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TechRadar Verdict
The FS18 is ideal for those looking to give young teenagers or older family members an introduction to digital photography
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iA mode works very well
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Ease of use
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Image quality
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No dedicated Movie button for instant switching
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Maximum ISO 1600
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You Tube / Facebook software is Windows only
Why you can trust TechRadar
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS18 Review: Overview
Panasonic has released the Lumix DMC FS18 as a continuation of the successful Lumix DMC FS range of ultra compact cameras.
The Lumix FS18 is equipped with a Leica DC Vario-Elmar Aspherical 4x optical zoom lens, which covers a useful range of 28mm-112mm, and when combined with the Optical Image Stabilisation gives excellent shake free images.
To maximize image quality, the camera it is equipped with what Panasonic terms Intelligent Resolution Technology. This detects outlines, fine detail and soft gradation and applies different signal processing (sharpening etc) on a pixel by pixel basis.
Panasonic has incorporated 5 shooting modes into the Lumix DMC FS 18, from Intelligent Auto through to HD movie.
Intelligent Auto (iA) is a mode in which the camera attempts to recognise the scene and choose from six pre-loaded scene modes (Portrait, Scenery, Macro, Night Portrait, Night Scenery & Sunset) to apply the appropriate white balance, exposure and sharpening settings.
Intelligent Auto (iA) comes with the option to adjust the colours between Standard, Black & White, Sepia, or if you prefer your images with increased saturation and contrast you can choose Happy. Happy mode can make the greens seem a little over powering in some situations.
Intelligent Auto mode is designed to make photography easy and the scene analysis is quick and accurate, so I expect that most users will choose this mode, as the results are excellent.
Normal mode gives more user choice, with options for Image Stabilisation to be turned on or off, multiple frame burst, the camera to choose from eleven focus-points, manual white balance, ISO choice, image ratio (3:2, 4:3 & 16:9) and file size. There is also a screen option in Normal called High-Angle; when the 2.7" 230k dot screen is viewed normally at this setting it appears bright and low contrast, but when held high in the air; at a concert for example, the on-screen image appears normal and is easy to view. It is a clever idea and works very well.
Next on the menu is a mode called 'Food', an intriguing choice that even offers focus tracking in capabilities.
The last of the still shooting options is Scene containing of 28 scenes to choose from, including useful effects such as Pin-Hole, Film Grain and Panorama assist. The fifth and final shooting choice is Movie, in which the Lumix DMC FS18 can shoot in High Definition (1280x720 pixel) video.
Whether shooting still or movies the 2.7in 230K dot screen gives a clear and accurate live view.
As you would expect for a camera in this class, the Lumix DMC FS18 metering is taken care of by a standard evaluative meter, so user input is minimal. Exposure compensation is available in Normal, Food, Scene and Motion Picture mode to +/- 2EV.
The Lumix DMC FS18 offers up to four focus modes. Firstly there is single point, with the brackets in the centre of the screen; off centre focusing is achieved by half-pressing the shutter button, which locks the exposure and focus, before recomposing, and fully depressing the button takes the shot. The shutter, in all situations, is quick to respond and shutter lag is negligible.
Secondly the 11-point AF facility allows the camera to choose between 11 focus points as the focus point.
Portraits are simplified with Face detection, that finds and focuses on faces. Finally, the Lumix DMC FS18 has focus tracking, which made good attempts to track the subjects, but overall was not as successful as I would have liked, and occasionally I missed a shot.
Panasonic have included the ability for in camera tagging of videos for YouTube and photos for Facebook for a simple upload to these sites, using the included software but it only runs on Windows.
Current page: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS18 Review: Overview
Next Page Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS18 Review: Build quality


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EPA to Begin Air Sampling at the Capital City Plume Site in Montgomery, AL (AL)
(Atlanta, Ga. – August 12, 2011)
As a part of the remedial investigation
for the Capital City Plume site, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) will begin collecting air samples during the week of
August 15, 2011. Samples will be collected at various locations,
including the former Montgomery Advertiser building located at 101 South Lawrence Street to determine if
perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) vapors are
The U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS) and EPA will also sample other indoor and outdoor locations
nearby. EPA will establish a permanent, long-term soil-gas sampling
network in areas where vapors are detected. A permanent sampling
network is necessary to observe how changes in environmental
parameters affect PCE and TCE vapors. The sampling locations are in
the area of Dexter and Washington Avenue.
The air samples are being
collected to determine whether hazardous vapors are being released
from the ground into buildings. When PCE and TCE are spilled on the
ground, they can soak into soil and ground water. Vapor intrusion
occurs when PCE and TCE vapors from the ground water rise through
the soil and seep through cracks in basements and building
For more information about the site,
please visit: https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-epa-region-4-southeast

subset: commoncrawl


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Growing peaches from seed can save you big bucks when you learn to grow peaches, apricots, and nectarines from seed. Growing fruit trees from seeds is remarkably easy on you and your wallet!
Most fruit trees are best grown from grafted trees that cost about $25 to $35 each. But with peaches, nectarines and apricots, you can cut your cost to zero by growing fruit trees from seeds.
Because cross-pollination between varieties produces variable results, apples and some other fruit trees are usually not grown from seeds. (Instead, cuttings or buds of the best varieties are grafted onto rootstocks to produce trees that bear fruit just like the parent tree's.) But the almond-like seeds in pits from peaches, nectarines and apricots do a good job of carrying on the desirable traits of their parents. You can simply sprout and grow a seed from a great-tasting specimen, and you have a good chance of sinking your teeth into sweet, juicy fruit from your own tree in only three to five years.
Summer is the best time for growing fruit trees, because you can seek out mid- or late-season varieties grown in your region. The best seeds come from fully ripe fruit. Avoid seeds from early maturing varieties because their seeds may not develop enough to sprout. Locally grown varieties are more likely to prosper in your garden compared to varieties grown a thousand miles away, and looking for likely candidates is tasty fun! Eat lots of peaches from farm stands and farmers markets, and save the pits from those that taste like peach heaven. And if you live where you can get local apricots and nectarines, you can try growing them from seeds too.
Cracking in Safely
Let the pits dry on your kitchen counter for a few days. Drying allows the seed inside the shell to shrink slightly so it's easier to get out. The shell also becomes more brittle and easier to crack as it dries.
When the pits look and feel dry, you can crack them open to harvest the actual seeds, which look like almonds, a close botanical cousin. You can hold pits on edge and tap them with a hammer, which works well for a few pits but can cause high casualties in terms of accidentally smashed seeds (and fingers). You will lose far fewer seeds by cracking the pits with a vise, lodging both sides of the pit's long seams between the opposing jaws. Crank the vise closed slowly — be careful of your fingers! — until the pit cracks.
If you don't have a vise, try a nut cracker. Or you might get enough pit-cracking compression from another type of screw clamp, including the one that holds your food grinder, juicer or hand-cranked grain mill to your kitchen counter — you never know until you try! After you get the seeds out, put them in a closed container in your refrigerator or other place cool enough to store raw nuts.
Strategic Stratification
The time for vegetables and flowers to sprout from seeds to transplants is measured in days or weeks, but with peaches and most other temperate-zone tree fruits, the pre-germination process adds two to three months to the timetable. Natural sprouting inhibitors present in the seeds must be deactivated by exposure to cool temperatures for a two- to three-month period. In nature, this chilling period occurs naturally as winter cold comes, fluctuates and invariably leads to spring. You can simply plant peach, apricot and nectarine seeds in pots and bury the pots in a corner of the garden. Seeds that are not discovered by marauding squirrels, curious dogs or other vagaries of the great outdoors will probably sprout in spring.
To trick seeds into sprouting when you want (usually early spring), use a nursery method called "cold, moist stratification." Your refrigerator will make a perfectly satisfactory stratification chamber because ideal stratification temperatures range between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit. To help your seedlings hit their best growing schedule, start the chilling period about four months before your last spring frost date. Varieties from warmer regions often require a shorter chilling period.
To start the stratification process, soak the seeds in room temperature water overnight, then pop them into a jar of slightly moist potting soil. Close the jar and put it in your refrigerator — ideally in the door — where it won't get frozen or forgotten.
Begin checking the contents of the jar after about a month. It never ceases to amaze me how almost all the seeds sprout (as if a switch had been turned on) after they've spent enough time being cool and moist. Depending on the particular seed, that time might vary from one to three months (apricots take only four to six weeks), but after the chilling requirements for those particular seeds are satisfied, they're ready to grow. When you check the jars, the fat, white rootlets will stand out visually against the darker potting soil.
Now you have to do something with those young sprouts, which are eager to get on with the business of growing. If it's still freezing outdoors, keep the sprouting seeds in the refrigerator a bit longer. A month or so before your last frost date, either pot the sprouts or plant them where you want them to grow. Keeping the seedlings in containers for a couple of months makes monitoring their progress easy. Waxed paper milk cartons with drainage holes punched near the bottoms work well, because when it's time to plant, you can merely cut away the cartons to minimize any root disturbance.
Growing On
The better the growing conditions, the sooner your tree will bear fruit. Good growing conditions for peaches and their kin mean fertile, well-drained soil with a near neutral pH. If you must plant where the soil tends to stay wet after rains, haul in some well drained soil and build up a 3-foot wide mound at least a foot high for each little plant. Mix in lime if a soil test shows the soil pH is too low.
Pruning will delay bearing, so trim your seedling trees only to remove dead, diseased or broken stems, as well as those that grow low on the trunk or are crowding others. Most seedling peach trees will grow to 20 feet or so, while apricots typically grow 12 to 15 feet with annual pruning. Pay attention to weeds, water and nutrition. An organic mulch such as compost, leaf mold, leaves or straw goes a long way toward taking care of all three needs. Create a circle of mulch over the root zone that's a couple inches deep and 3 feet or more in diameter. Keep the mulch a few inches from the trunk to avoid rot and rodent damage. A better solution for keeping rodents at bay is to surround the trunk with a cylinder of quarter-inch mesh hardware cloth. Various insect borers can be deterred by wrapping the trunks with scraps of garden row cover to prevent them from laying eggs in bark crevices.
Peaches self-sow so easily that naturalized peach groves became extensive in America not long after peaches were introduced. Early botanists assumed peaches were native to this part of the world, though their origin has since been traced to China. Sow a few peach pits around your homestead, and before you know it you'll have a lovely tree that covers itself with beautiful pink blossoms every spring, and homegrown, tree-ripened fruit with flavor to die for.


