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Cisco Spark
Simple. Secure. Complete.
One service. All your business collaboration needs.
It's your business messaging app, conferencing solution, and phone system all in one. Teams move faster when everything
and everyone comes together. Cisco makes it possible like no one else can.
Tap to join an online meeting. Or schedule ahead with WebEx-powered meetings. Pull your local team
into your conference room and join using your new Cisco Spark Room System.
Ask us questions. Learn about our limited free trial.
You can try everything out at no charge – including our phone
and conference room system.
Contact Us
Call us 757-689-7059
Always-on messaging
and file sharing
Video meettings with
screen sharing
Integrated voice and phone service!
Get to know Cisco Spark Service... Download Free AppTeam messaging with video call screen sharing. Get the App Now
Business Messaging for Everyone, from Anywhere, on Any Device
- Keep fingers on the pulse with persistent content and context in-team messaging sessions and virtual rooms.
- Catch-up and join conversations on demand.
- Unlimited messaging – one-to-one or team messaging.
- Communicate your way – whether that is a light message based conversation or a video conference – and flip between, as needed.
Rich Meeting Experiences for Everyone, from Anywhere, on Any Device
- All employees on the same page though a common meeting experience.
- No one feels left out – they can join from anywhere on any device.
- Meet with colleagues across the company as well as with customers and with partners.
- Meet with colleagues in virtual and physical rooms, and join meetings from any device.
HD Audio & Video Enabled Service for Everyone, from Anywhere, on Any Device
- Boost employee productivity with calling capability from any device, any location, with anyone.
- Advance capabilities spanning across the desk phone and the mobile phone.
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- Common contact and call history from mobile and desktop.
- A delightful experience – including common contacts, content and calendar services.
Step 1 Choose your Message + Meeting plan.
Let's get started. Choose your Spark plan in three easy steps.
- Messaging with file sharing
- Video calls of up to 3 people with screen sharing
- Integrations to external services and applications
- Moderation controls and end-to-end encryption for messages and files
- Full service control with Cloud Collaboration Management:
- Single Sign On
- Hybrid Services: Directory, Calendar, and Call
- Video calls of up to 25 people with screen sharing
- Host WebEx-powered meetings of up to 200 people:
- Record meetings (including video)
- Markup tools and whiteboard
- VoIP or phone call-in
You can add…
Call Me. Your meetings will call you. Or people can join toll-free. Solutions for virtual town halls, webinars, and training.
Step 2 Would you like to include Call? You can always add it later.
Message + Meeting + Call
Go cloud all the way. Get the phone system and desktop IP phones. And watch the magic happen as your connectivity, hardware, and service communicate seamlessly.
Message + Meeting + Bring your own Call
Already have a Cisco phone system or connectivity? We'll connect it to Cisco Spark so your investment can keep on giving.
Step 3 Would you like to include a Room System?
Bring life to your conference room with a Spark Room System. Experience HD video conferencing like never before ― fully integrated with Spark and easier than ever.
Request a Demo
Call, email, or even snail mail us today and a friendly INW Solutions Associate will be happy to help you.


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Tuesday, August 11, 2009
A Ray of Hope
Northern Ireland, UK
My dear Friends,
Congratulations for the activities that you are carrying on and the immense capacity of mobilization that you have.
Nigeria , the Philippines , Tanzania , Uganda, Nepal, Romania … all of them receive, because of "A Ray of Hope".
I am sending you in English some of the last articles that I have published in the Spanish newspapers as well as my blog address (http://federicomayor.blogspot.com).
I wish you a lot of good health in order to widespread a culture of peace throughout the world.
With great esteem,
Federico Mayor

subset: commoncrawl


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(Washington, DC) – Mayor Adrian M. Fenty today unveiled the Administration's Fiscal Year 2009 budget proposal, entitled "Getting the Job Done." The $9.4 billion spending plan, which includes $5.66 billion in local funds, is the District's 13th consecutive balanced budget.
"We've gone line by line through every single agency to protect the investment our constituents make in their government," said Mayor Fenty. "We're cutting costs where we can, while improving services for all District residents – especially those in most need. Our budget team, led by City Administrator Dan Tangherlini, has done an excellent job of putting this plan together."
More than ever, the administration will economize the way the District Government works. Typically, the starting point for a proposed budget is the previous year's funding level for services plus increases for salaries, fixed costs and financing. This alone would have reflected a 5.7percent growth. But the FY 2009 local budget limits growth to less than 0.7percent.
In addition, $15 million in property tax relief is directed to commercial property owners, with more than half reserved for smaller properties, with additional relief phased in over three years. When fully implemented, the commercial property tax rate will be reduced from $1.85 to $1.80 for properties valued at $3 million or more and those valued under $3 million as of Jan. 1, 2008, will see rate reduction to $1.40.
The spending plan makes significant investments in the areas of education; public safety; affordable housing, jobs and economic development; healthcare and human services; infrastructure and environment; and government operations and financing.
Budget Highlights
- $773 million for DC Public Schools
- $532 million for individual schools (up from $493 million)
- Comprehensive staffing for each school, increasing art, music, physical education, pre-K and Head Start teachers; social workers; psychologists; literary and math coaches
- Expanded services toward pre-K for all
- Enhanced professional development and intervention for teachers
- Increased opportunities for extended learning, in Saturday Scholars, Extended Day and summer school
- $23.2 million (totaling $169 million over 6-year plan period) to DC Public Libraries for various facility renovations and construction of Anacostia, Benning, Tenley-Friendship, and Watha T. Daniel-Shaw and Georgetown neighborhood branch libraries.
Public Safety
- $6.5 million to reach 4,200 sworn police officers
- $763,000 to civilianize 12 police positions
- $7.7 million for police, fire and communications technology
- $2.5 million for ShotSpotter gun detection and closed-circuit television cameras
- $3.6 million to implement recommendations of Mayor's Task Force on Emergency Medical Services – including paramedic training curriculum
- $1.5 million for 96 units of supportive housing for domestic violence victims
Jobs, Economic Development and Affordable Housing
- A total of $60.8 million is committed to affordable housing in Fiscal Year 2009.
- $19 million to add 500 more residents to Home Purchase Assistance program (closing cost and down payment assistance)
- $19 million housing First Fund for supportive housing and human services for the homeless
- $4 million to enhance social services at New Communities
- Unified housing fund created for maximum flexibility in financing new affordable housing projects
- $10 million to finance 37-72 units of affordable housing through a land-acquisition financing program not used in 10 years
- $150,000 for searchable database of rental housing orders
- $500,000 to improve information-sharing among agencies that issue licenses and permits
- $6.9 million to expand Summer Youth Employment Program to include summer jobs for all qualified applicants
- $5.9 million to eliminate waiting list for job training
Healthcare and Human Services
- New investments in HIV/AIDS, childhood obesity, substance abuse, diabetes prevention
- $4.5 million for kinship care to keep children out of the foster care system
- $2.5 million for mental health services in child welfare
- Sign language interpreters, captioning and expanded taxi service for people with disabilities
- $5.2 million to move disabled residents into their own homes
- Intensive medical case management for high-risk patients in their own homes
- $2.5 million to increase Health Care Alliance reimbursement rates for primary care
- $5 million for infrastructure improvement at St. Elizabeth's Hospital
- $24.8 million toward the construction of a state-of-the-art mental hospital
Infrastructure and Environment
- $550,000 to consolidate lead management programs into Department of the Environment
- Mixing fuel for all District Government heavy vehicles with 20% vegetable oil to improve emissions
- $60 million (projects totaling $367 million over 6-year plan period) for street, alley and lighting improvements.
- Increasing traffic control officers by 27% and school crossing guards by 75%
- MetroExtra bus service for 16th Street
- SmarTrip technology optional in driver's licenses and non-driver ID cards
- Department of Motor Vehicles kiosks in neighborhoods for simple transactions
- $55.8 million to Department of Parks and Recreation for renovations to recreation centers, playing fields, tennis courts, pools and other facilities (totaling $270 million over 6-year plan period).
Government Operations and Financing
- $7.4 million to digitize 40 million government documents in a centralized scanning center
- $3.6 million for the Poverty Lawyer Assistance Fund
- $5 million for Office of Property Management to take over administration of schools affected by school consolidation, converting to government offices where possible
- $750,000 to improve retirement system for District Government employees
- Increase District's Earned Income Tax Credit from 35% to 40%, effectively eliminating income taxes for families making $25,000 a year or less.
Here is the fiscal 2009 budget proposal in its entirety: FY 2009 Budget.


text:
Ever notice the trees in your neighborhood?
Maybe they are spectacular specimens with giant canopies that shade the streets and make you want to be a kid again and climb to the top. Or maybe they are small, under-cared for, half-dying trees, and it's not even clear what kind they are.
More than likely, it is a mix. And that's where two of TreePeople's programs can really help out. Our tree care program is extensive. At TreePeople, when we plant a tree, we stay with it for a full 5 years to care for and maintain it until it is established.… Read more >>


