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Technologies for the Physical Plant
More than ever before, campuses are turning to technology
to save money on energy and build better buildings.
LET'S FACE IT: Most people don't need Al Gore to convince them that the Earth's
environment has been changing significantly in the last few years. Sure, the former vice president and presidential
candidate educated everyone with his 2006 documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, but with Hurricane
Katrina, rising temperatures, and shrinking snows atop Kilimanjaro, evidence of something
climatically amiss is all around us. Some call these weird atmospheric events "global warming," others
a natural "Little Ice Age" cycle; but whatever you call it, the evidence of change is irrefutable. Compounding
the situation, energy costs are higher than ever before. In some states, particularly those in the
northeastern US, energy costs have doubled in the last three or four years. Does this spell disaster for institutions
of higher education? Maybe not: Many colleges and universities are doing their part to react to
these challenges without breaking the bank.
TALK ABOUT YOUR EFFECTIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY: In 2002, student groups at the University of California-Berkeley approved the first of several budget appropriations for the installation of photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof of the Martin Luther King Jr.
Student Union. Not long after, an additional $270,000 in funding for the project was
provided by the California Public Utilities Commission. The system was installed in the
fall of 2003.
Today, the 5,000-square-foot PowerGuard installation from PowerLight is capable of generating 59 kilowatts of electricity, operating at peak times
(sunny summer days) when demand for electricity is greatest. The system integrates
the PV cells with R-19 insulated panels, in a modular system that allows for future
Looking forward, the school has plans to expand the rooftop array with an additional
60 panels, say school officials. Even without this expansion, PowerLight estimates that
the system will save $390,000 in electrical utility charges over its lifetime. Considering
that the cost of traditional energy sources continues to rise, the investment looks smarter
every day.
For most, intelligent response involves technology. Schools such as Pennsylvania State University, the
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Adelphi University (NY), Hamilton College (NY), and Fairfield
University (CT) are turning to new technologies and tech products to cut down on energy usage, control
HVAC systems, and save big bucks.
Still other schools, such as the University
of California-Berkeley, have invested
in renewable energy measures (see
"Catching Some Rays,").
While many of these efforts have
been successful, they are not without
their tests. For instance: How do IT
managers justify capital expenditures
on new tech products, when the goal is
to save money? How do campuses raise
conservation awareness among students
and faculty members? Academic technologists
are compelled to answer questions
like these, but sometimes the
answers aren't easy ones.
Penn State: Centralizing
Energy Management
At Pennsylvania State University, technologists
have built a comprehensive
energy management system around a
solution called Itron.
Dubbed the Guaranteed Energy Savings
Program (GESP), the effort also incorporates
hardware from building efficiency
vendor Johnson Controls, enterprise resource planning
software from Metasys, and a variety of other
products and technologies.
A CENTRALIZED ENERGY MANAGEMENT system at Penn State allows HVAC, lighting, and security
data from multiple buildings to be interpreted, stored, and commanded in one system.
The $3.4 million project was launched
in 2006; thus far, it involves 50 of 600
buildings on campus. In a nutshell, the
system brings together all of the campus
building automation systems; factors in
outside data about outside temperatures;
and compares this information to
a class roster to determine which classrooms
are occupied, and when. The
goals, according to Energy Program
Engineer Laura Miller, are to improve
efficiency and cut costs.
"We're trying to get a system that has
all of this information in one place so
that when we do our energy management,
we can go to one source instead of
several different sources," she says.
"Centralizing these tasks makes it easier
for everyone, not to mention the fact
that it also just makes sense."
In the past, each building was controlled
separately with hardware from
various vendors. Because the hardware
was different in each building, most of
the structures had their own building
automation systems (BAS) that controlled
HVAC, lighting, and security.
These systems made it easy to manage
energy on a building-by-building basis.
Controlling multiple buildings was difficult,
however, since one system didn't
talk to the others.
The new system eliminates that problem.
By inputting into the Itron solution
BAS information for every building,
BAS data from disparate spots on campus
can be interpreted, stored, and commanded
in one system. Perhaps the most
sophisticated aspect of the system is the
way it interfaces with the school's
course management system, automatically
powering down lights and computers
when the schedule indicates a
classroom is not in use.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, on Feb. 2, student representatives from environmental organizations at
all eight Ivy League universities urged their institutions to commit to climate neutrality and
reduce their impact on the environment. (Climate neutrality can be achieved through reductions
in greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy generation, or carbon offsets.)
"Our schools have a unique position in society, given their academic and financial
resources," noted Craig Altemose, a graduate student at the Kennedy School of Government
at Harvard University (MA). "They have the potential and responsibility to lead by
This coalition of Ivy League students is specifically calling for their schools to reduce their
own greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by the year 2050. The goal
mirrors expected recommendations of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change for avoiding the worst effects of climate change.
The students' goals were enumerated in a resolution delivered to each university's
student government and administration. The resolution first appeared this winter, during
a week of action on global warming called "Rising to the Climate Challenge," which
included events on more than 575 campuses across the US and Canada.
"It's all about who is using the building
when," says Miller, who adds that
hardware currently on the system
includes products from Johnson Controls, Siemens, DeltaV, Square D, and Eaton Cutler-Hammer, to name a few. "This
system also has a built-in alarm," she
adds, "so if someone is modifying the
schedules, we'll know about it."
Penn State officials expect that with
these improved efficiencies, the system
will save the school between $600,000
and $800,000 per year in avoided energy
costs. Miller says that while state-run
institutions usually look for a 15-year
payback on technology investments,
this system has the ability to pay for
itself within five or six years. At a time
when energy costs continue to rise,
those are metrics worth noting.
University of Alabama:
Hunting for Errors
Improvements in energy management
also are afoot at the University of
Alabama at Birmingham, where technologists
have turned to EnergyCAP to achieve similar
results. Here, the system aggregates
and retains utility data for every building
on campus, from 1993 to the present.
The objective: to track trends and
identify billing mistakes that could
cost the institution hundreds of thousands
of dollars a pop.
Specifically, the EnergyCAP system
coordinates five types of data for 284
buildings on campus: electricity, steam,
natural gas, water, and sewer. By tracking
this data over time, the school can
predict how to set its utility budgets for
the coming year. UAB Engineer Kelly
Winnett says that when administrators
factor in current energy rates, they also
can calculate what utility bills should
be, and identify any mistakes in the
billing process.
"The program not only helps us spot
utility company operation errors, but
also helps us detect problems within the
buildings," says Winnett, noting that the
school's overall utilities budget is right
around $50 million for the year. With so
much money at stake, the ability to
catch billing mistakes is vital. "It's like
an insurance policy that we use to make
sure we're not paying more than we
should be," she asserts.
Since implementing the EnergyCAP
solution in 2005, UAB has spotted more
than $120,000 in utility billing errors.
The solution also has helped officials
pinpoint a damaged gas meter, leaky
valves, and recurring double charges
on a sewage account. Considering that
the school only spent $50,000 on the
technology, Winnett notes the Energy-
CAP system has paid for itself already—
and then some.
To make sure students, faculty, and
staff members are aware of the effort to
reduce energy costs, the school recently
embarked on an advertising campaign,
Winnett reports. The campaign plays on
UAB's school colors: green and gold.
Signs imploring constituents to "Think
Green – Save Gold" have been affixed
to campus vehicles. So far, at least
according to the engineer, the advertisements
have worked.
"Energy costs trickle down to students
in the form of higher tuition and
fees," she says. "The more we can help
raise awareness across campus that
we're striving to conserve energy, the
better off we all will be."
Adelphi University:
Encouraging Shutdowns
Technologists at Adelphi University
have turned to similar tools to control
the amount of energy used in their computer
labs: A program called Drive-
Shield (from Centurion Technologies) shuts down
computers every night at a predetermined
According to CIO Jack Chen, the
business case for this product was compelling.
The school has nearly 700 computers
in labs across campus, he reports,
with machines each averaging 300 watts
per hour while idle. Throw in energy
usage from monitors, he adds (roughly
150 watts per hour), and all told, the
campus computer labs were wasting
315,000 watts of power each hour or
2,520,000 watts over the course of an
eight-hour night.
ON THE HORIZON for Adelphi: Interfacing its DriveShield program with a course schedule, to predict
lab usage over time and shut down computers one hour after the last class ends each day.
Chen realized that shutting down the
machines would save big bucks, so he
bought DriveShield last year, installed it
on each machine and programmed the
software to automatically shut down
computers at 11 pm. With electricity in
that region at 13 cents per kilowatt
hour, shutting down the machines for
eight hours now saves about $327.60
each night, $9,000 each month, and
$108,000 annually.
"It's amazing when you think about
how much we're saving just by shutting
these things off each night," Chen says.
"People forget how much energy computers
use when they're just sitting there
waiting for someone to use them."
Down the road, he adds, the school
will look into expanding the shutdown
program to determine which computers
can be shut down even earlier in the
evening. To accomplish this, he says, the
school will need to interface the Drive-
Shield program with a course schedule
to predict lab usage over time. Ultimately,
he says, the goal will be to shut
down computers exactly one hour after
the last class has ended.
Another project on the horizon is an
effort to minimize printing costs and the
energy required to power campus printers.
The school is investigating the use
of Pcounter software from AND Technologies,
to limit to 500 the number of pages students
can print per semester. Once students
exceed this amount, they would
have to pay 5 cents per page. Expected
savings: $25,000 per year in toner and
paper alone.
"Printing is a big expense," says
Chen, who notes that expected savings
wouldn't even account for the money
saved by reducing energy usage across
the board. "Some savings here, some
savings there—all of a sudden, you've
saved quite a bit." And such savings—as
most CIOs know—can mean newfound
funding for other initiatives previously
unable to get off the planning board.
Hamilton College and
Fairfield U: Innovative HVAC
While Adelphi has highlighted energy
reduction as a strategic goal for 2007,
the school also is investigating a new
geothermal heating system to reduce
HVAC costs. But Adelphi is not alone in
this quest. At schools across the nation,
IT and facilities management departments
are collaborating on similar technologies
that harness natural climactic
conditions and existing energy sources
to achieve savings in the areas of heating,
ventilation, and air-conditioning,
as well.
IT and facilities management pros at
Hamilton College, for instance, recently
compiled a number of technologies to
comprise a web-based interface that
managers at the school now use to control
the school's HVAC system. The
solution, which launched in May,
incorporates software and hardware
from vendors such as Siemens, Saia, and Hansa, to name only a few.
While thermostats in individual classrooms report temperature in those
spaces, and sensors determine when the
rooms become occupied, behind the
scenes the new system "finds" natural
alternatives to heat and cool the rooms
accordingly. Steve Bellona, associate
vice president for facilities and planning,
explains that to minimize waste,
the solution takes advantage of chilly
outside air to provide cooling, for
instance, or recaptures the heat created
from burning natural gas and works it
back into the system.
AT FAIRFIELD U, a new turbine powered by natural gas provides electricity to the campus; engineers
recently completed a system that captures heat from the process, powering the school's HVAC system.
"We see this as a 'closed-loop system'
approach to heating and cooling, as
opposed to a 'component approach' that
treats every building and classroom like
its own spot," he says. "At the end of the
day, we're trying to use technology to
harness nature and get the most out of
what we have so that we can save money
down the road."
Bellona says it's still too early to
determine exactly how much the system
cost, but he notes that each Siemens
thermostat cost roughly $1,000, and that
the school will own 24 of the devices by
the end of next year. Down the road, he
says, Hamilton expects to save between
$15,000 and $20,000 annually from
reduced reliance on natural gas and
electricity—figures that suggest the
technology could pay for itself in a
matter of years.
Similar innovative approaches are
underway at Fairfield University, where
technologists have teamed up with the
school's facilities management team to
oversee a new heat and power project.
At the heart of the project is a brand new
turbine powered by natural gas.
While the turbine itself provides electricity
to the campus, engineers recently
completed a system that captures heat
from the process, powering the school's
HVAC system.
The new, $9.5 million system was
rolled out in June. Ric Taylor, former
associate vice president for campus
planning and operations (Taylor resigned
this year after 20 years of service at
Fairfield), says that over time, the system
will provide about 67 percent of the
campus' fossil fuel energy requirements.
He adds that with rejected heat
used for heating and cooling, boilers
will run far less frequently, and unhealthy
air emissions on the campus actually
will decrease.
"According to studies, our sulfur
oxide levels will drop 96 percent and
our nitrogen oxide will drop 17 percent,"
he says, adding that "those two
compounds are principal components of
acid rain. It's not often in this business
that you can say investments in technology
will reduce your emissions."
At a time when energy costs in New
England continue to rise, the school will
enjoy other savings, as well. Overall,
Taylor notes that the system will reduce
annual energy costs by roughly $2.2
million, bringing the budget back to
2005 levels. Coupled with $2.3 million
in state grants and $1 million in cost
abatements from the local gas company,
the investment should pay for itself in
two to three years.
::WEBEXTRAS :: Learn more about campus energy
Green building programs save campus
Terry Calhoun opines on "Power,
Power, and Power".
A power surge at North Dakota State
University left student records
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Royalty-Free Music in different styles for all your projects
Hi! My name is Eugene. I'm a positive and creative person. I love music! But the more I love making music. I'm doing this for over 12 years. I write in many different styles. Come to visit me and enjoy my new tracks. I wish you all good!

