in Germany which had taken a broad view, that there had been few cases of genocide under other Convention States municipal laws and that "There are no reported cases in which the courts of these States have defined the type of group destruction the perpetrator must have intended in order to be found guilty of genocide". [ 26 ] The phrase "in whole or in part" has been subject to much discussion by scholars of international humanitarian law. [ 2 ] The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia found in Prosecutor v. Radislav Krstic – Trial Chamber I – Judgment – IT-98-33 (2001) ICTY8 (2 August 2001) [ 27 ] that Genocide had been committed. In Prosecutor v. Radislav Krstic – Appeals Chamber – Judgment – IT-98-33 (2004) ICTY 7 (19 April 2004) [ 28 ] paragraphs 8, 9, 10, and 11 addressed the issue of in part and found that "the part must be a substantial part of that group. The aim of the Genocide Convention is to prevent the intentional destruction of entire human groups, and the part targeted must be significant enough to have an impact on the group as a whole." The Appeals Chamber goes into details of other cases and the opinions of respected commentators on the Genocide Convention to explain how they came to this conclusion. The judges continue in paragraph 12, "The determination of when the targeted part is substantial enough to meet this requirement may involve a number of considerations. The numeric size of the targeted part of the group is the necessary and important starting point, though not in all cases the ending point of the inquiry. The number of individuals targeted should be evaluated not only in absolute terms, but also in relation to the overall size of the entire group. In addition to the numeric size of the targeted portion, its prominence within the group can be a useful consideration. If a specific part of the group is emblematic of the overall group, or is essential to its survival, that may support a finding that the part qualifies as substantial within the meaning of Article 4 [of the Tribunal's Statute]." [ 29 ] [ 30 ] In paragraph 13 the judges raise the issue of the perpetrators' access to the victims: "The historical examples of genocide also suggest that the area of the perpetrators’ activity and control, as well as the possible extent of their reach, should be considered. ... The intent to destroy formed by a perpetrator of genocide will always be limited by the opportunity presented to him. While this factor alone will not indicate whether the targeted group is substantial, it can—in combination with other factors—inform the analysis." [ 28 ] After the minimum 20 countries became parties to the Convention, it came into force as international law on 12 January 1951. At that time however, only two of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) were parties to the treaty: France and the Republic of China . Eventually the Soviet Union ratified in 1954, the United Kingdom in 1970, the People's Republic of China in 1983 (having replaced the Taiwan-based Republic of China on the UNSC in 1971), and the United States in 1988. This long delay in support for the Genocide Convention by the world's most powerful nations caused the Convention to languish for over four decades. Only in the 1990s did the international law on the crime of genocide begin to be enforced. In 2008 the U.N. Security Council adopted resolution 1820 , which noted that “rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity or a constitutive act with respect to genocide”. [ 33 ] Since the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG) came into effect in January 1951 about 80 member states of the United Nations have passed legislation that incorporates the provisions of the CPPCG into their municipal law . [ 34 ] William Schabas has suggested that a permanent body as recommended by the Whitaker Report to monitor the implementation of the Genocide Convention, and require States to issue reports on their compliance with the convention (such as were incorporated into the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture ), would make the convention more effective. [ 35 ] Writing in 1998 Kurt Jonassohn and Karin Björnson stated that the CPPCG was a legal instrument resulting from a diplomatic compromise. As such the wording of the treaty is not intended to be a definition suitable as a research tool, and although it is used for this purpose, as it has an international legal credibility that others lack, other definitions have also been postulated. Jonassohn and Björnson go on to say that none of these alternative definitions have gained widespread support for various reasons. [ 36 ] Jonassohn and Björnson postulate that the major reason why no single generally accepted genocide definition has emerged is because academics have adjusted their focus to emphasise different periods and have found it expedient to use slightly different definitions to help them interpret events. For example Frank Chalk and Kurt Jonassohn studied the whole of human history, while Leo Kuper and R. J. Rummel in their more recent works concentrated on the 20th century, and Helen Fein , Barbara Harff and Ted Gurr have looked at post World War II events. Jonassohn and Björnson are critical of some of these studies arguing that they are too expansive and concludes that the academic discipline of genocide studies is too young to have a canon of work on which to build an academic paradigm . [ 36 ] The exclusion of social and political groups as targets of genocide in the CPPCG legal definition has been criticized by some historians and sociologists, for example M. Hassan Kakar in his book The Soviet Invasion and the Afghan Response, 1979–1982 [ 37 ] argues that the international definition of genocide is too restricted, [ 38 ] and that it should include political groups or any group so defined by the perpetrator and quotes Chalk and Jonassohn: "Genocide is a form of one-sided mass killing in which a state or other authority intends to destroy a group, as that group and membership in it are defined by the perpetrator." [ 39 ] While there are various definitions of the term, Adam Jones states that the majority of genocide scholars consider that "intent to destroy" is a requirement for any act to be labelled genocide, and that there is growing agreement on the inclusion of the physical destruction criterion. [ 40 ] Barbara Harff and Ted Gurr defined genocide as "the promotion and execution of policies by a state or its agents which result in the deaths of a substantial portion of a group ...[when] the victimized groups are defined primarily in terms of their communal characteristics, i.e., ethnicity, religion or nationality." [ 41 ] Harff and Gurr also differentiate between genocides and politicides by the characteristics by which members of a group are identified by the state. In genocides, the victimized groups are defined primarily in terms of their communal characteristics, i.e., ethnicity, religion or nationality. In politicides the victim groups are defined primarily in terms of their hierarchical position or political opposition to the regime and dominant groups. [ 42 ] [ 43 ] Daniel D. Polsby and Don B. Kates, Jr. state that "... we follow Harff's distinction between genocides and ' pogroms ,' which she describes as 'short-lived outbursts by mobs, which, although often condoned by authorities, rarely persist.' If the violence persists for long enough, however, Harff argues, the distinction between condonation and complicity collapses." [ 44 ] [ 45 ] According to R. J. Rummel, genocide has 3 different meanings. The ordinary meaning is murder by government of people due to their national, ethnic, racial, or religious group membership. The legal meaning of genocide refers to the international treaty, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide . This also includes non-killings that in the end eliminate the group, such as preventing births or forcibly transferring children out of the group to another group. A generalized meaning of genocide is similar to the ordinary meaning but also includes government killings of political opponents or otherwise intentional murder. It is to avoid confusion regarding what meaning is intended that Rummel created the term democide for the third meaning. [ 46 ] Highlighting the potential for state and non-state actors to commit genocide in the 21st century, for example, in failed states or as non-state actors acquire weapons of mass destruction, Adrian Gallagher defined genocide as 'When a source of collective power (usually a state) intentionally uses its power base to implement a process of destruction in order to destroy a group (as defined by the perpetrator), in whole or in substantial part, dependent upon relative group size'. [ 47 ] The definition upholds the centrality of intent, the multidimensional understanding of destroy, broadens the definition of group identity beyond that of the 1948 definition yet argues that a substantial part of a group has to be destroyed before it can be classified as genocide (dependent on relative group size). A major criticism of the international community's response to the Rwandan Genocide was that it was reactive, not proactive. The international community has developed a mechanism for prosecuting the perpetrators of genocide but has not developed the will or the mechanisms for intervening in a genocide as it happens. Critics point to the Darfur conflict and suggest that if anyone is found guilty of genocide after the conflict either by prosecutions brought in the International Criminal Court or in an ad hoc International Criminal Tribunal, this will confirm this perception. [ citation needed ] The Kurdish Genocide,[4] Operation Anfal or simply Anfal, was a genocidal[5] campaign against the Kurdish people (and other non- Arab populations) in northern Iraq , led by the Ba'athist Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and headed by Ali Hassan al-Majid in the final stages of the Iran-Iraq War . The campaign takes its name from Surat al-Anfal in the Qur'an , which was used as a code name by the former Iraqi Baathist government for a series of systematic attacks against the Kurdish population of northern Iraq, conducted between 1986 and 1989 and culminating in 1988.The campaign also destroyed over 4500 villages and killed over 182,000 Kurdish people. Sweden , Norway and the United Kingdom officially recognize the Anfal campaign as genocide.[7] On December 5, 2012, the Swedish parliament ( Riksdag ) adopted a resolution by the Green party to officially recognize the Anfal Campaign as genocide. The resolution was passed by all 349 members of parliament.[8] On February 28, 2013, the British House of Commons formally recognized the Anfal Campaign as genocide following a campaign led by Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi.[9] All signatories to the CPPCG are required to prevent and punish acts of genocide, both in peace and wartime, though some barriers make this enforcement difficult. In particular, some of the signatories—namely, Bahrain , Bangladesh , India , Malaysia , the Philippines , Singapore , the United States , Vietnam , Yemen , and former Yugoslavia —signed with the proviso that no claim of genocide could be brought against them at the International Court of Justice without their consent. [ 48 ] Despite official protests from other signatories (notably Cyprus and Norway ) on the ethics and legal standing of these reservations, the immunity from prosecution they grant has been invoked from time to time, as when the United States refused to allow a charge of genocide brought against it by former Yugoslavia following the 1999 Kosovo War . [ 49 ] It is commonly accepted [ citation needed ] that, at least since World War II , genocide has been illegal under customary international law as a peremptory norm , as well as under conventional international law . Acts of genocide are generally difficult to establish for prosecution, because a chain of accountability must be established. International criminal courts and tribunals function primarily because the states involved are incapable or unwilling to prosecute crimes of this magnitude themselves. Because the universal acceptance of international laws , defining and forbidding genocide was achieved in 1948, with the promulgation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG), those criminals who were prosecuted after the war in international courts, for taking part in the Holocaust were found guilty of crimes against humanity and other more specific crimes like murder. Nevertheless the Holocaust is universally recognized to have been a genocide and the term, that had been coined the year before by Raphael Lemkin , [ 50 ] appeared in the indictment of the 24 Nazi leaders , Count 3, stated that all the defendants had "conducted deliberate and systematic genocide—namely, the extermination of racial and national groups..." [ 51 ] International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (1993 to present) [ edit ] The term Bosnian Genocide is used to refer either to the genocide committed by Serb forces in Srebrenica in 1995, [ 52 ] or to ethnic cleansing that took place during the 1992–1995 Bosnian War (an interpretation rejected by a majority of scholars). [ 53 ] On 26 February 2007, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in the Bosnian Genocide Case upheld the ICTY's earlier finding that the Srebrenica massacre in Srebrenica and Zepa constituted genocide, but found that the Serbian government had not participated in a wider genocide on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war, as the Bosnian government had claimed. [ 55 ] On 12 July 2007, European Court of Human Rights when dismissing the appeal by Nikola Jorgić against his conviction for genocide by a German court ( Jorgic v. Germany ) noted that the German courts wider interpretation of genocide has since been rejected by international courts considering similar cases. [ 56 ] [ 57 ] [ 58 ] The ECHR also noted that in the 21st century "Amongst scholars, the majority have taken the view that ethnic cleansing , in the way in which it was carried out by the Serb forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to expel Muslims and Croats from their homes, did not constitute genocide. However, there are also a considerable number of scholars who have suggested that these acts did amount to genocide, and the ICTY has found in the Momcilo Krajisnik case that the actus reu, of genocide was met in Prijedor "With regard to the charge of genocide, the Chamber found that in spite of evidence of acts perpetrated in the municipalities which constituted the actus reus of genocide". [ 59 ] Slobodan Milošević , as the former President of Serbia and of Yugoslavia, was the most senior political figure to stand trial at the ICTY. He died on 11 March 2006 during his trial where he was accused of genocide or complicity in genocide in territories within Bosnia and Herzegovina, so no verdict was returned. In 1995, the ICTY issued a warrant for the arrest of Bosnian Serbs Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić on several charges including genocide. On 21 July 2008, Karadžić was arrested in Belgrade, and he is currently in The Hague on trial accused of genocide among other crimes. [ 60 ] Ratko Mladić was arrested on 26 May 2011 by Serbian special police in Lazarevo, Serbia. [ 61 ] The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) is a court under the auspices of the United Nations for the prosecution of offenses committed in Rwanda during the genocide which occurred there during April 1994, commencing on 6 April. The ICTR was created on 8 November 1994 by the Security Council of the United Nations in order to judge those people responsible for the acts of genocide and other serious violations of the international law performed in the territory of Rwanda, or by Rwandan citizens in nearby states, between 1 January and 31 December 1994. So far, the ICTR has finished nineteen trials and convicted twenty seven accused persons. On 14 December 2009 two more men were accused and convicted for their crimes. Another twenty five persons are still on trial. Twenty-one are awaiting trial in detention, two more added on 14 December 2009. Ten are still at large. [ 62 ] The first trial, of Jean-Paul Akayesu , began in 1997. In October 1998, Akayesu was sentenced to life imprisonment. Jean Kambanda , interim Prime Minister, pled guilty. Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (2003 to present) [ edit ] The Khmer Rouge , led by Pol Pot , Ta Mok and other leaders, organized the mass killing of ideologically suspect groups. The total number of victims is estimated at approximately 1.7 million Cambodians between 1975–1979, including deaths from slave labour. [ 63 ] The investigating judges were presented with the names of five possible suspects by the prosecution on 18 July 2007. [ 65 ] [ 68 ] Kang Kek Iew was formally charged with war crime and crimes against humanity and detained by the Tribunal on 31 July 2007. He was indicted on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity on 12 August 2008. [ 69 ] His appeal against his conviction for war crimes and crimes against humanity was rejected on 3 February 2012, and he is serving a sentence of life imprisonment. [ 70 ] Nuon Chea , a former prime minister, who was indicted on charges of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and several other crimes under Cambodian law on 15 September 2010. He was transferred into the custody of the ECCC on 19 September 2007. His trial, which is ongoing, started on 27 June 2011. [ 71 ] [ 72 ] Khieu Samphan , a former head of state, who was indicted on charges of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and several other crimes under Cambodian law on 15 September 2010. He was transferred into the custody of the ECCC on 19 September 2007. His trial, which is ongoing, started on 27 June 2011. [ 71 ] [ 72 ] Ieng Sary , a former foreign minister, who was indicted on charges of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and several other crimes under Cambodian law on 15 September 2010. He was transferred into the custody of the ECCC on 12 November 2007. His trial, which is ongoing, started on 27 June 2011. [ 71 ] [ 72 ] Ieng Thirith , a former minister for social affairs and wife of Ieng Sary, who was indicted on charges of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and several other crimes under Cambodian law on 15 September 2010. She was transferred into the custody of the ECCC on 12 November 2007. Proceedings against her have been suspended pending a health evaluation. [ 72 ] [ 73 ] There has been disagreement between some of the international jurists and the Cambodian government over whether any other people should be tried by the Tribunal. [ 68 ] Since 2002, the International Criminal Court can exercise its jurisdiction if national courts are unwilling or unable to investigate or prosecute genocide, thus being a "court of last resort," leaving the primary responsibility to exercise jurisdiction over alleged criminals to individual states. Due to the United States concerns over the ICC , the United States prefers to continue to use specially convened international tribunals for such investigations and potential prosecutions. [ 74 ] There has been much debate over categorizing the situation in Darfur as genocide. [ 75 ] The on-going conflict in Darfur , Sudan, which started in 2003, was declared a "genocide" by United States Secretary of State Colin Powell on 9 September 2004 in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee . [ 76 ] Since that time however, no other permanent member of the UN Security Council followed suit. In fact, in January 2005, an International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur, authorized by UN Security Council Resolution 1564 of 2004, issued a report to the Secretary-General stating that "the Government of the Sudan has not pursued a policy of genocide." [ 77 ] Nevertheless, the Commission cautioned that "The conclusion that no genocidal policy has been pursued and implemented in Darfur by the Government authorities, directly or through the militias under their control, should not be taken in any way as detracting from the gravity of the crimes perpetrated in that region. International offences such as the crimes against humanity and war crimes that have been committed in Darfur may be no less serious and heinous than genocide." [ 77 ] In March 2005, the Security Council formally referred the situation in Darfur to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, taking into account the Commission report but without mentioning any specific crimes. [ 78 ] Two permanent members of the Security Council, the United States and China , abstained from the vote on the referral resolution. [ 79 ] As of his fourth report to the Security Council, the Prosecutor has found "reasonable grounds to believe that the individuals identified [in the UN Security Council Resolution 1593 ] have committed crimes against humanity and war crimes," but did not find sufficient evidence to prosecute for genocide. [ 80 ] In April 2007, the Judges of the ICC issued arrest warrants against the former Minister of State for the Interior, Ahmad Harun , and a Militia Janjaweed leader, Ali Kushayb , for crimes against humanity and war crimes. [ 81 ] On 14 July 2008, prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC), filed ten charges of war crimes against Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir : three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder. The ICC's prosecutors claimed that al-Bashir "masterminded and implemented a plan to destroy in substantial part" three tribal groups in Darfur because of their ethnicity. On 4 March 2009, the ICC issued a warrant of arrest for Omar Al Bashir, President of Sudan as the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I concluded that his position as head of state does not grant him immunity against prosecution before the ICC. The warrant was for war crimes and crimes against humanity. It did not include the crime of genocide because the majority of the Chamber did not find that the prosecutors had provided enough evidence to include such a charge. [ 82 ] Naked Soviet POWs in Mauthausen concentration camp . "... the murder of at least 3.3 million Soviet POWs is one of the least-known of modern genocides; there is still no full-length book on the subject in English." —Adam Jones [ 83 ] The preamble to the CPPCG states that "genocide is a crime under international law, contrary to the spirit and aims of the United Nations and condemned by the civilized world," and that "at all periods of history genocide has inflicted great losses on humanity." In many cases where accusations of genocide have circulated, partisans have fiercely disputed such an interpretation and the details of the event. This often leads to the promotion of vastly different versions of the event in question. The 'Age of Totalitarianism' included nearly all of the infamous examples of genocide in modern history, headed by the Jewish Holocaust, but also comprising the mass murders and purges of the Communist world, other few killings carried out by Nazi Germany and its allies, and also the Armenian genocide of 1915. All these slaughters, it is argued here, had a common origin, the collapse of the elite structure and normal modes of government of much of central, eastern and southern Europe as a result of the First World War, without which surely neither Communism nor Fascism would have existed except in the minds of unknown agitators and crackpots. Stages of genocide, influences leading to genocide, and efforts to prevent it [ edit ] For genocide to happen, there must be certain preconditions. Foremost among them is a national culture that does not place a high value on human life. A totalitarian society, with its assumed superior ideology, is also a precondition for genocidal acts. [ 86 ] In addition, members of the dominant society must perceive their potential victims as less than fully human: as "pagans," "savages," "uncouth barbarians," "unbelievers," "effete degenerates," "ritual outlaws," "racial inferiors," "class antagonists," "counterrevolutionaries," and so on. [ 87 ] In themselves, these conditions are not enough for the perpetrators to commit genocide. To do that—that is, to commit genocide—the perpetrators need a strong, centralized authority and bureaucratic organization as well as pathological individuals and criminals. Also required is a campaign of vilification and dehumanization of the victims by the perpetrators, who are usually new states or new regimes attempting to impose conformity to a new ideology and its model of society. [ 86 ] The Stanton paper was presented to the State Department, shortly after the Rwandan Genocide and much of its analysis is based on why that genocide occurred. The preventative measures suggested, given the briefing paper's original target audience, were those that the United States could implement directly or indirectly by using its influence on other governments. Stage Characteristics Preventive measures 1. Classification People are divided into "us and them". "The main preventive measure at this early stage is to develop universalistic institutions that transcend ... divisions." 2. Symbolization "When combined with hatred, symbols may be forced upon unwilling members of pariah groups..." "One group denies the humanity of the other group. Members of it are equated with animals, vermin, insects, or diseases." "Local and international leaders should condemn the use of hate speech and make it culturally unacceptable. Leaders who incite genocide should be banned from international travel and have their foreign finances frozen." 4. Organization "Genocide is always organized... Special army units or militias are often trained and armed..." "The U.N. should impose arms embargoes on governments and citizens of countries involved in genocidal massacres , and create commissions to investigate violations" 5. Polarization "Hate groups broadcast polarizing propaganda..." "Prevention may mean security protection for moderate leaders or assistance to human rights groups...Coups d’état by extremists should be opposed by international sanctions." 6. Preparation "Victims are identified and separated out because of their ethnic or religious identity..." "At this stage, a Genocide Emergency must be declared. ..." 7. Extermination "It is 'extermination' to the killers because they do not believe their victims to be fully human". "At this stage, only rapid and overwhelming armed intervention can stop genocide. Real safe areas or refugee escape corridors should be established with heavily armed international protection." "The response to denial is punishment by an international tribunal or national courts" In April 2012, it was reported that Stanton would soon be officially adding two new stages, Discrimination and Persecution, to his original theory, which would make for a 10-stage theory of genocide. [ 91 ] In view of this rather poor record of ending genocide, the question needs to be asked why the "genocide studies" paradigm cannot predict and prevent genocides with any accuracy and reliability. The paradigm of "genocide studies," as currently constituted in North America in particular, has both strengths and limitations. While the moral fervor and public activism is admirable and salutary, the paradigm appears blind to its own implication in imperial projects that are themselves as much part of the problem as they are part of the solution. The US government called Darfur a genocide to appease domestic lobbies, and because the statement cost it nothing. Darfur will end when it suits the great powers that have a stake in the region. Other authors have focused on the structural conditions leading up to genocide and the psychological and social processes that create an evolution toward genocide. Helen Fein [ 93 ] showed that pre-existing anti-Semitism and systems that maintained anti-Semitic policies were related to the number of Jews killed in different European countries during the Holocaust. Ervin Staub showed that economic deterioration and political confusion and disorganization were starting points of increasing discrimination and violence in many instances of genocides and mass killing. They lead to scapegoating a group and ideologies that identified that group as an enemy. A history of devaluation of the group that becomes the victim, past violence against the group that becomes the perpetrator leading to psychological wounds, authoritarian cultures and political systems, and the passivity of internal and external witnesses (bystanders) all contribute to the probability that the violence develops into genocide. [ 94 ] Intense conflict between groups that is unresolved, becomes intractable and violent can also lead to genocide. The conditions that lead to genocide provide guidance to early prevention, such as humanizing a devalued group,creating ideologies that embrace all groups, and activating bystander responses. There is substantial research to indicate how this can be done, but information is only slowly transformed into action. [ 95 ] ^ Origins and Evolution of the Concept in the Science Encyclopedia by Net Industries. states "Politicide, as [Barbara] Harff and [Ted R.] Gurr define it, refers to the killing of groups of people who are targeted not because of shared ethnic or communal traits, but because of 'their hierarchical position or political opposition to the regime and dominant groups' (p. 360)". But does not give the book title to go with the page number. ^ ECHR Jorgic v. Germany Judgment , 12 July 2007. § 44 citing Prosecutor v. Kupreskic and Others (IT-95-16-T, judgment of 14 January 2000), § 751. In 14 January 2000, the ICTY ruled in the Prosecutor v. Kupreskic and Others case that the killing of 116 Muslims in order to expel the Muslim population from a village amounted to persecution, not genocide. ^ Adam Jones (2010), Genocide: A Comprehensive Introduction (2nd ed.), p.271. – " ' " Next to the Jews in Europe," wrote Alexander Werth ', "the biggest single German crime was undoubtedly not the extermination by hunger, exposure and in other ways of . . . Russian war prisoners." Yet the murder of at least 3.3 million Soviet POWs is one of the least-known of modern genocides; there is still no full-length book on the subject in English. It also stands as one of the most intensive genocides of all time: "a holocaust that devoured millions," as Catherine Merridale acknowledges. The large majority of POWs, some 2.8 million, were killed in just eight months of 1941–42, a rate of slaughter matched (to my knowledge) only by the 1994 Rwanda genocide."

