text:
It's been a year since the release of the last "No Tuition" interview and I'm happy to be back talking with guitarist/composer Peter Janson. Peter's one of the finest contemporary fingerstyle acoustic guitarists playing today and, as you'll see in our interview, a terrific story teller as well!
Category: No Tuition
Jamie Bonk | "No Tuition": Episode #5 – Interview With Taylor Hoy
Producer, guitarist and DJ, Taylor Hoy joined me for Episode #5 of "No Tuition". Taylor shared some insights into his workflow, both for his own original music and for his remixes, as well as talking about his approach to the guitar. I think the interview turned out great and hope you enjoy watching it!
Jamie Bonk | "No Tuition"| Episode #4 – Interview With Ron Scott
Episode #4 of "No Tuition" features musician/painter Ron Scott. We chatted about Ron's artwork, his compositional process, his love of looping and his work on TV shows such as "Corner Gas" and "Antique Roadshow". Ron was kind enough to perform a number of examples of how he uses his looper in a live performance setting. Even though I've known Ron for over 20 years, this interview gave me a deeper insight into both his music and his painting.
Jamie Bonk | "No Tuition": Episode #3 – Interview With Matthew James Gibson
In Episode #3 of "No Tuition", I speak with Vancouver-based singer/songwriter/guitarist Matthew James Gibson. Matt's debut album, "A Trip To Remember, A Place To Forget", was just released and we chatted about the making of the record, his creative process and much more.
Jamie Bonk | "No Tuition": Episode #2 – Interview With Nolan Hubbard
This second episode of "No Tuition" features an interview with singer/songwriter/guitarist Nolan Hubbard. Nolan was kind enough to speak with me on one of his few days off from his current tour. We covered everything from how he writes to his gear to his future plans and I think the interview turned out fantastic!
Jamie Bonk | "No Tuition": Episode #1 – Interview With Andrew Beg
On this first ever episode of "No Tuition", I chat with Toronto-based indie singer/songwriter/guitarist Andrew Beg. Andrew and I talked about a wide range of subjects including his three ongoing projects, the challenges of being an emerging artist and, of course, guitars and gear! I hope you enjoy checking out the interview as much as I did doing it.
Jamie Bonk | "No Tuition"
My new show: Jamie Bonk | "No Tuition". Coming soon!


text:
Home improvement makes a great hobby. After all, it builds useful skills, creates a sense of empowerment, and of course it improves the function and look of your home. There are lots of ways to do it, some right and some wrong. Check out these tips so the time you spend on home repair projects will all be time well spent.
Get new tiling. If your tiling does not match your walls, or is cracking and becoming damaged, replacing it is a better way of refurbishing your home that is relatively simple and inexpensive. Stick-on floor tiles are available at many house improvement stores, and if you want to use the real ones, they are not too expensive either.
You need to make sure that you are getting the best price for your building supplies when you are doing any repairs or renovating your homes. All building supply stores carry the same materials but they all charge different prices for the materials. In order to get the best price you need to compare all of the prices at the different stores.
No matter what project you tackle with you home repair, stay safe while doing it. Wear the proper safety protection for your eyes and hands. Read the operation manuals for the power tools that you are going to use. If you do not feel comfortable with anything and it seems dangerous, hire a contractor to do that part.
Almost all Do-It-Yourself projects are pretty easy and self-explanatory. Most people can paint a room, clean storm windows, and make minor repairs. Be careful not to overextend your actual Do-It-Yourself abilities in more complex areas. Unless you really know what you are doing, you are likely to have trouble (and encounter danger) with projects such as Do-It-Yourself electrical wiring and DIY sewer line replacement. Call an expert!
Adding casual living areas to a home, is a smart and profitable home improvement project. Many homes have just one living area, the addition of a second that can be used as a family room or den are big plus to potential buyers who see your home as place that they can grow with their own family.
Follow the above tips, and the investments you make into home improvements will be wise expenditures of both your energy and the resources it takes to complete a project. From the smallest project to the most complex, home improvement can be rewarding and worthwhile in many ways — as long as you pay attention to tips like these.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
When it comes to sparkling wines, turns out there`s cause for celebration.
Wine experts at Consumer Reports tested 11 sparkling wines costing anywhere from five to 37 dollars. 'If you want to find a good sparkling wine that`s not that expensive, there are plenty of choices.' In fact, Consumer Reports says that when it comes to sparkling wine, a higher price doesn`t necessarily mean higher quality.
Four of the wines tested -- including this 30-dollar bottle of Piper Heidsieck, a French Champagne -- weren`t even good enough to make Consumer Reports` initial cut.
'They were OK, but they had some off-notes, so we concentrated on some of the better wines in our tests.'
After swirling ... sniffing ... and sipping ... three were named Consumer Reports Best Buys.Among them this Blanc de Noirs from Gloria Ferrer, a California Vintner. It was smooth, with hints of ripe fruit, and costs just 16 dollars a bottle.
And for 14 dollars, this Gruet
Blanc de Noirs -- from New Mexico — rated even higher. It combines slightly yeasty flavors and a nice mix of tropical fruit, apple, and pear.
'For sparkling wines, which can be kind of expensive, these were a great combination of both price and quality.'
So go ahead -- enjoy some bubbly at your next dinner party.


text:
(CNN) – Former President George Bush has gone high tech.
First, the two-term president hits YouTube to promote his new book.
Now, we learn he is an iPad addict.
That's according to wife Laura, who told Yahoo news it's hard to break her husband away from the popular Apple gadget.
"He reads the Wall Street Journal on it in the morning before the paper even is thrown," Mrs. Bush said.
The former first lady added the ex-president's favorite app is Scrabble.
"Scrabble is the one that George now seems to be playing constantly," she said. "Like, I'm trying to get his attention; 'I'm still here.'"
As for Mrs. Bush, she doesn't have an iPad but says she is hoping to get one on her upcoming birthday.
You guys will not be laughing in two more years when your man Obama goes down. He is an idiot and makes bush look better all the time!
I've never been a fan of President Bush(that's an understatement!!!). However, I think the we should show some respect for the Office of President Of The United States by refraining from personal attacks against him or President Obama.
Does he know you are supposed to make WORDS with the letters?
I am surprised he uses a liberal iPad.
Does he know you are supposed to make WORDS with the letters?
GB – "Hot Diggity! This is my favorite darn iPad App!"
LB – "Which one honey?"
GB – "The one with all the swirly colors and stuff."
LB – "Um, honey, I think that's the screen-saver."
GB – "What's a screen-saver?"


text:
Traditional auto corrections aren't robust enough to trust. After all, you're not just taking pictures, you're preserving memories. But who has the time to manually correct every photo? With Perfectly Clear, you get remarkable results, instantly and automatically. If you're interested in saving time and money, then our award-winning Plug-ins are for you. Combine the intelligent corrections of our Plug-in with batch processing for exceptional time savings.
One click correction to perfection
Talk about instant gratification. With Perfectly Clear, you simply load the Plug-in and your selected photo(s) are corrected automatically. By applying over 15 patented corrections and 10 years of scientific research, Perfectly Clear saves time and produces accurately beautiful photos. Perfectly Clear should be the first step in your workflow, automatically correcting for camera limitations.
Making photography fun again
Remember the excitement of taking your first great photo? We don't think the fun of photography has to be marred by the time-consuming task of manually editing each and every photo. Perfectly Clear takes all that work away—because you have more productive things to do than sit behind a computer color correcting. Perfectly Clear frees you from the shackles of editing so you can spend your time being creative and taking photos.
Auto correcting is faster and easier than tedious manual editing
Our smart software system does something even better than edit your photos—it corrects them with a single click. Let's say you've just shot 500 photos. Imagine batch processing all 500 images using Perfectly Clear Actions in Photoshop, automatically.
Fine tune your photos in an instant
By displaying the 'before' and 'after ' photos together, our Plug-ins make it easy to see if any shots need to be fine-tuned. Perfectly Clear is the only system where all corrections function independently. That means you can tweak your photos with independent controls. Change the exposure without affecting vibrancy. Add sharpness without changing the color. Plus, you can select other presets or create a custom preset of your own.
The science of reproducing what your eye sees including pixel-by-pixel adjustment
Perfectly Clear applies patented processes to replicate how the eye gathers light, "adding back" the eye function that a camera lacks and overcoming the ways your camera distorts your photos. That's why images corrected using Perfectly Clear have such remarkable depth, vibrance, and visual appeal. In other words, we're doing things you simply can't do in Photoshop or Lightroom.
System Requirements:
– Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 or 8 (32-bit and 64-bit compatible)
– Photoshop CS3, CS4, CS5, CS6 or Creative Cloud (supports both 32 bit and 64 bit)
– Photoshop Elements 8,9,10,11
– Corel PaintShop Pro X5 or X6
– Lightroom 2.7 or newer
– 4 GB RAM or more
What's new in this version:
– Plug-in for Adobe Lightroom has been updated to v1.3.8.
– Plug-in for Adobe Photoshop has been updated to v1.7.4.
– Includes some bug fixes and slight improvements.
Downlaod Athentech Perfectly Clear for Photoshop 1.7.4 & for Lightroom 1.3.8


text:
Spanish Words
Test your knowledge of Spanish greetings.
Emotional & Social Development in Middle Childhood
You're asked to match terms and definitions related to emotional & social development in middle childhood.
Cultural Terminology
Match the cultural terms with the appropriate definitions
Time management puzzle
Putting the correct pieces together to best manage your time
Online Dating
Test your knowledge of online dating!


