text:
In America's Great Debate: Henry Clay, Stephen A. Douglas, and the Compromise That Preserved the Union, published this month, Fergus Bordewich recounts the various controversies that the architects of the Compromise of 1850 tried to resolve and the process by which that decade-long reprieve for the Union made its tortuous way through the halls of the Capitol. The expansion of slavery was central to the whole affair, but this core issue manifested itself in a number of intertwined controversies whose complexity may surprise readers used to abridged accounts of the compromise as only one of several steps toward the Civil War.
One of these controversies involved California, where (by a stroke of either remarkably good or remarkably bad fortune) the discovery of gold shortly after the acquisition of that future state from Mexico forced the nation to quickly come to terms with the question of its admission to the Union. The admission of a new state threatened to upset the delicate balance between free and slave states in the Senate, and both opponents and apologists for the spread of the peculiar institution put forth various proposals for the organization of territories gained in the Mexican War—an outright ban on slavery, popular sovereignty, an absence of any restriction on slavery whatsoever, and so on. Combined with this dispute over the fate of slavery in the former Mexican territories, and related to it, was a bitter controversy involving territorial claims by Texas. Texans insisted that their state's jurisdiction extended west of the Rio Grande into present-day New Mexico, whereas New Mexicans denied encroachment on what they believed to be their own domain. These disputes emerged at a time when passions about the fate of the peculiar institution and the federal government's role in upholding it were at a fever pitch.
Into this web of controversy and contested suggestions for untangling it stepped Henry Clay, member of a generation of elder statesmen for whom the coming debate would be their last great act on the national stage. Clay's proposal to cut the Gordian knot of the dispute over the fate of slavery in the territories called for the admission of a free California, the restriction of Texan claims to eastern New Mexico, an abolition of the slave trade in the nation's capital, a more effective fugitive slave law, and freedom from congressional interference in the interstate slave trade.
Clay feared that if these measures were presented to the Senate as a unit, extremists on both sides would balk at passing it. That is precisely what happened, as opponents of slavery led by William Seward denounced the stiffer anti-fugitive provisions and the expansion of human bondage into the Mexican cessions while slavery advocates such as John C. Calhoun and Jefferson Davis claimed that prohibitions on the spread of he peculiar institution into the territories threatened the South. Debate on the "omnibus" bill combining Clay's proposals became so heated that at one point Mississippi's Henry Foote drew a pistol on Missouri's Thomas Hart Benton.
Meanwhile, the crises which the compromise was meant to address continued to escalate, with delegates from nine slaveholding states meeting in Nashville to consider possible courses of action. Among those possibilities was secession from the Union, a drastic measure ultimately repudiated the convention's more moderate attendees. After the packaged compromise proposals went down to defeat, Stephen Douglas herded the measures through the Senate separately; Texas was mollified with payment of her debts, a tougher fugitive slave law passed despite opposition from a few northern politicos, and California gained admission as a free state.
Adroit maneuvering by Speaker Howell Cobb secured passage of the compromise measures in the House of Representatives, even though hard-liners on both sides of the expansion and slavery debates continued to contest the implications of the individual provisions. The beefed-up Fugitive Slave Law was a particularly bitter pill for Whigs in the North to swallow. Despite continued tension, and the fact that the compromise ultimately proved to be a reprieve rather than a cure for sectional animosity, Bordewich concludes that it was a laudable political success, staving off as it did a rending of the Union and subsequent war which he claims the government was ill-prepared to face in 1850.
America's Great Debate could benefit from additional attention to the way in which the country at large reacted to the wrangling in the Senate. Some chapters take the reader on short forays into the disputed Texas-New Mexico border region, but for the most part Bordewich does not stray far from the halls of power in Washington. Nor does he stray far from the conventions of narrative history; readers looking for intensive analysis and overt engagement with the secondary literature should look elsewhere. Taken on its own terms as a straightforward narrative political history, however, this is a solid account, making effective use of published primary material and offering an intimate look at the inner workings of politics at the national level during the tumultuous mid-1800's.


text:
I have a PyGtk application that I made using Quickly, and I would like to have it run on startup when installed. How would I go about doing this? I'm not sure if sticking the
.desktop file in
~/.config/autostart/ would make it work or not. If that will fix it, I don't know how to add it to that folder since Quickly packages the project for you and has it's own installation script. Is it possible to modify what it does on installation?
If possible, I would also like to add the program in the System Settings Personal tab, but I do not know how to do that.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Rage Cage series is a functional fitness structure that offers a pull-up structure, squat rack, bench press, dip station, and gymnastics ring tower. It is the most versatile and essential piece of equipment needed for you gym.
*Made with heavy duty 3″x3″ – 11 gauge steel
*Pull-Up Bars has adjustable heights from 7′, 7 1/2′, 8′ and 8 1/2′.
*Black powder coated on uprights and crossbeams, allows inside or outside use.
*9.5′ Uprights with 3″ hole pattern from 2′ to 6′ to allow for rack pulls, bench press, squats, and other rack movements.
*Pull-Up Bars – 6′ sections allow for 2 people per bar and the 42″ section (inside to inside) allows for one pull-up spot plus a barbell rack.
Made in the USA


text:
IDF Chip giant Intel wants to get inside your TV. Today, it launched its first system-on-a-chip product - its first since the ill-fated 'Timna' - but this one aimed at tellies and set-top boxes.
The product's called the CE2110 and it combines a 1GHz ARM processor, chipset and a basic graphics engine.
By combining the three on a single chip, Intel hopes to make it much easier for TV makers to build internet connectivity into their products. That's more than a networking issue, the company's Digital Home Group chief, Eric Kim, said, it's about equipping TVs with the power to run the software needed to reach out to internet content sources and allow viewers to interact with it.
Set-top boxes too, but while Kim praised Apple's Apple TV - which incorporates one of his company's processors - he didn't list it among the companies who have publicly committed themselves to buying CE2110s.
But, as we say, the CE2110 is an ARM-architecture part, and Intel really wants to get CE companies using x86 products. Apple certainly does because Apple TV runs a version of Mac OS X. So Kim promised an x86-based successor to the CE2110 will ship in H1 2008.
This really will be the successor to Timna, the Pentium III-derived SoC that Intel announced in the late 1990s but never shipped. The team who worked on Timna was put to good use designing the Pentium M, the foundation for the Core microarchitecture Intel is putting all its weight behind today.
The timing of the x86 SoC suggests it shares a common heritage with 'Tolapai', the enterprise-oriented SoC Intel formally unveiled today but which has been a rumour mill topic for a few months now.


text:
ROUTINE best describes this year's visit to my gynecologist. I had no medical complaints; I was just working through my to-do list. After a physical exam and a brief conversation about life and the latest research, my doctor of 15 years said everything looked good. My Pap smear would later prove normal.
So how did I end up three months later diagnosed with, and cured of, uterine cancer? The answer is as simple as a two-word question, and as complex as health insurance economics.
The question came at the end of my appointment as my doctor was writing prescriptions for hormone pills: "Any spotting?" It sounded like an afterthought, but it jogged my memory. I'd had a quarter-sized spot of blood a few weeks earlier -- so unremarkable I hadn't thought to mention it.
My answer prompted an ultrasound, which revealed a polyp, which he removed. Everything looks good, he said again. No thickening of the uterine lining, which can indicate cancer. I expected confirmation by postcard.
I received a phone call instead. The polyp contained cancer. "This is better than the best-case scenario," he said, because it wasn't in the uterine lining and the cancer had likely been eliminated along with the polyp. A hysterectomy was still recommended, though. It confirmed that the cancer had been caught, but the procedure also removed some precancerous cells. No chemo or radiation needed: I was "cured."
Despite my relief, I kept replaying that question that started it all: "Any spotting?" How easy it would have been, with patients waiting, to forget. Surely in my own career, deadlines and the dulling effect of repetitive tasks had led to lapses. Doctors are equally human. And the economics of health insurance create a system in which there's often too little time for too many patients.
My gynecologist took a different economic path, one I believe contributed to early detection of my cancer. Perhaps he had the time to be thorough, to see me as more than a routine pelvic exam, to ask that simple question, because he does not take insurance. With fewer insurance-related expenses and hassles, there's more time for patients, teaching, research and staying current, all of which make him the kind of doctor everyone wishes for.
My part of the economic bargain was higher out-of-pocket payments to see a "non-network provider," knowing that those minimal, once-a-year costs could balloon with a serious illness. Fortunately, I've been able to afford that risk. It was a conscious choice, with no regrets. I have come to rely on the quality of his care and his more holistic approach to my health.
Would a gynecologist in my insurance plan have asked about spotting and done the same follow-up? I hope. Did that question save my life? Maybe not directly. Uterine cancer typically develops slowly, and additional bleeding might have sent me back to the doctor -- eventually. But the bottom line is, those cancer cells would be there today and multiplying. The result might not be a "better than the best-case scenario."
Carol Perruso is a librarian at Cal State Long Beach and a former L.A. Times journalist. Her physician is Dr. William H. Parker, a Santa Monica gynecologist and a clinical professor at the UCLA School of Medicine.
Read more My Turn essays at latimes.com/myturn.
'Any spotting?' the Doctor Asks—and Uterine Cancer is Diagnosed
ROUTINE best describes this year's visit to my gynecologist. I had no medical complaints; I was just working through my to-do list. After a physical exam and a brief conversation about life and the latest research, my doctor of 15 years said everything looked good. My Pap smear would later prove normal.


