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[meteorite-list] Caught For The First Time: The Early Flash Of An Exploding Star
From: MexicoDoug <mexicodoug_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2016 23:27:55 -0400
Message-ID: <153a6aa0c03-3414-107bb_at_webprd-m84.mail.aol.com>
Haven't seen this covered by Ron. Maybe not like I expected but in our lifetimes! Look what K2/Kepler is reporting! They caught the moment -actually about 20 minutes- that a star goes supernova, *visibly*, twice. Wow, meticulous persistence pays. Tycho Brahe would be so impressed... They go on to say expanding brightness reaches a maximum after 14 days, as all the elements (like iron and nickel) are manufactured and released that make life and geology (and nice pre-stellar nebulae) interesting:
preprint pdf:
NASA PR Summary:
Caught For The First Time: The Early Flash Of An Exploding Star
The brilliant flash of an exploding star?s shockwave?what astronomers call the ?shock breakout??has been captured for the first time in the optical wavelength or visible light by NASA's planet-hunter, the Kepler space telescope.
An international science team led by Peter Garnavich, an astrophysics professor at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, analyzed light captured by Kepler every 30 minutes over a three-year period from 500 distant galaxies, searching some 50 trillion stars. They were hunting for signs of massive stellar death explosions known as supernovae.
The brightness of a Type II supernova shock breakout
The diagram illustrates the brightness of a supernova event relative to the sun as it unfolds. For the first time, a supernova shockwave has been observed in the optical wavelength or visible light as it reaches the surface of the star. This early flash of light is called a shock breakout. The explosive death of this star, called KSN 2011d, as it reaches its maximum brightness takes 14 days. The shock breakout itself lasts only about 20 minutes, so catching the flash of energy is an investigative milestone for astronomers. The unceasing gaze of NASA's Kepler space telescope allowed astronomers to see, at last, this early moment as the star blows itself to bits. Supernovae like these ? known as Type II ? begin when the internal furnace of a star runs out of nuclear fuel causing its core to collapse as gravity takes over. This type of star is called a red supergiant star and it is 20,000 times brighter than our sun. As the supergiant star goes supernova, the energy traveling from the core reaches the surfaces
with a burst of light that is 130,000,000 times brighter than the sun. The star continues to explode and grow reaching maximum brightness that is about 1,000,000,000 times brighter than the sun.
Credits: NASA Ames/W. Stenzel
In 2011, two of these massive stars, called red supergiants, exploded while in Kepler?s view. The first behemoth, KSN 2011a, is nearly 300 times the size of our sun and a mere 700 million light years from Earth. The second, KSN 2011d, is roughly 500 times the size of our sun and around 1.2 billion light years away.
?To put their size into perspective, Earth's orbit about our sun would fit comfortably within these colossal stars,? said Garnavich.
Whether it?s a plane crash, car wreck or supernova, capturing images of sudden, catastrophic events is extremely difficult but tremendously helpful in understanding root cause. Just as widespread deployment of mobile cameras has made forensic videos more common, the steady gaze of Kepler allowed astronomers to see, at last, a supernova shockwave as it reached the surface of a star. The shock breakout itself lasts only about 20 minutes, so catching the flash of energy is an investigative milestone for astronomers.
?In order to see something that happens on timescales of minutes, like a shock breakout, you want to have a camera continuously monitoring the sky,? said Garnavich. ?You don?t know when a supernova is going to go off, and Kepler's vigilance allowed us to be a witness as the explosion began.?
Supernovae like these ? known as Type II ? begin when the internal furnace of a star runs out of nuclear fuel causing its core to collapse as gravity takes over.
The two supernovae matched up well with mathematical models of Type II explosions reinforcing existing theories. But they also revealed what could turn out to be an unexpected variety in the individual details of these cataclysmic stellar events.
While both explosions delivered a similar energetic punch, no shock breakout was seen in the smaller of the supergiants. Scientists think that is likely due to the smaller star being surrounded by gas, perhaps enough to mask the shockwave when it reached the star's surface.
?That is the puzzle of these results,? said Garnavich. ?You look at two supernovae and see two different things. That?s maximum diversity.?
Understanding the physics of these violent events allows scientists to better understand how the seeds of chemical complexity and life itself have been scattered in space and time in our Milky Way galaxy
"All heavy elements in the universe come from supernova explosions. For example, all the silver, nickel, and copper in the earth and even in our bodies came from the explosive death throes of stars," said Steve Howell, project scientist for NASA's Kepler and K2 missions at NASA?s Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley. "Life exists because of supernovae."
Garnavich is part of a research team known as the Kepler Extragalactic Survey or KEGS. The team is nearly finished mining data from Kepler?s primary mission, which ended in 2013 with the failure of reaction wheels that helped keep the spacecraft steady. However, with the reboot of the Kepler spacecraft as NASA's K2 mission, the team is now combing through more data hunting for supernova events in even more galaxies far, far away.
"While Kepler cracked the door open on observing the development of these spectacular events, K2 will push it wide open observing dozens more supernovae," said Tom Barclay, senior research scientist and director of the Kepler and K2 guest observer office at Ames. "These results are a tantalizing preamble to what's to come from K2!"
In addition to Notre Dame, the KEGS team also includes researchers from the University of Maryland in College Park; the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia; the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland; and the University of California, Berkeley.
The research paper reporting this discovery has been accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal.
Ames manages the Kepler and K2 missions for NASA?s Science Mission Directorate. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, managed Kepler mission development. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation operates the flight system with support from the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
Authored by H. Pat Brennan/JPL and Michele Johnson/Ames
The brilliant flash of an exploding star?s shockwave?what astronomers call the ?shock breakout? -- is illustrated in this video animation. The cartoon video begins with a view of a red supergiant star that is 500 hundred times bigger and 20,000 brighter than our sun. When the star?s internal furnace can no longer sustain nuclear fusion its core to collapses under gravity. A shockwave from the implosion rushes upward through the star?s layers. The shockwave initially breaks through the star?s visible surface as a series of finger-like plasma jets. Only 20 minute later the full fury of the shockwave reaches the surface and the doomed star blasts apart as a supernova explosion. This animation is based on photometric observations made by NASA?s Kepler space telescope. By closely monitoring the star KSN 2011d, located 1.2 billion light-years away, Kepler caught the onset of the early flash and subsequent explosion.
Credits: Credit: NASA Ames, STScI/G. Bacon
Media contact:
Michele Johnson
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
michele.johnson at nasa.gov
Last Updated: March 21, 2016
Editor: Michele Johnson
Received on Wed 23 Mar 2016 11:27:55 PM PDT
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Frank Sidebottom
CHELSEA space was sad to hear the news of the death of Chris Sievey, better known as Frank Sidebottom. CHELSEA space Director Donald Smith said "Chris was a creative and unpredictable genius who helped shape the programme at CHELSEA space. His admirers included Bob and Roberta Smith and Jeremy Deller, and Matthew Higgs wrote a glowing review of Frank's show in Artforum - as Frank once sang "that's the wonder of cardboard". Our thoughts at this time are with Little Frank"
#15 Frank Sidebottom CHELSEA space is Ace!
04.07.07 - 04.08.07
Antony Gormley's Critical Mass lands on the De La Warr pavilion
Whilst CHELSEA space considers the physical and administrative demands of Chelsea College of Art and Design's Henry Moore sculpture Two Piece Reclining Figure 1959, De La Warr Pavillion curator and former CHELSEA space assistant Jane Won moves Anthony Gormley's work onto the roof at Bexhill on Sea
Body count: Antony Gormley's Critical Mass lands on the De La Warr pavilion
gardian.co.uk Friday 14 May 2010
Mick Jones
CHELSEA space Director Donald Smith curates
Mick Jones' Rock & Roll Public Library
at the Gallery at Norwich University of the Arts
Mick Jones: The Rock & Roll Public Library
13th April - 22nd May
Gallery at Norwich University of the Arts
Francis House, 3-7 Redwell Street, Norwich NR2 4SN
[From the Press Release]
Mick Jones, iconic guitarist and songwriter with The Clash, Big Audio Dynamite and Carbon Silicon, has amassed an impressive collection of paraphernalia of performance and marketing materials of the bands he has worked with. This archive sits alongside a parallel general collection of books, magazines, videos, ephemera, toys and games which mark out his life, times and influences... see more in PDF
In September/October 2010 CHELSEA space will host an exhibition about the late Barney Bubbles, the influential designer whose iconic work for Stiff Records and Hawkwind inspired a revolution in graphic design. The show is curated by Bubbles' biographer Paul Gorman, renowned author of the book and blog The Look: Adventures in Rock and Pop Fashion.