text:
6100 Mason-Montgomery Road|Mason, OH 45040|513-398-5025
Two Mason High School students spent their spring break in New York City performing at the prestigious Carnegie Hall on Sunday, March 26.
MHS junior Natasha Saputra and sophomore Faith Min are both pianists who were invited after winning first and second place at the International Competition of Romantic Music. This was Saputra's seventh performance at Carnegie Hall, and was Min's debut.
"It was a great experience for us because we had the opportunity to meet with other young musicians from all over the world, like China, South Korea, and Bulgaria. Even though all of us speak different languages and come from different culture, we all have one thing in common, we all love music." explained Saputra.
Both girls take piano lesson at the UC College-Conservatory of Music in the Preparatory Department. CCM Preparatory offers a wide variety of programs in Music, Dance and Theatre Arts for all ages and levels – toddlers, preschoolers, youth, teens, adults, motivated pre-professional students preparing for a future in the performing arts and arts enthusiasts of all ages.
"It was such a wonderful experience for the girls. They met a lot of young musicians from all over the world," shared Natasha's mother Maya Tedjarahadi.
"We are always thankful for Mason City School's continued support for the students, not only academically, but also for extracurriculars. We actually turned down a scholarship offer from a private school to continue sending Natasha to MHS because of the music program. Thank you for all the support!"


text:
'The First Thing God Created Was The Pen'
NEW YORK, Oct. 21, 2008 - Members of the Asia Society gathered for the opening of two Asia Society Museum exhibitions of Islamic calligraphy, Traces of the Calligrapher: Islamic Calligraphy in Practice, ca. 1600–1900 and Writing the Word of God: Calligraphy and the Qur'an, organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and Harvard Art Museum.
The opening lecture by Mary McWilliams, curator at the Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Harvard Art Museum, illuminated the moral, sensory, and professional dimensions of Islamic calligraphy. In the Islamic world, calligraphy is revered as a medium of infinite duration and a visual expression of faith. McWilliams took a close look at some of the outstanding calligraphic works in the exhibitions to explicate both those meanings and the works' aesthetic beauty.
According to Islamic tradition, "the first thing God created was the pen," and McWilliams emphasized the role of writing tools, often made of precious and exotic materials, in her talk. Calligraphy, she noted, also creates a sonic experience, as sharpened reed pens move gracefully across paper. And behind all of these aspects is the calligrapher himself, the "pen of God." The talk examined works by Sultan Mahmud II, the eminent 18th- and 19th-century reformer and calligrapher.
Providing outstanding examples of calligraphy alongside the objects and individuals involved in its making, the lecture introduced the two exhibitions to an audience for whom this was likely to have been a new subject.
Reported by Daisy Wang
A part of Asia Society's Creative Voices of Islam in Asia project, generously funded, in part, by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art and Lisina Hoch.
Listen to the complete program (59 min., 37 sec.)


text:
Wolf Blitzer delivers the most important breaking news and political, international, and national security stories of the day. Tune to The Situation Room weekdays 5-7pm ET on CNN.
CNN's Lisa Sylvester reports on Mitt Romney's comments about PBS funding and what it means for Big Bird's future.
Wolf stated that if Big Bird loses this home, another network, like Nickelodeon, might pick him up. Lisa reported that you have to have cable to get that channel and that would effect low income kids. Since everything is now digital, you have to have cable for ALL the channels, including PBS, at least we do in rural Nevada. You must use DIsh, Direct or Charter Cable, because antennas don't work to get local stations. Sadly, she has no idea what she's talking about and didn't do her homework on this story. Lady needs to do her job or hire a factchecker.
People are fed up with Government overspending, waste and corruption, but Big Bird is the last Poster Chicken Romney should have picked to illustrate his position. Big Bird will win more votes than not amongst the Independent crowd. Bringing up Big bird in the debate was a huge Gaffe by Romney, ( in the long run), in my opinion.
You must be logged in to post a comment.


text:
Troubleshooting & help
As of May 2013, Adobe is no longer actively developing Fireworks, but you can still install a previous version. For more information, see Why has Adobe stopped developing my app?.
For solutions to a "failed to install" error, see Error: "Failed to install" Creative Cloud desktop app. To resolve other download, installation, and update issues, see this download and install troubleshooting guide.
You can install Fireworks on up to two computers. If you want to install it on a third computer, you need to deactivate it on one of your previous machines. Learn how to sign in to your Adobe apps to activate them.
Sign in to your Adobe accounts page with your current Adobe ID and password. From there, click the Security & Privacy tab, and then click Change under Password. For more information on changing your password and other account information, see Manage your Adobe ID account.
Switching Creative Cloud plans is easy. Follow these step-by-step instructions to upgrade or change your plan.
If you cancel your membership, you still have access to Creative Cloud member free benefits and any files you saved to your device. You won't have access to apps or most services and your cloud storage will be reduced to 2 GB. Learn how to Cancel your Creative Cloud membership and understand the Adobe subscription terms.
Join the conversation.


text:
Download the App
Vikash Kumar
Contact Now
Siwan, Bihar
Vikash Kumar
I have the availability of Lokwan Wheat for sale in Siwan. The quantity available is 200 Kg at Rs. 28.00 per Kg. For further discussions, interested genuine buyers, please contact on the given details.
Useful links
Experience App on Mobile
Tel : +91-8448090300
Email : [email protected]
Copyright © 2023 Comex Agritech Pvt Ltd. All rights reserved.


text:
NEWPORT BEACH – Her voice barely audible, the mother stepped to the podium to address the court.
Popped in May 2011 with her second DUI, registering a blood-alcohol level of 0.23 percent at the time of her arrest, the woman looked at the judge as she talked about her excuses for drinking.
She was already a heavy drinker in 2010, she said, when she learned she had breast cancer. During chemotherapy and radiation, she was too sick to drink. But when her treatments were complete, and her doctor said things were looking good, she hit the bottle again – this time to celebrate.
Now, 18 months sober, the woman – herself the daughter of an alcoholic father – talked of the "cunning and powerful" disease of alcoholism, and of how the celebration began when she stopped drinking.
"Sobriety is the greatest gift I've ever had," she said.
As the woman spoke, Judge Matthew Anderson, 54, beamed.
And when she finished, like others in the packed courtroom at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, the judge broke into applause.
For nine "hard-core impaired drivers," Dec. 11 was graduation day.
All were successful participants in DUI Court, a countywide program that is a national model for making the community safer by identifying repeat drunken drivers before they become killers.
Orange County established one of the nation's first DUI Courts in 2004, and today the court, run out of the Harbor Justice Center and three other county courthouses, is one of four nationally designated "academy" courts, meaning it provides resources and training for new DUI Courts throughout the country.
Anderson started running the DUI Court at Harbor in 2010.
He's seen a few people fail in the rigorous course.
But, more often, he's seen a different story – businessmen reunited with their kids, mothers regaining custody of their children, previously wayward young adults enrolling in college.
"I've seen sick and depressed and dangerous people reclaim their lives," Anderson said of DUI Court, in which participants must remain for at least a year, and sometimes longer.
"It's an incredible gift to our community."
Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that alcohol-impaired drivers in the U.S. kill about 10,000 people a year, making drunken driving only slightly less lethal than gun-related homicides.
The goal of DUI Court is to reduce those numbers. Toward that end, the court focuses on two categories of drunken drivers: offenders with two or more DUI convictions, and those who show dangerously high levels of alcohol in their system at the time of their arrest. Offenders whose cases are filed as felonies, often because they've been involved in accidents in which someone is injured or killed, are not eligible to participate.
As of this month, there are 228 active participants in DUI Court in Orange County, said Leslie Howard, DUI Court coordinator at Harbor Justice Center.
The time they're doing isn't easy.
People accepted into the DUI Court must participate in an intensive program that includes regular court appearances, individual and group counseling, substance-abuse treatment, probation supervision, plus frequent and random alcohol and drug testing. Participants are urged to make a lifelong commitment to sobriety.
"I thank God every day I didn't kill or hurt anyone when I was drinking," another graduate said at the courtroom ceremony.
Most participants in Orange County DUI Court are male – 67 percent. Nearly half are between the ages of 22 and 30. Sixty-five percent are single, and roughly the same percentage have jobs.
And all are committed to something deeper than merely reducing the time they spend behind bars.
Though DUI Court does reduce actual jail time, letting offenders spend time under electronic surveillance at home instead of in county lockup, Anderson (who leads a team that accepts or rejects DUI Court applicants) won't let people into the program if he thinks that's their only motivation.
When they're done, DUI Court graduates are put on informal probation and the balance of their fines and fees are waived.
The charges, however, are not dismissed.
The cost of drunken driving isn't all about ruined lives and emotional and physical pain. It's also about money.
In that context, DUI Court, which is funded by state and federal grants, as well as alcohol-related assessment fees, might be a boon for taxpayers.
Though no one has conducted local or statewide estimates, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence estimates that drunken driving costs taxpayers about $100 billion a year nationally.
Other statistics show that candidates for DUI Court – repeat offenders who haven't yet injured or killed anyone – are on a track to cost taxpayers big money. One in five second-time DUI offenders, and one in four third-timers, are re-arrested for a DUI within five years.
Those repeat-offender stats don't apply to DUI Court. Of the 779 offenders who have graduated from DUI Court in the past seven years, only 36 – just under 5 percent – have been re-arrested.
What's more, the DUI Court's push for less hard time in jail also reduces taxpayer expenses. It costs about $116 a day to house an inmate at one of the five county-operated jails in Orange County. By diverting offenders to DUI Court instead of jail, the program has cut local jail expenses by $11.3 million a year since the program's inception, officials say.
Still, money and public safety is rarely enough to keep alcoholics out of cars.
One recent graduate, a married mother of four, said two DUIs, six stints in rehab and four periods of being institutionalized couldn't keep her from drinking. Instead, she's sober – for now – because of something said by her 12-year-old:
"Mom, don't give up."
Another graduate, a man, thanked Anderson for his life.
"I'm certain I would have drunk myself to death."
On graduation day, Anderson reminded the dozens of active DUI Court offenders in attendance of a mantra he hopes they follow to ensure their success.
"If you're just a little in, you're not in at all," he said. "You have to be all in."
Then, as the ceremony ended, Anderson did something very unjudgelike.
He led the room in words adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous, "The Serenity Prayer":
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
After that, court was dismissed.
Contact the writer: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
In his 1974-1975 lectures at the College de France collected in the volume Abnormal, Michel Foucault discusses the creation of new technologies in modern "criminal justice" that categorize individuals who "resemble their crime before they commit it." He's specifically inquiring into the emergence of criminal psychiatry, but as we know so well, sartorial-racial profiling has become another such "rational" method of categorization (based on interpretations of signs as "symptoms") and criminalization. (See sagging pants on young black men, turbans on "Muslim-looking" men —even if they are Sikhs— and some forms of hijab on Muslim women in Canada and France, for the most relevant contemporary examples.) Now, in the midst of a hostile anti-immigrant movement, Representative Bill Bilbray (R-Calif) claims that "trained professionals," presumably experts in scientific methods of observation and evaluation, will be able to identify "illegals" by their clothes. As the Huffington Post reports:
Discussing Arizona's pending profiling bill on "Hardball," Chris Matthews challenged Bilbray to cite a "non-ethnic aspect" by which law enforcement agents could identify illegal immigrants. "They will look at the kind of dress you wear, there is different type of attire, there is different type of — right down to the shoes, right down to the clothes," Bilbray replied.
Arizona's draconian new immigration law has now legislated what has been an informal policy of racial surveillance, what we might call "being public while brown." (Or as the New York Times' legal reporter Linda Greenhouse puts it, "breathing while undocumented.") SB1070 makes it a state misdemeanor to lack immigration documents (and more, to fail to carry such paperwork at all times) and compels police officers to determine immigration status if they form a "reasonable suspicion" that a person is in the U.S. illegally. Those who cannot immediately prove their legal residency may be arrested. (For more analysis of the law and its implications, see the Immigration Law Professors Blog, which dubs the law "The Latino Racial Profiling Act of 2010," the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and the National Immigration Law Center.) A New York Times editorial observes, "Opponents say it verges on a police state, which sounds overblown until you read it."
Rep. Bilbray's disingenuous efforts to deflect from the state's racisms by locating the "trained" apprehension of "illegality" on clothes, on behaviors –rather than skin– do not constitute any sort of departure from race discourses that target the body as a continuous surface of legible information about pathology, capacity, and so forth. The cognition of race has never been a simple matter of skin or bones. Especially for racialized others, their clothes are often epidermalized — that is, they are understood as contiguous with the body that wears them, a sort of second skin, as we see with hijab or turbans. The normalization and regulation of dress codes as pathways for racialized others to achieve liberal selfhood and signal cultural competency (another example being the sartorial disdain encapsulated in the declaration "You look like a FOB (fresh off the boat)!") are absolutely integral to racial taxonomies and their histories.
Watch the video, if you have the stomach for it. Then wash out the bad taste in your mouth with the Colbert Report segment on the new immigration law.


