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Schools are shutting down shop classes across the country and it's up to parents to raise the next generation of car nuts. Don't worry, because Jalopnik readers have ten surefire ways to convert your children into total gearheads.
Welcome back to Answers of the Day — our daily Jalopnik feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's Question of the Day and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
If you don't want to click through the gallery you can see the post in a single page right here.
Photo Credit: FurLined
10.) Drive with them
Suggested By: McMike
Why it's effective: Even before you can talk to your kids, you can take them driving. Go out into the country, go fast, let them swing around in their child seat and watch them laugh. Well, don't watch them too long, or you'll crash into a tree. Eyes on the road!
Photo Credit: p1cr/YouTube
9.) Buy toy cars
Suggested By: Ravey Mayvey Slurpee
Why it's effective: Now that your kids sort of understand that cars can be fun, you can show them all the amazing machines you'll never be able to actually drive. When it's dark and cold and raining, they can still play with tiny '69 Mustangs and Porsche 917s in the living room, imagining driving for themselves.
Photo Credit: beketchai
8.) Take them to car shows
Suggested By: mkbruin Tebows while Rome burns
Why it's effective: Playing with toy cars is all about imagination and dreaming what life would be like behind the wheel… like video games, but more open-ended. But you've got to help that imagination along, so take your kids to car and auto shows. Show them the creativity that adults pour into cars, and give them ideas about rare exotics and restored classics and all of the brand new models.
Most importantly for your kid, though, is that you're spending time with them and enjoying something together.
Photo Credit: CarSpotter
7.) Take them to car races
Suggested By: GasGuzzler
Why it's effective: Car shows are wonderful for getting your kids to recognize the slightest difference between the original and the facelifted Audi R8, but what you really want is to get them hooked on motor racing. You spend just as much time with your kids, but there is so much more to experience in terms of sound and smell and car culture.
Photo Credit: imelda
6.) Use reverse psychology
Suggested By: mingoesbueno
Why it's effective: If none of your previous efforts are working, it's time to go complete reverse psychology. Buy a Prius. Box up all the toy cars. Stop going to car shows. Become the opposite of a gearhead and with any luck, your children will grow up to resent you, hate everything you stand for, and rebel.
And what will they turn to now that you're an anti-gearhead? They'll turn to cars of course! Your children will be bombing around in primer-covered beaters in no time. Success!
Photo Credit: Marada
5.) Watch Top Gear together
Suggested By: ncasolo
Why it's effective: Top Gear isn't just a good car show; it's a good show, period. When you sit down to watch TV with your kid, show them how to blow up caravans, shoot cars onto a giant dart board, jump a bus over motorcycles, and everything else the crews do.
Photo Credit: Top Gear
4.) Read with them
Suggested By: teampenske3
Why it's effective: Your kids are still too young to drive, but they can dream and toy cars aren't doing it anymore. Turn them on to the best car writing out there. British buff books like CAR and EVO, back issues of Car and Driver, or whatever else you can get out of the library/the dustiest corner of the garage.
You don't have to read with them, you can just show them the books and mags and where to find more.
Photo Credit: Mark Allanson
3.) Race them in karts
Suggested By: Viperfan1
Why it's effective: We're not talking about turning them into a race car driver, hoping to make the next Lewis Hamilton. Just taking them out to those little karts after the roller coaster is going to make some of the fondest memories your kids will have.
Photo Credit: Roslyn in Starfish Island
2.) Work on the car together
Suggested By: wolc
Why it's effective: Wrenching together with your kids makes collective projects and teaches a lot more than an appreciation for automobiles. You don't even have to get them to turn a wrench. Just get them involved, like PonyTunerHVA's dad did without even knowing it.
My dad did it unintentionally (He is inclined, but doesn't see a car as anything more than a tool) when I watched him change his own brakes on his then new '86 Hyundai Pony. He was doing it to save a few bucks, as we were new immigrants.
And then I went to the junkyard with him at the age of 7 or 8... And I remember begging my dad to take me there, and he would help me take apart instrument clusters and remove car emblems, switches, and other little things. I then played with them, and made things from them.
Now, 29 cars later, I race them and rebuild my own engines (as well as create crazy hybrids), with my dad wondering, "where did I go wrong, why isn't he a diplomat...
Photo credit: FFTEC Motorsports/YouTube
1.) Teach them to drive stick
Suggested By: kojo0513
Why it's effective: You've raised your kids to love everything about cars without ever having them behind the wheel of a real, full-sized automobile. They're finally old enough and you have one last responsibility: teach them how to drive stick.
By now your kids are bratty teens and will chafe at every bit of advice you give them, taking a couple years off the life of your clutch and giving you a few more grey hairs, but it will be worth it. They will have learned how to drive and they will have learned how to drive properly.
Congratulations, you've followed Jalopnik's ten step guide and the whole gearhead world stands before your kids. Now make sure all your insurance is in order because gearhead teens do stupid things.
Photo Credit: Esther Harlow


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I run mathematica on a remote server and run it in batch mode using /math -noprompt -script 'scriptname.m' &
Now, I use ssh -X to connect to the server. The server is linux based and my computer is a mac. I use x11 forwarding.
I would like to generate PDFs in the above mentioned 'script.m'. In my code, how should I incorporate UseFrontEnd? should I invoke it first using ConnectToFrontEnd[] ? Should I use UseFrontEnd[Export["blah.pdf",fig]] or is it a one time thing? Also, when using the UseFrontEnd command, is it required that I do ssh -X/Y or is it sufficient if I do ssh?
I greatly appreciate your help.
P.S - I am using mathematica 8


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The panel also calls for creating under UNCTAD's auspices "a multilateral platform where international investment policies can be coordinated," noting that "No formal institutional body - akin to the WTO (World Trade Organization) and the IMF (International Monetary Fund), which respectively manage global trade and finance - is mandated to oversee international investment issues." And it suggests establishment of an "aid-for diversification facility" to help poor countries reduce their economic dependence on exports of commodities.
Those and other possible steps are outlined in a second report from a Panel of Eminent Persons established by UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi to advise him on how to meet key and emerging development challenges and to provide concrete ideas for international initiatives to deal with them . The report, titled "Addressing key economic issues to advance sustainable development: Ideas for actions," was formally presented last Tuesday.
The ten-member panel includes former Presidents of Finland, Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania, the current Vice President of the Dominican Republic, and representatives of academia, the business community, and current or former holders of high-level posts at international agencies.
The panelists were asked to advise the Secretary-General in their personal capacities, and - as Mr. Supachai emphasized when the report was presented at a meeting here Tuesday afternoon - the report constitutes "only advice" and "in no way infringes on the mandate of the organization and the prerogative of member States to set this mandate and guide the organization's work."
The document focuses on how UNCTAD can adapt and play an effective role representing the interests of less-wealthy nations as the global economy changes, driven by rapid technological advances, lengthening supply chains for products, and ever-greater flows of money and resources across borders. It also reflects a shift in perspective advocated by the organization in recent years towards "development-centred globalization."
On the proposed Development Observatory of Global Economic and Financial Governance, the panel notes that such an observatory would analyze all major suggested changes to the global financial and economic architecture, assess their impact on sustainable development and inclusive growth, and make recommendations to address any shortcomings. The panel proposes that this could be based on developing indicators for "development-centered" globalization, and periodically using them to assess the impacts of globalization.
"The Observatory would be an effective assessment tool independent from policy-setting processes." It adds, "In fulfilling this role under its development mission and mandate, UNCTAD could also strive to increase its cooperation with the World Bank and the IMF, especially in relation to policies that affect developing countries."
The suggested "multilateral platform where international investment policies can be coordinated" would be a response to "the systemic complexity and incoherence of the current regime" of international investment agreements, the report says. "A more coordinated approach to global investment relations is needed if we are to (i) stimulate investment for growth and jobs; (ii) make investment work for sustainable development; (iii) avoid protectionism; and (iv) ensure policy coherence at the national and international levels and create synergies between investment policies and other policies, such as those for trade, finance, competition, or the environment."
Among additional recommendations contained in the report is establishment of an "aid-for diversification facility" to help poor countries reduce their economic dependence on commodities exports. An accompanying "aid for diversification programme" could offer "support that commodity-dependent, low-income countries need to successfully diversify their economies, both horizontally and vertically," the study says. "Such a facility would not only provide funding, but also help through technology and human resource development, including providing advice on the utilization of funds and job creation."
The report, among other things, also recommends:
Establishing "a multilateral and multi-stakeholder platform for fostering dialogue among regional trade blocs;"
Developing "operational strategies for strengthening the productive capacity" of developing country businesses so that they can "become part of global supply chains and maximize the developmental benefits thereof;"
Assessing "the economic development impact of migration;"
Organizing a platform for retired professionals to volunteering their skills to poor countries;
Setting up "an international technical assistance centre for green investment and technology";
Additional work by UNCTAD to "mainstream gender parity in the economic and development spheres;" and
Carrying out further research on the informal economies of developing countries and the establishment of a "platform" to "provide technical assistance to facilitate the formalization of the informal sector."
Secretary-General Supachai formed the Panel of Eminent Persons in 2006. The panel issued an earlier report, titled Enhancing the Development Role and Impact of UNCTAD.This report was reviewed by UNCTAD's Trade and Development Board and many of the recommendations were subsequently adopted at the UNCTAD XII quadrennial conference and implemented.
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Michigan Tech is located in Houghton, Michigan, which was included in the guidebook The 100 Best Small Towns in America, by Normal Crampton, as one of the best rural places to live in the US. Our setting on the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan provides a beautiful backdrop to a world-class education.
Faculty and Staff Positions
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Michigan Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Equal Opportunity Employer that provides equal opportunity for all, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.


