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SAO PAULO, March 5 (Reuters) - The public transport projects designed to modernise Brazilian cities for the 2014 soccer World Cup are being scaled back, delayed or cancelled as legal challenges, corruption and a lack of planning threaten to rob locals of the tournament's most lasting legacy.
The 12 host cities, keen to use the event to overhaul aging urban infrastructure, laid out ambitious plans to build new metro lines, monorails and dedicated bus lanes but, with 15 months to go before the games kick off, it seems unlikely that all the projects will come to fruition.
"The much-discussed social legacy looks like it won't get off the drawing board," Romario, a former World Cup winner who is now a lawmaker in Brazil's Congress, wrote last month in a newspaper column. "Almost all the transport projects are behind schedule, some have been put back and will be opened only after the World Cup and others have been cancelled altogether."
Although exact numbers are still changing, at least a dozen of the 49 original projects have changed completely.
Five cities - Brasilia, Fortaleza, Manaus, Salvador and Sao Paulo - would not have the promised tram lines, express lanes for buses or metro links ready for the opening match on June 12, said Valmir Campelo, an official with the Federal Audits Court who monitors World Cup planning.
Time was "extremely tight" on others, Campelo added. So many of the projects would not be ready that authorities in several cities were discussing closing schools and declaring public holidays on match days to avoid traffic jams.
"This definitely won't leave the legacy it could or should have," Campelo told Reuters.
World Cup organisers play down the setbacks and say the host cities are still being transformed. Ronaldo, the former Barcelona and Real Madrid striker who is a leading member of the local organising committee, said work was currently being done that might otherwise have taken years.
Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo argues that other big sporting events, such as the 2012 and 2008 Olympics, had similar teething problems.
"Problems with transportation occurred in London, as well as in Beijing, but Brazil is seeking to undertake efforts so that all the host cities are the most comfortable possible in terms of transit and traffic and, more important, much more comfortable than today," Rebelo said in a January conference call with reporters.
Nevertheless, it seems clear that the situation is not as rosy as it was supposed to be. While Brazil is now the world's seventh-biggest economy, it is still a developing nation that badly needs to add and modernise roads, airports, public transport links and other vital infrastructure.
Sao Paulo, South America's largest city and Brazil's business capital, which will host the World Cup's prestigious opening match, has no rail links to either of its two airports, leaving travellers to face notorious gridlock.
Authorities have long fallen short on promises to build a rail link to the international airport on the city's outskirts and now acknowledge that the proposed monorail that would link the domestic airport to the metro will not be ready in time.
The situation is similar in the capital Brasilia, where work started on 18 km of tram lanes from the airport to the city but was halted in 2011 when a judge ruled the construction companies were involved in overpricing and other irregularities.
In the jungle city of Manaus, authorities cancelled two major projects to build 20 km of monorail and 21.5 km of bus lanes. In Fortaleza, where six World Cup matches will take place, work has not begun on seven km of planned highways, tunnels and overpasses.
In Salvador, a city of three million people with no working metro, none of the roads or rail or metro links under construction will be ready for the tournament.
Experts point to common factors behind the delays. Either judicial investigators halted construction because of financial irregularities or initial feasibility studies and subsequent planning were so poor that funding was not approved.
Relocating families in the way of roads and rail lines has been a constant source of conflict and court cases, and Brazil's strict environmental laws have also prompted legal injunctions.
Another factor is that things just seem to take a long time in Brazil, a country known for maddening bureaucracy and a laid-back approach to life.
"We won the right to host the World Cup in October 2007 but we didn't decide what needed to be done until January 2010," said Jose Roberto Bernasconi, who heads a trade association of local engineering and construction firms. "In 2008 and 2009 we did little or nothing. You can call it lack of money, or will, or competence but there was definitely a lack of something."
Still, not everyone is discouraged. The public response to the delays and cancellations has been muted, perhaps because few governments have admitted they will not be doing all they promised.
Bernasconi said Brazil's lack of decent public transport was so obvious that authorities could not avoid taking action, even if it was slow. So work would get done, he predicted, just not all of it in time for the World Cup.
Even critics acknowledge the setbacks have contributed to widening the debate.
"Before Brazil was confirmed as host of the World Cup, no one or hardly anyone spoke about urban transport projects," said Campelo of the federal Audits Court. "Now the term is widely used. People know what it means and talk about it. In that sense, Brazil has taken advantage of the opportunity." (Editing by Todd Benson and Clare Fallon)


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Oneida mourns death of Mayor Don Hudson
ONEIDA - Oneida Mayor Don Hudson, 56, died Friday evening following a lengthy illness.
He was first diagnosed and treated for melanoma in 1988; however, the disease reoccurred two years ago, said his wife of 20 years, Pamela Hudson.
He passed away at 8:30 p.m., she said.
"He was the strongest person I know," said Pamela. "Everybody loved him."
One thing Pamela Hudson will always remember about her husband is that he treated everyone the same. "Whether you were the richest person in town or the poorest, it didn't matter to him," she said.
She noted husband was active in the community as a member of the Elks, Owls and Oneidas clubs. "He wanted the absolute best for the city." She added that he husband served his country in the National Guard from 1976 to 1987.
But she said he didn't neglect his home. "He was very family-oriented. He loved to cook." she said. "He liked to have fun."
Helen Acker, Ward 4 councilor for the City of Oneida knew Hudson for over 30 years. She remembers first meeting him when she moved to the area. Hudson, a life-long Oneida resident, who had a construction business at the time, did some repair work on her house. He was also a firefighter at the time.
"He just immediately clicked with everyone he met," she said, "He was just one of those guys that everybody likes... A good man inside and out."
Deputy Mayor Max Smith remember Hudson as "a fine man. His considerable years of commitment to the city are to be commended. My heart goes out to his family. He will be sorely missed."
In a 2011 interview with the Oneida Dispatch, Hudson described how he watched in awe as a fire engine thundered by his Fitch Street on his seventh birthday. The firefighters were responding to a garage fire, unaware that a second engine, carrying Capt. Edward McCulley and Firefighter Paavo Siivonen, had been hit by a train on adjacent Willow Street en route to the same fire.
It was that incident, he said, that made him want to become a firefighter.
"I knew what I wanted," said the 1974 Oneida High School grad."I set a goal in my life and I stuck with it."
When he was 19, Hudson took the civil service test to become a firefighter.
In 1981, he was appointed as a call-fireman, and the following year, in 1982, he was hired as a full-time professional firefighter. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1987, then deputy chief and later first deputy chief in 2001.
He was chosen for the department's top post in 2004.
After more than 28 years of service to the City of Oneida, he retired from the Oneida Fire Department in the spring of 2011. He ran for mayor that November and won.
This January, he was sworn in.
Smith said that as mayor, Hudson will always be remembered for his bi-partisan way of making decisions.
It didn't matter what side of the political fence people sat on, Hudson would weigh all options, said Smith.
"Don was a very nice man who wore a lot of hats," said Joe Magliocca, chairman of the Oneida Recreation Commission.
Magliocca worked on Hudson's mayoral election committee. From the beginning, Magliocca remembers Hudson as always, "thinking outside the box," and feels the city is moving in a good direction because of Hudson.
Magliocca feels that Hudson's time with the Oneida Fire Department gave him the insight, as mayor, to see both sides of issues.
"Don has made significant contributions to this community," Magliocca said, "The city lost a good public servant."
His opponent in that election, Leo Matzke, said he was was saddened by the news. Matzke had just visited Hudson earlier Friday evening.
Matzke remembers meeting Hudson for the first time at a parent-teacher conference. Matzke taught Hudson's daughters, Misty and Melissa, at Willard Prior Elementary school. The Hudsons' also have a son, David.
Matzke said he remembers at the time noticing the family's strong ties.
Later, when Matzke became mayor, he appointed Hudson as fire chief. He remembers one of Hudson's daughters approaching her former teacher in Byrne Dairy and telling him "why I should hire her dad," as fire chief.
"Oneida lost a good man," said Oneida City Police Chief David Meeker. "He did a lot for this city. He will be missed."
Don was a great asset to the city and we are proud of what we have accomplished in the 10 months he was in office," said Jim Chamberlain, 5th ward city councilor.
"We're going to keep moving forward and do the things that Don planned,' he said.
On Saturday, the Fire Department hung traditional black and purple mourning bunting over each garage bay at the fire station in memory of Hudson.
Smith said that the city attorney is studying the city charter to determine the proper procedure for mayoral succession, and that no decisions have yet been made.
Here are some previous stories that have a lot of information about Hudson:
The Dispatch wrote this profile upon his retirement as fire chief:
Local people talking about his career upon his retirement as chief:
Public's thoughts on Hudson's retirement
Column: Who is Don Hudson?
By Don Hudson
Major fires during Don Hudson's career:

