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Large variations in Arctic sea ice
University of Copenhagen
Source - http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-08-large-variations-arctic-sea-ice.html
For the last 10,000 years, summer sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has been far from constant. For several thousand years, there was much less sea ice in The Arctic Ocean – probably less than half of current amounts. This is indicated by new findings by the Danish National Research Foundation for Geogenetics at the University of Copenhagen. The results of the study will be published in the journal Science.
Sea ice comes and goes without leaving a record. For this reason, our knowledge about its variations and extent was limited before we had satellite surveillance or observations from airplanes and ships. But now researchers at the Danish National Research Foundation for Geogenetics at the Natural History Museum of Denmark (University of Copenhagen) have developed a method by which it is possible to measure the variations in the ice several millennia back in time.
The results are based on material gathered along the coast of northern Greenland, which scientists expect will be the final place summer ice will survive, if global temperatures continue to rise.
This means that the results from northern Greenland also indicate what the conditions are like in the ocean.
Less ice than today
Team leader Svend Funder, and two other team members and co-authors of the Science article, Eske Willerslev and Kurt Kjær, are all associated with the Danish Research Foundation at the University of Copenhagen.
Regarding the research results, Funder says, "Our studies show that there have been large fluctuations in the amount of summer sea ice during the last 10,000 years. During the so-called Holocene Climate Optimum, from approximately 8000 to 5000 years ago, when the temperatures were somewhat warmer than today, there was significantly less sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, probably less than 50% of the summer 2007 coverage, which was absolutely lowest on record. Our studies also show that when the ice disappears in one area, it may accumulate in another. We have discovered this by comparing our results with observations from northern Canada. While the amount of sea ice decreased in northern Greenland, it increased in Canada. This is probably due to changes in the prevailing wind systems. This factor has not been sufficiently taken into account when forecasting the imminent disappearance of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean."
Driftwood unlocks mystery
In order to reach their surprising conclusions, Funder and the rest of the team organised several expeditions to Peary Land in northern Greenland. Named after American Polar explorer Robert E. Peary, the region is an inhospitable and rarely visited area, where summer blizzards are not uncommon.
" Our key to the mystery of the extent of sea ice during earlier epochs lies in the driftwood we found along the coast. One might think that it had floated across sea, but such a journey takes several years, and driftwood would not be able to stay afloat for that long. The driftwood is from the outset embedded in sea ice, and reaches the north Greenland coast along with it. The amount of driftwood therefore indicates how much multiyear sea ice there was in the ocean back then. And this is precisely the type of ice that is in danger of disappearing today," Funder says.
After the expeditions had been completed, the team needed to study the wood they had collected: wood types had to be determined and it had to be carbon-14 dated. The driftwood originated near the great rivers of present-day North America and Siberia. The wood types were almost entirely spruce, which is widespread in the Boreal forest of North America, and larch, which is dominates the Siberian taiga. The different wood types therefore are evidence of changing travel routes and altered current and wind conditions in the ocean.
Beach ridges and wave breaking
The team also examined the beach ridges along the coast. Today, perennial ice prevents any sort of beach from forming along the coasts of northern Greenland. But this had not always been the case. Behind the present shore long rows of beach ridges show that at one time waves could break onto the beach unhindered by sea ice. The beach ridges were mapped for 500 kilometres along the coast, and carbon-14 dating has shown that during the warm period from about 8000 until 4000 years ago, there was more open water and less coastal ice than today.
Point of no return
"Our studies show that there are great natural variations in the amount of Arctic sea ice. The bad news is that there is a clear connection between temperature and the amount of sea ice. And there is no doubt that continued global warming will lead to a reduction in the amount of summer sea ice in the Arctic Ocean. The good news is that even with a reduction to less than 50% of the current amount of sea ice the ice will not reach a point of no return: a level where the ice no longer can regenerate itself even if the climate was to return to cooler temperatures. Finally, our studies show that the changes to a large degree are caused by the effect that temperature has on the prevailing wind systems. This has not been sufficiently taken into account when forecasting the imminent disappearance of the ice, as often portrayed in the media," Funder says.
Research could also benefit polar bears
In addition to giving us a better understanding of what the climate in northern Greenland was like thousands of years ago, it could also reveal how polar bears fared in warmer climate. The team plans to use DNA in fossil polar bear bones to study polar bear population levels during the Holocene Climate Optimum.
The team's findings are to be published in the journal Science.


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subset: commoncrawl


text:
A spokeswoman for Sen. Marco Rubio says the Florida Republican is skipping the GOP Convention in Cleveland. That makes Rubio the latest high-profile Republican to decide not to attend the convention that is preparing to nominate Donald Trump for president.
Rubio spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas says Rubio wants to spend his time campaigning for re-election to his Senate seat. She says Rubio had planned to go to the convention when he wasn't seeking re-election but now that he's decided to seek another term he's focusing on that.


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Notice the way Manning's season went. In Week 8, he tied Brett Favre's landmark of 186 wins as a QB, while playing the Packers, the team Favre is best remembered with.
Then the following week, he loses in Indianapolis, against the Colts, the team Peyton Manning played the majority of his career with, 13-seasons. In light of 13, it is no coincidence he was replaced by "Luck". Recall how Luck missed his first game as a pro on the date with '13' numerology, where the game went to OT 13-13...
After losing to the Colts, he was replaced by Osweiller in the following week, after throwing his 322nd pass. What do we know about the number 322?
The Broncos-Chiefs games were spaced out by 8-weeks and 3-days this season |
Recall, Peyton Manning is born on the 83rd day of the year and is playing in Denver, where John Elway, former QB of the Broncos, is executive, and was drafted in the class of '83.


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Finally, if you still want to try this crazy idea and write something in assembly (if you've reached this section -- you're real assembly fan), here's what you need to start.
As you've read before, you can write for Linux in different ways; I'll show how to use direct kernel calls, since this is the fastest way to call kernel service; our code is not linked to any library, does not use ELF interpreter, it communicates with kernel directly.
I will show the same sample program in two assemblers, nasm and gas, thus showing Intel and AT&T syntax.
You may also want to read Introduction to UNIX assembly programming tutorial, it contains sample code for other UNIX-like OSes.
First of all you need assembler (compiler) -- nasm or gas.
Second, you need a linker -- ld, since assembler produces only object code. Almost all distributions have gas and ld, in the binutils package.
As for nasm, you may have to download and install binary packages for Linux and docs from the nasm site; note that several distributions (Stampede, Debian, SuSe, Mandrake) already have nasm, check first.
If you're going to dig in, you should also install include files for your OS, and if possible, kernel source.


text:
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Jay Cutler stepped into one last throw, took one last big hit, and threw one last interception. His final play Thursday night was a fitting end to one of his most miserable nights as a pro.
"It's the same old Jay," Charles Woodson told ESPN's Rachel Nichols after the game. "We just need to be in position. Jay will throw us the ball."
Jay threw them the ball. He held the ball in an 11-of-27 performance. In a sarcastic answer to a monumentally stupid question after the game, Cutler was asked if he envisioned a night this bad against the Packers.
"Yeah, I dream of throwing four picks and getting sacked seven times," he said.
It was that kind of night. The Packersplayed two deep safeties all game and the Bears never made them pay by running the ball or throwing over the middle. Cutler failed to make quick decisions or get rid of the ball. His offensive line didn't play well, but Cutler doesn't seem to adjust like many of the great quarterbacks.
Cutler reminds us of Michael Vick with a different playing style. On many nights, Cutler is electric. He can do no wrong. He can throw passes that few others make. But his good streaks turn ice cold. He gets frustrated, and lets it snowball. (And we're not talking about yelling at his teammates.)
We still never know which Jay Cutler is going to show up on a given week. Bad Jay was in full effect at Lambeau Field Thursday night.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.


