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Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Concluding Observations: Norway, U.N. Doc. A/50/38, paras. 452-495 (1995).
452. The Committee considered the third and fourth periodic reports of Norway (CEDAW/C/NOR/3 and CEDAW/C/NOR/4) at its 277th meeting, on 30 January (see CEDAW/C/SR.277).
453. In introducing the report, the representative pointed out that the priorities set out in the White Paper to the Parliament (Storting) in the spring of 1993 included an active child-care policy with a focus on shared family responsibilities between the parents, renewed efforts to reach the goal of equal pay, and more effective actions against the abuse of women and sexual violence. She noted that efforts to change the rules and tasks of men and to see the gender question as one of Norwegian human resource development, was one of the top priorities of the Government. She also focused on the instruments used in the gender equality policy, including the proposed revision of the Norwegian Gender Equality Act of 1978 and the discussion of equality as a concern for both local and regional authorities.
General comments
454. Members of the Committee commended the detailed and thorough written and oral reports. They praised the Government of Norway for the conceptualization and implementation of its gender policies, thereby serving as a role model for many countries, and they welcomed the fact that the Convention had been ratified early without reservations.
455. Members applauded the fact that in preparing the third periodic report the Government had carried out consultations with non-governmental organizations and transmitted the report to major women's organizations in the country for comments. Members noted that the general view of the NGOs was that the Government had represented the situation of women extremely well, but that they felt that there were still problems in legal areas and in the participation of women in public and private life.
456. Members of the Committee wanted to know whether the meaning of the concept of equality in Norway refers to the recognition of equality in the Constitution as meaning equality between the sexes and an equal division of work, paid or not, and an equal availability of resources. The representative explained that the Norwegian Constitution is gender-neutral in its formulation. It contains no explicit provision of gender equality or prohibition against gender discrimination. The Government is currently considering whether to include various human rights conventions, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. In 1995, the Government will present a white paper on this subject. Equality between the sexes is regulated by the Gender Equality Act (1978), article 1 of which states: "This Act shall promote gender equality and aims particularly at improving the position of women. Norwegian women must, nevertheless, today be considered to have achieved de jure equal status with men". The representative noted that the gender perspective was currently mainstreamed in all areas of the Government, and all Ministries had established a focal point for gender issues. They had the obligation to make gender issues visible, to include them in policy formulation at the earliest stage possible and in all routines, to follow up and evaluate implementation and to influence recruitment policies; they planned to create gender balance and thereby improve substantive results.
457. Members wanted to know how the economic changes in the country which aimed at a revised distribution of social investments had affected programmes for women. The representative replied that the budgetary situation has been strained since the late 1980s. However, important reforms had been implemented in the same period, including improved and flexible solutions targeted at harmonizing work and family responsibilities. The welfare system is at present under revision. The aim is to achieve a more cost-effective system and to be better able to target services and benefits. Furthermore, the representative said that there has been an increased awareness of gender roles both among politicians and in the administration, which has served to counteract any possible negative impact on women.
458. Members requested more statistics and wanted additional information regarding articles 6, 13, 18 and 19 of the Convention.
Questions relating to specific articles
Article 2
459. There is some concern that the Equal Status Act is being interpreted in some quarters to mean equal access by men to occupations where they seem to be underrepresented, such as health and welfare occupations. Members wanted to know if, at the same time, there are plans to increase the number of women in areas dominated by men. The representative told members that the Gender Equality Act permits different treatment of the sexes when that promotes gender equality. So far, different treatment with respect to women has only been permitted in favour of women. The Act is at present under revision, and the Government has proposed modest forms of positive action in favour of men related to jobs in child care and the teaching of young children, in day-care centres, primary school and child welfare institutions. This will not alter the fact that the main purpose of the Gender Equality Act has been to promote the situation of women, and this will remain the case in the future too. The Norwegian statement also referred to the Nordic project "BRYT", a programme designed to break down the sex-differentiated labour market, as described in the third periodic report (see CEDAW/C/NOR/3, para. 137).
Article 3
460. The report stated that the Norwegian Equal Status Act covers all fields including education, employment and politics. However, as the Act does not cover family and personal affairs in reality, there is a high possibility that some critical areas of concern of women are left unaddressed by this legislation. The Committee was especially concerned with provisions in the Norwegian legislation to exempt certain religious communities from compliance with the equal rights law. Since women often face greater discrimination in family and personal affairs in certain communities and in religion, they asked the Norwegian Government to amend the Norwegian Equal Status Act to eliminate exceptions based on religion. The representative replied that the Norwegian Gender Equality Act stated that "The Act relates to discrimination between women and men in all areas, with the exception of internal conditions in religious communities". The reason for this exception is article 2 of the Constitution, which establishes the right of all persons, including both those from dissenting communities and the Church of Norway, to the free practice of religion. "Internal condition" may be what the religious communities themselves reasonably consider to be theological questions. The appointment of clergymen, preachers and chaplains has been exempted from the reach of the Act. However, the appointment of staff whose tasks have not been connected with religious practice, for example, caretakers or welfare officers at the church family guidance officers, has not been exempted from the Act. The family is not regarded as a religious community and therefore the Act also applied to family life and served as a guideline for family life.
461. Concerning the fact that immigrant women constitute a sizeable percentage of those abused in Norway, members asked what special programmes are in place to assist them. The representative answered that the disproportionately large numbers of immigrant women who are reported as seeking refuge at the crisis centre have been a phenomenon limited to the capital. Moreover, a joint Nordic survey concerning immigrant women and the crisis centres has included suggestions for improvement of the centres. Special programmes have not been applied and the policy concerning immigrants has focused more on integration in existing services and mainstream programmes. In Oslo there is, however, a resource centre for immigrant and refugee women (MIRA). This Resource Centre assists immigrant and refugee women, including women victims of family abuse, and constitutes a useful link between Norwegian authorities and immigrant women. It does not represent an alternative to mainstream crisis centres, but has, rather, served a supplementary function.
462. Members wanted to know what measures were being undertaken to preserve the welfare programme especially aimed at women within the general framework reviewing the welfare system. The representative stated that, at present, the National Insurance Scheme and other welfare programmes have been scrutinized in order to provide a basis for the Government's view on the need for changes which will be presented during the spring of 1995. It would be a misinterpretation if this was construed as "cut-backs under way". The general background to this activity included the need for a more efficient resource allocation, which may lead to cut-backs in areas where present spending is found to be unjustified or even unreasonable compared with spending in other areas. The motivation for the scrutiny has been to avoid the welfare state turning into a rigid structure unable to adapt to the needs of a society undergoing rapid changes. Special attention will be given to female-headed households to further the reintegration of these women into the labour market. One of the main objectives of the Norwegian policy will continue to be to promote equality between men and women even in the welfare field and to adapt welfare programmes accordingly.
Article 4
463. Members wanted to know to what extent affirmative action measures are actually being applied. In what sectors are the major obstacles to be found? In what sectors has the presence of women increased and what benefits have flowed from this? The representative addressed affirmative action as preferential treatment and special quota arrangements. The Gender Equality Act includes a provision requiring at least 40 per cent representation of each sex in all official committees, boards, councils, and so forth. Although this provision is not binding for political parties in the course of the 1980s, most political parties have adopted gender quotas on a voluntary basis and have been successful in promoting women's political participation. In the fields of employment and education, affirmative action has been permitted, but not prescribed. Moderate forms of preferential treatment have been in effect in the public sector since the first half of the 1980s, so that women candidates are to be preferred in sectors where women are numerically underrepresented, when qualifications are identical or roughly equal. A recent research project found that a quota system has not been applied to any great extent in employment and education. Rather, advertisements for vacant posts with statements like "women are encouraged to apply" have been proved to be effective. There are, however, some obstacles in this area. Preferential treatment has not been sufficiently integrated into collective agreements and regulations in the public sector. Also, there has been a general lack of such agreements and actions in the private sector. This must be seen in the light of the parties' reluctance to accept any interference with their freedom of choice, and the fact that use of quotas has been controversial. Moreover, women's employment has increased primarily in the public, social and private service sectors. Two out of three employees in these sectors are women and more than 50 per cent of all working women are in the public sector. Furthermore, the structural changes in the labour market in the 1980s have been favourable for women-dominated occupations and for women's employment. Increased unemployment affected women less, because of the sex-segregated market.
