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Dearest Lightworkers, what a grand month December will be! Waves of Cosmic Light and Radiance from the Great Central Sun will flood the Earth's new Crystalline grids. Pluto, the engine of transformation, moves into close conjunction with the Great Central Sun or Galactic Center, providing the powerful surge of transformative energy that will initiate the "Great Awakening" of the next two years. Yes, indeed, dearest Lightworkers, the Earth is now poised for a great leap in consciousness. Daily the light and radiance on the planet increases.
We will call it a "Cosmic Sunrise", for the brilliant light from the Great Central Sun rises to illuminate the planet, which is now poised for the great awakening that will be the beginning of the New Earth or the "Golden Age". In 2006 and 2007, dearest Lightworkers, you will be the Rainbow Bridge that will facilitate many millions of people shifting their consciousness into the Higher Dimensions as they prepare to ground themselves in the Crystalline Grids of the New Earth. You, as the First Wave and pioneers of Ascension, have prepared the way and you are holding the Light Bridge so that others may follow.
There will be two focal points in this period - the 12:12:13 stargate and the Solstice.
The 12:12:13 Portal
As the radiant Cosmic energies from the Great Central Sun flood the Earth, the consciousness of the Collective rises. You, the first wave of Ascension workers, will move, as a group, into the Ninth Dimension of Consciousness. Here you will anchor your awareness at the level of the Christ Consciousness. What a Gift! The first large group of transitoning adults now meets with the blessed Crystal Children who are already holding the Christ light - and together you open the portals of the Christ Consciousness for the Collective.
In the next two years, many will follow you to this level. Here, you will embrace your work as stewards of the Planet, keepers of the ecology of the New Earth. As you make this shift, you will feel within you a desire to hold and balance nature. To take all humanity with you into an Earth of radiant beauty and radiant health. This is the New Earth that waits to manifest as humanity raises its Collective Consciousness to the place where this radiant Earth exists.
And so, dearest Lightworkers, at this time there are three words or concepts that we offer for your consideration.....Completion, Mystery and the Child.
Completion is relevant for you now, as you, the first wave, are completing your Ascension work. You have arrived at the Ninth Dimension, and you are being held and supported by the Ascended Masters and Angelic hosts on the 10, 11th and 12th levels. You will find yourself completing and closing off any outstanding work and issues that remain from the last year, and the last solstice. The Orange-Pink ray that came through in August at the Lion's Gate portal has done its work of cleansing and balancing the lower chakras, and you are now empowered to work with the Crystal grids in a clear and wonderful way. Now more than ever it is important to find your soul families and form communities of Light, so that you may anchor the new energies firmly in the grids, and hold the balance and be the bridge for humanity right now.
Many of you may feel tired and a little lost. You may not feel particularly radiant right now. But we ask you to underdstand that you have worked hard in the last years, and you have pioneered a great shift in consciousness. You will need time to move into the full realization of the potential that you now carry. Everything is different, and you are in a kind of limbo as it were, between two worlds, as you begin to discover what it truly means to be a Crystal or Christed being.
This is also the nature of Mystery. Entering into an Acceptanceof the Great Mystery and the Sacred nature of All Life. Allowing the Light and the Divinity of All Things to be seen and perceived. From now on, you will not really need logical explanations, for your heart will understand the nature of Mystery, and will accept the Beauty and Grace of Infinity. For beyond Christ Consciousness, lies the portals of Infinity and the Mystery of all that Is within the Cosmos. A Sacred Mystery.
And finally, dearest ones, the Child! As you move towards the festival known as Christmas, we urge you to remember the sacred nature of this time. It celebrates the birth of the Christ child, who was to be the first anchor and avatar of this age. Celebrate the emergence within you at this time of the "Christed child", the Magical Child, the Emergence of Light. And then celebrate the beauty of those Christed children who hold the energy with you - the Crystal children! Awakened and fully in Light - let this be a Festival of Light for you!
The Solstice: December 21/22
The year culminates with the sacred festival of the Solstice, when Earth begins a new cycle of the seasons. In the North, it is midwinter, and in the south it is midsummer. At this point you experience the longest day and the shortest night in the south, and the shortest day and the longest night in the north. This is a pivotal point, a point where things shift and a new cycle begins.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Solstice event was often celebrated in the past by the Pagan people's as the "birth of Light", and it was celebrated as a Fire Festival. When Christianity was established, many of the fire symbols of the light festival, such as candles and yule logs, were assimilated into the Christ Mass. So, dearest ones, let this year's festival be a Celebration of the Light birthing on your planet, and a culmination of the journey of the Christ Consciousness. At this ecstatic moment, you might celebrate both the Ascension and the "Second Coming", for with your completion of your ascension, and the arrival of the Crystal children, the Christ Light once again shines on the Planet. The new cycle inaugurated by the Solstice will be the first cycle of the new Christ Consciousness on the the Planet! It will be felt by all in the coming years!
Dates to Remember in December
- Dec 1st: New Moon.
- Dec 8th: Pluto moves into close conjunction with the Great central Sun/Galactic Center. Expect an increase in "intensity" that will affect emotions and moods.
- Dec 12th: The 12:12:13 gateway.
- Dec 15th: Full Moon. Also a very intense time emotionally.
- Dec16th: Sun transits Pluto. Energy for Transformation.
- Dec 18th and 19th: Sun transits the Great Central Sun/Galactic Center. Maximum Light and Radiance floods the Planet.
- Dec21/22: Solstice.
- Dec25th: Christmas.
Some Feelings you May Experience in December
- Extreme fatigue, maybe alternating with periods of high energy. Also a sense of great clarity about yourself that may go with a greater clarity of phsyical vision. This is the result of the movement into a higher dimension of consciousness. It is hard work energetically, but you will know when you get there! You might not be able to stay there right now, but at least you will know that you can get there, and can work towards staying there.
- Extreme energy sensations in the body,especially around the 18th and 19th. Buzzing, currents felt in the limbs, "spaciness" in the head, feelings of nausea, etc. This will be your body working to accomodate the increase in Light Radiance.
- Intense emotions and feelings: sadness and depression alternating with greay joy and elation. The intense light will cause emotional instability. Try to stay centered and focus on the Light. Being centered and grounded will be very important at this time, otherwise you may find yourself "spinning out".
- Time will seem to be moving very fast, and you may struggle to get things done. New Earth time is clashing with old Earth linear time. Don't try to do everything. Relax and let your Higher Aspect take care. All that needs to be done will be done at the right time. Remember the concept of "Divine Timing".
- Meeting new friends and new people, as the Soul families and Clans continue to come together. Also, letting go of people whose energy no longer aligns with yours at this time.
- Feelings of Gratitude, Calm and Joy.....you have made it! It is done!
- Feelings of Empowerment and Possibility! Its time to create the New Earth...Here we Go!
You are free to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work under the following conditions: You must give the author credit, you may not use this for commercial purposes, and you may not alter, transform or build upon this work. For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license terms of this work. Any of these conditions can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder. Any other purpose of use must be granted permission by author.
© 2006-7 Celia Fenn and Starchild Global http://www.starchildglobal.com


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Mel's Lawyers Want a Shot at Oksana's Key Witness
Oksana Grigorieva has enlisted a secret weapon in an attempt to strip Mel Gibson of overnight visits with their daughter, but TMZ has learned Mel won't give up that right without a fight.
We're told Mel's attorneys have filed a request to depose Dr. Shawn McCoy, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in child custody evaluations.
Sources tell us McCoy was hired by one of Oksana's previous lawyers -- and submitted a declaration to the court ... which said that, generally speaking, infants should not be with the father overnight when the parents are separated.
Oksana's attorneys could have a tough time convincing Judge Scott Gordon of that. We're told Mel's had one overnight visit with Lucia per week for the past several months and there have been no problems -- so his attorneys will argue that McCoy's generalization simply does not apply here.
Sources tell us yesterday Judge Gordon gave Mel's lawyers the green light for the depo.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Two important bills -- both crucial to government finances in California -- appear to be dead. A Senate committee this week voted down legilsation that seeks to protect taxpayers from pension costs through a number of reforms, chief among them raising the retirement ages for public workers. On another front, union-backed legislation that would make it more difficult for local governments to declare bankruptcy (and thus get out from under their obligations to government employees) was put on the list of inactive Senate bills.
So that's it, right? Not in Sacramento, where these two measures are very good candidates to become the sort of legislative vampires that rise from the dead.
California's governing system -- in particular, its requirement of a two-thirds vote to pass budget bills -- makes it easy to revive legislation that doesn't get passed the usual way. How's that? Well, when you need two thirds to pass a budget, small groups of lawmakers -- typically but not always, minority Republicans -- have extraordinary power to block the budget. It is common practice for small groups to threaten to block the budget unless there is an agreement to approve controversial legislation they want. (Prop 14, the top two primary measure passed by voters last week, was one of these vampires; it was a failed proposal that was revived at the last minute during budget negotiations in early 2009 as part of the price of getting then-State Sen. Abel Maldonado's vote for various budget cuts and temporary taxes).
U.S. & World
Both the pension reform bill and the local government bankruptcy bill are classic candidates to be revived in this way -- hey are bills that particular legislators or interest groups desperately want, but can't get through the usual votes. They are vampires. Look for them to rise again later this summer.


