text:
Medline ® Abstracts for References 11-14
of 'Oral food challenges for diagnosis and management of food allergies'
Eosinophilic esophagitis: a 10-year experience in 381 children.
Liacouras CA, Spergel JM, Ruchelli E, Verma R, Mascarenhas M, Semeao E, Flick J, Kelly J, Brown-Whitehorn T, Mamula P, Markowitz JE
Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2005;3(12):1198.
BACKGROUND&AIMS: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a disorder characterized by a severe, isolated eosinophilic infiltration of the esophagus unresponsive to aggressive acid blockade but responsive to the removal of dietary antigens. We present information relating to our 10-year experience in children diagnosed with EoE.
METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study between January 1, 1994, and January 1, 2004, to evaluate all patients diagnosed with EoE. Clinical symptoms, demographic data, endoscopic findings, and the results of various treatment regimens were collected and evaluated.
RESULTS: A total of 381 patients (66% male, age 9.1 +/- 3.1 years) were diagnosed with EoE: 312 presented with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux; 69 presented with dysphagia. Endoscopically, 68% of patients had a visually abnormal esophagus; 32% had a normal-appearing esophagus despite a severe histologic esophageal eosinophilia. The average number of esophageal eosinophils (per 400 x high power field) proximally and distallywere 23.3 +/- 10.5 and 38.7 +/- 13.3, respectively. Corticosteroids significantly improved clinical symptoms and esophageal histology; however, upon their withdrawal, the symptoms and esophageal eosinophilia recurred. Dietary restriction or complete dietary elimination using an amino acid-based formula significantly improved both the clinical symptoms and esophageal histology in 75 and 172 patients, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Medications such as corticosteroids are effective; however, upon withdrawal, EoE recurs. The removal of dietary antigens significantly improved clinical symptoms and esophageal histology in 98% of patients.
Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. firstname.lastname@example.com
Oral food challenges in children with a diagnosis of food allergy.
Fleischer DM, Bock SA, Spears GC, Wilson CG, Miyazawa NK, Gleason MC, Gyorkos EA, Murphy JR, Atkins D, Leung DY
J Pediatr. 2011;158(4):578. Epub 2010 Oct 28.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome of oral food challenges in patients placed on elimination diets based primarily on positive serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) immunoassay results.
STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective chart review of 125 children aged 1-19 years (median age, 4 years) evaluated between January 2007 and August 2008 for IgE-mediated food allergy at National Jewish Health and who underwent an oral food challenge. Clinical history, prick skin test results, and serum allergen-specific IgE test results were obtained.
RESULTS: The data were summarized for food avoidance and oral food challenge results. Depending on the reason for avoidance, 84%-93% of the foods being avoided were returned to the diet after an oral food challenge, indicating that the vast majority of foods that had been restricted could be tolerated at discharge.
CONCLUSIONS: In the absence of anaphylaxis, the primary reliance on serum food-specific IgE testing to determine the need for a food elimination diet is not sufficient, especially in children with atopic dermatitis. In those circumstances, oral food challenges may be indicated to confirm food allergy status.
Department of Pediatrics, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA.
Does severity of low-dose, double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges reflect severity of allergic reactions to peanut in the community?
Hourihane JO, Grimshaw KE, Lewis SA, Briggs RA, Trewin JB, King RM, Kilburn SA, Warner JO
Clin Exp Allergy. 2005;35(9):1227.
BACKGROUND: The severity of allergic reactions to food appears to be affected by many interacting factors. It is uncertain whether challenge-based reactions reflect the severity of past reactions or can predict future risk.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship of a subject's clinical history of past reactions to the severity of reaction elicited by a low-dose, double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) with peanut.
METHOD: Cross-sectional questionnaire assessment of community-based allergic reactions and low-dose DBPCFC in self-selected peanut-allergic subjects. Reaction severity was assessed using a novel scoring system, taking account of the dose of allergen ingested.
RESULTS: Forty subjects (15 males, 23 children, 23 asthmatics by history) were studied. Only the most recent community reaction predicted the severity of reaction in the DBPCFC, but even this association was weak (r=0.37, P=0.03). Peanut-specific IgE (PsIgE) and skin prick test (SPT) weal size were not associated with community score but PsIgE level correlated well with the challenge score (r=0.6, P=0.001). Asthma did not affect the eliciting dose or challenge score directly but the association of PsIgE and challenge score was stronger in those without asthma (r=0.72, P=0.001) than in those with asthma (r=0.48, P=0.02).
CONCLUSIONS: The scoring system developed appears to improve the sensitivity of assessment of reactions induced by DBPCFC. This is the first prospective study showing an association between PsIgE levels and clinical reactivity in DBPCFC, an effect that is more pronounced in non-asthmatics. This finding has important implications for the clinical care of subjects with food allergy. There is a poor correlation between the severity of reported reactions in the community and the severity of reaction elicited during low-dose DBPCFC with peanut.
Allergy&Inflammation Research (Child Health), University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. email@example.com
Recurrent peanut allergy.
Busse PJ, Nowak-Wegrzyn AH, Noone SA, Sampson HA, Sicherer SH
N Engl J Med. 2002;347(19):1535.


text:
Social Media Weekend: Digital Life report from TNS
This is unbelievably great report to dig in this weekend. Digital Life, the most comprehensive study of the global digital consumer, ever. Digital Life provides recommendations on how to use digital channels to grow your business through a precise understanding of human behaviours and attitudes online.
Based on conversations with over 72,000 people in 60 countries, Digital Life's size, scale and detail make it the most comprehensive view of consumer attitudes and behaviour online, on a global and local level. Some snippets from the report:
- Of those who had bought a holiday in the previous 4 weeks, 86% thought the internet played a crucial or important role in the process.
- More than three quarters of those who had bought a PC stated the internet was similarly important.
- No less than 99% of our Chinese respondents said the internet played a role in their purchase of a PC and 98% a role in the purchase of a mobile phone.
- Concert tickets were bought by 85% and holidays by 71% of respondents in the survey across all countries.
- Almost three quarters (73%) of all respondents compared prices on white goods and well over two thirds compared prices on mobile phones, cars and televisions/DVD players.
You can browse the data on a special Digital Life minisite by country and you can also drill down by a product category. Or you can download an overview in a PDF file for easy reading.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Recent Posts
- Three obituaries: Mohammed Alpha Bah, Igolima Amachree and Svend Holsoe
- Convicted war criminal Guus Kouwenhoven on the run!
- Reopening of Kouwenhoven trial in the Netherlands
- Impunity in Africa
- 'Choosing The Hero – My improbable journey and the rise of Africa's first woman president' by K. Riva Levinson
Recent Comments
- Dr. Fred P.M. van der Kraaij on Kimmie Weeks and The New Liberia
- Aaron's Blog
- Blogs des expatriés au Libéria
- Building Markets Blogs
- Indiana University
- Jolié Liberia Blog
- Leo Platvoet's Blog (in Dutch)
- Liberia 101
- Liberia Maps 1830-1870
- Liberia Past and Present
- Liberia Travel Blogs, Photos and Forum
- Liberia77 – A photographic history
- Liberian History and Society
- Moved 2 Monrovia
- North of Nowhere
- Think Liberia
- TLC Africa
- Trial of Charles Taylor Blog
Category Archives: Sakui W.G. Malakpa
Liberia's national symbols (cont'd)
On May 31, I raised the question 'Liberia's national symbols – what happened to the national debate?'. Now, a month later, I must confess that I am inclined to answer this question with the tentative conclusion: 'Liberians are not interested'. … Continue reading
Posted in Abeodu Bowen Jones, Americo-Liberians, Ashmun, Bassa Cove, Buchanan, Decoration Day, Elwood Dunn, Flag Day, Independence Day, Independence Day Orator, James Monroe, JJ Roberts Day, Liberia, Liberia Colony, Liberian History, Liberian Studies Journal, Maryland in Africa, Matilda Newport, Matilda Newport Day, Mechlin, Mississippi in Africa, Monrovia, National Anthem, National flag, National Motto, National Seal, National Symbols, New Georgia, Pioneer's Day, Randall, Sakui W.G. Malakpa, Svend Holsoe, Tipoteh, Virginia, William R. Tolbert Jr. Leave a comment


text:
|Thread Tools
My daughter is entering grade one this year, and although we eat a mostly organic whole food diet, I sometimes allow her to eat things that are not the best food choices. For example, yesterday she went to a birthday party and she ate cake with bright pink icing (yum!).
I allow her to eat these things because I think that a little bit of give on the nutrition front will make her less desperate to eat these things all of the time. We talk a fair bit about what she needs to eat to make her body healthy. I am relatively comfortable with our diet the way it is.
However, after a binge of something like pink cake icing, I feel like I need to boost her body with something wholesome. Any suggestions for what this could be? Green juice? Vitamin C? I want her to be able to process the nasties in this food.
Tricia, mama of dd (6)
I think cleansing is not appropriate for children this young, at least the way we usually think of it. If she normally eats a healthy diet, her body should be able to process occasional junk with ease.
Did she actually "binge" on the pink icing, or did she just have a piece of cake with it? If it was the latter, then her normal diet should be the "wholesome" counterpoint to that. If she "binged", you may need to reevaluate how sufficient her diet is. Children need a lot of healthy fat, and if she isn't getting enough, she may crave high-fat foods like icing. Or, if she already has a carbohydrate heavy diet, she may be having some blood sugar swings that contribute to the desire to eat too many sweets.
I would definitely offer green juice and other high micro-nutrient foods, but also protein and fat. She may be having a growth spurt!
|Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Show Printable Version
Email this Page Email this Page
|Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off
Online Users: 18,008
|36 members and 17,972 guests
|agentofchaos , aparent , bananabee , Boodah'smama , contactmaya , CricketVS , danzergurl00 , delightedbutterfly , easydoesit , emmy526 , Fluffer , girlspn , happy-mama , Janeen0225 , kathymuggle , lab , Laurel83 , Leire Rodriguez , mckittre , Michele123 , mkat , moominmamma , NaturallyKait , NiteNicole , pokeyac , pulcetti , Radical_Softness , Ramona Barbosa , RollerCoasterMama , Saladd , shantimama , Sihaya , sren , Thatmom , zoeyzoo
|Most users ever online was 449,755, 06-25-2014 at 12:21 PM.


