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October 31 marked the tenth anniversary of the momentous UN resolution on women, peace and security—UNSCR 1325. This set a new international standard that requires all parties—the UN, states, and armed militias—to ensure that women participate fully in peace negotiations and post-conflict reconstruction. If this really worked, it would transform our militarized world.
Unfortunately, these goals have not been met yet. Women are not equally engaged in brokering peace or designing post-conflict reconstruction plans, and as the recent rapes of thousands of Congolese demonstrated, women and girls are not protected. Implementation has been mired in age-old patriarchal attitudes, compounded by women's lack of access to formal education and political leadership. Authors of the recent MIT report, What the Women Say: Participation and UNSCR 1325 cite "[b]ureaucratic inertia, leadership vacuums, empty rhetoric and fundamental misunderstanding about this agenda" among the many reasons why UNSCR 1325 is missing its mark.
On the resolution's anniversary, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was among those who urged UN member states and NGOs to accelerate women's inclusion in peace talks. "The only way to…reduce the number of conflicts around the world, to eliminate rape as a weapon of war, to combat the culture of impunity for sexual violence, to build sustainable peace," she affirmed, "is to draw on the full contributions of both women and men in every aspect of peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peace building."
The Birth of 1325
During the 1990s, the world witnessed the systematic use of gender-based violence against women and girls as a weapon of war. The number of rape victims was astounding: half a million women in Rwanda; up to 50,000 women, mostly Muslims, in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina; and some 64,000 women in Sierra Leone. Hundreds of thousands of women's bodies were brutalized and entire communities traumatized.
At the same time, women-led initiatives were making important contributions toward resolving conflicts and the rebuilding of impacted communities in the aftermath of war. Women from Cambodia, Guatemala, and Northern Ireland were among those emerging as crucial voices for peace as they mobilized across national, ethnic and religious divides and used their networks to mitigate violence.
In 2000, representatives from several key organizations — the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church (Women's Division), Women's Action for New Directions, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and the Women's Refugee Commission—came together to found the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, which now includes 14 member organizations.
They drew on decades of collaborative work for women's rights, such as the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979, and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995. During the Beijing + 5 review process five years later, these women's NGOs, with the help of several individuals serving at the UN and on the Security Council, developed the resolution set to advance the role of women in peace and security. By October 2000, UNSCR 1325 was adopted unanimously.
Using 1325
Since then, women's organizations in war-torn areas as far apart as Afghanistan, West Africa, Chechnya, and Nepal have used this framework to document gender-based violence in war, initiate dialogue across lines of ethnicity and culture, urge former combatants to give up their weapons, and claim seats at official peace talks. Researchers Kavitha Suthanthiraraj and Cristina Ayo report: "Undeterred by rebel groups, authoritarian regimes, cultural restrictions or resource limitations, and often at great personal risk, women continue the work of promoting peace and security in their communities."
At the UN level, the Security Council passed Resolutions 1820 (in 2008) and 1888 and 1889 (in 2009) to ensure women's protection from sexual violence in conflict zones and gender sensitivity in post-conflict processes. In 2010, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon appointed Margot Wallström, a former minister in the Swedish government, as Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict—another step in making 1325 work.
The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations has gradually recruited more women as civilian police and peacekeepers, partly in response to many reports of sexual exploitation by male peacekeeping forces. India sent the first all-female peacekeeping force to Liberia, and Bangladesh recently sent an all-female unit to Haiti. South Africa's 2,100-person peacekeeping force is 17 percent female. According to the UNFPA, "Women who have survived assaults may be more likely to report incidents to women officers." Yet an emphasis on increasing women's role in policing isn't sufficient—we need real solutions to conflicts over power and resources.
Roadblocks to Progress
UNSCR 1325 has been key to normalizing the importance of women's leadership in the peacebuilding process, but only 20 countries have developed National Action Plans; 14 of these are in Western Europe. Others are Chile, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Philippines, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. The Security Council has not instituted a mechanism of accountability, nor have countries undertaken major public education campaigns about the resolution.
Between 2000 and 2008, according to UNIFEM, fewer than eight percent of negotiators on official peace delegations were women. South Africa was a bright spot — 50 percent of all negotiators were women and had a committee that ensured the integration of gender perspectives.
An over-emphasis on numbers, however, can miss the point. Women and men who participate in peace delegations must represent women's security needs. With virtually no representation of women in peacemaking processes, there's no one to argue for the urgency of resolving conflicts peacefully. Thus, it's no wonder that 40 percent of peace processes fail within the first 10 years.
Women Need 1325 Now
Quite simply, war and conflict affect women and men differently. Women are responsible for caring for children and elders, and finding food, shelter, and medical help for their families in times of war. In countries such as Colombia where four million people, or one in 10 persons, have been internally displaced, women bear the brunt of rebuilding their civil society. In countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, gender based violence has led to the rapes and traumatization of nearly half a million women and girls.
When men come to the negotiating table, they focus on political power, access to economic resources, and military or police support. Most women and girls are not willing soldiers or commanders, and when conflicts end are less affected by the military loyalties. Since they usually aren't part of the formal power structures, they aren't beholden to external pressure from governments and corporations that want a hasty return to "business as usual."
In the aftermath of armed conflict, women focus on supporting their families, stabilizing their communities, and reducing the possibility of further violence. This includes healing from physical and emotional wounds, and re-establishing trust. It means using skills, time, money, care, persistence, and imagination to create new homes and livelihoods, as well as to provide healthcare and schooling. It means holding incoming governments accountable for commitments made in peace agreements, supporting candidates for office who will facilitate healing and rebuilding from war, and pushing for national budgets that support sustainable development.
Stepping Forward
At the UN, Clinton announced that the United States would contribute $44 million toward activities that empower women, including $17 million for strengthening women's rights in Afghanistan and $14 million for NGOs working to make clean water available in conflict zones. She also promised that the United States would develop a domestic National Action Plan to begin implementation of UNSCR 1325. Should this commitment becomes a reality, it could be a small opening towards changing the direction of the militarized U.S. foreign policy.
But getting more nations, including the United States, to commit to National Action Plans certainly won't happen without broad grassroots support and persistent organizing by women's groups here and abroad. Not only must the UN and national governments work hard to involve greater numbers of women in peacebuilding, protection, and reconstruction processes; but they also must ensure that the voices and perspectives of women, who have long worked for peace, help lead the way.
Around the globe, there are numerous grassroots groups with extensive experience in confronting militarism and offering pragmatic solutions. Two weeks ago in Kivu, the World March of Women mobilized a march of tens of thousands of women from the Congo and other nations against sexualized violence in war. The Asociación Caminos de Esperanza Madres de la Candelaria in Colombia, also known as "Las Madres," has organized mothers of the disappeared to pressure the government to negotiate with armed militias for the release of kidnapped civilians and to compensate families of the disappeared. The Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq works to advance women's rights amid a highly volatile context of violence waged by both Iraqi extremists and the U.S. military.
In India, the Manipur Gun Survivors Network demands an end to small arms trade along the Burmese border and empowers Manipuri women survivors of armed violence to lead household disarmament campaigns to demand the surrender of weapons. Women in Black Belgrade engages women across ethnic, religious, and national lines to get to the root cause of the conflict—often at high costs to their safety. And women in the International Women's Network for Genuine Security support each other's struggles against the expansion of U.S. military bases, particularly in Okinawa and Guam.
Greater women's leadership in setting peacemaking and peacebuilding agendas based on women's experiences of war and violence and everyday security needs — rather than militarized security—is vitally important. Making such work real will lead to a more just and secure world for us all.
Please sign onto a Global Fund for Women petition urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to use her influence to renew focus on UNSCR 1325.


