text:
Well said. He also forgets that we already have problems with failover and unexpected losses of transmission lines which lead to blackouts.
I mean, one could probably design a system which works as he proposes - however, this would almost certainly mean a complete revamp of the existing electrical grid.
At which point investing in storage technology and facilities will be the cheaper and more reliable solution.
I mean, one could probably design a system which works as he proposes - however, this would almost certainly mean a complete revamp of the existing electrical grid.
At which point investing in storage technology and facilities will be the cheaper and more reliable solution.
Exactly this. It would require smart 'everything' (and one hell of a lot of aluminum foil from this crowd). Centralization of a bunch of info. Revamping the transmission grid. Rewiring the cities, towns and hinterlands.
Certainly technically doable. Certainly a political non starter.
Keep saving those AA's. Your gonna need them.
Keep saving those AA's. Your gonna need them.
Heh, I laughed at this because one of my ideas is to use old but still viable EV batteries as grid storage devices, and the Model S, with the biggest batteries, uses the Lithium-Ion equivalent of a AA.
If you figure that the battery is retired from the car at 70% capacity and kept as a grid device until it's around 40% capacity this would give you massive storage capacity if only 10% of people drive a Tesla type car.
Of course, this would be a 30 year solution - 5-10 years for the batteries to degrade to the point they're no longer useful in a car, plus 20 years for EVs to actually penetrate the market enough to provide enough batteries.
It would require smart 'everything'
Not at all. It just requires enough smart equipment to cope with whatever the variation in supply is. Even on an entirely renewable grid there will still be a lot of base load available, from non-intermittent sources like hydro and from the minimum output of variable sources like wind. If you have enough turbines the wind is always blowing somewhere, and the overall output of the entire fleet never drops below some predictable level.
Also note that he isn't say "no storage", just no grid level storage. House pack batteries and EVs, even small local pumped storage will be available.
I'm not saying this is a desirable state of affairs, merely possible. In practice it would make a lot of sense to have grid level storage.
If you have enough turbines the wind is always blowing somewhere, and the overall output of the entire fleet never drops below some predictable level.
You can have enough more than enough electricity generated in the east for the east, and more than enough in the west for the west. The problem comes when we have to move electricity. It's not lossless.
Wholesale, we had _negative_ energy prices for about a month last year in the EU because of lots of wind and a warm autumn. It was cheaper to pay people to
> the minimum output of variable sources like wind. If you have enough turbines the wind is always blowing somewhere, and the overall output of the entire fleet never drops below some predictable level.
Not at all true, but it doesn't need to be.
The energy in a fluid , such as air / wind, is proportional to the velocity SQUARED. In other words, if a 10 MPH wind has 100 units of energy, a 30 MPH wind has 625 units. A light breeze of 5 MPH, just 25 units. 40 MPH, 1600 units.
So suppose you build a turbine with a design speed of 25 MPH (625 units). You don't want it to fall apart in higher winds, so the blades, bearings etc need to be big and heavy enough to handle over 1,000 units. That means you'll have friction and other losses of about 25 units. Notice the loss is the same as 5 MPH of wind - you get zero energy production at 5 MPH. At 10 MPH, energy output is negligible. At much above the design speed, the force on the structure quickly becomes much higher than the 625 it's designed for, so the blades are rotated and such to work AGAINST the wind, to avoid having the turbine tower blown over or spin apart. These facts combine to mean turbines produce a useful amount of power only within a narrow range of wind speeds. Unfortunately, the rule power = velocity squared is a fundamental fact of physics. You can't change that by inventing a new type of battery chemistry or something.
If you look at a radar map of the US, you'll see one or two weather systems covering nearly a million square miles moving across the country. Missouri may be on the north end of a system while the southern wind of the system is in central Texas. That's pretty typical that the radar will show one or two systems for the whole country. So it's simply not true that the country as a whole always has "average" weather, that the wind is always 25 over much of the country. The fact is, a windy system will move across the country one week, then the next week heat wave will tour the country.
If you wanted to use wind as your "stable" primary energy source, you'd need a week of storage.
Fortunately not all energy needs to be a stable primary supply. If wind produces good power 10% of the time, you can reduce the use of natural gas generators 10% of the time. That's a good thing! If solar heating heats just your hot water, just 30% of the time, that's a lot of natural gas that doesn't need to be burned.
Since they are often idealists, it's not surprising that advocates of renewable energy always have their eye on renewables as a complete replacement for primary electrical generation, but it's sad because it means we've almost completely missed some great opportunities to make a big difference. Th syn is REALLY good at heating things up. If you've left water in your garden hose in the summer, you know making an effective solar water heater is dead simple - so simple most of us have done it on accident. Yet, most of us heat our water by burning fossil fuels. Why? Because we've ignored the obvious, simple, effective wins as we focus on the holy grail. We've spent tens of billions of dollars on solar electric and a workable solution is always five years and two billion dollars away. For half that money, we could have converted all homes to solar water heating AND mostly solved world hunger with the billions left over.
I would suspect many people don't understand what it takes to get power from the power plant to your house. It's not just a case of power lines. It is a delicate balancing act between all manner of components that require constant monitoring and adjustment to prevent imbalances that can result in grid failures.
Adding supplies that are unreliable/unpredictable would be quite some dance...like dancing on a 2x4...on edge, 100ft above the ground.
I would suspect many people don't understand what it takes to get power from the power plant to your house
They don't, and we shouldn't expect them to. That's why these irresponsible articles tick me off, because they play to that ignorance. Even so called knowledgeable people consistently seem to not realize that the distribution part of the grid cannot handle the power transfers that the transmission portion can, and that power flow & management across the grid has a cost.
Adding supplies that are unreliable/unpredictable would be quite some dance
Problem solved: Fully Charged - Electrical energy storage and its place in a low carbon future. [youtube.com]
Adding supplies that are unreliable/unpredictable would be quite some dance...like dancing on a 2x4...on edge, 100ft above the ground.
You forget: solar and wind is very very predictable from a point of view of a power company, it is only 'unpredictable' for _you_.
You also don't get: for a grid operator there is no difference whether a consumer suddenly wants 5MW extra or a wind plant suddenly produces 5MW less. He misses 5MW in the grid and has to react on the exact same problem. And that is the way its don
He also doesn't get that even at a local level things like AC compressors are already averaged out and that delaying the timing of starts really makes almost no difference at the neighborhood level, much less a town level.
Averaged-out appliances are what you want with baseload generation. With fluctuating renewables, you want to be able to delay a significant fraction of appliances at the same time, for short periods when the generation is low, and start a significant fraction of appliances at the same time when generation is high. To do this, the appliances have to somehow receive a signal of when to start and when not to start, such as a price signal or a direct control signal from a utility. Users would still be able t
I'd argue that staggering appliances as described would be a form of storage anyways. For the most part we're talking about thermal storage here - hot water heaters, house temperature, etc...
It's quite possible to build a house that will remain comfortable with minimal power expenditure in most areas, but this is extremely expensive in terms of money and resources. A halfway point would be to use construction techniques involving having lots of mass inside the insulation to help maintain temperatures even
The simplist way would be to encode it onto the mains signal - either as a slight frequency variation (It already gets slower under load) or as a digital signal. All it needs to do is give a number from, say -8 to +8 telling appliances how precious energy is at that exact moment. Older appliances simply ignore it, new ones can have a dirt-cheap (So cheap manufacturers wouldn't mind adding it) decoder chip and slightly adjust their settings and cycles according to that. Just make sure that the signal average
Averaged-out appliances are what you want with baseload generation.
That is nonsense.
Baseload generates baseload, a flat line of constant power production which is roughly at 40% of peak load. That means of the course of a day the baseload production does not change. It only changes very slowly over the course of a year.
The rest is correct.
He completely ignores the importance of local load differences, and seems to assume there is a loss-less, instantaneous transfer of energy across the national grid, both transmission and distribution channels, with no limitations.
Does he? His only claim here is that both supply and demand can be predicted, and that these can be choreographed to optimize utilization. He mentions that current power generation technologies are not available 100% of the time and proposes that the predictable variability of renewable power would be functionally no different. Nowhere does his proposal require loss-less, instantaneous, unlimited transmission of power.
He also doesn't get that even at a local level things like AC compressors are already averaged out and that delaying the timing of starts really makes almost no difference at the neighborhood level, much less a town level.
How are, for example, all of the AC units in a particular neighborhood "averaged out"? Tha
First, please realize that right now we as a country are in the process of rebuilding the entire power transmission system. That's happening no matter what, and it needs to happen no matter what.
In terms of the HVAC thing, which was just an example but one that seems to have stuck with you disproportionally so whatever... you would need to reduce the duty cycle to reduce power consumption, agreed? You would not have to turn it off for hours at a time - the entire concept here is that you could spread that r
Nobody is proposing we instantaneously divert megawatts halfway across the country on a moment's notice
Actually, from what he presented, that is pretty much what would be required. Also, large power stations are located along strategically designed/placed transmission corridors and still generally only serve a regional load based on years of growth and demand. And don't confuse the marketing of power with the actual transmission. Market is a total sum game and the buyers and sellers don't really control where the power comes from or goes, they just ensure enough is available regionally. The power generated c
All that might be true in "your countries grid", no idea, but it sounds completely backyard or even wrong.
European grids work more or less like the author describes, except for the yet non existing "smart meter" part.
How do you think Germany is transporting "sudden" excess wind power from north to south? Exactly: we basically simply feed it into a transport grid.
The power generated closest to the user is what is used, even if it is credited for sale in a different area.
Yes, mostly true. But in the end it
So, once of the costs would be complete rebuilding of the entire power transmission system
But that's a cost of *any* major technology shift, isn't it? When cars came, we had to build better roads. When trains came, we had to build railways. When airplanes came, we had to build airports. Now PV modules came and we'll have to build a better grid one day.
Unless you are ready to cut AC off for hours on a hot day, this will not work
Just an idea, couldn't you use some phase change materials to store the cold?
Does he? His only claim here is that both supply and demand can be predicted, and that these can be choreographed to optimize utilization. He mentions that current power generation technologies are not available 100% of the time and proposes that the predictable variability of renewable power would be functionally no different. Nowhere does his proposal require loss-less, instantaneous, unlimited transmission of power.
The problem with this moron is two fold. First, he is not an electrical engineer, but a physicist which gives him absolutely zero qualification as an electrical grid engineer. The second and more direct problem with his hypothesis is that the system he describes is a classical control problem. In a normal control configuration, you have a demand for resources which you use your control of the supply to meet. It is a largely closed loop operation. With this guys setup, you have your usual, largely, uncontrollable demand, but now you are meeting that demand with uncontrollable supply. At best case, you have some limited ability to reduce the supply, but with renewable, there is a fixed upper limit to your supply, which could at any given moment amount to zero, or close to it. With base-load supply (such as coal or nuclear), there is a minimum supply you can count on, which is your fall back, and is 100% (or close to it) reliable. With renewable, you have only half of the controllability (no ability to increase production) which means you have to size the grid so that the odds of not producing enough power at any given moment is many standard deviations below capacity (probably at least 5 for reasonable reliability). That means making a power grid that produces several orders of magnitude more power than needed , on average, just so that the low point in the production scale is still above the high point in the demand scale. Its an idiotic solution from an engineering perspective, and is a perfect example of why scientists should not try to venture opinions outside their expertise.
With this guys setup, you have your usual, largely, uncontrollable demand, but now you are meeting that demand with uncontrollable supply.
No, that's not what he is proposing. He is suggesting that the demand can be controlled to some extent with smart appliances, some assistance from industry and small scale storage. His point is merely that the current supply is not entirely controllable and the grid copes with plants suddenly taking gigawatts offline because of an unpredictable fault, so given that renewable energy is very predictable in the short term it should be possible to meet in the middle. Variable but predictable supply, variable bu
No, that's not what he is proposing. He is suggesting that the demand can be controlled to some extent with smart appliances, some assistance from industry and small scale storage.
On that score, he is just plain wrong. The demand side predictability is not the real problem. The problem is that with renewables, there are large periods (hours and days in length) when the supply does not meet the demand. No amount of jiggering with appliances is going to close that gap. Significantly oversizing the supply, or significant storage is the only way to solve the fundamental problem. This guy is assuming that the shortfalls in the supply side are on the order of minutes. The reality is that the shortfall is on the order of days. You cant put off running a refrigerator for two days because there is a two day period of low wind in your offshore wind farms, no matter how far in advance you predict the shortage...
The problem is that with renewables, there are large periods (hours and days in length) when the supply does not meet the demand.
That's a ridiculously broad statement. The wind is always blowing somewhere, not to mention that the earth's core is always hot, and gravity never stops working. Clearly if you build enough renewable energy it can meet any imaginable demand, so the question is really what is the practical limit to what we can build.
To be fair the two largest HVAC providers in the US already offer predictive modeling services for regulating power consumption. Many times having complex interactions with market based supply/demand power pricing that's common in the commercial applications and buildings. We have models and systems already in the market place that take into account a number of these issues.
Currently in the HVAC arena all the predictive models are predicated on still storing the energy in the form of chilled water. The systems figure out demand for the next day and determine the optimal time at night to chill down thousands of gallons of water based on the market (or predicted market) off peak power prices.
Be that as it may we have off peak facilities for a reason. As you pointed out getting the grid to handle this would be no easy task. The grid is made of 500 or so different companies, most of which are only obligated to serve in the interest of the community it serves. As such we have way more generation capability than we have transmission capability. Good luck getting a majority of the companies to agree. Previous attempts by the feds to use it's power (2005 during the Bush administration) was thwarted by congress. So, I guess my main point is it's not a technology issue, we already do a lot of the stuff he's proposing in the off-peak market. What we have a political problem with transmission.
He completely ignores the importance of local load differences, and seems to assume there is a loss-less, instantaneous transfer of energy across the national grid, both transmission and distribution channels, with no limitations.
Why would he have to assume that? It doesn't need to be either instantaneous or loss-less, just sufficiently efficient to do the job - and it may very well happen one day that the inefficiencies will be forgivable for non-fossil sources of energy such as PV.
Unfortunately Amory Lovins is right and you are wrong. I did not know that a guy who worked 40 years in the energy field and is a Physicist, does ot count as an expert.
However as long as we are not even able to produce so much energy via renewables it does not matter if we reorganize the grid for it or introduce storage or both
It makes an immense difference if it is used to balance the grid. If I as a grid operator can activate an AC that would jump on in 5 mins anyway *right now* I can put my excess power to us, without the need to power down a conventional plant or without the need to store the excess power.
Credible experts are people who understand what they know, and what they don't know.
That is also true for a
This is about as valid as the claim that "the wind always blows somewhere". Actual power generation data shows that weather is a very large scale phenomenon and the wind most definitely slows to a tiny fraction of its average power over an entire continent.
I think you missed the point of the article. Demand is far easier to manipulate. Cost incentives that match demand to supply will work if you scale the cost dynamically to match the instantaneous capacity of the grid. Turn a factory on full power when the wind is blowing and slow it down when the wind isn't.
Large business consumers make very effective use of these incentives right now.
The "incentives" required to produce such extreme changes in demand as required to meet the fluctuations in renewable energy production would have to be very harsh. Yes, you would probably turn off your air conditioner if it cost you $20 per hour. And some might consider it an effective use of incentives to manipulate demand. I'm not so sure how you would feel about such manipulations, though.
The "incentives" required to produce such extreme changes in demand as required to meet the fluctuations in renewable energy production would have to be very harsh.
Wrong. These incentives are already in place in many areas, and even small changes in price are enough to have a big influence on demand. In California, consumers can voluntarily sign up for on-demand pricing. I have signed up. So my electricity is cheaper for most of the day, around 8 cents/kwHr. But on hot days, from 2pm to 7pm, it jumps to 30 cents/kwHr. That is about the price for the base rate that most Europeans pay. But even this is enough to shave the peaks off the demand curve, and lets the
Great. Which results in your economy being dependant on the weather. I can see the historical articles now: "The big wind calm of 2030 lead to a nation-wide depression as the metalworking industry was unable to sustain minimum power needed to keep the metal from solidifying."
Does that happen every time a coal or gas or nuclear plant has to perform an emergency shut down due to a fault? No? Why is that? Could it be that they keep some capacity in reserve? So why can't you simply build more renewable energy than you need most of the time, to cover those occasions when there is little wind?
Demand is far easier to manipulate.
No, it isn't. I need power for food storage, food preparation, Internet access and light. I also consume water, which takes power to prepare and pump. Trying to make any of these too expensive for me to afford - which is the reality behind talk of "incentives" - means it's time for torches & pitchforks.
Turn a factory on full power when the wind is blowing and slow it down when the wind isn't.
This means the factory is running at less than full speed on average, making
Your fridge can stand to shut down for five minutes to ride out a sudden but brief peak in demand. Those do happen. The 'Corrie Break' is a very well-known example, occuring predictably during the mid-episode break of Coronation Street in the UK - it's caused by millions of people simutainously going to put the kettle on.
Water depends on house. Electrical hot water, unless it's on-demand, can wait too. Pumped mains pressure cannot, simply because it's also used to drive fire extinguishing systems. If you're
Only to a point, if all you have is solar for example, then any demand after sunset isn't going to help, no matter how much you attempt to manipulate demand.
As it is, solar helps with businesses during the day, though you still have to manage the difference between peak output and cloudy days, plus wind that might work best on the coast at around sunset and sunrise. We do need more renewable energy sources that are always-on, wave for example (the moon disappears or we stop rotating, we've got bigger proble
Read these.
Two papers. one over 4years and one over the following 2years (the 2nd was actually for a period with abnormally higher winds)
In windy years such as 2011 and 2012 turbines can, on average, produce over 30%
of their rated capacity, but this is certainly not the case every year.
The assumption that the wind is blowing somewhere in the UK at any g
That may be true of the UK, but it is most certainly NOT true of North America. Even just the East Coast, with reasonably affordable interconnects, would have 24/7/365 offshore wind if we built in the right places. Most indications are that it would be pretty economical in the longrun. Many other areas of world are perhaps not quite so well-endowed with reliable winds, but areas that span more than say 1500km along a north-south coastline generally COULD be self-sufficient.
Even just the East Coast, with reasonably affordable interconnects, would have 24/7/365 offshore
A hurricane such as Sandy causes high winds which would overs peed most wind generators off the coast. Wind generators are shut down in high/gusty winds to prevent damage. You need to look at worst case not average case.
Never worked as an academic physicist, never even completed a degree apparently.
Never worked in the power industry.
Never manufactured EE Equipment.
Nevertheless knows how to power the world?
Long history of publications... http://www.rmi.org/ [rmi.org] [rmi.org]
There are some real gems in there, among them:
* Urgent Memo to Biotech Pioneers: Life is More Than a DNA Sequence [rmi.org]
* Unpublished letter to the Economist [rmi.org] (note the use of 'begs the question')
* Applied Hope [rmi.org]
* Hypercars, Hydrogen, and the Automotive Transition [rmi.org]
* Roadmap for Natural Capitalism [rmi.org]
Literally, a guy named Lovins writes papers about applied hope. Great.
http://www.theecoreport.com/gr... [theecoreport.com]
http://www.technologyreview.co... [technologyreview.com]
http://www.technologyreview.co... [technologyreview.com]
http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/r... [nrel.gov]
http://www.elp.com/articles/20... [elp.com]
http://www.renewableenergyworl... [renewableenergyworld.com]
http://phys.org/news/2011-01-p... [phys.org]
http://theenergycollective.com... [theenergycollective.com]
Anybody talking about the future, and not being rash and irresponsible, makes extensive use of words like "could" and "may".
So ignorant.
He probably doesn't even understand Power Factor -- let alone any real complexities in electrical generation and distribution.
He seems like a guy who added up all generation and all consumption, said that those numbers are essentially equal, meaning that this is just a question of distributing the power to where it's needed. It it were only so simple.
Its not that we WANT TO or SHOULD create this sort of energy distribution system, but just that we COULD in theory do so. It seems to me that such a system would be very much always on the hairy edge of crashing just by its very nature, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility in the future at some point, and it might make economic sense too, who knows? I really doubt we'll ever even approach this in any of our lifetimes though.
We solved this problem once before - with fossil fuels. The answer is simply to have more capacity on hand than demand. We can do the exact same thing with alternative energy.
The difference is only that alternative energy doesn't have an "off" button, so we simply have to assume that, given a source of alternative energy, EG: a windmill, that we won't necessarily use all of its capacity. If we built gobs and gobs of windmills and solar panels, and installed them in such a way that not all their potential ou
Like file downloads vs. interactive sessions, some power loads just need a long-term average and can be adjusted in time, without noticable impact, to shave peaks and get a closer match to generation - even if some of the generation, itself, is uncontrollably varying.
In fact, this is already being done. A prime example is in California, where a large part of the load is pumping of irrigation and drinking water. California utilities get away with far less "peaking generation" than they'd otherwise need by
Energy transport line losses across 1/2 continent won't do any good and there is no rolling sunshine across this continent, not even talking about "rolling" winds and tides always available.
So, what's the real game here with getting the prudent and necessary things done?
Arguments are researched for impact - example: The argument "jobs endangered" comes up again and again, if there is a demand for change. Any decision-maker does the right thing s/he is paid for....
If peak PV power is mid-day, then do energy-intensive tasks mid-day, if there starts to be a significant amount of PV energy available.
Certainly some appliances, like clothes washers, dish washers, and clothes dryers could be programmed and scheduled for mid-day use, while you were at work.
Tesla's replacement 85kwh car battery comes to $140 per kWh based on the wiki numbers, other companies are joining the market, one said they can produce at $160 per kWh of storage. There is no reason why these batteries can't be married with renewables to take 90%+ of the market in the coming years. There is no reason to believe these prices won't continue to drop.
So why not grid level storage, this video shows it can be very useful:
Fully Charged - Electrical energy storage and its place in a low carbon fut [youtube.com]
I think the biggest mistake of the video, is when Lovins says that renewables are no different from baseload power plants, because baseload plants are down some fraction of the time also. He claims that power companies already compensate for downtime of baseload power plants by just having a few extra power plants. He claims that the same thing could be done with renewables.
That's just all wrong, in my opinion. It's a statistical error. Although baseload power plants are down 10-20% of the time, they are down at random. The downtime of any one plant is not correlated with the downtime of any other. As a result, if you have enough plants, then 10-20% of power generation is offline at any given time, as a result of the law of large numbers. That can be compensated for by building a few extra power plants.
With renewables, their downtime is not random. Their downtime is correlated with that of the other plants. For example, when the sun goes down, all solar panels stop working at the same time in a geographic region. Also, when the wind stops blowing (which can happen over a wide area), all windmills in that region will stop working at the same time. This is a much bigger problem than randomly distributed downtime.
If solar panels had randomly distributed downtime, and were as likely to generate power during winter nights as during summer days, then no storage would be required. We could just build more solar panels. This is because the randomly distributed periods of downtime of the solar panels would "cancel out" each other. However, it does not help to build more solar panels for the night time.
That is why renewables require storage.
Lets say the grid operator detects an impending mismatch between supply and demand and they want me to shut down my refrigerator. So now I have to size my refrigerator such that it will 'carry through' such an outage without my food spoiling. That's just another form of storage. But now you've come up with a sneaky way for me to pay for it. And subsidize the renewable energy producers.
Will I get a tax credit for my extra large freezer? My oversized hot water tank? The extra capacity air conditioning unit I put in?
Profanity is the one language all programmers know best.


