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Land grabbing and food sovereignty in West and Central Africa
It is a long-standing tradition in many African countries to frown upon the selling of land. When land is snapped up by large agribusiness interests in these countries, it is experienced as a brutal violation of this tradition, one that compromises the lives and livelihoods of entire generations to come. This phenomenon of large-scale land appropriation really took off with the food crisis of 2008. As the many cases of land grabbing identified in West and Central Africa have demonstrated, profit seems to be the only motive pursued. The whole model is inimical to – really a frontal attack on – the goals of food sovereignty, which is fundamentally about human survival, especially in African countries that are still largely rural.
While seeds, water, financing, and energy are all necessary to agriculture, there is one obvious requirement that comes before all of them: you cannot grow food without land. But land grabbing by foreign governments (Kuwait, China, Saudi Arabia, and others) or by wealthy individuals, be they foreigners or nationals, deprives small farmers of that indispensable factor in the food equation. In fact, it turns them into farmworkers on their own land.
At a workshop held by Synergie Paysanne, GRAIN, and RAPDA (the African Network for the Right to Food) with the support of the group Bread for all in Ouidah (Benin) from 7 to 9 February 2012, thirty or more participants representing small-farm organisations and NGOs active on the land grabbing issue in West and Central Africa engaged in a wide-ranging and trenchant discussion on this issue.
Land grabbing and food sovereignty: the inimical relationship
Food sovereignty is a concept developed by Via Campesina in 1996 as an alternative to neoliberal policies and the industrial model of production. It signifies the right of peoples, nations, or unions of nations to define their agricultural and food policies without outside interference, and is inclusive of all stakeholders concerned by the food question.
"Food sovereignty includes:
••prioritising local agricultural production in order to feed the people, access of peasants and landless people to land, water, seeds, and credit. Hence the need for land reforms, for fighting against GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), for free access to seeds, and for safeguarding water as a public good to be sustainably distributed.
• the right of farmers [and] peasants to produce food and the right of consumers to be able to decide what they consume, and how and by whom it is produced
• agricultural prices linked to production costs : they can be achieved if the countries or unions of states are entitled to impose taxes on excessively cheap imports, if they commit themselves in favour of a sustainable farm production, and if they control production on the inner market so as to avoid structural surpluses;
• the populations taking part in the agricultural policy choices;
• the recognition of women farmers' rights, who play a major role in agricultural production and in food."
– La Via Campesina, Porto-Alegre, 2003
The possibility of any of the above goals being realised is threatened by land grabbing, since the land in question is almost always put into industrial agriculture, regardless of whether it's foreign or domestic interests doing the grabbing.
(19 September 2012)
Africa: Land, Water and Resource-Grabbing and Its Impact on Food Security
Obang Metho, AllAfrica.com
Text of an address to the 1st Africa Congress on Effective Cooperation for a Green Africa (ECOGA) in Bremerhaven, Germany
As I speak about the relationship between land, water and resource use related to food insecurity; particularly related to what I have called the "Second Scramble for African Land, Water and Resources," I will not only be speaking of Africa as a whole, but I will be speaking as an insider—as someone who comes from this land and soil called Africa; in particular, from the Gambella region of Ethiopia in East Africa, which enables me to use my own experience as a microcosm of what is most at risk on the continent. Yet, the issues of Africa are also global issues that will positively or negatively impact our global society. As global citizens, we will best flourish when we respect the rights of others for "no one will be free until all are free." This is a fundamental principle of the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE), the social justice movement of which I am the executive director.
We are all connected together not only by living our lives together on this planet, but by the God-given humanity within each of us, which should be a bridge to valuing "others" – including those unlike us—putting "humanity before ethnicity" or any other differences. This is another fundamental principle of the SMNE for our humanity has no ethnic, religious, political or national boundaries while the dehumanization of "others" has repeatedly led to genocide, injustice, exploitation, corruption, poverty and deadly violence. When I speak, I am talking not only about my life and the future of my children and grandchildren but also of yours. It is that same inter-connectedness that brought me here today to address this audience made up of some of the top thinkers and decision-makers related to a "Green Africa," even though I grew up in one of the most remote and marginalized regions of Ethiopia, on the border of South Sudan.
I come from a tiny, previously unknown, and now what some consider to be an endangered people group called Anuak, which means, "people who eat together, who laugh together and who share." Anuak indigenous land stretches between eastern South Sudan and western Ethiopia, dividing the Anuak between two separate countries. When the civil war was going on in Southern Sudan, tens of thousands of refugees from every ethnicity, passed through our land, seeking refuge and peace. The Anuak of Gambella, Ethiopia would often supplies food and water to the weary refugees as they fled war-torn Sudan.
Sadly, right now, the Anuak, nearly all small subsistence farmers, are becoming refugees in their own land as they are internally displaced from indigenous land their ancestors have possessed for centuries. They have become "discardable" people by a regime that wants their land, but not them, in order to lease it to foreigners and regime-cronies for commercial farms. They are not alone; millions of other Ethiopians and Africans from countries all over the continent are facing the same plight.
One of the greatest threats Africa has ever faced is the impact from this new phenomenon of land-grabbing. In many places, these land grabs are going on without any input from stakeholders and without any compensation for lost lands, homes, crops and livelihoods. Small farmers are ill-prepared for the sudden dispossession of their land and with it, the means to their livelihood. Lacking education or training for other jobs, some have become a source of cheap labor as they are left without alternative means for survival. These foreign investors, countries and regime cronies are often making secretive leasing agreements with authoritarian regimes that give them millions of hectares of land for next to nothing for periods of time as long as 99 years in some cases.
With the current concerns for food security, especially in a changing climate where our soaring world population is expected to reach nine billion inhabitants by 2050—only 38 years from now, unused and underutilized land, with access to water for irrigation, has become the new "precious commodity" sometimes called "green gold." Add to that the ever-increasing global need for resources like minerals, oil, natural gas and commodities in general and where do eyes turn but towards Africa, a continent with great reserves of rich, untapped resources. This is what is driving the second scramble for Africa…
No one will argue with the fact that Africa desperately needs development, investment and economic growth, but what is needed is the right kind of investor and development. In western countries, laws protect the people, but in most of Africa, those laws are absent or not enforced. The people of Africa seek investors who will partner with the people in mutually beneficial and sustainable economic opportunities; however, most of these kinds of investors, developers and partners shy away from much of Africa because of the very real risks of doing business there.
Those ethical foreign and local investors and developers, who do take the risk, usually do so with caution and on a limited basis; however, many simply refuse to even attempt to do business in Africa—or within most countries of Africa—because of its corruption, its lack of infrastructure, its insecurity and the unreliability of the forever changing whims and politics of its authoritarian political leaders…
(21 September 2012)
Antonio Trejo, Honduras rights lawyer, killed at wedding
BBC Online
A human rights group in Honduras says a prominent lawyer who represented peasants in disputes with large land owners has been killed.
Antonio Trejo was shot dead by unknown gunmen after walking outside the church, where he was attending a wedding, to answer a phone call.
Mr Trejo represented lands rights groups in the Bajo Aguan, a fertile palm-oil-producing region.
Dozens of people have been killed in land conflicts there in recent years…
Human rights groups have called on the Central American government to investigate the deaths of dozens of peasants and campaigners in the Bajo Aguan area, in Honduras' northern Colon department.
"A long-simmering land conflict erupted in May 2011 when peasants occupied land being cultivated by large privately owned agricultural enterprises," says the pressure group Human Rights Watch in a report.
"Many victims were members of peasant associations who were allegedly gunned down by security guards working for the enterprises."
The palm oil produced in the area is used mostly to make biofuels for vehicles…
(23 September 2012)
Chinese villagers protest at slow progress over land dispute
Reuters, The Guardian
One of China's most celebrated experiments in grassroots democracy has shown signs of faltering, as frustrations with elected officials in the southern fishing village of Wukan triggered a small and angry protest.
On the first anniversary of an uprising that gave birth to the experiment, more than 100 villagers rallied outside Wukan's Communist party offices to express anger at what they saw as slow progress by the village's democratically elected governing committee to resolve local land disputes.
"We still haven't got our land back," shouted Liu Hancai, a retired 62-year-old party member, one of many villagers fighting to win back land that was seized by Wukan's previous administration and illegally sold for development…
A year ago Wukan became a beacon of rights activism after the land seizures prompted unrest and led to the sacking of local party officials. That in turn led to village-wide elections for a more representative committee to help resolve the rows…
(21 September 2012)
The global need of non-violent struggle around land rights: a path for change?
Marie Bohner, Landportal
In India, Ekta Parishad tackles the issue on behalf of the bottom 30% of the population who are landless, homeless and are therefore marginalized, by undertaking large-scale non-violent actions to advocate for pro-poor comprehensive land reforms and respect of basic rights for the most vulnerable, especially women. Ekta Parishad has planned two national actions. In October 2011, Rajagopal PV and a team of activists started the "Jan Samwad Yatra", a travel of one year through 350 districts of India. Meeting villagers and officials every day, the Jan Samwad Yatra has gathered 1000s of grievances related to land rights and poverty, has gained the support of around 2000 voluntary organizations and people's organizations, and mobilized thousands of people for a large-scale non-violent action, the March "Jan Satyagraha". Jan Satyagraha – 'the March for Justice' – will happen in October 2012 bringing together 100 000 poor villagers, adivasis1, dalits2 and other landless peasants from many states of India in what will be the largest ever non-violent action for land, water and forest rights. The marchers will walk the 350 km distance from Gwalior to Delhi to present their demands to the government (for the comprehensive demands, check http://www.ektaparishad.com/en-us/jansatyagraha2012march/objectives.aspx ).
(10 September 2012)
Image credit: John Spooner


