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In seasonally adjusted chain volume terms, State Final Demand increased by 0.7% ($142 million) to $21,185 million in the September Quarter 2004. The key drivers of growth in the quarter were:
The main detractor from growth in State Final Demand, in the September quarter, was investment by State and local public corporations, down $322 million (53.0%). This followed a high level of investment in the state's water and gas utilities in the June quarter.
Consumer Price Index
Growth in Perth's Consumer Price Index (CPI) eased to 0.7% in the September Quarter 2004, following an increase of 1.0% in the previous quarter. Despite this decline, prices growth in Perth remained above the national increase of 0.4%.
The main contributor to Perth's CPI growth in the September Quarter 2004 was Housing, which increased by 1.8%. The rise in housing prices was driven by increases in construction costs and property rates and charges, resulting from the annual review of charges by state and local government authorities. Other notable contributions were: Miscellaneous items (up 2.6%), mainly due to an increase in the cost of child care; Alcohol and tobacco (up 1.1%), largely the result of an adjustment in Federal excise and customs duties from 1 August 2004; and Transportation (up 0.5%), reflecting the increased cost of automotive fuel.
Detracting from prices growth in Perth in the September Quarter 2004 were: Clothing and footwear (down 0.6%), predominantly the result of prices falling for clothing accessories and jewellery; Household furnishings, supplies and services (down 0.3%), mostly from a decline in the cost of furniture and household supplies; and Health (down 0.5%), due to the cyclical effect of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme safety net on pharmaceutical prices.
Perth's CPI rose by 2.5% in the September Quarter 2004, compared to the September Quarter 2003. Nationally, the CPI rose by 2.3% over the same period - within the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) target range of 2.0%-3.0%. The RBA expects inflation to remain within the target band in the near term, with leading indicators for the housing sector showing an easing in activity. However, high oil prices, the renewed pick-up in global economic conditions and rising manufacturing prices could pose a threat to the inflationary outlook in the longer term.
Wage price index
Western Australia recorded strong wages growth in the September Quarter 2004, with the state's quarterly index of total hourly rates of pay (excluding bonuses) increasing by 1.7%. This was the largest quarterly increase since the March Quarter 2001, and was above the national increase of 1.3% for the same period. Of the selected industries for Western Australia, wages growth was highest in Personal and other services (2.5%) and Manufacturing (2.1%). The occupations to record the largest wages growth over the period were Elementary clerical, sales and service workers (2.6%) and Labourers and related workers (2.4%). These increases partly reflect salary increases taking effect for the new financial year, as well as the Safety Net Review decision to raise full-time minimum award
wages by $19 per week.
In the 12 months to September 2004, Western Australia recorded wages growth of 3.5%, equal to growth at the national level. The selected industries to record the highest wages growth in the year to September were Manufacturing (5.1%) and Personal and other services (4.1%). Labourers and related workers recorded the highest annual wages growth among the selected occupations (4.1%).
Annual growth in the Australian level Wage Price Index remains within the Reserve Bank of Australia's target range of 3.5%-4.5%. However, economic commentators have cautioned that shortages in the availability of skilled labour are becoming a constraint on further economic expansion within the state, and that this may translate into wages growth in the longer term.
New motor vehicle sales
Sales of new motor vehicles in Western Australia (trend) increased for the eleventh consecutive month in November 2004, rising by 1.1% to 8,183 vehicles - the highest level of sales since the series commenced in January 1994. The recent strength in new motor vehicle sales has been supported by a strong $A, lowering the price of imported vehicles, and high levels of consumer confidence. Sales of new motor vehicles in the state have increased at an average monthly rate of 1.8% (143 vehicles) since July 2004, double the rate of the previous five month period, and well above the national average of 0.1%.
Recent growth in Western Australia's new motor vehicle sales (trend) has been driven by sales of Passenger vehicles, increasing by an average of 2.1% (96 vehicles) per month over the three months to November 2004. Sales of Passenger vehicles accounted for almost three quarters (71.2%) of the increase in new motor vehicles sold during the period, with Sports utility vehicles and Other vehicles accounting for 21.2% and 7.6% respectively.
Retail trade
Retail turnover in Western Australia (trend) continued to grow strongly in the three months to October 2004, increasing by 1.8% over the previous three month period - compared to 0.7% growth nationally. Retail spending in the state continued to be supported by strong consumer confidence, brought about by sustained low levels of unemployment and inflation and low interest rates. Recent tax cuts, increases in the Family Tax Benefit, and rising wealth from higher property prices have also helped sustain retail turnover during the period. However, the effect of these factors may be declining given a slowing in the monthly rate of growth in retail spending, which dropped from 0.9% in June 2004 to 0.3% in October 2004.
The main contributors to growth in retail turnover, over the three months to October 2004, were spending on Other retailing (including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, antiques, garden supplies and jewellery), up $23.8 million (5.0%); Household good retailing, up $21.6 million (2.7%); and Food retailing, up $18.2 million (0.9%). Spending on Hospitality and service industries was the only detractor from growth, down $9.7 million (1.6%).
In trend chain volume terms, Western Australia's retail turnover for the September Quarter 2004 increased by 2.1% to $4,976.5 million - the largest increase of all the states and territories, and well above the 1.1% growth recorded nationally.
Private new capital expenditure
In trend chain volume terms, business investment in Western Australia rose by 0.7% ($16 million) in the September Quarter 2004, following two quarterly decreases in March (0.8%) and June (1.1%). The state's capital expenditure in the September quarter amounted to $2,305 million, only $29 million below the record high of the December Quarter 2003 ($2,334 million). Driving growth in capital expenditure was a 4.5% increase in investment on Buildings and structures (up $43 million to $1,005 million). However, offsetting growth was a third successive quarterly decrease in investment on Equipment, plant and machinery
(down 2.3% or $31 million to $1,296 million).
In original current price terms, business investment in Western Australia was 3.2% ($71 million) higher in the September Quarter 2004, than in the same quarter of 2003. Investment growth during the period was largely driven by a 16.6% ($101 million) increase in expenditure in Other selected industries, comprising Retail trade, Construction and Property and business services. Investment in the state's Mining industry also increased during the period, although by a more modest 1.3% ($17 million).
According to the Western Australian Department of Treasury and Finance, business investment in Western Australia is expected to remain near current levels over the medium term, supported by favourable business conditions and a number of resource projects still to be completed.
Housing finance commitments
The number of housing finance commitments (trend) in Western Australia rose by 1.6% to 7,246 in October 2004. During the three months to October, the number of housing finance commitments increased at an average monthly rate of 1.9% (133) - up from 1.3% (88) in the previous three month period - possibly in response to stamp duty concessions introduced in July 2004.
Recent growth in the number of houses financed coincided with the seventh consecutive monthly increase in the value of housing finance commitments in Western Australia, dating back to April 2004. The value of housing finance commitments in the three months to October 2004 was 10.2% ($330.2 million) higher than in the previous three month period.