text:
Born Artur Kahnn at Passage de l'entrepot des marais, Paris on the 2nd December 1855, Arthur was the first son of Victor Kahn (born Luxembourg 1827) and Mathilde Cahen (born 1833 Paris). In the following year, the family (including Artur's sister Pauline) moved to Liverpool.
The 1861 census reports the family as living at 78, Elizabeth Street, Liverpool and the 1871 census quotes the surname as Cahn. They then live at 15 Crown Street, West Derby, Liverpool.
The next two censuses (1871 and 1881) describe Arthur Kahn as a clerk, still living in Crown Street.
In January 1888 Arthur moved to 40 Manchester Street, Liverpool, where he resided until 1891. He is now 33 years old and we know very little of his early life. On 26th April 1898, Arthur was granted citizenship and the naturalisation certificate was signed on 4th June 1898, by which time Arthur was living at 108, The Strand, London (probably with brother Charles).
On 7th June 1898, Arthur (using the name Kahnn) married Eugenie Anna Hannah Fallek (b.1875 Paris) in the 9th Arrondissement of Paris.
Arthur and Eugenie's first child, Eric Salomon Kahn, was born 4Q 1899, Paddington, London.
In 1900 Germaine Mathilde was born, followed by Victor Leon (6th November 1901), Mathilde Pauline (30th March 1902) and Cyril Maurice (4Q 1906).
Arthur was an optician, proprietor of a shop at 19 Ludgate Hill in the City of London. In the 1901 census the family lived in Maida Vale and by 1911 were in Dewhurst Road, West Kensington, London.
He was also something of an actor/playwright. We believe he was a theatre manager for a period in New York and we know from reports of litigation for royalties that he wrote sketches for his nieces (Beatie & Babs).
By 1924, Arthur was a licentiate of the Chicago Opthalmic Hospital in the USA and was associated with the National Silex Optical Company.
From 1896 he (like his brothers and father) was a Freemason, being a member of several London lodges, including Joppa Chapter No. 188, until his death on 29 September 1925 at Dewhurst Road, London.
Arthur's wife Eugenie died in 1948 at London.


text:
Late adds to Lei Chic's guide to the weekend's best events
Weekend Picks - Saturday, March 9, 2013
Prints Charming
What: Though it's only been in stores for a few days, 19th & Whimsy's spring collection is already turning up the heat with handkerchief hem wrap dresses, shimmery raglan tees with tiny flower details, and belted dresses covered in colorful paw prints (left), courtesy of designer Lauren Hayashibara's very own pooch.
Where: LMS Boutique, 2909 Lowrey Ave., Basique Threads, Ward Warehouse, and coming soon to 19th & Whimsy's Etsy shop.
Praise the Bar
What: Snag a front-row seat as some of Honolulu's hottest bartenders duke it out in The Bacardi Oakheart Iron Bartender Challenge. Competitors are judged on best original cocktail, speed & accuracy, personality and use of a mystery ingredient, Iron Chef-style. Winner takes home $5,000 in cash and prizes; you get an amazing show alongside judges like HONOLULU Magazine's own A. Kam Napier and Martha Cheng.
When: Preliminary rounds begin Tuesday at 7 p.m. and continue March 19 and 26 with the big competition on April 2. Full schedule here.
Where: Safehouse at The Republik, 1349 Kapiolani Blvd.
Details: Free admission, open to the public.
Wardrobe (and Other) Updates
- Shut the front door. After 10 years, What Not to Wear has been canceled. The final season of TLC's long-running show premieres in July. Read what hosts Clinton Kelly and Stacy London had to say about its end.
- Malie Organics just opened a third boutique at The Shops at Kukuiula in Poipu, Kauai, filled with signature spa and beauty products and resort wear.
- Got four minutes? Watch a six-year-old dance better than you ever will.
Who: Pamela Love
Deal: 40 percent off everything online for one hour only with the code DAYLIGHT.
When: Today, 6-6:59 p.m.
Who: Fluro Swimwear
Deal: 15 percent off everything online with the code WEEKEND15.
When: Through Monday.
Who: Bamboo Sky
Deal: 15 percent off anything black and/or white online with the code BLKWHT.


text:
Over the past few decades,Mexico City has seen an enormous population boom. Though the steady influx of people is great, the city center is in desperate need of more office, retail, and living space. However, because of Mexico City's historical significance, federal and local law prohibit the destruction of historical buildings (which is nearly everything) and have placed strict height regulations on new structures, keeping them shorter than eight stories. Thus, with nowhere to go, BNKRdecided to invert a massive building design that digs deep into the heart of the city.
The first 10 stories of the structure will be a Pre-Columbian museum. The glass ceiling will allow people walking through the plaza to enjoy the artifacts below as well. The next 10 stories will be for retail and housing. These floors were put below the museum so people would have to travel through it and explore the history of the city they would perhaps otherwise ignore. The following 35 floors will be office spaces.
The whole design boasts a massive central void that allows natural light and ventilation to flow through every single floor. The "Earth Lobbies" on every 10th level also helps keep the building air fresh and clean, with enormous plant beds and vertical gardens filtering air toxins and producing more oxygen. These lobbies also serve as an open and clean communal area to break up and brighten the structure.
The very bottom floors of the Earthscraper are for all of the technical parts of the building. A water turbine generator pushes water into the exterior wall pumps and recycles used and clean water for the building's facilities while also powering most of the electricity.
Named theZocalo, the 190,000 square foot city center plaza is the ideal spot for an earthscraper. Surrounded by monuments like the Metropolitan Cathedral, National Palace, and Constitution Square, as well as a massive underground subway station, it is one of the most heavily trafficked sites of the city. BNKR's design allows for the historical aesthetics of the plaza to remain while a bustling eco-center hums underground.
+ BNKR Arquitectura
Via Evolo


text:
Respecting life while bringing justice
By Su Yiu-chen 蘇友辰
A few days ago, the Tainan District Court issued a verdict in the trial of Tseng Wen-chin (曾文欽), who killed a 10-year-old boy on Dec. 1 last year by slitting his throat. The judge believed that there was a possibility that Tseng could be reformed and did not hand down the death penalty. The boy's family responded by saying: "The judiciary is dead."
The intellectual support and public demonstrations in favor of abolishing the death penalty have had an impact on national criminal policy and although the intent of the Ministry of Justice seems to be to gradually move toward abolishment of the death penalty, it is not determined enough.
However, the number of death sentences that have been handed down by Supreme Court has decreased over the years and this, in turn, has guided the decisions by other courts.
It is therefore likely that protests against similar decisions will continue, affecting public confidence in the judiciary.
We want to abolish the death penalty out of respect for life and oppose the state's right to kill people in order to maintain social order and public safety, but there is no policy to help relieve the pain of a victim's family or public anger.
On the other hand, replacing the death penalty by a life sentence without parole seems inhumane and uses up national resources. This means that any attempt to abolish the death penalty will be unsuccessful unless it receives full public support.
Verdicts should be explained to the victims or their relatives, and they must also meet social expectations for justice. They should also take into account the second clause of Article 6 in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Unless there are regulations allowing a lesser sentence or if the victim's family requests leniency, the court can issue the death sentence in murder cases because it can help ease the pain of the family and satisfy public sentiment.
This is why it is not appropriate for a judge to determine that there is a possibility that the defendant can be reformed and choose to sentence him or her to life in prison instead of death based only on the superficial observations available to the court.
It is only by observations prior to the execution of a death sentence that it would be possible to make such a decision.
After a defendant has been sentenced to death, there should be a suspension period before the execution is carried out. Such a decision would not require a legal amendment, because it is in line with the UN resolution for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, issued on Dec. 18, 2007.
If a defendant is truly repentant and compensates the family of the victim for their loss, and if the family chooses to forgive the defendant, the prosecutor can ask the court to reduce the sentence to life imprisonment — this part requires an amendment — and the defendant can be returned to society through a parole procedure.
By converting a death penalty to life imprisonment, and thus a return to life, all parties will go through a healing process, which will reduce opposition and finally eliminate all "dinosaur" judges.
Until the death penalty is abolished, one way to eliminate the effect of such judges and to relieve the pain of the victim's families and meet social expectations would be to implement a suspension period before a death penalty is carried out to allow for rehabilitation, followed by sentence reduction and parole. In the end, this could lead to the abolishment of the death penalty.
Su Yiu-chen is a lawyer and chairman of the Chinese Association for Human Rights.
Translated by Perry Svensson


