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Summer Ballet Seasons in Moscow are an integral part of the summertime
cultural life that already became a tradition: the Seasons have been an annual
fixture of the cultural calendar since 2001. This year, from July 1 to
August 28 the best classical ballets will be performed on stage of the Russian
Academic Youth Theatre (RAMT) for 12th time.
The SUMMER BALLET SEASONS were founded in 2001 and immediately attracted the
attention of audiences. The repertoire of the Seasons consists of classics
performed by promising and prominent Russian ballet companies.
More than 300,000 people have visited performances of the Seasons during
these years. In 2001, the project was planned as the means to settle tourist
problems - in the period of summer vacations, closed theatres and concert halls,
it was impossible to form a worthy cultural program for foreign tourists. Time
passed, and today the Seasons have turned into a prominent cultural event in
Moscow. The performances of both the ballet companies, participating in Summer
Ballet Seasons, are a great rarity in their own country, as they tour abroad
most of the year. For example Moscow City Ballet had 15 annual tours and more
than 1500 performances just in UK !
The conception of the Summer Ballet Seasons is to cherish the inherited
treasures of the Russian national culture.
The performances traditionally take place in the very heart of Moscow in the
old Russian National Theatre next to the World Known Bolshoi and opposite the
Kremlin and Red Square.
In 2001, the project was planned as the means to settle tourist problems - in
the period of summer vacations, closed theatres and concert halls, it was
impossible to form a worthy cultural program for foreign tourists. Time passed,
and today the Seasons have turned into a prominent cultural event in Moscow. The
performances of both the ballet companies, participating in Summer Ballet
Seasons, are a great rarity in their own country, as they tour abroad most of
the year. For example Moscow City Ballet had 15 annual tours and more than 1500
performances just in UK!
The conception of the Summer Ballet Seasons is to cherish the inherited
treasures of the Russian national culture.
This is the second year the the Summer Ballet Seasons
are organized in partnership with state unitary enterprise MosConcert with
support from the Department of Culture of the city of Moscow. Participants
include the best Moscow troupes: "La Classique" Moscow Ballet run by Elik
Melikov and Russian National Ballet Theatre run by Vladimir Moiseev and Evgeny
Amosov. For the first time
the Seasons open their stage to the Russian Classical Ballet troup headed by
Oksana Usacheva.
For several years already the Seasons' participants include foreign ballet
troups that are known both for their artistic interpretations of classical
storylines and for their innovative modern production. For example, last year
the tour of "Kiev Modern Ballet" theatre headed by the iconic young
choreographer Radu Poklitaru enjoyed great success. This year, which marks the
Year of Italy in Russia, the Russian and Italian Ministries of Culture are
helping to bring to Moscow Balleto di
Milano headed by Carlo Pesto. The troupe will perform the
director's version of "Romeo and Juliet" and choreographic production
titled "Chanson".
The performances of Summer Ballet Seasons traditionally take place in the
Russian Academic Youth Theatre
(RAMT) located in the very heart of Moscow — at Teatralnaya
Square, next to Bolshoi and Malyi theaters, in the magnificent old
mansion — a unique monument of architecture built in the 19th century. This
mouse was always known as the center of Moscow's cultural life. It was
frequented by Anna Kern, this is where the Artistic coterie headed by Alexander
Ostrovsky gathered for its meetings, this stage witnessed performances by Fedor
Shalyapin and Leonid Sobinov and in 1924—1936 it was home to Moscow Art
Theatre-II, whose director was Mikhail Chekhov.
Each year the theatre's lobby hosts exhibitions organized within the
framework of the Summer Ballet Seasons. This year we will show mosaic works of art, which are a part of
the exhibition dedicated to the 170th anniversary of the great French
Impressionist painter Claude Monet. Last winter the exhibition was a great
success in Paris.
The Summer Ballet Seasons projects seeks to preserve and promote Russia's
cultural heritage and introduces the audiences to the world-famous classical
Russian ballet. In the course of 11 years of the Summer Ballet Seasons'
existence the performances were seen by more than 300,000 people. Initially the
project was conceived specifically for foreign tourists who were visiting
Moscow after the closing of the theatre season. But residents of the capital
showed great interest in the performances and very quickly the Summer Ballet
Seasons became summertime Moscow's business card.
In 1988, the Russian choreographer and former soloist of
the Bolshoi Ballet, Victor Smirnov-Golovanov, founded the Classical Ballet
Theatre, which is known abroad as Moscow City Ballet. The Company"s success,
both at home and abroad, makes it one of Russia"s most extensively touring
ballet companies.
Considering classical ballet to be an important part of the national heritage
of Russia, Victor Smirnov-Golovanov aims to bring it to as wide a public as
possible, especially to the new generation of ballet-going youngsters.
Some of the Company"s greatest successes have been in the United Kingdom,
where it has given more than 1,500 performances since 1991, all under the
auspices of Victor Hochhauser. In addition, Moscow City Ballet has appeared in
Belgium, Cyprus, Egypt, Estonia, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan,
Lithuania, the People"s Republic of China, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
the Republic of Ireland, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, the USA and,
naturally, in Russia itself. The touring schedule of the Company is always very
tight and the tours are planned long ahead.
Moscow City Ballet is renowned for the perfection of its corps de ballet in
the best traditions of the Russian school of classical ballet. This is ensured
by the unceasing efforts, both in production and rehearsal, of Victor
Smirnov-Golovanov and his wife, Lyudmila Nerubaschenko. Smirnov-Golovanov"s own
productions, as well as older versions of the classical ballets, all share a
clearly defined style and choreographic integrity.
The Company of more than 60 dancers is drawn from graduates of all the finest
choreographic academies and schools in Russia and the Ukraine, including Moscow,
St. Petersburg, Perm, Kiev, Novosibirsk, Ufa and Alma-Ata, as well as guest
artists from abroad. Moscow City Ballet appears regularly with its own orchestra
and is in constant demand all over the world.
The Russian
National Ballet Theatre (RNBT) was founded with the help and support of the
Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The necessity to have a young,
promising and vibrant theatre with a unique potential in both kinds of dance,
classical and modern, was the main reason for its foundation. Talent and
devotion to art is its major principle. This is support by the outstanding
talent and devotion of the celebrated masters Russian ballet, such as, People`s
Artist of the USSR Professor Moiseev, People`s Artist of Russia Professor R.
Struchkova, People`s Artist of USSR M. Lavrovsky, People`s Artist of USSR Y.
Vladimirov and others. The Russian National Ballet Theatre has
given Russian ballet a new lease of life. The theater"s repertoire includes not
only classical performances such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty,
Scotland Suite, Don Quixote and Gala Concert, but also modern ballets set to the
music of Mozart, Bach, Ravel and others. The company personnel numbers more than
50 dancers, and is the result of the pain-staking search for dedicated and
talented artists. A great effort has gone into providing the correct atmosphere
and conditions in which to develop and perfect the artists` mastery and creative
pursuits. The company"s main soloists are: Honoured Artist of Russia M.
Bogdanova, E. Berezina, O. Pavlova and prize winners of international ballet
competitions - M. Romanov, K. Pavinskaya, N. Ivanova, N. Kungurtseva, to name
but a few.
Artistic Director of the company is Vladimir Moiseev, the Honoured Artist of
Russia and the soloist with the Bolshoi Theatre. The company"s General Director
is the Honoured Artist of Russia, Evgeny Amosov. The Theatre`s soloists have
been invited to perform principal roles in the leading theatres of Russia,
Italy, Spain, Japan, the United States, Mexico, Australia, South Korea and
Mainland China. And the company tours intensively all over the world as well.
They"ve been announced the best touring company in China in the years 2001 and
The major creative principle of the Theatre is not only careful preservation
the Russian classical ballet school, but also the development of new forms of
choreographic expressiveness, as well as discovering new models, directions and
possibilities of dance.
The Rakhmaninov Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1995, was directed by the
celebrated conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre Andrei Chistyakov.
The RSO collaborates with many composers, both in Russia and abroad,
including Michelle Legrande and Ennio Morricone. As a result of such
collaborations, the orchestra has not only performed many successful concerts,
but also released numerous disks.
The RSO has worked with such companies as: Movida-film and television
A.B. Nordisk-film Concorde-New Horizons. USA TOEI. Japan Ima
films, UGC Images. France Numero Uno, Artmosfera. Italy
From its founding, the orchestra has participated in the yearly Maya
Plisetskaya Festival in Finland, where they have performed such works as Swan
Lake, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty, and Carmen.
With the arrival in 2005 of A. Petukhov, the orchestra
intensified its performance schedule: they now perform in Moscow"s finest
concert halls, including the Great Hall of Moscow State Conservatory,
Tchaikovsky Hall, The Central State Concert Hall "Russia", and the Kremlin
Palace. The RSO has a long-term contract with the Kremlin Palace, which is
located in the territory of the Kremlin and has seating for 6000.
At the Italian-Russian Festival, the RSO premiered modern Italian composer
Bruno Cantini"s opera "Anastasia". The festival was an important event in
Moscow"s cultural life.
In the near future, the RSO is planning concerts in Finland, France, and
A graduate of Moscow State Conservatory, A. Petukhov has
directed professional symphony orchestras from 18 years of age. During his years
as a student of the Conservatory, many important symphonic works were performed
under his direction, including operas of Tchaikovskii, Puccini and Prokofiev. At
22 years of age he was invited to conduct the Moscow State Operetta Theatre
orchestra, and after six months to conduct the State Symphony Cinematic
Orchestra of the Soviet Union, in which over 250 musicians worked under his
Over the course of his fourteen years with this ensemble, A.
Petukhov maintained an active concert schedule, and also recorded music of
widely varying styles. During this period, they recorded music for more than
1500 films, (including the cult series "Seventeen Moments of Spring"), shows,
and television programs, as well as dozens of symphonies, operas, and ballets.
From 1983 to 1988 A. Petukhov served as artistic director and
conductor of the countries most celebrated orchestra- the All-Union Radio and TV
Orchestra. Daily radio broadcasts, as well as frequent concerts made him a
famous and beloved public figure.
From 1989 to 1994 he toured with the concerts all over the
world. And beginning with 1995 he became a professor of the Moscow State
Conservatory. A. Petukhov joined the Rakhmaninov Symphony Orchestra as the
artistic director and chief conductor in
Graduated from Moscow State Conservatoire named after
P.I.Tchaikovsky (pedagogues E.Leonov and G.Rozhdestvensky) with distinguished
diplomas. In 1997 was invited to the music theatre Amadeus, where he staged
several pieces by Mozart and Strauss. In 1999 he was invited as a conductor to
the Opera studio at Moscow Conservatoire, where participated in the production
of the opera Aleko by S.Rakhmaninov. In 2000 Alexey Osetrov staged operas Eugene
Onegin by Tchaikovsky and Boris Godunov by M.Mussorgsky at the Opera
Studio-Theatre named after S.Prokofiev. In 2001 he participated (under the
guidance of G.Rozhdestvensky) in staging of The Gambler at the Bolshoi Theatre
and one year later, together with the famous conductor G.Zhemchuzhin, he worked
at the ballet Magic Flute by R.Drigo. During the season of 2003/2004 Alexey
Osetrov conducted at Helikon Opera Theatre. He also performs extensively as a
guest conductor in the country and abroad. His repertoire includes classical
operas, ballets and symphony music programmes.
Graduated from the State Musical Collage named after the Gnesins
(pedagogue V.Kalinin) with the distinguished diploma. Later graduated from
Moscow State Conservatoire ( his pedagogues were B.Tevlin and G.Rozhdestvensky).
Since 2005 Konstantin Khvatinets is on probation with the National Philharmonic
Orchestra of Russia (artistic director and chief conductor V.Spivakov). And
alongside with this he is a conductor of the Children"s Music Theatre named
after N.Sats. His repertoire includes music and ballet performances. He was
invited as a guest conductor to perform at the Bolshoi theatre during the
presentation of the Bolshoi ballet school in Brasil graduates Gala programme. In
2006 he has brought into life a new production of Chippollino by K.Khachaturyan
on the stage of Children"s Music