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Death and What Comes Next A Discworld short story By Terry Pratchett When Death met the philosopher, the philosopher said, rather excitedly: "At this point, you realise, I'm both dead and not dead." There was a sigh from Death. Oh dear, one of those, he thought. This is going to be about quantum again. He hated dealing with philosophers. They always tried to wriggle out of it. "You see," said the philosopher, while Death, motionless, watched the sands of his life drain through the hourglass, "everything is made of tiny particles, which have the strange property of being in many places at one time. But things made of tiny particles tend to stay in one place at one time, which does not seem right according to quantum theory. May I continue?" Y ES, BUT NOT INDEFINITELY, said Death, E VERYTHING IS TRANSIENT. He did not take his gaze away from the tumbling sand. "Well, then, if we agreed that there are an infinite number of universes, then the problem is solved! If there are an unlimited number of universes, this bed can be in millions of them, all at the same time!" D OES IT MOVE? "What? Death nodded at the bed. C AN YOU FEEL IT MOVING? he said. "No, because there are a million versions of me, too, And...here is the good bit ...in some of them I am not about to pass away! Anything is possible!" Death tapped the handle of his scythe as he considered this. A ND YOUR POINT IS...? "Well, I'm not exactly dying, correct? You are no longer such a certainty." There was a sigh from Death. Space he thought. That was the trouble. It was never like this on worlds with everlastingly cloudy skies. But once humans saw all that space, their brains expanded to try and fill it up. "No answer, eh?" said the dying philosopher. "Feel a bit old-fashioned, do we?"

