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Thailand holds Asian beach volleyball refereeing course
Ratchaburi, Thailand, July 21, 2013 – The AVC Beach Volleyball Refereeing Course took place in Thailand's Ratchaburi province from July 18 to 20, with, Samanan Laowanichwisit (Mayor of Muang Ratchaburi) presiding over the opening ceremony.
Mr Thomas Chang, the FIVB International Beach Volleyball Referee from Hong Kong, and Kritsada Panaseri, chief of referee from Thailand, jointly conducted the three-day seminar. There were a total of 17 referees from 10 countries and regions comprising Laos, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Japan and Thailand who participated in the event.
The course, highly supported by the Asian Volleyball Confederation in conjunction with the Thailand Volleyball Association and Ratchaburi Province, was intended to build on the skills of Asian beach volleyball referees, while developing the sport on the continent.


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SASSUOLO unsure about keeping BOATENG in
EVERTON backliner KEANE: "Goodison Park gives us goosebumps"
Talking to Everton TV, Toffees and English NT centre-back Michael Keane (26) stated: "You get goosebumps every time you walk out at Goodison. When you hear those sirens go. It gives you a lift, it really does. You can hear how loud the fans are, when you're in the
REAL MADRID boss ZIDANE after Parc des Princes demise: "A poor match on our side. PSG were better than us in every respect"
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subset: commoncrawl


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Observations: Why do women cry? Obviously, it's so they don't get laid.
This week, a paper came out looking at testosterone levels in fathers. A whirlwind of poor journalism followed, which was beautifully smacked down by William Saletan over at Slate (aslo: see this great post on the topic by our very own Kate Clancy). But it reminded me of a similar kerfluffle that occurred this past January over a paper on the effects of sniffing tears. This was my post from Jan 8th on that paper and the media surrounding it, which just so happens to look at the meaning of lowered testosterone levels in terms of evolution.
I don't think Brian Alexander is a bad guy or a misogynist. He writes the Sexploration column for MSNBC, so sure, his job is all about selling sex stories to the public. He even wrote a book about American sexuality. But I don't personally think he has a burning hatred for women, or views them as objects placed on this Earth for the sexual satisfaction of men. However, I very easily could, given how he chose to report on a recent study published in Science about men's physiological responses to the chemicals present in women's tears.
The headline alone was enough to make me gag — "Stop the waterworks, ladies. Crying chicks aren't sexy." The sarcastic bitch in me just couldn't help but think Why THANK YOU Brian! I've been going about this all wrong. When I want to get some from my honey, I focus all my thoughts on my dead dog or my great grandma and cry as hard as I can. No WONDER it isn't working!
I didn't even want to read the rest of the article.
But I did.
It doesn't get better.
Alexander's reporting of the actual science was quick and simplistic, and couched in sexist commentary (like how powerful women's tears are as manipulative devices). And to finish things off, he clearly states what he found to be the most important find of the study:
"Bottom line, ladies? If you're looking for arousal, don't turn on the waterworks."
It's no wonder that the general public sometimes questions whether science is important. If that was truly the aim of this paper, I'd be concerned, too!
Of course, Brian Alexander missed the point. This paper wasn't published as a part of a women's how-to guide for getting laid. Instead, the authors sought to determine if the chemicals present in human tears might serve as chemosignals like they do for other animals — and they got some pretty interesting results.
In many species, chemical signals run rampant. Scents, pheromones, and other chemical cues are deliberately and unconsciously given off to tell other individuals anything from "Back Off – MY Tree!" to "Hop on and ride me, baby!" But despite how common they are in the rest of the animal kingdom, the function of chemical signals in humans is hotly debated. Years of searching has yet to find human pheromones (no matter what those websites tell you), and while scent seems to play a role in communication in people, there is still relatively little knowledge as to what chemicals and why.
Given that tears are known to serve as sexual signals in mice, it isn't strange at all that Noam Sobel and his team chose to look at the physiological responses to tears. The Israeli team designed an impressive and unbiased set of experiments to determine if the tears produced by women when sad elicit physiological responses in men separate of the visual or auditory stimuli of a woman crying.
To find out if tears alone acted as chemosignals, the scientists collected tears from women watching tear-jerkers, and as a control, compared their effects to saline rolled down women's cheeks. Men sniffed the solutions without any knowledge as to what they were during a series of different experiments. In the first, men with a tear-soaked pad under their nose were asked to rate the sexual attractiveness and mood of female faces. While the smell of saline had no effect, men inhaling Eau de Tears consistently rated women's faces as less attractive, though this had no impact on whether they found the faces happy or sad.
For the second experiment, men sniffed tears before watching a sad movie. While doing so didn't affect their mood, the smell of tears did elicit a physiological response: men's faces became more conductive to electricity, which happens when we sweat and is indicative of a psychological reaction. Furthermore, the men self-reported less sexual arousal, which was reflected in their bodies as a 13% drop in saliva testosterone levels.
But to really get to the meat of it, the team threw their male test subjects into an fMRI machine and scanned their brains for activity while sniffing tears. Researchers saw much less activity in the hypothalamus and the fusiform gyrus, both of which are thought to be involved in sexual arousal. All three experiments lead to the same conclusion: the chemicals in women's emotional tears reduce male sex drive.
The real question, though, is why? Why do men's testosterone levels tank at the smell of a woman's tears? The overwhelming answer given by mainstream media (as Rheanna pointed out) is that tears just aren't sexy. When women cry, so the journalists say, it's a chemical signal that they don't want to have sex. Because evolution is all and only about sex… right?
Sorry to burst their bubble, but even when it comes to evolution, it's not all about sex. Selection also favors survival — because, you know, you can't have sex when you're dead*. Thus women's tears are not necessarily evolutionarily intended to turn guys off. For example, Ed Yong brings up the hypothesis that tears might be used to downplay aggression. Think about it: we cry when we're sad or physically in pain. In both cases, we're more vulnerable. Getting others, especially angry men, to be less aggressive towards us in that moment could certainly be a benefit to survival.
Really, the idea that tears are intentionally used as a turn off is a hard sell to an evolutionary biologist. What benefit do women get from not having sex when crying? Does it somehow make them have healthier or more babies? Not for any reason I can think of.
There is, instead, an even more intriguing explanation, one that makes a whole lot more sense. Many who wrote about this paper (including Brian Alexander) mentioned that tears are known to contain a variety of compounds, including prolactin, the hormone which is responsible for making a guy cool his jets after he gets off. But prolactin does much more than ensure a guy stops going at it — it's a hugely important hormone for nurturing behaviors. In fact, the connection between reduced testosterone and nurturing/bonding behaviors may be the real reason as to why men's testosterone levels dip upon sniffing tears.
Numerous studies have shown that parental and nurturing behaviors are mediated by prolactin while inhibited by testosterone. For example, research has shown that prolactin levels positively and testosterone levels negatively correlate with a father's impulse to respond to a baby's cry. Furthermore, men's prolactin levels spike and testosterone levels drop in the weeks before their partner gives birth.
It goes beyond babies, too. Decreased testosterone and increased prolactin are strongly implicated in establishing and maintaining relationships. Monogamous men have significantly lower testosterone levels and higher prolactin levels than their single brethren. Furthermore, studies have directly shown that artificially increasing testosterone in a double-blind, placebo-controlled setting makes men less generous to strangers and reduces a person's empathy for others.
Perhaps prolactin or other chemical signals in tears are directly targeting and activating the nurturing pathway in men's brains. Being taken care of or protected when in emotional or physical pain would definitely benefit an individual's survival. Personally, I would like to see this study of tears replicated to determine women's responses to the scent as well as men's reactions when using men's and children's tears, as well as looking at the levels of prolactin, oxytocin, and other well-established bonding and empathetic hormones. My bet is the response isn't limited to men, and isn't limited to emotional secretions from women.
While Brian Alexander and the rest of the sensationalists seem to suggest the signal is "I'm not in the mood," its likely that the message has nothing to do with having or not having sex. Women aren't saying "back off" — they're saying "help me."
Why do I care so much? It's not just that they got it wrong. It's that their interpretation of research isn't labeled as opinion. It's that the vast majority of people who have any interest in science news are going to read inaccurate (if not downright insulting) news articles and think studies like this one are either misogynistic or frivolous. It's that journalists like Brian Alexander undermine good science for the sake of attention grabbing headlines. And as a scientist and a writer, it's a double insult.
Gelstein, S., Yeshurun, Y., Rozenkrantz, L., Shushan, S., Frumin, I., Roth, Y., & Sobel, N. (2011). Human Tears Contain a Chemosignal Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1198331
* I can hear the comments now, you sickos, so let me clarify: you can't have baby-producing sex when you're dead.
Also, thanks to Kira Krend for the thoughtful and hilarious discussion on this topic!
Other References:
- Haga S, Hattori T, Sato T, Sato K, Matsuda S, Kobayakawa R, Sakano H, Yoshihara Y, Kikusui T, & Touhara K (2010). The male mouse pheromone ESP1 enhances female sexual receptive behaviour through a specific vomeronasal receptor. Nature, 466 (7302), 118-22 PMID: 20596023
- Fleming, A. (2002). Testosterone and Prolactin Are Associated with Emotional Responses to Infant Cries in New Fathers Hormones and Behavior, 42 (4), 399-413 DOI: 10.1006/hbeh.2002.1840
- Storey AE, Walsh CJ, Quinton RL, & Wynne-Edwards KE (2000). Hormonal correlates of paternal responsiveness in new and expectant fathers. Evolution and human behavior : official journal of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society, 21 (2), 79-95 PMID: 10785345
- Burnham, T. (2003). Men in committed, romantic relationships have lower testosterone Hormones and Behavior, 44 (2), 119-122 DOI: 10.1016/S0018-506X(03)00125-9
- Zak, P., Kurzban, R., Ahmadi, S., Swerdloff, R., Park, J., Efremidze, L., Redwine, K., Morgan, K., & Matzner, W. (2009). Testosterone Administration Decreases Generosity in the Ultimatum Game PLoS ONE, 4 (12) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008330
- HERMANS, E., PUTMAN, P., & VANHONK, J. (2006). Testosterone administration reduces empathetic behavior: A facial mimicry study Psychoneuroendocrinology, 31 (7), 859-866 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2006.04.002


