text:
International community pulls together to provide aid for Irma-hit Caribbean
As hurricane Irma passes over Florida and hurricane Jose heads out to sea, various international governments prepare to provide aid for and continue to evacuate citizens from the Caribbean.
| Havana
With ports mended and weather cleared, officials sent in more aid and arranged stepped-up evacuations Monday in remote Caribbean islands devastated and cut off by hurricane Irma.
Many in the chain of Leeward Islands known as the playground for the rich and famous have criticized governments for failing to respond quickly to the disaster caused by the Category 5 hurricane.
The storm stripped the islands' formerly lush green hills to a brown stubble and flattened buildings, then swamped much of Cuba's coastline, including Havana's iconic Malecon seawall.
At least 24 people died in Anguilla, Barbuda, the French-Dutch island of St. Martin, St. Barts, the US Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands. Among them was a 2-year-old boy swept away when his home filled with water.
Residents have reported shortages of food, water, and medicine, and many have complained of looting.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson defended his government's response to what he called an "unprecedented catastrophe" and promised to increase funding for the relief effort. Britain has sent a navy ship and almost 500 troops to help people on the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, and the Turks and Caicos islands that were pummeled by the hurricane.
The US government said it was sending a flight Monday to evacuate its citizens from one of the hardest hit islands, St. Martin. Evacuees were warned to expect long lines and no running water at the airport.
A Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship was expected to dock near St. Martin to help in the aftermath, and a boat was bringing a 5-ton crane capable of unloading large shipping containers filled with aid. A French military ship was scheduled to arrive Tuesday with materials to build temporary housing.
Some 70 percent of the beds at the main hospital in the French portion of St. Martin were severely damaged, and more than 100 people in need of urgent medical care have been evacuated. Eight of the territory's 11 pharmacies were destroyed, and Guadeloupe was sending medication.
On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron was scheduled to arrive in St. Martin to bring aid and fend off criticism that he didn't do enough to respond to the storm's wrath.
Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said the "whole government is mobilized" to help and the pillaging that hit the island in the immediate aftermath of the storm had stopped.
Mr. Macron promised to go to the region as soon as weather conditions allowed. Soon after Irma left 10 dead on St. Martin, Category 4 hurricane Jose threatened the area, halting evacuations for hours before heading out to sea and causing little additional damage.
Also hit hard was Cuba, where central Havana neighborhoods along the coast between the Almendares River and the harbor suffered the brunt of the flooding. Seawater penetrated as much as one-third of a mile inland in places.
There were no reported fatalities in Cuba, and government officials credited their disaster preparedness and evacuation of more than 1 million people from flood-prone areas.
Hector Pulpito recounted a harrowing night at his job as night custodian of a parking lot that flooded five blocks from the sea in Havana's Vedado neighborhood.
"This was the worst of the storms I have been through, and the sea rose much higher," Mr. Pulpito said. "The trees were shaking. Metal roofs went flying."
Cuban state television reported severe damage to hotels on the northern keys off Ciego de Avila and Camaguey provinces.
The Communist Party newspaper Granma reported that the Jardines del Rey airport serving the northern keys was destroyed and posted photos to Twitter showing the shattered terminal hall littered with debris.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


text:
Schilling's bloody sock up for sale
His video game company in bankruptcy, former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling is selling the blood-stained sock he wore during the 2004 World Series.
The sports director at Heritage Auctions tells The Associated Press online bidding begins around Feb. 4. Live bidding will take place in New York City on Feb. 23.
The sock had been on loan to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. It's now at Heritage's Dallas headquarters and is expected to bring in at least $100,000.
Schilling's 38 Studios was lured to Rhode Island from Massachusetts with a $75 million loan guarantee, and it later filed for bankruptcy.
Schilling guaranteed loans for the business. The state also is now likely responsible for some $100 million related to the deal.
A message was left for Schilling's publicist.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Waterwatch Data Portal
Broken River Catchment Goulburn-Broken Water Authority|Broken River Basin
In the Goulburn-Broken region, there are two basins. These are the Goulburn River and Broken River basins. The Broken River basin contains the Broken River catchment
|Sub catchment name
|Broken Creek
|Catchment name
|Broken River
|Monitoring organisations
ISC Reaches
Active Sites 0
|Site details
Catchment Snapshot
The catchment snapshot uses site samples to show the median values for the period over each reach of the river.
More details can be found in the Index of Stream Condition report relevant to this region
More details can be found in the Index of Stream Condition report relevant to this region
Chart filters
Reach location
All content, files, data and images provided by the Waterwatch Data Portal and Gallery are subject to a Creative Commons Attribution License
Content is made available to be used in any way, and should always attribute Waterwatch and www.vic.waterwatch.org.au


text: LU|ZONE|UL Collection: https://zone.biblio.laurentian.ca/handle/10219/331 2023-09-30T22:36:07Z 2023-09-30T22:36:07Z The German Encounter with Socialism, Democracy and Nationalism: Friedrich Ebert, 1871-1925 Buse, Dieter https://zone.biblio.laurentian.ca/handle/10219/1994 2019-07-31T04:11:07Z 2013-05-06T00:00:00Z Title: The German Encounter with Socialism, Democracy and Nationalism: Friedrich Ebert, 1871-1925 Authors: Buse, Dieter Abstract: This three-part study of one of Germany's most important politicians of the early 20th century examines a biography in social context. It has been researched over a long period of time and the author was never satisfied with the third part. Part one explores the rise of Friedrich Ebert in German Social Democracy, the world's largest pre-World War I social movement. His socialization in Imperial Germany, his more moderate ideological stance by the time he became a party secretary in 1905 and party co-leader in 1913 is traced in depth as he moved from agitator to organizer and part of a collegial leadership. Part two traces his shift in priorities from attaining socialism to establishing parliamentary government. He became by 1915/16 the decisive person in an altered Social Democracy that became ever more integrated in the German political system while still trying to reform it. In 1918/19 he headed the government during the revolutionary era at war's end when he hindered more than aided transformation. His role remains a topic of division and debate among historians. Part three demonstrates how the national values of the war influenced his outlook and actions on behalf of the German state which he hoped to restore to great power status. By the time of his death he had moved to the political right as he associated with industrialists, militarists and state bureaucrats from the Imperial era and mostly lost contact to the working class from which he had emerged. 2013-05-06T00:00:00Z Our Grandfather's Axe: from Krumbeck to Canada by way of Poland and Russia 1756 - 1961 Buse, Adolf Buse, Dieter K. https://zone.biblio.laurentian.ca/handle/10219/332 2019-07-30T16:44:53Z 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Title: Our Grandfather's Axe: from Krumbeck to Canada by way of Poland and Russia 1756 - 1961 Authors: Buse, Adolf; Buse, Dieter K. 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z


text:
Markus Krötzsch
From semantic-mediawiki.org
(Redirected from Markus Krötzsch)
|First name
|Job title
|Agenda Picture
|Social links
|About me
|SMWCon Fall 2010,SMWCon Fall 2011,SMWCon Fall 2012,SMWCon Fall 2013,SMWCon Fall 2015,SMWCon Fall 2018
|Talk Other SMWCon Talks
|Community discussion
|Traditional SMWCon feedback session for all participants
|SMWCon Spring 2014
|Wikidata and what it means for SMW
|This keynote talk will given an overview of Wikidata and the underlying MediaWiki extension Wikibase, and it will discuss the impact that these developments have on SMW.
|SMWCon Spring 2014
|SMW, Semantic Web and Wikidata Q&A
|A semi-structured Q&A with potential hands-on elements enabling participants to better understand and apply these technologies.
|SMWCon Spring 2014
|Knowledge Graph research and the role of SMW
|In a panel discussion we will highlight the state of the art about knowledge graph research and talk about the role of SMW.
|SMWCon Fall 2020
|The homepage of the International Center for Computational Logic
|Usage, Skinning, and Microdata as used by the homepage of the International Center for Computational Logic
|SMWCon Fall 2015
|Community discussion
|Community discussion about the future of SMW and SMWCon
|SMWCon Fall 2015
|Community discussion
|Traditional SMWCon feedback session for all participants
|SMWCon Fall 2013
|Current status and next steps for SMW
|The yearly "what happened and what are we working on now" talk
|SMWCon Fall 2012
|Semantic MediaWiki: An Introduction
|A first introduction to MediaWiki and Semantic MediaWiki
|SMWCon Fall 2012
|Customizing MediaWiki skin actions with SMW
|Micro-tutorial on improving the wiki UI using SMW data
|SMWCon Fall 2012
Markus Krötzsch is the current lead of the SMW Project and maintainer of this site. Together with Denny Vrandečić he founded the project in late 2005 (supported by many contributors). Markus also is a co-author of the textbook Foundations of Semantic Web Technologies, maintainer of the semanticweb.org community platform, and co-editor of the W3C OWL 2 specification. Please see his homepage for up-to-date information about his activities.
Contact him at
markussemantic-mediawiki.org for official SMW-related requests. Note that free user support is provided elsewhere.


