text:
How to stop indiscriminate cutting of trees in Bangalore
Simple steps to do if you see a tree being cut –
(Pls also read the full preservation of trees act for complete details , I've attached it with this email and am also pasting the link below –
Approach the contractor/workers cutting the tree. Ask them if they have the approval of tree officer, BBMP for cutting the tree.
If they dont have the order
Ask them to stop. Tell the that they are not authorised to cut trees and that they can be arrested for cutting trees without required permission. Please call the relevant tree officer.( Details in latter half of mail.)
Tell them the details – what's happening and where. Ask her/him to come immediately and get the work stopped. If tree officer does not answer her/his phone, call their office number. If you dont get through to that, call the cops from the police station under whose jurisdiction the said road is located. Alert local residents and try and gather support (this could be counter-productive sometimes, they may want the tree to be cut) . And yes, pls take pics of the trees being cut.
If they have the order
Please have a look at the order and see what it says.
Does it have a BBMP seal? Does the order explicitly state that the full tree needs to be cut? Is it signed by the tree officer? Note – some times the tree officers permit the branches to be cut, but people use that to cut the whole tree. If permission is granted only for cutting branches, only branches can be cut, not the trunk. In case they have what appears to be a order, but the order looks fishy/incomplete, call the tree officer on cellphone/landline and inquire if permission has been granted.
In case they do have the order to cut trees and it looks like they have been granted permission, just double-check with the tree officer anyway. Call the tree officer on cell-phone/landline and speak to her/him confirming if an order has been passed to cut the trees in that location.
If they have the order and it looks like its genuine and the order allows felling of trees
If at the end you realise that the tree officer has granted permission to cut the trees, there is not much you can do at that moment to stop it. Ask the tree officer if trees are being replanted in the same area, to compensate for the trees being cut. If trees are not being replanted in the same area, thats a violation of the act.
Later, you can also file an appeal with the tree authority, BBMP against the
tree officer's order.


text:
High School Notebook: Rivals join forces to fight cancer
NORTH BERWICK, Maine ― Sometimes jumping on the bandwagon isn't necessarily a bad thing.
The basketball teams at Noble and Marshwood are following a trend that has grown in popularity in recent years, that of high-school sports programs raising money for various causes. The schools recently participated in a boy/girl, varsity/JV quadruple-header with a challenge between fans of both schools to raise the most funds for Coaches vs. Cancer.
"You get some pretty good crowds," said Ralph Pelkey, the Noble girls JV coach who helped organize the event. "It's local and a nice friendly rivalry. We thought it would be a good chance to raise money."
The Noble players wore pink warm-up T-shirts and socks for the event. Marshwood athletic director Rich Buzzell said the quadruple-header was a good way for the schools to extend their rivalry by "competing" to see which school could raise the most money. Round 1 was last Friday night at Marshwood, Round 2 will be when the programs meet for another quadruple-header at Noble on Feb. 8, the last night of the regular season.
"Our kids are pretty into it and pretty aware," Buzzell said. "A lot of them came to us, asked if they can do something to help the cause, like wear pink wristbands or something. It's affected them. I'm proud of the kids for stepping up."
It's become a common sight at high-school sporting events to see athletes and coaches showing support for the fight against cancer. Many schools have hosted "Pink Out" games where the players and coaches wear a pink item of clothing, ranging from something as small as shoelaces to a full-blown special pink uniform jersey made just for the special game. For instance, the St. Thomas boys hockey team will wear pink jerseys for Saturday's home game against Londonderry as part of their own "Pink Out".
Cancer has hit the Marshwood community hard in recent years. Buzzell cited the death of former football coach Guy Lajeunesse, a giant in the Marshwood athletic community who passed away last May at the age of 52 after a year-long battle with brain cancer.
"We've all been affected by cancer," Marshwood girls coach Lee Petrie said. "I lost my best friend when he was 40."
Pelkey, who recently lost his mother to cancer, said raising money for Coaches vs. Cancer gives everyone involved a simple way to show respect for those who struggle with the disease, and the lives it affects.
"I don't want to say it's something they can do without much effort, but it's easy to latch on to," Pelkey said. "Educating them is a big part of it. That's important."
Response from the players has been enthusiastic.
"I think it's definitely a good cause," said Noble's Chandler Waterman, a senior guard on the girls team. "I think more schools should do it. I think it's cool we do it on rivalry night. Marshwood is a good team and even though we may not win, it still is a good challenge."
While most "Pink Out" games are focused on the fight against breast cancer, Coaches vs. Cancer supports the American Cancer Society, which is dedicated to helping people fight the disease in all its forms.
"We hope the people come to the games," Noble varsity girls coach John Coffin said. "We have a good crowd here tonight to help contribute. It touches everybody's life. We just like to show our support for it."
Christian Hawkins was a busy man last week. The senior guard for the Newmarket boys basketball team scored 69 points in a two-game stretch that improved the Mules' record to 10-0 in Division IV.
One night after scoring a career-high 38 in 22 minutes in a 76-31 rout of Wilton-Lyndeborough, Hawkins drilled eight 3-pointers and finished with 31 points in 20 minutes of a 75-28 blowout of Portsmouth Christian. He chipped in six rebounds and four assists in the win over PCA.
Hawkins shot 25-for-47 (53 percent) from behind the 3-point line in Newmarket's past five games.
Not to be overlooked is Hawkins' teammate Josh Eisfeller, who scored 28 points with 15 rebounds over the same two games. The Mules have won eight straight by double digits and host rival Epping tonight.
It's always a long bus ride for any local team which travels to Berlin for a game. For the Somersworth boys basketball team, their Division III game against the Mountaineers last Friday night might have been just as interminable.
Berlin, which won 70-57, made 33 of 58 free throws, while the Hilltoppers converted 26 of 30. Four of Somersworth's five starters eventually fouled out of the game and the fifth, Drew Francoeur, just missed joining his fellow starters on the pine with four fouls.
Somersworth (7-2) is back in action tonight at Bow, whom the Hilltoppers beat 55-45 back on Jan. 2. Bow is coached by former Spaulding standout Lucas Croteau.
The Oyster River boys hockey team was fit to be tied to start 2013. Literally.
The Bobcats' first four games of the calendar year all resulted in 1-1 ties ― home vs. Spaulding, at Keene, home vs. Bedford and at Pembroke-Campbell. Oyster River has since won two straight to improve to 4-2-4 overall and visits Pelham-Windham on Saturday.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
By: Alan Grayson
" The Federal Reserve just released its Survey of Consumer Finances, the only government survey of wealth in America. The Survey is conducted every three years. This survey, conducted in 2010, is the first one to reflect the effects of the Wall Street Meltdown in 2008.
How does it look? Bad. Really, really bad.
The median wealth of American families (meaning half above and half below) dropped from $126,400 in 2007 all the way down to $77,300 in 2010. That's a 39% slide. It puts the median net worth of American families at its lowest level since 1995, fifteen years earlier.
About 12% of American families have a negative net worth. Meaning that they're broke.
Among Americans with no high school diploma (15 percent of the adult population), median wealth plunged from $34,800 in 2007 to $16,100 in 2010, a 54% drop. That is the lowest level since at least the Fed's 1983 survey, maybe earlier. So three decades of progress have been wiped out.
Among minorities, median wealth plunged from $29,700 to $20,400. That is the lowest level since 1992. White median wealth is now 540% higher than minority median wealth.
The median value of American homes dove from $209,500 in 2007 to $170,000 in 2010. But the median mortgage was almost completely unchanged: $74,700 in 2007, $74,100 in 2010. So debt payments increased from 7% of income to 11% of income.
In 2007, the bottom 25% had a net worth of $14,800 or less. In 2010, the bottom 25% had a net worth of $8,300 or less, a 44% decline.
In 2007, the top 10% had a net worth of $955,600 or more. In 2010, the top 10% had a net worth of $952,500, a decline of less than 1%.
Let me sum it up for you: In the greatest economic crisis that the United States has faced since the Great Depression, the rich barely lost a nickel. But the poor definitely got poorer. And people in the middle were crushed.
If this continues any longer, then we can invite a priest to administer last rites to the American Middle Class. "
Alan Grayson