text:
The United States Christian Commission was an important agency of the Union during the American Civil War. It was designed to offer religious support, but also provided numerous social services and recreation to the soldiers of the U.S. Army. It provided Protestant chaplains and social workers, and collaborated with the U.S. Sanitary Commission in providing medical services.
The Christian Commission was created in response to the suffering from the disastrous First Battle of Bull Run. On November 14, 1861, the National Committee of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) called a convention which met in New York City. Leaders outlined work needed to support the soldiers, the outline for the United States Christian Commission, whose organization was completed next day. Two of the founding members were Vincent Colyer, who was appalled by the aftermath of the battle of Bull Run, and George Stuart, a well-to-do business man.
The YMCA and Protestant ministers formed the USCC. Volunteers were called delegates; some were seminary students but many were just concerned Christians. As civilians on the battlefield, they did not have weapons but were sustained by sharing the love of Christ with soldiers and sailors. Five thousand volunteer delegates served during the war. They distributed more than $6 million worth of goods and supplies in hospitals, camps, prisons and battlefields. The original plan of the USCC was to help the chaplains of the armed services in their daily work, as the chaplaincy program was in its infancy, with only some thirty members. They were quickly overwhelmed by the scale of battles and casualties, and especially by the rapidly increasing number of deaths due to wounds and more so to disease.
One famous USCC delegate was John Calhoun Chamberlain, a seminary student who served on Little Round Top at the Gettysburg battlefield. His brothers, Tom and Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain were fighting there with the 20th Maine Infantry.
Women also participated. A national movement started in May, 1864 with a view to organize a Ladies Christian Commission in each evangelical congregation of the North; these were auxiliary to the USCC. Increasing the network of collection, fundraising and support was the way the organization responded to meet a growing demand to serve the soldiers.
The USCC had continued to grow. More than three-quarters of the value of what it collected was distributed during 1864 and the four months of 1865. It represented both citizens' recognition of need, and a more efficient organization. The Ladies Christian Commission (LCC) played a critical role to this success. Louisa May Alcott was among many women who worked with the Commission. Others included Georgia McClellan, the sister of Jenny Wade, the only civilian killed at Gettysburg during the battle, and Sarah Emma Edmonds, who worked as a nurse (female, this time) after serving with the Union Army as a soldier, spy, and male nurse named "Franklin Thompson."


text:
"The Giver" is a solid film with a powerful story about what we are willing to sacrifice for security. Although the trailers make it appear that the film departs drastically from the source material, fans of the book should be relieved that aside from aging the characters from 12 to 16, there are few substantial changes, most of which serve to add a little more action in the final act.
That being said, "The Giver" lacks the action we've come to expect from these kinds of movies, and it instead asks the audience to think about and experience its story, and for that we don't need explosions or fights or extended chase sequences.
Even more so, "The Giver" doesn't have the feel of a young adult novel adaptation. It feels almost as if it's a low budget, high-brow drama which just happens to be based on a children's book, which I'm sure is partly due to the black-and-white filming.
"The Giver" doesn't have explosions or fancy action sequences, but it does give a solid film with wonderful visuals, solid acting and an award-winning story that is still as relevant today as it was in 1993.
The film is rated PG-13 for a mature thematic image and some sci-fi action/violence.
(This is a shortened version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)
Subscribe to our e-Edition and read the rest of the story. Already a subscriber? Click here to sign in.


text: GenMark Diagnostics, Inc. (NASDAQ:GNMK) today announced that it plans to release its third quarter 2011 earnings results before market open on Thursday, November 10, 2011. Management will hold a conference call to review the Company's third quarter 2011 performance starting at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) on the same day. The conference call will be concurrently webcast. The link to the webcast will be available on the GenMark Diagnostics, Inc. website at www.genmarkdx.com under the investor relations section and will be archived for future reference. To listen to the conference call, please dial (877) 312-5847 (US/Canada) or (253) 237-1154 (International) and use the conference ID number "23535246" approximately five minutes prior to the start time. About GenMark Diagnostics GenMark Diagnostics, a provider of automated, multiplex molecular diagnostic testing systems, detects and measures DNA and RNA targets to diagnose disease and to optimize the treatment of patients and is focused on developing and commercializing its eSensor detection technology. GenMark's XT-8 System is designed to support a broad range of molecular diagnostic tests with a compact and easy-to-use workstation and self-contained, disposable test cartridges. GenMark has developed six diagnostic tests for use with the XT-8 System, including its Cystic Fibrosis Genotyping Test, Warfarin Sensitivity Test and Thrombophilia Risk Test which have received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration.


text:
Submitted by Wangui Kimari on
by Wangui Kimari
There's lots of talk about the cultural ties that bind Brazil, the economic dynamo, to Africa, ancestral home to half Brazil's population and current source of much of its imports. However, "if this was a relationship premised on deep 'cultural affinity' as is often stated, Afrikan states would ask Brazil why Afro-Brazilians are consistently being killed by genocidal police/militarized forces."
Brazil-Afrikan State Collaborations and the Tokenization of "Cultural Affinity"
by Wangui Kimari
"Ninety percent of the Brazilian imports from Afrika are oil and other natural resources."
Much has been said about the vast increase in Brazil and Afrikan state collaborations, but perhaps not enough. Often these relationships, in many of their current iterations, are posited as South to South alliances that navigate away from the traditional/colonial exchanges of North/South (a geography depending on which genocidaire drew the map) that are the norm in so called international relations. These "norms" are emblematic of a "native" and "emperor" interaction as the latter, although with no legitimate clothes, has a plethora of violences that are ready to be dispensed at whim. For recent demonstrations of this violence see Mali, Haiti, Congo, Central African Republic, Somalia, Pakistan, Libya and an endless list of tyranny, betrayals and litanies for survival.
These Northern emperors (again with no real clothes) are now apparently somewhat appalled that they are no longer the main source of inspiration and sites of convergence for these two partners, Brazil and Afrika, who with "cultural affinity," supposedly, stride forth with each other towards novel destinies, ostensibly, free of China and Europe.
While I recognize the possibilities inherent in these South-South exchanges, and the sometimes courage in the face of, for example, AIDS, it is undeniable that the current state sanctioned political and economic partnerships energized, supposedly, by "cultural affinity," are in essence a tokenization of the Afrikan presence and struggle which originate on the continent, and that are central to the existence of what is now Brazil. These declarations of similarity are inane, especially in light of the fact that 90% of the Brazilian imports from Afrika are oil and other natural resources. Furthermore, the increase to 37 (from 17) Brazilian embassies on the continent in the last decade – political stations that are filled, principally, with white or white-passing bodies, rarely Afrikan – does not do much to support this much heralded kinship.
"These declarations of similarity are inane."
If this was really a partnership of fellows it would entail a much more powerful and incisive interrogation of Afrikan survival (and not just Afrikan "survivals") in both of these locations. And if such an intentional process were to be the basis of any interaction, Brazil would ask Afrikan states why their citizens are dying from the same afflictions, capitalism provoked and exacerbated, 500 + years since many of them were taken away. In addition, there would be questions about why Afrikan bodies in Brazil and in other parts of the diaspora are not often remembered and valorized in ceremonies and curricula on the continent. Above all, we would on the continent need to respond to questions about why we have not striven to collectively create a consistent consciousness directed towards remembering, responsibility and action to remedy the fissures and pains that result(ed) from these intended separations.
If it was so, if this cultural affinity was really taken seriously, Afrikans on the continent would also ceaselessly remember Haiti and its (endless) revolution and know that Haiti, Jamaica, Brazil, Trinidad, Martinique, Guyana, Grenada and wherever else Afrika has been forced to relocate, are us.
In turn, if this was a relationship premised on deep "cultural affinity" as is often stated, Afrikan states would ask Brazil why Afro-Brazilians are consistently being killed by genocidal police/militarized forces (see some info on this here and here ). We would also question what pride of Blackness is at all conveyed in the white supremacist soap operas that Brazil exports to our continent; TV programs where Black is rarely seen unless it is in the plantation, kitchen or the sexual (ized) encounter. Furthermore, we would agitate and inquire about why Afrikans in Brazil are still the poorest, the first killed by police, and require affirmative action policies to go to university in this "racial democracy" that is now singing about its "cultural affinity" with the continent.
In addition, the often horrific treatment of continental born Afrikans who live in Brazil (see some info here and also "Retaking the Middle Passage: Glimpses of a Modern African Diaspora in Brazil") challenges these declarations of kinship. In contrast, this behaviour shows that for all of this talk of cultural proximity the real motivation of these alliances is a capital which perpetuates already established colonial relationships in the landscape, and therefore necessitates a tokenized celebration of Afrikan culture(s). This is indisputable for, after the final transactions, where does the money from these Brazil and Afrikan state ventures go if not into European/American banks?
"We would agitate and inquire about why Afrikans in Brazil are still the poorest, the first killed by police."
Rather, these present political and economic meanderings (re) organized by Afrikan states and Brazil propel us further into the machinations that jeopardize Afrikan existence. Look at the violences brought about by Brazilian mining companies in Mozambique (also see here), and study the images that are channelled from Brazil to Afrika and you will recognize immediately that the powerful and potential longstanding links that are enduring are disregarded in the interest of coal, diamonds and oil; all of which belie the importance of this celebrated "cultural affinity."
As is evident, these heralded alliances do not, in any significant way, differ from the capital of Europe/America. Rather, they are a tokenization of what could – if it were people to people – be a real powerful link; one that is demanded, not only from the powerful Black echoes from the bottom of sea and all around us, but are exigencies that are required for all of our Afrikan liberations and the healing, survival and resistances intrinsic to these freedoms.
At present, it is hard to see whether these political and economic alliances pursued and energized by a "cultural advantage" are anything different from the violent status quo that is many of our Afrikan lives. While even sometimes posited as Brazil paying its "debt" back to Africa, we must not be convinced that these recent Brazil and Afrikan state exchanges are fully interested in the implications of what Afrikan solidarity requires. Therefore in the name of "cultural affinity" that goes beyond these state sanctioned veneers, we must challenge these tokenizations and seek each other, people–people, through different relationships that actually do prioritize our survival.
Wangui Kimari is a native of Kenya living in Toronto, Canada. She is an organizer with the Bunge la Mwananchi/ the Peoples Parliament, in Kenya and with the Network for Pan-Afrikan Solidarity, in Canada. She can be contacted at [email protected].