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Well, it has to be someone's problem As I frantically attempt to register for any classes taking place over the summer 2012 semester, I can't help but feel punished -- as if I've done something wrong by wanting to attend classes over the summer. Punished! I'm sure by now you're saying something along the lines of, "Why would your chosen academic institution punish you for taking classes?" I understand your confusion. I will focus my feelings into words and hopefully by the time you finish reading the aforementioned words, you will begin to understand the same impotent, disillusioned hopelessness I have come to associate with UFV's summer semester. Or lack thereof. First, let's back up a bit. Why does one attend university? In my experience, those who make the life decision to attend university do so from a stance of self-improvement, and with the hopes of a form of self-actualization, which should, ideally, lead to a career path that satisfies more than the wallet or bank-account. We choose to attend university with the goal of being satisfied with who we are personally as well as our place in the world around us. We attend university to contribute to the betterment of our community and therefore our society as a whole. If you agree with me so far, the next part of this article should come as a bit of shock to you. With any luck, it will spur your thought process in holding your chosen academic institutions accountable -- in this case, when it comes to the classes offered year-round and not just during peak periods. Being a relatively new student at UFV, I expected to be waitlisted for a few classes this semester; I simply have a later registration time than other students. I'm okay with a later registration time. However, as I sized up my options, I quickly noticed that almost every class I was hoping to attend this summer was in one of two states: full and closed to registration, or with a waitlist ranging from 15 to 47 students in length. This is unacceptable. Students want to learn, and in order to learn they need a few things. They need books, and reliable transportation. They need safe and secure lodgings, groceries to feed their brains and, one more thing ... classes. Students can't even be students without classes. All the other requirements are up to the student, and are fairly easily managed -- but classes can only be provided by the university, and this is where UFV has dropped the ball. To add to this mess, the most important part of securing aid is being registered in classes; being unable to register in classes equates in not being able to secure funding. Not receiving aid can result in potentially losing your lodgings, a situation I now find myself in. How do you get out of such a vicious circle? It doesn't matter; at least, that's how I feel after attempting to secure my place in any classes I want or need to attend this summer. It seems, on the surface anyway, that UFV's attitude is of the "it's not our problem" ilk. However, I'm not a man of great wealth, nor was I born in to a family whose situation allows them the freedom to pay for my classes. I'm reliant exclusively on student aid to not only pay for my tuition, but also to pay for books, supplies, lodgings, groceries and other extra costs I incur along the way through each semester. If I were unable to obtain student aid this semester because I was unable to register for any classes, I would find myself in a dire situation, facing the reality of having to leave town and find a free place to reside for the next four months; I believe if this were to happen, it would have a profoundly negative effect on my decision to continue with education, it would definitely cause me to reevaluate UFV as my academic institution. I feel it's safe to assume there are dozens, if not hundreds of students in an eerily similar situation to mine. Can't find satisfying employment, can't find satisfaction at university and are forced to live a life of hopelessness, a life of mediocrity and struggle; avoiding a life like this is the precise reason most people choose to enter an institution of higher learning. If you're a student who can identify with my situation, even if only a small amount, I implore you to write, call or physically vocalize you dissatisfaction with the UFV summer semester. For that matter, I implore you to contact UFV when you're dissatisfied with any of your expectations, related to university guidelines, are not met; this is a prime example. Has it occurred to you that the problem is not with UFV but with the level of funding that the university receives from the provincial government? I'm sure most departments at UFV would love to offer more classes in the summer semester if they had the funding to allow them to do so. Don't think that the lack of classes is simply because professors don't want to teach in the summer -- in fact, many sessional instructors would be more than happy to do so since it would mean a consistent paycheck for the entire year. It's because each department at a university receives a certain number of sections (classes) that it can teach in a given year. This set number of sections means that most departments only offer classes in the Fall and Winter semesters since that is when most students are around and willing to take them. Hence, if the university funds more sections in a year, departments can offer more classes, including in the summer semester. But in order to fund more sections, the university needs more funding from the provincial government (Believe it or not, your tuition fees are not enough to cover the costs associated with running a university). So don't write to or call the UFV administration unnecessarily about a problem that they didn't create, nor can they fix. Instead, write or call your local MLA and other representatives at the Ministry of Advanced Education who have the power to provide the level of funding that would allow UFV to increase its FTEs in order to provide more classes not just in the summer, but in all semesters. By the way, I'm a student, not a representative of the university or something. :P As a UFV student with a legitimate and unaddressed educational concern I contacted the UFV Arts Advice Centre, Educational Advising Services, the Career Centre, the Department of Research and Graduate Studies, and finally the office of the President. Each of these offices and their respective representatives were unable to offer assistance. I then contacted the Ministry of Advanced Education, whose representatives were also unable to offer any assistance. Our administrators and staff at UFV as well as the public servants at the Ministry of Advanced Education should not be met with our continued and collective silence. When the bulk of us remain silent, the voices of the few people who do speak out remain hearable as 'moans', as expressions of aversion or grievance, rather than being heard as potential contributions to a conversation in which a request for further analysis and a desire for genuine change are communicated. It is encouraging for the future of UFV to see a new writer voicing these concerns. I wish you the best in your educational pursuits, Daryl, and hope that you will continue to endeavour to reach your academic goals through thick and thin.

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Game Review Sports Champions 2 Review The original Sports Champions may have been conceived as a direct response to the Wii Sports phenomenon, but beyond its surface accessibility it offered a subtlety that went missing on players looking for little more than a party game. Obfuscated by its shoddy art style and limited multiplayer options, the PlayStation Move launch title's simulation leanings got overlooked -- and it didn't quite garner the universal acclaim it deserved as a result. Sports Champions 2 aims to strike a much better balance between casual and hardcore gameplay, with a roster of five new events and one returning favourite. From the outset, it's immediately obvious that the developer was burned by criticisms pertaining to the original game's lacklustre art direction. High-definition it may have been, but it lacked personality -- something that Sports Champions 2 possesses in abundance. You're now given the option to create your own protagonist, selecting from a slew of different dress types and body models. Characters look distinctly Dreamworks-like, with whopping great jaw lines and disproportionate limbs. Meanwhile, environments are packed with distinguishing details, such as a bowling alley that's surrounded by an aquarium filled with tropical fish. It doesn't sound particularly practical, but it gives the title a much more interesting look. Improved as it may be, though, the presentation is merely window dressing for the bevy of activities concealed within. Sports Champions 2 opts to toss out all of the original game's events aside from archery, and introduces boxing, bowling, skiing, tennis and golf in their place. Each of these sports can be experienced in Free Play, Cup Mode or Party Play -- the latter of which is a fast-paced four-player local multiplayer experience that finds you passing the controller around (or using multiple peripherals) in order to stage your own version of the Olympics in the comfort of your front room. Depending on your social tolerance, you'll spend most of your time with the game playing through the Cup Mode single-player campaign. As with the original title, this sees you working through a series of increasingly difficult cups in order to become the ultimate, ahem, sports champion in each event. Each cup contains six stages, spanning four ordinary opponents, a score challenge level, and a boss. You'll earn stars depending on your performance on each stage, unlocking new gear to personalise your character along the way. Unsurprisingly, Sports Champions 2 is a real showcase title for the PlayStation Move. Through a combination of witchcraft and sorcery, developer Zindagi Games has managed to enhance its already impressive motion control implementation from the original release. For starters, the three-piece calibration sequence has been completely removed, replaced by a simple one-time set-up procedure. Once you've calibrated for the first time, there's no need to repeat the process as you switch between sports -- the game simply works. You can recalibrate at any time should you need to, but we rarely found this was necessary. Unlike competing motion control products, the PlayStation Move maintains its initial calibration alarmingly well. Playing the events on their basic difficulty levels activates a number of assists, which are gradually removed as you progress. Golf is great example of this; if you fail to strike the ball cleanly on the Champion Cup you'll be severely punished by an accurate degree of fade, whereas the Bronze Cup will let you get away with sliced shots relatively unscathed. The other activities incorporate a similar difficulty curve, as tennis takes into the account the speed, follow-through and angle of your swing, while bowling analyses your approach with much more detail. The game gets fairly difficult -- for example, we worked up an unexpected sweat trying to overcome the boss of the tennis gold cup. The accuracy is impressive throughout, but some events do fare better than others. Skiing is perhaps the most contrived of the set, prompting you to replicate outlandish gestures in order to pump your way down slopes and perform flips off ramps. It's a shame that the sport is so poorly implemented, because it's actually the best looking of the six. The sense of speed as you race down colourful mountaintops is impressive, but the controls aren't accurate enough to complete the illusion. It feels like you're copying gestures in order to replicate button prompts, which is never a positive accolade for a motion controlled game. Thankfully, the other sports control much better -- but it's worth noting that you're going to need two motion controllers if you intend to get the most out of Sports Champions 2. Activities like the aforementioned skiing, boxing and archery are all playable with one device, but simply don't feel right without the extra peripheral. Boxing is the worst offender, assigning pre-recorded button prompts to your weaker hand. It feels a little bit like you're fighting with one arm tied behind your back. Introduce a second device, however, and the experience is elevated. Indeed, boxing really showcases the accuracy of the PlayStation Move technology, without succumbing to the same issues that plagued the flawed The Fight: Lights Out . By maintaining a fixed distance between fighters, the game's able to ensure your punches always connect correctly. Swings and blocks are interpreted accurately in the game, allowing you to put together some neat combos. You can also dodge and shimmy by moving your body like a boxer, or pulling the T trigger. As with the original game, different opponents have unique strategies. In boxing, for example, you'll come across heavy hitters and defensive personalities throughout the course of the campaign. Your best option against the former fighters is to block their attacks and let them wear down their stamina, allowing you to take advantage of openings by flooring them with quick combos. You'll encounter multiple tactics in tennis too, as some opponents opt to sit at the baseline, while others attempt to shorten rallies by sprinting into the net. Finding ways to deal with the different strategies is part of the game's fun, and it's a shame that most of the other sports featured -- archery, bowling, skiing and golf -- don't immediately lend themselves to the same degree of variety. That's not to say that the activities aren't creative, though. Archery enjoys the greatest assortment of diversity, providing a slew of different game types centred on the core bow and arrow mechanic. Throughout the course of the sport's campaign you'll find yourself staving off cardboard skeletons, matching up pairs of hidden farm animals, and attempting to outscore your opponent in carnival-esque shooting galleries. Meanwhile, golf has a selection of colourful driving ranges, while bowling sees you attempting to knock down awkward arrangements of pins. The great thing about Sports Champions 2 is that there's always something new to do. In addition to each of the sports being mechanically unique, the developer has packed an array of different rules into each of the events. That makes it a perfect fit for multiplayer sessions. Thankfully, Party Play makes setting up a local competition a doddle. You can play with multiple controllers or one, though you are limited to a specific selection of events if you've only got a single device. The mode takes inspiration from other PlayStation Move party games like Start the Party , allowing each player to snap an image and record their name in order to create a unique personality. Of course, you're also given the option to create unique player avatars for each participant, though there are defaults available if you're in a rush. Scores are added up across the course of multiple random events, with the winner given the option to deface the loser's photo. You can then save these tweaks to your PS3 hard-drive, or even upload them to Facebook for maximum humiliation. Sadly, the pace of the mode is offset by some unfortunate loading times. The game's never overly offensive in this area, but it lingers just long enough to become a frustration; an install option probably would have solved this issue, making it an unnecessary oversight. The lack of online multiplayer is similarly disappointing. While the game is clearly designed around local play, it would have been nice to shoot a few holes of golf over the PlayStation Network. Conclusion Sports Champions 2 is some of the most fun you can have with a PlayStation Move controller in your hand. The title is accessible enough to make it a perfect fit for parties, but it boasts enough depth to keep enthusiastic gamers occupied long after everyone's gone home. The activities are largely well selected, and the calibration improvements are technologically impressive. It's just a shame that online multiplayer's still absent, otherwise this would have been an unmissable release. All the games are fantastic(cause i am not fan of golf). Boxing and even tennis which some say is not good are perfect. And of course ski is good. My body really hurts from boxing today.. Perfect game in my opinion