In original terms, there were 2.3% fewer housing finance commitments in Western Australia in the three months to October 2004, compared to the three months to October 2003. Over the period, the number of housing finance commitments rose 25.6% for first home buyers, but fell 7.3% for non-first home buyers.
Average borrowing sizes increased for both first home buyers (up 14.3% to $166,233) and non-first home buyers (up 10.5% to $164,900) in the three months to October 2004, compared to the same period of 2003. This was only the tenth time since the monthly series began in July 1991 that the average borrowing size for first home buyers was higher than that for non-first home buyers. The average borrowing size for first home buyers was greater than the average borrowing size for non-first home buyers in each of the three months to October 2004, with the difference increasing from $800 in August 2004 to $2,600 in October 2004.
Building approvals
The number of houses approved in Western Australia (trend) fell by 2.2% in the three months to October 2004, compared to the previous three month period. This was, however, less than half the size of the decline recorded nationally (5.1%). Despite the fall, house approvals in Western Australia remain near historically high levels, with approvals in October 2004 (1,535) only marginally below the peak in January 2004 (1,636). Following the introduction of stamp duty relief on 1 July 2004, the monthly rate of decline in house approvals has eased from 1.0% in July 2004 to 0.3% in October 2004.
Despite decreasing numbers, the total value of new houses approved in Western Australia (current prices) increased slightly in the three months to October 2004 - up by 0.4% ($3.2 million) from the previous three month period to reach $806.9 million. Nationally, the total value of new houses approved fell by 4.0%. Over the same period, the value of non-residential building approvals in Western Australia decreased by 20.7% ($95.2 million), mainly due to falls in the value of approvals of Health and Other business premises.
The value of Western Australia's trade surplus increased by $685.2 million (13.5%) to $5,756.1 million in the September Quarter 2004, compared to the same quarter of 2003. Over the period, growth in the value of the state's exports (up $1,215.5 million) was more than double the rise in the value of imports (up $530.3 million). Western Australia's export growth was the highest recorded since the December Quarter 2000, fuelled by strong international demand, which also served to keep commodity prices high in both $US and $A terms.
The September quarter also saw an increase in the state's capacity to meet demand for resource commodities, particularly iron ore, with a number of projects coming on-line, including Hamersley's Eastern Range mine, the completion of the first stage of expansion work at Yandicoogina, Robe River's West Angelas, Mt Gibson's Tallering Peak and BHP Billiton's Mining Area C. Imports continued to be supported by the strong $A and increased investment expenditure on imported capital goods during the September Quarter 2004.
Between the September Quarters of 2003 and 2004, Western Australia's trade position improved with several major trading partners. Most significantly, the state's trade surplus with Japan increased by $248.5 million to $1,704.9 million, largely due to an increase in the value of iron ore exports; and the trade position with New Zealand moved from a deficit of $4.4 million to a surplus of $213.9 million, largely due to a rise in the value of petroleum exports. Conversely, the state's trade position with the United States of America moved from a surplus of $268.1 million to a deficit of $121.7 million over the period, driven by a decrease in the value of petroleum exports and an increase in the value of imports of non-monetary gold.
The value of Western Australia's exports rose by 15.4% to $9,083.7 million in the September Quarter 2004, compared to the September Quarter 2003. Exports of Metalliferous ores and metal scrap increased by $473.5 million (32.4%) over the period, comprised almost entirely of iron ore exports. During 2003-04, the price of iron ore increased by 11.8%, reflecting rising world demand, particularly from Asia. Agricultural exports also continued to improve following the effects of the 2002 drought, with exports of Cereals and cereal preparations increasing by $243.1 million (73.0%), wheat being the main contributor.
Offsetting the state's export growth, during the period, was a decrease in the value of exports of Iron and steel - down $69.8 million (86.8%). The decline in iron and steel exports was mainly due to the closure of one of the state's Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) plants following an accident in May 2004. The value of exports of Medicinal and pharmaceutical products also declined over the period, down $61.3 million (57.7%).
The value of imports to Western Australia, in the September Quarter 2004, was $3,327.7 million, 19.0% higher than in the same quarter of 2003. The rise was mainly driven by increases in the value of imports of General industrial machinery and equipment, n.e.s. and machine parts, n.e.s. (up $119.9 million or 90.7%); and Petroleum, petroleum products and related materials (up $119.0 million or 31.1%). The growth in value of petroleum imports was largely a consequence of rising oil prices, with the actual volume of petroleum imports to Western Australia declining marginally over the period (down 3.9%).
Mineral and petroleum exploration expenditure
Mineral exploration expenditure (trend) continues to grow strongly in Western Australia, rising by 8.7% ($11.3 million) to $141.7 million in the September Quarter 2004 - the highest level of expenditure since the September Quarter 1998 ($155.0 million). Quarterly growth in the state's mineral exploration expenditure has averaged 8.6% since the March Quarter 2004.
In original terms, Western Australia's mineral exploration expenditure totalled $147.9 million in the September Quarter 2004 - $39.4 million (36.3%) higher than in the September Quarter 2003. The main driver of growth over the period was a $15.8 million (122.5%) increase in expenditure on Nickel and cobalt exploration, supported by high nickel prices fuelled by strong demand from stainless steel producers in South Korea, China and Europe. Expenditure on Gold exploration also grew over the period, up $5.9 million (8.7%).
Petroleum exploration expenditure (original) totalled $182.1 million in the September Quarter 2004 - $4.2 million (2.4%) higher than in the corresponding period of 2003. Increased expenditure on petroleum exploration in the state continues to be driven by rising global demand for oil, particularly from China.
Mineral production
Minerals to record increases in production in the September Quarter 2004, compared to the September Quarter 2003, were Salt (up 16.6%); and Iron ore (up 13.2%), in response to growing demand from China and Japan. Decreases were recorded in the production of Zinc (down 74.0%), due to the cessation of output from the Lennard Shelf project in late 2003; Diamonds (down 45.1%); and Tin (down 44.9%).
Short term arrivals on holiday
International travel to Western Australia declined to 47,639 visitors (by air on holiday) in the three months to September 2004 - 5,919 (11.1%) fewer than in the three months to September 2003. The decline, however, comes off a peak in visitor arrivals in late 2003, caused by the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the recovery in international travel following a period of sustained global uncertainty. Contributing to the decline in the three months to September 2004 were falls in visitor arrivals from Malaysia (down 3,027 or 35.1%), Singapore (down 2,011 or 24.6%) and the United Kingdom and Ireland (down 739 or 7.9%). Partially offsetting these falls were increases in the number of visitors from Japan (up 1,433 or 19.0%) and New Zealand (up 1,117 or 52.0%).
