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Register of the Latin American Subject Collection, 1932-2000
Register of the Latin American Subject Collection, 1932-2000Hoover Institution Archives
Stanford University
Stanford, California
- Hoover Institution Archives
- Stanford University
- Stanford, California 94305-6010
- Phone: (650) 723-3563
- Fax: (650) 725-3445
- Email: email@example.com
- Processed by:
- Rebecca J. Mead and David Jacobs
- Date Revised:
- 1995
- Encoded by:
- Brooke Dykman Dockter
Series Description
Scope and Content Note
Scope and Content Note
AUDIOVISUAL FILE, ca. 1963-1987
Scope and Content Note
Newsletter, bulletin, speeches, pamphlets, serial issue, printed article, reports, and a flyer, 1969-1989. Primarily material published in the United States
Reports, pamphlets, speeches and other printed matter in English, 1966-1993, concerning political and economic conditions in Latin America and United States foreign policy in Latin America. Includes material on United States military interventions in Latin America, business investments, narcotics traffic and Latin American immigration to the United States
Carter Center. Pamphlets, statements by Jimmy Carter, press releases, clippings, reports, and newsletters, 1988-1990. Primarily relates to electoral observations in Haiti, Guyana, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic
Sanchez, Nestor D.. Interview with and speeches by Nestor D. Sanchez, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Inter-American Affairs, 1981-1986, concerning security issues involving the United States and Latin America
Central America. Newsletters, position papers, speech, leaflets, clippings, pamphlets, serial issue, and reports, 1983-1993. Includes material relating to human rights, regional leftist organizations, and peace plans
Dominican Republic. Speech, pamphlets, program statement, serial issues, report and miscellany, 1965-1994. Includes material published by the Partido Comunista Dominicano
Ecuador. Report, printed excerpt, and program statement by the Partido Comunista del Ecuador, 1974-1987, and two pamphlets of the Instituto Ecuatoriano de Economia Politica, 1993
Grenada. Reports, speech transcript, and newsletters, 1983-1989. Includes material relating to the death of Maurice Bishop. SEE ALSO: OVERSIZE FILE
Guyana. Pamphlet issued by the People's Progressive Party, 1971
Haiti. Pamphlets, and reports on 1990 elections, 1980-1992
Jamaica. Report on 1989 election, 1989
Martinique. Serial issue (Parti Communiste Martiniquais), 1963
Paraguay. News bulletins, report on 1989 election, and pamphets, 1932-1989. Includes material relating to the Chaco War with Bolivia
Puerto Rico. Leaflet, pamphlet, and report, 1979-1988
Election material, serial issues, flyers, religious instructional material, prints, political poems, printed fables and stories by Roque Dalton, Jorge Luis Oviedo, and Roberto Sosa.
AUDIOVISUAL FILE, ca. 1963-1987
Phonorecords of songs and speeches from various Latin American and Central American countries, ca. 1963-1981
"Alliance for Progress." Six records of speeches by Milton S. Eisenhower, Raul Prebisch, Jose Figueres, Teodoro Moscoso and Dean Rusk about the Alliance for Progress
"Cancion Protesta: Protest Song of Latin America." One record of songs by various artists, 1970
"Dominican Republic: La Hora Esta LLegando! The Time Is Coming!" One record of songs by Expresion Joven, 1974
"Ecuador: The Cry of Freedom! El Grito de Libertad!" One record of songs by Jatari, 1976
"Como El Filo del Machete, Like the Edge of the Machete." One record of Puerto Rican songs by Andre Jimenez, 1978
"Tengo Puerto Rico en Mi Corazon, I Have Puerto Rico in My Heart." One record of songs by Pepe y Flora, 1971
"Viva Puerto Rico Libre." One record of songs by various artists, 1978
1 videotape cassette entitled Minefield, relating to Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina, 1987


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A copy of the same information, from the new online site for Asher Wright is below.
Friday, November 20, 2009
DAR Records, Old and New
A copy of the same information, from the new online site for Asher Wright is below.
3 comments:
- Bill West said...
Hi Barbara,
I've presented you with the Kreativ Blogger
Award over at my "West in New England" blog
in the "Kreativity" post. I'd leave the
link but for some reason I can't paste it here,
Bill West
- November 20, 2009 at 10:02 PM
- hummer said...
Thanks for the post. I had read Randy's post but forgot to go look. I really need to do this.
- November 21, 2009 at 2:34 AM
- Barbara Poole said...
Bill and Hummer thank you for your comments. First Hummer, for some strange reason I can't get on to your site now and leave comments, really glad you wrote.
Bill, thank you so much for the award, it is very much appreciated. However, I have decided not to accept any awards. Rather strange I know, but I don't like the competing aspect. Nor will I put any icons or counters, etc. on it. Hummer knows this, as she was also sweet to present it to me.
Thanks Both.
- November 21, 2009 at 7:44 AM

subset: commoncrawl


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Browsing by Subject "Incremental evolution"
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
Incremental growth in modular neural networks. (Elsevier http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.engappai.2008.11.002, 2009-06)MACLEOD, C., MAXWELL, G. M., and MUTHURAMAN, S., 2009. Incremental growth in modular neural networks. Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 22 (4/5), pp. 660-666.This paper outlines an algorithm for incrementally growing Artificial Neural Networks. The algorithm allows the network to expand by adding new sub-networks or modules to an existing structure; the modules are trained using ...


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Story highlights
- Anglican priest says she thinks the decision is "wonderful news"
- Church of England leaders have voted to allow women to become bishops
- It required a two-thirds majority by all three voting bodies -- the bishops, clergy and laity
- The church said the first female bishop could be appointed by the end of the year
Church of England leaders have voted to allow women to become bishops, the church announced Monday.
The measure required a two-thirds majority in all three voting bodies of the church: the House of Bishops, the House of Clergy and the House of Laity.
The legislation was passed at the church's General Synod, the three-times-a-year meeting that sets policies for the church, which is being held in the city of York.
The first female bishop could be appointed by the end of the year, the church said.
The head of the Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, said he was "delighted" with the result.
"Today marks the start of a great adventure of seeking mutual flourishing while still, in some cases disagreeing," he said in a statement. "The challenge for us will be for the church to model good disagreement and to continue to demonstrate love for those who disagree on theological grounds."
The measure is subject to approval by Britain's Parliament. This is seen as a legal formality.
The Church of England first began ordaining women as priests in 1994 and has been debating whether they should become bishops since 2005.
"To those who ask 'What took you so long?' my answer is that every decision has a cost and there will be those within our body who will be hurting as a result of this decision, the archbishop of York, John Sentamu, said. "Our answer to the hurting should not be 'Get over it' but rather 'We will not let go until you have blessed us.'
"We move slowly because we move together. But in moving together we achieve not only what is just but also model what is right."
The Rev. Sally Hitchiner tweeted that she told her 8-year-old niece that she can be a bishop now. The niece said she didn't want to be a bishop.
"Yes but you CAN," Hitchiner tweeted, who earlier called the decision "wonderful news."
Two lay members of the church told the BBC that they were upset with the vote.
Lorna Ashworth told the network there is "not going to be a smooth road ahead," and Susie Leafe said the decision fails 25% of those in the church who don't believe women should be bishops.
Previous votes
At its General Synod meeting in 2012, draft legislation that would have allowed women to become bishops failed by six votes to get a two-thirds majority in the House of Laity.
In 2010, the church's governing body narrowly rejected a measure, aimed at satisfying conservatives, that would have allowed parishes that opposed women bishops to have an additional male bishop.
The Church of England is the largest church of the Anglican Communion, with more than 26 million baptized members.
The communion represents more than 85 million people in 165 countries, including the U.S. Episcopal Church.
The Anglican Communion News Service lists church districts that already have serving women bishops as New Zealand and Polynesia, Australia, Canada, The Episcopal Church, Cuba, Southern Africa, Ireland and South India.
The Church of England broke from the Catholic church in the 16th century during the Reformation, which saw the establishment of Protestant churches.
On its website, the Church of England says it "consciously retained a large amount of continuity with the Church of the Patristic and Medieval periods in terms of its use of the catholic creeds, its pattern of ministry, its buildings and aspects of its liturgy, but which also embodied Protestant insights in its theology and in the overall shape of its liturgical practice."