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Something seems to protect girls from developing autism and other developmental disorders "Protective" factors could play an important role in pointing toward new treatments, interventions Editor's note: Dr. Peter Szatmari has worked in the field of autism spectrum disorders for more than 30 years. He is a professor and the head of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. (CNN) -- Autism (now better known as autism spectrum disorder or ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused, at least in part, by genetic factors. The disorder usually shows up in infancy, starting with noticeable problems in social communication, with a preference for engaging in repetitive, sensory-oriented behaviors. The severity of these deficits varies greatly among individuals diagnosed with ASD. Recovery is rare, though it is true that some individuals may make substantial progress over time. The disorder is associated with a high burden of suffering in terms of the limitations it imposes on those affected. There has also been a lot of attention paid to the extra burden and loss of income it represents for parents and the cost to the social, educational and health care systems. But one aspect of autism that doesn't get a lot of attention is the way the condition manifests differently in girls and boys. Autism rates increasing, but why? CDC: 1 in 88 American kids has autism Understanding autism through music We have known for many years that autism is more common in boys than girls. The disorder appears different in the sexes, and these differences may have important implications for both diagnosis and treatment. A striking finding of the recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report , showing a 78% increase in cases over the past decade, is that the ratio of boys to girls in ASD is about 5-to-1. That is higher than what is usually reported in other studies, where a ratio of 2-, 3- or 4-to-1 is more common. There is no adequate explanation for this imbalance in the sex ratio, though it must be recognized it is also true for other developmental disorders of early childhood such as learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder. In contrast, girls appear to be overrepresented in disorders that begin after puberty such as depression and anxiety. Something seems to protect girls from developing ASD and other developmental disorders. That "something" could be hormone levels in utero, epigenetic factors that turn autism susceptibility genes "on" and "off" during development, or the fact that young girls have in general better social skills than boys and so need a bigger "dose" of what causes ASD to cross that threshold to being impaired. It is also possible that a proportion of girls with mild autistic traits lose those traits early on and so escape detection by 8 years of age (the age of the children in the CDC study). Whatever the reason, the sex ratio in ASD is perhaps the most consistent finding in the field but perhaps the least understood. Yet it is possible that those "protective" factors, once identified and understood, could play an important role in pointing toward new treatments and interventions that capitalize on those protective factors and so make a real difference to long-term outcomes. The clinical expression of autism is also different in boys. Generally speaking, girls with autism have greater learning disabilities and more problems academically than boys. The sex ratio in ASD approaches 1-to-1 as the degree of cognitive impairment increases. Conversely, the sex ratio has sometimes been reported to be even greater than 5-to-1 among so-called "higher-functioning" individuals with ASD, though not all studies agree on this point. An intriguing finding is that perhaps higher-functioning girls with ASD are missed by clinicians who are not experts in diagnosis. There is some evidence that among this subgroup, girls have better social skills than higher-functioning boys with ASD and so are not diagnosed as readily. Often, the symptoms of ASD appear as extreme shyness or anxiety in girls, masking that they may not be responsive to the social cues of others. And while fixated interests are common in both sexes on the autism spectrum, girls tend to focus on topics such as on ponies, princesses, dolls or drawings -- common passions for non-autistic girls, too. Boys, on the other hand, may become stuck on less typical activities, such as lining up blocks or running sand through their fingers. As a result, doctors may miss that some of their female patients show signs of autism. Girls on the autism spectrum also engage in fewer repetitive behaviors such as rocking and spinning and less sensory irritability than boys with ASD. Since these signs are subtle, doctors may not recognize the disorder. Diagnosis at a later age reduces the chances of early treatment, which is thought to produce a better outcome. Girls may be different than boys with ASD in their lived experience of the disability as well. There's increasing concern about peers bullying children with ASD at school and in the community. Some evidence suggests that girls with ASD are bullied less often than boys. They appear to "blend in" more readily with their peer group and are less often the victim of bullying by other girls. Sex differences in ASD is an important topic, but one that has only recently become the focus of attention. Understanding those sex differences both biologically and experientially holds the promise of improving the long-term outcome of all children with ASD. Most important, clinicians need to be sensitive to how the disorder shows up in girls so that those affected can receive early intervention as soon as possible. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peter Szatmari.

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8.7 million species on Earth and in the oceans Plos Biology, August 2011 A new study by Dalhousie researchers used an innovative analytical technique to provide a new estimate of the total number of species on Earth. The estimate of 8.7 million species (plus or minus 1.3 million species) is the most precise calculation of this number to date. The paper, published in PLoS Biology, reveals that 6.5 million species are found on land and 2.2 million live in the oceans. And incredibly, the study predicts that 86% of all species on land and 91% of all species in the oceans have yet to be discovered and described. Census of Marine Life Science, August 2011 The Census of Marine Life finished up in late 2010 with the discovery of 6700 new species and a comprehensive database of marine biodiversity. But what's next? This article from Science looks at the future possibilities for continuation of the research program, and plans for further exploring how marine organisms contribute to the overall functioning of the ecosystem. Analysis of data from the electronic tagging and tracking of 23 species in the North Pacific Ocean over the past decade identified migration pathways, discovered multi-species hotspots and linked marine conditions to animal movement and behaviour within the California Current ecosystem and the North Pacific transition zone. Serial exploitation of global sea cucumber fisheries In only a few decades, most sea cucumber fisheries around the world have experienced a boom-and-bust pattern; over time, this has happened faster and further away from the main markets in Hong Kong and China. Currently, 81% of sea cucumber fisheries globally have experienced population declines due to overfishing. The findings suggest these fisheries are often unsustainable and may develop too rapidly for effective management responses. New - The FMAP PLoS One Collection Decline of marine phytoplankton over past century Boyce D, Lewis MR, Worm B Nature, July 2010 An unprecedented collection of historical and recent oceanographic data was used to document phytoplankton declines of approximately 1% of the global average per year since 1899. Long-term phytoplankton declines were correlated with rising sea surface temperatures. Global patterns and predictors of marine biodiversity FMAP researchers examined global patterns and predictors of species richness across 13 major species groups ranging from zooplankton to marine mammals and identified water temperature as the main environmental predictor of biodiversity patterns in the ocean. The influence of geological, geochemical, and biogenic habitat heterogeneity on seep biodiversity A set of theoretical metacommunity models demonstrate that the response of biodiversity to habitat heterogeneity in deep seeps has a consistent form but quantitatively varies depending on the types of habitats present and the size-classes of the fauna analyzed. StateA???space models were used to look at foraging and traveling patterns of male and female adult grey seals using satellite telemetry tracks. The modeling results revealed markedly different spatial behavior between the sexes, suggesting that they deal differently with seasonal prey availability and reproductive costs. Management Effectiveness of the World's Marine Fisheries A new study provides the first global evaluation of how management practices influence fisheries' sustainability. The study assessed the effectiveness of the world's fisheries management regimes using evaluations by nearly 1,200 fisheries experts and analyzing these in combination with data on the sustainability of fisheries catches. Historical baselines for large marine animals A review of the approaches used in the emerging field of marine historical ecology reveals patterns of historical changes in large marine mammals, birds, reptiles and fish, thus offering new insights into past ecosystems, and providing an important context for contemporary ocean management. A Global Assessment of Salmon Aquaculture Impacts on Wild Salmonids Study makes newspaper headline in British Columbia The impact of salmon farming on wild salmon and trout is a hotly debated issue in all countries where salmon farms and wild salmon coexist. Studies have clearly shown that escaped farm salmon breed with wild populations to the detriment of the wild stocks, and that diseases and parasites are passed from farm to wild salmon. An understanding of the importance of these impacts at the population level, however, has been lacking. In this study, we used existing data on salmon populations to compare survival of salmon and trout that swim past salmon farms early in their life cycle with the survival of nearby populations that are not exposed to salmon farms. We have detected a significant decline in survival of populations that are exposed to salmon farms, correlated with an increase in farmed salmon production in five regions. Combining the regional estimates statistically, we find a reduction in survival or abundance of wild populations of more than 50% per generation on average, associated with salmon farming. Many of the salmon populations we investigated are at dramatically reduced abundance, and reducing threats to them is necessary for their survival. A clear human footprint on the Caribbean coral reefs Banco Chinchorro - Mexico. Photo: Humberto Bahena, ECOSUR The recent degradation of coral reefs worldwide is increasingly well documented, yet the underlying causes remain debated. This study used a large-scale database on the status of coral reef communities in the Caribbean. The data were analysed in combination with a comprehensive set of socioeconomic and environmental databases to decouple confounding factors and identify the drivers of change in coral reef communities. An FMAP study on reef fish biodiversity found that humans impact one of the oldest known laws in ecology, the species-area relationship. The authors found that fishing pressure consistently lowered the rate of increase of diversity with area, on both coral and rocky reefs. Such effects suggest that human exploitation can affect the reef environment in ways not previously considered, and similar patterns might also be found in other marine and possibly terrestrial systems. The study thus established a new way of quantifying biodiversity loss that may be broadly applicable. The study was global in scope, surveying protected and fished reefs in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Cascading effects of the loss of apex predatory sharks from a coastal ocean Overfishing the great sharks on the U.S. east coast has had major ecosystem consequences: abundances of their skate, ray, and small shark prey species have increased tremendously, and the explosion in cownose ray abundance has devastated a century-long bay scallop fishery. Risk of extinction accelerated due to interacting human threats Changes in population density, per generation, of populations exposed to harvesting and reductions in immigration, when facing constant and warming temperatures. The contours in the graph were based on averages of four replicated microcosms, for each interaction of treatments. (Click image for larger version) The simultaneous effect of habitat fragmentation, overexploitation, and climate warming could accelerate the decline of populations and substantially increase their risk of extinction, a study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, B has warned. Using experimental microcosm populations of rotifers (a type of zooplankton), the study found that individually each of these threats caused significant population declines. The study also found that the rate of declines was much accelerated when populations were exposed to more than one threat. These results indicate that multiple interacting threats are capable of causing rapid population extinction, and that all threats should be simultaneously reduced, if their synergies are to be avoided and if the current rate of species loss is to be reversed. more ... Saving Endangered Whales at No Cost North Atlantic right whale breaching. (Photo: US Marine Mammal Commission) Maine lobstermen can protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale without hurting their bottom line, according to a scientific paper published in the journal Current Biology . A team of researchers, led by Ransom Myers of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and supported by the Lenfest Ocean Program at the Pew Charitable Trusts, compared the Nova Scotian and Maine lobster fisheries and found that Maine lobstermen could substantially reduce the number of traps, shorten the fishing season by as much as six months and still catch the same amount of lobsters at lower cost. Doing so would protect right whales by reducing the risk of entanglements in fishing gear, a key obstacle to recovery from the brink of extinction for this large, slow-moving mammal. &nbsp &nbsp more ... Of the 18.7% of tropical coral reefs that lie within "Marine Protected Areas", less than 2% have extended protection with regulations on extraction, poaching and other major threats, according to an analysis published in Science on June 23. The research represents the first global assessment of the extent, effectiveness and gaps in coverage of coral reefs by MPAs. The team built a database of MPAs for 102 countries, including satellite imagery of reefs worldwide, and surveyed more than 1,000 MPA managers and scientists to determine the conservation performance of MPAs. Declines in the number of species found on a standard longline in the 1960s and 1990s First global map reveals rapidly shrinking hotspots for tuna, marlin, swordfish; Diversity has declined by up to 50% over 50 years due to fishing A study released in Science reveals a striking downward trend in the diversity of fish in the open ocean -- the largest and least known part of our planet. Teasing apart the effects of climate change and fishing over the past 50 years, the authors show a clear link to overfishing and highlight a surprising global pattern of open ocean hotspots - areas with predictable congregations of tuna, marlin, swordfish, and other ocean predators. Fortune Magazine names Ransom Myers one of world's "Top Ten To Watch" Fortune, October 2005 In October 2005, Ransom Myers was chosen by Fortune magazine as one of the world's top ten movers and shakers: people who will change the way the world operates over the next 75 years. The prominent business magazine predicted that Myers' work on fish population dynamics and the depletion of sharks, tuna and other fish species will foster "new and better ways to husband the wealth beneath the sea." Direct and indirect fishery effects on small coastal elasmobranchs in the northern Gulf of Mexico Travis D. Shepherd and Ransom A. Myers Ecology Letters, October 2005 Sharks, rays and skates caught as bycatch by shrimp trawls and bottom longlines in the Gulf of Mexico have declined precipitously in the last 30 years (bonnethead 96%, Bancroft's numbfish 98%, smooth butterfly ray > 99%). In fact, some species, such as the dusky shark, scalloped hammerhead, and great hammerhead, have not appeared in shrimp trawl surveys for the past 23 years, and may have been completely eradicated from the region. Co-incident with these declines, abundances of deeper water species like the Atlantic angel shark and the smooth dogfish have increased 6 to 13 times since 1972. Since the diet of large coastal sharks consists of substantial amounts of smaller elasmobranchs, these prey populations are increasing, but only in deeper areas where they escape fisheries impacts. Such increases indicate the strong effect of predation by large coastal elasmobranchs, since their prey are increasing in spite of having low reproductive potential themselves (due to late age at maturity). This paper demonstrates that shark species play a critical role in structuring coastal food webs in tropical and sub-tropical regions. The loss of these populations may have far-reaching impacts on ecological communities in these areas, effects that may be seen globally in tropical / subtropical regions with intense shrimp trawling and bottom longlining. New Understanding of Leatherback Turtle Behaviour and Migration Time spent at surface by leatherback turtles Leatherback turtles undergo extensive migrations from tropical to temperate waters. By tracking diving behaviour and horizontal movement and through direct observation, Mike James, Ransom Myers, and Andrea Ottensmeyer were able to identify different uses of coastal and pelagic areas by leatherbacks during their migration. For 25 male and female animals tagged off Nova Scotia, Canada, diving patterns observed in temperate waters were consistent with foraging. Foraging in temperate waters off Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States may make animals vulnerable to incidental capture in these regions. Changing Open Ocean Communities in the Tropical Pacific Peter Ward and Ransom A. Myers Ecology, April 2005 In a paper published in the journal Ecology ( "Shifts in open-ocean fish communities coinciding with the commencement of commercial fishing" ), Ward and Myers compare open ocean fish abundances and biomass from recent years with those observed when industrial fishing began in the 1950s. The total biomass of pelagic fish caught on longlines was reduced by 90% between the 1950s and 1990s. This drastic reduction in the abundance of top predators by fishing could have dramatic consequences for the pelagic ecosystem, and Ward and Myers found preliminary evidence that such changes are occurring. They observed an increase in catches of small species such as the pelagic stingray and pomfrets which corresponded to declines in large predators. Ward and Myers suggest that this increase could be due to a reduction in predation pressure by large predatory fishes, resulting in increased abundance and/or geographical range for these smaller fish. Identification of high-use habitat and threats to leatherback sea turtles in northern waters: New directions for conservation Incidental capture in fisheries threatens many marine vertebrates, however, conservation cannot be effective without identifying major sources of mortality. For the critically endangered leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea ), a reliance on fisheries observer data and an absence of behavioural datasets corresponding to a large and diverse sample of animals have focused conservation efforts on a very limited part of the species? marine habitat. Using the largest satellite telemetry dataset for Atlantic leatherbacks, morphometrics from foraging animals, and entanglement records, we show annual return migrations to key feeding areas by males, females and juveniles, and demonstrate the importance of northern latitudes to leatherbacks. We show that leatherbacks are vulnerable to entanglement in northern coastal and shelf waters, where turtle-fishery interactions represent a greater threat to this species than previously recognized. Unless conservation efforts expand to coastal areas, present efforts alone will not be sufficient to save the species. Hatcheries and Endangered Salmon Many of the wild salmon populations currently protected under the Endangered Species Act in the Northwest are in immediate danger of being delisted--not because they are recovering--but because their presence and status may block development. Supplementary material Shifting baselines and the decline of pelagic sharks in the Gulf of Mexico Julia Baum and Ransom A. Myers Ecology Letters, February 2004 Less than 1% of oceanic whitetip sharks - thought to have been the most common warm-water oceanic shark just fifty years ago - remain in the Gulf of Mexico today. "This tragedy is caused by continued overfishing and the demand for a single luxury item - sharkfin soup," says Dr. Ransom Myers, a world-leading fisheries biologist based at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Predator diversity hotspots in the blue ocean Boris Worm, Heike Lotze, and Ransom A. Myers PNAS, August 2003 Large oceanic predators concentrate in unique "diversity hotspots" much like those that exist on land, according to new research published this week in the prestigious U.S. journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA." Many predators, such as tunas, sharks, billfishes, and sea turtles, are of immediate conservation concern due to their vulnerability to overfishing, or high mortality as by-catch in commercial fisheries. Although terrestrial conservation efforts have focused on identifying and preserving such concentrations of vulnerable species, little is known about similar hotspots in the ocean. The scientists found that species diversity peaks at distinct locations, always located at intermediate latitudes (20-30 degrees North and South) where tropical and temperate species overlap. Hotspots are located close to prominent marine geographic features, such as reefs or shelf breaks. They are found east of Florida, south of Hawaii, and off the east coast of Australia, and within national waters. Additional studies show that these hotspot areas seem to be important for many species at once, from plankton to sharks. Through modeling, the researchers predicted that protecting these hotspot areas from fishing would yield greater benefits for threatened species than closing any other area. The scientists suggest that the ocean has unique, and previously unrecognized concentrations of pelagic species, which should be used to focus future conservation measures. They also propose that marine protected areas in national waters, combined with reduced fishing effort, could be used to safeguard threatened marine predators from further declines and ecological extinction. Rapid worldwide depletion of predatory fish communities Ransom A. Myers and Boris Worm Nature, May 15th, 2003 Changes in the catch per unit effort in the Japanese longline fishery from 1952 to 2000, catch of tuna and billfish per 100 hooks. Analysis of data from five ocean basins reveals a dramatic decline in numbers of large predatory fish (tuna, blue marlins, swordfish and others) since the advent of industrialized fishing. The world's oceans have lost over 90% of large predatory fish, with potentially severe consequences for the ecosystem. These findings provide indirect support for goals established at the UN's World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg last year. UN officials argued that three-quarters of the world's fisheries were fished to their sustainable limits or beyond, and made proposals for the restoration of depleted fisheries by 2015. Data on predatory fish are important as they are not dependent on datasets from commercial fisheries, which can be unreliable. Collapse and conservation of shark populations in the Northwest Atlantic Shark populations in the Northwest Atlantic have declined dramatically in the last two decades. Using an extensive dataset from the pelagic longline fishery, Baum and colleages have detected declines ranging from 40% for mako sharks to over 90% for hammerhead sharks. The magnitude of these changes suggests that several species are in danger of large-scale extirpation. The authors call for new marine reserves and a reduction in fishing effort to halt these trends. The Census of Marine Life is a growing global network of researchers in more than 45 nations engaged in a ten-year initiative to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine life in oceans--past, present, and future.