464. Noting that the Ombudsman has called for a more effective affirmative action policy, the members wished to know whether such affirmative action legislation has been adopted so far. The representative replied that the third periodic report, which noted the Ombudsman's request for a more effective affirmative action policy, explained that the view of the Gender Equality Ombudsman was that existing affirmative action measures should either be strengthened to gain proper effect, or abolished altogether, as in her opinion the existing arrangements served to give the public unrealistic notions of women's opportunities in the labour market. She was particularly worried that the proposed amendment to the Gender Equality Act, which would allow affirmative action for men, might change the present balance in favour of men. The effects of affirmative action measures are being evaluated at present. The proposed amendment to the Gender Equality Act was presented in the fourth periodic report. The intention behind the proposal to allow positive action in favour of men in a limited number of occupations in the caring sector is to activate men's caring potential, which would serve to counteract the strict sex-segregation in the labour market and also provide children with less stereotyped conceptions of gender roles. Another concern expressed by the Gender Equality Ombudsman has been with respect to the enforcement of the quota arrangement in collective agreements, since the social parties are reluctant to accept any interference. In order to strengthen the obligation to put in place active measures for equal status in all parts of the labour market, the Ministry wishes to go further. Legalization of the Plan of Action is now under consideration. This would mean that employers, in cooperation with the employees' organizations, would have to act and fulfil the obligations according to agreements involving preferential treatment.
465. A member wanted more information regarding mainstream policies and their various procedures. Are these policies included in the law or are they just a consensus by the Cabinet? The representative replied that, at present, the mainstreaming policies are only a consensus of the Government. However, extensive efforts were made to integrate them into the routine procedure of the Government.
Article 6
466. Despite all the steps taken to assist and support victims of sexual abuse (incest, rape, etc.), violence against women does not seem to have been reduced. The members wanted to know if any study has been carried out on the causes of this phenomenon so as to find out which aspects of the society are responsible for these crimes. The representative stated that several studies have been carried out in order to understand the causes of violence and which aspects of society may be responsible for such crimes. The findings on these studies, however, differ depending on their theoretical framework. Most studies have been based on psychoanalytic theory, system theory or feminist theory. Studies within a psychoanalytic framework see violence as a consequence of the individual history. In system theory, the generation perspective is important, explaining violence as an issue of revictimization. Many victims repeat the abuse that they themselves experienced as children. The feminist perspective focuses on the power relation between men and women. It is well known that most abusers are men while the victims may be boys, girls or adult women. Empirical evidence suggests that gender power and family pattern have been central in understanding the prevalence of sexual violence in society.
467. Norway deserves to be commended for attempting to look at the other side of prostitution - namely, its male consumers. A study on prostitution has provided an analysis of prostitution as a problem which is not simply a problem of women but of male sexual needs and desire to "control sexual relations". As a result of the instructive insights of the study of prostitution referred to in the report, the members wanted to know if the Government had introduced measures to sensitize the population in general, and men in particular, on this issue. The representative explained that the national authorities had recently given the National Centre on Prostitution a responsibility to develop strategies that might prevent prostitution, inter alia, on the basis of research findings. The centre was opened on 1 January 1994. Further information will be provided in the next report.
468. As to rehabilitation efforts to assist prostitutes through information campaigns and seminars for police, health and social officials, and so forth, members wanted to know what the result had been of these seminars and if this is a continuing programme. They requested a definition of "rehabilitation" and the programmes under it. The representative said that the national programme for regional seminars on prostitution had concluded, and the responsibility for up-grading knowledge concerning prostitution at present lay with the National Centre on Prostitution. Two regional seminars were held under the national programme and were considered to be useful by the participants, who were drawn from different institutions within welfare and services. Furthermore, "rehabilitation" refers to assistance aimed at the prevention of prostitution. This may include general information, guidance, economic assistance, paid vocational training, psychological help, participation in self-help groups and other individual support, development of "career plans", and so on.
469. As to the increasing incidence of child abuse, the Committee noted the establishment of centres for incest victims. The members wanted to know if preventive and rehabilitative measures also are directed to the abusers. Is there legislation dealing with this issue? The representative stated that the fourth periodic report described two measures directed to abusers. The Ministry of Social Affairs has provided funds for three treatment projects for persons convicted of sexual crime. A reference group will evaluate the projects and present proposals for treatment of sexual criminals. One major issue of the research programme (1992-1996) on sexual violence was the role of men as abusers and the preventive measures related to abusers.
470. The members wanted to know what the situation is concerning the sex business in Norway. What is the Government's policy here? The representative explained that in Norway, sex business has been considered to be comparatively limited. In recent years, a tendency towards more hard core pornography has been observed. It is also assumed that prostitution may be increasing because of the internationalization of the sex trade. Sex trade in various forms has been regarded as a serious matter by the Government. In this respect, combating child pornography and focusing on the persons that profit from prostitution have been among the concerns of the Government. The major approach has been to sharpen the provisions in the Penal Code relating to pornography and pimping. In relation to prostitutes, the authorities have initiated and supported several projects aimed at both preventing prostitution and motivating prostitutes to leave prostitution. Detailed information was presented in the fourth periodic report.
Article 7
471. As to the quota of 40 per cent representation of each sex on all publicly appointed boards, councils and committees, which is as beneficial to women as to men, members wanted to know what the public reaction to this has been. What is being done to ensure that women can benefit more from this policy? The representative stated that today there seems to be a general agreement that men and women should be equally represented in boards, committees, etc. appointed by public bodies. As early as 1981, when the Government first introduced the amendment to the Gender Equality Act, the majority of women's organizations, unions and political parties expressed their support. In boards and committees appointed by governmental bodies, the average percentage of women is at present close to 40 per cent, while women on boards and committees appointed by local government is 36.4 per cent. Owing to quota provisions in the new Local Government Act, women's representation may increase after the next local government election. Women, however, are still underrepresented on boards and committees in a number of traditionally male-dominated fields, for example, defence, foreign affairs and trade. The representative also stated that stricter enforcement of the quota provisions must be accomplished in these sectors.
472. The Committee would have liked to see a fuller discussion of women and power, particularly since increasing women's power and influence is a crucial part of the equal status policy. Though women's participation in public life has increased substantially in Norway, in some other important spheres women are still a small minority - especially in the areas of trade, industry and the media. With regard to political participation, the Committee wanted to know whether women today really have more power in Norwegian politics than in earlier times. The representative replied that there has been great concern regarding women's poor representation in managerial levels in the private sector. In the one hundred largest enterprises women are not represented among executive directors. On boards 10 per cent are women. One reason for this may be that women seem to prefer the public sector rather than the private sector. Furthermore, today women account for 52 and 55 per cent of the total number of students enroling at universities and colleges. In the traditional male-dominated fields such as law, economics and engineering, the percentage of women candidates is 53 per cent, 30 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively. Also, trade unions and employers' organizations devote increased attention to the absence of women in high positions in private enterprises. Some enterprises have introduced women's training programmes. Moreover, access to the media usually implies power. In recent decades, the proportion of women among journalists has increased. In 1992, the proportion of women among journalists was 33 per cent. Among media students, the percentage has been 58 per cent. Women's participation in politics has made women and women's interests more visible in the media. Also, the media have contributed to the degree of equality enjoyed by Norwegian women today.
473. The members wanted to know what substantive change has been brought about by the increase of women in the public sector and politics, and primarily in which sector the change has been most significant. The representative stated that a high number of women in governance has made a difference. In Norway, the most prominent result has been the progress achieved in politics regarding family responsibilities. In the last few years, a rapid expansion of government-subsidized child-care institutions has been noted. Since 1986, parental leave has been expanded from 18 to 42 weeks with full wage compensation or one full year with 80 per cent wage compensation. The costs have been provided by social insurance and not by the employer. The time account scheme and the father's quota have been other important reforms in this area, which have been implemented in periods otherwise characterized by economic recession. The Government of Norway believes that this would not have happened without the high representation of women in politics.
Article 10
474. The members wanted to know if there are any special educational benefits for women - especially disadvantaged women and single parents. The representative explained that single mothers are, on the whole, better educated than married women. There is, however, a limited number of very young single women with few formal qualifications. Single mothers with children up to the age of 10 are entitled to benefits regardless of whether they have been undergoing education. Furthermore, single parents have been entitled to benefits under the National Insurance Scheme to cover various costs in connection with education, where education has been considered necessary to qualify the single parent for the labour market. The average educational benefit granted is about NKr 10,000 per year and covers the purchase of necessary books, and so forth. Students have also been entitled to favourable State loans during periods of education, and single parent students may add substantially to their income from other benefits under the welfare state.
475. Members wanted to know how the Government is supporting women's studies. The representative stated that women's studies have been established and have acquired a considerable reputation in Norway. Since the 1980s, the Government has assumed the responsibility for increasing the number of women researchers in all fields, supporting women's studies and introducing them in educational institutions and elsewhere. As referred to in the fourth periodic report, progress has been made in institutionalizing women's studies. Obstacles remain, however, in the field of integrating women's studies in university and college curricula, and in making the results useful in the education of children and youth. Currently, special attention is given to teacher education. The project Nord-LILIA, mentioned in the fourth periodic report, aims to strengthen the gender perspective in the method and content of teacher training. The Government has been instructing the National Research Council to evaluate how women's studies are approached in the universities.
Article 11