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CLICK HERE to read June 2018 Newsletter!
Friday, June 8th is Best Friends Day!
Join the pARTy at a studio near you and celebrate with your besties! CLICK HERE to find a studio near YOU and get your art buzz on!
National Children's Day – Sunday, June 10th
Sign your kiddos up for the BEST camps of the summer! Art Buzz Kids Summer camps are filling up fast! Our passion is inspiring children to have fun, get creative, and feel proud of their work! We guarantee your child will always take home a masterpiece. CLICK HERE to find an Art Buzz Kids Camp near you!
National Rosé Day is June 9th!
Rosé Lemonade Recipe – CLICK HERE
For the lemonade:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup cold water
For the rest:
- 1 cup rosé wine
- To make the lemonade, combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Let cool.
- Add the fresh lemon juice and water to the sugar mixture and stir to dissolve. Refrigerate until cold
- Before serving, mix the lemonade with the rosé wine. Divide between two glasses and serve.
- You can substitute store-bought lemonade.
Father's Day – Sunday, June 17th
Offering Daddy & Me Classes – Create a masterpiece together or paint something special for Dad! CLICK HERE to find a studio!
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Cool down at a studio near you to relax and unwind! Enjoy a beverage and sip away while creating a summer masterpiece at a studio near you!
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We're so excited to announce and introduce our new DIY Stencil classes! We take care of the lettering for you! Sign up, show up, sip up, and PAINT! CLICK HERE to find a DIY Stencil Class near you!
Take Your Dog To Work Day – June 22nd
Get your ART PAWS on at a studio near you and paint your furrrbaby! Even if you can't bring your dog to work, you can bring always bring a painting of your pup to display in the office! CLICK HERE to find a Paint Your Pet class near you!
SUMMER 2018 – Studios Coming soon!
Leland, NC – June 2018 NOW OPEN!
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Advantage Solutions
Fort Worth, Texas, United States
CDS Full Time Event Manager - Product Demonstration
Sorry, this job has expired.
Job Description
CDS Full Time Event Manager - Product Demonstration
Club Demonstration Services (CDS) is in need of an Event Manager responsible for the recruitment, hiring and supervision of in store Product Demonstrators. You will oversee product preparation and presentation, training and provide superb service to all Club members. This position requires strong communication between warehouse managers, vendors and in store Product Demonstrators including participation in new location grand openings.
CDS is the preferred in-house event marketing provider to Costco. We offer the best person-to-person marketing services in the industry, driving sales for our customers and Costco. APPLY TODAY!
What We Offer:
- Set schedule of Tuesday-Saturday from 8:30AM 5:30PM (may vary based on needs)
- Work-life balance!
- Full Time Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, Life)
- Short and Long-Term Disability
- 401(K) plan
- Generous paid time off
- Recruit, train and hire part-time staff.
- Oversee product preparation and presentation, including food safety and sanitation.
- Train Product Demonstrators in demonstration preparation and excellent customer services.
- Communicate between multiple manager, vendors and demonstrators.
- Participate in new location grand openings as required.
- High school education or equivalent.
- Two to four years of related experience in retail, hospitality, or food environments.
- Detail oriented with excellent leadership and communication skills.
- Proven ability to lead well performing teams.
- Ability to exercise independent judgement.
- Able to coach and counsel employees, take correct measures as needs.
- Flexibility and ability to work in a fast paced environment
Job Will Remain Open Until Filled


