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All News Releases By Date
Staying in the green: Louisiana companies continue on EPA Performance Track
Release Date: 08/11/2008
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Tressa Tillman at 214-665-2200 or firstname.lastname@example.com
(Dallas, Texas – August 11, 2008) Two Louisiana companies have renewed their membership in the Environmental Protection Agency's top "green leadership" program.
Marathon Petroleum Company's Louisiana Refinery Division in Garyville and Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation in Baton Rouge are among 17 facilities in EPA Region 6 to be recommended for continued participation in the National Environmental Performance Track.
"Performance Track members work side-by-side with EPA to set challenging environmental performance goals and deliver real results that will preserve and protect our natural resources," said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. "These renewing members will continue to contribute to the significant environmental successes already achieved by the program."
Performance Track supplements EPA's existing regulatory activities by encouraging facilities with strong environmental records to work toward goals that are higher than legal requirements. The program's 506 members include facilities from major corporations, small businesses, and the public sector in 49 states and Puerto Rico.
Renewing Performance Track members must set four new environmental performance goals (such as reduced energy use), have an independent review of their environmental management system, and be screened by EPA for sustained compliance with environmental laws.
Since its inception in 2000, Performance Track members have set more than 3,500 goals for environmental improvements, many of which will achieve environmental results in areas that are not covered by current regulation. Collectively, Performance Track members have saved enough energy to power 46,000 homes for one year, enough greenhouse gases to offset the emissions of 57,000 cars for one year, and conserved or restored more than 16,000 acres of land and habitat.
Additional information on the Performance Track program is available at http://epa.gov/performancetrack/.
To learn more about activities in EPA Region 6, please visit https://www.epa.gov/region6.
Search this collection of releases | or search all news releases
View selected historical press releases from 1970 to 1998 in the EPA History website.


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At a high level, patent and antitrust laws may seem to be at odds with each other. Patent law grants inventors an exclusive right to make, use and sell their inventions. On the other hand, antitrust law is designed to encourage competition and restrict monopolies. This apparent tension is resolved because patents have a limited life (typically no more than 20 years from filing), and are granted as a reward for encouraging inventors to disclose the details about their inventions.
To avoid situations where undeserving "inventors" circumvent antitrust law by obtaining a patent through intentional fraud on the Patent Office, the U.S Supreme Court has long held that a patent holder who enforces a patent obtained through intentional fraud may be subject to antitrust liability. (see Walker Process Equipment, Inc. v. Food Machinery & Chemical Corp., 382 U.S. 172 (1965)).
A Walker Process claim is not one to be brought lightly. First, the challenger must show more than mere invalidity. Instead, the challenger must show that the patent applicant intentionally defrauded the Patent Office when seeking the patent. In addition, the challenger must show that all elements otherwise necessary to bring an antitrust claim under the Sherman Act are present.
The Walker Process case made it clear that a party who has been harmed by a patent enforcement action may charge the patent holder with a violation of antitrust laws. However, a question existed as to whether a direct purchaser of a patented product may bring a Walker Process claim, even if that purchaser has not been charged with infringement. Last week, in Ritz Camera & Image LLC v. Sandisk Corporation (No. 2012-1183), the Federal Circuit answered "yes" to this question.
In the Ritz Camera decision, the Court said that standing for a Walker Process claim is not limited to those who also have standing to bring a declaratory judgment action under the Patent Act. Instead the Court said that "those injured by any monopolistic action taken under the fraudulent patent claim" have standing to bring a Walker Process claim.
Thus, parties concerned with a patent's validity may have an additional tool to challenge the patent. However, the tool is only available in limited circumstances where facts sufficient to support a Sherman Act claim are also present. In addition, in recent years the Federal Circuit has raised the bar for finding inequitable conduct in prosecution of a patent application. Thus, the potential applications of the Ritz Camera decision will be limited, but the case will nonetheless be significant when the facts supporting a claim are available.

subset: commoncrawl


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Some of the UK's best-loved television stars will be hoping to pick up gongs at Sunday night's Emmy Awards.
Downton Abbey and Sherlock will lead the British pack as the who's who in the world of television turn out for a dazzling ceremony in Los Angeles.
Joanna Froggatt, who plays domestic servant Anna in Downton Abbey, is nominated for the outstanding supporting actress in a drama series award along with her ITV co-star Maggie Smith, who plays the grand Dowager Countess of Grantham.
The country house drama is up against hit shows including Homeland and Game of Thrones for the outstanding drama series Emmy. Several of its stars are recognised, including Michelle Dockery, who gets a nod for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her portrayal of Lady Mary Crawley.
Hugh Bonneville will have to see off the challenge of fellow Brit Damian Lewis for outstanding lead actor in a drama series. Brendan Coyle, who plays valet John Bates, and Jim Carter, who plays the butler Carson, are both up for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series.
BBC's Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are in the running for outstanding lead actor and outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries or a movie respectively.
Cumberbatch and Freeman are recognised for their parts in Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia. The episode, based on Arthur Conan Doyle's story A Scandal in Bohemia, featured racy nude scenes with Lara Pulver's whip-wielding dominatrix character and was the most watched show on the BBC iPlayer last year. The episode, which attracted about 100 complaints for its pre-watershed nudity, is also recognised in categories for art direction and costumes.
Armando Iannucci's new US show, Veep, is nominated for outstanding comedy series but faces competition from Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Big Bang Theory, while its star Julia Louis-Dreyfus is nominated for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series.
Emma Thompson is nominated for her performance in The Song of Lunch but faces competition in the category for outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or a movie from Hollywood stars Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution is in the running for outstanding reality programme while Cat Deeley is up for outstanding host for a reality or reality-competition programme for So You Think You Can Dance. Mad Men, the period drama set in the world of advertising, leads the field with 17 nominations.
The Press Association, photo by PBS PressRoom


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Dozens of first responders help in search
By Beth Altena
Rockford Police and fire, Algoma Fire and Rescue with their inflatable rescue boat, the Kent County Sheriff Dive team, the Kent County Sheriff motorized emergency rescue boat and Rockford Ambulance were all on the scene Tuesday, July 9 for a possible drowning at the Rockford dam.
According to Rockford Police Chief Dave Jones, a visitor to the dam called 911 after observing that a scuba diver had been under the water without coming up for over an hour. They had seen the diver drop a snorkel on to the dam and then go back underwater.
With over a dozen first responders and more than half a dozen rescue vehicles on the scene, the Algoma Township dive team, attached to shore by ropes, searched the water without success. Kent County Sheriff Deputy and rescue diver Don Hamilton prepared his scuba gear and rescue equipment with the assistance of other officers.
Hamilton had begun a search of the water under the dam when the diver returned to the surface near where he had placed his snorkel over an hour before. Chief Jones said that he believed the man was not following safety practices for diving. Hamilton called the man's behavior "very unsafe."
A group of residents had gathered at the dam watching rescue efforts. The diver, upon coming out of the water, seemed unaware of the efforts made on his behalf. He stayed in the water for awhile, telling rescue officers he needed some time to "get his land legs back."
Hamilton said the individual broke many safety rules of scuba diving and that he had personally seen the man in the water at 2 p.m. when Hamilton was driving downtown.
Hamilton said divers are required to dive within 100 feet of a flag so boaters are aware of their presence. "If you drag a flag above you, it makes it really easy for us to find you if we suspect a problem," he explained. Hamilton said rescuers and observers at the dam noticed no air bubbles indicating a diver's breathing. "That's what really made me believe this was a very bad situation," he stated. However, after talking with the diver, he explained that the diver had been coming up for air, but under the dam spillway where he couldn't be seen. He also was diving under the spillway while he was in the water so air bubbles were not visible. He noted that it is also very unsafe to dive alone and not an accepted practice.
Hamilton said the diver was not issued a ticket but received a severe talking to by authorities. He said the man seemed to think he had done nothing wrong. "This goes to the bill State Representative Pete MacGregor is trying to get passed where departments can recoup the cost of rescues when people are being stupid," he said.
"Stupid is the best way to describe it, like kayaking in the river when there are record high levels of water." Hamilton said he made several rescues during this spring's flood, where people believed they were good enough kayakers to take on the flooded Grand River.
"You just never know what's in the river in that kind of a situation," Hamilton said. He also noted the Tuesday rescue is not the first where the outcome was lucky. In March 13, 1991 a boy fell into the Rogue River at the dam and was underwater for 37 minutes. The water was cold enough that it slowed his body function and when he was revived he suffered no permanent damage. "I just ran into that guy fishing in the river the other day," Hamilton said.