text:
2004-2007 Cadillac CTS-V Performance Mods Discussion, Quick help on a couple of items-please! in Cadillac CTS-V Series Forum - 2004 - 2007; I'm on an 8 day racing event (check out another post on "Representing the V community on 2011 One Lap ...
- 04-30-11 04:29 PM #1Cadillac Owners Member
- Automobile(s): 2005 CTS-V
- Join Date
- Jul 2010
- Location
- Lynchburg, VA
- Posts
- 53
Quick help on a couple of items-please!
I'm on an 8 day racing event (check out another post on "Representing the V community on 2011 One Lap of America") and need a little help.
1. Got an error code, P0171 during the Autocross. Reader says the the fuel was lean. I'm running a Maggie but have never seen this before. Any experience?
2. One of my Tire Pressure Senors is out and I can't get into Competitive Driving Mode or even turn off the Stability System completely. Only thing I can do is turn off Traction COntrol. Can I pull a fuse and disable Stability without other adverse effects?
We are on the road all night with little internet but I can get email more easily. Please reply to email@example.com if you have some advice.
Re: Quick help on a couple of items-please!
Only thing I can think of is to find a tire shop whenever you can and have them removed. After about 30-40 miles of no reading, the system shuts off and you can get your full range of settings back. When getting them removed, mail them home...
Re: Quick help on a couple of items-please!
Yeah, don`t keep the sensors in your car or they`ll still read
Regarding lean code, I`m praying your maggie break a pump hiccuped and didn`t shut down on you. Has it come back?
Re: Quick help on a couple of items-please!
I was at Summit Point today and met V-Therapy. He's got a full-size spare, with a TPMS in it, so he sync'd with that and AFAIK was good to go on that front. (I didn't stick around for the afternoon runs, but as of lunch time he said he had been able to get all 4 to sync).
He was running hard in the morning, so I have to assume the lean thing was just a hiccup.'05 Stealth Grey CTS-V, 19x8.5/10" CCW T140s with Toyo Proxes T1 Sports (summer), black Team Dynamics ProRace 1.2 wheels with 275/35-18 R-compounds (track), Hyperblack Rota Torques (winter), KW Variant3s, V2 front brakes, Hotchkis rear sway bar, EPS cam, TEA-ported 243 heads, FAST92 intake w/LS2 TB, JBA Camaro/G8 1-3/4" shorty headers w/JBA cat pipes, Corsa exhaust, UUC motor and tranny mounts, UUC shifter, MAPerformance trailing arms, Specter cradle bushings, etc...
Re: Quick help on a couple of items-please!
You only had that one code not the p0174 as well? I am running two pumps instead of the magnavolt...one inline and one stock intank....I too am getting that p0171 code...I hope someone can chime in to figure it out...was your car ever dyno tuned?


text:
U.S. exhibition delves into murders of Mexican women
By Jon Hurdle
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - In the middle of a West Philadelphia art gallery, a sculpture of a naked woman lies on a low plinth.
The three-foot-long figure by Philadelphia artist Arlene Love is missing its right arm and leg and has a huge gash running the length of its leather-covered torso, along the side of its throat and ending near the right ear.
The gruesome effigy entitled Beverly is part of an exhibit that epitomizes the violence done to women in Juarez, Mexico, where at least 700 women have been murdered since the 1990s in a wave of often sexual violence that is highlighted by the Philadelphia show.
Ni Una Mas or "Not One More", in the Leonard Pearlstein Gallery at Drexel University, uses painting, sculpture, photography and other media to draw attention to the savage killings of hundreds of women in the U.S.-Mexico border city that is better known to the outside world for its drug-related violence.
"The aim is to encourage others to action and to open their eyes, and their minds and their hearts to this poignant situation in Juarez," said Abbie Dean, a co-curator of the exhibit that runs until July 16.
Works in the exhibit include "Heal", by Yoko Ono. It consists of a 20-foot-wide plain canvas sheet covered with gashes and rips. Viewers are invited to repair the fabric with needle and thread on an adjacent table, in a gesture intended to symbolize the need for healing after many years of violence.
On a pink-painted wall nearby, hundreds of embroidered name tapes commemorate the victims. The tapes have been made by some 1,900 volunteers in 27 countries. The meticulous nature of embroidery represents the care shown by the volunteers toward the dead women, said the Norwegian artist Lise Linnert.
In the center of the exhibition floor there is a translucent banner in which an image of a police badge is superimposed on many reports of the murders, an image designed to show official inaction or even complicity with the killings, the organizers say. Continued...


text:
One of First in IT Industry to Provide Service
CO - SEPTEMBER 04, 2003 - Windows & .NET Magazine Network®, a
Penton Media property, announced the launch of their content
syndication program, designed to share their feature-rich technology
content with sites that are not large enough to produce their own
"Our content syndication program is a great opportunity
for sites without the means to produce their own content to make their
sites more robust," said Kim Paulsen, publisher. "It also benefits us
by pulling more viewers onto our sites, and making them aware of all
the information that the Windows & .NET Magazine Network® offers."
content syndication program is a free service that allows Web managers
to add Windows & .NET Magazine Network® news headlines to their
sites. The manager can select the topic(s) of content wanted for their
own site, along with the number of feeds desired. These headlines
refresh automatically as new content is posted on Windows & .NET
Magazine Network's sites.
The content syndication program makes information available from the published Windows & .NET Magazine, the news site www.wininformant.com
and all of the Network's email newsletters and Web sites. The content
syndication program was launched in early July. Windows & .NET
Magazine Network® is one of the first in the IT industry to provide the
"We've designed the program to be user-friendly, so
site managers can create a fully customized site with ease," said
Paulsen. "We set up the program so that it takes a minimum amount of
time on the Web master's part to make use of our content syndication
program on their site. The response to our program has been tremendous."
To access the content syndication program, visit: http://www.winnetmag.com/aboutus/index.cfm?action=affiliates.
published in 1995, Windows & .NET Magazine is the editorial leader
in its field. Since its inception it has grown into an information
network that includes the magazine, three print newsletters, 14
direct-request email newsletters, Web sites and in-person events such
as Web seminars, road shows, trade shows and conferences. The magazine
has a paid subscription base of 102,000; over 1 million IT
professionals are reached through the Windows & .NET Magazine
Network® every month. The magazine is published in 13 languages and has
an international reach into 160 countries.
Penton Media (OTCBB:PTON - News) is a diversified business-to-business
media company that produces market-focused magazines, trade shows and
conferences, and online media. Penton's integrated media portfolio
serves the following industries: aviation; design/engineering;
electronics; food/retail; government/compliance; Internet/information
technology; leisure/hospitality; manufacturing; mechanical
systems/construction; natural products; and supply chain.
For more information, visit www.winnetmag.com/pressroom/ and www.penton.com.


text:
Now the only state that doesn't allow information to be scanned from drivers' licenses, Nebraska may soon let store clerks do more than just look at them when selling alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets.
On Monday, state lawmakers gave first-round approval to a bill (LB261) that would allow retailers to electronically scan the bar codes on the backs of state-issued drivers' licenses to determine buyers' ages. Supporters say it will make it easier for clerks to ensure they don't sell to kids. Opponents worry that residents would lose control of personal information that could be used to take advantage of them.
"There's more and more information out there on us, it's scary," said Sen. Dave Pankonin of Louisville, who recalled a major data breach last year that required a bank where he is a board member to issue new debit cards to customers.
Supporters won out, saying that in an age where people regularly dump personal information into minicomputers by using debit cards and the like, it doesn't make sense that Nebraska is the only state where basic information can't be taken from licenses.
State Sen. Galen Hadley of Kearney counted nine cards in his wallet that can be swiped or scanned.
"I have no idea what information is on the back of that strip, but we know what information is on the back of the driver's license," he said.
Currently, only the courts and police can swipe drivers' licenses. But the only information that is revealed is already visible on the front of the cards, said the director of the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
Under federal law, the DMV isn't allowed to release drivers' license numbers, addresses and the like, director Beverly Neth said. The state legislation would allow retailers to gather only drivers' ages and license numbers, Neth said. They would be trusted not to take more of the information, such as addresses, and use it in illegal ways, such as marketing products.
Neth said that could be risky.
"You're only supposed to store two bits of information," she said. "But sitting in front them is a bunch of information about a person. We're putting a lot of trust in retailers."
One benefit to retailers, said the senator who introduced the bill, is that they would not have to calculate customers' ages because scanning the license bar codes will give them that instead of the dates customers were born.
Sen. Kent Rogert of Tekamah also said the bill would allow licenses to be scanned when checks are used, reducing the likelihood that stolen checks would be accepted.
Nebraska Bill Would Let Stores Scan Driver's Licenses
Now the only state that doesn't allow information to be scanned from drivers' licenses, Nebraska may soon let store clerks do more than just look at them when selling alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets.