Short term departures on holiday
A total of 76,407 Western Australian residents departed overseas by air on holiday in the three months to September 2004 - 21,514 (39.2%) more than in the three months to September 2003. Increases were recorded in resident departures to most destinations, with the largest being a rise in departures to Indonesia (up 9,676 or 60.9%). Departures to Indonesia have risen steadily since February 2003, averaging monthly growth of 11.3%, reflecting the declining impact of the Bali bombings in late 2002. Large increases in departures, during the three months to September 2004, were also recorded to Thailand (up 3,276 or 68.2%) and Malaysia (up 2,149 or 109.4%).
The Western Australian labour market continued to perform strongly over the three months to November 2004, with the trend estimate of employed persons increasing by 1.4% (13,456) - well above the national increase of 0.8%. The number of persons employed full-time increased by 1.0% (7,034) over the period, compared to a 0.6% increase nationally.
Recent employment growth saw the total number of employed persons in Western Australia reach one million for the first time in November 2004. However, according to the Western Australian Department of Treasury and Finance, labour market conditions in the state are tightening, with businesses experiencing some difficulty filling skilled vacancies.
Industry employment
The Personal and other services industry in Western Australia recorded the largest increase in employment in November 2004, compared to the corresponding period of 2003. During this period, the number of employed persons (original) in Personal and other services rose by 15,582 (44.3%), mainly due to large increases in employment in Other personal services and Public order and safety. Other industries to record strong growth over the period were Manufacturing (up 12,296 or 14.0%) and Accommodation, cafes and restaurants (up 7,935 or 21.2%). The largest decrease in the number of employed persons was recorded by
Property and business services (down 8,670 or 7.1%), mainly attributable to falls in employment in Marketing and business management services and Legal and accounting services.
The trend estimate of unemployed persons in Western Australia fell by 2.1% (1,006) in November 2004 - the fourteenth consecutive monthly decrease. Over the three months to November 2004, the number of unemployed persons decreased by 6.1% (3,103), driven by falls in both the number of unemployed females (down 6.9% or 1,672) and unemployed males (down 5.5% or 1,432). The state's unemployment rate declined over the period, from 4.9% in August 2004 to 4.5% in November 2004. Western Australia's unemployment rate in November 2004 was the second lowest of all states and territories (behind the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 4.2%), and was well below the national unemployment rate of 5.3%.
The number of West Australians who were unemployed for 52 weeks or more since their last employment fell by 40.5% (4,089) in November 2004, compared to the corresponding period of 2003. The continued decline in the state's long-term unemployed is attributable to the strong performance of the labour market throughout 2004.
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text:
Stuart Parmenter, a Mozilla engineer, has some interesting news about memory usage in Firefox 3 Beta 4:
We've made more significant changes to the platform than I can count, including many to reduce our memory footprint. The result has been dramatic, and you can see for yourself by getting a copy of the recently released Firefox 3 Beta 4.
Here's What We've Done:
Reduced Memory fragmentation
Fixed cycles with the Cycle collector
Tuned our caches
Adjusted how we store image data
Hunted down leaks
Our work has paid off.
We're significantly smaller than previous versions of Firefox and other browsers. You can keep the browser open for much longer using much less memory. Extensions are much less likely to cause leaks. We've got automated tools in place to detect leaks that might result from new code. We're always monitoring and testing to make sure we're moving in the right direction. All of this has been done while dramatically improving performance.
So this is all very interesting, and you should read the full post for the details of how they did it. But even after just a few days of use, it's clear that Firefox 3 Beta 4 is using tons less memory than FF2. I used to leave FF2 on overnight and the thing would gobble up 300+ MB of RAM easily. I check it from time to time and it's usually in the 60-70 MB RAM range, a huge improvement.
If they can really put this behind them, I'd like to see the same dedication go towards making a high quality FF user experience. The new UI in FF3 is simply horrible, especially on Windows Vista. It shouldn't be this amateurish.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What Happened to Bradley Manning in January
I wanted to put a few details about what happened to Bradley Manning in January together.
The other day Manning's lawyer, David Coombs, revealed he had been about to file a habeas petition when DOD suddenly decided to move Manning to Fort Leavenworth (where he arrived last night). At issue was a meeting that occurred on January 13:
The defense recently received reliable reports of a private meeting held on 13 January 2011, involving high-level Quantico officials where it was ordered that PFC Manning would remain in maximum custody and under prevention of injury watch indefinitely. The order to keep PFC Manning under these unduly harsh conditions was issued by a senior Quantico official who stated he would not risk anything happening "on his watch." When challenged by a Brig psychiatrist present at the meeting that there was no mental health justification for the decision, the senior Quantico official issuing the order responded, "We will do whatever we want to do."
That meeting happened just five days before the guards harassed Manning and Brig Commander James Averhart decided to play god with him, according to the chronology laid out in Manning's Article 138 complaint. Here's how Manning described the guards' petty bullying.
On that date, I was pulled out of my cell for my one hour of recreation call. When the guards came to my cell, I noticed a change in their usual demeanor. Instead of being calm and respectful, they seemed agitated and confrontational. Also, instead of the usual two to three guards, there were four guards. Almost immediately, the guards started harassing me. The first guard told me to "turn left." When I complied, the second guard yelled "don"t turn left." When I attempted to comply with the demands of the second guard, I was told by the first, "I said turn left." I responded "yes, Corporal" to the first guard. At this point, the third guard chimed in by telling me that "in the Marines we reply with "aye" and not "yes."" He then asked me if I understood. I made the mistake of replying "yes, Sergeant." At this point the forth guard yelled, "you mean "aye," Sergeant."
After Manning returned to his cell from recreation, Averhart came to his cell, declared he was, for all practical purposes, Manning's God. Then, he ordered Manning be stripped and put on suicide watch.
About 30 minutes later, the PCF Commander, CWO4 James Averhart, came to my cell. He asked me what had happened during my recreation call. As I tried to explain to him what had occurred, CWO4 Averhart stopped me and said "I am the commander" and that "no one could tell him what to do." He also said that he was, for all practical purposes, "God." I responded by saying "you still have to follow Brig procedures." I also said "everyone has a boss that they have to answer to." As soon as I said this, CWO4 Averhart ordered that I be placed in Suicide Risk Status.
Admittedly, once I heard that I would be placed under Suicide Risk, I became upset. Out of frustration, I placed my hands to my head and clenched my hair with my fingers. I did yell "why are you doing this to me?" I also yelled "why am I being punished?" and "I have done nothing wrong." I then asked CWO4 Averhart "what have I done to deserve this type of treatment?"
CWO4 Averhart did not answer any of my questions. He instructed the guards to enter my cell and take all my clothing. At first I tried to reason with CWO4 Averhart by telling him that I had been a model detainee and by asking him to just tell me what he wanted me to do and that I would do it. However, I gave up trying to reason with him once the guards entered my cell and ordered me to strip. Instead, I lowered my head and starting taking off my clothes.
