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Introduction | Science | Tools | Partners
Ecosystem Management Pivotal in Securing a Green Economy18/
Beijing, 18 November 2011 - The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) today co-organized a High-level International Forum on Ecosystem Management and Green Economy. The forum aimed to contribute to the success of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, popularly known as Eio+20, by highlighting the pivotal role of ecosystem management in the development of a Green Economy in China and other developing countries. For this, the Forum has come out with a communiqué which recognizes this role and recommends actions to be taken at Rio+20.The forum was attended by over 200 participants, including heads of UN and other international organizations, leaders and ministers from the Chinese Government, renowned scientists, business leaders and representatives of the civil society. Addressing the forum, Mr. Zukang Sha, UN Under Secretary General in charge of the UNDepartment of Economic and Social Affairs and Secretary General of Rio+20, pointed out that the Forum's outputs would form a key input to Rio+20, in the context of the urgent need to protect and restore the world's ecosystems. Mr. Sha recognized that ecosystems are the foundations of human life and livelihoods, but for too long, humanity has ignored this fundamental truth at its own peril, and the Earth ecosystems have been altered more rapidly and extensively than ever before. He stressed that the sustainable management of ecosystems will play a critical role in advancing green economies worldwide.This week the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) launched its flagship report in Beijing entitled, Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication. The Report demonstrates that governments and businesses alike are taking steps to accelerate a global shift towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient and socially inclusive green future.In his opening remarks, Mr. Achim Steiner, UN Under Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, pointed out that the Green Economy is an opportunity for developing countries, including China, to create economic and job opportunities. Mr. Steiner highlighted the critical role that ecosystem management plays in the development of a Green Economy, quoting examples from, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), a broad partnership hosted by UNEP, which has supported the analysis of UNEP's Green Economy Report and which is a major international initiative to draw attention to the global economic benefits of biodiversity as well as to highlight the multi-trillion dollar costs of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation.Mr. Steiner stressed the timeliness of this Forum, in the context of the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference in Durban and Rio+20 in Brazil in June, and hoped that the Forum would offer an opportunity to produce value-added recommendations, including the need for renewed political commitment at Rio+20 which would give ecosystem management the political weight and significance it deserves. Vice President Ding from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) pointed out that in Chinese culture harmony between humans and nature was of utmost importance and that this has been reflected in the Chinese Government's policies in recent years where the focus has been the development and advancement of the ecological civilization. Mr. Ding lauded UNEP's efforts in developing concepts such as Ecosystem Based Adaptation (EBA), Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) and the Green Economy, all of which play critical roles in the development of an eco-civilization. China's Vice Minister of Environmental Protection, Mr. Ganjie Li, told participants that China is keen on contributing to the development of a global eco-civilization. He pointed out China's policies, including those of eco-zoning and eco-compensations, demonstrate this commitment. In his address, Professor Honglie Sun, Academician of CAS and Director of the Advisory Committee of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN), outlined the history of ecological study in China. He emphasized on the need for ecological networks, such as CERN, which support policy making and suggested CERN as an important infrastructure in assisting other developing countries in establishing similar networks.The day-long forum brought together a wide range of experts from across the world, including Sir Crispin Tickell from the United Kingdom, Julia Marton-Lefevre, Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Professor Richard Odingo from Kenya, Dr. Arthur Hanson, International Chief Advisor of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), Björn Roland Stigson, President of World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Lars-Erik Liljelund, Executive Director of The Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research and Franz Tattenbach, President of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)Through intensive discussions, participants of the Forum reached the following conclusions: The Earth's ecosystems are the natural foundation of human civilization. A robust, healthy and sustainable ecosystem is a prerequisite to secure the development of a Green Economy. Ecosystems have been profoundly degraded over the last 50 years and pressure on them continues unabated. Some of the key ecological processes have exceeded their thresholds, which may lead to the collapse of some vulnerable ecosystems. This poses threats to lives, livelihoods and economic development and demands urgent action.Concrete evidences show that ecosystem management can halt and reverse this increasing degradation of ecosystems. It can also provide economic and job opportunities, particularly for developing countries. There is clear evidence that many key issues of the Green Economy development are critical for addressing ecosystem management. There are already ecological networks, mechanisms, methods and tools in place to promote the role of ecosystem management for development of the Green Economy.Based on the key findings reflected through an issues paper, the Forum has proposed the following recommendations to be acted on at the Rio+20 summit:1. Political commitment at the highest level is urgently needed if ecosystem management is to have the adequate weight it deserves in the Rio+20 arrangement;2. Political support and appropriate governance structures are needed for improved synergies between ecosystem management and the Green Economy in developing Rio+20 policy frameworks; 3. Adequate financial, technological and knowledge resources must be allocated, including in national policy-setting, awareness-raising, capacity-building and planning and practices, particularly in developing countries;4. Building capacity and ecological infrastructure in developing countries, such as Africa, is a prerequisite for enhancing ecosystem management and promoting the Green Economy.For More Information, Please Contact:Dhanush Dinesh, International Ecosystem Management Partnership-UNEP,Tel/Fax: +86 10 64857067, Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Wang, International Ecosystem Management Partnership-UNEP,Tel/Fax: +86 10 64889031, Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Jiang Nanqing, UNEP China Office, Tel. +86-10-85320922, Fax: +86-10-85320907Email: email@example.com to the Editors:Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication can be found on the UNEP website: www.unep.org/greeneconomy1. What is Ecosystem Management?Ecosystem Management is "an integrated process to conserve and improve ecosystem health that sustains ecosystem services for human well-being". It places particular emphasis on integrating human needs with conservation practices, and recognizes the inter-connectivity between ecological, socio-cultural, economic and institutional structures in developing solutions. It fosters community ownership of problem resolution efforts to maintain ecosystem services. It uses many different tools and media (such as governance structures and stakeholder engagement, policies and protocols, strategies and practices), guided by principles that help define the management framework that are targeted to achieve multiple benefits of ecosystem restoration, livelihood improvement and job creation. It is based on cross-cutting and apolitical principles that can be applied across a wide range of scales. The approach is increasingly being used by many developing countries and has been written into international agreements. 2. Success of Ecosystem Management in ChinaChina has a long history ecosystem management which can be traced back to 2070-1600 B.C. during the Xia Dynasty. This spirit of nature conservation as such has been part of Chinese culture, however, in modern times there have been phases of unwise management of ecosystems, and restoration and advancement thought lessons are learnt over time. As the world's second largest economy and the most populous country, there are great pressures on ecosystems in China and ecosystem management plays a crucial role in sustaining the well-being of the Chinese people.China has excellent lessons in ecosystem management which maybe shared with other developing countries with twin issues of conservation and development. There is the case of Grain for Green Programme in the Loess Plateau of China which illustrates this. The Loess Plateau is located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, encompassing 287 counties in seven provinces. It is the largest area of loess in the world, covering more than 600,000 km2, accounting for 6.6% of China's land area, with 8.5% of the Chinese population. The fragility of the loess ecosystem is characterized by its arid climate, with only 64.1mm of average annual precipitation, which is compounded by high population density of 168 person/km2 and intensive cultivation on the slope land. This intensive cultivation has led to severe soil erosion, with an average erosion rate 5,000-10,000 t/km2/year. As a result, the Yellow River receives a high content of sand entrained in the water leading to siltation of the river channels and reservoirs, which, moreover, raises river beds and increases the risk of flooding. For this reason, controlling soil erosion of the Loess Plateau has been a national priority since the turn of last century. Starting from 1999, the Chinese Government launched a national "Grain for Green Program" for restoring cropland to forest (or grassland). The Loess Plateau was a priority area for the programme, which includes transforming sloping farmlands into terraces, vegetation rehabilitation, enclosing hills and banning grazing, building dams to trap silt, enhancing basic and high quality farmlands, planting commercial forests and fruit trees, as well as growing fodder and fostering related industries. The programme has achieved remarkable ecological and economic benefits: regional evapo-transpiration has decreased by 6.2% and surface water runoff by 13.6% ; over 153 million tons per year of soil has been retained; and there has been a positive impact on carbon sequestration, with 69.21 TgC in soil, and 23.76 TgC in rehabilitated vegetation (Table 1). Food production rose 18% between 2000 and 2008, achieved through the increase of per-unit food production against a decline of total cropland area. Meanwhile, the Loess Plateau's economic situation has greatly improved. Per capita income in rural areas increased from RMB1000/year in 1998 to more than RMB 3000/year in 2007. As the programme advances, the rural economy has improved with the growing secondary and tertiary industries, which has not only created new jobs for rural labour force, but also diversified sources of household income. 