text:
Research Review
Use of medical, mental health, and case management services for young adults with an autism spectrum disorder appears to decline after high school, according to a report in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
"The number of young adults in the United States diagnosed as having an autism spectrum disorder is increasing rapidly as ever-larger cohorts of children identified as having an autism spectrum disorder age through adolescence," according to background information in the article. "Regardless of the root cause, the facts remain that treated prevalence is increasing and that the implications of this trend for service systems are poorly understood."
Paul T. Shattuck, PhD, of Washington University, St. Louis, and colleagues analyzed data from a nationally representative telephone questionnaire surveying parents and guardians of young adults between the ages of 19 and 23 years with an autism spectrum disorder. Surveys were conducted from April 2007 to February 2008.
Overall rates of service use ranged from 9.1% for speech therapy to 41.9% for case management. Other services utilized included medical services (23.5%) and mental health services (35%). About two fifths of youths (39.1%) had not received any of these services. These rates are lower than estimates gathered six years earlier when all patients were still in high school. During that time, 46.2% received mental health services, 46.9% received medical services, 74.6% were getting speech therapy, and 63.6% had a case manager.
The adjusted odds of not receiving any of the services was 3.31 times higher for black youths compared with white youths, and was 5.96 times higher for those with incomes of $25,000 or less compared with those making $75,000 or more. Additionally, the adjusted odds of not using case management services were 5.88 times higher among those making $25,000 or less compared with those with incomes of $75,000 or greater.
"Rates of service disengagement are high after exiting high school. Disparities by race and socioeconomic status indicate a need for targeted outreach and services," the authors concluded. "This study represents an important step in the process of building a foundation of evidence that can help improve services and foster independence and health among youths with autism spectrum disorders."
— Source: American Medical Association


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As much as 75 percent of the energy spent by some popular smartphone apps, such as Angry Birds and Fchess, is spent on marketing and advertising aimed at you.
That's what some first-of-its-kind research will reveal next week in a paper to be presented by a team of scientists from Purdue University and Microsoft at EuroSys 2012 in Bern, Switzerland.
"It turns out the free apps aren't really free because they contain the hidden cost of reduced battery life," one of the Purdue researchers, Y. Charlie Hu, said in a statement.
Hu, colleague Abhinav Pathak, and Microsoft's Ming Zhang noted in their paper [PDF] that free apps like Fchess and Angry Birds spend under 25 percent to 35 percent of their energy on game play, but more than 65 percent to 75 percent on user tracking, uploading user information, and downloading ads.
A Tool to Measure Energy Consumption
In their paper, the researchers describe a tool they've developed to precisely measure energy consumption within Android and Windows Phone mobile apps and show how that tool, called Eprof, can be used by developers to reduce the power consumption of their apps by as much as 65 percent.
"Eprof tells you how much energy is spent where," Hu explained.
A smartphone app can contain tens of thousands of lines of code, broken down into subroutines, threads, and processes. Eprof maps how much energy comes from each component. It offers researchers and developers a new way to study smartphone energy consumption without using expensive equipment such as a power meter.
"This is the first tool of its kind ever developed for modern smartphones," Pathak said. "We've seen around one million apps written since smartphones emerged roughly five years ago, but there has been no systematic way for the developer to see how much energy the different components consume. Using this tool, you can see what should be changed to improve energy efficiency."
Not only is that good news for developers in the app market–which is expected to reach $38 billion by 2015–but for consumers, too, who should see more efficient apps in the market.
"Despite the incredible market penetration of smartphones and exponential growth of the app market, their utility has been and will remain severely limited by the battery life," the researchers wrote.
"As such, optimizing the energy consumption of millions of smartphone apps is of critical importance," they added. "However, the quarter-million apps developed so far were largely developed in an energy oblivious manner."
Where Does the Energy Go?
Apps can waste energy in a number of ways, such as through programming bugs and "tailing." For example, the research team discovered some advertising software embedded in a game that failed to close its connection to the Internet. That forced another program to clean up for it, wasting energy in the process.
Tailing occurs when a connection to the cellular network isn't immediately cut by an app. As much as seven seconds of power per interaction can be wasted that way. That power drain can take its toll on a battery, especially when playing interactive games over a 3G network.
Follow freelance technology writer John P. Mello Jr. and Today@PCWorld on Twitter.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The easy-to-use and reliable network node.
3 versions are available:
Downloads & Documents
Find all brochures, drivers, firmware updates, user manuals, and more here:
Average Hardware Failure And Return Rate – LUNA 4
(Last Update: February 2021)
0.215 %
Average Hardware Failure And Return Rate – LUNA 8
(Last Update: February 2021)
0.258 %
Average Hardware Failure And Return Rate – LUNA 16
(Last Update: February 2021)
0.069 %
The MADRIX LUNA reliably distributes DMX512 data over long or short distances using Ethernet network or USB. Its sync mode makes sure that lighting effects look their best on the LEDs.
Art-Net / Streaming ACN / USB
Art-Net or Streaming ACN data is directly converted to DMX512. Optimize and decentralize cabling to cover any distance to the device using Ethernet network.
4, 8, or 16 XLR ports (5-pin, female) distribute the equal number of DMX universes per unit. 1 XLR port (5-pin, male) can be used for DMX input. Simply use several units at the same time for larger projects.
Any small or large project greatly benefits from dependable data distribution and efficient operation. Use any compatible software or hardware controller. In addition, simply connect to MADRIX 5 over USB.
Sync Mode
MADRIX 5 and MADRIX hardware allow you to fully synchronize Art-Net data for all output ports and even across multiple devices to get an optimal image on the LEDs without visual interruptions.
Easy Configuration
MADRIX LUNA offers powerful features, especially in combination with MADRIX 5. Take full advantage of pixel mapping and voxel mapping. The installation of the device is still quick and easy.
3rd-Party Controllers
MADRIX LUNA complies with the official protocol specifications and can be used as a regular node with your other consoles, controllers, or software solutions.
Quality Design
Devices are built 19″ x 1U or 19″ x 2U. They feature a fanless, noiseless, low-energy design, a durable metal case, and NEUTRIK plugs. 2 premounted brackets make rack mounting possible. 5 indicators quickly show the status of a device.
Invaluable Features
The device is ready within seconds after startup. HTP merging is automatically available for two Ethernet sources. Its firmware is upgradable for future enhancements. Access and change specific device settings using the built-in web configuration page.
Did You Know?
As a receiving unit, the 100 MBit/s RJ45 Ethernet connection is more than enough. In our FAQs and especially for large projects, we recommend to use Art-Net and 1 GBit/s for the network switch and network card. For the sender of all the data, the higher bandwidth is required. Often, Art-Net data is sent in broadcast mode where all receivers get all the data. With MADRIX 5 however, we also support unicast mode to just sent the required data to each single unit to save bandwidth. In all cases, MADRIX LUNA provides the performance you need.
- Connectivity
- 4x/8x/16x DMX-OUT
- 1x DMX-IN
- 1x RJ45 Ethernet port
- 1x USB port
- 1x Power socket
- Package Contents
- 1x MADRIX LUNA
- 1x Power cord (IEC C13)
- 1x USB 2.0 cable (certified)
- 2x Rack-mount brackets (already mounted to the device)
- 1x Technical manual / quick start guide
Technical Specifications
Power Supply
AC 100 V – 240 V, 50-60 Hz, 0.4 A max., IEC C14 inlet
Power Consumption
< 5 W during normal operation
Network Protocols
Art-Net (I, II, 3, 4, incl. ArtSync), Streaming ACN (sACN / ANSI E1.31)
4x / 8x / 16x 512 DMX channels output
1x 512 DMX channels input
Ports (OUT)
5-pin, XLR, female, NEUTRIK
Port (IN)
5-pin, XLR, male, NEUTRIK
1x RJ45, Auto MDI-X, NEUTRIK etherCON, 10/100 MBit/s (Compatible with 1 GBit/s)
1x port, USB 2.0, type-B female socket
5 status LEDs
Metal enclosure (With attached brackets for 19″ rack mounting)
19˝ x 1U (LUNA 4 / LUNA 8) | 19˝ x 2U (LUNA 16)
Dimensions (Body Only)
76 mm x 440 mm x 44 mm (Length x Width x Height)
Dimensions (Total)
76 mm x 482.6 mm x 44 mm (Length x Width x Height)
Dimensions (LUNA 16)
76 mm x 482.6 mm x 88 mm (Length x Width x Height)
1.3 kg (LUNA 4) | 1.4 kg (LUNA 8) | 2.0 kg (LUNA 16)
Temperature Range
-10 °C to 60 °C (Operating) | -20 °C to 70 °C (Storage)
Relative Humidity
20 % to 80 %, non-condensing (Operating / Storage)
IP Rating
CE, EAC, FCC, RoHS
5 years of limited manufacturer's warranty


text:
As part of the work led by the UIC Digital Platform launched at the end of November 2015, UIC has planned a series of dedicated workshops aimed at exploring the links between digitalisation and various dimensions of the railway system.