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rap music
rap music or hip-hop, genre originating in the mid-1970s among black and Hispanic performers in New York City, at first associated with an athletic style of dancing, known as breakdancing. The word rap, derived from a 1960s slang word for conversation, generally consists of chanted, often improvised, street poetry accompanied by a montage of well-known recordings, usually disco or funk. Detractors have criticized most rap music as a boastful promotion of violence and misogyny; others have admired it as an inventive manipulation of cultural idioms and credit many rappers with an acute social and political awareness. Early rap groups included Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, and the Beastie Boys. Rap has influenced many forms of popular culture, particularly film, and has been increasingly incorporated into pop music. Some influential rap performers include Public Enemy, NWA, Run-DMC, Missy
MisdemeanorElliot, and Queen Latifah.
See M. Costello and D. F. Wallace, Signifying Rappers (1990); G. Nelson, Hip Hop America (1998).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Music: Popular and Jazz


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General Conditions
These General conditions apply to the Hypex Electronics B.V. webshop: www.diyclassd.com
In regards to www.diyclassd.com:
1 We do not warrant or represent:
(a) the completeness or accuracy of the information published on our website;
(b) that the material on the website is up to date; or
(c) that the website or any service on the website will remain available.
2 We reserve the right to discontinue or alter any or all of our website services, and to stop publishing our website, at any time in our sole discretion without notice or explanation; and save to the extent expressly provided otherwise in this disclaimer, you will not be entitled to any compensation or other payment upon the discontinuance or alteration of any website services, or if we stop publishing the website.
Customer details
Your account
You can request an account by clicking on 'New account', at the top right of the website.
If you forgot your credentials for the Hypex Webshop, a link to retrieve these is available as well.
To place an order, an account is required, and you need to be logged in at the webshop.
Change of address
You can update your address-details online.
After you have logged in, click on 'Edit your profile' (top right), and you will be shown a form with your current address-details. By clicking on 'Edit' you can change these details.
Your personal information during the ordering and payment process through SSL encryption secure and not shared with third parties.
Personal details
You can access your personal information at any time by e-mail request for inspection. We will respond to your inquiry within 4 weeks. Hypex Electronics BV will be in response to a request, each registered user (and his or her personal information) from its database. Your request for inspection, removal or modification of your data, you can send to email@example.com.
Payment methods
The available payment-methods are listed below.
The listed fee-percentage will be calculated over the total amount of your order.
(pay by invoice) Free
Creditcard 3.0 %
iDeal Free
Paypal 3.0 %
Wire transfer
(pre-payme Free
Payment safety
If you choose one of the above mentioned payment options, your payment arranged through ICEPAY.
You can pay directly through internet banking through your bank or credit card.
This payment system, developed and managed by ICEPAY is certified and approved by major credit card issuers.
Internet banking, you should always activate your cookies.
Orders by ICEPAY are always encrypted.
More info: www.icepay.com
You will receive the invoice with your order or by email. The invoice is also your proof of warranty. You can recognize your outstanding payments after you have logged on www.hypexshop.com under "view your orders".
If the invoice is no longer in your possession, you can request a copy by sending an email to firstname.lastname@example.com or to download it from your order list in your account.
It could happen that a payment remains too long.
To make you aware that there is an unpaid order, we will send you some time after ordering a reminder.
When you don't arrange the payment in 2 weeks the order will not be shipped and will be removed from the system.
Delivery Conditions
We use UPS for all global shipments. When the delivery can't be completed by absence UPS will drop an information card with further instructions. more info at www.ups.com.
The customer can choose to use their own account at a different forwarder. When the customer choose their own forwarder there will be no shipping charge.
Delivery time
In our webshop you can choose your desired service where also the estimated time is shown. When there are no exceptions the shipping time is between the 1-6 days depending on your address and the service you choose and the available stock. In general the orders will be shipped from the Netherlands, except otherwise applicable.
Delivery address
The customer is allowed to choose for a delivery address other than the standard account address. This can be chosen in the checkout phase of your order and will be stored at your account for future use only.
The customer receives a shipping confirmation by email with track&trace number included. With this number you can trace the location of your order at any time after it is been shipped out. For questions you can contact email@example.com
The shipping costs are depending on the destination, weight and chosen service. The costs are calculated in the checkout phase of the order.
Hypex Electronics BV is responsible for damaged or lost packages when standard forwarder is chosen. When a delivery is not delivered in a reasonable time, please contact email@example.com
Cancellation costs
Hypex Electronics charges no cancellation costs.
Backorder, If an order is not available from stock we will inform you about the expected delivery time by email.
Return and Refund policy
14 days view period
For all your orders gives Hypex Electronics BV a trial period of 14 days from the time the order is in your possession. Within this period, you may view the article, unless otherwise stated.
Should you wish to return your order, we ask you:
·the undamaged and unused product within the trial period of 14 days to return.
·Send the complete article (incl. Cables or other accessories), if reasonably possible in original, undamaged packaging, with the copy invoice and a completed returns form returns.
·an invoice and completed return form to add.
If you have chosen for a refund we will refund the purchase price, shipping and transaction costs excluded, within 30 days.
The return address is:
Hypex Electronics BV
Kattegat 8
9723 JP Groningen
After the expiry of the approval period, the purchase agreement a fact and the order can't be returned..
Technical support
You can find all datasheets, manuals and other documents in our webshop, at our website www.hypex.nl in the download menu or by sending an email to firstname.lastname@example.com
Technical questions
When you have technical questions you can always contact our support department at email@example.com. We are more then happy to help you.


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The Isaacs - Daniel Prayed
Suggested For You
Christian Podcasts
Christian Podcasts
Inspirational Videos
Comedy Videos
Cute Videos
Today's Devotional
A Prayer for Joy - Your Daily Prayer - March 20
There will always be something or someone threatening to distract us from our joy. We must choose daily to fight the good fight of faith. To remember the joy we have in Jesus.
Top Music Videos
Christian News
The latest news and hot topics trending among Christian music, entertainment and faith life.


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Stroke 29, Empowered Products premium cream lubricant, is designed to take masturbation to a whole new level. Unlike Silicone and water based lubricants, this thick, non-greasy formula provides more than just wet slipperiness. After years of research, our team has developed a lubricant that gets better the longer you use it. As the cream heats up from repetitive stroking of masturbation, the product texture transforms at or around the 29th stroke to simulate the sensation of aroused human tissue. With the combination of heat and friction, a guy might actually forget he s using his own hand. Stroke 29 provides a glide unlike any other masturbation lubricant available. The product s viscosity stays intact and doesn t break down during its transformation, so there is no need to re-apply. Stroke 29 skin-beneficial almond oil, Aloe Vera and Vitamin E and is fragrance- and irritant-free. Not recommended for use with latex condoms. Transforms for more intense masturbation. Thick creamy formula leaves no mess, no drips. Natural oils provide extended moisture. Fortified with Vitamin E and Aloe Vera for restorative and healing properties. Unscented and flavor free provides for a satisfying experience.
Ships Everywhere.
I used about a teaspoon full, but maybe didn't need that much. Stood in front of a large mirror and stroked slowly with my left hand. After several minutes, the effect seemed to suddenly change: I felt an increase in the hardness of my erection and a much increased level of arousal. Nice! Without consciously thinking about it, I switched to my right hand and began stroking more rapidly. I spent several more minutes feeling immense pleasurable. Stroke 29 feels like a smooth salve, not oily, greasy, or sticky. It gave me an enormous ejaculation. Great stuff and well worth the price. I'll continue to experiment on the appropriate amount.Anonymous - June 5 2015
WOW IS ALL I CAN SAY. DOES EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS!!!Anonymous - February 27 2015
This cream is awesome for jerking-off. But works out even better for me when my girlfriend is the mood for giving some handjob action. she says it makes her hand slide smoother and easier over my pecker which makes her arm not so tired,,, and for me that means much longer handjob action.Anonymous - October 9 2014
love to jerk-off, and this 29 stroke gel takes the masturbation action to a whole other level. makes your hand glide smooth as ice over the penis, and as the gel warms up with every stroke, the more gratifying and boner creating it gets. man, haven't had a huge load of cum like that since i was in my teens. there's plenty of gel to go around too, this tub has last me for over two months, and that's a freaken wonder the many times i've jerked-offAnonymous - September 24 2014


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Filip Schyberg from Sweden has been part of the top scoring list during the season but has never finished at a final top position in any league.
Note that this is top scorer data we have in our database. Filip Schyberg might be part of top scorer lists in other leagues we don't have here, or seasons we don't have in our database yet.


