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When Massachusetts passed its landmark health insurance law under Gov. Mitt Romney in 2006, no one claimed the state would get to zero — as in 0 percent of residents who are uninsured. But numbers out this week suggest Massachusetts is very close.
Between December 2013 and March of this year, the number of Massachusetts residents signed up for health coverage increased by more than 215,000. If that number holds true over time, it will mean the percentage of Massachusetts residents who lack coverage has dropped to less than 1 percent.
"We're thrilled that we are getting this close to universal health care access," said the Rev. Burns Stanfield, president of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization.
Stanfield says the strong numbers — especially when coupled with last month's finding that mortality rates dropped in the first four years of expanded coverage in Massachusetts — show that "our statewide move to universal access is working, and it's a powerful witness to the nation."
But that kind of enthusiasm is not coming from state officials — yet.
"These numbers are a sign that we are moving in the right direction, but there is still a lot of uncertainty about what they will ultimately mean to the total level of health insurance coverage in Massachusetts," says Áron Boros of the Center for Health Information and Analysis, the state agency that tallied the latest insurance figures.
Uncertainty might be an understatement. There is still a tremendous backlog of applications to process. Most of the new enrollees are in a temporary coverage plan because the state, with its failed website, has not been able to figure out if these people qualify for free or subsidized care.
What if they don't qualify for help, asks Lora Pellegrini, president of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans. Will these new enrollees be willing to pay what could feel like a hefty premium?
"The real challenge," Pellegrini says, "is going to be to move these folks from the temporary coverage into the permanent coverage where they belong, and then see if we're able to retain these numbers."
There are reasons to think the numbers may hold. Despite the state's broken website and confusion about deadlines and eligibility, it looks like more than 200,000 Massachusetts residents who did not have health insurance last year managed to enroll.
There are some good explanations for why:
First, there was a big federal enrollment campaign in the fall and spring that might have caught people's attention.
Second, more residents are eligible for free coverage or subsidized help with premiums under the new federal insurance law.
It is urgent that we have confirmation that continued enrollment after the first year can happen and, in fact, in a place like Massachusetts did happen.
Third, most of those who were still uninsured in Massachusetts at the end of 2013 were low-income workers who could not afford premiums under an employer's plan. Under the previous Massachusetts health care law (enacted under then-Gov. Mitt Romney), workers were not allowed to sign up for state-subsidized insurance if they had access to a health plan through work. The federal law lifts that restriction.
"It is hard not to look at this and say, if it turns out the numbers are actually correct — that's a big if — this is good," said Gail Wilensky, a senior fellow at Project Hope and a former health care adviser to President George H.W. Bush. "It is urgent that we have confirmation that continued enrollment after the first year can happen and, in fact, in a place like Massachusetts did happen."
The state may be dropping even closer to zero than the numbers released this week indicate because of movement in the coverage market. The analysis reflects March numbers when 167,000 residents were in temporary coverage; but as of this week, Gov. Deval Patrick's office says there are 217,000 in that plan. It's not clear how many of these people are newly insured. Private health insurers lost at least 10,000 members during the first quarter of this year.
Massachusetts will continue to have some undocumented residents and others who lack health insurance. Making sure coverage is affordable is an ongoing challenge, and subsidizing insurance for more residents could strain the state budget. But for now, it looks as though Massachusetts is the first state in the country where nearly everyone can focus more on their health — and less on whether they'll be able to see a doctor — if they become injured or ill.
This story is part of a reporting partnership with NPR, WBUR and Kaiser Health News.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Word Association Lookup
The project «Word Associations Network» gives you an opportunity to lookup associations with a given word. Word associations arise in the human's mind when reading or saying a word, or just thinking about the word. In order to retrieve the list of associations to a word, just type in the word in the search panel and press <Enter> key or "Search" button.
It is also possible to search for a word by the first letter. Click the desired letter on the navigation pane, and you will pass to a page containing a list of words, which start with the given letter.
If the results you are looking for are not on the first page of search results, you can click "Next" and "Previous" at the bottom of the page to see more results.
For better usability each word is accompanied by the explanatory articles from WordNet lexical database. The search results can also contain images, which depict the meaning of corresponding word. Click on the selected image in order to see it in higher resolution.
The Description of the Project
"Word Associations Network" is inherently an ideographic dictionary or thesaurus. The project consists of three basic components: an associative dictionary, an explanatory dictionary, and a picture dictionary. The associative dictionary, the dictionary of associations, or analogical dictionary groups the words of the language by psychological perception, sense and meaning. The explanatory dictionary provides lexical meaning for every word. This dictionary often provides examples on the usage of a word. Picture vocabulary or visual dictionary contains graphic illustrations that depict the meaning of words.
The Definition of Word Association
Association is one of the basic mechanisms of memory. In a sense, they can be called natural classifiers of the conceptual content of the vocabulary of the language. Ideas and concepts, which are available to the memory of a man are related. This relationship is based on the past experience of a man and, in the final analysis, more or less accurately reproduces objectively existing relationship between the phenomena of the real world. Under certain conditions, a revival of one idea or concept is accompanied by a revival of others ideas correlated with it. This phenomenon is called the association (a term proposed in the XVIII century by Locke).
Classification of Associations
Since Aristotle the people distinguish association by similarity, contrast and contiguity.
Association by similarity is based on the fact that the associated phenomena have some common features. It represents a result of generalization of the conditioned connection in which similar stimuli evoke similar reactions (for example, excitement of synonymic series with actualization of one of the synonyms: woe - unhappiness, sorrow, grief, sadness, and so on).
Close to the association by similarity is association by contrast, the origin of which is explained by the presence in phenomena of opposite features. The physiological nature of the association by contrast is in the "mutual induction of neural processes when strong stimuli ... cause great excitement in the beginning, and then successive inhibition in the same regions of the cerebral cortex. As a result, in the future one of the contrasting stimuli can cause immediately after it something that was caused before by another stimulus (contrast with given one)" (for example, the phenomenon of antonyms: grief - joy, happiness – unhappiness, and so on).
Association by contiguity comes into existence when events are situated close together in time or space. Currently, the three mentioned types of associations are classified as simple or mechanical. Along with them, more complex semantic association is distinguished. This is, in particular, the association reflecting generic and cause-and-effect relationship between the objects of the world (for example, a flower - a rose, a disease - death, and so on).
The Role of Associations
Since the associations reflect some significant relations between objects and phenomena of the real world, and thus between the concepts, it is reasonable to conclude that they play an important role in the structure of the lexical system of the language. This was pointed out as long ago as by N.V. Krushevskiy: "Every word is linked to other words by ties of association by similarity; this similarity will not be only external, i.e. sound or structural, morphological, but also internal, semasiological. Or in other words: every word is capable, due to a special mental law, to bring in our mind other words with which it is similar, and is excited by these words ..."

