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TED Tuesday: Ideas Worth Spreading for the Week of 4/26
April 26th, 2011 Comments off
I haven't done one of these in a while, so I figured I would feature the most recent lecture I've watched. Supported fully by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Big History Project aims to promote a passion for learning, as well as a more comprehensive, big picture look at the history of how we got here and where we are. Bill Gates talks a bit about it here.
One of their big moments was the spectacular below lecture by Gates' co-founder David Christian. Along with Carolyn Porco's Saturn talk, this is one of the more visually stunning lectures you'll see. Definitely worth the next 20 minutes.
Categories: Random Fun, TED Tuesday Big History Project, Bill Gates, David Christian, History of the World, TED, TED Tuesday


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Banquet honors newest group of Eagle scouts
Surrounded by friends and family and donning their iconic Boy Scout uniforms, 72 young men from across Southeast Texas received the highest rank afforded to young Boy Scouts, that of Eagle Scout, at the MCM Eleganté Hotel in Beaumont on Tuesday, March 26
The year 2012 marked the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Eagle Scout rank. It's only fitting that this year's graduating class is the highest number of scouts to receive the award from the Southeast Texas Three Rivers Council, said the council's Scout Executive, Les Bentley.
"This will actually set a record for our council," Bentley said. "Last year we had 70. That's a lot of Eagle Scouts."
Southeast Texas' newest Eagles are following in the footsteps of Arthur Eldred, a 17-year-old Long Island Boy Scout who was the first to receive the rank more than 100 years ago. Since then more than 115 million boys have participated in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), but only about 2 million have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.
Among the most challenging aspects of acquiring the Eagle rank is that of a comprehensive Eagle project designed to test a scout's leadership and organizational capabilities as well as fundraising and construction experience.
Each young man must raise the funds necessary to complete the project before designing and carrying it out.
With the help of local businesses, Bentley said local Boy Scouts often have the materials and money they need donated for their projects in a timely manner.
"They work pretty hard at getting donations. There's Lowe's and Home Depot, M&D. They're really good to us," Bentley said. "A lot of times they'll get materials donated or they'll raise money, but on average $1,500 to $2,500, that's about average."
Most projects are done for local churches, but many are for area nonprofits.
One example is Joseph Black, 18, of Troop 239 in Fannett, who built a custom ramp and gates for local Special Olympians for use in trail-riding competitions and events all over Texas. By providing a competition-grade atmosphere at the ranch, Black said the athletes will have a much better chance of bringing home the gold.
"Before we gave them the ramp, all they had was a board," he said. "So this gives them an advantage."
All the Scouts interviewed for this story said the BSA has been the greatest single achievement of their lifetimes. Most say the BSA's motto and Scout Law will follow them for the rest of their lives.
"Boy Scouts, beyond family and church, has been the biggest inspiration in life to me," said Black. "The scout motto spells it out what a scout should do: Do a good turn daily and be prepared. It helps to remember those things."

subset: commoncrawl


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DI Men?s Basketball Player of the Week ? No. 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Cameron Lewis of Fisk (Tenn.) has been named the NAIA National Division I Men's Basketball Player of the Week, the national office announced Tuesday. Lewis was selected based on his performances from Jan. 13 – 19 and was chosen out of a pool of conference and independent award winners.
Lewis, a native of Nashville, Tenn., averaged 29.5 points, nine rebounds and 5.5 assists to carry the Bulldogs to a pair of Gulf Coast Athletic Conference victories last week. In a 96-87 win against Voorhees (S.C.) on Jan. 13, the junior guard shot 50 percent (4-for-8) from 3-point range en route to a season-high 33 points. He was also a perfect 9-for-9 at the free throw line in the contest. Against Dillard (La.) on Jan. 18, Lewis continued his stellar play, tallying his seventh double-double of the season with 26 points and 11 rebounds. He finished the game three assists shy of his second triple-double of the season.
On the year, Lewis ranks fifth nationally in total assists (93) and total steals (49), while also ranking 10th in points per game (21.8).
For a complete list of all the national statistical leaders, click here.
The next NAIA National Division I Men's Basketball Player of the Week will be announced on Jan. 28. For the complete Player of the Week calendar, click here.
Nominees: Latraius Mosley, Life (Ga.); William Nelson, LSU Shreveport (La.); Dominique Rambo, SAGU (Texas); Kyle Teichmann, Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.); Charlie Wallrapp, Benedictine (Kan.); Garrett Neilan, Hope International (Calif.); D.d. Joiner, Rio Grande (Ohio); Antonio Snow, Montana Tech; Luke Miller, Emmanuel (Ga.); Stephen Coles, West Virginia Tech.