text:
Information About Aspergillosis
Aspergillosis is a fungal infection that develops in the nose and sinuses of dogs and cats. In some areas of the country these infections can be fairly common. Infections with this fungus show very characteristic symptoms including nasal discharge. Aspergillosis can be difficult to diagnose and treat. Early detection and treatment are very important for controlling this potentially damaging disease.
How do dogs get aspergillosis?
Aspergillus is a very common fungus that is found throughout the environment. Most animals and people will come into contact with this fungus at some point in their lives, however, most animals do not develop infections. Most infections occur in animals that have a poor or deficient immune system, a prior sinus infection, or in animals that have been on prolonged antibiotic therapy. In addition, animals that are undergoing chemotherapy or have a pre-existing disease such as diabetes mellitus are more prone to developing aspergillosis. However, Aspergillus can infect healthy animals with a normal immune system as well.
The animal inhales the Aspergillus spores and the fungus takes up residence in the nasal passages. There are several forms of the disease that range from a minor infection on the surface of the mucous membrane to a fulminating form where the bony passages in the sinuses are rapidly destroyed. In dogs, the disease rarely travels out of the sinus or nasal area.
Which dogs are most likely to get aspergillosis?
Aspergillus is most common in dogs that have long to moderate length noses like Collies and Shepherds. It is rare in brachiocephalic breeds (short noses) like the Pug or Boston Terrier. It is more common in younger dogs, with 80% of the cases occurring in dogs less than 7 years old. German Shepherds appear to be more susceptible to this disease than other breeds. Cats are much less likely to develop this disease than dogs.
What are the symptoms of aspergillosis?
There are three symptoms that are characteristic of aspergillosis:
A profuse, clear to opaque discharge from the nostrils that may alternate with episodes of nose bleeding.
Ulcerations on the external part of the nose.
Pain or discomfort in the nose or facial area.
One, two, or three of these symptoms are usually present in infections with Aspergillus.
How is aspergillosis diagnosed?
There are several ways to obtain a positive diagnosis of aspergillosis. Swabs of the nasal area that are examined under the microscope are sometimes diagnostic, as are fungal cultures of the area. However, many times these fail to identify the organisms and could also be positive in a dog whose symptoms are not due to the Aspergillus; i.e., many normal animals may have Aspergillus in their nasal passages. Therefore, their use in detecting aspergillosis usually is not recommended. Radiographs (x-rays) of the sinuses and nasal areas often reveal a destruction of the bones in the sinuses.
The use of a small flexible bronchoscope to examine and obtain a biopsy of an infected area inside the nasal cavity or sinus is another effective diagnostic technique. There are also several blood tests including the AGID and ELISA tests that have given fairly accurate results and are a useful diagnostic tool.
Diagnosis is generally made through use of several of these diagnostic techniques. When a dog presents with nasal bleeding and discharge, it is important to differentiate between a tumor and aspergillosis. With a tumor, we rarely see ulcerations on the nose or nasal pain which are trademarks of aspergillosis.
What is the treatment for aspergillosis?
There are two forms of treatment, topical and systemic. For systemic treatment, oral antifungal drugs such as itraconazole or fluconazole are usually used. The cure rate with these products is at best 70%. An alternative approach is periodic infusions of the topical antifungal drug enilconazole through surgically implanted tubes. The success rate for this treatment is reported to be as high as 90%. This treatment can be labor intensive, messy, and not well tolerated by the dog. A newer approach to the topical treatment has been to anesthetize the dog and infuse the topical antifungal agent clotrimazole (Lotrimin) under pressure into the sinus cavities. One study showed a 94% success rate in dogs with this one time treatment. The intranasal infusion with clotrimazole may soon become the treatment of choice for this disease.
Regardless of the treatment method, the most important factors in successfully treating this disease are early recognition and treatment.

subset: commoncrawl


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Joseph Benjamin II – Born April 19, 1673 in Yarmouth, Plymouth Colony. He died in June 1738 in Preston, New London Co., Connecticut Colony. Joseph married Elizabeth Cooke on August 25, 1698 in Preston. He is my 7th great grandfather.
Katarzyna (Catherine) Cujak – Born April 20, 1823 in Pozen, Poland. She died on March 28, 1914 in Mecan Twp., Marquette Co., WI and is buried in St. John the Baptist Cemetery, Princeton, Green Lake Co., WI. She married Stephen Soda in 1840 in Poland. Catherine is my 3rd great grandmother.
John Jacob Musbach – Died April 22, 1905 in Waterloo Twp., Jackson Co., MI and is buried in Salem Grove Cemetery, Grass Lake, Sylvan Twp., Washtenaw Co., MI. He was born on May 30, 1839 in Wurtemburg, Germany. John Jacob is my wife's 2nd great grandfather.
The above is based on information from several sources and isn't fully verified at this time.


text:
Transit Visa
Agri Travel can arrange holidays to China or try http://www.metropolistravel.co.uk/
travelling to China need not be a trial
If you're not a Chinese national, you will most likely need to get a Chinese visa. Citizens of Singapore, Brunei and Japan holding ordinary passports may enter China without a visa. If you are a UK passport holder and are planning a trip to the People's Republic of China, you will require a visa.
Chinese Visa General Line: 0161 818 9512
There are a number of different types of visas for those interested in China travel. This website will describe these different types of visa, as well as how to fill out the application form that is required to be completed in order to get one.
Chinese consular services give you the option of single, double or multiple-entry types of visa. Single or double-entry visas are available for either ninety or one hundred and eighty days. Should you have questions regarding Getting a Visa for China, get in touch with us and we will answer them as best we can.


text:
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There are items in your cart not related to this team store. You can check out with the existing items in your cart or empty your cart to continue shopping this page.
Amazingly warm and impossibly light, the Micro-Blam Crew will keep the warmth in and won't slow you down. This crew has a super soft micro fleece interior - that means you can wear this thing for all day warmth – and a nice slick face so it won't get caught up in what you wear over it. The Micro-Blam crew is the essential cold weather piece you need to have in your closet.
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This site is for orders shipping to addresses within the United States (and territories). We are unable to accept international orders at this time.
Warrior is happy to ship purchases to APO/FPO addresses. All packages sent to these locations will ship via the US Postal Service.
Warrior moisture management liner/technology - seriously warmed up - helps wick moisture away from your body.
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Use Promo Code "SHIPSFREE" to claim free ground shipping on those orders over $100
We pride ourselves on providing unmatched customer service. Just give us a call and we will be happy to help. Because getting your gear shouldn't cost you.
We make sure you are covered against defects for 30 days. One of the best warranties in the business.


