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Glen Park Elementary School
Website: http://www.glenparkschool.org/
Location: 151 Lippard Ave., San Francisco, CA 94131, Glen Park
Grades: K-5
Total Enrollment: Approximately 329
Kindergarten Size: 66 – two General Education classes of 22, one Spanish Biliteracy Pathway class of 22 (for native Spanish speakers only)
Time: 8:40am-2:40pm
Aftercare: ExCEL and SF Arts & Ed
As expected, it did not take me long to get to Glen Park Elementary. Familiar as I am with the area, I decided not to bother trying to find parking super-close to the school. So I drove halfway – just far enough to get me down the hill – and then walked the rest of the way. It was about 12 minutes all in. Not too bad, though it would be a slower walk with my son.
Unfortunately, I missed the Morning Circle out in the yard, although it must have been rather short because it started at 8:40 and I walked up to the yard at about 8:44!
The formal tour did not start until 9, so after I checked in at the office, I looked at some of the information and colorful art and projects on the hallway walls. The hallways were wide and open with lots of bright sunshine coming in – it all set the tone of a very warm and inviting space.
Principal Jean Robertson, who is in her third year, introduced herself and started the tour. She may be my favorite SFUSD principal this touring season. She seems like she really loves the community and has big goals for the school. She answered questions and discussed various topics during the tour and at the brief Q&A at the end. We were joined for the whole tour by Michael, a special staff person, and were joined by the PTO president partway through the tour.
Literacy Lab
The first stop on our tour was the literacy lab. They use an online program called RAZ, which is a leveled literacy program. Each student has an account and can use the program when they visit the literacy lab and at home. Small groups of students work in the literacy lab in the morning, and an entire classes can visit the lab in the afternoon. The school specifically identifies first and second grade students who are not reading at grade level, and those students in particular get daily literacy intervention in the lab so the school can get those kids to grade level as early as possible.
We entered the literacy lab where the literacy specialist was working at a table with four students. There also happened to be a group of biliteracy pathway students working in another area of the room.
The literacy specialist is half time, although they are trying to get her funded full-time next year.
Kindergarten Classrooms & Yard
The school has three kindergarten classes. Two are General Education and one is the Spanish biliteracy pathway for native Spanish speakers. In each K-3 grade there are 2 GE classes and 1 biliteracy class. At 4th grade, the biliteracy pathway students are combined with the GE students. We were told that the school and district are moving toward trying to have a biliteracy period for 4th and 5th grades so that while these students are still mastering English, they do not lose their native language and literacy. Apparently, SFUSD is working on plans to try preserve some biliteracy through 12th grade.
The first kindergarten we visited was the biliteracy class. The classroom was generously-sized and had big windows. When we walked in, the students were on their backs on ground counting and moving their legs like they were riding bicycles while the teacher was singing and banging on a drum. The kids were clearly enjoying it. They then gathered on the rug with the teacher and began working on days of the week in Spanish, reciting the names while looking at the words on cards the teacher was holding. The teacher was really lovely and the kids were so responsive to her, though my kids would not be lucky enough to be her students if we landed at Glen Park.
We then visited one of the GE kindergarten classrooms. The classroom was a corner room so there were big windows taking up much of two of the walls, making it very bright and cheerful with all that natural light. I believe there was a bathroom in the classroom and that all the K classrooms have their own bathroom. We were told that once the kids get to first grade, they use the main hallway bathrooms with all the other children.
The teacher was about to begin reading Jack in the Beanstalk. She was talking with the kids about how the day before they had read a different version of the story and that day they would see how a different author and illustrator told the same story. This was apparently in part in preparation for them to go see a live performance of Jack and the Beanstalk, and to think about differences they might see in the version of the story in the play. The kids were engaged and so focused. They were seated on the rug, and there were rectangular tables in the room with their names at their places.
We then visited the kindergarten yard, which seemed a bit small. The principal noted that she thought it was kind of small when she first arrived, but she said the kids do not seem to mind and both parents and teachers find it to be a good size for the kindergartners. There was a climbing play structure with a couple of slides. The kindergartners also have their lunch recess in this yard.
The principal emphasized that there should be a balance of play and academics for kindergartners because they are still kids and play is learning. For her, kids should stay kids as long as possible. I absolutely agree with that.
We did visit the third kindergarten (other GE) classroom even though there was a substitute, as the teacher was out doing professional development. The substitute was one that teacher regularly uses. The students were gathered around the teacher on the rug discussing a story they had just read. The kids were incredibly sweet and focused even with the substitute, answering questions from the principal and even thanking her when she complimented them on how nice their classroom looked. This class was a corner classroom as well so it also featured big windows on two sides and lots of natural light.
Grades 1-5 Yard and Garden Space
We then went out to look at the big yards for the older kids. There were several sections to the yard space and, along with the garden, which is between two parts of the yard, the main outdoor space stretches the length of the Brompton Avenue side of the school. I love that there is a huge amount of space for play.
The first section of the yard was large with basketball hoops and various yard markings. We saw the Playworks coach setting up for recess. Playworks is funded by the PTO. They Playworks coach monitors recesses and students have "game time" with her once per week where they play cooperative games. There are also fourth and fifth graders who are selected to be junior coaches and given special training so that they can help at recess.
The next stop was the nice-sized garden. Currently, the PTO funds the garden teacher, who is subsidized by Education Outside. Although next year, that fee will increase. We briefly listened in to a first grade class that was learning about meteorology in the garden. The school is also planning to continue to expand the garden to other parts of the outdoor space.
Past the garden was another play yard, and then a third lower yard. That third yard area had a large canopy, which was apparently required by the bond money used to renovate the school. But there was no money provided to put anything under the shade so the school applied for and received a grant from Lowe's for picnic tables. That seating area is used for a variety of activities, including chess club meetings.
We did not see it, but we were told that there is another small yard on the Bosworth side of the school with a play structure, but only one grade at a time has access to it. So, for example, first and second grade will be at recess together and all will be on the big yard. But, for the first recess, perhaps only the first graders have access to that smaller yard and structure, and then, at lunch recess, the second graders get access to it, etc.
There also outside bathrooms accessible from the yards.
Cafeteria & Aftercare
We next visited the cafeteria, where the students have lunch and the after school program starts. It did not look that big, but it sounded like they had up to three grades having lunch at a time. For K-2, the kindergartners come down first and get about 10 to 15 minutes on their own in the cafeteria. Then the first and second graders come down for lunch. After this point, the kindergartners are slowly moved out to their yard for after-lunch recess as they finish eating. The first and the second graders get escorted out to yard in groups, as different tables finish up. And then the same thing is done with the third through fifth graders.
Aftercare starts in the cafeteria. The after school program is fee-based and generally everyone gets in. There are currently 255 kids in the aftercare program. The program is run by SF Arts and Education. Lots of enrichment is offered, including photography, movie making, tae kwon do, cooking, STEM, and knitting.
We then moved to the school's lovely auditorium, which had a stage and an open floor. They use it daily for aftercare, for big physical activity on rainy days, and for assemblies, including author visits, the SF Symphony (which visits all the SFUSD schools), etc. When Principal Robertson arrived, the school did not have many assemblies.
They have a weekly Tootle Tuesday assembly. Tootles are the opposite of "tattles", and are notes from teachers thanking students for doing good things. The tootles are presented at the assembly. They also have two kids per month who get to be the mascots, dressing up as Tootles. They have an inspirational speaker at the Tootle Tuesday assembly, and it is usually someone from outside the school who comes to speak to the kids.
Fifth Grade Classroom
We also were able to visit a fifth-grade classroom, which was huge and possibly the least crowded-looking public school upper grade classroom that I have seen on a tour (though lots of school do not really let us see those upper grade classes). The room was rather long, but not that narrow. The students had the big rectangle desks, organized into tables of 2 to 4 desks. There were also computers in the classroom. The classroom just had a great vibe and the kids were buzzing about actively learning.
We ended the tour at the library, which upon entering I realized was actually twice as big as I had initially thought when I peeked in before the tour. It was huge and packed with books. They have a half time librarian, supplemented by parent volunteers.
PAX & Restorative Practices
The school is a PAX school. PAX is a program for teaching "self-regulation, self-control, and self-management while collaborating with others for peace, productivity, health and happiness."