2013-14 Division I Men's Basketball Players of the Week
Week 1 (Jan. 7): Dominique Rambo, SAGU (Texas)
Week 2 (Jan. 14): Phillip Miller, Wiley (Texas)
Week 3 (Jan. 21): Cameron Lewis, Fisk (Tenn.)


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Good day to you. Today I'm honored to introduce a special guest blogger, Ms. Jillian McKee. Ms. McKee has worked as the Complementary Medicine Advocate at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance since June of 2009. Ms. McKee spends most her time on outreach efforts and spreading information about the integration of complementary and alternative medicine when used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatment.
Read more: http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/jillian/bio.htm#ixzz1yNG80nhv
Contact information for Ms. Jillian McKee:
- E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
I hope you enjoy Ms. McKee's blogpost below in regard to health, nutrition, and education in regard to a vegetarian diet while surviving cancer. Please read on …
You have a lot on your mind when you are going through cancer. Whether you have just been diagnosed, are in the middle of treatment, or are in recovery, it is difficult to keep track of everything that you need to do to survive this disease. Switching to a vegetarian diet can help you solve two problems at once. Eliminating meat from your diet will positively impact your health in several different ways while adhering to a vegetarian diet can make it easier to plan proper meals while dealing with cancer.
There is nothing magic about a vegetarian diet and doctors do not immediately recommend it for all their patients. However, you would be hard-pressed to find a doctor who advised against it. There are many positive benefits to careful vegetarianism that can help you manage treatment and recovery and also help you deal with stress. Vegetarianism aids in many ways including:
Most vegetarian diets are naturally higher in fiber. Physicians cannot stress enough the importance of eating enough fiber. This substance's ability to clean out your digestive tract plays an important role in keeping down your weight, lowering cholesterol levels, and maintaining your energy. When people switch to a healthy diet, they usually report lower levels of stress as well. Much of this may be an indirect result of the weight loss that typically follows such a change in habits.
Vegetarian diets are high in more than fiber. At the very least, when you avoid meat, you lower the amount of toxins entering your system. A properly balanced vegetarian diet plan will include many antioxidants and various herbs that help your organs cleanse your bloodstream and reduce cell damage.
When you switch to vegetarianism, you will probably experience a renewed sense of energy. This is not a magical effect but rather a natural result of a plant-based diet. Most people who avoid meat will also feel much lighter. This is a result of the intestinal tracts being cleared of so much extra weight. An average person in a developed nation may have several pounds of meat and processed foods clogging their digestive tracts because they do not eat enough fiber. While the newer, lighter state of being is positive in itself, it also makes it easier to do things such as exercise and stay focused on keeping healthy during treatment and in recovery.
There are many types of vegetarianism, so you should not quail from considering this change because you fear that you will never taste good food again. A vegan is a person who completely excludes all animal matter and any foods related to the service of animals from his or her diet. There are also lacto-vegetarians, who permit themselves to drink milk, and ovo-vegetarians that eat eggs. If you have just experienced a mesothelioma cancer diagnosis or are undergoing treatment for some variety of cancer, take a look into the vegetarian lifestyle and see if you could make it work for you and your health.
Research, educate, and advocate all celiac and gluten-free. Expand your mind with the information others provide on something you may not have known.
Peace be with you


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BMW X3 sDrive Coolant Reservoir Replacement Cost
Know what price you should pay to get your vehicle fixed.
What is a coolant reservoir?
The engine coolant reservoir is a storage tank for excess engine coolant, and allows engine coolant to flow in and out per the needs of the engine cooling system.
How does the coolant reservoir work?
As the engine coolant temperature rises, the coolant expands, and the radiator cap allows excess pressure to bleed off. The reservoir is connected to the pressure relief valve on the radiator, and accepts coolant when the radiator cap opens the valve. When the engine coolant temperature falls, causing the coolant volume to decrease, the radiator sucks coolant back from the coolant reservoir, keeping the cooling system full, and free of air.
What are the symptoms related to a bad coolant reservoir?
If the coolant reservoir becomes cracked or empty, the coolant level warning light will illuminate on the instrument cluster, alerting the driver that the coolant system is low on engine coolant. This is because the coolant level sensor is inside the coolant reservoir, so when the reservoir is empty, the sensor records coolant absence, and transmits it to the vehicle's computer. In the event of a cracked reservoir, there will be a very noticeable coolant leak on the ground, underneath the front of the vehicle.
Can I drive with a coolant reservoir problem?
Driving a vehicle with a faulty engine cooling system can result in overheating, cylinder head gasket failure, engine block failure, or cylinder head warping. It is never recommended to drive a vehicle with engine cooling issues, especially with modern engine casting materials.
