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Full Text Transcript of NEA President Dennis Van Roekel's Speech
Delivered July 2, 2012 at the NEA Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly
Welcome to the 150th annual meeting and the 91st Representative Assembly. I so appreciate that warm welcome, and I thank Lily for the very kind introduction. I want to first acknowledge both Lily and Becky. They are simply amazing. Not only for their incredible talents and skills, but for their courage, their leadership, and their complete understanding of what it means to collaborate, to work as partners, to be a real team. The two of them inspire me every day. I can't imagine doing the job without them. I also want to acknowledge the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. What a fantastic job they do. Their commitment to students and public education is always evident. And I see their dedication to this organization and our members in absolutely everything they do. And they make me proud, proud and honored to be their colleague. And to all of you, each and every one of you in this room, I thank you for your passion, your commitment. This has been a challenging year for our country. And I know it has challenged you as well as our members back home. Not just in some states, but in every state. I know how hard you worked to stand up for members and to serve our students, from pre‑K to graduate, and you do it every day. It's who you are. It's what we do.
In the rush of daily events, we don't always take time to reflect upon the profound trust placed in us. Or the enormous difference we make in the lives of so many students.
It's funny how just a normal everyday thing that seems so routine can also take on powerful significance. I remember one special day many years ago, my classes at school started at 7:30, so I often didn't have an opportunity to drive my sons to school. But one day I did. They were in first and third grade. As I pulled up to the school, I gave them each a kiss and a hug before they hopped out of the car. As I watched those two little guys walk up the sidewalk onto the playground, joining the many students who were there, I was suddenly struck by such a powerful feeling. And I remember this day exactly what went through my mind. I was hoping beyond hope that every adult at that school understood that I had just given them the most precious gift in my life — my children. I wanted them to realize how important it was to me for those two little guys to have a great day, to learn, to smile, to laugh, and to end the day feeling good and eager and ready to return to school the next day.
My guess is that every parent feels that way, whether they are sending their child off to first grade or leaving them in the dorm room for their first day of college. It's routine. It happens every day, yet it's extraordinary.
Parents are bringing their students to us, literally putting their future in our hands, entrusting us with the most important part of their world. We do not take that trust lightly. We never forget the importance of our work as we help shape and influence the lives of almost every student in America. Because we, the more than three million members of the National Education Association, we educate America!
Think about it. We educate America. From preschool to community college to graduate schools. Students from every ZIP code, students of every age.
And at this time, in a world of competition and a world of change, our work is so important to our country. Our work not only opens the door of opportunity for students, it drives the economy, and it fuels the engine of democracy.
We're absolutely everywhere. We're in classrooms, the library, the computer lab, the college campuses. We're there every day driving the buses, preparing the food, keeping the school safe, keeping the school clean. We coach the teams, advise the clubs, counsel the students who just need to talk.
We educate to realize America's dreams. It's our work. It's our profession. But that sure doesn't stop anyone from having an opinion on how we ought to do our work, does it?
We all know there are plenty of people who are eager to offer advice — or worse, try to impose their ideas on our profession. Bloggers, columnists, elected officials, and self‑proclaimed reformers, they are constantly weighing in about public education. I mean, they have an opinion on everything — the who, the what, the when, the where, and the how — all of that about public education. Always opinions.
The "who" they love to talk about and blame are teachers. As if this disjointed and underfunded system is somehow the fault of those who teach and the people who work in those schools. But the real problems are the profiteers and mega-rich Wall Street folks who created an economic crisis that has our country and the world reeling.
And the solution isn't to attack educators, it's to give respect. That's what will attract talented young people to become teachers and education support professionals and college professors.
The other part of the "who" in education is the students, and the demographics are rapidly changing. The majority of America's students will soon be ethnic minorities, and one in five children in our country today lives in poverty.
Instead of focusing on solutions to help these students, too many keep looking for ways to maximize profits.
And, by the way, educators can't do this all by ourselves. We know we have to partner with parents, with business leaders, with people in the community, to create great public schools. We all have a role to play.
As far as the discussion on "what" we teach, that has changed dramatically. No Child Left Behind with its emphasis on standardized tests has distorted public education by narrowing the curriculum and eliminating programs. We spend endless time getting students ready for and taking standardized tests, all at the expense of literature that inspires students or history that helps them understand, or the arts that allow them to express themselves.
The "where" discussion in education is all over the map, with advocates for homeschooling, charter schools, private schools, and neighborhood schools. And with today's technology, "Where" doesn't even have to be a specific place; it's anywhere, with online courses, blended learning, flipped classrooms, massive online open courses.
And the "when" discussion? Well, they say we no longer live in an agrarian society, so why shouldn't students attend school all year? There are debates about a longer day or a longer year or when we should meet or when we shouldn't. Everyone talks about the "when" with one glaring exception — early childhood education. There's only one politician who has ever mentioned it in the last four years, and that's President Barack Obama.
The importance of early childhood education is obvious. The research is clear. I know of no family of means that denies that experience for their own children. Yet there is almost a total silence about providing that same opportunity for "other people's children" — for all of America's children.
And when you turn to the discussion of how education ought to be delivered, oh, the floodgates open up. Everyone seems to know how we ought to do our job. Too often it's the test-the-students-and-then-test-them-some-more crowd. They want to use those test scores to evaluate teachers, to label students, and embarrass schools. They seem to have no need for evidence or research. It's kind of like if it makes a good sound bite, then go for it.
Amid all this talk about the who, the what, the when, the where, and the how of public education, there's something missing.
Almost no one talks about the why of public education. See, that should be the starting point, because we have to answer that question before we ask the others. If you ask our members, regardless of membership category, if you ask them why they choose to work in education, why they teach, why they drive buses, counsel students, prepare meals, provide health care as a nurse, why they clean rest rooms and classrooms, the answer always comes down to one answer. It's about students. It's always about them.
Video: Representative Assembly Keynote Address by NEA President Dennis Van Roekel
So what is the purpose of public education in the 21st century? Why does it need to exist more now than ever before in America? What do we want to achieve for students, for our society, for America? See, to me, the purpose of public education begins with access and equity. That's why it's public. That's why we need it for all.
Public education makes America strong. Studying history and civics helps students become good citizens. Part of a democratic republic. Public education is a vehicle to teach American values and ideals, values like a just society, equal opportunity, and democracy. And in a nation where equal opportunity is one of our most deeply held values, education is a key that opens the door to economic opportunity, for people from all backgrounds.
See, that's why top leaders from Thomas Jefferson to Martin Luther King, Jr. to President Obama have understood the importance of education in our society.
Another obvious answer to the "why" question is student learning: the academic side of education. Not a curriculum narrowed to fit the confines of a high‑stakes standardized test, but a rich curriculum that includes art, music, dance, sports, drama, science, a whole world of possibilities to explore, a whole universe to inspire our students. Education should prepare young people for the future and help them discover their passion.
But there's more to the "why." There's more to education than academics.
So when we talk about the "why" of public education, the purpose of public education, we have to address the needs of the whole child. That means including issues like health care, good nutrition, safe schools and family environment. All of these things impact learning and student development. We aren't only their teacher or their bus driver. We are an adult in that child's life. We never know when we might have an impact on their development or their growth as a person. So we have to see them as more than a student at a desk.
One year I asked all of my high school math students to each write me a letter about their goals for my class, their aspirations. And I said, "Please tell me one thing I don't know about you but you think I should."
That night as I was reading 160 letters written just for me, one of them jumped out and grabbed me. I remember where she sat. She was not doing particularly well. We were about six weeks into the school year, but in her letter she said, "One thing Mr. Van Roekel doesn't know about me is that my dad died two weeks before school started. I know school is important, it's just hard to feel that right now."
So you realize at times like that, academics, sure, they're important, but that's not all a student needs. You see, sometimes kids just need somebody to listen, to understand, to encourage, and you know those things just can't be measured on a test where you bubble in an answer.
All of these issues I mentioned, we can't possibly address all of them ourselves, but what we can do is create partnerships and work with other people to meet all those needs.
And we can't set education policy by ourselves, but we do have the power to influence. One way is through the political process. We're going to talk about that a lot over the next few days because the election this year is critical for public education and it's also the turning point for the entire middle class in America. The first item on that list: We must do everything we can to reelect President Barack Obama!
President Obama has earned our support in this first term. He secured federal funds to keep more than 400,000 educators working with students. He expanded access to health care to some 30 million Americans through the Affordable Care Act, which thankfully was upheld last week by the Supreme Court.
He issued an executive order to open the door of opportunity to hundreds of thousands of students who are eligible for the DREAM Act. And just last week — and just last week, he led the way to ensure that student loans remain affordable.
Now, we know the other side will outspend us in this election, but we can't allow them to outwork us.
We will reelect President Obama. Are you ready! Oh, yes, we must engage in the political system.
But that isn't enough. To help students succeed in these challenging times, we must also harness the strength of our association to take charge of the teaching profession.
We need to support our members to define what good teaching looks like so others can't reduce good teaching to standardized tests. We cannot allow that to happen. And we must have a real say, a real say in how educators are prepared, trained, and evaluated. We are all leaders in our union and in our profession. We know how to bargain for a contract, how to mobilize our members for an election, how to advocate for legislation. And obviously, we need to keep doing all of those things, with the attacks that are coming, we must do it and do it well. But my question to you is this:
Are we willing to assert our leadership and take responsibility for our professions? The demands of our work are changing as our students change, and as the world around us is changing, too, ever so fast.
Now, I say it's time for us to lead the next generation of professionals in educating the next generation of students. I am so tired of others defining the solutions without even ever asking those who do the work every day of their professional life. I want to take advantage of this opportunity for us to lead, and I'm not willing to ask those folks on the outside for permission. I'm not willing to ask them, "Do I get to do this?" Because if we are not ready to lead, if we are not ready to lead, I know there are many others ready, willing, and waiting to do it for us. Or maybe I should say, do it to us.
There are plenty of people outside our profession who have their own ideas about what we should be doing, how we should be evaluated and how we should improve public education. There are ideas like privatization, unregulated charters and vouchers.
Frankly, our current system allowed the market for those ideas to exist. We are part of that system, a system that has not successfully addressed the dropout crisis, and it allows kids who are poor to be in schools that do not meet their needs, and to be placed in the classrooms year after year with the least qualified and the least experienced teachers.
It's not enough to say that most teachers are good. If there is even one classroom with a teacher who isn't prepared or qualified, we can't accept that. Because this country is not about equal opportunity for most. It's about equal opportunity for all. And let me be clear: This country is not about all the educational opportunity you can afford, it's about all the educational opportunity our nation can provide, not for some but for all students in America!
We proudly stand for equity, and when we say "equity," we're not talking about the Bain Capital Private Equity Corporation. When we talk about equity, we are saying that every child, every classroom deserves a great teacher and great support professional. If the solutions that others are attempting to impose on us don't work for the students we serve, then we must take the responsibility to define solutions that do work for every student.
So let's use our collective power to raise the level of preparation for those coming into our profession and improve the practice of those who are already there. We're professionals, and professionals are always looking for ways to raise their game. And we know that ensuring student success in this fast‑changing economy requires more from all of us. And I know that teachers are willing to take responsibility for student success, and they want and deserve a voice in how they're trained, supported, and evaluated.
So let's demand that every educator, including education support professionals, receives the professional development and support they need to help students succeed.
Instead of waiting for someone to tell us what to teach or how to do our jobs, let us be the change we are waiting for. Let's lead a movement for new academic standards. Let us define the multiple measures of professional practice and evidence of student learning. We need them both. And let's learn to use data and technology in new ways.
We'll hear this week about a great program in which education support professionals are visiting students' homes, building relationships with parents, and they are using data to flag problems, design interventions, and track progress. We'll also hear about a project that is using technology to teach sciences with embedded assessments so teachers know in real time when students don't understand a point. These are just a couple of the many examples of what is happening across the country.
Our local affiliates are leading the way to improve the lives of students. And that so excites and energizes me. It gives me hope, because I know the power of this union. The world has changed and society is asking more of us. Our country needs more from us. But we don't have to do it alone. Why should we do it? Because we have each other, so we can do things together that none of us could possibly do by ourselves. And not only that, but we can do things no one else can do. Yes, we need help from parents, communities, business leaders, and we will work hard to create real partnerships with them, especially in the ethnic minority communities. But we are the NEA. We educate America. And there are some things that we and only we can do. And we must do them.
A few weeks from now, the class of 2025 will enter kindergarten. Imagine ‑‑ almost four million five‑year‑olds. Can you see their faces? Can you see that incredible diversity, the eagerness to begin, the joy of getting to attend school? I know one of them quite well. His name is Mason Van Roekel. My youngest grandson. Just as I did so many years ago, his parents, my son and daughter‑in‑law, are entrusting him to us. They're putting his future in our hands just as the parents of four million other children will be doing. It's a long way from that first day in kindergarten until they graduate from high school. And along the way, there are so many things we must do. We must make the interventions to keep them on a path to success. We need to find a way to help them when what we're doing now isn't working, because the world is going to keep changing and the challenges are immense. The demographics of this group, they reflect the increasing diversity of our nation. Technology — they've grown up using devices that I couldn't even imagine when I began teaching. I bet there are some of you in this room who are like me. When I started teaching, we still had slide rules. Remember those?
And the careers? We can't even fathom what kind of work many of them will do.
As these students navigate through this changing world, I hope we'll constantly monitor their needs to help them stay on course. I hope we'll adapt and try whatever tactics are necessary to reach every one of them. I hope we'll be willing to push ourselves to get better every day. I hope we'll do these things because the dreams of these children are riding on us. Yes, it's a big responsibility, but it's not a burden. It's a joyous responsibility that we readily embrace. We are three million strong, and we have the greatest power in the world, the power to change lives.
So let's use that power. Let's use our power as individuals, and let's use our power through our collective strength, the power of three million people working together with passion and commitment to improve the lives of all our students. Let's use our power to change one classroom at a time. Let's use our power to make public education stronger. And let's use our power to make our nation a better place, moving ever closer to our great and noble ideal of equal opportunity, not just for a fortunate few, but for every single child.
NEA, we educate America. Thank you for all you do for the students of our country. Thank you very much.