text:
New Master's Designation Combines STEM and Professional Skills
Do you know what a PSM program is? If not—and if you hire scientists, engineers, or statisticians—you soon will, as more graduate programs earn the credential. In 1997, eight such programs existed; in 2013, more than 300 are available.
Image courtesy of Buffalo State"Companies don't know they want people with this credential because they aren't familiar with it," said Kevin Railey, dean of the Graduate School at Buffalo State. "Once they understand it, they ask, 'Where have you been?'"
The STEM disciplines—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—are widely seen as the drivers of America's 21st-century economy. However, it's important for STEM practitioners to have appropriate professional skills, too. Students who graduate from a program with PSM affiliation have completed coursework in those skills, which include communication, leadership, and project management.
The Professional Science Master's National Office recognizes eligible programs through an affiliation process.
The Great Lakes ecosystem science graduate program at SUNY Buffalo State just received its PSM affiliation. The program, housed in the Great Lakes Center, is the second master's program at Buffalo State to receive the designation. The first was the professional applied and computational mathematics program, which was established in the Mathematics Department in 2010.
Receiving PSM affiliation requires three components: core coursework in certain STEM disciplines; a professional skills component; and a carefully structured internship that brings both skills together in a hands-on workplace experience. It's crucial that the professional skills component is developed in consultation with an advisory board made up of leaders from organizations likely to hire graduates of the program.
From the beginning, the 35-credit-hour program was designed to meet PSM criteria. "More than half of a student's credits must be in his or her discipline," said Kelly Frothingham, associate professor and chair of Geography and Planning. "Courses in professional skills must make up at least another 20 percent." Frothingham coordinates the Great Lakes ecosystem science program.
Communication skills are key, according to Sara Mochrie, a member of the program's advisory board. Mochrie, a project manager with consulting firm Ecology and Environment, Inc., said, "In our industry, we need scientists and engineers who can explain the issues to stakeholders in any given project. Stakeholders are not only scientists and government agencies, but also John Q. Public, who may be the neighbor down the street who is upset about a project."
Mochrie said that Frothingham sought advice from the advisory board about the skills and knowledge that graduates need to succeed in a competitive job market. "That's the best thing about the program," said Mochrie. "Buffalo State has been willing to listen to what employers need and to provide those skills to their students in niche classes and in coursework."
Other advisory board members are professionals from organizations such as Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.
"The professional science master's designation is the fastest-growing type of graduate program in the country," said Railey. "Our PSM programs are extremely appealing to students who know that, while earning their master's, they will interact with academics and professionals in their field, and that they will intern in their industry. A high percentage of people coming out of these programs get jobs right away."


text:
Photographers are normally fixated on finding good light; but there's a whole world of possibilities that opens up when the light goes away. A few months ago, I found myself in Monument Valley in the middle of the night. Without other light to compete with, the full moon turned into a powerful light source, creating dramatic, hard-edged shadows in the desert landscape.
With their extremely sensitive sensors, modern DSLRs are ideal for shooting at night. When you take a long exposure, your camera can gather up more light and color information than your eye can collect, so the camera sees far more detail. In fact, aside from some white-balance adjustment, I did very little processing to the image you see here—almost all of the work was done by the camera. However, night photography brings a whole new set of challenges.
Framing the shot
To find the scene I wanted to shoot, I looked for interesting plays of light and shadow. When I found what I wanted, I set up my camera and tripod and went to work trying to frame the shot.
I say "trying" because one of the trickiest things about shooting when it's very dark is that you can't see your subject very well—if at all—through the viewfinder. While the moonlight in Monument Valley was bright enough to cast shadows, I had to look through the viewfinder for a long time before my eyes adjusted, and even then I could see only vague forms. (Don't worry if you don't get it exactly right at first, you'll be able to adjust once you've taken a test shot.)
Setting exposure
Another challenge was finding the right camera settings. Ideally, I would have liked to use an aperture around f/11 for a broad depth of field, but that would have required a shutter speed of over a minute—long enough that the stars would begin to leave light trails. While star trails are a nice effect, for this image, I wanted pinpoints of light. Longer exposure times can also result in more image noise; as exposure time lengthens, some pixels on the sensor can get stuck and appear in your final image as white dots. So I knew I needed to shorten the exposure time, so I opened up to f/2.8.
Tip: If your camera can display a status display on the rear LCD, activate this feature. My 5D Mark II, for example, even lets me change settings using this screen. With the camera mounted on a tripod, and light levels low, this is usually the easiest way to see and adjust settings.
Focusing in the dark
The next issue was focusing the camera. In low light, your camera's auto-focus feature won't work; it's simply too blind. This means you'll have to focus manually—no easy task since you'll have an equally hard time seeing details.
For a landscape shot, it's tempting to simply turn the manual focus ring to infinity. But if you focus on infinity, a lot of depth of field will fall beyond the horizon. To ensure your foreground is in focus, you want as much depth of field as possible in front of the horizon. So, rather than focusing on infinity, I prefer to focus just a little short of infinity.
The focus ring on your lens will show an infinity symbol at one end. Note that on most lenses, as you approach infinity, a tiny turn of the lens ring can equate to a big change in focus. So you'll want to make very small moves when you pull back from the infinity mark. On the focus readout of some lenses—such as those from Canon and Sigma—infinity is denoted by an L-shaped mark. (As temperatures rise, the infinity point shifts slightly to the right. Most of the time, though, the vertical leg of the infinity mark will be your reference point.)
Taking a test shot
Having taken an initial stab at framing and focusing, I was finally ready to take a test shot. To get this done quickly, I set the camera's ISO very high to 6400. Yes, this produced an image that was noisier than I wanted; but for a reference shot, that didn't matter. I was able to use the resulting image on the LCD to evaluate my composition and focus (zooming in on an LCD screen isn't the ideal way to check focus, but it's the only option in these circumstances) and adjust accordingly. The faster ISO means that my shutter speeds are faster, so I can more quickly snap these throw-away test shots.
Tip: when shooting in the dark, I recommend shooting in raw mode, so that you can adjust the white balance later, in your image editor.
Taking the Shot
I was now ready for a final image. I turned my ISO back down to1600—low enough to provide a clean image without lengthening my exposure time so much that I lose sharpness in the stars—and then took the shot.
Tip To minimize vibration on long-exposure shots, you'll want to either use the self-timer or a remote control. If your SLR offers a mirror lock-up feature, you might want to activate that as well. When mirror lock-up is activated, the camera flips up the mirror but doesn't trip the shutter until you press the button a second time.
The pros and cons of long-exposure noise reduction
Some cameras have a noise reduction feature that's tailored specifically to long exposures. Although useful, this feature sometimes requires as much time to process the shot as it took to shoot it. So, if you shoot a minute-long exposure, the camera will then sit for another minute and process after the shot. (You can't use the camera while it's working.) Other cameras can perform the reduction in real-time, while the shot is being taken. Check out your camera ahead of time to find out how its noise-reduction feature works. If it will effectively double your exposure times, you may want to shut it off during very long exposures—or you'll spend a lot of time twiddling your thumbs.
[Macworld senior contributor Ben Long is the author of Complete Digital Photography, fourth edition (Charles River Media, 2007). More of Ben's work can be found at Complete Digital Photography.]
Want to submit your own photo to our Snapshot series? Send the photo (or a link to the photo) and a description of how you got the shot to firstname.lastname@example.com. Include the text "Snapshot" in the subject line. We'll pick our favorites and feature them on our Website.
[Ed: This story has been updated to reflect the correct aperture and shutter speed settings.]


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text:
By Stan Choe
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- Gold is back on the rise after dropping like lead last year. Although it has recovered just a portion of its steep loss from 2013, the shift in momentum has been enough to halt the stampede of investors from gold-related funds.
The price of gold has jumped 14 percent this year, towering over the nearly flat performance of the Standard & Poor's 500 index. The stocks of gold-mining companies have been even better. The FTSE Gold Mines index of miners around the world has jumped 25 percent. It's a welcome change for anyone who stuck with the precious metal throughout 2013, when its price sank 28 percent. It was the first down year for gold in more than a decade and its biggest loss since Muhammad Ali last boxed in 1981.
To be sure, many analysts don't expect gold's mini-rebound to last. Barclays Capital, for example, projects gold will average $1,260 an ounce in the last three months of this year. That would be an 8 percent drop from the current price of roughly $1,370 per ounce. Many of the conditions that led to last year's decline are still in place: Inflation remains low, the Federal Reserve is slowing its bond-buying stimulus program and the economy is making some progress, even if it's less than hoped.
Investors are nevertheless giving gold-related funds another chance, albeit tentatively. The SPDR Gold Shares exchange-traded fund (GLD), one of the most popular ways to buy gold, now holds 26.1 million ounces for investors. That's up from 25.7 million ounces at the end of 2013. Although that may not sound like a big change, it's a sharp turnaround from last year. Over the course of 2013, the fund's gold assets fell by 41 percent from 43.4 million ounces.
Some managers of gold-related funds say shares of miners look to be a better choice than the metal itself. Mining stocks often swing more sharply than the price of gold--climbing faster in a rising market and falling more sharply during downturns--and miners were hit particularly hard last year. That leaves them more attractive than gold, managers say.
The First Eagle Gold fund (SGGDX), rated five-stars by Morningstar, can buy either gold or the companies that pull it from the ground. The fund makes its choice based on whichever looks cheaper, and it has a big preference for miners: It has nearly 80 percent of its assets invested in gold mining stocks versus 18 percent in gold bullion.
"If you're willing to buy gold in a vault, you should be willing to own it in the dirt," says Matt McLennan, portfolio manager of the fund. "It's been ugly, but there has been an opportunity to invest in the miners."
Another benefit is that gold-mining stocks often pay dividends, says Michael Bradshaw, senior portfolio manager at the Wells Fargo Advantage Precious Metals fund (EKWAK). Each of the fund's five biggest stock investments pays a dividend. The FTSE Gold Mines index had a 1.7 percent dividend yield at the end of February, while gold yields nothing.
Investors are buying in, and mutual funds that own gold-mining stocks have attracted $358 million in net investment through February of this year, according to Morningstar. It's a sharp turnaround from 2013, when investors pulled an average of $355 million from the group every two months.
Many of the companies in gold-related stock funds are based outside the U.S., in countries such as Australia and South Africa. That raises concerns because changes in currency values can wipe out gains made by their stocks. But currencies from gold-producing countries often move in concert with gold's price, limiting the risk, managers say.
A bigger concern is the politics of mining abroad. Companies can run into troubles with labor groups or local governments.
Another risk is that gold's price falls like it did in 2013. Gold's descent accelerated last spring amid speculation that the Federal Reserve would pare back its $85 billion in monthly bond purchases. A wind down of the stimulus program means less demand from investors who had been worried that the Fed's efforts would lead to higher inflation. Gold has traditionally been seen as an investment whose price will rise with inflation.
The Fed has since begun to trim its monthly bond purchases, and inflation was relatively low at 1.6 percent in January.
This year's climb for gold has been due to the return of a familiar reason: fear. Investors often buy gold when they're worried, and several weaker-than-expected reports on the economy heightened concerns. Tensions in Ukraine also drove increased interest in gold.
First Eagle's McLennan says that's why investors should keep a portion of their portfolios in gold--say 5 to 10 percent. It provides insurance because it has tended to perform well when fear is high.
"Ultimately," he says, "gold's value is the inverse of confidence."
Published: Mon, Mar 17, 2014