The school is also starting to implement restorative practices and restorative circles.
Michael, the staff member who accompanied the principal on the tour, has a unique role at the school. His job is a stipend position where he supports the kids in third through fifth grade as an additional adult encouraging positive behavior. He writes the grants that fund the position. He is also the activities director for the mascot so he helps pick the two kids each month for the role and works with them for the assemblies and other appearances. He supports the PAX program as well as the restorative practices efforts. He previously worked in other public schools, including at Harvey Milk in their aftercare program. His role seemed like a great extra source of support for the school and its students.
Regarding differentiation, they do assessments throughout the year, and I did see Fountas and Pinnell chart in the literacy lab. In terms of lessons about phonics for kids who are already reading, the principal noted that it is still valuable for early readers to sit through those lessons. Sometimes when students do group work, it is with kids of the same skill level but sometimes the groups are heterogeneous because that can be useful for learning too.
At this point, the principal had to leave and the PTO president and Michael took over.
Homework Policy
For the two GE kindergarten teachers, one assigns one sheet per day and the other class gets one packet per week. The PTO president's first grader gets a weekly packet. They noted that in the fifth grade classroom we visited, for some of the homework, the kids have the choice and the opportunity to either complete it in class or at home. Aftercare does include homework help although it is not meant to be an academic program.
PTO Fundraising & Involvement
Last year the PTO raised $60,000. They anticipate they are going to raise a lot more than that this school year. The PTO's big priority is supporting Playworks. They also fund some field trips, 4 Family STEAM nights, and technology. The PTO also just gave teachers $1000 per grade level to fund whatever the teachers need.
Parents volunteer quite a bit in the classrooms, in the library, and on field trips. Parent involvement tends to be highest in kindergarten and first grade, and as kids get older there seems to be less in-classroom involvement as parents go back to work.
No Sugar Policy
The school has a no-sugar policy. The PTO also has a Healthy Families Committee that is working to get healthy snacks into the classroom.
Recent Changes in School Population and Leadership
The PTO president was asked how the school has changed since she has been there. She noted that there was a big change from the old principal to the new one, as well as the school becoming more of a neighborhood school. She noted that Principal Robertson is very open to parent involvement and proposing ideas.
Final Thoughts
I left wondering whether I should have put Glen Park a little higher on my list. It is definitely an exciting school with a growing PTO and what appears to be a pretty fantastic principal with a great vision. We are just outside the neighborhood, but close by enough to hopefully not feel out of place as it becomes more of a neighborhood school. And as with some of the other schools I have toured, we know a few families, and the built-in community is a plus – I even ran into a Glen Park Elementary parent I knew on the tour! Overall, it would another great place to land.


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The Claude François mystery
- 02 June 2009 at 13:46
- Gossip, Tombé pour la France
More than thirty years after his death, French singing legend Claude François' disappearance is still a mystery. The official version claims he electrocuted himself by repairing a bulb while taking a bath, but there's still doubt, as some think this explanation is too stupid. Thus, La Mauvaise Langue claimed:
Indeed, Claude François wasn't openly GAY which explains the lack of understanding from some people. However, it's also been said that late Claude Français, R.I.P., had been wildly receiving anal sex from a Senegalese, which would have cause inner bleeding then death. Which raises some doubts regarding the deceased's very intelligence. Was he stupid enough to change a light bulb naked in his bath...
To what I replied:
I heard he had electrocuted himself with a vibrator. But I have always wondered: in those days, did you have to plug vibrators?! Because it's not really practical, or you need one, or even several extensions. But it's still not very credible, you're not gonna put on a 5000V dildo and then dive into your bathtub... unless you're trying to make a statement to posterity. Claude François's death is even stronger than thse Da Vinci Code.
I searched Internet quickly but I have only found teenagers claiming that their teachers supported the vibrator theory to them. Like what, we really need to reform the Education Nationale in France, if teachers don't even respect the official version! I also found the hypothesis of the one-litre glass bottle which would have exploded Cloclo's arse (after this one, I guess, inserted it in himself, or let someone else insert it, or even unfortunately fell on it), causing internal bleeding, which meets La Mauvaise Langue's idea.
Some other people claim he's not even dead, that he left for a desert island with Elvis, Marylin and huge champagne boxes...
But the best one is Maxim's, from Agoravox, who claims Cloclo was a secret agent whose songs contained hidden messages (thinking of it, singing "If I had a hammer", in the middle of the Cold War, was it some kind of praise to the communist regime?!) and was killed by one of his dancers (the "clodettes"), who was also a secret agent and knew that the light bulb in the bathroom was bugged and linked to secret services in South Balouchistan! She would then have modified the small machine in order that it electrocutes the French 70ies' idol. Really, congratulations to Maxim, I would never have thought of it, and this is probably the most credible theory.

subset: commoncrawl


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Here are some of Gwen's stats!
20 pounds.
1st tooth has come in, mamelons and all! (PS. Gwen makes learning teeth eruption so much easier than my textbooks. Her tooth is number "P"!)
When she is happy, she'll say, "Dadadadadadada!"
When she is so, so, so sad, she says, "Mamamama."
Mini loves to sing. If she can hear you singing, she'll start singing too! She'll stop when you stop, and start when you start. She's so fabulous.
She can rock back and forth on her hands and knees, and she can do push-ups.
Gwen wakes up in the middle of the night to eat, and her rolls are a testimony of her appetite.
She loves eating my backpack.
She still loves swimming.
She loves noise. Any kind of noise, except for thunder and when Jake moves rocks on our apartment drive thing, makes Gwen smile and laugh and wiggle!
Gwen is extremely mobile. We can't leave her on our bed like we used to because she scoots backwards, right off! Also, she loves hiding under our bed and when we can't find her, we'll look under the bed, and she's just smiling and waiting to be found!
She loves peekaboo.
Her hair is so long in front that it's starting to get in her eyes!
|6 months of chunky.
|Modelling her chunk.
|Her tooth!
|Just hanging with her bestie, Lydia. Lydia and Gwendolyn forever.
|She tells me to go to school with this face.
|Rachel, Will, and Gwen, aka the twins!
|Gwen drank water, and she loved it.
|Will and Gwen discussing their serious friendship.
|This picture is perfection.
|She loves playing with that mat!
|Her first time getting up on her hands and toes!
|Gwennie and Will!
|Gwen eating Will, and him being okay with it.
|"That's enough, Mom."


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View Civil War on the Western Border - Partner Organizations in a larger map
See all items contributed by the Nancy Hillyard Hampton Library and Archival Center >
The Nancy Hillyard Hampton Library and Archival Center (formerly known as the St. Joseph Museums Reference Library) contains non-circulating local and regional history information, as well as the Archives of the St. Joseph Museums. The Museums' mission is the collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting items that reflect the interests and history of the St. Joseph area and its citizens. The Center is open by appointment only and is contingent on staff availability.
In 2004, the St. Joseph Museums, Inc., moved its main office, reference library and archives to 3406 Frederick Avenue. In 2012, the library and archives were re-named the Nancy Hillyard Hampton Library and Archival Center in honor of Mrs. Hampton's more than 30 years of volunteer service to the St. Joseph Museums.
The areas of research covered by the Center include the history of St. Joseph and the surrounding area, the role of St. Joseph during the Westward Expansion, the Pony Express, the Civil War (local and general history), Jesse James, and the American Indians of North America. The Center also has the Eckel/Brunner Architectural Collection, featuring blueprints, correspondence, and other documents relating to architect Edmond J. Eckel and his successors.
3406 Frederick Avenue
St Joseph, MO 64506


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For God and Country: Faith and Patriotism Under Fire
PublicAffairs, Oct 11, 2005 - Biography & Autobiography - 240 pages
In 2001, Captain James "Yusuf" Yee was commissioned as one of the first Muslim chaplains in the United States Army. After the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001, he became a frequent government spokesman, helping to educate soldiers about Islam and build understanding throughout the military. Subsequently, Chaplain Yee was selected to serve as the Muslim Chaplain at Guantanamo Bay, where nearly 700 detainees captured in the war on terror were being held as "unlawful combatants."