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Posted by Manish Panchmatia on Saturday, May 5, 2018 Labels: ArtificialIntelligence, Education, MachineLearning, Meetup, software
I attended few sessions by Amazon about its Alexa devices, during last few months. Voice represents next major disruption in computing. These devices provides VUI (Voice User Interface). We had hands-on sessions and interactive QAs. Let me cover some of the relevant URLs and overview in this blog post for readers of "Express YourSelf !"
Here is a quick comparison of all major devices:
Here is a quick comparison of all major devices:
|Echo Dot
|Echo Dot
Kids Edition
|Echo Plus
|Echo Spot
|Echo Show
|Rs. 4000
|Rs. 10,000
|Rs. 15000
|Rs. 13000
|Rs. 3341
|Rs. 5346
|Rs 6682
|Rs. 10023
|Rs. 15369
|Smart hub
|2.5" screen
|7" screen
Apart from the regular devices from Amazon, few smart cars and smart TVs also have built-in Alexa support. Amazon also launched "Alexa 7-Mic Far-Field Dev Kit" that hardware can be part of any product. One can add display support also like Echo Spot and Echo Show, however it needs to go through rigorous certification process from Amazon.
Comparison of Mobile App with Alexa Skill
Mobile App ~ Alexa Skill
Mobile App icon ~ Invocation Name
Many mobile apps have Alexa skill e.g ola, goibibo, crickinfo, zomato etc. have alexa skill
How it works
Alexa software has mainly two major components.
1. ASK (Alexa skills kit) to build new skill
2. AVS (Alexa voice service) to integrate with RPi kind of device.
The hardware is quite simple with microphone array and speaker. The microphone array used for noise cancellation. The spoken sentence is divided into :
1. Wakeup word
2. launch
3. Invocation name. It should be two words.
3. Utterance
step 1. Wake up word can be = Alexa / Computer / Echo / Amazon
This will wakeup the device. It triggered beam forming to listen.
step 2. The utterance (captured audio) goes to cloud
step 3. At cloud real magic happens with
3.1 speech processing
step 4. The invocation name is detected. With invocation name, the execution flow goes to specific skill. Now skill has all the logic, algorithm to further understand the utterance, to access cloud service, database etc and finally for the response
Here the front-end is developed and tested with simulator using developer.amazon.com
step 5. As per training model, Alexa translate the utterance to Intent. The developer need to create custom intent, that mapped to function implementation to provide response. Alexa also provide standard built-in Intent, that developer can implement
There is a set of built-in intent libraries for various use cases
In Alexa terms "slot" is like argument to function. Alexa has built-in slot types : https://developer.amazon.com/docs/custom-skills/slot-type-reference.html
There is many to one mapping between utterances and intent. There is one to one mapping between intent and function
There is many to one mapping between utterances and custom slot. There is one to one mapping between custom slot value and argument value to function.
So one can pronounce "A.C" or "Air Conditioner" still it maps to same enumarated value as argument to function. Such synonymous are detected using "Entity Resolution"
The back-end function can be implemented at any HTTPS terminated end-point or AWS lambda service. The AWS Lambda service, at present, is available only for regions:
1. US east North vergina
2. EU (Ireland)
The professional skill can use session attribute for better user experience and also for data analytics.
step 6. The response can be
6.1 Speech : SSML, Local lingo, TTS, audio stream, small mp3 files
6.2 Cards = title, subtitle (skill name), text (content), image.
Cards are optional. We can use rich text with different font including Unicode at card. It is built using various BodyTemplate and ListTemplate.
The speech output goes to speaker. The card output goes to
1. Alexa Companion App
2. Echo Spot and
3. Echo Show
One can check device capability for including card/video in response.
The Alexa skill can be built using pre-built models
1. Custom: For unique need
2. Flash briefing : For RSS feed
3. Smart Home : For home automation
4. Video : For video application
Questions - Answers
Let me highlights few leanings about Alexa Echo eco-system and the devices
* The Alexa companion app can be connected to only one device. So it is not possible to push same image/content/card to all companion app running on mobile using single Alexa device
* Amazon allows to use same invocation word for multiple skill developed by same/different people. All such skill can be configured for given device. However the skill that is configured last, it will be invoked for the duplicate invocation word.
* It is possible to enable/disable specific app on the device using mobile app
* It may possible to develop smart home device using Raspberry Pi for single user, with skill that is not published. One can use Smart Home pre-built model. Let the Intent invoke code running at Raspberry Pi, that turn on/off home appliances using GPIO pin and relay.
* None of the Alexa devices has built-in battery.
* "Alexa for Business" can have features like allowing access to very specific limited set of skills only.
* Alexa does not have any adult content, so parental control is not needed.
* One can change wakup word and replace "alexa". However still it will be female voice only. The Alexa devices do not support response in male voice.
* Alexa device cannot be used for dictation or speech to text conversion. One can use AWS transcribe service https://aws.amazon.com/transcribe/ for the same.
* One can develop (1) one shot dialogue (2) multi-turn dialogue skills
* To design multi-turn dialogue skills, one can use (1) graph UI or (2) frame UI.
* Alexa can prompt for missing slot
* Amazon is coming up with Notification, that will be triggered by skill to Alexa device. However until the end-user ask to get notifications, the Alexa device will not start talking by itself to inform about notification.
Now, let's have a look to important URLs
alexa.design/guide : Design of Voice Experience
alexa.design/indiacheckin :Join the Amazon developer community & check in for the event in India.
alexa.design/india : It has details about all meetup, hackathon, webinar, slack channel etc.
alexa.design/codecademy and alexa.design/training : Online learning resources
alexa.design/factskill and bit.ly/2JWxlY9: Getting started with skill development
https://github.com/alexa : Alexa public sample code repository
https://developer.amazon.com/en-in/alexa-skills-kit Getting Started in India
Alexa response can be further enhanced at skill using
1. SSML. SSML is Speech Synthesis Markup Language. More details:
Alexa specific SSML : https://developer.amazon.com/docs/custom-skills/speech-synthesis-markup-language-ssml-reference.html
2. Speechcon https://developer.amazon.com/docs/custom-skills/speechcon-reference-interjections-english-india.html
Sohan Maheshwar
1 comments:
- Manish Panchmatia said...
- May 6, 2018 at 7:08 PM

subset: commoncrawl


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Searching for free groover career samples and templates examples to use for your employment needs? view the following job title samples. See also: 'Groover' Alternative Job Titles
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Most doctors tell healthy pregnant women that it's safe to fly up until 35 or 36 weeks. Regardless, any pregnant woman who steps on a plane has that fear. What if?
Can you even imagine? The plane takes off and travels up to 35,000 feet, high above the clouds. The flight attendants start pushing the drink carts down the aisle and you're trying decide whether you want sparkling water or orange juice. All of a sudden, whoah! That hurts! You're in premature labor, trapped on a claustrophobic plane with a bunch of strangers. Not exactly an inviting place to have a baby, unless you're a person who enjoys having an audience.
This exact scenario happened to a brave woman flying on an Aeroloft flight between Ukraine and Moscow this week.
Thankfully Anastasia Kozlova had plenty of help. Four flight attendants and a nurse who happened to be on the plane stepped in to deliver the baby girl.
At first the baby wasn't breathing and Sofia Biryukova, 23, a trained nurse who practices baby massage, realized the infant's passages were clogged with mucous. Biryukova saved the day by sucking on the child's mouth and nose, UPI reports.
The plane made an emergency landing at a Ukraine airport where mother and baby were whisked to the nearest hospital. Both are both doing well. Let's hope Aeroloft gives this baby free flights for life, or at least a set of special wings!
Kozlova was 30 weeks pregnant and well within the safe range for flying. But sometimes, actually more often than you'd imagine, things don't go as planned and women go into premature labor mid-flight. Kozlova certainly isn't the first person to deliver at 35,000 feet. Just last week a Nigerian woman gave birth in Indian airspace.
Last April, a flight attendant helped deliver a baby on a flight from Atlanta to Africa. "I just held him up, and I said, 'It's a boy.' And everybody clapped, and there was laughter, and it was really fun and exciting. And she was so happy and weepy," flight attendant Susan Carnes told ABC News.
In August a baby was given the name EK by his mother because she delivered him on an Emirates plane. EK is the airlines flight code. The story goes that she delivered him while straddling a restroom toilet on a flight between Manila and Dubai. The plane was diverted to Ho Chih Min City, Vietnam.
In September 2011 a mother delivered a baby boy on a flight from Manila to San Francisco. She named him Francis after the city with the Golden Gate. The boy's citizenship was up in the air, according to the Huffington Post, because it was unclear whether he was born in the United States or over international waters. And these are only the stories from the past year.