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to the BikeCAD.ca website. Here, you'll find tutorials on using BikeCAD Pro, a standalone application for bicycle frame builders and bicycle fit specialists that runs on a PC, a Mac or on Linux.
BikeCAD can be used to design any diamond frame bike and control it through a comprehensive set of parametric input fields.
A model of the rider and or bike can be generated by matching a photo, or six more basic body dimensions can be taken, and from those, frame geometry can be recommended through a fully customizable tool called the Fit Advisor. If using a Fit bike, BikeCAD can translate fit coordinates to an actual bicycle and is an excellent means of documenting the results of a fit session.
A free version of BikeCAD has always been available online. Originally deployed as a Java applet, the free version can now run in any browser with no need for a plugin. After browsing the BikeCAD Design Archive, feel free to start your own design variation from any of the thousands of designs you'll find there, and come back often as new features are always being added to the program.
diego_otero replied on Permalink
This is my new site
This is my new site
bikenumber50 replied on Permalink
confusing website
this website confuses me.....
Is there a demo that i can try? the online aplet deosnt seem to work. there is no obvious DOWNLOAD button or tab.
Sorry you're having trouble
I trust you've taken the time to watch the video at the top of this page. The free version of BikeCAD serves as the demo for BikeCAD Pro. BikeCAD runs as a Java applet inside your web browser. Therefore, there is nothing to download except for Java which you can get at: java.com. I regret that long load times sometimes cause Java to quit before the BikeCAD applet can be deployed. I would encourage you to try again if that has happened to you. While it may be of little comfort to those who don't require the added features of BikeCAD Pro, BikeCAD Pro being a standalone application, does not need to be run inside a web browser and launches reliably on any operating system capable of running Java 1.5 or higher.
LeftyLefty replied on Permalink
Thoughts on this site
This site is a lot like one of my favorite places: my grandparent's basement. It had all sorts of incredible, amazing and unique treasures. It would take me hours to find simple things but if I asked one of them, they could have it in my hands in a second or two. Since they'd spent literally years building up the content of that basement, they knew where everything was. I didn't.
Today, I started here by spending a long time trying to figure out how registration works. First, you register, and then you get an email confirmation with information about setting up a password. On most other sites, you create the username and password, and then you get a confirmation. On my own, I had to figure out the logic of the registration system for this site. It was OK once I figured it out but it made me wonder about the rest of the application.
I next tried to figure out how to start with the web version. I looked for obvious clues like a big red arrow, "Step 1" or "Start Here." The intro movie gave me a tour of the features but didn't clearly tell me exactly where to click to begin. It was like a view though a window. Now that I had my registration key, I was looking for the padlock, not the window.
After scanning the page a few times, I found a paragraph that talked about two ways to enter the online app. I decided to try and edit an existing file. I found a file, clicked on it and then tried to find the buttons that were shown on the launching page. I didn't see them right away. They may have been there but I was getting nowhere fast. At that point, I gave up and watched the app's features through the window again.
It's clear that this site and the app has amazing and powerful things and I'm sure that the creators know exactly where everything is located, just like my grandparents knew their basement. As a new user, however, I need clear, obvious steps in order to get what I want done quickly. I'm a busy grown-up now and I just don't have the time to poke around and find things like I did when I was a child.
My advice is to find a friend who's never seen the site. Watch them use the site and then write down each and every step that they need to take in order to register, and then create and save a model. Don't tell them how to do anything if at all possible. Watch where they go to get an understanding of what kinds of problems that they have. It will help you create a smoother app, and will probably reduce the amount of time that you have to spend answering questions via email and postings.
Yes, doing that may be a big pain but all I'm asking is for you to show me the quickest and easiest ways to get to the buried treasure.
This ain't your grandparent's basement anymore
Thank you for the feedback.
Just like your grandparents, I have some of my own preconceived ideas about how things ought to be done. However, you raise a good point. Despite my efforts to explain how things work through the video intro, there will always be people arriving at the site looking for a big red start button.
In response to your feedback, I have added a third method for launching the BikeCAD applet. You can now start BikeCAD with a single click by choosing the Quick Start button in the top menu.
All three methods for launching BikeCAD are summarized here.
As for the registration procedure, I won't be able to respond quite so proactively to that issue. The BikeCAD.ca website uses the popular Drupal Content Management System. Because Drupal is an open source community-contributed framework, it would be technically possible to modify it according to your suggestions. However, one of the things I love most about Drupal is that it comes ready to go with all the common CMS features like a registration system, a forum, and the foundation upon which we can develop this growing database of bicycle designs. Bicycle design is really what excites me the most. So working to make BikeCAD an even more powerful tool for designing bikes is where I hope to place most of my attention in the coming months.
Grayson Visborg replied on Permalink
blank white page
just get on / off scoll for zoom nothing to zoom
Blank white page
While BikeCAD Pro is simple to install on a PC, a Mac or on Linux, the free version requires that you jump through quite a few hoops before the program will run in your browser. These steps are described at bikecad.ca/java_1.8_security.
Be aware the free version will only run on IE, Safari, the 32 bit ESR version of Firefox or on Chrome with the IE tab extension enabled. If you have trouble with one browser, it is worth trying the other options.
kulvirsingh replied on Permalink
Can I place sticker on the bike according to my design
This site is a considerable measure like one of my most loved spots. It had a wide range of mind boggling, stunning and one of a kind fortunes. It would take me hours to discover basic things yet in the event that I solicited one from them, they could have it in my grasp in a moment or two. Since they'd spent truly years developing the substance of that storm cellar, they knew where everything was.
My recommendation is to discover a companion who's never observed the site.
Watch where they go to get a comprehension of what sorts of issues that they have. It will enable you to make a smoother application, and will most likely lessen the measure of time that you need to spend noting questions by means of email and postings.
Indeed, doing that might be a major agony yet all I'm approaching is for you to demonstrate to me the fastest and most effortless approaches to get to the covered fortune.
Placing your own sticker on the bike
Various brand logos can be displayed as described at: bikecad.ca/brand_logos. If you'd like your logo added, you can send me a copy of your logo in some vector based file format such as AI, SVG or PDF.


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Your Birthdate / Birthday / Born on: August 19, 1943
Your birthday (August 19, 1943) creates your inner potential and purpose in life. We call that your birthpath. You are a 8 birthpath.
Find out in a free Name and Birth Date Report whether your names are allowing the full expression of your birthpath.
Description of your 8 Birthpath (Birthdate: August 19, 1943)
Birthdate: August 19, 1943
- You have executive and leadership potential which comes with the responsibility to serve humanity to create equality for all people. You could make a significant contribution in aiding people in difficult or less-fortunate circumstances, and in assisting others to find their calling in life. Your inner nature has qualities of self-sufficiency, competency, and quick-mindedness with a penchant for business and finance.
Fulfilling your leadership role requires singularity of purpose, strength of mind, and self-discipline to develop self-reliance, stability, ambition, dependability, and initiative. Your happiness would come in independently creating your niche and in developing opportunities to organize and direct the efforts of others. Comprehension of the strengths and weaknesses in human mind could help you to elicit the best responses from people.
You could develop an outstanding sense of financial and material values, and accumulate wealth for the benefit of yourself and others. The accumulation of wealth is indeed a worthy objective when combined with higher aspirations of service. You should balance your ambition with an appreciation for family and home life, for aesthetic values, and for the true meaning of success, which is happiness, balance, and achievement reflected in all aspects of one's life.
Within your potential is a kinship to the outdoors with a high regard for the balance and preservation of nature. You should seek an understanding of the universal laws of life in order to satisfy the philosophical aspects of your inborn qualities. Everything exists for a reason. The unfolding universal cycles of time and growth reveal the abstract reason in tangible reality. There is a time to sow and a time to reap, a law, if understood, reveals the stages of growth for success and accomplishment.
Free Detailed Name Report on Your Full Name & Birthdate of: August 19, 1943
Your date of birth (August 19, 1943) defines your unique core purpose, the reason for your life. In living your purpose, you will find your greatest happiness, contentment, and success.
Whether your purpose fully expresses depends upon all the names you use, because your names create the basic blueprint of your thinking pattern and reveal your destiny.
Is your name in harmony with your purpose?
Find out by requesting a Free Name and Birthdate Report below and it will be emailed to you immediately.
Free Name and Birth Date Report [show extended order form]
We Are Here To Help!
We thank you for your interest and we look forward to talking with you further about the Kabalarian Philosophy after you have read your Name and Birth Date Report. If you require further assistance, please call our head office in Vancouver, Canada toll-free at 866-489-1188 (or 604-263-9551 if outside of North America.)
Click here to read reviews.
Do not Choose Baby Names Here!
Although some names possibly appear suitable and have some of the qualities you are looking for, the name may not harmonize with your last name and the baby's birth date and could create restrictions and lack of success.
Call us before choosing a baby name at 1-866-489-1188 (toll-free in North America) or 604-263-9551 (local and international). We would be happy to assist you or visit our baby name page for more information.
Name Meaning Links
- Analyze Another Name
- Meaning of Last Name
- Tell a Friend
- Browse Alphabetically
- Baby Name Meanings
- Analyze a Baby Name
- Analysis of Top 100 Names
- 3000 Most Used Male Names
- 3000 Most Used Female Names
- Wikipedia:
- Wikihow: Change Your Name


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The Razor A2 Scooter has a new springless front wheel and shock system along with a new wheelie bar and updated deck design. Patented rear fender brake and folding mechanism. Easy to fold and carry as well as convenient to store.
The original kick scooter just got a whole lot better, making it even more fun for kids and teens alike. Though it'll never replace the internal combustion engine, the Razor A2 will get your child from point A to point B much quicker than on foot alone, and requires just a few scoots of one's shoes in the process. Plus, it's a blast to use, as your progeny will likely attest.
The Razor A2 is built of aircraft-grade aluminum, a sturdy material that holds up to use and abuse through the years. Razor combined the traditional aluminum construction, however, with a number of recent innovations, including a springless shock system that makes bumpy pavement feel smoother than ever and an all-new wheelie bar that guarantees an extra dollop of fun. Add in the foldable T-tube and deck, which tuck together to create a compact footprint (ideal for carrying when riding isn't appropriate), and you have a great kick scooter for virtually any situation. Other details include an enhanced finger guard, 98 mm inline-style wheels, and a patented rear fender brake for quick stops.
This version of the Razor A2, which weighs around 6 pounds and supports up to 143 pounds, and is recommended for ages 5 and older. It's also backed by a six-month warranty. For the next step up, try the Razor A3 Scooter.
Key Features:
- For riders ages 5 and older
- Sturdy aluminum construction
- Weighs approximately six pounds
- Rear fender brake
- Enhanced finger guard
- Patented folding mechanism
- 143-pound user weight capacity
- Six-month warranty
The buyer and rider of the Razor A2 scooter are responsible for knowing and obeying all local, state, and federal regulations regarding the riding and use of scooters.
Kick scooter made of sturdy aircraft-grade aluminum
Patented T-tube and deck design folds conveniently for transport
98 mm inline-style urethane wheels with springless shock system
Patented rear fender brake for quick stops; all-new wheelie bar
Recommended for ages five and older; six-month warranty


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Administrative Law Judges' E-Docket Database
Search entire database
Respondent - Texaco Inc.
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.
Link to document in PDF format (749,880 KB)
Docket Number(s): I UNG-355C & 356C
Type of Order: Initial Decision
Date: 02/12/1979


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Please take a tour of the home we just listed at 32682 TUNBRIDGE AVE in Mission.
THIS IS THE HOME YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR! Charming 2 storey with welcoming front porch in a superb location! The open concept main floor enjoys dark maple kitchen with island breakfast bar, great room with high ceilings and electric fireplace, dining room, 2 piece bathroom and den/office! Laundry is conveniently located next to the kitchen. Upstairs boasts master bedroom with walk in closet and full ensuite, roomy 2nd and 3rd bedrooms, full bathroom plus handy loft area! The rest of package includes a detached garage with lane access, a backyard deck, and a fenced yard! Professionally measured by Measure Master. Visit the Listing Realtors' website for floorplan and more pictures. OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY OCTOBER 29 1:00 PM TO 4:00 PM


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Making a city bloom
Irrigating this complex and varied landscape is no small task. Recently the City of Perth decided that the existing system – a mix of travelling irrigators and fixed in ground reticulation – was inefficient and wasteful. City councillors resolved that a vast underground system would be more efficient and less intrusive. They put the contract out to tender, subsequently awarding it to Grundfos dealer Water Dynamics (in conjunction with Grundfos).
Underground piping
The system installed comprises a Grundfos Hydro MF system using seven CRN-90-4 pumps controlled by a Hydro Pro PLC, complete with a 7.5" LCD touch screen, plus a submersible bore hole pump. The control system operates a variable speed lead pump, while the other six pumps have an electronic soft start. All have high efficiency motors. The system operates 8-10 hours a day as required, and always at night. There is more than 20 km of underground irrigation piping.
Cost effective
The million dollar foreshore irrigation system has been operating reliably for three years. A spokesperson for the City of Perth says the system is far more cost effective and less labour intensive than its forerunner and keeps Perth's foreshore in pristine condition. He adds that as the system allows night watering, little water is lost through evaporation. So, with the help of Grundfos and an excellent irrigation system, Perth's foreshore has become a model of efficiency, and jewel in the city's crown.