In September 2003, after serving at Guantanamo for ten months in a role that gave him unrestricted access to the detainees--and after receiving numerous awards for his service there--Chaplain Yee was secretly arrested on his way to meet his wife and daughter for a routine two-week leave. He was locked away in a navy prison, subject to much of the same treatment that had been imposed on the Guantanamo detainees. Wrongfully accused of spying, and aiding the Taliban and Al Qaeda, Yee spent 76 excruciating days in solitary confinement and was threatened with the death penalty.
After the U.S. government determined it had made a grave mistake in its original allegations, it vindictively charged him with adultery and computer pornography. In the end all criminal charges were dropped and Chaplain Yee's record wiped clean. But his reputation was tarnished, and what has been a promising military career was left in ruins.
Depicting a journey of faith and service, Chaplain Yee's For God and Country is the story of a pioneering officer in the U.S. Army, who became a victim of the post-September 11 paranoia that gripped a starkly fearful nation. And it poses a fundamental question: If our country cannot be loyal to even the most patriotic Americans, can it remain loyal to itself?
What people are saying - Write a review
LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - heina - LibraryThing
A very engaging, well-written work. Chaplain Yee is an inspiration to all Americans who believe in American justice (especially due process). I met him and he signed my book; he is a very articulate man with no resentment and nothing to hide. Read full review
LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - addict - LibraryThing
detention center for War on Terror detainees-for most of 2003 before his Catch-22esque descent into a military inquiry fueled by suspicion of his faith, not evidence of his alleged wrongdoing. A ... Read full review
o n e The Arrest
t w o Terribly Ammerican
t h r e e Welcome to Gitmo
f o u r Caged In Camp Delta
f i v e Muslim Troopers
s i x Chaplain on the Block
s e v e n Gitmos Secret Weapon
e i g h t Suspicion in the Ranks
n i n e YEE 2253


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When I first 'met' Lara, she wasn't yet Lara. She was Tina St. John, historical romance writer.
Now she writes vampires, my absolute favorite amongst the myriad paranormal creatures. I don't know about you, but I know I'm one person who's glad she made the switch.
1. On a scale of one to ten, rank your current level of insanity–where ten is belongs-in-lunatic-asylum insane–and tell us why.
As I write this, there are less than three weeks before Kiss of Midnight goes on sale, then a mere four weeks later, Kiss of Crimson follows. As if that would not induce enough insanity on its own, I also have a book due at the end of May. Strangely enough, I'm not ready to have myself committed yet, so I guess I'd have to say I'm only mildly insane at the moment. On your scale, I'm about a 4.
2. Please tell me that you were kidding when you told me Happy Monday. Because, you know, normal people don't like Mondays. *g*
Hah! You assume I'm normal! Actually, since my writing is my full-time (way more than full-time!) in-home business, I don't keep regular hours or workdays. For me, every day is Monday . . . or Friday. It all depends on your perspective.
3. From Tina St. John… Historicals. Some say it's a dead subgenre. Others say it's going to the the next big thing, again. What drew you to writing historicals, rather than books with contemporary settings?
When I was first toying with the idea of writing a book–way back in the dark ages of 1995–I had just discovered romance novels, and historical romance in particular. I loved the pageantry and mystique of historicals, and as it happened the idea I had for my first novel was a medieval. That manuscript sold out of the slush pile at Ballantine as part of a two-book contract and to my astonishment, I was suddenly on my way to becoming a medieval romance author. J
I really enjoyed writing all seven of my medievals, and I certainly gave them my all, but as a reader, I love thrillers, romantic suspense, and dark paranormals more than any other genres. I grew up reading Stephen King, John Saul, Dean Koontz, etc., and Anne Rice definitely helped fuel my love for vampires. So when Ballantine declined to renew me for the last book in my medieval paranormal series due to soft sales, I was very happy to be able to try my hand at something dark and contemporary.
4. …to Lara Adrian, and paranormals. Do you think you can go back to having to research instead of making up rules as you go along?
Oh, make no mistake, there is still a lot of research that goes into my paranormals! Now, instead of learning the ins and outs of destriers, chain mail, and broadswords, I'm researching expensive cars and gadgets, explosives, narcotics, and 9mm handguns. The FBI would find my Google search history quite interesting, I'm sure!
What I do love about a contemporary setting is that my characters are not restricted in terms of social class, occupation, or ethnic background. It's a big wide world out there, and finally I have the chance to make my characters a part of it. I also love being able to write in a voice that comes naturally to me. Can I just say how liberating it is to not have to stop and reword every line so that it has an historical cadence?! And of course the fact that I'm writing paranormals is all kinds of creative fun.
5. It's a little different for you, since your last few books were paranormal/fantasy historicals. But do you think there will be reader backlash anyway?
I'm not sure I had enough readers for there to be much of a backlash! I hope that some–if not all–of my medieval readers will follow me on this new creative path, but I expect I'll lose some along the way. I'd be lying if I said reader backlash was no concern at all, because I truly hate disappointing people and I've made a lot of wonderful reader friends through my medievals. But creatively–as well as professionally–this was a change I needed to make, and I've never been happier.
6. Your pseudonym's got a very hip feel that absolutely fits with the Midnight Breed series. How did you pick it?
I'm glad you like my new name–thanks! I wanted something that felt contemporary, and Adrian was my first choice as a surname because I read somewhere that it means "dark one." Originally I'd chosen Mia as my first name–sort of a wink to myself that my new pen name would roughly mean, "Me, the dark one."
Both my publisher and my agent thought Mia was too perky for my writing style, so after a bit of brainstorming with my husband, we settled on Lara. Oddly enough, and I'd forgotten this until well after the fact, there is a background character named Lara in one of my medieval paranormals. Unfortunately for her, she touched something she shouldn't have and perished in a dark magic ball of flames. I hope I have a better future ahead of me than that!
Lara Adrian blogs and MySpaces. Kiss Of Midnight is her current release, and Kiss of Crimson follows in just four weeks. Midnight Awakening is her current work-in-progress and will be released in December.


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Ragweeds Farm Dog Handbook
by Anne Vittur Kennedy
Published by Candlewick Press, 2015
32 pages
Ages 4-8
A how-to handbook offering sage advice from an experienced farm dog begins, Heres the first thing you need to know: The rooster wakes the farmer early in the morning. Thats his job. Thats not your job. Dont wake the farmer. You will really, really want to wake the farmer If you DO wake the farmer, you can get a biscuit just to go away. Each lesson proves to be a slight variation on this theme as Ragweed, one of the most entertaining and authentic canine narrators ever to speak from the pages of a picture book, lays out who does what on the farm, what not to do as a farm dog, and how doing it anyway will generally result in a biscuit (or three!). Ragweeds enthusiasm and almost single-minded focus on biscuits is consistent and convincingly doglike, while the occasional variation on the pattern only adds to the humor. (If the farmer is away, chase the sheep! No biscuit. Its just worth it.). Anne Vittur Kennedys pairs her terrific narrative with illustrations full of color and movement. Ragweeds joy in the life he lives is irresistible. Highly Commended, 2016 Charlotte Zolotow Award © Cooperative Children's Book Center


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Client-Side Java Gets A Boost
Page 1 of 2
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Sun Microsystems is working to make good on the many promises related to client-side computing that it first made earlier this year at JavaOne -- although it admits parts of the effort may be some ways off.
During that show, the company introduced its new client-side technology, JavaFX, which would compete with Adobe's AIR and Microsoft's Silverlight. It also promised a future update of Java SE would offer considerably improved performance, particularly in areas related to startup.
Speaking here with journalists yesterday, Sun officials said the effort is underway, but could still take years because of its dependence on making massive changes in Java SE.
In the meantime, the company sought to clear up uncertainty among developers surrounding what JavaFX will involve.
"There has been a certain amount of confusion of which pieces are what and where they go," James Gosling, a Sun Fellow and the creator of the Java language, said yesterday. "Its a complicated landscape of puzzle pieces that fit together."
The company said JavaFX, which is built on Java SE, will be designed to bridge the gap between Web designers (the ones who took art courses in college, as he put it) and developers (or the ones who took computer science). JavaFX Script will be a scripting language like PHP or Python, but focusing on rich user interactions.
One concern has been that building JavaFX Script applications will require a developer environment, and Sun isn't exactly known as an IDE company. However, it said its content creation tools would come in the form of a plug-in that works with either Adobe's Photoshop or Flash CS3.