subset: commoncrawl


text: During the '50s and '60s, the vocal harmonies of the Browns gave the lie to those who would stereotype country music as a raw product distinguished more by pure feeling than by art; perhaps the single word that best describes their music is "polished." The original brother-sister duo of Jim Ed Brown and Maxine Brown were joined by younger sister Bonnie in 1955, creating a trademark smooth trio sound that proved wonderfully adaptable to down-home harmony singing, to folk-pop arrangements that rode the crest of the hootenanny craze, and to lush Nashville sound extravaganzas. Bonnie and Jim were born in Sparkman, Arkansas, where their father owned a sawmill and a large farm; older sister Maxine was born in Campti, Louisiana. With the encouragement of their parents, the Brown children began singing and developing their characteristic close harmonies early on. In their teens they performed in school and began appearing at local events. In 1952, Jim Ed placed second in a talent contest and won a slot on Little Rock's Barnyard Frolics radio program. Joined by Maxine, he was soon appearing on other local radio shows, which led to local TV appearances as well. The duo earned national recognition and a guest spot on Ernest Tubb's television show for their humorous song "Looking Back to See," which hit the Top Ten and stayed on the charts throughout the summer of 1954. The Browns were joined by recent high-school graduate Bonnie and began appearing on Shreveport's Louisiana Hayride. By the end of 1955, the trio had another Top Ten hit with "Here Today and Gone Tomorrow," which was given a boost by their national appearances on The Ozark Jubilee. The show's producer arranged for them to sign with RCA Victor in 1956, and soon afterward they had two major hits, "I Take the Chance" (a cover of a Louvin Brothers composition that showed how close the Browns remained to traditional harmony textures) and "I Heard the Bluebirds Sing." When Jim Ed was called to serve in the military, the group continued to record while he was on leave, and sister Norma filled in for him on tours. By the late '50s, the Browns, now teamed with RCA's visionary producer Chet Atkins, had become one of the country acts that were most successful in exploiting the new national enthusiasm for folk music. On album covers they were pictured with a clean-cut, almost collegiate look that diverged sharply from country norms. The Nashville songwriters responsible for creating the sentimental, romantic world of Eddy Arnold's music contributed idealized visions of small-town life such as "The Old Village Choir" to the Browns' repertoire, but a song whose origin was not even American gave the trio its biggest hit. "The Three Bells," a translation of a hit song by hard-bitten French chanteuse Edith Piaf, not only spent ten weeks on top of the country charts in 1959, but also crossed over and spent four weeks at number one on the pop charts. As a result, the Browns appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Jimmy Dean Show, and American Bandstand. The Browns remained in the folk mode for their two follow-up hits, "Scarlet Ribbons" and "The Old Lamplighter," both of which did extremely well on both country and pop charts. Their string of hits continued until 1961, when the first phase of the folk boom died down. Two years later, after touring widely in the U.S. and Europe, the Browns joined the Grand Ole Opry. In late 1967, the Browns disbanded. Maxine and Bonnie went back to Arkansas to concentrate on their families, while Jim Ed focused on the successful solo career he had launched in 1965. The trio reunited for the gospel set Family Bible in 1996, and an eight-disc retrospective of the Browns' music was released under the title The Three Bells on Germany's Bear Family label the following year. Bonnie Brown died in Little Rock, Arkansas in 2016 at the age of 77. ~ Sandra Brennan & James Manheim


text:
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is investigating the attempted abduction of a 13-year-old boy at about 6 p.m. Saturday in the 16600 block of West 2nd Avenue, near West Ellsworth Drive.
Authorities said the suspect was driving a small, dark-blue four-door sedan. He was described as a white male wearing a red jersey and a red cap.
The vehicle description is similar to one given in two earlier attempted abductions in September in Arvada. That suspect was also a white male, aged 20-40. Police released a composite sketch of the man sought in those earlier attempts, shown here.
In the earlier incidents, a man tried to lure children into his car with candy, one on a Sunday and another the following Wednesday in the second week of September, police said at the time.
The suspect in the September incidents was described as a white male, approximately 5-feet-9, thin, with sandy or brown hair and in his late teens to late 30s. The second victim described the suspect as not having facial hair, but the first victim described him as having a thin beard and mustache, police said.
The suspect may have changed his appearance between incidents, police said. His car was described as a "royal blue" four-door sedan.
Police described the car in September as possibly having dents on the passenger side rear door, and with half of the rear wheels covered with a "skirt" similar to those seen on a 1996 Cadillac DeVille.