text:
"Chapter 1: Living What We Believe," Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith (2010)
"Chapter 1," Teachings: George Albert Smith
Chapter 1
Living What We Believe
Our religion must find expression in our everyday lives.
From the Life of George Albert Smith
When he was 34 years old, George Albert Smith made a list of resolutions that he called his "personal creed"—11 ideals that he committed to live by:
"I would be a friend to the friendless and find joy in ministering to the needs of the poor.
"I would visit the sick and afflicted and inspire in them a desire for faith to be healed.
"I would teach the truth to the understanding and blessing of all mankind.
"I would seek out the erring one and try to win him back to a righteous and a happy life.
"I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals but rather love them into doing the thing that is right.
"I would live with the masses and help to solve their problems that their earth life may be happy.
"I would avoid the publicity of high positions and discourage the flattery of thoughtless friends.
"I would not knowingly wound the feelings of any, not even one who may have wronged me, but would seek to do him good and make him my friend.
"I would overcome the tendency to selfishness and jealousy and rejoice in the successes of all the children of my Heavenly Father.
"I would not be an enemy to any living soul.
"Knowing that the Redeemer of mankind has offered to the world the only plan that will fully develop us and make us really happy here and hereafter, I feel it not only a duty but also a blessed privilege to disseminate this truth."1 [See suggestion 1 on page 9.]
Those who knew President Smith declared that he truly did live by his creed. Ezra Taft Benson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, shared an experience in which President Smith was true to his resolution to "visit the sick and afflicted and inspire in them a desire for faith to be healed":
"I shall never cease to be grateful for the visits he made to my home while I was [away] serving as a humble missionary. … Particularly I am thankful for a visit in the still of the night when our little one lay at death's door. Without any announcement, President Smith found time to come into that home and place his hands upon the head of that little one, held in her mother's arms as she had been for many hours, and promise her complete recovery. This was President Smith, he always had time to help, particularly those who were sick, those who needed him most."2
Spencer W. Kimball noted another instance in which President Smith's actions demonstrated his conviction to do good to "one who may have wronged [him]":
"It was reported to [President Smith] that someone had stolen from his buggy the buggy robe. Instead of being angry, he responded: 'I wish we knew who it was, so that we could give him the blanket also, for he must have been cold; and some food also, for he must have been hungry.'"3
Another observer wrote of George Albert Smith: "His religion is not doctrine in cold storage. It is not theory. It means more to him than a beautiful plan to be admired. It is more than a philosophy of life. To one of his practical turn of mind, religion is the spirit in which a man lives, in which he does things, if it be only to say a kind word or give a cup of cold water. His religion must find expression in deeds. It must carry over into the details of daily life."4
One of his counselors in the First Presidency, President J. Reuben Clark Jr., summed up President Smith's personal integrity with these words: "He was one of those few people of whom you can say he lived as he taught."5
Teachings of George Albert Smith
Our obedience to the gospel—not just our Church membership—qualifies us to be called Saints.
Worship in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a devoted life, a desire to be worthy of him in whose image we have been created and who has given us all … that is worth while—the gospel of Jesus Christ.6
What a fine thing it is to feel that we belong to a church that is or should be composed of saints. It is not sufficient that we have our names upon the records. It is important that we live the lives that entitle us to be called Saints, and if you will do that, you will be happy. …
When Jesus of Nazareth came into the world and began preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, there were many, particularly the self-righteous Pharisees, who rejected His message, claiming that they were the descendants of Abraham and indicated that their lineage would save them in the Kingdom of God.
The Savior informed them that if they were children of Abraham, they would do the works of Abraham. [See John 8:33–39.] I would like to say to the Latter-day Saints, if we are worthy to be called Latter-day Saints, it will be because we are living the lives of saints, and it is the purpose of the Gospel to qualify us in that way. The world has gotten into such a condition and has been deceived by the adversary for such a long time and has declared that the mere belief in God is all that is necessary, that I am fearful for it. That is only a trick of the adversary.7 [See suggestion 2 on page 9.]
"Mormonism," so-called, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, consequently it is the power of God unto salvation to all those who believe and obey its teachings. It is not those who say, "Lord, Lord," who enjoy the companionship of His spirit but those who do His will [see Luke 6:46].8
Referring to the 7th chapter of Matthew and the 24th verse, I find the following:
"Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock.
"And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." [Matthew 7:24–27.]
How many of us, learning the will of the Father, are doing it? How many of us day by day are laying a foundation and building a structure that shall conform to the dignity of the stature of our Master? 'Yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple.' [D&C 93:35.] He has given us intelligence and wisdom above our fellowmen. A knowledge of pre-existence has been given to the Latter-day Saints; a knowledge that we are here because we kept our first estate, and that we have been given the opportunity of gaining eternal life in the presence of our Heavenly Father, by keeping our second estate. We will not be judged as our brothers and sisters of the world are judged, but according to the greater opportunities placed in our keeping. We will be among those who have received the word of the Lord, who have heard His sayings, and if we do them it will be to us eternal life, but if we fail condemnation will result.9
Let us do better than we have ever done before. Let us renew our determination to be real Latter-day Saints, and not just make-believe. … I do not know anybody who can not do a little better than he has been doing, if he makes up his mind.10
Our Heavenly Father expects us to prepare for and live worthy of His promised blessings.
I have opened to the twenty-second chapter of St. Matthew's account of the Savior's teaching, and will read this particular parable:
"And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,
"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
"And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding. …
"And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
"And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
"Then saith the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
"For many are called, but few are chosen." [See Matthew 22:1–3, 11–14.] …
… Here was a man who came into the wedding feast, and when the time came the king or the master saw that he didn't have a wedding garment on. He had ignored the importance of it, apparently. He had come in, not prepared, expecting to participate. He had come to the feast—they had all been bidden to the feast, but I assume that they were supposed to know that only those would be admitted who were properly clothed, and this man was amazed when the question was asked him why he was there in that condition.
The world seems to think that they can come whenever they are ready. Our Father's children do not understand that there is some preparation to be made. The adversary has so deceived them as to make them believe that no preparation is necessary, anything will do, but in this message that the Savior gave in a parable to his associates we are informed that there must be some preparation, and without that preparation no one will be permitted to partake of the more precious gifts of our Heavenly Father. That applies to the membership of this Church who have an idea that because they have been invited, and because their names appear upon the record among those who have been called, there is nothing more for them to do. … They have forgotten the Lord and are not preparing for the feast to which he has invited them.
Our Heavenly Father intends that we shall prepare for the wedding feast or we will be excluded. He expects us to continue to store our minds with the truth, and to disseminate that truth as opportunity offers among all his children. The fact that our names appear upon the Church records is no guarantee that we will find our place in the celestial kingdom. Only those who live worthy to be members of that kingdom shall find place there.
In the midst of the unsettled condition, the uncertainty that is in the world, if there ever was a time when we should examine ourselves, to find out if we are doing what the Lord would have us do, it is today; if there ever was a time when we should be sure that we are in the pathway of eternal life, it is now. We can't slight these opportunities. God will not be mocked. When he has offered to us a gift, when he has placed within our reach a blessing, when he has invited us to partake of a feast and we ignore it, we may be sure that we shall suffer the distress that will come to those who refuse the blessings of the Lord when they are offered.11
We cannot live like the world and expect to obtain our rightful place in the Kingdom. The Lord tells us in the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants, referring to evil: that he cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance [see D&C 1:31]. This is hard medicine, because some of us in the Church have the idea that we can trifle with the Gospel of our Lord and with fundamentals of Eternal Life, and yet gain the place we want. This is not true. The Lord will be merciful, but he will be just, and if we want any blessing there is only one way we may obtain it, and that is to keep the commandments that will entitle us to the blessing.12 [See suggestion 3 on page 9.]
If we are doing our full duty, our lives give evidence of our belief in the gospel.
Within the last year, I have had the privilege of meeting and conversing on the gospel with some men who live in this community [Salt Lake City], not members of our Church. One man had resided here for twenty years, a man whose life is above reproach, a good citizen, a splendid business man, one who has kindly feelings towards our people. He told me that he had lived here twenty years, and he had come to the conclusion that we were just as good as our neighbors who are members of other churches; he could not see any difference in us.
I want to say to you, my brethren and sisters, that is no compliment to me. If the gospel of Jesus Christ does not make me a better man, then I have not developed as I should, and if our neighbors not in this Church can live among us from year to year and see no evidence of the benefits that come from keeping the commandments of God in our lives, then there is need for reform in Israel. …
… Are you doing your duty? are we performing the labor that the Lord has entrusted to our care? do we sense the responsibility that is upon us? or are we idly floating down stream, going with the tide taking it for granted that in the last day, we will be redeemed?13
We are called a peculiar people [see 1 Peter 2:9] because, perchance, we thoroughly believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. …
If our peculiarity went to the extent that we lived by every word that proceeds from the mouth of our Heavenly Father [see D&C 84:44], then we would indeed be a blessed people. We do, to a large degree, live by the testimony that has been given to us by our Redeemer, and thus far we are a blessed people; but we would be yet more greatly blessed and prospered if we could bring ourselves to do our full duty.
I pray that the spirit which will enable us to serve faithfully may be with us, that the desire to do good may overcome the temptations that are placed in our way, and that, wherever we go, others observing our good works may be constrained to glorify our Father who is in heaven [see Matthew 5:16].14
Now let us examine ourselves. Are we doing as much as we should? And if we are not, let us turn around and do better. If we are doing as we should, if we are reaching out in all directions to do good to the children of our Father, then we will bring to ourselves the blessing of an all wise Father, and we will rejoice in the good that we accomplish here. …
Let us be humble and prayerful, living near to our Heavenly Father, and evidence our belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ by living up to its principles. Let us evidence our faith in God, and in the work He has given to the earth, by a correct and consistent life, for after all that is the strongest testimony that we will be able to bear of the truth of this work.15 [See suggestion 4 on page 10.]
Suggestions for Study and Teaching
Consider these ideas as you study the chapter or as you prepare to teach. For additional help, see pages v–vii.
As you review President Smith's creed (pages 1–2), think of some ideals or principles that you would like to follow in your own life. Consider recording them in a personal journal.
Read the first four full paragraphs on page 3. What does it mean to be a Latter-day Saint? What can a parent do to help their children learn to live the life of a saint?
As you read the section that begins on page 5, think about how the parable of the wedding feast might apply to your life (see also Matthew 22:1–14). For example, what do you think the wedding feast represents? Whom do the invited guests represent? Ponder what you can do to "prepare for the wedding feast" (page 6).
Read the last paragraph of teachings (on page 9) and think of someone you know who has a strong testimony of the gospel. How does that person's life give evidence of his or her testimony? Consider what you can do to give evidence of your testimony.
Related Scriptures: Matthew 7:16–23; James 1:22–25; 2:15–18; 1 John 2:3–6; Moroni 7:3–5; Doctrine and Covenants 41:5
Teaching help: "To help us teach from the scriptures and the words of latter-day prophets, the Church has produced lesson manuals and other materials. There is little need for commentaries or other reference material" (Teaching, No Greater Call: A Resource Guide for Gospel Teaching [1999], 52).