text: Fans celebrate and donate as Benedict Cumberbatch's birthday trends on Twitter Charity donations, messages and ridiculous Sherlock pictures poured in as #HappyBirthdayBenedictCumberbatch trended worldwide ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW By Paul Jones Saturday 19 July 2014 at 11:43AM So an actor had a birthday. Not even a milestone birthday, like 50. Not even a round number. He turned 38. Big deal, right? Except we all know things are a little bit different in the world of Benedict Cumberbatch – and after all, thousands of fans can't be wrong, can they...? #HappyBirthdayBenedictCumberbatch was trending on Twitter – in the UK and around the world – today as the Sherlock star notched up another year on the planet. Fans celebrated by donating tens of thousands of pounds to charities (including The Prince's Trust via a page set up by fan forum Cumberbatchweb) and, of course, by posting stuff like this... #HappyBirthdayBenedictCumberbatch pic.twitter.com/IJiMcGlP1x — Irene Adler (@The_Whip_Hand) July 19, 2014 #HappyBirthdayBenedictCumberbatch pic.twitter.com/1yIExfnSr6 — Elsa Chang (@ElsaSketch) July 19, 2014 Wishing the star of our app Benedict Cumberbatch Happy Birthday! #Sherlock #Cumberbirthday #jointhenetwork #221back pic.twitter.com/zKazBlii8g — Sherlock The Network (@sherlocknetwork) July 19, 2014 "Yeah! And he's only 38 years old!" Happy 38th Birthday, Benebict! #HappyBirthdayBenedictCumberbatch pic.twitter.com/mWR4lPskTA — сексуашка Эн'22|DIET (@seksuash) July 19, 2014 i can't believe this dork is 38 oh my god #HappyBirthdayBenedictCumberbatch pic.twitter.com/t5s3A2FVbV — HAPPY BIRTHDAY BENNY (@supremekatic) July 19, 2014 continue reading


text:
[Date Index]
[Thread Index]
[Author Index]
How complete a TeX system is Mathematica?
I'm writing a textbook and I am wondering whether it can be done
entirely in Mathematica. I have always used Scientific Workplace, but
I am now fed up with all the annoying things in it.
Can someone point me to an example of a book written in Mathematica?
Also, is there support for BibTeX?
Many thanks in advance,


text:
So Governor-elect Brian Schweitzer thinks you can build a better mousetrap, does he? He's right about some of you. On Nov. 22, the Schweitzer team launched a "Good Ideas" website (ideas.mt.gov) where anyone with a brainstorm—or a hare-brained scheme—can submit ideas for how to improve government. The site, says transition communications director Sarah Elliott, has been flooded with submissions—roughly 100 each week since its launch. A few of those ideas, she says, have already been implemented. One morning, in fact, Elliott read an idea and it was so good and so simple that she implemented it that very same day. The suggestor had encouraged the governor's office to post news releases on the governor's online calendar. Done.
We wanted to see what else the citizenry was suggesting and, upon request, Elliott forwarded the site's first 25 submissions—names omitted—to the Independent. Along with the good ideas are the inevitable frustrations, pontifications and disclaimers ("I have no personal business interest in this matter"). Many submissions also include ingratiating exclamations—"Congratulations on your victory (phew!)"—reminiscent of Lazlo Toth's 1970s letters imploring President Nixon to "Fight! Fight! Fight!" And naturally, brainstorms being what they are, there are ideas that snowball into two- and even three-for-one bonus suggestions. One tidy Montana resident with a healthy appetite for collecting garbage writes, "I've spent many weekends cleaning up Highway 93, by myself." The highest litter fine in Montana that doesn't involve human excrement is $500—for launching lighted material, like cigarettes, out of a vehicle. But this anti-litter advocate believes Montana's fines aren't nearly steep enough. "I think a $1,000 fine would be appropriate, and the offender should have to pick up liter [sic] for one week." (In Montana, tossing urine or feces from your car can already garner that $1,000 ticket.)
Then comes the snowball: "In fact…why not burn garbage for fuel and save on resources." Another submitter takes a strong stand against killing wild horses and urban sprawl. The contributor complains that "we are losing 'The Country Life.'…I am just trying to point out the value of nature." Then, a curious admission: "I can see here in New Jersey the impact of urban sprawl, as we call it here." Hmmm. Is Jersey's "Good Ideas" site not yet up and running? At any rate, the same submitter appears to be actively looking out for Montanans, promising to "research more about the concerns of ranchers." Um, Thanks?
While some submissions have a decidedly personal touch—"Dear Brian," begins one—Elliott says she doubts people are under the impression that the governor-to-be is reading through every single missive. Currently, Elliott says, one transition staff member reads submissions daily. Promising ideas are presented at staff meetings, where Schweitzer is present. Good thing, because more than one submission concludes with a gracious invitation to Schweitzer to get in touch if he'd like more information. One closer: "I would gladly welcome the chance to discuss these issues at greater length." And further discussions between Schweitzer and idea-generators are possible if the idea is seriously under consideration.
Elliott says it's fair to say that the "Good Ideas" website was itself a good idea. ("We certainly don't think we can think of everything," she says.) And whose idea was that? She credits Schweitzer and staffers Jan Lombardi and George Parisot. The website also includes a mini-survey about how well the submission process works—ideas for perfecting the "Good Ideas" site. Got an idea of your own? (Sure ya do.) Visit ideas.mt.gov and let 'em have it.


text:
When it comes to spotting the signs of termite damage, time is of the essence; otherwise, your entire home could fall into disrepair within one or two days. But how do you know what counts as termite damage? How do you tell it from the simple aging signs of homes?
Here are some of the most common signs of termite damage that help you quickly spot termites as the culprit and get you to act fast in their extermination:
One of the first signs of a termite infestation is the appearance of tunnels on wooden surfaces. These tunnels are created by termites chewing their way in and out of homes. Sometimes, there will be mud, soil, and feces along the tunnels to retain the moisture termites need to survive. You should be able to identify them by their thin, irregular shape.
If you see large holes and craters in firewood piles and tree stumps, they are clear signs of termite damage. Take it a step further by pressing on the wood; if it crumbles, termites were definitely the cause.
What most people don't realize is that even if wood looks solid and whole on the outside, termites usually devour structures from within. This is why it's important to test the surface of suspected termite-damaged areas rather than simply looking over it to determine their presence.
Subterranean termites, or termites that dwell in the ground, need to stay in areas with high levels of moisture, which is why infestations can sometimes reek of mold or mildew. If you start experiencing water damage and tunnels visible in the walls near bathrooms or sinks, these are probably signs of subterranean termites.
Painted walls, ceilings, or floors with buckling paint are additional signs of termite damage. This occurs when termites invade the wood and push the paint up. Likewise, buckling paint may have small holes where termites break through to reach the wood.
Of course, the most tell-tale sign of termite damage is the appearance of actual termites. Both subterranean and drywood termites resemble ants, only larger with white, translucent bodies and longer antennae. Adult termites will also have wings which are used for traveling between colonies for mating purposes. Swarms are most likely to occur during warmer temperatures and heavy rain.
Remember, if you see any of the above signs of termite damage, there's a good chance the damage has already spread. Contact a local pest exterminator to have your entire home evaluated by a professional who can device a termite control plan to keep your home's foundation standing strong


text:
Embracing Justice the Right Way
By Reject Apathy
May 10, 2011
At RELEVANT, we've recognized the movement of a generation restless to change the world. A generation anxious to use the abundance God has blessed them with to be a blessing to others. RejectApathy.com was borne out of that desire—a desire to live out true compassion and to embrace justice the right way. Reject Apathy is a voice for the movement—a place where like-minded world-changers can connect, dialogue and challenge one another as we work to affect change locally and globally.
Reject Apathy is focused on five key areas. Each represents a part of our "whole-life ethic"-an ethic that believes every life is created by God, has a purpose and should be given an opportunity to live fully. Each of the five key areas address barriers that stand in the way of this opportunity
Loss of Innocents: Rape. Child soldiers. Sex trafficking. Abortion. Slavery. The innocent and their innocence are stolen and destroyed around the world every day. Lending our voice to theirs can bring justice. Supporting victims for the long haul can bring healing.
Creation Care: From deforestation to coal mining, climate change and our interaction with the earth have severely impacted the poorest of the poor and their ability to survive. Paying attention to our lifestyle and how that affects the environment as well as facilitating sustainable agriculture globally can go far in lessening our negative impact on the earth and its inhabitants.
Preventable Disease: Today, HIV, malaria, measles, tuberculosis, pneumonia and diarrhea—all completely preventable diseases—will kill tens of thousands around the world. But there is hope. These diseases can be stopped—and it can be done in our lifetime.
Poverty: It's about more than money—poverty is a lack of dignity. And true restoration will take more than a simple donation. Our hearts and our daily lives must become attuned to the poor—globally and locally. We must see how our lives impact theirs and seek sustainable solutions.
Violence: The effects of violence—through unjust war, rape, abuse and torture—on the vulnerable are vast and devastating. We can become advocates for the voiceless victim—a light in one of humanity's darkest places.
Besides focusing on these key areas of justice, we want to highlight organizations and practices that are effective, so we can all get involved and be part of the solution. We're very aware that our help can sometimes hurt. There are plenty of moments in history when people tried—with the best possible motives—to come to the aid of the poor or the hurting, and instead damaged a culture or enabled a cycle of dependence. With that always prayerfully in mind, Reject Apathy has adopted these core values to guide our content and help us choose what we spotlight.
Sustainability. While immediate compassion and in-the-moment generosity are sometimes what God asks of us, the long-term solutions for huge global issues must be rooted in sustainable development. Micro-loans, education, agricultural stewardship—these practices and others will help create lasting change for years to come.
Local involvement and leadership. We don't have all the answers—it's arrogant to think we do. Partnerships—especially partnerships with the local church—are key. Enduring change will only come when we listen to nationals, give leadership to locals and work together for a viable solution. We all have much to learn from each other.
A faith focus. A full belly and a bursting wallet are not enough if there's spiritual emptiness. Social action only works coupled with faith. We believe true, holistic renewal is rooted in Christ.
Financial transparency. Effective stewardship is a virtue. As such, we believe in being transparent with how and where money is allocated—with the hope that as much money as possible is dedicated to work done in the field.
A long-term view. Educating children—from birth through adulthood—must be a central tenet to any social engagement. Generational cycles of poverty, war and slavery are not broken overnight. They are broken through the training of a new generation—one dedicated to God and His desires for their lives and communities.
Reject Apathy is the voice of a generation desiring to authentically live out a radical faith—to live differently, through service, simplicity and sacrifice. To be known for peace, and for sharing God's love in a tangible way. To have our priorities line up with the heart of God, which, Scripture shows us repeatedly, is His creation, His children and the "least of these."
The following pages are glimpses into what is being done worldwide to address these five areas of justice. The organizations and ideas presented are intended to inspire, challenge and convict. You'll find opportunities to engage in world change, as well as encouragement to invest time and energy locally. You'll see examples of miraculous forgiveness and the hope available through education. Our prayer for the stories and ideas here—and those at RejectApathy.com—is that they'll help you see it is possible to change the world. It is possible to make a difference. It is possible to reject apathy.
Recommended For YouView More in Reject Apathy
Most Popular
Latest Slices
- > Watch Navy SEAL's Widow Carryn Owens Receive a Standing Ovation During Trump's Speech
- > The New 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' Trailer Is Here, and It's Awesome
- > Ukraine's 'StopFake' TV Show Only Features Fake News to Help Fight Fake News
- > Legendary Gameshow Host Marc Summers Discusses Mental Illness in Documentary About His Life
- > Watch Tim Tebow Tell Mets Reporters Why He Doesn't Want to Be Known as an Athlete