text:
Fido & Me - Stormy Weather
"I said at the beginning of the week that we're in for a long one."
"You did," I said, "and if you really wanted to help, you might want to knock some of that snow off the headlights."
"It's going to be a long winter," Fido said. "Humans forget. They get a dry spell and they think it's never going to snow, ever again. But dogs like me know."
"Just out of curiosity, Fido, what clued you in?"
"Chief-the-Cat started sneezing."
"It could have been that he just caught a bug or something. You know, a little touch of the cat-flu."
"No way!" Fido protested. "It was the static electricity. I can feel it, too, but I don't sneeze over it. You just sit in your chair and toss a log on the fire, but if you'd pay more attention, and that means to me, you'd have seen it coming."
"Sure enough, Beeg Boy. We really caught one on Tuesday. What else is coming?"
"If you didn't notice this morning, before we started knocking the snow off the car, the cat was sneezing again."
"I didn't notice, Fido. Honestly."
"And when we went for our walks? Did you see this kind of weird, unsettled weather coming?"
"Hard to tell," Fido said, "but…"
"Really, Fido. Tell me."
"OK, so that shorthaired pointer who lives down the road? The good looker? She was complaining that her joints were a bit on the stiff side. That was a tip-off. And the hound who lives near the corner of the Busy Street? Usually she's a go-getter."
"I didn't notice anything different about her. As a matter of fact, I don't think I noticed her at all."
"You live in a small world," Fido sighed.
"So what tipped you off about this particular hound?"
"She seemed unusually quiet," Fido said. "It wasn't thoughtfulness, either. I like that dog, but she's about as smart as a sack of hammers."
"And yet she still tipped you off."
"Yes," Fido said. "It doesn't take brains to be lethargic. All it takes is a drop in barometric pressure."
"I have a feeling you are pulling my leg, Fido," I said.
"Never! I am loyal, faithful and truthful, except on poker nights."
"So let me get this straight. The cat sneezes a couple of times, your dumb girlfriend is acting lethargic, and out of this, you get a forecast?"
"Hey hey hey hey!"
"Fido, let me clue you in on something: There is always a long winter up here in the mountains. Sometimes it comes early and goes early; sometimes it comes in great big heaps—remember two years ago?—and sometimes it waits until March. But even that does not mean winter is over. We're always in for a long one here. Don't get fooled by the short-range stuff."
"I'm feeling a little lethargic myself, though," Fido said, "and it's been like this since last weekend, before the snow came back."
"But it's here now, Mr. Beeg, and it doesn't look like it's going to let up entirely anytime soon."
"Just keep your eye on the cat," Fido said. "When he stops those weird little sneezes, sunny weather will return."
"Uh-huh," I said. "We'll see."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Choosing a Top Eating Disorder Recovery Program or Dual Diagnosis Rehab
Eating disorders are mental illnesses characterized by abnormal eating habits that end up causing serious mental distress or dangerous – and often fatal – health problems. Addressing conditions such as anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder is essential in order to stop them from taking control over the patient's life and leading to depression, substance abuse or other dangerous health issues. Without timely treatment, eating disorders may become lifelong conditions and even lead to death.
Treatment of Eating Disorders
"An important part of the treatment is nutritional counseling, during which the patient learns about their nutritional needs, how to meet them and how to develop healthy eating patterns."
Treating an eating disorder involves different components of a treatment plan. Psychological counseling is an essential part of this plan. It usually consists of cognitive behavioral therapy, during which the patient identifies and challenges their own views and behaviors related to the eating disorder and replaces them with healthy thoughts and habits. Group therapy offers the patient the chance to interact with other eating disorder sufferers, to feel less isolated, and to find other venues to challenge their destructive behavior and learn new eating and life skills. Family therapy helps people in the patient's close circle to understand the disease and become part of the solution.
Along with psychotherapy, doctors sometimes prescribe medication. Most often, the patient receives antidepressants that help counteract the symptoms of anxiety or depression. If the illness has already taken a toll on the body, medication targeted to alleviate other health issues may be prescribed. An important part of the treatment is nutritional counseling, during which the patient learns about their nutritional needs, how to meet them and how to develop healthy eating patterns.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment
A dual diagnosis is a condition in which an eating disorder is accompanied by substance abuse. As with other mental illnesses, the incidence of dual diagnosis is enormous in the case of eating disorder sufferers. According to the National Institute of Health, as many as 50 percent of people who suffer from an eating disorder are also affected by substance abuse. Whether alcohol or drug abuse is the cause or the effect of the eating disorder, treating only one of these conditions is not sufficient. Since these co-existing conditions are strongly interrelated, the risk of relapse is high if treatment does not address both.
This is the reason it is important that the diagnosis is comprehensive and that both conditions are recognized. In order to avoid jumping from one facility to another to address both issues, a treatment facility that offers services and treatment programs for both eating disorders and substance abuse is an appropriate option. The staff at such a facility recognizes that it is harder to treat eating disorder patients with co-existing conditions and that these patients need additional care. Therefore, they have a multidisciplinary medical team that collaborates in devising an integrated, cohesive individual treatment plan that addresses both issues.
Usually, a dual diagnosis treatment plan includes the extra step of detoxification. The patient must go through this process before eating disorder treatment begins. This is necessary because the symptoms of eating disorders are worsened by substance abuse, so the substance dependency must be addressed first.
Treatment Facility Options
Eating disorder patients have the option of either outpatient or inpatient care facilities. Outpatient treatment centers allow patients to follow a treatment program while living at home. This is a good choice for those in the early stages of the disease, individuals who can't leave their jobs for a period of time, students who cannot stop going to school, or parents who want to continue caring for their family while seeking treatment in a clinic. When the illness is in an advanced stage, however, inpatient care is necessary. For instance, anorexic patients may already be morbidly malnourished and underweight. Their state must be constantly monitored and stabilized in order to prevent vital organ failure.
Dual diagnoses patients have better chances of success when they are removed from environments with negative influences so residential care is recommended. Inpatient care not only controls the patient's environment, but it also removes the patient from distractions and surrounds them with a supportive group of people, making it easier to avoid going back to destructive behaviors.
Choosing the Best Facility
Christian Rehab
Another factor to consider is the patient's preference regarding faith-based treatment. There are Christian treatment facilities that incorporate those religious beliefs into their programs.
Whether choosing inpatient or outpatient care, it is best to weigh the reputation of the facilities considered by the patient against a few other criteria. For instance, it is advisable to make sure that a multidisciplinary team is available and that its members work together and follow the patient's progress from the beginning to the end of the individualized treatment program. This is even more important when treating co-occurring conditions, since the team's specialty must encompass substance abuse and dependencies. Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation is important in correctly identifying the root causes of the disease and avoiding treatment that addresses only the symptoms.
Another factor to consider is the patient's preference regarding faith-based treatment. There are Christian treatment facilities that incorporate those religious beliefs into their programs. Other non-sectarian treatment facilities recognize the importance of spirituality in healing, but they welcome patients from all belief systems. Finally, there are facilities that offer holistic-based treatment plans that work toward creating a healthy mind-body connection through yoga, meditation, acupuncture, massages, and other methods aimed to relieve and control stress.
Location and the availability of on-site facilities and resources are other aspects to consider when determining the patient's best choice. A serene location is conducive to healing, and so are fitness facilities that ease patients into a healthier lifestyle. Patients who prefer organic food should consider whether it is available at a specific center. It is ideal to choose an all-inclusive treatment center that does not force the patient to leave its campus in order to access necessary services included in the treatment plan. Finally, some facilities include the patient's close circle of loved ones by offering family programs through which they educate the patient's relatives on how to become beneficial participants in treatment. Good facilities also take care to teach the patient new life skills in order to minimize the danger of relapse.
To take the first step in treating your condition, call us at 1-888-232-6949 "> 1-888-232-6949 to discuss your options. Finding the best facility to address your condition is essential. If left untreated, an eating disorder can take control over your life and even become deadly. Let us help you in finding your treatment solution as soon as possible.


