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Incube Pixel, values its customers and all technically feasible steps are taken to protect their privacy. We do not sell or rent personal information to third parties. In order to demonstrate our commitment to your privacy, we have prepared this statement disclosing the privacy practices for the entire site. Additional terms and conditions, if any, regarding the collection and use of your information may also be provided to you before you sign up for a particular service.
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Environmental management systems. Requirements with guidance for use (British Standard)
ISO 14001:2004 specifies requirements for an environmental management system to enable an organization to develop and implement a policy and objectives which take into account legal requirements and other requirements to which the organization subscribes, and information about significant environmental aspects. It applies to those environmental aspects that the organization identifies as those which it can control and those which it can influence. It does not itself state specific environmental performance criteria.
ISO 14001:2004 is applicable to any organization that wishes to establish, implement, maintain and improve an environmental management system, to assure itself of conformity with its stated environmental policy, and to demonstrate conformity with ISO 14001:2004 by
a) making a self-determination and self-declaration, or
b) seeking confirmation of its conformance by parties having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or
c) seeking confirmation of its self-declaration by a party external to the organization, or
d) seeking certification/registration of its environmental management system by an external organization.
All the requirements in ISO 14001:2004 are intended to be incorporated into any environmental management system. The extent of the application will depend on factors such as the environmental policy of the organization, the nature of its activities, products and services and the location where and the conditions in which it functions.
ISO 14001:2004 also provides, in Annex A, informative guidance on its use.
British Standards Institution [bsi]

subset: commoncrawl


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Someone tweeted to me today:
"myself & 5 friends would have already bought season 3 by now. instead we'll suffer through the season 15min at a time. Question: Do you think we'll buy it at the end of this year?"
My response: "Nope. And that's fine if you don't. You can't buy a TV season before it airs, that's just how it works."
So why is that? Why would we take this route? Simple. Growth.
There are0 Likes, 0 , 0 , 0
SO, here is my blog. I'll put stuff here now and again. Chapter 23 part 1 just about killed me. It was rough. SO, I missed the playdate, and tonight I'm making up for it. I get off work at 5:00 PST, so I wanted to play Portal 2 and get me some multiplayer trophies. You in? There's only room for 1.0 Likes, 0 , 0 , 0
I need a weekend for my weekend. For those of you wondering, this is another episode that's about 25 minutes. This is not going to be a regular thing, only for Chapter 19. Why? I'll address that AFTER the chapter is over. So you can ask then.
We'll be back on our 'normal' lengths soon enough. That might be a disappointment to some but it also takes away from time spent elsewhere. If you want longer, then this needs to become our0 Likes, 0 , 0 , 0
-----Listen to Episode 18-3 BEFORE reading this----
Ok, Monday Morning. The new episode is up. iTunes disabled the ability to ping the podcast using a URL, so I have to wait now for it's location to be pinged by the spiders over at iTunes. No Problem. Oh, look a new review. Let's read.
"Pick up the pace!" 3 Stars - Jellyfish
"I fell in love with this podcast during season 1, the story the acting were all top notch. Season 2's0 Likes, 0 , 0 , 0
Quizzes I've Taken
Quizzes I've Created


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Last week, for the first time, I participated in Halloween Party 2010 hosted by the fantabulous Miss Vanessa over at A Fanciful Twist blog. In my post, I offered a giveaway for the Oreo Pops that were featured in one of the photos from the party.
The winner of these delicioso treats is (DRUMROLL PLEASE.................)
Miss Belinda, send your address my way asap - Halloween's a comin'!
I got a message on FB about two weeks ago from a friend with pictures from his daughters' birthday. He and his wife planned a blowout bash for her with a Cowgirl theme. I really love all that they put into this event from the Wild West themed wooden plaque invitations to the activities like 'Milk the Cow' and 'Pretty Pony'.
Check out the details below....
What a fun party! They also did a fantastic Casino-themed party for his mom's birthday, which I made a cake for this past summer. They might not be in the party plan biz, but they definitely have an option for a fall back plan!!!!
As I begin to 're-fashion' my blog, I'm thinking that a great weekly feature can be a guest party post! What do you think? If you have a unique and fun party you'd like featured on my bloggy-blog - send me an email!


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Estimate Kinetic Parameters from Dynamic Data
Dynamic Parameter Estimation
The reaction of phenolphthalein with a base solution follows the 2 reaction sequence given below.
- Reaction 1:
- Irreversible reaction, fast reaction dynamics
- Ph + 2 OH- => Ph(2-) + 2 H2O
- Reaction 2:
- Reversible, slow reaction dynamics
- Ph(2-) + OH- <=> PhOH(3-)
Reaction 1 is very fast and can be assumed to be instantaneous when the phenolphthalein (Ph) is added to a hydroxide solution. We are considering using phenolphthalein as an indicator to determine the residence time of several large CSTR reactors in a pilot plant. Please determine the kinetic parameters for reaction 2 with respect to phenolphthalein associated with the fading of phenolphthalein in sodium hydroxide solutions (reaction orders, A1, A2, Ea1, and Ea2).
An engineer collected time-varying data for a non-isothermal run and needs you to estimate the kinetic parameters. The temperature ranged from about 60 - 140 degF. In order to appropriately size the reactor vessel, engineers need the kinetic parameters with the associated 95% confidence intervals.
Nonlinear Confidence Intervals
Nonlinear confidence intervals can also be visualized as a function of 2 parameters. In this case, both parameters are simultaneously varied to find the confidence region. The confidence interval is determined with an F-test that specifies an upper limit to the deviation from the optimal solution
with p=2 (number of parameters), n=number of measurements, theta=[parameter 1, parameter 2] (parameters), theta* as the optimal parameters, SSE as the sum of squared errors, and the F statistic that has 3 arguments (alpha=confidence level, degrees of freedom 1, and degrees of freedom 2). For many problems, this creates a multi-dimensional nonlinear confidence region. In the case of 2 parameters, the nonlinear confidence region is a 2-dimensional space. Below is an example that shows the confidence region for the dye fading experiment confidence region for forward and reverse activation energies.
The optimal parameter values are in the 95% confidence region. This plot demonstrates that the 2D confidence region is not necessarily symmetric.


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Tele-ICU Services for Health Care Facilities in Phoenix
Alina Telehealth proudly partners with hospitals, outpatient clinics and other healthcare facilities in Phoenix to provide remote staffing solutions for facilities that wish to provide telehealth services to their patients. Patients receive care when they need it most through secure, HIPAA-compliant video teleconferencing technology or your facility's existing video conferencing software.
Alina Telehealth proudly obtains and supplies healthcare providers for your facility's Telehealth needs.
How Does Tele ICU Work?
Tele-ICU is the diagnosis and treatment of ICU patients through technology such as videoconferencing. This form of Telemedicine effectively allows off-site health care workers to keep an eye on patients in the ICU and assist in critical situations by being a backup resource for facilities that may be understaffed or need additional caregivers. Through video conferencing software, health care professionals can be face-to-face within minutes, allowing at-risk patients to receive the best medical attention easily and quickly. However, it is essential to note that Tele-ICU in Phoenix is a supplement rather than a replacement to the traditional bedside care team.
In rural areas, where medical attention would otherwise be a distant possibility, Tele-ICU has become a powerful way to augment limited resources and use them to save lives every day.
Our Tele-ICU staffing services in Phoenix positively impacts the management of ICU's and healthcare facilities by:
- Providing remote staffing solutions to support on-site staff and offer back up resources
- Allowing for faster, more cost-effective treatment
- Quick reaching patients during emergencies
- Monitoring patients in real-time and adjust treatment plans when necessary
- Improving continuity of care and follow-up
- Increasing the volume of patients that physicians can reach and treat
- Reducing the need for time off work, childcare services and more to access appointments
Why Should You Choose Alina Telehealth's Tele-ICU Staffing Solutions
Alina Telehealth fills the gaps in service by supplying remote staffing solutions for private practices, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities in Phoenix that wish to provide telehealth services to their patients. Through video software, our remote health care specialists help maintain continuity of care for your patients, while meeting and exceeding the highest clinical standards. By breaking down barriers to patient care, such as distance and availability, the overall quality of patient care improves.
When you choose to partner with Alina Telehealth for Tele-ICU Phoenix, we will positively impact your facility and patients —together.
What Sets Us Apart From Other Telemedicine Companies?
In one word – cost. At Alina Telehealth, we offer quality service and help fill existing gaps in service while helping you save money. We offer an array of telemedicine services in Phoenix at a fraction of the cost charged by other providers.
Who We Work With
- Outpatient clinics
- Private practices
- Hospitals – inpatient units and ED's
- Healthcare systems
- Behavioral health providers
- Critical Stabilization Units (CSU's)
- Crisis Residential Units (CRU's)


