text:
I'm upgrading from Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid to Mint 14 MATE, and I've run into a couple of bumps.
Every time I boot into mint 14 MATE, it tells me that my root file system is dirty/was not cleanly unmounted, and it needs to run fsck. If I let it run (without pressing c to cancel), it often finds a few errors, usually several of
This happens no matter how I shutdown Mint. I can do it from the terminal, from the gui, or by pulling the plug on my CPU, and they all result in a dirty file system. It's not just something weird with the startup sequence; if I boot into Ubuntu (which is on a different drive), and run fsck on the mint root partition, it has the same result as the fsck run during the mint startup.
Code: Select all
\dev\sdd1: Deleted inode xxxxxxx has zero dtime. FIXED.
Typical sequences:
Shutdown mint.
Boot mint.
Mint runs fsck, fixes errors, reboots.
boot mint successfully.
shutdown mint.
boot ubuntu.
manually run fsck on the mint root partition, and fix errors
shutdown ubuntu
boot mint successfully.
I am using an ext2 filesystem for my / partition, and ext4 for /home. I remember researching file systems when I did my previous install of ubuntu (almost 3 years ago), and determined then that ext2 was better for a root partition, for some reason I no longer recall. Is this still the case? I currently have mint installed on a spinning HDD, but plan to migrate it to the SSD that I've been using for Ubuntu.
So the big question is, why is my filesystem having errors? The only thing I can think of is a physical defect on the drive. I'm going to run a surface scan overnight to check for that, and will report the results when next I'm online. The only thing I've done on my mint installation is to install the AMD proprietary graphics drivers. Other than that, it's a virgin install.
EDIT: Surface scan reported 0 bad blocks.
EDIT2: Removed reference to ext2 in title, since the problem persists after converting the filesystem to ext4.


text:
Cherries pinch point from Posh
A mistake from Peterborough keeper Joe Lewis allowed Bournemouth to snatch a stoppage-time equaliser in a League One thriller which ended 3-3.
Last Updated: 01/04/11 10:41pm
A mistake from Peterborough keeper Joe Lewis allowed Bournemouth to snatch a stoppage-time equaliser in a League One thriller which ended 3-3.
Lewis contrived to let a last-gasp drive from Cherries full-back Adam Smith creep under his body as Bournemouth completed a stirring second-half fightback in the dying moments at London Road. Earlier a couple of goals from League One top scorer Craig Mackail-Smith had left them on course for a victory that would have lifted them to within a point of the automatic promotion places.
Mackail-Smith broke the deadlock in the 11th minute when collecting a searching Grant McCann pass and firing past Shwan Jalal from the edge of the box, admittedly with the help of a deflection, but Posh didn't need any assistance to double their advantage four minutes later as Tommy Rowe thumped past Jalal after bursting into the box.
Bournemouth halved their arrears 10 minutes before the break when Danny Ings poked the ball home after Lewis had flapped at a corner, but the two-goal cushion was restored three minutes before the break when Mackail-Smith pounced from point-blank range after Ryan Bennett had flicked a McCann corner into his path.
It stayed that way until veteran substitute Steve Fletcher breathed life into Bournemouth with a fine header from the tightest of angles after being picked out by Liam Feeney's deep cross with 19 minutes to go.
That strike set up a nervy finale which came complete with a late twist as Spurs-loanee Smith grabbed his first Cherries goal. There was still time for Posh to win it at the other end but McCann slammed a volley down into the ground and over the bar.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Post-Master's Level Degree Programs
At the present time, Wright State University offers seven research doctoral-level degrees, four professional doctoral degrees, and one post-master's specialist degree: the Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences (BMS); the Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering; the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering; the Ph.D. in Engineering; the Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences; the Ph.D. in Human Factors and Industrial/Organizational Psychology; Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Applied Science & Mathematics; the Doctor of Nursing Practice; the Ed.D. in Organizational Studies; the M.D. in Medicine; the Psy.D. in Professional (Clinical) Psychology; and the Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Educational Leadership.


text:
A lot is riding on finding a culprit in honeybees demise
The following appeared in a Sacramento Bee editorial:
For more than a decade, scientists have been trying to solve the mystery of honeybees disappearing by the millions.
There are many suspects, but one has become the focus of scientists and regulators worldwide. Over the past two months, several scientific studies have pointed to a family of pesticides — an insecticide widely used in agriculture but also found in backyard products.
While there is debate over the culprits, the threat to a critical component of our food supply should be removed.
The neurotoxic insecticide, chemically similar to nicotine, impairs honeybees' ability to forage for pollen and lessens their ability to rebuild their colonies over winter. One scientific study pointed to more disturbing widespread ecological problems.
A four-year analysis by 29 scientists reviewing more than 800 peer-reviewed reports concluded for the first time that insecticides called neonicotinoids, or neonics for short, are "causing significant damage" to beneficial insects and are a "key factor in the decline of bees."
Just as startling, the insecticide was linked to drops in bird and reptile populations, according to the Worldwide Integrated Assessment. Not only does the pesticide kill insects, it changes the tunneling behavior of earthworms, and creates health problems for snails and aquatic life — all part of the diet of birds and reptiles.
"We are witnessing a threat to the productivity of our natural and farmed environment equivalent to that posed by organophosphates or DDT," Jean-Marc Bonmatin of the National Center for Scientific Research in France and one of the lead authors of the assessment, said in a news release. "Far from protecting food production, the use of neonics is threatening the very infrastructure which enables it."
In 2006, when the loss of honeybees in the United States was reported between 30 percent and 90 percent, the phenomenon picked up the name "colony collapse disorder."
Various reasons have been given, including parasitic mites, pesticides, malnutrition and loss of natural foraging habitat, or a combination of those and other factors. But the threat posed by neonics was not among the top reasons beekeepers themselves reported for loss of their colonies last year, said Eric Mussen, an apiculturist of the University of California, Davis. Parasitic mites and starvation were cited as the top two causes.
"Colony collapse disorder is a consequence of overwhelming stresses," Mussen said in an interview. "Among other stresses, the bees are living in a pool of pollution. It's a combination of everything beekeepers are putting in their hives and we are putting into the environment."
While honeybee populations have slightly rebounded, their disappearance remains a mystery that confounds scientists and should worry the rest of us. About one-third of the food we eat — apples, melons, broccoli, squash and many other fruits, vegetables and nuts — grows with the help of bees.
California farmers depend on bees pollinating 870,000 acres of almond trees in February and March for a $3 billion harvest.
After pollinating plum and cherry trees, then citrus blooms in April, honeybees are trucked throughout the United States where they provide an essential service that produces $30 billion in crops each year.
The loss of such an integral factor to worldwide agriculture triggered the scientific studies and a re-evaluation of neonics by regulators.
Last year, the European Union restricted the use of neonics for two years. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is reevaluating their use. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently said it will phase out the use of neonics in federal wildlife refuges in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii.
In California, the state Department of Pesticide Regulation began reevaluating neonics in 2009 but doesn't expect results until 2016. Seven years is a long wait.
Farmers depend on honeybees to pollinate more than 100 different crops in California each season.
Scientific research may take time to determine the cause, but there is a prime suspect that could be taken out or our backyards, and our fields and orchards.
We should have learned a few lessons by now in tinkering with the environment: Too often, we have introduced a solution to one problem only to create a ripple effect of harmful consequences.