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WASHINGTON — Buy anything on the Internet lately without paying sales tax? In all but a few states, you're probably a tax cheat.
That's right, even if Internet retailers don't collect sales tax at the time of the purchase, you're required by law to pay it in 45 states and the District of Columbia.
Here's the problem for states: hardly anyone pays the tax, and there's not much states can do about it.
The Senate is expected to pass a bill today making it easier for states to collect sales taxes for online purchases. Some of the nation's largest retailers are rejoicing. But small-business owners who make their living selling products on the Internet worry they will be swamped by new requirements from faraway states.
"It's a huge burden for a company like ours," said Sarah Davis, co-owner of Fashionphile.com, a California-based company that sells high-end pre-owned handbags and purses. "We don't have an accounting department, we've got my father-in-law."
Davis started the company in 1999 and now runs it with her brother-in-law. They have 26 workers and three stores, in Beverly Hills, San Diego and San Francisco. Last year, Fashionphile.com did $10 million in sales, the vast majority of it online, Davis said.
Fashionphile.com sells bags directly from its website and on eBay. The company collects sales taxes from customers who live in California, but not from people who live in other states, Davis said. Under the law, states can only require stores to collect sales taxes if the store has a physical presence in the state.
That means big retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Target, with stores all over the country collect sales taxes when they sell goods over the Internet. But eBay, Amazon and other online retailers don't have to collect sales taxes, except in states where they have offices or distribution centers.
As a result, many online sales are essentially tax-free, giving Internet retailers an advantage over brick-and-mortar stores.
But the purchases aren't really tax-free under the law.
In states with sales taxes, if you buy something from an out-of-state retailer and don't pay taxes, you are supposed to pay those taxes when you file your state tax return, said Neal Osten, director the Washington office of the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Only Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no sales tax. Alaska has no state sales tax but does have local ones.
Unpaid sales taxes are usually referred to as "use taxes" on state income tax returns. Use taxes apply to purchases made over Internet, from catalogs, television and radio ads and purchases made directly from out-of-state companies. State officials, however, complain that few people pay these taxes, Olsten said.
"I do know about three people that comply with that," says Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., the main sponsor of the Senate bill.
Enzi's bill would empower states to require businesses to collect taxes for products they sell on the Internet, in catalogs and through radio and TV ads. Under the bill, the sales taxes would be sent to the states where a shopper lives.
Businesses with less than $1 million a year in out-of-state sales would be exempt.
The Senate is expected to pass Enzi's bill today. Already, the measure has survived three procedural votes.