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(Portland, Ore.) July 27, 2010 — Nabil Mistkawi, a new Portland State University (PSU) chemistry graduate and full-time Intel employee, has invented a one-of-a-kind chemical formulation that enables sub-50 nanometer (nm) process technology for advanced microprocessors manufacturing. This novel and environmentally friendly chemical formulation saves Intel tens of millions of dollars annually.
These microprocessors serve as the "brains," or central processing units (CPUs), of today's personal computers. Microprocessors are often comprised of more than ten layers and many different materials. To successfully manufacture sub-50nm semiconductor chips, certain materials must be uniformly removed. To do this, Nabil Mistkawi implemented an elegant solution low in toxicity and high in performance.
His solution was a green chemistry concoction that would selectively dissolve certain metal, while preserving the integrity of electrical wiring components such as copper, and of insulators, that are all sandwiched together on the chip. This wet etching process is much cleaner and significantly more effective for this application than the typical chemical polishing approach to remove materials. The new process is not only effective, but also fast—completed in only two minutes.
For Intel Corporation, this "wet etching" method has served as a great, green leap forward. It was first implemented in 2006, scaled up in 2007, and has been part of the manufacturing process for current generations of Intel microprocessors. This work replaced toxic chemical formulations containing solvents that were harmful to human health as well as the environment, thus requiring strict and controlled usage protocols.
For Mistkawi, a process engineer at Intel's Hillsboro, Ore., facility, it served as the basis for his doctoral dissertation, "Fundamental Studies in Selective Wet Etching and Corrosion Processes for High Performance Semiconductor Devices," six years in the making and successfully defended this winter at Portland State University.
"I like to have students work on projects that actually amount to something tangible," says Shankar Rananavare, faculty adviser to Mistkawi and research associate professor of chemistry at PSU. "It's one thing to make it work in a test tube and beaker. It's quite another to do so at 8,000 gallons each week."
Addressing the environmental and human risks was the driving force to solve the etch selectivity challenge. This challenging task was proposed to a number of outside chemical companies and academic research labs. After one year of research they claimed that it is impossible to achieve the etch selectivity requirements. Three days after Mistkawi was asked to take a look at the problem, he had demonstrated both feasibility and proof of a concept that would prove to be cheaper, faster and cleaner.
Another fortunate byproduct of this process is actually its lack of byproduct. The chemical etching solution is 98 percent water, with fluoride content less than that of toothpaste. This "green chemistry" reduces both disposal and environmental costs. "It was nice to incorporate a green chemistry approach, but ultimately the process had to be robust enough through its performance," says Mistkawi.
The technology had been proven, but fully understanding and demonstrating the science remained important. Mistkawi continued to refine and replicate his work in labs at Intel, located in Hillsboro, Ore. At Portland State he worked to understand the science behind the process, meeting weekly with his adviser and other doctoral students (who agreed to meet on Friday evenings to accommodate Mistkawi's work schedule). Mistkawi also worked closely with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory in Albany, Ore., (www.netl.doe.gov) to better understand corrosion science of metal thin films.
"As good as the technology was, we wanted to make sure the science behind the process was equally well understood," says PSU's Rananavare.
Nabil Mistkawi received his doctorate at Portland State University commencement ceremonies in June 2010—one of the first ten students to complete this relatively new program. He continues to work full-time for Intel, where he is an inventor on nine patent applications filed since 2003, and is considering joining the component research team, focused on path-finding research challenges. He has received numerous awards, including the 2006 Global Intel Gold Award, given annually to an Intel employee who is engaged in a project that demonstrates exceptional environmental leadership.
Mistkawi earned a double major in biochemistry and chemistry at University of Oregon. He lives with his wife and three children in Keizer, Ore.
Portland State University has long-standing connections with regional industry—PSU already provides more graduates to Intel Oregon than any other university. These connections, with an emphasis on addressing industry challenges, benefit business, while helping expand and refine curriculum. Mistkawi's work in wet etching has already contributed to future coursework for other graduate science and engineering students at PSU.
"This story is a great example of how faculty at Portland State University partner at both an educational and research level with local industry" say Kevin Reynolds, professor and chair of PSU's Department of Chemistry. "It is one of the great strengths of our institution and as this example shows, the results can have a global impact with both positive economic and environmental outcomes."
Read an additional feature about Nabil Mistkawi and other recent grads here.
A version of this story appears in the Spring 2010 issue of Portland State Magazine.
About Portland State University
Portland State University (PSU) serves as a center of opportunity for over 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Located in Portland, Oregon, one of the nation's most livable cities, the University's innovative approach to education combines academic rigor in the classroom with field-based experiences through internships and classroom projects with community partners. The University's 49-acre downtown campus provides a living laboratory for Portland State's commitment to sustainability, with many of the 125 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees incorporating sustainability into the curriculum. PSU's motto, "Let Knowledge Serve the City," inspires the teaching and research of an accomplished faculty whose work and students span the globe.
About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and blogs.intel.com. Intel, Intel Xeon, Core and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries.
* Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
David Santen, Office of University Communications,
Portland State University firstname.lastname@example.com | 503-725-8765
Kevin Reynolds, Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry, PSU
Nabil Mistkawi, Process Engineer, Intel Oregon


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Nelson Knapp is a native of South Orange, N.J., who came to Bucknell to study economics. After earning his degree, he received an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan. His career led him to prestigious positions with the Carnation and Nestle companies. While with these corporations, he worked in new business development, creating many items that consumers rely upon today. However, it is the work he began after retirement that he claims to be "the most important of his life." Indeed, he and friends Steve Bishop and Tom Walsh (both of whom have been affected by cancer) have channeled their professional skills into celebrating the lives of some of the world's bravest survivors.
Together they developed www.sur5vor.com, where cancer survivors and their supporters can come to celebrate a most significant milestone - being cancer-free for at least five years. Knapp's wife, Mary, is a five-year breast cancer survivor, and he believes that building a strong community for cancer survivors can be therapeutic. Joyful commemoration is the mood that permeates the site, representing the key element in the trio's philosophy of "never give in, never give up, always give back."
The community of bloggers began in March 2010 and provides a forum for those striving to reach the five-year survivor mark, those who have already made it and their supporters. By sharing their stories, sur5vors and their supporters create a network that can touch those who, otherwise, have not articulated the rigors of their healing journeys. The website store offers many items that commemorate and celebrate victory over this disease. Included are Sur5vor party kits, to encourage Sur5vors to create their own holiday, perhaps even a new birthday. In addition, 5 percent of net sales go to support cancer research. - Maria Jacketti
The following links are virtual breadcrumbs marking the 27 most recent pages you have visited in Bucknell.edu. If you want to remember a specific page forever click the pin in the top right corner and we will be sure not to replace it. Close this message.


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A mother who loved her children above all else and never gave up has died of cancer aged 30.
Carrieanne Richardson was born on November 15, 1983, in Dewsbury, and lost her battle with bowel cancer on August 7, 2014, at Kirkwood Hospice.
Her husband of four years, Dominic Richardson, with whom she remained friends until she died, said: "She died peacefully in her sleep after three months of agony.
"She always did her best for us and we will never forget her.
"I could not have hoped for a better mother for my children.
"To Carrieanne it was not about the time you have, it was about what you do with that time."
He said that even when her illness was at its worst Carrieanne did everything she could for her children Ciara, 6, Dylan, 5, and Thomas, 2.
Not long before she died Carrieanne, who was raised in Thornhill, took her children on holiday to Haggerston Castle, in Northumbria, to make some last happy memories.
Mr Richardson said Carrieanne made the decision to tell her children when she knew her illness was terminal.
He said: "She prepared them well for it, some people criticised that. Now that it has happened they have their moments, but they are taking it well and being very mature."
Carrieanne enjoyed a strong relationship with her stepfather, Russell, and leaves her mother, Michelle, two brothers, Clive and Craig, and boyfriend Iain.
Her funeral will be held at Huddersfield Crematorium on Tuesday August 19.


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Fallout 3 Facts That Could Save Your Life 75
This past weekend Bethesda released a few new tidbits of information about Fallout 3. Game journalists were invited to an event with the production team, and came away with a much better sense of what the title is like. "Fortunately, you never had to experience the horrors of a nuclear holocaust. Unfortunately, your mother died during childbirth, and you were raised by your father (in a very scientific fashion). Your early, developmental years play an important part of the character creation process and double as a basic game play tutorial. The G.O.A.T. (Generalized Occupational Aptitude TEST) determines what some of your starting skills and skills will be. Physical, artistic attributes can be customized as well. Much like the first level of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, you can manually alter your starting stats and skills before you venture forth." For an epic amount of coverage on the game, Bethesda's new blog has two posts with copious links to previews and hands-on pieces.