476. As to the increased participation of women in non-traditional fields, members wanted to know if that had been sufficiently institutionalized in different industrial sectors. The representative answered that the third periodic report mentioned projects which aim to increase the participation of women in non-traditional fields. The "BRYT" policy had, however, not changed the gender roles in the fields of education and occupation. Furthermore, structural changes and increasing unemployment in many male-dominated sectors had contributed to restructuring. Moreover, measures to encourage women to choose traditionally male-dominated occupations had been actively supported by the Government.
477. Although Norway's population is highly industrialized and educated with extensive social security coverage, the occupational and wage differentials still remain significant. Members wanted to know what was being done to reduce these inequalities. What are the obstacles and reasons that impede equal treatment and equal salary for women? The representative stated that Norway had come a long way towards the goal of equality between women and men, but pay equity was still a matter of great concern. Equal pay is not to be taken as a matter of course because of the high level of education and workforce participation. Norway experienced a negative trend in the 1980s and faced the fact that progress is not continuous. It is apparently easy to reach agreement on the goal of equal pay, but the choice of means is far more controversial. The fact that the labour market is gender-segregated with women in the lowest positions requires measures on the macroeconomic level. The Government is working for an integration of the topic into the labour market policy and the wage setting in general. The Norwegian Government has made efforts to address the gender issue and the wage gap in the unions, in employer organizations and the bargaining system. Furthermore, statistics and facts about the wage gap are at present integrated in the document that forms the basis for collective bargaining. The present policies seek to improve the working conditions and payment in the traditional female-dominated sectors. A tool for this can be job classification systems. The Government is now developing non-discriminatory programmes for job evaluation. The aim is to develop job evaluation for use in all parts of the labour market. The unions have shown great interest in these measures and will take part in these programmes.
478. However, the representative stated that the Government is of the opinion that legislation plays a limited role in eliminating the wage gap. Legislation is aimed, primarily, at securing individual rights. However, improvements are continuously being made in order to make it more effective. The Government and the Gender Equality Ombudsman are taking joint action to inform the public more thoroughly about women's rights under the Act. The aim is to encourage women to make use of these rights in all sectors, including in working life. Furthermore, the Government plans to introduce provisions on action plans for gender equality, which will apply to employers who engage a certain minimum of persons. The employers will be expected to conduct an annual survey which shows the situation with respect to gender equality and to make concrete plans for promotion of gender equality for the next year. Another project is to establish a "check-list" on equal pay. This list is supposed to be a practical tool for organs working for the achievement of equal pay, such as gender equality machinery, social partners and employees.
479. Members wanted to know why there has been a significant rise of women in the political hierarchy, while, at the same time, discrimination persists in the area of employment, especially as regards the type of work, conditions, hours and wage gap. What is the situation in private sector companies? The representative replied that the answer to this question had already been covered in other replies.
480. The report gives the impression that women have a choice between a long working day or a shorter one with a lower pay scale. It would seem that work is not equitably distributed between men and women. On the other hand, it seems that supplementary pensions are calculated on the basis of "points", a system that favours those who have performed regular, uninterrupted service. The revised system for calculating supplementary pensions has not eliminated the gap between the pensions of men and women. Members wanted to know if there were plans to draft a law to do away with this gap. The representative stated that the Norwegian pension system is a two-tier system: a basic pension for all citizens regardless of their source of income before being pensioned, and a supplementary pension on the basis of earned "pension points", calculated each year in accordance with income and paid for through taxes. The system as a whole posits a comparatively strong redistribution of income: the better off get a smaller percentage of their income during their working years than the rest of the society. The better off, however, still get a higher pension. In this kind of system, the gap between men and women will reflect the gaps in participation in working life. The main factors behind the difference in male and female average points are due to the fact that typical "female" jobs are generally less well paid than typical "male" jobs. At present, there are no plans to change this system. The reason for this is that a uniform and compulsory pension system for all, paid for through taxation, is an essential part of a good welfare state and allows a much better basis for equality in standards of living for the older population than other systems.
481. Members wanted to know if there is a statute for immigrants. The report emphasizes that immigration to Oslo is abnormally high. Do all immigrants come with their families? Under the circumstances, how are female immigrants integrated into Norwegian society? Do the families of immigrants have the right to work? What sort of work do they do? The representative stated that approximately 30 per cent of all immigrants in Norway live in the capital. Immigrants constitute 14.7 per cent of the population in Oslo. Immigration policy is based on genuine equality in the status of immigrants and Norwegians. Immigrants should be granted the same opportunities, rights and obligations as the rest of the population. In the last decade, immigration has been dominated by persons seeking asylum and by family reunions, including both foreign wives of Norwegian men and wives and children of immigrant men who are established in Norway. Family members of immigrants with a lawful residence permit are generally entitled to work. Immigrants are found in several branches of industry, such as within oil and gas extraction, and in public services. Immigrants from developing countries are clearly overrepresented in certain sectors such as the hotel and restaurant sectors, cleaning, and certain manufacturing industries. Immigrants, both men and women, experience unemployment more frequently than the rest of the population. It is also a general concern that the qualifications of immigrants are not fully utilized. Insufficient command of the Norwegian language and various types of discrimination are among negative factors. Programmes to facilitate integration into Norwegian society, such as education in language and vocational training in segregated women's groups, have been offered. Some of these programmes also include psychotherapy. Furthermore, there are special training and education schemes for immigrants in the employment service.
482. Members wanted to know what compensation a woman can get when she has been discriminated against in the workplace. The representative replied that according to the Gender Equality Act, a person who wilfully or negligently violates the provisions of the Act should be liable for damages in accordance with the rules on ordinary compensation. A woman who has experienced discriminatory treatment, that is, in relation to pay, recruitment or promotions, can sue her employer for compensation for economic loss caused by that treatment. The courts also have the power to overrule discriminatory appointments. Normally, courts hesitate to use this power where an appointment has already been made.
Article 16
483. The report noted the increasing violence committed by spouses. The Committee commended the legal measures taken by the Norwegian Government in this regard, in particular the amendment of section 228 of the Penal Code which allows the prosecution to prosecute unconditionally cases of violence in families. Asked whether there were any statistics available on this, the representative explained that there are no statistics available on the effect of this amendment. There is reason to believe, however, that the number of prosecutions against violent spouses has increased. Statistics from the early 1980s have showed that almost half of the women who reported violence committed by spouses either did not request prosecution or later withdrew their request.
484. The Committee wanted to know if fathers take responsibility for their children. How often do they use their right to paternity leave? Are there investigations and records kept of complaints by fathers that they do not have access to their children? The representative stated that surveys have indicated that young fathers spend more time with their children today than such fathers did 20 years ago. On the other hand, fathers of young children spend increasingly more time in paid work as well as in overtime. Since April 1993, four weeks of the parental leave has been reserved for the father, which are lost to the family if not taken by the father. There has also been a significant increase in the payment of parental benefits to fathers. No record of complaints by fathers has been kept. Statistics concerning family law, especially those regarding lawsuits concerned with custody and right of access, are very poor. There is no information regarding the number of fathers who have been prevented from access by the other parent.
Concluding comments of the Committee
485. The Committee applauded the State party on an excellent presentation. Norway was among the first States parties to ratify the Convention, and in fact had submitted four reports to the Committee in due time.
Positive aspects
486. The Committee applauded the Government of Norway for directing attention to the necessary changes in men's roles and tasks as an important element in achieving true gender equality, including men's encouragement to use their right to paternity leave and to increase their involvement as caretakers in the labour market.
487. The Committee commended the achievements in the areas of public life, education, and labour market participation. Several of the six major political parties had female leaders and, because of the quota system, women constituted almost 40 per cent of all committees. Girls' education had improved and it seemed to continue to rise. The Committee noted that almost 50 per cent of the total numbers of pupils in upper secondary school were women.
488. The Committee commends the continuing amendment to, and enhancement of the Equal status Act to strengthen the role of the equality apparatus.
489. The Committee also welcomed the Government's holistic approach towards solving the issues connected with prostitution.
Principal subjects of concern
490. The Committee expressed concern about the absence of women from higher level management posts in the private sector.
491. The Committee was also concerned about the patterns of occupational segregation in the labour market and disparities in wages between men and women. The Committee expressed its concern about the high number of women working part-time, as well as about the pay differentials which were reflected also in the pensions.
492. The Committee voiced concern over patterns of violence against women, including incest.
Suggestions and recommendations
493. The Committee suggests that the fifth periodic report include information on the results of the general review of the welfare programmes, including the scrutinization of the National Insurance Scheme; it should also provide information on how and to what extent the changes resulting from the review have affected women.
494. The Committee encourages the Government to take serious steps to address the problem of violence against women. It further suggests that attention be paid to the issue of violence against migrant women and trafficking in women.
495. The Committee suggests that the next report include more statistical data on the women living in Norway. The Committee would also like to have more information concerning general recommendations, in particular on general recommendations 13, 18 and 19.