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Garfoose Caught On Film
I've written before about our friend The Garfoose, Dirk Hayhurst, author of The Bullpen Gospels, formerly of the Padres and Blue Jays and this year back from surgery to compete for a job in the rebuilding bullpen of the Tampa Bay Rays.
Because the book came out after Dirk established himself as a middle reliever in Toronto but before he got hurt, a lot of his fans have – to put it bluntly – never seen him pitch. To correct that, we offer a photographic record of his scoreless inning against the Jays this afternoon in Dunedin (The Rays used seven pitchers – four got lit – Hayhurst, Rob Delaney, and Brandon Gomes were the only ones who did not):
12 Comments
Garfooooooose! I really hope that he makes the roster this year. He has such a great personality that would help make up for all the personality we lost during the off season. He's got the talent to make it, from what I've seen.
Did you see that the Giants got a new batboy? Kid named Lincecum.
I'll admit he's got hustle, but he's no Darren Baker. Good thing he's got that pitching gig to fall back on.
Keiith, 2 hits in 3 innings? Is that a WHIP you want to build a bullpen around??
Oh yes! I recall when you pitched his book on Countdown and showed us a copy! I love that title. Good one. He used my first press as well, Author House. Wow! The guy has style for sure! If he sleeps in this position, I think it is called the flamingo. In other news…I offered my Mass for the mitigation of your suffering on this special day. I am so glad you are where you love to be right now. Hugs!
KO: I was hoping you would give us a sit rep on Dirk's recovery and there it is, pictures and all… I was concerned about his making "the big club" since he is a non roster guy, but if he can sustain that performance level, maybe he has a shot. I am rooting for him and waiting for his sequel. My copy of his first book is making the rounds of several of my baseball loving cohorts and I keep getting these emails and phone calls about not being able to put it down. A man with this much to give belongs in the big leagues.
Keith, I bought his book on your recommendation and I loved it. Here's hoping Garfoose makes the big club this spring… 😀
The Garfoose looks like something out of a Tex Avery cartoon.
Jan in Santa Clarita
The pterodactyl delivery W00T! Good one. 😉
7hMnYj Very true! Makes a change to see someone spell it out like that. 🙂
Great post. I like the way you start and then conclude your thoughts. Thanks for this information .I really appreciate your work, keep it up
Nothing is more absolutely frustrating to any person than needing to write one's thoughts clearly and concisely on paper, in the form of a academic proofreading services personal letter to a friend or loved one, a statement of purpose required in a university application, a professional summation of job performance required by a manager, or an essay, research paper, or thesis required by a high school instructor or college professor for a course grade, and not having the fundamental skills to do so.


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Labuan Bajo Mainland
Batu Cermin Cave
Batu Cermin is the Indonesian name for Mirror Rock. Shown is the limestone Mirror Rock that gives this outcrop its name. Depending on the time of year, between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., the sun shines into the canyon and reflects off the walls creating a spectacular visual effect.
The main cave is located at the centre of Batu Cermin. A ladder walkway connects the central area where the main cave is located. The walkway leads through a series of chambers before opening into the main narrow canyon of "Mirror Rock.''
Observe bats and spiders in the caves. While the bats are found in abundance, you have to be very lucky to see the local spiders who, when approached, quickly scamper out of sight.
Sano Ngoang Deepest Lake in the World
General information
Located approximately 35 km east of Labuan Bajo
Thought to be one of the deepest volcanic crater lakes in the world, with recorded depths of 500 meter. Its waters are sulfuric and fed by numerous hot springs.
Rural. Agricultural society.
Traditional villages, rich in local culture.
No local guides operate from Sano Nggoang. Guide services should be organized before your departure from Labuan Bajo. Remarkably simple and untouched by modern life, the lake area offers the following experiences for eco tourism visitors:
- Hiking and trekking
- Swimming
- Therapeutic soaks in local hot springs
- Bike tours (if you bring your own bike or rent one in Labuan Bajo)
- Local horse excursions along the shoreline
- Nature tours:
- Bird watching
- Flora and Fauna explorations
- Agricultural insights:
- Traditional cultivation and irrigation systems
- Care and propagation of domesticated animals
- Cultivation of cash crops in combination with traditional crops.
- Culture
- Local handcrafts
- Village traditions, dances and local traditional ceremonies.
How to get there
- Located approximately 35 km east of Labuan Bajo, in the direction of Ruteng
- Best accessed by car or on a rented motorcycle
- By local Ojek transport (motorcycle taxi) or Bemo (local public buses).
- The recommended means of visiting the lake is in the company of a local driver and guide.
- Follow the main road from Labuan Bajo to Ruteng. After approximately 35 km, turn right at the road crossing in the direction of Werang. The distance from the intersection to Werang is approximately 10.5 km and it is a further 16.5 km from Werang to the actual lake shore. Please note that the road condition is poor beginning from the main road's intersection and can be difficult to pass during the rainy season.
- If you're traveling by local transport, it is recommended that you disembark at Werang and take an Ojek (motorbike taxi) for the remainder of the distance to the lake. Please note that local buses do not operate to any fixed schedule.
- Those seeking exercise should hike the 16.5 km from Werang to the lake. This is a picturesque trek taking about five hours from Werang to the village of Nunang at the lake, with the path passing small local communities along the way.
Cunca Rami Waterfall
General information
- Located approximately 35 km east of Labuan Bajo
- A large waterfall offering a refreshing natural swimming reservoir
- A scenic 1.5 hour nature walk is required to reach the waterfall
Local surroundings
- Rural setting with agriculture plantations producing a wide range of crops
- Traditional agriculture practice and unique architectural features used in local home construction
Getting there can truly be half the fun! The walk to the waterfall transitions from settled areas to less-populated agricultural environs. On the way you, with the help of your local guide, you can converse with local farmers for directions or obtain insights on daily life in West Flores' hinterlands.
Domesticated water buffalos, pigs and goats will be seen along the path. Rice fields, providing the opportunity to see rice cultivation at various stages of its growth cycle, are found along the scenic trek to the waterfall. Be sure to keep an eye out for the vanilla, avocado, bananas and cacao plantations located along the trail leading to the waterfall. A local guide will help identify the many plants, fruits and other plants that populate the walk through this Eden-like setting.
When fording the river leading to the waterfall you'll pass by a popular swimming pool for local children. The river is fairly wide with water volumes that vary, depending on season.
Offshore Labuan Bajo(Indonesia Best Snorkeling)
Bidadari Island
General Information
- Excellent white sandy beach
- Calm water, good swimming
- Nice coral reef, good for snorkeling
- Calm conditions make this an ideal spot for learning or beginning divers
- Exclusive eco-friendly bungalows now being built on the island
- Rock and coral protection undertake by an international company (Reefseekers)
How to get there
- Distance readily from Labuan Bajo to Bidadari Island is 6 km. Local tour operators and boats readily available for the short 15-20 minute boat trip
- Located north west of Labuan Bajo
- Local excursion boats


text:
(CNN) — During "American Idol" on Thursday, the judges' panel was treated to a skirted surprise.
As Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson, Keith Urban and Nicki Minaj weeded through the contestants in Oklahoma, in walked one "Pepper LaBeija," to spice things up a bit.
In actuality, of course, it was former "Idol" judge Steven Tyler. He was committed to his appearance as Pepper, arriving in a wig, lipstick, heels and a full bosom.
Urban was the sole member of the panel to immediately fall into a fit of laughter, while Jackson channeled his inner Liz Lemon and exclaimed, "what the what?!" Carey and Minaj, meanwhile, bore polite, if not a little confused, smiles.
After Tyler told a few jokes in a noticeably strained voice, Minaj called him out. "Dude look like a lady," Carey quipped.
Sadly, though the Aerosmith frontman said he tried hard, he didn't make it through to Hollywood week. Nice that he paid homage though to one of the most beloved stars of the 1990 documentary "Paris is Burning."


text:
Small-Business Data Startup Radius Pulls in $12.4 Million
Radius, a startup that mines and aggregates data about small and medium-sized businesses for sales professionals, announced Wednesday the completion of a $12.4 million series B round of financing. American Express joined as a new investor, backed up by existing investors, including BlueRun Ventures. A spokesperson said Radius's focus is on marketers in "business insurance, payment services, banking, credit cards [and] telecoms" who need to reach small businesses.


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She picks the flowers in the morning
Tucks just a few in her hair
The joy of her mother and father
As she spins around unaware
She carries her song into evening
And the dreams of all little girls
She carries the bread to the table
She carries the hope of the world
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Angels can carry glad tidings
Or burdens to bear in the dark
Love can take both fear and wonder
And hold them inside the same heart
You carried hope and a promise
You carried shame and disgrace
Which was the heavier burden
That drew lines in a little girl's face?
Ave Maria
Gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Ave, ave dominus
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus
Et benedictus fructus ventris
Ventris tuae, Jesus
Held by the love you were holding
Is this what it means to be blessed?
To carry your hope through the darkness
As it carries you into your rest
Ave Maria
Ave Maria