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Quickblade is the brainchild of Jim Terrell, a four time Olympic Canoeist (in fact, he has endless National and International awards and titles). His passion for building the finest competition paddles began at the ripe age of 11 in his father's garage in Milford, Ohio.
To this day, Jim is obsessed with hydrodynamics and has decades of experience with scientifically testing paddle mechanics and strain gage force analysis, and has an extensive background in composite technology applications. In layman's terms, the more Jim puts into it, the more you'll get out of it. download pdf


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P.C. Mahalanobis
Our editors will review what you've submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
- In full:
- Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis
- Died:
- June 28, 1972, Calcutta (aged 78)
- Subjects Of Study:
- Mahalanobis distance
- fractile graphical analysis
What did P.C. Mahalanobis do?
What were P.C. Mahalanobis's innovations?
What were some of P.C. Mahalanobis's official positions and honours?
Which organizations was P.C. Mahalanobis associated with?
What other subjects did P.C. Mahalanobis study?
P.C. Mahalanobis (born June 29, 1893, Calcutta [now Kolkata], India—died June 28, 1972, Calcutta) Indian statistician who devised the Mahalanobis distance and was instrumental in formulating India's strategy for industrialization in the Second Five-Year Plan (1956–61).
Born to an academically oriented family, Mahalanobis pursued his early education in Calcutta (now Kolkata). After graduating with honours in physics from Presidency College, Calcutta, in 1912, he moved to England to study physics and mathematics at the University of Cambridge. Just before Mahalanobis left the university in 1915, he was introduced to statistics by one of his tutors. When he returned to India, he accepted a temporary position teaching physics at Presidency College, and he became a professor of physics there in 1922. However, his interest in statistics had evolved into a serious academic pursuit, and he applied statistical methods to problems in anthropology, meteorology, and biology. On December 17, 1931, he established the Indian Statistical Institute in Calcutta.
Mahalanobis devised a measure of comparison between two data sets that is now known as the Mahalanobis distance. He introduced innovative techniques for conducting large-scale sample surveys and calculated acreages and crop yields by using the method of random sampling. He devised a statistical method called fractile graphical analysis, which could be used to compare the socioeconomic conditions of different groups of people. He also applied statistics to economic planning for flood control.
With the objective of providing comprehensive socioeconomic statistics, Mahalanobis established the National Sample Survey in 1950 and also set up the Central Statistical Organization to coordinate statistical activities in India. He was also a member of the Planning Commission of India from 1955 to 1967. The Planning Commission's Second Five-Year Plan encouraged the development of heavy industry in India and relied on Mahalanobis's mathematical description of the Indian economy, which later became known as the Mahalanobis model.
Mahalanobis held several national and international portfolios. He served as the chairman of the United Nations Sub-Commission on Sampling from 1947 to 1951 and was appointed the honorary statistical adviser to the government of India in 1949. For his pioneering work, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, one of India's highest honours, by the Indian government in 1968.


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This polyester shirt features a modern frame and quality construction - quite possibly becoming a favorite tee for years to come. Proudly cut & sewn in the USA.
Bought these shirts for my kiddo who loves a lot of Public Space clothes. Ordering was simple, shipping was quick and my kiddo loves the shirts! Very colourful and sizing is on par. No complaints.
I love this hoodie sooo much. The colors are amazing, there is so much detail and it is made with high quality materials. I personally don't like the split pockets, I find that they're too far "back" , like on my sides, and I'm not used to putting my hands back there. I didn't realize it was like that but it's okay, I still really like it!
I love all of the eeveevolutions and this shirt is BEAUTIFUL and very comfortable! I love everything about this shirt but the material attracts dog fur lol. I have 5 dogs so it is a way of life.
I bought this as a gift for my boyfriend. He is 6'5" and I got the 4XL for him. It is a little snug, but hes a big dude and its hard to find clothes but this is pretty dang close ! He really likes it because the material isn't overly warm. He gets warm very easily so he doesn't like heavy hoodies or jackets, and this is perfect because the material is so smooth.
Everywhere she goes people asks her where she got her hoodie from. It is such a lovely color. The fabric is vibrant and the details are amazing even at 4XL size.
I really love how they tied leafeon and zelda together! I really hope they do this for the other eevees! like fire emblem flareon ?? that would be so cool! The fabric is so smooth, the hoodie pocket is wonderful, and the neck and hood are spacious.
A beautiful piece of work. Came quickly, is of wonderful quality and looks fantastic above my TV. I just wish I had more room on my walls so I could buy more!
Received in time for Valentines Day and made it perfect. Thank you !!
i love my mew tapestry and the ladies do too! it also looks really cool under the blacklight
Just as I said, the print looks amazing on this blanket. After washing it, it still looks great. Not to mention it's soft and the hood is big enough for pretty much anyone. It's long enough for even me to use even though I'm 6ft6. Great product, would recommend to anyone!
Absolutely love the Porygon sweatshirt. It is very warm and well-made. Another great experience with Public Space!
AIM, the only place back in the day where you could upload a file to someone and have them download it when they came online. Is there a better logo in this universe? Plainly put, no there isn't. The life affirming message on the back completes it. Super fast delivery from cali to the UK. Thank you Publicspace! Love your work!
I bought this hoodie and I have had so many people saying "cool hoodie" or "where did you get it" and the quality is amazing and one thing that I figured out about it that i love is the fact it is 2 pockets in the hoodie at the seam of it
The material is soft and comfortable to wear, is lush feeling and doesn't bother the bare skin. The graphic is so beautiful, incredibly vibrant. Always satisfied with my orders.
I love everything I got. It's very soft and almost like a silk feeling. It's not as thick as I thought it would be but it's still nice as a light hoodie.


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The Irish Setter Fifty, a review
3 days ago
The stories behind the buildings, statues and other points of interest that make Manhattan fascinating.
photo courtesy Elemental |
Shepard Hall around 1915 -- NYPL Collection |
1903 view of Shepard Hall by H. M. Pettit from "King's Views of New York City" |
photo courtesy Elemental |
photo courtesy Elemental |
No. 88 Grove Street has been lovingly restored by the present owners |
No. 88 Grove Street in 1940 -- photo by Alexander Alland |
High Bridge in 1900 with the High Bridge Watchtower in the background - from the collection of the New York Public Library |
Stereopticon view of Victorian ladies strolling in front of the High Bridge in 1880 |
1849 water color by Fanny Palmer, executed just after the High Bridge's completion |
Jules Vallee Guerin's "High Bridge" 1905 from The Century Magazine, October 1902 |
The 1927 steel-girder replacement of five stone arches to accommodate river traffic. |
photo courtesy yu.edu |
The Jonathon Thorne House (left), with the George Crawford Clark House at No. 1027 (middle) and the Mary Kingland House at No. 1026 (right) looking today much as they did in 1902 |
photo by City Hall Photo Unit |
George Bancker's May 1774 drawing of Belview "Seat of Jacob Walton, Esqr, at Horn's Hook near the City of New York in North America" - Collection of the Gracie Mansion Conservancy |
The foyar as it appears today with exquisite faux-marble painted floors. Photo The Gracie Mansion Conservancy |
photo NYPL Collection |
Gracie Mansion as a house museum 1939 - NYPL Collection |
Early 20th Century aerial photo showing the high location near the river that attracted Archibald Gracie - NYPL Collection |
The Fire Headquarters upon its completion in 1877 |
The Telegraph Room in the Fire Headquarters on Mercer Street, prior to the opening of the new 67th Street building - NYPL Collection |
The Fire Headquarters, with its tower still intact, in 1920 with the Police Station House in the foreground - NYPL Collection. |
photo by Alice Lum |
photo by Alice Lum |
photo by Alice Lum |
photo by Alice Lum |
The Puck Building in 1895 with the playful corner statue -- "King's Photographic View of New York" (author's collection) |
The smaller Puck statue over the doorway that was duplicated rather than moved - photo Alice Lum |
photo by Robert K. Chin - nycinatown.org |
photo by Alice Lum |
photo by Alice Lum |
The Atlas Clock over the entrance to Tiffany & Co. 550 Broadway in the 1850s (photo from flickr.com/photos/curbed/4030180010) |
Atlas Clock over the doorway of the Union Square Tiffany & Co. store - NYPL Collection |
The Tiffany & Co. clock on the third floor of Stanford White's momumental marble Italian Renaissance store 401 5th Ave. - NYPL Collection |
The Atlas Clock in its present location at Tiffany & Co.'s 5th Avenue and 57th Street building, ca 1940 - NYPL Collection |
The station house in 1920, showing the original entrance and the Fire Headquarters next door. NYPL Collection |