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© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and Infection Control Today. All rights reserved.
The 1918 influenza pandemic infected more than 500 million people, killing at least 50 million. Now, a researcher at the University of Missouri has analyzed the pandemic in two remote regions of North America, finding that despite their geographical divide, both regions had environmental, nutritional and economic factors that influenced morbidity during the pandemic. Findings from the research could help improve current health policies.
"Epidemics such as the Black Death in the 14th century, cholera in the 19th century and malaria have been documented and recorded throughout history," says Lisa Sattenspiel, professor of anthropology in the College of Arts and Science at MU. "While it is probably impossible to consider all the dimensions of pandemics, such as cultural, social and political factors, we can get a 'snapshot' by pinpointing similar areas. Our research focused on the 1918 influenza pandemic in Labrador, Canada and Alaska, which are widely separated in space, yet have similar geographic and environmental constraints as well as ethnic overlap."
By analyzing death records and community history, Sattenspiel and her fellow researcher, Svenn-Erik Mamelund, senior researcher at the Work Research Institute of Oslo, found that both Labrador and Alaska were devastated by the 1918 pandemic. Beginning in January 1918 and lasting through December 1920, both regions experienced higher mortality rates than most other parts of the world-34 percent and 8 percent, respectively.
Archival materials from Labrador and Alaska indicated that circulating pathogens, including pneumonia and tuberculosis, played a role in morbidity. Environmental influences, including harsh, stressful winters, and nutritional factors, such as lack of food, also played a role in susceptibility to influenza. Sattenspiel says that during the summer months in Labrador the influx of infected commercial fishermen played an important role in the milder first wave of the pandemic, while during the severe second (fall and winter) wave, the movements of fur traders and hunters were more important. Additionally, researchers found that transmission rates were higher in harsher climates where a greater proportion of daily life is conducted indoors.
"Inadequate access to healthcare contributed to higher mortality rates in the regions studied," Sattenspiel says. "Our findings indicate that today's infectious disease planning should include evaluating the placement of nurses and trained health care professionals who can administer vaccines and treatment. Programs that improve housing conditions and crowding may also help reduce disease transmission. Finally, contingency plans must take into account the remoteness of an area as well as distance to population centers and healthcare facilities."
Sattenspiel says that lessons learned from 20th century Labrador and Alaska illustrate how important it is to take a systemic approach if health officials are to improve our response to future infectious disease pandemics in today's world.
Her study, "Cocirculating epidemics, chronic health problems, and social conditions in early 20th century Labrador and Alaska," was published in the Annals of Anthropological Practice.
Source: University of Missouri


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Can you think of a better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than fangirling over these gorgeous Irish celebs? We can't either. Enjoy!
Zac Efron
And the Oscar for hottest Irish celeb goes to...
More From Seventeen
Channing Tatum
No, Channing, you look beautiful today.
Jake T. Austin
Hey Jake!
Kiss me, I'm Irish!
Niall Horan
And he's got the Irish accent to go along with that beautiful smile!
Josh Hutcherson
The third and final Hunger Games book has been broken into two parts for the movie. That means double the chances to see this cutie on the big screen! Lucky us!
Taylor Lautner
Did you know that this sweet smiling Irish boy got his black belt in karate when he was only 8 years old?!
The Jonas Brothers
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Images from Giphy.com
Which Irish cutie is your fave? Comment below, please!


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THIRTEEN marks the 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis with "Secrets of the Dead: The Man Who Saved the World" airing Tuesday, October 23 at 9 pm on PBS
The little-known story of how close to nuclear destruction the world really was during those dark October days and how the heroism of one man saved us all
Fifty years ago, in October 1962, the world teetered on the brink of nuclear war. On October 22, 1962, after reviewing photographic evidence, President John F. Kennedy informed the world that the Soviet Union was building secret missile bases in Cuba, just 90 miles off the shores of Florida. For the next 13 days, the world held its breath as the Soviet Union and the United States confronted each other about missiles stationed in Cuba. While politicians sought a resolution to the standoff, no one was aware of the events taking place inside the Soviet submarine B-59 in the waters off the coast of Florida.
As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Secrets of the Dead chronicles how the actions of one man, during arguably the most dangerous moment of the Cold War, averted nuclear war.
The Man Who Saved the World, premiering Tuesday, October 23 at 9 pm ET on PBS (check local listings), tells the unsung story of Soviet naval officer Vasili Arkhipov, the Brigade Chief of Staff on submarine B-59, who refused to fire a nuclear missile and saved the world from World War III and nuclear disaster.
For decades, Arkhipov's story was hidden, only emerging in recent years. The events depicted in The Man Who Saved the World unfolded over four hours on October 27, 1962, when fear over the Cuban Missile Crisis was at its highest. It combines dramatizations – set in a claustrophobic submarine running out of air – with eyewitness accounts and expert testimony to reveal the terrifying events happening beneath the waves.
Four Soviet submarines were sent on a mission known only to a handful of Communist party officials. Their destination was a mystery to be revealed once they were at sea. Under their orders, each submarine was to travel 7,000 miles from a top secret naval base in the Arctic Circle across the Atlantic to be permanently stationed in Mariel, Cuba where they would serve as the vanguard of a Soviet force a mere 90 miles from mainland America.
The commander of each submarine had permission to act without direct orders from Moscow if they believed they were under threat. Each of the four subs was carrying what the Soviets called a 'special weapon', a single nuclear torpedo, comparable in strength to the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The torpedo could only be fired if the submarine captain and political officer were in agreement. Each had one half of a key which, when joined, unlocked the firing mechanism.
Ryurik Ketov, who is interviewed in The Man Who Saved the World, commanded one of the four subs. "I had a written order that I could release it," says Ketov. "And if there was an order to fire the torpedo I would do it without a second thought. For the first time in life a commander of a submarine had a nuclear weapon and had the authority to fire the missile at his command."
However, aboard the B-59, three men—not two—needed to be in agreement. As commander of the entire submarine fleet, Arkhipov had the power to veto firing the missile and was one of the only men who knew about the mission in advance. Fifty years later, The Man Who Saved the World recounts Arkhipov's courageous story and how, with a single act, he stopped the destruction of life as we know it.
Secrets of the Dead: The Man Who Saved the World is a Bedlam Production for THIRTEEN in association with WNET and Channel 1 Russia. Executive producer for WNET is Steve Burns. Coordinating producer is Stephanie Carter. For 50 years, THIRTEEN has been making the most of the rich resources and passionate people of New York and the world, reaching millions of people with on-air and online programming that celebrates arts and culture, offers insightful commentary on the news of the day, explores the worlds of science and nature, and invites students of all ages to have fun while learning.
These programs are among the full-length episodes available for viewing on Secrets of the Dead Online (pbs.org/secrets). Along with the extensive online video catalog, the series web site provides resources for educators with lesson plans for middle school and high school teachers.
Secrets of the Dead has received 10 CINE Golden Eagle Awards and six Emmy nominations, among numerous other awards.
About WNET
In 2012, WNET is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of THIRTEEN, New York's flagship public media provider. As the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Need to Know, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJ Today and the new online newsmagazine MetroFocus.
PhotosSorry, photography is no longer in rights for the web. Please contact Thirteen's Communications Department at 212.560.3022.


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Why We Love Snow!
After the famous "blizzard of ought-nine"… we went to the mountains! We took the kids to Breckenridge. They are both good skiers, but decided to learn to snowboard. Apparently, they are pretty good – at least for novices. They spent the day in a lesson and still had enough energy to catch a lift up right before closing time so they could get in one last run.
Of course, they learned a lot about anatomy during the day and over night – in fact they are still learning this morning – "the top of my right calf hurts", "my tailbone used to stick out, now it is pushed in", "I can really feel my abs"….
Diane and I chose to avoid the aches and pains – we went snow-shoeing. We followed some cross-country ski trails most of the way and went through some beautiful woods – no traffic noise, no houses or condos. We spent some time watching a squirrell chew through a pine cone like it was an ear of corn. It looks like the pine beetles are having a feast too. I wonder if there will be any trees left in five years…
We didn't have quite the same aches and pains as our kids, but we felt it too.
Thankfully, the hottub was there at the end of the day. Oh, what a pleasure it is to soak and watch the sun go down.
And today, we'll do it all over again.
Just a note about the ski area – long lines (of course it is Spring Break – the weekend where Denver and JeffCo school area spring breaks overlap and we just got hit with "the blizzard of ought-nine"…). We did hear a lot of complaints about the lines. I guess the recession isn't hurting the ski industry quite as bad as I thought it might.
I am sure the drive back down the hill will be slow…. Oh well, that's what happens when we get some good snow.