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subset: commoncrawl


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During the same week the team cut offensive tackle Chad Clifton, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that the Packerswill release Collins because they are not comfortable with him playing again after neck surgery.
"From the beginning of this process, we have taken our time and sought numerous medical opinions while maintaining consistent dialogue with Nick," Packers general manager Ted Thompson said in a statement released by the team. "In the end, we were not comfortable clearing him to play again. As with all of our players, Nick is a member of our family and we thought of him that way as we came to this conclusion.
"Nick is a part of our core, and this is a very difficult day for all Packers. Making this kind of decision is never easy, especially when it involves someone like Nick Collins. He has meant so much to the community, his teammates and the organization. He is a good man and will always be part of the Packers family."
Collins reportedly has been waiting to hear from doctors to find out if he will be cleared to play again after recurring neck injuries. Either those reports came back with bad news or the Packers already made their own conclusions that it's not safe for Collins to play again.
It wasn't so long ago that the three-time Pro Bowl safety was returning an interception for a touchdown in the Super Bowl. Collins had 21 career interceptions, returning three for touchdowns in 2008.
We hope that Collins can play again, but we hope even more that he doesn't do anything to jeopardize his long-term health. The news could indicate that Collins might want to play again, but the Packers disagree.
The news also is a reminder that an NFL career can turn or end at almost any moment.


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I have completely rewritten and re-done my original tutorial on using TinyDB in App Inventor.
You can see the all new rewrite at Using TinyDB in App Inventor
TinyDB is a database used to store and retrieve values to semi-permanent storage on your phone or tablet. Unlike variables, which vanish when your app closes or your phone is turned off, values stored in the TinyDB are retained and can be accessed again, much later.
The original post was a popular post here on the blog, but it was brief and left out some details. I started over from scratch and wrote an all new, complete tutorial, with screen shots and blocks code, and downloadable App Inventor source code. Hope this helps!
E-Books and Printed Books
If you find these tutorials helpful (I hope you do!) please take a look at my books on App Inventor. To learn more about the books and where to get them (they are inexpensive) please see my App Inventor Books page.
- App Inventor 2 Introduction (Volume 1 e-book)
Step-by-step guide to easy Android programming
- App Inventor 2 Advanced Concepts (Volume 2 e-book)
Step-by-step guide to Advanced features including TinyDB
- App Inventor 2 Databases and Files (Volume 3 e-book)
Step-by-step TinyDB, TinyWebDB, Fusion Tables and Files
Buy from: Amazon, Google Books, Kobo Books
- App Inventor 2 Databases and Files (Volume 3 e-book)
- App Inventor 2 Graphics, Animation and Charts (Volume 4 e-book and printed book)
Step-by-step guide to graphics, animation and charts
Thank you for visiting! — Ed


