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Our Restauranton the hills of Florence
Located on one of the most panoramic terraces of Fiesole, La Reggia degli Etruschi (once a monastery and later a tearoom) is today one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city with a breathtaking view over Florence and its monuments.
Where we arehow to reach us
The Restaurant "La Reggia degli Etruschi" is located on the green hills of Fiesole with a panoramic view over Florence.
Fiesole is situated on a hill only 7 km to the historic centre of Florence. Travel to the centre is very easy with an excellent connection.
Siamo stati per la prima volta qualche anno fa e ce ne siamo subito innamorati.. lo staff é cortese e disponibile, il cibo ottimo e L ambiente gode di una vista ...
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Newport, UK2017-03-29
We booked this after seeing so many good reviews about both the food and the views over Florence, but what really stayed with us was the exceptionally friendly service. The food ...
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London, UK2017-03-29
Wow a fantastic meal to celebrate my beautiful wife's birthday We were staying in Fiesole and our hotel recommended this place to us Even at night the view over Florence is ...
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Milano, Italia2017-03-28
splendida la posizione panoramica in una giornata di sole marzolino. Il servizio è impeccabile e il personale accogliente e faceto, ma mai invadente. Ottimi piatti cucinati al momento con cura e ...
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Manly, Australia2017-03-25
We arrived without a booking for lunch and the staff were lovely and very welcoming. Beautifully cooked meal, killer wine list and a fantastic view. A welcome haven on a rainy ...
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Rumor has it that the Apple September 12 Media Event is going to give us a whole bunch of video and video related products. One of these is the Video-Enabled Airport Express. Basically an upgrade of the current AE, which streams iTunes music over 802.11b. An upgraded version that supports video will no doubt be 802.11b/g to support the added bandwidth usage.
The rumor also says Apple's making this Airport Express act as a wireless router and print hub (it kind of is already) as well as a video streaming device. Will these features help Apple break into the living room market? Will this even be an actual product? We'll find out next week.
Update: The current Airport Express is already 802.11g, apparently. I must have missed that when browsing through the site. Chalk it up to too much glue sniffing.
Apple to roll-out iTunes movies and 'one more thing' [Apple Insider via MacRumors]

subset: commoncrawl


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History written in the castle walls
Landscape elements of the Krakow-Częstochowa Upland create an ideal composition. The Małpolska region abounds in caves, green valleys, lofty hills, limestone rocks and transparent karst springs. What's more, it has the only desert in Poland, called the Błędów Desert, which stretches from Błędów to the commune of Klucze. However, the Upland is known primarily for its long and rich history, which is remembered by, among others, magnificent castles that form the Eagles' Nests trail, as well as wooden churches. Their walls echoes with distant times. It is enough to mention the ruins of the castle in Ojców – a remnant of a stronghold built in the 14th century, or an equally old building in Rabsztyn. These are works of medieval architecture that have seen many battles. Fortunately, despite the passage of years, many people still cultivate the traditions of the Middle Ages, as exemplified by the knights' fights organized at the castles in Rabsztyn and Korzkiew and by Juromania – Festival of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland.
The pearl of the region is the Ojców National Park (the smallest national park in Poland), the history of which dates back to 1956. Its most valuable objects are unique rock formations with intriguing names: Hercules Club – near the castle in Pieskowa Skała – and Deotyma Needle. When you're in the vicinity, we also recommend seeing some caves, the most popular of which are the King Łokietek's Cave and the Dark Cave. The last of them belongs to the group of one of the most valuable archaeological sites in Poland – the traces of human presence found inside it originate from 115 thousand years ago!
discovering the caves of the Ojców National Park we have a chance to meet their regular visitors. It is inhabited by as many as 15 out of 21 bat species living in Poland! No wonder that they are the symbol of the Park, which is manifested in the logo. In addition to bats, Ojców National Park has many other interesting animals, including butterflies, safflower and violet periwinkle, birds like hen harrier and Montagu's harrier, black stork. The Park is protected as part of the Natura 2000 network.
Upland – a land full of valleys, caves and rocks
A journey through the Krakow-Czestochowa Upland, also known as Polish Jura, can be started in Krakow. In the former Polish capital, tourists have been admiring for centuries the monumental Wawel, which is one of the most important monuments of our country. This castle is also the first point on the Trail of the Eagles' Nests, from which we will begin our story. The name of this famous route has an extremely interesting genesis. The strongholds and castles of the Upland were built on high rocks reaching up to 30 meters height! Numerous legends are associated with the Trail of the Eagles' Nests, which embellish the history of this region. The picturesque Prądnik Valley makes the landscape even more breath-taking – we will see it starting from Krakow and heading towards Korzkiew, Ojców and Sułoszowa. In these places there you will find another stops of the Eagles' Nests Trail – castle ruins and fortresses remembering the Middle Ages.
When we leave Ojców National Park and head west, we will reach the Krakow Valleys. In one of them – the Będkowska Valley – you can discover the Bat Cave with flint caves and javelins made by the first people of the Homo Sapiens species. We recommend this place to lovers of history, geology and... Polish cinema. Some scenes of the movie "With Fire and Sword" were shot here. Interesting caves can also be found, for example, in the Kluczwoda Valley: Mamutowa (Wierzchowska Dolna) and Wierzchowska Górna. Experienced speleologists will be delighted with extraordinary attractions, including caves: Januszkowa Szczelina – one of the deepest in the Upland, located near Olkusz; Gorenicka Cave or Mąciwody Cave in the village of Klucze, the entrance to which is in situated in... a well.
You can write a lot about the Upland's caves, as only in the Ojców National Park, there are over 500 of them. At a distance of 10-20 km from Olkusz, we come across the Pazurek and Michałowiec nature reserves. There are also the Wodąca Valley and the Sztoła Valley in the area.
"Eagles' nests" and wooden churches, or a few words about monuments
Although time flies inexorably, in the Krakow-Częstochowa Upland we will find objects for which time has stopped. These are castles remembering the era of Casimir III the Great, modest wooden churches "resistant" to adverse historical and weather conditions. It is also worth to mention the ruins of the castles in Rudno (Tenczyn Castle) and Bydlin. The trail will also make us visit the Old Polish Manor House in Krzykawka. This charming noble building was probably built before 1724. An equally charming residence was built in small Bolesław, it currently houses the Maria Płonowska Cultural Centre. It is also worth visiting the less known medieval strongholds of Stary Olkusz and Krzykawka.
Small wooden churches contrast with the magnificent defensive buildings and rich upland residences, which we will see following the Wooden Architecture Route. On the route we will find, among others, the church of St Mark in Rodaki, the church of Sts Nicholas and Lawrence in Dłużec and the chapel of St Joseph in Ojców (the "chapel on the water"). The first one of them is unique because it was created in 1601 and has survived to this day without major changes. Inside, we will see Mannerist altars from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, and a late Gothic statue of St Nicholas from about 1400, while the parish church in Dłużec is distinguished by a tower, which initially functioned as a free-standing belfry. After entering the temple, it is worth paying attention to the side altar with the statue of the Virgin Mary as the Throne of Wisdom, which dates back to the 4th quarter of the 15th century. Following the trail of wooden religious monuments, we cannot miss the chapel of St Joseph Craftsman. Located on the two banks of Prądnik and at the foot of the rocks known as Prałatki, it is one of the most interesting buildings of the Krakow-Częstochowa Upland. An intriguing story is connected with the "chapel on the water" – according to tradition, the impulse to build it was the ordinance of tsar Nicholas II, who banned the erection of sacred objects on the Ojców land. The result of the tsar's decision was the residents' idea to build a chapel "on the water" and thus outsmart the ruler's ban.
We encourage everybody interested in the Wooden Architecture Route to continue the exploration. In Wolbrom we can see the church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Paczółtowice the Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Tenczynek the church of St Catherine and the church bell tower, in Poręba Dzierżna the temple of St Martin, while in Skała the belfry standing next to the brick church of St Nicholas.
Brick temples are also interesting, to name just a couple of them: Basilica of St Andrew the Apostle in Olkusz, Shrine in Jaroszowiec, Church of St Nicholas in Gorenice, Church of St Catherine in Wolbrom, or Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Strzegowa. Apart from them, it is worth mentioning other sites known for interesting architecture or charming location: the Monastery and Museum of the Discalced Carmelites in Czerna, the Church and the Hermitage of Bl. Salomea in Grodzisk, as well as the church and cemetery in Chechło.