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The 2019 Call for Applications of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network is now closed
Created in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) fosters international cooperation within and across cities of the world that have invested in culture and creativity as an accelerator of sustainable development.
Today the Network brings together 180 cities from 72 countries from all regions of the world. The UNESCO Creative Cities have a common mission: placing creativity and cultural industries at the core of their development strategies to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
As laboratories of ideas and innovative practices, the UNESCO Creative Cities bring a concrete contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda through policy-making and grass-root projects promoting the participation of all stakeholders, including women, youth and vulnerable groups. The Creative Cities' commitment testifies to their central role at the frontline of sustainable development for communities.
The names of the new Creative Cities designated in 2019 will be announced before the end of the year.
To know more, you may access the documents below and find out what is required and what it means to become a UNESCO Creative City.


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The Pink Dress
There was this little girl sitting by herself in the park.
Everyone passed by her and never stopped to see why she looked so sad.
Dressed in a worn pink dress, barefoot and dirty, the girl just sat and watched the people go by.
She never tried to speak.
She never said a word.
Many people passed by her, but no one would stop.
The next day I decided to go back to the park in curiosity to see if the little girl would still be there.
Yes, she was there, right in the very spot where she was yesterday, and still with the same sad look in her eyes.
Today I was to make my own move and walk over to the little girl.
For as we all know, a park full of strange people is not a place for young children to play alone.
As I got closer I could see the back of the little girl's dress.
It was grotesquely shaped.
I figured that was the reason people just passed by and made no effort to speak to her.
Deformities are a low blow to our society and, heaven forbid you make a step toward assisting someone who is different.
As I got closer, the little girl lowered her eyes slightly to avoid my intent stare.
As I approached her, I could see the shape of her back more clearly.
She was grotesquely shaped in a humped over form.
I smiled to let her know it was OK; I was there to help, to talk.
I sat down beside her and opened with a simple, "Hello."
The little girl acted shocked, and stammered a "hi "; after a long stare into my eyes.
I smiled and she shyly smiled back.
We talked until darkness fell and the park was completely empty.
I asked the girl why she was so sad.
The little girl looked at me with a sad face said, "Because, I'm different."
I immediately said, "That you are!"; and smiled.
The little girl acted even sadder and said, "I know."
"Little girl," I said, "you remind me of an angel, sweet and innocent."
She looked at me and smiled, then slowly she got to her feet and said, "Really?"
"Yes, you're like a little Guardian Angel sent to watch over all the people walking by."
She nodded her head yes, and smiled.
With that she opened the back of her pink dress and allowed her wings to spread, then she said "I am."
"I'm your Guardian Angel," with a twinkle in her eye.
I was speechless -- sure I was seeing things.
She said, "For once you thought of someone other than yourself. My job here is done".
I got to my feet and said, " Wait, why did no one stop to help an Angel?"
She looked at me, smiled, and said, "You're the only one that could see me," and then she was gone.
And with that, my life was changed dramatically.
So, when you think you're all you have, remember, your angel is always watching over you.
Inspiration Page
Your browser does not support the audio tag!


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I love making casseroles with tater tots. And if it were for my kids, they'll make me prepare these casseroles everyday! Check out this lovely cowboy casserole.
You'll Need :
1 ½ pounds of ground beef.
1 chopped medium onion.
3 chopped cloves of garlic.
1 can (15.25 oz) of drained whole kernel corn.
1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup.
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.
½ cup of milk.
4 tbsps of sour cream.
1 (30 oz) bag of frozen tater tots.
How to :
Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Cook the onion in a large skillet and mix in the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the beef and cook over medium heat until browned. Drain off the fat and transfer to a large bowl.
Mix together the soup, milk and sour cream in a small bowl until well combined then pour over the hamburger mixture and mix. Mix in the corn and 1 cup of cheddar cheese.
Layer half of the crispy crowns on the bottom of the dish and spread all the hamburger mixture on top. Add a second layer of the tater tots and top with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes and Voila!
Easy, peasy and cheesy! The tater tots go perfectly with the ground beef and sour cream. You should give this a try, you won't regret it.
Yield: 6 servings, Serving Size: 1/6th


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Travis Roettgen
- Age
- 42
- Hometown
- Dothan, AL (USA)
- Track
- Circle City BMX
- Team
FACTORY HAVOC 13 Expert @connormannionbmx
9 Expert / 9 Cruiser / 9 Boys 2X UCI BMX WORLD CHAMPION 2012/2013 N.A.G. #1 (6X 2012) N.A.G. #2 (8X 2014) USAC Champion 2012 2X Western Divisional Champion WDC (2012-2013) 7X RLC/Gold Cup Champion (2011-2014) 2X State Champion (8C 2013-2014) Dane races BMX on the National & World level and also races Motocross on the National level. Dane has earned an AMA #1 Title in Motocross Racing (2013). You can follow all of Dane's racing on his Facebook Page at: www.facebook.com/danemorales33 Team: Factory BOX / AUBURN / ASV Sponsors: Box Components, Auburn Cycles, ASV Inventions, Troy Lee designs, CRIT Factory Customs, ODI, Oakley, Shimano, Gaerne, Speedline, Tangent, Maxxis, Garage Graphics, Stickman Graphics, Wahoo's, Bike Alley For More info & Photo's follow Dane on Facebook www.facebook.com/danemorales33 BMX Racing History 2011 BMX SEASON HIGHLIGHTS 1st ABA California State Championship Finals, Orange, CA 1st ABA Redline Cup Western Region Qualifier, Roseville, CA 1st ABA Redline Cup Western Regional Finals, Boulder, NV 1st ABA Grand National Championships, Tulsa, OK 2012 BMX SEASON (6 Expert) In April Dane won the USA Cycling USA Championships in the 6 class and earned the top USA ranking. On May 24th Dane became the first World Champion of 2012 by winning the 6 Boys Class at the UCI BMX World Championships in Birmingham, England. In August he won the USA-BMX Western Divisional Championships, in October he won two Redline Cup Regional Championship titles and in November he won the Presidents Cup / Race of Champions (ROC) Championship and the highly coveted USA-BMX National Age Group (NAG) Championship for a total of 7 major championship titles. The most for any amateur BMX racer in 2012. 2012 BMX SEASON HIGHLIGHTS UCI World BMX Champion 6 Class USA-BMX National Age Group (NAG) #1 6X USA Cycling USA BMX Champion 6 Class USA-BMX Race of Champions (ROC) #1 6X Redline Cup BMX Champion 6X Redline Cup BMX Champion 6 Open USA-BMX Western Divisional BMX Champion 6X 10 National 6X Class wins including the two largest USA-BMX Nationals- The Las Vegas National and the Grand National Finals, Tulsa, OK, and the USA Cycling Nationals 2013 BMX SEASON (7 Expert & 7 Cruiser) After 6 months of full time Motocross racing and earning an AMA National Motocross title, Dane began his 2013 National BMX season in May of this year to defend his USA Cycling national title in Nashville, TN where he placed 3rd in the USA Cycling Championships and earned a spot on Team USA for the BMX World Championships in Aukland, NZ. With only 3 months to prepare and get himself back up to a world class level, Dane went to Auckland, NZ in July to defend his World BMX title and did Team USA proud by winning every single heat, qualifier and the main event to become a 2-time, back to back BMX World Champion. In August, Dane earned his first Cruiser class title by winning the California State Championships in the 7 Cruiser Class. In September, Dane earned his 2nd Cruiser title by winning the Western Divisional National title in the 7 Cruiser class. In October, Dane earned two more titles at the Redline Cup Championships with an overall Championship in the 7 Expert and 7 Cruiser class. 2013 BMX SEASON HIGHLIGHTS UCI World BMX Champion Boys 7 Class USA-BMX Western Divisional BMX Champion 7 Cruiser Redline Cup BMX Champion 7 Expert Redline Cup BMX Champion 7 Cruiser California State Champion 7 Cruiser
Home track: Circle City BMX Hometown: Dothan, AL
Racer Highlights