subset: commoncrawl


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Indiana License to Carry a Handgun
Whether you're a first-time Concealed Carry Permit applicant or a long-time license holder ready for renewal, our site offers valuable resources that can help you through the process. For only $17, our optional assistance packages include detailed instructions, expert assistance, helpful links, and much more. Please select from the options below, or visit the official site if you'd prefer to do the research on your own and deal with the division of licensing directly.
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Applying for a Concealed Carry Permit for the First Time
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Alternatively, you may do the following for free:Visit the Official State Site
Common QuestionsWhat kind of services and information are offered on this site?
We offer a guide with step-by-step instructions. Our guide can help you apply for a new license and replace or renew an existing one. It also provides comprehensive instructions to change the name or address on your license. We provide you with a clear and concise explanation of your options along with helpful links to official sources and forms.What topics are included in the guide that will be sent to me?
Topics covered in the packet include state gun laws, eligibility, first-time application procedures, renewal application procedures, reciprocity, permit replacement, name changes and address changes.Is this the official Indiana License to Carry a Handgun website?
No, this site is an unofficial resource that is not endorsed by, or affiliated with, the state of Indiana License to Carry a Handgun. If it was your intention to visit the official state site, you can access it via this link.Is your application assistance service required in order to obtain my license?
While you are not required to use our service to obtain your license, we offer an added value service to you by providing all necessary information and documentation. By using our service, you will eliminate having to research the steps you need to take to apply, renew, replace or change your license saving a lot of time and energy in the process.How much is your service and how will it help me?
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In addition to the guide, which is available exclusively through this service, you will receive quick email support from our knowledgeable staff. We answer your questions promptly without the hold times that many callers face when trying to reach the state office directly.
NOTE: Official forms are provided for free by the state. You do not have pay for any services on this site to access these free documents.


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CCTV Cameras
What's the difference between Analog, HD-SDI and IP Cameras?
Analog CCTV Cameras
Analog, or standard definition cameras, are still the lowest-cost systems on the market. The image resolution is typically limited to 704 x 480 pixels (about 1/3 of a Megapixel). With the newer 960H technology, the resolution gets bumped up to 960 x 480 pixels, which is considered "entry-level high definition." Even with 960H, the image resolution is still under half a megapixel.
The Good
Analog systems are still good for a lot of applications. Homes and smaller businesses may not have the money to spend on more expensive HD quality systems, and in most cases it's better to have some surveillance than nothing at all. Most older systems are analog, so we can use newer analog cameras and DVRs to update or expand existing systems.
The Bad
It's diificult or nearly impossible to discern details when objects are far away from the camera, especially if the camera has a wide-angle lens. Enlarging the image only causes pixelation which actually makes things worse. Without specialized cameras, reading license plate numbers is almost impossible as well.
HD-SDI Surveillance Cameras
HD-SDI surveillance cameras use the same technology (SDI) as the video cameras used for high definition movies. These cameras are capable of True HD 1080p resolution, which is equivilant to 2 Megapixels. It also uses the same RG59 coaxial cable as analog systems, making upgrades a breeze!
The Good
HD-SDI provides impressive images and tends to be less expensive and easier to implement than IP based systems. It's easy to upgrade analog to HD-SDI because it uses the same type of cable. Users can digitally zoom images with much less pixelation, making facees and license plates easier to identify. HD-SDI also has zero latency, or delay, because the images are not compressed until they are recorded.
The Bad
HD-SDI is more expensive than analog, but not by much. It is more prone problems longer cables because there is no gradual signal loss. It either works or it doesn't. It also relies on true 75ohm connectors but barrel connectors are typically rated at 50ohms, so those are out of the question. It is much more important to buy high quality cable and connectors for these installations.
IP Surveillance Cameras
The surveillance industry is trending mostly towards IP cameras because they are the most advanced technology. Some IP cameras can provide resolutions up to 20 Megapixels, but most are in the range of 1.3 to 3 Megapixels. Hybrid systems exist that support analog and IP cameras on the same recorder.
The Good
Because they don't need to be directly connected to the recorder, wiring IP camera systems can be done more efficiently. We can use POE (power over ethernet) switches to act as splitters in areas with dense camera populations, then run a single ethernet cable back to the main network. IP cameras can also connect to third-party analytics devices to provide license plate detection, facial detection, missing object detection and a myriad of other valuable information. These analytics can also trigger alerts to be sent to the user via SMS or e-mail.
The Bad
Ethernet cable has a maximum distance of 330 feet. Any longer runs will require expensive equipment to extend the range such as ethernet extenders or repeaters. A network switch can also be placed inline to act as an extender. IP cameras also use up a lot of network bandwidth. It's recommended to build a separate network for IP cameras to avoid any problems with added network traffic. Video recorded from IP cameras also eats up a lot of storage space, but careful use of analytics and motion detection can reduce this quite a bit.


text: 课题:创新与创新型组织Topic: Creativity and the Creative Organisation 创新的过程 迷你案例:基因技术 (Genentach)、微软、Juno 什么使组织变得创新? 案例分析:IDEO 设计 The process of creativity Minicases: Genentech, Microsoft, Juno What makes organizations creative? Case: IDEO design 师资:副教授 Assistant Professor Various medications obtainable online to why to waste when and visit apothecary if you can easily purchase drugs sit at home. To order medicaments online from a well-respected web-site is safe. Viagra is one of the best-known medications of all when. What about "viagra vs cialis" and "viagra vs cialis vs levitra"? Where you can find more info about "viagra cialis"? Of all the things in the field of public soundness that pique our attention most, it's erectile dysfunction, specially "levitra vs viagra". Several far-famed remedies can mean screwing with your orgasm. However, only your sex physician can decide if Viagra or other remedy is right for you. Online directory is a ideal way to find a doctor in your area who treats this kind of health conditions.