text:
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RE: RE: st: propensity matching and matched pair analysis
Claude Beaty <email@example.com>
"email@example.com" <firstname.lastname@example.com>
RE: RE: st: propensity matching and matched pair analysis
Tue, 21 Aug 2012 17:24:38 +0000
Thank you again for your rapid response. I appreciate your comments. I am encouraged by your last response to stand up to the reviewers regarding this foolishness. However, if they still persist in their demands I will use your recommended program as I would hate to have to re-format may data. Thanks again for of your help.
Claude A. Beaty Jr., M.D.
Halsted Surgical Resident
Cardiac Surgery Research Fellow
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
-----Original Message-----
From: email@example.com [mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com] On Behalf Of Ariel Linden. DrPH
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 12:35 PM
To: firstname.lastname@example.com
Subject: re: RE: st: propensity matching and matched pair analysis
If I understand you correctly, reviewers suggested that you use statistics based on 1:1 matching and apply it when you, in fact, are using a 1:2 approach? I don't want to get in an argument with reviewers (unless it's my own paper), but there is no literature supporting that argument.
This excerpt from page 13 in Stuart, 2010, (reference below) describes the issue perfectly.:
5.1 After k : 1 Matching
When each treated individual has received k matches, the outcome analysis proceeds using the matched samples, as if those samples had been generated through randomization. There is debate about whether the analysis needs to account for the matched pair nature of the data (Austin, 2007). However, there are at least two reasons why it is not necessary to account for the matched pairs (Schafer and Kang, 2008; Stuart, 2008). First, conditioning on the variables that were used in the matching process (such as through a regression model) is sufficient. Second, propensity score matching, in fact, does not guarantee that the individual pairs will be well-matched on the full set of covariates, only that groups of individuals with similar propensity scores will have similar covariate distributions. Thus, it is more common to simply pool all the matches into matched treated and control groups and run analyses using the groups as a whole, rather than using the individual matched pairs.
If you (or the reviewers) still insist that you non-parametric statistics must be used here, I suggest you consider -somersd- (a complete statistical suite for non-parametric statistics written by Roger Newson and found on ssc).
For example, a simple command after you've preprocessed your data with matching would be:
somersd treatment outcome, tr(z)
If you want to account for the groupings of the data you could use the weights generated in psmatch2 that account for the number of controls for each treated (in the case of 1:2 matching, treated units will equal 1 and each control will equal 0.5).
somersd treatment outcome [pw=_weight], tr(z)
This is a simple case I am providing. -somersd- in fact allows for much more control of the data than this. For example you can cluster and stratify, etc....
Most importantly, you will not need to rearrange your data into a different format than it already is.
REFERENCE: Elizabeth A. Stuart. Matching Methods for Causal Inference: A Review and a Look Forward. Statistical Science 2010, Vol. 25, No. 1, 1-21
Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2012 14:07:33 +0000
From: Claude Beaty <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Subject: RE: st: propensity matching and matched pair analysis
I apologize for the delay in responding to your email. I appreciate your opinion on the use of parametric statistics and would love to avoid this whole issue based on these reasons, but the article I am submitting based on this data is subject to peer review and the reviewers would like to accommodate for the pairing in my statistics (I initially utilized the t-test, fisher's exact and chi2 analysis in my paired data to describe the covariate relationships based on disease presence).
As for my questions:
1) Can McNemar's test be used in a 2:1 analysis or only in a 1:1 analysis?
If this is the wrong test, what would be a better analysis for a 2:1 match (Mantel-Haenszel etc)?
Assuming this is the right test, I realize that these case-controls need to be matched and analyzed as a group for the McNemar's and sign rank tests. I also know the groupings, as you indicated and I previously mentioned, based on the _id and _nk variables created by the -psmatch2- command. Currently, my data set is 1800 observations (rows) of patient information. I can create a grouping variable with the 600 groups (3 patients per group as per the 2:1
matching) by hand but would prefer not to.
2) Is there an easy way to create these groups or do I have to write out 600 lines of code, as each group will have 3 different _id codes associated with it?
Finally, my understanding of the -mcc- command for McNemar's test is that the individual numbers associated with the various boxes of the concordant table are to be entered by the user, not calculated by the program. I believe this means I need to manually interrogate every grouping by exposure to a variable of interest and then sum these results by hand, to enter them into a final McNemar's concordant table describing all of the groups relationships based on this one variable. This process would then have to be repeated for every variable of interest. As I have 600 groups and >40 variables of interest, this could prove to be prohibitively tedious.
3) Is this understanding of the command correct? If so, is there a way in which the program can calculate one discordant table for all groups but based on individual intra-group interactions?
Thank you.
Claude A. Beaty Jr., M.D.
Halsted Surgical Resident
Cardiac Surgery Research Fellow
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
- -----Original Message-----
From: email@example.com
[mailto:email@example.com] On Behalf Of Ariel Linden.
Sent: Saturday, August 18, 2012 12:41 PM
To: firstname.lastname@example.com
Subject: re: st: propensity matching and matched pair analysis
Hi Claude,
First off, as part of the Statalist requirements, listers are asked to note what program they are using and where it is found. -psmatch2- is a user written program and can be found on ssc (findit psmatch2).
In regards to your query, you have a couple different things going on here.
First, there is still an ongoing debate as to whether you need to run non-parametric statistics after matching. This issue is even less clear when you use 1:k matches, since matched individuals will likely differ on some covariates even though they appear to be balanced at the cohort level (so on average the groups will be comparable, but any two matched individuals may not be). This is exactly what happens in an RCT - the random assignment ensures balance on covariates at the aggregate level, but not necessarily between any two people.
What this means is that you can use parametric statistics if they are more suitable to answer your particular research question. In fact, there is even an ongoing debate as to whether the researcher should weight the observations in 1:k matching when a fixed ratio matching is applied (which you did using a fixed 2 controls for every 1 treated). Had you used variable matching, weighting would have been necessary.
The next issue you ask about is identifying the specific treated and matched controls. As per the help file, several new variables are generated:
_id In the case of one-to-one and nearest-neighbors matching, a new
identifier created for all observations.
_nk In the case of one-to-one and nearest-neighbors matching, for every
treatment observation, it stores the observation number of the k-th
matched control observation. Do not forget to sort by _id if you want
to use the observation number (id) of for example the 1st nearest
neighbor as in
sort _id
g x_of_match = x[_n1]
_nn In the case of nearest-neighbors matching, for every treatment
observation, it stores the number of matched control observations.
Thus, you can order the matches so that they fall into groups.
I hope this helps
Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2012 20:09:21 +0000
From: Claude Beaty <email@example.com>
Subject: st: propensity matching and matched pair analysis
I have utilized the psmatch2 command to successfully create a 2:1 nearest neighbor match in my data based upon the presence of a specific disease.
This has resulted in 630 cases and 1200 controls. I can identify the matches by the unique ID numbers created during the match process. In order to accurately analyze this data, I know that I need to run McNemar's test for categorical variables and the sign rank test for continuous variables to account for the pairing. However, currently the data are listed as 1800 different observations. Is there an easy was to group the cases with their controls, or due I have to manually create 630 groups by and then sum the results from each group to run these analyses?
Claude A. Beaty Jr., M.D.
Halsted Surgical Resident
Cardiac Surgery Research Fellow
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
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text:
Chaz Bono has already made a startling gender transformation, but apparently he isn't quite finished yet.
While appearing on Howard Stern's XM Sirius radio show, the "Dancing with the Stars" alum revealed that he was considering traveling to Serbia to undergo additional surgery to help his body match his gender.
"There's a doctor in Belgrade that just does this procedure the best of anywhere I've seen it," says Bono. He goes on to explain in explicit detail the process he'd undergo; its end result would give him a closer approximation of functioning male genitalia.
U.S. & World
Stern, however, attempted to dissuade Bono from having the surgery, fearing a possible result could be the loss of all sensation.
Bono went on to discuss how difficult his coming out as transgender and his transition were on his mother, Cher, and how he would love to produce and star in a "View"-like TV talk show with "Dancing" co-stars David Arquette, J.R. Martinez and Carson Kressley.
Just last week, Stern's show made headlines when director Brett Ratner gave an extremely explicit interview that played a role in his ouster as producer of the Academy Awards.
For his part, Bono's new openness to discussing the particulars of his medical decisions is a turnabout for the celebrity scion turned trans activist.
"I've decided to keep my privates private," he wrote in his book released back in May.
Selected Reading: Examiner, HowardTV, Huffington Post


text: WW2 German Army (Heer) officers tunic. Major rank or leutnant. Great quality Army tunic is made from quality Gabardine fabric with dark green wool collar, pin stripped silk interior, makers label and dagger hanger. Includes insignia set, shoulder boards, collar tabs and breast eagle ALL Sewn on, ALL attached, NO sewing required. Also we now offer most waffenfarbe options, please choose below the branch of service you require.


text:
|From graham crackers nanaimo bars
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons frozen unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup mild-flavored honey
5 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
For the topping:
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
What to do:
Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in a food processor with steel blade . Pulse or mix on low to mix. Add the butter and pulse on and off until the butter mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture in the processor and pulse until the dough barely comes together into a sticky ball. It will be very soft and sticky.
Take half of dough and turn the dough out onto a plastic wrap. Gently fold over wrap and shape into rectangle. Repeat with other half of dough. Chill until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.
To prepare the topping: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon, and set aside.
Take one wrapped portion of dough. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8 inch thick (approx 16 inches long). Trim the edges of the rectangle to 4 inches wide. Working with the shorter side of the rectangle parallel to the work surface, cut the strip every 4 inches to make 4 crackers.
Mark a vertical line down the middle of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough. Using a fork, prick the dough to form two dotted rows on each side of the dividing line. Place the crackers on parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the topping.
|From graham crackers nanaimo bars
|From graham crackers nanaimo bars
Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat with the second batch of dough.
Within the kitchen BIG Tip: This is much easier if you use a silpat. You can flour and roll the dough on the silpat. Carefully divide the dough into squares as described – be careful with knife – do not cut through the silpat! Using silpat method you can then just move entire silpat onto baking sheet and move to fridge.
|From graham crackers nanaimo bars
Bake for 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the tough, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking.
Yield: 8 large crackers (original recipe says 10 – I didn't bother keeping scraps as dough is not easy to work with).
|From graham crackers nanaimo bars
|From graham crackers nanaimo bars
Based on http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000126.html and Nancy Silverton's Pastries from the La Brea Bakery (Villard, 2000)