text:
Tonight's Concert Picks: Kishi Bashi at the First Unitarian Church, XPN Welcomes Jeff Mangum to The Strand, XPN Welcomes Rufus Wainwright to the McCarter Theater, Cheers Elephant at Johnny Brenda's
Violinist, singer and composer Kishi Bashi performs at the First Unitarian Church tonight. Using his violin as a starting point, Bashi creates entirely new universes in his compositions with swirling loop sequences, layered vocals and atmospheric synth backdrops. In addition to touring and collaborating with of Montreal, Regina Spektor, The Barr Brothers and Sondre Lerche, the Seattle native takes his sonic creations to new heights with occasional solo recordings like 2012's 151a LP. Tickets and information for tonight's all-ages show with Plume Giant can be found here. Watch Kishi Bashi perform "Manchester" from 151a below.


text:
Our Publications
- Aspen
- Atlanta
- Boston
- Chicago
- Dallas
- The Hamptons
- Hawai'i
- Houston
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Miami
- New York
- Orange County
- Palm Beach
- Philadelphia
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Scottsdale
- Silicon Valley
- Washington, D.C.
Arts & Craft
THE PARTY Art enthusiasts united for the Opening Night Benefit Preview event of the Bay area's premier contemporary and modern art fair, artMRKT San Francisco. Zachary Brogue and Marissa Mayer served as co-chairs of the evening and welcomed the festival's special patrons. This year's preview night benefited the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco and its new acquisition fund. THE SCENE Guests enjoyed exclusive access to works of art and exhibits from the 70 galleries featured in the festival. A live performance piece by Michele Pred, titled "Miss Conception," commented on 21st century sexual politics. The award-winning SFJazz High School All-Stars Combo provided live music, while onlookers dined on delicious bites by McCalls. Photography by Drew Altizer


text:
As a kid, I grew up eating Hubig pies, as did my parents and my parents parents. But what exactly are these wonderful delights and where did they come from?
Hubig Pies are a fried turnover, originally created in Dallas by Simon Hubig. Hubig was a German immigrant and a master baker. He recognized the popularity of his hand – held pies and expanded his operations to Houston, New Orleans, Birmingham, and into Georgia. His dreams of going national were crushed by the stock market crash of 1929. He was forced to sell all of his bakeries except for the one in NOLA. He also had to take on a partner, which is how the Bowman family came to be the current owners of the bakery.
The bakery has been located in the same building on Dauphine Street for at least 80 years (a 9 minute drive from our New Orleans bed and breakfast). They are fried and smothered in sugary icing, and distributed in nearly 3500 retailers in southern Louisiana . No doubt about it, we love our Hubig Pies! They come in all sorts of flavors , ranging from apple, lemon, pineapple, chocolate, sweet potato, banana, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry and coconut.
Some of the flavors are strictly seasonal, such as the strawberry, blueberry, sweet potato, and the ever elusive blackberry. Hubig's only makes these when they can get fresh local fruit, and if thecrop isn't having a productive year, they will skip them if they have to.
Hubig's Pies are a local institution and tradition. You can see their delivery vans all over town, bringing out flats of freshly baked pies to stores of all kinds. I wish I could say that they were full of fiber and vitamins and were really good for you ……but hey, I can only say that they taste REALLY REALLY GOOD and they instill fond memories of days gone and they make you HAPPY….that can't be all too bad!


text:
Knicks hall of fame center Patrick Ewing appeared on "the Mike Lupica" show today and discussed a possible return to the garden. The interview can be heard here.
The 49 year old is an assistant coach under Stan Van Gundy with the Orlando Magic. Last month, Ewing interviewed with the Detroit Pistons about their head coaching vacancy. The job was ultimately given to Lawrence Frank. Ewing said in the interview that he would like to return to the Knicks as a coach one day:
"I hope that one day I get to come back home because I do live in this area, I still consider this my area, I still consider myself a Knick. Hopefully one day I'll be brought back here,"
Having been one of the dominant defensive players of all time, Ewing should bring a lot of defensive prowess to coaching. He is also the Knicks career scoring leader so clearly he knows something about offense. Could he have a coaching future with the New York Knicks? I loved in the interview how Ewing talked about the prejudice that guards are smarter than centers.
"People think that just because you're a center, you're not as smart as the guards or the smaller guys. I think that's a load of crap. When I played with the Knicks, I was just as important or just as smart as any other of the guards I played with. I still had to call out plays, notice schemes, know the systems, do everything they had to do."
I think Ewing is 100% right. One great example of this is former Knick point guard Mark Jackson. Jackson, 46, is 3 years younger then Ewing yet he is already a head coach. Ewing has been an assistant coach since 2007 while Jackson had never coached in any capacity prior to the Golden State job. I am not saying that Ewing should be a coach and Jackson should not. I do not believe Ewing is head coach material yet, I believe down the road he will be. I just believe he needs a bit more experience and I would like to see how he does in an expanded role, maybe as a defensive coordinator/assistant coach? There is one team that has a big glaring need at that position, oh yea, the New York Knicks.
Why shouldn't Ewing be the Knicks defensive coordinator? I think he is more than qualified to fill that role. I would much rather have Ewing, a former player, coaching up Carmelo and Amar'e than a coach who does not hold the respect of the players. I always believe that ex-player coaches hold more respect with todays NBA players than most other coaches do. I doubt Ewing will even be considered for D'Antoni's coordinator job, especially if Mike Woodson impressed D'Antoni in his interview, but I would love to see them at least give him a chance to interview.
[Image Via NY Daily News]
Follow @tarmosino