text: When upgrading your engines performance and horsepower, it is essential to upgrade your cooling system as well. The BWR Radiator Hose Kits are hand crafted to ensure the highest quality. With the newly designed 4-ply (one of the only 4-ply kits on the market) design these hoses will handle the high temperatures and higher pressures produced by high performance Honda/ Acura engines. BWR's kit is ideal for both your full on race car or your daily driven street grocery getter. Along with all of the performance and reliability benefits you will gain, this hose kit will also give your engine bay a clean and amazing look. Most kits are available in Black,Blue, and Red.


text:
Nov. 22, 2013 — -- The Federal Communications Commission will consider a change to the restrictions on cellular phone calls during flights, it announced Thursday.
But those worried about being awakened from their nap at 30,000 feet by a gabbing neighbor might not have much to fear yet.
The decision could take a year, and even then it will be up to the airlines to decide whether to permit calling. And many airlines have already expressed apprehension about the idea of turning on the ringers in the sky.
"Our initial customer feedback indicates people may not want the current FCC policy to change," JetBlue said in a statement to ABC News.
United Airlines echoed the same thoughts. "Our customers have expressed concern about how the use of cellphones in-flight will impact their experience onboard," the company said in a statement. "When the FCC makes a proposal available, we will study it along with feedback from customers and crews."
Delta released a similar statement last month when the FAA announced that some gadgets, including tablets and e-readers, could be used before and during takeoff and landing if set on Airplane Mode.
"Delta has years of customer feedback on the impact on the customer experience and voice communications and the overwhelming sentiment is to continue with a policy that would not allow voice communications while in flight," it said.
Gogo Wants You to Text and Make Calls at 30,000 Feet
Airlines have long been sensitive to the idea that passengers don't like to hear conversations around them. On flights equipped with wireless networks, Internet calls using services like Skype or Google Talk or Apple's FaceTime are restricted not because of technical issues but because airlines prefer to maintain a quiet environment for passengers.
If approved, however, airlines might be willing to make some accommodations for those who would like the option to talk on the phone, similar to what Amtrak has done with its "Quiet Cars" on its trains.
"If the FCC's new policy does go into effect, we would prioritize making the cabin comfortable and welcoming for all - for those who want cell service and for those who like peace and quiet," JetBlue said.
Forget First and Coach class, perhaps the future holds a Quiet and a Calling class.
ABC News' Matt Hosford and David Kerley contributed to this report.


text:
I think I now truly realize how the application of permaculture principles
into our lives is the key to not only happiness, but health, freedom
and possibly even future survival in the next few centuries.
Sure...we can buy veg and fruit at the market,
but standing in the middle of your garden,
surrounded by life that has been co-created by your hands and heart,
is something that just can't be labeled with a upc code.
It goes so much deeper than healthy food.
Its about the deep connection to the sacred through the cycles of life.
Its about true freedom...self-reliance, and knowing that you are HEALING
your personal spot on this very special planet we call home.
Permaculture and the planting of FOOD FORESTS
will save the earth and feed every Earthling many times over.
By converting unused or formerly monocropped lands,
we can establish perennial food forests that will
feed us, save us money and energy compared to growing monocultures,
and make our world a much more magical place.
I truly feel that it is the answer that can make everyone happy.


text:
Is it possible to set vibrate notifications when receiving emails from a list of email addresses but not when receiving emails that don't come from that list? Either using the default Gmail app on a 2.3.5 Android phone or something else.
I have a bunch of labels defined, but on the Gmail App I got the following menu:
Notification settings with:
Email notifications [x]
Labels to notify
Labels to notify I only have:
Inbox off
Priority Inbox Zeta, Always, Notify once for new emails
But I can't add more labels to this menu...


text:
Two weeks ago a librarian called the store for a price quote on 14 copies of Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson. This sort of thing never used to be cause for alarm, but lately these price quotes usually pit us against Amazon, and oftentimes that's a battle we can't win. I do appreciate the chance to compete, but as I looked up the book and saw it was 41% off (the book is now a mere 28% off) my heart sank. I knew the school would go to Amazon.
Well, I was surprised when Callie came in Sunday and ordered the books with us. I thanked her and told her how much we appreciated the order. I had to ask her why us and not them? "Other than price, Amazon doesn't do anything for me," she told me. "We've gotten amazing authors to visit the school because of you. And you give to our school in so many ways, it just didn't seem right." I practically burst into tears.
Callie gets it. I know we've addressed this issue before, but it bears repeating – there is more than savings to consider when you buy a book. Amazon may offer steeper discounts on books than I can even get from publishers (in fact some stores use Amazon as their distributors, the prices are so good), but price is only one piece of the puzzle. Here's just a small list of what indies offer that no online retailer can compete with:
– The booksellers themselves. Sure, a list of comparable books is handy, but nothing compares to a real person who knows about the books in the store and is there to listen to the customer.
– Selection. Yes, Amazon might have access to millions of books, and, in truth, so do we. We're just not as glitzy about it. But our selection is hand-picked for our community and that makes shopping at every indie a truly unique experience. We carry required reading for all the schools in the area. It's easy to find, so when you forgot the title we still know what you're looking for.
– Personal service. This goes with the first item. But personal service extends far beyond the books themselves. I've shared my breakfast with customers who can't over how good my bacon smells. We hand-deliver books to any of the local retirement and assisted living facilities near us. If you're sick, we can often drop a book by. Once a very good customer had no car and was desperate for her special order and a bottle of wine. We brought both over and she thanked us with some homemade cookies. Amazon might remember you and suggest books, but they're not going to know when you've been in the hospital or if you just had a baby.
– Educator discounts. Most indies do offer discounts to schools for every book they purchase, not just a select few. Amazon's discounts are misleading because the majority of their books are not discounted, but the ones that are, are so steeply discounted that folks see only that. We're actually pricing out a list for a teacher using her Amazon wish list no less, and are discovering that well more than half of her books are not discounted at all from Amazon. This means she's actually saving money by shopping local.
– Community involvement. This one always gets me as the main reason to shop at your indie. Every indie is firmly entrenched in their community. I have lost count of how much money in the form of gift cards, books and our time we've given away in 17 years. Amazon fights every state for the right to not collect sales tax. I not only collect sales tax, I give to the Little League, the library, the schools, the football boosters, the senior center, etc.
– Author events. Indies host countless, often free, author events at their stores. The list of authors who come to independent bookstores is staggering. As best I know, Amazon has never hosted an author event. And while they might do some web-based events, it's not the same thing as being in a room with a favorite author hearing her talk about her latest book. There is a magic to seeing someone meet a beloved author the first time, or the third or fourth. The exchange between author and audience is truly wonderful and that just can't happen online.
– School events. How many indies have brought, for free, authors to their local schools? Probably all of them. Being able to bring authors to an auditorium of students is one of the gifts of being an indie. I remember the first time we brought Steven Kellogg to our local school 16 years ago. I walked him in and all the kids started to whisper, "That's him. That's him!" Heads turned and all the kids stared in awe with their mouths agape. To this day, I still have kids who were at that event tell me what an impression it made on them.
The list could go on for days. There are countless ways that indies are better than Amazon. There is more to shopping than price. Yes, Callie wound up paying a little more for her books by getting them from us, but we give that back, and more, with all the other things our store offers that just can't be found on Amazon. And by buying from us, she's helping to keep us in business and in turn, help her students all year. So in the end, it's more than just dollars and cents.
Why She Chose Us and Not Amazon
Josie Leavitt - August 29, 2013
Two weeks ago a librarian called the store for a price quote on 14 copies of Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson. This sort of thing never used to be cause for alarm, but lately these price quotes usually pit us against Amazon, and oftentimes that's a battle we can't win. I do appreciate the chance to compete, but as I looked up the book and saw it was 41% off (the book is now a mere 28% off) my heart sank. I knew the school would go to Amazon.