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Despite the cancellation of a high-stakes meeting between the premiers of B.C. and Alberta Tuesday, the option of transporting oil from Alberta to the coast by rail remains a hot topic.
But a recent slew of sensational derailments and crashes involving rail cars carrying oil and petroleum products — including a fiery explosion in Alberta last month involving a train bound for Metro Vancouver — is raising concerns about a potential human or environmental disaster in B.C.
Premier Christy Clark and Alberta Premier Alison Redford are grappling with how to open new markets for oil in Asia. Clark wants assured economic rewards and world-leading spill prevention and response systems before B.C. will say yes to oil pipelines.
With rail shipments of oil and petroleum products already on the increase in B.C. — and poised to escalate dramatically in the absence of new pipelines — local politicians fear the consequences of a major oil-related train derailment or crash in the region.
"This issue is only now coming to the fore," said Belcarra Mayor Ralph Drew, who wants Metro Vancouver to ensure that Kinder Morgan's pipeline expansion plans respect the ecology of Burrard Inlet.
"It's one thing to ship tanker cars on the Prairies flat and straight, but coming through the mountains, in my view that's the worst possible scenario. It's an order of magnitude, or more, increase in the level of concern, for sure," Drew said.
"I'd get far more excited about rail cars transporting oil into the Lower Mainland than pipelines."
The pipeline-versus-rail debate may be lost on anyone opposed to increased tanker traffic, regardless of how Alberta oil gets to B.C. ports.
"The recent discussion between Alberta and B.C. where they seem to be indicating that we need to build pipelines or it will just come by rail — I view that as a negotiating tactic: 'Give us our pipeline, or we burn your cities to the ground,'" said Greenpeace researcher Keith Stewart.
Railways were involved in 166 accidents last year in B.C., including 33 collisions with people or vehicles, according to federal Transportation Safety Board reports. Of the total, 91 were derailments, down from 99 in 2011 and 142 in 2008.
On Nov. 28 last year, a CN freight train moving cars in Fort Nelson derailed a tank car loaded with diesel fuel. The car fell on its side and killed the conductor.
Transport Canada estimates almost 1,200 carloads of crude oil and petroleum products were sent to B.C. in 2012, up from fewer than 50 in 2011 and "an insignificant number of carloads in every year before that," said spokeswoman Sara Johnstone.
That is a drop in the barrel compared with the prospect of hundreds of thousands of rail cars delivering oil to the B.C. coast in the absence of new pipeline construction. "With the increase in oil production and with the North American pipeline network operating near maximum capacity, transportation of oil by rail is increasing," said Johnstone, noting federal safety regulations have also been beefed up.
Which poses the question: how real is the possibility of large-scale oil-by-rail shipments to the coast for export?
While there is no port infrastructure in place in B.C. for off-loading rail-delivered oil for export to Asia, industry observers say it remains a possibility.
The B.C. government has stated that both pipelines and rail are viable methods to get oil to the coast for export. And the province said recently that if pipelines are not built, rail will fill the void.
That would result in an enormous increase in rail traffic, and likely increased environmental and safety concerns.
To replace Enbridge's proposed $6.5-billion Northern Gateway pipeline, 275,000 rail cars a year would need to be added to the northern B.C. route to Kitimat or Prince Rupert. An additional 300,000 tanker cars would be needed to replace the oil capacity of Kinder Morgan's planned $5.4-billion Trans Mountain pipeline expansion to Burnaby.
It would require a terminal on the coast at a cost of $200 million to $500 million, according to the Canadian Energy Research Institute.
The ports of Prince Rupert and Metro Vancouver say they are not aware of any plans to build such a terminal.
In an email response this week, Canadian National Railway spokesman Mark Hallman said the company has no plans to move any oil to B.C. ports or terminals for export.
But earlier this year, CN president Claude Mongeau said the railway did not carry crude oil to the West Coast simply because no customer has yet asked them to do so. He made the statement in a letter he wrote responding to environmental groups over their safety concerns.
"But if infrastructure was permitted for this purpose on the West Coast and a request was made to CN, we would respond and do what our business mandate and common carrier obligations call for — move these products as safely and efficiently as we can for the benefit of all Canadians," Mongeau wrote.
Internal federal government memos published earlier this fall showed CN, at the urging of Chinese-owned Nexen Inc., was considering shipping Alberta bitumen to Prince Rupert in northwest B.C. by rail as a possible Plan B if the Northern Gateway is blocked.
Research by the Seattle-based Sightline Institute shows that since 2012, nearly a dozen plans have emerged to ship crude oil by train to Pacific Northwest refineries and port terminals. Those include plans for a $75-million to $100-million rail complex in Vancouver, Wash. capable of handling 360,000 barrels of oil.
U.S. crude must be refined before it can be exported, but there would be no such rules for bitumen from the Alberta oilsands, noted Seattle Institute researcher Eric de Place. He was not aware of any plans to build terminals on the B.C. coast.
While it is more expensive to ship oil by rail than pipeline, rail has advantages.
A large export terminal would likely be subject to a federal environmental review but there is no such requirement for moving oil by rail. The upfront capital costs for moving oil by rail are also lower.
The advantages and disadvantages were discussed in a recent Canada West Foundation report, Pipe or Perish: Saving an Oil Industry at Risk.
"You have to optimize across all of those factors to determine which one is best," says Len Coad, director of the foundation's Centre for Natural Resources Policy. "But until recently, the preferred alternative was almost always pipeline."
The federal review decision on Northern Gateway will influence oil-by-rail decisions, Coad noted.
Geoff Morrison, spokesman for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, said he's not aware of any specific plans to bring oil by rail to B.C. but he expects companies are looking at the opportunity.
"When the market sees a pinch point, it looks for another way to get there," he said, referring to the inability of western Canadian oil producers to access Asian markets.
"When does a gleam of an eye become an idea? I think we are in that kind of conceptual moment where people are looking at all their options," said Morrison.
Oil is definitely on the move by rail across North America.
Canadian Pacific Railway moved about 13,000 carloads of crude oil in 2011, 53,500 carloads in 2012, and expects to move 90,000 in 2013, most of it shipped to the Gulf Coast and U.S. northeast.
In comparison, CN moved about 5,000 carloads of crude oil (heavy crude, light crude and pure bitumen) in 2011, increasing six-fold to more than 30,000 carloads in 2012, with the potential for business to double to more than 60,000 in 2013.
And even in the absence of port infrastructure for exporting to Asia, crude oil is coming to B.C. by rail.
Hallman said CN transports crude oil to Metro Vancouver for local refinery production and to New Westminster, where it is interchanged with U.S. railroads. Hallman noted that "none of this crude oil is moving to B.C. ports or terminals for export."
The Chevron refinery in Burnaby built a facility just last spring to specifically off-load oil delivered by CPR along the same tracks used by the West Coast Express commuter train.
Chevron currently off-loads eight to 14 rail cars per day, representing 15 per cent of the refinery's current crude oil requirement of 55,000 barrels per day, said Chevron spokesman Ray Lord.
The West Coast Express route runs through urban communities on the north side of the Fraser River from Mission west through Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Port Moody, where it hugs the south shore of Burrard Inlet through Burnaby, past the Chevron refinery, to its terminus on the downtown Vancouver waterfront.
CN also delivers crude oil to a transloading facility in Langley, where the oil is loaded onto tank-trucks and delivered to the Chevron refinery at the rate of 18 tank-trucks per day, representing 10 per cent of the refinery's requirement. There is capacity to off-load up to 24 trucks per day.
The other 75 per cent of the refinery's crude oil comes from Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline system.
Chevron's Lord confirmed that oil-filled rail cars bound for the Langley facility — and eventually the refinery — were part of the CN train that crashed and burned Oct. 19 in the hamlet of Gainford, Alta., about 85 kilometres west of Edmonton.
Of 134 rail cars in the train, four carrying crude oil and nine carrying liquefied petroleum gas derailed, sparking a dramatic explosion. No one was injured, but homes to about 100 people in the area were evacuated.
CN's Hallman cited statistics from the Association of American Railroads suggesting 99.997 per cent of "hazardous materials carloads moved by railroads arrive at their destination without a release caused by an accident."
He refused to disclose where the rail cars of refined petroleum gas in the Gainford crash were headed.
"Railways in general, including CN, do not own rail tank cars; the vast majority of tank cars are owned by leasing companies or rail customers to ship products," Hallman said.
He added that "DOT-111 tank cars for crude oil and ethanol ordered after October 2011 meet higher standards" and that "nearly 25 per cent of tank cars used to move crude oil today were built to higher specifications."
Added CP spokesman Ed Greenberg: "CP continues to meet or exceed all federal operating and safety regulations and rules, which includes a strict inspection protocol for the thousands of miles of track over which we operate and a rigorous inspection and maintenance program for all of our trains."
The most serious recent accident occurred July 6, 2013, when a runaway train of 72 tank cars loaded with crude oil crashed in Lac-Mégantic, Que., killing 47 people and destroying half the downtown area. The train was owned by Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway.
"After Lac-Mégantic, everybody across the country is at a heightened sense of vigilance with respect to the transportation of hydrocarbons," Dan Holbrook, Transportation Safety Board western regional manager of rail investigation, said in an interview.
The good news about the Alberta crash is that the four derailed cars carrying crude oil that did not rupture had full or partial "head-shield protection" — an extra layer of steel to guard against punctures in a crash or derailment, he said.
Main-track derailments, where speeds and risks are greatest, have been declining in Canada, said Holbrook, attributing the trend in part to increased automated track inspections of bearings and wheels, as well as distribution of locomotives to better manage power and braking.
Metro Vancouver has not debated the threat posed by increased rail shipments of oil through the region, but is due to receive a report on Trans Mountain's expansion plans at the environment and parks committee meeting on Nov. 14.
Serious rail accidents in Canada since May 2013:
Oct. 19: Thirteen CN tanker cars — four laden with crude oil and nine carrying liquefied gas — came off the rails just after midnight in the hamlet of Gainford, about 80 km. west of Edmonton. A massive fire ensued.
Oct. 17: Residents in the northwest Alberta town of Sexsmith were forced from their homes after four CN rail cars carrying anhydrous ammonia left the rails. The cars remained upright and there were no leaks.
Oct. 7: Four empty tanker cars that had been used to carry jet fuel went off the track in Brampton, Ont. A CN employee suffered minor injuries and the derailment caused commuter delays for GO Train travellers.
Sept. 25: Seventeen CN rail cars, some carrying flammable petroleum, ethanol and chemicals, came off the tracks near the village of Landis, in western Saskatchewan, in the middle of the night. A nearby school was closed as hazardous material crews cleaned up spilled oil. No one was injured.
Sep. 11: Eight cars of a CP train carrying a diluting agent used in oil pipelines derailed at a southeast Calgary rail yard. There were no injuries and no leaks from the cars, which were left lying on their sides. More than 140 homes were evacuated briefly.
July 27: A CP locomotive and seven tanker cars carrying oil left the tracks in Lloydminster, which straddles the northern Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary. Some diesel spilled from the locomotive and was contained. RCMP said nothing spilled from the cars, no one was injured and no evacuations were necessary.
July 8: An ammonia leak from a train caused the evacuation of roughly one-quarter of the population of the small northern Ontario town of Gogoma. No one was injured.
July 6: A runaway train of 72 tank cars loaded with crude oil crashed and exploded in the centre of Lac-Mégantic, Que., killing 47 people and destroying half the downtown area. The train, owned by Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway, was unmanned at the time.
June 27: Seven cars derailed as a bridge over the flood-swollen Bow River in Calgary collapsed when a CP train tried to cross it. Five cars carried petroleum products, one was filled with ethylene glycol and one was empty. No spills or injuries were reported but Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi demanded answers.
June 2: Eleven CP rail cars derailed on a trestle bridge near Wanup, east of Sudbury, Ont. There were no injuries, but the cars were carrying containers of consumer goods and about half of them entered a nearby river, prompting a drinking-water advisory.
May 21: Five cars on a CP train derailed near the village of Jansen in southeastern Saskatchewan and one of them spilled more than 91,000 litres of oil. There were no injuries.