text:
Should the UN Send Peacekeepers to Libya?
The blue helmet missions have been more frequent, but are they sustainable?
With the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) preparing to meet tomorrow for a "thematic debate" on UN Peacekeeping, and NATO calling for a UN force to lead any post-war operation in Libya, it's time to take stock of the world's multilateral efforts to field troops in post-conflict zones.
The number of "blue helmets" deployed under the UN flag has grown from 20,000 in the year 2000, to 100,000 as of March 2011, with Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India ranking as the top three troop-contributing countries (TCCs). Peacekeepers are currently active in fifteen missions around the globe.
Peacekeeping is an excellent deal for U.S. taxpayers. For every U.S. quarter dollar contributed, foreign donors provide 75 cents. These operations are squarely in U.S. national interests, allowing the United States to respond to humanitarian crises and threats to regional stability, without putting its own troops in harm's way. Without the UN missions, the United States would likely shoulder this entire burden itself--or sit idly by as violent conflagrations erupted and atrocities ran rampant.
UN peacekeeping can also boast some major successes. In 2003, the UN Security Council (UNSC) deployed a peacekeeping force to Liberia after a 15-year civil war had devastated the country, displaced almost a third of the population, and led to over 250,000 deaths. The mission oversaw the disarmament of soldiers, while simultaneously providing political space for a new, civilian led government as well as security for UN agencies and non-governmental organizations to deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid and restore vital infrastructure. As a result, Liberia is on the verge of another round of peaceful postwar elections.
'Global' War on Terror: Multilateral Achievements
Will Assad Now Bow to Allied Pressure?
Calling for Regime Change in Libya
EU Statement on Syria
Today, UN peacekeepers underpin a tenuous peace in Lebanon, maintain social order in post-earthquake Haiti, and patrol the volatile Kashmir region. Most recently, they supported the peaceful referendum resulting in the independence of South Sudan, the site of some of the world's most horrific violence during the past two decades.
The critical question is whether such activism can be sustained. As Alain Le Roy, the departing UN undersecretary general for peace operations, recently explained, the United Nations is struggling to keep pace with the broadening scope and quickening tempo of peace missions. Meanwhile, fiscal pressures are threatening the financial support traditionally provided by major donors, including the United States.
This is hardly the first crisis in UN peacekeeping. In 2000, a high-level review panel led by former Algerian Foreign Minister Lakhdar Brahimi released a ground-breaking report on UN peace operations. The so-called "Brahimi report" envisioned a slew of reforms designed "to make peacekeeping faster, more capable, and more effective," proposing extensive changes to existing management, organization, doctrine, training and personnel systems. Many of these were approved and implemented.
Still, fundamental shortcomings remain: The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) still lacks its own analytical capabilities, forcing it to rely on member states for timely intelligence relevant to its field operations. Missions often suffer from poor senior leadership, inadequately trained (or unprofessional) peacekeeping contingents, a dearth of civilian experts and police units, and a chronic shortage of logistical and military capabilities, especially when it comes to "heavy lift" aircraft and attack helicopters. The actual rules of engagement are often unclear to field personnel. Finally, a damning 2005 report cited "grave concern" over widespread sexual abuses by UN peacekeepers--a black mark from which DPKO has yet to fully recover.
Perhaps most problematic, the Security Council too often saddles missions with dozens of ambitious objectives, ignoring the major Brahimi recommendation, to set realistic goals. "The Secretariat must tell the Council what it needs to know, not what it wants to hear," the report insisted. Likewise, the Council does not adequately allocate funds and resources or provide sufficient political follow-through to ensure mission success. A case in point is the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), which charged a 20,000-person force with responsibility for protecting all civilians in a vast, often impassable area the size of Western Europe.
A final, gnawing problem is the often fractious relationship between the UNSC and major TCCs. Hoping to bridge this gap, President Obama held a sidebar meeting with representatives of leading troop contributors in his first trip to the United Nations in September 2009. There has been little follow up to this outreach, however, and some TCCS are growing reluctant to provide troops. Earlier this month, India moved to address the gap, circulating a note to other UNSC members in preparation for tomorrow's meeting. It highlighted overstretched mandates of UN missions and inadequate communication between the Security Council and TCCs.
In 2009, DPKO adopted a promising New Horizons initiative, a multi-year blueprint designed to improve UN peace operations in four critical areas, but implementing it will take time.
In the face of such strains, would it be responsible for the United States to advocate an ambitious UN Assistance Mission in Libya?
Certainly, the need is great. As my friends Richard Gowan, Bruce Jones and Jake Sherman noted in an April commentary, regardless of Qaddafi's future, Libya will be left "in an unholy mess:"
Cities have been pummeled by artillery bombardments and refugees cluster on the Tunisian and Egyptian borders. The tribal political settlement that underpinned Gaddafi's [sic] rule has broken down. The rebels have armed thousands of ill-disciplined young men who may not lay down their arms willingly. In these circumstances, there will be no easy transition to peace.
It's almost certain that some sort of international peacekeeping force will be required to stabilize the situation.
NATO is wise to resist sending ground troops to stabilize Libya. Not only is it preoccupied in Afghanistan, but a U.S.-European occupation would "fuel Arab suspicions that the West wants to occupy the country for its oil." Nor does the African Union possess sufficient capabilities, particularly given its arduous mission in Somalia. Which leaves UN peacekeepers as the obvious choice.
Accordingly, the United States should work within the UNSC, with its coalition partners, and with Libya's Transitional National Council to win support for a UN Peace Operation in Libya (UNPOL). The forces should be drawn primarily from African and Arab militaries, supplemented by troops from select European countries and rising powers like India, Brazil, and China.
Washington's call for a UN force will be more credible if it formulates a coherent peacekeeping policy and demonstrates a clear commitment to meet its financial obligations to the United Nations. The Obama administration should promptly re-launch the peacekeeping policy review it suspended abruptly in the wake of the Haiti earthquake. And Congress must reject the ongoing efforts of House Republicans, including Representative Illeana Ros-Lehtinen of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, to slash the country's annual assessed contributions to UN peace operations. Such efforts to evade legal commitments will only encourage other states to pick and choose among their own international obligations.
This article originally appeared at CFR.org


text:
Luxembourg Chiefs of State & Cabinet Members
Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments
Date of Information: 12/23/2009
Date of Information: 12/23/2009
|Grand Duke
|Prime Min.
|Jean-Claude JUNCKER
|Dep. Prime Min.
|Jean ASSELBORN
|Min. of Admin. Simplification
|Octavie MODERT
|Min. of Agriculture, Viticulture, & Rural Development
|Romain SCHNEIDER
|Min. of Civil Service & Admin. Reform
|Francois BILTGEN
|Min. for Communications
|Francois BILTGEN
|Min. of Culture
|Octavie MODERT
|Min. of Defense
|Jean-Marie HALSDORF
|Min. for Development Cooperation & Humanitarian Affairs
|Marie-Josee JACOBS
|Min. of Economy & Foreign Trade
|Jeannot KRECKE
|Min. of Equality of Opportunity
|Francoise HETTO-GAASCH
|Min. of Family & Integration
|Marie-Josee JACOBS
|Min. of Finance
|Luc FRIEDEN
|Min. of Foreign Affairs
|Jean ASSELBORN
|Min. of Health & of Social Security
|Mars DI BARTOLOMEO
|Min. of Higher Education & Research
|Francois BILTGEN
|Min. of Housing
|Marco SCHANK
|Min. of Interior
|Jean-Marie HALSDORF
|Min. of Justice
|Francois BILTGEN
|Min. of Labor, Employment, & Immigration
|Nicolas SCHMIT
|Min. of the Middle Class & Tourism
|Francoise HETTO-GAASCH
|Min. of National Education & Professional Training
|Mady DELVAUX-STEHRES
|Min. of Public Works
|Claude WISELER
|Min. of Relations With Parliament
|Octavie MODERT
|Min. of Religious Sects
|Francois BILTGEN
|Min. of Sports
|Romain SCHNEIDER
|Min. of State
|Jean-Claude JUNCKER
|Min. of Treasury
|Jean-Claude JUNCKER
|Chmn., Luxembourg Central Bank
|Yves MERSCH
|Ambassador to the US
|Jean-Paul SENNINGER
|Permanent Representative to the UN, New York
|Sylvie LUCAS