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Centris Group has been acquired by Frontline Technologies!
By joining a larger organization that serves more than 7,500 school districts, we'll be able to expand our resources to provide even better solutions for special education.
The Proven Leader in State-Specific
Special Education Management and IEP Software
IEP drafting… evaluations and eligibility determination… meeting schedules and invitations… tracking and compliance… due process and procedural safeguards… state special education requirements… state data warehouse reports… confidentiality of information.
Throughout the special education process, the time and burden of administrative tasks and paperwork are growing while staff resources are getting tighter.
IEP Direct is a proven state-specific solution with a track record of saving time and effort, improving compliance and reducing the complexity of managing Special Education programs and IEPs.
There are vast differences in Special Education requirements from state to state. That is why, unlike the products of other companies that offer generic software, IEP Direct is a truly customized state-specific solution. Each state-specific version of IEP Direct is designed to align fully with state requirements. The customization of IEP Direct goes far beyond state-specific forms and reports. Every aspect of the product, content, training and support is state-specific. The result is a truly best-of-class solution that will help you save time, improve compliance and enhance quality. Data can be seamlessly shared between your district's general education student information system and IEP Direct. Instead of the labor-intensive and error-prone process of entering and updating student and guardian demographic records into two systems, IEP Direct automatically updates the information from your general education student information system. In this way, IEP Direct will eliminate redundant data entry, improve data accuracy and save time. Compared to Other Software, IEP Direct is More Closely Aligned with Regulatory Requirements Not only is IEP Direct fully aligned with state-specific requirements, it is also configurable to fit each district's unique needs. IEP Direct provides built-in flexibility and customization capabilities. IEP Direct can be configured to reflect your district's Special Education policies, practices, programs, services, schedules, assessments, assignments, notices, letters, listings/reports and more. As a state-specific and district-configured solution, IEP Direct will help you increase efficiency, enhance quality and improve compliance. Overall Satisfaction With 25 years of experience and a track record of success in more than 700 school districts, IEP Direct is a proven best-of-class product. Web-based IEP Direct has a remarkable 100% client satisfaction rate - we have never lost a school district client. This confirms our commitment to being responsive to clients' needs, providing ongoing customer support and continual product innovation. With IEP Direct, you will have the confidence and trust of working with a company that delivers an unsurpassed level of customer satisfaction. Satisfaction with IEP Direct combines advanced features and technology with an easy-to-use and intuitive design. NO special computer skills are required. Our proven training methodology will prepare you to take full advantage of IEP Direct from day one. IEP Direct was developed from the perspective of Special Education professionals with first-hand knowledge of the challenges you face. As a result, IEP Direct is the easiest-to-learn-and-use product in its class. In fact, 98% of our customers report that IEP Direct is easier to use than other software. IEP Direct is designed from the perspective of educators with 25 years of experience in Special Education software. Our highly qualified Development Team has backgrounds which include: former Directors of Special Education/Special Services, Case Managers, State Education Department Supervisors for Special Education, Psychologists, Service Providers and Teachers. As Special Education practitioners, we understand the real-world challenges you face and design our products and services to meet your needs. How Much Total IEP Direct will produce significant time savings in the administration of your Special Education program. IEP Direct customers report time savings in drafting IEPs, scheduling meetings, generating reports and administering programs ranging from 20% to 50% compared to other software. IEP Direct provides a solution which will pay for itself by increasing efficiency and returning time to teaching. Satisfaction with Our commitment to your satisfaction extends far beyond the product, implementation and training. Our Help Desk staff is a critical component of our service delivery, providing ongoing support to your school district. The Help Desk staff are not only technical experts on IEP Direct, but they also have backgrounds in Special Education. This background helps ensure that they can effectively and efficiently respond to your questions. |