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The European Union needs to overhaul its approach to improving literacy standards, according to a high-level group of experts set up by European Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou to address the issue.
Their work resulted in a report that was presented on the eve of UNESCO´s International Day of Literacy 8 September.
One in five 15 year olds, as well as nearly 75 million adults, lack basic reading and writing skills, which makes it hard for them to get a job and increases their risk of poverty and social exclusion.
The 80-page report includes a raft of recommendations, ranging from advice for parents on creating a culture of reading for pleasure with their children, to siting libraries in unconventional settings like shopping centres and the need to attract more male teachers to act as role models for boys, who read much less than girls.
The expert group's chair, HRH Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, describes the report as a "wake-up call about the crisis that affects every country in Europe".
The Princess is UNESCO´s Special Envoy for Literacy and Development. This year is the final one in the UN Literacy Decade. In his message on the occasion of the International Day of Literacy, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said that although great strides had been made during the last ten years, with some 90 million young men and women and adults becoming literate, more needed to be done for the estimated 775 million people worldwide who cannot read or write.
"We must move faster to reach the most marginalized and uphold this basic human right. The global movement for education needs a big push. That is why, later this month, I will be launching a new Education First initiative," the Secretary-General said.
The initiative focuses on three priorities; putting every child in school; improving the quality of learning; .and fostering global citizenship. "I call on world leaders and all involved with education to join this initiative. The cost of leaving millions of children and young people on the margins of society is far greater than the funds required to reach the international goals for education," Mr. Ban said in his message.
See: In Focus http://archive.unric.org/en/literacy
The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.
United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels)
Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485


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The band name came to McCartney as he was praying in the hospital when wife Linda was giving birth.
Band members included Denny Laine[?] (formerly of the Moody Blues), Joe English[?], Jimmy McCulloch[?], Henry McCullough[?] (formerly of the Grease Band[?]), Denny Seiwell[?], Geoff Britton[?], and Linda McCartney.
The band fell apart after the death of John Lennon in 1980. McCartney subsequently refused to tour the next year, and Laine left the band.
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It's Tombstone Tuesday & I want to share an experience rather than a stone.
On January 3 I received an email from a woman who told me about an error in something I'd posted. She was so excited about contacting me that she didn't even notice I'd emailed her back when she picked up the phone & called me from Illinois. It seems that she is a cousin to my 2nd cousin, once removed, whose stone I posted back in June. Elaine Strauss Hill's aunt (her father's sister) had had a daughter, Joan (Elaine's cousin), and that was the person who contacted me after finding my Tombstone Tuesday about Elaine (to whom I am related on her mother's side). My error had been that I had listed her husband as having died (information received from the cemetery) . . . apparently that is very wrong as he is still very much alive (please, Mr. Hill, forgive me . . . I only know the information I am given and the records from the cemetery office are very hard to decipher so I am not sure just where the error occurred - their info or my interpretation . . . but there was even a burial date I picked up from somewhere!!). Note: I have corrected that TT entry to put Mr. Hill back among the living!
Anyway, once we straightened out who is alive & who is not, Joan & I continued to share notes. She knew all of my relatives on that side of the family as they lived close by and she & Elaine were together a great deal so when Elaine's mother's family members were over, Joan got to know them. She knew my dad's cousin was always called "Uncle Bill" (Dad always called him Wilbur and I had never heard him referred to as Bill). She knew that Bill's sister had died in an asylum (one of the lesser known pieces of family trivia). Joan knew my Dad's aunt and that she had come out to California and said she had been in the San Francisco earthquake (I later realized that was impossible as she did not move to CA until after 1912 . . . must be another quake . . . I'll have to check that out).
Then I told her about a family cousin who immigrated from Germany and became a china painter. She gasped. I said, "I suspect you have some of that china?" (It seems everyone remotely related to the family got some of the hand painted china of Carl Hohn.) Well, she told me about a pin (she turned into a pendant) that Elaine had given her - a fine porcelain with a hand-painted flower; also of a salt & pepper shaker set she has (what she described is identical to the ones - I have about 13 sets - in my china cupboard). Carl did like to paint salt & pepper shakers! She was thrilled to learn of their provenance.
Joan is not my cousin, but we connected on many levels via mutual relatives. She told me about Elaine (whom I met only a handful of times when I was very young): Elaine was a fun-loving member of the red hat society; she was always ready to have a good time. She and her husband were devoted to each other. These are the things that help us to know our deceased family members & I am very grateful for Joan's reaching out to me to correct that one little item; from that, I got to know family that I grew up less than 25 miles from but never really knew! Joan also had addresses and information on my cousins whom I have been trying to identify and locate.
Why do I put this into "Tombstone Tuesday"? Well, I started "doing" TT because it sounded like fun. I decided to try to put up photos of stones of people who died or were buried very close to an anniversary date of the posting (that's been quite the challenge, let me tell you!). Anyway, it was because Joan was doing what she (and many of us) sometimes did: Google a friend or family member, just to make sure there's nothing negative out there on the web. Low and behold, a link to my TT posting came up for "Elaine Hill." And more of my pedigree is getting filled in (and erased, as need be) as a result. So, when you other Geneabloggers post your TT (and other blogs for Wednesday, Thursday, etc.), don't forget the labels for the post! Who knows who is searching for your ancestors and just might send you an email, too.
What a great way to start 2010!!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Tombstone Tuesday - 5 January 2010 - Rising from the dead
5 comments:
That's wonderful! I love stories like this! Congratulations!ReplyDelete
THANKS for sharing how your blogging brought you together with your distant relative. Am wondering how can we get MORE people to blog, so they can have experiences like yours?
I'm so happy for you and happy that you shared this wonderful story!ReplyDelete
Wonderful! Congrats to you on a new connection!ReplyDelete
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"MALAYSIA has become an important higher education destination for international students from all over the world." continues Borneo Bulletin Online.
The Malaysian Government has led considerable efforts over the last few years to make Malaysia an education hub for the region and beyond.
|Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The Malaysian Government has led considerable efforts over the last few years to make Malaysia an education hub for the region and beyond.
Bruneian students recognise the quality and choice that Malaysian institutions offer and Malaysia now attracts a significant proportion of Bruneians studying overseas.
Students will have the opportunity to find out about the exciting range of study options available in Malaysia at the StudyMalaysia Exhibition on May 21 at The Empire Hotel & Country Club.
The biggest draw for Malaysian institutions is the opportunity to gain a world-class qualification at a fraction of the cost. Malaysian private universities and colleges have set up strategic partnerships with leading institutions in the UK, US, Australia, France etc to offer foreign qualifications in Malaysia.
The student therefore has the assurance that the programme has gone through a rigorous quality control.
One of the options is the '3+0' degree format whereby the student completes the entire degree in Malaysia but is awarded with a foreign degree qualification from the partner university overseas. The syllabus and assessment are the same as the partner university and the qualification will be identical to that obtained at the overseas institution.
Another attractive and cost-effective option is to enter a twinning degree programme – this is a transnational '2+0' or '1+2' degree programme whereby the student completes part of the course in Malaysia and then continues the studies at the twinning partner university. The student saves considerable money by doing part of the degree in Malaysia and also fulfils his dream of studying in a western university.
Malaysia has become a country of choice for reputable foreign universities to set up their branch campuses – currently there are 10 such campuses. Students have the option of completing their full degree in Malaysia or can spend one or two semesters at the main campus.
Source: Borneo Bulletin Online


