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TAIPEI, Taiwan >> Lights, camera, laughs.
Tens of millions of film fanatics are entering theaters around Asia during the long Lunar New Year holiday, but Hollywood can't count on them to boost the box office for its mostly serious Oscar nominees. Even with the Academy Awards buzz at a peak barely two weeks before the ceremony, patrons are opting for lighter fare.
"Viewers are mostly drawn to action films, films with special effects, comedies or easy-to-follow 'popcorn' movies," said Ross Lee, a manager with Vieshow Cinemas, which owns one of Taiwan's largest theater chains. "In Taiwan the big hits are traditionally disaster films like "2012."
Lee and others say that with Chinese movie-goers using the New Year holiday to escape their daily grinds, they generally give the cold shoulder to weightier movies, like this year's leading nominee "Lincoln" or last year's best picture "The Artist."
"'Lincoln' is an American film," said Hong Kong film fan Leo Wong, 31. "I think Americans will probably be more interested. I don't really understand the history. And it's too serious."
Reflecting Wong's critique, Hong Kong's film industry goes out of its way to pander to the local preference for lighter New Year's selections, turning out a sub-genre of films specifically designed with holiday tastes in mind.
This year's Hong Kong holiday crop includes "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons," a prequel to the classic Chinese fable, and "I Love Hong Kong 2013," a super-light comedy with an all-star cast and a crowd-pleasing happy ending.
Explaining her preference for watching locally produced comedies, Hong Kong movie-goer Christine Lam said it reinforced the spirit of the season.
"You want to do this on Chinese New Year," she said, "to watch Chinese movies instead of Western ones because it gives you the vibe."
Chimed in husband Andy Lam: "(New Year comedies) are funny and we have a lot of fun. We just laugh."
Sun Shaoyi of Shanghai University's School of Film and TV Arts and Technology said in addition to aesthetic considerations, Oscar nominees vying for attention on the mainland must also contend with officially sanctioned blackouts.
"Authorities limit the number of Western films showing during the New Year period," Sun said. "They have to do this to protect the local market."
But even allowing for the artistic and administrative roadblocks, some Oscar-nominated films do manage to make a big impact in Chinese-speaking markets during the New Year holiday, particularly if they are accompanied by a positive critical buzz.
Christine Lam said she had decided to use this year's holiday to see "Les Miserables," notwithstanding its relatively heavy subject matter.
"This is a very famous movie and people are talking about this movie very much," she said, adding that the film's much ballyhooed operatic style and live singing by actors had tipped the balance in its favor.
In Taipei, trading firm owner Thomas Huang said his own preference for thrillers made going to see "Zero Dark Thirty" an easy viewing choice. He said he also took in local hero Ang Lee's "Life of Pi," the special effect-rich story of a young man's epic journey of discovery, "half because Ang Lee is Taiwanese and half because of the Oscar nominations."
Huang saw best-picture front-runner "Argo" previously and would not miss other nominated films if trusted critics endorsed them. He said he's captivated by the pomp of the Oscar-nomination ceremony, which raised his interest in the nominated films as well.
"You don't count on the Oscar awards as a guarantee a film is good, but they are still generally up to a certain standard," he said.
Taiwanese film critic Wen Tien-hsiang said that even if some Oscar-nominated films did not do well with Chinese-speaking audiences during the New Year holiday period, scoring big on Oscar night would help to guarantee them substantial audiences later.
"Films winning awards will definitely gain them viewer attention," Wen said in an email. "Film companies sometimes decide to screen Oscar winners only after they get the prize."
Associated Press writers Annie Huang in Taipei and Kelvin Chan in Hong Kong and researcher Fu Ting in Shanghai contributed to this report.


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Findmypast is working in partnership with IrishCentral to share fascinating insights into your Irish ancestors. Click here to get a special half price subscription, and discover your Irish roots today!
Are you one of the millions of people worldwide of Irish descent? The easiest way to connect to your Irish roots is to start your family tree. And the best way to do this is to start with what you know. Grab a pen and paper and sketch out the information you have on your immediate family. Include as many dates as you can. You may not have all the details to hand but you will quickly see how easy it is to build your family tree - going back to your great-grandparents gives you 14 branches straight away. But how do you identify your Irish connection?
You may know the exact member of your family who came from Ireland, in which case you can begin adding your Irish branches straight away, but if you don't, Findmypast can help you get started in 10 steps.
When looking for the Irishman or woman who made it across the Atlantic talk to your family, especially the older generations. Findmypast created a questionnaire to help you gather specific information that will help you. You'd be surprised at what information you can discover in a few minutes. Family tales or folklore can often provide you with information that will help you narrow down a search.
US Census records are a great place to identify your Irish ancestor – from 1860 onwards people were asked to state their place of birth. Here's an example from New York in 1940.
Now you've reached the Irish branch or your tree, what's next? During your search, keep this in mind: geographic information is vital when tracing your Irish family. Some records will contain this information, but you should also look at old letters, diaries, obituaries or gravestones. Maybe your family made the news in 1868 - information can come from the most surprising of sources.
If your ancestor has a common Irish name, if you don't know where in Ireland they are from it's almost impossible to identify which 'Michael Ryan' is your ancestor; so any scrap of information you can find which has a place name (like a parish, town or the smallest village you can think of) will help you find your Irish family.
Once you've created your family tree and identified your Irish link, it's time to dive into the Irish records – we'll show you how you can do this in part II.
To read more on tracing your family in travel records click here.
For more stories on tracing your Irish heritage from Findmypast click here.

subset: commoncrawl


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In his first press conference since June, President Obama this afternoon was asked about climate change.
Mark Landler of The New York Times asked:
In his endorsement of you a few weeks ago, Mayor Bloomberg said he was motivated by the belief that you would do more to confront the threat of climate change than your opponent. Tomorrow you're going up to New York City where you're, I assume, going to see people who are still suffering the effects of Hurricane Sandy, which many people say is further evidence of how a warming globe is affecting our weather.
What specifically do you plan to do in a second term to tackle the issue of climate change, and do you think the political will exists in Washington to pass legislation that could include some kind of a tax on carbon?
The president's response:
As you know, Mark, we can't attribute any particular weather event to climate change. What we do know is the temperature around the globe is increasing — faster than was predicted even ten years ago. We do know that the Arctic ice cap is melting faster than was even predicted five years ago. We do know that there have been an extraordinarily large number of severe weather events here in North America, but also around the globe.
I am a firm believer that climate change is real, that it is impacted by human behavior and carbon emissions, and as a consequence I think we have an obligation to future generations to do something about it.
Now, in my first term, we doubled fuel efficiency standards on cars and trucks. That will have an impact. That will take a lot of carbon out of the atmosphere. We doubled the production of clean energy, which promises to reduce the utilization of fossil fuels for power generation. And we continued to invest in potential breakthrough technologies that could further remove carbon from our atmosphere.
But we haven't done as much as we need to. So what I'm going to be doing over the next several weeks, the next several months is having a conversation, a wide-ranging conversation with scientists, engineers, and elected officials to find out what more we can do to make short-term progress in reducing carbon and then working through an education process that I think is necessary — a discussion, a conversation across the country about what realistically can we do long-term to make sure that this is not something we're passing on to future generations that's going to be very expensive and very painful to deal with.
I don't know what either Democrats or Republicans are prepared to do at this point. This is one of those issues that is not just a partisan issue. I also think that there are regional differences. There's no doubt that for us to take on climate change in a serious way would involve making some tough political choices and understandably, you know, I think right now the American people have been so focused and will continue to be focused on our economy and jobs and growth that if the message somehow is that we're going to ignore jobs and growth simply to address climate change, I don't think anyone's going to go for that. I won't go for that.
If, on the other hand, we can shape an agenda that says we can create jobs, advance growth, and make a serious dent in climate change and be an international leader, I think that's something that the American people would support.
You can expect that you'll hear more from me over the coming months and years that garners bipartisan support that moves this agenda forward.
At this point, a reporter asked a question that was inaudible. The president continued.
That I'm pretty certain of.
Look, we're still trying to debate if we can make sure that middle class families don't get a tax hike. Let's see if we can resolve that. That should be easy. This one is hard.
But it's important. Because one of the things that we don't always factor in are the costs that are involved in these natural disasters. We just put them off as something that's unconnected to our behavior right now. Based on the evidence that we're seeing, what we do now is gonna have an impact and a cost down the road if we don't do something about it.
The immediate response on Twitter was summed up nicely by Glenn Thrush.
Very candid answer on climate change that will anger left: Obama says carbon regulation last in line behind taxes, jobs and immigration.
— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) November 14, 2012


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I feel that the often seen C/C++ doesn't really describe my skills in my CV. So I'm planning to separate it into advanced C++ knowledge and mediocre C skills.
Do you think this is confusing for the reader? She could think: "C is a subset of C++, so what is this guy trying to tel me?" Well, what I'm trying to tell is: I have done several real world C++ projects while pure C projects where just a hobby thing. Do you agree that a skilled C++ programmer not necessarily is a qualified C guy or do you think that this switch is done easily?