And these events–the meeting on January 13 and the abuse of Manning on January 18–took place between two interesting observations from military psychiatrists. Whereas most of the 16 entries recording Brig Psychiatric personnel recommending Manning be removed from Prevention of Injury (POI) take a standard form, two entries take a different form. First, the January 6 entry noted that on December 23 Brig Psychiatrist Captain Hocter recommended Manning be removed from POI "from a psychiatric standpoint."
SND was evaluated by Capt Hocter on 23 December 2010, and although further mental evaluation was deemed necessary, SND was recommended to be removed from POI classification from a psychiatric standpoint.
On January 14, the day after the meeting described by Coombs, there's another standard entry.
SND was evaluated by the Brig Psychiatrist on 14 January 2010 and recommended to be removed from POI.
But then on January 28, there's another irregular entry.
SND was evaluated by Col Malone on 21 January 2011 and, although further mental evaluation was deemed necessary, SND was recommended to be removed from POI classification from a psychiatric standpoint.
With the caveat "from a psychiatric standpoint," both Hocter, in December, and Malone, in January, seem to be emphasizing that the POI decision had nothing to do with Manning's psychological health.
The Article 138 complaint doesn't explain who Colonel Malone is, though it's notable he outranks Hocter, suggesting Hocter brought in a superior to conduct an evaluation of Manning after repeatedly recommending that Manning be removed from POI. And note, we know that Manning was removed from the suicide watch Averhart placed him under on the 18th on the 21st, suggesting Malone's judgment may have been instrumental to getting him removed from suicide watch. (Though it's interesting that Malone's recommendation pertained to POI, not suicide watch.)
And that last report–the January 28 observation recording Malone's judgment–is the last that Manning's defense team had received by the time he wrote his complaint on March 10. Given that they received the January 28 one on February 4–that is, given that it took just a week to give them reports in the past–one wonders why they didn't receive the reports subsequently.
So it seems that Hocter was already concerned about the fact Manning remained on POI for no good psychiatric reason back in December. Shortly thereafter, a psychiatrist and a top Quantico official had a conflict over Manning's treatment. The official said, "we'll do whatever we want." And just days later, the guards subject Manning to some abusive bullying, giving Averhart the excuse to put him on suicide watch and take his clothes. At which point it appears a more senior psychiatrist may have gotten involved.
Now, Coombs says his habeas petition–his threat to expose more about this sequence–is what convinced DOD to move Manning so quickly. Given how the January 13 meeting seems to lead right into Manning's forced nudity on January 18, I can see why DOD might want to avoid more details becoming public.


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The Scientific Case For A Return To The Moon
It's almost 40 years since the last humans visited the lunar surface during the Apollo 17 mission of December 1972.
Indeed, the last controlled landing on the moon was just four years later when the Soviet Union's sample-return mission, Luna 24, touched down in July 1976.
Since then, nothing (although in recent years both the US and India have crashed probes into the lunar surface).
So it's high time we returned to the lunar surface, say Ian Crawford at Birkbeck College in London and a few buddies. Today, they outline of the reasons why and say they are more compelling than ever.
For a start, the Moon is a good place to learn about the Earth. Throughout its history, our planet has been hit by a multitude of asteroids and comets that ejected countless billions of Earth rocks into space. Some of this stuff will have landed on the Moon where it almost certainly still sits today, pristine and untouched.
By some estimates there could be as much as 200 kilograms of Earth per square lunar kilometre. That means the best place to study early Earth rock, its chemical composition and perhaps even the prebiotic cocktail that led to the origin of life is on the surface of the Moon.
Then there is the argument that the Moon is the only place that certain types of astronomical observations are possible. Astronomers have studied the universe across the entire electromagnetic spectrum but there is one small corner of the rainbow that is still inaccessible to Earth-based instruments–ultra-low frequency radio waves.
Below about 30 MHz, the ionosphere does a pretty good job of absorbing or reflecting more or less everything the Universe throws at us. Consequently, the cosmos is essentially uncharted at these frequencies.
The far side of the Moon, on the other hand, is the perfect radio-silent place to observe them. Crawford and co suggest starting with a few antennas and slowly adding to the array to create a radio telescope hundred or even thousands of kilometres in diameter.
And there ought to be plenty to see. This frequency probes the dark ages–the period several million years after the big bang but before the formation of the first stars and galaxies. "It can essentially only be observed through radio emission from atomic hydrogen red-shifted to several tens of MHz," say Crawford and co.
In addition to these goals, there are the well worn arguments about better understanding the Moon itself and the resources it may hold for future exploration, such as water and other volatiles.
However, Crawford and co are on less sure ground when they argue for a renewed human presence. They say the study of humans on the Moon would give an important insight into effects of low gravity on human health.
Maybe. A similar argument is often made about humans on the International Space Station but this work has produced little, if any, benefit for the rest of us. (Indeed the presence of humans is what makes the International Space Station profoundly unsuitable for most micro gravity experiments and astronomical observations.)
Crawford and co also argue that the presence of humans would speed up decision-making processes, allowing research activities that would otherwise be impossible to conduct.
That seems unlikely. The additional operational and bureaucratic overheads required for human presence would make almost any activity impossibly complex, unmanageable and expensive.
Crawford and co seem to discount the extraordinary progress being made in robotics that will make automated work on the surface of the Moon and anywhere else orders of magnitude more productive and cost effective than a human effort.
Having said all that, the question is when a robotic mission can return. The answer is not any time soon. There are numerous proposals in the offing and even a Global Exploration Strategy that the world's space agencies signed up to in 2007.
Nevertheless, firm plans are few and far between. With Europe in economic crisis, NASA slipping into obscurity and the Russian space agency licking its wounds over its recent lost Mars mission, its not hard to imagine another 40 year wait for a return to the lunar surface.
Unless, of course, there are any emerging nations or private enterprises willing to take on the task. Richard Branson versus Elon Musk versus China in a race to the Moon? Now there's a thought.
Ref: arxiv.org/abs/1206.0749: Back to the Moon: The Scientific Rationale for Resuming Lunar Surface Exploration
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text:
Vulnerable adults still protected by High Court's "great safety net"
6 April 2012
DL v A Local Authority & Others [2012] EWCA Civ 253 – Read judgment
Where adults have capacity under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA 2005), does the "great safety net" of the High Court's inherent jurisdiction still exist to guard them from the effect on their decision making of undue influence, coercion, duress etc? In its judgment handed down on 28 March 2012, the Court of Appeal confirmed that it does.
DL proceeded in the High Court and the Court of Appeal on assumed (as opposed to agreed) facts, many if not all of which were contested by the appellant. For the court's purposes however, it was assumed that DL, a man in his 50s who lived with his mother and father (90 and 85 respectively), had behaved aggressively towards his parents, physically and verbally, controlling access to visitors and seeking to coerce his father into transferring ownership of the house into DL's name, whilst pressuring his mother into moving into a care home against her wishes. The Court of Appeal's judgment uses the term "elder abuse" for such a situation.
