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HOT SPRINGS, S.D. – The wild horses eyed us hard across the broad South Dakota plains.
There were two of us: With me was Monte Matheson, a thickly bearded retired cop in his mid-40s who had turned to the cowboy life for his second act. There were about 20 of them, alternately grazing on the short, rough South Dakota buffalo grass and tracking the two-footed strangers.
Well, one stranger. As a Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary guide, Matheson spent his days leading city slickers, suburban dwellers, small-town folk and everyone in between to a front-row seat of the horses and the wilds of the West.
We stepped toward the horses. They stepped away. Matheson guessed they would be more welcoming to him alone, so I hung back as he moved slowly forward, hand slightly extended, until he was able to get close enough to crouch and sweet-talk them into a howdy.
"Come on, girls," Matheson cooed. "Come on."
He extended his hand farther. Finally one approached, head bobbing and nostrils flaring.
"Atta girl," he said.
I wandered slowly to the herd, palm open for assessment, until I found a black mare that would let me scratch behind her ear.
"When the ears are forward, everything's OK," Matheson advised. "When the ears go back, there's fixin' to be a rodeo."
Tucked in South Dakota's southwest corner, the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary is far from a rodeo. The 650 horses that call the sanctuary home aren't part of a show; they are the show. Dayton O. Hyde founded the ranch in 1988 as a refuge for wild horses jammed onto Bureau of Land Management property. None of the horses on Hyde's 13,000-acre sanctuary can be saddled or ridden, so visitors must keep their ranch fantasies in check. This place is about watching the horses in a natural environment, and many of them won't let guests get within a few feet.
(A documentary about Hyde and the sanctuary, "Running Wild: The Life of Dayton O. Hyde," is screening at film festivals this year. Monte Matheson no longer works at the sanctuary but makes a cameo in the film.)
During a three-hour private tour of the land in Matheson's dirt-streaked SUV, we saw no shortage of the star attractions. Chew in his lip – as it is most of his waking hours, meals included – Matheson told the horses' stories with a Western zeal. In fact, he said most everything with a Western zeal; females (the human kind) are "fillies" in his world. He looked the part too, with the requisite Wrangler jeans, heavily scuffed brown boots, a white cowboy hat and a blue button-front shirt crossed by vertical and horizontal stripes.
"I got 200 more shirts just like this," he said. "And I never wear shorts. Even at the beach. I wear blue jeans and boots."
The sanctuary is a rugged, looping and lovely land, a former cattle ranch that would stir the imagination even without wild horses. It is home to rock-carved American Indian glyphs and the graffiti of 19th century stagecoach riders. Matheson said Marlboro commercials have been filmed there, along with several feature films including "Into the Wild" and "Hidalgo."
The sanctuary offers group and private tours, stays on the land and, for $400 a year, the opportunity to "sponsor" a horse, which mostly amounts to naming it. The real prizes, though, are the wild horses themselves and the opportunity to scratch the rough area behind their ears while looking into those deep, mysterious eyes.
"What's cool is that some of the horses in the far-off spots see people maybe once a week," Matheson said. "Some might only see people every six months."
Rather than protecting horses, the sanctuary is about letting nature run its course. That means wild horses running free, and it means a few going down to hungry mountain lions. Matheson said he'd shoot a rattlesnake in a minute but wouldn't touch a mountain lion.
"If we kill a mountain lion for killing horses, that defeats the purpose of the sanctuary," Matheson said. "One hundred years ago no one was keeping the mountain lions off the horses. Dayton's deal is that he wants the horses to live free, not to be harassed and to live like they did before people came around."
At one point, as we stood above a canyon where horses milled below, a gunshot echoed out.
"What's getting shot?" I asked.
"Could be anything in the West," Matheson said. "Could be someone shooting a rattlesnake. I don't think it's turkey season yet. We've had some poachers lately."
"People shoot snakes?" I asked.
"If there was a snake here I'd shoot it right now," he said. "Rattlesnakes aren't good for anything except dinner."
Soon we came upon a group of about a dozen people who were rumbling across the land in a blue, rickety former school bus. Their tour had just started, and its youngest member, a bright blond 6-year-old, leaned in and said something quietly to her guide.
"This little girl wants a white horse!" the guide bellowed to the group.
"Actually, I think she'd much prefer a pink one," her grandmother said.
"We might be able to do that," Matheson said. "With a can of spray paint."


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Sweet and Gooey Caramel Desserts for Valentine's Day
Why does chocolate get all the attention on Valentine's? As much as we love chocolate, we find caramel desserts even more appealing right now. Maybe it's the interesting burnt sugar tastes or the chewy, gooey textures, but we're thinking caramel for Valentine's.
Here are a dozen ideas for caramel Valentines, including smooth and chewy candies, a hot burnt-sugar sauce, a caramel espresso float, light and airy mousse, and more.
- Caramel-Cloaked Chocolate-Hazelnut Torte - A caramel-drenched double hazelnut cake. So special!
- Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares - Creamy, milky caramel cheesecake, with just a bit of chocolate
- Caramel Bourbon Vanilla Sauce - Good for a lot more than Christmas presents! Keep a jar or two for yourself, to pour over dessert on Valentine's.
- Salt Caramels - Salty caramels are all the rage; get in on it with these chewy, easy candies.
- Pineapple Satays with Coconut Caramel - A slightly lighter, healthier way to get your caramel fix, with caramelized coconut milk.
- Caramel Risotto - This recipe is a little tricky, but diehard rice pudding lovers will flip for its dark flavor and tender rice.
- Caramel Apple Steamed Pudding - Caramel and apples go naturally together, and this steamed pudding is old-fashioned and romantic.
- Caramel Espresso Float - Wow! Coffee, caramel, and chocolate: decadence in a glass.
- Amour Caramel Hearts - A trickier project but oh so beautiful.
- Salted Butter Caramel and Milk Chocolate Mousse - At Nami-Nami -- so pretty and not too hard.
- Caramel Brownies - If you just have to have your chocolate, here's brownies with a healthy dose of caramel.
- Caramel Banana Cake - An incredibly moist, tender cake full of banana.
(Images: James Carrier for Sunset Magazine; Mikkel Vang for Gourmet; Martha Stewart; Faith Durand; Annabelle Breakey for Sunset Magazine; Faith Durand; Martha Stewart; Romulo Yanes for Gourmet; Just One Plate; Nami-Nami; Christina Schmidhofer for Sunset Magazine; Faith Durand)

subset: commoncrawl


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New Car Review Video
2014 Lexus IS 250: 5 Reasons to Buy - Video
The Lexus IS 250 and IS 350 luxury sport sedans are all about moving forward. Whereas the previous IS sedan was almost too reserved for its own good, it's clear that the new one has a strong personality. But it's not just about style; the new IS also is a more capable and well-rounded car than before. Here are five reasons why the Lexus IS is definitely a sport sedan to consider.
Bold Looks
Lexus knew it had to spice up the IS this time around, and we think the new car's styling is a rousing success. The aggressive Lexus spindle grille gives the IS immediate presence, while the wraparound taillights are like nothing we've seen on any sedan. And check out that rakish character line that starts at the taillights, proceeding down to the bottom of the doors in a graceful arc. Lexus sweated the details on this job, and the results are stunning.
Two V6 Engines
Our IS 250 test car has a 2.5-liter V6 engine that's good for 204 horsepower. That may not sound like a lot, but it's sufficient for real-world driving. Compared to the popular 4-cylinder Acura TSX, for example, the IS 250 gives you more passing punch. If power is a priority, though, you'll want to consider the speedy IS 350, which steps up to a 3.5-liter V6 that cranks out 306 hp. There aren't too many sedans that can keep up with an IS 350 at full throttle.
Overhauled Interior
If there's one thing about the previous IS sedan that seemed really dated, it was the cabin. But check out what the new one has to offer. The dashboard is much more upscale, and look at that beautiful 7-inch infotainment display -- it comes standard on every IS. Not bad for the entry-level Lexus sedan. Plus, the perfectly contoured front seats are to die for. If there are better seats in the automotive world, chances are they have Porsche crests on the leather.
Bigger Back Seat
The snug back seat of the previous IS wasn't much fun unless you were a kid. But the new IS actually has enough room in back for 6-footers to ride in comfort. That could be the clincher if you're looking to downsize from a midsize luxury car. The IS still drives like a compact sport sedan, but there's no compromise in passenger space this time around.
A True Sport Sedan
The BMW 3 Series used to rule the roost for sheer driving pleasure, but it's gone soft as of late. Meanwhile, the new IS is even sportier than it used to be, so driving enthusiasts are increasingly giving it a chance. Thanks to quick steering and good body control, the IS is a lot of fun on a winding road -- especially if you opt for the F Sport package with its sport-tuned suspension and various other modifications.
AutoTrader Says
With style, technology, performance and space to spare, the fun-to-drive Lexus IS 250 and IS 350 are excellent examples of what a sport sedan should be.