text:
The Fine Art America logo will not appear on purchased prints or products.
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by Phil Perkins
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Our shower curtains are made from 100% polyester fabric and include 12 holes at the top of the curtain for simple hanging from your own shower curtain rings. The total dimensions of each shower curtain are 71" wide x 74" tall.
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Computer circuitry extends to the horizon as far as the eye can see, while a mysterious metallic-blue sphere reflects the motherboard and an... more
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Joe Vella
Awesome piece of digital art Phil. L/F
Thanks Joe Vella
Tejsweena Krishan
Damn, It is so nice understanding the depth of ram in Motherboard over Motherland! Lovely! Merry Christmas! :)
Thanks Tejsweena Krishan
Phil Perkins
Thanks for featuring my design in the DIGITAL ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY FOR A SIMPLE IMAGINATION group!
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Thanks Georgia Mizuleva
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Awesome picture! Merry Christmas!
Thanks Stephen Thomas
Computer circuitry extends to the horizon as far as the eye can see, while a mysterious metallic-blue sphere reflects the motherboard and an expansive atmosphere.
Forest trails leading to beautiful, oftentimes remote waterfalls. Mountain peaks with expansive sunrise views. Enjoy your connection with the great outdoors and come along to discover some wonderful museum quality prints to adorn your living spaces - home, business, lobby or cafeteria. You will also encounter other abstract artworks along the way, so take your time and enjoy the creative world of Phil Perkins. Note: Fine Art America watermark will not appear on purchased artwork. You can visit Phil's web site, here: http://perkinsdesigns.com Thanks for stopping by! All Images Copyright (c) Perkins Designs LLC. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Recently I learned that there is a useful analogue of mathematical induction over $\mathbb{R}$ (more precisely, over intervals of the form $[a,\infty)$ or $[a,b]$). It turns out that this is an old idea: it goes back to Khinchin and Perron, but has for some reason never quite caught on and thus keeps getting rediscovered. A nice recent paper is
[As a side note, I gave a talk two days ago in the VIGRE Graduate Seminar at UGA -- essentially, a colloquium for graduate students, with talks which are supposed to be accessible to first and second year students -- about induction over the real numbers with applications to snappy proofs of essentially all the basic "hard theorems" of honors calculus / elementary real analysis. It was a smashing success: the students both enjoyed stretching their minds around this new form of induction and appreciated the application to consolidated proofs of theorems which were, in their recent memeory, not so quick or easy to prove.]
The way I like to state the principle is a little different from Kalantari's approach. [I actually got confused by Kalantari's "axioms for induction" when I first saw them and was under the impression that they were wrong. In fact I was wrong, and he quickly responded to my email on the subject, setting me straight and, kindly, mentioning that others had made the same mistake.] Here's my preferred version:
Let $(X,\leq)$ be a totally ordered set with a least element, which we may as well call $0$.
Say that $X$ has infima if...every nonempty subset $S$ of $X$ has an infimum.
Say that $S \subset X$ is an inductive subset if all of the following hold:
(POI1) $0 \in S$.
(POI2) For all $x \in S$, if there exists $z \in X$ such that $x < z$ -- in other words, if $x$ is not a maximum element of $X$ -- then there exists $y > x$ such that the interval $[x,y]$ is contained in $S$.
(POI3) For all $x \in X$, if $[0,x) \subset S$, then $x \in S$.
Finally, we say that $X$ satisfies the principle of ordered induction if the only inductive subset of $X$ is $X$ itself.
Theorem: For a totally ordered set $X$ with a minimum element, TFAE:
(i) $X$ has infima.
(ii) $X$ satisfies the principle of ordered induction.
The proof is straightforward. Applying this to half-closed intervals as above gives real induction. Also, applying it to a well-ordered set recovers transfinite induction exactly as it is usually stated -- i.e., with an extra axiom for "limit elements", even though one could formally combine (POI2) and (POI3) into a single case.
This issue came up on Tuesday on our sister site math.SE -- someone asked whether there was such a thing as real induction -- and I answered it, yes, as above. Then someone commented on my answer: what about generalizations to partially ordered sets?
There is a well-known principle of induction on partially ordered sets satisfying the descending chain condition, or equivalently, in which every nonempty subset has a minimum. This is called, by mathematicians of various stripes, well-founded induction or Noetherian induction. (As far as I can see it should be called Artinian induction.
Anyone want to address that? Edit: I am satisfied by Dave Anderson's comment below.)
Note that a partially ordered set with DCC need not have a minimum element, which is certainly necessary for the above setup in totally ordered sets. But this isn't a big deal: if $(X,\leq)$ is a poset satisfying DCC, the poset $X_0$ obtained by adjoining a minimum element $0$ still satisfies DCC, and nothing is lost here.
[Edit: as Francois Dorais points out, adding a minimum is not enough; still a partially ordered set satisfying DCC need not have infima. So what I am asking about really is different from Noetherian induction.]
After a little thought I was optimistic that there should be a version of induction partially ordered sets with a minimum element. I even thought that the right definition of inductive subset should be essentially the one given above, with (POI2) modified slightly to
(POI2'): for every $x \in S$ and $z \in X$ with $x < z$, there exists $y \in (x,z]$ such that the entire interval $[x,y]$ is contained in $S$.
And then I tried to prove that any poset with a minimum and having infima satisfies the principle of ordered induction. And I couldn't. Eventually I found the following counterexample: let $A$ be an infinite set and $X = 2^A$ be its power set, partially ordered by inclusion. Of course $X$ has infima: take the intersection. Let $S$ be the collection of all finite subsets of $A$. Then $S$ satisfies (POI1), (POI2') and (POI3) but is proper.
Neither can I think of some small modification of (POI2') which evades this example. I still think there should be some kind of principle of induction in partially ordered sets with infima, but I don't know what to do. Can anyone state such a principle which recovers
as special casesas a special case the principle of ordered induction and the principle of Noetherian induction?


text:
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission is still chasing J.P. Morgan's "London whale," even after U.K. regulators settled over the same conduct.
The CFTC didn't join the $920 million settlement with J.P. Morgan Thursday because it's still investigating whether the bank manipulated derivatives markets in early 2012 with the large positions that earned trader Bruno Iksil the nickname "London whale." The bank disclosed Thursday it was notified by the CFTC that "staff intends to recommend enforcement action" against the bank and that it had received a so-called "Wells" notice.
Of concern to the CFTC is whether traders increased their positions in complex derivatives–contracts tied to investment-grade corporate bonds—in order to drive down prices in the market to improve the accounting of their portfolio's overall profit. The agency is expected to use its new, expanded powers to go after manipulation at the bank. Under new powers it gained through the 2010 Dodd-Frank law, the CFTC must only prove traders were reckless, not intentionally manipulating prices.
The U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority, which settled its charges last week, stopped short of saying J.P. Morgan manipulated the market, but said the firm "failed to observe proper standards of market conduct."
The FCA settlement details how the trades had the potential to move prices and benefit traders, especially at the end of the month when they marked their positions. The FCA said traders were trying to "limit the damage," as one of the traders said in an e-mail quoted in the settlement.
"The size and manner of the trading had the potential to affect the price" of derivatives at a time when the traders "stood to benefit from a lower price," the FCA said in the settlement.
The FCA said that traders sold derivatives even though prices were falling at a time when a downward movement of one basis point would improve the traders "mark to market profit and loss" by approximately $34.7 million.
J.P. Morgan's trades could have "contributed to the month end price" of the derivative index "being at a lower level than it would otherwise have been," the FCA said.
The Justice Department has indicted two of the former J.P. Morgan employees involved in the trades, Javier Martin-Artajo and Julien Grout, for allegedly faking books and hiding hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. Mr. Grout's lawyer said last week his client was a junior employee and had been "unjustly played as a pawn" in the case. A lawyer for Mr. Martin-Artajo hasn't commented.
Javier Martin-Artajo allegedly put pressure on other traders to "defend their positions" at the end of the month when the traders' positions would come under greater scrutiny, according to the federal grand jury indictment against him.
Prosecutors didn't charge the two former traders with manipulation, but allege they increased their positions "as part of a strategy designed in part to stem the losses."
Representatives for J.P. Morgan and for the CFTC both declined to comment.