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Horse riding holidays recommended by Riders
Exclusive riding holidays in beautiful places. Mountain adventure riding, polo, winter riding & skiing, Lipizzaners, driving and trekking holidays in Austria, Italy, Tuscany, France, Tanzania, Peru, Argentina, South Africa, Botswana, Egypt, Ireland and the Alps.
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Job description
- Entry level
- No Education
- Salary to negotiate
- Altrincham
Job Description
Busy Bees in Altrincham are looking for a Level 3 Qualified Nursery Practitioner/Nursery Nurse to join our Team. The top 5 Reasons to join us! * Childcare provision with substantial childcare discounts * Excellent in-house training , opportunity to gain further qualifications, Virtual learning andcareer progression opportunities * Exclusive access to UP* ; Busy Bees unique early years learning programme * Retail Discounts Scheme via an online benefits portal * Global exchange programme (short term secondment to another country) *Visit our website to find out more Our Nursery We have undergone a £500,000 remodelling of the building and have equipped our Nursery with brand-new state of the art resources and equipment, including our Discovery Den which features a unique waterfall, sound bar and exciting learning activities. We have also transformed our Baby and Infant Suites into beautiful areas that offer nurturing, cosy environments to support babies through every new experience. Our Company Established by 3 families in 1984 Busy Bees is now the UK's largest childcare company with over 350 nurseries across the UK. Our Vision To give every child the best start in life Our Mission Deliver high quality childcare & Exciting opportunities for learning that gives every child a head start as they prepare for school Your Mission As a Qualified Nursery Practitioner, you will be role modelling your knowledge and best practice to colleagues. Here is a snapshot of what your role will include: Care: We take care very seriously * As a keyworker, you will ensure every individual child's needs are met. * Safeguarding children is your priority. * Speak Up against practices that don't support safeguarding or Our Core Values. Service: We are an integral part of a parent's support network * Get to know the families at the setting and attend parents' evenings. * Update parents on their child's day and development. * Support parents with any SEN/ASL needs Quality: We set and maintain the highest standards it's what children and parents deserve * Embrace and promote our Standards of Excellence in every part of your role. * Take pride in your planning observation and assessment procedure. * Adhere to our childcare policies. * Be a key player to ensure the nursery receives excellent outcomes in internal audits and those of external authorities such as Ofsted, CI and CIW. Value: We ensure that we provide outstanding value for money * Create a setting that is clean and welcoming, with well-kept educational resources. * Ensure that children's observations are detailed, reflective and provide developmentally challenging next steps. * Ensure we encourage and praise children's development and achievements. Your Qualifications and Experience: * NNEB or BTEC Nat Dip or CACHE Dip in Childcare or NVQ Level 3 or SVQ * Previous experience working and caring for children under 5 * Passion to deliver high quality childcare and exciting learning opportunities We reserve the right to close a job prior to the initial closing date.
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Alprazolam (XANAX) 1mg - 90 tabs
- Manufacturer: Pfizer
This medication has a calming effect. It is used to relieve anxiety, nervousness and tension in the treatment of anxiety disorders and panic disorders.
This medication when used in high doses or for prolonged periods of time can lead to dependence.
Therefore, it is important to follow your dosing instructions closely.
Store this medication at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 to 30 degrees C) away from heat, light and moisture.
Do not store in the bathroom.
Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.
How To Use
Take this medication by mouth exactly as prescribed.
Do not take this more often, increase your dose or take this longer than directed without consulting your doctor.
Do not suddenly stop taking this medication if you have been taking this regularly for several weeks.
Your dose will need to be gradually decreased to prevent side effects.
Side Effects
Drowsiness, incoordination, headache, fatigue, change in sex drive, change in appetite, change in weight, difficulty urinating or stomach upset may occur the first few days as your body adjusts to the medication.
If any of these effects continue or become bothersome, inform your doctor.
Notify your doctor if you develop a rapid, pounding or irregular heartbeat, skin rash, changes in vision, slurred speech, confusion, depression or behavior changes while taking this medication.
This medication may cause drowsiness or dizziness.
Use caution operating machinery or engaging in activities requiring alertness.
To relieve dry mouth, suck on (sugarless) hard candy or ice chips, chew (sugarless) gum, drink water or use saliva substitute.
If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Tell your doctor if you have any pre-existing kidney disease, liver disease, glaucoma, muscle weakness, history of drug dependence or if you have any allergies.
Limit intake of alcohol while taking this medication since it may aggravate drowsiness and dizziness.
Alprazolam is is not recommended for use during pregnancy.
Consult your doctor before using this medication.
This medication passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant.
Nursing while using alprazolam is not recommended.
Consult your doctor before breas-feeding.
The elderly may be more sensitive to the effects of this medication and should use this medication carefully.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as remembered; do not take it if it is near the time for the next dose, instead, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule.
Do not "double-up" the dose to catch up.
Drug Interactions
Tell your doctor of any over-the-counter or prescription medication you may take including any medication for seizures or depression, narcotic pain relievers, erythromycin-like antibiotics, cimetidine, sleeping pills, tranquilizers or azole antifungals.
Do not start or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.