Importantly, it was assumed that both elderly parents did have capacity within the meaning of the MCA 2005 in that neither was subject to "an impairment of, or a disturbance in the functioning of, the mind or brain". The interference with the process of decision making arose rather from undue influence and duress inflicted by their son. The local authority, concerned by DL's conduct, nonetheless applied to the court for injunctions restraining DL's conduct towards his parents.
Jurisdiction to interfere
The interim injunctions, granted by Lord Justice Wall (President of the Family Division) and affirmed by Mr Justice Theis, were appealed by DL on the ground that since the passing of the MCA 2005, the court no longer had jurisdiction to interfere in the affairs of adults who had capacity within the meaning of that Act to make their own decisions, vulnerable or not. In the alternative, in so far as the inherent jurisdiction survived the introduction of the MCA 2005 and its accompanying Code of Practice, it was limited to providing a short period for the individual concerned to be allowed to make his or her own decision.
In rejecting DL's argument and finding that the parens patriae ("parent of the nation") jurisdiction of the High Court was maintained in relation to vulnerable if "capacitous" adults, the Court of Appeal referred at length to the extensive discussion of this area of the law contained in the judgment of Munby J in Re: SA (Vulnerable adult with capacity: marriage) [2005] EWHC 2942 (Fam). That decision affirmed the existence of the "great safety net" of the inherent jurisdiction (a term coined by Lord Donaldson in In re F (Mental Patient: Sterilisation) [1990] 2 AC 1) in relation to all vulnerable adults. Munby J's conclusion (at paragraph 79 of SA) was that:
The inherent jurisdiction can be invoked wherever a vulnerable adult is, or is reasonably believed to be, for some reason deprived of the capacity to make the relevant decision, or disabled from making a free choice, or incapacitated or disabled from giving or expressing a real and genuine consent. The cause may be, but is not for this purpose limited to, mental disorder or mental illness. A vulnerable adult who does not suffer from any kind of mental incapacity may nonetheless be entitled to the protection of the inherent jurisdiction if he is, or is reasonably believed to be, incapacitated from making the relevant decision by reason of such things as constraint, coercion, undue influence or other vitiating factors.
In rejecting DL's appeal, the Court of Appeal dismissed the argument that SA was an isolated and impermissible extension of the court's authority – an argument difficult to sustain in the face of the exhaustive analysis of authority performed by Munby J, whose conclusions were given "unreserved endorsement".
The Court of Appeal also rejected arguments that Parliament in enacting the MCA 2005 must have intended an exhaustive code for the protection of adults, dependant on a criterion of incapacity; the Court held that, on the contrary, the fact that Parliament chose not to abolish the inherent jurisdiction for the protection of all vulnerable adults which pre-existed the Act was a factor indicating that it was intended to be left untouched. Regarding the augments in relation to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which were accepted to be somewhat neutral between the parties, it was observed (at paragraph 66) that:
In terms of the ECHR, the use of the inherent jurisdiction in this context is compatible with Article 8 in just the same manner as the MCA 2005 is compatible. Any interference with the right to respect for an individual's private or family life is justified to protect his health and or to protect his right to enjoy his Article 8 rights as he may choose without the undue influence (or other adverse intervention) of a third party. Any orders made by the court in a particular case must be only those which are necessary and proportionate to the facts of that case, again in like manner to the approach under the MCA 2005.
In dismissing the spectre of the use of the inherent jurisdiction by local authorities to pursue a "Big Brother" agenda, the Court commented (at paragraph 76) that:
It is, of course, of the essence of humanity that adults are entitled to be eccentric, entitled to be unorthodox, entitled to be obstinate, entitled to be irrational. Many are.
No doubt many citizens, lawyers in particular, will be reassured by that observation.
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Related posts:
- Court bans autistic woman from having sex
- Analysis | Rabone and the rights to life of voluntary mental health patients – Part 2/2
- Severely disabled man's care plan not a deprivation of liberty – Court of Appeal
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In what is becoming almost an amusing struggle between city staff and the City Council, how Palo Alto regulates massage therapists once again occupied the time and attention this week of the four-member Council Policy and Services Committee, police and city administrators and a city attorney.
It's a great example of how an issue that no member of the public or City Council had any interest in or concerns over can surface and drain time, resources and money.
A review and re-write of the city's current ordinance regulating massage therapists in Palo Alto was supposedly needed because of a state law that for the first time established a voluntary state certification process that pre-empted local regulation for any therapist or facility obtaining the state certification.
The idea behind the law was to formalize a state-level certification system so that local governments didn't need to craft their own individual regulatory schemes, as many, including Palo Alto, had done decades ago.
Since the state law went into effect in 2009, Palo Alto has simply stopped enforcing those parts of its massage ordinance that were out of compliance.
But instead of amending our local ordinance to accomplish only what was required and in as simple a way as possible, the staff opted to create a major revision that added new requirements.
Adding to the confusion is the fact that most of the city's ordinance would not even apply to any state-certified therapists doing business in Palo Alto.
A year ago, the city staff brought the draft of a new ordinance to an informational meeting of therapists, who especially objected to a section requiring a written log of customers, including the date and hour of each service; the name, address and sex of each patron; the service provided and the technician administering the service.
Then Acting City Attorney Don Larkin and the police, hearing the concerns of both the therapists and the City Council, said that the requirement would be dropped or access limited by requiring court-issued subpoenas to access the logs. They were also asked to figure out how to carve out establishments like Happy Feet, a popular establishment which provides foot and body massage to clothed customers in an open room with other customers.
Fast-forward to Tuesday night, when the City Council's Policy and Services Committee examined a new version of the ordinance that was essentially the same as the one sent back a year ago, including the clause requiring massage businesses to keep records of all customers.
The committee's reaction was proper and swift: all four members agreed that a new ordinance should not include the record-keeping provision and they directed the staff to go back to the drawing board and try again. Councilman Larry Klein called the provision "demeaning." He added, "I think a lot of these provisions assume they're guilty," in reference to current massage operations. "I want to reverse it and make our ordinance as light as possible." The committee is chaired by Karen Holman and includes Sid Espinosa and Greg Schmid.
The problem here is that there is no problem needing to be fixed.
In the last 10 years the police department has logged only 10 complaints of criminal conduct at massage establishments, hardly enough reason to inflict the onerous record-keeping burden on today's practitioners.
Long ago Palo Alto's massage industry shed the image and problems that grew out of the seedy establishments found along El Camino Real in the 1970s.
We don't think the citizens of Palo Alto believe it is necessary for the police department to require practitioners of massage to maintain extensive records of their clients, just on the off-chance that such information might be needed to conduct an investigation.
The council committee's direction was clear and correct: a new local ordinance should be as "light" on regulation as possible and be aimed simply at making our ordinance consistent with state law.
In an era of limited government resources, knowing when to take a minimalist approach to low-priority issues is essential. City management missed their chance to demonstrate that on this one.