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Choreography by: George Balanchine
Music by: Igor Stravinsky
An animated dance for a neoclassical couple, the dancers periodically stop and listen to the onstage musicians before ending with a poignant scene in a pool of light on a dark stage.
Stravinsky dedicated Duo Concertant to Samuel Dushkin, a well-known violinist he met in 1931. The composer premiered the work with Dushkin in Berlin in 1932, and the pair gave recitals together across Europe for the next several years. Balanchine first heard the piece performed by Stravinsky and Dushkin soon after it was composed, but not until years later, when he was planning the 1972 Stravinsky Festival, did he decide to choreograph it.


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Water SA
versión On-line ISSN 1816-7950
versión impresa ISSN 0378-4738
Water SA vol.34 no.2 Pretoria feb. 2008
Non-rainfall moisture inputs in the Knersvlakte: Methodology and preliminary findings
Roger BrownI; Anthony J MillsII; Chris JackI
IClimate System Analysis Group, EGS Department, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
IIDepartment of Soil Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa
Dew, fog/mist and water vapour adsorption, the 3 vectors by which non-rainfall water can be added to soil water, may play a critical role in ecosystem function in arid zones. This paper explores a methodology for overcoming the challenges of measuring small daily inputs of non-rainfall water in the harsh environment of the Knersvlakte on the West Coast of South Africa. An automatic micro-lysimeter (MLS) - an experimental arrangement of a sensitive electro-mechanical load cell, suitable electronic amplification and signal conditioning, and a microcontroller was developed. A microcomputer was employed for overall system control and data logging. Initial field work took place between late September and November 2006 on Arizona Farm, 30 km north of Vanrhynsdorp. In March 2007, subsequent work began at the Ratelgat BIOTA observatory. Manual soil weight sampling corresponded well with theoretical dew maximums, with measured maximum and minimum dew/fog of 0.4 mm and 0.08 mm (±0.08 mm) (both in September 2006). Measurements from the first prototype MLS were marred by large (± 0.24 mm) error figures, signal dropout from the analog to digital converter, and insufficient range at the required resolution. The subsequent prototype (field tested in March 2007 and still in use) provides much smaller errors (± 0.05 mm). Calibration testing at Ratelgat indicates maximum overnight dew/fog contributions of 0.35 mm (±0.05 mm), which corresponds with theoretical calculations as well as field measurements in other arid zones. Maximum dew/fog derived soil water occurs between 07:00 and 09:15. Surprisingly, soil weight, as a consequence of dew/fog inputs, starts to increase shortly after 17:20. These are preliminary findings and longer term testing and validation are ongoing at present. The role of quartz pebbles and small succulent plants in the interception of non-rainfall water is still to be explored.
Keywords: non-rainfall water, dew, fog, micro-lysimeter, Knersvlakte, West Coast
"Full text available in PDF"
AGAM N and BERLINER P (2006) Dew formation and water vapour adsorption in semi-arid environment - A review. J. Arid Environ. (65) 572-590. [ Links ]
BIEDERBECK V, CAMPBELL C and NICHOLAICHUK W (1977) Simulated dew formation and microbial growth in soil of a semiarid region of western Canada. Can. J. Soil Sci. 57 93-102. [ Links ]
BLIGHT G (2002) Measuring evaporation from soil surfaces for environmental and geotechnical purposes. Water SA 28 (4) 381-394. [ Links ]
COWLING R and PIERCE S (2002) Namaqualand: A Succulent Desert. Fernwood Press, Cape Town, South Africa. [ Links ]
DAWSON T (1998) Fog in California redwood forest: Ecosystem inputs and use by plants. Oecologia 117 476-485. [ Links ]
FRANCIS M, FEY M, PRINSLOO H, ELLIS F, MILLS A and MEDINSKI T (2007) Soils of Namaqualand: Compensations for aridity. J. Arid Environ. 70 (4) 588-603. [ Links ]
HEUSINKVELD B, BERKOWICZ S, JACOBS A, HOLTSAG A and HILLEN W (2006) An automated microlysimeter to study dew formation and evaporation in arid and semiarid regions. Am. Meteorol. Soc. 7 825-831. [ Links ]
HILLEL D (1998) Environmental Soil Physics., Academic Press, San Diego, USA. [ Links ]
JACOBS A, HEUSINKVELD B and BERKOWICZ S (2002) A simple model for potential dewfall in an arid region. Atmos. Res. (64) 285-295. [ Links ]
MONTEITH J and UNSWORTH M (1990) Principles of Environmental Physics. Routledge New York, USA. [ Links ]
NINARI N and BERLINER P (2002) The role of dew in the water and heat balance of bare loess soil in the Negev Desert: Quantifying the actual dew deposition on the soil surface. Atmos. Res. (64) 323-334. [ Links ]
OLIVIER J (2002) Fog-water harvesting along the West Coast of South Africa: A feasibility study. Water SA 28 (4) 349-360. [ Links ]
SANTANELLO J and FRIEDL M (2003) Diurnal covariation in soil heat flux and net radiation. J. Appl. Meteorol. 42(6) 851-862. [ Links ]
SEELY M, HENSCHEL J and HAMILTON W (2005) Long-term data how behavioural fog adaptations determine Namib Desert beetle abundance. S. Afr. J. Sci. 101(11/12) 570-572. [ Links ]
SHARAN G, BEYSENS D and MILIMOUK-MELNYTCHOUK I (2007) A study of dew water yields on galvanised iron roofs in Kothara (north-west India). J. Arid Environ. (69) 259-269. [ Links ]
+27 21 650-2748
Fax: +27 21 650-5773
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Received 9 November 2007
Accepted in revised form 11 January 2008