text:
- log in
- account
Customer Experience Predictions For 2014
Posted by Harley Manning on January 31, 2014
- 28 Recommendations
- 0 comments
My colleague John Dalton and I recently published a report outlining our major predictions for customer experience in the coming year. What we envision is perhaps best summed up by the old William Gibson quote: "The future is already here, it's just not evenly distributed."
Here's why: As I wrote in a recent post, roughly half of the attendees at Forrester's three customer experience forums in 2013 said that their organizations are in the first phase of the path to CX maturity (repair). Their priority is — and for the immediate future will remain — finding and fixing broken experiences.
A much smaller group of companies — no more than 10% — say that their organizations are in the ultimate phase of CX maturity (differentiate). In contrast with companies in the repair phase, they'll build on their past success with well-funded efforts that leverage their skills in strategy, customer understanding, and design.
With that as background, we predict that two major themes will deserve the most attention in the coming year.
Companies in the repair phase will fight to advance along the path to customer experience maturity. Companies just starting to fix their broken experiences will find themselves in a struggle that's hard, slow, and increasingly costly. They'll focus on getting key infrastructure in place to assess what's broken, manage a portfolio of repair projects, and measure the results they need to build enterprisewide support for CX.
Their investments in customer experience will increase but not skyrocket. Where will they invest their larger but sill limited budgets? Mostly on solutions that help identify problematic experiences, like tools that support voice of the customer programs. The result: Their organizations will become systematic at ridding themselves of the worst problems plaguing their customers, but for the most part, they'll still do business in a way that creates new problems. That means they'll improve steadily but not make the great leaps forward needed to challenge CX leaders.
Differentiated firms will commit big dollars to re-engineering their customer experience ecosystems. The customer experience elite won't miss out on the fact that competitors are trying to close the experience gap and disrupt their competitive advantage. We expect leaders like Target, JetBlue Airways, and Amazon.com to make eight-figure investments in an effort to surge forward, with emphasis on integrating online and offline experiences.
For example, Apple made news in 2013 by stealing Angela Ahrendts, former Burberry chief executive officer, to head up the firm's retail business. Smart move. During Ahrendts' tenure at the luxury fashion icon, Burberry invested hundreds of millions in redesigning stores and digitizing experiences to better match its customers' perceptions of the brand. With now more than 16 million followers on Facebook and steady growth in eCommerce sales, Burberry hit £1 billion in sales for the first time, halfway through 2013. That's why we expect Apple's retail experience to get a serious makeover in 2014 — and others to follow the example.
We'll also see customer experience leaders upgrade their organizational structures. Experience-obsessed Zappos.com recently announced that it will embrace a "holacratic" organization — no managers, no titles, no hierarchy — to give already-customer-obsessed employees even greater flexibility in their daily decision-making. In 2014, these kinds of experiments will go viral, as even well-established firms like Office Depot, Eli Lilly, and Wal-Mart explore flatter, more responsive organizational structures in an effort to build more responsive CX ecosystems.
If you'd like to see the rest of our CX predictions for 2014, check out our new report. And in the meantime, we'd love to hear what you think will happen in the coming year — so please leave us your comments!
Search Forrester's Blogs
Predictions 2017
The dynamics that will shape the future in the age of the customer »
Free Webinar
Planning for innovation and risk in the wake of Brexit »
Forrester's CX Index
Predict how actions to improve CX will affect revenue performance.
Measure the customer experiences that matter most »
Analyst Blogs
- Adele Sage (22)
- Allegra Burnette (7)
- Amit Bhatia (3)
- Daniel Brousseau (1)
- Danielle Travaglini (2)
- Fatemeh Khatibloo (1)
- Fiona Adler (1)
- Fred Giron (2)
- Harley Manning (104)
- Joana van den Brink-Quintanilha (3)
- Jonathan Browne (23)
- Kara Hoisington (3)
- Keith Coe (2)
- Kerry Bodine (77)
- Laura Garvin Tramm (1)
- Leah Buley (1)
- Margaret Rodriguez (1)
- Maxie Schmidt-Subramanian (29)
- Michael Barnes (2)
- Michael Gazala (3)
- Moira Dorsey (5)
- Nicole Dvorak (1)
- Qaalfa Dibeehi (1)
- Riccardo Pasto (2)
- Rick Parrish (29)
- Ron Rogowski (30)
- Roxana Strohmenger (2)
- Ryan Hart (9)
- Sam Stern (24)
- Thomas Husson (1)
- TJ Keitt (9)
- Tom Champion (1)
- Tom McCann (3)
- Tony Costa (11)
Top Categories
- Customer Experience (69)
- Customer Experience Forum (46)
- Outside In (32)
- banking (10)
- Customer Experience Leadership (8)
- Chief Customer Officer (7)
- Healthcare (7)
- Customer Experience Strategy (6)
- Customer Experience Forum EMEA (5)
- Automotive (4)
- See all
- October 2016 (1)
- July 2016 (1)
- June 2016 (1)
- March 2016 (1)
- July 2015 (3)
- December 2014 (1)
- October 2014 (3)
- September 2014 (2)
- August 2014 (4)
- June 2014 (3)
- May 2014 (1)
- April 2014 (1)
- March 2014 (1)
- See all


text:
Help Needed - Rebuilding a Darling amplifier power supply
hi folks! i want to rebuild a Darling amplifier power supply.
here you see the original one...
i want to replace the Zener diodes by using stabilizer tubes. I have a lot of 0a3,0b3, 0c3 and 0d3 available. the reason i want to do this is ti have a more spectecualr look.
Is it possibel to usa a 0C3 and 0D3 in series? How to calc. the necessary resistor so that tthe tube/valve will work properly?
Many thanks
picture is too small, can't read anything ...
look here please... Bilder-Upload - Kostenlos Fotos hochladen und ins Netz stellen
If it's only for the looks,let the circuit as it is.The stabilisertubes will glow with a series resistor connected on the capacitor just after the rectifier.They only need 5mA.
In principle you could series string OB3 (90V) + OD3 (150V) and change 10K to 3.3K to get 10mA - 5mA is data-sheet minimum but my experience is that these neon stabilizers need at least 10mA to be happy.
However you may not have enough voltage to ignite them - it takes 300V+ and I estimate you have only 275V or so ... they may fire up, or not if mains voltage is low. The problem is when they don't fire, the output of your regulator will be equal to the input voltage i.e. 275V. Not good ...
You could possibly replace just one of the zeners e.g. the 110v by OC3. If you keep the 10K R it will not get enough current. 3.3K again gives you 10mA but now the 140v zener will dissipate 1.4W. Can it take that ?
In any case if you used neon stabis don't forget to replace the 50uF cap with 50nF ! >They oscillate when bypassed by more than 0.1uF.
|All times are GMT. The time now is 05:23 PM.
vBulletin Optimisation provided by vB Optimise (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Copyright ©1999-2017 diyAudio


text:
With an international airport designed by Santiago Calatrava and direct flights to international destinations such as Amsterdam and Munich, Bilbao is an excellent springboard for getting to know unforgettable cities.
Here are some of our suggestions:
Getxo and fishing villages
Just 20 minutes from Bilbao you will find a lovely residential area near the sea. With stately mansions from the early 20th century; the extraordinary Hanging Bridge (Puente Colgante), which is a UNESCO world heritage site; and the Old Port, a picturesque fishing port painted in bright colours.
Continuing along the coast you will reach Mundaka beach, known worldwide by surf lovers for its waves, and charming fishing villages such as Bermeo, Elantxobe or Lekeitio. It is unlikely you have tasted fish this fresh.
Distance by car: approximately 1 1/4 hours
San Sebastian and southern France
Along with Bilbao, San Sebastian has the most Michelin stars outside of France. It is a lovely and chic coastal city.
When you cross the border, be sure not to miss majestic Biarritz, where you can enjoy a day of shopping and the beach. St. Jean de Luz, a charming and bucolic fishing village where you can enjoy a pleasant meal outdoors and a walk along the port, is located nearby.
Distance by car: approximately 1 hour to San Sebastian, 1 1/2 hours to France
Discover the world of wine
We are located in a privileged position for learning about the fascinating world of wine. Nearby Haro and the Rioja Alavesa region offer a wide range of possibilities for discovering one of the leading Denominations of Origin in the world.


text: The 5th Annual David Good Memorial Blood Drive will be held at the West Bloomfield Fire Department, County Road 37, on Saturday, April 21, 8:00 am - 1:00 pm. You may be eligible to give blood if you are in general good health, weigh at least 110 pounds and are 17 or older (16 with signed parental permission, form available at drives). Log on to www.RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) to schedule an appointment to give. (Walk-ins are welcome, appointments are suggested).