Museums or distant and recent history
Upland likes to surprise, which is proved by places such as the "chapel on the water" or the Bogdan Szczygieł and Bożena Szczygieł-Gruszyńska African Museum in Olkusz. In the building dedicated to the art and culture of Africa, there are objects that will make us learn about the history of this continent. Thanks to the collections of such figures as dr Bogdan Szczygieł, dr Bożena Szczygieł-Gruszyńska, prof. dr hab. Anna Kubarska and Leon Kubarski, we learn how everyday life of West and Central African tribes looked like. In the Olkusz museum we will see, among others musical instruments on which people from this part of the world have played and still play with joy. Carefully carved ritual drums, rattles or lute will convince us that Africa is a land of great sounds and exceptional artists. In addition to the instruments, we will see in the African Museum, among others, masks used by local people during important ceremonies or a rich collection of African paintings. African culture enthusiasts are also recommended to visit the Mission Museum (Pilgrim's House) in Czerna. This institution documents the 44-year ministry of the Bare Carmelites in Burundi and Rwanda. At the Mission Museum you will find exhibits about the everyday life of the inhabitants of Africa.
We will return to Poland and our its culture with a visit to the Kocjan Cottage in Rabsztyn. In this house – built in Olkusz in 1862 – was born and lived Antoni Kocjan, glider designer and head of ZWZ / AK air intelligence, who discovered the secrets of the German weapons V1 and V2. In the first years of the 21st century, the building was dismantled and moved – today it stands at the foot of the castle in Rabsztyn. Currently, the Kocjan Cottage plays the role of a mini-open-air museum, in which we find farm equipment and many souvenirs and photos from over 70 years ago. The Museum of Works of Władysław Wołkowski based in Machnicki Manor in Olkusz is dedicated to a slightly different topic. The facility presents the works of a renowned artist who likes natural materials such as wicker, cane, string, linen or metal rod. Thanks to the visit to this institution you will learn why Wołkowski was named the author of the "Concept of Poetic Apartment" and "Michelangelo of Wicker" – and maybe you will even get inspired by his ideas!
Thanks to the collections of the Firefighting Museum of the Olkusz Land and the Regional Museum of PTTK in Olkusz we will learn the history of Olkusz and the surrounding area. As far as the region's history is concerned, the following also deserve attention: The Collection of Minerals of the Olkusz Land and Fossils of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, the Museum in Pieskowa Skała, the Mine of Knowledge about Zinc in Bukowno and the Carmelite Museum in Czerna.
The fact, that Jura is first of all one of the most picturesque regions of Poland, will be reminded by the Nature Exposition of the Ojców National Park in Ojców. Thanks to 3D screenings, we will learn the extraordinary history of the creation of the Prądnik Valley. We will also see numerous geological and paleontological exhibits from the Park area and visit the reconstructed cave interior.
Moving towards the northern border of the Małopolska part of the Upland, we shall reach Olkusz. It is one of the oldest Polish mining cities, where lead and silver ore was mined already in the 13th century. If you have already walked through the streets of Olkusz, maybe you have entered the Silver Trail of the Olkusz Gwarki. One of its important part are bronze figures of gwarki or Olkusz miners, placed on pedestals made of red Parczew conglomerate. The trail can be explored using a free audio guide. Olkusz – despite its richness in silver, had to wait a few centuries for its glory years. A breakthrough came in the 19th century, when zinc and lead mining developed in the settlement. Today, while strolling the streets of the city, we will see, among others, the tower, defensive walls, historic tenement houses on the Market Square and the Basilica of St Andrew (it's worth looking inside the church, because it hides the oldest organ and polyptych in Poland). You may also reach the Old Cemetery from the beginning of the 19th century (where colonel Francesco Nullo – who was killed when fighting for Poland's freedom during the January Uprising – is buried), Jewish cemetery or war cemetery. In Skała, Bydlin, Cieplice and Kaliś we will find the remains of the Great War located on the First World War's Eastern Front Trail.
Active leisure close to nature
Recommending the Krakow-Częstochowa Upland lovers of active leisure is absolutely well-founded. Hiking, biking and horse riding, as well as climbing, golf and running compose a list of suggestions from which everyone will choose something for themselves. The Upland's uniqueness lies in the opportunities it offers rock climbing enthusiasts. Beautiful valleys (Bolechowicka, Kobylańska, Będkowska, Kluczwoda, Szklarka, Wodąca) as well as isolated rocks (e.g. Pazurek II and Januszkowa Góra) scattered throughout the entire Upland offer thousands of climbing routes of various difficulties and lengths.
We also have good news for lovers of long hikes and bike trips. The first are recommended primarily to discover the Małopolska section of the Trail of the Eagles' Nests. We are convinced that hikers will also like the Trail of Jurassic Strongholds, which in its Małopolska section leads from Rudawa to Podzamcze. Cyclists are encouraged to choose the red trail Krakow-Ogrodzieniec, which crosses the Jura from south to north allowing you to see the most interesting castles of this area. For those looking for bicycle events, we recommend Family Rallies along the Olkusz Bike Trails. However, this is not all that Upland has to offer cyclists! If you're looking for other for ideas, we suggest you to take a look at the map of tourist routes on the Małpolska Tourist Routes website and check out the portal http://olkuskieszlaki.olkusz.eu/.
Do you fancy horse riding? Or maybe you prefer running? There may be something here for you as well. At the Hucul horse stud in Rudawa-Nielepice you will find the starting point of the Trans-Jura Horse Trail, which leads, among others, through the Błędów Desert. On the 33 km² of sandy terrain, runners can also use up their energy. It is for them that the "Hero Run" competitions take place here every year. Another runner feast is the Jurassic Running Festival - a new sporting event, the organizers of which offer us as many as 8 runs to choose from, including shorter (10 km) and longer (even 100 and 200 km) ones. Another suggestion is the Silver Ten Olkusz Street Run, which offers a 10 or 5 km distance.
In recent years, urban sports such as skateboarding or high-performance riding on scooters or BMX are becoming more and more popular. The organizers of Silver Games, taking place in the "Silver Park" recreation and landscape area in Olkusz, know this very well. They created a one of a kind festival, guaranteeing participants an unforgettable experience and acquiring some knowledge about Olkusz's mining past. "Silver Park" was built on the grounds of the former calamine mine, and offers an additional attraction in the form of the open-air mining machinery museum. Nearby are the remains of the Ponikowska Adit from the 16th century.
It is also impossible not to mention the Kraków Valley Golf & Country Club golf course and the Kraków Valley ski lift. Both these attractions await us in Paczółtowice, a few kilometres away from the town of Krzeszowice, famous for its health resort history. Finally, it is worth mentioning activities that will please every water sports enthusiast – rafting down the Białka and Sztoła rivers.
In the world of local tradition and culture
Upland is a place where the future is inseparably connected with the past. The list of events referring to the past include celebrations of the anniversary of the battles at Krzywopłoty and Krzykawka, Silver Feast in Olkusz or Knight's Tournament in Rabsztyn. Historic trails also play a major role in discovering the traces of past centuries. Some of them – the Route of Medieval Towns in Małopolska and the Romanesque Route, take us back to very distant times. Others, in turn, bring closer the fate of people who lived in the 19th and 20th centuries – it's worth getting acquainted with the offer of the Małopolska Trail of January Uprising and the First World War's Eastern Front Trail in Małopolska.
Upland is a place where you can experience also artistic emotions, thanks to such events as International Olkusz Organ Music Days and Night of Museums in Olkusz, among others. Both events guarantee amazing experiences, tearing us away from everyday life and introducing us to the world shrouded in mystery.
You can experience extraordinary taste sensations by following the Małopolska Wine Trail and trying local dishes. The Kraków-Częstochowa Upland is the home of tasty products such as Jurassic cheesecake, Ojców trout and Jurassic bread. Products from Małopolska are included in the Certified Regional Products list. A typical Jura dish are potatoes roasted with meat and vegetables. Whoever is interested in local culture should be encouraged to learn about local products of a slightly different character. Curious explorers will find a peculiarity in the form of... corn straw slippers from Nawojowa Góra, wood products from Jerzmanowice or artistic blacksmithing from Przeginia and Żurada.


