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agriculture: June 2009 Archives
by Jon Bosak, TCLocal Editor
For someone who believes, as I do, that decreasing availability of cheap fossil fuel will eventually make the transportation of food over long distances economically unfeasible, the phrase "local food" acquires a special meaning beyond the usual lifestyle implications. It's less about maintaining moral purity and more about whether we're going to have enough to eat. Since I live in the state of New York, the question becomes: could New York feed itself on what it produces?
A couple of years ago, I attempted a back-of-the-envelope sort of calculation to answer this question from a "peak oil" standpoint. To model the worst case, the one in which it takes more energy to extract fossil fuel than the energy we can get out of it, I put the question this way: if New York State produced what it did a hundred years ago, before the arrival of gasoline- and diesel-fueled equipment, could it feed its present population?
The answer, based on New York State agricultural statistics from the 1900 U.S. census, was rather depressing. Despite the fact that New York back then was an agricultural powerhouse — being, for example, far and away the number one state in potato production — its 1900 output of food would barely keep its current population alive.
Carbs weren't so bad; assuming, in round numbers, a state population of 20 million (a little more than the current estimate), NYS 1900 could annually provide each resident with 87 pounds of corn and wheat and 114 pounds of potatoes. But protein was another story. NYS 1900 could provide each current resident with just 16 pounds of beef and pork, 37 eggs, and half a chicken per year. Dairy production, a historical strength in the state, would provide each person now living here just 39 gallons of milk per year, including an average six pounds of butter and seven pounds of cheese. This is probably enough animal protein to sustain life, but not remotely what we're used to.
NYS fruit wouldn't take up much of the slack, either; apples, grapes, peaches, pears, and berries put together would only amount to about 75 pounds per person. New York invented beans as an article of commercial North American agriculture (the first commercial bean crop on record was grown in 1836 in the Town of Yates, in Orleans County), but each person in our current population would only get about four pounds of them a year, plus a little less than a pound of peas. The problem, of course, is that in addition to cutting the fossil fuel input (including all the natural gas we turn into fertilizer), we would be trying to feed almost three times the number of people today that we supported in 1900.
Obviously this calculation was based on some very pessimistic assumptions about available fuel. But it also contained some extremely optimistic assumptions as well — most importantly that we still had substantially more arable land than we actually do now and also that we still had the vastly greater resources of animal power available a hundred years ago.[1] While suggestive, it wasn't a very precise way of assessing our current resources.
The Cornell studies
Unknown to me, teams at Cornell University under the direction of postdoctoral researcher Christian Peters were engaged in sophisticated studies that would answer a more immediately interesting question — not what would happen if the energy inputs failed, but what the state's carrying capacity is now, given current rates of production, and what our distribution system would look like if food miles were reduced as far as possible.
The work undertaken so far by Peters et al. has been described in two articles published in the journal Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. The first piece, from 2006,[2] investigated the influence of diet on the demand for agricultural land and, secondarily, the ability of New York State to reduce environmental impacts by supplying food locally. The second study, from 2008,[3] focused more closely on local food by developing and applying a method for mapping NYS foodsheds. While preliminary, the results of these studies pose serious questions for those who seek to relocalize our diet, and they raise some significant issues for planners attempting to grapple with the contraction of agricultural supply chains due to rising fuel prices. The purpose of this article is to make the key findings of these seminal studies available to a larger audience.
The relatively short list of products actually produced in our climate suggests that the answer to the question of how much of our food needs can be supplied locally depends to some extent on what kinds of foods we plan to eat. The 2006 study approaches this issue by using USDA data to define 42 different nutritionally complete diets supplying 2300 calories a day, calculating the agricultural land requirements for each diet, and then calculating the potential ability of NYS to supply that diet to each resident based on recent estimates of available agricultural land (not land currently in production, but land that could be). Each of the 42 diets is nutritionally complete but contains different proportions of meat and eggs at rates from 0 to 12 ounces per day and different proportions of calories from fat ranging from 20 to 45 percent of total calories. The average U.S. diet contains 5.8 ounces of meat or eggs per day and 41 percent of calories from fat; Figure 1 shows where this average diet falls in the six by seven matrix formed by the two variables.[4] While obviously incomplete, the model does represent the range of common American food consumption patterns from low-fat lacto-vegetarian to high-fat, meat-rich omnivorous.
Figure 1. Matrix of 42 complete diets. (Click for larger image.)
Land requirements for each diet are based on a division of available agricultural land into three categories: harvested cropland, cropland pasture, and permanent pasture.
Figure 2. Available agricultural land in New York State. (Click for larger image.)
Further methodology, detailed in the study, addresses the interdependencies between perennial crops (grown mainly on grassland) and annual crops (grown mainly on cultivated land), and the calculation of carrying capacity employs a conditional equation that determines which category of land is limiting to food production. Figure 3 shows the results, with the seven levels of meat consumption displayed across the bottom and the six levels of fat consumption grouped within each meat consumption level. For example, someone who ate 190 grams (6.7 ounces) of cooked meat equivalents per day would require somewhere in the neighborhood of 0.45 hectares (about 1 1/8 acres) of combined annual and perennial NYS crops for their sustenance if their entire diet came from within the state.
Figure 3. Land requirements of complete diets. (Click for larger image.)
Effect of diet on carrying capacity
Not surprisingly, the results show a nearly fivefold difference in the amount of land needed per capita depending on the diet, from 0.18 ha (0.44 ac) for a diet of 0 g meat and 52 g fat to 0.86 ha (2.12 ac) for a diet of 381 g meat and 52 g fat. As most TCLocal.org readers are aware, animal products require much more land per unit of edible energy than grains; in NYS this amounts to 3.3 to 6.3 times as much total land required for the animal products other than beef and a whopping 31 times as much for beef.
On the other hand, as shown in the figure, much of the difference is in the amount of land devoted to perennial crops rather than cultivated crops. If we consider just cultivated land requirements, the clear animal products winner is whole milk (1.2 square meters of cultivated land per 1000 calories). This is just slightly above the figure for grains (1.1 square meters per 1000 calories) and actually below the requirements per 1000 calories for oils (3.2 square meters), pulses (2.2 square meters) and even vegetables (1.7 square meters).
Beef is always presented as the bad boy in discussions of agricultural requirements, but this seems to depend on where you are. The fact is that a lot of the NYS agricultural land base is not suitable for the production of annual crops but is great for forage, which provides most of a ruminant's nutritional needs. Grassland (I will note) also requires much less in the way of fertilizer and energy inputs and helps to conserve topsoil and nitrogen. Most other foods, including most other animal products, require annual crops, the land for which is more limited in extent and is therefore the limiting factor in the total NYS food supply. Using NYS production figures, the study finds that beef (all cuts) requires 5.3 square meters of cultivated land per 1000 calories, whereas pork (all cuts) requires 7.3 square meters and chicken (all cuts) 9.0. The energy implications of these findings are not brought to the fore in the articles under review here, but clearly the effect on total production and energy requirements of including various kinds of meat in the diet is to some extent location-specific and not as straightforward as it's often assumed to be.
Another nonobvious outcome that can be seen by studying the different fat proportions for each meat consumption level in Figure 3 is that increasing the amount of fat in the diet somewhat reduces the amount of land required. As a result, the difference in carrying capacity due to differences in diet is closer to threefold rather than the fivefold difference suggested by Figure 3. This is summed up in Figure 4, which shows the potential carrying capacity of the NYS agricultural land base for each of the 42 diets. In general, the population supported by NYS decreases with increasing fat in the no meat diet, reaches a peak and then declines in the 63 and 127 g meat diets, and increases with increasing fat in the 190-381 g meat diets. As indicated by the grey shading, some diets with low to modest levels of meat feed equal or greater numbers of people than lacto-vegetarian diets with moderately high levels of fat.
Figure 4. NYS carrying capacity according to diet. (Click for larger image.)
One possibly unexpected implication of the study is that a vegan diet does not support the maximum number of people, at least not in the state of New York: "[W]e conclude that the inclusion of beef and milk in the diet can increase the number of people fed from the land base relative to a vegan diet, up to the point that land limited to pasture and perennial forages has been fully utilized." Figure 5 shows what's meant by this; even the diet with the highest proportion of meat still doesn't exhaust the land available for forage.
Figure 5. Use of available NYS agricultural land by diet. (Click for larger image.)
In a passage sure to provoke some of our readers, the authors continue: "[T]he higher populations supported by lower fat, non-vegetarian diets relative to higher fat, [lacto-]vegetarian diets support the claims by animal scientists that the inclusion of animal products in the diet can increase the amount of humanly edible calories available in the food supply. Indeed, more substantial differences may have been observed had a vegan diet been included among the diet scenarios." The authors hasten to add that this is not an endorsement of the average American diet: "Nonetheless, it is critical to note that the area of overlap observed occurs between 63 g (2 oz) and 127 g (4 oz) of meat, far below the 163 g daily consumption of the average American."
Beyond these details, Figure 4 also provides the answer to my original question: Can NYS feed itself? The answer is an unequivocal No. Assuming that everyone gets a complete, balanced daily diet that includes 190 g of meat and contains 30 percent fat, the state could potentially feed about 21 percent of its current population. Given a radical change in the average diet, this proportion could, judging from Figure 4, rise to a little over 30 percent, but it's clear that NYS will always be a net importer of food. Since the cost of transporting food from outside the state is certain to increase dramatically over the next couple of decades, the effect on food prices can readily be imagined. I think this also suggests that economic forces will push back into production some land no longer considered agricultural (golf courses, lawns, etc.).
A subsidiary but still interesting question for people living out here in Tompkins County is whether the situation just described is the same for all parts of the state; after all, a basic (if mostly tacit) assumption of relocalization is that things aren't going to be the same everywhere. Peters et al. address this question in the second of the two articles reviewed here.
The 2008 paper takes on the question of what we mean by "local" in an increasingly urban civilization. "To what degree can food be produced locally?," the study asks. "Moreover, should the meaning of 'local' be context specific?" The method is based on a relatively recent reintroduction of the concept of a foodshed, first used by W.P. Hedden in 1929. Peters et al. define a potential local foodshed as "the land that could provide some [specified] portion of a population center's food needs within the bounds of a relatively circumscribed geographic area," or more simply, "the area of land that feeds, or could potentially feed, a population." Foodsheds provide a framework for analyzing the capacity to produce food locally at the scale of an individual city, and a principal goal of the 2008 study is to develop standard methods for this kind of analysis.
The model created in support of this goal employs geographic information systems (GIS) to estimate the spatial distribution of food production capacity relative to the food needs of a given population center and then applies optimization tools "to allocate production potential to meet food needs in the minimum distance possible." The software implementing the model also produces foodshed maps that aid in visualizing the geographic extent of a food supply.
Assuming a constant basis in the land use data from NYS, it's apparent that studies of this kind will produce different results depending on the assumptions regarding nutritional requirements and the algorithms built into the foodshed optimization technique.
Since the focus in the second study is on foodsheds rather than dietary variables, it holds those variables constant by using just a single representative complete diet containing 6 ounces daily from meat and eggs and 30 percent of calories from fat. A number of other simplifying assumptions are needed to make it possible to do the spatial modeling; for example, because the concept of a foodshed is tied to population centers, rural NYS residents are assumed to get their food from the nearest center. Also, and crucially, the model seeks to find the minimum total distance food would optimally travel throughout the state rather than optimizing for an individual population center, since the most efficient allocation for the whole state might require that land near one population center be assigned to a more distant population center. Due to matrix size constraints imposed by the spreadsheet software, only 125 of the 132 statistical NYS population centers could be included in the model, resulting in the elimination of the seven smallest (totaling just 0.2 percent of the state's population).
Even with these simplifications, the optimization model used to calculate foodsheds is quite complex, and I'll have to refer readers who want more details to the published study itself.
A selection of the output produced from the model for the largest NYS population centers is shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6. Statewide maps of selected foodsheds. (Click for larger image.)
These maps show foodsheds for food from annual crops and fruits (on the left) and food from perennial forages (on the right) for the six largest consumption zones in New York State: Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, and NYC. These six foodsheds, indicated by the different colors, are layered over greyscale shadings showing the capability of different areas of the state to produce food. For example, the completely black pixels in the map on the right show that the area represented by those pixels in the original model (not necessarily scaled the same as the pixels here) is potentially capable of producing 1200 to 1800 metric tons (Mg) of food products annually from perennial crops, chiefly pasture. HNE stands for "human nutritional equivalent," referring to a complex submethodology for relating per capita nutrional requirements to combinations of farm products.
As can be seen from these maps, the presence of a population center much larger than the rest changes the shape of the other foodsheds. For example, on the perennial forages map, the Syracuse, Albany, and Poughkeepsie-Newburgh foodsheds extend farther to the north and west than to the south and east because the overall statewide food travel distance is shortened by ceding the land to the south of these centers to the NYC foodshed. This distortion takes an extreme form in the case of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh foodshed (yellow), which extends from the population center as if it were being blown back by the enormous NYC food demand. Conversely, when a population center is relatively isolated, as in the case of Rochester and Buffalo, its potential foodshed spreads more evenly because it is limited by natural barriers rather than by competition with other cities.
This single example doesn't begin to do justice to the resource provided by the model. I urge people interested in exploring the model further to check it out online:
Our local foodsheds
Below are screen captures of two maps generated by the Cornell tool for the Ithaca foodshed, one map for cropland (annual crops) and one for grassland (perennial crops), with the outlines of the corresponding Syracuse, Binghamton, and Elmira foodsheds shown for comparison.
According to the model, in a distribution system that used all available NYS agricultural land, provided a certain balanced diet to everyone, and optimized statewide food distances, Ithaca's food from cropland (Figure 7) would travel an average of just 11 miles, and its food from grassland (Figure 8) would travel an average of 25. In neither case, however, would that locally sourced food satisfy all the food needs of the Ithaca area population (estimated at 95,000 persons, which includes the Ithaca Urbanized Area plus nearby surrounding rural populations). The model shows that the optimized locally sourced food from cropland would fully supply the cropland component of the assumed diet for about 81 percent of the local population (76731/95000), whereas the locally sourced food from grassland would supply only about 19 percent of that dietary component (17965/95000). This illustrates in detail the conclusion reached in the TCLocal.org article that Dr. Peters published here in April: only about half of our food supply in Tompkins County would come from local sources if food was distributed in a way that minimized food miles for the entire state.
The effect of the immense NYC demand for food on the shape of our optimized foodshed is clear even at this distance from the city; both of Ithaca's foodsheds lie entirely to the west and north of the population center, extending in the case of grassland across several adjacent counties. Also apparent from these maps is the basis of the model on potential agricultural land rather than the land that's in production right now; anyone familiar with the areas included in these foodsheds knows that in fact much of the land shown as the potential source of our local food is not now actually in production. The need to preserve currently idle agricultural land north and west of Ithaca for future use has important implications for zoning and land use policy in in our area; as the cost of transportation grows, this is where much of our food will have to come from.
Figure 7. Potential optimized Ithaca cropland foodshed. (Click for larger image.)
Figure 8. Potential optimized Ithaca grassland foodshed. (Click for larger image.)
Where to be a locavore
The table in Figure 9 below provides one answer to the question, "how much of New York's food can be provided locally?" The answer is: it depends on where you live.
Figure 9. Summary of model output. (Click for larger image.)
The table lists three categories of NYS population centers (using terminology from the U.S. Census) in order of the amount of food in Tg (millions of metric tons) they receive within the model. First, of course, is New York City, which is in a category by itself. In this model — which, it must be remembered, optimizes food distances for the whole state — NYC would get just 2.2 percent of its total from food produced within the state, and that food would have to come from an average of 264 km away. The next biggest population centers, the "urbanized areas," would get 84 percent of their food from inside the state, and that would come on average from 51 km away. And the smallest population centers (excluding the seven very smallest, as noted above), could get virtually all their food needs met from within the state, and the food could come on average from just 25 km away.
Bottom line for the state as a whole: Given the diet assumed for the study, if all agricultural land were in use, and food distribution were optimized to minimize the total distance that food travels, New York State could get 34 percent of its food needs met from within the state, and that food would travel an average distance of 49 km to each consumer.
You'll notice that the 34 percent figure differs a little from the results of the 2006 study, due no doubt to differences between the two studies in assumptions and methodology. The difference isn't enough to change the basic picture and in fact reinforces it by coming at it from a different angle, but it's obvious that the results provided by a model like this depend to a large extent on a complex set of assumptions. The authors point out several ways in which the model does not take into account real-world factors (geographic limitations, agricultural specialization, details of the food processing workflow, economies of scale, etc.) and note that optimizing for food miles does not necessarily optimize for greenhouse gas emissions or energy inputs. Nevertheless, one conclusion stands out fairly clearly. Outside of the NYC area, most population centers in the state could meet all, or nearly all, of their needs from food produced within the state. But NYC, if it depended on food produced within the state, would go largely unfed.
The study boils the results down to what I would call the good news and the bad news. The good news is that "NYS may be able to significantly reduce the distance food travels" to an average far less than the 1300 miles often cited as the distance from farm to consumer in the U.S. The bad news is that "feeding big cities may require food to travel great distances."
Peters et al. don't draw out the implications of that last point, but I will: People living in NYC are going to be paying an awful lot more for food as we begin to move down the energy descent slope, and it would be better for them if they started to relocate back to the small towns upstate that have seen their populations decline over the last half century. To rephrase the old saying, NYC is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to try to survive there.
[1] Anyone who wants to check my figures or apply this method to other states can find a scan of the entire 1900 census abstract at http://www.ibiblio.org/tcrp/src/1900census.pdf (this 66 MB file is best downloaded before viewing).
[2] Peters, C. J., J. L. Wilkins, and G. W. Fick. Testing a complete-diet model for estimating the land resource requirements of food consumption and agricultural carrying capacity: The New York State example. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 22(2); 145-153.
[3] Peters, C. J., N. L. Bills, A. J. Lembo, J. L. Wilkins, and G. W. Fick. Mapping potential foodsheds in New York State: A spatial model for evaluating the capacity to localize food production. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 24(1); 72-84.
[4] Except for two screen shots (Figures 7 and 8), all the illustrations in this article come from a presentation given by Dr. Peters at the conference "Planning for Farms, Food, and Energy in Central New York" sponsored by the American Farmland Trust 25 March 2009 in Syracuse. I am indebted to conference organizer Judy Wright for a copy of the presentation slides. Most of the figures can be magnified for a better view.