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For Immediate Release, September 10, 2013
Contact: Jonathan Evans, Center for Biological Diversity, (415) 436-9682 x 318
Government Accountability Office Blasts EPA for Failing to Monitor Pesticide Use Across Country
Congressional Investigation Finds Legal Loophole Allows Pesticides to
Be Approved Without Full Study of Impacts on Human Health, Environment
WASHINGTON— The U.S. Government Accountability Office sharply criticized the EPA in a new report for failing to track pesticide use across the country. The GAO report found that the EPA had no idea how many pesticide registrations it had approved, whether conditions of these registrations were being followed, or whether studies required by the registrations had even been completed. The report follows a National Academy of Sciences study earlier this year that similarly faulted the EPA for failing to address the harmful impacts of pesticides on the nation's endangered species.
"EPA is asleep at the wheel, allowing the chemical industry to drive the approval process without looking at whether these pesticides are a danger to people and wildlife," said Jonathan Evans, toxics and endangered species campaign director at the Center for Biological Diversity. "Pesticide companies are abusing a loophole in the law, and the EPA is blindly rubber-stamping toxic products across America."
The GAO — the investigative arm of Congress — analyzed how "conditional registrations" allow the EPA to approve pesticides under a legal loophole without requiring manufacturers to submit studies on the health and environmental hazards. In the report EPA noted that 69 percent of the more than 16,000 pesticides approved in the United States are conditionally registered, but admitted that the actual number could not be determined. The GAO report found that required studies to determine pesticide hazards were never submitted and that EPA's pesticide-tracking system was substantially flawed.
The report noted several conditionally registered pesticides that have been recalled or linked to environmental harm. The herbicide Imprelis, for example, was first conditionally registered, but was pulled from the market by DuPont after it was linked to the deaths of evergreen trees. EPA's conditional-registration process never required any analysis on the effect of the herbicide on trees. The report also noted that the neonicitinoid pesticide Clothianidin was conditionally registered even though it has been criticized for killing honeybees and was banned by the European Union.
The earlier report, put out by the National Academy of Sciences this spring, criticized the EPA's failure to adequately analyze the impacts of pesticides on endangered wildlife as required by the Endangered Species Act. That report found that the EPA has not properly coordinated with expert wildlife agencies and has not adequately analyzed the sub-lethal, indirect and cumulative effects of pesticides.
"The EPA must not allow pesticides on the market without studies showing they are safe for the environment and our communities," said Evans. "EPA's pesticide program needs to protect wildlife and the environment and not simply grease the wheels of the pesticide industry."
The Government Accountability Office report is titled Pesticides: EPA Should Take Steps to Improve Its Oversight of Conditional Registrations.
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Stevens Water, PSU Share Grant
July 18, 2012
Oregon BEST Announces Commercialization Grant to Stevens Water, PSU
Funds will speed commercialization of wireless sensing technology used for water, energy, and air quality monitoring in developed and developing world applications
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Oregon Built Environment & Sustainable Technologies Center (Oregon BEST) has awarded a Commercialization Grant to a collaborative project involving Portland State University researchers and Stevens Water Monitoring Systems, Inc., an Oregon manufacturing company, to accelerate commercialization of a wireless water, air and environmental sensing technology that integrates data collection with web-based analysis to help users more efficiently monitor and utilize resources.
The funding is part of more than $1 million in Commercialization Grants that Oregon BEST will award this year to fast-track commercialization of the state's most promising cleantech products and technologies being co-developed by university researchers and private businesses.
"We're pleased to be able to target our commercialization grant funds to help this local company advance a unique technology that will ultimately create jobs, improve the environment, boost energy efficiency and establish another Oregon firm as a cleantech innovator," said David Kenney, President and Executive Director of Oregon BEST. "Our Commercialization Program offers grants and business support to Oregon companies like Stevens Water Monitoring that are collaborating with university researchers to bring clean technologies to the marketplace."
The SWEETSense™ technology was developed at PSU's Sustainable Water, Energy and Environmental Technologies Laboratory (SWEETLab), a research facility affiliated with Oregon BEST that has received previous support from the Oregon BEST Sustainable Built Environment Research Consortium.
PSU professor Evan Thomas, a Member Faculty of Oregon BEST and director of the SWEETLab, has collaborated with Portland-based Stevens Water Monitoring Systems since 2011 to develop the smart sensor and data management technology for domestic and international applications.
"The Oregon BEST Commercialization Grant allows our research lab to collaborate with Stevens Water in producing a competitive and useful product," said Thomas. "The SWEETSense platform is already being used around the world, and Oregon BEST has allowed our team to move the technology from the lab to production."
The $150,000 grant will advance the technology into full production, encompassing applications that include air quality and thermal efficiency sensors, water flow monitoring and other environmental monitoring applications. Although the sensor boards, power management, data connectivity, and internet-based analysis infrastructure have been developed and deployed in limited numbers, Stevens Water Monitoring will help with additional data processing work, including refinement of the remote calibration capabilities of the sensors. The company will also set up manufacturing and technical support operations.
The project team plans to establish a new company, SweetSense, Inc., to market the technology. The new company is a collaboration between Stevens Water, PSU, and other organizations adding value to the product development.
"Low-power, low-profile, affordable remote monitoring that integrates directly with web-based cloud computing services can provide solutions to many issues around health protection and sustainability of water, energy and infrastructure interventions," said Scott South, CEO of Stevens Water Monitoring Systems. "By collaborating with Evan and the PSU School of Engineering and their SweetLab, and using the Oregon BEST Commercialization Grant, we're able to advance the technology faster that we would be able to do on our own, moving more quickly toward job creation and applying this technology to help manage a healthy, sustainable environment."
Although the SWEETSense technology was initially developed to serve international humanitarian aid agencies in providing real-time, automated monitoring information on water filtration, latrines, wash stations, cook stoves and other products, the team is finding domestic industry applications that have emerged as potential opportunities and markets. These include indoor air quality and water quality monitoring, as well as the efficiency of energy use in buildings.
About Stevens Water Monitoring Systems, Inc. www.stevenswater.com
Stevens Water Monitoring designs and manufactures instrumentation and systems for long-term monitoring, collection and data analysis of water conditions and related environmental conditions. Stevens' core technology enables measurement of water level, water quality, groundwater, soil conditions and weather conditions. The purpose of this data is to enhance the user's knowledge to help manage and improve the long-term sustainability of the environment and related conditions being monitoring. Stevens' technology is expanding into advanced data collection and analysis through the development and integration of smart sensor technology directly with web-based data management/analysis programs via wireless communication. In addition to sensors, data loggers and web-based data management programs, Stevens manufactures certified wireless radios for environmental data transmission including short-range Bluetooth technology, cellular modems and long-range GEO satellite communications.
About Oregon BEST http://oregonbest.org
The Oregon Built Environment & Sustainable Technologies Center (Oregon BEST) is the nexus for clean technology innovation, building capability, convening collaborations, and accelerating solutions to environmental challenges that deliver prosperity in all corners of Oregon. Oregon BEST brings together Oregon's significant R&D strengths in clean technology to support the commercialization of new products and services. Since establishment in 2007, Oregon BEST's 210-plus Member Faculty have generated more than $60 million in research revenue from federal, industry and foundation sources to Oregon. At its four partner universities (Oregon Institute of Technology, Oregon State University, Portland State University, and University of Oregon), Oregon BEST has established a network of seven shared-user research facilities. Oregon BEST Commercialization Grants are awarded to collaborations between entrepreneurs and Oregon BEST Member Faculty at partner universities. The first four Commercialization Grant awardees from 2011 have secured more than $1.5 million in follow-on funding, more than six times the total grant amount awarded.
Media Contacts: Gregg Kleiner, Oregon BEST, 541-740-9654
Sources: David Kenney, Oregon BEST, 503-725-9849; Evan Thomas, Portland State University/SWEETLab, 503-725-2898; Scott South, Stevens Water Monitoring Systems, Inc., 503-445-8000