3. Green EconomyUNEP defines a Green Economy as one that results in 'improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities'. It is a new development path that is based on sustainability and ecological economics. Compared with previous development paths, the uniqueness of a Green Economy is that it can directly turn the natural capital into economic value whilst preserving it, and conduct total cost accounting. This way, the natural capital can be included into the social system, requiring the users of ecosystem services to pay for the benefits gained and damage caused. Ecosystem Management, "an integrated process to conserve and improve ecosystem health that sustains ecosystem services for human well-being," is recommended as the critical approach to restore the natural foundation to sustain a Green Economy. 4. The Pivotal Role of Ecosystem Management for a Green Economy: Ecological networks, mechanisms, methods and tools are to be in place for the development of the Green Economy Monitoring the state of the Earth's ecosystems, understanding the ecological processes and predicting ecosystem functions are essential approaches for decisions and actions of ecosystem management. This requires integrated ecological networks such as the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN). Considering the global importance of ecosystem management, there is also the need for establishing an intergovernmental body to improve science-policy interface such as the Inter-Governmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Developing countries share common challenges of ecosystem management as a result of a shortage of capacity, knowledge and information. Therefore there is a need for them to learn from each other. Valuation of Ecosystem Services improves decision-makingOnce the underlying biophysical characteristics of an ecosystem are understood, translating this scientific understanding into values can improve the decision-making of governments, businesses and consumers. One of the failures of our prevailing political and economic systems is that the value of biodiversity and ecosystems is often either entirely ignored or poorly understood. The TEEB studies recommend a pragmatic, tiered approach to valuation in analyzing problems and developing policy responses. In some cases, it may be sufficient to simply recognize the value of ecosystems and biodiversity to ensure their sustainability. In other cases, it may be necessary to demonstrate the value of ecosystems and biodiversity in economic terms to ensure balanced and informed decision-making. This is particularly true when policymakers and businesses make decisions impacting ecosystems based on a cost and benefit calculation. Capturing the value through policy and markets Traditional indicators such as GDP and the HDI have basic limitations as measures of social progress. Neither GDP/capita nor HDI reflect the state of the natural environment and both focus on the short term, with no indication of whether current well-being can be sustained. These are reflected in annual reports of UNDP, IMF and the World Bank. The green economy initiative provides a unique opportunity to guide a new development paradigm that addresses not only economic efficiency but also social equity. In a Green Economy, the revised and adjusted net national product (NNP) will make economic decision-makers, particularly in developing countries aware of environmental costs. For example, the conventional measure provides the contribution of fisheries and forestry sectors for Brazil, Indonesia and India as 6.1, 14.1 and 16.5 percentage, respectively, but if the ecosystem services are accounted it becomes 17.4, 14.5 and 19.6, respectively. There also exists market-based approaches to capture the values of ecosystem services into decision making, prominent among these are Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) models, which uses compensatory means to resolve conflicts between natural resources and resource-users. 5. Rio+20 - an opportunity to promote ecosystem management in green economy developmentThe Earth Summit on sustainable development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 adopted the Climate Convention, the Convention on Biodiversity, and the Agenda 21. As 2012 nears, all eyes are set towards the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), popularly known as "Rio+20" whose main objectives are to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development; assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development and address new and emerging challenges. UN General Assembly has selected the Green Economy as one of the two themes of Rio+20, which will provide an alternative development path towards global sustainability by addressing social, economic and environmental issues in a more integrated and pragmatic way.


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DUBAI, U.A.E., 7th November 2012: Emirates, one of the world's fastest growing airlines and most prestigious brands, has been unveiled today (Wednesday, November 7) as an Official Partner of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the Official Airline of the Queen's Baton Relay.
The Partnership strengthens the international airline's commitment to Glasgow and Scotland and will play a key role in profiling the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games on a global stage.
Today's announcement was made by First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, at Glasgow International Airport. He was joined by Lord Smith, Chair of the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee, Richard Jewsbury, Emirates Senior Vice President Commercial Operations Europe and Russian Federation, Laurie Berryman, Emirates Vice President UK as well as representatives of Games Partners - Michael Cavanagh, Chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland and Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council.
To mark the announcement of the exciting Partnership, the 777-300ER aircraft on today's afternoon flight to and from Glasgow was adorned with the Glasgow 2014 Official Partner logo on both sides.
Commenting on the Partnership, First Minister Alex Salmond said:
"It is excellent to have such a prestigious sponsor as Emirates Airline on board to help us deliver a fantastic Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Emirates has a superb track record in supporting world-class sporting events and its involvement as a major sponsor underlines the global reach that the 2014 Games will have.
"This announcement is significant, not just because of what it means for the success of the Games, but also as it demonstrates the excellent relationship Emirates continues to have with Scotland, after the airline announced an expansion in its Glasgow to Dubai service earlier this year.
"Forming strong, enduring partnerships with blue-chip sponsors such as Emirates will be essential to ensuring that we are able to stage a hugely successful Commonwealth Games in Glasgow of which the entire country can be proud."
Lord Smith, Chair of the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee, said:
"Together, Glasgow 2014 and Emirates create a compelling partnership which recognises the international ambition and scale of the Commonwealth Games taking place in Scotland in 2014.
"These Games create a world-class festival of elite sport and culture but also wider collaborations and further opportunities for Scotland on a global scale."
Richard Jewsbury, Emirates Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Europe and Russian Federation, said:
"For many years Emirates has been at the forefront of sports partnerships in the UK. Now, we are taking this engagement to a new level, as an Official Games Partner of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and Official Airline of the Queen's Baton Relay. These partnerships are particularly significant for Emirates as we currently fly to 23 Commonwealth countries, enabling us to connect athletes and spectators from across the globe to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow through our hub in Dubai.
"For the past eight years Emirates has been proud to play a key role in supporting Scotland's international connections. Since 2004 our Glasgow service has carried just under 2 million passengers and over 46 million kilos of cargo to and from the Middle East and beyond. This new multi-million pound partnership with Glasgow 2014 demonstrates our continued commitment to Scotland and highlights the nation's place on the international sporting stage."
Emirates is already a significant supporter of high profile sport in the UK and internationally with a prestigious portfolio which includes the FIFA World Cup, the 2012 Ryder Cup, the International Cricket Council and Arsenal Football Club at Emirates Stadium, as well as the Emirates Airline Glasgow Rugby Sevens.
The partnership with Glasgow 2014 will see the airline play a key role in the Queen's Baton Relay, the unique prelude to the Commonwealth Games during which a message of goodwill from Her Majesty The Queen is taken through the 71 Nations and Territories which will be sending athletes to compete in Glasgow.
Emirates is also proud to have secured naming rights to Emirates Arena, Glasgow's latest world-class sporting facility. Home to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Emirates Arena will host Glasgow 2014's Track-Cycling and Badminton events.
The announcement was also welcomed by Glasgow 2014 Games Partners, Commonwealth Games Scotland and Glasgow City Council.
Michael Cavanagh, Chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said:
"We are absolutely delighted that Emirates has come on board as the Glasgow 2014 Airline Partner. Commonwealth Games Scotland has enjoyed a fantastic relationship with Emirates since 2006 and we see this as a fitting extension of their involvement.
"Emirates flying from Glasgow has connected Scotland so seamlessly to the rest of the world making travel to and from most parts of the Commonwealth very easy. They have a first class understanding of the needs of sports and athletes and visiting teams will undoubtedly benefit from this as we have for previous Games."
Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council said:
"I am delighted to see this fantastic sponsorship agreement, once again showing the attraction of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games for the business community.
"This partnership illustrates the global reach of the Games and joins the other sponsorship agreements in promising to help deliver a memorable event in 2014."