In this context, UIC is organising a workshop to be held on 7 October 2016 at UIC Headquarters, focusing on the links between digitalisation on the one hand and freight & passenger services on the other.
This workshop will be part of the event named "UIC DIGITAL DAYS" to be held on 7 and 8 October and consisting of a Workshop on 7 October, open to UIC Members and Stakeholders, and of a UIC Digital Open Day to be held on 8 October, open to UIC Members and Stakeholders but also to the general public.
Particular attention will be paid in the discussions to the need for proper change management in the digitalisation process in order to address the fears of many staff faced with a rapidly changing work environment. Furthermore, the workshop will attempt to build bridges between the different generations and between railway experts and digitally skilled young people who could, if they find a way of cooperating, together reinvent the railways.
The programme of the event is available below; based on a business-oriented approach, the discussions will aim to show the participants in a practical way how digitalisation can bring added value to freight and passenger services, what kind of economic benefits members can expect from it, what its limits are, etc.
The UIC Digital Open Day will be held on 8 October and will consist of show rooms and small conferences to present the latest innovations and advantages that digitalisation can bring to the railways.
Please do not hesitate to contact UIC if you have a concrete project or demonstration that could be of interest for the audience.
DAY 1 – 7 October 2016 – WORKSHOP
Plenary 09:00 / 10:30
Jean-Pierre LOUBINOUX Director General of the International Union of Railways (UIC) (confirmed), Introduction / welcome speech
Short presentation by each moderator:
Björn WESTERBERG CEO of the Association of Swedish Train Operating Companies (ASTOC) "Organising digital mobility or digital acceleration" (confirmed)
Evgeny CHARKINChief Digital Officer of Russian Railways (RZD): title presentation to be specified (confirmed)
Presentation by "La Paillasse" (incubator): (confirmed)
"Networks and biology – An innovative digital approach" (representative to be specified)
Patrick DUVOTKeynote speaker, Scientific Director of Paris Tech (tbc)
Coffee break 10:30 / 11:00
Services workshops11:00 / 12:30 – 14:00 / 15:30
Benoit THIRION Fret SNCF: "A digital approach: RUSWEB and DIGITAB" (confirmed)
Luca MARIORIENZI RAILDATA: "ISR tracking & tracing of Freight wagons in Europe" (confirmed)
DHL (invited)
François DAVENNE Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF): (confirmed) "International freight: networks in search of an operating system"
German start-up (confirmed) (representative to be specified); Presentation of their digital project for freight truck traffic
Rodrigo HILARIO RENFE OPERADORA: (confirmed) "Digital Observatory & new products platform UIC-Project"
EFFIBOT (French start up): (confirmed) "Automatic luggage transport and distribution in railway stations"
Thorstan BOMKEALSTOM: (confirmed) "TrainTracer for remote condition monitoring"
THSRC (Taïwan) (confirmed)(representative to be specified): "Highspeed and Big Data"
Connected station (representative to be specified)
UIC / HITRAIL (confirmed (representative to be specified): "ST4RT (Semantic Transformations 4 Rail Transportation)"
IBERIA Captain (tbc) "Paperless cockpit"
Luca MARIORIENZI Italian Railways (FS) (confirmed) Presentation of their latest digital project (topic to be specified)
Spanish Railways Foundation (FFE) (tbc) (representative to be specified): "Global Overview on Digital Railway Business"
Coffee break 15:30/15:45
Plenary 15:45/16:45
- Short restitution of the two workshops
- Permanent follow-up on IT innovations for railways
- Andy DOHERTY, Chairman of the European Rail Research Advisory Council (ERRAC) "Digital train" (confirmed)
- Conclusions by Jean-Pierre LOUBINOUX, Director General of the International Union of Railways (UIC) (confirmed)
From 16:45: Promotional cocktail for launching the "UIC Digital Open Day"
DAY 2 – 8 October 2016 – UIC DIGITAL OPEN DAY
Show rooms and small conferences from start-ups, famous names in the rail industry (ALSTOM...) to present the latest innovations and advantages that digitalisation can bring to the railways.
Dedicated corners:
- Fret SNCF
- La Paillasse
- ….
Conferences: G. REVEILLON, Paris V, Schoolab, NUMA / LA PAILLASSE
Open to UIC Members, Stakeholders and also to the general public.


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Heaton, of course, has a long and rich football history.
East End, the club, which went on to incorporate West End and form Newcastle United in 1892, played on Chillingham Road from 1884.
Perhaps its greatest player, captain and later director, Alec White (1860-1940, lived in Heaton, including 27 Cardigan Terrace and 48 Mowbray Street – he once scored seven or maybe nine goals (reports vary – there was no 'dubious goals panel' then) in a 19-0 victory. Local football historian, John Allan, recently found a rare photograph of him, which was published in a Newcastle United programme.
The Magpies' most successful captain, the charismatic polymath, Colin Veitch (1881-1938), was also , of course, born locally and lived at 1 Stratford Villas:
One of Sunderland's best loved players and winner of four championship medals (including three Scottish titles with Glasgow Rangers), Billy Hogg (1879-1937), grew up on Spencer Street; not even Colin Veitch could match that!
And there are footballers, fondly remembered by supporters of other more distant clubs, who were buried in Heaton Cemetery, including John 'Jock' Smith (1865-1911), who played for Liverpool in their inaugural season in the Football League (1892-3), who tragically committed suicide aged 45, while living in Byker – he is buried in an unmarked grave.
Also buried in an unmarked grave is Bob Roberts (1863-1929) who won the cup with West Brom in 1888 and played not only in West Bromwich Albion's first Football League game in 1888 but also the first ever recorded game of West Bromwich Strollers ten years earlier. (They changed their name to Albion in 1880.) Bob started as an outfield player for Strollers but was a distinguished goalkeeper for the Baggies. He also played for Sunderland Albion and, like Jock Smith, lived in Byker on his retirement.
And, of course, there's Heaton Stannington and other local teams, still making history.
Christine Liddell sent us the photograph above, which she believes to be of Heaton Stan post WW1. She says her father, Tom Liddell (front row, far right) played in goal. Can anybody tell us any more about the photo?
And this photograph shows Alan Sidney-Wilmot in goal for the Stan v Crook in 1951. Alan still lives in High Heaton. (Thank you to Heaton Stan historian, Kevin Mochrie, for the photo).
And it's fantastic to unearth new football teams and stories and so thank you to Heaton History Group member, Ian Clough, for unearthing medals belonging to yet another goalkeeper Henner Hudspeth , more famous locally as a dance band leader. Henner's son, Michael, remembers his father pointing at what we now call Grounsell Park and telling him that he used to play football there. However, no record of him playing for Heaton Stannington has been found. Recently rediscovered medals shows that he, in fact, played for another Heaton team, North Heaton in 1924-5.
Perhaps they also played at the old High Heaton quarry ground.
And, although it's just outside our patch, we couldn't resist publishing this photograph of the Maling Pottery football team, taken in the 1911-12 season, shown to us by Heaton History Group member, Paul Riding. His grandfather, Jimmy Gardner, was captain. We're pretty sure that some of their players will have come from Heaton. Can you help us identify any? And how many will have fought – and died – in World War 1?