text:
Tara Kolla was born in Inglewood but grew up in Europe. She came back to Los Angeles, to a half-acre Silver Lake plot, where she decided to try her hand at "urban farming." Her neighbors objected, so now she mostly works other people's land, and works to further the cause. We met in Hidden Canyon, the aptly named acres in Glassell Park whose owners invited Kolla to cultivate and grow market flowers. Here are rows and beds of hyssop, black-eyed Susans, honeywort, zinnias, mums and ornamental cotton flowers. I plucked a boll of what I'll call "Glassell Park long staple." Because of people like Kolla, laws have changed to permit farming, of a sort, all around town. What was once the single most profitable agricultural county in the nation may just be coming back, one urban plot at a time.
What's happening around us here?
When the owners heard what I was doing, they invited me to grow here. We do this: We take over pieces of land and work the soil, bring in compost, bring in mulch, bring in a drip-irrigation system, and we plant and we tend. We don't use chemicals; we harvest the flowers; we take them to market and sell them to our community. The reward for the homeowner is this beautiful thing, and it's their part in doing their bit toward stewardship, so people feel good about that.
That covers costs and keeps us ticking along. We're offering now a seed-to-ceremony program. Brides can come to us and tell us when their weddings are, usually a year out, and then we'll grow [flowers] for their wedding. It's something brand new.
Did you study to be a botanist?
No, I was a tech girl! That was my background. That house [in Silver Lake] changed everything. I took botany at Pierce College. I went to Oregon to study soils. I fell in love with it. [I'm] a country girl at heart, I think. I grew up in France and Ireland and England: rolling hills, seasonal color change, red poppies in September and yellow fields in autumn. [In Silver Lake I] rented a tiller from Home Depot and tilled. It ended up being this big flat field, and I looked at it and thought, this has got to work for itself. And that was 10 or 11 years ago.
Why was there resistance?
I was teaching classes to small groups; I had something like nine classes in two years. I used my place because everything was there: the composting, the soil, the mulching, the seedlings. I had a strict policy of no parking on the street, and most [students] walked or cycled. The only time they came up in a car was to take home something heavy, compost or a pot. Neighbors complained, and the city said I had to stop. I had to find another venue.
So I created this darling little garden at Norman Harriton/Franklin Hills community garden, planted it, mounded it, started teaching kids there on Wednesdays. [My Silver Lake] neighbors [who also happened to own property near the community garden] filed a complaint saying why is she teaching commercially there? It was a witch-hunt. They reported me for composting [at my house]. I was going to a restaurant in Atwater to pick up bins of kitchen scraps and working them into the compost. It was illegal to compost materials I did not generate on my own site. The city operates based on complaints, and so they had to do something, but I don't think they really wanted to shut me down.
What's behind this thinking is the assumption that these things cause traffic, are smelly, are unhealthy. It's not the case because people have been doing this for centuries and we're still here.
How does that notion get changed? L.A. used to have thousands of home truck gardens.
By changing little laws one at a time. All this nonsense created the opportunity for the [municipal] Food and Flowers Freedom Act. It now allows anybody in the city to sell off-site homegrown fruit, flowers, fibers and vegetables. It's an extension of the Truck Gardening Ordinance, which had been in place since 1946 but which just said "vegetables." All we did was be specific.
And now a state law, AB 1616, allows people to make certain foods at home to sell off-site.
Baked goods, preserves, jams, jellies, dehydrated products, anything that will sit on the countertop and not spoil — you can prepare those in your own kitchen and sell them. There are artisans out there, people using old recipes in their families, who need a bit of extra income. All the great fruit I grow at home, I can turn into jams and sell that. We have beautiful plums, apricots, nectarines, guavas, mangoes, pomegranates, figs, raspberries, blackberries. I'm cuckoo about growing things.
Yet Proposition 37, the labeling requirement for genetically modified food ingredients, lost.
How ironic that AB 1616 passes, allowing people to make and sell healthy local foods. We have to label them when we make things in our kitchen and sell them. Why do we have to be that transparent, but Nestle, Kraft, Coca-Cola — why don't they?
Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles, or SEELA, operates farmers markets in Hollywood, Atwater Village, Echo Park and Watts. The Watts market operates at a loss and they let it, because SEELA is not going to give up. Why is that market not doing well? Because people in the area are buying food that's cheaper because it's subsidized by the government and companies that funded no-on-37 — Monsanto, Dow, Kraft, all those companies.
Are a lot of city dwellers "farming"?
There's a huge movement. See what these nice girls are doing [she points to the women working in the flower beds]? You can only go at a certain pace. It slows you down and it connects you and it feels really good.
How does one go from puttering in the garden to a small business?
Practice practice practice! There has to be a spirit of entrepreneurship in you, but it's fun. You just have to step off the ledge and do it. My first day at market, I sold nine bunches of sweet peas. It was really humbling to go from my previous career to standing at market with a poxy little table and a beaten-up umbrella and my nine bunches. $45. After the high-tech stuff I was doing.
Will people pay more for local organic flowers as they do for food? You see "CA grown" stickers on flowers in places like Sam's Club.
That's been a push by the Assn. of Specialty Cut Flower Growers in California — I'm a member — to help California flower growers get back some of the business from the Andean countries, because most of the production went south after NAFTA. People want local. But I went to two different florists and said, "I've got an excess of ranunculus, anemones and sweet peas." They said, "How much?" I gave them my price, and they said, "Phoo, no, we're gonna pay you much less." I was, "No, no, I've got to survive, I've got people to pay, we don't have slave labor here, we don't use chemicals." They said: "Customers don't want organic." I said: "What planet are you on?"
Can a "Los Angeles" food or flower label have cachet?
Yeah, because we think of this as a concrete city, and the reality is different.
Is there terroir here? Silver Lake soil and seasons versus Santa Monica soil?
It's a 10-degree difference. A clearer distinction is going to happen between what's grown in the Valley and what's grown on the ocean side. One thing I do to [pay] overhead is maintain [other people's] vegetable gardens. In Altadena, tomato plants are still thriving. In Malibu, done. See how much sky we have here? [In Silver Lake], it's more sheltered and moist.
So there are microclimates?
They're really distinct.
What about soil quality?
It's really spotty. Particularly for food, it's critical that you test your soil, for lead, for toxicity.
People laughed at you when you began all this.
[They thought], "You can't make any money." Now that the legal hurdles to urban farming seem to have dissipated, and it seems I have a clear road ahead, the challenge is, can I actually do it? Can I prove that urban farming is a viable small-business option? Can I pay these people and pay myself, and cover the mortgage? I feel the challenge is now a personal one.
Follow Patt Morrison on Twitter @pattmlatimes
This interview was edited and excerpted from a taped transcript. An archive of Morrison's interviews can be found at latimes.com/pattasks.


text:
Brad,This article posted below might validate your point of view but we will have to see how this system actually works.
Regards, Dawn DiPietro Cellular phone network used as backhaul for WiFi hotspot in cars by Guy J Kewney | posted on 05 January 2007Autonet coverage Two 3G (sort of) cellular networks, provided by Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel, jointly cover most of continental USA. Now, find a way of using those networks to provide in-car Internet.
Normally, you'd be forced to get at least two data cards, and plug them into your PC, and switch from one network to the other as coverage varied. It's not a consumer friendly option, which probably explains where Autonet Mobile founder Sterling Pratz got his idea for a car-based WiFi hotspot.
To quote David Haskin writing in Macworld, "Our thought was to turn the car into a hot spot so people could have the same experience in their car as in their home or office," said Pratz, a former racing driver.
Autonet access pointThe system takes the download from the two cellular providers, and automatically feeds it into an in-car wireless access point [right].
The idea seems perverse at first sight. WiFi is a lot faster than the EV-DO data system which is the American version of 3G cellular broadband. Even the Rev A version of EV-DO won't give more than 2.5 megabits as its maximum download speed, and that figure drops off noticeably as you move away from the cellular mast, and as the bandwidth gets shared amongst other data users. Expect average downloads of below half a megabit.
Using cellular links from two providers offers the option of combining the bandwidth from both, providing acceptable surfing performance in good coverage. Outside 3G areas, however, the system drops back to the US equivalent of GPRS, the much slower 1xRTT.
Costs make it clear that this option is not for the budget-conscious. The AP costs one dollar short of $400, and it's just below $50 a month on top of that to have data access to the two networks.
There's a good chance that people accustomed to WiFi hotspot surfing, together with VoIP phone services like Skype, will be disappointed by this service at first, because it's hard to believe it won't introduce extra latency delays into the data stream. However, the advantage over trying to plug data cards into a PC for cellular data will be consideable, in usability terms.
Full details won't be available till the company unveils the service at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. But it looks as if the company may have plans above and beyond providing WiFi Internet inside cars, because it has revealed that this Wireless Access Point will plug into standard mains power, as well as the in-car 10V line.
-- WISPA Wireless List: email@example.com Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/


text:
Minecraft, congratulations! You've officially arrived. Religious nuts are railing against you.
For years now, Pokémon's been a favorite target of those outside the religious mainstream.
Dorothy Spaulding from Watchmen Broadcasting, a local Christian broadcast network in Georgia, discussed the perils of Poke´mon with guest Henry Lewis. Apparently, Pokémon are "Oriental demons", and the names of Pokémon are actually the names of real Oriental demons. Nothing quite says demonic like Jigglypuff.
There's also something about evolution, but who believes in that crap anyway!
On the show, Minecraft was lumped in with Pokémon, with the guest saying that it's not "cultic", but it's a distraction that keeps kids from doing things like reading their Bibles.
They don't even seem to like Guitar Hero or magic wands! Stick around to hear what happened to Henry's pecan tree.
Crazy Christians rant about Pokemon, Minecraft & Magiquest [YouTube]