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Read Nov. 12, 1802
In a former paper which I submitted to this Society, "On the constitution of mixed gases," I adopted such proportions of the simple elastic fluids to constitute the atmosphere as were then current, not intending to warrant the accuracy of them all, as stated in the said paper; my principal object in that essay was, to point out the manner in which mixed elastic fluids exist together, and to insist upon what I think a very important and fundamental position in the doctrine of such fluids:--namely, that the elastic or repulsive power of each particle is confined to those of its own kind; and consequently the force of such fluid, retained in a given vessel, or gravitating, is the same in a separate as in a mixed state, depending upon its proper density and temperature. This principle accords with all experience, and I have no doubt will soon be perceived and acknowledged by chemists and philosophers in general; and its application will elucidate a variety of facts, which are otherwise involved in obscurity.
The objects of the present essay are,
In order to ascertain the second point, it will be further necessary to obtain the specific gravity of each gas; that is, the relative weights of a given volume of each in a pure state, subject to the same pressure and temperature. For, the weight of each gas in any given portion of atmospheric air, must be in the compound ratio of its force and specific gravity.
With respect to the third object, it may be observed, that those gases which are specifically the heaviest must decrease in density the quickest in ascending. If the earth's atmosphere had been a homogeneous elastic fluid of the same weight it is, but ten times the specific gravity, it might easily be demonstrated that no sensible portion of it could have arisen to the summits of the highest mountains. On the other hand, an atmosphere of hydrogenous gas, of the same weight, would support a column of mercury nearly 29 inches on the summit of Mount Blanc.
The several gases constantly found in every portion of atmospheric air, and in such quantities as are capable of being appreciated, are azotic, oxygenous, aqueous vapour, and carbonic acid. It is probable that hydrogenous gas also is constantly present; but in so small proportion as not to be detected by any test we are acquainted with; it must therefore be confounded in the large mass of azotic gas.
As the first of the processes above-mentioned has been much discredited by late authors, and as it appears from my experience to be not only the most elegant and expeditious of all the methods hitherto used, but also as correct as any of them, when properly conducted, I shall, on this occasion, animadvert upon it.
To use nitrous gas for the purpose of eudiometry therefore, we must attempt to form nitric acid or nitrous wholly, and without a mixture of the other. Of these the former appears from my experiments to be most easily and most accurately effected. In order to do this a narrow tube is necessary; one that is just wide enough to let air pass water without requiring the tube to be agitated, is best. Let little more nitrous gas than is sufficient to form nitric acid be admitted to the oxygenous gas; let no agitation be used; and as soon as the diminution appears to be over for a moment let the residuary gas be transferred to another tube, and it will remain without any further diminution of consequence. Then 7/19 of the loss will be due to oxygen.-- The transferring is necessary to prevent the nitric acid formed and combined with the water, from absorbing the remainder of the nitrous gas to form nitrous acid.
Sulphuret of lime is a good test of the proportion of oxygen in a given mixture, provided the liquid be not more than 20 or 30 per cent. for the gas (atmospheric air); if the liquid exceed this, there is a portion of azotic gas imbibed somewhat uncertain in quantity.
Volta's eudiometer is very accurate as well as elegant and expeditious: according to Monge, 100 oxygen require 196 measures of hydrogen; according to Davy 192; but from the most attentive observations of my own, 185 are sufficient. In atmospheric air I always find 50 per cent. diminution when fired with an excess of hydrogen; that is, 100 common air with 60 hydrogen, become 100 after the explosion, and no oxygen is found in the residuum; here 21 oxygen take 39 hydrogen.
I have, in a former essay, (Manchester Mem. vol. 5, p. 2, page 559.) given a table of the force of vapour in vacuo for every degree of temperature, determined by experiment; and in the sequel of the essay, have shown that the force of vapour in the atmosphere is the very same as in vacuo, when they are both at their utmost for any given temperature. To find the force of aqueous vapour in the atmosphere, therefore, we have nothing more to do than to find that degree of cold at which it begins to be condensed, and opposite to it in the table above mentioned, will be found the force of vapour. From the various facts mentioned in the essay it is obvious, that vapour contracts no chemical union with any of the gases of the atmosphere; this fact has since been enforced in the Annales de Chimie, vol. xlii. by Clement and Desorme.
M. de Saussure found by an excellent experiment, that dry air of 64° will admit so much vapour as to increase its elasticity, 1/54.-- This I have repeated nearly in his manner, and found a similar result. But the table he has given us of aqueous vapour at other temperatures is very far wrong, especially at temperatures distant from 64°.-- The numbers were not the result of direct experiment, like the one above.-- If we could obtain the temperatures of all parts of the earth's surface, for any given time, a mean of them would probably be 57° or 58°. Now if we may suppose the force of vapour equivalent to that of 55°, at a medium, it will, from the table, be equal to .443 of mercury; or, nearly 1/70 of the whole atmosphere. This it will be perceived is calculated to be the weight of vapour in the whole atmosphere of the earth. If that incumbent over any place at any time be required, it may be found as directed above.
From some observations of Humboldt, I was led to expect about 1/100 part of the weight of the atmosphere to be carbonic acid gas: but I soon found that the proportion was immensely overrated. From repeated experiments, all nearly agreeing in their results, and made at different seasons of the year, I have found, that if a glass vessel filled with 102,400 grains of rain water be emptied in the open air, and 125 grains of strong lime water be poured in, and the mouth then closed; by sufficient time and agitation, the whole of the lime water is just saturated by the acid gas it finds in that volume of air. But 125 grains of the lime water used require 70 grain measures of carbonic acid gas to saturate it; therefore, the 102,400 grain measures of common air contain 70 of carbonic acid; or 1/1400 of the whole.-- The weight of the carbonic acid atmosphere then is to that of the whole compound as 1:1460; but the weight of carbonic acid gas in a given portion of air at the earth's surface, is nearly 1/1000 of the whole; because the specific gravity of the gas is 1-1/2 that of common air. I have since found that the air in an assembly, in which two hundred people had breathed for two hours, with the windows and doors shut, contained little more than 1 per cent. of carbonic acid gas.
Having now determined the force with which each atmosphere presses on the earth's surface, or in other words, its weight; it remains next to enquire into their specific gravities.
These may be seen in the following Table.
Atmospheric air, 1.000 Azotic gas, .966 Oxygenous gas, 1.127 Carbonic acid gas, 1.500 Aqueous vapour, .700 Hydrogenous gas, 0.77[1]
Kirwan and Lavoisier are my authorities for these numbers; except oxygenous gas and aqueous vapour. For the former I am indebted to Mr. Davy's Chemical Researches; his number is something greater than theirs: I prefer it, because, being determined with a least equal attention to accuracy with the others, it has this further claim for credit, that 21 parts of gas of this specific gravity, mixed with 79 parts of azotic gas, make a compound of exactly the same specific gravity as the atmosphere, as they evidently ought to do, setting aside the unfounded notion of their forming a chemical compound. The specific gravity of aqueous vapour I have determined myself both by analytic and synthetic methods, after the manner of De Saussure; that is, by abstracting aqueous vapour of a known force from a given quantity of air, and weighing the water obtained--and admitting a given weight of water to dry air and comparing the loss with the increased elasticity. De Saussure makes the specific gravity to be ,71 or ,75; but he used caustic alkali as the absorbent, which would extract the carbonic acid as well as the aqueous vapour from the air. From the experiments of Pictet and Watt, I deduce the specific gravity of aqueous vapour to be ,61 and ,67 respectively. Upon the whole, therefore, it is probable that ,7 is very nearly accurate.
We have now sufficient data to form tables answering to the two first objects of our enquiry.
I. Table of the Weights of the different Gases constituting the Atmosphere.
Inch of Mercury. Azotic gas 23.36 Oxygenous gas 6.18 Aqueous vapour .44 Carbonic acid gas .02 [total] 30.00
II. Table of the proportional Weights of the different Gases in a given volume of Atmospheric Air, taken at the Surface of the Earth
Per Cent. Azotic gas 75.55 Oxygenous gas 23.32 Aqueous vapour 1.03[2] Carbonic acid gas .10 [total] 100.00
M. Berthollet seems to think that the lower strata of the atmosphere ought to contain more oxygen than the upper, because of the greater specific gravity of oxygenous gas, and the slight affinity of the two gases for each other. (See Annal. de Chimie, Tom. 34. page 85.) As I am unable to conceive even the possibility of two gases being held together by affinity, unless their particles unite so as to form one centre of repulsion out of two or more (in which case they become one gas) I cannot see why rarefaction should either decrease or increase this supposed affinity. I have little doubt, however, as to the fact of oxygenous gas observing a diminishing ratio in ascending; for, the atmospheres being independent on each other, their densities at different heights must be regulated by their specific gravities.-- Hence, if we take the azotic atmosphere as a standard, the oxygenous and the carbonic acid will observe a decreasing ratio to it in ascending, and the aqueous vapour an increasing one. The specific gravity of oxygenous and azotic gases being as 7 to 6 nearly, their diminution in density will be the same at heights reciprocally as their specific gravities. Hence it would be found, that at the height of Mount Blanc (nearly three English miles) the ratio of oxygenous gas to azotic in a given volume of air, would be nearly as 20 to 80; --consequently it follows that at any ordinary heights the difference in the proportions will be scarcely if at all perceptible.[3]
[1] The specific gravity of hydrogen must be rated too low: if 100 oxygen require 185 hydrogen by measure, according to this 89 oxygen would require only 11 hydrogen to form water; whereas 85 require 15. Hydrogen ought to be found about 1/10 part of the weight of common air.
[2] The proportion of aqueous vapour must be understood to be variable for any one place: the others are permanent or nearly so.
[3] Air brought from the summit of Helvelyn, in Cumberland (1100 yards above the sea--Barometer being 26.60) in July 1804, gave no perceptible differences from the air taken in Manchester. --M. Gay-Lussac determines the constitution of air brought from an elevation of four miles to be the same as that at the earth's surface.