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Installa Flash e avvia Javascript.
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In the heart of the region of Piedmont, for three generations, we have been preparing home-made food specialities.
All our products are born from the Alto Monferrato territory, historically dedicated to the production of gastronomic excellences, characterized by precise techniques and a careful selection of prime materials used.
We're proud to announce a line of products that capture the flavours of the land that means so much to us. It's a strong connection to our culture, traditions and research that is at the heart of our philosophy.
"Oliveri's" products connect great flavours with the people who make it. It's no longer just a matter of taste, but one of character and appearance. Because of this we've united quality and creativity with functionality to produce an unforgettable culinary experience.
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In February 1992 (my notes have the date as February 29 - if that is true then it is ironic; a leap year, maybe February 29, 1996, will see a result?) the European Commission (EC), the administrative arm of the European Union (EU), then known as the European Economic Communities (EEC), released the draft of a Directive which they intended would become the law of the EU by the end of 1992. The document, "Proposal for a Council Directive on the legal protection of databases," was designed to bring electronic data collections within the ambit of copyright protection and to bring into line the legal protection offered to electronic data collections in the Member States of the EU. That is the brief description of the beginning of a process that is ongoing, an attempt by a group of countries to bring their legislation concerning one type of electronic information up to date.
At the end of the first quarter of 1995 when this contribution is being written, there is no agreement on the text or even on a text which would incorporate the requirements. This article will attempt to analyze the various drafts of the text and the submissions of one representative body to explain how the original ideas of the Commission were received and have been modified in later versions.
The story starts long before February 1992. An article in the October 1990 issue of Newsidic, the newsletter of Eusidic (European Association of Information Services), reports on a meeting attended by Eusidic representatives on April 26 and 27, 1990. The meeting was a hearing by the EC on the subject of copyright and databases. The following conclusions, as reported by the EC, resulted from the meeting:
All speakers indicated that databases are, in their view, protected by copyright. This view was shared by the representatives of WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation).
A large majority of participants rejected the suggestion of an alternative form of protection instead of copyright (neighboring right or sui generis right).
Regarding the ownership of rights in the database itself, there was unanimity in saying that the author (the person creating the database) should be the first rightholder. A large majority believed that normal copyright rules should apply [to the inclusion of protected works in a database]. The same rule should apply to abstracts of protected works provided that they do not substitute for the original protected works themselves.
Most participants expressed a desire to see a criterion of originality compatible with the requirements of the Berne Convention and which would impose no special requirements on the authors of databases.
So far so good you might think. But the version of the draft Directive of February 1992 is in direct conflict with some of those opinions in some of its proposed provisions. For example, in the very first clause of the preamble we find the following comments:
Whereas databases are at present not clearly protected in all the Member States by existing legislation and such protection, where it exists, has different attributes;
whereas although copyright remains an appropriate form of exclusive right for the legal protection of databases. . . other measures are required to prevent unfair extraction. . . .;
whereas such protection [against misappropriation of the results of financial and professional investment in the creation of a database] of the contents of a database is to be achieved by a special right by which the maker of a database can prevent unauthorised extraction or reutilisation. . .From that you can see that the first question that many people asked when the text was distributed was: Was the author of the text aware of the results of the hearing? And the second question was: What is the problem to which this draft is the proposed solution?
Giving the EC the benefit of the doubt, there were certain clarifications in the draft. For example, databases were clearly defined as "collections" within the meaning of the Berne Convention. What were the basic problems? Most commentators were unhappy with proposals such as the following:
the lawful user of a database may, without authorisation of the database maker, extract and re-utilise insubstantial parts of works or materials from a database for commercial purposes provided that acknowledgment is made of the source and even less happy with this one:
if the works or materials incorporated in a database which is made publicly available cannot be independently created. . . the right to extract and re-utilise in whole or in substantial part works or materials from that database for commercial purposes, shall be licensed on fair and non-discriminatory terms.In the former case they were unhappy with the vague nature of the term "insubstantial" and in a submission to the EC, Eusidic said:
"Specifically, the definition [in the Directive] of 'insubstantial part' of a large database is inadequate. There is a danger that even a relatively small part, if extracted without authorisation, could be used to compete unfairly, for example, by extraction of all recent information on a specific subject."
After much debate with EC officials the outcome was:
"Substantial shall be more than what has been accepted (in the past?) by courts as insubstantial."
In other words there will have to be court decisions which can be quoted in other court cases where an action is taken alleging "unauthorised extraction."
That certainly was not the extent of concern expressed about the draft. As indicated in the box to the right, Eusidic had several substantive concerns about the EC directive.
The Revised Proposals
The text of February 1992 foresaw that the Directive would pass through all of its processes of examination and discussion in a period of 11 months and become law before the end of 1992. In fact the proceedings took substantially longer and, as stated above, are not yet completed. The European Parliament examined the draft and held a hearing of its own in March 1993 and proposed some changes. Finally, in October 1993 the EC produced a new draft which contained substantial alterations to some parts of the Directive. Only those parts which were referred to above are dealt with in respect of the new text.
In the preamble to the new draft a whole new paragraph was added as follows:
Whereas distributors of databases should make provision in their contracts as regards the unauthorised re-utilisation of the contents of the database by the lawful user where such re-utilisation is for strictly private purposes or for the purposes of teaching or research, provided such re-utilisation is not carried out for commercial purposes and does not prejudice the exclusive rights of the maker of the database to exploit that database.Eusidic commented:
One interpretation of this is that database owners should restrict (re)use for private purposes but the Directive will be 'the law' concerning commercial (and other) re-use.Concerning the definitions of "insubstantial part" the new draft suggested two things:
For the purposes of the term of protection provided for in this Article, 'insubstantial change' means insubstantial additions, deletions or alterations which, taken together, do not substantially modify the contents of a database.
For the purposes of the term of protection provided for in this Article, 'substantial change' means the successive accumulation of insubstantial additions, deletions or alterations in respect of the contents of a database resulting in substantial modification to all or part of a database.Concerning the compulsory license aspects, the following changes were proposed:
Notwithstanding the right provided for [in Article 10(2)] to prevent the unauthorised extraction and re-utilisation of the contents of a database, if the works or materials contained in a database which is made publicly available cannot be independently created, collected or obtained from any other source, the right to extract and re-utilise, in whole or substantial part, works or materials from that database for commercial purposes that are not for reasons such as economy of time, effort or financial investment, shall be licensed on fair and non-discriminatory terms. A declaration shall be submitted clearly setting out the justification of the commercial purposes pursued and requiring the issue of a license.
The right to extract and re-utilise the contents of a database shall also be licensed on fair and non-discriminatory terms if the database is made publicly available by:
For the purposes of this Article, 'commercial purposes' means any use, which is not:
The incorporation into a database of bibliographical references, abstracts (with the exception of substantial descriptions or summaries of the content or the form of existing works) or brief quotations, shall not require the authorisation of the owners of rights in these works, provided the name of the author and the source of the quotation are clearly indicated in accordance with Article 10(3) of the Berne Convention.
And the rational for this was given in the accompanying explanatory memorandum as:
the clarifications to the text on limitations has been made to ensure that only those works or materials which are not subject to copyright (references), which do not infringe copyright in the pre-existing work (short abstracts) or which fall within Article 10 of the Berne Convention (quotations) can be incorporated into a database without authorisation. It is not intended that a database creator could incorporate abstracts written by third parties into his database without authorisation if such abstracts are themselves subject to copyright protection.
One immediate question which arose in relation to this was: What about author abstracts? Many database producers routinely use them as abstracts in their database.
The Political Discussion
The next stage in the examination was the political examination by the committees of the Council of Ministers, the decision making entity of the EU. The Council itself, the actual meetings of Ministers, normally approves texts which have been agreed at lower levels between the EC and officials from the Members States, meeting in committees, in which the text is examined line by line. This process started, in theory, as soon as the new draft was issued, because, officially, the Council should now make a decision on the Directive as proposed, following the Parliament's examination and the subsequent modifications. In practice this did not happen.
In the EU the Presidency of the Council of Ministers changes every six months, with a new Member State assuming the chair. In the first half of 1994 the Presidency was held by Greece and the Greek government did not consider the draft Directive of the legal protection of databases as a high priority item. Despite the fact that the draft was tabled by the EC, no substantive debate took place until the second half of 1994 when Germany took the reins.
By October 1994 the text was revised substantially. Again, concentration will be on the elements which were controversial in the first draft, although certain new proposals so altered the original concepts that they have to be mentioned also.
The first "shock" was that the basic definition had been extended to cover all collections, electronic or not. The new draft definition read as follows (words in [ ] in the following sections are there because they are alternatives, not yet agreed):
For the purposes of this Directive 'database' means a [collection, compilation] of data, works or other materials [arranged, stored and (capable of being) accessed by electronic means] [whether in machine readable or other form] (author's italics) [and the materials necessary for the operation of the database such as its thesaurus, index or system for obtaining or presenting information] it shall not apply to any computer program used in the making or operation of the database.
The article containing the proposals that extracts, quotations, etc., may be incorporated into a database without authorisation was deleted. This had the effect that the question about author abstracts "died."
Concerning the compulsory licensing the following text was suggested:
Notwithstanding the right provided for in Article 10 [the right to prevent unauthorised extraction] a license for commercial, research or educational purposes relating to the whole or substantial part of the works, data or other materials [in a database] shall be granted if those works, data or other materials can and could not have been created, collected or obtained from any other source.
The person requesting the license shall undertake to add value to the works, data or other materials thus obtained and not to have made the request for reasons solely of economy of time, effort or financial investment.
The license shall be granted on fair and non-discriminatory terms.
Licenses shall also be granted in the same circumstances and under the same terms and conditions by public authorities or public corporations or bodies which are either established or authorised to assemble or to disclose information pursuant to legislation, or are under a general duty to do so, and firms or entities enjoying a monopoly status by virtue of a concession by a public body.
The licenses referred to in this Article shall only be granted where the collection has been made publicly available in the sense that it may be interrogated or examined by anyone (against payment or free of charge a suggested addition) and the whole collection may be so interrogated or examined.
Here we have an even more specific wording than the second draft and this after examination by the representatives of countries where substantial and unique databases are created. One conclusion that can be suggested is that the owners of the databases are satisfied that they can construct contracts for the use of their products such that the provisions of the Directive would not apply.
Concerning "substantial and insubstantial," a number of "variations" were under discussion:
Any substantial change to the contents of a database which has been [made available to the public] [put on the market] [including any substantial change] resulting from the successive accumulation [additions] deletions or alterations, which would result in the database being considered to be [made available to the public] [put on the market] as a new database, shall qualify that database for its own term of protection
In the case of a database which is [made available to the public][put on the market] and the contents of which are not deleted or altered, but to which successive substantial additions are made, the maximum term of protection for the original material contained in the database when it was first [made available to the public][put on the market] shall be [50] years
Where paragraph 1b applies (the first option above), the term of protection for any material which was contained in the first database when it was first [made available to the public][ put on the market] and which is also contained in the new database shall expire at the latest [50] years from the first of January following the date when the first database was [made available to the public][put on the market].
By way of derogation from paragraphs a) b) and 2, in the case of a database which is [made available to the public][put on the market] and the contents of which are constantly updated, [if the maker of the database so chooses] the term of protection by the right provided for in Article 10 shall expire, for each data item, 15 years from the first of January following the date of insertion of that data item.
Wow! That's a lawyer's dream - significant confusion. In addition, all the proposals about "insubstantial changes" were deleted, it presumably being considered that the texts above would somehow or other deal with that issue.
By the end of 1994 the EU, like every other political body in the world, was hyping the Information Superhighway and the Information Society and making elaborate plans not to be left behind in the rush. The EU constituted a committee under the management of one of the Commissioners - the highest level of bureaucrat in the EC (primarily ex-politicians who are appointed by the Members States). In this case the Commissioner was the man responsible for IT and Industry, Martin Bangemann, a German.
The so-called Bangemann Committee contained high-level business people with interests in the superhighway and when they reported they said, amongst other things, that the EU needed to get its act together on Intellectual Property (IP) or the development of the Information Society would be retarded. This was enough to galvanize the EC into action to get the Directive on databases agreed, so that they could be seen to be doing something. As a German, Bangemann could be expected to put some pressure on his ex-colleagues in the Presidency of the Council to get a result before the end of 1994, when their term would be over. However, the attempt failed. In a meeting of the Council of Ministers on December 8, 1994, no political agreement could be found; in fact, there was not even a proposal, it was only "mentioned." In other words the state of play was described and the Ministers decided to continue the discussions in committee.
Where Are We Now?
On January 1, 1995, France took over the Presidency. There was some indication that they did not see the Directive as urgent, but there was still the pressure to do something vis a vis the Information Society, which was still a hot topic on the political agenda, especially with a meeting of the Group of 7 (most developed countries) on that topic, due to be held in late February. Simultaneously, three new countries joined the EU officially and sat down at the table where the discussions were taking place.
It is reported that one of the original difficulties, the difference in legal status in UK and Irish copyright law and that of the "Continental" countries, whereby the "author" has the basic right under Continental interpretation and the UK and Irish "sweat of the brow" type interpretation, has been sorted out in an agreed position where the author of a database's intellectual effort in the selection and arrangement of the items shall be the only criteria for copyright protection. Another element of that argument which may be removed as a result of the new Member States arrival is the presumption that employees of database producers have no rights as "authors" - the Continental view may prevail that they have rights. This may mean some strange contractual variations for free-lance abstractors! The question of including non-electronic materials under the Directive is still open - under the (maybe) agreed basic definition a very limited number of compilations would get real "new" protection, but since the States cannot even agree on what should be included under the basic definition, there is plenty of mileage in this one.
There is a view that the French presidency would go for a "minimalist" approach to get the Directive through. The counter argument is that this would offer no incentive to investors on the Superhighway. There the position rests. Since this article will not be published until later in 1995 one cannot assume that the situation will be the same at that time.
This article is quite deliberately subtitled "a lesson in interference." The original discussion in 1990 clearly did not identify a serious problem in protecting electronic databases under existing legislation. In the meantime GATT (the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) and its TRIPS subset dealing with Intellectual Property have been agreed. Another development since 1990 was that some Member States of the EU began to question the "all powerful" nature of the EC, especially when the Danish people voted against accepting the Maastricht Treaty in its original form. The atmosphere surrounding the EC changed, what were seen as "must do" type developments were now not so important. This Directive is one example.
The original idea that the EC knew better than the Member States regarding the protection of electronic data compilations has been diluted for political reasons. The result may well satisfy those who feel that the EC tries to interfere too much. In this case the interference was probably unjustified. However, the outcome might well be a weak European Union situation concerning protection of electronic data and worse an unclear legal environment. There is nothing more disturbing than uncertainty when trying to decide on investments. Those with the wherewithal to invest in new electronic databases may well go elsewhere.
(copy for boxed sidebar on 2nd page of article)
EC Proposal, Council Directive on the legal protection of databases, February 1992
Eusidic on the "commercial" nature of "unauthorized" extractions:
[W]e are disturbed that the word 'commercial' is not defined. Although we accept that it has a general meaning in the context of use for the purposes of commerce we would contend that the arrangements made between producer and user of the database would normally be expected to cover the concept of extraction for commercial purposes and should be left to the contract between the parties. There is an implication in the present formulation that it is permitted to make unauthorised extracts provided they are not for commercial purposes. We must assume this was not the intent.
Eusidic on "compulsory licensing" provisions:
The novelty of the provisions foreseen under this Article are such that their application is likely, if not certain, to cause conflict between database compilers and (potential) licensees. It is therefore important that the terms be as unambiguous as possible
In the accompanying [explanatory] memorandum reference is made to rights being granted for non copyright material, however this is not reflected in the words of the Article.
EC response:
'Publicly Available' as mentioned here means 'available to everyone.'
[So, any database which is contractually restricted to a specific audience is not covered. This would apply even in the case where a database owner or distributor does not accept contracts from individuals, but only from "legal entities." This is considered to be less than "everyone." However, the officials were quick to point out that it would not be possible to assume new "rights" to yourself as database producer or distributor by virtue of a contract.]
Why were this Article and its rights included in the Directive?
EC response:
Quotation with acknowledgment of the source is an established practice and is "good publicity" for publications, and
It is impossible to prevent all extraction.
[Therefore they preferred to create certain basic rules. They also said that "commercial" meant all use which was not "home use" or "private use." They said that it would be up to the Courts to decide on matters covered by this Article.]
EC on the term of protection of a database:
Insubstantial changes to the selection and arrangement of the contents of a database shall not extend the original period of copyright protection of that database.
Eusidic response:
We have considerable difficulties with the interpretation of this Article. We are at a loss to understand how 'insubstantial change' will be interpreted where the chronological addition of material to a very large database is not a 'substantial change' simply because the database is large and we must assume that as the indexes are updated when new material is added to a database and the indexes refer to the whole content of the database and the indexes are included in the definition of 'database' then the copyright is renewed, in databases which contain indexes, at each alteration of the index.
If this is true then later sub-Articles need to specify that the 'insubstantial changes' do not apply to the indexes. Also, if this is true, indexed databases will be continually protected or at least until the indexes are not updated, which discriminates in their favor vis a vis non-indexed databases.
(boxed copy on 4th page)
European Union Members
Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom.
Added in 1995
Austria, Finland, Sweden