text:
Sarouk Rug Pumice Fabric
Technical information:
- Contents: 100% Linen
- Pattern: Saroukrug-1611
- Colour: Pumice
- Width: 54.5" (138cm)
- Vertical Repeat: 25" (64cm)
- Horizontal Repeat: 27" (69cm)
- Durability: Heavy Duty 15,000 DR
- Cleaning Code: S
- Origin: United States
Need a sample? Please use the Contact Us form and send us your name, shipping address and phone number along with your fabric selection. Maximum 4 free samples per customer.
Please note, fabric and wallpaper are not eligible for shipping outside Canada and the United States.
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text:
The Asia Pacific video surveillance market has shown remarkable progress in the recent years and is also showing attractive market potential for the future. Demand for video surveillance is increasing due to the rising demand for high quality images. Video surveillance has proved to be a huge crime deterrent and is being adopted by security and law enforcement agencies across the region. China has the dominating position in terms of market share in the Asia Pacific region followed by Japan and South Korea. The market in India holds immense growth opportunities owing to developments in the country.
In this report, the Asia Pacific video surveillance market has been segmented into two major categories, on the basis of product types i.e. cameras, NVRs, DVRs, servers and software and on the basis of end users into education, retail, healthcare, government, transportation, business and financial services, manufacturing and others. The market has been further segmented by the key countries in the Asia Pacific region, namely, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and others.
Browse Report : http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/asia-pacific-video-surveillance-market.html
The Asia Pacific video surveillance market is driven by factors such as increasing security needs, decreasing cost of equipments and emerging new megapixel solutions. The increasing investment by the central and state governments and the increasing demand for high quality images will also act as drivers for the Asia Pacific video surveillance market.
Some of the key players dominating the Asia Pacific video surveillance market are Axis Communications, Milestone Systems, March Networks Corporation, Vivotek Inc., GE Security, Panasonic Corporation, Sony Corporation, DvTel, Mobotix AG, Honeywell, Bosch Security Systems, Pelco Inc., GeoVision Inc. and Iomniscient.
One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the increasing security concerns. The Global Video Surveillance market has also been witnessing the increasing demand of high-quality images. However, the lack of standardization could pose a challenge to the growth of this market.
Browse Report : http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/asia-pacific-video-surveillance-market.html
Key vendors dominating this market space include Axis Communications AB, Bosch Security Systems Inc., Hikvision Digital Technology Co. Ltd., and Panasonic System Networks Co. Ltd
report: Arecont Vision LLC, Avigilon Corp., Cisco Systems Inc., Exacq Technologies Inc., Genetec Inc., H3C Technologies Co. Ltd, March Networks Corp., Milestone Systems A/S, Mobotix AG, NICE Systems Inc., Samsung Techwin Co. Ltd., Schneider Electric S.A., and Sony Electronics Inc.
Commenting on the report, an analyst from TechNavio's IT Security team said: ''Over the last few years, there has been a steady demand for high megapixel cameras. As a result, vendors in the Global Video Surveillance market have been increasing their product range of high-definition (HD) cameras. Vendors such as Arecont Vision and Avigilon have cameras with more than 20 mega pixels in their product portfolio. In addition, the vast majority of vendors in the market have started offering HD resolution cameras with wide dynamic range and low light capabilities.''
According to the report, recently, the occurrence and nature of security breaches and security attacks has increased considerably. Globally, robbery, theft, shoplifting, and terrorist attacks are increasing and in order to curb such anti-social activities, governments as well as large enterprises across the globe are increasing their adoption of video surveillance cameras. Also, many governments have passed stringent regulations to install video surveillance cameras in places such as hypermarkets, hospitals, airports, railway stations, hotels, malls, etc. These regulations are aimed to provide enhanced security and to curb anti-social activities.
Browse All Market Research Report : http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/


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His hair is short.
LOVE HIM. And you know I worship his wife. So when they're together, the fangirl takes over.
Rebecca Miller's The Private Lives of Pippa Lee screened in New York last night and her husband joined her at the event, in town with many of his other Nine co-stars as the Nine junket was this weekend.
Not really feeling what Rebecca is wearing. Where's she's concerned it's rather uninspired. Remember her at TIFF?
As for Daniel Day-Lewis, well, this is his time. Awards season. Strangely enough, DDL has taken a backseat to Colin Firth and George Clooney early in the game. Some prediction sites don't even have him in nomination contention.
You never count out DDL.
Is it Christmas yet? Said it the other day, will say again…
Am waiting for Nine. Can't wait for Nine. Can't wait can't wait can't wait.
Photos from Wenn.com


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The Chimney Champion Terra Cotta Mount Cap - 8"x13" mates directly to your Easy Flex Liner. The Chimney Champion quick connection system ensures a strong and tight fit between the cap and the liner. By simply tightening the steel connection strap you have a strong and clean connection without the use of screws that pierce the liner.
The Terra Cotta mount caps use pressure screws to mate with your chimney flue. This provides a reliable fit to your chimney tile. You do not need a top plate with this chimney cap as it is built in. The cap is connected to the built in top plate via a hinge and catch system. This allows for easy cleaning of your chimney liner system.
Caps are an essential part to any Chimney Lining system. The help prevent the elements from entering your chimney and potentially causing corrosion or even chimney blockage. This cap has both a mesh screen to stop animal incursions and a rain guard to help prevent the wind from blowing rain into the chimney system.
This cap is backed by our Lifetime Warranty. As well as being backed by our skilled technical sales staff. Just give us a call and we will help you plan your chimney lining project.


text:
Caddell On Media & Benghazi: "Fundamental Threat To American Democracy"
Discussing Benghazi, Pat Caddell says the press has "been in the tank on this in a way I've never seen... I am appalled right now. This White House, this President, this Vice President, this Secretary of State, all of them, are willing apparently to dishonor themselves and this country for the cheap prospect of getting reelected...willing to cover up and lie. The worst thing is the very people who are supposed to protect the American people with the truth - the leading mainstream media...they have become a threat, a fundamental threat to American democracy and the enemies of the American people... these people have no honor... coverup is too nice of a word..."


text:
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Skagit Aggregates LLC was formed in 2012 and purchased the gravel pits from Day Creek Sand and Gravel LLC. We carry Pitrun, Drain Rock, Pea Gravel, Utility Sand, C-33 Sand, Crushed Asphalt and Concrete. Call today for your sand and gravel needs.
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Holly Peterson, with the Burlington branch of Peoples Bank, will help you through the loan process by keeping open lines of communication and providing you with ample time to answer any questions - from origination to closing.
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text:
Comment Look, Australia, you've got it all wrong.
Wireless broadband is the future. It's not just a future, it's the genuine, authentic, sci-fi "wonders of the universe" future, complete with unicorns and no need for a National Broadband Network. And what do you do?
You keep buying fixed broadband.
I realise that some of you are trying. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' latest Internet Activity, Australia publication – perhaps unfortunately released on April 1 – more than 1.3 million of you bought new mobile wireless broadband subscriptions in 2010, taking the total to more than 4.2 million.
But if you want to do your bit, if you're going to really get with the program, it's not enough to just buy an iPad or a 3G modem. You still have this anachronistic attachment to fixed broadband services.
At a time where mobile services are now a substitute not just for ADSL but an on-par, punch-for-punch replacement for the as-yet-unbuilt gigabit-capable National Broadband network, you keep buying DSL services. There were nearly 300,000 new DSL connections added in 2010, and that fact alone has prevented mobile broadband from reaching its rightful place as the Number One broadband choice for all Australians.
And you've got this thing in your head about speed and download volumes.
It's as if wireless wasn't good enough for you: for some strange reason, you added something like 1.6 million services with speeds between 8 Mbps and 24 Mbps – almost all of which, I suppose, are ADSL2+ services, aren't they?
Oh, it's quite obvious you're in love with speed, you hopeless bunch of YouTube addicts. You've killed 256 Kbps ADSL services off almost completely. This once mighty service, home of almost-adequate e-mail performance at ten bucks a month, now has just 278,000 subscribers. It's even less popular than dial-up, which can still hold its head up high with 700,000 users.
And there's your download behaviour: you're quite happy to hammer your DSL connections like there's no tomorrow, but turn into misers as soon as you switch to 3G.
In a three-month period you lit those international links to the tune of 192,000 Terabytes. But you could only manage to pull 17,000 Terabytes of downloads through those 4.2 million mobile broadband services.
What's wrong, Australia? You're close to full employment, you're in a boom economy, wages are rising, yet most of you are miserly niggards who would rather buy a 60 GB per month plan on fixed networks than spend a couple of thousand running Torrents to a mobile.
Not good enough by half. If you want me to save you from the National Broadband Network, you'll have to do your bit.
Sincerely, Malcolm Turnbull,
Minister Opposition Spokesman for Communications and Broadband
By the way, all the data here is true, if I haven't fat-thumbed anything. Check for yourself. ®