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I think you'd be best off to thank your sister for the book, but reiterate that it's not at all helpful. "I appreciate that you were thinking of me, sis, but I'm not bipolar. I have an anxiety disorder." If she tries to start in on the "But doctors aren't always right" thing, you can cut her off right there: "Sis, I've done research too. I'm not bipolar. That's a term that gets overdiagnosed a lot nowadays, and I don't have those symptoms. I did my own research, I've talked to my doctors, and we've come up with a treatment regimen for my anxiety disorder. It's really helping. However, my doctor says it will be a big help to me if I have support from my family - which I can't get when you're going around behind my back telling mom and anyone else that you know better than I do about my own body. I know your concern is out of love, and I appreciate that, but please help support me through the disorder I have, not a disorder I don't."As for your mom, I think next time it comes up you can be honest with her too: "Mom, Sis has it stuck in her head that I'm bipolar. I'm not - I did my own research and I talked to my doctors, and I don't have bipolar disorder. I don't know why she won't just drop it already. However, what I really could use help with is X, Y, and Z - my doctor said having family support would really help me."
"You are bipolar!""And you are stupid. But I'm getting better."No, you can't say it out loud, but it isn't rude to think it. What about "You are bipolar!""And you have Death Watch Beetle.""What?" "Oh, I thought we were assigning random conditions to each other." The sillier the condition, the better. Blue Screen of Death. Dutch Elm Disease. Kennel Cough.
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A Different Take on Holiday Music!Submitted by Adult Services on December 3, 2012 - 3:52pm
Looking for something new? Or a different take on an old favorite? Look to these recordings to find ways to add some spice to your holiday season:
Cee-Lo's Magic Moment
Cee-Lo brings his unique voice to the classics, and brings in his friends Christina Aguilera and the Muppets (among others) to join in the fun.
Platters: A Classic Christmas
Classic songs given the equally classic doo-wop (although not acappella) treatment. Great stuff.
Bob Dylan: Christmas in the Heart
An unusually upbeat Dylan tackles the season with his take on the canon and some great originals, my favorite of which, "Christmas Island" has a distinct 1940's Polynesian feel. Great country style backup and not -too-slick production make this a winner.
Finally, my favorite holiday release this year:
Holidays Rule
A combination of traditional holiday songs, covers of later works (such as Paul McCartney's WonderfulChristmasTime), and originals, this CD has it all. Artists include
Fun, The Shins, Paul McCartney, The Civil Wars, Rufus Wainwright, Punch Brothers, Irma Thomas with Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Calexico, Andrew Bird, Holly Golightly, and CU's own Eleanor Friedburger (of Fiery Furnaces fame). Fantastic.
Also check out Blue Yule (Blues and R& B, including Charles Brown), Alligator Stomp vol.4 (Cajun holidays!), and the Alligator records Christmas Collection (blues) for more Holiday fun!
Remember we have an entire section of Holiday music-Just ask anyone at the information or reference desks for more information. Enjoy!