text:
Want more?
Check out the latest updates
on the BikeWalkLee blog at
Click here to sign up for
the BikeWalkLee blog
Click here to read and downlad the MPO's new Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Action Plan.
BWL is tracking all the TIGER grant-related documents, media coverage, and updates, and has organized this information all in one place with links so you can read more in-depth information and can use this page as a future resource. This "one-stop shop" article is updated every week, so click here for the latest updated TIGER grant resource tool.
Click here for an updated guide
to biking resources in Lee County.
Lee County makes progress towards goal of filling gaps in its bicycle and pedestrian facilities network... read the recent BWL report on the status of county facilities.
Click here for all our online bike maps.
BikeWalkLee is a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County -- streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities.
Read the BikeWalkLee analysis on county bicyclists... "Better Understanding Lee's Bicyclists" (BULB) evalaution


text:
- Home
- News
- Sports
- Opinion
- Obituaries
- Features
- Special Sections
- Classifieds
- Public Notices
Wayne Currie with the North Carolina Department of Transportation wants everyone to be more patient with Shallotte's Smith Avenue extension project.
He's hoping when it's finished—if it ever gets finished—all the hassle will be worth the wait.
So NCDOT and S.T. Wooten Corp. officials, just how long will it be before this project is complete?
It wasn't your original projection of October 2010.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the The Brunswick Beacon, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
|ZIP Code:


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|photo credit: Martin Pettitt
So here's what went down after you logged off.
What gives jalapenos their kick? Fungus. Yum.
Robots with skin? Japanese scientists have developed a stretchy, rubber covering for robots that allows them to detect heat and pressure.
Elephants never forget – really. A new study has shown that herd matriarchs have exceptional memory for distant sources of food and water which can be the key to their herd's survival.
Just one restaurant can produce 490 tons of CO2 every year – and there are 940,000 of them just in the US. So, how do you feel about "green cuisine?"
Have you been following the "case of the missing viper" at Moody Gardens? It sounds like something out of Encyclopedia Brown, but It's escaped for real – twice. And now, investigators are pulling out the polygraph.
Did you stay up to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower? What did you think? Leave us a comment and let us all know what the experience was like.


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European Reddit Quake Live duel night
Please log in with a Challonge account when registering – this will allow you to report your own scores rather than relying on your opponent or an admin to do it for you! When registering for the tournament, use this format: QLusername – nationality – free/premium/pro – for example: Raziel2p – NOR – pro
The tournament is expected to last one and a half to two hours with no breaks, so make sure you can stay the full duration. You can forfeit single rounds if you absolutely need to take a break and play the remaining rounds when you get back, but the forfeits will count against your final score. You will get a new opponent every round. Agree on a server location, find an empty public server (or spawn one if one of you has pro) and play the match! Report results by hitting the green question mark next to your match.
Each round will have a free and a premium map pre-determined. If both of you have premium or one of you have pro, play on the premium map, otherwise play on the free map. These maps aren't strictly forced – if you and your opponent agree, you are free to choose your own map any way you like (either by eliminating or just agreeing on a map). The maps are:
Round 1: House of Decay (tourney9) OR Battleforged
Round 2: Campgrounds (dm6) OR Hektik
Round 3: Lost World (dm13) OR Dismemberment
Round 4: Blood Run (ztn) OR Toxicity
Round 5: Furious Heights (tourney7) OR Aerowalk
Subject to change depending on how many people sign up!
Join #qlreddit @ irc.quakenet.org to contact your opponents or the tournament admin!
More info & complete rules (read these!)
Final Results
|Supreme Champion:
|Kristus - SWE - Pro
|Worthy Adversary:
|Nikkezhu - FIN - Free
|Maybe Next Time:
|pb - DK - pr0


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Statement of Reginald F. Wells, Ph. D.
Deputy Commissioner for Human Resources &
Chief Human Capital Officer
Social Security Administration
Testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia
Hearing on Diversity in the Senior Executive Service
May 10, 2007
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:
Thank you for inviting me to return here today to share with you the Social Security Administration's (SSA) efforts to achieve diversity in the Agency's Senior Executive Service (SES) corps.
The employees of this Agency are not only highly committed to our mission and values; we are a diverse organization that mirrors the public we serve. In order to fulfill our mission and provide the kind of service that the public expects and deserves, it is fundamental that we understand its needs. This takes high-performing, well trained, and well-equipped staff, from the front line field office workers to the highest executives. Achieving this goal has been and continues to be integral to how we do business every day and is an important part of SSA's culture.
As I did when I addressed this Subcommittee in 2003, I would like to start by sharing with you some background on the Agency's workforce, the challenges we are facing with regard to the increasing number of employees who will retire, the inroads we have made across the Agency by articulating a business case for recruiting a diverse workforce, and the success we have had developing a pipeline of leadership talent who stand ready to move into the SES corps.
Our Workforce
SSA's workforce consists of about 62,000 employees working in 1,500 installations nationwide. Our workforce is diverse. Seventy percent of our employees are women. Forty-seven percent of our workforce are members of a minority group, compared to 31.8 percent in the rest of government and 27.4 percent in the national civilian labor force. And, I am especially pleased to report that SSA's minority representation for all groups exceeds their representation in the national civilian labor force.
SSA ranks third among federal agencies in Hispanic employment. The number of Hispanic employees in the SSA's workforce has grown to 12.9 percent, compared to 7.5 percent in the federal workforce and 12.8 percent in the national civilian labor force. Asian Americans now make up 4.2 percent of SSA's workforce compared to 4.8 percent in the federal workforce and 4.1 percent in the national civilian labor force. (I have attached a chart to my testimony with more information.)
SSA has the highest number of individuals with targeted disabilities among comparably sized federal agencies of 50,000 – 100,000 employees based on Equal Employment Opportunity Commission statistics, and SSA ranks second highest in the percentage of individuals with targeted disabilities among Federal agencies with 500 or more employees.
The Business Case for Diversity in SSA
It is well established in SSA that having a highly qualified and diverse workforce is essential to the Agency meeting its primary mission of providing quality service to an increasingly diverse public. We believe that having a diverse workforce that reflects the demographics of the public we serve increases the public's confidence in the Agency's ability to meet its needs and enhances the Agency's capability to conduct business in the most effective and efficient manner. With that understanding, the Agency has successfully turned the challenge of the retirement wave of the baby boom generation into an opportunity to expand the diversity of its workforce.
Workforce Challenges
Diversity is a strategic recruitment goal for the Agency. Under the leadership of a National Recruitment coordinator, a career human resources professional, we have been able to bring consistency and professionalism to the recruitment process. However, we continue to face the realities of an aging workforce—the average age of an SSA employee is 47 – and the wave of retirements. An integral function is to continually assess the Agency's retirement wave data. According to recent data:
• SSA retirements are expected to peak between 2008 and 2010 with nearly 22 percent of the workforce electing to retire; this translates to approximately 2,700 employees per year.
• 39 percent of overall staff will be eligible for regular retirement through 2010.
• 66 percent of SES and GS-14/15s will be eligible for regular retirement by 2010.
• We project that we will need to replace nearly 43 percent of the workforce by the year 2015.
While these numbers sound daunting, we have viewed this as an opportunity to expand the diversity in our workforce. Our priority is always to select the best qualified individual regardless of race, national origin, sex or religion. Since 2002, we have hired 18,328 employees. Of those, more than 57 percent were women; 6.6 percent were individuals with disabilities; 27.6 percent were African Americans; 16.5 percent were Hispanics; 7.3 percent were Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; and 1.2 percent were American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Our success stems from several key factors:
- Support from the highest levels of the Agency;
- Strong linkage to the Agency Strategic Plan;
- A long-term service vision;
- Ongoing analysis and study of potential future losses;
- A comprehensive workforce transition plan; and
- National and regional leadership development programs.
We continue to educate our managers on modern, effective recruiting practices. We have a professional marketing strategy that enables us to compete effectively with government and private organizations. We have designed an extensive array of recruitment resources that are available to managers at all levels of the organization.
In addition, SSA's Office of Human Resources produces a monthly hiring report that cumulatively tracks fiscal year hires on a monthly basis for all employee groups both at the Agency and component level. The report is shared each month with SSA's Senior Staff to keep them apprised of recruitment and hiring outcomes.
Diversity in the SES Corps
While having a diverse workforce at the service delivery level is important, it is equally important to have diversity throughout the management and executive ranks. In spite of the large number of retirements in our SES corps, we have generally been able to maintain our level of minority representation in the SES. As of September 30, 2006 approximately 30 percent of the SES corps was minority compared to 16 percent government wide.
Since the beginning of the current fiscal year, we have lost 14 executives, 6 of whom were minorities and 5 of whom were women. Fortunately, SSA is well-positioned to replenish the leadership ranks with minority candidates. As a result of being proactive and developing the business case for diversity and staying the course with our aggressive recruiting efforts and comprehensive developmental programs, we will be able to maintain a highly qualified and diverse workforce.
Recruiting a Diverse Workforce
Agency leadership is firmly committed to continuing our efforts to build a workforce that reflects the face of our nation. A diverse SES corps depends in large part on a diverse total workforce.
We continue to conduct on-campus college recruiting as an important source of diverse new hires. SSA regularly recruits at historically black colleges and universities and Hispanic-serving institutions and we have cooperative agreements with Native American tribal colleges and universities. Further, we have established partnerships with national organizations with ties to colleges and universities to help us attract a diverse candidate pool.
SSA also has benefited from its long-standing relations with its chartered Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Groups. Since the late 1970s, long before it was popular, SSA recognized such groups as a valuable recruitment resource and vehicle for community relations. These organizations are key players in our recruitment initiatives in addition to their primary role of assisting the Agency to better address employees' concerns and to better serve persons with targeted disabilities, women, minorities and the non-English speaking public.
The six employee advisory groups are: the Advisory Council for Employees with Disabilities; the American Indian and Alaska Native Advisory Council; the Black Affairs Advisory Council; the Hispanic Affairs Advisory Council; the Pacific Asian American Advisory Council; and the Women's Affairs Advisory Council.
In addition to developing talent internally, we attract executive talent from other public and private sector sources.
Leadership Development
SSA has a long and successful tradition of developing leadership from within. National leadership development programs cover employees from grades 9 to 15 in all positions and are enabling the Agency to meet the staffing and leadership challenges referred to earlier in my remarks. To date, over 500 employees have participated in our national leadership development programs and over 60 percent have advanced to higher level positions. In addition, we have regional and component-level developmental programs that offer challenging opportunities for skill and leadership development. Since 2003, nearly 800 employees have participated in such programs.
Regardless of the occupation, leadership positions are considered to be critical to the Agency mission. We have developed a formal Strategic Leadership Succession Plan that serves as a blueprint for identifying future leadership needs and maintaining an adequate leadership talent pool at the Agency level as well as the component level. We are also focusing on addressing leadership losses by identifying mission critical skills and closing skill gaps where they exist. We have an aggressive plan that uses a multi-level methodology to identify critical competencies, analyze skill gaps, maps a strategy to address the gaps, and assess results.
OPM has recognized our leadership programs as among the "best practices" in government and our programs are continually benchmarked and mirrored by other agencies. The programs are structured and managed to emphasize development of recognized government wide leadership competencies. Key features of the programs include selection processes that focus on critically important leadership competencies, development plans that focus on real and challenging leadership assignments that further participants' leadership competencies, continual feedback through assignment evaluations, and strong mentoring for each participant.
At the higher levels, we are beginning to reap the benefits of our recruitment efforts. Of the appointees from the most recently completed SES Candidate Development Program classes remaining with the Agency, 45 percent have been women and 32 percent have been minorities. The makeup of the current SES Candidate Development Program Class includes 33 percent minorities and 63 percent women.
By increasing the diversity of the employee population, the diversity of the applicant pools for these developmental programs has also increased and continues to enrich the pipeline of minority talent who will be ready to move into leadership positions. At the SES level, this pool of talent has enabled the Agency to maintain diversity levels despite losses due to retirements.
The Advanced Leadership and the Leadership Development Programs, for employees in grades 9 through 14, are equally important for a quality, diverse future SES corps. These programs have helped us increase the representation of minorities and women at the grade 14 and 15 levels. We currently have more minority employees at the GS-15 level than ever before—over 27 percent are minorities and nearly 47 percent are women. At the grade 14 level, nearly 30 percent are minorities and 51 percent are women.
In closing, I think it's important to emphasize the Agency's pride in its workforce and the proactive model we have adopted to promote diversity among employees. We believe that our pride in our workforce and our commitment to diversity is part of the reason that SSA was recently named one of the top ten Best Places to Work in Federal Government. The business case for diversity in our workforce is convincing. We believe that because we have incorporated this principle in all we do, we are positioned to maintain a highly qualified and diverse workforce at all levels of the Agency. Thank you and I will be glad to answer any questions you may have.
Civilian Labor Force *
† SSA workforce profile as of March 31, 2007
* CLF data based on 09/30/2005 OPM figures