text:
Showroom, Retail:from The Nature by Ayhan Guneri
Ayhan Guneri Illustrates The From The Nature Showroom, Retail
Ayhan Guneri, the architect of the displayed design Showroom, Retail by Ayhan Guneri says, The place that represent the nature, which resist the human beings to consume the existence of himself. In the place, natural wood that confined to concrete texture, get out of the dirty concrete texture and rise to blue ceiling which symbolize the sky in corner of place. Rising envelop the place like a net and as if it resist to touch itself. This idea overlap the logic of the casual shoes that display in the showroom.The exclusive visual designs that used on the walls,mean pollution of nature.Transparent epoxy's thickness is 4 mm and it covers on land, so it simulate intensive water layer..
Showroom, Retail:from The Nature by Ayhan Guneri Images:
End of the article, click here to go back to previous page, or alternatively go back to World Architects homepage.


text:
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court will decide whether a former Detroit police officer convicted of killing his girlfriend should get a retrial.
The justices last Friday agreed to hear an appeal from Michigan officials who want to stop a new trial for Burt Lancaster, who was convicted of shooting and killing Toni King in a restaurant parking lot in 1993 with a gun stolen from his mother.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a retrial so that Lancaster could raise a diminished mental-capacity defense, something Michigan courts would not let him do.
Michigan officials say that decision should be overturned because the diminished mental-capacity defense was not available in Michigan, and federal courts should not second-guess reasonable state court decisions.
The justices will hear the case later this year.
Published: Tue, Jan 22, 2013


text:
A Journey of 1001 Days of Geocaching
Editor's Note: Kiet and Jill Callies (kietc) along with their daughter visited Groundspeak HQ on June 18th, 2010. It was their 1001st straight day of geocaching. The journey began on September 22, 2007 and ended that day at HQ. Kiet authored this guest blog. This is his story. These are his words. Here's what you can learn from a team that completed a geocaching streak of 1001 days.
When we started our streak on September 22, 2007, it was a reboot of a previous 41-day streak, broken by work commitments, which just whetted our whistles for the big one. No other commitments would interrupt our next streak until June 18, 2010 – a thousand and one days later. In that time, if stringing our finds together like a necklace of pearls, we traveled nearly 60,000 miles and made finds in 15 states.
The original streak probably began as a pacesetter for reaching a milestone by the year's end. The big streak was to prove we could go all the way. We started setting the goal of 100 days, then a year and, if a year, why not a thousand days. Then, again, why not be literary, like A Thousand and One Arabian Nights, A Thousand and One Geocaching Days.
I almost carried the whole load alone. However, this was never meant to be a loner's endeavor. My wife and daughter stepped in my place a couple of times. Once, during one of life's frustrating moments of defeatism when I decided to give up on everything and pick a fight with the world, my wife, unable to witness the regret I would face in the after-moment, took my daughter and made a find to keep the streak alive.
Now, to maintain such a streak, the quality of some caches suffers. Though we have seen and discovered some amazing things in the course of our adventures, both obvious and hidden, we often had to settle for some mundane finds – a film canister tucked under a lamp post cover or inside a guard rail, which can be demotivating when these are the majority of your finds. Then I stumbled upon the Danboard and Stormtroopers 365 photo projects and was inspired.
One of the things we enjoy about geocaching is the context of location. There is a reason why someone chose a particular location and decided to share it with others. Now you can argue whether the location is worth sharing, but you cannot deny that it now has context, a story. I decided to lay another narrative on top, and my medium was Legos and Star Wars.
Legos are small and portable, perfect for travel, and like in Star Wars, we as geocachers use technology to get us close to the truth, the cache, and then use the mystical, or our geo-senses, to actually find it. Over-thinking it? Probably. I grew up under the strong influence of the original trilogy, and besides that, Star Wars is just so cool. On Day 779, I introduced the Star Wars Lego storyline and have managed a few chuckles here and there.
Now that the streak is over, and I have had time to digest it all, I will tell you that I did experience withdrawal and guilt the next day, June 19th. What's next? In celebration of geocaching's 10-year anniversary, to find a cache placed in each month of geocaching's existence. Isn't setting goals fun?


text:
Paul Gripper RASA 2011
- By: Paul Gripper
- Short URL: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/paul-rasa2011
Personal message
Please support me in raising funds for the FC Scholarship Fund. We are aiming to grow and go beyond the 5 Mariazell High School Scholarships awarded in 2010. In addition we would like to set the benchmark for future participants so that the FC Scholarship Fund can become embedded in the legacy of the Freedom Challenge. Your donation confirms the magnitude of a small gesture.
- Jun 27, 2011 - R 1 000.00
- "Still mad about you" - C-Cell
- May 24, 2011 - R 1 000.00
- "Give and you shall receive" - paul gripper
Freedom Challenge Scholarship Fund
Over the last number of years participants in the events arranged by the Freedom Challenge have expressed an interest in giving back something to the people along the route. After much consideration we have decided that a good starting point would be to establish an educational fund to benefit the scholars living along the Mehloding section of the trail. This section falls within the area formerly known as the Transkei and has been identified in various social development studies as one of the poorest parts of the South Africa.
The Fund offers a 3 year scholarships for promising students to attend the private school located at the Mariazell Mission just below the Malekhalonyane Chalets which is one of our support stations used for the Ride Across South Africa and Ride to Rhodes events. http://www.wix.com/allensharp1/fcsf
We are now challenging the 2014 FC participants to let their mountain biking passion benefit the local communities that span the Freedom Trail. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute directly to uplift the knowledge and lives of individuals and communities through education.
The Fund is run under the auspices of The Freedom Challenge's annual, extreme and unsupported, mountain bike race extending from Pietermaritzburg to Cape Town www.freedomchallenge.org.za This is a project of the Freedom Trail Foundation.


text:
The Bling King
Gold Butterfly hip hop pendant
Thanks for signing up for restock notifications!
There was an error signing up for restock notifications. Please try again.
18K Gold Filled Lab Diamond Pendant Necklace 24 inches Rope Chain included. Dimensions: 21mm x 28mm. Weight: 50grams. All Pendants come with a 3mm 24 inches Rope Chain Necklace. Box not included. 18Carat Highly Polished and Heavily Plated with 25mills of 9k gold. Looks and feels like real jewellery that costs thousands!


text:
You are here
Nardwuar and The Evaporators are Busy Doing Nothing!
Brace yourselves, the man in plaid is busy and preparing to unveil his latest project. This time, Nardwuar and The Evapotators have invited their friends, Franz Ferdinand, Andrew WK, Kate Nash, Sage Francis, The Cribs and Faud and The Feztones AND MORE to join them on their upcoming white-splattered LP titled Busy Doing Nothing. It will be in record shops on March 6th and comes with a free 2012/2013/2014 Punk Rock Calendar filled with vintage punk rock images from Vancouver's iconic Bev Davies. Oh boy!
Nardwuar has posted more information on his creation here.
Tracklisting:***Side Nard***1. The Evaporators & Andrew W.K. "I Hate Being Late When I'm Early" (The Evaporators/Andrew W.K.)– This is an original song, a collaboration between Andrew W.K. and Nardwuar's band, The Evaporators.2. The Cribs "Death In The Family" (The Dishrags)– The Cribs are from Wakefield, England and cover Vancouver All Girl 1970s Punk Band The Dishrags.3. Kate Nash "My Chinchilla" (Cub)– Kate Nash is from London and covers Cub, a Vancouver 1990s All Girl "Cuddlecore" band and the signature act on Mint Records.4. Franz Ferdinand "Real Thing" (Pointed Sticks)– Franz Ferdinand are from Glasgow and cover Legendary Vancouver 1970s Punk Band, the Pointed Sticks!5. Fuad & The Feztones "Welcome To My Castle" (The Evaporators)– This is Bobby and John from Montreal's legendary The Gruesomes. They (as Fuad & The Feztones) are covering (Nardwuar's band) The Evaporators' first single from 1992.6. The Evaporators ft. Sage Francis/Xaul Zan & Megan Barnes "Hot Dog High" (The Evaporators/Sage Francis/Xaul Zan)– Sage Francis raps on a verse for this Evaporators Original. Sage Francis runs Strange Famous Records and has released records thru ANTI-.***Side Wuar***1. The Evaporators "Busy Doing Nothing" (The Evaporators)– An Evaporators original and the title track.2. The Evaporators ft. Jill Barber & Andrew W.K. "Bring it On Home" (Doug Rutledge)– This is a cover tune by Doug Rutledge, a 1970s Rockabilly/Truckdriver. Canadian singer-songwriter Jill Barber duets with Nardwuar on this track. Andrew W.K. also adds piano and organ.3. The Evaporators "Milkshake Murder" (The Evaporators)– This is an Evaporators Original.4. The Evaporators "Bunk" (The Evaporators)– This is an Evaporators Original.5. The Evaporators "Pig War" (The Evaporators)– This is an Evaporators Original.6. The Evaporators "All The Bad Girls" (Pointed Sticks )– This is a Cover of Legendary Vancouver 1970's Punk Band, the Pointed Sticks.7. *Interview* "Nardwuar vs. Franz Ferdinand"– This is a clip from the first interview Nardwuar ever did with Franz Ferdinand.