text: ArcAdiA http://dspace-roma3.caspur.it:80 The DSpace digital repository system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material. 2018-05-23T11:11:58Z A broad-line region origin for the iron Kα line in NGC 7213 http://hdl.handle.net/2307/273 <Title>A broad-line region origin for the iron Kα line in NGC 7213</Title> <Authors>Bianchi, Stefano; La Franca, Fabio; Matt, Giorgio; Guainazzi, Matteo; Jimenez Bailon, Elena; Longinotti, Anna Lia; Nicastro, Fabrizio; Pentericci, Laura</Authors> <Issue Date>2008-07</Issue Date> <Is part of>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters</Is part of> <Volume>389</Volume> <Pages>52-56</Pages> <Abstract>The X-ray spectrum of NGC 7213 is known to present no evidence for Compton reflection, a unique result among bright Seyfert 1s. The observed neutral iron Kα line, therefore, cannot be associated with a Compton-thick material, like the disc or the torus, but is due to Compton-thin gas, with the broad-line region (BLR) as the most likely candidate. To check this hypothesis, a long Chandra High-Energy Transmission Grating observation, together with a quasi-simultaneous optical spectroscopic observation at the ESO NTT EMMI were performed. We found that the iron line is resolved with a full width at half-maximum (FWHM) = 2400+1100-600kms-1, in perfect agreement with the value measured for the broad component of the Hα, 2640+110-90kms-1. Therefore, NGC 7213 is the only Seyfert 1 galaxy whose iron Kα line is unambiguously produced in the BLR. We also confirmed the presence of two ionized iron lines and studied them in greater detail than before. The resonant line is the dominant component in the Fe XXV triplet, therefore suggesting an origin in collisionally ionized gas. If this is the case, the blueshift of around 1000kms-1 of the two ionized iron lines could be the first measure of the velocity of a starburst wind from its X-ray emission.</Abstract> 2008-06-30T22:00:00Z


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Drug policy, appeal process prevail in A-Rod case
The Alex Rodriguez situation has been difficult for baseball. It couldn't be anything else when one of the game's biggest stars is accused of breaking the rules, of cheating the game, of playing under what amounts to false pretenses.
But this whole ordeal was completely necessary. And it was done through a process that by now is regarded as time-tested and fair.
The Alex Rodriguez situation has been difficult for baseball. It couldn't be anything else when one of the game's biggest stars is accused of breaking the rules, of cheating the game, of playing under what amounts to false pretenses.
But this whole ordeal was completely necessary. And it was done through a process that by now is regarded as time-tested and fair.
Baseball doesn't necessarily "win" in the literal sense when one of its biggest names is suspended for one year for violating the collectively bargained drug policy. But baseball did what it had to do in this case, to preserve the integrity of its drug-testing program and to preserve the integrity of the game itself.
On Saturday, an arbitrator hearing Rodriguez's appeal of a 211-game suspension ruled that Rodriguez would be suspended for 162 games, the entire 2014 season.
It had been alleged that Rodriguez had been supplied with performance-enhancing drugs by Biogenesis, a South Florida "anti-aging clinic." It had been further alleged that Rodriguez had actively attempted to interfere with Major League Baseball's investigation of Biogenesis.
Obviously, the arbitrator in this case, Fredric Horowitz, found the evidence presented against Rodriguez by Major League Baseball to be compelling enough to support a one-year suspension.
Rodriguez has stated that he will appeal this finding in federal court. Federal courts, however, have not shown a tendency to overturn decisions made in binding arbitration cases. A-Rod's apparent legal strategy -- when in doubt, go after somebody in court -- is not likely to prevail in this instance, either.
The Major League Baseball Players Association, which participated in his defense, issued a statement in the wake of the ruling. The statement said that the union "strongly disagrees" with the arbitration panel's decision. But it further stated: "We recognize that a final and binding decision has been reached, however, and we respect the collectively-bargained arbitration process which led to the decision. In accordance with the confidentiality provisions of the [Joint Drug Agreement], the Association will make no further comment regarding the decision."
Rodriguez is a three-time Most Valuable Player and baseball's highest-paid player, still under a 10-year, $275 million contract with the New York Yankees. Given his status, his contract and his team affiliation, it is difficult to find a more visible player in the game today.
But this cuts both ways. The player who received the second-largest penalty arising from the Biogenesis investigation was Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, who was the 2011 National League Most Valuable Player.
Braun had earlier won an appeal of an October 2011 positive drug test on procedural grounds through the arbitration process. In the Biogenesis case, he did not appeal and served his suspension last year.
Again, there was considerable consternation about one of baseball's most visible and successful players being involved with PEDs. But there was a flip side in both cases. The game's anti-PED policies are playing no favorites. Nobody is escaping on the grounds of name recognition or status.
This is the message sent by the Rodriguez suspension. Baseball's drug policies will be pursued vigorously and even-handedly in all cases.
In the Biogenesis case, baseball was able to react aggressively because it has its own investigative arm, as a result of a recommendation set forth in the Mitchell Report. Baseball pursued its own investigation and obviously produced evidence that was good enough to prevail in the Rodriguez arbitration hearing.
In a recent interview with MLB.com, Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig said:
"We went through a long process to get to the toughest testing program in American sports. A program of that sort needs to be enforced strictly, enforced rigorously, at the highest level. And it has been."
The idea that Selig had some sort of vendetta going against Rodriguez is a notion that A-Rod's handlers could put out in hopes that it would catch on somewhere, somehow, with someone. The fact that it simply isn't true might considerably reduce its reach.
Baseball did what it had to do here, aggressively pursuing allegations against one of the game's biggest stars, not because of who it happened to be, but because the process demanded this course of action.
The process worked. Rodriguez was given the arbitration opportunity that the process demanded. He did not prevail. The process and justice prevailed. This is not a time for gloating. But it should be a time for understanding that baseball's credibility on these issues has once more been upheld.
Mike Bauman is a national columnist for MLB.com.


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Rants on Cycling and on Life:
Photos of people and bicycles that pass in front of my camera
I bought the full School House dvd a few years ago at a Virgin Records going out of biz sale just after my first son was born. In honor of last week's election outcome, we watched a couple of them. I don't think he's memorized the Preamble yet, tho.
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Turtle Brownie Bites Recipe
5 1 1
A sweet friend of mine was having a party and loved chocolate, so I whipped these brownie bites up for her party. They were a hit, and she has asked for them ever since. —Saleta Lawrence, Benbrook, Texas
Recommended: 44 of Our Most Gooey Caramel Desserts
VERIFIED BY Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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- 1 package fudge brownie mix (13-inch x 9-inch pan size)
- 1 package fudge brownie mix (8-inch square pan size)
- 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup canola oil
- 3 eggs
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1-1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup plus 1-1/2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream, divided
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup Kraft caramel bits
- 1-1/2 teaspoons water
- 48 pecan halves, toasted
- In a large bowl, combine brownie mixes, oil, eggs and water. Transfer to a greased, parchment paper-lined 13x9-in. baking pan.
- Bake at 350° for 38-42 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool. Cut brownies into 1-1/2-in. squares.
- Place a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Transfer brownie squares to the wire rack.
- Place chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup cream and butter just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Spoon chocolate over each brownie, covering top and sides. Let stand for 30 minutes.
- In a microwave, melt the caramel bits, water and remaining cream; stir until smooth. Drizzle over chocolate. Top each with a pecan half. Yield: 4 dozen.
Originally published as Turtle Brownie Bites in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2013, p201
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Reviewed Oct. 17, 2015
"Love this recipe! This is a keeper!! Thanks for sharing!!"