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Audience: Everyone! (Students and teachers all grade levels, informal educators, and the general public)
Dates: October 15, 2019 - November 15, 2019
Observations: Clouds and aerosols (dust storms, haze, smoke). Limit 10 per day.
NASA is requesting your help to determine "What's up in your Sky". The GLOBE Clouds team wants to study differences in clouds and aerosols. The data collected during this fall challenge will be compared to results from the 2018 Spring Clouds Challenge. Help by submitting clouds, dust, haze or smoke observations (limit of 10 per day) to GLOBE using any of GLOBE's data entry tools including the clouds tool on the GLOBE Observer mobile app.
GLOBE and GLOBE Observer participants submitting the most observations (limit of 10 per day) will be congratulated by NASA scientists with a video posted on the NASA GLOBE Clouds website. Only cloud observation entries using the GLOBE Online Data Entry website, GLOBE Data Entry app, or the GLOBE Observer app will be considered. GLOBE welcomes citizen scientists, educators, students and STEM professionals. Follow the directions for creating an account at: https://www.globe.gov/get-started/get-started-overview .
Tell us what you see in your sky. Tips are available to help you distinguish between clouds and obscurations.
Do you see clouds? Use these steps to make the observation. Find tips and resources are available at the bottom.
Do you see a dust storm, haze, or smoke? We want your photographs! Use the steps recommended to capture a dust storms. Example images are available to guide you to identify what you are looking at. Please note that a gray looking day might be a sky that is completely covered by clouds. Want to learn more about dust storms? Use our Dust Observations section on our NASA GLOBE Clouds website to learn more about your impact and review educator resources on the topic.
NASA matches GLOBE Cloud observations submitted to various satellite data! To increase your chances of getting a satellite match to your observations by using the satellite notification option on the GLOBE Observer app or use the satellite overpass website to see the schedule when satellites will be right over your location. If your observation is made within 15 minutes (either before or after) the time a satellite will be over your area, you have increased the chances of getting a personalized email from NASA comparing your observations to satellites! Satellites that you could match to include geostationary satellites, Terra, Aqua, and CALIPSO.
Make Land Cover Observations - What is in the ground can impact what you may see in the sky. Learn more about the land cover and collect your observations using the GLOBE Observer app!
GLOBE Air Quality Campaigns – If you are a GLOBE teacher, you may want to learn more and even participate of different air quality campaigns available.
Urban Heat Island Effect - Surface Temperature Field Campaign (UHIE) - If you are interested in keeping track of your neighborhood's temperature, then you might enjoy the UHIE campaign. Webinars start September 24, 2019!
We hope you participate in this data challenge. Your observations help scientists better understand satellite data of our atmosphere. Below are some resources and helpful links to help you make your observations. Check out the recent NASA Earth Observer Kids featuring the GLOBE Observer app.
Cloud Identification Resources and Tips
Data collection and data entry help
Highlights of NASA GLOBE Clouds Teachers with classroom tips and ideas


text: Drowning in a Sea of "Endocrine Disrupter Toxins" 20. May 2014 Chris K Drug advertising (1) In my previous post I spoke about the close connection between gut health and thyroid health. Of course, as someone who lives with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis I have a keen interest in anything related to the thyroid. Just today, I came across an article revealing the 100 most-prescribed drugs in America and was stunned at what drug topped the list with more than 23 million prescriptions in 2013 – levothyroxine – the most commonly prescribed drug for treating hypothyroidism (but not necessarily the best in my opinion). Some observers have warned about a pending epidemic of thyroid disorders. I believe the revelation of a thyroid drug as the most prescribed drug in America suggests that this epidemic is already a "fait accompli" (that's French for the more colloquial expression "it's a done deal!"). I also believe it is due, in part, to the grim observations of experts like Dr. Davis who warn that we are literally "swimming in a sea" of endocrine disruptors, toxins that disrupt our hormonal glands such as the thyroid, adrenals, pancreas, ovaries, and testes. I would go farther to say we are drowning in that sea. Here are just a few examples of how ubiquitous and pervasive these toxins are. Bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic containers has gotten a lot of bad press recently yet it still considered by the FDA to be safe in certain applications even though it has been shown to disrupt the sex glands and bind to thyroid receptors. Triclosan is commonly used in hand-sanitizers and similar applications. Triclosan is known to decrease circulating levels of the thyroid hormone thyroxine (T4). Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) is common used to make flame retardant clothing. PBDEs have been shown to disrupt both estrogen and thyroid hormones. The effects of PBDE exposure both in utero and shortly after birth can persist into adulthood. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in Teflon coated pots and pans and even microwave popcorn bags has been detected in the blood of more than 98% of the general US population. PFOA has implicated as both a carcinogen as well as an endocrine disruptor associated with thyroid disruption. With all these "thyro-toxins" floating about it might not seem you like have a fighting chance to achieve thyroid health. But, the first step is to educate yourself - then take action. It is the essential sequence in what I call "Informed, Self-directed, Healthcare" (ISH). Now that you have a better understanding of how to navigate the "thryo-toxin minefield" there are also positive steps you can take to stack the odds in favor of a healthy thyroid. If you participate in the Cureality program make certain to check out the Thyroid Health Track for a powerful list of proactive steps you can take. Chris K. (aka HeartHawk) Cureality Member Advocate Source: IMS National Prescription Audit, IMS Health.


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Khalid Abdul Muhammad, former aide to Louis Farrakhan, says he plans to hold a "million youth march" in Harlem on September 5 despite being denied a permit for the march on that date or in Harlem. Muhammad has rejected offers by New York City to hold the march on September 19 on Randalls Island or in Van Cortlandt Park.
In November 1993, Muhammad gave a speech at Kean College in New Jersey that was laden with anti-Catholic and anti-Semitic rhetoric. As a result of his disparaging remarks, Muhammad was denounced by the U.S. black Catholic bishops, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, the Catholic League, ADL and other civil rights organizations.
The Catholic League released the following comment to the press on this issue:
"Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is right to condemn the bigoted comments made by Khalid Abdul Muhammad. An equal opportunity bigot, Muhammad does not discriminate between Catholics and Jews in launching his attacks: he hates both groups.
"Hate mongers have a right to march, but no one has a right to inform the authorities of the time, place and manner of the march. If the authorities decide that another time and place is in the best interest of public safety, that is their call. For Muhammad to say that he will march anyway is to show contempt for the law.
"In 1994, Mayor Giuliani allowed radical gays to march naked past St. Patrick's Cathedral without a permit. It will be interesting to see whether he allows Muhammad to march without a permit on September 5 in Harlem."


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By Chris Lawrence for CNN.
Her voice is tiny and soft but has the strength of a survivor.
Nabila ur-Rehman, 9, has come to Washington to talk about how she survived a U.S. drone strike on her neighborhood in Pakistan.
"I saw in the sky that it became dark, and I heard a 'dum-dum' noise. Everything became dark, and I couldn't see my grandmother, couldn't make out anything," she told CNN through an interpreter.
Nabila's family said her grandmother, Momina Bibi, was killed in that strike.
"I saw two missiles come down and hit, and at that moment, everything went dark," said Nabila's brother, Zubair, 13. "I just remember seeing an explosion and everything became dark, maybe because of the smoke from the drone."
Zubair said he could hear his grandmother screaming but could not see her. He was injured.
"Later, I found out that my grandmother was blown to pieces and then I felt like I was on fire. I was in a lot of pain, later I found that piece of shrapnel was found in my leg," Zubair told CNN.
Nabila was 8 at the time and talks about the pain and confusion in the minutes after the strike.
"My hand was hurt, and when I was looking at it, there was blood coming out. And I tried wiping it away with my shawl, but it just kept coming out. I was just really scared and didn't know what to do," she said.
The children and their father have come from Pakistan to tell their stories to members of Congress.
They are hoping it will influence lawmakers to curtail the number of drone strikes in Pakistan, specifically in North Waziristan where the family lives.
That area is mostly controlled by militant groups and operates outside the laws of Pakistani security forces. It is where the United States conducts its most intensive drone campaign, against the Pakistani Taliban and al Qaeda operatives.
Amnesty International says the drone strikes in question, in October 2012, killed the children's grandmother and 18 other civilians.
In 317 reported drone strikes carried out in the country since 2008, 2,160 terrorists and 67 civilians have been killed, according to a report from the Pakistani Defense Ministry.
It may not be complete though. The report says no civilians were killed in 2012.
The U.S. government does not comment on individual drone strikes, citing the sensitivity of intelligence matters.
But the Obama administration says the United States is not violating any international laws.
"The administration has repeatedly emphasized the extraordinary care that we take to make sure that counterterrorism actions are in accordance with all applicable laws," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
Beacon Strategies Jeremy Bash said the situation is combat.
"And occasionally in combat, sadly and unfortunately, there are times targets are injured and killed. But the intended target in every single one of these operations is a terrorist, or a terrorist training camp," he said.
Bash is a former national security official in the Obama administration who worked for Leon Panetta at both the CIA and Pentagon.
He said there are cameras mounted on drones, and if the operators see that women or children may be impacted by the strike, the mission is scrubbed.
"And one of the ways this operation is so effective is that it can be called off at the very last moment, just as the weapon is about to impact. A missile can be diverted if a child or a woman comes into the shot," Bash explained.
He also said in that lawless part of Pakistan, there is no good alternative to using drones.
"We can't send in tanks. We can't bombard the place with artillery. We can't send in B-2 bombers," he said.
The family of Momina Bibi said she was an innocent victim.
"I couldn't see my mom's face. She was blown to pieces. Whatever remains that they could find, they just put in a box, and that's what we had to bury," Rafiq ur-Rehman said.
Rafiq is Nabila and Zubair's father, a teacher who was working at school when his mother was killed.
He said the U.S. government has given his family no explanation about what happened.
"I've seen President Obama come on TV and say with conviction the American government will continue to use drones. I don't understand why it happened to us. We don't know why they continue, and why it killed my mother and injured my children. We aren't causing harm to anyone," he said.
In May, President Barack Obama publicly revealed the guidelines for using lethal drone strikes overseas.
He said there had to be an imminent threat, no hope of capture, and near certainty that civilians would not be harmed. Rafiq said statements like that motivated him to come to the United States and tell his family's story.
"That's why I came here. I am a teacher and I want to educate, let Americans know that this is hurting innocent people, and there are other ways to find solutions and bring peace," he said.


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VALLEJO 72.734 Game Air Bonewhite Color 17 ml.
Game Air is a range of water-based, matte acrylic colors, developed especially for airbrushing. In the formulation of this range various new resins have been selected for qualities which up till now had not been achieved in water-based colors.
The strength, resistance and covering power of Game Air is superior to any acrylic airbrush color currently available and also allows for application by brush to highlight the smallest details of the miniature. The pigments have been selected according to their degree of light-fastness and optimum micronization. The effects of washes and transparencies can be obtained by diluting the colors, all colors and varnishes can be mixed together and diluted with Airbrush Thinner.