How often do coolant reservoirs need to be replaced?
Reservoir leaks are typical from the inlet hose, but breakage of the reservoir is not uncommon especially on those mounted directly on the radiator.
How are coolant reservoir issues diagnosed?
When an issue arises with the engine coolant reservoir, the coolant hose from the radiator, and the pressure relief valve will be inspected to ensure they have not become clogged. Also, the radiator cap should be tested to ensure it is releasing engine coolant into the reservoir at the proper system pressure. If the reservoir was noted to be leaking, it will be immediately diagnosed as failed, and replaced, unless the leak originates from the inlet hose.
Coolant Reservoir Replacement Cost Estimates
The average cost for a Coolant Reservoir Replacement is between $170 and $209 but can vary from car to car.
How is a coolant reservoir replaced?
Replacing the engine coolant reservoir is normally a quick and easy task, and does not require draining coolant from the vehicle in most cases. If the coolant is contaminated, or has not been changed or flushed per manufacturer scheduled maintenance intervals, the coolant should be flushed and refilled. The hose connecting the reservoir and radiator will be clamped, and disconnected from the reservoir. If the reservoir is empty due to cracking, it will not require draining. The old reservoir is removed from the engine bay, and the replacement coolant reservoir installed. The hose to the pressure relief valve at the top of the radiator will be installed, and the clamp removed to allow coolant flow. The reservoir is then filled, and the system tested to ensure the customer's complaint is resolved.
RepairPal Recommendations for coolant reservoir issues
Engine coolant flushes are often recommended needlessly, raising repair costs. However, there is a schedule for when these services should be performed. The factory scheduled maintenance section in the owner's manual provides information for the customer concerning which maintenance items should be performed, and when they are needed. We always recommend following the factory scheduled maintenance intervals for preventive maintenance. If a leak is being repaired, and the coolant may be drained and replaced. Flushing the coolant system should be performed if excessive corrosion is present, or if the factory scheduled service interval has passed.
What to look out for when dealing with coolant reservoir issues
It is a good practice turn the heater onto its highest setting if the engine begins to overheat. The heater core can act as a secondary radiator, but temperatures inside the vehicle may become unbearable. Some coolant reservoirs are under constant pressure, and opening the reservoir or radiator while the engine is hot may result in severe scalding, requiring immediate medical attention.
Can I replace the coolant reservoir myself?
The average DIYer can maintain the engine cooling system without much trouble. However, diagnosing the system can be a daunting task if the function of each individual component is not fully understood. If the cause of overheating is known, repairing this issue as a DIY is generally recommended for the average DIYer. If knowledge of the engine cooling system and diagnosing cooling issues are lacking, this repair should be handed to a certified technician.
- Repair shops in Sterling, VA
- Repair shops in Dulles, VA
- Repair shops in Leesburg, VA
- Repair shops in Herndon, VA


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|Mars, Pa.
|High School:
|Mars Area HS
2012: Selected First-Team All-SCAC at third base for the second straight year..started all 44 games and had a .375 batting average (51-of-136)...had 51 hits that included six doubles, two triples, two home runs and 20 RBI...recorded 12 multi-hit games with a season-high three hits against Rhodes and Centre...drove in a season-high two runs against Southwestern.
2011: Named Second-Team All-SCAC at third base...started all 34 games finishing with a .395 average (45-of-114), scoring 35 runs with 12 doubles, four triples, two home runs and 38 RBI...stole 9-of-14 bases and only struck out two times in 114 at bats.
2010: Hit .370 going 20-of-54 with two doubles a home run and 13 RBI as a freshman...she also stole 4-of-5 bases and had a .970 fielding percentage...selected Honorable-Mention All-SCAC
Pre-BSC: Hit .398 her senior season at Mars Area High School... 2006 Rookie of the Year...2006 All Section Outfielder...2006 Section & WPIAL Champs...2007 Offensive Player of the Year...2007 Section Champs...2008 All Section Catcher...2009 All Section Catcher...2009 Offensive Player of the Year... member of National Honor Society, Who's Who Among American High School Students, High Honor Roll....Officer of D.A.R.E, News Media Officer, Key Club, 4-H and Equestrian Competitions, Varsity Swim Team
Personal: Born on Feb. 8, 1991... daughter of James and Amy Berkopec... plans to gain an interdisciplinary major in Biology/Psychology with a minor in Chemistry.


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Uniko (2004)
for accordion, voice, string quartet, and accordion and string samples
Kronos Quartet • Kimmo Pohjonen • Samuli Kosminen
All music composed by Kimmo Pohjonen and Samuli Kosminen.