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The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of participating countries* to travel to the United States without a visa for stays of 90 days or less, when they meet all requirements.
Alerts and Messages for U.S. visitors to Burundi.
U.S. Citizens with emergencies, please call + 257 22 7000
Learn more about quality higher-education opportunities in the U.S. that you will not find anywhere else in the world.
Find the closest American Space in Burundi where you can connect with the U.S.
No. 50 Avenue Des Etats Unis
Bujumbura, Burundi
Phone: +257 22-207-000
Fax: +257 22-222-926
By | 10 October, 2016 | Topics:
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text:
Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
NEW YORK (AP) - A large truck pulling out of a midtown Manhattan parking spot struck and killed an on-duty New York Police Department traffic enforcement agent Saturday afternoon, pinning the 71-year-old agent under a wheel of the truck, police said.
Kalyanarat Ranasinghe, who was in uniform, was declared dead at the scene after he was struck about 2:30 p.m. by the vacuum truck, police and fire officials said. It wasn't immediately clear what Ranasinghe was doing when he was hit, although his primary duty as a level-two agent was to direct traffic.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly told reporters at the scene that the agent's death was "gut-wrenching."
"These people don't make a lot of money, but they're out there in the middle of some heavy traffic, worst possible weather, day and night," he said. "So it's a dangerous job. But, unfortunately, things like this can sometimes happen."
Antonio Trinidad, a doorman who saw the truck hit Ranasinghe, described it as "a freak accident."
"The guy got clipped by the truck, and he got rolled up under the tire," Trinidad told the New York Daily News.
Vacuum trucks are typically used to clean sewers or suck up business waste.
The 43-year-old driver, who remained at the scene, has not been charged and the investigation is continuing, police said. Shortly afterward, his truck was struck by a coach bus trying to park in front of the truck. The 25-year-old man driving the coach bus also remained at the scene. Neither driver was injured.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued a statement praising traffic enforcement agents and offered his thoughts and prayers to the Ranasinghe family.
Traffic enforcement agents issue summonses to illegally parked cars, direct traffic at intersections and perform other traffic related tasks. Ranasinghe's took pride in his job, his son-in-law said.
"He enjoyed it a lot, helping people," said Dananjaya Waragoda, 40. "Some people asked for directions; some asked for help ... He loved his job."
Waragoda said his father-in-law emigrated from Sri Lanka about 20 years ago and worked as a telecommunications engineer in Dubai and in New York before becoming a traffic enforcement agent almost seven years ago. He said Ranasinghe had been married for over 50 years and had one daughter.
"He was a great man, always helping to anybody," said Waragoda in a telephone interview from Ranasinghe's home in the Bronx. "Whether you were a relation or not, it didn't matter to him."
Representatives from CWA Local 1182, the union that represents the agents, didn't immediately return a message seeking comment. The holiday weekend is often one of the busiest times of years for traffic enforcement agents.
In 2008, a traffic enforcement agent who was seven-months pregnant was hit by two cars in the Bronx and killed. Doctors were able to deliver her son but he died eight days later.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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The end of the filling? Dentists reveal self-healing tooth treatment
Tooth decay could soon be treated with a painless "remineralisation" technique that means damaged enamel repairs itself, dentists said today.
The technique, which spells the end of drilling, could be available in three years.
The new treatment, developed at King's College London, is called Electrically Accelerated and Enhanced Remineralisation and is expected to cost around the same as fillings.
It speeds up the natural movement of calcium and phosphate minerals into the damaged tooth, which then repairs itself.
Decay is normally removed by drilling, followed by a filling with a material such as amalgam or composite resin.
The new process prepares the damaged area of enamel, then uses a tiny electric current to push minerals into the repair site so the enamel can repair itself.
Professor Nigel Pitts, from the university's Dental Institute, said: "The way we treat teeth today is not ideal. When we repair a tooth by putting in a filling, that tooth enters a cycle of drilling and re-filling as, ultimately, each 'repair' fails.
"Not only is our device kinder to the patient and better for their teeth, but it's expected to be at least as cost-effective as current dental treatments.
"Along with fighting tooth decay, our device can also be used to whiten teeth."
A Scottish firm, Reminova Ltd, is now trying to find private investment to develop the technique.


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When retaining FMGR you benefit from the combined talents of the largest group of professional attorneys in this region of Southern Illinois, with vast experience before state and federal administrative agencies, state and federal trial courts, and state and federal courts of appeals.
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Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan has been awarded Martindale-Hubbell´s AV "Preeminent" rating and is included in the "Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers." FMGR serves clients from our Southern Illinois headquarters in Carbondale, Illinois. All of FMGRs attorneys are licensed in Illinois, with some licensed in Missouri, Kentucky, and a number of other jurisdictions as well. As insurance defense counsel, FMGR provides litigation services to clients throughout Southern Illinois, including Jackson, Williamson, Union, Madison, Perry, Randolph, Franklin, Saline, Marion, Fayette, Bond, White, Washington, Alexander, Pulaski, Pope, Hamilton, Wayne, Hardin, Gallatin, Jefferson, Johnson, and Massac Counties. FMGR attorneys regularly represent clients before the Illinois Courts of Appeals and Illinois Supreme Court, as well as in the Federal courts, including the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, in East St. Louis and Benton, and in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. FMGR defends actions before all Southern Illinois Workers´ Compensation Commission dockets. FMGR is truly "one stop shopping" for insurance defense, workers´ compensation defense, and corporate or individual counsel.
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"Sometimes just looking up and seeing the light is enough."
~Terri Guillemets
Birders are a generous lot, as a rule. Mention on FB that you'll be visiting a particular place and before you know it, birder friends will have dinner plans and an itinerary made for you, including convenient stops along the way from the airport where you can find whatever species of bird it is that you're pining after.
I'd been pining away for Piping Plovers, it being March and all. March is the month when plovers return to NJ beaches from wherever it is that they've spent the winter months. March in the Northeast is the most miserable of months, I think, because Spring is so close on the horizon and you want it so badly, but the weather is dank and damp and mostly miserable, cold and gray.
On the tails of a short vacation in Florida, a couple days on Cape Cod in March seemed an impossibility... I'd given away most all of my cold-weather clothes before moving here and going from shorts and flip-flops to thermal underwear and gloves in the span of a week felt ridiculous! But... there might be Piping Plovers!
I spent an afternoon wandering around the city of Boston... remembering the cold and delighting in a Dunkin' Donuts on almost every corner! Spring had the willows in Boston Commons that lovely green that willows know how to perfect.
Weeping willows are not very common here. Surprising that I should miss them...
The coast of Florida is, of course, beautiful and I'm glad for each and every chance to visit, but beaches there lack something that beaches in the Northeast have in abundance. It might be the wind that never rests. Or air that is thick with salt and the smell of low tide. Oh, how I miss that smell! Maybe it's just atmosphere and the feeling of home. There are beautiful and scenic places where I live now, but no easy access to the ocean.
We met up with a local Cape Cod bird club and spent an appropriately cold and misty, rainy morning on the beach at Nauset Light (thanks for the suggestion Mojoman!) looking at winter birds. We wandered along dirt roads on the Cape looking at ducks and exploring the ponds that Mary Oliver described in her poetry.
We stayed at a bed and breakfast perched on Gull Hill in Provincetown... and scanned the harbor for breaching whales while we had afternoon wine and cheese and watched Northern Gannets dive into the ocean from the warmth of our rental car at Herring Cove Beach.
Race Point Beach had plover fencing installed, but no Piping Plovers, yet.
Compensation for the lack of plovers was found at the wharf in P-town, where we found Harlequins and Common Eiders within spitting distance! Eiders have always been one of those birds for me... I'd never had a really satisfying look at them before and anywhere that one can see Harlequins without a treacherous jetty-walk (like at Barnegat Light) is worth a visit.
Of course I didn't have a proper camera with me, you know.
I'd love to get back to Cape Cod in the summer someday... maybe even visit Nantucket. I'd imagine late September to be the perfect time of year... maybe I could catch the Piping Plovers before they depart...


text: General News Swastikas Discovered At Nassau Community College By Christina Claus - December 13, 2016 0 Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Police are investigating multiple incidents of anti-Semitic graffiti found on the campus of Nassau Community College (NCC). Third Precinct Police are investigating five bias incidents that have occurred at Nassau Community College in East Garden City since October. The latest was on Friday, Dec. 9 at 8:06 p.m., when a student notified security that he discovered multiple swastikas along with the words "Germany" and "Heil Hitler," drawn with a black marker inside the E cluster Buildings first floor men's bathroom. That incident comes just two days after a security officer discovered three swastikas drawn on the B cluster building stair handrail and on the wall. The swastikas were approximately eight-inches long and drawn in black ink. Police say three other bias incidents occurred at the college in the month of October. Three swastikas were drawn in green marker inside the E cluster building second floor men's bathroom on Oct. 15, at 8:44 a.m. On Oct. 28, the NCC cleaning staff discovered two swastikas and an anti-Semitic comment on the wall of the men's bathroom in the D cluster building at 9:52 p.m. The other incident occurred on Oct. 29 at 12:40 p.m. when security discovered multiple swastikas drawn in blue marker on the walls and urinals of both men's rooms on the first and second floor of the E building. "Nassau Community College is an institution which fosters a safe environment for all, and prizes equality and respect for all of its students, faculty, staff and visitors. We have zero tolerance for any and all kinds of hate speech," said NCC President Dr. W. Hubert Keen in a statement. "The discovery of swastikas on our large open campus is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. While it is unclear whether the graffiti crime was committed by trespassers or not, the institution will take all steps necessary to ensure that the perpetrators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and that Nassau Community College remains a safe haven for all students, faculty, staff and visitors." Since October, swastikas have also been found drawn in Mineola and Stewart Manor, as well as in the bathroom of a Port Washington high school. Mindy Perlmutter, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, said the organization is concerned about these recent incidents. "It is disturbing to see these images. It invokes fear within the community and that is what those people want," Perlmutter said. "There are a variety of factors that contribute to these crimes from economics, the status of people in the community, people fearful of others gaining power, general uneasiness. When we find this, people often look to scapegoats....[these] hateful messages [and] swastikas painted on buildings produce a tremendous amount of fear in the community." Detectives request that anyone with information regarding these crimes to contact the Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 800-244-8477. All callers will remain anonymous. —With additional reporting by Betsy Abraham