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How to rescue liberal talk radio
Progressive talk radio needs a savior.
Just a few dozen stations now carry liberal talkers, as key affiliates in cities with active left-wing politics are falling like dominoes, going dark or switching formats. Detroit's progressive outlet shut down in January, along with Seattle's liberal talk station, which changed to sports. And after last year's election, Portland's progressive talk station ended its political programming.
Story Continued Below
With the political battlegrounds of 2014 and 2016 on the horizon, reducing the whopping imbalance between conservative radio, with its huge fan base, and the left has become more important than ever, according to those in the progressive media world.
( Also on POLITICO: Tea party unscathed in GOP civil war)
POLITICO spoke with a dozen radio talkers, media observers and industry insiders to get their take on how the troubled medium of progressive political talk can be saved — but it's not going to be easy.
1. Don't be a shill for the Democratic party
If progressive radio really wants to get on the map, its hosts would do well to remember that one of the reasons the liberal talk radio network Air America flopped was that they "forgot they were in the radio business, not in the get my candidate elected business," said Al Peterson, publisher and editor of talk radio trade NTS MediaOnline Today.
"They failed because they failed to understand they were in the radio business — not the politics business," he added.
SiriusXM's Mark Thompson said, "We have an opportunity and a responsibility to even challenge our progressive leadership and our progressive politicians. That's how our credibility, I think, overshadows what the right does."
( Also on POLITICO: CNN poll: Good news for Republicans in 2014 midterms)
While it's easy to parrot the party line, it's also bad radio.
"It seems that the hosts who have tried to make it in the progressive arena have been so driven by a particular agenda first that they have forgotten the entertainment aspect," said Radio Ink publisher Eric Rhoads. "For instance, I don't think any of the conservative talk show hosts would be as successful as they are today if they didn't put entertainment above and beyond whatever is their personal mission."
Valerie Geller, a broadcast consultant, agreed, noting that "many of the shows that had the 'liberal' agenda were too 'professorial' and not fun. Fun and entertainment is important along with the information — this is an entertainment medium."
2. Calling Jeff Bezos (or anyone with his kind of money)
Progressive radio could badly use some cash.
"At least as long as there are terrestrial talk stations, liberal or progressive business leaders have to buy stations and create a progressive network of stations that they own and control," radio host Bill Press said. "Otherwise, progressive radio will always be at the mercy of right-wing owners, which they are today. Until progressives take ownership of stations and control them, they'll never be on a level playing field."
( Also on POLITICO: Democrats worry leaders in denial on Obamacare)
Liberal businesses and organizations need "to understand that this is a viable medium, that it's an important medium," said Bob Kincaid, whose online show "Head-On with Bob Kincaid" recently celebrated its eighth anniversary.
Of course, no one's stepped up to the plate yet.
"I haven't heard, for example, that Pierre Omidyar has any particular interest in talk radio," said Peter B. Collins, who started a podcast after ending his syndicated show in 2009. "But we need some sort of a new effort, because right now, the shows … are all working with affiliate base with somewhere between 20-50 stations. They don't have a national footprint. Just on a pure business basis, they're not really viable long-term. And I say that with regret."
3. Catch a rising star
Although there are a few established and popular nationally syndicated progressive talkers such as Thom Hartmann, Stephanie Miller, Bill Press and Ed Schultz currently on the airwaves, a brand new star is what's needed to revitalize the troubled genre, experts said.
"It just seems to me that getting traction has been very difficult and I think that's probably because the genre has no quote-unquote big star coming along," said Peterson, of NTS MediaOnline Today.
And most industry observers say they haven't zeroed in on any new name to champion as a potential progressive radio star, and note that commercial radio stations may no longer be the place to find up-and-coming talent for liberal talk. The radio hosts POLITICO spoke with pointed instead to the world of online talk as where to spot the next crop of progressive talkers.
"We don't have that much of a farm team because all of these local stations have been acquired by giant corporations and they've laid off all the local talent, but the new farm team that's coming up is people who are doing podcasts and stuff live on the internet," said Hartmann, who hosts an afternoon radio show "The Thom Hartmann Program," as well as a TV show, "The Big Picture," that airs live at 7.m. EST on RT and Free Speech TV.