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Best Blogs of 2007 That You (Maybe) Aren't Reading
Last year I decided to put on twist on my annual "best blogs" post [2002, 2003, 2004] by taking a turn toward the obscure. Because blogs now pervade the media landscape, it makes little sense to write a post arguing that Huffington Post is better or worse than DailyKos -- or Cute Overload.
It turned out that this change -- pointing to lesser-known sites like History of the Button, Buzzfeed, and Indexed -- was a rather auspicious. Within 24 hours of releasing the list, seven of the top ten links on Del.icio.us' typically-tech-centric hotlist were sites on my list. And so in the spirit of celebrating the lesser-known, it's time again to point toward the best blogs that might have flown under your radar. Here they are, the Best Blogs of 2007 that You Maybe Aren't Reading:
30) The Informed Reader
As mainstream media organizations continue to close their foreign bureaus out of cost-saving desperation, the less expensive version -- "the international news blog" -- has become a staple property on nearly all sites (nytimes.com, msnbc.com, cnn.com, newyorker.com, etc.). Though the foreign news consumer might be tricked into believing these will reveal new forms of international reporting, it actually means that none of these sites stick out above the rest -- except for the Wall Street Journal's The Informed Reader, which somehow kept my attention this year by finding the right balance between gathering links and providing context. (See also: Good Magazine.)
29) Songs About Buildings and Food
Imagine if your favorite college prof got hooked on meth and The Hills -- and you were more concerned that the latter was killing him. That's this blog. (See also: Advanced Theory Blog and The Medium.)
28) Paleo-Future
If the dictum "the future is now" has any veracity, then what do we do with the past? This blog chronicles how past generations envisioned what the future would look like. With an archive that goes back to the 1880s, Paleo-Future is an essential compendium of a new historical category: nostalgic futurism. (See also: Subtopia.)
27) TV In Japan
If ever there were a genre in need of aggregation, Japanese TV would be it. This site (from my friend Gavin Purcell, whose day job is running Attack of the Show on G4) is religious in its pursuit to bring you the best moments of televised weirdness from the Land of the Rising Sun. (See also: Neojaponisme and Ping Mag.)
26) BookForum
For those of us who have given up on the once-spectacular and oft-praised Arts & Letters Daily, the transformation of Book Forum to an aggregation blog has been nothing less than a savior. (See also: ArtsJournal.)
25) Rock Band Logos
Design criticism applied to rock band logos? Yes, please. (See also: Book Covers and Core 77.)
FTW! (See also: Best of CNN.)
23) Metafilter Popular Favorites
Every year I sneak a reference to Metafilter onto this list. And every year a Metafilter post ridicules its inclusion -- can't wait to see this year's! My longstanding love-hate relationship with Metafilter (check the archives) tilted back toward the negative this year, which is why the Popular Favorites feature was almost a panacea for my frustration. More big sites are adding this "favoriting" feature (BoingBoing, Gothamist, etc.), which I initially appraised as a cheap way of avoiding depth, but now find the only way I can continue reading some sites. (See also: Ask.Metafilter.)
22) Drawn.ca
Drawn bills itself at "collaborative weblog for illustrators, artists, cartoonists, and anyone who likes to draw," but it acts more like a comprehensive guide to visual culture. (See also: Design Observer.)
21) FourFour
The overabundant jungle of pop culture blogging leaves little room for new voices to emerge. One can read only so many snarky reviews of every episode of every reality tv show on every network every night (I know!). As an antidote to Perez Hilton's pretty hate machine, FourFour's Rich Juzwiak (whose day job is blogging for VH1) has carved out something unique in the pop landscape by balancing critical insight with a celebration for the lovable. And what does FourFour love? For starters: Tyra, America's Next Top Model, Beyonce, Tyra, Project Runway, and... Tyra. (See also: Golden Fiddle and Best Week Ever.)
20) Reverse Cowgirl
Her: "Why don't more sex bloggers make your list?" Me: "Cuz they all talk about the same thing." Her: "Yes, but in many different ways." It's true, sex bloggers don't usually end up on this list, but Susannah Breslin's blog was one of the few sites in the genre to stay in the "to read" pile all year long.
19) Kanye West: Blog
Too much was made again this year about famous people getting blogs. Do you really want more insight into these people's opinions? Of course not -- you want to know their passions, their desires, their interest in dropping $7K on a bottle of cognac. Kanye's blog is more like a scrapbook of his id: some links (hey look, the new Lupe Fiasco vid), some photos (hey look, a Delorean), but surprisingly little ego.
18) Passive Aggressive Notes
Take the Found magazine genre and thin-slice it to only include the notes you left for your college roommate. (See also: Best of Craigslist and Overheard in The Office.)
17) Strange Maps
Does saying "it was a big year for maps!" sound retarded? Well, it was. (See also: Great Map.)
16) Pussy Ranch
Several years ago I included Diablo on a "hot new blog!" list. Now she's super famous, and I'm still making this stupid list.
15) Serious Eats
Food blogging has always been a blind spot for me, but Serious Eats was the first site to find the right mix of editorial voice and community interaction.
14) Shorpy
The photoblog genre is easy to overlook, but this blog puts itself in a curatorial role by collecting photos up to 100 years old. (See also: The Triumph of Bullshit.)
13) La Blogotheque: Take Away Shows
Drag a band out into the street, shoot video of them playing, upload it to the internet... and magic. If you're looking for a place to start, I suggest The Cold War Kids, but there are 70+ more. (See also: RCRD LBL.)
12) Jakob and Julia
Jakulia was the worst best (and the best worst) thing of 2007. Don't know it? Just thank your lucky stars and move on. (See also: NYGirlOfMyDreams.com.)
11) The Daily Swarm
Looking for an alternative to Pitchfork? Who isn't! But Daily Swarm isn't exactly that -- it's a music news source that somehow seems to break news before anyone else. And it's not "press release" news that Pitchfork delivers, nor the salacious celeb news of TMZ, nor even the industry banter of Idolator; rather, The Daily Swarm's beat is a rare kind of -- dare I say -- investigative work that no one else is doing. (See also: Stereogum and Culture Bully.)
10) A Brief Message
Brevity seemed to only increase its role as the ruling doctrine this year (see: Snack Culture), and the designers hopped on board with their micro-manifestos on this site. (See also: Very Short List.)
9) The "Blog of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks
You've seen them -- too many times to count. And if you had taken pictures of every unnecessary instance of quotation marks, you "probably" would have made this list too. (See also: Apostrophe Abuse.)
8) emo+beer = busted career
When Earl Boykins mixed the infographic with a passion for Brooklyn indie music, he ended up with several pieces in the New York Times that could have passed for art installations. (See also: Infosthetics.)
7) Frolix-8: Philip K. Dick
What we once called "the news" is increasingly becoming different filters for perceiving reality. If you think about it, watching the news is just putting on someone else's reality goggles. Philip K. Dick would probably agree, and so this amazing site gives you today's headlines matched up next to which PKD novel the story corresponds with. If it seems that science fiction gets less fantastical every year, then this is the site for you. (See also: Cyber Punk Review.)
6) Snowclones
A snowclone -- says Wikipedia, cuz it oughta know -- is "a type of formula-based cliche that uses an old idiom in a new context." The best example is the rampant usage of "X is the new Y." But there are so many others, such as "Don't hate me because I'm X," "In X, no one can hear you Y," "No rest for the X," "To X or not to X," "Xgate," "Xcore," "Got X?" -- and many more. The site is so diligent in its pursuit of the cliche and the trite that you might fall stricken with a loss of words, gasping "This is not your daddy's snowclone." (See also: Language Hat and Away With Words.)
5) Jezebel
Gawker Media's modus operandi is to enter a content category (gadgets, politics, sports, music, etc.) by summarizing that industry with enough volume (in both senses of the word) to basically become the essential trade mag in that sector. This is why Jezebel represents the biggest coup in the empire's history. Rather than beguile its way into the women's magazine industry, Jezebel burst onto the scene in May by defining itself in oppositional terms. It isn't so much a thing as it is not those things. To be clear: it is not the celeb porn that Conde Nast and Hearst have been splooging on you from newsstands for decades. Whereas the average Idolator post would fit in just fine in Blender or Pitchfork, Jezebel was an entire take-down of Glamour, Cosmo, and the rest of the airbrushed crew. This is the holy grail of publishing: to find a voice that is completely unique while still appealing to a broad category. Nicely played, Mr. Denton. (Note: By the numbers, Jezebel probably doesn't qualify in the "overlooked" character of this list. But with as many dudes like me reading this "women's fashion" site every day...) (See also: Spout.)
4) Smashing Telly
Smashing Telly is the antidote to all those skull-numbing viral video aggregators. Instead of gathering 30-second clips of dogs on skateboards, the site meticulously curates long-form clips that will make you wishing to extend your office hours. It's where I found the Mailer/McLuhan interview, Manufacturing Consent, a random Clockword Orange documentary, and countless other things. (See also: First Showing and vidoes.antville.org.)
3) Vulture
New York Magazine is a perplexing contradiction. It is probably the best magazine on the newsstand right now (Wired is the only competition), but it also has an editorial voice that is occasionally annoying in its sense of privilege and entitlement. On its worst days, I call this attitude "Aggressively SoHo" -- as in, it surpassed believing that NYC is the center of the world by declaring the epicenter somewhere south of 14th St. and north of Chambers St. When my bestest friend Melissa (disclaimer!) said she was co-launching this blog (she has since moved onto Rolling Stone), I was worried that this voice would ring through on its cultural coverage. But the opposite has happened -- Vulture has kept the best parts of New York Mag (the nuance, the design, the clever), while leaving the Aggressive SoHo Tude at the door. (See also: Wired's Blogs.)
2) Ill Doctrine
When Ze Frank sadly abided by his promise to shut down his much-celebrated but under-watched show in March (after exactly one year), the internet was left to gasp for unique video programming. Jay Smooth's Ill Doctrine has been the only video blog to emerge with a distinct voice, a mature vision, and brilliant programming that mixes essay, criticism, and attitude. Check it: Chocolate Radiohead and Amy Winehouse and the Ethics of Clowning People. (See also: Epic-Fu and Rod 2.0.)
1) Twitter and Tumblr
"Blog" has always been an elastic term, just barely surviving the stress of containing everything from Hot Chicks With Douchebags to DailyKos to your mom's Vox account. But this year the seams of the term finally burst, and out spilled some brand new words, tweets and tumbls, and these two new forms of quasi-blogging that are more personal, more immediate, and of course more annoying than anything online communication has rustled up so far. Twitter and Tumblr are the Rubik's Cube and the Tetris of the blogging world -- simple concepts that are immensely more complex and compelling than they logically should be. I've explained Twitter to a hundred people in a hundred different ways, each time not quite capturing why it's different, why it matters. "You just have to play it to understand," I eventually say, choosing the only verb that approaches the nuanced complexity. And yet, there's another very simple way to say it: Twitter and Tumblr made blogging fun again this year.
And finally, thanks to Taylor, Ben, Robin, Lindsay, Melissa, Scott, Alisa, Gavin, Jason, Peter, Matt, Choire, and Anil for their tips on this project. See ya next year.


