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10 of the world's most hated airports
There's a special form of loathing reserved for a building that forces you to remove your shoes, wait in line, get groped, shell out for bad food and dash in a panic to an arbitrarily changed gate before canceling your flight.
But let's be clear. The most hated airports in the world are not the worst airports in the world.
For that you'll have to consult Lonely Planet or fly to destinations the majority of us have little need to pin on a map or pronounce properly.
Read more on CNNGo: 10 of the world's most loved airports
To come up with our admittedly unscientific list, we canvassed travel websites, blogs and message boards. And called on memories of our own travel nightmares.
What follow are 10 majorly despised international hubs (or hopefuls) that, while they may have a few staunch fans, and some have even won awards, have all inspired enough fury, flak and "never again" air-rage to merit a place on this list.
Got your own airport-rage story? Leave a comment below or tell us about it in an iReport -- the best submissions will feature on CNNGo. You can also vote for your most awful airport on our Facebook poll.
10. São Paulo-Guarulhos International, São Paulo, Brazil
Why is this place on our list after scoring third best airport in South America at the 2011 World Airport Awards?
Because, shockingly enough, it turns out that corporate medal ceremonies aren't always in sync with what people are thinking when they're standing in two-hour immigration lines, suffering routinely unannounced gate changes and paying through the teeth for a stale Brazilian cheese roll and beer inside an understaffed and over-aged aviation facility.
In a country where flight delays (departing or arriving) are just part of the deal, some recent numbers would give pause to the most unflappable traveler at Brazil's largest airport.
Just 41 percent of all flights leave on time. Only 59 percent of flights arrive on schedule, according to Forbes.
São Paulo-Guarulhos has announced plans to add runways and terminals -- what airport hasn't? -- but with nearly 30 million passengers traipsing through every year (the figure has reportedly doubled in under a decade) the urgency is palpable and, sadly enough, unsolved by upping prices at musty duty-free shops.
But does this really constitute bronze medal status? When the best unofficial advice for surviving Brazil's pin-up airport is to try and learn a little Portuguese and not lose your temper, something's gotta give.
Read more on CNNGo: World's biggest airport planned
9. Perth Airport, Perth, Australia
If there's one thing Australians love, it's hating their airports.
But while the big guns in Sydney, Melbourne and also-rans in Darwin, Cairns and Hobart get routinely lambasted for various inefficiencies and rip-off tactics, passengers in Western Australia have a special place in their spleens for Perth.
"The only advantage over some other airports is the lack of nearby combat," notes one of several miffed passengers on airportquality.com.
With a reviled pair of domestic terminals (home of two-hour taxi-line queues, atrocious check-in lines, overpopulated gates and meager lounges) and a slightly more palatable international terminal five kilometers away, Perth's brittle facilities can be overwhelmed just by a trio of aircraft arriving within 20 minutes of each other.
Now that an ambitious "billion-dollar" redevelopment project has been significantly scaled back, who would ever want to leave Changi for this place?
Read more on CNNGo: Transit hotels: How to get to sleep during your stopover
8. Tribhuvan International, Kathmandu, Nepal
For a small airport in a pretty country, Tribhuvan has it all: the interminable weather delays of Boston Logan, the shoddy restroom maintenance of a Glasgow sports bar, the departure board sparsity of McMurdo Airfield and the chronic chaos of a kids' soccer match.
Some airport improvements have been underway for the Visit Nepal 2011 tourism campaign, including things most passengers don't much care about (e.g., the new helicopter base).
The most serious beefs with Nepal's only international airport revolve around its primitive yet officious check-in procedure, starring a roulette wheel of underpaid security agents.
"Departure is an endless game of body searches and silly questions," notes one passenger.
"Those who didn't have their e-tickets printed out had to argue their way in," says another, who was checked seven times and scolded for not having a baggage tag on a carry-on before eventually boarding.
Never mind. The city's markets and surrounding mountains are lovely.
7. John F. Kennedy International, New York, United States
You'd think it would be one of the greatest humiliations any major airport would never allow itself to live down -- getting routinely abandoned by fed-up folks opting to fly out of Newark (Newark!) instead, where at least the ground staff cop less attitude and fewer people outside are pretending to be cab drivers.
But, nah, JFK really couldn't really care less.
Every year, more than 21 million passengers stumble through worn, mid-century terminals that peaked when The Beatles arrived in the United States and rooftop parking was all the rage; JFK proudly remains the world's busiest international air gateway.
So if you're not into a dim, surly, unbearably congested airport reeking with attitude and unapologetically long immigration lines -- good riddance.
"JFK had a piece of my luggage sitting in a little detention room for bags -- for over a year," notes one passenger. "No one noticed it was there, until finally an observant Air France employee wondered what the dusty little green bag in the corner was."
Read more on CNNGo: Secret Report: Singapore's Chiangi Airport world's favorite
6. Jomo Kenyatta International, Nairobi, Kenya
"As African airports go, it's not that bad -- but as an international hub, it may be one of the worst out there."
This is the common refrain among travelers through JKIA, who either don't have the heart or the expectations to give this dated aviation facility the kind of pounding reserved for the JFKs and Charles de Gaulles of the world.
Saddled with a 1958 blueprint designed for 2.5 million passengers, JKIA receives close to twice that many. Hence the airport's 2005, Three Phase, US$100 million expansion project which has seen long delays (something about the rain) and has been spinning its tires somewhere in Phase Two for the last few years.
For now, that means business as usual: cramped spaces; long lines; inadequate seating; frequent power outages; tiny washrooms hiding up several flights of stairs; shabby duty free shops; overpriced food outlets; and business class lounges worthy of a shelter in mid-city Los Angeles.
Sure, it's a breeze compared to Lagos. But it could be so much better. The confusing result: grateful disappointment?
5. Ninoy Aquino International, Manila, Philippines
Beleaguered by ground crew strikes, unkempt conditions, soup kitchen-style lines that feed into more lines and an overall sense of futility, NAIA brings the term "Stuck in the 1970s" to a new level.
At Terminal 1 all non-Philippine Airlines remain crammed despite serious overcapacity issues and a new and underused Terminal 3 is occupied by a few minor carriers.
A rash of bad press this year (including a "Worst in the World" ribbon from Sleeping in Airports) was capped by a collapsed ceiling in T1, a paralyzing ground service strike at T2, and the usual charges of tampered luggage, filthy restrooms, seat shortages at gates, re-sealed water bottles sold in retail shops and an Amazing Race-style check-in routine spiked with bureaucracy, broken escalators, lengthy Dot Matrix passenger lists and creative airport departure fees.
Read more on CNNGo: World's busiest airports announced
4. Toncontín International, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
When do the most common airport gripes about inefficiency, uncomfortable gate chairs, dirty floors and lousy dining options suddenly become irrelevant? When you're preoccupied about whether your 757 will actually be able to stop before the runway does.
Nestled in a bowl-shaped valley at 957 meters above sea level, Toncontín's notoriously stubby, mountain-cloaked landing strip was recently lengthened another 300 meters following a fatal TACA aircraft overshoot in 2008.
Not enough though to avoid being named the "second most dangerous airport in the world" by the History Channel.
Nepal's hair-raising Tenzing-Hillary Airport in the Himalayas is the top seed, but receives fewer gripes from its thrill-seeking Everest-bound clientele.
Read more on CNNGo: Shanghai Pudong International Airport: Fifth best in the world
3. London Heathrow, London, England
Depending on which of Heathrow's five terminals one is funneled through, the average experience at the world's third-busiest airport ranges from mildly tedious to "Fawlty Towers" ridiculous.
With its rash of -- as they were politely called -- "teething problems" in bright and airy T5 (remember that riotous grand opening with 34 canceled flights?) and nicely matured problems in Ts 1, 2 and 3, the issues passengers are beset with run the gamut.
Parking messes. Busted baggage carousels. Deadlocked security lines. Long walks (or, more commonly, runs) between gates to a frenzied soundtrack of "last call" announcements. Realizations that getting out of Heathrow took longer than actually flying here from Madrid.
In the airport "where the world changes planes," it all boils down to a chronic inability to cope with this many people. Plans for a sixth terminal should help sever even more nerves.
2. Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, United States
If the world's seventh-busiest flight hub was an old ballpark resting on the stale reputation of its Dodger Dogs and that great 1959 series, LAX might have some endearment value.
But it's an airport -- a dramatically undersized and moribund one with the architectural élan of a 1960s correctional facility and several publicized concerns about how its 1,700 takeoffs and landings a day can be sustained in a facility a fifth the size of healthier cousins like Dallas/Fort Worth.
The unsupportive donut-shaped design -- it's been called "eight terminals connected by a traffic jam" -- makes dashing between airlines feel like a diesel-scented cardio test.
Plunked in the middle is the airport's landmark Jetsons-style restaurant and only mentionable amenity, Encounter, but how does one actually get inside this place -- at least before being nailed for a petty traffic violation by some of the most ticket-hungry airport cops west of the Mississippi?
Read more on CNNGo: World's most terrifying airports
1. Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris, France
"A great country worthy of the name," President Charles de Gaulle once opined, "does not have any friends."
True or not, it's this sort of attitude that has helped CDG become the most maligned major airport on earth. What's fueling it?
Grimy washrooms with missing toilet seats don't help. Nor do broken scanning machines and an overall lack of signage, gate information screens and Paris-worthy bars, restaurants or cafés.
The baffling circular layout is worsened by warrens of tunnel-like structures, dismissive staff and seething travelers waiting forever in the wrong queue.
The worst part may be this airport's aura of indifference to it all. "Waiting for a connection here," notes one commuter, "is like being in custody."
If you're actually staying in Paris, you may be okay. If you have the gall to just be passing through between Malaga and Montreal, you can cut the spite of this place with a cheese knife.
Now vote for your most hated airport on our Facebook poll.