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Starting today, one of the oldest boys choirs in Europe will begin admitting girls for the first time since it was founded in the year 975 A.D. The Regensburg Domspatzen, or Cathedral Sparrows in English, is changing its course as it recovers from a dark period in its thousand-year history. NPR's Rob Schmitz brings us this story.
ROB SCHMITZ, BYLINE: The Cathedral Sparrows seem to be chirping all at once on their bus ride from their boarding school to a concert venue in their Bavarian hometown of Regensburg. The boys range from 8 years old to teenagers. They represent the Regensburg Cathedral, whose gothic spires have dominated the city's skyline since the year 700.
REGENSBURGER DOMSPATZEN: (Vocalizing).
SCHMITZ: A few centuries later, this boys choir was established. And through the next thousand years, its members have sung the music of countless composers, each one's life going by in the relative blink of an eye, their work living on through these voices.
REGENSBURGER DOMSPATZEN: (Singing in German).
SCHMITZ: On this evening, the choir sings music from Beethoven to celebrate the composer's 250th birthday.
REGENSBURGER DOMSPATZEN: (Singing in German).
SCHMITZ: They're all dressed in navy suits, white shirts and ties. They're all holding books of sheet music in front of them. And, of course, they're all boys. That last part will change starting this week.
JOHANNES FERBER: (Through interpreter) I was quite surprised to hear they're letting girls into our school. I'm a bit skeptical as to how well the school will function with girls. We're so used to just being among boys.
SCHMITZ: Thirteen-year-old Johannes Ferber hasn't yet warmed up to the idea of choir girls taking classes alongside the choir boys. He and his friend Maximilian Steiner relax after a full day of classes in the choir's boarding school, which, apart from music, specializes in the sciences. Steiner, who's 15, feels better about admitting girls into the choir.
MAXIMILLIAN STEINER: (Through interpreter) I think it's a step in the right direction and is long overdue. We're way behind on this issue. It's a matter of equality. Girls should have the same opportunities as us boys when it comes to education. My sister couldn't come to the school. Now it's too late for her.
SCHMITZ: The first female members of the Regensburg Domspatzen will attend school with the boys but will have a separate choir that will be under the direction of a female conductor.
CHRISTIAN HEISS: (Through interpreter) Deciding to allow girls in was part of a long and broader decision-making process about the future of the choir.
SCHMITZ: Christian Heiss is the conductor of the boys choir.
HEISS: (Through interpreter) We made a lot of changes here in recent years. We rebuilt the school, modernized it, made it nicer. So then we asked, how do we want to use these new facilities? We came to the conclusion to allow girls to benefit from them as the boys do.
SCHMITZ: Heiss calls it a revolutionary step in the choir's thousand-year history. And it comes after what was a tough century for the choir.
SCHMITZ: Nuremberg, 1938, at an annual Nazi rally, Adolf Hitler addressed Germany's young people.
ADOLF HITLER: (Speaking German).
SCHMITZ: The Regensburg Domspatzen sang at this rally. Hitler was a fan of the choir, friends with its director and gave regular donations to it.
MAGNUS MEIER: (Through interpreter) It was Hitler who made the choir what it is today.
SCHMITZ: Magnus Meier was a choir boy with the Domspatzen in the 1980s. He says Hitler used the Domspatzen and as a propaganda tool for Nazi Germany. In the run-up to World War II, the choir toured internationally for the first time and sang secular songs, a showcase supported by the Nazi regime. All of that ended at the conclusion of the second World War, but another period of darkness for the choir followed - decades of systemic, physical and sexual abuse. And as a young boy, Magnus Meier was one of hundreds of victims.
MEIER: (Through interpreter) The school director then, Johann Meier, was one of the worst. He'd been an officer in the war, and his punishment methods were similar to the sort Nazis carried out in camps. I truly believe if murder were not a crime, they would have killed us.
SCHMITZ: According to court documents, when Meier was a 10-year-old choir boy, he was regularly hit in the face by his school director. Whenever his homework had mistakes, the choir prefect punched him with a closed fist in the stomach. The same happened when he and his friends were caught chatting at night in their rooms.
MEIER: (Through interpreter) Because of what was happening to me at school, I deliberately did my worst work. I handed in blank pages for assignments so that I'd be kicked out of school.
SCHMITZ: An investigation commissioned by the Catholic Diocese of Regensburg found that Meier was one of 547 Domspatzen choir boys who were subjected to physical and sexual abuse at the hands of priests and teachers at the boarding school from 1945 to 2015. The choir was run by Georg Ratzinger, elder brother of former Pope Benedict XVI, when most of the abuse occurred. Ratzinger denied knowing about it, and by the time the abuse came to light, most of the perpetrators had died. The church compensated victims like Meier with payments of around $30,000 each.
MEIER: (Through interpreter) As kids, we didn't know any better. We thought the beatings and abuse were normal. It wasn't until later that I realized none of it was normal, and that's when I started to deal with the trauma. That's the problem. We all thought we deserved it, that it was God's will. It's only now that I realize why I still struggle with certain things.
REGENSBURGER DOMSPATZEN: (Singing in Greek).
SCHMITZ: While the Regensburg Domspatzen choir has moved on from the abuse scandal, Meier, now 50, still struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder. He says the abuse consumed his entire life, preventing him from going to university, finding a meaningful career. His settlement hasn't been enough to pay for the therapy he still requires, and he's filed several lawsuits over it.
MEIER: (Speaking German).
SCHMITZ: Meier says the decision to allow girls into the choir is a good one, and he says it's likely an effort to rebrand the choir and to try and leave the past behind. As for him, he says he'd never send a child to the choir.
REGENSBURGER DOMSPATZEN: (Singing in Greek).
SCHMITZ: Back in Regensburg, choir director Christian Heiss says admitting girls to the choir has nothing to do with the abuse scandal. He says the choir can never sweep its past under the carpet. But the abuse happened in the previous century, the choir leadership has changed, and the church led a thorough investigation, listening to the victims.
HEISS: (Through interpreter) And this is now our job - to make sure it never happens again. It's a highly sensitive issue we take very seriously.
REGENSBURGER DOMSPATZEN: (Singing in non-English language).
SCHMITZ: At the Domspatzen concert, audience member Sabine Schick says she's thrilled for the choir's future.
SABINE SCHICK: (Speaking German).
SCHMITZ: She says the choir is special and means a lot to the region. She says the abuse scandal was dreadful and shameful, but she's trying to focus on the positive. Why not move forward with the girls choir after a thousand years, she asks. While she doesn't want to throw away old traditions, she says it's always good to venture on a new path.
REGENSBURGER DOMSPATZEN: (Singing in non-English language).
SCHMITZ: Rob Schmitz, NPR News, Regensburg.
REGENSBURGER DOMSPATZEN: (Singing in non-English language). Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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POST #ENDSARS: INSIDE PMB'S PARLEY WITH FORMER HEADS OF STATE ~ The Press Tv
By Femi Adesina
It was very touching, poignant, as President Muhammadu Buhari met with all living former heads of state on October 23, 2020, to discuss the state of the nation.
For about two weeks, the country had been suffused with unrest, later violence, precipitated by what began as legitimate protests against police brutality, code-named #EndSARS. In the words of the President, the protests were later "hijacked and misdirected " by hidden hostile hands, who wanted to destabilize the country.
Lives had been lost in scores, countless public and private properties burnt, there was murder and mayhem everywhere. So it was needful that all former leaders of the country meet to put heads together, and fashion pragmatic ways forward.
All those who had ruled the country, and who were still alive, turned out for motherland, in the virtual meeting hosted by President Buhari. Imagine the collective weight of age and experience in that room. General Yakubu Gowon, 86, had ruled for nine years. President Olusegun Obasanjo, 83, had led cumulatively as military and civilian leader for 11 years. Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, 79, held sway for eight years, while Chief Ernest Shonekan of the Interim National Government lasted only about 84 days, before the military struck.
Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, 78, administered the country for just about one year, while Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, 62, superintended over the land for six years.
All that weight of experience was available at the meeting on that day, for the country to draw from, in restoring peace and cohesion after about two angry weeks.
Fittingly, the opening remarks were given by Gen Gowon, after the National Anthem. He was not only the oldest among the former leaders, he stayed longest, and was most senior in terms of hierarchy.
'Go On With One Nigeria' (Gowon) thanked President Buhari for accepting to host the meeting, and said what had started peacefully, and now taken over by "organized miscreants in Lagos and other parts of the country " was of great concern to them.
"Peace and genuine protests by youths have been hijacked," he lamented, and wished the youths had stood down after their initial requests had been granted by government.
Drawing from experiences in 1967, before the Nigerian Civil War, Gen Gowon gave some recipes for the government to consider.
President Buhari made remarks next. He gave the former leaders a comprehensive brief on all that had happened since the protests began, up to his address to the nation, which had come up only the previous night. He enumerated what government had been doing to meet the needs of youths, and make life better for them.
The President did not mince words that what started as legitimate protest by youths, was hijacked and misdirected by enemies of the country.
Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo spoke next. We know his antagonism to the government of the day, which had returned to power last year for a second term in office, in spite of an anti-Buhari coalition put together by Obasanjo.
Would sparks fly? Would there be barbs and snide remarks? The fears turned out to be unfounded. The former President was frank, but affable, and no tension was discerned.
"Let me commend your speech of last night, which the nation had been waiting for," Obasanjo began. "You made points that I believe need to be commended. You said peaceful protests were part of democratic practice. You also indicated that the demands of the genuine protesters had been accepted, and you were working on implementation."
The former President said the activities of hoodlums who hijacked the protests should be condemned, "as they took away the protests from those who initially planned them."
On the job and economic situation in the country, he said the interventions being made were good, but not far-reaching enough for a population of 200 million people.
"We need heavy local and international investments to make the impact we need to make. Our Foreign Direct Investment is inadequate. And we need to get better results in security, so that the investments can come, " he submitted.
When it was the turn of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) to speak, the President called out to him: "Ibro, it's your turn." There was general laughter. That must have been how the President addressed his colleague as Comrade-at-arms in the military.
IBB condoled with the families of those who died in the protests and riots. But he expressed concern on the quality of intelligence available to the security agencies.
"With adequate intelligence, some of these things can be nipped in the bud," he stated, adding: "I commend the government for the efforts so far, to end the protests."
Chief Ernest Shonekan was brief. Preventive actions were to be considered for the future, rather than curative. He added: "please call us for more of these meetings. We need to frequently discuss very important national issues."
General Abdulsalami Abubakar also talked about the need for intelligence gathering and synergy among the security agencies, whom he says should avoid "multiple mandates."
He canvassed more interaction with the international community, so that they can adequately understand what is going on in Nigeria.
"Funding of security agencies should also be looked into, while the media should be adequately engaged," the former head of state added.
The youngest of them all, and the immediate past President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, began by saying he didn't have the confidence to call the former leaders "my colleagues." So, he opted for "my most senior colleagues."
He commended the broadcast of the previous night, and asked pertinent questions: what led to the crisis? How do we stop such in future, even after the Buhari administration?
He said the root cause of the crisis had been with us far before the advent of the current administration, and that it may last into future governments, except some immediate steps were taken. He enumerated them.
President Buhari rounded off the meeting with remarks,thanking all the former leaders for their contributions, which he said had all been well noted.
He said he was pleased that the former leaders commended steps taken by government on the protests, but added: "I wish we could have stopped the hijacking of the protests. Burning of police stations, freeing of prisoners, can't be tolerated. Judicial enquiries have commenced, and we will work as reports get back to us."
The President said agriculture was on an upswing in the country, but opined that investors would need stability, noting: "If you burn factories, release prisoners, then it is anti-investment. We need to behave ourselves."
Yes, we need to truly behave ourselves. It is only then that things will look up for this blessed but blighted country. If we sow the wind, we reap the whirlwind. If we foment lawlessness, we reap anarchy. If we don't calm down, and let government serve us, then we would have nobody to blame, except ourselves.
*Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity


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Water Utility Financial Master Plan:
The Village of Lumby retained MMM Group Limited (MMM) to prepare a Water Utility Financial Master Plan for the existing potable water distribution system. Funding for this project was obtained through an infrastructure planning grant provided by the Province of British Columbia. The objective of the plan is to provide the Village of Lumby with a strategic short and long-term planning tool for identifying and implementing water system improvements. The Water Utility Financial Master Plan analyzes both the current deficiencies in the water system, as well as the requirements to meet the 20-year growth projections and provides recommendations for infrastructure upgrades.
The Water Utility Financial Master Plan also includes a utility financial analysis which addresses the Village of Lumby's revenues and expenditures, in order to ensure the Village is operating a financially stable utility. In this respect, the financial plan can be thought of as a phased planning approach with Phase I being the current short-term capital improvement plan (0-5 year system needs) and Phase II encompassing longer (5-20 year) planning horizon. The Water Utility Financial Master Plan was discussed by Council and the MMM Group Limited at the September 15, 2014 Committee of the Whole meeting. At the October 6, 2014 Regular Meeting, Council adopted the Village of Lumby Water Utility Financial Master Plan. To view the Water Utility Financial Master Plan click here.
The Village of Lumby operates the water treatment and distribution system. The water source system consists of three deep wells. In 2010, when the third well was completed, the source and treatment capabilities rose to 5,080,320 litres per day. More importantly the well delivery system offers a surety of supply.
The water is pumped to the filtration plant, where a filtration process takes place to remove iron and manganese (aesthetic purposes only) through a sand filter system. Sodium hypochlorite is introduced to disinfect the water as required by the Interior Health. The once filtered and chlorinated water is pumped to a lower reservoir with a holding capacity of 2,649,788 litres. The water from the lower reservoir is fed into the distribution system by gravity for the lower portion of the Village and is also pumped to the high Reservoir located above Miller Street for distribution to the community, also by gravity. The high reservoir is capable of storing 1,620,156 litres of water.
The regulations require that the water system have the capacity storage for a two day supply of domestic use and a fire fighting supply to meet the Underwriters requirements.
Daily inspections of the water filtration plant and pumping stations is required. During the course of the year as part of the normal operations of the utility, the Public Works Department inspect the fire hydrants, exercise all the water valves and flush the water mains on an annual basis to assist in cleaning the water mains. The department also repairs individual service valves to the property and repairs to the water distribution mains.
Monitoring of the available chlorine in the distribution water mains are collected within several sites throughout Lumby and inputted into a state of the art SCADA system. Within this powerful program, the deep aquifer Lumby utilizes for potable water is also monitored 24 hours a day, showing the reaction of the aquifer during heavy and light use.
Water Meters:
The Village has completed a universal water metering program in 2009 and during the course of 2010, water meter usage readings were now captured on a monthly basis. During the course of 2010, a rate structure was developed that ensures long term maintenance of the water system and future capital expenditures or replacement are covered. In 2011, the consumers were invoiced on a user pay basis. With the installation of water meters, a modest decrease of water consumption was targeted to be around 20% in annual consumption, but as of year-end of 2012, the Village of Lumby has seen a reduction of 32.6% in its annual water consumption.
Cross-Connection Control Program
The Village of Lumby Water Distribution System must adhere to conditions set out by the Interior Health Drinking Water Permit to operate their water system. One of the conditions stipulated by Interior health is to institute a Cross Connection Control Program. In 2010, the Village of Lumby adopted a Cross Connection Control Program and accompanying Bylaw that mandates all industrial and commercial property owners install a back flow prevention device at their building or property which protects from any back flow conditions. This program is administered and managed by the Village of Lumby.
Sprinkling Regulations:
Due to the high consumption of water coupled with the upcoming summer months, the Village of Lumby water users are reminded that water-sprinkling regulations are as follows:
All users are asked to use the minimumamount of water required to keep foliage healthy following these guidelines. The use of water for sprinkling purposes for residential customers using manual sprinklers with even numbered houses is restricted to even numbered days, and odd numbered houses are restricted to odd numbered days between 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 pm.Except that no sprinkling can occur on the 31st day of any month. Residents using an underground automatic irrigation system can water to a maximum of 3 non-consecutive days per weekbetween 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m. Hand watering with a hose with a shutoff device or water container may be used at anytime for the watering of flowerbeds, baskets, and containers.
If you have any questions regarding sprinkling regulations please contact us.
Water Chemistry Analysis:
As per the Village of Lumby's Permit to Operate, issued by Interior Health Authority, the Village is required to provide a drinking water sampling program including continuous monitoring of the water disinfection process, among other requirements listed on the permit. For water chemistry analysis information please contact us.
Water Chemical Analysis Annual Reports
Village of Lumby Water System Emergency Response Plan
Village of Lumby Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan


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אחרי הכתו את סיחן מלך האמרי אשׁר יושׁב בחשׁבון ואת עוג מלך הבשׁן אשׁר־יושׁב בעשׁתרת באדרעי׃
These are the words Moshe spoke to all Isra'el ... after he had defeated Sichon, king of the Emori, who lived in Heshbon, and `Og, king of Bashan, who lived in `Ashtarot, at Edre`i.
(Deu 1:1-4 CJB)
The Appropriately Spoken Correction. (Prov 25:11)
The Book of D'varim was to be placed by the side of the Holy Ark. It was to serve as a rebuke and reminder of Israel's covenant with HaShem to later generations. A good example of its effect is told us in 2nd Kings 22 when because of it, seven hundred years later King Josiah and all Israel were pushed to repentance.
The Book of D'varim was given to the second generation of the Children of Israel in the desert, a generation that had not known Egypt. It's goal was to ready the Children of Israel before they entered the Promised Land, as well as to serve as a rebuke for them not to do as their fathers did in fearing entering the Land.
Let us see some of what the sages say about this rebuke,
(Sifre, cited by Rashi)
The Torah emphasizes that Moshe rebuked the Jewish people after he had smitten Sichon and Og. Here is how Moshe reasoned, "If I rebuke them before they enter at least part of the Land, they will say, 'What does this man have against us?' What good did he do for us? He has come only to vex us and to find pretext since he doesn't have the power to bring us into the Land.'" Therefore Moshe waited until he had conquered Sichon and Og, and then he rebuked the people.
On this principle, Rabbi Zelig Pliskin explains, "Had the people felt the Moshe's rebuke was insincere and that he had ulterior motives, his words would have been ineffective. A PERSON WILL ONLY ACCEPT REBUKE IF HE FEELS THAT THE REBUKER HAS HIS BEST INTEREST IN MIND."
We see from here that timing is a major factor in rebuke and correction. In Many instances by waiting for an opportune time to deliver an admonition a person will be more successful than he would have been had he admonished earlier.
As a good leader, Moshe understood the importance of correction in the right time, place, tone of voice, form , format, etc ...
Let us go over some tips about good, less good, and bad timing for corrections. These can be used for congregation, work relationships, as well domestic situations.
When is it a bad time to approach someone for a correction:
- On the heat of the moment; when either the corrector or the corrected are emotionally upset.
- When it makes us happy or we draw pleasure in doing it.
- Before having fully investigated and understood the issue.
- When we have a personal advantage in the person doing the right thing; it makes our rebuke insincere and motivated, and it probably is. Here are some examples:
- Do we teach our children to be clean and tidy because you want them to develop good healthy habits that will help them in their lives as adults, or is it just because we get irritated about it and don't want to have to clean up after them?
- Do we chide our spouses or colleagues about an expense because we want to teach financial responsibility, or just because we don't agree with it and would have spent the money for something that WE want instead?
- We often correct others out of frustration simply because the actions of the other person affect us in an undesirable way, but is being annoyed a good reason to correct others?
- After emotions calm down and we see investigate and understand things more clearly.
- When it hurts us to do it.
- When we don't draw any personal advantage in doing it.
Here is another important point about correcting others:
(Deu 1:5) There, beyond the Yarden, in the land of Mo'av, Moshe took it upon himself to expound (ba'ar/באר: to explain, elucidate, interpret) this Torah and said:
- The Mishna also explains that the 10 Commandments were given through flames of fire in the 70 languages of the world
- The Midrash says that Moshe also interpreted this Torah in the 70 languages of the world.
- The Brit tells us that as soon as the Torah was written in their hearts, It expressed itself through the disciples in many languages. Acts 2
All this came as a reversal of the Tower of Babel curse.
This teaches us an important principle: if we speak Torah in order to teach people, we should speak it in a language that helps the recipient to receive the message.
- In their own language: If our audience is not familiar with Hebrew terminology, we should not try to impress or patronize them by using Hebrew words which are unfamiliar to them.
- In the right manner: Our Master was good at that. He used examples that were familiar to His hearers: fishermen, farmers, inheritances, servant/master relationships... Yeshua spoke parabolic imagery in order to help his less educated hearers understand. All too often our inferiority complex gets the better of us and we try to impress others and/or patronize them, to give ourselves some importance by flaunting some sort of knowledge. But he who really knows never feels the need to boast or brag, because the more we know, the more we should know that we don't know.
- Gently: Paul admonishes: "... and a slave of the Lord shouldn't fight. On the contrary, he should be kind to everyone, a good teacher, and not resentful when mistreated. Also he should be gentle as he corrects his opponents. For God may perhaps grant them the opportunity to turn from their sins, acquire full knowledge of the truth, come to their senses and escape the trap of the Adversary, after having been captured alive by him to do his will." (2Ti 2:24-26 CJB) "... but we urge you, brothers, to confront those who are lazy, your aim being to help them change, to encourage the timid, to assist the weak, and to be patient with everyone. See that no one repays evil for evil; on the contrary, always try to do good to each other, indeed, to everyone."(1Th 5:14-15 CJB)
As Moshe was patient with Israel,
As our Master is patient with us,
May we be patient with one another.
.May we also remember His precious words,
"... the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure to you.
Why do you see the splinter in your brother's eye but not notice the log in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the splinter out of your eye,' when you have the log in your own eye?
You hypocrite!
First, take the log out of your own eye; then you will see clearly, so that you can remove the splinter from your brother's eye!"
(Mat 7:2-5 CJB)