text: Why not making the code available to everybody in an Open Source repository like sourceforge? A On Feb 11, 2008 5:21 PM, Theodore H. Smith <delete at elfdata.com> wrote: > > Hi everyone, > > So I've been working, on and off, on this algorithm for quite a while > now. It's basically an invention of mine. It is a "blast-like" > algorithm, in that it does "Fuzzy lookup" operations across a database > of letters. I am designing this algorithm to be useful for bio- > informatics, this is the main field I am initially targetting. > > The database will be filled with protein sequences, and the search > across the database will be another protein sequence. The algorithm > has a "scoring matrix", which can accept different protein replacement > scores. The cost of inserting letters (protein letters) can be > configured also. > > In this sense, it's no different to Smith-Waterman. The same input, > the same output! > > The real difference from Smith-Waterman, is it's speed. My algorithm > will be hugely faster. This is because I use many techniques to avoid > processing unnecessary parts of the Smith-Waterman matrix. > > I also use many tricks to reuse computations across various proteins. > For example, the matrix for protein "ABCDE", is identical, at first > anyhow, for the matrix for "ABCDEFG". This means if I have both > proteins "ABCDE", and "ABCDEFG" in my protein database, I can test > both of them against the search query, in almost half the time. My > algorithm also runs in logarithmic-time with respect to the size of > the database. Basically, bigger databases run disproportionately faster. > > I want to turn this algorithm, into something useful for people. My > first challenge here, is to answer the question "is this algorithm > faster, or better than BLAST". If it is not faster, my algorithm > basically has little use. But I have good hopes it will be faster! I > am very good with these sort of things, you see :) Speed is my strong- > point. > > Currently, I do not know about the speed, because I haven't > implemented a C++ version of my algorithm, or a good speed testing > framework. > > I do however know that my algorithm is more accurate than BLAST, > because it is just as accurate as SSEARCH, as mine uses the Smith- > Waterman algorithm. Whereas BLAST uses a heuristic, intelligent guess- > work basically. A fine heuristic, but still a heuristic. Mine is > methodological, not heuristic based. > > So here is what I am looking for! > > I am hoping, that someone in the field will be able to offer me > guidance, interest, enthusiasm, suggestions and maybe even do some > testing for me. > > Perhaps a student doing a bio-informatics related degree, who would > like to write a paper on an alternative way of processing protein > databases. My invention could be an interesting subject for a paper. > > Or perhaps a researcher who just has an interest in these sort of > things! Perhaps a researcher who feels there must be a better way of > doing these things. Or anyone really in this field with the time and > interest, and feels helping me could help him (or her) too in some way. > > I'd like someone I can ask a lot of questions to, and show my software > to, and explain my hopes what I can achieve with it. > > Basically, my first question to you, would be "how would I set this up > to be useful for someone", and "how would I test it's usefulness, what > would you need to know about my algorithm that you would decide to use > it over blast" > > It's sort of a vague question from me, like "what do you need me to > do", but... well that's where I am right now. Sort of a bit on the > outside hoping someone on the inside will show me something. > > So it's an opportunity to tell me what you want, basically!! Tell me, > and I might just make it. > > Who knows? Maybe one day in a few years time, everyone will be using > this "ElfDataFuzzy" algorithm that I invented, instead of BLAST! You > might be part of something. > > Thanks to anyone who replies! > > -- > http://elfdata.com/plugin/ > "String processing, done right" > > > > _______________________________________________ > BBB mailing list > BBB at bioinformatics.org > http://www.bioinformatics.org/mailman/listinfo/bbb > -- Andreu Alibés, PhD Systems Biology Program - Center for Genomic Regulation c/ Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain Phone: +34 93 316 0258 http://aalibes.googlepages.com/


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Krematorium I
Two sets of furnaces where bodies were burned. The device at the oven mouth is mounted on rails and used to push the bodies into the flames. Scroll to the right and look through the door to the gas chamber (see Auschwitz # 16). After gassing, prisoners workers called Sonderkommando (special workers), men who were forced on pain of death to do this work, carried or dragged the bodies to the rail carts that were used to push the bodies into the ovens. Scrolling around you see some of the devices used for another oven no longer there. This was an early version of the industrial mass production methods used for murdering countless souls. As you will see in the Birkenau exhibition (see Birkenau Map), the Nazis were to greatly improve the size and efficiency of their mass destruction methods.


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text:
With only two head coaching chairs left, and the options down to the Cardinals and Jaguars, some of the guys looking for work are going to be left out.
But if you're not getting a job, getting paid to not work is a nice alternative.
That's the case with former Bears coach Lovie Smith, as Ian Rapoport mentions Smith would rather sit out this year than take a defensive coordinator job.
Smith hasn't interviewed or been mentioned as an option for either of the remaining openings.
The Bears are paying Smith for 2013 anyway, so the ability to step back and enter next year's market won't cost Smith a dime.
For a guy with an 81-63 record, and a Super Bowl trip with Rex Grossman as quarterback, you wouldn't think it would have been this hard for Smith to find work. But he has the ability to find it on his terms.