27 years after his tragic death, Barney Bubbles is now recognised as one of the most powerful influences on the development of graphic design. Paul Gorman will examine the extraordinary oeuvre of this mysterious figure who insisted on anonymity yet provided the visual identity for the counter-culture, new-wave and post-punk movements.
#34 PROCESS: The working practices of Barney Bubbles
curated by Paul Gorman
14.09.10 – 23.10.10
"Barney Bubbles is the missing link between pop and culture"
Peter Saville
Paul Gorman is to present a lecture on Barney Bubbles on 10th March at University Campus Suffolk for more information visit here
A Riot of Our Own
A Riot of Our Own curated by Carol Tulloch, Syd Shelton, and Ruth Gregory and initiated at CHELSEA space in 2008 is to be shown as part of the East End Film Festival. Details as follows:
The East End Film Festival presents Riot, Race and Rock & Roll - Rock Against Racism 1976 - 1981
Babak Ghazi
Visit the website of artist Babak Ghazi (www.babakghazi.com) which
includes his work from The Affirmation curated by Andrew Hunt
at CHELSEA space in November/December 2007.
One of Syd Shelton's photgraphs from the A Riot of Our Own exhibition at CHELSEA space has been commissioned for the poster of a new film by Antonino d'Ambrosio entitled Let Fury Have The Hour.
artist and CHELSEA space assistant Clare Lewis's artwork was recently featured on the BBC website
Saplings represent stab victims (PDF)
Charlie Franklin Inside Out
Artist and Chelsea space assistant Charlie Franklin is curating and showing work in the forthcoming show:
Inside Out
GV Art
49 Chiltern Street, London W1U 6LY
Opens 4th August - 1st October 2009
press release / invite (PDF)
Jazzonia & the Harlem Diaspora
Jazz Tap Workshop
The history, the 1980s revival, the moves
With David Gothard (former artistic director of Riverside Studios)
and Annette Walker (anthropologist and 'hoofer').
Wednesday 29th July 2009
4pm - 6pm
CHELSEA Space
Free Admission
Carol Tulloch and Syd Shelton reflect on their show
at CHELSEA space A Riot of Our Own
Wednesday 10th June 2009 5pm
The Lecture Theatre
Woodlane Campus
University College Falmouth
Gary Woodley's plywood chairs
in Dematerialised
The plywood stools used in the current CHELSEA space exhibition Dematerialised: Jack Wendler Gallery 1971 to 1974, were designed by the artist Gary Woodley who made the inaugural exhibition at CHELSEA space, Impingement no. 47, March 5th – April 16th 2005.
at Tate Britain
Woodley currently has a major new work, Impingement no. 53 in the Duveen Galleries and Room 23 of Tate Britain as part of the exhibition Kettle's Yard curated by Kettle's Yard Director, Michael Harrison.
coming soon to CHELSEA space -
ECONOMY by Ian Whittlesea
Friday 1st May 2009 10am-10pm
coming soon to CHELSEA space -
December 1952 by Earle Brown
Directed by Cally Spooner
Tuesday 28th - Thursday 30th April 2009
coming soon to CHELSEA space -
Mick Jones: The Rock & Roll Public Library
Private View:
Tuesday 17th March 2009. 6 – 8.30pm
Exhibition continues: 18.03.09 – 18.04.09
The Independent: London calling for Jones' Clash show (PDF)
Uncut online preview (PDF) / NME.com preview / allgigs.co.uk preview (PDF)
WHITEHOT Magazine
January 2009
Interview with Hana Noorali and Lynton Talbot of RUN Gallery.
CHELSEA space Director Donald Smith has bee appointed Chairman of the Trustees of the Chelsea Arts Club Trust, a registered charity set up in 1990 to encourage art and design education and support artists and designers.
Charlie Franklin
Artist and CHELSEA space assistant Charlie Franklin is showing in
Propeller Island /An Evolving Art Space
29 Thurloe Place, South Kengington
London SW7 2HQ
For more information please go to
Curatorial Independence
On March 19th 2008 CHELSEA space director Donald Smith was invited to take part in 'Curatorial Independence' a panel discussion in the series 'Chelsea Conversations' organised by Sonya Dyer curator and co-ordinator of the Chelsea Programme.
The subject of the discussion was "What does 'curatorial independence' mean? Is it ever possible within the public sector? What strategies do curators employ to maintain / claim their independence?".
Panellists included Kwong Lee, (Director Castlefield Gallery), Andrew Hunt (Independent curator), Jen Wu (Temporary Contemporary and Inspire curatorial fellow, ICA) and Donald Smith, (Director of Chelsea Space) explore the issues, in a conversation chaired by Teresa Gleadowe.
For more information on this event and the Chelsea Programme go to
Joana Bastos & Nadine Puetz
Chelsea graduate Joana Bastos made reference to CHELSEA space in her recent MA show with accompanying text by curator Nadine Puetz
Blow My Skirt Up at Chelsea Futurespace
Work by 12 contemporary artists
Private view: 7th October 2008 6.30 - 8.30pm
Exhibition: 08.10.08 - 31.10.08
Chelsea Futurespace
Hepworth Court, Grosvenor Waterside
Gatliff Road London SW1W 8QP
For more information please visit www.chelseafuturespace.org/blowmyskirtup
Artist and CHELSEA space assistant
Sophy Smith was exhibiting at West Eleven
Five at 5
22 - 29 September 2008
West Eleven 5 Blenheim Crescent, off Portobello Road
London W11 2EE
CHELSEA space originated exhibition When Marcel Met Motley opens at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
09.07.08 - 31.08.08
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL
The Zusammen Choir founded by artist and CHELSEA space assistant, Susan Forsyth, will be participating in the Homo Ludens Festival in Warsaw as part of Radioactive.
See: MySpace for The Zusammen Choir
A Riot of Our Own curated by Carol Tulloch
From July 2nd to August 2nd CHELSEA space will be hosting A Riot of Our Own, a show of Syd Shelton's and Ruth Gregory's archive of the Rock Against Racism movement from 1976 until the early 1980's including their publication Temporary Hoarding and Syd's iconic photographs.
Related links on BBC website:
Did music fight racism?
Rock Against Racism
Susan Forsyth
Artist and CHELSEA space assistant Susan Forsyth's animation can be viewed at YouTube.
30 November 2007 - 12 January 2008
CHELSEA space web designer and artist
Shoko Maeda was showing at
Galerie Lorenz in Frankfurt, Germany.
The Archival Impulse: Artists and Archives
Friday 16 November 2007 10:00 - 18:00
CHELSEA space Director Donald Smith and Bruce McLean have been invited to talk about the exhibition Process Progress Project Archive at a conference at Tate Britain.
Link to CHELSEA space archive:
Process Progress Project Archive 1966 - 2006
28 January - 11 March 2006
Jane Won
CHELSEA space are delighted to announce that Jane Won, CHELSEA space assistant and curator of Shin Azumi and Norman McLaren and When Marcel Met Motley, has been appointed Assistant Curator at the De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill on Sea, East Sussex.
Artist and CHELSEA space assistant
Donna Marris' website
Friday 3rd August 2007 18:00 - 22:00
Director of Exhibitions Donald Smith is co-curating the Late at Tate Britain in collaboration with Adrian Shaw from Tate.
Group exhibition made by Donald Smith
RUN gallery, 30th June to 29th July 2007
Invitation / Press Release / List of Works
Installation views
Site created by Shoko Maeda

subset: commoncrawl


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The government has been drugging us for years.
Since the 1940s, municipalities across the United States have been voluntarily adding fluoride to their water supplies. Fluoride, as we all learned in elementary school, protects teeth against cavities. You'll find it in toothpaste and in vitamin supplements. Children regularly get fluoride treatments at the dentist. We bathe in it, we eat it, and we drink it, knowingly or not, all of the time. This has been going on for nearly 70 years. Yet recently, it has become a source of contention for several communities across the country.
At the beginning of the year, Pinellas County in Florida halted water fluoridation for its nearly 700,000 residents. This, the result of a months-long campaign against what local tea-partiers saw as a Big Brother public health mandate. Pinellas County represents the largest population in the U.S. to halt the measure, but as The New York Times reported in October, "a growing number of communities are choosing to stop adding fluoride to their water systems." The article cites 200 municipalities across the country that decided in recent years to forego the practice.
But why is politicized opposition to fluoride happening now?* The process has been in use since the 1940s, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hail it as one of the top preventative public health measures of all time. It is thoroughly supported by the American Dental Association, and when it was initiated in the middle of the 20th century, rates of dental cavities fell by 50 percent or higher, arguably because of fluoride. But opposition groups, notably the Fluoride Action Network, a non-profit dedicated to fluoride-danger awareness, put forth a much darker picture. They say the effect of tap water fluoride on tooth decay is hard to pinpoint, and in a large enough quantity, fluoride is a toxin — one that can possibly make bones fragile, lower IQ in children, and contribute to bone cancer. They insist cavities can be prevented by brushing alone.