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Mark Ralston / AFP - Getty Images
A view of the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant in north San Diego County is seen in this March 2011 file photo.
The operator of California's troubled San Onofre nuclear power plant proposed Thursday to restart one of the plant's shuttered reactors, despite an outcry from activists who say doing so could be catastrophic.
Southern California Edison filed the proposal with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after concluding a reactor could be operated safely despite damage to scores of its tubes that carry radioactive water.
A plan to return even one reactor to service is a milestone for Southern California Edison, which has spent months unraveling what caused excessive tube vibration and friction inside the plant's nearly new steam generators, then determining how it might be fixed.
But the plant is far from returning to robust operation.
Edison must wait for approval from U.S. nuclear regulators before restarting the unit. Nuclear regulators say there's no timetable to restart the plant, and review of the application could take months. "The agency will not permit a restart unless and until we can conclude the reactor can be operated safely," NRC Chairman Allison Macfarlane told Reuters. "Our inspections and review will be painstaking, thorough and will not be rushed."
Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com
The proposal was immediately denounced by environmentalists and anti-nuclear activists who have argued for months that restarting the plant between San Diego and Los Angeles would set the stage for a catastrophe. About 7.4 million Californians live within 50 miles of San Onofre, which can power 1.4 million homes.
"Both these reactors are alike, and neither is safe to operate," said S. David Freeman, a former head of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power who advises Friends of the Earth. "While Edison may be under financial pressure to get one up and running, operating this badly damaged reactor at reduced power without fixing or replacing these leaky generators is like driving a car with worn-out brakes."
Edison wants to operate Unit 2 at 70 percent power, which company officials predicted would prevent vibration that has caused excessive wear to tubing. Company officials expressed confidence in the proposal, which followed more than 170,000 tube inspections over more than eight months.
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In January, the Unit 3 reactor was shut down as a precaution after a tube leak. Unit 2 was taken offline earlier that month. Neither unit has been operational since. The plant's Unit 1 was shut down permanently in 1992.
Federal regulators examined the plant to determine what happened to Unit 3 and how it could have been prevented. While the Nuclear Regulatory Commission commended the staff for their handling of the leak, they expressed concern over the design flaw that caused it.
Southern California Edison also pointed to the high costs of running the plant as a reason for downsizing its staff. Compared to similar plants, the staffing and costs are much higher. The company will also reduce costs by "improving plant processes while fully maintaining all safety commitments," they stated in August.
This article includes reporting by NBCLosAngeles.com's Lauren Steussy and Reuters.
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- 'Business as usual:' Congress asks VA to explain chronic late payments to student vets
- 7 bears killed in Montana after becoming dependant on humans for food
- Philadelphia student wearing Romney shirt told to 'get out of the class'


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We had been living in Israel for about a year without the benefit of even one member of our extended family, but it was soon after the birth of our son that we realized our neighborhood had a built-in support system for people like us. This was our introduction to the free loan services and veritable network of kindness that exists in Jerusalem.
For the circumcision, the baby carriage that carried him to the synagogue, the beautiful white outfit that he wore, and the decorative pillow on which he was carried, were all lent to us free-of-charge. Much of the food that was served at the festive meal in our son's honor was brought by neighbors and people we had never even met.
The day after the circumcision, we received a delivery of a mini-layette of clothing for the baby and a package of disposable diapers (which at the time was a luxury item in Israel). It was a present from some organization we had never heard of that was established specifically to benefit families with newborns.
Then we received a phone call saying that a woman would be coming to help, free-of-charge, three times a week for the next month for several hours each time. She could do whatever we needed, from peeling vegetables to hanging the laundry. When we asked how they had gotten our name and number and was this a government agency, the lady on the phone replied it was not a government agency but rather a service rendered by a private individual who just wanted to help out new mothers. Some anonymous person had given in my name and phone number.
Frankly, we couldn't believe it. It seemed too good to be true. But it was true, and we didn't even know the half of it. In the back of one of the Jerusalem phone books, there is a listing of over 1,000 free loans benefiting people who need everything from an eyeglass screw to a computer. And the list is growing daily.
In Tzfat, there is a free loan for musical instruments for children. In Bnei Brak, there's a family that does laundry for people whose washing machine has broken down.
The Hebrew word for free loan, gemach, is really an acronym for the Hebrew words gemilut chesed. This translates as "the giving of kindness" and is an umbrella term for all acts of kindness, of which free loaning is just one. Other members of this family of kindness are giving charity, burying the dead, hospitality to guests, visiting the sick, and more.
The closest thing to free loaning is the barter system which became popular in the late '60s, and still flourishes. In this system, people decide they want to reduce their reliance on money through bartering goods and services. If you need something and I need something, we might be able to make a switch.
But free loaning is something else entirely. It's when you don't take anything for what you give. You just give.
This idea of free loaning is totally counter-culture. It blows down the icons of society, because, if one thinks about it, a lot of those icons have to do with money and its conventions. But here we're talking about a society that doesn't have competitive or materialistic goals as its root value system. It's simply about people helping people.
In Jerusalem, there is a free loan for mother's milk -- a milk bank to aid babies whose mothers cannot nurse them for some reason. Nursing mothers donate extra milk, which is then frozen until it is needed. There are even volunteers who undertake certain dietary restrictions in order to produce milk that can be given to babies suffering from allergies.
Aside from all the practical and communal benefits of free loans, there is a deeper spiritual element as well.
Who is the Master of Kindness? God Himself is constantly engaged in sustaining all of Creation through His infinite acts of kindness. The Sages say that the world came into being so that God could bestow His goodness on others. We are the recipients of that goodness, and when we act in a like manner by doing kindness for each other, then we are emulating God.
One of the first steps we take on entering the world of kindness is to recognize that everything we have is a gift. We appreciate every movement, every breath of air, and every bite of food. We become filled with infinite gratitude to the Creator.
There is no place for pride or feelings of superiority in the world of kindness because the giver is taking from the infinite storehouse of kindness that is owned by God. We are merely the middlemen in this process of moving goods and services. And the pleasure comes from holding that delivery in our hands. What we are giving is from God, and as we facilitate the process of getting it to its rightful owners, we have the pleasure of a closeness with our Creator. If there is any payment for doing a kindness, it is this pleasure that we feel as we experience our proximity to God.
Imagine a department store unlike any you have ever encountered. It's the store of your wildest dreams, where there are no cash registers and no price tags. Suppose you're making an engagement party in your house for 60 people. You walk into the store with a shopping list in your mind of everything you need.
You: Hello, can you help me? I need a set of dishes for 60 people, but I don't want to buy them. I don't need to own all those dishes, and also I've got no place for them in my apartment.
Clerk: No problem. You can have the dishes for the night, and you have to pay absolutely nothing. In fact, you can choose from one of several patterns. Now, what else do you need?
You: Tables and chairs.
Clerk: Again, no problem. They'll be delivered and later picked up by a free delivery service. What else do you need?
You: Money.
Clerk: That's our specialty! You can have $500, $1,000, and even larger sums, with easy, long-term repayment plans. And there's no interest charged!
Free loaning is not a matter of a haughty, "Look what we have that you need." It is rather the quiet satisfaction of knowing that one's own foresight and planning have contributed to someone else's well being.
Rabbi Simcha Wasserman explains that the greatest happiness in life is that achieved by giving to another. Can yet another chicken consumed, or even another car bought, compare to the satisfaction a person can receive seeing his wealth being used to feed and clothe others and pull them out of their troubles? Can anything compare to seeing someone's anxiousness replaced by unexpected happiness?
In the Mattersdorf neighborhood of Jerusalem, a bag of baby's pacifiers hangs on the fence that runs along a well-traveled road. Next to the bag is a small sign saying that anyone is welcome to take a pacifier and asked to please return a new one to the bag when convenient. Lost pacifiers can be a problem, especially if the baby wakes up in the middle of the night, as so often happens. This self-service gemach operates on its own all day and all night.
------ Excerpted from "The Hidden World -- Challenge, Adventure, and Pleasure In Giving." Available by writing to: email@example.com, or via snail-mail: Branfman, 68 Pri Chadash Street, Jerusalem Israel. Phone: (972) 58-752-808. Price: $8 USD for overseas orders, 20 shekels in Israel, including airmail postage.