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- CougarWifi – Available at the Main Campus, Guadalupe, and Laveen. This network is available for ALL Maricopa Community College students and employees. An MEID is required to log in. Sessions last four hours without reconnecting.
- GuestWiFi – Available at the Main Campus, Library, Cougar Cafe and common area in the middle of campus (between the SES Building and College Administration.) This wireless network is open to everyone. No log in is required, but users must accept a use agreement before being granted access. Sessions last 30 minutes before users are required to accept the agreement again.
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Legislature passes bill to extend early voting, moves back early presidential primary for 2016
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio persuaded state lawmakers Friday to make a last-minute change eliminating Florida's early presidential primary — in which the Republican could be on the ballot.
Rubio's main concern was shared by lawmakers and operatives from both parties: ensuring that Florida's 2016 primary vote counts.
The measure, barely discussed, was tucked into an election-reform bill that passed the Legislature by wide margins Friday.
The bill, which Gov. Rick Scott will likely sign, expands early-voting hours and sites in order to alleviate long lines at the polls.
The early-primary rule change was almost an afterthought.
Right now, the Sunshine State's early primary violates Democratic and Republican national party rules, which penalize the state by severely devaluing the vote of its delegates who nominate each party's presidential candidate.
Florida Republicans, for instance, would only have 12 delegates instead of 99 if the state kept its early primary in January or early February.
"We would go from being the third-largest delegation to being the smallest," said Todd Reid, state director for Rubio.
Asked about Rubio's potential bid for president in 2016, Reid said the changes had nothing to do with the senator's political future and noted that Democrats support the changes as much, if not more, than Republicans.
The Democratic penalties are even worse than the GOP's. If the state has an early primary, none of the Democrats' delegates would count in 2016, nor did they in 2008.
That was the first year the early primary was held, in late January, and it was done at the urging of Rubio, who was House speaker at the time.
Under Republican rules, the state was only penalized half of its delegation then and in 2012, so it made the early race worth it to give Florida more national exposure.
But the new penalties by the Republican National Committee made the early primary too prohibitive for Republicans, who control the Legislature.
On Friday afternoon, Reid suggested changing the election law to ensure the primary vote follow party rules, effectively setting the date in early March of 2016.
Reid reached out to Steve Schale, a top Florida Democratic consultant and advisor to President Barack Obama's campaign. Schale checked with the Florida Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee, where higher-ups quickly signed off on the plan.
"It sounds like a great idea," Schale said he told Reid. "I'm tired of my party being unable to count our delegates. … I'm worn out with being penalized by the DNC for having an early primary even though my party in Florida had nothing to with setting the early primary date."
Initially, lawmakers had no plans to fix the early-primary issue out of concern that it would weigh the bill down.
The overall legislation was written in response to the botched 2012 election, in which people waited for hours to cast ballots during early voting and on Election Day.
Contributing to the mess: the Legislature, in 2011, cut back early-voting days and put lengthy constitutional amendments on the ballot. Also, some election supervisors were ill equipped or ill prepared.
The Senate wanted language that would punish some county election supervisors deemed "noncompliant" or ineffective. Lawmakers said most of the election problems happened in five counties: Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, St. Lucie and Lee.
"We all took a lot of flak all over the nation for some of the problems we had over the election last year. We were the butt of jokes on late-night TV," said Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, who sponsored the Senate reform.
"There was enough blame to go around," Latvala said. "And there were supervisors who were not adequately prepared for the election."
At the House's insistence, the Senate backed away from the language punishing noncompliant supervisors. The Senate then passed the bill 27-13, with Democrats calling for even more early-voting hours. The House passed the bill 115-1.
The House also added the language eliminating the early primary as well as the existence of a special committee that was established to set the vote date.
Republican lawmakers say the committee isn't needed. And they want to eliminate it on the off chance that former Gov. Charlie Crist beats Gov. Rick Scott and stocks the committee with Republicans friendly to Crist, who left the GOP before he lost to Rubio in 2010 and has recently become a Democrat.
The new primary-date provision, passed as an amendment Friday afternoon, specifically says Florida's primary will be held "on the first Tuesday that the rules of the major political parties provide for state delegations to be allocated without penalty."
That would put Florida in compliance with rules recently passed by the Republican National Committee, which requires states to hold a primary or caucus before the final Tuesday in February.
The RNC made the changes after the past two elections, when it struggled to stop renegade states like Florida and Michigan from moving up their primary dates to get ahead of traditional caucus and primary states like Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
When Florida jumped ahead last year, the GOP penalized the state party by allowing only 49 of its 99 delegates.
Also, Florida's Republican delegates were given far-away hotel rooms during the Republican National Convention — even though it was held in their home-state city of Tampa.
In some cases, Florida delegates were stuck for hours on a bus as they tried to head to the RNC event.
"This way, no one from Florida should have to wait on a bus for six hours," Reid said.
Herald/Times staff writers Mary Ellen Klas and Steve Bousquet contributed to this report


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BOGOTA, Colombia -- He presides over one of Latin America's fastest-growing economies and has taken peace negotiations with Marxist rebels farther than anyone in decades.
But President Juan Manuel Santos doesn't appear to be clicking with Colombian voters, who haven't felt the benefits of the economic boom and are preoccupied with more mundane concerns than they are the still dubious prospects for an end to a half-century of guerrilla violence.
Fatigue with Santos' rule was evident Sunday as a near-record 60 percent of eligible voters stayed home. Those who did cast ballots went overwhelmingly for the president's rivals. Former finance minister Oscar Ivan Zuluaga finished atop the five-candidate field with 29 percent, setting up a June 15 runoff with Santos, who won 26 percent.
Despite the setback, Santos is showing no signs of rethinking his electoral strategy focused on an 18-month effort to end Colombia's rebel conflict.
Speaking to supporters Sunday night, he framed the contest against Zuluaga, the conservative protege of former President Alvaro Uribe, as a battle between "hope and fear."
"The choice is between those of us who want to put an end to the war and those who want a war without end," Santos, 62, told supporters in Bogota, who responded with shouts of "Peace for Colombia!"
That's not a message resonating with voters, however. A recent Gallup poll showed that a peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, didn't even rank among the top five concerns of voters. Health care and jobs were the big worries in a country where an estimated half of workers are still employed in the informal economy and therefore lack government-mandated benefits.
To pick up the roughly 500,000 votes separating him from Zuluaga, the president is counting on the support of Colombia's left, about the only ones in the traditionally conservative country who have embraced his peace plan.
In the final days of campaigning, Santos picked up the endorsement of Bogota's Mayor Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla. Another leftist politician, Clara Lopez, won a surprising 2 million votes in Sunday's ballot, a whisker behind the third-place finisher, Conservative Party nominee Marta Lucia Ramirez, who is expected to align with Zuluaga.
But support from the left isn't automatic.
"The message for Santos is clear," said Senator Ivan Cepeda, a member of Lopez's Democratic Pole party. "If the president wants to get re-elected, he can't continue to pursue the same policies such as free trade agreements and foreign investment in mining projects that step on the rights of workers."
Even if supporters of Lopez and Green Party candidate Enrique Penalosa do begrudgingly cast ballots for Santos in the second round, that may not be enough to compensate for widespread apathy among potential supporters, which appears to be the incumbent's biggest problem. Sunday's turnout, the lowest in two decades, was especially weak in rural districts where Santos' political machine is strongest, such as the Caribbean coast. He also lost in his hometown of Bogota.
Voters are also turned off by what they see as Santos' reliance on attacks and dirty tricks to discredit his rival. In the final stretch of campaigning, authorities arrested a computer expert who worked for Zuluaga for allegedly hacking into the emails of the president and FARC negotiators in Cuba.
While Zuluaga denied any knowledge of the consultant's activities, a clandestinely shot video was leaked a few days later showing him listening to man outline strategy to sabotage support for the talks.
"Santos shot himself in the foot," said Sandra Borda, a political science professor at Andes University in Bogota. "His campaign looks desperate and disorganized. In contrast, Zuluaga's base is disciplined and motivated" to regain power.
Zuluaga is also talking up a broader range of issues than the president, even if policy distinctions between the two United Kingdom-trained economists are slim and Santos' track record for reducing inflation and unemployment is nothing to shy away from.
The main differences are over the Havana-based peace talks and relations with crisis-plagued Venezuela. Zuluaga appears to more accurately reflect Colombians' skepticism about Santos' effort to ink a deal that would grant concessions to rebels already on the ropes after a decade-long military offensive, much of it identified with Zuluaga's mentor Uribe.
"We can't let the FARC pretend to command the country from Havana." Zuluaga told supporters Sunday night
On Monday Zuluaga repeated that he favors a negotiated peace, but said that if elected, he'll suspend talks and demand the FARC demonstrate its commitment to peace by declaring a permanent cease-fire. He said he'll make sure guerrilla leaders who have committed atrocities go to jail for at least six years.
"Santos made a mistake by basing his campaign on peace, peace, peace" and nothing else, said former President Andres Pastrana, a supporter of Ramirez whose own efforts to negotiate with the FARC more than a decade ago failed. "What's clear from the vote is that people don't want Santos' peace."
Joshua Goodman on Twitter: @APjoshgoodman