Information/Explanation

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I Want To (Do Everything For You) lyrics Joe Tex I Want To (Do Everything For You) lyrics I want to hold you in my arms Till you say turn you lose. I want to do the things for you Till you say it aint no use. I want to wake you every morning With a good morning kiss. I want to kiss you to sleep the same way Cause I know you like this. I want to do everything for you Cause that's all that man can do When he loves a woman like I love you. And I love ya, love ya I love ya, love ya, love ya, I love ya, love ya... love ya Ooo... eee, yes I love you. [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/joe_t\\... ] I want to say sweet things to you Till you say I said enough. I want to stand right by your side When the goin gets tough. I want to mend your broken heart Till you say the hurt is gone. I want to stay with you always So that you wont be alone. I want to do everything for you Cause that's all that man can do When he loves a woman like I love you. And I love ya, love ya, love ya Love ya, love ya... love ya Ooo... eee... like I love you. I want to work for you every day Till you say come home and rest. I want to buy you pretty things So you can look your best. I want to take you everywhere So the world can see what I got. I want to treat you with tender love Till you say I've got to stop. I want to do everything for you Cause that's all that man can do When he loves a woman like I love you. And I love ya love ya, love ya, love ya Yes, I love ya, love ya Love ya

Prose/Lyrical

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By using DTI Software's Website, you are agreeing to these terms. Please read them carefully. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use the Website. About these Terms DTI Software reserves the right to revise these terms or any portion of them, at any time and without further notice. You are bound by any revisions and it is your responsibility to periodically visit this page and review the terms that apply to your use of DTI Software's Website. If you violate any of these terms, your right to use the Website automatically terminates. If it turns out that a particular term is not enforceable, this will not affect any of the other terms. Using Our Website All text, graphics, images, user interfaces, visual interfaces, photographs, trademarks, logos, sounds, music, video, artwork and computer code (collectively, "Content"), contained on the Website is either owned, controlled or licensed by or to DTI Software Inc. and is protected by copyright, patent and trademark laws, and various other intellectual property rights. DTI Software authorizes you to view and use this Website provided that you agree to and abide by these terms. DTI Software grants you a limited, personal, non-exclusive, non-commercial, revocable, non-assignable and non-transferable license to view and use the Content presented in the Website, for your personal, non-commercial use only; provided that: (1) you keep intact all trademark, copyright and other proprietary notices contained on the Website (2) you do not use the Content presented on this Website in a manner that suggests an association with any of our products, services or brands; (3) you make no modifications to the Contents of the Website; and (4) you do not insert any code or product to manipulate the Content of the Website. Canadian, United States, and International Intellectual Property laws protect the Content presented in this Website. You may not sell, modify, copy, reproduce, display, or distribute the Contents presented on this Website for any commercial purpose. The use of the materials on any other Website or in a networked computer environment for any purpose, unless otherwise granted by DTI Software, is prohibited. DTI Software prohibits the use of our trademark(s), or any related graphic(s)as a "hot link" on any Website unless approved by DTI Software. Links to Third Party Sites We have provided links to certain third party websites as a courtesy. By providing these links, we are not endorsing, adopting or agreeing with any of the content of the linked sites or the products or services of that third party. We do not review or control the content of third party sites and that content is not part of our Website. We expressly disclaim any responsibility for the content of any third party sites linked to our Website or the products or services of that third party. We do not make any representations regarding the content or accuracy of materials on third party websites or the products or services of third parties. We urge you to use discretion when you access any third party sites linked to our Website. DTI Software's Warranties and Disclaimers DTI Software does not warrant that the Website will operate error-free or that the Website and its server are free of computer viruses and other harmful goods. If your use of the Website results in the need for servicing or replacing equipment or data, we are not responsible for those costs. This Website is provided on an 'as is' basis without any express or implied warranties of any kind. Liability DTI Software shall not be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, any incidental, exemplary, punitive, direct, indirect, special and consequential damages, lost profits or revenues, or damages resulting from lost data or business interruption) resulting from the use or inability to use the Website, and regardless of whether or not DTI Software was advised of the possibility of such damages. In no event shall our total liability to you for all damages, losses, and causes of action (whether in contract, tort, including without limitation negligence, or otherwise) exceed the amount paid by you, if any, for accessing the Website. The Website may contain inaccuracies or typographical errors. Indemnification You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold DTI Software, its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees and agents harmless from and against any claims, actions or demands, including without limitation, any reasonable legal and accounting fees, alleging or resulting from your use of the Website (including software) or your breach of these terms. Contact Information If you have any questions with regards to these terms, please contact DTI Software at [email protected] .