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Travel to South Korea
Dynamic cities, misty mountains and red-hot cuisine
The Korean peninsula is a tantalizingly unexplored slice of East Asia – a pine-clad land of mountains, misty archipelagos and rice paddies of emerald green, studded with urban pockets of incomparable joie de vivre. While its troubled history has made Korea's very existence nothing short of miraculous, amazingly its traditions and customs have largely survived intact – and for visitors, this highly distinctive culture is an absolute joy to dive into.
Having gone their separate ways in 1953 after the catastrophic Korean War – essentially a civil war, but one largely brought about by external forces, which left millions dead and flattened almost the whole peninsula – the two Koreas are now separated by the spiky twin frontiers of the Demilitarized Zone. North Korea has armed itself to the teeth since 1953, stagnated in its pursuit of a local brand of Communism and become one of the least accessible countries in the world. Unbelievably, many foreigners seem to expect something similar of South Korea, which shows just how well kept a secret this fascinating place really is: beyond the glittering city of Seoul, gimchi, dog meat and taekwondo, little is known about the country in the outside world (and in actual fact, one of those four has largely gone the way of the dodo anyway).
After the war, the South gradually embraced democracy and has since gone on to become a powerful and dynamic economy. Its cities, bursting with places to visit, are a pulsating feast of eye-searing neon, feverish activity and round-the-clock business. Here you can shop till you drop at markets that never close, feast on eye-wateringly spicy food, get giddy on a bottle or two of soju, then sweat out the day's exertions at a night-time sauna. However, set foot outside the urban centres and your mere presence will cause quite a stir – in the remote rural areas life continues much as it did before the "Economic Miracle" of the 1970s, and pockets of islands exist where no foreigner has ever set foot.
And for all its newfound prosperity, the South remains a land steeped in tradition. Before being abruptly choked off by the Japanese occupation in 1910, an unbroken line of more than one hundred kings existed for almost two thousand years – their grassy burial mounds have yielded thousands of golden relics – and even the capital, Seoul, has a number of palaces dating back to the fourteenth century. The wooden hanok housing of decades gone by may have largely given way to rows of apartment blocks, but these traditional dwellings can still be found in places, and you'll never be more than a walk away from an immaculately painted Buddhist temple. Meanwhile, Confucian-style formal ceremonies continue to play an important part in local life, and some mountains still even host shamanistic rituals.
As for the Korean people themselves, they are a real delight: fiercely proud, and with a character almost as spicy as their food, they're markedly eager to please foreigners who come to live or holiday in their country. Within hours of arriving, you may well find yourself with new friends in tow, racing up a mountainside, lunching over a delicious barbequed galbi, throwing back makkeolli until dawn, or singing the night away at a noraebang. Few travellers leave without tales of the kindness of Korean strangers, and all of them wonder why the country isn't a more popular stop on the international travel circuit.
Planning your trip to South Korea
Everything you need to plan where to go and what to do.
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Explore South Korea
Your comprehensive guide to South Korea.
Everything you need to know before you set off.
The Rough Guide to Seoul
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South Korea features
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After South Korea, where next?
Check out Japan


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M. David Stone is an award-winning freelance writer and computer industry consultant with special areas of expertise in imaging technologies (including printers, monitors, large-screen displays, projectors, scanners, and digital cameras), storage (both magnetic and optical), and word processing. His 25 years of experience in writing about science and technology includes a nearly 20-year concentration on PC hardware and software. He also has a proven track record of making technical issues easy for non-technical readers to understand, while holding the interest of more knowledgeable readers. Writing credits include eight computer-related books, major contributions to four others, and more than 2,000 articles in national and worldwide computer and general interest publications. His two most recent books are The Underground Guide to Color Printers (Addison-Wesley, 1996) and Troubleshooting Your PC, (Microsoft Press, 2000, with co-author Alfred Poor).
Much of David's current writing is for PC Magazine, where he has been a frequent contributor since 1983 and a contributing editor since 1987. His work includes feature articles, special projects, reviews, and both hardware and software solutions for PC Magazine's Solutions columns. He also contributes to other magazines, including Wired. As Computers Editor at Science Digest from 1984 until the magazine stopped publication, he wrote both a monthly column and additional articles. His newspaper column on computers appeared in the Newark Star Ledger from 1995 through 1997.
Non-computer-related work includes the Project Data Book for NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (written for GE's Astro-Space Division), and magazine articles and AV productions on subjects ranging from cosmology to ape language experiments. David also develops and writes testing scripts for leading computer magazines, including PC Magazine's PC Labs. His scripts have covered a wide range of subjects, including computers, scanners, printers, modems, word processors, fax modems, and communications software. He lives just outside of New York City, and considers himself a New Yorker at heart.


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Madhubana Kadai Movie Review
Drinking is a way of life for a major chunk of the men in our state and the TASMAC wine shop is the place which is the biggest unifier as people from different backgrounds congregate to drown themselves in alcohol. MadhubanaKadai traces a single day in the functioning of a typical wine shop. That day happens to be prior to Gandhi Jayanthi, which is one of the few days when the wine shop is actually closed. All sorts of people come to the shop and it is a roller-coaster at the shop as each character gets into some mischief or the other. Such is the power of intoxication.
The episodes involving two perennial drinkers, Chinnarasu and Petition Mani, are definitely enjoyable. Even school kids, people who dress up as Gods and young professionals also make an appearance at the bar much to the amusement of us. We have had many Tamil films where the wine shop is the scene of action for a few scenes. Santhanam has provided many a funny moment in his films with his drinking. But here, the entire movie is replete with such incidents which just become an overdose beyond a point.
You just become numb as the same incidents revolving around alcohol are played out over and over again. A love track involving the wine shop owner's daughter and one of the employees in the shop named Rafeeq is one of the very few distractions from the scene of action. The director Kamalakannan has also used this movie to highlight some issues like illegal adulteration of alcohol and the fact that laborers like drainage cleaners depend on alcohol for some peace of mind.
Ved Shankar has given two enjoyable mass numbers while the song that comes before the finale, is poignant. His re-recording tends to become too noisy at times in his attempt to capture the ambience of the wine shop authentically. The camera is constrained within the wine shop for almost the entire movie while the set design for the wine shop has been done authentically. The target audience for MadhubanaKadai is restricted and some people might even get second thoughts just seeing the title of the movie.
To conclude, the director has intentionally avoided any structured narrative and has just showcased some incidents that happen in a typical day at the wine shop. One can safely say that it is an out of the box attempt.
Starring: Rafeeq, Iswarya
Direction: Kamalakannan
Music: Ved Shankar
Production: Montage Media Production
Verdict: Experimental attempt but not very intoxicating


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Downs fractures finger on non-pitching hand
Braves hopeful lefty reliever won't be sidelined by injury
PHILADELPHIA -- Braves reliever Scott Downs suffered a non-displaced fracture of the ring finger on his glove hand Saturday night, courtesy of a seventh-inning Chase Utley smash back to the box.
According to manager Fredi Gonzalez, some bandaging and pain tolerance will enable Downs to keep pitching, sooner rather than later.
"We will play it by ear," said Gonzalez. "I think he can put his hand in his glove, with a little bit of a splint, or tape it up and it will be fine.
"He said he will see how it feels tomorrow and go from there."
Downs recovered quickly enough to break for first, but not to beat Utley to the bag. The lefty, who has not allowed an earned run in 44 of his last 47 outings (1.50 ERA), was immediately replaced by David Carpenter, who got the last out of the inning.