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The Sheer Weightlessness of So Many Sermons—Why Expository Preaching Matters
R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
August 21, 2013
If preaching is central to Christian worship, what kind of preaching are we talking about? The sheer weightlessness of much contemporary preaching is a severe indictment of our superficial Christianity. When the pulpit ministry lacks substance, the church is severed from the word of God, and its health and faithfulness are immediately diminished.
Many evangelicals are seduced by the proponents of topical and narrative preaching. The declarative force of Scripture is blunted by a demand for story, and the textual shape of the Bible is supplanted by topical considerations. In many pulpits, the Bible, if referenced at all, becomes merely a source for pithy aphorisms or convenient narratives.
The therapeutic concerns of the culture too often set the agenda for evangelical preaching. Issues of the self predominate, and the congregation expects to hear simple answers to complex problems. Furthermore, postmodernism claims intellectual primacy in the culture, and even if they do not surrender entirely to doctrinal relativism, the average congregant expects to make his or her own final decisions about all important issues of life, from worldview to lifestyle.
Authentic Christian preaching carries a note of authority and a demand for decisions not found elsewhere in society. The solid truth of Christianity stands in stark contrast to the flimsy pretensions of postmodernity. Unfortunately, the appetite for serious preaching has virtually disappeared among many Christians who are content to have their fascinations with themselves encouraged from the pulpit.
One of the first steps to a recovery of authentic Christian preaching is to define exactly what we mean when we discuss authentic preaching as "exposition." Many preachers claim to be expositors. But in many cases, this means merely that the preacher has a biblical text in mind, no matter how tenuous its relationship to the sermon.
I offer the following definition of expository preaching as a framework for consideration:
Expository preaching is that mode of Christian preaching that takes as its central purpose the presentation and application of the text of the Bible. All other issues and concerns are subordinated to the central task of presenting the biblical text. As the word of God, the text of Scripture has the right to establish both the substance and the structure of the sermon. Genuine exposition takes place when the preacher sets forth the meaning and message of the biblical text and makes clear how the word of God establishes the identity and worldview of the church as the people of God.
Expository preaching begins with the preacher's determination to present and explain the text of the Bible to his congregation. This simple starting point is a major issue of division in contemporary homiletics, for many preachers assume that they must begin with a human problem or question and then work backward to the biblical text. On the contrary, expository preaching begins with the text and works from the text to apply its truth to the lives of believers. If this determination and this commitment are not clear at the outset, something other than expository preaching will result.
The preacher always comes to the text and to the preaching event with many concerns and priorities in mind, many of which are undeniably legitimate and important in their own right. Nevertheless, if genuine exposition of the word of God is to take place, those other concerns must be subordinate to the central and irreducible task of explaining and presenting the biblical text.
Expository preaching is inescapably bound to the serious work of exegesis. If the preacher is to explain the text, he must first study the text. He must devote the hours of study and research necessary to understand the text. Along with his time, the pastor must invest the largest portion of his energy and intellectual engagement to this task of "accurately handling the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15 NASB). There are no shortcuts to genuine exposition. The expositor is not an explorer who returns to tell tales of the journey. He is a guide who leads the people into the text and teaches the arts of Bible study and interpretation, demonstrating these essential disciplines in his preaching.
The expository preacher, moreover, yields to both the content and the shape of the biblical text as the inerrant and infallible word of God, divinely designed and directed. God has spoken through the inspired human authors of Scripture, and each different genre of biblical literature demands that the preacher give careful attention to the text, allowing it to shape the message. Far too many preachers come to the text with a sermonic shape in mind and a limited set of tools in hand. To be sure, the shape of the sermon may differ from preacher to preacher and should differ from text to text. But genuine exposition demands that the text establish the shape as well as the substance of the sermon.
The preacher rises in the pulpit to accomplish one central purpose: to set forth the message and meaning of the biblical text. This requires historical investigation, literary discernment, and the faithful employment of the analogia fidei to interpret the Scriptures by Scripture. It also requires the expositor to reject the modern conceit that what the text meant is not necessarily what it means. If the Bible is truly the enduring and eternal word of God, it means what it meant as it is newly applied in every generation.
Once the meaning of the text is set forth, the preacher moves to application. Application of biblical truth is a necessary task of expository preaching. But application must follow the diligent and disciplined task of explaining the text itself. T. H. L. Parker describes preaching like this: "Expository preaching consists in the explanation and application of a passage of Scripture. Without explanation it is not expository; without application it is not preaching."
Application is absolutely necessary, but it is also fraught with danger. The chief danger may well be the temptation to believe that the preacher can or should manipulate the human heart. The preacher is responsible for setting forth the eternal word of Scripture. Only the Holy Spirit can apply that word to human hearts or even open eyes and ears to understand and receive the meaning of the text.
Every sermon presents the hearer with a forced decision. We will either obey or disobey the word of God. The sovereign authority of God operates through the preaching of his word to demand obedience from his people and to delight them in it. Preaching is the essential instrumentality through which God shapes his people as the Holy Spirit accompanies the word. As the Reformers remind us, it is through preaching that Christ is present among his people.
Next: Three Characteristics of Genuine Expository Preaching.
Last: Expository Preaching: The Antidote to Anemic Worship.
I am always glad to hear from readers and listeners. Write me at email@example.com. Follow regular updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AlbertMohler.
The Expositors Summit 2013 at Southern Seminary—October 29-31
The goal of Christian preaching is nothing less than the glory of God in the Christlikeness of his people. For this reason, The Expositors Summit 2013 at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary will seek to restore the primacy of expository preaching to the pulpits of local churches. Pastors, students, and all who love the Scriptures are invited to come hear Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., H.B. Charles Jr., and Alistair Begg as the keynote speakers (along with other gifted leaders in various seminars).
R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
I am always glad to hear from readers. Write me using the contact form. Follow regular updates on Twitter at @albertmohler.
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Will Steacy's Photographs Not Taken
A Collection Of Photographers Essays
Photographs Not Taken
A Will Steacy Project
Introduction by Lyle Rexer
The Photographs Not Taken is a collection of essays by photographers about the times they didn't use their camera. I have asked the photographers to abandon the conventional tools needed to make a photograph, and, instead, make one using words to describe the memories and experiences that didn't go through the camera lens. Here, the process of making a photograph has been reversed. Instead of looking out into the world through a camera lens, these essays allow us to look directly into the photographer's mind and eye and focus on where the photographs come from in their barest and most primitive form. These mental negatives depict the unedited world and the moments of life that do not exist in a single frame.
-Will Steacy
The Photographs Not Taken features contributions by: Dave Anderson, Timothy Archibald, Roger Ballen, Thomas Bangsted, Juliana Beasley, Nina Berman, Elinor Carucci, Kelli Connell, Paul D'Amato, Tim Davis, KayLynn Deveney, Doug Dubois, Rian Dundon, Amy Elkins, Jim Goldberg, Emmet Gowin, Gregory Halpern, Tim Hetherington, Todd Hido, Rob Hornstra, Eirik Johnson, Chris Jordan, Nadav Kander, Ed Kashi, Misty Keasler, Lisa Kereszi, Erika Larsen, Shane Lavalette, Deana Lawson, Joshua Lutz, David Maisel, Mary Ellen Mark, Laura McPhee, Michael Meads, Andrew Moore, Richard Mosse, Zwelethu Mthethwa, Laurel Nakadate, Ed Panar, Christian Patterson, Andrew Phelps, Sylvia Plachy, Mark Power, Peter Riesett, Simon Roberts, Joseph Rodriguez, Stefan Ruiz, Matt Salacuse, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Aaron Schuman, Jamel Shabazz, Alec Soth, Amy Stein, Mark Steinmetz, Joni Sternbach, Hank Willis Thomas, Brian Ulrich, Peter Van Agtmael, Massimo Vitali, Hiroshi Watanabe, Alex Webb, and Rebecca Norris Webb.
Book Details:
Published By Daylight, 2012
5 ½ x 8 inches
232 pages


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Based on the manga by Miyabi Tsuzuru.
Glossy mother taboo
Misako is married for one year. I came to the Amamiya family as a wife after my husband Yosuke.
Her busy husband won't get in the middle of the night, and her frustration is only accumulating.
One day, one prank call to her …
At first I decided to ignore
"Instinct" as a "woman" begins to aching on a reckless phone call that is repeated, and it is turned into a telephone SEX.
From there she suddenly fell into a lusty valley ….
Kazuhiko has a big crush on his stepmother, or rather, he wants to have sex with her. Since he can't just ask it from her directly nor force it on her, he comes up with quite a devious plan, step by step leading him closer to his goal. But in the end, his stepmother won't be enough for him…


text:
Kevin Whitehead
Kevin Whitehead is the jazz critic for NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Currently he reviews for The Audio Beat and Point of Departure.
Whitehead's articles on jazz and improvised music have appeared in such publications as Point of Departure, the Chicago Sun-Times, Village Voice, Down Beat, and the Dutch daily de Volkskrant.
He is the author of Play the Way You Feel: The Essential Guide to Jazz Stories on Film (2020), Why Jazz: A Concise Guide (2010), New Dutch Swing (1998), and (with photographer Ton Mijs) Instant Composers Pool Orchestra: You Have to See It (2011).
His essays have appeared in numerous anthologies including Da Capo Best Music Writing 2006, Discover Jazz and Traveling the Spaceways: Sun Ra, the Astro-Black and Other Solar Myths.
Whitehead has taught at Towson University, the University of Kansas and Goucher College. He lives near Baltimore.