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superstition, an irrational belief or practice resulting from ignorance or fear of the unknown. The validity of superstitions is based on belief in the power of magic and witchcraft and in such invisible forces as spirits and demons. A common superstition in the Middle Ages was that the devil could enter a person during that unguarded moment when that person was sneezing; this could be avoided if anyone present immediately appealed to the name of God. The tradition of saying
God bless youwhen someone sneezes still remains today.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Religion: General


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Michelle Obama lets wardrobe take back seat
NEW YORK (AP) — Michelle Obama has proven her fashion savvy time and again since she was introduced as first lady in a yellow sheath and coat by Isabel Toledo on Inauguration Day 2009 — so much so that we don't discuss it nearly as much as we used to.
Four years ago, there was a daily barrage in the media: Jason Wu gown! J. Crew gloves! Jimmy Choo shoes! It remained that way for months and even years.
There was the Naeem Khan beaded strapless gown for the first state dinner in the Obama White House, the black racer-back dress by Michael Kors worn in her official portrait. Her wardrobe for the Obamas' state visit to England, including the white cross-neck halter gown by Tom Ford she wore to a black-tie event with Queen Elizabeth in London, and the fiery red Alexander McQueen she wore the for the state dinner the Obamas hosted for China generated news around the globe.
Even more recently, her pink Tracy Reese dress was practically an honored guest at the Democratic National Convention in September, and one of the moments so many are eagerly anticipating on Monday is when she'll emerge in her gown for the inaugural balls.
But she's figured out a way to largely move the focus from her style to her substance.
"What's really interesting about the first lady is that she's been able to incorporate the fact that she's stylish into a much larger persona," says Ariel Foxman, managing editor of InStyle magazine.
In the early going, there was intense focus on what she'd wear "because we hadn't seen a first lady who had such an innate style and sense of color — and great arms," he adds. "It's been exciting to see a first lady embracing fashion by remaining consistently interesting and diverse in her fashion choices, and in doing that, she's been able to draw attention elsewhere."
She probably doesn't want the first question when she visits a school to promote healthy living to be about her sneakers, and she doesn't want the print of her dress to steal the thunder of a speech about veterans.
"Consistency has made her look much more matter of fact," Foxman adds.
Yet in an age of the overused term "style icon," Obama is one of the few modern women to deserve it. In the past four years she has adeptly walked — usually in kitten heels or ballet flats — the line between directional fashionista and everywoman.
She has a pretty deep tool box and she knows how to use it, says Kevan Hall, a Los Angeles-based designer. "Every designer wants to dress her," he says. (She has worn his label.)
"Just like any woman, she wants to look pretty, and I think she's having fun with it. It must be fun to be a girl with a big White House closet," Hall says, noting all the events, galas and speeches to dress up for.
She looks comfortable in clothes that can be a little edgy, and, Hall says, women find that inspiring.
Nick Verreos, fashion designer, "Project Runway" alum and instructor at Los Angeles' Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, was the host four years ago in Washington of the California State Society's luncheon celebrating inaugural fashion. "It has been a great journey watching her," he says.
He credits her with putting daytime dresses back on the map. After years of women favoring separates and jeans, Obama came along in her sheaths and A-lines. Then they were a trend on runways, malls and Main Streets.
"I know I always gravitate to the woman who's not the wallflower, and the first lady is no wallflower," Verreos says.
She also makes "conscious choices" about what she's going to wear, knowing that people will take note — and read into it, he says.
"Of course she thinks about it," agrees InStyle's Foxman, "but she isn't preoccupied by it. She thinks about it in the way that everyone else does."
He describes her as a working mom who has those favorite go-to pieces: the sleeveless dresses, cardigans, capri pants, chunky jewelry, flat shoes and waist-nipping belts.
It's nice to see that she often wears the same pieces, finding new ways to mix and match them, Hall says.
The moment she's probably the most relaxed in her style is coming on and off Air Force One. Maybe travel encourages those above-the-ankle pants and flowy tops? "You just know there's some stretch in those pants," says Hall.
If you look at her style over the past few years, not much has changed, he adds, but you can tell she's grown more comfortable in her own skin, in her wardrobe and in her role. Casual clothes, looser hair and more natural makeup show that off.
The fashion industry is looking forward to another term, giving another chance for her to wear a variety of designer names and brands and call attention to new designers.
"It's a big business in this country," Foxman says. "We're waiting to see who she can pluck for obscurity on the inaugural night like she did with Jason Wu four years ago."


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Jared Bernstein, former economic advisor to Joe Biden, takes to the Times to tell us that the recent CBO report really wasn't about jobs and disincentives to work.
Hey, changing the subject is a time-honored tactic, and good luck to him. However, we were rendered slack-jawed by this policy insight (my emphasis):
What the Congressional Budget Office is saying is that because people receiving subsidies through the health care act will see those subsidies reduced as their earnings rise, they'll choose to work less to avoid that loss.
The Affordable Care Act gives that job holder an option and, for some, an incentive to work less without losing health coverage. Conservatives might well object to making that choice on the taxpayers' dime. But there's no model of health care reform from the left or the right that doesn't involve a subsidy that fades out as income rises. So this labor-supply-choice problem is endemic.
Uhh, does single payer really have subsidy phase-outs? I don't claim to be up to speed on every aspect of every progressive fantasy, but then again, I never worked for Joe Biden. I would have guessed that if Uncle Sam picked up the tab for everyone's health care and paid for that out of general tax revenues, there would be no specific subsidies to be phased. The overall level of taxes might rise, providing a general disincentive to work, but that disincentive would not be focused on the subsidy-eligible lower-earners, as with the ACA.
Well. Perhaps as a demonstration of the impact of delivering a reduced work effort, Mr. Bernstein then linked approvingly to this comic riff:
So what do you get when there's less labor supply around stable labor demand? A tighter job market.
The economist Dean Baker uses Congressional Budget Office numbers to make this point:
"If hours fall by 1.5 to 2.0 percent, but compensation falls by 1.0 percent, then compensation per hour rises by 0.5-1.0 percent due to the ACA. If this is bad news for workers then someone must have been enjoying the new found freedoms in Colorado or Washington State too much."
I'm crying. OK, I'm laughing through the tears, but the tears are real. The CBO was crystal clear - lower earners will have the disincentive to work due to subsidy phase-outs, so they will be more inclined to retreat from the labor market:
However, people whose employment or hours worked will be most affected by the ACA are expected to have below-average earnings because the effects of the subsidies that are available through exchanges and of expanded Medicaid eligibility on the amount of labor supplied by lower-income people are likely to be greater than the effects of increased taxes on the amount of labor supplied by higher-income people.
And this is arithmetic anyonne can do, even an advisor to Biden. If the lower earners reduce their participation in the labor pool then the average wage of those WHO CONTINUE TO WORK will... (a) go up; (b) go up; (c) go up.
If you picked "go up", well done. If the folks earning $10 bucks an hour cut back on their hours and the folks earning $30 bucks an hour stick to their old schedule then total hours worked will fall and the average wage will rise even though no one gets a raise or works more hours.
As BS spin goes this could hardly get weaker. How Obama or his fellow progressives can think the working class will overcome the challenge of income inequality (the defining challenge of the age!) by slacking their way to success remains a mystery.


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|Gonna Write You A Letter
This track from Jesse Thomas is a little bit outside of the range of years normally covered hear, but its so fantastic I couldn't keep it to myself. Thomas was a session player (most famously with Bessie Tucker) and played mostly around Texas during the pre-war years. This track is from 1948 and he has plugged in, but still retains the purity of the pre-war blues guitar. I love love love the guitar song on this recording.
The next song on this Kent release is another pre-war star's initial post war recording – Whistling Alex Moore, under his birth name Alexander Moore – does a rowdy Texas Blues number called Neglected Woman – and it's a rave. The full band here is fantastic and Moore does a great job on piano keeping setting the blazing pace of this number. I wish the drums were a little more in the mix – but it still has the great sound that is also present on Jesse Thomas' song. I've also added an mostly instrumental version of Lillie Mae Blues from that same Alexander Moore session.
Jesse Thomas – Gonna Write You A Letter(1948)
Alexander Moore – Neglected Woman (1951)
Alexander Moore – Lillie Mae Blues (1951)


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As if inexpensive attacks on mission-critical global positioning systems weren't enough, a researcher said he's developed an Android app that could redirect airplanes in mid-flight.
The frightening scenario was presented on Wednesday at the Hack in the Box security conference in Amsterdam. It's made possible by security weaknesses in the protocol used to send data to commercial planes and in flight-management software built by companies including Honeywell, Thales, and Rockwell Collins, Forbes reports. Vulnerable systems include the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Report System used for exchanging text messages between planes and ground stations using VHF radio or satellite signals. It has "virtually no authentication features to prevent spoofed commands."
Using a custom-developed Android app dubbed PlaneSploit, researcher Hugo Tesa of N.Runs showed how a virtual plane in a laboratory could be redirected. Because there's no means to cryptographically authenticate communications sent over ACARS, pilots have no way to confirm if messages they receive in the cockpit are valid. Malformed messages can then be used to trigger vulnerabilities, Tesa told Forbes.
A Honeywell spokesman told reporter Andy Greenberg that the company is taking the research seriously. But the spokesman went on to say there's a difference between exploiting something in a lab and doing it in a real-world environment. Because the researcher used a publicly available PC simulation program, the flight-management system he exploited "doesn't have the same protections against overwriting or corrupting as our certified flight software," he said. An N.Runs researcher countered that vulnerabilities in the flight-management software weren't related to the simulation program and would also be found in equipment used in real planes.
In any event, Tesa admits pilots could still override malicious commands by taking manual control of a plane. That still wouldn't prevent hackers from performing disruptive stunts such as causing a cockpit's lights to blink or passengers' pressurized air masks to drop.
Tesa has some helpful descriptions of some of the vulnerable equipment here.