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Boulder, Colo., USA - Using high-resolution topography models not available in the past, geologists can greatly enrich their research. However, current methods of acquisition are costly and require trained personnel with high-tech, cumbersome equipment. In light of this, Kendra Johnson and colleagues have developed a new system that takes advantage of affordable, user-friendly equipment and software to produce topography data over small, sparsely vegetated sites at comparable (or better) resolution and accuracy to standard methods.
Their workflow is based on structure from motion (SfM), which uses overlapping photographs of a scene to produce a 3-D model that represents the shape and scale of the terrain. To acquire the photos, Johnson and colleagues attached a camera programmed to take time-lapse photos to a helium balloon or small, remote-controlled glider. They augmented the aerial data by recording a few GPS points of ground features that would be easily recognized in the photographs.
Using a software program called Agisoft Photoscan, they combined the photographs and GPS data to produce a robust topographic model.
Johnson and colleagues note that this SfM workflow can be used for many geologic applications. In this study for GEOSPHERE, Johnson and colleagues focused on its potential in studying active faults that pose an earthquake hazard.
They targeted two sites in southern California, each of which has existing topography data collected using well-established, laser-scanning methods.
The first site covers a short segment of the southern San Andreas fault that historically has not had a large earthquake; however, the ground surface reveals evidence of prehistoric ruptures that help estimate the size and frequency of earthquakes on this part of the fault. The team notes that this evidence is more easily quantified using high-resolution topography data than by geologists working in the field.
The second site covers part of the surface rupture formed during the 1992 Landers earthquake (near Palm Springs, California, USA). Johnson and colleagues chose this site to test the capability of their workflow as part of the scientific response that immediately follows an earthquake.
At each site, they compared their SfM data to the existing laser scanner data and found that the values closely matched. Johnson and colleagues conclude that their new SfM workflow produces topography data at sufficient quality for use in earthquake research.
Rapid mapping of ultra-fine fault zone topography with structure from motion
Kendra Johnson et al., Dept. of Geophysics, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois Street, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA. Posted online 29 Aug. 2014; http://dx.
Other GEOSPHERE articles (see below) cover such topics as
1. Evidence for a marine incursion along the lower Colorado River corridor;
2. The ANDRILL McMurdo Ice Shelf (MIS) and Southern McMurdo Sound (SMS) Drilling Projects;
3. Origin and Evolution of the Colorado River System; and
4. Tectonic activity reflected in the Cook Strait submarine canyon system, New Zealand.
All GEOSPHERE articles available at http://geosphere.
Evidence for a marine incursion along the lower Colorado River corridor
Kristin McDougall, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 2255 N. Gemini Drive, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001, USA; and Adriana Yanet Miranda Martínez, Posgrado en Ciencias de la Tierra, Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F. C.P. 04510, México. Published online 29 Aug. 2014; http://dx.
From the abstract: Foraminiferal assemblages in the stratigraphically lower part of the Bouse Formation in the Blythe basin (lower Colorado River corridor, western USA) indicate marine conditions, whereas assemblages in the upper part of the Bouse Formation indicate lacustrine conditions and suggest the presence of a saline lake. Benthic foraminiferal assemblages in the lower part of the Bouse Formation are similar to lagoonal and inner neritic biofacies of the modern Gulf of California. Evidence suggesting a change from marine to lacustrine conditions includes the highest occurrence of planktic foraminifers at an elevation of 123 m above sea level (asl), the change from low diversity to monospecific foraminiferal assemblages composed only of Ammonia beccarii (between 110 and 126 m asl), and an increase in abundance of A. beccarii specimens (above ~110 m asl).
Application of LiDAR to resolving tectonic and glacial fabrics in glaciated terrain: An example from an Archean granite-greenstone belt, northeastern Minnesota
Jonathan Dyess and Vicki L. Hansen, Dept. of Geological Sciences, University of Minnesota Duluth, 1114 Kirby Drive, 229 Heller Hall, Duluth, Minnesota 55812, USA. Published online 29 Aug. 2014; http://dx.
This contribution illustrates the application of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) elevation data to mapping geologic structural patterns across vast inaccessible glaciated regions where traditional remote sensing datasets, such as aerial photography or satellite imagery, are commonly ineffectual due to dense vegetative cover. We outline a new approach to recognizing and mapping topographic lineaments and distinguish between lineaments controlled by the bedrock geologic structure and lineaments controlled by surficial glacial processes. Using these topographic lineaments, we interpret regional structural patterns for an area of northeastern Minnesota. Techniques outlined in the contribution provide a new remote sensing-based approach to mapping regional geologic structures in glaciated regions, and have significant applications in structural geology including: (1) Constructing preliminary regional tectonic maps from limited field observations, allowing for the formation and testing of structural models. (2) Directing field work to areas of interest to test structural models, making field work more efficient and decreasing field time. (3) Providing insight into inaccessible areas or areas of poor exposure. (4) Illustrating first-order cross-cutting relationships and relative timings. (5) Placing detailed map areas into a broad regional structural context.
Uppermost mantle velocity from Pn tomography in the Gulf of Aden
Jordane Corbeau et al., Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, UMR 7193, Institut des Sciences de la Terre Paris (iSTeP), F-75005 Paris, France. Posted online 18 Aug. 2014; http://dx.
The Gulf of Aden, situated between Arabia and Africa, is the witness of the oceanic opening first steps. In the west of the Gulf, we found a hotspot called the Afar hotspot. Here we are looking for the relation between the hot material produced by the hotspot and the Gulf of Aden ridges, based on the study of seismical waves. We provide evidence that deep material undergoes a channelized flow from Afar hotspot toward the east along the oceanic ridges.
Kinematics of the Neogene Terror Rift: Constraints from calcite twinning strains in the ANDRILL McMurdo Ice Shelf (AND-1B) core, Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica
Timothy S. Paulsen et al., Dept. of Geology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, 800 Algoma Boulevard, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901, USA. Posted online 18 Aug. 2014; http://dx.
The Antarctic plate formed when the Gondwana supercontinent broke up, which was largely completed by ~80 million years ago. Rifting episodes have happened repeatedly within the plate since that time, but the associated intraplate motions are poorly known. These motions are important, however, for understanding plate break-up mechanisms and Mesozoic to Cenozoic global plate motions. Paulsen et al. present new data constraining the intraplate motions during the young "Terror Rift" deformation from 13.6 to 4.3 million years ago. Shortening and extension directions were measured from mechanical twins in calcite filling fractures cutting sedimentary and volcanic rocks recovered by the ANDRILL (ANtarctic geologic DRILLing) McMurdo Ice Shelf (MIS) AND-1B drill core. Results show dominant subvertical shortening, a northwest-southeast stretching direction, and no significant horizontal shortening. Vertical shortening was induced by sedimentary and ice sheet loading and horizontal stretching is most likely related to extension orthogonal to Terror Rift, but could also be due to partitioning of deformation in an extensional regime that includes a component of strike-slip motion.
Rhyolites--Hard to produce, but easy to recycle and sequester: Integrating microgeochemical observations and numerical models
I.N. Bindeman, Dept. of Geological Sciences, 1272 University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA; and A.G. Simakin, Institute of the Physics of the Earth, Bolshaya Gruzinskaya 10, Moscow. Published online 29 Aug. 2014; http://dx.
From the abstract: Recent discoveries of isotopically diverse minerals (i.e., zircons, quartz, and feldspars) in large-volume ignimbrites and smaller lavas from the Snake River Plain (SRP; Idaho, USA), Iceland, Kamchatka Peninsula, and other environments suggest that this phenomenon characterizes many silicic units studied by in situ methods. This observation leads to the need for new models of silicic magma petrogenesis that involve double or triple recycling of zircon-saturated rocks.
The endogeneous and exogenous growth of the monogenetic Lemptégy volcano, Chaîne des Puys, France
Audray Delcamp et al., Dept. of Geography, Earth System Science, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. Posted online 18 Aug. 2014; http://dx.
From the abstract: The monogenetic Lemptégy volcano in the Chaîne des Puys (Auvergne, France) was quarried from 1946 to 2007 and offers the possibility to study scoria cone architecture and evolution. This volcano was originally 50 to 80 m high, but scoria excavation has resulted in a 50-m-deep hole. Beginning in the 1980s, extraction was carried out with the advice of volcanologists so that Lemptégy's shallow plumbing system and three-dimensional stratigraphy have been preserved. Detailed mapping enabled key stratigraphic units to be distinguished and the constructional phases to be reconstructed.
Geomorphic response of submarine canyons to tectonic activity: Insights from the Cook Strait canyon system, New Zealand
Aaron Micallef et al., Dept. of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malta, Msida, MSD 2080, Malta. Posted online 18 Aug. 2014; http://dx.
From the abstract: Active margins host more than half of submarine canyons worldwide. Understanding the coupling between active tectonics and canyon processes is required to improve modeling of canyon evolution and derive tectonic information from canyon morphology. In this paper we analyze high-resolution geophysical data and imagery from the Cook Strait canyon system (CS), offshore New Zealand, to characterize the influence of active tectonics on the morphology, processes, and evolution of submarine canyons, and to deduce tectonic activity from canyon morphology.
Contact: Kea Giles