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Today's Blogger in the Spotlight is Caz Makepeace of ytravelblog.. and she shares her 10 great tips on how to keep your blog relevant and popular, even as things start to get busy while you're travelling..
There is nothing easy about travel blogging. It requires hours of hard work and dedication. There are certain strategies and ways you can approach how you operate your travel blog so you can have the success you desire.
Here are 10 simple and effective ways that you can improve your travel blogging.
1. Have a Bigger Blogging Picture
You should be thinking about your bigger picture from day one. Travel blogging should not be about short term goals.
Think very carefully about where you want to see yourself in two years' time. Where do you want your blog to take you? How do you want it to provide you with an income?
Are you going on a year-long round the world adventure? What is going to happen to your blog once that has finished?
Let's say your short term goal was to blog about your travels through India for six months, so you called your blog travelsthroughindia.com. What happens to that blog next year when you go to Africa?
Thinking about the bigger picture will enable you to make more effective decisions now.
2. Work on your mindset
You've followed all the blogging gurus step by step. Your website design is smashing, your keywords are in place, your content is up, traffic is coming, but you still aren't getting the results the gurus are getting.
I can guarantee you that the one thing that stands between you and success is you. Success in blogging is 5% skill and 95% mindset and attitude. Most people skip the working on the mindset part.
Becoming a blogger means you have to step out from the job world into the entrepreneurial world. It is a very different way of thinking. If you don't evolve into it you die.
Spend time every day working on your mindset. Learn from those successful mentors who have walked before you.
3. Write Often
The more often you write the better you will get and the easier it will be for you to find your authentic voice. It is your voice that will make you stand out from others.
The more often you write, the more pages will be indexed by Google and the more often those in the community will see you and so get to know your brand and story.
The more often you write, the faster you get at it and the more creative ideas will flow to you.
4. Write Diverse Content
Mix up your content. Don't let it just be about providing information or highlighting travel destinations.
Incorporate things such as list posts or thought posts, highlight other blogs, include videos or host your own podcast. Mix it up.
The more diverse your content the more your readers will stick with you as they will know you have all the information and inspiration they need in various forms.
5. Build Community
Travellers are used to hanging out with other travellers. Think about when you are on the road, the people you are most communicating with and sharing stories and tips with are other travellers. It was the place we would always go to get most of our recommendations from.
Create a community around your blog that replicates the travel experience. Make it fun, light-hearted and a place for sharing.
6. Network With Others
Twitter is the most powerful networking tool. Use it as a way to connect with other bloggers, big brands and others within the industry. Your interactions need to be about building relationships not promoting your work.
Don't discount those opportunities to network offline as well. Join travel groups and meet up with other people within the industry for coffee and a chat. Is there someone outside the travel niche that you could also network with?
It is amazing the doors of opportunity that can open up for you through networking and building relationships. Be friendly, be nice, share, and offer value.
7. Make your Blog Visually Appealing
Travel blogging is a competitive niche. There are many new travel blogs popping up daily. Having a visually appealing blog design is really important in order for you to stand out. Make sure your blog is easy to navigate, has fast loading speed and make it simple for your readers to connect with you.
You also want to make sure your posts have photos in them, preferably your own. Make them large and good quality. Photos tell a story and are what help people to imagine themselves at a place or get them excited to go.
8. Guest Post
Part of your travel blogging strategy should be guest posting on other sites. This is the strategy that helped us attract new readers and spread our brand far and wide.
You should be aiming for at least two guest posts a month and on blogs that are not just in the travel niche.
The key to guest posting is making it your best work. Else, why would someone want to follow you back to your blog? Make sure that you promote that post as much as you would if it was published on your blog, and reply to all the comments.
9. Provide value
This is just not in the content you provide to your readers and the community you build, but is also really important with other people that you work with.
A benefit of travel blogging is that you may be invited on press trips. Make sure you are honest in your reporting, but give your best work and provide value. Not only does this give bloggers a good name, but it opens up so many more doors for you for further work.
We are going on our third trip with Gold Coast Tourism in a couple of weeks because they love and trust the work we do.
We have also had lots of opportunities open up for us due to the value we provided whilst on the Qantas Great Crusade in New Zealand, and the glowing references we have from one of the biggest airline companies and PR firms in the world as a result.
10. Promote yourself
Ugh. You want me to do what??? This will turn people away as they will think I am so vain!
By allowing your own light shine you allow others to do the same. If you want to improve your travel blogging you have to learn to promote yourself and the great work you are doing.
No one else will do it for you.
And there are definitely nice ways to do it. I think of it as more celebrating the great things you are doing. And every one needs to celebrate more.
To make it easier on you, just work on promoting others more than yourself. Win win!
About this week's guestwriter:
Caz Makepeace believes that life is all about the memories and inspires others to travel and make their life a story to tell at her popular, y Travel Blog and fanpage, with her husband Craig. They have been selected as a finalist for the Asia-Pacific Blog Awards for Best Travel Blog and have worked with brands such as Qantas, Ford, Tourism New Zealand and Tourism Australia. Follow them on twitter! @ytravelblog


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About 10,000 motorists die each year because of inadequate road conditions, and millions of other Americans waste large portions of their lives stuck in traffic or stalled trains. The enormous cost to society of poor infrastructure grows every year, and most of the blame can be placed directly on a Congress that refuses to collect and spend enough money to fix it.
On Tuesday the House made the situation worse with a sad excuse for a highway funding bill: A 10-month measure that keeps spending at an inadequate level and does not address the dwindling revenues that keep producing all-too-familiar cliffhanging crises. The bill pays for building projects through a series of budget gimmicks, including one that will probably result in companies underfinancing their pensions. Yet the Obama administration, desperate to avoid the cancellation of projects that would occur if the Highway Trust Fund runs out of money next month, decided to support the stopgap bill.
This crisis was entirely foreseeable and was brought about by the ideological refusal of Congressional Republicans to raise the gasoline tax — the traditional method of paying for road projects, because it allows those who benefit from better roads to pay for them. The gas tax has been stuck at 18.4 cents a gallon since 1993, and during those 21 years it has lost 39 percent of its value to inflation. But Republicans, afraid of violating a no-tax-increase pledge they made to an extremist group, won't touch it. "I've never supported raising the gas tax," Speaker John Boehner said last week.
Without an increase, the trust fund will continually run out of money, jeopardizing one of the most basic functions of government. If the fund were allowed to run dry next month, it would cut federal transportation financing to the states by 28 percent, and slow or stop 100,000 projects that employ about 700,000 workers at the height of the construction season. That would be fine with hard-right Republicans who want Washington to get out of the transportation business and leave the states on their own; they have overseen an unprecedented 20 percent cut in construction spending over the last five or six years.
But the country could not afford a blow of that size to the economy. President Obama was right to think big last year when he proposed spending $302 billion over four years on transportation projects, but even he lacked the political courage to back a higher gas tax to pay for it, instead suggesting ending corporate tax loopholes. Last month, a Republican senator, Bob Corker of Tennessee, broke ranks with his party and joined Senator Christopher Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, in calling for a 12-cent gas tax increase that would be indexed to inflation in future years.
But few other Republicans have signed on. Instead, the bill that leaders pushed through the House on Tuesday would raise most of its $10.9 billion by allowing companies to spend less on their pension payments (thus raising their taxable incomes), which could harm retirement security for many Americans. The Senate Finance Committee proposal is better, focusing instead on better tax enforcement, but it avoided the best solution of raising the gas tax in order to achieve bipartisan support.
Both bills run out at the end of May, which will probably lead to another crisis that will be temporarily solved by yet another budget gimmick. People of both parties ride in cars or take trains and buses, but they are being let down by politicians pretending that essential public works don't come with a price tag.


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As Galfer puts it, the 1054 compound is the "workhorse of brake pads". Through extensive research and development, Galfer has found that one compound doesn't necessarily work across the board. However, the 1054 compound is the closest you'll get. If you're riding moto, trails, or just need a good overall brake pad to last you a long time, the 1054 Front Galfer brake pads are the choice for you. The semi-sintered metallic composition of this brake pad prevents pad glaze and increases rotor life. The Galfer 1054 brake pads come at an affordable price as well.
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- Good in wet and/or dry conditions
- Over a very versatile compound for almost every need.