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Maybe lovinglinux has the right idea; that instead of smacking my head against the LCD repeatedly every time a new version of Firefox comes out, I should be lampooning the people who start thread after thread complaining that it's not available for their particular distro, release or sub-sub-version.
I know everyone wants the latest and greatest software for their machine. And I know that nobody wants to do the work involved in packaging and disseminating Firefox X.X. But is the repeated whine, the incessant murmur, the inescapable sense of entitlement really doing anything to expedite the process?
I won't complain about the complaining (metacomplain?) too much, since it's something I described better, and in stronger terms, about a year ago. But I stand by all those comments — including the ones that painted some people as petulant or impudent — because a year later things are still the same.
One major release in a common application, and suddenly there is a weak-sauce revolution underway because there hasn't been an update in the hours since it was announced. And the complaining, and the whining, and the threats to move to another distro … it's all old news.
All of this, to me, goes back to the point I made last year — that Linux users are in a better position to upgrade things manually, on their own, and not rely at all on someone else's benevolence to keep them up-to-date. Perhaps some people feel they lack the skills to do that, but they certainly don't lack the tools. And really, considering you can download a precompiled Linux binary, uncompress and use it, the "I can't" excuse doesn't really hold water. You'll get no sympathy from me.
But I don't expect this weak little counter-complaint off in some corner of the Netiverse to change anything. As soon as KillerApp version 126.96.36.199a is announced, somebody, somewhere will start the whine again. …