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
Photo and story by Janet Schultz
The Niagara-Wheatfield Board of Education named James Knowles as interim superintendent last week, replacing current Interim Superintendent Kerin Dumphrey.
Knowles has been brought on during the search for a permanent superintendent. His is contract will cover the time period of July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2013, at $500 per day.
Knowles has most recently been serving as interim superintendent for the Warsaw School District. He previously worked for more than 40 years in the Iroquois Central School District and at the State School for the Blind in Batavia.
The board also extended the contract of Dr. Richard Hitzges at $650 per day for three days the first week of July. Hitzges took over Dumphrey's responsibilities while he was serving as interim superintendent.
When district resident RoseMary Warren questioned this appointment, Board President Steve Sabo explained it was for a smooth transition for Knowles. Dumphrey will resume his duties as business manager but will be on vacation for the first three days of Knowles' employment. Therefore, Hitzges will be available to assist Knowles.
The board also passed several personnel actions, which included the abolishing of six administrative positions, laying off four administrative staff, and laying off 38 instructional positions, all part of the budget cuts that were part of the now approved 2012-13 budget.
In addition to the above cuts, 39 positions were abolished through resignations and retirements.
The board tabled actions on several other appointments, including several coaching positions.
Prior to going into executive session, board member Kathy Fleming brought to the table information she received that 12 to 15 confidential managerial administrators were receiving a bonus of about $500 each. The amount came to a total of $7,000.
"I don't know if it is true or not," said Fleming. "But we just asked the public to rescue us and now we're spending $7,000 on bonuses."
Her question was directed at Dumphrey, who replied that the bonus was part of policy and governance and that it was for the current year and would not be given out in the coming year.
Sabo said the board would investigate.
On June 27, Sabo issued a press release noting that the bonus payments are actually performance stipends totaling $6,500 and given to 11 confidential staff members to compensate for having fewer benefits than their unionized counterparts while having more duties, as well as to recognize outstanding performance. They have been in existence for decades in the district.
"When the members of the confidential staff were informed that the performance stipends were not appropriately brought before the board for a vote, and knowing the financial situation of the district, these individuals honorably agreed to return the performance stipends. This action of these staff members demonstrates their deep commitment to assist with ensuring that Niagara-Wheatfield continues on its path to financial stability," Sabo said. "The Board of Education would like to publicly thank these individuals for their actions in this matter and for the tremendous job they do each day to make sure that the central office operates in an efficient and effective manner."
At the June 20 meeting, Sabo thanked everyone who worked so hard on the budget and the people who voted. He also told the public that the board would begin working on next year's budget immediately.
Answering several inquiries, Sabo announced that the board had accepted a tentative school calendar for 2012-13, that adjustments were going to be made, and that the calendar would be approved at a later date.
Board member Rich Halleen expressed his thanks to the voters and the children for what they have been put through, referring the to the need for a second vote on the budget to win approval of voters.
The board also thanked outgoing board member Kristin MacKenzie for her three years of service on the board, Kerin Dumphrey for serving as interim superintendent since the retirement of Carl Militello, and Hitzges for his service.
The board heard a presentation on the Edward Town Middle School Service Learning Project, which has students researching, fundraising and using that money to help disadvantaged people throughout the world.
Four sixth-graders explained that each student had selected a charity, researched it and then wrote and delivered a speech on why they felt it was the charity to support. The held a walk-a-thon and raffle, which raised $8,000 that was distributed to several charities, including Make-A-Wish, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Steadfast, Humane Society and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
The seventh-grade class took a hard look at bullying and discrimination personally and globally and then fundraised and shared their resources by filling stockings for soldiers serving in Special Forces in Afghanistan. They also purchased a granite brick that is part of the 9/11 Memorial in New York City and gave the balance of the money to UNICEF.
The eighth-grade class went to Storybird.com and created storybooks from the photographs/drawing available there. They sold these high-quality printed books to family and friends and with the money raised, invested it in KIVA, an organization that lends money to disadvantaged groups to create opportunities for themselves to grow. Once those groups start to grow, they repay the money and KIVA repays the organization that loaned the money to them. In this case, Niagara-Wheatfield.
The eighth-graders loaned $200 and at this point have had $136 returned. Their plan is to take that money and reinvest it with KIVA again next year.
"We have over 1,000 kids that understand what it means to be selfless," said Principal Laura Palka. "We haven't advertised some of the wonderful things that have gone on, but feel with what the district has gone through this year it's time to share this.
"We have also helped numerous families in the district who have fallen on hard times," said Palka. "Our students are very active in making the world a better place."