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1. Re: CS5 SDK + AME CS4 = Crash from bad memorySuiteZac Lam Feb 28, 2011 4:49 PM (in response to Rallymax)
Hi there,
In this case, the Memory Manager Suite was revised for CS5, and the version number was bumped to 3. kPrSDKMemoryManagerSuiteVersion is defined as 3, so when you try to acquire the suite using that version, it will succeed in CS5, but fail in CS4 because it didn't exist yet. Version 2 should still be supported, so and exporter running in either CS4 or CS5 can acquire version 2, and use the PrSDKMemoryManagerSuiteV2 struct definitions instead.
2. Re: CS5 SDK + AME CS4 = Crash from bad memorySuiteRallymax Feb 28, 2011 7:03 PM (in response to Zac Lam)
Thx Zac,
Can you put an #if/#else/#endif in the SDK_Exporter CS5 example then pls - actually all examples that use the v3 MemorySuite so that we don't hit this wall without knowing why.
Btw, I went to the CS5 SDK to fix the slider with checkbox problem when using AME 4.x.x.x that I previously posted. Did I misunderstand your response coz I understood it to mean that using the CS5 SDK would fix the checkbox|slider display problem.
'looking forward to clarification on that.
3. Re: CS5 SDK + AME CS4 = Crash from bad memorySuiteZac Lam Mar 2, 2011 12:19 PM (in response to Rallymax)
Hi E,
I'll add some notes to the documentation to explain more about suite versioning.
The checkbox issue is fixed in CS5. My suggestion was to try creating the presets in CS5, and use them in CS4, to see if that by any chance helps in CS4. But looking at the code, I don't think that will work for CS4. Sorry.
4. Re: CS5 SDK + AME CS4 = Crash from bad memorySuiteRallymax Mar 23, 2011 2:20 PM (in response to Zac Lam)
Hi Zac, et al.
I modified the API call to call "kPrSDKMemoryManagerSuiteVersion2" instead of "kPrSDKMemoryManagerSuiteVersion" when using SDK CS5 and it still errored.
I also tried using "kPrSDKMemoryManagerSuiteVersion1" (which started in the CS3) using the CS4 SDK and it didn't work either.
I couldn't see in the headers that the API to the MemorySuite had changed so I'm at a loss as to why I couldn't use v2 with the CS5 SDK or v1 with the CS4 SDK on AME CS4.
CS4 with it's (native) v2 MemorySuite is running fine.
AME CS4 Exporter Plugin test chart
SDK Version Used Memory Suite Used PASS / FAIL CS4 (native MemorySuite=2) 1 FAIL CS4 (native MemorySuite=2) 2 PASS CS5 (native MemorySuite=3) 2 FAIL CS5 (native MemorySuite=3) 3 FAIL
5. Re: CS5 SDK + AME CS4 = Crash from bad memorySuiteZac Lam Mar 24, 2011 11:08 AM (in response to Rallymax)
I just tried this using the SDK exporter sample from the CS5 SDK with AME CS4. v2 works for me. Here's the code:
PrSDKMemoryManagerSuiteV2 *memorySuite;
SPBasicSuite *spBasic = stdParmsP->getSPBasicSuite();
if (spBasic != NULL)
spError = spBasic->AcquireSuite(
const_cast<const void**>(reinterpret_cast<void**>(&memorySuite)));
As mentioned before, v3 isn't going to work because it didn't exist yet in CS4. I'm curious why v2 isn't working for you though. But it doesn't seem to be a problem with the CS5 SDK itself. What exact version of AME CS4 do you happen to be testing with?