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New addition coming to GLL this year
PUNXSUTAWNEY — For many young boys and girls growing up, their dream is to one day play professional sports.
With America's pastime being baseball, many children have grown up with the dream of making the Big Leagues or playing Olympic level softball. But for some children, limitations are keeping them from being able to make that dream come true.
One local woman saw this as a problem and set out to make the most of allowing these children to live out a part of their dream right here in Punxsutawney, and it all started when she attended a Little League Challenger Division game that her nephew, who has Down Syndrome, was playing in DuBois.
That woman is Anna Rugh, and she has set out to create a Challenger League right here in Punxsutawney in cooperation with the Groundhog Little League.
"I have a nephew and a great-nephew who were born with Down Syndrome," she said. "My nephew, who is 6, played on the DuBois team last summer, and I'd never heard of a Challenger League.
I didn't even know what they were talking about when they said they'd signed him up for it."
After attending the game, though, Rugh said her curiosity had been piqued.
"My husband and I went to watch a game, and on the way home, I asked my husband, who had been on the Little League Board in the past, why Punxsy never had such a division or team in its league. He said they'd discussed it in the past, but it never fully came together. So, I spoke with a few board members and found out what I'd have to do."
It turned out what Rugh had to do was a bit of research and some organization in bringing together a presentation to make before the board.
"I presented before the board in October, and they approved it. So, here we are," she said.
The Little League Challenger Division is a program that allows developmentally and physically disabled youth to enjoy the full benefits of Little League participation in an athletic environment structured to
their abilities.
The league is open to special needs children, both boys and girls, ages 6 to 18 — or up to 22 years of age if still enrolled in school — and allows them to play an adaptive ball game.
"Basically, the Challenger Division was started in 1989, so it's been around a while, and it's always been a part of the Little League organization.
It's for both boys and girls, and it's for children whose disabilities would prevent them from playing in a Little League or recreational ball league," Rugh said.
The rules of the game are adjusted from the standard Little League rules to accommodate all levels of disabilities. No player will be denied, and Rugh said all the youth in the area with special needs are encouraged and welcome to play.
"The rules are a bit lax, and they allow the league to cater to the needs of the children," she said. "They encourage you to work with the special education departments at the school — which I've been in touch and worked with. No child would be turned away.
"But, with that said, if we look at things at the first practice and see that a child might be better served playing in a rec league or even in Little League, we might make that recommendation. It's especially for the kids who really wouldn't have a chance to play at all otherwise."
Because starting up such a league comes with the difficulty of forming teams from scratch, Rugh has decided to open the enrollment area a bit to encourage enough participation to make the most out of the experience for the children.
"I broadened the area to Brookville, Redbank Valley and Marion Center to make it more feasible to build a large enough group of children to form a few teams. DuBois, a league that was started by Sherry Martini, pulls kids from other areas as well, so we figured that might help us if we did so. I'm hoping we get enough for a couple teams come registration time."
Rugh said the Challenger Division also uses what it calls "buddies" — volunteers who are allowed to assist any player who may need help on the field, whether for batting, running the bases or playing the field.
"One of the things the Little League headquarters recommends is that, if we draw from a larger area, we keep outs and set it up like an actual game for the kids. But it's not a competitive league. The goal is to make it safe and fun, which is exactly why we have buddies — to be there to assist the kids with whatever they need and to help them enjoy the game."
Rugh said the buddies could be siblings, another Little League player or volunteer or even a parent, and the use of a buddy is optional. She said it's not just to help the kids on the field, though. Another aspect is that it helps the children build friendships with each other.
"The buddies are typically kids who are fairly close to the players' ages to introduce them to someone they can form a friendship with. We'll probably be looking for middle school or high school students once we see how many kids sign up to help make sure the buddies will have the proper level of responsibility, too."
Rugh said that her inspiration came from watching her nephew's game, and she really feels as if a league like this could go a long way in making a difference in the lives of so many local children.
"When we watched a game, there was a young man in a wheelchair, and he tried and tried to hit the ball," she said. "When he was finally able to connect with one, everyone was just so pleased for him. It was very special, and he just loved every minute of it. It was great to see, as he was pushed down to first base, how excited he was. But not only that, it was great to see how excited all of the parents were."
Games will be played in Punxsutawney, and the Groundhog Little League requires a $25 fee upon registration, which will be held this Saturday and Sunday at the B.P.O. Elks, 205 N. Findley St., from 1 to 5 p.m. each day.
Parents must provide child's proof of age at registration. This is the birth certificate issued by the state, not the hospital-issued certificate.
Parents also must provide two items as proof of residence — such as driver's licenses, vehicle registrations or utility bills for the year 2012 or the year 2013.
Anyone with questions or anyone seeking more information is encouraged to contact Rugh at 814-938-6655 or via email at email@example.com.


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Process 65 nm
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Getting 'Your Bell Rung' is No Music to the Ears, Says USciences Doc
Article ID: 614830
Released: 10-Mar-2014 1:00 PM EDT
Source Newsroom: University of the Sciences
Available for logged-in reporters only
While concussions are most commonly associated with sports-related injuries, associate professor Anthony Acquavella, MD, at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, says prevention and awareness begins by recognizing that these brain injuries can also result from slips and falls, playground injuries, and car accidents.
"Concussions are a force to be reckoned with because they are traumatic brain injuries that need to be identified and treated as soon as they occur to help prevent further complications, or even death," said Dr. Acquavella, who also serves as a physician for the University's student health service.
While March is designated as National Brain Injury Awareness Month, Dr. Acquavella said concussions and head injuries affect hundreds of individuals each day. Approximately 1.7 million people suffer from traumatic brain injuries each year, and concussions represent about 75 percent of those injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Earlier this year, a USciences student suffered a concussion from a fall significant enough to take a medical leave from school, as concussion treatment requires thorough brain rest," said Dr. Acquavella.
While concussions are typically caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, they can also occur from impact to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth, such as an injury suffered during a car accident. Observed signs of head injuries, includes individuals appearing dazed or stunned, forgetful, clumsy, and moody. Additionally, symptoms reported by individuals, includes headaches, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, and sensitivity to noise and light.
As of 2011, Pennsylvania has a law on the books which mandates that student athletes exhibiting concussion symptoms cannot return to play until cleared by appropriate healthcare professionals. But Dr. Acquavella said concussion awareness also needs to be a household conversation.
"I worked as a sideline physician for young athletes early in my career, and it was alarming how parents minimized the severity of head injuries in their children," he said. "Concussion awareness begins by getting students, parents, teachers, and coaches on the same page with the causes, symptoms, and outcomes of head injuries."
Individuals suspecting they might have a concussion are urged to seek professional medical attention as soon as possible. Dr. Acquavella received his MD from Georgetown University School of Medicine, and MPH from George Washington University School of Public Health. For assistance in making arrangements to interview Dr. Acquavella, contact Lauren Whetzel (firstname.lastname@example.com, 215.596.8864) or Brian Kirschner (email@example.com, 215.895.1186).
At University of the Sciences, students embark on a challenging learning experience in a proving ground for successful professionals in the science and healthcare-related fields. A private institution dedicated to education, research, and service, and distinguished as the North America's first college of pharmacy, the University has produced leaders in the science and healthcare marketplaces since its founding in 1821. Students in USciences' five colleges learn to excel in scientific analysis and to apply their skills to improving healthcare in the lives of people worldwide through such disciplines as pharmacy, biology, chemistry, psychology, physics, physical therapy, healthcare business, and health policy. For more information, visit usciences.edu.– Twitter @USciences –


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Environmental Impact of Gift Cards
Not many people think about the economic impact of plastic gift cards, after all they are relatively small compared to the wrapping paper and boxes of a large present. In reality 10 billion plastic gift cards are produced every year, most of them end up hitting the land fills. Despite their small size, gift cards ecological footprint can be huge. Gift cards contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC) an extremely toxic compound that is a known carcinogen. Other toxins in gift cards include chlorine residue and heavy metal pollutants. Those 10 billion gift cards produced each year contribute 75 to 100 million pounds of toxic plastic that will site in landfills leaking toxins for the duration of their long lifespan.
Thankfully recycling programs and new materials are being put in place to combat the negative environmental impact of gift cards. Earthworks, a green manufacturing company has been collecting consumer's gift cards and credit cards to make 100% recycled. The earth works system not only reduces cards environmental impact it creates a product with real value making Earthworks a truly sustainable business.
Creating gift cards out of bioplastics may be another way to reduce or even eliminate the environmental impact of gift cards. Bioplastic gift cards are made from renewable sources such as cornstarch and vegetable oil rather than petroleum based plastics. Mirel a corn based biodegradable plastic created by Metabolix has been adopted by a few large retailers. In 2007 Target sold Mirel gift cards in 129 of its stores. Commercial retailers are rapidly adopting greener business practices as their customers demand it. Recycling, bioplastics or digital distribution all contribute to reducing the amount of harmful chemicals. Any thing that creates more sustainable business practices and a cleaner environment is a step in the right direction.
Tags: Bioplastic Gift Cards, Earthworks, Enviromental, Enviromental Impact, Gift Cards, Gift Cards Enviromental Impact, Green, Green Gift Cards, Mirel Gift Card, Recycle, Recycle Gift Cards, recycling gift cards, Sustainable Gift Card Business, Target, Target Gift Card


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Summer is Here! Central Library will close at 6 pm on Thursdays and will be closed Sundays until September. Enjoy!
Log in
The arresting photo on the cover of this book caught my eye and I was quickly drawn into the quirky world of George Ohs, who called himself The Mad Potter.
Born in Biloxi, Mississippi in 1871, George Ohs was a largely self-taught potter, making items like no one had ever seen before. It wasn't until long after his death that the art world came to appreciate what he called his "mud babies."
The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius tells his fascinating story and is illustrated with intriguing historic photographs.
Posted by Sue Warner at 05/08/2014 11:06:29 AM
Books for: Kids, Teens & Tweens


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About Shakespeare
Crappie hunting just got more exciting True crappie anglers want specific gear that will fit their needs. Those same anglers are also looking for something that can withstand a wide array of conditions and abuse. Shakespeare has created the new Crappie Hunter™ series of rods and combos specifically designed for the avid crappie angler. Read More
New Spin on Popular Agility Series Anglers tend to look for great looking gear these days as they seek out the best fishing waters. The latest offering from Shakespeare® rings loud and true to today's angler. The Shakespeare Agility™ series has an aggressive look and possesses many features that even the most seasoned anglers will appreciate. Read More
Shakespeare Announces Support to Fishing's Future Shakespeare® and Fishing's Future share the same goal; to help families connect through fishing. This is precisely why Shakespeare announced today its support of the organization with a $5000 cash donation plus $5000 in fishing gear. Read More


