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Why the U.S. Can't Automatically Retaliate in Cyberspace, Yet
To hear Edward Snowden tell it, the secret program that finally drove the former National Security Agency contractor to leak sensitive documents would have allowed the U.S. to retaliate automatically against foreign cyberattacks.
But MonsterMind, as Snowden says the project was called, would face one big hurdle: The White House and Pentagon are not believed to have decided when the U.S. can strike back in cyberspace.
So even if NSA figures out how to build the digital equivalent of a second-strike missile system, it's unlikely to be able to use it, two former U.S. officials familiar with American cyber policy said. One of those former officials said it's a safe bet NSA technologists are at least "thinking" about such a system.
In an interview with Wired, Snowden said the automated MonsterMind program wouldn't just stop incoming cyberattacks, but launch retaliatory ones as well.
State-backed computer attacks could range from knocking a foreign server offline to bringing a nuclear facility to a standstill.
Identifying the enemy can be tricky in cyberwar. Many attacks are launched from hacked computers, sometimes inside the U.S. Chinese hackers, for example, have hit American targets using machines owned by U.S. state governments, according to federal documents and U.S. officials.
In 2012, President Obama signed a classified directive – since leaked by Snowden – offering vague guidelines on when the Defense Department can launch cyberattacks. Offensive cyber operations with "significant consequences" each require president approval, according to the directive. The document allows for emergency responses to "imminent" and "ongoing" attacks, but requires that these efforts "are reasonably likely not to result in significant consequences."
The process of launching a cyberattack is "not fast," said Richard Clarke, a former White House cybersecurity official. "There's a bunch of humans in the loop and a bunch of lawyers in the loop."
Of course, U.S. intelligence agencies have not always limited themselves to narrow interpretations of what's legal.
Much of the hand-wringing about launching a cyberattack, Clarke said, involves thinking through potential collateral damage, such as damage to computers owned by innocent people but controlled by foreign hackers. An automated response would require giving the NSA blanket authority to strike back in certain instances, he said.
"That doesn't mean they're not developing the capability," Clarke said of the agency. If the President and Pentagon were to agree on the policy, "they don't want to say, 'Let me take two years to develop it.' "

subset: commoncrawl


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New Parents Christina Applegate, Will Arnett & Maya Rudolph Set To Star In NBC's 'Up All Night!'
Are you ready to see new mommy Christina back on network TV?
Motherhood won't keep Christina Applegate off camera. It has been confirmed by Access Hollywood that the actress is set to appear in the new comedy series Up All Night, which co-stars new dad Will Arnett and mom-to-be Maya Rudolph! It's a celebrity parent comedy masterpiece!
"I don't think I was ready at the time, but I will be ready," Christina, 39, explains, referring to finally being ready to get back on a consistent film schedule after welcoming daughter Sadie in February.
Christina will play the role of Reagan, a public relations executive married to Chris, a stay at home husband, played by Will Arnett. Maya Rudolph of Saturday Night Live will play Ava, Reagan's boss.
"Everybody has different reasons for being up all night," former Arrested Development Will stated. Coincidentally, all three stars are new parents or expecting. Rudolph is pregnant with her third child and Arnett just welcomed his second son, Abel James, 9 months.
"It's excellent… Amazing," Christina raved about parenting. "We don't have anybody with helping, which we will soon."
This is Christina's first network comedy gig since Samantha Who, which was cancelled in 2009. Up All Night will air on NBC during the 2011-2012 season.
Will you be watching?
–Amber Belus
Get more Tina:
- Tina Fey Shows Off Her 5-Month Bump!
- Tina Fey's Daughter Is Funny Too! She Shows People Her Butt!
- Tina Fey Is Five-Months Pregnant With Baby #2!