text:
Meet Tim Wise, the Angry White Man
I'd like to introduce my readers to Tim Wise, the self-described "Angry White Man"
No, it's not what you're thinking.
Tim Wise is one of the nation's premier anti-racist authors.
Here is the latest article on his blog.
Fair warning, Tim lets nobody off the hook.
Including myself.
Prepare to be challenged.
Posted on March 25, 2010, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 9 Comments.
You mention: "angry white males that shouted racial epithets at Democratic lawmakers last weekend."From what I've heard reported, there is some controversy regarding the factuality of what was shouted, and whether it was racially charged or not. Also, unless there was any significant investigation conducted, it's hard to say what the background motivation was for this group of people. It could have just as easily been been trickery by some group who actually supports the D-lawmakers, but acted in this way in an attempt to shine a bad light on those opposed to the current activities of our congress.Additionally, during this same time frame, the media (some outlets anyway) reported a very rowdy group of approximately 2000 Canadians who prevented Ann Coulter from speaking at a university in Ottawa. Sure, they do not fall under our Bill of Rights, specifically Amendment #1…but, usually universities allow all perspectives to be spoke. Given that Ann is a woman, I'm surprised you don't point this incident out as a counter-balance to show that anger doesn't just happen on one side of the aisle…
Thank you for your thoughts. I agree that there's anger on both sides. However, I think that calling a black congressman the "N" word would classify as racially charged. Calling Barney Frank the "F" word is also hate speech in my book. Not to mention all of the threats that have come forth in this last week against democratic lawmakers, and the blogs calling for violent revolution.I'm all for a reasonable debate about the policy issues at hand, (and in no way do I think that the lunatic fringe defines all who share their political views) but I'll need to be shown some convincing evidence that what we're seeing right now is really a secret plot of undercover liberals sent as plants to make the tea party people look bad.
Where are the video clips on the news showing the clear proof of the racial epithet claims? You know with all the cameras on what was happening, if those types of words were being used, the video would be out there. We have video of VP Biden using an "F" word…so, where's the video of racial/sexuality epithets?Your blog has been around since 2006, so I'm sure if I looked back, you'd have plenty of discussion regarding the attacks against our last president, all the rhetoric which was leveled against him, Right?Thanks for blindly accepting the "white guilt" that the race pimps use as one of their weapons to create division in America. It's just the sort of thing needed to get a marxist agenda through in a free country
You're welcome. And by the way, I've also criticized the left for stoking unnecessary fires. I seem to be an equal opportunity offender. See my posts "The Blurry Line between Truth and Hate Speech" and "Culture War Casualties" You can google them.
so, where's the video of racial/sexuality epithets?
I don't know. Why don't you call CNN and ask them?
if there was video, CNN would not be able to stop playing it…it's so easy to throw the race card, every victim knows how…
Okay, for the purpose of integrity, I edited the part about last weekend's incident, just in case there is real doubt the incident occurred. I stand by my claim however, that there's there's a disturbing trend of hatred and violent rhetoric (think of the signs depicting Obama as a monkey and the other signs threatening gun violence) being propagated right now. Yes, I'm aware that some of it is also present on the other side. For example, there were gay rights activists that posted the addresses of people of people that voted against gay marriage in California. That is also unacceptable. I'm willing to call out hatred on both sides when I see it. I will not, however, apologize for calling attention to institutional racism here in America, even if some will accuse me of "playing the race card to promote a Marxist agenda." This is crazy talk.
Thanks for your edit…I'm well aware that there is hatred in the world. Until Christ returns, there always will be. Hopefully when GW was president, you took note that there were signs depicting him as a monkey (and Hitler) and the other signs threatening gun violence, including a movie depicting his assasination. These events and actions do not excuse what is currently happening, but I didn't see the media drawing attention to the "hatred and potential for violence" that brewed during that time. Either way, it is from extremes, generally not groups that hold our country in great respect.For the record, I did not state that "you" played the race card to push a marxist agenda…the intent of my statement is that one side is doing this. When the serious charge of racism is leveled, but the evidence of racial epithets is missing, it must be considered that those leveling the charge will stoop to any level to stop the voices of their opponent. Even when those voices were only demanding a reversal of policies they disagree with, which is a basic right in our country.Additionally, when Obama was elected, we were told we had become a post-racial nation. Racism does go both ways. When the term "angry white males" is used constantly, and in a certain context, it becomes pejorative. Aren't pejorative descriptions and generalizations institutional racism…therefore, I cannot apologize for calling attention to it either. Nothing personal…just keeping it real!


text:
[B]I may lack virtue, but Im penitent[/B]
A couple of balls short of a full cascade... or maybe a few cards short of a deck... we'll see how this all fans out.
THE MEEK WILL INHERIT THE EARTH!If that's okay with you?
© 1998 - 2019 Home of Poi Ltd,New Zealand unless otherwise stated.All rights reserved
*All prices converted to United States dollars using XE.com.


text:
HTML5 zero-footprint document viewer with annotation and redaction functionality
TAMPA, Fla. – November 1, 2012 – Accusoft, the leading provider of document, content and imaging solutions, announces the release of Prizm Content Connect v6 HTML5 zero-footprint content viewer, with annotation and redaction controls, thumbnail display and more.
The HTML5 Viewer does not require any plug-ins to function, rather it simply relies on the functionality built into the web browser. The new Prizm Content Connect viewer keeps users focused on the task at hand by eliminating the need to open third party applications. It also limits security risks from third party browser plug-ins and provides IT administrations the flexibility to choose the right browser for their environment needs.
"With these HTML5 enhancements, Prizm Content Connect has been optimized to view documents in desktop and mobile web browsers that support HTML5." said Brian Pageau, Product Group Director at Accusoft. "Additionally, users will be able to create and edit annotations, add a text note to a document or redact sensitive information from client records, using their fingertips on a smartphone or tablet device."
This release also includes improvements to the Prizm Content Connect Flash viewer, Proxy Server and SharePoint edition. These improvements contain product enhancements designed to give users a better response when paging through a file as it is loading. Additionally, enhancements have been made for the support of many popular formats, such as AutoCAD and PDF.
Organizations can reduce software licensing costs by bypassing Microsoft Office, Adobe and other format-specific software installations on an end user's machine with Prizm Content Connect. Users can view, convert, collaborate and share more than 300 document types right within the web browser.
For more information on Prizm Content Connect, visit http://www.accusoft.com/prizmcontentconnect.htm or to request a free trial, visithttp://www.accusoft.com/prizmdownload.htm.
Accusoft and Prizm are registered trademarks and Prizm Content Connect is a trademark of Accusoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
About Accusoft
Accusoft provides a full spectrum of document, content and imaging solutions. With its broad range of solutions, Accusoft is committed to delivering best-in-class, enterprise grade and fully-supported applications and a globally recognized suite of software development kits (SDKs). Accusoft products work reliably behind the scenes for capturing, processing, storing and viewing images, documents and more. Add barcode, compression, DICOM, image processing, OCR/ICR, forms processing, PDF, scanning, video, and image viewing to your applications. Products are delivered as applications and toolkits for multiple 32-bit/64-bit platforms and development environments, including iOS, Android, .NET, Silverlight, ASP.NET, ActiveX, Java, Linux, Solaris, Mac OSX, and IBM AIX. For more information, please visit www.accusoft.com.