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The lights are on
Veteran Member - Level 11
A number of my blogs have ridden on the coattails of
Blacks Ops success and popularity and just when I thought I milked the source
dry, finished the game or got all the achievements, along comes another blog
idea inspired by Black Ops. Should be the last one...maybe. Who knows? Until
then though...
Let's talk about the Black Op's Playercard Editor, and...
When good ideas go bad.
So...the Playercard Editor, summarized:
Playercards is a
feature that appears in Call of Duty: Black Ops to act as a replacement for
callsigns and titles. Emblems are fully customizable, as individual emblem
images can be colored, moved, rotated, flipped, resized, and stacked on top of
each other. There are over 480 images and over 180 backgrounds to choose from.
Each playercard can have up to 12 emblem images layered at once. The emblem
images and layers will still have to be unlocked, however. The player will
unlock the ability to have their emblem printed onto the weapon of their liking
at level 16. All the emblems, layers, and backgrounds the player buys, stays
with them when they prestige.
If you're one of the three or four people who haven't
played Black Ops then you might not have ever seen the Playercard editior in
action...but you still might have read a story or two about it. The latest news
post that has everyone up in arms...
(See the original image and read full story at Herd of Cats.)
"If You Use A
Swastika In Black Ops, You Will Be Banned"
If you read that
headline and think, "Duh, that's obvious," congratulations: You're
not an idiot. For everyone else, Microsoft has made it expressly clear that if
you use a swastika as your multiplayer symbol in Call of Duty: Black Ops, you
will be banned from Xbox Live.
My daughter is the artistic one in the family...always
drawing, doodling, writing poetry and creating something out of nothing. She
loves the Playercard Editor and is always creating these interesting emblems.
(If you're wondering - my daughter is old enough to play, so don't worry). So,
the other day she is showing me one of her latest creations...a cute little
monster looking thing, created with the various shapes and symbols that are
available. She was quite pleased with it. I told her about the above story and
asked her if she witnessed any swastikas. I was curious and wondering just how
big of a problem it is. She went on to tell me it's not just swastikas either...all
kinds of inappropriate user created content. Well, when I say inappropriate,
obviously that may depend on personal preference, but listening to her
"describe" some of the emblems, I think it's safe to say most would
agree it's inappropriate.
(On a side note, while my youngest son might not be as artistic,
I am impressed with his "chainsaw with a scope" emblem)
Imagine if you will, giving gamers from all walks of life
a paintbrush and canvas to create practically whatever they want and trusting
they'll handle it in a responsible manner...creating emblems in good taste that
represent their character or something significant and worthwhile.
Some are real masterpieces. Very creative. Original.
...others...make you question man as the
"intelligent" species; some I'm too embarrassed to even mention, and
certainly couldn't post photos of here. It doesn't take much looking around on
Google to see some perfect examples of what I'm talking about. My feeling on
the matter is there are some particularly distasteful emblems. You may or may
not agree.
How do people even think this stuff up? Why do people
even think this stuff up? I dunno.
Is this kind of creative expression right or wrong?
Should Microsoft and/or Activision (or any company for
that matter) have the right to censor content they deem inappropriate? Or ban
accounts over it?
It's an interesting topic and one where there is no easy
answer or solution. I'm sure if you read the fine print the big guys, the Microsoft's
and Activision's, are legally allowed to do this...but should they? It doesn't
really bother me if they do.
Its unfortunate we even have to have this debate...but it
certainly wouldn't be the first time included features in a game were abused or
at least not used for its intended purpose.
I'm a huge fan of Valve and pretty much all of their
games. If you've played them online, then there is a good chance you've used
the "spray" feature, but if you haven't...the spray feature is a way
you can leave your mark in games like Counter Strike, Half-Life Deathmatch and
Team Fortress 2. You press a button, and a "spray logo" is painted on
the surface - wall, floor or ceiling. Of course this feature is customizable
and allows the user to upload their own logos...and logos can be pictures of
And yes...you see some rather disturbing images. It's
almost like a game of "who can come up with the most offensive
It's pretty bad when the Planet Half Life website gives
this advice...
"While we're
on the topic of all things saucy, avoid using pornographic sprays while
in-game. Sure, it's funny to you and a few of your friends, but most gamers
feel that if they wanted to see naked women on their screens, they would go to
a porn website. Game servers are for gaming, so respect that."
Again...a brilliant feature...seriously marred by those
who would abuse the feature.
What are we to do...
...when good ideas
go bad?


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Hi, can anyone please explain to me how to display unicode characters in the menus? it doesnt work in Kmeleon1.02 cos menus.cfg can only be saved in ANSI and UTF-8. When u try this with ANSI, Kmeleon will replace all my unicode chars with the nearest ANSI possible.
for UTF-8, it will replace them with question marks and strange charcaters.
I upgraded to Kmeleon 1.1 but its no use since kmeleon.kmm also must be saved in either ANSII or UTF-8, if i save in UNICODE, my custom menus are not loaded at all and only the default menu is loaded.
for example, about russian version, are all russian characters in ANSI format?, if not how did they achieve this.


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Area basketball teams fall short in Friday action
Nolan County area basketball teams found the going tough on Friday.The Roscoe boys and girls lost at Stamford by scores of 86-36 and 42-28, respectively.Highland's teams hosted Roby but they experienced a similar fate, as Roby won the boys game 61-25 and slipped by the girls 30-28.Blackwell's teams hosted Bronte and the boys lost 57-24, while the girls fell 58-28.The Roscoe boys had a chance to tie Stamford for first place in District 9-A, Division I, but instead fell to 2-2 in district and 9-9 overall while Stamford — which is ranked No. 12 in Class 1A, Division I — improved to 4-0 in district and 19-3 overall. Roscoe was paced by Caden Smith with 17 points. Cody Graham had eight, Devan Cole seven, Edgar Gallegos two and Keeston Ford and Jesus Leanos one.Highland's boys (2-4 in District 11-A, Division II) got 11 points by Josh Andrews, eight by Landon Rowlett, four by Ron Covington and two by Kaden Nachlinger.Highland's girls (6-2) nearly upset the No. 6 team in Class 1A, Division II but Roby held on to go 8-0 in district play and take a two-game lead over the Lady Hornets with four remaining. Highland led 17-13 at halftime, but was outscored 17-11 by Roby in the second half. Kara Hughey had nine points, Shyan Womack six, Sierra Allen and Jessica McCain five, Callie Sandusky two and Beth Richburg one. Stamford's girls improved to 4-1 in District 9-A, Division I by beating Roscoe (1-4 in district, 8-15 overall).Roscoe was led by Lynnsi Moses with eight points. Carolina Perez had five and Natalie Anthony, Lind-sey Williams and Jacinda Morales three, while Faith Boren, Kaitlinn Reed and Katie McIntire had two.