text:
Like millions of viewers around the nation, I was thrilled this week when TLC renewed my television show, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, for a second fun-filled season. It fills my heart with joy to know that our raucous Southern lifestyle in rural Georgia entertained so many families and started a "redneck fever." Heck, more people watched 'Honey Boo Boo' than the Republican National Convention. That's really something!
So as me, Mama, Glitzy and eleven-fingered baby Kaitlyn gear up for the next chapter of Piggly Wiggly and pageantry, I want to take a moment to thank all of our fans out there and to remind them that this charade is, of course, going to end very, very badly.
You know that, right? That my whole life is, sooner or later, going to wind up being a complete and utter train wreck of delusion and misery? Just want everybody to be clear on that.
Again, I'm glad people are enjoying the show. It is definitely good that people enjoy gathering around the television and laughing at my chubby cheeks, and my tacky family, and all of our hysterical antics. Just so long, of course, as people are aware that there is no possible scenario in which I will grow up to be a functional human being who is healthy and psychologically well-adjusted. Or successful. Or anything but a sick punchline, or worse. Because viewers should already know that. I mean, I'm a 7-year-old girl who regularly consumes a combination of Red Bull and Mountain Dew, for God's sake. And who loves constantly mugging in front of a camera at an age when a human being generally shouldn't be doing that kind of thing.
But, then again, what am I saying. Of course people know this! Of course people understand implicitly that I am going to one day in the near future develop serious health problems not limited to massive weight gain, type II diabetes, and likely drug addiction as a result of emotional maladjustment and years of unrestricted access to dangerous substances provided by television producers and sponsors. You'd kind of have to be a willfully clueless idiot not to realize that, after all. That's something anyone who's watched even one second of my show, particularly any moment that involves me or my family eating or speaking, would realize.
So, assuming you all understand this, then that means you are all totally okay with gleefully laughing at me and my family, even when there is a pretty darn good chance that an act of horrific violence may very well lurk in my not-too-distant future. An act of violence that, say, 10 or 15 years from now will make people who once watched my show say, "Oh my God, that's awful. What a sad and fucked up little life she had. Well, that's what happens when someone is given that much attention and exposure at such an early age. It warps their mind and makes it impossible for them to develop into normal adults."
Those are words you will speak one day. And you're okay with that, right? You should probably be okay with that if you want to keep watching my show.
And, as any television viewer with even one shred of common sense surely knows, that's only in the best-case scenario. In the worst-case scenario, my reckless behavior and destructive lifestyle will entangle dozens of people within an inner circle of handlers, publicists and hangers-on with whom I'm still able to surround myself due to appearances at nightclubs and adult magazines, which will pay just enough money to keep me from insolvency—that is, until I reach an age in which the public inevitably tires of me and I have to resort to pornography or prostitution.
These things may not happen in the immediate future or even within the next few decades, but rest assured that they will more than likely happen sometime during my lifetime, a lifetime that will probably end before age 45, in large part due to years of hard partying, substance abuse, reckless driving, or some combination of those three, if not by outright suicide brought on by years of depression and estrangement from family.
Also, just to be clear, when you look at me, I do hope a series of images rushes across your brain, including a breaking TMZ alert about my possible death, a hastily-aggregated Huffington Post slideshow titled "Honey Boo Boo Through The Years—which will showcase childhood pageant photos, mugshots from multiple arrests, before-and-after shots from plastic surgery procedures, and completely staged paparazzi photos from when I needed some extra cash—and the leaked photo of my corpse that an undisclosed family member will sell to the tabloids for $15,000. You should definitely see all of that. As I'm sure you do.
But I hope I haven't given the wrong impression. By all means, continue watching the show. After all, it's a hell of a good time! No one who's seen me practice a new dance routine for an upcoming pageant can argue that it's not adorable, especially when I'm dressed up like a sex icon like Madonna or Britney Spears.
Of course, they also can't argue that years of participating in pageants that shamelessly exploit young girls' bodies could possibly lead to anything other than my developing a horrible relationship with my body and view of female sexuality, causing me to either overeat, starve myself, cut myself, undergo regular liposuction, become pregnant accidentally, and generally destroy myself trying to fill the hollow void left by the deceivingly glamorous and fun-filled stardom of my youth. Definitely can't argue that.
Anyway, love y'all! Thanks for watching!


text:
The Manning Financial Group, Inc. "Stress Free Mortgages ®" 772-589-0097
Florida Mortgage's are our niche !! We look forward to putting our "Stress Free Mortgage"® services to work for you!
We offer the best Florida mortgage programs and rates - easy, convenient, online shopping for the mortgage program that best fits your needs. Offering you our wholesale rates and lowest costs, together with the assistance of a live experienced Florida Mortgage expert, we will guide you through the often difficult and confusing process of making application and finding the exact loan to meet your specific needs. We are Florida Mortgage experts!! "Stress Free Mortgages"®
Purchasing a new home? Congratulations on your decision to buy a new home! There are many important things to consider throughout the process, especially if you're a first-time homebuyer. Did you know there is a program for 100% purchases? Look for the USDA 100% Mortgage link and contact one of our Florida mortgage experts to discuss all options.
"In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 (800) 795-3272 (voice), (202) 720-6382 (TDD)."


text: Hi, You are noted as the last translator of the translation for dpkg (programs). The English template has been changed, and now some messages are marked "fuzzy" in your translation or are missing. I would be grateful if you could take the time and update it. If you already have commit access and are comfortable working with git and familiar with the dpkg git workflow then please commit to the master branch, otherwise please send the updated file to me, or submit it as a wishlist bug against dpkg. For deadlines/upload information, please check: <https://lists.debian.org/debian-dpkg/2012/07/msg00000.html> thanks, guillem -------------- parte successiva -------------- Un allegato non testuale è stato rimosso.... Nome: it.po.gz Tipo: application/octet-stream Dimensione: 48853 bytes Descrizione: non disponibile URL: <http://lists.linux.it/pipermail/tp/attachments/20120701/6f54e37b/attachment-0001.obj>


text:
No front page content has been created yet.
We would like to welcome you to the brand new Apollo Displays Web Store. Our customers now have the ability to shop for all their display needs with the click of a button. For your convenience we provide same day shipping for all items in stock ordered before 3PM (EST). Visit us at: store.apollodisplays.com.
A leading global provider of engineering and supply-chain solutions for flat panel technologies.
Apollo specializes in TFT-LCD flat panel technologies and supply chain solutions. We offer a huge selection of TFT-LCD monitors and touchscreens, as well as corresponding components. We also offer hardware and software solutions for all of our products and digital signage applications.
As a worldwide supplier of state-of-the-art TFT technologies and system solutions, Apollo Displays supports you in all project phases - from construction of the metal housing and procurement of specific parts to in-house development of controller boards and touchscreen integration.
Our new technology provides perfect optical results, is competitively priced and enables short delivery times.
In close strategic and technical co-operation with the Japanese Taica - Group we invested in the latest generation of optical bonding technology. This brand-new vacuum bonding is the substitution of the current world wide used "wet bonding" technology.


text:
From the Dermatology CME/CE in the July 2015 issue of The Clinical Advisor. This CME activity consists of three cases:
- Eroded vesicles on a boy's face and neck
- Blue-violet reticulated patches on an infant
- Achromatic patches
This activity is provided by Haymarket Medical Education (HME) for physician credit.
This activity is co-provided by Medical Education Resources (MER) for nursing contact hours.
Continue Reading
Release Date: July 15, 2015
Expiration Date: July 14, 2016
Estimated time to complete the educational activity: 30 minutes
Statement of Need: Undertraining in dermatology for primary-care providers is a common phenomenon. Thus, primary-care clinicians need additional educational outlets devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of specific dermatologic conditions. For clinicians out of training, CME becomes the most accessible route.
Target Audience: This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of primary-care health-care professionals who treat patients with various dermatologic conditions.
Educational objectives: After completing the activity, the participant should be better able to:
For Dermatology Clinic
- Examine the etiology and clinical presentation of eczema herpeticum and cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita
- Formulate diagnostic procedures and treatment protocols for patients presenting with eczema herpeticum and cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita
For Dermatologic Look-Alikes
- Differentiate between skin manifestations of nevus depigmentosus and vitiligo while considering their underlying cause
- Demonstrate proficiency in identifying and treating nevus depigmentosus and vitiligo
Megan Trainor, BA, medical student
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Julie Nguyen, BS, medical student
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Maura Holcomb, MD, dermatology resident
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Kate Travis, BA, medical student
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Rana Mays, MD, dermatology resident
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
Accreditation Statements
Physician Credit: HME is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit Designation: HME designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nursing Credit: MER is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Credit Designation: This CE activity provides 0.5 contact hour of continuing nursing education.
MER is a provider of continuing nursing education by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CEP 12299, for 0.5 contact hour.
This activity qualifies for 0.20 pharmacotherapy credit.
American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA): The AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society. Physician assistants may receive a maximum of 0.5 hour of Category I credit for completing this program.
Disclosure Policy
In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support, HME requires that individuals in a position to control the content of an educational activity disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest. HME resolves all conflicts of interest in an effort to ensure independence, objectivity, balance, and scientific rigor in all its educational programs.
Furthermore, HME seeks to verify that all scientific research referred to, reported, or used in a CME/CE activity conforms to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis. HME is committed to providing its learners with high-quality CME/CE activities that promote improvements in health care and not those of a commercial interest.
The faculty reported the following financial relationships with commercial interests whose products or services may be related to the content of this CME activity:
Faculty Disclosures
|Name of Faculty
|Financial Relationship
|Megan Trainor, BA
|No relevant financial relationships
|Julie Nguyen, BS
|No relevant financial relationships
|Maura Holcomb, MD
|No relevant financial relationships
|Kate Travis, BA
|No relevant financial relationships
|Rana Mays, MD
|No relevant financial relationships
Staff/Planners' Disclosures
The planners and managers for this program reported the following financial relationships with commercial interests whose products or services may be related to the content of this CME activity:
HME planners and managers have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
MER planners and managers have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Disclosure of Unlabeled Use: This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. HME and MER do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
Method of Participation: There are no fees for participating in and receiving CME/CE credit for this activity. During the period of July 15, 2015, through July 14, 2016, participants must:
- Read the learning objectives and faculty disclosures
- Study the educational activity
- Complete the post-test and submit it online (clinicians may register at www.mycme.com); and
- Complete the evaluation form online.
A statement of credit will be issued only upon receipt of a completed activity evaluation form and a completed post-test with a score of 70% or better.
Disclaimer: The content and views presented in this educational activity are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of HME or MER. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient's conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer's product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management.
Begin by studying the following cases:
- Eroded vesicles on a boy's face and neck
- Blue-violet reticulated patches on an infant
- Achromatic patches


text:
[This post contains spoilers about the season-two premiere of The Americans.] The Americans returned for its second season last night with a real bloodbath of an episode: It started off with a few snappy executions, and toward the end, showed us Phillip and Elizabeth's friends slaughtered, with their daughter, in a hotel room. We knew that The Americans likes a jarring visual — but last night we learned it also likes a provocative sex scene.
In what we're pretty sure is a basic-cable first, when daughter Paige walked into her parents' room, we got a brief shot of Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip (Matthew Rhys) engaging in mutual simultaneous oral sex. (Perhaps you prefer the colloquial term "69.")
It's an act that pretty much never appears on TV, maybe because of prudishness but also because it's generally not very telegenic. Many sex scenes include close-ups of one participant's face, which is a tough shot to get when both partners have genitals in or around their mouths. That's not a good TV image. But The Americans was determined! The show made a smart staging choice to put the characters on their sides, and director Thomas Schlamme doesn't have a pile of Emmys for nothing: The scene told us a lot about the state of Philip and Elizabeth's marriage, demonstrating very clearly that they're on the same team, that there's a shared trust and vulnerability that wasn't there in the same way last season. Unfortunately for Paige, the scene also reminded us that even though Elizabeth and Philip are fancy dangerous spies who murder people and crack codes and survive getting shot, they still have to deal with the everyday nightmares of family life. (These people are trained super-spies who are experts in surveillance, but they can't lock a door?) Regardless: Congratulations, The Americans, on TV's most emotionally resonant 69 scene ever.