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Jugglers Near You
You've already got enough in your life to juggle... right? With your family, work, friends, and now this event you're planning, it might be easy to drop the ball sometimes. So that's why you should check out some of these professional jugglers available for hire in your area! Ok... well they probably won't be juggling those important things for you (unless you want them to)... but they'll definitely be jugglin' balls, random objects, and any flaming thingamajigs you want them to. And no balls will be dropped... unless it's just a part of the act!
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Jugglers around Ashburn, VA:
Circus Entertainment / Juggler
Washington, DC
91 Verified Bookings
Recent review: Crickett was great for our daughter's birthday party! He arrived early, was very patient with…
Circus Entertainment - Erin Jeannier(8)
Fire Performer / Juggler
Baltimore, MD
15 Verified Bookings
Recent review: Everyone loved the interactive play with children from 3 to 99 and beyond Supreme talent ...…
Jason Levinson & Company(1)
Children's Party Entertainment / Juggler
Silver Spring, MD
2 Verified Bookings
Recent review: Kept the kid's attention. They were laughing throughout. Also great job with the balloons.
Drew Blue Shoes(8)
Children's Party Magician / Juggler
Fairfax, VA
21 Verified Bookings
Recent review: I hired Drew for my son's 1st birthday party. He was very professional and had excellent communication…
Jugglers for hire across the U.S. and Canada:
United States:
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Juggler Pricing
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Monday, August 4, 2008
Helpppp....vote for me.
2 shared thoughts:
- vicy said...
Hello!!Visiting back again after a long week away from this pc..Have a wonderful day
- August 4, 2008 at 9:36 PM
- Nedekcir said...
Hey, I voted for you. And I'm here to give you an award: http://www.nedekcircheers.com/2008/08/arte-y-pico-award.html have a good day.
- August 7, 2008 at 3:21 AM
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This file can be used for wedding invitation card, party invitation, etc. This file can be easily edited for your personal needs.
What Inside:
- Back and front wedding invitation card.
- Unfolded envelope
- Help file
Files Format:
This file is print ready with 300dpi and CMYK color, PSD PhotoShop format. Sizes are 4in X 4in for the card and 4.86in X 4.86in for envelope + 0.125in bleed.
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The mountain pine beetle (MPB) Dendroctonus ponderosae, is a species of bark beetle native to the forests of western North America from Mexico to central British Columbia. It has a hard black exoskeleton, and measures approximately 5 mm, about the size of a grain of rice.
In western North America, the current outbreak of the mountain pine beetle and its microbial associates has destroyed wide areas of lodgepole pine forest, including more than 16 million hectares in British Columbia. The current outbreak in the Rocky Mountain National Park began in 1996 and has caused the destruction of millions of acres of ponderosa and lodgepole pine trees. According to an annual assessment by the state's forest service, 264,000 acres of trees in Colorado were infested by the mountain pine beetle at the beginning of 2013. This was much smaller than the 1.15 million acres that were affected in 2008 because the beetle has already killed off most of the vulnerable trees (Ward).[1]
Mountain pine beetles inhabit ponderosa, whitebark, lodgepole, Scotch, Jack Pine,[2] and limber pine trees. Normally, these insects play an important role in the life of a forest, attacking old or weakened trees, and speeding development of a younger forest. However, unusual hot, dry summers and mild winters throughout the region during the last few years, along with forests filled with mature lodgepole pine, have led to an unprecedented epidemic.[3]
It may be the largest forest insect blight ever seen in North America.[4] Climate change has contributed to the size and severity of the outbreak, and the outbreak itself may, with similar infestations, have significant effects on the capability of northern forests to remove greenhouse gas (CO2) from the atmosphere.[5]
Because of its impact on forestry, the transcriptome[6] and the genome[7] have been sequenced. This is only the second beetle genome to be sequenced to date.
Mountain pine beetles affect pine trees by laying eggs under the bark. The beetles introduce blue stain fungus into the sapwood that prevents the tree from repelling and killing the attacking beetles with tree pitch flow. The fungus also blocks water and nutrient transport within the tree. On the tree exterior, this results in popcorn-shaped masses of resin, called "pitch tubes", where the beetles have entered.[8] The joint action of larval feeding and fungal colonization kills the host tree within a few weeks of successful attack (the fungus and feeding by the larvae girdles the tree, cutting off the flow of water and nutrients). When the tree is first attacked, it remains green. Usually within a year of attack, the needles will have turned red. This means the tree is dying or dead, and the beetles have moved to another tree. In three to four years after the attack, very little foliage is left, so the trees appear grey.[3]
As beetle populations increase the one direction population decreases, the population may quickly increase and spread. Healthy trees are then attacked, and huge areas of mature pine stands may be threatened or killed. Warm summers and mild winters play a role in both insect survival and the continuation and intensification of an outbreak. Adverse weather conditions (such as winter lows of -40°) can reduce the beetle populations and slow the spread, but the insects can recover quickly and resume their attack on otherwise healthy forests.
Beetles develop through four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Except for a few days during the summer when adults emerge from brood trees and fly to attack new host trees, all life stages are spent beneath the bark.[9]
In low elevation stands and in warm years, mountain pine beetles require one year to complete a generation. At high elevations, where summers are typically cooler, life cycles may vary from one to two years.
Female beetles initiate attacks. As they chew into the inner bark and phloem, pheromones are released, attracting male and female beetles to the same tree. The attacking beetles produce more pheromones, resulting in a mass attack that overcomes the tree's defenses, and results in attacks on adjacent trees.
Natural predators of the mountain pine beetle include certain birds, particularly woodpeckers, and various insects.
Management techniques include harvesting at the leading edges of what is known as "green attack", as well as other techniques that can be used to manage infestations on a smaller scale, including:[10]
The concept of natural plant defense holds hope for eliminating pine beetle infestation. Beneficial microbial solutions are being researched and developed that work with the plant to activate and enhance its resistance mechanisms against insects and disease.
The US Forest Service tested chitosan,[11][12] a biopesticide, to pre-arm pine trees to defend themselves against MPB. The US Forest Service results show AgriHouse's EPA-registered ODC Collodial Chitosan elicited a 40% increase in pine resin (P<0.05) in southern pine trees. One milliliter ODC chitosan per 10 gallons water was applied to the ground area within the drip ring of loblolly pine trees. The application was repeated three times from May through September in 2008. The ODC chitosan was responsible for eliciting natural defense responses of increased resin pitch-outs, with the ability to destroy 37% of the pine beetle eggs.[13] Dr. Jim Linden, Microbiologist, Colorado State University, stated the chitosan increased resin pitch-outs to push the mountain pine beetle out of the tree, preventing the MPB from entering the pine tree and spreading blue stain mold.[14]
Aggressively searching out, removing, and destroying the brood in infested trees is the best way to slow the spread of mountain pine beetles; however, it may not protect specific trees. Spraying trees to prevent attack is the most effective way to protect a small number of high-value trees from mountain pine beetles. [15]
Spraying can be an effective option for large scale application and treatment for pines, so long as products used are natural and safe. In August 2011, 350 acres of pine forest in the Black Hills of South Dakota were sprayed aerially with Soil Pro, a solution of beneficial microbes and structured water. A follow up evaluation in spring of 2012 revealed a complete eradication of the pine beetle in the area sprayed with one application of a product developed by ABC Organics and Greenfield Naturals. Costs per acre averaged $22.00 which included product, air drop services and yearly evaluation surveys. Further information on the Black Hills Pine Beetle Eradication project can be obtained from Greenfield Naturals and ABC Organics.
Verbenone is the main compound for the antiaggregate pheromone for the mountain pine beetle, a compound has traditionally formulated as pouches. Verbenone is a behavior-modifying pheromone that tricks the pine beetle into believing the tree is no longer useful to more beetles, so they will leave the tree alone. It is useful in campsites and places close to creeks and rivers where spraying cannot be used. Verbenone does not kill the insects; it simply pushes them away to another tree or area. Traditional verbenone pouch formulations have been achieved moderate tree protection in areas with low beetle populations, but have not been very successful in areas with higher beetle populations. So far the use of the traditional verbenone pouch formulations has proven useful only in small-scale operations.[16] But these trends are being changed with the high levels of success that a new SPLAT[17] semiochemical formulation has been having in halting mountain pine beetle attacks.
As new player in this market, ISCA Technologies www.iscatech.com has developed and tested, and registered with EPA, a new flowable verbenone formulation called SPLATverb Repel. Field work in Wyoming the past three years indicate that SPLATverb Repel has promise in protecting individual pine trees even in areas under very high mountain pine beetle density. In these field trials 93% (2011), 92% (2012) and 93% (2013) of the untreated trees (control) were mass-attacked by the mountain pine beetle and killed whereas 0% (2011, 2012, 2013), i.e., none, of the SPLATverb Repel-treated trees suffered mountain pine beetle mass attacks: all SPLATverb Repe treated trees survived. In addition to protecting single trees, SPLATverb Repel also has shown a potential to protect pine trees in areawide programs. In a replicated areawide field work, SPLATverb Repel-treated plots experienced an 84% suppression of mountain pine beetle mass attacks when compared to untreated plots.[18] SPLATverb Repel's suppression performance has shown to be 20% better than that observed in plots treated with the traditional verbenone 'pouch' formulation.[18]
Initial trials with ponderosa pine suggest that SPLATverb also protects these trees from mountain pine beetle attack and western pine beetle. North American scientists are testing SPLATverb Repel to determine if it can be used to protect other pine trees, like the endangered high elevation white bark pine Pinus albicaulis, against the attack of mountain pine beetle and other species of bark beetles that respond to verbenone.
Colorado's forests are much densely wooded, making them much more susceptible to bark beetle attack. Current legislation is in place to help with the growing beetle problem. Colorado Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet announced that Colorado will receive $30 million of the $40 million being diverted by the U.S. Forest Service to fight the millions of acres of damage caused by the mountain pine beetle in the Rocky Mountain region. It is important for the success of these new mountain beetle suppression programs that they embrace the novel, more effective, SPLAT verb formulation [18]
Wood from beetle-affected trees retains its commercial value for 8 to 12 years after the tree has died, but the level of value drops rapidly, for within several months, as the moisture retained in the tree seeks to escape, it blows large checks and cracks from the outer diameter deep into the heart of the tree. The balance of the moisture escapes more slowly, but in doing so, small cracks occur throughout the timber. In short, this causes difficulties for modern high-output automated sawmill operations and greatly increases the lumber losses and the labor to produce high quality wood products. This so-called 'shelf life' is dependent on a number of factors, including economic and stand site conditions. The trees remain commercially viable longer under drier conditions. In areas where it is wetter, the trees tend to rot at the base and fall faster, especially if they are larger.[19] The blue staining of the wood that occurs in the outer diameter of the tree, the sapwood, as a result of the fungus that is carried by the beetles and results in the trees death has no effect on the wood's strength properties, nor are there any harmful health effects. Blue stain is considered to be a defect in the lumber grading standards and thus is considered a 'down-grade' that results in a lower commodity market price. This fact, combined with the increased cost of lumber production in processing dead, dry, cracked timber, results in very low, if any, profitability, and has thus resulted in a very limited desire to produce blue stain wood products when there is an obvious and very great need to better utilize these resources.
The timber can be used for any wood product from standard framing lumber to engineered wood products, such as glue-laminated products and cross-laminated panels. The epidemic in British Columbia is also creating opportunities for the emerging bio-energy industry. Though there are many small wood working and craft shops that are making furniture and crafts out of this beautiful and exotic appearing blue-stained wood, and despite the massive supply and the increasingly apparent need to utilize this dead timber, there are very few companies that have aggressively gone after the need to use this otherwise wasted and hazardous natural resource by creating product lines that require large volumes of these dead trees. This is of course largely due to the significant difficulties and increased expense inherent to processing dead timber, and the correspondingly lowered profitability.
There has been concern that the huge number of beetle-killed trees may pose a risk of devastating forest fires. Forest thinning to mitigate fire danger is expensive and resource-intensive.[20] Attention is turning to ways to turn this liability into a source of cellulosic ethanol.
Leaders in western U.S. states and Canadian provinces have promoted legislation to provide incentives for companies using beetle-killed trees for biofuel or biopower applications. Sellable commodities resulting from MPB damage can help subsidize the cost of forest thinning projects and support new job markets. Colorado's Department of Energy recently provided $30 million toward construction of the state's first cellulosic ethanol plant, to convert beetle kill into ethanol. Lignin, a byproduct of the process, can be sold for applications in lubricants and other goods.[21]
The long-held belief that beetle infestations and resulting deadkill lead to more devastating forest fires is currently being challenged. Although some disagree, ongoing NASA studies have shown beetle kill may actually reduce available small fuels and consequently limit the effect and reach of fires.[22]
The current outbreak of mountain pine beetles is ten times larger than previous outbreaks.[23] Huge swaths of central British Columbia (BC) and parts of Alberta have been hit badly, with over 40 million acres (160,000 km2) of BC's forests affected.[24] Under the presumption that the large areas of dead pine stands represent a potential fire hazard, the BC government is directing fuel management activities in beetle areas as recommended in the 2003 Firestorm Provincial Review.[25] Harvesting affected stands aids fire management by removing the presumed hazard and breaking the continuity of the fuels. These fuel management treatments are specifically designed to reduce interface fire threats to communities and First Nations located in the infestation zone. The interface is the area where urban development and wilderness meet.
As of May 2013, the Pine Beetle is aggressively devastating forests in all 19 Western States and Canada, effectively decimating approximately 88 million acres of timber at a 70-90% kill rate. Over 13,000 miles of power lines are being endangered with falling trees that increasingly raise the risk of fires that could cause widespread problems for millions of customers. The mountain pine beetle has affected more than 900 miles (1,400 km) of trail, 3,200 miles (5,100 km) of road and 21,000 acres (85 km2) of developed recreation sites over 4,500,000 acres (18,000 km2) in Colorado and southeastern Wyoming; other outbreaks encompass the Black Hills of South Dakota and extend as far south as Arizona, and as far north as Montana and Idaho. The US Forest Service is working on a hazard tree removal strategy, prioritizing high-use recreation areas, such as campgrounds, roads and National Forest Service lands adjacent to vulnerable public infrastructure such as power lines and near communities.[26]
A lodgepole pine tree with a pitch tube
A lodgepole pine tree infested by the mountain pine beetle, with visible pitch tubes
Invaded pine tree forest on the slopes of Chancellor Peak in Yoho National Park, Canada
A pine tree forest north of Breckenridge, CO shows infestation in 2008. Currently, over 15 million hectares are either infected or destroyed by the mountain pine beetle.
Pine beetle damage in E. C. Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada, as of August 2010
Mountain pine beetle damage in Rocky Mountain National Park as of January 2012
The outbreaks are almost certainly a consequence of global warming. Previously, cold spells had killed off bark beetles which are now attacking the forests.[27][28] The longer breeding season is another factor encouraging beetle proliferation. The combination of warmer weather, attack by beetles, and mismanagement during past years has led to a substantial increase in the severity of forest fires in Montana.[28][29] According to a study done for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Science, portions of Montana will experience a 200% increase in area burned by wildland fires, and an 80% increase in air pollution from those fires.[30][31]
Researchers from the Canadian Forest Service have studied the relationship between the carbon cycle and forest fires, logging and tree deaths. They concluded by 2020, the pine beetle outbreak will have released 270 megatonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from Canadian forests. There is yet to be an accepted study of the carbon cycle effect over a future period of time for North American forests, but many scientist believe we are at a 'tipping point' of our Western Forests becoming a source of carbon off-put that is greater than that of a 'carbon sink'.[23]
Hydrologists from the University of Colorado have investigated the impacts of beetle-infested forests on the water cycle, in particular, snow accumulation and melt. They concluded that dead forests will accumulate more snowpack as a result of thinner tree canopies and decreased snow sublimation. These thinned canopies also cause faster snow melt by allowing more sunlight through to the forest floor and lowering the snowpack albedo, as a result of needle litter on the snow surface.[32] Augmented snowpack coupled with dead trees that no longer transpire will likely lead to more available water.
Ontario, Quebec City, Quebec, Ottawa, Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Canada, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario
United States, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Asia
South Dakota, Utah, Uinta County, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho
Deforestation, Climate change and agriculture, Carbon dioxide, Ozone depletion, Renewable energy
Climate change, Malaria, Australia, Death, Carbon dioxide
British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario
Seattle, Oregon, Puget Sound, Global warming, Hydropower
Adephaga, Archostemata, Permian, Triassic, Polyphaga
Rhode Island, Colorado, Forestry, Fungus, Wildfire