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While some twenty-something dudes would otherwise be riding a normal bicycle, most would be driving a car. If it takes electric bicycles to kill the idea that cycling is a sport instead of an efficient form of transportation, so be it.
There are other problems. Pedaling 20 miles to work = working with really stinky people. Most offices and even shops do not have showers. Also changing from a motorcycle or car to a bike typically triples the commute time (except for places like new york where you sit in your car for 6 hours to go 1 block) as you cant maintain an average speed of 35 miles per hour on a bike unless you are an athlete. So instead of leaving for work 20 minutes before I need to be there, I need to leave 1.5 hours early so I can bike there for 1 hour and spend 1/2 hour showering and dressing for work.
THAT is the problem that biking to work faces. and looking at ALL my coworkers, maybe 3 of them can survive a 10 mile bike ride. the rest would be dead on the side of the road barely able to breathe after 3 miles. Silly part is, the 3 that can survive all are 40 somethings the 20 somethings are all horribly out of shape drinking their latte' with extra whipped cream.
There are other problems. Pedaling 20 miles to work = working with really stinky people
Where I live (northern Italy), we are trying to solve this problem with local trains carrying people and their bikes, and with bicycle parking racks near stations. This way, most part of the travel can be done on public transport, and the last 2-3 miles can be done on bikes. It is less clumsy than it sounds.
Your assertion might be right if you don't live in a major city. I live in Mexico City, which is a huge monster by all standards. The most efficient transportation medium here is by bike, unless you are lucky enough to ride on the major high-speed urban roads on your way to work, and both live and work quite close to their entry/exit points.
I am by no means an athlete. My average cycling speed is between 20 and 25 Km/h. The city is mostly flat, and whenever I can, I bike to my destination on a ~20Km radius
I wonder about how safe they are. My heart rate scales with the speed I travel and my reflexes tend to scale the same way. Sometimes I get scared riding with a strong tail wind because I feel that I am going faster than my body is setup to do.
The other thing is that sometimes I need to go slow, and sometime I need to go very fast. A power limited electric motor can't do the latter and would make me feel vulnerable in traffic.
I have a "hybrid" electric bike. It has an electric motor in the hub, and regular pedals for the human powerplant. The motor works best as an assist, particularly nice on steep hills. I mainly use the electric motor to get up to speed, then can pedal to maintain. Using both at the same time gives a good quick launch from a standstill. The electric motor on mine tops out at about 15mph, which is decent. I can go faster on a normal bike, but I break a sweat.
The electric motor on mine tops out at about 15mph,
The throttle control on my 3 year old Urban Mover UM36 is now derestricted, normally the throttle maxes out at 10mph and the pedal sensor maxes out at 15mph, but now the throttle can get me to 20mph along the flat without pedalling (and no panniers), faster if I pedal whilst the throttle is on maximum.
Sure it's illegal here in the UK but it's so much fun and journeys are shorter than before, took a short while to get used to the increased speed but I'm still safe with it, I make sure I don't ride dangerous
And here in central florida they put it on the road which resulted in an even greater amount of chaos and injury.
I've got a lot of foreign friends, the one thing they have in common is that they consider us delusional for believing that bicycles are not pedestrians.
They are great for inner-city transportation, but I wouldn't like to ride along busy suburban main roads on one.
Australia's already famous for trying its best to kill all the humans living there, that's hardly suprising.
I've got a lot of foreign friends, the one thing they have in common is that they consider us delusional for believing that bicycles are not pedestrians.
I'm not sure why this was modded flamebait. There's a point to be made here. I've lived in Downtown Portland and traveled a lot as both a pedestrian and a driver. I have to say this: I would MUCH rather dodge bicycles on the sidewalk than hit one with my car. It's not that cyclists are stupid, it's that they are so overwhelmingly out-classed that any collision is frightening. I'd rather have the fear of colliding with a cyclist while crossing a street than living with the guilt of accidentally paraly
Doesn't quite work when it's "like a Vespa"
I have a mental image of Howard from "Big Bang Theory" on his scooter, with Sheldon in a pink Helmet screaming and clinging on for dear life.
Two of the many reasons this may not catch on in the US:
One is drivers. I ride a (nonmotorized) bike to work twice a week. It would sure be nice if drivers here in the US showed that they had some clue that cyclists exist. This morning I got to deal with a woman who decided to pull her car over into the bike lane so that she could talk on her cell phone. On the way home, I got a teenage girl eating a banana while wanting to turn left in front of me without signaling. Other fun experiences include people swerving around me and cutting me off because they're too impatient to let me get across an intersection, and people yelling at me because I'm not in the bike lane (hey, sometimes cyclists do need to turn left, and in any case the law says that cyclists can ride in regular lanes).
Another reason is weather. US weather has more extremes than Europe. There's a reason that all the early colonists from England died of tropical diseases.
I'll second Parent here. I have a two and a half mile ride to work, but I'd have to cross two interstates and a 6 lane highway to get there. I can do it in the summer, but trying to get a bike through 6 inches of snow in the dark mornings while dodging traffic isn't fun or safe.
Down south this might be more viable as a car replacement, but up in Michigan I need a car 4 months out of the year. It sucks, and I end up paying more for PLPD than I do for gas, but it has to be done.
Maybe if you cyclists would quit dragging ass in a 45 zone with no shoulder. I know you top out a lot higher than 25.
American weather isn't that bad. Note that two of the biggest bike cities in the world are Copenhagen and Amsterdam, neither noted for its pleasant conditions.
Both Copenhagen and Amsterdam benefit from the Gulf Stream. Although Copenhagen is at a similar latitude as Edmonton, Canada, the climate is nowhere near as cold. For another example, compare the climate of Copenhagen [wikipedia.org] and the climate of North Dakota [wikipedia.org], which is at similar latitudes as France.
Where I live, 95% of all drivers are very good regarding cyclists. There is 4.9% that are idiots. And then there is the 0.1% that are out there to kill/maim/etc. a cyclist for using a road. You know, on purpose. These people should be jailed for a long time.
Traffic laws needs to change in the US and Canada. In more friendly jurisdictions a car/bike collision automatically means that the car driver is at fault unless it can be proven otherwise. And if you think about it, that really makes sense. Anytime a cyclist or a motorcycle rider gets hit by a car, they are the ones that lose. Therefore, it is generally the inattentiveness and downright criminal actions of the driver that results in a crash.
Netherlands has a much larger bicycle population than anywhere in US/Canada, yet per capita collision rates are much lower. The reason is precisely laws that favour cyclists, not cages.
No, the reason is because pretty much everyone else in the world has the sense to realise that bicyclists are pedestrians. They don't belong in the road any more than joggers or skateboarders.
I was just in Helsinki last august, they just doubled the size of the sidewalk and allowed the section nearest the road for bicycles pretty much everywhere and where they don't they just treat a bicyclist that hits a walker the same as a car that hits a pedestrian.
No, the reason is because pretty much everyone else in the world has the sense to realise that bicyclists are pedestrians. They don't belong in the road any more than joggers or skateboarders.
I suggest you look again at Copenhagen.
Regardless -- the numbers show that vehicular cycling [wikipedia.org] is safe -- and that in the US, riding on the sidewalk dramatically increases the chances of a car/bicycle collision (as drivers don't look for fast-moving vehicles on the sidewalk when pulling in and out of driveways). The League of American Bicyclists [bikeleague.org] tracks statistics and offers classes [bikeleague.org] (which leverage these statistics) on driving one's bicycle in a predictable, courteous, and safe manner; the accident rate for League members is on the same order of magnitude of that of motor vehicles when measured per mile traveled, but far lower when measured by other criteria.
Regardless, while the accident rate per mile is somewhat higher, the accident rate per hour spent traveling is dramatically lower for cyclists. This is critical, as the curve for peoples' commute time tends to be fairly constant regardless of vehicle -- people who use a faster mode of transport arrange their lives such that they live closer to work. As such, for a person who makes their decision to use a bicycle as a long-term lifestyle choice (and is thus eventually able to take such into account when selecting either their employer or their living space), the chance of being harmed during one's commute is actually much lower.
You might find Ken Kifer's analysis [kenkifer.com] useful; the statistical arguments made are compelling. (Ken passed away some time ago, killed by a drunk driver; for anyone interested in making a point of this, I suggest comparing the frequency of this event to the rate of 3rd-party deaths caused by drunk cyclists).
As another poster mentioned, Helsinki isn't that great...
But most importantly, you are misguided in proposing that the space for bicycles should be taken out of space for pedestrians. Bicycle in a city can have comparable speed to a car, if not forced into pedestrian sidewalk, so it has no place there.
The solution is much simpler - don't let cars eat your cities, dividing them into inaccessible islands on the premise that cars should be priviledged when it comes to trying, and failing most out of all altern
pretty much everyone else in the world has the sense to realise that bicyclists are pedestrians. They don't belong in the road any more than joggers or skateboarders.
I don't suppose you've ever ridden down a sidewalk at 30mph? How about trying to avoid getting hit by cars pulling in and out of driveways while riding down a sidewalk at 30mph? Nobody expects fast moving vehicles on a sidewalk and they are a hazard to any cyclist capable of maintaining high speed. The widespread development of smooth paved roads was initially done at the behest of cyclists 100+ years ago who wanted a better surface to ride on than dirt or gravel. Now all of a sudden the automobile comes al
n more friendly jurisdictions a car/bike collision automatically means that the car driver is at fault unless it can be proven otherwise. And if you think about it, that really makes sense.
No, it really doesn't. We need sane laws for everyone, not preferential ones for cyclists.
Anytime a cyclist or a motorcycle rider gets hit by a car, they are the ones that lose. Therefore, it is generally the inattentiveness and downright criminal actions of the driver that results in a crash.
Faulty logic. People do stuff that they know (or should know) will hurt them all the time. They do it a lot when driving cars, anyway, why should bicycles be any different?
I've seen way too many cyclists weaving through traffic lanes when it's clearly unsafe to do so (e.g. right after red turned green, and cars are starting to move), ignoring stop signs, and ignoring bicycle lanes when they don't need to turn left.
I've seen way too many cyclists [...] ignoring bicycle lanes when they don't need to turn left.
Where I live, cars are often allowed to park next to, and even in, bike lanes. As a result, riding in the bike lane often puts one in "the door zone" -- the area in which a car door suddenly opening can throw one off one's bike and under nearby traffic -- or puts one at risk by forcing frequent lane changes (merging in and out of the bike lane to avoid parked cars). Additionally, while the city is generally quite good about keeping bike lanes and improved shoulders clean and safe, several suburbs which I ride through on my way to and from work don't share that priority.
For these reasons and others, one of the things taught in the League's traffic safety classes is recognition of times and circumstances when it's appropriate not to use bike lanes.
To summarize -- while I don't support the other misbehaviors you mentioned, if you see a cyclist ignoring a bike lane, they may be doing so for one of several good reasons.
Faulty logic. People do stuff that they know (or should know) will hurt them all the time. They do it a lot when driving cars, anyway, why should bicycles be any different?
When it comes to sharing the road with cars, many people seem to assume that such accidents are usually the cyclist's fault — a result of reckless or aggressive riding. But an analysis of police reports on 2,752 bike-car accidents in Toronto found that clumsy or inattentive driving by motorists was the cause of 90 percent of these crashes. [nytimes.com]
ignoring stop signs
Some cyclists do those things, and I can understand why it is frustrating for other people, but it rarely causes accidents: 2% of cases where cyclists were s [guardian.co.uk]
In more friendly jurisdictions a car/bike collision automatically means that the car driver is at fault unless it can be proven otherwise. And if you think about it, that really makes sense.
So you punish people based on no evidence? Interesting law.
As a bicyclist (and driver. Remember that- most of us who ride our bikes ALSO DRIVE), I find it very difficult to sympathize with your viewpoint.
When is the last time you read, "motorist killed by bicyclist"? Bicyclists always lose in car-vs-bicyclist.
Now, look at the face of cyclist road deaths: Kylie Bruehler, orphaned when both her parents were struck by a truck [austin360.com]. Go on, LOOK [mysanantonio.com], Mr. Self Righteous. Look at the face of a 7 year old girl as she buries her parents. Look at her grandfather walk down th