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SCHEDULE (Section 2) Article I 1. This Convention shall apply to the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards made in the territory of a State other than the State where the recognition and enforcement of such awards are sought, and arising out of differences between persons, whether physical or legal. It shall also apply to arbitral awards not considered as domestic awards in the State where their recognition and enforcement are sought. 2. The term "arbitral awards" shall include not only awards made by arbitrators appointed for each case but also those made by permanent arbitral bodies to which the parties have submitted. 3. When signing, ratifying or acceding to this Convention, or notifying extension under article X hereof, any State may on the basis of reciprocity declare that it will apply the Convention to the recognition and enforcement of awards made only in the territory of another Contracting State. It may also declare that it will apply the Convention only to differences arising out of legal relationships, whether contractual or not, which are considered as commercial under the national law of the State making such declaration. Article II 1. Each Contracting State shall recognize an agreement in writing under which the parties undertake to submit to arbitration all or any differences which have arisen or which may arise between them in respect of a defined legal relationship, whether contractual or not, concerning a subject matter capable of settlement by arbitration. 2. The term "agreement in writing" shall include an arbitral clause in a contract or an arbitration agreement, signed by the parties or contained in an exchange of letters or telegrams. 3. The court of a Contracting State, when seized of an action in a matter in respect of which the parties have made an agreement within the meaning of this article, shall, at the request of one of the parties, refer the parties to arbitration, unless it finds that the said agreement is null and void, inoperative or incapable of being performed. Article III Each Contracting State shall recognize arbitral awards as binding and enforce them in accordance with the rules of procedure of the territory where the award is relied upon, under the conditions laid down in the following articles. There shall not be imposed substantially more onerous conditions or higher fees or charges on the recognition or enforcement of arbitral awards to which this Convention applies than are imposed on the recognition or enforcement of domestic arbitral awards. Article IV 1. To obtain the recognition and enforcement mentioned in the preceding article, the party applying for recognition and enforcement shall, at the time of the application, supply: ( a ) The duly authenticated original award or a duly certified copy thereof; ( b ) The original agreement referred to in article II or a duly certified copy thereof. 2. If the said award or agreement is not made in an official language of the country in which the award is relied upon, the party applying for the recognition and enforcement of the award shall produce a translation of these documents into such language. The translation shall be certified by an official or sworn translator or by a diplomatic or consular agent. Article V 1. Recognition and enforcement of the award may be refused, at the request of the party against whom it is invoked, only if that party furnishes to the competent authority where the recognition and enforcement is sought, proof that: ( a ) The parties to the agreement referred to in article II were, under the law applicable to them, under some incapacity, or the said agreement is not valid under the law to which the parties have subjected it or, failing any indication thereon, under the law of the country where the award was made; or ( b ) The party against whom the award is invoked was not given proper notice of the appointment of the arbitrator or of the arbitration proceedings or was otherwise unable to present his case; or ( c ) The award deals with a difference not contemplated by or not falling within the terms of the submission to arbitration, or it contains decisions on matters beyond the scope of the submission to arbitration, provided that, if the decisions on matters submitted to arbitration can be separated from those not so submitted, that part of the award which contains decisions on matters submitted to arbitration may be recognized and enforced; or ( d ) The composition of the arbitral authority or the arbitral procedure was not in accordance with the agreement of the parties, or, failing such agreement, was not in accordance with the law of the country where the arbitration took place; or ( e ) The award has not yet become binding on the parties, or has been set aside or suspended by a competent authority of the country in which, or under the law of which, that award was made. 2. Recognition and enforcement of an arbitral award may also be refused if the competent authority in the country where recognition and enforcement is sought finds that: ( a ) The subject matter of the difference is not capable of settlement by arbitration under the law of that country; or ( b ) The recognition or enforcement of the award would be contrary to the public policy of that country. Article VI If an application for the setting aside or suspension of the award has been made to a competent authority referred to in article V(1)( e ), the authority before which the award is sought to be relied upon may, if it considers it proper, adjourn the decision on the enforcement of the award and may also, on the application of the party claiming enforcement of the award, order the other party to give suitable security. Article VII 1. The provisions of the present Convention shall not affect the validity of multilateral or bilateral agreements concerning the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards entered into by the Contracting States nor deprive any interested party of any right he may have to avail himself of an arbitral award in the manner and to the extent allowed by the law or the treaties of the country where such award is sought to be relied upon. 2. The Geneva Protocol on Arbitration Clauses of 1923 and the Geneva Convention on the Execution of Foreign Arbitral Awards of 1927 shall cease to have effect between Contracting States on their becoming bound and to the extent that they become bound, by this Convention. Article VIII 1. This Convention shall be open until 31 December 1958 for signature on behalf of any Member of the United Nations and also on behalf of any other State which is or hereafter becomes a member of any specialized agency of the United Nations, or which is or hereafter becomes a party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice, or any other State to which an invitation has been addressed by the General Assembly of the United Nations. 2. This Convention shall be ratified and the instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Article IX 1. This Convention shall be open for accession to all States referred to in article VIII. 2. Accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of accession with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Article X 1. Any State may, at the time of signature, ratification or accession, declare that this Convention shall extend to all or any of the territories for the international relations of which it is responsible. Such a declaration shall take effect when the Convention enters into force for the State concerned. 2. At any time thereafter any such extension shall be made by notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and shall take effect as from the ninetieth day after the day of receipt by the Secretary-General of the United Nations of this notification, or as from the date of entry into force of the Convention for the State concerned, whichever is the later. 3. With respect to those territories to which this Convention is not extended at the time of signature, ratification or accession, each State concerned shall consider the possibility of taking the necessary steps in order to extend the application of this Convention to such territories, subject, where necessary for constitutional reasons, to the consent of the Governments of such territories. Article XI In the case of a federal or non-unitary State, the following provisions shall apply: ( a ) With respect to those articles of this Convention that come within the legislative jurisdiction of the federal authority, the obligations of the federal Government shall to this extent be the same as those of Contracting States which are not federal States; ( b ) With respect to those articles of this Convention that come within the legislative jurisdiction of constituent states or provinces which are not, under the constitutional system of the federation, bound to take legislative action, the federal Government shall bring such articles with a favourable recommendation to the notice of the appropriate authorities of constituent states or provinces at the earliest possible moment; ( c ) A federal State Party to this Convention shall, at the request of any other Contracting State transmitted through the Secretary-General of the United Nations, supply a statement of the law and practice of the federation and its constituent units in regard to any particular provision of this Convention, showing the extent to which effect has been given to that provision by legislative or other action. Article XII 1. This Convention shall come into force on the ninetieth day following the date of deposit of the third instrument of ratification or accession. 2. For each State ratifying or acceding to this Convention after the deposit of the third instrument of ratification or accession, this Convention shall enter into force on the ninetieth day after deposit by such State of its instrument of ratification or accession. Article XIII 1. Any Contracting State may denounce this Convention by a written notification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Denunciation shall take effect one year after the date of receipt of the notification by the Secretary-General. 2. Any State which has made a declaration or notification under article X may, at any time thereafter, by notification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, declare that this Convention shall cease to extend to the territory concerned one year after the date of the receipt of the notification by the Secretary-General. 3. This Convention shall continue to be applicable to arbitral awards in respect of which recognition or enforcement proceedings have been instituted before the denunciation takes effect. Article XIV A Contracting State shall not be entitled to avail itself of the present Convention against other Contracting States except to the extent that it is itself bound to apply the Convention. Article XV The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall notify the States contemplated in article VIII of the following: ( a ) Signatures and ratifications in accordance with article VIII; ( b ) Accessions in accordance with article IX; ( c ) Declarations and notifications under articles I, X and XI; ( d ) The date upon which this Convention enters into force in accordance with article XII;

Legal

CORE

English

Let's Panic At LET'S PANIC ABOUT BABIES, Eden Kennedy and I share our hard-won wisdom and tell you exactly what to think and feel and do, whether you're about to have a baby or already did and don't know what to do with it. But look how much happier I am! This was undoubtedly due to my brand-new nephew, who I got to see pretty much every day. He is now 28. I am crazy old. And now...ninth grade. Dorp. Okay. First of all, the clothing. Is that a mock turtleneck? How dare I. Secondly, there is a shadow falling across my face that's giving me a unibrow appearance, which I assure you I did not have. That is a mock unibrow. Still, though, it's not good. Eighth grade was less traumatic than seventh, and ninth was easier still. Tenth and eleventh were socially more exciting, and then things took a steep downturn (in every way) in twelfth grade. Hello. I am wearing four shades of eyeshadow. My hair has been lovingly blown dry, strand by strand. Why yes, this is my mother's sweater from Ann Taylor. And my mother's necklace! I want nothing more than to look like a guidance counselor. I look like I have it together, don't I? And yet I was an emotional mess, dabbling with self-harm, panic-attacking like an old pro, screwing up academically, and engaging in disciplinary shenanigans all the damn time. No one believes that I got suspended from school, but oh, it happened. (Okay, it was in-school suspension. BUT STILL.) I was pulled, if not from the brink, than from some less fortunate conclusion to my school years by an assortment of dedicated, amazing teachers: teachers who listened to my dumb problems; who pushed me to work; who suggested I pursue writing and music; who yelled at me when yelling was called for. My parents had to love me, I thought, so I could discount their opinions, but having these unrelated-to-me adults take an interest got my attention. I was pretty lost for a while, there. I don't know where I'd be without them. The teachers listed on DonorsChoose can and do change lives, and they can make even more of a difference with a little help. If you've enjoyed this series at all, please donate. It doesn't have to be a lot! Remember, all your donations will be matched. The matching offer is only good until the 26th, so hurry. Thanks. Reader Comments (21) I just realized that, less my face, your pictures could be mine! Only in my senior picture them made us all go to a studio and put on this faux fur/feather thing that looked like an emu wrapped itself around my shoulders and died. And how sad is it that I pirated my mom's sweater and earrings for my 8th grade pic? I guess I really wanted that guidance counselor look at 13. I've appreciated your posts about your schooling. You were terribly lucky that you had support from adults during high school. I did not, even though I desperately needed it. I nearly flunked out and had no friends. My guidance counselor told me I shouldn't go to college. 21 years later I will, at least it looks like I will, earn my PhD from a top department and a top college in my field. I have already looked up the faculty and staff at my old high school, and that guidance counselor is still there. I intend to email him and let him know where I've ended up. Ironically? My field is education. I don't have a family, but I have dear friends. Soon I'll have some sweet redemption as well. Oh, and my email to my old guidance counselor isn't just about "look what I did in spite of your advice" but it's also intended to let him know that he really can't make such statements to people and that, I suspect, there are far more students who are far more capable than he may think, given the right environment that is. Alice-- your 12th grade photo so painfully reminds me of my own senior year in H.S. Why did I think it was a good idea to wear my mom's old work clothes from The Limited's "Outback Red" line to school? Long, pleated skirts with big baggy cotton sweaters?! Bass oxfords and espadrilles. I mean, now of course this stuff is kind of hip, but then it was social suicide. And I wonder why no boys took interest?! Also remembering my sophomore year summer, when I bought a black Guess 2-piece bathing suit and what seems like all the black eyeliner in the world and attempted to recreate the brigitte bardot look. bless my mom for not grounding me/laughing in my face. Seventh grade is the worst, it's ALWAYS the worst, it still haunts me. If you want the earthshaking Oh God Time Does Not Pass It Is Still Happening shock of this, do as I do and rewatch Wet Hot American Summer, which has an actor whose role is "The Cure girl." It all has special terrifying resonance now that my girl is in 7th grade. The 80s were awful to us all. But hey- your TEETH look amazing. Barely noticed the 9th grade braces, and now this. Kudos to your orthodontist, along with your teachers! Or, oh dear, does tghat bring back traumatic memories? Everyone seems to CRAVE braces now, but I know that the 80s were not that way.... I have loved every single one of these posts. And I think wanting to look like our mothers at that age might be universal - I remember being DELIGHTED over my moms ankle length denim skirts and cardigan sweater sets when I was in middle school in the 90's. And scarves! So jaunty! For what it's worth, I love your twelfth grade photo. One (which is to say, "I") would never know it was a bad year for you. Eighth grade was my most favorite year ever, and it seems to have lasted a mercifully long time. Halfway through, my parents announced that we were moving across the country to Calif-or-nye-aye, and it was a crushing blow to my existence. I almost got to finish out the year--we moved in May, and I had to start a new school at the end of the school year. I suppose, I'm resourceful and adaptable because I made new friends, but oh, how my heart was broken and yearning for my old friends. Happily, high school life picked up and I came to call California "home" but I always had a sinking feeling that I was missing out on all the fun my Virginia friends were having. It is such a shame that your 12th grade picture doesn't reflect your life at that time, because it is absolutely lovely. And your gorgeous post-braces smile gives me great hope. The teeth you commented on in an earlier photo (second grade? third, maybe?) look exactly like my 7-year-old daughter's do right now. I have hope that her teeth and her lovely personality will end up as nicely as yours have! Man. You are really good at blending eye shadow. And, as others have noted, great teeth! I am sad this series has come to its end, yet I am so happy those teachers helped put you on the path to become the writer you are. I've been reading your blog since 2004 and laughing with you in the shallow end the whole time. Thanks for that! Seventh grade always appears worse than sixth. Eight is better, ninth is harder, then it gets progressively better until senior year and half day schedules and boys named JT who don't love you back. And shadow, you say? Looks like you're giving Abe Vigoda a run for his unibrow money. But still darling. If I could go back, it would be to elementary school. I could have done without jr high and high school both. All I can think is: How can I find a school like that, with those kinds of teachers. You were probably quiet and hard working and diligent even if getting in trouble somehow. My daughter is like my sister--teachers just REACT to her sometime. Anyway, I need to know the town and the school and also anything your parents did to get the teachers to help you. JUST KIDDING! I am glad you got everything straightened out so you could write this great blog. Snozma, it was actually not a great school. I had plenty of crappy teachers. But I had a great chorus teacher, English teacher, and guidance counselor, and that's all it took for me. Also I was in no way quietly diligent. I was a huge loudmouth who got in trouble for telling teachers they were stupid. Also I thought the school rules were all stupid so I flouted them all the time. Oh! And I was often drunk. I was a joy and a wonder. During my senior year, I regularly borrowed a corduroy pinafore/jumper from my mom's friend, paired it with a turtleneck, and went to school believing I looked fantastic. My big-as-pie-plates glasses with the royal blue frames only enhanced the look. Once, as I was waiting in line at a movie theatre, a group of freshman called out to me thinking I was one of our high school writing teachers. And was I embarrassed? Not one bit! I was obviously very mature and grown-up! Indeed 12th grade looks very guidance counselor-y. But take that in a good way. Open. Trusting. The friend every one needs. I mean there is a very warm glow to that picture. Every ones school pictures are classics. Thanks for sharing yours. Oh my, I remember my yearbook pictures, too. I don't think I will ever post them. LOL. Anyway, primary or high school, we go through a lot of things. We just try to rectify when we get mature enough to realize that being so reckless will lead us nowhere and that if we just try, we can achieve all of our dreams.