text:
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Go Joe!
It seemed like such a great concept. Take those little plastic Army men figures
you used to play with as a kid and drop them into a strategy game. You could set
it in a real house, complete with real dogs and real moms and real little sisters
who drive you really nuts. It would be like playing through a scene from Toy
Story, only with fewer cowboys. It sounded very cool.
But when the original Army Men
game was cracked open and installed on the GR gaming PC so many years ago, the
only sound you could make out was the collective slap of several palms meeting
several foreheads, accompanied by several expletives and at least one D'oh!
Yep. It sucked bad.
then they kept coming. A new Army Men game seemed to arrive at the GR
doorstep each month like an abandoned crack baby. Like good foster parents,
we would take it in, feed it, even play with it for a time, until the evil stepmother
in us decided to fling the wretched little thing out the window. Oh, the horror.
But when we opened the door and found Army Men: RTS shivering in the
cold Berkeley air, we actually hesitated before kicking it to the curb. That,
by the way, was a smart move, because it turns out that this is quite possibly
the best Army Men game yet, though that isn't saying much.
After countless misfires, the folks at 3DO finally figured out that what we
all wanted was a classic strategy game set in a miniature toy universe. They
even went so far as to hire Pandemic, the developers behind Dark
Reign 2, a proven if somewhat standard RTS. This is the backbone of Army
Men: RTS. You build bases, crank out units and defenses, mine resources
and attempt to wipe out your enemies.
As always, the primary enemy is the Tan. In the main Campaign mode, you have
to hunt down a rogue Green officer who has recently gone underground and turned
Tan, a nod to Apocalypse Now's Colonel
Kurtz. You'll travel through a garden that feels like a forest, wind your
way around couches the size of mountains, and battle ants bigger than horses.
The past few 3DO games have shown exceptional FMV work, and the trend continues
here. The tongue-in-cheek plot is supported by a slew of crisp in-game cinematics
and excellent voice-acting, a well-directed and genuinely fun stab at a story.
In addition to the main Campaign, Army Men: RTS features a short but
helpful Boot Camp Training mode, 'Intelligence Files' for viewing units and
structures up close, and the Great Battles and Special Ops bonus modes. These
last two offer 16 extra unlockable missions some of which are very difficult,
adding some life to the product.
The gameplay itself follows very basic RTS mechanics. You use your bulldozer
to build up a base, including ubiquitous structures like a Barracks, Garage
and a Resource Depot. You can build infantry and vehicles – snipers, machine
gunners, tanks, helicopters, etc. You send out little dumptrucks to mine for
your two resources: plastic and electricity. This bit's actually kind of cool
– rather than clear cut a forest, your dumptrucks will slowly melt away a giant
action figure or discarded walkie talkie. It's great getting all territorial
over a dog bowl.
To further this sense of smallness, the levels are (at last) set in
a real-world environment. You'll lead your soldiers through a backyard, past
giant garden gnomes, all the way into the basement of a house. You'll have to
cross a kitchen sink while being chased by ants. You'll even traverse a cluttered
living room to blow up a massive source of electricity – a PS2. The creativity
that the Army Men series has been lacking is finally evident, and it
pays off in spades.
while the story and creativity are there, so are some typical real-time strategy
problems. Units rountinely exhibit a particularly annoying pathfinding issue
that I like to call "A Weekend At Disneyland." For some reason, they tend to
follow one another in a line despite having plenty of space to navigate. I suppose
that's fine for tanks, but when a soldier is stuck behind a Half-Track, which
in turn is stuck behind another soldier, it looks more like a conga
line at a wedding than a military formation. Who trained these guys, Desi
Arnaz and Carmen Miranda?
The AI is also suspect. Tan soldiers will just sit there getting wasted by
your superior forces and will rarely try to overwhelm your base. For the most
part, each mission can be beaten fairly easily if you just give yourself enough
time to crank out enough units. Things almost always boil down to a war of attrition.
This was fine several years ago when strategy gaming was just making a name
for itself with games like Warcraft II and C&C, but at this point
it just feels dated.
The control is surprisingly simple. Rather than making you drag-select like
in PC strategy games, Army Men: RTS understands it's on a console system
and lets you select units with the press of a button. A highlight circle will
increase in diameter as you press Circle, allowing you to select as many or
as few units on screen as you'd like. It's not quite as intuitive as the PC
mouse interface, but all things considered, it works well.
Army Men: RTS strays even further from its troubled past with decent
in-game visuals. Nothing flashy, but the animations are adequate, there's a
decent zoom, and the framerate hold up even when major plactic warfare gets
going. Explosion effects are a little bland, but nothing to get too upset about.
Which accurately describes Army Men: RTS. This isn't a superb game
by any stretch of the imagination, but it also won't cause you permanent damage
like some of the other
Army Men games. Casual strategy fans should check it out, though you die-hards
will probably find the shallow gameplay to be a little, uh, plastic.


text:
ST Math: Impressing the littlest and the biggest judges
James Dent knew ST Math would help the students at the charter school he co-founded two years ago because he'd seen its power at other schools. But he had no idea how effective it would be with teachers.
"Without our experience with ST Math, we wouldn't have been able to get our teaching in the classroom to such high levels," says Dent, principal at Gilroy Prep, a 240-student K-2 charter school in Gilroy, California. Centered around an animated penguin named JiJi, MIND Research Institute's ST Math program uses computer software to teach math non-verbally. JiJi escorts the students through playful but challenging math lessons that involve various scenarios, games and puzzles.
The character crosses a bridge to the next challenge after students provide correct answers. As a result, students learn to visualize math. In Gilroy's classrooms, JiJi taught the teachers looking over the students' shoulders important lessons, as well. "Teachers are also learning a different way to teach math," Dent says. Rather than drill concepts into the kids, the school now employs the philosophy of visual learning by requiring students to draw their answers and build three-dimensional models.
The teachers also project illustrated lessons onto walls instead of simply telling the children what they should be learning. The benefit: students can "see" math and teachers at the brand new school can see results. Gilroy students in grades K-2 spent 25 minutes a day with JiJi for the first year of the school's existence. When the second graders took standardized achievement tests, their scores were extraordinary.
Dent reports that eight out of 10 second-graders received advanced scores, with 82 percent scoring advanced and 92 percent scoring proficient or advanced. Nine of the children received perfect scores and four only answered one question incorrectly. "It was like they hit a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth," the principal says. "The results were off the charts, to be honest with you." The results are doubly impressive given the challenges Dent and his team faced.
Two-thirds of the Gilroy Prep students qualify for reduced-price lunch prices and are not primary English speakers. They came from all over the region with inconsistent fundamentals. A quarter of the second graders had to go through ST Math's first grade program before moving to the grade-appropriate level. But even with so many apparent deficits, the second-graders' language arts scores improved, too, which Dent also credits to ST Math. "ST Math requires them to work on oral language and logic while doing this," he says. "One thing it does is helps the kids think."
It also helps high-achieving students advance by allowing them to move through the lessons at their own pace, something teachers giving one lesson to an entire classroom cannot usually manage. "We had kids who were done with second grade curriculum in December, and we could move them on to the next grade," Dent says. The district's superintendent was as pleased with the program as the teaching and administrative staffs, noticing during a tour of Gilroy Prep that MIND's lessons seemed complex, but that the students were concentrating intently anyway. That's likely because the little penguin on their screens had won them over. As at all schools that have welcomed JiJi to campus, "the kids absolutely love the program," Dent says.
For more information visit www.mindresearch.net.