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I don't know about you, but I love my smartphone. It's amazing to think that only 10 years ago, the way we consumed news, caught up on work emails, or kept in touch with family members was so drastically different - then one device came along and changed everything.
Last year, a leading tech company spent nearly $4.5 billion on research and development before bringing their latest innovation to the market. They invested in prototypes and tested different versions of the product to see what performed best, what delivered the most ideal user experience and what, ultimately, would make it to market.
We are beginning to see signs of that kind of innovation in the development of new strategies to measure the number of people living in need. The poverty measure currently being used by the federal government to determine eligibility for a series of vital programs was first developed nearly 50 years ago and has hardly been touched since.
While we don't have $4.5 billion to do R&D testing, developing alternative ways to measure poverty, even if they are imperfect, is an important step towards drawing a more complete, and informative, picture of the life of Americans in poverty. The annual supplemental poverty measure (SPM) was released by the Census Bureau today, which paints a different picture than the official numbers, causing us to think more deeply about the challenges facing those in need.
For example, by taking into account multiple sources of income and necessary costs, like Medical Out-of-Pocket Expenses, the SPM finds that 12.9 percent of seniors live in poverty, compared to 8.4 percent as measured by the official poverty measure that is based solely on pre-tax cash income.
The supplemental measure is far from perfect, and there is more work to be done. But the SPM, and similar alternative measures, can be another tool for describing and comprehending the struggles of our brothers and sisters in need. Catholic Charities USA supports results-based reform of the social safety net, but it's hard to measure results when the basic barometer of those in poverty is a tool left over from the days of room-sized computers.
Thankfully, through new research, we know that our old ways of measuring poverty is the equivalent of the brick-like car phones of the past. We encourage new methods to understand the problems facing those in need. Like upgrading to a modern smart phone, these new methods and approaches can unleash quantum leaps in our ability to address the reality of those struggling to put food on the table for themselves and their families.
Candy S. Hill is the Executive Vice President for Social Policy and External Affairs at Catholic Charities USA. Follow her on Twitter at @CandyHill_CCUSA


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The Jackrabbit Insider returns tonight and will premiere on its new homes, KELOLAND and MyUTV.
You can see the premiere at 10:30 p.m. on MyUTV and again at 11 p.m. CT (10 p.m. MT) on KELOLAND TV.
A look back at arguably the best year in the history of SDSU athletics, a conversation with Director of Athletics Justin Sell, and a recap of the Jackrabbit football team's 55-14 win over Butler with coach John Stiegelmeier highlight the season opening show.
Zach Zenner is featured on Inside State, former SDSU quarterback Mike Busch is this week's Jackrabbit Legend and soccer standout Darci Miller occupies the Jackrabbit hotseat.
The show, which is hosted by Tyler Merriam and is produced in conjuction with Yeager Media Center, can be seen several times throughout the week:
• MyUTV (cable channel 10, channel 11.2 over the air) — 10:30 p.m. Sunday
• KELOLAND TV - 11 p.m. CT/10 p.m. MT Sunday
• SDSU Channel 2 — every weekday at 11:30 a.m., 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
The show will also be available free Monday morning on-demand here at GoJacks.com.


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NEWS: Bloodstock Open Air add more bands to 2015 line-up, including Ne Obliviscaris!
April 23rd, 2015
Another handful of acts have now been confirmed to join this year's Bloodstock Open Air Festival line-up, with the latest additions including Ne Obliviscaris and Ol Drake. You can take a look at all of the new names and the current festival poster below:


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This 5 week old kitten is looking for a happy home! Meet Simon. A week ago, Simon was rescued from the streets of Luzou, Taipei by the local fire department. It has been nursed back to health and given the proper vet care. We will be happy to include it's cage, kitten toys, food, and extras. Anybody interested or know anybody who is looking for a kitten please contact me asap!
For pictures please see Tealit (under General Merchandise) or Craigslist (under pets)
email: email@example.com
cell: 0917082642


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Proponents of gay marriage advance two powerful arguments: Couples seeking to marry should not be discriminated against on the basis of an unchangeable factor like sexual orientation; and shifting attitudes, especially among young people, make gay marriage an inevitability.
The problem for supporters of racial preferences is that these precise arguments can be, and have been, made by conservatives challenging the use of race in university admissions in the case of Fisher v. University of Texas. Abigail Fisher, the plaintiff, says the fact that she was born white should not be used to disadvantage her in admissions; and large-scale trends over the past half century—the decline in racial discrimination coupled with growing economic inequality, a rise in racial intermarriage, and the "browning" of the U.S. population—all make affirmative action based on race look outdated.
An interesting point. If race is essentially the equivalent of sexual orientation, then this makes sense. But if sexual orientation, even if inborn, has an inalienable moral status, then it is not like race, a morally neutral category.
This is why arguments analogizing laws that banned interracial marriage to laws preventing same-sex marriage don't work for social and religious conservatives. There is no moral quality to blackness, or whiteness, or Hispanic-ness, or Asian-ness. Because sexual acts carry moral weight, one way or another, same-sex relationships are not the same thing. To put it another way, there is not a morally right and morally wrong way to be black; there is a morally right and morally wrong way to be sexually active (which is why religious conservatives disapprove of extramarital sexual activity).
If you are going to make an argument for same-sex marriage to religious conservatives, you need to be prepared to argue for why same-sex relationships are morally good. Saying that they are morally neutral won't cut it, any more than trying to convince a religious conservative that unmarried heterosexuals having sex is morally neutral will work.
Anyway, this Slate piece I've linked to is an interesting challenge to the idea that gay civil rights and black civil rights are complementary. Thoughts?