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Join The Party!
Print and return this form with up to three pieces!
Print and return this form with up to three pieces!
Throughout the year, CAC regularly hosts art instruction workshops with professionally disciplined instructors who from around the area, or by artist-members of the CAC. Here you will find a directory of CAC-sponsored workshops classes, artist demonstrations and more.
Enrollment in classes and payment cam conveniently be made online, or in person at the CAC main office. click for more


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WASHINGTON (AP) ? Nearly every president ends up saying he's sorry for something America has done ? from a bomb gone tragically astray to the locking up of Japanese-Americans during World War II. This time it's disrespectful disposal of Qurans. And again there are critics who see an apology as a sign of weakness or a failure of patriotism.
Should being president mean never having to say you're sorry?
Few would go that far, but there are plenty of advocates for keeping presidential regrets to a minimum.
It seems that the bigger the national blunder, the more controversial the apology.
So saying the U.S. is sorry for the mistaken bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia or the accidental sinking of a Japanese fishing boat is widely accepted. But apologizing for the moral catastrophe of slavery is so contentious that no president has done so.
John Murphy, a University of Illinois associate professor who studies presidential rhetoric, looks at it this way: Nations aren't that different from regular people.
"On a personal level, too, we're much more willing to apologize if everybody involved knows it was an accident," he said. "Oops, I did that, wasn't that stupid of me."
Murphy puts the burning of Qurans at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan in the category of an accident, although the results have been tragic. At least 20 people, including two U.S. soldiers, have been killed in violence that broke out in protest after Afghans learned that Qurans were among trash dumped into a pit for burning.
The U.S. military's policy is to handle the Muslim holy book with care and respect. In a letter of apology, Obama assured Afghan President Hamid Karzai that "the error was inadvertent" and he would make sure it didn't happen again. A top Pentagon official apologized again Friday at a big mosque in suburban Virginia.
Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich denounced Obama's apology. But he painted it as symptomatic of broader weakness in the Middle East. "This president has gone so far at appeasing radical Islamists that he is failing in his duty as commander in chief," Gingrich said while campaigning in Spokane, Wash.
Another GOP candidate, Mitt Romney, has repeatedly mocked Obama for what he sees as a series of apologies for America's historical misdeeds, "both real and imagined." Romney, who pointedly named his campaign book "No Apology," says Obama's critiques of America's faults are kindling to "anti-American fires burning all across the globe."
But in the speeches in Europe and the Middle East that Romney cites, Obama never said "I'm sorry."
For every critic of national apologies, there are countless people crying out that their suffering, or the mistreatment of their ancestors, hasn't been properly addressed ? advocates of reparations for slavery, for example.
The U.S. House and Senate approved resolutions apologizing for slavery ? more than a century after the Emancipation Proclamation ? but no chief executive has directly done so.
President Bill Clinton sparked controversy when he offered contrition short of a formal apology, telling Ugandan school children in 1998 that "European Americans received the fruits of the slave trade, and we were wrong in that."
Republican lawmakers complained that Clinton had lowered the dignity of his office. Tom DeLay, the House majority whip at the time, said he was offended to see a president "directly or indirectly attacking his own country in a foreign land."
But the next president, George W. Bush, a Republican, spoke to the nation's slave-holding past much more directly, calling it "one of the greatest crimes of history."
In a powerful speech in Senegal in 2003, Bush described the horrors of slavery and the injustices of segregation and said that only through centuries of struggle had America "learned that freedom is not the possession of one race."
But he didn't apologize.
The power of saying "I'm sorry" is supposed to be something everyone learns as a child. So why is it so hard for presidents?
"When a president does this kind of thing it has unusual force," Murphy said. "They are standing up there, representing us as a nation. That's why this gets to be so controversial."
Even a congressional resolution of apology doesn't carry the same emotional weight.
President Ronald Reagan was initially reluctant to apologize to Japanese-Americans who were imprisoned in camps during World War II. He did so after Congress issued its apology and provided for reparations.
Bush apologized for abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib after the photographic evidence was seen around the world. He called it "a stain on our country's honor and our country's reputation"
After years of pressure by Native Americans, in 2009 Congress passed, and Obama signed, a resolution apologizing "on behalf of the people of the United States to all native peoples for many instances of violence, maltreatment and neglect."
At other times presidents have admitted things have gone wrong, giving the impression of an apology while stopping just short: Bush on his administration's flawed response to Hurricane Katrina, Richard Nixon regretting the Watergate break-in, Reagan on the arms-for-hostages scandal.
Instead of a simple "I'm sorry," Reagan offered: "Mistakes were made."


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The latest news that came from the Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak is that the team is not intended to seek for a trade for big man superstar Dwight Howard. Despite his injuries and his below expectations performance, Howard is still a longshot for the Lakers. He is believed to be the next star to supersede Kobe Bryant when his career is over and the Lakers are very confident that the 6-11" center will resign with them this summer.
It's no secret that Howard will have a bunch of teams that are going to give a go to land him, like Houston, Dallas Mavericks and perhaps even the Brooklyn through a trade. Those teams have chased Howard last summer, too, when he decided to take his talents to LA to join Kobe and Nash. Although he has kept his mouth closed and diplomatically avoided any true answer regarding his intentions this off-season, it's widely believed in Lakers circles that he his remain with the team and they have some strong facts that support their beliefs.
First of all, the team can offer him more money than any other team can. It might sound odd, but the new CBA gives a huge advantage to the Lakers in the aspects of keeping Howard. That's because they are able to offer him a 5-year deal with a maximum salary of about $23.5 million and at the same time a 7.5 yearly increase rate. That means that each other team could totally offer him $30 million less, so a big a plus for LA in this point.
Also, having Kobe Bryant on your roster can only push another start to sign with you and in this case, it will be to remain with the team. Despite the difficulties, chemistry and bonding will eventually come for the team and that's when Dwight will be more willing to stay. Up to now, this season might have been an unsuccessful one for the Lakers, but when things turn around and Howard gets to see that they are capable of chasing a championship, he will be urged to remain to LA. There's nothing more convincing for an NBA player than a ring, at least for most of them. Howard has clearly shown that he desperately wants to play for a contender and the Lakers are that team. After all it's one of the reasons he left the Orlando Magic.
There are also secondary reasons that strengthen the team's belief that Howard will stay and those might be the big market that Los Angeles is, with the star shine of Hollywood and the glamorous lifestyle and also the chance to work and with the Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul Jabbar. These only add up to the already strong motives that Howard has in order to stay for the team. So not seeking a trade for Howard is definitely the best choice for the team right now.