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Design Team Fabrics: Hand-printed Textiles from South Africa
Design Team has been one of my favorite South African designers for years so when the opportunity arose to visit their new factory, my heart skipped a beat. Lise, co-founder and designer passionately showed me around her magic factory and I was astonished to find that all the fabrics are hand-printed — no big industrial printers or scary machines in sight.
Design Team believes that handprinting is one of their key strengths — they can customize items, improve or change designs without the fear that the 'big machine' needs feeding to be profitable. I now realize why their designs are unique and almost soulful, these girls have something good going, they are proud of their work and they take care of their people.
They have a wonderful policy of recruiting mostly unskilled labor and training them to become experts in their field, such an important task in a country like South Africa where unemployment is high and education and skills are desperately needed.
Design Team was founded by Amanda Haupt and Lise Butler who met at college. For their final year project they decided to investigate the possibility/viability of a textile manufacturing business in South Africa where the traditional textile industry was dying. They say that — 'Sustainability of the business has resulted from a conscious decision to combine creativity with commercial viability when it comes to designing and the ability to successfully manage in-house production'. They were determined to create a unique and striking collection, with no plans of ever giving in to the "evil mass production monster" as they call it. Nine years later and these girls have stolen the country's heart and they are making their way across the pond too. Visiting this factory gave me even more appreciation for this brand, their humble beginnings and the unbelievably beautiful work the produce.
For more information and a look into their full collection visit Design Team or their Facebook Group.
Images: Liezel Strauss


text:
Susan A. Dawber
Susan A. Dawber, 92, of Post Road, died peacefully Wednesday, May 23, 2012, at Kent Memorial Hospital surrounded by her loving family. She was the wife of the late Thomas A. Dawber.
Born in Warwick, a daughter of the late James D. and Susan A. (Monahan) Byrne, she lived in Warwick most of her life. Susan worked as a secretary for Art-Mold Products in Cranston for many years before retiring, and prior to that worked in the same capacity for the Charles Fradin Liquor Distributors for several years. Mrs. Dawber, along with her late husband Tom, were founding members of Saint Peter Church, Warwick, where she was a daily communicant, and a member of the parish Woman's Club. She also made pads for cancer patients, and was always available to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate.
She leaves four sons, James D. Dawber, Thomas M. Dawber, Daniel J.Dawber, and Richard K. Dawber; a daughter, Dorothy A. Cummings; eight loving grandchildren; five loving great-grandchildren; her beloved friend, Sr. Mary Angelus, R.S.M.; and dearest cousin, Sr. Rose Bernadette Gallagher, M.M. She was a sister of the late Rita M. Peloso and Elizabeth S. McLaughlin.
The funeral will be held May 29, 2012 at 8:45 a.m., from the Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, 142 Centerville Rd., (Rt 117) Warwick. Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. in Saint Peter Church, 350 Fair St., Warwick. . Visiting hours Monday, 4 - 7 pm.
Burial will be in the Rhode Island Veteran's Cemetery, Exeter.
In lieu of flowers donations to Saint Peter Church, 350 Fair St., Warwick, RI 02888 in Susan's memory would be appreciated. www.boyleandsonfuneralhome.com


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Their stories and games are often based on themes to help your little ones learn - making them great role models too.
Sid is a 'hip hop dance till you drop funky Seagull' who loves to tell jokes, laugh and play pranks on people.
He is the keeper of the secret password to a magic cave on Prize Box Island that supplies the boys and girls of the Star Landers club with prizes for the competitions and games that they play while on holiday.
Lizzie the Lizard loves to blow kisses, give cuddles and giggles a lot. She keeps Sid in his place and together they enjoy a friendly rivalry when it comes to the games and competitions of the Seagulls V Lizard teams.
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text: Treating Apathy in Schizophrenia Author: Jessica W. Hart - 8/27/2013 NAMI's Ask the Doctor teleconference is a monthly series hosted by NAMI's Medical Director, Dr. Ken Duckworth. Typically, he is joined by another mental health professional or advocate who in turn presents on a topic in his or her area of expertise. Each month, two such calls are hosted; one focuses on adult issues, the other on child and adolescent issues. In this month's dialogue on adult issues, Dr. Stephen Marder, M.D. discussed treating apathy in schizophrenia. Dr. Marder defines apathy as a disinterest in daily activities like socializing, working and going to school. He spoke about the causes of apathy, negative symptoms and management strategies. Causes of Apathy If a person is experiencing auditory or visual delusions and paranoia—"psychosis"—they are less likely to engage in day-to-day activities because the voices and suspiciousness are controlling the majority of their life. A person living with schizophrenia can still experience depression even when they are in recovery—the person will show signs of apathy, which can be attributed to the depression. Excessive doses of antipsychotics can contribute to apathy. Negative Symptoms Associated with Schizophrenia Between 40 and 50 percent of people living with schizophrenia who have been treated and are recovering will show evidence of negative symptoms. Negative symptoms include: Emotional flatness or lack of expressiveness. Inability to start and follow through with activities. Lack of pleasure or interest in life. One distinction of some people living with schizophrenia is they do not expect enjoyable activities to give them pleasure, which likely causes them to not engage in pleasure-seeking behaviors. One example Dr. Marder uses to describe this behavior is through a brownie analogy. If a person living with schizophrenia was given a brownie they can enjoy eating it, but they do not anticipate the pleasure. Management Strategies New drug treatments are nearing approval, which will help address negative symptoms. Psychosocial treatments:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has shown positive results in treating apathy and negative symptoms. Antidepressants will help improve apathy in some people. Dr. Marder currently serves as the Director of the VISN 22 Mental Illness Research, Education Clinical Center (MIRECC) for the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Director of the Section on Psychosis at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.


text:
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Brushology Pt. 1
Posted by Meredith Crawley
Labels: beauty, brushes, brushology, face, makeup, Meredith Crawley, part 1, summer break
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text:
Yellow-crowned night-heron
(Nyctanassa violacea)
Facts about this animal
The yellow-crowned night-heron is a big-headed and thick-billed heron which is more slender than the common night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). It reaches a length of 61 cm and a body-weight of 625 g. The head of adults is black with a white to buffy forehead, crown and bar behind the eyes. Neck and underparts are grey. The feathers of the mantle are dark grey with silvery edgings. During the breeding season, the cheeks and forehead turn more buffy, and long white occipital plumes develop.
The yellow-crowned night-heron forages singly. It is more active by day, is less social and more focussed on saltwater habitats than the black-crowned night heron.
Yellow-crowned night-heron nest in single pairs or loose small groups in trees overhanging water. They lay 2-5 pale blue-green eggs.
Crayfish are the preferred food of the yellow-crowned night-heron. Fish are rarely taken. Regionally amphibians mussels and insects may be an important component of the species' diet.
Did you know?
that, although globally rated "Least Concern", this species is considered threatened in parts of its range because it is particularly vulnerable to local habitat disturbance or loss? In Pennsylvania, for instance, the largest nesting colony representing more than half the state's known breeding population, is on a small river island. The integrity of this site and nearby shallow water feeding areas are threatened by a proposed dam. Degradation of water quality, along with loss of the primary food source – crayfish – is an everpresent threat.
|Name (Scientific)
|Nyctanassa violacea
|Name (English)
|Yellow-crowned night-heron
|Name (French)
|Bihoreau violacé
|Name (German)
|Name (Spanish)
|Chicuaco enmascarado, Garza nocturna sabacú, Guanabá Real
|Local names
|Costa Rica: Martinete Cabecipinto
Portuguese: Savacu
|CITES Status
|Not listed
|CMS Status
|Not listed
Photo Copyright by
Terry Foote
|From south-eastern USA through Central America to northern and north-eastern South America. Also in the Caribbean and on Galapagos.
|Many types of habtat, but most typically frequents mangroves, large cypress swamps, tidal mudflats, marshes, riverbanks, lakes, lagoons and rocky shores. Habitually found along the coast, but also inland on margins of rivers, freshwater lakes, pools and reservoirs.
|Wild population
|Not threatened. Common in the USA. Has spread northwards since the 1930's. Common also along the Pacific coast of Panama, and probably also of Colombia. They were exterminated from Bermuda in 1940, but have been successfully reintroduces.
|Zoo population
|37 reported to ISIS (2007)
In the Zoo
How this animal should be transported
For air transport, Container Note 17 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.
Find this animal on ZooLex
Photo Copyright by
Googie man
Why do zoos keep this animal
The yellow-crowned night heron is not a threatened species, and zoos do not maintain coordinated breeding programmes. It is mainly kept for educational purposes and for promoting wetland conservation, ideally in mixed exhibits (walk-thru aviaries)