subset: commoncrawl


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After Sachsgate, Lippygate and Watergate (I blogged on -gate words here), there's now Bigotgate, so named because the prime minister called a woman bigoted without realising his microphone was switched on.
There was an interesting, albeit lighthearted, discussion on Radio 4's Today this morning (listen again for another week here) about the language of politics from an American perspective. One of the interviewees made reference to Mel Brooks who apparently thought that the sounds of words were as important as their meaning. The interviewee said that the sounds of the word bigot were as much to blame for the furore as the meaning of the word -- the hard consonant sounds (all plosives) more or less drowned out the short vowel sounds, making the word sound mean and nasty. Had Gordon Brown described the woman as "having a prejudicial point of view", said the American interviewee, no-one would have paid much attention.


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All comes down to personal preference, you have to try them both yourself.I love my cxs which is a c handle and very light but I really can't get on with the bigger c15 and c18, too front heavy/unbalanced for me.Doug
Hi. @six-point socket II you can get the "PDC" in C-handle. Wired, that is. (...)


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It's rare for footballers to play for more than one nation. If a player plays for a country in a FIFA accredited match they are then unable to play for another. However there are still numerous cases of players playing for two different nations before this rule was implemented, also players who have played in friendlies for one country before playing for another and many players have played for sides before and after the fall of the Iron Curtain.
We've picked a side of players who have played for more than one nation. The only criteria being that we couldn't pick more than one player who had the same combinations of countries.
In goal we have former Chelsea shot-stopper Dmirti Kharine. As always when picking XI's the goalkeeper spot is always the hardest to fill. We've chosen Kharine who played for the Soviet Union as well as Russia.
The back-line features Matthias Sammer, an excellent ball playing defender who played for East Germany before re-unification before becoming an important member of Germany's Euro 96 winning side. Alongside him is Arsenal defender Oleg Luzhny who played for the Soviet Union before its break-up, and played for Ukraine afterwards.
Nacer Chadli is a player whose international alleigances lie across two continents. He played for Morocco in a friendly in Northern Ireland in 2010, yet later committed his international future to Belgium where has played over 30 times for the nation of his birth.
It would be wrong not to have a player who played for Czechoslovakia and one of Czech Republic or Slovakia, and the role in this side goes to Ľubomír Moravčík who played 42 games for Czechoslovakia and 38 times for Slovakia. Alongside him in midfield is Jermaine Jones who played for German youth sides before making three appearances for the full national team in 2008. As these games were only friendlies he still had the opportunity to switch, and did so in 2010 when he opted to play for the United States.
Ferenc Puskas is an interesting addition to the team. One of the greatest players of all time and is famous for playing a huge part in one of the best sides of all time: the Hungarian team of the 1950s. Yet, he took Spanish citizenship in the early 60s and played four games for his adopted nation at the 1962 World Cup. However, by this point of his career the magic was fading and he failed to find the net.
Perhaps even more intriguingly than Puskas, the figure of Kubala also makes our XI. Kubala played internationally for Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Spain. He even turned out for Catalonia in unofficial matches and netted a brace for a Europe XI at Wembley against a England. Kubala played 180 matches for Barcelona and scored 131 times. A self-confessed "cosmopolitan" it would be hard not to make László Kubala captain of this side.
Michel Platini may seem to many to be a surprise selection in this side. However, it's hard not to include him if only to detail the strange fact that Platini, one of the greatest European players of all time, once turned out for Kuwait in an international friendly (his last ever international match in 1988) Why Platini played for this oil-rich nation is unclear.
Up front is Alfredo Di Stéfano who played for Argentina, Colombia and Spain. The four matches he played for Colombia were not recognised by FIFA, however the games for Argentina and Spain still allow him to qualify for this XI. Despite playing for three separate international sides, Di Stefano never played in a World Cup Finals tournament.
Completing our eleven is Juan Alberto Schiaffino who scored in Uruguay's 1950 World Cup Final win over Brazil. He later moved to Italy and played for the Azzuri as his grandfather came from the Genoa region. Schiaffino joins an elite club of players to have played or two elite footballing nations as well as three club giants in Penarol, Milan and Roma.
The source from this article, and a more comprehensive list of players who have played for more than one country can be found on the excellent RSSSF site here: http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/double-caps.html


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As part of my workshop in the French CVX Congress, I had the opportunity to participate in a Cercle de Silence in Cergy. Cercles de Silence is a movement which was started by Franciscans in Toulouse in 2007, as a form of silent, non-violent, protest against the injustices suffered by immigrants. Typically, the event is advertised in advance and the organisers set up a poster or banner in a public space, and a lantern. A circle of participants forms around the lantern, standing in complete silence, rain or shine, until the end of the event. Participants can be of any race or creed. Since its origin, the movement has spread to other French towns and to other European countries.
The first part of our workshop was a dialogue, held in a classroom of a public school in Cergy, with a young migrant who had escaped persecution in his country and arrived in France without a passport. He described the hardship and the uncertainty, but also how generous people had helped him materially and through legal advice, first to avoid immediate deportation, and then through the long road to refugee status. For the second part of our workshop we joined the Cercle de Silence which was taking place in the main square of Cergy.
When we arrived we joined the circle which had already been formed. Hung between the trees was a large banner - "With, or without documents, the stranger is a human being". Coming across a number of people standing in a circle, in complete silence, in such a public space has quite an impact. Passers-by are intrigued. Some stop to ask, and there are volunteers outside the circle who can answer questions and give out leaflets. Some join the circle, even if only for a little while. Being in the circle with complete strangers, was a moving experience. Knowing nothing of each other, we were united in our solidarity.
Saviour Borg (R.O.D.S.)