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Welcome to Kawartha Branch, UELAC
The Kawartha Branch and its members have a common interest in Canadian history, with a strong focus on the United Empire Loyalists, those people who remained loyal to the British during the American Revolution and who came to Canada during and immediately following that war. These refugees represented the first significant number of European settlers who came to our land in the parts of Quebec west of Montreal. They caused the split of Quebec into Lower and Upper Canada, the latter becoming the Province of Ontario at a later time. They and their descendants made enormous contributions to the development of the Ontario we know today.
A secondary focus is the genealogy of the Loyalists, as all descendants are eligible to use the post-nominal UE after their names. To help those who are interested in proving their loyalist descent in order to earn a Loyalist certificate which many people frame and display proudly, the Kawartha Branch has several members who have developed genealogical expertise and who are willing to direct and assist those who wish to explore their family histories.
Through our newsletter, branch meetings in the Peterborough area, special events, displays at and participation in heritage and genealogical events, the Kawartha Branch helps interested people and members network and share their interest in history and genealogy.
Whether you live locally or at some distance, as a number of our members do, whether your family is long-time Canadian or newly arrived, join us and share in our rich Canadian heritage.
Located in the heart of the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario, Kawartha Branch, is one of 27 branches of the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada. In the following pages - see the directory to the left - you will find information about the United Empire Loyalists, the Association, our Branch and more. If you have any questions, please contact one of our Executive members.
Nov. 5, 2023: Passing of a Past President
It is with deep sadness that we wish to inform you that one of our Kawartha Branch UELAC Past Presidents, Doreen M. Thompson, UE, passed away on November 3, 2023.
Read a six-page obituary incorporating photos along with remarks from her children and UELAC members.


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Kids Still Swallowing Magnets Despite Warning Labels
When more than one is ingested, they can cause life-threatening complications in stomach, bowel
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_130577.html
(*this news item will not be available after 01/21/2013)
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
It found that there have been at least 480 cases of infants, children and teens in the United States who swallowed high-powered magnets in the past 10 years. Of those cases, 80 percent of the patients required surgery or an endoscopic procedure.
The majority (51 percent) of magnet ingestions occurred in children aged 1 to 6, although cases also occurred among older children and teens, who use the magnets to mimic lip, nose and tongue piercings.
The findings are from more than 350 pediatric gastroenterologists who responded to a August survey distributed by the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN).
High-powered magnet sets were introduced as a consumer product in 2008 and generally marketed as adult desk toys. They are commonly sold in sets of 100 or more balls that are about 3 to 6 millimeters in size.
The magnet sets were initially labeled for use by people aged 13 and older, but since 2010 have been labeled for use by people age 14 and older. Most of the sets include warnings to keep the product away from children.
However, this survey showed that ingestion of high-powered magnets by children and resulting injuries continue despite warning labels.
If a child swallows more than one of these magnets, the magnets will attempt to connect with each other inside the body. In doing so, the magnets can tear holes in the stomach and bowel.
"Ingesting two or more of these super-strength magnets is unlike swallowing a marble or other small foreign body," Dr. Athos Bousvaros, NASPGHAN president, said in a society news release.
"Damage from these magnets begins soon after ingestion. When the intestinal wall separates two or more magnets that attract each other, holes in the bowel can occur. Time is of the essence with a high-powered magnet ingestion. Yet, bowel damage can be difficult to diagnose, especially in toddlers who can't convey they have swallowed magnets," Bousvaros said.
The findings were presented at a news conference on Tuesday.
A child-injury prevention specialist is working to eliminate the products altogether.
"As the Consumer Product Safety Commission pushes toward a ban of these high powered magnets, we should realize the magnitude of this push," said Jennifer Hoekstra, the Safe Kids Program Coordinator at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich.
"This aggressive movement highlights the danger that these small powerful magnets bring into our homes," Hoekstra said. "These magnets are not intended to be where children can access them, and the warning labels do not seem to be enough. If parents have these small, powerful magnetic items in the home, they should be kept out of reach of children -- or better yet, locked up with the poisons."
Copyright (c) 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
- More Health News on:
- Child Safety


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Port and Shipping Economics
At Royal HaskoningDHV we offer a range of commercial and financial services, from market studies including commercial due diligence, to full transaction support inlcuding the development of financial models.
Ocean Shipping Consultants (OSC) is our specialist unit focusing on economics and maritime markets, providing a wide-range of specialist due diligence and advisory services to support the maritime, ports and logistics industry.
We combine our considerable expertise with an unequalled database for trade, port and shipping data, meaning that we have the insights our clients need at our fingertips.
Our overriding objective for all our clients is the same: to reduce uncertainty, and contribute to realising a maximum return on their investments. Our client base is wide and diverse, and we're proud to work with terminal operators, port authorities, multinationals, private equity firms, international financial institutions, banks, real estate funds, financial, legal and insurance businesses.
Together with our in-depth commercial expertise, Royal HaskoningDHV can also provide operational, technical and environmental due diligence services. This unique and integrated approach is invaluable for time-pressured and complex projects.
To find out more about Ocean Shipping Consultants please visit the website.
Benchmarking and Performance Improvement
Commercial Due Diligence Maritime


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Celebrating our 20th year, EnvironMolds features ArtMolds®, EZ Cast Kits®, MoldGel® Alginates, alginate and other great brands of Lifecasting, Alginates, Mold Making, Sculpting Supplies, Molding and Casting Materials, supplies, books, educational videos and resources. Lifecasting or body casting (read more about it here) is the art of mold making directly from the human body. Here you will find the largest offerings of mold making supplies, alginate impression materials, lifecasting art supplies, our EZ Cast Kits® bodycasting kits, tools, silicone, latex, and body casting supplies, casting and sculpture tools, videos, books and instruction, vacuum chambers and pumps found anywhere. Just getting started? Use the Use and Application Chart as a handy guide for what products to use.
Announcing our newly designed lifecasting, mold making and casting and upgraded website. Redesigned to make it easier to navigate and locate the products you need to bring your ideas to life. We have lots of exciting news from the ArtMolds® product line additions to include our EZ Cast Kit® line of life casting kits and new additions to our skin-safe silicone line. We have continued to add other new products as well, and to add to our list of distributors from around the globe. Mkae certain you check out our new SilFree Alginate, too. The website is divided into Products and Applications. For those that know what products they want, you can go to PRODUCTS and quickly find what you need. If you are not certain what products use, the select APPLICATIONS to get product suggestions for your project. (Read More News)