text:
Courtesy of Laval University sports information office
March 3, 2013, Quebec City, Que (CIS) – The fifth-seeded Laval Rouge et Or claimed their fourth national title, their first in their own building Sunday evening, defeating the No. 3 McMaster Marauders in four sets of 26-24, 22-25, 25-22 and 25-21 at the CIS men's volleyball championship at PEPS Stadium, in Quebec City.
Laval grabbed their first Tantramar trophy since 1994 and ended an 18-year domination from the Canada West conference. The Rouge et Or, silver medallists last year in Kingston, had also prevailed in 1990 and 1992. It marked the first title at home in nine attempts for Laval, which had won its first two banners in Winnipeg and the third one in Halifax.
En route to the title, Laval had to beat three higher-ranked teams, including the No. 4 Alberta Golden Bears, top-seeded Brandon Bobcats, and McMaster.
For McMaster, the silver medal is the best result in program history. The Marauders' previous best finish was fourth in 2009.
"I've been waiting for this for a long time! All week long, I refused to think about it. We had to go point per point, set per set. But in the fourth, I struggled not to think about it. When we reached 19, I knew we would get it done," said head coach Pascal Clément, who led his team to the national championship at his second year with Laval.
"It is pure happiness! Those kids were brave and they dared. I didn't remember that feeling, it's been too long! It is so big, and even more because it's at home. I've been with this group of players for four years now, and because it's their last match, I am very happy for them," Clément continued.
The Marauders were off to a good start, thanks to powerful kills from CIS rookie of the year Dany Demyanenko (Toronto, ON). Down 4-1, Laval started to rally and under the spotlight was RSEQ player of the year Frédéric Mondou (Verchères, QC), who dug a couple of tough balls. The game remained tight, but service errors from McMaster allowed the Rouge et Or to take a 16-13 lead at the pause. Service problems continued to haunt the OUA champions in the latter part of the set, allowing Laval to take the first frame 26-24.
Both teams traded points early in the set. The noisy crowd continued to be a factor on McMaster's servers, but Laval also had trouble controlling their service. Tommy Bélisle (Pierreville, QC), with a fourth service error, marked the beginning of a four-point sequence by the Marauders, which then led 12-8. From being ahead 16-12 at the break, McMaster saw Laval come up to a single point, but never let their lead go, taking the set 25-22 and levelling the match 1-1.
The war continued in the third frame. Kills from Mondou on one side and from Demyanenko on the other set the tone. McMaster lost a few points on technical mistakes at the net, but still managed to keep the lead at 16-15. Leading 21-19, the Marauders committed three straight fouls, the last two on out-of-bounds hits. Head coach Pascal Clément then made a good call by inserting middle Anthony Campbell (St-Hyacinthe, QC), who made two crucial blocks to give Laval the set by a score of 25-22.
Laval's diversified attack struck early in the fourth. Up 6-5, the RSEQ champions saw Bélisle and Mondou nail three consecutive kills and Bruno Lortie (Ottawa, ON) make a timely block, bringing the score to 12-8 in the Rouge et Or's favour. Laval's lead, which was at 16-13 at the technical timeout, never completely dissipated. McMaster came as close as 21-20, but powerful strikes from Mondou and Bélisle allowed the hosts to serve for the championship at 24-21. A chance the Rouge et Or didn't miss, spreading hysteria throughout the 3000 fans gathered at PEPS Stadium.
Right side Tommy Bélisle was selected player of the match for Laval, while the honour went to middle Dany Demyanenko for McMaster.
Laval's middle Jérémie Lortie (Ottawa, ON) was chosen tournament MVP. His teammate and team captain Justin Boudreault also found a spot on the championship all-star squad.
Championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mvball/index
Other tournament all-star include McMaster's Dany Demyanenko and Austin Campion Smith, Alberta's Jay Olmstead, Brandon's Sam Tuivai and Western's Garrett May. UNB's Julio Fernandez won the R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award.
Boxscore: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/mvball/2013/championship
Kills: Tommy Bélisle, Frédéric Mondou (15)
Points: Tommy Bélisle, Frédéric Mondou (16,5)
Blocks: Olivier Bibeault-Pinard (3,5)
Digs: Vincent Thibault-Bernier (11)
Service aces: Justin Boudreault (3)
Player of the match: Tommy Bélisle
Kills: Dany Demyanenko (16), Jori Mantha (15)
Points: Dany Demyanenko (19,5), Jori Mantha (16)
Blocks: Dany Demyanenko (3,5)
Digs: Daniel Groenveld (12)
Service aces:
Player of the match: Dany Demyanenko
Tournament MVP: Jérémie Lortie, Laval
R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award: Julio Fernandez, UNB


text:
January 19, 1972 - September 3, 2013
Ormond Beach, FL - Formerly of Walden, NY
Brian R. Sherry of Ormond Beach, FL, formerly of Walden, an Auto Mechanic, died on September 3, 2013 in Florida. He was 41.
The son of Robert Wiley and Maria Consoli Van Leuven, he was born January 19, 1972 in Goshen.
A family statement reads: "Brian was a loving and caring man. He always looked for ways to help other people. He had a strong passion for anything automotive. If it had a motor and a set of wheels, he was interested. He had a warm heart and always was the first to lend a hand when anyone was in need.
Survivors include his mother, Maria Van Leuven of Walden; son, Zachary Sherry of Walden; brother, Gary Mann and his wife, Kim of Wurtsboro; nephew, Gary Mann, Jr. and his wife, Danielle of Wurtsburo, and niece, Heather Mann of Bloomingburg; aunt, Sarina "Aunt Rose" Consoli of Queens; several great-nieces and great-nephews. He is also survived by his faithful companion, "Meatball", an American Bullie.
Visitation will be Thursday, September 12th, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Millspaugh Funeral Home, 22 Bank St. Walden, NY. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, September 13th, at 10 a.m. at Most Precious Blood, Walnut St., Walden, NY. Cremation will be in Cedar Hill Crematory in Newburgh, NY.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the trust fund for Zachary Sherry and Meatballs, c/o Millspaugh Funeral Home.
Arrangements were made by Millspaugh Funeral Directors; for directions or condolences, please visit millspaughfuneralhome.com