text:
Forest Heights, MD, USA < change city >
DJs (58)
Florists (53)
Caterers (49)
Wedding Day Beauty (48)
Cakes (41)
Bands (36)
Coordinators (31)
Limos (25)
Wedding Fashion (24)
Invitations (24)
Officiants (11)
Rentals (11)
Videographers (10)
Decorations (10)
Ceremony Musicians (10)
Ceremony Sites (379)
Reception Sites (276)
See All Vendors >
OXON HILL WEDDING IN OCTOBEROctober, 2008 in Oxon Hill
We'll email them to see if they can answer your question.Requires Login
You must log in before you can send this couple a question. Log in here.
If you do not have an account, you can register a new account here.
We do this to ensure that the couple does not get emailed needlessly.
Ceremony: Oxon Hill Manor
Reception: Wedding and Reception
Requires Login
You must log in before you can save anything to your wedding notebook Log in here.
If you do not have an account, you can register a new account here.
- Band: Lace Music
- Florist: Wisteria Florals
- Caterer: TeaTime Delicacies
- Invitations Vendor: Magnet Street Weddings
- Coordinator: Monumental Events
- Ceremony: Oxon Hill Manor
- Reception: Wedding and Reception
Lace Music5500 Munsey Pl
Centreville, VA, United States
"Wonderful to work with, easy to work with and they have live music and dj's"
TeaTime Delicacies5623 Point Roundtop Ct
Burke, VA, United States
"Ruth is AMAZING. She and her staff are on top of everything and so great to work with!"
Monumental EventsOxon Hill, MD, USA
"Stacey is great to work with. Calm and assertive is exactly what I needed."
Wisteria FloralsDanewood Dr
Alexandria, VA, United States
"Beautiful Flowers and very nice to work with!"
Invitations Vendor:
Magnet Street WeddingsBlaine, MN, USA
"They have an amazing selection and will work with you to get you anything and everything you want!"
Oxon Hill Manor6901 Oxon Hill Rd
Fort Washington, MD 20745, US
"The Staff at Oxon Hill deserve 5 stars for being amazing and great to work with. They were so accommodating and work with me on my rainy day!"
Wedding and Reception6901 Oxon Hill Rd
Fort Washington, MD 20745, US


text:
Reading the Friend with Mom
Brian R., age 7, Utah
I really like that my mom reads the Friend with me at night before I go to bed. It helps me sleep better. I used to have nightmares, but the Friend has helped me because of the good stories that are inside.
A Best Friend
Sarah E., age 8, Virginia
Sometimes on Sunday I like to play on the Friend Web site. I like to take the surveys. I think the Friend is like a best friend.
Praying in the Backyard
Dallin J., age 3, Utah
I was having a picnic in the backyard with my family. We had been learning about how Joseph Smith prayed in the Sacred Grove. I went to the trees in our backyard and said a prayer to Heavenly Father too.
Reading the Friend
Cacie W., age 11, Idaho
I like reading the Friend. My favorite parts of the magazine are Trying to Be Like Jesus and Friends by Mail. I like seeing how other people try to be like Jesus, and I follow their examples sometimes. I also like doing the hidden pictures. They are so fun!
Was there a letter or a story in this month's issue that helped you? Tell us about it. Turn to
Illustration by Julie F. Young


text:
Boxing Result
Johnson shocks Trupish
An upset in Vancouver last night as two-time Olympian and previously undefeated Adam Trupish (11-1 8KO) was stopped at 2:22 of the 7th round, losing to late substitute Dashon Johnson (14-10-3 5KO). The American snapped a six fight losing streak (all by decision) was able to score a knockdown earlier in the fight in the second round and the go on to land a decisive series of right hands over a slumped over Trupish in the 7th, forcing the referee to step in and stop the action.
Heavyweight Jamie Walton (6-4-2) had an easy time with two knockdowns of Mariusz Zastawny (0-2) and scoring a KO victory at 1:56 of the opening round. Alisah McPhee swept a five round matchup with Wendy Roy, winning 50-45 on all three cards.


text:
Integrating public health into federal transportation policy
Transportation policy and planning have a profound impact on whether it is possible for Americans to integrate routine physical activity into their daily lives. Since 1950, transportation funding and infrastructure has focused almost exclusively on moving automobiles resulting in busy, high-speed arteries with limited transit choice and poor pedestrian infrastructure. Decades of auto-centered development have contributed to increased sedentary behavior by creating neighborhoods without sidewalks, destinations too far for walking, and traffic that is hazardous for nonmotorized transport. Current transportation decision making does not consider health impacts. This project is designed to educate the transportation community on the links between transportation choices and community health outcomes, and develop tools for incorporating health into transportation planning and policy. The project will document public interest in nonmotorized transport; examine the relationships between pedestrian-oriented infrastructures, transportation spending, and personal mobility; and create a model for transportation and public health planning. The project will be considered successful if several key transportation policy-makers begin to advocate for physical activity and other community health variables as a transportation-planning factor.
Grant Details
Amount Awarded $234,141.00
Awarded on: 5/6/2002
Time frame: 5/1/2002 - 2/28/2003
Grant Number: 43064
Surface Transportation Policy Project
10th Floor
1100 17th Street, N.W.
Washington, 20036-4601


text:
Dear CAC Board,
When members of The Front heard from curator Amy Mackie that we'd be showing our work at the CAC, we were tremendously excited. We'd be showing in a museum! Or almost a museum. Even better to living artists committed to innovation, a contemporary arts center. Recognition by and the opportunity to show at the CAC felt like a reward and a hard sought professional opportunity.
On our own, the fourteen artists of The Front produce, curate, publicize, install and deinstall 30-40 shows a year. We gallery sit for our opening hours and help sell our artists' work without taking a commission. We have built our audience since 2008, one person at a time, by creating the freshest programming we can and by respecting the calendar– not only of new shows opening every second saturday 12 months a year but also of our regular gallery opening hours (no matter what, if even only 2 people walk in the door). As art air ferns, we are skilled at making amazing things from the least promising of financial situations. Above all, we maintain an absolute commitment to professionalism.
While we are still doing our own programming at our own gallery throughout the duration of our CAC show, we were glad to partner with the CAC. There was going to be a catalog of our show as well as ongoing collaborations, events, and performances that took advantage of the CAC's expanded venue. This, to our disappointment, is not likely to happen now. We hoped to introduce ourselves to new audiences– art patrons of all types, national and international tourists, anybody interested in the arts who was visiting New Orleans, without a car, for example. Our gallery can be difficult to access for many tourists, but the CAC stands within easy reach of the French Quarter and downtown hotels as a prominent, gorgeous brick and mortar institution of the arts.
Of course we made lighthearted fun of our exhibition opportunity in our collaborative group projects for the Spaces show. Were we being packaged for mass consumption? What does the CAC offer us that we couldn't pull off in our ninth ward backyard? One key thing is institutional stature and recognition. Another is accessibility to new audiences and a heightened profile. Neither of these things happen without a visual arts department. Or when you are closed for weeks at a time during regular opening hours in order to cater to facility renters.
You sell your arts mission and your status as a contemporary arts center upriver when you prioritize private clients and renters over accessibility to the public and the artists who hang their work on your walls. Artists are not paid by ticket sales to the galleries. Unlike musicians or other performing artists, sales of our work yield commissions to the CAC. We pay to make our own work for exhibit, we come on our own time to install it. We publicize your shows and bring in new paying customers. Per dollar invested, we deliver maximal cultural content.
What commitment does the CAC make to retaining talented visual arts curators? We have seen the rapid turnover over the years and heard how there are entrenched institutionally misplaced priorities that contribute to this. Amy Mackie and her colleague Angela Berry have been an energetic team. We saw Amy's work ethic and suspect her tenacity, discipline, focus, and devotion to her projects is what enabled her to accomplish what she did in such a short time.
Spaces enabled us- as hard working artists committed to the arts in New Orleans– to pool our efforts and contributions with our fellow Bywater arts collectives, to help raise New Orleans' profile via exhibition programming at the CAC in the visual arts. Shows like Spaces and NOLA Now begin to reflect the dynamism of what has been going on in the visual arts in this city since Katrina. It could be argued that we brought more to the table than we've been given. We're not making money off the show. We're still doing our own programming and keeping the lights on at our own spaces. As tired as we get, we don't close down for periods of time. We are sometimes contacted for space rentals, and though we need the money badly, we consider what we stand for, and that is showing the best art we can to the broadest group of people. For free.
We keep our website updated. We don't temporarily misplace the price lists for works on display in our gallery as the CAC recently did for NOLA Now: Part II in the midst of a flurry of requests from interested buyers after the SweetArts Ball. When we are contacted by schools, students, journalists, we open up our gallery outside of opening hours because we are committed to showing art.
On the CAC website, Visual Arts is listed last on the web page menu masthead. The calendar of performing arts events listed seems relatively sparse. In contrast, there are nearly 100 visual artists currently exhibiting on the 1st floor, and nearly 40 on the second floor.
There has been no indication on the website of when the CAC has been or is closed during its regularly scheduled hours. This drastically affects scheduling of school field trips (Rachel Avena Brown's in particular) or out of town travelers who come expressly to New Orleans to see particular shows and events. Do you keep statistics on the numbers of people who try the door handle and find it unexpectedly locked?
The last minute changes to show dates (the NOLA Now landscape show's extension was announced to artists in the last hours of its last announced day) has a drastic impact on artists who lead demandingly scheduled lives. What if their work is promised to other shows? Artists undertaking installation of work for the subsequent show have taken days off work, made time-sensitive installation plans– and only get told of changes less than 48 hours before. During installation of Spaces, we saw that the CAC's clear priorities are to event renters. When hanging our show, we were told to stay invisible from all the people in party hats. To use back stairs. We have heard about film crews working in our gallery without notification.
We run a shoestring, DIY, volunteer based gallery, and we respect the calendar. 10 walk-ins a day might not stack up against what you get from a party rental, but respecting your viewing audience, staying open, reliably and regularly, is how you respect your contemporary art mission, the art on the walls and your institutional commitment (for receiving grant money of any kind) to make it accessible to the broadest possible audience.
The CAC was founded by visual artists. We ask that the board take a measurable position towards the CAC's Visual Arts program. What does the CAC stand for?
How do you address the problems that led to the wholesale exiting of your visual arts department?
Can you commit in writing that there will be no further disruptions to our show than the dates in April you've already indicated? As a shift in future policy, we recommend including as part of the contracts exhibiting artists sign any scheduled disruptions, film shoots, changes in viewing hours.
How do you plan to protect the physical integrity of art work on your walls during upcoming event and facility rentals? We have particular interest in how Rachel Avena Brown's piece will be protected from construction and ambient dust.
How will you support and enable the collectives' special projects planned for Spaces? If you are going to do a catalog, please commit to a timetable for accomplishing it.
When gallery patrons inquire about prices of our work who will handle them? Without visual arts staff, who will communicate with journalists and reviewers who seek information about the show and its artists?
Is facility rental a permanent part of the CAC's long term plan or a fixed term response to budget issues that can be resolved by these rentals?
We encourage you to watch the slide show of images from our various galleries' programming, on view from the sofa in the Spaces exhibit. It shows mind-boggling achievements. Shows after shows after shows.
The Front