text: SCCM 2016 – Technical Preview 4 – Windows PE Peer Cache Hi All, As promised, as part of the work I have been doing with the latest version of SCCM Technical Preview, I thought I'd cover one of the new features in the platform - namely, Windows PE Peer Cache. What is it? 'Windows PE Peer Cache' is a new capability in SCCM which allows a Task... Read more


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"TEAR GAS IN THE ANDES," by Christian Parenti
Las Vegas, Nev.
Is the author crazy, or just stupid? The use of nonlethal weapons is good news. In the past the police or military would have simply shot the protesters. They may be unhappy about the use of nonlethal weapons, but they will all live to discuss it.
"THE LINCOLN MUSEUM AND SPRINGFIELD'S SHAME," by Adrian Brune
Steger, Ill.
Your article is insightful. I would not have known about the race riot in Springfield. However, the implication of your article is that the museum has failed to address the significance of the riot appropriately. I am wondering why you did not provide some insight as to the appropriate remedies. This is damnation through faint praise. Your article leads me to believe that the museum feels that it has addressed the matter and intends to do no more. Is that what you intended? Is that a matter of fact?
"AN OPEN LETTER TO HOWARD DEAN," by Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich
Hampton, NH
I suggest Dennis Kucinich's energy would have been better spent examining his own past failure to vigorously defend the democratic wing of the Democratic Party.
Throughout the 2004 primary he did well. He gained the respect of progressives everywhere by imploring us to "vote our hopes, not our fears." But then, when the centrist juggernaut of John Kerry seemed to become unstoppable, he relaxed his antiwar pressure so as not to divide the party. If ever there was a time to do the opposite, to insist for inclusion and to stand on principle, even at risk of breaking rank and splitting the party, it was during the summer of 2004, when it became abundantly clear that progressives were "in the tent" in name only.
Yet he advocated no such boldness. He evidenced much hand-wringing and tears, but rather than play hardball with Kerry, he acquiesced to assure his continued seat at the table. In the end, in Boston, he stood side by side with John Kerry and on top of a very prowar democratic platform. Not only was this a colossal strategic mistake–his failure to effectively bring his antiwar sentiment into the platform and to the Kerry camp–it was a colossal failure of his leadership. He risked nothing on our behalf, and we got nothing in return.


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Volotea's first birthday at Cagliari Airport
One year after opening its first flight route from Cagliari Airport, it is time for Volotea to assess its results: more than 70.000 passengers to and from Sardinia, a fleet of 14 Boeing 717 serving 50 destinations in 7 countries all over Europe and competitive fares starting from 19.99 euro (one way, tax included).
Vueling announces new flights to Barcelona
Vueling will be soon flying from Cagliari Airport to Barcelona El Prat. Starting June 21th the new non-stop flight route will be operated 3 times a week (on Monday, Friday and Sunday) during June, July and September, and 4 times a week (on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) in August. One-way fares are available at www.vueling.com from 49,99 euro.
SAS: 3 new flight routes from Cagliari
SAS Scandinavian Airlines will fly from Cagliari to Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm during Summer 2013. The three new flight routes will be operated once a week on Sunday (Stockholm), Wednesday (Oslo) and Thursday (Copenhagen). One way fares start from 94 euro, including taxes and fees.
Airberlin announces 3 flight routes for S13
Airberlin, the second German airline, announces today its summer plan 2013 for Cagliari Airport: new flights to Dusseldorf and Zurich plus the classic Munich flight route. Flights to Dusseldorf will be operated from May 1st three times a week, while the Zurich route will be operated twice a week.
New WiFi InfoPoint available at the airport
The airport and its services plus some interesting highlights on Cagliari and Sardinia at a glance. An easy-to-use tool for passengers and visitors at Cagliari Airport: starting today, just select the InfoPoint wireless net from your smartphone or tablet and browse through useful info, maps and suggestions.
Ryanair announces its S13 schedule
Two more new Ryanair flights from Cagliari for next summer: Oslo (Rygge) and Kaunas. Today the Irish low cost carrier has met the press and announced its network from South Sardinia for the coming IATA season.


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Anna Paquin Covers 'Manhattan' June 2013
Anna Paquin shows off some of her bra under a blazer on the cover of Manhattan magazine's June 2013 issue.
Here's what the 30-year-old True Blood actress had to share with the mag:
On the new season of True Blood: "Things left off in a pretty serious place in regards to where Eric and I leave Bill having just turned into this creature of the blood with these monster fangs�"and who the hell knows what that is? So obviously, that situation has to [play] out. And we have new cast members this year, and that's always fun to have fresh blood, if you'll pardon the pun. This season, the writers and I have been making a concerted effort to help Sookie grow up, become a little bit darker, more accepting of her fate, more self-knowing."
On her career: "I've been really blessed, I've never really been drawn to things because I wanted to be famous or huge or anything. I'd rather do one day's work on a movie that is really creatively interesting than be in every single frame of something that I find a little dull. I feel like that guided my choices a lot and I've consequently been drawn to people who, in the best possible way, kind of kicked my ass, because I didn't want to be the weak link."
On growing up in the industry: "I mean, it's a pretty bizarre and awesome thing to happen to a small child living in New Zealand. It consistently, sort of implausibly, has afforded me enormous opportunities and opened a door for me that probably wouldn't have opened otherwise. I'm very grateful, but it's just kind of part of the texture of my childhood. That was 20 years ago."
For more from Anna, visit Manhattan magazine!


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Do you like Poodle Needs Owner? Share it with your friends.
URL of the game
Link with image
Post the game on your website
Poodle Needs Owner - take care of the poodle so that it catches interest of a potential owner who then buys it.
Current year (antispam)
No games have been played yet.


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Dinner with Canada is a pop-up theatrical dinner party reflecting a proud moment in Canadian history!
Celebrate Ontario's 150th with Shadowpath Theatre Productions as we recreate historical Canadian dinner parties.
Customize your experience with our two different cuisine options:
Enjoy a full 3-course meal for $26
Enjoy a lighter, 2-course meal for $18
Dinner with Louis Riel
Celebrate politician, leader of the Metis people and controversail figure who's life summarizes the tensions of being Canadian.
Date: November 26, 2017
Location: Flato Markham Theatre, 171 Town Centre Boulevard, Markham, ON L3R 8G5
Time: 7pm - 9pm
SYNOPSIS: 1885, The Battle of Batoche has the Canadian authorities up against a force of Métis. Louis Riel makes one final escape to his French allies in Quebec for an urgent rendezvous. Former Prime Minister, Alexander Mackenzie and Canadian poet-performer, Pauline Johnson are in attendance and partake in the main topic of conversation: should Riel flee, fight or surrender?
Lush pea soup with a crema swirl
Carmalized onions and roasted brussel sprouts with maple syrup baked beans
Fresh French baquettes with homemade butter
Canadian-themed mini-cupcakes
Seasonal fruit & cheeses
3-Course add:
Chicken pot pie with a creamy mash potato swirl sprinkled with sharp cheddar cheese
No Meat Tourtiere: A French Canadian dish with aromatic spiced lentils
Note: the Producer will be in touch to confirm your dinner option before the event.
Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?
Must be 18+.
What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?
Parking is FREE and available on-site.
How can I contact the organizer with any questions?
For questions regarding the events, please contact the producer at email@example.com
What's the refund policy?
No refunds.
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
No, we encourage patrons to not print their tickets. We will have a list at the door.
Is my registration fee or ticket transferrable?
We will do our best to accomodate. Please contact the producer at email@example.com
Wine Bar is a cash bar.