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A Profile Of China
Among the worlds four most famous ancient civilizations, Chinese civilization is the only one in the world that has been developing for more than 5,000 years without interruption.
Random photo: Impressions of China
Since China's opening–up to the outside World in 1978, particularly with China's accession to the World Trade Organization(WTO) in 2001 and the Beijing's succession bid for 2008 Olympic Games, more and more overseas visitors have been becoming increasingly interested in China's ancient culture, beautiful scenery, people's lifestyle and various aspects of the society .Before visiting China-the most populous country with vast territory and abundant resources-some of them have already read some books on China. But to really know China, s/he has to travel in China in person to acquire knowledge firsthand , as a Chinese saying goes:"A picture is worth a thousand words, but being there is worth a thousand pictures 百闻不如一见。"An old Chinese maxim (or adage) goes: "Travelling ten thousand Li (or 5,000 kilometres) equals reading ten thousand volumes 中国有句古训:行万里路,读万卷书。 "Travel is one of the great sources of knowledge. Only by traveling in a country we can have an overall knowledge of its past , present , and future and of its folk customs as well.
Among the worlds four most famous ancient civilizations (the other three ancient civilizations being ancient Egypt ,Babylon ,and India ),Chinese civilization is the only one in the World that has been developing for more than 5,000 years without interruption .The origin , development process, context and mechanism of this ancient Chinese civilization are the most important subjects fir archaeologists, historians ,and tourists to explore.
For thousands of years, China's architecture, art, religions, human studies, social sciences and people's lifestyles have undergone tremendous changes . China boasts 101 famous cultural and historical cities, 1,271 national key cultural relics under under protection ,177 state-level scenic spots, 153 state-level nature reserves, 44 national geological parks and 342 national foresty parks, of which UNESCO had inscribed 30 historical sites or scenic spots on the World Heritage List by July 2,2004.China now ranks the third , behind Italy and Spain, on the list.The World famous Old Silk Road, 3,000-year-old capital cities , well-preserved imperial palaces and gardens, Suzhou and Hangzhou-the two cities famed for their wonderful and exquisite gardens-vast frasslands, northern scenery featuring ice and snow, tropical sea beaches, Buddhist temples, imperial museums, memorial halla, grotto arts, sculptures, palaces, and pagodas , which are of high historic value reflecting Chinese national architectural styles .
Calligraphy, paintings, sculptures, and various kinds of arts and crafts show the artistic talents of the people of all 56 ethnic groups of the great Chinese nation.
Historical sites stud all over China just like stars in the sky, and museums of various sizes bring visitors and tourists both home and abroad to the ancient Chinese civilization. China's modernization drive , high-tech equipment, its national economy with a high annual growth rate and a huge domestic market-all these indicate the orientation of development of one fifth of the mankind in the 21st Century , providing a reminder for the people in countries with economic slump.
In a short span of more than two decades since 1978, the number of people from overseas coming to China to invest, to do business, to travel or to spend holidays has been increasing year by year. This has not only promoted the economic relations and foreign countries and regions, but has also furthered mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and the peoples in the rest of the world. In 2004 , China received 109.0382 million overseas tourists by turnstile count(41.8 million were overnight overseas tourists (ranking the 4th in the world), generating 25.739 billion US dollars, ranking the 7th-in the world, only after the United States, Spain, France, Italy, Germany and England.
China is situated in the eastern part of Asia, on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean . Its land territory of 9.6 million square kilometers begins from the confluence of the Heilongjiang and Wusuli rivers(longitude 135© 31'N) in the west of Wuqia County in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (longitude 73© 40'E ) in the west , about 5,200 kilometres apart ; and from the midstream of the Heilongjiang River north of Mohe (latitude53© 31'N) in the north to the southernmost island Zengmu's Ansha in the South China Sea (latitude41© 31'N), over 5.500 kilometres apart. China's land borders more than 20,000 klometres; in length; its manland coastline stretches for some 18,000 kilometres; and its neighbours more than 20 countries, either contiguous or separated by stretches of sea. There are 6,536 island exceeding over 500 square metres. Taiwan (an area of 35,774 square kilometres) and Hainan (encompassing 32,200 square kilometres) are the two largest islands in China .
China boasts a land boundary exceeding 20,000 kilometres in length and is bordered by Korea in the northeast; Russia and Mongolia in the north , Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tsjikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in the northwest; India, Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhutan in the southwest; Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam in the south . Across the seas to the east and southeast China faces Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia.
More about China
- China Travel Guide
China Travel Guide A splendid landscape, a venerated history, and a rich cultural legacy have added to the fascination of China as every traveler's dream destination.
- China economy
China economy Subheadline Text
- Chinese Culture
Chinese Culture China's ancient civilization is one of the few civilizations with independent origins, and the only unbroken civilization in human history.
- Chinese Population
China Population The population of the world's largest country and the ethnic peoples of the People's Republic of China.
- Chinese Provinces
Chinese Provinces Provinces of the People's Republic of China. There are 33 such divisions, classified as 22 provinces, four municipalities, five autonomous regions, and two special administrative reg...
- Facts about China
Facts About China Facts and interesting information about the People's Republic of China.
- Great Wall of China
Great Wall of China Subheadline Text
- History of China
History of China China, one of the world's most ancient civilizations, has a recorded history of 5,000 years.
- Pictures of China
China pictures Subheadline Text


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Oz launches DNSChanger testing site
Government service advises of connection-preventing malware infections
Australia's government has created a website which detects the presence, or otherwise, of DNSChanger, a nasty piece of malware which the sites says "... changes a user's Domain Name System (DNS) settings, enabling criminals to direct unsuspecting internet users to fraudulent websites and otherwise interfere with their web browsing."
"It has been associated with 'click fraud', the installation of additional malware and other malicious activities," the site adds.
The hiply-named www.dns-ok.gov.au does what it says on the can: load up the site and you'll be told whether or not the malware lurks within your system and if, ergo, your DNS is okay. If you are infected, the site urges you to do something about it before the FBI switches off its kludge fix that stops the malware from doing it's worst. ®
Sponsored: Minds Mastering Machines - Call for papers now open


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I've been using the daily build for months now, I really loved it initially.
Then I started using OS X and I realized they "borrowed" just too many things from it for my liking
I know the running joke is that Luna is just a rip off of OS X, but the truth is that it actually is in many ways:
Theme style - the polished silver gradient look is the first thing that makes people think you are using OS X. It's a good look though so I can see why many would want to use it
Pantheon Files - Very similar to OS X's Finder except it lacks very basic features like search
Pantheon Notify - Not yet implemented in Luna (probably Luna+1) however I have seen videos of it and they basically want to implement a Notification Center that slides in on the right. Similar to Mountain Lion
Midori - They are putting in a "page slide" transition when you click the back and forward arrows. Similar to Safari
Switchboard - Literally almost identical to the OS X System Preferences
Workspace switcher - The way it appears on the bottom of the screen seems similar to Mission Control
And I'm sure there are a bunch of other subtle similarities
My point: I like OS X and Luna. But if I want something pretty and functional I'm going with OS X. Luna looks cute but it has a long way to go. I personally don't think Luna will be very impressive, Luna+1 will likely be much better when they get around to fixing all the little details.


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04.30.12Arsenal Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm that invests in middle-market specialty industrial, healthcare and financial services companies, acquired Plasticolors, Inc. and Evonik Industries' Colortrend global colorants business to create Chromaflo Technologies, the largest independent global pigment dispersion platform the company said.
Headquartered in Ashtabula, Ohio, Plasticolors, Inc. was founded in 1970 and is a supplier of pigment and chemical dispersions to the thermoset composites and industrial paint and coatings industries. The company's colorants can be found in a wide variety of products including industrial coatings, interior and exterior automotive components, epoxy flooring, electrical and appliance housings and a myriad of other paints, coatings and molded composite applications.
Earlier in March, Arsenal Capital announced the pending acquisition of Evonik Industries' Colortrend global colorants business. Chromaflo Technologies will be headquartered in Ashtabula, Ohio and will have production facilities in the U.S., Canada, The Netherlands and Australia. Chromaflo Technologies also has sales and technical capabilities throughout North and South America, Europe, Australia, China, Malaysia and India.
"We partnered with the Plasticolors' team led by CEO Scott Becker to bring together these two complementary players in the colorants industry," said Timothy Zappala, a partner at Arsenal and co-head of the firm's Specialty Industrials Group. "Colortrend provides color systems to the architectural and industrial coatings markets while Plasticolors is the leading provider of custom pigment solutions to thermoset plastics and industrial coatings markets. The combination creates a leading independent global pigment dispersion platform positioning the new company to address the increasingly complex customer technical requirements in a multitude of applications and end markets."
Scott Becker, who will lead Chromaflo Technologies as CEO, brings a wealth of experience in the colorants marketplace. "Chromaflo Technologies' diverse manufacturing capability, broad base of technologies and strong customer focus by an experienced team will enable us to meet customers' varied requirements on both a local and global basis," said Becker. "We will be transferring Plasticolors' technologies for the thermoset plastics markets to the operations in Europe and Asia Pacific to serve customers in these regions. Additionally, the technologies developed for in-plant tinting for industrial coating applications will be made available in these regions."
"Because of Arsenal's deep expertise in the specialty chemicals sector we were able to complete this innovative transaction and create Chromaflo Technologies," said John Televantos, a partner at Arsenal and co-head of the firm's Specialty Industrials Group. "With this merger we have created a company with the scale and range of product technologies that has the immediate critical mass to be a leading global player in the pigments dispersion market."


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What if?
I mean, what are the chances the Flyers – whose wheels are already falling off – continue to collapse and don't make the postseason?
Before last weekend, with 12 games to play, the Flyers held a nine point edge on a playoff spot as they were seated in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
They have now lost three straight games and five of their last six.
Now, with nine games left, the Flyers' chances to miss the playoffs have almost doubled with Tuesday night's ugly shutout loss in Ottawa.
They are still in sixth place – tied with seventh place Montreal – and have a scant four point cushion on ninth place. The Flyers are just one point up on eighth place Boston, a team who has a game in-hand over them.
Look at the schedule. It's not exactly a rosy picture.
Besides their own playoff aspirations, only two of their final eight opponents are mathematically eliminated from the postseason. The Rangers (71 points, 7 points out) could soon make that three.
The Flyers' maximum number of points attainable is 97. N would give them a 46-31-5 record.
According to PlayoffStatus.com, the Flyers need four wins in their final nine games to all but guarantee them a playoff spot. That makes 87 points the magic number. Five wins (89 points) would make things a lot more comfortable.
Unlike last year, when 93 points were needed to attain eighth place, the teams in the jam-packed East have taken potential points away from each other.
Here's the statistical breakdown:
0 wins in final 9 games: 99% chance to be eliminated
1 win in final 9 games: 87% chance to be eliminated
2 wins in final 9 games: 47% chance to be eliminated
3 wins in final 9 games: 12% chance to be eliminated
4 wins in final 9 games: 1% chance to be eliminated
5 wins in final 9 games: <1% to be eliminated
I'd bet that four wins in the final nine games are attainable (let's say: Islanders, Maple Leafs, one of the two against the Rangers and one of the other five teams). That would likely give the Flyers a seventh place finish (and their division winner, likely Pittsburgh) in the first round.
The goal is always as many wins as possible. But the Flyers should be realistically shooting for at least 5 wins, which would likely land them a sixth place finish and the Northeast division winner – probably Buffalo.
It would take six or more wins to get to fifth place. That's not going to be easy.
Then again, nothing is easy at this point in the season. Not for this team.