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Buxus sempervirens L.Buxaceae
The Box is a well-known plant in Mediterranean cultures. Its specific name sempervirens -always green- refers to the persistence of its foliage. As many other sempervirens plants, for Greeks and Romans the box symbolized the desire for eternal life. Its wood is very hard and appreciated for making mathematical or musical instruments. Boxwood is mainly used as a hedge for its longevity of until 600 years. Along with myrtle, the box is one of the favorite species used by the ancient Romans in the development of topiary art, discipline consisting in vegetable sculptures with geometric or animal forms classical gardening. This technique was again trendy in Europe in the sixteenth century due to a cultural movement of conscious recovery of Greco-Roman culture, the Renaissance. In the Real Alcázar of Seville, Garden of the Ladies was decorated in times of Philip II with boxwood figures representing the emblems of the Military Orders and thus appear in the existing plans of the gardens of the Real Alcázar de mid-eighteenth. These shields of the Garden of the Ladies and plant motifs and designs made of box from other gardens like the Grotto one, embellished and endowed with a fantastic and mysterious air to the gardens. Boxwood work like this was defined in 1788 by the illustrated curator of the Alcázares, Francisco de Bruna, as the most gorgeous item to be found there.


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Excellent Advice For Making Whiter, Brighter Teeth!
In this article you will find many tips on teeth whitening. This is not only a representation of your oral health, but also of your willingness to take care of yourself and look your best. Use the information provided, and you should be happy with your results.
Certain foods can easily stain your teeth such as soy sauce or curry. However, other foods such as apples, carrots and broccoli can clean your teeth while you eat them. So not only are they healthy for the body, they will also give your teeth a mini clean while you chew.
In order to get pearly white teeth, one of the best things to do is to visit your dentist regularly. By doing this you will avoid any teeth illnesses that you cannot see. Having regular dental check ups is instrumental to getting whiter, healthier teeth.
A great tip that can help you with teeth whitening is to make sure you don't overuse any whitening products. Though you might have good intentions by using them a lot, overusing these products can actually damage your teeth. Protect your tooth enamel by only using whitening products in moderation.
Surprisingly, baking soda is almost as effective as most long term teeth whiteners and is much cheaper. Mix about two table spoons of soda to one table spoon of water to form a paste, then, brush your teeth with this paste. If you do not like the taste, substitute a mouthwash for the water.
To obtain the best results when whitening your teeth at home, use one of the kits that contain whitening strips. These have been shown to provide the best results, lightening the color of the teeth by several shades. If you do not obtain the desired results after completing one course of treatment, repeat with a new kit.
Floss your teeth twice a day. It's best to do this to prevent plaque, which can discolor your teeth. Make sure you floss in the morning but, most importantly, before you go to sleep because this is when teeth are most susceptible to damage and plaque buildup. Flossing before you go to sleep will prevent this.
Prevention of staining is one way to keep your teeth whiter. Some of the things you drink can cause discoloration of your teeth. Coffee, tea, wine and soda are all notorious for causing stains on teeth. If you will sip them or drink them through a straw this will help them to not make as much contact with your teeth. Also, when you are done with your drink, rinse your mouth with water.
When you are trying to get a whiter smile, you should try brushing your teeth with teeth whitening toothpastes. These toothpastes can remove mild discoloration on your teeth through subtle abrasives that they contain. Get the smile that you have always wanted when you begin brushing your teeth with teeth whitening toothpaste.
There is a lot to learn about how to properly whiten your teeth. There is a lot you can do to help and a lot you can do to damage your teeth permanently. Pay close attention to the advice given, and you should love your new look.


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Yeah, I said it. The Windows 7 taskbar is the most important Windows UI change since Windows 95, and it will dramatically change the way you use Windows. And it's better than the Mac's Dock.
That's because the "superbar"—as the taskbar is known by developers—jerks taskbar functionality in a new direction. It's no longer merely a window manager—just a place to manage open windows and by proxy, open applications. It's now a bona fide application launcher. More than that, it blends the two in ways that will remind many of the OS X Dock—apps that are running and those that aren't can live together. True, you've been able to launch apps from the Windows taskbar's Quick Launch ghetto for ages, but that's been demolished so that Microsoft could completely and seamlessly integrate the launching of new apps and the managing of running ones.
Managing Apps and Open Windows
The OS X Dock operates from a similar standpoint, but Windows 7 takes this (not to mention the translucency gambit) a step further: The visual signification of a running application (versus one that's not and merely "pinned" to the taskbar) is exceptionally subtle—a kind of "glare" appears on the top left corner of the icon and it's faintly outlined. It borders on actively encouraging you to forget the distinction, which as computers become more powerful and applications launch more quickly, matters less and less anyhow.
The flashing colored glass effect when an app is trying to get your attention, however, is nice, and though way less ostentatious than the old blinking button, definitely obvious. Unless you have the taskbar set to auto-hide, then the notification is barely visible as a flashing line of color on the bottom of your screen. The Mac Dock's bouncing icons definitely works better there.
These aesthetic similarities aside, what actually makes the superbar superior to the Dock is window management—including, by extension, application management. I can easily find, access or close any window I want from the taskbar nearly instantly, thanks to the combination of live thumbnails and Aero Peek. Rolling over an icon in the taskbar pops up live thumbnails of every open window of that app. If that's not enough to tell which one you want, rolling over a thumbnail brings that window to the front, full-sized, and makes every other window translucent. And it's easy to move from app to app in one motion to bring up the window you want, or close it. This is not just a neat visual trick, like Flip 3D. It's genuinely useful.
The benefit breaks down if you have more open windows of an application than the number of previews that will fit across your screen horizontally: In that case, you get a much less useful list of open windows, like old school Windows or control-clicking a Dock icon on the Mac.
The Power of the Pop-Up Menu
Right-clicking—or clicking the icon then quickly swiping upwards—brings up a pop-up menu (aka a jump list). Control-clicking on the OS X Dock does something similar, giving you a list of open windows. Some apps (like Adium) are coded for additional Dock functions, but it's not the same as the powerful visual metaphor that the superbar and Aero Peek give you. Applications still need to be coded specially to take advantage of the superbar's pop-up menu, but it's more powerful. If an app is coded to use Windows 7 jump lists—when you right-click on an icon or click and swipe upward, you have instant access to frequently used or other functions—it will erase the slight advantage the Dock currently has.
The superbar does share one of the Dock's major shortcomings as an application launcher—it's not immediately apparent how to launch a new window of an app from the taskbar. The secret as Windows evangelist Paul Thurrot points out is that you right-click the app icon, then click the app name itself appearing in the pop-up menu. Granted, from the Mac Dock, unless opening a new window is coded into the app as a Dock function, like Safari, you can't do it at all.