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As the countdown to Poland and The Ukraine builds momentum and the scene is set for the biggest of football showdowns, Nike is introducing the 'Nike Clash Collection', which is available here.
Some of the world's best players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta, Wayne Rooney and Gerard Pique will step out in this new collection of boots, deliver striking style and performance for this summer's tournament.
Nike's Mercurial Vapor VIII, CTR360 Maestri II, T90 Laser IV and Tiempo Legend IV boots will feature a color clash design of traditional white with a bold second color signifying each boots style to stand out on pitch.
Sign in or create an account to earn points for voting, keep track of your reviews, edit them, and more.
Buy Football t-shirts at footytees.com - New shirts every week
The boots will be debuted by Nike players in Munich on 19 May. Then worn by national team players in Poland and the Ukraine and later in the summer during competition.
The Nike Clash Collection delivers performance engineering for every style of player. The individual boots are sparked by specific color finished with a white toe upper to create a distinctive yet common theme across the collection. Each chosen color reflects the expression and playing style of each boot, with Mercurial Vapor VIII featuring a solar red for explosive speed, CTR360 Maestri II blue glow for the assured midfielder, T90 Laser IV electric green for the deadly striker and Tiempo Legend IV black for effortless and classic style.
"The clash of traditional white with very modern and youthful colors will make a really powerful and disruptive statement on pitch," said Andrew Caine, Nike Global Creative Director for Football Footwear. "The Nike Clash Collection delivers highly engineered boots with sharp color contrast reflecting the clash of rivalries and competition we will see this summer. We're celebrating that with distinctive and stand out color."
The Nike Clash Collection builds on Nike's relentless focus on product design and innovation. Combining the latest lightweight materials, plate engineering and upper construction each boot meets the demands of today's more technical and physical game.
Mercurial Vapor VIII
Re-engineered boot built for explosive speed.
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Thursday, June 26, 2008
Which side are you (really) on?
CareGroup, which is the holding company comprising BIDMC (and BID~Needham), Mt. Auburn Hospital, and New England Baptist Hospital recently successfully sold about $500 million in bonds. See below. These bonds were issued under the auspices of the MA Health and Educational Facilities Authority (MA HEFA), which is the designated public agency for coordinating the issuance of tax-exempt bonds by schools, hospitals, and other non-profit entities in the state.
The proceeds of the bonds will be used for a number of purposes, including financing a new wing of Mt. Auburn Hospital, a variety of capital improvements at NE Baptist, new patient rooms and an expanded emergency department at BID~Needham. In addition, proceeds were used to refund variable interest auction-rate securities that, because of turmoil in the capital markets, had seen dramatically increased interest rates. Like many other institutions, CareGroup was seeking to replace those bonds with more secure fixed-rate securities.
SEIU appeared at MA HEFA and tried to interfere with the issuance of these bonds. Oh, not by directly saying they should not be issued, but by presenting misleading and inaccurate arguments about our hospital's finances and accounting procedures and auditing processes procedures in the hope of derailing the approval. Fortunately, the highly professional staff and board at MA HEFA found no merit in SEIU's arguments.
Then SEIU tried to stop the Governor's office from signing off on these bonds. The Governor has to sign an affirmation called a TEFRA (Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982) certificate, that the bonds are consistent with the public standards of tax-exempt financing. Fortunately, the professional staff in the Executive Branch conducted their own due diligence, and the certificate was signed. (As I recall, in all these years, a Governor has only once turned down a request for financing once it has been approved by MA HEFA.)
I have mentioned below that SEIU tries to arrogate to itself the powers and authority of designated public agencies. It uses the argument that it is a concerned player in the health care arena, specifically noting its interest in "healthcare costs and accessibility," and therefore has a right or obligation to intervene in these matters.
Let's be clear. SEIU's rights and obligations are not the issue, and we should not be distracted on that point. However, its actions belie its words. If SEIU has a real concern about the cost and accessibility of health care, how does that square with its attempts to derail bona fide financial transactions that seek to expand access to health care facilities and stabilize or reduce their costs? And, notably, when its arguments were not persuasive in a public forum in front of a state agency, it attempted to use behind-the-scenes influence in the Governor's office.
This is not the first time SEIU has intervened in such matters. It has done so elsewhere in the country when it is engaged in corporate campaigns.
SEIU may seek to change the topic, saying this is about changing the process by which unions are certified. That is an issue that will continue to be debated. But the manner of seeking such change matters, and it matters a lot. When the union itself tries to undermine the mission of hospitals, particularly those non-profit hospitals governed by community leaders, it does so at the risk of harming those very purposes it purports to espouse.
There have been many reports about the huge amounts of dollars being spent by the SEIU to influence races for elected offices throughout the US, from local to national elections. (Here's but one example.) When are reporters going to start asking the question of those candidates receiving support: "Do you agree with the tactics used by the SEIU in conducting corporate campaigns against hospitals?" And, "What promises have been made in return for those donations?"
As a friend of mine recently wrote to his local elected representatives:
"As your constituent, I received the flier from SEIU thanking your help for the union's organizing PCAs (personal care assistants) in Massachusetts. I know it's nice as an elected official to get a no-cost endorsement mailed to your constituents.
"But, is the mailing really at no cost to you, in terms of your ongoing political judgments? I read today in the NY Times that SEIU is setting up a $10 million fund to punish elected officials who fail to maintain pro-union positions. Are you now in the position of having to say yes to SEIU every time they come in the door?"
13 comments:
It is deeply disturbing to learn of the depths to which the SEIU will sink in an effort to forward their own agenda. Their attempts to derail your financing for no purpose other than demonstrating their power reveals a contempt not only for the employers who they oppose but for the members they purport to represent.
- June 26, 2008 1:44 PM
Thank you for your frank and gusty exposures of SEIU -- and for the warnings you've given the rest of us on their playbook. As one who works in health care communications at a hospital network that has become a target of SEIU, I'm often frustrated by how little we can say and how carefully we must say it for fear of getting crosswise of the NLRB. I too am waiting for journalists to ask at what cost do they align themselves with SEIU.
Please keep it up. - June 26, 2008 5:31 PM
- e-Patient Dave said...
I unsubscribed to all MoveOn.org mailings because of their getting in bed with SEIU and calling them "progressive." I wrote to them clearly stating my concern - months ago - about their power tactics and the probability that any support from such a group would come with nasty demands later.
I quoted JFK's inaugural address: "remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside."
Now we hear about the "accountability fund." Who would have thought the strong-arming would start now?
Obama, be very, very careful. If they'll stop at nothing to gather power (including outright lies about good organizations that actually live progressive values), imagine whose pocket you'll be in after the election, and how uncomfortable it might get.
This scares me, actually. How eerie that in 2005 the SEIU quit the AFL-CIO... in tandem with Jimmy Hoffa Jr's Teamsters.
I've written to the Obama campaign, too. No response from MoveOn or them.
I wonder if Obama knows, and if not, who can reach him. - June 26, 2008 11:15 PM
What is really remarkable to me is the complete lack of commentary on this topic by the other Boston hospital CEOs and healthcare players like the insurance companies, etc. Doesn't this impact them, too? I find it very strange that people seem to be so cowed.
- June 27, 2008 10:07 AM
A long time ago unions were essential. In some industries, maybe they still are. But If I really cared about worker conditions, I would move somewhere else in the world. Unionization of well treated workers is a waste of everybody's time and money, MOST OF ALL the workers. Imagine having to pay dues that you know are going to politicians you may or may not support. THAT ought to be illegal.
I guess I don't trust any union in a suit and tie.
Please keep it up. Let the others sit around and let this happen like they always do. Well done. - June 27, 2008 12:37 PM
Accurate and to the point (having worked on some of these issues). I agree that it is a sad comment on the media when issues such as this do not get the public attention they deserve. Let's hope blogs such as this become more and more effective.
- June 27, 2008 3:17 PM
- Rand Wilson said...
This blog is a one-sided -- and predictable -- chorus for management. You are dodging the real issue: All workers must be able to make a free and fair decision about forming a union. In health care, it's especially important that management tactics don't distract anyone from providing quality care and that no scarce health care dollars are wasted by hospital management on interfering in a decision that is only up the workers to make.
Boston's hospital management has a long and sordid history of illegally interfering in union elections and of spending enormous sums of money to prevent workers from having a real voice at work.
Because of that shameful track record, SEIU's efforts are absolutely necessary. (Full disclosure: I know first hand about management's behavior because I worked as a health care organizer from 1999 to 2004.) - June 27, 2008 4:34 PM
The Union is certainly not on the side of patients, the health care system or society in general. Attempting to kill the bond issue is an attempt to keep the hospitals from expanding, providing health care and, perhaps most important, keeping jobs from expansion. This negatively affects their own interests, the interests of other unions and the interests of the state in creating jobs!
- June 27, 2008 9:11 PM
Well, Rand, you did exactly as I predicted:
"SEIU may seek to change the topic, saying this is about changing the process by which unions are certified. That is an issue that will continue to be debated. But the manner of seeking such change matters, and it matters a lot. When the union itself tries to undermine the mission of hospitals, particularly those non-profit hospitals governed by community leaders, it does so at the risk of harming those very purposes it purports to espouse."
Your comment suggests that you believe that the means justify the ends. Odd, in that this is the very kind of rationalization against which you are arguing with regard to purported management behavior. - June 27, 2008 9:23 PM
- e-Patient Dave said...
Rand, you have no idea what you're talking about. Do you realize, this makes you and SEIU look ignorant? (I'm guessing this is Rand Wilson.)
Anyone who reads this blog (which you apparently claim to, since you assert you know what it is) knows that it's a one-sided chorus for improvement of healthcare, without a whit of suppression of anyone. If you disagree, go find me a set of posts that prove your assertion.
You know, you do such an injustice to all of organized labor when you spray accusations in places where they simply don't belong. Do your homework! Like: since you assert that management here is interfering with patient care, can you tell us what the SPIRIT program is and list ten of its achievements in its first months, then say who initiated it?
Can you name which hospitals in Boston are so committed to care quality that they're posting their own error rates and openly disclosing the processes they're using to improve, for all (including competitors and all workers) to see?
Have you ever been in a hospital and undergone a procedure (central line catheterization, in my case) that you've read about on a blog, and discussed with the doctor and nurse the shared initiative that's underway to reduce infections?
If you haven't, then what the hell are you talking about?
Careful with your answer - thousands are watching. Maybe even some columnists. - June 27, 2008 9:40 PM
The SEIU are a despicable group. Their arrogance in health care matters are astounding. I'm curious if they were always like this??
- June 29, 2008 12:10 PM
Union interference with hospital financing isn't the worst of it. I worked at a hospital where the union (1199) did everything in its power to disrupt our quality improvement initiative because it threatened their hegemony over work flow. 1199's answer to every quality issue was "hire more union workers". They prohibited union members from discussing work flow issues without union leaders present. This killed the improvement process, because union leaders prioritized preservation of union jobs, rather than quality, safety or cost. It also cut off the flow of ideas from line workers, to the detriment of the improvement initiative and worker satisfaction. Hospital management cut a Faustian bargain and allowed this to happen to the detriment of the safety of their patients. Unionization poses the greatest threat to improving the quality of the health care system. Health care needs leadership like you, Paul, with courage and vision.
- June 30, 2008 4:24 AM
The voice and influence of health care safety and quality organizations, such as Institute of Healthcare Improvement, and of academics and insurance providers on the problem of quality of care has increased dramatically in the last decade. If union hierarchies suppress innovative quality improvement from management or from the ranks, are these organizations silent on the matter? Safety and efficiency of care are central to the Institute of Medicine's reports on hospital improvements. Are there data comparing the quality of different labor structured hospitals? Such data would reveal the ruse.
- June 30, 2008 10:12 AM