text:
The following is a press release from Six Flags Great America:
The Joker to Unleash Complete Chaos in 2017
Six Flags Great America's 15th and First Ever Free-Fly Roller Coaster
GURNEE, Ill. - September 1, 2016 - Six Flags Great America, the Thrill Capital of the Midwest, and Warner Bros Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Entertainment, announce plans for its 15th and most maniacal roller coaster to date, the all-new free-fly coaster, The Joker. This insanely twisted chaos coaster will be a massive new centerpiece in the Yankee Harbor section of the park, next to Batman The Ride roller coaster.
"We are excited to continue our partnership with the DC brand as it continues to resonate well with our guests. The Joker is undeniably one of the greatest Super-Villains of all time," said Hank Salemi, Six Flags Great America park president. "This free-fly coaster will perfectly capture the essence of the warped and unpredictable nature of The Joker. It will take our park to the next level of thrills."
After being lifted straight up a 12-story, 90-degree hill, the free-fly coaster will wreak havoc as riders flip head-over-heels at least six times along the weightless journey. Thrill seekers will experience exhilarating leaps and dives along a horizontal plane with unexpected drops as they tumble from one level to the next. The wing seats amp up the pandemonium since riders will experience this wild adventure with no track above or below ─ just the sky, ground and plenty of sinister thrills.
The unique design of The Joker features:
- Massive, imposing, floating and twisting I-box track frame in a unique two-tone design;
- One-of-a-kind onboard magnetic technology featuring smooth head-over-heels free-fly flips providing guests the feeling of weightlessness as they soar outside the confines of a traditional track;
- 4-D wing vehicles that seat up to 8 per vehicle with a total of 5 vehicles;
- Face-off seats that allow riders to face each other as they tumble head over heels; A 120-foot-tall, 90-degree hill that is ascended by an elevator-style, chain link lift; and
- Two beyond 90-degree "raven" drops giving the sensation of free-falling.
The Joker is expected to unleash total mayhem beginning in the spring of 2017, and join the ranks of all a long line of legendary roller coasters at Six Flags Great America.
Six Flags Great America is also announcing the start of 2017 Season Pass sales with its special Flash Sale through Labor Day weekend featuring the best deal of the year – savings up to 70% off on 2017 Passes! September 1 through September 5, guests will receive a free upgrade to a Gold Season Pass with every Pass purchased. Gold Season Passes include admission to both Six Flags Great America and Hurricane Harbor, and any other Six Flags theme park, as well as free parking and special admission for friends. 2017 Season Passes provide unlimited visits to Fright Fest® at Six Flags Great America in 2016 and all of 2017. Passholders may also purchase a Premium Season Dining Pass, which includes a lunch, dinner, and snack during every park visit, plus they will receive a 2017 All Season Sport Bottle for unlimited drink refills. Premium Season Dining Passes may be used at any Six Flags theme park.
For more information about the 2017 season, visit http://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/newfor2017.


text:
top of page
Articles and Videos by AFR students
Student Articles
WHY GET YOUR SEAPLANE RATING? by Karen
GOT MY RATING! by York
MY EXPERIENCE AT AFR by Jon Rashleigh
ALASKA ON FLOATS by Derek and Morag J
COME, FLY ALASKA by James Craig
READ THE WATER by Patrick Mathews
GOING FOR WATER WINGS by Barbara Rowell
ADDING A SEAPLANE RATING by David Wimer
FLOATPLANE HEAVEN by Crista V. Worthy
SEAPLANE RATING by Mario Simoes
FLY & SOAR by Mawgan Grace
Student Videos
Student Photo Gallery
Contact Us
Online Registration Form
AFR PDF Registration Form
AFR Ground School
Seaplane ACS -PVT
Commercial Pilot - ACS
Airplane Syllabus
Procedures Piper PA-18
Amplified Procedures Piper PA-18
AFR Study Questions
PA 18 Fuel Systems
PA 18 Owners Manual
Weight and Balance
Float Flying Terms and Rules of Thumb
FAA-H-8083-23 Seaplane Operations
Tips on Mountain Flying
How to Fly Floats
Mountain Flying Fact Sheets
Use tab to navigate through the menu items.
Back to Home
bottom of page


text:
Google has released a new tool called Disavow Links. The primary purpose is to help bloggers who have been notified by Google about "unnatural links" that have been pointing to their website.
As you may know, Google uses something called PageRank to determine how reputable and important a particular website is. Part of what they use to make that decision is the type of links that are connected to the site. The Disavow Links tool is one way to clean up the spammy "unnatural" links that are messing with your blog's PageRank.
Keep in mind, though, that Disavow Links is not the first thing you should do to clean up your website. Google suggests that you do several other forms of clean up before you resort to Disavow Links.
For example, you should attempt to contact the person who has attached an "unnatural" or unwanted link to your website, and ask them to remove it. See if you are able to remove the links yourself. Do not presume that Disavow Links is "the answer for all of your ills".
It is important to realize that Disavow Links is something Google is describing as a tool for "power users". It isn't something everyone should use because there is potential that you could "shoot yourself in the foot" by using this tool incorrectly or in ways that you weren't really intending to. To quote Matt Cutts, from the video below:
"If you are a Mom and Pop, you haven't used your own SEO, if you haven't used random link networks that you found on SEO forums, this is probably not something that you should be using."


text:
EEF/Releng Guide
This page is now deprecated starting with EEF 1.6.0, find the updated documentation on the EEF homepage.
EEF Releng HOW TO
The EEF project is built using Athena Common Build, Buckminster and Tycho.
How to start a build?
- Nightly builds are run every 6 hours everyday, at 03:41, 09:41, 15:41 and 21:41 EST, monitoring every change in CVS.
- Only committers in the EEF project can launch build jobs from Hudson. ( do not forget to login )
- 0.8 build [Athena] : go to the 0.8.x job
- 0.9 build [buckminster] : go to the 0.9.x job
- 1.0 build [buckminster] : go to the 1.0.x job
- 1.1 build [tycho] : go to the 1.1.x job
- In Hudson, click on Build Now, change the build parameters as needed (see #Build parameters), and click on Build.
- You can then click on the job name in the Build History section in the left column, and then on Console Output, to follow build progress in real time.
How to test a build?
you can test the latest successful build directly on hudson using the update site URL below :
- 1.1 build : https://hudson.eclipse.org/hudson/job/emf-eef-master/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/org.eclipse.emf/org.eclipse.emf.eef/releng/org.eclipse.emf.eef.update/target/repository/
- 1.0 build : https://hudson.eclipse.org/hudson/job/emf-eef-1.0/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/EEF.p2.repository/
- 0.9 build : https://hudson.eclipse.org/hudson/job/emf-eef-0.9/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/EEF.p2.repository/
- 0.8 build : this build only provides a zipped update site.
Use with caution, the contents can be totally untested.
How to publish a build?
All successful builds are automatically published to download.eclipse.org once a day. These promote actions are done by a cron job on the build server :
# daily 1.2 EEF builds ant -f /shared/jobs/emf-eef-1.2/lastSuccessful/archive/releng/org.eclipse.emf.eef.update/target/promotion/promoter.xml -verbose > cronLog-1.2.txt # daily 1.1 EEF builds 4 11 * * * ant -f /shared/jobs/emf-eef-1.1/lastSuccessful/archive/org.eclipse.emf/org.eclipse.emf.eef/releng/org.eclipse.emf.eef.update/target/promotion/promoter.xml -verbose > cronLog-1.1.txt # daily 1.0 EEF builds 3 17 * * * ant -f /shared/jobs/emf-eef-1.0/lastSuccessful/archive/publishroot/publisher.ant -verbose > cronLog-1.0.txt # daily 0.9 EEF builds 5 22 * * * ant -f /shared/jobs/emf-eef-0.9/lastSuccessful/archive/publishroot/publisher.ant -verbose > cronLog-0.9.txt # weekly 0.8 EEF builds 12 19 * * 2 bash /shared/jobs/emf-eef-integration/workspace/org.eclipse.emf/org.eclipse.emf.eef/releng/bash-promote-I.sh
The called scripts unpack the update sites in the correct places, and copies the necessary files in correct places, too.
These builds can then be seen and downloaded from the EEF download page, where additional information is available (test results, build log, build configuration, build dependencies).
See also the EEF Installation page to use the update sites if wanted.
you can manually publish a successful build, a Release build for example. After testing, ssh to build.eclipse.org with commiter id and password and use the above script depending on what build you want to promote.
Build parameters
Buckminster based builds [0.9-1.0]
- PROJECTID : modeling.emft.eef : no reason to change this
- VERSION : the version being built.
- BUILDTYPE : the kind of build, represented by a code letter (see this page):
- N: Nightly
- I: Integration
- M: Maintenance (NOT milestone)
- S: Stable (for Milestones and Release Candidate builds)
- R: Release
- BUILDALIAS : for release, maintenance and stable builds, use this option to give a more meaningful name to the build. For example, add
0.8.0M2to get "EEF-SDK-incubation-0.8.0M2.zip" instead of "EEF-SDK-incubation-Sxxxx.zip".
- FETCHTAG : Force a specific tag to be used when pulling sources from CVS. For example, use
HEADto build from HEAD instead of from the versions specified in the releng project's map files.
Tycho builds [1.1]
- BUILD_TYPE : the kind of build, represented by a code letter (see this page):
- N: Nightly
- I: Integration
- S: Stable (for Milestones and Release Candidate builds)
- R: Release
- BUILD_ALIAS : for release, maintenance and stable builds, use this option to give a more meaningful name to the build. For example, add
1.1.0M2to get "EEF-SDK-1.1.0M2.zip" instead of "EEF-SDK-Sxxxx.zip".
- BUILD_SIGN : set to true when building a S or R, for signing the repo
Building locally
First, checkout EEF projects into your workspace :pserver:dev.eclipse.org:/cvsroot/modeling,org.eclipse.emf/org.eclipse.emf.eef/
Then install maven 3 somewhere in your filesystem.
Then simply use the external tool launch configuration to build EEF with tycho. Modify the path of the program to launch to point to the maven3 installation directory.
Retention Policy
Code in SCM
Any code that was included in a Release, is left in SCM forever. For all major version, a branch is created with a convenient name, like "0_8_BRANCH". For each Released version, a tag is created with convenient name, like "0_8_0_RELEASE".
Distributions in zip files
Formal releases are kept forever, but only the most recent release is kept on the main download page ( see installation guide ). Other, older distributions can be found on the archive site.
While developing a new releases, ALL milestone builds are kept until the release, at which point they are deleted.
Similarly, while developing a milestone, weekly integration builds are kept until the milestone is available, and then they are deleted.
Finally, while developing an integration build, nightly are kept until the integration is available, and then they are deleted.
Features in update site repository
EEF provides only p2 repository.
Like distribution in zip files, all releases are kept forever on update sites. For each release, there will be a composite repository that aggregates all the releases for a major version.
While developing a new releases, ALL milestone updates sites are kept until the release, at which point they are deleted.
Similarly, while developing a milestone, weekly integration updates sites are kept until the milestone is available, and then they are deleted.
Finally, while developing an integration updates sites, nightly are kept until the integration is available, and then they are deleted.
see installation guide for the list of available update sites.