Opinion/Argumentation

CORE

English

Issue 43 Forensics Fall 2011 Our Aesthetic Categories: An Interview with Sianne Ngai Adam Jasper and Sianne Ngai Aesthetics as a philosophical discipline was an invention of the Enlightenment, and appropriately enough, most of the historical discussion has focused on the beautiful and the sublime. However, as J. L. Austin noted in "A Plea for Excuses," the classic problems are not always the best site for fieldwork in aesthetics: "If only we could forget for a while about the beautiful and get down instead to the dainty and the dumpy." Sianne Ngai, a professor in the English department at Stanford University, has dedicated years of research to such marginal categories within aesthetics. She is the author of a book on minor affects called Ugly Feelings (Harvard University Press, 2005) and several heavily photocopied papers on aesthetics, including "The Cuteness of the Avant-Garde" (2005) and "Merely Interesting" (2008). Her forthcoming book expands her investigation of apparently trivial but culturally ubiquitous aesthetic categories to include the zany. Adam Jasper interviewed Ngai by email. You've written on cuteness, on envy, on boredom, and now on the interesting. If it could be said that there is a unified project behind these topics, what is it? I'm interested in states of weakness: in "minor" or non-cathartic feelings that index situations of suspended agency; in trivial aesthetic categories grounded in ambivalent or even explicitly contradictory feelings. More specifically, I'm interested in the surprising power these weak affects and aesthetic categories seem to have, in why they've become so paradoxically central to late capitalist culture. The book I'm currently completing is on the contemporary significance of three aesthetic categories in particular: the cute, the interesting, and the zany. I focus on aesthetic experiences grounded in equivocal affects. In fact, the aesthetic categories that interest me most are ones grounded on feelings that explicitly clash. To call something cute, in vivid contrast to, say, beautiful, or disgusting, is to leave it ambiguous whether one even regards it positively or negatively. Yet who would deny that cuteness is an aesthetic, if not the dominant aesthetic of consumer society? Can you say more about the qualities of non-cathartic feelings? The explicit rejection of catharsis was central to Brechtian theater, but is that what you are referring to here? By non-cathartic I just mean feelings that do not facilitate action, that do not lead to or culminate in some kind of purgation or release -- irritation, for example, as opposed to anger. These feelings are therefore politically ambiguous, but good for diagnosing states of suspended agency, due in part to their diffusiveness and/or lack of definite objects. To get our hands a little dirtier here, could you provide some examples of typically cute and typically zany things and indicate the characteristics that make them that way? Cuteness is a way of aestheticizing powerlessness. It hinges on a sentimental attitude toward the diminutive and/or weak, which is why cute objects -- formally simple or noncomplex, and deeply associated with the infantile, the feminine, and the unthreatening -- get even cuter when perceived as injured or disabled. So there's a sadistic side to this tender emotion, as people like Daniel Harris have noted. The prototypically cute object is the child's toy or stuffed animal. Cuteness is also a commodity aesthetic, with close ties to the pleasures of domesticity and easy consumption. As Walter Benjamin put it: "If the soul of the commodity which Marx occasionally mentions in jest existed, it would be the most empathetic ever encountered in the realm of souls, for it would have to see in everyone the buyer in whose hand and house it wants to nestle ." Cuteness could also be thought of as a kind of pastoral or romance, in that it indexes the paradoxical complexity of our desire for a simpler relation to our commodities, one that tries in a utopian fashion to recover their qualitative dimension as use. While the cute is thus about commodities and consumption, the zany is about performing. Intensely affective and highly physical, it's an aesthetic of nonstop action that bridges popular and avant-garde practice across a wide range of media: from the Dada cabaret of Hugo Ball to the sitcom of Lucille Ball. You could say that zaniness is essentially the experience of an agent confronted by -- even endangered by -- too many things coming at her quickly and at once. Think here of Frogger , Kaboom! , or Pressure Cooker , early Atari 2600 video games in which avatars have to dodge oncoming cars, catch falling bombs, and meet incoming hamburger orders at increasing speeds. Or virtually any Thomas Pynchon novel, bombarding protagonist and reader with hundreds of informational bits which may or may not add up to a conspiracy. The dynamics of this aesthetic of incessant doing are thus perhaps best studied in the arts of live and recorded performance -- dance, happenings, walkabouts, reenactments, game shows, video games. Yet zaniness is by no means exclusive to the performing arts. So much of "serious" postwar American literature is zany, for instance, that one reviewer's description of Donald Barthelme's Snow White -- "a staccato burst of verbal star shells, pinwheel phrases, [and] cherry bombs of ... puns and wordplays" -- seems applicable to the bulk of the post-1945 canon, from Ashbery to Flarf; Ishmael Reed to Shelley Jackson. I've got a more specific reading of post-Fordist or contemporary zaniness, which is that it is an aesthetic explicitly about the politically ambiguous convergence of cultural and occupational performance, or playing and laboring, under what Luc Boltanski and Eve Chiapello call the new "connexionist" spirit of capitalism. As perhaps exemplified best by the maniacal frivolity of the characters played by Ball in I Love Lucy , Richard Pryor in The Toy , and Jim Carrey in The Cable Guy , the zany more specifically evokes the performance of affective labor -- the production of affects and relationships -- as it comes to increasingly trouble the very distinction between work and play. This explains why this ludic aesthetic has a noticeably unfun or stressed-out layer to it. Contemporary zaniness is not just an aesthetic about play but about work, and also about precarity, which is why the threat of injury is always hovering about it. An assortment of Atari 2600 games, left to right from top left: Combat (1977), Frostbite (1983), Defender (1982), Kaboom! (1981), Frogger (1982), and Pole Position (1983). What is the underlying connection between affects and aesthetic experience? I think Gerard Genette is right to say that all of our aesthetic predicates are "objectifications" of feeling. To make an aesthetic judgment, with all its necessary claims for universality, is to project one's feelings onto the object in such a totalizing fashion that the "actually subjective" basis of the judgment of aesthetic quality ends up being somewhat incidental to how we experience or understand that quality. Does this mean there is a one-to-one correspondence between the minor affects and marginal aesthetic categories? No. The former are sort of like raw materials for the latter, which are both descriptive and evaluative. In fact, and this is part of what intrigues me about them, aesthetic judgments like the ones in my study revolve around multiple and even conflicting feelings: tenderness and aggression, in the case of the cute; fun and unfun, in the case of the zany; interest and boredom, in the case of the interesting. I should stress that these aesthetic categories are trivial , but not for all that marginal . In fact, my argument is that they are absolutely central not just to postmodern culture, but for a proper understanding of how the very concept of the "aesthetic" has been perhaps irreversibly changed under the hypercommodified, intensively informated and networked, performance-driven conditions of late capitalism. The centrality of judgment to aesthetic experience remains controversial. For Kant, Clement Greenberg, and others, it seems like there can be no such thing as an aesthetic experience without judgment, while Nietzsche and others suggest the contrary. I think the former camp is ultimately right on this, which is why I treat aesthetic categories as both discursive evaluations ("cute" as something we say, a very particular way of communicating a very particular kind of pleasure) and as objective styles (cuteness as a commodity aesthetic, as a sensuous/formal quality of objects), and try to pay close attention to the relation between them. At the same time, I don't agree that aesthetic experience/judgment is necessarily synonymous with conviction. Or reverence, or idealization. Contemporary theorists continue to attribute the specificity of aesthetic experience to the presence of a special, singular emotion like "disinterestedness." Yet most of our aesthetic experiences are based on combinations of ordinary feelings. Aesthetic judgments based on clashing feelings, in particular, mirror the disputes between subjects or groups that underlie them: a state of social conflict that not all aesthetic categories make equally transparent. I'm drawn to these weak or equivocal aesthetic categories because, precisely in not being experiences of conviction, they foreground the question of their justification outright. Indeed, judgments like "interesting" seem to demand justification, much in the same way that all aesthetic judgments (including even "interesting") demand concurrence. The justification of aesthetic judgments, which will always involve an appeal to extra-aesthetic judgments -- political, moral, historical, cognitive, and so on -- is, I think, the really interesting heart of all aesthetic discourse and experience. Aesthetics is a discourse not just of pleasure and evaluation, but of justification. How we talk about pleasure and displeasure turns out to be a very rhetorically tricky and socially complicated thing. How can you subscribe to Kant's theory of aesthetic judgments as making a claim for universality, but at the same time argue that these judgments are not necessarily ones of conviction? Isn't that a contradiction? Not necessarily. Cute, interesting, and zany are based on the complex feelings that arise from our encounters with notably "formless" forms: the squishy blob , the indefinite series , the chaotic flow of activity. Yet all make the claim to universal validity that every aesthetic judgment makes and in the same distinctively performative mode -- if perhaps not with the same degree of affective force as our judgments of, say, the beautiful or disgusting. When I judge something to be cute, or even interesting, I'm judging it to be objectively so. I'm compelled to say that "interesting" is a quality of the object , precisely because putting it this way is the most forceful way, the best way to get others to agree with me. That's the claim for universality, without which a judgment would not be a judgment of taste. Having had to put the judgment in this objective format, however, doesn't necessarily mean that its axiological charge is going to be unequivocally positive or negative. Or that the affective force of the judgment is going to be strong . Cute is a good example. I'm compelled to speak of it as an objective property of an object, which reflects my demand that everyone judge that object the same way. But our experience of something or somebody as cute is itself easily overpowered by a second feeling of manipulation or exploitation. Like the sentimental, which as literary critic Jennifer Fleissner points out, we wouldn't call "sentimental" if it really moved us deeply in the way that it aims to, the cute seems coupled with a certain inability to complete its own project. The same could also be said of the zany, tellingly defined by one online dictionary as a "ludicrous" character (that is, one who is not really convincing) who "attempts feebly" (that is, badly) to "mimic the tricks of the clown." And the same could also be said of the interesting, always just a step away from being merely interesting and thus just a step away from being boring. In comparison to powerful experiences like that of the sublime or disgusting, these aesthetic experiences are profoundly equivocal; indeed, they almost seem to call attention to their relative lack of aesthetic impact or power, to their own aesthetic ineffectuality. But that doesn't finally negate their status as aesthetic categories. And to me it makes them all the more worthy of our intellectual attention. During a conversation about this project, Ken Reinhard jokingly pointed out how these three aesthetic experiences can easily turn pathological, in a way that almost perfectly corresponds to Freud's categories of neurosis: phobia, in the case of cute (because cute objects can quickly become gross or disgusting); hysteria, in the case of zaniness; obsession, in the case of the interesting. I think I'm attracted to them for this reason as well, though I didn't realize this until he pointed it out! Could you explain a little more how the aesthetic categories that interest you acquire the capacity to reveal social conflicts? I'm not being willfully ignorant. My bias can be read back to Frank Sibley, who wrote about the way in which aesthetic justifications ultimately resolve, at least in written description, in non-aesthetic terms. However he also insisted upon the irreplaceable role of direct personal experience of the aesthetic object. No one can convince you of the beauty, elegance, or garishness of an object by describing it. The act of professing aesthetic pleasure or displeasure, in and of itself, is not interesting to me. What is interesting is the complexity of the ways in which people then defend these judgments (which they feel just as strongly compelled to do). As Simon Frith aptly puts it, "Value judgments only make sense as part of an argument and arguments are always social events." So in my comment above, I just was thinking in a general way about what John Guillory calls the "constitutive role of conflict for any discourse of value." That said, the argument of my second book is that the commodity aesthetic of the cute, the performance-oriented aesthetic of the zany, and the informational and discursive aesthetic of the interesting have a unique and even indexical relation to the ways in which the subjects of late capitalism consume, labor, and exchange. Insofar as these socially binding processes are also, inevitably, sites and stakes of social struggle, the aesthetic categories featured in the book reflect these struggles, albeit in a highly indirect and mediated fashion. The zany, for example, is an aesthetic not just about cultural performance but about performance as affective labor, whose gendered status in the post-Fordist culture of what Heather Hicks calls "soft work" becomes increasingly ambiguous. And in a way that repositions gender, in a historically unprecedented way, as a central question for late-capitalist zaniness, as we see in I Love Lucy . The longstanding question of the relation between gender and class gets raised by the question of how post-Fordist zaniness differs from its precedents. It's worth noting here that zaniness is an old but distinctively modern style of performing in which the employer/employee or master/servant agon has always played a central role, since its inception with the character of the Zanni (an itinerant servant) in sixteenth-century commedia dell'arte . It's only in the late twentieth century that the question of gender starts to become increasingly central