subset: commoncrawl


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Conservation at Shapwick Moor
Shapwick Moor, which has been used to grow a variety of arable crops in recent years, is now being restored to flower-rich, semi-natural grassland through Natural England's Environmental Stewardship Scheme.
One field is being restored to fen. Rough grass margins along the boundary will encourage owls and other birds of prey and the small mammals they feed on.
As well as returning the land to grazing, the Trust plans to:
- Raise the water levels to protect the peat soils, which were being damaged by regular ploughing, and preserve the archaeological features hidden there
- Restore the old hedges and pollarded willows
- Re-profile the ditch banks and edges to make them more suitable for wildlife
- Encourage reedbed to develop along some ditches
- Create wide rough grass margins to encourage small mammals, such as voles – prey for owls and others
- Establish a new permissive path, linking the reserve to nearby villages
- Two hides have now been constructed, the Barbara Handley hide and the Sett hide


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The Shepherd is Struck
Jesus solemnly warns us that He will deny before the Father those who deny Him before the world (Matt. 10:32–33). This should strike fear into our hearts and lead us to pray for the strength to confess Him ...Read More
Real Body and Blood?
One of the fundamental principles of biblical interpretation is that Scripture is its own interpreter. In other words, we must be careful not to impose alien systems of thoughts upon the text but rather strive to interpret each passage of ...Read More


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| Uruaçu Iron Meteorites For Sale
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Here's today's Booking Through Thursday question:
Do you multi-task when you read? Do other things like stirring things on the stove, brushing your teeth, watching television, knitting, walking, et cetera?
Or is it just me, and you sit and do nothing but focus on what you're reading?
(Or, if you do both, why, when, and which do you prefer?)I don't truly multi-task when I read. I can't watch TV and read at the same time, because I find myself focusing on only one thing, either the book or the TV. Every time I've tried to walk and read, I bump into something. I do, however, take a book everywhere, so that in every spare minute in the doctor's waiting room or carpool line, I read.
I can't imagine knitting and reading--I can barely knit, so I'm either squinting at the yarn and the needles, or at the knitting pattern. Watching TV while knitting is hard enough, I can't imagine reading and knitting.
For me, books shut everything else out. That's why I started reading in the first place, to be carried away from real life. Even if I try to do something else while reading, I can't really focus, and most often find myself only reading.
How about you?


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In 2009, there were an estimated 505 clean-technology M&A transactions globally, totaling $31.8 billion, according to the Cleantech Group, a research firm based in San Francsico.
In North America, Europe and Israel, the number of clean technology M&A deals was up from 2008, but the total value of those transactions was down. In China, however, M&A activity in the sector was red hot. The country reached a historic high with 29 transactions totaling $5.5 billion.
Click ahead to see the biggest clean tech deals around the world.
By Brooke Sopelsa
(Posted Jan 8, 2010)


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TheHuntingMap.com is a new outdoor and hunting social website featuring a Google Maps-based mapping module. We are first and foremost avid outdoorsmen that want to share the joy of being outdoors and understanding wildlife. This makes for a better hunting experience!
The target audience is in-line with the audience of the big box outfitters like Cabelas, Bass Pro, VersusCountry, and the Outdoor Channel.
The website will promote being outdoors, connecting with other hunters, and being a better conservationist. The current focus wildlife is land mammals (deer, elk, etc).
We need a logo that is unique and includes a nature or hunting related icon that can stand alone or in conjunction with the typographic element. Please include the Name of the Website (The Hunting Map). We like the attached logo for its simplicity and message.
Also needed (though not required) are ideas for stand-alone icons that will be used as map markers. We intend to have different icons for different wildlife (example white-tail deer) that will work well with the main logo.