subset: commoncrawl


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On this page : Fogo (Cabo Verde), Bardarbunga (Iceland), Kilauea (Hawaii), Stromboli (Sicily), Aso (Japan), Popocatepetl (Mexico), Reventador (Ecuador), Chiles and Cerro Negro (Colombia), Erebus (Antarctica), Pavlof (Alaska), Sinabung (Indonesia), Mayon (Philippines), Tokashidake (Japan)
New additions will always be on top and if the page gets too long, we will cut off a part of it and archive it. This url will always be the one to follow and if you leave your tab open in your browser, the page will refresh every 30 minutes automatically.
This report is compiled out of many information sources.
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Click on the link to be referred to that page. Same system than this page.
Volcano news by volcanologist Janine Krippner
Sinabung, Indonesia, April 2, 15:45 UTC (Janine)
There are reports of pyroclastic flows reaching 4 km from the dome, igniting fires around the village of Sibintun. There are no current reports of any injuries or casualties and I am unaware of how many were in the area at the time. Updates will be provided when more news comes through.
Colima, Mexico - March 26, 14:30 UTC (Janine)
An explosive eruption occurred this morning (8:18 am local time) producing a 4 km high ash plume and pyroclastic flows.
Shiveluch, Kamchatka - March 26, 14:00 UTC (Janine)
KVERT reports an eruption that occurred today producing an ash plume that reached 5000 - 5500 m above sea level.
Semisopochnoi, Alaska - March 25, 17:58 UTC (Janine)
AVO/USGS has increased the aviation color code to Yellow and the volcano alert level to Advisory following the increasing intensity of seismic activity. The activity could indicate moving magma or magmatic gasses. No other signs of activity have been observed through remote sensing or other data.
Popocatepetl, Mexico - March 25, 12:30 UTC (Janine)
Explosions continue daily with these two images captured by the webcam this morning.
See live webcam here.
Zhupanovsky, Kamchatka - March 25, 11:35 UTC (Janine)
KVERT has released a volcano observatory notice for aviation today after a moderately explosive eruption. The ash plume reached 8 km above sea level and has drifted ENE.
Shiveluch, Kamchatka - March 23, 13:00 UTC (Janine)
An explosion at Shiveluch yesterday (22 March) produced an ash plume reaching 6 km above sea level. KVERT released a Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation for the ash plume that drifted to the north east.
Villarrica, Chile - March 23, 12:25 UTC (Janine)
Ash emission is visible on the four webcams around Villarrica.
See webcams here.
Ngauruhoe, New Zealand - March 23, 12:20 UTC (Janine)
GNS Science has increased the Alert Level to 1 (minor volcanic unrest) following an increase in number and magnitude of shallow (<5 km) earthquakes around the volcano. The previous period of unrest in 2006-2010 did not result in eruptive activity and it is also unlikely that this unrest will lead to an eruption. The last eruption of Ngauruhoe was in 1975, producing vulcanian activity.
Villarrica, Chile - March 18, 15:42 UTC (Janine)
Here is a video taken during a SERNAGEOMIN flight showing ash emission:
Villarrica, Chile - March 18, 15:25 UTC (Janine)
SERNAGEOMIN reports an increase in alert level to ORANGE. The increase in activity includes continuing explosions producing ballistic deposition around the crater and fine ash emission. The continuous low magnitude tremor suggests greater internal activity in a partially open system. This elevated activity may progress into a phase of greater instability that could lead to similar eruptive activity to that seen on 4 March.
Lewotobi, Indonesia - March 18, 12:30 UTC (Janine)
The alert level has been raised from NORMAL (Level I) to VIGILANT (Level II) due to an increase in seismic activity that may be due to an increase in pressure in a rising magma body. Visual observations noted steam ("white smoke") 15-20 m above the Laki-laki crater.
Shiveluch, Kamchatka - March 18, 12:15 UTC (Janine)
Volkstat.ru reports an eruption at Shiveluch on 17 March at 00:53 local time. The eruption produced ash plumes and lightening strikes, ash was reported falling on Ust-Kamchatsky at 07:00 local time.
Kilauea, Hawaii- March 14 13:20 UTC (Janine)
The latest Hawaii Civil Defense update discusses the declining activity of the June 27th lava flow. Activity appears to have ceased along the active flow front. The video with recent footage of the flow and questions and answers is below:
Volcano activity of the world (last 7 days) – March 14, 15:17 UTC (Armand)
Bulletin collected and published by the Smithsonian Institution
Asosan | Kyushu (Japan)
JMA reported that, based on seismicity and infrasound data, the eruption from Asosan's Nakadake Crater that began on 25 November 2014 continued during 2-6 March. Incandescent material was sometimes ejected onto the crater rim and plumes rose 1 km above the crater. High-amplitude tremor continued to be detected and infrasound data sometimes indicated eruptions. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-5).
Fuego | Guatemala
INSIVUMEH reported that during 5-10 March explosions at Fuego produced ash plumes that rose 550-850 m above the crater and drifted 10 km NW, W, and SW. Avalanches descended the Santa Teresa (W), Cenizas (SSW), Trinidad (S), and Las Lajas (SE) ravines, and ash fell in nearby areas including Panimache I and II, Morelia, and Santa Sofía. Incandescence from the crater was sometimes observed at night.
Popocatepetl | Mexico
CENAPRED reported that during 3-10 March the seismic network at Popocatépetl recorded between 39 and 211 gas, steam, and ash emissions. Crater incandescence at night sometimes increased coincident with emissions. During 3-4 March there were 45 explosions detected; an explosion at 2004 on 3 March ejected tephra 700 m from the crater onto the NE flank, and other explosions ejected material 100 m onto the flanks. Gas-and-ash plumes drifted NE. On 5 March there were 29 explosions. Ash plumes mostly rose less than 1 km, although one gas, steam, and ash plume rose 3 km and drifted NE. The next day an explosion generated an ash plume that rose 1.2 km and drifted NE. A series of explosions on 7 March produced ash plumes that rose 1-2 km and drifted SW and N. Incandescent tephra was ejected 800 m onto the flanks and ashfall was reported in Ecatzingo (15 km SW). A series of explosions on 8 March produced ash plumes that rose 2 km and drifted NE. Ashfall was reported in Amecameca (20 km NW), Ecatzingo (15 km SW), and Tepextlipa. On 9 March a low-intensity explosion detected at 1014 generated a water vapor, gas, and ash plume. On 10 March two explosions were detected (at 0747 and 0859). The Alert Level remained at Yellow, Phase Two.
Soputan | Sulawesi (Indonesia)
Based on information from PVMBG and weather models, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 7 March an eruption at Soputan generated ash plumes that rose to an altitude of 9.1 km (30,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 260 km SE and SW. A thermal anomaly was detected in satellite images. BNPB noted that the eruption occurred at 1709, and produced ash plumes that rose 4.5 km above the crater and drifted E. Pyroclastic flows traveled 2.5 km down the W flank. Minor ashfall was reported in the Silian Raya district, Touluaan, Tombatu, and party in the districts of Pasan and Rataha. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4). The next day the VAAC noted that an ash plume rose to an altitude of 3.7 km (12,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted almost 95 km SE.
Villarrica | Chile
Based on OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN data, representatives from ONEMI, SERNAGEOMIN, Sistema Nacional de Protección Civil, and others reduced the exclusion zone around Villarrica to 5 km on 5 March. OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN reported that the Alert Level for Villarrica was lowered to Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale) on 6 March, citing that seismicity had declined to below baseline levels and visual observations indicated no active lava lake. During an overflight on 9 March scientists observed subsidence of material in the crater which partially obscured the conduit. Weak degassing was also noted. On 10 March the Alert Level was lowered to Yellow; OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN warned of avalanches of unconsolidated material and maintained an exclusion zone of 3 km.
Turrialba, Costa Rica - March 13, 16:45 UTC (Janine)
Below is a video of the eruption that took place yesterday:
Ruang, Indonesia - March 13, 11:50 UTC (Janine)
BADAN GEOLOGI has reported a change from Alert Level 1 to Level 2 following an increase in seismic activity that could be attributed to increased pressure in the magma reservoir.
Turrialba, Costa Rica - March 13, 00:20 UTC (Janine)
An eruption occurred today from 13:38 to 15:24 local time with an ash plume reaching 1000 m. OVSICORA posted the video below:
Kilauea, Hawaii- March 12 12:00 UTC (Janine)
Breakouts continue on the June 27 lava flow. USGS HVO reports that the leading tip of the active flow front remains stalled 500 m upslope of Highway 130 with scattered breakouts behind. A breakout near the stalled tip has advanced along the southern margin over the past few days 1 km upslope from Highway 130, and another breakout is active 700 m upslope of the Pahoa Marketplace. Back at the Pu'u 'O'o cone there are two active areas of breakouts, with a new breakout that began two days ago near the Kahauele'a cone.
Villarrica, Chile - March 12 11:23 UTC (Janine)
Villarrica was lowered to Alert Level Yellow a few days ago. The following before and after images released by NASA show the extent of the deposits from the March 3 eruption.
Shiveluch, Kamchatka - March 9, 14:15 UTC (Janine)
KVERT reports the continuation of dome growth, avalanches, moderate ash explosions, fumerolic activity, and incandescence at the summit of the dome. Yesterday an explosion sent an ash plume up to 7-8 km above sea level, which drifted further than 885 km to the east.
Villarrica, Chile - March 3, 17:25 UTC (Janine)
SERNAGEOMIN has released photographs of the summit taken after this morning's eruption:
Villarrica, Chile - March 3, 13:45 UTC (Janine)
SERNAGEOMIN increased the Alert level to Red after a significant increase in seismicity related to volcanic tremor. Activity at the crater has intensified in energy and continuity, producing an ash column reaching altitudes of 3 km.
Thermal image of #Villarrica #volcano via. @Sernageomin https://t.co/UV9xsU9Upd pic.twitter.com/eagDdnw2f8
— Janine Krippner (@janinekrippner) March 3, 2015
Villarrica, Chile - March 3, 10:25 UTC (Armand)
Foto Captada en el momento de la Erupción #VolcánVillarrica #Temuco pic.twitter.com/YnFJufMw9p
— Araucania de Todos (@AraucaniadDTodo) March 3, 2015
Amazing photos of the Villarrica volcano in Chile WOW HT @Sim0nRedfern MT "@fpizarro: pic.twitter.com/0zku7AXr95"
— kirsty grainger (@kirstygrainger) March 3, 2015
Bardarbunga, Iceland - March 2, 18:00 UTC (Janine)
The Icelandic Meteorological Office continues to monitor gas dispersion from Holuhraun after the eruption has ended. The NASA Landsat 8 image below shows depressions and cauldrons in the Vatnajökull glacier in the lower left portion, with Holuhraun in the upper right.
Villarrica, Chile - March 2, 17:45 UTC (Janine)
SERNAGEOMIN has raised the alert level to Orange with the sustained increase in seismicity suggesting a greater instability in the volcanic system. Discontinuous strombolian activity is occurring at the summit with projectiles reaching distances up to 600 m from the crater. The alert was raised to Yellow on 6 February.
Nishinosima, Japan - March 2, 17:05 UTC (Janine)
The Japan Coast Guard has released photos taken on 23 February of the growing Nishinoshima volcanic island. The eruption surfaced in 2013 and has since been producing consistent activity with explosions several times per minute. The below video contains footage originally published by the Japan Coast Guard.
Shiveluch, Kamchatka - March 2, 15:30 UTC (Janine)
Volkstat.ru has a released a video of the 28 February eruption that produced a 9 km high plume, and pyroclastic flows to 5 km.
Bardarbunga, Iceland - February 28, 12:19 UTC
The volcanic eruption in Holuhraun has come to an end. See http://t.co/hvpF3n1DcD og á Ísl http://t.co/2RxK5pscmD #bardarbunga #Holuhraun
— Almannavarnir (@almannavarnir) February 28, 2015
This was the latest official report on Friday when the eruption was still going on
Merapi, Java, Indonesia - February 28, 09:28 UTC
#foto | @LeopoldAdam: 27 Feb 2015 #Merapi dan Mentari pagi ini dari MVO Babadan. cr. Alzwar Nurmanaji pic.twitter.com/FoLbgKKRgn
— info jogja (@infojogja) February 27, 2015
Scheveluch, Kamchatka, Russia - February 28, 09:28 UTC
#volcan #volcano #Sheveluch puissante explosion + multiples écoulements pyroclastiques/powerfull explosion + big PDCs pic.twitter.com/dYM7BrhKId
— CultureVolcan (@CultureVolcan) February 28, 2015
Yasur, Tanna Island Vanuatu - February 25, 23:15 UTC
Great drone footage of explosions. Miraculously, the drone survived.
Volcano activity of the world (last 7 days) – February 25, 23:48 UTC (Armand)
Bulletin collected and published by the Smithsonian Institute
Ambrym | Vanuatu
On 21 February the Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory issued a notice reminding the public that a minor eruption was occurring at Ambrym from a new vent inside the caldera. The Alert Level was raised to 3 (on a new scale of 0-5). Hazardous areas were identified as being near and around the active vents (Benbow, Maben-Mbwelesu, Niri-Mbwelesu and Mbwelesu), and in downwind areas prone to ashfall.
Chikurachki | Paramushir Island (Russia)
KVERT noted that the eruption of Chikurachki that began on 16 February produced ash plumes during 16-18 February. Satellite images detected the ash plumes rising to altitudes of 7.5-8 km (24,600-26,200 ft) a.s.l. and drifting about 280 km W and E. No activity was detected during 19-22 February; the Aviation Color Code was lowered to Yellow. Chikurachki is not monitored with seismic instruments but is observed by ground-based means and satellite images.
Fuego | Guatemala