text:
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I know a lot of you are preparing to go to OCS this Summer/Fall - I recommend you check out the following YouTube video:
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YouTube videos on OCS
Packing lists, required knowledge, general hints and tips from those who've been there. All questions about gear here -- including running shoes, boots, inserts, cell phones, etc
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"Excellent. . . . A compelling, unique story. . . . Grabs the reader right away." —San Francisco Chronicle
"Lovely. . . . Memorable. . . . Waldman's vivid writing makes the reader feel a part of both the wildly beautiful Maine coast and two families' heart-crushing grief." —Chicago Sun-Times
"Waldman writes beautifully. . . . [She] keeps her eyes on the road, carrying us into dark territory with wisdom and grace." —The Washington Post
"You won't be able to tear yourself away." —Real Simple
"This beautiful novel shows us how families cope with the most painful kinds of loss and reminds us that even as grief fractures, it can pave the way for unexpected grace." —Ann Packer, author of The Dive from Clausen's Pier and Songs Without Words
"Waldman knits [relationships] together with the pleasing symmetry of a doily. . . . She also constructs an impressive parallel between the vocations of shipbuilding and playing a stringed instrument. . . . Readers will enjoy the ride." —The New York Times Book Review
"Articulately plumbs the depths of the parent-child bond with clarity and intense feeling." —USA Today
"Waldman writes with practiced skill. . . . It's a love story, a tragedy, a family saga, as well as a novel about class conflict that pits two stubborn, controlling women against one another." —The Boston Globe
"Terrific. . . . Waldman's prose style is lovely and fresh. . . . This book made me happy, and happy to be alive." —Pat Conroy, Amazon.com Review
"With the careful attention of a movie director, Waldman renders a panoramic scene of a wedding. . . . Lyrical descriptions." —Philadelphia Inquirer
"A handbook offering all the varieties of responding to loss. . . . A literary puzzle with rich and emotional rewards. . . . Delicate and insistent. . . . Red Hook Road proves life and art are worth it." —Bookslut
"[An] engagingly complex examination of two close families." —O, The Oprah Magazine
"Moving. . . . [A] wise and beautifully written book." —Downeast.com
"Searing. . . . All of the characters are acutely rendered. . . . One of the pleasures of the book is in its detailed description of work: boat building, boxing, teaching and learning music. Sometimes, it suggests, what saves us is the work of our stubborn hands." —Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Elegant and riveting. . . . A masterful imagining of the way a single tragic event impacts the psyches and behaviors and dynamics of two families." —Kelly Korrigan, author of The Middle Place and Lift


text:
On Wednesday, April 8, the morning of the first Passover seder, many Jews will partake in a rare ritual called Birkat HaChamah ("blessing over the sun") after sunrise. I will not go into the explanation about how this all is calculated, but supposedly every 28 years, the sun is in the exact same position that it was in on the fourth day of creation, and many take advantage of this opportunity to remember creation and bless our Creator. The prayer said roughly translates to, "Blessed are you, Eternal our Lord, who makes the work of creation."
Whether one is a firm believer, a zodiac fanatic, a fan of interesting ritual, I think there's something here for everyone. Sometimes it's just nice to have a little reminder be thankful that you do get up every morning. And if you're an ardent evolutionist and think I'm sounding totally crackpot, well, maybe you'll appreciate this little piece of NY history that I found referenced in the sheet passed out at the Hillel of my alma mater:
Rabbi Arrested of Observance of an Ancient Talmudic Ceremony in Tompkins Square.
No Permit Had Been Thought Necessary for the Gathering and Policeman Foley Could Not Understand What It Meant – Occurs Once in 28 Years.
Orthodox Hebrews in every part of the world celebrated yesterday what is familiarly known among them as 'the new sun." … The celebration in New York was spoiled for some hundreds of people by the interference of two park policemen with a gathering in Tompkins Square, the arrest there of Rabbi Wechsler, and the flight of Rabbi Klein.
…Rabbi Wechsler and Rabbi Klein, who are the heads of two large east side congregations, decided to call their people to meet in Tompkins Square. Nobody was in charge of the services, and nobody thought of obtaining a permit for holding a public meeting, as required by city ordinances. The Hebrews gathered by the hundreds…
… By 8 o'clock [in the morning] the square and the sidewalks around it were crowded. Rabbi Wechsler arrived about that time and was astonished to see Rabbi Klein running away at full speed. This last phenomenon was explained a moment later by the appearance of Park Policeman Foley, puzzled and excited.
The celebration is rather a complicated matter to explain to anybody. Rabbi Klein's knowledge of English is slight, while Foley's faculties of comprehsion of matters outside of police and park regulations and local events are not acute. The attempt of a foreign citizen to explain to an Irish American an astronomical situation and a tradition of the Talmud was a dismal failure.
Both became excited, and the people clustered around them increased the confusion. When Foley was told in broken English about a "new sun," he was doubtful whether it was an attempt to guy him, or whether some new infection of lunacy had broken out on the east side. His demonstrations became so threatening that Rabbi Klein understood that he was in danger of being arrested and clubbed, and chose the easiest and fastest plan of escape.
Rabbi Wechler's English is better than Rabbi Klein's, but he could not convey the significance and purpose of the assemblage to Foley. The one fact which that offical's perceptions grasped was that there was no permit.
After some parley, he seized the rabbi by the neck and took him to Essex Market Police Court. After being kept among the prisoners in the police court for nearly an hour, the rabbi was arraigned before Magistrate Cornell who dismissed him because he had evidently not intended to do wrong, admonishing him, however, not to make trouble for Foley…
I can so picture this. And I sure hope the organizers of this year's Birkat HaChamah celebration in Central Park have filed for the appropriate permits.
This week I wanted to make a shabbat dinner that was largely kosher for Passover ("KLP") to try out a few recipes. As I was coming up with my menu, I was reminded of this great main course when I overheard a friend asking whether there were any real authentic Jewish meatball dishes. I'm not sure whether this qualifies, but it is one of my favorite recipes and was the centerpiece of the first meal I prepared with the intention of sharing in this blog. The theme for that meal was North African-Southern Mediterranean. This Moroccan recipe has a beautifully colored sauce, and its name in French and Arabic refer to the bright red-yellow-orange of the setting sun at twilight.
Sunrise. Sunset. Close enough! They're both beautiful times of day. And a reminder of the beauty of nature.
Chems al aachi or boulettes de viande et sauce crépuscule (Meatballs with saffron sunset sauce)
Adapted from Joyce Goldstein's Saffron Shores: Jewish Cooking of the Southern Mediterranean. She says, "The Arab name of this dish, 'chems al aachi' means 'setting sun' because the golden color of the sauce is reminiscent of the glorious sunset in Morocco." The color comes from a saffron infusion that is incorporated into the sauce as well as directly into the meatballs. The original recipe calls for mixing 3 potatoes, peeled and shredded, with the ground meat to extend the portions, but when I tried this, I found that the meatballs fell apart into meat mush. Further, this recipe does not make a large amount of sauce, so you can actually double the sauce ingredients (except for the amount of cilantro). I replace half of the ground beef with ground turkey and also roast the meatballs in the oven to remove some of the fat before cooking them in the sauce.
Serves 8 (made 41 meatballs using a rounded 1 tablespoon measure)
– 2 lbs ground beef, or mix of ground beef and ground turkey. Do not bother using lean meat – you will drain the fat off when roasting in oven.
– 2 eggs, lightly beated
– ½ C dried bread crumbs or matzah meal
– Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
– 1 t saffron threads, crushed and infused and ½ C hot water
– ¼ C olive oil
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (1 C or 2 large handfuls)
– 1 t sweet (Hungarian) paprika
– 1 t ground turmeric
– 1 t powdered chicken stock, or 1 bouillon cube crushed or ½ C chicken stock
– ½ C water (or 1 C if using powdered chicken stock or bouillon cube)
– Steamed rice for serving (optional)
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Make saffron infusion by crushing 1 t saffron threads in ½ C hot (not boiling) water – allow to infuse for ~10-15 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the meats and eggs; add bread crumbs or matzah meal, salt, pepper, and ¼ C of saffron infusion. Knead well with hands to mix.
Form into walnut-sized meatballs and set aside. I used a tablespoon to keep the balls relatively uniform. Do not make the meatballs too compact or they will be tough when cooked.
Pre-roast the meatballs on parchment- or foil-covered baking sheet for 10-15 minutes to release and drain off some of the fat. This is what will remain when you remove the half-done meatballs to add to the sauce. NOTE, this step can be skipped if you are in a rush and want fewer dishes to wash, but I found that the pre-roasted meatballs tasted better and are probably a bit healthier.
While meatballs are roasting in the oven, in a large sauté pan or skillet, heat oil and add garlic, fresh cilantro, spices, powdered chicken stock/bouillon/stock, and 2 T saffron infusion. Cook until sauce turns yellow and then add additional water (total liquid added should be 1 C). The sauce is what gives the dish its sunset name.
Add the meatballs to the sauce in a single layer and simmer until cooked through, about 10-15 additional minutes. Meatballs should cook for a total of 25-30 minutes between the oven and stovetop (or on stovetop only if you skip the pre-roasting step).
Add remaining saffron infusion and heat through.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve hot with or without rice. If serving with rice, considering doubling the sauce recipe.