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Sources to Seafood report released
In 2012, C-MERC authors published a series of scientific papers in the journals Environmental Research and Environmental Health Perspectives that elucidated key processes related to the inputs, cycling, and uptake of mercury in marine ecosystems, effects on human health, and policy implications. Sources to Seafood looks at the pathways and consequences of mercury pollution across marine systems by drawing on findings from the C-MERC papers, scientific literature and data from a range of marine systems and coastal basins. The report examines mercury sources, pathways, and inputs for the Hudson River Estuary, San Francisco Bay, Gulf of Mexico, Long Island Sound, Chesapeake Bay, Gulf of Maine, Arctic Ocean, and the open ocean.
Press Release
Report Summary
DC Briefings
Links to additional information
Environmental Research Special Issue
Environmental Health Perspectives Issue (2 papers and 1 editorial)
C-MERC Researcher Bios
Background on C-MERC
In 2010, the Toxic Metals Superfund Research Program at Dartmouth College brought together a group of 50 scientists and policy stakeholders to form C-MERC, the Coastal and Marine Mercury Ecosystem Research Collaborative. The goal was to review current knowledge – and knowledge gaps – relating to a global environmental health problem: mercury contamination of the world's marine fish. C-MERC participants attended two workshops over a two-year period and in 2012, C-MERC authors published a series of scientific papers in the journals Environmental Research and Environmental Health Perspectives that elucidated key processes related to the inputs, cycling, and uptake of mercury in marine ecosystems, effects on human health, and policy implications.
The resulting 11 papers cover six ocean regions, consider the additional factors affecting mercury cycling in ocean systems, provide a discussion of the related policy, and discuss low level effects on human health and fish consumption advice. These papers are synthesized in the report Sources to Seafood: Mercury Pollution in the Marine Environment, which will inform policies being considered at regional, national, and global levels.
The Workshops
Two inter-related, invitational workshops (the first of which was held in Portsmouth, NH September 8-10, 2010 and the next in Halifax NS on July 23, 2011) allowed researchers and policymakers to gather and synthesize knowledge about mercury in marine systems, focusing on seven ocean systems and a range of emerging global mercury topics. The meetings were working sessions which included the development of questions from policymakers to be addressed as part of the development of the scientific synthesis papers on mercury in marine environments. Scientists involved with mercury deposition, biogeochemical cycling, trophic transfer, ecotoxicology, and human health related research connected with policy stakeholders from EPA, NOAA, FDA, industry and NGOs to examine the implications for human exposure, public health and related issues pertaining to national and global mercury policy.
Several C-MERC papers were included as part of a special session during the 10th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant and C-MERC was highlighted during the 11th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant.
C-MERC Objectives
Despite the significant connection between the bioaccumulation of mercury in marine food webs and dietary consumption of fish by humans, many important uncertainties and gaps exist in our understanding of the sources of methylmercury in marine systems and the pathways to human exposure. Our original objectives were:
1) To develop a network of scientists who study the distribution and controls of mercury in water, sediment, and the food web (including humans) in marine systems.
2) To facilitate communication between stakeholders and scientists about the important mercury questions relevant to environmental health policy.
3) To provide a forum for mercury scientists to communicate their results with other investigators and facilitate the exchange of information between environmental geochemists, biologists, engineers, ecotoxicologists, and epidemiologists.
4) To identify key questions about mercury in marine systems and exposure to humans via seafood consumption to facilitate the analysis of existing data to address those questions.
5) To identify a series of proposed manuscripts and applicable data sets addressing key questions, which will provide the foundation for publication of a special issue of a peer-reviewed journal.
The Collaborative is modeled after workshops held in 2006 by Dartmouth's Toxic Metals Superfund Research Program, which focused on identifying research and monitoring needs for mercury in marine ecosystems and which resulted in several publications, including a special volume of Ecohealth devoted to methylmercury and papers in Environmental Health Perspectives.


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MOP(redirected from MOPPS)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Encyclopedia.
The ISO 4217 currency code for the Macau Pataca.
ISO 4217 code for the Macanese pataca. It was introduced in 1894. Macau is a special administrative region of China; perhaps because of this the pataca is pegged to the Hong Kong dollar using a currency board system. That is, the Monetary Authority of Macau it legally obligated to redeem pataca for the equivalent amount of Hong Kong dollars on demand.


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Search over 1 million properties and 550 airlines worldwide
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Don't spend your time in Thames living by pre-set timetables. It's never been easier to reserve a rental car that's perfect for you and your fellow travellers—and fits your budget, too. With so many options available, Expedia.co.nz takes all the hassle out of reserving your perfect ride, whether it's for an epic road trip or exploring all the nooks and crannies of your new city.
When you have Expedia on your side, you're free to be choosy about your rental car. Whether you'd prefer to get around in a sedan, sports car, or SUV, you'll be able to pick from tons of offerings for your time in Thames, Waikato. And to make sure you're getting the most for your money, use our rent-a-car comparison view to find the best prices based on your needs.
Our Thames car hire deals make it easy for you to rent a ride for your time in town, so you can experience everything on your own terms. No matter what time of day it is, you'll be able to chart your own course through Thames, Thames. Forget walking and waiting for public transportation. Just imagine how many hours you'll save, all because you were smart enough to book with Expedia.co.nz.
Register for our Expedia Rewards program to gain access to Unreal Deals exclusively offered on our site. These specially selected deals let you add flights and accommodation to your holiday, while saving you the most money by bundling them into one neat package. You can access special rates you wouldn't find booking everything separately. Plus, you'll have the ability to manage all your plans in one place. One and done.
No longer do you need to be sitting down at a computer to reserve your rental car. You can use our intuitive app to lock down the ideal ride in an instant, from either an iPhone or Android device. We know you need technology that can keep up with your busy lifestyle, which is why our Expedia app makes it easy to reserve and manage Thames car rentals, right from your phone.
If you're in need of a cheap car hire in Thames, Waikato, Expedia.co.nz is here to help you find the best deals in no time. We have a car that fits your style and budget, and we make reserving it a piece of cake. There is simply no need to look elsewhere. Begin your search today and you'll soon be feeling the freedom of the open road.
In the past 7 days the lowest priced car rental is NZ$44 in Thames.
On average, car rentals in Thames are NZ$67.
When booking a rental car via Expedia you can easily compare a wide range of the most popular car hire companies and select the best option for you. There are no extra costs and no cancellation fees involved in booking a rental car with Expedia.
You can book a car rental on Expedia either online or over the phone. You may have the option to reserve now and pay now, or to reserve now and pay later. The payment option will be indicated at time of booking. To collect Expedia Rewards points for your car rental, sign in to your account before you book or create an account on the Payment page.
Most rental car bookings are eligible for a full refund regardless of when you cancel with Expedia. Not all prepaid bookings qualify for a refund. Review your itinerary for details. If your prepaid booking qualifies for a refund, your booking must be cancelled at least 6 hours prior to pick-up for the refund. If you return your prepaid car rental early, you will not be refunded for any unused time.
To cancel your car booking, sign in or enter your email address and itinerary number. Then select Find itinerary. Under Manage Booking, select Cancel Reservation, then CANCEL THIS RESERVATION. Most prepaid car rental bookings are non-refundable. Pre-paid bookings must be cancelled at least 6 hours prior to pick-up to be eligible for a full refund. To change or cancel a car hire that you booked as part of a holiday, please contact us.
Booking your car from home with Expedia ensures thay you can choose the type of car. You can also compare the different offers and additional services in advance to get the best offer for you. Upon arrival you only need to collect the keys before beginning your trip. In addition, you do not have to start searching for a suitable provider after arriving or reading the terms and conditions at the counter. This will save you a lot of stress.
A comprehensive insurance is a good choice to avoid unpleasant surprises. That way you can enjoy your stay carefree and explore the area with your rental car.
We have a couple different options when it comes to paying for your car rental. Read on and see which is best for you. Reserve now, pay now: This option allows you to reserve your car rental and prepay at the time of booking. You'll need a credit card to prepay, and can apply Expedia Rewards points to cover all or some of the booking cost. While some car rental companies may let you pay with a debit card, the driver still needs to present a valid credit card to cover the deposit upon pick-up. Reserve now, pay later: This option lets you reserve your rental car without paying in advance. When you get to the pick-up spot, just have whoever's driving present a valid credit card to pay the cost in full. The car rental company will also place a hold on your credit card in the amount of the car rental deposit.
When picking up your rental car, check for scratches or dents on the vehicle. Inspect the car carefully, make sure to take notes of potential damage and let the vendor know before driving off.
Rental car companies can usually be found at airports and various locations in the city centre.