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What Hawai'i Chefs Eat When They Go Out to Local Restaurants
Everyone envisions chefs laboring away at the hot stove, so much so that we sometimes forget they do venture out of their kitchens, eat at other restaurants, try new dishes and relax with friends around a table.
(page 2 of 7)
Michael Moorhouse
Executive Pastry Chef at Kahala Hotel and Resort
At his restaurant: Apple confit at Hoku's ($11).
Moorhouse's favorite dessert may also be the most labor-intensive. For the apple confit, apples are first sliced paper-thin, layered with Maui turbinado sugar and left to rest overnight. The next day, Moorhouse squeezes out all the liquid and then bakes the apples at a low temperature for eight hours. A slice of this apple lasagna is served on a macadamia nut sablee (akin to a crumbly cookie) and topped with a rosemary-tinged, white-chocolate mousse and vanilla-butter sauce. Kahala Hotel and Resort, 5000 Kahala Ave., (808) 739-8780, kahalaresort.com.
He also recommends: Kimchee miso ramen at Ramen Nakamura ($11).
"I like it because not only does it have kimchee in it, but it has the fried garlic chips," he says. Ramen Nakamura also has a spicy ramen, but Moorhouse finds the kimchi broth has more depth of flavor. (Ramen Nakamura is also BYOB). 2141 Kalakaua Ave., (808) 922-7960.
Alan Takasaki
Chef/Owner of Le Bistro
At his restaurant: Wild salmon sashimi ($14.80).
During the wild salmon season (late spring to summer), Takasaki prepares a salmon sashimi with a local watermelon dressing, accompanied by endives, Maui onions and Hauula tomatoes. It's a refreshing distillation of summer flavors. Takasaki admits its ephemerality—drawing on the short season of wild salmon and watermelon—is part of what makes this dish so appealing to him. 5730 Kalanianaole Highway, (808) 373-7990.
He also recommends: Torchon of foie gras with pineapple gelee at Halekulani (off the menu).
This was a pairing tasted some time ago, but as Takasaki describes the smooth richness of foie gras against the gentle acidity of pineapple, it's as if the two are dissolving on his tongue all over again. "It was amazing. It's hard to find something where the balance is just perfect," Takasaki says. "The pineapple was sweet and tart, a little bit crunchy—that, with the foie gras, it was amazing. That was something." This isn't a regular dish at the Halekulani, but can be ordered ahead of time. 2199 Kalia Road, 923-2311, halekulani.com/dining.
Vikram Garg
Executive Chef at Halekulani
At his restaurant: Oxtail soup (not on the regular menu).
Garg's recommendation is for the humble oxtail soup, a startling choice given Halekulani's high-end dining experiences. "But if you have to ask for my absolute, absolute favorite, that would be it," Garg says. It's served twice a month at the Halekulani employee dining room, but "regular guests get to know [about it] through the coconut wireless and we save it for them." What makes it so special? "It's just the way one of the cooks makes it," Garg says. "It's family-style, the combination of flavors. We have a lot of people call to see if they can get some." It's become so popular that Garg promises, "Look forward to it coming onto the menu soon." 2199 Kalia Road, (808) 923-2311, halekulani.com/dining.
He also recommends: Pork belly at Nobu Waikiki ($40).
The pork belly at Nobu has at least one loyal fan: "I could eat that every day and not get bored of it," Garg says. Garg loves sharing this slightly spicy and rich dish with others—he goes for the large, big enough for two or three to share. Waikiki Parc, 2233 Helumoa Road, (808) 237-6999, noburestaurants.com/waikiki.
Alejandro Briceno
Chef/Owner of V Lounge
At his restaurant: Margherita pizza ($14).
When asked for his recommendation, Briceno says, "I can't say Prima," referring to the crowd darling topped with pancetta, truffle oil and a runny egg. Instead, he prefers the much simpler Margherita—in essence, a cheese pizza—made with San Marzano tomato sauce, hand-pulled mozzarella di buffala, and garnished with a simple basil leaf or two. 1344 Kona St., (808) 953-0007, vloungehawaii.com.
He also recommends: Short ribs pipikaula-style at Helena's Hawaiian Food ($5.20 for small, $10.40 for large).
Helena's pipikaula-style short ribs are a clear favorite for Briceno. "I love the texture, love the flavor," he says. Like pipikaula, these meaty ribs are dried—at Helena's, you can see them hanging over the kitchen stove—for a chewy, juicy bite. "I just love Helena's," Briceno says. "I go all the time; they know my order." 1240 N. School St., (808) 845-8044, helenashawaiianfood.com.


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Howard Stringer, who fought to bring a divided and struggling Sony Corp. together as the Japanese electronics and entertainment company's first foreign president, is retiring as chairman in June.
He announced his departure in New York in a speech at the Japan Society on Friday, which was confirmed by Tokyo-based Sony on Sunday. His retirement will come at an annual general shareholders' meeting in June.
Stringer, a Welsh-born American and 15-year employee at Sony, became president in 2005, when the once glorious maker behind the Walkman portable player was first starting to get slammed by the flashier Apple Inc. and the nimbler Samsung Electronics Co.
The company, which makes the PlayStation 3 game console as well as "Spider-Man" movies, is still struggling. It has lost money for the last four years, and racked up its biggest loss in its 67-year history for the fiscal year through March 2012.
Stringer said he was ready to retire after handing over the helm last year to Kazuo Hirai. Stringer groomed Hirai, longtime head of Sony's video-game unit, who led its relative success as a brand in the U.S. market, to be his successor.
"I was pleased to hand the reins to Kazuo Hirai last year because I saw in him the right mix of skills to lead Sony, and I knew it was the right time to bring about generational change," Stringer said in the speech.
"Over the course of the past year, he has come into his own and is leading Sony with vision and authority."
Stringer said he will remain busy with charity work in education and medicine, and will continue as chair of the American Film Institute.
Hirai credited Stringer in the next-generation video-format battle by leading the Blu-ray camp, which included Sony, to victory; for pursuing efficiency and cost reductions, and expanding the film and music businesses to become "key profit drivers."
"Howard's unwavering dedication and leadership throughout his tenure as CEO enabled us to form the foundation to overcome huge challenges and the path to future growth," Hirai said in a statement.
"I was able to learn so much from him as a business leader and person, particularly his incomparable ability to inspire and invigorate all of those around him."
Before joining Sony in 1997, Stringer had a 30-year career as a journalist, producer and executive at CBS Inc. His pivotal role was seen as developing strategic links between the entertainment and electronics business - a plan Sony has pursued for years but is still not fully realized.
While president, Stringer pinpointed as the major problem the divisions within Sony's sprawling empire he disparagingly named "silos." He reorganized the company, ended unprofitable businesses like the robot project and slashed thousands of jobs. He also encouraged collaborations.
Hirai has followed with the same effort under the slogan "One Sony." Sony has recently come out with smartphones and other products that have gotten good reviews. But it is still losing money in its core TV division.
Some critics say playing catch-up with Apple and Samsung isn't enough, and Sony needs to pioneer an entire consumer electronics sector, as it once did with the Walkman.
But Stringer said he was ready to move on.
"A new world is opening up for me, too," he said.
Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at twitter.com/yurikageyama


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Preserved Sunflower Wreath – 16"
Delight someone special with our charming preserved sunflower wreath! Each one is individually handcrafted and truly one-of-a-kind, accented with beaming golden sunflowers that instantly brighten up any home. It's a beautiful expression of your feelings whether you're saying "thanks", welcoming them into their new home or looking to spread a little sunshine!
These beautiful dried wreaths are selected from only premium preserved and dried floral decorations. Our designers are regarded by many as the "Best in the Business" for creating one-of-a-kind arrangements, including centerpieces and wall décor.
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Steerpike wrote: People tend to obey the law because they think it benefits them more to obey the law than not to. With that said, if you think breaking the law is more beneficial to you, then there's nothing stopping you. The law only has as much power over the choices you make as you let it. The law may provide consequences for you choice, but it doesn't stop you from making that choice.
Sounds about right, but it seems to me that some people make some very odd choices about which laws they choose to obey. Having said that, what I see as an odd choice might seem to them to be perfectly logical. It strikes me that this is where 'law' as a guide to what is right or wrong breaks down, which takes us back to 'what is right and wrong?' The biblical 10 commandments might be a good starting point, but then our law makers wouldn't want to be so restricted by such simplistic a rule as 'do not steal'. Define stealing! What can be stolen? Is tax theft? I could argue that it is! I get taxed by a government that do not represent me, nor most of the population, and doesn't use the money in a responsible manner. As they don't keep to there side of the deal, is my tax 'stolen' from me under false pretences?
I suppose in the context of HTS, you can steal information, but if you don't remove the information from the source, have you actually stolen anything?


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This is an advance summary of a forthcoming article in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. Please check back later for the full article.
Accountability has become one of the major keywords in education during the last two or three decades, and it is not being discussed without controversy. Accountability has always been deemed a necessity for schools to fulfill their purpose in society; however, different views on whether and to what extent schools can be regulated from the outside have led to dissimilar assumptions about who should be accountable to whom and by what means. In a globalized world and with the influence of powerful transnational actors, accountability systems have been converging in the past decades. At the same time, new accountability instruments have been woven into existing structures and processes that have been culturally, historically, and socio-politically preshaped. Accordingly, approaches towards educational accountability worldwide today seem to be similar and diverse at the same time. In this context, the question is how these accountability systems relate to the institutional conditions they are situated in, and how different actors coordinate the order in education within different types of accountability and governance systems. Finally, one can also discuss to what extent accountability policies affect power relations and normalize inequalities within society.