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Posted 16 April 2005 - 07:57 PM
Ok so why did I ask this? Simple, statistics are easily and often misquoted and you shouldn't believe everything you hear. If something can be 300% percent incorrect and not many will question it then something is seriously wrong. I have said before and I'm saying again now I don't trust the news and in general statistics of any kind until I can verify them. The number I used was from the head of Coroner affairs in Iraq. I would say that's a reliable source. I'm curious to see how many people actually believe the 100,000 number and where they got it from. Not all numbers are that skewed, however, because I've heard 50,000 and even the correct 30,000. I'm not making a big deal about this, but I am thinking of doing a small project on this topic so I guess I couldn't resist asking the question.
Posted 16 April 2005 - 08:43 PM
Posted 18 April 2005 - 12:20 PM
Good comic relief..lol
#44 Guest_a1elbow_*
Posted 18 April 2005 - 01:13 PM
I think 30,000 is a pretty low PR style number and is probably about a half of what the reality is.
Posted 18 April 2005 - 05:28 PM
HiMH; I would hate to speculate on the # of Iraqi casualties, but I will say that more are killed by IED's from the insurgency over there. I will also say that military planning and technology has kept the number down. The other issue is that most of the insurgents that are dying for virgins are from other contries and have moved to Iraq to wage the jihad agains the westerers (mainly us)...
Do we need to start this as a seperate topic?
Posted 18 April 2005 - 05:29 PM
#47 Guest_a1elbow_*
Posted 18 April 2005 - 06:00 PM
But my point was just that we were launching missles into a major metropolitan area (population over 5 million) and to me, even though we have much better targeting systems (and etc), I can't believe that even after all this time the total isn't higher than 30,000.
Posted 18 April 2005 - 07:30 PM
Posted 18 April 2005 - 07:37 PM
Posted 19 April 2005 - 01:26 AM
My thoughts exactly. I'm sorry but 100,000 is just ridiculous. JSOTF does 30,000 sound too small to you? I know you're staying out of this but I guess your input is appreciated.
#51 Guest_a1elbow_*
Posted 19 April 2005 - 09:04 AM
I think both 100,000 and 30,000 sound out of proportions. But I look at the larger cities I've been in, and I could find very few area where you could pin point drop a bomb and not kill anyone or at least a very few. Bhagdad is a major city, and when missles area launched into it I have to imagine it killing a large number of people.
And then there has been a running small scale war running for so long now, with accedntal and intentional deaths, I just can't believe the number is so low as 30,000. But yeah, 100,000 seems like too much.
Apparently, the 30,000 comes from a US source and the 100,000 comes from an Iraqi source. Either side has a vestiage interest in making the numbers suit their goals, and so I have to believe the actual number falls in the middle.
Posted 19 April 2005 - 10:52 AM
Posted 19 April 2005 - 05:36 PM
Thanks for the input!
Posted 21 April 2005 - 12:14 AM
Iraq Body Count Project
Posted 21 April 2005 - 04:13 PM
Posted 21 April 2005 - 07:30 PM
Member since March 25, 2005.


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You love Benson. You miss Stabler. And you can't stop watching because as you know, sexually-based offenses are considered especially heinous. Take our challenge to see if you could be part of the elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit.
Start Quiz »
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0 out of 30
Question 1 of 30
What was "Law & Order: SVU" supposed to be called?
Sex Crimes
The series was originally supposed to be called Sex Crimes, but creator Dick Wolf wanted it associated with the "Law & Order" franchise.
Special Victims
Question 2 of 30
True or false? "Law & Order: SVU" is the longest-running prime-time drama currently on TV.
True. Now in its 17th season, SVU has been on the air longer than any other prime-time drama.
Question 3 of 30
What New York precinct is the Special Victims Unit?
The Special Victims Unit is located in the 16th Precinct of the New York City Police Department and focuses on victims of sexual crimes, such as rape and domestic abuse.
Question 4 of 30
What NBC show was Detective John Munch originally on?
"Homicide: Life on the Street"
Detective John Munch was originally a character on NBC's "Homicide: Life on the Street." Munch also was a regular on "Law & Order," as well.
"Law and Order"
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent"
Question 5 of 30
How many children does Detective Elliot Stabler have with his wife Kathy?
Detective Stabler and his wife Kathy have five children.
Question 6 of 30
Who is John Munch's second partner on SVU?
Lennie Briscoe
Monique Jeffries
Odafin "Fin" Tutuola
All of these were Munch's partners -- Briscoe was his partner on "Law & Order" and Jeffries was his first partner on SVU. Fin Tutuola replaced Jeffries after she was transferred to vice.
Question 7 of 30
What happened to Assistant District Attorney Alex Cabot?
She's killed in a drive-by shooting.
She entered the federal Witness Protection Program.
Assistant DA Alex Cabot appears to have been killed in a drive-by shooting, but she actually entered the federal Witness Protection Program after threats are made against her and her mother by rapist Rafael Zapata Gaviria.
She retires.
Question 8 of 30
When did the first episode of "Law & Order: SVU" air?
Sept. 20, 1999
NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" premiered on Sept. 20, 1999.
Sept. 22, 1998
Aug. 31, 1999
Question 9 of 30
What Emmy Award-winning actress plays Detective Eliot Stabler's bipolar mother?
Carol Burnett
Angela Lansbury
Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn plays Detective Stabler's bipolar mother, who is reluctant to admit that she has a disease.
Question 10 of 30
How many years were Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler partners?
Benson and Stabler were partners for 12 years.
Question 11 of 30
Who becomes Olivia Benson's partner when Detective Elliot Stabler abruptly resigns from the police force?
Detective Sonny Carisi
Detective Nick Amaro
Nick Amaro transfers to SVU after working in both the warrants and narcotics squads and becomes partners with Detective Benson.
Detective Amanda Rollins
Question 12 of 30
Which SVU actor has appeared in more episodes of the "Law & Order" franchise than any other character?
Mariska Hargitay (Detective Olivia Benson)
Dann Florek (Capt. Donald Cragen)
Dann Florek, who played Capt. Don Cragen on SVU, has appeared in 400 episodes of the "Law & Order" franchise, more than any other actor.
Richard Belzer (Detective John Munch)
Question 13 of 30
True or false? Academy Award-nominee Bradley Cooper was in an episode of SVU that also starred Angela Lansbury, Alfred Molina and Rita Moreno.
True! Cooper played defense attorney Jason Whitaker in a two-hour crossover episode of SVU and "Law & Order Trial by Jury."
Question 14 of 30
True or false? In its 17th season, SVU will air an episode inspired by the hit reality show "The Bachelor."
True. The show will revolve around a fictional reality dating show called Heart's Desire.
Question 15 of 30
What famed actress portrayed the role of Janis Donovan, a woman with multiple personalities who is accused of child abuse?
Cynthia Nixon
Cynthia Nixon won the 2008 Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Janis Donovan.
Sarah Paulson
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Question 16 of 30
What unit did Fin Tutuola transfer from when he joined SVU?
Detective Tutuola came to SVU from the Narcotics Division where he often spent months undercover.
internal affairs
Question 17 of 30
What kind of addiction does Captain Donald Cragen deal with?
Captain Cragen is a recovering alcoholic.
Question 18 of 30
Who takes over as SVU's interim supervisor when Captain Cragen retires?
Olivia Benson
Captain Cragen asks Olivia Benson to take the sergeant's exam and tells her he's approaching the mandatory retirement age. Eventually she replaces him when he retires to join his girlfriend on a six-month cruise around the world.
John Munch
Fin Tutuola
Question 19 of 30
True or false? Olivia Benson is the child of rape.
True. Her mother Serena Benson was raped in 1967 by a food salesman named Joseph Hollister, who later committed suicide.
Question 20 of 30
How many children does Fin Tutuola have?
Detective Tutuola has one son, Kwasi "Kenneth" Randall, who is openly gay.
Question 21 of 30
Why did Detective Amanda Rollins join SVU?
She was promoted.
She was transferred.
She moved from Atlanta.
Detective Rollins joined SVU in September 2011 after moving to New York City from Atlanta. While in Atlanta, Rollins hunted a serial rapist who ended up in New York City.
Question 22 of 30
Not long after Detective Amanda Rollins joins SVU, Captain Cragen finds out she is hiding an addiction to what?
Captain Cragen finds out Detective Rollins has a gambling problem and is $20,000 in debt with a bookie. Instead of firing her, he convinces her to attend Gamblers Anonymous meetings.