As a bicyclist (and driver. Remember that- most of us who ride our bikes ALSO DRIVE), I find it very difficult to sympathize with your viewpoint.
When is the last time you read, "motorist killed by bicyclist"? Bicyclists always lose in car-vs-bicyclist.
Now, look at the face of cyclist road deaths: Kylie Bruehler, orphaned when both her parents were struck by a truck [austin360.com]. Go on, LOOK [mysanantonio.com], Mr. Self Righteous. Look at the face of a 7 year old girl as she buries her parents. Look at her grandfather walk down the line of hundreds of cyclists who showed up to honor them.
Do you know what usually happens when a motorist kills a cyclist? Absolutely nothing [bicyclelaw.com]- and this case is not the exception but the rule. Time and time again the cyclist community fumes when another person is struck simply because the driver wasn't paying attention to where they were going, the police call it a "terrible accident", and the driver walks off without so much as a manslaughter charge.
I'm glad you used sound reasoning and solid argumentation and did not resort to baser things like guilt-trips and emotional appeals. Well done, sir.
I'm glad you used sound reasoning and solid argumentation and did not resort to baser things like guilt-trips and emotional appeals. Well done, sir.
Sure, because the parent I replied to had sound reasoning and solid argumentation when he said that most cyclists on the road are lawless jerks- and implied that they deserve what they get, or that drivers shouldn't be responsible for hitting them. Also, I think it's pretty logical and good reasoning to say, "When is the last time you read, 'motorist killed
When is the last time you read, 'motorist killed by cyclist'
When was the last time you read "Freight train killed my motorist"?
We all know that cars are bigger than bikes, but that doesn't mean that bikers are freed of responsibility in all cases.
If reading that story and looking at that picture of that orphan makes a couple of Slashdotters a liiiiitle bit more careful driving (around cyclists or not), then it was worth every mod point.
The thing is, guilt-tripping people like that doesn't actually work. If it did, PETA would have long since prevaled I wouldn't still be eating 5 pounds of cow every week. All stunts like that do is undermine your credibility by indicating to people that you are not willing to have a rational discussion, but instead need to resort to emotional arguments.
Except that he never said that bikers should be freed of responsibility in all cases. Nobody has. The closest anybody has come to that is to say that the default should be that the driver should be seen as at-fault unless there is evidence that the biker was as a way of correcting for the disproportionality of risk to the biker v the driver. It's an arguable point, but you're not arguing with it when you misrepresent what was claimed.
Similarly, providing people with information about the realities of car
I'm amazed you find time to ride a bicycle what with all the time you seem to spend on your high horse.
I ride a motorbike (and at times a pushbike) on the road, and have learned one thing very well.
It is the job of the more at-risk to protect themselves!
Anything else is just a stupid unrealistic dream.
Reality is that I must avoid cars pulling in front of me, cutting me off, and at times trying to drive through me when I am stationary. This is life.
Every day (I commute through an area of main road loved by cyclists) I see them 'downhilling' down a lethal bit of road - not to commut but for fun, and high speed (often above the speed limit), taking wide corners, and without the ability to quickly stop. I have seen several very serious accidents there, however I have never seen a car-on-car accident there as it is a safe bit of road, the usual accident is a bike into the back of a car, or once into the front when taking a corner WAY too wide.
The road is not a playground, it is there for transportation, and it is dangerous. Many drivers are borderline incompetent, so you must weight up the risks, and make some serious decisions.
Honestly, I feel the same way driving a coupe. If an SUV or a tractor trailer decides to pull into my lane without checking their blind spot, I'm toast. I've ended up literally with parts of a semi trailer *over* the front of my car before.
The best way to view this is that there is always someone else on the road who is going to do something stupid, and even if one of you end up worse for the encounter... it's still a really bad situation to be in knowing that you killed someone's mom through your negligenc
You seem to be a rather bitter when it comes to this subject so I'll help you out a bit: namecalling and trying to guilt-trip someone who very likely never did anything wrong is not going to win you over any minds. Try keeping a cool head and making reasoned arguments next time.
As a pedestrain (I neither drive, nor bike to work), I could start ranting about how many people bikers run over and hurt/kill while they were minding their own business crossing the streets at crosswalks or walking down the sidewa
What do you want to happen? Apparently, the civil lawsuit isn't finished yet. The driver wasn't drunk (he was tested right away). He stopped. And he didn't know the victims. Do you want to put the driver in prison for the next ten years? What else are you suggesting?
He should definitely pay for what he did, but in the form of financial restitution. Personally, I'm sorry this happened, but as long as this isn't a pattern -- I'd rather not have my tax dollars be used in locking this guy up for years.
That would be a good start.
I'm not familiar with the sad situation you relate, but I do not believe it has anything to do with the parent comment. Also, I have noticed that at least half of the bicyclists in my area do not obey traffic laws in any form, and the rest obey them sporadically. They don't stay on their side of the road. They don't signal. They don't maintain safe distances. They cut traffic off. The list goes on. Many of the offenders are "professional" riders too. They compete at the local velodrome. They have friken spo
going through a car or a pedestrian green light, whichever comes first
This is perfectly legal, although of course the cyclist may want to make his intentions clear to avoid getting hit.
and acting like jerks every time a car fails to signal or otherwise violates some traffic rule while they themselves almost completely ignore every single one of them.
The problem is that when drivers ignore the traffic laws around cyclists, it's a threat to the cyclist's life. People tend to get testy when other people are acting like they want to kill them.
The problem is that when drivers ignore the traffic laws around cyclists, it's a threat to the cyclist's life.
The problem is that when cyclists ignore traffic laws around cars, it's also a threat to cyclist's life.
going through a car or a pedestrian green light, whichever comes first
This is perfectly legal, although of course the cyclist may want to make his intentions clear to avoid getting hit.
Not in California: In California, a bicyclist walking their bike is a pedestrian, and a bicyclist on their bike is a vehicle. A vehicle must operate in the lane, e.g. not in the crosswalk. You must dismount from the bicycle, therefore, if you wish to use that crosswalk. You may also not ride on the sidewalk unless permitted by local regulations, but you still can't then ride across the street in the crosswalk, because that's a moving violation and you're subject to the same laws as the cars, motorcycles, an
Okay, I bike everyday, in Canada. Whether snow, ice, or -40 Celsius. I hate this just as much as you. Because I stop, and I follow all the laws to the best of my ability -- little useless bell (voice is much louder) on my handlebars and all. Here's one I also follow: the speed-limit. However, pretty much every automobile driver I meet does not follow the speed limit. So, it's not like motorists are somehow more law-abiding than cyclists -- because almost 100% of motorists break the speed limit. There's this one road I go down -- 30kph speed limit, and yet every car behind me always seems to catch up and pass me rather quickly when I'm going along at 30kph. In fact, I would say that most are going 50kph. That's more than 66% over the speed limit. Is every motorist continuously late for work or something? And in 50kph zones, it seems that 70kph or greater is the norm amongst motorists. On the highway you would be as lucky as a lottery-winner to see someone cruising not more than 90kph, the speed limit.
And cars seem to have trouble with stop-signs as well. They slow-down for them, but as for a complete stop -- that's a rarity. They seem to like to just crawl through them at 1 to upward of 5 kph.
Really the only group of motorists with which I'm continually impressed are the school-bus drivers.
But I've been semi-facetious so far. This is how it actually is: The motorist thinks on the highway: "Well, this highway is still safe at 100kph. It's only 10kph over the speed limit and visibility and conditions are fine. So even though it is breaking law, I'll do it." If he actually thought that he would get into an accident, he wouldn't do it. This is what the cyclist is thinking at the stop-sign: "No one else is coming, so, if I just go through, it will be fine. So even though it is breaking the law, I'll do it." If he actually thought that he would get into an accident, he wouldn't do it.
There's this one road I go down -- 30kph speed limit, and yet every car behind me always seems to catch up and pass me rather quickly when I'm going along at 30kph. In fact, I would say that most are going 50kph. That's more than 66% over the speed limit.
My brother is a cycler and comes home regularly with tales that make me cringe for his safety.
I've often wondered if he had an LED display on the back of his bike that showed how fast he was riding, if cars would be more prone to backing off. He is like you sound - regularly doing the speed limit - and is overtaken a lot, I assume because people think "well, bikes are slow, so I can drive faster".
Another reason is laws. Here in New York electric bikes are illegal - http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/dmvfaqs.htm#motor
I think you'll be surprised and that it will.
I upgrated my old steel hardtail mountain bike into an ebike becuase I have a ~400 vertical foot climb from the train station to work.
I bought the Phoenix motor kit by Crystalyte (http://www.electricrider.com/crystalyte/phoenix.htm) and swapped out the acid batteries for a Lithium Ferrous Polymer at a very reasonable price (thank you Lau Chen of Hong Kong).
The result is a bike with almost 2000 watts max power (48V x 40A = 1920W) with 10Ahr of total juice. The practical range is about 10 miles at a speed of 30 MPH (I have a motor wound for slightly more torque).
My time up the hill basically beats driving (surface streets, not freeway). An interesting thing happens when you go as fast as cars - they see you better, you can get out of the way better and you take fewer stupid risks. For example, you are less likely to run a stop sign if you can re-accelerate easily. Also, if you're not pedaling hard you have more energy to focus on what's around you. It becomes more like riding a motorcycle.
I love my e-bike - once people see
1) How versatile they are (go anywhere a car can go and slightly more)
2) How cheap they are (fuel cost approaches zero even charging at home)
3) How normal you look on them (it's just a bike)
and most importantly
4) How lazy you can be on them (you don't sweat at all)
You will see much better adoption in the short range commute, even in the US.
I did the same thing with my bike. At first I would pedal my bike to work and back every day but I would always be working late and after a 14 hour day at work I would then have to pedal, mostly up hill, to get home. Then I would have to wait about 2 hours or so until my body would relax enough to get to sleep. I eventually got sick of this and decided to buy a kit for my bike. 750W motor and a 48v 20Ahr LiPo battery pack does the trick. I get about 40kms and I can go about 55kph without the speed limi
You have bike lanes where you live? Lucky.
When I can, I ride a bicycle as a form of transportation. Even though it helps me stay healthy, saves gas, pollutes less, and takes less parking space, I don't expect a medal for it. But it would be nice if I didn't have to face the dangerous neglect and even outright hostility of American motorists for it.
I can see electric bicycles catching on in the US... for recreation. Instead of replacing automobiles with electric mopeds, we'll replace bicycles with electric mopeds, and take them on joy rides in the country on weekends (transporting them there in the SUV). We won't burn any less gas, but we'll use more electricity, and exercise less.
I can see electric bicycles catching on in the US... for recreation. Instead of replacing automobiles with electric mopeds, we'll replace bicycles with electric mopeds, and take them on joy rides in the country on weekends (transporting them there in the SUV). We won't burn any less gas, but we'll use more electricity, and exercise less.
I don't see that at all.
Those kinds of motorists are actually why you want e-bikes to catch on.
Statistics show a 30% increase in safety of each individual cyclist whenever the population of cyclists doubles; much of this is presumably related to folks in other vehicles learning to expect bikes on the road (though there certainly may be other factors -- such as cyclists being taken into account in roadway design -- involved as well). Something that gets more people off of four wheels and onto two is thus in all of our best interests. (For this reason also, mandatory helmet laws actually decrease cyclists' safety by discouraging cycling; while any individual cyclist is safer if they experience a head injury with a helmet than without, laws making helmets mandatory reduce the population of cyclists and thereby result in an increase in the number of head injuries suffered; even the practice of strongly encouraging helmet use may be counterproductive, as the perception that cycling is dangerous is also a deterrent to having more cyclists on the road. Nobody wears helmets cycling in downtown Copenhagen, and they seem to be doing just fine).