text:
Manju's Cooking & Baking Classes - Learn how to make delicious dishes you get in best Restaurants, Bakeries and Pastry Shops at home, you can make them all at low cost as and when you want. Treat your family and guests with tasty home cooked food.
Offers Indian cooking classes for travelers and range of Indian cuisine, International cuisine, Baking classes for culinary enthusiasts in India.
Cooking & Baking Classes in Bangalore
Separate Veg and Non-veg Cooking & Baking Classes
Each cooking class includes - Live demonstration, accurate recipes, take home samples, lots of tips & tricks.
Regular cooking class : Fees Rs.1500/- per person per class, each group of dishes listed below e.g. "North Indian" is 1 class - 2 ½ hours 1 day (class time : 11am - 1:30pm). Each class is independent module you can attend classes you like. To get weekly schedule and join cooking class fill in the Contact Form. » Location map
» Best range of Baking Classes in Bangalore
Custom cooking class : Fees Rs.4500/- per class for 1, 2 or 3 persons, more than 3 persons Rs 1500/- per person. You can schedule the class yourself and select one set of dishes as listed below like "South Indian" or choose 5 individual veg or non veg dishes from different set of dishes (eg. Nan, Roti, Malai Kofta Curry, Dal Makhani, Masala Dosa. Note: individual dishes from Chocolates, Breads, Puffs, Ice creams, Macarons, Wine cannot be selected for custom class. Mutton, Fish, Prawns, Biryani, Italian, Barbecue classes custom class fee Rs.5000/-) contact us for custom class. More Indian dishes for custom cooking class.
Vegetarian Cooking & Baking Classes
Non Vegetarian Cooking & Baking Classes
Cooking and Baking Classes on Weekdays and Weekends
» Bookmark this site now !
» Reviews Drmitra, Currieme,
» Class Photos: Gallery
Try other Search Engines !


text:
Next time you have a terrible cough, remember to worry about accidentally shifting your organs around. Though "coughing up" a lung isn't possible, according to a case report in the New England Journal of Medicine, a woman with asthma did manage to get a bit of her lung caught in her ribs after coughing especially hard for two weeks. There have also been rare cases of people rupturing their spleens or popping their eyeballs out, so remember to cough with caution.
Image via Studio 37/Shutterstock.


text:
WASHINGTON – Motorcycle deaths are increasing dramatically, up 9 percent, nationally. But not in the Washington metropolitan area, according to a new report by the Governors Highway Safety Association.
"Each year motorcycle deaths go up, and it's alarming," says Jonathan Adkins, spokesperson for the association, a nonprofit representing highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
"Motorcycle deaths were up in 2012, and we're projecting they were up by 9 percent. So it was significant," says Adkins.
With an improved economy in 2012, Adkins says researchers believe more people were able to afford to buy and operate motorcycles.
"Gas prices were also pretty high, so people were thinking 'hey, this is an appealing way to get around'."
Adkins says the number of motorcycle deaths has increased nationally 14 of the past 15 years. And more than 5,000 motorcyclists died in 2012, according to the association's preliminary findings.
However, local motorcycle riders fared better, according to the report.
"In Virginia, the deaths we're projecting for the first nine months were down about 6 percent, which is good news," says Adkins.
However, in Maryland, deaths are up about 3 percent.
"It's a small number, but it's obviously significant anytime fatalities are going up," says Adkins.
The number of motorcyclist deaths in D.C. remained approximately the same.
In its report, the safety group recommends states address six issues: increase helmet use, reduce alcohol impairment, reduce speeding, provide cycle operator training, ensure licensing and encourage car and truck drivers to share the road with motorcycles.
Follow @AugensteinWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.


text:
Businesses in Northern Territory
No Results
We couldn't find any businesses that matched those criteria.
Greek Restaurants Sydney | Greek Food Brisbane | Traditional Greek Restaurant Melbourne
We couldn't find any businesses that matched those criteria.
"Sam came to fix my mum's clothes line today and she was so impressed with his service. He was on time, friendly and efficient. She would definitely recommend him. 100%"
Kerri Ward on 15th May 2018
"While moving out of our apartment we contacted Jay's Pest Control. At 12:12pm I had to call the police as I felt my family were in danger. This man (I believe to be the owner) went berserk after I asked him to apologise for being rude and attempted to physically assault me as well as hurt my family by throwing objects in the direction of where my 6 month old son was, narrowly missing my son. I am very concerned about this man dealing with the general public."
Dmitri Eremin on 14th May 2018
"Building Guarantee means nothing to this business have had nothing but problems would not recommend"
john mackie on 13th May 2018
"Thank you John once again for your help with Building Inspection. I have used John several times. John is very prompt, informative & does comprehensive property inspection. Very friendly and Highly recommended. "
H D on 4th May 2018
"good honest service with a smile,highly recommend."
micheal nudelman on 3rd May 2018


text:
Richtlinien für Autoren
The author(s) transfer their copyrights of the manuscript to the publisher to allow, e. g., open access. A copyright transfer declaration is mailed to the authors with the confirmation of receipt of the manuscript. If such a declaration is not received, the authors should contact the publisher. The author(s) must arrange any further authorisation necessary for reproduction of figures etc. prior to submission of the manuscript. The cover letter must explicitly confirm that all named authors have agreed to publication of the work, and that the manuscript does not infringe any other person's copyright or property rights.
All submitted manuscripts are subject to review by two specialist referees. Mainly based on their reports the editors decide whether a manuscript will be accepted for publication. When the review procedure is completed, the review documents and the editors' statement of (non-)acceptance will be sent to the corresponding author. If a manuscript requires major revision, final acceptance may only be decided after a revised version of the manuscript has been received and checked by the editors and/or the referees.
Authors of accepted manuscripts will receive a proof copy of their paper as a PDF. Proof corrections should be communicated as soon as possible, normally per e-mail, along with the release to print.
Authors will be supplied a PDF copy (300 dpi) for free use. The PDFs will also be freely accessible at www.senckenberg.de/peckiana. Hardcopy reprints are available for purchase.
Submission of manuscripts should preferably be sent by email to firstname.lastname@example.com [up to 15 MB per message].
Alternatively, correspondence and media can be sent by normal mail:
Prof. Dr Willi Xylander, Editor-in-Chief of PECKIANA,


text:
"Surveys also suggest that as many as one in five visitors to the UK come as a result of seeing the country on screen."So, I wonder what the average viewer around the world has seen of Northern Ireland on their screens? Even post-ceasefire(s), and post-Good Friday, there's still plenty of shameful pictures broadcast around the world each summer.
One Indian colleague has worked in Northern Ireland a couple of times over the last few years. Each time she arrives, there is a major incident that makes it onto the front pages of Indian newspapers and onto their evening news - causing her family great worry, and generating calls home to calm stressed nerves. Coincidence, but telling.
My memory of a balmy Sunday afternoon spent at a hill station outside Pune (100 miles east of Mumbai) was that it looked very like County Antrim. Green fields stretching up the hills. A big lake - that we motored across. A large damn generating power for the city of Pune. The only thing missing were sheep.
So if Bollywood film producers are happy to chase the sheep out of their shoots, and the actors can put up with our all-year round monsoon season, then they'll have a lot of success making Bollywood classics here.
And it'll be a bit of competition for Richard Attenborough who is filming Closing the Ring in Belfast, through the new Titanic Studios - based in the defunct Maysfield leisure centre.