Question 23 of 30
Who is Ed Tucker?
captain of Internal Affairs
Ed Tucker is the captain and long-time officer of the Internal Affairs division. In Season 16, he and the now-Lt. Olivia Benson are possibly involved in a romantic relationship.
detective in SVU
Amanda Rollins' husband
Question 24 of 30
True or false? "Law & Order" is currently the last remaining show in the American "Law & Order" franchise.
True. There have been many spinoffs from the original "Law & Order," but only SVU is still on air.
Question 25 of 30
How many awards has "Law & Order: SVU" been nominated for?
SVU has been nominated for 132 different awards, and won 47, including the 2005 Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama, and the 2006 Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, both for Mariska Hargitay.
Question 26 of 30
How many Prism Awards has SVU been nominated for?
Fourteen episodes of "Law & Order: SVU" have been nominated for the Prism Award -- six have won -- recognizing their accurate depiction of substance abuse and mental illness.
Question 27 of 30
True or false? Kelli Giddish made her SVU debut as a rape victim named Kara Bawson.
True. Later in Season 13 Giddish joined the SVU team as Detective Amanda Rollins.
Question 28 of 30
True or false? Rafael Barba, played by Raúl Esparza, is SVU's first regular male assistant district attorney.
True. While there have been some men who've had roles as ADAs on SVU (who could forget Harry Connick playing David Haden?), none were regulars until ADA Barba. Past assistant district attorneys include Alexandra Cabot, played by Stephanie March, Diane Neal as Casey Novak, Michaela McManus as Kim Greylek, Melissa Sagemiller as Gillian Hardwicke and Judith Light as Elizabeth Donnelly.
Question 29 of 30
How many countries and territories view "Law & Order: SVU?"
more than 250
To date, SVU has been sold to more than 250 countries and territories around the world.
more than 150
more than 100
Question 30 of 30
Fill in the blank. In the criminal justice system,__________. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories."
sexually-based offenses are considered especially heinous
You know the words! In the criminal justice system, sexually-based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories.
sexually-based crimes are considered especially heinous


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The constantly changing climate of the music business serves as the backdrop for the Music Business Major. Students learn by studying a wide range of topics, including Copyright, Record Contracts, Music Publishing, Artists Management, Record Company Operations, Internet Marketing and Distribution and International Music Business.
Greenville College has served as the launching pad for numerous producers, managers and promoters. The Music Business Major is designed to combine real-life work experience with classroom instruction in order to prepare graduates for entry and mid-level careers.
Career opportunities for outstanding Music Business majors include positions at major and independent companies in areas such as commercial and independent music production, booking, artists and business management, marketing, promotion, publicity, music publishing and entertainment law. Graduates also pursue a variety of entrepreneurial opportunities as business owners and independent contractors.
And the Greenville College community produces some pretty amazing stories of transformation, character, and service. Learn more »


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Debates of March 13th, 2012
House of Commons Hansard #95 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was rail.
- Question Period
- Government Response to Petitions
- Committees of the House
- Petitions
- Questions Passed as Orders for Returns
- Private Members' Business
- Safer Railways Act
- Madeleine Parent
- Curling
- Zaphod Beeblebrox
- Provincial Basketball Championship
- Agricultural Safety Week
- Toronto Fire Services
- Madeleine Parent
- Nick Zoricic
- Brand India Expo
- Eddy Proulx
- 2012 Arctic Winter Games
- Aboriginal People
- Justice
- Official Languages
- 41st General Election
- New Democratic Party
- 41st General Election
- Elections Canada
- 41st General Election
- Drug Shortages
- Air Canada
- 41st General Election
- Health
- Agriculture and Agri-Food
- Copyright Legislation
- Syria
- National Defence
- Fisheries and Oceans
- Agriculture and Agri-Food
- National Defence
- Written Questions
- Sport
- Canadian Heritage
- Financial Institutions
- Intergovernmental Affairs
- Government Appointments
- Foreign Affairs
- Points of Order
- Air Service Operations Legislation
- Income Tax Act
- Air Service Operations Legislation
- Protecting Air Service Act
Statements By Members
March 13th, 2012 / 2 p.m.
Kelly Block Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK
Mr. Speaker, this past week my beautiful city of Saskatoon hosted the 2012 Tim Hortons Brier. I want to thank the organizers, the volunteers, the sponsors, the teams and most importantly of all, the fans for once again bringing the excitement of curling to the province of Saskatchewan.
I would like to congratulate all the teams across Canada who competed and especially Ontario's Team Howard on winning an exciting final.
I am sure all my colleagues will join me in wishing Glenn Howard, Wayne Middaugh, Brent Laing and Craig Savill all the best as they represent Canada at the men's world curling championship in Switzerland later this month.
Zaphod Beeblebrox
Statements By Members
2 p.m.
Andrew Cash Davenport, ON
Mr. Speaker, 20 years ago this month, live music venue Zaphod Beeblebrox first opened its doors on York Street here in Ottawa. Today, I would like to honour this extraordinary achievement and that of the club's iconic proprietor, Eugene Haslam.
I performed in this long, narrow landmark many times over the years. Some nights we played to an empty house, some nights it was packed. But what never changed was the fair and respectful way we were treated as artists at Zaphod's. In other words, Eugene Haslam, like so many cultural pioneers in this country, has done this for the love of it, the love of music and the love of community. To run a small business for 20 years and have it survive is tough enough, but to run a live music club in Ottawa, now that is a mission of mercy.
On behalf of all music lovers, geeks and punters, wannabes and has-beens, DJs, punk rockers and even legislators, thanks to Eugene Haslam and all the great staff at Zaphod's for giving this city and this country 20 years of heart, soul, and rock and roll.
Provincial Basketball Championship
Statements By Members
2 p.m.
Scott Armstrong Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley, NS
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to congratulate three high school basketball teams in my riding for capturing the NSSAF Provincial Basketball Championship last month.
The Amherst Vikettes, the Oxford Golden Bears girls team and the Pugwash Panthers boys team all were successful and were the best in the province.
Congratulations to coaches Gillian Ellis, Peter and Tracy Swan and Vincent Pye on this tremendous achievement for them and their players.
I hope that all the players have taken this opportunity to thank their coaches for all the time, effort and volunteer hours they have put in to make this such a valuable, one-time experience in their lives. All coaches across the country should be congratulated for the time and effort they put in.
Agricultural Safety Week
Statements By Members
2 p.m.
Wayne Easter Malpeque, PE
Mr. Speaker, I stand today to recognize Agricultural Safety Week. As a farmer, I understand very well the risk and the danger to operators and employees of many of the farm jobs we do. I am sure every farmer in the House would have a story to tell on the close calls or worse that have happened on their farms.
This year, Agricultural Safety Week is focusing on the assessment, improvement and further development of safety systems. The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association, in order to help farmers build a written farm safety plan, has developed a new tool called the Canada Farm Safe Plan.
It says that "This resource is flexible enough to be used by any sector in any province and can easily be customized to each producer's specific operation". I encourage producers to use it.
In conclusion, I thank all farmers for the hard work they do all year round to ensure Canadians and people around the world have access to food of the utmost quality. I wish them good health as they accept the risks of life on the farm.
Toronto Fire Services
Statements By Members
2 p.m.
Roxanne James Scarborough Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the House to honour the men and women of Toronto Fire Services, in particular the brave firefighters who risk their lives every day to protect and save the lives of others.
In my constituency of Scarborough Centre, we are fortunate to have two fire halls within our boundaries, Station 245 on Birchmount Road and Station 232 at 1550 Midland Road, which is just steps from my constituency office at the corner of Midland and Lawrence Avenues. I should also note that the fire prevention division is also located in the heart of my riding of Scarborough Centre.
I am very proud of all of our City of Toronto firefighters. I have to admit there is one I am particularly fond of, my husband, Robert, who is acting captain of Station 141. He is here in Ottawa today, along with our two children.
Today I would like to thank all Toronto Fire Services personnel, especially our firefighters. I am in awe of their bravery and their dedication to the safety of the citizens of my great city.
Madeleine Parent
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Djaouida Sellah Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Mr. Speaker, Quebec lost a great woman yesterday. Madeleine Parent, a leading advocate for workers' and women's rights, died at the age of 93.
Ms. Parent campaigned for women's right to vote, fought to unionize textile workers, and helped liberate Canadian unions. She worked tirelessly to build bridges among Quebec society, aboriginals and immigrants.