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Suppose one commits a crime. Before He/She commits he/she is warned. Nevertheless He/She goes ahead and commits that crime he/she is warned against. He/She is caught and brought before the Court. Court finds Him/Her guilty of committing the Crime despite warning. Court sentences Him/Her to Jail. He/She has no other choice but to accept the Guilt. Or do they?
Will it be His/Her Redemption? Sure I am that your answer would be capital NO.
But then if you are 'Chamcha In Chief' of CON party and work in a CON party Rag Called 'The Hindustan Times' then you suspend all logic and try give it a spin and try prove that He/She is statesman/woman since accepts guilt.
What I am talking about is this article Written by 'Chamcha In Chief' Pankaj Vohra of HT in today's paper. Come lets us see what he has to offer. My comments in Communal Saffron Color 🙂
Pankaj Vohra, Political Editor HT.
By accepting responsibility for the decision to appoint PJ Thomas as the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) following the apex court's ruling that the appointment was illegal, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has exhibited statesmanship of the highest order. In doing so, he has sent out a strong signal that if a mistake is made, it is best to admit it rather than hide behind bureaucratic notings. The PM has finally shown that the buck stops with him and that he, like any other citizen, had no hesitation in accepting the verdict of the highest court.
(Reading above gives you an impression that MMS has done Supreme Court and Indians a great favor by accepting the Supreme Court Verdict as if he had a Choice of not accepting it! As for STATESMANSHIP! WTF! Is he not duty bound to accept/respect Apex Court Order? As for hiding behind he would have surely done that, if he had even a smallest of excuse. We all know him quite well by now. Huh!)
Equally commendable is the immediate response from the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, the shadow prime minister, that the matter should be closed and one must move on. Swaraj was also on the panel to appoint Thomas though she disagreed with both the prime minister and the home minister on the choice of the nominee. Her counterpart in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley, though wants some clarifications on the issue. Given the prime minister's candid admission, the matter could blow over in Parliament.
(That was stupid of Sushama saying pre maturely. She should have waited for MMS to speak in Lok Sabha first. Majority view is reflected by Arun Jaitley)
However, the appointment has several lessons for the ruling party. In future, there should be proper scrutiny of every person nominated for a sensitive position, particularly the offices that directly deal with corruption. Singh's admission of his mistake and his subsequent comment that the appointment was not a result of coalition compulsions indicate that Thomas was shortlisted by elements within his own party.
(Quite interestingly today's HT carries this article by Ashok Malik titled 'A Curious Choice' Must Read 🙂 )
Singh, who was in the eye of a storm after expressing helplessness in dealing with some corruption issues at a press conference last month, has redeemed his image with this. (How he has redeemed? What is choice but then not to accept it? Redeemed he would have, had he accepted it before SC called his action as 'Illegal'. Pankaj is it this hard to understand? ) He is also perhaps the first PM to accept a mistake upfront. (NOW name one Prime Minister whose actions/appointment was held 'ILLEGAL' prior to this?) He has tried to scotch speculation that since many decisions were taken elsewhere, his government could not be held accountable. He has shown that if there is a decision taken, even if at the behest of those in the party, the government will not shirk its responsibility for any error of judgement (Error of Judgment???) that it may make. It's also an indication to the party that it shouldn't push for issues or cases which may not stand up to judicial scrutiny. (Indirectly he means that now on CON party should be careful on procedures even if they appoint another Tainted one!)
The apex court has come out with flying colours by upholding the rule of law. In that context, the quashing of Thomas's appointment must be seen as a victory for democracy rather than as a defeat for the government or a triumph for the opposition parties. There are certain issues where individual parties take secondary place since it's democracy and our values which emerge stronger. (Supreme Court has done its duty and very well too. Kudos!)
Singh's action also proves that had PV Narasimha Rao accepted his responsibility for the demolition of the Babri masjid, the plight of his party wouldn't have been so dismal in the years that followed his exit from government. Mulayam Singh Yadav, by dissociating himself from Kalyan Singh after the 2009 parliamentary polls, also accepted his mistake in not putting his Samajwadi Party on a secular course. (What is relevance? But then dragging PVNR in everything and blackening Him is CON practice. Sic!) Similarly, Sonia Gandhi overturned the Congress thesis of going it alone in August 2003 to forge a coalition, which finally came to power in 2004. She realised that going it alone at that stage was a mistake and that the Congress had to reinvent itself in the coalition era. Her judgement yielded many political dividends for the party. (Pure political opportunism as is clear to all and any but to Chamcha In Chief, Pankaj Vohara.)
Politicians should not always have colossal egos. They must own up to their mistakes. They are not gods and should act with humility. While there could be many question marks regarding the future of the present government in view of several scams, it is heartening to note that the PM has realised that he is the last port of call. Between us.
Now that was Pankaj Vohra for you. Now why did ManMohan Singh appoint P J Thomas despite objections from LOP and subsequent 'quashing' of appointment by Supreme Court? An excerpt from Aashok Malik's this post 'A Curious Choice' might interest you.
Of course, the issue of principle is linked to that of personality. In arguing its case, the UPA government cited a precedent from 1999, when a committee comprising the then PM and home minister (both BJP), Lok Sabha speaker (Telugu Desam) and leaders of the Opposition in the two Houses of Parliament (both Congress) chose the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission. The Congress representatives proposed Justice AH Ahmadi. They were outvoted by the others, who opted for Justice JS Verma.
In invoking this example, the UPA made its point about unanimity being ideal but not mandatory. Even so, it let slip a decidedly clumsy comparison. Ahmadi has had a mixed record since leaving the Supreme Court. He was controversial as chair of the trust governing the Bhopal Memorial Hospital set up by Union Carbide for victims of the 1984 gas leak. It has been alleged that patients at the hospital — survivors of the gas leak — were subjected to drug trials by pharmaceutical companies without their consent. This would make Ahmadi an odd choice for any sort of human rights capacity. In contrast, Verma is cherished as among India's finest jurists. As with Thomas, why did the Congress believe Justice Ahmadi was more suitable than anyone else? The answer would be fascinating.
Prudent Indian.


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Noell Oszvald, a Hungarian photographer with a penchant for dark, elegant, self portraits, is becoming a master of the surrealist photographic image. The 23-year-old photographer found wide acclaim after releasing a series of 22 photos to her flicker page early this year. The images are remarkable, but she's only been shooting photos for a little less than two years. It makes you wonder what the motivations are of this emerging prodigy.
"I don't want to tell people what to see in my images," said Oszvald. "This is the reason why I never really write any descriptions other than titles. It shows what I wish to express but everyone is free to figure out what the picture says to them. It's very interesting to read so many different thoughts about the same piece of work."
Oszvald's soft, black and white palette is a touch grainy and filled with contrast. And her images posses a striking amount of warmth in a dark frame. These compositions are solid—and the artist's own physical beauty, and her affinity for a minimal frame add to the overall conceptual depth. (my modern met)