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Africa 2012
This trip started on March 6th, in Johennesburg, South Africa. I Went to the Lion Park to play with cubs and walk with and pet a cheetah. Then a day in Alexandria Township with friends Rob & Sharell Katibah to learn about the people and culture with an inspiring historian and philanthropist, Robin Binckes. A very eye opening experience!!! Then we joined our group (Led by pro wildlife photographer Roy Toft) for three camps in Botswana (Kwara, Labala, Lagoon), and finally my friend, Curt Fargo, and I were fortunate enough to go to Mala Mala for 5 days ( a private reserve attached to Kruger National Park in South Africa). Lots of excitement and astonishment, from videoing Dung beetles, to watching Leopards mate and fight, and finally Curt dealing with me driving on the wrong side of the road... We met some really nice folks and enhanced friendships. Once again, Africa didn't disappoint... A magical place!!! Can't wait for my next visit!!!Read More
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Zacharon Pharmaceuticals Announces Research and Development Collaboration With Pfizer to Develop Drugs for Multiple Rare Disorders
Strategic Collaboration to Leverage Zacharon's Platform for Developing Small Molecule Drugs Selectively Targeting Carbohydrate Polymers
07 Apr, 2011, 08:00 ET
SAN DIEGO, April 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacharon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the company has entered into a strategic research collaboration with Pfizer Inc. to develop drugs for orphan diseases, including lysosomal storage disorders. The potential value of the collaboration to Zacharon is approximately USD $210 million. The collaboration includes the potential development of compounds that may be discovered using Zacharon's innovative platform for developing small molecule drugs targeting specific carbohydrate polymers or glycans.
Zacharon, whose sole venture investor is Avalon Ventures, will receive up-front payments and research and development funding under the collaboration to develop drugs against targets that impact lysosomal storage diseases. Zacharon is also eligible under the collaboration for payments for meeting development milestones, plus royalties and sales milestones upon commercialization.
"We are very pleased to be working with Pfizer, which has broad compound development expertise, including in the area of small molecules, which should be quite useful to developing drugs for these orphan diseases," said Robin Jackman, Ph.D., president and CEO of Zacharon. "The collaboration provides validation for the potential that lies in Zacharon's broadly applicable technology platform."
Ed Mascioli, M.D., head of Pfizer's Orphan & Genetic Diseases Unit, said: "Part of Pfizer's Orphan & Genetic Diseases Unit's strategic focus relies on collaborations with companies like Zacharon that have promising technologies to help develop treatments for rare diseases. Zacharon is an ideal partner, and we look forward to working with them to develop treatments for lysosomal storage diseases."
About Lysosomal Storage Diseases
Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are a group of over 40 inherited disorders typically characterized by a deficiency in one or more enzymes that degrade glycans, the carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins, proteoglycans, and glycolipids. These deficiencies cause an accumulation of undigested glycan fragments inside the lysosome, leading to progressive deterioration in physical and/or mental state, and eventually premature death. The family of lysosomal storage diseases includes Gaucher, Fabry, Pompe, mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS I, II, IIIA, IIIB, IIIC), Tay-Sachs, Sandhoff and other related diseases with a total combined incidence greater than 1 per 8,000 births.
About Zacharon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Zacharon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biotechnology company leveraging unique glycobiology expertise to develop a new class of human therapeutics targeting the biosynthesis of glycans. Glycans encompass an attractive selection of specific and potent drug targets for a variety of diseases. Zacharon has created breakthrough assay technologies integrating cell-based screening with highly sensitive glycan structural analysis tools, providing a unique and powerful platform for novel small molecule drug discovery. Zacharon's most advanced drug development programs target several forms of lysosomal storage disease and several rare forms of cancer. The glycan-targeted assay technologies developed by Zacharon are being applied beyond the company's internal drug development programs to develop clinical biomarkers and diagnostics for glycan-related diseases. One such diagnostic with applications in newborn screening is being developed in collaboration with Mayo Clinic's Department of Laboratory Medicine. Zacharon was established in 2004. Its funding support includes SBIR grants from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the NIH, and venture financing from Avalon Ventures.
For more information, please visit www.zacharon.com.
Media Contact
Heidi Chokeir
Russo Partners, LLC
(619) 528-2217
[email protected]
SOURCE Zacharon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.


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In all honesty I have left the poor old Greeks alone because I rather think that they are being unfairly and squarely duffed up by the Germans for now and don't need even my small sized Jackboot at their throat, but and maybe today that little word should be spelt with two 't's,'frankly I couldn't resist showing all on my lovely cuddly readers this Greek Yoghurt carton top that, how can I put it, came to my attention as a collector of human nonsense.
I hope that you enjoy a bit of Greek bottom pleasure!
About the Author
The Cat is one of the most successful feline authors in the history of Catkind. His sharp elegant wit has produced the bestselling book 'Getting Out – Excerpts from a Cat's Diary' and of course the much plagiarised gag of the same name which appears on all of the funniest joke sites on the internet.
Copies of the Cat's masterpiece of feline literature 'Getting Out – Excerpts from a Cat's Diary' and his latest wonderful book 'The Cat's Travelogue' can be purchased at a bookstore near you or from the internet at Amazon.com and here for the Travelogue The Cat's Travelogue Paperback Edition or at what The Cat calls his www – wickedly wonderful website here www.thecatsdiary.com where you can not only learn more about me the genius Cat but also play my games they are all paw picked by me and have been described as "exactly what free on-line games should be, fun, free and fantastic."
Technorati Tags:
Cat, Cat Diary, free games, free on-line games, Getting Out – Excerpts from a Cat's Diary, The Cat, The Cat's Diary, The Cat's Travelogue, www.Amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.com, www.wickedlywonderfulwebsite


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New York Daily News
The New York Daily News collection - historic photos from the Big Apple
The New York Daily News collection chronicles some of the most iconic images from the one of the world's greatest cities.
From historic news images and the characters of the city, these are the photos that have shaped the way we see the great American melting pot.
The Daily News Photo Archive catalogs over 100,000 images that date back to 1919 and span the history of NYC and the world.


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John 11:1-46
John 11:1-46 KJV
Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judæa again. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: and many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.


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Architects: Foster and Partners Location: Turin, Italy Design Group: MAIRE Engineering (agent), Foster and Partners, Ltd. ICIS, Giugiaro, Arch CAMERANA Benedict, Studio Ass Mellano, Buonomo Vigil Studio, Studio Ass CO.PA.CO, Prof. G. Garzino, Studio A. Lazzerini, M. Arch Luciani, Prof. Ing Ossola, POLIEDRA S.P.A. and TEKSYSTEM New building gross area: 36,232 sqm. Photographs: Courtesy of comunicarch
Opening with the academic year 2012-13, the new seat of the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of Turin completes the campus that the University of Turin is building as part of a complex program of reorganization of its offices that, started in late nineties, included the moving of the faculties in new structures on abandoned Italgas areas along the river Dora.
The new buildings, overlooking the river, are the result of an international design competition launched in 2003 by the University. Winner was the group composed of Fiat Engineering (now Tecnimont), Foster & Partners, ICIS, Benedetto Camerana, Mellano Associati and Giugiaro Architettura, who were able to reinterpret the pavilions distribution imposed by the Preliminary design document proposing a block solution, broken and relieved by open passages and walkways, with the strong architectural element of the undulating roof.
Following the triangular lot, the new buildings are functionally divided into two sections: one dedicated to teaching, with classrooms and departments that face the residences and gasometers, and one for the library (with bar and language labs on the ground floor and spaces for studying room on the first floor) along the river. All five blocks are distributed into five-storey buildings (with parking and technical rooms in the basement and a covered flat roof) distributed around a circular plaza, with a total of 36,232 new square feet.
The complex is a strong personality presence in a changing part of the city, largely due to the characteristics of its envelope, made of sinuous glass and metal façades and a continuous canvas roof.
Norman Foster trademark, the free façades are characterized by curvilinear shape. Scanned horizontally by a succession of glass and corrugated metal string courses, they have been developed ad hoc on a design by Foster and produced by the Italian Focchi spa (Poggio Berni, Rimini), specialized in architectural façades system.
The roof based on a complex three-dimensional structure of metal lattice, is the characteristic element. Realized by Stalbau Pichler, is composed of a series of arches to stand bolted and connected together by an impressive edge beam (necessary to counteract the strong "shot" from the tension generated along the perimeter of the sheets) and by rods secondary connections and bracing.
The Teflon coated glass fiber membrane (Dupont), chosen for its high mechanical characteristics and chemical stability, has been produced by Canobbio with elements that cover a span each and are provided with a heat-sealed edging, which contains the metal elements of anchor and tension.
With volumes and proportions dimensioned on the urban scale (direct reference to the circular nearby square Santa Giulia), the new campus, set on North American models, is a porous body whose open spaces are usable not only by students but also by population of a neighborhood that just the new development, an element of urban regeneration, is helping to revitalize, together with the neighboring industrial areas in the process of recovery (between operations concluded, just past the Dora, the showings and the transformation of the former knitwear factory Hosiery Basic Village in Turin Baietto Battiato former Black and Ceat and structures of the former Tobler, respectively, in which Alberto and Vittorio Neirotti Rolla and study Cucchiarati have obtained new residential space).