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As Tomorrow Bends Back On Today
This is a fine art print of an original watercolor, charcoal, pastel and ink illustration. It is printed on 100% cotton rag acid-free velvet paper with archival inks. I have left a white border for framing purposes. This print is signed and beautifully packaged in a clear polyethylene sleeve with title card.
Ships carefully packaged in a secure mailer.
copyright 2017 Jeannie L Paske
- 7.5" x 9" on 8.5" x 11" paper
- 12" x 15.5" on 13" x 19" paper
- 16" x 19" on 17" x 22" paper


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A staple of the Wabash sidelines and training room will be noticeable absent in 2006. Head athletics trainer Jack Mansfield has taken a new position at Lincoln Memorial University.
Mansfield spent the past 22 years taking care of Little Giant athletes and their injuries. He leaves to begin a new job as the program director of the athletic training education program at LMU beginning January 3.
"I never thought I would leave Wabash," Mansfield said. "When I interviewed with Dean McKinney years ago, I told him I wanted to retire from Wabash. Even in my initial conversations with LMU, I had no real plans to leave. But the opportunities presented by the school to teach in an administrative position made me make a tough decision."
Mansfield had served the past two years as a member of the Allied Health Advisory Board for LMU. When the school's program director announced she had been accepted to medical school and would be leaving in January of 2006, the board initially developed a plan to fill the administrative position by utilizing Mansfield's expertise. The plan called for Mansfield to file paperwork by computer with an occasional trip to Harrogate, Tennessee, as needed.
The more the school and the board talked about Mansfield's role as an advisor, the more the group realized he was exactly what they were looking for in someone to take over the director's position permanently.
"It sounds like a line, but they really made me an offer I couldn't refuse," said Mansfield said.
"Trainer Jack," as every athlete that's ever had an ankle taped has called him, takes a wealth of experience and memories to his new job. During his time at Wabash, Mansfield has served as the president of the Indiana Athletic Trainers Association, where he initiated the licensing act for Indiana high school athletics trainers that eventual was passed into state law. He served as a representative to the Great Lakes Athletic Training regional board, and has worked as an athletics trainer at the Olympic Training Center and the Olympic Trials. Mansfield was named as a local co-chair of the National Athletic Trainers Association convention in Indianapolis in 1990, helping to develop a format that became a benchmark for the annual event.
Mansfield also worked as one of only five trainers at the White River Park State Games before eventually being named the medical director. Under his guidance, the training program increased to 243 athletic training volunteers and incorporated an educational seminar as part of a continuing education program for those trainer.
He has also been inducted into the Indiana Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame, the Ball State University Ring of Honor, and was named a Distinguished Hoosier by the late Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon.
"Wabash opened a lot of doors for me. It's really a tribute and a credit to what Wabash is."
"There are so many special friendships and memories I'll take with me," Mansfield added. "While it would be tough to separate them and come up with one special moment, I do remember my first year at the Polar Bear track meet. It was cold with freezing rain, and when I showed up at the track, Coach Rob Johnson looked at me with disbelief and said, 'What are you doing here?' I took that as a huge compliment. I've always tried to provide the same care and attention for every student-athlete. It's been one of the greatest challenges. I've tried to do my best to provide consistent care throughout my time at Wabash."
While new challenges await, including work with a new center for osteopathic medicine at LMU in the fall of 2007, Mansfield will be ready to meet those challenges with the support he's always received from his family.
"You can't do this job without support from your family," Mansfield said. "Gayle and my kids have been behind me 100 percent. There's no way I could accomplish any of the things I set out to do without their help and understanding.
"Students come here because they know the type of liberal arts education Wabash will provide them. I want the athletic training program at Lincoln to be the same type of program for students who want to enter the field of athletic training. I want to develop the same kind of reputation in that field."
Photos: "Trainer Jack" gets a break to watch the Little Giant football team during the 2005 season.
Mansfield looks at Don Juan Brown's shoulder.
Wabash Dean of Students Tom Bambrey and Director of Athletics Vernon Mummert recognize Mansfield and his wife, Gayle, for their years of service at a reception held in mid-December at the Allen Center.


text:
What's Good!!!
I'm on a roll with these posts, yeah?? :D
I'm on a roll with these posts, yeah?? :D
A lot of you have been asking me to do more of these "Get ready with me" videos and I never mind doing them cuz its easy to film, and editing isn't so bad. The only thing I hate about it, is finding MUSIC for my videos!! And I can't do a voiceover because I don't know how on my editing software AND I don't have a mic lol FAIL!
If any of you know where I can get music to use for my videos that youtube will allow and not take down - PLEASEEEE let me know!! Any good royalty free music! Thank you in advance :)


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Mackinac Island
Accessible by ferry
Mackinac Island,
This island emerged gradually over 15,000 years ago. As the glaciers receded, the island rose above lake level and the erosive action of the ancient Great Lakes agains the island's limestone bedrock created the many cliffs and rock formation that you can see today. The island is an American National Historic Landmark which was established in 1817. No cars are allowed on the island. Instead of car engines, you will hear horse hooves clip-clopping along the roads. For transportation you have a choice of walking, bicycling, horse and carriage or horseback riding. The majority of the island is owned by the park service and offers many dog-friendly hiking trails and picnic areas. The island offers a downtown area with dog-friendly hotels, vacation rentals, outdoor dining and scenic views. Also worth noting are the many fudge shops on the island and you can purchase fudge at stores and restaurants throughout downtown. The boardwalk, located west of the downtown area, offers the best spot for watching sunsets. This is also a popular walking area in the evening hours or for enjoying a picnic at one of the many picnic tables. In the late evening hours, the Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, can often be seen year-round. To get to the island, you will need to take one of the three ferries, all of which allow leashed dogs.
DogFriendly.com, with tens of thousands of places listed to take your dog to, will be releasing on it's Dog News blog, Facebook page and on Twitter a list of 200 Top Places that you can take your dog in the U.S. and Canada. This list, while intended to highlight top places that are especially pet-friendly, is not designed to be the absolutely top 200 places that we could find, but a sampling of the top places so that all regions, types of attractions, hotels, B&Bs, vacation rentals, parks, beaches, shopping and more can be considered. No doubt each of you will find many other places not on this list or our full list of dog-friendly places at https://www.dogfriendly.com. Please let us know about them by commenting on the blog or emailing us at email@example.com. You can also let us and our readers know if you agree or disagree with the selections, or your experiences there. Please keep in mind that places often change their policies regarding dogs and thus may have different policies at any time in the future.
The blog entries can be found at https://dogfriendly.com/dognews/?cat=243, our Facebook page, or Twitter.
Tags: ferry, historic village, history, island, quaint


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Restaurantware's paper food cones make every snack and sides a veritable cornucopia of deliciousness. These eco-friendly and sustainable paper food cones and food cone stands will add panache, charm, and fun to any culinary treat. Sleek and contemporary in their design and feel, our paper cones come in varying sizes, so you can fill them with all manner of pastries, fries, tots, chips, peanuts, broccoli, fruit or any other delectable bite-sized treat.
Our food cone stands are a chic, charming and convenient way to display and hold your paper cones, so you can easily serve up party snacks like popcorn, chips, or candy while enhancing the look and feel of any table. These food cone stands come in a variety of eco-friendly choices, such as reusable acrylic, bamboo, and stainless steel. You can choose from individual food cones stands, multi-level serving displays or multi-slot stands for larger parties. We also have food cones that come with their very own dipping pocket -- perfect for dips, ketchup or salsa.
Choose paper food cones from a variety of colors and styles, such as white, black, bamboo print, picnic print, and newsprint. All our bamboo and wood food cones are made from sustainable and biodegradable material, so you can be sure that you're helping the environment while serving up your savory sides.
2 Items
2 oz Natural Pinewood Mini Cone - 3" x 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" - 200 count box>SKU: RWB0152$38.19
3 oz Natural Bamboo Medium Cone - 5" x 2" x 2" - 200 count box>SKU: RWB0108$49.09View as Grid List
2 Itemsper page