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The John Stern Homestead
Hinrich, Joyce. "The John Stern Homestead." Herald, 19 December 2008, 1.
Reprinted with permission of Joyce Hinrich, Mott, North Dakota.
John Stern was born May 2, 1882 in Bessarabia, Russia, part of the Russian Steppes country. The Russian Steppes is a semi-arid area much like our Great Plains and agricultural was the chief industry. John's Uncle Andreas Stern was the first from the Stern family to immigrate to the new country in 1892, following many others which is recorded in history as the first "wave" of immigrants to the Dakotas in 1880's. Stories of cheap or free farmland and jobs in areas where their countrymen has already settled brought forth a second "wave" of immigrants from Russia in the 1900's.
So it was that in 1902, at the age of twenty and as part of the second "wave" of immigrants into America, John's adventure into the new world began. Like others before him, he was seeking the opportunity for free land and to settle among those with similar religious beliefs and regional ties from Russia. To qualify for free land in Hettinger County at that time, and become a homesteader, you had to be twenty one years of age, a citizen of the United States (or declare intentions to become one), have twenty two dollars for 160 acres of land and an affidavit with a $12.00 fee for proof of intentions.
Upon arriving in America, he headed for North Dakota as did his uncle before him. In 1904 he filed for citizenship in Stark County and in 1905 he chose land two miles east of Mott, which had an artesian spring on it and filed his claim. The town of Mott was just coming into it's own as well. W.H. Brown, owner of the Wm. H. Brown Land Company had just begun to build a small hotel (Hotel Brown) and was putting up the Mott Supply building. The population was about three hundred strong.
The first days on his land, John lived under an overturned wagon box, while building a 16 x 18 foot sod shack. Upon completion of the sod shack, he married Fredricka Roth of Glen Ullin and in the spring of 1906 they began to build the homestead which still stands today. Stones were hauled in from the hills on the southern part of their acreage and lumber brought in by horse drawn wagon from Glen Ullin, some fifty miles away. Mortar was made by John and Fredicka as they did in Russia, from clay, manure, straw and water and mixed by hand.
The first year of building the homestead, the weather turned on them in the spring, raining almost every day from May through the middle of June. All this rain left him without much profit out of his first crop of wheat and small grain, but in early fall, all the increased moisture made a wonderful crop of prairie hay for feeding stock. Mother Nature continued to touch John and Fredricka with a heavy hand. Winter that year was unusually snowy. The heavy snows started in December and did not let up until February. But the building of the homestead continued through rain and heavy winter snows and the homestead was completed in 1907.
By 1907 Mott was growing and adding churches to their community and John and Fredricka became very active in the community. John helped build the Christ Lutheran Church and served as Treasurer for six years. He was also precinct committee officer for some twenty years.
Fredricka sadly lost the first three infants born on the homestead and their burial plot still stands today behind the homestead marked by three home-made wooden crosses. (Mott had no cemetery until 1923). Six more children were born to the couple; Herbert, Christian, Marie, Helen, Adolph and Reinhold. Herbert was lost in 1923 and was buried in the then newly developed Mott Cemetery.
The family continued to work hard and grew strong, farming wheat and small grains on the land and raising a few head of cattle. The artesian spring provided a continuous source of good water for the homestead but it also brought the Northern Pacific Railroad near their homestead in 1910. The railroad acquired access to the spring and daily stopped by the farm to water their engines. As the Stern children grew older, only Reinhold, the youngest son, stayed and worked on the farm with his father, and continued to do so until the depression years. As the depression worsened and a drought hit the county, Hettinger county farmers were loosing their farms through the inability to make mortgage and tax payments. Reinhold and John, determined not to loose the homestead, worked other jobs to make extra income. Reinhold finally had to leave the farm, joining the Civilian Conservation Corp. earning thirty dollars per month. He would send all but five dollars a month back to the homestead. In the meantime, John was breaking horses and hauling sheep's wool for his neighbors and drove school bus for extra income as well as working his crops and stock. The depression lifted to some degree in the late thirties, and slowly but surely posterity returned to the rural areas. Electricity came to the homestead in 1938.
More favorable weather improved crop yields in the 1940's and again the Stern family pressed on and prospered. Reinhold took a wife in 1940 and started married life living with his parents on the homestead. With more commodities to sell, Hettinger county farmers benefited even more from the higher prices stimulated by the American entry into World War II. Within a span of five years, the farm debt in the sate dropped markedly; at the war's end in 1945, North Dakota residents had accumulated the largest per capita bank deposits in the nation. As the history goes, John died in 1957 and Fredricka passed in 1968. A poem written in the form of a reverie by Mrs. Harry Day entitled "Our Homestead" shows how these hard working people felt about their homesteads:
When at eve the sun is setting
And its golden rays descend
On our shanty on the prairie
Like a good old trusty friend
Here we gather all so happy
In our shanty on the claim
Warm in summer, cold in winter
But safe from storm and rain.
The poem has ten other very descriptive verses about homesteading and ends with "But we are happy and contented, on these prairies wide and free".
Memories of a grandson, Jim Stern of Mott:
Jim tells this fun childhood memory. "We went to the Lutheran Church in West Mott every Sunday. Dad and I would pick up Gramma and Grandpa at the homestead for church every Sunday morning and it was my job to get Gramma out of the house and into the car for which I was paid a quarter".
Stern Homestead
Members of the Mott Gallery board tour the site with Jim Stern
Stern children grave.
Stern home westside, cupols are to pitch hay up for storage
This shows the storage area and original rock walls
More storage area and original rock walls
Window shows how thick the walls were. There is an etched "1947" in this area. Sterns believe that is when the stucco coating was applied.
Inside the middle section is the stairway to the sleeping loft, and also the hay storage area.
Jim Stern checks out an old family trunk in the sleeping loft.
Inside the living area.
This shows some of the interior wall construction
Walls were covered with wainscoting and wallpaper. Every space was used for storage.
An old calendar still hangs on the wall. Fredricka Stern lived in the house through the mid 1960's.
Lace and colorful valances brightened up the home on the prairie.