text:
In and of itself, Pandora is reason enough to carry around an iPhone. Yesterday, we posted about how the iPhone has doubled the number of Pandora users. What people really want is to listen to Pandora and do other work at the same time.
With iPhone 2.0, Apple introduced a firm one-application-at-a-time rule. And ever since this whole 2.0, no-background-process rule took over, I've really missed listening to Pandora while using other functions on my iPhone.
The iPhone is a first-class Unix platform, and there's no technological reason Apple must insist on one application at a time. (The non-tech explanation is generally understood to be nonlethal suboxygenated cranial trauma induced by chronic undergarment waddage.) iPhone hacker Ashikase's Backgrounder utility changes everything, though. Backgrounder leverages the iPhone OS and brings multi-app support to the standard iPhone SpringBoard interface.
Putting apps into the background
With Backgrounder, you don't have to log into a secure shell session. You don't have to perform black magic. You just press and hold the home key while running any application. After a few seconds, the Backgrounding Enabled pop-up appears. Release the home button and go about your business. Backgrounder automatically returns you to SpringBoard.
To quit the background application, re-launch it from SpringBoard, then press and hold Home until the Backgrounding Disabled pop-up appears.
To get Pandora to play in the background, do this: Launch the app, start the music playing, press Home until the message displays, and then release. It's really that simple.
Of course, as with most OS hacks, there are drawbacks to using Backgrounder. Here are the things you really need to know about:
First, and most obviously, you must use a jailbroken phone. Backgrounder is a Cydia app, and you cannot download it (unfortunately) from App store.
Second, when using Backgrounder with Pandora, understand how the iPhone handles sounds. There are System sounds—basically alerts—which overlay any background sounds. Apps that stick to System audio will not interfere with Pandora playback.
There are also Audio Queue sounds, and apps that use these will generally cause Pandora to shut down its audio. And, because Pandora is running in the background, there's no easy way to tell it to start playing again.
Worse, conflicting audio makes some apps go all crashy crashy—nothing that a nice fresh reboot won't fix, but something that can make users get cranky cranky when it happens. Therefore, you might want to use a backgrounded Pandora to surf the 'Net and check your mail, but don't mix it with audio-intensive games.
Third, be aware that Backgrounder is still young and developing. Don't expect a robust error-proof system. Use it for what it is and let its features grow over time.
Backgrounder is a great addition to the jailbroken app arena. For me, it provides just enough functionality to let me enjoy my Pandora music without being chained into leaving the program open at all times. If you're not afraid of the occasional (or even less occasional and more regular) reboot and you've already jailbroken your phone, this is one application you should really consider installing.


text:
Shale Development An Opportunity to Transform Quality of Life in Appalachian Ohio
The extraction of Appalachian Ohio's natural resources has helped create wealth and prosperity in many parts of our state and nation, yet the region itself has continued to struggle with persistent poverty. Now, new technologies for accessing oil and gas from shale are placing the region at the center of another energy renaissance. As we rise to the challenge of providing the resources needed to power our country, we must also rise to the unprecedented opportunity to extract prosperity and lasting wealth for our region's citizens and communities.
We can learn a great deal about today's opportunity from the region's past. Many Appalachian Ohio communities were created by natural resource extraction. The mining of coal, iron ore and clay produced jobs, attracting people to settle in the region. During these early energy booms, our communities were emerging. They had not yet developed charitable foundations or economic development organizations to retain a portion of the income flowing through their communities for reinvestment in the communities' well-being. When the income produced by extraction began to dry up, communities lacked resources to prepare for a new future.
Appalachian Ohio's experience with shale development can be dramatically different. Our region is now home to strong philanthropic, economic development, educational and social service organizations. These organizations are well-positioned to retain and reinvest shale development wealth. Further, there are many examples of regions across the United States that have leveraged extractive industry resources to create sustained prosperity for their citizens and communities. While we are already experiencing success in building lasting resources from shale wealth, much more can be done.
We at the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio believe it is within our collective potential to leverage shale development resources to fundamentally transform the region's quality of life, not just for today but for generations to come. While we don't have all of the answers, we understand success will require vision, strategy and collaboration. It is time to start serious discussions regarding how the region can benefit long-term from today's energy boom. Over the coming months, the foundation will gather and share ideas on this topic, to culminate in a public discussion regarding what we learn. Please send your ideas and suggestions to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Check us out on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube !


text:
Donate a Track for Charity
In our last blog post we mentioned a few really cool ways that people were using SoundCloud and we'd like to tell you about another one. This time it's all in the name of a good cause!
We know that many of you are on Twitter because we see you all busy using SoundCloud's 'share via Twitter' social feature that we launched last year. If you're one of these people then you should definitely get involved in Twestival.fm (a sister-site to Twestival, the festival taking place in 184 cities worldwide on 12th February).
The organisers are asking artist, bands and labels to donate tracks via their SoundCloud Dropbox. These tracks will then be made available for streaming and download between the 5th and 19th February at the Twestival.fm website using a SoundCloud player. The site is hoping to raise $20,000 by asking visitors to leave a tip in a Radiohead 'pay what you want' style. All money raised will go directly to charity: water to help build five new drinking wells in places where many have no access to fresh water.
You can donate your track via the DropBox below or simply share a track you already have in the Cloud with http://soundcloud.com/twestival
We look forward to seeing how the campaign runs!
Related articles by Zemanta
- Twestival! A Worldwide Event for Charity:Water 2-12 (electricpromotions.com)
- Mashable and Twestival Announce Global Media Partnership (mashable.com)


text:
Bob Mansfield quietly disappeared from Apple's executive team webpage on Sunday and the company said it's because he'll be working on "special projects" instead. Mr. Mansfield had been serving as the company's Senior Vice President of Technologies, but now it looks like he may be throwing his weight behind secret new products.
Mr. Mansfield took on the role of Senior VP of Tech in August 2012 after leaving, and then returning to, Apple. At the time he committed to stay with the company for two more years. Now, only a year later, his job seems to be changing significantly.
In a statement to AllThingsD, Apple spokesman Steve Dowling said, "Bob is no longer going to be on Apple's executive team, but will remain at Apple working on special projects reporting to Tim," meaning company CEO Tim Cook.
Mr. Mansfield retired from Apple in June 2012 with the title Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering and was replaced by then Vice President of iPad Hardware Engineering Dan Ricco. Two months later Apple announced that Mr. Mansfield was staying after all and would be in charge of the semiconductor and wireless technology teams.
Following Mr. Mansfield's change of heart, Apple announced that Senior Vice President of iOS Software Scott Forstall was leaving the company. Rumors had been circulating that the two men routinely clashed and that Mr. Mansfield was swayed to stay once he knew Mr. Forstall was out the door.
Saying Mr. Mansfield will be reporting directly to Tim Cook on special projects has a familiar ring to it because that's exactly what the company said when it hired Yves St Laurent's Paul Deneve in July of this year. With Mr. Mansfield taking on the same mysterious roll, it looks like Apple is putting together a top-notch team to work on secret projects -- and it's easy to assume that "secret" really means "wearable technology."
Reports have already claimed Mr. Mansfield had been focusing on wearable tech, and Mr. Deneve has some serious experience in the high-end fashion world. He also has a history with Apple because he was also the company's senior marketing and sales manager in Europe during the 1990s.
Assuming the two men are working together, Apple has the beginnings of a crack team that could come up with some amazing products, which is exactly what the company needs if it wants to disrupt the wearable tech market much like it did with the portable media player, smartphone, and tablet markets.
Apple isn't saying what projects M. Mansfield or Mr. Deneve are working on, but if it is wearable tech-related, there's a good chance we'll be seeing more than just a high tech watch that talks with our iPhones coming out of Cupertino.


text:
|GM Ildar Ibragimov
Ildar's a quiet monster, steadily raising his rating and his profile since his move to the United States in 2002. Starting in 2004, he began to share first place in most of the American Opens he played in!
Ildar's mainstay openings have consisted of 1.d4, Double King Pawn, Queen's Gambit Accepted and the Queen's Indian defense. Maybe there was something in the U.S. water that made him want to experiment, because since moving, Ildar has added 1.e4 and the French defense to his repertoire. He is a tremendous fighter, and wins a lot of even or worse positions by sheer determination and endurance. His solid opening choices compliment a creative and aggressive style that keeps his opponents' guessing.
Despite excellent showings at his first two tries for the U.S crown, both events finished with heartbreak for Ildar. The first time, in 2005 he missed a win after hours of fighting against Hikaru Nakamura. Ildar later called this loss his favorite game, a funny and modest choice for what most players would consider a disaster.
Ironically, in 2006 he had to count on Hikaru defeating Alex Onischuk in the last round, which would guarantee him a ticket to the final on tiebreak. Ildar said that he wasn't too disappointed in these narrow misses because those were his first two U.S Championships. In other words, he'll be in the hunt for the title for many years coming.
In contrast to his generally quiet demeanor, Ildar Ibragimov opened himself up to the chess community when he entered a poem into the 2006 U.S Championship blogging contest, run by Mig Greengard of chessninja. Called, "Our Day Off and its Consequences. Or, How Siberian Cats Play Chess." it detailed a tough loss Ibragimov suffered against Nick Defirmian, along with a trip to the zoo with his friend Alex Stripunsky. Ildar calls literature and poetry treasured hobbies, emphasizing that they are "only hobbies", and he's sticking to chess for now.