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(CNN) — It's another day — to mourn, to recover, to remember.
On Saturday, high school seniors in Moore, Oklahoma, will have time to celebrate their graduation. But they and others from the Oklahoma City suburb spent Friday reflecting on the mammoth tornado that ripped through their town days earlier.
One of those people at the center of the heartbreak is Amy Simpson, the principal at Moore's Plaza Towers Elementary School. In an emotional press conference, she spelled out what happened Monday in vivid detail — from upbeat award ceremonies in the morning to sheer terror in the afternoon, when the twister leveled her school and left seven dead.
"What started out as a normal day at Plaza Towers turned into a horrible, horrible thing for seven families,"she said.
Her students were among the 24 people killed by the twister — an EF5, the strongest category of tornado.
All of the Plaza Towers students who died were second- and third-graders. One Plaza Towers student was buried Thursday, then two more on Friday. There will be two more funerals Saturday, then one each on Monday and Friday of next week.
Second-grader Kyle Davis was one of those remembered in a packed funeral service Friday.
His kindergarten and second-grade teacher Emily Eischen described him as "always a thoughtful child" and a "sweet, sweet little angel."
Kyle's soccer coach, John Jackson, thanked the late boy's family "for letting us be a part of a special child's life."
"What he gave us we can never repay you for," Jackson said. "Everybody in this room will tell you the same thing."
At Friday's press conference, Simpson spoke of her meetings with parents, saying that "not one … blamed us."
In fact, citizens, officials and others have lauded teachers and staff at Plaza Towers and other Moore schools for keeping students calm and putting themselves in harm's way to protect them.
Superintendent Susie Pierce said Friday preliminary estimates indicate the twisters did $45 million worth of damage to buildings in the public school system — including to the two elementary schools that were leveled.
Getting things back to near normal will be a focus over the coming months, both from a logistical and psychological standpoint.
"We have had a great loss," Pierce said. "Our hearts are broken."
Already, the recovery process is well underway in and around Moore, with efforts to clean up debris and give neighbors a hand after tornadoes damaged or destroyed an estimated 12,000 homes.
Country music star Blake Shelton, a native Oklahoman, will lead a benefit concert for tornado victims on May 29. The show,, which will air that night on NBC, will feature Grammy winning artists Miranda Lambert, Vince Gill and Reba McEntire.
"Everyone has their way to help, and mine as an entertainer is to perform and to help raise money and awareness for this tragedy," Shelton, a judge on the music talent show "The Voice," said in a statement. "This is why I want to do this special and especially hold it in Oklahoma City, which is near ground zero."
Some are also recovering from injuries sustained in the storm.
As of Friday, five adults remained hospitalized in varying states — one in good condition, three in fair condition and one in critical condition — according to a representative from University of Oklahoma Medical Center.
In addition, one child was in critical condition at Children's Hospital, which is affiliated with the medical center.
Some 377 people total were treated for injuries as a result of this week's storms, the Department of Emergency Management said. The University of Oklahoma Medical Center and Children's Hospital together treated 93 patients, who ranged in age from younger than 4 years old to older than 85.
CNN's Marlena Baldacci contributed to this report.
™ & © 2013 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


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Known variously as Samhain, Summer's End, All Hallow's Eve, Witches Night, Lamswool, and Snap-Apple night, Halloween is among the world's oldest holidays. Rooted in ancient pagan and Christian festivals that celebrated the inextricable link between seasonal and life cycles, Halloween has transcended its cultural roots and is currently celebrated in various forms all over the modern world. Halloween as it exists today is an exciting array of dichotomies as it delights both children and adults, prompts private religious observance as well as public exhibitionism, and blends personal imagination with mass marketing. A day full of magic and mystery, Halloween has not only survived, but it has thrived during epic cultural, religious, economic, and industrial changes throughout its long history.
Roots in Ancient Celtic Festivals
The essential elements of Halloween, such as costuming, trick-or-treating, lighting bonfires, telling ghost stories, and attending community parties can be traced back 2000 years ago to the ancient Celtic festival called Samhain (SOW-in or SOW-an), which means "summer's end." As the second major seasonal festival of the year (the first was called Beltain, celebrated around May 1st), Samhain marked the death of summer and the beginning of the Celtic New Year (Rogers 2002). As a moment of change, Samhain was viewed as a night of magic and power. In a time where there was little distinction between the diminishing sun and the possible extinction of life, Samhain was an intensely sacred festival that marked the boundaries between summer and winter and life and death (Skal 2002).
The Celts (which included people from northern France, Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, and Brittany) believed that on October 31st the Lord of Death, Saman, would call together all the souls that had died the previous year to travel to afterlife during the Vigil of Samhain. Ancestral ghosts and demons emerged from sidh (ancient mounds or barrows of the countryside) and were free to roam the earth, harm crops, and cause trouble (Bannatyne 1990). The living would often disguise themselves in ghoulish costumes so the spirits of the dead would think they were one of their own and pass by without incident. The masked villagers would also form parades to lead the spirits out to the town limits. In addition to masks and costumes and, arguably, as a precursor to modern-day trick-or-treating, the Celts would also offer food to Saman to persuade him to more be temperate as he judged their ancestors. Additionally, the Celts would lay out food for their weary ancestors traveling to the other world or to appease spirits who were looking for trouble.
Because these roaming spirits were thought to hold the secrets of the afterlife and the future, Celtic priests, or Druids, thought that divinations could be read with more clarity on this particular day. The priests would light large fires to both strengthen the Sun god and to make divinations by throwing a horse or cat (sometimes in a wicker cage) into the fire and watch the burning entrails. At midnight, they would begin to worship Saman, who would be the ruler of the earth for the next six months (Thompson 2003). Because the Celts were an oral culture, some speculation remains whether the Druids actually practiced human sacrifice and the Roman accounts (like Julius Caesar's reports) are accurate or just instances of Roman propaganda (Skal 2002).
|Goddess Pomona
Roman Festival of Pomona
|All Soul's Celebration
All Saints and All Souls Days
After Constantine officially declared Christianity legal in the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313, Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire. Realizing they would have more success in converting others by assimilating existing powerful pagan rites and symbols into Christian rituals rather than obliterating them altogether, shrewd Church leaders gradually appropriated Samhain and Panoma celebrations into the Catholic rituals of All Saints and All Souls Days. In fact, Pope Gregory III moved All Saints Day (or All Hallow's Day, in England) from May 1stto November 1st to coincide with the pagan festivals. The eve of All Saints Day, October 31st, became All Hallow Even, then Hallowe'en, and then Halloween. In addition, a French monastic order called the Cluniacs created All Soul's Day to commemorateall departed Christian souls (not just the saints') on November 2nd (Rogers 2002). Taken together, the three days were called Hallowmas, ("hallow" meaning "sanctified"or "holy") (Thompson 2003).
In many respects, these Christian rituals remained the same as their pagan counterparts with a few important derivations. For example, like the ancient pagans, the Church encouraged their congregation to remember the dead--but with prayers instead of sacrifice. In addition, instead of appeasing spirits through food and wine, members of the congregation would go house to house carrying a hollowed out turnip lantern whose candle symbolized a soul trapped in purgatory and offering prayers for the dead in exchange for "Soul Cakes." Poor churches could not afford genuine relics of the saints and instead held processions where parishioners dressed as saints, angels, and devils, resembling the pagan custom of parading ghosts to the town limits (Bannatyne 1990). Bonfires were also lit, not in homage to the sun, but to keep the mortal enemy of the
|All Saint's Day
new religion away: Satan, a concept arguably incompatible with the polytheism of the ancient Celts. The Druids were seen as witches (wiccas or "wise ones"), and a fourteenth-century text called Malleus Maleficarium (The Witches Hammer) created a link between witchcraft and the devil that produced a mythology so powerful it lasts even today (Rogers 2002). By the end of the Middle Ages, Hallowmas was among the most important liturgical movements in the Christian year.
The Reformation and Halloween
It was on Halloween in 1517 when Martin Luther began a reformation that would radically limit celebrations of Halloween in Europe. As subsequent Protestant sects began forming throughout Western Europe, many Catholic rituals--including Hallowmas--were banned (Skal 2002). Yet, just as the Celtic Samhain was assimilated with the Roman festival of Ponoma and merged again with Catholic custom, the English Protestants appropriated several elements of Halloween in an autumn festival known as Guy Fawkes Day. This day celebrated the Protestant triumph of a Catholic plot led by Guy Fawkes to blow up the Protestant-sympathetic House of Lords when Parliament met on Nov 5, 1605 (Rogers 2002). Guy Fawkes was publically hanged and then drawn and quartered for his role in the plot, and it became popular to re-enact his punishment through the festive parading of a scarecrow figure through the streets (Rogers 2002). The eve of Guy Fawkes Day became "mischief night" and, instead of begging for "soul cakes" in commemoration of All Saints Day, boys dressed up in costumes to beg for coal to burn their effigies of Guy Fawkes, the Pope, or other unpopular political figures. But in countries that maintained a strong Catholic tradition, such as Ireland and Scotland, Halloween rituals flourished largely untouched by the Protestant Reformation (Skal 2002).
Halloween in the New World
The American Revolution created a society more tolerant of religious diversity and, consequently, Halloween celebrations became increasingly secular and centered in the community rather than churches (Bannatyne 1990). While Halloween maintained its association with the harvest and changing seasons, it was also becoming more gendered. For example, while young males were creating mischief such as blocking chimneys, ruining cabbage patches, unhinging gates, and unstable-ing horses, young women typically stayed close to home on "San-Apple Night" to divine a future mate by bobbing for apples or divining from apple peels (Thompson 2003). Still, both genders enjoyed telling ghost stories, which likely derived from both the Druid belief that the ancestral dead arise on this night and the Christian directive to honor the souls of the departed at Hallowmas.
Immigration in the Early Nineteenth Century
Victorian Era Romanticization
The emergence of both the Victorian periodical and postcard at the end of the nineteenth century helped create homogeneity among the disparate ethnic Halloween traditions--at least among the educated middle and upper classes. However, while Victorian periodicals created a synthesis of sorts, they also tended to romanticize Halloween as a genteel holiday and as a night of romantic divinations and parlor games (Rogers 2002). In addition, Victorian ghost stories became less concerned with actual ghosts and more concerned with romance and passion. As Victorians attempted to throw better parties than their neighbors, they added pomp to their celebrations that had little to do with Halloween (Bannatyne 1990). Ancient Halloween rites were all but lost as the focus became more and more the province of children, matchmaking, and kissing games.
Halloween in the Twentieth Century
As mass-marketed periodicals (such as The Ladies' Home Journal) and other various mass media continued to advertise the "perfect Halloween party," Halloween became a bona fide North American holiday in the 1920s that was an economic boon for businesses and candy manufacturers alike. As commercialization continued in the early twentieth century, civic groups such as high schools and rotary clubs began taking over some of the domestic rituals of Halloween and promoted it as an event for everyone. As cases of mischief increased, particularly during the Depression, more Halloween tricksters were being "bought off" with candy. For example, packaging for Ze Jumbo Jelly Beans contained the message: "Stop Halloween Pranksters." In 1939, the magazineAmerican Homes was the first mass-marketed periodical in the U.S. to use the term "trick or treat" as a distinct property-protection strategy (Skal 2002).
During WWII, some Halloween celebrations were canceled due to sugar rationing, but soon trick-or-treating would reach its commercial heyday. Like the consumer post-war economy, Halloween in the 1950s grew by leaps and bounds. Candy companies, with plenty of sugar available again, launched national advertising campaigns directly at Halloween, and soon trick-or-treating became a national practice (Skal 2002). Americans continued to add a distinctly commercial slant to Halloween with Hollywood scary movies, greeting cards, and decorations. During the 1960s, however, rumors of tainted treats and razor blades in candy, as well as a cyanide-laced Tylenol scare in 1982, frightened both parents and children. Though actual tampering of Halloween candy has been extremely rare, fear still lingers today (Rogers 2002). Yet, Halloween, as it tends to do, recovered, and today is the second largest national holiday behind Christmas.
Halloween is no stranger to controversy even in the twenty-first century, but the energy of Halloween has always been targeted by those who wish to control it, from the early Catholic church to the various political and religious groups of today. Yet, Halloween has managed to achieve national status without federal sanction (such as July 4th and Christmas) because it's a celebration of the potential of what humans want to be--and, if only for one night, what they would not otherwise be (Rogers 2002). Historically Halloween endures because it allows its participants to both embrace and defuse their fears (Thompson 2003). From the ancient Celts who worshipped the Lord of the Dead to help them visualize the afterlife to the little vampires and fairies trick-or-treating at your door, Halloween's adaptability is the reason it remains—after nearly 2000 years—the most bewitching night of the year.