text: CLEVER - COmmand Line Entrez VERsion available ---------------------------------------------- The clever program for command line access to the Entrez databases is now available to all. What is it? ~~~~~~~~~~~ clever is a character based version of NCBI's Entrez program. It is an interactive tool that allows easy browsing of the Entrez database. Entrez is: "a molecular sequence retrieval system developed at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), a division of the National Library of Medicine (NLM). Entrez provides an integrated approach for gaining access to nucleotide and protein sequence information, to the MEDLINE citations in which the sequences were published, and to a sequence-associated subset of MEDLINE.The sequence records are derived from a variety of database sources, including GenBank, EMBL, DDBJ, PIR, SWISS-PROT, PRF, and PDB. With Entrez and a personal computer, you can rapidly search several hundred megabytes of sequence and literature data using techniques that are fast and intuitive." - Entrez User's Guide. The original Entrez program written by NCBI is a tool that uses windows, menus, and a pointing device; since not everyone has computers or terminals with graphics capabilities, clever was written to do the same work using only text input/output. In addition, the clever program permits BATCH access to the Entrez databases. Thus by use of script files, clever can be made to perform queries in batch mode. In this way clever can be used as a "search engine" for any application which has as its input a set of database queries in clever format and can use as output any of the data in the Entrez databases (in any of the various formats supported by Entrez). clever comes in two flavors, "clever", which runs off local Entrez databases (e.g. on CD-ROM) and "nclever", which uses the network Entrez databases. Platforms/Operating Systems ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ clever will run on any hardware/operating system combination that are supported by the NCBI toolkit (for more information on the NCBI toolkit, send an email to toolbox at ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; for more information on Entrez, send mail to entrez at ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Presently this includes (from the README file supplied with the toolkit): * IBM 370 * SUN (SunOS & Solaris) * DEC Alpha under OSF/1 * DEC Alpha under AXP/OpenVMS * Macintosh A/UX * Microsoft Windows * DOS * CenterLine CodeCenter * Cray * Convex * Hewlett Packard * NeXT * IBM RS 6000 * Silicon Graphics * ULTRIX * VAX/VMS Binaries for clever are supplied for some of these paltform/OS combinations. See the relevant "Binaries" directory (see "Obtaining Clever" below). Obtaining Clever ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ clever can be obtained by gopher by pointing your gopher client at: megasun.bch.umontreal.ca and selecting: --> 5. Computational Molecular Biology- programs, documents, help/ --> 9. Entrez/ --> 1. Clever- Interactive Command Line Entrez/ or by anonymous ftp to: megasun.bch.umontreal.ca Files can be retrieved from the /pub/clever directory. Installation Instructions ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There are two options for installing clever on your system. The first is to obtain the code and compile it on your own system. obtain the cleverXXX.tar (where XXX is the current version number) from the Distribution directory in the repositories discribed above. Then read the INSTALLATION file in that directory. The second is to obtain a precompiled executable file. Executables for some platforms are supplied in the Binaries directory located in the repositories described above. Make sure you also have an appropriate ncbirc file available. For unix systems, this will be a file called .ncbirc and be located in your home directory. See the Entrez documentation for details on other computer platforms. A sample ncbirc file is provided in the Documentation directory. Note that to use clever you will need access to the entrez databases locally (e.g. on CDROM), and for nclever, you will need access granted to your computer to read the Entrez databases at NCBI. Send mail to entrez at ncbi.nlm.nih.gov for more information on obtaining the Entrez databases. Further Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For more information about the clever project, send email to the Informatics Division of the Organelle Genome Megasequencing Unit at the Universite de Montreal: ogmp at bch.umontreal.ca All feedback welcome. Credits ~~~~~~~ This software was written by Pierre Rioux of the OGMP (Organelle Genome Megasequencing Project), Departement de Biochimie, Universite de Montreal (riouxp at bch.umontreal.ca) and William A. Gilbert, of the University of New Hampshire (gilbert at unh.edu) under the management of Tim Littlejohn, OGMP, Departement de Biochimie, Universite de Montreal (tim at bch.umontreal.ca). Please send any comments/correspondence to ogmp at bch.umontreal.ca. Thanks also to Jonathan Epstein at NCBI for providing some of the binary files of clever & nclever. The development of clever was supported by a grant from the Canadian Genome Analysis and Technology Program (CGAT). -- ============================================================================== Tim Littlejohn E-mail: tim at bch.umontreal.ca Snail Mail: Departement de biochimie Phone: (514) 343-6111, x5149 Universite de Montreal Fax: (514) 343-2210 C.P. 6128, succursale A, Montreal (Quebec), H3C 3J7 CANADA ==============================================================================


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Home > Denominations and Religions
Our purpose is to examine the doctrines of Buddhism and compare them to the Bible.
Buddhism is an offspring of Hinduism, similar to Hinduism in many ways. It began in India in about the 6th century B.C., and from there it spread throughout Asia. Today it is found mainly in Japan, China, and the Far East. Relatively few people in India itself are Buddhists today.
The system was begun by Gautama Buddha (the title "Buddha" means "one who is enlightened"). He was born about 563 B.C., and raised in a very wealthy family where he was protected from problems and suffering. Later he was exposed to suffering and became concerned with the cause of it. At age 29 he left his wife and son to seek a solution.
He tried and rejected both Hinduism and extreme self-deprival (asceticism). After 6 years of seeking, he arrived at the system that became Buddhism. Eventually he spent his life as a wandering religious teacher.
Buddhists have tried to adapt their religion to the views of people converted from other religions. The result was that people could believe almost anything and be Buddhist. The differences within Buddhism can be likened, not to the differences between Catholics and Protestants, but to those between Christians, Jews, and Muslims. [WR 169]
We will examine two major branches of Buddhism:
* Theravada is the older, conservative wing that follows the original teachings of Gautama. These Buddhists are found mainly in Southern Asia - Thailand, Burma, etc.
* Mahayana is the newer, liberal wing of Buddhism. Those of this view refer to conservatives as the "little vehicle" and themselves as the "great vehicle" because they believe their views are more practical for most people. They are found mainly in central and northern Asia - Japan, China, Korea, etc.
* Conservative Buddhists (Theravada) have three groups of writings called "3 baskets" - the Tripitaka. It is eleven times the size of the Bible and is supposed to contain the sermons and doctrines of Gautama, but it was written centuries after he died. So, it is not an eyewitness account of his life or teachings. There is no such eyewitness account. All we have are traditions. [WR-170f; EB-IV-325f; BR-5,6,38]
* Liberal Buddhists (Mahayana) follow much more than the Tripitaka. Their Scriptures contain over 5000 volumes. Each sect emphasizes their favorite portions. Teachings of various parts of their Scriptures contradict one another. [WR-181]
(Note: Buddhism is similar on a number of points to Hinduism. As a result, this study often refers to our study on Hinduism. You can find that study online by referring to the links at the end of this study.)
Please consider the Buddhist teaching as compared to the Bible teaching regarding the following subjects:
"Some Buddhist schools have many Gods, others have none. ... The Buddha said it was more important to take steps to end your suffering than to follow endless discussions on the 'true' nature of God (and other such unanswerable questions)." - buddhismbeliefs.org
Gautama refused even to deny or affirm God's existence. He definitely denied that he himself was divine. Instead his teachings were designed to obtain relief from suffering. Original Buddhism involves neither faith nor worship, neither prayer nor praise nor forgiveness of sins. In that sense, conservative Buddhism is not really a religion but a moral philosophy designed to overcome suffering.
Liberal Buddhists may not emphasize the concept of deity, as such, yet they do homage to Gautama Buddha, other Buddhist teachers, ancestors, and various deities that are equivalent to Hindu deities. They use images in their devotions, bow before those images, make offerings to them, and pray and chant to them. Whereas early Buddhism denied that Buddha was omniscient, many Buddhists now attribute omniscience to Buddha and other teachers.
The dictionary definition of "god" includes: "A being of supernatural powers or attributes, believed in and worshiped by a people... An image of a supernatural being: idol..." So the effect of Liberal Buddhism, regardless of terminology, is idolatry and polytheism.
[See WR-181f; EB-XIV-675; IV-326; wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism and wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_devotion]
Whereas Buddhism originally affirmed nothing about God, not even His existence, the Bible says that the very existence of the universe demonstrates God's existence.
Psalm 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament shows His handiwork.
Romans 1:20 - God's power and divinity can be seen through the things that are made.
Every effect must have an adequate cause. The only adequate explanation for the universe is that it was made by a Supreme Being, far wiser and more powerful than we are.
So, where Buddhism says nothing about God as Creator, the Bible uses creation - along with miracles, fulfilled prophecy, and Jesus' resurrection - as fundamental evidence for the true God.
(Note: For further discussion about the evidence for the Bible teaching about Jesus, see the links at the end of this lesson for our study lesson on Judaism.)
Whereas Buddhism originally had nothing to do with God, the Bible says that serving God and having a proper relationship with Him is the whole point of true religion.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 - The whole duty of man is to fear God and keep his commands.
Ephesians 1:7-9 - The will and purpose of God was to redeem man by the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus.
So, religion without God is as meaningless as an ocean without water or a meal without food.
(1) Whereas liberal Buddhism worships many beings, the Bible teaches there is one God, the God of the Bible.
Deuteronomy 6:4 - "The Lord our God is one Lord" (KJV).
Matthew 4:10 - "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve." We must not worship many gods, nor any god except Jehovah. [2 Cor. 6:18; Col. 1:19-22]
(2) In particular, the use of images is forbidden.
Isaiah 42:8 - God refuses to allow anyone else to receive the glory which is due to Him. He refuses to allow His praise to go to graven images.
(3) Furthermore, man cannot be divine and cannot become God.
Ezekiel 28:2,6-10 - God brings a curse on any man who claims to be God.