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Vaccination is a critical element of your pet's overall health care. There are a number of illnesses that require vaccination, and pets of different regions face unique risks as well.
That is why it's important to consult with a veterinarian about the necessary vaccinations to protect your pet from illness.
To learn more about vaccinating your pet, please don't hesitate to contact us today.


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At wargameexclusive.com, we are proud to offer high-quality 3D printed miniatures for your fantasy tabletop games. Our latest offering is a stunning model of an Human pirate created by the talented team at Galaad Miniatures.
With our cutting-edge 8K ultra-high resolution 3D printing technology, we guarantee the highest level of print quality available on the market. Our top-of-the-line UV printing resin ensures that your models are durable and able to withstand even the most intense gaming sessions. Additionally, our experienced specialists manually position all parts to minimize supports and provide a smooth, easy post-processing experience.
When you receive your Human pirate model, be sure to check all the details to ensure there are no missing or miscast parts. If you have any issues, please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected] for assistance.
Our 3D printed models are sold without major supports, but you may need to remove small touchpoints and ultra-tiny supports left on the model. This process is simple and easy with a model knife and fine sandpaper. Don't be intimidated – our top-quality UV printing resin is user-friendly and easy to work with.
Occasionally, thinner parts of the model may be slightly bent or twisted. If this happens, simply immerse the piece in hot water or apply heat from a hairdryer to reform it to its original shape. If needed, gently twist the piece back into position. This technique can also be used to bend some parts into shapes and positions to pose your models.
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Please note that we do not collect any taxes or fees on your behalf, so you may need to pay customs fees in accordance with the laws of your country upon receiving your package.


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U.S. airlines and the nation's wireless carriers came to a short-term agreement this week to slow or limit the rollout of the new 5G wireless spectrum near some airports. That averted a mass cancellation of flights for now. But safety is still a concern. Airlines and the FAA are worried about how 5G can interfere with flight navigation, specifically with altitude measurements.
We're joined now by Captain Dennis Tajer of the Allied Pilots Association. They represent some 15,000 pilots who fly for American Airlines. Captain Tajer, thanks for being with us.
DENNIS TAJER: It's great to be with you. Thank you.
SIMON: Do you feel safe? Are you reassured with the solution so far?
TAJER: Well, we don't fly unless it's safe. No matter what the FAA says, our companies or manufacturers, if it's not safe, it's our job to be the last line of defense for our passengers. The good news is, is that is - the drama that fueled this, the pressure cooker, the false one that I believe was generated by the cell phone companies on this was unnecessary. We do have a much better path now. We have procedures now. They've tested some things at airports. We have what they call AMOC, alternative means of compliance. I have a downloaded 737, which I'm captain on. And it looks like I'm not going to have to go through this arduous checklist in most of the cases when I fly.
SIMON: Captain Tajer, I just do not understand why, let's say, Japan and France have successfully rolled out 5G and contended with this issue and the U.S. has not.
TAJER: Cellphone companies, of course, lauded the fact this has been going on in so many different countries. Well, it going on differently. For instance, in France, they had the antennas pointed downward. They brought the power of the signal down, and they backed away the frequency from the frequency that my aircraft uses for this critical input through the radio altimeter. And that protected the airplane in France for almost two minutes prior to landing, whereas in the U.S., what the cellphone companies have proposed would have given me about 20 seconds of protection and with some rapid deployment on that. So we like where we are, but we're going to keep watching.
SIMON: Well, why would there be a rush?
TAJER: Well, that's because they decided, hey, on this date, this is going to happen. The bottom line is this was a commercial interest deadline. The cell phone signal was not here to save the troops, fight terrorism. It's a commercial interest. We are very interested in having that there because companies grow based on better product. But when you start to nibble in on a margin of safety, then we're not looking at commercial interest anymore.
SIMON: I mean, what happens if you're coming in for an approach at O'Hare or LAX and the system they have in place now doesn't work?
TAJER: They've kind of - they've done a fulsome study on this. I know it was quick, but they were able to do it. And we're going to trust the engineers, trust the science. So now, that interference shouldn't happen. And if it does, it's going to be much more rare. But coming into an approach - and not even just the approach, but clear-and-a-million as we say, clear skies, if the radio altimeter gets bad information, it's feeding up to 17 different systems - engines, terrain avoidance, collision avoidance, speed brakes - these are flight controls, all the things I use for landing and flying.
So it's a lot - a bit like the 737 Max. Bad information in can cause bad things to happen down the line. And that's why the FAA was so concerned - Boeing, Airbus, our airlines and the pilot unions. But thank goodness we're past that. We still have our guard up. We're still in the ring fighting for safety. We just now have some space between us and the opponent.
SIMON: Captain Dennis Tajer, thanks so much.
TAJER: Thank you, sir.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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I found Plumdog Blog about a year after its inception. I'm not entirely sure how I stumbled upon this incredibly endearing, beautifully illustrated online diary of a dog and her owner, but once I did, I was hooked. Written by British illustrator Emma Chichester Clark, or should I say, her dog Plum (with help from Emma), Plumdog Blog is a cleverly conceived and brilliantly executed glimpse into the life of a whippet/jack russell/poodle cross, and by extension, her human mum. As a children's literature blogger, I am online for big chunks of the day – to the point of overstimulation. Plumdog, whenever it is posted (usually every two or three days), quiets the noise, instantly drawing me into a simpler, softer world – Plum's world, but also a very English world, where grass stays green all year long, it rains an awful lot, and life, while sometimes harried, is always sweet. Plumdog collects the best of the posts in book form, and it is most definitely – one of the best books of the year.
Plumdog presents us with a world seen from an unusual perspective – the daily life of an illustrator from a dog's point of view, and a dog's life from the dog's point of view. Beyond the obvious (and delightful) humour of the situation, what becomes clear, especially when read as a collection, is that Emma and Plum are living their lives at different speeds. Emma's life, as one would expect of a prolific and popular illustrator, is a whirlwind of public/personal activity and looming deadlines, much of it (but not all) spent in the company of her observant little pup. Unlike humans, dogs are always in the moment – a point that is wondrously captured in Plumdog. We see, and more importantly, feel Plum's joyful appreciation of the now, which more often than not revolves around water. Any puddle, stream, or lake will do, regardless of the weather. I think I know a dog or two like that.
Still, life does not always go Plum's way. Routines are interrupted, relationships with other dogs are mostly – but not always, friendly, and some days Plum is left behind, not knowing when or even if Emma will return (inspiring one of the most poignant moments in the book). I've often wondered what dogs (and cats) think when we leave them at home. Do they feel abandoned, or do they believe we are waiting just outside the door, and if so, do they think we are idiots? How do dogs experience time? Like Emma (and anthropomorphizers everywhere), I just naturally assume that dogs are capable of complex thought, which makes Plumdog a useful and exceedingly charming guide to the inner workings of a dog's mind and, in all other ways, a perfect gem of a picture book.
Prior to Plumdog Blog, I was a distant admirer of Emma Chichester Clark, but not overly familiar with her work. It was simply a matter of proximity – her books are not as well known in North America as they are in the UK and Europe. Since then, however, I have become a true fan of her art, and am slowly building my collection of books. One might assume that because Plumdog is a series of journal entries the art is mere dressing for Plum's story – a visual record rather than fully realized illustrations, but this is not the case. The watercolours, especially the full-page spreads, are ravishing. Come for the dog, stay for the art! I am simply in awe of her ability to capture expression and body language with minimal brushstrokes, and the settings – interior and particularly exterior, are breathtaking. There is an immediacy to the illustrations which suggests a very sure (and quick) hand, and indeed, in Plumdog Blog (but not the book) the paper is often visibly warped by the watercolour. These are true in the moment creations, but taken as a whole, Plumdog weaves a tale that is full of warmth, humour, and above all, pure dog joy.
According to her website, Emma Chichester Clark was 'born in Hyde Park Corner, London, but grew up in the countryside in Ireland in an old white farmhouse surrounded by fields.' A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London (tutored by none other than Quentin Blake and Michael Foreman, among others), Emma has illustrated many books, including the very popular Blue Kangaroo series, as well as books by Roald Dahl, Kevin Crossley, and Michael Morpurgo. She lives in West London with her husband, stepsons, and a lovely little dog named Plum.
PLUMDOG by Emma Chichester Clark. Published by Jonathan Cape, 2014
And for the continuing adventures of Plum, click on PLUMDOG BLOG. I demand it!