Like many environmental issues turned political, the two opposing sides in this debate present a dichotomous, confusing picture. What should residents in a community debating the practice believe? Ask the CDC whether fluoridation is worthwhile, and the answer is a resounding yes. Ask the Fluoride Action Network, and it is a fearful no. When it comes to environmental issues, misinformation runs rampant and so does emotion. At the intersection of politics and science, it's often hard for the public to arrive at an objective truth.
Sugar does not rot your teeth, bacteria do.
Just as the body uses sugar as fuel, cariogenic (cavity-forming) bacteria start a feeding frenzy when you chew on a candy bar, and continue when bits of that candy get left behind. With the sugar, the bacteria create a corrosive acid, and like a drill boring into the surface of a tooth's hard enamel, they burrow their way to their desired treasure — the teeth's inner soft tissues. A cavity forms.
Fluoride intervenes in two ways. It reacts with the minerals in your teeth and fortifies them against the corrosive acid, even re-mineralizing already decayed teeth. And it sabotages the bacteria's metabolism, limiting its ability to grow and attack the teeth.
"The beauty about fluoridation is that you come in contact with the fluoride throughout the day," says William Bailey, acting dental director at the CDC's division of public health. "That's why water fluoridation works so well, you don't have to remember to do anything. It's an ideal public health measure."
Bailey says fluoridated tap water provides 20 percent more protection against tooth decay than brushing alone and that communities risk harm by halting the process. This level of protection is more significant in low-income areas and for people who may not have regular access to dental care.
While some areas around the country have naturally occurring fluoride, others add fluoride — typically purchased from fertilizer companies — to their municipal water supplies. The CDC's ideal concentration for health benefits is between .7 and 1.2 ppm (parts per million, or one milligram in every liter of water), but this is only a recommendation. As made clear by Pinellas County, communities are free to fluoridate as they see fit.
Perhaps what re-engaged the public doubt of fluoride was a 2006 report by the National Research Council (NRC) that reviewed the history of research on fluoridation. Its non-binding analysis concluded that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should lower its maximum permissible tap-water fluoride concentration from 4 ppm to 2 ppm. This is different from the CDCs optimal level mentioned above; beyond the EPA concentration ceiling for fluoride, water is considered contaminated.
In its review, the NRC found that exposures of 4 ppm place children at risk for dental fluorosis (cosmetic speckling of the teeth due to fluoride), and elevates the risk of bone fracture and skeletal fluorosis (a condition which results in stiffening of joints). Five years later, the EPA has not changed its fluoride ceiling. Earlier this year, the CDC followed the NRC's lead and proposed lowering its suggested optimal level of fluoridation to .7 ppm. No decision has been made yet.
What worries anti-fluoride activists such as Paul Connett, a retired chemist and executive director of the Fluoride Action Network, is that narrowing gap between ideal and dangerous concentrations. He believes that cosmetic fluorosis is indicative of fluoride exposure throughout the body's organ systems. "No other public health policy would get away with this today," he says. "A risk-benefit analysis would knock this out of the water."
For just about every point the CDC makes in favor of fluoride, Connett has a counterpoint. For his full argument, read through his co-authored book, " The Case Against Fluoride." But here, his most pressing concerns:
- Fluorides' benefits are overstated. Connett says tooth decay rates in unfluoridated countries have decreased just as much as in the U.S. In addition, he points to other dental measures such as regular bushing and pit-and-fissure sealants that contribute to the decline in cavities.
- Fluoride is a poison in high doses, which makes Connett worry about lifetime exposure. There are several studies from China which suggest that fluoride can affect IQ in developing children at levels of 2 ppm or greater. The NRC determined these studies to be methodologically flawed, but no researcher in the U.S. has pursued this topic.
- Connett argues that the margin of safety of just a few parts per million is too small. "One of the things that makes this a very bad practice is that once you put fluoride in the water, you can't control the dose," he says. Someone who drinks two liters of water at 1 ppm is going to get as much fluoride as somebody drinking one liter of water at 2 ppm.
The CDC doesn't make much of these claims, and contends that the NRC report does apply to community fluoridation. They back fluoridation programs wholly and make no disclaimers, aside from the possibility of cosmetic fluorosis. "Fluoride is a poison at high concentrations, but almost anything is toxic at high concentrations," Bailey says. "If you get high concentrations of salt, that is toxic to your body."
Stephen Levy, a researcher at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, has been heading one of the nation's longest running studies on the public health effects of fluoride. With 20 years of research behind him, Levy concludes that fluoride is still a benefit to society, although its impact is waning.
"We consistently find a difference for those people in our study who are not having fluoridated water — they are on average having more decay," Levy says, but with a qualifier. "It's clear that, on average, the benefits of community water fluoridation would not be as great as they were many decades ago when we had many fewer other fluoride exposure sources and when caries rates were so much higher. So, the absolute benefit is less; the percentage benefit is less."
The other fluoride sources Levy refers to are soft drinks, packaged food, and anything made with fluoridated water. In 2008, Scientific American reported on the various sources of fluoride in diets and found that some are higher than the CDC recommendations for tap water. For instance, the magazine found that brewed black tea contains 3.73 ppm, raisins contain 2.34 ppm, and white wine has 2.02 ppm.
Levy does find some weight in the claim that fluoride can cause problems with bone structure, but only at exposures to concentrations of 8 or more ppm for 20 years or more. "There have only been two or three documented cases ever in this country," he says, adding that there is a slight increased risk of bone fractures for communities exposed to 4 ppm.
Even if fluoride still has a noticeable, however waning, effect on dental health, is cutting it a legitimate cost-saving measure as some opponents contend?
For cash-strapped municipalities, the $200,000 that Pinellas County will save annually could be put to good use. But this too might not be the case. According to CDC data, the net cost of not fluoridating (accounting for the cost of extra cavities and missed work) Pinellas is $11,200,000 to $13,300,000 per year. Fluoridated water, the CDC says, saves society $16 to $19 per person per year, yet it only costs $0.50 per person for communities of 20,000 or larger.
But Connett has a rebuttal to this, too: In his book, he says the study discredits the costs of cosmetic treatments and overstates the amount of work lost for taking the time to get a cavity filled.
Any public health initiative is going to be doubted by some. We can't prove definitively that fluoride is 100 percent safe and will not negatively affect public well-being. Dental research does not lend itself to causational studies — researchers can't exactly separate people into random fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities and observe them like mice.
"Fluoride has been scrutinized intensely," Levy says. "The EPA continues to look at it, the NIH, researchers, policy makers…. But for the individual who is arguing against it, we can never reach the burden of proof that they put out there."
Connett and his colleagues don't want to be seen as paranoid environmentalists; they're concerned scientists who want their grievances fairly heard. "I wish we could have debate," Connett says of the CDCs insistence on benefits, but he doesn't want it be political. "All these liberal commentators around the world immediately jump in and use the fact that the tea party is involved to slam us as being crazy conspiracy theorists. We might be wrong, but we're not looney."
The best science is filled with questions and caveats, and those fearful of government initiatives based on science will always have some material to aid their arguments. What Connett and Levy both agree on is that more research will clarify the situation. Currently, the real question communities have to answer about fluoride is, can they live with a bit of doubt?
*Fluoride skepticism is nothing new. It fluctuates with the political climate and manifests with varying degrees of paranoia. In the 1950s, for example, a rumor circulated that fluoride was a communist plot to "deplete the brainpower and sap the strength on American Children."


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In Touch - July 25, 2011
- Sign Up for Email?
- 2011 Jul 25
July 25
The Centrality of the Cross
In Jesus' day, the cross was used by the Roman government to execute criminals. God transformed it into a symbol that unites Christians everywhere. It stands at the heart of what we believe and serves as a central focus of the gospel message.
When we consider the cross, we will think about . . .
Jesus and His perfect life.Our Savior left heaven to dwell on earth and become one of us. While here, He obediently accomplished the work His Father had given Him (John 5:19). Because of His perfect life, He alone was qualified to be our substitute and bear God's judgment for our sins.
Crucifixion.Christ went willingly to the cross in order to reconcile us to God. He suffered a painful death on our behalf, and through His sacrifice, our sin debt has been paid. God's justice was completely satisfied at Calvary. No further action is required.
Resurrection and ascension.Three days after Jesus was buried, God raised Him from the dead. The Savior's sacrifice on the cross was accepted as payment for our sins, and the way to heaven was opened for all who trust in Jesus. Our resurrected Lord, having appeared on earth to many people, ascended to live forever with His Father. Jesus conquered death and made it possible for us to dwell in heaven with Him someday.