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Beijing's anti-corruption policies have become the subject of a debate amongst many Chinese netizens (Internet users) following China's announcement that it will investigate its former security chief.
Legions of supporters are celebrating the investigation of security tsar, Zhou Yongkang, praising the government for its efforts.
A number of netizens have posted in favor of Zhou on Sina Weibo, China's leading social media website. His name is the most searched for term on the site.
One user, who identifies himself as Howling-in-the-Dragon-Year, said, "Thumbs up to President Xi. I used to only love China itself, now I love the government too."
Another user, known as You're-My-Girl, said, "When I read this report, I almost cried for joy. Every Chinese citizen should praise our president. Only President Xi could have the strength to insist on anti-corruption. He will bring fortune to China and its people."
Others view Zhou as a corrupt former official who is just another victim of a power struggle within the Communist Party.
A user who identifies himself as Luo Xian Sen, said, "For this case, corruption is only the surface of the problem. [Zhou] is just another victim of the struggle for political power." That post has now been deleted.
The purpose of the investigation is not the only issue that is raising questions. Activists and analysts, both online and off, cite Zhou as an example of deeper issues plaguing China's anti-corruption drive.
A Weibo user who identifies himself as Lawyer Zhu Zhengliang, wrote, "Zhou Yongkang's case reflects apparent flaws in the system. We should think of those flaws, and reform and fix them in the system."
Ping Hu, a Chinese activist living in exile in New York, noted problems with the government's methods against corruption.
"Zhou has so much information, and if he chooses to put up a show, make a scene, and talk about something else, authorities will have a hard time dealing with him," he said.
The investigation has unraveled weak points in the Chinese government's methods according to New York University professor Jerome Alan Cohen.
"Now China's leadership realizes that they're becoming victims of their own [economic] success. It's created so many new social groups, so much demand for social justice that they're having trouble figuring out how to run the legal system that won't challenge the leadership but will get the job done," he said.
On July 29th, the Chinese government formally announced it is investigating Zhou Yongkang for corruption. Zhou, a retired senior leader of the Communist Party, is the highest ranking former or current official caught up publicly in President Xi's anti-corruption campaign.
Xu Pei also contributed to this report, which was produced in collaboration with the VOA Mandarin service.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Iran's 'domestic Internet' schedule slips
Government ministries to unplug 'next month'
Iran's leader Ayatollah Khamenei had best make the most of his time on Twitter and Instagram, since the country's telecommunications minister is doggedly pressing ahead with his program to cut the country off from the Internet. In the fullness of time, as Sir Humphrey Appleby would have put it.
In spite of Khamenei's membership of Twitter and Instagram, the country's telecommunications ministry says various ministries are going to disconnect from the Internet to protect sensitive information, according to The Telegraph.
Telecommunications minister Reza Taghipour, speaking at the Amir Kabir University in Tehran, said disconnecting key ministries would make sure their information "won't be accessible to" the "one or two" countries hostile to Iran, The Telegraph reports.
Iran has previously announced plans to disconnect itself from the Internet and promote its own Islamic network, something that's met with skepticism in the outside world.
The plans certainly seem to be on a constantly-sliding window: if the April report was accurate, which AFP told El Reg at the time was not so, the cutoff was due to happen this month. Now, Iran's telling The Telegraph its timetable is over the next 18 months.
Back in April, Reporters Without Borders noted that the plan has been "frequently announced and always postponed" – something echoed by The Telegraph. ®


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Born at Bruges in 1548; died at Leyden in 1620. He was for some years book-keeper in a business house at Antwerp; later he secured employment in the administration of the Franc of Bruges. After visiting Prussia, Poland, Sweden, and Norway he took up his residence in the Netherlands, where he spent the rest of his life. The Stadtholder Maurice of Nassau esteemed him so highly that he studied under his direction mathematics, science, and engineering, rewarding him for his services by making him director of finances, inspector of dykes of the Low Countries, and quartermaster-general of the Government. His was an upright, modest, and inventive mind. His influence on the development of science was great and lasting. He began with the publication in 1582 of his "Tafelen van Interest" (Tables of Interest; Plantin, Antwerp), thus distributing through the business world an easy and valuable method of calculation, still carefully preserved by the wealthy merchants of the Low Countries. Then came successively: in 1583 the "Problematum geometricorum libri V", a very original work, somewhat imperfectly reproduced in subsequent editions of the author's works, the "Dialektike ofte bewysconst", a treatise on logic, re-edited at Rotterdam in 1621, but not found in the large editions of the author's works, and "De Thiende", a small pamphlet of thirty-six pages containing the oldest systematic and complete explanation of decimal calculus, both published by Plantin at Leyden in 1585. "De Thiende" has often caused its author to be regarded as the inventor of calculus; he was indisputably the first to bring to light its great advantages. Stevin translated the pamphlet into French and re-edited it the same year under the title "La Disme", with his Arithmetic published at Antwerp by Plantin. In 1586 appeared the most famous of his works, "De Beghinselen der Weeghconst, De Weeghdaet, De Beghinselen der Waterwichts" (Antwerp). This was the first edition of his mechanics, in which he sets forth for the first time several theorems since then definitely embodied in science; the hydrostatic paradox; equilibrium of bodies on inclined planes; the parallelogram of forces, formulated, it is true, under a different enunciation by constructing a triangle by means of two components and their results.
Stevin's "Vita politica, Het Burgherlick leven", a treatise on the duties of the citizen which is no longer printed in large editions of his works, was published by Raphelengen at Leyden in 1590. It gave rise during the nineteenth century to a long and violent controversy. From some pages of this volume the inference has been drawn that when entering the service of Maurice of Nassau Stevin apostatized from the Catholic Church, but this opinion is hardly tenable and has now been abandoned. In 1594 appeared the "Appendice Algebraïque", an eight-page pamphlet, the rarest of his works (there is a copy at the Catholic University of Louvain) and one of the most remarkable; in it he gave for the first time his famous solution for equations of the third degree by means of successive approximations. In the same year was published "De Sterctenbouwing", a treatise on fortifications, and in 1599, "Havenvinding", a treatise on navigation, instructing mariners how to find ports with the aid of the compass. From 1605 to 1608 Stevin re-edited his chief works in two folio volumes entitled "Wisconstige gedachtenissen" (Bouwenz, Leyden). A Latin translation of them, under the title "Hypomnemata mathematica", was confided to Willebrord Snellius; and an incomplete French translation, entitled "Mémoires mathématiques", was the work of Jean Tuning, secretary of the Stadtholder Maurice. These two versions were published at Leyden by Jean Paedts. The "Wisconstige gedachtenissen" and the "Hypomnemata mathematica" contain several treatises then published for the first time, notably the trigonometry, geography, cosmography, perspective, book-keeping, etc.
In 1617 Waesberghe published at Rotterdam Stevin's "Legermeting" and "Nieuwe maniere van Stercktebouw door spilsluysen", of which French translations were published by the same editor in the following year under the titles "Castramétation" and "Nouvelle manière de fortifications par écluses". These were the last publications made during his lifetime, but he left important manuscripts, the chief of which were published in 1649 by his son Henri, who composed the "Burghelicke Stoffen" (political questions); the others were lost, but later recovered. Bierens de Haan edited two of them at Amsterdam in 1884: "Spiegeling der singconst" (mirror of the art of singing) and "Van de molens" (on mills). After Stevin's death Albert Girard translated several of his works and annotated others, thus forming a large folio volume published at Leyden in 1634 by the Elzevirs as "OEuvres mathématiques de Simon Stevin de Bruges". Abroad Stevin is often known only through this translation, but it does not convey an adequate idea of his works and should be supplemented by several of the original editions mentioned above. Unfortunately these have become bibliographical rarities almost unobtainable outside of Belgium and the Netherlands. M. Ferd. van der Haeghen has made them the subject of a masterly study in his "Bibliotheca Belgica" (1st series, XXIII, Ghent and The Hague, 1880-90), in which he notes most of the copies preserved in the libraries of both countries.
GOETHALS, Notice hist. sur la vie et les travaux de Simon Stevin de Bruges (Brussels, 1846); STEICHEN, Mém. sur la vie et les travaux de Simon Stevin (Brussels, 1846); CANTOR, Vorlesungen über Gesch, des Mathematik, II (2nd ed., Leipzig, 1900).
APA citation. (1912). Simon Stevin. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14293b.htm
MLA citation. "Simon Stevin." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14293b.htm>.
Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Thomas J. Bress.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. July 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster at newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.


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Just a peek at what's on my work table.
These pretty little flower heads are sitting there,
each awaiting their turn to be stitched up!
I've been quite busy in my studio this week and I've
been listening to a lot of Tom Waits whilst I work.
I never tire of listening to his sweet music.
It has been so very, very cold and grey here lately.
One would scarcely believe that nice weather is on
it's way, and yet today, the blossom trees are in full
bloom and the bulbs are already beginning to flower
...I guess, as Tom says (courtesy of Garth)
you can never hold back Spring.
I've been pinning lots of lovely new things too.
The nights have been too cold to do much other
than sit by the fire and read, stitch or pin things!
Why don't you take a looksy... xox