text: Sijun Forums :: View topic - image in need of [crit] Log in to check your private messages Sijun Forums Forum Index >> Archive : Sep99 - Dec00 View previous topic :: View next topic Author Topic : "image in need of [crit]" Wyatt TurnermemberMember #Joined: 18 Oct 2000Posts: 501Location: Everett, WA, USA Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2000 10:51 pm what do you think of my new piece, GLASS Forest. would like some crit, this is one of my new WACOM images. and loving every bit of it. thanks guy's Back to top The Postmanjunior memberMember #Joined: 28 Dec 2000Posts: 19Location: Boulder, CO Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2000 11:32 pm Hmm, I like the overall color scheme, but the lines are all jaggedy, any way to fix that and it would look tons better ------------------ ---------------- Ted "The Postman" Anderson Head Artist, Wasteland Half-Life Head Artist, Blood Opera Artist, Existence Back to top FreddioAdministratorMember #Joined: 29 Dec 1999Posts: 2078Location: Australia Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2000 11:57 pm nice but get rid of that signature... yuky it could be worse comic sans argh.. Back to top Wyatt TurnermemberMember #Joined: 18 Oct 2000Posts: 501Location: Everett, WA, USA Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2000 12:16 am sig, What ever... thanks for your input just messing with differnt ideas, since I'm new to digital painting, I could space out for hours and not even know it. like last night, it ran into the morning. Back to top waylonmemberMember #Joined: 05 Jul 2000Posts: 762Location: Milwaukee, WI US Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2000 12:26 am Hi. I really like the second one. Very nice composition, and it has a great warm color scheme. I tend to agree with Freddio about the signature, though. It really stands out, and tends to detract from the picture - it's like a giant magnet drawing your eye to the bottom-right corner of the pic. The second one is much better, but it would be better yet if you picked up your tablet and SIGNED it. Though I suppose, all things considered, it's really a minor detail. Back to top Wyatt TurnermemberMember #Joined: 18 Oct 2000Posts: 501Location: Everett, WA, USA Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2000 12:32 am thanks waylon, I'll try and make a simple sig. I opened my eyes for a moment. back to what I was doing y@ Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Sijun Forums Forum Index -> Archive : Sep99 - Dec00 All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Digital Art----------------Digital Art DiscussionWork in ProgressGallery/Finished Work Miscellaneous----------------Random MusingsArchive : Sep99 - Dec00 You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum Powered by phpBB © 2005 phpBB Group


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(via TruthOut)
How a Dozen Multinational Corporations Spent a Billion Dollars on Lobbying and Campaign Contributions and Avoided Paying Taxes
Public Campaign
Twelve large American corporations have been identified by news reports, nonprofit organizations, and elected officials as paying little or no federal income taxes. Collectively, these one dozen corporate tax dodgers have benefited dramatically – in tax loopholes, bailouts, and subsidies – from the more than $1 billion dollars they have invested into influencing Washington. As Americans pay their taxes this month, it is important to understand that our political system lets these corporations off the hook while the rest of us foot the bill.
Every year, Americans work hard to earn enough to both support their families and pay their taxes – an effort that gets increasingly difficult due to declining wage standards and an increasingly complex tax code. Roads, armies, and social welfare all cost money, and we all must bear the burden to ensure that America can continue to fulfill its destiny year after year. But having spent the first three months of the year earning enough just to settle their tax bills,1 average Americans have a right to be angry upon learning that some of the country's largest corporations aren't paying any federal income tax at all—despite making billions in profit. At a time when Congress and the President are slashing government spending with budget cuts that strike at the middle class and most vulnerable, Americans want to know why big corporations aren't paying their fair share. And they want to know why the people elected to represent the people have let it happen.
Unfortunately, the truth is that not only did Congress permit corporations to get away without paying – they caused it to happen by passing a series of loopholes and gimmicks for multinational corporations that allow them to shelter profits in overseas business entities. According to the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO), eighty-three of the 100 largest publicly traded U.S. corporations utilize such tax havens to reduce their U.S. tax liability.2 Ironically, these accounting tricks aren't available for companies that only do business in the United States, so Congress in effect is providing tax incentives to ship jobs overseas and dismantle the middle class.
These tax loopholes didn't happen by accident. They developed as a result of a consistent campaign of lobbying and political contributions by big corporations that can afford to throws millions of dollars around Washington each year. Much of this effort was targeted at the two congressional committees responsible for writing tax laws: the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee.
To shed light on this story, Public Campaign analyzed the lobbying expenses and political contributions of 12 large, well-known corporations, their political action committees (PACs), and their executives. These 12 corporations were chosen because they have been identified by news reports, nonprofits, and elected officials as egregious corporate tax dodgers. It should be noted that what these large corporations are doing to avoid tax payments is perfectly legal. But as we have often noted about our campaign finance laws, the scandal is what is legal, not illegal.
It won't come as any surprise that we found that the dozen tax dodging corporations invested heavily in Washington politics. While the extent to which these corporations and their executives spent is not knowable – corporations and wealthy executives regularly give to trade associations and political organizations without disclosing the donations – Public Campaign's analysis found that the dozen corporations, their PACs, and executives spent more than $1 billion over the last ten years to influence Washington.
To Read the List of Corporations


text:
Tommy Wingels scored with 3:08 remaining in overtime to lead the San Jose Sharks to their second win in six games, 2-1 over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night.
Marty Havlat scored in regulation and set up the game-winner in overtime to give the struggling Sharks a much-needed boost with just one game left before the Olympic break. Alex Stalock made 19 saves.
Valeri Nichushkin tied the game early in the third for the Stars, who came up short in their attempt to sweep a three-game road trip and move into playoff position in the Western Conference. Dallas trails Vancouver by two points in the race for the final playoff spot. Kari Lehtonen made 19 saves.
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Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
The Stars have closed ground on the Canucks by winning five of their previous seven games, allowing nine goals and posting three shutouts in that span. They were at their best defensively in the third period when they held the Sharks to two shots, including none in the first 14-plus minutes but ended up on the short side in overtime.
Havlat made a neat backhand pass from the side of the net to Wingels, who knocked it in for his 11th goal.
The Stars tied the game early in the third as they capitalized on some sustained pressure in the offensive zone. Trevor Daley fed the puck to Nichushkin, who was all alone in the slot for a one-timer that beat Stalock.
The Sharks had taken the lead late in the second period when Havlat deftly redirected a point shot from Scott Hannan past Lehtonen for his fourth goal this season.
Sharks coach Todd McLellan looked for a spark for his struggling team, which had scored just five goals in the previous five games. He moved Patrick Marleau to a line with Joe Thornton and Brent Burns, while using Joe Pavelski as the center between Wingels and Matt Nieto.
It failed to pay early dividends as the Sharks were held scoreless in the first period for the seventh time in the past eight games. Stalock made sure they didn't end the period with a deficit when he made a scintillating glove save to rob Jamie Benn late in the period.
NOTES: McLellan tied Darryl Sutter for most games coached in franchise history with 434. ... The Stars fell to 3-4-0 on the second night of back-to-back games. ... Nieto did not return after blocking a shot by Trevor Daley in the closing seconds of the second period. ... F Adam Burish returned from a back injury to play for the first time this season for the Sharks. ... D Kevin Cannauton played for Dallas in place of Aaron Rome.


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About terry
"The European Union should regulate Internet platforms in a way that allows a new generation of European operators to overtake the dominant U.S. players"
Isn't this exactly what free-trade agreements are actually supposed to address and prevent, these kind of stack the deck abuses? Oh but if your too pre-occupied with utilizing them as a tool to pass local legislation you could never pass otherwise by ramming it through as a secretly negotiated treaty and give protectionism to your own buddies companies then what a free trade agreement should be might get left out.
When will a billion Chinese let its government know they have had enough of being the target of the likes of The "Great Cannon".
The musical artists singing on the radio are performing live handcuffed to a microphone and whipped every once in a while for good measure. who knew?
Some transparency would show the truth. Whatever it is.
Some transparency would show the truth. Whatever it is.
Your a little bit off regarding me, I don't want to see draconian measures that were already rejected by the populace back-door legislated via a trade agreement.
Any trade agreement being made in the name of the American people, that we are going to be expected to obide by is ALL of our business.
A vote for Bill Clinton == 4 Year long shock therapy?
You have highlighted a major problem in America. We have become *customers* of government instead of the employers and beneficiaries we rightfully should be.
The power dynamic between We The People and the Governments have become upside down.
And it has been has been working as designed, for the removal of freedoms to get ever closer to the goal by those who lust for total micromanagement control of every single person.
What is terrorism over the internet? Is it sending all black pages to an Internet connected printer?
I guess I better abandon plans to be placing E-Bombs or were they F-Bombs online?
With improved methods of transportation for raw materials, finished goods, and data the marketplace is growing more global all the time. We are talking about a company that has made profits from a sale although a reduced amount, made a profit nonetheless or they wouldn't have bothered. That product is then repurchased, transported and resold again.
If owning the brand name, being the source, the company can't compete selling identical products in the marketplace against a reselling competitor who is dealing with three price markups of which the money for the entire first sum went to them then they are just doomed to fail anyhow and no amount of government granted monopoly is likely to save them.
The Ford Model T comes with a two-seat license, don't even think about be hooking up a hay-waggon and sharing the rides with a bunch of extra people...
We need a form of DRM and some laws that would prevent such thievery.
Lord Finesse is a tool.
"The issue is that the end result isn't a commentary"
You clearly have not read the lyrics or watched/heard the audio track to the video. It is exactly a commentary, with a fair amount of parody thrown in, with commentary on the parody.
The all-too-often confusion between *tools used* as opposed to *actions done* and criminalization of the tools as an attempt to pre-empt the actions, seems to cause a reactive response. Perhaps the inner beliefs of the public at large just isn't pre-empt, prevent, pre-crime, pre-justice.
You come across as somewhat ignorant, to be more informed:
1. Go find out more about the source components used.
2. Check what specific government granted exclusivity licenses are attached to components, the date ranges covered and exemptions.
3. Review an artwork before commenting on it.
4. Optional - Try and do better!
Notice that by writing your comment you have done exactly what she has done, taken existing components and mixed them to form something new. In your case, you composited existing words. Just pointing out that none of us can ever really make something original without some level of copying from others. And if nothing different is done then results will not be different, which is not the case presently discussed because of compositing. Elsewhere there are plenty of discussions about how much change should be required for various categorization of works.
Here is a somewhat relevant quote I like:
"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."
- Isaac Newton
After noting trends by various Anonymous Coward commenters on TechDirt and occasional others, I have come up with a little quote of my own:
"The most sure-of-themselves art critics, do the critique sight-unseen."
- Terry B
What will you do with your cars once they are old and broken? Will they just accumulate?
So I keep pointing out that are wrong about me, my work and just about everything else while you just go on repeating the same ignorant insults. I have things to create and you have numbers to crunch. bye.
You are wrong with almost everything you say. As I pointed out before you are as insulting as you are ignorant. Starting right from the beginning you have made so many incorrect assumptions about every artist here including me and my work.
Did you ever read the title of the article: �Why Do The People Who Always Ask Us To 'Respect' Artists Seem To Have So Little Respect For Artists?� Thats you bud! You have done an exemplary job making that point here on TechDirt.
But, hey, it's good to know friends like you are out there with the best interests of artists everywhere in mind. Now I get to make assumptions about you and your work, get back to your spreadsheets, I'm sure you have to show that royalties are not yet due for somebody. Accountants financially shortchange artists more than infringement.