text:
P is for Practical | |
PerlMonks |
Writing It Myself, DWIM, and Expectationsby jest (Pilgrim) |
on Sep 13, 2004 at 04:19 UTC ( [id://390494] : perlmeditation . print w/replies, xml ) | Need Help?? |
I've just spent a gigantic amount of time wrestling with a problem, and since this is similar to other problems I've had in the past, and must be something that other people experience, I wanted to share it. Perhaps it's totally obvious, in which case I apologize for boring anyone reading. Maybe it should be in my use.perl journal. But if I were a professional programmer, I'd want to turn to the guy next to me and say, "You know what the problem was? It was ---". But I'm not, and I can't, so here I am. I do a lot of stuff relating to web-database interactions.
When I started learning, I wrote absolutely everything by hand, and cut-and-pasted all over the place. It was tedious, and I made lots of mistakes, and wasted a lot of time. But I also knew that everything worked exactly the way I wanted it to.
One of the first things I picked up from somewhere was that when you checked your form parameters, one thing you should do is make sure there's something there--if it's blank, or just spaces, skip it. So, from the very start, all my programs had something in them like this: Eventually I wrapped this in a function, then as I learned more, a method, and in both cases I forgot entirely about it. Recently I've been working on increasingly larger and more complicated projects, and the roll-your-own approach has been getting difficult. So I've started to use various systems for doing things--templating systems, database abstraction layers, etc. Which particular ones don't matter, as my point is not to criticize the way any one works. In many ways these have made things much better--certainly a lot of things have become faster to get going. But I often find it very difficult getting things to work exactly as I want, and end up overriding much of whatever system I'm using. But on the whole I'm finding it an advantage, frustrating though can be. But I just ran into a problem that had me frustrated for days. In one database, I have some columns that are has_a lookups to another table; I add/edit these with drop-down menus. Some can be blank, so I added a blank row to my select generation--<select name="format"><option></option>. To my frustration, this did not give me an empty column; in my display, I'd have the field displayed--"format", or whatever--but with no value. This only happened for these drop-down menus, never with blank textfields or anything else. The problem, it finally turned out, was that the abstraction layer I was using, which has all sorts of features to handle data validation, does not throw out blank values, it just sends them right through to the database. So if you leave a field blank, "" gets sent to the database. And most of the time, "" gets inserted into the database. Now, I know there's a difference between "" and undef in Perl, just like I know there's a difference between "" and NULL in my database. But staring at my raw database records, the lines with nothing (instead of NULL) next to them just didn't look wrong. Now, the reason I didn't notice it until I added the select lists: My blank textfields, which also had "" inserted in them, were almost always VARCHARs or TEXTs in the database, so inserting "" would put "" into the database. My View class did DWIM, and wouldn't display a line if the value were "". The select menus, on the other hand, were all INT values (they're all has_a relations, holding the PK of the lookup table). And when you insert the "" into an INT field, you don't get "", you get 0. And that, when run through the View class, is what showed the problem--the 0 "existed", and thus I'd get a blank line in the display (blank because the 0 didn't correctly index the lookup table). I ended up writing a line to preprocess my parameters before handing it off to the database layer: Maybe if I were a better programmer, I would have thought of this earlier. Or maybe if I started in C. Perl usually DWIM, and when I have a blank textfield, I don't mean that I want "" inserted into my database, I mean that I want to leave the field alone. I don't even know if there's a lesson here. Maybe my initial tip that you should check for "" before putting things into your DB was too thorough, or I internalized it so fully that the possibility of doing it any other way never came up. Maybe I should just have been more aware that Perl doesn't do this for you automatically. Maybe my abstraction layer should do this for you in its validation routines. Maybe I should write every line of everything myself, so I know that it's doing what I want. Maybe I'm just a moron, and should leave the programming to the programmers. Update: While writing this, I realized a further problem that, incredibly, has never come up: I don't want to skip the field if it's an edit, rather than add, action. What if I have a field with a value in it that I want to remove? I can't blank it out, because then it will be blank, and my neat map above will just skip that field, and the original value will remain. On the other hand, if I instead map it to undef, I see that my abstraction layer will take it upon itself to skip the line! Rather than dealing this this now, I'm going to sleep.
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text:
In April 2012, a reader sent us some photos of Eva Bandman Park after a flood. So for readers who are reading about Worlds being rescheduled to Sunday and think that the flood concerns are an over-exaggeration and that the races should be run as scheduled, we wanted to bring this article back into the light so you could see just how bad the park could be by Sunday morning. We doubt racers would want to hold the race on that course when flooded, unless, of course, Niels Albert brought a scuba suit.
Louisville, Kentucky's wettest April ever on record has left 13.5 inches of rain and has created a surging Ohio River that has stranded hundreds and caused millions of dollars in damage.
Although insignificant in context of the greater disaster, these record floods also impact the cyclocross community in that they have flooded much of Eva Bandman park, the official venue for the 2013 Cyclocross World Championships, 2012 and 2013 Masters Cyclocross World Championships, and the USGP 2011 Derby City Cup.
Southeastern Cycling's Trish Albert told Cyclocross Magazine that because of the recent floods and record rains that have plagued the area, "90% of the [USGP] course is under water."
Louisville residents Mary and Nolan Boyd sent in photos from Wednesday of the Eva Bandman cyclocross venue, highlighting the massive flooding in the area. As seen in the side-by-side photos of three hills on the USGP course, all but the very tops of these hills is under water from the floods.
Joan Hanscom, owner and producer of the Greenware® USGP of Cyclocross and partner in the Louisville 2013 World Championship promotion team, described the situation to Cyclocross Magazine. "The cross park is, unfortunately, underwater," she says. "The Ohio River is 30 feet…and has closed the length of river road and all of the river front. It will not impact the course long-term for cyclocross unless the rain never stops…which at this point is certainly how it feels. It will require some significant clean-up. The river has dumped a lot a trash and detritus in its wake."
The Ohio River is expected to crest at 33 feet on Thursday, a whopping 10 feet above the flood level. It's no wonder that much of the cyclocross course along the banks of the river is completely submerged.
"This flooding is the result of non-stop severe weather for two straight weeks that has plagued the entire Midwest and the reach and impact is far more serious than merely the cyclocross course flooding," Hanscom says, putting the situation into perspective as hundreds have been evacuated from the river's edge. "That said, there should be no lasting impact to the course and in fact, the grass on the course is being richly fertilized and the top soil replenished. A big mess right now, but no lasting damage."
How is the recent flood relevant to hopeful attendees to the upcoming 2012 Cyclocross Masters World Championships or the 2013 Elite and Masters Cyclocross World Championships? Unless the skies open up in record fashion again before or during those events, most likely it's not of concern to Hanscom, save for some park clean-up and perhaps some altered terrain.
But Mother Nature is of course, unpredictable, regardless of the venue or time of year. Typical April precipitation for the area averages 3.88 inches, a far cry from the 13+ inches the area has already received this month. The months of January and February tend to be a bit drier, averaging 3.17 and 2.99 inches respectively, and that precipitation can be in the form of rain or snow, because of the average January temperature of 33 degrees.
Cyclocrossers who are interested in helping with the cleanup can inquire about volunteer opportunities with the Louisville Metro Parks department.
Photo Gallery:
Videos of Recent Flooding:


text:
Title: Behind the Taffeta Curtain
Author: Verne Castress
Publisher: iUniverse
Pages: 102
Genre: Women's Fiction
Format: Paperback/Kindle
Clair, a small-town girl attending Iowa State University in 1940, has her palm read for a laugh—and gets a surprisingly specific prediction about her career, marriage, and children. She laughs it off, with no idea of how accurate it will turn out to be. After a failed romance, she hastily marries a man named John, has two children, and very soon finds herself miserable. John is not only abusive and controlling, but also a compulsive gambler. In an effort to support their family, Clair finds work in a nearby department store, and her career in fashion begins. In the sixties and seventies, Clair works her way up through the industry, chipping away at the glass ceiling of a field with far fewer women executives than the ad firms of Madison Avenue at the time. As an executive buyer for numerous retail conglomerates, she travels the globe searching for innovative fashions and meets regularly with iconic designers such as Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Oscar de la Renta. Among the fashion elite living the high life, there are steamy affairs, drugs, and suicides, as tragic elements mark the lives of these women in fashion whose insecurity remains hidden beneath their stoicism. This novel tells the story of Clair's journey through the fashion world, a single mother contending with the conniving wiles of men and women and facing obstacles in the devious, behind-the-scenes political struggle of those climbing to the top.
Verne Castress retired following a forty-five-year career as a fashion executive, for which she traveled the world in search of innovative fashions for the American market. The mother of two adult children, she currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.
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- Winner has 48 hours to reply.
ENTER TO WIN!a Rafflecopter giveaway