So, the Bible contradicts both Conservative and Liberal Buddhism. The Bible teaches that God exists and that the purpose of religion is to please God; but there is only one God, graven images are forbidden, and man is not divine.
(Note: For more information about the multiple gods and the use of images in worship, see the links at the end of this lesson for the study on Hinduism.)
"Buddhism teaches that ... all actions have consequences (karma). The consequences of acts undertaken in this and earlier lifetimes will be felt in a next one, in a process known as reincarnation. It is a Buddhist aim to educate oneself and meditate in order to escape from this cycle of rebirth, to enter Nirvana." - - buddhismbeliefs.org
So, Buddhists believe that, when a man dies, he will return to live as another person, animal, or god, etc. Conservatives believe that man has no spirit or inner part that lives after death, so only the consequences of past deeds (karma) continue from life to life. Liberals believe man's consciousness continues from life to life.
Everything (good or bad) that happens to a man is the result of his conduct in previous lives. What happens in future lives is determined by his actions now. Nothing really results from environment, the acts of others, or the work of God. All is payment for what the person himself did.
Conservative Buddhists believe that man's ultimate goal is to be released from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. This is a state of rest with no earthly desires. They take no position as to whether this state is conscious or not. Liberal Buddhists do believe in conscious bliss.
Hebrews 9:27 - It is appointed to man once to die. [Ecclesiastes 12:7]
James 2:26 - The body without the spirit is dead. Death is separation of the spirit from the body.
1 Corinthians 15:22,23 - All die as a result of Adam's sin; but as a result of Jesus, all live again. Resurrection is the opposite of death, so the spirit is reunited with the body.
We are resurrected as ourselves, not as another person, animal, etc. This resurrection occurs only once for each person, and all will be raised at the same time, when Jesus comes again.
Hebrews 9:27 - Man lives one life then dies. At Jesus' return, the spirit is reunited with the body and man is judged for his life. He never receives another life on earth nor another chance to please God after this life. We must obey in this life to have hope. [2 Corinthians 5:10]
Matthew 25:31-46 - At Judgment, the wicked go to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. So, we must serve God faithfully to receive His forgiveness and hope of eternal life.
(Note: Again, there is more detail about these concepts in the online article about Hinduism.)
"...the purpose of life may be said to end ... suffering" - buddhismbeliefs.org
The Buddhist teaching regarding suffering is based on the "Four truths," which are:
Man suffers because he desires personal enjoyment and possessions, but especially because he desires to continue to exist as an individual, separate and distinct from others.
The highest destiny of man, according to Buddhism, is to cease existing as a distinct individual, and enter the state of Nirvana. Earthly life is an illusion, but man continues to desire it because of ignorance. This desire causes rebirth to other lives; and since life involves suffering, we continue to suffer.
When desires are renounced and destroyed, rebirth will cease.
[WR-172ff; BR-24]
Job 14:1 - "Man, that is born of woman, is of few days, and full of trouble."
Job 5:7 - "But man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward."
This basically agrees with the first "truth" of Buddhism.
Genesis 3:16-19 - Death, suffering, pain of childbirth, and hardship in work all came into the world because man sinned. Sin is disobedience to God. [Cf. James 1:13-15; 1 John 2:15-17]
1 Peter 4:14-16 - Not all suffering results from our own sins. Sometimes we suffer because other people sin. Examples:
* 1 Peter 2:19-22 - Jesus suffered, though he was guilty of no sin.
* God's people are often persecuted by wicked people (Hebrews 11:32-38; 2 Corinthians 11).
Job 1,2 - The Devil causes some suffering as temptation to try to get good people to commit sin.
Where Buddhism says to eliminate natural desires, the Bible says that every natural desire has a good and proper way to be fulfilled.
Example: Hebrews 13:4 - Let marriage be held in honor by all. The natural desire for sexual fulfillment may be satisfied properly within marriage. But the Bible also warns that human desires can be perverted and lead to sin: Fornicators and adulterers, God will judge.
To illustrate, lead has good purposes. But when we put it in a gun and shoot someone, then we have perverted its purpose. It is the same with the body's natural desires. The proper goal of man is, not to eliminate all desires, but to learn God's will and control the desires accordingly.
[1 Timothy 4:1-4]
God Himself possesses distinct characteristics of personality: God loves, speaks, knows, wills, etc. [See again the article on Hinduism.]
Genesis 1:26-28 - People, male and female, exist as individuals on the earth because God so created us. He told us to multiply, thereby making more individuals.
Genesis 2:7 - God formed man and made him a living soul. Man's existence as a physical individual is not an illusion resulting from ignorance. In fact, we will always exist as conscious individuals, even when we have been raised from the dead (Luke 16:19-31).
To claim that it is bad to desire to be an individual is to blaspheme the work of God.
By serving God properly we can endure suffering in this life.
Psalm 46:1 - "God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble."
Psalm 34:19 - God delivers the righteous out of troubles. This does not mean He eliminates all our troubles, but He helps us to endure troubles and still serve Him faithfully.
Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
If we remain faithful, we will receive an eternal reward without suffering.
Revelation 21:3,4 - God rewards the faithful with eternal life with no pain sorrow, or death.
Ultimately, only God's word, not Buddhism, has the real solution to suffering.
[James 1:12; 2 Corinthians 4:16f; Matthew 5:10ff]
"It's Up To Ourselves ... We are responsible for creating our own suffering, and it is solely up to us to create the circumstances for our release. ... A key belief in all Buddhist groups is the importance of meditation. ... Many Buddhists use meditation, mantras, and prayers alongside medicines to help heal themselves." - buddhismbeliefs.org
One must discipline himself to a way of life consisting of eight steps till earthly desires are eliminated. The idea is to avoid two extremes: avoid indulging in luxury and pleasures, but also avoid self-torture or depriving oneself of necessities.
The eight steps are: right views, right intentions, right speech, right conduct, right mode of livelihood, right effort, right awareness, and right concentration (meditation). Perfecting these steps requires great self-control over many lives. One must pass through four stages overcoming ten hindrances. Later stages require one to be a monk, abandoning family life. Gautama took at least 550 lives to achieve perfection.
This process depends entirely on human effort without divine aid (remember, conservative Buddhism has nothing to do with God).
A favorite concept among liberal Buddhists involve Bodhisattvas. These are people who earn perfection (as above), but postpone Nirvana in order to provide salvation for others. Other Buddhists can obtain Nirvana by honoring, praying, and repeating the name (mantra) of their favorite Bodishattva. In this way his merit is transferred to them.
Zen Buddhism is much like Transcendental Meditation. [WR-186f]
Buddhism says people must achieve salvation themselves without God. The Bible says no man can earn salvation, but God must forgive our sins by His grace.
Ephesians 2:8,9 - This passage is misused by some to teach that man does not need to do anything to be saved. But the real point is that salvation comes by faith in God, not by earning salvation (and so being able to boast).
Romans 6:23 - What our lives earn is death. After that, nothing we could do could save us without God's forgiveness.
[Romans 11:6; 4:1-8; Titus 3:4,5]
Liberal Buddhism says some men can save other men. The Bible says no man can save himself, nor can anyone else save him except Jesus.
Romans 3:23 - All men have sinned. How can another man who sinned die to pay the penalty for my sins? He deserves to die for his own sins. But Jesus was the sinless Divine Son of God who died for our sins (1 Peter 2:21-24).
Acts 4:12 - There is salvation in none other. There is no other name given among men in whom we must be saved.
John 14:6 - Jesus said, "No one comes to the Father except through Me."
[Hebrews 9:28]
No one can be saved by the merits of any one else. All must accept the same conditions.
Acts 10:34,35 - God is no respecter of persons; in every nation, he who fears God and works righteousness will be acceptable. [Romans 2:6-11]
Acts 2:38,39 - Those who repent and are baptized will be forgiven. This promise is for all.
2 Corinthians 5:10 - Each person will be judged for his own life. No one else can meet the conditions for you.
1 Corinthians 9:25-27 - Having been forgiven, we must exercise self-control, and bring our bodies into bondage in order to serve God faithfully. [Acts 3:22,23; Romans 12:1,2]
How can one know Buddhism is valid?
"...you hear a teaching that makes sense to you, find through experience that it relates positively with your psychological makeup, get a real taste of it through practice, and adopt it as your spiritual path - Lama Yeshe" - buddhismbeliefs.org
No proof is offered. Just try it to see if you like it, then judge it by your own human wisdom.