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The Tower
The Tower is a defence game. You stack up defensive blocks and use spells to protect your main heart block. I suggest normal difficulty first, if you find that too hard after a few goes trying out different strategies maybe drop back to easy. Rich mode is just for mucking around at the start to build a tower however you want. Only play this after you've played the game properly. General Tips - - Flying won't attack your heart if it's not in line with them, but will pose a threat if you build high. So be careful. - Cannons work better the higher they are. There range & accuracy is based on there height as you will see. - Try to use a bit of everything, don't stick to just defensive, or just offensive. You could call this game a "Tower Defence" but it really isn't at the same time :P a little twist on the genre in a way you'll see :)
Mouse for blocks/spells 0-9 For selecting blocks/spells
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The main difference between these two chips is the ability of DS1337 to handle (set, trigger) an alarm. Otherwise, both have similar pin configurations, both "talk" I2C, and both use a 3V coin battery (DS1307 only as backup, DS1337 as the only power source).
Many others have included DS1337 on their boards and wrote libraries for this chip. I thought I should give it a try myself, especially because of the alarm capability. The easiest way was to modify an Wiseduino board, by cutting 3 traces and adding 2 wires, as shown in this image:
The cuts are shown with yellow lines, the wires are light blue. The rightmost cut is on the back of the board.
Updated Apr 17/2010
After I started the actual work, I realized that, since DS1337 is powered by the 3V coin battery, voltage level adapters (on SCL and SDA lines) need to be used between the clock and a 5V-powered Wiseduino. So I decided to power Wiseduino with 3V as well (2xAA batteries). This means the frequency cannot be 16MHz (according to ATmega168/328 datasheet); so I installed an 8MHz resonator instead. So far so good. I am able to upload the DS1337 sketch and read back the time. Current consumption is a under 5mA.
Here are a few other things I did to make this work:
- on Wiseduino, I am using an ATmega168 with the bootloader, instead of the 328;
- I changed boards.txt to accommodate the 8MHz working frequency:
- tried unsuccessfully JLuciani's DS1337 library; it seems to require/use a different set of "wire" files than those coming with Arduino IDE 18; confusion ensues; files and functions need to be renamed etc etc; I just gave up;
- tried, with limited success, xSmurf's DS1337 library; there seem to be multiple versions of the DS1337 class (and header), no sample sketch that uses the class; I had to eliminate some alarm-related stuff, define some macros etc. In the end, I have a simplified version working;
- to upload the sketch to the board, I used the 3V3 version of the FTDI breakout from sparkfun (the 5V has the signal voltages too high).
Next steps:
- put the microcontroller to sleep when time is not read (this will reduce the consumption to micro amps, hopefully);
- implement the alarm functionality, with interrupts.
Conclusion DS1307 vs DS1337:
- DS1337 should be used in a 3V3 environment; it is not meant to be mixed with 5V signals;
- DS1337 libraries I looked at so far are pretty finicky compared to DS1307 libraries;
- an equivalent of (that is, as easy to use as) DS1307 for 3V3 is DS1340 (used by JeeLabs in their JeeNode boards).


text: The powertrain is the heart of your vehicle. So we do all we can to ensure it never skips a beat. That includes protecting it with a warranty that'll last long after the new-car smell fades. Sure, 10-year/160,000 km coverage is bold, but we have over 90 years of vehicle-building confidence to back it up.


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Surrey skipper Rory Hamilton-Brown is ready to take a step on to the international stage and has a promotion and a one-day title to prove it, writes Stuart Amos.
The 24-year-old Wandsworth cricketer led the Lions to LV= Country Championship Division Two promotion and the Clydesdale Bank 40 trophy last year in only his second season at the helm, having helped turned them from an under-achieving outfit that could not buy a win, into a side that holds genuine ambitions of winning more silverware this summer.
Kia Oval stars Jade Dernbach, Chris Tremlett, Steven Davies, Kevin Pietersen, Tom Maynard and Stuart Meaker have all represented England or England Lions within the past two years, while the captain has looked on.
But, with a new contract extension until 2014 under his belt, Hamilton-Brown is out to redress the balance and reckons the captaincy will help – not hinder – his cause.
"I always knew taking the captaincy would set my international aspirations back a year or so," he said.
"In my first year I struggled with my form in the four day game but, in one day cricket, I had as good a season as I could ask.
"Mentally, the captaincy was a challenge because I had not played a lot of the long game and was still learning.
"But, last year, I felt it was beneficial and helped develop my character.
"I have developed my game and I think being captain can only enhance my chances with England."
And Hamilton-Brown insisted repeating last season's successes needed more hard work.
"There is a stigma about Surrey of being lazy and arrogant and it is a bug bear for us as we want to be different," he added.


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Car flips over in Oneida; none injured
ONEIDA >> No one was hurt after a car flipped over on Lenox Avenue in Oneida Saturday.
Around 6:39 p.m., police say a driver traveling west on Lenox Avenue looked away from the road and drifted out of the lane, hitting a parked vehicle. The impact caused the westbound vehicle to overturn; the parked vehicle rammed into the car parked in front of it.
The accident occurred about 150 feet west of North Willow Street. The parked vehicles were near 518 Lenox Ave., facing west.
No injuries were reported and no tickets were issued.


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The following companies won the Gold, Silver and Bronze rankings in the Health Care category of the 2010 BOB Awards.
2010 Best Of The Best Awards: Health Care
Banner Gateway Medical Center
|Year Est.: 2007
Beds: 176
Principal(s): Pam Nenaber
Physicians: 560
Banner Gateway Medical Center is Banner Health's newest hospital, located on the southwest corner of U.S. 60 and Higley Road in Gilbert. The 176-bed hospital is fully electronic and offers the ideal environment for patient and family focused care. Banner Gateway provides a wide variety of care for the community, including emergency, obstetrics, surgery, bariatric surgery, orthopedics, women's health and general medical care. The M. D. Anderson Banner Cancer Center is scheduled to open on the Banner Gateway Campus in 2011.
St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals: 325 beds or more
Delta Dental of Arizona
Dental Health Plans
Year Est.: 1972
2010 Best of the Best Hall of Fame