text: Some of this year's best images of the heavens include colliding galaxies, open star clusters, and frozen waterfalls beneath a twinkling night sky. All these photos are winners in the Royal Observatory Greenwich's annual Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. The competition is in its fourth year and growing, with a record 800 entrants submitting their cosmic photography. Winners were announced on Sept. 19 in four main categories — Deep Space, Our Solar System, Earth and Space, and Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year — and three special awards were also handed out. The overall number one prize and top spot for the Deep Space category went to Martin Pugh for his amazing shot (above) of the Whirlpool Galaxy, which shows two galaxies colliding. Pugh also won in 2009 for his picture of the Horsehead nebula. Other incredible images showed auroras, the Milky Way, and, particularly popular this year, the Transit of Venus. Being the last transit for 105 years, the event was highly photographed and the subject for two winners: Chris Warren, who won the Our Solar System category, and Paul Haese, who was ranked "highly commended" in the same group. Here we take a look at all the winners, runners up, and highly commended images. If you'd like to see the photos in person, they will be exhibited for free from now until Feb. 2013 at the Royal Observatory. The following captions are courtesy of the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Above: Whirlpool Galaxy This beautifully composed image of the Whirlpool Galaxy combines fine detail in the spiral arms with the faint tails of light that show its small companion galaxy being gradually torn apart by the gravity of its giant neighbour. A closer look shows even more distant galaxies visible in the background. Image: Martin Pugh, winner for Deep Space and overall winnerSimeis 147 Supernova Remnant The photographer here set out to show not only the main subject of the image – a vast supernova remnant – but also the objects in the wide starscape that surrounds it. Straddling the constellations of Auriga and Taurus, Simeis 147 consists of the expanding debris of a massive star, which exploded around 40,000 years ago. As the wreckage continues to spread out into space it collides violently with the dust and gas between the stars, sculpting it into the glowing shells and filaments which have earned Simeis 147 the nickname of the "Spaghetti Nebula." Image: Rogelio Bernal Andreo, runner-up for Deep SpaceThe Witch's Broom Highly Commended images for Deep Space category: Part of the Veil Nebula, the "Witch's Broom" (above) is the glowing debris from a supernova explosion – the violent death of a massive star. Although the supernova occurred several thousand years ago, the gaseous debris is still expanding outwards, producing this vast cloud-like structure. In this image narrowband filters have been used to greatly increase detail while giving a reasonable representation of the nebula's colour. Situated almost 250 million light-years away from us, the Perseus Cluster (above), also known as Abell 426, contains more than 500 catalogued galaxies. Some are spirals like the Milky Way while others are giant, smooth elliptical systems. Together they form one of the largest structures in the universe. Each smudge of light in this photograph contains millions, if not billions, of stars. The spooky shapes (above) that seem to haunt this starry expanse are in fact cosmic dust clouds that fill huge volumes of space between the stars. The dust consists of tiny grains of minerals and ices and is an important building block for the formation of future stars and planets. The photographer had to travel 1,000 kilometres into the mountains of the Crimea to find a sky dark enough to capture this image. Images: 1) The Witch's Broom, Robert Franke. 2) The Perseus Cluster, Robert Franke 3) Sharpless-136: "Ghost" in Cepheus, Oleg BryzgalovStar Icefall Taken in Nagano, Japan, this image shows Orion, Taurus and the Pleiades as the backdrop to an eerie frozen landscape. Though the stars appear to gleam with a cold, frosty light, bright blue stars like the Pleiades can be as hot as 30,000 degrees Celsius. Image: Masahiro Miyasaka, winner Earth and SpaceGreen World The aurora borealis traces the shifting patterns of the Earth's magnetic field, creating a spectacular midwinter show in Nordland Fylke, Norway. The green light in this image comes from oxygen atoms high in the atmosphere, which have been energised by subatomic particles from the Solar Wind. Image: Arild Heitmann, runner-up for Earth and SpaceSummer Nights in Michigan Highly Commended images for Earth and Space category: This long-exposure image (above) contrasts the regular arcs of star trails with the chaotic swarming of fireflies – celestial, natural and man-made light are captured in a single photograph. The Milky Way (above) arches over a mirror-like lake on the island of Reunion. At the bottom of the picture Piton des Neiges, the highest peak of Reunion Island, can be seen. The bright patch to the left of the image marks the bulge of stars at the heart of our Galaxy. The photographer waited two years before all the combined conditions were favourable to succeed with this photo. Dark mountain peaks (above) frame two distinct lightscapes – the distant glow of towns and villages, and the majestic star fields of The Milky Way. Making the most of an August night, the photographer got this shot after trekking out to Uludag National Park near his hometown of Bursa, Turkey. Images: 1) Summer Nights in Michigan, Michael A. Rosinski 2) The Milky Way View from the Piton de l'Eau, Reunion Island, Luc Perrot 3) Sky away from the Lights, Tunç TezelTransit of Venus 2012 Perhaps the biggest astronomical event of 2012 was the transit of Venus, which took place in June. Transits occur when Venus passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, appearing as a small black disc passing across the face of our parent star. The next transit will not take place for 105 years, in December 2117. This is a single unprocessed raw frame shot using a hydrogen-alpha (Ha) filter. It was captured early on the morning of 6 June between second and third contact, the photographer's first and only glimpse taken through a thin patch in the clouds at Blackheath in London. The image captures the excitement of the 2012 transit of Venus, and the delight of observers in the UK who managed to catch a fleeting view despite the British weather. Image: Chris Warren, winner Our Solar SystemMars in 2012 This sequence of photographs, taken in March 2012, uses the rotation of Mars to build up a complete view of the planet's surface. It shows the gleaming north polar cap of frozen water and carbon dioxide, the red equatorial deserts and the darker southern highlands. The photographer has captured an amazing level of detail, including wispy clouds in the thin Martian atmosphere. Image: Damian Peach, runner-up for Our Solar SystemComet C2009 P1 Garradd Highly Commended images for Our Solar System Category: Comet Garradd (above) was discovered in 2009 as it approached the inner Solar System. It became visible through binoculars in 2011 but has never been visible to the naked eye. To bring out the greenish glow of the comet's halo the photographer has used a long exposure. The star trails show how he has tracked the comet's orbital motion to keep it in the centre of the frame and the picture illustrates how the comet moved relative to the stars in 38 minutes. Perhaps the biggest astronomical event of 2012 was the transit of Venus, which took place in June. Transits occur when Venus passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, appearing as a small black disc passing across the face of our parent star. They occur in pairs, eight years apart, with each pair separated by over a century. The previous transit was in 2004 and the next will not be until December 2117. This is a spectacular view of the active Sun (above), streaked and blotched with filaments, sunspots and prominences. Venus, a world almost exactly the same size as the Earth, seems dwarfed by the scale and power of our local star. This portrait gallery (above) features four of our planetary neighbours in exquisite detail: the slender crescent Venus on 28 May; Mars on 29 February showing the famous Syrtis Major feature at the centre, and brilliant clouds over the Elysium Mons volcano on the right; Jupiter on 1 February showing Ganymede in transit, with Europa on the right, and its shadow cast onto the planet; Saturn close to opposition from 21 April showing the remains of the giant storm from the year before, as well as fine details within the ring system. The photographer shows the relative sizes of the planets as they appear to an observer on Earth. In reality Jupiter and Saturn would dwarf the other planets, but they are both much farther away from us. Images: 1) Comet C2009 P1 Garradd, Graham Relf 2) Venus Transit, Paul Haese 3) Worlds of the Solar System, Damian PeachPleiades Cluster Among the nearest star clusters to Earth, the stars of the Pleiades (Messier 45) are easily seen with the naked eye in the northern hemisphere's winter skies. While it is often called the Seven Sisters, this beautiful photograph reveals many more of the hot, young stars which comprise the cluster. The young photographer has also captured the swirling wisps of a diaphanous gas cloud through which the cluster is currently passing, lighting it with reflected starlight. It was taken near dusk, with two frames and an hour of exposure. Image: Jacob von Chorus, aged 15, winner for Young Astronomy PhotographerDaytime Lunar Mosaic This young photographer has knitted together several high-resolution images of the Moon in the daytime sky to form a colourful mosaic. This wonderfully detailed view shows the smooth dark maria (lunar "seas") and lighter, bumpier highlands of the Moon, both dotted with craters. The peaceful blue colour of the daytime sky is caused by scattering of blue light in the Earth's atmosphere. Image: Laurent V. Joli-Coeur, aged 15, runner-up for Young Astronomy PhotographerHeavenly Showers Highly Commended in the Young Astronomy Photographer category: This photograph (above) from the Young category of the competition skilfully frames the streaming, swirling patters of the Northern Lights with treetops below and a starry sky above. In the centre of the image, which was taken in the far North, close to the Arctic Circle, Orion the hunter is just visible through the bright auroral display. Taurus the bull and the bright Pleiades star cluster are seen in the clear area to the upper right. This skilled young astrophotographer has captured a beautifully sharp and artfully framed detail of the Moon (above). The terminator – which separates the daytime and nighttime parts of the Moon – is aligned with the bottom edge of the photograph. The Sun's light shines at a low angle onto the surface of the Moon just above this line, showing the contrast between smooth maria (lunar "seas") and rugged crater rims to the best advantage. Earth and space are evenly weighted in this wonderfully framed image (above) of a Californian landscape beneath the Milky Way. The young photographer has chosen a view of an ancient Bristlecone Pine, which is over 4,000 years old, and whose sloping trunk and gnarled branches provide perfect counterpoint to the edge-on view of the starry disc and knotted structure of our galaxy. Images: 1) Heavenly Showers, Jathin Premjith, aged 15. 2) Lunar Mountains, Jacob Marchio, aged 13. 3) Origins of Life on Earth, Thomas Sullivan, aged 13Facing Venus-Jupiter Close Conjunction This picture (above) was taken on the wet sand at low tide on the beach at Tréguennec in North West France and shows the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. One of the astronomical highlights of 2012, the conjunction was the period when the two bright planets appeared conspicuously close together in the sky. Their apparent closeness was an optical illusion – Jupiter was in fact millions of kilometres further away than Venus. The photographer is pictured in the lower right corner of the frame and the Pleiades and Taurus are also visible on the upper left. The photographer came across two hikers lost in the wilderness of Yosemite late one evening in July 2011. He captured this image (above) of the tiny figures in a small bubble of torchlight set within a vast, pitch-black forest beneath the immense dome of the sky. It highlights the wonder, beauty and awe of astronomy. Images: 1) Facing Venus-Jupiter Close Conjunction, Laurent Laveder, winner People and Space. 2) Lost in Yosemite, Steven Christenson, runner-up People and Space.Elephant's Trunk With Ananas The Elephant's Trunk seems to uncoil from the dusty nebula on the right of the image, its tip curled around a cavity carved out by the radiation produced by young stars. Capturing a deep-sky object like this takes skill and painstaking attention to detail and is a great achievement for a newcomer to astrophotography. Image: Lóránd Fényes, winner Best NewcomerThe Sunflower Galaxy A spiral system like the Milky Way, Messier 63 has arms which encircle the yellowish centre of the galaxy like the petals of a flower, earning it the nickname of the Sunflower Galaxy. This image was captured by the young photographer using the Bradford Robotic Telescope in Tenerife, which he controlled over the internet. Image: Thomas Read, aged 12, winner Robotic ScopeAll captions courtesy of the Royal Observatory Greenwich