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Cairo, Egypt, Apr 9, 2013 / 01:03 am
Christian leaders in Egypt appealed for calm after a mob attacked St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo on Sunday during the funeral of four Coptic Christians killed in sectarian clashes.
At least two Christians died and over 80 were injured in the Sunday attacks, which marked the third day of sectarian violence, according to the Christian Post.
Pope Tawadros II, the Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church said the Egypt must "keep calm" to preserve security and national unity.
The Council of Churches in Egypt condemned the attack and called for "immediate action" from the government, Fides news agency reports.
Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi told Patriarch Tawadros by phone that he is committed to stopping the violence and that he considers "any attack against churches as a personal attack" against him.
On Friday a dispute in the town of Khusus near Cairo turned into a gunfight that killed four Christians and a Muslim.
After the Christians' funeral Sunday, Christians left the cathedral and joined sympathetic Muslims to chanting slogans against President Mohammed Morsi. They called for his removal and the removal of his allies.
Violence broke out, though it is unclear how it started. Assailants were few at first, but their numbers grew to over 200 people.
They stationed themselves on the roofs of buildings surrounding the cathedral, attacking Christians and others with stones and petrol bombs until late in the evening, Fides News Agency reports.
Security forces and riot police appeared to have sided with the Muslim men who were attacking the Christians, the New York Times says.
Christians took up the defense of the cathedral and threw fire bombs and brick shards at the riot police, some of whom were injured.
Egypt's Interior Ministry has charged that the mourners had started the attacks by vandalizing cars, which led to clashes and fights with others in the area.
Coptic Christians, who are descendants of Egypt's pre-Muslim population, make up about 10 percent of the predominantly Muslim population of Egypt.


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According to a recent story on Discovery.com, one solution to boss bullying may be exercise. No really! And when you think about it, everything makes sense. The more stressful the situation (or position), the more a boss may take it out on employees.
In the article, Stephanie Pappas writes,
Researchers at Northern Illinois University and the University of Illinois at Chicago asked 98 MBA students and their 98 supervisors to fill out surveys on their workplace experiences. Students answered questions about how abusive their supervisor was, such as whether their supervisor put them down in front of others or told them they were stupid. The supervisors reported how often they exercised; they also answered questions about their levels of workplace stress and amount of free time.
The results, published January 6, 2012 in the Journal of Business and Psychology, showed that employees rate stressed supervisors as more abusive than more chill bosses. No surprise there, but the research also revealed that moderate levels of exercise minimized this nasty "trickle-down" effect, even as those bosses remained stressed.
And not only the boss gets stressed out by sedentary work habits. The emerging field of "sedentary science" is sounding alarm bells to corporations nationwide, warning that employees shackled to office chairs may be the number one reason for spiraling obesity rates and increasing levels of chronic disease in the United States.
One potential answer to this health problem is to introduce innovations designed to keep employees moving while they work. While Steelcase has been offering its Walkstation Workstation for several years, another new option is on the market: the TrekDesk Treadmill Desk.
Based in Scottsdale, AZ, TrekDesk is selling a workplace desk that uses a treadmill instead of a chair. So instead of sitting, users walk, type, and talk on the treadmill all day long.
Designed to fit any existing treadmill, TrekDesk treadmill desk is an affordable, full sized, height adjustable workstation that allows individuals the opportunity to gain the necessary amount of exercise daily to maintain health, prevent disease, strengthen muscles, boost mood and productivity, without requiring additional time during the day or extra motivation.
TrekDesk is currently available for sale online for $479.00 including free shipping. So if you're searching for just the right gift for yourself OR your boss, perhaps everyone can pitch in…


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President Obama won re-election primarily because he did so well with two key, and expanding, constituencies: Hispanics and members of the Millennial Generation. Throughout the campaign, Democratic pundits pointed to these two groups as being the key difference makers. They were right.
Let's start with Hispanics, arguably the biggest deciders in this election. Exit polling shows Obama winning this group — which gave up to two-fifths of their vote to George Bush — by over two to one. In 2008, Obama improved his winning margin with Latino voters from 67% in 2008 to 69% in 2012. And for the first time they represented 10% of the overall electorate.
Obama and the Democrats went after this constituency, taking some risks along the way about a backlash among whites. Obama's move to not deport young undocumented immigrants if they came to this country as a child and met certain other criteria blurred any negative impact from a still weak economy. In contrast, Romney's platform of more or less making life so horrible that undocumented immigrants have canceled out all the GOP candidate's credible economic and social proposals that might have appealed to this group.
To this Republican political malpractice there is an even greater threat: the loss of younger voters. According to CNN exit polls, Millennials voted for Obama 60% to 36% and accounted for 19% of all voters, up from 17% in 2008. Although white male millennials turned slightly less enthusiastic, the President's huge margin among white women as well as minority millennials — roughly 40 percent of this huge generation — more than made up the difference.
Why did this happen? Generational theorists Mike Hais and Morley Winograd attribute this to several factors. One is the intrinsic optimism of millennials, even in the face of very difficult economic challenges. This blunted Romney's main argument. Other issues such as gay marriage, favored by most millennials, as well as a more tolerant attitude towards immigration drove them away from the GOP and towards the President.
When you combine millennials and minorities, especially Hispanics, the road to recovery for Republicans gets more and more difficult. If you win close to 60% of the white vote and lose the electoral college decisively, you are heading into very difficult territory. In addition, Hais and Winograd note, there are other constituencies — women, particularly singles as well as those with graduate degrees broke strongly for the President.
Together, they conclude, these groups constitute what they describe as a "21st Century Democratic majority coalition for the next few decades at least."
So where does this leave the now hapless GOP? Certainly they can't blame evangelicals and white working class voters who, for the most part, rallied to their cause. The problem now is based in history and demographics. The old Reagan coalition– as has been evident here in California for a decade — is literally too old, and too white, to overcome the combination of minorities, millennials and educated professionals that Hais and Winograd have identified.
What should the Republicans do now? They certainly will need to move away from the immigrant-bashing that cost them dearly among the key ascendant voting blocs of millennials and Hispanics. They will also have to turn their family friendly message into something defined more positive; Romney's tragedy was to embrace Rick Santorum's views on issues of gay marriage and contraception instead of embracing family, which is a core value among millennials.
Hais and Winograd add they will need to redefine their party as more open, and appeal to millennial preference for local, grassroots solutions. In the coming four years, there will be an opportunity to challenge the "top-down" decisions made by Obama's now empowered clerisy. But this opportunity could be lost if Republicans continue to run against the tide of history instead of shaping it to their own advantage.
Joel Kotkin is executive editor of NewGeography.com and is a distinguished presidential fellow in urban futures at Chapman University, and contributing editor to the City Journal in New York. He is author of The City: A Global History. His newest book is The Next Hundred Million: America in 2050, released in February, 2010.
This piece originally appeared at Forbes.
Barack Obama photo by Bigstock..


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For Immediate Release, February 2, 2010
Contact: Bill Snape, (202) 536-9351
Obama Administration Proposes Budget Cuts for Endangered Species Listing
WASHINGTON— Although the Obama administration's proposed budget for endangered species includes much-needed increases for climate change planning and adaptation, it proposes to cut funding or flatline budgets for other key endangered species programs, including listing, recovery, candidate conservation, and law enforcement.
"Although acknowledging the serious threat to endangered species from climate change, Interior Secretary Salazar is proposing budget cuts to the very programs species need to survive a changing world," said Bill Snape, a senior attorney at the Center's Washington office. "Climate change threatens to push many currently endangered but poorly protected species over the brink, but the secretary's not making providing greater protections for species a priority."
The Obama administration has proposed to cut funding for listing of endangered species by 5 percent. Currently, there are 249 species that are designated as candidates for listing as endangered species. Candidate species, including the New England cottontail, yellow-billed loon, Yosemite toad, and many others, are species that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined do need protection, but for which they claim they lack the resources to actually provide that protection. Many animals and plants have been waiting decades for protection, and most are gravely endangered. To date, the administration has only protected two species under the Endangered Species Act. By comparison, the Clinton administration protected an average of 65 species per year.
"Secretary Salazar is not prioritizing protection of endangered species," said Snape. "With threats from habitat loss, pollution, invasive species, and climate change all on the rise, budget cuts are the last thing the nation's endangered species need."
The proposed budget also cuts funding for candidate conservation, which is supposed to provide protection to candidate species in the absence of listing, by almost 9 percent; cuts funding for endangered species law enforcement by almost 4 percent; and is nearly flat for recovery.
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 255,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
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Crypt of the Vampire
Item #: EJ0757
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|"Terror in the Crypt"
|Count Karnstein sends for a doctor to help his sick daughter Laura. Her nurse believes she is possessed by the spirit of a dead ancestor;Carmilla. A young woman becomes intrigued by the mysterious deaths surrounding Laura after a carriage accident outside the castle forces her to stay. They become close friends until Laura becomes convinced the spirit of Carmilla is forcing her to kill.
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|Camillo Mastrocinque
|William Mulligan
|Adriana Ambesi, Ignazio Balsamo, James Bright-Oman, Carla Cal?