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All About Venice Beach Artists, Restaurants, Hotels, etc...
Venice Headlines:
Venice High students 'run' city for the day
Seeing L.A. through new eyes as Chicago kin hit Venice Beach
Venice adds sand to beach, looks for funds later
Newest Article:
Mr.No's Poster Shop
Located just south of Breeze on the Venice Boardwalk, this deceptively small entrance leads to a huge array of well cataloged posters. You may be able to get posters for less somewhere more
Site News:
About This Site
This site will be a repository for profiles of various Venice Beach residents, artists, businesses, and boardwalk vendors. We plan on profiling each entity on their own page, eventually making this a bit of a virtual Venice from a local perspective. We hope to have fun and meet a lot of great people along the way. Stay tuned./ permalink
Articles Mentioning Venice:
The Need-to-Know Hat Designer for Coachella
Boy, 8, shot in LA bedroom by stranger leaves hospital
The Need-to-Know Milliner for Coachella
8-year-old boy hit in head by bullet fired by stranger in Los Angeles home leaves hospital
John Donham: TuneIn Radio's Entreprenuerial Spirit
The Venice Beach Lottery
Below is a link to a paper I wrote about the Venice Beach lottery....I've since learned some new facts and the paper isn't entirely accurate as I think I got the name of the guy who does the political billboards wrong. As well, I now realize that some of the spaces are a different size than others, though I don't think it affects the larger point about space flexibility. Since that time, I've heard a lot of stories about businesses getting spots to specifically keep them empty and I've seen a lot more empty spaces on the boardwalk. Anyways, here is the paper.....
http://www.aboutvenicebeach.com/uploads/commpsychfinal2.doc/ permalink

subset: commoncrawl


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Explore Our Hotel
This newly renovated hotel is the best in Milford, Ohio
Come experience all the excitement and fun of the greater Cincinnati, Ohio area! Our hotel's location in Milford, Ohio, just off I-275, is ideal for every traveler, whether you're here for a meeting or for sightseeing and vacationing.
Corporate guests find the Holiday Inn Express® Hotel & Suites Cincinnati Northeast - Milford hotel a convenient choice, as our hotel's near Cincinnati and businesses that include International Paper, TATA, Siemens, Bryan Equipment, Jedson Engineering, ODOM, ITT Flygt and PPG Industries. Our meeting room is large enough for 40 people, and you can work on your presentation in the Business Center with a computer and printer or in your room with free High Speed Wi-Fi access.
There's so much to do while staying as our hotel's guest near Cincinnati! You can ride the thrilling Diamondback roller coaster at King's Island, discover the wonders of the Newport Aquarium along the banks of the Ohio River or find great shopping at Kenwood Mall. You'll also find a bevy of fantastic eateries just moments away.
Other Cincinnati, Ohio area hotels can't compete with our great service and amenities. Go for a swim in our indoor, heated pool, or get your workout in our Fitness Center. Every morning, we serve a delicious free hot breakfast bar with items like bacon, omelets and 100% Arabica bean coffee. We look forward to serving you!
- Black-out Shades
- Rollaway Bed/Cot Available
- Crib Available
- Iron/Ironing Board
- Separate Hanging Closet
- In-Room Heating and A/C Controls
Bathroom/Personal Care
- Private Bathroom
- Bathroom Amenities Available
- Hair Dryer
- Bathtub
In-Room Features
- Coffee Maker
- Flat-screen TV
- Work Desk with Lamp
- Desk-level Electrical Outlet
- Free Local Calls
- Cable/Satellite
- Premium Channels
- Direct-dial Phone
- Two-line Phone
- Phone with Voicemail
Added Value
- Connecting Rooms Available
- Complimentary Coffee/Tea Supplies
- Full Breakfast Included
- Breakfast Buffet Included
- Continental Breakfast Included
- Complimentary Coffee in Lobby
Business Services
- 1 Meeting Room(s) Available
- On-Site Business Center
- Printer
- Copier
- Office supplies available
Internet Access
- Free High-Speed Internet in all Rooms
- Wireless Internet service is free for all IHG® Rewards Club members
Entertainment & Recreation
- Indoor Pool
- Heated Indoor Pool
- Indoor Pool Hours of Operation: 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Health & Fitness
Complimentary Fitness Center
1 Treadmills, 1 Bike Machine, 1 Elliptical Machine, Flat screen HDTV for your entertainment!
Hours of Operation: 12:00 AM to 12:00 AM
Fitness Center Type: LIMITED
Fitness Center Equipment:
- Treadmill
- Elliptical Machines
- Stationary Bicycle
Last Renovation of Fitness Center Equipment: 2016
Housekeeping & Laundry
- Daily Housekeeping
- On-site Guest Self-Laundry Facilities
Added Value
- Wake Up Calls
- Ice Machine
Hotel Details
301 Old Bank Road
Milford, Ohio 45150
United States
Check In: 3:00 PM
Check Out: 11:00 AM
Check-in Age: 21
Parking + -
- Complimentary Self Parking Available
Accessibility + -
- Public Entrance
- Guest Rooms
- Elevators
- Public Restrooms
- Registration Desk
- Exercise Facility
- Business Center
- Pool
- Number of Accessible Meeting Rooms: 1
Accessible Hotel Areas
- Registration Area
- Accessible Guest Rooms
- Business Center
- Meeting Room
- Exercise Facility
- Pool
Hotel Areas with Accessible Routes from Accessible Public Entrance
- Accessible Self Parking
- Van Accessible Self Parking
- Closed Caption TVs
- Telephone with TDD
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Guest Rooms
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Public Spaces
Provided by Hotel
Pet Policy + -
- Service Animals Allowed
- We have a strict no pet policy. Guests caught violating our no pets policy will be charged a fee of 150 dollars so we can make sure the room is properly cleaned for our next guest.
Facility + -
- Smoke-Free Facility
- Number of Floors: 3
- Total Number of Rooms: 79
- Number of Suites: 19
- Number of Non-Smoking Rooms: 79
- Number of Accessible Rooms: 5
- Connecting Rooms Available
- Public Spaces Renovated in: 2017
- Guest Rooms Renovated in: 2017
Languages + -
Languages Spoken by Staff
- English
- Punjabi
Credit Cards + -
- American Express
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Diners Club
- Carte Blanche
- Discover


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Web Surfing Helps at Work, Study Says
Don't feel guilty about browsing the Internet at work—turns out it may actually improve your performance.
According to a new study, Web browsing can actually refresh tired workers and enhance their productivity, compared to other activities such as making personal calls, texts or emails, let alone working straight through with no rest at all.
The study, "Impact of Cyberloafing on Psychological Engagement," by Don J.Q. Chen and Vivien K.G Lim of the National University of Singapore, was presented last week in San Antonio, Texas, at the annual meeting of the Academy of Management, an association of management scholars.
The researchers conducted two studies. In the first, they assigned 96 undergraduate management students into one of three groups—a control group, a "rest-break" group and a Web-surfing group. All subjects spent 20 minutes highlighting as many letter e's as they could find in a sample text. For the next 10 minutes, the control group was assigned another simple task; members of the rest-break group could do whatever they pleased, except surf the Internet; and the third group could browse the Web. Afterward, all of the subjects spent another 10 minutes highlighting more letters.
The researchers found that the Web-surfers were significantly more productive and effective at the tasks than those in the other two groups and reported lower levels of mental exhaustion, boredom and higher levels of engagement.
"Browsing the Internet serves an important restorative function," the authors said. Personal emailing, by contrast, was particularly distracting for workers. The second study, which surveyed 191 adults, found similar results.
Why is Web-surfing more restorative than, say, responding to a friend's email? When browsing the Internet, people "usually choose to visit only the sites that they like—it's like going for a coffee or snack break. Breaks of such nature are pleasurable, rejuvenating the Web surfer," wrote Dr. Lim, in an email. By contrast, workers can't control the kinds of email they receive, and reading and replying to each message is "cognitively more demanding, relative to Web surfing, as you need to pay attention to what is said on the email," she added.
Because Web-surfing can aid productivity, the researchers caution employers against over-restricting workers' Web access. They recommend that managers allow time for limited personal Web browsing "since it has a salubrious impact on employees' productivity," while limiting access to personal emails.
Write to Rachel Emma Silverman at email@example.com
Copyright ©2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8


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Super soft organic cotton leggings in Grey "Snow Leopard " print.
These leggings are made from 100% organic cotton. The waist band has soft elastic to make it comfy for little tums! The cuffed ankle bands make the leggings extra comfy and stop the leggings slipping over little feet.
The fabric is produced from 100% organic cotton and printed with low impact dye. To keep your leggings looking new, please wash them inside out.
We recommend drying your fabric on a low heat cycle, but the most environmentally friendly way to dry your fabrics is the good old fashion way… hang dry. Not only is it better for our planet, but it will also increase the longevity of your fabric and clothing
Prices from £13- £22 depending on size.
1-2 weeks
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Just contact me within: 14 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 30 days of delivery
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.


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Looks like you are using an old version of Internet Explorer - Please update your browser
Evolutionists often dangle dinosaurs in front of children to spread their message. Find out how you can counter this.
What mysterious quality makes a creature alive at one moment but is absent the instant the creature dies?PDF Download
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Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.


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Hi guys,
I have an action column item and I want create a click event in my controller. I know there is a handler event in the action column itself. But I really need to reference in my controller file. I can't find any id/itemid property for action column item. So how how can a refer this element in the controller.
Please help me. here is my code
Code:.........some other grid items .......... { xtype: 'actioncolumn', id: 'acViewCashDetails', width: 50, align: 'center', items: [{ getClass: function(v, metadata, r, rowIndex, colIndex, store) { if(r.get('referral_count')>0){ this.items[0].tooltip='Click to view the details.'; return 'view'; }else{ return ''; } }, handler: function(view, rowIndex, colIndex, item, e) { //some codes here. then it will work but, i already have a function in controller // and I really want to use that function or just want create another in controller } } ] } ........some other grid items .......