text:
(Please share with Library Trustees, Library Staff, and Library Fund Raisers)
By Hartwig Pautz~ University of Strathclyde
How should we fund our public libraries? Compatibility of income generation with library ethos
Public libraries, it seems, are in financial trouble everywhere. At the same time, they are expected to do more and for more people. If library revenue from taxes is drying up – what can public libraries do? They can try to generate additional income from their existing services and from new services, specifically established to make money. But are these income activities compatible with what public libraries stand for? Do charges or fee-based services violate the principle of free access to information for everyone? Would the principled rejection of charges and fees just speed up the end of the public library and is thus obsolescent at best, and dangerous at worst?
For my Masters dissertation in Information and Library Studies at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, I would like to hear the opinions of public librarians – including library assistants, managers and fundraisers if working for public libraries – on these questions. My aim is to develop a better understanding of what income generation activities are used by public librarians and what they think about the impact on these on the public library ethos. Does direct sponsoring help the organisation or does it erode its ethos and principles? How about user charges, do they sit well with public librarians? And do public libraries have targets for income generation? These are examples from the set of ten questions that are on my e-survey which is directed at public librarians in the US, the United Kingdom and Germany.
I am hoping that the outcomes of my research will help librarians addressing financial difficulties and building stronger institutions while defending principles and ethos. All results of my study will be made public on the University's open access repository at: http://strathprints.strath.ac.uk . I will disseminate the results as widely as possible also through further open access channels.
So, I am asking for your help for my research. Please take the time and follow the link below to a short electronic questionnaire; it should not take more than ten minutes to complete. The survey is anonymous and nobody will be identifiable.
SurveyLink: https://strathsci.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_9BtLwndmU9nPQ6p
Everybody who is working in a public library context in the US, the UK and Germany is welcome to take this survey – be they library assistants, library fundraisers or managers.
Please do not hesitate to contact me via firstname.lastname@example.com or email@example.com .
Thank you very much for your help!
Hartwig Pautz
Postgraduate Student in Information and Library Studies
University of Strathclyde
Department of Computer and Information Studies
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Dissertation supervisor: Alan Poulter (email@example.com)
Please join us on BestofPublib Facebook
The Publib Archives
The Publib archives from the former Webjunction listserve and the current OCLC service are available here: Archives
Filed under: Administration, Budgeting, current topics, Donations, Finance, Friends Groups, Government policy, Grants, History of Libraries, Library Organization, Library Profession, Personnel, Proposal writing, Public relations, Public Services, Trustees, Welfare admin | Tagged: Hartwig Pautz, income generation, library ethos, library survey, University of Strathclyde | Leave a comment »


text:
Beware of Auction Rate Securities Settlement "Phishing" Scam
FINRA is issuing this Alert to warn the public about an auction rate securities (ARS) "phishing" scam that promises compensation from ARS settlements in exchange for personal information. The email looks like it originated from FINRA—although it did not. It purports to inform the recipient of regulatory actions, including fines imposed by FINRA related to ARS, and states that the recipient is due $1.5 million regardless of the amount of their ARS investment or loss. The email then "phishes" for personal information including occupation, address and phone number.
Real Life Example
Here is a version of the ARS phishing email obtained by FINRA:
Settlement Procedures Related to Auction Rate Securities
FINRA—along with the Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities regulators—announced final settlements with numerous brokerage firms relating to the sale of ARS. Contrary to the "phishing" email, FINRA does not contact investors directly to advise them of the settlements or settlement procedures.
Instead, firms that enter into settlements with FINRA typically send eligible investors offers to repurchase ARS that the firm sold to them. This buyback offer generally takes the form of a physical letter, not an email.
For information related to regulatory actions and procedures for investors involved in auction rate securities regulatory settlements, see FINRA's Auction Rate Securities information. In addition, the SEC has published ARS information, including a list of toll free numbers that investors may call if they have settlement inquiries.
"Phishing"—Fraudulent Emails That Steal Your Personal Information
This "phishing" fraud is the latest in a long line of online scams that typically claim to be from a brokerage firm, bank, credit card company, government agency or other service you use or organization you trust. To appear genuine, these emails may use:
- The names of real people.
- Legitimate looking email addresses, such as "[email protected][name of your financial institution].com".
- Authentic looking logos and graphics.
- Links to pages of a bona fide website or information pulled directly from an organization's website.
- Official looking fine print and references to laws.
Most of these emails attempt to lure you into providing sensitive personal information by requesting that you provide it in a reply email or by clicking on a link to a website that mimics a legitimate website and asks you to provide the information. Various "urgent" messages are also used to coax you to provide information. In the email above, recipients were admonished: "Please do not delay as there are so many people to share from this settlement."
How to Protect Yourself
What should you do if you receive a "phishing" email? Do not respond. And do not click through to any links that might be provided in the email. If you receive a "phishing" email related to an ARS settlement, you are encouraged to notify FINRA by forwarding the email to FINRA's Office of the Whistleblower at [email protected]. You may also call the Whistleblower's Office at 1-866-96-FINRA (1-866-963-4672).
For additional information about "phishing" scams, including tips to protect yourself from online identity theft, see FINRA's Investor Alert, "Phishing" and Other Online Identity Theft Scams: Don't Take the Bait.
- FINRA's Web page, Auction Rate Securities
- SEC's Web page, Auction Rate Securities
- North American Securities Administrators Association, ARS Arbitration Information Center
To receive the latest Investor Alerts and other important investor information sign up for Investor News.


text:
Votre titre Audible gratuit
Homer & Langley
"Beautiful and haunting...one of literature's most unlikely picaresques, a road novel in which the rogue heroes can't seem to leave home." (The Boston Globe)
Shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize.
Named one of the best books of the year by San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Kansas City Star, and Booklist.
Homer and Langley Collyer are brothers - the one blind and deeply intuitive, the other damaged into madness, or perhaps greatness, by mustard gas in the Great War. They live as recluses in their once grand Fifth Avenue mansion, scavenging the city streets for things they think they can use, hoarding the daily newspapers as research for Langley's proposed dateless newspaper whose reportage will be as prophecy. Yet the epic events of the century play out in the lives of the two brothers - wars, political movements, technological advances - and even though they want nothing more than to shut out the world, history seems to pass through their cluttered house in the persons of immigrants, prostitutes, society women, government agents, gangsters, jazz musicians . . . and their housebound lives are fraught with odyssean peril as they struggle to survive and create meaning for themselves.
Praise for Homer & Langley:
"Masterly." (The New York Times Book Review)
"Doctorow paints on a sweeping historical canvas, imagining the Collyer brothers as witness to the aspirations and transgressions of 20th century America; yet this book's most powerfully moving moments are the quiet ones, when the brothers relish a breath of cool morning air, and each other's tragically exclusive company." (O: The Oprah Magazine)
"A stately, beautiful performance with great resonance.... What makes this novel so striking is that it joins both blindness and insight, the sensual world and the world of the mind, to tell a story about the unfolding of modern American life that we have never heard in exactly this (austere and lovely) way before." (San Francisco Chronicle)
"Wondrous...inspired...darkly visionary and surprisingly funny." (The New York Review of Books)
"Cunningly panoramic...Doctorow has packed this tale with episodes of existential wonder that cpature the brothers in all their fascinating wackiness." (Elle)
"Following the panoramic scope of The March, Doctorow creates a microcosmic and mythic tale of compulsion, alienation, and dark metamorphosis inspired by the famously eccentric Collyer brothers of New York City.... Doctorow has Homer, who is blind, narrate with deadpan humor and spellbinding precision.... Over the decades, people come and go - lovers, a gangster, a jazz musician, a flock of hippies, but finally Homer and Langley are irrevocably alone, prisoners in their fortress of rubbish, trapped in their warped form of brotherly love. Wizardly Doctorow presents an ingenious, haunting odyssey that unfolds within a labyrinth built out of the detritus of war and excess." (Booklist)
"A sweeping masterpiece about the infamous New York hermits, the Collyer brothers.... Occasionally, outsiders wander through the house, exposing it as a living museum of artifacts, Americana, obscurity and simmering madness. Doctorow's achievement is in not undermining the dignity of two brothers who share a lush landscape built on imagination and incapacities. It's a feat of distillation, vision and sympathy." (Publishers Weekly)
"Doctorow works his usual magic in bringing history to life and larding it with disturbing implications.... As with much of Doctorow's masterful fiction, Homer & Langley turns the American dream on its ear, offering us a glimpse of the dark side of our national - and personal - eccentricities." (BookPage)
Autres livres audio du même :
- Kris
- 03/09/2011
Good On So Many Levels
This book was selected by Cornell University for the 2011 Reading Project. Incoming Freshman read the book and can attend 6 lectures on it during Orientation. Other students, faculty and alumni are also invited to read the book. Addicted to audio books, I was delighted to find this on Audible. It did not disappoint.
The author brings to light the logic of these two illogical brothers. His prose is compelling and beautiful. The march of history through the living of their lives is informative. I especially enjoyed the philosophical observations that come out of the telling of this tale by the youngest brother, Homer.
The narration is a bit monotone but completely fits the character of Homer and only adds to the feeling of the book.
Here is why it was chosen by Cornell:
Homer and Langley provides a fictionalized redaction of the lives of the renowned Collyer brothers, whose story became a New York urban legend. In Doctorow's words, "I was a teenager when the Collyer brothers were found dead in their Fifth Avenue brownstone. Instantly they were folklore. I didn't know at the time I would someday write about them, but even then I felt there was some secret to the Collyers. There was something about them still to be discovered under the piles of things in their house—the bales of newspapers and the accumulated detritus of their lives."
In today's world, the phenomenon of over-accumulation has even become fodder for television reality programs. How about taking a look at the subject from a literary angle? Sound intriguing to you? Homer and Langley generates a variety of topics for discussion and exploration including major events of 20th-century America, from Prohibition to flower children, the modern media phenomenon of "reality," the significance of community, the psychology of hoarding and the claims of family, as well as sustainability, news, rebellion and autarky, or self-sufficiency.
If all of this is too cerebral for you - just read it for the entertainment value
3 personnes ont trouvé cela utile
- Margaret
- 09/11/2009
Haunting and beautiful
Once again, Doctorow has shown his mastery of the language. There are so many fine phrases and sentences here I had to buy the book and underline about 40 percent of it after I finished listening. His changing and embellishing of the story gave him the opportunity to deal with popular topics of the time that he would not have been able to touch had the retold only what the papers recorded about these fascinating brothers. This is a gem and a remarkable study of family ties, responsibility, inability to conform and the changes in the American psyche in the 20th century. I highly recommend for anyone who appreciates good writing. The narrator is especially good.
3 personnes ont trouvé cela utile
- Miriam
- 12/04/2013
I'm not sure I can bring myself to fully approve how EL Doctorow made a departure from the facts of the Collyer brothers biographies. Its been a while so I dont' recall the specifics.
But as I gradually coaxed myself into just enjoying the story, I found myself enjoying it more and more. Narrator/Lector has a wonderful voice, just right for the material.
2 personnes ont trouvé cela utile
- Sue
- 13/02/2010
Loved the book and the performance.
If you are looking for a lot of action, this is not the book for you. However, if you enjoy insightful character analyes and touching stories, this is your book. Doctorow and Morey humanize these quirky Collyer fellows in a great way.
2 personnes ont trouvé cela utile
- L. Fadden
- 09/02/2010
Loved it
I finished this a few months ago and I still think about it. Fascinating story, well written. I highly recommend it.
2 personnes ont trouvé cela utile
- A. Kiss
- 21/11/2009
Rather boring
Nice writing but a disappointing read. A chronicle of events (mostly not true, apparently) without much of a story line. The two brothers grow more and more indiosynchratic and reclusive, people and major world events come and go, and then it's over. The ending is fairly disturbing - I had nightmares about being left in the same situation as Homer at the end.
2 personnes ont trouvé cela utile
- S. Marie
- 02/11/2009
Moderately fascinating ...
I listened to this book pretty much over a single weekend. The writing is well done and you care for the protagonist, but, the storyline is meandering and seems pointless. It certainly sparked my interest in finding out the "real" story behind these two recluses. As others have pointed out, the truth of their lives needs little embellishment, yet this author decided to fabricate many of the details. It wasn't a bad book, just slightly disappointing. I found E.L. Doctorow's, The March, a more satisfying listen.
2 personnes ont trouvé cela utile
- Diane
- 08/09/2009
I barely made it through this book. Generally I'm a fan of small details when they lend authenticity & add a visual element to the story. This book did neither.
5 personnes ont trouvé cela utile
- Steve A.
- 04/09/2009
What a Dump.....
Major disappointment.
Given the famously freakish source material; and the fact that the author MADE MUCH OF IT UP! This simply should have been so much better.
I am perhaps being unduly harsh because I mistakenly thought this a work of real historical biography. I had first heard about these famous reclusive brothers in my childhood and was excited to learn the "real story" about them. But from early on, this book hit so many inauthentic notes; both philosophical and "chronological" That I was prompted to STOP LISTENING and check it against the source material. It is here that I discovered the intended formula was anything but accurate or even meaningful, in my humble, snarky opinion.
Therefore, I confess my extreme disappointment comes from "flawed" expectations. I guess I'm writing mainly to forewarn any other potential listeners who may come to this book equally unprepared.
To be clear, I was aware of Doctorow's significant reputation - but only very indirectly through film adaptations of his earlier books. However, I would still argue that such a literally talent, under no pretentions of telling the "real story" could and should have made this a far more provocative or at least moderately entertaining story.
28 personnes ont trouvé cela utile
- Russ
- 22/07/2016
modern masterpiece
this is my favorite modern novel. the reading is very well done also. cannot reccomended it enough.
1 personne a trouvé cela utile