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January 2007 - Newsletter 84
The Yetties of Yesteryear
The planned 40 Years of The Yetties DVD, let's be honest, is going to take an age to finish. So we have decided to put together a CD of songs and music from the LPs we made between 1970 and 1986. These are all tracks we have not re-recorded and released on our current CDs and some of the tracks feature Sherborne Town Band and other guest artists. We are aiming for an end of January release date and so far things are running according to schedule. There are 21 tracks and these are: The Village Band, We Were Gathering Watercress, Slieve Gallon Braes / Wild Colonial Boy / Green Glens of Antrim, Stormalong, Dancing Days, Diggory Venn the Raddle Man, Have a Drink on Me, John Small, Long Pond, Bandy Bertha's Birthday, The Storyteller, Dad's Medals, Early One Evening, The Last Rose of Summer / The Bloody Fields of Flanders, The Peasant's Revolt, We've Got Oil, Barwick Green, The Peat Bog Soldiers, The Scholar / Sheehan's Reel / Peter Street, The Parting Glass.
The English Folk Dance & Song Society have decided to honour us by presenting us with their Gold Badge for services to Folk Music. This came completely out of the blue and is mainly due to the efforts of our good friend and Yetties historian Roland Birchby who put such a good case for the award. We are not sure when the presentation will be made but probably at Halsway Manor in the summer.
At the Halsway Manor A.G.M. last October I was asked to become President of The Halsway Manor Society. I'm not sure I'm Presidential material but it is a very great honour and I will certainly do whatever I can to help publicise and generally raise the profile of the Manor. I have already written a history of the house, which I intend to do as a talk, illustrated with songs, to any organisation that will have me. There's pirates, royal connections and, of course, ghosts.
40 Years Anniversary
We have had much debate about how to actually commemorate that memorable day when we turned professional, the 1st of October 1967. In the end it was decided to keep things near to home and book Yetminster Village Hall for the 5th and 6th of October this being the nearest weekend. We're not sure what is going to happen yet but it will probably be a Ceilidh on the Friday night and a Concert on the Saturday with talks and trips down memory lane on the Saturday afternoon. A bit of Yetties indulgence really with questions from the floor etc. etc. but not too embarrassing please. More details in the May Newsletter.
Memory Lane
On the 18th of February, 1978 we were working up near Oxford and Cynthia rang up to tell us to stay where we were because Sherborne was in the midst of a blizzard. It was most unlike any of our wives to interfere in this way but we still, very foolishly, took no notice. How daft can you get! But we had, after all, managed to get home through flood and storm many times. The first signs of trouble started about Amesbury. Just the odd snowflake gently drifting from the heavens. Then on the hill out of Wylye we came across a bus blocking the road and sliding all over the place. No trouble thought we, turn left and head for Salisbury, then right on the A30 for Sherborne. We were driving a Peugeot 504 estate at the time, a good solid bus with plenty of weight on board. We were hitting the drifts and blasting our way through and even passed a stranded Land Rover, which made us feel kind of proud. Then just before Fovant we hit a huge drift right in the spot where folk stop to view the regimental badges on the hill, the car bottomed out and that was that. The conditions were definitely wrong for staying in this rather exposed place because no matter how hard you try you can't see chalk badges in a snowstorm at 2 in the morning. We spent the night wrapped up in as many bits of clothing as we could find. In the morning we tried to get out the car but the snow had buried us so deep that the doors wouldn't open. Eventually a farmer found us and dug us out and we had to spend 2 days stranded in Fovant as guests of some fans who lived there. Their house was just opposite the pub so 'tweren't all bad and we treated our hosts and other stranded motorists to some entertainment in the evenings.
Yetties at Halsway Manor
From Monday July the 9th to Friday 13th we are at Halsway again. This will be rather more laid back than the weekend in February. Let's face it we aren't up to cavorting about for five days without stop. There will be a 'Musical Heritage of Thomas Hardy' concert included and the usual dancing, singing, music workshops etc. and Bonny will be doing his 'History of Halsway' talk but you will have spare time to explore the countryside. Halsway is ideally situated for this, the Quantock Hills are out the back door, Minehead, Watchet, Dunster, Exmoor and The West Somerset Railway are all within easy reach. If you are interested give the Manor a ring on 01984 618274.
Old Yetties LPs
LPs in stock at the moment are: Keep A Runnin'; Our Friends The Yetties; Dorset Is Beautiful; The World of The Yetties; The Yetties of Yetminster; Focus On The Yetties (double album); The Village Band; Up Market; Dorset Style; In Concert; and A Little Bit of Dorset. If you would like any of these to add to your collection please ring 01935 814611. They cost £5 each plus £1 P&P Cheques to Halsway Manor.
The Peter Kennedy Collection has now been presented to the Halsway. 3000 books, 6000 records etc. etc. We are now in desperate need of a new library. Anyone got the odd £250.000 to spare?
Yetminster Fair
Ah! Ha! I hear you say, that's not for ages yet, but the way the years zip past July 14th will be here before you can turn around. Tickets for the evening concert can be purchased from Derek Mott, Stonechat, High Street, Yetminster, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 6LF. Tel. 01935 872123. For other information, camping etc. ring Garth Hentley on 01935 873239. The phone No. for Tourist Information in Sherborne is 01935 815341. They can put you in touch with B&B etc.
Another Anniversary
In January 1907 the Hammond Brothers collected their last folk songs in Dorset. There is little doubt they would have kept going if Henry Hammond's health had not deteriorated. He and his brother Robert were extremely enthusiastic about their hobby but cycling around the lanes of Dorset on bone shakers was certainly not for the weak or feint hearted. It must have been rather like Doing the Dorset Dirt (see below) without gears and suspension. The year before they had met Marina Russell, ne Sartin, of Upwey and they decided a return visit would be worthwhile which, in the circumstances was very brave of them. She had a huge repertoire and once they had stirred her into singing, which probably didn't take very much in the way of persuasion, she was away. They were probably the first captive audience she had had in many years. They described her as 'Infuriating and unstoppable' but their main problem was that they had arrived a few years too late. Marina couldn't remember many of the verses, she hopped from one song to another and back again with Robert trying frantically to write down the words and Henry the tunes. Nevertheless they stuck to their task and added another 17 songs to the 83 they had noted on their first visit to Upwey. There was nothing particularly special about the words to Marina's ballads, many of them were fairly standard folk songs but some of the tunes w ere lovely. Over the years she must have, quite unconsciously, changed them to suit her own voice and style and the Hammonds were delighted. They didn't think anyone would sing the old songs again but the tunes were definitely worth preserving. We've proved them wrong in one way but we do owe them a great debt. If it hadn't been for people like them much of our musical heritage would have disappeared for good.
Doing the Dorset Dirt
On the 17th of September, I and 82 other slightly silly souls, did the Dorset Dirt. It's a 50 kilometre off-road cycle ride around the lovely hills (you notice I emphasise the word hills) of Dorset. It was a grand day and I only fell off once. I did a slow back flop into a gorse bush. Apparently I did it very gracefully and it was reckoned to be missed photo opportunity of the month. The object of the exercise was to raise money for The Dorset Association for the Disabled and The Children of Fiji. Both of which are charities close to my heart. Thanks to your generosity I managed to accumulate £720 which I split evenly between the two causes. Many, many thanks to you.