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Easy way to get Twitter Search Results on Bing
Bing which was formerly called Live Search, Windows Live Search and MSN Search, with codenamed Kumo is Microsoft's new web search engine, the search engine designed to compete with the industry leaders Google & Yahoo!.
The search is live and in about two days there are already two wonderful scripts released by community.
First Script is bing_cleaner, this script improves Bing search results layout, the immediate difference you can see is that the left column 'Related Searchs' is moved on the right and aligning search results on left. Following are the steps to install the script:
Google SearchWiki
Have you ever wanted to rank Google search result? or play around to get the search on first page, or you wanted to add notes to your search results. To fulfill you wishes Google has launched new service called SearchWiKi.
What is SearchWiki?
SearchWiki lets users customize Google Web Search results by ranking or removing, and adding notes to each search result. This works only if the user is signed in to his Google Account. User can also see how other users have tailored any given search results page with their own notes and changes.
So, How do I use SearchWiKi
Google Chrome - 10 Features
One Box for everyting
With Google Chrome, you can get anywhere from the address bar at the top of the window. Start typing in the whatever you need in the address bar, suggestions from your browsing history, popular sites, and popular searches will appear. To be simple you may write the url and the site will be displayed.


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Anyone who resides or owns a business or property in a city or county that funds the Williamsburg Regional Library may obtain a library card. Card privileges may be restricted. A list of privileges is available upon request.
You can apply for a library card at the Check Out Desk at one of our libraries or through our Mobile Library Services. You must present picture identification and proof of current address at the time of registration and therefore we do not offer this service online. Most users present a driver's license, but if you have just moved here, you can use a bill, lease agreement, or closing documents to show current address. Children may be identified by a parent or guardian with photo ID and proof of current address. Child must be present.
Need to update your account information? Use our account update form.
You can use your card to check out and return books at all library locations. If you have any questions, please call 757.259.7753 to speak with Circulation staff.
See our policies page for library card policies.
To stay informed about WRL collections, programs, and services, sign up for our e-newsletter.


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Dear Parents,
Dear Customers,
We would like to inform our customers in Malta that for all enquiries to refer to our International Customer Service Center. Please call us anytime at +41 55 222 02 56 or send an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.
You can also view info and order service at www.cryo-save.com.
We would like to wish you and your family all the best.
Cryo Save Team
Cryo-Save AG, Churerstrasse 65B, 8808 Pfaffikon SZ, Switzerland, www.cryo-save.com
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18 Aug 2014, Arendal, Norway and Kathmandu, Nepal
Partners of a joint project tackling issues related to climate change adaptation, food security and gender issues in the Hindu Kush Himalayas shared insights with Norwegian bureaucrats, community leaders, and the public in a half-day seminar on 14 August during Arendalsuka.
The event was hosted by GRID-Arendal, Center for International Climate and Environmental Research – Oslo (CICERO), and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) – promoters of the Himalayan Climate Change Adaptation Programme (HICAP). The HICAP initiative is funded by the governments of Norway and Sweden.
Over 100 people attended the event – a part of the celebration of GRID-Arendal's 25th anniversary 14-15 August, organized in conjunction with Arendalsuka (Arendal Week), an annual gathering of Norway's political, business, and community leaders.
The event served as a platform for dialogue between HICAP promoters and policy makers working on food security and gender issues in mountainous regions. It also provided a diverse Norwegian audience representative of policy, industry, politics, and the general public an opportunity to see examples of Norwegian engagement in critical issues in a largely developing part of Asia.
Collaborative work carried out under the HICAP initiative on food security and the promotion of women's leadership for enhancing climate change adaptation were showcased at the event.
One of the participants from Arendal said, "This brought the flavour of the Himalayas to Arendal. I am grateful for the dialogue on global challenges and local responses. Very inspiring!"
[L-R] Dr David Molden, ICIMOD; Mr Kjell Tormod Pettersen, Norwegian Amdassador to Nepal; Mr Lawrence Hislop, GRID-Arendal; Dr Suman Bisht, ICIMOD; Ms Tiina Kurvits, GRID-Arendal
Photo: Riccardo Pravettoni/GRID-Arendal
Mr. Børge Brende, the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, was present at the launch of the HICAP initiative products during the seminar: a publication on food security, a scoping study on gender and adaptation in Nepal, and a short documentary film on women's leadership. The products were launched by Dr. David Molden Director of ICIMOD and H.E. Kjell Tormod Pettersen, Norwegian Ambassador to Nepal. "Making environmental information available to policy makers and facilitating environmental decision making for change is more important than ever", said Mr Brende.
H.E. Kjell Tormod Pettersen, Norwegian Ambassador to Nepal, said, "Through the partnership we have with ICIMOD, Norway invests in work aimed at promoting women's leadership and documenting, adapting to, and mitigating the effects of climate change worldwide".
"Given the vital role women are play in agricultural production and safeguarding food security, adaptation actions need to be gender-sensitive and inclusive", said Dr Suman Bisht, one of the authors of the gender scoping study.
[L-R] Ms Anne Solgaard, GRID-Arendal; Dr David Molden, ICIMOD; Mr Kjell Tormod Pettersen, Norwegian Ambassador to Nepal; Dr Suman Bisht, ICIMOD; Ms Tiina Kurvits, GRID-Arendal
Photo: Riccardo Pravettoni/GRID-Arendal
Dr David Molden, Director General of ICIMOD, said, "Climate change impacts mountain agriculture, forests, and water, all of which rural mountain women manage and nurture. For adaptation programmes to succeed, we must invest in women's leadership and strengthen their engagement in local-level climate change planning".
Dr Eklabya Sharma, Director of Programme Operations at ICIMOD, acknowledged the support provided by the Norwegian Government to ICIMOD's core funding and its support to the Centre's regional programmes on adaptation to change, cryosphere and atmosphere, and transboundary landscapes.
Addressing the scientific work on food security and climate change in the Hindu Kush Himalayas, Kristin Halvorsen, Director of CICERO, said, "The diverse region of the Hindu Kush Himalayas is experiencing many compounding changes and needs a local approach, combining local knowledge and multidisciplinary science, to ensure successful adaptation, to sustain livelihoods, and provide local food security for the future".
Lawrence Hislop from GRID-Arendal said, "People ask me all the time what climate change looks like on the ground, and when you go to the Hindu Kush Himalayas and experience meeting people living in high-altitude communities you quickly see the various impacts that climate change is having on their daily lives, particularly when it comes to water availability and crop production".
The seminar concluded with the panellists engaging in dialogue with the participants to gather input for a 'A 2020 vision on food security and adaptation to climate change'.
The seminar in Arendal was preceded by an information sharing event at the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation's (NORAD) premises in Oslo.
For more information please contact:
Ms Janet Fernandez Skaalvik
Acting Head of Communications, GRID-Arendal
Tel +47 41499472
Email: email@example.com
Ms Nira Gurung
Senior Communications Officer, ICIMOD
Tel +977-1-5003222 Fax +977-1-5003277
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund
Be part of Christ's love in action, today. And please pray for those affected by Hurricane Harvey's destruction. Thank you. Send Hope. Send Help. Send Relief....Keep Reading
Growing fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ
Under Construction
October 2, 2019 by Derick Zeulner
Our world is beautiful, yes, but it is broken. And people...well, we can say the same thing. As much as we want to admire the good things in life, we are constantly reminded of the tragedies and the pain that is brought about by our choices and those of others'. As we make our way through Colossians 1, we see that the Lord of Creation is also the Lord of New Creation. The preexistent God who sustains the world also became a man to redeem it....
September 25, 2019 by Derick Zeulner
We live in a beautiful world, but rather than get stuck on what was created, scripture takes us to Jesus to have greater awe, peace and understanding in our world....
July 30, 2019 by Derick Zeulner
We want South Shores Church to be a safe place for broken people to find healing, in our bodies and our souls, with our ultimate healing found in Jesus Christ. Dr. JP Moreland's book, "Finding Quiet" can help....
June 13, 2019 by Derick Zeulner
A message of hope for dads who simply don't feel like they're enough....
May 31, 2019 by Rachael Heinsen
Why do we sometimes know that we should pray, but just can't seem to find the words? Rachael shares with us how God has helped her look into why sometimes she is afraid to pray (and what overcomes the fear!)....
August 29, 2017 by Derick Zeulner | Tags: help, harvey, relief, hurricane, houston
Be part of Christ's love in action, today. And please pray for those affected by Hurricane Harvey's destruction. Thank you. Send Hope. Send Help. Send Relief....Keep Reading


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2019 Ram 1500 Classic Tradesman
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Engine: 3.6L V6 24V VVT, Transmission: 8-Speed Automatic (845RE), Tradesman Package
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Open Today! Service: 7:30am-6pm
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My favorite photo
My favorite photo snapped this yawning panda bear in Wolong, China. Pandas spend 10 to 16 hours a day foraging and eating, and the rest of the time sleeping.
My favorite photo snapped this yawning panda bear in Wolong, China. Pandas spend 10 to 16 hours a day foraging and eating, and the rest of the time sleeping.
Culture clash
The world in a bowl of soup: Some soups are revered as miracle cures, others are shrouded in mystery and legend.
Heavenly grub
Borscht is the classic beet soup of Slavic Christmas parties and funerals. At the latter, the soul of the deceased is said to ascend to heaven with the steam. Speaking of heaven: While in orbit, cosmonauts can even eat borscht from a tube.
Fiery potage
Ancient dish? Not exactly. City dwellers across the world happily tuck into their pho, but the Vietnamese rice-noodle soup was only invented around 100 years ago. Rumor has it that the name comes from pot-au-feu, the classic French beef stew.
Wonder worker
Chicken soup is universally held to be good for a cold, but scientists claim that Japan's miso is the real wonder soup. It eases stomach and menopausal complaints, and possibly even helps prevent cancer. Here's a New Year's recipe: miso with sweet mochi rice cakes.
In Caracas at Christmas, city streets are blocked off so that people can safely inline skate to mass. How the tradition began is something of a mystery, but it has to be the most athletic way of getting to church.
One who lives sees much. One who travels sees more
Images like this can make you dizzy! Op art is good at deceiving the eye. It's the subject of the Vertigo exhibition opening at Stuttgart Art Museum on April 19, 2020. Can you see the two zebras?