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dark coaster
n.— «"The Dark Knight," the ride, is atypical in a number of ways. It is what is known as a "dark coaster," which means its twists, turns and drops are all indoors.» —"Newest coaster weak on thrills" by Steve Penhollow Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana) June 6, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
dark coaster
Postie says:
A "dark ride" is a British indoor ride, usually "educational" rather than thrilling, such as the Whisky Heritage Centre (Edinburgh) or the Oxford Story.
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There is a small island off the coast of Maine, or so the story goes, where the inhabitants protect a secret host of creatures who live in the woods. Fairy Houses, Tracy Kane's lovely picture book about the magic that comes from believing, tells the tale of what happens when a summer visitor discovers the secret in the woods.
Kristen's parents promise a surprise for their summer vacation but she can't guess at what it is until she finds the sign in the woods beyond their cottage: You may build houses small and hidden for the fairies, but please do not use living or artificial materials. Kristen is charmed by the tiny houses she finds nestled in crevices in the rocks or in dark openings in the trunks of old trees. The woods are full of fairy houses made from sticks, pebbles, acorns, bird feathers, mushroom caps and fallen leaves. She begins right away to build her own.
Daily Kristen checks on her tiny house, hoping to spot a fairy. One chirpy day a cricket pops out of the door. Kristen adds some red berries for the fairies to eat and the next day she finds a pair of finches feasting on her berries. She makes a small pool from stones and water from a nearby stream–and a frog splashes in for a quick bath. Acorns and pine cones lure a hungry squirrel. A collection of salty seashells to decorate the house tempts a solitary deer. And then, on the last day of her vacation, something shows up at the fairy house that Kristen can hardly believe.
I love the idea of fairy houses. As a kid I was sure a hive of fairies lived in the clefts of an old tree at the edge of our property. Sometimes I could hear their angry buzzing when people threatened their peace and quiet. I would have been enchanted to make a house for them–maybe less bitching from the fairies, too. A shame I didn't have Tracy Kane's delightful book as inspiration–although I do live near a park with a lot of old trees. Maybe it's not too late.
Fairy Houses (The Fairy Houses Series) Tracy Kane | Great White Dog Picture Company 2001


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Before continuing on with my predictions for the coming year of 2011, I was reading a book by Donald Lines Jacobus called Genealogy as pastime and profession (Jacobus, Donald Lines, and Milton Rubincam. Genealogy As Pastime and Profession. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co, 1978) and realized that there were a lot of somewhat obscure facts about genealogy that everyone has to learn or hear. Hopefully, none of these are new to you, but if they are, here are some things you should know: (not in any particular order)
There is a distinct disconnect between the way people actually spoke in the 18th and 19th Centuries and they way they are portrayed as speaking by books and movies. For example, how would you say "Ye Olde Tavern?" Guess what? The letter "Y" in the old script was called the thorn or þorn (Þ, þ) and it was pronounced as "th." So Ye Olde Tavern and The Old Tavern were said exactly the same way (making allowances for local dialects and pronunciations). This illustration brings up an interesting fact, most 19th Century speech was neither as flowery nor as stilted as is usually represented. But the local dialects, influenced by recent immigrants may have been considerably different than modern standard English.
The fact that in that time period people's language was dependent on the country of origin helps explain why there are so many "errors" in the U.S. Census records and elsewhere. It was not just that the Census Enumerators could not spell (some couldn't) but it was also that sometimes what was spoken bore little relationship to English. This worked out fine if the Census Enumerator also spoke the same non-English language but didn't help when the language was foreign to the Enumerator.
By the way, spelling, including surnames, was somewhat fluid until well into the 19th Century and in some cases into the 20th Century. Researchers who get hung up on insisting on a certain spelling of a name or other word, usually have a really hard time finding any ancestors past the time surnames became "fixed."
Most European countries, including England, Scotland and Wales, underwent a calendar change in 1582. Until 1752 there were two calendars in use in Europe (and European colonies) and two different starts to the year in England. You may wish to investigate this problem and make allowances.
Although most people would like to find illustrious ancestors, it is most likely that your ancestors are just like you. Most everyone's ancestors are going to be just about as ordinary as your current relatives. Even today's famous people had ordinary ancestors. Not only were most of our collective ancestors ordinary people, there was the usual sprinkling of bad apples in the barrel; criminals, drunkards, divorces, infidelity, all sorts of the same things that go on today. If you are looking to the past for fame and fortune you will almost always be disappointed, unless you are, in the words of Donald Lines Jacobus, one of those "armchair dilettantes who conjure lines of descent from their own fervid imaginations working upon the poorest printed sources."
Contrary to most TV advertisements, genealogy is a rather difficult and challenging pursuit. It takes years to gain a good understanding of research and documentation. There is no quick fix in genealogy. You have to pay the price in study and effort to be able to produce credible results. Also, despite the ads, not all of your genealogy is online. Estimates of the percentage of records online compared to what is still waiting range in the low single figures. For the time being and for many years to come, to do some types of research you will still have to travel or hire someone to search for you.
This one is obvious (at least to most researchers) online family trees have no value at all unless they have sources. I have heard a lot of arguments about using unsourced data for hints and possible searches, but on the other hand you can spend a lot of time chasing the proverbial wild goose. At the very least, the person posting the information on line should be honest enough to tell you he or she copied it all from their great aunt or whatever.
Consistency may be the hobgoblin of small minds, but it is the lifeblood of the genealogist. Anything you enter into your database should be consistent with reality. Children and not born before their parents. Immigrants don't arrive in the New World before the Pilgrims. People (usually in our Western culture) do not get married while still in grade school. But some traditions are counter-intuitive. In many European countries, when a young child died, the next child (or so) of the same gender bore the same name. It is possible to have two Johns or two Henrys in the same family if one of them died in infancy. Whatever the issue, question, unusual circumstance, the interpretation should be consistent with the culture at the time and in the place. Before dismissing a strange situation out of hand, be sure you know the mores and customs.
Last (for this post only) but not least, there are no credible genealogies back to Charlemagne or Adam. Even saying that you have such a genealogy puts you in a special class of genealogists and I will leave it at that.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Some things everyone knows (or should know) about genealogy
1 comment:
- AnonymousDecember 17, 2010 at 10:50 PM
So what should the persons be called who came to Jamestowe, Virginia between 1607 and when the Pilgrims came to New England in 1620?ReplyDelete
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Artyarns Regal Silk | 101 Sunset
$25.60 after fab discounts at checkout + FREE SHIPPING OVER $75.
(Avail: )
One of Artyarns Classic and most popular colorways - a beautiful coloway that looks like a fabulous sunset. This is a fantastic yarn for silk shawl knitting projects or tops/tanks!
Regal Silk is a stock item - you may over order and we will rush your order in & ship in 3 - 7 days.
Need a matched lot, or a color we don't have - you may special order any Color on our REGAL SILK SPECIAL page.
Artyarns Regal Silk
There's a lot to love in this fantabulous, extrememly high quality japanese silk with a great hand, and lots of lustre - and less pilling than most silks. Great for baby hats, blankets, and lightweight tops - check out the silky tie wrap , or the lace wrap shrug - both free patterns with any Regal Silk Yarn purchase!!
FIBER: 100% Silk, handpainted
LENGTH:163 yards Approx. Weight = 50 grams
GAUGE: 5 stitches = 1"; LT WORSTED /DK ; Recommended Needle Size: US 7 / 4.5mm
SOURCE: HAND-MADE in the US from imported japanese silk
CARE: dry clean/handwash| AIR DRY LAYING FLAT


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San Marco Group Spa
Via Alta, 10, 30020 Marcon (VE), Italia
- +39 041 4569322
- +39 041 5950153
Manufacturer, San Marco Group Spa distributes its products through an authorized sales network.
For any inquiry go to section points of sale, find and contact the reseller close to you.
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
By car
direction Trieste, from Mestre motorway exit Marcon, towards the city center.
By plane
Venice Marco Polo airport, exit Marcon, towards the city center.
By train
Line to Venice-Udine, line for Mogliano Veneto, taxi up to the company.
Line to Venice-Trieste, station Gaggio East Gate, the station is about 1km far from the Colorificio.