Can you help?
Ruth Baldasera, who works for Siemens, would like to make contact people who played for any Parsons football team. If you can help, please get in touch with Chris at Heaton History Group. See below.
And we'd love to find out more about the football history of Heaton. If you can help us identify players with a Heaton connection, tell us more about the history or share photographs of local teams or if you recognise anyone in or can add to what we know of the above photos, please get in touch either by clicking on the link immediately below the title of this article or by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com
We are always interested to receive information, memories and photos relevant to the history of Heaton.
Written by Chris Jackson, with lots of help as mentioned in the text.


text:
Remember Citroën's wonderful Technospace MPV concept from February? Well, after showing it to the public at the Geneva Motor Show last month, the French put an indicator on it and introduced their newest car as the new C4 Picasso. I just love the fact that they haven't cut back the styling at all, so a viva la France is in order.
Thanks to PSA's new Efficient Modular Platform 2, it's quite clever too. The new car is 308 pounds lighter than the old C4 Picasso. There is a reduced overhang (-2.75 inches at the front), the engine sits lower (by -1.57 or 1.96 inches depending on the engine), the floor got 0.78 inches closer to the ground, and it has wider tracks (+3.22 inches at front and +1.22 inches at the rear) for better handling. That also means it's compact on the outside, while interior space just go bigger than ever.
The slim LED daytime-running lights and the chrome "C" shape on the sides make it stand out in the parking lot, while eight colors and three wheel-sizes will be offered. The panoramic windscreen and large glass roof lets plenty of light into the cabin, where there is an asymmetric dashboard design with the driver's side being primarily black fading to a lighter shade on the passenger side with a "sparkle effect finish". There are two screens, a 7" touchscreen and a 12" panoramic HD for everything else. You can even set a family picture (or a puppy) as a desktop background.
Active cruise control, lane departure warning and blind spot monitoring keeps you safe, while the options list has everything from massage leather seats to park assist, key less entry or 360 birds eye view thanks to four cameras helping you with the car's dimensions. The diesel engines are cleaner than ever, while apart from the six-speed manual, there's a new clutchless automatic in case you want extra storage compartment where the third pedal should be.
Is this the perfect family car? Well, I will try to get one to review as soon as it arrives around here, than we will see. But since America won'g get it anyway, what's your opinion? Do you miss modern French cars?


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From Contaminated to Clean: How Filtering Can Clean Water
AbstractLiving in the industrialized world, like the United States, we are fortunate because we don't have to worry about the quality of our drinking water. Your community has the means to clean and provide water to you. But in many parts of the world, people don't have this luxury. Whether it is due to war or poverty, the lack of clean water leads to many health and social problems. In this environmental engineering science project, you will learn about different methods to filter out impurities in contaminated water, producing clean water for people who don't have access to it, and you will also experiment with filtering different kinds of liquids.
Michelle Maranowski, PhD, Science Buddies
To investigate the effectiveness of a simple filter column for filtering different kinds of liquids.
When you're thirsty, nothing is better for you than a glass of water. All you have to do is turn on the tap and fill your glass, open a bottle of water, or go to your refrigerator's water dispenser. Whatever method you use to get water, the point is that you don't have to worry about it. You can get a clean glass of water whenever you need it. However, many people in the world don't have this luxury. Their town or village might not have a well nearby and a family member might need to walk for miles to get the daily requirement of water. Or if there is water nearby, it might be contaminated. Contaminated water can be a source of deadly diseases, such as cholera and dysentery. According to the World Health Organization, every year approximately 1.6 million people die from illnesses (usually severe diarrhea) due to drinking unsafe water. Most of these people are children under the age of five. About 4,500 people—again mostly children—die every day because they drank unsafe water. Another side effect of lack of access to clean water is gender inequality. Gender inequality is the belief that one gender, male or female, is better than the other. The chore of gathering water for the family usually rests upon the shoulders of female family members, especially girls. If girls are gathering water all day, then they don't have time to go to school. Thus, access to clean water can result in a population that is not only healthier, but that is better educated, and more able to help improve their community because they are not sick. In the year 2000, the United Nations member countries put together the Millennium Development Goals. The purpose of this program is to reduce poverty and hunger, to tackle ill health, gender inequality, lack of education, lack of access to clean water, and environmental ruin. Access to clean water plays a big part in reaching many of the Millennium Development Goals. Figure 1 shows a young Rwandan boy enjoying a glass of clean water. This is one child that will not suffer the effects of severe diarrhea.
Figure 1. Young Rwandan boy having a glass of water while filling his water tank. (Courtesy of NASA, 2009.)
Since the start of the Millennium Development Goals program, many non-profit and for-profit companies have developed filtration tools that reliably clean water. These tools range from filtering straws that people can carry with them, to simple silver-lined (silver helps clean the water) clay pots. But what is a filter and how does a simple filter work? A water filter is a device that removes impurities (such as dirt) from water using a physical barrier, a chemical process, or a biological process. In this environmental engineering science project, you will experiment with a water filter column kit and see how it works to find out how effective it is at filtering color and visible particles from different kinds of liquids. The water filter column that comes in the kit has four sections: gravel, fine sand, activated carbon, and paper filter. The gravel allows water to pass through, but traps large particles. The sand allows water to pass through and traps smaller particles. The active carbon removes unwanted chemicals in the water through a process called adsorption. The last stage is a paper filter, which is effective at trapping oils. Many cities use water filters that are similar to the filter column you'll use in this science project. The additional step they take, however, is adding chemicals to the water to kill any pathogens, which could make you sick. While doing this science project, think about all the important science and technology that exists to improve people's lives, like devices to clean their water!
Terms and Concepts
- Contamination
- Cholera
- Dysentery
- Gender
- United Nations
- Filter
- Impurity
- Barrier
- Chemical process
- Biological process
- Particle
- Adsorption
- Pathogen
- Clarity
- Murky
- Data
- Mathematical average
- What are the United Nations' eight Millennium Development Goals and how does clean water address these goals?
- What happens to your body when you have constant diarrhea?
- Can you describe three different tools for cleaning contaminated water?
- How does the water purification plant in your city work? Hint: Call your local water company to get more information.
- World Health Organization. (2010). Water Sanitation and Health (WSH). Retrieved June 22, 2010.
- United Nations Web Services Section, Department of Public Information. (2010). Water For Life, 2005-2015. Retrieved September 19, 2010.
- Wikipedia Contributors. (2010, June 11). Water filter. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
- Wikipedia Contributors. (2010, June 14). Water purification. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
- GOOD. (2010, July 22). Clean, Clear Water. Issue 016. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
- United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2010, April 21). Water Treatment Process. Retrieved September 19, 2010.
For help creating graphs, try this website:
- National Center for Education Statistics. (n.d.). Create a Graph. Retrieved July 16, 2010.
Materials and Equipment
- Green Science Clean Water Science Kit, available from our partner Home Science Tools.
- You will also need to gather these items, not included in the kit:
- Bowls (3)
- Plastic spoons (1 box)
- Liquid measuring cup
- Teaspoon, ¼ measure
- Small bowl of garden dirt
- Vegetable oil, ¼ cup
- Medicine dropper
- Plastic cups, clear (9; 2 for each of the 4 liquids and 1 for a comparison water sample)
- Permanent marker
- Plastic wrap (1 roll)
- Sports drink, red-colored (1 cup)
- Tea kettle, small pot, or liquid measuring cup
- Mug (1)
- Tea bag; a bagged black orange pekoe tea (1 tea bag)
- Kitchen timer
- Cola/soda pop (1 cup)
- Lab notebook
- Graph paper
Disclaimer: Science Buddies participates in affiliate programs with Home Science Tools, Amazon.com, Carolina Biological, and Jameco Electronics. Proceeds from the affiliate programs help support Science Buddies, a 501(c)(3) public charity, and keep our resources free for everyone. Our top priority is student learning. If you have any comments (positive or negative) related to purchases you've made for science projects from recommendations on our site, please let us know. Write to us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Experimental Procedure
Constructing the Filter
- Open the clean water science kit and read the enclosed instruction booklet completely.