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(CNN) – Lawmakers from both parties and both chambers of Congress agreed Sunday that if sequestration budget cuts go into effect next month, there will be a negative impact on the economy and the country as a whole.
In separate appearances on NBC's "Meet The Press," Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, both said they don't want the sequester cuts to take place. They suggested different ways to deal with the series of automatic, across-the-board spending cuts, spread out over the next decade, which are set to kick in on March 1.
Cantor, like most Republicans, wants to fix the nation's fiscal woes without raising taxes, a move he said President Barack Obama favors.
"The tax fight for the president means higher taxes, more revenue," Cantor said. "We can't be raising taxes in this town every three months."
But Durbin, a close Obama ally, said more taxes are what's needed to solve the problem.
"The president believes, and I agree, within tax reform, we can find additional savings in the next ten years. We can use that to put towards deficit reduction and keep this economy moving forward," Durbin said.
The tax issue is a major sticking point when lawmakers discuss these sequestration cuts, and with less than three weeks to go before they take effect, Cantor said a breakthrough doesn't look promising.
"The president, you know, he's the one who proposed the sequester in the first place. So again, I'm questioning where this thing is going because he's not moved in a serious way, but we remain anxiously waiting for him to come to the table to work with us to solve this problem," Cantor said.
But Durbin later countered that Obama proposed the sequester as a strategy to break a deadlock in Congress.
"When the president proposed the sequester, it was as an incentive to those of us in Congress to work together on a bipartisan basis to solve these problems. It was supposed to be so awful that the 'super committee' would finally reach bipartisan agreement. But because they completely rejected revenue, it never happened," Durbin said.
That remark was echoed by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who said on "Fox News Sunday" the sequester was "a bad idea, all around."
"It is something that is out of the question," Pelosi said.
However the nation arrived at this point, the fact remains that the economy is nearing yet another crisis, Durbin said.
"Sequestration was designed as a budget threat, not as a budget strategy. And I think all of us understand if it goes forward in less than three weeks, it's going to have a dramatic, negative impact on many agencies, equally important to the economy," said Durbin.
Well, at least they agree on something! Next they'll discuss those findings by Newton on that gravity thingy. Then there's that committee presentation by the Flat Earth Society.
Here's the problem; if there's no compromise then nothing gets done until one party has overwhelming power, and then it's likely that party will go overboard with their program. Yeesh!
"Lawmakers from both parties and both chambers of Congress agreed Sunday that if sequestration budget cuts go into effect next month, there will be a negative impact on the economy and the country as a whole. "
Only one bill they worked two years
That mean 112th congress total waste
They wasted tax payers money $170000 x 535 x 2 = $181900000
.........ANSWER ME THIS......What is a "COMPROMISE" that can be found with people who say..........THE EARTH IS FLAT....?
Another brilliant GOP economic bill gone bad. Should we expect different from the "cut taxes and spend" crowd? Everything they have proposed since crashing the economy in '07 has been wrong. We see the effects of cutting federal spending-fewer jobs, no recovery; we see the effects of tax cuts for the rich- no jobs, money off-shored, an empty treasury; and we see the effects of stripping workers of livable wages and benefits- no spending. The GOP is 0 for 3. I think we call that an "out".
I'd say they should go back to what they do best- micro-manage women's reproductive systems, but the Taliban are our enemies- we don't need them here.
Fiscal Responsibility. The thing about the Liberal's is they want to great things. They just want to do it with somebody else's money. After 75 years of spending and the Liberal's borrowing 40 to 46 cents of every dollar they spend and now a 16.5 Trillion dollar federal debt it is time to send the liberal's packing.
If the GOP's fiscal policies are so good, how did things get so messed up under Bush? How is it Reagan tripled the Debt?
Come on, the GOP hasn't had a reasonable fiscal policy since the '50s. The sad thing is YOU KNOW THAT.
We have to feel some pain, to EVER recover from this depression. It CANNOT be avoided. There can be no improvement, until we accpet the pain that has to be felt before any recovery can begin.
We have kicked that can down the road, for 4 years now, and there is still zero improvement. Let the sequester happen, and stop trying to postpone and kick the can down the road........AGAIN!
"However the nation arrived at this point, the fact remains that the economy is nearing yet another crisis, Durbin said."
Have we become so entrenched with the concepts of a command economy that we have forgotten that we are ACTUALLY a market based consumer economic system????
The Keynesian explanation for our current macro-economic problems is called a "liquidity trap"......why is that Keynesian concept being so vividly ignored????
"Growth" is based on consumer spending.....NOT the government taking the place of the consumer or subsidizing consumer expenditure.
Even IF you are a Keynesian....why has the understanding that what passes for Neo-Keynesianism today is far, far removed from its original theory???
At least have the intellectual honesty to admit that this "new" Keynesianism is a cover for an outright central planning, or otherwise known as a command economic system.
We who follow the Austrian school of thought understand this for what it is.....the State-Corporatist model....and it is becoming more and more like the economic system described by Benito Mussolini in his book "The Doctrine of Fascism"
My prediction: In the eleventh hour, sequestration will be delayed six months or so. During those six months, moderates from both parties will meet and offer some concessions. They can't convince the ultra-left or ultra-right members of their parties to make those concessions. When sequestration is about to hit, again, they can't get anything done and opt to delay sequestration, and so on and so forth. Then, the moderates who were willing to compromise lose their primaries for not being liberal or conservative enough.
This sequester is a terrible idea, but something needs to be done about the debt. Given the ultra-partisan realities of Washington, this is better than nothing, which is all Congress would be able to put forth.
Even Obama agrees that sequestration was a BAD idea. It was Obama's idea to start with.
Obama dont let them hurt the people poor an middle class, to please the white house leaders.
@Ray E. (Georgia)
Fiscal Responsibility. The thing about the Liberal's is they want to great things. They just want to do it with somebody else's money. After 75 years of spending and the Liberal's borrowing 40 to 46 cents of every dollar they spend and now a 16.5 Trillion dollar federal debt it is time to send the liberal's packing.
Were you in a coma during the Reagan and Bush years? I've seen hundreds of your posts and not one of them takes any responsibility for the recession. Cutting taxes, and wild spending by both parties, two un-funded wars, defense contract corruption, and a completely unregulated Wall Street creates a bad situation. Duh! Trickle-down does not work – shown time and time again. We had to try to spend our way out of the freefall – like Bush's first stimulus package. I know right-wingers are afraid of science but you must at least accept the most obvious math results.
Would you have allowed the economy to fall from Bush's recession into a deep depression? Do you really believe we could have pulled out of such a freefall given the state of world affairs? You throw out nasty words but never back them up with any real alternatives. As a Monday morning quarterback what would YOU have done?
Time to cut Social Security and Medicare. Why should I have to support some old people I don't even know.
The problem with the federal government is big spending. If I has making the decisions on spending cuts. Everything that not defense related would be zero funded.
RS get your facts right, this was a bill developed by Jack Lew who last i checked worked for obama. let the sequester stay. Virginia and California voted for him and let them reap the problems.
Obama must think the sequester is good. He said when it was passed in to law that he would veto and bill that attemoted to bypass the sequester.
@Ray E. – I didn't know the Republican Party was full of Liberals..
Considering our 16 trillion dollar debt is a direct result of the Bush Tax Cuts, The Wars in the Middle East and an Economic Crash resulting from Republican Policies, I don't see how you can put it on Liberals..
Throughout the history of our nation, Wars were funded by a Tax specifically designed to pay for them. Who honestly thought you could pay for Two with a massive Tax Cut?


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To use MTP on a computer with the Windows OS, Windows Media Player 10 or a later version
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How to transfer mp3 and video files to your phone
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Select a USB connection method. ▶ Choose MTP.
3. Export mp3 or video files on your PC to your phone or a portable device.
Have the video file and its subtitle file (with smi or srt extension) in the same folder with the
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Key facts
Lomar Shipping, UK
Container ships
Cost-effective compliance to new US legislation
Client challenge
New US legislation presented a fresh challenge for Lomar Shipping, a leading shipowner and operator for 40 years. Every vessel operating in US waters now needed to use Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EAL) in all oil-to-sea interfaces of a ship. This was a new requirement in the 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP2013) for Discharges Incidental to the Normal Operation of Vessels. Our client wanted a cost-efficient way of developing EALs for four vessels in its fleet. The company approached us for help, as a pioneer in this field serving 100 ships to date.
How we helped
Our support was divided into three stages.
- We reviewed supplied information on the ship oil-to-sea interfaces and lubricants used on Lomar's four vessels.
- We advised on potential issues and cost-effective solutions to help ensure the vessels complied with the new requirement.
Following successful assessment, we issued each vessel with an EAL Report and Statement of Fact, helping Lomar Shipping demonstrate compliance.
Powerful results
Our client met the new VGP2013 requirement comprehensively and cost-efficiently, saving time and money and avoiding interruption to operations.
What we think
LR's experts regularly share their research and insights.