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Malaysia flight search expands to millions of square miles
BEIJING -- The search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner expanded to 2.24 million square nautical miles, officials said Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur.
"This is an enormous search area. And it is something that Malaysia cannot possibly search on its own. I am therefore very pleased that so many countries have come forward to offer assistance and support to the search and rescue operation," said acting Malaysian transportation minister Hishamuddin Hussein at a press conference.
"To gather 25 countries to search together as a team is a tremendous challenge," added Malaysian foreign minister Anifah Aman at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur.
In what might be the most far-ranging and multinational search and rescue operation ever, the officials said they would be searching along two corridors identified by satellites as possible locations for the Boeing 777, which vanished March 8 on its way to Beijing. China and Kazakhstan are taking the lead searching a northern corridor that extends to the shores of the Caspian Sea.
Australia is leading the search of the deep waters of the Indian ocean between its own northwest coast and Indonesia, along with extensive U.S. help.
Meanwhile, family members of the missing 227 passenger started threatening a hunger strike, complaining that Malaysia Airlines was not giving them enough information.
"I'm angry at Malaysia for not telling the truth," Wen Wanchen, whose 34-year-old son was on the plane, told reporters at Beijing's Lido Hotel, where families are being accommodated. "From the start they were buying time, withholding facts, and now they're distorting the truth."
China's ambassador to Malaysia, Huang Huikang, said on Tuesday that Chinese authorities had completed an investigation and that none of the Chinese nationals aboard the flight "was involved in a terror or hijack attack," the Xinhua news agency reported.
The ambassador also said China was conducting a search within its own territory, although there are no indications that the missing plane made it to China.
Malaysia has requested that the armed forces of all the countries involved recheck their radar data from the date of the flight to see if an unidentified aircraft might have traversed their territory. India, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan have all responded, saying they had seen no sign of the plane.
Relatives of the missing passengers who have been staying at a hotel in northern Beijing on Tuesday also threatened to hold a hunger strike in order to force the airline to disclose more information.


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Editor's Note: This is the fifth and final post in a series by geologist Ulyana Horodyskyj. She climbed several peaks in the Himalaya Mountains to try to determine how airborne particles such as dust and soot that settle on massive glaciers alter how snow and ice melt, which could affect climate change as well as local water supplies. She finally returned to the University of Colorado, Boulder, just a few days ago. Her thoughts on the data, and the trek itself, are below.
BOULDER, COLORADO—Many thanks to all the readers who have followed this blog over the past two months. I have just returned to Colorado after having spent nearly a year abroad doing research in the Himalayas. The expedition was challenging in many ways, including the unpredictable weather, which forced changes in field plans, sometimes at the last minute. Back in October, for example, a large cyclone off the coast of India made its way across the continent. When it slammed up against the Himalayas, more than a meter of snow fell in a matter of days. This shut down trails in the Khumbu Valley where we were working and partially froze the glacial lakes I monitor, making it impossible to conduct some of my research.
However, the large amount of snow sparked an idea: to test the snowpack just days after the storm for any localized pollutants, and to track albedo (reflectivity) changes in the snow with time. Armed with filters and syringes, my team of Kami Sherpa, Emma Marcucci and Marty Coleman and I collected snow samples surrounding the villages nearby to the Ngozumpa glacier. We were astonished by the amount of dust and black carbon present on the filters, so soon after the storm. Marty and I set up a mini weather station with pyranometers (instruments that measure solar radiation flux) to track the accompanying albedo changes. Perfect reflection would be 100 percent, but snow is not a uniform substance—it can be filled with air and some meltwater pockets, so fresh snowfall, at its maximum, is 90 percent reflective. After returning in December to check on my experiment, I found that despite dropping temperatures, the albedo had decreased by nearly 20 percent because of the accumulation of deposits.
These results, collected at about 16,500 feet, prompted more ideas. What are the altitudinal effects, if any, of this dust and carbon deposition? To find out, Ang Tendi Sherpa (of Mega Adventures International) and I in December worked on a nearby peak to collect samples at up to 20,000 feet. We again found dirty snow, consisting of a mixture of dust (locally, from trails) and black carbon (either localized from villages, or from Kathmandu lower down the valley).
Our planned trip up Mount Everest was to take us even higher, to more than 25,000 feet. But a tragic avalanche struck just above the base camp there, right before we arrived at the camp ourselves. It killed 16 people, including our team member, Asman Tamang. We could not, in good conscience, continue on with our climb.
We restricted our work to the lower parts of the Khumbu glacier, collecting more snow and spectral information on that snow, to compare with samples I had collected during the fall and winter in other parts of the range. To do this, we used a handheld portable spectrometer from PANalytical, Inc., which measures the reflectivity of snow across the visible and near-infrared parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. By taking measurements at the same time of day, under similar sky conditions (minimal cloud cover), we can quantify the diversity of reflection of snow in a small area. This is important, because dust and black carbon deposition lowers reflectivity and can lead to different rates of melting.
We had to regroup, after the avalanche, and get new climbing permits; in early May we switched targets to Mount Himlung, a peak in central Nepal. There we continued with the collection of snow samples at varying altitudes, up to slightly above Camp 2, around 20,000 feet again. This would provide us with information on dust and black carbon deposits in a different part of the Himalayan range, further west of Everest. We had hoped to sample about 3,000 feet higher, but then our team member John All fell 70 feet down into a crevasse and sustained some serious injuries. Given his evacuation, and snow conditions that were becoming increasingly unstable as the spring invaded, the safer alternative was to get all the gear and ourselves off the mountain before heavier spring melting and the start of the monsoons.
After decompressing in Kathmandu for a few days I made one final push to the Ngozumpa glacier, where the work all started. I was with a small team of members from Midwest ROV LLC (Patrick Rowe, Cecil Goodson), the American Climber Science Program (David Byrne, a climber-scientist volunteer from the Everest and Himlung expeditions), Kathmandu University (masters-degree student Rakesh Kayastha) and Thamserku Trekking (head guide, Chhewang Sherpa). Together, we downloaded data from a weather station that was tracking albedo changes, air temperatures and relative humidity on the glacier. We also recaptured a handful of buoys in the lake waters that had been tracking temperature and water level changes throughout the year. And we had fun rowing an inflatable kayak on the lakes, which rise and fall as they fill and discharge, collecting more information on the depths of these lakes and how they have been changing in recent years, compared with measurements by previous researchers.
How do these projects relate? Lakes continue to grow and deepen on the ends of debris-covered glaciers in the Himalayas, effectively "eating away" at them. Yet higher up, at the other "end," snow and ice may still be accumulating, feeding the glaciers lower down. Our results, to be processed in the lab in the coming months, will reveal how much black carbon may be sequestered up high in the clean snow and ice, and how that may affect melting in the future.
Together these studies reveal how quickly the top of the world is changing. But the question remains: What can we do about it?
Links to the first four installments:
April 7: My Search for Dirty Snow
April 18: Base Camp Bound, After a Glacial Detour
May 1: Hostility Follows Deadly Avalanche
June 17: Risking Life and Limb for Science
All images courtesy of the author.


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Editor's Note: The Gift of Reconciliation is a guest blog post from fellow School of Theology graduate student, Jessica Portwood. This article was originally posted at https://spu.edu/depts/perkins/about/perspective/2010-autumn/gift-of-reconciliation.asp. – Donovan Richards
As I've talked with kids as a volunteer chaplain at King County's Juvenile Detention Center, I've heard countless stories filled with details so appalling that I have a hard time even imagining them.
The pain and the brokenness in the faces of the kids I meet often feels heavy and lethal. In many regards, I come from a different world than most of the kids there. I grew up in the suburbs of the South with a loving family and more privilege than most, while the majority of these kids know a childhood marked by hateful judgments and harsh abandonment.
Yet I am finding more and more that these kids and I need each other. We need the gift of one another's presence, complete with the reality of our differences and the beauty of our commonality — a commonality that reminds us that we are all God's children in great need of his love and reconciliation, both to himself and to each other. Our meetings are a costly endeavor on both sides; they demand us to surrender our time, vulnerability, pride, and assumptions.
I think our tendency is to avoid reconciliation — and sometimes even run from it with a pressing immediacy — because reconciliation implies that we must give something up. And we assume that we necessarily lose when something is relinquished. In our consumer-driven society we constantly weigh the costs and benefits of our decisions, whether we realize it or not. But I am not convinced that a comparison of pros and cons is an appropriate way to approach reconciliation. Instead, I am finding that the blessing I receive and the cost I forfeit are more harmonious than they seem.
What we surrender in reconciliation and the pain we feel as a result are as much a part of the gift as the joy and the reward we find through the process. And really, I'm discovering that the further I enter into the gift of reconciliation, the more difficult it is to distinguish the sorrow from the joy, the pain from the glory. They've somehow all become part of the same beautiful, messy, God-given blessing that I can't resist. They all play a role in God's reconciliation as he brings us into the fullness of who we were created to be and also teaches us how hope for that fullness in one another.
This recognition blurs the lines of harsh dichotomies we oft assume, and it gives me freedom to ask the questions that loom in my heart. Rather than just asking God why he allows the suffering, I can also ask God why he has gifted us with such fullness and joy. I am invited to discover God's movement in this world and ask how I can participate.
It hurts to enter into the pain of those around us, and it hurts to let others into the depth of our own pain. However, as we seek each other out, facing our own depravity, we receive a profound blessing — the blessing of reconciliation that draws us nearer to our Creator and nearer to each other.
– Jessica Portwood