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Yellowstone Completes Annual Bison Count [AUDIO]
Doug Randall reports that fewer than one in five of this year's Wyoming high school graduates are considered ready for college, according to the results of the ACT college entrance exams. Yellowstone National Park has completed their annual bison count. Click past the jump to listen to Wyoming Radio News.


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I'm in there in this super rad editorial with a bunch of bloggers, designers, artists that all rely heavily on the internet for work, life, breathing.... ok maybz not that far, but you get the gist. I thought it was a super rad idea and the concept for the shoot itself was very... honest?, which is awesome of course.
But the MIU MIU? I really cannot believe such a thing happened, first an email from awesome stylist Martha Violante, then a couple days later I'm in a studio and we are going through a rack chock-full of Proenza Schouler and Lanvin and Prada trying to decide what I should wear. First I tried on this Miu Miu dress layered over one of the Proenza Schouler tie-dyed shirts and worn with crazy socks and these Nicholas Kirkwood oxfords I blogged about a few weeks ago. It was awesome, but there was still the case of the amazing long sleeve sheer skirt bejeweled dress with a naked lady collar. As soon as I put it on, I felt like a princess, and to take care of the "sheer" part, we put some Marc Jacobs lingerie running shorts under it. They were actually really, really amazing. I ended up wearing Marc Jacobs shoes as well, these amazing flip-flop/ballet flat-with-wings contraption that I totally fell in love with and crazy flower print socks. Martha loaded me up in bling, with a ton of awesome rings and necklaces and then I sat down on a couch and updated my twitter a bunch. PRETTY AMAZE. I am super-duper psyched at the way this came out, the whole thing is just so ME, I mean, I'm sitting on a couch on the computer drinking coffee! That's pretty much all I do at home!! hahahaha
(I was definitely using the phone irl guyzzz)
Thank you Martha and Mickey and everyone at PAPER!
Ps. Zana also has really nice scans of the entire editorial. You should check all them cool kids out!
Pps. That is not my real computer. My real computer is a 12" POWERBOOK from like, 2003 and in computer years that's basically ANCIENT! The cd drive doesn't work, the battery is shot to shit and if the computer is unplugged it dies automatically. I can't watch Hulu on it because the new Flash is too advanced for it and on top of everything else Google is phasing out Google docs on computers that old, or something like that. I get by borrowing my boyfriend's computer, but it's just not the same you know? I don't even know. Basically, it's pathetic. So if Steve Jobs or anyone at Apple wants to SPONSOR the blogger with a new computer, that would be totes AWESOME. hit me up kids. <3


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Home > News & Events > Wayland Press Release Archives > 2001 Press Releases > August 2001 > Keller earns doctorate in fine arts
Keller earns doctorate in fine arts
Candace Keller, associate professor of art at Wayland Baptist University, recently received her Doctor of Philosophy in Fine Arts degree from Texas Tech University, specializing in visual arts.
Keller has been a member of the Wayland faculty for 24 years, heading the art department and teaching numerous courses in the visual arts arena. She also serves as curator of art for the Museum of the Llano Estacado and the Abraham Art Gallery, both located on the Wayland campus.
A native of Midland, Keller holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from Sul Ross State University. She also has a Master of Arts degree in theater and a Master of Education in Arts degree in visual arts from Sul Ross.
During her career, Keller received a fellowship in painting, studying with artist Audrey Flack at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in Florida in 1986. She also received the Virginia Steele Scott Research Fellowship to the Huntington Library in California in 1990 and was selected as Associate by artist Ed Paschke for painting studies at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in Florida in 1995.
Keller is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Golden Key National Honors Society, Alpha Psi Omega, the College Art Association of America, Texas Art Education Association, Tau Sigma Delta and the National Council of Art Administrators.


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In Asian cultures, bamboo has been used as a building material for thousands of years. As the world becomes more environmentally conscious, however, many are in a sense going retro, abandoning modern construction materials for traditional bamboo. There are numerous reasons why so many people are going green with bamboo products. Some are practical, while some are cost effective, while still others simply do so for the health of the earth and bamboo's many ecological benefits.
1. Bamboo grows incredibly fast
Although it's heartier than many trees, bamboo is actually a grass. In fact, it's the fastest growing plant in the world. Bamboo's fast growth enables frequent harvesting without causing damage to the ecosystem of bamboo forests. On average, bamboo can grow up to about 24 inches in a single day, while some species can grow nearly 48 inches. Bamboo has the potential to achieve its full height and thickness in a 3-to-4-month growing season.
Bamboo is best harvested sustainably between the 3rd and 7th years of a growing cycle. After the second year, bamboo forests continue to harden and grow into more mature bamboo plants, although they will start to die and decay after 7 to 8 years. The plant roots, however, remain healthy, so after the older bamboo die, new shoots take their place, growing even bigger and thicker than the previous generation. Compare that to hardwood forests, which can take hundreds of years to recover after logging.
2. Bamboo plants produce a high yield
In a single harvest, you can get 20 times more building material from bamboo than you can with hardwood trees. A harvest of a single bamboo stand can yield over 200 poles in 5 years, so there's no scarcity. Bamboo's abundance keeps prices low, making it much more affordable.
3. Bamboo is stronger than hardwood
Bamboo is stronger than steel and heartier than most hardwoods, so you know you are buying a high-quality material with high durability. Not only is it more affordable, but bamboo produces a higher quality of wood than hardwood trees do — making it a valuable building material.
4. Bamboo production creates livelihoods in impoverished countries
Bamboo grows best in tropical conditions and has the ability to provide economic sustenance to developing countries, improving stability for impoverished populations. As bamboo's popularity increases, it offers a sustainable way of making a living — all from a grass that grows like a weed.
5. Bamboo is better for the air
Bamboo produces more oxygen and absorbs more carbon dioxide than trees, combating global warming with each bamboo shoot that is planted. Because the use of bamboo as a building material saves more hardwood trees from logging, the push for bamboo can help combat climate change.
6. Bamboo helps control soil erosion
Bamboo has a widespread root system as well as an enveloping canopy, which makes it a great water barrier to control soil erosion. Bamboo is widely used in a number of developing countries to protect crops and villages from washing away. Bamboo's high nitrogen consumption helps mitigate water pollution, and its roots are good for the soil.
7. Bamboo is highly versatile
Bamboo can be used in a wide range of products, from paper to construction materials and flooring. There's bamboo furniture, bamboo sheets, bamboo yoga blocks and more. Some of the first paper products were made from bamboo, and today it is widely used to make a soft but durable bamboo clothing as well as to build fences, walls, bridges, bicycles, skateboards, helmets and computer keyboards. As bamboo's popularity increases, it's being used in more and more products, creating many beautiful ways for you to green your home and your lifestyle.
View article source:http://life.gaiam.com/article/7-eco-friendly-reasons-go-retro-bamboo


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Oct. 9, 2006
Senior cross country runner Stephanie Rothstein ran to her best finish as a Gaucho last week by winning the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis. Her win helped rank the Gauchos 9th in the USTFCCCA, the highest team ranking in Gaucho women's cross-country history. Rothstein and UCSB look to move up again October 14th at the NCAA Pre-Nationals in Terre Haute, Ind. Due to this momentous occasion, 20 Questions decided to sit down with Rothstein to figure out what really makes her so fast.
1. If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
Brooke because you can't get any preconceived notions from it, and Smith because it is the most generic name.
2. What is your favorite rollercoaster?
The Accelerator at Knott's Berry Farm that can go 0-80 in 2.8 seconds. I didn't actually ride it but my teammates did.
3. What is your hidden talent?
Appyling makeup. A lot of people don't know that as much as I like running, I like makeup.
4. What kind of cookiewich do you get at IV Drip?
Heath Bar ice cream with white chocolate macadamia nut and peanut butter cookies
5. What kind of animal would you be?
A cheetah cause it's fast
6. Who is the most influential person in your life?
My mother
7. What is your most prized possession?
My pictures
8. What superpower would you want?
To fly
9. What is the one food you hate the most?
Mint and chocolate together
10. If you were an extreme athlete, what sport would you compete in?
Monster truck racing
11. What is one animal you wished was extinct?
Bugs in general
12. If you could invent an animal, what would it be?
A chish, a cheetah and a fish combined. It would be fast and also able to breathe underwater.
13. Who is your favorite Harry Potter character?
14. A Walk to Remember or The Notebook?
The Notebook, for sure.
15. How often do you check your Facebook account?
I do not own one and I never will
16. What was your favorite birthday present?
Probably a portable DVD player from nine of my housemates
17. Fill in the blank. I need A Dummy's Guide to _______
Use a computer
18. What makes you laugh the most?
My own jokes
19. Would you call yourself an impulse shopper?
I used to be but then I realized the importance of money
20. Did you ever sneak out of the house?
Yes, many times