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Three veterinary students earn honors from bovine association
Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013
MANHATTAN -- At Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, good things come in threes.
Three students from the college earned honors at the annual conference of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, Sept. 18-21, in Milwaukee, Wis.
Recipients and their honors include: Tera Rooney Barnhardt, fourth-year veterinary medicine student and master's student in biomedical science from Satanta, $5,000 American Association of Bovine Practitioners Foundation-Zoetis Veterinary Student Scholarship; Sara McReynolds, doctoral student in pathobiology, Stockton, third place in the association's Research Summaries Graduate Student Awards; and Aaron Schaffer, third-year veterinary medicine student and master's student in biomedical science from Fairbury, Ill., $7,500 American Association of Bovine Practitioners Amstutz Scholarship and second place in the association's Research Summaries Graduate Student Awards.
Barnhardt was one of only 15 students from veterinary colleges across the U.S. to win the $5,000 scholarship. It is funded by component of the Zoetis Commitment to Veterinarians platform, which offers support through training and education, research and development, investing in the future of the veterinary profession, and philanthropy.
"My master's degree research involved working with feedlots, and I have a huge interest in feedlot consulting and would like to pursue that interest in the future," Barnhardt said. "The area of the state I want to work in has an abundance of food animals and a deficit of veterinarians. I want to help fill that void and become a contributing member of the small community I practice in."
Schaffer was one of nine students to receive this Amstutz scholarship, which was created to recruit outstanding students for careers in bovine veterinary practice and to provide them with unique educational experiences to maximize their preparation for bovine practice in the future. The scholarship is named in honor of Harold E. Amstutz.
Schaffer also was recognized for his research. His second-place paper was "Effects of BRD in Holstein dairy calves during the first 120 days of life on subsequent production, longevity, and reproductive performance as cows."
"After I graduate veterinary medicine I hope to work as an associate in a mixed-animal practice in rural Kansas and eventually I would like to become a part owner in a mixed-animal, multi-veterinarian practice," Schaffer said. "Growing up on a dairy farm instilled a passion for agriculture within me, so my primary interest is food animal medicine. I strongly believe in the concept that veterinarians should prevent disease rather than treat disease. Thus, I would like to build my practice around preventative medicine."
Bovine research earned McReynolds third place for her paper, "Impact of uncertainty in foot and mouth disease indirect transmission probability on outbreak duration and herds depopulated."
"The conference was beneficial to my program because I was able to gain experience presenting my research. It also allowed me to discuss my research with other veterinarians and to get valuable feedback," said McReynolds, who earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Public Health degrees from Kansas State University in 2008. "My long-term goals are to work in the field of preventative medicine with a focus on disease surveillance and emergency management."
Dan Thomson, assistant dean for outreach and Jones professor of production medicine and epidemiology at the College of Veterinary Medicine, is the adviser for Rooney and Schaffer.
"Tera and Aaron have been great representatives of both our veterinary college and our graduate programs on a national level. Their hard work and leadership on our campus is tremendous. I am very proud of them," Thomson said.
Brad White, assistant professor in production medicine, was the 2013 beef cattle program committee chair at the annual conference. He said the success of Barnhardt and Schaffer reflects the university's commitment to excellence.
"We are excited and proud to have Tera and Aaron recognized by American Association of Bovine Practitioners as outstanding young professionals," White said. "A national pool of veterinary students applies for these awards, and Tera and Aaron's success in this competitive process illustrates their commitment to bovine medicine."
Mike Sanderson, professor of beef production and epidemiology at the College of Veterinary Medicine, is McReynolds' adviser. He noted that her success speaks to the high quality of graduate students at the university and the research they perform in service to the livestock industry.


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Atari U.S. operation files for bankruptcy
The U.S. operations of iconic but long-troubled video game maker Atari have filed for bankruptcy in an effort to break free from their debt-laden French parent.
Atari Inc. and three of its affiliates filed petitions for Chapter 11 reorganization in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York late Sunday.
Its leaders hope to break the American business free from French parent Atari S.A. and in the next few months find a buyer to take the company private. They hope to grow a modest business focused on digital and mobile platforms, according to a knowledgeable person not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
Although the 31-year-old brand is still known worldwide for its pioneering role with video games such as "Pong" and "Asteroids," Atari has been mired in financial problems for decades. Since the early 2000s it has been closely tied to French company Infogrames, which changed its name to Atari S.A. in 2003 and in 2008 acquired all the gaming pioneer's American assets.
Chief Executive Jim Wilson has been with Atari Inc. since 2008, and in 2010 became CEO of the French parent. The New York-based executive has attempted to rebuild the company, which has just 40 employees in the U.S., by developing games for smartphones and the Web based on well-known properties -- among them a successful "greatest hits" compilation of arcade titles and an updated version of "Pong." He has also licensed the Atari logo for consumer products, a business that provides about 17% of the company's revenue.
There is evidence that the U.S. operation, which after the sale of other assets now makes up the bulk of Atari S.A.'s business, has been improving. The corporate parent has been profitable for the last two fiscal years, save for the effect of a money-losing French subsidiary, Eden Games, that has been up for sale. Before that, neither Atari S.A. nor Infogrames had been profitable for about a decade.
Still, its profits have been small ($11 million and $4 million, respectively, for the last two fiscal years) and revenue plummeted 34% in fiscal 2012 and 43% in fiscal 2011.
But the company's growth potential has been hampered by its near total reliance on London financial company BlueBay Asset Management for cash. A $28-million credit facility with BlueBay lapsed Dec. 31, leaving Atari without the resources to release games currently in the works, including a real-money gambling title titled "Atari Casino."
Efforts to recapitalize the corporation have been unsuccessful, in part because of its complex structure as essentially an American business with a French public stock listing.
THE ENVELOPE: Awards season insider
Shares in Atari S.A. have dropped in value from more than 11 Euros in 2008 to less than 1 Euro recently.
Atari Inc. has secured a commitment for $5.25 million dollars in debtor-in-possession financing to continue operations and release games. If Chapter 11 is successfully completed, the U.S. business could reemerge with its own resources and little or no debt to BlueBay.
It's not yet clear who might step up to buy Atari Inc., although Wilson will probably seek backers to help him keep control. It's also possible the company could be sold to another buyer, whole or in pieces.
Atari's remaining French businesses would probably seek legal protection to find a buyer or dissolve in that country.
Representatives for Atari S.A. and Bluebay did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Haiti is experiencing unimaginable suffering from its devastating earthquake, with more than 150,000 dead and one to three million individuals displaced. Individuals, groups and governments from around the world have stepped in to do what they can. United by their religious tradition of charity, Muslims have emerged as effective partners in aid and relief work.
The international effort to aid Haiti by individuals, Islamic relief organizations and the governments of Muslim-majority countries reflects a proactive generosity and empathy espoused by the Prophet Muhammad and the teachings of the Qur'an. Charity, in fact, is one of the five obligations for Muslims, and Muslim organizations have been working alongside other faith-based groups to fulfill this duty.
Islamic Relief, one of the most respected and successful disaster relief charities in the world, has used technology, new media and social networking sites to mobilize people. Along with "Seekers Digest", a popular Muslim community blog run out of Canada, Islamic Relief hosted the "Muslim Online Haiti Fundraiser" and raised over $100,000 in two hours. The organization also used its existing partnership with the Mormon Church to send hygiene kits and temporary shelters to Haiti, in addition to pledging a total of $2.5 million.
Islamic Relief also sent an emergency response team to directly assist victims in Haiti. These Muslim aid workers have been updating a daily blog with sobering first-hand accounts of the tragedy.
Assisting Islamic Relief, Muslim American artists and community activists convened to put on a concert in New York City, hosted by the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), and used the opportunity to raise donations for Haiti. In Chicago, IMAN partnered with a local synagogue and church to raise aid money.
Governments and non-governmental organizations (NGO) of countries that are more often known as recipients of aid have also reached out. Two Pakistani NGOs, Al-Khidmat Foundation and Edhi Foundation, are mobilizing relief efforts to help Haitians despite the country's own political and economic volatility. Both organizations have considerable expertise in this area due to the massive 2005 earthquake that killed nearly 80,000 in northern Pakistan. The Edhi Foundation has already pledged $500,000 to assist Haiti.
Speaking on Haiti's catastrophe, the president of Al-Khidmat Foundation, Niamatullah Khan, said, "Islam exhorts us to help those who are in trouble…. Humanity comes first."
In the Middle East, Dubai Cares, a non-profit dedicated to ensuring education for young children, is providing immediate assistance to 200,000 children in Haiti through its international partners who are already on the ground. And the governments of Bahrain, Kuwait, Morocco and Turkey have each pledged $1 million in aid, in addition to sending cargo planes filled with medical supplies, food, tents and blankets.
Iran donated 30 tons of humanitarian aid, including food, tents and medicine through its Red Crescent Society. And Palestinians, through the Red Cross, have begun an effort to send donations.
Furthermore, Lebanon sent a plane with 25 tons of tents and three tons of medical supplies. And Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation, sent $2.1 million in aid. "As a country that has been itself devastated by a similar situation, we are absolutely saddened by what's happening in Haiti," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said at an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Vietnam. "We call on the ASEAN community, including ourselves, of course, to do what we can do to assist them."
According to Habiba Hamid, a Fellow of the Centre for the Study of Global Governance at the London School of Economics, this pattern of charity is not an aberration but the norm for Muslim communities. She says, "Without [Muslim countries], we would not have the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) today, which is proving critical in Haiti currently." In 2008, when the WFP issued an urgent call for funds in light of increased food and fuel prices that raised global hunger and poverty levels, Saudi Arabia pledged $500 million, leading the WFP to recognize King Abdullah as a "Champion in the Battle Against Hunger."
Although the journey to rebuilding Haiti is long and painstaking, Muslim relief efforts worldwide prove that sometimes our most reliable and effective partners in humanitarian endeavors are not always the ones we expect.
WAJAHAT ALI is a Muslim American of Pakistani descent. He is a playwright, essayist, humorist and Attorney at Law, whose work, "The Domestic Crusaders" is the first major play about Muslim Americans living in a post 9-11 America. His blog is at http://goatmilk.wordpress.com/