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Local University: New Orleans
Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 8:30 AM (CDT)
Event Details
Presented in Partnership with
Learn how your business can use the web to get more customers!
Attend Local University–a half-day workshop about Internet marketing for New Orleans-area businesses.
Featuring a presentation by Google: Learn how to use Google's local products to acquire new customers, while also engaging and retaining existing ones. We'll start by walking through claiming your Local Plus page, and then explore other local products.
We're bringing in some of the nation's leading online marketing experts for an intensive four-hour crash course in Internet marketing that will help you navigate the possibilities for marketing your business on the web. You'll learn Search & Social Marketing tips and techniques that will lead to sustained, long-term search engine rankings (and new customers) in your local markets and world wide.
Local University: New Orleans will take place on May 7, 2013 from 8:30 am - 1 p.m at the Kendall Cram Lecture Hall Lavin-Bernick Center, Tulane University .
Capacity is limited, so sign up today!
|Morning Session
|Session Topic
|8:00am - 8:30am
|Check-In and Caffeine
|8:30 - 8:40
|Kick-Off and Conference Introduction Will Scott will introduce the conference speakers and bring attendees up-to-speed on some basic terminology that will be used throughout the seminar.
|8:40 - 9:05
|How to Make a Good Website for Searchers and Search Engines Gain an understanding how to create a website that's useful and appealing to both your human visitors and to the search engines.
|9:05 - 9:30
|Website Optimization Basics You'll be walked through the basics of how search engine results are generated and learn some of the REAL signals that your website can send the search engines in order to rank better.
|9:30 - 9:55
|Ranking Your Business in Local Search Results Learn how to rank well in the Google Maps results and how to make sure you convert searchers into customers.
|9:55 -10:10
|Understanding Your Website Traffic Attendees are introduced to Google Analytics, and learn how to gain insight into their website's traffic sources and convert more "visitors" to "customers."
|10:10 - 10:30
|Q&A By this point, your head will probably be spinning with some questions. Take the opportunity to ask specific questions to the presenters.
|10:30 - 10:45
|15 Minute Break
|10:45 - 11:15
|Getting Social Online You'll be introduced to the world of social internet marketing, including strategies to engage with customers and prospective customers using the most popular social media tools like Twitter, Facebook, and blogs.
|11:15 - 11:45
|Reviews and Your Online Reputation Your online reputation is everything. Learn how to make online reviews work for your business.
|11:45 - 12:00
Grow Your Business with Email Marketing - We'll discuss how to build relationships that are the key to the success of your goals with easy, inexpensive and highly effective email marketing.
|12:00 - 12:15
|Going Local with Google Learn how to use Google's local products to acquire new customers, while also engaging and retaining existing ones. We'll start by walking through claiming your Place page and then explore other local products.
|12:15 - 12:40
|Internet Marketing for the Do-It-Yourselfers The presentations will be tied together and we'll give you some guidance to help you figure out where to prioritize your online energies and resources--including some free tools to take advantage of, and questions to ask if you're thinking about bringing in a professional.
|12:40 - 12:55
|Got More Questions? Get More Answers! The second Q&A panel of the day will again give you a chance to ask questions to the presenters.
|12:55 - 1:00
|Conclusion & Takeaways Presenters will leave you with key points to remember from the day's topics and answer any final questions from attendees.
|Lunch (you are on your own)
|Site Clinics & Additional Training Site clinics by reservation.
|Google Local: Meet with the Google representative to gain more insight into their local products (2 1/2 hour sessions)
When & Where
Tulane University
29 McAllister Dr.
Lavin-Bernick Center, Suite 213, Kendal Cram
New Orleans,
Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at 8:30 AM (CDT)
Add to my calendar


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Union Pacific Increasing Train Speed Through Sweetwater, Texas
Omaha, Neb., March 15, 2005 Union Pacific Railroad will increase the speed of its trains to 70 mph for freight trains and 79 mph for passenger trains on the rail line operating through Sweetwater, Texas.
Train speeds will be increased five miles per hour each week beginning March 28 until the new speed limit is reached on April 4 for freight trains and April 11 for passenger trains. Trains currently operate through Sweetwater at 60 mph because of track and operating constraints. Recent track improvements permitted higher speeds. The railroad averages two passenger trains a year operating over the line.
Union Pacific has raised train speeds through several communities following necessary highway/railroad grade crossing signal modifications and has found that not only do the trains operate more efficiently, but also motorists are not stopped at the crossings as long.
Union Pacific Corporation owns one of America's leading transportation companies. Its principal operating company, Union Pacific Railroad, is the largest railroad in North America, covering 23 states across the western two-thirds of the United States. A strong focus on quality and a strategically advantageous route structure enable the company to serve customers in critical and fast growing markets. It is a leading carrier of low-sulfur coal used in electrical power generation and has broad coverage of the large chemical-producing areas along the Gulf Coast. With competitive long-haul routes between all major West Coast ports and eastern gateways, and as the only railroad to serve all six major gateways to Mexico, Union Pacific has the premier rail franchise in North America.
For further information, contact Mark Davis: (402) 544-5459
The statements and information contained in the news releases provided by Union Pacific speak only as of the date issued. Such information by its nature may become outdated, and investors should not assume that the statements and information contained in Union Pacific's news releases remain current after the date issued. Union Pacific makes no commitment, and disclaims any duty, to update any of this information.