On the wireless side, Sun said JavaFX Mobile will be built on the assets of SavaJe Technologies, which the company acquired in April of this year. However, one change is that JavaFX Mobile will be based on Java SE, not ME, as has been the tradition for mobile phone.
"It's an attempt to get uniformity by having the same bits on all phones, to have the same commonality on all OSes, so you have interoperability," Gosling said.
Major update ahead for Java SE
Sun officials also discussed the next significant release of Java SE, currently dubbed Java SE Update N -- since the release does not yet have a release number or a name approved by Sun's lawyers.
The release is available in an early-access form now, with most features functional. Some portions, especially kernel-related features, are still in internal testing, according to Chet Haase, a Java SE client architect at Sun. Haase added that a beta release is planned for December.
When Update N ships, Sun is banking that it will address some of the issues facing the consumer space -- most notably the browser plug-in system and startup performance. Gosling called the present level of browser support a mess, due to upgrades, lawsuits and patchwork fixes.
Ken Russell of the Java SE deployment team said support for Java applets would get a "ground-up rewrite."
"This is important for both consumers and enterprises," he said. "This will change how your poker game in your browser is run and how your enterprise corporate app will be run."


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Everyone who aspires to set up an art gallery does so knowing that maintaining the gallery is likely to be an expensive affair. Actually, people who are considering setting up art galleries normally have budgeting sessions, where they try to come up with projections on what the maintenance of the galleries is likely to cost. In my experience, however, there are certain gallery maintenance expenses that are often overlooked when coming up with such projections, sometimes leading to financial crises.
One gallery maintenance expense that is often overlooked is that which is related to lighting. People assume that the lighting bill for a gallery are likely to be low, just like normal household lighting bills. But then, you have to appreciate that the lighting needs for an art gallery are different, with these sorts of facilities requiring much more expensive lighting.
Another gallery maintenance expense that is often overlooked is that which is related to keeping the gallery grounds/precincts presentable. The costs related to this can add up to significant sums of money in the long run. Often, the walls of the gallery have to painted in a unique manner, with the lawns around the gallery having to be tastefully landscaped. That can cost quite a bit of money, which is often overlooked, when forecasting gallery maintenance expenses.
We have yet another gallery maintenance expense that is often overlooked: that which is related to buying publicity for the gallery. In other words, this is a promotional expense. We often forget that in order to get art lovers to visit an art gallery and savor the works on display there, they (the art lovers) have to know about the existence of the gallery in the first place. This is what necessitates the publicity costs: where the presence/existence of the gallery has to be publicized in art magazines, in websites visited by art lovers… and so on.


text:
The graphics memory of my notebook is 2.5 GB , 1 GB dedicated memory. After installing Ubuntu 12.04, I activated the graphics card from Applications->additional drivers. I have dual boot, all high end games are working fine without any issues in Windows 7 but games are very slow in Ubuntu.
The games that I have installed in Ubuntu are Warzone2100, 0AD, ManiaDrive and Scorched 3D. All the games are playing but very slow response and poor graphics. I have seen the gameplay videos of these games, they are good esp Warzone2100 and 0AD.
My Questions:
- How to check the graphics memory ?
- Why the games respond very slow ? Please provide the solution to improve it.
I love using Ubuntu but for games I depend on Windows 7.. I do not expect to run high end graphics games in Ubuntu but I would like to play Warzone and 0AD without any problem. Help me.
System info:
Product Name: HP g6-1209ax
Product Number: A3V45PA
Microprocessor: 2.3 GHz/1.4 GHz AMD Quad-Core A6-3400M
Microprocessor Cache: 4 MB L2 cache
Memory: 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
Max Memory: Upgradeable to 8 GB DDR3
Video Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6470M (1 GB DDR3 dedicated)
Display: 15.6" High-Definition LED HP Brightview Display (1366 x 768)
Hard Drive: 500 GB SATA (5400 rpm)


text:
03 April 1997
Communication No. 558/1993; U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/59/D/558/1993
human rights committee
|Fifty-Ninth Session
|24 March – 11 April 1997
Giosue Canepa
|Return Home
1. The author of the communication, dated 16 April 1993, is Giosue Canepa, an Italian citizen, at the time of submission of the communication under deportation order in Canada. He claims to be a victim of a violation of articles 7, 12, paragraph 4, 17 and 23, paragraph 1, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by Canada. He is represented by counsel.
2.1 The author was born in Italy in January 1962; at the age of five, he emigrated to Canada with his parents. After the family settled in Canada, a younger brother was born, who is Canadian by birth. The author has extended family in Italy, knows some Italian, but does not feel any meaningful connection with the country.
2.2 For most of his life, the author considered himself to be a Canadian citizen. It was only when he was contacted by immigration officials because of his criminal convictions that he realized that he was a permanent resident. Between 1978 and 1987, the author was convicted on 37 occasions, mostly related to breaking and entering, theft, or possession of narcotics. On several occasions, he was sentenced to imprisonment. Counsel notes that the author's convictions are attributable to her client's addiction to heroin which he developed at the age of 13. He has no record of violence. Counsel notes that the author received no drug rehabilitation treatment while in prison, but on his own initiative attempted in 1988 to overcome his addiction. He was able to remain drug-free until 1990, when he became depressed over his immigration situation and returned to drug use. In 1990, he was again convicted of possession of a narcotic and imprisoned for 18 months. After his release in January 1993 he resumed living at home with his parents and his brother. He was still addicted to heroin and committed further offences shortly after his release; he was convicted on further charges of breaking and entering and was serving a one-year prison term at the time of the submission of the communication.
2.3 On 1 May 1985, the author was ordered deported on the basis of his criminal convictions. The author appealed the deportation order to the Immigration Appeal Board. The Board heard his appeal on 25 February 1988 and dismissed it by judgement of 30 March 1988. On 26 April 1988, the author petitioned the Federal Court of Appeal for leave to appeal of the decision of the Immigration Appeal Board. On 31 August 1988 leave to appeal was granted. The Federal Court of Appeal heard the appeal on 25 May 1992 and dismissed it by judgement of 8 June 1992. On 1 October 1992, the author applied to the Supreme Court of Canada for leave to appeal of the decision of the Federal Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the application for leave to appeal on 21 January 1993. Thus, no further domestic remedy is said to be available.
2.4 It is stated that, after deportation, the author is not able to return to Canada without the express consent of the Minister of Immigration. A reapplication for immigration to Canada would not only require ministerial consent but also that the author meet all other criteria for immigrants. Because of his convictions, the author would be barred from readmission to Canada under section 19 (2) (a) of the Immigration Act.
3.1 On 2 June 1994, counsel to the author informs the Committee that the author has completed his prison sentence and that his deportation is imminent. She requests the Committee to request the State party, under rule 86 of its rules of procedure, not to remove the author from Canada while his communication is under consideration by the Committee. It is submitted that the author's deportation will make the author's rehabilitation next to impossible and that without a guarantee from the Canadian Government that the author will be allowed to return to Canada, should the Committee find that the deportation constitutes a violation of his rights, the deportation appears to be irrevocable.
3.2 On 7 June 1994, counsel to the author informs the Committee that, on 6 June 1994, the author has been removed from Canada to Rome, Italy. According to counsel, the author had been informed of the date and time of his removal a few hours before the removal was to take place. This made it impossible for him to get his belongings and money from his family, allegedly contrary to normal procedure. Counsel requests the Committee to request the State party to return the author to Canada, awaiting the outcome of the examination of his communication under the Optional Protocol. It is submitted that the author's mental health will deteriorate if he is to stay in Italy, a country with which he is not familiar and where he feels isolated, and that this will cause him irreparable harm.
4.1 The author claims that the facts as described reveal violations of articles 7, 17 and 23, paragraph 3, of the Covenant, as interpreted in the light of articles 9, 12 and 13 of the Covenant. He claims that in respect of articles 17 and 23, the State party has failed to provide for clear legislative recognition of the protection of privacy, family and home life of persons in the author's position. In the absence of such legislation which ensures that family interests would be given due weight in administrative proceedings such as, for example, those before the Immigration Appeal Board, he claims there is a prima facie issue as to whether Canadian law is compatible with the requirement of protection of the family. The author also refers to the Committee's General Comment 15 ("The position of aliens under the Covenant"), according to which aliens may enjoy the protection of the Covenant even in relation to entry or residence, when considerations of respect for family life arise. The author furthermore refers to the Committee's General Comment on article 17, according to which States have a positive obligation to ensure respect for the right of every person to be protected against arbitrary or unlawful interference with her privacy, family and home.