to this aesthetic about work. Image from "Lucy Tells The Truth," the 9 November 1953 episode of I Love Lucy . The asymmetry of power that cuteness revolves around is another compelling reminder of how aesthetic categories register social conflict. There can be no experience of any person or object as cute that does not somehow call up the subject's sense of power over those who are less powerful. But, as Lori Merish underscores, the fact that the cute object seems capable of making an affective demand on the subject -- a demand for care that the subject is culturally as well as biologically compelled to fulfill -- is already a sign that "cute" does not just denote a static power differential , but rather a dynamic and complex power struggle . Finally, the very idea of "interest" underlying the interesting points to the aesthetic judgment's unique role in facilitating "precise comparisons and contrasts between individuals or groups" and thus in negotiating disputes between them. As Jan Mieszkowsi notes, "interests never exist as unique, autonomous impulses, but only in and as their collisions with other interests." The fact that "before it can be considered as a preference or aim, an interest must be understood as a contradiction with other interests" means "any interest -- or a person, a tribe or a state -- is [already] a counter-interest." As a judgment, "interesting" is often applied to art objects and in your essay "Merely Interesting," you treat it as a category of aesthetic experience when it is used in this way. In what ways does "interesting" conform to, and differ from, the traditional aesthetic categories such as the beautiful and the sublime? When I first started working on the interesting I followed Schlegel in regarding it as the antithesis of the beautiful. But then I started to realize that it illuminated or brought forth aspects of Kant's privileged example of aesthetic judgment in an even more perspicuous way than beauty! This is the case even though the interesting isn't an exclusively aesthetic category. In fact, it's a term critics often deliberately use to toggle between aesthetic and extra-aesthetic judgments. But let me first say something about the Kantian sublime. Could an aesthetic category like interesting, an affectively low-key response to minor differences perceived against a background of sameness, have anything in common with such a powerful response to sheer power? (Not form, as Lyotard underscores, but rather pure quantity or magnitude.) There is one surprising point of similarity: the sublime is still western philosophy's most prestigious example of an aesthetic category that derives its specificity from mixed or conflicting feelings. Yet unlike the mix of interest and boredom in the interesting, or aggression and tenderness in the cute, in the sublime these contradictory feelings are not held in indefinite tension. What makes the sublime "sublime" is precisely the fact of its emphatic resolution ; that the initial feeling of discord culminates in the feeling Kant calls "respect." This final feeling is singular and unequivocal. And it is always intense. The relationship between the interesting and the beautiful is much closer. With its cool affect and relatively weak cathexis with its objects, the interesting arguably resembles the "disinterested pleasure" of beauty more than it differs from it! More significantly, the interesting's lack of descriptive specificity mirrors the conceptlessness of the reflective judgment of beauty as conceived by Kant. I've always found this fact particularly striking. The difference is that the blankness or indeterminacy of the judgment of interesting seems to explicitly invite us to fill in the blank with the concept later. The interesting is an explicitly epistemological aesthetic, in a way that the beautiful is not. Finally, the discursivity of the interesting makes plain the dialogism and matrix of social conflict underlying all judgments of taste. The father of all things zany. The Zanni, as depicted in Claude Gillot, Character from the Commedia dell'Arte , ca. 1700. Can you elaborate on what you mean by the interesting's "discursivity," and how that connects to or helps bring out something about beauty? Think of the ubiquity of the weak judgment in everyday conversation, and how it gets used to implicitly invite others to demand, in turn, that the person who has just proclaimed something interesting take the next step of explaining why . Also, consider this quotation from Thomas Mann's Doctor Faustus , dominated by dialogue as the "novel of ideas" always tends to be: "If one was fundamentally interested in a thing, when one talked about it one could hardly help drawing others in, infecting them with it, and so creating an interest up to then not present or dreamed of. And that was worth a great deal more than catering to one already existent." This moment from Mann's novel, famously based on Adorno's theoretical writings on music, is striking for several reasons. First, it underscores the performativity of the interesting. Judging something interesting is often a first step in actually making it so . Which is why there is an explicitly pedagogical dimension to the interesting. (Not accidentally, the speaker of the quotation is a piano teacher). Second, it highlights how our experience of something as interesting compels us to immediately talk about it. As if there could be no aesthetic experience of the interesting without the talk. For Kant, similarly, it does not seem possible to judge something beautiful without speaking, or at the very least, imagining oneself speaking. Some may think I am overreading certain early moments in the third Critique in making this claim (sections 6 and 7), but I do think the compulsion to literally speak, the compulsion to make one's pleasure public , is fundamental to aesthetic judgment (and therefore, one might argue, to aesthetic experience). Though he doesn't put it as crudely as I just did, Stanley Cavell's reading of the Kantian aesthetic judgment as a perlocutionary speech act suggests so as well. I also think Derrida has this in mind when, in the Truth in Painting , he refers to the "discursivity in the structure of the beautiful." Indeed, for Kant, what one judges in the pure judgment of taste is less the object or even the feeling of pleasure that follows its judging, but rather the communicability of that feeling. And, as Hannah Arendt argues, for Kant communicability quite explicitly means "speech." Could you tell us more about what Schlegel had to say about the interesting? Is there an overlap between the interesting and the ironic? In a 1797 essay called "On the Origins of Greek Poetry," Schlegel explicitly sets the interesting, which he associates with the literature of modernity, in direct opposition to the beautiful poetry of the Greeks. While die schne Poesie is objectively rule-bound, universal, and disinterested, die interessante Poesie is subjective and idiosyncratic, open to interminable particularization because no laws govern its determination by any content in particular. So here is the historical link between the maker of interesting art and the figure of the romantic ironist: both are defined by the lack of attachment to any particular worldview, and thus by an ability to "take on any subject-matter or artistic style" (as Hegel put it, negatively -- he was not a fan of irony, nor of the Schlegels). In a way that may come as a surprise to many, the aesthetic of the interesting thus has a fairly lofty pedigree in high theory and literary criticism. There is something intriguing about the gesture associated with the interesting: pointing. Pointing at something interesting is both vague and precise, and implies that there is more to see than can be seen, that we have recognized something portentous but at the same time are not sure what it is . The gesture is a promissory note, an assertion that this thing will reward further inspection. Does the mute and indicative nature of pointing itself reveal the nature of the interesting? Yes! No one brings this out better than John Baldessari, which is why his A Person Was Asked to Point (1969) played such a central role in my thinking about how the interesting functions as a specifically narrative or diachronic aesthetic -- one that unlike the instantaneous thunderbolt of the sublime, tends to unfold in a serial fashion, over time. Linked always to the relatively small surprise of information, or the perception of minor differences from an existing norm, the interesting is generally bound up with a desire to know and document reality. So we can see why Susan Sontag suggests that it is an aesthetic closely bound up with both the nineteenth-century novel and the history of photography. In On Photography , troubled by how the use of "interesting" as a notoriously weak evaluation tends to promote a general "indiscrimination," Sontag trenchantly notes that "the practice of photography is now identified with the idea that everything in the world could be made interesting through the camera." If it is "not altogether wrong to say that there is no such thing as a bad photograph -- only less interesting [ones]," the reason why photography becomes "one of the chief means for producing that quality ascribed to things and situations which erases these distinctions" is because "the photographic purchase on the world, with its limitless production of notes on reality," makes everything comparable to others of its same kind or type. We can thus glimpse the connection between late twentieth-century conceptualism -- famously obsessed with acts of documentation, classification, and the presentation of evidence -- and a range of realist practices from the previous century. Indeed, conceptual art's "crucial innovation," as Liz Kotz suggests, was its unprecedented pairing of photography with the language of ordinary/everyday observation: the "notes on reality," and on social types in particular, central also to novelists ranging from Henry James to Georges Perec. As James famously said, "The only obligation to which in advance we may hold a novel, without incurring the accusation of being arbitrary, is that it be interesting." You describe the interesting as a "specifically modern response to novelty and change." Could you say more about the way in which you think the interesting is a peculiarly historicized affect? The interesting, like the picturesque, was conceived as an aesthetic explicitly about variation, eclecticism, and idiosyncrasy -- as if in unconscious response to the unprecedented proliferation of styles characterizing the late eighteenth-century European marketplace for art. Coinciding with style's elevation from mere taxonomic concept into primary bearer of an artwork's meaning, this miscellaneous pluralism would pose a new set of problems or challenges for the modern artist, for whom the act of choosing a style would come to take on unprecedented weight. Schlegel's interesting is both an effect or byproduct of the rise of stylistic pluralism and an effort to solve the problem, through an explicit embrace of stylistic variation, eclecticism, and hybridity. Is there a similar historical narrative for curiosity? For a historical narrative about curiosity, I'd refer readers to Hans Blumenberg's The Legitimacy of the Modern Age , where he traces its significance as the "libido of theory." Curiosity seems to have been feminized in a way that interest has not -- on this see Laura Mulvey's Fetishism and Curiosity , which, if I recall correctly, reads curiosity as an antidote to fetishism. The interesting seems more explicitly comparative than curiosity. The fact that we find things interesting only when they seem to differ from others of their type , points to the fact that we live in a world understood as fundamentally taxonomized. This doesn't mean that it's a world devoid of wonder or surprise -- only one in which, as Mikhail Epstein notes, the unknown must be immediately related to what is already known. In fact, Epstein provocatively argues that the interesting is a way of explicitly using understanding to check wonder; or mitigating the "alterity of the object" with "reason's capacity to integrate it" -- like a scaled-down version of the two phases of the Kantian sublime. In any case, in its efforts to reconcile the individual with the generic, the interesting might be described as an explicit response to the modern routinization of novelty. It's also a response to what we might call the mediatization or informatization of reality -- to the fact that "the observation of events throughout society now occurs almost at the same time as the events themselves" (as Niklas Luhmann put it). One sees this reflected in conceptual art's fascination with its coextensiveness with publicity, and also in its fascination with systems, networks, and media. If the interesting speaks directly to this aspect of modern culture -- what Mark Seltzer calls the doubling of everything with its description -- it also speaks to what many have noted as the increasing convergence between art and discourse overall. Art's identification with critical or theoretical discourse about art, in particular, seems to have become one of the most important problems informing the making, dissemination, and reception of art in our time -- as important, perhaps, as the loss of the antithesis between the work of art and the commodity. The "merely interesting" conceptual art of the 1960s and 1970s seems to have been a concerted effort to grapple with this. Adam Jasper is a lecturer in the Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building at the University of Technology Sydney. He is a contributing editor of Cabinet . Sianne Ngai is professor of English at Stanford University. She is the author of Our Aesthetic Categories (Harvard University Press, forthcoming 2012) and Ugly Feelings (Harvard University Press, 2005). Cabinet is a non-profit organization supported by the Lambent Foundation, the Orphiflamme Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York Council on the Arts, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and the Katchadourian Family Foundation. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation by visiting here .

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Labour MSP Promotes Nature of Scotland Awards. Labour MSP and Convenor of the Cross Party Group on Volunteering and the Voluntary Sector Margaret McDougall is promoting the Nature of Scotland Awards, which is run by RSPB Scotland. The aim of the awards are to celebrate excellence, innovation and outstanding achievement in Scottish nature conservation. The awards which were launched last year received over 90 entries across the 6 categories. This year the categories have been increased to 8. These are; Marine Conservation Award, Innovations Award, Sustainable Development Award, Outstanding Contribution Award, Politician of the Year Award, RSPB Species Champion Award, Community initiative Award and a Youth and Education Award. Margaret McDougall MSP, said: "These awards are a great idea to promote and celebrate excellence, innovation and outstanding achievement in Scottish nature conservation. Not only do they highlight environmental initiatives but promote best practice and give people ideas that they can take forward in their own communities." "This year they are looking for as wide a range of entrants as possible so that they can ensure that as many people, groups and organisations are recognised for the great work that they do." "I'm urging everyone who is currently eligible to enter the awards to do so and make sure that your project does not go unnoticed."

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