text:
Top 10: Workout Songs
The 10 Best Workout Songs
Page 2 of 11-Andrew Maggio, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
"Joker & the Thief" might seem like an odd partner to working out, but the opening guitar solo really gets you in the zone. Once the riff emerges and the drums kick in, you should be in full stride on the treadmill or your favorite trail.
This seemingly ubiquitous track (it appears in a number of movies, commercials and video games) is one of those songs you recognize upon hearing and then you say: "I know that. Who sings it?" If you're a New York Rangers fan, you'll recognize it as the song that's played when the team goes on a power play — see, it's almost a sports anthem.


text:
Not Required
GT Omega PRO Racing Office Chair Black Next Blue Leather
Design to offer a combination of luxurious comfort and high-performance style. The GT Omega PRO Racing Office Chairs provides outstanding lumbar support because its design encompasses the traditional deep-sided `body-hugging' back,
Features shoulder support as well as the integral lumber support cushion. For extra support a removable head rest pillow and lumbar cushion is provided for extended comfort.
The GT Omega PRO Chair has a built in reclining mechanism to allow 90 to 170 degree backwards and forwards tilting movement. The chair can be adjusted to a lowered angled position for taking a quick nap, making it especially suitable for gamers. Height can also be adjusted.
The Aluminium Star Base is fitted with high quality ball bearing castor wheels to complete the effect.
The GT Omega PRO Racing Office Chairs are perfect to spoof up your home office, corporate board room games room.
£189 inc VAT


text:
Happy New Year Fireworks
DesignScapes® decorative light inserts fit standard fluorescent light fixtures. The decorative inserts fit on top of the diffuser or light cover, making them easy to install or replace with a new design.
Proudly made in the U.S.A., they provide an easy, affordable way to brighten moods, enhance productivity and reduce stress in nearly any setting: waiting rooms, doctor and dentists' offices, hospitals, schools, dorms, daycares, office, libraries, salons, fitness centers – anywhere you find fluorescent light fixtures.
Buy 4 or more DesignScapes® and get 10% off your Total Order AND get Free Shipping
We also offer pricing discounts for larger quanities.
|Buy 4-24
|10% off
|Buy 25-74
|15% off
|Buy 75+
|20% off
Can't find what you're looking for? Create your own custom DesignScapes®.
These covers do not replace the hard cover diffuser. Since all DesignScapes® are made to order, they are not returnable.
- Browse through more than 175 designs or provide your own unique image using our custom services.
- Easy to install. Simply place the insert on top of the fluorescent fixture's plastic cover, or "diffuser." Please note: DesignScapes® inserts do not replace the hard plastic diffuser on the fixture.
- Printed with an eco-friendly water-based ink on a 5 mil lightweight, durable polyester film with UV inhibitors designed to prevent yellowing and retain rich, vibrant colors.
- Fit most standard fluorescent fixture. (2' x 4': 22 3/8" x 46 1/2"). Special orders are available for 2' x 2', 1' x 2' and 1' x 4' fixtures.
- Since all DesignScapes® are made to order, they are not returnable.
- Proudly Made in U.S.A.


text:
Galapagos: Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal
It bears the name of the Patron Saint of seafarers, "St. Christopher". Its English name was given after William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. It has an area of 558 square kilometres (215 sq mi) and its highest point rises to 730 metres (2395 ft). This islands hosts frigate birds, sea lions, giant tortoises, blue and red footed boobies, tropicbirds, marine iguanas, dolphins, swallow-tailed gulls. Its vegetation includes Calandrinia galapagos, Lecocarpus darwinii, and trees such as Lignum vitae.The largest fresh water lake in the archipelago, Laguna El Junco, is located in the highlands of San Cristóbal. The capital of the province of Galápagos, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, lies at the southern tip of the island.Read More


text:
- Emotional Issues Could Be Early Sign of MS
- In Mice, Gene Therapy Helps Restore Movement After Spinal Cord Injury
- Timing of Hot Flashes Could Give Clues to Alzheimer's Risk
- What Is 'Sexsomnia'? And 'Sleep Eating'? Can They Be Treated?
- Just 23% of U.S. Adults 'Definitely' Plan to Get New COVID Shot
- More Women Using Cannabis to Help Ease Menopause Symptoms
- Black Patients More Likely to Be Physically Restrained During ER Visits
- PTSD Can Harm a Woman's Sex Life
- Blood Tests for Long COVID Could Lead to Better Treatments
- Teen Boys With High Blood Pressure Face Danger Decades Later
Clues to Obesity Found in Infants
Babies with hearty appetites grow faster and might be genetically predisposed to obesity, according to new research.
In two linked studies, British researchers found that infants with greater appetites grew faster during a 15-month span, increasing their risk for obesity. Their desire to eat more might be genetic, the findings also suggested.
"Appetite is key and it would be sensible for parents to keep an eye on children who appear to be responding to food a lot more avidly than their peers," said lead researcher Clare Llewellyn, a lecturer in behavioral obesity research at the Health Behavior Research Center at University College London.
In addition, genes appear to play an important part in the predisposition for obesity, Llewellyn said.
Body weight and obesity are strongly influenced by genes, which is surprising, she said, because the obesity epidemic has been rather recent, while people's genetic makeup hasn't changed.
The resolution of this apparent paradox may lie in the influence genes have on appetite, by reducing or not reducing the urge to eat in response to internal fullness signals, called satiety, Llewellyn said.
"Recent changes to the food environment have played a causal role in the increases in population weight," she said. As food becomes more readily available, people of all ages "who have inherited genes that make them feel less full are more likely to overeat and gain weight."
Parents should prevent excess weight gain by being strict about the foods available, keeping snacks hidden and restricting the amount of food their children eat, Llewellyn said.
The reports were published in the Feb. 17 online edition of the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
Daniel Belsky is a postdoctoral fellow at Duke University's Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development. "These provocative findings bring us a little closer to understanding why the [obesity-prone] environment we all live in makes some of us fat and others not," said Belsky, the author of an accompanying journal editorial.
Belsky, however, does not recommend that parents restrict their babies' eating as a way to prevent obesity.
"Babies are very good at what they do, which is grow and develop," he said. "More often than not, they know what they need and parents should follow their lead. If parents are concerned about their baby's appetite, they should talk to their pediatrician."
For the first study, Llewellyn and her colleagues looked closely at 800 non-identical, same-sex twins born in the United Kingdom in 2007. From these, they followed a smaller number of pairs of twins to examine their food responsiveness (the urge to eat in response to the sight or smell of food) and satiety responsiveness (the desire to eat in response to the body's "fullness" triggers).
At 6 months old, the more food-responsive twin was, on average, 1.4 pounds heavier than the other twin, the researchers found. At 15 months, the more food-responsive twin was 2.1 pounds heavier. In addition, the less satiety-responsive twin was 1.4 pounds heavier than the other twin at 6 months, and 2 pounds heavier at 15 months.
In the second study, the researchers collected data on nearly 2,300 10-year-old children born in the United Kingdom between 1994 and 1996.
They created a genetic obesity risk score, which measured each child's obesity risk by looking at 28 obesity-related genes. The higher the score, the greater the risk for obesity.
Children with higher scores were likely to have a higher body-mass index (a measurement of body fat based on height and weight) and larger waists. Moreover, these children were more likely to have low satiety responsiveness, the researchers said.
A U.S. expert, however, questioned how much focusing on genetics actually helps in addressing the problem of obesity.
"That there is genetic variation underlying human vulnerability to obesity — and such mediating traits as hunger and satiety — is less than [surprising]," said Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center.
"I hope the pursuit of 'obesity genes' does not obscure the fact that our vulnerability to drowning in calories is also widely shared and more norm than exception," Katz said. "The genetic variation we find today in a world of rampant obesity was there yesterday as well when obesity was rather rare. It's not what's within us that has changed, but rather what's all around us."
More information
For more about childhood obesity, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Source: HealthDay
Copyright © 2023 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


text:
The Affordable Care Act: Ten Months to Launch "Obamacare"––Get Ready for Some Startling Rate Increases
In states with the least mandates or for health insurance companies with the tightest underwriting now, the increase could be a lot more...
[E]xpect individual health insurance rates for people in their 20s and early 30s to about double…
Will the feds be ready to provide an insurance exchange in all of the states that don't have one on October 1, 2013?
I have no idea. And neither does anyone else I talk to inside the Beltway. We only hear vague reports that parts of the new federal exchange information systems are in testing.
The former CIA director couldn't get away with an affair in this town but the Obama administration has a complete lid on just where they are on health insurance exchanges and haven't shown any willingness to want to talk about their progress toward launching on time––except to tell us all not to worry.
We are all worried. I would not want to be responsible for the work that remains and only have ten months to do it…
The Republicans said this would not work. If it does not launch on time, or does with serious problems, I would not want to be an incumbent Democrat.
I told them not to call this the "Affordable Care Act."
I can't wait for these losers to try and blame this SCOAMF on Bush.
Oh, and let's come up with a more appropriate name for the Democrat Party:
The Bankruptocrat Party?
The Crashocrat Party?
The Lying-Sack-o-crat Party?
The Failocrat Party?
Help me out here, folks.
Image hat tip: Looking Spoon.