Every Sunday I invite people to place their faith in Jesus Christ. Because of the cross and what happened there, such an invitation has great value to the hearer. In fact, the events of Calvary continue to be relevant to Christians of all ages. Take time today to thank the Lord for the cross.
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc. © 2009 All Rights Reserved.


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Albany Times Union November 27, 2011
Echoes of a New York revolt
Ignoring the public's grievances can wear down the government
By BRUCE W. DEARSTYNE, Commentary
Published 08:21 p.m., Saturday, November 26, 2011
The Hilltowns of western Albany County — Berne, Knox, Rensselaerville, Westerlo — usually are models of snow-covered fields, picturesque woods and charming rural life this time of year. But in December 1839, they were invaded twice — once by a sheriff's posse, once by the state militia — to suppress an armed rebellion of tenant farmers who were staging a rent strike and trying to pressure their landlord, Stephen Van Rensselaer IV, to sell them the farms they worked.
The anti-rent movement embroiled New York's political life for decades. Its historical insights about government failure to confront problems head on are relevant today.
The Van Rensselaers were one of several landed families, or "patroons," who held permanent title to thousands of acres in eastern New York through Dutch and English colonial land grants. Tenant resentment built up over many years. Tenants felt they paid too high rent and challenged the validity of the archaic colonial titles.
Stephen Van Rensselaer, who inherited lands that included much of Albany County when his father died in 1839, disavowed his father's policy of leniency for late or partial rent payments and demanded that the rent be paid in full. The farmers' pent-up anger exploded.
Soon, nearly 10,000 tenants in Albany, Rensselaer and other eastern counties began protesting and withholding rent. Farmers organized in secret and took to wearing disguises made of calico cloth. Calling themselves "Indians," they chanted "Down With the Rent!" at mass rallies and threatened the landlords' agents.
In the fall of 1839, they chased deputy sheriffs sent to evict tenants for nonpayment of rent out of the Hilltowns.
That December, the Albany County sheriff assembled a posse that included some of Albany's most prominent citizens, former Gov. William Marcy, and John Van Buren, son of President Martin Van Buren. An armed, jeering mob of more than a thousand farmers turned them back near Reidsville.
The alarmed Albany authorities appealed to Gov. William Seward. He dispatched the state militia and called for the farmers to disperse, but he also promised a study of the manorial system. Armed resistance melted away as the militia advanced into the hills.
But Seward's study committee dithered and the troubles resumed. An Albany County deputy was set upon by a mob of "Indians" near Rensselaerville in September 1841 and forced to hide in the woods for two days. In August 1845, a Delaware County deputy was killed. The violence tarnished the anti-rent cause and led to a number of arrests and stepped-up campaigns against the "Indians" by local authorities and the state militia.
The anti-renters escalated their appeals to the state. They argued that the manor system was a drag on New York's agricultural economy, endorsed political candidates who supported their cause and organized their own political party. But state government equivocated. The two major parties, Whigs and Democrats, postured for the tenants' votes but neither crusaded to end the patroon system. Seward soon lost interest.
His successor, Gov. William Bouck, met with a thousand angry tenants in West Sand Lake in August 1844 and offered to mediate. But the farmers mistrusted him and the landlords thought he was too soft on the lawless anti-renters.
Gov. Silas Wright (1845-1846) declared Delaware County in a state of insurrection after the murder of the deputy sheriff there, but also pardoned some of the convicted anti-renters. Gov. John Young (1847-1848) pardoned remaining imprisoned leaders but did not attack the manorial status quo.
The state Legislature voted to tax the landlords' manor income and restrict evictions for non-payment. But they banned armed, disguised people from public highways and authorized the governor to aid sheriffs overwhelmed by anti-rent forces. Proposals to end the patroon system were debated but never passed.
Court decisions shielded the landlords against initiatives to invalidate their titles or use state eminent domain authority to seize their land. An 1846 state constitutional convention added an amendment to restrict future — but not existing — long-term land leases.
The issue gradually died down, mostly through quiet compromises where resentful tenants bought their farms from weary landlords. But remnants of organized resistance continued to the late 1880s.
The lessons of the anti-rent movement resonate today.
History shows that government often procrastinates or chips away at contentious issues rather than addressing them head on. Cynical politicians hope the issue will fade or voters will blame their opponents for inaction.
But kicking the can down the road usually ill serves the public interest. People who feel they are denied justice over a long period of time may become confrontational and even resort to violence.
The issue may finally be resolved but it may take decades of agitation and dispute, and exact a heavy toll.
Today, the federal government is deadlocked over taxation, spending and other issues. The two major political parties undermine and discredit each other. Drift and uncertainty substitute for policy.
People take to the streets in the Occupy movement to demand government action. Police arrest unruly demonstrators. Reformers call for higher taxes on the rich.
Similar issues were simmering as the county and state armed forces made their way warily into the snowy Hilltowns 172 years ago.
Bruce W. Dearstyne, Ph.D., of Guilderland, is an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland. He previously was a professor at Maryland and a program director at the New York State Archives.
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/Echoes-of-a-New-York-revolt-2294245.php#ixzz1exkJGHYY


text:
2012 Statute
|Article 2. - SALES
84-2-616. (1) Where the buyer receives notification of a material or indefinite delay or an allocation justified under the preceding section he may by written notification to the seller as to any delivery concerned, and where the prospective deficiency substantially impairs the value of the whole contract under the provisions of this article relating to breach of installment contracts (section 84-2-612), then also as to the whole,
(a) terminate and thereby discharge any unexecuted portion of the contract; or
(b) modify the contract by agreeing to take his available quota in substitution.
(2) If after receipt of such notification from the seller the buyer fails so to modify the contract within a reasonable time not exceeding thirty days the contract lapses with respect to any deliveries affected.
(3) The provisions of this section may not be negated by agreement except insofar as the seller has assumed a greater obligation under the preceding section.
History: L. 1965, ch. 564, § 96; Jan. 1, 1966.
|Article 2. - SALES


text:
When it comes to startups, its easy to confuse signifiers and substance. The truth is hard to know, especially with early stage companies. If you don't have a product or customers, it's hard to have substance.
Yet whether you're a startup or investor, you'd be wise to focus on substance rather than signifiers. Not because it's the right thing to do (though it is) but because it delivers better results.
Humans have a weakness for signifiers. We like things to be black and white. We constantly seek confirmation for our beliefs, even when that confirmation is spurious.
Consider the race for the Republican presidential nomination. In extremely short order, we have seen Palin, Bachmann, Perry, and Cain take turns as the "frontrunner" based on the polls. These polls are just signifiers–the real substance consists of state and local organizations that will get the votes to turn out. Anyone who bet on any of them to win the nomination (thanks Intrade) would have lost their shirt.
In the startup world, we make a big deal out of things like social proof and press coverage. But in the end, these are signifiers, not substance. They might reflect the underlying reality, but then again, they might not. The real work consists of making products that users love, then generating profits. That's a battle that you fight one user at a time. If the product doesn't cost-effectively solve a problem, endorsements and press won't help.
I'll admit that I'm part of the problem. I help startups frame their stories for investors. Some might even call it my specialty. But there's a difference between getting a spin doctor to help you put your best foot forward and believing your own press.
As an investor, I try to get to the substance of a startup in three main ways.
1) I try the products myself. Sometimes, I like the product so much, I'm comfortable making an investment decision.
2) I talk with experts. This can be dangerous–think of all the great ideas that experts have dismissed. By definition, experts represent the status quo. Otherwise they wouldn't be known as experts. The key is to use expert opinion to amass hypotheses you can test, rather than simply relying on a "vote" of opinions. I call this "principles, not positions." Don't tell me if you're a Romney man or a Perry woman–tell me which principles you believe in.
3) I talk with customers. Testimonials aren't enough–I want to dig for details so I can understand why customers adopted or bought the product. Sometimes, they cite unscalable factors like founder attention. Without checking deeper, simply reading a testimonial might result in a false positive. As with the experts, the reasons are as important as the opinions.
All of this takes more work than looking at a few charts and asking, "Who's in the deal already?" It may not always lead to the right decisions or generate the best returns. But I believe it is the right way to invest. And you know what? If you're an entrepreneur, getting the substance right is usually going to lead to a successful startup.
If you can build a product that an investor will use and love, wins the endorsement of experts, and gets customers to buy, you're well on your way to success.
Even more important, even if social proof and press get you your seed round, they won't help you build a business. All those stock certificates are worthless unless you build an enterprise that either the public or a well-heeled company decides is worth buying. Good luck conducting a sale or IPO without the substance to back it up.