The superbar's biggest shortcoming—at least when you first use it—relates to the way it handles folders and document shortcuts, which is exceptionally confusing. You can only pin one folder to the bar. After that, every subsequent folder you want to pin to the taskbar is pinned to Windows Explorer. Say you have the Libraries folder pinned for quick access to Documents, Downloads, Pictures, etc. But I also want another folder (in this example, Games and Computer) pinned to the taskbar, so I drag it to the bar. There, it shares the same icon as my first pinned folder. When I click the icon, up pops Libraries. Where's the Games folder? I have to right-click on the folder icon (or click and swipe up). This gives me a jump list of pinned folders and other frequent programs. You pin documents the same way, only they're hidden in the jump menu of the application that opens them. It takes some learning before you can use it fluidly.
The View From Above
The challenge of learning a totally new Windows behavior is the cost of getting this huge step forward in UI. The superbar makes Windows way more conducive to running tons of applications, since it's actually possible to find apps and precisely the window you want in a second, no matter how bad the shitstorm on your desktop is. In this sense, it's a better application manager than the Dock, from which, generally speaking, you can't do much more than jump to open applications or close them.
It's true that it's actually less necessary for the Dock to be a superpowered wunderkind—Spaces gives you multiple desktops to work on, and Expose is pretty fantastic. It's faster, though if you've got too many windows, the thumbnails are too small to be useful. Aero Peek solves this issue nicely by letting you quickly cycle through full-screen windows. The superbar has a button in the bottom right corner that works sort of like an OS X Expose hot corner, instantly making every window transparent so you can see the desktop—clicking will actually clear everything away.
There are definitely arguments to be made against the density of the superbar, packing so many function into a single UI element—many criticisms of the Dock apply to the superbar, like the total lack of text labels, and though it sidesteps some of the Dock's issues, like the poof, it presents new flubs. It could definitely improve in some ways (especially the notification area, which I didn't even go into).
But it shows the most thought of any Windows UI element in a long time, and manages to handle the complexity and multiplicity of functions about as well as one could expect. It does more than the Dock, and for the most part, works beautifully to enable—encourage, even—serious multitasking that the default Windows UI never has before.


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When I recently did a Next Stop London giveaway, Laura of Craftstorming was one the winners of some fabric. And lickety split she whipped up the cutest little PJs for her gorgeous son Casper. I mean how unbelievably adorable is he?
Soon after, Laura surprised me with a little mailing of London themed goodies of my own!
Then there was the amazing package from the delightfully sweet and very talented Penny of Sew Take a Hike. And the package was so pretty with the Birdies and Chairs tape from my store coupled with tape from Lucie at Summersville!
Penny shipped me the most phenomenal tote as surprise! ( Penny and I have gotten to be friends via our blogs and I was just so touched when she made me this amazing tote. All of the fabrics were hand selected for me and there are even little bits of Laurie Wisbrun fabric worked throughout. I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it and was just so touched. Thank you sweet Penny! Your creativity never ceases to surprise and delight me. And the straps :) You are amazing.


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The Next Big Wave in Multiple Myeloma
Aloha! The Eddie Aikau Big Wave surf contest only happens on Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu in a year when there are 40 ft swells. It's six years since the last one took place.
Yesterday, at the last minute the big waves failed to show up as an expected storm took a different track.
In R&D terms this is a bit like a phase 3 trial that was expected to be positive, only at the last minute reads out negative.
Last year was an exceptional year in multiple myeloma with several new approvals. It was a "Grand Cru" year, but there is already another wave on the horizon…
Whether it's a 40 foot Eddie Aikau wave remains to be seen, just like the bay and weather dictates the waves, clinical trial data and physician experience ultimately drive uptake.
This post continues our in-depth post-ASH analysis and pre-TANDEM coverage, with a look at the new wave in myeloma that's coming our way.
Subscribers can login to read more or you can purchase access.


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Results of Bread Baking This week
Hi Bill,
The results were not great! LOL, I forgot the salt. And my mind is having trouble focusing right now due to health. I flipped the amount of flour and water so had to try to fly by the seat of my pant and increase the flour. I knew I had more than enough of the preferment and more than enough starter was added. I made batards and they eat ok enough but I prefer your true pagnotta recipe.
Will write more later.


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Wildcats enter season ranked 12th in AP poll
Oct 26, 2012, 4:49 PM | Updated: 5:53 pm
For the second consecutive season, the Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team will enter their season opener ranked among the top 25 teams in the country.
Coming in at number 12 in the preseason 2012-13 AP poll, this is the Wildcats' highest preseason ranking since the 2006-2007 season, when they opened up the season at No. 10.
The Wildcats have entered the season nationally ranked in 22 of the last 26 seasons.
The men's basketball team opens the 2012-13 season against Charleston Southern on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 4 p.m. in McKale Center.


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Last April, the Marine Corps announced that it would begin integrating female officers into its Infantry Officer Course, a monumental step towards allowing women to serve in front-line combat that would also open up more promotions for women, some of whom have been complaining for decades that prohibiting women from the front lines hurts their chances of moving up into senior military ranks.
As one might expect, not everyone thinks this is such a fantastic idea. In the latest issue of Marine Corps Gazette, an Iraq and Afghanistan vet and "combat-experienced Marine officer" makes the case that "we are not all created equal" and that "I am confident that should the Marine Corps attempt to fully integrate women into the infantry, we as an institution are going to experience a colossal increase in crippling and career-ending medical conditions for females."
Does that sound like "mansplaining" to you? It shouldn't; the vet in question is Marine Captain Katie Petronio, who argues separating combatants on the basis of gender is no different than other Marine Corps standards that discriminate based on height, weight, and mental capacities. She writes that "dismantling who we are to achieve a political agenda" is a horrible idea, especially since the advocates fighting for her rights aren't combat-experienced or even female Marines:
This issue is being pushed by several groups, one of which is a small committee of civilians appointed by the Secretary of Defense called the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Service (DACOWITS). Their mission is to advise the Department of Defense (DoD) on recommendations, as well as matters of policy, pertaining to the well-being of women in the Armed Services from recruiting to employment. Members are selected based on their prior military experience or experience with women's workforce issues. I certainly applaud and appreciate DACOWITS' mission; however, as it pertains to the issue of women in the infantry, it's very surprising to see that none of the committee members are on active duty or have any recent combat or relevant operational experience relating to the issue they are attempting to change. I say this because, at the end of the day, it's the active duty servicemember who will ultimately deal with the results of their initiatives, not those on the outside looking in.
Why doesn't Petronio think her female peers are capable of front-line combat? It's not that they don't start out qualified; she's just skeptical that women can handle the physical and physiological pressures of combat over long periods of time. She's talking about herself: when Petronio was younger, she was a high-ranking officer and hockey player who was able to squat 200 pounds at 5'3'' inches. But after spending time in Iraq and Afghanistan, she developed restless leg syndrome, muscle atrophy, and messed up her agility overall. Stress and deterioration affect men too, she says, but the toll is much harder on women:
Five years later, I am physically not the woman I once was and my views have greatly changed on the possibility of women having successful long careers while serving in the infantry. I can say from firsthand experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, and not just emotion, that we haven't even begun to analyze and comprehend the gender-specific medical issues and overall physical toll continuous combat operations will have on females.