text:
Thanks for welcoming our newest celebrity blogger, Elisa Donovan!
Best known for her roles as Amber in Clueless and Morgan on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Donovan currently stars in the ABC Family franchise The Dog Who Saved Christmas. The latest installment, The Dog Who Saved the Holidays, will premiere in December. Following that, she will costar in MoniKa, set for release in 2013.
Donovan, 41, is also a writer and yogi. A recovered anorexic, she assists in counseling and supporting young women struggling with eating disorders.
She lives in San Francisco with her husband, Charlie Bigelow, and their 6-month-old daughter Scarlett Avery.
She can be found on Facebook, as well as Twitter @RedDonovan.
These are the moments that remind you it's all worth it – Courtesy Elisa Donovan
For the record, I'm an idealist. I've always been a believer in the ultimately gracious and supportive energy of the universe. A relentless optimist. I'm the person that believes in being the exception to the rule.
Call it my non-conformist punk rock youth roots, but I'm actively irritated by a bandwagon. One of my biggest aversions to a clambake being those who cop out on the rest of their lives once they have a child.
So when people say things like, "Oh when you have a kid everything changes, you'll see", and "See if you feel like having sex after you've just cleaned vomit and poop off of your shirt for the third time in an hour," and "Who can put on makeup or change out of sweatpants (that I've been wearing since early April) when I barely have time to pee?" it makes me want to run screaming from the room.
I couldn't wait to have a kid myself so I could prove all of those unfortunate defeatists wrong. I would show them that Life Is Beautiful and having a baby is A Gorgeous Miracle and I'm Eternally Grateful and Amazed, and Jeez Why Do People Make It Seem So Hard?
Let me stop right here and say: Everything I ever said about being pregnant and being a mother before I got pregnant and became a mother, might be bulls*#%.
People always talk about that first drive home from the hospital as "the longest 20 minutes of your life": those terrifying minutes when you have your new baby in the car for the first time and you're enroute to your home, where you have absolutely no idea what you will do when you arrive.
For Charlie and me, that drive was bliss: loving the movement of the car, our daughter slept the whole ride. Living only 10 minutes from the hospital, I thought maybe we should drive around the block a few times (or up the coast for a few days) before going home, to prolong the peace and false sense of control we thought we had.
Scarlett in her first nightgown and cap – Courtesy Elisa Donovan
Yeah, the car ride was cake. It was the first night at home that was the zinger. After swaddling, shushing, swishing, swinging and singing a freakin' Hail Mary, Scarlett was still wailing like a rock star at the top of her lungs. There we were: two full grown adults at the utter mercy of this teeny-tiny monster in her swing with her tiny little snore and interrupted breath, whose every move scared the crap out of us.
"Are you hungry? Is your diaper wet? Do you need to be picked up? Do you need to be put down? Are you trying to tell me something? Do you want me to shut up? Should I leave? Should I stay? Can I get a vowel??? … Am I bad parent? They should make you get a license for this!!!"
Scarlett finally did calm down (I'd love to tell you what it was that worked that made her sleep and give you the magical solution for when it happens to you, but — I was so exhausted I was hallucinating by the time she was quiet, so I have no idea what actually happened).
Then we spent the next two hours lying in bed peeking over the covers holding our breath, checking to make sure she was still breathing every five seconds.
One of the sick ironies of new parenting is that when your baby is crying, you are terrified you've done something wrong and you must do something right immediately! But when they're not crying, you're convinced they've stopped breathing and probably need medical attention.
These little beings rule your world in a way that is debilitating, mesmerizing, totally unexpected and utterly consuming. It's a double edged sword of a specific kind of torture for the parent, one which I hear ends — somewhere around the time the child reaches the age of 32.
And if you think your mind was on the lam when you were pregnant, just wait 'til you give birth. During the first two weeks of your little extraterrestrial's life you will not know what day it is, where you are, who you spoke to, what your telephone number is or where you live.
Faking us out, feigning sleep – secretly about to erupt – Courtesy Elisa Donovan
The first day that Charlie went back to work, he came home in the afternoon to find me wandering around the house, crying, shuffling various items from room to room, and mumbling.
As a mom you constantly feel like there is something you need to be taking care of every single second (because there is), so whenever the kiddie is having a blissful moment of rest, you want to take advantage of that 10 minutes to scrub the poop off the wall and brush your teeth and move the load of laundry into the dryer and wash the bottles and change the sheets and empty the dishwasher … and …
You will get by on adrenaline for an impressive amount of time, but there comes a moment when the sleep deprivation reaches a crescendo from which the only way down is a freefall nosedive into the muttering, puttering mess of goo that Charlie found me in.
"Ummm — E? I think you need to go to sleep," he suggested.
After my initial resistance, and a few more tears (Yes, it's okay if you cry more than your kid in the beginning. I certainly did), I acquiesced and let him walk me over to the bed and literally put me in it; all the while still mumbling, "…Where are the … I need to … diapers … laundry is … crib?"
Be not concerned. Things will even out, you will gain back your faculties and your mind will return to its prior state of brilliance — okay, yeah I don't really think this part is true. My daughter is six months old and I still ask things like, "Who is that?" — referring to someone we just spent the evening with the night before, and "I never said that, I don't remember ever having that conversation, Charlie" regarding a lengthy conversation I invariably had with Charlie not a few short hours before.
I have heard this behavioral phenomena referred to as "new mommy brain" and I have heard that this too, passes — around the time the mommy reaches the age of 82. At which point it is replaced by general senility which no one faults you for; in fact you get credit for simple longevity (rightfully so) and everyone marvels at your wisdom and awesomeness.
Positive affirmations hat – Courtesy Elisa Donovan
So here is the real straight-up truth, with no idealistic sugar-coating: each terrifying and disastrous moment of those first weeks was, without exception, followed by a breath-taking, awe-inspired tear-jerker-of-a-beauty of a moment. Every single day consists of both.
And this my friends, is how the human race forges on. This is how we continue to procreate and evade extinction. Because there is the existence of the two. Somehow, that tiny little hand with its tiny little fingers gripping my comparatively giant-sized mitt, has the power to slay me — erasing my memory of the marathon sleep deprivation and the buckets full of spit up.
I so purely, entirely and unconditionally adore her. I didn't know it was possible to love something so much.
If there is one thing I can recommend with complete assuredness and confidence based on my limited experience of pregnancy and giving birth and motherhood thus far, it's this: Let go. Prepare as best you can, and then just let go of every expectation, hope, fear, need and idea of what's going to happen. And everything will be perfect.
It is hard and scary to begin this whole new phase of life full of responsibility. It is stressful to try to predict what's going to happen, while not knowing how the sweet little bean you're carrying is going to enter the world, or how you are going to manage her arrival. But I have learned that the majority of all of this is beyond my control.
I had plans and beliefs about what I wanted to occur, of what stories I wanted to be able to tell. And thus far, very few of those things have wound up going down as I anticipated they would; and I have wound up with very different stories to share (believe me — I have birthing stories and breastfeeding debacles that in no way-shape-or-form were supposed to happen to ME! Don't worry, we'll go there in the upcoming blogs…).
I have tried to be at ease with all of it, and miraculously for the most part I have been. Because I believe it's exactly the way it was meant to go. I believe my willingness to trust that, however it was all going to shake down was right, has really and truly served me more than anything else.
Fierce love (note the dark circles under my eyes) – Courtesy Elisa Donovan
SO. What to REALLY expect in the first weeks of being a parent? Expect not to know what the holy heck is happening, but love it anyway. Expect in one moment to know exactly what you're doing, and in the next to be convinced you are totally lost. Expect that nothing will go as planned, and everything will be perfect.
I might encourage you to trust. And I might beg you to have a sense of humor.
Have faith that whatever is happening is the right thing. Your baby is going to come into this world in exactly the way that he or she sees fit. Existence is inherently divine, so trust that you're being taken care of.
Help your little bean to feel welcome to enter the world, and then let go. Just let go.
– Elisa Donovan
More from Elisa on PEOPLE.com:
- Elisa Donovan Weds Charlie Bigelow
- Elisa Donovan's Blog: What They Don't Tell You to Expect When You're Expecting