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LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) and LVP (Luxury Vinyl Plank) are two different types of luxury vinyl flooring. LVT is vinyl flooring designed in a tile shape, whereas LVP is vinyl flooring designed in planks to resemble traditional hardwood floor planks.
Luxury vinyl is a specific type of vinyl flooring that stands out among the rest. Old-school vinyl flooring used to be offered in sheet form only and therefore wasn't able to mimic the realistic look that luxury vinyl floors now can. Modern LVT and LVP floors are now offered in countless patterns and colors and designed so that they appear to look almost exactly like natural flooring materials such as wood, stone, and tile.
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To sum it up, the main difference between luxury vinyl tile and luxury vinyl plank lies in their appearance and design. LVT is crafted in a tile format, resembling traditional square tiles that are designed to look like ceramic, porcelain or natural stone tile, while LVP is designed in plank shapes, mimicking the look of hardwood floor planks. This key difference influences the visual layout and installation methods, catering to distinct preferences and styles. While LVT reflects a tiled aesthetic, LVP offers a more linear appearance, resembling hardwood floors, making the choice between the two primarily a matter of personal taste and the desired design outcome.
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Ferris State University's Office of International Education will host officials from India's Ansal Institute of Technology to explore collaborative opportunities between the institutions this Friday, Sept. 16 in Big Rapids.
Among the potential areas of collaboration between the institutions that will be discussed are the twinning of programs, which would allow students to combine study time at both schools to obtain a bachelor's degree; a bridge year, which would offer courses to ease transition after a diploma is earned to enter a master's degree program at Ferris; and international internships, to maximize AIT's ideal location near New Delhi and its corporate partnerships. Ferris officials envision a partnership with AIT as one that could lead to an increase in the successful recruitment of international students who are accustomed to the U.S. educational system choosing Ferris as an option.
"This presents an opportunity for exploring collaborative relations with AIT and providing our students and faculty a platform for exchanging and learning in areas of specialization," said Shirish Grover, an assistant professor in the Management Department of Ferris' College of Business.
A potential partnership also could help Ferris students with internships abroad through AIT's location just outside of New Delhi. AIT also has several corporate collaborations that make it an attractive possible partnership for internships abroad. AIT's marketing plan includes overseas partnerships as a component for students. Ansal also believes that its students who wish to pursue an advanced degree in the U.S. would be best served by completing a bachelor's degree in the U.S. at an institution like Ferris.
Conversations about a potential collaboration fit with Ferris' philosophy of being statewide, online and around the world.
"Michigan is one of the top 10 states in the U.S. in terms of the proportion of its economy that is linked to international trade," Kathleen Bolter, a research analyst in Ferris' Office of International Education. "Fostering relationships that allow individuals at Ferris State University to become more versed in globalization is extremely beneficial for both the university and the state of Michigan in terms of preparing our students for the future."
The visiting delegation from Ansal Institute is expected to include Prabhat Gupta, dean of the International Twinning Program; Puja Chhabra Sharma, assistant dean of the International Twinning Program; and C. S. Nagpal, director of the School of Management and Engineering. The AIT delegation was already visiting Eastern Michigan University as part of a partnership already in place.
"AIT has an existing agreement with Eastern and asked about visiting Ferris while they were here in Michigan to explore the possibility of collaborations with our university," said Bob Ewigleben, director of International Development. "We felt that this would be a great opportunity for our institutions to gather together and talk about areas of cooperation."
The itinerary for the delegation's visit to Ferris includes meetings with Brian Craig, director of the School of Built Environment; Julie Doyle, representing Hospitality Management in the College of Business; Greg Gogolin, a faculty member in the College of Business and the 2010-11 Distinguished Teacher Award recipient; Todd Stanislav, director of the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning; and Grover.
AIT offers four-year degrees in Computer Science and Engineering, Information Technology, Electronics and Communication Engineering, and Electrical and Electronics Engineering. AIT offers three-year degrees in Computer Technology, Business Administration, and Banking and Insurance.