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Food is expensive. If you do the grocery shopping for your household, you know that this is one of the highest costs related to your home and family. While it may be unlikely that you can completely eliminate your grocery bill, you can grow certain foods yourself. And, you can grow them from scraps that you would normally throw away.
Imagine having an unlimited supply of your family's favorite produce. Incidentally, produce is often one the most expensive items on most grocery lists so anything that you can cut down will help you to tremendously curb that grocery expense.
There are a number of fruits and vegetables that you can replant and grow yourself, ensuring that you always have these items on hand when you need them and helping you to cut down on the money that you spend on produce every week.
If you have ever considered growing your own food, this post contains a list of 25 foods that you can grow from the leftover scraps and seeds that you normally throw out.
Post divided into 8 projects/page. Use the navigational buttons to navigate.
1. Lettuce
Lettuce, Bok Choy and cabbage are relatively easy to grow from scraps. Instead of throwing out those leftover leaves, simply place them in a bowl with just a bit of water in the bottom. Keep the bowl somewhere that gets good sunlight and mist the leaves with water a couple of times each week. After 3 or 4 days, you will notice roots beginning to appear along with new leaves. When this happens you can transplant your lettuce or cabbage in soil.
2. Celery
Celery is one of the easiest foods to grow from leftover scraps. Just cut off the bottom or base of your celery and lay it in a bowl with just a bit of warm water in the bottom. Keep the bowl in direct sunlight as long as possible each day and after about a week, you will begin to see the leaves thickening and growing along the base. When this happens, you can transplant your celery in soil and wait for it to grow to full length.
3. Lemongrass
If you love using lemongrass but have a difficult time finding it, simply regrow your own. Lemongrass will grow just like regular grass. You just place the root that is leftover in a glass bowl or jar with enough water to cover it and leave it in the sunlight. After about a week, you will notice new growth and when this happens you can transplant your lemongrass in a pot or in your herb garden.
4. Bean Sprouts
If you love cooking with bean sprouts you can grow them yourself as well. You just need to soak a tablespoon or so of the beans that you want to grow in a jar with shallow water. Leave this overnight and in the morning, drain the water off and put the beans back in the container. Cover the container with a towel overnight and rinse them the next morning. Keep doing this until you notice the sprouts begin to appear and then until they reach the size that you want. This works well with mung beans and wheat berries.
5. Avocado
Avocado seeds can be used to grow a steady supply of this super food. You just have to wash the seed and use toothpicks to suspend it over water in a bowl or jar. The water should come up enough to cover the bottom inch of the seed. Keep the container in a warm place but not in direct sunlight and remember to check the water every day and add more as needed. It can take up to six weeks for the stem and roots to appear and once the stem reaches about 6 inches you will need to cut it down to 3 inches. When leaves begin appearing, you can plant the seed in soil, remembering to leave about half of it above ground.
6. Potatoes
Virtually everyone knows that potatoes can be grown from potato peelings. You need peelings that have eyes on them. Cut those peelings into two inch pieces, ensuring that there are at least two or three eyes on each piece. Allow them to dry out overnight and then simply plant them about four inches deep in your soil. Make sure that the eyes are facing up when planting. It will take a few weeks before you see the potato plant begin to grow.
7. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes can be grown much like regular potatoes. You just have to cut the sweet potato in half and suspend it using toothpicks above a container of shallow water. Roots will begin to appear in just a few days and sprouts will be seen on top of the potato around that same time. Once those sprouts reach about four inches or so in length, just twist them off and place them in a container of water. When the roots from this container reach about an inch in length, you can plant them in soil.
8. Ginger
Ginger root is very easy to grow and once you get started, you can keep your supply of ginger full. You just need to plant a spare piece of your ginger root in potting soil, making sure that the buds are facing up. You will notice new shoots and new roots in about a week or so and once this happens you can pull it up and use it again. Remember to save a piece of the rhizome so that you can replant it and grow more for the next time you need it.


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Tim Robbins Has Prison Drama Class That Cuts Recidivism in Half
Actor Tim Robbins has dramatically cut repeat offender rates for prisoners who take his acting class behind bars. Six out of every 10 inmates in California will commit another crime and return to prison within three years of their release. Robbins' program has cut that rate in half. The reason is because the drama workshops give prisoners a way to express their emotions. It was created by The Actors' Gang — a theater production and … MORE


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Holiday Cottage in Moulin, near Pitlochry.
A period, mid 17th Century cottage set on a quiet side Street in the village of Moulin perhaps 3/4 mile out of Pitlochry. This self catering accommodation sleeps 6 – it has an open fire, washing machine, tumble dryer, TV in all bedrooms, heating, linen, towels & fully equipped kitchen.
Sitting room, Dining room, Kitchen and drying room, 2 main bedrooms and a bathroom with 3rd second floor bedroom, arranged as 1 double and 2 twins. The main bedroom has a cloakroom en suite. Fully heated, Electricity include with all linen and towels.
A thriving town, a Victorian resort set amongst some of the most spectacularly scenery in Europe. It is regarded as the gateway to the Highlands and that dramatic approach up the A9 from Perth certainly bares that out.
The town offers every facility and entertainment including the famous theatre. Its central location brings all of Scotland within daily driving.
Pets welcome.
Rent from £165.00 per week to £710.00
With £15.00 charge per pet
Short and long breaks accepted out of season


text: While Spain is now a well-established democracy closely integrated into the European Union, it has suffered from a number of severe internal problems such as corruption, discord between state and regional nationalism, and separatist terrorism. The Politics of Contemporary Spain charts the trajectory of Spanish politics from the transition to democracy through to the present day, including the aftermath of the Madrid bombings of March 2004 and the elections that followed three days later. It offers new insights on the main political parties and the political system, on the monarchy, corruption, terrorism, regional and conservative nationalism, and on Spain's policies in the Mediterranean and the EU. It challenges many existing assumptions about politics in Spain, reaching beyond systems and practices to look at identities, political cultures and mentalities. It brings to bear on the analysis the latest empirical data and theoretical perspectives.


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This app is the next in our series of Bus Routes Apps. This app is available for Android phones on all major App Stores like Google Play, Amazon App Store, Samsung App Store, Opera Store etc.
This app is Totally free to use and also works fully even without any Internet Connection. You can download it once and use it.


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Colombia's FARC rebels call pause in peace talks
Colombia's FARC rebels said it was putting peace talks on hold Friday to examine a government proposal that any peace agreement must be put to a national referendum.
President Juan Manuel Santos said in Bogota that the FARC's decision to take time out to study the referendum proposal was "legitimate and valid."
"But time is passing and there are limits to the patience of the Colombian people and we have to continue moving forward," he warned.
On Thursday, Santos had sent legislation to Congress that would require a referendum on any peace agreement reached with the leftist rebels.
"In light of this new circumstance, the FARC's peace delegation has decided to make a pause in the talks to center itself exclusively on the implications of the government proposal," FARC negotiator Pablo Catatumbo said, reading from a statement.
The government and rebels have been holding peace talks in Havana since November, with the aim of ending Latin America's longest insurgency.
Government and FARC negotiators were to remain in the Cuban capital during the pause in talks.
Former Colombian vice president Humberto de la Calle, the lead negotiator for Bogota, made a quick trip home for personal reasons, but said in a statement: "Dialogue has not broken off."
"We hope the time taken by the FARC to examine this proposal will be brief, so talks can resume shortly," he said.
Santos said that in the event of a peace deal, Colombians should vote on it when the country goes to either legislative elections or presidential elections.
Legislative elections are due in March 2014, and the presidential poll is set for May next year.
Catatumbo did not say how long the pause in the talks would last.
He noted that the rebels had previously proposed that a peace agreement be ratified by a national constituent assembly to ensure it had popular assent.
But Santos has in the past rejected that approach, and on Friday insisted that a referendum would be a better way to poll the public.
Although both sides have expressed optimism that an agreement can be reached, negotiators so far have dealt only with two of the five topics on the agenda for the talks.
They reached a consensus on the issue of rural development and have been discussing the FARC's political reintegration. Yet to be discussed are the laying down of arms, drug trafficking and reparations for victims of the conflict.
A government commission last month estimated that 220,000 people have lost their lives in the near 50-year-old conflict. Other estimates run as high as 600,000 dead.