text:
Sonalksis SV315 compressor and SV517 EQ
Sonalksis was established in 2002, in Liverpool, England. Although the company is young, and its employees youthful, there is certainly no lack of experience here; the four founding members are linked by their former roles as R&D engineers for AMS-Neve, and are all accomplished industry professionals.
Indeed everyone who contributes to our developments has established credentials in the pro-audio industry, and a true passion for sound and music. Together, we use our unrivalled knowledge and expertise in audio engineering to design products that we believe are unparalleled in their sonic calibre.
The company was officially launched in July 2003 with the release of the SV-517 EQ, after many months spent developing our \'state-space\' modelling technology. We hope our continued efforts to provide innovative solutions for digital audio processing will ensure a bright future - for us and our customers.
State-Space Technology
The Sonalksis SV-xxx range of plug-ins are designed with integrated \'State-Space\' technology. This allows us to physically model, and not just emulate, the way analogue audio is processed.
Traditionally, audio signals have been processed with analogue circuits. The sonic character of analogue processors is influenced by the smallest details in circuit design and component quality. While the domain of digital audio offers performance not easily achieved with analogue technology, standard digital audio processing techniques often produce clinical and uninspiring results, because they lack the \'character inducing\' subtleties inherent in analogue designs.
State-Space modelling technology allows us to maintain the sonic aesthetic of traditional analogue processing, because it enables real analogue signal path characteristics to be encapsulated in a digital design.
Standard digital implementations of processes such as Compression or EQ rely on emulating the 'external' characteristics of the process. This means the processor is designed according to mathematical equations that simply relate the output signal to the input signal. However, factors that are extremely important in the design of high quality audio processors, such as the transient response, or the response to dynamic parameters, are typically part of the 'internal' description of a processor, and as such can not be accurately modelled using normal methods.
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text:
Best Kids Parties: Transportation Theme for Triplets
Names: Linus, Oliver, and Miles (5)
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
As my boys have gotten older, birthday parties have gotten a little trickier. For the first time, they are in separate classes at school, but are still getting to know everyone, so I opted to invite everyone. That's sixty kids, plus our non-school friends. And parents.
Since we were looking at such a giant party, I kept things very simple. I was lucky that when I asked the boys what theme they wanted, Linus answered "trains", Oliver said, "rocket ships" and Miles replied, "race cars". So a transportation theme it was!
With so many kids, I opted to use Evites, and created them using graphics I purchased from Etsy. We actually had four invitations to keep track of - one for each boy, and one for friends of all three. That was probably the most complicated part of the whole party.
For activities, we kept it very simple. We were having the party at a neighborhood park, so I ordered a bunch of outdoor toys from Oriental Trading. Balls, jump ropes, hula hoops, a parachute, and more. With the playset and swings already at the park, we were set, activity-wise.
Decorations were fairly minimal. Each boy had his own table decorated with his name and his theme, for his gifts, and I put up the felt pennant banner I made for their first birthday, along with some balloons. Cupcakes were purchased at a local warehouse store and we of course sang Happy Birthday three times.
Because of the number of guests, food was kept simple. Chips, hot dogs, and a vegetable platter seemed to keep everyone satisfied, along with bottled water and juice for the kids.
For favors, I had personalized stadium cups printed out. This is New Orleans, so I fully expect they'll be utilized at Mardi Gras, if nothing else!
A few days before the party, Linus asked what kind of pinata they were going to have. A pinata with a line of fifty or more kids? I didn't think it would be a good idea, but reasoned that if we did it at the end, some of the guests wouldn't be there anymore. That didn't really happen, but fortunately, it wasn't as chaotic as I envisioned.
Of everything I planned for the party, the smartest choice I made was to hire a local photographer to capture the event. Even though photography is one of my hobbies, it was so nice to be able to enjoy the party and not stress about getting photos of everything.
Next year, when the boys turn six, I expect them to have a few special friends each to invite to a much smaller party, but we had a great time this year!
Thanks Pam - we love seeing your boys every year! Readers, say hi to Pam on her blog Pyjammy's Triplets. And check out her boys' birthday greetings from year one, two, three and four!
(Images: Anna Rowland)


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Week of January 23,2006
OFFICE HOURS and Contact Information
Office Hours and Contact Information. The Registrar's
Office will be open from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm (Monday - Thursday)
and 8:30 am to 5:00pm (Friday). If you have any questions
regarding your academic records, we will be happy to assist
you. You can call us at (312) 906-5080 or stop by Room 220.
Grading Deadlines and Class Ranks
All grades for the Fall semester are due to the Registrar's
Office no later than Wednesday, January 25, 2006. We will
publish final grades as soon as they are submitted to us.
Please continue to check your webmail account for updated
Once we have received all Fall grades, we will calculate
and release fall class ranks for all upper level students.
First-year students are not ranked until the end of the
Spring semester. Transcripts and other official correspondence
relating to the Fall term will also be available at that
If you have any questions regarding your grades, academic
status, or the like, please contact the Registrar's Office.
July 2006 Illinois Bar Examination Application Deadline
Applications for the July 2006 Illinois bar exam must be
submitted by February 1, 2006. (Note: An announcement last
Fall incorrectly stated that the deadline was later for
those who filed a bar registration application in their
first year.) All application materials must be submitted
both electronically and in print form. You may file a late
application for the July bar exam up to May 31, but substantial
penalty fees apply. The forms and instructions are available
on the bar examiners' web site: http://www.ibaby.org. Please
note: Even if you registered with the bar examiners as a
first-year student, you must still file a final application.
If you have any questions about the application materials,
you may call the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar
at 217/522-5917.
The law school sends a "Certificate of Dean of Law School
Proof of Legal Education" to the Illinois bar examiners
for every student who graduates in December or May. Please
be sure to file an Application for Graduation so that we
will know you plan to graduate in either December or May.
Graduation Application Deadline
An application for Graduation must be filed by every student
no later than 2 weeks in to the semester in which they intend
to graduate. The deadline for the Spring semester is February
1, 2006. You may complete the form online by:
1. Log in to your webmail account
2. Click on the "Web for Students" icon in lower
left portion of the left frame
3. Select "Application for Graduation" under the
"Online Forms" heading
4. Complete the full form (Please complete every field)
5. Submit your selection
You will receive a confirmation email once a graduation
audit has been performed. Please note that any changes you
make to your schedule after the audit may affect your graduation
requirements. You should check with the Registrar's Office
prior to making any changes.
Pass/Fail Election Deadline
Pass Fail elections for the Spring semester must be made
online no later than Tuesday, January 31, 2006. Please review
section 2.4 "Pass/Fail Election" of the student
handbook if you have any questions regarding your pass/fail
In order to make your election you should;
1. Log into your webmail account
2. Click on the "Web for Students" icon in lower
left portion of the left frame
3. Select the "Take Class Pass/Fail option" under
the "Online Forms" heading
4. Select the course yo would like to take on a pass/fail
5. Submit your selection
The Registrar's Office will review your request, determine
your eligibility and notify you of the status.
Making Up an Incomplete Grade
If you plan on making up an Incomplete grade in a course
from a previous semester, you should complete the appropiate
form on the Web for Students. DO NOT REGISTER FOR
THE COURSE. Registering for the course will cause
the calculation of tuition charges on your account. Instead,
please notify the Registrar's Office by;
1. Log in to your webmail account
2. Click on the Web for Students" icon in lower left
portion of the left frame
3. Select the "Enroll to retake Incomplete class"
under the "Online Forms" heading
4. Select the course
5. Submit your selection
The Registrar's Office will add you to the exam and course
rosters and notify your professor. You will NOT appear
on any "official" roster.
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Students who wish to enroll or waive health coverage for
the spring term must do so by January 26, 2006. Please refer
to the student services section of this weeks Record
for further information.
Main Chicago-Kent event
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CLE calendar
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- Fix off by one error in html-izing string expansions - Fix wrong font in branch-box - Fix imagemaps to contain references to each branch in folded branchboxes. - Prepare for release 1.4.0
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- Fixed a bug in the initial placing of left to right displaying. - Half-fixed a bug in the kerning code, where a loop-safeguard was triggered way too soon (at 100 iterations). This has now been changed to 10000, but should be dependent on the number of drawable branches, as the function is _at least_ order O(N^2). However, more analysis is required to ensure safe guarding under all circumstances. - Implemented folding of empty branches. Many uses of CVS create many branches on the same revision but have no commits on them. This occurs often with stable files like .cvsignore files and the like. A new configuration option branch_fold enables imaging consequtive brances with no commits in the same branch-box. This reduces images by a huge factor (28000x1700 -> 2100x2300, i.e. a factor of 10). It also speeds up drawing considerably. The branch_fold option is *on* by default. - Fix duplicate branch-boxes (branch_dupbox=true). No duplicates should be created if there are no commits on a specific branch. There is no reason for having two boxes on top of each other.
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Landscape with Buildings, Muromachi period, 15th-16th century
Hanging scroll, ink on paper
32 3/4 x 13 3/4 in. (83.3 x 34.8 cm)
Mrs. F. F. Prentiss Fund, 1956
This scroll represents the Japanese painting genre known assuibokuga, literally meaning "water and ink painting."1 Suibokuga was derived from twelfth- and thirteenth-century Chinese painting styles transmitted to Japan via merchants and monks during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Initially this style of painting was practiced in Japan mainly at Zen temples, but later it also came to be appreciated by the Shôgun and other secular aristocrats. The earliest suiboku paintings were primarily religious images; however, beginning with Tenshô Shûbun (1414-1463), landscapes also became an important subject for artists working in this style. Shûbun was the teacher of Sôtan, to whose hand this scroll is attributed. Thus, if the attribution is correct, the Oberlin scroll represents an early stage in the development of suiboku landscape painting in Japan.
Many features of this image refer to twelfth- and thirteenth-century Chinese painting.2 For example, the idealized, lyrical landscape depicted here is a genre that was first developed by Chinese court artists of the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279). Furthermore, its vertical composition, heavily weighted to one corner, its disciplined brush lines and texture strokes, and its evocative ink washes are also characteristic of Chinese painting from that period.The empty space in the upper right corner also recalls the Southern Song Chinese practice of inscribing an apt poem or couplet on a painting to enhance the viewer's appreciation of both image and text. Transmitted to Japan, this practice became the basis for scrolls called shigajiku (literally, poem-painting scrolls). The amount of blank paper reserved in the upper right of this scroll indicates that it was originally intended to be a shigajiku, although no inscription was ever added.Since Japanese painters of Sôtan's period rarely signed their paintings, correct attributions of their work can be difficult. The Oberlin painting has been attributed to Sôtan or a close follower on the basis of its subject and style, as well as a seal of the artist in the lower left corner (legible only under ultraviolet light). However, while all of these features suggest an association with Sôtan, they do not necessarily prove that the image was painted by the master himself.
There are at present no paintings that can be firmly attributed to the hand of Sôtan. Moreover, the Sôtan tradition is associated with such a diverse spectrum of paintings--from colorful bird and flower pieces to ink monochrome landscapes--that it is difficult to identify specific characteristics which could distinguish his works from others of the same era. Consequently, while the style of the Oberlin scroll is consistent with our art historical expectations of Sôtan's period, there is no way to determine if it was actually painted by Sôtan or is merely in his tradition.
Nor does the presence of the seal confirm that Sôtan himself created the Oberlin scroll. Though artists of his period did at times affix seals to their creations, especially shigajiku, it was also common for later collectors and dealers to add such seals to old, unsigned paintings to indicate attribution. Therefore, while the seal's degraded condition suggests that the attribution to Sôtan may be quite old, the seal itself only implies possible authorship. Finally, the attribution of this scroll is further complicated by the existence of a similar composition ascribed to Gakuô (a later Muromachi monk-painter active ca. 1504-1520), now in the Tôkyô National Museum.3 The two paintings are so strikingly similar that they must be related, but the exact connection between them remains unresolved. It is possible that one is a copy of the other, or that both are versions of another now-lost original. Whatever the case, however, it is certain that the Oberlin scroll is a genuinely old painting which can help us understand the evolution of Japanese suiboku painting.4
C. Mason
As is the case for so many Muromachi monk-painters, only the barest outlines of Sôtan's life are known. He was born Oguri Sukeshige (Sôtan was a style name he adopted later) in Kyôto, the city in which he lived for most of his life. At age thirty he became a monk at the Shôkoku-ji, where he studied under the great painter Tenshô Shûbun (1414-1463). As a monk-painter, his career was devoted to serving both his temple and the Ashikaga shôguns then in power. Upon the death of his teacher in 1463, Sôtan attained the post of official painter to the bakufu, the shôgunal government. He is believed to have died in 1481, survived by a son, Oguri Sôkei, also a painter.
General References
Roberts, Laurance P. A Dictionary of Japanese Artists. New York, 1976, p. 163.
With Howard Hollis, Cleveland, from whom purchased in 1956
Claremont, Calif., Scripps College Art Galleries, 1960. Japanese Art in America. 19 April - 15 May. Cat. no. 43.
New York Asia Society, 1963. Tea Taste in Japanese Art. 24 February - 21 April. Cat. no. 45.
Japanese Art in America. Exh. cat., Scripps College Art Galleries, Claremont, Calif., 1960, cat. no. 43, pl. 18.
Lee, Sherman, ed. Tea Taste in Japanese Art. Exh. cat., New York Asia Society, New York, 1963, cat. no. 45.
Kitagawa, Anne Rose. "The Landscape Attributed to Oguri Sôtan in the Allen Memorial Art Museum: Some Problems Inherent in the Study of Muromachi Ink Painting." Senior thesis, Oberlin College, 1987.
Technical Data
This hanging scroll was executed in black sumi ink on paper. Currently in good condition, there are some old losses, repairs, and retouching. The scroll suffered severe water damage as a result of a leak in the museum in April 1980, but subsequent conservation has repaired much of the damage. There are no inscriptions or signatures, but an old seal reading "Sôtan" is visible under ultraviolet light in the lower left corner.
1. For more information on this genre of painting, see Watanabe Akiyoshi, Of Water and Ink: Muromachi-period Paintings from Japan (Seattle, 1986).
3. Reproduced in Kokka 223 (1908).
4. Many of the difficulties involved in attributing this scroll are discussed in an unpublished senior honor's thesis by Anne Rose Kitagawa, "The Landscape Attributed to Oguri Sôtan in the Allen Memorial Art Museum: Some Problems Inherent in the Study of Muromachi Ink Painting" (Oberlin College, 1987).