text: Home / PHILIPPINES: Ongoing institutional persecution of a law school faculty PHILIPPINES: Ongoing institutional persecution of a law school faculty An article by Professor Diane Desierto of the University of the Philippines published by the Asian Human Rights Commission PHILIPPINES: Ongoing institutional persecution of a law school faculty Dear friends and fellow legal scholars, I apologize for this long note, but I thought I should set the record straight on the maelstrom of ongoing institutional persecution against the UP Law Faculty, where I serve as a faculty member. Several hours ago, a majority at the Philippine Supreme Court issued an unprecedented contempt order for the "Statement of the Faculty of the UP College of Law", naming 37 out of 81 faculty members (including five present and former deans, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court now back in the faculty, among other senior academics and junior faculty members) whose physical signatures appeared in the Statement. Many faculty members support this Statement, but, as is customary, did not need to physically sign the Statement so long as we signified our support over email. For this reason, many of us understand the contempt order to eventually extend to all 81 members of the UP College of Law. All our bar licenses, without which we cannot teach, work, or practice as lawyers, are now at stake. Let me narrate the brief factual background of this case: 1. On April 28, 2010, the Philippine Supreme Court issued its decision in Isabelita Vinuya et al. v. Executive Secretary et al. (full text of this decision available at: http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/april2010/162230.htm). This case involved a certiorari petition of most remaining Filipina survivors of the "comfort women system" during World War II, asking the Court to compel the Executive Branch to exercise its constitutional duties and international obligations, in order to ensure these Filipina survivors' their rights to redress. I wrote this petition as a law student of UP Law in 2004 along with UP Law Professor Harry Roque, theorizing then that our broadly universalist 1987 Philippine Constitution imposed unique constitutional duties on the Philippine President to observe our international legal obligations, including the right to redress for war crimes, mass rapes, and sexual slavery. Professor Roque and I published our analysis and theory of the petition in 2006, in the Journal of International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict. (full text of this available at: http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/ifhv/documents/huvi/huv_2006/3_2006.pdf Relevant pages are pp. 91-98). 2. The Vinuya decision denied the petition. Professor Roque filed an initial Motion for Reconsideration, subject to the submission of a more extended Supplemental Motion for Reconsideration (Supplemental MR) under the Philippine Rules of Court. Professor Roque and his colleague, Attorney Romel Bagares, closely coordinated with me in the preparation of the Supplemental MR . After we discussed the legal arguments, I requested Attorney Bagares to recheck all sources cited in the Vinuya decision, as is customary for us in preparing appellate pleadings. Several days later, Attorney Bagares and Professor Roque discovered that many significant portions of the Vinuya decision appeared to have been lifted without attribution from the works of International Law authors (Professor Evan Criddle and Professor Evan Fox-descent's 2009 Article in the Yale Journal of International Law, titled "A Fiduciary Theory of Jus Cogens"; the book of Dr. Christian Tams, titled Enforcing Erga Omnes Obligations in International Law, published by Cambridge University Press; and an article by Mark Ellis, Executive Director of the International Bar Association, in the 2006 volume of Case Western Journal of International Law, entitled "Breaking the Silence: On Rape as an International Crime"). What was worse than the lifting without attribution of these sources was that the Vinuya Decision completely twisted what the authors said in their works. Professor Roque and Attorney Bagares decided to file the Supplemental MR inviting the Philippine Supreme Court's attention to this grave matter, showing that the misrepresentation of these works erroneously laid the foundation for the Court's decision to deny the petition. The Supplemental MR also included the rest of the arguments of the petition. The full text of the Supplemental MR can be found here: http://harryroque.com/2010/07/18/supplemental-motion-alleging-plagiarism-in-the-supreme-court/ 3. All International Law professors/authors came forward with their separate complaints to the Philippine Supreme Court regarding the misuse of their works. Unfortunately, FB doesn't have an attachment function yet, so I will repost in a separate note the letters of Dr. Christian Tams, Mark Ellis to the Philippine Supreme Court. Professor Evan Criddle posted his complaint on Opinio Juris at this link: http://opiniojuris.org/2010/07/19/international-law-plagiarism-charge-bedevils-philippines-supreme-court-justice/ a) Professor Criddle told Opinio Juris: "Speaking for myself, the most troubling aspect of the court's jus cogens discussion is that it implies that the prohibitions against crimes against humanity, sexual slavery, and torture are not jus cogens norms. Our article emphatically asserts the opposite." b) Dr. Tams' letter said: "The relevant passage of the judgment is to be found on p. 30 of your Court's Judgment, in the section addressing the concept of obligations erga omnes. As the table annexed to this letter shows, the relevant sentences were taken almost word by word from the introductory chapter of my book Enforcing Obligations Erga Omnes in International Law (Cambridge University Press 2005). I note that there is a generic reference to my work in footnote 69 of the Judgment, but as this is in relation to a citation from another author (Bruno Simma) rather than with respect to the substantive passages reproduced in the Judgment, I do not think it can be considered an appropriate form of referencing. I am particularly concerned that my work should have been used to support the Judgment's cautious approach to the erga omnes concept. In fact, a most cursory reading shows that my book's central thesis is precisely the opposite: namely that the erga omnes concept has been widely accepted and has a firm place in contemporary international law….With due respect to your Honourable Court, I am at a loss to see how my work should have been cited to support — as it seemingly has — the opposite approach. More generally, I am concerned at the way in which your Honourable Court's judgment has drawn on scholarly work without properly acknowledging it." c) Mr. Ellis' letter said: "My attention was called to the Judgment and the issue of possible plagiarism by the Philippine Chapter of the Southeast Asia Media Legal Defence Initiative (SEAMLDI), an affiliate of the London based Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) where I sit as a trustee. In particular, I am concerned about a large part of the extensive discussion in footnote 65, pp. 27-28, of the Judgment of your esteemed Court. I am also concerned that your esteemed Court may have misread the arguments I made in the article and employed them for cross purposes. This would be ironic since the article was written precisely to argue for the appropriate legal remedy for victims of war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity." 4. When Philippine national media carried these complaints, the Philippine Supreme Court did not appear disposed to take them seriously. The Court Spokesperson/Court Administrator, Midas Marquez, stated that the "You can't expect all justices of the Supreme Court to be familiar with these law journals. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100721-282283/High-court-not-probing-plagiarism 5. In light of the apparent plagiarism and twisting of the works in the text of the Vinuya Decision and the Court's predispositions, the UP Law Faculty issued a Statement asking the Court to take responsibility and to provide guidance to the Philippine bench and bar. The UP Law Faculty, headed by the present Dean Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and other law deans, expressed alarm at how the works were misused to deny a key petition of comfort women survivors, and asked the ponente of the Vinuya Decision, Justice Mariano del Castillo to voluntarily resign from the Court. The full text of the UP Law Faculty Statement can be found here: http://harryroque.com/2010/08/09/restoring-integritya-statement-by-the-faculty-of/ 6. On Friday, October 15, 2010, a majority of ten members of the Philippine Supreme Court issued a resolution denying that Justice del Castillo had committed plagiarism and misuse of plagiarized works, holding that Justice del Castillo's clerk/court researcher accidentally deleted the attributions, which could not have been detected since "the Microsoft word program does not have a function that raises an alarm when original materials are cut up or pruned." The full text of the decision can be found here: http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/october2010/10-7-17-SC.htm 7. The newest member of the Court, Justice Lourdes Aranal-Sereno, strongly dissented along with (Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales) from the Court's findings and showed why plagiarism and misrepresentation was committed not just through deletions of attributions, but due to the deliberate inclusion of phrases that tried to convey the opposite of what the authors' works said. Saying that the court will be remembered for saying Del Castillo did not commit plagiarism because there was "no malicious intent" to pass off someone else's works as his own, Justice Sereno added that the ruling of the court's majority has caused "unimaginable problems" for the Philippine academe. She explained decisions on future cases of plagiarism committed by students will be based on the court's ruling that malicious intent must be present to constitute plagiarism. "Unless reconsidered, this Court would unfortunately be remembered as the Court that made 'malicious intent' an indispensable element of plagiarism and that made computer-keying errors an exculpatory fact in charges of plagiarism, without clarifying whether its ruling applies only to situations of judicial decision-making or to other written intellectual activity," said Sereno. "It will also weaken this Court's disciplinary authority — the essence of which proceeds from its moral authority — over the bench and bar. In a real sense, this Court has rendered tenuous its ability to positively educate and influence the future of intellectual and academic discourse," she added. The full text of the Sereno dissent can be found here: http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/october2010/10-7-17-SC_sereno.htm 8. On Monday, October 18, 2010, various Philippine national media carried the news that the Philippine Supreme Court had deliberated and decided to hold the UP Law Faculty in contempt for its Statement. See http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20101020-298693/UP-Law-faces-sanction-over-SC-plagiarism-caseand http://www.gmanews.tv/story/203873/up-law-risks-sanctions-for-statements-on-plagiarism-mess, among others. 9. Copies of the Court's seven-page Order were finally seen several hours ago. As will be seen from the full text of the Order and the dissenting opinions (I will repost this file in a separate note), the Court majority made the unprecedented move of holding the UP Law Faculty in contempt, until they can show why they do not merit contempt. Three justices of the Court noted this prejudgment in their dissents: CARPIO-MORALES, j., dissenting: "The Resolution demonstrates nothing but an abrasive flexing of the judicial muscle that could hardly be characterized as judicious. This knee-jerk response from the Court stares back at its own face, since this judicial act is one that is "totally unnecessary, uncalled for and a rash act of misplaced vigilance. xxx The adverse declarations describing the written work of the UP law faculty operate to their prejudice since that would render any subsequent proceeding illusory, because the Court, which would ultimately decide the administrative case, has already made up its mind before hearing the parties. Worse, the Resolution is not what it purports to be. Ostensibly, the Resolution is a show cause order that initiates what would merely become a newly docketed regular administrative matter. There is more than meets the eye, however. When stripped of its apparent complexion, the Resolution shows its true colors and presents itself as a pronouncement of guilt of indirect contempt, without proper recourse left to the parties. xxx Unless the Court intends to busy itself into consistently engaging in a judicial witch hunt against its detractors, it is more in keeping with the Court's dignity not to dignify each and every write-up that is taken to vilify it, and console itself with the number of testimonials, written or living that vilify the judiciary. Although as a human being, a person naturally gets pissed off by hurtful words, it would not hurt the Court as an institution and the law as a profession if it passes off the statement of the UP law faculty at this time." SERENO, j., dissenting. "Ordering the 37 respondent members of the UP law faculty to "show cause" in this indirect contempt case is like ordering the little boy who exclaimed that "the emperor has no clothes" to explain why he should be crucified for his public observation. It is true that the little boy may have aggravated the situation by adding that the unclothed emperor did not present a flattering figure in his natural state, but the analogy remains true — that the subject UP law faculty members have been prematurely adjudged guilty and asked to explain why such prejudgment should be reversed simply for expressing what they believed was the truth. xxx What is so grievous about this whole contempt proceeding is that it comes in the wake of the gross injury that the Court has inflicted upon the virtue of honesty in learned discourses by labeling plagiarism as not plagiarism in the related case involving one of its members. With all due respect to my colleagues, it is not the place of the Court to seek revenge against those who, in their wish to see reform in the judiciary, have the courage to say what is wrong with it. The Court finds its legitimacy in demonstrating its moral vein case after case, not in flaunting its judicial brawn. There is nothing to be gained for the administration of justice in not letting his one instance pass just because feelings have been hurt and the urge to retaliate must be satisfied. If the 37 members of the UP law faculty are wrong, there will be recompense in their loss of esteem among the academic community and the legal profession. But if they are right, then the Court will have made martyrs out of those who — in their temporary passion — may have acted recklessly, but truthfully and sincerely. Indeed, should they be proven right they may even rise in the esteem in the eyes of the international academic and legal circles, for being the object of prosecution by one's Supreme Court for bold but intelligent reformist language can be deemed a badge of honor similar to that bequeathed by history to the great thinkers who were persecuted by society's forces." In view of the blatant institutional persecution now being committed against the UP Law Faculty — who discharged their duties in good faith as public servants, law professors, and officers of the Court in asking the Court to take responsibility for the apparent plagiarism and misrepresentation that tainted the Vinuya decision — I urgently plead for the help of fellow legal scholars and academics to write — either public statements, or letters to their embassies in Manila regarding this matter. As the dissenting Justices have disclosed, the Supreme Court majority has already prejudged this matter, and that same majority will prevail in imposing sanctions (from disbarment, to suspension of bar licenses, fines, imprisonment) on the UP Law Faculty. We cannot realistically expect a fair hearing anymore when the majority acts as both the supposed "injured" party and our judge at the same time. We acted in good faith, conscious of our duties as lawyers and legal scholars, to ensure the preservation of integrity in our jurisprudence — we could not anticipate then, nor would we have accepted now as law professors and members of the Philippine legal academia, the Supreme Court majority's defense that Microsoft Word was responsible for failing to detect the plagiarism and misrepresentation. The objective fact of plagiarism and misrepresentation are glaring from the text of Vinuya, as confirmed by the international law professors whose works were used, and as confirmed by the extensive dissent of Justice Sereno. Most importantly, we acted from our sense of justice and duty as lawyers to promote the rule of law, on behalf of those comfort women survivors whose petition was denied through a decision-making process that apparently relied on plagiarized and misrepresented works of international law authors. Our only hope now is for reason from the rest of the world to prevail against this institutional persecution — the glaring and ongoing threats to our constitutional and international rights to freedom of expression and academic freedom. While it appears that only 37 of the 81 faculty members signed the UP Law Faculty Statement, the Court majority overlooked all the names sent in the original list by Dean Marvic Leonen. It has been our practice to signify support for statements electronically through email or discussions in our faculty egroup, and for many of us abroad it was not necessary to physically sign so long as we expressed our support for the statement to the faculty egroup. We expect, therefore, that it will only be a matter of time before the contempt order is extended to all of us. We will not shirk from our part in having supported the UP Law Faculty Statement. We fervently hope for your help in this fight against institutional persecution. We have no recourse left. Very truly yours, Professor Diane A. Desierto …………. The views shared in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the AHRC, and the AHRC takes no responsibility for them. # # # About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984. Document ID :AHRC-ETC-034-2010 Countries : Philippines Date : 22-10-2010 PREVIOUS « CAMBODIA: "A Khmer's 'one kilo of brain' that is as good as any other brain" NEXT ASIA: Women's views on prevention of torture – Interview 43 »