More information about the album UNIKO can be found here.
I. Utu
II. Plasma
III. Särmä
IV. Kalma
V. Kamala
VI. Emo
VII. Avara
UNIKO is the collaboration between the Kronos Quartet and Finnish duo, accordion adventurer Kimmo Pohjonen and sampling guru Samuli Kosminen. Commissioned by Kronos, UNIKO received its world premiere at the Helsinki Festival in 2004, with additional performances in Moscow, Molde (Norway) and in New York at the 2007 BAM NEXT WAVE Festival with three sold out performances. The album was recorded at Avatar Studios in NYC following the BAM concerts. Producer is Iceland's Valgeir Sigurðsson, known for his work with Björk and other outstanding, adventurous artists.
UNIKO is highlighted by Pohjonen's electrified and MIDI-fied accordion with Kosminen's electronic percussion devices which reproduce his own accordion samples and his samples of Kronos' instruments. These samples, together with live strings and electric accordion plus effects and manipulations create a new, multi-dimensional sound world.
Program Notes:
Kimmo Pohjonen (b. 1964) and Samuli Kosminen (b. 1974)
Uniko (2004)
About Uniko, Pohjonen and Kosminen write:
"The Uniko composition was commissioned from us for the Kronos Quartet. It was composed over an eighteen-month period before the Uniko world premiere in Helsinki in September 2004. Uniko is comprised of seven sections, connected thematically to the Uniko concept, the title of which is loosely connected to the concept of dreams. There are several ideas behind the creation of Uniko.
"First, we wanted to explore further the new and many possible sounds from the combination of accordion, accordion samples, strings, string samples and surround sound. This was virgin territory as far as we knew, and we were excited about what could be achieved with these combined elements.
"Second, we as a duo had many ideas for new pieces, melodies we wanted to develop in a new format such as this. The arrangements for these melodies were something we also very much wanted to do as an extension of our Kluster duo work, which involves accordion and accordion samples.
"Third, we wanted to 'electrify' the sound of the string quartet and explore the possibilities of manipulating it electronically with live looping, etc, expanding the scope of the quartet sound.
"Fourth, we wanted to further explore the visual part of our performances with light and video directors. The visual images are always a very important part of our concerts and we wanted to take them several steps further.
"Finally, we also wanted to try and reach a new level of emotional content with Uniko as a work of music. It was very important for us to create something stimulating and emotionally charged, to take the listener, as well as ourselves on an adventure. I hope we have succeeded in our goals. At least it has been great fun putting it together and performing it with the Kronos Quartet."
Playing since age ten, Finnish accordion adventurer Kimmo Pohjonen has worked in rock, folk, theatre, dance, classical, improvisational and avant-garde music groups and ensembles for over three decades. For over fifteen years, his singular mission has been to expand and reinvent accordion sounds, composition and performance. He records and performs with his own custom-created electrified and MIDI-fied accordion alongside a rack with sampler and a multitude of effects plus surround sound and specially designed lighting on stage. He has released six albums, is constantly in great demand and firmly established as one of Finland's most active and important musicians. His music has been called: "a riveting musical and surreal theatrical experience, a multi-dimensional display of totally original, astonishingly eccentric, and unabashedly uncompromising artistic genius." (Jazzhouse)
Pohjonen is involved in many projects and ensembles: Kluster duo with Samuli Kosminen released two albums and toured the UK with Tapiola Sinfonietta for the Kalmuk Symphony program.Trio KTU features Pohjonen with King Crimson's Pat Mastelotto and Trey Gunn (originally a quartet with Samuli Kosminen). Pohjonen's Earth Machine Music features live electronic accordion performances with local farmers and their machines, successfully touring in UK and Australia. He works with visual performance artist Ville Walo in the project Iron Lung also with Finnish trio K Cube and in an improvisational duo with French drummer, Eric Echampard. Pohjonen currently also works with Finland's Proton String Quartet. Pohjonen enjoys a high profile in UK with performances at The Proms at Royal Albert Hall London, Jazz Festival at the Barbican, Queen Elizabeth Hall, David Bowie's Meltdown Festival and Patti Smith's Meltdown at Royal Festival Hall 2005. He as also appeared on the TV program Later with Jools.
Pohjonen has composed music for the Finnish dance performance Hardcore Humppa by choreographer Harri Kuorelahti with the Helsinki Dance Company. He has composed music for the Swedish choreographer Lisa Torun and has collaborated with dancers /choreographers Tero Saarinen and Carolyn Carlson. Finnish choreographer Jorma Uotinen directed the Finnish National Opera Ballet performing Pohjonen's Kielo music at Helsinki's National Opera House and in Netherlands and Australia with local dance companies. Pohjonen has also composed music for Finnish, Russian and British films. Pohjonen and Kosminen composed music for the Finnish / Chinese feature film Jade Warrior, the score of which won the Finnish Jussi Award "Best Film Score" prize of 2005.