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Be the first property to be listed on this page - instant online activation.Click here to register >
Ken Smith, Property 12069
You may want to consider these holiday rentals in other areas of Limousin / Auvergne.
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Large family room with king size bed plus two singles. Separate wc and shower room
Welcome to La Poujade, a charming 17th century house and barn, built on the site of an old chateau, with panoramic south facing views over rolling hills and ideally situated in a rural hamlet on the Correze/Lot border.
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Do you feel like you are just existing and your passion is just buried underneath a bunch of dead weight? You are more than that. You have inspiration within you! You have a message someone needs to hear! You are not the sum total of the lies people have said to you through their pain! You are an amazing individual that has lost sight of a dream. That dream is still there just waiting for you to give it permission.
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Veronica Schultz
The Finger Prints of God are there in your life, do you see them? His fingerprints gently design your circumstances to open a closed mind to new things, new thoughts, His ways. It's those storms we face that bring us to the very place He waits to meet with us, "In Our Quietest Moments". Grab a cup of hot steamy coffee and come read as I write...
Stephen Schultz
I am a new writer to Veronica Schultz's Blog and will be posting from time to time. Just so that you know, I am her Son and I hope you enjoy my postings.
Many of us have wished we can turn back the time and redo what has been done. But I have learned that living with regrets keeps our focus on the past, not allowing God to show us the present. There are new lessons, new discoveries and many more blessings just waiting for us as we walk with God. Don't run ahead now, you might trip and fall. Travel with me as I share my life and my revelations.
You should know…
that there is no such thing as a hopeless situation with Papa God. He is the Lord God Almighty… Jehovah Jirah… the God of all sufficiency… exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could ask or think….
He is always on time!
Copyright Notice
Copyright Notice
Copyright © 2009 VeronicaSchultz. All rights reserved for all original content. Republication or redistribution of content, text, or original image is not allowed unless permission is given by Veronica Schultz. Not all images on this site are the property of Veronica Schultz and can be used freely. VeronicaSchultz was Created and began by Veronica Schultz on April 19, 2009.


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"… in Your book all my days were recorded, even those which were purposed before they had come into being."
—Psalm 139:16
Do you know anyone who is struggling with the existence of God? Anyone who believes that He exists but doesn't know what to do with that knowledge? They have a lot in common with Cameron Vaux, the central character in Book of Days by James L. Rubart.
After his father dies from apparent Alzheimer's disease, and his wife dies in a plane accident, Cameron starts to find that some of his memories are slipping away and he fears he's suffering the same fate as his dad. He recalls his father, in a more coherent moment, telling him about a book, written by God, which has all of one's days recorded in it, past, present and future. His wife also refers to the same book shortly before her death. Cameron feels that finding the book is the key to fixing his memory problems.
He heads to Three Peaks, Oregon to find clues to the book's whereabouts. What he finds is a very tight, small community who, for the most part, won't discuss the book. He meets the fanatical Jason Judah, who seems to worship the idea of the book. Through several enigmatic clues, the path leads to Taylor Stone, who seems to hold the key to finding the book. The question is whether the book is real or just a legend. Also, enter Ann Bannister, Cameron's late wife's friend and foster sister, who is on a search of her own.
Book of Days was written while Rubart's own father was dying of Alzheimer's. Rubart writes a lovely note at the end of the book about his father (don't miss it.) The question arose for Rubart as to what happens to his father's memories. He says that God gave him Psalm 139:16. Thus, the idea for Book of Days was born.
Book of Days, not only was an intriguing mystery, but also a good allegory for those who are seeking God. Cameron was surrounded by people who had deep relationships with God, but failed to see Him until his own memory loss prompted him to seek out the Book of Days. Maybe some of us are still seeking God, while others have had circumstances, much like Cameron's, that sent us running to find God.
Taylor and Cameron both are paralyzed by events of the past. Taylor, in particular, can't let go of past mistakes and past hurts. There's a strong message of forgiveness, both of others and ourselves, that frees the person who forgives.
Jason Judah is the perfect example of someone who worships the creation and forgets to worship the Creator. He takes this "religion" so far that it becomes a cult, neither relying on the truth in the Bible, nor on God.
I found the book intriguing and I really didn't anticipate the outcome until the very end. There are tender moments, very suspenseful moments and I really didn't want to put the book down! I couldn't wait to figure out whether the Book of Days was, indeed, real or not. I especially like how we find out about Cameron's life a little at a time through flashbacks.
There are many themes running through this book and a lot of smaller storylines. The twists and turns in the plot will ensure that you'll be on the edge of your seat. Cameron's journey to find a real Book of Days, like a lot of us, is about a journey to find out if God is real. Anyone who's longing for connection, with God and with others, will relate to some part of this book. Because we're all seekers, in one way or another.


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Jamba Juice Company, a leading healthy, active lifestyle brand, recently received special recognition by President Barack Obama and United States Labor Secretary Hilda Solis for demonstrating the highest level of corporate leadership by actively participating in the Obama Administration's Summer Jobs USA 2011 initiative.
Last spring, Jamba stepped forward and committed to hire a minimum of 2,500 young people across the country between the ages of 17 and 24. Along with their franchise partners, Jamba exceeded their committed goal by more than 200.
As part of a stepped-up effort to put America's youth to work, Jamba, along with more than 20 other business and community leaders from the around the country, demonstrated the power of partnership between public and private sector and joined the Obama Administration in the launch of Summer Jobs+.
Summer Jobs+ is the administration's new call to action for businesses, non-profits, and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for low-income and disconnected youth in the summer of 2012.
In response to the President's call to action, James D. White, chairman, president, and CEO, Jamba Juice Company, announced that the company will recommit to hiring 2,500 young people and expand their efforts to include an internship/mentoring program targeting Job Corps students in the culinary arts.
The newly designed program seeks to provide engaging opportunities for young people in the culinary arts to help them build their capabilities and skills.
"For more than 20 years, Jamba has been committed to helping build healthy communities and schools," White says. "We know how important it is for youth to find jobs over the summer in order to attain meaningful work-experience and the job skills essential to their future success."
"Summer jobs help teach young people about possibilities and provide them with the skills they need to be successful in the workplace," Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis says. "I'm thrilled that Jamba Juice has joined the growing list of committed partners leading the charge to provide America's young people with opportunities that can make an impact for a lifetime."
"For many, this will be their first job and a critical stepping stone in their future careers, which we hope will be with Jamba," White says. "It is a great honor to partner with the President and Secretary Solis in this very important effort."
Jamba Juice has more than 750 outlets across the nation. Applicants can find more information about summer jobs by visiting www.jambajuice.com/careers or http://www.dol.gov/dol/summerjobs/ .
The five times weekly e-newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on the latest industry news and additions to this website.


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Are you still searching for a gift for your soldier? Well, look no further; Harry's has you covered. We carry such a wide range of products; you're bound to find the perfect gift! Some of our favorites include the Seirus Original All Weather Black Lightweight Glove. This glove is perfect for the cold weather coming our way! It's a slim fit glove that keeps cold out and keeps hands warm. At $34.99, this is more than affordable.
Another option for this Christmas is going to help your soldier keep time; The Smith and Wesson Tritium Soldier Military Watch. With the ability to read time in low light conditions (even in total darkness), resist water up to 100M/300 feet, and featuring a scratch resistant mineral crystal face, this watch is a great buy! This watch is on sale right now for $89.95!
If your soldier is handy, either on the job or off, you may want to consider a multi-tool like the Leatherman Rebar Multi-Tool. This is on sale now for $46.99 and is made of 17 different tools! The best part is that it is a full size tool that can be closed to a compact size of 4 inches long that can easily fit in a pocket. Some of the tools on this multi-tool include pliers, screwdrivers, and wire stripper. While you're on our website, be sure to look around, we're sure you will be able to find many more great gift ideas for everyone on your list!


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Kenny Chesney Gets His Own Label Imprint at Sony Music Nashville
It looks as though Kenny Chesney's upcoming release, 'Welcome to the Fishbowl,' will not be his last on Sony Music Nashville — rather, it's a first. The country superstar and his longtime label home have reached an exclusive worldwide recording agreement for all of Chesney's future projects to be released under the Blue Chair/Columbia label, an imprint which gives the 'Come Over' singer more creative control.
"I moved to Nashville to be a songwriter, so to have my own label imprint feels like beyond a dream come true," Chesney says on his new Blue Chair label imprint (quote via Sony Music Nashville). 'Welcome to the Fishbowl' is the most honest and authentic album I've ever recorded, and I'm thrilled to be able to release it on my own Blue Chair Records. It's the start of a great new chapter for me as an artist."
His revealing new album will hit store shelves and digital retailers on June 19 and will be the first release under the new imprint. The project features the Tim McGraw duet 'Feel Like a Rock Star' and the current radio offering, 'Come Over.'
Chesney and McGraw just kicked off their joint Brothers of the Sun Tour in a spectacular fashion on June 2 in Tampa, Fla. The dynamic duo will take their extravagant all-arena stage show cross-country through the end of August. Click here for tour dates and ticket information.


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Sherry Geoghegan
Area Sales Manager
You've come to the right place for home loans. Whether you are purchasing a home or in need of refinancing, this branch of Bay Equity Home Loans is ready to help you through the process. If it's just information you seek or you are ready to apply for a loan, our Loan Officers will assist you throughout the process.
At Bay Equity, we know how important each mortgage is to the borrower. We are committed to great customer service and focused on closing each loan on time. Welcome to Bay Equity Home Loans, "Your Home for Loans."
"We recently bought our home this month with Bay Equity as our loan company. And all throughout our home buying period, we never experienced any problems with Bay Equity. They were actually outstanding! Great customer service, really fast turnaround time, very professional people! They delivered as promised. They actually exceeded our expectations. THANKS, BAY EQUITY!"
Melissa L.