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In June 2009, Jimmy Carter, like others with similar comments, said:"Tragically, the international community largely ignores the cries for help, while the citizens of Gaza are treated more like animals than human beings….Never before in history has a large community been savaged by bombs and missiles and then deprived of the means to repair itself. The responsibility for this terrible human rights crime lies in Jerusalem (under Netanyahu), Cairo (under Mubarak), and Washington (under Obama who treats Palestinians as contemptuously as George Bush and the worst Republican extremists)."
Gaza One Year Later
By Stephen Lendman
29 December, 2009
A December 2009 report prepared by Oxfam International, Amnesty International UK, United Civilians for Peace, Christian Aid, and a dozen other international NGOs (called NGOs below) titled, "Failing Gaza: No rebuilding, no recovery, no more excuses" is hard-hitting and to the point.
It says a year after Operation Cast Lead, extensive damage hasn't been repaired and thousands "are being prevented from rebuilding their shattered society." It's not from a lack of commitment or enough resources with over $4 billion in pledged aid. It's because Israel blocks goods and equipment from entering Gaza. The world community and Arab world do nothing to stop them, so much of the Strip still lies in ruins.
Following Hamas' January 2006 electoral victory, all outside aid was cut off. Sanctions and an economic embargo were imposed, and the democratically elected government was falsely designated a terrorist organization and isolated. Stepped up repression followed as well as regular IFD attacks, killings, targeted assassinations, property destruction, and more. Gazans have been imprisoned ever since.
Since June 2007, the Strip has been under siege, described in an August 2009 OCHA report ("Locked In: The Humanitarian Impact of Two Years of Blockade on the Gaza Strip") as a:
"protracted human dignity crisis with negative humanitarian consequences." At its heart is the "degradation (of) living conditions," the erosion of livelihoods, the lack of vital services in the areas of health, water, sanitation and education, and the collapse of essential infrastructure in the wake of Operation Cast Lead.
Gazans can't leave, export anything, or live freely on their own land. In addition, Israel lets in restricted amounts of essential goods, far too inadequate to relieve the grave humanitarian crisis by design to essentially starve its residents into submission, or perhaps eliminate as many of them as possible by slow motion genocide.
In addition, all materials needed to rebuild are prohibited, including cement, glass, wood, gravel, steel bars, spare parts, and more. In May, the Palestinian Chamber of Commerce reported unemployment reached 65%, poverty 80%, and the longer the siege continues, the higher these figures go. Further, 96% of Gaza's industrial capacity was destroyed and closed, and well over 80% of the population is aid-dependent. Yet most get below minimal amounts of virtually everything.
International Responsibility
Expressing alarm and frustration, the NGOs say:
"Israel has the primary responsibility to end the blockage." So does the world community to stop the illegal collective punishment of 1.5 million people. "The people of Gaza have been betrayed (by powerful nations) which can and must do far more to end the illegal and inhumane blockade:" an unconscionable grievous crime against humanity.
The NGOs' report focuses on what the international community can do, especially the EU as "a major funder of humanitarian and development programmes in (Occupied Palestine) and Israel's largest export market."
Thus far, its nations have abstained, as have others able to help. In a March 2008 report, many of the NGOs warned that the siege caused the most deplorable conditions in Gaza since the 1967 war and occupation. Then in September, they examined the Quartet's record (the US, Russia, EU and UN), warning that:
"if the cessation of violence ends, the consequences for civilians – both in terms of violent attacks against civilians and the humanitarian situation – will be dire. To this end, all Quartet members should demonstrate robust, public support for the cessation of violence and take further steps to deepen it."
The two and a half year siege, compounded by Operation Cast Lead's mass killings and devastation "left a legacy of destruction and loss. It is time to allow the people of Gaza to begin to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives and rebuild, by ending the blockade that prevents them. There must be no more excuses."
Israel's Agenda: Siege and Blocked Rebuilding
Before the blockade, on average 70 daily Gazan truckloads were exported and 583 let in with essential and other goods. During the siege's first two years, about one-fifth of previous amounts got in while nearly all exports were prohibited.
Currently, Israel lets in only about 35 categories of items compared to 4,000 pre-siege. Yet no published list exists, so there's no consistency on what is or is not allowed as well as amounts. For example, fruits entering one day are prohibited on another as luxuries, and the same qualification applies to virtually everything as pure harassment and collective punishment.
Also, needless delays are imposed. For shelter kits, on average 85 days; health and pediatric kits, 68; and household items like bedding and kitchen utensils, 39.
Construction Materials
Banning them prevents essential rebuilding of houses and other structures. As a result, thousands of homes, factories, businesses, schools, hospitals, mosques, and other structures, totally or partly destroyed, are affected. So are razed agricultural lands, destroyed farms, fields, crops, olive trees, and irrigation systems depriving farmers of their livelihoods and Gazans essential food in amounts to sustain health.
Pre-siege, construction materials comprised over half of Gaza's imports, around 7,400 truckloads monthly. After June 2007, it dropped to an average 31, and in the past year, it's a bare four loads a month trickle. Case-by-case exceptions are made but in small amounts, then cancelled merely to harass. For example, a promised cement shipment to rebuild Gaza's flour mill was denied for no apparent reason, and most entering is smuggled through Gaza's tunnels into Egypt. But it's too little and at inflated prices so unaffordable for most people.
Exceptions permitted "demonstrate how possible it is to allow (in everything needed. Gazans) desperately need (a) systematic, large-scale reconstruction operations – and (a) change of policy that would allow this. Piecemeal and patchwork initiatives simply make no impact on the scale of the destruction which people in Gaza are living with a year on" from the war.
The Cost: No Reconstruction, No Recovery
International assessments of Gaza's destruction range from $659 – $892 million. Others estimate $1 billion or more because so much of the Strip was affected, including homes, agriculture, government and private structures, and vast amounts of infrastructure. The war's toll left an estimated 600,000 tons of rubble, most still in place, and clearing it entails 200,000 or more person-days to complete.
The UN estimated around 53,000 homes sustained minor damage, but over 15,000 were destroyed or heavily damaged, displacing 100,000 residents forced to live with relatives, in tents, or if lucky in habitable rented apartments. Many are still there.
Industry and Jobs
Hundreds of private factories and businesses were destroyed or severely damaged, amounting to millions in losses not recovered. Gaza got a double blow. "Not only is cement largely denied by the blockade, but according to the UN, 19 of Gaza's 27 ready mix concrete plants were also either badly damaged or destroyed….including (its) only cement packaging and storage plant."
Pre-siege, it was substantial, producing up to 400,000 tons annually. A third included tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, flowers and fruit, much of it in greenhouses. Farms supplied a portion of Gaza's food needs and employed over 40,000 people or 13% of its workforce. The war took its toll destroying an estimated 17% of tillable land, including open fields, olive, date, and other fruit orchards. In addition, bombing and bulldozing demolished greenhouses, livestock shelters, irrigation channels, wells and pumps "on a huge scale."
Then in May, Israel declared a 300-meter "buffer zone" no-go area around Gaza's perimeter (in some places extending up to two km) affecting up to one-third of the Strip's agricultural land and putting half or more of it all out of production.
The war caused extensive long-term damage on top of earlier attacks putting it on the verge of collapse. During the conflict, Gaza's main power station closed for 10 days for lack industrial diesel from Israel. In addition, most power lines supplying electricity from Israel and Egypt were destroyed, causing a 75% or greater shortfall.
During the offensive, one million Gazans had no power, and a half million no running water. In addition, sewage couldn't be treated so it was dumped into the Mediterranean polluting beaches or ran in streets causing a severe health problem.
Bombing destroyed transformers, pylons, cabling, and the main stores and vehicles of the Gaza Electricity Distribution Company (GEDCO). While key power lines are restored, 90% of residents endure power cuts of four – eight hours daily. Affected are homes and all other facilities, including hospitals forced to rely on back-up generators, themselves vulnerable for lack of spare parts.
Industrial fuel is also restricted causing the power plant to switch on and off when it's designed to stay running. As a result, it's wearing out and may end up beyond repair.
Water and Sanitation
Its infrastructure is badly damaged enough to need millions for restoration. Over 30 water network km were damaged or destroyed. Most are partly repaired, but nothing in Gaza functions properly given shortages of everything, including spare parts.
The conflict also destroyed or damaged 6,000 rooftop water tanks, 840 household connections, and key storage tanks throughout the Strip. A lack of cement prevents rebuilding. Generator imports also are prohibited, essential to supply water during power outages that increase in winter. Besides water stoppages, lost pipe pressure pollutes groundwater sent through them to households compounding the ongoing health crisis.
The WHO estimated that the war destroyed or damaged half of Gaza's 122 health facilities, including 15 hospitals, 41 primary care centers, and 29 ambulances. Most now function but far short of optimally given the siege's constraints. There's a chronic shortage of everything, including specialized medical personnel to deal with severe war injuries requiring extensive or complicated surgeries as well as the proper equipment to perform them.
Besides the siege's affects, war destruction greatly exacerbated a bad situation, unrelieved by an inability to rebuild. As a result, in the past year, 82% of government schools and 88% of UNRWA ones operated on double shifts to accommodate Gaza's children.
During the war, 18 schools were destroyed, and at least another 280 damaged, affecting thousands of students. "To date, almost nothing has been rebuilt or repaired as a result of the" construction materials ban also affecting textbooks and other educational supplies. New schools are needed and damaged ones repaired to begin to restore Gazan education to normality.
Israel's Siege
Isolating Gaza isn't new. Since 2000, it's been subject to closures, but near totally since mid-2007 in defiance of international law. By enforcing Gaza's blockade, "Israel is violating the absolute prohibition on collective punishment in international humanitarian law…."
Responsibility of the International Community, Especially the EU
As the occupying power, Israel is obligated under international law to assure the safety and well-being of civilians – "protected persons" as defined by Fourth Geneva's Article 4.
At the March 2009 donor's conference, over $4 billion in reconstruction aid was pledged, of which $1 billion came from EU countries. "The EU and the rest of the international community have again taken responsibility for repairing damage cause by (Israel), but failed" to see it's delivered.
For their part, EU nations haven't sought compensation for damage to their funded projects, estimated at tens of millions in 2000.
Fourth Geneva obligates third parties to conform to international law in all respects. So far, effective action is absent despite the May 2008 Quartet's call for a "new approach" on Gaza. None followed nor from the Security Council's January 8 Resolution 1860 (adopted 14 in favor with Washington abstaining) calling for an "Immediate, Durable, Fully Respected Ceasefire in Gaza Leading to Full Withdrawal of Israeli Forces (followed by) Unimpeded Humanitarian Assistance" and reopening of Gaza's crossings.
So far, the Security Council has done nothing to implement its order, only binding on Israel if enforced. Yet, the EU expressed clear opposition to the siege, most recently at a December Foreign Affairs Council session saying:
"the continued policy of closure is unacceptable and politically counterproductive. It has devastated the private sector economy and damaged the natural environment, notably water and other natural resources."
It also called for "an immediate, sustained and unconditional opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and persons to and from Gaza," but keeps abstaining from backing its words with action. It also hasn't recognized the siege as "collective punishment" under international law, leaving its statements toothless, disingenuous, and contemptible.
So while its members extend new economic and trade privileges to Israel (after freezing their upgrading during the war), it denies Gazans the basics of life and contemptuously sells Israel weapons to batter them again. Also, few of its officials visited Gaza to view the devastation and assess its affects first.
In fact, the Quartet contributed to Gaza's isolation by not recognizing Hamas, the Occupied Territory's elected government, not Fatah under Mahmoud Abbas and the appointed prime minister, Salam Fayyad, who usurped it in the West Bank illegitimately.
Diplomatic Initiatives and Plans
"The international community appears to have accepted the blockade, seeking little more than small concessions." Yet in May 2009, the UN formulated a specific plan to deliver construction materials for a number of stalled health, housing, and education projects. It guaranteed Israel's security in return for letting it proceed. Then negotiations got diverted to a few pilot projects, not the full package, so:
"almost nothing has been allowed into Gaza under this plan….The international community's failure to do enough (perhaps nothing beyond rhetoric) to halt the blockade is a sign of the wider failure to hold all parties to account for violations of international humanitarian law."
In June 2009, Jimmy Carter, like others with similar comments, said:
"Tragically, the international community largely ignores the cries for help, while the citizens of Gaza are treated more like animals than human beings….Never before in history has a large community been savaged by bombs and missiles and then deprived of the means to repair itself. The responsibility for this terrible human rights crime lies in Jerusalem (under Netanyahu), Cairo (under Mubarak), and Washington (under Obama who treats Palestinians as contemptuously as George Bush and the worst Republican extremists)."
Call to Action
Stopping this outrage demands action, what the NGOs urgently call for, saying "no more excuses." They want the Quartet, EU, and international community to commit to ending the siege, pressure Israel to assure it, have its government compensate Gazans for their losses, and hold guilty parties accountable under international law. Otherwise, they'll be "no rebuilding, no recovery," and no measures to prevent further attacks or to end decades of illegal occupation.
Israel's Counteroffensive
Israel, of course, responded, like it always does when cornered with no credible defense, so it attacks critics like respected human rights groups, accusing them of organizing a campaign of false allegations, misinformation, and malicious personal attacks.
It also uses Zionist front groups like the Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor to disseminate propaganda, debase the legitimate human rights community, and promote a pro-Israeli agenda defending the indefensible.
It countered with its own report titled, "Trojan Horse: The Impact of European Government Funding for Israeli NGOs," with its president, Gerald Steinberg saying:
"These (international NGOS) continue to exploit moral, legal and humanitarian principles in order to promote political warfare against Israel. Many of the claims in (their) report are not supported by credible evidence, and reflect double standards. Through this systematic bias regarding Israel, these NGOs have lost respectability, and the European governments that fund such attacks share responsibility for this abuse."
Never mind the array of respected human rights organizations, jurists, and activists universally condemning Israel's war crimes, documenting them extensively in detailed reports, and calling for accountability.
Never mind Israeli officials fearing arrest in European cities, advised to contact the Judge Advocate General's office prior to traveling, and a UK arrest warrant issued for former foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, for war crimes under the universal jurisdiction principle, by which nations may prosecute alleged criminals for offenses committed outside their borders.
According to Richard Goldstone, former South African Constitutional Court justice and head of the UN Human Rights Council's Goldstone Commission, its precedent was Israel's Adolph Eichman seizure, trial, conviction on 15 charges (including crimes against humanity and the Jewish people), death sentence, and June 1, 1962 hanging.
Despite Israel's denial, coverup, and protestations, plus help from what James Petras calls the "Zionist Power Configuration (ZPT)" and supportive front groups like NGO Monitor, the evidence is clear, extensive, and conclusive. Israeli officials committed decades of the most grievous crimes of war and against humanity against defenseless Palestinian civilians, Operation Cast Lead one of the worst, but many others also particularly horrendous that still continue near daily.
Those responsible must be held accountable under the law, the same as Adolph Eichman and convicted Nazis at Nuremberg. Globally, people of conscience, including many thousands of Jews, demand and deserve no less.
A Final Comment
On December 27, B'Tselem launched a "public campaign" to lift the Gaza siege, saying:
"This is necessary to rehabilitate the Gaza Strip from the destruction wrought by the hostilities….The siege has led to economic collapse, isolating one and a half million Gazans….and reduc(ed) most of them to poverty and a life of unemployment, extremism and hopelessness."
Most of them need outside aid. Many thousands are still homeless, and can't rebuild because materials can't enter. "Not only is the siege unlawful and immoral, it is also utter folly." Hamas is more popular than ever. Global outrage keeps building for resolution and an end to the occupation. Yet one year after Operation Cast Lead, there's been no accountability for Israel's lawlessness nor justice for a beleaguered, oppressed people. No longer can this outrage be tolerated nor should it.
Stephen Lendman is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization. He lives in Chicago and can be reached at•••@••.•••.
Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to the Lendman News Hour on RepublicBroadcasting.org Monday – Friday at 10AM US Central time for cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on world and national issues. All programs are archived for easy listening.