text:
January 25, 2006
Congress and Government Take Shape
In one of my posts I briefly mentioned that one of the most inmediate issues Morales would have to attend is the structure of his government and that of the Congress. Now, Morales looks to have a good handle on his cabinet and for certain he has partial control of Congress. In the last few days (January 16) the new congress was inaugurated with a "renovation" rate of about 90%. That is, 17 out of 157 legislators have not been able to keep their seats. Almost everyone in congress is new to legislative politics. Talking about "renovation".
With that in mind, we also know that MAS has a majority in the lower chamber and a not so minor minority in the Senate. As a result, Morales' party was able to secure the presidency in both cameras for itself. While the presidency in the lower chamber was assured, MAS had to negotiate the one in the upper chamber and thanks to the help of the two senators, one from UN and the other from MNR, MAS got the necessary votes to secure the upper chamber's presidency. So, the president of the lower chamber is Edmundo Novillo (MAS) and of the Senate is Santos Ramirez (MAS). Now all that remains is to settle on the structure of the senate, which should be negotiated and in accrodance to the house rules.
The Congress' structure is as follows:
Senate -
The upper chamber has six seats making up the leadership (president, two vice-presidents and three secretaries). It also has 11 commissions and 10 committees.
Deputies' Chamber -
The lower chamber has seven seats making up the leadership (president, two vice-presidents and four secretaries). It also has 12 commissions and 30 committees
Once the distribution of spacial power is negotiated, Congress will be able to start working on the agenda. Evo Morales has made it clear he will start as soon as possible to work on changing the "neo-liberal" economic model currently implemented in Bolivia, the resource nationalization process, the Constituent Assembly, etc.
Moreover, Morales has already started working on the structure of the executive power. He has recently declared he will maintain the number of ministries at 16, with some changes on the goals, areas, names and objectives. Additionally, Morales has recently been handed the reports of the three "transitional commissions" (politic, social and economic) created to asses and put forward a plan of transition toward government. These commissions have found out that one of the worst problems within the executive is the high dependency of its organisms to organisms of the international cooperation. The report expresses that the degree of dependency is worrysome, to the extent that some vice-ministries have no financial support form the Bolivian government and totally depend on donations from the international cooperation community.
Morales has been troubled by this result and has expressed his desire to, in his words "nationalize government". That is to create a government structure entirely dependent on the resources of the Bolivian government. Among other restructuring plans, Morales' government wants to get rid of the so called "special delegations". These delegations have the task to work on a specific area, for example corruption. It is precisely this delegation which Morales wants to eliminate because he feels it has not achieved much in its short existance, while the costs (around US$ 8 million per year) are too much for the government to bear.
What impact will these decisions have? only time will say. Corruption is an endemic problem in Bolivia. One which will not be easy to eliminate.
Morales' Cabinet
David Choquehuanca Céspedes, Canciller de la República (State Department).
Autodidact and has a diploma in "Right of the indigenous peoples" from the Cordillera University. He attended a course in Anthropology and History in CIDES, UMSA, La Paz. Democratic activist during the 1970s dictatorship. Consultant to the peasant movements. The last 15 years he worked in the Nina peasant education project, funded with French funds.
Juan Ramón Quintana, Ministro de la Presidencia (Ministry of the Presidency).
Retired Mayor from the military academy, Gualberto Villarroel. Researcher on national security. Sociologist with studies in Philosophy and Politics at the UMSA, La Paz. Consultant in security issues, defense and police. Director of the Observatorio Seguridad y Democracia (Security and Democracy Observatory).
Alicia Muñoz Alá, Ministra de Gobierno (Ministry of Government).
Anthropologist and former member of Congress. Former journalist in radio and former director of women and family; former president of the Democratic Women's Federation of Bolivia; former member of the departmental council on culture (Oruro); university professor of Anthropology at the Technical Oruro University and former president of the employment commission in Congress.
Walker San Miguel Rodríguez, Ministro de Defensa Nacional (Defence Ministry).
Constitutionalist lawyer. Former professor and director of Gaceta Juridica (law publication). Director in LAB (Bolivian airlines). President of the Bar Association of Attorneys.
Luis Alberto Arce Catacora, Ministro de Hacienda (Finance Ministry).
Economist (UMSA), Accountant and Master in Economics from Warwick, England. He worked 18 years in the Central Bank of Bolivia (International Operations Department). Professor in several state and private universities in Bolivia.
Carlos Villegas Quiroga, Ministro de Desarrollo Sostenible, Encaragado de Planificación de Desarrollo (Ministry of Sustainable Development).
Economist and Director of the doctoral program in Development at the UMSA, La Paz. Former professor of economics in Bolivia and Mexico.
Celinda Sosa Lunda, Ministra de Desarrollo Económico, Encargada de Producción y Microempresas (Ministry of Economic Development).
Former leader of the Peasant Women's Federation. Adviser on the creation of micro-enterprises (textiles, honey, eggs).
Salvador Ric Riera, Ministro de Servicios y Obras Públicas (Ministry of Services and Public Works).
Doctor in Diplomacy and private entreprenour. He has businesses in import of cars and parts, he owns several retail businesses.
Andrés Soliz Rada, Ministro de Hidrocarburos (Hydrocarbons Ministry).
Journalist and Lawyer. Former Deputy and Senator for the political party, Condepa (Fatherland Conscience). Executive Secretary of the Journalist Association and Vice-president of the Latin American Journalists Association.
Wálter Villarroel Morochi, Ministro de Mineria y Metalurgia (Mining and Metalwork Ministry).
He was a miner in Comibol (the Bolivian mining company) until 1985 and in 2004 he became leader of the mining federation, Fencomin.
Félix Patzi Paco, Ministro de Educación y Cultura (Ministry of Education and Culture).
Studied Sociology in UMSA and is a Master in Rural Development and Doctor in Culture and Identities. Professor of sociology and education in UMSA, La Paz and since 2004, director of the Sociologic Research Institut.
Nila Heredia Miranda, Ministra de Salud y Deportes (Minstry of Health and Sports).
Surgical Doctor, former Vice-president of UMSA and former director of the Health Department. Currently university professor and President of Latin American Federation of Associations of Dissappeared and Detained People.
Santiago Alex Galvez Mamani, Ministro de Trabajo (Ministry of Employment).
Studied Business Administration and Accounting and has 27 years of working experience. Former Executive Secretary of the Factory Worker's Federation and since 2003 national secretary of the same union.
Hugo Salvatierra Gutiérrez, Ministro de Asuntos Campesinos, Indígenas y Agropecuarios (Minstry of Peasant Affairs, Indigenous People and Agriculture).
Lawyer, activist and leader for social justice. In the December elections was candidate for the Prefecture representing MAS.
Casimira Rodríguez Romero, Ministra sin cartera Responsable de Justicia (Ministry of Justice).
From age 13, she worked as maid. Victim of fisical, mental and sexual abuse. Worked two years without being paid. Leader of the house workers union. She help enact the first law regulating the worker's rights of house workers.
Abel Mamani, Ministro sin Cartera Responsable de Agua (Ministry for Water).
Studied three years Odontology, made other technical studies and became carpenter. As a young student he was the leader of the student federation in his province. In 2004 became leader of FEJUVE-El Alto, having a major role in the resignation of Carlos Mesa.
Some opposition already
The first controversy is on Abel Mamani, the former leader of FEJUVE-El Alto. Now, Mamani is in the middle of recriminations and investigations steming from his own organization. The FEJUVE-El Alto is against his nomination as minister and want to formally ask Morales to make a better pick. Apparently, Mamani did not tell his followers he was going to take a post as minister in Morales' cabinet.
The same kind of problems is facing Walte Villarroel. Apparently he has lost the support and confidence of his organization. The current leaders are insisting they want a new minister of mining. But they are not saying too many details on why.
The most objectionalble of all, though is the nomination of the journalist Andres Soliz Rada as Minister of Hydrocarbons. Soliz Rada has a reputation of a hard core anti-neoloberal and anti-privatization, at the same time that he has the custom of expresing himself in not so diplomatic ways. His critics point to his near-absolute inexperience, other than critizice.
12 comments:
- Jonathan said...
Great job summarizing the cabinet for the foreign audience. Now, I won't go into analyzing these people's curriculums... God knows I'm biased against those who rest their wheight solenly on their "grass roots" activism. However I'll mention that Morales has shot himself in the foot by appointing some of these characters, and he's already forced to defend himself at this early stage -not against la derecha per se, but against his own base- take the example of the new minister of mines (see further details here: http://www.comunica.gov.bo/cgi-bin/index.cgi?h20060124170743) and the lot of cooperativistas and eventually the COB itself turned against him.
A second issue that will come back to hunt him, relates to his military command, he has effectivly forced the retirement of three generations of four stars. (The Mesa and Rodriguez governements, which appointed new commands despite their short period of rule, are also at fault for this) (See more here: http://www.hoybolivia.com/news.php?seccion=78&d3=30659)
Is Evo trying to create his own "generation" inside the army? He may be taking a lesson from Chavez in this regard -who also flushed down a lot of ranking officers (many US-trained) in order to prevent another coup and wanting his own men in charge- or from Bolivian history itself, when the MNR (52) and later Banzer (73) created their own movimiento generacional in the armed services.
Finally, with regards to Soliz Rada, I respect him as a dedicated researcher and even historian, but he is as hardcore pro-nationalization as you can get.
There are way too many generals for such an small army, I think this is a good fisrt step in changing the structure of command.
- Jonathan said...
Anonymous the decision was clearly more political than strategic. The positions they occupied will not be eliminated, only filled with new (lesser ranked, lesser experienced, and according to internal procedures lesser qualified) people. Who will in turn speed up their own tenure process and become generals in a few more years. Nothing changes.
Nice summary. I actually think Soliz Rada was an excellent choice for Energy Minister. This sends a clear message of change and national sovereignty in this strategic sector.
And it reverses the trend of appointing former energy sector executives who may have had closer ties to the foreign companies than to Bolivia's interest. The priority at this stage is to get the facts straight, and negotiate a better deal. Once YPFB is reconstituted and foreign companies are routinely paying fair taxes, it might be a good idea to bring in someone more knowledgeable of the industry itself.
I would just like to point out some few things. First, the critique against the newly formed cabinet came out with the cabinet and, of course, some of them pointed out that the denominations are of political nature. I wonder which one was not? Even the most institutionalized structures will only work when they share political goals that, ultimately, will define the success or failure of this or any other administration. Of course, president Morales now needs people of his trust to carry on with his program.