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SOURCE: Franklin Templeton
June 15, 2012 18:33 ET
SAN MATEO, CA--(Marketwire - Jun 15, 2012) - Franklin Universal Trust (NYSE: FT), a closed-end investment company managed by Franklin Advisers, Inc., announced today a dividend of $0.038 per share, payable July 13, 2012, to shareholders of record on June 29, 2012 (Ex-Dividend Date: June 27, 2012).
Franklin Advisers, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE: BEN), a global investment management organization operating as Franklin Templeton Investments. Franklin Templeton Investments provides global and domestic investment management solutions managed by its Franklin, Templeton, Mutual Series, Fiduciary Trust, Darby and Bissett investment teams. The San Mateo, CA-based company has more than 60 years of investment experience and over $683 billion in assets under management as of May 31, 2012. For more information, please call 1-800/DIAL BEN® or visit franklintempleton.com.
Franklin Templeton Investments
Shareholders/Financial Advisors: (800) 342-5236
Franklin Templeton Investments
Shareholders/Financial Advisors: (800) 342-5236
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I love to make things.
I grew up in an enterprenure's home, with a dad who can still come up with ten new business ideas on a napkin at dinner and with a mom who folk art painted on Thursday nights, made stain glass on Saturdays and created porcelain dolls in between.
You could say I inherited some of this (except I can't come up with ONE business that will get my hubby next to me during day time hours and I'm a horrible painter).
Except for that.
But I love to create.
For a long time, my creativity could be found in my DIY projects and home decor. But after returning from Africa, I struggled with continuing to make it about me and not sharing some of it. Does that make sense?
I think that's why I can't believe I get to be a part of Mercy House, specifically helping to empower our girls by selling their artistic creations. It all makes sense, this creative outlet helping them help themselves. Plus, I really enjoy this part of it!
Creativity has come full circle for me. Mine has found a purpose and I'm finding my rhythm to allow my creativity free reign back in my home again…
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Why we need to be creative:
- We serve a creative God. Just look around you. (He also may or may not have a sense of humor)
- God created us to be creative.
- We possess a unique, original gift of creativity. We can produce something that no one else can.
- We honor Him when we produce something creative.
- He receives glory in our creations.
YOU WERE CREATED TO BE CREATIVE. It doesn't have to be crafty to be creative. Go make a unique dinner, organize the garage exceptionally, write something heartfelt.
Glorify Him thru your creativity.


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The Tucci Don't Go To Bed Mad T-shirt is made from high quality 100% pre-shrunk cotton and features a classic crew neck t-shirt silhouette. The ultra soft cotton creates a men's t-shirt that is perfect to wear on a casual day out or to the gym. "Don't Go to bed mad..stay up and fight!" screen print along the front of the garment creates a fun and stylish men's t-shirt.
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Fellowes Powershred 69Cb Cross-Cut Shredder
Description: The perfect gift for gadget-loving people, the Fellowes 69Cb is designed to meet all your shredding needs in the home and home office. This machine is innovative and durable, featuring cutting-edge technology that is sure to appeal to gadget-lovers. The 69Cb offers: • Cross-Cut technology with Fellowes' Jam Blocker feature, an electronic sensor that measures paper and prevents overfeeding. • SafeSense® technology, an advanced electronic safety sensor that surrounds the paper entry and automatically disables the shredder when hands come too close. Great for homes with small children and pets! • SilentShred™, a whisper-quiet motor that alleviates common shredder noise concerns. Perfect for homes where a baby may be sleeping in the next room.
Price: $179.99


text: Can our prayers cause God to change his mind? Exodus 32:14 Scripture teaches that God does not change his mind, but he sometimes adjusts his answers to fit our response. The Bible contains many examples of this: the Hebrews on the outskirts of Canaan (see Nu 14:11–23; 1Sa 15:29); Hezekiah's repentance on behalf of Israel (see 2Ch 29:3–10,36) and the sparing of Nineveh (see Jnh 3:1–10). Experiencing God's will is dynamic. As with any interpersonal relationship, God's relationship with humanity involves unexpected twists and turns. God modifies his responses to ours; we adjust our responses to God's. So, in a sense, it can be said that God sometimes changes his mind in response to our prayers. At the same time, God's will is determined. There are decrees and promises he has made that do not change. He kept his covenant with the Israelites (see Dt 7:7–8) and keeps his new covenant with those who believe in Jesus (see Jn 6:37–40, 44). God wants us to do his will obediently. He has predetermined ways he expects us to respond, but he has made us capable of resisting him (see Ps 143:10; 1Th 5:16–18; Heb 10:35–39; 2Pe 3:9). These aspects of God's will work together. It is not possible for us to understand exactly how they work together, but God is ultimately in control. We might compare the relationship between God, his will and his people to a chess match between a novice player and a master. The novice can make any move he chooses and the master will respond accordingly. But the master will always be in control of the game. This analogy is limited and should not be pressed too far, but God's people "win" when the Master's will is done.