Kimmo Pohjonen has received two consecutive five year artist grants from the Finnish state. He was Named "Accordionist of the Year" for 2000 and 2001 in Finnish Jazz magazine Jazz Rytmit and received the Nordic Council Music Award. Pohjonen was nominated for BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards in 2002 and again in 2005 for the BBC Radio 3 Planet Award.
Pohjonen's most recent project is Accordion Wrestling, a music, sport, theatre, dance, performance art spectacle featuring ten Finnish wrestlers and surround audio with video. Accordion Wrestling was performed in Finland and St. Petersburg in 2010 and will be performed in Hamburg in February 2011. It will mutate into a new production, Battle 2011, featuring the K Cube trio and Proton String Quartet and will premiere at the Turku Cultural Capitol events in Turku, Finland, August 31-Sept 3, 2011. Also in production is a documentary film about Kimmo Pohjonen, to premiere in May, 2011.
Samuli Kosminen is one of Finland's top percussionists and sampling masters. As a drummer, percussionist, composer and producer, Kosminen has collaborated with a gargantuan array of Finnish and foreign rock, pop, jazz and electronic music artists such as Kronos Quartet (USA), Valgeir Sigurðsson (ICE), Jónsi (from Sigur Rós, ICE), KTU (USA-Finland), Emiliana Torrini (ICE) and many others. For the past decade his main collaborators have been Icelandic band Múm and Kimmo Pohjonen. As the Kluster duo with Pohjonen, they have performed in Europe, America and Japan including David Bowie's Meltdown festival in London and Carnegie Hall in NYC. The Pohjonen / Kosminen duo were one half of the original KTU band with Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson) and they composed the award winning Jade Warrior film-score. With Múm, he has toured Europe, America, Australia and Japan and recorded four albums. Kosminen is currently working on his solo project. Originally a drummer, now an explorer of flea-market percussion, beat devices, melody-making toys, clonky/clunky machines and tuneful data processors, Kosminen has discovered strange, new dimensions of rhythm and sound.
" The music is sheer physicality"… "Uniko" is like an ocean tide coming in. Big waves of sound build in complexity, animation and sometimes sheer frenzy, then abruptly retreat into small lyrical moments, amplified pizzicatos or buzzings by some huge and imaginary insect. Mr. Pohjonen, a virtuoso on an accordion wired for sound, guided things along and became so excited at the end that one worried about his well-being. "
- Bernard Holland, New York Times
" Imagine that Phil Spector exploded over the North Atlantic and sent a 90-foot wall of sound hurtling toward Brooklyn. "
- Jerry Bowles, Sequenza 21
" Uniko is many things. It is sprawling, cerebral, touching, unpredictable, and even intense at times. This is music that somehow corrals all the right adjectives yet conveniently avoids a genre label...it's just plain great. "
- John Garratt, Pop Matters
" This fascinating combination sounds like what Philip Glass, Astor Piazzolla, and DJ Shadow might have come up with if they found themselves in an elevator together...all in all a wonderfully cohesive collision of ideas, processes, and influences. "
- Matt Hill, The Northern Rivers Echo
For the Kimmo Pohjonen Kluster:
Heikki Iso-Ahola - surround sound design
Ville Kauhanen - monitor mixing
Mikki Kunttu - light choreographics
Antti Kuivalainen - live video mix
Phillip Page - Kluster management
|Helsinki, Finland
|Huvila Festival Tent
|Helsinki Festival
|Katowice, Poland
|Centrum Kultury Katowice
|Katowice Jazz Art Festival
|London, England
|Barbican Hall
|Budapest, Hungary
|Béla Bartók National Concert Hall
|Palace of the Arts
|Ostrava, Czech Republic
|Arcelor Mittal Stage
|Colours of Ostrava
|Brooklyn, New York
|Harvey Theater
|BAM/Next Wave Festival
|Brooklyn, New York
|Harvey Theater
|BAM/Next Wave Festival
|Brooklyn, New York
|Harvey Theater
|BAM/Next Wave Festival
|Molde, Norway
|Molde Jazz Festival
|Moscow, Russia
|Moscow Youth Palace
|Green Wave
Email Newsletter
Concert Schedule
Kronos tours often! View all of our venues and dates.


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History and mathematics: Analyzing and Modeling Global Development
History and mathematics: Historical Dynamics and Development of Complex Societies.