First, open a packet of gravel and put it in a bowl. Rinse the gravel in water carefully three times to remove any dust.
- Open a packet of sand and put it into another bowl. Rinse the sand in water carefully three times. Swish the sand in the water and then let it settle before you carefully drain off the water.
- Open a packet of active carbon and put it into a clean bowl. Rinse the active carbon in water carefully three times. Clean the active carbon the same way as you cleaned the sand.
- Put the filter column together, as described in the instruction book.
- Prepare two filter plugs with wax, as instructed in the instructions, and insert them into two filter sections. Insert the other two plain filter plugs into two filter sections.
- Put the wet sand in one of the two filter sections with the waxed plug. Use a plastic spoon to scoop the clean sand from the bowl into the filter section. The sand will be wet, but try to scoop only the sand and not any extra water.
- Put the active carbon in the other filter section with the waxed plug. Use another plastic spoon to scoop the clean carbon from the bowl into the filter section. Avoid scooping any water into the filter section with the carbon.
- Put the gravel into one of the plain plug filter sections.
- Fold a filter paper in half and then in half again. Open the filter paper so that you have a cone or a funnel shape. Insert the cone into the last filter section.
- Construct the filter column, as shown in the diagram in the instruction booklet. Make sure that the bottom of the top filter section doesn't touch the material in the section below it.
Testing the Filter
- Make a contaminated water sample. Add 1/3 cup of water to the measuring cup. Add ½ teaspoon (tsp.) of garden dirt to the water and stir it with a clean plastic spoon. Using the medicine dropper, add a little vegetable oil to the water, approximately 4–6 drops. Mix the oil and the dirt completely into the water. Pour the contaminated water into a clear plastic cup.
- Place the filter column carefully on top of another clear plastic cup. Slowly pour a small amount of the contaminated water into the filter. The water should move between the filter sections drop by drop. Slowly filter about half of the contaminated sample. Continue to mix the contaminated water with the spoon so that the dirt doesn't settle.
Now compare the filtered sample of water to plain water and to the sample of contaminated water. Fill another clear plastic cup with plain water. Compare the clarity of the filtered sample to the clarity of plain water. Rank the clarity of the filtered water on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 is very clear (as clear as the plain water) and 1 is murky, where the sample is not clear at all and looks identical to the original contaminated sample. Record this data in your lab notebook in a data table like the one shown below. You should also record any other observations that you make about the filtered water. For example, if the filtered water has grit in it, then record that in the table.
- Caution: This filtering device is not intended as a filtering device to make clean drinking water, only as a representation of more-advanced filters. Do not drink the filtered water.
- Boil 1 cup of water in a teakettle or small pot on the stove, or in the microwave. Place the tea bag in the mug and pour the cup of boiling water into the mug over the tea bag. Set the timer for 15 minutes and let the tea bag sit undisturbed for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bag and let the tea cool down as you proceed with the following steps.
|Clarity Ranking
- Now take the filter apart and pour the gravel, the sand, and the active carbon into three separate bowls. Wash the three materials according to the instructions in the instruction booklet. Carefully unfold the paper filter and rinse it in water. Rinse the filter sections out in water. Refill the filter sections, remembering to fill one of the filter sections that has a waxed plug with sand and the other filter section that has a waxed plug with active carbon. Put the filter back together.
- Place 1/3 cup of sports drink in a clear plastic cup. Carefully place the filter on top of a clean clear plastic cup. Slowly pour half of the sports drink into the filter. The sports drink should move between the filter sections drop by drop. Slowly filter about half of the sports drink.
- Now compare the filtered sample of sports drink to plain water. Compare the clarity of the filtered sports drink to the clarity of the plain water in the cup from step 3 and to the original sports drink. Rank the clarity of the filtered sports drink on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 is very clear (as clear as the plain water) and 1 is still colored and not clear at all (like the original sports drink). Record this data in your lab notebook. You should also record any other observations that you make about the filtered sports drink.
- Repeat steps 5–7 using 1/3 cup of tea. Record all data in your lab notebook.
- Repeat steps 5–7 using 1/3 cup of cola. Record all data in your lab notebook. Is the filtered cola just as fizzy and bubbly as the original cola?
- Repeat steps 1–9 two more times with clean materials (you can wash and reuse the plastic cups and use the remaining liquids you've already prepared). It is important to do the experiment at least three times so that you are sure that your results are repeatable and reproducible.
Analyzing Your Data
- Review the data that you collected in the previous section's data table. Average the rank data for each of the four liquids. Equation 1 describes how to average data. You can also ask an adult for help. Record the data in your lab notebook in a data table like the one shown below.
Equation 1:
|Average Clarity Ranking
- Plot your data. You can plot your data by hand using graph paper or you can do your plots online at a website such as Create A Graph Label the x-axis Liquid and the y-axis Average Clarity Ranking.
- Did the filter remove all of the color and visible particles from the liquids? How effective is this filter at removing any visible particles from the liquids, such as dirt or food coloring? Did using this filter result in absolutely clear liquids as compared to each original liquid?
Ask an Expert
Global Connections
This project explores topics key to Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.
- The purpose of waxing the filter plugs is to slow the rate at which liquid flows through the filters. But what if you just can't wait to filter the liquid? Experiment with the rate of flow through the filter by changing the amount that you use to wax the filter plugs. Does changing the flow rate affect the quality of the filtered liquid?
- Try filtering teas that are brewed for different lengths of time. Brew tea for 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 5 minutes. Is the appearance of the filtered liquid dependent upon the length of brew time?
- Do some research at the library or on the Internet and make and test your own water filtration system.
If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:
Related Links
- Science Fair Project Guide
- Other Ideas Like This
- Environmental Engineering Project Ideas
- My Favorites


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Spitfire Model Builder's Cutting Mat
Are you still using Grammy Pearl's sewing mat on your build bench? Upgrade your work area today with our Pro Modeler Mat and start making models on a better surface. Yeah, it's got a Spitfire fighter plane on it!
- Designed for scale model builders
- Part of our Airkrafter Series cutting mats
- 3mm thick heavy-duty 3 layer construction
- Self-healing material
- Available in 2 sizes - 12x18 and 18x24 inches
- Inch grid with centimeter border
- RAF ocean grey color
- It just looks better on the bench!
IMPORTANT INFO: Store your mat flat out of direct sunlight. Keep away from extreme hot and cold temperatures. Avoid making repeated cuts in the same location. While the PVC material is resistant to most chemicals used in modelling, spills of thinners, glues or paints will most likely smudge the print.
OUR GUARANTEE: If you're not completely satisfied, contact us within 30 days of delivery so we can make it right.
See the FAQ page for more details.
Already got one? Please leave a review below!


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Nivo shelf G light oak/ white
With its nordic expression, Nivo is subtle in its appearance and convincing in its simplicity.
Product name: Nivo
Product category: Shelf
Color: light oak/ white
Material: Oak and steel
Designer: Böttcher & Kayser, 2017
Dimensions: W: 64 cm, H: 8 cm, D: 16 cm. Distance between shelves: 16,2 cm.
Max. Load 3 kg.
Nivo is a minimalistic wall shelf designed by Böttcher & Kayser for Gejst. With no unnecessary details and only clean lines Nivo hangs lightly and elegantly on the wall. Every component has been carefully thought out both in terms of design, form and function. There are no visible screws and the shelves are smoothly plugged in to the wooden poles, that have slits made exactly to fit.
Nivo is available in 8 different setups: Nivo A, B, C, D, E, F, G & H. All sizes are available in black and white.
The Nivo collection also contain a large version. Nivo shelf large, which comes in 2 setups Nivo Large D and E both setups in black and white.
Böttcher & Kayser
Böttcher & Kayser is a Berlin-based studio founded by Moritz Böttcher and Nikolaus Kayser in 2007. They have been rewarded with several prestigious awards such as the Interior Innovation Award, several iF Design Awards and numerous Red Dot Awards – including the award 'Best of the Best' in 2013. Their projects have been published in books and magazines around the world.