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366Chapter X.—The Overthrow of the Tyrants and the Words which they uttered before their Death.27772777 On the transposition of the titles of chaps. 9 and 10, see the previous chapter, note 1.
1. The circumstances which drove him to this course were the following. Being no longer able to sustain the magnitude of the government which had been undeservedly committed to him, in consequence of his want of prudence and imperial understanding, he managed affairs in a base manner, and with his mind unreasonably exalted in all things with boastful pride, even toward his colleagues in the empire who were in every respect his superiors, in birth, in training, in education, in worth and intelligence, and, greatest of all, in temperance and piety toward the true God, he began to venture to act audaciously and to arrogate to himself the first rank.27782778 That Maximin should arrogate to himself, as Eusebius says, the highest rank is not very surprising, when we realize that that position, in so far as any difference in rank between the different rulers was acknowledged, belonged to him by right, inasmuch as he was Constantine's senior (having been first Cæsar when the latter was only second), while Constantine (see above, chap. 9, note 2) was regarded as the senior of Licinius.
2. Becoming mad in his folly, he broke the treaties which he had made with Licinius27792779 The treaty made in 311, just after the death of Galerius (see De mort. pers. 36). and undertook an implacable war. Then in a brief time he threw all things into confusion, and stirred up every city, and having collected his entire force, comprising an immense number of soldiers, he went forth to battle with him, elated by his hopes in demons, whom he supposed to be gods, and by the number of his soldiers.
3. And when he joined battle27802780 This battle between Licinius and Maximin was fought on April 30, 313, at Adrianople, in Thrace. For a more detailed but somewhat imaginative account of the battle, see De mort. pers. chap. 45 sq. Lactantius is considerate enough to accord Licinius the honor of a divine vision, that he may not be behind his imperial colleague Constantine; and he is pious enough to ascribe the victory wholly to the divine aid vouchsafed in response to the prayers of Licinius and his soldiers. he was deprived of the oversight of God, and the victory was given to Licinius,27812781 The word Licinius is omitted by Laemmer and Heinichen, but without sufficient warrant, for it is found in nearly all the mss. who was then ruling, by the one and only God of all.
4. First, the army in which he trusted was destroyed, and as all his guards abandoned him and left him alone, and fled to the victor, he secretly divested himself as quickly as possible of the imperial garments, which did not fitly belong to him, and in a cowardly and ignoble and unmanly way mingled with the crowd, and then fled, concealing himself in fields and villages.27822782 Lactantius (ibid. chap. 47) informs us that Maximin's flight was so rapid that he reached Nicomedia, which was 160 miles from Adrianople, on the evening of the day following the battle. As Gibbon remarks, "The incredible speed which Maximin exerted in his flight is much more celebrated than his prowess in battle." But though he was so careful for his safety, he scarcely escaped the hands of his enemies, revealing by his deeds that the divine oracles are faithful and true, in which it is said, "A king is not saved by a great force, and a giant shall not be saved by the greatness of his strength; a horse is a vain thing for safety, nor shall he be delivered by the greatness of his power.
5. Behold, the eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy, to deliver their souls from death."27832783 Psa. xxxiii. 16–19
6. Thus the tyrant, covered with shame, went to his own country. And first, in frantic rage, he slew many priests and prophets of the gods whom he had formerly admired, and whose oracles had incited him to undertake the war, as sorcerers and impostors, and besides all as betrayers of his safety. Then having given glory to the God of the Christians and enacted a most full and complete ordinance in behalf of their liberty,27842784 The final toleration edict of Maximin must have been issued very soon after his defeat, and its occasion is plain enough. If he were to oppose Licinius successfully, he must secure the loyalty of all his subjects, and this could be done only by granting the Christians full toleration. He could see plainly enough that Licinius' religious policy was a success in securing the allegiance of his subjects, and he found himself compelled in self-defense to pursue a similar course, distasteful as it was to him. There is no sign that he had any other motive in taking this step. Religious considerations seem to have had nothing to do with it; he was doubtless as much of a pagan as ever. The edict itself is composed in an admirable vein. As Mason remarks, "Maximin made the concession with so much dignity and grace, that it is impossible to help wishing that his language were truer." As in the previous decree, he indulges his passion for lying without restraint; but, unlike that one, the present edict is straightforward and consistent throughout, and grants the Christians full liberty in the most unequivocal terms. he was immediately seized with a mortal disease, and no respite being granted him, departed this life.27852785 Maximin's death took place at Tarsus (according to De mort. pers. chap. 49), and apparently within a few weeks after his defeat at Adrianople and the publication of his edict of toleration. The reports of his death are somewhat conflicting. Zosimus and the epitomist of Victor say merely that he died a natural death; Lactantius tells us that he took poison; while Eusebius in § 14 sq. gives us a horrible account of his last sickness which, according to him, was marked, to say the least, with some rather remarkable symptoms. Mason facetiously remarks that Eusebius seems to be thinking of a spontaneous combustion. It was quite the fashion in the early Church to tell dreadful tales in connection with the deaths of the persecutors, but in the present case exaggeration is hardly necessary, for it would seem from Lactantius' account, that he died not of poison, as he states, but of delirium tremens. As Mason remarks, "It is probable that Maximin died of nothing worse than a natural death. But the death which was natural to him was the most dreadful perhaps that men can die. Maximin was known as an habitual drunkard; and in his dying delirium he is said to have cried out that he saw God, with assessors, all in white robes, judging him." The law enacted by him was as follows:
Copy of the edict of the tyrant in behalf of the Christians, translated from the Roman tongue.
7. "The Emperor Cæsar Caius Valerius Maximinus, Germanicus, Sarmaticus, Pius, Felix, Invictus, Augustus. We believe it manifest that no one is ignorant, but that every man who looks back over the past knows and is conscious that in every way we care continually for the good of our provincials, and wish to furnish them with those things which are of especial advantage to all, and for the common benefit and profit, and whatever contributes to the public welfare and is agreeable to the views of each.
8. When, therefore, before this, it became clear to our mind that under pretext of the command of our parents, the most divine Diocletian and Maximianus, which enjoined that the meetings of the 367Christians should be abolished, many extortions27862786 See chap. 9, note 24. and spoliations had been practiced by officials; and that those evils were continually increasing, to the detriment of our provincials toward whom we are especially anxious to exercise proper care, and that their possessions were in consequence perishing, letters were sent last year27872787 i.e. the epistle addressed to Sabinus, and quoted in the previous chapter, which was written toward the end of 312 (see that chapter, note 18). to the governors of each province, in which we decreed that, if any one wished to follow such a practice or to observe this same religion, he should be permitted without hindrance to pursue his purpose and should be impeded and prevented by no one, and that all should have liberty to do without any fear or suspicion that which each preferred.
9. But even now we cannot help perceiving that some of the judges have mistaken our commands, and have given our people reason to doubt the meaning of our ordinances, and have caused them to proceed too reluctantly to the observance of those religious rites which are pleasing to them.
10. In order, therefore, that in the future every suspicion of fearful doubt may be taken away, we have commanded that this decree be published, so that it may be clear to all that whoever wishes to embrace this sect and religion is permitted to do so by virtue of this grant of ours; and that each one, as he wishes or as is pleasing to him, is permitted to practice this religion which he has chosen to observe according to his custom. It is also granted them to build Lord's houses.
11. But that this grant of ours may be the greater, we have thought good to decree also that if any houses and lands before this time rightfully belonged to the Christians, and by the command of our parents fell into the treasury, or were confiscated by any city,—whether they have been sold or presented to any one as a gift,—that all these should be restored to their original possessors, the Christians, in order that in this also every one may have knowledge of our piety and care."
12. These are the words of the tyrant which were published not quite a year after the decrees against the Christians engraved by him on pillars.27882788 See above, chap. 7. And by him to whom a little before we seemed impious wretches and atheists and destroyers of all life, so that we were not permitted to dwell in any city nor even in country or desert,—by him decrees and ordinances were issued in behalf of the Christians, and they who recently had been destroyed by fire and sword, by wild beasts and birds of prey, in the presence of the tyrant himself, and had suffered every species of torture and punishment, and most miserable deaths as atheists and impious wretches, were now acknowledged by him as possessors of religion and were permitted to build churches; and the tyrant himself bore witness and confessed that they had some rights.
13. And having made such confessions, as if he had received some benefit on account of them, he suffered perhaps less than he ought to have suffered, and being smitten by a sudden scourge of God, he perished in the second campaign of the war.
14. But his end was not like that of military chieftains who, while fighting bravely in battle for virtue and friends, often boldly encounter a glorious death; for like an impious enemy of God, while his army was still drawn up in the field, remaining at home and concealing himself, he suffered the punishment which he deserved. For he was smitten with a sudden scourge of God in his whole body, and harassed by terrible pains and torments, he fell prostrate on the ground, wasted by hunger, while all his flesh was dissolved by an invisible and God-sent fire, so that the whole appearance of his frame was changed, and there was left only a kind of image wasted away by length of time to a skeleton of dry bones; so that those who were present could think of his body as nothing else than the tomb of his soul, which was buried in a body already dead and completely melted away.
15. And as the heat still more violently consumed him in the depths of his marrow, his eyes burst forth, and falling from their sockets left him blind. Thereupon still breathing and making free confession to the Lord, he invoked death, and at last, after acknowledging that he justly suffered these things on account of his violence against Christ, he gave up the ghost.
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Two Former U.S. Presidential Candidates Excoriate Russia
In a syndicated column which appeared among other places in the International Herald Tribune, former presidential candidates John Edwards and Jack Kemp, a formidable bipartisan duo by any standard, rip the Neo-Soviet Union from stem to stern, even going so far as to question Putin's legitimacy:
Fifteen years ago, when the leaders of the world's seven leading industrialized democracies first invited Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to attend their meeting in London, they extended a hand to their faltering adversary in the hopes of bringing it into the West. It signaled the Cold War's end; by the end of that year, the Soviet Union itself no longer existed.
In this context, this week's meeting in St. Petersburg marks a turning point: For the first time, Russia will play host as a full-fledged member of what is now the Group of 8, and not as a supplicant. It is a measure of how far Russia has come - but regrettably, also a stark reminder of how far it has to go.
For the United States and Europe, a strong relationship with Russia is essential to handling the most difficult global challenges we face. Terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, tight energy markets, climate change, the drug trade, infectious diseases, human trafficking - all these problems are more manageable when we have Russia on our side rather than aligned against it.
Yet during the past few years, cooperation has become the exception, not the norm. On a range of issues, Russian-American relations are now marked by a growing number of disagreements, and this presents challenges far beyond whether or not the St. Petersburg summit meeting will be seen as a success.
At a time when the president of the United States has made democracy a central goal of American foreign policy, Russia's political system is becoming steadily more authoritarian. When we visited Moscow last year as chairs of a Council on Foreign Relations Task Force, no one we talked to argued that Russia was a democracy. Many feared that the roll-back of pluralism and centralization of power may not have run its course.
Despite remarkable economic growth and dramatic social transformation, Russian political institutions are not becoming either more modern or more effective, but dysfunctional and brittle. By many measures Russia seems stable, but its stability has a weak institutional base.
The future of its political system is less predictable, and the country's problems less manageable, than they should be. There is no question that a more democratic, open, transparent Russia would be behaving differently on many issues. A more democratic Russia would be forcefully engaged in efforts to end Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions - and it would be talking openly about the consequences of Iran's defiance. It would not be cracking down on dissent and a free press. It would not play host to Hamas. It would not work to kick the United States out of vital bases in Central Asia. It would not be using energy as political leverage. It would not be supporting autocrats in Belarus or undermining democrats in Georgia and Ukraine.
Given all of this, there has been a lot of controversy over whether Russia should be the chair of the G-8 - which, after all, is supposed to be the world's leading democracies - and whether there should even be a meeting at all.
We believe that it is in the U.S. national interest for Russia to be a part of the G-8 and eventually other key institutions such as the World Trade Organization. But this cannot be inclusiveness for its own sake. Inclusiveness has to be justified by results.
The summit meeting's success cannot be measured by pomp and warm words; it must be judged by concrete results. Has Russia joined with the United States and other democratic states in warning Iran about the negative consequences of going forward with its nuclear program? Has Russia agreed to ratify the European Energy Charter (which it signed 12 years ago), so that its energy companies begin to act like commercial entities rather than instruments of state power? Has Russia dropped its effort to keep foreign governments from meeting with nongovernmental groups and opposition parties on the eve of the summit?
Then there is the 2008 question. Russia is entering a critical political phase, with parliamentary elections next year and presidential elections in 2008. America and the European Union should begin working now to make clear the criteria by which we will judge this process to be legitimate, and we should communicate this publicly and privately.
If today's reality of Russian politics continues - with opposition candidates kept off the ballot arbitrarily, unable to access the media or raise funds; with opposition parties unable to form because of "technicalities," or with independent domestic monitoring organizations kept out - then there is the real risk that Russia's leadership will be seen, externally and internally, as illegitimate.
Only Russia can decide on a change of course, but other countries can help frame its choice, making clear how much is to be gained and how much has to be done. Doing so will be a long-term effort, but it should begin now, and the place to start is by talking about it. Russia's leaders and its people deserve to know what the world's real democracies think.
(John Edwards, former Democratic vice-presidential candidate, and Jack Kemp, former Republican vice-presidential candidate, are co-chairs of the Council on Foreign Relations independent task force on U.S. policy toward Russia.)