text:
MDA job opportunities for those living with Muscular Dystrophy
I was born with a rare form of Congenital Muscular Dystrophy. Muscular Dystrophy (MD) is a disease of the muscles. It causes defects in muscle proteins, and the death of muscle cells and tissues. MD leaves many, like myself, very weak and requiring the use of wheelchairs and other ambulatory aids. Now, at the age of 18, I am an adult trying to be a part of the working field. The reality is that I, along with many other adults living with Muscular Dystrophy, are physically unable to find jobs because they require some sort of physical labor.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is an organization founded in 1950, which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating Health Care professionals and the general public. MDA also provides children with MD the opportunity to go to a summer camp so they can get out of their usual element and be around other individuals who are like them and understand them. Summer camp has probably been one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I attended these summer camps from age 6 to age 17, and because of it, I have made many life-long friendships.
There is one thing that I feel MDA does not offer, however. I think it would be great if MDA could provide jobs to those with MD, also known as "Jerry's Kids." We want to live. We want to get into the world and use our intellect and our mental and creative abilities. We want to be apart of the working community. We want a reason for living. I strongly believe there should be positions for someone to answer personal questions about surgeries, school life, relationship issues, and things that only someone who has experienced it themselves can answer. I know that personally, I would have benefited immensely if this were offered to me as a child and young adult.
Other jobs could be coordinators for Summer Camps. Being that we've already attended, we could help a lot with the growth of Summer Camp and make sure that it is an amazing experience for all that attend. We could be on committees, or help plan functions and fundraisers. I feel as a human being, we are just as qualified as anyone for this type of employment. It's just so hard for companies to see that potential in us. I feel it would be wonderful if MDA could help us with that. Or have a program to help us find jobs with other companies.
Sign this petition if you feel the way I feel. Thank you so much for your time.


text:
On Tuesday, I mentioned the Doodle 4 Google art contest. (I hope you had a chance to register your student(s)!)
And today, I'm happy to share another art contest. (This is turning into contest week on Mommy Maestra! Fortunately, the deadline for this one is still almost two weeks off!)
In our studies, we have discovered that science and art often go hand-in-hand. And this is one contest that promotes both creativity and scientific interest. The 2011 Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest is a part of national Endangered Species Day, which recognizes the importance of endangered species and encourages the public to do their part to help protect them. Created by the US Congress in 2006, Endangered Species Day is celebrated on May 20th.
According to their site, the "artwork should highlight one or more land- and/or ocean-dwelling endangered species—mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, plant, and/or invertebrate (e.g., insect, spider, snail, coral, crustacean or clam)—found in the United States."
If you continue to scroll down their page, you'll find a list of the USFWS's spotlight species. Students are encouraged to draw endangered animals that are found in their area, as well as their habitats, like last year's winner - Carter Schroeder from Anchorage, AK - did (shown here).
Entries must be postmarked by March 15, 2011.
If you'd like to learn more about this great contest, visit the Endangered Species Day website. While you're there, take a look around. Your children might find the download, "10 Things You Can Do at Home to Protect Endangered Species" to be of special interest.


text:
Documenting the user requirements in a concise manner is the first phase in software development.
System design helps in defining the overall architecture of system.
Quality Analysts test the software thoroughly to check for errors by forming test cases.
To make the system manageable, it is divided into smaller modules.
Once the system design documents are ready, the developers start coding.
When the product is tested and is ready for the deployment, it is formally released in the relevant market.
Mobile Application is an increasingly popular and interesting way of communicating with the customers of the businesses. Mobile Application trends are emerging due to the fact that everyone is having an access to the mobile devices on the go.They are helpful in retaining the customers with the business for longer durations of time by providing them access to the business from anywhere just with their phones.
At SSA Soft, this thing is considered righteously and therefore unmatched services of custom Mobile Application Development are delivered.
Corporate branding is more than just branding the products and services offered by the company but it is actually the branding of the entire company. For making the customers recognize your corporate brand it is necessary that you must (as a company) stand out from the crowd of competitors within the business. Keeping this thing in view, the Logo of the company should deliver the hidden message of the company and should be well understood by the audience.
Security is something that should be monitored efficiently and regularly in order to detect any kind of loops or holes.
For the assurance of consistent approach and clarity of the vulnerability processes, SSA SOFT has developed a specially tailored method.
Manual Code Review is defended as an essential of application testing method at SSA SOFT.
A highly skilled and professional hacking team is the strength of SSA Soft when it comes to Penetration Testing services.
At SSA SOFT, it is considered to be the obligation to understand the infrastructure of client's organization.
Organization's effective and powerful Information Security Management System (ISMS) can be developed, build, and certified by using the ISO 27001.
SSA Soft is an integrated IT solution provider. The company is managed by a team of leading IT professionals with decades of experience at international operating levels.
At SSA Soft, the creativity of digital content is considered to be of great importance when it comes to design the artifacts of client's businesses.
Experienced professionals of SSA SOFT are capable of generating traffic to the website of the brand.
SSA SOFT takes care of the SEO of brand's websites so that they can always stay at the top.
Content writing is considered as an artistic ability and it is believed that not everyone is able to write creative content.
Everyone is on the web and the concept for online businesses is increasing with the passage of every single day.
PPC is termed as 'Pay per Click' and this is the most common model used for search engine based marketing.
Security services and management at fair prices, your logical choice for security services!