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Vintage style J hoops earrings with 46 diamonds, approx. 0.5 carat set in half crescents and milligraind edging, 14 karat yellow gold. Available in many other variations.
This item can be customized in other metals, two tone metals and metal purity, as well as with other shapes, qualities, size and kinds of stone for the center and side stones.
For pricing and details or to create a new custom style, please email email@example.com or call 212-840-1417.
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Resilience Science Consulting, LLC
We design, teach, and Build in Nature's Image™ making use of our deep experience in the design sciences of biomimicry, resilience science & theory, and building science. We are first & foremost a builder of sustainable, innovative projects. We also provide
- building science & innovative design support
- sustainable construction verification and green building certification services (LEED for Homes Green Rater, LEED for Homes Mid-Rise Multi-Family, ICC 700-2012 Green Verifier & certified HERS Rater services)
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- ecosystem scale biomimicry and life-inspired, place-based design
- building deconstruction advising and program development and management services
We also support complex, strategic sustainability initiatives & solutions at city scales. Innovative scientific ecological knowledge (SEK) and the adaptive memory and wisdom of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) inspire our work.
Our homes and cities are part of nature. To recognize that we and what we build, collectively, are key elements of living systems is to accept certain irrevocable, inviolate, and non-negotiable laws, codes and standards apply to all that we design and build. Deeper than human building codes are absolute laws relating to energy, survival and health, and our adaptive capacity and well-being and that of our children.
These inviolate laws can be expressed in science-based ways or as traditional adaptive wisdom. Ultimately, our process of design support, construction, teaching and support of strategic and complex sustainability initiatives is a deliberation for the Seventh Generation to follow.
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A suspect has been arrested in connection with a shooting that put a Mesa elementary school on lockdown on Wednesday, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said.
Deputies were called to a home at 414 S. 97th Ave. after shots were fired. The house has had prior drug activity.
According to MCSO, the shooting victim, Bryan Berg, 30, began a confrontation with the suspect, 20-year-old Lucas Orf outside of the home. During the argument, Orf allegedly fired a shot into the ground and another at Berg, striking him in the leg.
Witnesses said that multiple people fled the area on foot after the shooting and that drug activity was on-going at the time of the shooting. It is unknown if the confrontation was over drugs.
Berg was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Orf was arrested on outstanding warrants and will likely face additional charges.
Five people believed to have fled the home were also detained by police.
Nearby Stevenson Elementary School was put on lockdown for about one hour while MCSO attempted to locate Orf. The lockdown was lifted about 4 p.m.