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Levels 6 - 8 [Rating 1600-2200] Opening
This course is aimed at club and intermediate players and presents the theory and playing hooks in the most sharp and deciding variations of the Benko (Volga) gambit.
The course presents a deep theoretical and practical overview of the actual variations. More than new exercises provide a great opportunity to reinforce your knowledge.
The original name of the opening was the Volga Gambit, named after the Volga River because of an article about 3...b5!? by B. Argunow written in Kuibyshev (Samara since 1991), Russia, that was published in the second 1946 issue of the magazine Schachmaty in USSR. The term is still widely used in Russian literature. Beginning in the late 1960s, this opening idea was also promoted by Pal Benko, a Hungarian-American Grandmaster, who provided many new suggestions and published his book The Benko Gambit in 1974. The name Benko Gambit stuck and is particularly used in English-speaking countries.
Naturally, at one time or another, this gambit was also used by many famous chess players, including former world champions Viswanathan Anand, Garry Kasparov, Veselin Topalov and Mikhail Tal, and Grandmasters Vassily Ivanchuk, Michael Adams, Alexei Shirov, Boris Gelfand, and Evgeny Bareev.


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Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the public today. He said peace talks with Ukraine are at a, quote, "dead end." This comes as Russia prepares for a new offensive in eastern Ukraine. Military experts say Ukraine has been remarkably nimble countering Russia. But the upcoming offensive is expected to be much more focused and much more bloody. And that raises questions about Ukraine's ability to withstand this next phase of war.
NPR's Brian Mann is in Ukraine's western city of Lviv, and he joins us now. Hi, Brian.
BRIAN MANN, BYLINE: Hi, Daniel.
ESTRIN: Tell us more about what Putin said today.
MANN: Well, he described Russia's goals in Ukraine as noble and said peace negotiations are now at a dead end. You know, the world's seen growing evidence in recent days of atrocities against civilians committed by Russian troops. But Putin described those allegations as fake. He said those accusations actually make future peace talks impossible.
ESTRIN: Brian, another big development today - Ukrainian officials say they've arrested one of Putin's closest allies in Ukraine. Tell us more about that.
MANN: Yeah, Viktor Medvedchuk is an oligarch who's been closely linked to Putin for years. Putin is actually the godfather of Medvedchuk's daughter. Medvedchuk was one of the most influential pro-Russian figures here. Ukrainian officials haven't released a lot of details about this but say he was captured during a nighttime raid. And they've released a photograph of Medvedchuk wearing a military uniform.
ESTRIN: Wow. Meanwhile, there is still fighting in the southeastern port city of Mariupol. The battle there has not stopped since the war began. So what is the latest from Mariupol?
MANN: It's desperate. Fighting has been intense for the last 48 days. Ukrainian forces trapped there posted on Facebook that they've run out of supplies and haven't been reinforced. The mountain of wounded makes up almost half of the crew, the Marines said in their post; gradually, we are coming to an end. The Ukrainian Marines predict the rest of their force will be killed or captured soon if they don't get more assistance. And this comes a day after Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Mariupol has been effectively destroyed with tens of thousands of people killed there by the Russians.
ESTRIN: Wow. And as we said, Russia is expected to escalate its campaign in eastern Ukraine. And Russia appointed a new general to lead the offensive. So what are Ukrainians doing to prepare?
MANN: Yeah, Zelenskyy talked about this in his latest address and said the Ukrainian military is scrambling right now to shore up frontline units that will face this attack. He said despite weeks of sometimes intense fighting, their forces are still battle ready. But Zelenskyy also acknowledged that his army lacks a lot of the things, the heavy equipment, that these frontline fighters need.
PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: (Speaking Ukrainian).
MANN: Zelenskyy says that Ukraine can resist this attack and even lift the siege of Mariupol. But they need jets and heavy armored vehicles and artillery.
ESTRIN: Brian, what do we know about who is actually leading Ukraine's military in this fight?
MANN: Yeah, he's a guy who's kept a very low profile during this war. His name is General Valerii Zaluzhnyi. I spoke with Yohann Michel, a military analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and he told me Zaluzhnyi, who trained with NATO forces, has been working with other Ukrainian commanders for years to prepare his country's army for this conflict, since 2014, in fact. And that's when Russia invaded Crimea. Michel told me that Zaluzhnyi has helped produce a fighting force with really high morale that's also nimble and able to adapt quickly.
YOHANN MICHEL: It's almost a showcase of how you should adapt to a situation in wartime. It's a really impressive organization that has been able to achieve that.
MANN: Michel told me that Ukraine created a quick response force within the army that's super mobile that can respond quickly when there are problem areas. They've been rotating soldiers home to rest, so they'll be fresh when this offensive begins. And they've been working to get a lot of those new weapons provided by the U.S. and other countries into soldiers' hands.
ESTRIN: Well, is Ukraine prepared for this next, more violent phase of war?
MANN: Yeah, it's a big question now. And I asked Yohann Michel about this. He says everyone, including himself, underestimated Ukraine's strength. But Michel also thinks this next phase of the war will be a much harder test, especially if Russians stop making those big strategic mistakes.
MICHEL: So if the Russians are getting better with more achievable objectives, the fight will be difficult for the Ukrainian armed forces. But I'm saying difficult, not impossible.
MANN: And I should say, Daniel, all the Ukrainians I talk to here say they are convinced that their country will win this fight.
ESTRIN: NPR's Brian Mann in Lviv, Ukraine. Thanks, Brian.
MANN: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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The mission of the School of Education is to cultivate effective leaders and impactful educators in their fields by promoting collaborative, applied learning opportunities through exemplary teaching, research and service
The School of Education (SOE) faculty and staff have the vision of preparing teachers and other professional educators who are reflective practitioners and engage in evidence-based practice.
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Excellence in teaching within high-quality, student-centered undergraduate and graduate education programs involving active learning and appropriate technology; therefore, we will:
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Collaborative Relationships with business, industry, education, community and government; therefore, we will:
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Growth and Development of students, faculty, and staff through active participation in university and professional communities; therefore, we will:
- Participate in service at the school and university levels
- Engage in professional development
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Master's degree programme Forestry System Transformation (FST) (M.Sc.)
ŌĆŗŌĆŗŌĆŗŌĆŗŌĆŗŌĆŗŌĆŗIn the era of bioeconomy and ŌĆ£green growthŌĆØ, it concerns expanding the product portfolio as well as the production of wood. The focus in terms of cultivation should be placed specifically on such forest ecosystem goods and services that have not been previously valued by the markets: the forestŌĆÖs protection and control functions as well as its recreation and health function.
The ecosystem functions and services, such as biodiversity protection and climate protection, protection against avalanches, keeping air and water clean, and also the aesthetic and health-promoting benefits of the forest, are recorded and analysed from a strong socio-economic and innovative perspective so that they can be fed into political and economic decision making processes from the company level to international political agenda setting. Throughout the programme, from scientific discussions, political debates, studies of new market systems and premises to the studentŌĆÖs own practical transformation project, the students are exposed to strategies to promote innovations from new wood products to political transformation processes.
Objectives of the degree programme:
The students shall develop an understanding of the impact of the changing conditions and changing use of forest resources on forest ecosystems, ecosystem goods and services (EG&S) and the connected value-added chain.
By developing solutions, for example how conflicts of use in (forestry) practice can be dealt with, graduates are given the skills to recognise such and other trends, to initiate processes of change, to critically examine, to monitor and to actively participate. Chances and limitations of market, state and network-based solution strategies for forestry and environmental governance are covered in detail.
Content of the degree programme:
The following four topics form the focus of the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary FST degree programme:
- New approaches to the management of forests (in terms of planning, IT implementation, technical-logistics and silviculture)
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[](/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/01/000.jpg)Originally published by the Jerusalem Post.
During a press conference with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, an Israeli reporter asked Prime Minister Stephen Harper, "Is Canada paying a price for being so supportive of Israel? Is it possible to support Israel and still have ties to the Arab world?"
This question goes to the heart of what is generally perceived as Israel's greatest weakness. The Arab boycott of Israel and of countries doing business with Israel has served as one of the most potent weapons in the anti-Israel arsenal for over a generation. Indeed, since the OPEC oil embargo in 1974, it has been the Arabs' single most powerful weapon in their unceasing campaign for the destruction of the Jewish state.