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We are in love with the smell of this Bain de Terre Flower Passion Color Preserving Shampoo. Moisturizes and deeply conditions to leave hair soft, vibrant and shiny! Extends the vibrancy of color-treated hair with full spectrum UV protectants. Shampoo protects color-treated hair from fading over 82% longer.
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Apply to wet hair. Gently massage into scalp and work to lather. Rinse.
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Step aerobics class
The Kaskaskia College Office of Continuing/Community Education will offer a step aerobics class at the Fayette County YMCA in Vandalia on Thursdays, May 2-30, from 5-6 p.m.
The registration number for the class is COED 5410 VA01E.
This class will be a low-impact cardio workout using an adjustable step bench for a total body workout.
The cost for this course is $25, but students over 60 may register at no cost.
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European Commission
José Manuel Durão Barroso
President of the European Commission
Speech by President Barroso: "Culture: the cement that binds Europe together"
Opera Europa - RESEO Spring Conference/Vienna
4 April 2013
Mr Chairman, thank you very much. Dear friends, some of whom I also met in other boxes in the operas across Europe. Thank you for your kind words of introduction.
First of all, I would like to extend my warmest thanks also to Opera Europa and RESEO for inviting me to join you at this conference.
And I also have a confession to make. I myself, as some of you know, am a passionate lover of music and opera. So it is a real pleasure for me to be here in Vienna. Where could be better than the Wiener Staatsoper to share with you some thoughts about the culture that binds Europe together.
In an address given in Paris in 1940, the great writer and the great European Stefan Zweig spoke warmly of his beloved native Vienna as "that classical city of music". "Never," said Zweig, "was a city more blessed by the god of music than Vienna in the 18th and 19th centuries." I think he could agree, even in the 21st century.
Vienna was indeed the ideal soil for the flowering of a common European culture; so many paths crossed here over the years: Haydn came from Hungary, Gluck from Bohemia, Mozart from Salzburg, Beethoven from the Rhineland, Salieri from Italy, and Schubert, a son of Vienna itself, while Brahms came from Hamburg, Bruckner from Upper Austria; and then again there were Strauss and Lanner, Hugo Wolf, Gustav Mahler, and of course Anton von Webern, Alban Berg and Arnold Schoenberg, so many great names linked to this city, linked to the history of music and linked to the great European culture.
And if for centuries, as Zweig put it, "not a year passed when Vienna did not see the birth of an immortal work of music", that was at least partly because musicians found in this city, at every level of society, a demanding and passionate public.
Zweig illustrates that passion with a charming anecdote about Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio – performed here only last night. And I want to thank the Director of the Opera for the invitation. I had with some of you the opportunity also to watch this beautiful performance.
Zweig recounts how, when Beethoven threatened to cancel a performance of Fidelio, a princess and a countess at once threw themselves at his feet in order to dissuade him.
To use Zweig's own words, "This gesture by blue-blooded aristocrats before the son of a drunken Kapell-meister", says more than any lengthy discourse on the extraordinary passion of the Viennese for music and opera, a passion that I have the pleasure to share with you today.
But Zweig, as you know, was not just an ardent admirer of his native city and its cosmopolitan spirit, he was also one of the most fervent advocates of the idea of European unity.
He did not want the "history of tomorrow", the history taught to younger generations, to be devoted solely to the glorification of warrior heroes, he wanted it first and foremost to be the history of the heroes who advanced the European idea and its aspiration for unity. What Zweig called "this eternal desire for unity of feeling, will, thought and life".
It is this desire that is at the very root of European culture. A desire that nothing has been able to halt. A desire that, across centuries, has always outlived war, nationalism and division, and that has finally found its most advanced political expression in the European Union.
And this is the train of thought I want to pursue here, given the undeniable truth that a European Union of culture preceded and nurtured the economic and political European Union that we know today; and given that culture always was, and still is, more than ever, the cement that binds Europe together.
And I am especially glad that your think-tank of young people has helped to put the focus on this idea of "culture as the cement of Europe" as one of the themes of your conference.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The aspiration for European unity is also the history of the Renaissance, which, with its rediscovery of Europe's Greco-Roman heritage, laid the foundations for European cultural unity.
The peregrinatio academica – at that time an integral part of any scholarly education – marks the emergence of a sense of European identity.
It was literally a Europe on the move, with students and teachers frequently travelling across borders, seeking to enrich their knowledge at other European universities.
Erasmus of Rotterdam, for instance, journeyed the length and breadth of Europe, from Oxford, to Rome and Lyon, to name but a few.
There was an extraordinary ferment and flowering of intellectual activity, a "common market of ideas", to use the words of Edgar Morin.
And then, in response to the explosion of technical and specialised knowledge, there was the incredible adventure of the Encyclopaedia, literally "all-round education", about which Jules Michelet wrote in his History of France: "The Encyclopaedia was much more than a book. It was a collective enterprise… all Europe became involved."
More than once, in the course of history, this "common market of ideas" had to confront nationalism and war. But the aspiration for unity is indestructible. It never weakened and was further reinforced in the 19th century, notably through Victor Hugo's call for the creation of the United States of Europe.
And if finally, over the last sixty years, we have succeeded in uniting our countries on solid economic and institutional foundations, and if it happens, it is because the Union was buttressed by the existence of an underlying fundamental unity; the cultural kinship shared by Europeans. For, in its very essence, our Union is both a political and – let's not be afraid to say it – a cultural project.
As Edmund Husserl stressed here in Vienna, in the Kulturbund in May 1935 in his famous lecture on Philosophy and the Crisis of the European Man, and I'm quoting: "No matter how hostile they may be towards one another, the nations of Europe nevertheless share a special inner kinship of spirit that runs through them all, transcending their national differences. There is a kind of sibling bond that gives all of us within this circle a consciousness of homeland."
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is this kinship that has finally overcome hostility. And it is this spirit that continues to thrive today, encouraged and sustained by the wide range of measures taken by the European Union and in that case the European Commission, whether it be through the Erasmus programmes and the creation by 2014 of a European Research Area; or through the European capitals of culture, the promotion of multilingualism and intercultural dialogue, and not forgetting the European Community legislation to protect the rights of authors, producers and artists.
What we want to defend is a Europe constantly developing new forms of cooperation founded on the exchange of ideas, innovation, and research.
It is a Europe that accords a central place to the individual, to every human being, and to respect for human dignity. Science and culture are at the very heart of Europe's openness precisely because they enrich us as individuals and create bonds that extend beyond frontiers.
When I had the great privilege and honour to represent the European Union receiving the Nobel Peace Prize 2012 in Oslo, I made a point about stressing that, precisely, culture and science are at the core of our European project, as a way of going beyond borders, beyond national frontiers. Because you cannot really commit to this idea of culture without accepting the idea that you have to go beyond borders.
What we want to sustain is a European Union whose great strength is that it has never excluded unity, but in full respect of diversity. Quite the reverse, our Europe has always been nurtured by differences.
The basis of our unity is a pluralist, multilingual culture that has been able to assimilate the heritage of other cultures. The wealth of our culture lies in our openness to other societies, our openness to the world.
European culture has always looked towards a broader universal horizon, far into the distance, true to the Greek origin of the word Europe – Europa, the woman with a wide-ranging gaze (eurus opsis). This is reflected in Goethe's remark about literature when he said that "The age of national literature has passed and the age of world literature is at hand."
European unity, then, is not achieved through some sort of levelling process driving us to uniformity, but through a fruitful blending of differences, contrasts, and yes, even tensions.
This was beautifully expressed by Denis de Rougemont, whom I had the great honour and good fortune to know when I was a young student in Geneva, and with whom I had the great honour to work on his Dictionnaire international du fédéralisme. As some of you may know, Denis de Rougemont was not just a great thinker and a great author and European federalist, the author of the beautiful book, "L'amour et l'Occident", but also the man behind the creation of the Association Européenne des Festivals de Musique that was created precisely in Geneva.
And Denis de Rougemont said: "Culture demands a paradoxical pact: diversity must be the principle of unity, differences must be highlighted, not in order to divide but in order to enrich culture even further. Europe is a culture, or else it is nothing."
And in this sense opera is, without any doubt, eminently European, an element that serves both to create and to bind together a Europe of unity in diversity. So if any journalist asks you, "Why is the European Commission President in a conference on opera?" I think you can reply, "Because there is nothing more European than opera."
Opera is the 'summa artis' where music, theatre, song and dance come together in one and the same production and sometimes also with new media as you know well.
Opera knows no frontiers. It was Mozart from Salzburg, who, in collaboration with an Italian, Lorenzo Da Ponte, drew his inspiration for The Marriage of Figaro from a comedy by a Frenchman, Beaumarchais. I could give so many examples.
Opera is the illustration par excellence of the long dialogue between European cultures across national boundaries, across centuries. Opera is Verdi, whose bicentenary we celebrate this year, Verdi, drawing the inspiration for his libretti from Shakespeare, Victor Hugo, Dumas, Schiller or the Duque de Rivas.
Opera is the distilled expression of fundamental European values. It is Beethoven's Fidelio, for instance, giving us a matchless chorus of homage to liberty and fraternity and love.
Opera is also the playful Rossini and his librettist Ballochi, who in "Il Viaggio a Reims" offer us a wonderful gallery of European portraits and an admirable hymn to harmony between nations. Let me try my Italian:
Or che regna fra le genti
La più placida armonia
Della Europa sempre fia
Il destin felice appien.
Viva, viva la armonia
Che è sorgente d'ogni ben!
[Now the most peaceful harmony reigns between all the nations of Europe and happiness is assured for ever. Long live harmony, the source of all goodness.]
It could not have been expressed any better, the only discordant note being that nothing can be certain forever, including peace, freedom, tolerance; in other words the essential values on which our Union is built.
As you know, ladies and gentlemen,
The Latin root of the word culture, colere, reminds us that the underlying idea is to look after, take care of, preserve.
And never has the European Union needed culture, in this root sense of the term, more than at the present time of deep crisis we face today, with all the doubts and fundamental questioning it has brought.
Never has there been a greater need for us to take good care of our economy that we define as a social market economy, a model that we must modernise in order to better preserve it, to take care of it. And that means also support for the cultural activities that generate new ideas, innovation and social cohesion. That is why the European Commission believes that, even at these difficult times of budget constraints, Europe must not hesitate to invest in culture, a growth sector for new jobs, jobs with a future. This is precisely the spirit behind our new programme, "Creative Europe".
And never has there been a greater need for us to look after the younger generations and to guarantee them prospects for the future. That is why education is at the heart of our strategy for growth and employment, what we call the Europe 2020 strategy, and at the heart of all the Commission's action to combat the terrible scourge of youth unemployment. This is especially true of the guarantee for youth that we have proposed and was now agreed by the Member States. And beyond that, we need to offer the young people concerned additional training, an apprenticeship or a job.
Because the society we believe in is an inclusive society that should leave no one by the roadside, a society that gives everyone a chance. And first of all, that means education, the basic right of every individual and a key factor for any dynamic economy and society.
And this is a fundamental point at a time when there has never been a greater need for us to nurture our European project, to preserve what it has brought us over the past sixty years and to impart to it a new dynamic. That is why I want you to know that in our discussions with our Member States we are trying in the discussions to protect culture, education, science and research in the national budgets. We believe it is important to make fiscal consolidation, but we always say smart fiscal consolidation. And we believe it is not smart to cut in culture, to cut in science, to cut in what can be the sources of growth in the future, in our young people. And this is something important. This is why the debate about culture is also important for the debate about economy, even if I am one of those who believe that culture should never be just seen in terms of economic profit or instrumentalised for economic goals. But it is true that the cultural sector today in Europe has a growing role in the economy and we can see, and I have the privilege of travelling very often around all Europe, that there is a thriving European sector in Europe today. You go to all theatres, your theatres, opera theatres, but you go to many other manifestations of culture all over Europe and you see the curiosity. Sometimes I am even moved when I see long queues to try to enter a museum to look at the great masters of the past or the most contemporary art. And this is indeed a proof of the dynamism of our European society. It is in this society that we have to put our trust. This is why I think it is important to have this contribution for the European project.
Because, our quest for European unity is not the finished article; it is a work in progress that calls for constant care.
The truth is that the aspiration for European unity cannot be taken for granted; several times over the centuries it has foundered on rocks that were thought to have been left far behind.
We cannot let populism, scepticism or pessimism undermine the foundations of Europe, not to speak about new forms of nationalism that I believe are a very serious risk for the European values that we cherish.
The crisis has brought into sharp relief the extent of our economic interdependence. To best cope with this, we need a European Union that is based on the principles of solidarity and responsibility.
Day after day, globalisation shows that we are living in a world where size matters. In the 21st century, even the largest European countries may look relatively small compared with the global goliaths of this 21st century. That is why we need the European Union. Not to oppose to our national countries or our national identities, but on the contrary, to give them more leverage in this very competitive international scene.
And it is becoming clear that our European culture – in other words our world view, shaped by our heritage – offers an ideal platform for responding successfully to the challenges of this century. I am thinking here of our commitment to knowledge, research and innovation, but also environmental protection. But also to our vision of a world where we will always stand by those who fight for the universal values that are so dear to us and on which we have founded our Union.
In a word, more than ever, we must defend these principles of openness, but also of unity. I really believe it is a forward-looking project to which we must commit ourselves.
As one of the founding fathers of the European Union Jean Monnet said, "We are not forming a coalition of states, we are uniting peoples."
That is all the more true in that closer European integration must go hand in hand with greater European democracy.
The year 2013, the European Year of Citizenship, is the occasion to focus the debate about the future of Europe on civil society, including the world of culture. That is why I am promoting at European level an idea. It is about the contribution that culture can give to Europe and also what Europe can give to culture. We are organising gatherings of intellectuals, artists, culture promoters to discuss these matters, to come not only with support, but also with criticism; what we can do to have this new narrative of Europe for the 21st century. I would like to invite you to think about this, to give us your ideas, to participate in what we are going to launch as a process all over Europe.
And I think that an event like today's event of yours is an important occasion to discuss some of these issues, because in fact you know by your experience every day and every night how important it is, the cement of culture, for these European values that we cherish.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you very much for your patience and let me end where I started, that is to say with Stefan Zweig's reflections on the extraordinary creativity of Vienna.
"The highest degree of art," said Zweig, "is attained wherever it is the passion of an entire people."
I would simply add that the same applies to Europe. That is why we need this debate among citizens about our European challenges. That is why we need the contribution of the world of culture for that purpose.
I thank you very much for your attention.
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An acid attack on the artistic director of the Bolshoi ballet has shone the spotlight on the fierce "Black Swan" -like competition for starring roles at the famed Russian dance company.
The attack on Sergei Filin could be in retaliation for his selection of certain dancers over others for the prized roles, his colleagues said Friday. They expressed fears that Filin, a 42-year-old former Bolshoi star, could be left partially blind after a masked assailant threw acid in his face as he returned home in Moscow late Thursday.
Filin suffered third-degree burns on his face and underwent eye surgery Friday evening to try to save his sight, Bolshoi spokeswoman Katerina Novikova said. Doctors said his right eye was badly burned and it would not be clear for days whether the operation was a success.
The Bolshoi Theater is one of Russia's premier cultural institutions, best known for "Swan Lake" and the other grand classical ballets that grace its Moscow stage. But backstage, the ballet company has been troubled by deep intrigue and infighting that have led to the departure of several artistic directors over the last few years.
The Bolshoi's general director, Anatoly Iksanov, said he believes the attack was linked to Filin's work.
"He is a man of principle and never compromised," Iksanov said on Channel One state television. "If he believed that this or that dancer was not ready or was unable to perform this or that part, he would turn them down."
The fierce competition for roles in classical ballet was highlighted in the 2010 Oscar-winning film "Black Swan." In the psychological thriller, dancers played by Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis vie to prove to the artistic director that only they should be chosen to perform as the sensual Black Swan.
Anastasia Volochkova, a former Bolshoi ballerina who danced with Filin, described a "terrible, wild fight" for roles at the Bolshoi.
"The cruelty of the ballet world is astoundingly pathological," Volochkova said in an interview on Ekho Moskvy radio.
She said Filin had done nothing to deserve such an attack. "Of course, this position is sweet," the former ballerina said. "The director of the ballet decides everything: the amount of grants given to every artist, or perhaps not given, who will dance which roles and who will not dance them."
Novikova, the Bolshoi spokeswoman, also appeared to confirm that a disagreement over dancing roles may have played a part in the attack.
"We never imagined that a war for roles — not for real estate or for oil — could reach this level of crime," Novikova said on Channel One.
Filin knew that someone was threatening him or trying to undermine his position, Iksanov said, explaining that Filin's car tires had been slashed this week and he was targeted earlier this month by hackers who had posted his professional correspondence online.
"He said, 'I have a feeling that I am on the front lines,'" Iksanov quoted Filin as telling him Thursday before the attack.
Filin, speaking from a hospital bed, said he was unable to recognize his attacker, who wore a hood and either a mask or a scarf so that only his eyes were visible.
"I got scared and I thought he was going to shoot me," Filin, his face and head covered with white bandages, told REN TV. "I turned around to run, but he raced ahead of me."
The attacker then fled the scene. Police, who spoke with Filin in the hospital, said they were working to determine the attacker's identity. Blurry video of the attack from a closed-circuit camera was shown on state television.
The attack left Bolshoi management jittery. Iksanov later Friday backed away from the suggestion that it was linked to Filin's casting decisions, and Channel One deleted his statement from its reports.
Filin, who danced for the Bolshoi from 1989 until 2007, was appointed artistic director of the Bolshoi's ballet company in March 2011. Before that, he served as artistic director at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theater, Moscow's second ballet company.
He is the sixth artistic director at the Bolshoi since Yuri Grigorovich, who led the dance company for three decades, resigned in 1995 after losing a protracted dispute with theater management. Successive artistic directors have been unable to overcome the resistance from dancers and teachers still loyal to Grigorovich as they tried to inject new life into the company. But Filin was seen as capable of bridging that gap, since he was a Bolshoi veteran who later brought modern works to Moscow's second ballet company.
Yet several stars at the Bolshoi, including celebrated dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze, have complained about what they called Filin's unfair treatment of dancers at the theater.
In a newspaper interview Friday, Tsiskaridze said the attack on Filin was most likely related to either his love life or his control over the lavish government funds allocated to the theater.
Alexei Ratmansky, the Bolshoi ballet's artistic director from 2004 until 2008, described an atmosphere of intrigue at the dance company.
"What happened with Sergei Filin was not accidental," Ratmansky, now an artist-in-residence at the American Ballet Theater, posted on his Facebook page. "The Bolshoi has many ills. It's a disgusting cesspool, of those developing friendships with the artists, the speculators and scalpers, the half-crazy fans ready to bite the throats of the rivals of their favorites, the cynical hackers, the lies in the press and the scandalous interviews of staff.
"This is all one snowball caused by the lack of any ethics at the theater."
But Bolshoi dancers Svetlana Zakharova and Yan Godovsky downplayed the tensions at the company, saying there were disagreements but not "on this scale." Zakharova, a prima ballerina, teared up when speaking about Filin.
"We've just realized that the job of a Bolshoi Theater director is a very dangerous one," she said.
Shortly after Filin's appointment, two soloists left the theater in protest. Also around that time, ballet company manager Gennady Yanin quit after erotic photographs of him were posted online in what appeared to be an effort to push him aside.
"The Bolshoi Theater is no isolated island," theater critic Alla Gerber, a cultural adviser to the Kremlin, said on a television talk show devoted to the attack. "It has absorbed all of the horrors happening in Russia."
Mansur Mirovalev contributed to this report.