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Last week I had the opportunity to speak with Crystal Grover and Linsey Burritt, the designers behind Indo, a company in Chicago's West Loop that creates window displays and installations out of reclaimed materials. Read on to learn more about what they have to say about their company, their influences, sustainability -- including their own experience "going green" and how other companies can, too -- and much more.
Andrew DeCanniere: The whole idea behind Indo is a pretty original concept. From the little bit that I've read, sustainability was an interest of yours long before this. Ideally, it would be on everybody's radar. Unfortunately, there still are those people who seem to be in doubt as to whether climate change is even real, as if it is up for debate. Was there anything in particular that emphasized the importance of living sustainably for you? Was there a certain point at which the issue came onto your radar, so to speak?
Linsey Burritt: One time I distinctly remember that feeling things weren't going right in the way we were treating the environment -- I used to visit my sister in Boulder, Colorado when I was in high school. They're really progressive there, and back in the early 2000s they were already bringing their own bags to the grocery store and stuff like that. So that was when it really resonated with me.
AD: I think that just now some chains are catching on to that.
LB: You'd think that would've come to Chicago a little faster.
AD: I know that in one town -- I think it was in Canada -- that I heard about on CBC [Radio] a couple of years ago in which they actually banned [the use of] plastic bags.
LB: I think that's coming here very soon.
AD: It's funny, but then of course you'll have people who complain that the government is telling us what we can and cannot do. I don't get that. If it's a positive thing for the environment, then it's a positive thing for you. The health of the planet and our own health is inextricably linked, so there are things that the government says or does that are beneficial for all of us. To me it's a little frustrating.
LB: I think that with the bag thing, it's still a struggle with people even understanding the concept behind it because when you go to any store, you have to say very quickly that you don't need a bag, because they do it so fast. Even if you're buying just one little thing, they throw it into a bag. I've had moments where they've done it too fast, before I could catch them to say I don't need it, and then they'll take the bag that they've put one product in and throw it in the trash can.
Crystal Grover: So, the root of it is it's an education thing, because they weren't raised that way and don't understand and they haven't had the experience to care. So, when you say you don't need a bag, you're showing the people around you, you're setting an example. It's not their fault that they don't know any better sometimes, until you show them the right way and then they still don't do it. I don't think there was a certain point. I was just raised in a way where they do some things that are good and some things that are bad. When they teach you a good thing and then they do a bad thing, you're like "Why are you doing it that way? I don't really get it." My parents compost and they recycle, but then they use paper plates that they can't compost or recycle. So, people do good and bad, and then once you're taught something you just start to question why that's right and other things are wrong. I think that a lot of it is how you are raised and the community you are around.
LB: There are stages of it, too, I've noticed. With my family, they've always been really good at recycling, and I think that part of that is the community is really good about it. So they separate everything, and they leave it on the curb, and then people come pick it up every week. But, I think because they're recycling they feel okay with using disposable items and that's another part of it. There's a whole other level, where it's like you don't have to drink out of a plastic bottle every day. You can just drink from the tap.
CG: After the Taste, and seeing all of the recycling in the trash, I really think that Chicago and most cities need to ticket people who aren't [recycling]. The recyclables are really valuable, and in 50 years they're going to be even more valuable, because we're going to need those resources. So, it's like throwing away a valuable resource.
AD: I will say that even when it comes to littering, which seems to be a problem in some communities, if the police see something like that, maybe ticketing them isn't a bad idea.
CG: When I said that -- I don't want people getting tickets left and right. There has to be some step first to tell people to do it the right way. You know, like there's a recycling bin right next to the trash bin.
AD: I think that with some people it's just literally whatever is easier for them, especially If they've been doing it the same way all these years.
CG: That's why a system is really important -- how it's designed, so that it is easier for people. The easier it can be, the better.
AD: Did either of you do anything like this before? That is, did you do any sort of installation with recycled materials?
LB: Small personal projects...but nothing like what we do now.
AD: When someone comes to you to create a display, how does that work? Do they come with a clear concept? Especially when it comes to someone who doesn't have a background in design. Is it some definite idea that they have, or do you come up with the concept?
CG: Usually people have a loose idea, like "I want this thing." Somebody said "I want a paper installation." That doesn't really say a lot to you, and then we develop it. Or, they come to us with nothing. They go "We're going to feature this product," and then we develop the concept.
LB: They want something inspired by that product and something that's engaging and beautiful.
AD: I would guess that working with somebody who comes from more of a design background, versus someone who isn't at all in that field, would pose a different set of challenges. Does it?
CG: The projects are definitely more successful when we're developing a concept and doing all of the concept work, because we're the ones building it in the end. We have been approached the other way around, "Can you use this?" and "We want it this way," but then by doing that they're eliminating all of the study and prototyping and research that we would do, and that's a really valuable part of what we do.
AD: The clients who come to you are pretty varied, too. You did work for the Taste, the theatre [the Script Wall at Steppenwolf's Garage Theatre] and the showroom [the Brizo/Delta showroom at Merchandise Mart]. It seems that there's this huge range in terms of clients that come to you. Using those three examples if you'd like, does that in and of itself pose different challenges, having them in different industries?
LB: I'd say there's a different amount of people involved in each of those projects. For Brizo we were working with a lot of people. We're working with the Brizo team and the Delta team, and then with the current window we also had Jason Wu's input. People live all over, so a lot of times those meetings happen on the phone, and a little bit gets lost when there are a lot of people involved. It makes the process take longer. For CAC -- that's the Taste [of Chicago] job -- that's something we developed and pitched to them. That development was all something we did internally, and the process was a lot quicker because of that.
AD: It's probably easier to work with people you know, and people who have the background.
CG: We do like having the varied people, though. That's really important for us.
LB: It is fun. It definitely takes it to a place it wouldn't have gone.
CG: Then we're reaching different audiences. The more people we can reach, the better.
AD: Speaking of which, I was just thinking that since you did the wall at Steppenwolf, it would be interesting if you could do an entire set with recycled materials.
LB: We're trying to get into different avenues than we've done already, and sets are definitely something we should do.
AD: Who are your influences?
LB: I really like Andy Goldsworthy. He works with the natural environment, and his installations are similar to ours because it's temporary and doesn't stay up for very long. The natural environment morphs and changes his work. It just kind of dissipates into the ground. Our work is similar because we put something up like CAC and that was only up for a week and then it comes own and the material changes because of the environment. I think that's really interesting.
CG: That's hard. I feel like there are a lot -- one of my first influences would be Maya Lin. She's an architect. She's very conceptual, but everything she does is very simple. She appreciates the setting in which her work is. She doesn't want to disturb it. You also have this profound feeling when you enter one of her spaces. She's done a lot of public art and memorials, and it's just this very conceptual, beautiful thing. She takes you on a little bit of a journey with the things that she does.
AD: One of the things that I find interesting about the company is how it came to be. It seems like the two of you really came up with this out of something you care about, something that the you're really passionate about. I don't think that everybody does that, takes that risk. So, to me that was pretty interesting, taking this passion for environmental sustainability and making a company out of it. When did you realize this is what you want to do?
CG: We should say that's not what happened. We had one article come out and it said that we had a business plan and then we started this business, but we actually started doing windows at City Soles / Niche , and we just kind of did it how we would do it because we live our lives in these ways and we appreciate these things, and it built from there. So, it was already integrated, but it was never a plan to integrate it. We never were like "Let's create a sustainable art window display business."
LB: It evolved organically to the point where we are now and how focused we are on it. As Crystal said, it started very integrated, it was just part of the work. Before we were using props and stuff from a salvage shop. Then it started to just emerge where it became the real focus. The focus was on the material. It's interesting, because the displays we used to do were more like scenes or sets.
CG: When I think about the Touch one, I feel like that one still was a scene, but it was a totally different feeling.
LB: It was more abstract.
CG: It was more abstract, but it still has that integration because it's still talking to each other within what it's doing.
LB: There was a dialogue.
AD: I stand corrected. I didn't realize --
CG: But that's good, because a lot of people approached us after that and said "Oh wow. How'd you think of this business?" We didn't. Neither of us are business majors or anything, so we made a lot of mistakes.
LB: Sometimes that's how a good business idea is born, when it's not like you're sitting with this blank piece of paper and thinking "What sort of business should I create? What will be the best business ever?" I think it just comes from your passion and what you love doing.
CG: What people connect to.
AD: And that's great, because I think that if it's something you care about, then you put that much more thought and care into it, and you're that much more devoted to it really, rather than going "What would produce the greatest profit?," as you say. That's great to really find out what you want to do. What sort of advice do you have for someone who would want to start their own business? What did you learn from it?
CG: Don't quit your job right away. Try it out. See if people like what you're doing. Take feedback. Really take feedback from people, the good and the bad. Get some honest critics.
LB: I think what I would've said a few years ago is different from what I'd say now. I think what I would've said a few years ago is just to take risks. Just do it. You have nothing to lose. I think how I would say it now is take a calculated risk, because when we started there was no plan. There was a beauty in that, but I think doing a little bit of calculation before you jump in is good, too.
CG: Do what you're good at and do what you really enjoy doing, because once you're doing it everyday -- some people are like "I'm thinking of opening a store," and it's like "Okay, cool. You have to be there 9 to 5. Are you cool with that?" and then the idea of being in one place at those times is terrifying, you know? Think about what you really like and what you can do with that.
LB: And keep going.
AD: It may not always be easy to get started, but I think it's proof that if you do come upon a good idea, it really can work out.
LB: I think that building a portfolio was pretty crucial for us, too. And gaining that credibility. I think that if someone is trying to start out in the creative field, I think it's okay to get out there and build your portfolio, even if you're not making the money yet.
CG: Last piece of advice... you should trust the process. You have to make a process, but you have to trust it, too.
AD: Since yours is an environmentally conscious business, obviously what you do calls into question this whole thing of what really is waste. A lot of what you use in your installations would be "waste" -- for example, I saw the styrofoam cups -- and it seems like it would make people more aware of our patterns of consumption. In our society seemingly everything is single-use, almost everything is disposable, designed to be thrown away after a relatively short period of time. What sort of advice do you have for business owners who want to adopt eco-conscious ways of operating themselves?
CG: Some people should get a consultant or talk to a friend who is really interested in sustainability and start that dialogue with somebody that can help them. Then there are all these tools online, and just be your own mirror. Reflect on what you're doing. To get really deep into it, you might need somebody else to show you -- If you're a store, and you're ordering this product, and the product is made in China, well... your whole business is built on a product that is made in China in a factory where workers aren't paid living wages and are overworked. How are you going to change that? That's a really big job, and you should probably get help to do something like that. It's funny because people can do so much to just think about what they're using every day. It's really easy to not print as much, to go paperless and to do all the little things, but I wonder what people would do if they're like "My whole business is founded on something that is not sustainable at all." How do you make them feel like they don't need to commit business suicide? You can source things differently, and there are companies around the world that are doing things in a good way. You can start asking questions and create a dialogue with the people you're ordering from. I think that a lot of it is based on communication and dialogue, and on telling people what you would prefer. What are the conditions in the shop making all the stuff? If you find out they're horrible, or if you find out nothing at all -- which doesn't mean anything good -- you can source things differently, and there are tools out there to help you.
AD: I guess that in some places, especially overseas, there isn't always adequate supervision. Some companies will release environmental reports, the impact that the shipping and manufacturing has on the environment. Some even release reports as far as what is going on in the factory with respect to how their workers are being treated, their wages and all of that. Then you look at some of these other companies that don't release any information, and it seems like they don't really look into any of it themselves. As long as they can maintain the sort of profits they would like to have, it almost doesn't factor in. Those are the so-called "externalities" that aren't reflected in the price.
CG: That's why, as a consumer, every dollar you spend is a vote for what you think that people should be putting out into the world. We have the power to choose good and bad stuff, things that we believe in or not, every time we buy something... everybody has the power to do that on a personal level.
LB: I think good advice for businesses is they can start small, too. For instance, if they have castoffs, they can donate that material to Creative Pitch. They're a not-for-profit that gives materials to schools and artists to reuse. Doing a complete overhaul all at once can be expensive and overwhelming, so by starting small it gives encouragement to continue to improve.
AD: When I talk to people, even about something like an LED lightbulb, there's often a misconception that you have to put a lot of money in to be environmentally friendly -- or that's certainly one of them. I don't know what your experience has been as far as any sort of misconceptions go among business owners or in the business world.
CG: That's tough, because we've never had to invest in anything big. For us it's been very economical to create these relationships and use the materials we're using, but I can think of a lot of examples for other businesses when they're moving into a new location and they need to invest in HVAC. That can get really costly, but when it comes to the future repayment or preserving our natural capital -- people lose sight of that for what's happening right now. So, it takes a little bit of strategy and planning to be comfortable with those decisions. Hopefully someday we'll be able to make some of them.
AD: I agree. I think people really lose sight of the fact that if you are talking about something as simple as a LED lightbulb, you are paying more upfront, there's definitely an initial investment. You are definitely going to pay more than you would for your average incandescent, but, at the same time, you're going to generate far less waste, and you're going to see savings in terms of energy costs. I don't think that they think about that. I think that they just see the price tag on the shelf at their local hardware store.
LB: It's about educating people about quality, I think.
AD: Do you have any ideas about how to go about dispelling these myths about going green and how it's difficult or costly?
CG: I mean for us it takes a lot of work. When you're doing things in a new way, or having a business that's not the normal system. We can buy a bunch of paper, and that would be really easy for us. So, it takes more time for us, but we get more back by doing it this way, and we just wouldn't do it any other way. But, that's a really hard thing because sometimes you just have to believe in it and say it's going to take a little bit of time. But that happens with any change. It's going to take a little bit of effort before it's really day-to-day easy. It's like there are really simple answers, and then there are really deep ones, like "this is a societal problem." Part of what we like about what we do is that it's a fun, interesting way to get people aware of their consumption as a society. Once people start doing it as a team, together -- and I think that is a huge part of sustainability and where things are going -- if we're doing it together, it makes it so much easier if we're all on the same team. When you're part of the same team, you just feel okay, you know?
AD: Definitely. I too feel that addressing these issues as a community, versus trying to address the issues here-and-there is more effective.
LB: I think that what the styrofoam cup installation that you brought up before did really well is that it was this very simple idea. All these styrofoam cups came from the dumpsters, from the trash cans, and we highlighted this material and see it in another way. So, on the window displays it told people where it came from. When somebody is commuting and they're walking by that every single day, at a certain point it becomes embedded in them and they're like "Wow! This is really wasteful." There was actually a girl who said that she was inspired to buy a reusable cup because of that window display. I think those small changes can be effective, too, as much as the larger ones.
AD: Particularly when you factor in how many other people probably saw it and had the same idea. Speaking of sourcing material, what is that like? Is there one particular place that provides some of the material? You mentioned a place that provides some.
LB: Creative Pitch. They donate material to not-for-profits and educational institutions and stuff like that, but we source our material from all over. We started out sourcing from recycling rooms and dumpsters in alleyways, but we've grown and now we go to big recycling companies, and we also talk to businesses. There are a lot of companies that have castoffs that they don't know what to do with, and so occasionally we'll collect those.
AD: This being Chicago, and seeing as you're both in design, if there is a favorite piece of architecture or a favorite architect, or perhaps a sculpture, what is it or who is it? I feel like the article would just be incomplete, us being here and me not asking the question.
CG: I love Jeanne Gang. She's amazing.
AD: She's actually someone who's been on my mind lately, too, because I recently discovered she's designing the new theatre for Writers' Theatre in Glencoe.
CG: She does a lot of material exploration, and she's not afraid to do new things, totally different construction methods.
AD: When Aqua was first being built is when I first became aware of her. So, when I saw she's designing the theatre -- they probably have some information online, but I am definitely anxious to get to see it in person.
LB: I have a big appreciation for really old buildings, also for Sagmeister's work. The piece that drew me to his work was Obsessions Make My Life Worse and My Work Better. It resonated with me on a deep level. Being able to work with ones hands is is a very primal and meditative act. What can become the most difficult is to maintain from becoming too consumed by the work. Life is just a balancing act isn't it? And I adore how completely obsessive the execution of that installation was. Which leads me to want to mention another favorite artist, Miranda July. A common thread between these two is participation from the community by either contributions or public interaction. There is nothing better than an extremely simple idea executed well, and ideas that so simply and effectively inspire a mass of people. Miranda's work is so casual, human, thoughtful. Matthew Hoffman, a local Chicago artist and friend is another artist whose work really gets me excited for all the same reasons. He's the man behind the "you are beautiful" stickers, which he has also done installations for that project.
CG: I have a sculpture. I like the Shit Fountain. I don't know who it is, but whoever did the Shit Fountain on Wolcott and Augusta. It's really funny, and people love it. That's like really funny street art.
To learn more about Indo, visit their website, www.theindoprojects.com, where you can view some of their work, including the "Steppenwolf Script Wall," the Taste of Chicago "Celebrity Chef du Jour" tent, the Brizo/Delta showroom and much more.
Photo Credit (Images 1-4):
Julia Stotz (www.juliastotz.com)
Photo Credit (Images 5 & 6):
Photography | Julia Stotz and Brian Guido
Fashion | Hound
Hair and Makeup | Sara Jean Stevens
Model | Courtney Stone courtesy of Ford Models
Published on Jul 19, 2012