text:
OAKLAND, California - Some of the largest U.S. cities will report their greenhouse gas emissions for the first time in a program that will demonstrate to companies, investors and the general public how cities are dealing with the risks and opportunities climate change presents. Twenty-one cities were announced today, with at least nine others expected to take part in the pilot project.
Some of the participating cities are large, such as New York, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Denver, and Portland, Oregon, while others are smaller such as Dubuque, Iowa; Saint Paul, Minnesota; West Palm Beach, Florida; and Rohnert Park, California.
Each city will assemble comparable carbon emission data within their jurisdiction's operations - fire department, ambulance and police services, municipal buildings, waste transport and other services the cities provide or activities over which they exercise budgetary control.
The Carbon Disclosure Project and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability will help the cities to report their greenhouse gas emissions.
An independent not-for-profit organization founded in 2000, the Carbon Disclosure Project represents some 385 global institutional investors, with a combined asset base of more than $57 trillion. CDP collects key climate change data from more than 3,000 major corporations globally and has assembled the largest corporate greenhouse gas emissions database in the world.
Carbon Disclosure Project chief executive Paul Dickinson said, "Over 70 percent of total global emissions are generated from cities and if you don't measure these emissions, you cannot manage them."
"This is a vital step for city councils who wish to gain a better understanding of their own impact and by improving their understanding of risks and opportunities associated with climate change, best prepare their cities for a carbon constrained world," Dickinson said.
Cities will use the local government operations protocol coauthored by ICLEI and the California Climate Action Registry with input from expert stakeholders across the United States. The protocol details the policy framework, calculation methodologies, and reporting guidance for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions from local government operations.
Then the cities will disclose this data to the Carbon Disclosure Project online reporting system.
"ICLEI's partnership with the Carbon Disclosure Project underscores how crucial standards, quantification methods and voluntary reporting are to local climate action," said Michelle Wyman, executive director of ICLEI USA, from her office in Oakland.
"This project provides the opportunity for transparency, and is essential in the emerging national and global policy dialogue as the priorities of local governments to achieve swift and deep reductions are identified and advanced by local government leaders," she said.
ICLEI USA is part of the worldwide ICLEI organization based in Toronto. The organization was founded in 1990 as the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, ICLEI.
Said New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, "The City of New York joins the world's leading corporations in providing a complete, accurate accounting of its carbon emissions, the strategies it is employing to mitigate those emissions, and the results of its efforts through the Carbon Disclosure Project and ICLEI. "This partnership between the world's major corporations and, increasingly, its cities, highlights the importance of the cooperative action needed to successfully counter climate change," the New York mayor said. "Working together, and with the best data, we can manage this problem, and leave our children and grandchildren a healthier and more sustainable planet."
In April 2007 Mayor Bloomberg released the first comprehensive inventory of greenhouse gas emissions in New York City's history. The inventory was completed as part of the ICLEI Cities for Climate Protection campaign.
The CDP Cities program is a voluntary disclosure process. Cities will submit their responses to CDP by October 31, 2008.
All responses will be announced and published in the first Carbon Disclosure Project Cities Report and ICLEI Local Action Network Report in January 2009.
Cities will be able to use the project to learn from peers on climate change management and the project will shed light on the level of awareness and preparedness of the cities on this issue.
The first 21 cities in the program are - Albany, New York; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Anchorage, Alaska; Arlington, Virginia; Burlington, Vermont; Denver, Colorado; Dubuque, Iowa; Edina, Minnesota; Fairfield, Iowa; Haverford, Pennsylvania; Las Vegas, Nevada; New Orleans, Louisiana; New York, New York; North Little Rock, Arkansas; Pacific Grove, California; Park City, Utah; Portland, Oregon; Rohnert Park, California; Saint Paul, Minnesota; Washougal, Washington; and West Palm Beach, Florida.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008


text:
Find your Councillor & Ward
Councillor Ward Sutherland
Councillor Joe Magliocca
Councillor Jim Stevenson
Councillor Sean Chu
Councillor Ray Jones
Councillor Richard Pootmans
Councillor Druh Farrell
Councillor Evan Woolley
Councillor Gian-Carlo Carra
Councillor Andre Chabot
Councillor Brian Pincott
Councillor Shane Keating
Councillor Diane Colley-Urquhart
Councillor Peter Demong
The Mayor of Calgary is the only member of City Council elected by all voters in Calgary and is the primary representative of Calgarians to other orders of government and the public at large. The Mayor:
The current Mayor of Calgary is Naheed Nenshi. He is Calgary's 36th Mayor and is serving his second term in this position.
Calgary Mayor - to contact Mayor Nenshi or learn more about him and his office.
Request a birthday or anniversary message - for a birthday (75, 80 years and older) OR an anniversary (50 years or above).
Request a proclamation or letter of recognition - to highlight important issues, charitable events, memorable occasions.
Beyond the general duties above, the Office of the Mayor manages some special projects including:
Transforming Government - Transparency. Accountability. Civic Engagement. Innovation. Citizen Orientation. Sustainability. Government exists to serve citizens. Every day, citizens are touched by The City of Calgary and the services it offers. Transforming Government is about celebrating the constant improvement that happens at The City of Calgary - improvement that makes life better for citizens.
Cut Red Tape -It's time to cut red tape. Your advice will ensure The City of Calgary becomes a municipal government of problem-solvers and facilitators for all citizens of Calgary. Together, we can make working with The City even better.
3 Things for Calgary - If every Calgarian took up Mayor Nenshi's challenge to do at least 3 Things for Calgary, we'd have more than 3 million actions making Calgary an even better city.
Mayor Nenshi's Walk Challenge - By walking (or biking, rollerblading, skateboarding—whatever you want as long as it's active!) to school, we're protecting the environment, staying healthy, and doing better in school.
311 connects citizens with non-emergency services, 24 hours a day, seven days a
Available for iPhone in App Store and Android in Google Play store.
Submit a request
Use the online form to request information or a service. Do a keyword search or browse services by type.


text:
Hi Everyone. How are you all today on this very cloudy and rainy day in England.
Well I thought I would just say a few lines to let you know how Merlin is getting on, and most importantly to say thank you to you all.
Since all this began with Merlin, you all have replied generously to my threads and posts, your kind words have kept me going, and your vital information and experiences have helped me in more ways that you could imagine. This Cavalier Forum is the best thing since sliced bread and i'm so happy to have found it. and also found all of you lovely people who are going through or have gone through the same problems as me and Merlin.
A big thank you to Kate Hughes, her emails and kind words have cheered me up when i've felt my lowest with Merlin, and she has kept me strong enough to fight for Merlin in good and bad days. - Kate I can't thank you enough.
Merlin is still doing really well, he's now on 100mg of Gabapentin 3 times a day, and has metacam each morning.
Following his paralysis, he can now totally move his right ear up and down and his right eye is closing more and more and this morning........ he blinked, only a small blink, but I saw it ........ I shot off the settee and ran to him to give him a big kiss and then started dancing around the living room, as you can imagine he was just looking at me gone out, thinking ...."mum's gone mad" after a while he got up and started running around my legs all excited. Was so proud of him, he's been such a little fighter.
His limping has improved a lot, just a very slight limp there now, not that you would notice really, Saturday and Sunday he didnt yelp once, and I havent heard him yelp today either. We had a very soggy wet walk on the fields this morning, he's back to kicking his legs up in the leaves and soil, mini spurts of running here and there, ears flapping all over the place.
He is still on his vet prescription diet (hills metabolic weight solutions), we weighed him at the vets at the weekend and he's lost 400grams in the space of 4 weeks. I dont know if thats a good amount of weight loss for a Cavalier but at least he's loosing it and not gaining.
So there's my update for today, i'm off for a cup of tea now to warm me up.
Best wishes