text:
Legendary San Gorgonio baseball player Tim Miner, who pitched all but one inning in San Gorgonio's run to a CIF championship in 1977, will be honored in a special ceremony Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Sportswatch Bar and Grill by the Hampton Inn in Highland. The Spartans' championship run, which ended with a victory over Lakewood in the CIF title game, has been dubbed "The Miner Miracle", as the pitcher guided the Spartans, who finished third in the San Andreas League, to glory, pitching every inning but the first inning of San G's second-round win.
Miner is being celebrated separately from the other inductees in the San G Hall of Fame, who will be honored in October, because he currently lives in The Netherlands and is currently making a rare trip back to the United States. Several notable former teammates – including Ted Rozzi, Tim Mead, Don Parnell, Tony Curtis and Tim Burroughs – will be in attendance along with Dennis Rogers, the manager of the 1977 championship team.


text:
Zettaset's Orchestrator Hadoop cluster management software now supports Hadoop distributions from Cloudera and Hortonworks. Owners of Cloudera CDH and Hortonworks HDP can use Orchestrator to automate the installation and administration of their Hadoop infrastructure.
The complexity of installing and managing Hadoop clusters has hindered the adoption of Hadoop, said Zettaset Co-founder and CTO Brian Christian. Orchestrator helps eliminate manual configuration processes, reduces Hadoop complexity and brings to Hadoop enterprise-class manageability, security and availability.


text:
!!!! Open for normal operation from October 15, 2010 !!!!
Koh Ngai Resort
For advance reservation , Please contact at email:
Welcome to Koh Ngai Resort. or Koh Hai Resort.Your dream destination, south of Thailand,
paradise was found in this magnificent exotic beach resort, romantic jewel for serenity and privacy.
Situated on the idyllic and pristine Trang Archipelago near Koh Lipe.
It offers honeymooners and beach lovers the feeling and harmony of Andaman islands holiday,
as well as a gateway to the unspoilt beauty of the Trang and Lanta Archipelagos.
Of all the Trang islands, Ko Hai(aka
Koh Ngai
), 16 km southwest of Pak Meng (
phuket airport transfer
), is the most developed, though it's still pretty low-key. The island's action, such as it is , centres on the est coast: three resorts, and an unobreusive chao ley hamlet, enjoy a dreamy panorama of jagged limestone outcrops, whose crags glow pink and blue against the setting sun, stretching across the sea to the mainland behind. A two-kilometre-long beach of fine, white sand has a gentle slope that's ideal for swimming, and there's some good snorkelling in the shallow water off the southeast tip – though be careful of sea urchins and the sharp stag coral. For the best snorkelling in the region you can rent a longtail on
Koh Ngai
to get to Ko Cheuak, Ko Maa and Ko Waen, just off Koh Ngai to the east, where you can swim into caverns and explore a fantastic variety of multicoloured soft and hard coral. All three resorts on
Koh Ngai
run excursions to Ko Mook's Emerald Cave.
Koh Ngai's resorts are theoretically open year round, with prices dropping slightly in the low season, but bear in mind that out of season the sea is often too rough for boats to cross.
Copyright 2004 - 2009.
Mailing Address: 142/1 M.4 Tambol Mai-Fad Amphor Sikao, Trang 92150 Thailand


text:
|Mark Twain, 1867
|William Seward, Lincoln's
Secretary of State
|Charles Wilson, British officer
|Are these tourists Twain's colleagues?
The American author and humorist Mark Twain visited the Holy Land in 1867 as part of a tour group consisting of "64 pilgrims and sinners." He filed dispatches to newspapers in the United States and then republished them as Innocents Abroad. [We continue to investigate whether pictures we found in the Library of Congress collection may be Twain's traveling partners posing in front of the Old City's Golden Gate.] View an earlier posting on Twain's visit here.
|Warren, seated on the left, and his team.
Phillips is seated on the right (1867)
The third writer, William Seward, visited Palestine in 1859 and again in 1871. Seward served as President Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of State and was wounded in his home by one of John Wilkes Booth's accomplices on the same night that Lincoln was shot. Mary Todd Lincoln told the Springfield, Ill. pastor who presided at her husband's funeral, "He [Lincoln] said he wanted to visit the Holy Land and see those places hallowed by the footprints of the Saviour. He was saying there was no city he so much desired to see as Jerusalem."
We surmise that Lincoln had heard about Jerusalem and the Holy Land from his Secretary of State.
Here are excerpts of their writings:
- On the population of Jerusalem
- Twain: The population of Jerusalem is composed of Moslems, Jews, Greeks, Latins, Armenians, Syrians, Copts, Abyssinians, Greek Catholics, and a handful of Protestants.... It seems to me that all the races and colors and tongues of the earth must be represented among the fourteen thousand souls.
Ashkenazi Jews. Photo probably
taken by Warren's photographer,
|Armenian priests. Photo probably
taken by Warren's photographer, 1867
- Wilson: It is difficult to obtain statistical information on Jerusalem, but one fact alone will show the unhealthy nature of the city: The Jewish population is estimated at about 9,000, yet in twelve months, more than 13,000 cases of sickness were attended to in their own hospital and that of the Protestant Mission.
- Seward: The population of Palestine is estimated at only 200,000.... Jerusalem is divided now according to its different classes of population. The Mohammedans are four thousand, and occupy the northeast quarter, including the whole area of the Mosque of Omar. The Jews are eight thousand; and have the southeast quarter.... The Armenians number eighteen hundred, and have the southwest quarter and the other Christians, amounting to twenty-two hundred, have the northwest quarter.
- Seward: For centuries (we do not know how many) the Turkish rulers have allowed the oppressed and exiled Jews the privilege of gathering at the foot of this [wailing] wall one day in every week, and pouring out their lamentations over the fall of their beloved city, and praying for its restoration to the Lord... The Jewish sabbath being on Saturday, and beginning on Friday, the weekly wail of the Jews under the wall takes place on Friday.
Women at the Western Wall; Men are
at the far right
Click on the photos to enlarge.
Click on the captions to see the originals.