As for the weather argument, I don't buy it. First -- why would this apply only to electric bikes and not to conventional ones? Second -- I ride an electric bike, and live in Texas (which tends towards the high-temperature side of the extremes you speak of). The manufacturer, like many of their early customers, is in Colorado (which tends towards the cold side of things); lots of folks in California as well, and many customers overseas. The only fellow on the mailing list who's had problems with his bike linked to the weather? Northern England[1]. Yes, the Colorado folks have to put on spiked tires for navigating ice some of the time (and the company's marketing guy got himself a conversion with skis on the front and a tread on the back of his bike [ktrakcycle.com] for Christmas), but we have folks who commute in the snow [youtube.com]. Sure, that's a pretty extreme commute -- how would you rather start your day, with a drive or an adventure?
[1] - Apparently a small amount of water managed to get through multiple layers of seals and into the motor. We all ride in the rain, but he deals with some truly torrential downpours on an extremely regular basis. In any event, changes were made to address the issue, and no like problems have been reported since.
One is drivers. I ride a (nonmotorized) bike to work twice a week. It would sure be nice if drivers here in the US showed that they had some clue that cyclists exist, etc.
It would also be awesome if cyclists would show that they aren't oblivious to drivers. "Share The Road" goes both ways, bro.
It would also be awesome if cyclists would show that they aren't oblivious to drivers.
Along those lines, you might find the "vehicular cycling" school of technique worth promoting; it teaches consistency and communication in how one drives one's bicycle (not just through hand signals and the like, but also things like positioning within one's lane to indicate future intent); classes are offered throughout the US by the League of American Bicyclists.
It would also be awesome if people acknowledged that there's more than one subgroup of cyclists, and that some of them treat the roads differently than others.
As a cyclist (and a driver) I think there's one fine which should be handed out FAR FAR FAR more often.
It's called "failed to indicate" hooo boy is it a doozy.
As someone who spends a week each year in Shanghai, this is nothing special. These bikes are nasty rusty things. Often found in shades of silver and brown with broken seats and bent baskets. The owners don't understand the concept of pride in their own possessions. I find this behavior quite foreign to me, but I suppose that's because I'm an American. In short, leave-it-out-to-rust is the Chinese motto.
Oh, and for all you living in Shanghai, could you PLEASE for the love of God, change your moped brake pads? That high pitched squealing makes my ears ring
The owners don't understand the concept of pride in their own possessions
I spent the past year in Beijing and can tell you it is not because of lack of pride in their possessions. It's a case of Chinese common sense: everyone knows the omnipresent theives want to steal shiny new ones, so the owner who wants to keep his has a ratty looking one.
It's not just Chinese common sense. I used to work in Hollywood, which is actually kind of a dodgy place. I used to keep my truck unwashed and leave McDonalds bags all over to make it as unattractive as possible. In fact, I occasionally had to leave my pro camera in my car so I would stuff it inside a crumpled fast food bag and leave it lying on the floor.
I've seen that in other countries. Amsterdam has a lot of bicycles which look like they are about to disintegrate into component atoms due to the rust damage any minute.
The reason for this is that here in the US, bikes are somewhat a style thing. If you are doing road, you have to have the $7000 carbon fiber frame [1] with Dura-Ace or Super Record, or you will be viewed as an amateur. Similar with a mountain biker coming up to a Cat 1 with anything but XTR or X.0 will be viewed as a hack and told to replace their Huffy with something racable. If you are touring, you must have the latest custom made Vanilla bike, or you will be viewed as someone who got a DWI. Even the hipsters "require" a fairly high-zoot frame for their fixies. A lot of Americans view something like the stereotypical Flying Pigeon from China as a joke.
[1]: Of course, we all know how fragile CF is... if you don't have a torque wrench and crank a tad too much adjusting your seatpost, expect the thing to break and have a jagged spear pointed right at your bum. However, since CF is light and cool looking, it is the style now... even though a CF bike frame has to be thrown in the trash if it gets even the slightest gouge or crack.
Contrast this to me, who just rides a bike in whatever street clothes he happens to be wearing that day.
I work for a large international bicycle company. We've got an in-house team that designs cycling apparel. And I've always been put off looking at our online catalog, wondering why I have to look like a billboard on wheels. The truth is that I don't like all the high-graphic jerseys at all. However, if you are a distance commuter or otherwise undertaking a longer ride, it makes sense to get some of the right kind of clothing (frequently lycra, yes) to wick away sweat and also for freedom of motion &
Some cities are studying the halfway measure of banning them from bicycle lanes while permitting them on streets.
Considering them like a motor vehicle is halfway between what and what? It's like people try to copy the the most witless bit of prose from the entire article.
I'm not 100% sure, but I'd bet this is retaliation for the Chinese Steel subsidies/trade practices. I believe American and European manufacturers are not allowed to buy steel in China or in Chinese-controlled markets. In other words, the price Chinese bicycle manufacturers are paying for steel is artificially low and could be considered by some as an unfair manufacturing advantage.
That being said, this is just speculation on my part. The Steel thing is real. Many industries that rely on steel in the US are
Some cities are studying the halfway measure of banning them from bicycle lanes while permitting them on streets
It's simple, really. Bicycle lanes exist to protect bicycles which travel slower than the rest of traffic. If you're assisted by an electric motor, there is less of a speed differential with traffic, but now you'll be a hazard to all the bicyclists yourself, since you'll be traveling much faster than them.
I can't wait for the first dooring of a moped rider in a bike lane- maybe drivers will start to take "look in your mirror before you fling open your door" seriously because it'll be in their best interests, both in terms of personal safety and damage to their car; a couple hundred pounds of metal and rider will at the very least bend that door pretty far forward, I'm guessing.
As someone who has been doored, it REALLY sucks getting doored because some stupid asshole can't take 2 seconds to look in their mirror before they open their door. The worst part isn't flying over your handlebars, or getting your hand permanently fucked up from getting pinched between the handlebar and edge of the car door at +10MPH with 150lb of momentum. The worst part is hitting the door and having that throw you right into the traffic lane and get hit/run over by a car, truck, or bus. It's not the door itself that kills bicyclists- it's getting hit/run over by the traffic that was just behind them. Yet another reason why bicycle lanes in the US, which are sandwiched between parked cars and traffic, are almost worse than nothing at all. In Europe and elsewhere, bike lanes are completely separated and often run nowhere near the road- they're a separate network.
Also, there is a special place in hell for all the hipster retards riding their 70's-era mopeds (Puchs seem to be the most popular.) In our part of town, there's at least a couple of them zipping around in their tight black jeans and flannel shirts, leaving a contrail of blue smoke which is so bad to ride behind and breathe, one has to pull over and wait a minute or two for it to dissipate. They're putting out 50 times the pollution of the SUV next to them, just to save money on gas and look cool.
There are many cyclists who are capable of traveling at or above the urban speed limits, and around here do.
Should they be banned from the bike lanes? what exactly is the bike lane speed limit?
I would love to see what would happen if someone did try and enforce a nice and slow and safe limit on them, i bet a rather vocal group of riders would go nuts.
Also, to address your other BS.
Have you looked in the rear vision mirror of a parked car when bikes are coming past? they are VERY hard to spot, especially whe
In an age when most of us could do with more exercise, not less, and could reduce energy usage not increase it - these seem like a bad idea. It will be interesting to see if the percentage of people who are obese in either of these countries increase in parallel with the switch to electric bikes.
I've been to Amsterdam, spent a few weeks there, and you'd be amazed at how few people are fat in that city - a lot of which can be contributed to the fact the ride everywhere. Compare that to the US, Britain, and even Australia - and it's quite the difference. America of course wins the prize - so if anything you guys need more incentive to ride pushbikes, not less.
In an age when most of us could do with more exercise, not less, and could reduce energy usage not increase it - these seem like a bad idea.
If you had actually read the article, you'll notice that most of the "electric" bikes here in the US are actually pedal/motor hybrids, which turn off and on at will.
For my 5-mile commute into work, I'd love to ride every day, but I can't afford to be arrive sweaty and take a shower there daily (in warmer months I try to go 2-3x a week)... now, if I could use a hybrid and cut down the effort so I only got a light glaze of sweat, I'd try to bike much more often... if I don't bike, I pretty much have to drive as I live in suburbia.
I like this news very much.
Although I'm not a huge fan of bicycle riding myself, it's good to see people able to find inexpensive and efficient transportation. It won't work where I live (not urbanized enough), but it's an excellent solution for big cities, which is where most of the fossil fuels get burned anyway.
Trying to fit these things into traffic in a crowded area is tough. New York State classifies such vehicles as follows:
So New York State makes a clear distinction between a bicycle and anything with power. (Segways are handled somewhat differently, but are limited to 12.5 MPH. New York City prohibits them on sidewalks.)
Realistically, once you pass 20MPH, you have most of the risks of a motorcycle, and may as well get one.
I really don't see this catching on in the US.
Here in Beijing lots of people (me included) ride electric bikes because it's too expensive to have a car and traffic jams are so bad it takes me 15 minutes to ride to the bank whereas it would take me about 1 hour to get there by car during rush hour traffic. Motorcycles aren't allowed in the center of the city so an electric bike is really convenient for getting around.
Then there's the question of money. I bought my bike for 2,100RMB (about $300USD). This is a little under half a month's salary for the average Beijinger so these things are very affordable especially compared to cars and motorcycles. I supect this is one of the reasons electric bikes are getting popular in places with a lot of poverty like India.
Then there's lifestyle. Here there's no Costco so I'm not hauling bags and bags of groceries at one time. Also I live in the neighborhood where I work so my commute is only about 10 minutes. That's the perfect range for one of these bikes. If you had an hour commute like many people in the US, you'd never be able to take the bike since the average charge seems to get me through about 45ish minutes before I really need to recharge. That's with peddling to help out the battery.
Then there's lifestyle. Here there's no Costco so I'm not hauling bags and bags of groceries at one time.
I'm here in the US, there is a Costco, and I have no problem at all getting groceries home in the cargo trailer attached to my bike [cycletote.com]; a 100lb load is easy to tow in that trailer even on my unassisted bicycle.
If you had an hour commute like many people in the US, you'd never be able to take the bike since the average charge seems to get me through about 45ish minutes before I really need to recharge. That's with peddling to help out the battery.
Range is a matter of what kind of battery capacity (and motor efficiency) one is willing to pay for. My other (US-made electric) bike has a 2h30m runtime per battery (5 hours total if the external is attached) on economy (350W) mode, 50min per battery with no pedaling at full-power 850W. Yes, I paid the early-adopter tax -- but my legs run out of juice well before the bike does.
At first I get sad thinking of younger folk using electric bikes. But there is a practical side and that is, as many have mentioned, replacing the car for commuting. If an electric bike can keep up a 15 MPH run (much faster and I wouldn't want it sharing bike paths with pedestrians and strollers), you could use it for the 5-20 mile commutes to work. I've been starting to realize just how completely absurd it is that we feel the need for 3000+ lbs of metal to cart us around. Even motorcycles are kind of ridiculous. But an electric bike that allows you to both pedal and ride...that's a decent idea.
I've got a 20 mile commute which is easy by highway, but hilly and 25 miles on a bike. I'd consider it with an electric bike though. But I'd consider it on a normal bike if I could get a bike path the whole way instead of sharing/dodging cars on the road.
I got on the road with my ebike in May of last year. I've got close to 3000 miles since then. I live in a city (Pittsburgh) with a lot of hills and my ride is 8.5 miles each way. I have to say that I get to work about 50% faster on average than driving my car. I also save over a thousand dollars a year on parking costs. My daily gas costs in my car were about $2.00. On the bike, it's less than $0.12 per day in electricity (including the half that I charge at work). I estimate the amortized costs of the battery to be about $0.50 per day, though I haven't had to replace my battery pack yet.
Needless to say, I am extremely satisfied with the experience, and I recommend it to anyone who's not afraid to try it. A few things I'd like to point out.
Anyway, I thought I'd share my experience. Ebiking is absolutely a viable and economic means of transportation.
Thus spake the master programmer: "When a program is being tested, it is too late to make design changes." -- Geoffrey James, "The Tao of Programming"