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Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff recently encountered a young couple in their 30s, with a brood of young children and a hopeful outlook on the future. Until recently the father had driven a bus in Brasília, but thanks to an expansion of electricity and irrigation infrastructure, he turned previously unusable land in the countryside into a thriving vegetable farm, along with a side business raising chickens.
"How much do you make?" Rousseff asked him.
"Four times what I used to earn as a bus driver," the independent farmer responded. More money was coming in, and the costs of raising a family in the countryside are lower as well. His new goal for his children: degrees in agricultural science.
"We are wagering," smiles Rousseff, sitting in her minimalist, art-filled office in the Presidential Palace in Brasília as she recalls that conversation, "that people will be able to stand up on their own feet and walk by themselves."
Her wager—Brazil's wager—is on entrepreneurship. The past two decades have been formidable for her country: curbing inflation (by creating the real and pegging it to the U.S. dollar), privatization (notably, the state-owned telecommunication and mining companies) and a commodities boom (soybean and iron ore). Twenty years ago Brazil's GDP was at $358 billion and ranked 11th in the world; today, at $2.5 trillion, it's between sixth and eighth, depending on who's counting. No other BRIC balances democracy and widespread wealth nearly as well. Half of Brazil's population now occupies the middle class—their output alone surpasses the entire economy of neighboring Argentina. "There has been a shift, a change in the way we are [perceived]," says Rousseff, 64, whose position atop this shift now makes her the third most powerful woman in the world, according to FORBES' annual rankings.
Brazil has become one of the most entrepreneurial countries in the world, with one in four adults self-employed in some manner. Small businesses create two out of three jobs in Rousseff's private sector—Brazil's unemployment rate is an envious 5.8%—and 49% of entrepreneurs with companies less than 42 months old are women; the global average is 37%. In bustling São Paulo alone, 1.8 million small-business owners ply their trades, wares and ideas.
Technology has been a game changer. According to Nielsen, Brazil had 82.4 million Internet users in the first quarter of 2012 compared with 62.3 million three years earlier. On Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter Brazilians are the second most active social network users behind the U.S. "Technology is democratizing entrepreneurialism," says Bedy Yang, the founder of Brazilian Innovators, an organization helping young tech entrepreneurs. "There are 200 million people in Brazil and 250 million mobile devices." The Brazilian-born Yang lives in Silicon Valley and travels each month to her homeland to host monthly meetups. Three years ago you couldn't find any venture capital, says Yang, as we lurch through the clogged streets of São Paulo. "Now I'm seeing Excel Venture, Redpoint Ventures and Sequoia. It's the formation of a new asset class."
Rousseff, who took office early last year, has a plan to keep the good times rolling: incentivizing the kind of entrepreneur that Yang cultivates and that her farmer friend embodies. Specifically, lower interest rates, to expand capital; investing in infrastructure; and targeted tax cuts. "In others words," says Rousseff, "pro-growth bonuses." This on top of an already robust layer of incentives for entrepreneurs, including retirement benefits and government microloans. "The corner hairdresser, the popcorn salesperson, we also like to help them," says Rousseff, who espouses a program that advances up to $500 to these kinds of small operators.
The public supports her—a June poll put her approval rating at 77%, ahead of her predecessor and mentor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, at a similar point in his term. Perhaps more critically, so does Brazil's entrepreneurial community. "Our government has made substantive reforms in recent years," Eike Batista, Brazil's top entrepreneur (and the world's seventh-richest man, with an estimated net worth of $30 billion), tells FORBES, "and Dilma is building a fertile environment for investors. "
"I DON'T THINK I HAD A PLAN to be president," says Rousseff. That's an understatement: Rousseff's route to Brazil's entrepreneur-in-chief is as unconventional as they come.
Rousseff's father, a Communist exile from Bulgaria, made a good living in real estate and construction. His two daughters attended boarding school, where Dilma studied piano and inhaled books, a habit to this day. (Next up: James Carville's It's the Middle Class, Stupid!) "I used to play volleyball," recalls Rousseff. "My wrist is not that strong, but I could block my opponent."
In 1964, when Rousseff turned 17, Brazil's military overthrew the leftist government of João Goulart, the fifth political coup in 20 years. Overnight civil rights gave way to arrests, disappearances and torture. In 1967, unbeknownst to her family, Rousseff took the nom de guerre Estela and joined a radical faction of the Brazilian Socialist Party that preached revolt but settled for robberies and car-bombings.
Her first marriage lasted less than two years, but the second, to activist lawyer Carlos Araujo, a prominent member of the Brazilian Communist Party, would stick for nearly three decades. Araujo and Rousseff joined an activist group responsible for stealing a safe containing $2.5 million to fund political actions. Araujo has said his wife "never took up arms." (He also has said he didn't know his wife's given name until her arrest.) In early 1970 Rousseff was caught in a sting operation. Military officials tortured her for 22 days, sometimes using electric shocks, and she spent the next three years in prison.
By the time Rousseff was released in 1972, she was 20 pounds thinner and physically broken. Undaunted, she traded her radical politics for pragmatism. Rousseff pursued an economics degree, and with Araujo, now parents of a daughter, Paula, supported the Democratic Labor Party, a cooperative movement composed of leftist groups (a decade ago she jumped to the ruling Workers' Party). As her reputation grew, Rousseff landed state-level positions as Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of Energy before serving as chief of staff for President Lula da Silva, whom she succeeded.
Rousseff rarely discusses her days as a radical and torture victim, nor does she marvel much at her improbable journey from prisoner to president. For her time and country, she says, it's typical, "the 1968 generation."
To see the challenges that Rousseff now faces—and the opportunities within her grasp—it's instructive to relive a recent trip to Fortaleza, a city with 2.5 million people in northeastern Brazil, taken by Gary Garrabrant, CEO and cofounder of Equity International. (Garrabrant is a big believer in Brazil. His $2 billion private equity firm has half its money in local growth businesses, including homebuilding, commercial real estate, logistics and storage companies.) Rain had washed out the roads, forcing him to rent a four-wheel Jeep, which he navigated over high sand dunes ("no road, no signage") with the help of a surfer he picked up along the way. He eventually made it to the city, where, he says, "two to three attractive investment opportunities were discovered." Bad infrastructure; great prospects.
To increase the latter, Rousseff has decided to invest in the former. A short-term dividend of infrastructure spending: It should goose growth, which has slowed to an expected 2% this year, from a white-hot 7.5% in 2010. A medium-term advantage: Brazil will be more ready for its two-pronged coming-out party—the soccer World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016. To her credit, though, Rousseff's strategy centers mostly on long-term projects—her equivalents of the Eisenhower Interstate System—that will encourage entrepreneurial activity for decades.
Physical infrastructure is the most obvious need: As Garrabrant discovered, only 14% of the roads in the world's fifth-largest country are paved. Of 142 countries surveyed, the World Economic Forum ranks Brazil's quality of physical infrastructure 104th—behind fellow BRICs China, India and Russia. In August Rousseff announced plans for competitive auctions in which private contractors can bid for projects, such as the right to operate 7,500km of roads and 10,000km of railways. Total expected investment: $66 billion, with nearly half spent in the next five years.
Broadband is next. In Brazil high-speed Internet costs around $27 per month—if you can get it—versus $10 in China. To make the Web more accessible, Rousseff has allocated $500 million per year. Brazil's mobile telecommunication plumbing needs more help. Connection fees are 48 cents per minute, versus an average 6.2 cents a minute in the average developed country, and the service quality is so horrendous that Brazil's telecom regulator banned three big mobile phone operators from selling new plans in some areas until they improved. To fix the problem, Rousseff is pressuring the four foreign companies that dominate telecommunications to invest more and deliver faster. If they don't have 4G running by the World Cup, they will face big penalties.
For Rousseff, "infrastructure" also means clearing the way for entrepreneurs to create. Starting a new business in Brazil isn't easy. According to the World Bank, it takes up to 120 days to incorporate versus 6 in the U.S., with startup costs running ten times what they do in China. Rousseff is pushing to move business-tax payments online, which should curb the need to file with different authorities. This year Rousseff has also tried to boost smaller farmers, like the one she met outside Brasília, providing $8 billion in small, negative-interest loans.
But taxes remain her stickiest issue. "Brazil's tax system is among the most complex in the world," says Henry McVey, head of global and macro asset allocation at KKR, the private equity giant. These complications, which involve regional fiefdoms, make it highly difficult for Rousseff to cut Brazil's onerous payroll tax, which is effectively 70%, across the board. Instead, she's been content with targeted cuts to make domestic manufacturers more competitive. She's also expanded a break for young companies with less than $1.8 million in revenues. Ultimately, she tells FORBES, she pines for a VAT-type system. "We have to change the tax structure from a payroll-based to a turnover-based taxation structure," she says.
For all of her business-friendly policies, Rousseff also stays true to her background in social justice. She doesn't feel these are mutually exclusive. "If you think the market alone was able to lift 70 million people out of poverty, I mean, you're wrong," she says.
In education, Rousseff aims to train more—and better—scientists and engineers. Until now few Brazilians have studied abroad. Last year only 9,000 Brazilians studied in the U.S. (excluding language students), compared with 260,000 from China and India. Under Rousseff's Science Without Borders program, by 2015 that figure will jump to 100,000 (U.S. schools have already agreed to take 20,000).
Rousseff, now a grandmother, also advocates, via policy, on behalf of children. Every household with a child under age 6 gets $35—on the condition that the kids attend school and abide by a vaccination calendar. When Lula da Silva engineered the stipend in 2003, critics howled "as if we were giving hope to the beggars," says Rousseff. The harsh truth: "The older you are the more protected you are. Stark poverty in Brazil is female and child." Rousseff adding her own perks: 6,000 day care centers for lower- to middle-class families and free medicine for kids. Aid to children is funneled to mothers. ("Always the woman," says Rousseff, "because the man tends to get the money and spend it in alcoholic beverage.")
Rousseff faces major challenges. All this tax-trimming and social spending raise the prospects of a Brazilian fiscal cliff. Inflation remains a real concern. And corruption still festers nationwide and in the capital: Rousseff has already sacked six ministers and her chief of staff amid various scandals.
For what's it's worth, though—about $30 billion, in this case—the man with more personally at stake in Brazil than anyone, Eike Batista, is betting on Rousseff: "She is brave enough to carry Brazil ahead."