text:
Recent weeks have seen a number of major narcotics busts in Tajikistan. On June 17, a border patrol found a cache containing almost 420 kilograms of cannabis in Shurobod district, on the country's southern frontier with Afghanistan. On June 11, the authorities reported busting some 14 kg of hashish in the country's north. One day earlier, police in Shurobod spotted a group of Afghan smugglers that had crossed the Panj River separating the two countries. Following a brief shootout, the smugglers retreated to Afghanistan, leaving behind about 100 kg of cannabis. On June 9, police reported capturing some 107 kg of narcotics, including 38 kg of heroin, in Hamadoni, another Tajik district lying on the southern frontier. On June 6, police intercepted more than 90 kg of narcotics after a two-hour clash with Afghan smugglers in Shurobod. Overall, almost 800 kg of drugs have been seized in Tajikistan since the beginning of June (news.tj, June 7, 10, 11, 18).
These interceptions represent only a tiny portion of the total flow of narcotics transported through Tajikistan en route to Russia and other destinations. In a report released in May, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that 75 to 80 metric tons of Afghan-made heroin and 18 to 20 tons of opium is smuggled through the country annually. This means that about 200 kg of heroin and 50 kg of opium pass through Tajikistan every day. Most of these narcotics end up in Russia where demand is driven by an estimated 2.5 million drug users ("Opiate Flows Through Northern Afghanistan and Central Asia: A Threat Assessment," UNODC, May 2012; fskn.gov.ru, May 3).
The flow of narcotics through Tajikistan is likely to increase over the next several years. Reports by the UN estimate that the production of opium in Afghanistan increased from 3.6 tons in 2010 to 5.8 tons in 2011. Moreover, the Afghan drug business is increasingly targeting Tajikistan as the primary transit country for heroin bound to Russia and Eastern Europe. Recent reports indicate that the cultivation of opium poppies in the northeastern areas of Afghanistan, lying along the border with Tajikistan, has lately increased by half while the number of laboratories that process opium into heroin has doubled (interfax.ru, May 31; rferl.org, March 28).
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The Giving Tree
When you think of all that trees provide us — oxygen, shade, beauty and shelter — it makes sense for grounds care professionals to do as much as they can to protect them from harm. However, if you are not able to check the trees under your care everyday, you need to enlist the help of your clients and teach them how to care for the trees on their property.
One way to teach employees, property managers and homeowners how to reduce and control disease activity is through the tree disease triangle. This triangle clearly illustrates how to break the disease cycle with sound horticultural practices or pathogen removal.
The presence of all three triangle criteria mean that a disease can develop. On one side of the triangle is the tree and its susceptibility to a particular pathogen. That pathogen forms side two of the triangle. The third side is the specific environment or cultural condition at the site. The host tree, pathogen and environment join forces to create a problem. By breaking a side of the triangle, the chances are greatly increased for disease control.
Before you begin to council clients on tree selection, take advantage of information from nurseries and agricultural extension services about disease-resistant plants. Consider the specific diseases a plant can tolerate in relationship to the site in which it will be planted. Suggest specific varieties of trees compatible with the planting site and give customers Web site addresses, names and phone numbers of tree information resources.
Selecting the right tree for the right location is critical to the survival of that tree. For example, if your clients want to add a Cotoneaster to their property, make sure they understand that fire blight will threaten the Cotoneaster because of nearby ailing pear trees. Instruct customers that planting Douglas Firs on slopes promotes air circulation. Tell property owners why a Hemlock won't grow well in their wet, alkaline soil. Help customers choose a disease-resistant Juniper. Customers can then choose to change locations, change species or alter threatening conditions such as excessive shade or type of irrigation.
In order to ensure the tree has a fighting chance, give customers the benefit of professional experience by planting the tree properly. The skimpy planting instructions on shipping tags are insufficient for the best possible start.
Help property owners create a good growing environment for their trees. Give them information on all aspects of tree care including pruning, leaf raking, watering, mulching, fertilizing, plant compatibility, aerating, cone removal and weed control. Unless you handle every aspect of their tree care, your clients likely will neglect or mishandle these chores.
To battle tree diseases, you need to find out about fungal, viral and bacteria pathogens. Understand how they are introduced into landscapes by insects, rain, wind, soil, mulch and plants. Learn about the types of pathogens that affect specific species. It might also help to know the difference between leaf blight on arborvitae caused by Cercospora and twig blight on pines caused by Sphaeropsis sapinea.
Compare healthy leaves to those with spots, holes or other signs of stress. It is important to know that a sycamore with anthracnose has browned edges on the leaves as they expand and that juniper tip blight begins on recent growth of the lower branches. Know that cherry trees in the early stages of black knot have small swellings on the current or last season's growth.
Check trees regularly for signs of pathogens or diseases. Routinely look for signs of stress and help clients learn to identify problems, as well. Provide customers with simple guidelines to help them identify specific symptoms, so that if problems occur, early intervention is possible.
There are a variety of treatments for tree diseases. Pruning affected twigs and destroying them may be more effective than applying a fungicide. Watering from below rather than applying top irrigation may reduce blight on junipers.
In some cases, no treatment is the best remedy, especially when a disease is simply aesthetically unappealing and not life threatening to the tree. It also can become too late in the growing season for a treatment to be effective.
The pathogen side of the triangle is the hardest to break because complete removal of a pathogen is nearly impossible.
There are specific growing conditions in which pathogens thrive. Know which pathogens increase in wet conditions and find out how drought affects pathogens. Also, understand how shade promotes specific diseases when combined with excessive rain and determine which type of irrigation will work best for a specific type of plant. Recognize the effects of overcrowding and the need for increased air circulation.
By thinning plants out, you might reduce powdery mildew. Another example would be to irrigate in the early morning to give plants the change needed to fight disease.
When it's time to renew annual agreements or solicit new customers, emphasize tree health through horticultural practices. Show customers how to properly care for their trees and that proper pruning, raking, fertilizing and mulching are the best disease prevention.
Sometimes it is necessary to actually remove a tree to promote air circulation and healthy growth. Provide customers with brochures, fact sheets and other information from reliable sources that reinforce these recommendations.
Inspect trees carefully in spring. If plants have been neglected, then contact customers before treatment. Ask customers to first try horticultural remedies. Explain again that chemical treatments may not work if the tree isn't cared for properly. Emphasize the cooperative nature required between contractors and customers to insure healthy trees.
If chemical treatment becomes necessary, explain again that chemicals may help trees only to fight disease rather than completely eliminate it. Use a printed notice prior to treatment to reinforce this point.
If trees continue to suffer after treatment, then customers will have known in advance of that possibility. Their expectations will be more reasonable and they will be less likely to hold you responsible for failing to cure the disease.
Rich Nelson is a certified tree arborist and the division manager of tree and shrub care for One Step Tree & Lawn Care (Rochester, N.Y.).
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|*February 17 - 23
|God Made Man Upright? What Happened?
Read for This Week's Study:
|Ecclesiastes 7.
Memory Text:
|"Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions" (Ecclesiastes 7:29).
|I n reference to women in Paris
feeding birds with pieces of bread "a bit chewed and soggy," the poet Rainer
Rilke wrote: "It does them good to think that their saliva is getting out
into the world a little, that the small birds will fly off with the taste
of it in their mouths, even though a moment later they naturally forget it
Talk about hebel. What a sad example of human beings seeking for meaning and purpose in the wrong place. As humans, we do seek for meaning, for purpose, for direction, and sometimes in some strange ways, too. Here we are, in this world, with so many variables, so many options, so many paths to choose from. How do we know which ones are right?
This week we will study Ecclesiastes 7. The first 14 verses read like Proverbs, short pithy little sayings about morality, life, inequity, injustice, wisdom, and so forth. Though not always easy to understand, they are filled with the kind of wisdom we expect from the man whose wisdom even Jesus referred to. The rest of the chapter sounds more like Ecclesiastesthe older, bitter Solomon who, even in his angst, still has plenty of wisdom to share.
This chapter, like the whole book, deals with more questions about life. Taken with the Bible as a whole, Ecclesiastes 7 shows that the right answers can be found only in the God who has created us, redeemed us, and thus has given us the meaning and purpose that so many often seek in such useless and unsatisfactory places.
*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 24.
|February 18
A Good Name
"A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth" (Eccles. 7:1).
The original Hebrew here has a play on words that you can't see in translation. The word for "name" (shm) is very close to the word for "ointment" or oil (shmn). It's one of those linguistic and poetic devices that, while maybe not full of deep and hidden meaning, gave the original language a force and beauty that, unfortunately, is lost in translation.
At first glance this verse, especially the last part, seems like more of Solomon's pessimism: better to not have been born than to live and see all the evil done under the sun; better to have died in childbirth than to live, and so forth. Ecclesiastes 7:1, however, seems to be saying something else. The key, perhaps, is in the first part of the verse.
What's the basic message that Solomon is saying in the first half of Ecclesiastes 7:1? See also Prov. 22:1; Dan. 6:5; 1 Tim. 3:2, 10.
This part is obvious, the value of a good reputation. What comes next in the text easily fits in. Frenchman Jean-Paul Sartre argued that a person's life is basically defined by that person's death, in the sense that at death it's finished. No more changes, no more potential, no more growth. You're nothing more than what you were when you died.
In a sense, that's correct. Our opportunities to get a good name, to have a good character, and to be a positive influence in this world and for God's kingdom are over once we die. Character is formed here, not in the grave. Our chance for salvation is now, not after death.
Thus, in a sense, this verse is really about priorities. A good name will last; an evil, wicked person will be here and gone, perhaps like the fragrance of ointment. How important then that we are careful with our time, that we prioritize our actions. What things do we do that will have a lasting, even eternal, impact for good, in contrast to the things that will one day be long gone and forgotten? Certainly something worth thinking about.
|What are you doing with your own time? If you had to stand before God and give an account for the past 24 hours of your time, how would you fare?
|February 19
House of Feasting, House of Mourning
The Baptists have a saying: "He has just enough religion to make himself miserable." Everyone, probably, has seen those types. Perhaps they were the ones Jesus referred to in Matthew 6:16, those who walked around with "a sad countenance" in order to show everyone just how holy they were.
Yet, a quick reading of Ecclesiastes 7:2-6 could give one the impression that this attitude is what religion should be about. It's better to be mourning than feasting, better to be sorrowing than laughing, and so forth. How does all that fit in with the whole concept of joy in the Lord, of rejoicing in Christ (Lev. 23:40, Pss. 5:11, 149:2, Phil. 4:4, 1 Thess. 5:16)?
If you read these verses in Ecclesiastes 7 carefully, there's a hint in them that helps put all this in perspective.
Look carefully at verse 2, the last few phrases. What point is Solomon making here that helps us understand his basic message in verses 2-6?
In a sense, Solomon is repeating the idea touched on in yesterday's lesson. No matter how much feasting you do, in the end there's always mourning because, in the end, we all die. The wise understand this. They understand the gravity of the human situation and that feasting and laughter, while they have their place, need to be understood in the larger context of life as a whole. Our lives don't end in a feast; they end in mourning. Our lives don't end in laughter; they end in sadness. Fools go along, oblivious to the end that ultimately awaits them. One day, instead of laughter, there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Read Luke 12:41-48. In what ways is that giving the same message talked about above?
|As Christians, how do we find the right balance? After all, the great controversy is a serious thing. It is, literally, a matter of not just life but eternal life. How do we balance this important truth with the fact that we are to rejoice in the Lord? Or are these ideas not contradictory at all? Bring your answer to class.
|February 20
Patience and Pride
We've already looked at the first six verses of Ecclesiastes 7. Today we'll finish this first section, which is composed of short proverblike sayings.
Read Ecclesiastes 7:7-14. What points is Solomon making? Which ones speak clearest to you, personally; that is, which touch you in a sensitive area?
There's a lot of wisdom to choose from packed in here. Verse 7, for instance, about a bribe corrupting the heart, touches on a key spiritual point: One compromise leads to another. It's saying not that a corrupt heart takes a bribe but that a bribe corrupts the heart. What a powerful warning to us all about what sin does to the soul.
Look at verse 9. What point is being made there? What do these other texts add to that message? Matt. 5:22; 18:21, 22; Rom. 12:19-21.
Look at verse 12. How is wisdom a protection? How does wisdom preserve life? See also Prov. 1:7, 9:10, Col. 1:28, James 3:13-18.
How do you understand the meaning of verse 14? See Phil. 4:11-13.
|How well are you doing in these areas? What things need to be changed in your life? Anger, compromise, lack of trust? How crucial to get on your knees before the Lord and seek the things He freely offers through Jesus.
|February 21
Our Fallen NaturesPart One
Read Ecclesiastes 7:15-21. Which of the verses below best describe the basic message in there?
|(a) 1 Cor. 13:13
|(b) Gal. 6:2
|(c) Rom. 3:10
Solomon here paints a fairly negative picture of humanity. Though one could be tempted just to chalk it up to more of his basic pessimism, it's not so simple.
At the beginning of the Enlightenment, in seventeenth-century Europe, humans began bursting at the seams with new knowledge. Amid this new understanding of the world was the great hope in human perfection. Sure, the world has been bad, and people have been bad, but now that we are gaining new knowledge and a greater understanding of the world, ignorance will be defeated, and humanity will improve and move steadily toward the path of moral perfection.
Things so progressed that by the beginning of the twentieth century people believed that through the discoveries of science and through new technology humanity would soon learn to conquer all the things that had caused it so much trouble. We would, through our machines, devices, and inventions, overcome disease, overcome natural calamities, overcome hatred and war.
Think about events over the past century. How well did science fulfill the grand hopes that people had for it? See also Matthew 24
Things didn't turn out quite as expected, did they? Though we gained new knowledge, our sinful human natures got the best of us, and so much of that knowledge and new power gained has been a source of evil and suffering. Power and knowledge in and of themselves aren't necessarily good or bad. It's what people do with them. The ruler of a powerful country has a lot of power. He can use that power to build houses or bomb them. What we need isn't so much new knowledge or power but hearts molded in the image and character of God; otherwise, knowledge and power can be used for evil.
|All of us, to one degree or another, have some knowledge and some power. How are you using it? For good, for God's glory? Or are you exploiting it for less-than-honorable purposes? Be honest with yourself, no matter how painful.
|February 22
Our Fallen NaturesPart Two
In Ecclesiastes 7:15-27, Solomon utters a litany of human woe.
15. What is Solomon complaining about here? How valid is this
however, isn't the first time he has talked about this. What does he say
3:16, 17 that helps us understand what is going on
Perhaps most striking are his words in Ecclesiastes 7:20, which sound very close to Paul in Romans 3:10 ("There is none. righteous, no, not one") or John in 1 John 1:10 ("If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."). Though Christians are often derided for their "pessimistic" and "negative" views of humanity, all one has to do is look at the world, both its history and its present condition, to get verification for its teaching about the sinful state of humanity. You might need faith to believe in a lot of what Christianity teaches, but the fallen nature of humanity isn't one.
26. What in Solomon's background would have caused him to say this?
Though Solomon is obviously pointing to certain kind of women (compare with Prov. 18:22), the important message goes far beyond gender: Be careful of anyone whom the devil can use to ensnare you and turn you away from the Lord.
Perhaps the most striking verse in this chapter is the last one, verse 29. How quickly it captures the human condition. God made us holy, and we have become unholy. Solomon's life, in a sense, could be used as an example of this principle. Sure, he was never sinless, but he started out on the right track. The Hebrew word translated "upright" is a common word for "straight" or "right" and is often used to describe human actions (Deut. 6:18; 1 Kings 22:43; 2 Kings 18:3; Job 1:1, 8). However "upright" he was at the start, he eventually wandered away.
Read 2 Corinthians 13:5. Are you in the faith? How do you justify your answer?
|February 23
Further Study:
|Ellen G. White, Child Guidance,
p. 166; Testimonies for the
Church, vol. 4, p. 606;
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 86; see also Mind, Character,
and Personality.
"True education does not ignore the value of scientific knowledge or literary acquirements; but above information it values power; above power, goodness; above intellectual acquirements, character. The world does not so much need men of great intellect as of noble character. It needs men in whom ability is controlled by steadfast principle.
" 'Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom.' `The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright' (Proverbs 4:7; 15:2). True education imparts this wisdom. It teaches the best use not only of one but of all our powers and acquirements. Thus it covers the whole circle of obligation-to ourselves, to the world, and to God.
"Character building is the most important work ever entrusted to human beings; and never before was its diligent study so important as now. Never was any previous generation called to meet issues so momentous; never before were young men and young women confronted by perils so great as confront them today."Ellen G. White, Education, p. 225.
Discussion Questions:
| As a class, go over your answers for Monday's study.
Talk about the Ellen G. White quote above. Notice specifically the first paragraph. How does it fit in with some of the things that we have studied this week? Why does character matter, especially among those who have a lot of power?
The lesson touched upon the question of influence and how the wives of Solomon led him astray. The question of influence and peer pressure is especially crucial for young people, many of whom have been seriously led astray by wrong friends. As a church, what can you do to help your young people avoid the wrong influences? What things can your church do to provide them with better alternatives?
As a class, read aloud the Rilke quote from Sabbath afternoon. What does it say to you about the human need for meaning and purpose? How does our faith answer these needs? Also, how can we better share what we have been given with those who seek meaning in the most meaningless of things?
|I N S I D E Story
|Never Alone: Part 1
by SELINA MWAKIPUNDA
Saturday morning I walked into the dean's office at the government school I attended in Tanzania. I signed my name in a book on the desk, and the monitor noted the time beside my name. I walked out of the building and through the school gate. I knew I would be punished for leaving campus, but I had to go to church, no matter what awaited me when I returned.
I heard singing and sprinted to the Adventist church, I slipped into a pew and sang along. My heart filled with joy.
Earlier that year I had met some Adventist girls in the dormitory at school. Their lives radiated peace and love, and I wanted to know what made them so different from me. They offered to study the Bible with me so I could learn how to live closer to God. I was raised in a Christian home, and I welcomed the Bible studies. When I learned about the Sabbath, God's wonderful gift of time to His children, I was amazed that I had never heard of this before. It made so much sense to me.
I told my parents what I had learned about the Sabbath, expecting them to share my joy. But my father thought that Adventists were a sect, and he ordered me to stay away from them. He told the dean at school not to let me leave the campus on Saturday, hoping it would end my association with Adventists.
But I had found something beautiful, and I was not ready to give it up. The dean ordered me to sign her book every three hours on Saturday to be sure I did not go to church. She threatened me and gave me extra work to try to force me to obey my father's wishes. But I had found something I could not let go, and when I missed the twelve o'clock sign-in, the dean demanded to know where I had been. It never occurred to me to lie, so I told her I had been in church.
The dean gave me some garden tools and ordered me to go work 'in the school's large garden. I took the tools and told her I would work in the garden on Sunday, for I did not want to break the Sabbath. Her look told me I was in trouble.
(Continued next week)
SELINA MWAKIPUNDA (left) is a secretary at the University of Arusha (formerly Tanzania Adventist College).
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text:
Funeral plans announced for sheriff's deputy killed in crash
Harford County sheriff's Cpl. Charles Licato was 14-year veteran
Funeral arrangements were announced Friday for the Harford County sheriff deputy killed in a crash.
Cpl. Charles Licato, 34, of Cecil County, died at the scene of the crash in Darlington early Thursday morning. A cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Accident investigators who knew Licato worked at the scene even as he was being extracted from the vehicle. Other emergency personnel and deputies stayed with the Licato until his body was delivered to the medical examiner. They said they wanted their colleague to know throughout the whole process they never left his side.
"I think that was an act of courage on their part to do that. That's a very difficult thing to do, but I think it is very indicative of the close bonds and ties we have in law enforcement," Harford County Sheriff Jesse Bane said.
Licato was a 14-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office. His law enforcement career began at the Harford County Detention Center, and he became a patrolman in 2008. He knew his area well and often handed out Sheriff's Office lapel pins to kids.
Licato aspired to join and became a member of the Warrant Apprehension Task Force, which often goes after violent offenders. Banes said the transfer to a more dangerous position speaks to his dedication and his character. The sheriff called him fearless.
"He was a very caring, concerned person, but when he went to work, he was all business, and he was one of our better deputies, and he is going to be sorely missed," Bane said.
Harford County Executive David Craig has ordered all county flags to be flown at half-staff until sunset on the day of the funeral, which is to take place Wednesday.
A viewing and visitation is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday between 2 and 9 p.m. at McComas Funeral Home, 1317 Cokesbury Road in Abingdon.
The funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Mountain Christian Church, 1824 Mountain Road in Joppa. Internment will take place at Bel Air Memorial Gardens.