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It's been a bit of a busy week here, and somehow I totally forgot about Mosaic Monday! But, better late than never, right? So, here we go...
Our Chinese Dogwood tree was absolutely loaded with blossoms this year. I guess maybe it was all the precipitation we had this winter? Anyway, I'm so glad I got the chance to go out and shoot them while they lasted. :)
Here are the instructions to join today's post:
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.


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After cinema screenings here in Darlington and in Bremen, Germany, Beauty and the Bike was released on DVD along with the accompanying book in December 2009. The short online film has attracted over 35,000 views in less than three months. Enquiries have been coming in from all over the world. Now cycling advocates are starting to use the film as a starting point for debate about the state of cycling in their own towns and cities.
For example, this local councillor in Vancouver, Canada, has posted the online short on his blog, and there will be a public screening in the city soon.
Screenings in New Zealand, USA, France, Spain and Germany, as well as in various UK cities, are all now taking place or being planned. In most cases, women are taking the initiative and organising these events.
The political challenge implied by the film revolves around how to make cycling more attractive than driving in towns and cities. Here in Darlington, we have ideal conditions to do so. The town is just the right size, and with relatively easy topography, for cycling. If you strip away all the urban planning junk – extra right-turn lanes for little side streets, railings to herd pedestrians like sheep, silly short stretches of parking – that car-centric planners have thrown up these last 30 years, the main arterial roads are generously wide. There would be no problem designing safe, pleasant cycle paths along these key routes.
Then there is the safety issue, one that is known to deter a majority of women from cycling. A useful review of a number of studies that examined the relationship between cyclist safety and infrastructure concluded, not suprisingly, that good quality infrastructure that gave space for cyclists, resulted in far fewer accidents. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand this. Prevent the chance of accidents in the first place by giving cyclists safe space, rather than making such a big issue of cyclist self-protection having just decided to throw him/her into dodgy situations.
Many (mostly male) cyclists go on about "dangers" being exaggerated. Very true. Once you are confident on a bicycle, there's plenty of "dangers" that can be handled. But this "machoer than thou" approach misses the point. The question needs to be asked, what would most ordinary people prefer? Cycling amongst fast, speeding traffic, or cycling on a separated cycle lane? On such preferences, people choose to cycle (in Copenhagen, Bremen or Amsterdam) or not (in most towns and cities in the UK, including Darlington).
Our good friend David Hembrow, who appears in Beauty and the Bike, has been showing the world what good cycling infrastructure can be like, with excellent posts about his home town of Assen in the Netherlands. He describes this safety issue as "subjective" safety in the following terms:
Subjective safety – Are you near fast moving traffic ? Is it easy to make a turn across traffic ? Do you have to cycle "fast" in order to keep up ?
And you can improve subjective safety by improving the conditions for cyclists. And in response to the macho school he says:
Don't make the mistake of thinking that subjective safety is a concern only for inexperienced cyclists. No-one suffers from cycling being pleasant.
Interestingly another regular blogger near London, who says he was previously in favour of road-sharing with cars, has now come out in favour of separate cycle lanes. Not least after studying the example of David Hembrow.
Then there is the relative convenience of driving or cycling. In most cycling-friendly towns and cities, a conscious decision is taken to make much of the urban environment people, rather than car, centric. The design of streets tends to relate to the needs of the communities living on them, on the assumption that these streets are shared space, and not private car parks. Town and city centres are typically car free, and around such centres, one-way systems are organised in such a way that driving across town is difficult and complicated. Only delivery services make regular use of such streets. Cyclists are generally not bound by such one-way traffic rules.
Consequently, car drivers learn that these spaces are predominantly for pedestrians, children and cyclists, and unlike the average Darlo motorist tanking down Skinnergate at 5.30pm after the bollards come down on the Pedestrian Heart, they get into the habit of driving with care.
British motorists' driving habits were one of the shocks for the visiting Bremen girls in Beauty and the Bike. But when you look at the amount of road space car drivers have in this town, it's almost as if the authorities are begging us to zip through the town. Why this hypocrisy about road safety? Surely if we want drivers to slow down, we should be designing our roads in a way that encourages slow speeds?
Which brings us to the virtuous circle of the busy urban street – take space away from cars to slow them down, and give it to separated cycle paths. The carrot of quality cycling infrastructure. The stick of less space for cars. Where the fuel escalator failed – it changed nothing but the money in peoples' pockets – this approach to tackling congestion is working elsewhere. Berlin is the most obvious example. Here, the financial crisis has forced the city council to adopt cycling as the answer to congestion, rather than building new, expensive roads.
Are we beginning to see a coalescing of views around building cycling infrastructure where it is needed most – alongside busy urban roads – rather than where it is easy, and doesn't disturb the car driver? With a Darlington-made film at the centre of such debates around the world, Darlington Borough Council is currently consulting on a Local Transport Plan for the next 15 years. Would this not be an opportune time for such a debate to take place in Darlington itself?


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Dictionary of National Biography, the social reformer often credited with originating the Sunday School Movement, was born at Gloucester on 14 September 1735, the son of Robert Raikes, who founded The Gloucester Journal, "one of the oldest country newspapers. . . . Robert, [who] succeeded to the Gloucester business on his father's death, . . . was an active and benevolent person, and in 1768 inserted in his paper an appeal on behalf of the prisoners in Gloucester. The gaols were marked by the abuses soon afterwards exposed by Howard. No allowance was made for the support of minor offenders, and Raikes says that some of them would have been starved but for 'the humanity of the felons,' who gave up part of their rations.
. Sir Thomas Brock. Bronze. 1880. Victoria Embankment Gardens, London. According to Leslie Stephen's entry for Robert Raikes (1735-1811) in the 63-volume first edition ofConcerned with the lack of training or education for children, he began to promote Sunday schools.
Commentary by Leslie Stephen in The Dictionary of National Biography
Various accounts are given of the circumstances which led to the action which made him famous. He mentions an interview (traditionally placed in St. Catherine's meadows) with a woman who pointed out a crowd of idle ragamuffins. He is also said to have taken a hint from a dissenter named William King, who had set up a Sunday school at Dursley. Cynics reported that Raikes made up his newspaper on Sundays, and was annoyed by the interruption of noisy children outside when he was reading his proofs. In any case, he spoke to the curate of a neighbouring parish, Thomas Stock (1749-1803), who had started a Sunday school at Ashbury, Berkshire. Raikes and Stock engaged a woman as teacher of a school, Raikes paying her a shilling and Stock sixpence weekly. Stock drew up the rules. Raikes afterwards set up a school in his own parish, St. Mary le Crypt, to which he then confined his attention. Controversy has arisen as to the share of merit due to Raikes and Stock. It must no doubt have occurred to many people to teach children on Sunday. Among Raikes's predecessors are generally mentioned Cardinal Borromeo (1538-1584), Joseph Alleine, Hannah Ball, and Theophilus Lindsey. Raikes's suggestion fell in with a growing sense of the need for schools, and became the starting-point of a very active movement.
His first school was opened in July 1780. In November 1783 he inserted in his paper a short notice of its success, without mentioning his own name. Many inquiries were consequently addressed to him. An answer which he had sent to a Colonel Townley of Sheffield was published in the Gentleman's Magazine in 1784, and a panegyric, giving a portrait and an account of his proceedings, was in the European Magazine of November 1788. The plan had been quickly taken up at Leeds and elsewhere. Raikes's friend, Samuel Glasse, preached a sermon in 1786 at Painswick, Gloucestershire, on behalf of the schools there, and stated in a note that two hundred thousand children were already being taught in England. The bishops of Chester and Salisbury (Porteus and Shute Barrington) gave him their approval. William Fox , who had been trying to start a larger system, thought Raikes's plan more practicable, and, after consulting him, set up in August 1785 a London society for the establishment of Sunday schools. Jonas Hanway and Henry Thornton were members of the original committee, and ten years later the society had sixty-five thousand scholars.
Wesley remarks in his journal of 14 July 1784 that he finds these schools springing up wherever he goes. He published a letter upon them next year in the Arminian Magazine, and did much to encourage them among his followers. They were introduced into Wales by Thomas Charles of Bala, in 1789, and spread into Scotland, Ireland, and the United States. They had attracted attention outside of the churches. Adam Smith, according to one of Raikes's letters in 1787 (GREGORY, p. 107), declared that no plan so simple and promising for the improvement of manners had been devised since the days of the apostles. At Christmas 1787 Raikes was admitted to an interview with Queen Charlotte, who spoke favourably of the plan to Mrs. Trimmer, and Mrs. Trimmer started schools, which were graciously visited by George III. Hannah More followed Mrs. Trimmer's example by starting similar schools in Somerset in 1789. . . .
Raikes . . . died at Gloucester, 5 April 1811, and was buried in the church of St. Mary le Crypt, where there are monuments to him and his parents. His widow died, aged 85, on 9 March 1828. They had two sons and six daughters.
Raikes is accused of excessive vanity; but he seems to have been a thoroughly worthy man. His merit in the Sunday-school movement appears to have been not so much in making any very novel suggestion as in using his position to spread a knowledge of a plan for cheap schools which was adapted to the wants of the day. He very soon came to be regarded as the 'founder of Sunday schools,' but does not appear to have himself ignored the claims of his co-operators. A 'jubilee' was held in 1831, at the suggestion of James Montgomery, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the movement (really the fifty-first), when it was said that there were 1,250,000 scholars and one hundred thousand teachers in Great Britain. A centenary celebration was also held in 1880, when Lord Shaftesbury unveiled at Gloucester the model of a statue of Raikes, intended to be placed in the cathedral. It has never been executed. Another statue was erected upon the Victoria Embankment.
Related material
Photographs and captions by Robert Freidus. formatting by George P. Landow. You may use these images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one. [Click on all images for larger pictures.]
Byron, Arthur. London Statues. London: Constable, 1981.
Stephen, Leslie. "Raikes, Robert." Dictionary of National Biography. Eds. Leslie Stephen and Sidney Lee. 63 vols. London: Smith, Elder: 1885-1900. Internet Archive/Online Books Page (U. of Pennsylvania). Web. 14 June 2011.
Read, Benedict. Victorian Sculpture. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1982.
Last modified 11 June 2017