INSIVUMEH reported that during 19-20 February explosions at Fuego produced dense ash plumes that rose 650-1,250 m above the crater and drifted 12-15 km W, S, and SE. Shock waves from some of the explosions rattled structures in nearby areas including Panimache (8 km SW), Morelia (9 km SW), and Santa Sofía (12 km SW). Crater incandescence was visible at night and block avalanches that descended the Santa Teresa (W), Cenizas (SSW), Trinidad (S), and Las Lajas (SE) ravines. Ashfall was reported in Panimache and La Rochela. During 21-22 February explosions occurring at a rate of 5-7 per hour generated dense ash plumes that rose 550-850 m and drifted 10-15 km NE, W, and SW. Ash fell in Panimache I and II, Morelia, Santa Sofía, and Yepocapa (8 km NW). During 22-23 February explosions at a rate of 4-6 per hour were detected. Gray plumes rose 650-850 m and drifted 10-12 km. Explosions ejected tephra 100 m above the crater. Ashfall was again reported in nearby communities including Panimaché I and II, Morelia, Santa Sofía. Explosions continued to be detected during 23-24 February and incandescent material was ejected 100 m.
Karymsky | Eastern Kamchatka (Russia)
KVERT reported that moderate seismicity at Karymsky was detected during 13-20 February. Satellite images showed that the volcano was quiet or obscured by clouds. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.
Klyuchevskoy | Central Kamchatka (Russia)
KVERT reported that during 13-20 February a Strombolian and Vulcanian eruption at Klyuchevskoy continued. Incandescence at the summit was visible and bombs were ejected 150 m above the crater. Explosions generated ash plumes that rose to altitudes of 5-8 km (16,400-26,200 ft) a.s.l.; ashfall was reported in Klyuchi Village (30 km NNE) during 13-16 February. A lava flow effused onto the E flank. Satellite images showed a daily, big, bright thermal anomaly over the volcano, and ash plumes drifted about 600 km mainly E, SE, and S. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.
Sinabung | Indonesia
Based on satellite images and weather models, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 20 February an eruption from Sinabung generated ash plumes that rose to an altitude of 13.7 km (45,000 ft) a.s.l., drifted almost 540 km NW, and became detached. A lower-level eruption later that day produced an ash plume that rose to an altitude of 7.3 km (24,000 ft) a.s.l.
For your information
We have archived a huge part of this page (period from January 16 until February 18)
Ambrym, Vanuatu - February 24, 09:05 UTC (Armand)
Below the tweet from John Seach about the disappeared Marum crater lava lake. Below his tweet our screenshots who are proving that he is right. We also attract your attention on the strong thermal activity on the 21th, the day of the eruption cloud that we mentioned earlier on this page (date there is February 22 but it shows clearly what happened). Let us truly hope that nobody camped alongside the crater at the time of the eruption. An almost certain death would have been the result. So far we have no news of eventual missing persons. Also bad news for those teams wanting to do research the Marum lava lake in the near future. An example of such a research team (with a drone) can be seen in the video below. The video is one of the greatest Ambrym / Marum video's we have seen so far (there are many on YouTube). It may now be over for a long time or perhaps re-appear later today. The great secrets of our planet.
National Geographic Marum crater drone video.
Ambrym, Vanuatu - February 23, 19:55 UTC (Janine)
The Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory released a report on 21 February with an Alert Level increase from 2 to 3 (Danger on the crater rim, possibility of moderate eruption, also chance of flank eruption). A minor flank eruption has begun from a new vent inside the caldera.
Ambrym, Vanuatu - February 22, 09:15 UTC (Armand)
See also below (nice to find out that our expectations were right)
New eruption at #Ambrym #volcano, #Vanuatu preceded by magnitude 6.4 earthquake on 20th February 2015.
— John Seach (@johnseach) February 22, 2015
#Ambrym #volcano, #Vanuatu. Satellite images show detached sulphur dioxide plume extending 500 km west.
— John Seach (@johnseach) February 22, 2015
Bardarbunga, Iceland - February 20, 18:20 UTC (Janine)
The Institute of Earth Sciences has released a report describing the decrease in activity at Holuhran. There appears to be only one active vent remaining and the level of the lava lake is lowering. The lava field remains active with the dominant growth mechanism being inflation. Breakouts were observed on the 17-18 February ENE of the vent with a maximum temperature of 1180-90°C.
Volcano activity of the world (last 7 days) – February 20, 17:48 UTC (Armand)
Bulletin collected and published by the Smithsonian Institute
Chikurachki | Paramushir Island (Russia)
According to KVERT, the Tokyo VAAC stated that an eruption at Chikurachki began at 1000 on 16 February. A Support to Aviation Control Service (SACS) notice described a large amount of aerosol near the Northern Kuriles Islands at 1322 that same day. Satellite images detected ash plumes that rose to altitudes of 7-7.5 km (23,000-24,600 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 80 km W. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Orange. At 0641, 1328, and 1635 on 17 February satellite images showed ash plumes rising to altitudes of 3-3.5 km (10,000-11,500 ft) a.s.l. and drifting 95-230 km SW.
Colima | Mexico
Based on satellite images, the Washington VAAC reported that on 11 February continued discrete emissions from Colima drifted NE and dissipated after 55 km. On 14 February a small eruption recorded by the webcam produced gas emissions with a low ash content that rose to an altitude of 4.9 km (16,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NNE.
In a 17 February bulletin, the Unidad Estatal de Protección Civil reported that Colima remained active, although there continued to be a slight decrease in the number and size of lava-block avalanches. Lava flows minimally advanced. Explosions continued but also decreased in intensity, producing ash plumes that rose 2-3 km above the crater. The lava dome had been partially destroyed, forming a carter about 140 m in diameter. Residents were warned not go within 5 km of the volcano.
Fuego | Guatemala
On 12 February INSIVUMEH reported that explosions from Fuego produced water vapor, gas, and ash plumes that rose 350-800 m above the crater and drifted E and S, and at times NW, drifting as high as 1.7 km. During 12-14 February explosions generated ash plumes that rose 800 m and drifted 10-11 km E and SE. Incandescent material was ejected 100-150 m above the crater, causing avalanches in the Trinidad (S) drainage. During 15-16 February block avalanches descended the Cenizas (SSW), Trinidad, and Las Lajas (SE) drainages. Ashfall was reported in Panimache (8 km SW), Sangre de Cristo (8 km WSW), San Pedro Yepocapa (8 km NW). In a special report on 16 February INSIVUMEH noted 4-6 explosions per hour, and ash plumes that rose, based on pilot reports, to altitudes of 7-9.1 km (23,000-30,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted more than 15 km SW and W. Another special report issued on 17 February stated that 4-6 explosions per hour continued to be detected. Large amounts of ash formed mushroom-shaped clouds that rose 0.6-1.1 km above the crater and drifted over 15 km NW, W, SE, and S. Incandescent material was ejected 150 m above the crater, causing avalanches in the Trinidad, Ceniza, Las Lajas, and Santa Teresa drainages.
Karymsky | Eastern Kamchatka (Russia)
KVERT reported that during 6-13 February a moderate explosive eruption at Karymsky continued. Satellite images showed a thermal anomaly over the volcano on 6 February; weather prevented views of the volcano on the other days. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.
Klyuchevskoy | Central Kamchatka (Russia)
KVERT reported that during 6-13 February a Strombolian and Vulcanian eruption at Klyuchevskoy continued. Incandescence at the summit was visible and bombs were ejected 200-300 m above the crater. Explosions generated ash plumes that rose to altitudes of 5.5-6.5 km (18,000-21,300 ft) a.s.l.; ashfall was reported in Kozyrevsk Village (50 km W) on 7 February and Klyuchi Village (30 km NNE) on 11 February. A lava flow effused onto the E flank. Satellite images showed a daily, big, bright thermal anomaly over the volcano, and ash plumes drifting about 400 km mainly NW and N at altitudes of 5.5-6.5 km (18,000-21,300 ft) a.s.l.
On 15 February at 1035 the webcam recorded ash plumes rising to altitudes of 6-6.5 km (19,700-21,300 ft) a.s.l. and drifting 74 km E. At 1211, 1347, and 1524 ash plumes rose to an altitude of 8 km (26,200 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 110-232 km E and ESE. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Red. At 1656 ash plumes rose to altitudes of 7.5-7.8 km (24,600-25,600 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 232 km ESE. The Aviation Color Code was lowered to Orange. At 1512 on 16 February ash plumes identified in satellite images rose to an altitude of 6 km (19,700 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 270 km S. The next day, at 0641, 1503, and 1505, ash plumes rose to an altitude of 5.5 km (18,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 114-240 km SE.
Pacaya | Guatemala
INSIVUMEH reported that during 12-13 February a series of weak explosions from Pacaya's Mackenney Crater generated dark gray ash plumes that rose 500-700 m above the crater and, along with fumarolic plumes, drifted 1.5 km S. During 14-15 February weak explosions continued to generate ash plumes; ash and fumarolic plumes drifted 800 m SE. The next day fumarolic and ash plumes drifted S and SW at a low altitude. During 16-17 February fumarolic plumes with small amounts of ash rose 100 m and drifted E.
Piton de la Fournaise | Reunion Island (France)
OVPDLF reported that during 11-13 February visibility of the eruption at Piton de la Fournaise that began on 4 February from vents located 100 m outside and to the W of Bory Crater was hampered by poor weather conditions; tremor remained elevated. Tremor began to decrease at 1700 on 15 February, intensely fluctuated, and then disappeared around 2230. Incandescence visible with a webcam likely indicated draining lava tubes.
Soputan | Sulawesi (Indonesia)
Based on information from PVMBG and weather models, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 11-12 February an eruption at Soputan generated ash plumes that rose to an altitude of 3.7 km (12,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted almost 30 km SE. Ash was not identified in satellite images due to darkness and meteorological clouds.
Villarrica | Chile
OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN reported that activity significantly increased at Villarrica during 1-16 February, characterized by increased seismicity, crater incandescence, and explosions. On 6 February seismicity increased significantly, explosions occurred in the crater, and ash emissions rose above the crater rim. The Alert Level was raised to Yellow (the second lowest level on a four-color scale). DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectrometry) data showed an average monthly sulfur dioxide emission value of 222 tons per day; a high value during this period of 450 tons per day was recorded on 11 February. The highest number of explosions, five per minute, during the period occurred on 16 February. Explosions ejected incandescent material out of the crater as far as 1 km onto the S flank. During an overflight on 16 February, supported by ONEMI, volcanologists observed the lava lake and recorded temperatures near 800 degrees Celsius, tephra in and around the active crater, and a diffuse layer of ash on the flanks.
Ambrym, Vanuatu - February 19, 15:00 UTC (Armand)
A very strong M6.4 earthquake happened along Ambrym Island Vanuatu. Ambrym Island is the location of Ambrym volcano and Ambrym volcano has one well know crater, the Marum lake/crater (see a 2009 picture below). Ambrym is not at all an innocent steady erupting volcano but had explosive sequences in recent history.
Ambrym volcano has erupted 50 times in the last 150 years, an average of once every 3 years with eruptions usually between VEI 1 and VEI 3. In 1950, a VEI 4 eruption occurred (equivalent to that of the Icelandic eruption of 2010).
Around 2000 years ago, it erupted with VEI 6 (equivalent to Pinatubo 1991).
Colima, Mexico - February 19, 12:45 UTC (Janine)
Activity continues at Colima with numerous explosions producing ash and steam throughout the day, such as the larger vulcanian eruption shown below.
Popocatepetl, Mexico - February 19, 12:35 UTC (Janine)
CENAPRED reports a new dome with 150 m diameter and a height of 100 m. The following video was taken by CENAPRED during a flight over the volcano on 17 February.
Klyuchevskoy, Kamchatka - February 19, 12:20 UTC (Janine)
KVERT reports continued strombolian and vulcanian eruptive activity. Ash plumes reach 5-5.5 km above sea level and have drifted to the southeast. Volkstat.ru has released the following images of ongoing activity.
Chikurachki, Kurile Islands - February 19, 12:10 UTC (Janine)
KVERT reports the continuation of an explosive eruption. On 18 February satellite data indicated an ash plume to 3 km above sea level drifting about 120 km to the southeast.
Sinabung, Sumatra, Indonesia - February 19, 09:26 UTC (Armand)
overnight event marked by the emergence of new lava spine at the peak of #Sinabung volcano cr Sadrah PS @chematierra pic.twitter.com/FPsr5zCEJK
— Leopold Kennedy Adam (@LeopoldAdam) February 19, 2015
Sinabung, Sumatra, Indonesia - February 19, 09:25 UTC (Armand)
The 2,600-meter (8,530-foot) Mount #Sinabung has sporadically erupted since September. cr: Ulet Ifanstati pic.twitter.com/rUTkwFeYyG
— Volcano Alert (@infoVolcano) February 18, 2015
2013 : July 8 - July 31
2013 : June 24 - July 7
2013 : June 8 - June 23
2013 : May 26 - June 7
2013 : June 8 - August 20
2013 : August 21 - October 27
2013 : October 28 - December 12
2013 : December 13 - January 30
2014 : February 1 - May 20
2014 : May 21 - August 20
2014 : August 21 - August 28 (Bardarbunga volcano Iceland)
2014 : August 29 - September 4 (Bardarbunga and Tavurvur)
2014 : September 5 - September 18 (Bardarbunga and Mayon)
2014 : September 19 - October 6 (Bardarbunga, Mayon, Long Valley and Ontakesan deadly eruption)
2014 : October 7 - November 4 (Bardarbunga, Kilauea, Chiles, Sinabung)
2014 : November 5 - November 22 (Bardarbunga, Long Valley, Colima, Pavlov, Kilauea, etc)
2014 : November 23 - November 28 (Fogo, Aso, Bardarbunga, etc)
2014 : November 29 - December 4 (Fogo, Bardarbunga, Kilauea, etc)
2014 : December 5 - December 13 (too many to describe)
2015 : December 14 - January 15 (too many to describe)
2015 : January 16 - February 18 (too many to describe)