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EWG News and Analysis
The latest from EWG's staff of experts >>
EU proposes ban on toxic embalming fluid
The EU is considering banning embalming fluid which contains formaldehyde, a potent carcinogen. Proponents of the ban are concerned about the chemical's potential to leach into the ground. The Wall Street Journal writes today of the resistance to the ban from some folks in Ireland, as well as the U.S.-based Dodge Company that manufactures most of the stuff. The Green Burial Council, committed to encouraging greener burial processes, views embalming as an anachronism for which "there's not one shred of evidence that suggests [it] provides any public health benefits." The Irish who oppose the ban argue that the ban is an obstacle to holding a proper Irish wake, which can take several days to plan and orchestrate.
At the Green Building Council website you can learn more about eco-friendly burials, including the standards by which they certify a burial ground as being either a "conservation" or a "natural" burial ground. Also read what some of our friends have written about green burials.
If you haven't heard of sky burials already, be sure to read up on this green mountain-top ritual of the Tibetans.


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By Gerrit Hall
"Will you vouch for me?"
If you're a job seeker, you've probably asked that question at one point. After all, what is more valuable than someone agreeing that, yes, in fact, you are the best employee for the job?
Your landlord probably asked for a reference, the local coffee shop wants one too, and the large firm you want to get your foot in the door at wants three.
Considering references are so valuable, I think it's time to share three important bits of info about references:
There's a vocabulary
If you've ever had someone vouch for you, you probably called them your reference. After all, that's what the employer says and just about everyone else. However, this isn't exactly correct.
Strictly speaking, the person who vouches for you is the referee while you are the referent. The reference is the actual information given to an employer. Unless your referee is a real stickler for semantics, this probably won't come up. However, it's good information to have on hand.
They don't like surprises
How would you like it if someone were to call you and quiz you about someone you worked with sometime ago? You probably wouldn't like it. The same goes for the people who vouch for you. Prevent any surprise-induced mishaps by following this two-step process:
- Ask the person before you submit their information as a referee.
- Hold onto their information until an employer asks for it, then give your referee a head's up that a call might be coming.
Add this to the long list of reasons why your resume should never include reference information. This makes it oh-so-easy for prospective employers to call up your referees whenever they see fit. Trust me, they will.
Help them help you
As you progress in your career, you'll probably start serving as a referee for your colleagues. As much as you want to, there's only so much information you'll be able to remember when that fated phone call comes in from Mr. Bob from XYZ Inc.
Instead of leaving your referees in a pinch to find good information to share about you, give them a cheat sheet. Your resume is excellent for this purpose. Your referee will be able to study up on your career goals, experience, and skills without having to scour your LinkedIn page.
What do you think?What else should job seekers know about references? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Gerrit Hall is the CEO and co-founder of RezScore, a free web application that reads, analyzes, and grades resumes - instantly. Gerrit has successfully combined his passion for computer science and the careers space by helping job seekers write the best resume possible. You can connect with Gerrit and RezScore on Facebook and Twitter.
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UPDATE: Now you can watch the "Katie Myers" ending to Paranormal Activity!
[WARNING: This Article Contains HEAVY SPOILERS!!!]
So by now a lot of you have ventured out (and I do mean "ventured") to see Oren Peli's low-budget ghost story flick, Paranormal Activity. Ever since we posted an early review and the latest theatrical trailer, Paranormal Activity has become one of the hottest topics on our site. However, viewers seem split over whether the film is one of the best horror entries in recent years, or an over-hyped ripoff that couldn't scare a ten-year-old.
Well, anybody who's been following the Paranormal Activity knows that it took Oren Peli and his producing partners almost two years to get the film into a theater near you. And along that long journey, the film was cut and recut into the version we all saw in theaters. But how different were earlier versions of Paranormal Activity? Well, for one thing, the header image above was part of an alternate ending from an earlier version of the film - and that's just the tip of the iceberg...
Love it or hate it, you should at least be aware of what Paranormal Activity might've been. If you loved the film, you may rejoice at the fact the old version was changed; if you hated it, maybe some info about the alternate cuts and endings will persuade you to check extra bits when they are (presumably) released on DVD/Blu-ray.
Either way, this is some interesting info about a much-debated film, so let's get into it.
According to Horror Squad, the earlier cut of Paranormal Activity had a much slower setup and less chemistry between leads Micah and Katie. Added to the theatrical version were more scenes of "play" between the couple (like Micah bringing the camera into the bedroom for a little romp in the sheets), as well as some daylight "haunting scenes" (Katie's keys being thrown on the floor and the couple's hanging photograph being smashed in), which were added to crank up the demon's fright factor. When [ONE LAST SPOILER ALERT!!!] Katie starts to really slip into the darkside near the end, the filmmakers added some digital tweaking to her voice to make it sound more possessed.
Horror Squad also reports that Peli and Co. originally shot about 70 hrs of "home footage" and even went back later to re-shoot some scenes. The running guestimate is that some of the "coupling scenes" were drawn from that original footage, while the daylight "scare scenes" were later re-shot and then added to the film. The sequencing of the demon attacks was also rearranged into escalating scale (instead of a random assortment of sheet pulls, drags and door slams). Finally, that heavy bass reverberation during the haunting scenes was added to the track as a signal to viewers that the demon was present.
VERDICT: There are a LOT of you out there (haters AND lovers) who held the criticism that Paranormal Activity started out too slowly. So if earlier versions of the film had an even slower buildup, and the only new bits added were scenes to make the lead characters more relatable, as well as some additional fright bits, I'd say the version we got in theaters was something of an improvement, wouldn't you?