text:
Monday, February 16, 2009
A Snowshoe Trip
As Wheeler Peak came into view, we could see snow blowing from the top of the mountain.
Or maybe those are just some clouds.
Or maybe it's both: wind blowing snow off the ridgeline and clouds hanging to the east of the crest.
Our destination was on the east side of the peak, in the canyon below the clouds: the Upper Lehman Creek campground, the upper of two campsites that are regularly kept open in the winter - that is, at least the parking area is kept open.
That's our destination! That canyon, where sun and shade meet, and where clouds hover farther up the trail, maybe waiting for us.
Oh, but guess what. The road and campground parking lot were closed for snow removal! We turned around, drove around for a while, and looked for another place to start our 'shoeing. Not finding one we liked, we then left the mountain.
On the way back, we stopped in a large plowed pullout (Google Maps street view) at the top of Sacramento Pass, which is at an elevation of 7154 feet according to the road sign, but which may be a tad higher according to the topo map (MSR Maps).
From there, we plowed uphill in deep fluffy powder, our snowshoes sinking in to our knees in places - well, it seemed like we sunk in that deep, but most often it was more like mid-calf on me - until we had a view of Wheeler Peak, this time partly hidden by a snow-covered ridge.
And then we turned around. The distinctive peak in the photo above can be seen in the Google Maps street view linked-to earlier; just rotate the little man figure around until it looks more to the north (how come I can't choose a little woman figure?)
9 comments:
- Callan Bentley said...
I camped at the upper campground this summer. It's a cool park!
- Monday, February 16, 2009 at 7:43:00 AM PST
- Silver Fox said...
It's a way cool park - you probably camped at the upper upper camp at 10,000 called Wheeler Camp? I think we missed each other there by a few days or a week or so - next time you're in the area, give an email holler!
- Monday, February 16, 2009 at 8:18:00 AM PST
- Geology Happens said...
My one visit to Death Valley was a just a few years ago when they were having a banner flower spring...and water everywhere. We stayed low, camped in the gravel parking lots called campgrounds did the tourist thing and then headed to Zion. naked geology all around!
- Monday, February 16, 2009 at 4:29:00 PM PST
- Silver Fox said...
Zion isn't too far away from Wheeler Peak - just down the road apiece. Sounds like a great trip!
- Monday, February 16, 2009 at 5:43:00 PM PST
- GeologyJoe said...
oh cool. that looked like a great shoein' trip.
HA! the word verification just put up the name of the formation i studied for my MS thesis. HA!
- Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 6:40:00 AM PST
- Silver Fox said...
It was a good trip, perhaps shorter than we actually planned - but because of the fluffiness of the powdery snow, that turned out to be good. Bright, clear day. Verrryy cold.
- Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 8:36:00 AM PST
- Cath@VWXYNot? said...
Mmmm, looks lovely.
- Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 12:54:00 PM PST
- Amanda@Lady Scientist said...
That looks very nice. And you weren't kidding about that deep snow!
- Wednesday, February 18, 2009 at 10:27:00 AM PST
- Silver Fox said...
Amanda, Cath - lovely deep cold snow...
- Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 8:32:00 PM PST


text:
In the infamous( (I like to think) album, I found this photo of Granny (on the right – a vision in blue) and her nameless chum, being terribly sensible compared to previous photos. This photo has been converted into a postcard, although it was never posted and there's nothing on the back. I don't have any musical relatives (or any photos of them being musical) and no relatives who were pictured sitting on barrels, so I've gone my own way, as I do…
Glad to see that Granny has a hanky at hand, just in case. The young lady on the left must have been a significant part of Granny's life, as she appears in another postcard, looking equally elegant in the snow. Well, at least you can't see her grey socks and lace-ups in the following one, and she has a cute canine accessory.
Through the wonders of T'interweb, I have made contact with a "cousin" in Canada, and she has yet another cousin visiting next week, so hopefully I'll be able to share Granny's pictures with folk who have their own relatives starring in them 😀
Hurray for the Interweb 🙂 I can hardly wait!
SEPIA SATURDAY is a weekly meme which encourages bloggers to publish and share old images and photographs. All that is required is for contributors to post an old image (it doesn't have to be in sepia) and provide a few words in explanation. If you could provide a link back to the Sepia Saturday Blog and visit as many of the other contributors as you can, it would also be appreciated. There is no weekly theme, as such, but some people like to use the archive image published with the weekly call as a kind of theme. There is no requirement to adopt such an approach : the choice of image is entirely up to you. Once you have published your Sepia Saturday post, add a link to that post to the Linky List published each week and leave a comment to let everyone know you are joining in.


text:
Now I have a plea:
Please, have a safe holiday (Labor Day) weekend AND don't drink and drive. Thank you.
I am a plastic surgeon in Little Rock, AR. I used to "suture for a living", I continue "to live to sew". These days most of my sewing is piecing quilts. I love the patterns and interplay of the fabric color. I would like to explore writing about medical/surgical topics as well as sewing/quilting topics. I will do my best to make sure both are represented accurately as I share with both colleagues and the general public.
This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:
verify here.
Perfect use of tones for the effect. I love the addition of the fun, mod-looking prints, too. What a thoughtful gesture. I wish this young lady a very speedy recovery.
I'm a quilter and have made so many friends through quilting. I give all of my quilts away. The recipients are always so amazed that anybody would be so generous. I just always tell them that they wouldn't be so surprised if they knew more quilters! It's a defining characteristic of the breed.
This is a lovely quilt and a beautiful gesture of comfort. Well done!!!
Thank you Anne and Celeste.
It's hard to tell colors from a picture on my computer but I think you've added either creams or light greens to your green selections. Either way I love the way that lighter color looks in this quilt - it really makes the greens and blues stand out and looks almost like water. Beautiful qult. I'm sure it will be well loved. blessings, marlene
That's a beautiful quilt. And your plea is well-timed.
Beautiful, Ramona. I hope she is doing better. That quilt should cheer her. It will be something beautiful to look at and wrap around her as she recovers. You do such beautiful work.
We just had a kid go through a series of trees just outside our door here. Only a facial injury from the airbag, it seemed. Hopefully he went with the paramedics. I'd kept him immobilized until then, and left once they got there. Every year just before school starts back seems we have something here. That and May and June. He was lucky the airbag deployed.
very nice colors, how the girl is fine now.
Great choice of fabric. I love the ones that you put together for it. And what a wonderful reason to do it
Thanks for sharing the log cabin quilt. It's really beautiful and your story is beautiful too. Keep up the good work. Regards Natima
Your quilt is beautiful. I want to make a log cabin quilt soon.
This is just beautiful! I feel movement and energy from it even though it's on a computer screen! Great, Wonderful Creation!
Your quilt is beautiful. The blues and greens flow so well. And I am so impressed that you are a surgeon. I hope you tell your patients that you are a quilter, so they will have confidence in your stitching :-)
I just don't understand...when will people get the message and stop getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol? makes me furious!
This quilt is wonderful love love love those greens. So cheerful
Love your quilt - I hope she is on the mend since this post.
Love the colors in your quilt and the reason you made it. I love quilts with a purpose.
Thank you all. I am told that the young woman is back at college. She missed one semester, still limps.
Thank you all. I am told that the young woman is back at college. She missed one semester, still limps.