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Definition from Nolo's Plain-English Law Dictionary
A lawsuit brought to remove a party who is occupying real property. This is not the same as an unlawful detainer (eviction) suit, because it is against someone who has wrongfully tried to claim title to the property, not a tenant who only has a right of possession. Example: George lives on a ranch which he claims he has inherited from his great uncle, but Betty sues for ejectment on the basis that, in fact, she was entitled to the property through her parents.


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Story highlights
- Despite Beijing moves to cool the property market, prices continue to rise
- In Beijing, home prices were up 16%, Shanghai 17% year-on-year in September
- Economist: "The problem is Chinese people have very few investment vehicles"
- Central leadership expected to discuss reforms at the plenary session starting Saturday
Cui Shufeng is a retired government worker in Beijing. She is one of the lucky homeowners who bought her place long before the housing sector galloped out of reach for the average Chinese salary worker.
"It is ridiculously high," she says pointing to apartments in her neighborhood. "These homes near the school here are CNY 70,000 (USD$11,400) per square meter. It's not even worth 7000 yuan (USD$ 1140) per square meter because it's not even good quality."
Her concern is on the radar of the central leadership that is expected to discuss economic reforms at the plenary session starting Saturday. For Chinese leaders, the property sector is an emotional and political hot potato. The dream to own a home is a far out of reach for tens of millions of Chinese citizens.
In the latest housing data, new home prices for September rose at the fastest pace in almost three years. In Beijing, new home prices were up 16%, Shanghai 17% and Shenzhen 20% from a year ago.
"The problem is Chinese people have very few investment vehicles. They've lost trust in the stock market so they turn to real estate," says Xu Si Tao, China Director of the Economist Intelligence Unit.
Xu says the central leadership needs to make bold steps in financial reforms to give citizens more options to invest their money.
One measure China is considering is to allow banks to set their own interest rates, creating more competition.
I was in Beijing two weeks ago and visited a luxury villa compound. It was a large site with tens of dozens of completed but mostly empty villas. A worker in the sales office told me the average home was priced at CNY 23 million (USD$3.8 million) and most were sold. He said half were owner-occupied (though I saw very little sign of residents) and the other half purchased as investments.
I was told the supermarket in the center of the compound was open and often used by residents. It was clearly still under construction. When I pointed this out, I was then told the grand opening would be next year. Message: The bubble is alive and growing. These villas are a pretty -- and by most appearances, empty -- place to park money.
Cui shakes her head at the dilemma facing the government. She doesn't believe recent curbs will work like a ban on third home loans in Shanghai.
"I don't think home prices will drop sharply because our economy is still doing okay," she says. "Our child bought a home in the U.S. recently. The price was about the same as a flat in Beijing, but the area is a lot bigger and the quality is much better."