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Trucking Company, CRST, to Pay 'Pittance' in Major Sex-Harassment Case
A trucking company will pay $50,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit, a token payment to avoid trial in a closely watched case that has sharply limited the government's ability to file large workplace discrimination lawsuits in several states.
Cedar Rapids-based CRST Van Expedited Inc. agreed to the payment Friday to Monika Starke, the lone remaining plaintiff in what had once been a major lawsuit by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In exchange, the company avoided the cost of defending itself against Starke's allegations that it was too slow to respond to her claims that a male trainer had sexually harassed her.
The settlement is a pittance compared to what CRST, one of the nation's largest interstate trucking companies, might have had to pay if federal judges hadn't drastically narrowed the scope of the lawsuit and made it harder for the EEOC to pursue class-action discrimination cases in the region. In an unusual provision for an EEOC settlement that underscores how badly it fared, CRST will be allowed to try to recoup from it millions of dollars the company spent fighting allegations by other women who were dismissed.
More:Sign Up For AOL Jobs' NewsletterCRST CEO David Rusch said Monday that he believes the company would have prevailed at trial, but agreed to the settlement to avoid spending up to $1 million defending itself. He said the company has already spent more than $12 million on attorneys, and hopes a judge will order the commission to pay some of those costs. Rusch said the EEOC filed a lawsuit before interviewing all the women who it alleged were victims. He said sexual harassment did happen at CRST, but company officials had procedures for reporting and preventing it.
"Somebody was claiming that we tolerate harassment, which is absolutely erroneous, absolutely a witch hunt, and that's why we took the aggressive posture that we did," he said.
The case began with a 2005 complaint from Starke, an Azle, Texas, driver who alleged that she was paired with a male colleague who constantly made crude sexual remarks and advances toward her. The company denied her claims. After failing to reach settlement, the EEOC filed a class-action lawsuit in 2007 on behalf of female CRST drivers who it said were subjected to offensive comments, groped or even assaulted by male trainers and co-drivers during cross-country trips.
More:Trucker Harassment Class-Action Suit BackfiresThe commission sent letters to notify female employees, and dozens stepped forward with complaints. CRST is known for its "team driving" concept, in which trucks are driven by two drivers who alternate between driving and sleeping.
CRST argued that it immediately investigated reports of harassment and took actions such as reassigning drivers. Complaints by many of the women already had been dealt with internally, Rusch said.
U.S. District Judge Linda Reade faulted the commission for being slow to identify the class and complained that its lawyers were using the discovery process to identify victims and investigate claims, rather than doing so beforehand. Eventually, the agency said that it would bring claims for 270 women, but only 150 were deposed by a court deadline. For various legal reasons, all the claims except Starke's were ultimately dismissed. Reade acknowledged that she threw out potentially worthy allegations by dozens of women because the commission took a "sue first, ask questions later" litigation strategy.
Last year, a panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, which hears cases from the Dakotas to Arkansas, largely upheld Reade's ruling in a 2-1 decision, but reinstated Starke's claim and set aside Reade's award to CRST of $4.5 million in legal fees.
The panel ruled that the EEOC must investigate the claims of every potential victim and seek informal settlements on their behalf before filing class-action lawsuits. This made it harder for the government to pursue similar class-action cases in that region than anywhere else in the U.S.
More:Feds Cut Way Back On Probes Of Worker Harassment, Discrimination CasesCommission officials have argued that the stricter standard would impede its ability to enforce laws at workplaces with widespread discrimination and harassment. They say it is impractical to identify every possible victim in large cases and the requirement may reward employers who withhold information.
"This case has been a bad dream for the EEOC," said Chicago lawyer Gerald Maatman, who represents companies sued by the EEOC. "Their position has been rejected pretty thoroughly and it's created problems for them. And now employers are pressing this argument in other areas of the country."
He said the standard is important because employers facing commission lawsuits want to know how big damages could be before deciding whether to settle. Judges in the 6th Circuit recently ruled in the commission's favor in a similar case, ruling that a lawsuit against Cintas Corp. on behalf of female employees in Michigan could proceed.
The parties reached Friday's settlement after Reade ruled that 15 other women who claimed harassment would not be allowed to testify at Starke's trial. Maatman said he now expected "a big battle" over whether and how much the commission should pay in fees.
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The New York State Unified Court System established an "Attorney Emeritus" status for attorneys in good standing, who are at least 55 years old, with a minimum of 10 years experience. The Attorney Emeritus Program (AEP) involves partnerships among the courts, legal services providers, bar associations, and law schools. Emeritus attorneys volunteer with approved pro bono legal service programs and assist, in myriad ways, to help meet the needs of growing numbers of New Yorkers who cannot afford counsel.
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text: Friday, July 27, 2012 APTA Launches Collaborative Care Models Community Page APTA recently launched a Collaborative Care Models discussion forum in APTA Communities to allow members to discuss issues related to new collaborative care models under health reform, such as accountable care organizations (ACOs), patient-centered medical homes, and bundled payments. APTA is working to support members in their success within these models, and welcomes any questions for discussion within this community. In addition, the association wants to connect you with your peers who are working within similar models, allowing you to share both your opportunities and challenges. Members who are participating in a health care model that incorporates a patient-centered medical home or ACO, or implements bundled payments are encouraged to share their experiences and best practices, including tools or processes that have led to their successful participation. Members who are not practicing in 1 of these models, but are interesting in doing so, can post any questions or discuss any barriers that they are experiencing. APTA also will provide answers to frequently asked questions in this forum. To access the community, go to APTA Communities and click on the "Collaborative Care Models" link on the left-hand side. Don't forget to sign up to receive alerts when new postings become available. Additional information regarding these models of care can be found at www.apta.org/ACO. If you have further questions, contact firstname.lastname@example.com.