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Runners corner: The Year of the Triathlete
Is this the year to tri?
If you are a runner, chances are you've already done at least one triathlon. If you are a runner who has not yet done a triathlon, chances are you have a running buddy who has, and is encouraging you to try one. Maybe this is the year, so let's talk some basics if you want to get your feet wet and enter a sprint triathlon — the shortest event typically featuring a .25 to .5 mile swim, 10 to 18 mile bike and a 5K run.
Of the three disciplines necessary to reach the finish line, you have already prepared yourself for 30 percent of the task — the run. From a training perspective, not much needs to be changed. Be prepared, however, to reduce the number of weekly runs to accommodate the work you'll need to do to prepare the bike and swim legs.
For many runners, the thought of reducing the total miles per week will seem counterintuitive. It is better to consider your training from a total perspective, measure the weekly effort output rather than the weekly running mileage alone. The additional training models will not only help develop overall strength, but it may also give weary running legs a chance to recover.
For most runners, triathlon training improves running performance, despite fewer training miles. If you are working with a coach, be sure to let him or her know you have a new goal so that your training plan can be modified accordingly.
But the run is the last of the three tasks in a triathlon. You'll have no problem getting across the finish line once you get to the second transition.
First, however, is the swim, then transition to the bike. One of these two is probably the reason you haven't yet done a triathlon. Let's see if I can remove the barrier. Is it the swim?
It sure was for me, even though it's only about 10 percent of the event.
When my buddy and race director Dave McGillivray encouraged me for years to do an Ironman event, my standard answer was simple — "No, thanks. I'd die. I could never swim 2.4 miles. I'm a sinker."
His response: "If I could do it, you can."
Well, he was right, and I'll give you the same advice, but sinking to the bottom of the lake is still a possibility if proper training isn't followed.
Successfully managing the swim requires dedication if you are currently not a strong swimmer.
Efficient distance swimming is all about proper technique, and anyone can learn the basics of that technique in a few lessons. Mastering the technique will take the rest of your life, but you don't have to be a master swimmer to get through .25 to .5 miles successfully. Get lessons from a qualified instructor and find a swim buddy to join you.
Swim gear requirements are a bit more than a Speedo swimsuit and goggles. For those of us who train in New England, the water is cold, so getting a triathlon-specific wetsuit is strongly recommended. Though they cost around $125 or more, the bonus is that the wetsuit makes you float like a cork — very reassuring on those first open water swims.
The second swim gear recommendation is to buy a swimmer's rescue can — you know, that orange float device featured on Bay Watch.
Whether you are a newbie or an experienced swimmer, swimming in open water with a partner — a minimum requirement — is not enough of a safety precaution. The truth is that if one of you has a problem, it's unlikely you'll hear a distress call. Towing a flotation device is a simple remedy, and along with the wetsuit the anxiety of swimming in open water would be minimized.
That leaves the bike portion as the final challenge.
First, the easy part, there's not much to learn. Once you become comfortable with choosing the right gear for the terrain you're riding on, it's really just time in the saddle. Simply put, the more time you spend riding, the better you get. Because cycling represents about 60 percent of the triathlon, paying attention to this part of the training regiment is a must.
If swimming wasn't what kept you from doing your first triathlon, then it was probably because you need a bike. No doubt about it, it's the most expensive part of the gear requirements. The biggest mistake many newbie tri-athletes make is to borrow a friend's bike. You might get lucky and get one that fits, but it is as risky as borrowing your friend's running shoes. A proper bike fit is as important to happy, efficient riding as proper fitting shoes is to pain-free running.
If you are able to get a good deal on a used bike, bring it to a qualified bike shop for an analysis and fitting first. Otherwise, go to a quality bike shop, ask for assistance and buy the bike that fits you.
Entry-level road bikes are going to start in the $500 range, and will quickly go up depending on how light and well equipped the bike is.
The good news is that if you purchase a quality, well-fitted bike, you will get years of enjoyment, whether you continue to compete in triathlons or you simply use it to diversify your training.
While you have your checkbook out, there are a few more items to consider:
· Bike shoes — Clip-in pedals with good bike shoes increase power by 25 percent
· Bike shorts — Comfort while piling up the miles will keep you smiling
· Bike bottle, bike computer, bike rack — just wander around the bike shop and say yes to the salesman.
Finally, it's time to pick a goal. If you're a first-timer, give yourself a full two months of training.
There are plenty of sprint triathlons in August, and that allows time to hone those new skills. They are best developed by hooking up with an experienced tri-athlete buddy or by seeking a triathlon coach. Fortunately, the sport has grown so large that neither is hard to find.
Summer is right around the corner, so now is the perfect time to make that commitment to trying a tri. Every chance you get, jump in a lake, go for a ride on a two-wheeler and go for a run. Then put it altogether, so you can add to your list of accomplishments that, yes indeed, you are a tri-athlete.
Tom Licciardello is a founding member of the Merrimack Valley Striders. Licciardello has participated in35 Boston's and 88 marathons. He has also completed the Hawaii Ironman triathlon. Professionally, he is a Certified Financial Planner and resides in North Andover with his wife, Lyn. He may be reached firstname.lastname@example.com.


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This week at the Carrot Ranch Charli Mills has challenged writers to In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that steps beyond.
She says,
"The paths often fork and always seem steep. You just have to keep stepping out, risk being vulnerable, learn as you go from both masters and your own observations, and explore what could be."
How apt a description for learners and teachers alike. The focus of a teacher's work is always on what lies beyond; encouraging learners to step out, take those risks, embrace vulnerability, and explore the unknown. Each journey is unique with its own periods of calm interrupted by rough patches and inclines that require both teacher and learner to step beyond comfort and what is familiar.
While learners are appreciated for who they are, and for their achievements, in each moment, a teacher is always stretching them to grow towards the possibilities of an unknown future; preparing learners to grasp, and create, new opportunities.
In Are you ready to embrace the future? published in July 2014, I introduced you to Tony Ryan, learning consultant and futurist. In his online seminar Future-proofing Kids, Tony says,
"Many of the children alive today in Western societies will still be around in the 22nd Century. How can we possibly predict what they will experience between now and then? And if we can't do that, then how do we best prepare them for whatever is up ahead?"
I listed, as essential to successfully living in that unknown future, the development of the following attitudes and character traits:
- Confidence
- Persistence
- Resourcefulness
- Resilience
- Able to seek solutions to problems
- Openness to new ideas and possibilities
- Creativity
- Divergent thinking
- Questioning
- Optimism
These add to basic levels of literacy and numeracy and the ability to critically evaluate material; for example, using information about an author's credentials and purpose, and understanding the ways texts are constructed to persuade.
On his website, Tony Ryan says,
"The world up ahead will be amazing, but it will take each of us to push our intellect and our spirit beyond all previous possibilities."
He describes the focus of his work as supporting others to do just that
In addition to educating for the future, teachers need to see past the labels to the truths that lie within, encouraging all learners to stretch beyond what they thought was possible. I hope there was a teacher in your life who enriched your journey.
For the teachers among you: know the importance of your role and the effect on all learners when you help them see the value of self and open their eyes to their own potential. When you help them step beyond the limits imposed by others, you help them create possibilities in their own, and our collective, futures.
It is from this perspective that I have written my response to Charli's flash challenge.
Beyond surface features
The registrar ushered him to the doorway and promptly disappeared. He stared blankly: hair askew, face dotted with remnants of meals past, shirt lopsided and collar awry, shoes scruffy. Another needy child. You name it, he had it: split family, mother in jail, successive foster homes, sixth school in two years, learning difficulties, generally unresponsive, prone to aggressive outbursts …
No magic ball, just a futures optimism, she saw beyond the exterior to the potential within. In a moment, she was there, smiling, taking his hand, reassuring. "Everyone, say good morning to Zane. Let's welcome him into our class."
Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.