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SOME Casserole Delivery
Third Sunday of the month, 8:00 AM - 11:15 AM
Through the efforts of St. Alban's Church and many other faith communities in the DC metro area, SOME serves more than 315,000 meals annually—over 800 meals each day.
St. Alban's parishioners prepare SOME Casseroles each month and bring them to Trenbath Hall for delivery on the third Sunday of the month by 11:15. Donations of fresh or canned fruits and juices, vegetables, coffee, and peanut butter or powdered milk are also welcome. Donations are then transported to SOME during the 11:15 service. For more information, or to volunteer to assist with delivery, contact Marty Kerns.


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Suit claims Hempstead's district maps violate voting rights
Hempstead Town's new council district map violates the voting rights of African-Americans and Hispanics, dilutes their voting power and fails to create a second majority-minority district, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in Central Islip.
The plaintiffs -- Dennis Jones of Hempstead Village, Milagros Vicente of North Valley Stream, and Hermione Mimi Pierre Johnson and Monique Hardial, both of Elmont -- are requesting a temporary restraining order against the town, the state and Nassau County boards of elections and their commissioners.
"They are representing all those minority voters in those areas that are affected by this," said Manhattan attorney Gary Carlton, who is representing the plaintiffs pro bono. "We are not trying to make this a Democrat-Republican thing. It is a majority-minority situation," he said, referring to districts where minorities are a majority of the population.
The four registered Democrats are asking the court to declare the redistricting plan adopted by the GOP-controlled town board April 9 a violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and of the 14th and 15th amendments of the U.S. Constitution. They also are seeking a preliminary injunction to stop any election proceedings and prevent the town from implementing the redistricting plan before the petitioning process begins in early June.
They also want the court to order the town to redraw the district lines with help from a special master and direct the town to pay associated costs.
"If the town Republicans really cared about the communities, they wouldn't separate minority communities," said Jones, an African-American who is second vice president of the New Hempstead Democratic Club.
Town spokesman Michael Deery said Tuesday that officials had not received a copy of the suit. "The Hempstead Town Board supported the redistricting proposal in a bipartisan manner," he said. "The new district lines meet all legal requirements."
The new map, which will set voting districts for America's largest township for the next decade, maintains one majority-minority district; a Democratic-drawn version had two.
Democratic Elections Commissioner William Biamonte, who is named in the suit, called the GOP map "invalid" and "illegal."
State elections board spokesman John Conklin declined to comment.
The suit cited census figures showing the town's white population decreased by 12.6 percent from 2000 to 2010, while the black population grew 10.7 percent and the Hispanic population increased 52.5 percent. The town's overall population grew 0.5 percent.
"There should be an opportunity to have another minority district created based on the population," said Vicente, a Hispanic community activist.
Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, the only Democrat and first African-American woman on the town board, said she was happy with the new map. Goosby won a suit against the town in 1997 claiming its then-use of at-large districts discriminated against minority communities.
"It is up to them to prove their point with the court," Goosby said of the plaintiffs.
The parties are due in court next Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Editor's note: Democratic elections commissioner William Biamonte is one of two county elections commissioners named in a federal lawsuit alleging Hempstead Town's new council district map violates the voting rights of African-Americans and Hispanics. His status in the suit was incorrect in a story Wednesday.


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Leader Beşiktaş, who played the final 23 minutes with 10 men, also lost in dramatic circumstances as Kerim Frei's brace saw them carry a 2-1 lead into the last minute of normal time at Kayseri Erciyesspor.
To the delight of the fans at the Kayseri Kadir Has Stadium, both sides attacked each other relentlessly in the first 45 minutes, but due to some brilliant goalkeeping from the two keepers, the deadlock would not be broken in the first half.
Beşiktaş appeared to have lost their offensive rhythm after the restart and John Boye took advantage of it on 54 minutes with a header off Anıl Karaers free-kick that put the Erciyesspor in front 1-0.
Things looked even gloomier for Beşiktaş when Gökhan Töre was sent off in the 67th minute, but the shorthanded Black Eagles refused to surrender as they battled vigorously for the equaliser.
Their pressure paid off handsomely after 70 minutes when substitute Kerim Frei, who had replaced injured Olcay Şahan in the first half, found the bottom corner of the net with low effort from inside box and levelled the matters at 1-1.
Five minutes before the full-time, he seized upon a rebound from the home sides goalkeeper to make it 2-1 for Beşiktaş, but late goals from Edinho and Cenk Ahmet Alkılıç gave the Erciyesspor all three points.


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Regular Price:
Special Price
architectural print
handmade screen print
16 x 20 inches
Ben lives near Salt Lake City, Utah next to the Rocky Mountains. He began screen printing his drawings while in high school. He has worked on a variety of styles before focusing on geometric and architectural plans. His prints focus on simple to complex architectural themes, graphic design and layers of color.