text: Digital Insight by network (0) Description Hosts our website and online banking site. Check out the product website Get quote Save to list Subscribe Share Facebook Twitter Email Have a Question? With Millions of IT pros, someone out there is bound to have an answer about this product! Ask a question » 0 Reviews 0 Questions Get quote Save to list Specifications Unfortunately, we don't have any manufacturer specs for this product yet. Let our community answer your questions! Ask a Question Product Reviews Write a review Looks like no one has reviewed this product yet! Why not be the first? Write a review Questions & Answers We haven't had any questions yet! What do you want to know about this product? Ask a question


text:
Completing an IRONMAN or 70.3 race for the first time is a tremendous achievement. The only catch? For most athletes, the bucket list quickly gets an addition once you get across the line: Now do it again, but faster.
The good news is that there are multiple levers you can adjust to speed up your time. And most of them simply mean adding more structure to your training.
We asked top coaches how IRONMAN first-timers should approach getting faster. Below, their top tips:
1. Geek out on your technique
While this is probably most important for the swim, it certainly won't hurt to become more proficient in all three sports. When getting started, many people simply head to a pool to swim laps, jump on their bikes for a ride and start off with some easy runs. There's a reason the pros look so strong and smooth as they power through the course—they've mastered their technique in all three disciplines. Whether you sign up for lessons or a clinic, or simply do your own research through videos and books, becoming a more efficient swimmer, biker and runner will help you go faster in your next race.
2. Start interval training
If you want to go faster in a race, you need to go even faster in training. Think about it: If you want to average 10 minute miles for a half marathon at the end of your 70.3 race, you're not going to achieve that goal if you can only run a 9:30 mile. (In other words, your goal pace is too close to the fastest you can go, so you're not going to maintain that pace for 13+ miles). The same holds true on the bike and in the water. Intervals are shorter, fast efforts with a specific recovery or rest. Swim programs typically include a lot of interval training, but it should also be an integral part of your bike and run training.
Read more: Olympic coach Stephen Sheldrake's IRONMAN interval workouts: swim, bike and run.
3. Find a training group or club
Once again, this is often of most benefit in the pool—but can also be a huge help for cycling and running. Group workouts will not only make you faster by building in intervals and harder efforts, but they will also keep you motivated by the social atmosphere and built-in accountability. Training with others can also help you learn to pace and likely push yourself a little harder in training sessions. In addition to the coaches, you'll also find some experienced mentors who can help you along the way.
Read more: 5 reasons to join a triathlon club.
4. Work with a coach
A good coach can help you dramatically improve your technique, come up with tailored interval sessions to improve your speed and coordinate your program to ensure you're getting the most out of your training time. Many coaches can help you do all that from a distance, too.
Read more: How to choose a coach.
5. Get stronger
While strength will almost always be trumped by technique (just jump in the pool with a bunch of 11 and 12-year-old age group swimmers sometime—while you are likely much stronger, their impressive technique allows them to swim circles around you), strength training does have it's place in your training. You can certainly improve your bike performance with some added strength, while it's also a great way to address muscle imbalances that can lead to injury. As he nears his 40th birthday, Craig Alexander stresses that strength training has become an important part of his training program as a way to prevent injury. His improved core strength has also helped him maintain his form during the latter stages of the bike and run in races.
6. Use a heart rate monitor or power meter
Many successful IRONMAN and 70.3 competitors don't ever use a heart rate monitor or power meter, but these training tools can help you get the most out of your training time. Used properly, a heart rate monitor will help you work at an appropriate level—making sure your hard workouts will be hard enough, and your recovery sets easy enough to ensure that you're not overtraining.
To get the most out of a heart rate monitor, though, you need to figure out exactly what your various training zones are. While there are lots of formulas that can give you an approximate value for your maximal heart rate, they aren't particularly accurate—especially for fitter athletes. A coach or exercise physiologist can administer specific testing that will give you more accurate numbers.
If faster bike splits are your goal, a power meter can certainly help. They allow you to measure the direct energy you are putting into the pedals, which gives you the ability to pace evenly and to your exact ability for the length of your race (or even during interval training). Racing with power can help not only your bike split, but can leave you with much "fresher" legs for the run as you can avoid spikes in effort and save valuable energy for the last leg.


text:
valentines 2010
To be honest, I used to loathe Valentine's day with it's overpriced roses and tacky pink and red color scheme. But now that I have little children, Valentine's day is fun again. C is in kindergarten this year and needed to bring 32 valentines to school, so we needed something relatively quick and easy. I always try to think of some way to involve the kids, either by including their drawings or having them help with the assembly.
For this years cards, I printed out plain red hearts with white circles for eyes. I made a sample for the kids showing them how to draw the face and arms and legs. Then the kids took black pens and made their own. Attach some candy to one or both of the hands and you're all set. Here is a template you can download.


text: WASHINGTON — Authorities have arrested 255 alleged child predators in the United States and eight other countries in an operation led by a U.S. agency that illustrated a growing trend called "sextortion" in which children are blackmailed into providing pornographic images of themselves, officials said on Monday. The month-long Operation iGuardian in June, led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, is part of a larger effort to identify and rescue victims of online sexual exploitation and arrest their abusers as well as others who own, trade and produce images of child pornography, officials said. "In many instances, the abusers take advantage of a sexual image the child divulges in a chat room or over a text to force the child to continue to produce darker and more pornographic images on threat of broader disclosures of the images over the Internet," ICE Director John Morton told a news conference. From May 28 to June 30, the agency also identified 61 victims of child sexual exploitation in the United States, Canada, Indonesia and the Netherlands, officials said. "The sexual abuse and exploitation of children over the Internet is a pervasive and growing problem," Morton said. "Far too many children are abused by sexual predators and then repeatedly re-abused through the online exchange of the underlying photographs and videos of their exploitation." Morton pointed to the "disturbing trend" of sextortion, which occurs when child abusers coerce or trick children - typically teenagers - into sending them pornographic images of themselves. Morton said the practice has been increasing in recent years. He said sextortion has been on the rise over the past few years and can involve a large number of victims being blackmailed or extorted by one individual. In addition to 244 arrests made in the United States, 11 other people were arrested in Brazil, Canada, Israel, Mexico, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand. ICE worked with local law enforcement authorities in those countries to catch the suspects, officials said. Morton said 17 of those arrested held positions of trust, including nine teachers and three clergy members. Investigators pointed to the case of a 25-year-old former high school cheerleading coach from Caguas, Puerto Rico. He was arrested on June 4 after police in Colorado discovered he was allegedly blackmailing a 17-year-old girl he met online in an anonymous internet video chat website. Investigators estimate that there are more than 80 other potential victims of the accused man who remain unidentified. "The Internet allows child pornographers to abuse on a sophisticated and international scale," Morton said. Among the 255 alleged child abusers arrested in Operation iGuardian, 20 were involved in online solicitation including two large sextortion investigations, the agency said. Federal officials have launched a new educational program across the country aimed at showing children and parents the risks children face online and how to report abuse. "The sad truth is, there are many more child victims of sexual exploitation out there who have not yet been rescued and are still suffering," said John Ryan, chief executive of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.