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S&P Global/CIPS Composite PMI
Updated: 23 Nov, 9:30 am UTC
Source: Markit Economics
The PMI monthly Composite Reports on Manufacturing and Services, released by Markit Economics, are based on a large number of business executives in private sector manufacturing and services companies. Data is usually released on the third working day of each month. Each response is weighted according to the size of the company and its contribution to total manufacturing or services output accounted for by the sub-sector to which that company belongs. Replies from larger companies have a greater impact on the final index numbers than those from small companies. Results are presented by question asked, showing the percentage of respondents reporting an improvement, deterioration or no change since the previous month. From these percentages, an index is derived: a level of 50.0 signals no change since the previous month, above 50.0 signals an increase (or improvement), below 50.0 a decrease (or contraction).


text:
It's not that Pope Francis speaks positively about gay people, as he did earlier about atheists. Nor is it his simple lifestyle, his accessibility to the press, or his personal modesty. The accumulation of surprises coming from the new pope points to something deeper: the possibility of historic change with implications reaching far beyond the Catholic Church.
Pope Francis seems to have called off the Vatican's culture war with the modern world, a hyper-defensiveness that dates back to the American and French revolutions. With the brief exception of John XXIII, who reigned from 1958 to 1963, popes have for centuries been tribunes of negativity, rejecting what one called "the syllabus of errors" that accompanied the arrival of liberal democracy, the emancipation of women, secularism — the whole panoply of values that followed the Enlightenment. Renouncing the positive spirit of Pope John's Vatican II, the two recent popes were culture warriors of the first order. John Paul II railed against "the culture of death," while Benedict XVI denounced the "dictatorship of relativism." Both men seemed to despise most of what they saw around them.
In contrast, Pope Francis is proposing what he called in Brazil last month a "culture of solidarity," and his affable style gives substance to it. He deplores rampant individualism and selfishness, but he does so in order to affirm the bond of fellowship that makes human life precious. The fellowship seems to matter more than the obstacles to achieving it. He seems to exemplify the possibility of new connections across old divides. He comes across as happy.
Commentators have parsed the pope's pronouncements, arguing that so far he has not really broken new ground in matters of doctrine. Francis criticizes clericalism — the closed culture of the Catholic priesthood — but seems content to keep its main pillars in place. If he has a plan for seriously reforming structures of church accountability that failed so miserably in the sex abuse crisis, he hasn't unveiled it. But clearly, he has turned away from the culture-war arguments that reduced church authority to nay-saying, which in turn hollowed out church influence. Pope Francis has something else in mind.
The impoverished world is at the center of this papacy's purpose, and the solidarity Francis urges is, first, with the vast population of the destitute. He is the pope of the woebegone, the cast-asides, the marginalized — all those who have been left behind by the global economy. That commitment was powerfully on display in troubled Brazil, where Francis plunged into frenzied crowds to make real his determination to be heard on what is by far the most pressing moral and political problem of our time.
Francis' predecessors expressed concern about global poverty, too, but not like this. Indeed, Popes John Paul and Benedict were ambivalent about the "preferential option for the poor" that lies at the heart of what is known as liberation theology. How can you be in favor of the poor, they worried, if rich people have souls, too? The hierarchy was instructed to emphasize charity over justice. That refusal to engage in what was taken to be class conflict undermined Catholic credibility, as the gulf between haves and have-nots only widened.
Liberation theology, spawned in Latin America, was a prophetic response to the scandal of runaway poverty. Dom Helder Camara, the Brazilian archbishop, epitomized its spirit. "When I give food to the poor," he famously said, "they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist." The Vatican's outright rejection of the movement was one of its most damaging mistakes, certainly an element in the broad disillusionment of the many former Catholics in Latin America.
Rome was suspicious, even, of the witness of Oscar Romero, the bishop of El Salvador who was gunned down at the altar by the criminal right-wing regime he had denounced. Last month, though, when Pope Francis said Mass before a throng in a shantytown sports field in Rio, a huge portrait of Romero hung behind him. Francis wants the martyred bishop to be named a saint.
If the Catholic Church threw itself fully into the struggle for justice — restoring its preferential option for the poor and demanding reforms in the structures of the world economy — that would make a difference. For Pope Francis, it's now clear, everything else comes second.
James Carroll writes regularly for the Globe.


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417: The Man Who Fell Sideways
|The Man Who Fell Sideways
Title text: Strip originally conceived in conversation with Jeph Jacques. Soon to be a major motion picture.
This comic is humorously built-up like a short drama story, about a man (Cueball) with an unusual physics condition.
It might have been inspired by the Uncle Scrooge adventure comic "A Matter of Some Gravity" (Inducks) by Don Rosa, in which Magica de Spell makes gravity pull sideways at Scrooge McDuck and Donald Duck. The same topic is covered by 1996 graphic novel L'enfant penchée (The Leaning Child), but, as it was only published in English in 2014, it's very unlikely to be a source of inspiration for this comic.
"Soon to be a major motion picture" in the title text might refer to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a film released later in 2008 (and based on a short story), in which the protagonist Benjamin suffers of the impossible condition of aging backwards.
"Over land... and sea" might be from the song "Nature Boy" by eden ahbez. Nat King Cole sung (the most famous version) about "A very strange, enchanted boy. They say he wandered very far, very far over land and sea."
The title text mentions Jeph Jacques, who runs the webcomic Questionable Content. Jeph has also described the creation of this comic in his blog while working at ezplay company.
When Cueball hits Megan, he knocks her down and "knocks her up", in what is probably intended to be a visual form of antanaclasis. Megan tells Hairy about a person knocking her over and tumbling into the distance. She hints that she is falling for him, which is a joke regarding Cueball's condition.
The baby shares his tendency to be pulled sideways by gravity, but this apparently does not start until she is born, because Megan and the doctor do not seem to have been expecting it. If gravity had affected the unborn fetus in the same way, Megan would have been able to feel it, would have noticed that her uterus was hanging differently, and would have had difficulty balancing due to the sideways forces.
The last panel is a reference to the opening scene of The Lion King, called 'The Circle Of Life'.
The first part of the comic has some resemblance to this much later comic: 1376: Jump.
- [Cueball standing, with a dotted line perpendicular to him and a 30 degree angle going downwards.]
- From a young age, gravity pulled him wrong.
- [Cueball bouncing around his house.]
- Sometimes east, sometimes west. When he was restrained, it grew erratic.
- [Cueball bouncing/rolling on the ground.]
- So he fell.
- Cueball: AAAA
- [Cueball bouncing/rolling on the ground in a desert.]
- Constantly
- Cueball: AAAAAAAAA
- [Cueball bouncing/rolling off a rock on the ground in a desert.]
- Over land...
- Cueball: AAAAA-THUD-A
- [Cueball bouncing/rolling on the ground in the desert.]
- Cueball: AAAAAAAAA
- [Cueball bouncing/rolling on the ground in the desert.]
- Cueball: A-THUD-AAAAAA
- [Cueball bouncing/rolling on the ground in the desert.]
- Cueball: AA-THUD-AAAAA
- [Cueball skating the surface of the sea.]
- And sea.
- Cueball: AAAAAAAAAAAA
- [Cueball skating the surface of the sea.]
- Cueball: AAAAAAAA
- [Cueball skating the surface of the sea.]
- Cueball: AAAAAA
- [Cueball skating the surface of the sea.]
- Cueball: AAAAAAAA
- [Tree in the savanna, with Cueball off the panel.]
- He found, where he could, food-
- Cueball: AAAAAAAAAAAA
- [Tree in the savanna, with Cueball still off the panel, but zoomed out so that part of Cueball's bounce/roll path is visible.]
- Cueball: AAAAAAAAA
- [Cueball upside-down, still bouncing/rolling in the savannah, with a gazelle galloping away from him.]
- Cueball: AAAAAAAAA
- [Savanna with a tree in it.]
- Cueball: AAAAAAAAAAA
- [Megan standing, with Cueball off screen.]
- And love.
- Cueball: AAAA-THUD-AAAA
- [Megan standing, with Cueball off screen.]
- Cueball: THUD ACK CRASH
- [Cueball crashing into Megan]
- Cueball: Hiwhat'syourname-
- [Megan on the ground, with Cueball off screen.]
- Cueball: AAAAAAA-THUD-AAA
- [Megan speaking to Hairy.]
- Megan: I met this guy. He knocked me over and tumbled into the distance.
- [Megan speaking to the same man from the previous panel, with Hairy's hand to his mouth.]
- Megan: We only shared a few seconds, but in his panicked scream I heard something beautiful.
- [Megan speaking to the same man from the previous panel.]
- Megan: I think... I think I'm...