text:
Zeebrugge (Belgium) March 6 1987: The Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes just outside the harbour of Zeebrugge killing 192 people. On June 11 2001 Herman Brood commits suicide by jumping of the roof of the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel. Voetboogstraat, On August 16th 1996 Joes Kloppenburg gets beaten up by four drunk guys. Soon after […]
Archives for the 'doppleganger' Category
Gert Jan Kocken
Sunday, 3 May 2009


text:
Max B-ND™, Dietary Supplement, is an industry first - probiotic-cultured B vitamins. It contains a highly active, end-chain, B vitamin complex derived from live sources for premier nutritional resonance. Each 1/2 teaspoon supplies high energy, end-chain vitamin B forms (the form ready to use by the cell) including vitamin B6 as pyridoxal, pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, vitamin B5 as pantetheine (and more), folic acid as 5-MTHF and 5-FTHF and much more. Research suggests natural sources of B vitamins are safest and most effective, especially in long term use.*
ND Technology™ (Nanized Delivery)
Our premier-quality formula is micro-digested into extremely small bioavailable particles using our proprietary fermentation process via unique multi-strain, probiotic colonies. This allows rapid cellular delivery and 4-polarity dynamics, unlike any other product.
This formula is preserved with certified organic alcohol with no detectable pesticide and heavy metal residues (via lab testing).*
Now for the first time, completely natural-source B vitamins are available in Vitamin B Nano-Plex derived from proprietary technology using special, healthy probiotic strains. Because of its liquid oral delivery system, this is one product that literally many who tried it felt a difference.*
Net. Wt. 2 fl oz. Dietary Supplement, bottle lasts 1-2 months. Also comes in 8 oz.
Persons taking medications and those with known medical conditions should consult their physician before using this or any dietary supplement.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Copyright © 2020 Natural Zing's Raw Food StorePowered by osCommerce


text:
This is great news, and I'm genuinely happy about.
Whoops, tailgators...
GDP Jumps 7.2 Percent, Biggest Increase in Nearly 20 Years
Associated Press
Thursday, October 30, 2003
WASHINGTON The economy grew at a scorching 7.2 percent annual rate in the third quarter in the strongest pace in nearly two decades. Consumers spent with abandon and businesses ramped up investment, compelling new evidence of an economic resurgence.
The increase in gross domestic product, the broadest measure of the economy's performance, in the July-September quarter was more than double the 3.3 percent rate registered in the second quarter, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.
The 7.2 percent pace marked the best showing since the first quarter of 1984. It exceeded analysts' forecasts for a 6 percent growth rate for third-quarter GDP, which measures the value of all goods and services produced within the United States.
The economy's recovery from the 2001 recession has resembled the side of a jagged cliff; a quarter of strength often has been followed by a quarter of weakness. But analysts are saying that pattern could be broken, considering increasing signs the economy finally has shaken its lethargy and is perking up.
Near rock-bottom short-term interest rates, along with President Bush's third round of tax cuts, have helped the economy shift into a higher gear during the summer, economists say. The next challenge is making sure the rebound is self-sustaining, they say.
Democrats, however, argue that the tax cuts contributed to a record budget deficit in the recently ended 2003 fiscal year and have done little to spur significant job growth.
Although the nation's payrolls grew by 57,000 in September the first increase in eight months the economy needs to add a lot more jobs than that each month to drive down the 6.1 percent unemployment rate, analysts have said.
The administration has argued that as economic growth improves, meaningful job creation will follow. Bush will be counting on that as he heads into the 2004 presidential election season.
In other encouraging economic news from the Labor Department, new claims for unemployment benefits last week dropped by 5,000 to 386,000, a sign that layoffs are slowing. U.S. workers' wages and benefits went up by 1 percent in the third quarter, up slightly from a 0.9 percent increase in the previous quarter.
Amid signs that the recovery is regaining traction, the Federal Reserve on Tuesday decided to hold a key short-term interest rate at a 45-year low of 1 percent. Super-low short-term rates may give consumers and businesses an incentive to spend and invest more, boosting economic growth.
Economists believe the economy will grow at a slower but still healthy 4 percent rate in the final quarter.
In the third quarter, consumers ratcheted up their spending at a brisk 6.6 percent annual rate. That was the biggest increase since the first quarter of 1988 and was up from a 3.8 percent pace in the second quarter.
Consumers in the third quarter spent lavishly on big-ticket items, such as cars, boosting such spending by a whopping 26.9 percent rate. And, they also spent briskly on "nondurables" such as food and clothes, which grew at a 7.9 percent pace, the strongest showing since the first quarter of 1976.
While consumers have been the main force keeping the economy going, there are more signs that businesses are starting to do their part.
Especially encouraging was the 15.4 percent growth rate in spending by businesses on equipment and software in the third quarter. That marked the largest increase since the first quarter of 2000 and was up from a 8.3 percent growth rate in the second quarter.
Sustained turnarounds in capital spending and in hiring are crucial to the economy's return to full throttle. Economists said business wants profits to improve and wants to be sure of the recovery's vigor before it goes on a spending and hiring spree.
The red-hot housing market, powered by low mortgage rates, also contributed to the strong showing on third quarter GDP. Investment on residential projects grew at a 20.4 percent rate, the biggest increase since the second quarter of 1996, and more than three times the 6.6 percent growth rate seen in the second quarter.
Federal government spending, which grew at a 1.4 percent rate, was only a minor contributor to GDP in the third quarter. Spending on national defense was flat. But in the second quarter, military spending on the Iraq war which grew at a whopping 45.8 percent rate helped to catapult economic growth.
A better trade picture in the third quarter also contributed to GDP growth.
But inventory reduction by businesses continued to be a drag on the economy and reduced third-quarter GDP by 0.67 percentage point. And a continuing reluctance by businesses to build up stocks suggest that executives remain wary of the rebound's staying power.
This is great news, and I'm genuinely happy about.
The third-year Presidential economic phenomenon is at it again!! I hope that this improves and all signs point to it improving. There is not doubt that tax cuts spur short-term growth, although I still contend that US Equities suck and will suck for a few more years as the correction continues and the dollar weakens.
But this is good news for those that are currently out of work and this is GREAT news for me since I hold a bunch of consumer discretionary stocks!!! C'mon holiday shoppers, spend spend spend!! :lol: :lol:
Tail - did you see your boy Kerry wa son CBS and said that he though Bush's tax cut was very adequate for the middle-class and that he agrees with it? He also voted for the Iraq War. Tell me why you like him so much, again??
Why wouldn't you be ?.Originally posted by tailgators@Oct 30 2003, 11:52 AM
This is great news, and I'm genuinely happy about.
How many remember this post.....Originally posted by tailgators@Oct 30 2003, 11:52 AM
This is great news, and I'm genuinely happy about.
Please list just one accomplishment of CAP Bush... just one.
Can't do it huh?
Didn't think so.
like all liberals thoughts another moot point....
Why wouldn't you be ?. [/b][/quote]Originally posted by MARYLAND JET+Oct 30 2003, 12:52 PM-->

QUOTE (MARYLAND JET @ Oct 30 2003, 12:52 PM)

QUOTE (tailgators @ Oct 30 2003, 02:16 PM)

Originally posted by -MARYLAND JET@Oct 30 2003, 12:52 PM

QUOTE (jets5ever @ Oct 31 2003, 03:15 PM)

QUOTE (tailgators @ Oct 31 2003, 02:20 PM)

Originally posted by -jets5ever@Oct 31 2003, 03:15 PM

QUOTE (jets5ever @ Oct 31 2003, 03:33 PM)

Originally posted by -tailgators@Oct 31 2003, 02:20 PM
Originally posted by -jets5ever@Oct 31 2003, 03:15 PM


text:
Welsh Second Language GCE A/AS
This page contains information related to our legacy GCE AS/A level Welsh Second Language specification (taught from 2009). The final award for this qualification will be summer 2017 with re-sit opportunities in the Summer of 2018
Course Materials
All course materials are available on our related documents page.
Digital Resources
We offer an extensive range of free digital educational resources.
Past Papers
Past papers and mark schemes are free to download.
Online Exam Review
OER is a free interactive teaching and learning tool which includes exam answers and examiner comments.
WJEC Secure Website
Access WJEC's secure website to view exclusive materials which are not available on this website.
Subscribe for Updates
Sign-up to our mailing list to receive important news and updates for this qualification.
Join Our Team: Become an Examiner or Moderator
We are currently recruiting examiners and moderators for GCSE, AS/A level and/or Level 1/Level 2 qualifications for next summer's examination series. If you have at least two years teaching experience and would like to apply, please create an account to complete the online application process.
For more information on becoming an examiner, including vacancies and benefits, please visit our appointees page.
Get In Touch
Our subject specialists are on hand to answer any of your queries.
Subject OfficerSiân Llewelyn
029 2026 5162
Email Sian
Subject Support OfficerNia Morgan
029 2026 5192
Email Nia
Additional Contact Details
Entries029 2026 5193
Related Qualifications
WJEC AS-A Level Welsh Second Language: Teaching Grammar and Poetry
WJEC GCSE Welsh Second Language: Teaching speaking and listening skills
GCE Welsh Second Language Examiners' Report Summer 2018Download
Principal Examiners' Report
The Summer 2018 Principal Examiners' reports provide feedback on this Summer's examination series. The reports include helpful observations and commentary on the work produced for this series and can assist teachers in preparing their students for the next examination series.