text:
Co-authored with Alexander Astin and Parker J, Palmer
You've heard it again and again. "My vote doesn't matter," students too often say. Others complain that politicians are "all the same and all corrupt." How do we overcome this cynical resignation and encourage students to register and vote despite their conviction that the game is fundamentally rigged?
In 2008, many students vested huge hopes in Barack Obama, reinforced by the enthusiasm of their peers. Now, they're dealing with what veteran pollster Charlie Cook summed up as "disappointment and disillusionment." Too many regard electoral politics less as a potential arena for change than a corrupt swamp likely to drown their remaining ideals. In a Rock the Vote survey shortly before the November 2010 election, 59 percent of students said they were more cynical than two years before, and 63 percent of those who doubted they'd vote justified their likely withdrawal by agreeing that "no matter who wins, corporate interests will still have too much power and prevent real change." They did indeed stay home, with roughly four million fewer students participating than just two years before, according to the highly respected CIRCLE youth research center. For instance, Ohio's student participation rate dropped from 69 percent to 22 percent, Wisconsin's from 66 percent to 19 percent, and Florida's from 61 percent to 19 percent. (The Ohio figure is based on a small sample, but fits the larger pattern). Student participation dropped significantly in nearly every state.
Toss in uncertain job prospects, cuts to higher education, and massive student debt, and it's no wonder that so many students despair about their power to make a difference in the electoral realm. That's true even as they continue to volunteer in one-on-one service, with 70 percent of college freshmen considering it "essential or very important to help people in need." Last fall, at a University of Vermont dorm devoted to community service, students described an array of creative projects they were engaged with, then fell silent when Paul (one of the authors of this piece) asked about potential electoral involvement, finally concluding that the differences between the candidates barely mattered. In a Harvard survey this spring, just 36 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds believed it was honorable to run for public office.
For those of us who follow elections closely, this is one of high stakes, with salient differences between the two major parties. It's also a key election for American higher education, given the fiscal pressures that both individual students and most campuses are facing. Because it's a presidential year, more students will undoubtedly vote in 2012 than in 2010. But for many, across the political spectrum, the links between issues and candidates seem tangential and remote. If we want them to fully participate, we need to create a commons where they can reflect on issues and candidates, and provide a rationale for why their involvement matters.
This means offering examples of how close electoral races can be, educating students on issues and candidates, and making the case that, even if their preferred candidates will not usher in the millennium, working to elect them is still worthwhile--in part because it will allow students to keep pressing them on all the issues they care about.
We might begin by reminding our students of the very small margins by which critical elections have been won and stress, the importance of their vote, whoever they choose to vote for. That's true both because of the immediate impact it may have, and because their participation will set a pattern in their lives going forward. We can talk about the 537 vote Florida total that handed George Bush the presidency in 2000, or the 312 votes by which Al Franken won the 2008 Minnesota Senate race. Students may assume that their votes will be inconsequential, but multiplied by those of all their peers, they matter, time and again.
Paul once interviewed a Wesleyan University student named Tess who, inspired by an environmental conference, joined with several friends to register nearly three hundred fellow students concerned about environmental threats and cuts in government financial aid programs. Nearly all ended up supporting their strongly sympathetic Congressman, who won re-election by twenty-one votes. Tess had hesitated before she began. She didn't think of herself as a "political person," didn't want to come off like "a politician spouting a line," and wondered whether her efforts would even matter. Nonetheless, she decided to go ahead and do the best she could. Had she done nothing, her Congressman would have lost.
Paul had his own similar experience securing three votes for his preferred Washington State gubernatorial candidate on the day of the 2004 election. One forgot it was Election Day. Another didn't know if it was still OK to use an absentee ballot. The third needed a ride to the polls. After three recounts, the difference was 133 votes, so had just a handful of his fellow volunteers stayed home, or if there had been a handful more on the other side, the outcome would have been reversed.
But even when students understand the math, many still resist participation. They'll say they don't know enough and that "the issues are too complicated." They'll insist the candidates are really "all the same." They'll say this even when candidates hold very different positions on issues from health care, climate change, sexual politics, and immigration to tax policies, higher education budgets, student financial aid, and likely Supreme Court appointments. For some, saying they don't know enough may just be an excuse for withdrawal, though we've heard such statements even from many who are very involved in other ways. Others hold back because they feel helpless to change things. Caught in a self-fulfilling perception of powerlessness, they decide it makes little sense to take on the challenge of following candidates and issues.
We can begin to counter these cycles of withdrawal by helping students reflect on candidates' positions, and helping them separate truth from fiction amid the barrage of attack ads that many will encounter--ads that risk deepening students' sense of electoral politics as just a toxic field of lies. Students have told us repeatedly they want "more fact-based campaigning" and "to learn more about platforms." That's something we can help with as educators, promoting both classroom and co-curricular discussions about where candidates actually stand.
But it's not just lack of information that leads students to withdraw. When they say "My vote doesn't matter," they're also conveying a sense that the political system is so corrupt that no matter who wins, true power will remain in the hands of the wealthy and connected, and that the voices of ordinary citizens will be ignored. Even when they concede that their votes could alter the electoral result, many doubt that this will make a significant difference.
That's particularly true in the current election, where many students are dealing with dashed hopes from 2008, and students of all perspectives have ambivalent responses to both presidential candidates. In Obama's case, because his campaign drew so strongly on slogans of hope and change, and because so many students supported him, one-time supporters are particularly wrestling with disillusionment. Forty percent in a CIRCLE poll this summer described their prime response as "disappointment." Many who lean toward Romney are also ambivalent because of the inconsistency of his stands and his deviation from their version of true conservatism. In contrast with four years ago, most seem to regard this election as a contest between candidates they have to apologize for, rather than ones who speak to their most far-reaching hopes.
One antidote to cynical resignation is historical context--which is something we can do our best to offer even if we aren't historians or political scientists. The more students see their vote as promoting the kinds of changes they'd like to continue to work for, the more likely they'll be to show up at the polls, bring others along, and stay involved after the election. We might suggest they view voting not as a sole way to make change, but one in which electoral politics complements other approaches in a toolbox of change such as one-on-one service or political organizing and protest. Carpenters don't discard their saws or drills just because they prefer swinging a hammer. They recognize that you can't build a house without using all three.
To familiarize students with the toolbox of social change, we can explore ways they can reach out on issues they care about, build broad coalitions, tell the story of the causes they embrace in a ways that will resonate beyond the already converted (think of the gay rights movement for a successful example). More than anything, we can encourage them to persist in working for what they believe, whatever the inevitable setbacks. They'd do well to heed the conclusions of Meredith Segal, a young woman who founded Students for Obama on Facebook, grew it to 150,000 members, and then co-chaired the national student campaign from her Bowdoin dorm room. "Your candidate gets elected," she said, "Obama or anyone else. People think, 'Here's their platform, here are their policies. They'll magically become law.' But that's never the way things change. You have to keep pushing. You have to keep working. You have to keep building that engaged community. You can never expect any elected official to do it all on their own, no matter how much you admire them or how hard you worked to help them win. Your election night victory is just the beginning of the process."
Historical examples can also offer powerful context. Think of the relationship of Presidents Kennedy and Johnson to the civil rights movement. They were personally sympathetic but held the movement at arm's length for fear of shattering the Democratic coalition, in which Southern segregationist whites played a major role. Johnson even opposed the seating of an integrated Mississippi delegation that challenged the official all-white one at the 1964 Democratic convention. Yet civil rights activists persisted and created a political and moral force so strong that it expanded the horizon of the possible. Johnson ended up investing all his political skill and capital to pass the civil rights and voting rights bills, even though he knew the likely costs to his party--and predicted, accurately, that the Democrats would lose the South for a generation or more. Since Johnson's opponent, Barry Goldwater, was a staunch opponent of these laws, he would never have signed them, much less actively pressed for them. It took both the right political leader and a movement systematically pushing them.
For a recent example, think of the Tea Party. They began (before they took the Tea Party name) by showing up at Town Hall meetings on Obama's health care bill, publically speaking out while most of Obama's supporters did little beyond signing online petitions or emails. They organized through friends, colleagues and online networks. They aggressively recruited candidates and volunteered to get out the vote, sweeping state and Federal offices in 2010. They obviously received a boost from financial backers like the Koch Brothers, and from conservative media. But without ordinary citizens acting in a way that combined electoral and non-electoral involvement, they would never have made an impact. And they've clearly succeeded in changing contemporary American politics.
From a different political perspective, the Occupy movement similarly shifted initial public debate. Discussion of income inequality and unemployment rose dramatically in the major media in response to the (mostly young) people rallying in New York's Zuccotti Park and similar public spaces throughout the country, targeting financial institutions they considered responsible for widening America's economic divides. The movement influenced New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to reverse his initial opposition to renewing the state's "millionaire's tax," and the Los Angeles City Council to pass a "responsible banking" ordinance that requires banks doing business with the city to disclose detailed data about local lending practices. The movement highlighted our distribution of wealth in a way that liberal economists had been trying and failing to do for decades. And many students still seem passionately interested in what's happened with it. But because Occupy has been so adamantly non-electoral in its approach, and often ambivalent about coalitions with allies like unions, its impact on political policies and choices has so far been muted.
When students resist electoral participation, it's often from a sense that the sphere has become so corrupted, particularly by money, that it will in turn corrupt them to participate. They fear that it will undermine their authenticity and leave them craven and corrupt, like the Wesleyan student's fear of becoming just "a politician." This fits the narrative that Paul's Soul of a Citizen book calls "the perfect standard," where people decide that they can't dare act for change unless they know every relevant seventeenth decimal statistic, are as eloquent as Martin Luther King and as saintly as Gandhi, and find the perfect cause and moment to act in their lives. When applied to political candidates or leaders, this standard demands a consistency difficult to match, because whatever candidates' strengths or flaws, they'll inevitably disappoint us with some of their compromises or stands. The question is whether students will participate in choosing our elected leaders despite their reservations, or withdraw and let them be selected by others, including those very wealthy contributors whose undue influence so many of the students bemoan.
We can even encourage students to volunteer in campaigns despite mixed feelings, suggesting they make phone calls and knock on doors for their preferred candidates even if they don't agree with their every stand. In fact, voicing their ambivalence while making clear the stakes may even give them more credibility, given how much of the population shares their doubts. On the practical side, we can give them academic credit for doing this, accompanied by whatever reflective follow-up we assign or negotiate.
Our challenge is to make our classrooms and campuses venues for thoughtful debate, reflection, and discussion, bending over backwards to ensure students of all political perspectives feel welcomed. To emphasize this last point, if we're politically liberal and just a single student of ours is conservative, or vice versa, they need to feel encouraged--even if we have to go out of our way to help connect them with ways to participate consistent with their values. This election will affect students profoundly, as will future ones, so we need to model a climate where they recognize the stakes, argue the issues, yet respect those with differing opinions, refusing to cavalierly demonize them. The more we can do this, the more we can chip away at the toxic political culture of our time.
If students are politically disappointed, and many are, we might do well to stress the words of Czech dissident (and eventual president) Vaclav Havel, "Hope is not a prognostication. It is an orientation of the spirit, an orientation of the heart." Or as Jim Wallis of Sojourners puts it, "Hope is believing despite the evidence and then watching the evidence change." That means hope can never be the property of a particular political leader, party, or campaign, though candidates can certainly tap into it. Rather, it resides in the actions of ordinary citizens, including, but not limited to showing up at the polls to exert what influence they can. We'd do well to use the podium of our classrooms to encourage student idealism, whatever its political direction, including when it breaches the boundaries of what's deemed politically possible. We can emphasize that those we elect will make immensely consequential choices in our common name, and that whatever the political visions our students embrace, they're most likely to achieve them by actively supporting the candidates closest to their stands, rather than withdrawing from the fray and allowing those whose values they most oppose to be elected by default. In other words, they can challenge the degradation of our politics without withdrawing from the process, or holding those who nonetheless participate to an impossibly perfect standard. As Meredith Segal stressed, working for change requires using all available tools, and taking advantage of every key moment to move toward the political goals they believe in.
Paul Rogat Loeb is founder and Executive Director of the Campus Election Engagement Project, a nonpartisan effort to get students engaged on America's campuses, and author of Soul of a Citizen and The Impossible Will Take a Little While. Alexander Astin founded UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute and is the Campus Election Engagement Project Advisory Board Chair. Parker J. Palmer is founder and Senior Partner of the Center for Courage & Renewal, and author of Healing the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit.
Cross-posted from InsideHigherEd.com, where this essay originally appeared
How do we help students register and turn out at the polls despite challenging new voter registration and ID laws and other practical barriers? How do we help them research and debate candidate positions, debunk false campaign ads and rhetoric, and make informed decisions in their choices. The nonpartisan Campus Election Engagement Project works to help faculty, administrators, and staff involve their students in the election, offering checklists and other resources to help them register, volunteer, learn about the issues, and turn out at the polls. In terms of ads and candidate stands, faculty can also refer people to respected nonpartisan websites like www.Factcheck.org and www.Flackcheck.org, from University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School, or other respected sites like www.Politifact.com. WWW.Votesmart.org lets students match their preferences on key issues with political candidates (though we find its "courage"/"lacks courage" distinctions based on questionnaire responses quite simplistic). Campus Election Engagement Project will also soon be distributing non-partisan voter guides, like those of RockTheVote and the state League of Women Voters affiliates. Faculty can sign up to be notified and to connect with others working to engage at their schools at www.campusvotemap.info. We can also use the available resources to help students engage their friends and classmates, reaching out directly and electronically to ensure they have required identification documents, register in time, are educated on the issues, and get to the polls. There's even a free downloadable SmartPhone app that helps them do this electronically. For some context on the new voter ID laws and campuses see this useful summary.