It was Arab economic bullying that forced African nations to cut their ties with the Jewish state.
It was the Arab use of the oil weapon after the 1973 Yom Kippur War that convinced Western Europe to end its diplomatic support for Israel and throw in with the PLO.
More than anything else, it is the Arab economic boycott of companies that do business with Israel that has eroded Israel's diplomatic standing over the past two generations and transformed the only human rights respecting democracy in the Middle East into an international pariah.
And yet, under Stephen Harper, as the noose of international isolation is drawn around Israel's neck more tightly every day, Canada has emerged as an outspoken supporter and defender of the Jewish state.
So in essence, the Israeli reporter's question to Harper could easily be rephrased as, "Are you crazy?" Harper responded to the question by rejecting its premises – that the Arab world behaves as a bloc, and that standing up for your convictions is a losing proposition when those convictions involve taking unpopular stands.
As he put it, "I wouldn't want to say there is no price, but my general view of the world is that people respect your view, if you express it appropriately and they understand it's genuine….The fact of the matter is, Canada has deep relations with many Arab countries…. And frankly [there are] many matters where we probably far more often agree than disagree. So look, I don't think it's automatically the view that if you have a particular issue where you disagree, that this needs to rupture relationships irrevocably."
In other words, what Harper acknowledged was that yes, Canada has lost contracts in some Arab countries due to its support for Israel. But by and large, it hasn't taken a serious hit.
The obvious follow-up question would have been to ask if Canada gains anything from its support for Israel that can compensate for the economic hits it takes for it.
The answer to that question is yes, Canada, and other countries that support Israel now, when such support is more notable than it was in the past, do gain significantly from their actions. This is true on two levels.
First, economically, Israel is in a far different position than it was 20 years ago. During Harper's visit, Canada and Israel updated their free trade agreement and signed a number of other agreements enhancing cooperation in multiple fields.
As Netanyahu said, "I think that cooperation makes us both stronger and more prosperous and more secure countries."
Canada isn't alone in recognizing the economic potential of good ties with Israel. Consider Norway.
For the past 15 years, Norway has distinguished itself as a trailblazer in the European bid to isolate Israel politically and wage economic warfare against it. Norway was among the first European countries to divest from Israeli companies.
Its trade unions have been leading purveyors of anti-Israel propaganda and economic warfare.
Last fall Norway elected a new conservative government. And under the leadership of Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Norway is seeking to rebuild its ties with Israel. Just after the election, the Israeli embassy in Oslo hosted a meeting of Norwegian and Israeli businessmen. Norway's new finance minister is interested in cooperation between Norway's oil industry and Israel's new natural gas sector.
Norway's new minister of culture, Thorhild Widvey, held a workshop for 160 Norwegian television producers with Israeli producers who successfully sold Israeli series to the US market.
Disowning the boycott Israel movement, Widvey said, "We don't see the boycott as an effective tool to promote positive change."
Today, the economies of the Arab world are collapsing. Fracking technologies are lowering demand for Middle Eastern oil. Political instability is drying up foreign investment and tourism.
And local universities are incapable of producing graduates able to function in the global economy.
As a consequence, the Arabs' capacity to intimidate governments into rejecting the economic benefits Israel has to offer is steadily decreasing.
Israel's ability to compensate for potential loss of Arab business is not the main reason why supporting Israel helps Canada. Far more importantly for Canada, support for Israel gives Ottawa a say in global affairs. Canada today has the power to shape the global agenda to a degree it never had before.
Until Harper came along, Canada's foreign policy was mainly characterized by Ottawa's enthusiasm for all UN-related things. But Canada's involvement in the UN never bought it a place at the table.
Down south in Washington, to the extent anyone thought about Canada at all outside the contexts of oil, beer and hockey, it was considered a run-of-the-mill NATO ally which occasionally expressed mild hostility to US power.
Under Harper's leadership, Canada has become a player in the global arena for the first time. And this achievement owes in large part to his decision to support Israel.
Since the US became the leader of the free world at the end of World War II, several of its loyal allies built up their international position by exerting moral leadership and so convincing – through inspiration or shame – Washington to follow their example.
Britain is the prime example of this model.
Both Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher won Britain a place at the table by staking out moral and strategic positions on Communism and other issues that the US was unable to reject without openly breaking with its own interests and stated goals.
Israel has also managed to stake out a position on the global stage – currently on the issue of Iran's nuclear weapons program – by pointing out the contradictions between the US's national interest of cultivating a stable Middle East and its current policy of mollycoddling the mullahs in Tehran while facilitating their nuclear weapons program.
By standing with Israel, Canada is filling a part of the leadership vacuum that the Obama administration has created by stepping away from the US's responsibilities as the leader of the free world. From the G8 to the UN and beyond, Canada's support for Israel has enabled Ottawa to influence US and European policy to a degree it never has before.
Canada's enhanced moral stature was demonstrated this week with UNESCO's abrupt decision to cancel the opening of an exhibition on the Jewish people's 3,500-year history in the Land of Israel that was scheduled to open at UNESCO's Paris Headquarters on Sunday.
Canada, Israel and Montenegro co-sponsored the exhibition which was organized jointly by the Simon Wiesenthal Center and UNESCO.
On January 9, the US rejected the Wiesenthal Center's request for US co-sponsorship.
Kelly Siekman, director of the Office of UNESCO Affairs at the State Department wrote, "At this sensitive juncture in the ongoing Middle East peace process, and after thoughtful consideration with review at the highest levels, we have made the decision that the United States will not be able to co-sponsor the current exhibit during its display at UNESCO headquarters."
In other words, the Obama administration opted to reject the historical fact that the Jews are the indigenous people of the Land of Israel in order to promote a peace process with the PLO, which, like the Arab world in general, rejects historical fact in its bid to delegitimize with the aim of destroying the Jewish state.
Five days after Siekman rejected the Wiesenthal Center's request, the Arab members of UNESCO wrote a letter to UNESCO President Irina Bokova demanding that the exhibition be canceled in the interest of the peace process. Bokova quickly bowed to their will, in the interest of the peace process.
While the administration was quick to condemn UNESCO's decision, it was left stuttering when the media discovered that UNESCO's actions were of a piece with the administration's own policy decision.
The administration's embarrassment at this revelation was exponentially amplified by the fact that its duplicity, hypocrisy and preference for political expedience over historical facts came to light while Harper was in Israel, since unlike the Obama administration, the Harper government did co-sponsor the canceled exhibition.
Harper emerged from the UNESCO affront to the historical record as an unrivaled force of conscience and as a moral leader on a world stage populated by opportunists, at best. His position served as a warning to the US that its sacrifice of truth on the altar of the peace process will not go unnoticed.
Canada, it should be noted, is not the only country whose support for Israel is distinguishing it as a moral leader and facilitating its rise to a position of global influence. Australia's new center-right Liberal government is also making a name for itself by rejecting anti-Israel nostrums that have become accepted wisdom despite the fact that they are based on lies.
For years, the false Arab claim that Israeli communities beyond the 1949 armistice lines are illegal under international law has gone unchallenged.
But last week, Australian Foreign Minister Julia Bishop dropped a bombshell when, in an interview with The Times of Israel, she broke from the consensus of mendacity saying, "I would like to see which international law has declared them illegal."
Statements by Australian foreign ministers seldom receive global coverage. But Bishop's did.
And the more outspoken Australia is in its support for Israel and rejection of the discourse of lies that characterizes the discussion of Israel, the more attention Australia will get and the more influential it will become on the world stage.
Like Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Harper's decision to support Israel is rooted in his most deeply held convictions about right and wrong. There is nothing opportunistic about his policy.
It is therefore wonderful and empowering that by staying true to his beliefs, Harper is also transforming Canada into a force to be reckoned with on the global stage. Moreover, he is setting an example that will likely be followed by more and more countries, as the benefits of his embrace of Israel become widely recognized.
Caroline Glick's new book, The Israeli Solution: A One-State Plan for Peace in the Middle East, is due out on March 4._
Freedom Center pamphlets now available on Kindle: Click here.