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yep, we did, we went full tilt boogie, took the leap and bought a second home. we bought a nifty hundred years plus old clapboard farmhouse on 26 acres in mathews, va. this and my new job, which unexpectedly came together at the same time, has been a huge source of stress for me the past few weeks. i am grateful for the help of a wonderful realtor, financier and title agent to pull it all off, even if it was right down to the wire. they kept me sane, well, the best they could, but it is not over, yet. we still have renovations and they are about to begin. ick. i know it will be all worth in the end, so i keep telling myself. bring it on. i got my paint samples, baby.
here are just a few pics to give you a little peek at our newest adventure. i will post more following the redos. enjoy.
btw, it is a three bedroom, one bath/half, living room, family room, kitchen and what we call a mystery room.


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Click Here to Get a Quote from a Contractor professional who services El Paso / El Paso County TX. We're your LOCAL SOURCE!
Click for a Quote from a Contractor contractor who services El Paso TX. Over 10,000 homeowners served!
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China Mobile's Costly iPhone Deal with Apple
China Mobile may have secured a deal with Apple to sell iPhones, but it's looking like a costly partnership at least in the near term.
Since Apple confirmed the deal with China Mobile, brokerages have been swiftly reducing their earnings forecast for the world's largest carrier by subscribers because of steep capital outlays for a new network and anticipated handset subsidies. The carrier will also have to contend with lower interconnection fees from rivals as of Jan. 1 as part of the Chinese government's latest effort to promote competition.
The rollout of iPhones by the world's largest mobile carrier by users, with over 750 million subscribers, will start later this month as part of China Mobile's launch of a speedier fourth-generation mobile network.
Credit Suisse analyst Colin McCallum said he has reduced his 2014 net profit forecast by 9.1% and cut his price target for China Mobile by 6% to 94 Hong Kong dollars (US$12) as he incorporated in lower interconnection fees and raised his handset subsidy forecast by 5.3 billion yuan (US$876 million) to 36.8 billion yuan for this year after China Mobile's agreement with Apple.
Marvin Lo, analyst at Mizuho Securities, estimated that China Mobile's net profit will drop 10% this year, of which a 7% decline would be attributed to a spike in handset subsidies.
China Mobile has reported a decline in January-September profit margins amid intensifying competition from smaller rivals China Unicom Hong Kong Ltd. and China Telecom Corp. Using more common 3G technology, China Unicom has been offering iPhones since 2009 and China Telecom began selling iPhones in 2012.
Analysts said China Mobile is likely to report its first annual profit decline in 2013 since 1999 due in part to hefty investments in 4G network construction.
More In China Mobile
"Share prices of China Telecom and China Unicom fell for about 6 months after they announced the iPhone partnership agreements as the street was in a race to revise down earnings incorporating handset subsidy expense," Macquarie analyst Danny Chu said in a recent report.
China Mobile Chairman Xi Gouhua said last month the carrier will invest more in marketing this year, including an increase in handset subsidies and higher commissions to distribution partners, to promote the new 4G services.
China Mobile declined to comment on its earnings Friday.
-- Lorraine Luk. Follow her on Twitter @LorraineLuk
Follow @ChinaRealTime on Twitter for the latest updates.
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Ideal Smart
IdealSmart is the Technology Companion to the Ideal Protein Protocol
Putting Knowledge at the Forefront of Your Weight Loss Experience
IdealSmart App
As dieters progress through the Ideal Protein Protocol they are introduced to "Smarter" lifestyle habits, such as healthier eating and the value of regular exercise. The IdealSmart App is the latest easy-to-use, convenient, yet powerful tool Ideal Protein has developed to assist dieters in establishing these healthier new habits. The IdealSmart App helps you:
- Track your meals, supplements and hydration,
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- View your Ideal Protein appointments,
- Set your goals and monitor your progress.
IdealSmart Band
Your adjustable, water resistant IdealSmart Activity & Sleep Band can be easily synced with your IdealSmart App allowing you to monitor the data collected. The intuitive graphs represent your progress on the Ideal Protein Protocol and are an excellent way for you to monitor your ongoing success. The IdealSmart Band monitors:
- Steps, distance, active time,
- Calories burned,
- Sleep time.
IdealSmart Scale
Your technologically advanced IdealSmart Scale removes the mystery behind weight loss. Now you can precisely measure and monitor your progress with intuitive and informative graphs detailing your step by weight loss journey with the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Protocol. The IdealSmart Scale measures:
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My IdealSmart Portal
Your personal reference for Ideal Protein video coaching and support
MyIdealSmart portal will mimic most of the features that exist in the IdealSmart Mobile App is an easy to use online interface.
- Personalized dieter dashboard to monitor your progress,
- Daily coaching and support videos,
- Fitness and cooking video featuring coaching, tips and tricks.
Village Family Chiropractic is Authorized to Use the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Protocol and Products. The testimonials on this website are those of the individual that is identified, you should not necessarily expect to receive these results. Typical results vary from person to person and individual to individual when the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Protocol is followed properly. You should consult your physician or other health care professional before starting this or any other diet program to determine if it is right for your needs.
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Support our nonpartisan, nonprofit research and insights which help leaders address societal challenges.Donate
- Authors:
Publication Date:
April 1998
One of the most important assets a company has cannot be found on any balance sheet, yet it can constitute more than 90 percent of a company's value. Corporate image, reputation, and brands contribute to the bottom line in many ways – from attracting customers and investors to how successfully a company can weather a crisis. Executives at the U.S. and European Corporate Image conferences discussed how to leverage reputation through the use of distinctive images and brand, revitalize and reshape brands that have lost their impact, and extend the brand into new media, markets, and regions. Organizations represented at the conferences include: British Airways, Brooklyn Union, Cadillac, First Union Corporation, IBM, The New York Times, and WinStar Communications, among many others. (24 pages)


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If you're like me you were DONE with "The Walking Dead" after April's spectacular face-plant. After building up to a major character death all season you were left on the 1-yard line with no idea who got knocked off. Come see us in six months and we'll tell you more, the show teased.
You can't play with my emotions like that. I'm done. Over it.
But ... that was April. Now it's October. The season premiere is only days away.
U.S. & World
Yes ... I'm coming back. And so are you.
So get your hankies ready and let's take a look at my totally unscientific predictions on which beloved cast member will most likely on the receiving end of Neegan's bat 'Lucille' Sunday night.
Michonne: Relax. Everyone's favorite samurai is safe. Michonne is only a few episodes into a relationship with Rick, something the writers slow-played over the course of several seasons. They're not going to abruptly eliminate that storyline by killing her seconds into the episode. Besides, next to Daryl she's the most bad-assed character the show has to offer.
Death Odds: 5 Percent
Maggie: Several problems with this scenario. As bloody as "The Walking Dead" has been, beating a pregnant Maggie to a bloody pulp may be beyond the pale even for this show. Plus, it's hard to imagine Glenn remaining perfectly still as Neegan kills his wife just feet way.
Death Odds: 10 Percent
Sasha: This girl has been through it. From the death of her brother Tyreese to her former love interest Bob, Sasha spent much of the prior season in a deep funk before finding love again with Abraham. After her character arc in recent episodes her death would be a bit of a surprise.
Death Odds: 10 Percent
Father Gabriel: This death would be too easy. Given the fan base's lukewarm reaction to the character it would almost be a relief to see him taken out. The show runners are going for something a little more gut wrenching.
Death Odds: 15 Percent
Glenn: Yes, he's the most obvious choice. Fans have been wrapped up in knots about Glenn's fate for years because, as readers of the comics are aware, Neegan kills Glenn by beating his brains in with a bat. But, that's exactly the problem. Why would the show do exactly what everyone is expecting? Also, it's unlikely the show would now kill Glenn for real after "fake killing" him earlier in the season.
Death Odds: 25 Percent
Daryl: If you hear a collective gasp around 9:05 Sunday evening that means everyone's favorite crossbow slinger just bit the dust. But would the showrunners really knock off THE fan favorite? Readers of the comics point out Daryl doesn't exist in the comic world, so his continued existence on the TV show has always been tenuous at best. And his death would rise to the emotional level the moment demands. But I think the writers still have plans for Daryl and his crossbow and he survives Sunday's massacre.
Death Odds: 30 Percent
Abraham: Well "motherd---". Killing everyone's favorite redhead makes the most sense on a lot of levels. For starters he's a significant character and after a six-month wait it's just not going to cut it if one of the secondary characters gets killed off (sorry Rosita, Eugene, Aaron ... or maybe that's congrats). Also, if you're going by the comics, Abraham's character is already dead by this point in the storyline, courtesy of an arrow through the eye...the death that was instead given to Denise earlier in the season. So by some accounts he's on borrowed time. Of course this sucks the most for Sasha, who is just coming out of her shell. But odds are she'll have to deal with heartache once again.
Death Odds: 50 Percent
The secret will finally be revealed Sunday night on AMC.


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I get cases where I start getting e-mails from people I am not interested in getting.
These are not SPAM, just boring e-mails.
In such cases I tend to create the filter rule that makes all the emails of that person go outside the inbox and into some label.
The problem is that the process it takes to create the filter each time is long. Is there a way to make that filter creation faster?


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- Two document on one leaf. On front, petition dated January 4, 1709, by "Jack O [sic] Negro]" of Boston [Massachusets] to marry "Esther, a negro servant" despite witheld consent from his master, Mr. Gutteridge. On back, petition dated March 30, 1780, by Mercy Turner to divorce her husband Philip Turner.
- Three-page printed circular letter from the American Anti-Slavery Society, soliciting donations that will support the "gratuitous distribution" of anti-slavery publications in pro-slavery areas. Followed by manuscript note from H. B. Stanton to Francis Jackson in Boston, Mass., giving a personal apppeal for funds.
- List of donations [to the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society] from ca. 110 people belonging to various churches. Divided into columns labeled Orthodox, Baptists, Methodist, and Unitarian. Some of the names included in the list are: James Trask Woodbury, G. Buckingham Wilcox, Giles Pease; E. A. (Edward Ainsley) Stockman, Abijah Stowell, Benjamin Whitmore, Luther Sheldon, Asaph Meriam, C. T. Tucker, and Charles Manning Bowers.