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George Lucas might be working on an exit plan to a distant galaxy, according to Seth Rogen.
The comic actor said he had a recent encounter with the genius behind "Star Wars," and was stunned to learn Lucas apparently believes the world will end next year. The doomsday conversation came at a movie meeting also joined by director Steven Spielberg.
"George Lucas sits down and seriously proceeds to talk for around 25 minutes about how he thinks the world is gonna end in the year 2012, like, for real," Rogen said. "He thinks it.
"He's going on about the tectonic plates and all the time Spielberg is, like, rolling his eyes, like, 'My nerdy friend won't shut up, I'm sorry...'
"I first thought he (Lucas) was joking... and then I totally realized he was serious and then I started thinking, 'If you're George Lucas and you actually think the world is gonna end in a year, there's no way you haven't built a spaceship for yourself... So I asked him... 'Can I have a seat on it?'"
Various groups espouse the theory that the world will end in 2012, some spurred by the belief that 2012 is when the 5,125-year Mayan calendar abruptly ends. Some New Age kooks believe the Earth will collide with another planet or get sucked into a black hole next year.
Whether Lucas was serious or precisely what he believes was not clear. But given his estimated $3 billion net worth, Rogen figures he will be long gone when the end comes.
"He claimed he didn't have a spaceship, but there's no doubt there's a Millennium Falcon in a garage somewhere with a pilot just waiting to go," Rogen said. "It's gonna be him and Steven Spielberg and I'll be blown up like the rest of us."
Selected Reading: Toronto Sun, Science.howstuffworks.com, Digital Spy.


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With no plans for "food police" in the city schools, the Oak Ridge Board of Education on Monday night approved a new food service policy after amending it to be less restrictive on students sharing food.
With no plans for "food police" in the city schools, the Oak Ridge Board of Education on Monday night approved a new food service policy after amending it to be less restrictive on students sharing food.
The new policy is required as part of the national school lunch program and is in line with the objective of developing healthy eating habits in students. By adopting the policy, the School Board ensures the city schools are in compliance with state and federal law.
During the meeting, School Board member Angi Agle took issue with one portion of the policy and moved that the wording be changed to a less restrictive format. The wording in question restricted students from sharing food brought from home with other students.
Policing of such a policy seemed problematic to Board member Robert Eby.
"How do you police something like this and what do you do when sharing occurs," Eby asked.
The school district has no plans to implement a food police, Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers said.
"Third graders will still be able to share cookies," he said.
The policy as proposed also stated that food brought by anyone other than the student, such as a parent, must be "readily identifiable" as a home-prepared meal or snack. This would prevent parents from bringing a meal from a fast-food restaurant to their student who forgot to bring their lunch to school.
"If a parent has to leave work to take lunch to a student, they are likely going to go through a drive-thru. This seems overly restrictive and it is not out job to tell parents what they can and can't feed their children," Agle said.
She moved to strike the language and the motion was approved with a unanimous vote. The language was originally included in the policy to help move the school system forward because tighter restrictions are expected to be in the national school lunch program in the future, said Karen Gagliano, school system business and support services director.
The adopted policy also restricts competitive food sales. Access to vending machines will be controlled during the time the cafeteria is serving meals to discourage poor eating habits in students.
Russel Langley can be reached at (865)220-5514.


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The beating that Gio Gonzalez and the Washington Nationals put on the Chicago Cubs Saturday afternoon was nothing compared to the grizzly scene that played out in the fourth inning presidents race at Nationals Park.
With Teddy Roosevelt in the early lead, an orange, oversized bear cub came running from the home bullpen and shoved the Rough Rider to the ground, but the other presidents exacted revenge on Teddy's behalf, as George Washington finished the job with a body slam.
Abe and Tom pushed and shoved to the finish line, and Abe eked out the victory to extend his lead over Teddy in the season standings.
Finish line video courtesy of lfahome
Filed under: Videos | Tagged: Abe Cheats, Animated GIF, Bear, Bear cub, Chicago Cubs, Cubs, LarQ the Bear |


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School of Arts and Humanities
Professors: Alexander Argyros, Charles R. Bambach,
Richard Brettell, David F. Channell, Milton Cohen, Fred I. Curchack,
R. David Edmunds, Gavin R.G. Hambly, Dennis M. Kratz, Thomas E. Linehan,
Mihai Nadin, Zsuzsanna Ozsvath, Stephen G. Rabe, Tim Redman, R. Clay
Reynolds, Thomas P. Riccio, Robert X. Rodriguez, W. Jack Rushing III,
Rainer Schulte, Frederick Turner
The School of Arts and Humanities offers baccalaureate degrees in Art and Performance, Historical Studies, Literary Studies, Arts and Humanities, and Arts and Technology. The first three majors integrate traditional courses of study in the studio arts and theatre; history and philosophy; and American, English, Spanish, and other literatures. The fourth integrates elements of the other three majors.
The Arts and Technology degree emphasizes the mutually productive interaction of technology with the arts, with specific emphasis on the interplay of visual art, music, and narrative with the new modes of expression and communication that have emerged from the convergence of computing and media technologies. The program stresses not only the creation but also the potential applications and cultural implications of interactive media.
Students in the School of Arts and Humanities are encouraged to explore the boundaries and the interrelationships of the major fields of study within the school. Consistent with this focus on the integration of the arts and humanities and a commitment to interdisciplinary education, the school has no conventional departments. Rather, its curriculum is designed to allow study that crosses and transforms traditional disciplinary lines.
Each student in the school consults regularly with an advisor, who helps the student design an integrated program of coursework. At least 42 semester hours of upper division course work of the total of 51 upper division hours required to complete the B.A. are completed within the major and related fields.* All students complete a 3 hour core course (HUMA 3300) that introduces the methods, strategies, and theories of inquiry and interpretation that are elaborated in subsequent arts and humanities courses.** In addition to HUMA 3300, students complete either 3, 6, or 12 hours of core course work (depending on the major selected), a series of major requirements and electives, and the remaining hours in related course work from within the School of Arts and Humanities. Students may use Interdisciplinary Studies courses and electives to complement and enrich their programs of study.
*The Arts and Technology Major requires only 39 semester
hours in required upper division course work and prescribed electives.
Teacher Certification
Students interested in teaching in secondary schools can achieve Texas Teacher Certification in English and/or History and/or Composite Social Studies as part of their majors in either Literary Studies or Historical Studies. Immediately after being admitted to the University, interested students should meet with an advisor in the Teacher Development Center to receive a certification plan and with an Arts and Humanities adviser in Literary Studies or Historical Studies to receive a degree plan. Further details may be found in the Teacher Education section of the catalog.
Fast Track Baccalaureate/Master's Degrees
The Fast Track program is designed to permit exceptional undergraduate students in Arts and Humanities majors to begin work on the master's degree before graduation.
Qualified seniors at U.T. Dallas, who have completed at least 30 hours of upper division work and the core courses in their major, may take up to 12 credit hours of approved graduate courses in Arts and Humanities during their senior year and apply these hours to their undergraduate degree plans as either major and related courses or electives. After admission to the graduate program, up to 12 graduate hours may be used to complete the bachelor's degree and also to satisfy requirements for the Master's degree.
For further information on the Fast Track program, see the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education of the School of Arts and Humanities.
To minor in the Arts and Humanities, students must take a minimum of 18 hours for the minor, 12 of which must be upper-division hours. Core courses offered by the school may count as lower-division hours toward the minor. Students may choose to minor in any of the following fields of study:
Students may contact their academic advisor for a list of the courses that satisfy each minor.
Related Minor Areas:
Arts and Humanities Core Course
HUMA 3300 Reading and Writing Texts (3 semester hours) Focuses on a significant topic or issue through which students are offered an opportunity to gain experience in various analytic and interpretive approaches. Explores connections among artistic and intellectual endeavors appropriate to a range of courses in the Arts and Humanities. Prerequisite: HUMA 1301 or equivalency. This course is a requirement for all AP majors and should be taken prior to completing first 12 hours of upper-division course work. (3-0) S
Degree Programs in the School of Arts and Humanities
This catalog is a general information publication only. It is not intended to nor does it contain all regulations that relate to students. The provisions of this catalog do not constitute a contract, express or implied, between any applicant, student or faculty member and The University of Texas at Dallas or The University of Texas System. The University of Texas at Dallas reserves the right to withdraw courses at any time, to change fees or tuition, calendar, curriculum, degree requirements, graduation procedures, and any other requirements affecting students. Changes will become effective whenever the proper authorities so determine and will apply to both prospective students and those already enrolled.
Statement on Equal Educational