- [Megan speaking to the same man from the previous panel.]
- Hairy: Falling for him?
- Megan: I wasn't going to say it.
- [Megan at hospital with doctor, giving birth.]
- She never saw him again. But nine months later...
- Doctor: Okay, push!
- [Megan at hospital with doctor and new baby, who is bouncing/rolling away.]
- Doctor: It's a gir—
- Megan: !!
- Doctor: Whoops!
- Baby: Ga! Ga!
- [Baby bouncing/rolling out of hospital.]
- Baby: WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE
- [Baby bouncing/rolling in front of a sunset.]
- Baby: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
- The End
There is a fan made animated version of this comic.
add a comment! ⋅ add a topic (use sparingly)! ⋅ refresh comments!
I feel like the child should fall at a shallower angle from horizontal. There must be some way to do a punnet square for these things... BruceJohnJennerLawso (talk) 22:47, 8 November 2013 (UTC)
- But then he/she would actually hit the ground at some point. It would make for a pretty boring sequel. 220.127.116.11 03:24, 1 December 2014 (UTC)
The "when he was restrained, it grew erratic" seems to imply that gravity always pulls him horizontally to the surface he's on. Otherwise, he would be able to stand on a wall, instead of bouncing around. This is one weird kind of gravity.126.96.36.199 20:10, 26 February 2014 (UTC)
Any thoughts pertaining to Megan being the victim of rape in this strip? 18.104.22.168 01:10, 28 June 2014 (UTC)
- If it was unintentional rape, does that make it ok? Answer: probably not, but maybe we should not read too much into the comic...126.96.36.199 16:24, 14 July 2014 (UTC)
- "He found, where he could, food and love" - that sounds entirely intentional. Also, considering this entire website is set up to discuss and analyse XKCD comics, saying "we should not read too much into the comic" when the subject of rape arises is pretty shocking.188.8.131.52 11:52, 2 August 2014 (UTC)
The transcript of this comic says that Cueball is under the water for three of the four "water" panels. However, based on the wave visible in the first two panels, the splashes caused by his feet in the third panel, and the lack of a wake in the fourth panel, I believe that Cueball is sliding across the water on his feet, instead of being submerged most of the time.Codefreak5 (talk) 16:57, 15 July 2014 (UTC)
This sounds more like a parody of the general plot of The Time Traveler's Wife (by Audrey Niffenegger) than anything. Or perhaps the book is more like this... 188.8.131.52 03:24, 1 December 2014 (UTC)
It kinda sounds like http://xkcd.com/1524/ is referencing this comic (X & Y being the much less plesant dimensions to be pushed through). Slang (talk) 02:58, 14 May 2015 (UTC)
This is also the major device in the novel On by Adam Roberts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_%28novel%29 18.104.22.168 19:57, 8 January 2016 (UTC)


text:
From the top of the tower
Looking down High Street
Carfax Tower
Clarendon Building
Museum of Natural History
Just a freaky little thing
That's what happens to Kiwis in the UK.... O.o
Oxford Dodo
Jurassic Park anyone?
One of the best museum I've been to!
Whale row
I swear it had a sign "Pet me" next to it :)
Coffee Dodo :)
Inside the college
Lunch time!
Having a nap. Photo taken by the squirrels
At Pitt Rivers Museum
Archaeological and ethnographic objects from all parts of the world
A place where we stayed
At the Roger Bannister Track
The famous track itself
"Eagle and Child" where Tolkien liked to hang out
At the museum of history of science
The first cameras
Christ Church Meadows
Inside the Blackwell Bookstore
Always learning new things :)
Bugs much?


text:
Rick DeMott looks at how the standard of heart and humor plays into which films might receive Oscar nominations.
The biggest factor in the 2010 Oscar race is only three films will be nominated in the features category. Fifteen films qualified and Academy rules are that sixteen films need to be in the running for five nods. Industry insiders with dogs in the fight look at Yogi Bear as the spoiler, but is it the film's fault it didn't have enough animation?
1) Toy Story 3
I've been making Oscar predictions for several years now and it always seems that a Pixar film is either at the top or close by. The third Woody and Buzz outing is the surefire lock in this category. The only questions are whether it's a surefire lock for Best Picture and a predestined winner in this category as a result.
2) How to Train Your Dragon
DreamWorks' heartwarming tale of a boy and his dragon is the closest thing to a second surefire lock in this year's Oscar race. Heart and humor is a very good predictor of what is going to get nominated and this film has a genuine does of both.
3) Despicable MeHere is where it gets tough. Illumination and Universal's first animated feature together was a bigger hit than anyone expected. It has a lot of admirers. It's humor and heart quotient is solid. Can Gru steal a nomination? It seems very likely at this point.
4) The IllusionistSome have Sylvain Chomet's ode to Jacques Tati in the winner's spot. Artistically it is a beautiful film, but it's the humor and heart arenas that it leaves many viewers cold. It's not as funny as one might expect. In fact it's downright depressing. As for heart, it only crushes them with sadness. The nomination seemed a lock at one point, but I don't think it creates enough overall positive feelings to ensure a nomination. It's certainly on the bubble that's about to burst.
5) Tangled
For Disney the lack of five nominations is I guess the biggest disappointment, because it would have given them two nominations. This hip twist on Rapunzel outperformed everyone's expectations. It's has the humor and heart factor, but one can use the adult factor as a tiebreaker. Despicable Me appeals to an older audience, which makes up the voting block at the Academy. It's the edge that keeps this fairy tale on the outside looking in.
6) MegamindDreamWorks' superhero spoof has more admirers than many expected before it hit theaters. A nomination seems very unlikely though. It certainly has the adult and humor factors going for it, but it lacks the heart that the previously mentioned films have.
7) Idiots and AngelsYou can't count Bill Plympton out of this race. His self-distributed feature has received many positive reviews. Some consider it is best work in years. It would be quite shocking if this little seen film pulls a Secret of Kells with only three slots for nominations.
8) My Dog Tulip Paul and Sandra Fierlinger's indie animated feature is another example of a little seen film that has received positive reviews. This personal tale of a man and his German shepherd has heart, but it's probably too "small" to grab enough Academy voters' attentions.
9) Summer Wars Despite receiving some great reviews in its qualifying run, Mamoru Hosoda's gamer saves the world tale arrives too late in the game to be a serious contender. Lovers of his work, such as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, might get him some votes, but not enough.
10) Shrek Forever After This came out this year? That's the problem. Out of the three films DreamWorks released this year, its venerable franchise is the one everyone forgets. In general, the film was better received than the previous installment, but others hated it. It's in the game, but that's about it.
11) Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'HooleWhile Zack Snyder's photoreal owl epic had some admirers, none were more than lukewarm. It's another wide release that has been forgotten already. And this one came out in the fall.
12) The Dreams of JinshaIt's the most expensive animated feature in Chinese history. It won't be nominated.
13) Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue
Academy members know this is a direct-to-DVD title that gets a quick theatrical run and then entered in the Oscar race to help the field going to five.
14) Alpha and OmegaThere are a lot of better films in the race than this one.
15) Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty GaloreYogi Bear has a better chance of being nominated. For a live-action/animation hybrid to break past prejudices it will need to be really, really good. So you understand why this film is the least likely to get nominated.
The Short for Animated Shorts
1) Day & Night, Teddy Newton, director (Pixar Animation Studios)
Last year a Pixar film topped my predictions in both the animated features and shorts races and it does this year too. But unlike last year when Partly Cloudy failed to get a nod, this year I am confident that Day & Night will not be left behind. If there is any lock in this unpredictable category it's this one. I'm not the only one who thinks this is one of Pixar's best shorts.
2) The Gruffalo, Jakob Schuh and Max Lang, directors (Magic Light Pictures)
Having played on TV, this British CG short about a mouse that weaves a tall tale about a mythical beast is terrific. Charmingly animated and well told, the film has fans, which is rare in this category, because the films are rarely seen before hand.
3) Madagascar, Carnet de Voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary), Bastien Dubois, director (Sacrebleu Productions)
This film made the festival circuit in 2009, picking up prizes at Annecy and Ottawa. This travelogue of a trip to Madagascar fills the innovation quotient that usually exists in this category. The film magically combines hand paintings and CG into one seamless film.
4) The Lost Thing, Shaun Tan and Andrew Ruhemann, directors (Passion Pictures Australia) This CG adaptation of Shaun Tan's children's book won Best Short Film at Annecy. The beautifully animated film tells the tale of a boy who finds a bizarre-looking creature on the beach and tries to discover where it belongs. Heart is what this one has going for it.