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June in Fife was the wettest year on record. It started in a blaze of glory but very quickly turned exceedingly damp. The photo above was taken on the 7th of June. One of my apiaries is in the trees at the back of the picture. Six queens emerged on the 2nd or 3rd of June to be faced with a week-long deluge. The picture was taken on the first dry morning … by the afternoon it was raining again, so delaying their ability to get out and mate (hence prompting the recent post).
And so it continued …
Here's the same view on the 1st of July. Almost unchanged … ankle deep water en route to the apiary, the burn in flood and some splits and nucs now being fed fondant to prevent them starving.
A beautiful morning though 😉
Retrospective weather reports
Of course, you shouldn't really worry about weather that's been and gone, though comparisons year on year can be interesting. At the very least, knowing that the June monthly rainfall in Eastern Scotland was 223% of the 1961-99 average, I'll have an excuse why queens took so long to mate and why the June gap was more pronounced than usual. Global warming means summers are getting wetter anyway, but even if you make the comparison with the more recent 1981-2010 average we still got 206% of the June monthly total.
The Met Office publishes retrospective summaries nationally and by region. These include time series graphs of rainfall and temperature since 1910 showing how the climate is getting warmer and wetter. If you prefer, you can also view the data projected on a map, showing the marked discrepancies between the regions.
Parts of the Midlands and Lewis and Harris were drier than the June long-term average, but Northern England and Central, Southern and Eastern Scotland were very much wetter.
It would be interesting to compare the year-by-year climate changes with the annual cycle of forage plants used by bees. Natural forage, rather than OSR where there is strain variation of flowering time, would be the things to record. As I write this (first week of July) the lime is flowering well and the bees are hammering it. The rosebay willow herb has just started.
Prospective weather forecasts
Bees are influenced by the weather and so is beekeeping. If the forecast is for lousy weather for a fortnight it might be a good idea to postpone queen rearing and to check colonies have sufficient stores. If rain is forecast all day Saturday then inspections might have to be postponed until Sunday.
If you have a bee shed you can inspect when it's raining. The bees tolerate the hive being opened much better than if it were out in the open. Obviously, all the bees will be in residence, but their temper is usually better. They exit the shed through the window vents and rapidly re-enter the hive through the entrance.
I don't think there's much to choose between the various online weather forecast sites in terms of accuracy, particularly for predictions over 3+ days. They're all as good or as bad as each other. I cautiously use the BBC site, largely because they have an easy-to-read app for my phone.
Do I need an umbrella?
For shorter-term predictions (hours rather than days) I've been using Dark Sky. This can usefully – and reasonably accurately – predict that it will start raining in 30 minutes and continue for an hour, after which it will be dry until 6pm.
The forecast in your area might be different 😉
There's a well designed app for iOS and Android as well that has neat graphics showing just how wet you're likely to get, how long the rain will last and which direction the clouds will come from.
It's far from perfect, but it's reasonably good. It might make the difference between getting to the apiary as the rain starts as opposed to having a nice cuppa and then setting off in an hour or two.
Rain stopped play
I've posted recently on delays to queen mating caused by the poor weather in June. I've now completed inspections of all the splits. Despite both keeping calm and having patience I was disappointed to discover that the last two checked had developed laying workers. Clearly the queen was either lost on her mating flight or – more likely (see the pictures above) – drowned.
I've previously posted how I deal with laying workers – I shake the colony out and allow those that can fly to return to a new hive on the original site containing a single frame of eggs and open brood. If they start to draw queen cells in 2-3 days I reckon the colony is saveable and either let them get on with it, or otherwise somehow make them queenright.
One of the laying worker colonies behaved in a textbook manner. A couple of days after shaking them out there were queen cells present. I knocked these back and united the with a spare nuc colony containing a laying queen.
The second colony behaved very strangely. I didn't manage to inspect them until a week after shaking them out. There were no queen cells. Nor was there any evidence of laying worker activity in the frames of drawn comb I'd provided them with. Instead, they'd filled the brood box with nectar from the nearby lime trees. Weird. I united them with a queenright colony and I'll check how they progress over the next week or two.
Apis mellifera aquaticus
My colonies are usually headed by dark local mongrel queens. My queen rearing records show that some are descended from native black bees (Apis mellifera mellifera) from islands off the West coast of Scotland, albeit several generations ago. These bees are renowned for their hardiness, ability to forage in poor weather and general suitability to the climate of Scotland.
Nevertheless, without further natural selection and evolution they will have still needed water wings, a snorkel and flippers to get mated last month 😉
The taxonomic scheme 'developed' by Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778) is a rank-based classification approach actually dates back to Plato. In it, organisms are divided into kingdoms (Animals), classes (Insecta), order (Hymenoptera), family (Hymenoptera), genera (Apis) and species (mellifera).
The subspecies is indicated by a further name appended to the end of the species name e.g. Apis mellifera capensis (Cape Honey bees), Apis mellifera mellifera (Black bees)
Apis mellifera aquaticus doesn't really exist, but might evolve if it remains this wet 😉