Ms. Parent's legacy is great and precious. We must continue her work to create a more egalitarian society.
Thank you for everything, Ms. Parent.
Nick Zoricic
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Kellie Leitch Simcoe—Grey, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise in great sadness today to recognize and pay tribute to a great Canadian skiing athlete we lost over the weekend, Nick Zoricic.
Nick trained at the Craigleith Ski Club in my riding of Simcoe—Grey. He was a beloved athlete and local hero in our community. He was a mentor to many young skiers. He truly set the bar high for himself and for all those who looked up to him.
Nick made his mark on the international skiing stage by competing hard, but also by demonstrating, as his colleagues have mentioned, his gentle and unassuming personality. He represented the very best in Canadian athleticism. While he was international skiing star around the world, he will always be remembered as a homegrown talent who got his start on the hills in the Blue Mountains.
My thoughts and prayers are with the Zoricic family in this difficult time. I would ask all the members of this House to join me in recognizing and paying tribute to this fantastic Canadian athlete.
Brand India Expo
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Devinder Shory Calgary Northeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, the 2012 Brand India Expo is taking place today and tomorrow at the Ottawa Convention Centre. I welcome the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Nabam Tuki for leading the high-level delegation and other participants.
I just returned from the grand opening. Our hard-working Minister of International Trade spoke about the tremendous economic opportunity Canada has in India. We all know that one in five Canadian jobs are trade-related, and that Canada's economy depends on our success as a trading nation.
India is one of the largest and fastest growing emerging economies in the world. I encourage all my colleagues on both sides of the House to visit the Brand India Expo. As we move forward towards our ambitious trade agreement with India, the ties between our countries, both economically and culturally, are becoming even stronger. This can only benefit Canadian jobs and economic growth.
Eddy Proulx
Statements By Members
2:05 p.m.
Jamie Nicholls Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Saint-Jean-Valleyfield branch of the Fédération de l'UPA has lost one of its great trade unionists, Eddy Proulx, an agricultural producer in the municipality of Cèdres.
Mr. Proulx was active in the UPA for some 40 years. Fair weather or foul, he attended all of the regional federation's union meetings. He never hesitated to stand up for the interests of agricultural producers in every possible forum. Everyone knows that the UPA was very dear to his heart.
Co-founder of the Table agroalimentaire de la CRÉ de la Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent and the Réseau Agriconseils Montérégie-Ouest, he earned recognition outside our region too. He spoke at a conference in Benin, Africa, on behalf of the international development arm of the UPA.
Despite illness, Mr. Proulx was involved in the UPA until his death. Agricultural producers will not soon forget him.
2012 Arctic Winter Games
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
Ryan Leef Yukon, YT
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of State for Sport, the minister responsible for CanNor and myself, I am pleased to rise in the House to congratulate and thank Yukon athletes, dedicated organizers, the league of volunteers and sponsors of this year's 2012 Arctic Winter Games.
These games welcomed Arctic communities from across Canada and four other nations. The games are an international celebration of northern sport, culture and friendship.
The game's organizers achieved their mission to stage an exceptional Arctic Winter Games that focused on athletic experience, community involvement and highlighted the uniqueness of the north. They should be proud of their contributions to young participants and to the people of the north.
I would like to congratulate Team Nunavut for winning the Hodgson Sportsmanship Trophy for its demonstration of respect for the rules, officials and opponents.
I invite all members of the House to join me in congratulating everyone involved in the 2012 Arctic Winter Games. A commitment to sport is a commitment to our country and these games exemplified that over the past few weeks.
Aboriginal People
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
Mathieu Ravignat Pontiac, QC
Mr. Speaker, in 2006, the Algonquin community of Barriere Lake, located in the northern part of the Pontiac riding, was put under third party management by the Conservative government, and since then the community's funds have been being managed by two administrators instead of just one, which makes consultation with the community even more difficult.
Unfortunately, this third party management has not improved the living conditions of the residents. On the contrary, the conditions continue to get worse. Children and seniors are the primary victims of this situation that fails to meet their basic needs, such as access to healthy housing and high-quality health care services.
As a Canadian and a member of Parliament, I am ashamed of this government's inaction on the Barriere Lake situation. Our fellow citizens are living in third world conditions. The Algonquin of Barriere Lake are demanding real solutions to the problems of unsanitary housing, the distribution of electricity to infrastructure, health care, the restructuring of educational services, the building of new schools, and the territorial delineation of the reserve.
How much longer should the Barriere Lake community have to wait before—
Aboriginal People
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
The Speaker Andrew Scheer
The hon. member for Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe.
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
Robert Goguen Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB
Mr. Speaker, yesterday evening was an historic evening for Canadians. The Safe Streets and Communities Bill passed in this House and will soon receive royal assent.
Victims, police officers and honest citizens have long been asking for criminals to receive sentences that fit the severity of their crimes.
For too long, under the revolving door justice system we inherited from the previous Liberal government, victims would be shocked when those who were victimized were given house arrest. We promised that we would fix such injustices, and we have delivered.
A major component of the safe streets and communities act targets criminals who sexually exploit children. Because of this government, every such offender is guaranteed to serve time in jail. Our children deserve no less. In addition, the safe streets and communities act ended house arrest for serious crimes like sexual assault, kidnapping and human trafficking.
Canadians deserve to feel safe in their homes and communities and that means keeping dangerous criminals off our streets. We will continue to fight crime and protect Canadians so their communities will be safe places to live, raise their families and do business.
Official Languages
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
Mauril Bélanger Ottawa—Vanier, ON
Mr. Speaker, at a time when we are celebrating la Francophonie, we are also face to face with the bilingualism controversy in the community hospital in Cornwall.
A slogan like "One country, one flag, one language" is a denial of Canada. Hearing such things in 2012 is unthinkable. That is not my Canada, it is not your Canada, and it is certainly not the Canada of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Next week, we are going to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the great day when 10,000 proud Canadians stood in opposition to the closing of the Montfort Hospital.
On the front benches of the government are three ministers who were in the Harris government at the time. I hope they have learned and that they will stand up for the francophones of Cornwall.
The anglophone community must be well informed so that it is able to avoid similar situations. Those same ministers, and the hon. member for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry must do their duty as members of the Parliament of Canada and do what is necessary to convince their fellow citizens of the validity of linguistic duality all across Canada, and certainly in Cornwall, during Francophonie Week.
41st General Election
Statements By Members
2:10 p.m.
James Bezan Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Speaker, mere days before election day last year, the Liberal Party national campaign held secret training, teaching Liberal volunteers how to make robocalls through their Liberalist database. Just hours later, Guelph phones were ringing off their hooks because of this Liberal dirty trick.
Under the assumed name Laurie MacDonald, the Liberal campaign was anonymously and misleadingly calling residents with a message. These were Liberal calls from a fake phone number, from a Liberal volunteer using a fake name.
Now the member for Guelph has admitted that he and his campaign paid for these illegal and unethical phone calls to fight off an NDP surge. If these calls were just an oversight, as the member claims, why did he wait until he was almost caught to come forward?
Something smells rotten. Millions of dollars were spent by the Liberals on hundreds of thousands of phone calls. Where else did the Liberals target Canadian households with this illegal campaign?


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Treasure trove of Louis Armstrong letters to mistress and secret daughter to be sold
Jazz great Louis Armstrong's love letters to his mistress and secret lovechild are among the items from the musician's archive that will go under the hammer at an auction in Los Angeles in December.
RELATED: Lady Gaga bids on Alexander McQueen's lot at auction
"Profiles in History" boss Joe Maddalena recently announced that Armstrong's personal letters would be up for grabs at the event, billed as "Drama, Action, Romance -- The Hollywood Auction," on Dec. 15 and 16, alongside correspondence from John Lennon, Cole Porter and composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and now it's clear the "What a Wonderful World" hit-maker's items are a treasure trove of secret notes.
A spokesperson for the auction house says, "They are dated from 1946 to 1968. The collection includes personal letters and postcards, written to Lucille 'Sweets' Preston and Sharon, Armstrong's only biological child.
"Armstrong was friends with Preston and her husband, entertainer Luther 'Slim' Preston, who passed away in 1950. Soon after, Armstrong and Lucille began a relationship, and their daughter, Sharon, was born in 1954. The relationship continued until Armstrong's death in 1971. Armstrong's wife, also named Lucille, never publicly acknowledged Sharon's existence.