4.2 The author argues that his right to family life is violated by his deportation, since his deportation separates him from his nuclear family in Canada, consisting of his father, mother and brother, a household unit of which the unmarried author has always been a part.
4.3 The author further submits that his rights to "privacy" and "home" have been violated. It is argued that the term "home" must be interpreted broadly and that it should encompass the community of which an individual is a part. In this sense, his "home" is said to be Canada. It is further argued that the author's right to privacy includes being able to live within this community without arbitrary or unlawful interference. To the extent that Canadian law does not protect aliens against such interference, the author claims a violation of article 17.
4.4 The author further argues that articles 17 and 23, paragraph 1, have been violated in his case, because the interference with his family and home, resulting from his deportation, is arbitrary. According to the author, the deportation of long-term, deeply-rooted and substantially-connected resident aliens who have already been duly punished for their crimes is not related to a legitimate State interest. In this connection, the author asserts that the word "arbitrary" in article 17 should be interpreted in the light of articles 4, 9, 12 and 13 of the Covenant. He argues that "arbitrary interference" within the meaning of article 17 of the Covenant is interference which is not "necessary to protect national security, public order, public health or morals or rights and freedoms of others" or is not "consistent with other rights recognized in the Covenant".
4.5 The author contends that article 12, paragraph 4, which recognizes everyone's right to enter his own country, is applicable to his situation since, for all practical purposes, Canada is his "own country". His deportation from Canada results in a statutory bar from re-entering Canada. In this context, it is pointed out that article 12, paragraph 4, indicates that everyone has the right to enter "his own country", not just his country of nationality or birth. It is submitted that Italy is not the author's own country, as he left it at the age of five and his entire life is centred around his family in Canada - thus, although not Canadian in a formal sense, he must be considered a de facto Canadian citizen. / In this context, counsel refers to the Committee's decision in Lovelace v. Canada, in which the fact that the complainant was not recognized as an Indian under Canadian legislation did not prevent the Committee from considering the complainant to belong to the minority concerned and to benefit from the protection of article 27 of the Covenant. Counsel also refers to the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in the Beldjoudi case (55/1990/246, 26 March 1992)./
4.6 Finally, the author contends that the enforcement of the deportation order amounts to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment within the meaning of article 7 of the Covenant. He acknowledges that the Committee has not yet considered whether the permanent separation of an individual from his family and close relatives and the effective banishment of a person from the only country which he ever knew and in which he grew up can amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; he submits, however, that this issue should be considered on the merits./ Counsel refers to the separate opinion of Judge De Meyer of the European Court of Human Rights in the Beldjoudi case, in which it was stated that the removal of the applicant from his country of residence and the severance of the ties with his wife and family would amount to inhuman treatment./
4.7 In this connection, the author recalls that (a) he has been residing in Canada since the age of five; (b) at the time of deportation all the members of his immediate family resided in Canada; (c) while his criminal record is extensive, it does not reveal that he is a person who poses a danger to the public safety since he never committed crimes of violence; (d) although drug rehabilitation was part of some of his sentences, he received no such treatment while imprisoned and was actually able to obtain heroin in prison; (e) the deportation from Canada has effectively severed all his ties with Canada; and (f) the prison terms for his various convictions already constitute adequate and sufficient punishment and the deportation amounts to the imposition of additional punishment.
State party's comments on admissibility
5. By submission of 21 July 1994, the State party informs the Committee that it has no comments to offer on the issue of admissibility of the communication. It reserves the right to make submissions on the merits of the communication, should the Committee declare the communication admissible.
6.1 At its fifty-second session, the Human Rights Committee considered the admissibility of the communication.
6.2 The Committee noted that it was uncontested that there were no further remedies for the author to exhaust, and that the requirements of article 5, paragraph 2 (b), of the Optional Protocol had been met.
6.3 The Committee noted that some of the author's claims under article 17 of the Covenant concerned the absence of legislation in Canada to guarantee the protection of the family life of permanent residents against whom an immigration inquiry is initiated with a view of ordering their deportation. The Committee recalled that it cannot, under the Optional Protocol procedure, examine in abstracto whether a State party has complied with its obligations under the Covenant. / See inter alia the Committee's decisions with respect to communication No. 61/1979 (Hertzberg et al. v. Finland, Views adopted on 2 April 1982, para. 9.3) and No. 163/1984 (C. et al. v. Italy, declared inadmissible on 10 April 1984, para. 6.2)./ To the extent that the author's claims referred to the failure of the Canadian legislature to guarantee the family life of non-Canadian residents in general, his communication was therefore inadmissible.
6.4 The Committee considered that the author's claims that his deportation makes him a victim of a violation of articles 7, 12, paragraph 4, 17 and 23 of the Covenant, should be considered on the merits.
7. As regards counsel's request under rule 86 of the Committee's rules of procedure, the Committee found that the author's deportation to Italy could not be considered to constitute "irreparable damage" in respect of the rights the author considers violated by his deportation. Should the Committee find in favour of the author and conclude that his deportation was contrary to the Covenant, the State party would be under an obligation to allow the author to re-enter Canada. Accordingly, the consequences of the deportation, however disagreeable they might be for the author in his situation, did not cause "irreparable damage" to the author in the enjoyment of his rights, which would have justified the granting of interim protection under rule 86 of the Committee's rules of procedure.
8. Accordingly, on 13 October 1994, the Human Rights Committee decided that the communication was admissible insofar as it appeared to raise issues under articles 7, 12, paragraph 4, 17 and 23 of the Covenant.
9.1 By submission of 21 December 1995, the State party argues that the author's allegations in respect to article 7 of the Covenant are not substantiated, since there is no evidence that the author's separation from his family poses any particular risk to his mental or physical health. The State party argues that article 7 is not as broad in scope as contended by the author and does not apply to the present situation, where the author does not face a substantial risk of torture or of serious abuse in the receiving country. The author has not shown that he will suffer any undue hardship as a result of his deportation. The State party adds that the author is not absolutely barred from returning to Canada. Furthermore, the author's family is apparently able to join the author in Italy, as indicated by the author's father at the Immigration Appeal Board hearing. The State party argues that the question of separation from family is rather an issue to be dealt with under articles 17 and 23 of the Covenant.
9.2 The State party argues that the author has never acquired an unconditional right to remain in Canada as his "own country" and cannot acquire such status by virtue only of long-term residence in Canada. The State party contends that a definition of "own country" other than that of country of nationality would seriously erode the ability of States to exercise their sovereignty through border control and citizenship access requirements. According to the State party this interpretation is supported by article 13 of the Covenant, from which can be inferred that there is no class of aliens that enjoys an unconditional right to stay in Canada. Moreover, the State party argues that if the Committee were to decide that article 12 may provide a right to permanent residents to return or remain in their country of residence, such a right must be dependent on the retention of legal status. The author thus has lost this right when he lost his permanent residence status.
9.3 The State party further submits that the rights contained in articles 17 and 23 of the Covenant are not absolute and are to be balanced against societal interests. The Immigration Appeal Board considered all relevant factors and weighed the author's rights against the risk that he posed to the Canadian public. The Board noted that the author's community ties were not particularly compelling and concluded that the individual concerns of the author were overtaken by the larger societal interests. The length of the author's residence in Canada was duly considered and weighed in the balance.
9.4 If the Committee would find that articles 12, 17 and 23 do apply to the author's situation, the State party argues moreover that there is no evidence that the author has been arbitrarily deprived of his rights. The actions taken by the immigration officials were authorized by statute and the author was at all times afforded full procedural safeguards. The decision taken in the author's case was the result of a legal process that provided him with a full hearing and complied with both natural justice requirements and the requirements of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
10.1 In her comments on the State party's submission, counsel for the author maintains that the author's deportation, resulting in separation from his social and familial network amounts to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment within the context of article 7 of the Covenant. In this connection, counsel emphasizes the author's dependency on heroin, and the general recognition that family and social ties are crucial aspects of successful rehabilitation.