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(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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This photograph was reproduced in Madeline Yale Wynne's "Maker of Baskets" published in "Good Housekeeping" November 1901. Wynne notes that Deerfield, Massachusetts, baskets were being woven by workers between the ages of six and sixty years of age. She writes "Women have always been the makers of baskets; it has always been a woman's art." Raffia can be seen hanging from the post on the right. The women on the left are weaving baskets made of grass.
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(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
Contact us for information about using this image.
There is currently no available "Beginner" label. The following is the default level label: This photograph by Frances and Mary Allen was probably taken for the 1910 Pageant of Deerfield, Massachusetts. Early in the program, the actors playing Native Americans conducted an "Indian Hunt Dance." The actors are wearing long "union suits," a single-piece uniform often worn by workers that were probably dyed brown to simulate the organizers' idea of what Native American skin looked like. They have long, shaggy wigs, another simulation of their idea of Native American hair. But they are not wearing brown make-up on their hands and faces. The implements they hold are clearly made for the event. These costumes and the incidents that were portrayed in the 1910 pageant found their way into the 1910 Edison Company movie, "Ononko's Vow."
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text: New FAPRI Analysis Indicates Effectiveness of Dairy Policy Changes April 24, 2012 08:25 AM Tweet TAGS: Marketing, Overseas December 18, 2014 By MILK Editors Email Source: National Milk Producers Federation A new analysis of the dairy policy changes being considered by the House and Senate Agriculture Committees finds that the reforms will have a minimal effect on milk production and dairy product exports, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) said today. At the same time, two other national farm groups, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC), have endorsed the changes in dairy policy that NMPF is pushing for on Capitol Hill. The groups sent a letter today to the Senate in support of the dairy reforms. The new analysis was prepared by Dr. Scott Brown of the University of Missouri and the Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute (FAPRI), and was commissioned by the House Agriculture Committee, which is holding a hearing this Thursday on dairy policy. Brown's report analyzes the Dairy Security Act that the Senate Agriculture committee is also including in the Farm Bill draft it will consider this week. The program features a voluntary margin insurance program to protect against low milk prices or high feed costs, with a basic level of coverage available to all producers for free, and a supplemental, expanded level of coverage available for farmers to purchase. If farmers enroll in the Dairy Producer Margin Protection Program, they will also be subject to the Dairy Market Stabilization Program, which asks them to reduce their milk output when margins are very low. The key take-away from the FAPRI report is that the dairy reforms reduce margin volatility at the farm level, without negatively affecting the supply of milk to either domestic or international markets, according to NMPF. "This new assessment should calm any concerns on Capitol Hill that the U.S. dairy industry will be in any way diminished or hobbled by the changes we want to make," said Jerry Kozak, President and CEO of NMPF. "In fact, by reducing the chances that farmers will lose their equity, these policy reforms will strengthen our industry and make it more competitive in the long term." Brown's study shows that, on average over the period of 2012-2022, there are only small effects on milk availability if the provisions of the Dairy Security Act are in place. Even with 70 percent of the milk supply participating in the program, the analysis shows that supplies average just one tenth of one percent (0.1%) less than the without the program [p. 9]. The impact of the Dairy Market Stabilization program on exports is minimal as well. For example, exports of nonfat dry milk would average just four million pounds lower, or 0.3 percent. The program's impact on consumer prices also would be minimal. The Brown analysis shows that during the eleven-year period studied, the national farm-level All-Milk price would average just five cents per hundredweight higher, or less than one-half cent a gallon [p. 10]. Such a small change is not likely to have any impact on retail prices for milk, cheese or other consumer products. "This report corroborates the research that our own economists have conducted on this program, and demonstrates that margin volatility for farmers is reduced without milk prices being unduly raised. There are only small effects on the milk supply, so dairy product trade impacts are very small. Importantly, neither the margin protection nor the market stabilization programs will operate often, or for long periods of time. They are triggered in when needed, and they trigger back out when they are not," Kozak said. The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance the well-being of dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. The members of NMPF's 31 cooperatives produce the majority of the U.S. milk supply, making NMPF the voice of more than 32,000 dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. Visit www.nmpf.org for more information. Back to news