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Today, Nokia-employed "staff writer" Adam Fraser published a "review" of the Nokia Lumia 620 on Nokia's Conversations blog. That's confusing! So we thought we could help clear things up by reviewing his review.
What Is It?
Close to a thousand words about Nokia's cheapest Windows Phone 8 handset, written by a blogger hired by Nokia to write about Nokia products on a Nokia blog.
Who's It For?
People Googling the Internet wondering whether the Nokia Lumia 620 is a piece of junk.
The layout of the review makes for easy reading, with three photos illustrating how the handset is "compact, vibrant, and lots of fun."
Using It
The post is designed to be read as an expert review of a smartphone, aimed at helping consumers make informed purchasing decisions. It contains ample Nokia fawning cloaked in your standard gadget writer tropes, so it's easy to confuse this public relations flackery as a real review.
The Best Part
Fraser's unbridled enthusiasm for a product he has been paid to write positive things about:
Tragic Flaw
No matter how earnest he sounds, he works for Nokia. It's like Coke saying Coke Zero is a really good soda, or Communism getting five stars from Mao.
This Is Weird...
Nokia reviewed its own phone? Also this part of the review about a dark alley:
Right now, I'm loving the Cinemagraph app. Here's my first attempt, down a dark alley
What are you doing in a dark alley?
Test Notes
Read for about 10 minutes at my desk shortly after the review was published.
The review did not convince me that purchasing the phone was a good idea.
These passages say basically everything you need to know:
Worth noting that you only get on of these shells inbox, the others have to be bought separately. I got all of them as a special delivery from Helsinki!
Dual-shot is the term we're using to describe the blending of our CMYK palette to create new and exciting colours. For example, for the glossy lime we used a yellow polycarbonate base colour and overlaid it with a transparent cyan one. From the front, you'll see a double layer of colours, but from any other angle, all you can see is a vibrant, luscious lime colour.
As is usual with any new phone, there's a brief process of selecting times and dates, as well as the option to sign in to your Microsoft account, something you'll need if you want to purchase any of the over 125,000 apps or games available on the Windows Phone Store.
Should You Buy It?
Don't buy a word that comes out of Adam Fraser's mouth. As for the phone? You probably shouldn't buy that either.
"Compact, vibrant, and lots of fun: our Nokia Lumia 620 review"
• Words: 936
• Images: 6, full color
• Screen: 921,000 dot, three-inch AMOLED
• Gizrank: 2


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Appearance of Lord Ramachandra (Rama Navami)
(fasting until sunset)
Lord Ramachandra ruled the earth as the ideal king more than two million years ago. Under the order of His father, Maharaja Dasarath, Lord Ramachandra lived in exile in the forest for fourteen years, along with His wife, Sita Devi, and His younger brother, Lakshmana. After the powerful demon Ravana kidnapped His wife, Lord Ramachandra rescued her, with the help of His faithful servant Hanuman, and killed Ravana along with Ravana's armies. The history of Lord Ramachandra's pastimes is recounted by the sage Valmiki in his Ramayana.
- Lord Ramachandra Info Page
- Read a transcript of a lecture by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, courtesy of ISKCON Desire Tree: Sri Rama Navami, Hawaii, March 27, 1969
- Lord Ramachandra's pastimes are mentioned in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 9, Chapter 10
- 13927 reads
The dates presented here are calculated according to the Vaishnava Calendar for Mayapur, India. Here's why...
Click on events for more details


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Friday, March 6, 2009
In Search of the Unknown
The 4e DMG is not a book about world building. It was never intended to be one, and it consciously avoids the topic.
The reasoning behind this move is quite simple. The DMG is meant to be the first step for a 4e DM, and in particular a *new* DM. One of the big advantages D&D has over other games, particularly computer games, is that someone gets to be the DM. A lot of games nowadays allow you to be a dwarf fighter, bashing orcs over the head and looting dungeons, but D&D (and by extension all RPGs) is the only game that lets you control the orcs, place loot in the dungeon, and draw the dungeon map.
We avoided focusing on world building because we wanted to avoid giving DMs the impression that they had to do lots and lots of work to run a game. Now, you can put a lot of effort into your game, and IME more effort means a better game, but we didn't want to daunt a beginner. A new DM can run a perfectly fine game by stringing together some encounters and focusing on the tactical, rather than strategic, end of the game.
As an aside, that's also why there's a sample starting area and a rather simple beginning scenario. Now, it's tricky, because the DMG has to serve both existing D&D fans coming in from earlier editions, and new players, but the idea is that established DMs already have info on worldbuilding from other DMGs and other resources.
Now, on to the second topic and the inspiration for this post's title: exploration. There is woefully little exploration in many of the current crop of 4e adventures. I don't think it's by a design that sees exploration, or the stuff between encounters, as bad. The seed of that design mode has good intentions - give DMs as much for their buck as possible, with bang equating with encounters (usually fights) rather than descriptions and background info.
I can see how those two trends dovetail to generate some of the criticism of 4e. The two are separate, but both do have reasons (though you can debate the legitimacy of those reasons) behind them.
17 comments:
- Unknown said...
No worries about the handle "mearls". I've been Irda Ranger for over ten years now on one board or another, so it's how I think of myself some days too.
As for the post, the first argument makes a heck of a lot more sense than the second one. I've gotten way more bang in my time out of open-ended modules like Keep on the Borderlands and Dwellers in the Forbidden City than I ever got out of encounter-string adventures. A good module allows for the procedural generation of many more encounters than you could include in any published adventure, are unpredictably fun and are often very replayable to boot, as there are many paths that can be taken. An adventure run twice is a hell of a value.
FWIW, they're also terrific training wheels for full-on sandbox style play, which I think a lot of the new gamers these days just don't even realize is an option (particularly as they're trained by limited "DM free" computer games that don't allow for wandering over the "wrong" hill). A commitment by Wizards to show these kids "another way this can done" would be no bad thing, and may expand some horizons.
But most importantly of all, thanks for keeping the channel of communication open. It's appreciated.
-- Irda Ranger
- March 6, 2009 at 11:41 PM
- Jeff Saunders said...
Since the DMG2 isn't aimed so much at new DMs (right?), can we expect it to contain more world-building advice? It'd be interesting if the topics got gradually more advanced with each successive release.
- March 6, 2009 at 11:56 PM
I think the exploration thing is the fallout from quarter-page stat blocks. They eat space and make keying five rooms on each page of a module impossible. They can also make rooms without a stat block look like filler. Both of these are hurdles that get in the way of adding exploration to 3.x and 4e modules.
The fact that a character level only lasts 7-8 fights is also an issue. A couple dungeons that are big enough to explore will likely carry a group through an entire tier of play! This is not a bad thing per se, but it would be a real change from established practice.
The linearity (with short side branches) of modern modules takes a key element of player agency away. They just don't have the same life or replayability of classics, and trying to match the classics in modern format would require a book the size of Martial Power. This may be a Gordian Knot.
Where's my sword :)
- March 7, 2009 at 7:15 AM
- Unknown said...
Just to throw in some feedback on this decision from actual play, my son is almost 10. He eats up exactly that element of the DMG - the notion that he can just pick it up, follow the instructions, and play. No other RPG (and he's played several with us) captured his imagination the same way, specifically because "I can't think up all that stuff by myself yet."
ON the other hand, after running Kobold Hall and a couple one-offs for us and some of his friends, he's already getting ideas that take him "off the map." So the DMG is doing exactly what it was meant to in at least one case.
- March 7, 2009 at 7:48 AM
- ChattyDM said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- March 7, 2009 at 7:50 AM
- ChattyDM said...
I think that it could be entirely feasible and, more importantly, fun to create a site-based adventure focused on exploration with no combat in the classic sense.
If you created a Tomb-raider type of adventure where the dungeon would be filled with complex tricks and traps (some possibly beatable by sheer brawn to appeal to Butt Kicker players), you could have a whole adventure centered on Problem Solving and Exploration.