In contrast, the gospel offers evidence: fulfilled prophecy, miracles, and Jesus' resurrection. It offers the only true sacrifice to forgive sin by the death of the Son of God. To receive this benefit, we must trust Jesus and obey Him in this life.
[BB] - "Buddhism Beliefs," buddhismbeliefs.org
(May 24, 2012)
[BR] - The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction, by Richard H. Robinson and Willard L. Johnson, 3rd edition; Wadsworth Pub. Co., Belmont, CA, 1982
[EB] - Encyclopedia Britannica, articles on "Buddha" and "Mahayana"
[WR] - "Buddhism," by Bentley-Taylor and Offner, an article in The World's Religions, edited by Norman Anderson.
To see the evidence that the Bible and the gospel of Jesus are the true revelation of religion, see our article on that subject on our Bible Instruction web site at /instruct/.
Copyright 2003, 2012,David E. Pratte; gospelway.com
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Scripture quotations are generally from the New King James Version (NKJV), copyright 1982, 1988 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. used by permission. All rights reserved.


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Pediped® uses only the highest quality leathers, and our craftsmanship is second to none. The soles on an Originals® shoe are made of two layers of slip-resistant, high quality leather. The soles on Grip 'n' Go™ are a thin, natural rubber that provides an ideal level of protection and flexibility. Flex® soles are also made of natural rubber to allow maximum flexibility.
Pediped® creates stylish shoes that are the perfect combination of timelessness and trend. We strive to achieve great style while maintaining comfort and quality. Clean, modern colors, with a nod to the classics, and an element of surprise are the fundamental principles of the pediped® design philosophy. Our primary design considerations continue to be comfort, simplicity, and quality. This philosophy applies to all products that we design. pediped® hopes that moms and dads like the styles as much as they like the fact that the shoes are healthy for their child's developing feet.
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What the Strategy That Won the Cold War Can — and Can't — Do Now
Deterrence isn't what it used to be. In the second half of the twentieth century, it was the backbone of U.S. national security. Its purpose, logic, and effectiveness were well understood. It was the essential military strategy behind containing the Soviet Union and a crucial ingredient in winning the Cold War without fighting World War III. But in recent decades, deterrence has gone astray, and U.S. defense policy is worse for the change.
Since the Cold War ended, the United States has clung to deterrence where it should not have, needlessly aggravating relations with Russia. More important, it has rejected deterrence where it should have embraced it, leading to one unnecessary and disastrous war with Iraq and the risk of another with Iran. And most important, with regard to China, Washington is torn about whether or not to rely on deterrence at all, even though such confusion could lead to a crisis and a dangerous miscalculation in Beijing.
Mistakes in applying deterrence have come from misunderstandings about the concept itself, faulty threat assessments, forgetfulness about history, and shortsighted policymaking. Bringing these problems into focus can restore faith in deterrence where it has been lost, lower costs where the strategy has been misapplied, and reduce the danger of surprise in situations where the risk of conflict is unclear.
Deterrence is a strategy for combining two competing goals: countering an enemy and avoiding war. Academics have explored countless variations on that theme, but the basic concept is quite simple: an enemy will not strike if it knows the defender can defeat the attack or can inflict unacceptable damage in retaliation.
At best, applying deterrence when it is unneeded wastes resources. At worst, it may provoke conflict rather than hold it in check. And even when deterrence is appropriate, it might not work — for example, against an enemy who is suicidal or invulnerable to a counterattack. Thus, it is more useful against governments, which have a return address and want to survive, than against terrorists who cannot be found or who do not fear death. Deterrence is also a weak tool in the increasingly important realm of cyberspace, where it can be extremely difficult to be absolutely sure of an attacker's identity.
Continue reading at The Lost Logic of Deterrence


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Everett E. Olsen
Everett Earl Olsen died January 17, 2013 at his home in Mt. Horeb surrounded by his loving family. He was born on May 15, 1923 to Elmer and Agnes Olsen of Marshfield, WI, where he was raised on the family farm in Wood County. As a sophomore at Marshfield High School, Everett and his teammate won the National 4-H Meat Judging and Identification contest in Chicago. In 1941 he was the recipient of the FFA State Farmer Degree. After high school he attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho, served in the US Navy during WWII, then returned to the UW and graduated with a degree in agriculture. In 1950 he married his college sweetheart, Zella Mae Goodell, and in 1952 they settled in Dodgeville where he worked for the UW Extension as a Resource/County Agent for over 30 years. He returned to the UW from 1965 to 1968 to complete his Master's degree in Extension Education. One of his accomplishments as a County Resource Agent, was assisting SCS and DNR with three multi-purpose flood control/recreation areas in Iowa county including; Birch Lake near Barneveld, Blackhawk Lake near Highland, and Twin Valley Lake (Governor Dodge) near Dodgeville. As a county agent he was recognized in 1968 at State and National levels for his distinguished service. Although his title was UW Associate Professor, he was known to many in Iowa county as, "Mr. Agriculture". Everett was a member of the Dodgeville Plymouth Congregational Church-UCC where he was a trustee and chairman of the building committee. He was also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Dodgeville for 55 years and was responsible for starting the Kiwanis Chicken BBQ.
He was an environmentalist and community activist who was involved in the formation of the Uplands Group to promote tourism and the economy in Iowa County. He was also a founding member of the Iowa County Historical Society. Always a farmer at heart, Everett owned, planted and managed a tree farm in Avoca since 1959 and loved to garden. He always had large productive gardens in Dodgeville, Avoca, and at the Homestead in Mt. Horeb, where they have lived since 2007. He also enjoyed bowling and card playing, but his greatest rewards were the love and respect he got from his children and grandchildren.
Everett is survived by Zella, his loving wife of 62 years, two sisters; Dee Jaeckel, New Berlin and Ruth (James) Werntz, Redmond, WA; five children; Den (Maggie) Olsen, Roselle, IL; Jan Olsen, Kellogg, ID; Karen (Tom) Ernst, Ontario; Sue Lueschow, Blue Mounds and Vicki (Gene) Spellman, Mt. Horeb; 12 grandchildren; Jake and Dane Olsen; Kelly and Becky Hogan; Nathan, Angeline, and Alissa Ernst; Shane and Kristi Lueschow and Cordell, Garrett, and Liza Spellman, and 5 great-grandchildren; Theodore and Heidi Ernst; Everett Hogan and Benjamin and Alexandra Olsen.
The family would like to thank the staff of Agrace Hospice along with his home health aides for their loving care.
Everett will long be remembered for his quick wit, infectious humor, abundant energy, strong moral character, and willingness to help and teach others. He will be greatly missed.
Memorial Services will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday, February 9, 2013 at Plymouth Congregational Church in Dodgeville with Pastor Dan Yeazel officiating. Friends may call at the church after10:00 A.M.


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Six veteran astronauts are suiting up to fly the space shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station tomorrow (Feb. 24) on the final voyage of the orbiter's long and illustrious career.
The spaceflying crew of Discovery's STS-133 mission is slated to launch Thursday at 4:50 p.m. EST (2150 GMT) after months of delays, primarily due to cracks that were found on structural ribs within the shuttle's external fuel tank.
But the astronauts who will commandeer Discovery have not been without their own drama. A bicycle accident on Jan. 15 sidelined mission specialist Tim Kopra, forcing NASA to replace the injured astronaut less than six weeks before launch. Steve Bowen, an experienced spacewalker, stepped in to fill Kopra's shoes in what NASA said was the closest crewmember replacement before launch since the Apollo 13 flight.
The five men and one woman who will take Discovery on a final ride before NASA retires its shuttle fleet later this year are not only accomplished spaceflyers, but also a close-knit group of friends.
Here's a glimpse of the people behind the orange spacesuits – the last crew of the space shuttle Discovery:
The commander
Steve Lindsey, 50, is the commander of the mission. A native of Temple City, Calif., Lindsey is a retired colonel in the United States Air Force. He was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1995, and has made four spaceflights, two of those on shuttle Discovery.
"Discovery is a workhorse – fleet leader in number of flights," Lindsey said in a preflight briefing. "It's a privilege to be able to fly the last flight of Discovery."