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|Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange
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Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
Annual to tree
Leaves generally compound, alternate, stipuled; leaflets generally entire
Inflorescence: generally raceme, spike, umbel or head; flowers sometime 12 in axils
Flowers generally bisexual, generally bilateral; hypanthium generally flat or cup-like; sepals generally 5, fused; petals generally 5, free, or the 2 lower ± fused; stamens 1many, often 10 with 9 filaments at least partly fused, 1 (uppermost) free; pistil 1, ovary superior, generally 1-chambered, ovules 1many, style, stigma 1
Fruit: legume, sometimes including a stalk-like base above receptacle, dehiscent, or indehiscent and breaking into 1-seeded segments, or indehiscent, 1-seeded, and achene-like
Seeds 1several, often ± reniform, generally hard, smooth
Genera in family: ± 650 genera, 18,000 species: worldwide; with grasses, requisite in agriculture and most natural ecosystems. Many cultivated, most importantly Arachis , peanut; Glycine , soybean; Phaseolus , beans; Medicago ; Trifolium ; and many orns
Reference: [Polhill & Raven (eds) 1981 Advances in legume systematics; Allen & Allen 1981 Leguminosae]
Family description and key to genera by Duane Isely.
Annual, perennial herb, shrub, unarmed
Leaves generally odd-1-pinnate (sometimes ± palmately compound, rarely some or most simple); stipules conspicuous or not; leaflets 3many, often irregularly arranged
Inflorescence: umbel or 12-flowered, axillary, generally peduncled, often bracted
Flower: corolla generally yellow (sometimes white or pink), fading darker; 9 filaments fused, 1 free
Fruit dehiscent or not, exserted from calyx or not, ovoid to oblong, ± beaked
Seeds 1several
Etymology: (Greek: derivation unclear)
Reference: [Isely 1981 Mem New York Bot Garden 25:128206]
Spp. generally variable; intermediates may be hybrids. Key below separates natural groups.
Perennial, hairy, silvery or gray
Stem prostrate to ascending
Leaf irregularly pinnate or ± palmate; stipules gland-like; leaflets 35, 412 mm, oblanceolate or obovate
Inflorescence 13-flowered; peduncle bract small or 0
Flower: calyx lobes ± = or < tube; corolla 712 mm, wings unequal, > keel; stigma finely puberulent
Fruit dehiscent, 12.5 cm, oblong, straight or slightly curved
Seeds several
Ecology: Mtn slopes, sometimes in pine/juniper woodland
Elevation: 12002400 m.
Bioregional distribution: San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, Desert Mountains
Distribution outside California: to Mexico
Varieties similar but geog distinct.


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But some analysts say that's all about to change as President Donald Trump ratchets up tensions between the US and its closest allies. Bitcoin keeps coming back in the headlines. With any Bitcoin bitcoin trading value today change making news and keeping investors guessing. In countries that accept it, you can buy groceries and clothes just as you would with the local currency.
Bitcoin is divorced from governments and central banks. It's organized through a network known as a blockchain, which is basically an online ledger that keeps a secure record of each transaction and bitcoin price all in one place. Every time anyone buys or sells bitcoin, the swap gets logged. Several hundred of these back-and-forths make up a block. No one controls these blocks, because blockchains are decentralized across every computer that has a bitcoin wallet, which you only get if you buy bitcoins. True to its origins as an open, decentralized currency, bitcoin is meant to be a quicker, cheaper, and more reliable form of payment than money tied to individual countries. A 2015 survey showed bitcoin users tend to be overwhelmingly white and male, but of varying incomes.
The people with the most bitcoins are more likely to be using it for illegal purposes, the survey suggested. Each bitcoin has a complicated ID, known as a hexadecimal code, that is many times more difficult to steal than someone's credit-card information. And since there is a finite number to be accounted for, there is less of a chance bitcoin or fractions of a bitcoin will go missing. But while fraudulent credit-card purchases are reversible, bitcoin transactions are not. Bitcoin is unique in that there are a finite number of them: 21 million.
Satoshi Nakamoto, bitcoin's enigmatic founder, arrived at that number by assuming people would discover, or "mine," a set number of blocks of transactions daily. Every four years, the number of bitcoins released relative to the previous cycle gets cut in half, as does the reward to miners for discovering new blocks. The reward right now is 12. As a result, the number of bitcoins in circulation will approach 21 million, but never hit it. This means bitcoin never experiences inflation. Unlike US dollars, whose buying power the Fed can dilute by printing more greenbacks, there simply won't be more bitcoin available in the future. That has worried some skeptics, as it means a hack could be catastrophic in wiping out people's bitcoin wallets, with less hope for reimbursement.
Which could render bitcoin price irrelevant. Historically, the currency has been extremely volatile. 500,000 by 2030 — and nabbing even a fraction of a bitcoin starts to look a lot more enticing. As the total number creeps toward the 21 million mark, many suspect the profits miners once made creating new blocks will become so low they'll become negligible. But with more bitcoins in circulation, people also expect transaction fees to rise, possibly making up the difference. One of the biggest moments for Bitcoin came in August 2017.


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Beginning as a method of preserving fish centuries ago, sushi has evolved into an artful, unique dining experience. In its earliest form, dried fish was placed between two pieces of vinegared rice as a way of making it last. The nori (seaweed) was added later as a way to keep one's fingers from getting sticky.
Technically, the word 'sushi' refers to rice, but colloquially, the term is used to describe a finger-size piece of raw fish or shellfish on a bed of vinegared rice or simply the consumption or raw fish in the Japanese style (while sushi is not solely a Japanese invention, these days, the Japanese style is considered the de facto serving standard).
The rice and seaweed rolls with fish and/or vegetables. There are also more specific terms for the rolls depending on the style.
The little fingers of rice topped with wasabi and a filet of raw or cooked fish or shellfish. Generally the most common form of sushi you will see.
Also called a hand-roll. Cones of sushi rice, fish and vegetables wrapped in seaweed. It is very similar to maki.
Sashimi is raw fish served sliced, but as-is. That means no rice bed or roll, but it is often served alongside daikon and/or shiso. This is my favorite style as you really get the flavor of the fish.
This book has great pictures, however it is not as complete as Sushi Made Easy.
This book also has great pictures, with advanced maki (cut roll) making techniques.
A very decent all-around book for the money.


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Where Are They Now? Suzanne 'Suzy Chapstick' Chaffee, celebrity skier
No Winter Olympian with ties to the state of Washington had a more remarkable post-Olympics career than Suzanne Chaffee, a former skier and late-1960s dabbler in journalism, photography and languages at the University of Washington.
While her Olympic teammates jokingly dubbed her "Daffy Chaffee," she was anything but:
Fashion plate: Chaffee was favored to win a gold medal in women's downhill in the 1968 Games in Grenoble, France, but she used the wrong wax on her skis and finished 28th. Despite the gaffe, Chaffee's skintight silver ski suit made her a media favorite. Said Chaffee, "I still got the second-most publicity after Peggy Fleming. Fashion saved my butt."
Ski pioneer: Three years after the Olympics, Chaffee was instrumental in the development of freestyle skiing, which evolved out of Chaffee's invention of "ski ballet" or what she liked to call "snowdancing."
When freestyle skiing -- then known as "hot dog" skiing -- became a professional sport in 1971, there was no women's division. Chaffee joined the tour anyway and won World Championships from 1971-73.
Her success on the circuit prompted the sport's hierarchy to add a women's division.
Getting physical: In 1974, Chaffee served on the President's (Gerald Ford) Council on Physical Fitness.
Board member: In 1976, Chaffee joined the U.S. Olympic Committee's Board of Directors, becoming the first woman to do so. Through Chaffee's efforts, freestyle skiing was added to the Olympic menu in 1992.
Accolades: Chaffee ultimately became a member of the Ski Hall of Fame in three categories: as an Alpiner, as a freestyler, and as a "builder."
"Suzy Chapstick": In 1978, Chaffee made a TV commercial that instantly became a part of her identity. "Hi! I'm Suzy Chapstick!" she announced, while skiing into view.
The commercial made her national celebrity and enabled her to subsequently earn in excess of $100,000 per year in endorsement income from such companies as Colgate and Dannon.
Pearly whites: Chaffee filmed an Ultrabrite commercial that one advertising industry group voted "Commercial of the Decade" for the 1970s.
Title IX: Chaffee was instrumental in convincing federal lawmakers to enact Title IX, a statute which guarantees equal opportunities for men and women in federally funded education programs.
Amateur Sports Act: In 1978, Chaffee lobbied Congress heavily on behalf of the Amateur Sports Act, which reorganized the USOC and established the governance structure for amateur sports in the United States, and also ensured equal opportunities for women.
Rule writer: Working with the USOC, Chaffee helped write legislation that eventually allowed Madison Avenue to freely sponsor Olympic teams and individuals.
Movie queen: In 1986, Chaffee starred in "Fire and Ice," still the highest-grossing ski film of all time.
Today: In 1996, the former University of Washington student became co-founder of the Native Voices Foundation, a nonprofit based in Colorado whose goal is to bridge the gap between Native American and mainstream American culture through sports, particularly skiing.
Said: "As an athlete," remarked Chaffee, "I was on planet Me, and it was an empty feeling. I've discovered that giving back is the real Olympic high."