text:
Outils d'accessibilité
Sélecteur de langues
Chemin de navigation
Left navigation
Additional tools
European Commission
Press release
Brussels, 18 September 2012
High level group to focus on quality and excellence in teaching
Higher education is crucial for developing the knowledge and skills that Europe needs to compete in the world economy, but Member States are not investing enough to modernise their higher education systems. A new High Level Group on the Modernisation of Higher Education, launched by the European Commission today, will address this issue as part of a comprehensive three-year review of the sector across the European Union. The group, chaired by Mary McAleese, former President of Ireland, will focus this year on how best to achieve quality and excellence in teaching and learning; then, next year, it will discuss how to adapt learning in the digital age. The Group will identify best practices and creative solutions, as well as making recommendations to national and European policy makers, universities and colleges. It will report for the first time in 2013 and has a mandate until 2015.
Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, said: "Everybody remembers a teacher who inspired or motivated them. With the help of the high level group I want to ensure that every student, regardless of where they live or study in Europe, will benefit from quality teaching. This is a pre-condition for innovation, jobs and growth. Teaching excellence is also a fundamental requirement for identifying and supporting sustainable pathways out of the current crisis."
Mary McAleese added: "I am very honoured to chair this group. I care deeply about Europe and its young generation, which has been struck so hard by the crisis. Our group will examine how to nurture excellent teaching in our universities so that our young people receive the best education and the best possible employment prospects."
During the next three years the group will consult experts from higher education, government and businesses, as well as students and teachers.
The launch of this group is a part of a broader strategy to modernise the higher education sector in Member States. The Commission has already made considerable progress in this area. The Bologna Process has made it easier for students to study abroad and have their qualifications recognised throughout Europe. The European multidimensional university ranking system, due to be published for the first time in 2013, will also facilitate comparisons between universities so that students will be able to make a more informed choice about where to study. It will also enable the Commission to track the progress of universities in a range of different the areas which will be the basis for the new ranking: quality of teaching and learning, research, knowledge transfer, international outreach strategies, and the role of universities in regional development.
The European Agenda for the modernisation of higher education, which was endorsed by Ministers at the Education Council on 28-29 November 2011, identifies priority areas where EU countries need to do more to achieve their shared objectives and sets out how the European Union can support their modernisation policies. Priorities include improving the quality and relevance of higher education, so curricula meet the needs of students, employers and the careers of the future, as well as increasing the number of students. It promotes stronger cooperation between universities, businesses and research centres. The Agenda is a part of the Commission's wider strategy to promote growth and jobs in Europe, in which education plays a key role.
For more information
The agenda for modernisation of higher education
European Commission: Education and training
Follow Androulla Vassiliou on Twitter @VassiliouEU
Members of the High Level Group on the Modernisation of Higher Education
Mary McAleese (Chair)
Mary McAleese was President of Ireland from 1997-2011. She graduated in law from Queen's University, Belfast, in 1973 and was called to the Northern Ireland Bar in 1974. In 1975, she was appointed Reid Professor of criminal law, criminology and penology at Trinity College Dublin and in 1987, she returned to Queen's to become director of the institute of professional legal studies. In 1994, she became the first female pro-vice chancellor of the Queen's University.
Agneta Bladh
Dr Bladh chairs the governing board of the Jönköping School of Health Sciences and Stockholm University library board. She is also a member of Uppsala University governing board, the board of Oslo and Akershus College of Applied Science (Norway) and a board preparing the merger between two universities in Norway. Dr Bladh is a member of the Danish Accreditation Council and the administrative board of International Association of Universities. Dr Bladh was rector of the University of Kalmar, Sweden, from February 2004 to December 2009. From 1998 to 2004, she served as state secretary at the Swedish Ministry of Education and Science, responsible for higher education and research, and from 1995 to 1998, was director general at the National Agency for Higher Education. Agneta Bladh holds a PhD in political science from Stockholm University (1988).
Vincent Berger
Vincent Berger is president of the University Paris Diderot. From 1990 to 2001 he worked at the Laboratoire Central de Recherches for aerospace multinational Thales (ex Thomson CSF). In 2001 he joined the University Paris Diderot - Paris 7 as professor, and until 2006 was head of the quantum phenomena and materials laboratory. He received the Fabry-De Gramont award and the MIT Young Innovator award in 2002. He has published around 150 papers in international journals, and holds 16 patents. In 2012 he was nominated general rapporteur of the national assizes on higher education and research in France by Education Minister Genevieve Fioraso.
Christian Bode
Christian Bode was secretary general of the German Academic Exchange Service for 20 years (1990-2010). Christian Bode was educated in law and received his PhD from the University of Bonn in 1971. Between 1972 and 1982 he held different senior positions in the federal Ministry of Education and Science. From 1982 to 1990 he was secretary general of the German Rectors' Conference. He was one of the founders of the Academic Cooperation Association in Brussels and served as its vice president several times.
Christian Bode has published widely on all aspects of higher education policy, with a focus on international cooperation between universities. He is a member of several administrative boards of universities in Germany and abroad (Munich, Berlin, Muscat, Shanghai) and professional societies.
Jan Muehlfeit
Jan Muehlfeit is chairman of Microsoft Corporation in Europe. Over nearly 20 years with Microsoft, he has served in various positions, in its Czech/Slovak subsidiary from 1993 to 2000 and responsible for central and eastern Europe in 2000-05. He served as vice president of Microsoft's public sector team in 2005 and vice president of Corporate & Government Strategy in 2006, for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Mr Muehlfeit is a vice-chair of the Academy of Business in Society, board member of Junior Achievement, co-chairman of the European e-Skills Association and a member of the board of the student organisation AIESEC (Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales) and the advisory body of Ovum, a company that specialises in analysis and consulting on technology. He has served on various advisory boards for several European governments on information technology, national competitiveness and education. He also represents Microsoft on the Transatlantic Business Dialogue and is an advisor on different projects for the World Economic Forum, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and European Policy Centre. He is also a board member of the Czech National Museum and member of the Leaders' Council of the International Business Leaders Forum. He graduated from the Czech Technical University and later completed executive development programs at Wharton, the London School of Economics and Harvard.
Tea Petrin
Tea Petrin is professor in the faculty of economics at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, where she is also the head of the entrepreneurship academic unit. She is a member of the university senate. Ms Petrin was a visiting professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley. She was also a Fulbright professor at the Institute of International Studies at UC Berkeley and at the Centre for Industrial Competitiveness in the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She is a renowned expert in entrepreneurship and innovation policies, and regional development programmes. From 1999-2004, she was Slovenia's Minister of Economy. From 2004-2008, she was Slovenian ambassador to the Netherlands, and has been her country's representative on the European Small Business Council and a member of the International Small Business Council. She is vice-president of the board of advisors of the Competitiveness Institute, a member of the academic advisory board of the European Forum of Entrepreneurship Research and a member of the board of the Academic Research Network. She chaired the cluster policy group at the European Commission's Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry (2009-2010), was a member of the synergies expert group at the European Commission's Directorate General for Research (2010-2011) and of the United Nations' committee for development policy for the period January 2013 – December 2015.
Alessandro Schiesaro
Alessandro Schiesaro is professor of Latin literature at the University of Rome-Sapienza and director of the Sapienza School of Advanced Studies. After studying in Pisa, Berkeley and Oxford, Alessandro Schiesaro lectured in the United States, including as professor of classics in Princeton, and in the United Kingdom as professor of Latin at King´s College London. Since 2008 he has chaired the technical secretariat of the Italian Ministry for Universities and Research.
Loukas Tsoukalis
Loukas Tsoukalis is Jean Monnet Professor of European integration at the University of Athens and visiting professor at the College of Europe in Bruges. He is president of the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy, and has been special adviser to the President of the European Commission. He has taught at the University of Oxford, London School of Economics, Sciences Po in Paris, and the European University Institute of Florence. He has written many books and articles on European integration and international political economy, translated into several languages.
Side Bar