The strong but soft-spoken Lindsey said he is excited to lead his fellow crewmembers on the 11-day expedition to the International Space Station.
"Personally, I'm really excited to be flying with this crew," Lindsey said. "They're a fantastic group of people to fly with. Somebody once told me, you'll find as you get more experience, it's less about what you do on a mission, and more about who you get to fly it with. And I think that's really true in this case."
Lindsey is married and has three children.
The pilot
Eric Boe will serve as the pilot of STS-133, Discovery's 39th flight. The 46-year old native of Atlantais a colonel in the U. S. Air Force, and was selected to join NASA as a pilot in July 2000.
Boe completed his first spaceflight on NASA's STS-126 mission on the space shuttle Endeavour. At a preflight briefing, Boe reflected on the significance of being part of one of the final flights of NASA's space shuttle program.
"I think all of us are happy to be on another flight," Boe said. "It's a little bittersweet when something comes to an end, but it's a privilege to be able to fly the vehicle."
For the upcoming mission, Boe said he is most looking forward to gaining new experiences and working as a team with his other crewmembers.
"When you're up there, things go pretty quick," he said. "I think I'll have a little more time to look around and pay attention to the small details. The biggest overall thing I hope to get out of this is to really absorb some of the small details I might have missed on the first flight."
Boe is married and has two children.
The astronaut dreamer
Mission Specialist 1 Alvin Drew, 48, is a recently retired colonel in the U.S. Air Force. During the crew's stay at the space station, Drew will participate in the mission's two spacewalks.
Drew, who was born in Washington, D.C., was selected as a mission specialist by NASA in July 2000, and made his first spaceflight aboard the shuttle Endeavour for STS-118 in 2007. Having grown up dreaming of becoming an astronaut, Drew admitted that his spaceflying career seems almost surreal at times.
"[Becoming an astronaut] was one of the things that was in the back of my mind during my Air Force career, but nothing that I really took that seriously," he explained. "I think depending your career on becoming an astronaut is like planning your pension around winning the lottery. It's something that you can go pursue, but you should have a 'plan B' in place. I did everything to stack the deck in my favor, but never really expected it would happen."
Drew's spacewalks on Discovery's STS-133 flight will be the first of his career, and he said he's proud to contribute to the future of the orbiting laboratory.
"Hopefully I can come back in 2020 and see the station working and think, 'I had a small part in keeping it going this long,' " he said.
An experienced substitute
Steve Bowen, born in Cohasset, Mass., was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in July 2000. Bowen, 47, began his training in August of that year, becoming the first submarine officer selected to be a mission specialist.
Bowen has participated in two previous spaceflights: Endeavour's STS-126 mission in November 2008 and the most recent STS-132 flight of Atlantis in May 2010. He has logged more than 27 days in space.
A veteran spacewalker, Bowen has completed five spacewalks for a total of 34 hours and 30 minutes spent outside of the orbiting outpost.
Bowen joined the STS-133 crew after mission specialist and lead spacewalker Kopra was injured in a bike accident on Jan. 15. Bowen immediately began training for the mission's two spacewalks, aimed at upgrading the space station and installing spare parts to the laboratory's exterior.
Bowen is married and has three children.
Discovery's space doctor
Michael Barratt joined NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston as a project physician in May 1991 and was subsequently selected for astronaut training in July 2000. Now, the doctor-turned-astronaut will perform duties as Mission Specialist 3 on Discovery's last spaceflight.
In March 2009, Barratt embarked on his first spaceflight, launching on a Russian Soyuz TMA-14 rocket to the International Space Station. During the long-duration mission aboard the orbiting outpost, he logged 199 days in space.
"I was surprised how little free time we had on our station mission," Barratt said in a preflight interview. "After six-and-a-half months, we were still working very long days. I wouldn't call a station mission leisurely in any way, shape or form."
In light of Discovery's final mission, Barratt maintains that a lot of the glory belongs to the people who, over the years, maintained the shuttle between flights.
"The orbiters look great. If you just landed and didn't know the political landscape, you'd never know the program was coming to an end, because the birds are so pristine," Barratt said. "Everybody is incredibly dedicated. They're doing what they're doing for all the same reasons they signed on for years ago."
Barratt, 51, calls Camas, Wash. his hometown. He is married and has five children.
Home again on space station
Nicole Stott is the Mission Specialist 4 for Discovery's upcoming flight. She began working at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in 1988 as an operations engineer in the Orbiter Processing Facility.
Stott, 47, was selected for astronaut training in July 2000 and launched on her first spaceflight to the International Space Station in 2009, also aboard Discovery. The mission also marked Stott's first long-duration tour of duty on the orbiting station. While living and working on the space station, Stott completed one spacewalk and spent a total of 91 days in space.
Stott's second journey on Discovery will also be the orbiter's last, and in a preflight briefing, she spoke about the prolific shuttle's storied career.
"It's a historic thing that we have such a special vehicle to fly," she said. "The hope, in addition to having a successful mission, is that we'll be celebrating the real significance of the vehicle itself. We have to look at this as a celebration of just how wonderful Discovery has performed."
Additionally, having grown up in Clearwater, Fla., Stott knows firsthand the impact and enduring legacy that NASA's space shuttle program has had on the country.
"There's nothing negative that you can say about it," Stott said. "There are only positives and encouraging things that have come from this program."
Stott is married and has one child.
Follow SPACE.com Staff Writer Denise Chow on Twitter @denisechow as she covers Discovery's final space voyage from Cape Canaveral, Fla.


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Soil (or dirt), the four letter word that is a scourge to our clients. Some of our clients will often develop some creative verbiage for describing the soil in the carpet, such as "who spilled this %#*^ all over my new carpet!"
At other times, they are more civilized and only refer to the dirt as filth, grime, crud, or just yuk.
Problems Caused By Soil
Soil wears out a carpet prematurely - Next to a car or a home, the investment in the carpet and upholstery may be the highest that a consumer will make. Excess soil will destroy that investment in four ways.
1) While today's quality fibers will resist heavy wear, they are still exposed to the soil that, if not removed on periodic basis, will cause them to "ugly out".
2) Most of the soil, whether it is tracked in, food spills, or atmosphere pollution, is acidic. Acid gases passing over the carpet and eventually reacting with the dyes cause fume fading.
3) Oxidized oils and the resins they form will begin to yellow and eventually weaken a carpet fiber. Oils that were on the fiber become part of the fiber.
4) Abrasive soil, the sand and grit that is tracked in on a daily basis, will cause the fibers to be scratched and abraded. This wear on the fibers will reflect light differently and therefore will give the carpet a worn look.
Soil is ugly - Another problem caused by soil is the aesthetics. Soiled carpet looks bad.
Unsanitary - Spills, stains, grease, oil, and animal trackings are unsanitary. A soiled carpet is a perfect breeding ground for any number of bacteria and pathogens.
It is no longer a good idea to let the carpet go as long as possible between cleanings. The carpet acts as a filter for all types of soil and indoor pollutants such as animal dander, dust, pollen, VOC's and even biological pollutants. This is a benefit as long as the filter is cleaned regularly.
Sources of Soiling
From outside the home - Shoes and animals will bring in a high degree of soil from cars that drip grease and oil, factories that emit pollution, soil from yards and gardens, asphalt, which will turn carpet yellow, and many other sources. Thus, the reasoning behind the fact that most dry soil in the home is found at the main entries. This can be reduced by the use of doormats, the removal of shoes, etc.
Air borne pollutants from many sources also enter the home each time the door is opened.
From inside the home - The inside soil comes from many sources. Hair, human and animal: Clothes, lint, and fibers: Skin, yes we do shed: Body oils, humans and animals: Cooking oils, it would surprise you to know how much oil is actually deposited in the air when you dry two pounds of hamburger on the stove. These eventually settle to the carpet. The better the cook, the quicker the soils build up in the home. As for the food spills, people can be very creative with food spills.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read all of this valuable and important information.
Again, if you live in the city of Claremont, and are interested in using our services, you can call us at 1 (800) 848-8385.
Or visit us on our official website and Facebook page, where you can find out what area we will be working at, and to see videos of our state-of-the-art MONSTER truck mounted machine in action!