Although the title of her piece is rather flippant — "Get Over It! We Are Not All Created Equal" — her argument is worth a read. How about a rebuttal from someone with similar experience?
Women in Combat? Not So Fast, This Female Officer Says [Time]
Get Over It! We Are Not All Created Equal [Marine Corps Gazette]
Image via Anthony Correia /Shutterstock.


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Small Space Gardening
You can do a lot with a little. With a little yard, a little time and a few great plants, you can expand your home into the outdoors by creating a great small garden. A few steps will help you choose the right plants.
"Begin by measuring out and planning the space, " said landscape designer, Susan Cohan, APLD. The plan doesn't have to be fancy. It should just be a guide to help you understand and design the space.
Before sketching out your ideas, decide how you will use the garden. Do you want a private outdoor library or an intimate space for entertaining?
Most small gardens are enclosed on one side by a building. In urban environments, they can be enclosed on two or more sides. Buildings cast deep shadows as the sun moves around them. Cohan suggests taking some time to closely observe the amount of shade. She said people often think they have a sunny garden when in fact there is a great deal of shade.
Understanding light levels in your garden allows you to choose the right plants for either sun or shade.
Next, Cohan said its time to look for gardening opportunities. "One opportunity is vertical. Gardening up rather than horizontally," said Cohan.
Trellises and walls can be used to grow vines. If there are walls or fences, consider attaching containers for growing. Think of adding artwork or found objects to walls or fences to add personality. Add vertical dimension by varying levels in the space. Build a raised bed or create a sunken garden.
Small gardens don't require using all small plants. It's important to play with scale and vary heights. Cohan likes to add at least one big plant to a small garden. Adding very large plants, when appropriate, adds mystery. A large plant blocks part of the space from view so that walking the garden becomes a process of discovering new and interesting aspects. (Try Butterfly Bush Nanho Purple)
A big plant is also an attention getter. A show-stopping plant in the garden draws the eye and lengthens the discovery time.
If you're interested in creating an outdoor room, shrubs or other tall plants aligned together become a green wall. Walls create the feeling of sanctuary and intimacy.
Smaller gardens contain fewer plants so choose plants with extra character. Don't plant any one hit wonders. Cohan says to look for plants with the "big three" traits. These traits are interesting foliage, whether evergreen or not, a long bloom time, whether blooming or not, and interesting bark. Use foliage plants – like coleus- that look great all season. Leave seed and flower heads on for winter interest. Plants with at least two of the big three traits provide more impact per plant and make the most of limited space.
Plants that have at least two of these three are Dianthus 'Firewitch' which is long blooming with spikey silver-blue foliage, Coreopsis 'Heavens Gate' which blooms all summer and has feathery fine foliage, and Hydrangea 'Masja'.
A good hydrangea for small spaces, Hydrangea 'Masja' is a smaller hydrangea with luscious pink flowers and dark glossy leaves. The wonderful hydrangea flower head adds winter appeal.
Since fewer plants are needed for impact in smaller gardens, the use of annual flowers with perennials and shrubs is very appealing. Many annuals bloom for much of the season. Pair the lavender-rose bloom and fabulous fragrant grey-green foliage of Agastache 'Rose Mint' with the full season interest of the purple- hued dark foliage of Alternanthera 'Black Knight.' And because of the large selection of flowers, you can dramatically change the look of your garden from year to year.
With a little planning and the right plants, less garden becomes more.


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Bad breath (sometimes called halitosis) is very common. You can usually treat it yourself.
How to treat bad breath yourself
The best way of making sure you do not have bad breath is to keep your teeth, tongue and mouth clean.
- Gently brush your teeth and gums at least twice a day for 2 minutes
- Use a fluoride toothpaste
- Gently clean your tongue once a day using a tongue scraper or cleaner
- Clean between your teeth with interdental brushes or floss at least once a day
- Get regular dental check-ups
- Keep dentures clean and remove them at night
- Use sugar-free mints or chewing gum after having strong-smelling food and drinks
- Try using an antibacterial mouthwash or toothpaste
- Do not smoke
- Do not rinse your mouth with water straight after brushing your teeth
- Do not have lots of sugary foods and drinks
- Do not brush so hard your gums or tongue bleed
Causes of bad breath
Causes of bad breath may include:
- Eating or drinking strong-smelling or spicy foods and drinks
- Problems with your teeth or gums, such as gum disease, holes in your teeth or an Infection
- Crash dieting
- Some medical conditions, like tonsillitis or acid reflux
- Smoking
See a dentist if you have:
- bad breath that does not go away after treating it yourself for a few weeks
- painful, bleeding or swollen gums
- toothache or wobbly adult teeth
- problems with your dentures
If you have any questions
Call us on 02392822740


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Estimated Value: $9 billion
Business: Social networking site with over 64 million active users.
Location: Palo Alto, CA
More Info: Facebook
CEO: Mark Zuckerberg
Investors: Microsoft ($246M), Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing ($60M), Greylock Partners and Meritech Capital Partners ($25M), Accel Partners ($12.8M), and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel ($500,000).
Analysis: Facebook is worth less than the $15 billion valuation Microsoft paid when buying a few percent of it, but it's also worth more than some skeptics think. In every Internet wave, a pre-eminent company and brand have emerged, and in social-networking, it's Facebook.
Facebook's $15 billion valuation, you may recall, was set in the months before Facebook launched "Beacon," its controversial social-marketing system. After a resulting press- and user-privacy flap, Facebook was forced to back off on some of the features that would have helped make Beacon a financial juggernaut. We think if Facebook had conducted its latest round of financing after the Beacon launch instead of before, it wouldn't have persuaded Microsoft to pay $15 billion. We also don't think many rational US investors buying their stakes with depreciated US dollars would have paid that much.
So how much is Facebook worth? According to figures CEO Mark Zuckerberg tossed out on a company conference call, the company will do about $300-$350 million in revenue in 2008, up more than 100% over last year's $150 million. With regard to profitability, meanwhile, Zuckerberg is said to have estimated $50 million of 2008 EBITDA and negative free cash flow due to $150 million of capital expenditures.
Facebook's top-line growth is impressive, but it's not yet Google-like. Until Facebook discovers its own version of AdWords, therefore (a killer app that it can exploit better than anyone else), we don't buy the argument that Facebook is "the next Google." It may be someday, but not yet.
Facebook's strong network effects, low cost of goods sold, strong growth rate, and dominance of social networking should command a hefty revenue multiple--say 25X. Applying this multiple to our 2008E revenue of $350 million, we estimate a current value of $9 billion.
See Also:
Facebook Revenue Growth Less Than Expected: Not The Next Google