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text:
Frank Horwill
- These articles were first published many year's ago and whilst some are as relevant today as they were when new, many are now mostly of historical interest as modern research and coaching methods have superseded them.
Getting the best out of yourself in sport
by Frank Horwill
Set a goal which is achievable but challenging. Your concept of the target should be both clear and positive. Come to an agreement with your coach on having to act without his detailed guidance and ultimate goals. Improvement should be measurable, time-phased and aimed at producing the optimum performance at the right time. If you have run well or badly, ask yourself why? Consider the several days beforehand and how you executed your performance. Above all, did you have a clear plan in your head when you were called to your marks?
- Muscle relaxation and controlled breathing can be learned. Remember that the legs do the work – everything else in the body is relaxed.
- Practise mental training whilst engaged in physical activity. eg "I'm training at 1 min 55 sec pace for 800m. The sooner I get to grips with it the better."
- Concentrate on the now. Do not think of a sub-4 min mile when training at 4 min for 1,500m. Think now – this is the current task.
- When approaching major races, avoid distractions. Excessive drinking or partying, late nights, running around in circles over a member of the opposite sex - these are common distractions.
- Overcome the pain of training by rating it. "Am I really suffering? How do I rate it on a scale of 1-10? With 10 putting me in hospital and 0 no discomfort at all. No, I'm not suffering all that much."
Visualisation can decrease the tension associated with competition. You need to relax first alone. Then you see yourself in the race – you are watching a film of yourself. Then, you are in the race. You can hear the breathing of others, you can hear their footsteps, you can feel their elbows touch yours. You are thinking only of what you want to do. Is the pace too fast or slow? What am I going to do about it?
The adrenal system secretes hormones for physical activity to be undertaken. Label each training session as either a "stress" one or "recovery" one. Press the right key in your brain to bring about the appropriate physical reaction. If it's going to be tough, tell yourself so, "This is going to be tough. I need a resolute attitude." Or, "This is a recovery run. I can afford to look around at the trees, women or men in the park." When warming up think positive, "Have the others trained as hard as I have? No they haven't. My conscience is clear – I've trained hard for this." "What is my target and how am I going to achieve it." "The rest of the field are not superhuman, I'm their equal, perhaps even better." When doing recovery runs, think recovery. Do not dwell on past or future races. When you want to relax, relax. Just floating on water in a swimming pool is very useful. Learn what rest suits you best. It may be that training severely every other day is your cup-of-tea. It could be that one ultra severe session a week with all the others easy prepares you well for races. You may feel only at ease with yourself training hard off the track in parks. Reduce as far as is possible other stresses in your life. If you earn a labourer's wages you cannot live like a lord.Avoid high concentrations of refined sugar, it affects brain stability.
Eat every 4 hours. Eat non-fat foods. Avoid take-aways. Don't eat the same type of meals two days running. In theory this means seven different types of breakfast, lunch and dinner each week. Protein requirements for runners have been under-estimated.
Your stance portrays your confidence. Remember – you are someone, you matter. Walk tall and upright. Your opinion matters as much as anyone else's. Don't shrink behind others in gatherings. You may not be an intellectual heavyweight, but you can exercise your common sense. "I cannot do this," should be restated, "I will try this and conquer it."
Your feet are your fortune. Daily hygiene is imperative. Strengthen them with a daily exercise. (Place your foot at the edge of a towel and screw the towel up with your toes). Walk barefoot around the house. Replace or repair normal and running shoes long before they get excessively worn.
Identify the cause of injuries and avoid repetition. When injured, never rest. Swim or cycle daily. Ice is the great cure-all. Ice old injuries after training for 15 minutes; make it a ritual. Injuries respond to 2 minutes of ice application, followed by 2 minutes of hot water, for a total of 16 minutes.
Phase your training:
Phase 1 – 12 weeks of endurance running with some relative speed work. Strength exercises every other day.
Phase 2 – 12 weeks of endurance running with more relative speed. The quality of strength-work increases.
Phase 3 – 24 weeks of endurance with much more relative and specific speed.
Monitor stress. Your pulse is the key stress detector. You may feel bad, but if your pulse is normal, you're not so bad. Get in the habit of taking your pulse each morning for a full minute and writing it down. If it is elevated by more than five beats – don't train.
Once very twelve weeks, go away from home for a weekend and train in more pleasant surroundings. Or, go to a sunshine training camp for a week or two in mid-winter.
There is nothing wrong with being strong. A simple and effective routine is to do a muscle fatigue saturation exercise daily. For example: Day 1 – Press ups to maximum. Rest 60 secs. Repeat press ups to maximum. Rest 60 secs. Repeat exercise to maximum. Day 2 – do the same with bent-knee abdominals. Day 3 – The same with squat thrusts. Day 4 – Chin the bar. Day 5 – One-legged squats onto a chair. Day 6 – Hop 25 metres on each leg, repeat twice more with 60 secs rest in between.
Stretching is controversial. Research tells us that women need to stretch more than men before training and competition. Both men and women remain more injury free if they stretch after all physical activity.
Start each day with this thought – I am going to enjoy this day. Next, think whom can I help today? Many start the day miserable and get more miserable. We have a limited span of about 70 years on this planet. Our role is to enjoy living and to make the lives of others more tolerable. It is never too late to alter our attitude. Our attitude decides everything we do – especially in sport.
The difference between the good club runner and Olympic champions physically is not so great. It is in their mental attitude that the difference occurs. The writer has coached five sub-4 minute milers. What marked them out from others? They:-
- Never missed a training session, unless it was a prescribed day of rest.
- Did not question the training validity given.
- As training feats escalated so did their belief increase with regards performance.
- Did not fear "blowing up" in races. They never said after a race, "I could have run faster." They gave their all.
- Were polite. They respected me, and I, them.
- Each had a favourite track session which, when completed well, boosted their confidence to perform well.
- Had a sense of humour.
- They kept at it. A bad race was not a catastrophe. It was a reason to train harder, a reason to be more determined.
A comment by one of them summed up all their attitudes, "Anyone who wants to beat me will have to run his guts out." (James Douglas – 1971 UK 1,500m record.)