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Yamaha YZ125 2014
2014 Yamaha YZ125 specifications, pictures, reviews and rating
2014 Yamaha YZ125. Picture credits - Yamaha. Submit more pictures.
|Yamaha's profilation of this bike
|Amazingly compact 124cc reed-valve-inducted two-stroke helps produce an awesome power-to-weight ratio. Reed-valve spacer improves acceleration across the entire powerband.
|General information
|Yamaha YZ125
|Cross / motocross
|3.3 Check out the detailed rating of off-road capabilities, engine performance, maintenance cost, etc. Compare with any other bike.
|Engine and transmission
|124.0 ccm (7.57 cubic inches)
|Engine type
|Single cylinder, two-stroke
|Engine details
|Bore x stroke
|54.0 x 54.5 mm (2.1 x 2.1 inches)
|Fuel system
|Carburettor. Mikuni TMX 38
|Digital CDI
|Cooling system
|Transmission type
|Chain (final drive)
|Chassis, suspension, brakes and wheels
|Frame type
|Rake (fork angle)
|Front suspension
|Speed-sensitive system inverted fork
|Front wheel travel
|300 mm (11.8 inches)
|Rear suspension
|Fully adjustable single shock
|Rear wheel travel
|315 mm (12.4 inches)
|Rear tire
|Front brakes
|Single disc. Hydraulic disc. Hydraulic disc.
|250 mm (9.8 inches)
|Rear brakes
|Single disc
|245 mm (9.6 inches)
|Physical measures and capacities
|Weight incl. oil, gas, etc
|93.9 kg (207.0 pounds)
|Seat height
|998 mm (39.3 inches) If adjustable, lowest setting.
|Overall height
|1316 mm (51.8 inches)
|Overall length
|2136 mm (84.1 inches)
|Overall width
|828 mm (32.6 inches)
|Ground clearance
|386 mm (15.2 inches)
|1443 mm (56.8 inches)
|Fuel capacity
|7.95 litres (2.10 US gallons)
|Other specifications
|Color options
|Team Yamaha Blue/White
|Factory warranty
|30 Day (Limited Factory Warranty)
|Premium drive chain has gold-colored plates for outstanding looks.
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|Report missing specs or required updates.
|Further information
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Honda PCX150 2014
2014 Honda PCX150 specifications, pictures, reviews and rating
2014 Honda PCX150. Picture credits - Honda. Submit more pictures.
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|The new PCX150 has it all, and it's the perfect choice if you're looking to replace that second car with something a whole lot smarter for these times when every dollar counts.
|General information
|Honda PCX150
|Price as new
|US$ 3449. MSRP depends on country, taxes, accessories, etc.
|3.5 View the detailed rating of value for money, design and look, reliability, etc. Compare with any other bike.
|Engine and transmission
|153.0 ccm (9.34 cubic inches)
|Engine type
|Single cylinder, four-stroke
|Bore x stroke
|58.0 x 57.9 mm (2.3 x 2.3 inches)
|Fuel system
|Injection. PGM-FI with automatic enrichment
|Fuel control
|Single Overhead Cams (SOHC)
|Digital with electronic advance
|Cooling system
|Transmission type
|Belt (final drive)
|Fuel consumption
|2.31 litres/100 km (43.3 km/l or 101.83 mpg)
|Greenhouse gases
|53.6 CO2 g/km. (CO2 - Carbon dioxide emission)
|Emission details
|Meets current California Air Resources Board (CARB) and EPA off-road emissions standards
|Chassis, suspension, brakes and wheels
|Rake (fork angle)
|86 mm (3.4 inches)
|Front suspension
|31mm hydraulic fork
|Front wheel travel
|89 mm (3.5 inches)
|Rear suspension
|Unit swingarm, 3.1 inches of travel
|Front tire
|Rear tire
|Front brakes
|Single disc
|220 mm (8.7 inches)
|Rear brakes
|Expanding brake (drum brake)
|153 mm (6.0 inches)
|Physical measures and capacities
|Weight incl. oil, gas, etc
|129.7 kg (286.0 pounds)
|Seat height
|759 mm (29.9 inches) If adjustable, lowest setting.
|1316 mm (51.8 inches)
|Fuel capacity
|6.06 litres (1.60 US gallons)
|Other specifications
|Color options
|Candy Red, Metallic Black
|Factory warranty
|One year. Unlimited milage. Transferable.
|Model ID: PCX150
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President Obama versus Jesus: Black Christians Must Decide.
August 29, 2012 by Staff
Filed under News, Opinion, Weekly Columns
(ThyBlackMan.com) A poll claims Romney will receive zero percent of the black vote. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/black-conservatives-make-their-voices-heard-after-poll-shows-romney-support-among-african-americans-at-zero-percent/ Well, if the poll proves correct, it means that a vast majority of black voters are ignorant of the truth… or else they're racist.
Black Christians who vote for Obama knowing his crimes against Christianity and biblical principles haven chosen to worship the idol of racial loyalty over their discipleship to Jesus Christ. Pure and simple.
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Exodus 20:3
Incredibly, some blacks have completely forsaken their Christianity for Obama. A fellow PK (preacher's kid) said her parents recently changed their stance on same-sex marriage in support of their black president. I find this remarkable.
Though I disagree, I have been sympathetic and understanding with black seniors who have suffered dearly, with hearts still bearing scars of racial injustice.
A year or so ago, I hosted the first Black Conservative Press Conference at the National Press Club in DC. Several prominent black conservatives from numerous black conservative groups/organizations spoke. My brother brought my 84-year-old black dad from Baltimore. That evening, Dad said, "Everything I heard today is true. But, because of racism I suffered in my youth, I can not turn against Obama." http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2567461/posts
At that time, I respectfully gave my hero, my preacher dad, a pass. Some may criticize me, saying, Lloyd, either you stand for conservatism or you do not. While you may have a valid point, it is in my DNA to respect my parents. How do you respectfully tell your usually character-driven parent that his decision to support Obama, no-matter-what, is rooted in racism and a refusal to forgive?
But now that Obama has been exposed as the most anti-Christian president in U.S. history, senior black Christians must no longer be given a pass for supporting this man. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/barton-calls-obama-americas-most-biblically-hostile-u-s-president/
At stake is something extremely important; their fellowship with Christ versus an idolatrous worship of skin-color.
Obama versus Jesus. "…Choose you this day whom ye will serve," Joshua 24:15
A growing number of black clergy are publicly choosing Jesus over Obama http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8lxnz2qMbM8 — denouncing Obama for his support of same-sex marriage and his vow to be an advocate for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiRllRPiij8
Talk about hard core anti-Christian beliefs; not only does Obama support abortion, but he supports infanticide – killing babies who survive failed abortions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSNGJd3wCes
Obama taught Alinsky tactics to university students from a book which its author dedicated to Lucifer. "Rules for Radicals" was written by Saul Alinsky. http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/01/monica-crowley-alinsky-dedicated-his-book-to-lucifer-and-obama-taught-alinsky-video/
Alinsky's dedication says, "…the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom — Lucifer"
Obama's attacks on religious freedoms are numerous. http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2012/08/obamas-attacks-on-religious-freedom-in-the-usa-2450414.html Over 40 Catholic groups are suing Obama for mandating in Obamacare that faith-based institutions provide contraception and abortion services. http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/08/23/catholic-cardinal-suing-obama-over-health-plan-will-give-benediction-at-republican-national-convention/
Make no mistake about it: the black church is home base/campaign headquarters for Democratic Party politics. IRS rules against political campaigning from the pulpit only applies to Republicans.
In his shameful, blatantly race-baiting "African-Americans for Obama" campaign ad, Obama says to go, "to your faith community" to promote his campaign. Obama actually instructs black churches to recruit "congregation captains" for his re-election campaign. http://www.catholicleague.org/obama-urges-churches-to-get-political/
Rest assured; black churches which dis Jesus for Obama will not be investigated by the IRS for violating their 501c3 non-profit status.
But there is a higher authority. Woe unto black pastors who encourage their flocks to vote racial loyalty over biblical principles.
Incredibly, the roots of racial hatred run so insidiously deep into the hearts of some blacks who profess Christianity that Obama has their vote – period. These blacks will claim that my facts are lies, that videos have been doctored, and that I am a paid Uncle Tom sell-out to the Republicans. The Bible speaks of those who would rather believe a lie than the truth. Such are in my prayers.
In the biblical account of Christ's Passion, the law gave the mob an opportunity to free one condemned prisoner, thus, saving their choice from crucifixion. Pilate asked the crowd, do I free Jesus or Barabbas? The crowd yelled, "Give us Barabbas!" Jesus was crucified.
Two thousand years later, biblical principles are scheduled for crucifixion in America. Black Christians are faced with a crucial choice; Jesus or Obama. I pray that come November, a majority of black Christians will not yell, "Give us Obama!"
Staff Writer; Lloyd Marcus
Chairman of The Campaign to Defeat Barack Obama.
Please help me spread my message by joining my Liberty Network.
Lloyd is singer/songwriter of the American Tea Party Anthem and author of Confessions of a Black Conservative, foreword by Michele Malkin.