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(CMT Offstage keeps a 24/7 watch on everything that's happening with country music artists behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.)
There's only one thing that can make a high-end designer suit look even better: a country singer. We know that and, now, so do the men's style experts at GQ magazine . After last week's CMA Awards , they had the sense to point out that the men of country music are the best-dressed musicians out there. And, more specifically, that Dierks Bentley, Tim McGraw and Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood are the best-dressed musicians who were looking good enough to make GQ's elite photo gallery. The look that pretty much clinched it for all four men was the very fitted, skinny-trousered black suit with a crisp white shirt. Kelley wore his with a petite bow tie, but Bentley, McGraw and Haywood all stuck with slim, dark neckties. So simple and classic. The magazine says this group of guys "nails about every point we drive home here at GQ when it comes to things like fit, proportion and keeping things minimal without being boring." So, to recap: Buy nice things, have them tailored and leave the accessories at home.


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|Model No.
|Product Warranty
|12 Years
|System Overview
|Ground Mount
|Mounting System Arrangement
|Tilt Angle
|Wind Load
|Snow Load
|General Data
|Supporting Structure Materials
|Small Parts Materials
|Aluminium, Stainless Steel
|Download Manufacturer's PDF
Design & Advantages
• With our own manufacturing factories established in 1995 for aluminum & steel components, allow for most cost effective solution
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• Components: Pillars, Beams, Rails, Splice kits, Rail clamps, Mid & End clamps, etc.
• Applicable Foundation: Steel Piling
• OEM service & Customized requirements available
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This racking system has passed tension test and compression test, proven to be of high stability and reliability.
Safety first and Quality-oriented is our production philosophy. This system is designed in accordance with standards AS/NZS 1170 and JISC8955:2008, and is accredited with ISO Quality Management System Certification, so quality is highly ensured。
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GOOMAX has our own production bases established in 1995, include aluminium factory and stainless steel factory, covering an area of 120000 square meters. Since our establishment, Goomax has been seeing quality as the enterprise's entire life. From selection of materials to process innovations, from strictly implementing national quality standards to setting up a GM directly governed quality control center, we are taking every step seriously, ensuring each piece of our product is perfect. We sincerely look forward to your visit and guidance, we are expecting to cooperate with you and create mutual beautiful prospects.
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Goomax covers an area of over 120000 square meters, having our own laboratory center, aluminum extrusions production plant, stainless steel production plant, oxidation production lines, spraying production line, casting line, full-automatic production line, mould plant, galvanizing plant, and so on. Goomax has separately set up two large production bases in Nan'an, Fujian Province, and Foshan, Guangdong Province, currently having total staff over 1500, with annual capacity of 800MW and 600MW respectively. Goomax products have been accredited with multiple international and domestic authoritative certificates, such as UL, TUV, AS/NZS1170, GOLDSUN, etc. Goomax has designed & developed various mounting systems with our own patents, which are so excellent that have been highly recognized by many customers.
Management Concept
Since establishment, Goomax has been persisting in the management tenet of "CUSTOMER-oriented, PEACE-loving, HONEST-based, PRAMATIC & Solidarity", sticking to scientific development concept and strict quality control. Goomax has been granted with Quality System Certification ISO9001:2008 and Environmental Management System Certification ISO14001, and was successively accredited as "Fujian Provincial High-tech Enterprise", etc.
Company Honors
Since establishment, we have been adhering to strict quality control and honest business philosophy. Goomax has been granted with Quality System Certification ISO9001:2008 and Environmental Management System Certification ISO14001, and was successively accredited as "Fujian Provincial High-tech Enterprise", etc.
Our products have successfully passed lots of certifications such as UL, TUV, AS/NZS1170 and Golden Sun. Goomax owns many patents, our top quality is well known in the industry.
Corporate Culture
Production Bases
Production Headquarters in Nan'an City, Fujian Stainless Steel Production Center in Foshan City, Guangdong
Sales Network


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Now site sponsor Robotkingdom has confirmed that Takara will be releasing this figure in the Asian market late September/early October. As you can see the figure sports a new deco and chrome. They have also posted a pre-order, the figure is priced at $67.90. A great opportunity for those who missed out on the Target exclusive version!
Robotkingdom wrote:Description :
Pre-order, available late September / early October 2012.
*Full body in white colour, different colour with the Hasbro version, more G1 color accurate!