10.2 As regards article 12, paragraph 4, counsel explains that the issue is not whether or not the author ought to be considered a national or a citizen of Canada, but whether article 12 applies to his circumstances. In this context, counsel submits that States have imposed limits on their sovereignty through ratification of international treaties, such as the Covenant. Counsel refers to the travaux préparatoires which give the impression that the meaning of "his own country" was left undefined by the drafters. Because of this, it is open to the Committee to interpret the provision in a manner which best ensures that human rights of a person are protected. Counsel is of the opinion that the State party's argument that if there is a right for permanent residents under article 12, such right must be dependent on the retention of the status, negates the rights under article 12 entirely. In this connection, counsel argues that Covenant rights cannot depend on the internal laws of the State.
10.3 As regards the balancing of interests, counsel acknowledges that the author's interests were balanced against those of Canadian society, but argues that under Canadian law there is no recognition of individual rights in the removal process, whereas the right of the State to deport is recognized. Counsel further submits that in the decision-making process family integrity is not a relevant consideration, but only economic dependency.
10.4 Counsel states that for all practical purposes, the author is barred from returning to Canada, since the Minister would not give his consent in the light of the Immigration Appeal's Board decision. Furthermore, the author cannot apply as a regular immigrant because of his criminal record, and even if he could, he would not qualify for admission under the selection criteria.
10.5 As regards the question whether the interference with the author's rights were arbitrary or not, counsel argues that since the Immigration Act applied to the author is inconsistent with the provisions, aims and objectives of the Covenant in the absence of recognition of family integrity as a justiciable issue, the decision taken in the author's case is unlawful. In this connection, counsel also argues that although due process in the procedural sense exists it does not in the substantive sense. Counsel submits that in the circumstances of the author's case, in particular his drugs dependency, the interference with his right to home and family life was arbitrary and constitutes a violation. In this connection, it is stated that the author's family did in fact remain in Canada after the author's deportation.
11.1 The Human Rights Committee has considered the present communication in the light of all the information made available to it by the parties, as provided in article 5, paragraph 1, of the Optional Protocol.
11.2 The author has claimed that his removal from Canada constituted a violation of article 7 of the Covenant, since the separation of his family amounts to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. On the basis of the material before it, the Committee is of the opinion that the facts of the instant case are not of such a nature as to raise an issue under article 7 of the Covenant. The Committee concludes that there has been no violation of article 7 of the Covenant in the instant case.
11.3 As to the author's claim that his expulsion from Canada violates article 12, paragraph 4, of the Covenant, the Committee recalls that in its prior jurisprudence / Case No. 538/1993 (Stewart v. Canada), Views adopted on 1 November 1996, paragraphs 12.2 to 12.9./, it expressed the view that a person who enters a State under the State's immigration laws, and subject to the conditions of those laws, cannot regard that State as his own country when he has not acquired its nationality and continues to retain the nationality of his country of origin. An exception might only arise in limited circumstances, such as where unreasonable impediments are placed on the acquisition of nationality. No such circumstances arose in the prior case the Committee dealt with, nor do they arise in the present case. The author was not impeded in acquiring Canadian citizenship, nor was he deprived of his original citizenship arbitrarily. In the circumstances, the Committee concludes that the author cannot claim that Canada is his own country, for purposes of article 12, paragraph 4, of the Covenant.
11.4 As regards the author's claim under article 17 of the Covenant, the Committee observes that the author's removal from Canada did interfere with his family life and that this interference was in accordance with Canadian law. The issue for the Committee to examine is whether the interference was arbitrary. The Committee has noted the State party's argument that the decision to remove the author from Canada was not taken arbitrarily as the author had a full hearing with procedural safeguards and his rights were weighed against the interests of society. The Committee observes that arbitrariness within the meaning of article 17 is not confined to procedural arbitrariness, but extends to the reasonableness of the interference with the person's rights under article 17 and its compatibility with the purposes, aims and objectives of the Covenant. The separation of a person from his family by means of his expulsion could be regarded as an arbitrary interference with the family and as a violation of article 17 if in the circumstances of the case the separation of the author from his family and its effects on him were disproportionate to the objectives of removal.
11.5 The circumstances are that the author has committed many offences, largely of the break, enter and steal kind, and mostly committed to get money to support his drug habit. His removal is seen as necessary in the public interest and to protect public safety from further criminal activity by the author. He has had an almost continuous record of convictions (except for a period in 1987-88), from age 17 to his removal from Canada at age 31. The author, who has neither spouse nor children in Canada, has extended family in Italy. He has not shown how his deportation to Italy would irreparably sever his ties with his remaining family in Canada. His family were able to provide little help or guidance to him in overcoming his criminal tendencies and his drug-addiction. He has not shown that the support and encouragement of his family is likely to be helpful to him in the future in this regard, or that his separation from his family is likely to lead to a deterioration in his situation. There is no financial dependence involved in his family ties. There appear to be no circumstances particular to the author or to his family which would lead the Committee to conclude that his removal from Canada was an arbitrary interference with his family, nor with his privacy or home.
11.6 Finally, the Committee is of the opinion that the facts of the case do not raise an issue under article 23 of the Covenant.
12. The Human Rights Committee, acting under article 5, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, is of the view that the facts before it do not disclose a violation of any of the provisions of the Covenant.
While I share the Committee's view that there was no violation of the author's rights, I wish to explain my reasoning for such a conclusion.
As regards the alleged violation of article 12, paragraph 4, I have difficulties in accepting the majority reasoning in communication No. 538/1993 (Stewart v. Canada), decided prior to my term as a member of the Committee. In my opinion, there are situations in which a person is entitled to protection both as an alien (i.e. a non-citizen) under article 13 and because the country of residence being understood as his or her "own country" under article 12, paragraph 4. In paragraph 11.3 of the present case, reference is made to the Views in Stewart which, in my opinion, give too narrow a picture of situations in which a non-citizen is to be understood to reside in his or her "own country". Besides a situation in which there are unreasonable impediments on the acquisition of nationality, as mentioned in the Views, the same conclusion must, in my opinion, be made in certain other situations as well, for instance, if the person is stateless or if it would be impossible or clearly unreasonable for him or her to integrate into the society corresponding to his or her de jure nationality. Just to take one illustrative example, for a blind or deaf person who knows the language used in the country of residence but not the language of his or her nationality country, the country of residence should be interpreted as the person's "own country" under article 12, paragraph 4.
As to whether there was a violation of the author's rights under article 17, I likewise concur in a finding of non-violation. In addition to the factors mentioned in paragraph 11.5 of the Views, I emphasize that the deportation of the author did not in itself mean that his contacts with his family members in Canada were made impossible. If the author, aged 32 at the time of deportation, and his parents and brother in Canada wish to maintain those contacts, they can do so by correspondence, by telephone and by the other family members visiting Italy, the country of origin of the parents. In due course, the author may also apply for a right to visit his family in Canada, the State party in such a situation being bound by its obligations under article 17 of the Covenant not to interfere arbitrarily or unlawfully with the author's family.
Martin Scheinin [signed]
For reasons more fully expressed in a separate opinion in Stewart v. Canada (No. 538/1993), we agree neither with the restrictive way in which the Committee has interpreted the expression "his own country" nor with the conclusions of the Committee set out in paragraph 11.3. In our view there are factors other than nationality which may establish close and enduring connections between a person and a country. The circumstances of the author suggest that he has such connections with Canada. We are therefore of the opinion that the author has a strong claim to the protection of article 12, paragraph 4, a claim which should be considered on its merits.
Elizabeth Evatt [signed]
Cecilia Medina Quiroga [signed]
With regard to this case I stand by the comments which I made in the Stewart case (No. 538/1993).
In the present case, paragraph 11.3 of the Committee's views assimilates more clearly than in the aforesaid case the two distinct notions referred to in article 12, paragraph 4, of the Covenant, namely the notion of one's "own country" on the one hand and, on the other, that concerning the arbitrary nature of the decision to "deprive" (entry or re-entry).