text:
Shayne Looper: Tolerance: Rediscovering the lost virtue
"In many ways tolerance is a lost virtue, and often, where it does exist, it exists from the wrong cause." Those are the words of the Scottish scholar William Barclay, first published in 1953. Though there has been a great deal of talk about tolerance since then, it's not clear that the lost virtue has ever been found.
Over the decades, talk about tolerance has risen like the waves of the sea, only to subside, then rise again. The concept of tolerance has been a wedge that activists hammer to create an opening for the acceptance of a previously unpopular opinion or practice. Once acceptance has been gained, interest in tolerance invariably falls until the next cause blows in.
There was a swell of tolerance talk in the 1990s and early 2000s, but if that was the decade of tolerance, the second decade of the century has been the decade of intolerance. Tolerance has become an anti-virtue. We are not going to tolerate - you can fill in the blank: Racism, sexism, illegal immigration, hate speech, east coast elitism, Trumpism, even intolerance - any longer.
Both the demand for tolerance and the counter-demand for intolerance can be wrong-headed. Frequently, those demanding tolerance want us to accept their opinions and practices, while those demanding intolerance want us to reject the people who hold opinions or take part in practices with which they disagree. But this is to get things backwards. It is unnecessary, and sometimes reprehensible, to tolerate opinions, but it is necessary to tolerate people, even when they hold opinions we emphatically reject.
Our generation could learn about tolerance from John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Wesley, who lived in an age when upper-class men often wore powdered wigs, once wrote: "I have no more right to object to a man for holding a different opinion than mine than I have to differ with a man because he wears a wig and I wear my own hair; but if he takes his wig off and shakes the powder in my face, I shall consider it my duty to get quit of him as soon as possible."
When the Methodist movement began, Wesley was determined it would be characterized by tolerance. "I resolved to use every possible method of preventing … a narrowness of spirit, a party zeal … that miserable bigotry which makes many so unready to believe that there is any work of God but among themselves."
The maxim among the early Methodists was, "We think and let think." Intolerance does just the opposite. It doesn't think and it doesn't want anyone else to think either.
What Wesley taught the Methodists, he also practiced. According to William Barclay, John's brother Charles had a son who left the Church of England, of which his father and uncle were ordained clergymen, and became a Roman Catholic. This came at a time of strong anti-Catholic sentiment in England, yet John wrote his nephew, "Whether in this Church or that I care not. You may be saved in either or damned in either; but I fear you are not born again."
When tolerance is directed to the wrong object - to opinions and practices, rather than to people - society suffers. Opinions and practices that don't merit acceptance are received while people for whom tolerance could provide a path for change are rejected. Ideas should stand or fall on their merit but people can only stand on grace.
A misplaced object is not the only, nor the most critical, place tolerance can go wrong. A misplaced motive is even more detrimental. Barclay writes: "Our tolerance must not be based on indifference but on love. We ought to be tolerant not because we could care less but because we look at the other person with eyes of love."
Barclay has uncovered the one foundation that can support authentic tolerance: Love. Jesus taught his followers to love people, including those whose opinions and practices were morally deficient or socially harmful. He even commanded them to love their enemies. Only in this way is it possible to resolutely reject a person's views and at the same time genuinely accept the person.
And that's something that can change the world.
Shayne Looper is the pastor of Lockwood Community Church in Branch County, Michigan. Read more at shaynelooper.com.


text:
Look at these two charts, and tell me when you think our library was destroyed.
The Age Exchange Library is a joke.
In May 6,758 items were borrowed from the library in Blackheath Village. Then the library was closed, and replaced with a community library in Age Exchange. In October, after the Age Exchange library had been open for 3 months, only 832 items were borrowed.
"I didn't come into civic life to close libraries", I believe is the familiar refrain. So don't. Re-open the real library. I don't care how you do it, find a way. Otherwise you've just guaranteed the quickest, most efficient way to dumb down an entire generation. Shame on you vandals.
The data comes from questions by councillor David Britton (a Tory with a slightly scary looking union jack on the blog head), made available by Lewisham councillor Christine Best, the cabinet member with responsibility for libraries, at a council meeting on 29th November:
Here are the two google docs: Question Answer
Including an apology for the crappy numbers:
There have been some initial difficulties with data collection from the Community Libraries, and the Service overall has had a difficult year, completing a major staff reorganization and the introduction of new technologies. The implementation of such major change has had a negative impact on performance, but the Service is confident that both issues and visits will now begin to increase.
Yes, a bit. Maybe. Or perhaps it will just be wound down and closed.
See also: The Bookseller: Catastrophic plunge in lending at Lewisham's community libraries


text:
5+ jQuery Sitemap Plugins and Generator Tools
Generating sitemaps has never been easier with JavaScript (well maybe with PHP) so we are sharing you our collection of jQuery Sitemap plugins and Generator Tools to help you create a sitemap dynamically frontend to your website without any backend fuss. Have fun!
Related Posts:
- Huge jQuery Links & Resources List
- 10 Online Website Button Generators
- 18 jQuery Drag & Drop Plugins
1. Quickly Build and Share a Sitemap with a jQuery Sitemap Creator
With this tool it is easy to create and collaborate on a sitemap.
2. Create A Colorful Sitemap With jQuery
In this demo article, we will build a visually interesting sitemap that makes the hierarchy clearer through the use of color.
3. Expandable Collapsible Sitemap with jQuery Treeview Plugin
Sitemap demo created using the Treeview plugin.
4. jsTree
5. SlickPlan: Web-based Sitemap and Flowchart Generator
A web-based sitemap/flowchart generator that allows for the creation of free sitemap and flowchart design.
6. XML Sitemap Generator in Node.js – sitemap.xml.gz
Generating XML sitemaps for website can be done manually, through web apps, and by the website itself. If you are the technical kind, probably you wanna use the last option and personally take control over the generation of XML sitemap on your website.
Source + Demo
7. sitemap.js 0.6.0
This is a Node.js module for generating XML sitemaps.
Source + Demo


text:
Cabernet Sauvignon, 1980. Davis Bynum| Vintage Wine History and Information
September 3, 2015
CABERNET SAUVIGNON. 1980 – DAVIS BYNUM by Paul Kalemkiarian Sr | March 1984 Davis Bynum was a newspaperman. He was a four-pack a day, cigarette smoking newspaperman. Can you imagine that! He quit smoking, cold turkey, and went into the wine business. The San Francisco Chronicle lost their "This World" section writer in 1963. He went… read more »


text:
The Samson box was a one-off special-purpose dedicated audio computer designed for use by student composers at Center for Computer Research in Musical and Acoustics (CCRMA) at Stanford University – previously music students had to use the universities expensive and relatively slow computer system in downtime between 3am and 6am. The box, costing around $100,000 and resembling a 'green fridge' was housed at the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in 1977 and was one of the earliest digital synthesisers. The box was used extensively throughout the late seventies and 1980s in music compositions and experimental research.
Peter Samson, the now legendary programming and hacking pioneer, was commissioned by CCRMA to develop a digital audio synthesis solution based on his previous prototype experiments throughout the 1970s. Samson's design was based around a dedicated DEC PDP6 computer running three types of modules; generator modules ( a series of 256 unit generators: waveform oscillators with several modes and controls, complete with amplitude and frequency envelope support), and modifiers ( 128 modifiers each of which could be a second-order filter, random-number generator, or amplitude-modulator among other functions)and 32 delay units – all of which could be run simultaneously. The instrument supported Additive, subtractive, and nonlinear FM synthesis and waveshaping synthesis which all ran through four digital-to-analog converters giving four-channels of audio output.
The Samson box was successful in that it allowed students and composers access to much faster and dedicated technology, yet ultimately it had the effect of inhibiting the development of computer synthesis as it was essentially a closed system and unable to run the more 'open' MUSICX type programs that became the forerunners of modern software synthesis.
Peter Samson's homepage: http://www.gricer.com/
Peter Samson, A General-Purpose Digital Synthesizer, Journal of the Audio Engineering Society, 1980, Vol. 28 [3].


text:
By Bill Fletcher, Jr.
NNPA Columnist
Drone warfare is truly the warfare of the videogame age. The 'pilot' sits behind a panel, miles away from a flying machine that contains no human being. Through cameras and various forms of sensing equipment they direct the drone to the location where it will carry out reconnaissance and/or a missile strike. And then, in the case of a missile strike, presto, the target vanishes!
There are many problems with this entire scenario. Drone warfare, particularly the manner in which it is played up in the media, leads one to believe that war is now easy and relatively painless, at least for those operating the drones. Yet, the accolades for drones ignore a few things, such as, what if the wrong target is hit? What if there is a mistake?
None of this is abstract. Drone warfare, whether carried out in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, or any number of other places, has brought with it an extensive amount of what is politely called "collateral damage." The estimates of the number of civilians killed in drone strikes range significantly from 200 – 600 for the first years of the Obama administration. Yet each time that we hear about these drone strikes, we are informed, through the mainstream media, that another "militant" has been eliminated. The reality is that we, the public, really do not know who has been killed.
There is one thing that we do know and it has been documented. The drone strikes in the Afghanistan/Pakistan war have turned populations against the U.S.A. The hatred of the U.S.A. in Pakistan is now almost legendary. While we hear about the 'pilots' directing the drones from the security of buildings miles away, civilians in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan are often fearful of where they walk, not knowing whether a drone thousands of feet in the air, will mis-identify them as a terrorist, and as a consequence, eliminate them.
The Obama administration seems almost impervious to criticisms of its drone campaigns. For too many people of the U.S.A., drone warfare is an acceptable approach to the ugliness and confusion of the alleged war against terror. As a result, there is so little pressure on the administration. As has been demonstrated repeatedly since the end of the Vietnam War, when the body bags are not returning to the U.S.A., it is easy for most people here to believe that there is no crisis; there is no war. From the standpoint of those in the countries where the drones are deployed, there is a very different story.
As we learned in the aftermath of both the Gulf War of 1991 and the Iraq War of 2003, hi-tech warfare is far less accurate and 'clean' than it appears when watching selected clips on television. In viewing missile strikes on television we do not see the families blown apart or the survivors crying hysterically. All we actually hear is a number, that is, the number of alleged terrorists supposedly taken out.
We are then asked to go to sleep.
Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a Senior Scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies, the immediate past president of TransAfrica Forum, and the author of "They're Bankrupting Us" – And Twenty Other Myths about Unions. Follow him at www.billfletcherjr.com.


text:
Compliance Office Mission Statement
The Division of Athletics Compliance Office functions within the scope of the University to coordinate monitor and verify compliance with all National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and University rules, regulations and policies. In fulfilling this charge, the Compliance Office invokes the principles of shared responsibility and comprehensive rules education to coordinate a proactive and responsive NCAA compliance program. The Athletics Compliance Office directs this effort and acts as a resource center concerning NCAA regulations and compliance issues. The primary functions of the Athletics Compliance Office are to oversee and verify the accurate and timely completion of NCAA-required procedures. In addition, the Athletics Compliance Office provides educational programming and interpretive support to ensure that all individuals involved with the athletics program fully understand the University's compliance expectations. It is the responsibility of the Athletics Compliance Office to ensure that the demands of the NCAA's and the University's compliance efforts and expectations are properly supported.