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Great advice on climbing from BetterRide Head Coach Andy Winohradsky!
In the following, I will address proper body position and its importance while ascending steep and technical climbs and also debunk a couple of infamous myths regarding climbing on your MTB.
While we can get away with sloppy technique on relatively easy climbs and still make it to the top, when things get steep and loose (when traction is at a minimum) and obstacles such as water bars, erosion ruts, baby-head sized rocks, and who-knows-what-else, begin to appear on the trail (these things almost always appear more often when the trail gets steep because trail damage from the elements – especially water, and, therefore water control measures – become more prevalent on steep terrain), our technique needs to be nearly perfect to top the climbs. Simply pedaling harder – as we all know – won't get it done!
Losing traction, "bogging out", doing accidental wheelies, and/or getting a case of the "swirvies", are all common causes of riders not making it to the top of technical descents. My guess is you've experienced all of the above issues when trying to ascend steep terrain (I think we all have!). While other aspects of riding technique such as proper use of vision (extremely important), proper gear selection (very often overlooked – even by "good" riders), and others, are essential in order to make it to the top, proper body position will do a ton to help alleviate the above "climb killers".
First, let's talk (type) about weight-shifts. Look at the rider in the photo (that's me). Notice how far forward I have scooted on my saddle. Is that comfortable? Nope! However, very rarely will you need to move this far forward for an extended period of time (Most saddle companies do make saddles built with things such as the "enhanced climbing nose" to make being in this position as comfy as possible. If it is too painful to move this far forward with your current saddle, look into a different one. Your grundal will thank you!)
Why move this far forward? A couple reasons: if your bike is set-up correctly for you on flat ground and you feel like you're in a good position to comfortably and effectively apply power to the pedals, what happens when your front wheel is elevated perhaps a foot, like in the photo? Your hips (your center of mass and source of balance and power) have now moved rearward in their relationship with your feet (your effective applications of power). Moving forward – shifting your weight forward – helps you maintain your "power position" as much as possible when the front of the bike becomes elevated, enabling you to continue to effectively apply power to the ground when things get steep. Another very important reason that I move this far forward on the saddle: I put more weight on the front of the bike. Accidental wheelies and cases of the "swervies" (when your front wheel begins to wonder uncontrollably all over the trail, making it impossible to hold your line) occur because there is too much weight on the rear of the bike (not enough on the front). Shifting your weight forward will help to prevent these things from happening.
Remember: the hips are the center of mass of the human body. Even slight movements, or shifts, of the hips make a huge difference in our ability to ride the bike (contributing massively to weight placement, balance, power delivery). I am almost constantly making weight shifts – moving my hips fore and aft – on the saddle when ascending. A gentle climb with a small grade? I move forward only slightly – maybe a quarter of an inch. Medium grade? Medium movement – perhaps an inch … Steep as heck? All the way forward – as far as possible.
Another massively overlooked part of proper body position on steep climbs is the position of your upper body. Get that chest down!!! Look at the photo. My chin is literally only a few inches off of the stem, and, when the front wheel climbs up the rock that it is touching – elevating the front of the bike even more – my chin will almost be touching the stem. My upper body CAN NOT rise as the front of the bike rises, or – assuming I am in perfect balance before the angle of the bike changes – I will no longer be balanced on the bike, I will be falling off the back of the bike, and I will have to "hang" on the handlebars, effectively pulling back on them (because of gravity, my body wants to fall off the back of the bike). Of course, I still will need to pedal to maintain momentum, but because I will be "hanging" off the back of the bike and pulling on the handle bars, the bike will want to move out from under my body (rear wheel still moving uphill because of pedaling, handlebars wanting to fall off the back of the bike with my body), and – Bam! I'm doing an accidental wheelie or the front of the bike becomes so light that its swerving all over the trail. Either way, I have to cut my power, and that's it – I've stalled out, "bogged down" – I'm done, and my climbing is over. I didn't make it … that has happened to everyone.
Lowering the chest – drastically, in the case of a climb this steep – allows me to keep my upper body balanced on top of my lower body. I don't want to lean forward with weight on my handle bars, nor do I want to "hang" off the back off the bike. In fact, in theory, I should be able to "flutter" my fingers on the grips when I'm in balance on the climb. This ensures that my weight is balanced on my lower body and not leaning or hanging on my hands.
Also, on a climb this steep, I will accelerate the bike (as much as possible) in order to have as much momentum as possible to help me get up the steepest part of the climb, or over obstacles such as the curb-type rock-ledge that my front tire is touching in the photo. This means that an even lower position of the upper body is needed during the acceleration in order to maintain fore and aft balance.
Your weight shift (fore and aft on the saddle), and lowering your upper body are both mandatory in ascending steep, nasty climbs – to do one or the other is simply not enough. They also work together, but in an inverse relationship: often you do need to keep a fair amount of weight on the rear tire to maintain traction over slippery rocks, water bars, etc, so you can't slide as far forward on the saddle as you would like to; you must compensate for this by lowering your chest even more in order to stay balanced on the bike and not fall of the back of the saddle. Also, if you can exaggerate your movement forward on the saddle, you won't have to drop your chest quite as low. If its super-duper steep, however, I'm probably all the way forward on the saddle and as low as possible with my upper body. (On a 29er the same concepts apply but do to the longer chainstay and longer tire contact patch you don't need to do the weight shifts to the same extreme.)
What about standing in this situation? I may stand slightly and briefly in order to make extreme weight-shifts or grossly accelerate the bike. But often, when I stand, I'm expending a lot of energy, and I'm usually making up for a mistake that I made – damage control, if you will. Also, if you look at my position in the photo, I will only lift my butt a couple inches, maximum, off of the saddle when I stand, and then return to the saddle. Its still mandatory to maintain this position, even if I do come off of the saddle briefly.
Note from Gene on standing: Standing can provide more power and actually be efficient but on a technical climb it is very hard to stay centered and you will often shift forward just enough to un-weight the rear tire and spin out when you stand.
Since I've mentioned pulling or "hanging" on the handlebars, I feel that its necessary to debunk a popular myth about climbing on mountain bikes. Perhaps we've heard that we should "pull" on the handlebars with each pedal stoke? This advice comes from way back in the day and from road cyclists. While this technique may provide some additional leverage and miniscule amounts of additional power on the road (which is paved with excellent traction). Its a kiss of death to a mountain biker. Road riders don't have the problem of doing wheelies on climbs because of the construction of the road bike and because the climbs simply aren't very steep compared to MTB trails. The only time I "pull" on the bars on a MTB while ascending is to make a weight shift forward with my body. And in this case, I'm pulling my body forward, establishing a balanced position, and then I refrain from pulling until I make another adjustment. I don't continuously pull on the handlebars with each pedal stoke for reasons explained above.
Perhaps we've also heard that we want to climb with our elbows in. Look at the photo. My elbows are fairly elevated. While I AM powering the bike with my lower body, the difficulty of the terrain necessitates constant weight shifts and adjustments in order to keep the bike moving (the handlebars are used to manipulate the bicycle into a position so that it can be powered and controlled primarily with the lower body). Most of these adjustments require a substantial amount of effort. Do this: stand straddling your bicycle. Now pretend that you want to pull both of your grips, outward and off of your handlebars simultaneously. Where are your elbows positioned? Now, pretend that you want to push those bars suddenly and violently through the floor. And finally, pretend that you want to dead-lift those handlebars through the ceiling. In all of these positions – where you wish to apply the maximum amount of power possible – your elbows will be up and out. Imagine trying to accomplish these tasks with your elbows in! We will give up massive amounts of control and power if we try ride technical terrain with our elbows in (if the trail is smooth and easy, fine, put your elbows wherever you're most comfortable).
Its safe to say that climbing steep and technical terrain such as the stuff in the photo, requires far more dynamic technique and movement then climbing paved climbs with perfect traction (that's not to say that one is more difficult – or painful – than the other!). Therefore, a lot of that old advice that may work on the road or an extremely smooth trail, isn't applicable to riding a MTB in the nasty stuff. Apples and oranges …
Try this out for yourself: find a steep trail with consistent grade and get into the proper ascending position described above. Apply the power. That should feel pretty good, now, suddenly do everything wrong: scoot back on your saddle and sit bolt up-right! You'll notice that your power – and therefore your speed and momentum – will drastically decrease.
If these tips help you imagine what an actual 3 day skills camp would do for you! Tips are great but they are only scratching the surface, there is a lot more to climbing. As you know, nobody ever mastered a sport from tips. Nothing beats well designed coaching with feedback from passionate and experienced coaches.


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When you're running short of ideas for your writing, there are a few methods via which you can try to get over the proverbial block that sits between you and your goal of writing. You can ask your friends, you can draw from something you're already reading, you can sit outside and wait until you eavesdrop on an interesting conversation, so on and so forth. But one of the time-tested and age-old methods is, of course, to seek inspiration from a writing prompt.
I had every intention of writing a blogpost with a list of good resources for writing prompts online. I wanted to say "if you're running dry of ideas, go here or here or here and here, and they should give you ample fuel for your writing drive."
And this search was spurned by need. As some of you may know, I intend to participate in Camp NanoWriMo this summer, but I have not yet been able to start. Why? Lack of inspiration. So what better a topic for a blogpost than offering sources that I myself am in desperate need of. Right? Right? Ehhh.