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Senate Archives 2010
Archives 2010
January 21, 2010 Senate Meeting
Senators to Meet with Provost Candidates
The Provost candidate interviews are complete and the top three finalists are:
Dr. David D. Lee has been Dean of WKU's Potter College of Arts & Letters since 1994. He began his WKU career as an assistant professor of history in 1975 and also served as Interim Head of the Department of Music. He earned a bachelor's degree from Miami University and master's and doctoral degrees from Ohio State University. He chaired the President's Task Force on Quality and Access, the WKU Centennial Committee and the General Education Review Committee and currently chairs the Cultural Enhancement Committee. He is the author of "Sergeant York: An American Hero."
Dr. John M. de Castro has been Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and a professor of Psychology at Sam Houston State University since July 2006. He was professor and Chair of the Psychology Department at the University of Texas at El Paso from 2003 to 2006 and was at Georgia State University from 1974 to 2003. He earned a bachelor's degree from Northeastern University in Boston and master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He was the recipient of the 2007 John M. Kinney Award for Nutrition and Metabolism.
Dr. A. Gordon Emslie has been Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate College at Oklahoma State University since 2004 and Regents Professor of Physics since 2008. He was at the University of Alabama in Huntsville from 1981 to 2004, starting as an assistant professor of Physics, becoming Chair of the department and then Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. He has earned several degrees, including bachelor's and doctoral degrees from the University of Glasgow and bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
The Provost Search Committee will deliver their assessment to the President by March 26 and a final decision will be made by Dr. Ransdell and announced by May 1. Thanks to everyone who participated in this extensive process.
Graduate Council Report – January 2010
General Education Report – January 2010
Senate Ad-Hoc Committee – January 2010
February 18, 2010 Senate Meeting
Faculty Regent Report – February 2010
Faculty Regent Handout – February 2010
March 18, 2010 Senate Meeting
Faculty Handbook Review
WKU FACULTY HANDBOOK January 2010 Draft
NOTE: All feedback must be sent to firstname.lastname@example.com on or before March 31, 2010.
Grad Council Report – March 2010
Insurance Reserve Ad-Hoc Committee Report
April 15, 2010 Senate Meeting
April Senate Elections Underway - Attention faculty: At-Large Senator elections will begin on Wednesday, April 7 and end at midnight on Friday, April 9. The election for University Senate officers will occur on Thursday, April 15. Encourage your faculty Senators to run for a Senate office!
Grad Council Report – April 2010
UCC Report – April 2010 (corrected report at http://www.wku.edu/ucc/)
Benefits Committee Response to Lebedinsky Report
May 13, 2010 Senate Meeting
Graduate Council Report – May 2010
General Education Report – May 2010
Candidate Information Sheet University Academic Complaint Committee
Insurance Fund Reserve Report Update
Welcome our New Senate Leadership!
Congratulations to our 2010-11 University Senate Officers!
Kelly Madole – Chair
Molly Kerby – Vice Chair
Darbi Haynes-Lawrence – Secretary
September 16, 2010 Senate Meeting
Senate Agenda – September 2010
May 2010 Senate Minutes (unendorsed)
Graduate Council Report – September 2010
Informational Memo re Benefits Committee
UCC Report to Senate Sept 2010
October 21, 2010 Senate Meeting
UCC Report for October Meeting
Oct 2010 Grad Council Senate Report
Summary of Charter Revisions for October 2010 Senate Meeting
Senate Charter Revisions Proposal Oct1 5 (A few typos were corrected on 10/27/2010)
Visit the Senate Blog
Please visit the Senate Blog to engage in discussion about issues important to faculty at WKU. You will need a NetID and password. However, you may post comments anonymously.
November 18, 2010 Senate Meeting
General Education Committee Report
Summary of Charter Revisions (2nd reading at November meeting)
Senate Charter Revisions Proposal Oct 15 (second reading at November meeting; a few typos were corrected on 10/27/2010)
Extension of Probationary Period (Policy)
Highlights of November Senate Meeting
- Information was provided about:
- Liability coverage for Study Abroad
- New WKU Policy on Policies
- New Benefits Committee Representative: Dr. Jerry Daday
- There was discussion of a Charter Revision. The goal of this revision is to redefine Senate representation to reflect changes in the University College. Revision was referred to SEC for further work.
- Senate voted to recommend that Dr. Emslie pursue approval of the Policy on Extension of the Probationary Period.
Faculty Tracks Proposal
- Two proposals for new faculty tracks are posted on the Senate Blog for review and discussion.
December 16, 2010 meeting
Senate Executive Committee Items:
Information Items:
Referred to Faculty Welfare and Professional Responsibilities:
Graduate Council:
Grad Council Dec 2010 Senate Report
University Curriculum Committee:
UCC Report to the Senate November 16 2010
Faculty Welfare and Professional Responsibilities Committee:
Faculty Welfare and Professional Responsibilities Report Nov2010
Supporting documents for FWPRC resolutions:
Data Benchmark Institutions 0001
WKU Employee Health Plan Funding Philosophy 02-02-2010
Unfinished Business:
Charter Revision (Senate Representation)
New Business:
Charter Revision University Policies
Academic Affairs Overall Policy 1.0000
Eleven Month Administrator Compensation Policy 1.9800
Some of the links on this page may require additional software to view.


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VANCOUVER - A kid goes into a draft interview and the Florida Panthers ask: "If you were in the military, would you pilot an attack helicopter, be a medic or a sniper?"
Interesting question. See, if you're the pilot, the inference is you're in command, comfortable with the responsibility for taking others into and out of danger. If you're the medic, you put others ahead of yourself and risk your life to save theirs. And if you're the sniper, well, you might score 50 goals and lead your army to the Stanley Cup and get medals on your chest and those gold, fringy things on the shoulders of your uniform.
What in the world was Jake Virtanen to say?
"When they were asking the question, I was thinking about that," Virtanen says. "But I just went with sniper because I'm a goal-scorer and I love scoring. I said sniper and they thought it was pretty funny.
It was all fun."
It will be even more fun on Friday when the 17-year-old from Abbotsford should be called in the first 10 picks of the National Hockey League draft.
Although they are trying to trade up, and could also trade down, the Vancouver Canucks pick sixth in Philadelphia. After last month's NHL scouting combine, general manager Jim Benning was complimentary toward Virtanen, a winger who scored 45 goals and 71 points while amassing 100 penalty minutes for the Calgary Hitmen last winter.
British Columbia's NHL team has not chosen a B.C.-born player in the first round of the draft since Cam Neely heard the Canucks call his name in 1983. Heck, the Canucks went 23 rounds over three-plus drafts without choosing anyone from this province during previous manager Mike Gillis's administration.
No wonder there was a major shakeup in the team's scouting department before the last draft.
Virtanen would love to be picked by the Canucks.
Or as his dad, Rainer Virtanen, reveals: "What he says is: 'That would be so sick if the Canucks picked me, dad.' "
Only in rare parts of speech does Jake sound like someone whose 18th birthday is still two months away.
There is confidence and maturity when he speaks, as well as an adult tone. At 6-1 and 210 pounds, he also has a grown-up body. He skates like a full-grown NHLer, too.
But, like any 17-year-old (and some 47-year-olds), he does say "cool" a lot.
Watching the Canucks growing up was cool. Watching the Vancouver Giants was cool, and it's really cool to draw comparisons to former Giant Evander Kane for the way Virtanen competes around the net and has bite in his game.
It was cool to wear No. 19 throughout minor hockey in honour of Canuck Markus Naslund, and super cool to finally meet another idol, Canuck president Trevor Linden, when Virtanen interviewed with Vancouver at the combine in Toronto.
"It was awesome," Virtanen says. "Meeting their scouts and Mr. Benning, they were all great people, nice to chat with. I told Trevor I was a fan of his when he was playing and he started laughing and said too bad I wasn't there in 1994."
Virtanen was born two years after Linden led the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Final 20 years ago.
Virtanen comes by his own coolness naturally because his dad is an air traffic controller at YVR. And if you think it's nervy in the final minute of a hockey game, down by one and the goalie out, imagine juggling six or eight or 10 planes on a radar screen at rush hour with thousands of passengers up in the air.
"I'm pretty good under pressure," Jake says. "But, obviously, it's pretty intense up there (in the control tower). The last time I was up there was take-a-kid-to-work day when I was in Grade 10. There are thousands of planes, and there's only six or seven guys up there. But my dad and the other guys, they stay calm and work together. I think that transfers to hockey."
Rainer Virtanen was born in Finland and moved to Canada and back before settling in Coquitlam with his family when he was 15. Jake was born in New Westminster and spent his first 12 years in Langley before the family moved to Abbotsford. With a surname like Virtanen, Jake was on the Finnish Ice Hockey Association's radar.
There was an inquiry whether he might be coaxed to play for Finland, but the conversation was brief. Apart from residency rules to reduce cross-border shopping by national teams, Virtanen is a 15th-generation Canadian on his mother, Brigitte's, side.
"He's a Canadian through and through," his dad says.
The host Finns got an idea what they were missing when Virtanen was Canada's co-leading scorer at the Under-18 World Championship in April.
"Having dual citizenship is pretty cool for me," Virtanen says. "It was my first time going to Finland and I met a lot of people. I knew what the food was and the other (Canadian) guys didn't, which was pretty funny. A lot of people knew who I was, so it was pretty exciting."
Not so exciting was the major shoulder surgery Virtanen had in May. Sixth on NHL Central Scouting's final draft list for North American skaters, three places higher than he was at mid-season, Virtanen will know Friday if the operation diminished his appeal to teams.
"Both the doctor and my physiotherapist have said it's the fastest they've ever seen a shoulder heal, so it looks really great," he says. "It didn't bother me at all during the season, but the whole point of the surgery was to get it fully healthy so I'll be good to go for next season.
"This (draft) is pretty surreal for me. It's every kid's dream to be drafted to the team they grew up watching, their hometown team. It would be amazing to play for the Canucks in front of my friends here, and my family, too. And Vancouver has great fans; I've experienced that. Nobody really knows where they're going in the draft and there's supposed to be a lot of trades. But if things fall into place and I get drafted by Vancouver, that would be a dream come true for me."
It would be truly sick.