text:
Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code
Like many other historians, Ehrman is put off by the faulty historical claims that Brown presents as a foundation to support his fictional novel. Ehrman is particularly frustrated that Brown's novel is all that the average person may ever read regarding this period in history. Ehrman's critique hopes to ensure that the fictitious ideas that Brown parades as facts do not become "the way it happened" in many people's minds, especially those ideas regarding Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Constantine. What is most refreshing about Ehrman's critique is his plea for people to use real evidence when making historical claims, and not simply defend something because it sounds controversial but has no historical backing.
Part one of Ehrman's book addresses Brown's claims about Constantine, the New Testament, and extrabiblical gospels. Ehrman affirms that Constantine did not divinize Jesus, and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not contain additional gospels. Ehrman also gives a helpful history of what is known about Constantine's place in Christian history, the importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Nag Hammadi Library, and similar topics. Many readers will benefit from and agree with almost all that Ehrman says in this first part of his book. The only segment that might cause some pause is his chapter on the formation of the New Testament canon. Ehrman rightly denounces Brown's claim that the canon was formed by Constantine, and Ehrman states that the canon was formed in the first and second centuries. But then he emphasizes the diversity among believers in those early centuries, as if a sense of orthodoxy were only a later product. This leads Ehrman to further suggest that the canon became what it was, not because of Constantine, but because those who were later called orthodox won the battle against competing views in the first and second centuries.
However, Ehrman fails to note the reasons orthodox Christianity won this battle. His leaving the reader hanging on this point suggests that orthodox Christianity survived because of luck or power. But one must remember that the church of the second century had no power, being subject to persecution and martyrdom, and yet what became orthodox clearly already had the upper hand among those who called themselves Christians. The most likely reason orthodox Christianity was maintained is that it was the oldest, most traditionally connected, and consequently most accurate representation of the teachings of Christ. (For more on this see Darrell L. Bock, The Missing Gospels [Nashville: Nelson, 2006]; and Larry W. Hurtado, Lord Jesus Christ [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005].)
Ehrman also points out that the New Testament canon was not completely settled until the fourth century at the earliest. And yet the fact that the church at this period was not sure about the canonicity of certain books did not cause its faith to fall apart, because that faith was rooted in Christ, who is not replaced by books but is the ground for the books that bear witness to Him.
The second part of Ehrman's book addresses Jesus and His relationship with Mary Magdalene. Ehrman points out that, contrary to Brown's novel, Q was not a source written by Jesus, that it was perfectly acceptable for Him to have been single, and that there is no shred of evidence anywhere suggesting that Mary Magdalene was more than a close friend of Jesus. Ehrman gives good information about what the historical Jesus was like, as well as how the treatment of women in the church was probably better in Jesus' day than any other period in the church until the present. Since Ehrman is not a conservative Christian, he also states a few things that conservatives will find unsettling. Most troubling is his overemphasis on minor differences between the Gospel accounts, which gives the impression of discrediting their historicity.
Overall, Ehrman's book is a solid source for pointing out many of the glaring errors in The Da Vinci Code. And he does an excellent job in explaining the true history that the novel missed. Therefore, if one takes note of the few places where his prejudice against conservative Christianity is evident, this is a worthwhile book to read.