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General availability: Fast Failover and TCP Probing in Azure Traffic Manager
Published date: June 15, 2017
Two new features in Azure Traffic Manager are now generally available.
Fast Failover: You can choose to have faster redirection of your users away from an endpoint that has become unhealthy. Specifically, you can:
- Choose a shorter interval of 10 seconds for Traffic Manager to check endpoint health status (versus the default 30 seconds).
- Configure the number of tolerated failures (0–9) that should happen consecutively before endpoint is marked as unhealthy.
- Configure the time-out interval for each probe attempt (5–9 seconds if the probe interval is 10 seconds, and 5–10 seconds if probe interval is 30 seconds).
- Set the TTL response all the way down to zero.
Choosing to use the fast interval of 10 seconds for the health checks costs an extra $1 per endpoint per month for checking Azure endpoints, and an extra $2 per endpoint per month for checking external endpoints. Please visit the Azure Traffic Manager pricing page for more details.
TCP Probing: You can choose to have Azure Traffic Manager determine your endpoints' health by listening to responses for a TCP connection request. You can then add to Traffic Manager profiles those endpoints that do not have the ability to respond to HTTP health checks, such as back-end databases. This feature helps you reduce the resource usage in your endpoints because it typically has a lower overhead. There is no additional charge for using this feature.
You can access the settings for Fast Failover and TCP Probing by using the Azure portal, PowerShell, CLI, and REST APIs/SDKs.
To start using these features, see the endpoint monitoring documentation for Azure Traffic Manager.


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BEST Orange Olive Oil & Almond Cake
It's winter. Time for those wonderful citrus fruits (since nothing else is growing).
And yes, here is another citrus cake made with olive oil, I am always on the quest for the best one.
Well, after all these years of searching, I think I have finally found the winner.
The original recipe is from The Rose Bakery cookbook (where that gorgeous Pistachio Cake is from) and so far, all of their baked goods have been special.
Molly from Orangette made this, but reduced the amount of eggs and oranges, so I followed her lead. I only had clementines in the fridge, so that is what I used and they were just fine.
This turned out a super moist cake with almost a marmalade flavor.
Molly suggests toasting your almonds till almost brown to give a nice fragrance and beautiful brown flecks. She was right.
I suggest you start the cake the day before serving it. In the morning, boil your citrus fruits (I know, weird), and toast and chop the nuts, so all you have to do before baking is mix up the ingredients and put in the oven.
My cake started to get too dark after 40 minutes, so I covered it loosely with foil to save the day. It's ok if it is dark, since you are going to cover the top with some nice powdered sugar anyway.
This is REALLY DELICIOUS and one of those gorgeous cakes that I love to bake (and eat).
Orange & Olive Oil Cake (adapted from Rose Bakery & Orangette):
1 medium orange (I used 2 clementines!)
1 lemon
6 ounces raw almonds
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
4 large eggs, ideally at room temperature
1/2 tsp. table salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup olive oil (use Colavita extra virgin or Whole Foods 365 brand...both are very mild)
Confectioners' sugar, for serving
Here's the schedule:
The morning of baking, toast the almonds and simmer the citrus.
I do mine in a toaster oven, but the recipe says to do it in the oven on a baking sheet. The toaster oven gets my nuts nice and golden (watch so they don't burn).
In a food processor, pulse the nuts until they resemble coarse sand. Set aside for later.
In a small saucepan, place the lemon and orange (or 2 clementines) in boiling water and turn down the heat and simmer the fruit for 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, slice the lemon in half and remove and discard all the pulp and seeds (so only the soft shell or rind is left).
Slice the oranges in half and remove only the seeds, if any, RESERVING the pulp and juice of the orange.
Place the oranges and the lemon rind in the same food processor and pulse to a coarse paste.
Now you can go shopping or take a shower; go to work; or get a facial, or go to yoga. You can bake later.
The night before serving: (this cake gets better with age)
In a large bowl, mix the sugar with the eggs and the ground almonds. Add the flour, salt and baking powder and combine.
Add the fruit and incorporate, folding in the olive oil last. See how easy that was?
Butter a 9" springform pan and heat the oven to 350F.
Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake for 50-55 minutes. If the cake is getting too dark (which mine did), then cover loosely w/ foil the last few minutes of baking. Keep an eye on it, because the recipe called for 1 hour, but mine was done a bit earlier. Let fully rest and cool in the pan before removing the ring (at least 30 minutes).
Dust with powdered sugar and try to resist taking a slice until tomorrow a.m.
Pin It