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Kevin Kline Will Star in Present Laughter on Broadway
Oscar and Tony winner Kevin Kline will headline a revival of Noël Coward's Present Laughter on Broadway. Performances will begin early next year at the St. James Theatre; opening night is set for April 5. Moritz von Stuelpnagel will direct.
Kline won Tony awards in 1981 and 1978 for The Pirates of Penzance and On the Twentieth Century, respectively. He most recently appeared on Broadway in the 2007 revival of Cyrano de Bergerac. He also appeared on stage in a Tony-nominated turn in Henry IV, Ivanov and Arms and the Man. Kline's myriad screen credits include an Oscar-winning performance in A Fish Called Wanda, as well as Sophie's Choice, De-Lovely and the upcoming live-action Beauty and the Beast.
Coward's comedy, which first premiered on Broadway in 1946, follows Garry Essendine, a self-indulgent actor who receives a visit from a young admirer, initiating a parade of intruders and interruptions, including his ex-wife, his manager and an aspiring playwright. The play was last revived on Broadway in 2010 with Victor Garber in the role of Essendine.
The St. James is currently home to Something Rotten!, which will close on January 1, 2017. Disney Theatrical confirmed earlier today that the musical adaptation of Frozen will play the same space in spring 2018.


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Even after it was purchased by Facebook for 1 billion dollars, many businesses are still unsure of how valuable the photo-sharing social network Instagram can be in their online marketing efforts.
That is quickly changing, thanks to a recent report from Simply Measured, which says that 40 percent of the world's top-100 brands now have a presence on Instagram. These major brands taking to Instagram seems like a natural choice in a day and age when the Web is becoming increasingly social and interconnected. It's no longer enough to just put your marketing message out there to be absorbed; these days, consumers want to connect with your brand, and photos are a great way to do that (after all, each one is worth at least a thousand words, which is a huge relief to your copywriters).
Instagram allows companies to share more of themselves with its customers than ever before. It also provides greater opportunities to extend their reach and influence across the social Web, thanks to the ability (and desire) of users to share content on and across social networks.
In order to help you find sepia-filtered success with this relatively uncharted social channel, we've mined some of the top brands on Instagram to determine three best practice strategies, and then looked deeper into three different business sectors (retail, services and content publishing) to show you how different brands are using the service.
#1 Be Consistent: The key to building a successful brand has always been to provide a clear and consistent tone or theme across your marketing channels. Keep this in mind with Instagram. While it may be fun to upload various types of content, you should keep your message consistent so that your followers know what to expect. One way to ensure you do this is to regularly post something specific on a daily or weekly basis that is unique to your brand and message, and can help consumers get a sense of what you're all about. That being said...
#2 Keep It Interesting: Establishing a tone for your brand is essential, but that doesn't mean that your followers have any interest in seeing you post basically the exact same picture all day, every day. Make an effort to mix things up. For example, don't always just post pictures of your latest products, but also include images of your employees, industry events you may be attending (e.g. trade shows), people using your products, general lifestyle photos related to your business and anything else you can think of that is in line with the tone of your brand. In other words, keep things interesting to keep consumers engaged, which leads us to...
#3 Post Engaging Content: Success with social media has always been directly related to how well you're able to engage your followers, and it's no different on Instagram. Actively using hashtags to tag photos is a great way to get them noticed and generate user interest, and asking questions in your photo captions can help create discussions among your followers. Also, liberally respond with @replies to foster conversations directly with users. And don't forget to take advantage of Instagram's ability to allow users to publish their own content and interact with your brand by uploading photos and tagging them with a unique themed hashtag.
Many types of merchants are currently on the image-based social network - from apparel retailers like H&M to fast food companies like Taco Bell. However, it is important for these companies to not only use this social network to upload pictures of their latest products or promotions, but also to engage their audience. For example, Starbucks offers an interactive way for consumers to participate with its brand on the social network by telling consumers in the company's "about" section to tag their photos with "#Starbucks!". The coffee specialty retailer also makes their posts interactive by asking questions on the posted photos, such as, "loving the lighter #blonderoast. Have you tried it yet?"
Service Providers
Service providers may need to plan out their strategy a little more than the aforementioned merchants, but this industry can still take full advantage of Instagram's image-packed social network. It is important for professionals within the service industry to provide a consistent tone on Instagram, so their audience can know what kind of content to expect. For example, The Knot's Instagram profile not only offers wedding inspiration ideas, but also provides audience members with insight into the company's staff. This means that brides can view floral photos for insights on bouquet arrangements, while also relating to the company's employees by checking out a photo from the staff's summer outing.
Content Producers
For content producers, the biggest challenge is turning content, which many times is in the form of written articles or blog posts, into interesting and engaging images. The best way to do this is to repurpose content, especially content that is visually appealing. ESPNSports does a great job at providing interesting and relevant content to its Instagram audience. The company has taken snapshots from memorable moments in sports - such as Felix Hernandez's recent perfect game or Michael Phelps' Olympic accomplishments - and posts them as Instagram photos that include hashtags, as well as attract a lot of comments and likes.


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At least two people were killed, including a member of the Afghan election coordinating body, by an explosion at a polling center in Ghazni, Afghanistan. The United State's military puts the number of Afghans killed at six, including two UN workers, while United Nations is reporting only two deaths. According to Reuters, Afghan authorities are placing blame on the Taliban who have vowed to do everything to disrupt the election scheduled for October.
The first post-Taliban elections, originally scheduled to take place in June then pushed back to September, have again been delayed until October due to slow voter registration and insecurity caused by Taliban-like militia and so-called warlords. In June, three female election workers were killed in Jalalabad, and 16 Afghan were shot dead because they had voter registration cards.
Meanwhile, the aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) said it is pulling out of Afghanistan, citing three major reasons for leaving, reports the Associated Press. These include the lack of security on the ground, lack of a thorough investigation on the killings of five members of the agency in June, and the US military's use of humanitarian aid for military and political motives. According to the Associated Press, Medecins Sans Frontieres has been in Afghanistan for 24 years and currently has 80 volunteers and 1,400 staff in the country who provide health care and support hospitals in nearly half of Afghanistan's thirty-four provinces.
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