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|Photo: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 58% of U.S. teachers own smartphones — 10 percentage points higher than the national average for adults. Those teachers are building that tech-savviness into their lesson plans, too, by embracing bring-your-own-device policies and leading the push for an iPad for every student. In 2013, an estimated 25% of U.S. schools had BYOD policies in place and it's reasonable to assume those numbers have risen in the past two years.
What do these mobile devices really add, though? Is there more to this tech trend than just grabbing the attention of students? Is mobile technology boosting classroom instruction, or is it all just a flashy way to accomplish the same things as analog instruction?
Research finds benefits of mobile technology
That same Pew Research Center survey asked a group of Advanced Placement and National Writing Project teachers about the educational impact of Internet technology in the classroom. Here's what those teachers had to say about mobile technology specifically:
- 73% of the teachers reported using mobile technology in their classrooms, either through their own instruction or by allowing students to use it to complete assignments
- English teachers are more likely to use mobile technology in the classroom than math teachers
- 47% of teachers strongly agreed, and an additional 44% somewhat agreed, that students need digital literacy courses to be successful academically and beyond.
As far back as 2010, reports were surfacing that mobile apps are not only engaging, but educational, for children as young as preschool. PBS Kids, in partnership with the US Department of Education, found that the vocabulary of kids ages three to seven who played its Martha Speaks mobile app improved up to 31%. Abilene Christian University conducted research around the same time that found math students who used the iOS app "Statistics 1" saw improvement in their final grades. They were also more motivated to finish lessons on mobile devices than through traditional textbooks and workbooks.
More recently, two studies that separately followed fifth and eighth graders who used tablets for learning in class and at home found that learning experiences improved across the board. 35% of the 8th graders said that they were more interested in their teachers' lessons or activities when they used their tablet, and the students exceeded teachers' academic expectations when using the devices. When self-reporting, 54% of students say they get more involved in classes that use technology and 55% say they wish instructors used more educational games or simulations to teach lessons.
My own college students report back from student teaching in P-12 classrooms and say kids do seem to respond well to the stimulus of mobile devices. They stay on task, they correct mistakes in real-time and, most importantly, they get excited about learning.
Source: Gizmodo


text: Some of what we know about the health effects of exposure to chemicals from food, drugs, and the environment come from studies of occupational, inadvertent, or accident-related exposures. When there is not enough human data, scientists rely on animal data to assess risk from chemical exposure and make health and safety decisions. However, humans and animals can respond differently to chemicals, including the types of adverse effects experienced and the dosages at which they occur. Scientists in the field of toxicogenomics are using new technologies to study the effects of chemicals. For example, in response to a particular chemical exposure, they can study gene expression (transcriptomics), proteins (proteomics) and� metabolites (metabolomics), and they can also look at how individual and species differences in the underlying DNA sequence itself can result in different responses to the environment. Based on a workshop held in August 2004, this report explores how toxicogenomics could� enhance scientists' ability to make connections between data from experimental animal studies and human health.


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SEOUL, Korea (CNN) -- Researchers at a South Korean university say they have discovered a candidate strain for an H1N1 vaccine, though it has not yet been approved by health authorities in the United States or the World Health Organization.
Researchers around the world are racing to come up with a vaccine for the widespread H1N1 virus.
The strain is a genetically modified version of a live virus, and could lead to a vaccine against H1N1 -- commonly known as swine flu, said Seo Sang-heui, a professor at Chungnam National University's College of Veterinary Medicine in South Korea.
"We created a candidate strain," Seo told CNN on Wednesday. The strain would still have to undergo additional testing and tweaking, but Seo believes it could be the right one to develop a vaccine.
He said the university is sending eight vials of the strain to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seo added that the CDC had sent the university an original strain of the virus for testing.
CDC spokesman Dave Daigle told CNN said the agency has sent H1N1 strains to roughly 10 labs around the world, but he had no information on South Korea's claims. He said the CDC would check out the university's research.
Researchers around the world are racing to come up with a vaccine for the widespread virus, but the CDC and the WHO have said it could take up to six months between the time a virus appears to the time the vaccine is available to the public.
Earlier this month, WHO officials said candidate vaccine strains would undergo quality-control measures and be evaluated in clinical trials. If it meets certain criteria, a candidate vaccine would still have to be approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration before being available to patients in the United States.
CNN's David Ariosto, Caleb Hellerman and Saundra Young contributed to this report.
All About Swine Flu • World Health Organization • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


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(CBS News) The Food and Drug Administration has called the abuse of prescription painkillers a "major public health challenge." On Friday, the FDA wrapped up a hearing on the drugs including oxycodone, Vicodin and Percocet. These painkillers do their job well -- but come with a big risk.
"My liver started shutting down," said 28-year-old Kimberly, who asked that we not use her last name. "My kidneys started shutting down. My thyroid level was through the roof."
Video: Health experts: Painkillers may cause headaches
Commonly used NSAID painkillers may be deadly for first-time heart attack sufferers
Kimberly nearly died from narcotic painkillers prescribed after a car accident. At first, she only needed one or two pills a day. But eventually she became addicted to the high.
"My tolerance started growing," she said, "and I started taking two at a time or three at a time. It grew to 15 at a time."
Kimberly is not alone. In 1999, there were about 4,000 opiate-related overdose deaths in the U.S. That figure more than quadrupled to 16,500 deaths in 2010.
"I knew that I needed to stop," Kimberly said. "I knew I did, but I couldn't bring myself to do it."
William Cope Moyers, a vice-president of the Hazelden Foundation, a drug treatment facility, said: "We are the most overly-prescribed nation in the world."
He said doctors need better education on the risks of addiction and non-narcotic options for pain treatment. Asked whether doctors are trained well enough in the management of chronic pain, Moyers said: "Clearly, doctors know the scourge of chronic pain, its legitimacy. But what they often don't know is how to deal with it with something other than writing a script."
Kimberly is in treatment at Phoenix House and has been drug-free for eight months.
"Who knows what's going to happen tomorrow? But I'll deal with that then," she said. "But today, I'm not getting high. And then tomorrow comes and I'll try the same thing."
So what are the possible solutions to the problem? The focus is on education. Patients think, 'This is a safe drug. After all, my doctor prescribed it, it's FDA-approved.' The FDA is trying to reverse that misconception. Then the White House is working to try to enact legislation so when doctors apply for that DEA registration that allows them to write the narcotics prescription, first they have to take a course that teaches them how to correctly use it.


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Helping parents prepare for your child's surgery
What happens during surgery
Staying overnight
If your child is staying less than 24 hours, then your child probably will go to Short Stay Post-Op. Sometimes patients spend the night on a regular inpatient unit even if it is for less than 24 hours. A parent or guardian needs to be with the child/teen patient while they are in Short Stay (or at the hospital for less than 24 hours).
When you arrive your child's nurse will talk with the PACU nurse about your child and show you around the area. The nurse will offer juice or a Popsicle when your child is ready. Each room has a TV, VCR, and phone and a recliner for a parent or guardian to sleep. The hospital has movies and you're welcome to bring your own.
Visitors are welcome in Short Stay although there is not a lot of room for younger brothers and sisters to move around. They are welcome at the Sibling Play Area if they need more space.
Inpatient rooms
The rooms on the inpatient floors are either singles (for one patient) or doubles (for two patients). There's a crib or adjustable bed for your child, a closet, and a bathroom. Shower and tub facilities also are available. Each bed space has a TV, VCR, or DVD player and a telephone with a direct number so family and friends can call directly into your room.
The rooms have a couch or foldout chair bed for a parent to sleep. For privacy there are window coverings for the windows and a curtain can be pulled around the bed area.
Visitors are welcome during the day and family members can come anytime. Friends are also welcome to visit but there might be some restriction on the visiting hours or the number of visitors at one time. Visitor should be healthy – no cough or cold, fever, rash, or other sickly symptoms. They should already have had chicken pox or the vaccination for it. Check with your child's nurse if you have any questions about this.
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
If your child is going to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, you may be moved there right after surgery. Your child will experience the same things as in the PACU and a nurse will be nearby throughout your stay.
There are two kinds of bed setups in the PICU. There are single rooms and an open "bay" area with several beds with privacy curtains around each one. Staff attempts to put older children in the single rooms, but sometimes older children or teens have a bed in the bay.
PICU rooms are similar to inpatient rooms. There's a bed and some rooms have built in TV with a VCR or DVD player. You can always ask for these to be brought in. There are no bathrooms connected to the rooms. The nurses will explain the bathroom arrangements.
There are chairs by the bed for parents or visitors. Usually parents do not sleep in the room. There are sleeping rooms right outside the PICU. Parents also can check out pagers at the Welcome Center so your child's nurse can contact you at anytime.
Monitors will keep track of your child's heartbeat, blood pressure, and breathing. IV pumps will regulate the medicines and fluids your child will need. Other types of equipment may be used as well, depending on the type of surgery your child has had.
The nurse will be in the room with your child much of the time while you are in PICU.
Visitors are allowed in the PICU with two people visiting at one time (the room gets crowded with any more). Parents can be with their child as much as they wish. There are certain hours that siblings may visit and an adult must always accompany them. Other visitors must have parental permission to visit.
There is a lounge beside the PICU where families and visitors may gather to talk, watch TV, or grab a cup of coffee. There are lots of magazines and a telephone to make or receive outside calls.
When your child's doctor decides that your child does not need such close observation and medical care, your child will go to one of the inpatient units.
Who your child will meet
Your child will meet lots of people while at Children's. Here are some of them:
- Nurse: Nurses are here around the clock. You'll have a nurse assigned to your child each nursing shift. The nurse will talk to you about all kinds of things – medicines, when and what your child can eat, your child's pain management and what you need to know to take care of your child. Nurses wear royal blue uniforms.
- CSA: This stands for Clinical Support Associate. They help the nurses with some of the patient care. CSA's wear navy blue.
- Doctor: Your surgeon will check in on your child regularly. There also may be residents or other medical students who'll have some part in your child's care. The doctors write orders for medicines, meals, and activities. They have the final say about when your child is discharged.
- Child Life staff: Child Life Specialists help your child learn about and understand the hospital experience. They help children find ways to deal with discomfort, talk about concerns or worries they might have, and are generally good listeners. Activities Associates help you find things to do while you're here–watch movies, use a computer, play games, etc. Child Life staff wear regular street clothes.
- Volunteers: They are teens and adults who visit patients and assist with play activities. They may rock babies, stay with your child while you take a break, or help in the playrooms. They wear red vests or jackets.
Out and about
Once your doctor and nurse say it's okay for your child to be up and out of the room, you'll be able to explore the unit with them and, perhaps, other parts of the hospital, too. Here's some of what you may find:
- Activity or playroom: There are lots of activities, games, and toys in these rooms. There are things for teens, too – video games, board games, art, and craft materials.
- Nurse's desk: This can be a busy place. Think of it as the central information station for the unit.
- Library: This children's library has books, magazines, and computers for children and teens to enjoy here or back in the patient room. There is a library cart that periodically comes around to some patient units as well.
- Family Lounge: Your family or visitors can head to the lounge to relax. If you bring food from home, you can store it in the refrigerator and heat it up in the microwave.
- Sibling Play Area: Brothers, sisters, cousins, or other kids who get tired of visiting can be signed into Sibling Play. It's a great place for kids to play and run off energy during their visits, yet not feel left out of what's going on in your family.
- Family Resource Center: Provides a quiet comfortable environment where patient families can find health information and community resources, and get Internet and e-mail access.
- Welcome Center: Located near hospital main entrances, the staff here provides information, directions and patient locations for patient families and visitors. They also have pagers that may be checked out to a patient family.