text:
"A Prophet Is Born," Friend, Dec. 2012, 22–23
A Prophet Is Born
On a snowy winter day, Aubreelyn, Tyler, and Suzannah visited the quiet, peaceful woods of Vermont. Their grandparents, Elder and Sister Schuck, are missionaries at the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial. They give tours in the visitors' center and on the beautiful grounds of the site where the Prophet Joseph Smith was born on December 23, 1805.
The site used to be a farm belonging to the Prophet Joseph's grandfather. The family lived in a small clapboard home, which used to stand not far from where the visitors' center is now. The historical site is a special place because the first prophet of the Restoration was born here.


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Which Tech Giant Will Own the Future?
Oct 31, 2011 5:00 AM PT
I ran into a new forward-looking video from Microsoft last week that showcases a number of Microsoft technologies as they might be used a decade from now. Intel produced a video a few years ago, equally compelling, showcasing a future based on its technology; unfortunately, it hasn't been able to demonstrate a single design win yet that indicates it is on that path. This got me thinking of a Philips video (unfortunately I don't have a link) in the 1990s that basically predicted the iPhone -- a device it never actually made.
Over the years, it has often seemed like the companies in power have people inside who can accurately see the future but are often cursed by people running the business who can't or won't execute against that vision. They are able to see the future but in some terrible parody of the cursed Greek prophetess Cassandra, who could see but not change the future, they are unable to benefit from it.
I'll look at four companies that are at various stages and consider their future chances: Microsoft appears to be in decline; Apple is in transition; Google appears to be the next Microsoft -- in a bad way; and Facebook is the current heir-apparent.
I'll close with my product of the week: a notebook from Dell that looks like it was carved out of a block of aluminum and blends practicality with design elegance.
Microsoft on the Cusp
This is now Steve Ballmer's Microsoft, and in many ways the firm bears little resemblance to the user-focused company that Paul Allen and Bill Gates launched in the 1980s. It is financially successful but clearly struggling in a market defined by Apple gadgets and user focus -- which is somewhat ironic, given Microsoft's initial success was largely because it was more user-focused than IBM. The video I started out with accurately showcases a possible future for the company, but its historic problem is that it is too unfocused as a company, and the result is too many efforts that are massively under-resourced.
For instance, with Mango, the latest iteration of the Windows Phone platform, Microsoft has a product that is actually competitive and arguably better than Android -- yet it is still losing market share, largely because it is massively underfunding it. It is spending billions on Bing, but the lack of progress there indicates it is under-resourced as well.
The test is not how much you spend, but whether you are making progress -- and this new Microsoft focuses too much on containing costs and not enough on funding at levels that ensure success. That, to a large extent, is why it fails.
Channeling Yoda for a moment, it tries but it needs to do -- and the end result continues to fall short of expectations. If Microsoft could accurately assess the cost of success, it would likely choose different battles to fight rather than underfunding the battles it is fighting. Seems like a simple thing, but if it made this one change, it would be far better for it.
Google: Death by Envy and Advertising
In 2007, this video foretold a future in which Google wins. It predicts that Google buys Microsoft in 2015 and pretty much takes over the world by 2050. Is really is rather interesting to watch. I do think it accurately showcases Google's potential, but I don't think Google is on this path either.
As was revealed in Steve Jobs' biography, Jobs himself, effectively speaking from the grave, argued that Google was becoming Microsoft -- too unfocused and too willing to toss crap out to the market. In short, Google needed to focus and grow up.
Children tend to obsess over showing up their elders. Mature adults focus on goals tied to success -- well we should, anyway. Steve Jobs accurately described Google's childlike excessive focus on Microsoft as its biggest problem and the reason that it has become a poor parody of that company.
Recently it even got its own version of the old Microsoft consent decree (which ironically mirrored IBM's decades before). As I was writing, this info graphic was released showcasing that Android, Google's premier operating system, pretty much screws the people who use it.
This brings up a second clear problem for Google, and that is quality. By separating the revenue from the product (it funds everything indirectly through advertising), it does what any product company knows is death: It makes its developers a cost center. Cost centers are naturally starved for funding and generally underperform as a result. So, for Google to reach its potential, it needs to stop focusing on showing Microsoft up, find a way to adequately resource its efforts, and focus instead on what it wants to be when it grows up -- or it will fail, as Netscape did, for being the perennial child.
I also doubt Google wants to be remembered as the company that stole from Steve Jobs while being mentored and while Jobs was dying of cancer.
Facebook: Nibbled to Death
Facebook is clearly its own company. It doesn't seem to be focusing excessively on any predecessor, and it is shifting its revenue sources from pure advertising into things more closely connected to products, like gaming. Interestingly, the video that showcases Facebook is being created, and it is being crowdsourced. This approach also showcases both the promise and problem for Facebook in the future. The video isn't done, and the teaser is a collection of disjointed views from observers on the company's future -- kind of the video equivalent of a group of monkeys trying to type Shakespeare.
Because Facebook's long-term success is most tied to how people interact, the core skills needed are more closely tied to skills like ethnography than they are to the engineering skills that typically define companies like this and currently define Facebook. In fact, coverage of Mark Zuckerberg (the CEO and vision behind Facebook) suggests that he is about as far from a people expert as we are likely to get in this business.
Already we are seeing services like Tagged, a social service designed to create deeper relationships, and Nextdoor, a Facebook-like secure offering focused on neighborhoods nibbling around Facebook's edges. Services like this showcase Facebook's core weakness -- the very real problem that humans currently can't scale to the relationship numbers that Facebook provides, and general services like Facebook have trouble focusing on the needs of small demographics or distinct geographies.
In short, Facebook's future will likely be dependent on its ability to develop and apply leading expertise on human behavior and remain good enough for the majority of people looking for a social service. If it doesn't, it isn't Google it has to worry about -- it is being nibbled to death by a ton of better-focused competing services, as barriers to entry remain very low in this segment.
Wrapping Up: Apple - The Next RIM or Reborn Again?
Of all of the companies, Apple has the most difficult path. This is because it recently lost the one person in the world who had the proper skills to run that company. This is because Steve Jobs redesigned Apple around his unique skill set. To continue at its current level, it can't just be good -- it has to be outstanding, and the firms that did this consistently last decade can be counted on one hand with four fingers left over.
Atari, Commodore, Netscape, Palm, Motorola and now Research in Motion (RIM) have all demonstrated that today's champion can easily be tomorrow's bozo. It doesn't feel like Apple's board or executive team has yet fully grasped that Apple can't be sustained as it is without Jobs. It will have to change or find someone who can actually replace him.
Right now, this video showcases Apple's future, and it desperately needs to change this outlook to something far more positive. In 1996, commenting on Apple, Steve Jobs appears in this video to have provided direction. But in the end, the company will have to maintain product passion at the top to continue to dominate -- and right now, that is broken at Apple. Interestingly, this video by Corning may represent the best future for Apple, particularly if the new Apple TV rumor is true.
In the end, each of these companies must find in itself the vision, the focus, and the willingness to take the needed risks to define the future. Each could, but odds are that none of them will. Something to think about this week.
Product of the Week: Dell XPS 14z
The XPS line has always been one of my favorites, and for most of this year, I carried the 17-inch older version of this product. The XPS 14z, initially released in China, represents the current state of the art in Windows 7 notebook computers. Pretty to look at and elegant in use, this laptop computer, at 14 inches, hits the proper balance between portability and usability in terms of size.
Twelve inches is far more portable, but the screen and keyboard tradeoffs make them hard to use for heavy writers. Seventeen inches is an amazing desktop replacement, but portable it isn't, and the weight and inability to use it in many planes -- even in business class -- makes it problematic.
While the 13.3-inch screen size is typically the better form factor, the unique LG Shuriken display this laptop uses is a 14-inch panel in a 13.3-inch mount, giving you the benefits of more screen size in a smaller laptop.
Dell went to a great deal of trouble to make sure this laptop balanced properly and unlike other premium laptops in its class (read MacBook Pros) it won't try to iron your legs and dissipates heat properly.
With the passing of Steve Jobs, Dell is the only large PC company still run by its founder, and the XPS line is that company's premier line. As a result, this is the product that is likely most closely designed for its founder.
Balance is important in any product, and whether you are buying from Apple or Dell, paying a little more for something you'll depend upon is always worth the price -- at least, it is to me. Since the XPS 14z is the quintessential Dell product and the most balanced Windows 7 consumer notebook I've yet seen, it is my product of the week.