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Regenerating Neighborhoods around the Chicago Lakeside
Ed Woodbury has a vision of not only building a city for the 21st Century in South Chicago, but also connecting it to the surrounding neighborhoods. And his plans are starting to come to fruition as the development of a 500-acre site in the long under-served south side of Chicago gets underway. The McCaffery Interests' president believes the development could ultimately be even bigger than the Loop in downtown Chicago.
As part of the plan to support neighborhood development, a new venture from UK-based social innovation thinktank The Young Foundation is helping to use TelePresence to share ideas and shape a vision for the area that will identify and develop a strategy to promote the Social Life of the surrounding area.
At a recent press conference on the development site, Cisco EVP Wim Elfrink stressed the iconic nature of the project in Chicago, for which Cisco will help prepare and present the Master ICT Plan, working closely with stakeholders such as architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM). Key considerations here will be a focus on the services provided back to the neighborhood and how to monetize the investments to help drive the economic, social and environment value of the project.Sandi Jackson, long-time resident and Alderman of Chicago's 7th Ward was enthusiastic about the potential of this collaborative approach coupled with the education initiative announced by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel. The plan is to drive the adoption of Science Technology, Engineering and Math Skills in five high schools located strategically throughout Chicago. Alderman Jackson rightly sees this as a critical foundation for the future of the area and the employability of its citizens.
John Pope, Alderman of the 10th District, whose father worked in the Steel Mills of the Southside, stressed that the project is now moving from concept into the implementation phase. The first visible sign of the new development is already appearing as construction of route 41 along the Lakeshore moves ahead. Not only will this help to accelerate the development of the project, but it will also have a tangible benefit for citizens in surrounding neighborhoods who have lacked decent transport links for the longest period of time.
A lot of great work in community revitalization is already being driven and recognised by LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation), community leaders and organizations throughout Chicago. Susana Vasquez, LISC Chicago's executive director attended the press event and highlighted the imperative to harness innovative approaches to transforming the local economy. As she succintly put it the previous evening in introducing the 18th LISC Neighborhood Development Awards Dinner: "We can and must move forward from being the city of big shoulders to the city of big ideas."Further innovation is already coming to Chicago through 1871, the U.S.'s first Smart Work Center powered by Cisco technology. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn visited on Wednesday last week for a tour. This new downtown Chicago hub for tech startups which will open its doors on May 2nd is supported by Cisco and partners CDW, Comcast and the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center. Its guiding design principles are to promote entrepreneurship, collaboration and greater technology innovation throughout the city.
Following the successful model pioneered by Cisco in the Netherlands, France and Korea, entrepreneurs visiting 1871 will be will be able to rent desks on a month-to-month basis and will have the unique ability to engage a broad workgroup of other entrepreneurs, spawning a new paradigm for how work gets done and how innovation happens. For those of you wondering, 1871 was the year Chicago re-built itself after the great fire, becoming the inspirational city it remains today.
At the Lakeside event, Woodbury also stressed that all parties are looking into how the new IT infrastructure being put in place could benefit the neighborhood and act as a catalyst that could ultimately help to create new jobs. In addition to fostering smarter ways of working in the city, the project will be a showcase of environmental sustainability. Renewable sources such as wind, solar and waste-to-energy are all being considered as part of the mix to reduce the energy footprint of the development.
Cisco looks forward to partnering with these stakeholders to help shape opportunities for today's and future generations of Chicagoans.
Read Wim Elfrink's personal perspective on his visit to Chicago here.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.
5 Comments
great post for those who are thinking thinking for new developments..many new ideas can be taken:)
That is a revolutionary idea and should be considered by local leaders to develop newer cities.
It's time to think of projects that enable people to live better in big cities
I am sure after reading the master ICT plan that the Chicago lakeside areas will profit a lot of this project.
great. hopefully it is not just for the construction of purely commercial. melinkan for the welfare of the people. and hopefully can still preserve the earth


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Please distribute in your networks
Forced Migrants in Higher Education: Challenges and Opportunities for Visibility and Participation
A one day conference on 6th September 2017 at The University of Warwick, UK
With increasing attention being paid to refugee reception, especially within Europe in the wake of the Syrian refugee crisis, higher education institutions around the world have been turning their attention to the contribution that they might make to welcoming and supporting sanctuary seekers. The past two years have consequently seen a proliferation of 'sanctuary scholarships', and in turn researchers have started to turn their attention to the experiences of forced migrants in higher education as well as institutional responses to the refugee challenge. This one day conference at the University of Warwick, part of the annual Article 26 conference, will bring together researchers working in this burgeoning field to present and discuss new work on asylum seekers and refugees in higher education. To submit an abstract please send a 200 word (max) abstract plus a short bio to Rebecca Murray (email@example.com) by March 1st 2017. Topics of interest may include, but are not limited to:
– The experiences of asylum seekers and refugees in higher education institutions in different host country contexts
– Institutional responses to the refugee challenge –are they adequate to the task?
– Universities of Sanctuary
– Sanctuary scholarships, widening participation and broadening access
– Hospitality and cultures of welcome
– Xenophobia, racism and feeling unwelcome on campus
– Immigration status and the experience of deportability while studying at university
The Article 26 conference will cover 3 days 4th-6th September 2017. Day one will be for sanctuary scholars to get together and discuss the challenges that they face at university, as well as take part in training workshops focussed on their needs; day two will be for administrators supporting sanctuary scholars and will be focussed on the particular challenges that they face; day three will be an academic conference where research expertise in this area will be shared. This call for papers it intended as an invitation for researchers to attend day 3 only.
The fee for this one day conference will be £50. Information on the location of Warwick University can be found here:http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/about/visiting/directions/. More information will follow on organisational arrangements and how to book your place at the conference. In the meantime, do contact Lucy Mayblin (email@example.com) at the University of Warwick with any logistical questions.
Categories: Call for Papers, Diaspora, Diversity & Difference