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BARABOO, Wis. – It was a light weekend of racing for the MIT heavyweight crew team. The squad fielded just a freshman eight boat against crews from Dartmouth College and host University of Wisconsin in a race that was moved to Devils Lake State Park in Baraboo, Wisconsin due to weather.
Racing in conditions that included temperatures in the low 40s and rain; the novice MIT crew put up a good fight, but in the end finished third over the 2,000-meter course. The host Badgers came out on top as they held off the Big Green by 1.1 seconds. The Engineers finished third, 21.7 seconds off Wisconsin's pace.
MIT will now prepare for the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges (EARC) Sprints Championship that will be held on May 13. The racing will take place on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.
Freshman Eights
1. Wisconsin, 6:03.9
2. Dartmouth, 6:05.0
Freshman Eight
C. Alex Feldstein
8. Nate Colgan
7. Nick Lima
5. Brian Chang
4. Christian Vilanilam
3. Erik Pearson
2. Chris Kim
1. Robert Sloan


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Photoshop Colorization Madness - Retouching, Tips & Tricks
We read a thread on Chuck Green's Facebook page and becamse so interested in this controversy, we snooped around on the web to see any of the thosands of Photoshop Tutorials took a side. Should we colorize historic black and white images? Well they all seemed to be gung-ho to colorize, with little or no mention of ethics. Even the Civil War web site is full steam ahead . . . and it just about drives you mad . . .
* Colorizing the Migrant Woman using GIMP
* Extensive Black/White Colorization Tutorial
* Colorization Tutorial - How to colorize B/W or vintage photographs
* 60 Second Elements: Splashes of Color in Black and White Photos
* Highlight Color Effect in Lightroom – 5 Easy Steps
* Colorizing Black-And-White Photos
* Reddit Colorization
... and MORE November 12, 2013


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Research & Measurement Program
About the program
Research and Measurement is a graduate-level program in the Department of Educational Foundations and Leadership at the Judith Herb College of Education (JHCOE). The program offers MA and Ph.D. degrees in Educational Research and Measurement with specializations in measurement, program evaluation, qualitative research methods, and statistics.
The core goal of the program is the development of expertise in the design, execution, and interpretation of applied research, both quantitative and qualitative, and a deep understanding of the theoretical foundations of research and measurement. Graduates of the program are employed in a variety of jobs, both academic and professional, that involve research, measurement, program evaluation, and statistical analysis. There is currently significant demand for individuals with this expertise in university teaching and research, educational institutions, business, and government.
Areas of Concentration
The central focus of the concentration is applied research with emphasis in one or more of the following areas:
- Measurement provides students with fundamentals necessary for the development of applied and theoretical research, including the construction of assessment instruments, evaluation of instrument performance, exploration of outcomes, and tools for application and presentation. Modern (Rasch), classical (Thurstone) and traditional measurement techniques are included.
- Program evaluation concentrates on performance assessment, cost-benefit analyses, and qualitative and quasi-experimental designs related to the evaluation of educational programs.
- Qualitative Research provides students with fundamental methods of participant-observation, field notes, interviewing, and transcription, and models of qualitative research, including the their history and theoretical underpinnings, theoretical frameworks and research design; managing, analyzing and interpreting data; collaboration between researcher and researched; using computers in analysis.
- Statistics provides instruction in traditional statistical methods, research design, and applications. Specialization in advanced statistical analysis is offered including techniques related to hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), structural equation modeling (SEM), meta-analysis, survey research, and non-parametric statistical methods.
Categories of Inquiry
The following questions constitute broad categories of inquiry that frame the inquiry-based model of graduate education in research and measurement:
- What is the nature of objectivity?
- What is the nature of subjectivity?
- What distinguishes a social from a researchable problem?
- How does one identify a research problem?
- How does one select an appropriate method for exploring a research problem?
- How are quantitative and qualitative analysis distinguished as well as related?
- What is the nature of a research paradigm?
- What distinguishes research paradigms? What are their underlying assumptions?
- What is the history of quantitative and qualitative methods?
- What attributes are quantifiable?
- What makes an attribute quantifiable?
- What is the meaning of quantified data?


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The prince died on Monday in hospital in Boston in the United States after a long illness, an official of one of his foundations told AFP.
After a career in the United Nations (news - web sites) that spanned nearly 40 years, the prince devoted himself to defence and environmental issues.
Born in Paris in January 1933, Prince Sadruddin, whose name means "defender of the faith" in Arabic, was the younger son of Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III.
After studies at Harvard University, the prince began his UN career in 1958, serving as head of the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) from 1965 to 1977.
The present incumbent, Ruud Lubbers, said all in the organisation were deeply saddened.
"He left an indelible print on UNHCR's history - leading the agency through some of the most challenging moments," Lubbers said: "Sadruddin's name became synonymous with UNHCR."
Prince Sadruddin served during 1990-1991 as personal representative of the then UN secretary general, Javier Perez de Cuellar, for humanitarian assistance during the first Gulf war (news - web sites).
An avid collector of Islamic art, the prince was also a founding publisher of The Paris Review literary journal, and wrote extensively on nuclear disarmament, humanitarian and environmental issues.
Prince Sadruddin served on the boards of several environmental groups, and as a vice president of WWF International.
He was the younger son of Mohammed Shah Aga Khan III and uncle of Karim Aga Khan IV, spiritual leader of the Shiite Muslim Ismaili community which has a following of 15 million faithful, mainly in central Asia and the Middle East.
Of Indian origin with a French mother, Sadruddin Aga Khan belonged to one of the richest families in the world. He married Catherine Aleya Sursock in 1972.
His home was Bellerive Castle on the outksirts of Geneva, and he held four passports, those of Iran, Pakistan, France and Britain.
Prince Sadruddin began his working life as a consultant to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO (news - web sites)) in Paris in 1958.
He joined the office of the UN refugee agency the following year, and was appointed UN High Commissioner for Refugees in 1965, aged 32.
Under his aegis it was involved in coping with major refugee major crises in Biafra during the Nigerian civil war in the 1960s, in Bangladesh, Vietnam and in Chile.
Prince Sadruddin won widespread admiraton for his supervision of the massive exodus of refugees from the war in East Pakistan, which was to become Bangladesh.
He led a humanitarian mission in Lebanon in 1978 and three years later became the UN Human Rights Commissioner's special rapporteur on the mass exodus of populations.
In the same year 1981, he applied to become Kurt Waldheim's successor as UN Secretary-general, and actually obtained more votes than the man who got the job, Javier Perez de Cuellar.
But the Soviet Union used its veto as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to block his election to the post.
The present-day UN Refugees High Commissioner, Ruud Lubbers, received the news of Prince Sadruddin's death while on mission in west Africa.
"He was at the helm of the UN refugee agency during one of its most difficult periods," he said: "This included the 1971 the Bangladesh crisis, which uprooted 10 million people, the 1972 exodus of hundreds of thousands of Hutus from Burundi to Tanzania and the Indochinese boat people tragedy of the mid -1970s.
"In 1972, Prince Sadruddin played a key role in finding new homes for tens of thousands of South Asians expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin."
Prince Sadruddin also served in 1988 as UN Coordinator for the reconstruction of Afghanistan (news - web sites) and two years later became coordinator of humanitarian aid on the Gulf, remaining in the post until December 1991, after the first Gulf war.
In 1977 he set up an environmental protection body, the Bellerive Foundation, and 1989 Alp Action, devoted to protecting the Alpine environment.
The prince also possessed an impressive collection of Islamic art, put together over 50 years, including paintings, drawings, and manuscripts from Turkey, Iran and India, dating from the 14th century.