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Requirements: Android version 2.1 and higher
Overview: FolderSync enables easy sync of files between cloud storage and Android devices.
FolderSync is a application that enables simple sync to cloud based storage to and from local folders on the device memory card. It currently support multiple SkyDrive, Dropbox, SugarSync, Ubuntu One, Box.net, LiveDrive, HiDrive, Google Docs, NetDocuments, Amazon S3, FTP, FTPS, SFTP, WebDAV or window share (Samba/CIFS) accounts, and support for more platforms are planned.
Effortlessly sync your files. Backup your music, pictures and other important files from the phone to your cloud storage or the other way around. It has never been easier. Tasker / locale support enables fine grained control of your syncs.
FolderSync also contains a full file manager, that enables you to manage your files locally and in the cloud. Copy, move and delete your files in your cloud/remote accounts. Support for creation/deletion of buckets in Amazon S3. Upload and download files from the phone. It's all supported.
You could also try out the lite version, so you can test functionality before you buy. The lite version only allows one account and has no sync filters or Tasker support.
Follow news here:
The full change log can be found here:
Please read the FAQ. I have addressed most comments there:
Detailed description:
You can choose any folder on the memory card to sync. Currently one-way and two-way sync are supported. Sync intervals and other sync settings can be specified for each sync item you configure. You set up a folderpair to sync and it will automatically keep your files in sync.
Current supported providers:
☆ Amazon S3 Simple Storage Service
☆ Dropbox
☆ SugarSync
☆ NetDocuments
☆ Google Docs
☆ Box.net (WebDAVs)
☆ LiveDrive (WebDAV/FTP)
☆ HiDrive (WebDAV/FTP)
☆ FTPS (SSL/TLS implicit)
☆ FTPES (SSL/TLS explicit)
☆ SFTP (SSH File Transfer)
☆ Samba/CIFS/Window Share
☆ Ubuntu One
☆ WebDAV
☆ WebDAVs (HTTPS)
Current features:
☆ Instant (full version)
☆ Multiple accounts (full version)
☆ File manager - manage your cloud files
☆ Amazon S3 Client Side Encryption support
☆ Tasker/locale support (full version)
☆ User defined sync filters (full version)
☆ Sync to and from you selected provider
☆ Two-way sync with support for deletions
☆ Backup/restore settings
☆ User specified sync interval or specific sync times
☆ Choose connection types for each sync item
☆ Support for syncing of subfolders
☆ Sync of hidden files can be disabled
☆ No ads (full version)
What's in this version:
Version 2.2.2 (02-10-2012):
-Added fix to alleviate problems with reaching Google Drive quota limit.
-Fixed so more than 100 files can be shown in Google Drive folder.
- Added fast scroll to listviews.
- Added Japanese translation.
Download Instructions:


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How Matt Damon's 'Promised Land' stacks up against the fracking facts
Susan Phillips, who has won numerous awards for her coverage of the drilling process called fracking, gets some surprises when she fact-checks Hollywood's "Promised Land."
Fracking has come a long way. Just a few years ago, few knew what it was. Now it's turning up in The Rolling Stone's new album.
And on Friday, a Hollywood production with big name actors, directors and writers hits the theaters. "Promised Land" tells the tale of what happens to a small town when the gasmen arrive.
This is the story before the truck traffic, before the seismic tests, before the drills dig holes thousands of feet below the surface, before the flares, before the complaints about bad water. "Promised Land" is a story about the landmen, or one particular landman played by Matt Damon, who believes he has the golden ticket to save rural Pennsylvania.
Hollywood exaggerates, hyperbolizes, and stretches the truth to tell a good story. So how does "Promised Land" stack up to reality?
When the landman working for Cabot Oil and Gas first approached Victoria Switzer, a retired school teacher in Dimock, Susquehanna County, back in 2006, she was building her dream home.
"It was a beautiful fall day and I was sitting on the steps of the trailer dreaming about what a wonderful life I had," Switzer told StateImpact. "And this man appeared, friendly, with a twinkle in his eye and he said, 'Beautiful day isn't it?' And I said, 'Yes, it is.' And I like to say that was the last honest thing I heard from a gas man."
That was real life. Several years later, Switzer joined a lawsuit against Cabot Oil and Gas for contaminating her well water. She and others have since settled their case with Cabot.
In the Hollywood version, Matt Damon is just as charming, twinkling his eyes and playing the role of Steve Butler, a landman for the fictional $9 billion energy company "Global Crosspower Solutions." But in a sinister plot twist, and cynical portrayal of energy company strategy, it turns out that Butler may be the straightest talker in town.
"Promised Land" begins with Butler in New York City, on his way up the corporate ladder. Then he's on the Greyhound bus to small town Pennsylvania, where his job is to grab as many Marcellus Shale leases as he can with his parter Sue Thomason, played by Frances McDormand. "Rob's Guns, Groceries, Guitars and Gas" sets the stage for this future fracking mecca dubbed McKinley, Pa.
But no sooner does the wholesome Butler get the company promotion, when he has to contend with the town's elder spokesman, a man who did his time in corporate America and has a PhD from MIT. Hal Holbrooke plays the gentleman farmer Frank Yates, who teaches high school science on the side. Yates knows all about the dangers of drilling and fracking and lighting faucets on fire. He says natural gas may be cleaner burning than coal, but the "process is dirty."
Plenty of residents of rural Pennsylvania would agree with Holbrooke's characterization. But don't expect to learn much more about fracking, gas drilling, or dairy farming in this film. Most of the story takes place in a bar.
So on open mic night, in walks a fractivist with pictures of dead cows, and stories of brown fields from his father's 5th generation dairy farm in Nebraska. Fracking for natural gas isn't taking place in Nebraska, but again this is Hollywood, such details get fudged.
But a Pennsylvania farmer and two researchers have linked dead cows to a frack water spill. Still, as StateImpact Pennsylvania has reported several times, it's difficult to make a direct link when it comes to gas drilling and its impact on human and animal health. Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture concluded that those cow deaths were not caused by contact with frack water. The film version also leaves the connection ambiguous.
The fractivist with pictures of dead cows drives a truck with his environmental organization's odd emblem "Superior Athena." (I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere but I haven't figured it out.) Dustin Noble is played by John Krasinski of The Office fame, and he's an even better salesman than Matt Damon's character. So genuine and endearing in fact, he gets the girl, played by Rosemarie DeWitt.
When his character explains fracking to a class full of elementary school kids, drilling and fracking become one, and the whole farm goes up in flames, not just the tap water.
In reality fracking happens after drilling the hole, and casing the well with steel and cement. Later, the sand, high-pressured water and chemical mixtures are used to open up tight fractures and release the gas. Problems in Pennsylvania have occurred with methane migration. That's when natural gas from either shallow gas formations, or the deeper Marcellus formation, leaks out into the nearby aquifer. It can occur naturally. It can also happen during the drilling process, before fracking occurs. If the concentration is high enough, residents can set their tap water on fire. If it's really high, something could ignite the colorless, odorless gas. This happened in Dimock, where a shed exploded on New Year's Day, back in 2009.
"Promised Land" was filmed on location in Armstrong and Westmoreland counties, in the southwestern part of Pennsylvania. Directed by Gus Van Sant, Krasinski and Damon wrote the screenplay, which centers around a town vote on fracking. Meanwhile the landman played by Damon, and the landwoman played by McDormand, try to sign as many leases as possible. Although they can go as high as $5,000 an acre with 18 percent royalties, the eager residents seem happy to settle for the first offer they get. Damon's character believes in what he's selling, prosperity for an impoverished town desperate to maintain its rural lifestyle. For McDormand's character, it's just a job.
In reality, some Pennsylvania landowners did fetch as high as $5,000 an acre, but at the beginning of the gas rush, many settled for just $25 an acre, and 12 percent royalties.
"Promised Land" hones in on a conflict that has played out in small towns across the state — is drilling the Marcellus Shale an economic savior or an environmental disaster? Will we all become shaleionaires or will our cows drop dead?
Although the film asks those questions, it seems to shy away from answering them directly. It is after all, a story about one man's transformation, not a documentary on gas drilling. Damon's performance is seamless. But he starts out so earnest, it's hard not to know where he's going.
One pleasant surprise is the accurate portrayal of the economic and social diversity of small town rural Pennsylvania, and the variety of opinions held by its residents when it comes to gas drilling. The original idea for the screenplay centered on wind energy. But the realities of wind farm production didn't fit the storyline, so the authors toyed with coal, oil, and salmon fishing until landing upon Marcellus Shale drilling. And if they wanted a subject rich in conflict, characters and transformation, they chose the right story.
"Promised Land," a Focus Features film, opens in Philadelphia this weekend.
More on Fracking from StateImpact – Pennsylvania.
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