RELATED: Celebs at the auction block
"There are handwritten letters totaling 27 pages, typed and signed letters totaling 10 pages, handwritten postcards and a single photograph signed 'Satchmo' and 'Louis Armstrong' inscribed to 'Mother Sweets Baby Sharon To My Darlings whom I Love.'"
The items going on the auction block also include an original private audio reel, featuring a recording from 1959 when Armstrong was in Berlin. On the tape, Armstrong sings "Uncle Satchmo's Lullaby" with 12-year-old German singer Gabriele.
The lot is estimated at $60,000 to $80,000.
RELATED: 'Real Housewives' cast member sells belongings at auction
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Chapter 66
At the Second Coming, Israel, as a nation, will be born in a day; the wicked will be destroyed; and the Gentiles will hear the gospel.
1 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my
2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a
5 ¶Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that
6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompence to his enemies.
8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.
10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.
12 For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her
13 As one whom his
14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the
15 For, behold, the Lord will come with
16 For by fire and by his
17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the
18 For I
19 And I will set a
20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an
21 And I will also take of them for
22 For as the
23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to
24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their


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Former county schools superintendent running for supervisor
The competition for Maricopa County's West Valley District 5 supervisor seat is gearing up, with less than a year until the 2014 election. Former Maricopa County Schools Superintendent Sandra Dowling is campaigning against incumbent Supervisor Clint Hickman, who was appointed to the seat earlier this year after longtime Supervisor Max Wilson resigned for health reasons. Dowling also had applied to be appointed to the seat. The same day she sent her application to the Board of Supervisors chairman, she filed papers to form a campaign committee for the 2014 election. She lately has been seen campaigning for the seat. Hickman is gearing up his efforts as well. Hickman is running for his current seat so he can serve the rest of Wilson's four-year term through 2016. The law requires him to run for the seat in the next general election after Wilson's resignation to serve the rest of Wilson's elected term. You may remember Dowling from past county conflicts, dating to 2005. Part of her problems with the Board of Supervisors involved the board's attempts to control and close the Thomas J. Pappas Schools for homeless children, which Dowling created. They also clashed over budget shortfalls. Dowling faced criminal prosecution stemming from her administration, but eventually was cleared of the charges. She sued the Board of Supervisors and Sheriff Joe Arpaio in 2009, alleging negligence, malicious prosecution, abuse of process and several constitutional violations. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in late March 2013 settled her lawsuit for $250,000. Dowling currently runs The Dowling Group, a Goodyear private insurance firm for Farmers Insurance. Hickman is vice president of sales and marketing for Hickman's Family Farms in the West Valley.
Shooter: Why all the fuss about gas spills?
The Legislature in the spring approved a two-year extension of a state program that pays for the clean up of leaking fuel storage tanks. And it appointed a study committee to come up with recommendations on what should be done about the program beyond then. Sen. Don Shooter, R-Yuma and one of the study committee members, on Monday questioned the program's premise, saying he was unaware of evidence showing harm from gasoline spills. "Can you show me what we're worried about here?" Shooter asked. He noted that in many cases, a fuel leak happens dozens of feet below surface level. In others, microbes in the soil can clean up a spill without any costly pumping or other treatment. Shooter argued many so-called "brown fields" could be easily redeveloped if not for the concern would-be developers have about being held responsible for spills on the property. "No one is worried about the benzene that is 150 feet below them," he said. Cancel that. House Minority Leader Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix, counts himself among those concerned about the health and environmental effects of gasoline leaks. "There's no doubt that chemicals in gasoline are harmful," he said. Not only have gasoline spills contaminated water supplies underground, he said, they've also happened at surface level, where fumes can be easily inhaled. Campbell mentioned a site in Winslow where the contamination was at soil level, something he experienced when he worked in the engineering field. Those fumes were easily detectable, he said, and not a healthy thing. Shooter acknowledged there could be cause for concern, but pressed Henry Darwin, director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, to provide examples of harm. "Data," Shooter said. "We need data."
Candidates: Turn back those dollars!
Now that a court has slapped a preliminary injunction on higher campaign contribution limits, an advocacy group is urging candidates to refund anything they collected in excess of the previous limits. "We intend to educate voters about donor contributions that violated the Clean Elections Act and encourage all candidates to return amounts in excess of the voter approved limits," the network's executive director, Sam Wercinski, said in a statement. That would mean sticking to the $440 limit for legislative candidates and $912 for statewide candidates, such as those running for governor, treasurer and Corporation Commission. House Bill 2593, which was blocked by Tuesday's preliminary injunction from the state Court of Appeals, raised that limit to $2,500 for both legislative and statewide offices as of Sept. 13. Because the bill also defined the primary and general elections as separate cycles, the actual limit is $5,000 for the two combined. Whether candidates will follow the advocacy network's appeal to refund excess contributions is uncertain. The Arizona Secretary of State's office, which oversees elections, posted a copy of the court's order on its website and told media outlets that candidates "couldn't go wrong" if they stuck to the lower amounts. But it said it would not issue further direction until the court followed up with its written opinion, something that typically trails an injunction order by days, weeks or even months. Tom Collins, executive director of the Clean Elections Commission, which brought the lawsuit challenging the new limits as a violation of the Voter Protection Act, said there's only one set of funding limits in place, and that would be the limits that have been in law prior to HB2593's brief life. "If you're having a fundraiser today or tomorrow or until that (court) order changes, the right thing would be for candidates to not accept contributions greater than $440," he said.
Secy of State rejects petition challenge
If there's any doubt a law that makes wide-ranging changes to election procedures is a political hot potato, consider this week's short-lived attempt to slow down a referendum drive on the law. A committee called Stop Voter Fraud asked the Arizona Secretary of State to toss any petition sheets that were circulated by four individuals, arguing the four don't meet state standards to pass petitions. Committee spokesman Barrett Marson estimated the faulty signatures could be as many as 14,000, which would put a dent in the 146,000 signatures the law's opponents filed last month. Marson said the 14,000 figure was derived from talking to sources he would not name. Almost immediately, the Secretary of State's office said it doesn't have jurisdiction over such matters and suggested the committee go to court if it wanted relief. The Protect Your Right to Vote Committee said the complaint missed the mark, anyway. Two of the four circulators identified by the Stop Voter Fraud Committee never worked on the referendum, said spokesman Robbie Sherwood. The other two apparently did circulate petitions, and Sherwood said his group would be prepared to defend their case in court, if it ends up there. Which it most likely will. This is a battle over House Bill 2305, which changes many facets of how Arizona conducts elections. Among other things, it raises the bar for third parties and the Democrats to qualify for the statewide office, but lowers it for Republicans. It requires strict compliance with the law for citizen initiatives, but not for legislative referenda. It limits who can return a voter's ballot and it removes individuals from the permanent early voting list if they don't vote by mail for four consecutive elections. It has something to upset almost everyone, which is why the Protect Your Right to Vote group did a petition drive to refer the matter to the 2014 ballot. If elections officials determine they got enough valid voter signatures (86,405), look for it on your November 2014 ballot. But before then, expect a lot of challenges.
It ain't the federal shutdown, but IRC hampered by lack of funds
There's a stop-work order in Arizona government, but it's not due to the federal shutdown. Once again, the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission is out of money, so its executive director ordered its seven contract attorneys to stop work as of Monday, saying its budget for outside and professional services is tapped out. "If you continue to work on items in your approved contract agreement, you will be assuming the risk that in the future the Legislature will provide an appropriation to fund additional legal services," Executive Director Ray Bladine wrote in a letter to the attorneys. The IRC is currently defending itself in three separate lawsuits, and recently got more work when House Speaker Andy Tobin and Senate President Andy Biggs went to federal court asking for an injunction to stop the use of the new congressional lines in the 2014 election. Money has been a sore spot in legislative-commission dealings, with the Legislature consistently underfunding the commission's requests. The commission says it can't keep up its legal defense -- some of it against lawsuits the Legislature has brought -- without money, but lawmakers complain the commission is too quick to pay its attorneys. The IRC got $1.1 million for the current budget year, but estimates its needs at $2.3 million. The only way to get more funding at this point is through a special legislative session, since lawmakers went home for the year in June. Meanwhile, it's unclear what all the attorneys will do. (Each commissioner has hired his/her own attorney at state expense, as well as the two attorneys who represent the IRC.) John Munger, attorney for Commissioner Richard Stertz, said he won't stop representing his client. Whether he'll send his bills to the state given Bladine's order remains to be seen, he said.