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Hello friends,
I know I promised to share more art so here are some pics of what I've been creating lately. I'm on week 6 of my Jeanne Oliver online art course. Its been an incredible ride! So much to learn, so much to create and SO little time! I'm trying to be patient with life and accept that I can't paint all day while managing a household, two little kids and a very busy husband. Patience is not one my strengths.
I also have to really watch myself. You see, I get a little competitive. My fellow students are constantly posting all the beautiful art they are creating and I want to KEEP up…but alas, I simply cannot. Luckily, we have access to the class for two years!
Here is a little Cézanne watercolor/charcoal study…this was a fun and relatively quick exercise. He was a genius at layering color with watercolors! Something, I've yet to master.
Next, I attempted to paint one of Cézanne's favorite landscapes…Mont Sainte-Victoire. He painted this scene over 60 times! This was a tricky one. SO many colors but I really enjoyed the challenge.
Here's a close up of my version.
Painting Cézanne landscapes, inspired me to try one myself. Although, I'm not in love with this piece it was good for me to do something outside my comfort zone. This is an Irish landscape, depicting O'Brien's tower.
Then we went on to study Botticelli. I have not done my painting yet but I loved sketching from his work. His faces are brilliant and so beautiful.
Okay, and lastly, I wanted to recommend this book to all those creative Mama's out there! I kinda horde art books but this one is my favorites right now. It gives me hope that if I plan a little better, I can find more time for my art and not neglect my kids!
Alright…well I best be going. I hear little Claire bear waking from her nap. Back on the job! ;)
Hope all is well in your world. Try and take time for yourself to create, read, cook or whatever makes you happy – you won't regret you did! Also, I would love to know any tips on carving out this time – since I'm kinda struggling! Let me know what works for you!
Much love,


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At my talk last night to the Friends of Sausal Creek, I delivered a lot of information about the rock units exposed along Shephard Creek. For a while here I will post what I showed the crowd, starting at the bottom.
The Joaquin Miller Formation is a thick sequence of mostly shale, around 95 million years old (Late Cretaceous Epoch, specifically the Cenomanian Age). It underlies nearly all the east side of the valley of Palo Seco Creek, running into Joaquin Miller Park. It weathers readily there, turning easily back into the clay it once was. This exposure is a roadcut at the intersection of Scout and Ascot drives. The beds are steeply tilted into the hillside, something that's true of all the rocks in the canyon.
And here's a closeup.
These rocks mostly crumble in the hand. Toward the top of the unit, it gets more sandy; an example is shown here from the bed of Shephard Creek. Eventually it turns to straight sandstone and gets a new name, the Oakland Conglomerate (here are three pages on that rock unit, 1 – 2 – 3).
The Joaquin Miller Formation was laid down far from land, but not very far. This is all brown clay that comes from continental sources, and the occasional sandy beds are evidence that underwater landslides could sometimes reach here. Picture it way out in the Gulf of Mexico, where Mississippi River mud can cascade down the continental slope for great distances.


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Policymakers should promote the creation of mixed-use livable communities.
National, state, and local parks should be age-friendly, accessible, and sufficiently funded. They should be equitably located throughout communities.
Policymakers should enact comprehensive planning statutes, regulations, and incentives that create communities that promote the independence and ac
Planning activities and goals should be inclusive and equitable. They should support positive outcomes for all community members.
Federal, state, and local policymakers should plan for and mitigate potential natural hazards.
Federal, state, and local governments should engage in post-disaster recovery efforts that reach all populations, including older adults, people with disabilities, and their
Policymakers should ensure access to safe housing for people who are displaced after a natural disaster.
Policymakers should provide support to areas that have suffered, or are at high risk for, damage from extreme weather events. They should:
Areas at risk for deterioration, abandonment, and blight should be targeted for planning and revitalization.
Policymakers should support efforts to spur economic development in economically distressed areas. These efforts should be designed to prevent displacement.


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A Baker's Dozen
A Brief History
Portland rarely acknowledges its debts to other cities, particularly those owed to its northerly sister, Seattle. But every Stumptowner should bow and kiss the Emerald City's ring for giving us Grand Central Bakery. Founded in 1972 by Gwenyth Bassetti, the Seattle-based chain opened its first Portland store in 1993 at SE 22nd Avenue and Hawthorne Boulevard, thereby revitalizing the model for the neighborhood retail bakery. Courtesy of its hearth-baked, European-style bread, nothing has been the same in Portland since: the artisan bakery has officially joined the espresso café and the brewpub as one of the true signals of a neighborhood's arrival.
In a gallery-dotted industrial district where the burgeoning creative class played (but didn't yet live), Eric Lester opened the Pearl Bakery (102 NW Ninth Ave) in 1997 with Greg and Carolyn Mistell. The Pearl District grew skyward as the Pearl Bakery provided PDX's escalating foodie population with crusty French baguettes, wheel-size pugliese, and classic French pastries like the raisin-studded pain au raisin that still fly off the shelves today.
In 2001, tech refugee Ken Forkish carried Portland's newfound retail baking tradition to NW 21st Avenue with Ken's Artisan Bakery (338 NW 21st Ave), where he infused his rustic loaves, croissants, walnut-graveled brown bread, and seasonally inspired fruit tarts and pastries with a touch of country French elegance.
Julie Richardson, the owner of Baker & Spice (6330 SW Capitol Hwy), baked on Martha's Vineyard before going solo at the Hillsdale Farmers Market and later graduating to a nearby storefront. There, harvest rounds, currant loafs, house-made granola, and delicate galettes are showcased without pretense alongside New World treats like bread puddings and bittersweet-chocolate shortbread.
Pearl Bakery co-founder Greg Mistell's newest project, Fleur de Lis (3930 NE Hancock St), marks the seasons as they change with scrumptious treats like spring rhubarb Viennoiserie, summer blueberry scones, and French fruit tarts. Mistell plans his week's menu around the offerings at the nearby Hollywood Farmers Market, and his breads, replete with locally harvested nuts, seeds, and whole grains, have been vehicles for the sandwich revolution taking place at Portland hot spots like Bunk Sandwiches and Laurelhurst Market.
Tim Healea's Little T American Baker (2600 SE Division St) rules Southeast with crave-worthy baguettes, each one a crusty cylinder that's perfectly airy and creamy throughout. It's not surprising—after all, Healea was head baker at Pearl Bakery for nine years and a member of Team USA in Paris's 2002 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie—the World Cup of baking. The display case at Little T favors breakfast offerings like croissants, including one stuffed with house-made chocolate praline ganache, plus rustic tarts, chocolate chip cookies, and "slab bread," a focaccia-style flatbread slathered in olive oil and sea salt.
Three restaurants failed to survive on the corner of NW 10th Avenue and Lovejoy Street before ex-Pearl Bakery ace Dan Griffin teamed up with Pizzicato Pizza owner Mark Frankel to repurpose the legendarily cursed space into Lovejoy Bakers (939 NW 10th Ave), a sun-flooded shop where a dozen types of bread (Griffin's pride: a caraway rye), superb scones, and croissants that are a study in lightness are thoroughly enjoyed by the neighborhood.
Every self-respecting city needs a good New York bagel. Luckily, Kettleman Bagels (now closed) serves them here in three locations—properly boiled, steamed, and baked with not only the traditional trappings of onions, salt, and poppy seeds, but also ingredients like crushed black pepper and jalapeño.
Of course, lest we forget, one relative old-timer, An Xuyen Bakery (5345 SE Foster Rd), has been quietly wowing Portland with some of the city's best French bread since 1995. Specializing in Vietnamese-inflected guava cookies, durian cakes, and lotus paste–filled pastries, An Xuyen also churns out perfectly articulated French pastries like pâté chauds, cream puffs, and mini palmiers. And don't miss the bakery's spectacular banh mi sandwich, a national dish of Vietnam.
The New Kids
The latest generation of Portland bakeries is increasingly specialized. Take Two Tarts Bakery (2309 NW Kearney St), whose famous repertoire of diminutive treats includes the Lil' Mama (a chocolate sandwich cookie filled with vanilla buttercream) and 20 varieties of French macaroons. Several blocks away, Portlanders flock to Saint Cupcake (407 NW 17th Ave) for a cream cheese frosting that could make a block of wood mouthwatering. On N Mississippi Avenue, the Sugar Cube (now closed) serves spirited concoctions like the Amy Winehouse Cupcake, a combination of liquored-up yellow cake with a hint of orange zest and chocolate ganache from its cart window. The Kerns neighborhood's Bakery Bar (now closed) is destination-worthy thanks to owner Jocelyn Barda's remarkably decorated wedding cakes (think white cake covered in chocolate branches and bluebirds). But for less matrimonial occasions, don't miss her fennel–and–golden raisin scones, banana cupcakes, Earl Grey shortbread, and of course, the chocolate-chip cookies.