Making sure that the tricks and traps can be beaten either through either skill rolls and good old school 'thinking man's tactics' would help make the adventure appealing for most.
Definitively a project for Dungeon mag.
- March 7, 2009 at 7:52 AM
- Robert Conley said...
Well I am trying to fix this with Point of Light.
We decided to go with 4e style basic stats for the monsters in #2. For example instead of Orc(1HD) we do Orc(1st level, minion).
- March 7, 2009 at 8:34 AM
- Robert Conley said...
I think the exploration thing is the fallout from quarter-page stat blocks.
If I fully statted one of my Points of Light realms I would put all the stats into a card format and put them in the back.
After playing a few 4e games in my 20 year fantasy sandbox I have a stack of monster cards that I use. So when the player decide to go east instead of north it is easy for me to pull out what I need and use that for the encounter.
Also I have largely ditched tables for random encounters. When I want to see some random happen I shuffle a selection of cards (along with some blank ones) and randomly pull out one or two.
- March 7, 2009 at 8:39 AM
- Nope said...
I've been slowly building up a collection of location, monster, npc, trap and treasure cards for my 4e game. I got the idea from warhammer quest. It's easier to use during an encounter than flipping through pages, or even using my laptop(but my laptop is a good alternative.
I tried regular playing card size but it's too small, index card size works better.
- March 7, 2009 at 1:18 PM
- Kiltedyaksman said...
Sorry, I just don't buy into that. Putting off world-building material on the whim that senior players already have it makes no sense. How are newer players supposed to come to that information if not in the DMG? After all, that's how we took the notion to start thinking big, to imagine, to create. Now THAT'S D&D.
- March 7, 2009 at 4:28 PM
You've got the argument the wrong way round, Greg. It's not omitted because oldtimers don't need it. It's omitted because new DMs don't need it yet. They're better off getting the fundamentals down, since a nifty (if simplistic) world can grow organically from A good starting point (Nentir Vale) and an accumulation of details over a series of good adventures. The reverse don't hold true quite so automatically.
Ultimately, though, I think it's dair to say worldbuilding technique just fell victim to the same space crunch the trap-building guidelines (among other things) did. World build was seen as less fundamental than the material that's there now.
- March 7, 2009 at 8:22 PM
- Kiltedyaksman said...
I understand the point all too well, that's why I commented.
It prompts the publication of yet another book, when the material could be dealt with neatly in the DMG. It would also help balance out the quantification in the core books.
I also think it doesn't give the new DM enough credit.
- March 8, 2009 at 8:08 AM
- Jeremy Murphy said...
@Greg - are you really trying to tell us that you think that many experienced players require world building rules to get into that part of the game? Is that your assertion here?
I find world-building stuff to be the most useless thing in most sourcebooks. I'll do my world-building based on the theme and focus of my campaign, thanks. If I'm running a dark-themed, low-magic wilderness exploration based game (just as an example) I'm hardly going to find the rules for rolling up a town useful.
Besides, there is so much material available on the blogosphere and other places that I hardly think it warrents inclusion in a book like DMGI, which was very specifically targeted towards the basics of DMing - which is something I think is waaaay overdue, btw.
Good on ya, Mike, for giving new players a great tool - I learned by trial and error, and it wasn't always as much fun as it could have been.
- March 8, 2009 at 5:54 PM
- buzz said...
Wickedmurph: I find world-building stuff to be the most useless thing in most sourcebooks.
I agree 100%. I also think that the idea of "points of light", and the basic concept of starting no bigger than the town where the PCs are right now, and then building the rest though play is a far better methodology than the traditional DM-as-Tolkien. I.e., the DM sits by themselves and writes 80 years of elvish history before the players have even rolled up characters yet.
IME, no good ever comes of this. Either it's wasted work when a campaign never gets off the ground, or it encourages DMs to railroad players all over their pretty map so they can show off what they've built.
That said, I'm confident that the 4e team can write great world-building advice. The existing content in the 4e DMG is pure gold.
- March 8, 2009 at 8:49 PM
- Jeremy Murphy said...
I'm with you on that, Buzz. Points of light is really just a formalization of the learning experience that a lot of GM's go through in the early stages of long-term campaign building.
By starting small, and showing rather than telling (common fiction writing advice, btw), I think you come up with a final product that both feels more responsive to the characters, and keeps the DM's work to a more manageable level. Not that us DM's ever bite off too much... nooo...
- March 9, 2009 at 12:45 PM
- Kiltedyaksman said...
I'm not thinking of the experienced DM whatsoever.
Sorry folks, we can agree to disagree then.
- March 9, 2009 at 3:11 PM
- Justin Alexander said...
Brock wrote: FWIW, they're also terrific training wheels for full-on sandbox style play, which I think a lot of the new gamers these days just don't even realize is an option (particularly as they're trained by limited "DM free" computer games that don't allow for wandering over the "wrong" hill).
I think 4th Edition made the unfortunate decision to try competing head-to-head with the gameplay of CRPGs: Detailed combat simulation. Pre-packaged adventure design.
I don't think that's a battle you can win. CRPGs are really good at delivering hack 'n slash gameplay and quest lines broken down into pre-designed components. They give you pretty much everything D&D can give you in that regard, but they can also do the math for you, show your gorgeous graphics, pump in a situationally-appropriate soundtrack, and be playable completely on-demand.
Which isn't to say that tactical combat should have been shown the door. But it is to say that I would have preferred 4th Edition to focus more on the unique strengths of tabletop roleplaying.
Greg Gillespie wrote: Sorry, I just don't buy into that. Putting off world-building material on the whim that senior players already have it makes no sense. How are newer players supposed to come to that information if not in the DMG?
Conceptually, it's not that dissimilar from the approach taken in BECMI, however. The Basic Set was focused exclusively on the dungeon. The Expert Set added support for the wider world.
- March 12, 2009 at 1:23 AM


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World's Oldest Purse Found—Studded With a Hundred Dog Teeth?
"It seems to have been very fashionable at the time."
The world's oldest purse may have been found in Germany—and its owner apparently had a sharp sense of Stone Age style.
Excavators at a site near Leipzig (map) uncovered more than a hundred dog teeth arranged close together in a grave dated to between 2,500 and 2,200 B.C.
According to archaeologist Susanne Friederich, the teeth were likely decorations for the outer flap of a handbag.
"Over the years the leather or fabric disappeared, and all that's left is the teeth. They're all pointing in the same direction, so it looks a lot like a modern handbag flap," said Friederich, of the Sachsen-Anhalt State Archaeology and Preservation Office.
(Related: "World's Oldest Leather Shoe Found—Stunningly Preserved.")
The dog teeth were found during excavations of the 250-acre (100-hectare) Profen (map) site, which is slated to become an open-pit coal mine in 2015.
So far the project has uncovered evidence of Stone and Bronze Age settlements, including more than 300 graves, hundreds of stone tools, spear points, ceramic vessels, bone buttons, and an amber necklace.
Thousands of finds from later periods—including the grave of a woman buried with a pound (half a kilogram) of gold jewelry around 50 B.C.—have also turned up.
Even among such a rich haul, the purse is something special, according to Friederich, who managed the excavation project. "It's the first time we can show direct evidence of a bag like this."
(Pictures: the evolution of dogs.)
Fierce Fashion
As rare as the dog-tooth handbag may be, canine teeth are actually fairly common in Stone Age northern and central European burials, Friederich said. (Related: "Buried Dogs Were Divine 'Escorts' for Ancient Americans.")
In fact, the sheer numbers of teeth in graves around the region suggest dogs were as much livestock as pets—the purse flap alone required the teeth of dozens of animals.
In other area Stone Age burials, dog and wolf teeth, as well as mussel shells, have been uncovered in patterns that suggest that corpses were covered with studded blankets, which have long since disintegrated, Friederich said.
More commonly, though, dog teeth are found in hair ornaments and in necklaces, for both women and men.
"It seems to have been very fashionable at the time," said Harald Staueble, senior archaeologist at Germany's Saxon State Archaeology Office.