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High quality granulated active carbon. Eliminates undesirable chemical compounds in marine and freshwater aquariums. Carbon should be placed in flow filters in 100 ml for 100 l (27 US gal.) of water in marine aquarium or 200 l (54 US gal.)in freshwater aquarium. The insert should be replaced every 8 weeks at maximum.
Stainless Steel Dymax Plant Tweezer (Angled/Straight) for planted tank uses.
For long lasting usage, please wipe tools after each use.
The Dymax Substrate Scrapper is designed for precision aquascaping and made for incredibly comfortable finger-grips suitable for both left or right handed usage
Key Features:
For precision aquascaping
Excellent corrosive resistance
Elegant anodic oxide finish
Crafted from professional supervision
Design for left or right handed usage
Bicolor Anthias (Pseudanthias bicolor)
Purchase Size: approx 2-3"
* Delivery service provided within Singapore Only. International Sales not applicable for all Live Stocks sold by FNM.
Purple Queen Anthias (Pseudanthias tuka)
Purchase Size: approx 1.5"
* Delivery service provided within Singapore Only. International Sales not applicable for all Live Stocks sold by FNM.
Benereef is not just a coral food, it is engineered for the entire reef. Our patent-pending pre and probiotic formula is unlike anything else on the market. It looks different and smells different because it is different.
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Crude Protein
25.5% min
Crude Fat
4.7% min
Crude Fiber
44.0% max
5.5% max
Crude Ash
5.0% max
Total Microrganisms
Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces,
1,000,000 CFU/g min


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Quick Reference
A method for estimating the surface charge of a cell by looking at its rate of movement in an electrical field. Most cells have a net negative surface charge, mostly due to carboxyl groups on terminal carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins and glycolipids. The cell is surrounded by a fluid layer in which the ionic composition is affected by the fixed charges on the membrane and the electrical potential measured (the electrokinetic or zeta potential) is actually some distance away from the plasma membrane. By varying the pH of the suspension fluid it is possible to identify the pK of the charged groups.
Subjects: Medicine and Health.
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Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Sort of side-lined
About three months ago I was holding hand pads while sensei pounded into them. As he threw his right cross into the right pad I lost focus for a split second, the second where he connected and my arm flew behind me. Of course there was pain and I had to stop and hold onto my arm, but then continued on. That's always the case, hmm? You get hurt but then figure it's not that bad and keep going. Well, now that shoulder is not doing well at all and I requested physical therapy. I went today (he's also a good friend of mine and dojo mate) and while I can still do karate I cannot do many of the blocks and strikes. Anything that goes above my head or too far into abduction is not on the menu for the next four weeks. At least I can still train! I'm also forbidden to do push-ups and heavy bag training (at least with my arms. I can still kick!), which makes me sad since that's been my weight training recently. But, if it means my shoulder will get better and that I won't have to get a cortisone shot then I'm more than happy to make those small sacrifices. Train smart. As for the handstand push-ups, I got halfway down and back up, but now I have to stop those as well. The reality is I need my shoulder to heal so that I can continue doing karate the way I want to. That's the important piece. The lessons aren't only in how you train, but how well you keep your body going, too. Injuries are a pain but they can teach you to slow down and pay more attention. The world will not end if I can't keep up the level of training I want to for the next four weeks. It just means I now have the opportunity to work on those pieces that need polishing. No biggie.
Posted by somaserious at 12:12 PM 8 comments: Links to this post
Thursday, April 10, 2008
You have got to believe
You really, really do. Today I believed in my technique, in my self more importantly. The past two classes have been primarily on bunkai of Gekasai Dai Itchi and Ni. For Itchi there are five bunkai (at least in our system) and for Ni there are two. The very last Itchi bunkai has been difficult for me to get right ever since I learned it, oh, seven years ago. Today it just clicked. It finally went smoothly. The tricky part of this particular bunkai is to step straight back away from the punch (a chodan punch) in order to "suck" it into you (which forces the uke forward even more into their strike), while at the same time striking a pressure point found on top of the forearm (just below the elbow) with one hand and performing an uchi block with the other. It's like a windmill, or a whip, type of strike/block which results in the arm of the uke being thrown behind him/her. At this point you then move in for a double punch, one aimed near the bladder and the other at the solar plexus. Seems simple, right? Well it's not! At least for me it hasn't been. I've always performed it cautiously, aiming at the pressure point, making sure my uchi threw the arm back in a whipping motion and then moving in for the strike. Today I just decided to believe that the two hands moving in unison would find their marks. Well, it worked. Funny thing, belief. But you have to give yourself over to it and leave doubt completely out of the equation. As soon as my brain started to assess this move it would not work. In fact, I treated all the bunkai in this way today and it went so smoothly. Just let go, seems simple, doesn't it?
Posted by somaserious at 12:54 PM 1 comment: Links to this post
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CFL Grow Lights
Although this website is focused on the LED grow light, it would not be complete without also looking at one of its close competitors, the CFL grow light. Nowadays you can get compact fluorescent lighting that can cover any party of the visible light spectrum and which is powerful enough to be used as a grow light. There are several advantages of using CFL grow lights over the more traditional HID grow lights. CFL grow lights are cheaper, and much more energy efficient, they don't have to be actively cooled, they have an integrated ballast, and they are useful for use within small spaces, such as grow tents, since plants can grow quite close to them without suffering the negative effects of excessive heat. As you can see, many of these advantages are similar to those of LED grow lights.
Unlike LED grow lights however, where you can identify the specific wavelengths of light being emitted, CFL grow lights emit over a wide range of wavelengths that combine together to produce a 'shade' of white light. Depending on their construction, different CFL bulbs will emit different colour ranges thereby producing different shades of white light. Due to this limited control over the exact wavelengths emitted from the grow light, a different scale called the Kelvin scale (K) is used to represent the type of CFL grow light. Lower Kelvin CFL bulbs emit white light containing more red wavelengths of the visible light spectrum, so are generally used for flowering regimes, whereas higher Kelvin bulbs are associated with white light that contains more blue wavelengths and so are often used for vegetative growth.
Buying a CFL grow light
So the first thing to consider when choosing your CFL grow light is whether you need it for vegetative growth or to encourage your plants into flowering and fruit production. Once you have decided on which colour bulbs you are looking for, the next task to consider is the amount of lumens or light intensity you need to get optimal plant growth. The sun produces approximately 98000 lumens / m2 (10,000 lumens / ft2 if you are an American) on a perpendicular horizontal surface at sea level. Obviously the sun is not always unobstructed and exactly perpendicular to the surface of the earth but this at least gives you an idea of what 'perfect' lighting conditions would be like in nature, and so it makes a reasonable target to aim for in your grow area.
Different CFL grow lights produce different amounts of lumens. However, it is important to remember that this is the total light output from the bulb and only a proportion of these lumens will hit the area that we are targeting even with reflectors and reflective Mylar sheet-covered walls. Here a good estimate to use is to assume that only 90% of the lumens emitted from a bulb will hit the plant canopy and be used. Obviously this assumes that the grow light will be hung high enough so that the light covers the whole of your growing area, but then close enough to the plant canopy to maximise light exposure without the plants getting too hot (it is also recommended to hang the light using a retractable system so that the light can be raised as the top of the plant canopy rises).
OK so now we know what we need in terms of the type of CFL grow light and how bright it should be. So let's take a look at some of the CFL grow lights available.
If you want to avoid spending on two different types of CFL grow light, one for vegetative growth and one for flowering induction, this Giant Eco-Grow light has been configured to emit over both the red and blue ranges, essentially covering the whole visible light spectrum. Remember though that you will be sacrificing a little on both optimal plant vegetative growth and flowering induction for the sake of economy, so it just depends on what is more of a priority for your circumstances. This bulb is a giant (both in make and in size!), but it can still be used in the standard E40 (40mm Edison Screw) ceramic grow light holder that one usually uses for HID lamps. 300W CFL bulbs emit about 22,000 lumens (approximately 20,000 lumens after estimated losses) so if you have a 1 square metre grow area you will need 5 of these goliaths to hit our target of 98,000 lumens per m2.
That seems like a lot of light bulbs for a small area but remember that is for hitting a target equivalent to perfect sunny conditions for the whole day, each and every day! How many times (especially here in the UK!) have you seen the sun come out and stay out each and every day, and fix itself permanently at the highest point in the sky? You haven't. The point is that plants will grow well with a lot less lumens than our target, so lower numbers of light bulbs will work well too – our target provides a good point of reference though. If you don't already have the fitting, the CFL grow light is also available together with the E40 lamp holder and reflector (see table below).
Other CFL grow lights with different characteristics (wattage and colour temperature) are available but their appearance is very similar to the one pictured above, so I have not included any pictures of them here, instead, they have been summarised in the table below – click on the name in the table to take you directly to the product listing on Amazon.
CFL Grow Lights
|Colour Temperature
|Lumens (approx.)
|Sold on Amazon.co.uk
|Blue 6400K
Red 2700K
|Blue 6400K
|Red 2700K