The notion of "own country" does not fall within established legal categories such as nationality or temporary or permanent resident status; it is a term that refers not to the State but to a geographical place whose content and boundaries are less precise, and hence, in the absence of any reference to a specific legal concept, a case-by-case appreciation of the term is required. That appreciation has to be made by the State party to the Covenant, which can define what it means by "own country" in its internal legislation, subject to observance of the other provisions of the Covenant, which obviously excludes any "variable-geometry, discriminatory" definition. If the State were to engage in the latter exercise, it would create a situation of arbitrariness - arbitrariness in the definition of "own country".
However, such action is not to be confused with another, more limited situation of arbitrariness, as covered by the Covenant (art. 12, para. 4), which in this instance concerns the actual decision to deport a person or to deny a person's right to enter his own country ("no one shall be arbitrarily deprived ..."). As worded, paragraph 11.3 of the Committee's views fails to make this distinction and intermingles, on the one hand, the criteria for determining whether a State is the "own country" of the author of the communication and, on the other, the entry and exit requirements for aliens. This amalgam leads to a simplification which reduces the text to the sole criterion of nationality, to that of its acquisition or withdrawal, and deportation measures (or entry rules) are never arbitrary when they comply with the conditions for acquisition or withdrawal of that nationality.
Rendering the application of article 12, paragraph 4, of the Covenant indissociable from nationality, or indeed naturalization, is in my view too easy a solution and is not in keeping with the actual letter of the text, which, had it been intended to be so restrictive, would have employed appropriate terms relating to nationality, a legal notion that is easier to define. The deliberate use of a vaguer and hence broader term indicates that the drafters of the Covenant did not wish to limit the scope of the text in the manner decided by the Committee.
Christine Chanet [signed]
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Monday, February 23, 2015
44 comments:
It's great reading about your life in Australia and love how you always mange to get a little art into your posts.ReplyDelete
I always enjoy seeing the art you post, the whale is so interesting. Didn't watch the oscars so seeing the bits you posted was fun. Glad you didn't have any water damage and that your walking trail will be usable again.ReplyDelete
Thank you Darla. The whale shimmers in the sunlight; the polished steel links work really well. We checked our ceilings, but no water damage this time. (We have had leaks in previous storms). Walking is back on the agenda, with the added bonus that the creek continues to run and babble more than usually!Delete
Hi, Trish...the whale sculpture is really interesting. I'm going to agree with the gowns on the Australians, except for Naomi Watts' dress...not my favorite. I thought generally all the ladies were elegantly dressed last night. As for the water damage, my heart always goes out to people struggling with flooding. Water is so intrusive and can cause so much irreparable damage.ReplyDelete
Hello Patricia,ReplyDelete
We are much relieved that you were spared the worst of the weather. As you say, many have not been so fortunate and our hearts must go out to them.
Anna Wintour in pink, now, that is something we should have thought nigh impossible. But, it just goes to show that anything is possible in the world of fashion......or fantasy.....well, they may be one and the same!
The whale sculpture is very dramatic and perfectly placed. A good way to get across a very serious message.Replies
Hello Jane and Lance, Thank you, it was a great relief to Brisbane generally after the disastrous floods following Cyclone Yasi in 2011.Delete
I was surprised to see Anna W in soft pink, so uncharacteristic! I am fantasising about wearing a similar shade of pink to a wedding later in the year...
I am assuming that your home is high up otherwise you would probably be more anxious when the creek floods.ReplyDelete
Yes, I do believe that chocolate cake in a mug and made so quickly is a source of great danger, but it look very tempting.Replies
Yes, Rosemary, we are indeed high on a hill, with views to the mountains and down to the creek. The creek is tidal, flowing to the nearby Brisbane River, and therefore floods very quickly after heavy rain.Delete
The mug cake has become our treat on the rare Sunday afternoons we are at home - and should probably stay that way!
Hi, TrishReplyDelete
The whale sculpture is art with an important message we need to take seriously! Beautiful garden too.
Your selection of Oscar dresses are so lovely. I almost chose some of them for my blog as favorites. It was hard to narrow it down to only six. I especially love Naomi Watts's dress as one I might find fun to wear. I also think Margot Robbie is a strikingly beautiful woman! Wow, wouldn't we all like to have her flawless features!! Good choices, all of them.
Cute bunny! Easter will be here shortly.
Sorry to hear of the floods. Here in America the snow is giving lots of folks headaches. A friend of mine has to redo a basement. Harsh weather caused pipes to burst, causing water damage. So now she'll need to deal with contractors and painters, etc. Nowhere in the world is anyone getting a break, it seems.
Still life is good overall!Replies
Hi Debra, Yes, Margot Robbie is very striking, and so young, too! She comes from the Gold Coast, about an hour from here, so is very much our local Star.Delete
The snow over there is bad this year. I have heard about the pipes bursting, and my daughter has learned to fear this possible event. Her house is over 100 years old. Our two grandsons have not been able to run and play outside for weeks, with the temps more than -20 every day. Hope it warms up before we get there!
I am glad that you are safe from the cyclone damage, but how terrible for those who have suffered such awful damage. I think that the dresses from the Oscars are lovely for the most part. How great about the achievement with the whales, that really is amazing isn't it! What an odd set of comments! xxReplyDelete
I remember the tails of cyclones lashing Brisbane when I lived there and I'm glad you are both ok. A lot of Queensland houses are up on stilts for a reason!ReplyDelete
Love most of the oscar dresses (Cate Blanchett can do no wrong) but Keira Knightly's dress reminds me of a shower curtain I used to have.Replies
Yes, there have been a few major cyclones over the years, that's for sure. Everyone got a bit nervous that we were in for a repeat.Delete
So true, Cate can do no wrong on the red carpet....so funny, I do know the shower curtains you mean: never thought of that :)
Lovely post Trish and our girls looked gorgeous! Glad you came through Marcia OK...love that choccie cake!ReplyDelete
PS Adore the sculpture xxxReplyDelete
I am glad that your cyclone didn't do too much damage to you personally. And thanks for the mug cake recipe. I have been looking for something like that and will copy it out. .ReplyDelete
Lovely post Patricia and so glad you have been spared the agony of the cyclone. Our thoughts go out to the many who were not so fortunate. I simply have to make that chocolate cake in a mug, it looks ever so yummy. Have a great week. P xReplyDelete
I'm glad the damage wasn't worse in the cyclone. The mug cake sounds delicious, I've always wanted to try making one but was skeptical that they actually worked. Thank you for sharing what looks like a great recipe. :)ReplyDelete
the sculpture is very nice.. and Kate Blanchett.. very nice lady , very elegant and charming !ReplyDelete
I've been working in the emergency/disaster recovery Call Centre since Friday (my 1st day off today). The people in Yeppoon and Rockhampton and other Central Queensland districts still have no power after 6 days. So difficult.ReplyDelete
Patricia, I didn't see the Oscars, but I have to say that Gweneth's pink dress is so stylish and elegant. Wow, look at all that flooding! I'm glad that your area is doing ok now. I've never heard of mug cakes before, that's interesting. They are yummy little cakes for one.ReplyDelete
Take care, Patricia, and hope you've seen the last of the storm.
love, ~Sheri
I am so happy to hear your survived the storm unscathed my dear!ReplyDelete
Such a lovely round up of glimpses into your life … especially the lovely recipe you shared … I might even give it a try!
I've never made mug cake, but may have to change that......it looks absolutely delicious!ReplyDelete
Love the sculpture, and you're right about that cake being dangerous... nom nom xxReplyDelete
OOOh I so want to make that cup cake but I don't have a microwave!!ReplyDelete
Patricia, I love the whale sculpture - very striking and thought-provoking. That tempting chocolate mug cake recipe is now in my recipes folder for when Lent has ended. :-) Your weather has indeed been turbulent and like you I feel for those who have lost so much.ReplyDelete
AMAZING Patricia - I feel an affinity to whales/dolphins and elephants, so this sculpture appeals to me. The garden centre looks lovely - where is it?ReplyDelete
Three cheers for the great Aussie actresses - all beautiful women and oh so clever. Cate Blanchett is my favourite!
I've just had my best friend from Brissy staying, so I'm up with what's happening in your neck of the woods now! We had the best time!
THAT cake is perfect for us - no other pieces lingering in the cake tin - thank you!