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Note: This is a question directly copied from Theoretical Physics SE primarily to get the advice of people indulged in mathematics.
In the current scenario of research in QFT and string theory (and related mathematical topics), which of the following would an undergraduate student, like me, be advised to do and why if s/he is interested in both the foundations and pushing the frontiers of these subjects and doesn't differentiate between them or thinks that different set of skills and attitudes are required (plus the student is not so strict about mathematical rigor and even precise, logical, hand waving arguments suffice to convince him/her)?
Get into a maths department for graduate studies and work under people having similar interests and probably also take advice from people in physics department.
Get into a physics department for graduate studies and work under people having similar interests and probably pick up the mathematics one needs along the way.
Moreover, what would such a student majoring both in mathematics and physics advised to concentrate on during his/her undergraduate education?
It seems to me after reading this post and general experiences of mine that often mathematicians are more willing to accept physical ideas than physicists willing to accept mathematical ideas. Also, the number of people willing also seem to be more in mathematics, at least to me. Also, it seems that some physicists often develop a kind of hatred for mathematics and always remain skeptical that any mathematics can ever do good to physics. On the basis of this, I am inclined towards option 1. Please feel free to correct me.


text: Hangzhou Oubeier Plastic Industry Co., Ltd was founded in 1996. is a modern enterprise integrating production, design and sales, As a famoud China Luxury packaging manufacturers and Luxury packaging suppliers, our factory mainly has two major departments of raw material production and packaging operation at the same time. This realizes that the packaging products are completed by the company from raw materials to production and processing, so there are huge advantages in cost and quality, At present, the factory's trade scale is expanding, and customers are all over the world. We are trusted by domestic and foreign customers with high quality and low price , good reputation. We hope that you and I will work together to create a better future!


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Get a head start on the day's football talk with "NFL AM" at 6 a.m. ET on NFL Network. Today we'll talk to LaVar Arrington, one of several former NFL players who are going back to school today so that they can teach others to play football more safely as ambassadors in USA Football's Heads-Up program.
Schein: Panthers destined for failure
What can Carolina fans expect in Year 3 of the Cam
Newton/Ron Rivera era? Another failed season, says Adam Schein. **More ...**
Here's what else is on tap for Wednesday:
» Hear from Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck and Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy -- and catch up with all Wednesday's news -- on "NFL Total Access at 7 p.m. ET on NFL Network.
» Catch an encore showing of "The Top 100 Players of 2013: 90-81" tonight at 9 p.m. ET on NFL Network. And don't miss Thursday's unveiling of Nos. 80-71 at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the one-hour reaction show.
» Jeff Darlington reports from Davie, Fla., on how Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin is turning over the team's roster -- and its attitude.
» NFL Evolution reports on the final day of the NFL Career Development Symposium at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, part of the league's effort to make more minority candidates available as head coaches and executives. Go to NFLEvolution.com for a full preview.
» Legendary former Dallas Cowboys executive Gil Brandt looks at some rookies set up for success in 2013 in The Brandt Report.
Gbajabiamila: The Tebow mistake
Akbar Gbajabiamila doesn't understand why NFL teams are giving a proven winner like Tim Tebow the cold shoulder. **More ...**
» Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Terence Newman visits an all-new Dave Dameshek Football Program, where Dave and Adam Rank talk NFL free agency, and compare Cinco de Mayo vs. St. Patrick's Day.
» Elliot Harrison's series on the top 20 games of 2012 continues with No. 18.
» The 2013 NFL Draft transformed 32 NFL rosters. Around The League will examine the aftershocks in our Draft Fallout series. Next up are the Houston Texans and the Oakland Raiders.
» Happy birthday to former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher who turns 56 on Wednesday.
Want to get NFL.com's top 10 headlines sent to your inbox daily? Click here for details.


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Swansboro, North Carolina, known as the "Friendly City by the Sea," is a quaint, historic town located on the North Carolina Coast boarding both the IntraCoastal Waterway and the White Oak River. With water, water, water all around (and the Atlantic Ocean mere minutes away,) it's safe to assume that water sports are the number one activity in the area…and there are plenty to pick from!
Hammocks Beach State Park and Bear Island
Walk through downtown Swansboro on any given day and you're likely to see any number of kayakers and paddle-boarders making their way through the Intracoastal Waterway headed towards the many scenic beaches along Bogue Inlet. Others may want to fish…or water ski…or just cruise up and down the White Oak River. If you're more of a land-lover, Swansboro loves YOU, too!
Swansboro has historical sites to discover, eclectic shops to explore, and lots of 'family-friendly' recreation like biking, hiking, camping, and outdoor concerts…just to name a few! And, of course, it's always OK to do a little bit of NOTHIN'! After all, you are at the coast!