text:
MONTREAL — Three railway employees arrested in the runaway oil train explosion that killed 47 people were arraigned and released on bail Tuesday. They face criminal negligence charges in the small Quebec town that was devastated by the horrific inferno, which led to calls for making oil trains safer across North America.
The men were arrested late Monday afternoon, about 10 months after more than 60 tankers carrying oil from North Dakota came loose in the middle of the night, sped downhill for nearly seven miles and derailed in the lakeside town of Lac-Megantic in eastern Quebec, near the border with Maine. At least five of the tankers exploded, leveling about 30 buildings, including a popular bar that was filled with revelers enjoying a summer Friday night.
Quebec provincial prosecutor's office laid 47 counts of criminal negligence, one for each person who died, against engineer Thomas Harding, manager of train operations Jean Demaitre, and Richard Labrie, the railway's traffic controller. Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway Ltd., the defunct railway at the heart of the disaster, faces the same charges. Criminal negligence that causes death can result in a sentence of up to life imprisonment in Canada.
The three men entered the packed courthouse before a crowd of journalists and onlookers, including some residents who had lost family and friends.
No pleas were entered but Thomas Walsh, Harding's lawyer, said his client will plead not guilty. The defendants were due to return to court in September.
Walsh said he had written to prosecutors several times asking that Harding to be allowed to turn himself in if he was charged. Instead, Walsh said Harding was arrested by a SWAT team that swooped through his home and into his backyard, where he was working on his boat with a son and a friend. Police forced all three to drop to the ground.
"It was a complete piece of theatre that was totally unnecessary," Walsh told The Associated Press.
Edward Burkhardt, who was chairman of MM&A, declined to comment.
The railroad blamed the engineer for failing to set enough brakes, allowing the train to begin rolling toward the town of 6,000.
Harding had left the train unattended overnight to sleep at an inn shortly before it barreled into Lac-Megantic.
The crash, the worst railway accident in Canada in nearly 150 years, prompted intense public pressure to make oil trains safer. Canada's transport minister said in April that the type of tankers involved in the disaster must be retired or retrofitted within three years because they are prone to rupturing. The oil industry has rapidly moved to using trains to transport oil in part because of oil booms in North Dakota's Bakken region and Alberta's oil sands, and because of a lack of pipelines.
The arrests came just days before the bankrupt railroad's sale closes.
The $15.85 million sale of MM&A is expected to close on Thursday in the U.S., but there could be a delay of a few days on a parallel proceeding in Canada. Most of the proceeds will be used to repay creditors. Eventually, there will be a settlement fund to compensate victims and repay cleanup costs.
The railroad's buyer, a subsidiary of New York-based Fortress Investment Group, is changing the railroad's name to Central Maine and Quebec Railway. The company said it hopes to recapture lost business but has no plans to try to bring back oil shipments.
Yannick Gagne, the owner of the Musi-Cafe, the establishment in the heart of town where many people were incinerated, has promised to make the new cafe a community gathering place as the town tries to move forward.
"You can understand, for me it's a day full of emotion," Gagne said.
Karine Blanchette, an employee who lost friends and colleagues, said she's happy about the charges but nothing can erase the tragedy.
"Finally, there's justice," Blanchette said. "But it does not bring back the people we lost."
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.
Send questions/comments to the editors.


text:
|Michael Lim Wins the U.S. Amateur East
|By Al Lawrence
|May 31, 2012
Thirteen-year-old Michael Lim won five straight and then drew former champion and fellow New Jerseyan Michael Goeller in the final round to clinch clear first at the U.S. Amateur East Championship held in Somerset, New Jersey, over the three-day Memorial Day weekend.
In fact, a half-dozen previous champions-Goeller (5.0), top-seeded Sandi Hutama (5.0), Leonard Chipkin (4.0), Hanon Russell (4.5), Kimberly Ding (4.5), and David Collins (3.5)-tried for a repeat title but couldn't quite keep pace with Lim, sometimes bumping heads in the chase.
Goeller drew in round three with Chipkin (N.Y.). In the final round match-up on board 2 against Chipkin, Hutma (N.J.), whose position as Black at times seemed to teeter on the edge as his f7-square came under triple-attack, won by virtue of a passed pawn that grew too powerful on the seventh. But Hutma had lost to Lim in round four. Ding (N.J.) stumbled against Goeller in round five. Russell (Ct.), started poorly with only a half-point out of two but showed grit in reeling off four straight games during the last two days. Michael Yen, who entered with a rating of 1821 and qualified to play for the Under-13 spot, lost only to Ding. The top six in tie-break order:
1. Michael Lim (5.5)
2. Michael Goeller (5.0)
3. Sandi Hutama (5.0)
4. Kimberly Ding (4.5)
5. Michael Yen (4.5)
6. Hanon Russell (4.5)
Rutar won the Senior trophy. Jeffrey La Comb (N.Y., 4.0)) won the Under-2000 prize; Walter De Jong (N.Y., 4.0), the Under-1900. Maryia Oreshko (N.J., 4.0) took top under-16, and Alan Gu (N.J., 2.5) was best Under-13.
Even though a young teen, the new Amateur East champion navigated with a deft positional touch. Take his third-round game against third-seeded Vinko Rutar (Pa.), who finished with 4.0. Rutar, an experienced over-the-board warrior who's come very close to winning the title in passed years, rolled out a strategically tricky version of the English.
Comments by Lim, except when in brackets.
1.c4 c6 2.b3 Nf6 3.Bb2 e6 4.g3 d5 5.Nf3 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 b6 8.Ne5 Qc7 9.d3 Bb7 10.Nd2 c5 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Nef3 Nc6
Instead, 12...Bf6 13.Bxf6 Nxf6, trading off the bishop, would be great in this position because he loses control of the e5 square.
13.Ne4 Rac8
13...f5 14.Ned2-the knight needed to be removed because it blocked key squares of my bishop.
14.Rc1 Rfd8
Again, 14...f5 would be good.
15.Qc2 h6 16.Qb1 Qb8 17.Qa1 Bf8 18.Rfd1 Nde7
Threatening to go Nf5-e5 and open up the h1-a8 diagonal.
19.e3 Nb4 20.Ne1 Qa8 21.f3 Ba6
21...Nf5 22.Kf2 a5 is another plan that would get my queen into the game.
22.Bf1 Nf5 23.Kf2 Rd7 24.a3 Nc6 25.Ng2 Rcd8 26.Nf4 Qb8 27.g4 Nd6
27...Nxe3 28.Kxe3 Nd4 might not get material back right away, but there is good compensation for the piece. [After 28. ... Nd4, White can't answer all of Black's threats and his position falls apart in a few moves.-AL]]
28.Ng3 Ne8 29.Qb1 Bd6 30.Nfh5 Be5 31.d4 cxd4
32.exd4 Bxg3+ 33.Nxg3 Bxf1 34.Rxc6 Bb5: White wouldn't be down material, but Black has a better position.
32...dxe3+ 33.Ke1 Rxd1+ 34.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 35.Kxd1 Qd6+ 36.Qd3 Bxb2
It's a win from here. I am going to get another pawn on a3 and then trade off pieces.
37.Ke2 Qxd3+
[37. ... Nd4+, followed by ... g6, looks like an immediate kill.-AL]
38.Bxd3 Bxa3 39.Kxe3 Bc1+ 40.Kf2 Nd6 41.Ne4 Nxe4+ 42.Bxe4 Nd4 43.b4 Bd2 44.h4 Bxb4
45.g5 hxg5 46.hxg5 Bd2 47.f4 b5 48.g6 f5 49.Bd3 Kf8 50.Ng3 Bxf4 51.Ne2 Nxe2 52.Kxe2 b4 53.Kf3 Bc1 54.Ke2 Ke7 55.Kd1 Bb2 56.Kc2 Bd4 57.Kb3 a5 58.Kc4 Bc3 59.Kb3 Kf6 60.Ka4 e5 61.Kxa5 e4 62.Bb1 Kxg6 0-1
Besides chess, Michael Lim competes in fencing tournaments. His twin brother Matthew, who also played in the Open section, shares an interest in chess but prefers racquetball to fencing.
In round three, however, Matthew demonstrated a sharp tactical blade and an eye for a direct thrust at his opponent's king.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Qc2 dxc4 9.Bxc4 b5 10.Bd3 Bb7 11.e4 g6
11...b4 kept Black in the game.
12.e5 Nd5 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.Bh6 Re8 15.e6 Nf6
15...Nf8 loses to 16. exf7+ Kxf7 17.Ne5+
16.exf7+ Kxf7 17.Bxg6+! hxg6 18.Ng5+ and it's mate in two.
Fred Ivens turned in the only perfect score of the event to win the Reserve section.
Reserve Section (Under-1800) winners:
1. Fred Ivens (N.J.) 6.0
2. Joseph Holmok (N.J.) 4.5
3. Elizabeth Lakata (Pa.) 4.5
4. Leon Wu (N.J.) 4.5
5. Mike McCaffery (N.J.) 4.0
Senior: Michael Polito (N.J.) 3.5
Top Under Age 16: Jason Yan (N.J.) 3.5
Top Under Age 13: Edwin Jin (N.Y.) 4.0
Top Under 1600: Andy Lindstrom (N.J.) 4.0
Top Under 1500: Joseph Prentice (N.J.) 3.5
Zehao Shen allowed one draw in round four, winning the rest of his games, to take clear first in the Booster section.
Booster Section (Under-1400) winners:
1. Zehao Shen (N.J.) 5.5
2. Nelson Lin (N.J.) 5.5
3. Ashley Jiang (N.J.) 4.0
4. Marko Van Selous 4.0
5. Stan Rydz (N.J.) 3.5
Senior: Steven Danko (N.Y.) 3.5
Top Under Age 13: Ryan Feng (N.Y.) 3.5
Top Under 1200: Jonathan Chin (N.J.) 3.5
Top Under 1100: John Cook (N.J.) 3.5
Top Under 1000: Ellexis Cook (N.J.) 3.0
Top Under 900: Sarah Yen (N.J.) 3.0
Top Under 800: Claire Cao (Pa.) 2.0
Complete results are posted on www.entryfeesrus.com.
Organizer Kenneth Thomas moved this year's event to the Somerset-Bridgewater Hotel, just off I-287, to improve conditions for the players. The hotel, under new management and branding, provided excellent rooms, free wifi, and food services that were open late. There was even a Starbucks inside the lobby, just down the hall from the playing site.
This year's Amateur may be the last national event organized by "Captain" Thomas. Legendary for his service to chess on both the state and national level, he has directed more than 1,000 tournaments and organized quite a number of successful clubs. Thomas will continue to organize club and regional events. Next year's Amateur East will be in good hands, managed by his long-time assisting team of Aaron Kiedes and Noreen Davisson, two very experienced organizers in their own right.


text:
This feature-length film tells the story of the passion between Marie de l'Incarnation, a mid-seventeenth-century nun and God, her "divine spouse." Fusing documentary and acting by Marie Tifo, whom we follow as she rehearses for this demanding role, the film paints an astonishing portrait of this mystic who abandoned her son and left France to build a convent in Canada, where she became the first female writer in New France.
Pedagogical evaluations and study guides are only available to CAMPUS subscribers.
Features designed specifically for teachers. Learn more
Already subscribed? Sign in