Second, I disagree with the portrait of Soliz Rada, whose "reputation of a hard core anti-neoloberal and anti-privatization, at the same time that he has the custom of expresing himself in not so diplomatic ways". This, to me, seems very simplistic. It seems that, at this point, to ask which are the best diplomatic ways and whether they worked out in getting some of the most serious problems solved. I would say that there is none; basically, diplomacy cannot be equated with a normativity of conducing politics, especially those concerned with touchy issues like re-negotiation of abusive contracts. Whose experience worked better? maybe Tuto's, whose rethoric of dialogue with transnational capitals and dependency on external aid (economically and diplomatic) led us to a massive privatization and lame concessions of resources?. It is funny, I thought that most of the people who supported, in the elections and ideologically, Morales shared his interests to take a different stand regarding the natural resources and their exploitation (i.e. gas or other).
When Mexico's Fox announces that supports the free trade agreements, it is commonly called (successful) diplomacy, when countries like Bolivia, Venezuela or any other (even Brazil) disagree with these issues, it is called bad foreign politics and nasty diplomatic ways. So, regardless the usually ardent speech that Soliz Rada held against privatization he will now need to make effective policies that will allow him to negotiate in a more favorable field, and that is through dialogue with different stakeholders.
Finally, I want to call everybody's attention to a recent interview that Jorge Ramos, a well known reporter and anchor of Univision, the hispanic TV network, had with Evo Morales (http://www.erbol.com.bo/25-01-06EvoUnivisi%F3n.htm). I found the interview really disrespectful, not only to the president but mainly to people. Ramos, a rightwing ally of the anti-castrists Cubans residing in Florida, clearly seeks a confrontational stand only to disqualify president Morales as a US ally. The main point of this interview seems to emphasize, once again and on and on, the idea that those who represent a treath to US interest are doomed.
- Miguel said...
Very original name, culito blanco! I actually think is kind of cool.
While I agree with you that this is, by any measure, a 180° turn from earlier practices and it really highlights the word "change", I still think that the appointment of Solis Rada was not in the best interest of Bolivia.
Not, when we know he has no experience in public administration, we know it is easier to play opposition than to govern and we also know that with an adversarial attitude one cannot negotiate successfully in the international arena.
I doubt he will get the facts straight, unless you think that the facts are: nationalization and more nationalization.
You really think those companies are going to stay if the government confiscates their property? (I have read some proposals from Solis Rada and they are leaning towards that)
I just think that in order to manage the natural resources in Bolivia, make decisions on what to make of them and negotiate contracts with people who have been doing that for a living (negotiation) for years, Bolivia needs someone who has those skills and not an oppinionated journalist.
- Miguel said...
I agree with your first point. Every president gets to appoint their own cabinet. That's why those people are called "political appointees". The difference is what criteria each president uses to pick his "people". What some presidents do is to look at the skills and experience of the suggested people (assuming the suggestions already took care of the politics of the person, right). Other presidents, as I think in the case of Morales, he not only looked at the experience and skills of "some" of the appointees, but he actually based some of his decisions soley on politics and perhaps on a bit of trust. This is the case, I think, of Solis Rada. He has not experience whatsoever on public management nor on the hydrocarbons sector. I personally think, as you may imagine already, this was a poor choice.
On your second point, as I said it above, I think Solis has no experience in public management (minister of hydrocarbons), being a stounch and oppinionated critic does not automatically turn him into an expert, and he has (at least, not to my knowledge) no experience negotiating such contracts. What makes you think, he'll do a much better job than his predecesors? Leaving aside politics, one needs much more than a good heart and a sharp tongue to negotiate contracts. Specially at the international level, against people who have experience, much more experience.
On one thing I do agree with you, again, leaving politics aside, the negotiators who signed those contracts up to now, were really not much more successfull. In fact, they were plain lousy. Otherwise, Bolivia would be reaping benefits instead of loosing money. On the other hand, we do have to accept that the environment in which those negotiations are carried out and those deals are made are not favorable to smaller, poor countries like Bolivia. As we all already know, poor countries do seem to come into the negotiations with a disadvantage.
And, no, the field is not leveled. I don't think Solis Rada will be much successful.
And on the infamous interview. I do agree with you that Jorge Ramos blew it big time. In fact, I think he just did not have the calibre as a journalist to make such an important interview. I almost think that Ma. Elena Salinas would have been far better. Ramos just lost his control, the control of the interview and went after Morales openly, which is exactly what a good journalist should not do. He made his biases so obvious.
I think that going after Morales would be almost too easy. So easy that if you want to do it, you'd have to be very careful of not looking in the end like a butt-head like Ramos did.
I say it would be easy, because, taking in to account that morales did not finish school, if you start talking about text book definitions of democracy, historical events and their significance, or things of that sort, you are more than likely to make Morales confused. Morales says it himself, he is a simple man and sees life through those simple eyes. Granted he has experience as politician, but I think his ideology is very simple.
Anyway, I thought the one who lost there was Ramos, and not Morales.
- Boli-Nica said...
Soliz Rada is a dogmatic clown, whose ignorance was on full display recently when he griped about a recent SEC filing made by Repsol, which listed gas reserves from its Bolivian operations as "assets" a standard practice, not only by gas companies, but by just about any company which has any sort of executory contract which it must assign a value to.
Hey Miguel,
I share most of your points. One point I would like to take issue, however, is the referred to the presumed easiness of fooling Morales or any other people under the assumption of a lack of or incomplete education. Doesn't it make you look like Ramos in a way?
I would say that that is precisely what Ramos thought before the interview. You know, how hard it could be fooling somebody with pretensious academic jargon? just few (technical) academic terms (book definitions) will make it. There is precisely where he had it wrong. Simpleness does mean idiotness and without trying to romaticize Morales' populism nor his rethoric I would say that he has shown his experience, gained in several other debates as he was campaigning. Remember that the Bolivian media has tried to put him through crossfire more than once and he survived well. I don't know. I just think that Ramos was too arrogant and insulting.
- miguel said...
Yes, I am sure that is what Ramos thought. But, let me make myself more clear.
I do agree Morales has experience, and that through experience (that is political experience) he has evolved to become a real politician. However, when you start throwing terms like "democracy" and start asking people to define them, even academicians have trouble doing it.
For example, Ramos asked Morales if he thought Cuba was a democracy. Morales tried to dodge the question, yet he said he did think Cuba was a democracy. To which, Ramos made a very obvious buffled face.
I guess what I mean is that it would be easy to make Morales do mistakes when you start asking him what does he understand by democracy and democratic institutions. Or, even if you start talking to him about the virtues of morality.
Like you say, Morales thinks in simple terms, because he comes from a simple place. For him things may come down to whether people have enough to eat every day, and period.
And, I have not seen tough interviews by the Bolivian press to Morales. Because, after all, it is important to know what does a lider understand by terms like democracy or liberties or rights and responsibilities.
Hey Miguel,
Here again. Thanks for bearing with me, and thanks for taking your time to clarify things for me too. I guess the bottomline argument here, which is the one I am trying to debunk, is the very notion that concepts as democracy, liberties, rights or responsabilities should have a static definition (i.e. a correct one, which speaks of a particular system of values and beliefs implicit in the definition and understanding of the concepts). Well, I think they should not. One thing that I see as positive in this 'unframing of concepts' is that this very fact opens the possibility of redefining such terms.
One more thing I would to say. I did not mean that Morales thinks simple (or in a simplistic way for that matter) and I wouldn't like to reduce Evo's thinking to basic instincts. Far from thinking the dupla Evo-Alvaro as the populist-activist and the intellectual, which is something the media was prompted to emphasize, I consider that both need to be seen in equal planes; after all Evo didn't get there by the hand of Alvaro.
I guess we got too used to think and legitimize certain concepts and terms that we come to see them as dogma sometimes and, let me tell you, democracy has become a dogmatic thing thus far.
- Miguel said...
Not at all. Thank you for visiting MABB and expressing your oppinion. As I said it before, I think that blogs without commentaries lack a very important component. I also think that with respect and a bit of tolerance, people can have a constructive exchange.
Yes, while you are right when you say that defining terms like democracy, etc. in a specific way necessarily brings certain system of values and beliefs, we differ in thinking that that is not the way to do it.
I think certain values and beliefs are universal in nature. Take liberty for example. No one in the entire world would like to be deprived of their liberty in any way, shape or form. Another example is the concept of rights. While this concept has been only defined in recent times, no one disputes the validity of the universal declaration of human rights now. Even in traditional societies like the Incas and Aymaras, the concepts of liberty and rights were present. Yes, not exactly defined as in Europe, but they were present and very similar (I would tend to say). So, some concepts are universal. By the very universality of the concepts, the definitions become also universal.
On the other had, when we open these definitions to interpretation or as you say, we unframe the concepts, we also run the serious risk of distortion. So, in this manner, we find a Fidel Castro saying that Cuba is a democraticly governed country. Or you find a Chavez who also says that his country is democratic and that liberties and rights are being respected. When we know very well what is going on with those "comites bolivarianos" and those tax payers' lists.
Well, yes, I also don't mean to diminish Morales' capacity as a movement leader. He is certainly a capable man, otherwise he would not have gotten where he is today. Having said that, we cannot deny Evo's limitations. Compared to other statesmen -and then again here you and me are judging with "western" standards" partly because that's what we know- Evo has a pretty simple view of the world. That is all I mean.
And, please, by no means I am trying to establish either superiority or inferiority of people who do not have education. Far from that, I am stating it more as a pragmatic proposition.
One last thing. Evo Morales has gotten there also because of the movements. His party, MAS, is what the movements call a "political instrument". Long time ago, about 10 years ago, these people realized or someone told them, that in order to gain access to the power structure they needed to play by the rules and compete in the system. So they (Evo and others) decided to acquire a means of access to the system. They founded the movement's political instrument, Movement Toward Socialism. It is this, desire to gain access to the power sphere that to a large extent drives all the different groups together. Now what we are observing is the culmination of this effort.