Diamondbacks, Dodgers to face off in Sydney - and Maricopa County supervisors want justice
The Arizona Diamondbacks will face the Los Angeles Dodgers again in the spring in the land down under, at the opening of the Major League Baseball season in Sydney, Australia. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved a one-time waiver to resolve facility-use changes brought about by the Diamondbacks playing a home game at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground on March 22 and 23, 2014. The Board of Supervisors is the Board of Directors of the county's Stadium District, which manages Chase Field. Under the Diamondbacks' facility use agreement with Maricopa County, the team makes annual payments based on charges and fees incurred over a 81-game season. But with the team playing two of its season games in Sydney, the county needed to adjust how revenues are calculated from the variety of fees – including licensing, naming rights, luxury suite premiums and swimming pool premiums. Yes, that pool – the one that played host to an impromptu pool party thrown by Dodgers players clinching their win over the Diamondbacks earlier this month. Fans were outraged at the perceived disrespect. (U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, grabbed headlines with his tweet: "No-class act by a bunch of overpaid, immature, arrogant, spoiled brats! 'The #Dodgers are idiots' ") The vote passed unanimously, but not without comments from the supervisors. "The Diamondbacks should provide towels to the Dodgers to not only dry them off but to maybe tap down their egos as well, for jumping in our pool," Supervisor Steve Chucri said. "We'll get'em next year," Board Chairman Andy Kunasek said. Insider inquired with Daren Frank, Maricopa County Stadium District director, if any provision in the county's contract with the team prohibits such a traumatic event as the Dodgers' pool takeover. There wasn't. As far as Insider could tell, though, the sports stadium at Sydney Cricket Ground does not have a pool. - Michelle Ye Hee Lee
AZ Legislature: Let us draw congressional maps
GOP leaders in the Legislature are asking a federal court to toss out the congressional boundaries that were used in the 2012 election and instead let the Legislature draw the crucial political lines. Senate President Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert, and House Speaker Andy Tobin, R-Paulden, argue that only the state Legislature has the authority to set congressional district lines, and they point to the U.S. Constitution to back them up. If the court grants the lawmakers' motion, filed last week in U.S. District Court in Phoenix, the Legislature would meet and draw the boundaries for the nine districts, presumably in a special session. Lawmakers are steamed that the new districts produced a Democratic-dominated congressional delegation, an outcome they said was accomplished only because the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission was biased in favor of Democrats. But the lawmakers' larger point is the Elections Clause in the U.S. Constitution gives state legislatures the authority to set congressional boundaries. That power, they argue, was wrongfully taken away when voters in 2000 approved the redistricting commission and gave the political line-drawing pen to the independent five-member panel. Similar arguments didn't surface a decade ago, when Arizona's first redistricting commission created congressional boundaries. (Redistricting is done every 10 years following the U.S. census.) And lawmakers didn't press the argument in 2012, when the lines were newly drawn, saying it was too far into the election cycle to make a change. The commission, which has yet to file a formal response in court, has argued the line-drawing power is a legislative function, and voters in 2000 transferred that duty to the commission, which is considered part of the legislative branch of government. These arguments will be sorted out in court, even as candidates proceed with their campaigns. Among those who stand to benefit from the Legislature's argument: House Speaker Tobin, who is eyeing a run in Congressional District 1. He doesn't live in the sprawling district, but with a few slight adjustments, he could easily be drawn into the district, which currently runs very close to his Paulden residence.
Chipping away at the AZ income tax
What if Arizona scrapped its tiered income-tax rate and instead went with a one-size-fits-all flat tax? It would mean a big jump -- percentage-wise -- in the amount of tax lower-income Arizonans would pay, and a decrease for those earning $100K or more. That's been shown repeatedly by analyses done by the Arizona Department of Revenue and it's the reason flat-tax ideas have fallen flat in recent outings at the Legislature. But what if the state lowered the tax rate and made a few adjustments to shield the poor from a tax hike? Under two scenarios run at the behest of state Rep. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, the tax hikes would fall on the middle class, with those on the high and low ends of the income scale getting a break. That didn't go over too well with members of a state legislative panel examining the state's income-tax structure. "I do not want to raise taxes on the middle class," said Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria, who said she feared the scenarios aired Thursday would create the perception the Legislature is inclined to do just that. But even Mesnard called the scenarios undesirable, and urged fellow study-committee members to pitch their own ideas to be run through the revenue department's computations. All of this is part of an effort to do something long-term to the state tax code. Mesnard said he's not pushing a flat tax, but it's clear he's interested in lowering the state's tax rate, which at the top rate of 4.54 percent is one of the lower rates in the nation, although several states have no income tax whatsoever. The committee continues its work Oct. 3. Track its work via this website: http://azleg.gov/itr/
Medicaid censuring continues
Undaunted by the failure of a drive to refer Medicaid expansion to the ballot, but bolstered by a lawsuit that challenges the policy, the Yavapai County Republican Committee is seeking to censure Gov. Jan Brewer and the 15 Republicans who supported expansion. This continues a string of censure motions considered by various Republican committees statewide. A censure doesn't affect the status of the law, which took effect Thursday. But it can signal displeasure with the lawmakers who voted to expand the state's health-insurance program for the poor. In Yavapai County, that would include Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott, who was an early and ardent supporter of Brewer's call to expand the program. And that displeasure could translate into some grief at the polls in next year's election...or so Medicaid foes hope. The committee meets Saturday in Prescott. Only elected precinct committeemen can vote, either in person or by proxy.
Police confirm details of Mary Rose Wilcox's car accident
Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox's red Corvette was totaled in an accident earlier this month, prompting her to take a week of rest from county activities last week. Photos from her accident were posted on Twitter and Facebook as soon as it happened, and it went viral. If you recall, it was the same red Corvette that was mired in "Tiregate." (Photos courtesy of Lydia Guzman at end of post.) Wilcox told Insider the day after her accident that two teens in a Jeep ran a stop sign. She was sore, but no bones were broken. Wilcox returned to the county today. But then there was some confusion about what exactly happened. There were reports that the car ran a red light, not a stop sign. Some facetiously wondered if it was a hit job or a conspiracy. Wilcox's story checks out, according to the Phoenix police report released Saturday. Two 17-year-old girls ran a stop sign at the intersection at Moreland and 3rd streets. --Michelle Ye Hee Lee


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Tue, Jul 23, 2013 at 8:19 PM
Nicki Minaj's Top Ten Collaborations
Nicki Minaj has already planted her Giuseppe Zanotti heels firmly into hip-hop well prior to her just-announced VMA pre-show performance. From her Young Money godfather, Lil Wayne, to Jay-Z, Kanye West, Usher, Ludacris and Trey Songz, she's chopped it up -- and in some cases stolen the spotlight -- from some of the hottest MCs in the game.
From razor-sharp lyrics to personality switches within a bar, it seems as though there is nothing Nicki can't do, even on someone else's track.
Hit the jump for Nicki's top collabos ...
10. "All I Do Is Win" Remix With DJ Khaled
Like most DJ Khaled tracks, there are about 30 heads present on the remix of 'All I Do Is Win," including Fabolous, Rick Ross, and Busta Rhymes. When Nicki checks in, she hits us with her Nicktionary, saving the top superlatives for herself. "I told Khaled you the best, but I'm the bestest. Better run for cover if your name is on my checklist."
9. "Lil Freak" With Usher
Nicki uses gender-bending tactics on her verse for this slippery track, acting like the bait to lure women to Usher. She's even seducing a woman in the video who seems a little defiant, and Nicki starts giving her the crazy eyes until the girl concedes. While the entire verse is pretty graphic – including naming Cassie as her next prey – she wraps it up pretty comically, exclaiming, "Everybody loves Raymond!"
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The Integra ventilation system has been redesigned. Its air flow capacity is increased from 395 cubic meters per hour to 420 cubic meters per hour, which improves both the performance of the optional air conditioning system and increases air velocity from the instrument panel vents.