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This is the second part of the two part series of "Say Hello to Behavior Driven Development".
The first part of this series is Say Hello To Behavior Driven Development (BDD)- Part 1.
In this article, I shall try to show you how to follow BDD in real life while starting development of any module or project. Please note that this article will only concentrate on showing the path of using BDD methodology in real life project rather than 100% full fledged project developed using BDD. I have attached a skeleton of .NET project (as UI component here, I have used WPF) that has been developed with steps as described below.
At the end of the day, by implementing BDD you need to write some Unit test code and you need some tool that supports Unit Testing like NUnit, MSTest (integrated with Visual studio) or any other flavor you like. For this example, I shall use MBUnit. But you are free to use any such tool you like.For converting Gherkin to Unit Test code, I shall use SpecFlow. I like Specflow because it the Coolest BDD tool I have ever seen for .NET.
For IDE, I shall use Visual Studio 2010. I am lucky to have license of ReSharper and in this example I shall take some help from ReSharper as it gives some integrated test output result. If you don't have ReSharper, don't worry as I only used that tool to ease some step. You can, of course, proceed without Resharper.
Let the show begin!
Since we shall develop something following Behavior Driven Development, at first, we should have some requirement in Gherkin. So here is one simple requirement.
Given that we have a search form that searches over Name, Address and Profession table
When The user enters non empty text
And the length of the text is more than 3 alphanumeric character long
Then The user will get the search result
And if the search result is empty he will get an message box asking him
to do the search again.
So let's open Visual Studio 2010 and create two class library projects like below:
Since we are creating everything from scratch, we have created two projects. SearchSpec will basically contain Gherkin to CS specification code. Carefully note that the project name is SearchSpec not SearchTest, since we shall write down the behavior or specification not test.
We have another class library project called SearchModule that will hold all the necessary code that would meet our specification.
We would add one configuration file in SearchModule project like below:
After that, we will paste the following configuration in the App.Config file:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<section name="specFlow"
type="TechTalk.SpecFlow.Configuration.ConfigurationSectionHandler, TechTalk.SpecFlow"/>
<unitTestProvider name="MbUnit"/>
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.0"/>
After pasting this, the App.config file will look like this. The first config section is related with the Specflow and the second one is related with the Unit Test tool that we will be using. As the picture says, you can use any Unit Testing tool you like.
The reason we are using this configuration file is because when the Gherkin is trans coded to CS code, it is written as per the Unit Test Tool mentioned in the configuration file.
Now we shall add one Feature file. Since it is assumed that SpecFlow has already been installed so in Visual Studio we will get 3 extra templates installed for SpecFlow. Among the 3, we shall choose Feature file like below. We will name it Search.feature and will press OK.
Visual Studio will create two files for us. One feature file containing the feature of specification in Gherkin and one code behind associated with feature file which contains generated C# code related with feature, that is C# representation of Gherkin as shown below. Please note that whenever Visual Studio creates any feature file, it gives a dummy feature related with some mathematics.
Needless to say here, you need to add necessary reference of Spec Flow, Gallio and MBUnit in your project like below that can be found in their respective installation folder.
Now we would change the content of feature file with our simple specification. We will just paste our specification there and will save the feature file. After saving the feature file corresponding CS code will be generated in code behind. Pretty cool, isn't it? The feature file and code behind will be looking like below:
We have got our feature coded in CS. Now we need another level abstraction so that for each of the steps as described in our feature (and off-course in feature.cs) file can be defined. (Look I haven't used the word "test". I could have written "so that each of the step can be tested." Since we are using BDD, we will develop our feature by defining steps not by defining TEST! )
Fortunately Specflow gave us a template for creating step definition. So we shall add one step definition file named SearchStepDefination.cs like below:
But once the step definition file is generated, you will again see some preloaded code related with mathematics which is not at all related with our feature. Like below, it is trivial that we need to remove these dummy code. But the question is how can I write step definition since I don't know how to write step definition. (A blocking state!!!)
Don't worry!!! We have an easy solution and again this code will be written by SpecFlow engine, but not in a very usual way! Let me show you how we can generate Step Definition based on our feature in step by step (yes! these are some sub steps).
public class SearchStepDefinition
I know right at this moment you are smiling. As you have rightly noticed, the output window is telling what functions are needed to be implemented in Step Definition file with proper signature!
Our foundation has been created and now we can start development by following pure BDD. We will now write the body of the each step definition method and while writing this, we will actually write code related with the original development.
Let's concentrate on the first method.
[Given(@"that we have a search form that searches over Name, Address and Profession table")]
public void GivenThatWeHaveASearchFormThatSearchesOverNameAddressAndProfessionTable()
In order to write the body of this method, we need to create a form that will take input from user. So we need to have some place holder that will contain the input text. So we will create a class for this under SearchModule project. The class will be looking like below:
namespace SearchModule
public class UserInput
public string Input { get; set; }
We also need to create a form. For this, we can create another project under the same solution. I am going to choose a WPF project like this, so that we will have a WPF window having a text box and a search button and it will look something like below:
Now we will need to have a class that will be able to search over Name, Address and Profession table. So our next steps will be:
I am not going to show you how to do the above 3 steps as these are the most trivial things you do in your day to day life.
As you can see, we are now trying to create classes and variables just to meet step definition functions and step by step we are actually creating our module in such a way that meets the behavior aka specification of the project and thereby we have started developing a module following Behavior Driven Development methodology.
I could have written a few hundred lines more to make a complete module using BDD but my target is to show you the path that will ultimately lead you to implement BDD in your own project.
I hope you got the basic idea and tips/tricks to start Behavior Driven Development right from your next project. I wish you all the best!!
This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)
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Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama's performance on national security and international affairs and his image as a strong leader appear to be behind his rising approval rating, according to new national poll conducted as the president was on an overseas visit to four countries.
A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday indicates that Obama's approval rating among Americans stands at 54 percent, with 45 percent saying they disapprove of the job he's doing as president. Obama's approval rating appears to have steadily risen in the past two months, from 48 percent in early April to 52 percent in early May and the current mark of 54 percent.
Listen to CNN's Wolf Blitzer CNN Radio's Bob Costantini discuss the new poll numbers:
"On specific issues, the president's approval rating is over 50 percent on only three out of 11 items tested, and all three - terrorism, Afghanistan, and Iraq - are foreign or security issues," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "But his approval rating on every domestic issue listed in the poll is well below 50 and on most of them - including the economy, health care, taxes, and the budget deficit - his rating has remained flat or dropped since the start of the year."
Only one in four says they approve of how the president is handling high gas prices. And the survey indicates that six in ten think that things are going badly in the country today. So why has Obama's overall approval rating risen to the mid-50s?
"Clearly Americans are responding the president's foreign policy credentials, an advantage that is magnified every time he goes abroad. That was a common pattern for previous presidents as well, even those who entered office with an ambitious domestic agenda," adds Holland.
The killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. special forces at the beginning of May also helped give Obama a bump in his approval ratings, with most of that change coming from two key groups - Republicans and senior citizens.
"Obama's overall approval rating among independents and Democrats is virtually unchanged since late April, but among Republicans it is up 12 points, to 27 percent," Holland says. "That 27 percent sounds pretty anemic, but it's Obama's highest approval rating among Republicans in over two years."
The same pattern holds among age groups. "Bin Laden's death has not made much difference in Obama's approval rating among people under the age of 65, but among senior citizens, positive views of his track record are up nine points, to 51 percent," Holland adds.
According to the poll, the president also gets a boost from his personal qualities, as has been the case since he first set foot on the national stage. Fifty-eight percent of Americans say he inspires confidence; 57 percent call him a strong leader.
And although the public gives Obama low marks on domestic issues, it appears they believe his heart is in the right place. Six in ten say that Obama cares about people, and 55 percent say he shares their values - the highest mark Obama has received on that measure since the "honeymoon" period in the months following his inauguration.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted May 24-26, with 1,007 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report
I'm neither for or against Obama, but if foxnews is pro-gop, then anyone can appreciate that CNN is highly pro-obama. Every time there is an article about the president, all I see are great supporting comments, but on GOP articles, all comments are rude and uneducated
Obama/Biden 2012!!
Ay Peter, Sarah Palin is more competent than President Obama is like saying that a 4 year old is more competent then you. Going by what you are saying, I'll put my money on the 4 year old. Palin is and always will be known as a quitter. She chose book deals and fame over finishing her term as governor a job I have no idea how she got. People in Alaska must be just as dumb as you.
Totus for President: So what does Obama do to commemorate this most solemn day as our Commander-In-Chief?
Apparently you missed the news coverage of President and Mrs. Obama hosting a breakfast for the Gold Star families (those who lost relatives serving in the military) and the president laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and visiting the section of Arlington cemetery reserved primarily for those service members killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Up 27 points with Republicans? I rather DOUBT IT!
He was at my local kroger giving a speech in my hometown of bristol va.he seems sincere and i honestly believe hes trying his best.
LOL....it's a CNN Poll. Obama is a one term President, thank goodness!
Bailouts for banks saved economy from ruin and goby fully repaid
Auto bailouts save auto industry and goby on target to be fully repaid
Steady job growth for one year
Dow from 6500 to 12500, retirement accounts starting to regain value
It takes time to fix a mess, if you don't see he's doing that than there is mo convincing you. Luckily you don't need more than just over half to understand(depending on electoral college breakdown) to keep us on the right path
TOTUS FOR PRESIDENT: Where have you been? The President spent time overseas building important relationships, came home and visited the tornado stricken areas/families, then did attend Memorial Day events. What this means is that he did not even take a single day off. Stop lying to yourself. If you are going to dislike a person, at least be honest with yourself about why you dislike them. Don't be afraid to admit it to yourself. Those feelings and the misguided emotion behind them are not a crime.
What incometent domestic policies? If he were to have skipped that trip and stayed here, you would say he was avoiding those responibilities.
Sarah Palin is more competent? How did she prove this to you? She has not had a job in some time. Throwing darts on FOX does not prove competence. If it does prove it to you, I would suggest that there is something wrong with the method by which you are measuring.
It is comical how so many people who do not have half the intelligence or guts that the President does, are so sure that he is incompetent.
Please keep in mind that he walked into this mess. Don't blame the guy who paints your home because the siding is not balanced. Go back to the guy who sided the house.
Its hurts to say it but this man makes carter look like a amazing president !
Obama is a joke his foriegn policy's are a joke the economy is still 6 feet under the guy is in waaaaaaaayy over his head but hey we asked for change and that's what libya is about change from bush! This is a scam the guy is a loser
Just Imagine if Sarah Palin had been a Democratic Governor(God forbid) and quit her job. Do you think people would be raising her to the level she is at today? She went from practically living in a trailer to buying a million dollar home in Arizona. Who thinks she is going to give up making this kind of money? She is a quitter, an instigator and divider. Great stuff to be a president? I don't think so. Palin couldn't win in 2008 with a well known partner, who thinks she is going to win on her own dismal record in 2012?
I am hoping President Obama gets a second term. The damage to this country under the neocons has been so great it will take a full two terms to correct the selling out of our middle class that occured. By the former commander-in-thief from 2001-2008. We are only now just beginning the recovery.
Memorial Day and all I hear is Sarah Palin. Are people rally that stupid?? Guess so! Boycott Stupidity!
I had and have faith in our President !!!
Bring Palin on! If she could should survive the Roast at Repub presidential debates, Obama would certainly Toast her. She's a Quitter, a value disclosed when she quit her duties as Governor. And, her foreign policy experience is limited to looking over the horizon and make insane comments of having foreign policy experience because Alaska is close to Russia. What a joke.
Been saying this all along when he was down in the polls. If a major event took place like Osama bin laden then he is a shoo in for re election. That's why the GOP is so upset binladen was killed. He was killed under obamas watch.
You people on the left why don't you pick up your tounges up off the floor...Gas is still over 4 in LA, food prices are killing us this memorial weekend and yet the CNN crowd still see him in a favorable light, face it there is nothing this clown will do to lose the love of the idiot left..
As always, I stand with this president, whom I am proud to call MY president.
I am so proud of my POTUS and FLOTUS they are all about class and leadership.
obama/biden 2012
You'd think after 8 years of Bush and Cheney, the American people would appreciate a better quality of president than we had under their administration. Good going, Obama. I haven't regretted waiting in line 3 hours to vote for you in '08 for one day since then, and look forward to voting again for you in 2012.
It's about time that the American people start realizing that our President is doing everything he can and doing most things right. He should not be blamed for the roadblocks that the GOTP in congress keep putting in his way.
I do wish that one of those polls would call me. As a progressive, intelligent, well-educated president, he definitely represents me and my values.
The dems on here are very funny. You praise the president for his increased poll numbers that are a result of the continuation of Bush's policies on Irag, Afganistan and terrorism. You then ignore all Obama's low poll numbers from his policies and handling of the economy, budget, healthcare, gas prices, medicare and taxes.
Obama's poll numbers won't last, sorry.