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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The raw emotion hit them hard, far harder than they hit any New York Giants. In the locker room, shortly after the crowd had emptied into the parking lot and the home team had ascended in the standings, the Green Bay Packers tried to sum up their showing.
Or, no-showing.
"The biggest thing is, we've got to come out and play with some emotion," Packers receiver Randall Cobb said. "I feel like our care level wasn't there tonight. I don't know how else to put it."
In front of 80,365 screaming fans and a national TV audience, with revenge in their hearts from a humbling playoff loss 10 months ago, and with some prime postseason real estate at stake, the Packers failed to respond. To anything.
Rosenthal: Hierarchy unchanged
Last season's NFC Final Four met on Sunday, and once again the Giants and 49ers were too tough for the Packers and Saints, Gregg Rosenthal writes. **More...**
Giants cornerback Corey Webster surprised Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers for an interception at Green Bay's 28-yard-line late in the first quarter to set up a field goal, and it was never close after that. The G-Men seized control of the NFC East with a resounding 38-10 win at MetLife Stadium, coasting through the final 15 minutes. It was the worst Packers loss since a 35-7 defeat to the Chicago Bears back in Week 16 of 2007.
"We weren't prepared to play," said tight end Jermichael Finley. "We got it handed to us against a great team."
The lack of grit was evident. The Packers didn't block well, tackle well, take care of the ball on offense or run to it on defense. Coach Mike McCarthy told the team at halftime that the Giants looked faster than they did, and it was true.
All the Giants did was serve notice to the rest of the conference that it might be wise to not forget them. And all the talk of quarterback Eli Manning's tired arm might be just talk.
For the Packers, though, the questions stacked up. How could they, winners of five straight, ride into town and deliver THAT performance? And what did it mean?
"We got our behinds beat tonight," said defensive tackle B.J. Raji, who had three tackles for a defense that allowed two rushing touchdowns and sacked Manning just once. "It doesn't happen here too often, but tonight it happened. Being a veteran team, I thought we'd be ready for this game, a prime-time game on Sunday night. But evidently, it wasn't good enough tonight."
In the heat of the moment, mirages can appear. Teams can feel invincible after a win, despondent after a loss. To fully comprehend the magnitude of what happened, they must take a step back. That is Green Bay's task. To figure out whether the Sunday night debacle was a warning shot. A sign of things to come. A shot worthy of a mulligan?
"It's a blip," Green Bay cornerback Tramon Williams said. "We don't see it as a step back. But we want to come into these types of games and win and even compete. Just looking at the scoreboard, it says that you weren't even in the game."
After five in a row, it's not a step forward. In the playoffs last year, the G-Men dismantled the Pack with turnovers and sound defense. More of the same this time, which isn't good news for Green Bay.
With the Packers already trailing 17-7, Manning hit Hakeem Nicks for 25 yards to spark a drive, then found Victor Cruz in the seam for a salsa-infused score. Just like that, 24-7 in the second. After a strip-sack by noted bandit Osi Umenyiora set up a 13-yard touchdown run from Ahmad Bradshaw, it was a rout. Ten first-half points off turnovers. And every time Rodgers dropped back to pass, he was under duress from that furious front four and found no one open against the Giants' crowded secondary. It was ugly.
"Doesn't taste good," McCarthy said.
As disappointed as the Packers are, there is the larger picture. Those five straight wins weren't by accident. And at some point, sack-master Clay Matthews and receiver Greg Jennings will return. They still got game. But was this a telling loss or just a random one-game occurrence?
"That's a good question," Raji said. "It's tough to say. But it's not something we can't overcome. We have everything in front of us. We can still win our division, still have home field, but we're not going to do that the way we played tonight. A lot of people, when this happens, tend to look elsewhere, but we have to look at ourselves."
Should they be considered among the NFC's dangerous teams?
"We have the potential, the talent, the skill level," Finley said. "I'd put us up there."
Perhaps they will learn. Perhaps it wasn't just, as many players suggest, an emotional failure. Maybe there was a lesson.
"You win five in a row, everybody's happy," Rodgers said. "But there's often things that go under the radar that need to be handled. Sometimes, it takes a loss to handle those things. Hopefully, we remember this feeling and (do) not have this kind of embarrassment happen again."
When the Packers exited, they were down. Just like on the field. Raji noted the body language "wasn't real positive out there." But there is a positive in here somewhere. Maybe, just maybe, this won't be the last meeting. Just like last year.
"I'm pretty sure we'll see them again," Williams said. "It's almost a given."
What else is going on? Here is a rundown:
RG3 is smart -- no surprise
Last Tuesday at the Washington Redskins facility, I wondered if Robert Griffin III can tell when teams are unprepared for his college-style read-option offense, since they never practice against it. And while he agreed, the rookie took it a step further.
"There is so much focus on the new things that we're doing," Griffin said, "they don't really focus on what we have done."
As in, opponents prepare for the college attack rather than the staples of coach Mike Shanahan's offense. In Thursday's 38-31 win over the Dallas Cowboys, RG3 was 20 of 28 for 311 yards with four scores. He hit touchdown passes of 59 and 68 yards. And the Cowboys seemed a step late on traditional offensive plays. That's the danger of playing the Redskins, with their quirky looks. It's what Wildcat teams are after. Against RG3's Baylor-style looks, it seems the NFL is still trying to get there, which hurts preparation in other areas.
As Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said, "We did all the college (expletive) well; it was the other stuff. You put that kid in there with Mike Shanahan, that's a pretty good combination, and it's going to be pretty good for a long, long time."
Buffalo being Buffalo
There comes a time in every struggling team's season when the coach's status becomes a topic. For the Buffalo Bills, now 4-7 after losing a very winnable game against the Indianapolis Colts, that time is now. But it's not because of the on-field performance. That, sadly in Buffalo, is not new. The longest playoff drought in the NFL looks like it will continue. But that's not why Chan Gailey's job status is a topic. Nor is the fact that he's just 14-29 in his third year. It's that players are beginning to question him. On Sunday, following the 20-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, receiver Stevie Johnson spoke out.
"How I see it, I think we need to let our quarterback call these plays," Johnson told reporters. "He's out there on the field. He sees the adjustments that need to be done. I think we just need to let him make adjustments on the go."
I can't ever recall a team's star asking the coach to give up play-calling duties -- even if the offense scored just 13 points, even if Buffalo can't win with Ryan Fitzpatrick's stagnancy and even with C.J. Spiller becoming a star. Those kinds of quotes will lead the Bills organization to question everything. No doubt, that will cause them to take a long look at Gailey's status.
Ravens recover
A month ago, in the aftermath of the Houston Texans destroying the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night, Baltimore's defense was in shambles. The Ravens had given up 43 points to Houston, and spent much time afterward talking about the loss of leader Ray Lewis and cornerback Lardarius Webb to injuries. And yet, all I got from pass rusher Terrell Suggs was sunshine. While fans were up in arms, Suggs preached perspective.
"After seven games, we're 5-2," Suggs told me on Oct. 21. "You're telling me that's a downside? There are some teams whose season is over now, can't get in the playoffs. But that's not us. We still can get the 1 or 2 slot."
I nodded, but privately wondered if he was slightly delusional (not that I'd say so to his face). Yet defensive tackle Haloti Ngata sang the same song heading into the bye. He told me, "I think we'll have a good bye week and get back to the drawing board."
Well, well, well. Look what they've done. Four-and-zero since the bye, with the defense allowing 14.5 points per game. They've gotten it together, even if it hasn't been perfect. And while Sunday's overtime win over the San Diego Chargers was closer than it should've been, it only happened because the defense limited Philip Rivers to 228 passing yards and didn't allow a single play longer than 26 yards. Guess we should cancel those obits for the Ravens' D.
Some rapid-fire takes:
» The Cleveland Browns were up six with three minutes to go, having just intercepted Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch. And starter Brandon Weeden was injured. How much faith did Cleveland show in backup Colt McCoy? None. No throws in six plays, all of which were Trent Richardson runs. It could not have been clearer: The Browns don't think McCoy's a capable quarterback, even as a backup.
» One more note on that game: The Steelers had eight turnovers. Eight. That's astounding. Yes, Pittsburgh would've had a far better chance if Ben Roethlisberger had been available. Of course. But this wasn't all on Batch. This was a collective failure, and it put the Steelers' playoff hopes in jeopardy.
» After a likely season-ending injury to Denver Broncos running back Willis McGahee, the team needed someone to step up from its group of backs. Would you believe it was former first-round pick Knowshon Moreno? He had 20 carries for 85 yards, showing the kind of promise that had come too irregularly in his past. Peyton Manning told CBS that Moreno's experience this season on the scout team was "humbling." Maybe that's what it took.
» The most amazing thing that's happened with the San Francisco 49ers isn't the quarterback controversy. It's that Randy Moss has been a diligent, attentive blocker. He keyed that early, 7-yard touchdown run by Colin Kaepernick. My guess is the accountability expected in the 49ers' locker room has made it a necessity.
On NFL Network
NFL Replay
will re-air the
Atlanta Falcons' 24-23 victory over the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers in Week 12 on Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. ET.
» The Atlanta Falcons, who earned a gritty, 24-23 win over the upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers, seem intent on running the ball, somehow, some way. So perhaps it's no surprise that Jacquizz Rodgers received 10 carries for 49 yards, while starter Michael Turner had 13 for just 17 yards. A changing of the guard?
» I'm always amazed at people like New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Dallas Cowboys boss Jason Garrett, who never noticeably react to trying times on the field. They are the smart ones. The opposite is Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz, who let emotions get the best of him when he threw the faulty challenge flag that removed the review possibilities from a similarly faulty touchdown call. For fans who want their coach to show he cares or look engaged, this the downside. It can take you over.
» All those Cincinnati Bengals fans who have cursed or booed Carson Palmer should take it back. His departure stocked the team with draft picks and left them with a better quarterback in Andy Dalton. How clear was that Sunday during Cincy's 34-10 win over Palmer and his new team, the Oakland Raiders?
» Did Tim Tebow's broken ribs leave him unable to play for the New York Jets? Lots of questions after coach Rex Ryan's press conference. Ryan needs to get on the same page with himself. If Tebow wasn't available, how could the Jets possibly not have dressed Greg McElroy? Inexcusable.
» What happened to those questions about Giants quarterback Eli Manning's "tired" arm? He wasn't perfect, but he was 16 of 30 for 249 yards with three touchdowns. "When you're down, people kick you," Packers cornerback Tramon Williams told me, on the subject of Manning. "Eli's won two Super Bowls. For people to question his arm, it's ridiculous. The guy's a good QB. He took a lot of heat, but came out and showed what he can do."
» For all the promise he shows, Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker still takes one too many steps back, as evidenced by his late interception. Credit him for saying, "That's on me." But he needs to be better.
» It wasn't quite like Peyton Manning in Indianapolis, but Jay Cutler continues to prove his value to the Chicago Bears. What did the Bears need to become good again? Cutler suiting up. He completed 23 of his 31 passes for 188 yards with a touchdown and a pick, but most importantly, he was sacked just once. The way he makes the line better is the most crucial thing he brings to the table.
On NFL Network
NFL Replay
will re-air the San Francisco 49ers' 31-21 victory over the New Orleans Saints in Week 12 on Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 9:30 p.m. ET.
» The sound you heard Sunday evening was the air going out of the New Orleans Saints' playoff balloon. No, it's not over. But every time Drew Brees looks mortal, it's jarring. Throwing two pick-sixes will do that. Because if Brees isn't a megastar, the Saints' same issues -- notably with tackling -- still exist.
» Games like Sunday's remind me how essential Percy Harvin is to the Minnesota Vikings' offense. It just didn't look the same. No receiver had a play longer than 13 yards in the 28-10 loss at Chicago.
» Speaking of essential, amazing how efficient the Bengals are when BenJarvus Green-Ellis runs for 100 yards. The team is 2-0 when that happens, and it does wonders for the big-play facets of its offense.
» The Seattle Seahawks have made great strides this year, but the fact is, they look completely different on the road than they do at home. That's a sign that they still have work to do.
» There are no consolation prizes, but the Kansas City Chiefs are still fighting. And Romeo Crennel's defense -- now that he's not coordinating it -- held Peyton Manning to 17 points. It wasn't enough, though, which is typical of the way it's been in Kansas City.
» Two pick-sixes for St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins? Guess that's why you need to work with him on his off-the-field issues rather than cast him away. What a talent.
» Mike Mularkey's job prospects are looking up with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Is it possible Blaine Gabbert was the problem? If this keeps up, the Jaguars' staff might get to start anew next year. And suddenly, quarterback Chad Henne has had a rebirth.
Follow Ian Rapoport on Twitter @RapSheet.


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This was published 11 years ago
Shock of the blue: when sun goes down, algae turn on a light show
By Amy McNeilage and Saffron Howden
THE algae that turned some of Sydney's beaches red this week is making the ocean glow blue at night. The striking blue light was spotted at Bondi and Coogee beaches on Wednesday night, as well as south of Sydney.
Laurence Palmer was leaving dinner with his girlfriend at Bondi when he looked out to sea and noticed the glow.
''The most amazing blue light could be seen coming from the ocean. People were standing and staring at the incredible natural light show,'' he said. ''When the waves crashed the sea was turning blue.''
A marine microbiologist from the University of Technology, Sydney, Justin Seymour, said the algae glows when the water is agitated, leaving a trail of neon blue. It occurs when there is a high concentration of algae in the water, like the red algal bloom that caused the closure of Bondi Beach earlier this week.
The lifeguard co-ordinator for Waverley Council, Bruce Hopkins, expects Bondi Beach will remain open this weekend, which is likely to please those hoping to enjoy the approaching heatwave.
Temperatures are expected to climb into the high 30s and low 40s in western NSW, western Sydney and the lower Blue Mountains over the weekend.
A spokesman for the Rural Fire Service said the heatwave was expected to affect the whole state. ''In this kind of heat, if a fire does start, it could be hard to control,'' he said.