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Notice: On April 23, 2014, Statalist moved from an email list to a forum, based at statalist.org.
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: st: RE: using egen, total() with weights
Steve Samuels <email@example.com>
Re: st: RE: using egen, total() with weights
Thu, 9 Feb 2012 19:48:52 -0500
Sheera Joy Olasky:
Because you are ignoring the survey design, you will be unable to provide estimates of uncertainty, e.g. confidence intervals. So though you report that you "don't do -svy-", you should.
What is the connection of the list of crimes to the original survey? If the crimes were reported by the people in the original survey, then it is doubly important that you "do -svy-". Otherwise you are effectively treating the list as a simple random sample. But the reported crimes inherit the study weights of the people who reported them. Thus crimes of the same type reported by different people should receive different weights. The external inflation factors should applied to those weights, a process called post-stratification. If this isn't done, the estimated totals will be biased. .
On Feb 9, 2012, at 6:47 PM, Nick Cox wrote:
Thanks for the extra detail. This is survey data but not it seems -svy- data, so belay that advice. Now sounds most like a problem for -collapse- to me.
Sheera Joy Olasky
Thanks for this insight. I think that I may not have stated the case
correctly, which I know is not particularly helpful on a listserve.
I have a second data set of criminal events. Each entry corresponds to
one crime, and it is given a weight to account for the fact that many
crimes are not reported. Each incident is weighted up, so the annual
state total of crimes will correspond with other estimates. I would
like to use the individual crimes to create a count for each
It was here that I had the brilliant idea to try egen total. Still wrong?
Many thanks.
On Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 6:00 PM, Nick Cox <email@example.com> wrote:
> I am a fan of -egen- when it's the right tool but I wouldn't start there at all.
> As you imply, -egen- can lose precision if you use the default variable type of -float-; the remedy is not to do that, but that's not the crux here.
> -total- offers direct support for pweights. I don't do -svy- but it sounds exactly the right place to start.
> Frankly, from your report you are getting some rather strange advice.
> Nick
> firstname.lastname@example.com
> Sheera Joy Olasky
> I have a set of individual level survey data, which includes
> person-weights. I would like to create population totals by year and
> state. I am using Stata 11.2.
> Originally I had thought to use bysort id: egen pop=total(weight)
> where id is the state-year.
> However, it was then suggested to me that I should be using sum
> [aweight=weight]. This seems more complicated to me, since I'm not
> sure how/if I could make new variables with the sum output in the same
> way that I get a new variable with egen total (weights). Use of
> scalars was recommended, but I have no experience with them.
> Initially, when I compared the values I got with egen total(weight)
> and sum [aweight=weight], they were very close--maybe off by about 4
> people out of over 80,000,000. This imprecision is okay in this
> scenario, but it got me concerned. I thought that perhaps there was
> too much rounding happening with egen, so I generated the
> total(weight) as double. The increased precision seems to have helped,
> and now egen total(weight) and sum [aweight=weight] appear to give me
> the same results when I spot check.
> I don't feel completely confident, though. Before I go ahead and use
> egen, I'd like to know if this is okay or ill-advised. I'd be curious
> to know others' preferred way of handling this.
* For searches and help try:
* http://www.stata.com/help.cgi?search
* http://www.stata.com/support/statalist/faq
* http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/
* For searches and help try:
* http://www.stata.com/help.cgi?search
* http://www.stata.com/support/statalist/faq
* http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/


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Hummingbird Sugar Water 101
Attract hummingbirds (or increase their traffic) in your yard with these expert sugar water tips.
The Recipe
If you haven't memorized the recipe yet, then now is the time. Combine four parts hot water to one part sugar. Mix it up until it's completely dissolved. Once it cools to room temperature, it's ready.
To Boil or Not to Boil
Using really hot water will usually suffice. However, if you plan on making extra sugar water to store in the fridge or you have so-so water quality, then it's best to boil.
Honey Do or Honey Don't?
Some people like to come up with creative ways to sweeten their sugar water without sugar, and the most common stand-in is honey. Not only is honey a bad idea in general, but it can also make your sugar-water mixture ferment more quickly. Skip the honey, and stick to sugar.
The Red Dye Debate
Even though every bird authority around the country seems to agree that you don't need red dye, people still add it to their sugar water. You also see companies offering pre-made sugar water that is red. If this is you, don't feel bad—but it's time to break this habit once and for all. You don't need red water to attract hummingbirds. In fact, it could be bad for the birds (scientists are still figuring this one out). Either way, it's not worth the risk.
The Important Extras
Sugar water eventually goes bad, unless you're lucky enough to have a busy feeder that the hummingbirds quickly empty. You should be in the habit of changing it every few days or even sooner if it's really hot out. Also, don't forget to clean your feeders occasionally. Mold can collect, so you want to make sure you're offering hummingbirds clean, safe water.
Did You Know?
It's always best to stick with real sugar in your mix. Say no to sugar substitutes.
Need clever tips for cleaning the nooks and crannies of your sugar-water feeders? Our readers can help.
"I rinse my feeders with vinegar, and they stay clean. I rinse them every time I change the food. It's so easy and works well." —Mattie Stillwell Tenaha, Texas
"I keep a box of parakeet gravel on hand to clean my feeders. Put a couple teaspoons in the feeder with warm water, then swirl and rise. It cleans the toughest mold." —Sally Brovold Kulm, North Dakota
"I don't mind cleaning my hummingbird feeders except for all those little yellow bee guards. I found an easy way to do it, though. Take any juice bottle that has a wide opening and add 3 cups of water along with 1/8 cup of bleach. Add the bee guards, replace the cap and shake. Then let it sit for five minutes and shake again. Once you take them out and rinse them well, you'll have clean bee guards." —Marija Domijan St. Louis, Missouri


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Check out Ferrari's video on Perry's visit to their HQ.
It's a big deal when Gov. Rick Perry travels to Italy. Just ask him.
"I think that one kind of speaks for itself, that when the governor of the most economically powerful state in the Union comes to your part of the world," Perry said when I asked why it was important for him to go to Italy personally to court economic development. "I am pretty sure that there was more written about Texas in Italian newspapers over the course of the last week than has been in probably the last year. That's my bet," he added.
Perry cites a list of events and meetings with government and business leaders, including executives of a company looking to put a resin manufacturing plant in Corpus Christi. He also attended the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at the Monza Circuit, saying it was a prime opportunity to promote the event's Austin debut in November.
Perry's office is quick to note that taxpayers didn't foot travel costs for him or Mrs. Perry, who accompanied him on the trip. Taxpayers will pay for the cost of their security detail, which Perry considers a simple fact of life, noting, "We live in a world where security is an issue."
While previous governors also had security through the Texas Department of Public Safety, Perry's security tab is bigger because of his record tenure in office and extensive travel including for his unsuccessful presidential race.
Taxpayers have been billed $2.2 million for out-of-state travel expenses for Perry's security detail since his November 2010 re-election. From 2004-2010, taxpayers spent close to $1 million for 23 foreign trips for the Perrys — and that's just the trips that could be accounted for. Records for some were destroyed because they were older by the time we asked for them.
Asked about the potential for criticism about the costs of this trip, Perry said, "You need to check with the Department of Public Safety. I refer to them as the repository of the security."
Racing and chewing
Perry's trip had a state purpose, but a couple of videos floating around the Internet show some of the fun. One documents his trip to Ferrari headquarters, showing him photographing, riding in and driving the fancy little sports cars — and calling Ferrari "the greatest name in automobile manufacturing."
Another is his interview with British racing driver Martin Brundle, an analyst for Sky Sports, at Monza (highlighted on "Texas Monthly's" TM Daily Post under the headline, "Rick Perry's Excellent Italian Adventure").
Brundle, walking away after getting perhaps more of an enthusiastic earful than he bargained for from Perry, said, "Well. You'd vote for him, wouldn't you? I think you'd have to. Blimey. Chew your ears off."


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Google decided it had enough inventory to create a "more open beta," and allow anyone in the United States to buy the Glass Explorer Edition for $1,500.
The beta Glass will come with either regular glasses frames or sunglasses so users can add prescription lenses or use them as-is, according to a Google. The announcement, made on Google+ Tuesday, came about a month after Google had a one-day Glass sale. Google said the response was "overwhelming". From a post last week:
A few weeks ago, we opened up our site for a single day. The response was overwhelming – we almost ran out of inventory and had to close things down early. We've since built our inventory back up and plan to continue to accelerate new ways to expand the program in the weeks and months ahead. Our hope is to bring Glass to new Explorers, like optometrists, sports lovers, online retailers, cooks and travelers, who (like you!) can get in early and help make Glass better as part of our open beta, ahead of a wider consumer launch.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Apparently building up its inventory was key to Google's "open beta," which is what some had suspected. Basically Google had to invest in the Taiwanese company Himax Display to make more than 2 million units a year, according to Variety.
Those interested can purchase the wearable devices at glass.google.com/getglass/shop/glass, but please review Google's Glass etiquette before using to avoid being creepy or rude.