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July 29, 2010
Sparrow doing well after surgery
Renowned calypso icon Slinger Francisco, popularly known as Sparrow, is resting comfortably at a private hospital in Maryland, United States, after undergoing emergency surgery.
…Sparrow well after surgery
Slinger Francisco (The Mighty Sparrow) was yesterday in good spirits and recuperating well following emergency surgery on Sunday to treat an incarcerated right inguinal hernia.
Continue reading False Rumours about Death of Sparrow


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New York Giants safety Kenny Phillips said Friday he successfully appealed a $30,000 fine that was issued by the NFL for a hit that occurred against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tom Pedulla of The New York Times reported.
Jeremiah: Top matchups in Week 12
Can the Packers protect Aaron Rodgers from the Giants' D-line? Daniel Jeremiah scouts five key battles on Sunday. **More ...**
Phillips, who claimed he has paid several fines over the past two seasons for delivering illegal hits, said his latest fine was dropped by the NFL after he provided his description of the play and photographic evidence of the hit. The fine stemmed from a Sept. 16 collision with Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson. Referees did not call a penalty on play.
"I'm glad I won that one because it was the biggest (fine)," Phillips said, according to The New York Times.
Phillips has not played since spraining the medial collateral ligament in his right knee on Sept. 30. He is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers.


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The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy will hold a live webcast called Accessibility and Emerging Technology – Keys to Improving the Employment of People with Disabilities on August 16, 2012 from 2 - 3 p.m. Eastern Time. During this free event, panelists will discuss their views on the challenges and opportunities of emerging technologies, cloud computing and mobile applications in the workplace. This event will be live audio-captioned and will feature a real-time Twitter feed with the hashtag #ATworks.
Learn more about this event here.


text: © Financial Development & Marketing (FDM) 2017. Financial Development & Marketing (FDM) is a registered business title for the management consultancy of Mr. Eddie Hobbs, QPT (IIPM), QFA, FLIA (dip), C.Dip. A.F., who is a Pensioneer Trustee appointed by the Irish Revenue Commissioners. VAT No. IE 3569679S. Unit W9A1, Ladytown Business Park, Newhall, Naas, Co. Kildare. W91 T211 | 045 409364 | 045 409196 | firstname.lastname@example.com | Privacy Statement | Designed by Pixelpod.