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text:
Public Context Argument
Writer: Write your questions about this draft on the back of this sheet.
Reader: As you read the draft, you should assume the role of the target audience and keep in mind the specific values, interests, and concerns of that audience. Remember to follow the protocol established in earlier workshops… Read through your partner's paper first without making any comments. Just look at ideas and get a general understanding of their essay. Then, read through it again addressing the following questions. Write comments on the draft or on a separate sheet of paper. Remember to be specific, honest, and thoughtful.
Writer: Please add any questions you would like your partner to consider in addition to the questions asked in the workshop.
1. Briefly state the writer's claim. Is it clear, narrow and debatable? Is it clearest from the beginning of the text and/or is it placed accordingly in terms of the publication's style? (e.g. an editorial may have the claim clearest at the end of the text)
2. How well does the writer demonstrate understanding of his/her audience? identify locations where the writer shows awareness of the audience's existing awareness of or knowledge on the issue
identify specific locations where the writer addresses the audience's predispositions or existing beliefs and answers (or "deals with") them, pushing the audience to new understanding rather than attacking or mirroring their current beliefs
note any recommendations you have for making audience awareness sharper/better in this argument
3. What reasons does the writer provide to support the overall claim? To what extent do those reasons correlate with the audience's beliefs, values, needs or expectations? Explain. Which reasons are less effective? Why?
4. What evidence does the writer give to support their claims and reasons? Which pieces of evidence are going to be most convincing or compelling for the audience? Which are less convincing? Why?
5. Connection with the audience is of the utmost importance in this argument. Where has the writer effectively used appeals to logic, emotion and values (ethics)? Where could the writer use more appeals or revise existing appeals?
6. How well does the writer respond to or address the objections that the audience is most likely raise based on their values and beliefs? Where does the writer fail to address an opposing argument you think is important?
7. How effectively has the writer incorporated visual elements to augment the argument? Where is the use of a visual element most effective? Least effective? To what extent are the visual elements consistent with the publication the writer has chosen?
8. Overall, how appropriate do you feel the writer's choice of public context is for h/er argument? Why?
9. Answer the questions the writer has asked you.


text:
Remember the 1980s, when people got worried about a Japanese "takeover" of the U.S. livestock and meat industry?
A ranch in California passed into Japanese ownership. Japanese meat giants like Nippon Meat Packers and Itoham had processing operations here and were looking to expand. It seemed only a matter of time before they or other Japanese buyers would scoop up IBP or Monfort. Then the beef industry would be "saddled" with foreign ownership, which would be bad for the industry.
That was the thinking at the time in some quarters, but such concerns were unfounded. The Japanese did not expand their ownership interests. They studied the meat industry intensely. I even wrote a 50,000-word report for one Japanese entity that profiled the top 10 U.S. companies. But at the end of the day, that firm decided ownership required a colossal capital investment that outweighed the returns (beef packing margins were then less than 1%). Any threat of major Japanese ownership dissipated, and the industry continued to remain resolutely U.S.-owned, as it had been throughout its history.
Ironically, it was an entity that few people had heard of that finally broke the domestic dominance of ownership. Family-owned JBS SA of Brazil stunned the industry by snatching up Swift and Co. (Monfort under another name) over bids by Cargill and pork giant Smithfield Foods.
It's equally ironic that Smithfield in late May stunned many by agreeing to sell to a Chinese company called Shuanghui International Holdings. Should this deal go through, it means two foreign companies will own two of the most venerable names in the meat industry — Swift and Morrell.
JBS and Shuanghui each had/have compelling business and strategic reasons for wanting to own major U.S. companies. Both companies were already top players in their species and region. JBS was South America's largest beef processor, and Shuanghui owns China's largest pork processor. JBS saw an opportunity to offer U.S. beef and pork to its global customers, and Shuanghui wants to sell a lot more U.S. pork in China.
I have a much harder time imagining why not one, but two, groups of mostly South Korean investors think that investing in new beef processing plants will work for them. I wrote in last month's column about the first plant, Northern Beef Packers (NBP) in Aberdeen, SD, and its financial difficulties.
But another group of Korean investors seems undeterred by NBP's six-year struggle to get started. In an almost copycat project, this group has put forward plans to build a plant in Scottsbluff, NE. Both plants have an avowed aim of processing 1,500 cattle/day.
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Both groups claim they want to be able to export high-quality beef to South Korea. This seems a shaky strategy, to say the least. Korean buyers already source U.S. beef from numerous long-established packers. I also wonder if the Korean market can afford the premiums for U.S. beef that will be needed, as both companies promise to pay premiums to U.S. producers for their cattle. Korea was the fourth-largest market in value terms for U.S. beef exports in 2012. But this value was down 15% from the year before, due to a weaker Korean economy.
More importantly, the same issues will apply to a new plant in Scottsbluff that apply to the Aberdeen plant. These include a shrinking U.S. cattle supply, the difficulty of attracting a stable labor force, and the need for deep pockets for working capital requirements.
The prospect of these investors getting permanent residence in the U.S. seems to be the biggest carrot. Both groups are using the federal EB-5 visa program, which allows foreigners to obtain permanent visas if they each invest in an existing or new business that creates a certain number of extra jobs. That's no criteria for building a new beef plant the industry doesn't need.
Steve Kay is editor and publisher of Cattle Buyers Weekly. See his weekly cattle market roundup each Friday afternoon at beefmagazine.com.
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