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Won't Somebody Think Of The Cows? New Zealand On The Brink Of Sacrificing Its Digital Future In TPP Negotiations
from the short-sighted-thinking dept
Even before Wikileaks released the full text of TPP's IP chapter, New Zealand's Creative Freedom Foundation had already been given some hints about what was coming:
Last week the Creative Freedom Foundation participated in a group briefing and Q&A session with David Walker, NZ's Chief Negotiator in the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, and officials Angela Strahl and Yvonne Woutersen.
What the country's TPP negotiators are effectively doing here is to surrender key rights that belong to all New Zealanders, for the sake of some minor, and probably temporary, financial gains for a single industry with powerful lobbyists. That's a terrible bargain for the country's future. If these concessions are made, it will not only impoverish artists and the general public, who will suddenly be prevented from using and building on vast swathes of the digital past, it will also make it far harder to set up 21st-century companies that are based on creativity, not cows.
The meeting made it quite clear that, although the details aren't final, we can expect to lose many remix rights and see a greater 'orphaned works' problem here in New Zealand in exchange for more dairy exports to the U.S. Rather than further protecting artists' rights, this move will prop up a fundamentalist approach to copyright that will drain the pool of works currently accessible to artists who wish to freely build upon them.
NZ's Parallel Importing abilities are likely to stay unchanged, as is the ability to set our own limitations and exceptions to our domestic Copyright law. However, it was strongly hinted at that an extension of our Copyright Term is inevitable.
Follow me @glynmoody on Twitter or identi.ca, and +glynmoody on Google+
Filed Under: copyright, cows, fair use, international trade, new zealand, orphan works, remix, tpp, trade


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Europa League: Eden Hazard sends Chelsea through against Sparta Prague
Eden Hazard notched a last-gasp goal to fire Chelsea into the last 16 of the Europa League against Sparta Prague.
Last Updated: 22/02/13 8:45am
Rafael Benitez's side went into the match boasting a 1-0 advantage from last week's first leg in the Czech Republic, leading the Spaniard to rest Frank Lampard and Branislav Ivanovic ahead of Sunday's trip to Manchester City.
But Sparta took a shock lead - and levelled the tie - on 17 minutes when David Lafata slotted home after Vaclav Kadlec pulled back Marek Matejovsky's quick free-kick.
Misfiring striker Fernando Torres wasted a whole host of first half chances for the Blues, including heading over from 12 yards just before the break after getting between defenders to meet John Obi Mikel's cross.
Soon after the break, Oscar made a great run at the Sparta box before teeing up Ramires, who hit the post with a deflected effort.
Torres was played in one-on-one by Ramires soon afterwards and he tried to lob the on-rushing Tomas Vaclik but the keeper saved.
Chelsea skipper John Terry, who returned to the side after being absent for the first leg, volleyed at goal from 12 yards but Vaclik palmed away.
At the other end, Matejovsky made a strong run before shooting from 25 yards out in the centre but his low effort went just wide of Petr Cech's post.
Mikel then floated a long ball forward to Torres who chested it down to Victor Moses, with the winger letting one fly from 22 yards but Vaclik parried out for a corner, which Sparta subsequently cleared.
Ramires created a yard of space for himself to the right side of the box but pulled his shot wide before Tomas Zapotocny blasted just over from outside the box.
The clash looked to be heading into extra-time before Hazard scored a great individual goal in stoppage time with virtually the last kick of the game to spare the Blues' blushes.
Chelsea will now face Steaua Bucharest in the next round after but this display was far from convincing from the reigning European champions.


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Fully Licensed & Bonded
The La Quinta Inn and Suites-Summerlin Tech Center was recently named a 2013 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award winner! NEW! Samsung Flat-panel TVs with 30 channels of HD programming. Easy-access Plug-and-Play feature makes it simple to connect electronics. The La Quinta Inn & Suites Summerlin Tech Center is in the beautiful Summerlin Community (TPC Golf, businesses, medical centers, including Mountain View Hospital and Sierra Health Services), and the Betty Wilson Soccer Complex. Located on the northwest edge of the city with convenient Highway 95 access, it's a straight shot to the famous Las Vegas Strip, the Convention Center, and McCarran International Airport. From here it is easy to get to Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, UNLV's Thomas and Mack Center for concerts and other venues, and Lee Canyon Ski Resort and Mt. Charleston (30 degrees cooler in the summer than the city). Here for the shopping? Visit Fashion Show Mall and Las Vegas Outlet. The La Quinta Inn & Suites Summerlin Tech Center provides spacious, clean rooms with lots of amenities; including free high-speed Internet access in all rooms, as well as deluxe king rooms with microwaves and refrigerators. We have meeting facilities and a refreshing outdoor swimming pool. Start your morning with our Free Bright Side BreakfastTM and free newspaper.
Looking for something a bit different? Check out our selection of cultural & adventure holidays or if you're looking to go it alone then see our selection of solo holidays.


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Changes related to "Official:Groups and Social Classes"
From Miner Wars 2081 Encyclopedia Wiki
This is a list of changes made recently to pages linked from a specified page (or to members of a specified category). Pages on your watchlist are bold.
No changes on linked pages during the given period.


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Edison assigns blame for broken nuke plant
Owners of the recently retired San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station are blaming the plant's troubles on the manufacturer of faulty replacement steam generators in an effort to recover billions of dollars in costs and investments.
Plant operator and majority owner Southern California Edison notified generator manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan on Thursday that it would dispute the $137.5 million cap on liabilities under a generator contract and warranty agreement.
In the official notice of dispute, Edison "claims that Mitsubishi seriously breached the contract, totally and fundamentally failing to deliver what it promised."
Mitsubishi asserts that the contract remains in effect and that the manufacturer is responsible only for the cost of equipment it supplied, said Frank Gillespie, a senior vice president for Mitsubishi's nuclear unit in the U.S.
If Edison and Mitsubishi cannot reach an agreement directly within 90 days, the dispute would move to a three-member arbitration panel for resolution. Complete terms of the contract were not released because they are considered proprietary.
The dispute may help determine how much Southern California utility customers ultimately pay toward costly efforts to revive a plant that stopped producing power on Jan. 31, 2012.
Edison did not specify how much money it intends to seek from Mitsubishi but provided a broad outline of its claims. Mitsubishi has paid Edison $45 million so far under warranty provisions.
"Mitsubishi should be obligated to compensate Edison and the co-owners (of San Onofre) for the full measure of direct, indirect, incidental, special and consequential damages by Mitsubishi's breach and failures," Edison said in the notice.
In a statement released by Mitsubishi on Thursday night, allowing time for consideration by executives in Japan, the company vowed to aggressively defend itself and challenged the accuracy and legal basis of Edison's accusations.
Mitsubishi maintains that the generator contract specifically precluded consequential damages, such as replacement power costs.
Generators at the San Onofre plant were replaced starting in 2009. Instead of extending the life of the plant's three-decade-old reactors, the botched project led to San Onofre's retirement last month.
The plant was first shut down provisionally on Jan. 31, 2012, because of a radiation leak later traced to unprecedented wear on generator tubes carrying radioactive water.
Edison announced in June that it would retire and dismantle San Onofre, citing mounting expenses and uncertainty that safety regulators would accept a plan to restart one of the reactors at partial power.
Mitsubishi officials have expressed "disappointment" that Edison chose not pursue a plan to restart of the Unit 2 reactor.
Mitsubishi said it had devised repairs to resolve the rapid degradation of generators in the Unit 3 reactor.
Edison said the proposed repairs did not meet contract obligations.
Repair and replacement energy costs since the initial plant outage climbed beyond $700 million, as of March 31.
Southern California utility customers continue to be billed more than $700 million a year for plant operations and maintenance.
Edison has been collecting $120 million a year for the steam generator replacement project, while plant owners seek final authorization for the $768.5 million price tag.
Perhaps most pointedly, Edison has honed in on Mitsubishi's failure to accurately predict steam flows that led to destructive vibrations within the steam generators, calling the outcome an "extreme departure" from industry safety standards.
The California Public Utilities Commission has begun tracking costs under an investigation that could result in refunds to customers, but the state agency has declined so far calls by consumer advocates to reduce authorized revenues for the plant.
San Diego Gas & Electric owns a 20 percent stake in the plant and is responsible for a corresponding share of plant costs.


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18 of the Most Jacked Women on Instagram
These girls with muscles may inspire more than the muscular men out there.Read article
These girls with muscles may inspire more than the muscular men out there.Read article
Here's what has changed, and what has been learned.Read article
With the right plan and the right discipline, you can get seriously shredded in just 28 days.Read article
These training vets take "old man strength" to another level, and they have some wisdom to share.Read article
Protein can be a little like sex: Sometimes you want it fast; sometimes you want it slow; and sometimes a mix is even better. Casein is the fraction of milk protein that clumps afer you consume it, delivering amino acids into your system more slowly and for longer periods of time. In other words, casein is a long romp compared with whey's quick bang.
Casein protein continues to deliver amino acids for at least a couple of hours longer than whey protein when taken in equal supplemental doses (a little more than 20 grams). For this reason, it was once believed that taking casein was best as a meal replacement and also before bed.
More recent research, though, shows that a mix of casein and whey around workouts might be even more efective than either alone. While casein is still the best option before bed and other times when you want aminos to last in your system longer, you can beneficially use casein around workouts, too. Just mix it with an equal portion of whey, or get in a whey-casein blend to help maximize muscle building.
Mixing and matching afords you diferent ways to take advantage of all casein's benefits. – FLEX
Compare some of the slow-digesting products available.


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Se habla Español
1226 Reviews
The Soccer Star Resin is a new design that is simple and well decorated! This is a great participation award for the entire team that displays a unisex theme. Immediate shipping is available to the entire USA!
on orders over $100
Questions about proofs, how to send logos or anything else? Call us now. We are a 50 year old company with cheerful, knowledgeable
people ready to chat, email or talk to you on the phone!
Copyright Ⓒ 2020 Edco Awards & Specialties
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Hello, I am betty, a 23 years old Chinese girl.
I am very good at chinese, especially Mandarin learning.
U're welcomed to share with me the Chinese learing and Chinese culture,
my msn:firstname.lastname@example.com
re:Recommend a good way to learn Chinese
Discussions on the Hakka dialects.
1 post • Page 1 of 1
1 post • Page 1 of 1


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Good morning crafters, how was your weekend?
I hope you all had a nice few days, the weather here is still good so hopefully it will continue for a while longer
Firstly today I have our weekly voucher winner, drawn from the comments that were left on Friday the lucky winner is …
Well done Jackie (Jackie's Crafts), email email@example.com and Lucy will give you your voucher code
Thanks everyone for all your lovely comments, we enjoy reading them and I'll have another voucher next week
Onto todays card and it's time for our final piece of work this month from our fabulous Guest Designer Andrea…
Andrea used a pre-coloured topper on her lovely card from one of our useful art pads, this is from pad 13 'Tis The Season
You can also get this cute image in a stamp and it's called Oh Christmas Tree
Andrea of course finished off with some gorgeous ribbons from The Ribbon Girl which is the online store she runs with her Mum Mary. They have a wonderful selection of ribbon, lace and embellishments and also hold some great challenges and regular giveaways on their blog so do pop over and have a look, you can just click on the links
Thanks very much for joining us Andrea, you can see more of her lovely cards on her own blog here
Tomorrow I'll be introducing the two lovely ladies who each won a Guest DT spot in last months challenge
PS. You still have a few hours left to enter the September ribbon and lace challenge if you've not done so already!
See you tomorrow


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Need a good laugh? A gentle nudge? A kick in the keester?
Below are several video clips that will give you a taste of Kathy's wonderful stage presence and insightful presentations. Click each thumbnail below to view. (Requires Flash Player 8 or newer.)
The Wedding Story
Download an iPod-compatible version of this clip!
Clips about Managing Change
Clips about Value of Humor
Clips about Sandwich Generation
Kathleen the Storyteller
Food for Thought
Demo video produced by The Blink Company.