"Not everyone was buried with such nice things—just the really special graves."
Next: the secret recipe behind the spectacular variety of dog shapes and sizes >>


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Two years ago, environmentalist Bill McKibben caused a stir when he revealed the "terrifying new math" of climate change. McKibben calculated that to have a reasonable chance of staying below what climate scientists call the "tipping point" of global warming — a temperature rise of more than 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels — humans can only send 565 more gigatons of carbon dioxide (CO2) pollution into the atmosphere.
Here's the catch: The oil, coal, and gas reserves that fossil fuel companies and petro-states already have on their books account for about 2,795 gigatons of CO2. If they dig up — and we burn — those reserves, we'll release five times more carbon than the atmosphere can handle. Hello, climate disaster.
That means that between 60 and 80 percent of known fossil fuel reserves are "unburnable" if the world is to have a chance of avoiding the tipping point. That's why students, religious leaders, philanthropists, and everyday folks with retirement savings are doing the math and demanding that their investment dollars not prop up an industry that threatens life on earth as we know it.
These voices are joining community activists, Indigenous Peoples, and workers in the Global South — many of whom are on the front lines of climate chaos — who are calling on international institutions not to bank on fossil fuels to drive their economic development. It's alarming, then, that a new UN Green Climate Fund that is being set up to help transition economies away from fossil fuels may itself support fossil fuel projects.
There's no future — financially or ecologically — in development projects that warm the planet and destabilize the environment. If the UN wants to help developing countries make the leap to renewable energy, it should take a lesson from divestment activists all over the world and keep its checkbook closed to dirty energy projects.
A Bad Bet
For some, divestment will seem like leaving money on the table. Leaving those fuels in the ground, after all, makes for a lot of "stranded assets."
The UK-based Carbon Tracker Initiative calculates that these unexploited reserves are worth about $4 trillion in share value and support $1.27 trillion in corporate debt. If you're the financial officer of a university endowment or a pension fund manager, you might protest that your job is to raise money — and fossil investments still generally outperform renewable energy.
But in the long term, dirty energy investments won't be so sure a bet. As more and more countries feel the impacts of climate change, serious efforts to curb carbon pollution could make those investments less appealing. Leaders of some of the most important international development and climate institutions recognize this and recently took the stage at the World Economic Forum to bring together the ecological and economic sides of the divestment case.
UN climate convention chief Christiana Figueres said investors would be "in blatant breach of their fiduciary duty" if they failed to pull their money out of fossil fuel-linked funds in the face of "clear scientific evidence" of global warming. And Dr. Jim Kim, president of the World Bank, called on long-term investors to "rethink what fiduciary responsibility means" in the face of climate change and to address the financial risk associated with their carbon-intensive investments.
Climate Fund for the 21st Century
Ironic, then, that the new UN Green Climate Fund could, perversely, become a major source of funding for fossil fuel infrastructure.
The mandate of the fund is to support a transformational shift in the global south away from fossil fuels and toward clean, climate-resilient development. But tucked away in the fine print of the fund's governing document is support for technologies like carbon capture and storage (aka "clean coal") — a technology that is not viable at scale and does nothing to address the cradle-to-grave environmental and social devastation that coal wreaks.
In fact, any mention of phasing out fossil fuels is conspicuously absent in the new climate fund, even as other international financial institutions are finally moving to wind down some of the coal-fired excesses of their energy portfolios.
There is, however, a window of opportunity to remedy this as the Green Climate Fund board members work toward final design elements at their meeting this week in Bali. One of those elements could be an exclusion list of dirty energy projects it simply won't finance. Another is to agree on a framework of indicators of success (in board-speak, the "results management framework") and strict performance standards that rule out dirty energy.
Most importantly, the board must adopt strong environmental and social safeguards for the projects it supports. In addition to avoiding fossil fuel projects, that might also mean refusing to promote projects like large hydroelectric dams that can cause large-scale displacement of people and loss of land and livelihoods.
An Uphill Battle
The task of keeping dirty energy out of the Green Climate Fund will not be easy.
Several board members have vested economic interests in maintaining the financial viability of "less dirty" energy approaches like "clean coal" and natural gas. And large transnational corporations, including Bank of America (dubbed "the coal bank" by activists), play a significant role in shaping the fund.
Scientists are telling us that we must get off fossil fuels fast. We're already witnessing the devastating impacts of climate change on our neighbors and friends across the world. And for many national governments, funds to deal with the climate crisis are scarce.
The opportunity is clear. And common sense, not head-in-the-sand economic interests, must dictate action. The Green Climate Fund should take a lesson from ordinary investors all over the world who see that there's no future in fossil fuels — not for their portfolios, and not for the planet.


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Stocks accelerated their losses in the final hour of trading to finish near session lows Tuesday, dragged by techs and weighed by ongoing worries about efforts in Washington to resolve the looming "fiscal cliff."
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 58.90 points, or 0.46 percent, to finish at 12,756.18, led by Microsoft and Intel. Home Depot was the biggest blue-chip gainer, but the home improvement retailer still ended off its highs.
The S&P 500 declined 5.50 points, or 0.40 percent, to end at 1,374.53.
The Nasdaq fell 20.37 points, or 0.70 percent, to close at 2,883.89. The Nasdaq briefly dipped into correction territory, earlier in the session, falling 10 percent from its Sept. 21 high.
The CBOE Volatility Index, widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, ended above 16.
Among the key S&P sectors, techs and banks dragged, while utilities nded higher.
U.S. equities have come under pressure since last week's presidential election as investors worry that if no deal is reached to prevent the automatic spending cuts and tax increases that hit at the end of the year, the economy could slip into recession. (Read More: Who Ultimately Wins From the 'Fiscal Cliff'?)
"This slope downward over the last three weeks is telling us that [the market is] concerned, but not panicked," said Jim Iuorio, director of TJM Institutional Services. "It's in a slow sluggish spot waiting to hear from [Washington], but we won't hear from them for a while."
Fiscal cliff uncertainty is also restraining banking activity , Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan said on Tuesday.
"We've got a generation of zombie consumers that are haunting the landscape in the United States," Stephen Roach, Yale University senior fellow, said on CNBC Tuesday. "What the consumption weakness shows you is the economy doesn't have a cushion, so when you hit an economy without a cushion with sharp fiscal consolidation we'll go immediately into recession."
Among earnings, Home Depot beat earnings expectations and raised its full-year outlook as the housing market continues to show signs of improvement.
TJX rose after the parent company of Marshalls and TJMaxx posted earnings that edged past estimates.
Dick's Sporting Goods posted earnings that topped expectations and said same-store sales jumped 5.1 percent.
Saks, meanwhile, forecast that Hurricane Sandy will lead to flat same-store sales in the current quarter, adding that stores affected by the storm account for more than half its sales. Still, shares edged higher.
Xerox edged higher after the photo copier manufacturer announced plans to raise its dividend next year and hike its share buyback program by $1 billion. It will also take a $100 million charge related to a previously announced restructuring.
Meanwhile, Microsoft slumped after the tech giant said Steven Sinofsky, the executive most widely tipped to be the next chief executive has left the company.
Also among techs, Facebook slipped, pulling back after rallying more than 4 percent in the previous session, ahead of the social-networking giant's lockup expiration Wednesday, where about 800 million shares will become eligible for sale.
Cisco s slated to post earnings after the closing bell.
On the economic front, the budget deficit rose to $120 billion in October, bigger than forecasts for a $114 billion gap and up from $98 billion in the same period last year.
Growth in expenditures outpaced rising receipts, deepening the deficit. Outlays grew to $304 billion from around $262 billion in the same month last year while receipts rose to $184 billion from $163 billion.
European shares ended in positive territory after the Eurogroup of finance ministers decided to grant Greece two more years to make budget cuts. However, they postponed a decision on a further tranche of aid for Greece until November 20.
Meanwhile, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde and Eurogroup Chair Jean-Claude Juncker publicly sparred over the deadline for Greece to lower its debt levels.