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Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Amélie S. Duncan
(The Dreams Trilogy #1)
Publication date: January 3rd 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
"You think you're too good for me?" he gritted.
I glared at him. Where the hell did that come from? I wanted to get away from him and to try to deflate whatever this was turning into. "No. I don't, but don't you already have someone waiting for you?"
"Why not you? Can't you be waiting for me?" he said tightening his hold.
"Let go," I said, my tone sharp.
"What if I don't?" he said running his free hand over my hip.
I was stone cold sober now and had had about enough of Taylor. I twisted toward him and kneed him hard in the groin.
He bent but recovered quickly enough to grab both my arms roughly. "Why the fuck did you do that, bitch?" he said, shaking me.
I twisted around quickly and broke his hold. I let out a yell.
"Hey." His eyes darted around.
This time, he wasn't fast enough, or maybe he caught me at the end of this terrible day. I became a whirlwind of kicks, bites, and scratches. It was something my mother and father had taught me to do if someone ever tried to attack me.
"Fuck, that hurts," he griped, shoving me away from him.
My back hit the wood panel wall, but it might as well have been the ropes in a boxing ring. I sprung forward ready to have at him again, but someone grabbed him first, slamming him hard against the space next to me. He twisted Taylor's arm high up behind him.
"Hey, I was trying to get away. She was the one hurting me," Taylor moaned between wheezed breaths.
"Asshole." I spat at him, and my foot flew out and connected with his shin. That brought on a slew of nasty name-calling from his mouth. But coming from him, I didn't care.
"I should let her continue kicking your ass." A deep voice growled out.
I finally stepped back and looked at my defender, and my adrenaline surged. It was none other than Brody. His wild eyes stood out from the carved features of his face. His black t-shirt was slightly askew, showing off a beautifully etched tribal tattoo as his strong muscular arms held Taylor in place.
"I'm sorry, Piper. I'm going to leave. Please," Taylor said, interrupting my gawking.
Brody tweaked his arm as he looked at me, and Taylor cried out.
I glowered at Taylor. "If he lets you go, you best get the hell out of here."
"If I see you when I step back in there, I'll fucking break your arm," Brody added, shoving him hard. It didn't stop Taylor from getting up from where he landed and running down the hall.
My adrenaline rush drained fast, and I leaned against the wall and sunk to my knees. I could feel the air on my left shoulder letting me know my shirt was stretched. I was probably flashing my bra, but I sat there, frozen to the spot. My hands were trembling. I saw Brody's jeans appear in front of me.
"He's gone," he whispered.
His hands slowly moved to my thigh and gently took my hands in his. A blanket of goosebumps broke across my skin. His hands were large enough to cover mine. They were slightly calloused and warm. I found them soothing.
"I'm alright. I just didn't expect that," I rasped, taking in a shallow breath.
He carefully let go of one of my hands and quietly eased my shirt back on my shoulder. Then took my hands again, holding them and rubbing his thumb against the back of them. Sensations coursed through my body. I flicked my eyes up to his and my lips parted. His eyes were soft and framed in a thick layer of lashes. I gasped. Heady. He was stunning.
He leaned close to my ear. "Are you okay?"
I nodded and inhaled his scent. He smelled of cologne and polished leather.
"Thank you," I whispered.
"I didn't do much. You kicked his ass," Brody said against my ear.
I laughed. I was feeling better and turned my head to tell him. I moved too fast and collided with his chin. "Sorry," I said reaching over to soothe it, but he was on his feet.
"Haven't learned my lesson eh, Sprite?" He laughed and rubbed his jaw.
I sucked on my bottom lip and apologized again. He gave me a smile that showed off his dimples, and it sent a shiver up my spine. He held out his hand again, and I clasped it and climbed to my feet.
About the Author:
Amélie S. Duncan writes contemporary, erotic romances with a dark edge. Her inspiration comes from many sources including her life experiences and travels. She lives on the West Coast of the United States with her husband.
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Transcript: Sheryl Sandberg's 2016 Commencement Address at University of California, Berkeley
Thank you, Marie. And thank you esteemed members of the faculty, proud parents, devoted friends, squirming siblings.
Congratulations to all of you…and especially to the magnificent Berkeley graduating class of 2016!
It is a privilege to be here at Berkeley, which has produced so many Nobel Prize winners, Turing Award winners, astronauts, members of Congress, Olympic gold medalists…. and that's just the women!
Berkeley has always been ahead of the times. In the 1960s, you led the Free Speech Movement. Back in those days, people used to say that with all the long hair, how do we even tell the boys from the girls? We now know the answer: manbuns.
Early on, Berkeley opened its doors to the entire population. When this campus opened in 1873, the class included 167 men and 222 women. It took my alma mater another ninety years to award a single degree to a single woman.
One of the women who came here in search of opportunity was Rosalind Nuss. Roz grew up scrubbing floors in the Brooklyn boardinghouse where she lived. She was pulled out of high school by her parents to help support their family. One of her teachers insisted that her parents put her back into school—and in 1937, she sat where you are sitting today and received a Berkeley degree. Roz was my grandmother. She was a huge inspiration to me and I'm so grateful that Berkeley recognized her potential. I want to take a moment to offer a special congratulations to the many here today who are the first generation in their families to graduate from college. What a remarkable achievement.
Today is a day of celebration. A day to celebrate all the hard work that got you to this moment.
Today is a day of thanks. A day to thank those who helped you get here—nurtured you, taught you, cheered you on, and dried your tears. Or at least the ones who didn't draw on you with a Sharpie when you fell asleep at a party.
Today is a day of reflection. Because today marks the end of one era of your life and the beginning of something new.
A commencement address is meant to be a dance between youth and wisdom. You have the youth. Someone comes in to be the voice of wisdom—that's supposed to be me. I stand up here and tell you all the things I have learned in life, you throw your cap in the air, you let your family take a million photos –don't forget to post them on Instagram —and everyone goes home happy.
Today will be a bit different. We will still do the caps and you still have to do the photos. But I am not here to tell you all the things I've learned in life. Today I will try to tell you what I learned in death.
I have never spoken publicly about this before. It's hard. But I will do my very best not to blow my nose on this beautiful Berkeley robe.
One year and thirteen days ago, I lost my husband, Dave. His death was sudden and unexpected. We were at a friend's fiftieth birthday party in Mexico. I took a nap. Dave went to work out. What followed was the unthinkable—walking into a gym to find him lying on the floor. Flying home to tell my children that their father was gone. Watching his casket being lowered into the ground.
For many months afterward, and at many times since, I was swallowed up in the deep fog of grief—what I think of as the void—an emptiness that fills your heart, your lungs, constricts your ability to think or even to breathe.
Dave's death changed me in very profound ways. I learned about the depths of sadness and the brutality of loss. But I also learned that when life sucks you under, you can kick against the bottom, break the surface, and breathe again. I learned that in the face of the void—or in the face of any challenge—you can choose joy and meaning.
I'm sharing this with you in the hopes that today, as you take the next step in your life, you can learn the lessons that I only learned in death. Lessons about hope, strength, and the light within us that will not be extinguished.
Everyone who has made it through Cal has already experienced some disappointment. You wanted an A but you got a B. OK, let's be honest—you got an A- but you're still mad. You applied for an internship at Facebook, but you only got one from Google. She was the love of your life… but then she swiped left.
Game of Thrones the show has diverged way too much from the books—and you bothered to read all four thousand three hundred and fifty-two pages.
You will almost certainly face more and deeper adversity. There's loss of opportunity: the job that doesn't work out, the illness or accident that changes everything in an instant. There's loss of dignity: the sharp sting of prejudice when it happens. There's loss of love: the broken relationships that can't be fixed. And sometimes there's loss of life itself.
Some of you have already experienced the kind of tragedy and hardship that leave an indelible mark. Last year, Radhika, the winner of the University Medal, spoke so beautifully about the sudden loss of her mother.
The question is not if some of these things will happen to you. They will. Today I want to talk about what happens next. About the things you can do to overcome adversity, no matter what form it takes or when it hits you. The easy days ahead of you will be easy. It is the hard days—the times that challenge you to your very core—that will determine who you are. You will be defined not just by what you achieve, but by how you survive.
A few weeks after Dave died, I was talking to my friend Phil about a father-son activity that Dave was not here to do. We came up with a plan to fill in for Dave. I cried to him, "But I want Dave." Phil put his arm around me and said, "Option A is not available. So let's just kick the shit out of option B."
We all at some point live some form of option B. The question is: What do we do then?
As a representative of Silicon Valley, I'm pleased to tell you there is data to learn from. After spending decades studying how people deal with setbacks, psychologist Martin Seligman found that there are three P's—personalization, pervasiveness, and permanence—that are critical to how we bounce back from hardship. The seeds of resilience are planted in the way we process the negative events in our lives.
The first P is personalization—the belief that we are at fault. This is different from taking responsibility, which you should always do. This is the lesson that not everything that happens to us happens because of us.
When Dave died, I had a very common reaction, which was to blame myself. He died in seconds from a cardiac arrhythmia. I poured over his medical records asking what I could have—or should have—done. It wasn't until I learned about the three P's that I accepted that I could not have prevented his death. His doctors had not identified his coronary artery disease. I was an economics major; how could I have?
Studies show that getting past personalization can actually make you stronger. Teachers who knew they could do better after students failed adjusted their methods and saw future classes go on to excel. College swimmers who underperformed but believed they were capable of swimming faster did. Not taking failures personally allows us to recover—and even to thrive.
The second P is pervasiveness—the belief that an event will affect all areas of your life. You know that song "Everything is awesome?" This is the flip: "Everything is awful." There's no place to run or hide from the all-consuming sadness.
The child psychologists I spoke to encouraged me to get my kids back to their routine as soon as possible. So ten days after Dave died, they went back to school and I went back to work. I remember sitting in my first Facebook meeting in a deep, deep haze. All I could think was, "What is everyone talking about and how could this possibly matter?" But then I got drawn into the discussion and for a second—a brief split second—I forgot about death.
That brief second helped me see that there were other things in my life that were not awful. My children and I were healthy. My friends and family were so loving and they carried us—quite literally at times.
The loss of a partner often has severe negative financial consequences, especially for women. So many single mothers—and fathers—struggle to make ends meet or have jobs that don't allow them the time they need to care for their children. I had financial security, the ability to take the time off I needed, and a job that I did not just believe in, but where it's actually OK to spend all day on Facebook. Gradually, my children started sleeping through the night, crying less, playing more.
The third P is permanence—the belief that the sorrow will last forever. For months, no matter what I did, it felt like the crushing grief would always be there.
We often project our current feelings out indefinitely—and experience what I think of as the second derivative of those feelings. We feel anxious—and then we feel anxious that we're anxious. We feel sad—and then we feel sad that we're sad. Instead, we should accept our feelings—but recognize that they will not last forever. My rabbi told me that time would heal but for now I should "lean in to the suck." It was good advice, but not really what I meant by "lean in."
None of you need me to explain the fourth P…which is, of course, pizza from Cheese Board.
But I wish I had known about the three P's when I was your age. There were so many times these lessons would have helped.
Day one of my first job out of college, my boss found out that I didn't know how to enter data into Lotus 1-2-3. That's a spreadsheet—ask your parents. His mouth dropped open and he said, 'I can't believe you got this job without knowing that"—and then walked out of the room. I went home convinced that I was going to be fired. I thought I was terrible at everything… but it turns out I was only terrible at spreadsheets. Understanding pervasiveness would have saved me a lot of anxiety that week.
I wish I had known about permanence when I broke up with boyfriends. It would've been a comfort to know that feeling was not going to last forever, and if I was being honest with myself… neither were any of those relationships.
And I wish I had understood personalization when boyfriends broke up with me. Sometimes it's not you—it really is them. I mean, that dude never showered.
And all three P's ganged up on me in my twenties after my first marriage ended in divorce. I thought at the time that no matter what I accomplished, I was a massive failure.
The three P's are common emotional reactions to so many things that happen to us—in our careers, our personal lives, and our relationships. You're probably feeling one of them right now about something in your life. But if you can recognize you are falling into these traps, you can catch yourself. Just as our bodies have a physiological immune system, our brains have a psychological immune system—and there are steps you can take to help kick it into gear.
One day my friend Adam Grant, a psychologist, suggested that I think about how much worse things could be. This was completely counterintuitive; it seemed like the way to recover was to try to find positive thoughts. "Worse?" I said. "Are you kidding me? How could things be worse?" His answer cut straight through me: "Dave could have had that same cardiac arrhythmia while he was driving your children." Wow. The moment he said it, I was overwhelmingly grateful that the rest of my family was alive and healthy. That gratitude overtook some of the grief.
Finding gratitude and appreciation is key to resilience. People who take the time to list things they are grateful for are happier and healthier. It turns out that counting your blessings can actually increase your blessings. My New Year's resolution this year is to write down three moments of joy before I go to bed each night. This simple practice has changed my life. Because no matter what happens each day, I go to sleep thinking of something cheerful. Try it. Start tonight when you have so many fun moments to list— although maybe do it before you hit Kip's and can still remember what they are.
Last month, eleven days before the anniversary of Dave's death, I broke down crying to a friend of mine. We were sitting—of all places—on a bathroom floor. I said: "Eleven days. One year ago, he had eleven days left. And we had no idea." We looked at each other through tears, and asked how we would live if we knew we had eleven days left.
As you graduate, can you ask yourselves to live as if you had eleven days left? I don't mean blow everything off and party all the time— although tonight is an exception. I mean live with the understanding of how precious every single day would be. How precious every day actually is.
A few years ago, my mom had to have her hip replaced. When she was younger, she always walked without pain. But as her hip disintegrated, each step became painful. Now, even years after her operation, she is grateful for every step she takes without pain—something that never would have occurred to her before.
As I stand here today, a year after the worst day of my life, two things are true. I have a huge reservoir of sadness that is with me always—right here where I can touch it. I never knew I could cry so often—or so much.
But I am also aware that I am walking without pain. For the first time, I am grateful for each breath in and out—grateful for the gift of life itself. I used to celebrate my birthday every five years and friends' birthdays sometimes. Now I celebrate always. I used to go to sleep worrying about all the things I messed up that day—and trust me that list was often quite long. Now I try really hard to focus on each day's moments of joy.
It is the greatest irony of my life that losing my husband helped me find deeper gratitude—gratitude for the kindness of my friends, the love of my family, the laughter of my children. My hope for you is that you can find that gratitude—not just on the good days, like today, but on the hard ones, when you will really need it.
There are so many moments of joy ahead of you. That trip you always wanted to take. A first kiss with someone you really like. The day you get a job doing something you truly believe in. Beating Stanford. (Go Bears!) All of these things will happen to you. Enjoy each and every one.
I hope that you live your life—each precious day of it—with joy and meaning. I hope that you walk without pain—and that you are grateful for each step.
And when the challenges come, I hope you remember that anchored deep within you is the ability to learn and grow. You are not born with a fixed amount of resilience. Like a muscle, you can build it up, draw on it when you need it. In that process you will figure out who you really are—and you just might become the very best version of yourself.
Class of 2016, as you leave Berkeley, build resilience.
Build resilience in yourselves. When tragedy or disappointment strike, know that you have the ability to get through absolutely anything. I promise you do. As the saying goes, we are more vulnerable than we ever thought, but we are stronger than we ever imagined.
Build resilient organizations. If anyone can do it, you can, because Berkeley is filled with people who want to make the world a better place. Never stop working to do so—whether it's a boardroom that is not representative or a campus that's not safe. Speak up, especially at institutions like this one, which you hold so dear. My favorite poster at work reads, "Nothing at Facebook is someone else's problem." When you see something that's broken, go fix it.
Build resilient communities. We find our humanity—our will to live and our ability to love—in our connections to one another. Be there for your family and friends. And I mean in person. Not just in a message with a heart emoji.
Lift each other up, help each other kick the shit out of option B—and celebrate each and every moment of joy.
You have the whole world in front of you. I can't wait to see what you do with it.
Congratulations, and Go Bears!
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What's Higgs boson? We, Fermilab try to explain
I grew up in the 1970s, which should explain a lot about my education.
If I recall correctly, only one year of science was required of high schoolers. Being the nerdy child of strict parents, I took three: biology, chemistry and special topics in biology. You'll note "physics" is not on the list.
I suspect many of us are in the same boat, then, when it comes to understanding why it was considered big news a couple of weeks ago that scientists think they have discovered evidence of the existence of the Higgs boson.
As a reporter who covers Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, I've learned the boilerplate about the Higgs boson: Scientists think it gives mass to matter. If matter didn't have mass, gravity couldn't act on it, and matter would just fly around.
I'm suspicious enough about neutrinos, which are so tiny they are invisible but are apparently powerful enough to pass through hundreds of miles of rock from here to be registered at a detector in northern Minnesota. (Unlike, say, my index finger, which couldn't manage to get more than 2 inches into the drought-baked ground the same day as the announcement.)
So where in a clod of dirt do I find the Higgs boson?
And why was the July 4 announcement such a huge deal?