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SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — The pastor of an African-American church in Prince George's County will be state Del. Heather Mizeur's running mate in her bid for Maryland governor.
Mizeur's campaign announced Wednesday that the Rev. Delman Coates will run for lieutenant governor on her ticket.
Coates is the pastor of Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton. In a break with some other black church leaders from Prince George's County, he was an advocate for legalization of gay marriage in Maryland.
Mizeur says she worked closely with Coates to enact the gay marriage law and help it survive a referendum. She calls him "a thoughtful, charismatic change agent for the people."
Mizeur is a Montgomery County Democrat. She's running against Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and Attorney General Doug Gansler for the party's nomination for governor.
(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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Additional Publications
Visit the Worldwatch Institute Bookstore to download and purchase more of Worldwatch's award-winning research.
Population & Society
From global population projections to health trends and urbanization, these trends examine the way we live and how these lifestyles affect the world.
Dec 18, 2014
Will Population Growth End in This Century?
Having nearly tripled from 2.5 billion people in 1950 to 7.3 billion today, human population will continue growing through 2070, according to two recent demographic projections. After that, population either will begin to shrink or will continue growing into the next century, depending on which of the two projections more accurately forecasts the future.
Dec 02, 2014
Chronic Hunger Falling, But One in Nine People Still Affected
Although the proportion of people experiencing chronic hunger is decreasing globally, one in nine individuals still does not get enough to eat. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 805 million people were living with undernourishment (chronic hunger) in 2012–14, down more than 100 million over the last decade and 209 million lower than in 1990–92. The vast majority of undernourished people live in developing countries, where an estimated 791 million people—or one in eight—were chronically hungry in 2012–14.
Mar 31, 2014
Peacekeeping Budgets Equal Less Than Two Days of Military Spending
The approved budget for United Nations peacekeeping operations from July 2013 to June 2014 runs to $7.83 billion—$390 million higher than in the previous year. This is the third-highest budget since the record $8.26 billion spent in 2009–10. Despite some relatively minor fluctuations in the last seven years, peacekeeping budgets are much more stable now than in the 1990s, when a rapid rise in spending was followed by an abrupt decline.
Jan 31, 2014
Women as National Legislators
In late 2013, women accounted for slightly more than 21 percent of the representatives in the lower or popular chambers of national legislatures worldwide, according to the Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Filling one in five seats of national legislative bodies represents progress for women, but it is hardly rapid progress: 15 years ago, slightly more than 13 percent of the seats were held by women. Low levels of female participation in parliaments undoubtedly reflect similarly low levels of participation in other political institutions as well as in social, educational, and economic spheres generally. Data on gender gaps in these areas are less uniform and authoritative. The number of women in top national executive offices—including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf—may reflect changeable political scenes in the world's 193 U.N. member states more than actual trends in women's influence in governance.
Nov 19, 2013
Military Expenditures Remain Near Peak
In 2012, world military expenditures ran to $1,740 billion, expressed in constant 2011 dollars ($1,753 billion in current prices). According to the World Military Expenditure Database of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), this is just slightly below the peak value of $1,749 billion in 2011, but still higher than in any other year since the end of World War II.
Jul 10, 2013
World Population: Fertility Surprise Implies More Populous Future
World population reached 7.2 billion in mid-2013, according to United Nations demographers, with present and projected future growth propelled in part by unexpectedly high fertility in a number of developing countries. Based on current trends in global birth, death, and migration rates, the United Nations projects a variety of future population scenarios, with the three principal ones suggesting that world population will be somewhere between 6.8 billion and 16.6 billion at the end of this century. Using a number based literally on a projection of trends through 2010, the U.N. demographers determined that 82.1 million people were added to the world's population in 2012—the highest annual increment since 1994.
Jun 25, 2013
Number of Displaced People Rises
For reasons that range from warfare and persecution to natural disasters and development projects, an estimated 92.56 million people were forcibly displaced in 2012, either inside their home countries or across a border. Displacement is sometimes temporary, but in other cases it can last for years.
Dec 11, 2012
Urbanizing the Developing World
Census data in 2010 indicate that cities are home to 3.5 billion people, which is 50.5 percent of the world. Only two centuries ago humans were predominately rural dwellers, with just 3 percent of us living in cities. According to U.N. estimates, the balance tipped sometime in 2008, when more people lived in urban areas than in rural communities—a first in the history of humanity.
Jul 24, 2012
Municipal Solid Waste Growing
Some 1.3 billion tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) are generated globally each year, a volume that is increasing rapidly as urbanization, mass consumption, and throw-away lifestyles become more prevalent worldwide. The volume of MSW generated globally is projected to double by 2025 as two drivers of garbage generation—prosperity and urbanization—continue to advance, particularly in developing countries. The trend poses serious environmental and health challenges to cities worldwide. To the extent that MSW is not treated as a resource—and in most countries it is not—it stands as an indicator of economic unsustainability.
Feb 29, 2012
UN Funding Increases, But Falls Short of Global Tasks
Governments have tasked the United Nations with a growing number of global mandates, but they have provided it with very few resources to carry out the work.
Oct 19, 2011
World Labor Force Growing at Divergent Rates
The world's potential labor force—measured as men and women between the ages of 15 to 64—stands at 4.6 billion people in 2011, up 17 percent over the last decade. The potential labor force has tripled since 1950, and people of working age now account for nearly 66 percent of the total population—the highest ratio since 1950. This ongoing growth in the potential labor force has both positive and negative implications: there are more potential workers to drive economic expansion, but the number of available jobs may not keep pace. Given the current economic downturn, the International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that the ranks of the unemployed reached 205 million people in 2010—a global unemployment rate of roughly 6 percent.
Jun 14, 2011
Levels of Overweight on the Rise
The share of adults worldwide who are overweight jumped from 1.454 billion in 2002 to 1.934 billion in 2010, an increase of 25 percent.
Mar 09, 2011
Women Slowly Close Gender Gap with Men
Women's well-being and social participation relative to men improved steadily though slowly and unevenly during the last half of the past decade, according to the "gender gap" index developed by the World Economic Forum.
Dec 17, 2010
World Population Growth Slows Modestly, Still on Track for 7 Billion in Late 2011
World population passed 6.9 billion in mid-2010, according to United Nations demographers, and is on track to reach 7 billion in late 2011.
Aug 19, 2010
Educational Attainment Worldwide on the Rise
People all over the world are completing more years of schooling than ever.
Jul 08, 2010
Mobile Phone and Internet Use Grows Robustly
The use of mobile telephones and the Internet continues to grow worldwide, and the two technologies are increasingly becoming integrated through advances like Internet-ready "smart" phones.
Apr 08, 2010
Global Chronic Hunger Rises Above 1 Billion
In 2009, an estimated 1.02 billion people were classified as undernourished, 12 percent more than in 2008.
Nov 12, 2009
Health Assistance to Developing Countries Soars
After years of stagnation, health assistance from industrial to developing countries has risen sharply over the past decade, setting a record in 2007 of nearly $10 billion.
Oct 01, 2009
Income Poverty Still Falling, But More Slowly
The World Bank projects that the number of people living in extreme poverty (on less than $1.25 a day) will fall slightly in 2009, declining from 1,203 million in 2008 to 1,184 million.
Sep 17, 2009
Population Growth Steady in Recent Years
The world's population surpassed 6.8 billion in early 2009, with no significant slowing in the pace of growth in recent years.
Jun 04, 2009
Despite Significant Increase Since 1990, Access to Sanitation Still Inadequate
The share of people in the world with access to improved sanitation rose to 62 percent in 2006, according to the most recent data from the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation.
Sep 17, 2008
Environment a Growing Driver in Displacement of People
The number of people who are on the move involuntarily worldwide may be as high as 184 million—roughly equivalent to the entire population of Brazil, or one out of every 36 persons on Earth.
Sep 03, 2008
Child Mortality Drops Below 10 Million
In 2006, the latest year with data available, the world's child mortality rate—the number of children who die before the age of five per 1,000 live births—dropped to 72, a 20-percent decline since 1990, when 93 children died for every 1,000 live births.
May 06, 2008
World Is Soon Half Urban
The United Nations projects that sometime in 2008 more people will live in cities than in rural areas.
Mar 13, 2008
Fertility Falls, Population Rises, Future Uncertain
Although the average woman worldwide is giving birth to fewer children than ever before, an estimated 136 million babies were born in 2007.
Feb 14, 2008
Peacekeeping Budgets and Personnel Soar to New Heights
Costs for United Nations peacekeeping operations from July 2007 to June 2008 are expected to run to $7 billion—substantially higher than the record $5.6 billion spent in 2006–07.