- Audio systems -
There are several standard and optional AM/FM audio systems available throughout the Integra line. The standard system for LS and GS models is AM/FM stereo with electronic seek tuning, cassette deck, auto preset feature and four speakers.
The most obvious difference between the two generations of Integras is size. The new cars are longer, lower and wider:
|1990 Integra 3-Door
|1989 Integra 3-Door
|1990 Integra 4-Door
|1989 Integra 5-Door
|100.4 in (2550 mm)
|96.5 in (2450 mm)
|102.4 in (2600 mm)
|99.2 in (2520 mm)
|Overall Length
|172.9 in. (4392 mm)
|168.7 in. (4285 mm)
|176.5 in. (4484 mm)
|171.5 in (4355 mm)
|Overall Width
|67.4 in. (1712 mm)
|65.6 in.(1665 mm)
|67.4 in.(1712 mm)
|65.6 in. (1665 mm)
|Overall Height
|52.2 in. (1325 mm)
|52.9 in. (1345 mm)
|52.8 in. (1340 mm)
|52.9 in. (1345 mm)
The Integra's styling is contemporary and distinctive. Its central element is an aggressive wedge shape that's softened and refined by organic contours. The look is sporty but subdued and is set off by such recognizable Acura design cues as a nearly flush exterior surface, slim door and window pillars, and large glass surfaces.
The Integra's style combines two major elements -- a large, airy greenhouse and a strong, authoritative lower body. They're united by a sweeping accent line that outlines the length of the car. The lightness of the greenhouse serves as a counterpoint to the lower body, giving the car a low look that's reinforced by a flare along the bottom sill.
The Integras have a wide stance, with tires that extend almost to the edge of the wheel openings. Their look is smooth and clean from every angle. When seen from the rear, this effect of coherence is reinforced by wide, thin taillights. They use a new lens that appears red, changing to amber or white only when the turn signal or the backup lights go on.
- Aerodynamics -
The Integra's shape is aerodynamically efficient, with a drag coefficient of only 0.32 for the 3-door and 0.34 for the 4-door. This means better fuel efficiency and a quieter ride as well as a more pleasing appearance.
Extensive wind tunnel testing was used to refine the Integra's design. The Integra's leading edge is designed to penetrate the air cleanly; the hood blends into the integrated bumper and low-profile halogen headlights keep the hoodline low. Cooling air is drawn through openings in the front air dam which is shaped to direct the air flow around the sides and over the car. The body surface is smooth, with nearly flush metal-to-glass areas and the floor pan and underbody are as flat as possible to smooth the air flow beneath the car.
Efficient engine and suspension packaging permits a very low hoodline that slopes sharply up to the cowl. The raked-back windshield blends the roof and large compound-curved rear glass. A short rear deck balances the long hood line. Integra GS 3-door models are equipped with a rear spoiler.
- Slim pillars and sashless doors -
The Integra's large greenhouse, when viewed from the top, has a metal roof panel that's small in proportion to the glass area. Viewed from the side, the roof has a thin line. This design is intended to both balance the look of the car and provide more natural light for the interior, creating a brighter, less confining atmosphere for occupants, and improving driver visibility.
The roof design is made possible by the use of slim pillars and sashless doors, which are similar in concept and design to those of the Acura Legend Coupe. The pillars are a composite of structural members, arranged to make them as strong as a conventional design even though they appear to be much narrower.
A major visual difference between the 1990 Integras and their predecessors is a departure from the hatchback look. The new 3-door is actually more of a liftback with a pronounced deck while the 4-door has a more formal, notchback silhouette.
Structural Design
For passenger security and to provide a stable handling platform, the Integra's body is a rigid unit structure designed to resist bending and torsional forces. Computer Aided Design (CAD) and NASTRAN, a stress analysis program written by NASA, were used throughout the development process to arrive at the final configuration of the Integra's body architecture. To assure the integrity of the passenger compartment, it is surrounded by box-section members.
The A-pillars have bracing at the cowl and an extra U-shaped reinforcing member that runs through the center of their box section. The B-pillars have reinforcement at their base, where they tie into the lower side members, which have a central support similar to that of the A-pillars. The rear pillars are anchored to the structure around the rear wheel housings with reinforcing members. Further bracing is provided by a bulkhead behind the rear seats in the 4-door models.
The pillars and sills are tied together by the floorpan, front and rear crossmembers, and a box-section around the perimeter of the roof to form a cage around the passenger compartment. The resultant structure has been increased 30 percent in bending rigidity and 90 percent in torsional rigidity.
The 1990 Integras will be built on a newly installed production line at the Honda manufacturing plant in Suzuka, near the city of Nagoya, about 200 miles west of Tokyo. It is a state-of-the-art facility that uses the latest manufacturing and quality control techniques.
- Anti-corrosion and Finish -
Resistance to corrosion is an inherent part of the Integra's design. The metal panels that make up the Integra's structure are carefully shaped to avoid indentations and depressions where moisture and road grime can accumulate and cause rust.
Also, special materials and treatments are used throughout the Integra body to repel rust and resist corrosion. A zinc phosphate coating is applied to the entire body. Double-sided- zinc-dipped coated steel is used for the hood, front fenders, front wheel wells, engine compartment, floor pan and along the sills, and single-sided zinc galvanized steel is used on many exterior panels. For additional protection, the leading edges of the hood and front fenders are treated with a special primer that resists chipping. Anti-rust wax is sprayed inside box-sections and out-of-the-way places.
The Integra's surface finish begins with a thorough cleaning and then goes through a special multi-step painting process. The finish is cured over a longer period of time at a lower temperature than in conventional painting procedures, which makes for a harder, more durable finish.
This three-coat, three-bake method has been used to apply the finish of Integra automobiles since they entered production. Over the years it has been improved and modified in a continuous effort to enhance quality. All of these evolutionary changes have been incorporated into a brand new paint facility in Suzuka.
Interior Design
The goal of the Integra's interior design is to assure the comfort and efficiency of the driver. Applying the principles of ergonomics assures that the instruments and controls are positioned so they fall into the driver's natural fields of vision and reach, the seats conform to the body's shape and provide fatigue-reducing support, and the color, touch and texture of interior surfaces helps to create a relaxing atmosphere.
The interior of the new Integra follows a "soft touch" theme, with yielding surfaces and smoothly contoured corners throughout the passenger compartment.
Comfort has been increased by providing more head and leg room for both front and rear occupants. The combination of increased space and larger glass areas also makes the Integra's interior even more bright and airy than before. Thin roof pillars permit excellent side and rear visibility. Front visibility has been improved by lowering the front cowl and the upper edge of the instrument panel, enhancing the driver's view of the road.
Integra instruments are positioned so that they can be read at a glance and all major controls fall within a finger's reach. The analog instruments are grouped directly in the driver's field of vision, with a large speedometer and tachometer in the center, and fuel and temperature gauges to the right and left, respectively. Switches and controls are designed to give tactile feedback so the driver can tell just by feel that a particular control has been activated.
- Seating and Cargo -
The Integra front seats are ergonomically designed to properly support the body during any driving situation, especially during maneuvers where high lateral loads are encountered. In addition, the front seats have reclining backs with lumbar support cushioning and incorporate a broad range of adjustments.
Front seat occupants are provided a motorized two-point passive shoulder belt, active lap belt, and knee bolsters. The driver's shoulder belt conveniently moves forward and out of the way whenever the key is removed from the ignition. The compact design of the anchor rails for the passive belts allows the use of sashless doors and makes a thin roof line possible.
The rear seat is contoured for more comfort and is equipped with 3-point seat belts in the outboard positions. The fold-down rear seat backs are split 60/40 for more cargo carrying versatility. With both seat backs folded down, luggage space is greatly increased; with one or the other down, both luggage and a passenger can be accommodated.
The combination of increased overall size and the use of a compact independent double-wishbone suspension has increased interior space and cargo space in both the 3-door and 4-door Integras.
- Ventilation -
Careful attention to aerodynamic design produces benefits which are not always readily apparent. For example, the shape of the Integra's body contributes to its ventilation system. By locating exit vents in the rear panel, where there's a low pressure area when the car is moving, stale air is drawn from the passenger compartment. This action lowers the pressure slightly in the passenger compartment, which helps to pull in fresh air through vents in the cowl.