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Grades 9-12
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Prior to the Industrial Revolution, people grew, preserved, and prepared most of the food they ate. Food products that were purchased were relatively simple – like flour and bread. Consumers personally knew most food producers and were able to evaluate the products through personal experience.
Today, food products are more complicated. Nearly all the foods you eat are produced by others. Additives reduce food spoilage and make food more appealing in appearance and taste. Faster modes of transportation and other technical advances make it possible to purchase food from around the world. With these changes, it is more difficult for individuals to determine the quality of products and whether they are safe. The U.S. government has established rules to keep harmful foods out of the marketplace and provide information that will help you evaluate products before you buy.
Task List
Your task in this lesson will be to read about some of the government rules that protect our nation's food supply, identify reasons buyers and sellers seek government regulation and information in a market economy, and to use information on food labels to make a consumer choice.
Activity 1: Food Safety and Quality
In the early years of the United States, federal regulation of food was extremely rare and applied only to food imports. States had principal control over domestically produced and distributed foods. This control was inconsistent at best. The Massachusetts Act led the way in state-sponsored food and drug laws.
By the late 1800s, the public was becoming increasingly alarmed by reports of "fake" foods and food safety scares. Read these two articles from the FDA Consumer to learn more about the events that created public mistrust of foods and how government ultimately was asked to intervene.
- The Long Struggle For The 1906 Law by James Harvey Young, July 1981
- The 'Poison Squad' and the Advent of Food and Drug Regulation by Carol Lewis, December 2002
Using what you have read, answer the questions on the "The Struggle for a Federal Pure Food Law" worksheet concerning the struggle for passage of the first food safety laws.
From the magazine articles, you know that Congress took action to restore public confidence in food in 1906. The Pure Food and Drugs Act banned interstate and foreign commerce in adulterated and misbranded food. Offending products could be seized and violators could be fined and jailed. Congress also passed The Meat Inspection Act requiring inspection of all red meats for interstate distribution. This second law was a direct response to Upton Sinclair's book, The Jungle, which exposed unsanitary conditions in the Chicago meat packing industry.
Just as they to do today, some producers took advantage of loopholes in the 1906 laws. Consider a new product made with food dye, artificial pectin and grass seed that looked and tasted like fruit jelly. The product had so little fruit that it could not have been sold legally, under the 1906 Pure Food and Drugs Act as jelly but it could be sold as Bred Spred.
Likewise, something called Peanut Spread was sold even though it contained very few peanuts. During the Depression, these products were heavily advertised and sold well. Consumers had no way of knowing the products were of lower quality than real jelly, jams and peanut butter. Congress stepped up again and passed The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 which:
- Gave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to establish standards of identity for common foods such as jams, jelly, peanut butter, mayonnaise, ketchup, ice cream and fruit juices.
- Prohibited the addition of poisonous substances to foods and allowed
- the FDA to set maximum safe levels for unavoidable poisonous substances.
- Required every container of processed, packaged food to state the name of the food and its net weight.
- Added federal court injunctions to the previous legal remedies of voluntary recall, product seizures, and criminal prosecutions.
As new issues arose, other federal regulations concerning food safety and quality followed.
1954: Miller Pesticide Amendment provided for the establishment of specific maximum amounts of pesticide residues that are allowed to remain on agricultural products.
1958: Food Additives (Delaney) Amendment prohibited food products, which contain additives found to cause cancer in either people or animals. The amendment also required manufacturers to prove the safety of new food additives before using them in food products.
The same year, the FDA published its first list of Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) – additives in common use prior to 1958 which had not been found to cause cancer. Substances on the GRAS list range from salt and sugar to monosodium glutamate (MSG).
Responsibility for regulating the food supply and monitoring food safety today rests primarily in the hands of two federal agencies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), specifically the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), is responsible for enforcing meat and poultry regulations. The FSIS inspects meat and poultry slaughtering and processing facilities.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for all other food products. The FDA inspects products and food processing facilities. It also has responsibility for the approval of new foods, food additives, and pesticides. FDA inspectors are authorized to cover every link in the food chain including farms, warehouses, ports of entry, processing plants, transportation vehicles, restaurants, and supermarkets.