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One bright spot in a year so filled with sadness, loss, and defeat is Jackie Chan, who received an honorary Oscar at the 8th Annual Governors Awards on Saturday. Jackie Chan has spent the last 50 years and more than 200 movies jumping through windows, across buildings, and in between the rungs of ladders, just so we ingrates can smile for a couple of minutes. He's a planetary treasure, and it's just so nice to see him rewarded.
In addition to Chan, other honorary Oscars were given to editor Anne V. Coates of Lawrence of Arabia fame, casting director Lynn Stalmaster (the first casting director to win an Oscar), and documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman. Read more about the awards at Variety.
Twitter was very proud Jackie Chan, which, honestly, warms my heart.


text:
Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2002-01
September 26, 2002
Virginia C. Smith
Director of Enforcement, Regional Directors
Robert J. Doyle
Director of Regulations and Interpretations
What are the obligations of a fiduciary under sections 404(a) and 408(b)(3) of ERISA in connection with the refinancing of an exempt ESOP loan?
An ESOP is a defined contribution pension plan designed to invest primarily in stock of the sponsoring employer or an affiliate. A leveraged ESOP is an ESOP that finances its purchase of such stock through securities acquisition debt obtained from, or guaranteed by, the sponsoring employer. A leveraged ESOP, operated in accordance with applicable regulations, holds the shares purchased with the proceeds of such a loan in a "suspense account," and releases them from the suspense account as the loan is repaid according to a set formula that is expressed in terms of number of shares.(1) This release formula requires that in a given year, the number of shares released from the suspense account will be determined by multiplying the number of shares in the suspense account by a fraction. The numerator of that fraction is the amount of principal and interest paid for the year, and the denominator is the sum of the numerator plus the amount of principal and interest to be paid for all future years on the loan.(2) After the shares of stock are released from the suspense account, they are allocated to participant's accounts.
Loan repayment schedules typically are designed to provide for the release of stock from the ESOP suspense account consistent with a specific projected level of benefits or participant contributions. Loan repayment schedules, therefore, are often formulated based on projections as to the future value of shares, the number of participants and, if relevant, levels of participant contributions over the term of the loan. Accordingly, where there are significant deviations from the projections-- such as significant increases in the value of the stock held in the ESOP suspense account or significant decreases in the number of participating employees -- the release of stock in accordance with original loan terms will result in a level of benefits greater than originally intended by the plan sponsor. Refinancing of the underlying loans is a means by which some plan sponsors have sought to bring future allocations closer to the amounts they originally intended. In general, an ESOP refinancing involves entering into a new loan that extends the repayment schedule and, therefore, the period over which stock will be allocated from the suspense account to individual participants. Typically, the ESOP uses the loan proceeds to retire the original loan and release suspense account shares to the accounts of the participants only as the new, extended, loan is repaid. While all of the shares acquired in the original stock purchase are ultimately released under the extended terms of the new loan, fewer shares are released from the suspense account during the period of the original underlying loan and fewer shares are allocated to participants' accounts during that same period.
Section 404(a)(1)(A) of ERISA requires, among other things, that a fiduciary of a plan discharge its duties with respect to the plan solely in the interest of the plan's participants and beneficiaries and for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to participants and their beneficiaries and defraying reasonable expenses of administering the plan. Section 404(a)(1)(B) requires that a fiduciary of a plan discharge its duties with respect to the plan solely in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries and with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims. Section 403(c)(1) requires, in part, and subject to certain exceptions, that the assets of a plan shall never inure to the benefit of any employer and shall be held for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to participants and beneficiaries and defraying reasonable expenses of administering the plan.
Section 406(a)(1)(B) provides, in pertinent part, that a fiduciary with respect to a plan shall not cause the plan to engage in a transaction, if he or she knows or should know that such transaction constitutes a direct or indirect "lending of money or other extension of credit between the plan and a party in interest". ERISA section 3(14) defines a "party in interest" to include an employer. Section 408(b)(3) provides that a loan to an ESOP is exempt from section 406 (except section 406(b)(3)(3)) if such loan is "primarily for the benefit of participants and beneficiaries of the plan, and . . . such loan is at an interest rate which is not in excess of a reasonable rate." It is the view of the Department that the requirements of section 408(b)(3) apply to the refinancing of an ESOP loan, as well as to the original loan. Accordingly, an ESOP fiduciary, in order to avoid engaging in a prohibited transaction, must take steps to ensure that a refinancing transaction comports with the requirements of section 408(b)(3) and 29 C.F.R. § 2550.408b-3.
§ 2550.408b-3(c) addresses the application of the "primary benefit" requirement of section 408(b)(3). In applying the "primary benefit" requirement, paragraph (c)(1) of § 2550.408b-3 provides, among other things, that a fiduciary must consider "[a]ll the surrounding circumstances, including those described in paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this section.(4) Paragraph (c)(2) of that section provides that [a]t the time that a loan is made, the interest rate for the loan and the price of securities to be acquired with the loan proceeds should not be such that plan assets might be drained off." Paragraph (c)(3) of that section provides that "[t]he terms of a loan, whether or not between independent parties, must, at the time the loan is made, be at least as favorable to the ESOP as the terms of a comparable loan resulting from arms-length negotiations between independent parties." The preamble to the final regulation explains that the tests encompassed in paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of § 2550.408b-3 were added to the regulation to illustrate how a determination can be made with respect to whether a transaction meets the primary benefit requirement.(5) The regulation additionally states that the Department will give "special scrutiny" to ESOP loans and that fiduciaries have an obligation to ensure that such loans are "truly arranged primarily in the interest of participants and beneficiaries." 29 C.F.R. § 2550.408b-3(b)(2).
Whether a fiduciary acts in accordance with its responsibilities under sections 404(a)(1)(A) and (B) and 403(c) of ERISA, and whether a particular loan satisfies the requirements of section 408(b)(3) of ERISA, are inherently factual determinations that must be made by the appropriate plan fiduciary based on all relevant facts and circumstances. In determining whether a refinancing is consistent with the fiduciary provisions of Title I of ERISA, the burden is on the fiduciary to establish compliance. However, we note that certain procedures and factors considered by a fiduciary may be appropriate in determining whether to cause an ESOP to engage in a refinancing.
At a minimum, in determining whether to cause an ESOP to engage in a refinancing, a fiduciary must make a careful assessment of the costs and benefits conferred upon the ESOP and the likely consequences of a failure to refinance, and ensure that the transaction is "arranged primarily in the interest of participants and beneficiaries". 29 C.F.R. § 2550.408b-3(b)(2). It is the view of the Department that, consistent with the obligation to consider all the surrounding circumstances pursuant to § 2550.408b-3(c)(1), an ESOP fiduciary must, in considering any refinancing of an ESOP loan that results in an extension of the period over which stock will be allocated to participant accounts, assess the extent to which the refinancing is consistent with the documents and instruments governing the plan, including loan and related agreements.(6) An ESOP fiduciary, in our view, also should assess the extent to which such an extension is consistent with the reasonable expectations of the plan's participants and beneficiaries, as might be determined by reference to the plans summary plan description or other disclosures describing the funding and benefits of the plan.
Although a refinancing may also benefit the employer (for example, by reducing the employers cost of providing future pension benefits), the fiduciary must act with undivided loyalty to the participants and beneficiaries of the plan if it is to satisfy the requirements of sections 404(a)(1)(A) and 408(b)(3) of ERISA. The primary benefit test set forth in section 408(b)(3) of ERISA and the regulations thereunder require the fiduciary to focus on the benefits of the refinancing transaction to the plans participants and beneficiaries. Accordingly, a refinancing would satisfy the primary benefit test if the fiduciary reasonably concludes that the transaction is advantageous to the plans participants and beneficiaries after a careful assessment of the costs and benefits of the transaction, and if the terms related to the refinancing are at least as favorable as the terms that would have resulted from an arm's-length negotiation between independent parties.
Often, employers offer a number of inducements for the plan to engage in the refinancing which could support a fiduciary's conclusion that the transaction is primarily for the benefit of participants and beneficiaries, such as a commitment that shares held in the suspense account will not be applied to repayment of the outstanding portion of the refinanced loan if the ESOP is terminated (often referred to as "event protection"); additional diversification rights for participants; an increase in the amount of the employer's matching contribution; the payment of a "dividend make-whole" to compensate participants and beneficiaries for the increased use of dividends for loan repayment; and other such inducements. Whether some or all of such inducements are sufficient to satisfy the primary benefit test is highly dependent on the particular facts and circumstances surrounding the transaction.
One circumstance of particular importance is whether the sponsoring employer has made an enforceable commitment to make all of the contributions necessary to retire the loan. In such a case, the ESOP may have an unqualified right to receive contributions and to release stock in accordance with the original amortization schedule. As a result, the negative consequences to the ESOP of rejecting a proposed refinancing could be minimal, and the economic value transferred to a sponsoring employer may be substantial, unless the ESOP receives substantial additional consideration for entering into the transaction.
Further, we note that the fiduciary has a duty of impartiality to all of the plan's participants, and may appropriately balance the interests of different classes of participants in evaluating a proposed refinancing, including the potentially varying interests of present and future participants. See Varity Corp. v. Howe, 516 U.S. 489, 514 (1996); Restatement (Second) of Trusts § 183. In our view, however, the fiduciary cannot satisfy the duty of impartiality solely by considering the asserted benefits of the refinancing to future participants (e.g., more generous benefits in later years than the employer would otherwise provide), but must also consider the interests of current participants and beneficiaries. Although a refinancing does not remove shares from the ESOP, those current participants who terminate employment before the full repayment of a refinanced loan may receive fewer shares of stock than they would have received absent the refinancing, and current participants who remain employed by the sponsor must work more years to receive the same number of shares that they would have received absent the refinancing. Accordingly, a fiduciary cannot reasonably assess the costs and benefits conferred upon an ESOP without giving due consideration to the interests of current participants.
With respect to the obligations of an ESOP fiduciary under section 404(a)(1), it is the view of the Department that satisfaction of the "primary benefit" requirement of section 408(b)(3) and the regulation with respect to the refinancing of an ESOP loan also typically would serve to satisfy a fiduciary's obligations to act prudently and solely in the interest of plan participants and beneficiaries under section 404(a)(1). Conversely, a failure to satisfy the "primary benefit" requirement of section 408(b)(3) would also result in a violation of section 404(a)(1).
Any questions concerning this matter may be directed to Louis Campagna or Fred Wong, Division of Fiduciary Interpretations at 202.693.8510.
- 29 C.F.R. § 2550.408b-3(h); 26 C.F.R. § 54.4975-11(c).
- 29 C.F.R. § 2550.408b-3(h)(1). Also note that § 2550.408b-3(h)(2) permits a release formula that is determined solely with reference to principal payments.
- In adopting § 2550.408b-3, the Department expressed its view that the only prohibited transactions to which the exemption under section 408(b)(3) does not apply are those arising under section 406(b)(3), relating to the receipt by a fiduciary of any consideration for his own personal account from a party dealing with the plan. 42 Fed. Reg. 44384 (September 2, 1977).
- Paragraph (c) of § 2550.408b-3 also provides that no loan will satisfy the primary benefit requirement unless it also satisfies the requirements of paragraphs (d) [relating to use of loan proceeds], (e) [relating to liability and collateral for an ESOP loan] and (f) [relating to defaults].
- 42 Fed. Reg. 44384 (September 2, 1977).
- For purposes of this discussion, it is assumed that there are no provisions in documents or instruments governing the plan, including loan and related agreements, that specifically preclude the refinancing of an ESOP loan.