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WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama said in an interview broadcast on Friday that he believes the Russian city of Sochi is safe and that Americans who want to go to the Olympics should go.
Amid questions about whether Russian security is sufficient to head off the threat of militant attacks in Sochi, Obama told CNN in an interview that the Russians understand the stakes involved in playing host to the international event.
Asked what he would tell close friends who wanted to go to the Olympics, Obama said: "I'd tell them that I believe that Sochi is safe and that there are always some risks in these large international gatherings."
But Obama said he would always feel better if the event were being held inside the United States "because then we have full control over what happens."
US officials have expressed concerns about the level of cooperation with Russian security officials. Obama said the United States has a good sense of the security plan Russia has put in place to protect the athletes and spectators.
"The Russian authorities understand the stakes here. They understand that there are potential threats that are out there. And we are coordinating with them. We've looked at their plans," he said.
Obama said US officials are not discouraging Americans from attending the Winter Games. Those who wish to go should check with the State Department and see what "prudent measures" they should take.
"What I would say is is that if you want to go to the Olympics, you should go to the Olympics," he said.
"In these large settings like this, there are always some risk involved," he added.


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by Andy Worthington
It's now over three weeks since veteran Justice Department lawyer David Margolis dashed the hopes of those seeking accountability for the Bush administration's torturers, but this is a story of such profound importance that it must not be allowed to slip away.
Margolis decided that an internal report (PDF) into the conduct of John Yoo and Jay S. Bybee, who wrote the notorious memos in August 2002, which attempted to redefine torture so that it could be used by the CIA, was mistaken in concluding that both men were guilty of "professional misconduct," and should be referred to their bar associations for disciplinary action.
Instead, Margolis concluded, in a memo (PDF) that shredded four years of investigative work by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), the DoJ's ethics watchdog, that Yoo and Bybee had merely exercised "poor judgment."
As lawyers in the Office of Legal Counsel, which is charged with providing objective legal advice to the Executive branch on all constitutional questions, Yoo and Bybee attempted to redefine torture as the infliction of physical pain "equivalent in intensity to the pain accompanying serious physical injury, such as organ failure, impairment of bodily function, or even death," or the infliction of mental pain which "result[s] in significant psychological harm of significant duration e.g. lasting for months or even years."
Yoo, notoriously, had lifted his description of the physical effects of torture from a Medicare benefits statute and other health care provisions in a deliberate attempt to circumvent the UN Convention Against Torture, signed by President Reagan in 1988 and incorporated into US federal law, in which torture is defined as:
any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person …
Obsessed with finding ways in which "severe pain" could be defined so that the CIA could torture detainees and get away with it, Yoo drew on some truly revolting examples of physical torture, citing a particularly brutal case, Mehinovic v. Vuckovic, in which, during the Bosnian war, a Serb soldier named Nikola Vuckovic had tortured his Bosnian neighbor, Kemal Mehinovic, with savage and sadistic brutality. Yoo dismissed the possibility that other torture techniques — waterboarding, for example, which is a form of controlled drowning, and prolonged sleep deprivation — might cause "significant psychological harm of significant duration," or physical pain rising to a level that a judge might regard as torture.
In both of his definitions, however, Yoo was clearly mistaken. No detailed studies have yet emerged regarding the prolonged psychological effects of the torture program approved by Yoo and Bybee, largely because lawyers for the "high-value detainees" in Guantánamo have been prevented — first under Bush, and now under Obama — from revealing anything publicly about their clients.
However, lawyers for Ramzi bin al-Shibh, who was charged in the Bush administration's Military Commissions, made a good show of demonstrating that bin al-Shibh is schizophrenic and on serious medication, when theyargued throughout 2008 that he was not fit to stand trial, and I have seen no evidence to suggest that bin al-Shibh was in a similar state before his four years in secret CIA prisons.
An even more pertinent example is Abu Zubaydah, a supposed "high-value detainee," held in secret CIA prisons for four and a half years, for whom the torture program was originally developed. Zubaydah's case may well be the most shocking in Guantánamo, because, although he was subjected to physical violence and prolonged sleep deprivation, was confined in a small box and was waterboarded 83 times, the CIA eventually concluded that he was not, as George W. Bush claimed after his capture, "al-Qaeda's chief of operations," but was, instead, a "kind of travel agent" for recruits traveling to Afghanistan for military training, who was not a member of al-Qaeda at all.
Zubaydah was clearly mentally unstable before his capture and torture, as the result of a head wound sustained in Afghanistan in 1992, but as one of his lawyers, Joe Margulies, explained in an article in the Los Angeles Times last April, his subsequent treatment in US custody has caused a profound deterioration in his mental health that would certainly constitute "significant psychological harm of significant duration." Margulies wrote:
No one can pass unscathed through an ordeal like this. Abu Zubaydah paid with his mind. Partly as a result of injuries he suffered while he was fighting the communists in Afghanistan, partly as a result of how those injuries were exacerbated by the CIA and partly as a result of his extended isolation, Abu Zubaydah's mental grasp is slipping away. Today, he suffers blinding headaches and has permanent brain damage. He has an excruciating sensitivity to sounds, hearing what others do not. The slightest noise drives him nearly insane. In the last two years alone, he has experienced about 200 seizures.
Moreover, when it came to defining physical torture, the OPR Report's authors noted that, as so often in the memos, Yoo had ignored relevant case history. The key passage in the report deals with the US courts' decisions regarding the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA). Yoo had drawn on Mehinovic for his description of physical torture "of an especially cruel and even sadistic nature," and, as the authors noted, he also argued that "only 'acts of an extreme nature' that were 'well over the line of what constitutes torture' have been alleged in TVPA cases."
The authors continued: "Thus, the memorandum asserted, "there are no cases that analyze what the lowest boundary of what constitutes torture." [sic]
That assertion was misleading. In fact, conduct far less extreme than that described in Mehinovic v. Vuckovic was held to constitute torture in one of the TVPA cases cited in the appendix to the Bybee memo. That case, Daliberti v. Republic of Iraq, 146 F. Supp. 2d 146 (D.D.C. 2001), held that imprisonment for five days under extremely bad conditions, while being threatened with bodily harm, interrogated, and held at gunpoint, constituted torture with respect to one claimant.
A close inspection of Daliberti (which dealt with US personnel seized by Iraqi forces between 1992 and 1995) is revealing, as the D.C. District Court held that "Such direct attacks on a person and the described deprivation of basic human necessities are more than enough to meet the definition of 'torture' in the Torture Victim Protection Act." The judges based their ruling on the following:
David Daliberti and William Barloon allege that they were "blindfolded, interrogated and subjected to physical, mental and verbal abuse" while in captivity. They allege that during their arrests one of the agents of the defendant threatened them with a gun, allegedly causing David Daliberti "serious mental anguish, pain and suffering." During their imprisonment in Abu Ghraib prison, Daliberti and Barloon were "not provided adequate or proper medical treatment for serious medical conditions which became life threatening." The alleged torture of Kenneth Beaty involved holding him in confinement for eleven days "with no water, no toilet and no bed." Similarly, Chad Hall allegedly was held for a period of at least four days "with no lights, no window, no water, no toilet and no proper bed." Plaintiffs further proffer that Hall was "stripped naked, blindfolded and threatened with electrocution by placing wires on his testicles … in an effort to coerce a confession from him."
Yoo and his apologists will undoubtedly quibble yet again. There is the threat of electrocution, a threat made with a gun, and deprivation of water, in one case for eleven days, none of which feature in the OLC's memos. However, outside of the specific torture program approved by the OLC, numerous prisoners who were held at Bagram before being transported to Guantánamo have stated that they were actually subjected to electric shocks while hooded (rather than being threatened with electrocution), and that being threatened at gunpointwas a regular occurrence.
Moreover, it has also been stated that the withholding of medication was used with Abu Zubaydah after his capture, when he was severely wounded, and it should also be noted that numerous ex-prisoners have stated that, in Guantánamo, it was routine for medical treatment to be withheld unless prisoners cooperated with their interrogators (PDF).
Most of all, however, a comparison between Daliberti and the OLC memos reveals the extent to which the techniques approved by Yoo resulted in "severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental," which clearly exceeded that endured by David Daliberti and his fellow Americans in Iraq.
First of all, there is waterboarding, an ancient torture technique that has long been recognized as torture by the United States. As Eric Holder noted during his confirmation hearing in January 2009, "We prosecuted our own soldiers for using it in Vietnam." With this in mind, it ought to be inconceivable that anyone could argue that waterboarding Abu Zubaydah 83 times and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed 183 times could be anything less than torture.
In addition, the prolonged isolation, prolonged sleep deprivation, nudity, hooding, shackling in painful positions, cramped confinement, physical abuse, dousing in cold water, beatings and threats endured by the CIA's "high-value detainees," as revealed in the leaked ICRC report (PDF) based on interviews with the 14 men transferred to Guantánamo from secret CIA prisons in September 2006, completes a picture that surely "shocks the conscience" more than the torture described in Daliberti, especially as those held were subjected to these techniques for far longer periods.
Should any further doubts remain about the definition of torture — and how it was implemented in the "War on Terror" — these should have been dispelled in January 2009, when, shortly before President Bush left office, Susan Crawford, the retired military judge who was the Convening Authority for the Military Commissions at Guantánamo (responsible for deciding who should be charged) granted the most extraordinary interview to Bob Woodward of theWashington Post.
Crawford told Woodward that the reason she had not pressed charges against Mohammed al-Qahtani, a Saudi who was initially put forward for a trial by Military Commission, along with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Ramzi bin al-Shibh and three other men, was because he was tortured in Guantánamo. "We tortured Qahtani," she said. "His treatment met the legal definition of torture."
"The techniques they used were all authorized, but the manner in which they applied them was overly aggressive and too persistent," Crawford explained. "You think of torture, you think of some horrendous physical act done to an individual. This was not any one particular act; this was just a combination of things that had a medical impact on him, that hurt his health. It was abusive and uncalled for. And coercive. Clearly coercive. It was that medical impact that pushed me over the edge," and to conclude that it was torture.
As I explained in an article at the time: "Al-Qahtani's treatment was severe, of course. As Time magazine revealed in an interrogation log that was made available in 2005 (PDF), he was interrogated for 20 hours a day over a 50-day period in late 2002 and early 2003, when he was also subjected to extreme sexual humiliation, threatened by a dog, strip-searched and made to stand naked, and made to bark like a dog and growl at pictures of terrorists. On one occasion he was subjected to a "fake rendition," in which he was tranquilized, flown off the island, revived, flown back to Guantánamo, and told that he was in a country that allowed torture."
In addition, as I explained in my book The Guantánamo Files: "The sessions were so intense that the interrogators worried that the cumulative lack of sleep and constant interrogation posed a risk to his health. Medical staff checked his health frequently — sometimes as often as three times a day — and on one occasion, in early December, the punishing routine was suspended for a day when, as a result of refusing to drink, he became seriously dehydrated and his heart rate dropped to 35 beats a minute. While a doctor came to see him in the booth, however, loud music was played to prevent him from sleeping."
The techniques used on al-Qahtani were approved by defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld, but the impetus came from the torture memos written and authorized by Yoo and Bybee. Moreover, although Crawford was not so principled when it came to considering the treatment to which the "high-value detainees" had been subjected in CIA custody — on the basis, presumably, that such information would be easier to conceal in a Military Commission than al-Qahtani's well-publicized ordeal — it is clear from the ICRC report on the "high-value detainees" that their treatment also "met the legal definition of torture." In addition, it seems probable that the treatment of the 80 other prisoners held in secret CIA prisons, the treatment of prisoners in Afghanistan, before their arrival in Guantánamo, and the treatment of over a hundred prisoners in Guantánamo, who were subjected to versions of the "enhanced interrogation techniques" used on al-Qahtani would also constitute torture.
For these reasons, David Margolis' whitewash of John Yoo and Jay S. Bybee cannot be the final word. In his memo to Attorney General Eric Holder, dismissing the report's conclusions, Margolis tried to claim that it was important to remember that Yoo and Bybee were working in extraordinary circumstances, striving to prevent another major terrorist attack. In an early version of the report, OPR head Mary Patrice Brown dismissed this argument, asserting that "Situations of great stress, danger and fear do not relieve department attorneys of their duty to provide thorough, objective and candid legal advice, even if that advice is not what the client wants to hear."
This is correct, but another authoritative source also explains why there are no excuses for twisting the law out of all shape in an attempt to justify torture. As the UN Convention Against Torture stipulates (Article 2.2), "No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat or war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture."
The UN Convention also stipulates (Article 4. 1) that signatories to the Convention "shall ensure that all acts of torture are offences under its criminal law" and requires each State, when torture has been exposed, to "submit the case to its competent authorities for the purpose of prosecution" (Article 7.1). As with Article 2.2, there are no excuses for not taking action, and that includes political expediency, or, as Barack Obama described it, "a belief that we need to look forward as opposed to looking backwards."
Andy Worthington is the author of The Guantánamo Files: The Stories of the 774 Detainees in America's Illegal Prison (published by Pluto Press, distributed by Macmillan in the US, and available from Amazon.