Responsibility for monitoring pesticides is shared between the Environmental Projection Agency (EPA) and the FDA. Other responsibilities are shared with or given to individual states. For example, milk inspection is conducted by states under federal guidelines with the federal government monitoring state performance. The EPA pesticide program contracts with states for enforcement. People eating in restaurants feel confident that the food they are being served has been prepared under sanitary conditions because of food inspectors employed by state and local governments.
To better organize this information, fill out this data retrieval chart involving major advances in food safety and quality.
Activity 2: Information for Making Choices
The efficient operation of a market system depends on informed consumer decisions. To help consumers make informed choices about food, there are additional government rules and programs. There are federal rules that govern the information businesses must provide about the food products they sell. The federal government also provides general nutrition information as a public service. These are some of the government actions that influence the food and nutrition information available today.
1913: Gould Amendment requires that food package contents be "plainly and conspicuously marked on the outside of the package in terms of weight, measure, or numerical count."
1938: Wheeler-LEA Act charges the Federal Trade Commission with overseeing the advertising of consumer goods and services. "Deceptive and unfair practices" that harm consumers and business competitors are banned.
1946: USDA Identifies Seven Basic Food Groups on which its dietary guidelines were based; in the 1950s this was reduced to the "Basic Four."
1966: Fair Packaging and Labeling Act requires all food products to be honestly labeled and to include information on the name of the product, the name and address of the manufacturer, and the net weight of the contents. Ingredients must be listed in the order of the largest ingredient to the smallest, either by weight or volume. For example, if you buy chicken noodle soup, the label might say: "Contains chicken and noodles." Another can's label might say, "Contains noodles and chicken." The first can has more chicken than noodles. The second can has more noodles than chicken.
1990: Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) required nutritional labeling on nearly all processed foods based on recommended dietary guidelines for foods created by the USDA . In addition, NLEA required:
- Standard serving sizes on labels, in both common household and metric measures.
- Standardized label information on the amount per serving of saturated fat, cholesterol, and dietary fiber, and other nutrients.
- Identification by name of many flavorings and color additives to help people with allergies avoid them.
- Health claims on food labels consistent with federal definitions, such as "fat-free," "low-sugar," "reduced-calorie," "high fiber," "light," "extra lean," "fresh," and "healthy."
- The total percentage of juice contained in juice.
1994: Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act establishes specific labeling requirements for dietary supplements.
2002: National Standards for Organic Certification say that foods and ingredients claimed to be "organic" cannot be produced using most fertilizers and pesticides, genetic engineering, growth hormones, irradiation, or antibiotics.
Fill in this data retrieval chart to help you organize what you have learned about food labeling acts in the United States. Then, use the package information from two similar food products to answer the questions on the"Reading the Label" worksheet.
Thanks to government regulation and information, you don't have to guess who or what will be in your dinner– or any other food you are eating, for that matter.
As food makes the trip from farm or feedlot to your home, there are many points where contamination and spoilage can occur. You can generally take for granted that the food you purchase is safe and will not cause you harm. Government efforts to protect consumers include:
- Setting standards for food safety and quality
- Inspecting products and production facilities to be sure they meet these standards
You also have access to information that helps you make a smart choice. The federal government:
- Provides consumer guidelines on what constitutes a healthy diet
- Requires manufacturers to provide standardized and truthful information on food content including ingredients, nutritional value and measure (i.e., weight, volume and count)
As long as the costs do not exceed the benefits, businesses also value this economic intervention by government. Consumer confidence in food quality and safety is good for sales and profit. Informed consumers decisions also reward reputable businesses who might be put out of business by producers of fake and adulterated food which could be sold more cheaply.
Assessment Activity
Assessment for this activity will be based on the worksheets for the above activities. After each activity complete the assigned worksheet and turn it in to your teacher.
Extension Activity
For more information on read about the Milestones in FDA History.
Look at The Food Guide Pyramid . To help educate the public on healthful diets, the USDA developed an illustration of what and how much people should eat from each of food groups. For an introduction to the Pyramid created just for young persons, visit Teens Health: The Food Guide Pyramid from the Nemours Foundation
For additional information on food issues, visit these Web sites:
- Nutrition.gov –The federal government's web site bringing together food and nutrition resources from a variety of agencies.
- Diet, Health and Fitness — Publications from the Federal Trade Commission advising consumers on the purchase of goods and services in the health and fitness industries
- Center for Science in the Public Interest — A national nutrition advocacy group.
- Consumers Union – Food Safety — From the editors of Consumer Reports, reports and news on food safety and information issues.
Related Resources
Grades K-2
Every Penny Counts
Grades 6-8, 9-12
Time Value of Money
Grades 6-8