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December 17, 2012 – SquareTrade®, the top rated warranty provider, today releases a new study showing that damage from iPhone® and Android™ devices has cost UK smartphone owners a staggering £1.2bn since 2007. The research also reveals that 23% of users have accidently damaged their handset in the last 12 months. If repeated in 2013, it could leave some Christmas shoppers facing hefty repair bills in the New Year. Based on a study of more than 2,500 smartphone users, the results combined the cost of repairs, replacements and insurance excess for accidentally damaged Android and iPhone devices.
SquareTrade's study shows that smartphone owners were nearly 10 times more likely to suffer from accidental damage than loss or theft. Some consumers were forced into "desperate" measures if they couldn't afford to pay for repairs with 8% of owners admitting using phones with cracked screens and 4% resorting to taping up their phone.
Your lifestyle may increase your risk
The study also highlighted how lifestyle choices and habits make smartphone owners more likely to have had an accident:
- People who use public transport to commute – 66% more likely
- People who trade stocks frequently – 60% more likely
- People who read the Daily Mirror – 47% more likely
- People who are part of a big household – 46% more likely
- People with tattoos – 37% more likely
- Pet owners – 15% more likely
Where and how accidents happen:
48% of smartphone accidents occur around the home according to SquareTrade's study. The top 5 most common accidents were:
- Smartphone fell out of someone's hands (26%)
- Smartphone fell off a lap when standing up (15%)
- Smartphone immersed in a liquid (14%) (toilet, bathtub, swimming pool)
- Liquid spilled onto smartphone (10%)
- Smartphone was knocked off a table (9%) /fell out of a pocket (9%)
"Deloitte LLP predicts Christmas smartphone-related sales will reach up to £3.5bn in the UK this year – but few can predict how their shiny new devices might meet their demise. A hefty repair bill is something people can easily avoid with a little foresight," commented Vince Tseng, managing director of SquareTrade UK.
He added: "According to this research, if you are a tattooed, pet owner who reads the Daily Mirror – you are highly advised to protect your smartphone!"
Data Sources: (1) SquareTrade's UK 2012 Smartphone Accident Survey, conducted December 2012. This survey collected 2,500 responses from iPhone and Android users in the UK using the world's largest panel provider, Survey Sampling International. Demographic quotas were used to collect a representative sample of smartphone owners. (2) Overall spend estimate was created using market share estimates published by comScore MobiLens, May 2012.
About SquareTrade
SquareTrade is the top-rated protection plan trusted by millions of happy customers for its fast and exceptional service. SquareTrade protects mobile devices, laptops and tablets, and other consumer electronics and appliances from malfunctions, accidental damage and life's frequent mishaps. Unlike old-fashioned warranties, SquareTrade is designed for today's consumer and uses innovative technology to deliver a zero hassle claims process. SquareTrade has more than 190,000 fans on Facebook, consistently wins industry awards and receives thousands of 5-star reviews for its legendary customer service. Top retailers around the world offer SquareTrade, achieving a 200% increase in sales on average and happier customers. SquareTrade's rapid transformation of the warranty industry attracted one of the largest private capital raises in 2012, with a $238 million round led by Bain Capital and Bain Capital Ventures. Headquartered in San Francisco and London, SquareTrade is privately held. For more information, go to www.squaretrade.com.
SquareTrade is a registered trademark of SquareTrade, Inc. iPhone is a trademark of Apple, Inc. Android is a trademark of Google, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.