5) Urs, Moritz Mayerhofer, director (Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg)
Speaking of heart, this is a story of a son who must carry his aging mother on a dangerous journey to find them a better home. Student films have been real competitors in this category lately. This one is gorgeous looking, combining remarkable 2D artwork with CG.
6) Coyote Falls, Matthew O'Callaghan, director and Sam Register, executive producer (Warner Bros. Animation Inc.)Every year it seems that a high profile short from a big filmmaker or studio is left out of the final race. In CG, Warner's recaptures some of the Looney Tunes magic, but will this film suffer the same fate as the Goofy short, How to Hook Up Your Home Theater, and be admired but not voted for because it doesn't feel fresh enough?
7) The Cow Who Wanted to Be a Hamburger, Bill Plympton, director (Bill Plympton Studio)
A Bill Plympton film is always in the running. This one takes his type of humor, but not his signature colored pencil style. It reminded me of how The Fan and the Flower was a great Bill Plympton short that didn't look like a Bill Plympton short. Fan didn't get a nomination.
8) Let's Pollute, Geefwee Boedoe, story-design-animation (Geefwee Boedoe)
In a humorous way, the film runs down human's history with polluting the planet. In the style of a 1950s educational film, this one seems like we've seen it before. But the topical nature of the theme might make it the "important" film in the mix.
9) Sensology, Michel Gagne, director-producer (GAGNE International LLC)
This is a very good experimental film, but experimental films have a hard time winning over voters in big numbers. You never know (especially in this category) but it seems like a steep road from this one.
10) The Silence Beneath the Bark, Joanna Lurie, director (Lardux Films)
Very pretty looking with a unique style, this short suffers from a flaw that has dashed the chances of many other films in the past. At 11 minutes it feels really long. Unless you're Aleksandr Petrov, short and sweet is what you need to nab a nod.
* As is the case with any year in the Best Animated Short category, predictions chosen by expert panels and randomly picking names from a hat have the same accuracy. Last year I went two for five in shorts and four for five in features, hopefully I'll fare better this year.
Rick DeMott is the director of content for Animation World Network, VFXWorld and AWNtv. Additionally, he's the creator of the movie review site, Rick's Flicks Picks, which was recently named one of the 100 best movie blogs by The Daily Reviewer. He has written for TV series, such as Discovery Kids' Growing Up Creepie and Cartoon Network's Pet Alien, the animation history book Animation Art, and the humor, absurdist and surrealist website Unloosen. Previously, he held various production and management positions in the entertainment industry.
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At this page in the online recruiting system you will find a summary of all the applications you have submitted and your current submission status. By clicking on "View" you can call up the summary of your application at any time and continue working on it. You can manage your user profile under "My Account Options": here you can change your password or deactivate and delete your account.
You can enter the online application system by clicking on the "Apply" button on our career page. Please describe your qualifications and skills accurately, honestly and in as much detail as possible. Please ensure that you upload all the relevant documents. The following documents should always be included:
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If you can't find a suitable position, you can send a speculative application by creating a candidate profile in our system. Enter the system directly by clicking the "Create profile" button (which also appears when your search returns no results). We then will be able to view your candidate profile. If we match your profile to a suitable role, we will notify you regarding further steps in the application process. However, we encourage you to regularly review our job vacancies to discover new opportunities that may be of interest to you.
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The latest version of the uGet Download Manager rekindled my interest in grabbing files without relying on a Web browser.uGet version 1.10.4. was released last month. Written in C, it uses GTK+3 for its user interface, and it is packed full with improvements. It is very reliable and stable, with 11 years of growth behind it.
The uGet website has received a makeover to better support users, according to Michael Tunnell of the uGet Project. To help spur a new round of development, the project team for the first time is seeking donations to support upcoming releases.
This Linux download manager application has a large inventory of features, but it is still very lightweight and low on resources. Download management for the Linux OS is not a crowded category, but with its efficient, user-friendly GUI and a few unique options, uGet excels over other download managers.
Why Use a Download Manager?
Convenience and speed are probably the two most important answers to that question. A download manager runs as a separate application to stream downloads outside the control of a Web browser.
I download dozens of programs a week for testing for potential reviews, so convenience counts. So does speed.
Many of the applications I want to download are available using various distro repository software managers, but they usually are not the latest versions, so I have to find a source and the developer's website, or pursue a link to the latest archived package. That takes time even before the lengthy download begins.
I find it much easier to tell uGet what I want to download. The download manager automates the process and performs the downloads in the background without demanding my hands-on attention.
Multi-Pathway Express
Speed is critically important. If you ever watched a near-paralyzed progress indicator on a download, you already know the agony of waiting. Speed matters.
To get it, you need to bypass the overworked and under powered Web browser. Its main function is not to maximize downloads.
A Web browser puts a download file on a single stream path. So even a 10 Mbps connection can be like a jalopy chugging along in the express lane. The file server has limited speed and might only chug the downloading file at 1-2 Mbps in the stream your browser gets.
Trying to download multiple files in a Web browser just adds to the sluggishness. That is where download managers come to the rescue.
The Features uGet
Download managers attempt to bypass the Web browser's inefficiency in working with the download server, and uGet Download Manager is more skilled in finessing those negotiations than many others. Much of that success comes from the combination of features it provides.
For example, uGet lets you place as many download requests as necessary into its queue to download simultaneously. As a download finishes, the queue automatically starts downloading the remaining files.
Even when the download stream is interrupted, all is not lost. The resume function restarts the remainder of partially downloaded files should the connection be lost.
uGet Even More
Advanced Download Categories give you unlimited file-management options. For instance, the Clipboard Monitor tells the file types via an extension. You easily can place lists of files to download at any time by adding them to the clipboard.
The Batch Downloads feature lets you add an unlimited amount of files to the queue for downloading at one time. The multi-protocol support handles HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, BitTorrent and Metalink.
Another cool feature augments the Batch Download feature. With the multi-connection feature, uGet handles up to 20 simultaneous connections per download.
Special Touches
uGet fills the void that often exists when the distro repository lags behind the latest available release. Not everyone likes to manually add new software sources to the repository download app to keep uGet current. The new "Check for Updates" feature lets you know when to grab a new release.
A new message banner lets uGet users receive the latest news about tips and developments in upcoming releases. uGet is even easier to use with the improved Help Menu. Now links in the menu connect to the online documentation. You also can submit feedback and bug reports from these links.
Extensions let you turn over download control to uGet from within some Web browsers. Recent changes in Google's API broke the existing extension for Chromium and Google Chrome browsers, but Tunnell expected to have those connections fixed soon.
Lots of Extras
The list of features and user options is too numerous to fully include here, but one of my all-time favorites that keeps me using uGet is the option to have uGet shut down the computer after completing a series of lengthy file downloads.
Other feature favorites are the Retry Limits and Delays option and the Advanced Filename Overwrite option. The first lets me customize the maximum amount of times uGet retries a failed download and how long it waits between retries. The second lets me customize the file name before it is downloaded.
The User Agent Control feature has saved me many failed attempts to get a file from an uncooperative server. This option modifies the user agent a server sees to ensure downloading when servers have odd restrictions.
Getting It
Depending on the veracity of developers managing your distro's software repository, you might find the latest version of uGet already waiting — but that did not happen with the three different distros I regularly use.
The workaround is fairly easy. The uGet website's download page has links to numerous distro packages for a .deb file of the latest version. Another option is to enter commands into a terminal window.
Actually, the terminal window method is the preferred choice. The commands you enter into a terminal window add the Personal Package Archive or PPA, as well as get and install the latest version of uGet.
Use these commands:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:plushuang-tw/uget-stablesudo apt-get updatesudo apt-get install uget
Bottom Line
I am very impressed with uGet. It is easy to use and very reliable.
If you rarely venture outside the package software provided with your Linux distro, you will not get much use out of uGet. However, if you already know the shortfalls involved with frequently downloading numerous files within your Web browser, then you might find uGet to be a superior download manager for your Linux desktop.


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Notice nothing was mentioned about Adobe Flash. And I consider that a major interest to any 'noobs' coming over the fence to the world of Linux. He was good though overall..
If you fancy game playing, the latest release of the Mageia Linux OS will be a fun experience. Even if you never open a game, Mageia 2 is a solid distribution well suited to newcomers and seasoned Linux users alike.Mageia is a fork of the now defunct Mandriva distro. It was developed by a team of former employees of the France-based company that folded Mandriva. It comes in KDE4 SC 4.8.2, GNOME 3.4, XFCE 4.9, LXDE, Razor-Qt and E17.
The first version was released in September 2010. Version 2 took flight in May of this year. However, do not discount Mageia because of its newness.
Mageia performs well using traditional desktops. It does not overlay shells to avoid the real Gnome by diluting the desktop with gimmicks. If you want a desktop loaded with bells and whistles, give the KDE version a spin.