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Despite the arrival of four new films in theaters this weekend, moviegoers weren't interested in heading to the box office.
For the fourth consecutive weekend, ticket sales were down compared with the same period in 2011, as none of the fresh arrivals at the cinema was able to top $15 million. Two spots tied for No. 1: the Jake Gyllenhaal cop drama "End of Watch" and the Jennifer Lawrence horror vehicle "House at the End of the Street," which each raked in a decent $13 million a piece. Meanwhile, Clint Eastwood's new baseball drama, "Trouble With the Curve," didn't hit a home run with audiences, as the film collected a so-so $12.7 million.
The big weekend loser, however, was "Dredd 3D," the science-fiction action film based on a British comic strip that was only able to muster up $6.3 million in sales. The film barely performed better than "The Master," Paul Thomas Anderson's drama that played this weekend in only 788 theaters, while "Dredd" screened in roughly 2,500 locations. After debuting with record-breaking numbers in only five cinemas last weekend, the film about a Scientology-esque cult leader took in an impressive $5 million upon its nationwide expansion.
Still, business overall was slow, and receipts dropped 25% this weekend when stacked up with the same three-day period last year.
"End of Watch" received the most positive critical reviews of any of the weekend's new wide releases, and audiences liked it best as well. Those who saw the film assigned it an average grade of A-, according to market research firm CinemaScore. (Eastwood's "Curve" received a B+ grade, while both "Dredd 3D" and "House at the End of the Street" each earned a B.)
The film stars Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña as Los Angeles Police Department officers who form a close bond as they work the streets of South-Central L.A. together. The film was financed by Emmett/Furla Films and Exclusive Media, but Open Road Films acquired North American distribution rights for about $2 million.
The movie is the latest of Gyllenhaal's low-to-mid-budget films to perform modestly at the domestic box office. Last year, the 31-year-old's sci-fi thriller "Source Code" grossed a decent $54.7 million at the U.S. box office, but his romantic drama "Love and Other Drugs" took in a more disappointing $32.4 million in 2010.
"House at the End of the Street," is the first film that Jennifer Lawrence has appeared in since the release of the blockbuster "The Hunger Games" in March. The actress, who rose to fame after her Oscar-nominated turn in 2010's "Winter's Bone," recently began generating awards buzz again after her upcoming dramedy "Silver Linings Playbook" debuted to rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival this month.
However, the 22-year-old won't experience that same level of success with "House at the End of the Street," in which she stars as a girl who moves to an eerie new neighborhood with her mother. The film was expected to debut with about $18 million, but couldn't rake in enough young females to defeat "End of Watch." ("House" appealed to a 61% female crowd, and 70% of the audience was under the age of 25.)
The movie, produced by FilmNation Entertainment and A Bigger Boat for $10 million, was acquired by Relativity Media last year for about $2.5 million. The film is the studio's first release since April, when its Edgar Allan Poe thriller "The Raven" tanked in theaters.
"Trouble With the Curve" is the first movie that 82-year-old Eastwood has acted in -- but not directed -- in nearly two decades. In his new movie, the actor plays a baseball scout who must work on his troubled relationship with his daughter (Amy Adams) when he starts losing his vision.
Eastwood's latest movie will need to benefit from strong word-of-mouth if it is to become a hit -- something the actor-director hasn't seen in a few years. Both of his most recent directorial efforts, last year's "J. Edgar" and the 2010 tsunami drama "Hereafter," underwhelmed at the box office with under $40 million in sales. Four years ago, his role as a grumpy old man in "Gran Torino" resonated with audiences and took in an impressive $148.1 million. His latest curmudgeonly turn will not replicate that feat.
"Dredd 3D" generated positive fan hype at Comic Con in July, but that buzz didn't carry over to the film's opening weekend. The few who did turn up to see the movie about a law enforcer tasked with bringing order to a futuristic post-apocalyptic world were mostly older males.
The movie, adapted from the same "Judge Dredd" comic that spawned the 1995 Sylvester Stallone flop, was produced by IM Global for roughly $40 million. While domestic distributor Lionsgate put only a small amount toward that production cost, the studio still spent around $25 million to advertise the film.
[Updated, 10:44 a.m. Sept. 23: In limited release, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" did excellent business. The film, based on writer-director Stephen Chbosky's bestselling 1999 novel, debuted in four theaters and grossed $244,000. The film, which stars "Harry Potter" actress Emma Watson and up-and-comers Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller, centers on a group of teenagers trying to fit in at high school. The film brought in a 70% female crowd, and 60% were under the age of 25.
Meanwhile, "Ted" crossed the $200 million milestone at the international box office this weekend. The film featuring a foul-mouthed talking teddy bear has raked in $202.8 million abroad thus far, and the movie has yet to open in 12 foreign countries including Hong Kong and Korea. Combined with the film's domestic ticket sales, the movie has grossed $419.8 million worldwide, making it the third-highest grossing comedy of all time globally behind the two "Hangover" films.
Here are the top 10 movies at the domestic box office, according to studio estimates and Hollywood.com:
1. "End of Watch" (Open Road/Emmett/Furla/Exclusive): Opened with $13 million.
1. "House at the End of the Street" (Relativity/FilmNation/A Bigger Boat): Opened with $13 million.
3. "Trouble With the Curve" (Warner Bros.): Opened with $12.7 million.
4. "Finding Nemo 3-D" (Disney): $9.4 million on its second weekend, down 43%. Domestic total: $30 million. $1.3 million overseas in 12 foreign markets. International total: $7.9 million.
5. "Resident Evil: Retribution" (Sony): $6.7 million on its second weekend, down 68%. Domestic total: $33.5 million. $30.5 million overseas in 73 foreign markets. International total: $103.4 million.
6. "Dredd 3-D" (Lionsgate/IM Global): Opened with $6.3 million.
7. "The Master" (Weinstein Co.): Opened with $5 million in wide release. Domestic total: $6.1 million.
8. "The Possession" (Lionsgate/Ghost House): $2.6 million on its fourth weekend, down 54%. Domestic total: $45.3 million.
9. "Lawless" (Weinstein Co./Yucaipa/Revolt): $2.3 million on its fourth weekend, down 47%. Domestic total: $34.5 million.
10. "ParaNorman" (Focus/Laika): $2.3 million on its sixth weekend, down 26%. Domestic total: $52.6 million. $3 million overseas in 39 foreign markets. International total: $29.2 million.]