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Pujols hits 3 HRs, Cards romp to 2-1 Series edge
AP Baseball Writer
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Albert Pujols simply let his bat make all the noise. And boy, it was pretty loud.
Pujols hit three impressive home runs to tie the World Series record, amassing five hits and six RBIs Saturday night as the St. Louis Cardinals romped past the Texas Rangers 16-7 for a 2-1 edge.
The outburst by the three-time NL MVP came a day after he was barbed by the media for not sticking around to talk about a Game 2 error and loss. This time, everyone was talking about him.
Pujols, who was 0 for 6 in the first two games, became the third player to hit three homers in a Series game. He joined Babe Ruth, who did it in 1926 and again in 1928, and Reggie Jackson's performance in 1977.
His six RBIs tied the record in a game, matching Bobby Richardson in 1960 and Hideki Matsui in 2009.
Oh, Pujols also matched the Series mark for hits in a game set by Paul Molitor in 1982. Just think, too – Pujols' monster night came after he grounded out in the first inning.
"It's an honor to be named in the same category as those guys," Pujols said.
The Cardinals mashed their way to the highest-scoring game in their storied postseason history.
After two taut games in St. Louis, this suddenly turned into a messy slugfest. Pujols, the most feared slugger in the majors, was right in the middle – he became the first player in Series history to get hits in four straight innings.
Texan fans booed after first base umpire Ron Kulpa's blown call helped the Cardinals score four times in the fourth for a 5-0 lead. The crowd at Rangers Ballpark went silent when Pujols started swinging for the fences, and beyond. His three-run shot in the sixth rattled the windows of the club level in left field.
Game 4 is Sunday night, with Derek Holland starting for the Rangers against Edwin Jackson. It will be the back half of a St. Louis-Texas style doubleheader – earlier in the day, the Rams play the Dallas Cowboys right across the parking lot.
This game had an NFL score, too, for much of the evening. The teams combined for 23 runs and 28 hits – at Busch Stadium, they teamed for eight runs and 23 hits in two games.
"You leave a ball up in this park it's going to carry a little more than it does in St. Louis," Pujols said.
Good-luck charm Allen Craig homered for St. Louis and Yadier Molina drove in four runs. The Cardinals broke it open by scoring four times in the fourth, three more in the fifth and four in the sixth.
Adrian Beltre kept mashing for the Texas, getting four hits and driving in four runs.
Pujols, however, had the defining game of his career. Good timing, too, as he heads into free agency.
The big slugger connected off Alexi Ogando in the sixth, hit a two-run drive off Michael Gonzalez in the seventh and tagged Darren Oliver for a solo shot with two outs in the ninth.
By the end, it was hard to keep track of all the hits. Balls were rolling into the corners, sailing over the fence and going most everywhere.
In the seventh, a fan wearing a Rangers shirt threw a ball toward St. Louis left fielder Matt Holliday as he was preparing to catch a fly ball. The fan was led away by security.
Early in the game, it appeared Kulpa's call would be the focal point.
The Cardinals led 1-0 when Pujols led off the fourth with a single. Holliday followed with a perfect double-play ball, but was ruled safe by Kulpa at first. Replays clearly show part-time first baseman Mike Napoli caught second baseman Ian Kinsler's high toss and slapped a tag on Holliday before he reached the bag.
The Rangers argued, to no avail. The Cardinals quickly scored four times, helped when Napoli threw wide to the plate for an error that let two runs cross. Texas fans booed as replays of the bad call circulated – they won't be happy to learn, either, that Kulpa was born, raised and lives in the St. Louis area.
For the Cardinals, perhaps it was a little evening up, albeit many years later. The call came four days before the anniversary of umpire Don Denkinger's missed call at first base in the 1985 World Series that severely cost St. Louis.
Starters Kyle Lohse of St. Louis and Matt Harrison were both pulled in the fourth inning. Soon after, it was clear that no pitchers were going to be too effective.
Lance Lynn earned the win with 2 1-3 innings of relief and Harrison took the loss.
NOTES: Cardinals manager Tony La Russa earned his 68th postseason victory. He moved ahead of Bobby Cox into second place. Joe Torre leads with 84. … Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki threw out the first ball. The 7-foot Nowitzki fired a fastball from the mound that Young scooped. There has never been a 7-foot major leaguer, though 7-1 pitcher Loek Van Mil is in the Angels' system.


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TOWARDS ENERGY EFFICIENT MOBILE SENSING by Yi Wang A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING) May 2011 Copyright 2011 Yi Wang
Object Description
|Towards energy efficient mobile sensing
|Wang, Yi
|Author email
|firstname.lastname@example.com; email@example.com
|Doctor of Philosophy
|Document type
|Degree program
|Electrical Engineering
|Viterbi School of Engineering
|Date defended/completed
|Date submitted
|Restricted until
|Date published
|Advisor (committee chair)
|Krishnamachari, Bhaskar
|Advisor (committee member)
Annavaram, Murali
Sukhatme, Gaurav S.
|Mobile device based urban sensing, participatory sensing, and user activity recognition can provide rich contextual information for mobile applications such as social networking and location based services. However, as the sensors on mobile devices consume significant amount of energy, the major bottleneck that restricts the continuous functioning of these mobile applications is the limited battery capacity on mobile devices.; In this thesis, we first present a novel design framework for an Energy Efficient Mobile Sensing System (EEMSS). EEMSS uses hierarchical sensor management strategy to recognize user states as well as to detect state transitions. By powering only a minimum set of sensors and managing sensors hierarchically, EEMSS significantly improves device battery life. We present the design, implementation, and evaluation of EEMSS that automatically recognizes a set of users' daily activities in real time using sensors on an off-the-shelf high-end smart phone. Evaluation of EEMSS with 10 users over one week shows that our approach increases the device battery life by more than 75% while maintaining both high accuracy and low latency in identifying transitions between end-user activities.; We then propose a computationally efficient algorithm to obtain the optimal sensor sampling policy under the assumption that the user state transition is Markovian. This Markov-optimal policy minimizes user state estimation error while satisfying a given energy consumption budget. The Markov-optimal policy is compared to uniform periodic sensing and performance improvement is obtained on both simulated and real user state traces, with approximately 20% average gain on empirically collected user data that pertains to user motion, inter-user contact status, and network connectivity.; Finally, we formulate the user state sensing problem as the intermittent sampling of a semi-Markov process, a model that provides more general and flexible capturing of realistic data. We propose (a) a semi-Markovian state estimation mechanism that selects the most likely user state while observations are missing, and (b) a semi-Markov optimal sensing policy which minimizes the expected state estimation error while maintaining a given energy budget. Their performance is shown to significantly outperform Markovian algorithms on simulated two-state processes and real user state traces. In addition, we propose a novel client-server based energy efficient mobile sensing system architecture that automatically learns user dynamics and computes user-specific optimal sensing policy for mobile devices. A system prototype aiming to recognize basic human activity is implemented on Nokia N95 smartphones and desktop computers. We demonstrate the performance benchmark of the semi-Markov optimal policy through a set of experiments, and show that it improves the estimation accuracy by 27.8% and 48.6% over Markov-optimal policy and uniform sampling, respectively.
|constrained stochastic optimization; energy efficiency; mobile sensing; state estimation
|Part of collection
|University of Southern California dissertations and theses
|Publisher (of the original version)
|University of Southern California
|Place of publication (of the original version)
|Los Angeles, California
|Publisher (of the digital version)
|University of Southern California. Libraries
|Electronically uploaded by the author
|Legacy record ID
|Contributing entity
|University of Southern California
|Wang, Yi
|Repository name
|Libraries, University of Southern California
|Repository address
|Los Angeles, California
|Repository email
|Archival file
|Page 1
|Contributing entity
|University of Southern California
|Repository email
|Full text
|TOWARDS ENERGY EFFICIENT MOBILE SENSING by Yi Wang A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING) May 2011 Copyright 2011 Yi Wang