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This driveway had years of algae, moss and dirt buildup and after a quick wash it looks brand new again./caption]
Pressure Washing Services in Saanich BC
We'll pressure wash your deck/patio, driveway or sidewalk
Do you have some pressure washing that you'd like completed on your Saanich BC Property? Maybe it's a driveway that has gotten really dirty and gummed up with moss and algae growth or maybe it's your deck, patio or a concrete hardscape? Maybe you own a property close to the water and you're overwhelmed with the amount of seagull and bird poop on your sidewalks, concrete, decks and other outdoor structures?
A good power washing will wash away years of dirt, grime, slime, bird poop and other organic debris. Your driveway, deck, patio or concrete will look like new again.
Island Pro Mowing and Landscaping Inc. offers pressure washing services for both commercial and residential clients throughout Saanich BC. Whether you need to pressure wash your driveway, parking lot, retaining walls, curbs, concrete, exposed aggregate, siding or sidewalks the team at Island Pro Mowing and Landscaping will be able to clean your surfaces without damaging them.
While we're on your property it's a good idea to have us take a look at the surrounding tree cover and bushes to see if trimming or pruning could help prevent, or at least slow down the accumulation of organics like moss and algae on your exterior surfaces.
If you'd like to get the process started then please give us a call 250-812-4676 or fill out our online contact form and we'll get back to you right away (usually the same day).
Showing The Difference Between a Clean and Unclean Exposed Aggregate Surface./caption]
Contaminants That Make Your Home and Property Dirty
Even if the outside of your home looks clean, if you run your hand along a section of the siding you'll often feel and see that it's not really as clean as you think! If you have trees on your property or lots of bushes and shrubs then pollens and other organic material can collect on your home, driveway, decks, concrete surfaces and more.
Birds are another source of "organic matter" and if you have a building, parking lot or plaza close to the ocean the amount of seagull poop that can accumulate is often overwhelming.
This organic matter, coupled with the wet fall weather (that often doesn't freeze) all helps to promote the growth of yet even more organic matter such as algae, moss and mold! These can make your home and exterior surfaces look dingy and if left unchecked they'll actually begin to cause damage and sometimes irreversible staining. Call Us Now To Book Your Power Washing 250-812-4676
More Contaminents We Power Wash Away
- Tree Pollens and Tree Sap
- Bird Droppings
- Algae and Mold Spores
- Soot From Chimneys
- Soot From Heavy Traffic
We offer one-time cleaning services as well as regularly scheduled power washing programs for residential and commercial properties.
What You Should Know About Mold and Mildew On Your Building or Exterior Surface
There are more than 100,000 species of mold in the world so it's no mystery that mold can be found everywhere. Neither an animal or plant, molds are microscopic organisms that produce enzymes to digest organic matter and spores to reproduce. In nature, mold plays a key role in the decomposition of leaves, wood, and other plant debris; we just don't want it growing on our homes or driveways!
Pressure Washing Services Saanich BC
- Algae and Mold Removal
- House Washing
- Driveway Washing
- Concrete Cleaning
- Brick, Block and Stone Surface Cleaning
- Sidewalk Cleaning
- Parking Lot Cleaning
- Gutter Washing
- Deck Washing and Cleaning
Why Island Pro Mowing and Landscaping For Power Washing in Saanich BC?
We understand that you have many power washing contractors to choose from throughout Saanich BC. We just want you to know that when you choose to work with Island Pro Mowing and Landscaping you are partnering with a small, locally owned business that has more than 15 years experience keeping properties just like yours looking their best.
You can expect knowledgeable, reliable power washing services from a company that cares about your properties appearance and our local reputation.
If you'd like to get the process started then please give us a call 250-812-4676 or fill out our online contact form and we'll get back to you right away (usually the same day).
We can then organize a time for one of our power washing experts to visit your property and assess it, take accurate measurements if necessary for the estimate, answer any questions you might have about the power washing process and then provide you with a competitive estimate to get your power washing done.


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Los Angeles based fitness photographer Natalie Minh is internationally recognized for her work. Her images have appeared in global advertising campaigns and the NYC Times Square billboard, model portfolios throughout well known European and American modeling agencies, and national American television shows such as,
TMZ, Access Hollywood, Celebrity Rehab. Publications include Newsweek, FLEX (USA), Muscular Development, Oxygen (North America), Muscle & Fitness Hers (USA), IronMan (USA), BODY (Sweden), Ultra Fit (UK), World Physique (USA), Physique (Dubai), Marathon Muscle (USA), Inside Fitness (Canada), Muscle Insider (Canada), Status Magazine (Canada), MMA Uncaged, etc.
Dear Fellow Fitness Friend,
Forgive my bluntness, but the fact that you're on this page now tells me that you are trying to break into the fitness industry and WANT straight answers from someone who has walked the walk. I KNOW how to solve your problem of trying to become the next big fitness model because I was in your position before.
My name is Natalie Minh and I have walked the walk, documented the lessons learned in my fitness journey and am ready to open the doors to the world of fitness modeling to YOU. I was very frustrated back in 2007 when I decided to dedicate my free time to building my body and online presence as I could not find a PRACTICAL resource to tell me exactly what I needed to do, what kind of pictures I needed to take, who are the industry market makers, did I have what it take to get published on a magazine cover, how to get a sponsorship, if i could really make money as a fitness model, etc etc.
Meet Natalie Minh
The Fitness Photographer


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Savory Macaroni and Cheese
Why I Love This Recipe
You can easily divide this recipe in half: Use a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.
Ingredients You'll Need
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese(about 18 ounces)
2 cups grated Gruyère cheese(about 8 ounces) or 1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 5 ounces)
1 pound elbow macaroni
Heat oven to 375F°. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside.
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.
While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyre or 1 cup Pecorino Romano; set cheese sauce aside.
Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce
Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyre or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot.
Questions, Comments & Reviews
The Official "Burnt" Movie CookbookBy Burnt Movie Cookbook
7 Recipes51222 Downloads


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The New York Post's 61,000 Manhattan Millionaires March Against Health Care
The New York Post is in high dudgeon over Obama's health plan, blasting a "terrifying" potential 57% "mega-tax" on "successful NYers" under "Obamacare" on the front page. Gosh, that does sound like a lot. Glad we're not successful.
Neither are you, by the way. The Post's scaremongering—the bill is a "job-killing" "poi$on pill" that will crush New York's most "dynamic entrepreneurs"—goes on for five-and-a-half paragraphs before we learn exactly what constitutes a "successful New Yorker": Households earning $1 million or more. So, for every dollar those folks earn over $1 million, the combined local, state, and federal taxes under the health care plan would be 57%. Currently, they pay a marginal tax rate of 51.4%.
So yes, millionaire New Yorkers will face a scary tax rate. All 61,000 of them. That's how many Manhattan households made more than $1 million as of 2007, according to the Wall Street Journal. And trust us, there are fewer now. And those who remain probably have good tax accountants.
For purposes of comparison, there are 738,644 households in Manhattan, with a median income of $63,000. We weep for these few "successful" New Yorkers, really we do.
Before you write a comment to the effect of "a million dollars doesn't really go that far in New York," please re-read above where we say that the median income in Manhattan is $63,000, and then reflect on the fact that $63,000 is 6% of 1 million, and on the fact that "median" means that half make more and half make less.


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What began as a side business making costumes for styling assignments in Tokyo in the late sixties has morphed into a fashion empire with over 200 franchises around the globe. With rustic denim womenswear inspired by Japanese peasantry, Rei Kawakubo set up over 100 Comme des Garçons (French for "like some boys") shops across Japan in the seventies. Then, in 1981, she brought her first collection to Paris. Bathed in black, it featured strong but conflated silhouettes that honored provocation over fit.
The mystery (and the austerity) has continued with Kawakubo's recent jones for temporary "guerilla" stores, not to mention the work of her protégé, Junya Watanabe, who presented his own womenswear line under CDG in 1992, followed by a menswear collection in 2001. Though earlier pieces bent the edge of avant-garde—think three-armed jackets, face-shielding turtlenecks, form-fitting gingham numbers stuffed with down bulges in monochrome black—recent collections have been a bit more mainstream, with suits hewn from gold- and silver-flecked tweed, Rolling Stone tongue patterns, and floral-motif dresses.