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- Product Details
- Heavy-gauge steel with porcelain enamel coating.
- Dimensions: 11" Dia x 2" H.
- Made in China.
- Care Instructions: Dishwasher safe, soak in warm soapy water to remove baked on food, lemon juice can be used for stain removal.
- Avoid using abrasive sponges or brushes which may scratch the surface.
- Can use on gas or electric stove and in the oven up to 530ºF.
- Do not microwave.
- Lead and cadmium free.
- Shipping Information
- Items in stock ship within 1 to 2 business days.
- Exceptions may apply for items marked Oversized.
- 30 days return or exchange except on items that are made to order.


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Find your career with MHPS:
Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas offers a comprehensive benefits package. Our vision is to foster a partnership between the company and employees by promoting health and financial wellness. Thus, MHPS' benefits program gives employees and their families a number of options to choose from when selecting benefits that best fit their needs.
If you join our company, in addition to a competitive salary you may be eligible for the following:
Health and Wellness Program
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Prescription Drug Coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Life Insurance and AD&D
• Short/Long-Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Generate Wellness – Health management wellness program
Training & Development
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• On-the-job training
Vacation/Paid Leave Benefits
• Paid Vacation
• 11 Paid Holidays per Year
• Bereavement and Jury Duty
Financial Wellness
• 401(k) Savings Plan with Company Match
• Traditional or Roth Options
• Employee Appreciation Programs & Events
• Mitsubishi Motors VIP Purchase Program
• Additional Corporate Discounts


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More than 100 employees of the Newark Public Schools have received layoff notices, according to an Associated Press report.
Schools spokeswoman Renee Harper said Friday that 129 positions in the state's largest school district will be eliminated, including department chairs and supervisors, effective July 1. Harper says the schools had too many supervisors. Principals will absorb the duties of those laid off, and some may be hired back.
The employees are members of the City Association of Supervisors and Administrators Union. The union says the move will compromise learning and disrupt the implementation of required national standards.
Harper says the moves show that the "status quo is gone" after the district approved a landmark contract in November. That contract allowed educators to earn more earlier in their careers and offered bonuses for teaching in low-performing schools and hard-to-staff subjects.
How do you think the layoffs will affect education in Newark?


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- Prayer and Worship
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The committee assists the bishops, both individually and collectively, by providing direction for the Conference in the ongoing implementation of the 1983 Code of Canon Law and 1990 Code of Canons for the Eastern Churches and in the interpretation of particular law issued by the Conference. The committee also addresses issues from a canonical perspective related to the pastoral practices (discipline) of the Church, and it provides a forum wherein the Conference offers a possible means for the resolution of disputes or disagreements that occasionally arise between or with regard to dioceses. The committee further attends to issues concerning relations between Eastern and Latin churches.
This mandate includes the following areas of responsibility: Canonical affairs, relations between Eastern and Latin Churches, boundaries of dioceses and provinces, selection of bishops, conciliation and arbitration, diocesan financial reports, and canonical questions concerning pastoral practices.
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Dj Khaled B-Day Bash/Ace Hood Album Release Party (Young Jeezy. Busta Rhymes, Juelz Santana. Rick Ross. Brisco. Flo-Rida. Terrence & Rocsi Come Through)
Jordan Tower reports "ace hood album in stores nowwww!!!! Release party crazy everyone was there! Jordan tower films! Jtf to the death!"
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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Balance Disorders Quiz
Although millions of Americans have balanced disorders, they can be difficult to diagnose. That's because dizziness--a common symptom--is such a broad term.
Birth Defects Quiz
Here's a tough one: When is an unborn baby most at risk of developing abnormalities?
Blood Count Quiz
The last time you visited your doctor for an illness, he or she might have ordered a CBC test to help determine the diagnosis. CBC stands for complete blood count, but what does that mean? And what do all those numbers on the result sheet mean? Find out by taking this quiz.
Blood Pressure Quiz
Do you know your risk factors for high blood pressure? You can't do anything about some risk factors. But other risk factors can be changed. Learn about the risk factors for high blood pressure by taking this quiz.
Blood Transfusion Quiz
Every year, millions of Americans roll up their sleeves to donate blood, helping accident victims, surgical patient and others in need. How much do you know about blood transfusions? Take this multiple-choice test and find out.
Botulism Quiz
Botulism is rare, but extremely dangerous. This quiz will help you learn how to make sure the food you eat is safe.
Breast Cancer Quiz
True or false: Most of the lumps women find when checking their breasts aren't cancerous.
Breastfeeding Quiz
Breastfeeding is filled with benefits to your child and you. Do you know what they are?
Bruxism Quiz
Are you clenching your teeth and don't even know it? Find out about bruxism by taking this quiz.
Bunions, Corns and Hammertoes Quiz
Did you know that untreated bunions may lead to arthritis? Take this quiz and find out how to take care of your feet.
Burns Quiz
Burns can occur anytime of year, but the summertime can hold special hazards because many of us are outdoors doing yard work, grilling or boating. More than a million burn injuries occur each year, Introduction: What Do You Know About Burns?
Caffeine Quiz
Is there a link between heavy caffeine consumption and osteoporosis? Find out when you take this quiz.
Calcium Quiz
True or false: If you don't get enough calcium in your diet, your body will take the calcium it needs from your bones.
Cancer Warning Signs Quiz
Any sudden or progressive change in a mole's appearance could be an indication of skin cancer.
Car Safety Quiz
True or false: If someone is following your car too closely, you should gently tap your brakes as a warning.
Carpal Tunnel Quiz
The carpal tunnel is a pathway inside your wrist that carries the median nerve from your arm to your hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that affects your hand. Test your knowledge of carpal tunnel syndrome by taking this quiz.
Cat Scratch Disease Quiz
There are millions of pet cats in the U.S. Sometimes cats can cause an illness called cat scratch disease. Find out more about this illness by taking this quiz.
Cataracts Quiz
Cataracts are a common eye problem among older adults.
Celiac Disease Quiz
Celiac disease is a digestive disease that can affect children and adults alike. Also known as celiac sprue ("sprue" means you can't absorb nutrients from food), this disease is the most common genetic disease in Europe and is considered significantly underdiagnosed in the United States. Learn more about the disease by taking this quiz.
Cervical Cancer Quiz
Death rates from cervical cancer are dropping, because more women are being screened. To learn more about cervical cancer and prevention, take this quiz.
Child Development Quiz
Answer this one: When riding in a motor vehicle, how tall should a child be to sit in a regular seat and use an adult seat belt instead of a being strapped into a car safety seat or booster seat?
Childhood Asthma Quiz
Asthma is a disease that affects the lungs. It is the most common long-term disease of children. Test your knowledge of living with asthma with this quiz.
Chlamydia Quiz
Answer this one: The STD chlamydia is a bacterium that is transmitted through intimate physical contact. What's the most common means of transmission?
Cholesterol Quiz
An excess of cholesterol can build up in the arteries, narrowing them and slowing or blocking blood flow to the heart. Take this quiz to learn more about cholesterol and its role in your health.
'Choose My Plate' Quiz
How many cups of vegetables should you eat each day? How about milk? Meat? The My Plate eating plan can help you find out.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Quiz
We all get tired. Many of us have felt depressed at times. But the mystery known as chronic fatigue syndrome is not like the normal ups and downs we experience in everyday life.
Colorectal Cancer: Test Your Knowledge
True or false: Colorectal cancer—cancer of the colon or rectum—is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
Common Cold Quiz
True or false: More than 200 viruses cause colds.
Concussion Quiz
A concussion is caused by a blow or jolt to the head. It is also called a traumatic brain injury. Find out more about concussions by taking this quiz.
Constipation Quiz
Find out more about constipation by taking this quiz.
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Apple shares dropped to a level not seen since the death of founder and former chief Steve Jobs.
Shares dropped $10.75 Thursday and closed at $392.05, only about 4 percent from the price of stock the day Jobs died, according to USA Today. That's a 44 percent drop from Apple's high of $702.10 on Sept. 19, 2012. This means that $291 billion has just disappeared into the Wall Street ether.
Analysts say that the reason for the drop is based on Jobs's death because he was the company's visionary. Now, Apple is "becoming just another stock," Frank Longman, an analyst at Brean Capital, told USA Today. "The phenomenon is unwinding."
U.S. & World
Virginia Tech professor of finance Ugur Lel agreed. "It's not just a short-term reaction, but a (cause) of long-term declines in stock prices," he said.