—By CNBC's JeeYeon Park (Follow JeeYeon on Twitter: @JeeYeonParkCNBC)
On Tap This Week:
WEDNESDAY: Weekly mortgage apps, PPI, retail sales, business inventories, FOMC minutes, 13-F filings, Facebook lockup lifts; Earnings from Abercrombie & Fitch, Staples, Tyco, Limited Brands, NetApp
THURSDAY: PI, jobless claims, Empire state mfg survey, Philadelphia Fed survey, oil inventories, Fed bank of Chicago annual conf., credit card default rates reported; Earnings from Target, Wal-Mart, Viacom, Gap, Dell
FRIDAY: Treasury international capital, industrial production, e-commerce retail sales; Earnings from Foot Locker, JM Smucker, Ann
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The 28-member European Union (EU) has temporarily banned the import of Alphonso mangoes, the king of fruits, and four vegetables from India from May 1, sparking protests from the Indian community, lawmakers and traders.The recent decision by the grouping's Standing Committee on Plant Health came after 207 consignments of fruits and vegetables from India imported into the EU in 2013 were found to be contaminated by pests such as fruit flies and other quarantine pests.The temporary ban - proposed by the European Commission and endorsed by the Committee - includes mangoes, eggplant, the taro plant, bitter gourd and snake gourd, and prohibits the import to tackle the "significant shortcomings in the phytosanitary certification system of such products exported to the EU".Though the prohibited commodities represent less than 5 per cent of the total fresh fruits and vegetables imported into the EU from India, the potential introduction of new pests could pose a threat to EU agriculture and production, the committee noted.UK's Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) that is backing the ban said it was necessary due to pests which could threaten the country's 321 million pound salad crop industry of tomato and cucumber.The UK imports nearly 16 million mangoes from India and the market for the fruit is worth nearly 6 million pounds a year. A revision of the ban will take place before December 31, 2015.Businesses claimed they will lose hundreds of thousands of pounds due to the ban. Wholesalers and retailers in Indian-dominated regions of the UK have opposed the ban, which comes into effect on May 1, saying it will hit them hard."This is Euro-nonsense and bureaucracy gone mad. Indian mangoes have been imported to Britain for centuries. I am furious with the lack of consultation with those who will be affected by the ban," said Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz, who has written to the European Commission president after his constituents in the city of Leicester made a plea.He has also written to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ascertain if the Indian government was consulted on the matter.
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Happy Friday o7
This log is going to be
Concerning the last devlog: yeah, I got it That was pretty rough, forum, but I got the message. I haven't touched the thing in a while now. I do think some people missed the emphasis on me needing a tool to keep it all manageable; at the same time, I can't deny it, I've been known to fall prey to ShinyTechTools once or twice in the past So, regardless of who is right or wrong, I've turned back to 100% gameplay focus for a while in hopes that it'll help those who are feeling anxious about the state of LT. I know it's been five years but...let's relax a bit. Getting overly-worked-up about this game doesn't help anyone!
My focus right now is on the economy and AI. I'm working to get back to a small, functional economy where the AI is performing basic gameplay mechanics to create minimal-but-real market activity. This means: mining, navigation / pathing, trading. From there I will expand by porting more of the high-level AI, in particular, project management so that AI players will be able to choose between activities and dynamically react to economic conditions. Most of this stuff is just a matter of translating things that already exist (in C++, LTSL, or my brain) into Lua, so it's not very difficult. I've got the market mostly-working; the bulk of the remaining work is in AI porting.
Adam has burned through a lot of tasks this month, many of which have been on TODO lists for a long, long time. I can't hope to list it all out, but the man has probably touched every code file in both the engine and the game at least once in March All hail Adam \o/ On the gameplay front, he's brought over the top bar for switching between various interfaces, and we're both working to populate it with UI content. We've got a WIP command interface, to be joined shortly by a port of the scanning/exploration interface.
All-in-all, things move quickly when we're working on the game side of the game, and, as far as I can tell, we don't have any real blockers on that front at the moment, so...smooth sailing. At some point I will have to go back and commit to either finishing the last 10% of, or scrapping, the tool-which-must-not-be-named, but that doesn't have to be done right now. Lord knows we all need a nice, long ride on the gameplay train to restore some sanity
I'll post shinies when I have them, but right now there's not really much to look at, especially considering you all have seen this stuff before (mining, markets, etc...). Nonetheless, when I've got a bustling system of AI activity working again I'll slap some screenshots up.
Recently I've been doing more thinking (about the game). Remember when I used to do that? Think? Yes, it was fun! Since this log is short and I (regrettably) don't have enough work to talk about, I'll just talk about an idea that has been on my mind this week, old-devlog-style.
A few days ago I started thinking about the birth of cities and how it must be quite an exciting process -- imagining a settlement starting with just a few shoddy abodes, watching it sprawl out over time into a bustling metropolis as wealth pours in. SimCity, I guess. It made me sad to think that this process doesn't really occur in LT, since civilian life is largely hidden behind the black-box veil of colonies. We have space stations, of course, but those are large, discrete investments. We can try to think about the growth of a single station over time as new modules are added. But it's still boring compared to the 'organic' growth of something like a city, where the building blocks from which the whole is born are absolutely miniscule in comparative size.
That's really the key, too, isn't it? When the superstructure is made from atoms that are 'tiny' compared to the whole -- the buildings that make up a city are tiny compared to the city itself, the cells that make up living beings are microscopic compared to the whole, etc. -- that's when the growth process (and I dare say, the final result) is the most interesting. It's this granularity that makes it interesting in the first place! We can and will see such growth processes in many places in LT. But civilian life is largely absent, and it makes me a bit sad. So, what can we do about it?
As with many of my ideas, the answer may well be: nothing. And that'd be fine. But another possible answer is: 'microstations.' Or, to strip the idea of all pomp: "why don't we just do in space what we do on the ground?" Think about how we can make the equivalent of a 'building' in space. Instead of having to have monolithic stations, what if we thought more in terms of 'ship-sized' modules? What if large 'factory' modules -- the kind that scifi/space sims take for granted as being the norm -- were the exception rather than the rule? What if a small settlement could form, one household at a time, around a large, unusually-rich asteroid, in a completely granular fashion, until the population has reached a point of saturating the natural resource yield? Imagine small little 'space houses,' like organic scaffolding hugging the rock. Perhaps such houses could even be converted from ships (yes, I'm talking about trailer parks in space). Perhaps this would be the precursor to a superstructure like a station. Perhaps a (civilian) station is not built, so much as it is grown.
The idea appeals to me on many levels. It makes economic granularity vastly better, which means jump-starting the economy is easier, making sure it can sustain itself by growing and shrinking as necessary becomes easier...basically all the problems with coarse discretization go away. It also makes space feel more 'alive' and 'welcoming' to me. Home can be anywhere now, it doesn't have to just be the handful of stations/colonies nearby. Of course, I've not implemented anything like this before, nor have I played a space game with these constructs in it, so I could be imagining a false feeling...but I don't think I am. There's something to it -- walking through Ald-Ruhn/Suran/Balmora, having people cross your path, seeing their homes nearby (yes, I played some Morrowind recently, sue me. Outlander.) It feels warm, alive. I always wanted space to feel that way. Not so cold and desolate. Maybe I should continue to give some thought to spicing up the civilian side of things.
That's all for today. April should be better for us work-wise (and, by extension, devlog wise), as real life is promising to be less obtrusive than last month. The 100% gameplay commitment doesn't hurt either
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MIAMI (AP)-- Nearly 800 people have signed up to hunt Burmese pythons on public lands in Florida.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is holding a month-long "Python Challenge." Officials are offering cash prizes to whoever brings in the longest python and whoever bags the most pythons.
The hunt starts at 1 p.m. Saturday and ends at midnight Feb. 10.
The Burmese python is an invasive species that experts say is decimating native wildlife in the Florida Everglades. Florida currently prohibits possession or sale of the pythons for use as pets. Federal law bans the importing and selling the species.
For the first time, the public is joining licensed hunters in the search for the snakes. Officials hope the competition will help rid the Everglades of the invaders.