text:
Classes Resume At Virginia Tech
At 9:45 — the time of the second shooting — the university held a moment of silence, with a single bell tolling from the tower of the main administration building. A minute later, the bell tolled 32 times — once for each victim — as 32 white balloons were released, one at a time, from the field below.
Then 1,000 maroon-and-orange balloons were released.
"As the balloons drifted skyward, people stood for several minutes, in silence, watching the balloons float off into the distance," reports CBS News correspondent Jim Krasula.
Earlier, students and faculty gathered at about 7:10 a.m. near the dormitory where the first victims, Ryan Clark and Emily Hilscher, were killed. They also gathered on the main campus lawn, the site of several impromptu memorials to the victims.
In front of the dorm, a small marching band from Alabama played "America the Beautiful" and carried a banner that read, "Alabama loves VT Hokies. Be strong, press on."
Hokies is a nickname for people affiliated with the university.
By the time the moment concluded, more than 100 people had gathered to remember the dead. Afterward, a group of students and campus ministers brought 33 white prayer flags — one for each of the dead, including the gunman, Cho — from the dorm to the school's War Memorial Chapel. They placed the flags in front of the campus landmark and adorned them with pastel-colored ribbons as the Beatles' song "The Long and Winding Road" played through loudspeakers.
On the main campus lawn stood a semicircle of stones — 33 chunks of locally quarried limestone to remember each person who died in the rampage.
Someone left a laminated letter at Cho's stone, along with a lit purple candle.
"Cho, you greatly underestimated our strength, courage and compassion. You have broken our hearts, but you have not broken our spirits. We are stronger and prouder than ever. I have never been more proud to be a Hokie. Love, in the end, will always prevail. Erin J."
The press was kept at a distance Monday, and "there is a heavy police presence around campus this morning," reports CBS News correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. "But most students say they're not worried. This is exactly where they need to be. This morning they have returned by the thousands to reclaim their campus."
"I think we need to be here as a community. And we're not going to get better if we just run away everything that happened last week," said student Kyle Clayton, who returned to campus Sunday.
"I thought last week as time goes by that I could forget this tragic incident," graduate student Sijung Kim said. "But as time goes by I find I cannot forget."
Richard Shryock, a French Professor and chairman of Virginia Tech's Foreign Languages and Literatures department, was making himself available Monday morning for students of Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, a French instructor killed by Cho.
"I'll see if any of the students show up," Shryock said on CBS News' The Early Show.
Shryock said the university has provided counseling and other information for instructors and students. "Talking with friends and family and colleagues has been also a big help," he told co-anchor Harry Smith.
"My most important job right now is just to do everything I can to try to make sure that today goes as well as it possibly can. And I'm trying to take things one step at a time," Shryock added.
Virginia Tech is allowing students to drop classes without penalty or to accept their current grades if they want to spend the rest of the year at their parents' homes grieving last week's campus massacre.
But whatever decisions they make academically, many students say they will do their mourning on campus — and that they can't imagine staying away now.
"I want to be back this week even if I don't take my exams, just to be with people," freshman Brittany Gambardella said Sunday, moving back into a dormitory where two students were slain at the beginning of the rampage. "Then you go home, and you end the year on a good note."
Students began returning as more details about the rampage emerged. Dr. William Massello, the assistant state medical examiner in Roanoke, said Cho died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head after firing enough shots to wound his 32 victims more than 100 times.
But there was nothing unusual about Cho's autopsy, he said, and nothing that indicated any psychological problems that might explain his reason for the killings.
Meanwhile, Virginia Tech's Student Government Association issued a statement Sunday asking the news media to respect the privacy of students and leave by the time classes resume Monday.
"Our students are ready to start moving forward, and the best way we can do that is to get the campus back to normal," Liz Hart, director of public relations for the SGA, said in an interview. Students don't want "anything external to remind us it will be a difficult road. We know that."
"Is it overstating it to say that students and faculty at Virginia Tech want to take their school back?" Smith asked Shryock.
"Oh, there's no doubt about that. There's no doubt. And we will. And we will," the foreign languages chairman replied.
Virginia Tech officials say victims' families are their top priority. They have been given a private e-mail address and direct phone number for President Charles Steger.
A Virginia Tech freshman who survived last week's campus massacre was killed in a car crash, his father said Sunday.
Jeff Soriano died from his injuries Friday in a Norfolk, Va., hospital after he was pulled from the wreckage of his burning vehicle, police said. He had been an engineer student.


text:
OUT TO LUNCH finds economist and Tulane finance professor Peter Ricchiuti conducting business New Orleans style: over lunch at Commander's Palace restaurant. Each week Peter invites guests from the New Orleans business renaissance to join him. The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Inc magazine have all named New Orleans the best city in the USA to be an entrepreneur. Out to Lunch is the cafeteria of the new New Orleans entrepreneurial movement. You can also hear the show on WWNO 89.9FM.
Photo by Rick Lineberger
There are 500 million people on Instagram. It's the world's biggest social media site behind Facebook. Instagram reportedly grew by 100 million users over the past 12 months.
Business people wrestle with a simple question: How do you turn this captive audience into customers?
On this edition of Out to Lunch we meet the person who has the answer. His name is Dalton Dean.
Dalton's app, Mainspree, lets you turn your Instagram account into a store.
If you want a break from making a fortune on Instagram, maybe you want to go out for a quiet meal. Or a rowdy cocktail. If you want to make sure the atmosphere where you're going is what you're looking for, you can check the vibe on an app called Scenehound.
Scenehound's founder, Michael Underwood, joins Peter Ricchiuti on Out to Lunch.
This is a fascinating and illuminating about two potentially big deal apps with their two potentially big deal founders.
Photos at Commander's Palace by Alison Moon.


text:
29 October 2010
Why you need a front rack on your bike
Carrying a dessert to a dinner party just isn't the same when you can't keep an eye on it, particularly if it's fragile and still hot from the oven.
(Yes Cycler, it's a tarte tatin, which I should not have made in a springform pan, but it tasted delicious anyway)
11 comments:
- G.E. said...
Awesome! Looks like you bungeed it on fairly well. I'm always afraid I'll drop things that are fragile (like dishes/glass pans) when on my bike, but I have transported them and managed to survive. :)
- October 29, 2010 at 4:57 PM
Fetching oven mitt.
- October 29, 2010 at 5:22 PM
- Roadrider said...
The oven mit is such a nice touch!
- October 29, 2010 at 5:24 PM
- Astroluc said...
not the reason I have a front rack, but I shall keep that use in mind if ever I need to convey a confection by cycle...
- October 29, 2010 at 5:25 PM
the oven mitt is a particularly fashionable touch.
I've ridden from Fresh Pond to a dinner party in Union Square with a 7 quart Le Creuset dutch oven bungeed to the rear rack of the ANT and was rather proud to have it survive the trip, but agree that having it up front so that I can keep my eye on it would've made it a much less stressful trip.
- October 29, 2010 at 5:53 PM
- somervillain said...
ha! i love the oven mitt!
- October 29, 2010 at 7:51 PM
- Charlotte said...
Re: the oven mitt - that pan was still HOT! :)
- October 29, 2010 at 10:08 PM
- Elizabeth said...
yeah a front rack on your bike . just makes life easier.
- October 30, 2010 at 2:41 PM
- cycler said...
Actually, I think that the springform might help remove the tart, especially if you couldn't control how long it might sit in the pan before you unmolded it.
I've had terrible problems with the caramel cooling and bonding itself in a semi- permanent manner to the pan if I didn't unmold it in a timely way (when it was warm still). My recipe however calls for pre-caramalizing the apples in the pan on the stove, so it would be tough to make in something other than a skillet.
And yes, the oven mitt is a nice touch!
- October 30, 2010 at 9:13 PM
- Charlotte said...
Cycler, yes it was much easier to get it out in a single piece BUT most of the caramel dripped through the joint and pooled on the floor of my oven. There was but a hint of caramel in the tarte itself, and a big cleaning job for me when I got home. Good news is that now my oven is very very clean.
- October 31, 2010 at 7:10 PM
I own a VO front rack but still don't know how to use it! How should I transport a simple handbag or a little panier? There are eyelet in but not suitable for bungee cords whatsoever. Can anyone help me with this? It seems like people who own those cute little racks only have them for decoration. I just want to carry my handbag while cycling!
- June 28, 2012 at 2:59 PM