Hierarchy and Power in the History of Civilizations: Ancient and Medieval Cultures.
Hierarchy and Power in the History of Civilizations: Political Aspects of Modernity.
The Early State, Its Alternatives and Analogues.
Introduction to Social Macrodynamics: Secular Cycles and Millennial Trends in Africa.
We also recommend "Social Evolution & History". International journal published since 2002.
Introduction to Social Macrodynamics: Secular Cycles and Millennial Trends.
Introduction to Social Macrodynamics: Compact Macromodels of the World System Growth at Google Books
A., A. Malkov, and D. Khaltourina. Introduction to Social
Macrodynamics: Secular Cycles and Millennial Trends.
Moscow: KomKniga/URSS,
Chapter 2
Historical Population Dynamics in China:
Some Observations
* * *
Due to the shortage
of space it turned out to be impossible to mark in the scheme above all the
For example, defeats by external enemies and growth of banditry lead to
further declines in state revenues; increasing severity of famines leads to
growth of banditry, which in its turn contributes to the rise of rebellions.
Only some peasants who loose their lands become tenants.[1]
As was shown by Nefedov (2002a; 2004), it does not make sense for a landlord to
rent out his land in plots barely sufficient to provide subsistence for a
tenant and his family. As the standard rent rate in China was 50%, such plots would be
at least twice as large. Hence, if two poor peasants having minimum size plots
each have to sell their land, only one of them will be able to accommodate
himself in his village as a tenant. The other will have to accommodate himself
in some other ways. One of the possibilities was to find an alternative
employment in non-agricultural sector, e.g., in cities. As was suggested
by Nefedov, the very process described above would in fact tend to create new
possibilities for such employment, as landowners were more likely than poor
farmers to buy goods produced in cities. This is confirmed by historical data
indicating that the fastest growth of cities (and, hence, overall sociocultural
complexity) tends to occur during the last phases of demographic cycles.
However, not all the product paid by tenants to the landlords would find its
way to those landless who tried to accommodate themselves in the
non-agricultural sector of economy; hence, some of them would tend to accommodate
themselves through illegal means, thus, leading to the growth of banditry.
Other important relations not indicated in the scheme are the negative
feedbacks between famines, infanticide etc. and population growth.
With respect to the
relationship Elite Overpopulation – Overstaffing of the state apparatus –
Decreasing ability of state to provide relief during famines the following
illustration seems to be relevant:
"By Chia-ch'ing times
(1796 –1820 – A.K, A.M., D.K.) this vast grain administration had been
corrupted by the accumulation of superfluous personnel at all levels, and by
the customary fees payable every time grain changed hands or passed an
inspection point… The grain transport stations served as one of the focal
points for patronage in official circles. Hundreds of expectant officials
clustered at these posts, salaried as deputies (ch'ai-wei or ts'ao-wei)
of the central government. As the numbers of personnel in the grain tribute
administration grew and as costs rose through the eighteenth century, the fees
payable for each grain junk increased accordingly. Where in 1732 fees had
ranged from 130 to 200 taels per boat, by 1800 they had grown to 300 taels, in
1810 to 500, and by the early Tao-kuang period (1821), to 700 or 800
taels" (Mann Jones and Kuhn 1978: 121).
Note that we are dealing here with a system that had
been extremely effective during earlier phases of the cycle:
"In the autumn and
winter of 1743 – 1744, a major drought afflicted an extensive portion
of the North China core, resulting in a
virtually complete crop failure. The famine-relief effort mounted by the court
and carried out by ranked bureaucrats was… stunningly effective. Ever-normal
and community granaries were generally found to be well stocked, and the huge
resources of grain in Tongzhou and other depots were transported in time to key
points throughout the stricken area. Networks of centers were quickly set up to
distribute grain and cash, and soup kitchens were organized in every city to
which refugees fled. In the following spring, seed grain and even oxen were
distributed to afflicted farming households. As a result of this remarkable
organizational and logistic feat, starvation was largely averted, and what
might have been a major economic dislocation had negligible effect on the
region's economic growth" (Skinner 1985: 283).
Floods: "Crises in the grain transport system
were part of a general breakdown of public functions in the early decades of
the [19th] century, stemming in part from bureaucratic malfeasance.