"We Clean Your Carpet, Not Your Wallet!" ©
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text: Search Results Search Sort by RelevanceMost Recent History of Medicine May 2016 Why Did Hospital Ethics Committees Emerge in the US? Mark P. Aulisio, PhD As high-tech care decisions led to value clashes in hospital corridors, ethics committees developed to respond to diverse viewpoints, families' concerns, and clinicians' moral distress. They now exist in almost all US health care organizations. AMA J Ethics. 2016;18(5):546-553. doi: 10.1001/journalofethics.2016.18.5.mhst1-1605. Viewpoint May 2016 Hospital Ethics Committees, Consultants, and Courts George Annas, JD, MPH and Michael Grodin, MD AMA J Ethics. 2016;18(5):554-559. doi: 10.1001/journalofethics.2016.18.5.sect1-1605.


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"I always feel that database security is just the ugly stepchild in the security world. It just doesn't get the attention it deserves," says Alex Rothacker, director of security research for Application Security, citing a Verizon figure that shows while 10 percent of total security spending goes into database protections, 92 percent of stolen data comes out of databases. "There's just a disconnect."
[How are CISOs preparing for 2013? See 7 Risk Management Priorities For 2013.]
While there is some momentum of awareness about the issue, Slavik Markovich, vice president and CTO of database security at McAfee, says that the majority of companies he talks to have no database security protections in place whatsoever.
"They don't even know where all their databases are," he says. "So it's still an unsolved issue for many customers."
That is essentially painting a target on the backs of organizations. Statistically, the data breach numbers from DataLossDB and others have seen the number of breach incidents caused by hacks nearly double over the past year, Rothacker points out. Anecdotally, sifting through the most splash data-loss stories in our news feeds will inevitably show that the bulk of them came in situations where outside attackers established a beachhead within the network through social engineering, such as phishing, and then went to town on poorly defended databases contained in those networks, Markovich says.
While hackers are clearly breezing past perimeter defenses, most security programs continue to pour money into the perimeter, which Rothacker says is a lost battle. Given the state of perimeter security, Markovich says ignoring database security is like leaving valuables out on a table inside a locked house.
"Anyone who can get through the window, or even your cleaning lady can take a shot at them," he says.
So if organizations do make database security a priority, what exactly would their first steps look like?
The most important first step is to gain visibility into where sensitive databases exist and who is accessing them. That means if the organization hasn't installed it yet, database activity monitoring is key.
"If you don't know what's going on with your databases, you've got to start there," says Caleb Barlow, director of application, data and mobile security for IBM Security Solutions. "The first logical step is to start tracking where your sensitive data is, and these tools can be used to discover that."
Many organizations have already been forced by regulatory checkboxes to implement database activity monitoring, but haven't fully leveraged its capabilities, though, Barlow says. He believes many organizations would do well to not just monitor activity, but also enforce policies using these systems.
"Assuming they've already deployed some level of database activity monitoring, I think their New Year's resolution needs to be to start to think about what normal usage patterns are, whitelist those, and start blacklisting everything else," he says. "So if people at a call center only need the last four digits of a Social, then only give them the last four digits."
Rothacker agrees, stating that organizations that prioritize database security in 2013 should be seeking to harden the database in as many ways as possible. This means limiting access on a least-privilege basis, uninstalling unused components to reduce attackable surface, and doing a much better job at patching.
"I think the No. 1 weakness we still see is that the patch cycle for databases is still too slow," he warns.
In an ideal world, if everyone in the IT community were to step up with database protection as their top resolution in 2013 -- who knows, maybe they'll be thankful at a reprieve from the Mayan apocalypse -- the threat landscape would certainly be transformed in 2014 and beyond, Markovich says.
While the cat-and-mouse game with hackers wouldn't end, the bad guys would have to revert back to some pretty inefficient methods, he surmises.
"If I were a hacker and I knew the database was well-protected, I would probably swing back to installing rootkits on as many machines as I could and getting information from the end user and so on," he says. "Now instead of going after the databases in the millions of records, you now have to go and collect those records 100 at a time."
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There's more in Obamacare than you might think. I recently embarked upon an arduous task to find out what those things might be by reading the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act -- all 906 pages of it. I'll admit that my eyes did tend to glaze over quite a bit, but I slogged through it. And while there was plenty of language describing provisions we have all heard about, like the individual mandate, I discovered several items in the law that were a bit strange and surprising. Here are 12 shocking provisions hidden in Obamacare.
1. Music to the Fool's ears
The Motley Fool has long promoted the importance of teaching youth about financial matters. Section 2953 of Obamacare is like music to the Fool's ears. The section specifically calls for educating adolescents about financial literacy to prepare them for adulthood. That's the good news. What's the bad news? The government teaching anyone about financial matters is like Lindsay Lohan teaching personal responsibility.
2. Size matters
Next time you get your explanation of benefits from UnitedHealth (UNH -0.34%), check out the font size. It better be at least size 12 font, or the company is violating the law. Yes -- Obamacare mandates that insurance companies use that font size or greater. This specification is part of a section intended to ensure that customers can read and understand the documents sent by insurance companies. Maybe cartoon drawings could help, too.
3. A nod to Charlton Heston
Late actor and National Rifle Association president Charlton Heston famously said that he would only give up his gun when it was pried from his cold, dead hands. Mr. Heston would probably have liked at least one part of Obamacare. Language in the act specifically prohibits companies operating health and wellness programs from collecting information about gun ownership or usage.Obamacare protecting gun rights. Now that's shocking.
4. Patrolling deep health care waters
Who would you expect to be included in Obamacare's Interagency Working Group on Health Care Quality? If you said the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health, you'd be correct. However, you would also be right if you mentioned the Coast Guard. Yep, listed among the agencies responsible for determining how to improve health care quality is the guardian of our nation's waters. With stress contributing so much to health care problems, I'd think that one of the biggest causes of stress for Americans -- the IRS -- might be a better agency to include.
5. What's good for the goose
If you have ever complained about Congress passing laws that don't apply to themselves, you might be surprised to find out that our senators and representatives must enroll in an Obamacare plan like everyone else. Well, nearly everyone else. The White House wasn't mentioned in the section requiring Congress to use approved health plans. However, an administration spokesperson indicated that President Obama will voluntarily participate in a health insurance exchange established by his signature legislation.
6. It's fine if the dog eats their homework
Nearly three pages of Obamacare provide excruciating detail about reports that the Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB, should submit to Congress. What if they don't do their homework? No problem. If IPAB doesn't do what it is required to do, Obamacare says that the Secretary of Health and Human Services must create the report instead. Government accountability at work, folks.
7. Add IPAB to your Christmas list
Speaking of IPAB, Obamacare specifically states that this board charged with determining how to control health care payment costs can take gifts. No limitations are given. In case you can't think of a good gift, the legislation mentions that services or property are fine to donate also. IPAB can by law sell anything you give them, though, so be forewarned.
8. Sense and nonsense
Language is included in section 9023 that "the sense of the Senate" is that nothing should be done related to the legislation that would increase taxes on the middle class. I suggest reading Dan Caplinger's excellent summary of new Obamacare taxes impacting all Americans before deciding if the "sense of the Senate" is better described as nonsense.
9. Funny money
In case you didn't think Congress was funny, they stuck a provision into Obamacare that specifies that humor can be used in a marketing campaign about preventive care. How much was allocated to be spent? Only $500 million. My guess is that someone's laughing all the way to the bank.
10. Protecting the 1%
Drugmakers got slapped with billions of dollars in new taxes and fees -- but not for the most expensive drugs of all. Orphan drugs are excluded from new fees. This means that companies like Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN) won't have to pay the extra fees on sales of $440,000-per-year Soliris. Obamacare protects the 1% -- of high-cost drugs, at least.
11. The greatest tax of all
While there are plenty of new taxes in Obamacare, it might be surprising what gets taxed the highest. If you have a really great health plan, you get hit with a 40% excise tax. Too much health care must be a bad thing.
12. Ironic
Last, but not least, Obamacare prohibits false statements or representations about any Obamacare-approved plan. The provision itself isn't surprising, but the irony is. Section 1501 states unequivocally that Obamacare "will lower health insurance premiums." Aetna (AET) CEO Mark Bertolini, though, said recently that premiums will rise as a result of the legislation, with some premiums doubling. Even Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius admitted not long ago that some premiums would rise with Obamacare. Ironic indeed.