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MURRAY – A boil advisory has been issued for the northern portion of the city of Murray in Clarke County following a water main break Wednesday. The advisory is for the portion of the city north of Fifth Street.
The break caused a loss in water pressure, which can potentially allow bacteria to enter the system. Repairs to the system were made early Thursday morning and the system is being flushed. The boil advisory will remain in place until two sets of bacteria samples have been completed showing that the water is safe.
Because of the potential for bacterial contamination, it is being recommended the water be boiled before using for drinking or cooking or that an alternative source such as bottled water be used until further notice.
Residents of Murray are advised to bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. The water may be used for bathing and other similar purposes.
General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791.


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"The Walking Dead" will resume its third season at 9 p.m. Sunday on AMC with the episode "The Suicide King," blessed relief for fans who have been shambling in zombie limbo during the show's midseason break.
Show runner Glen Mazzara spoke with Hero Complex in a two-part interview about the remainder of the season, promising more surprises for diehard fans — and warning that, should the story demand their deaths, no character is safe.
PREVIEW: Season 3 episodes | RECAP: 'Made to Suffer'
"We've already deviated from the Governor's [comic] storyline in interesting ways; it's a matter of continuing to tell that story and being honest and true to the essence of what's there," Mazzara said.
"But comic book fans will not be able to guess what's coming."
It's been a long wait for "Dead" devotees, who were informed during the intermission that the series would be renewed for a fourth season and that Mazzara would be making an unexpected departure.
Mazzara will leave the show at the conclusion of Season 3, with Scott Gimple taking his spot. Original show runner Frank Darabont left the series during Season 2's production amid clashes with AMC.
"As we were looking at the show moving ahead, there were differences with what I wanted to do and what AMC wanted to do," Mazzara told Hero Complex. "So I think it was best for the show for me to leave, go my way and let them go their way and tell a story that they want to tell, and I'll go tell other stories that I want to tell."
Lucky for "Walking Dead" fans, there's been plenty to keep them busy during the show's intermission. Creator Rob Kirkman's comic series, on which the TV series is loosely based, is continuing beyond 106 issues with no end in sight. Telltale Games' episodic "Walking Dead" video game, inspired by Kirkman's work, concluded in late November and ended 2012 with Game of the Year honors from the Spike Video Game Awards, Wired magazine and USA Today.
More from the Glen Mazzara interviews: Part 1 | Part 2
— Morgan Little
'Walking Dead': New website to launch this weekend
ZombieLab: Zombies invade London's Science Museum
Earth-like planet just a stroll away? Sci-fi knew that all along


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London: Britain has set its date with destiny confirming its two years of negotiations to split from the European Union will begin next Wednesday, March 29.
The announcement makes good on Prime Minister Theresa May's pledge to the Tory conference last year that she would pull the trigger, Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty, by the end of March 2017.
MPs who campaigned for Brexit were jubilant on Monday, when Downing Street confirmed to British political reporters, known as "The Lobby", that the Mrs May would pull the trigger on Wednesday week.
Brexit Secretary David Davis said the UK's permanent representative to the European Union, Sir Tim Barrow, had informed the European Council earlier on Monday.
"We are on the threshold of the most important negotiation for this country for a generation," he said.
"The Government is clear in its aims: a deal that works for every nation and region of the UK and indeed for all of Europe - a new, positive partnership between the UK and our friends and allies in the European Union."
The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said on Twitter that he would present draft Brexit guidelines to the 27 EU member states within 48 hours of Mrs May pulling the trigger.
Within 48 hours of the UK triggering Article 50, I will present the draft #Brexit guidelines to the EU27 Member States.??? Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) March 20, 2017
Prominent Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, also the co-chair of the ANZAC parliamentary friendship group said March 29 would also be an important date for Australia and the Commonwealth.
"Starting the leaving process marks the beginning of the UK broadening her horizons beyond the EU, and means that we can renew our focus on strengthening relations with countries further afield," he said.
"Australia is a very highly valued part of the Commonwealth family, and I very much look forward to our two nations working increasingly closely together over the coming years."
The only MP from the UK Independence Party (UKIP) in the British parliament Douglas Carswell said he was "on top of the world" at hearing the news:
I'm on top of the world! https://t.co/8BUXQ6FNCn??? Douglas Carswell (@DouglasCarswell) March 20, 2017
But the Labour MP Pat McFadden said Mrs May needed to ensure Britain would enjoy the same access it has to the single market as it does now.
"As she enters talks with our European partners, it is up to the Prime Minister to deliver the deal that she and her ministers have promised. That means a trade agreement that gives us the 'exact same benefits' as we have now on access to the European market."
"The Government has promised a Brexit deal that will not damage our economy and put jobs at risk. They need to meet the tests they have set themselves," he said.
The government is highly unlikely to give any such guarantee as it has said it is willing to leave the single market, which comes with the obligation for member states to sign up to the free movement of citizens. The latter requirement was a key factor driving the Brexit vote.
The government wants to negotiate its own special free trade deal with the EU along with a host of deals with other countries including the United States, Australia and China.


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VICTORIAN hospitals are treating fewer patients in emergency departments within four hours despite new federal targets for them to treat more patients in that time, putting at risk more than $12 million in funding this year.
New data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare today shows that just 65 per cent of patients in Victorian emergency departments were treated within four hours in 2011-12, well short of the 72 per cent required under new targets.
Victorian hospitals were treating 65.9 per cent of emergency patients within four hours when the new targets were introduced in January, so they have gone backwards in the first six months of this year.
Doctors say Victorian hospitals are unlikely to reach this year's 72 per cent target, putting Victoria at risk of losing $12.4 million in funding to be paid to states that meet it.
By 2015, 90 per cent of Australian patients will be required to be admitted to a bed or discharged home within four hours, but the federal government has set interim deadlines that vary between states so they improve on past performance.
Across Australia in 2011-12, 64 per cent of patients were treated within four hours in emergency departments. Western Australia, which introduced the four-hour rule in 2009, had the highest percentage of patients treated within four hours, at 79 per cent, passing its goal of 76 per cent for this year.
New South Wales was among the worst performers, with 60 per cent of emergency patients treated within four hours - less than the 61.8 per cent of patients treated within that time in January and short of its 69 per cent target for this year.
Australian Medical Association Victorian president Stephen Parnis said improved triage processes and admitting patients to short-stay units for monitoring were ''making differences around the margins'', but more beds were needed to meet demand from a growing and ageing population.
''The best innovation will only get you so far - it's an inescapable reality that we need to have the capacity to service the increased demand,'' he said.
''My feeling is that these targets are unlikely to be met, and it's not from a lack of effort on the part of health services.''
The chairman of the Victorian faculty of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, Simon Judkins, said patients often waited four hours to be admitted to a ward ''even when we can identify as soon as the ambulance turns up that the patient needs a bed''.
Changes needed to be made throughout hospitals, not just in emergency departments, he said, including more efficient processes for discharging patients to free up beds.
Victorian Health Minister David Davis said the four-hour rule was unrealistic. ''We are concerned that the Commonwealth may withhold valuable funding which will affect all Victorian health services,'' he said.
''We also note that the Commonwealth government has not expanded GP services, particularly after-hours, to avoid unnecessary ED visits.''


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University of Missouri
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Professional development events
Food Preservation Workshops - Farmington (Session 2 of 3)
Monday, July 8, 2013, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Memorial United Methodist ChurchKarsch Blvd, Farmington, MoKarsch Blvd, Farmington MO map...
Learn basic techniques for pressure canning, water bath canning, making jams and jellies and drying fruits, vegetables and jerky at home.June 24-- Canning Fruits and Vegetables. Topics include a water bath and pressure canning demonstration. Learn to select and care for canning equipment as well as prepare food for canning, process it correctly, and check for seals.July 8 --Preparing Jams and Jellies. Explore traditional ways to prepare jams and jellies, as well as alternative sweet spreads prepared with Splenda. Topics include sterilizing jars, water bath processing of jams and jellies, pectin products, freezer jams, and recipe sources for specialty jams.July 22 -- Drying Fruit, Vegetables, and Jerky. Learn safe methods to dry jerky, fruit leather, fruits, and vegetables despite humid conditions.More information about this event
Session topic:
Preparing Jams and Jellies - Explore traditional ways to preserve jams and jellies, as well as alternative sweet spreads prepared with Splenda.
Contact University of Missouir Extension - St. Francois County: Phone 573-756-4539
Class size:
Event full:
$10.00$25 for all three sessions
Mary Schroepfer, firstname.lastname@example.com Extension in Franklin Countyphone: 636-583-5141
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