In the case of grain transport, malfeasance merely compounded physical
difficulties in a complex canal system that was joined at its mid-point to the
Yellow River Conservancy (responsible for flood-prevention activities – A.K., A.M., D.K.). The
physical difficulties of the system stemmed from silting caused by heavy soil
erosion… By the late eighteenth century, the bed of the Yellow
River had risen to dangerous heights, threatening the dikes and
causing observers to predict the change in its course which finally came in
1853… Carelessness, ill-advised economies and intentional negligence in the
Yellow River Conservancy had become a marked concern in official memorials
after 1780, and corruption continued to plague the administration in the early
nineteenth century. By many accounts, the aim of the water conservancy administration
appears not to have been flood prevention, but rather the keeping of a careful
balance whereby floods could occur at intervals regular enough to justify a
continuing flow of funds into the water conservancy administration. Stories of
three-day banqueting circuits and continuous theatrical performances along the
south river conservancy suggested that only 10 per cent of the sixty million
taels that annually supported the water conservancy were spent legitimately… By
the Tuo-kuang era (1821 – 1850 – A.K., A.M., D.K.) the water
conservancy, like the Grand Canal, had become
a haven for unemployed bureaucrats" (Mann Jones and Kuhn 1978: 121).
appears important to note that the functional scheme above does not account for
negative feedbacks (e.g., the negative feedback between the growth of female
infanticide rates [ultimately caused by population pressure] and the population
growth rates). Note that not all such negative feedbacks have been adequately
spelled out even yet – e.g., the influence of the growth of
monasticism (caused to a considerable extent ultimately by population pressure)
on population growth rates.
Some of the mechanisms
outlined in the scheme above are rather China-specific, for example, Bringing under cultivation
marginal lands in upstream areas " Deforestation/soil
degradation in upstream areas " Silting
of the Yellow River bottom " Increasing
severity of floods " Growing
number of indicators that the dynasty has lost the "Mandate of Haven"
and should be replaced by a new dynasty " Rebellions. One could hardly find this mechanism working in, say, Egyptian political
demographic cycles (see the next issue of our Introduction to Social
Macrodynamics [Korotayev and Khaltourina 2006: Chapters 2–5]).
Some other factors have
countervailing effects. For example, female infanticide, on the one hand,
delays demographic collapse by decreasing population growth rate; but, on the
other hand, it speeds it up by promoting the growth of banditry, as well as
numbers of males having no chance to get married, who make ideal potential
recruits both for bandit networks and for rebel armies. Though such factors are
immensely important if we would like to model dynamics of many particular variables
during demographic cycles (for example, life expectancies at age 1 and higher
[as was convincingly demonstrated by Lavely and Wong 1998: 736–8])[2],
it seems possible to ignore them on the level of basic models of demographic
cycles. Hence, in the next chapter we will restrict ourselves to the modeling
of just a few of what we consider the most basic mechanisms of political-demographic
cycle dynamics.
[1] As was shown by Shepherd (1988), this was just one of
the sources of the origins of tenancy. Another was created by the capital
investments of landowners in various land-improvement schemes (irrigation, land
reclamation etc.). What is more, Shepherd suggests that in Late Imperial
and especially Republican China the second source was even more important than
the first. However, his own data also indicate that during earlier cycles the
first source of tenancy was more important than in the latest periods of
Chinese history.
[2] And we believe such factors should be taken into
account in future more comprehensive models.
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text:
PovertyWorld History
Venezuelan politicians hoping to replace the current regime in Venezuela mostly offer just re-treads of the failed socialism the country has endured for decades.
Global EconomyMoney and BanksMoney and Banking
The future of Venezuela is grim. International reserves will be depleted, monetary expansion will not pay the deficit, and inflation will continue.


text:
Pancho I'm with Jon. I tried a piece of Lou Malnati's (sp?) down there once and felt bloated for the rest of the day. Give me a thin, crisp crust, fresh clam from Pepe's any day.
ALL GOOD MILWAUKEE Pizza!!!!
ScreamingChicken It's almost as if he's been secretly following Contingent tours and that segment's an attempt to wrangle an invitation to Chicago for pizza and hot dogs. Are you listening, Buddy Roadhouse?
MetroplexJim ALL GOOD MILWAUKEE Pizza!!!! I've heard of St. Louis Pizza, but Milwaukee Pizza? Please describe.
myterry2 NY Pizza
MilwFoodlovers MetroplexJim ALL GOOD MILWAUKEE Pizza!!!! I've heard of St. Louis Pizza, but Milwaukee Pizza? Please describe. Combine these two Maria's Pizza's and this was supper tonight; Maria's pizza with the works.