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I live in a land called Mid-America. Here, we want less government involvement in our lives. And we're mostly non-elite, working middle-class. "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson
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Nintendo Uk
Nintendo UK launches online store
Nintendo UK has launched an online store where you can purchase a variety of games, consoles and other merchandise. At present, the items available are almost elusively first-party releases, but as Nintendo Life notes, there's a few third-party offerings in the mix. Pricing seems to be comparable to the unusual suggested retail price and is […]
Nintendo Uk headlines
Nintendo UK admits people don't realise Wii U is new console, plans ambitious fight back
Nintendo UK has admitted to MCV that most people simply do not realise that Wii U is a brand new console. Now the company is launching ambitious plans to increase awareness and hardware sales, including a partnership with Tesco.
Wii U: UK midnight launch in pictures
Wii U launched today across the UK and Europe. Nintendo has released shots of the console's midnight launch this morning at HMV Oxford Street in London. Get the pics of the first buyers below.
Wii U launch: Nintendo UK promises replacement stock for eventual sell-out
Wii U has launched today in the UK, and Nintendo UK's head of consumer marketing James Honeywell is hopeful that the console will live up to the launch of the original Wii, and assured buyers that replacement stock is on standby for when it eventually sells out.
Dawn Paine to leave Nintendo UK
MCV's reporting this morning that Nintendo UK marketing boss Dawn Paine is to leave the company.
Nintendo UK appoints new head of communications
Nintendo's announced that Jo Bartlett will become its new head of communications in the UK. Bartlett, who's previously done PR for PlayStation and Warner Bros., replaces Rob Saunders, who left the company back in April this year for Apple. Until now, his role had been left vacant. More details are on MCV.
NOE shuts down Club Nintendo and website functionality due to phishing possibility
Okay, seriously. This is getting silly.
Nintendo UK PR boss Saunders to leave
Nintendo's just announced that UK head of communications Rob Saunders is leaving the company.
Nintendo UK warns of 3DS price-rise, but no stock shortage this weekend
Nintendo UK marketing manager James Honeywell has said that, regardless of whether you pre-ordered or not, there'll be enough UK 3DS units for everyone to buy from today, this weekend and beyond – but he's warned that the price could go up.
Nintendo: 3DS is "indispensable", will "surprise" you
Speaking on the many and varied qualities of 3DS, Nintendo UK gneral manager David Yarnton and marketing manager James Honeywell have said that StreetPass is an integral part of the portable's appeal, turning it into "indispensable" kit sure to "surprise" you.
Yarnton: 500,000 Brits will physically sample 3DS by April
Nintendo UK general manager David Yarnton has told VG247 that the company plans to have over 500,000 people in the UK sample 3DS play before April 2011, describing the release of the machine as "our biggest launch yet".
Yarnton: No official 3DS bundles planned for launch, price won't stop "biggest" hardware launch ever
Nintendo UK boss David Yarnton has confirmed to GI.biz tonight that the company does not plan to have any official 3DS hardware bundles for its launch on March 25.
Nintendo boss: MS and Sony have brought "powerful" products to gaming
Speaking at a Learning Without Frontiers event in London, Nintendo UK boss David Yarnton has praised the arrival of Microsoft and Sony in the games industry, saying the two have brought "powerful" products to market.
Nintendo UK launches 3DS portal, implores you to "see it"
Nintendo's opened up a UK portal website for 3DS ahead of a European press event next week in Holland.
Nintendo UK confirms entire year-end line-up
Nintendo UK just sent out a huge release schedule for Wii and DS running from now until the end of the year. The company also confirmed this morning a December 11 date for The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. Get the entire line-up after the break.
European DSi date? No comment, says Nintendo
Nintendo's just refused to comment on when we can expect a European date for DSi. "No comment on this one," said a UK rep. Nintendo of America just confirmed the machine will release in the US on April 5, price $170. Rumour recently pointed to a Australian DSi release in July, logically leading to a […]
Nintendo UK: Where people don't play games, we have work to do
Speaking to MCV magazine, Nintendo UK boss David Yarnton has said that he won't rest until everyone in the entire world is playing videogames. He sort of said that, anyway. "We really have only scratched the surface in terms of the number of potential users still out there," he said. "As long as there are […]
Nintendo UK boss: "We have never neglected core gamers"
Nintendo UK head David Yarnton has denied that Nintendo ever turned its back on the hardcore, and has reiterated that new versions of "popular core gaming franchises" are on the way for Wii. "It's simply not true, Nintendo has never lost its passion for core gamers," he told MCV. "Nintendo would like to bring smiles […]
"No plans" for more Brain Training, says Nintendo
Speaking to MCV, Nintendo UK marketing boss Dawn Paine has admitted there are currently no plans for any more Brain Training games from Nintendo. "The idea behind More Brain Training is that people can move across to it once they have played the first one, and vice versa, and are looking for new challenges and […]
WiiWare confirmed for May 20 launch in Europe
Nintendo UK has confirmed that a schedule listing WiiWare for a May 20 launch in Europe is official and correct. WiiWare, a channel dedicated to providing downloadable games in a similar way to Xbox Live Arcade, launches in the US on May 12.
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Nintendo Uk latest
Nintendo UK admits people don't realise Wii U is new console, plans ambitious fight back
Wii U launch: Nintendo UK promises replacement stock for eventual sell-out
NOE shuts down Club Nintendo and website functionality due to phishing possibility
Nintendo UK warns of 3DS price-rise, but no stock shortage this weekend
Yarnton: No official 3DS bundles planned for launch, price won't stop "biggest" hardware launch ever
Nintendo boss: MS and Sony have brought "powerful" products to gaming
Nintendo UK: Where people don't play games, we have work to do