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Far From the Tree: Parents, Children and the Search for Identity (Paperback)
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Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, a Books for a Better Life Award, and one of The New York Times Book Review's Ten Best Books of 2012, this masterpiece by the National Book Award–winning author of The Noonday Demon features stories of parents who not only learn to deal with their exceptional children, but also find profound meaning in doing so—"a brave, beautiful book that will expand your humanity" (People).
Solomon's startling proposition in Far from the Tree is that being exceptional is at the core of the human condition—that difference is what unites us. He writes about families coping with deafness, dwarfism, Down syndrome, autism, schizophrenia, or multiple severe disabilities; with children who are prodigies, who are conceived in rape, who become criminals, who are transgender. While each of these characteristics is potentially isolating, the experience of difference within families is universal, and Solomon documents triumphs of love over prejudice in every chapter.
All parenting turns on a crucial question: to what extent should parents accept their children for who they are, and to what extent they should help them become their best selves. Drawing on ten years of research and interviews with more than three hundred families, Solomon mines the eloquence of ordinary people facing extreme challenges.
Elegantly reported by a spectacularly original and compassionate thinker, Far from the Tree explores how people who love each other must struggle to accept each other—a theme in every family's life.
About the Author
Andrew Solomon is a professor of psychology at Columbia University, president of PEN American Center, and a regular contributor to The New Yorker, NPR, and The New York Times Magazine. A lecturer and activist, he is the author of Far and Away: Essays from the Brink of Change: Seven Continents, Twenty-Five Years; the National Book Critics Circle Award-winner Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity, which has won thirty additional national awards; and The Noonday Demon; An Atlas of Depression, which won the 2001 National Book Award, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and has been published in twenty-four languages. He has also written a novel, A Stone Boat, which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times First Fiction Award and The Irony Tower: Soviet Artists in a Time of Glasnost. His TED talks have been viewed over ten million times. He lives in New York and London and is a dual national. For more information, visit the author's website at AndrewSolomon.com.
Praise For…
"It's a book everyone should read and there's no one who wouldn't be a more imaginative and understanding parent—or human being—for having done so."
— Julie Myerson
"Solomon is a storyteller of great intimacy and ease…He approaches each family's story thoughtfully, respectfully…Bringing together their voices, Solomon creates something of enduring warmth and beauty: a quilt, a choir."
— Kate Tuttle
"Solomon's first chapter, entitled 'Son,' is as masterly a piece of writing as I've come across all year. It combines his own story with a taut and elegant précis of this book's arguments. It is required reading…This is a book that shoots arrow after arrow into your heart."
— Dwight Garner
"A brave, beautiful book that will expand your humanity."
— Anne Leslie
"[Far from the Tree] is a masterpiece of non-fiction, the culmination of a decade's worth of research and writing, and it should be required reading for psychologists, teachers, and above all, parents…A bold and unambiguous call to redefine how we view difference…A stunning work of scholarship and compassion."
— Carmela Ciuraru
"Deeply moving…"
— Lisa Zeidner
"A book of extraordinary ambition…Part journalist, part psychology researcher, part sympathetic listener, Solomon's true talent is a geographic one: he maps the strange terrain of the human struggle that is parenting."
— Brook Wilensky-Lanford
"Monumental…Solomon has an extraordinary gift for finding his way into the relatively hermetic communities that form around conditions…and gaining the confidence of the natives."
— Lev Grossman
"Masterfully written and brilliantly researched…Far from the Tree stands apart from the countless memoirs and manuals about special needs parenting published in the last couple of decades."
— Tina Calabro
"A careful, subtle, and surprising book."
— Nathan Heller
"Far from the Tree is fundamentally about the bonds and burdens of family, and it's a huge valentine to those who embrace the challenge of raising children who are in some way not what they had hoped for."
— Virginia Vitzthum
"A behemoth worth every one of its 976 pages."
— Amy Boaz
"Years of interviews with families and their unique children culminate in this compassionate compendium…The truth Solomon writes about here is as poignant as it is implacable, and he leaves us with a reinvented notion of identity and individual value."
— Booklist
"[These] stories are entirely unpredictable and offer us the full range of human experience—not only the horror but also the astonishing beauty—and in the end a Shakespearean sense that we are such stuff as dreams are made of."
— Judith Newman
"Profoundly moving…Solomon's own trials of feeling marginalized as gay, dyslexic, and depressive, while still yearning to be a father, frame these affectingly rendered real tales about bravely playing the cards one's dealt."
— Publishers Weekly, starred review
"An informative and moving book that raises profound issues regarding the nature of love, the value of human life, and the future of humanity."
— Kirkus, starred review
"In Far from the Tree, Andrew Solomon reminds us that nothing is more powerful in a child's development than the love of a parent. This remarkable new book introduces us to mothers and fathers across America—many in circumstances the rest of us can hardly imagine—who are making their children feel special, no matter what challenges come their way."
— President Bill Clinton
"This is one of the most extraordinary books I have read in recent times—brave, compassionate and astonishingly humane. Solomon approaches one of the oldest questions—how much are we defined by nature versus nurture?—and crafts from it a gripping narrative. Through his stories, told with such masterful delicacy and lucidity, we learn how different we all are, and how achingly similar. I could not put this book down."
— Siddhartha Mukherjee, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies
"Far-reaching, original, fascinating—Andrew Solomon's investigation of many of the most intense challenges that parenthood can bring compels us all to reexamine how we understand human difference. Perhaps the greatest gift of this monumental book, full of facts and full of feelings, is that it constantly makes one think, and think again."
— Philip Gourevitch, author of We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families
"Solomon, a highly original student of human behavior, has written an intellectual history that lays the foundation for a 21st century Psychological Bill of Rights. In addition to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness on the basis of race and religion, this Bill extends inalienable rights of psychological acceptance to people on the basis of their identity. He provides us with an unrivalled educational experience about identity groups in our society, an experience that is filled with insight, empathy and intelligence. We also discover the redefining, self-restructuring nature that caring for a child produces in parents, no matter how unusual or disabled the child is. Reading Far from the Tree is a mind-opening experience."
— Eric Kandel, author of The Age of Insight and winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
"Andrew Solomon has written a brave and ambitious work, bringing together science, culture and a powerful empathy. Solomon tells us that we have more in common with each other—even with those who seem anything but normal—than we would ever have imagined."—
— Malcolm Gladwell, author of Blink and The Tipping Point
"Far from the Tree is a landmark, revolutionary book. It frames an area of inquiry—difference between parents and children—that many of us have experienced in our own lives without ever considering it as a phenomenon. Andrew Solomon plumbs his topic thoroughly, humanely, and in a compulsively readable style that makes the book as entertaining as it is illuminating."
— Jennifer Egan, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Visit from the Goon Squad
"A book to admire, learn from, and cherish."
— Sue Ransohoff
"A brilliant and humane examination of family and resilience and humility and confusion and loyalty and difference and love…I want everyone to read it."
— Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray, Love and Committed
"A marvel of precision, lucidity and, despite its 962 pages, concision…This book will change your view of your own species."
— Tanguy Chouard
"A marvel of precision, lucidity and, despite its 962 pages, concision…This book will change your view of your own species."
— Tanguy Chouard
"The most amazing book I've ever read…"
— Curtis Sittenfeld, author of Prep and Sisterland


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Saturday December 27, 2014
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Friday December 12, 2014
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Wednesday July 30, 2014
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What Are We To Do When the Economy is Not Good?
Saturday July 5, 2014
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Wednesday May 14, 2014
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Life Requires Strength From All Of Us
Wednesday May 7, 2014
The world breaks everyone and afterward many are stronger at the broken places. - Ernest Hemingway Acclaimed author Hemingways life was an example of how the world breaks everyone; however those who wrote about him claim he was remarkably ego-centric . So he was talking about us and not himself. If that is true, it doesnt change the value of the counsel. The world and our choices do indeed break us from time to time. Loss of a job or a mate or our health stuff happens. The only question is whether we choose to adopt an... Read More
The Journey of Learning Should Never End
Wednesday April 30, 2014
Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. -Henry Ford Long-time readers know of my affection for simple words that express profound wisdom. Fords words match that standard. If your learning goals or current challenges would benefit from some personal coaching, schedule a call with me by just clicking here for my calendar availability. The bad news about my bout with... Read More
Our True Purpose Is To Those Around Us
Wednesday April 23, 2014
From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that we are here for the sake of each other above all for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received. -Albert... Read More