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Heater Repair, Maintenance, Installation and More Delaware County PA Whiting Services Heating and Air
Don't wait another minute in the cold! Contact us now! https://whitingservicesllc.com/services/heat-repair/
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Seasonal use and ordinary wear and tear can and do occur over the lifespan of your home or business's heating system. Consistently inspecting, maintaining, and repairing it can extend that lifespan. Not only that, but it can help keep your indoor climate more comfortable, all while saving you money by lowering your utility costs.
Let's face it — from a malfunctioning heat pump to a furnace on the fritz and everything in between, it never happens at a convenient time when your heating system goes down. Winter is here in and around the Blue Bell, PA region can be brutally cold, with fierce winds and frigid temperatures.
When a heating emergency strikes your home, we're ready to help. With our emergency heating system repair services, our technicians are just a call or click away, standing by to help you restore comfort and warmth for you and your home or commercial building.
It's essential to ensure that your heating system is in proper working order — but how do you know for sure? Besides not keeping your home adequately warm, there are a few telltale signs to watch out for that may indicate your residential heating system or forced air heater is in need of repair. They include:
– Low airflow coming through the ducts
– Weird noises, like bangs, odd hums, buzzes, strange grains, and more
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1690 Thayer Drive
Blue Bell, PA 19422
(484) 322-5913
40.152116, -75.266268
Whiting Services Heating and Air – HVAC Contractor Blue Bell PA
If you experience these or any other problems with your heating system, our residential heating repair services, including boiler services and others, offer trained technicians who will perform the necessary repairs and get your heating system operating at maximum efficiency once again.
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We're standing by at Whiting Services Heating and Air to help you. We feature a range of affordable heating services, including:
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Please contact us today at (484) 322-5913. Don't wait another minute in the cold — call us now!
Questions and Answers About Heater Repair Whiting Services Heating and Air
How much does repairing a heater cost? They are too many factors to give a correct answer to this question. Call Whiting Services Heating and Air and we can come out to give you a more direct answer to your question (484) 322-5913.
How do I fix my heater? Heater Not Working? 7 Troubleshooting Tips: Check that your thermostat is set to heat … Change the filter. … Make sure the gas is on. … Clear the chimney exhaust flue. … Clean away leaves and debris from exhaust vents. … Flush out the drain lines. … Check for blocked ducts restricting airflow. The average homeowner should not try to "fix" their heater because there's gas and electricity involved, and if you do something wrong, a simple, inexpensive fix could turn into something very expensive. Call us and we can take a look at it (484) 322-5913.
What causes your heater to stop working? Dirty filters are the most common cause of furnace problems. Dust and dirt restrict airflow and if the filter gets too clogged, the heat exchanger will overheat and shut off too quickly, and your house won't warm up. If the blower is running but no heat is coming out, replace the filter.
Can heater be repaired? Certain problems can get resolved with DIY repairs for your heater. But for more complicated issues, you'll need to call on a professional HVAC company like Whiting Services Heating and Air (484) 322-5913. Letting an expert take care of your system could be the most effective way to get everything back in order for your home.
What are most expensive furnace repairs? Here are four of the most expensive furnace repairs and how you can avoid them. Blower Motor and Capacitor … Draft Inducer Motor. … Circuit Board. … Gas Valve
What maintenance does a furnace need? Inspecting the thermostat and calibrating it as needed. Lubricating all moving parts in the heating system. Checking the air filter, cleaning it, and replacing it as needed. Checking and testing the system's safety controls and startup cycle.
Why is my heater not working when my thermostat is on? The most common reasons for such a problem are a dirty filter, thermostat malfunction, pilot ignitor, wrong settings, or low battery issue. In such a case, you would have to clean the device, double-check the thermostat settings, or replace the batteries.
How do I know if my heater is broken? 3 Ways to Tell If Your Heater Is BrokenThe Heater is Blowing Cold Air. No matter how many times you adjust your thermostat or the temperature, your heat is never present and only cold air exists. … Your Heating Bill Has Spiked. … Some Rooms Lack Heat.
What is the most common problem with furnaces? One of the most common furnace problems is a malfunctioning thermostat. If your fan is constantly running, a sure sign your thermostat isn't working properly. This will cause your thermostat battery to run and cause your furnace to work inefficiently.
Why is my heater blowing cold air? If your furnace is blowing cold air in your home, this is a sign of an issue with the flame detector, gas supply, air filter, pilot light, or condensate lines. Many of these issues are able to be easily solved…please call us.
Can electric heaters be fixed? Electric heaters are relatively simple to operate and simple to troubleshoot and repair. This Fix-It Guide on electric heater repair tells how an electric heater works, what often goes wrong, how to identify the electric heater problem, and what parts and tools you will need to fix it.
Which types of troubles occurs in electric heater? What are the common faults of electric heater? The first type of common faults of electric heater are the internal system faults. … Next, the second type of common faults of electric heater are the burning out fault of electric heater affects the control of AC power supply of electric heater.
How much does it cost to replace furnace ignitor? Your furnace's ignitor plays a critical part in the start-up process. As its name suggests, it ignites the gas your furnace turns to heat. The average cost to repair or replace an ignitor differs according to your unit. Please call us for more information.
What does a heater tune-up include? A furnace tune-up includes gas calibration and the cleaning and inspection of the furnace burner to ensure correct temperature output. In addition to ensuring safe operation, this will keep your furnace running as efficiently as possible all season.
How do I clean my furnace myself? What is done during a furnace tune-up? What is Included in a Furnace Tune-Up? Blower compartment cleaning. … Wiring inspection and adjustment. … Burner adjustment. … Inspection of the heat exchanger, gas pressure and flame operation. Indoor air filter cleaning or replacement. … Igniter or pilot light inspection to ensure their proper functioning.
How do you tell if you need a new thermostat in your house? Signs You Need a New Thermostat – The heating or cooling system will not turn off or on. The temperature reading is incorrect. A recent spike in your energy bill. Frequent temperature fluctuations. A thermostat is 10 years old or older.
How do you know a thermostat is bad? 7 Ways to Tell Your Thermostat Is Broken – Thermostat Has No Power. … AC or Furnace Won't Turn On. … Heater or AC Won't Turn Off. … Thermostat Doesn't Match Room Temperature. … Thermostat Doesn't Respond. … Short Cycling. … Thermostat Forgets Programmed Settings.
Why is my furnace running but no heat? When you turn the furnace on but no heat comes out, there may be an obstruction. Dirty air filters restrict airflow, which can make it feel like not much-heated air is coming out of your vents. Check the furnace filter and replace it if its surface is covered with contaminants.
How do I test my heater? How do you know if your furnace blew a fuse? You may also need to use your multimeter to check if your fuses are blown. You can quickly determine by checking resistance with a multimeter. A good fuse will have nearly zero ohms of resistance, if the fuse is blown there will be no reading. Whiting Services Heating and Air can test your furnace as well as perform yearly maintenance on your unit for the best operation.
Where's the reset button on my furnace? What to check if the furnace is not working? Furnace Not Working? The 5 Most Common Causes Step #1: Check your Air Filter. #2: Check Your Pilot Light. #3: Check Your Thermostat. #4: Check The Power. #5: Check Your Gas Supply.
How do I know if my heating element is bad in my furnace? The easiest way to check this is to turn the heating element on and inspect the temperature of the air coming out of your heating system. If the air is insufficiently heated, very close to, or at room temperature, there is probably something wrong with the heating element.
Why is my gas heater not igniting? If your gas furnace initiates the start cycle but does not fire up, it's likely because of a faulty, damaged, or dirty ignitor/sensor. This is a very common furnace problem you can try to clean the sensor and replace the ignitor.
Don't wait another minute in the cold! Contact us now! (484) 322-5913.
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Nepal is ranked 151 on an international list of literacy. Consequently, it lacks the most vital infrastructure for social progress, and more than half the population lives a hand-to-mouth existence.
In reply stands the Mount Gauri Shankar School in central Kathmandu, its principal a well-known science textbook author and educator dedicated to improving the quality of education in his country.
Searching for the answer to the seeming inability of his students to study and learn, the educator discovered Applied Scholastics International and L. Ron Hubbard's Study Technology.
He immediately underwent training on the fundamentals of Study Technology, and using those basics, initiated a pilot program with a cross-section of students in his school. He first presented the three barriers to study to eighth and ninth graders, then to primary through middle-school students, and then to high school mathematics and chemistry classes. The results were conclusive: Passing rates previously hovering at around 30 percent soared to well over 80 percent of all students across all grade levels.
Based on the success of that pilot program, which used only the fundamentals of Study Technology, the Kathmandu school principal enrolled at the Applied Scholastics International campus in Missouri for the full lineup of Applied Scholastics teacher training. The program included Advanced Communication Skills, Advanced Fundamentals of Instruction, and the Applied Scholastics Curriculum Course.
Upon returning to Nepal, he first put it all into operation in his own school. He then set out to deliver Study Technology classes to all teachers in one of the deep poverty zones of the country. He held workshops for instructors in remote rural communities, including on a hilltop 350 kilometers from Kathmandu where he instructed teachers of 500 students from rice-farming villages.
The Nepalese results demonstrate the potential for educational renewal with Study Technology. That one educator has built a network of 1,600 Study Technology educators who are in turn transforming education in their classrooms. He has also established a permanent Applied Scholastics Training Center in Nepal, inaugurated by the Ministry of Education.


text: Comfort can be seen before its felt with this ultra pillow arm and pillow back recliner. Not only comfortable, but built with the Best-Max technology. High resiliency cushioning fibers and extra seat springs are utilized for long lasting, durable comfort. Best Home Furnishings' vast selection of base options are available: Space Saver, Power Space Saver, Swivel Glider Recliner, Rocker Recliner , Power Rocker Recliner and the Swivel Rocker Recliner.