The answers

The announcement was "a pivotal moment" in explaining why things are the way they are, said Don Lincoln, the Fermilab scientist who tries to explain this to the general public and author of "The Quantum Frontier." Lincoln is one of about 1,000 U.S.-based scientists working on the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment being conducted at the Large Hadron Collider in Europe.
If matter did not have mass, we would not have atoms, he said. Without atoms (which make up molecules), there would be no life, he said.
On Earth, we tend to think of mass in terms of weight. But weightless objects in space still have mass. Lincoln suggested thinking of mass in terms of inertia. To move an inert object, a force must be applied.
In 1964, Scottish scientist Peter Higgs theorized that there was an energy field, through which subatomic particles passed and in which an unknown particle (a boson) acted on them, giving them mass. The proposed field and the boson were named after him. Higgs and other scientists outlined how they thought such a boson would behave, including how it would decay.
Scientists have been working to prove or disprove the idea since. And after accelerating protons and smashing them together, they looked at the decay patterns recorded and saw that some looked like Higgs thought they would. If they can prove there is a Higgs boson, then they can prove there is a Higgs field. Prove there is a Higgs field and you complete the Standard Model theory of physics.

Heavy thoughts

Am I in the Higgs field? Does it pass through me?
It is everywhere, Lincoln said.
"Anywhere there is space there is a field. You cannot escape the Higgs field," he said. That includes the spaces inside atoms.
And how would a Higgs boson impart mass? Does it just glom on?
"We like to think of them bouncing off particles, in all directions," making it difficult for the particles to travel, Lincoln said. The particles become inert, and gravity can act on them. How that happens depends on the specific properties of the subject particles. In a video made for Fermilab, he likened it to the difference between a barracuda and a large man swimming through water.
"It is deeply, deeply fundamental," he said. "If you really turned off the Higgs field, the planet would just evaporate."

Big announcement

Scientists have a rating system for the credence of evidence. At a 4.9 sigma rating, the July announcement was pretty close to the "magic threshold" of 5, at which they think there is a 1-in-3.5 million chance the find was a fluke. Think of it like throwing a six-sided die. If it comes up 6 all the time, you would probably conclude the dice was loaded. But it could happen without being loaded.
The experiments at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland and France verified a few properties of what could be a Higgs boson, Lincoln said. They looked at five properties and were able to precisely measure two of them. What they saw behaved just as Higgs thought would happen. The other three are harder to measure, but they "did not do anything silly," Lincoln said.
The particle they think they found has nothing inside of it and has no electrical charge, as predicted.
But couldn't there really be something in there? Maybe another Higgs field, or another particle? And what would make a Higgs boson act the way it does?
It turns out there are people looking into that, Lincoln said.

So what?

Let's say everybody decides they've found the first Higgs boson.
Are there any practical applications? Not likely, Lincoln said.
So why spend nearly 50 years and billions of dollars, euros, lira, yen, rubles, francs and pounds looking for it, including building the Large Hadron Collider?
One answer is you don't know what you may come upon along the way (think Roentgen accidentally discovering the X-ray when he was studying cathode rays or Fleming discovering penicillin after mold infiltrated a bacteria-laden petri dish). And all the tools developed to look for subatomic particles — the particle accelerators, the detectors, the computers — "have tremendous applications," Lincoln said.
For example, look to the cancer-treatment centers that use linear particle accelerators to target tumors. Even the World Wide Web owes its existence to physicists stationed at CERN, who wanted a way to communicate and share data by computer with others around the world without having to cart tapes around.
But science isn't just about practicality. It is about human beings' constant quest to answer the ubiquitous question "why?"
As of July 4, "the universe is less mysterious than it was," Lincoln said.