text:
Fallout from the crippling cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment has called into question exactly what the future holds for one of Hollywood's biggest names.
A paralyzed computer system has hampered the studio's ability to make deals, promote upcoming movie releases and conduct business. Some employees at the Culver City film and television studio still were having trouble accessing their email this weekend.
But, beyond the day-to-day running of a studio, there's a sense in Hollywood that big changes are ahead.
"Major upheaval will occur at Sony," said Jeffrey Cole, director of the Center for the Digital Future at USC's Annenberg School. "This will...


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I am psychic reader use spirits guide I can give you the answers you are looking for offer you honest and sincere guidance. I have gifted ability to tell you of your situation and give you clarity and balance that you need to make important decision. I a
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MTL-CHW Tel Hai Bridge, Mahjong and Canasta 2017
On Wednesday, September 6, 2017, the Montreal Centre of Canadian Hadassah-WIZO (CHW) will be hosting the 33rd Tel Hai Annual Bridge, Mahjong and Canasta Luncheon at Elm Ridge Country Club. Our bridge tournament is a highlight in the Montreal bridge community as well an expanding group of Mahjong and Canasta players.
This year we are pleased to be honouring Bea Krupp, a longstanding member of the Tel Hai Chapter and dedicated supporter of CHW and Israel.
Proceeds from this event will be directed to CHW projects in Canada and in Israel. CHW is a women's volunteer organization dedicated to providing desperately needed funds for our projects in support of Children, Healthcare and Women in Canada and in Israel. In Montreal, projects which have received our support include Leave Out Violence, the Montreal Children's Hospital, Le Café, Sun Youth, and MADA.


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Hey guys…
I went over to Shea/Citi Field today to take some pics and to my amazement I was invited into the Rotunda, which is pretty rare unless you're media or a construction worker. I also took a bunch of pics of Shea, which basically looks like a war zone. The LF Upper Deck is no more….
Anyway, if you're interested I upload a bunch at……enjoy


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Thus, cloud servers deployed in this manner would only consider the first eight characters of the root password significant, potentially allowing an attacker with simple knowledge of this weakness and the system's hostname to remotely log in via SSH as root. As hostnames are easily determined by a number of means, the potential for damage is significant. Additionally, evidences exists that Rackspace is storing customer root passwords internally in a recoverable format.
These issues were reported to the company, as described in the previously published Rackspace cloud security pre-advisory. To date, Rackspace has apparently mitigated some of the issues for newly deployed instances, but serious questions remain regarding the integrity of servers in the wild which were deployed using the flawed methods. As the company is a large hosting provider with well known IP space, and the time at which these problems were first manifested is unknown, the number of vulnerable servers could be significant.
|During the late afternoon and early evening of April 3, 2004, this supercell thunderstorm dropped 2 inch-diameter hail over Chaparral, N.M. causing widespread damage. [NWS/NOAA/Wikipedia]
nova-agent root password hashing weaknessRackspace has recently begun installing nova-agent on customer servers to aid with various tasks, such as file injection during deployment and recovery of root passwords. The nova-agent communicates with Rackspace's infrastructure via the Xen bus. Although the agent is largely written in Python (with some C for flavor), the source code is not included on customer instances. It is, however, available at https://github.com/rackspace/openstack-guest-agents-unix.
(Before you ask, killing it outright is a bad idea. The Rackspace Cloud control panel will hang for a considerable length of time waiting for a reply from nova-agent when it needs to talk to it, and won't let you do anything until it times out. We invite the community to create a dummy nova-agent that allows us to disable this rootkit without breaking our servers.)
Prior to commit ab52bd9 (2012-02-13), passwords were set using the legacy DES-based crypt scheme. This resulted in only the first eight characters of root passwords set externally (via the control panel, API, etc) being significant. In other words, root passwords set by Rackspace were truncated to eight characters.
This significantly limited the possible set of passwords (to 56 bits), allowing for easier-than-expected remote bruteforcing. Also, should an attacker gain access to /etc/shadow, the root password could be recovered with ease.
Workaround: Reset the root password using the normal Linux tool (passwd).
Fix: Better password hashes are being generated with new installs of the following images, as of at least June 17th:
- Arch 2011.10
- CentOS 6.2
- Debian 6.0
- Gentoo 11.0
- Fedora 17
- OpenSUSE 12.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.1
- Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
- Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
Predictable default root password generationPrior to (approximately) May 14th, Rackspace Cloud Server generated default passwords using an algorithm similar to:
hostname = 'your-server-hostname.example.com'This would result in a root password of, as an example,
alphabet = string.letters[0:52] + string.digits
randombits = ''.join(random.choice(alphabet) for _ in range(9))
initial_password = hostname + randombits
your-server-hostname.example.comxO1CU812xCombined with the root password hashing weakness, mentioned above, this means that the root password on any server deployed prior to May 14th with a hostname of more than 8 characters is, effectively, the server's hostname. In other words, the default root password for the above server would be
your-serThis significantly reduces the set of possible passwords to check, particularly if the hostname of the machine can be easily recovered (perhaps from a HTTP error or SMTP server response or mail headers, etc).
Workaround: Reset the root password using the normal Linux tool (passwd).
Fix: The order of the initial password has been reversed, such that it is randombits + hostname. Or, for the above, xO1Cu812xyour-server-hostname.example.com. Forcing the user to set their own root password would be a more suitable fix, however.
On-the-fly silent root password resetsPrior to the week of May 14th, the "Reset Root Password" option on the Rackspace Cloud control panel would generate a new password (using the algorithm described in #2) and, if the instance were running nova-agent, set the root password without requiring a server reboot, and without notifying any of the contacts on the account. The only indication that the root password had changed was a log entry similar to the following in /var/log/nova-agent.log:
2012-05-13 19:24:30,090 [INFO] Received command 'password' with argument: 'eKWjeHx/2qk+1fCFNurF8/YFfm7N7DVTjKC0hDGrcNhDWNjoY/4mGWsWb5rYpXN0'(Note that nova-agent does NOT use the standard facilities for setting passwords and instead edits /etc/shadow directly, so this would not be announced via syslog, and it would not appear in the default reports of log analysis/summarization tools.)
This could be triggered by anyone/anything with access to the Cloud control panel or the API.
Fix: As of sometime in mid-May, e-mails are now sent to account contacts when the password is changed via the Cloud control panel. API calls have not yet been tested. (And no, the plaintext e-mail will no longer include the new root password.)
Insecure password storage for generated root passwordsWhen a server is initially deployed, or the Reset Root Password button is pressed, a root password is generated (per #2 above). On any subsequent rebuilds of this server, the same root password is used as the initial password. This suggests one of two possible problems: 1) There is a deterministic algorithm to generate the apparently-random part of the password, perhaps including a counter to permit new passwords to be generated, or 2) The Rackspace Cloud control panel saves the password in plaintext, or recoverable cyphertext, for future use.
We believe the first option is not what is happening, as rebuilds of servers created before the change in #2 above will re-use the existing hostname + random password. So, it seems likely that Rackspace is storing -- for reasons unfathomable -- randomly-generated initial root passwords. It is probable that someone with privileged access to the Rackspace Cloud platform could access these passwords.
It is not known if Rackspace stores new passwords which are set via the API.