text:
Heritage House Senior Living6 Yellow Wood Way, Beckley, WV 25801
Ask for pricing
Are you looking to land that one apartment near you that ticks all the boxes? Now you can browse through available RentCafe apartment listings in your area, rated and reviewed by verified residents. Comparing the size, price, amenities and location of apartments for rent near you is easier than ever. Do you feel like expanding the search beyond your neighborhood and ZIP code? Browse apartments for rent in your city and state to find the best fit, wherever you are in the U.S. Somewhere out there is the perfect apartment just waiting for you.
Whether you're looking for a studio, an apartment with one or more bedrooms, or maybe you're upgrading to a luxury apartment or need to acommodate a pet, RentCafe allows you to easily search for a rental near you based on your criteria, anywhere in the U.S. So, let's find your new home today!


text:
|Monday - Friday
|9 am - 4 pm
|9 am - 5 pm
|9 am - 12 pm
|9 am - 12 pm
Our full-service banking center is located on the corner of Northwest Highway and Caruth Haven Lane near The Cheesecake Factory. There you will find a wide range of personal and small business services — including checking, savings, loans and digital solutions — to provide convenience for life on the go. Our relationship bankers can provide financial guidance and insight to help with your financial journey.
Bank of Texas is proud to serve the greater Dallas metro area by investing in the lending needs of our neighbors, supporting the local economy and assisting small businesses working toward growth and operation goals. Our focus is on you and building proactive, responsive partnerships that help you succeed. Our employees are committed to Texas and will work with you by investing time to understand your needs. At the heart of it all, our community is our livelihood. For that reason, we believe in giving back every day and in many ways. Bank of Texas is a division of BOK Financial (NASDAQ: BOKF), a strong and stable partner with more than $47 billion in assets and over 5,000 employees in 12 states, with services throughout the nation. Find out more about us at www.bankoftexas.com/about-us.
Bank of Texas.


text:
Let's say you open up a lab report you've received, one containing the analysis of a sample of your drinking water, or a sample of the indoor air where you work. You navigate the maze of acronyms and unfamiliar words to find some numbers. Now… what the heck do they mean? The only thing you're interested in is whether those numbers represent a threat to your health.
To make that judgment, we rely on the health standards determined by government agencies—in the US, it's usually the Environmental Protection Agency. (States set their own standards, but they largely reflect the EPA's numbers.) Below those standards, exposure is presumed to be acceptable and safe.
The EPA was created in 1970 to deal with the glaringly obvious pollution that spurred the passage of the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. The agency brought health research to bear on that pollution, setting safe limits and ensuring that air and water were cleaned up when these weren't met. It also limited what a facility was allowed to release into the environment for the first time.
Lead pollution in air, a result of leaded gasoline (and discovered because of its interference with radiometric dating labs), was high on the list of things to clean up. When lead in gasoline was banned, concentrations of lead in children's blood began to drop precipitously—an unambiguous success. In this and other cases, the early progress was easy because there was simply so much progress to be made. ("There's lead in the air? OK… maybe we shouldn't do that.")
Since then, things have gotten a lot more complicated. While still dealing with the toxic legacy of 1940s to 1960s, regulators have faced a flood of new compounds hitting the market (as has the Food and Drug Administration) on top of expanding responsibilities. The result has been lots of criticism directed at the EPA's process for setting health standards. Last year, Congress ordered the EPA to address the concerns detailed in a report issued by the National Academy of Sciences.
In a recent comment published in Nature, George M. Gray of George Washington University and Joshua T. Cohen from Tufts Medical Center provide their own view of how the EPA must change to, in their words, "become fit for purpose again." Gray and Cohen are both experts in public health who have experience with EPA's process.
They see two fundamental problems. First, the agency expends too much energy revising standards for compounds that already have one, and not enough on new compounds that have never been evaluated. "Rough-and-ready estimates are often sufficient for policy-making, and are better than nothing," the authors suggest. Failing to set a standard carries its own risks: "Many people might assume that chemicals lacking [a risk estimate] are safer than those that have been assigned one, even if they are not."
As an example, they point to the dry cleaning solvent n-propyl bromide. Dry cleaning has a long and sordid history of releasing toxic chemicals. Many of the groundwater and soil contamination cases around the country are related to the dry cleaning solvent PCE, a compound with neurological and carcinogenic effects. Tightening down the regulatory screws has pushed the industry to find alternatives (along with outright encouragement).
One of those alternatives is n-propyl bromide. Because EPA provides no information on this compound, it has been pitched as a safe alternative. However, the available research indicates that n-propyl bromide may actually be considerably more dangerous to human health than PCE. If the EPA had pulled this information together and made it available, n-propyl bromide might never have been considered as a viable alternative in the first place.
The authors' other concern is the certainty with which EPA sets its standards. Rather than transparently presenting the uncertainty present in the data, the EPA applies a "simpler is better" approach, providing one number that is judged to be the best estimate. However, judgments inevitably lead to disagreement.
"In our view," Gray and Cohen write, "the problem is the EPA's use of assumptions that it claims are 'public health protective', which err on the side of overstating risk when data are lacking. Take dioxin, for example. In its assessment, the EPA assumed the worst case—that low levels of dioxin cause cancer—because that possibility cannot be ruled out. Yet other agencies, including the World Health Organization, interpret the biological studies of dioxin as suggesting that it is unlikely to cause cancer at low levels because of the way the chemical behaves within cells."
The authors believe that the EPA should disclose uncertainty where it exists, and also summarize the conclusions reached by other organizations. The increased information should give states and other parties the information they need to make good decisions. And they need all the help they can get, since good decisions are hard. Setting a standard unnecessarily low greatly increases cleanup and operational costs without benefiting human health, and can take focus away from higher priorities. Of course, setting a standard too high exposes people to potential health risks.
The EPA has an incredibly difficult task that is also crucially important. Dealing with so many unknowns, imperfect data, complicated legal responsibilities, and limited resources, the agency has to provide the best information possible. And it is acting on the criticisms of the National Academy of Sciences, trying to revamp its process. However, Gray and Cohen believe there is still substantial room for improvement that could result in a more effective agency—one that is as much an agent of progress as it was in the 1970s.
Nature, 2012. DOI: 10.1038/489027a (About DOIs).


text:
{31 Days} Back to Basics Day 13 – Sunday Quotes
Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet the one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things.
~Elise Boulding


text:
Proud of your personal style? Love flaunting your looks or body to get what you want? Got a beauty secret you are just dying share? Want to show off your costume from the first day of school? Click on Write a Style Post below to submit a story. If enough members like it, your story will appear in our magazine! --- Write a Style Post ---
Share Your Secrets and Dating Disasters! Boyfriend breaking your heart? BFF giving you trouble? Got a secret you just can not hide?Click on Write a Love & Advice Post below to submit a story and if enough members like it, it will appear on our homepage! --- Write a Love & Advice Post ---
Popteen Tip: HilaryDuff has been keeping quite busy building her modeling dreams, and have not really had a chance to post whats she has been up to. So ask her how many style or beauty secrets she is hiding? Is she a style showoff?
Hi dear, if you know HilaryDuff, please remind her of Popteen model show. Do you think she is being a bad role model for her sisters? She should have written her first style or beauty post!
Hi dear, if you are HilaryDuff, Write a Style or Beauty Post
Popteen Fashion|Mobile Site|Popteen Magazine
Popteen: Fashion, Love, Advice. Its a pop girls world.
... where you can flaunt your style, share your secrets, discover fashion finds, make friends, and more


text:
The Game On Finally Working With Dr. Dre Again On His "Red" Album! + BG Is Feelin The Name! "Down South New Orleans We Never Had Crips & Bloods. You A Real Red. Represent That Sh*t"
The Game Interview On Invasion Radio with BG and Dj Khaled
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Gov. Patrick signs $33.6B Massachusetts state budget
Questions about how to fund transportation remain unanswered
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has signed a $33.6 billion state budget while vetoing $417 million in transportation and local aid pending the fate of a separate transportation financing bill.
The spending plan is for the fiscal year that started July 1.
According to the governor's office, the budget makes significant investments in education, health care cost containment and youth violence prevention.
However, the budget does not provide answers about transportation funding. The governor vetoed $240 million in transportation funding and $177 million in unrestricted general government aid, which would help state cities and towns.
The governor says he must fulfill his responsibility to produce a balanced budget.
Patrick said he hoped some of the vetoed spending could be restored if a dispute over the transportation bill is resolved. Patrick has asked lawmakers to amend the bill. Legislative leaders oppose the change.


text:
Kristin and Domonic's Wedding Day!
A beautiful July afternoon was set aside for the celebration of Kristin and Domonic's wedding at St. Thomas Church in Voluntown, CT. Two wonderful families were blended into one, as these two precious souls exchanged their vows witnessed by their loving families and friends. Please enjoy a few moments as seen through the lenses of Alex and Joanne...Read More


text:
Our very own, Michael Shaughnessy news story on outrunning cancer.
Ohio Ultra Trail Runners
Outrun (Ohio Ultra Trail Runners) Ultramarathon Trail Running
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Race Report: Oil Creek 100mi - Zack
Zack's race report for the Oil Creek 100
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Race Report: Leadville 100
It was an amazing 34.5 miles.....and my first DNF. If you want the much longer version, see the post HERE.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
OUTRUN doing what we do.
OUTRUN peeps lining up for the Women for Women 4 Hour Challenge
last Sunday (7/8/12). Nice shirts!!
Left to right: Zack, Desiree, Laurie, Brooke and Margie.
Left to right: Zack, Desiree, Laurie, Brooke and Margie.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Race Report: Mohican 50 Zack
Race Report for 2012 Mohican 50miler
Also, we are missing Leghorney. She was last seen at the Mohican 50mi race leaning at the building by the start. Please let me know if you have information that leads to her being found. :)
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)