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PHP continues to push out new advancements!We've enabled 7.1 and from now on, all new services will be automatically provisioned with the latest and greatest. Please remember, you can pick an alternative version in your cPanel account if you require it. We recommend running PHP 7 or higher for better performing applications.PHP 4.4, 5.1 and 5.2 ... Read More »
Hey there,We've recently made a change to our deployment process that will automatically provision new Shared services with PHP 7.0 as opposed to PHP 5.5.We've made this change since most common PHP-based CMSs and other PHP applications now support the faster and higher performing PHP 7 and are slowly deprecatingolder PHP support. What does this ... Read More »
Anchor Reef has entered into "Beta" status. Please note that continued use of this service and/or products consitutes an agreement to the "Beta - Terms and Conditions"
Welcome to Anchor Reef, a new product from Anchor Systems!


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Academic Policy Details
Honors Programming
To be eligible for the program, incoming freshmen need to have a high ACT score (we are looking for something above a 25) and a high cumulative GPA (something around 3.5/4.0). Students will provide an essay that demonstrates their writing ability and complete an interview with the honors program director. Student who believe their academic ability and leadership qualities are not accurately reflected by their ACT and GPA scores may apply and discuss these issues with the director. Current students and transfer students may apply a anytime and will need to speak to the honors director about meeting requirements.
Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher to remain in the program. If a student's GPA falls below 3.4, the student is given one semester of probation to bring the GPA to 3.4 or higher.
To build community among the participants and make connections with the faculty, students complete the program as a cohort, taking the required courses together and in sequence. Students complete the required 20 hours of course work and during their final semester, students complete a thesis or similar project and present it to the campus community.
(Revised 5/06/2008)
These policies apply to the Semester Program/On Campus students only. Graduate College Students will need to consult the Graduate College Bulletin.


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Kristen talks with Fotogramas about Marylou, her character in On The Road, life after Twilight, and her ever-growing fanbase.
Translated by @WoahRobsten
Kristen Stewart, a girl like others
The Kristen Stewart we met in Cannes at the premiere of 'On the Road' is different. More daring, more free. And she does not renounce her fame. She knows what is the reason for her success: she's like her fans, that's why they like her. She tells us why she's a girl like the others.
Kristen Stewart (Los Angeles, 1990) has the look of an iconic person. With only 22, she has gotten into the skin of several legendary figures of the past and present. As Joan Jett of The Runaways (Floria Sigismondi, 2010), she approached the punk rock of the 70s to a young audience. With Snow White and the Huntsman (Rupert Sanders, 2012) breathed a contemporary determination to the heroin by the Brothers Grimm. And as Bella Swan in the pentalogy Twilight Saga she became the Juliet of a new generation. Now, in On the Road, an adaptation of the legendary novel by Jack Kerouac, Stewart plays Marylou, the lively travel companion of Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty. And despite all this history, she is still a young retracted girl finding his way to the microphones of journalists and the flashes of photographers, who she amazes -or desconcerts- with explosives looks. With her meet with FOTOGRAMAS at the Cannes Film Festival, the actress wears a shirt with the single cover of 'Picture This' of Blondie (design by Dolce & Gabbana), black mini-shorts, high heels and an orange Balenciaga leather jacket. There you have it.
"Each time I find out that is less hard for me to stand in front of a microphone," the actress confesses with that fast and choppy talking that has converted her in the perfect embodiment of post-adolescent angst. "Some time ago, I worried too much about protecting my privacy and I didn't know how to mark the boundaries. With the time, I have been adapting myself, letting out a little. Also, everything changes when you get to promote something you believe deeply in, as with my role in On the Road." Stewart tries to project a serene image: her words and reactions are restraint, yet her youthful momentum explodes in sudden outbreaks of excitement, as when she exclaims: "I think it's soooo ridiculous when an actor tries to sell himself like someone super interesting! Some people just end becoming their own media product. Before, I had a terrible shame that people could see me that way, so that's why I always tended to show tight."
Learn how to lose control
As with most of the young Americans, the novel On the Road was for Kristen Stewart a mirror in which to dump her longings of adolescence. "I always identified with the character of Sal Paradise, who is mostly an observer. I'm not the type of person who open roads. I am not a natural leader. However, in parallel, the novel awoke the desire in me to grow beyond my limitations, to be a little more like Dean Moriarty or Marylou." Thus, the film directed by Brazilian Walter Salles has allowed Stewart get under the skin of her former spiritual guide. Many people have the impression that Marylou was used almost as an object for the other characters, but in reality she received as much as she gave. For the actress, the key is how the character laughs. "When Marylou laughs, she does in a expansive and generous way, she wants to give and give for her to receive more and more. I, however, tend to laugh inwardly into myself. That small difference identifies two very different approaches to life," Stewart concludes.
These character differences made Stewart hesitated when approaching to the character of Marylou. "I was worried about not being able to lose control and let it go. Luckily I got it" (laughs to herself). "Usually I distrust of actors who boast that a character has changed them as people, but it is true that sometimes a character can reveal a part of yourself that was hidden. Interpreting Marylou has shown me that I can be like her." In this walk on the wild side of life, Stewart had to assemble a fictional trio with the actors Sam Riley and Garrett Hedlund. "In reality, the trio scene was simpler than the other sex scenes that were more intimate and intense. It was one of the first scenes we shot and was obsessed with talking like the real Marylou: I wanted to imitate the speech they had in the 40s. I was so worried about how my voice sounded that I almost forgot that I was half naked!"
The fame and Twilight
There are a few young actresses who have experienced the fan phenomenon so intense as Kristen Stewart has. What does the actress think about the legion of followers that idolize her fervently? "Celebrities tend to be placed on a different level than the rest of the people, but I would like to tell my fans: You love me because we are alike! We are equal!"
The message could be read as a call for help: it should be easy to live under the watchful eyes of the fans … and the paparazzi.
Meanwhile, from the questioned altar that offers fame, Kristen Stewart feels any responsibility towards her followers? The actress appears cautious. Is aware that Marylou in On the Road-a girl eager to experience the spiritual and sexual freedom- is not an exemplary character in the traditional sense of the term: "People are free to choose their role models. I think if you're not old enough to see and understand a film like this, you should not see it."
And speaking of fans, it is impossible not to look back and remember the passing of Stewart by that whirlwind teen that was The Twilight Saga. "I vividly remember the moment when I realized it would be more successful than I expected," says the actress. It was at Comic-Con San Diego 2008: "I expected an intimate encounter with fans, I was convinced I had starred in a strange little film. And then suddenly appeared 6,000 followers absolutely dedicated! It was surprising and shocking." A star was born.
The maturity of the star?
There is no doubt that the work of Kristen Stewart in On the Road is a leap of complexity and maturity in the career of the young star. However, the actress maintains that he decisions "do not respond to a master plan: I have not too much tactful with regard to the design of my career." Stewart acknowledges that "my participation in The Twilight Saga has overshadowed the rest of my work," such as her role as Jodie Foster's diabetic daughter in Panic Room (David Fincher, 2002), his work on the orders of Sean Penn in the drama Into the Wild (2007) or his foray into the generational drama Greg Mottola's hand moving in Adventureland (2009).
To argue that hers is not a sudden turn, Stewart claimed other jobs that she did that involved committed thematics: "At just 13, I starred Speak (Jessica Sharzer, 2004), a film about the trauma that was dragging a girl who had been raped. Maybe I was so young to make a film like that, but I changed as an actress and it revealed the true potential of cinema. And then there's Welcome to the Rileys (Jake Scott, 2010), where I was a stripper teenager. If that is not an adult film" … Stewart ends.
Source: ItsOkToBeYou