MilwFoodlovers Open since April 5th, 1957, I'll pass that on to Bonnie the owner, next time I pop in. I'm not sure what the cheese is but it doesn't taste cheddary. Bonnie is in her 70's, Maria was her mom, the place has numerous paint by number Jesus paintings done by her late father. Garishly lit up by strings of light, and decorated for every season, it is the one "Roadfood" type place I try to take out of towners. Bonnie since she was twenty-something, has always had bright blond hair, a red dress, and red high heels. She's a true sweetheart and is friend to all. Younger Contingent females wonder how she manages to be on her feet with those stiletto heels. Sausage is made in house.
joerogo One of my RF friends(yes, I still have a couple left)sent me a Google Map of places to eat in Orlando. I noticed he had Giordano's listed among his favorites, and knowing he is a PIZZA CONNOISSEUR, I gave it a shot. It totally sucked! I am very careful about this guys recommendations anymore.
BuddyRoadhouse You want Chicago Pizza? Come to Chicago. Live by the wanderingjew credo (apologies to wj as I paraphrase): Eat regional food in the region it came from. Buddy
joerogo The #1 pizza on my Chicago Hit List is Burt's.


text:
Jan. 16, 2007
Santa Clara, Calif. - The Santa Clara men's and women's soccer programs have a number of alumni and current student athletes making headlines for a variety of United States national teams from the Under-18 level to the senior national team. Overall, nine current or former Broncos have key roles on their respective national team. For the men, Joe Cannon, Amaechi Igwe, Anthony Chimienti and Stephen McCarthy have all been involved with the national team program in recent months, while for the women, Jordan Angeli, Marian Dalmy, Amanda Poach, Leslie Osborne, Megan Kakadelas and Aly Wagner are making an impact.
On the men's side, Joe Cannon '97 has been called into the senior national team camp taking place right now in Carson, Calif. Cannon, who has made two appearances with the national team in his career, is one of four goalkeepers in the training camp under new U.S. national team head coach Bob Bradley. Cannon was recently traded from the Colorado Rapids to the Los Angeles Galaxy. The national team plays Denmark on Jan. 20 at The Home Depot Center in Carson and then takes on Mexico on Feb. 7 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
At the youth level, Amaechi Igwe, who was selected 12th overall in the MLS SuperDraft last week, is part of the Under-20 national team that is attempting to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which takes place in Canada this summer. Igwe and U.S. play Haiti, Guatemala and Panama in qualifying this week and all three games will be broadcast on GolTV. The U.S. plays Haiti at 3:30 p.m. PT on Jan. 17, Guatemala at 3:30 p.m. PT on Jan. 19 and Panama at 4:00 p.m. PT on Jan. 21. Igwe played six times for the U-20's in 2006.
Current Bronco midfielder Stephen McCarthy appeared for the U-20's in October in a closed-door scrimmage against Haiti along with Igwe. Then in early January, he was called into training camp with the U-18 team, for whom Bronco assistant coach Eric Yamamoto serves as an assistant coach. The training camp took place in Carson during the first week of January and the U-18's ended the camp with a 3-1 win over Inter-America S.L. on Jan. 6 in their only game.
2001 graduate Anthony Chimienti had some success on the beach in 2006 as he played for the United States in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup from Nov. 3-7. The U.S. went 1-2 in three games, defeating Poland 4-2 and losing to Japan and Brazil 8-4 and 10-6 respectively. Chimienti netted a pair of goals to lead the U.S. to a win over Poland and also scored in the loss to Japan. The Americans did not advance from the group stage.
For the women, Aly Wagner '02 and Leslie Osborne '04 spent 2006 as key components of the U.S. Women's national team. Wagner played 21 out of the team's 22 games, while Osborne appeared in 19 matches. Osborne scored a goal in the team's 2-1 overtime win over Canada that clinched the American's passage to the World Cup this year. The World Cup is scheduled for Sept. 10-30 in China.
Osborne was recently named to the team's roster for the Four Nations Cup that will be played from Jan. 26-30 in China. The tournament features the United States, China, England and Germany. All the matches will be played at Guangdong Olympic Stadium in Guangzhou. Megan Kakadelas '04 was in training camp with senior national team in Carson but did not make the final roster for the Four Nations Cup.
At the youth national team level, Santa Clara junior Jordan Angeli and sophomore Amanda Poach continue to make an impact for the U.S. The pair, who played in the FIFA Women's Under-20 World Cup in Russia in August and September, has been named to the roster for the Under-21 national team training camp roster. Senior Marian Dalmy also earned a spot on the roster after an outstanding final season that saw her earn WCC Player of the Year honors.
The U-21 training camp runs from Jan. 13-20 at The Home Depot Center in Carson. The team will attempt to win the Nordic Cup for the eighth time in nine years this summer.
Angeli and Poach helped the U-20 team reach the semifinals of the U-20 World Cup last summer with Poach earning a spot on the FIFA U-20 World Cup All-Star Team. Poach was a finalist for the U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year award.
To follow all the current and former Broncos' activity with the national teams, visit usssoccer.com.