Lots of Power
I am always looking for stable and reliable Linux distros that Microsoft Windows converts can quickly learn to use on legacy hardware. Mageia meets that test and then some.
It runs on a reasonably low-powered set of hardware requirements. For example, it is impartial to most any processor. I have not had issues running Mageia on AMD, Intel or VIA processors. It is far from a memory hog as well. It needs a minimum of 512MB of RAM but is very happy in 2GB.
Ideally, it only needs 1 GB of storage space for a minimal installation. A full setup takes just 6 GB.
Mageia is also impartial to most graphics cards. For instance, it works fine with any ATI, Intel, Matrox, nVidia, SiS or VIA graphic card. It is fairly compliant with any sound card as well. I have used it on AC97, HDA and Sound Blaster sound cards.
Non Standard Install
Mageia installs using the DrakX installation system. This method has the look and feel of a Microsoft Windows installation disk.
It offers a choice of a base installation, a repaired installation, memory test, a hardware detection tool and an option to boot from hard disk. Once you begin the process, the graphical screens are fairly traditional.
You also might have to manually select numerous hardware options from choices on the screens. On a few of my installation attempts on legacy computers, DrakX incorrectly detected some hardware components.
On a more positive note, you can install Mageia to a USB drive. That is a handy way to run the OS in a live environment by bypassing the optical drive. It also is an efficient way to run Mageia on netbooks without having to attach an external optical drive.
Choosy Customizing
Depending on the ISO you download, you will need either a CD or DVD. Be careful in selecting the download ISO from the website. The installer offers an impressive variety of options, features and customization. But again, the choices are dependent on the ISO choice you make in downloading. So read the download page carefully.
The upper section is install-only files. The live session versions are in the center of the download page. You also have to select a 32-bit or 64-bit version as well as a section of the world for the mirror site and language options.
This may become an issue if you expect a live session before installing or are looking for more initial choices. For example, the live CDs only offer a single desktop. Of course, you can use the software repository to add more after you are up and running.
On the other hand, the install DVD — not the live session version — provides a full range of desktop environments to install. If you already have Mageia 1 installed, you can use it to upgrade to version 2.
Classic Gnome Desktop
What you see with the standard Gnome installation is the new user interface of Gnome 3. That includes the non-functional panel at the top of the screen and the favorites bar along the left edge of the screen.
You see the virtual desktop display on the right edge of the screen and the Windows and Applications switches at the top of the screen. These are all activated by moving the mouse pointer to the hot spot in the upper left corner of the screen.
Staying with this desktop is largely a matter of user preference. Newcomers to Linux will not know the difference. If you are familiar already with the new Gnome and like it, Mageia makes that experience pleasant.
Classic KDE
This desktop option in Mageia offers the best combination of graphical features in my view. It works as expected with lots of eye candy and windows customizations.
Mageia's developers chose the KDE classic menu style rather than the application launcher style, but it is relatively easy to change from this default style by accessing System Settings.
KDE might be too overpowering for new users. So if you otherwise like what you see in Mageia, try one of the lighter fare desktops available.
Games Galore
Most Linux distros either ignore games or force you to do the heavy lifting to add them to your system. Not so with Mageia Linux.
Do not look for the games array on the live session DVD. But you will be pleasantly surprised with what is available after you complete the installation to the hard disk.
Mageia seems to have the most recent editions of most of the popular games. The variety includes strategy, arcade, board, card and adventure games. It includes support for emulator systems as well.
A Few Quirks
Mageia requires two passwords. One is for separate root access. The other is for user passwords. I like the use of small indicators that appear when setting up both passwords. This makes me more aware of security when setting up user passwords.
Speaking of security, Mageia activates the firewall by default with no open ports. It also uses most if not all of the security features built into Mandriva from the MSEC security audit and monitoring application.
Mageia does not install Java by default on some of the ISO combinations. You must manually search for "java-1.7.0-openJDK" and install it.
Bottom Line
Mageia is a very capable newcomer to the large list of Linux distros. Setting it up may be a bit challenging for new users. But the results are well worth the effort.
This distro is a solid performer and offers more than enough desktop environments to please even the most picky Linux user.


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Friday, September 16, 2011
Cowboy Cookies
This is a cookie dough that needs to rest and firm up in the refrigerator, so you do have to plan ahead. The dry ingredients were whisked together, and those included flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Oats were then added to that mix. Butter was creamed with granulated sugar and dark brown sugar, and an egg, egg yolk, and then vanilla were added. Espresso powder was dissolved in hot water, and that was mixed into the butter mixture. The dry ingredients were stirred into the dough, and last, chocolate chunks and broken pretzel pieces were added. The dough was left in the refrigerator for about four hours. After scooping balls of dough onto the cookie sheets, more broken pretzel pieces were pressed into the top of each dough ball. The cookies baked for twelve or so minutes, and then I wanted to eat them all.
Crunchy, chewy, chocolaty, and slightly salty cookies work for me. Now, I'll be looking for just about any excuse to bake these again. But, since I'm not in need of increasing my calorie intake, I guess I'll have to find a way to attend some extra spin classes.
Posted by lisa is cooking at Friday, September 16, 2011
26 comments:
Very tempting! I love the fact that they contain broken pretzel pieces.ReplyDelete
Great idea to bring them to your spinning instructor. I give away most of the stuff I bake but the problem lies in the tasting part. Lol. Can't give away that which I haven't tried first! And I would definitely have a hard time not tasting these!ReplyDelete
Sweet and salty, what's not to love!ReplyDelete
I am DOWN with the salty and sweet goodness! yum!ReplyDelete
Why is it that guys are always the ones who complain that they can't keep weight on!!! Life is sooooo unfair, I tell ya. I would kill to have that problem. LOLReplyDelete
Salty/Sweet is the best combo. I ♥ the Baked Cowboy cookies...yours look perfect! Worth a few extra spin classes, in my book! I add BBQ chips in mine, too...we're in TX, right? ;)ReplyDelete
Love the sweet and salty combo!ReplyDelete
Great cookies for a day out ranching! or spinning as you are doing.ReplyDelete
I was just craving something salty and sweet, something not salted caramel and this looks like just the answer! definitely heading down to the supermarket to get myself some pretzels first :DReplyDelete
Salty pretzels, chocolate, you're speaking my language, these sound like perfection.ReplyDelete
Your spin instructor should visit me. I can show him how to gain weight. It's called nutella.ReplyDelete
*kisses* HH
Loved the Nutella comment! So true! All you need is a spoon, or a discreet finger when no one is paying attention... ;-)ReplyDelete
Lisa, these cookies would probably cause trouble to my waist area, I love salty-sweet stuff.
Such a marvelous cookie! Pretzels are an inspired addition, adding extra crunch to the traditional chocolate chip cookie.ReplyDelete
I need a treat for this week's classes and this is it! I haven't pulled that book out for at least a couple of months. It's time!ReplyDelete
I love the combo of chocolate and pretzels...this cookie looks very addictive and tempting... *swoon*ReplyDelete
I love these sweet and salty combos. My last batch had potato chips, white and dark chocolate. I also love those Baked boys' cookbooks. Sigh...ReplyDelete
The saltiness really help to elevate the sweet cookies I am sure :)ReplyDelete
Oh they look simply delicious Lisa! They speak, fall is a comin...Gee, I wonder why they're called Cowboy cookies?ReplyDelete
It sure looks like that instructor got the better end of the deal:)
Thank you so much for sharing...
I'd like to have your spin instructor's problem, too. I wouldn't know a thing about that. Cookies, however, I'm well acquainted with and these look terrific! I never had cowboy cookies until I moved to Texas. Gotta love a state that introduced me to breakfast tacos and a delicious cookie!ReplyDelete
Ohh love the idea of having pretzels in there... would give the cookie that extra crunch and saltiness. Very clever... will be adding these to my list to try out.ReplyDelete
ooooh ... salty meets chocolate - love this. you're brilliant, you.ReplyDelete
Can't keep his weight up! Imagine! And he dares to discuss this as if seeking sympathy. Hmphf...Bah humbug. Oooh, but let's look at those cookies and forget your instructor. Salty pretzels and chocolate. That combo sounds divine. Delish.ReplyDelete
These delights would surely please any cowboy! I've never used pretzels in cookies before, what a neat idea.ReplyDelete
I always gain weight in the summer. It sounds counter-intuitive, but that's when we do so much entertaining and eating great food. I'd put on even more weight if I started eating these cookies!ReplyDelete
some people sure are blessed with great metabolisms. punks. :)ReplyDelete
i love these cookies, lisa--giddy up!
spin schmim. these cookies look amazing! love salt and sweet!ReplyDelete


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