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The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was established in 1993 to investigate war crimes that took place during the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s. It was the first international court established by the UN and the first international court since the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials into World War II crimes.
The ICTY has charged more than 160 people and convicted more than 60 for war crimes. The most high-profile case was former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević, the first European head of state to be indicted. His alleged crimes spanned over three countries – Kosovo, Croatia, and Bosnia – and in Bosnia it included charges of genocide. A Guardian obituary described him as Europe's "chief menace" and said his actions embodied the "dark side" of the continent.
Mr. Milošević was never sentenced because he died in 2006 while in detention at the Hague, although dozens of those who worked with him were either charged or are still awaiting court decisions.


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Welcome to the Iowa Land Title Association Job Board
The Iowa Land Title Association is participating in a job board program powered by Titleboard.com.
Through Titleboard.com, employers may participate in membership plans to post available job opportunities and to search resumes. Job seekers will have access to thousands of available jobs and may confidentially post their resume.Titleboard.com receives over 4.5 million hits per month and has over 20,000 jobs posted nationwide.For more information, please click on the link belowTitleboard.com
The Board Network is a career website specializing in the mortgage, banking, title, escrow and real estate industries. They are the largest, Internet source of employment information for job seekers, employers and recruiters in our industry.


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This new venue has wonderful brick walls, multiple levels, and is a great blank canvas for any event. {found} had the honor of decking out this fun opening night with our gorgeous lounge vignettes and furnishings, which ranged form shelving, bars and displays. Take a look at the fun bash below! Who doesn't love a little confetti too?
Vendors Include: Green Apple Events | Jays Catering | My Photo Booth LA | Fox Tail Florals | Designer Specialty Linens | Chard Photo | Ted Z and the Wranglers | Found Vintage Rentals
Found pieces used: Otto Grey Shelves, Bulles Bar, Cannery Shelves, Williamsburg Table, Bedstuy Table, Vail Leather Pillows, Chesterfield Leather Couch, Sophia Armchairs, Shelley Brass Coffee Table, Walt Side Table, Chad Grey Cushion, Pillows, Kabak Rug, Kaleen Button-Tufted Couch, Coal Armchairs, Traxxy Brass Table, Tino Brass Nesting Tables, Cowan Desk, Marlena Gold Shelf, Linsley Glass Shelf, Lourdes Bar, Bobbin Rug, Damon Leather Chair, Marcella Couch, Quartz coffee Table, Quartz Side Table, Vintage Trophy's, Pippa Brass Pot, Medici Urn, Panthea Gold Vase, Lux Gold Urn, Aurelia Gold Vessel, Mcrae Brass Pot, Ambosia Gold Vase, Sherry Silver Vase, Glass Demijohns, Morrison Vintage Decanters, Grand Cintage Cigar Boxes, Eloise Vintage Tins, Ava Gold Tray, Coby Green Beer Bottles, Tulip Brass Pots, Chopin Champagne Bucket, Kingston Silver.


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These Unique Rides Makes Commute More Fun In The Philippines
LRMC Rolls out Thermal Screening System at LRT-1 Stations
These Local Artists Bring the Characters From our Filipino Myths to Life
The Tanghalang Pilipino Productions You Can Watch Online
DOT Pays Tribute to All The "Noypi" HealthWorkers Around the World
You Can Now Get Free Mobile Legends Game Credits on Viber
These YouTube Creators Teach Us What We Need to Know About Social Inclusivity
Everyday Products to Solve Your Very Specific Female Dilemmas
What we Learned From Our Childhood Street Games
Dear Women: Manila is a Tough City
Commuter Diaries: The Things I Never Thought I'd Miss From the 'Old Normal'
Learn Theater and the Art of Costume Design With Repertory Philippine's Online Workshops
Creatives Call Filipinos To Speak Up About Anti-Terrorism While We All Still Can
Learn The Art of Theater At Home With PETA's Online Workshops
Four Ways to Tell if the COVID-19 Article is Fake
Pizza Hut is coming out with the only SPAM that matters
HONNE Teases on a Possible Collab With Phum Viphurit
Summer Noise 2019 is Everything We Want in a Music Festival
Score Summer Noise Discounted Tickets With The Rest Is Noise Anniversary Promo
You Haven't Seen 'Summer Noise' at Their Biggest Yet
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Last night in a small forum opened to the public, the Sustainability Practice Network held a panel discussion, moderated by the RiskMetrics Group, about the future of sustainable agriculture. The speakers were an important group of corporate and non-profit voices:
- Michael Doane, Agricultural Economics and Sustainability, Monsanto
- Ani Gulati, Assistant General Counsel and Sustainability, General Mills
- Chip Jones, SVP Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, Dean Foods
- Jake Baker, Climate Change Investment Research, Deutsche Bank
- Tensie Whelan, President, Rainforest Alliance
- Josh Viertel, President, Slow Food USA
Admission: I'm inclined to judge these names and titles quickly, breaking them down into "us" and "them." Afterall, I grew up as our culture started to summarize complex issues in the few words of a bumper sticker or a t-shirt slogan. To the credit of everyone involved last night, the panel facilitated a conversation.
Continued below
As an easy definition of sustainability, we say it's when something is good for the three P's: people, planet and profits. In speaking of agriculture, the P in people quickly becomes the P in population. The human race is expected to nearly double in size to 9 billion by 2050. No one is sure how we will feed this many.
A question emerged from the panel: To feed the growing population, do we need to increase food production or can we accomplish this by improving food distribution channels?
To this end, Josh Viertel gave an astonishing statistic: Last year we made enough food to feed 11 billion people. "We don't have a production gap, we have a distribution gap," he said.
Michael Doane of Monsanto advocated for increased production as the solution. His company develops biotech seeds — seeds infused with a trait to resist drought or certain pests, for example — that create more prolific crops. According to him, there are two billion acres of biotech crops around the world. They are starting biotech rice in China. (Yes, the biggest crop among the world's largest population is going biotech.) Only the Europeans are holding out against this technology.
In response, I understand the quickening of our collective heart rate as we think about a food crisis one generation away. Many forces are working to address this immediately. But in the break-neck pace of solution (and market share gain), we risk undermining a delicate ecological system. Monsanto has a Research and Development department that constructs new seeds to conquer the traditional problems of farming. But the problem with genetically modified seeds or biotech seeds is that Nature also has its own R & D department. The biotech seeds may solve a weakness for awhile, but over time, Nature returns with a more robust pest or plant disease.
At very least, biotech does not solve problems for the long term. At very worst, it irreversibly tampers with the agricultural heritage of which we are the guardians.
We have many compelling possibilities to address food insecurity and planet peril, such as:
- Improved distribution channels, including the decentralization of food. More local providers and thus shorter food chains.
- Vertical Farming: An urban-based system using closed-loop hydroponics. Crops are located where the population lives. We preserve seed integrity and there's no need for pesticides.
- Sustainable fish cultivation.
- Increased global productivity through better farming techniques and training.
- And the expansion of our growing surfaces: Rooftops, abandoned lots, etc.
Yes, these other ideas are in the nascent stage of development. But when we consider what's at stake — food for human beings — how can we not develop these ideas first? The answer to the question of whether it is increased production or improved distribution is likely both.
Not at the risk, however, of manipulating seeds when many other workable solutions exist. I stand with the Europeans on this one. Readers, I'd love to hear from you.


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High-Q Club
Highest Scaling Codes on JUQUEEN
Following up on our JUQUEEN porting and scaling workshop and to promote the idea of exascale capability computing, we have established a showcase for codes that can utilise the entire 28-rack BlueGene/Q system at JSC. We want to encourage other developers to invest in tuning and scaling their codes and show that they are capable of using all 458,752 cores, aiming at more than 1 million concurrent threads on JUQUEEN.
The diverse membership of the High-Q Club shows that it is possible to scale to the complete JUQUEEN using a variety of programming languages and parallelisation models, demonstrating individual approaches to reach that goal. High-Q status marks an important milestone in application development towards future HPC systems that envisage even higher core counts.
Current members
Dr. Dirk Brömmel, email@example.com


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Condo buyers will typically be told shortly after going into contract that their lender requires them to purchase HO-6 insurance. Otherwise known as hazard or individual unit coverage, HO-6 insurance provides personal property and liability coverage for whatever happens within your unit's walls.
Yes, a portion of your monthly HOA dues does pay for building insurance. But that building policy doesn't cover anything that might happen inside your unit.
HO-6 coverage costs anywhere between $600-$1,000 annually, and will end up being part of your closing costs. The provider will typically need to know what year the building was constructed; the number of stories and units in the property; unit square footage and roof type. Your agent can get you started by giving you all these details so you know what to respond when asked by the insurance agent.