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The short non-spoiler take: Holy crap! My take on the Battlestar Galactica series finale was that it was 99% incredibly satisfying and delivered beyond what I was hoping for. In the end, it seems destiny will be what it will be, much like fighting gravity.
The finale was heart pounding. I did not need coffee to stay up for this one. The advertising for this final episode spouted endlessly that we will know the truth. Indeed. The ending was satisfying, sad, fulfilling and the truth of it all confused me.
Sure, there were a few loopholes or discontinuities but I chose to focus on where they were going, not what they were missing or glazing over. They had to get somewhere without being so verbose that it distracted from the end game.
DVR / DVD SPOILERS LAY AHEAD BEYOND THIS POINT - Come back after you've bought or watched it and add your thoughts then!
I sat down and committed my household to Battlestar Galactica (BSG) all night long. I started focusing on it during the replay of the special from Monday evening when Ronald D. Moore quipped about the phrase on how it "all happened before and it will all happen again" came about from a scene he saw in Peter Pan where they said that.
I don't remember anyone in BSG thinking happy thoughts, or flying... except out of airlocks!
A Nagging Theme Or Two
The one theme that has been present since the very first episode was No 6 in Baltar's head telling him "Trust in God's plan for you." This was presented to us time and time again throughout the 4 (or was it 6?) seasons!
The other nagging theme that always lurked below the surface of my tortured mind was a point made midway through the series, and that was the ability that Cylons had to project themselves into fantasy worlds that they build in their heads.
Why? Because of the visions that some of the humans had throughout the show. Baltar with his hot No. 6, in his head. Lucky Bastard. But there were the shared visions between Baltar, Caprica, Hera, Athena and Laura had of the opera house. That always had me suspicious, period.
And Starbuck? She didn't have visions. But her artistic tendencies to draw symbols from mankind's destiny and being called the harbinger of death kind of makes you wonder about her. Then coming back from death but not being a Cylon? WTH was that? But more on all this later. Or will there be? Maybe I'll just stop typing... and call it God's plan.
The Finale Delivers In Bucket Loads
Watching scenes of our favored characters in Caprica city, "Before the Fall" really drove home their lives as they were developing before it all happened. The back story was great to see. Pondering the label, "Before the Fall": I have to look back and wonder, was that past tense, or future tense, since this all going to happen again?
Watching the preparations on the Galactica to head off to get Hera back hit home with some good emotional anchors:
- Adama turning over command of the fleet,
- Anders tank being hooked up into the CiC.*
- Lee Adama making Romo Lampkin President, in his absence.
- Or the surreal scene of a squad of Centurions in the flight deck, preparing for battle.
*Tigh telling Adama it wasn't too late to shove all the Cylons in the CiC out the airlock and Adama saying it would take too much time. - was frakking hilarious and poignant to me. The Cylon TIgh, looking to jettison Cylons, staying true to the humanity, the commander and the ship he grew to love.
Action Stations
When the Galactica jumped in on top of this freaky new looking Cylon ship that reminded me a bit of the Shadow ships from Babylon 5, the ensuing firefight left me wondering if the Galactica would survive.
Then the Galactica ramming into the hull of Cavil's ship, making their own airlock with the ship and ground teams dispersing into the Cylon ship, looking for Hera. Now that's how you make an entrance!
Watching new and old style Centurions in battle was surreal. Even if the CGI seemed a little bit funny with the old Centurions. Did you notice that?
A Momentary Truce
The humans get Hera, but Cavil snags her back. Finally, Gaius, for all his chitter chatter, finally hits his stride and serves his purpose in this entire mythos as he talks Cavil into a truce.
It's here that Gaius says that he tells Cavil that he sees angels (The In-the-head Caprica and Gaius) and that there are other forces at work via puzzles deciphered in prophecy, by dreams given to a chosen few.
I was on edge waiting for that other shoe to drop from Cavil's side, and boy, did it. Tyrol interrupts a data stream when he discovers that Tory was who killed Cally and in his rage, Tyrol kills Tory, which ends the cease-fire everyone had. So much for peace.
Destiny Takes Its Path
Chaos ensued and Adama yells at Starbuck to jump them out of there but she has no coordinates. Instead she inputs the numbers that she's associated with the song that Hera drew out and gave her.
Plop. Kara's coordinates put them right on top of the moon, our moon, with our Earth in sight. I actually never expected to see this. Despite being teased us at times when we could see constellations in the background we recognize, like Orion, but I just thought they were messing with my mind. (It's not that hard sometimes!)
After scoping out the planet and its spear carrying human species, they decide to stay and blend in. But how they do it confused me. Or more in-line with the show, took a leap of faith to follow their actions.
What's left of humanity shuns technology and blends with the natives... our ancestors.
Adama makes the decision to have Anders drive the ships of the fleet and all its technology into the Sun, and live out their years with the natives, without their technology. Technology has been their curse. They're done with it. No one seems to argue.
William Adama tells Laura that he calls this Earth because Earth is a dream they've been chasing for a long time.
Tough And Touching Moments
Starbuck saying goodbye to Anders in his tank, who pulls through his Cylon induced fog to tell her that he'll see her on the other side. Eh?
Watching William Adama being the last person to leave the Galactica in his old Viper, looking over the fleet one last time.
Watching William Adama bid farewell to Lee and flies off into the distance with Laura in the Raptor with him, who dies in-flight. Bill builds a little home and talks to her grave, updating her on what's up.
Not a surprise, Tyrol has had it with people and goes off to his own island.
Gaius and Caprica together with no trauma going on in the background finally. For possibly for the first time, Gaius can have a grieving moment for his father. They then head off to do what Gaius knows... farming.
My "What the Frak" Moment
Lee and Kara are talking about what they're going to do, now that everyone is off doing what they're gonna do. Kara says that she is leaving. She's done here and has completed her journey and just vanishes in mid conversation. That's it.
Backtrack: Remember when Baltar announced to the assembled crowd that his study of Kara's blood proved that Kara was 100% human? If you paid attention, Gaius said that the blood on the pendant that came from the corpse is 100% human. I got caught up with everything the first time and missed that. I thought he was proving Kara was human, but I noticed this the 2nd time through, he proved the dead pilot back on the burnt out Earth was human.
The Future Happens Anyway
150,000 years into the future, we see downtown New York. We learn that humanity has discovered the mitochondrial Eve, the woman to whom all of humanity can be traced to. Hera. We also see humanity starting to build bipedal robots and what not... here we go again!
The Big Reveal
Looking over Ronald D. Moore's shoulder in his cameo appearance in one of the final scenes, stands the in-their-heads versions of Gaius and Caprica. WTF? They make note of the fact that Eve was discovered in Tanzania and how Eve was found alongside her Human and Cylon parents.
Caprica said something about how even though it happened before, that mathematically speaking, there's a chance it won't happen again. Then they mention god, and Gaius reminds her that he doesn't like being called that. Eh? The Matrix?
I got confused here. Is society pretty much Cylon at this point? Are these two really angels, or Cylons? Has this just been a big master plan, a tale from god that we've watched all along? Are we being being set up for a sequel in case they decide to go with that?
My Take
The finale was a big payoff.
I really enjoyed just about every single second of it. There was tons of satisfying action. That final jump by the Galactica was way awesome! As it popped out of FTL flight near Earth, it flexed, wobbled and rippled - pieces and parts being flung off in the aftermath. I thought it was going to end right there.
Yet once everyone is on the planet, everyone seemed agreeable to give up technology for spears. I get it... yet really, would you? NO! I want my microwave and cell phone and laptop damnit. Hmm... that would mean building the internet all over again.
It was a very fairy tale ending in this rag tag fleet of humans just seeming to go along with this decision, so I had a little bit of a problem with this. Yet, like I said at the front of this article, suspending disbelief to allow for the story to be moved along.
KaraWhat in blue blazes was Kara Thrace? A ghost that EVERYONE saw? Another angel? An ascended being from Stargate. (She's in a lot of trouble if that's the case)
Was Kara something that everyone wanted, or needed to see? It's been said that Moore said she can be whatever we wanted her to be. That feels like a cop out. Why, after delivering so many answers, do we get this grey answer to one of the biggest developments in the mythos? I'd like to have had Kara explained. Plain and simple. Especially since everyone saw and interacted with her. Especially since she had a life she lived which fed to this point in time.
As far as we can tell, even she didn't know until that very last moment. Come on, Moore. I would have liked you do give more than this to us.
So if we go back to literally day one of this whole thing, angels have been guiding Gaius and later, Caprica on their paths? Has this really been their story all along? Have the humans been nothing but pawns in this entire series?
If so, the sufferance of humanity seems cheapened by this new wrinkle. Well, at least it didn't end on a Holodeck, but it sure felt close to that.
I'm not unhappy
The entire series broached a whole new kind of entertainment. The kind that deals with our fears and hopes and realities of what is and what could be. It dealt with how we do have control of our destiny. But we can only control our destinies just so far until they intertwine with others. Then the group destiny that we become a part of, no matter what else we do is what dictates our end game. That's what I took away from the series.
Now we have to watch this whole series all over again, and watch it from the angels point of view as they guide our hapless characters along their sordid way.
The Sad
But for now, there will be no more new episodes. Sure, we'll have a few movies that take place during the series time frame. Sure, we'll have the prequel, Caprica. But the end of the show has been laid before us. Battlestar Galactica, the journey, has found its goal.
It's time to say farewell to the journeys of William Adama, Laura Roslin, Kara Thrace, Lee Adama, Gaius Baltar, Saul Tigh, Doc Cottle, Helo Agathon, Galen Tyrol, Ellen Tigh, Felix Gaeta, Sharon Valerii, Caprica Six, Tom Zarek, Romo Lampkin, Cavil, Sam Anders and the coolest, new Centurions.
My Question To You
For you, what character really made the show. What event really hit home in the series that resonated with you?
Update: 3/29/09: I've added some perspectives on some of Moore's approach to the Battlestar Galactica series in a new article we've published.


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Second annual contest for 11th-graders continues Endowment's We the People initiative
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) invites all eligible high school juniors to enter the 2004 Idea of America Essay Contest, which begins today. Open to 11th-grade students and 16- and 17-year-old home-schooled students, the 2004 Idea of America Essay Contest offers a cash prize of $5,000 for the author of the winning essay. Five national finalists will each receive cash prizes of $1,000. The deadline for entries is March 15, 2004.
As part of NEH's We the People initiative, the Idea of America Essay Contest encourages students to think and write analytically about significant events and individuals in American history.
"The Idea of America Essay Contest cultivates good citizenship in our students," said NEH Chairman Bruce Cole. "To make history, students need to know their history. These essays will examine the defining principles of our nation and explore the American story--a story of ordinary men and women and their extraordinary deeds in pursuit of great ideas and ideals."
For the 2004 contest students will answer the question, "How does President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address reflect America's founding ideas, and what is the relevance of the speech today?"
Essay judges will consider whether the essay demonstrates a strong understanding of American History, presents a focused and well-reasoned consideration of the topic, displays originality in analysis and composition, and exhibits clear writing and proper spelling and grammar.
Eligible students are encouraged to submit their 7,500-character (approximately 1,200-word) essays online at the Endowment's Web site (www.NEH.gov), which also offers specific guidelines for entering the contest, the text of the Gettysburg Address, and other available resources.
NEH will announce the winner and five national finalists this fall and will honor them with an award ceremony in Washington, D.C. The winning essay will be published in a national forum.


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You may remember our favorite West Virginian hoon shredding tires in his Mustang in Germany, or watching super fast Japanese drifters under a parasol. Now we get to see him stuck in the middle of a Bavarian donut factory.
Yup, nothing says hoonage quite like doing donuts around your buddy in an old E36 BMW.
(Hat tip to Paul!)


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Photographer's Note
The best way to get into Zhilasu Valley seen in the picture is driving from Kislovodsk (Stavropol Kray) through the village of Kichi-Balik (around 20 km, Karachevo-Cherkessia) and Valley of Narzans tourist centre (extra 20 km, Kabard-Balkariya) to the Emanuel Field (about 70 km from the city) at the foot of Mount Elbrus and near this valley, which is famous for its sources of warm (+22.4°C the whole year round) mineral water (Zhilasu means Warm Water) and waterfalls. After Kichi-Balik the road becomes unpaved.
GPS coordinates: 43.449106 Lat, 42.533707 Long, 2532 m
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Critiques | Translate
macjake (92651) 2012-12-12 18:37
Hi Sergiy
you know i always enjoy viewing your series from Russia.
these scenes you show us really surprise me, its not the typical views we get from Russian, and that makes it that much better.
having the people there make the landscape look that much larger.
and its great to see the roads and trails twisting around.
wonderful shot, thanks for this one.
Sonata11 (34119) 2012-12-12 19:17
Hello Sergiy,
Wow!!! what a spectacular panorama of mountains we have here. Very beautiful picturesque and breathtaking view. Perfect execution and perfect presentation with magnificent quality. Love it. Thank you so mauch for your beautiful picture.
All the best,
serp2000 (47063) 2012-12-12 20:12
Äîáðîå óòðî, Ñåðãåé,
íåîæèäàííî âñïîìíèë Êëóá êèíîïóòåøåñòâèé. Âïå÷àòëÿþùèé ïåéçàæ... Íó åùå Âûñîöêîãî âñïîìíèë. Îòëè÷íàÿ ðàáîòà!
pajaran (92355) 2012-12-12 21:39
Dobro jutro.
Lep pogled na bicikliste i planinu ...
Dobra ostrina snimka, kontrast i perspektiva, lepe boje.
Dobar tekst i kompozicija, lepo pokazano.
Lepa priroda.
Imajte lep i uspesan dan.
Sve najbolje sa lepim secanjem na putovanje biciklom.
Good morning.
Nice view of the cyclists and mountain ...
Good image sharpness, contrast and perspective, beautiful colors.
Good content and composition, well demonstrated.
Beautiful nature.
Have a nice and successful day.
All the best with the beautiful memories of the trip by bicycle.
cargus (12419) 2012-12-12 21:50
A magnific mountain landscape.Nice place to visit.Fine colors and good sharpness.
have a nice day
saxo042 (38078) 2012-12-12 23:40
Hi Sergiy,
A superb picture with an amazing sharpness. Seems like all the details on the slope far away are visible. A very fine capture of this astonishing landscape. The included cyclists add both colours and life. Excellent!
Kind regards
krzychu30 (15512) 2012-12-13 1:12
Hello Sergiy,
beautiful and absolutely stunning mountain landscape.Just like those tourist-I could sit there and admire it for hours.The composition and framing itself as well as overall quality of the image are superb.It has excellent clarity and depth and nice,natural colors.Well done!
Have a nice day
danos (110395) 2012-12-16 23:28
Good morning Sergiy,
nice mountain-scape view with the cyclists to take a breath resting on the ground and admiring the fascinating view of the place.
I like the light and the colour management of the image as the beauty of the place.
Have a good week,Danos
Bluejeans (64251) 2012-12-17 5:25
Ola Sergiy ,
Que paisagem linda este vale de fundo , a Rússia tem umas paisagens lindas e pouco exploradas pelo turismo , belos tons de verde , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo
fabbs99 (17179) 2012-12-23 10:33
Hello Sergiy,
What a landscape ! Great work to get such a splendid shot with perfect sharpness.Very well done.TFS.
Happy Christmas,
mirosu (16313) 2013-01-03 0:45
Hi Sergiy,
It is amazing what a difference good lighting can make to photograph. The mountains are in excellent soft light. This shot wouldnt have been nearly as good if taken under midday sun. Excellent composition with the resting people in front and excellently lit majestic mountains in BG make this photo very good. The well optimized crop eliminates distractions and create more attractive image. Well done.
mkamionka (53934) 2013-01-03 4:45
Hi Sergiy,
beautiful landscape. I like the roads making nice shapes at the very bottom of the valley.
The bikers enjoying the view add a very nice foreground and framing.
Very well done,
zoomer (6) 2013-01-03 7:19
Greetings,a rewarding vista.The experience is so different and more close to nature when you go by bike.Great composition with the light showing everything so clearly without harsh shadows.The brakes must have gotten a workout on the way down.Wishing you a happy 2013,Wolf.
Fis2 (142949) 2013-01-05 4:38
Witaj Sergiej!
Wonderful landscape!
Beautiful mountains.
Excellent colors and sharpness.
The cyclist add savor of photo.
I like it.
ourania (51103) 2013-01-08 12:23
Hello Sergiy,
a marvellous vast and deep view over slopes, valleys and peaks. You've captured all the beauty and character of the landscape on a lovely sunny day. There's superb clarity as far as the eye can see and the inclusion of cyclists and bikes resting offers a special inerest and vivacity to the picture. Your lighting is excellent and the natural colours and textures are wonderful. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a great evening,
jmdias (92175) 2013-01-14 0:43
marvelous landscape. I liked these details we can enjoy in your compo, that has an excellent quality. perfect framing with the personages in a corner watching the beauty of the place. TFS.
Photo Information
- Copyright: Sergiy Lushpenko (s_lush) (16602)
- Genre: Luoghi
- Medium: Colore
- Date Taken: 2012-07-20
- Categories: Natura, Transporti
- Camera: SONY DSC-W200
- Esposizione: f/5.6, 1/500 secondi
- More Photo Info: view
- Map: view
- Versione Foto: Versione Originale
- Diario di viaggio: Kharkiv - Caucasus - Kharkiv
- Date Submitted: 2012-12-12 15:16