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We are seeking a locum tenens child/adolescent psychiatrist in California to provide vacation coverage starting in December and into January 2019. This is a full-time position with shifts divided between two locations. Board certification in general psychiatry is sufficient as long as providers are experienced and comfortable working with children and adolescents. Average patient age ranges from 8-14.
Dates Needed: December 2018 - January 2019
Hours Per Day: 8
Case Load/PPD: 7-8 PPD
Provider Availability: Regular Time
Geographic Setting: Rural
Assignment Type: Outpatient
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When nations fail to denounce their radical extremists, they risk being defined by them.
In an instant, an already contentious and acerbic presidential campaign season, principally driven by economic issues, shifted focus to the mounting foreign policy crisis playing out across the Middle East and North Africa region, and descended into an even darker place.
"I'm outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi," said presidential candidate Mitt Romney late Tuesday evening, shortly after news broke that a diplomat in Libya lost his life during an attack on the Libyan consulate.
"It's disgraceful that the Obama Administration's first response was not to condemn attacks on our diplomatic missions, but to sympathize with those who waged the attacks," continued Romney. At the time of Romney's statement, news of the assassination of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three others in the attacks on the Benghazi compound had not yet been reported.
The administration's response that Romney was referring to was actually a statement issued by the U.S. embassy in Cairo, which published the remarks prior to the demonstrations against a deplorable amateur film produced in the United States that ridiculed the Prophet Mohammed. Specifically, the part of the statement that aroused the ire of Romney was the embassy's condemnation of "the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims." According to Reuters, "the embassy's statement was an apparent attempt to ease tensions in Cairo before protesters got out of hand."
Shortly after Romney's comments, we learned that the embassy's statement had neither been approved by the administration nor the State Department, but was posted to the embassy's website by an individual who had been explicitly instructed not to do so. In fact, Obama issued a statement disavowing the embassy's release at 10:10 p.m., fourteen minutes before Romney characterized it as the administration's response.
Despite those orders, senior public affairs officer Larry Schwartz issued the release and repeatedly publicized and defended the statement via Twitter in an attempt to quell the protests outside the embassy's gates. While Schwartz's actions were questionable, Romney's were inexcusable.
In what President Obama aptly described as a "shoot first, aim later" response, Romney erroneously characterized the embassy's release as the administration's initial reaction to the attacks on our diplomatic missions in Egypt and Libya. Disturbingly, he doubled down on his statements even after reports had surfaced that administration had no knowledge of the release prior to its issuance, saying "I think it's a terrible course for America to apologize for our values."
This was conceivably the most disturbing aspect of Romney's response to the crisis, and indicative of what has tarnished the United States' reputation abroad. Assuming, as Romney had, that the statement was Obama's decree, for what values, exactly, did the president apologize? Was it the condemnation of those who intentionally seek to offend others who hold certain religious beliefs? Of course we believe in every citizen's right to freedom of speech, but does that prohibit us from the same right to deride those who exercise it in morally objectionable ways?
Or perhaps it was the defense of Muslims. Even as Romney was being lambasted by the media for his reactionary remarks, and as his GOP colleagues on the Hill seemingly left him hanging out to dry, Sarah Palin echoed Romney's statements on Facebook, saying that the embassy "went so far as to chastise those who use free speech to 'hurt the religious feelings of Muslims.' Funny, the current administration has no problem hurting the 'religious feelings' of Catholics."
She continued to say that "we already know that President Obama likes to 'speak softly' to our enemies. If he doesn't have a 'big stick' to carry, maybe it's time for him to grow one." The post has been "liked" by nearly 3.5 million people.
Both here in the United States and throughout the Middle East, we risk being defined by the most extreme contingents within our citizenry when we fail to denounce them with expedience and resoluteness. Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi fell into that trap when he immediately called on the U.S. to prosecute those responsible for the production of the offensive film that sparked the demonstrations, while taking days to condemn those who stormed the embassy. Romney made the same mistake when he failed to chastise the makers of the film, while attacking those who would demonstrate against it and the President for his supposed sympathy for the demonstrators.
The crux of the issue is not Romney's gaffe, nor is it the spread of these mass protests to a dozen countries across the region. It's a more insidious problem. The simple truth is that in America, there is a perception that the entirety of the Middle East is anti-America, while in the Middle East, there is a perception that America is anti-Islam. And we encourage this perception when we not only fail to denounce those who spew hateful rhetoric about Islam, but encourage their participation in our most mainstream political dialogues. When we do not repudiate those who denigrate our president by falsely claiming he is a Muslim as a means of attack, how are Muslims across the world supposed to perceive us?
This is not to argue that we should limit what anyone can say or how they should say it. Rather, we have a moral obligation to proclaim to all who are willing to listen that their hateful beliefs and ideals do not represent us as a whole. We should always defend the right to free speech, but we should also always counter hate speech with a full-throated rebuke. Until we demonstrate that we are capable of doing just that, the world will continue to view our self-proclaimed moral superiority with great skepticism, and we can anticipate more events like the ones we have witnessed this week to unfold.


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We give you your personal space to keep all your creations and masterpieces-in-progress.
Step 03
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Whoah this is a great resource for our Zapable members. Hiring quality editors to create lead generation videos can be very costly and you have to wait for the turn around time. With Drop Mock you they now create their own professional videos in their own time scale at a fraction of the cost.
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Lots of video building softwares talk the talk, and then leave you hanging when you dare to use them to do what they claimed…. But Kinetic is the REAL DEAL. It promised a lot and actually over-delivered. I was honestly skeptical until I dared to use it just to see how much of its promises it delivered on, and I was pleasantly blown away. The flexibility Kinetic gives you in creating professional looking videos easily is amazing. Kinetic probably the most effective and easiest to use video creator I have seen and used, and I have seen and used a lot of them."
Dr Ope Banwo, Creator Mobimatic & Livematic
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Easily weave in your own images and video clips into
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Step 02
Upload Your Own Images
Choose From Our Finder
Add done-for-you video assets directly into your
production with our integrated APIs:
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Ability to create engaging videos is one of the most important thing when it comes to video marketing. If you're doing anything video, this is something I would recommend using as well. Unique video style and definitely eye-catching.
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The very second this exclusive launch period is over, the price of Kinetic will rise to $67 per month.
As you know, hosting videos is an expensive business -
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We look forward to being part of your video marketing success story.
Your Kinetic By Dropmock Partners


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Lauren Kitchens teaches you to concoct, color, texture and transform modeling chocolate, taking it to new heights and bringing it into your kitchen.
Add modeling chocolate to your cake decorating bag of tricks! In Intro to Modeling Chocolate: Cityscape Cakes, cake artist Lauren Kitchens shows you how to create textured, colorful cake embellishments from this easy and versatile medium. Lauren takes the city of Chicago as her inspiration, crafting Windy City landmarks from the Sears Tower to Lake Michigan. You'll learn how to add color and textural accents and assemble a spectacular cake that reflects the city you call home or any favorite place! Lauren also shares with you step-by-step instructions for assembling and transporting your cake.
If you're not delighted with your Bluprint experience, we'll make it right or give you a full refund.


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07.15.13 - Monday workout... catching up on blogging
by, July 15th, 2013 at 06:41 PM (899 Views)
Swam w/ Dave, Dave, Ray, Meredith and Carlile. Long swimming weekend. Thursday was our district dive meet. Since my daughter dives in the under 10 category, it wasn't too bad. We were done early and headed home before the older divers did their 3 meter competition. Friday and Saturday was the district swim meet. This wasn't so bad. It was held 50 miles away in Guntersville, AL. I got in about 4500 yards in the morning and then headed off w/ the kids for warmups. My younger son had a decent meet. He started off as a backstroker but seems to be embracing his breaststroker genes finally. He was just a couple seconds off state qualifying times (for breaststroke) and still has a year left in his age group. The highlight of his meet was that I brought my laptop to do work. He talked me into letting him play Starcraft II on it all weekend. My daughter had a tough meet. She dq'd the breaststroke (dolphin kicked too many times off the dive) and regressed on freestyle. I don't worry about it too much though. She's a natural diver and has a strong dolphin kick. She's almost always the first one to 12.5 yards. Once she gets a stronger stroke, she is going to be very competitive. My older son had a great meet in a slow pool. He dropped lots of time and has gone from the guy who is always last to somewhat competitive. What's more, he seems to want to swim w/ me in the winter and can't wait for next year to start.
I tried to swim Saturday morning but the annual city meet was going on. Sunday I got away for a pick-up soccer match. Running didn't hurt nearly as bad as it did last week. Still need to watch my back pain a little though. Meredith joined us for an hour this morning and then did lifeguard duty. When my leg cramped up on the 400 IM kick, she did NOT jump in to rescue me. I had to one arm swim to the shallow end and save myself . Cramps were probably from dehydration and soccer last night.
600 Warm up
6 x 50 - :45
8 Rounds of:
* 100 Pull - 1:10 (1:05s, raced Dave for a :58 on the last one)
* 50 Kick - 1:10
* 50 Pull - :50
* 50 Kick - 1:10
50 Easy
400 IM Kick (only made 350 before cramping)
6 Rounds of:
* 100 Free - 1:30
* 50 Kick - 1:00
*** Out of time ***
(4250 Total)