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Moderators: gprimr1, mtuandrew
NJrailfan wrote:Just road this system and the new stations in downtown are very nicely done. However the fare collection system is a mess! At the Station Square stop, there are two people sitting in a both at the exit were you pay, just to tell you to place your money into the machine. If the Pittsburgh light rail system is having so many financial problems, why don't they just do away with the fare collectors at the stations and just go to a random fare inspection system? This would also get rid of the delays and confusion at stops were the operator has to "collect the fare."
Nyterider wrote:It was a weekend so I didn't get a sense of what weekday ridership is like. I traveled all routes, including the northbound portion of the 52 which is currently being used by all trolleys to Pittsburgh because one of the tracks in the Mount Washington tunnel is out of service.
How old is the Mount Washington tunnel? Was it trolley only before PAT rebuilt it? And what was the deal with the Mt. Lebanon tunnel? Just something they built to get rid of some slow street running or to appease residents? And the almost unused branch to Penn Station is convenient to the convention center and is probably aimed at eventually getting light rail service onto the East Busway. Any idea where those plans stand?
STrRedWolf wrote:Pittsburgh Port Authority to rehab 55 Siemens-built LRV's and eval rehabbing the CAF-built fleet:
https://www.progressiverailroading.com/ ... les--54802
Myrtone wrote:I know it won't be re-gauged but is it possible to do without closing both lines for an extended period of time?
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Teutonia, Brazil - The Fastest Race in the world has proven that 4 racer heats can take place at this unique narrow but crazy fast venue
After 12 years of racing on this pavement it is rougher than ever. When the promoter announced for the 13th year there would be a new format on the legendary hill, they could feel the fear on every post around the world. Many racers expressed their concerns and excitement with this new format at the new announcment.
Teutonia, Brazil - The Fastest Race in the World is finally ready to take place at Teutonia this weekend November 25th and 26th, 2017
Teutonia, Brazil - Teutonia will be hosting the Fastest Race in the World and will take place at Teutonia, Brazil this November 25th and 26th, 2017


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Message Board
Rebecca Wells Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Wells has written!
Author Wells's Book Reviews
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Siddalee Walker is a southern native who moves to the Northeast to pursue a career as a playwright. Following the success of her first play, Sidda is interviewed by a New York Times reporter and innocently shares information regarding her difficult childhood growing up in the deep south with an alcoholic mother. When her mother, Vivi, gets word of the article she is both heartbroken and furious. Vivi refuses to answer phone calls or letters from her olde...
Little Altars Everywhere
Rebecca Wells' debut novel, later expanded into Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, introduces readers to the Walker clan of Thornton, Louisiana. The family's stories are divulged as a sequence of vignettes, each told in earthy first-person and full of dialects, humor, and detail. The four Walker children, Siddalee, Little Shep, Lulu, and Baylor, tell stories of their Southern Catholic upbringing during the early 1960's, describing shoplifting ex...
Ya-Yas in Bloom
As in her first novel, Little Altars Everywhere, Rebecca Wells continues to elaborate the lives of the Ya-Ya clan with a patchwork of stories, some told in first-person style, some in third. The first group of vignettes describes the meeting of the four original Ya-Yas as four-year-old girls in Thornton, Louisiana: Teensy, with a pecan stuck up one nostril, meets Vivi in the waiting room of the doctor's office, Teensy and Vivi crawl beneath the pews du...


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Cara Bicking Kinsey, a doctoral student in Penn State's College of Nursing, has been selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) officer for the Class of 2014.
EIS is a two-year postgraduate training program of service and on-the-job learning for health professionals with a strong interest in applied epidemiology and a commitment to public service. Every year, between 70 and 80 people are selected and assigned to positions in the CDC or state/local health departments. Physicians, doctoral-level scientists and medical professionals with a master's degree in public health (or equivalent education) are eligible to apply for the program.
EIS officers conduct epidemiologic investigations, research, and public health surveillance both nationally and internationally. Since 1951, more than 3,000 EIS officers have responded to requests for epidemiologic assistance in the United States and throughout the world.
"EIS offers a unique opportunity to learn and practice applied epidemiology as an important member of the CDC team," said EIS Acting Chief Diana M. Bensyl. "EIS officers serve in many important roles, such as leading field investigations; conducting epidemiologic analyses of databases; and designing, implementing, and evaluating surveillance systems. EIS is an intense, high-energy program whose model is training through service."
Bicking Kinsey will begin her two-year CDC appointment in July. A student in both the Nursing Ph.D. program and the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) program, she is a staff nurse at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, where she has more than eight years of experience in neonatal intensive care. Bicking Kinsey's dissertation, titled "Effect of Prior Perinatal Loss on Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Maternal-Infant Bonding," focuses on the experiences of pregnant women and new mothers with a history of miscarriage, compared with those who had no previous perinatal loss. Her studies are supported by a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Nursing Research.


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Once he's done getting air while flying down ski slopes, Dave Duncan would love to take to the air and fly helicopters, hopefully for the Canadian Forces.
"I love what they represent," says the London, Ont.-born ski cross racer who has called Golden, B.C., home for the last three years.
But before he represents the country in a military uniform, he'd like to do it in an Olympic uniform. On Tuesday, he thrust himself into the 2010 picture by finishing third in a World Cup ski cross at St. Johann, Austria.
"I'm incredibly excited about coming third, but I've got to keep my eye on the prize and not lose focus over the next four races (that will decide Olympic berths)," a low-key Duncan said in a phone interview.
It was the first podium and just the second top 10 for the 27-year-old, who earned an aviation degree while skiing competitively for the University of Alaska.
Julia Murray of Whistler added a second Canadian medal Tuesday at St. Johann by finishing third in the women's event. Duncan and Murray are part of a deep Canadian team battling with aerialists and mogul skiers for the 18 national freestyle team spots at the 2010 Games, where ski cross will make its Olympic debut.
With Canadian men extremely strong in aerials and moguls, it could be that only three male ski cross racers will go to the Olympics.
When Chris Del Bosco, a Canadian living in Vail, Colo., Stanley Hayer of Kimberley, B.C., and Davey Barr of Squamish, B.C., swept the podium on the Olympic course at Cypress Bowl last February, Duncan was a respectable 12th. And now he's the only one of the four to podium in the first three World Cup races of this season.
"Coming into the season, I knew I needed some very strong results to qualify for the Olympics. It's great to be on the Canadian national team, but we're one of the strongest nations in the world and we're not so much fighting the rest of the world as we are fighting teammates.
"I definitely need another podium to feel more comfortable about going to the Games."
Del Bosco had three seconds last season in addition to his Cypress win.
Hayer, the 36-year-old veteran of the squad has 12 career podium results, and Barr was third at last year's world championships.
As at the season-opening events at Innichen/San Candido, Italy, the rock-hard, water-injected course at St. Johann was more like an alpine super-G course with a few bumps thrown in than a true ski cross, which will include rollers, tabletop jumps and high-banked turns. Racers do single-run qualifying with the top 32 moving to four-skier heat racing. The top two advance out of each heat.
While first-time winner Simon Stickl of Germany qualified a stunning .74 seconds ahead of the next fastest skier, two through 32 were within 1.16 seconds of each other. Such stars as Hayer, Tomas Kraus of the Czech Republic, a 10-time World Cup winner and the 2005 and '07 world champion, and Lars Lewen of Sweden, a five-time World Cup winner in the last two years, didn't even qualify for heat racing.
"That's every race now," says Duncan. "All it takes is one little mistake, one hiccup . . . and you're not even qualified. That's the level our sport is at."
Duncan qualified only 25th and got "a little bit of luck" in his first heat when a couple of other racers tangled. In the final, he, Stickl, American Daron Rahlves, who would take second, and Swiss Michael Schmid, who won the season's first two races, staged a terrific battle.
"The third turn . . . it was probably the hairiest turn. All of us were out of control, trying to fight through it, going three wide," said Duncan, who called his third-place finish vindication after he separated his shoulder in a fall at St. Johann last year.
Head coach Eric Archer said it was good to see Duncan battle hard.
"Today, it was roller derby on ice. It was really tough. He had a little bit of breaks here and there, but he capitalized and kept his head strong and fought to the end."
Del Bosco was 10th, Nick Zoricic of Toronto 27th and Barr 30th.
The women's event was won by five-time World Cup champion Ophelie David of France. Meryll Boulangeat of France also finished ahead of Murray who, with a fourth earlier this season, basically has an Olympic spot assured. Danielle Poleschuk of Calgary was 11th, reigning world champion Ashleigh McIvor of Whistler 12th and Aleisha Cline of Squamish 16th.
The ski cross circuit now makes two stops in France — Les Contamines on Saturday and Alpe d'Huez Jan. 13 — before heading to Blue Mountain, Ont., on Jan. 20.