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2000 Pontiac Firebird Reviews and Ratings
Convertible 2D Trans Am
ride quality is 4 because suspension very stiff per the style but quite smooth on highway
170,000 mile daily driver never raced or modified uses 1qt (mol) oil per 5000 miles. Dependability: 2 spark plug changes, replaced air and oil filters regularly.Replaced water pump, alternator and clutch (Amer. made OEM Dana) serviced brake system and replaced pads and front rotors all about 120,000 miles. AC serviced, nothing replaced and is working well.
The bad: rear taillight lenses cracked, leak and eats bulbs, window motors re
Expert Reviews
Pontiac's Trans Am can fairly be considered a dinosaur, especially when fuel prices are rising. Trans Am as T. Rex. But when the Trans Am WS-6 is dismissed like that, many of its engineering attributes and excellent qualities are overlooked. And there are still people who enjoy an all-American four-seat sports car, with all its inconveniences and optional beastliness, simply because it's fun to drive. But maybe more than that, the Firebird reflects an enduring personal style.
Pontiac Firebird is available in coupe and convertible body styles and in three models: Firebird, Formula and Trans Am.
Compared with the base Firebird, the Formula adds speed-rated tires, performance suspension tuning, and a Monsoon CD sound system with 10 speakers.
The Trans Am gets further standard equipment: removable roof panels and a special spoiler on the coupe, and leather seats with six-way power adjustment for the driver.
The engine in the base Coupe or Convertible is the 3800 (3.8 liter) V6, yielding 200 horsepower and 225 foot-pounds of torque. The 5.7-liter V8 (overhead-valve LS1 with aluminum cylinder block and heads) comes in the Formula and Trans Am in two versions: 305 horsepower and 335 foot-pounds of torque or, with the WS-6 Ram Air package, 320 horsepower and 345 foot-pounds of torque.
Three transmissions are available: The base Firebird gets a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic; the Formula and Trans-Am get either the automatic or a six-speed manual in which both fifth and sixth gears are overdrive.
Few cars on the market today have the visual impact of a WS-6 Trans Am - especially a red convertible like our test vehicle. The Trans Am always draws stares and comments on how cool it looks. Those great big long bulges on the great long hood are reminiscent of a Lister-bodied racing car from the late '50s. There are actually four nostrils for the Ram Air intake, two flared ones and two more gaps where the hood meets the rest of the nose. Fat chrome tips to the twin exhaust come out of tunnels under the rear bumper that look like an exotic racing car ground-effects undertray. The Trans Am also features some of the usual Pontiac styling touches, including hundreds of hexagons in the taillights that suggest a fly's eyeballs. The 17-inch, five-spoke aluminum wheels are so polished they appear to be chrome, and they are wrapped with wide P275/40ZR17 tires rated for extremely high sustained speeds.
There are other flares, scoops, styling grooves and bulges, which are probably considered uncool by your Lexus owner, but they are a Trans Am tradition and not out of place on this car. There are functional louvers behind the front wheels, for the release of hot air from the engine compartment. The wing on the convertible is more like a platform over the entire rear deck; it begins just behind the side windows-and it might even offer downforce to keep the car from floating should you ever run it in the 130-mph range, which we certainly don't suggest. With its incredibly tall sixth-gear ratio, the engine would be rumbling at less than 3000 rpm at that speed.
From the inside, you feel like you're in a racing car, as the low seating position and faraway unseen corners make judging near distances difficult. However, with so many adjustments to the driver's seat and steering wheel, this can be improved.
The convertible top, though handsome, is wide behind the side windows, creating a big blind spot that further complicates parallel parking; the glass rear window is small as well. But the power top operates wonderfully easily. A tonneau cover takes up precious limited trunk space, and thus will be left in the garage by many owners.
Not surprisingly, the rear seats offer little legroom and almost no visibility. The convertible top is a tradeoff in the rear compartment; it steals 2.2 inches of hip room, but gives back 4.2 inches of headroom.
The optional front bucket seats ($185) are intelligently shaped and comfortable for long distances; they aren't difficult to climb in and out of, considering how low to the ground they are, but the front doors do scrape on sidewalks. The driver will probably wish he had a steering wheel with a larger diameter, more in keeping with the high-performance theme of the car, and more suited to the excellent handling. It tilts into a good position, allowing visibility over the top without hitting the knees of an average-sized person. An extra set of sound system controls is located in the hub. Sounds are a high priority for Pontiac owners, and even the convertible comes standard with an eight-speaker CD system. There's a big fixed cupholder behind the shift lever, which has a stylish leather knob. There's a tidy compartment between the seats, and other storage spots exist in the doors and behind the front seats.
We spent a wonderful long 500-mile weekend with this car, using it as it's absolutely intended, while at the same time as it's not really intended. We drove from San Francisco to Mendocino up the remote and curvy Pacific Coast Highway, an approximate 175-mile stretch whose views from rocky cliffs hanging over the rugged ocean are some of the most stunning in the country. It was a gorgeous spring day, and we had the top down. This is truly what this car was made for.
We had two kids in the back, in car seats-one just over five, the other just under three. Battling boys, on top of it. This is not what the Trans Am was made for. But it worked. Kids are happier in the back than adults. Legroom is not a problem when your feet don't touch the floor. Of course, we traveled light. The one-kid collapsible stroller stayed home, although it fits in the trunk.
Driving relatively easily, the Trans Am is a gem. Macho drivers-and there will be plenty with the WS-6-will abuse the car and push to its limits, but when it's driven reasonably and within the law, it is highly rewarding and not the least bit uncomfortable or difficult.
The biggest problem is the perception of size, from behind the wheel. Still, the wife and mother of this driving family is 4'10" tall, and she managed to find a seating position that afforded her reasonable driving and parking in the city.
The power steering is not heavy, but it is a compromise; women might like easier turning for parking, but precision would then be lost in the cornering-and this is, after all, a high-performance car. The steering is direct and steady, no roaming or twitching at all, both in the curves and on the freeway.
Cowl shake has been a bugaboo with Firebird and Camaro convertibles, given the lack of chassis stiffness provided by a roof, combined with a suspension that isn't designed to simply soak up bumps. During our test over fairly smooth roads, the cowl never reared its shaking head. This is a significant advancement, a true character change. If this T. Rex is destined for extinction, at least it will be refined when it goes out.
The suspension performed admirably. Never once were we jarred, which is saying quite a lot. And never once did we feel the car undulating, even slightly. We suspect that extremes in both road conditions and driving aggression could indeed produce those responses from this Trans Am-at least we hope so, because the suspension wouldn't be correct if they didn't. True, a car like the Mercedes E55 AMG can do it all, but for twice the price.
The six-speed gearbox with Hurst linkage feels solid, though not quite buttery. It might be overstating things to call it quirky, but it requires some understanding. The pattern is closely spaced for quick shifting, which means you sometimes find yourself in third gear instead of first, when pulling out. There is a lockout of second gear at certain rpm and at a certain pace of acceleration designed to save gas. Accelerating slowly causes the computer to force you to shift from first gear into fourth. Basically, it won't let you drive sharply and casually at the same time. You either accept it or you learn how to get around it. There is a way to get into second gear, when you want to; we could explain, but it would take two paragraphs. The good news is there's so much torque that you actually can go from first to fourth gear, even at a tame 2500 rpm, without bogging the engine.
Sixth gear will save you more gas, because the ratio is so tall. It might also get you a ticket. Sixty-eight miles per hour is only about 1500 rpm, and because there is so little engine compression to slow you down when you lift off the throttle in sixth gear, the car wants to keep rolling on into the 70s and 80s. With such low rpm, you don't hear it or feel it. You really need to use cruise control in sixth. On an open highway, it does indeed save gas.
As for power, well, you've got 320 horsepower to go with the manual transmission. It's smooth, not really neck-snapping, and the exhaust note is deep but not loud, It's as much power as you'll ever need, and probably as much as you'll ever want, but it's not scary. It's eminently controllable. One of the changes for the 2000 model is to the throttle linkage, and the delivery of acceleration is more than manageable.
Pulling away in first gear does call for some attention, however. It's easy to stall the engine if you're too casual with throttle application, especially at red lights on the steep streets of San Francisco.
Dinosaur or not, powerful rear-wheel-drive cars like this are tradition - tradition that isn't likely to be killed off as long as it's profitable. It will die a natural death, when its time comes. So Pontiac keeps building them - and improving them. The Trans Am might not be as slick as a Lexus, Mercedes or BMW, but it's a lot better than it's often given credit for. You just have to take it for what it is.