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Our oldest is kinda a genius. I mean- this girl at age 7 can do math problems in her head that make my head turn around backwards. But she's a nervous and anxious kind of child. She worries a lot. She's often afraid to try new things. She takes on other people's problems and that is a lot of pressure for a small child. We took her to a counselor this summer who taught her lots of great coping skills for when she's feeling nervous or unsure or worried about something. One of those coping skills was writing about her feelings. Often times, her writings have been great starters for big conversations with her. But last week she wrote something that nearly broke my heart in half. She wrote about my grandfather's death. He died over a year ago. We loved him dearly and he was one of the most remarkable men I've ever had the privilege of knowing. But I assumed that with the passing of time, that my daughter had "gotten over" losing our grandfather. After seeing this, I realize that I was so wrong.
I was really proud of my daughter for finding the words to express how she felt. We sat and talked about our favorite memories of him-how he was a jokester, how he had great nicknames for us (Meggie Lou and Sadie Lou), how he loved sweets and how he was always trying to pull one over on my grandmother. We talked about how he is having a wonderful time in heaven and that it is okay for us to miss him here on Earth. I think she just needed a lead in to being able to talk about him.
And if writing is a form of therapy, I suppose that I also just needed the space to write that I miss him, too.
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HANOI, Vietnam - A top Chinese diplomat will visit Vietnam this week after China's deployment of a giant oil rig off Vietnam's coast in May increased tensions.
Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh will discuss the oil rig when they meet at an annual bilateral event Yang is attending, Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh told reporters Monday.
Yang's visit will be the highest-level meeting between the two governments since the rig was deployed on May 1.
"As we have affirmed many times that Vietnam has always been patient to look for dialogues with China to peacefully resolve the tension in the East Sea," Binh said referring to the South China Sea. "This meeting, therefore, will surely be a channel and an event the two sides could discuss the issue to find out solutions for the current tension."
Minh and Yang spoke by phone in early May.
Vietnamese Foreign Ministry said in a statement at the time that Minh denounced China's placement of the oil rig, saying it seriously violated Vietnam's sovereignty and demanding China immediately withdraw the oil rig and its escorting vessels.
China's official Xinhua News Agency, however, quoted Yang as telling Minh that Vietnam should stop harassing China's normal drilling operations.
Col. Ngo Ngoc Thu, deputy commander of Vietnam's coast guard, dismissed China's allegations that Vietnamese vessels rammed Chinese ships 1,547 times. He said 36 Vietnamese vessels were rammed and damaged and that 15 Vietnamese fisheries patrol staff and two fishermen were injured.
He disputed Chinese accusations that Vietnamese divers left obstacles in the water to disrupt drilling operations. He said Vietnam did not use divers near the rig but that fishermen were forced to leave behind nets and other equipment because Chinese ships used water cannons to force the fishing boats to retreat.


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Weary travellers, prick up your ears! All those times you wished your suitcase was also a seat? They're over! And all those times you wished your seat had speakers? They're over too!
This is the Trip, by TravelTeq. It's small enough to fit in an overhead compartment and has a kangaroo pouch on the front for quickly accessing items without opening the whole thing up. But that's all pretty mundane in light of the fact that the Trip has little fold-out legs that turn it into a chair. That you can sit on! When you're tired at the airport and all the other seats are taken?
And that's not all! Another version of the Trip, the Trip Sound, has detachable speakers incorporated into the suitcase itself. And according to the press release, a battery for juicing up your iPhone or Blackberry on the go. The Trip Sound runs for €650 ($904) and the regular Trip for €595.($828) A bit pricey, but remember - you're not just buying luggage; you're buying luggage you can sit on and listen to. [TravelTeq]


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Top tools for testing your online security
Learn a structured approach for Web security that can make your security management tasks easier and increase your chances of success.
by Michael Cobb
Keeping a Web site secure is not just a case of relying on a firewall or hoping that a few short-term fixes will stop a problem from re-emerging. It is a continuous undertaking. By following a structured approach, you can make your security management tasks easier and increase your chances of success.
Security lifecycle
The initial hardening and configuration of your server is based solely on facts known at the time of set up. Reassessing a system on a continuous basis ensures that its security adapts and evolves to keep up with changes in technology that can affect the system and reduce the effectiveness of future attacks.
Lifecycle methodology
A lifecycle management process uses a standardized, repeatable set of procedures to upgrade, reassess and defend a site. Standardization ensures proper control over configurations of software and that tasks are executed in an orderly and predictable manner. Standardization also ensures no tasks are forgotten or left uncompleted. With well-defined policy guidelines an organization also ensures that responses to problems are suitably covered.
Lifecycle management means taking a long-term view and implementing proactive as well as reactive policies. For example, periodic vulnerability assessments ensure that you remain secure (proactive) and assess whether your policies support quick incident response (reactive). Always make sure those responsible for security have the training and the time to do the job. There is no point having regularly scheduled log reviews performed by someone who does not have the time or knowledge to analyze them effectively.
Assessing vulnerabilities
Vulnerability assessments are a critical process in the security lifecycle. They determine the security of health for your system. They should be planned as a regular part of your security maintenance procedures because vulnerabilities are continuously being discovered. You can use the same or similar tools to those of hackers to ensure your site is secure from attacks employed in the wild. My recommendations for free tools are:
- Network Mapper (Nmap) from www.insecure.org/nmap
- Nessus from www.nessus.org
- Microsoft Security Baseline Analyzer available from www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsahome.mspx
Another option is to employ a Red Team to attack your system and uncover system weaknesses. This ethical hacking is a controlled simulation of an attack. Any holes found by the Red Team are fixed before a real intrusion occurs. Simulated attacks also provide your security team with realistic training in attack response.
Responding to an intrusion
Despite your best efforts, your server may be successfully attacked. , consult your security policy, which should outline procedures for responding to the compromise. If you do not have a security policy, immediately consult with management to ensure the recovery effort is coordinated with other departments such as the media and legal teams.
Next, regain control of your system. Disconnect all compromised machines from the network, including any dial-in connections to prevent the intruder from defeating your attempts to recover the machines. After that, you may wish to operate in single-user mode in Unix or as the local administrator in Windows, to ensure that you have complete control of the machine. This will prevent users, intruders and intruder processes from accessing or changing state on the compromised machine while you continue the recovery process. Note, however, that if you reboot you may lose some useful information, because all processes executing at the time of discovery will be killed. Therefore, you may want to determine if the compromised system is running a network sniffer in order to remove it before rebooting. If you are dealing with a mission-critical application, you probably cannot wait for the outcome of a detailed post-mortem to determine how the compromise occurred, so create a backup of your system. This will provide a "snapshot" of the file system at the time that the compromise was discovered. You can refer to this backup in the future when analyzing the intrusion. You may also wish to contact law enforcement agencies to investigate the case.
To recover from the intrusion you must install a clean version of the OS and ensure all unnecessary services are disabled. Next, consult CERT advisories, summaries and vendor bulletins for the latest configuration guidelines for your OS, the services you are running and any security tools being used. Ensure that you install all vendor security patches and that all passwords are changed. Enable maximum logging for a while in case you are subject to another attack. Before you restore data from backups ensure that they have not been compromised by the attack.
Finally, as your Web site has been compromised, you must obviously look to enhance the security of your system and network before reconnecting it to the Internet. You will need to update your security policy to document the lessons learned and incorporate the changes made to the system. You should also calculate the cost of the incident to help with future risk analysis cost return calculations.
An excellent checklist and steps to follow to recover from a Unix or Windows system compromise is available at http://www.cert.org/tech_tips/root_compromise.html.


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This just in to the NOTY Action News Newsroom:
Dateline: Missoula, Mont.:
A Missoula man allegedly broke into the home of a local couple early Thursday morning and tried to steal their stereo equipment, but was arrested after police found him asleep in the basement.
Later in the day, Iam Wright appeared in Missoula County Justice Court on felony charges of theft and burglary.
Iam Dork for falling asleep while breaking the law.
Police entered the woman's home and found Wright in the basement, lying on the floor with his eyes closed. He did not respond to the officers' commands until he was threatened with a Taser, at which point he complied with police.
Iam Smart for not getting Tasered.
Wright explained he was drunk and had passed out after a party at the residence, but the woman and her husband said they hadn't hosted a party.
All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz and Iam Fine.
What's more, the man was lying next to a black bag that belonged to the couple. It was filled with the couple's Bose stereo, a subwoofer, and the woman's backpack and wallet.
Wright faces possible penalties of 30 years in the Montana State Prison and fines of up to $100,000.
Iam Big Drunken Idiot.
(Thanks to NOTY reader Adam.)


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Nakkers needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 50 designs submitted by 16 freelance designers.
New auto loans company needs a logo, one38.org- a strong brand is required for fast auto loan image.
We are an auto loan provider. Looking for a strong image, probably based around the one38 concept - speed, 138 miles per hour etc. I don't want to give too much direction as I am looking forward to viewing your creativity!
Should be bright and lively design, the template is quite neutral so most colour combinations should fit.
- Brand name - One38
- Tag line - Fast Auto Loans or something that fits
- Neutral designs
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.