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The Royal Club at Bonnington is located in the heart of Dubai, a modern coastal metropolis with superb beaches and water activities. A shopper's paradise, Dubai is home to a variety of spectacular malls and traditional bazaars, as well as world-class sporting and recreational facilities. It is host to many international events, including annual golf tournaments at the Emirates Golf Club, a renowned course situated ten minutes' drive from Bonnington.
This vacation rental is in a shared ownership resort. As such, this advertisement is representative of the accommodations, but your exact unit will not be confirmed until check-in. Please contact the manager for more information, or for special requests. Many shared ownership resorts offer presentations on ownership opportunities. These presentations are never mandatory unless you commit in advance of your stay.
Rates subject to change.
Click "Book it Now" for rates and availability.


text: Greetings, all. My wife has some long distance driving coming up, and asked me for some good reggae "driving music", which essentially means something which will keep her alert on the road. I can think of a few tunes (Welton Irie's "Deuteronomy" and U Brown's "Archiebella", for example), but while those songs are great much of what I personally prefer runs at a somewhat slower tempo. Anyone have any suggestions from the early 1970s to early 1980s? She'd also probably enjoy slower rhythms if these showed up on later 1980s dancehall hits (e.g. "Stalag"). Thanks for any input.


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Community Outreach
Our mission to improve the health status of the communities we serve is at the heart of our charitable roots.
At Meridian Health, we recognize that the care we provide through our hospitals and partner companies reaches far beyond the boundaries of our facilities. Even as hospitals face growing economic pressures - the growing number of uninsured, the lack of adequate state and federal reimbursement, and increasing costs of pharmaceuticals and technology - Meridian remains committed to ensuring that the communities that we serve stay well through better health and education.
Community Health Needs Assessments
Community health needs assessments are a systematic, data driven approach to monitoring the health, behaviors and needs of the residents and communities we serve. Learn more about our community health needs assessments here.
Learn more about our community outreach initiatives.
- Community Resource Center at Freehold Raceway Mall
- Life Support Training Center (CPR)
- Sponsorships
- Taking Care of New Jersey Mobile Health Van
- Mitchell Vassar Bright Future Community Program
- Sky Blue FC Women's Professional Soccer Team
Adult Health Initiatives
- Active Adult Health & Wellness Outreach: Meridian Health brings health and wellness events, health screenings, educational seminars, and special events to active adults in our service area.
- Booker Health Sciences Library: The Booker Health Sciences Library at Jersey Shore University Medical Center provides free topical research on any health topic.
- Call Center Services: Meridian provides 24/7 call center services to the community to locate physicians, health care services, and support groups as well as to register for health education and screening programs.
- Health Education: Meridian physicians and other health care professionals offer hundreds of educational programs and special events covering such topics as asthma, diabetes, nutrition and healthy eating, behavioral health, cancer and survivorship, heart disease and stroke, and many more.
- Health Screenings:Early detection is critical to successfully managing many health issues. Meridian provides free and low cost screenings for a variety of conditions, including blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, body mass index, bone density, stroke risk assessment, diabetic retinopathy, cancer, and more.
- Support Groups: Meridian understands that everyone will face a difficult life challenge at some point, whether the loss of a loved one, learning to live with a chronic disease or facing cancer. Meridian offers numerous support groups for patients and their caregivers, where sharing with others who are going through the same experience can provide comfort and support.
Children's Health Initiatives
- Doctor Bernard and the Pawsitive Action Team: Doctor Bernard is the Director of Fun and Good Health for K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. Doctor Bernard and his Pawsitive Action Pals are making the rounds through schools in our service area, teaching children how to stay healthy, eat right, stay fit, and be safe.
- Outreach, Education, and Screenings: Meridian team members conduct outreach, education, and screening programs throughout the year, including cancer detection, baby sitting safety, bike helmet safety, and asthma education.


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Philadelphia Information Locator Service
Agency Information
Administrative Board[Record group 60-3]
Agency Function
- The Administrative Board consists of the Mayor, the Managing Director, and the Director of Finance. It sets and coordinates the basic organizational and procedural policies of the City government. To accomplish this, the board has the power to approve administrative rules and policies proposed by city agencies, set certain administrative rules and policies, and investigate the efficiency of the organization and administration of departments, boards, and commissions.
- Agency History
- The Administrative Board was created through the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter of 1951 to allow and implement a smooth transition between the city governmental structure under the old Charter of 1919 and the new structure created under the new Charter.
- Archival Records
- 60-3.1 Minutes (1952-1955)
60-3.2 Reports of Boards and Commissions (1962-1969)
60-3.3 Files (1952-1983)
- Current Records
- Unavailable
Links to related information...
PhILS Home
-->City Agencies
---->Current Agency Information Sheet. (Graphical version of this page)
Send your comments to email@example.com
Last updated on July 9, 1999


text: Be the hottest beach bum this summer in this adorable swimsuit! Youll be sure to keep all eyes on you in this sexy two piece swimsuit! This adorable playful bow shows off your sweet side, definitely essential this summer! It features triangle top with bow accent, adjustable ties, with matching bikini bottom, strappy sides, pucker back, and fitted. Style: swimsuit-twopiece-ami-tribowstrpwcoralmint This item is FINAL SALE and is not eligible for return or exchanges.


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Home prices had been on a tear in Canada after a brief dip in 2009 due to the financial crisis.
However, more recent data shows the Canadian housing market is hitting the skids.
According to the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, November home sales in the Vancouver region were down 28.6 percent year over year, and down 12.7 percent from the previous month. Interestingly enough, there were 15,689 residential properties listed -- an increase of over 13 percent from November 2011.
More people are putting their homes up for sale, but fewer are finding buyers -- which points to softening in one of Canada's most valuable real estate markets.
The value of homes has remained relatively flat. The Multiple Listing Service for the Greater Vancouver area was down only 1.7 percent from a year ago.
Putting all this together, it's possible the Canadian housing bubble may very well be popping right before our eyes.