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You're looking at what was once the main junction for telephone connections in Stockholm. See all the wires? That's because it was used for around 5,000 phone lines—literal lines—from 1887-1913.
But don't go looking for the latticed tower on your next trip to Sweden. It remained a landmark until 1953, when it was destroyed in a fire. Too bad our phone towers aren't this beautiful anymore. [Tekniska museet via Scanzen]


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The committee assists the bishops, both collectively and individually, in areas of faith and morals of the Church. It collaborates with the committees of the Conference through consultation and evaluation, providing expertise and guidance concerning the theological issues that confront the Church in the United States. The Committee particularly addresses the relationship to science, human values, and health care. The committee supports the bishops' efforts in the area of development and review of Scripture translations.
This mandate includes the following areas of responsibility: Doctrinal issues, science and human values, health care and the Church, review of Scripture translations, including development of a Spanish Bible.
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sponsoring organizations.


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June 2015
Audience: Executive Leadership, Foster Caregivers, Public, Shelter/Rescue Staff & Volunteers, Veterinary Team
What can animal shelters do to eliminate or reduce the time pets spend in the shelter?
There are few populations more at-risk in shelters than young kittens. Susceptible to illness and requiring frequent care that some shelters lack the ability to provide, these vulnerable animals' lives may depend on the implementation of non-shelter strategies.
During the summer of 2014, Maddie's Institute® conducted a survey to identify practices that were successful in shortening length of stay, or prevented the pets from entering the shelter entirely. It covered three scenarios, the first of which is discussed in this report.
One strategy involves asking community members who bring in kittens to care for them until organizational resources are available or they are old enough to be placed for adoption.
Our principle aim in conducting this study was to assess:
- The extent to which organizations encourage community member care for stray kittens
- The frequency of community members who elect to provide care for stray kittens
- The types of support were in use for this effort (i.e., medical services, supplies, training, etc.)


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Holy Molly, Tommy Pihl!17 Feb 2004
By BCDavis (JCO Editor-In-Chief)
You gotta love this guy! Tommy Pihl has scored some pics from not only "Eternal Sunshine," but also from "Lemony Snicket!" If you were wondering what Jim is doing with bald head, these pics will answer your questions! (And you thought he looked creepy as the Cable Guy...)
Jim as Count Olaf from "Lemony Snicket!"
One last bit of news: Jim has been selected as a presenter at this year's upcoming Academy Awards. The Oscars will telecast live (but with a slight time delay thanks to the Super Bowl incident - *rolls eyes*) on February 29, 2004.
-- Source: Moviezine.se. With thanks to Tommy Pihl @ Jim Carrey Nettet. Click to comment this article.
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starsnocturnelle wrote:Hi
Could you please translate these 2 phrases into Sindarin please
1) Don't dream your life, Live your dreams.
2) In darkness a light can be found. Lift your eyes and see the stars.
Big thank you in advance
Avo oltho i guil [lîn/gîn], cuio i elei [lîn/gîn]
Which says 'Don't dream your life, live your dreams', it's word for word.
The choice in brackets, the lîn/gîn:
lîn = your, formal
gîn = your, informal
Mi dhúath calad pôl hirnen. Halo i chin [lîn/gîn] a geno [in elenath/i ngiliath].
Which says 'In darkness a light it can be found. Lift your eyes and see the stars.
Same choice with [lîn/gîn] again, the second choice is between:
in elenath = All of the stars (poetic, archaic)
i ngiliath = All of the stars (more modern Sindarin)
Pol- and Hir- ('Be able to' and 'find') are a little theoretical, but I'm reasonably confident with them.


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Yeah, it doesn't get much cooler than today. Companies are doing giveaways left and right. Already, Jays' c-Jays giveaway is live at their blog and just after waking up, I found out that Monster, too, are playing Santa Claus. The Jamz are a new headphone product from Monster which seems to be debuting with this contest. As for Anjulie, Canadians rejoice! Another home-grown pop star is rising from among our somewhat low-key population. She is a musician from Toronto who has just been nominated for an MTV music award and does seductive pop rather well. The contest convolutes both the Jamz and Anjulie – rather, Anjulie's signature will accompany the Jamz if you win.
Check out her Myspace page here, or click more below for a few of her videos.
As for Monster – for some they need nearly no introduction. For the others, Monster are a cable company, but have branched out into anything music. We have done a couple of Monster Headphones reviews which are part of our larger headphone section.
The contest takes place at Monster's webpage and requires you just to fill in your name, date of birth, and acceptance of the terms and conditions – in other words, I joined!
Monster's Anjulie-autographed Jamz Headphones giveaway


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A Sumatran tiger gave birth to an apparently healthy cub at the San Francisco Zoo over the weekend in a rare boost to the critically endangered subspecies, zookeepers said on Thursday.
There are estimated to be as few as 400 Sumatran tigers in the wild, and zookeepers were monitoring the pair in the zoo's secluded Lion House via webcam to allow the 9-year-old mother, named Leanne, and baby to bond with little human interference.
"All signs seem to be positive so far," said Corinne MacDonald, San Francisco Zoo curator of carnivores and primates.
"Mom and cub are bonding," she said, adding the cub appeared to be healthy and was active and eating a lot.
The unnamed cub was the first tiger born at the San Francisco Zoo since 2008, when Leanne delivered a litter of three males. The cubs were transferred to zoos across the United States. Before 2008, the zoo had not had a tiger birth in 30 years.
Zoo staff will not know the gender of the newborn until its first examination at least two weeks from now.
"These births are definitely rare," said Dr. Tara Harris, a tiger specialist with the North American accrediting group Association of Zoos and Aquariums. About 75 Sumatran tigers are in captivity in North America and give birth to two to four litters a year, she added.
The cub, which will stay at the zoo for a year and a half before zookeepers decide whether to transfer it, was fathered by a 6-year-old tiger named Larry, who was temporarily transferred from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans for breeding.
Leanne was one of a handful of tigers worldwide to receive prenatal sonograms and exams while awake. Captive tigers are generally put under during the pregnancy exams, which can be dangerous to the mammals.
"It's so much better for these animals not to have to be sedated. Many animals have adverse reactions to the anesthesia, which can be worse than the actual procedure," MacDonald said.
In the wild, Sumatran tigers - the smallest of six tiger subspecies - are found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra in lowland and mountain forests. Habitat destruction and poaching are the main reasons for the tigers' endangerment. (Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Peter Cooney)


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Below you will find general information on advertising with us.
The Bayshore Broadcasting family of Radio stations are committed to serving and staying connected to our communities. We are all about personality - engaging and connecting with listeners and the communities we serve. Our clients and partners benefit from custom and targeted marketing solutions making Bayshore Radio the single service solutions provider for advertisers within our market areas.
I would invite you to check out some new ideas on the Radio Sales Today Archive by clicking here. You'll find timely marketing news, money making promotions, sales tips, and super-hot news about consumer behavior from past issues of RAB's daily newsletter.
If you have any questions on any of this material, or how we can help you grow your business, please feel free to contact me anytime.
Kevin Brown
Managing Director/Director of Sales
519-376-2030 ext. 243
or e-mail:
Leading Marketing and Advertising professionals say that radio works on a subconscious or unconscious level. People remember the ad, but not always that they heard it on the radio.
Regardless, radio should not be ignored because it does work.
Advertising Experts will tell you radio is often the very best medium to reach a local market!
Here are the Top 10 reasons why radio works to build your business:
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A final note: radio is subconscious,
so keep that in mind when crafting your ad.
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We are uniquely positioned to connect existing and potential customers with your business on a very Local or Regional basis.
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You can purchase any of our stations on their own at very economical rates or combine them with other Bayshore Broadcasting Stations to efficiently extend your reach into these lucrative markets.
Covering over 300 miles of shoreline and beaches
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Country 104.9 and 98 the Beach are your cost effective communication medium. They allows you to deliver more messages, more often, to more people resulting in greater top of mind awareness for your business, product or service.
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Women feel understood and connected with their favourite radio station. It is like a friend, someone to communicate with, someone to deliver what they want to hear and someone they can trust. Radio has it all. Radio is what women want.
Sources: What Women Want 2017, Alan Burns & Associates/Strategic Solutions Research; Nielsen, 'Female Connected Consumers in Canada', August 2016; Numeris Fall 2016
Statistics on the power and influence of WOMEN in today's marketplace are astounding and undeniable.
Many of our Customers have told us that using Bayshore Broadcasting was one of the very best things they have done for their Business!
We believe that we must truly understand your goals and objectives before attempting to sell you advertising. The information above is just the beginning of what Bayshore Broadcasting can do to market and grow your business!
It is our policy that a Bayshore Broadcasting Marketing Consultant will interview you to learn about your goals and objectives. If there is a fit, they will customize a marketing campaign designed to address your business goals.
Contact us today at firstname.lastname@example.com!
We look forward to working with you!


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As Coppin State trimmed down their candidates over the weekend in an attempt to find their successor to Fang Mitchell as the next Eagles coach, it didn't take long for them to make their choice.
The school named Michael Grant as its new head men's basketball coach in an announcement.
A fifteen-year veteran, who has won 56 percent of his games, Grant comes to Coppin State from Division II Stillman College, where he was the head coach for the last six years. Grant was also the head coach from 2003-05 at Southern University (La.) where he replaced the legendary Ben Jobe. At the conclusion of the 2013-14 campaign at Stillman, Grant amassed a six-year school record of 100-73.
Grant also served as the interim athletic director for the school during the 2013 season.
Other candidates for the job included Maryland assistant Bino Ranson, George Mason assistant Eric Skeeters, and former Eagles star and current Bowie State HC Larry Stewart.
Grant is scheduled to be introduced at a press conference Tuesday at 1PM at the Talon Center.