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It's magnetic, shouty and all over before you can say "Bill O'Reilly would have thought ill of this, I'll warrant". But T20 cricket has it all, at once a guilty pleasure for traditional lovers of the game, a disorientingly enjoyable spectacle for those who thought they would hate it, and pretty much irresistible to the players for whom it represents a chance to make big money quickly. With the second year of the KFC Big Bash League under way, we ask cricket great Mark Waugh how Fox's coverage can enhance the explosiveness at the grounds.
What's different about the second Big Bash?
There are no weak teams. It's a competition anyone can win. And there's a really good spread of international players, such as Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Murali, [Lasith] Malinga, Dale Steyn and Kieron Pollard. People will have found a team to follow. Last year was a breakthrough year. But now people know who is in what team.
Changing the concept from state to city teams was a good move, but an even better one was to make sure the team names reveal where teams are from, unlike rugby union where you find yourself trying to recall who the Hurricanes or Cheetahs are.
Yes, city name first, then the second name [Heat, Renegades etc]. It helps the crowd identify with the team, and that should lead to bigger and bigger crowds.
Aside from the overseas players, there's also a good mix of up-and- coming and veteran Australians. Shane Warne, for example, will be playing against Alister McDermott, the son of your teammate from the 1990s Craig McDermott.
That's true. But Shane Warne is a legend and can still hold his own – he's not there to make up the numbers but to win. But it's also a competition in which players can get their names [known among] selectors and fans. Patrick Cummins did that. And David Warner.
Last year Shane Warne was miked up and successfully predicted getting Brendon McCullum out next ball, and precisely how he would do it. Will there be more of that?
With Warne, it was almost like it was scripted, but I can assure you it wasn't. But players will be miked again every day. It's a fairly unique situation in professional sport. It is all about entertainment, but there is a lot of competition there. Microphones also let viewers feel like they're the captain and gives them a feel for what's happening in the middle.
Do you miss cricket?
I certainly don't miss Test cricket, but I'd have loved to play T20.
You'd have been pretty handy.
After an especially good performance, many sportsmen talk about how "it hasn't sunk in yet" and say they'll think about it once their careers are over. Have your match-winning centuries in Port Elizabeth in 1997 and Jamaica in 1995 sunk in yet?
Yes. They've sunk in [laughs]. It's good to have those memories but not something to think about every day. There are certain players – like Glenn McGrath – who know every game they played and every wicket they took, but life goes on.
Is there one performance of which you're especially proud?
It's hard to pick one. But probably 1995, in Kingston, Jamaica, against the West Indies. I made a hundred and [twin brother] Stephen made 200 and we won that match and the series, and it was a probably a turning point, a changing of the guard in international cricket.
Cricket: Big Bash League
Fox Sports, all week, various times.
The original release of this article first appeared on the website of Hangzhou Night Net.


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Stay on Track with Your Wellness Goals
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Hi Everyone!
Yesterday I created a post informing every one of the upcoming series of genealogy programs that the DuPage County Genealogical Society will be offering for 2011-2012.
A comment for that post was left by Jennifer Holik about the fact that the DuPage County Genealogical Society has just started a blog to share news about the society activities as well as to offer genealogical tips for the researcher.
You can visit the blog and subscribe to it if you choose at:
DuPage County Genealogical Society Blog
The blog just recently started so you would be getting in on the ground floor to watch how it grows with information about the DuPage County Genealogical Society over time!
I definitely encourage our readers to check out the blog and subscribe to it so you do not miss out on any updates that are posted there.
Thanks to Jennifer Holik for making me aware of this new development.
Enjoy the new blog from DCGS! Watch it grow!
Tony Kierna
Genealogy Coordinator
Schaumburg Township District Library


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Give the Gift of an Education
"Pestalozzi gives a "once in a lifetime" opportunity for extremely gifted but deprived young men and - importantly - young women from developing countries to achieve an education and go on to make a difference in the world." Richard Maidment
Leaving Pestalozzi a gift in your Will can help us to:
- Fund tuition fees for our students' education and provide them with the skills they need to make a difference in the world
- Provide a welcoming multi-cultural, multi-faith environment which fosters students' understanding of others and helps them embrace difference and diversity
- Empower students to grow their confidence and continue their development through higher education, voluntary placements, and employment
Pestalozzi receives no government funding and is entirely supported by donations. Gifts in Wills are a highly valued and welcome contribution to our work, making up 65% of the charity's income over the last five years.
Why make a Will?
Although it is not a legal requirement to make a Will, it is the only way to make sure that your estate is passed on in the way that you would like. Without a Will, the legal system will decide who receives what from your estate.
We always encourage you to remember your friends and family first. All we would like is that you consider giving to your chosen charities, including Pestalozzi, once you're loved-ones' needs have been met.
Next Steps
You will need a solicitor to help you make a Will. Pestalozzi cannot give specific legal or financial advice, however there are some ways that we can help to make the process easier for you:
- Pestalozzi partners with the Goodwill Partnership, a service which allows you to make a Will in your own home, without the need to visit a Solicitor's office. The Goodwill Partnership's service is also one of the most cost-effective ways to make a Will. You can contact the Goodwill Partnership on 0844 669 6148 or book a visit at thegoodwillpartnership.co.uk/pestalozzi/
- Visit www.charitychoice.co.uk/legacies where you can find independent information about leaving a gift to charity in your Will, along with relevant forms to take to your solicitor
- Find a solicitor near you on the Law Society's website. click - solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/
- Ask us for information about a Pestalozzi Will Writing Week.
- You can, of course, ask your own trusted solicitor for advice on writing your Will.
"I hope that by leaving a gift in my Will to Pestalozzi I can help to achieve the hopes and ambitions of the young people; by giving them an education that would not be possible in their own countries and that, in the future, they are able to return and pass on their knowledge to others." - Mrs Violet M Wright
To leave Pestalozzi a gift in your Will is to give the Gift of an Education, and to offer remarkable young people the opportunity to make a real difference in the world.
For more information about leaving a gift to Pestalozzi in your Will, or to request a Legacy Information Pack, please contact Martin Colvin on 01424 871929 or at email@example.com
In This Section
Any Questions?
Please contact us by clicking the link below.


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Image via Shutterstock/click ahead to see a video of the actual robot
European scientists from BTH Zurich Bio-Inspired Robotics have created a robot that is capable of fashioning its own tools in order to complete a specific task. It is a fairly staggering achievement, not least because only a select number of creatures on the planet, such as ourselves and chimps, use tools.
Instead of presenting a robot with a toolkit to use, the team from ETH Zurich gave their robot a single tool from which it could manufacture other items. In this case, it was a hot glue gun. The Swiss team has previous experience with adhesives or, as they call it, HMA (Hot Melt Adhesive). Last year, they demonstrated that by building up layers of the glue, it was possible to create simple shapes. They have now passed this skill on to a robot in order to see if it could complete a simple task — transport water from one place to another.
Using the HMA, the robot was able to fashion a small cup that it then attached to itself in order to scoop up the water and transport it to another location. (Scroll down to watch a video of the robot in action).
You may have noticed that the HMA gun works in a similiar way to 3D printing, however the reason that the robot wasn't simply able to print a complete cup was that thermoplastic materials don't provide any good ways of bonding objects to it and currently, the robot doesn't have the ability to grasp.
While it may seem incredible, don't start planning for a potential robot uprising just yet. While the task was performed autonomously by the robot, the planning was not. The robot does not have any perception hardware, so it has to be told when and how to do something. But of course, this is something the team is planning on resolving for next time.
+ ETH Zurich Bio-Inspired Robotics


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As one of the major emitting regions of the world, North America plays a critical role in guiding – and capturing – the immense opportunities of a net zero emissions future.
In particular, US capacity for innovation in technology, finance and business is unrivalled. The nation will be key in shaping the clean energy revolution, as it has shaped every industrial revolution of the last 100 years.
Business and sub-national government leadership is now recognized as essential to keeping the rise in global temperature well below 2 degrees Celsius – and North America serves as a leading source of innovative sub-national policies as well as influential corporate action.
For over a decade, The Climate Group has worked in North America to inspire such leaders to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. Our office is located in New York City and we work in collaboration with our global offices to create a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous future.
Our priority business campaigns and projects include RE100, EP100, LED Scale-up and Home2025, as well as our States & Regions program, where sub-national governments are setting bold greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, reporting on progress and demonstrating how low carbon policies create opportunity for economic growth by increasing clean energy investment and jobs.
Each year, to keep increasing ambition and showcasing success, we also host Climate Week NYC, which we founded in 2009. The week-long summit is one of the most important moments on the international climate and media calendar for governments, investors, businesses, innovators and opinion formers. With over 100 affiliate events each year, Climate Week NYC unifies diverse voices for urgent climate action and clean energy solutions.


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Propane shortage won't stop Wis. balloon event
HUDSON, WI (AP) — A weekend event featuring hot-air balloons near the Minnesota-Wisconsin border is scheduled to go on despite a propane shortage that prompted the governors of both states to declare states of emergency.
A St. Paul Pioneer Press report says the Hudson Hot Air Affair was expected to proceed Saturday and Sunday in Hudson.
Balloon pilots have been asked to bring whatever propane they'll need. The gas is used to inflate and lift the balloons, and no additional fuel will be purchased for the event.
Organizers say most of the propane was purchased before the current shortage. The propane supply has dwindled because of the unusually cold winter that increased propane demand for heating, and because of a pipeline shutdown.
About 40 hot-air balloons were expected to go up.


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Mozilla Firefox 14 released, encrypts Google searches by default
Mozilla has released Firefox 14 for desktop operating systems.
Mozilla's Firefox web browser has received its six-week update with Firefox 14 automatically encrypting Google searches and supporting the Pointer Lock API. Mozilla has also included support for fullscreen mode in Mac OS X 10.7.
Mozilla said it encrypts Google search data by default, adding that users can now easily verify the identity of a web site by clicking on an icon to the left of the URL. According to Mozilla, the addition of search encryption is particularly handy for those using Firefox on wireless connections.
Firefox 14 support of Pointer Lock will improve mouse control for internet based applications and in particular games, Mozilla said. It cited its own HTML5Browserquest game as an example of improved performance. With HTML5 expected to become the markup language of choice for web-based games developers, it seems a very good time for Firefox to support it.
Since Mozilla has put Firefox on its six-week rapid release schedule the organisation has come in for vocal criticism, with some people within Mozilla's developer community questioning whether the move has resulted in users flocking to Chrome. Although Mozilla has produced an extended support release of Firefox, the problems Mozilla has had getting users to download and install the standard version suggest that only the most informed users will move to the long-term release.
Mozilla's Firefox 14 is available for download now.
via The Inquirer


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Steve Rattne
Sponsored By
Opinion: Auto Manufacturing Is Back In America. Obama Was Right, Romney Was Wrong.Auto manufacturing is back in America – especially in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania because President Obama made the politically risky decision to bailout the auto industry after bailing out the banks. It was a decision that worked. Obama was right, Romney was wrong. So Romney is now in full lying mode. He is trying to retroactively re-write the wrongs in his writings.