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Tagged With: health
Why am I still sick?
Posted on December 3, 2012 by mbmccoll
"Why am I still sick?" That's a common question I hear after someone has been infected with influenza and started on therapy. Most of us associate our times of illness with some common bacterial infections: sinusitis, pneumonia, ear or skin infections. When we get infected with these bacterial pathogens they tend to stay localized to … Continue reading »
Categories: Health Information | Tags: antibiotics, health, influenza, sickness, viral | Leave a comment


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|Mar 29, 2013
MicroRNA detection on the cheap
|(Nanowerk News) Current methods of detecting microRNA (miRNA) gene-regulating molecules implicated in the onset of various diseases can be time-consuming and costly: The custom equipment used in such tests costs more than $100,000, and the limited throughput of these systems further hinders progress.
|Two MIT alumni are helping to rectify these issues through their fast-growing, Cambridge-headquartered startup, Firefly BioWorks Inc., which provides technology that allows for rapid miRNA detection in a large number of samples using standard lab equipment. This technology has helped the company thrive and also has the potential to increase the body of research on miRNA, which could help lead to better disease diagnosis and screening.
|The companys core technology, called Optical Liquid Stamping (OLS) which was invented at MIT by Firefly co-founder and Chief Technical Officer Daniel C. Pregibon PhD 08 works by imprinting (or stamping) microparticle structures onto photosensitive fluids. The resulting three-dimensional hydrogel particles, encoded with unique barcodes, can be used for the detection of miRNAs across large numbers of samples. These particles are custom-designed for readout in virtually any flow cytometer, a cost-effective device thats accessible to most scientists.
|Our manufacturing process allows us to make very sophisticated particles that can be read on the most basic instruments, says co-founder and CEO Davide Marini PhD 03.
|The companys first commercial product, FirePlex miRSelect, an miRNA-detection kit that uses an assay based on OLS-manufactured particles and custom software, began selling about a year ago. Since then, the company has drawn a steady influx of customers (primarily academic and clinical scientists) while seeing rapid revenue growth.
|To date, most of the companys revenue has come from backers who see value in Fireflys novel technology. In addition to a cumulative $2.5 million awarded through Small Business Innovation Research grants primarily from the National Cancer Institute the company has attracted $3 million from roughly 20 independent investors. Its most recent funding came from a $500,000 grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.
|Pregibon developed the technology in the lab of MIT chemical engineering professor Patrick Doyle, a Firefly co-founder who serves on the companys scientific advisory board. Fireflys intellectual property is partially licensed through the Technology Licensing Office at MIT, along with several other Firefly patents. Fireflys technology, from OLS to miRNA detection, has been described in papers published in several leading journals, including Science, Nature Materials, Nature Protocols and Analytical Chemistry.
|Shifting complexity from equipment to particle
|The success of the technology, Marini says, derives from an early business decision to focus attention on the development of the hydrogel particle instead of the equipment needed. Essentially, this allowed the co-founders to focus on developing a high-quality miRNA assay and hit the market quickly with particles that are universally readable on basic lab instrumentation.
|Imagine sticking a microscopic barcode on a microscopic product, Marini says. How do you scan it? At the beginning we thought we would have to build our own scanner. This would have been an expensive proposition. Instead, by using a few clever tricks, we redesigned the barcode to make it readable by existing instruments. You can write these barcodes, and all you need is one scanner to read different codes. To quote an investor: It shifts the complexity from the equipment to the particle.
|Fireflys particles appear to a standard flow cytometer as a series of closely spaced cells; these data are recorded and the companys FireCode software then regroups them into particle information, including miRNA target identification and quantity.
|But why, specifically, did the company choose a flow cytometer as its primary scanner? Pregibon answers: To start, there are nearly 100,000 cytometers worldwide. In addition, we are now seeing a trend where flow cytometers are getting smaller and closer to the bench closer to the actual researcher. Were finding that people are tight for money because of the economy and are trying to conserve capital as much as possible. In order to use our products, they can either buy a very inexpensive bench-top flow cytometer or use one that already exists in their core facility.
|In turn, opting out of equipment development and manufacturing costs has helped the company stay financially sound, says Marini, who worked in Londons financial sector before coming to MIT. As an additional perk, the manufacturers of flow cytometers have begun courting Firefly, Marini says, because our products help expand the capability of their systems, which are now exclusively used to analyze cells.
|The companys FirePlex kit allows researchers to assay (or analyze) roughly 70 miRNA targets simultaneously across 96 samples of a wide variety including serum, plasma and crude cell digests in approximately three hours.
|This is actually a middle-ground assaying technique, Pregibon says, and saves researchers time and money: Until now, scientists were forced to use separate techniques to look at a few miRNA targets over thousands of samples, or vice versa.
|Marini adds that if a scientist suspects a number of miRNAs, perhaps 50 or so, could be involved in a pancreatic-cancer pathway, the only way to know for sure is to test those 50 targets over hundreds of samples. Theres nowhere to do this today in a cost-effective, timely manner. Our tech now allows that, he says.
|Over the bridge of validation
|Because miRNAs are so important in the regulation of genes, and ultimately proteins, they have implications in a broad range of diseases, from cancer to Alzheimers disease. Several studies have suggested these relationships, but the field currently lacks the validation required to definitively demonstrate clinical utility.
|With that in mind, Pregibon hopes that Fireflys technology will help push miRNA-based diagnoses over the bridge of validation, giving scientists the means to validate miRNA signatures they discover in diagnosing diseases such as cancer. Thats where we want to fit in, he says. With the help of a technology like ours, youll start to see more tests hitting the market and ultimately, more people benefitting from early cancer detection.
|Fireflys aim is to strengthen preventive medicine in the United States. In the long term, we see these products helping in the shift from reactive to preventative medicine, Marini says. We believe we will see a proliferation of tools for detection of diseases. We want to move away from the system we have now, which is curing before its too late.
|Pregibon says Fireflys technology can be used across several molecule classes that are important in development and disease research: proteins, messenger RNA and DNA, among many others. Essentially, the possibilities are endless, Pregibon says.
|Source: By Rob Matheson, MIT
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