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here is waht I'm tring to do:
and coding done by meA household is preparing its next month's budget. For this, they want to estimate their monthly grocery spend. They expect their next month's grocery spend to be 10% higher than the average spend over the last several months. Given their grocery spend for the last several months, the expected spend should be rounded off to 2 decimal places. For e.g. if the input is {1004.56,1200,989.50,1100,1050.36,1000.88,1104.56, 990,1089.50,1070,1310.36,900.88}, the expected output is 1174.31
import java.text.DecimalFormat; public class GroceryPlan { static double[] test1 = {1004.56,1200,989.50,1100,1050.36,1000.88,1104.56,990,1089.50,1070,1310.36,900.88}; static double[] testcase = test1; public static void main(String args[]){ GroceryPlan inst = new GroceryPlan(); double v = inst.getEstimate(testcase); System.out.println(v); } // Write your code in the function below public double getEstimate(double[] spends){ double total=0,inc=0; DecimalFormat Form = new DecimalFormat("#.##"); double count= spends.length; for(double element:spends){ total+=element; } System.out.printf("total amount : %.2f\n",total); System.out.println("Months :"+count); total/=count; inc=total*0.1; total+=inc; return Double.valueOf(Form.format(total)); }
output is looking fine but look here when code is check for quality
Please guide me how to format double values? please look at the screen shot


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Getting back into tennis after not playing for a year. Just looking to have some fun.
Anyone interested?
Alison :)
Views: 123
Replies to This Discussion
I am a beginner player and looking to play this week. plz email if interested.
thanks, Tania
Hey Alison (and the others), just wondering if you're still interested in some hitting. My schedule is pretty flexible on weekends and any courts in Ventura area fine by me. Let me know!
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I've had some time to reflect on the Supreme Court's decision in the race-based school assignment cases. Collectively the five opinions add up to more than 180 pages. So in the interest of readability, I'll divide my discussion among several posts.
The case involves two school assignment plans: one for high school students in Seattle and one for elementary school students in Kentucky. In Seattle, 41 percent of the students in the school district as a whole are white; the remaining 59 percent are classified as "non-white." The system allows incoming ninth graders to state their preferences as to which high schools they wish to attend. If too many students pick the same school, the system resorts to "tiebreakers." The first tiebreaker is whether a sibling currently attends the school. The second tiebreaker is race, if the school is not within 10 percentage points of the district's overall racial balance — i.e., if the school is less than 31 percent or more than 51 percent white.
The Kentucky school district allows parents of new students to state their top two elementary school choices among schools in their "cluster." Assignment decisions are based on availability and on "racial guidelines." If a school has a percentage of students of a particular race that exceeds the guidelines, the student will not be assigned there.
In practice, the racial component of the plans did not adversely affect large numbers of students. However, in Seattle, Jill Kurfirst was unable to enroll her son Andy Meek in Ballard High School's special Biotechnology Career Academy because he is white. Andy suffered from certain learning disorders but had made good progress in middle school due to hands-on instruction. His mother and middle school teachers thought that the smaller biotechnology program provided his best hope for continued success. He was accepted into this competitive program but because the high school was more than 51 percent white, he lost out due to his race.
In Kentucky, Joshua McDonald was assigned to a kindergarten 10 miles from his house. His mother tried to have him transferred to a school nine miles closer. The school had space for him, but Joshua was not allowed to switch because of the "impact" his inclusion would have on the school's racial balance.
By a 5-4 majority, the Court found both plans unconstitutional. Chief Justice Roberts wrote the majority opinion, but Justice Kennedy joined only certain parts of that opinion. Thus, understanding the law in this area now requires us to differentiate between the parts Kennedy agreed with and the parts he did not.
Kennedy agreed with the first merits-based portion of the opinion, which holds that the plans could not be sustained based on either of the two "compelling interests" that have been recognized as justifying the use of racial classifications in this context. First, it could not be justified on the basis of the interest in remedying the effects of past intentional discrimination. In the case of Seattle, there was no evidence that the school system had ever engaged in such discrimination. In the case of Kentucky, there had been past discrimination, but beginning in 1975 the school system operated under a court decree, and in 2000 the court found that the vestiges and effects associated with the past discrimination had been eliminated.
Nor could the use of race in assignments be justified by the other compelling interest recognized in Supreme Court jurisprudence — the desire for diversity in higher education upheld in the Grutter case. In the higher education cases, the compelling interest is based on what each student as an individual brings to the school, with racial or ethnic origin being one element of the package. In the Seattle and Kentucky cases, by contrast, race is not part of a broader effort to achieve exposure to diverse people and ideas. Rather, when it comes into play as it did for Andy Meeks and Joshua McDaniel, it is the sole consideration.
The second key part of the Roberts opinion rejects the argument that racial assignments are justified by the educational beneifts of reducing racial concentration in schools and of ensuring a racially integrated environment. Roberts did not opine on the extent to which educational and social benefits flow from racial diversity in public schools. Instead, he rejected the school districts' defense because the racial classifications they used were not narrowly tailored to the goal of achieving the educational and social benefits said to flow from racial diversity. Seattle wanted white enrollment of between 31 and 51 percent in each high school. The district in Kentucky wanted black enrollment in elementary school to be no less than 15 percent and no more than 50 percent. Apparently, there was no evidence that these numbers (which are based on the racial demographics of the overall districts) have any close relationship with the level of diversity needed to realize the asserted educational benefits.
This is a point we have made in the context of race-based preferences at the college and university level, but it has even more force here. Diversity may confer educational benefits by, for example, exposing students to members of diverse groups and diverse viewpoints. And a "critical mass" of "diverse" individuals may be necessary to make this work. But proportional representation isn't necessarily the same thing as critical mass. At Franklin High in Seattle, for example, without the use of race-based assignments the racial composition would have been 40 percent Asian-American, 30 percent African-American, 21 percent white, 8 percent Latino. Surely, that's plenty of diversity for purposes of exposure to different kinds of people and preventing racial isolation; it just wasn't close enough to proportional representation of whites to satisfy the city's bureaucrats.
Having shown that the real state interest in these cases was simply racial balancing, Roberts then concluded that this interest is legally insufficient to justify the use of racial classifications. He wrote: "However closely related race-based assignments may be to achieving racial balance, that itself cannot be the goal whether labeled 'racial diverstiy' or anything else."
The force of this analysis seems overwhelming. Yet Justice Kennedy did not endorse this portion of the opinion, leaving it one vote short of a majority. In my next post on the case, I'll discuss what Justice Kennedy had to say on this point and the possible implications of it.
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Kaziranga National Park Resorts Catalouge
Labels: eco friendly cottages, Kaziranga Accommodation, Kaziranga National Park, Mary Victoria Leiter Curzon, Resort at Kaziranga, Viceroy of British India, World Heritage Site
Location: Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India
Kaziranga National Park
Long time ago in 1904, Mary Victoria Leiter Curzon, wife of Lord Curzon, Viceroy of British India, visited Kaziranga after hearing about the great one-horned Rhinoceros of this region. But, she failed to see even a single one on her visit to this region. She felt an urgent need to save the rhinoceroses and asked her husband to take immediate steps to prevent their extinction. This led to creation of Kaziranga National Park in 1905, though it was a proposed reserve forest at that time. Today, it is a World Heritage Site and is visited by plenty of tourists for exploring different species of wild animals in the reserve. This region can be visited during certain months in a year that are favorable for tourism.
There are several hotels and resorts around Kaziranga which offer cost-effective and comfortable accommodations for tourists. For environmentally conscious individuals, there are Eco friendly cottages available, with all the modern facilities. They have well-maintained rooms that are furnished with eco-friendly materials. Most of the hotels and resorts in this region are accessible to all domestic and international tourists arriving by air, rail or road. Some of them also provide pick-up and drop facilities for their guests giving them an added convenience. Visits to the national park can be made very easy with an accommodation in them as they also offer guided tours. Corporate events can also be conducted in such hotels or resorts as most of them have conference facilities that are backed with excellent communication systems.
Labels: eco friendly cottages, Kaziranga Accommodation, Kaziranga National Park, Lord Curzon, Mary Victoria Leiter Curzon, Resort at Kaziranga, Viceroy of British India, World Heritage Site
Location: A T Rd, Assam, India
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Kaziranga Tourism Guide
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